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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Presidents of Belarus and Indonesia held talks in Minsk

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    MINSK, July 16 (Xinhua) — Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held talks in Minsk on Tuesday, the press service of the Belarusian head of state reported on the same day.

    The presidents met in an informal setting. During the talks, which lasted about three hours, the leaders of the two countries discussed a wide range of topics. “I am ready to discuss with you all the issues that may be on the agenda of our relations,” A. Lukashenko noted.

    In turn, the Indonesian leader thanked the Belarusian president for the reception and expressed hope to meet in Indonesia in the near future. –0–

    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: Belarus’ GDP grew by 2.1 percent in the first half of 2025 — Belstat

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    MINSK, July 16 (Xinhua) — Belarus’ gross domestic product grew by 2.1 percent in the first half of 2025, the Belarusian National Statistical Committee (Belstat) said on Wednesday.

    The country’s GDP for the first six months in current prices amounted to 129.4 billion Belarusian rubles /about 44 billion US dollars/, or in comparable prices – 102.1 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

    The GDP deflator index in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year was 111.9 percent. –0–

    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 Canada: Alberta leads with health care aide regulation

    Alberta’s 40,000 health care aides play a vital role in the health system, providing hands-on support to Albertans who need a high level of care, including seniors and those with chronic or acute illnesses. Starting Feb. 2, 2026, health care aides in Alberta will be regulated under a professional college – just like many other front-line health professionals.

    To practise and use the health care aide title, individuals will need to meet approved education requirements, follow standards of practice, commit to ongoing learning and abide by a professional code of ethics.

    “This is a major step forward in strengthening Alberta’s health care system. It gives Albertans confidence that the care they receive is safe and that health care aides have the proper training and oversight.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services

    The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta will become the College of Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides of Alberta and will be responsible for registering health care aides, setting practice and conduct standards, ensuring continued professional development and responding to complaints. This work builds on the college’s experience regulating licensed practical nurses in Alberta.

    “The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta is ready to take on the work of regulating health care aides in a manner that protects the public. We are leveraging our experience as a trusted regulator of licensed practical nurses to prepare health care aides and our partners for this transition. The CLPNA is confident that the interests of Albertans will be served through our oversight of registration, practice, conduct and continuing competence.”

    Kurtis Kooiker, president, College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta

    Health care aides who meet the requirements are eligible for enrolment in the Alberta Health Care Aide Directory. Those enrolled in the directory immediately before regulation comes into force will be transferred to a health care aide register with the college and issued a practice permit.

    As of Feb. 2, 2026, individuals who meet the requirements for registration as a health care aide, who intend to provide health care aide services to the public, and who want to use the health care aide title must apply for registration with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides of Alberta. Going forward, only registered health care aides will be allowed to use the health care aide title, and all registered health care aides will be required to renew their practice permits annually.

    In the weeks ahead, regulatory changes to support implementation will be finalized. The college will also continue working with health care aides, employers, post-secondary institutions and other partners to support a smooth transition.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Africville Seasides Marine Container Examination Facility

    Source: Government of Canada News

    July 16, 2025                 Halifax, Nova Scotia     

    Construction on the new Marine Container Examination Facility (MCEF) began in summer 2022 and was completed in early April 2025. Operations started on April 7, 2025.

    The new facility offers many benefits including:

    • Improves the efficiency, safety, security and operations for Canada Border Services (CBSA) employees
    • Reduces port congestion through operational efficiencies
    • Allows continued growth for the Halifax Port Authority
    • Increases supply chain effectiveness
    • Enables Canadian businesses to compete and grow in international markets
    • Reduces container truck traffic and emissions as the new MCEF is located directly on Port of Halifax property

    Facility description

    The 2,700 square-metre building is owned and operated by the Halifax Port Authority, and is used by the Canada Border Services Agency.

    The facility has 10 examination bays used by CBSA officers to examine high-risk shipping containers near the terminal. Large quantities of drugs and stolen vehicles are regularly intercepted by border services officers.

    The facility includes a truck gate with electronic scanners to help keep track of containers and their cargo.

    The Marine Container Examination Facility is an Envision-Verified infrastructure project, scoring 26% above industry standards under the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure rating system. The building has many sustainable features including:

    • A solar photovoltaic system
    • A rainwater harvesting system
    • Development of a Construction Sustainability Checklist that all contractors were required to submit as part of their tender submission
    • Development of a Contractor Tracking Tool for earthworks, materials, energy use, and water use, motion-activated LED fixtures
    • In-floor radiant heating
    • Building generator for backup power
    • Security fence rear compound for holding all containers marked for examination
    • EV charging stations

    Funding

    The Halifax Port Authority and the Government of Canada have invested approximately $25 million in the new facility. Transport Canada invested $7 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund. The CBSA invested $879,000 for :

    • CCTV hardware and installation
    • Furniture
    • IT equipment
    • Signage
    • Detection equipment
    • Audio Visual equipment
    • Building WIFI and Network equipment and installation
    • Tooling and storage cabinets

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 518

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL8

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 518
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1235 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Northern Illinois
    Far Northwest Indiana
    Lake Michigan

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 1235 PM
    until 800 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms are forecast to develop in a
    north-south band and move east across the Watch. A couple of the
    stronger thunderstorms may acquire transient supercell
    characteristics. Scattered damaging gusts are the primary hazard,
    but an isolated risk for large hail will accompany the stronger
    storms and a tornado cannot be ruled out.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
    statute miles east and west of a line from 40 miles east northeast
    of Rockford IL to 20 miles south southeast of Marseilles IL. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU8).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 517…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    24025.

    …Smith

    SEL8

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 518
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1235 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Northern Illinois
    Far Northwest Indiana
    Lake Michigan

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 1235 PM
    until 800 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms are forecast to develop in a
    north-south band and move east across the Watch. A couple of the
    stronger thunderstorms may acquire transient supercell
    characteristics. Scattered damaging gusts are the primary hazard,
    but an isolated risk for large hail will accompany the stronger
    storms and a tornado cannot be ruled out.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
    statute miles east and west of a line from 40 miles east northeast
    of Rockford IL to 20 miles south southeast of Marseilles IL. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU8).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 517…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    24025.

    …Smith

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW8
    WW 518 SEVERE TSTM IL IN LM 161735Z – 170100Z
    AXIS..75 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    40ENE RFD/ROCKFORD IL/ – 20SSE MMO/MARSEILLES IL/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 65NM E/W /34NW ORD – 29SSW JOT/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24025.

    LAT…LON 42418691 41098709 41098997 42418985

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU8.

    Watch 518 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (5%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (10%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    Mod (60%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CUMBERLAND COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Celebrate Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund’s 30th Anniversary

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    July 17, 2025 – Camp Hill, PA

    ADVISORY – CUMBERLAND COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Celebrate Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund’s 30th Anniversary

    The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will mark the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund’s (USTIF) 30th anniversary, celebrating three decades of service and commitment to cleaner and safer communities across the Commonwealth.

    Since its inception in 1994, USTIF has remained committed to providing critical financial assistance to underground storage tank owners and operators that protect Pennsylvania’s environment, while also supporting business continuity and demonstrating how partnerships between the public and private sectors can unite to serve Pennsylvanians.

    WHO:
    Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys
    Laura Lyon Slaymaker, Deputy Insurance Commissioner
    Ramez Ziadeh, DEP Executive Deputy Secretary
    Andrew Greiner, USTIF Board Member
    Nick Ruffner, Public Affairs Manager, Sheetz, Inc.

    WHEN:
    TOMORROW, Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 10:00 AM

    WHERE:
    Soon-to-be new Sheetz facility at 4415 Carlisle Pike, Camp Hill, PA 17011

    RSVP:
    Press who are interested in attending must RSVP to ra-in-press@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Agricultural Scientific Begins Construction on Innovative Hydroponic Greenhouse to Transform U.S. Food Supply Chain

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAGRANGE, Ga., July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Agricultural Scientific, LLC announces that construction is now underway on the Agriculture Technology Campus (ATC), an innovative agricultural project in South Carolina set to transform food production in the Eastern U.S.

    Located at the 1,000-acre Agriculture Technology Campus, the high-tech hub will feature a hydroponic greenhouse and processing facility in Early Branch, SC. It will produce locally grown, organic tomatoes with 90% greater water efficiency than traditional farming, reducing dependence on imports from Mexico, California, and Canada.

    Initially announced in September 2020 during the COVID pandemic, the highly anticipated project that garnered international interest, has been galvanized through a strategic partnership between Phoenix Lender Services, a subsidiary of Community Bankshares, Inc. and Optus Bank of South Carolina.

    Backed by a complex capital stack of USDA Business & Industry and Food Supply Chain loans, the project will enable 400+ acres of hydroponic greenhouses to produce year-round vegetables, cutting water use and eliminating pesticides. Upon completion, this innovative project will bring $350 million in private capital investment and over 1000 direct jobs to rural Hampton County and the surrounding region.

    “This isn’t just about growing vegetables—it’s about reshaping the future of agriculture and re-shoring our critical U.S. supply chain,” said Zeb Portanova, CEO of Agricultural Scientific. “By producing fresh, high-quality produce closer to consumers, we can reduce food miles, cut emissions, and limit our reliance on foreign countries. Thank you to the United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins for her integral support of this project.”

    Currently, 90% of vegetables consumed in the Eastern U.S. are transported from other countries and regions, leading to supply chain vulnerabilities and excessive carbon emissions. This project will drastically shorten food miles, ensuring fresher produce while slashing CO₂ emissions by approximately 600 metric tons per 100 truckloads.

    Key benefits of this initiative include:

    • Enhance food security by reducing reliance on imported produce from Mexico and Canada
    • Lower carbon emissions through sustainable, localized production
    • Align with retailers’ goals by providing fresher, locally grown, organic, and environmentally responsible products
    • Foster U.S.-based manufacturing growth and reinvestment in critical sectors that sustain communities and the economy
    • Generate hundreds of skilled agricultural jobs in South Carolina

    “This is a landmark moment for agriculture, rural America, and sustainability,” said Chris Hurn, President of Phoenix Lender Services and Community Bankshares, Inc. “By investing in local food production, we’re not only boosting U.S. agriculture but also bringing manufacturing back home, reducing reliance on foreign supply chains and creating lasting economic impact.”

    “This facility represents the future of sustainable food production,” said Reggie Webber, Chief Credit Officer of Optus Bank. “It’s not just an investment in farming—it’s an investment in economic stability, job creation, and environmental responsibility.

    “At Optus Bank, we are proud to bank on communities through innovation, impact, and economic empowerment. Our strategic partnership with Community Bankshares and their subsidiaries, Phoenix Lender Services, allows us to achieve a key strategic imperative for the Bank,” said Benita Lefft, President of Optus Bank.

    A total USDA loan capital stack of $46,157,187 was successfully structured through the partnership. This included two food supply chain loans totaling $29,610,400 and a Business & Industry (B&I) loan of $16,546,787.

    The ATC is developed and owned by Agricultural Scientific, LLC and leased to Lokal Harvest USA (LHUSA), a subsidiary of Harvest House, one of Europe’s largest and most successful greenhouse operators. With a track record of supplying major retailers like Walmart, Kroger, Sam’s Club, Trader Joe’s, and Publix, Lokal Harvest USA is well-positioned to scale operations and meet the rising demand for fresh, locally grown produce.

    “The Agriculture Technology Campus has been the talk of Hampton County since it was first announced, and the commencement of construction could not have come at a better time. We in Hampton County understand that good economic development has a direct tie to a better quality of life for all of our citizens, and we are excited about this innovative agricultural project. We thank everyone involved in the ATC project for their support, and we look forward to working with the company for decades to come as new jobs and opportunities emerge in Hampton County,” said Dr. Roy Hollingsworth, Chairman of Hampton County Council.

    “SouthernCarolina Alliance is delighted to see this critical project coming to fruition. We appreciate the support of our partners at USDA, the SC Dept. of Commerce, the SC Dept. of Agriculture, Phoenix Lender Services, Community Bankshares, and Optus Bank in facilitating this investment in our region. Good jobs and investment change communities, and this project will not only affect Hampton County locally, but also improve the quality of life in our region and beyond through both its economic impact and fresher, healthier produce for all,” said Danny Black, President and CEO, SouthernCarolina Alliance.

    This landmark project is more than just a local initiative—it’s a scalable model for the future of agriculture in the U.S. With federal support, private investment, and the expertise of global leaders in hydroponic agriculture, this initiative is poised to set a new standard for modern farming—one that delivers fresher produce, reduces environmental impact, and supports economic growth.

    Local, legislative and state leaders gathered at the construction site on July 16 to celebrate the partnership and view the construction underway.

    For more information, please visit The Agriculture Technology Campus https://agtechcampus.com.

    For more information about Phoenix Lender Services and its lending solutions, please visit www.phoenixlenderservices.com.

    ABOUT AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS (ATC)

    The Agriculture Technology Campus in Hampton County, SC, is a pioneering agricultural development designed to revolutionize food production through controlled-environment farming, sustainable growing practices, and strategic partnerships with global leaders in greenhouse technology. If you are interested in joining the ATC campus, please email info@gemozf.com. Backed by a complex capital stack of USDA Business & Industry and Food Supply Chain loans, the project will enable 400+ acres of hydroponic greenhouses to produce year-round vegetables, cutting water use and eliminating pesticides.

    ABOUT PHOENIX LENDER SERVICES

    Based in Georgia and serving clients nationwide, Phoenix Lender Services offers a comprehensive suite of commercial lending solutions, including loan underwriting, closing, and servicing; participant lender matching; secondary market sales; portfolio management; risk analysis; and compliance reviews and regulatory support. Our seasoned professionals combine extensive industry expertise in SBA, USDA, and other commercial government-guaranteed lending with industry-leading technologies to deliver tailored solutions that align with each client’s unique strategic goals. Phoenix Lender Services is leading the way in SBA and USDA commercial lending.

    ABOUT COMMUNITY BANKSHARES INC

    Community Bankshares, Inc. is a dynamic company that is revolutionizing the financial landscape via its support for America’s businesses. As a mission-focused company, we are redefining how lending capital is provided across the nation and its territories in ways that promote business stability and encourage local area prosperity. In doing so, we foster economic growth, job creation and retention, and community strength. https://communitybankshares.com/

    ABOUT OPTUS BANK

    Established in 1921, Optus Bank is a federally designated Minority Depository Institution (MDI) and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) dedicated to serving underserved communities. Optus is committed to Banking on Communities Through Innovation, Impact, and Economic Empowerment—providing access to capital, financial education, and full-service banking for individuals, small businesses, and mission-aligned organizations. https://optus.bank/

    ABOUT LOKAL HARVEST USA

    Lokal Harvest USA is a leading producer of hydroponic greenhouse vegetables, bringing advanced farming techniques and global supply chain expertise to the U.S. market in partnership with Harvest House, one of Europe’s largest greenhouse operators.

    https://agtechcampus.com/

    MEDIA CONTACT

    Abigail Davison
    Uproar PR by Moburst for Community Bankshares, Inc.
    abigail.davison@moburst.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e99b9c29-2298-468a-8d70-705020ace65d

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Minecraft summer updates include streaming home for movie, new features and rewards in-game

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Minecraft summer updates include streaming home for movie, new features and rewards in-game

    Minecraft’s latest game drop isn’t just focused on what’s under your feet, but what’s above your head. Chase the Skies introduces the happy ghast, a new rideable mob that lets you take to the air alone or with friends. While exploring the Nether, you can now come across a dried ghast – return it to the Overworld, then hydrate it with water, and you’ll net yourself a ghastling, who will then grow into your new flying mount after you’ve waited long enough, or fed it enough snowballs. Just make sure you also have a ghast harness to use your smiley new ride! 

    Chase the Skies also introduces a number of new features, from craftable saddles, to new Amos Roddy music tracks, to a player locator bar to help make playing with friends that little bit easier, and even the ability to leash multiple mobs together like you’re the Overworld’s strangest dog walker. Why not leash a boat to your new happy ghast and help carry even more players through the skies? 

    Vibrant Visuals – Out Now for Compatible Minecraft: Bedrock Edition Devices 

    One of the biggest shifts in Minecraft history is here – Vibrant Visuals transforms the look of the Bedrock Edition, retaining the game’s iconic style while adding improved graphical elements – directional lighting, volumetric fog, pixelated shadows and reflections, and much more. 

    It’s a truly stunning change, turning Minecraft into the game you’ve always imagined in your head (but, if you like the original look, you can always switch back!). You can read all about the upgrade on Xbox Wire, but trust me, you really should play it for yourself. 

    Vibrant Memories Camera Add-On – Out Now for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition 

    Want to make the most of those Vibrant Visuals vistas? The Vibrant Memories camera add-on (available in the Minecraft Marketplace) introduces multiple features to let you take the perfect shot – from saving camera angles, to changing the weather, or controlling time itself. Each shot will be saved to your personal album, and you can even add music to capture the perfect mood. 

    Realms Plus – New Content Available Now 

    Realms Plus subscribers can now add Chase the Skies and Vibrant Visuals content to their own personal servers – and there are also new Marketplace drops included in your subscription. 

    The One Slime Block Adventure world by Mush Co throws you into an adventure featuring 5 unique boss battles, 6 dimensions, and a lot of slime, from enemies to weaponry. Meanwhile the Aquaculture add-on by Team Metallurgy will turn you into the ultimate angler, adding 60 new underwater creatures, rare equipment, new cooking mechanics, and more. Both are included as part of Realms Plus. 

    A Minecraft Movie – Now Streaming on HBO Max  

    This year’s blockiest buster is available to stream now. After becoming a phenomenon in theaters, with an HBO Max subscription, you can now watch ‘A Minecraft Movie’ at home.  

    Join Garrett (Jason Momoa), Dawn (Danielle Brooks), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Henry (Sebastian Hansen) – four misfits who are pulled through a portal to Minecraft’s Overworld as you’ve never seen it before. After meeting Steve (Jack Black), they’ll need to harness the power of creativity to repel a Piglin invasion and return to the real world. 

    Whether it’s your first time venturing into the live-action Overworld, or you already know all the words to Steve’s Lava Chicken, it’s easier than ever to watch. 

    Steve’s Lava Chicken Remix Music Disc and Dennis Painting – Out Now 

    Speaking of Steve’s Lava Chicken, you’ve got two new ways of listening to the song inspired by the movie. It’s available to stream now, and in Minecraft. Get your blocky hands on a music disc that will let you play the song from your jukebox. 

    Plus, pay tribute to man’s (well, Steve’s) best friend by crafting a new painting of Dennis, the pale wolf hero of ‘A Minecraft Movie’. 

    Claim Your Community Challenge Rewards 

    In its latest Community Challenge, Mojang asked the Minecraft community to work together to spawn 50 million happy ghasts in Creative mode, and feed snowballs to 1 million ghastlings in Survival mode – and you delivered! As your reward, every Bedrock Edition player can now access the Ghast Rider Floatie and the Happy Ghast Pilot Gear in the Dressing Room, while every Java Edition player can download the Ghast Riding Swimmer and Happy Ghast Pilot skins here. 

    Minecraft

    Microsoft Studios

    ☆☆☆☆☆ 2004

    ★★★★★

    $19.99 $15.99

    Xbox One X Enhanced

    Xbox Game Pass

    CREATE Build whatever you can imagine in your own infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough. EXPLORE Discover biomes, resources and mobs, and craft your way through a world filled with surprises in the ultimate sandbox game. SURVIVE Experience unforgettable adventures as you face mysterious foes, traverse exciting landscapes, and travel to perilous dimensions. PLAY TOGETHER Have a blast with friends, whether you’re sitting on the same couch in split screen or miles apart in cross-platform play for console, mobile and PC. Connect with millions of players on community servers or subscribe to Realms Plus to play with up to 10 friends on your own private server. EXPERIENCE MORE Get creator-made add-ons, thrilling worlds, and stylish cosmetics on Minecraft Marketplace. Subscribe to Marketplace Pass (or Realms Plus) to access 150+ worlds, skin & textures packs, and more – refreshed monthly.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Protecting customers from Octo Tempest attacks across multiple industries

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Protecting customers from Octo Tempest attacks across multiple industries

    In recent weeks, Microsoft has observed Octo Tempest, also known as Scattered Spider, impacting the airlines sector, following previous activity impacting retail, food services, hospitality organizations, and insurance between April and July 2025. This aligns with Octo Tempest’s typical patterns of concentrating on one industry for several weeks or months before moving on to new targets. Microsoft Security products continue to update protection coverage as these shifts occur. 

    To help protect and inform customers, this blog highlights the protection coverage across the Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Sentinel security ecosystem and provides security posture hardening recommendations to protect against threat actors like Octo Tempest.

    Get ahead of threat actors with integrated security solutions from Microsoft Defender

    Overview of Octo Tempest 

    Octo Tempest, also known in the industry as Scattered Spider, Muddled Libra, UNC3944, or 0ktapus, is a financially motivated cybercriminal group that has been observed impacting organizations using varying methods in their end-to-end attacks. Their approach includes: 

    • Gaining initial access using social engineering attacks and impersonating a user and contacting service desk support through phone calls, emails, and messages.
    • Short Message Service (SMS)-based phishing using adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) domains that mimic legitimate organizations.
    • Using tools such as ngrok, Chisel, and AADInternals.
    • Impacting hybrid identity infrastructures and exfiltrating data to support extortion or ransomware operations.  

    Recent activity shows Octo Tempest has deployed DragonForce ransomware with a particular focus on VMWare ESX hypervisor environments. In contrast to previous patterns where Octo Tempest used cloud identity privileges for on-premises access, recent activities have involved impacting both on-premises accounts and infrastructure at the initial stage of an intrusion before transitioning to cloud access. 

    Octo Tempest detection coverage 

    Microsoft Defender has a wide range of detections to detect Octo Tempest related activities and more. These detections span across all areas of the security portfolio including endpoints, identities, software as a service (SaaS) apps, email and collaboration tools, cloud workloads, and more to provide comprehensive protection coverage. Shown below is a list of known Octo Tempest tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) observed in recent attack chains mapped to detection coverage.

    Tactic  Technique  Microsoft Protection Coverage (non-exhaustive) 
    Initial Access  Initiating password reset on target’s credentials  Unusual user password reset in your virtual machine; (MDC) 
    Discovery  Continuing environmental reconnaissance  Suspicious credential dump from NTDS.dit; (MDE)
    Account enumeration reconnaissance; (MDI)
    Network-mapping reconnaissance (DNS); (MDI)
    User and IP address reconnaissance (SMB); (MDI)
    User and Group membership reconnaissance (SAMR); (MDI)
    Active Directory attributes reconnaissance (LDAP); (MDI) 
    Credential Access,  Lateral Movement  Identifying Tier-0 assets  Mimikatz credential theft tool; (MDE)
    ADExplorer collecting Active Directory information; (MDE)
    Security principal reconnaissance (LDAP); (MDI)
    Suspicious Azure role assignment detected; (MDC)
    Suspicious elevate access operation; (MDC)
    Suspicious domain added to Microsoft Entra ID; (MDA)
    Suspicious domain trust modification following risky sign-in; (MDA) 
    Collecting additional credentials  Suspected DCSync attack (replication of directory services); (MDI)
    Suspected AD FS DKM key read; (MDI) 
    Accessing enterprise environments with VPN and deploying VMs with tools to maintain access in compromised environments  ‘Ngrok’ hacktool was prevented; (MDE)
    ‘Chisel’ hacktool was prevented; (MDE)
    Possibly malicious use of proxy or tunneling tool; (MDE)
    Possible Octo Tempest-related device registered (MDA) 
    Defense Evasion, Persistence  Leveraging EDR and management tooling  Tampering activity typical to ransomware attacks; (MDE) 
    Persistence, Execution  Installing a trusted backdoor  ADFS persistent backdoor; (MDE) 
    Actions on Objectives  Staging and exfiltrating stolen data  Possible exfiltration of archived data; (MDE)
    Data exfiltration over SMB; (MDI) 
    Deploying ransomware  ‘DragonForce’ ransomware was prevented; (MDE)
    Possible hands-on-keyboard pre-ransom activity; (MDE) 
    Note: The list is not exhaustive. A full list of available detections can be found in the Microsoft Defender portal. 

    Disrupting Octo Tempest attacks  

    Disrupt in-progress attacks with automatic attack disruption:
    Attack disruption is Microsoft Defender’s unique, built-in self-defense capability that consumes multi-domain signals, the latest threat intelligence, and AI-powered machine learning models to automatically predict and disrupt an attacker’s next move by containing the compromised asset (user, device). This technology uses multiple potential indicators and behaviors, including all the detections listed above, possible Microsoft Entra ID sign-in attempts, possible Octo Tempest-related sign-in activities and correlate them across the Microsoft Defender workloads into a high-fidelity incident. 

    Based on previous learnings from popular Octo Tempest techniques, attack disruption will automatically disable the user account used by Octo Tempest and revokes all existing active sessions by the compromised user. 

    While attack disruption can contain the attack by cutting off the attacker, it is critical for security operations center (SOC) teams to conduct incident response activities and post-incident analysis to help ensure the threat is fully contained and remediated.  

    Investigate and hunt for Octo Tempest related activity:
    Octo Tempest is infamously known for aggressive social engineering tactics, often impacting individuals with specific permissions to gain legitimate access and move laterally through networks. To help organizations identify these activities, customers can use Microsoft Defender’s advanced hunting capability to proactively investigate and respond to threats across their environment. Analysts can query across both first- and third-party data sources powered by Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel. In addition to these tables, analysts can also use exposure insights from Microsoft Security Exposure Management.  

    Learn more about Microsoft Security Exposure Management

    Using advanced hunting and the Exposure Graph, defenders can proactively assess and hunt for the threat actor’s related activity and identify which users are most likely to be targeted and what will be the effect of a compromise, strengthening defenses before an attack occurs.  

    Proactive defense against Octo Tempest 

    Microsoft Security Exposure Management, available in the Microsoft Defender portal, equips security teams with capabilities such as critical asset protection, threat actor initiatives, and attack path analysis that enable security teams to proactively reduce exposure and mitigate the impact of Octo Tempest’s hybrid attack tactics.

    Ensure critical assets stay protected 

    Customers should ensure critical assets are classified as critical in the Microsoft Defender portal to generate relevant attack paths and recommendations in initiatives. Microsoft Defender automatically identifies critical devices in your environment, but teams should also create custom rules and expand critical asset identifiers to enhance protection.  

    Take action to minimize impact with initiatives 

    Exposure Management’s initiatives feature provides goal-driven programs that unify key insights to help teams harden defenses and act fast on real threats. To address the most pressing risks related to Octo Tempest, we recommend organizations begin with the initiatives below: 

    • Octo Tempest Threat Initiative: Octo Tempest is known for tactics like extracting credentials from Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) using tools like Mimikatz and signing in from attacker-controlled IPs—both of which can be mitigated through controls like attack surface reduction (ASR) rules and sign-in policies. This initiative brings these mitigations together into a focused program, mapping real-world attacker behaviors to actionable controls that help reduce exposure and disrupt attack paths before they escalate.
    • Ransomware Initiative: A broader initiative focused on reducing exposure to extortion-driven attacks through hardening identity, endpoint, and infrastructure layers. This will provide recommendations tailored for your organization.  

    Investigate on-premises and hybrid attack paths

    Security teams can use attack path analysis to trace cross-domain threats—like those used by Octo Tempest—who’ve exploited the critical Entra Connect server to pivot into cloud workloads, escalate privileges, and expand their reach. Teams can use the ‘Chokepoint’ view in the attack path dashboard to highlight entities appearing in multiple paths, making it easy to filter for helpdesk-linked accounts, a known Octo target, and prioritize their remediation.  

    Given Octo Tempest’s hybrid attack strategy, a representative attack path may look like this: 

    Recommendations 

    In today’s threat landscape, proactive security is essential. By following security best practices, you reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of adversaries like Octo Tempest. Microsoft recommends implementing the following to help strengthen your overall posture and stay ahead of threats: 

    Identity security recommendations 

    Endpoint security recommendations 

    • Enable Microsoft Defender Antivirus cloud-delivered protection for Linux.
    • Turn on Microsoft Defender Antivirus real-time protection for Linux.
    • Enable Microsoft Defender for Endpoint EDR in block mode to block post breach malicious behavior on the device through behavior blocking and containment capabilities.
    • Turn on tamper protection that essentially prevents Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (your security settings) from being modified.
    • Block credential stealing from the Windows local security authority subsystem: Attack surface reduction (ASR) rules are the most effective method for blocking the most common attack techniques being used in cyber-attacks and malicious software.
    • Turn on Microsoft Defender Credential Guard to isolate secrets so that only privileged system software can access them.

    Cloud security recommendations 

    • Key Vaults should have purge protection enabled to prevent immediate, irreversible deletion of vaults and secrets.
    • To reduce risks of overly permissive inbound rules on virtual machines’ management ports, enable just-in-time (JIT) network access control. 
    • Microsoft Defender for Cloud recommends encrypting data with customer-managed keys (CMK) to support strict compliance or regulatory requirements. To reduce risk and increase control, enable CMK to manage your own encryption keys through Microsoft Azure Key Vault.
    • Enable logs in Azure Key Vault and retain them for up to a year. This enables you to recreate activity trails for investigation purposes when a security incident occurs or your network is compromised.
    • Microsoft Azure Backup should be enabled for virtual machines to protect the data on your Microsoft Azure virtual machines, and to create recovery points that are stored in geo-redundant recovery vaults.

    Microsoft Defender

    Comprehensive threat prevention, detection and response capabilities for everyone.

    Explore security solutions

    ​​To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Microsoft Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters.

    Also, follow us on Microsoft Security LinkedIn and @MSFTSecurity on X for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: From student to startup: 23-year-old Zülal Tannur shows how Microsoft is a partner in possibility

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: From student to startup: 23-year-old Zülal Tannur shows how Microsoft is a partner in possibility

    When most people think of Microsoft, they think of products—Windows, Azure, Office. But for some of us, Microsoft has become something far greater: a foundation for growth, a partner, and a constant force behind bold, world-changing visions.

    Just ask Zülal Tannur, the 23-year-old founder behind From Your Eyes and NeuroVision AI Tech Inc., and the 2025 EMEA Winner of the Microsoft Women Power Awards.

    An award typically granted to women with 15+ years of executive leadership, this recognition breaks tradition—and reflects something much more powerful than experience alone. It highlights what happens when fearless student innovators are met with intentional support, deep mentorship, and global belief in their ideas.

    • At 18: Named one of Microsoft’s youngest global tech leaders.
    • At 21: Founded FROM YOUR EYES, a company dedicated to redefining accessibility through AI-based perception systems.
    • At 22: Became the Imagine Cup World Champion, earning $100,000 in funding and a mentorship session with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
    • By 23: Scaled her second company, NeuroVision AI Tech Inc., from Türkiye to Silicon Valley—powered by AI, Azure, and unstoppable vision.

    Zülal’s story is more than inspiring—it’s evidence of what’s possible when Microsoft doesn’t just cheer from the sidelines but walks alongside founders as they build, scale, and redefine industries.

    • Smart Mobility: Embedding artificial vision into next-generation vehicles.
    • Urban Perception Infrastructure: Designing edge-first AI systems that help cities and machines “see.”
    • Federated Intelligence: Moving beyond centralized AI toward more secure, adaptable, and inclusive systems.

    Their work represents the leading edge of accessibility, AI, and mobility innovation—and Microsoft has been a strategic partner every step of the way.

    From the Imagine Cup to Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, from GitHub for Startups to one-on-one mentorship from Satya Nadella himself—Zülal’s experience reveals the depth of Microsoft’s commitment to student innovators turned startup leaders.

    This isn’t just about giving students a platform. It’s about giving them:

    • Capital to scale early-stage technologies
    • Mentorship from global leaders who’ve built transformative companies
    • Credibility through recognition and awards that open doors
    • Community via programs like the Partner Network and Startups Founders Hub

    Zülal says it best:

    “As a blind, young, and female founder, having people truly see the vision behind what you build isn’t always easy. But Microsoft Imagine Cup saw it — and amplified it. It was our big bang: our first investment, the catalyst that took us global. From FROM YOUR EYES to founding NeuroVision AI Tech in the U.S., we’ve built a team that’s now 60% international and partnered with giants like NVIDIA. Imagine Cup didn’t just support us — it believed in what we could become.”

    Her journey is proof that when student founders are met with intentional partnership—not just encouragement—they can go from early vision to global impact.

    Zülal leads two AI companies focused on accessibility, vision, and mobility. She also happens to be the world’s first blind Technology Ambassador.

    Her story proves that innovation isn’t always born in boardrooms. Sometimes, it begins in student dorms. In hackathons. At virtual competitions. And with a relentless belief that technology should make the world more inclusive, not less.

    As Zülal puts it:

    “This isn’t about where we’ve been. It’s about where we’re going—and how far we’re willing to see.“

    Microsoft didn’t just watch her journey. They invested in it. Believed in it. And became the kind of partner that doesn’t just back startups—they help build them.

     

    Are you an early stage student founder?

    Sign up here to be notified when Imagine Cup 2026 launches later this year.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft introduces new training framework that enhances human-LLM collaboration

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft introduces new training framework that enhances human-LLM collaboration

    Large language models (LLMs) can solve complex puzzles in seconds, yet they sometimes struggle over simple conversations. When these AI tools make assumptions, overlook key details, or neglect to ask clarifying questions, the result can erode trust and derail real-world interactions, where nuance is everything.

    A key reason these models behave this way lies in how they’re trained and evaluated. Most benchmarks use isolated, single-turn prompts with clear instructions. Training methods tend to optimize for the model’s next response, not its contribution to a successful, multi-turn exchange. But real-world interaction is dynamic and collaborative. It relies on context, clarification, and shared understanding.

    User-centric approach to training 

    To address this, we’re exploring ways to train LLMs with users in mind. Our approach places models in simulated environments that reflect the back-and-forth nature of real conversations. Through reinforcement learning, these models improve through trial and error, for example, learning when to ask questions and how to adapt tone and communication style to different situations. This user-centric approach helps bridge the gap between how LLMs are typically trained and how people actually use them.  

    This is the concept behind CollabLLM (opens in new tab), recipient of an ICML (opens in new tab) Outstanding Paper Award (opens in new tab). This training framework helps LLMs improve through simulated multi-turn interactions, as illustrated in Figure 1. The core insight behind CollabLLM is simple: in a constructive collaboration, the value of a response isn’t just in its immediate usefulness, but in how it contributes to the overall success of the conversation. A clarifying question might seem like a delay but often leads to better outcomes. A quick answer might appear useful but can create confusion or derail the interaction.

    Figure 1. Diagram comparing two training approaches for LLMs. (a) The standard method lacks user-agent collaboration and uses single-turn rewards, leading to an inefficient conversation. (b) In contrast, CollabLLM simulates multi-turn user-agent interactions during training, enabling it to learn effective collaboration strategies and produce more efficient dialogues.

    CollabLLM puts this collaborative approach into practice with a simulation-based training loop, illustrated in Figure 2. At any point in a conversation, the model generates multiple possible next turns by engaging in a dialogue with a simulated user.

    Figure 2: Simulation-based training process used in CollabLLM

    The system uses a sampling method to extend conversations turn by turn, choosing likely responses for each participant (the AI agent or the simulated user), while adding some randomness to vary the conversational paths. The goal is to expose the model to a wide variety of conversational scenarios, helping it learn more effective collaboration strategies.

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    To each simulated conversation, we applied multiturn-aware reward (MR) functions, which assess how the model’s response at the given turn influences the entire trajectory of the conversation. We sampled multiple conversational follow-ups from the model, such as statements, suggestions, questions, and used MR to assign a reward to each based on how well the conversation performed in later turns. We based these scores on automated metrics that reflect key factors like goal completion, conversational efficiency, and user engagement.

    To score the sampled conversations, we used task-specific metrics and metrics from an LLM-as-a-judge framework, which supports efficient and scalable evaluation. For metrics like engagement, a judge model rates each sampled conversation on a scale from 0 to 1.

    The MR of each model response was computed by averaging the scores from the sampled conversations, originating from the model response. Based on the score, the model updates its parameters using established reinforcement learning algorithms like Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) or Direct Preference Optimization (DPO).

    We tested CollabLLM through a combination of automated and human evaluations, detailed in the paper. One highlight is a user study involving 201 participants in a document co-creation task, shown in Figure 3. We compared CollabLLM to a baseline trained with single-turn rewards and to a second, more proactive baseline prompted to ask clarifying questions and take other proactive steps. CollabLLM outperformed both, producing higher-quality documents, better interaction ratings, and faster task completion times.

    Figure 3: Results of the user study in a document co-creation task comparing CollabLLM to a baseline trained with single-turn rewards.

    Designing for real-world collaboration

    Much of today’s AI research focuses on fully automated tasks, models working without input from or interaction with users. But many real-world applications depend on people in the loop: as users, collaborators, or decision-makers. Designing AI systems that treat user input not as a constraint, but as essential, leads to systems that are more accurate, more helpful, and ultimately more trustworthy.

    This work is driven by a core belief: the future of AI depends not just on intelligence, but on the ability to collaborate effectively. And that means confronting the communication breakdowns in today’s systems.

    We see CollabLLM as a step in that direction, training models to engage in meaningful multi-turn interactions, ask clarifying questions, and adapt to context. In doing so, we can build systems designed to work with people—not around them.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: In Burkina Faso, cashew cultivation is a lever for sustainable and inclusive rural development

    Source: APO

    Launched in 2017 and completed in 2024, the Cashew Development Support Project in the Comoé Basin for REDD+ (PADA/REDD+) exemplified sustainable development. The project combined poverty reduction, ecological transition and the empowerment of women and young people, achieving a remarkable implementation rate of 95 percent.  It has revitalised the cashew nut industry, Burkina Faso’s third largest agricultural export after cotton and sesame.

    The PADA/REDD+ project received support from the African Development Bank, which granted a loan of $4 million, and the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional funding window, with a grant of $1.39 million, representing 61 percent of the total project cost of $8.82 million. The government of Burkina Faso and the beneficiaries provided the remaining funding.

    The project mobilised the necessary resources to contribute to the sustainable transformation of the Cascades, Hauts Bassins and South-West regions, with significant participation from women. It enabled producers to reduce maintenance costs, improve soil fertility and structure, and increase cashew productivity and incomes in a sustainable manner.

    Climate action combined with agricultural production

    The first component of the PADA/REDD+ focused on carbon sequestration. This resulted in the creation of seven tree parks, the production of more than 1.6 million improved seedlings and the development of approximately 27,000 hectares of agroforestry plantations. One-third of these plantations are maintained by women, underlining the project’s commitment to promoting social inclusion. A total of 35,340 producers, including 6,047 women, were trained in good agricultural and organic practices.

    This capacity-building approach for producers and processors equipped each stakeholder with the skills required to meet their needs and expectations, particularly in mastering technical production and processing methods.

    Adama Patrick Sombié, a cashew nut processor in Bérégadougou, confirms his satisfaction: “Before the project, there were no cashew tree parks in the village, only forest and a few orchards. When the project offered plots to promoters, I signed up and received two hectares.”

    Access to finance and modernization of processing

    The second component of the project focused on strengthening value chains. Long hampered by limited access to finance, the sector’s development has benefited from an innovative partnership with the umbrella organisation of Burkina Faso’s Caisses populaires banks, alongside savings and loan cooperatives.

    This mechanism enabled investment loans to be granted based on a sliding scale of interest rates, financing 103 microprojects for a total of 888 million CFA francs, or approximately $500,000. The project also created 9,580 additional “green” jobs, 92.66 percent of which were for women, by financing micro-investment projects.

    Thanks to the funding provided, seven processing units were modernised. A new unit called “Tensya” was established in the commune of Toussiana, and three warehouses were built, one of which is reserved for women. The project also enabled the purchase of 12 trucks and 45 tricycles, training in good practices for 631 people, strengthening the environmental skills of 477 stakeholders, and the construction and equipping of infrastructure such as a cooking and shelling centre for women in Diéri, entirely subsidised by the African Development Bank.

    An inclusive and sustainable impact

    These microprojects reached nearly 18,000 people, 61 percent of whom were women, further strengthening the inclusive approach of PADA/REDD+. “This project is a blessing for us. Thanks to the income generated, we can send our children to school and keep them healthy. Before, we used to sell our products at rock-bottom prices, but now, with our own processing units, we control the entire value chain,” says Aramatou Barro, a processor in Diéri.

    Christiane Koné, a processor in Toussiana, confirms this postive impact: “Thanks to the project, we have been able to purchase six automatic shelling machines, which are twice as fast as our 25 manual shelling tables.”

    At the same time, the project structured supply networks, ensured that 96 cooperatives complied with OHADA (Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa) standards and implemented an environmental management plan. Working conditions have improved significantly. Isso Kindo, a trader in Bobo-Dioulasso, says: “Transport was our main obstacle. Today, thanks to the truck financed by the project, I can transport up to 60 tonnes of nuts from the towns of Banfora and Mangodara.”

    The impact of PADA/REDD+ can also be measured in terms of job creation for young people and rural entrepreneurs. In Orodara, Arzouma Zougouri, a producer and business owner, explains that “the project’s support has enabled me to better equip my processing unit. I’ve gone from 200 to 300 employees,” he says proudly.

    By structuring the cashew nut sector sustainably, increasing productivity and strengthening local processing, PADA/REDD+ achieved its objectives whilst laying the foundations for more resilient rural development. Its contribution to carbon sequestration through agroforestry plantations strengthens its environmental impact. Perennial plantations, modernised agricultural practices, a strengthened local processing network and better access to finance were the pillars of this success.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: For the first time, we held a Parade and an exhibition of historical transport on Sergiya Radonezhskogo Street!

    Recall that the tram line on this street was opened by Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin in September last year.

    Maksim Liksutov noted that more than 150 units of historical equipment participated in the parade and exhibition of retro transport: 16 trams of different generations, about 80 rally crews and about 75 cars, including the Ikarus-280 bus.

    How it was:

    More than 140 thousand spectators visited the parade and the exhibition.

    Not only trams from different eras were presented, but also exhibits from the Moscow Transport Museum and the Museum of the Special Purpose Garage of the Federal Guard Service of Russia.

    The audience was even able to see a horse-drawn tram – the predecessor of the electric tram.

    The atmosphere of old Moscow was recreated by historical reenactors, and the concert program was attended by artists of the Music in the Metro project, the Academic Choir of the Moscow Metro and DJ Smash.

    Today the 19th tram parade took place. The parade was led by a horse-drawn tram drawn by four horses. Such events are liked by Muscovites and traditionally gather a large number of spectators. On behalf of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, we will continue to organize more interesting events for residents and guests of the capital, — added Maksim Liksutov.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • ICAR marks 97th Foundation Day with focus on agricultural innovation and farmer welfare

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday celebrated the 97th Foundation Day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi. Addressing a gathering of scientists, farmers, and officials, he hailed ICAR’s contributions to India’s agricultural revolution under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, describing scientists as “modern-day rishis” dedicated to farmer welfare.

    During the event, Shri Chouhan conferred the National Agricultural Science Awards to exceptional scientists, including women researchers and young innovators. He inaugurated the Viksit Krishi Exhibition, showcasing advanced agricultural technologies, released 10 new publications, and launched several Memoranda of Understanding to strengthen research collaborations. The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary, Secretary of Agriculture Devesh Chaturvedi, ICAR Director General Dr. M.L. Jat, and directors of various agricultural research institutes.

    Chouhan expressed gratitude to ICAR on behalf of India’s 800 million citizens benefiting from the public distribution system and countries importing Indian agricultural products. He emphasized that the Foundation Day is a moment of pride, akin to a festival, and praised scientists for their unparalleled dedication to advancing farmer welfare.

    Highlighting India’s agricultural progress, the minister noted that foodgrain production has surged from an annual growth of 3.9 million tonnes (2000–2013) to 8.1 million tonnes (2013–2025), a 2.5 to 3-fold increase. Horticulture production has grown by 7.5 million tonnes annually over the past 11 years, while milk production has risen from 4.2 million tonnes annually (2000–2014) to 10.2 million tonnes (2014–2025). These achievements, driven by advanced technologies, have bolstered food reserves, enabling wheat exports and necessitating additional rice storage facilities.

    Despite challenges like climate change, fragmented landholdings, and pest infestations, Shri Chouhan credited ICAR’s scientific community for sustained agricultural growth. He urged scientists to prioritize natural farming, enhance pulses and oilseeds productivity, and develop compact machinery suited for marginal farmers. The minister emphasized that research must be driven by farmers’ needs rather than centralized decisions from Delhi-based institutes.

    The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, described as the world’s largest agricultural initiative, has identified 500 critical research topics for focused pursuit, following crop-specific consultations on soybean, cotton, sugarcane, and maize. Shri Chouhan addressed concerns over declining cotton yields due to viral attacks, including on Bt cotton, and called for collaborative efforts between ICAR and the agriculture department.

    To protect farmers from exploitation, the minister announced a forthcoming toll-free grievance helpline and strict action against the sale of substandard seeds, fertilizers, or unauthorized bio-stimulants, noting that over 30,000 bio-stimulants are currently sold unregulated. Letters have been sent to state Chief Ministers urging prompt action. Shri Chouhan also proposed affordable fertilizer outlets, modeled on Jan Aushadhi Kendras, to ensure fair pricing for farmers.

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Housing Starts Continue to Soar in Saskatchewan

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 16, 2025

    Year-to-date growth ranks first in the nation 

    The latest data from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation indicates that urban housing starts in Saskatchewan saw an increase of 84.1 per cent in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, which ranks first for growth among the provinces.

    “For the last five months, Saskatchewan has been at the forefront of growth in Canada for urban housing starts, showing that our growth initiatives are leading to more and more people choosing to call our province home,” Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said. “The unprecedented growth we are experiencing is helping to create more jobs, opportunities and greater affordability for the citizens of Saskatchewan.”

    In addition, Saskatchewan’s two largest cities both saw an increase in urban housing starts in the first six months in 2025, with Saskatoon seeing a 112.9 per cent increase and Regina seeing a 40.4 per cent increase. Rural areas experienced an impressive 247.2 per cent in urban housing starts during this same period.  

    Housing starts refers to the number of housing projects that started that month.

    Saskatchewan continues to see significant economic growth. Statistics Canada’s latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers indicate that the province’s real GDP at basic prices reached an all-time high of $80.5 billion in 2024, increasing by $2.6 billion, or 3.4 per cent. This places Saskatchewan second in the nation for real GDP growth and above the national average of 1.6 per cent.

    Private capital investment in Saskatchewan increased last year by 17.3 per cent to $14.7 billion, ranking first among provinces. Private capital investment is projected to reach $16.2 billion in 2025, an increase of 10.1 per cent over 2024. This is the second-highest anticipated percentage increase among the provinces.

    Last year, the Government of Saskatchewan unveiled its new Securing the Next Decade of Growth – Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy. This strategy, combined with Saskatchewan’s trade and investment website, InvestSK.ca, contains helpful information for potential markets and solidifies the province as the best place to do business in Canada. 

    For more information, visit: InvestSK.ca.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 3395, Middle Market IPO Cost Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 3395 would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO), in consultation with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, to study and report to the Congress within one year of enactment on the costs small- and medium-sized companies incur when conducting initial public offerings (IPOs). An IPO is a process where a private company offers shares to the public for the first time, making it a publicly traded company.

    Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3395 would cost $1 million over the 2025-2026 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1469, Senior Security Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 1469 would require the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish and administer a task force to identify challenges faced by senior investors, coordinate commission activities with respect to senior investors, and consult with state securities and law enforcement authorities and insurance regulators. The task force would be required to report to the Congress every two years on its activities. The bill also would direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report to the Congress and the task force on the financial exploitation of senior citizens.

    Using information from the SEC, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1469 would cost $8 million over the 2025-2030 period. CBO expects that the SEC would need five employees, at an average annual cost of $330,000 for each employee, to administer the task force and report to the Congress. Because the SEC is authorized to collect fees each year to offset its annual appropriation, CBO expects that the net effect on discretionary spending over the 2025-2030 period would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority. CBO estimates that the GAO report would cost less than $500,000; any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    If the SEC increased fees to offset the costs for rulemaking as required by the bill, H.R. 1469 would increase the cost of an existing mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) on private entities required to pay those fees. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold for private-sector mandates established in UMRA ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The bill would not impose any intergovernmental mandates.

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Aurora Swanson (for federal costs) and Lucy Marret (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scientists Develop High-Performance MRI Scanner in Effort to Define Microscopic Brain Structures

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Wednesday, July 16, 2025

    Next-generation system noninvasively images tiny nerve structures disrupted in brain disorders.

    Closeups of the midline sagittal view for Connectome 2.0 (left) and Connectome 1.0 (right) protocols, showing diencephalic and brainstem pathways. Tractography results are shown superimposed onto the underlying fibre orientation distribution functions.

    A scientific team supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed a new, ultra-high-resolution brain imaging system that can reconstruct microscopic brain structures that are disrupted in neurological and neuropsychiatric brain disorders. The new system is a significant advance over conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners that cannot visualize these tiny but clinically important structures.
    The system, called the Connectome 2.0 human MRI scanner, overcomes a significant hurdle for neuroscientists: being able to bridge different brain regions and probe tiny structures necessary to define the “connectome,” the complex matrix of structural connections between nodes in the nervous system, and to do it noninvasively in living humans.
    “This research is a transformative leap in brain imaging – pushing the boundaries of what we can see and understand about the living human brain at a cellular level,” said John Ngai, Ph.D., Director of NIH’s Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® Initiative, or The BRAIN Initiative®. “The new scanner lays essential groundwork for the BRAIN CONNECTS program’s ultimate goal of developing a wiring diagram for the human brain.”
    The scanner is innovative in two major ways: it fits snugly around the heads of living people, and it has many more channels than typical MRI systems. These advances greatly increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the system, providing much sharper images of very small biological brain structures than previously possible. These technical upgrades will enable scientists to map human brain fibers and cellular architecture down to nearly single-micron precision to study how subtle changes in cells and connections relate to cognition, behavior, and disease.
    In addition, the team showed that the scanner was safe in healthy research volunteers, revealing subtle microstructural differences (individual axon diameter or cell size) between individual brains. Before this new system, this was only feasible in postmortem or animal studies.
    “Our goal was to build an imaging platform that could truly span scales – from cells to circuits,” said senior author Susie Huang, M.D., Ph.D., of the Department of Radiology at Mass General Hospital. “It provides researchers and clinicians with a powerful new tool to study brain architecture in health and disease, in real time.”
    This work is an important step toward developing a complete wiring diagram of the brain, an achievement that requires novel approaches to map the brain at different scales: across large brain regions and circuits, as well as at the level of tiny cells and connections. It also opens the door for future advances in precision neuroscience, in which noninvasive brain stimulation may help treat brain disorders tailored to an individual’s unique brain circuitry.
    The research was funded in part by The BRAIN Initiative®. It supports the BRAIN Initiative Connectivity Across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS) program, which aims to develop the research capacity and technical capabilities to generate wiring diagrams that can span entire brains across multiple scales. The findings were reported July 16 in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
    The Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® Initiative and The BRAIN Initiative® are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
    The NIH BRAIN Initiative, a multidisciplinary collaboration across 10 NIH Institutes and Centers, is uniquely positioned for cross-cutting discoveries in neuroscience to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain. By accelerating the development and application of innovative neurotechnologies, The BRAIN Initiative® is enabling researchers to understand the brain at unprecedented levels of detail in both health and disease, improving how we treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders. The BRAIN Initiative involves a multidisciplinary network of federal and non-federal partners whose missions and current research portfolios complement the goals of The BRAIN Initiative. 
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
    Reference
    Ramos-Llordén, G and Lee H-H et al. Ultra-high gradient connectomics and microstructure MRI scanner for imaging of human brain circuits across scales. Nature Biomedical Engineering. 2025. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-025-01457-x

    Institute/Center

    https://www.ninds.nih.gov

    Contact

    NIH Office of Communications and Public Liaison

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State fire marshal mobilizing resources, IMT to Cram Fire in Jefferson, Wasco counties

    Source: US State of Oregon

    he Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing resources to a fast-moving wildfire in Jefferson and Wasco counties. The Cram Fire, reported Sunday off Highway 97 at Willowdale, has grown to an estimated 4,500 acres as of 3 p.m. today, according to fire managers. On Monday, the Cram Fire was pushed by gusty winds and temperatures in the mid-90s prompting levels 1, 2, and 3 evacuation notices in both counties.

    The Oregon State Fire Marshal is sending its Green Incident Management Team and four task forces to provide structure protection and additional help. The task forces are from Lane, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill counties.

    “The next 24 hours will be extremely challenging for this fire with continued gusty, shifting winds and hot temperatures,” State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “This is the sixth time the Emergency Conflagration Act has been invoked this summer and comes as a reminder that we need everyone’s help to stay wildfire aware and prevent new fire starts.”

    Resources from the Willowdale and Ashwood-Antelope Rural Protection Associations, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Oregon Department of Forestry are actively working to stop the fire.

    The Oregon State Fire Marshal Green Incident Management Team will be briefed Monday at 7 p.m.

    For evacuation information:
    Jefferson County: https://tinyurl.com/JCSOEvacMap
    Wasco County: https://perimetermap.com/wascocounty-or/incidents/polygon/64222

    Drivers are asked to slow down and follow all signs from the Oregon Department of Transportation along Highway 97. Fire crews are using the highway for active firefighting, and smoke may reduce visibility.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to hold change of command ceremony in Charleston

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    News Release  

    U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District PA Detachment Jacksonville
    Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Jacksonville
    Office: 904-714-7606/7607
    After Hours: 786-393-4138
    PA Detachment Jacksonville online newsroom

     

    07/16/2025 01:10 PM EDT

    CHARLESTON, S.C. — The crew of Coast Guard Sector Charleston is scheduled to hold a change of command ceremony, Friday, at Coast Guard Sector Charleston.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: EXL announces availability of EXL Code Harbor™ and EXL Smart Agent Assist™ in the new AWS Marketplace AI Agents and Tools category

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EXL (NASDAQ: EXLS), a global data and AI company, announced the availability of its Code Harbor™ (“Code Harbor”) and Smart Agent Assist™ (“Smart Agent Assist”) solutions in the new AI Agents and Tools category of AWS Marketplace. Customers can now use AWS Marketplace to easily discover, buy, and deploy AI agents solutions, including EXL’s AI-powered code migration and real-time conversational insights and agent assist solutions, using their AWS accounts, accelerating agentic AI integration initiatives.

    EXL’s Code Harbor helps organizations streamline the code migration process by orchestrating multiple AI agents including those for code comprehension, data cleaning, data lineage, code conversion and code validation, resulting in accelerated delivery, reduced costs, and higher accuracy. EXL’s Smart Agent Assist enhances customer service operations by orchestrating multiple intent recognition AI agents with real-time conversational insights, automated call summaries and smart audits that enable customer service centers to deliver personalized and efficient experiences in addition to improving first call resolution, boosting agent productivity and reducing average handling time.

    “By offering Code Harbor and Smart Agent Assist in AWS Marketplace, we’re providing customers with a highly scalable, efficient and compliant way to embed EXL’s agentic AI solutions into their workflows,” said Anand “Andy” Logani, executive vice president and chief data and AI officer at EXL. “Our customers in insurance, banking and finance, healthcare, retail and other industries are already using these capabilities to improve workflows, reduce costs and deliver better customer experiences, demonstrating the real-world value of our agentic AI solutions.”

    Based on internal studies, Code Harbor helps customers reduce code migration time on average by 35% over manual migrations, while reducing code compute time and memory usage generally by 25% and driving a 10% reduction in query plans. Additionally, analysis shows that Smart Agent Assist delivers typically a 12-15% reduction in contact center agent handling time, enhancing overall resource utilization and minimizing after-call work, ordinarily leading to a 20% decrease in service costs.

    With the availability of AI Agents and Tools in AWS Marketplace, customers can significantly accelerate their procurement process to drive AI innovation, reducing the time needed for vendor evaluations and complex negotiations. With centralized purchasing using AWS accounts, customers maintain visibility and control over licensing, payments, and access through AWS.

    To learn more about Code Harbor and Smart Agent Assist in AWS Marketplace, visit https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=4dcbd65f-ce73-4978-80e5-4953047fd369. To learn more about the new Agents and Tools category in AWS Marketplace, visit https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/solutions/ai-agents-and-tools/.

    About EXL

    EXL (NASDAQ: EXLS) is a global data and AI company that offers services and solutions to reinvent client business models, drive better outcomes and unlock growth with speed. EXL harnesses the power of data, AI, and deep industry knowledge to transform businesses, including the world’s leading corporations in industries including insurance, healthcare, banking and capital markets, retail, communications and media, and energy and infrastructure, among others. EXL was founded in 1999 with the core values of innovation, collaboration, excellence, integrity and respect. We are headquartered in New York and have approximately 60,000 employees spanning six continents. For more information, visit www.exlservice.com.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should not place undue reliance on those statements because they are subject to numerous uncertainties and factors relating to EXL’s operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond EXL’s control. Forward-looking statements include information concerning EXL’s possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of its business strategy. These statements may include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate” or similar expressions. These statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of management’s experience in the industry as well as its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances. You should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although EXL believes that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect EXL’s actual financial results or results of operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors, which include our ability to maintain and grow client demand, our ability to hire and retain sufficiently trained employees, and our ability to accurately estimate and/or manage costs, rising interest rates, rising inflation, recessionary economic trends, and ability to successfully integrate strategic acquisitions, are discussed in more detail in EXL’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including EXL’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made herein, or elsewhere, speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time, and it is impossible to predict these events or how they may affect EXL. EXL has no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by applicable law.

    Contacts
    Keith Little
    media.relations@exlservice.com

    Investor Relations
    John Kristoff
    +1 212 209 4613
    IR@exlservice.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: EXL announces availability of EXL Code Harbor™ and EXL Smart Agent Assist™ in the new AWS Marketplace AI Agents and Tools category

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EXL (NASDAQ: EXLS), a global data and AI company, announced the availability of its Code Harbor™ (“Code Harbor”) and Smart Agent Assist™ (“Smart Agent Assist”) solutions in the new AI Agents and Tools category of AWS Marketplace. Customers can now use AWS Marketplace to easily discover, buy, and deploy AI agents solutions, including EXL’s AI-powered code migration and real-time conversational insights and agent assist solutions, using their AWS accounts, accelerating agentic AI integration initiatives.

    EXL’s Code Harbor helps organizations streamline the code migration process by orchestrating multiple AI agents including those for code comprehension, data cleaning, data lineage, code conversion and code validation, resulting in accelerated delivery, reduced costs, and higher accuracy. EXL’s Smart Agent Assist enhances customer service operations by orchestrating multiple intent recognition AI agents with real-time conversational insights, automated call summaries and smart audits that enable customer service centers to deliver personalized and efficient experiences in addition to improving first call resolution, boosting agent productivity and reducing average handling time.

    “By offering Code Harbor and Smart Agent Assist in AWS Marketplace, we’re providing customers with a highly scalable, efficient and compliant way to embed EXL’s agentic AI solutions into their workflows,” said Anand “Andy” Logani, executive vice president and chief data and AI officer at EXL. “Our customers in insurance, banking and finance, healthcare, retail and other industries are already using these capabilities to improve workflows, reduce costs and deliver better customer experiences, demonstrating the real-world value of our agentic AI solutions.”

    Based on internal studies, Code Harbor helps customers reduce code migration time on average by 35% over manual migrations, while reducing code compute time and memory usage generally by 25% and driving a 10% reduction in query plans. Additionally, analysis shows that Smart Agent Assist delivers typically a 12-15% reduction in contact center agent handling time, enhancing overall resource utilization and minimizing after-call work, ordinarily leading to a 20% decrease in service costs.

    With the availability of AI Agents and Tools in AWS Marketplace, customers can significantly accelerate their procurement process to drive AI innovation, reducing the time needed for vendor evaluations and complex negotiations. With centralized purchasing using AWS accounts, customers maintain visibility and control over licensing, payments, and access through AWS.

    To learn more about Code Harbor and Smart Agent Assist in AWS Marketplace, visit https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=4dcbd65f-ce73-4978-80e5-4953047fd369. To learn more about the new Agents and Tools category in AWS Marketplace, visit https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/solutions/ai-agents-and-tools/.

    About EXL

    EXL (NASDAQ: EXLS) is a global data and AI company that offers services and solutions to reinvent client business models, drive better outcomes and unlock growth with speed. EXL harnesses the power of data, AI, and deep industry knowledge to transform businesses, including the world’s leading corporations in industries including insurance, healthcare, banking and capital markets, retail, communications and media, and energy and infrastructure, among others. EXL was founded in 1999 with the core values of innovation, collaboration, excellence, integrity and respect. We are headquartered in New York and have approximately 60,000 employees spanning six continents. For more information, visit www.exlservice.com.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should not place undue reliance on those statements because they are subject to numerous uncertainties and factors relating to EXL’s operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond EXL’s control. Forward-looking statements include information concerning EXL’s possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of its business strategy. These statements may include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate” or similar expressions. These statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of management’s experience in the industry as well as its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances. You should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although EXL believes that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect EXL’s actual financial results or results of operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors, which include our ability to maintain and grow client demand, our ability to hire and retain sufficiently trained employees, and our ability to accurately estimate and/or manage costs, rising interest rates, rising inflation, recessionary economic trends, and ability to successfully integrate strategic acquisitions, are discussed in more detail in EXL’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including EXL’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made herein, or elsewhere, speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time, and it is impossible to predict these events or how they may affect EXL. EXL has no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date hereof, except as required by applicable law.

    Contacts
    Keith Little
    media.relations@exlservice.com

    Investor Relations
    John Kristoff
    +1 212 209 4613
    IR@exlservice.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Linqto Shareholder, Sapien Group, Files Explosive Motion to Transfer Linqto’s Bankruptcy Cases from Texas to Delaware

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Major Linqto shareholder, Sapien Group, has filed a motion to transfer the venue of Linqto, Inc.’s jointly-administered Chapter 11 cases from Texas to Delaware (Case No. 25-90186). The motion follows the bankruptcy filing by Linqto in Texas on July 7 and asserts multiple grounds for the change in venue, including that the action was taken without shareholder knowledge or consent.

    “Transfer is warranted because the Debtors lack any meaningful relationship whatsoever with this District, entrenched management having created the Texas Debtor as a new Texas limited liability company only three short months before filing for bankruptcy,” the filing states, adding, “The Texas Debtor was formed furtively, without the knowledge of, approval of, or even a scintilla of notice to the Parent Debtor’s shareholders.” 

    Evidence suggests Linqto Chief Executive Officer F. Daniel Siciliano filed preemptively — knowing that a decisive majority of shareholders were poised to replace the board — in a jurisdiction where Linqto was not legally eligible to file based on the surreptitious creation of the Texas entity.

    The motion contends that the true operating Debtors — the Parent Debtor and the related operating Debtors — are all formed, exist, and operate under the internal laws of the State of Delaware. The motion further asserts that the filing of the Cases in Texas appears to be a quintessential example of improper forum shopping, with the newly formed Texas Debtor being created for the apparent purpose of manufacturing and manipulating venue.

    The filing further challenges the legal legitimacy of Linqto’s current board, contending that Mr. Siciliano was never lawfully elected to the unsanctioned board and that key director seats were unlawfully “switched” to consolidate power — actions that run contrary to their fiduciary duties under Delaware law.

    The motion also claims the board repeatedly ignored and manipulated corporate governance rules, committing violations such as not holding proper Board meetings, making inconsistent representations to shareholders, and amending company bylaws for purposes of evading shareholder approval.

    These allegations are supported by a Declaration of Victor Jiang, Sapien Group’s founder and a former Linqto board member, which accuses Linqto’s alleged board and management of “numerous breaches of fiduciary duties, breaches of the duty of loyalty, and securities law violations,” contending that the current bankruptcy filings are “part of a well-orchestrated scheme” designed to steal or redirect the shareholder’s equity without consent.

    The motion suggests that the requisite number of shareholder votes exist to remove the unsanctioned Board and appoint a new Board, but the Chapter 11 case was filed to thwart that vote. Of particular concern are four motions set for hearing on August 5, 2025, one of which seeks a fairly rapid determination from the Court that the proceeds of the various securities are property of the Debtors, not the customers.

    With over 15,000 impacted customers across 130 countries, the motion underscores the global significance of these proceedings — and the need for fairness, transparency, and the rule of law in the proper venue: Delaware.

    Reference: Case No. 25-90186

    PDFs available:

    http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/decfbe58-96a3-422e-9c06-c06a8e06c62d

    http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/1f8f7cc4-389b-47a4-84ab-0823ae714c1e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Linqto Shareholder, Sapien Group, Files Explosive Motion to Transfer Linqto’s Bankruptcy Cases from Texas to Delaware

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Major Linqto shareholder, Sapien Group, has filed a motion to transfer the venue of Linqto, Inc.’s jointly-administered Chapter 11 cases from Texas to Delaware (Case No. 25-90186). The motion follows the bankruptcy filing by Linqto in Texas on July 7 and asserts multiple grounds for the change in venue, including that the action was taken without shareholder knowledge or consent.

    “Transfer is warranted because the Debtors lack any meaningful relationship whatsoever with this District, entrenched management having created the Texas Debtor as a new Texas limited liability company only three short months before filing for bankruptcy,” the filing states, adding, “The Texas Debtor was formed furtively, without the knowledge of, approval of, or even a scintilla of notice to the Parent Debtor’s shareholders.” 

    Evidence suggests Linqto Chief Executive Officer F. Daniel Siciliano filed preemptively — knowing that a decisive majority of shareholders were poised to replace the board — in a jurisdiction where Linqto was not legally eligible to file based on the surreptitious creation of the Texas entity.

    The motion contends that the true operating Debtors — the Parent Debtor and the related operating Debtors — are all formed, exist, and operate under the internal laws of the State of Delaware. The motion further asserts that the filing of the Cases in Texas appears to be a quintessential example of improper forum shopping, with the newly formed Texas Debtor being created for the apparent purpose of manufacturing and manipulating venue.

    The filing further challenges the legal legitimacy of Linqto’s current board, contending that Mr. Siciliano was never lawfully elected to the unsanctioned board and that key director seats were unlawfully “switched” to consolidate power — actions that run contrary to their fiduciary duties under Delaware law.

    The motion also claims the board repeatedly ignored and manipulated corporate governance rules, committing violations such as not holding proper Board meetings, making inconsistent representations to shareholders, and amending company bylaws for purposes of evading shareholder approval.

    These allegations are supported by a Declaration of Victor Jiang, Sapien Group’s founder and a former Linqto board member, which accuses Linqto’s alleged board and management of “numerous breaches of fiduciary duties, breaches of the duty of loyalty, and securities law violations,” contending that the current bankruptcy filings are “part of a well-orchestrated scheme” designed to steal or redirect the shareholder’s equity without consent.

    The motion suggests that the requisite number of shareholder votes exist to remove the unsanctioned Board and appoint a new Board, but the Chapter 11 case was filed to thwart that vote. Of particular concern are four motions set for hearing on August 5, 2025, one of which seeks a fairly rapid determination from the Court that the proceeds of the various securities are property of the Debtors, not the customers.

    With over 15,000 impacted customers across 130 countries, the motion underscores the global significance of these proceedings — and the need for fairness, transparency, and the rule of law in the proper venue: Delaware.

    Reference: Case No. 25-90186

    PDFs available:

    http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/decfbe58-96a3-422e-9c06-c06a8e06c62d

    http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/1f8f7cc4-389b-47a4-84ab-0823ae714c1e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: AIXA Miner Enhances Security with Platform Audit Amid Cloud Mining Momentum

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, CO, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the crypto sector experiences renewed institutional attention in July, marked by Bitcoin hovering near $118,000 and key altcoins like Ethereum and XRP gaining traction, AIXA Miner announces the successful completion of an independent security audit and enhancement of its encrypted platform. This timely upgrade reflects broader industry emphasis on secure, automated systems, aligned with clean-energy-powered AI‑powered cloud mining initiatives noted across the sector.

    The platform audit, conducted by a third-party cybersecurity firm, reviewed data encryption, access controls, and system resilience. All areas were enhanced based on feedback, ensuring AIXA Miner adheres to enterprise-grade standards and meets growing user expectations for secure operation in cloud-based mining services.

    A recent Yahoo article similar infrastructure improvements highlights how cloud mining providers are prioritising secure, scalable systems to support diverse user needs. Another report on compliance expansion underscores the industry’s shift toward more robust and secure cloud mining models.

    “Security is not an optional feature—it’s the foundation for trust,” said Amira Chen, Strategy Director at AIXA Miner. “By enhancing our platform amid a bullish crypto environment, we’re responding to a critical demand for secure, reliable infrastructure.”

    In parallel with the audit, AIXA Miner has introduced a new multi-factor authentication (MFA) system and enhanced real-time threat detection protocols to protect user accounts against phishing, unauthorized access, and other cyber threats. The updated authentication layer is designed to meet modern cybersecurity benchmarks while maintaining a user-friendly login experience across both web and mobile interfaces.

    Additionally, the platform has upgraded its data redundancy and backup infrastructure, ensuring continuous data availability in the event of system anomalies or regional outages. These efforts are part of AIXA Miner’s broader roadmap to build a resilient, enterprise-grade cloud mining environment that aligns with regulatory trends and user expectations in 2025. The company confirmed it will continue working with independent security consultants to maintain transparency and uphold evolving industry standards.

    State of Cloud Mining in 2025

    Key industry trends highlighted:

    • 50%+ of new mining capacity sourced from renewable energy infrastructure
    • Cloud mining user adoption is up ~25% in the past quarter
    • Automated, AI-driven systems now account for over 60% of cloud‑mining market deployments

    Securing Growth and Trust

    As cloud mining transitions from niche to mainstream, infrastructure providers increasingly emphasize security and sustainability. AIXA Miner’s recent platform enhancements—and its renewable energy infrastructure, add to this trend, offering global users an automated system that supports secure and eco-conscious blockchain participation.

    The company continues rolling out multi-layer security protocols and regionally optimised data centres to support its growing global user base. The latest updates ensure that users benefit from up-to-date protection while engaging with blockchain networks during this market upswing.

    About AIXA Miner
    AIXA Miner is an AI-powered cloud mining service focused on delivering encrypted, secure, and sustainable blockchain access. Combining renewable energy infrastructure with automated systems, it serves a global community, offeringa a reliable entry into the evolving digital asset space.

    For more information, visit: https://aixaminer.com
     Media contact: info@aixaminer.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP Accumulates Rise, Leading Cloud Mining Platform DRML Miner Launches with Potential to Earn $20,000 per Day

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DRML Miner solves all problems for you. Now, all profits are settled in multiple mainstream currencies – completely transparent and convenient. You can exchange USDT for XRP, BTC, ETH or other mainstream cryptocurrencies at any time. You are no longer limited to a single token – the asset allocation is entirely up to you.

    Even better, no hardware or technical skills are required. Newbies can easily start mining anytime, anywhere with just a few clicks of the mouse. Digital wealth has become so safe, efficient and convenient.

    Advantages of DRML Miner mining

    Strong security

    Security is the top priority of DRML Miner. DRML Miner attaches great importance to the security of user assets and information, uses multiple encryption technologies to protect data, and has a professional team to monitor the system 24 hours a day to resist network threats. At the same time, real-time public mining data (such as computing power, income, etc.) can be viewed intuitively through the platform, allowing you to clearly understand the mining process and income situation without being affected by any hidden routines.

    Withdraw at any time, flexible and convenient

    One of the biggest advantages is instant withdrawal. Once you receive your income, you can withdraw or reinvest as needed – fast and simple.

    Multi-currency exchange

    All income is settled in USDT. Want XRP, Solana or BTC? You can switch at will. Combine your digital assets as you like – everything is under your control.

    Newbie-friendly, easy to use

    No mining machine, no complicated settings. DRML Miner’s automated cloud mining system handles everything for you. Just sign up and follow the simple guide to get started. New users can easily enjoy passive income.

    Transparent income, fully traceable

    View your income accurately every day. All account activities and income details are clearly visible on the dashboard, without any hidden fees.

    How to join DRML Miner

    Registration: New users can get a $10 reward when they register.

    Choose a contract: After successfully registering, the next step is to choose a mining contract that meets your goals and budget. DRML Miner provides a variety of contracts to meet different needs, whether you are a novice or an experienced miner, you can easily get started.

    Affiliate Program

    Recommend friends and receive up to $20,000 in rewards per month, thereby increasing your extra income. For every successful friend you invite to register and complete the first mining order, you will receive a 3% reward on the friend contract.

    The invitation mechanism is open and transparent, and can be checked at any time, truly realizing “zero investment, make money at home”.

    How to start making money with DRML Miner:

    After selecting and activating a mining contract, you just need to wait for the system to do all the work for you. DRML Miner’s advanced technology ensures that your mining operations run efficiently, thereby maximizing your potential profits.

    $10 mining contract – 1 day term – earn $0.60 per day;

    $100 mining contract – 2 days term – earn $3.5 per day;

    $500 mining contract – 5 days term – earn $6.5 per day;

    $1,000 mining contract – 10 days term – earn $13.5 per day;

    $5,000 mining contract – 30 days term – earn $77.5 per day.

    Click here to explore more mining contracts.

    Who is DRML Miner for?

    Crypto Newbies

    No technical skills? No problem. DRML Miner is designed for beginners who want to easily explore cryptocurrency gains.

    Busy Professionals

    No time to manage mining equipment? Let DRML Miner’s automated system take care of it for you, so you can focus on business. Enjoy worry-free daily income.

    Self-managed Asset Managers

    Want full control over when to withdraw or which cryptocurrencies to hold? DRML Miner gives you the flexibility to manage and rebalance your cryptocurrency portfolio according to your needs.

    Passive Income Seekers

    Want daily rewards? DRML Miner offers login rewards and welcome gifts to make every day more rewarding.

    Long-term Investors

    Focus on steady growth rather than market noise? DRML Miner’s transparent and stable income model is ideal for building long-term digital wealth.

    In a nutshell
    DRML Miner makes it easier than ever to earn daily rewards and make financial freedom a dream. With high-quality apps, green cloud infrastructure and global support, DRML Miner is for everyone, not just the tech elite.

    Your phone is already smart – now let it start making money for you.

    Full details and how to participate: https://drmlminers.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: JA Mining Expands Renewable Mining Infrastructure in North America Post Completion of Independent Security Audit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, CO, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In response to rising demand for sustainable and secure digital asset participation, JA Mining has announced a strategic expansion of its renewable-powered mining operations across North America. This move coincides with a recently completed third-party platform security audit, aimed at reinforcing the company’s commitment to transparency, compliance, and user data protection in the evolving cloud mining landscape.

    The announcement comes at a time when institutional activity in the crypto sector has intensified, with Bitcoin trading above $118,000 and other major assets like Ethereum and XRP seeing renewed investor interest. As noted in a recent Yahoo Finance article, sustainable mining partnerships—such as Tether’s initiative with Adecoagro to power Bitcoin mining using solar and battery systems—are shaping the future of decentralised infrastructure.

    JA Mining’s expanded facilities now include multiple solar and wind-powered data centres designed to reduce carbon impact while improving regional access and operational resilience. These centres support the mining of major protocols and are aligned with emerging environmental and social governance (ESG) benchmarks that are gaining traction across the financial sector.

    To complement the infrastructure expansion, JA Mining underwent an external cybersecurity assessment evaluating its encryption protocols, system uptime, and multi-layered access control. Following the audit, the platform implemented enhancements to elevate its encryption framework, boost internal security layers, and improve real-time system monitoring capabilities.

    “Security is now a baseline expectation, not a differentiator,” said Maya Cohen, Strategy Director at JA Mining. “As more users seek credible ways to engage with digital assets, our focus remains on reinforcing both platform integrity and sustainable infrastructure—two pillars that define the next generation of blockchain access.”

    Industry data supports this shift. According to recent reports, over 60% of cloud mining infrastructure deployed in 2025 incorporates automated systems, with more than 50% powered by renewable energy sources. Adoption of AI-enabled cloud mining platforms has grown by approximately 25% quarter-over-quarter, reflecting a user base increasingly drawn to low-barrier, climate-conscious models for blockchain engagement.

    JA Mining’s enhancements come as part of a broader effort to ensure operational transparency while contributing to a cleaner, more secure crypto mining ecosystem. The company offers users a decentralized entry point into blockchain participation without requiring hardware ownership or technical proficiency.

    The platform will continue rolling out regional integrations and compliance-driven upgrades across additional jurisdictions through 2025. These measures are aimed at improving local performance, supporting data sovereignty, and maintaining alignment with global digital finance standards.

    As the cloud mining sector matures from niche to infrastructure-grade utility, providers like JA Mining are positioning themselves not just as service platforms, but as contributors to the ongoing transformation of how digital networks are powered, accessed, and secured.

    About JA Mining
     JA Mining is a cloud-based blockchain infrastructure provider focused on security, automation, and sustainability. With operations spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, the company leverages renewable energy and AI-based systems to support encrypted access to major cryptocurrency networks.

    For more information, visit: https://jamining.com
    Media Contact: info@jamining.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: JA Mining Expands Renewable Mining Infrastructure in North America Post Completion of Independent Security Audit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, CO, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In response to rising demand for sustainable and secure digital asset participation, JA Mining has announced a strategic expansion of its renewable-powered mining operations across North America. This move coincides with a recently completed third-party platform security audit, aimed at reinforcing the company’s commitment to transparency, compliance, and user data protection in the evolving cloud mining landscape.

    The announcement comes at a time when institutional activity in the crypto sector has intensified, with Bitcoin trading above $118,000 and other major assets like Ethereum and XRP seeing renewed investor interest. As noted in a recent Yahoo Finance article, sustainable mining partnerships—such as Tether’s initiative with Adecoagro to power Bitcoin mining using solar and battery systems—are shaping the future of decentralised infrastructure.

    JA Mining’s expanded facilities now include multiple solar and wind-powered data centres designed to reduce carbon impact while improving regional access and operational resilience. These centres support the mining of major protocols and are aligned with emerging environmental and social governance (ESG) benchmarks that are gaining traction across the financial sector.

    To complement the infrastructure expansion, JA Mining underwent an external cybersecurity assessment evaluating its encryption protocols, system uptime, and multi-layered access control. Following the audit, the platform implemented enhancements to elevate its encryption framework, boost internal security layers, and improve real-time system monitoring capabilities.

    “Security is now a baseline expectation, not a differentiator,” said Maya Cohen, Strategy Director at JA Mining. “As more users seek credible ways to engage with digital assets, our focus remains on reinforcing both platform integrity and sustainable infrastructure—two pillars that define the next generation of blockchain access.”

    Industry data supports this shift. According to recent reports, over 60% of cloud mining infrastructure deployed in 2025 incorporates automated systems, with more than 50% powered by renewable energy sources. Adoption of AI-enabled cloud mining platforms has grown by approximately 25% quarter-over-quarter, reflecting a user base increasingly drawn to low-barrier, climate-conscious models for blockchain engagement.

    JA Mining’s enhancements come as part of a broader effort to ensure operational transparency while contributing to a cleaner, more secure crypto mining ecosystem. The company offers users a decentralized entry point into blockchain participation without requiring hardware ownership or technical proficiency.

    The platform will continue rolling out regional integrations and compliance-driven upgrades across additional jurisdictions through 2025. These measures are aimed at improving local performance, supporting data sovereignty, and maintaining alignment with global digital finance standards.

    As the cloud mining sector matures from niche to infrastructure-grade utility, providers like JA Mining are positioning themselves not just as service platforms, but as contributors to the ongoing transformation of how digital networks are powered, accessed, and secured.

    About JA Mining
     JA Mining is a cloud-based blockchain infrastructure provider focused on security, automation, and sustainability. With operations spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, the company leverages renewable energy and AI-based systems to support encrypted access to major cryptocurrency networks.

    For more information, visit: https://jamining.com
    Media Contact: info@jamining.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: JA Mining Expands Renewable Mining Infrastructure in North America Post Completion of Independent Security Audit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, CO, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In response to rising demand for sustainable and secure digital asset participation, JA Mining has announced a strategic expansion of its renewable-powered mining operations across North America. This move coincides with a recently completed third-party platform security audit, aimed at reinforcing the company’s commitment to transparency, compliance, and user data protection in the evolving cloud mining landscape.

    The announcement comes at a time when institutional activity in the crypto sector has intensified, with Bitcoin trading above $118,000 and other major assets like Ethereum and XRP seeing renewed investor interest. As noted in a recent Yahoo Finance article, sustainable mining partnerships—such as Tether’s initiative with Adecoagro to power Bitcoin mining using solar and battery systems—are shaping the future of decentralised infrastructure.

    JA Mining’s expanded facilities now include multiple solar and wind-powered data centres designed to reduce carbon impact while improving regional access and operational resilience. These centres support the mining of major protocols and are aligned with emerging environmental and social governance (ESG) benchmarks that are gaining traction across the financial sector.

    To complement the infrastructure expansion, JA Mining underwent an external cybersecurity assessment evaluating its encryption protocols, system uptime, and multi-layered access control. Following the audit, the platform implemented enhancements to elevate its encryption framework, boost internal security layers, and improve real-time system monitoring capabilities.

    “Security is now a baseline expectation, not a differentiator,” said Maya Cohen, Strategy Director at JA Mining. “As more users seek credible ways to engage with digital assets, our focus remains on reinforcing both platform integrity and sustainable infrastructure—two pillars that define the next generation of blockchain access.”

    Industry data supports this shift. According to recent reports, over 60% of cloud mining infrastructure deployed in 2025 incorporates automated systems, with more than 50% powered by renewable energy sources. Adoption of AI-enabled cloud mining platforms has grown by approximately 25% quarter-over-quarter, reflecting a user base increasingly drawn to low-barrier, climate-conscious models for blockchain engagement.

    JA Mining’s enhancements come as part of a broader effort to ensure operational transparency while contributing to a cleaner, more secure crypto mining ecosystem. The company offers users a decentralized entry point into blockchain participation without requiring hardware ownership or technical proficiency.

    The platform will continue rolling out regional integrations and compliance-driven upgrades across additional jurisdictions through 2025. These measures are aimed at improving local performance, supporting data sovereignty, and maintaining alignment with global digital finance standards.

    As the cloud mining sector matures from niche to infrastructure-grade utility, providers like JA Mining are positioning themselves not just as service platforms, but as contributors to the ongoing transformation of how digital networks are powered, accessed, and secured.

    About JA Mining
     JA Mining is a cloud-based blockchain infrastructure provider focused on security, automation, and sustainability. With operations spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, the company leverages renewable energy and AI-based systems to support encrypted access to major cryptocurrency networks.

    For more information, visit: https://jamining.com
    Media Contact: info@jamining.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Netcapital Announces Up To $5.9 Million Registered Direct Offering Priced At-The-Market Under Nasdaq Rules

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    $3 million upfront with up to an additional $2.9 million of potential aggregate gross proceeds upon the exercise in full of short-term warrants

    Boston, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Netcapital Inc. (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: NCPL, NPCLW), a digital private capital markets ecosystem, today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements for the purchase and sale of 641,712 shares of common stock at a purchase price of $4.675 per share in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. In a concurrent private placement, the Company will issue unregistered short-term warrants to purchase up to 641,712 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $4.55 per share that will be immediately exercisable upon issuance and will expire twenty-four months following the effective date of the registration statement covering the resale of the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the unregistered short-term warrants. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about July 17, 2025 subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

    H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

    The gross proceeds to the Company from the offering are expected to be approximately $3 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The potential additional gross proceeds to the Company from the unregistered short-term warrants, if fully-exercised on a cash basis, will be approximately $2.9 million. No assurance can be given that any of such unregistered short-term warrants will be exercised. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for the repayment of certain outstanding promissory notes and for general working capital purposes.

    The common stock (but not the unregistered short-term warrants and the shares of common stock underlying the unregistered short-term warrants) described above are being offered by the Company pursuant to a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-267921) that was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 26, 2022. The offering of the shares of common stock is being made only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the effective registration statement. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov or by contacting H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC at 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10022, by phone at (212) 856-5711 or e-mail at placements@hcwco.com.

    The unregistered short-term warrants described above are being offered in a private placement under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder and, along with the shares of common stock underlying such unregistered short-term warrants, have not been registered under the Securities Act, or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the unregistered short-term warrants and underlying shares of common stock may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities 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 any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Netcapital Inc.

    Netcapital Inc. is a fintech company with a scalable technology platform that allows private companies to raise capital online and provides private equity investment opportunities to investors. The Company’s consulting group, Netcapital Advisors, provides marketing and strategic advice and takes equity positions in select companies. The Company’s funding portal, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. is registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a registered national securities association. The Company’s broker-dealer, Netcapital Securities Inc., is also registered with the SEC and is a member of FINRA.

    Forward Looking Statements

    The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events, including, but not limited to, statements relating to closing of the offering and satisfaction of closing conditions of the offering, the expected gross proceeds from the offering, the exercise of the unregistered short-term warrants prior to their expiration and statements regarding the anticipated use of proceeds from the offering, or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

    Investor Contacts
    800-460-0815
    ir@netcapital.com 

    The MIL Network –