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Category: Machine Learning

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Local Advocates Push for Tax Cuts for Working Nevadans, Not Billionaires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

     ***VIDEO AVAILABLE***

    Video download is available here.

    Las Vegas, Nev. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) hosted a press conference alongside representatives from For Our Future Nevada, the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, and New Day Nevada to highlight her legislation to cut taxes for everyday American families. As Republicans’ economic agenda continues to raise prices on working people, the Senator shared an alternative in her Tax Cuts for Workers Act and American Family Act. Earlier this week, Senators Cortez Masto and Bennet (D-Colo.) introduced these bills as part of Senate Democrats’ comprehensive plan to bring relief to the American people.

    “Working Nevadans need expanded tax relief – not Republicans’ cost raising agenda – to ensure they can keep providing for their families,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “In Congress, Republicans are working to lower taxes for billionaires at the expense of everyone else. On the other hand, what Democrats are proposing is simple: if government is going to be cutting taxes for anyone, then it should be for the hardworking families who would benefit the most.”

    The existing Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – the Worker Tax Cut – has been delivering tax relief for millions of workers for decades. But it’s just not enough, and Cortez Masto is determined to give more working Americans a break. The Tax Cuts for Workers Act would cut taxes for working class Americans without children, who currently receive a much smaller EITC than workers with children. This expansion would include over 136,000 Nevadans by nearly tripling the average tax break many of these Americans receive from the existing EITC. It also extends eligibility for the tax cut to workers under the age of 25 and over the age of 64.

    The 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the American Rescue Plan Act led to a historic reduction in poverty in the United States, particularly for children. Research showed that child poverty fell immediately and substantially to 5.2%, its lowest level on record. The American Family Act would increase the value of the CTC from the current level of $2,000 per child to $6,360 for newborns, $4,320 for children ages one through six, and $3,600 for children age six through 17; end the longstanding policy that reduces the value of the CTC for low-income families; provide for monthly delivery of the credit so families have access to the credit as bills arrive; and index the CTC for inflation to preserve the value of the credit moving forward.

    Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported efforts to cut taxes and lower costs for hardworking Nevadans. She helped pass critical expansions to the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue plan, and has been fighting to permanently increase this vital relief for working families. Cortez Masto also helped introduce the No Tax on Tips Act to exempt tipped wages from federal income tax. Additionally, Senator Cortez Masto supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage gap for tipped workers nationally. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Statement On Pete Marocco’s Departure From State Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, released the following statement on reports that Pete Marocco, who oversaw the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has left the U.S. Department of State.

    “Pete Marocco’s tenure brought chaos to USAID, reckless and unlawful policy to the State Department, and dismantled long-standing U.S. foreign policy. His actions deprived millions of people around the world of life-saving aid and jeopardized U.S. credibility with our partners. But with his exit, serious questions still remain about the influence he leaves behind and whether or not Secretary Rubio plans to take actions that advance the mission and credibility of the United States. I have seen information that suggests the Administration intends to make permanent the deep cuts to foreign assistance, including to life-saving programs, and will drastically reduce State Department staffing, among other actions that undermine our interests.

    “I want to hear from Secretary Rubio directly. The public deserves an answer to the following very simple question: Does he intend to save foreign aid or does he intend to kill it? What’s happening is stark and millions will die. He should lead a process of reform, and I’m ready to work on a bipartisan basis to make it happen, but first we have to hear a public commitment from him to save this thing.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Rygen Technologies named one of Inbound Logistics’ Top 100 Logistics and Supply Chain Technology Providers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENVILLE, S.C., April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Inbound Logistics, a supply chain and logistics publication focused on providing education and guidance to enterprise leaders in the industry, named Rygen Technologies as one of the Top 100 Logistics and Supply Chain Technology providers of 2025. This award spotlights companies that are paving the way in the logistics and supply chain industry, from top-of-the-line Transportation Management Systems to implementing advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence.

    Rygen’s innovative solutions include Corsair Transportation Management System (TMS), X1 Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), and Blackbird Business Intelligence. With the user experience at top of mind, Rygen’s solutions were developed by an experienced team of supply chain experts that focus on enabling their users, rather than restricting them. They emphasize the importance of pain-free logistics management, with their users being able to efficiently manage freight, connect with partners, and uncover data insights.

    Tony Winters, Rygen’s Chief Technology Officer stated, “We’re so thrilled to be selected as a Top 100 Technology Provider. Our products are modern, lightweight, nimble and scale with your business. It’s great to see that those attributes are recognized by the industry as well, it’s a huge honor. We are continuing to push the industry forward, and now with the rise of AI, I can’t wait to see what comes next!”

    Inbound Logistics’ Top 100 list recognizes companies that exemplify operational efficiency, innovation, and business excellence. The list provides decision-making support to key players in industries, including manufacturing, retail, and warehouse and inventory management.

    “It’s an incredible honor for Rygen to be recognized by Inbound Logistics as one of the Top 100 Technology Providers for 2025. This award reflects our commitment to building technology that truly serves our customers, helping them solve real world challenges, operate more efficiently, and create better experiences for their teams and their customers. At the end of the day, our success is driven by our customers’ success, and we’re proud to play a role in helping them move their business forward,” says Jonathan Wollschleager, Director of Partnerships and Enterprise Sales at Rygen Technologies.

    To view the full list of winners, visit https://www.inboundlogistics.com/articles/top-100-logistics-it-providers/.

    About Inbound Logistics
    For nearly three decades, Inbound Logistics has been the hub for logistics and supply chain news and trends. Inbound Logistics coined the term 3PL and has built an audience of over 1.4 million supply chain decision makers. They were the first publication to acknowledge the important role technology plays in the logistics and supply chain industries. Priding themselves on their educational publication, their focus remains to shed light on infrastructure, education, and transportation policy issues.

    About Rygen Technologies
    Rygen Technologies is a leading provider of state-of-the-art supply chain solutions that empower users to quickly, easily, and efficiently execute and manage freight, connect with partners, and seamlessly integrate with other operating systems. By leveraging advanced technology, the company is creating smarter, data-driven solutions, supported by excellent customer service to deliver real value.
    For more information, visit www.rygen.com.

    Contact:
    Jonathan Wollschleager
    Director of Partnerships and Enterprise Sales
    jwollschleager@rygen.com
    732-546-7894

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: PrairieSky Announces First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PrairieSky Royalty Ltd. (“PrairieSky” or the “Company”) (TSX: PSK) is pleased to announce its first quarter operating and financial results for the period ended March 31, 2025.

    First Quarter Highlights:

    • Oil royalty production volumes averaged a record 13,502 barrels per day, a 3% increase over Q1 2024(1). Total royalty production averaged 25,339 BOE per day, a 3% decrease from Q1 2024 due to declines in natural gas and NGL production.
    • Royalty production revenue of $119.9 million combined with other revenue of $8.2 million to generate total revenues of $128.1 million for Q1 2025(1). Other revenue included bonus consideration of $5.0 million earned on entering into 52 new leasing arrangements focused on Duvernay light oil and Mannville light and heavy oil targets.
    • Funds from operations totaled $85.8 million or $0.36 per share, an increase of 3% over Q1 2024 primarily due to increased oil royalty revenue with higher oil royalty production volumes combined with narrowed oil price differentials.
    • Declared a first quarter dividend of $61.2 million ($0.26 per common share), representing a payout ratio of 71%.
    • Purchased and cancelled 3,415,900 common shares under the Company’s normal course issuer bid (“NCIB”) for $90.0 million.
    • Completed acquisitions of both producing and non-producing royalty interests for $63.6 million, including the previously announced $50.0 million acquisition, before customary closing adjustments, of fee lands, lessor interests and gross overriding royalty interests in Central Alberta and Southeast Saskatchewan, as well as incremental royalty interests in the Duvernay, Clearwater and Mannville.
    • Net debt totaled $258.8 million as at March 31, 2025.
    		  


    President’s Message

    It was a busy first quarter across PrairieSky’s royalty properties with 200 wells spud on PrairieSky’s royalty acreage at an average royalty rate of 6.9%, an increase from 174 wells spud in Q1 2024 at an average royalty rate of 6.0%. In addition to robust activity in the Mannville heavy oil play with 39 wells spud, there were 20 wells spud in the Clearwater, 15 wells spud in the Duvernay light oil play, 8 wells spud in the liquids-rich Montney, and an incremental 118 oil and natural gas wells spud elsewhere across the basin.

    PrairieSky earned $119.9 in royalty revenues, 93% liquids, from total royalty production volumes of 25,339 BOE per day in Q1 2025, 3% lower than Q1 2024. Oil royalty revenue totaled $101.1 million, a 10% increase over Q1 2024, and was generated from record oil royalty production of 13,502 barrels per day, an increase of 3% over Q1 2024. Oil royalty production volumes were positively impacted by continued activity in the Clearwater, Mannville and Duvernay and the addition of 177 barrels per day of production from the previously announced royalty acquisition that closed on January 10, 2025. Natural gas royalty production added 55.9 MMcf per day, a decrease of 10% from Q1 2024, and included an estimate of 1.1 MMcf per day of downtime related to cold weather in the quarter. Natural gas royalty production added $8.7 million of royalty revenue with continued weak natural gas benchmark pricing with daily AECO index pricing averaging $2.16 per Mcf, a decrease of 14% from Q1 2024. NGL royalty production averaged 2,520 barrels per day, a slight decrease of 1% from Q1 2024. NGL royalty production generated total NGL royalty revenue of $10.1 million in the quarter.

    Other revenue totaled $8.2 million in Q1 2025 and included $5.0 million in bonus consideration from entering into 52 new leases with 39 separate counterparties. In addition to active leasing in the quarter, PrairieSky acquired incremental producing and non-producing royalty interests focused on heavy and light oil plays in Central Alberta and Saskatchewan for $63.6 million. Acquisitions included the previously announced purchase of fee lands, lessor interests and gross overriding royalty interests for cash consideration of $50.0 million, before customary closing adjustments, which closed on January 10, 2025.

    Funds from operations totaled $85.8 million ($0.36 per share) in the quarter. PrairieSky declared a dividend of $0.26 per share or $61.2 million in the quarter with a resulting payout ratio of 71%. Excess funds from operations were allocated to acquisitions, including the purchase and cancellation of common shares under PrairieSky’s NCIB. Under the NCIB, PrairieSky purchased 3,415,900 common shares at a weighted average price of $26.36 per share for $90.0 million, including commissions and before income tax of $1.8 million. The NCIB is a key component of our capital allocation strategy and the recent share repurchase represents a high-quality acquisition of 1.4% more of the business, equivalent to purchasing approximately 259,000 acres of royalty lands. Repurchased common shares were cancelled prior to PrairieSky’s March 31, 2025 dividend record date. Share repurchases were funded using PrairieSky’s credit facility, which PrairieSky expects to pay down using excess cash flow above its quarterly dividend over time. At March 31, 2025, PrairieSky maintained a strong balance sheet with net debt of $258.8 million.

    We will be holding our 2025 investor day and releasing our updated Royalty Playbook on May 14, 2025 which will highlight the unique attributes of our long-duration, high margin business model. The investor day will be broadcast via webcast for interested parties. Thank you to our staff for their hard work and our shareholders for their continued support.

    Andrew Phillips, President & CEO

    ACTIVITY ON PRAIRIESKY’S ROYALTY PROPERTIES

    Third-party operators spud 200 wells in Q1 2025 (Q1 2024 – 174 wells) comprised of 108 wells on gross overriding royalty acreage, 81 wells on fee lands, and 11 unit wells. There were a total of 186 oil wells (93% of wells) spud during the quarter which included 53 Mannville light and heavy oil wells, 38 Viking wells, 20 Clearwater wells, 17 Mississippian wells, 15 Duvernay wells and 43 additional oil wells across Alberta and Saskatchewan and including 11 Lindbergh and 6 Onion Lake thermal oil wells which are expected to come on production in 2026. There were 14 natural gas wells spud in Q1 2025 including 8 Montney wells as well as additional gas wells in the Mannville, Spirit River and Duvernay formations. PrairieSky’s average royalty rate for wells spud in Q1 2025 was 6.9% (Q1 2024 – 6.0%).

    NORMAL COURSE ISSUER BID

    PrairieSky will apply to the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) to extend its NCIB for an additional one-year period. The renewal of the NCIB has been approved by the Company’s board of directors; however, the NCIB, including the limit of purchases thereunder, will be subject to acceptance by the TSX and, if accepted, will be made in accordance with the applicable rules and policies of the TSX and applicable securities laws. Under the NCIB, common shares may be repurchased in open market transactions on the TSX, and/or other Canadian exchanges or alternative trading systems. The price that PrairieSky will pay for common shares in open market transactions will be the market price at the time of purchase. Common shares acquired under the NCIB will be cancelled. If approved, the NCIB is expected to commence shortly after regulatory approvals are obtained and after expiry of the current program on June 3, 2025.

    PrairieSky believes renewing the NCIB as part of its capital management strategy is in the best interests of the Company and represents an attractive opportunity to use cash resources to reduce PrairieSky’s share count over time and thereby enhance the value of the common shares held by remaining shareholders. Decisions regarding increases to the NCIB will be based on market conditions, share price, best use of funds from operations, and other factors including debt repayment and options to expand our portfolio of royalty assets.

    2025 INVESTOR DAY

    PrairieSky will be hosting an investor day on May 14, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta, where members of PrairieSky’s management team will present details on the Company’s oil and natural gas plays. The investor day will be webcast starting at 9:30 a.m. MDT (11:30 a.m. EDT). Interested parties may participate in the webcast which will be available through PrairieSky’s investor center at www.prairiesky.com. The webcast will be archived and accessible for replay after the event.

    NOTES AND REFERENCES

    (1)    In this press release, the financial reporting periods are referred to as follows: “Q1 2025” or “the quarter” refers to the three months ended March 31, 2025; “Q1 2024” refers to the three months ended March 31, 2024.

    Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, terms used in this press release but not defined above are as defined in in the Company’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024 which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and PrairieSky’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

    FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL INFORMATION

    The following table summarizes select operational and financial information of the Company for the periods noted. All dollar amounts are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

    A full version of PrairieSky’s management’s discussion and analysis (“MD&A”) and unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2025 are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and PrairieSky’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

        Three months ended
        March 31 December 31 March 31
    ($ millions, except $ per share or as otherwise noted)   2025 2024 2024
    FINANCIAL        
    Royalty production revenue     119.9     115.6     113.2  
    Other revenue     8.2     20.0     7.5  
    Revenues     128.1     135.6     120.7  
             
    Funds from operations     85.8     99.0     83.0  
    Per share – basic and diluted(1)     0.36     0.41     0.35  
             
    Net earnings     58.4     60.2     47.5  
    Per share – basic and diluted(1)     0.25     0.25     0.20  
             
    Dividends declared(2)     61.2     59.9     59.7  
    Per share     0.26     0.25     0.25  
             
    Dividend payout ratio(3)   71 % 61 % 72 %
             
    Acquisitions – including non-cash consideration(4)     63.6     31.5     8.8  
    Net debt(5)     258.8     134.9     208.3  
    Common share repurchases, inclusive of all costs     91.8     –     –  
             
    Shares outstanding (millions)        
    Shares outstanding at period end     235.5     239.0     239.0  
    Weighted average – basic and diluted     238.3     239.0     239.0  
             
    OPERATIONAL        
    Royalty production volumes        
    Crude oil (bbls/d)     13,502     13,317     13,142  
    NGL (bbls/d)     2,520     2,482     2,535  
    Natural gas (MMcf/d)     55.9     55.1     62.1  
    Royalty Production (BOE/d)(6)     25,339     24,982     26,027  
             
    Realized pricing        
    Crude oil ($/bbl)     83.16     81.66     77.18  
    NGL ($/bbl)     44.51     40.68     44.18  
    Natural gas ($/Mcf)     1.73     1.23     1.89  
    Total ($/BOE)(6)     52.58     50.30     47.79  
             
    Operating netback per BOE ($)(7)     42.85     45.86     39.60  
             
    Funds from operations per BOE ($)     37.62     43.07     35.04  
             
    Oil price benchmarks        
    West Texas Intermediate (WTI) (US$/bbl)     71.39     70.27     76.95  
    Edmonton light sweet ($/bbl)     95.20     94.90     92.18  
    Western Canadian Select (WCS) crude oil differential to WTI (US$/bbl)     (12.67 )   (12.55 )   (19.33 )
             
    Natural gas price benchmarks        
    AECO Monthly Index ($/Mcf)     2.02     1.46     2.05  
    AECO Daily Index ($/Mcf)     2.16     1.48     2.50  
             
    Foreign exchange rate (US$/CAD$)     0.6976     0.7147     0.7411  

    (1)    Funds from operations and net earnings per share are calculated using the weighted average number of basic and diluted common shares outstanding.
    (2)    A dividend of $0.26 per share was declared on March 10, 2025. The dividend will be paid on April 15, 2025 to shareholders of record as at March 31, 2025.
    (3)    Dividend payout ratio is defined under the “Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios” section of this press release.
    (4)    Excluding right-of-use asset additions.
    (5)    See Note 13 “Capital Management” in the interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 and Note 16 “Capital Management” in the annual audited consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
    (6)    See “Conversions of Natural Gas to BOE”.
    (7)    Operating netback per BOE is defined under the “Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios” section of this press release.

    CONFERENCE CALL DETAILS

    A conference call to discuss the results will be held for the investment community on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, beginning at 6:30 a.m. MST (8:30 a.m. EST). To participate in the conference call, you are asked to register at one of the links provided below. Details regarding the call will be provided to you upon registration.

    Live call participant registration
    URL:  https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIadb5efe7e21145bda3895f295f81b293

    Live webcast participant registration (listen in only)
    URL:  https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/be75c3go

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This press release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) which may include, but are not limited to PrairieSky’s future plans, current expectations and views of future operations and contains forward-looking statements that the Company believes allow readers to better understand the Company’s business and prospects. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words “expect”, “expected to”, “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “objective”, “ongoing”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “should”, “could”, “likely”, “believe”, “plans”, “intends”, “strategy” and similar expressions (including negative variations) are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, estimates regarding the impact of cold weather downtime on natural gas royalty production volumes, our expectations with respect to PrairieSky’s business and growth strategy and trajectory, including the benefits of the Company’s strategy of investing in low-cost oil plays, expectation that the 11 Lindbergh and 6 Onion Lake thermal oil wells spud in Q1 2025 will come on production in 2026 and the application of PrairieSky to renew the NCIB, the timing of when the NCIB will commence, the limit thereunder, and PrairieSky’s belief that repurchasing such common shares under the NCIB is a good allocation of PrairieSky’s capital resources and will enhance the value of the common shares held by remaining shareholders, and other statements.

    With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this press release, PrairieSky has made several assumptions including those described in detail in our MD&A and the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024. Readers and investors are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such forward-looking statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. PrairieSky’s actual results, performance, or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. PrairieSky can give no assurance that any of the events anticipated will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits the Company will derive from them.

    By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond PrairieSky’s control, including but not limited to the impact of general economic conditions including inflation, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, lack of pipeline capacity, currency fluctuations, increasing interest rates, imprecision of reserve estimates, competitive factors impacting royalty rates, environmental risks, taxation, regulation, changes in tax or other legislation, competition from other industry participants, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility, political and geopolitical instability, the risks and impacts of tariffs imposed between Canada and the United States (and other countries) or other restrictive trade measures, retaliatory or countermeasures implemented by such governments affecting trade between Canada and the United States (and other countries), including the potential introduction of regulatory barriers to trade and the effect on the demand and/or market price for commodities, and the Company’s ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. In addition, PrairieSky is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties in relation to acquisitions. These risks and uncertainties include risks relating to the potential for disputes to arise with counterparties, and limited ability to recover indemnification under certain agreements. The foregoing and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions are described in more detail in PrairieSky’s MD&A and the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the headings “Risk Management” and “Risk Factors”, respectively, each of which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and PrairieSky’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

    Further, any forward-looking statement is made only as of the date of this press release, and PrairieSky undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement or statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable securities laws. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for PrairieSky to predict all of these factors or to assess, in advance, the impact of each such factor on PrairieSky’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    CONVERSIONS OF NATURAL GAS TO BOE

    To provide a single unit of production for analytical purposes, natural gas production and reserves volumes are converted mathematically to equivalent barrels of oil (BOE). PrairieSky uses the industry-accepted standard conversion of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil (6 Mcf = 1 bbl). The 6:1 BOE ratio is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip. It does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead and is not based on either energy content or current prices. While the BOE ratio is useful for comparative measures and observing trends, it does not accurately reflect individual product values and might be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. As well, given that the value ratio, based on the current price of crude oil to natural gas, is significantly different from the 6:1 energy equivalency ratio, using a 6:1 conversion ratio may be misleading as an indication of value.

    NON-GAAP MEASURES AND RATIOS

    Certain measures and ratios in this press release do not have any standardized meaning as prescribed by IFRS and, therefore, are considered non-GAAP measures and ratios. These measures and ratios may not be comparable to similar measures and ratios presented by other issuers. These measures and ratios are commonly used in the oil and natural gas industry and by PrairieSky to provide potential investors with additional information regarding the Company’s liquidity and its ability to generate funds to conduct its business. Non-GAAP measures and ratios include operating netback per BOE and dividend payout ratio. Management’s use of these measures and ratios is discussed further below. Further information can be found in the Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios section of PrairieSky’s MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024.

    “Operating netback per BOE” represents the cash margin for products sold on a BOE basis. Operating netback per BOE is calculated by dividing the operating netback (royalty production revenue less production and mineral taxes and cash administrative expenses) by the average daily production volumes for the period. Operating netback per BOE is used to assess the cash generating and operating performance per unit of product sold and the comparability of the underlying performance between years. Operating netback per BOE measures are commonly used in the oil and natural gas industry to assess performance comparability. Refer to the Operating Results table on page 6 of PrairieSky’s MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 and page 7 of PrairieSky’s MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024.

        Three months ended
        March 31 December 31 March 31
    ($ millions)   2025 2024 2024
    Cash from operating activities     90.7     91.3     79.7  
    Other revenue     (8.2 )   (20.0 )   (7.5 )
    Other revenue – non-cash     –     8.2     –  
    Amortization of debt issuance costs     (0.1 )   (0.2 )   (0.1 )
    Finance expense     2.9     2.3     3.7  
    Current tax expense     17.3     16.2     14.7  
    Interest on lease obligation     –     (0.1 )   –  
    Net change in non-cash working capital     (4.9 )   7.7     3.3  
    Operating netback     97.7     105.4     93.8  

    “Operating Margin” represents operating netback as a percentage of royalty production revenue. Management uses this measure to demonstrate the comparability between the Company and production and exploration companies in the oil and natural gas industry as it shows net revenue generation from operations.

        Three months ended
        March 31 December 31 March 31
    ($ millions)   2025 2024 2024
    Royalty production revenue   119.9     115.6     113.2  
    Operating netback   97.7     105.4     93.8  
    Operating margin   81 % 91 % 83 %

    “Dividend payout ratio” is calculated as dividends declared as a percentage of funds from operations. Payout ratio is used by dividend paying companies to assess dividend levels in relation to the funds generated and used in operating activities.

        Three months ended
        March 31 December 31 March 31
    ($ millions, except otherwise noted)   2025 2024 2024
    Funds from operations     85.8     99.0     83.0  
    Dividends declared     61.2     59.9     59.7  
    Dividend payout ratio   71 % 61 % 72 %


    ABOUT PRAIRIESKY ROYALTY LTD.

    PrairieSky is a royalty company, generating royalty production revenues as oil and natural gas are produced from its properties. PrairieSky has a diverse portfolio of properties that have a long history of generating funds from operations and that represent the largest and most consolidated independently-owned fee simple mineral title position in Canada. PrairieSky’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PSK.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

    Andrew M. Phillips
    President & Chief Executive Officer
    PrairieSky Royalty Ltd.
    (587) 293-4005 

    Michael T. Murphy
    Vice-President, Geosciences & Capital Markets
    PrairieSky Royalty Ltd.
    (587) 293-4056 

    Investor Relations
    (587) 293-4000
    www.prairiesky.com

    		 Pamela P. Kazeil
    Senior Vice-President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer
    PrairieSky Royalty Ltd.
    (587) 293-4089

    PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/582f0ac4-3c4f-4983-afeb-621e284659ef

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: DIAGNOS Provides Additional Information on Amendment to Convertible Debentures

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BROSSARD, Quebec, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diagnos Inc. (“DIAGNOS” or the “Corporation”) (TSX Venture: ADK, OTCQB: DGNOF, FWB: 4D4A), a pioneer in early detection of certain ophthalmic health issues using advanced technology based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), wishes to provide additional information to the February 28, 2025 announcement on amendment to convertible debentures.

    One insider of the Corporation, Mr. André Larente, is the beneficial owner of 2 convertible debentures being amended for a nominal aggregate value of $20,000. Assuming the conversion of the convertible debentures owned by him and exercise of all of his outstanding securities, Mr. Larente would own 2,188,115 Common Shares of the Corporation representing 2.15% of the total issued Common Shares, on a partially diluted basis. Mr. Larente is considered a “related party” of the Corporation within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). The amendment to convertible debentures is exempt from the valuation requirement and the minority approval requirement prescribed in MI 61-101, based on sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a), as the fair market value of the related party participation in the amendment to convertible debentures does not exceed 25% of the Corporation’s current market capitalization. The board of directors of the Corporation has reviewed and approved the amendment to convertible debentures to ensure that it was in the best interest of DIAGNOS and its shareholders.

    The amendment to convertible debentures remains subject to the TSX Venture Exchange acceptance as well as execution of formal documentation. All monies quoted in this press release shall be stated and paid in lawful money of Canada.

    About DIAGNOS
    DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation dedicated to early detection of critical eye-related health problems. By leveraging Artificial Intelligence, DIAGNOS aims to provide more information to healthcare clinicians to enhance diagnostic accuracy, streamline workflows, and improve patient outcomes on a global scale.

    Additional information is available at www.diagnos.com  and www.sedarplus.com.

    This news release contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. DIAGNOS disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: IT and security pros: Explore how to secure AI by attending new Learn Live Series

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: IT and security pros: Explore how to secure AI by attending new Learn Live Series

     Register to attend Learn Live: Security for AI with Microsoft Purview and Defender for Cloud starting April 15 

    In this month-long webinar series, IT pros and security practitioners can hone their security skillsets with a deeper understanding of AI-centric challenges, opportunities, and best practices using Microsoft Security solutions.  

    Each session will follow a hosted demo format and cover a Microsoft Learn module (topics listed below). You can ask the SMEs questions via the chat as they show you how to use Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Defender for Cloud to protect your organization in the age of AI. 

    Learn Live dates/topics include: 

    • April 15 at 12pm PST – Manage AI Data Security Challenges with Microsoft Purview: Microsoft Purview helps you strengthen data security in AI environments, providing tools to handle challenges from AI technology. Learn to safeguard your data and adapt to evolving security challenges in AI technology. This session will help you: 
      • Understand sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 Copilot 
      • Secure against generative AI data exposure with endpoint Data Loss Prevention 
      • Detect generative AI usage with Insider Risk Management 
      • Dynamically protect sensitive data with Adaptive Protection 
      • Audit Copilot interactions within Microsoft 365 using Microsoft Purview 
      • Investigate Copilot interactions using Microsoft Purview eDiscovery 
      • Manage Copilot data retention with Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management 
      • Monitor and mitigate risks in Copilot interactions using Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance 
    • April 29 at 12pm PST – Identify and Mitigate AI Data Security Risks: Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI helps organizations monitor AI activity, enforce security policies, and prevent unauthorized data exposure. Learn how to configure DSPM for AI, track AI interactions, run data assessments, and apply security controls to reduce risks associated with AI usage. You will learn how to: 
      • Explain the purpose and benefits of Microsoft Purview DSPM for AI 
      • Set up and configure DSPM for AI to monitor AI interactions 
      • Identify and analyze AI security risks using reports and insights 
      • Run and review AI data assessments to detect oversharing risks 
      • Apply security policies, such as DLP and sensitivity labels, to protect AI-referenced data 
      • Understand how Defender for Cloud can protect AI workloads 
      • Enable threat protection workloads for AI 
      • Gain application and end user context for AI alerts 

    Register today for these new sessions. We look forward to seeing you! 

    If you’re unable to attend a session, don’t worry—the recordings will be made available on-demand via YouTube. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Announcing the GPT-4.1 model series for Azure AI Foundry developers

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Announcing the GPT-4.1 model series for Azure AI Foundry developers

    We are excited to share the launch of the next generation of the GPT-4o model series with GPT-4.1, 4.1-mini, and 4.1-nano to Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service.

    We are excited to share the launch of the next iteration of the GPT model series with GPT-4.1, 4.1-mini, and 4.1-nano to Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. The GPT-4.1 models bring improved capabilities and significant advancements in coding, instruction following, and long-context processing that is critical for developers. We’re also excited to announce fine-tuning support for GPT-4.1 and 4.1-mini, allowing developers to further customize the models for their specific business needs.

    Build custom generative AI solutions with Azure OpenAI

    What is GPT-4.1? 

    GPT-4.1 is the latest iteration of the GPT-4o model, trained to excel at coding and instruction-following tasks. This model will improve the quality of agentic workflows and accelerate the productivity of developers across all scenarios.

    Key features of GPT-4.1

    GPT-4.1 brings several notable improvements: 

    • Enhanced coding and instruction following: The model is optimized for better handling of complex technical and coding problems. It generates cleaner, simpler front-end code, accurately identifies necessary changes in existing code, and consistently produces outputs that compile and run successfully. 
    • Long context model: GPT-4.1 supports one million token inputs, allowing it to process and understand extensive context in a single interaction. This capability is particularly beneficial for tasks requiring detailed and nuanced understanding as well as multi-step agents that increase context as they operate.
    • Improved instruction following: The model excels at following detailed instructions, especially agents containing multiple requests. It is more intuitive and collaborative, making it easier to work with for various applications. 

    Model capabilities

    In addition to the post-training improvements and long context support, GPT-4.1 retains the same API capabilities as the GPT-4o model family, including tool calling and structured outputs. 

    Model  Reasoning & Accuracy  Cost & Efficiency  Context Length 
    GPT-4.1  Highest  Higher Cost  1M 
    GPT-4.1-mini  Balanced  Balanced  1M 
    GPT-4.1-nano  Lower  Lowest Cost  1M 

    Coming soon: Fine-tune GPT-4.1 to your business needs

    Later this week, we’ll be enabling supervised fine-tuning for GPT-4.1 and 4.1-mini, empowering developers to adapt these models to their unique business requirements. Fine-tuning enables you to securely customize the base models on your own datasets, helping align responses with your organization’s specific tone, domain terminology, and task workflows. Fine-tuned models are managed and deployed through the Azure AI Foundry, giving you full control over versioning, security, and scalability. 

    Explore GPT-4.1 today 

    GPT-4.1 is now available on Azure OpenAI Service, bringing unparalleled advancements in AI capabilities. This release marks a significant leap forward, offering enhanced performance, efficiency, and versatility across a wide array of applications. Whether you’re looking to improve your customer service chatbot, develop cutting-edge data analysis tools, or explore new frontiers in machine learning, GPT-4.1 has something to offer. 

    We invite you to delve into the new features and discover how GPT-4.1 can revolutionize your workflows and applications. Explore, deploy, and build applications using these models today in Azure AI Foundry to access this powerful tool and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of AI. 

    Explore GPT-4.1 today. 

    Create with Azure AI Foundry

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: We’re bringing the latest GPT-4.1 models from OpenAI to Foundry, representing significant advancements in coding, instruction following, and long-context processing. Big upgrades for devs building with AI.

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: We’re bringing the latest GPT-4.1 models from OpenAI to Foundry, representing significant advancements in coding, instruction following, and long-context processing. Big upgrades for devs building with AI.

    On the 75th anniversary of the stored-program computer, I’m thrilled to announce our next leap forward: OpenAI GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1-mini, and GPT-4.1-nano—now rolling out on Azure AI Foundry. These models represent something special—a generational advancement in coding, reasoning, and understanding context. With a remarkable 1 million token context window, advanced instruction-following capabilities, and code that truly works, GPT-4.1 is changing what’s possible. What makes this release particularly exciting is how it empowers developers. You can fine-tune these models directly in Foundry, customizing them to your specific needs, tone, and workflows. Whether you’re creating agent-based systems, support assistants, or enterprise copilots, GPT-4.1 offers performance and flexibility to bring your vision to life. This is starting to feel like a new foundation for the era of human and AI collaboration. And I can’t wait to see what we build together. https://lnkd.in/ganFFiNU #AzureAI #OpenAI #AIagents #ArtificialIntelligence #Microsoft

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Announces Call for New Computing Approaches to Earth Science

    Source: NASA

    In an open challenge, NASA is seeking innovative business models that propose new approaches to solving complex Earth science problems using unconventional computing methods and is holding an informational webinar on Monday, April 28.  
    The agency’s Beyond the Algorithm Challenge, sponsored by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office, asks for proposals to more rapidly and accurately understand our home planet using transformative computing methods such as quantum computing, quantum machine learning, neuromorphic computing, in-memory computing, or other approaches.  
    The Beyond the Algorithm Challenge kicked off in March and consists of three phases. Participant submissions, which are due on July 25, will be evaluated based on creativity, technical feasibility, impact, business model evaluation, and presentation. Up to 10 finalists will be invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges at a live pitch event, and winners will a monetary prize.  
    For details about the challenge, interested participants can sign up for the informational webinar on Monday, April 28, here. 
    Using the vantage point of space, NASA’s observations of Earth increase our understanding of our home planet, improve lives, and safeguard our future. The capabilities of NASA’s Earth Science Division include developing new technology, delivering actionable science, and providing environmental information to meet the increased demand for more sophisticated, more accurate, more trustworthy, and more actionable environmental information for decision-makers and policymakers.  
    For example, rapid flood analysis is one area that may benefit from computing advancements. Flood hazards affect personal safety and land use, directly affecting individual livelihoods, community property, and infrastructure development and resilience. Advanced flood analysis capability enables contributions to protect and serve impacted communities, making a tangible difference in areas such as disaster preparedness, recovery, and resilience.  
    Advancements in computing capabilities show promise in overcoming processing power, efficiency, and performance limitations of conventional computing methods in addressing Earth science challenges like rapid flood analysis. Quantum computers offer a fundamentally different paradigm of computation and can solve certain classes of problems exponentially faster than their classical counterparts. Likewise, quantum machine learning offers the potential to reduce required training data or produce more accurate models. The emerging field of neuromorphic, or brain-inspired, computing holds significant promise for algorithm development optimized for high-speed, low power. And in-memory computing saves time and energy for data-heavy processes like artificial intelligence training. 
    Blue Clarity is hosting the Beyond the Algorithm Challenge on behalf of NASA. The NASA Tournament Lab, part of the Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program in the Space Technology Mission Directorate, manages the challenge. The program supports global public competitions and crowdsourcing as tools to advance NASA research and development and other mission needs. 
    For more information about the contest and a full list of rules and eligibility requirements, visit:  
    https://www.nasa-beyond-challenge.org

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Risch and Cassidy Introduce Bill to Protect Energy Permitting Process from Frivolous Lawsuits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) introduced the Revising and Enhancing Project Authorizations Impacted by Review (REPAIR) Act that would protect the permitting process for U.S. energy, manufacturing and critical infrastructure projects from frivolous litigation.
    “Off-shore energy projects face stiff headwinds in America,” said Crapo.  “As we move toward greater American energy independence, the REPAIR Act would reduce the threat of frivolous lawsuits during the permitting and review process for new projects that can tie up proposals for years.  Advancing this bill is an important step in furthering President Trump’s domestic energy agenda.”
    “Critical domestic energy, natural resource and manufacturing projects have been blocked by activist litigation for far too long, forcing the U.S. to rely on countries like China for resources available in our own backyard,” said Risch.  “The REPAIR Act would close judicial loopholes and eliminate years of unnecessary litigation that have hindered our ability to harness our own natural resources.”
    “Green activist groups have a pattern.  They manipulate the legal system to keep infrastructure and energy projects in legal purgatory,” said Cassidy.  “Let’s end this and get the project moving again.  It’s the only way to unleash American energy!”
    The REPAIR Act would make many vital changes to the judicial review of an approved permit by ensuring all laws related to permitting have the same review process, scope of adjudication, rules for standing and statute of limitations.  The bill would remove the ability to file a suit based on the National Environmental Policy Act, instead focusing lawsuits on the statute for which the permit was issued.  In the case of a judicial remand or other court action, the REPAIR Act would establish a mediation process that allows the project developer and the permit-issuing agency to directly address the challenge and enable the project to move forward.  Additionally, the bill would increase transparency in ongoing court challenges to permits to highlight the unnecessary delays caused by the judicial process.
    The legislation is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Petroleum Institute, ClearPath, the National Mining Association and Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 138

    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 138
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    325 PM EDT Mon Apr 14 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Central and Eastern Kentucky
    Southern Ohio
    Far Southwestern Pennsylvania
    Southwestern Virginia
    West Virginia

    * Effective this Monday afternoon and evening from 325 PM until
    1100 PM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Thunderstorms coverage is expected to increase over the
    next few hours along and ahead of a cold front pushing eastward
    across the region. Environmental conditions support strong to severe
    storms. An initially cellular mode will favor large hail and
    damaging gusts before a transition to a more linear storm mode
    favors primarily damaging gusts.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 80
    statute miles north and south of a line from 30 miles west of
    Lexington KY to 60 miles north northeast of White Sulphur Springs
    WV. 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.

    &&

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    24040.

    …Mosier

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW8
    WW 138 SEVERE TSTM KY OH PA VA WV 141925Z – 150300Z
    AXIS..80 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    30W LEX/LEXINGTON KY/ – 60NNE SSU/WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS WV/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 70NM N/S /21ESE IIU – 22SSE EKN/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24040.

    LAT…LON 39188515 39747990 37417990 36878515

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

    Watch 138 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 (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (30%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (90%)

    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 Asia-Pac: National Highways Excellence Awards to be held in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 8:02PM by PIB Delhi

    To encourage innovative practices and recognise professionals delivering excellence in National Highway development, the sixth edition of ‘National Highways Excellence Awards 2023’ (NHEA 2023) will be held on 15th April 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari along with Shri Ajay Tamta, Hon’ble Minister of State for Ministry of Road Transport & Highways; Shri Harsh Malhotra, Hon’ble Minister of State for MoRTH & Corporate Affairs; Shri V Umashankar, Secretary at MoRTH; senior officials from MoRTH, NHAI and other stakeholders will grace the occasion.   

    NHEA 2023 will serve as a platform to commemorate remarkable achievements within the National Highway infrastructure sector and recognize professionals as well as stakeholders for their contribution in construction & maintenance of the best-performing National Highway assets across the country.

    The daylong event will also feature various ‘Panel Discussions’ with domain experts and will delve into topics such as emerging technologies in Highway construction, highway development in hilly terrains, and the global competitiveness of Indian construction companies. 

    ‘National Highway Excellence Awards’ were institutionalized in 2018 by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, with an aim to incentivize and encourage key stakeholders and to create a spirit of healthy competition amongst all the stakeholders involved in the development of National Highway infrastructure in the country.

    ***

    GDH/HR

    (Release ID: 2121641) Visitor Counter : 13

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SDEV congratulates teams from DEVB and works departments on outstanding achievements at International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SDEV congratulates teams from DEVB and works departments on outstanding achievements at International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva  
    The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, extended her heartfelt congratulations to the teams from the Works Branch of the DEVB, the EMSD and the DSD for winning multiple awards. She said, “The DEVB and works departments have been continuously promoting technological transformation and actively adopting innovative technologies. This has not only significantly enhanced the operational efficiency of public works projects and services, but also effectively improved the cost-effectiveness. The teams have been dedicated and committed to striving for excellence in technological research and its transformation into practical solutions. The awards received in this international mega event fully demonstrated that their efforts and accomplishments have been recognised internationally.”
     
    The Two-Phase Immersion Cooling System for High Performance Computer Workstation, which was jointly developed by the EMSD and the Civil Aviation Department (CAD), won the prize of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, marking the first time that departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government have received this prize. The system provides highly efficient heat dissipation capability by immersing heat-generating computer components into a sealed container filled with non-conductive cooling liquid. This not only improves equipment performance and extends the equipment life time, but also achieves more efficient energy saving. The system has been successfully applied in the CAD’s air traffic control tower simulator.
     
    The Secretary for Development also appreciated that the SmartEye, a remote site supervision system and integrated site management platform developed by the Works Branch of the DEVB, has won awards. This system adopts advanced technologies, including 4D LiDAR and AI for real-time monitoring of construction projects, ensuring quality and site safety while enhancing supervision efficiency. It has been successfully applied in several public works projects.
     
    The Mosaic Model Map (M³) project by the DSD was awarded the gold medal with the congratulations of jury. This real-time territorial flood risk visualisation system leveraging Hydraulic Model Pre-run, Scenario Mapping and Mosaic Compilation technologies will facilitate the DSD in timely resource deployment for speedy responses to possible flood situations under adverse weather. The Integration of AI and Optical Fiber Technology for district cooling/heating system plants by the EMSD and the Tracking Solution for Outdoor Activity Safety by the EMSD in collaboration with the CAD also garnered gold medals with the congratulations of jury.
    Issued at HKT 21:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses the All India Forensic Science Summit 2025 organised by NFSU in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses the All India Forensic Science Summit 2025 organised by NFSU in New Delhi

    PM Modi’s vision changed the entire landscape of the country’s criminal justice system

    The use of forensic science is imperative to stop borderless crimes

    In the coming decade, India will have the highest conviction rate in the world

    It is important to make forensic science a part of the criminal justice system so that no injustice is done to both the accused and the complainant

    7 campuses of National Forensic Sciences University have been built across the country, 9 more campuses will be built in another 6 months

    The government is trying to make the society crime-free by finding solutions to all challenges using forensic sciences

    NFSU is promoting trained manpower, research and indigenous technology

    Posted On: 14 APR 2025 6:00PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addressed the All India Forensic Science Summit 2025 organized by the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in New Delhi today as the Chief Guest. The theme of the conference was ‘Role of Forensic Science in Effective Implementation of New Criminal Laws and Combating Terrorism’. The conference was attended by many dignitaries including Justice V Ramasubramanian, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Attorney General Shri R Venkataramani, Rajya Sabha MP and Chairman, Bar Council of India Shri Manan Kumar Mishra, Union Home Secretary Shri Govind Mohan and Vice Chancellor, NFSU Dr. J. M. Vyas.

    Paying tribute to Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that Babasaheb worked to finalize the Constitution of India. It was a Herculean task to finalize the Constitution after thousands of hours of intense discussion on every subject, but Babasaheb composed the Constitution by incorporating all aspects keeping in mind the needs of the country and with the idea of ​​maintaining the relevance of the Constitution for many years. Shri Shah said that our Constitution is not just a book. It has a system for the protection of the body, property and honor of every citizen and forensic science is now playing a very useful role in strengthening the criminal justice system associated with the protection of these three.

    Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we are striving to make the justice system people-centric and scientific. Efforts are also being made to ensure that those seeking justice get justice on time and also have the satisfaction of getting justice. Through this, our aim is to create a safe, capable and competent India. Union Home Minister said that to strengthen the criminal justice system, the Government of India has brought three new criminal laws in the form of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA).

    Union Home Minister said that forensics is not a new idea in our country. Its detailed description is found in Charak Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Kautilya’s Arthashashtra. Acharya Kautilya has guided the world in detail on topics like toxicology, identification of poison, body language of suspects, and identification of accused on the basis of speech.

    Shri Amit Shah said that without forensic science, it is not possible to deliver timely justice and increase the rate of conviction. He said that the entire scenario of crime has changed today. Now criminals use different means of technology, information and communication, due to which crime has now become borderless. Earlier, crime used to happen in a small part of a district, state or country, but now crime has become borderless. Modern crimes now transcend city, state, national, and even international boundaries. In such a situation, the importance of forensic science has increased a lot. Shri Shah said that when PM Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat and he was the Home Minister, the seed of Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, planted by Shri Narendra Modi in 2009, has now grown into a banyan tree in the form of the National Forensic Sciences University — the first university of its kind in the world. He said that it is a matter of joy for him that when the National Forensic Sciences University was established on 1 October 2020, Shri Narendra Modi was the Prime Minister and he was the Home Minister of the country.

    Union Home Minister said that PM Modi’s visionary leadership has brought significant transformation to the country’s criminal justice system. He emphasized that a system has been established where neither the accused nor the complainant is subjected to injustice. To ensure this balance, integrating forensic science into the criminal justice process is essential. Shri Shah highlighted that the steps taken in 2009 and 2020 to establish the Forensic Science University are not only producing skilled professionals but also paving the way for research across various fields. He noted that the university has become a trusted institution for forensic analysis in complex cases and has also evolved into a hub for equipping the country’s forensic laboratories with modern technology. He further added that the university offers a wide range of programs, including degree, diploma, PhD, and research courses. Additionally, it has developed and adopted numerous indigenous technologies and has created toolkits to supply these innovations to police forces across the nation.

    Shri Amit Shah underlined that following the directive of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to get rid the country of colonial-era laws, work on finalizing new criminal laws was carried out between 2019 and 2024. He noted that extensive discussions during this period revealed the extent to which the outdated laws were harming India’s criminal justice system. He emphasized that if laws are not updated in accordance with changing times, they become obsolete and irrelevant. He added that the original intent of the old criminal laws was not to deliver justice to Indian citizens but to uphold British rule. In contrast, the three new criminal laws introduced under PM Modi’s leadership have been crafted by Indians, for the protection and justice of Indian citizens. Shri Shah said that this represents the most significant legal reform of the 21st century. He further explained that the new laws provide a legal foundation for the use of modern technology and have been designed with a forward-looking approach — incorporating not only current technologies but also anticipating technological developments for the next 100 years.

    Union Home Minister said that the new laws have formally defined e-documents and e-summons. He explained that the method of technology used is irrelevant as long as the law recognizes e-documents, and similarly, once people accept e-summons, the mode of delivery no longer matters. He emphasized that technology has been integrated at every stage of the criminal justice process — from the crime scene to investigation, and through to the trial. Forensic investigation has been made mandatory for all crimes that carry a punishment of more than seven years. He expressed confidence that these changes will lead to India achieving the highest conviction rate in the world in the coming decade.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the conviction rate in the country is currently stands at 54 per cent. He said that terrorism has been defined in the new laws. Voice logs and digital voice mail have also been given a place. Arrangements have also been made in BNSS to give legal basis to audio, video recordings, videography of forensic evidence and digital records in interrogation. Arrangements have been made to ensure justice within the stipulated period by setting time limits for the police, prosecution and judicial system. He said that its results have also started coming. In some cases, the rapist was convicted in 23 days and within 100 days the triple murder case was solved and the culprit was punished. Union Home Minister said that this was possible because technical evidence was recognized in the trial. He said that efforts have also been made to digitize the digital system of the entire country.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today 100 per cent police stations in the country have been computerized through Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS). About 14 crore 19 lakh FIRs and their related documents have been made available online along with legacy data. 22 thousand courts have been equipped with the e-court facilities. Data of 2 crore 19 lakh is available through e-prison. Prosecution data of 1 crore 93 lakh cases is available through e-prosecution. 39 lakh forensic evidences are available online through e-forensics. He said that 16 lakh alerts have been generated from this. Fingerprints of 1 crore 53 lakh accused are available in the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS). These fingerprints have been shared with every police station. National Database of Human Trafficking Offender is also available. Shri Shah added that this data is separate right now, but in the next few years, the Home Ministry will hand over this data to the investigating teams using Artificial Intelligence. He said that then it will become very easy to formulate a strategy to prevent crime and it will also be very beneficial in controlling crime.

    Union Home Minister said that due to the farsightedness of PM Modi, we had established the National Forensic Sciences University in the year 2020 itself, while three new criminal laws came into force in 2024. He said that seven campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University have been established in different states of the country. 9 more campuses will be established in the next 6 months. Apart from these, the establishment of 10 more campuses is proposed. Shri Shah said that there will be no state in the country where there is no campus of National Forensic Sciences University. We will work to make each campus the best unit in the world by giving it one subject. The students of the university will be helped in research and development so that they achieve heights in research and make the campus the best in the allotted subject. Home Minister said that after its completion, every year 36 thousand diploma and degree holder youth will pass out from these campuses and strengthen our criminal justice system.

    Shri Amit Shah said that there is a need for 30,000 trained professionals to visit every crime scene where the punishment is more than seven years. He noted that each year, around 36,000 students will graduate from the National Forensic Sciences University, many of whom will go on to work in private forensic laboratories as well. He further mentioned that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is working on an agreement between private and government Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs), allowing certain samples received by government FSLs to also be analyzed by private labs. He added that NFSU is advancing into several emerging fields, including drone forensics, smart city forensics, marine forensics, and corporate forensics. Shri Shah also highlighted the growing international presence of NFSU, stating that around 240 foreign students are currently enrolled, and that the university will continue to expand globally in the coming years.

    Union Home Minister emphasized the need to categorize offenders into habitual criminals, those driven to crime by circumstances, and those who committed crimes out of necessity. He stressed the importance of providing psychological counseling to such individuals within jails, with the goal of encouraging them to become responsible citizens. He expressed confidence that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India will be able to develop a robust forensic science-based system for prisoner rehabilitation within the next couple of years. Shri Shah also said that a Modus Operandi Bureau has been established, which will play a vital role in controlling crime by analyzing criminal behavior patterns.

    Shri Amit Shah acknowledged that the country faces numerous challenges, many of which can be addressed through the effective use of forensic science. He called for close collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Forensic Sciences University to work toward building a crime-free society through scientific solutions. Union Home Minister said that, during the conference, young individuals were recognized for their outstanding performance in the hackathon and their efforts to promote the use of the Hindi language.

    *******

    RK/VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2121618) Visitor Counter : 28

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit explores future of AI and digital technologies (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit explores future of AI and digital technologies  
         The WIC designated Hong Kong to host the Asia-Pacific Summit for the first time, affirming Hong Kong’s pivotal role as an important bridge and two-way platform connecting our country and the world. At the opening ceremony of the Summit this morning, the Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr Wang Yong, and the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, delivered their remarks, while the Minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China and Chairman of the WIC, Mr Zhuang Rongwen, gave a keynote speech. The Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr Zheng Yanxiong; the CEO of GSMA Ltd., Mr John Hoffman; the Chair of ZTE Corporation, Mr Fang Rong; the “father of the Internet in Africa”, Mr Nii Narku Quaynor, and other distinguished guests, also spoke at the opening ceremony, sharing their valuable insights on building an open and cooperative community with a shared future in cyberspace.
     
         After the opening ceremony, a government-enterprise dialogue session was co-hosted by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, and the Secretary General of the WIC, Mr Ren Xianliang. The session brought together ministerial officials and senior representatives of industry corporations from countries and regions such as Algeria, Tanzania and Oman, as well as business leaders from Intel, Alibaba Cloud, Ping An Group and many more to conduct in-depth exchanges on ways to harness I&T to drive economic development, support enterprises’ overseas expansion, inject new impetus for economic growth, and actively building practical cooperation platforms. The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, also attended the session and delivered a speech, introducing the latest development of Hong Kong’s digital government.
     
         The focus of the Summit in the afternoon was the main forum on the digital intelligence future which covered three key thematic sections: “Building robust foundations for a digital future”, “AI applications across industries” and “Security and governance in the digital era”. The forum had a stellar lineup of speakers, including the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; Professor Sun Dong, alongside Co-Founder and CTO of Manycore Tech, Mr Zhu Hao, from Hangzhou’s “Six Little Dragons” tech cluster; the CEO of Arm China, Mr Chen Feng; the General Manager of IBM Asia Pacific, Mr Hans Dekkers, and other representatives from renowned organisations and corporations. Additionally, the Summit hosted a briefing on Practice Cases and Awards for Pioneering Science and Technology and a workshop on AI governance and sustainable development to further promote exchange and collaboration in related fields.
     
         The Summit will present three sub-forums tomorrow (April 15) morning where internationally renowned speakers will conduct a deep discussion and exchange on “Large Artificial Intelligence Models”, “Digital Finance” and “Digital Government and Smart Life” to explore future development and potential across various domains in digital technology. The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, will deliver a speech at the sub-forum on “Large Artificial Intelligence Models” and publish the “Hong Kong Generative Artificial Intelligence Technical and Application Guideline”, showcasing Hong Kong’s leading role in the field of AI governance. Meanwhile, a series of affiliated activities including a cybersecurity emergency response advanced training programme and a “Workshop on AI & Cybersecurity: Strategies for Attack and Defence in the Intelligent Era” will also be held. Details of the Summit are available on the event website wicinternet.org/WICAsiaPacificSummit.html 
         Furthermore, Hong Kong’s annual I&T mega event, the Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week), takes place concurrently in April, featuring a series of exciting I&T activities, including the InnoEX, Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference, Xiangjiang Nobel Forum, and more, further elevating Hong Kong’s I&T atmosphere to new heights and accelerating its development into an international I&T centre.
    Issued at HKT 18:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets with guest speakers of World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit held in Hong Kong for first time (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CE meets with guest speakers of World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit held in Hong Kong for first time  
    This morning, Mr Lee, accompanied by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, met with Mr Wang. Mr Lee noted that the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress was successfully convened in Beijing last month. A Government work report proposed to develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions and pursue integrated advancements in technological and industrial innovation. The HKSAR Government is actively developing new quality productive forces and new industrialisation initiatives, with the innovation and technology industry expected to achieve high-quality development. It is also accelerating the development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, striving to develop Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre. Hong Kong will continue to leverage its advantages in connecting the Mainland with the world, further deepening international exchanges and co-operation, and exploring new opportunities in innovation and technology.
     
    In the afternoon, Mr Lee, accompanied by the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, met with Mr Zhuang. Mr Lee expressed his gratitude to the CAC for its continued support to the HKSAR Government and its collaboration with the ITIB in promoting cross-border data flows within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Noting that data is a key driving force of innovation and high-quality development, Mr Lee said that the HKSAR Government will continue to maintain close communication and co-operation with the CAC to facilitate Hong Kong’s active integration into the national data development and the digital economy development in the GBA.
     
    The WIC Asia-Pacific Summit is being held today and tomorrow (April 15) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre under the theme of “Integration of AI and Digital Technologies Shaping the Future – Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”. The summit brings together representatives from governments and enterprises, international organisations, leading corporations, experts and scholars from home and abroad to engage in in-depth exchanges on various technological areas, promoting the high-quality development of innovation and technology.
    Issued at HKT 18:15

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Additional funding for the Migration and Asylum Pact – P-001446/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-001446/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Fabrice Leggeri (PfE)

    Euroactive[1] reports that, in a migration-focused letter to EU leaders ahead of the 20 March 2025 European Council, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for the implementation of the European Migration and Asylum Pact to be sped up.

    The letter also mentions an additional EUR 3 billion from the EU to implement the pact from 2025 to 2027.

    The letter goes on to say that a further EUR 1.6 billion from the mid-term review of Member States’ programmes will address urgent needs and complement the pact’s funding, requiring adjustments in national budgets.

    • 1.Can the Commission confirm the plans for an additional EUR 4.6 billion in funding to implement the pact?
    • 2.Given that the letter states the pact’s funding must be complemented by adjustments in national budgets, can the Commission say how much will be requested from each Member State?
    • 3.Since some governments are reluctant to implement the pact, how does the Commission intend to convince them to do so?

    Submitted: 9.4.2025

    • [1] https://www.euractiv.fr/section/immigration/news/pacte-sur-la-migration-et-lasile-la-commission-promet-une-revision-du-role-de-frontex-en-2026/?utm_source=Euractiv&utm_campaign=67716d9d9d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_11_03_09_29_COPY_79&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-340ef6fac4-116910636
    Last updated: 14 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) and Pro Music Rights, Inc. Call for Major Reform in U.S. Music Licensing Industry in Formal Response to Copyright Office Inquiry

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Naples, FL, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) and its wholly owned subsidiary Pro Music Rights, Inc. (PMR) have submitted a detailed and forceful response to the U.S. Copyright Office’s Notice of Inquiry (Docket No. 2025–1), shining a spotlight on longstanding anti-competitive behavior by legacy Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) such as BMI and ASCAP, while offering a bold and transparent alternative through PMR’s equitable licensing model.

    Challenging the Status Quo: PMR’s submission criticizes legacy PROs for opaque revenue distributions, excessive payouts to private equity owners, and international licensing strong-arming via the global collective CISAC network. According to the filing, BMI—once a nonprofit—has covertly transformed into a for-profit entity, now diverting up to 20% of its royalties to private equity firms and an additional 30% through backdoor reciprocal agreements. These structures disproportionately benefit elite artists at the expense of the creative majority.

    “One License Fits All”: A Transparent, Scalable Model Pro Music Rights offers a radically simplified licensing model featuring a flat $50.00 per month base fee per location and a usage-based fee capped at $0.01—only charged based on the fractional share of the musical composition PMR represents. This approach ensures small businesses and multinational corporations alike receive the same fair and scalable licensing access.

    “PMR believes in equality, transparency, and technological innovation,” said Jake P. Noch, Founder & CEO of Music Licensing, Inc. and Pro Music Rights. “Every user should pay only for what they use, and every creator should be paid for what’s actually performed—without hidden fees, preferential payouts, or monopolistic barriers.”

    Key Highlights from the Filing:

    • Transparent Accounting: No hidden carve-outs, no private equity kickbacks, and real-time royalty tracking for rights holders.
    • Global Monopoly Concerns: BMI and ASCAP are accused of manipulating CISAC to blacklist competing PROs and CMOs that refuse to adopt their restrictive terms.
    • Regulatory Failures: The filing argues that existing antitrust consent decrees are outdated and calls for DOJ and FTC action to restore market fairness.
    • Historical Irony: Despite publicly disparaging PMR, BMI’s board previously engaged in confidential acquisition talks with Music Licensing, Inc., acknowledging PMR’s innovative value proposition.

    A Call for Legislative and Regulatory Reform Music Licensing, Inc. and PMR are urging the Copyright Office to enact reforms that mandate financial transparency for all PROs, prohibit global blacklisting practices, and encourage equitable, standardized licensing frameworks. PMR’s tech-forward, fair-access model demonstrates what the future of music rights management can look like when creators and users are both placed first.

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

    Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG), also known as Pro Music Rights, is a diversified holding company and the fifth public performance rights organization (PRO) established in the United States. It is recognized under the federal registry of the United States government. The company licenses music to some of the most prominent platforms and businesses, including TikTok, iHeartMedia, Triller, Napster, 7Digital, Vevo, and many others.

    Pro Music Rights holds an estimated 7.4% market share in the United States, representing a catalog of more than 2.5 million works by notable artists such as A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Lil Yachty, MoneyBagg Yo, Larry June, Trae Pound, Sauce Walka, Trae Tha Truth, Sosamann, Soulja Boy, Lex Luger, Trauma Tone, Lud Foe, SlowBucks, Gunplay, OG Maco, Rich The Kid, Fat Trel, Young Scooter, Nipsey Hussle, Famous Dex, Boosie Badazz, Shy Glizzy, 2 Chainz, Migos, Gucci Mane, Young Dolph, Trinidad James, Chingy, Lil Gnar, 3OhBlack, Curren$y, Fall Out Boy, Money Man, Dej Loaf, Lil Uzi Vert, and many others, including works generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

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

    Forward-Looking Statements:

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

    Non-Legal Advice Disclosure:

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

    Non-Investment Advice Disclosure:

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

    Contact: investors@ProMusicRights.com

    SOURCE: Music Licensing, Inc.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: Only 8 Days Left as XploraDEX $XPL Presale Nears Close—Investor FOMO Reaches New Highs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, Switzerland, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The pressure is on as XploraDEX, the groundbreaking AI-powered trading platform on the XRP Ledger, enters its final 8-day countdown before closing its $XPL presale. With excitement intensifying across the XRP communities, investors are rushing to secure their allocation before the window slams shut.

    Join $XPL Presale Now

    The $XPL presale has already passed the 85% milestone, signaling overwhelming interest from early adopters, whale wallets, and strategic traders who understand what’s coming. As the first AI-powered decentralized exchange built natively on XRPL, XploraDEX is poised to redefine smart trading and early investors know the opportunity to enter at presale pricing is about to vanish.

    Unlike any traditional DEX, XploraDEX integrates real-time artificial intelligence, giving users access to smart trading dashboards, predictive market analytics, automated execution engines, and adaptive risk alerts. The platform is built for precision and performance, designed to help traders outperform by making decisions rooted in data, not emotion.

    Buy $XPL Tokens

    $XPL Token Utility

    The utility of $XPL extends far beyond trading discounts. Token holders unlock access to premium AI tools, early staking and yield opportunities, governance voting rights, and exclusive allocations through the platform’s integrated launchpad. In short, $XPL isn’t just a token—it’s the backbone of the XploraDEX ecosystem.

    Investors who join during the $XPL Presale will benefit from early-bird rewards, VIP access to beta features, and ground-floor positioning before the token is listed on XRPL-based exchanges. Once the presale ends, the price will increase—and the first phase of staking, AI activation, and partner integrations will begin.

    With 8 days remaining, FOMO is reaching new highs. Social media engagement is exploding, whale accumulation is intensifying, and more than 10,000 wallets have interacted with the platform’s sale portal. The clock is ticking, and the final allocations are moving fast.

    Participate in $XPL Presale

    XploraDEX has been called the most intelligent trading product to ever launch on XRPL. If you missed out on early plays like GMX, DYDX, or SUI, this might be your second chance—but only if you act now.

    There are 8 days left. After that, $XPL will enter the open market, and the early phase will be gone forever.

    Join the $XPL Presale Now: https://sale.xploradex.io

    Stay connected and Join the XploraDEX AI Revolution

    Website | $XPL Token Presale | X | Telegram

    Contact:
    Oliver Muller
    oliver@xploradex.io
    contact@xploradex.io

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the XploraDEX. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

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

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7ca2d656-18ac-4669-b82b-4ab04dd023b9

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIST Updates Privacy Framework, Tying It to Recent Cybersecurity Guidelines

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Credit: N. Hanacek/NIST

    How can society benefit from the use of personal data while also protecting individual privacy? Five years after debuting guidelines that can help organizations balance these goals, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has drafted a new version of the NIST Privacy Framework intended to address current privacy risk management needs, maintain alignment with NIST’s recently updated Cybersecurity Framework, and improve usability.

    The draft release, NIST Privacy Framework 1.1 Initial Public Draft, is broadly intended to help organizations manage the privacy risks that arise from personal data flowing through complex information technology systems. Failure to manage these risks effectively can directly affect individuals and society, potentially damaging organizations’ brands, bottom lines and prospects for growth.

    Changes to the Privacy Framework (PFW) are needed in part because of its relationship to the widely used NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), which received an update of its own in February 2024. Privacy risk is closely related to, and often overlaps with, cybersecurity risk. Because of this, the two frameworks have the same high-level structure to make them easy to use together.

    One element shared by both frameworks is the “Core,” an increasingly granular set of activities and outcomes that can help organizations discuss risk management. The PFW 1.1 Public Draft Core is realigned with the CSF 2.0 Core in many places, making life easier on users.

    “This is a modest but significant update,” said NIST’s Julie Chua, director of NIST’s Applied Cybersecurity Division. “The PFW can be used on its own to manage privacy risks, but we have also maintained its compatibility with CSF 2.0 so that organizations can use them together to manage the full spectrum of privacy and cybersecurity risks.”

    Among the notable changes in PFW 1.1’s draft update are:

    • Targeted revisions to the Core section. The PFW’s draft update makes targeted changes to its core structure and content. Some changes maintain alignment with CSF 2.0, with a focus on the Govern Function (i.e., risk management strategy and policies) and the Protect Function (i.e., privacy and cybersecurity safeguards). Other changes make improvements in response to stakeholder feedback gathered over the past five years through channels such as the NIST Privacy Workforce Public Working Group.
    • A new section on AI and privacy risk management. The initial version of the PFW appeared before the use of AI tools such as chatbots became widespread. The draft PFW’s Section 1.2.2 briefly outlines ways that AI and privacy risks relate to one another and how PFW 1.1 can be used to manage AI privacy risks.
    • A relocation of the PFW’s use guidelines to the web. Those seeking a guide to using the PFW now can find this information on the web rather than in its former location in Section 3. The online material has been structured as an interactive FAQ page intended to allow users to find answers quickly. Keeping this section online also will enable timely updates in response to user needs.

    In addition to the interactive FAQs, NIST maintains a PFW Learning Center that includes quick-start guides in several languages. 

    NIST is accepting public comments on the draft via privacyframework [at] nist.gov (privacyframework[at]nist[dot]gov) until June 13, 2025. A template for submitting comments can be found at the NIST Privacy Framework website. Following the comment period, NIST will consider additional changes and release a final version later this calendar year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Sterling Commercial Credit Rebrands as Great Elm Commercial Finance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sterling Commercial Credit has rebranded in response to its product expansion, accelerated company growth, and renewal of its corporate vision. At the heart of this rebranding is a change of the company’s name to Great Elm Commercial Finance (“Great Elm CF”), aligning with its parent, Great Elm Specialty Finance.

    Headquartered in Nashville with offices in Detroit, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., Great Elm CF offers a comprehensive suite of secured lending solutions, including asset-based revolving loans, secured term loans, and unitranche structures. The strategic rebranding as Great Elm CF encompasses the company’s expanded product offering into the healthcare industry and a deep commitment to creating innovative financing solutions for small and medium-sized businesses nationwide.

    “Our rebranding marks an exciting new chapter as we expand our capabilities across multiple industries,” said Michael Keller, CEO of Great Elm Commercial Finance. “In addition to the industries we have historically served, we are excited to now offer tailored financing solutions to businesses in the healthcare industry, meeting the growing demand for specialized capital in this vital sector.”

    Positioned for Continued Growth
    Great Elm Commercial Finance will continue its legacy of delivering flexible and reliable secured financing solutions, while enhancing its product offering to serve a broader range of clients and industries.  

    About Great Elm Commercial Finance
    Great Elm Commercial Finance (www.greatelmcf.com) is a Great Elm Specialty Finance business which helps its clients unlock working capital through customized, asset-based lending solutions. Great Elm CF provides flexibility, speed, and services that businesses need to thrive when traditional financing falls short.   What sets Great Elm CF apart is its deep understanding of its borrowers allowing swift and creative solutions. The team brings decades of experience across credit cycles, providing the capabilities required to underwrite complex opportunities that traditional lenders avoid. Great Elm CF funds facilities from $2 million to $30 million, backed by receivables, inventory, equipment, and real estate—tailoring each structure to its clients unique capital requirements. With a relationship-first mindset, the company works closely with founders, sponsors, and advisors to craft lending solutions that stand up to real-world business challenges and seize opportunities in stride.

    Contact:
    Michael Keller
    mkeller@greatelmsf.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Leads Letter to Commerce Secretary Lutnick Calling for Imminent Reform to Biden AI Diffusion Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Friday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) led a group of colleagues in sending a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding the Biden administration’s AI Diffusion Rule (AIDR). The letter calls on the Trump administration to withdraw Biden’s bad rule and propose an alternative that is effective in preventing Communist China from capturing the world market in a leading technology. The letter states:
    “We applaud President Trump’s commitment to ensuring American dominance in the tech sector. Today, we are in an enviable position: American companies dominate in crucial areas that will define tomorrow’s economy including semiconductor design, compute infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI). This leadership position has been hard fought. Maintaining and growing our tech lead requires diligently advancing an American-led, global ecosystem around the world.”
    “With the compliance deadline of May 15, 2025, rapidly approaching, immediate action is necessary to prevent irreversible damage to American innovation and competitiveness,” the letter continues. “Every day this rule remains in place, American companies face mounting uncertainty, stalled investments, and the risk of losing critical global partnerships that cannot be easily regained. Therefore, we urge you to withdraw this rule and propose an alternative that is effective in preventing Communist China from capturing the world market in a leading technology without compromising American advantages.”
    The letter was also signed by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Ted Budd (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
    Read the full letter here or below:
    Dear Secretary Lutnick:
    We applaud President Trump’s commitment to ensuring American dominance in the tech sector. Today, we are in an enviable position: American companies dominate in crucial areas that will define tomorrow’s economy including semiconductor design, compute infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI). This leadership position has been hard fought. Maintaining and growing our tech lead requires diligently advancing an American-led, global ecosystem around the world.
    Concerningly, President Biden’s recently issued Artificial Intelligence Diffusion Rule
    (AIDR) threatens to undermine this leadership and advancement. Among other things, the rule categorizes countries into three tiers, imposing complex restrictions on the purchase of U.S. technology. Only Tier 1 countries—limited to just 18 nations—would have access to American technology. Even these 18 would only have access if they comply with a burdensome and ever-evolving set of federal regulations. The vast majority of nations fall into Tier 2. These countries face arbitrary purchase limits and a cumbersome licensing process to acquire U.S. computing technologies. Strikingly, key allies and partners like Israel have been inexplicably excluded from the top tier and placed into Tier 2. Tier 3 countries, including Communist China, are already rightly restricted.
    While the AIDR claims to provide secure ecosystems for the responsible diffusion of AI, this rushed midnight rule’s impact and overly broad scope will result in consequences that divorce it from its intent. Fundamentally, the rule places burdensome constraints on U.S. companies that would be difficult to comply with and even harder for the Federal government to enforce. Buyers, particularly in Tier 2 countries that are constrained from purchasing U.S. technology, would be incentivized to turn to Communist China’s unregulated, cheap substitutes. Additionally, technology companies in Tier 2 countries could be motivated to create their own AI technology stack that is outside our export control regime. Neither outcome furthers our nation’s long-term economic and national security goals.
    With the compliance deadline of May 15, 2025, rapidly approaching, immediate action is necessary to prevent irreversible damage to American innovation and competitiveness. Every day this rule remains in place, American companies face mounting uncertainty, stalled investments, and the risk of losing critical global partnerships that cannot be easily regained. Therefore, we urge you to withdraw this rule and propose an alternative that is effective in preventing Communist China from capturing the world market in a leading technology without compromising American advantages.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: HSE and Avito launch master’s degree program in machine learning in digital product

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Faculty of Computer Science HSE, together with the Russian IT company Avito, announces the launch of a new Master’s program in Machine Learning (ML) in Digital Product. The program is aimed at training specialists who will be able to apply advanced machine learning technologies to solve real business problems and create products used by millions of users. A total of 35 people will be able to undergo training in the first wave, the training of 30 of them will be fully financed by Avito.

    The program is suitable for graduates of a bachelor’s degree in mathematical, technical or economic specialties who want to deepen their knowledge in the field of machine learning. Avito expects that future students can program in Python and write understandable code for analysts and engineers, know standard algorithms and data structures, as well as the basics of ML and SQL, have basic knowledge in the field of linear algebra, probability theory, mathematical statistics and mathematical analysis.

    The full-time master’s program lasts two years and includes both mandatory and optional courses, allowing students to create an individual educational track. Mandatory subjects include probability theory, mathematical statistics, recommender systems, deep learning, MLOps, Python algorithms, backend development, and GPU computing. Elective courses include the basics of micro- and macroeconomics, mechanism design, auction theory, LLM (Large Language Models), deep learning in audio and video processing, dynamic pricing, etc.

    Students will be able to get a paid internship in one of Avito’s DS teams already during their studies — the company will launch several waves of selection during the training period. During the internship, students will be able to use the practical knowledge they have gained when writing term papers and theses under the guidance of a mentor from the team.

    The development of the master’s program was carried out jointly with experts from the HSE Faculty of Computer Science and data scientists from Avito. The teachers are leading specialists in the field of machine learning, such as Anna Markova, Ruslan Gilyazev, Anastasia Rysmyatova, Mikhail Kamenshchikov and Alexander Ledovsky, who have both teaching experience and experience working on large Avito projects, including the development of platforms for predicting ad parameters, monetization and algorithms for ranking paid ads.

    To be admitted, you must pass a portfolio competition and an interview with Avito experts. The selection starts on June 20 and will last until the end of August.

    “Our Master’s program is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of machine learning and learn how to solve real business problems. Students will master the full cycle of working with ML – from design to implementation, solving cases based on Avito data. This is a unique chance to gain practical experience in a large IT company. We strive to make education accessible to talented students, so Avito fully covers the cost of tuition for 30 program participants. Classes are held in the evenings and on Saturdays, which allows students not only to study, but also to immediately apply knowledge in practice, building a career in parallel with their studies,” shared Ilya Nikitin, academic director of the educational program “Machine Learning in a Digital Product”, a lecturer at the Faculty of Computer Science at the Higher School of Economics.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AI Improving USGS Science and Efficiency

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) was released in late 2024 as a reinvention of the prior NLCD, a longstanding and definitive national U.S. land cover resource valued by private industry, government agencies and university researchers. 

    New AI innovations made the Annual NLCD improvements possible, including providing a look at yearly land changes dating back to 1985. The previous NLCD was only able to offer new land cover data every two to three years and dated back only to 2001.

    The primary source for Annual NLCD’s 16 land cover labels—for fields, forests, city development and more—is Landsat satellite imagery. Every satellite pixel, or 30-meter-by-30-meter plot, needed to be processed from 1985 to 2023 across the lower 48 states, which added up to 295 trillion pixels. With a goal of completing the entire release in two years, the development of more advanced methods was essential.

    AI was used for both the classification, or labeling, of land cover types and also the detection of changes in land cover from year to year. That involved a lot of training data—helping the algorithms learn from labeled satellite data and from mistakes to predict labels and changes.

    Rylie Fleckenstein, the Research and Development technical lead for Annual NLCD, discussed the deeper levels of machine learning used for Annual NLCD in the podcast episodes. Annual NLCD aimed for a faster, more automated approach that would not compromise on quality or consistency, versus slower methods in the past that relied more on human interpretation of imagery.

    Deep learning is a type of machine learning that performs complex tasks and learns from the results, essentially training itself. Flecksenstein compared it to LEGOS. Rather than using the instructions to build a certain object in a certain way, he said deep learning is like “a box of LEGOS that you can construct in any way that you can think of that actually can better fit to your problem.”

    Terry Sohl, Chief of the Integrated Science and Applications Branch at EROS, summarized how AI benefited not only Annual NLCD production and data users but also taxpayers. “A completely new methodology was stood up, all AI-based, linking three different AI models,” Sohl said. “We’re faster, we’re more efficient. We’ve saved the government and the taxpayers money, and we’re creating a superior product. It’s a win all the way around.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Who’s thriving, who’s struggling and who’s stuck at the kitchen table: how working lives are changing in the UK

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alan Felstead, Emeritus Professor, Cardiff University

    shutterstock PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    For many people in the UK work is changing: how we work, what we do and where we do it. The change is faster for some than it is for others – and it’s not always changing for the better.

    A new national survey — organised and managed by my colleagues and I — paints a mixed picture of UK working life. What makes the Skills and Employment Survey 2024 unique is that it the eighth in of a series that stretches back to the mid-1980s .

    The survey focuses on people’s working lives: what skills they use, how and where they work, and what they think of their job. The data series consists of interviews with nearly 35,000 workers with around 5,500 taking part in 2024.

    Some people have good things to say about the way their working lives have changed. Other people’s work lives are not improving. For many of us, it’s a bit of both.

    Good news

    One piece of good news is that very few workers regard their jobs as having no value. Contrary to estimates by some scholars that around 40% of people “find themselves labouring at tasks which they consider pointless”, our survey suggests that only 5% of respondents think that their job is meaningless and has no value.

    So-called “bullshit jobs” are rare. Instead, nearly 70% reported their jobs gave them a sense of achievement either always or most of the time, while 76% said that their work was useful.

    Work is becoming more skilled too. In 2024, 46% of workers reported that they would need a graduate level qualification if they were to apply for their current job today. This is up from 20% in 1986.

    A further piece of good news is that the rate of over-qualification has declined. In 2024 35% of workers reported that they held qualifications that were higher than those currently required for their jobs compared to 39% in 2006.

    The job quality gender gap is narrowing. The pay gap has fallen steadily, but the gap in the physical environment of work – in working time quality, and in job skills – has also narrowed. For example, the proportion of men who reported that their health or safety was at risk from their work declined from 38% in 2001 to 21% in 2024, while among women it has remained stable at 22%.

    Bad news

    However, all not is well in the world of work. Workplace abuse is common – 14% of UK workers experienced bullying, violence or sexual harassment at work. The risk of abuse is much higher for women, LGBTQ+ workers, nurses, teachers and those who work at night.

    One of the most striking findings of our survey is the large fall in the ability of employees to take decisions about their immediate job tasks. In 2024, 34% of employees said they had “a great deal of influence” over which tasks they did, how they did them and how hard they worked. This is down from 44% in 2012 and 62% in 1992.

    The mechanisms for greater worker control have grown over time, but this has not translated into greater control at an individual level.

    Mixed news

    Another striking, if not unsurprising, finding is the growth in the number of people woking from home. But the long-running nature of the shift may come as a surprise. The survey shows that the growth of hybrid working started back in 2006, well before the term became fashionable.

    The survey also sheds light on where within the home people work. It shows that 45% can insulate themselves from others in the household by creating a home office. The rest must make do with the kitchen table, the sofa or the corner of a room.

    After years of declining trade union membership, the survey shows that the tide may eventually have turned. Membership levels have plateaued, and rates of union presence in the workplace and union influence over pay increased between 2017 and 2024.

    A rising proportion of trade union members also say their union has a great or fair amount of influence over how work is organised – up from 42% in 2001 to 51% in 2024.

    Technological change brings opportunities as well as benefits. The survey found that digital technology played a role in nearly all jobs, with 78% of workers considering computers “essential” or “very important” in their jobs, up from 45% in 1997.

    The share of AI users surged during the period of data collection, indicating its rapid adoption. But there are few signs that it is displacing workers, at least for the time being.

    Regular monitoring of all the issues raised here – and many besides – is only possible if regular and robust surveys such as the Skills and Employment Survey are carried out. These are invaluable components of our knowledge infrastructure which must be treasured, protected and supported if we are to accurately assess how the world of work is changing.

    Alan Felstead receives funding from a range of organisations. The Skills and Employment Survey 2024 is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Department for Education, and the Advisory and Conciliation and Arbitration Service with additional funding from the Department for the Economy to extend the survey to Northern Ireland (ES/X007987/1)

    – ref. Who’s thriving, who’s struggling and who’s stuck at the kitchen table: how working lives are changing in the UK – https://theconversation.com/whos-thriving-whos-struggling-and-whos-stuck-at-the-kitchen-table-how-working-lives-are-changing-in-the-uk-254235

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rich Grenyer, Associate Professor in Biogeography and Biodiversity, University of Oxford

    One of the biotech company’s ‘dire wolves’. Colossal

    With wildlife populations globally 73% smaller on average than in 1970 and large mammals missing from much of the world, surely there’s never been a better time to “de-extinct” species? US biotech company Colossal Biosciences Inc claimed to do just that recently by resurrecting the dire wolf from Game of Thrones (a species that also lived in our world, several thousand years ago).

    The potential seems huge. A species in trouble? Get a high-quality genome and you’ve made it a save game point, ready to replay when the environment improves. Didn’t get there in time? Never mind – you can use frozen remains in the permafrost, or shotgun-blasted specimens in a museum collection. And pretty soon, even if you don’t have those, a dose of generative AI and you can probably infer some of that genome anyway. A little genetic engineering and you have a species back from the dead, ready to go.

    What’s the problem? Well, pretty much everything. These aren’t species returned from extinction. They aren’t going to be very useful, and in fact may well not survive at all. Most worrying of all, like the Freys and Boltons hidden in the hall before the Red Wedding, it’s the ethos of de-extinction hidden in these “dire wolf” puppies that will likely do the most damage to biodiversity if it establishes itself.

    Extinction has not been reversed

    The dire wolf was a very large carnivore that lived in the Americas about 10,000 years ago. Anatomically, it resembled a big, muscular, extra-toothy grey wolf: the species alive today that everyone thinks of when they say “wolf”.

    The two pups revealed by Colossal Biosciences are not dire wolves. They are grey wolves, with 14 genes modified to produce an animal that resembles what we think a dire wolf looked like. Actually, only one of the 14 was a gene directly from a dire wolf specimen – the others were gene variants from existing grey wolf populations chosen to give physical features that made the engineered wolves bigger and whiter.

    Over time, gene editing technology could increase the possible number of genes that can be engineered into a host species, and increase the complexity of the traits being inserted. But it’s not species being revived, it’s a few of their characteristics being borrowed by a species from today. It’s like claiming to have brought Napoleon back from the dead by asking a short French man to wear his hat.

    The argument for this kind of genetic engineering revolves around the notion that the new hybrids might be useful for environmental restoration. As a top predator, the dire wolf could in theory bring the same revolutionary changes to ecosystems that reintroducing grey wolves to Yellowstone national park in the US famously caused in the 1990s. In other words, a more complete ecosystem, with wolves checking the voracious appetite of deer such that more complex and biodiverse habitats rebound.

    However, in ecosystems where the dire wolf would reign supreme the grey wolf can very clearly fill the same role (just as it did in Yellowstone) without any of the unnecessary technology – if only people stopped trying to shoot them and exempt them from endangered species legislation.

    There’s also the problem that captive breeding programmes seeking to release endangered species into the wild today regularly butt against: that the new animals have little or no idea what to do or how to live in their new habitat.

    Operation Migration, dramatised in the 1996 film Fly Away Home, saw a dedicated team of pilots teach endangered migratory birds how to traverse North America by having them chase microlight aircraft for thousands of miles. This is just one example of the intensive training necessary, and which is never guaranteed to be successful. It’s obviously more difficult to train apex predators by example – I will not be volunteering for the “intro to pack hunting” session.

    No quick fixes

    The word “de-extinction” is not just itself untrue, but it seeks to diminish the inconvenient truth of the biodiversity crisis: we know what causes extinction, and it’s us.

    Food systems have to destroy less habitat and use much less protein from animals, wild and farmed. Energy systems have to burn less carbon, so that there are fewer deaths among species (including ours) trying to adapt to higher temperatures and the changes they bring. To do both these things, our landscapes have to leave more space for nature and much of what remains must be used more efficiently to provide food, fuel and living space.

    There are definite signs that we can make good on these promises: conservation does work, for humans and for other species.

    But these changes require us to recognise that certain economic and political philosophies are no longer tenable. They require sacrifice by everyone and a willingness by rich people and countries to pay with money, trade policy, intellectual property rights and energy supply, so that many of the poorest people and countries can flourish while avoiding the environmental damage that those rich countries caused over their own histories.

    What motivates people to cope with these changes is a desire for justice, a need to nurture, a drive to make things better and a recognition that while habitats can sometimes be restored, species extinctions are irreversible dead-ends which can only be avoided. That recognition is under threat.

    The Trump administration is trying to defang the US Endangered Species Act. In the UK, a wholesale revision of legislation to prevent biodiversity loss has begun with the targeting of the habitat regulations, in preemptive defence of the government’s need to “build, build, build” in a desperate search for more economic growth. How useful would it be if the risk of extinction could be averted with a simple “don’t worry, we’ll pay to de-extinct it afterwards”?

    There won’t be a dire wolf, and even if there were to be one, we’d have no idea what it was for (and neither would it). We’ll all pay for the mistaken belief that extinction is a solved problem, and that the business-as-usual global economy that has caused the sixth mass extinction is no big deal, because its casualties aren’t actually dead – just temporarily inconvenienced by an extinction that is no longer forever.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. Why ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature – https://theconversation.com/why-de-extinct-dire-wolves-are-a-trojan-horse-to-hide-humanitys-destruction-of-nature-254309

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: SunRocket Capital Closes Financing for a 1.93 MW Community Solar Project in Northeast

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SunRocket Capital, a structured finance partner to solar developers, is pleased to announce the closing of financing for a ground-mount community solar installation in ME with Novel Energy Solutions. The 1.93 MW (DC) project is in development and has qualified for Renewable Energy Credits (REC’s) and is the fifth Novel Energy Solutions project that SunRocket Capital has funded within the last several months.

    “SunRocket Capital was able to tailor and coordinate the debt financing to the needs of the project,” stated Matt Sullivan, VP of Finance at Novel Energy Solutions. “They understood that sometimes development needs may change, especially with an evolving community solar pipeline. The ability to be adaptable with and responsive to our portfolio needs remains very appealing and makes for a strong team. That is why SunRocket Capital continues to stand out. We really appreciate the SunRocket Capital team and look forward to the next closing.”

    “It is our mission to understand the needs of our client developers and to assure them that they have a financial partner that will close their construction to permanent loan needs,” added Derek Gabriel, Sr., Head of Originations at SunRocket Capital. “We see Novel Energy Solutions as great partners and will always work diligently to meet the goals of our clients.”

    About Novel Energy Solutions:

    Novel Energy Solutions is a growing solar development company headquartered in St. Paul, MN. The company was born out of a multi-generational farming family, leveraging this background and extensive relationship with farmers and landowners to acquire and develop solar sites across the US.

    For more information, please visit www.novelenergy.biz

    About SunRocket Capital:

    SunRocket Capital is a leading private lender specializing in financing commercial, industrial, and community solar projects. Led by an experienced team in solar development and structured finance, SunRocket Capital is dedicated to advancing sustainable initiatives by serving as a preferred capital source, including serving as a resource for tax equity investments as necessary, for developers and EPCs. The company’s core structured credit solution (SolarC2P™) is designed to support solar projects at or near NTP (Notice to Proceed), which is the time in a project’s life cycle when developers are prepared to purchase and install solar assets. Upon reaching commercial operation date (COD), developers benefit from a seamless conversion to term debt within the same loan structure, facilitating long-term ownership, operation, and portfolio-building.

    For more information please visit: www.sunrocketcapital.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Coface SA: Disclosure of trading in own shares (excluding the liquidity agreement) made on April 7 to April 11, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COFACE SA: Disclosure of trading in own shares (excluding the liquidity agreement) made on April 7 to April 11, 2025

    Paris, April 14, 2025 – 17.45

    Pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of 16 April 2014 on market abuse1

    The main features of the 2024-2025 Share Buyback Program have been published on the Company’s website (http://www.coface.com/Investors/Disclosure-requirements, under “Own share transactions”) and are also described in the 2024 Universal Registration Document.

    Trading session
    of (Date)    		 Number
    of shares    		 Weighted
    average price    		 Gross amount MIC Code Purpose
    of buyback
    07/04/2025 15,000 15.5785 € 233,677 € XPAR LTIP
    08/04/2025 11,000 16.1885 € 178,074 € XPAR LTIP
    09/04/2025 11,000 15.7422 € 173,164 € XPAR LTIP
    10/04/2025 11,000 16.5766 € 182,342 € XPAR LTIP
    11/04/2025 11,022 16.1732 € 178,261 € XPAR LTIP
    Total 07/04/2025 – 11/04/2025 59,022 16.0198 € 945,519 €   LTIP

    CONTACTS

    ANALYSTS / INVESTORS
    Thomas JACQUET: +33 1 49 02 12 58 – thomas.jacquet@coface.com
    Rina ANDRIAMIADANTSOA: +33 1 49 02 15 85 – rina.andriamiadantsoa@coface.com

    FINANCIAL CALENDAR 2025
    (subject to change)

    Q1-2025 results: 5 May 2025 (after market close)
    Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting: 14 May 2025
    H1-2025 results: 31 July 2025 (after market close)
    9M-2025 results: 3 November 2025 (after market close)

    FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    This press release, as well as COFACE SA’s integral regulatory information, can be found on the Group’s website: http://www.coface.com/Investors

    For regulated information on Alternative Performance Measures (APM), please refer to our Interim Financial Report for H1-2024 and our 2024 Universal Registration Document (see part 3.7 “Key financial performance indicators”).

      Regulated documents posted by COFACE SA have been secured and authenticated with the blockchain technology by Wiztrust.
    You can check the authenticity on the website www.wiztrust.com.
     

    COFACE: FOR TRADE
    As a global leading player in trade credit risk management for more than 75 years, Coface helps companies grow and navigate in an uncertain and volatile environment.
    Whatever their size, location or sector, Coface provides 100,000 clients across some 200 markets. with a full range of solutions: Trade Credit Insurance, Business Information, Debt Collection, Single Risk insurance, Surety Bonds, Factoring.
    Every day, Coface leverages its unique expertise and cutting-edge technology to make trade happen, in both domestic and export markets.
    In 2024, Coface employed ~5,236 people and registered a turnover of €1.84 billion.

    www.coface.com

    COFACE SA is listed in Compartment A of Euronext Paris
    ISIN: FR0010667147 / Ticker: COFA

    1 Also in pursuant to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016 (and updates); Article L.225-209 and seq. of the French Commercial Code; Article L.221-3, Article L.241-1 and seq. of the General Regulation of the French Market Authority (AMF); AMF Recommendation DOC-2017-04 Guide for issuers on their own shares transactions and for stabilization measures.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: YC-Backed Startup Octolane Raises Seed Round to Challenge Salesforce with the First Self-Driving AI CRM That Automates Sales Actions and Manual CRM Updates

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Octolane, which provides the first AI-driven CRM that automates sales actions and CRM updates, announced today an oversubscribed $2.6M seed round. Founded by two young immigrants, Octolane is challenging Salesforce and other legacy CRM providers with a new AI-driven platform that automates sales actions and CRM updates. Investors include angels Brian Shin (one of the earliest investors in both HubSpot and Drift), Kulveer Taggar, Cindy Bi (CapitalX) and Dave Messina (Pioneer Fund). Y Combinator, Lan Xuezhao (Basis Set Ventures), and General Catalyst Apex also participated. Octolane will utilize the funds primarily for expanding its team and for infrastructure investments that will allow it to meet strong demand for its platform.

    Traditional CRMs have become glorified databases that force sales teams to spend hours manually entering data after every customer interaction. Most reps hate using them because they create work rather than reducing it. Octolane reinvented what a CRM actually does, transforming it from a passive “System of Record” that demands constant manual updates into an intelligent “System of Actions” that predicts and executes the next steps needed to close deals. When reps log into Octolane in the morning, instead of a list of administrative to-dos, they see a list of actions already executed with recommendations for further steps reps can take to see deals progress. Reps can then spend their time actually selling.

    “Octolane’s daily company updates on Twitter caught my attention so I went to visit their SF office on a Sunday,” said investor Cindy Bi. “About half an hour in, I decided to invest after learning about the founders’ journey to the U.S., talking about their ambitions, and checking their product demo. It’s obvious that Octolane has a very strong market pull from customers of all sizes that are eager to switch from Salesforce and HubSpot and that’s how an AI-first CRM should be: a system of actions, not just records. Each interaction I’ve had with the Octolane team boosts my confidence because you can tell that nothing can stop them from earning more customers from this $300B market cap opportunity.”

    “What drew me to Octolane was their rare combination of customer obsession and extraordinary output,” said investor Taggar. “They’re constantly shipping improvements based on real user feedback. One and Rafi understand that retention is the true north star in this space, and they’ve been bold enough to tackle the CRM category with genuinely fresh thinking. Seeing fast-growing companies switch to their platform validates that this approach is exactly what the market has been waiting for.”

    Octolane was co-founded by immigrants One Chowdhury and Md Abdul Halim Rafi – best friends since high school who taught themselves to code by watching YouTube tutorials.

    Chowdhury was inspired to start a company after a visit to San Francisco. “I noticed Salesforce tower, and a friend told me, ‘It’s a big CRM software company that everyone hates,’” said Chowdhury. “I thought, if everyone hates them, why do they have the tallest building in San Francisco? I did some research and found that while Salesforce was viewed as very disruptive at its launch decades ago, it was now viewed as obsolete – AI has passed it by. I called Rafi, and we decided to build an AI-driven, sales-focused CRM from scratch that would eliminate the need for salespeople to manually update their CRM recordkeeping – something that typically eats up to two-thirds of a salesperson’s time, leading to late nights and lost time with family.” Chowdhury dropped out of Duke University (Class of 2025) to start Octolane.

    Octolane, launched earlier this year, has 200 active customers with 5,000 more on a waitlist. Almost all are converts from Salesforce and Hubspot. One is Retell AI. “A CRM is critical for managing inbound volume, but most tools slow us down more than they help,” said Evie Wang, Co-Founder of Retell AI. “With Octolane, we finally found a system that just works. It automatically qualifies leads using AI, and the built-in calendar makes it seamless for high-intent leads to book meetings. We replaced 5–6 other fragmented tools and core HubSpot functionalities with Octolane, which saves thousands of dollars every month, plus deals close faster. Octolane feels like Rippling, but for CRM: everything we need in one place, finally working together. The Octolane team is one of the most reliable we’ve worked with, and the product has become a core part of how we grow.”

    About Octolane
    Octolane is the first AI-native Self Driving CRM that updates itself and takes action, so sales reps can spend less time on admin and more time closing deals. Hundreds of teams have already made the switch from HubSpot and Salesforce, replacing clunky workflows for speed and AI automation. Backed by Y Combinator, General Catalyst Apex and prominent angels like Brian Shin, Kulveer Taggar and Cindy Bi, Octolane helps companies shorten sales cycles, increase win rates, and let reps do what they do best: sell. Learn more at octolane.com.

    Media contact:
    Michelle Faulkner
    Big Swing
    617-510-6998
    michelle@big-swing.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4ab43de0-cf6e-4a41-bdf2-930bd50337d3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Remarks by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem at the Fourth Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Madame Chair,
    President of the General Assembly,
    Excellencies, 
    Distinguished delegates, 
    Dear young people,

    I greet you in peace, always of concern for African people all over the world and the noble pursuit of the United Nations.

    It is an honor for me to join you at this esteemed Forum. Since its establishment four years ago, UNFPA has been present at every session, a testament to our unflinching support for the crucial mandate of this Forum. 

    As a people, we have come to learn through history – our shared African history – that progress comes when we rise and demand long overdue justice. Referencing the great Frederick Douglass: 

    “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation, want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning, they want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.”

    And so the struggle for full freedom carries on, in this generation spearheaded by the African Union, including its sixth region, its proud diaspora.

    For UNFPA, that means carrying on with our important work to uphold the dignity and rights of women and girls of African descent, who continually face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and oppression, yet still contributing massively to shaping economies, cultures and scientific developments, including robotics, artificial intelligence, mathematics, populations studies, and so much more.

    UNFPA is assisting countries to disaggregate population data by race and ethnicity to help us lift the cloak of invisibility off groups too often left behind. Why? Because you cannot change what you cannot see.

    With UNFPA’s support, 22 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean now include race and ethnic self-identification in their censuses, which is essential in devising policies to end inequality and discrimination. 

    UNFPA addresses disparities in reproductive health, because as we know all too well, it is Black women and adolescent girls who are at a much higher risk of maternal mortality and the consequences of adolescent pregnancy. This must change and it should not take five, ten or twenty years for that change to manifest.

    In partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and with the generous support of Luxembourg, UNFPA recently launched the Global Maternal Health Coalition for People of African Descent. The first technical workshop of this Coalition is due to take place later this year.

    We are also pleased to partner on targeted interventions for the implementation of Recommendation Number 5 of the Committee of Experts for the Belém do Pará Convention. It calls on countries to end gender-based violence against women of African descent.  

    Gender-based violence is an ugly, troubling epidemic now exacerbated by online toxicity directed at women and girls of African descent. This Forum has a role to play in insisting that racism and sexism have no place in public dialogue, including in the digital space.

    Let us take heart from last year’s first-ever commemoration of the International Day for Women and Girls of African Descent on July 25th, led by the Governments of Brazil and Colombia. This is another important step towards uplifting people of African descent and advancing gender equality. 

    The beauty of Black women is undeniable and it is our business to instill in every young girl an appreciation of her inner beauty and her inherent strength.

    Excellencies, dear partners,

    Stony the road we trod
    Bitter the chastening rod
    Felt in the days when hope unborn had died
    Yet with a steady beat
    Have not our weary feet
    Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?

    Yes we have arrived to this place, yet am I wrong to say that the road ahead is uncertain? We cannot wait to act to protect the hard-won gains that began from the moment of abduction from Africa, through the Middle Passage, up until today.

    Already, there is heightened pushback on progress that intended to level the playing field and improve the everyday lives of Black people in areas such as education, health and employment. 

    Already, we have seen attacks on innocent migrants whose only desire was to make a better life for themselves and their children. 

    Meanwhile, on the African continent conflict and war are having repercussions far and wide.

    Now is the time to recommit to our quest for peace and equality. Now is the time for recognition. Now is the time to raise the demand for justice for all people of African descent.

    Excellencies, dear partners,

    “I am my mother’s daughter, and the drums of Africa still beat in my heart.” 

    These are words of educator and activist Mary McLeod Bethune.

    That drum invites us to dialogue. 

    I am delighted to invite all of you to an extraordinary moment that will take place outside this afternoon at 1:15pm at the Ark of Return memorial dedicated to the victims of enslavement, which is marking 10 years since it was unveiled. It is there that you will be able to hear the sounds and rhythms of drums – drums that will connect us and guide our common heartbeats as we work together towards building a peaceful, equal, healthy and just world for people of African descent, and for all.

    Muchas gracias, Adelante! 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –