NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Two rapists have their sentences increased after Solicitor General intervenes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Two rapists have their sentences increased after Solicitor General intervenes

    Two rapists have had their sentences increased by the Court of Appeal after their cases were referred by the Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP.

    The Solicitor General has secured sentence increases in two separate cases where the offenders committed sexual abuse. 

    In the first case, Paul Watson, 45, from Chorley, over a four-month period between January and April 2024, coerced and controlled a woman, and carried out multiple rapes. 

    The court heard that the victim submitted to the offender because she was terrified for her own safety.

    In a separate case, Anthony McNamara, 46, from County Durham, groomed and repeatedly raped a young person for several years. The offending began when the victim was 12.

    Following his arrest by the police in May 2024, McNamara was told not to contact the victim. However, he breached his bail conditions and continued to groom and engage in sexual activity with the victim.

    The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

    I am sickened to read about these rapists’ crimes, who both repeatedly preyed on their victims and inflicted terror upon them.

    I am glad that the court has rightly decided to increase both of these sentences, and my thoughts today are with the victims who suffered unimaginable abuse.

    On 3 April 2025, Watson’s 17-year sentence was quashed, and the court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment, following the Solicitor General’s decision to refer it to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

    On 3 April 2025, Anthony McNamara’s 13-year sentence was substituted for a total sentence of 23 years, comprising of 18 years custodial term and a 5-year extended license.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Marine aggregate extraction, saltmarsh footbridge and research project all given green light by MMO

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Marine aggregate extraction, saltmarsh footbridge and research project all given green light by MMO

    Marine aggregates, scientific research and saltmarsh restoration feature in the latest applications granted by the MMO Marine Licensing team.

    Aggregate dredging in Area 1806 

    Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited applied for a marine licence to dredge marine aggregates at Area 1806, south-southeast of Beachy Head in the East English Channel Region. 

    The licence allows Hanson Aggregates to dredge marine aggregates for 15 years and extract a maximum of 1 million tonnes of aggregate in any 12-month period. The total permitted extraction over the 15-year term of the licence is 15 million tonnes. 

    The extraction of aggregates uses trailer suction hopper dredgers and cargo screening will be employed.  

    Marine aggregates are crucial to the construction industry as they are used for building houses and transport infrastructure and are also important to the marine environment through replenishing beaches and improving coastal defences.  

    Marine aggregate extraction has wider environmental benefits as it reduces both quarrying on land and lorry deliveries over large distances. Due to cargo screening, it is also possible to extract different sediments based on customer demand. 

    New footbridge at Stiffkey Saltmarsh 

    The National Trust applied for a marine licence to construct a replacement footbridge over Cabbage Creek at Stiffkey Saltmarsh on the Norfolk Coast Path. 

    There has been a crossing at the location since the late 19th century. The new footbridge will replace the former bridge that had fallen into disrepair and had to be removed in 2022.  

    Stiffkey Saltmarsh is a valuable habitat and has several protected site designations as well as being an area of outstanding natural beauty. The new footbridge is designed to be unobtrusive to the surrounding environment while also providing safe access for everyone to enjoy the saltmarsh. The crossing will also remove the risk of visitors becoming cut off by high tides and requiring evacuation.  

    The marine licensing team worked with the applicant to ensure appropriate measures were in place to protect the natural environment, while also enabling the project to begin before winter restrictions pushed the project back by a year. 

    Stronger Shores – Scientific Sensor Array 

    Durham Wildlife Trust were granted a marine licence as part of their Stronger Shores project. The aim of the project is to gather information that can be used to inform technical models assessing the potential for natural subtidal seaweed and seaweed aquaculture.  

    The project involves depositing 12 scientific units in the North Sea off the coast of County Durham, fitted with instruments to measure wave force, attenuation, turbidity, water quality and biodiversity metrics. The units can be fitted with either seeded rope or unseeded rope for aquaculture growth. The data gathered over the 23 month length of the project should provide information on the effects of seaweed in contributing to climate resilience through nature-based-solutions. 

    The marine licensing team supported the applicant through the application process through positive and proactive communication which enabled the application to be processed within the 90-day KPI.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Special Envoy for Road Safety in Mauritius, Madagascar and Eswatini to support initiatives to increase road safety

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, will visit Mauritius, Madagascar and Eswatini from 8 to 16 April 2025 to support global and national authorities’ road safety initiatives. In particular, the Special Envoy will launch locally the UN Global Campaign for Road Safety #MakeASafetyStatement, developed in partnership with JCDecaux.  He will also join the 2025 Kofi Annan Road Safety Award to be held in Eswatini on 14-15 April.  

    The Special Envoy will meet members of the Government as well as representatives of the private and public sectors two months after the Declaration of Marrakesh where Member states further committed to accelerate efforts for achieving the Decade of Action for Road Safety‘s goal of halving the number of the victims on the road by 2030. 

    The Silent pandemic on the road 

    The Special Envoy Jean Todt qualified road crashes as “The Silent Pandemic on the Road”. Indeed, every year, the staggering toll of road-related fatalities globally claims the lives of 1.19 million people, leaving 50 million others with severe injuries. Furthermore, road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years.  

    Road crashes are disproportionately high in Africa compared to other regions of the world. The continent loses annually over 300,000 people through road crashes, even though its countries are witnessing the lowest levels of motorization in the world. Africa has a traffic fatality rate of 19.5 deaths per 100,000 people compared to 16 deaths per 100,000 in Southeast Asia, and 6.5 deaths per 100,000 in Europe.  

    “Africa is the continent proportionately most affected by road crashes. Knowing that these affect the youngest first, beyond the human tragedy this is an economic devastation sacrificing or invalidating for life the active force of a country. While the vaccine to avoid this carnage on the road exists, I urgently call on everyone to use it.” — United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt. 

    Thirty-eight percent of all African road traffic fatalities occur among pedestrians while 43 percent occur among car occupants. Motorized 2-3 wheelers and cyclists account for 7 percent and 5 percent of Africa’s traffic deaths respectively. A significant proportion of road fatalities on the continent occur in urban areas.  Furthermore, the ongoing improvement of the quality and coverage of Africa’s roads will increase crashes on the continent if it is not accompanied by appropriate road safety measures.  

    Towards enhanced road safety in Mauritius 

    The fatality rate in Mauritius is 10/100,000 inhabitants (WHO 2023). There is an increase in motorcycles crashes. Under the leadership of the Minister of Land Transport of Mauritius, Hon. Osman Mahomed, a series of 16 measures aiming to improve road safety are being envisaged in the country. Among these: re-introduction of the “Penalty Point System”; introduction of the Graduated Licensing System; helmets for sale for motorcycles of or exceeding a capacity of 50 cubic centimeters should be in accordance with set standards and be made mandatory; road safety education in schools; stringent enforcement by the Police or ERS -Transport Squad with regular crack down operations at night. 

    Men are the most affected, representing 89% of fatalities.Women are mostly victims as pedestrians (64%) and passengers (21%), while men die on motorcycles (35%) and as pedestrians (28%), with an average of 9% each as drivers, cyclists, passengers and passengers on the back (2023 figures, Le Mauricien).  

    “The current Government will implement the necessary projects and initiatives to make our roads safer as we expand and modernize our land transport” highlights Minister of Land Transport Osman Mahomed. 

    Safer roads for economic growth in Madagascar 

    The fatality rate in Madagascar is 22.5/100,000 inhabitants (WHO 2023). Poor maintenance and erosion have rendered a significant portion of the road network (mostly unpaved) unsafe (UNEP 2024). Madagascar has one of the least developed road networks in the world. Transport has been widely recognized as a barrier to the provision of and access to health services in rural areas. Madagascar’s overall poor infrastructure is negatively affecting its economic growth and development opportunities.  

    While 70 percent of primary roads are in good condition, about two-thirds of secondary and tertiary roads are estimated to be in poor condition (WB, 2018). There is a high risk of motorcycle crashes in Madagascar, due to the poor state of roads and the non-use of helmets responding to UN safety standards. When we know that quality helmets reduce the risk of death by over six times and reduce the risk of brain injury by up to 74% (WHO 2021), it is urgent to act to stop the carnage on the road. 

    “By 2030, Madagascar aims to halve road deaths and injuries, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3.6. This ambition falls into a dynamic of profound transformation: build infrastructures respectful of international standards, promote the introduction of new safer vehicles, strengthen technical inspection procedures, and integrate road safety into national education programs. We are also determined to provide training for those involved in the sector, and to ensure more humane and effective assistance of accident victims” highlights Valéry Manambahoaka RAMONJAVELO – Ministry of Transport and Meteorology. 

    Toward vision zero victim on the road In Eswatini 

    The fatality rate in Eswatini is 25/100,000 inhabitants (WHO 2021), affecting first children as well as the most productive age group (15-49 years old). Road crashes impose huge constraints on Eswatini ’s economy, up to 10.8% of GDP (Eswatini National Road Safety Strategy 2023-2030). The Kingdom of Eswatini ratified in 2020 the African Union Road Safety Charter with the vision zero fatal and serious injury on Eswatini’s roads by 2063.  Drink-driving, speeding and overloading, in this order, are the major causes of accidents on the country’s roads. (Times of Swaziland). 

    The Kingdom of Eswatini is making efforts to substantially enhance road safety, with an ongoing road safety legislative reform. The Kingdom has also established a Center of Excellence in Road Safety. In addition, Eswatini is fostering South-South cooperation with other African countries and partners on transport and road safety. 

    The Kofi Annan Road Safety Award

    The Kofi Annan Road Safety Award, organized by the Kofi Annan Foundation, in collaboration with UNECA and the Ministry of Transport of Eswatini, will be in the form of certificates of recognition delivered to governments, the private sector or civil society organizations that have made outstanding contributions to road safety in Africa.   

    This year the following countries will receive awards: Cameroon (Innovation & Digitalization), Ethiopia (Public Transportation/Modal shift), Kenya (Safer Vehicles), Nigeria (Road Safety management), Senegal (Road safety financing), South-Africa (post-crash care). 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Blumenthal Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen Research & Treatment Development for Brain Cancers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) reintroduced the Bolstering Research and Innovation Now (BRAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen research and treatment development for brain tumors and to improve the accessibility of brain tumor health care. U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY) and Mike Rounds (R-SD), as well as Representatives Kim Schrier (D-WA-08), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-08) and John Joyce (R-PA-13) joined Trahan and Blumenthal in introducing the bicameral legislation.
    “Too many families across our communities have faced the devastating reality of a brain tumor diagnosis. With more than a million Americans currently battling malignant brain tumors, we must act with urgency and purpose,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The bipartisan BRAIN Act will accelerate life-saving research, drive innovation in treatment, and expand support for survivors – offering hope to patients and their loved ones.”
    Today, more than one million people in the United States are living with a primary brain tumor. Another 94,000 more will likely be diagnosed in 2025, in addition to hundreds of thousands of Americans diagnosed with metastatic brain cancer. Despite major improvements made in the treatment of other cancers in recent years, incidence and survival rates for malignant brain tumors have remained stagnant for 45 years, with a five-year relative survival rate of only 35.7%.
    “Our son Will was a remarkable and driven young man—accomplishing so much, including earning two master’s degrees while undergoing treatment for a brain tumor,” said Arlene Gluck, a Concord, Massachusetts resident. “Sadly, there is still no cure for brain tumors. That’s why we’re thankful to Representative Lori Trahan for sponsoring the BRAIN Act, which supports innovative, collaborative research and enhanced survivorship care among its key initiatives. We remain hopeful that our advocacy will help bring meaningful change for those who face this devastating disease in the future.”
    “Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation promotes research and development for brain cancer treatment to help Americans suffering from this viscous form of cancer,” said Senator Blumenthal. “Stagnant incidence and survival rates that have persisted for decades make it all the more clear—we must redouble our efforts to defeat brain tumors once and for all.”
    “A brain tumor diagnosis is devastating news for too many American families, and the federal government needs to step up to help find a cure and better diagnostics and treatment. The BRAIN Act is about saving lives, changing lives, and improving health outcomes. It would help fast-track scientific discovery and breakthroughs by improving access to clinical trials for patients and advancing innovative new treatments. It would also make it easier for researchers to access biospecimens for new research on brain tumors and fund more clinical trials for the most aggressive, hard-to-treat brain tumors,” said Senator Reed. “This bipartisan bill would also establish new programs and research for brain tumor survivors to improve quality of life and ensure appropriate follow up care over the long term.”
    “After losing my wife, Bobbi, to glioblastoma, I know firsthand how tragic a brain tumor diagnosis can be for patients and their families. Raising awareness and supporting efforts to find a cure is a personal priority for me,” said Senator Barrasso. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to advance treatments and support research to find a cure for these deadly diagnoses.”
    “For me, the fight against cancer is personal. When my late wife Jean was courageously battling cancer a few years ago, we were already seeing encouraging progress in the development of new treatments for many cancers,” said Senator Rounds. “I firmly believe we are years, not decades, away from seeing cures to many of the most deadly cancers. The BRAIN Act will allow us to continue capitalizing on the progress we have made so far by implementing programs and funding that will advance research and treatments for brain tumors. I am glad to be joining a bipartisan group of my colleagues on this legislation.”
    “As a pediatrician, I know brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer related deaths in children. That’s why we need the BRAIN Act signed into law – to invest in brain cancer research, provide new treatment options and hope for families, and ensure transparency in this public health investment.” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. 
    “The BRAIN Act marks a major leap forward in the fight against brain tumors and rare cancers,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. “For too long, patients and families have faced these devastating diagnoses with limited options. This bipartisan bill drives innovation, strengthens collaboration, and ensures greater transparency and support for those affected. By investing in research and accelerating progress, the BRAIN Act brings us closer to breakthroughs—and ultimately, a cure.”
    “Thousands of Americans are diagnosed with fatal brain tumors every year, yet there are very few treatments available,” said Congressman John Joyce, M.D. “Like so many throughout the country, I have experienced firsthand the pain these brain tumors can cause for families and patients alike, and as a physician, I understand how critical medical innovations are to give patients hope and to save American lives. I am proud to join the BRAIN Act, which will encourage further advancements in the treatment of cancerous brain tumors, giving hope to so many patients.”
    In order to reduce mortality rates and make meaningful progress against brain tumors, better-funded and collaborative research is needed. The BRAIN Act takes a comprehensive, complementary approach to meet this need and further advance research for these aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers.
    Specifically, the BRAIN Act:

    Increases transparency of federally-funded biobank collections so that researchers are aware of others who possess samples that might be shared to enable important research.
    Sufficiently resources the National Cancer Institute’s Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, so that it can realize its promise of vetting treatments and completing innovative early-phase clinical trials. 
    Enables team science to advance immunotherapy research (CAR-T) engineered to attack brain cancer cells.
    Directs the Centers for Disease Control to conduct a public education campaign around the importance of clinical trials and biomarker testing in cancer treatment.
    Augments and expands funding to develop innovative systems of care models for brain tumor survivors.
    Directs FDA to issue guidance to ensure brain tumor and other rare and recalcitrant cancer patient access to clinical trials evaluating treatments for other diseases.

    “This is a landmark bill for the brain tumor community,” said David Arons, President & Chief Executive Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. “As far as we know, the BRAIN Act represents the first piece of legislation introduced in Congress specifically designed to target policy solutions at the many barriers impeding progress for brain and other rare and difficult-to-treat cancers. We thank Senators Blumenthal, Barrasso, Reed, and Rounds, as well as Representatives Trahan, Fitzpatrick, Schrier, and Joyce, for realizing the major unmet needs of this community and championing policies that support brain tumor patients, survivors, families, and the research poised for breakthroughs ahead.”
    “In my 12-year career as a practicing neuro-oncologist and clinical researcher, I’ve seen first-hand the devastating toll that brain tumors take on patients and families,” said Nicholas Blondin, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine. “I’ve also witnessed transformative changes in the way we treat other cancers, such as breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma. Unfortunately, we have not experienced the same level of progress in the tools and treatment options for patients with malignant brain tumors. More concerted policies to adequately fund cutting-edge research, paired with initiatives to raise awareness about the advances that are currently happening in diagnostics and clinical trials, are essential. New models for addressing the challenges patients face in their brain tumor journey will greatly benefit efforts in the field of neuro-oncology to catch up to the progress we have seen in treating other cancers.”
    A section by section for the BRAIN Act is available HERE and a one-page summary of the bill is available HERE.
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Government not to set euro adoption date for now

    Source: Czech National Bank

    The government has acknowledged the joint recommendation of the Ministry of Finance and the Czech National Bank not to set a date for adopting the single European currency for the time being. The recommendation is based on the findings contained in Assessment of the Fulfilment of the Maastricht Convergence Criteria and the Degree of Economic Alignment of the Czech Republic with the Euro Area. This document has provided an objective assessment of the Czech Republic’s economic preparedness for adopting the euro since the country joined the European Union.

    The assessment covers three areas. The first assesses compliance with the nominal (Maastricht) convergence criteria, which are a necessary but not sufficient condition for joining the euro area. These criteria set fiscal and monetary reference values, compliance with which is meant to reduce the risks and costs associated with the absence of an independent monetary policy. Successful compliance with the relevant criteria should also mitigate risks to stability and prevent the emergence of imbalances in the monetary union. In 2024, the Czech Republic fulfilled the interest rate convergence criterion and the government financial position criterion. However, it did not meet the criterion on price stability, due to a low reference value and persisting elevated growth of service prices in the domestic economy. The Czech Republic is formally non-compliant with the exchange rate fluctuation criterion, as it is not part of the ERM II exchange rate mechanism.

    The second area assesses the Czech Republic’s economic preparedness for adopting the euro. A key element of these indicators is an assessment of the Czech Republic’s economic alignment with the euro area and the ability of the Czech economy to absorb any negative economic shocks through other mechanisms after losing its monetary policy independence. The Czech Republic has made no substantial progress in this area since the last assessment in 2023. There are still many obstacles on the path to the single European currency. One of them is the unfinished process of economic convergence of the Czech economy, especially as regards the price and wage levels, which remain well below the euro area average. The relatively low structural similarity between the Czech economy and the euro area could also create problems under the single monetary policy. Unresolved domestic structural issues related to the current economic model and future challenges to public finances (population ageing, infrastructure investment, etc.) pose a significant risk. Planned large-scale projects (the construction of high-speed railways and new nuclear units) will place a significant financial burden on public budgets. Addressing the current challenges of economic transformation and long-term public finance sustainability should therefore be prioritised before making a decision on joining the monetary union.

    On the other hand, the high degree of openness of the Czech economy and its close trade and ownership links with the euro area are key positive factors. Some labour market indicators, especially the low long-term unemployment rate and the banking sector’s resilience to negative shocks, are also favourable.

    The final area of assessment concerns the euro area itself. The economic heterogeneity of the euro area is high. This was further highlighted by the energy crisis and its impacts on Member States’ economies. Economic alignment of euro area countries is essential to the smooth functioning of the monetary union. The fiscal positions of most euro area countries are also a negative factor.

    The institutions and rules of the euro area have changed over recent years, and discussions on further deepening integration are still ongoing. The future potential financial and non-financial commitments relating to the Czech Republic’s euro area entry thus cannot be reliably estimated at the moment.

    Petra Vlčková
    Spokesperson
    CNB Communications Division

    Petra Vodstrčilová
    Spokesperson
    Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Government announces landmark NI Troubles archives projects

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK Government announces landmark NI Troubles archives projects

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, has today (9 April) set out the details of two landmark archival projects relating to the Troubles.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, during his visit to The National Archives

    • Two archival projects seek to provide greater accessibility, transparency and understanding of UK Government policy during the Troubles.
    • The announcement follows the appointment of an independent expert advisory panel to make recommendations on key details of the archival research project.
    • As part of the Government’s commitment to support efforts to address the legacy of the Troubles, these projects will now be taken forward to the implementation stage.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, has today set out the details of two landmark archival projects relating to the Troubles.

    The first is a project to digitise and publish open UK Government records relating to the NI Troubles in collaboration with The National Archives. This will broaden access by publishing digital copies of paper records that have previously only been available by visiting The National Archives at Kew, making them free to view online.

    The second is an archival research project, which will see official historians appointed, following a transparent and independent recruitment process, to research UK Government policy towards Northern Ireland during the Troubles. They will be given full access to UK state archives. 

    These projects will provide a unique resource for anyone interested in the history of the Troubles and government policy. They will seek to build public confidence through greater accessibility and transparency, and provide a deeper understanding of UK Government policy and decision making on Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

    Speaking during a visit to The National Archives at Kew, the Secretary of State said:

    I am pleased to support work by The National Archives to digitise and publish key records relating to this complex period in our history. I have seen today examples of the records digitisation process and look forward to the first records in this project being published in the autumn.

    I am also grateful to members of the academic advisory panel for lending their expertise to the important archival research project, and I have every confidence that they will ensure it is conducted to the highest academic standards. Their first task will be to identify highly qualified and independently-minded historians via open competition, and I would encourage anyone interested in this project to find out more on their website. 

    Taken together, these projects will provide an invaluable resource for the public, journalists, educational institutions, researchers, and academics, making information about this period in Northern Ireland’s history more accessible, and so making government decision-making more transparent.

    Saul Nassé, Chief Executive of The National Archives, said:

    The National Archives’ documents provide a valuable perspective on the Troubles.

    This project will mean the widest possible audience will be able view the records online to grow their understanding of this significant period in modern history.

    Co-chairs of the independent advisory panel, Professor Caoimhe Nic Dháibhéid and Lord Bew, said:

    We welcome the Government’s strong commitment to increasing access to state archives, which has been an important part of dealing with the past in many other countries.  

    The Government has rightly recognised the need for work of this nature to be conducted transparently and independently, and as co-chairs of the expert advisory panel we look forward to engaging with colleagues across the academic community as we collectively seek to further understanding of this important period in our history.

    Notes to Editors:

    1. The previous Government originally announced these two non-legislative Northern Ireland Legacy initiatives – an Official History granting independent historians privileged access to state archives and a Digitisation Project, making open Government records relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles readily available to all, virtually and free of charge.
    2. An initial phase of the digitisation project took place in May 2023 with the launch of a stand-alone digital resource hosted on the The National Archives website, which brought together a selection of key documents from the Major and Blair Governments to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
    3. As part of the Government’s commitment to support efforts to address the legacy of the Troubles, these projects will now be taken forward to the implementation stage. Further updates on both projects will be provided as they progress. There will be a phased approach to the digitisation project, and we expect the first tranche of records to be available on The National Archives’ website by autumn 2025.
    4. The Government’s Official History series began in 1908, and involves independent historians appointed by the Prime Minister granted privileged access to closed files beyond the normal provisions of the Public Records Act. Previous examples of official histories include the Official History of the Falklands Campaign (published in 2007)  and the Official History of the Royal Navy in World War II (published in volumes between 1954 and 1961). 
    5. In 2008, the previous Labour Government commissioned Sir Joseph Pilling to review the Official History series. Sir Joseph made a number of recommendations to increase the transparency and relevance of the programme, and the report is published here. 
    6. The Government has appointed an independent expert advisory panel to make recommendations on key details of this project. The panel consists of Lord Paul Bew (Emeritus Professor of Politics at Queen’s University Belfast); Professor Caoimhe Nic Dháibhéid (Senior Lecturer in Modern History at University of Sheffield); Professor Henry Patterson (Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Ulster); Dr Edward Burke (Assistant Professor in the History of War, University College Dublin); Professor Richard Bourke (Professor of the History of Political Thought, University of Cambridge); Professor Helen Parr (Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, Keele University); Professor Ian McBride (Foster Professor of Irish History, Oxford University).
    7. A website with further information about the project is at www.niofficialhistory.org.uk. The advisory panel is overseeing an independent recruitment process for up to five official historians. The panel is currently seeking expressions of interest for these posts, and further information can be found here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam to Speak at UConn Law 2025 Commencement

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Arunan Arulampalam, mayor of the City of Hartford, will deliver the commencement address as the UConn School of Law celebrates the Class of 2025 on Sunday, May 18.

    “It is an honor to have Mayor Arulampalam, a leader who has tirelessly worked to revitalize Hartford, as our commencement speaker,” Dean Eboni S. Nelson says. “Many of this year’s graduates have provided legal services to underserved individuals in Hartford through our clinics and pro bono programs, making them key partners in the vital work being done to strengthen our local community. Considering the mayor’s distinguished career of service and advancing justice, his personal and professional journeys will serve as tremendous inspiration for our graduates as they begin their legal careers.”

    The son of Sri Lankan refugees, Arulampalam was born in Zimbabwe and made a home and a family in Hartford after graduate school. Prior to being elected mayor in November 2023, he served as CEO of the Hartford Land Bank, where he developed a first-in-the-nation program to train Hartford residents to become local developers and tackle blight in their city.

    Arulampalam served in Governor Ned Lamont’s administration as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Before that, he was a lawyer at the downtown firm Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. Arulampalam also served on the Board of the Hartford Public Library, the House of Bread, and on the Hartford Redevelopment Authority. He earned his BA in International Studies from Emory University and his JD from Quinnipiac University School of Law.

    “It is an incredible honor to join the UConn School of Law community and celebrate the Class of 2025,” Arulampalam says.  “These graduates represent the future of justice and advocacy, and their commitment to serving others, particularly through their work in Hartford, inspires hope for a stronger, more equitable society. As they embark on this next chapter, I am confident they will continue to make a profound impact on our city, our state, and beyond.”

    The University of Connecticut School of Law will hold its 102nd commencement on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 10 a.m. on the law school campus. The Class of 2025 includes nearly 200 graduates receiving JDs, LLMs, and SJD degrees. For more information, please visit our commencement site.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Man Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    BILLINGS – An Atlanta, Georgia man who defrauded banks in multiple states was sentenced today to 57 months in prison to be followed by 5 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.  The defendant was also ordered to pay $161,401.17 in restitution.

    Stanford Wilvin Lightfoot, 33, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that for approximately 5 months in 2023, Stanford Lightfoot was a member of a large fraud ring that had been defrauding banks in Montana, Maine and Missouri.  In each location, Lightfoot and other coconspirators would travel to the state from the base of operations in Atlanta, Georgia.  Once there, they would recruit local homeless individuals who possessed valid ID cards.  They would then take these homeless individuals to local banks and provide them with fraudulent checks from real accounts.  These checks all possessed forged signatures of real people and were, therefore, means of identification.  The homeless individuals would then attempt to cash the checks and, if successful, would provide the money to Lightfoot and his coconspirators.  If the homeless individuals were caught by police, they would be abandoned to take the blame.  In Montana, Lightfoot hit multiple banks in Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston utilizing local homeless individuals to forge checks in excess of $20,000.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI, Livingston Police Department, Belgrade Police Department, and Bozeman Police Department.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi expressing concern over China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi expressing concern over China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    April 2, 2025  

    At a regular press conference on April 1, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait were paramount to Japan and the entire international community. Mr. Hayashi made the comments while addressing China’s military drills around Taiwan, stating that Japan had reaffirmed its position to China during a recent bilateral meeting between their foreign ministers. He emphasized that the Japanese government would continue to closely monitor developments arising from China’s increasing military activities around the Taiwan Strait in recent years and added that Japan would make comprehensive response preparations. 

     

    When China twice launched Joint Sword-2024 military exercises targeting Taiwan last year, unilaterally raising tensions across the Taiwan Strait, the government of Japan promptly and directly expressed its misgivings and concerns to China. Following China’s latest military drills around the Taiwan Strait, Japan has once again immediately conveyed its concerns to China and publicly emphasized the importance of cross-strait peace and stability.

     

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung affirms and appreciates the Japanese government for immediately and openly expressing concern following China’s launch of military exercises designed to intimidate Taiwan, as well as for emphasizing a consistent stance on preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly urges China to return to reason, exercise self-restraint, and immediately cease unilateral actions that are detrimental to cross-strait peace and regional stability and prosperity. MOFA is pleased that the United States, Japan, and other democratic nations, as well as the European Union, are steadfastly and jointly adopting preventive measures to counter the threat that authoritarian expansion poses to global peace and stability. Taiwan will demonstrate its determination to strengthen resilience and self-defense capabilities and resist China’s rhetorical and military intimidation. It will also cooperate with like-minded partners to ensure peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and throughout the Indo-Pacific.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Triller Group Engage South Florida Investors at Exclusive Mar-a-Lago Event

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Sharing the Vision on a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

    Palm Beach, FL, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Triller Group Inc. (Nasdaq: ILLR) (“Triller” or “the Company”) successfully concluded a landmark exclusive dinner at President Donald J. Trump’s prestigious Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Over 100 distinguished South Florida investors gathered to discuss and delve into Triller’s ambitious strategic vision and remarkable recent progress.

    The exclusive event was led by Triller Group CEO Wing Fai Ng and CFO Mark Carbeck. Meetings with investors took place at the iconic private residence of President Donald J. Trump, adding to the exclusivity of the event.

    “We were truly honored to showcase Triller and the significant progress we have made in the last several months at the Mar-a-Lago Club,” said Wing Fai Ng, CEO of Triller Group. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the more than 100 investors again for taking the time last week to learn more about Triller and our unique vision for innovation in the digital and creator-driven economy.”

    Florida’s Mar-a-Lago has become a place of pilgrimage for CEOs seeking to build ties with the new administration, with leaders from large global brands previously engaging there with investors and key stakeholders.

    The White House recently announced that 104% tariffs on China will take effect soon, adding urgency to discussions around the future of the creator-driven economy. Now more than ever is a critical time for Triller to forge key relationships and explore once-in-a-lifetime opportunities as uncertainties around the future of TikTok continue to build, which may lead to an impending TikTok ban.

    About Triller Group Inc.

    (Nasdaq: ILLR) Triller Group Inc. is a technology powerhouse with a portfolio of high-growth businesses poised to break through in the Creator Economy. Triller App is the most creator-focused social platform offering discovery, monetization, and ownership. Supported by Triller Platform, it serves as a cutting-edge social media platform designed for creators, offering innovative tools for content creation, marketing, and brand partnerships. It enables creators to connect with fans, monetize their work, and build meaningful relationships with brands.

    Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) stages live and streaming combat sports events that are rapidly gaining popularity with fans globally. With a focus on exciting matchups and high-energy performances, BKFC has established itself as the fastest-growing combat league in the industry. TrillerTV is Triller Group’s premier live streaming platform, showcasing a diverse array of in-house and third-party sports and entertainment content. With its robust infrastructure, TrillerTV is committed to delivering high-quality live events that captivate audiences and drive subscriber growth.

    Additionally, AGBA serves as a one-stop financial supermarket, providing independent distribution of a wide range of financial products and services. By connecting consumers with essential financial solutions, AGBA enhances Triller Group’s ecosystem, making it easier for users to access the tools they need for financial success.

    Together, these diverse businesses form a unique and integrated ecosystem that positions Triller Group at the forefront of innovation in social media, live entertainment, combat sports, and financial services. For more information about our businesses, visit www.trillercorp.com and www.agba.com.

    # # #

    Investor & Media Relations:
    Bethany Lai
    ir@triller.co

    Breanne Fritcher
    triller@wachsman.com 

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company’s goals and strategies; the Company’s future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against us following the consummation of the business combination; expectations regarding our strategies and future financial performance, including its future business plans or objectives, prospective performance and opportunities and competitors, revenues, products, pricing, operating expenses, market trends, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and our ability to invest in growth initiatives and pursue acquisition opportunities; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in Hong Kong and the international markets the Company plans to serve and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the SEC, the length and severity of the recent coronavirus outbreak, including its impacts across our business and operations. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward–looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Community Bankshares Inc. Reports Over $69 Million in Government Guaranteed Lending in Q1 Across 14 States

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAGRANGE, Ga., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Community Bankshares, Inc., the holding company of Phoenix Lender Services, Thomas Financial Group, and Community Bank & Trust, announced today the successful deployment of over $69 million in Small Business Administration (SBA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) backed loans through the end of Q1 2025. The financing activity spans 14 states, reflecting the company’s growing national presence and commitment to delivering critical capital to underserved and rural communities.

    Together, the loans will help create over 400 new jobs and retain more than 350 while enabling key infrastructure expansion, debt refinancing, and facility upgrades for small to mid-sized businesses.

    The lending activity included 17 SBA loans totaling over $23 million, funded by Community Bank & Trust, with origination, underwriting, and closing assisted by Phoenix Lender Services and Thomas Financial Group through their Lender Service Provider (LSP) relationship. Furthermore, Phoenix Lender Services helped to originate, underwrite, and close another $46.7 million in USDA-backed loans.

    “This is exactly the type of impact we built Phoenix Lender Services to deliver,” said Chris Hurn, President of Community Bankshares and President & CEO of Phoenix Lender Services. “We are proud to empower community banks with the tools and expertise they need to deliver transformative capital into rural, urban, and working-class communities — especially when it strengthens supply chains, creates jobs, and preserves family-run businesses.”

    Phoenix Lender Services serves as the Lender Service Provider (LSP) on SBA, USDA, and commercial loans, overseeing eligibility, origination, underwriting, packaging, closing, compliance, and servicing to ensure a seamless borrower and lender experience.

    “Phoenix Lender Services was instrumental in helping us deploy this capital efficiently and effectively,” said Steve Jefferies, President & CEO of Community Bank & Trust. “They bring unmatched knowledge of SBA and USDA lending, and our partnership allows us to expand our reach and serve more businesses across our communities nationwide.”

    Their growing national presence included financing business owners in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, and Wisconsin — and spans industries such as food logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, petroleum, distribution and specialty retail.

    “Securing a loan through Community Bank & Trust, with the support of Phoenix Lender Services, made it possible for us to acquire Firm Foundations Framing—marking a pivotal moment in our journey,” said Ed Black, President of Firm Foundations Framing. “As a construction company building between 750 and 1,000 homes annually across Georgia, this acquisition enables us to retain and grow a business that directly impacts hundreds of lives. More importantly, it fulfills a lifelong dream of business ownership and lays the groundwork for continued growth and opportunity within our communities.”

    “This isn’t our first time working with Thomas Financial Group—and for good reason. We wouldn’t be where we are today without their support,” said Kevin Durling, President of Petroleum Equipment & Services, Inc. “The company’s expertise and understanding of the USDA process are unmatched.”

    About Community Bankshares, Inc. (CBI)
    Community Bankshares, Inc., is a dynamic bank holding company revolutionizing the financial landscape through its support for America’s small and mid-sized businesses. As a mission-focused company, CBI is redefining how lending capital is provided across the nation and its territories in ways that promote business stability and encourage local area prosperity. In doing so, CBI fosters economic growth, job creation and retention, and community strength.

    About Phoenix Lender Services (PHX)
    Based in Georgia and serving clients nationwide, Phoenix Lender Services offers a comprehensive suite of commercial lending solutions, including loan originating, underwriting, closing, and servicing; participant lender matching (USDA); secondary market sales; portfolio management; risk analysis; and compliance reviews and regulatory support. PHX’s seasoned professionals combine extensive industry expertise in SBA and USDA government-guaranteed lending (over 700 combined years) with industry-leading technologies to deliver tailored solutions that align with each client’s unique strategic goals. PHX is a wholly owned subsidiary of CBI.

    About Thomas Financial Group (TFG) 
    Thomas Financial Group, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a nationally recognized leader in providing innovative and comprehensive commercial lending solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of rural and underserved communities across America. With over 40 years of experience in originating and packaging loans within the USDA and SBA government-guaranteed lending space, TFG’s highly capable team helps clients successfully navigate even the most complex financing scenarios to meet the needs of our nation’s businesses. TFG is a wholly owned subsidiary of CBI.

    About Community Bank & Trust (CB&T)
    Community Bank & Trust, a subsidiary of Community Bankshares Inc., is a trusted financial institution dedicated to serving individuals, families, and businesses across its service area and nationwide. Headquartered in LaGrange, GA, CB&T is committed to leveraging its rural roots to empower local consumers and commercial entities, as well as underserved groups and communities, with a broad slate of accessible, personalized banking solutions while also reaching a diverse and growing nationwide audience.

    MEDIA CONTACT

    Hannah Williams
    Uproar PR by Moburst for Community Bank Shares, Inc.
    hannah.williams@moburst.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why you should think twice before using shorthand like ‘thx’ and ‘k’ in your texts

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Fang, PhD Student in Marketing, Stanford University

    When a texter chops words down, recipients sometimes sense a lack of effort. 35mmf2/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    My brother’s text messages can read like fragments of an ancient code: “hru,” “wyd,” “plz” – truncated, cryptic and never quite satisfying to receive. I’ll often find myself second-guessing whether “gr8” means actual excitement or whether it’s a perfunctory nod.

    This oddity has nagged at me for years, so I eventually embarked upon a series of studies with fellow researchers Sam Maglio and Yiran Zhang. I wanted to know whether these clipped missives might undermine genuine dialogue, exploring the unspoken signals behind digital shorthand.

    As we gathered data, surveyed people and set up experiments, it became clear that those tiny shortcuts – sometimes hailed as a hallmark of efficient communication – undermine relationships instead of simplifying them.

    Short words lead to feeling shortchanged

    Most people type “ty” and “brb” – for “thank you” and “be right back” – without batting an eye.

    In a survey we conducted of 150 American texters ages 18 to 65, 90.1% reported regularly using abbreviations in their daily messages, and 84.2% believed these shortcuts had either a positive effect or no meaningful impact on how the messages were perceived by the recipients.

    But our findings suggest that the mere inclusion of abbreviations, although seemingly benign, start feeling like a brush-off. In other words, whenever a texter chops words down to their bare consonants, recipients sense a lack of effort, which causes them to disengage.

    It’s a subtle but pervasive phenomenon that most people don’t intuit.

    We started with controlled lab tests, presenting 1,170 participants ages 15 to 80 with one of two near-identical text exchanges: one set sprinkled with abbreviations, the other fully spelled out. In every single scenario, participants rated the abbreviating sender as less sincere and far less worthy of a reply.

    The deeper we dug, the more consistent the pattern became.

    Whether people were reading messages about weekend plans or major life events, the presence of truncated words and phrases such as “plz,” “sry” or “idk” for “please,” “sorry” or “I don’t know” made the recipients feel shortchanged.

    The phenomenon didn’t stop with strangers. In more experiments, we tested whether closeness changed the dynamic. If you’re texting a dear friend or a romantic partner, can you abbreviate to your heart’s content?

    Evidently not. Even people imagining themselves chatting with a longtime buddy reported feeling a little put off by half-spelled words, and that sense of disappointment chipped away at how authentic the interaction felt.

    From Discord to dating apps

    Still, we had nagging doubts: Might this just be some artificial lab effect?

    We wondered whether real people on real platforms might behave differently. So we took our questions to Discord, a vibrant online social community where people chat about everything from anime to politics. More importantly, Discord is filled with younger people who use abbreviations like it’s second nature.

    We messaged random users asking them to recommend TV shows to watch. One set of messages fully spelled out our inquiry; the other set was filled with abbreviations. True to our lab results, fewer people responded to the abbreviated ask. Even among digital natives – youthful, tech-savvy users who are well versed in the casual parlance of text messaging – a text plastered with shortcuts still felt undercooked.

    If a few missing letters can sour casual chats, what happens when love enters the equation? After all, texting has become a cornerstone of modern romance, from coy flirtations to soul-baring confessions. Could “plz call me” inadvertently jeopardize a budding connection? Or does “u up?” hint at more apathy than affection? These questions guided our next foray, as we set out to discover whether the swift efficiency of abbreviations might actually short-circuit the delicate dance of courtship and intimacy.

    Our leap into the realm of romance culminated on Valentine’s Day with an online speed dating experiment.

    We paired participants for timed “dates” inside a private messaging portal, and offered half of them small incentives to pepper their replies with abbreviations such as “ty” instead of “thank you.”

    When it came time to exchange contact information, the daters receiving abbreviation-heavy notes were notably more reluctant, citing a lack of effort from the other party. Perhaps the most eye-opening evidence came from a separate study running a deep analysis of hundreds of thousands of Tinder conversations. The data showed that messages stuffed with abbreviations such as “u” and “rly” scored fewer overall responses and short-circuited conversations.

    If you can’t take the time to spell it out, is it sincere?
    Roman Didkivskyi/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    It’s the thought that counts

    We want to be clear: We’re not campaigning to ban “lol.” Our research suggests that a few scattered abbreviations don’t necessarily torpedo a friendship. Nor does every one of the many messages sent to many people every day warrant the full spelling-out treatment. Don’t care about coming across as sincere? Don’t need the recipient to respond? Then by all means, abbreviate away.

    Instead, it’s the overall reliance on condensed phrases that consistently lowers our impression of the sender’s sincerity. When we type “plz” a dozen times in a conversation, we risk broadcasting that the other person isn’t worth the extra letters. The effect may be subtle in a single exchange. But over time, it accumulates.

    If your ultimate goal is to nurture a deeper connection – be it with a friend, a sibling or a prospective date – taking an extra second to type “thanks” might be a wise investment.

    Abbreviations began as a clever workaround for clunky flip phones, with its keypad texting – recall tapping “5” three times to type the letter “L” – and strict monthly character limits. Yet here we are, long past those days, still trafficking in “omg” and “brb,” as though necessity never ended.

    After all of those studies, I’ve circled back to my brother’s texts with fresh eyes. I’ve since shared with him our findings about how those tiny shortcuts can come across as half-hearted or indifferent. He still fires off “brb” in half his texts, and I’ll probably never see him type “I’m sorry” in full. But something’s shifting – he typed “thank you” a few times, even threw in a surprisingly heartfelt “hope you’re well” the other day.

    It’s a modest shift, but maybe that’s the point: Sometimes, just a few more letters can let someone know they really matter.

    Sam Maglio, an Associate Professor of Marketing and Psychology at the University of Toronto, contributed to the writing of this article.

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

    – ref. Why you should think twice before using shorthand like ‘thx’ and ‘k’ in your texts – https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-think-twice-before-using-shorthand-like-thx-and-k-in-your-texts-248812

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What would happen if Section 230 went away? A legal expert explains the consequences of repealing ‘the law that built the internet’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Daryl Lim, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, Penn State

    Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., are vocal critics of Section 230. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

    Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, passed in 1996 as part of the Telecommunications Act, has become a political lightning rod in recent years. The law shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content while allowing moderation in good faith.

    Lawmakers including Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., now seek to sunset Section 230 by 2027 in order to spur a renegotiation of its provisions. The senators are expected to hold a press event before April 11 about a bill to start a timer on reforming or replacing Section 230, according to reports. If no agreement is reached by the deadline Section 230 would cease to be law.

    The debate over the law centers on balancing accountability for harmful content with the risks of censorship and stifled innovation. As a legal scholar, I see dramatic potential effects if Section 230 were to be repealed, with some platforms and websites blocking any potentially controversial content. Imagine Reddit with no critical comments or TikTok stripped of political satire.

    The law that built the internet

    Section 230, often described as “the 26 words that created the internet,” arose in response to a 1995 ruling penalizing platforms for moderating content. The key provision of the law, (c)(1), states that “no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” This immunizes platforms such as Facebook and Yelp from liability for content posted by users.

    Importantly, Section 230 does not offer blanket immunity. It does not shield platforms from liability related to federal criminal law, intellectual property infringement, sex trafficking or where platforms codevelop unlawful content. At the same time, Section 230 allows platform companies to moderate content as they see fit, letting them block harmful or offensive content that is permitted by the First Amendment.

    Some critics argue that the algorithms social media platforms use to feed content to users are a form of content creation and should be outside the scope of Section 230 immunity. In addition, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has signaled a more aggressive stance toward Big Tech, advocating for a rollback of Section 230’s protections to address what he perceives as biased content moderation and censorship.

    What Section 230 does and how it came about.

    Censorship and the moderation dilemma

    Opponents warn that repealing Section 230 could lead to increased censorship, a flood of litigation and a chilling effect on innovation and free expression.

    Section 230 grants complete immunity to platforms for third-party activities regardless of whether the challenged speech is unlawful, according to a February 2024 report from the Congressional Research Service. In contrast, immunity via the First Amendment requires an inquiry into whether the challenged speech is constitutionally protected.

    Without immunity, platforms could be treated as publishers and held liable for defamatory, harmful or illegal content their users post. Platforms could adopt a more cautious approach, removing legally questionable material to avoid litigation. They could also block potentially controversial content, which could leave less space for voices of marginalized people.

    MIT management professor Sinan Aral warned, “If you repeal Section 230, one of two things will happen. Either platforms will decide they don’t want to moderate anything, or platforms will moderate everything.” The overcautious approach, sometimes called “collateral censorship,” could lead platforms to remove a broader swath of speech, including lawful but controversial content, to protect against potential lawsuits. Yelp’s general counsel noted that without Section 230, platforms may feel forced to remove legitimate negative reviews, depriving users of critical information.

    Corbin Barthold, a lawyer with the nonprofit advocacy organization TechFreedom, warned that some platforms might abandon content moderation to avoid liability for selective enforcement. This would result in more online spaces for misinformation and hate speech, he wrote. However, large platforms would likely not choose this route to avoid backlash from users and advertisers.

    A legal minefield

    Section 230(e) currently preempts most state laws that would hold platforms liable for user content. This preemption maintains a uniform legal standard at the federal level. Without it, the balance of power would shift, allowing states to regulate online platforms more aggressively.

    Some states could pass laws imposing stricter content moderation standards, requiring platforms to remove certain types of content within defined time frames or mandating transparency in content moderation decisions. Conversely, some states may seek to limit moderation efforts to preserve free speech, creating conflicting obligations for platforms that operate nationally. Litigation outcomes could also become inconsistent as courts across different jurisdictions apply varying standards to determine platform liability.

    The lack of uniformity would make it difficult for platforms to establish consistent content moderation practices, further complicating compliance efforts. The chilling effect on expression and innovation would be especially pronounced for new market entrants.

    While major players such as Facebook and YouTube might be able to absorb the legal pressure, smaller competitors could be forced out of the market or rendered ineffective. Small or midsize businesses with a website could be targeted by frivolous lawsuits. The high cost of compliance could deter many from entering the market.

    Reform without ruin

    The nonprofit advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation warned, “The free and open internet as we know it couldn’t exist without Section 230.” The law has been instrumental in fostering the growth of the internet by enabling platforms to operate without the constant threat of lawsuits over user-generated content. Section 230 also lets platforms organize and tailor user-generated content.

    The potential repeal of Section 230 would fundamentally alter this legal landscape, reshaping how platforms operate, increasing their exposure to litigation and redefining the relationship between the government and online intermediaries.

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

    – ref. What would happen if Section 230 went away? A legal expert explains the consequences of repealing ‘the law that built the internet’ – https://theconversation.com/what-would-happen-if-section-230-went-away-a-legal-expert-explains-the-consequences-of-repealing-the-law-that-built-the-internet-253326

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by Minister Steven Guilbeault on International Day of Pink 2025

    Source: Government of Canada News

    April 9, 2025 – Gatineau, Quebec — Women and Gender Equality Canada

    The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, who is responsible for the Department for Women and Gender Equality, made the following statement on International Day of Pink 2025:

    “Today, the International Day of Pink has one purpose to create a more inclusive and diverse world. It is a day to recognize the great leadership and influence young people can have.

    This day began in 2007, when two Nova Scotia students demonstrated solidarity with a classmate being bullied for wearing pink clothing. They rallied their peers to also wear pink and send a powerful message: that it’s ok to be exactly who you are.

    Since then, hundreds of people have answered the call, and now, around the world, we honour this gesture of leadership every second Wednesday in April. Commemorating this annual event is an opportunity to express solidarity against bullying whether it be at school, at work, in sports, or online.

    2SLGBTQI+ communities across the country continue to be stigmatized and subjected to discrimination in many aspects of their lives, such as in the labour market, when looking for housing, and with respect to their physical and mental health and safety. According to mental health research, the majority of young people (66%) who are part of 2SLGBTQI+ communities have reported experiencing situations that have negatively impacted their mental health, whether it be to a big or small extent.

    Today, and every day, the Government of Canada recognizes that it’s necessary to provide the 2SLGBTQI+ communities – including youth – with safe spaces. Through Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, the federal government is committed to eliminating bias and harmful practices against the 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

    The Government of Canada’s actions are also guided by the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan and aim to build a future where everyone is free to be themselves.

    A society where people are safe, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential is one where everyone thrives. Together, let’s show our support for equality by proudly wearing pink.” 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New accommodation completed for soldiers in Bicester

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    New accommodation completed for soldiers in Bicester

    A major investment programme to improve living conditions across the army estate has delivered new accommodation for soldiers at St George’s Barracks, Bicester.

    The new Single Living Accommodation block at St George’s Barracks. Crown copyright.

    The new Single Living Accommodation (SLA) block, constructed using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), provides 72 ensuite single bed spaces, kitchen and diner facilities, utility rooms and furnished communal space for Junior Rank soldiers. The project was funded under the army’s SLA programme and delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), contracting to off-site construction specialists Reds10 and engineering consultants Arcadis. 

    The modular, sustainable SLA features solar energy harvesting, air source heat pumps and a SMART building management system, which processes data from an array of sensors and equipment to monitor energy consumption and to ensure the building runs as efficiently as possible.

    At the formal opening of the Junior Ranks block on 24 March, Brigadier Peter Quaite OBE, Head of Infrastructure Plans, Army Basing and Infrastructure said:

    As a key part of our long-term investment programme, we are embracing modern methods of construction to enable us to build faster, while providing a better standard of living space for our people and improving the sustainability of our estate. This new, energy-efficient building has been designed using soldier feedback to ensure it meets their specific needs and showcases the impressive standard of accommodation we are committed to delivering.

    Lt Col Gerard Hennigan, Bicester Garrison Commander, said:

    It is excellent to see the result of significant investment at St George’s Barracks to deliver better accommodation for our soldiers and provide modern living facilities that meet their needs. The quality of the bedrooms, common areas and kitchen areas are impressive, and we look forward to moving soldiers into their new home in the coming weeks.

    Warren Webster, DIO MPP Army Programme Director said: 

    We are delighted to have completed the latest in a series of new SLA blocks for our armed forces across the country. This new block will provide the army with fantastic homes for junior ranks at St George’s Barracks while utilising sustainability features built into the design from the outset, making the building efficient to run and comfortable to live in.

    Phil Cook, Defence Director, Reds10, said:

    We are proud to support the army’s commitment to improving service personnel accommodation with modern, high-quality, and sustainable living spaces. Through industrialised production, we have delivered a building that not only meets the needs of personnel today but also ensures long-term efficiency and environmental benefits. This project exemplifies how innovation and collaboration can enhance the living conditions of our service personnel, and we look forward to continuing our work in delivering exceptional accommodation that will transform the lived experience.

    Overall, the Army SLA Programme is investing £1.4 billion over ten years to enhance living conditions for service personnel. More than 1,000 new bed spaces are currently in construction across the estate, with six blocks due to complete this year.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear Announces Sponsorship and Executive Speaking Engagements at the Upcoming Innovation Zero World Congress 2025 on April 29-30th in London

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, N.Y., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced its sponsorship of the Innovation Zero World Congress 2025, to be held on April 29th and 30th, 2025 at Olympia London, UK.

    NANO Nuclear Chief Executive Officer, James Walker, will deliver a presentation titled “Finding Opportunities in the Resurgent Nuclear Energy Industry” on April 30th at 11:05 a.m., London time, followed by his participation in the panel discussion “Fixing Fission: Green Taxonomies and Red Tape in Nuclear” at 11:35 a.m., London time, the same day.

    Supported by the U.K. Government, the Innovation Zero World Congress 2025 provides a space and opportunity for collaboration and overcoming obstacles to drive large-scale, impactful progress towards global emissions reduction. Approximately 10,000 attendees are expected to arrive at Olympia London, providing an excellent platform for networking, investment exploration, and knowledge sharing. With over 250 sessions taking place across 13 dedicated forums, Innovation Zero is an essential meeting place for anyone looking to keep up with the latest trends, investment opportunities, and announcements.

    Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. Sponsors Innovation Zero World Congress, held on April 29th– 30th, 2025 at Olympia London, UK.

    “NANO Nuclear is off to a strong start to 2025, and this year’s Innovation Zero conference is an ideal platform to share our recent progress and upcoming plans with stakeholders and fellow clean-tech industry leaders,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear. “Our UK-based technical team, responsible for advancing our proprietary ODIN™ microreactor technology, will also attend, and I anticipate this event will provide valuable insights and meaningful interactions for everyone involved.”

    “We’re delighted to be heading back to London for this year’s Innovation Zero conference,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear. “We view this event as a key part of our global growth conference schedule. It brings together many experts in carbon-neutral energy technologies and I’m looking forward to an insightful and productive gathering.”

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

    PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:

    NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN
    NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE
    NANO Nuclear Energy X PLATFORM

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statement relate to the anticipated benefits to NANO Nuclear of its attendance at the Innovation Zero World Congress 2025. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SIMPPLE Ltd. Launches New Product “SIMPPLE Vision”, an end-to-end Vision-as-a-Service (VaaS) video content analytics, and Secures Paid Pilot with a national healthcare institution in Singapore

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Singapore, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SIMPPLE Ltd. (NASDAQ: SPPL) (“SIMPPLE” or “the Company”), a leading technology provider and innovator in the facilities management (FM) sector, today launched its new highly scalable end-to-end A.I. video analytics platform – SIMPPLE Vision, providing building owners and service contractors insights into facility operations and occupants’ behaviour. It brings together a set of pre-trained A.I. models from the Environmental Services and Security sectors coupling them with automated workforce management capabilities, enabling organizations to process vast amounts of video data in real-time, and instantly send alerts or work orders to the workforce to respond. This allows facility managers and workers to react quicker to situations with an enhanced level of transparency and accountability to the operations.

    With rising security concerns around unauthorised access as well as workplace safety breaches and incidents, there is a push towards evidence-based reporting and prevention. SIMPPLE Vision platform makes use of existing camera networks to deliver real-time insights through vision A.I. analytics and automated push notifications, minimising the cost of hardware upgrades and reducing reliance on manual monitoring. This is a significant upgrade, by retrofitting systems that lack modern analytics capability, therefore eliminating the need to replace existing cameras. SIMPPLE Vision processing platform can provide real-time analytics, incident logging, and audit trails for regulatory compliance, amongst many other features and related applications.

    SIMPPLE Vision applies advanced algorithms and high compute capabilities, which can be used and scaled across many sectors, such as aviation and transport safety, healthcare and hospitality monitoring, and compliance within education institutions. Data collected from such implementations can be refined over time, offering people and asset safety, and ultimately creating more personalised customer or occupant experiences within a given space. Another unique proposition SIMPPLE Vision platform offers is its ability to do both on-premises and cloud set-ups, depending on the end user requirements. This is especially important for critical infrastructure or healthcare facilities to avoid cloud risks while concurrently reducing cloud storage and transmission costs from significant bandwidth consumption, making it an ideal and cost-effective alternative solution.

    Following the announcement of SIMPPLE Vision, SIMPPLE is also pleased to announce a contract win with one of the largest public healthcare institutions in Singapore to deploy its advanced computer vision-to-workforce management capabilities as part of the initial proof-of-value initiative. Due to confidentiality, specific contract details remain undisclosed. This collaboration aims to enhance operational efficiency within the healthcare premises and improve customer satisfaction. If successful, the program is set to expand across multiple hospitals nationwide with these added vision applications, marking a major step forward to incorporate cutting-edge vision technologies for the healthcare sector.

    “We are thrilled to launch SIMPPLE Vision as part of our continuing commitment to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions that can positively impact service delivery and improved reporting outcomes,” said SIMPPLE chief executive Norman Schroeder. “This domain-specific computer vision capability is a step forward to revolutionise the way assets and broad ranging facilities are managed. Being awarded one of Singapore’s national public hospitals as an initial site is a testament to our commitment and forward-looking vision. We will continue to deliver on our promise to develop fit-for-purpose solutions, as we look to expand our contribution to the healthcare sector in Singapore and beyond.”

    According to an August 2024 report by SkyQuest Technology, the global video analytics market will attain a value of $44.7 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 22.3%, from 2024 to 2031. This rapid growth is largely driven by the growing emphasis on security enhancements and integration of artificial intelligence with video analytics solutions. Crowd management will remain as a key contributor to the growth of computer vision applications in stadiums, airports, public events, and government facilities, said the report.

    About SIMPPLE LTD.

    Headquartered in Singapore, SIMPPLE LTD. is an advanced technology solution provider in the emerging PropTech space, focused on helping facilities owners and managers manage facilities autonomously. Founded in 2016, the Company has a strong foothold in the Singapore facilities management market, serving over 60 clients in both the public and private sectors and extending out of Singapore into Australia and the Middle East. The Company has developed its proprietary SIMPPLE Ecosystem, to create an automated workforce management tool for building maintenance, surveillance and cleaning comprised of a mix of software and hardware solutions such as robotics (both cleaning and security) and Internet-of-Things (“IoT”) devices. 

    For more information on SIMPPLE, please visit: https://www.simpple.ai

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time, we or our representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future performance, including: our financial performance and projections; our growth in revenue and earnings; and our business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “hopes” or the negative of these or similar terms. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including: our ability to change the direction of the Company; our ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; and the competitive environment of our business. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement.

    Forward-looking statements are only predictions. The forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives, may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about us. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives might not occur.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Cyabra Partners with Aquion to Strengthen Digital Security and Combat Disinformation Across Australia and New Zealand

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cyabra Strategy Ltd. (“Cyabra”), a leading AI platform for real-time disinformation detection, has joined forces with Aquion Pty Ltd, a trusted value-added distributor of cybersecurity and digital transformation solutions. This partnership will bring Cyabra’s AI-driven platform to businesses, government agencies, and enterprises across Australia and New Zealand, helping them detect and monitor digital threats in real time.

    With the rise of disinformation campaigns, bot-driven influence operations, and online manipulation, organizations are increasingly vulnerable to digital threats. Cyabra’s AI-powered platform analyzes millions of online conversations across social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok. It detects inauthentic accounts, AI-generated content, and coordinated disinformation campaigns, mapping how false narratives spread and influence public opinion. By partnering with Aquion, Cyabra is expanding its reach, enabling organizations in Australia and New Zealand via its reseller partners access to the tools they need to safeguard their digital presence.

    “Disinformation isn’t just about social media engagement—it’s a growing threat with real-world consequences, shaping public opinion, impacting businesses, and eroding trust. Organizations need to be proactive, not just reactive, in protecting their digital presence,” said Dan Brahmy, CEO and Co-founder of Cyabra. “Our partnership with Aquion ensures that businesses and governments across Australia and New Zealand have access to the real-time intelligence they need to spot false narratives, uncover manipulation, and stay ahead of digital threats.”

    “We are excited to partner with Cyabra to bring their AI-powered social media intelligence platform to our customers,” said Stephen Balicki, CEO at Aquion. “Disinformation and online manipulation are growing threats to businesses and government agencies alike. With Cyabra’s unique capabilities, we can provide organizations with unparalleled insights to identify and respond to digital threats effectively.”

    Aquion’s extensive network of reseller partners, combined with Cyabra’s AI-powered insights, will enable businesses, government agencies, and media organizations to detect and combat disinformation before it causes irreparable reputational or financial harm. Together, Cyabra and Aquion empower organizations to proactively detect false narratives, counter-influence operations, and protect digital trust in an era where AI-generated content and coordinated manipulation threaten businesses, governments, and public discourse.

    For more information about Cyabra’s AI-driven disinformation detection capabilities and the partnership with Aquion, visit the Cyabra website or Aquion Website.

    Cyabra has entered into a business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”) with Trailblazer Merger Corporation I (NASDAQ: TBMC) (“Trailblazer”), a blank-check special-purpose acquisition company.

    About Cyabra

    Cyabra Strategy Ltd. (“Cyabra”) is a real-time AI-powered platform that uncovers and analyzes online disinformation and misinformation by uncovering fake profiles, harmful narratives, and GenAI content across social media and digital news channels. Cyabra’s AI protects corporations and governments against brand reputation risks, election manipulation, foreign interference, and other online threats. Cyabra’s platform leverages proprietary algorithms and NLP solutions, gathering and analyzing publicly available data to provide clear, actionable insights and real-time alerts that inform critical decision-making. Cyabra uncovers the good, bad, and fake online.

    For more information, visit www.cyabra.com.

    Media Contact:
    Jill Burkes
    Jill@cyabra.com
    Signal Contact: Jillabra.24

    About Aquion
     Aquion is a leading Australian software distributor, specialising in connecting world-class technology vendors with the largest resellers across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. With a commitment to delivering value through the channel, Aquion offers a comprehensive portfolio of disruptive technologies with over 5000 existing software agreements, including business transformation, cybersecurity, DevOps, and infrastructure software solutions. Backed by a highly responsive sourcing team and a reputation for outstanding service, Aquion enables partners to drive growth and capitalise on new opportunities. Focused on collaboration, innovation, and customer success, Aquion remains a trusted partner for vendors and resellers alike in APAC.

    https://www.aquion.com.au/

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Miri Segal
    MS-IR
    msegal@ms-ir.com

    About Trailblazer

    Trailblazer Merger Corporation I (Nasdaq: TBMC) is a blank check company formed and entered into a merger, shared exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. For more information, visit: www.trailblazermergercorp.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to certain products that will be the subject of a proposed transaction between Trailblazer Merger Corporation I (“Trailblazer”) and Cyabra Strategy Ltd. (“Cyabra”). All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding Cyabra’s business strategy, products, research and development costs, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and future results of current and anticipated product offerings, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to, the following risks relating to the proposed transaction: the ability to complete the Business Combination or, if Trailblazer does not consummate such Business Combination, any other initial business combination; expectations regarding Cyabra’s strategies and future financial performance, including its future business plans or objectives, prospective performance and opportunities and competitors, revenues, products and services, pricing, operating expenses, market trends, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and Cyabra’s ability to invest in growth initiatives and pursue acquisition opportunities; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Trailblazer or Cyabra following announcement of the Business Combination Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein; the inability to complete the proposed Business Combination due to, among other things, the failure to obtain Trailblazer stockholder approval; the risk that the announcement and consummation of the proposed Business Combination disrupts Cyabra’s current operations and future plans;  the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the proposed Business Combination; unexpected costs related to the proposed Business Combination; the amount of any redemptions by existing holders of Trailblazer’s common stock being greater than expected; limited liquidity and trading of Trailblazer’s securities; geopolitical risk and changes in applicable laws or regulations; the size of the addressable markets for Cyabra’s products and services; the possibility that Trailblazer and/or Cyabra may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; the ability to obtain and/or maintain the listing of Combined Company’s Common Stock on Nasdaq following the Business Combination; operational risk; and the risks that the consummation of the proposed Business Combination is substantially delayed or does not occur.

    Important Information for Investors and Stockholders

    Trailblazer will file a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC, which will include a proxy statement for Trailblazer’s stockholders and a prospectus related to the securities of the combined company. After the registration statement is declared effective, the proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to all Trailblazer stockholders.

    INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF TRAILBLAZER ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTION AND THE PARTIES INVOLVED.

    Once filed, free copies of these documents can be obtained from the SEC’s website at  www.sec.gov. Additional information about Trailblazer can be found on its website at  www.trailblazermergercorp.com or by contacting info@trailblazermergercorp.com.

    Participants in the Solicitation

    Cyabra, Trailblazer, and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Trailblazer stockholders regarding the transaction. Information about Trailblazer’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of Trailblazer’s securities is set forth in Trailblazer’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, as modified or supplemented by any Form 3 or Form 4 filed with the SEC since the date of such filing. Other information regarding the interests of the participants in the proxy solicitation will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus pertaining to the proposed Transactions when it becomes available.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval. No sale of securities shall occur in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification under applicable laws.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Thrive Awarded State of Florida Contract for Digital Security Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thrive, a global technology outsourcing provider for cybersecurity, Cloud, and IT managed services, announced today that it has been selected by the State of Florida, Department of Management Services as a vendor for the Digital Security Solutions contract. This latest partnership adds to the list of state and local governments that trust Thrive to protect them from cyber threats, including phishing attempts and data breaches.

    Local and state governments continue to be targets of cyberattacks, and the effect is costly. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, the global average cost of a data breach is $4.88 million. And with a government’s limited resources, a cyberattack can be devastating, not only financially but also to the trust of its constituents.

    To enable these organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity and better protect their data, Thrive has a dedicated public sector team with more than 20 years of experience. This team delivers proactive, fully managed security solutions designed to protect state agencies from cyber risk.

    Florida’s Department of Management Services will allow Thrive to provide cybersecurity solutions to state agencies and other eligible entities across multiple service categories, including:

    1. Service Category 3: Endpoint Detection and Response Fortinet FortiEDR with Thrive Management
    2. Service Category 5: Email Security Checkpoint Harmony Email & Collaboration Security with Thrive Management
    3. Service Category 10: Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Checkpoint SASE with Thrive Management

    “State and local governments are seeing an influx of data at the exact same time that cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated. It has never been more important to ensure government systems are updated, teams are trained, and data is protected,” said Bill McLaughlin, CEO of Thrive. “Thrive has a deep understanding of the unique needs of local and state governments across our cybersecurity journey. When government agencies like the State of Florida, partner with us, we bring in our team of experts to handle cybersecurity risk so the organization can focus on serving citizens.”

    To learn more about Thrive’s CJIS offerings, click here.

    About Thrive 
    Thrive delivers global technology outsourcing for cybersecurity, Cloud, networking, and other complex IT requirements. Thrive’s NextGen platform enables customers to increase business efficiencies through standardization, scalability, and automation, delivering oversized technology returns on investment (ROI). They accomplish this with advisory services, vCISO, vCIO, consulting, project implementation, solution architects, and a best-in-class subscription-based technology platform. Thrive delivers exceptional high-touch service through its POD approach of subject matter experts and global 24x7x365 SOC, NOC, and centralized services teams. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn. 

    Contacts 
    Hannah Johnston 
    thrive@v2comms.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cutting edge tech introduced in social care

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Cutting edge tech introduced in social care

    Care leaders will be trained to use cutting-edge technology to improve patient care, free up staff time and help people live independently in their own homes

    Care leaders will be trained to use the latest cutting-edge technology to improve patient care, free up staff time and help people live independently in their own homes for longer.

    In a bid to shift adult social care from analogue to digital as part of the Plan for Change, the Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has announced a new qualification that will equip care leaders with the skills to use and rapidly deploy technology across care homes and other settings.

    The training will focus on tools which have been shown to improve the quality of care and reduce pressure on staff. This includes motion sensors that can detect and alert staff when a patient has had a fall; video telecare to allow remote appointments with doctors and carers to reduce the need to travel; and artificial intelligence which can automate routine tasks like note taking or predict when a patient might need additional care.

    Care technologies like these will help people to receive the best possible care in the community and prevent avoidable trips to the hospital, reducing pressure on the NHS.  It supports the government’s 10 Year Health Plan to make health and social care fit for the future.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    We will harness the full potential of cutting-edge technology to transform social care, helping people to live independently in their own homes and improving the quality of care.

    By investing in skills training for care workers, introducing a Fair Pay Agreement, and providing more opportunities for career progression, we will help retain the incredible professionals we need. 

    Our Plan for Change will make sure we have the people and the skills needed to build a National Care Service.

    Speaking at Unison’s 2025 National Health Care Conference, the Health and Social Care Secretary also outlined a series of wider measures to boost the recruitment and retention of care staff. The plans will professionalise the adult social care workforce and help staff progress in their careers, leading to better pay and recognition.

    This includes:

    • Setting up new job roles – like deputy managers, registered managers, personal assistants and a new enhanced care worker role – in recognition of increasingly complex care requirements. It will mean their skills will be recognised across the health service, so that GPs, doctors and other health professionals understand their expertise.
    • £12 million to fund courses and qualifications for carers to develop new skills, build expertise and advance in their careers.

    The boost for social care careers will support the 1.59 million strong workforce which provides vital care and support to people of all ages and with diverse, complex needs and is in recognition of the vital work they do.

    The measures come as unpaid carers’ see the biggest rise in their earnings limit since the 1970s this month, and the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for the sector continues to progress through Parliament.

    Baroness Louise Casey will soon begin her independent commission into adult social care which will look at how we recruit, retain and support the workforce as part of its focus on building a social care system fit for the future.

    Background

    Care Workforce Pathway

    • The Care Workforce Pathway is the first universal career structure for the adult social care workforce. It focuses on direct care and support roles. The second part of the Pathway includes four further role categories to continue to match the breadth of careers in adult social care.
    • The Pathway provides clear guidance for progression and development for professionals in the adult social care sector by outlining the necessary knowledge, skills, values and behaviours they will need in their work/practice. 8 It sets out how people can develop across a long-term career in adult social care with support and training; attracting people to join and remain in the sector and supporting sustainable workforce growth. 

    Level 5 Digital Leadership Qualification

    • This new qualification will ensure adult social care leaders and managers have the skills they need to adopt digital innovations and new technology to help transform the sector.
    • This supports the fundamental shift from analogue to digital in adult social care will support high quality, safe, efficient and person-centred care. This shift is dependent on the adult social care workforce feeling confident, skilled and supported to embed digital ways of working. 
    • Awarding Organisations can decide which technologies to focus on and these are included, but not limited to: smart home technologies, assistive technologies, technologies worn by staff, telecare, diagnostic tools, digital social care records, business software and AI and robotics technology. Further information can be found in the Level 5 Award in Understanding Digital Leadership in Adult Social Care Qualification Specification. 

     Publication of updated care certificate standards

    • The Care Certificate standards have been refreshed to bring the contents up to date and in line with the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification that was launched in June 2024. 
    • The Care Certificate Standards were developed for use in England and are the recommended minimum training, supervision and assessment that staff new to care (health and adult social care) should receive as part of induction and before they start to deliver care. It provides a foundation for healthcare support and social care worker roles, ensuring that the new worker can provide a compassionate and caring service.

    International Recruitment Fund

    • Additionally, the government will also reduce reliance on overseas recruitment for social care. £12.5 million has been made available for the international recruitment fund to tackle the exploitation of international care workers. This will help find new employment for displaced overseas care workers, prioritising those already in the UK before hiring internationally.  

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DfE Update: 9 April 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Correspondence

    DfE Update: 9 April 2025

    Latest information and actions from the Department for Education about funding, assurance and resource management, for academies, local authorities and further education providers.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    DfE Update further education: 9 April 2025

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    DfE Update academies: 9 April 2025

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    DfE Update local authorities: 9 April 2025

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    Details

    Latest for further education

    Article Title
    Action Post-16 subcontracting exemption request form now available
    Information Advanced learner loans funding allocations for the 2025 to 2026 funding year

    Latest information for academies

    Article Title
    Action Post-16 subcontracting exemption request form now available
    Information Department for Education energy for schools – a new way to buy energy

    Latest information for local authorities

    Article Title
    Action Post-16 subcontracting exemption request form now available
    Information Advanced learner loans funding allocations for the 2025 to 2026 funding year
    Information Department for Education energy for schools – a new way to buy energy

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: LM Funding America Announces March 2025 Production and Operational Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

     TAMPA, Fla., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LM Funding America, Inc. (NASDAQ: LMFA) (“LM Funding” or the “Company”), a Bitcoin mining and technology-based specialty finance company, today announced its preliminary, unaudited Bitcoin mining and operational update for the month ended March 31, 2025.

     Metric Jan 2025 Feb 2025 Mar 2025
      – Bitcoin²      
      – Mined, net 8.0 8.1 8.7
      – Sold – – (14.2)
      – Purchased – – –
      – Service Fee – (0.5) (0.1)
      – Bitcoin HODL 158.2 165.8 160.2
      – Machines²      
      – Operational 5,121 5,121 5,121
      – Storage 719 719 719
      – Total Machines 5,840 5,840 5,840
      – Hashrate (EH/s²)      
      – Oklahoma 0.43 0.43 0.43
      – Hosted 0.13 0.13 0.13
      – Energized 0.56 0.56 0.56
      – Storage 0.07 0.07 0.07
      – Total 0.63 0.63 0.63

    “Being vertically integrated not only secures cheaper power for our mining operations but allows us to sell excess energy back to the grid, further advancing our business model,” stated Bruce Rodgers, Chairman and CEO of LM Funding. “This two-way approach to energy utilization increases our operational efficiency and effectively positions the grid itself as a customer, generating approximately $130,000 in power sales for the first quarter of this year. As we continue our infrastructure expansion, we aim to maintain the strength of our balance sheet with these diversified revenue streams.”

    The Company estimates that the value of its 160.2 Bitcoin holdings on March 31, 2025, was approximately $13.3 million or $2.59¹ per share, based on a Bitcoin price of approximately $83,000 as of March 31, 2025, compared to a stock share price of $1.24 as of March 31, 2025.

    Upcoming Conferences and Events

    • May 20, 2025: Benchmark Virtual Digital Asset Seminar
    • May 28, 2025: Orange Group & Blockware Sell-side and Buy-side Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada

    About LM Funding America

    LM Funding America, Inc. (Nasdaq: LMFA), operates as a Bitcoin mining and specialty finance company. The company was founded in 2008 and is based in Tampa, Florida. For more information, please visit https://www.lmfunding.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” and “project” and other similar words and expressions are intended to signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and conditions but rather are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Some of these risks and uncertainties are identified in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other filings with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the risks of operating in the cryptocurrency mining business, our limited operating history in the cryptocurrency mining business and our ability to grow that business, the capacity of our Bitcoin mining machines and our related ability to purchase power at reasonable prices, our ability to identify and acquire additional mining sites, the ability to finance our site acquisitions and cryptocurrency mining operations, our ability to acquire new accounts in our specialty finance business at appropriate prices, changes in governmental regulations that affect our ability to collected sufficient amounts on defaulted consumer receivables, changes in the credit or capital markets, changes in interest rates, and negative press regarding the debt collection industry. The occurrence of any of these risks and uncertainties could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact: 

    Investor Relations 
    Orange Group 
    Yujia Zhai 
    LMFundingIR@orangegroupadvisors.com 

    ______________________________________
    ¹ Calculated using 5,133,412 shares outstanding as of 12/31/24 from SEC Form 10-K filed March 31, 2025
    ² Unaudited

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Diamond Equity Research Initiates Coverage on Brillia Inc. (NYSEAM: BRIA)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diamond Equity Research, a leading equity research firm with a focus on small capitalization public companies has initiated coverage of Brillia, Inc. (NYSEAM: BRIA). The in-depth 28-page initiation report includes detailed information on Brillia Inc’s business model, services, industry overview, financials, valuation, management profile, and risks.

    The full research report is available below.

    Brillia Initiation Report

     

    Highlights from the report include:

    • Stable, Cash Flow Positive, Asset-Light Business Model with Underappreciated Optionality and Upside from High-Margin Brand Expansion: BrilliA’s established business model, anchored by enduring partnerships with global industry leaders, delivers stable cash flow and reliable revenue streams. Its integrated operations provide room for expansion into higher-margin opportunities through the DIANA brand rollout. Further enhancing operational agility, BrilliA’s asset-light structure, maintained by minimizing physical assets, allows the company to channel resources more effectively into its core competencies. From our vantage point, this robust financial foundation enables BrilliA to respond to market shifts and invest strategically in long-term growth initiatives. Given the current valuation, the market may not yet fully appreciate BrilliA’s ability to leverage its asset-light model and established relationships to pursue profitable brand-driven expansion initiatives, providing meaningful upside potential.
    • Strategic Market Positioning Enabled by Long-Standing Global Partnerships and Industry Expertise: Long-term relationships with over 20 major brands, including (but not limited to) Fruit of the Loom, Hanes Brands, Jockey International, Hennes & Mauritz, Canadelle, and Li & Fung, underscore BrilliA’s competitive advantage. These enduring partnerships not only secure a stable revenue base but also validate the company’s operational capabilities in the intimate apparel market. This strategic positioning strengthens its reputation and provides leverage for negotiating favorable terms in future contracts.
    • Existing Business Supports Strategic Opportunity in the Rapidly Expanding Asian Lingerie Market: The global lingerie market is on a strong growth trajectory, expanding from $90 billion in 2024 to a projected $142 billion by 2030, driven by evolving consumer preferences, digital transformation, and increasing demand for comfort, inclusivity, and sustainability. While North America and Europe remain key markets, the Asia-Pacific dominates, contributing 40% of global lingerie revenues, with Southeast Asia emerging as a high-potential region led by Indonesia. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing comfort, inclusivity, and sustainability, fueling demand for innovative fabrics, diverse sizing, and ethical sourcing. Digital disruption is reshaping the competitive landscape, as traditional players like Victoria’s Secret, Hanesbrands, and Triumph International face mounting pressure from agile, direct-to-consumer brands. BrilliA’s DIANA brand is strategically positioned to tap into Southeast Asia’s growing demand by expanding product offerings, strengthening its digital presence, and integrating sustainability-focused initiatives, aiming to establish itself as a dominant player in the region’s evolving lingerie market. In our view, established businesses leveraging core competencies to enter new segments typically bear lower risk compared to startup enterprises lacking a proven operational track record.
    • Vertically Integrated Supply Chain Model Efficiently Manages Lead Times, Reduces Production Risks, and Maintains Pricing Power, Representing a Significant Competitive Advantage : BrilliA’s end-to-end integration, from design & prototyping to production & quality control, promotes efficient operations and cost-effective manufacturing. This vertical integration supports competitive pricing, timely delivery, and consistent product quality, forming a robust foundation for scaling the business. By streamlining production processes and reducing lead times, the company is well-equipped to respond to market demands swiftly and efficiently. Additionally, BrilliA is finalizing a manufacturing agreement with Magic Link Garment Ltd in Cambodia to expand capacity and leverage trade benefits such as duty-free access to Canada and preferential treatment under the EU’s EBA program. This move is expected to enhance operational efficiency and support an internally projected revenue increase of up to $5 million in 2025, subject to market conditions.
    • Analysis Indicates Meaningful Upside Potential from Geographical, Product, and Digital Expansion Initiatives: With plans to expand into key markets in Southeast Asia and Europe, along with diversifying into adjacent product categories such as sleepwear, activewear, baby wear, and period underwear, BrilliA is well-positioned to target new market segments. This strategy mitigates regional risks while driving long-term growth by broadening the customer base and enhancing cross-selling opportunities and revenue stability. We believe targeted investments in digital marketing can effectively drive online engagement and new customer acquisition, while the ongoing recruitment of design talent positions the company to sustain innovation and competitiveness. Additionally, based on preliminary analysis of reciprocal tariffs introduced by the Trump Administration on April 3, 2025, BrilliA’s production exposure in Indonesia (32% tarrif) could position it more favorably than peers with higher exposure to Vietnam (46%), Thailand (36%), or Cambodia (49%), potentially enabling the company to better manage cost volatility and trade disruptions. Collectively, our analysis suggests that BrilliA has multiple avenues available to expand beyond its existing business segments while being relatively insulated from near-term geopolitical trade risks.
    • Valuation: BrilliA, Inc. is strategically positioned for growth, leveraging its established B2B operations to support the expansion of the high-margin D2C DIANA brand in the luxury intimate apparel market. With strong industry partnerships and a focus on quality, innovation, and digital transformation, BrilliA aims to capture significant opportunities in the multi-billion-dollar global lingerie market. Its dual business model balances the profitability and stability of its B2B segment with the high-growth potential of its D2C brand. We believe the market currently undervalues the embedded optionality associated with the successful expansion into the premium D2C segment, presenting additional upside potential. Using a valuation methodology weighted 80% toward a DCF analysis (WACC at 12.25%, terminal growth rate at 1.5%) and 20% toward a sum-of-the-parts approach, we model the company’s value at approximately $183.81 million, or $6.00 per share. Achieving this valuation hinges on successfully scaling DIANA, while preserving robust cash flows from its B2B operations and overall successful execution.

    About Brillia, Inc.  

    Brillia Inc., established in 2023, specializes in the design, production, and distribution of women’s intimate apparel across global markets, including North America, the European Union, the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East. Its product range encompasses bras, panties, bodysuits, swimwear, dresses, and related apparel. 

    About Diamond Equity Research

    Diamond Equity Research is a leading equity research and corporate access firm focused on small capitalization companies. Diamond Equity Research is an approved sell-side provider on major institutional investor platforms.

    For more information, visit https://www.diamondequityresearch.com.

    Disclosures:

    Diamond Equity Research LLC is being compensated by BrilliA, Inc. for producing research materials regarding BrilliA, Inc. and its securities, which is meant to subsidize the high cost of creating the report and monitoring the security, however the views in the report reflect that of Diamond Equity Research. All payments are received upfront and are billed for research engagement. As of 04/09/25 the issuer had paid us $30,000 for our company sponsored research services, which commenced 12/30/2024 and is billed annually. Diamond Equity Research LLC may be compensated for non-research related services, including presenting at Diamond Equity Research investment conferences, press releases and other additional services. The non-research related service cost is dependent on the company, but usually do not exceed $5,000. The issuer has not paid us for non-research related services as of 04/09/2025. Issuers are not required to engage us for these additional services. Additional fees may have accrued since then. Although Diamond Equity Research company sponsored reports are based on publicly available information and although no investment recommendations are made within our company sponsored research reports, given the small capitalization nature of the companies we cover we have adopted an internal trading procedure around the public companies by whom we are engaged, with investors able to find such policy on our website public disclosures page. This report and press release do not consider individual circumstances and does not take into consideration individual investor preferences. Statements within this report may constitute forward-looking statements, these statements involve many risk factors and general uncertainties around the business, industry, and macroeconomic environment. Investors need to be aware of the high degree of risk in small capitalization equities including the complete loss of their investment.This report does not explicitly or implicitly affirm that the information contained within this document is accurate and/or comprehensive, and as such should not be relied on in such a capacity. All information contained within this report is subject to change without any formal or other notice provided.  Investors can find various risk factors in the initiation report and in the respective financial filings for Brillia, Inc. Please review initiation report attached for full disclosure page.   

    Contact:
    Diamond Equity Research
    research@diamondequityresearch.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fermyon Breaks New Ground in Serverless Hyperscaling with WebAssembly on Google Kubernetes Engine

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONGMONT, Colo., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fermyon™ Technologies, Inc., the serverless WebAssembly company, today demonstrated a breakthrough for serverless hyperscaling as Fermyon Platform for Kubernetes reaches unparalleled scale on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) clusters, achieving 7x faster pod scheduling and execution speeds 50x faster than today’s leading serverless cloud technologies.

    At Containers @ Google NEXT ‘25, the Google Cloud team debuted the first high-scale demonstration of next generation GKE Autopilot capabilities. Google Cloud has just announced new performance improvements to GKE Autopilot, including faster pod scheduling, scaling reaction time, and capacity right-sizing. The on-site demo features a GKE Autopilot cluster that hosts 1,000 typical lightweight serverless functions on a single four core node, capable of handling unanticipated bursts of traffic to any function doubling the amount of traffic you can serve within seconds without over-provisioning or introducing latency. The unprecedented workload density is made possible by Fermyon’s specialized high-density runtime, Fermyon Platform for Kubernetes.

    This further cements WebAssembly’s leading-edge stature as the highest-performing compute standard and Fermyon’s leadership within the WebAssembly (Wasm) ecosystem for its selection by Google Cloud to demonstrate this level of scale. The combination of WebAssembly’s fast application scaling and Autopilot’s resource scaling ushers in a new era of cloud elasticity capable of supporting highly responsive “bursty” applications delivered faster than the blink of an eye (<100 milliseconds) while simplifying cluster operations and reducing cost for consumers.

    Media, ecommerce, financial services, and other high-volume digital experience companies know that even 100-millisecond delays can impact customer engagement and online revenue — especially under unpredictable crushing-load situations such as a viral moment or an unexpected high response to a product launch. Current Kubernetes architectures compound the problem by forcing companies to pre-scale to massive compute levels and leave those computers more than 83% idle which puts pressure on both corporate wallets and global emissions.

    “The synergy between Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) and Fermyon’s WebAssembly platform offers remarkable application and infrastructure elasticity. Fermyon’s use of WebAssembly enables serverless applications to achieve startup times in the sub-millisecond range, facilitating rapid scaling in response to sudden demand spikes,” stated Paul Nashawaty, Practice Lead and Principal Analyst at theCUBE Research. “GKE enhances this by providing automated, rapid scaling of virtual machine resources through features like Autopilot mode, which manages node provisioning and scaling based on traffic. This dual-layer elasticity ensures that applications can handle unexpected surges, such as viral events, with near-instantaneous responsiveness, highlighting the growing momentum for serverless WebAssembly and GKE adoption.”

    Scaling with Fermyon Serverless

    Fermyon Platform for Kubernetes (self-hosted, single-tenant) and Fermyon Wasm Functions (hosted, multi-tenant) are both WebAssembly serverless execution engines which achieve blazingly fast cold-starts (<1 millisecond), incredibly high workload density (>50x more than typical Kubernetes app density), and instant scale. Both execute Spin serverless functions. Spin is a Fermyon-contributed CNCF Sandbox project focused on delivering superior developer experience for writing event-driven serverless functions, enabling a developer to go from blinking cursor to deployed serverless function in two minutes or less.

    Pairing this high performance with Google Cloud’s new next-generation Autopilot, featuring a new container-optimized compute platform alongside performance improvements like faster pod scheduling and scaling reaction times, means nodes in a Kubernetes cluster can dynamically resize in a few seconds, capable of hosting thousands of Spin serverless functions and hundreds of thousands of requests per second. This avoids the painful preparatory work cloud operations teams have to do to imagine how large viral spikes could be, then plan for and put in place — at an expense — enough capacity to handle those loads.

    Starting today, Google Cloud customers can develop Spin serverless functions and deploy them on GKE with the container-optimized compute platform enabling them to:

    • Avoid painful blockages, blackouts, and shortages during high-volume bursts that cause customers to be locked out and walk away, thus retaining eyeballs and revenue.
    • Enjoy a serverless developer experience on Kubernetes that rids developers of painful overhead to prepare their code for Kubernetes deployments.
    • Write a serverless function in almost any language with SDK support for Javascript/TypeScript, Rust, Python, .NET/C#, and Go.
    • Cut cold start time of HTTP-centric applications to a mere fraction of a millisecond.
    • Avoid over-spending on Kubernetes clusters for future, unknown events.
    • Avoid the stress that comes with under-guessing.

    Google Cloud customers will be able to directly procure Fermyon Platform for Kubernetes and/or Fermyon Wasm Functions from Fermyon on next-generation GKE Autopilot. And starting in Q3, Autopilot’s container-optimized compute platform will also be available to standard GKE clusters, without requiring a specific cluster configuration.

    “Bringing the world’s fastest serverless platform to the world’s first on-demand expandable compute, backed by intelligent capacity provisioning that supports fast pod scheduling, is a big win for any organization interested in avoiding those painful viral-moment blackouts,” said Fermyon CEO Matt Butcher. “With cold starts under half a millisecond, robust service APIs, AI and GPU integration and support for a broad array of programming languages, Fermyon brings Google customers next-generation compute that is not just industry leading, but redefining.”

    “Companies worldwide are constantly seeking superior performance with less risk and cost. We’ve responded to that with the next generation GKE Autopilot offering featuring a new container-optimized compute platform, along with performance improvements like fast pod scheduling and capacity right sizing, powered by unique Google Cloud hardware. This gets rid of the uncertainty, doubt and cost that comes with pre-planning Kubernetes deployments. Fermyon simply can help customers reach new heights when it comes to scale and speed, utilizing WebAssembly on GKE,” said Gabe Monroy, VP/GM of Cloud Runtimes at Google.

    Google Cloud and Fermyon will be showcasing the Fermyon Platform for Kubernetes on GKE at Google Cloud Next in Las Vegas from April 9th to 11th.

    Additional Resources

    About Fermyon™ Technologies, Inc.

    Fermyon is leading the next wave of cloud computing with the first cloud-native WebAssembly FaaS that lets developers build better serverless apps faster. Fermyon is focused on empowering cloud developers to quickly realize the things they are thinking about creating and focus on the code that brings value instead of the obligatory foundation code. Fermyon was founded by the Deis Labs team at Microsoft Azure and is backed by Insight Partners and Amplify Partners. For more information, go to https://www.fermyon.com or follow @fermyontech.

    Media Contact
    constantia@fermyon.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE Presence supports SPAK Task Force to prevent and investigate electoral crimes

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE Presence supports SPAK Task Force to prevent and investigate electoral crimes

    Head of SPAK Altin Dumani (left), Ambassador Tarran (across) and their staff meet on the occasion of a donation by the OSCE Presence to enhance SPAK’s newly-established Task Force’s capacities in preventing and investigating electoral crimes, Tirana, 9 April 2025. (OSCE/Joana Karapataqi) Photo details

    As part of its efforts to support the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), on 9 April 2025, the OSCE Presence in Albania donated several sets of IT equipment to enhance SPAK’s newly-established Task Force’s capacities in preventing and investigating electoral crimes in the 11 May parliamentary elections.
    The equipment – consisting of 25 laptops, 25 printers/scanners and accessories – will be used by the 13 mobile investigation units as well as the co-ordinating unit in Tirana. The mobile units will cover all 12 regions of Albania and will be composed of SPAK prosecutors, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) investigators, financial investigators and support staff. They will focus on preventing and investigating criminal offences related to misuse of public administration and state infrastructure as well as the involvement of criminal groups in elections.
    This technical assistance will be followed by capacity-building training aimed at enhancing the skills of special prosecutors, financial and NBI investigators in gathering, analysing and investigating evidence related to electoral crimes.
    During the handover ceremony at SPAK premises, Head of Presence Ambassador Michel Tarran and Head of SPAK Altin Dumani emphasized the importance of strong institutional mechanisms in safeguarding electoral processes.
    “Today is about more than just equipment – it is about empowering the institutions that contribute to strengthening Albania’s democracy. I would like to commend SPAK for their initiative and commitment to investigating and prosecuting electoral crimes. We hope that heightened co-ordination and action from relevant institutions will dissuade potential violators and are confident that your work will contribute to ensuring that elections are free from unlawful interference,” said Tarran.
    “Elections represent a cornerstone of a democratic state. We express our gratitude to the OSCE for its continued support. This equipment will help to enhance the capacity of special prosecutors and investigators in the timely identification and effective prosecution of electoral crimes”, said Dumani.
    The donation was made possible as part of OSCE Presence’s project “Support to electoral reform and processes in Albania” funded by Sweden, Switzerland, the U.S. Mission to the OSCE and Poland.
    The OSCE Presence remains committed to supporting Albania’s institution in further strengthening electoral integrity.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa faces critical shortage of oral health workers amid rising disease burden

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), April 9, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Africa faces a chronic shortage of oral health workers due to underinvestment, leaving millions of people without adequate care and vulnerable to preventable oral diseases, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) workforce fact sheet on oral health released today. 

    The WHO fact sheet states that the region has been experiencing the highest increased number of cases of oral diseases like dental caries, gum diseases, and tooth loss over the last three decades across all WHO regions. In 2021, around 42% of the population in the African region suffered from untreated oral diseases. This is compounded by a chronic shortage of health workers to address diseases burden. For example, between 2014 and 2019, the number of dentists and the number of oral health workers, including dentists, dental assistants/therapists and dental prosthetists per 10 000 population in the Region was one tenth and one sixth of the global ratio, respectively.

    In 2022, the region had only about 57 000 oral health professionals, representing a mere 1.11% of the total health workforce in the region and a ratio of 0.37 professionals per 10,000 people. This figure falls far below the 1.33 oral health workers per 10 000 (158 916 total; 83 099 dentists and 75 817 dental assistants and therapists) needed in 2022 to achieve basic universal health coverage targets. 

    This deficit exposes millions to preventable suffering and highlights a critical breakdown in oral health workforce. It also reveals the need for about 199 170 oral health workers (1.37 per 10 000 population) including 103 858 dentists and 95 312 dental health assistants and therapists by 2030.

    Oral health remains a low priority in many African countries, leading to inadequate financial and technical investment. Moreover, oral health has historically been siloed and treated as separate from general health and the broader health care system. This might contribute to isolated oral health management approaches, separated workforce training, increasing costs, and siloed care delivery infrastructures. This silo approach has led to competition for already scarce human and financial resources. Although there are over 4,000 health training institutions in the Region, only 84 dental education institutions were identified across 26 Member States. 

    The shortage of skilled oral health workforce hampers progress towards achieving universal health coverage. Only 17% of the regional population have access to essential oral health interventions as part of the health benefit packages of the largest government health financing schemes. Progress in disease prevention is also slow, including fluoride use and sugar reduction efforts. 

    “Africa cannot afford to neglect oral health. Neglect has severe, lasting consequences for overall well-being,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa. “It’s crucial for countries to do more to increase health workforce, access to affordable prevention and care services and ensure that people are equipped with the knowledge and skill on promoting oral health.”

    The WHO Africa regional oral heath workforce fact sheet will serve as a reference for policymakers and a wide range of stakeholders. In addition, it guides the advocacy process toward better prioritization of oral health in the region to tackle this alarming oral health situation.

    It calls for urgent action to address the oral health workforce crisis, including aligning national oral health and health workforce strategies with the WHO Global oral health strategy, implementing needs-based planning for human resources for health, especially at the primary care level, enhancing data management systems, such as National Health Workforce Accounts to track workforce numbers and trends, shifting from treatment-oriented oral health care to integrated prevention and promotion approaches, particularly at the community and primary care levels and implementing innovative workforce models such as task-sharing of oral health services with oral health workers and non-oral health workers, improving training curricula, and developing retention and migration strategies.   

    “This factsheet calls for action. Increased investment and targeted interventions are critical to closing Africa’s oral health workforce gap. We must prioritize oral health as a fundamental component of Universal Health Coverage to improve health outcomes and reduce the disease burden across the region,” said Dr Ihekweazu.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to statement by UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office concerning China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to statement by UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office concerning China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    • Date：2025-04-03
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    April 3, 2025

    The United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office released a statement on April 2 indicating its concern over China’s military exercises around Taiwan, underscoring that they increased tensions and risked dangerous escalation in the Taiwan Strait. The statement reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, adding that this was critical to global prosperity. It went on to declare that the United Kingdom supported a free and open Indo-Pacific, that the Taiwan issue should be settled by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue and without the threat or use of force or coercion, and that military drills or threats to Taiwan were not conducive to such dialogue. The statement further pointed out that the United Kingdom did not support any attempt at unilaterally changing the status quo, calling for restraint and the avoidance of actions that undermine peace and stability.

    The UK statement follows those made by the United States, the European Union, and Japan, and is another expression of concern by a major country over China’s military exercises around Taiwan. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung welcomes the statement and thanks the UK government for continuing to pay close attention to the situation across the Taiwan Strait and for stating clearly that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are of global importance. 

    MOFA stresses that Taiwan, as a responsible member of the international community, will continue to work with like-minded partners to jointly safeguard the rules-based international order. Taiwan hopes that the world’s democracies will unite in calling on China to return to reason and restraint and to stop threatening Taiwan and unilaterally increasing regional tensions.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to European Parliament resolutions expressing concern over China’s escalation of Taiwan Strait tensions and supporting the deepening of Taiwan-EU cooperation

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    April 3, 2025

    The European Parliament on April 2 voted overwhelmingly to adopt resolutions on annual reports on the implementation of the European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The resolutions once again reiterated concern over China’s escalation of tensions across the Taiwan Strait and expressed support for further deepening comprehensive Taiwan-EU cooperation and exchanges. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) sincerely welcomes and appreciates these resolutions.

    The CFSP resolution pointed out that the center of gravity in the global order was shifting towards the Indo-Pacific and that the European Union must strengthen its active role and presence in the region to safeguard peace, freedom, and stability and uphold the rules-based international order. It stated that Taiwan was a key democratic partner for the European Union in the Indo-Pacific region and urged the European Union and its member states to engage in closer cooperation with Taiwan in order to further boost economic, trade, and investment ties. The resolution also encouraged the European Commission to launch, without delay, preparatory measures for negotiations on an investment agreement with Taiwan.

    Furthermore, the European Parliament strongly condemned China’s continued military provocations against Taiwan and China’s continuous distortion of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 aimed at blocking Taiwan’s meaningful international participation. It stressed that China’s territorial claims over Taiwan had no basis in international law and that only Taiwan’s democratically elected government could represent the Taiwanese people. 

    The European Parliament called on the European Union and its member states to ensure, through clear and consistent signaling, that any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, particularly by means of force or coercion, could not be accepted and would have high costs. It also urged the European Commission and EU member states to formulate a coordinated response strategy to the situation across the Taiwan Strait and to regularly provide impact assessments to the European Parliament concerning the latest developments. 

    Meanwhile, the CSDP resolution strongly condemned hostile acts conducted by China against Taiwan, including an increasing number of cyberattacks, influence campaigns, the entry of Chinese warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, and the severing of subsea cables. It reaffirmed the European Union’s strong commitment to preserving the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, lauded the restraint and disciplined reaction of the Taiwan government, and called on China to exercise restraint and avoid any actions that may further escalate cross-strait tensions. 

    The resolution also underlined the strategic significance of the Indo-Pacific region within the European Union’s defense framework and urged awareness of Taiwan’s leading role in high-tech development and extensive experience defending itself against China’s hybrid attacks and disinformation. It called for regular exchanges between the European Union and Taiwan on relevant security issues, as well as for Taiwan and the European Union to share information about incidents related to the severing of undersea cables. It added that Taiwan should be a key part of the European Union’s considerations in advancing multilateral cooperation and capacity building in the Indo-Pacific. 

    In a gesture of great significance, the European Parliament on October 24 last year overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution on the misinterpretation of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan. This demonstrated strong consensus and firm support for Taiwan across the various parties of the 10th-term European Parliament. 

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung expresses sincere and deep gratitude to the European Parliament for its continued concrete actions in deepening the Taiwan-EU partnership and emphasizing its firm stance on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. On the excellent foundation of close cooperation that currently exists, Taiwan will continue to advance exchanges with the European Parliament in all areas so as to jointly strengthen democratic resilience and build robust and reciprocal values-based alliances.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to social media posts by Global Affairs Canada expressing concern over China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to social media posts by Global Affairs Canada expressing concern over China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    • Date：2025-04-03
    • Data Source：Department of North American Affairs

    April 3, 2025

    Global Affairs Canada issued statements on the social media platforms X and Facebook on April 2 expressing Canada’s deep concern over China’s recent military exercises around Taiwan. The statements emphasized that these threatening actions increased regional tensions and instability and affected global security and prosperity. Canada urged China to resolve cross-strait differences by peaceful means.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung thanks Canada for reaffirming its support of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and for opposing the use of force or coercion to change the status quo, as well as for explicitly stating that China’s threats to Taiwan and regional security undermine the status quo.

    Since Canada issued its Indo-Pacific Strategy in November 2022, it has dispatched naval ships to transit the Taiwan Strait six times, repeatedly demonstrating its staunch determination to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait through concrete action. In the face of relentless harassment by China, the Taiwan government will continue to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and bolster cooperation with allied nations to jointly safeguard the rules-based international order. Taiwan calls on all countries to express concern about China’s attempts at gray-zone coercion, including military threats and lawfare targeting Taiwan, and to condemn unilateral actions by China that escalate regional tensions.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to social media post by German Foreign Office expressing concern over China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to social media post by German Foreign Office expressing concern over China’s military exercises around Taiwan

    • Date：2025-04-04
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    April 4, 2025

    On April 2, the Federal Foreign Office of Germany posted a message on the social media platform X pointing out that China’s military exercises around Taiwan had increased tensions and were a cause of concern. It stated that stability in the Taiwan Strait was paramount for regional and global security and also affected prosperity in Europe. The Foreign Office underlined that the status quo could only be changed through peaceful means and by mutual agreement, and not by force or coercion.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely thanks the government of Germany for its continued attention to cross-strait peace and stability and for this further expression of concern over China’s military drills. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscores that Taiwan, as a responsible member of the international community, will continue to work with like-minded partners to jointly defend the rules-based international order. It joins other nations in calling on China to exercise self-restraint, stop threatening Taiwan, and cease its unilateral attempts to escalate regional tensions. 

    MIL OSI China News –