Category: Trade

MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2025 Article IV Consultation with Antigua and Barbuda

Source: IMF – News in Russian

March 17, 2025

Washington, DC: On March 13, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation^[1] with Antigua and Barbuda and endorsed the staff appraisal without a meeting on a lapse-of-time basis. The authorities need more time to consider the publication of the Staff Report prepared for this consultation.^[2]

Antigua and Barbuda’s post-pandemic economic expansion is continuing. Real output is estimated to have surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2024, with growth estimated at 4.3 percent, driven by strong tourism and one-off events (including the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States and the T20 Cricket World Cup). Inflation was elevated in 2024, reflecting contributions from specific items, notably communication, as well as increases in indirect taxes.

The recovery in nominal GDP, along with improved fiscal balances, brought down the public debt from around 100 percent of GDP in 2020 to 67 percent in 2024. However, gross financing needs are projected to remain around 10 percent of GDP in the medium term. Substantial domestic and external arrears, albeit with domestic arrears uncertain in size, have limited financing options. The fiscal primary balance improved to 4.6 percent in 2024, aided by indirect tax increases, a broader economic recovery, and one-off factors (e.g., nearly 2 percent of GDP from an asset forfeiture and unusually low capital spending). The 2025 Budget envisages stronger tax revenues and higher capital spending.

According to Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) preliminary estimates, the current account deficit narrowed to 7 percent of GDP in 2024, reflecting both a higher service trade balance—mainly tourism receipts—and a smaller goods deficit due to a contraction in imports. FDI inflows were resilient to tightening global financial conditions and continued to support ongoing hotel construction. Credit growth is recovering, with nonperforming loans contained.

Executive Board Assessment^[3]

In concluding the 2025 Article IV consultation with Antigua and Barbuda, Executive Directors endorsed the staff’s appraisal, as follows:

Antigua and Barbuda’s post-pandemic economic expansion continues. Economic activity, boosted by tourism, is estimated to have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. As the recovery matures, staff projects economic growth to moderate from 3 percent in 2025 to 2½ percent over the medium term. After an increase in inflation in 2024, in part reflecting one-off factors, underlying price pressures are expected to dissipate. The external position in 2024 is assessed to be moderately weaker than the level implied by medium term fundamentals and desirable policies. Efforts to raise revenue and address debt and fiscal challenges bore fruit in 2024, though further steps will be needed to restore debt sustainability, address the stock of outstanding arrears, and reduce gross financing needs in the medium term.

Risks are currently tilted to the downside, although upside risks are also present. Downside risks emanate from elevated uncertainty about the global outlook; a deepening of geoeconomic fragmentation; commodity price volatility; climate-related vulnerabilities; and capacity constraints in the construction sector. Upside risks stem from stronger demand for tourism; improved air connectivity; new cruise port facilities; hosting of special events; and the intensification of productivity-enhancing structural reforms, which could support higher medium- and long-term growth.

Addressing external and domestic arrears is key to broadening financing options. While the fall in nominal debt in 2024 is welcome, outstanding arrears to domestic suppliers and to the Paris Club remain obstacles to debt sustainability and constrain Antigua and Barbuda’s potential access to external and domestic financing. Given the additional vulnerabilities stemming from climate change and the resulting substantial adaption and resilience-building investment needs, efforts to address the current debt challenges, bolster government revenues, and improve public financial management are all the more critical.

Recent improvements in tax revenue are welcome, with further domestic revenue mobilization needed in the medium term to ensure fiscal sustainability. Antigua and Barbuda’s tax revenues remain below the authorities’ fiscal resilience guideline targets and are low by peer country standards. The authorities’ 2024 Budget measures have started to close the gap, but more will be needed in the medium term. To mobilize revenue without recourse to a personal income tax or higher ABST rates, near-term priorities could include tighter control of tax exemptions, transitioning to HS2022 classification in customs, and modernizing the framework for property taxation. Intensifying efforts to introduce a single window system at customs and to operationalize systems to allow e-filing, e-payment and e-registration of taxes is warranted. Introducing a large taxpayer unit as well as modernized IT systems would strengthen tax administration.

Better targeted social assistance would enhance inclusion while curbing inefficiencies. The current framework of social protection is fragmented across sectors and ministries. Staff sees scope to streamline these social programs to reduce overlap and tailor social assistance to the most vulnerable households. In this vein, staff encourages the development of a centralized information system or unified database to maintain accurate records of all beneficiaries, track support received, and identify gaps or duplications in coverage.

Room remains to strengthen fiscal institutions and oversight, building on recent progress. The operationalization of the Fiscal Responsibility Oversight Committee is welcome. To promote transparency and help build public understanding, staff encourages publication of FROC reports once further experience has been gained. These goals would also be served by parliamentary endorsement of the Fiscal Resilience Guidelines and the medium-term fiscal framework. Statutory exemptions should be consistent with the Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority Act and the Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority should monitor the approved projects. The envisaged reestablishment of the SOE unit in the Ministry of Finance would enhance SOE oversight and contain potential fiscal risks.

To reinforce financial stability and build on efforts to promote financial inclusion, regional coordination remains key. Staff assesses the financial sector to be broadly stable, with credit growth recovering and non-performing loans approaching prudential levels. The launch of the regional credit bureau can promote faster access to credit while maintaining lending standards. The ECCB-led climate risk initiatives and the regional partial credit guarantee scheme should also boost credit quality and financial intermediation. A more risk-based supervisory framework for credit unions, with enhanced monitoring of asset quality and credit forbearance measures in the context of the planned regional common regulatory standards, would help put credit unions and banks on a more level playing field. The inclusion of the ECCB in the National Oversight Committee on Financial Action improves coordination among supervisory authorities. The increase in investment thresholds for the Citizenship by Investment Program and the improved due diligence process can help safeguard the program’s integrity.

Intensifying reforms to improve the business environment would support potential growth by improving the allocation of resources between firms and addressing obstacles to firms’ operations. Staff analysis finds potential for large aggregate productivity gains from the reallocation of resources between firms, and scope to continue addressing obstacles that firms report in areas such as workforce education, access to finance, and customs and trade regulations. Targeted efforts to increase educational opportunities, employer‑employee matching at the One Stop Employment Centre, and the completion of the Skills Demand Survey, are warranted. Offering courses at local institutions could increase financial literacy among MSMEs, and implementing the single electronic window at customs would increase the efficiency of importing and exporting of goods.

Table 1. Antigua and Barbuda: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators
Population (2023)	102,195				Adult literacy rate (2015)						99
GDP per capita (US$, 2023)	19,627				Mean years of schooling (2022)						10.5
Life expectancy at birth (years, 2022)		79.2			Human Development Index rank						54
Mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births, 2022) 10 (2022, of 193 economies)

						Est.	Projections
		2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027		2028		2029
National Income and Prices
Real GDP		-18.9	8.2	9.1	2.4	4.3	3.0	2.5	2.5		2.5		2.5
Nominal GDP		-18.2	13.5	16.5	7.5	10.9	6.7	5.0	4.6		4.5		4.5
Consumer prices (end of period)		2.8	1.2	9.2	3.3	6.0	3.0	2.0	2.0		2.0		2.0
Consumer prices (period average)		1.1	1.6	7.5	5.1	6.4	3.5	2.4	2.0		2.0		2.0
Money and Credit
Net foreign assets		-4.4	18.2	3.3	0.2	3.3	3.2	3.8	2.5		1.3		0.3
Net domestic assets		-0.6	-4.4	1.3	4.4	-1.3	6.4	1.3	2.0		3.2		4.2
Broad money (M2)		-8.7	13.9	4.6	4.6	2.1	9.5	5.0	4.6		4.5		4.5
Credit to private sector		4.8	-4.1	-2.1	7.0	10.2	6.0	5.5	5.0		5.0		5.0
Central Government
Primary balance		-3.7	-2.3	-0.3	0.5	4.6	0.7	0.8	0.9		1.0		1.0
Overall balance		-6.2	-4.5	-2.8	-1.7	2.5	-1.3	-1.0	-0.7		-0.6		-0.5
Total revenue and grants		19.8	18.9	17.9	17.1	21.4	19.9	20.1	20.2		20.1		20.0
Total expenditure		26.0	23.4	20.7	18.8	18.9	21.2	21.1	20.9		20.7		20.5
External Sector
Current account balance		-15.6	-17.8	-15.6	-13.5	-7.0	-10.5	-10.2	-10.1		-9.8		-9.5
Trade balance		-28.6	-29.6	-34.4	-32.8	-28.2	-30.4	-30.3	-30.2		-30.0		-29.9
Nonfactor service balance		17.3	19.5	28.2	28.4	30.4	28.8	29.1	29.4		29.6		29.9
Of which: Gross tourism receipts		29.2	30.5	44.4	45.4	46.8	46.7	47.2	47.7		48.1		48.5
Overall balance		-6.5	3.5	-0.1	-2.5	0.5	0.9	1.5	-0.1		-1.1		-1.4
External public sector debt		47.5	45.5	39.4	36.0	30.9	31.1	34.5	37.3		39.7		39.0
Savings-Investment Balance		-15.6	-17.8	-15.6	-13.5	-7.0	-10.5	-10.2	-10.1		-9.8		-9.5
Savings		22.4	28.4	25.4	25.3	28.0	25.6	25.2	25.0		24.8		24.7
Investment		38.0	46.2	41.0	38.8	35.0	36.1	35.4	35.0		34.6		34.2
Memorandum Items
Net imputed international reserves (US$ million) 222 324 346 319 322 375 443										491		517		524
(Months of prospective imports)		3.1	3.2	3.3	3.1	2.7	3.0	3.4	3.6		3.6		3.5
GDP at market prices (EC$ million)		3,811	4,326	5,040	5,416	6,007	6,408	6,731	7,037		7,353		7,684
Public debt stock (EC$ million) 1/, 2/		3,829	4,021	4,134	4,134	4,028	4,063	4,265	4,410		4,502		4,601
(Percent of GDP)		100.5	93.0	82.0	76.3	67.1	63.4	63.4	62.7		61.2		59.9
Sources: Country authorities, ECCB, UN Human Development Report, World Bank, and IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Includes stock of principal and interest arrears, unpaid vouchers, and suppliers’ credits.
2/ Includes central government guarantees of state enterprises’ and statutory bodies’ debt.

[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

[2] Under the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, publication of documents that pertain to member countries is voluntary and requires the member consent. The authorities have requested additional time to decide on the publication of the staff report. A final decision is expected not later than 28 days from the Board consideration date.

[3] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without convening formal discussions.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Meera Louis

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/03/17/pr25067-antigua-and-barbuda-imf-executive-board-concludes-2025-article-iv-consultation

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 18, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: SBA Announces 2025 National Small Business Week Program and Specialty Award Winners
Source: United States Small Business Administration

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced the national program and specialty award winners for SBA’s 2025 National Small Business Week, which will take place May 4-10, 2025. These awards recognize businesses and resource partners for their efforts in government contracting and disaster recovery as well as individual awards for exporter, small business investment company and surety bond agent of the year.

“The Small Business Administration is proud to recognize excellence across our small businesses and key resource partners,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said. “As we prepare to highlight just a few of the many success stories during National Small Business Week, we are laser-focused on our mission to empower American job creators and drive economic growth.”

Government Contracting-related Awards

8(a) Graduate of the Year: Owner/President Gina Hill, G.M. Hill Engineering Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.

Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: President and CEO Karen Renee Paschal, Conco Inc., Louisville, Ky.

Small Business Subcontractor of the Year: President and CEO Antonio Martinez, Renaissance Global Services LLC, Holmdel, N.J.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence

These awards recognize small business prime contractors that have excelled in using small businesses as suppliers and subcontractors in various industries.
- Construction: Vice President, Contracts and Compliance Glenn Sweatt, Environmental Chemical Corporation, Burlingame, Calif.
- Manufacturing: Executive Director, Supplier Diversity and Sustainability Rondu Vincent, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lawrence Township, N.J.
- Services: Small Business Liaison Officer and Senior Manager of Supply Chain Excellence Lisa Tanner, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, S.C.
Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery

These awards recognize inspiring resilience in the aftermath of devastating natural disasters and outstanding contributions toward recovery efforts.

Small Business: Luis and Amy Fuentes Ruiz, Island Catering LLC, Lahaina, Hawaii

Outstanding Contributions, Public Official: Mayor Jennifer Linam Hobbs, Wynne, Ark.

Outstanding Contributions, Volunteer: Senior Pastor John Grayson, Gospel Tabernacle Church, Selma, Ala.

SBA Resource Partner Awards

These awards recognize SBA-funded training and assistance partners for their impact on local economic growth, job creation and entrepreneurial support.

SCORE Chapter of the Year: SCORE Greater Seattle, Seattle, Wash., led by Chapter Chair Suvendoo Ray

Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Center Award: Angelo State University Small Business Development Center, San Angelo, Texas, led by Director Dezaray Kathlaine Johnson

Women’s Business Center of Excellence Award: Women’s Business Center of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, led by Director Anne Marie Wallace

Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year: Veterans Business Outreach Center at University of Texas Arlington College of Business, Arlington, Texas, led by Director Patrick Alcorn

Exporter of the Year

President and CEO Louis Auletta and Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing Michael Auletta, Bauer Inc., Bristol, Conn.

Small Business Investment Company of the Year – Established Manager

GMB Capital Partners, Minneapolis, Minn.

Surety Bond Agent of the Year

Vice President of Bond Operations Alicia Marasco, Capstone Risk Management Services, Las Vegas, Nev.

Details on the National Small Business Week virtual summit, registrations and speakers are featured on National Small Business Week and will be updated as additional information and activities are confirmed. Local events will be featured on Find upcoming events and identifiable by searching with #SmallBusinessWeek.

# # #

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –
March 18, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: What is the rules-based order? How this global system has shifted from ‘liberal’ origins − and where it could be heading next

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Latham, Professor of Political Science, Macalester College

Global order? Put a pin in it. Getty Images

The phrase “international rules-based order” has long been a fixture in global politics.

Western leaders often use it to describe a framework of rules, norms and institutions designed to guide state behavior. Advocates argue that this framework has provided the foundation for decades of stability and prosperity, while critics question its fairness and relevance in today’s multipolar world.

But what exactly is the international rules-based order, when did it come about, and why do people increasingly hear about challenges to it today?

The birth of a universal vision

The rules-based international order, initially known as the “liberal international order,” emerged from the devastation of World War II. The vision was ambitious and universal: to create a global system based on liberal democratic values, market capitalism and multilateral cooperation.

At its core, however, this project was driven by the United States, which saw itself as the unmatched leader of the new order.

The idea was to replace the chaos of great power politics and shifting alliances with a predictable world governed by shared rules and norms.

Central to this vision was the establishment of institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. These institutions, alongside widely accepted norms and formalized rules, aimed to promote political cooperation, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and economic recovery for countries damaged by war.

However, the vision of a truly universal liberal international order quickly unraveled. As the Cold War set in, the world split into two competing blocs. The Western bloc, led by the United States, adhered to the principles of the liberal international order.

Meanwhile, the Soviet-led communist bloc established a parallel system with its own norms, rules and institutions. The Warsaw Pact provided military alignment, while the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance managed economic cooperation. The communist bloc emphasized state-led economic planning and single-party rule, rejecting the liberal order’s emphasis on democracy and free markets.

Emerging cracks

When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, the liberal international order appeared to have triumphed. The United States became the world’s sole superpower, and many former communist states integrated into Western institutions. For a brief period, the order’s universal vision seemed within reach.

By the 1990s and early 2000s, however, new cracks began to appear.

NATO expansion, the creation of the World Trade Organization and greater emphasis on human rights through institutions such as the International Criminal Court all closely aligned with Western liberal values. The spread of these norms and the institutions enforcing them appeared, to many outside the West, as Western ideology dressed up as universal principles.

In response to mounting criticism, Western leaders began using the term rules-based international order instead of liberal international order. This shift aimed to emphasize procedural fairness – rules that all states, in theory, had agreed upon – rather than a system explicitly rooted in liberal ideological commitments. The focus moved from promoting specific liberal norms to maintaining stability and predictability.

New challenges to the status quo

China’s rise has brought these tensions into sharp relief. While China participates in many institutions underpinning the rules-based international order, it also seeks to reshape them.

The Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank illustrate Beijing’s efforts to establish alternative frameworks more aligned with its interests. These initiatives challenge existing rules and norms by offering new institutional pathways for economic and political influence.

Meanwhile, Russia’s actions in Ukraine – especially the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the 2022 invasion – challenge the order’s core principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Western inconsistencies have long undermined the credibility of the rules-based order. The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, widely criticized for bypassing international norms and institutions, exemplified a selective application of the rules. This double standard extends toward Washington’s selective engagement with international legal bodies and its inconsistent approach to sovereignty and intervention.

An uncertain future

Supporters argue that the rules-based order remains vital for addressing global challenges such as climate change, pandemics and nuclear proliferation.

However, ambiguity surrounds what these “rules” actually entail, which norms are genuinely universal, and who enforces them.

This lack of clarity, coupled with shifting global power dynamics, complicates efforts to sustain the system.

The future of the rules-based international order is uncertain. The shift from “liberal” to “rules-based” reflected an ongoing struggle to adapt a complex web of rules, norms and institutions to a rapidly changing international environment.

Whether it evolves further, splinters or endures as is will depend on how well it balances fairness, inclusivity and stability in an increasingly multipolar world.

Andrew Latham 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 is the rules-based order? How this global system has shifted from ‘liberal’ origins − and where it could be heading next – https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-rules-based-order-how-this-global-system-has-shifted-from-liberal-origins-and-where-it-could-be-heading-next-250978

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 18, 2025

MIL-OSI: Coface SA: Disclosure of trading in own shares (excluding the liquidity agreement) made on March 10, 2025 to March 14, 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

COFACE SA: Disclosure of trading in own shares (excluding the liquidity agreement) made on March 10, 2025 to March 14, 2025

Paris, 17 March 2025 – 17.45

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

The main features of the 2024-2025 Share Buyback Program have been published on the Company’s website (http://www.coface.com/Investors/Disclosure-requirements, under “Own share transactions”) and are also described in the 2023 Universal Registration Document.

Trading session of (Date)	Number of shares	Weighted average price	Gross amount	MIC Code	Purpose of buyback
10/03/2025	12,000	16.5508 €	198,609 €	XPAR	LTIP
11/03/2025	11,478	16.4003 €	188,243 €	XPAR	LTIP
12/03/2025	9,000	16.5253 €	148,727 €	XPAR	LTIP
13/03/2025	9,000	16.5720 €	149,148 €	XPAR	LTIP
14/03/2025	8,500	16.7526 €	142,397 €	XPAR	LTIP
Total 10/03/2025 – 14/03/2025	49,978	16.5498 €	827,125 €		LTIP

CONTACTS

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

FINANCIAL CALENDAR 2025
(subject to change)

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

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

For regulated information on Alternative Performance Measures (APM), please refer to our Interim Financial Report for H1-2024 and our 2023 Universal Registration Document (see part 3.7 “Key financial performance indicators”).

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

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

www.coface.com

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

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

Attachment

2025 03 17 – Declaration – Own shares transaction

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister Thomas-Symonds speech at the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Speech

Minister Thomas-Symonds speech at the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

Minister Thomas-Symonds speech at the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

It really is a pleasure to be here with you all today.

But I do want to just begin, by joining Maros in wishing all our Irish friends a very happy St Patricks Day.

I’d also like to thank the Assembly…

…especially the Chairs, Sandro and Marsha…

…for giving Maros and I this opportunity to speak to you all today.

And it is that idea of opportunity that I want to talk about…

…because we have a chance to strengthen the strategic alliance between the UK and the EU…

…and I want to talk about how – by being ruthlessly pragmatic – we can harness this opportunity, for the benefit of the people that we are all elected to serve.

Now this is the very first meeting of the reconstituted Assembly…

… and I know that you are welcoming members, both new and old.

Since this Government came into power, we have worked tirelessly to change the UK’s approach.

In the recent past, we have been too focused on what divides us…

…and it’s those differences that have too often defined the agenda.

But I believe these groups and these meetings must be used for our collective good.

This Assembly was set up under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement…

…to ensure the voices of parliamentarians – and, in turn, our citizens – can be heard.

You’re all serving the interests of the people who voted for you…

…and we must use every opportunity available to us to build trust…

…and improve cooperation.

And all of you here today – through your membership in the Assembly – are essential to that work.

Now, I have already met members of both delegations – and I am committed to maintaining that engagement.

The UK and EU’s future will be defined by how we both tackle our shared challenges together.

We are living through a period of generational challenge…

…and I know as political leaders – we all feel the scale of this moment.

War in Ukraine…

…people smuggled in treacherous conditions by treacherous criminals…

…the price of energy and the cost of inflation…

…achieving growth and prosperity to boost living standards for our citizens…

…all of these challenges are exacerbated by a mindset of division.

They are problems across our continent…

…and they require a coordinated response.

Just look at the actions of our Prime Minister this year.

He was delighted to be a part of the European Leaders retreat last month…

…where he made the case for greater cooperation between the EU and the UK.

On 2 March, he hosted European leaders, as well as the NATO Secretary General and the Presidents of the EU Commission, EU Council and indeed welcomed Canada…

…for a summit focused on Ukraine.

The importance of these meetings cannot be overstated.

They are emblematic of how seriously this Government takes European security.

And there is no greater imperative to this than supporting Ukraine.

In the face of Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion, we must be resilient.

It is why we recently announced an increase in UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

We are stepping up, and we know that the EU is stepping up, too.

It was heartening to see – on the anniversary of the invasion – that the EU reaffirmed its unwavering support.

And at the European Council meeting earlier this month, where EU leaders agreed a significant increase in defence spending.

I know that, together, we are determined to help Ukraine prevail…

…and rebuild.

We must keep pushing – together – to find new ways to achieve this.

At a time of such intense global change, I believe it is vital to recognise what unites the UK and the EU…

…and understand how our mutual priorities can be realised through teamwork.

We saw that in action this January…

…where, on the same day, the UK Chancellor and the President of the European Commission gave speeches about the challenges facing them.

Both spoke about their desire for growth…

…both spoke about how their potential had been held back…

…and both spoke too about the importance of trade openness.

In fact, both our Prime Minister’s ‘Plan for Change’ and the President’s ‘Competitiveness Compass’ focused on the same priorities…

…like reducing red tape, improving skills and a more resilient economy.

The UK government was elected on a mandate to increase our security, keep our citizens safe and to encourage growth.

Europe is a crucial partner in these priorities…

…and, indeed, Europe shares those concerns.

That is why we are living up to the obligations we have in existing Agreements and Frameworks…

…that is how trust is earned.

No more threats to break international law in ‘limited and specific ways’…

…and no more undermining of the ECHR.

So we are respectful of the TCA and the Windsor Framework…

…and we want to build on that structure to address emerging challenges and opportunities.

The Prime Minister has tasked me with leading these discussions with Maros…

…supported by our new EU Sherpa Micheal Ellam.

And I want to thank Maros – not only for the way he has been so constructive in his relationship with me…

…but for the many years – and no doubt late nights – that he has dedicated to the EU – UK relationship…

…but also the pragmatism he is known and respected for.

And in our discussions I have always been clear about our desire to strengthen our alliance – and I focus on the three priorities I mentioned…

…on security, safety and prosperity…

…where I believe there is much benefit to be gained.

And it’s these priorities I would like to focus on.

First, security.

Now, I’ve already spoken about how seriously we’re taking this…

…and I know that it is a topic you will be discussing later today.

But it bears repeating: to keep Europe secure, we need to support allies like Ukraine…

…and work with NATO on security and defence.

As the Prime Minister said in the UK Parliament recently, we have:

“A recognition of the fact that once again, we live in an era where peace in Europe depends upon strength and deterrence.”

So, we are seeking a broad UK-EU cooperation on security and defence matters…

…and we’re ready to negotiate a Security and Defence Partnership.

This has been central to the Prime Minister’s approach with European leaders.

When he visited the informal European Leaders’ Summit, he discussed what this partnership could include…

…and what it could address.

He suggested a focus on R&D…

…improved military mobility across Europe …

…greater co-operation on missions and operations…

…and building on our industrial collaboration.

Building on that commitment, let me turn to the next pillar: safety.

I am clear that if we want to protect our respective borders…

…and keep our citizens safe…

…then we need to work together.

The criminals that we all try and combat pay no respect to our borders…

…whether they’re taking part in the vile global trade in human trafficking…

…or planning a terrorist attack to push their agenda and terrify our citizens.

These challenges plague us all…

…and I believe that it is only through greater cooperation that we can remain safe.

It’s why we have already increased the UK’s presence at Europol…

…but I believe we should be going further.

We need to think of new ways to coordinate our security…

…and ensure we have the intelligence and skills to combat cross-Europe criminal enterprises.

And finally, prosperity.

The European Union is the UK’s biggest trading partner…

…with trade totalling over £800bn in 2023.

And while that figure is still impressive, we know it is not as good as it could be.

A study published last year by Aston University Business School showed that between 2021 and 2023, the goods EU businesses export to the UK were down by 32%…

…while UK goods exports to the EU were down by 27%.

What I’m hearing from businesses that I speak to is that this drop is down to them facing more barriers and more costs.

They’re frustrated, and I can understand why.

As ‘Businesseurope’ set out in a report this Autumn, and I quote: “There remain many unnecessary barriers to trade and investment. Following the elections of new governments in the EU and UK, there is a clear opportunity to upgrade the relationship to deliver for businesses and citizens.”

And that is why we want to build on the structures we have – the TCA and the Windsor Framework…

…to tear down trade barriers and make Brexit work better for the British and European people.

We have already said that we will seek to negotiate a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement…

…to help boost trade…

and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in both the UK and the EU.

Now, all these issues have been at the forefront of our Government’s discussions with the EU.

In fact, since the UK election, there have been over 70 direct engagements between UK ministers and their EU Counterparts.

We have agreed to hold regular UK-EU Summits…

…with the very first one, as Maros has said, being hosted in London on 19th May…

…which will be a great opportunity to strengthen this work further.

But ultimately, this is all about building trust…

…and this Government wants to keep its word…

…and become a trusted and stable partner.

Our discussions continue on the full implementation of the TCA and the Withdrawal Agreement …

…with almost all of our Specialised Committees meeting last year…

…and there are plans in place to meet again in the coming months.

The co-chairs continually update each other on their progress…

…whilst monitoring and reporting on their passage to full and faithful implementation.

We fully believe in these structures…

…but we also fully believe in the opportunities to improve the status quo.

So, ladies and gentlemen, the time for ideologies is over.

The time for ruthless pragmatism is now.

And it is the only way we can seek a closer, more cooperative relationship.

After all, a stronger UK-EU relationship means a stronger Europe.

This Assembly will be a vital part of that journey…

…where that mutual interest will be demonstrated and discussed.

I also know that many of you have deep expertise, insights and passion for this agenda…

… and I am sure that this forum will be a fantastic way to bring these to bear.

I want to thank you for the time you have given me to discuss my work. To say how much that I am looking forward together.

This forum, this Assembly is such an important part of hat shared future and what a pleasure it is to discuss this with you today.

Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 17 March 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: TRA to investigate HVO biodiesel imports from the USA
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

TRA to investigate HVO biodiesel imports from the USA

The TRA has initiated an anti-dumping investigation and a countervailing investigation into imports of HVO biodiesel from the United States of America.
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has today, 17 March 2025, initiated an anti-dumping investigation and a countervailing investigation into imports of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) biodiesel from the United States of America.

The investigations follow an application from UK biodiesel producers concerned that the market has changed since a previous review in 2022. Recent evidence suggests that the price gap has narrowed and HVO may now be competing directly with UK-produced biodiesel.

The investigations will determine whether imports of HVO are being sold at unfairly low prices or being subsidised, and causing harm to UK industry.

To contribute to this investigation, please visit the TRA public file.

Notes to Editors:

The period of investigation for these cases will be between April 2023 and March 2024.

The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK body that investigates whether new trade remedy measures are needed to counter unfair import practices and unforeseen surges of imports.

The TRA is an arm’s length body of the Department for Business and Trade.

UK industries concerned about imports have been able to submit applications for a new trade remedy measure since January 2021. These applications are considered by the TRA to see if there are grounds for an investigation.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 17 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: ForexVIM announces Smart Pattern Recognition for Gold Trading

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ForexVIM, an advanced AI-powered trading tool, has been launched to enhance gold price analysis with smart pattern recognition. Designed to improve trade execution, the system identifies recurring price formations and market structures, enabling traders to make data-driven decisions with greater precision.

Gold’s price action is influenced by a complex network of factors, including central bank policies and global risk sentiment. Traditional indicators often struggle to capture these subtle market shifts, leading to reactive trading based on outdated signals. ForexVIM is designed to address this challenge by detecting emerging price patterns in real time, providing traders with a strategic advantage in trade execution.

Seeing the Market Differently: AI-Powered Pattern Recognition
Market movements follow identifiable patterns, with trends evolving and price structures providing key insights. Manually recognizing these formations requires time, skill, and experience, making it challenging for traders to consistently identify emerging opportunities.

ForexVIM processes large volumes of historical and real-time price data to detect high-probability trade setups before they fully develop. By analyzing momentum shifts, support and resistance levels, and volatility spikes, the system helps traders align their entries and exits with gold’s market rhythm rather than reacting impulsively.
ForexVIM’s smart pattern recognition system analyzes gold price patterns, enabling traders to execute smarter and more informed trades. Gold trading relies on timing and structure, and this AI-driven technology helps traders recognize opportunities before they fully take shape.

Redefining Trade Execution with AI-Driven Insight
Gold’s volatility presents both opportunities and challenges. While price swings create high-reward scenarios, they also expose traders to rapid reversals. This AI-powered approach mitigates risk by filtering out low-probability setups, ensuring only the strongest trade signals are acted upon.

Traditional methods chase trends after they form, ForexVIM positions traders ahead of market movements, anticipating shifts before they unfold. It’s a more calculated, disciplined trading strategy, where decisions are based on hard data rather than speculation.

AI and Human Expertise: A Stronger Trading Future
Technology is reshaping forex and commodity markets, but the best results still come from the right balance of AI-driven analysis and human expertise. AI can process vast amounts of data instantly, but strategic decision-making remains in the hands of traders. Automation enhances analysis, but strategic decision-making stays in the hands of traders. ForexVIM gives them full control over their strategies.

About ForexVIM
ForexVIM delivers precision-driven trading solutions, combining expert market insights with high-quality tick data optimization for reliable performance. Built by experienced traders and developers, it ensures accuracy, consistency, and innovation in forex trading strategies. Learn more at https://forexvim.com/

Contact

ForexVIM Media Team
ForexVIM
support@forexvim.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/433cf6f5-bf0d-4f4b-8809-cbc87ce76422

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025

MIL-OSI: WithSecure Corporation: SHARE REPURCHASE 17.3.2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WithSecure Corporation, STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE, 17 March 2025 at 6.30 PM (EET)


WithSecure Corporation: SHARE REPURCHASE 17.3.2025

In the Helsinki Stock Exchange

Trade date	17.3.2025
Bourse trade	Buy
Share	WITH
Amount	15 000	Shares
Average price/ share	0,9391	EUR
Total cost	14 086,50	EUR


WithSecure Corporation now holds a total of 166 890 shares
including the shares repurchased on 17.3.2025

The share buybacks are executed in compliance with Regulation
No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council (MAR) Article 5
and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052.


On behalf of Withsecure Corporation

Nordea Bank Oyj

Janne Sarvikivi	Sami Huttunen


Contact information:
Laura Viita
Vice President Controlling, Investor relations and Sustainability
WithSecure Corporation
Tel. +358 50 4871044
Investor-relations@withsecure.com

Attachment

WithSecure 17.3.2025

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investigation with National Trading Standards find ‘nicotine free’ vapes are falsely advertised
Source: City of Salford
A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) initiative tracked the sale of illicit vapes and underage sales, working with Salford City Council

Tests carried out on ‘nicotine free’ vapes find one in every eight products were found to contain nicotine

Consumers exposed to nicotine in significant quantities, equal to the amount in a packet of 20 cigarettes
Led by National Trading Standards (NTS), Salford City Council’s Trading Standards team alongside Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service and the Trading Standards team in Berkshire, have worked collaboratively to test ‘nicotine free’ vapes on sale to UK consumers and track the sale of illicit vapes and underage sales.

As part of Operation Joseph, the DHSC government funded initiative was set up to tackle specific aspects of enforcement and compliance around the sale of vaping products. The project includes collating national data on enforcement, helping to support local authorities and increase enforcement activity as well as targeted testing and port seizure work.

According to data released from NTS at the end of 2024, the sale of illicit vapes and underage sales found:
- 1.19 million illegal vapes seized by Trading Standards in 2023-24, a 59% increase
- 299,224 vapes confiscated in Quarter 4 2023-24
- 24% of 775 test purchases in Quarter 4 2023-24 resulted in illegal sales of vapes to under 18s
Consumers who expect to buy nicotine free products have been warned, as a result of the investigation, that they are being unknowingly exposed to nicotine and its addictive effects in significant quantities.

The key findings of 76 products sold and tested as nicotine free vapes showed that:
- More than one in every eight (13.2%) of products tested contained nicotine in amounts ranging from 0.06 mg/ml to 27.02 mg/ml, the amount equivalent to a packet of 20 cigarettes
- Of the products found to contain nicotine, they also exceeded the limit on the amount of e-liquid permitted in vapes
- Consumers have unknowingly taken high levels of nicotine in significant quantities, with eight of ten samples failing at part of tests
Councillor Barbara Bentham Lead, Member for Neighbourhoods, Environment and Community Safety at Salford City Council said: “As a key priority in our Corporate Plan, it’s pivotal that we make sure that everyone in Salford has the opportunity to live longer, healthier and happier lives. That means protecting the health of our residents and in particular, safeguarding children from the flood of dangerous, illegal products that are being sold in our city and across the UK.

“As a growing national concern, we are committed to working with partners like National Trading Standards to remove illegal vapes from our communities and urge businesses to ensure that vaping products are not sold to children. Those who choose to ignore legal regulations will face thorough investigations to enforce compliance so that we continue to ensure the highest standards of safety are met.”
 
Suspected cases can be reported to the Citizens Advice consumer service by calling 0808 223 1133.

Share this

Date published

Monday 17 March 2025

Press and media enquiries
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: ForexRova Brings Personalization to Gold Trading with Multi-Strategy

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Avenix Fzco has introduced ForexRova, an advanced Expert Advisor (EA) designed to enhance gold trading through a personalized, multi-strategy approach. Unlike traditional trading bots with rigid parameters, ForexRova adapts in real-time, dynamically shifting between aggressive, trend-following strategies and conservative, risk-managed setups based on market conditions, volatility, and trader preferences.

The system offers customizable settings, allowing traders to fine-tune execution styles, risk levels, and confirmation signals. By adjusting dynamically to market fluctuations, ForexRova is designed to optimize trading opportunities while effectively managing risk.

Adapting to Market Shifts with AI Precision
Gold’s price movements are shaped by a complex mix of macroeconomic trends, geopolitical events, and liquidity fluctuations. ForexRova navigates these uncertainties by combining price action analysis, built-in indicators, and oscillator-based evaluations to refine trade execution. It identifies prevailing trends, assesses overbought and oversold conditions to avoid poorly timed entries, and evaluates bullish versus bearish strength to confirm trade direction.

Static trading systems react after the fact, this EA proactively scans the market, filters out weak signals, and ensures only high-probability trades are executed. This layered approach helps traders align their positions with real-time market dynamics, giving them greater precision, control, and adaptability in gold trading.

ForexRova’s customizable multi-strategy framework offers traders a personalized experience, adapting to various market conditions to meet individual trading objectives. Markets don’t move in a single pattern, and traders shouldn’t be forced into a rigid strategy. This system brings flexibility without sacrificing control.

Customization as the Future of Forex Trading
Traders now seek more than just automation; they want flexibility in how their strategies develop. ForexRova addresses this need by offering a range of adjustable settings, including risk exposure, trade frequency, stop-loss behavior, and market entry conditions. Rather than adhering to a rigid, predefined model, the system allows for a customized trading experience that aligns with individual goals.

With its focus on personalization, ForexRova is designed to support both novice and experienced traders, providing a flexible approach to gold trading that adapts to market conditions and trading preferences.

About ForexRova
ForexRova is a powerful Expert Advisor designed for XAU/USD trading, combining advanced optimization with strategic risk management to deliver consistent profitability. Utilizing high-quality tick data and a precision-driven trading strategy, it ensures steady growth while safeguarding traders against market volatility. Users can learn more at https://forexrova.com/

Contact

ForexRova Media Team
ForexRova
support@forexrova.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c90ae709-5575-4d4b-86d2-cbadb6e93a29

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: FXDyno’s AI-Powered Wave Trading Set to Redefine Gold Trading

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FXDyno, an advanced wave-based trading system, has been introduced to enhance gold trading with precision and speed. By analyzing wave strength, duration, and trajectory, the system identifies trading opportunities in real time, adapting to gold’s dynamic price movements.

Gold’s volatility presents both risks and opportunities, with price waves influenced by macroeconomic trends, geopolitical events, and institutional flows. Traditional indicators often struggle to keep pace with these rapid shifts, making timely decision-making challenging. FXDyno is designed to address this by refining trade execution based on evolving market conditions, ensuring each move aligns with prevailing market dynamics.

Mastering Gold Trading with AI-Powered Wave Analysis
Market movements follow patterns and waves, providing traders with insights that can enhance decision-making. Short-term price spikes, false reversals, and trend exhaustion points often lead to premature trade entries and exits. FXDyno is designed to filter out market noise, identifying optimal entry, hold, and exit points based on real-time price wave assessments.

Rather than reacting to individual candlestick movements, the algorithm analyzes price momentum, acceleration, and structural wave formations. This approach ensures that trades align with high-probability trends rather than short-lived fluctuations.

FXDyno’s wave trading strategy is designed to refine gold trading by accurately identifying and capitalizing on market waves. With timing as a critical factor in gold trading, the system aims to optimize execution for improved trade outcomes.

A New Era of Algorithmic Gold Trading
Traditional gold trading often relies on trend-following indicators that lag behind actual market movements, leaving traders exposed to delayed entries and false signals. A wave-centric approach positions trades ahead of market shifts, letting traders ride momentum instead of chasing it.

As automated trading continues to reshape financial markets, strategies that merge speed, adaptability, and precision are becoming essential tools for traders looking to navigate gold’s volatility. This breakthrough technology represents the next step in algorithmic trading, refining gold price forecasting and creating opportunities in both trending and ranging markets.

With gold remaining a cornerstone of global financial markets, traders who embrace wave-driven strategies gain the precision and adaptability needed to navigate rapid price movements with confidence.

About FXDyno
FXDyno delivers innovative, data-driven trading solutions designed for gold traders seeking consistency and precision. Developed by a team of experts since 2016, its Expert Advisor for MetaTrader 4 is built for optimized performance, smart automation, and robust risk management.

Users can learn more at https://fxdyno.com/

Contact

FXDyno Media Team
FXDyno
support@fxdyno.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e3d20f3e-67da-4036-8a59-aaade1fb57fb

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: FXiBot Presents with a Precision Strategy for GBP/USD Trading

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

FXiBot, the latest innovation in forex automation, introduces a precision-focused strategy designed to master GBP/USD trading with a disciplined, single-position approach. Where overtrading fuels risk and erratic outcomes, this system does the opposite, taking a measured, calculated approach with strategic intent.

Many trading bots rely on high-frequency execution, flooding the market with trades in an attempt to maximize short-term gains. This system aims to flip that approach, focusing on fewer, higher-quality trades that align with trend momentum, key price levels, and controlled risk exposure. Instead of chasing every market fluctuation, the strategy is built on patience, precision, and calculated restraint, allowing traders to capitalize on GBP/USD movements without unnecessary exposure to volatility traps.

The Importance of Quality Over Quantity in Forex Trading
In fast-moving currency pairs like GBP/USD, trading volume alone is not enough—execution must be strategic. Price spikes, false breakouts, and liquidity gaps can turn an aggressive trading approach into unnecessary drawdowns. A single miscalculated entry can determine the difference between a controlled win and a cascading loss.

FXiBot’s single-position methodology focuses on clear, high-probability setups, ensuring that each trade is executed with defined risk parameters and adaptive exit strategies. Instead of stacking positions or overleveraging, the system analyzes market structure in real-time, waiting for optimal conditions before taking action.

FXiBot’s precision strategy for GBP/USD trading prioritizes quality over quantity, emphasizing single-position trades to enhance risk control and profitability. Overtrading is a common challenge, and this system is designed to replace impulse-driven decisions with a structured, strategic approach.

Mastering GBP/USD with Tactical Execution
GBP/USD is one of the most dynamic forex pairs, frequently impacted by macroeconomic events, central bank policies, and liquidity shifts. A trading system that lacks restraint and strategic discipline is often at the mercy of unpredictable price swings. Prioritizing calculated entries, structured exits, and controlled trade frequency, this precision-focused strategy delivers a smoother, more methodical approach to forex trading.

With automation reshaping forex markets, traders increasingly seek systems that prioritize strategy over volume. The demand for precision-based execution tools continues to rise as market participants navigate volatility with discipline and control.

This latest innovation moves forex automation beyond indiscriminate trading volume toward structured execution, ensuring consistency without sacrificing flexibility.

About FXiBot
FXiBot specializes in advanced trading solutions, combining expertise in algorithmic strategies with data-driven precision. Designed for consistent performance, its Expert Advisors leverage high-quality tick data and robust analysis to optimize trade execution and enhance profitability. Users can learn more at https://fxibot.com/.

Contact

FXiBot Media Team
FXiBot
support@fxibot.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eabd8d56-5342-4c95-b0aa-6d326fb5eaac

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK and Philippines upgrade trade relationship through inaugural talks
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

UK and Philippines upgrade trade relationship through inaugural talks

UK and the Philippines today hold first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) in London.
UK and the Philippines today held inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) talks in London aimed at boosting trade and investment

JETCO aims to realise potential for UK businesses to sell more to the Philippines, one of the fastest growing economies in Asia

News follows recent win for UK beef industry after Philippine ban on UK beef was lifted in addition to the lifting of a poultry ban with both worth a combined £80m over five years.

Ministers from the UK and the Philippines met in London today [Monday 17 March] for trade talks under the first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting.

The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and has the second largest population in Southeast Asia, presenting huge opportunities for British businesses. The JETCO aims to upgrade our bilateral trade relationship, currently worth £2.8 billion annually.

At today’s meeting, Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security Douglas Alexander and Philippine Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty of the Department of Trade and Industry agreed to pursue closer cooperation and increased trade across sectors including infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture and technology.

They also committed to progressing work towards a government-to-government Financing Framework Partnership that will unlock up to £5 billion of potential financing from UK Export Finance (UKEF) to support the delivery of sustainable public infrastructure and improve access to UK expertise and technology in the Philippines.

Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security Douglas Alexander MP said:

Today’s talks signify an important new chapter in our trading relationship with the Philippines, one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies.

Deepening our trade with partners like the Philippines and showing that the UK is open for business in Asia is vital for this Government’s mission to deliver economic growth.

I look forward to working with the Philippines and to deliver trading opportunities that will benefit both our economies.

Agriculture is an important area for bilateral trade – the Philippines is the fourth largest export market for UK pork after the EU, US, and China.

Ministers highlighted investment opportunities in the Philippines for UK agricultural companies and promoted imports of UK meat in light of the recent removal of bans on beef and poultry exports from the UK, worth £80 million over five years.

The talks are part of the government’s mission to deliver economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.

The International Meat Trade Association (MTA) said:

MTA welcomes the inaugural JETCO between the UK & the Philippines which will deepen our trading relationship with an important partner.

We were delighted that last year the Philippines lifted the ban on UK poultry meat, as well as lifting the temporary ban on UK beef.

We hope the trade partnership between our countries can continue to grow from strength to strength.

Opportunities in offshore renewable energy featured heavily in discussions. In 2024, the UK was the largest single investor in the Philippines, driven mainly by investments in renewables.

Such opportunities for UK companies were enhanced in 2022 with the removal of foreign equity restrictions for renewable energy companies.

The JETCO also celebrated growing digital and tech trade and emphasised the UK’s commitment to supporting the Philippines in its economic development, including through the upcoming launch of an Export Handbook for Philippine businesses in the processed agrifood and fish sectors.

Background

The methodology for the valuation of market access barriers is published in a DBT analytical working paper. In some cases, estimates may have been sourced externally from industry.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 17 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: BexBack Launches No KYC Crypto Trading, 100x Leverage, Double Deposit Bonus, and $50 Welcome Bonus

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With Bitcoin’s price fluctuating below $100,000, many analysts predict a prolonged period of high volatility in the crypto market. Holding spot positions may struggle to generate short-term profits in such conditions. As a result, 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred tool for seasoned investors looking to maximize potential gains in this volatile market. BexBack Exchange is ramping up its efforts to offer traders unmatched promotional packages. The platform now features a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, providing exceptional opportunities for investors.

What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

With BexBack’s deposit bonus

BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

About BexBack?

BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

Why recommend BexBack?

No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

Website: www.bexback.com

Contact: business@bexback.com

Contact:
Amanda
business@bexback.com

Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/10236152-e825-4140-a50e-905d3662534c

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b9cae213-db9e-4c95-8002-7097dcd1482f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e70bf520-5a33-4d9f-a206-a74f16ca7796

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d93f5293-fead-4a7c-ae3e-7d16e5ee083d

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: King, Collins Praise Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Combat Illicit Fentanyl Trafficking

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the Select Senate Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), and Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and member of SSCI and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today lauded the passage of bipartisan legislation that would crack down on illegal fentanyl trafficking. The Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act will permanently classify fentanyl-related substances (FRS) — any substance that is structurally related to fentanyl by one or more listed modifications — as Schedule I controlled drugs. These drugs have no current accepted medical use and have a high potential for abuse.
A permanent scheduling classification of FRS is required to make penalties for drug-related crimes clear and enforceable under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The legislation would also streamline the process for scientists seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to research those substances. The bill passed the Senate in a 84-16 vote.
“Opioids like fentanyl have devastated families and communities across Maine and the country for far too long,” said Senator King. “As we continue working to combat the fentanyl and overdose crisis, commonsense bills like the HALT Fentanyl Act will pave a the way toward a safer tomorrow. I am thankful to my colleagues for putting partisanship aside and recommitting to keeping our families out of harm’s way.”
“The fentanyl epidemic has devastated lives and wreaked havoc on communities all over the United States, including here in Maine,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation will permanently classify fentanyl analogues as a Schedule I substance, ensuring law enforcement always has the tools they need to combat the scourge of fentanyl and hold cartels accountable.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there were 107,543 overdose deaths in the United States in 2023. Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances accounted for nearly 75,000 of those deaths. Since 1999, the overdose crisis has increasingly been characterized by deaths involving these illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids, which are commonly sold through illicit drug markets for their fentanyl-like effect, and are often mixed with heroin or other drugs, such as cocaine, or pressed in to counterfeit prescription pills. The New England Journal of Medicine estimated that 22 teenagers died of overdoses each week in 2022.
Since 2013, Maine has experienced tragically significant growth in total deaths from fentanyl-related overdoses. In 2021, 77% of all drug overdoses in Maine were due to fentanyl. The University of Maine estimates fentanyl to be 25 times more potent than oxycodone and 50-100 times more potent than heroin.
However, there have recently been positive downward trends for overdose deaths in Maine and nationwide. Overall, the CDC found that drug overdose deaths in the United States decreased by three percent in 2023, the first annual decrease since 2018. Drug overdose deaths in Maine decreased by nearly 16% over this same period; this was the first year-over-year reduction in fatalities since 2018. Provisional data from the CDC also shows that overdose deaths for last year decreased 25% nationwide and 24% in Maine.
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Select Senate Committee on Intelligence, Senator King has previously supported legislation to combat illicit drug use and decrease overdoses. He is a cosponsor of the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act, bipartisan legislation that is designed to stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders. Senator King also cosponsored the INTERDICT Act, bipartisan legislation to help halt the flow of illicit fentanyl from Mexico, China and other nations around the world into the United States. During an open hearing of the Select Senate Intelligence Committee last year, Senator King pressed Avril Haines, the former Director of National Intelligence and Christopher Wray, the former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), about what the intelligence community is doing to halt the flow of illicit drugs — including fentanyl — from Mexico, China and other nations into the United States.
Senator Collins has also been working to combat the fentanyl epidemic for years. Senator Collins is a cosponsor of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act , which was signed into law last year. This bill disrupts the flow of fentanyl into the United States, including by requiring the President to sanction criminal organizations and drug cartels involved in trafficking fentanyl and its precursors. Last Congress, she also introduced the Fighting Illicit Goods, Helping Trustworthy Importers, and Netting Gains (FIGHTING) for America Act to crack down on fentanyl smuggling.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 18, 2025

MIL-OSI: Enstar Group Limited Announces Expiration and Results of Cash Tender Offer For Junior Subordinated Notes Due 2040

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enstar Group Limited (“Enstar”) (Nasdaq: ESGR) today announced the expiration and final results of its previously announced cash tender offer (the “Tender Offer”) for any and all of the outstanding 5.750% Fixed-Rate Reset Junior Subordinated Notes due 2040 issued by Enstar’s wholly owned subsidiary, Enstar Finance LLC, that Enstar guarantees on a junior subordinated basis (the “Notes”).

The Tender Offer expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 14, 2025 (the “Expiration Time”). The principal amount of the Notes that was validly tendered and not validly withdrawn in the Tender Offer as of the Expiration Time according to information provided by D.F. King & Co., Inc., the Information and Tender Agent for the Tender Offer, is set forth in the table below. The amount in the table below does not include $737,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes that remain subject to the guaranteed delivery procedures.

Title of Notes	CUSIP Number/ISIN	Principal Amount Outstanding	Aggregate Principal Amount Tendered
5.750% Fixed-Rate Reset Junior Subordinated Notes due 2040	29360A AA8 / US29360AAA88	$350,000,000	$232,560,000

Enstar expects to accept for purchase all Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the Expiration Time, including Notes delivered in accordance with the guaranteed delivery procedures. Settlement for the Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Expiration Time and accepted for purchase by Enstar is expected to take place on March 19, 2025. Holders of Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer will receive the previously announced consideration of $1,000 for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon from the last interest payment date to, but not including, the settlement date for the Tender Offer.

The Tender Offer was made pursuant to the Offer to Purchase dated March 10, 2025 and the related Notice of Guaranteed Delivery.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. and Truist Securities, Inc. acted as the Dealer Managers for the Tender Offer. D.F. King & Co., Inc. acted as the Information and Tender Agent for the Tender Offer.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION TO PURCHASE NOTES. THE TENDER OFFER WAS MADE SOLELY PURSUANT TO THE OFFER DOCUMENTS, WHICH SET FORTH THE COMPLETE TERMS OF THE TENDER OFFER.

About Enstar

Enstar is a NASDAQ-listed leading global insurance group that offers innovative capital release solutions through its network of group companies operating in Bermuda, the United States, the United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Belgium and Australia. A market leader in completing legacy acquisitions, Enstar has acquired over 120 companies and portfolios since its formation.

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Enstar and its management team. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Important risk factors regarding Enstar can be found under the heading “Risk Factors” in Enstar’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, Enstar undertakes no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statements or publicly announce any updates or revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein, to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, circumstances or assumptions underlying such statements, except as required by law.

Contact: Enstar Communications
Telephone: +1 (441) 292-3645

Enstar Group Limited

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025

MIL-OSI: Rules > Followers: BYDFi’s Official Response to ExtraVOD’s Allegedly False Allegations
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SINGAPORE, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recently, BYDFi has noticed misleading accusations made by the content creator ExtraVOD on social media against BYDFi. To ensure transparency and clarity for all our users, BYDFi would like to present the facts of the situation：
- January 25: Detection of Abnormal Trading Activity
When ExtraVOD’s first account reached the perpetual risk limit, he opened a second account to bypass restrictions. BYDFi identified abnormal trading activities and ExtraVOD was reminded of BYDFi’s User Agreement (9.2 and 9.3) and the risk limits for perpetual contracts.
- January 26: Admission & Request for Content Removal
ExtraVOD claimed ignorance of the policy but admitted to creating a second account for high-frequency trading. BYDFi requested the removal of misleading content from his social media.
- January 28-29: Agreement & Fund Transfers
Following negotiations, an agreement was reached. All funds in ExtraVOD’s main account remained fully accessible, while deposit funds from the sub-account were merged into the main account.

ExtraVOD acknowledged the resolution and publicly confirmed it. Over the next month, he continued trading actively.
- March 1 – March 5: Contradictory Claims & Renewed Demands
A month later, ExtraVOD re-engaged, demanding profit funds from the sub-account.

BYDFi support reiterated that, per the January agreement, all deposited funds had already been returned to the main account.
- March 11-15: Threats & Misinformation
ExtraVOD escalated the situation, threatening to expose the issue on social media unless his demands were met. He altered his stance, now claiming the second account belonged to his family.

He then released a video urging his followers to pressure BYDFi into returning the funds.

5 Years. 1 Principle: Rules > Followers

BYDFi upholds integrity and transparency to ensure a fair trading environment for all users. All legitimate funds were returned to ExtraVOD’s verified account, but trading profits were voided due to rule violations.

BYDFi will not tolerate defamatory actions and reserves the right to take legal action against any damages caused by misleading claims. The misuse of multiple accounts to bypass risk limits is a violation of policies across all trading platforms.

About BYDFi

Founded in 2020, BYDFi is recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 10 Global Crypto Exchanges, trusted by over 1,000,000 users worldwide. BYDFi remains committed to delivering a world-class crypto trading experience for every user. BUIDL Your Dream Finance.

• Website: https://www.bydfi.com

• Support Email: CS@bydfi.com

• Business Partnerships: BD@bydfi.com

• Media Inquiries: media@bydfi.com

Twitter( X )| LinkedIn| Facebook | Telegram| YouTube

Images accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ac360214-27aa-45e9-88f0-2d93d606479f
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8ca56216-7288-4e1b-9ef9-76933e1ab2ed
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/66e935a0-21cd-44ca-8b75-668b21e09b86

The MIL Network –
March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Making it Easier to Report Drug Price Spikes
Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the launch of DFS Connect; a new digital program launched by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) that will centralize the Department’s interactions with both regulated entities and consumers and ensure better service to businesses and consumers. Building on the State’s actions to protect New Yorkers from rising drug costs, the initial functions launched today on DFS Connect provide a streamlined and transparent way to file complaints for prescription drug prices that increase more than 50 percent over the course of a year and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). Additionally, individuals can file complaints via mail or by calling the DFS Hotline.

“New Yorkers deserve a transparent and accessible option for reporting drug price spikes and holding PBMs and drug manufacturers accountable for their rising costs of prescription medication,” Governor Hochul said. “DFS Connect allows for individuals to report these spikes to the State and provide a more efficient service to both consumers and businesses.”

New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Adrienne Harris said, “Over the last three years, we have cultivated a culture of innovation, invested in new technological infrastructure and updated key processes. DFS Connect is a pivotal example of how we are innovating to enhance regulatory oversight while making it easier for New Yorkers and businesses to engage directly with the agency.”

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership we continue to protect the health and wellbeing of all New Yorkers and ensure everyone has equitable access to the medications and resources necessary for a quality and healthy life. DFS Connect will give New Yorkers a voice and opportunity to help keep drug prices affordable and drug manufacturers accountable for overpriced prescription medication.”

Assemblymember Amy Paulin said, “Congratulations to Governor Hochul and her team on the release of DFS Connect. The ever-rising cost of medications impacts all New Yorkers, especially seniors and those living on fixed income. Every step that can be taken to help protect New Yorkers from these cost increases, like the new DFS Connect system, is needed.”

In 2021, Governor Hochul signed landmark legislation to bring transparency and a comprehensive regulatory structure to otherwise unregulated PBMs. DFS adopted new market conduct regulations to govern PBMs operating in New York State; helping to protect New Yorkers’ access to prescription drugs, prohibiting business practices that increase the cost of certain drugs, and ensuring that small, independent pharmacies compete on a fair playing field with large pharmacies affiliated with Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Since January 2022, DFS has received over 300 complaints regarding PBMs and has recovered a total of more than $1.3 million for pharmacies and consumers.

With today’s launch of DFS Connect, New Yorkers can now submit complaints about prescription drug spikes, PBMs and drug manufacturers. Once a complaint is submitted through DFS Connect, an individual can track its status in real-time and communicate directly with DFS staff about their issue. DFS Connect eliminates bureaucratic red tape and creates a user-friendly platform that enhances oversight and ensures better service to regulate businesses and consumers alike. Pharmacies will also be able to report problematic business practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and drug manufacturers.

Over the next three years, all of DFS’s regulatory processes and consumer support services will be rolled out on the platform:
- Q2-Q3 2025: Insurance Acquisition of Control, Reinsurance Agreements, Reinsurer Applications, Disclaimer of Control, Free Trade Zone Applications, Management Services Agreements, Schedule C-1 Filings
- Q4 2025: Billing and Assessments, Foreclosure Management System Replacement
- Q1-Q2 2026: Banking & Virtual Currency Examinations
- Q3-Q4 2026: Licensing and Insurance Examinations
- Q1-Q2 2027: Full transition of all regulatory processes to DFS Connect, including all consumer complaints
This tool is also modernizing how DFS oversees financial institutions, ensuring that critical regulatory functions, such as licensing, renewals, examinations and legal filings, are handled seamlessly. Additional functionalities, including insurance-related licensing and examination modules, will be introduced over the next two years, with the full transition to DFS Connect expected in 2026.

As part of its larger operational transformation, DFS has also invested heavily in strengthening its workforce. Over the past three years, DFS has hired and promoted more than 1,000 individuals, including the first class of financial services examiner trainees since 2018. This investment ensures the Department can effectively oversee New York’s financial and insurance industries while continuing to enhance consumer protections.

New Yorkers can submit PBM or drug price spike complaints online using DFS Connect, which can be accessed with a new or existing NY.gov account. Paper complaints are available on the Consumer Complaint page, and can be mailed to the Department of Financial Services, Attn: Office of Pharmacy Benefits, 1 Commerce Plaza, Albany, NY 12257. Additionally, the DFS Hotline is staffed Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Call DFS at (800) 342-3736.

For more information or to sign up for DFS Connect, visit the DFS website or the DFS Connect platform.

MIL OSI USA News –
March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: Ovation and Paytronix Team Up to Revolutionize Post-Transaction Feedback and Hospitality Data Insights

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEWTON, Mass., March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Paytronix, the leader in guest engagement for restaurants and convenience stores has announced the launch of its partnership with innovative multi-unit guest feedback and guest experience platform, Ovation. Together the two platforms aim to provide brands with deeper analysis and insight from customer feedback.

Jake Levine, VP of Partnerships at Ovation expressed how the integration benefits restaurants: “At Ovation we always say, ‘The value is in the volume’. You need to hear from a good amount of your guests to truly get a clear understanding of what’s happening in your stores. Our partnership with Paytronix aims to provide restaurants with another avenue for seamless guest feedback.”

The partnership will prove to be particularly valuable for Paytronix customers with loyalty integrations and strong mobile presences. By capturing in-store and online orders, brands with both solutions enabled will be able to automatically send customized surveys to customers thirty minutes after a transaction.

Through text, guests are directed to a brief survey about their experience. Happy guests are prompted to engage further with the brand, while unhappy guests are asked to provide additional insights. These insights are sent directly to the company, allowing them to respond and win the guests back in real time. From there, an AI-driven categorization algorithm turns the feedback into exactly what operators need to know: data on what’s going well and what needs work.

“At the heart of integrations like this is the desire to go beyond the initial interaction”, said Kalani Stephens, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Paytronix. “The ability to immediately increase the volume of feedback, is extremely valuable. With Ovation, we aim to help brands learn from the data, improve their relationships with the guests and reward loyal, positive behavior with unique opportunities.”

About Ovation
Ovation is a guest experience platform for multi-unit restaurants that starts with a 2-question survey to collect frictionless feedback, streamline guest recovery, and easily improve operations. Thousands of restaurants, including leading brands like Dave’s Hot Chicken, MOOYAH, and Friendly’s, are using Ovation to get more feedback through frictionless surveys, recover guests through real-time communication, boost their online reputations, and improve through AI-driven insights. Discover how Ovation can transform your restaurant’s guest experience at ovationup.com.

About Paytronix
Paytronix, an Access Group company, is a cloud-based digital guest engagement platform for the hospitality industry. Our innovative, unified platform provides loyalty programs, online ordering, gift cards, branded mobile applications, and strategic insights to more than 1,800 leading restaurant and convenience store brands. Our valued clients leverage the power of Paytronix across 50,000 sites globally to create seamless, personalized, and brand-authentic experiences that foster lasting relationships with their customers. For more than 20 years, Paytronix has been a trusted partner helping brands maximize the lifetime value of their guests and grow more profitable businesses. For more information, visit www.paytronix.com.

Media Contact:
Calen McGee
Paytronix Systems, Inc.
Calen.McGee@theaccessgroup.com

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: Bitget Lists Mubarak (MUBARAK) in the Innovation and Meme Zone

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VICTORIA, Seychelles, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has announced the listing of Mubarak (MUBARAK), a trending memecoin on BNB Chain, on its platform. Trading of MUBARAK/USDT will commence on 17 March 2025, 9:00 (UTC).

On 15 March , Binance founder CZ posted a message on Binance Square titled “I’m going to meet a friend this weekend” with a Mubarak-related meme picture. After the post, MUBARAK rose by more than 150%, with a market value of over $20 million, sparking significant interest from traders and investors alike. The listing on Binance Alpha acted as a catalyst for the token’s explosive growth. MUBARAK then experienced a sharp increase in value, with market capitalization briefly surging to $52 million.

The addition of MUBARAK highlights Bitget’s focus on emerging trends and offering diverse assets that reflect the evolving interests of crypto traders and enthusiasts. As meme coins continue to gain popularity, Bitget ensures users have access to standout tokens that resonate with market trends and evolving community interests.

The MUBARAK listing further enriches the portfolio of assets available in the Meme Zone, a segment customized for tokens that show cultural relevance. Bitget has consistently expanded its market share in both spot and derivatives trading among centralized exchanges. With an extensive selection of over 900 cryptocurrency pairs and a commitment to broaden its offerings to more than 900 trading pairs, Bitget connects users to various ecosystems, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Base, and TON.

For more details on MUBARAK, users can visit here.

About Bitget

Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 100 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.

Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM market, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

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

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

Contact

Simran Alphonso
media@bitget.com

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The US military has cared about climate change since the dawn of the Cold War – for good reason

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Paul Bierman, Fellow of the Gund Institute for Environment, Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Vermont

Military engineers managing supply routes in Greenland in the 1950s paid attention to the weather and climate.
US Army/Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images

In 1957, Hollywood released “The Deadly Mantis,” a B-grade monster movie starring a praying mantis of nightmare proportions. Its premise: Melting Arctic ice has released a very hungry, million-year-old megabug, and scientists and the U.S. military will have to stop it.

The rampaging insect menaces America’s Arctic military outposts, part of a critical line of national defense, before heading south and meeting its end in New York City.

Yes, it’s over-the-top fiction, but the movie holds some truth about the U.S. military’s concerns then and now about the Arctic’s stability and its role in national security.

A poster advertises ‘The Deadly Mantis,’ a movie released in 1957, a time when Americans worried about a Russian invasion. The film used military footage to promote the nation’s radar defenses along the Distant Early Warning line in the Arctic.
LMPC via Getty Images

In the late 1940s, Arctic temperatures were warming and the Cold War was heating up. The U.S. military had grown increasingly nervous about a Soviet invasion across the Arctic. It built bases and a line of radar stations. The movie used actual military footage of these polar outposts.

But officials wondered: What if sodden snow and vanishing ice stalled American men and machines and weakened these northern defenses?

In response to those concerns, the military created the Snow, Ice and Permafrost Research Establishment, a research center dedicated to the science and engineering of all things frozen: glacier runways, the behavior of ice, the physics of snow and the climates of the past.

It was the beginning of the military’s understanding that climate change couldn’t be ignored.

Army engineers test the properties of snow on Greenland’s ice sheet in 1955, a critical determinant of mobility on the ice and one that changes rapidly with temperature and climate.
U.S. Army

As I was writing “When the Ice is Gone,” my recent book about Greenland, climate science and the U.S. military, I read government documents from the 1950s and 1960s showing how the Pentagon poured support into climate and cold-region research to boost the national defense.

Initially, military planners recognized threats to their own ability to protect the nation. Over time, the U.S. military would come to see climate change as both a threat in itself and a threat multiplier for national security.

Ice roads, ice cores and bases inside the ice sheet

The military’s snow and ice engineering in the 1950s made it possible for convoys of tracked vehicles to routinely cross Greenland’s ice sheet, while planes landed and took off from ice and snow runways.

In 1953, the Army even built a pair of secret surveillance sites inside the ice sheet, both equipped with Air Force radar units looking 24/7 for Soviet missiles and aircraft, but also with weather stations to understand the Arctic climate system.

The public reveal of U.S. military bases somewhere – that remained classified – inside Greenland’s ice sheet, in the February 1955 edition of REAL.
Paul Bierman collection.

The Army drilled the world’s first deep ice core from a base it built within the Greenland ice sheet, Camp Century. Its goal: to understand how climate had changed in the past so they would know how it might change in the future.

The military wasn’t shy about its climate change research successes. The Army’s chief ice scientist, Dr. Henri Bader, spoke on the Voice of America. He promoted ice coring as a way to investigate climates of the past, provide a new understanding of weather, and understand past climatic patterns to gauge and predict the one we are living in today – all strategically important.

Henri Bader describes drilling high on Greenland’s ice sheet in 1956 or 1957 in a Voice of America recording (National Archives), “The Snows of Yesteryear,” and a movie (U.S. Army). Created by Quincy Massey-Bierman.

In the 1970s, painstaking laboratory work on the Camp Century ice core extracted minuscule amounts of ancient air trapped in tiny bubbles in the ice. Analyses of that gas revealed that levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were lower for tens of thousands of years before the industrial revolution. After 1850, carbon dioxide levels crept up slowly at first and then rapidly accelerated. It was direct evidence that people’s actions, including burning coal and oil, were changing the composition of the atmosphere.

Since 1850, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have spiked and global temperatures have warmed by more than 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 Celsius). The past 10 years have been the hottest since recordkeeping began, with 2024 now holding the record. Climate change is now affecting the entire Earth – but most especially the Arctic, which is warming several times faster than the rest of the planet.

Since 1850, global average temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have risen together, reflecting human emissions of greenhouse gases. Red bars indicate warmer years; blue bars indicate colder years.
NOAA

Seeing climate change as a threat multiplier

For decades, military leaders have been discussing climate change as a threat and a threat multiplier that could worsen instability and mass migration in already fragile regions of the world.

Climate change can fuel storms, wildfires and rising seas that threaten important military bases. It puts personnel at risk in rising heat and melts sea ice, creating new national security concerns in the Arctic. Climate change can also contribute to instability and conflict when water and food shortages trigger increasing competition for resources, internal and cross-border tensions, or mass migrations.

The military understands that these threats can’t be ignored. As Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro told a conference in September 2024: “Climate resilience is force resilience.”

A view of aircraft carriers docked at the sprawling Naval Station Norfolk show how much of the region is within a few feet of sea level.
Stocktrek Images via Getty Images

Consider Naval Station Norfolk. It’s the largest military port facility in the world and sits just above sea level on Virginia’s Atlantic coast. Sea level there rose more than 1.5 feet in the last century, and it’s on track to rise that much again by 2050 as glaciers around the world melt and warming ocean water expands.

High tides already cause delays in repair work, and major storms and their storm surges have damaged expensive equipment. The Navy has built sea walls and worked to restore coastal dunes and marshlands to protect its Virginia properties, but the risks continue to increase.

Planning for the future, the Navy incorporates scientists’ projections of sea level rise and increasing hurricane strength to design more resilient facilities. By adapting to climate change, the U.S. Navy will avoid the fate of another famous marine power: the Norse, forced to abandon their flooded Greenland settlements when sea level there rose about 600 years ago.

Norse ruins in Igaliku in southern Greenland, illustrated in the late 1800s while flooded at spring tide by sea level, which had risen since the settlement was abandoned around 1400.
Steenstrup, K.J.V., and A. Kornerup. 1881. Expeditionen til Julianehaabs distrikt i 1876. MeddelelseromGrønland

Climate change is costly to ignore

As the impacts of climate change grow in both frequency and magnitude, the costs of inaction are increasing. Most economists agree that it’s cheaper to act now than deal with the consequences. Yet, in the past 20 years, the political discourse around addressing the cause and effects of climate change has become increasingly politicized and partisan, stymieing effective action.

In my view, the military’s approach to problem-solving and threat reduction provides a model for civil society to address climate change in two ways: reducing carbon emissions and adapting to inevitable climate change impacts.

The U.S. military emits more planet warming carbon than Sweden and spent more than US$2 billion on energy in 2021. It accounts for more than 70% of energy used by the federal government.

In that context, its embrace of alternative energy, including solar generation, microgrids and wind power, makes economic and environmental sense. The U.S. military is moving away from fossil fuels, not because of any political agenda, but because of the cost-savings, increased reliability and energy independence the alternatives provide.

Solar panels generate power on many U.S. military bases. This array at Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, Calif., generates enough power for more than 15,000 homes and has a backup battery system to provide power when the sun isn’t shining.
Frederic J . Brown/AFP via Getty Images

As sea ice melts and Arctic temperatures rise, the polar region has again become a strategic priority. Russia and China are expanding Arctic shipping routes and eyeing critical mineral deposits as they become accessible. The military knows climate change affects national security, which is why it continues to take steps to address the threats a changing climate presents.

Paul Bierman receives funding from the US National Science Foundation, this work in part supported by grant EAR-2114629.

– ref. The US military has cared about climate change since the dawn of the Cold War – for good reason – https://theconversation.com/the-us-military-has-cared-about-climate-change-since-the-dawn-of-the-cold-war-for-good-reason-246333

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s potential embrace of ‘continentalist geopolitics’ poses grave risks to Canada

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Michael Williams, Professor of International Politics, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

In the few weeks since United States President Donald Trump returned to the White House, world leaders and commentators have struggled to make sense of his approach to foreign policy, including tariffs, alliance renegotiations and threats of territorial appropriation.

No one is sure how much is bluff or negotiating tactics, nor how much is deadly serious.

For some, Trump’s foreign policy is simply incoherent, but most try to fit his approach into the familiar choice between isolationism and internationalism.

But there’s a third possibility: Trump’s second presidency marks a contemporary twist on an older form of continentalist geopolitics with important implications for Canada and the world.

‘Great Powers’

Although it has been largely missing from foreign policy debates in the post-Second World War era, continentalist geopolitics has a long and often controversial history.

In the 19th century and the first half of the 20th, it envisioned a world divided into “great spaces,” each dominated by a different “Great Power.” According to this perspective, not all regions are equally important, and continentalist geopolitics does not require a choice between internationalism and isolationism.

Instead, continentalism recommends that Great Powers like the U.S. — with its massive financial, natural and industrial resources — concentrate on controlling territory, the regions surrounding it and the crucial transportation routes on its continental fringes.

Pressure is placed on countries whose importance is determined by their geopolitical proximity, and those that are least able to resist due to their dense connections and relative dependence on the U.S.

The objective is not just to gain specific advantages; it’s to force neighbours into even tighter economic and infrastructural connections and dependence. The obvious countries in this scenario are Canada and Mexico, and it’s therefore unsurprising that both have been the targets of Trump’s significant tariff threats and other coercive measures.

When Ontario Premier Doug Ford talks about the need for tighter continental ties through a continental AmCan arrangement, he provides exactly the desired reaction.

Pressuring neighbours

Beyond geographically contiguous states, continentalist geopolitics also focuses on areas that command key strategic passages and trade routes, especially those currently controlled by weaker powers.

For the U.S., Panama, with its canal, fits the bill. Danish-administered Greenland, with its natural resources and geographic importance in a rapidly thawing Arctic region, is another. It’s unsurprising that these countries, along with Canada, were a Trump focus in the first weeks of his second administration.

Today, continentalist geopolitics recognizes the multi-polarity and “multi-alignment” in world politics.

It’s not isolationist, but it recognizes that waning American power in an inter-connected world gives more distant states the ability to resist U.S. pressure by making deals with a wide range of other countries. In this setting, an interventionist global role is neither possible nor desirable, and the U.S. should refrain from global commitments.

As U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in one of his first interviews after taking office:

“It’s not normal for the world to simply have a unipolar power… that was an anomaly. It was a product of the end of the Cold War, but eventually you were going to reach back to a point where you had a multi-polar world, multi-great powers in different parts of the planet. We face that now with China and to some extent Russia.”

No commitment to global stability

The continentalist perspective does not require a complete separation from the world economic or security order. Trade, financial and technology flows can be encouraged, but their basis would be a re-industrialized and more self-sufficient core, well-insulated from economic and security threats.

Extended interests, such as European stability, could be minimized by increasing the cost burden to allies and minimizing fixed commitments. A powerful global capacity with a “light” geographic footprint is the preferred posture.

Calls for increased defence spending by NATO allies and for European responsibility in enforcing a post-war settlement in Ukraine logically follow.

The continentalist playbook is content to leave the management of distant regions to other powers, each pre-eminent in their part of the world. That means participation in international organizations is minimized.

Foreign aid should reflect American interests, with involvement depending on the costs and benefits, not any automatic commitment to global stability. Feeding the world’s most extensive development agency, USAID, “into the wood-chipper” — to quote Elon Musk — is a page taken straight from this kind of geopolitician’s handbook.

Unsavoury history

The possibility that a continentalist geopolitics underpins recent U.S. foreign policy initiatives has received too little attention in Canada.

It’s not yet clear that the actions of America’s new administration represent the rise, much less the triumph, of Trumpian geopolitics. Nor is there any guarantee that such a vision would or will succeed.

But there is enough evidence to suggest we should take the possibility seriously. Since 1945, America’s foreign policy options have resided somewhere between internationalism and isolationism. But a geopolitical vision of world politics as a diverse canvas of large territory dominated by different Great Powers have a long, if often unsavoury, history in foreign policy.

A southern neighbour pursuing a such a geopolitical approach would mark a radical transformation in world order and pose huge challenges for Canada. Canadians should at least be prepared for the possibility.

Michael Williams receives funding from the Social Science Research Council of Canada

– ref. Trump’s potential embrace of ‘continentalist geopolitics’ poses grave risks to Canada – https://theconversation.com/trumps-potential-embrace-of-continentalist-geopolitics-poses-grave-risks-to-canada-251545

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Sweeps IJGlobal and Global Capital Awards with Hat Trick of Major Wins

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

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 17, 2025/APO Group/ —

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has been honoured with three prestigious accolades, further underscoring its impact in shaping Africa’s financial landscape. At the IJGlobal Awards 2024 held recently in London, AFC was named Guarantor of the Year, Africa, and also received the Market Innovation Award, Africa. The following evening, AFC was recognised with the African Deal of the Year at the Global Capital Syndicated Loan Awards in London. The trio of awards showcase AFC’s pioneering role in infrastructure financing, risk mitigation, and innovative financial solutions that drive sustainable economic growth across Africa.

AFC’s triple win highlights its lead role in arranging a record €2 billion syndicated facility for the Bank of Industry (BOI), the largest capital raise in the history of African development finance institutions. AFC served as Global Coordinator, Lead Co-Arranger, Underwriter, Bookrunner, and Guarantor in the successful syndication.

Leveraging its structuring and credit enhancement, AFC assembled a consortium of international financial institutions for the facility, including Standard Chartered Bank, African Export-Import Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC, FirstRand Bank Limited (through its Rand Merchant Bank division – London Branch), Mashreqbank PSC, SMBC Bank International PLC, Absa Bank (Mauritius) Limited, Absa Bank Limited, and the Export-Import Bank of India (London Branch).

AFC has consistently led the way in unlocking international capital markets for African institutions. In 2023, AFC supported the Egyptian Government as Re-Guarantor on a JPY75 billion Samurai Bond Issue, exemplifying AFC’s role as a key enabler of global financing for African sovereigns. This transaction won AFC the Innovation of the Year Award (MENA) at the IJGlobal Awards 2023.

Earning Guarantor of the Year, the Market Innovation Award, and African Deal of the Year reaffirms AFC’s expertise in attracting global capital to African markets and its commitment to structuring innovative financing solutions that bridge the continent’s infrastructure gap. AFC’s investment strategies continue to drive economic resilience and industrialization across the continent.

“We are honored to receive these prestigious awards, which reflect AFC’s ongoing mission to unlock Africa’s infrastructure potential through financial innovation,” commented Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of Africa Finance Corporation. “These recognitions further validate our credentials as a trusted partner in mobilizing capital to drive sustainable development across the continent. We extend our gratitude to our partners and stakeholders whose collaboration has been instrumental in achieving these milestones.”

Banji Fehintola, Executive Director and Head of Financial Services at AFC, said: “These recognitions from IJGlobal and Global Capital are a testament to AFC’s leadership in structuring innovative financial solutions that de-risk investments and attract international capital to Africa. The success of the €2 billion syndicated facility for BOI demonstrates our ability to mobilize global funding at scale, supporting economic development and industrialization across the continent.”

The IJGlobal Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in global greenfield and refinancing deals across various sectors that shape the infrastructure and energy landscape, while the Global Capital Syndicated Loan Awards honor the most significant and innovative syndicated loan transactions worldwide.

MIL OSI Africa –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Great Falls businessman sentenced for tax and investment fraud

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Great Falls man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for tax crimes and his wire fraud scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Rick Tariq Rahim, 56, owned and operated several businesses, including laser tag facilities and an Amazon reseller. From 2015 to 2021, Rahim did not pay the IRS the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks or file the required quarterly employment tax returns reporting those withholdings.

Between October 2010 and October 2012, Rahim filed two personal income tax returns on which he reported owing substantial taxes, but did not pay all the taxes due. When the IRS attempted to collect the unpaid taxes, Rahim submitted a false statement that omitted valuable assets he owned, including a helicopter, a Bentley, a Lamborghini, and real estate in Great Falls. Approximately two weeks later, Rahim transferred ownership of the Great Falls property to his wife. He also paid personal expenses from his business bank accounts, including more than $889,000 toward his mortgages and more than $669,000 to purchase or lease cars, including three different Lamborghinis. Rahim withdrew more than $1.1 million in cash in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid triggering currency transaction reports from the bank. Rahim has not filed a personal income tax return since 2012 despite earning more than $34 million in gross income.

In total, Rahim caused a loss to the IRS of at least $4.4 million.

Rahim also defrauded customers who invested using his automated trading bots and by “copying” Rahim’s supposed trading activities that he posted to Discord. He marketed his products on websites named BotsforWealth, TradeAutomation, ProChartSignals, OptionCopier, CopyAndWin, SnipeAlgo, and QQQtrade. Rahim charged customers a subscription fee to access his bots and other software, and to copy his supposed trades. Rahim also offered a “lifetime membership” through which customers received access to Rahim’s private Discord channel, some of his products, and his “in-office” trading days. Rahim personally traded stocks for at least two individuals, claiming “We’ll hit home runs and make $500k+ per day very very often.” Instead, Rahim lost over $300,000 of his clients’ funds in eight months.

Rahim induced customers to subscribe to his products by using social media tools, including TikTok, YouTube, and Discord. He also sought to induce customers by claiming he was extremely wealthy, boasting about trading millions of dollars and posting about his large home, pool, and luxury cars, including his Lamborghini. He posted false information to his websites and to his social media accounts claiming to “beat the stock market every day” and promising extreme profit margins. His claim of regularly beating the market was exaggerated. In reality, he did not post his trades that lost money. In fact, Rahim realized over $500,000 in losses from February 2021 through December 2022, and did not earn millions in the market during this time as he had claimed. As part of his fraud scheme, Rahim also created at least 20 Discord user profiles where he posted emojis, likes, and symbols showing agreement and excitement regarding Rahim’s posts. Rahim earned at least $1,397,000 in subscription fees during his schemes.

In addition to Rahim’s prison sentence, he agreed to forfeiture of over $1.3 million and must pay restitution to the IRS and to his investment fraud victims.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Karen E. Kelly, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated Rahim’s tax fraud and FBI investigated his investment fraud. The case was consolidated for sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Shartar for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys William Montague and Ashley Stein of the Tax Division prosecuted Rahim for his tax fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shartar prosecuted Rahim for his investment fraud.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:23-cr-173 (Rahim’s Tax Fraud Case) and 1:24-cr-179 (Rahim’s Investment Fraud Case).

MIL Security OSI –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: Wearable Devices Expands to Next-Gen Neural Interaction for Everyday Life After Securing Patent in the United States

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

The patent protects Wearable Devices’ innovative neural measurement of weight, torque, and force applied with multiple real-world use-cases for Brain-Computer Interfaces, Industry 4.0, and Extended Reality

YOKNEAM ILLIT, ISRAEL, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wearable Devices Ltd. (the “Company” or “Wearable Devices”) (Nasdaq: WLDS, WLDSW), a technology growth company specializing in artificial intelligence (“AI”)-powered touchless sensing wearables, announced that it has received a notice of allowance for its patent application entitled “Gesture and Voice-Controlled Interface Device” by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Certain claims of the patent protect the Company’s revolutionary gesture-controlled interface ability to be used as wearable scale measuring real-world physical properties from the wrist. The patent covers, inter alia, the ability to estimate the weight of an object, the torque that the user applies fastening rotating objects such as screws and faucets, and measuring the force applied by a user when fastening a connector of an electrical cable harness, along with other innovations in the fields of voice commands, user experience, extended reality (“XR”) embodiment and brain computer interface.

The innovation covered by the patent may be beneficial in multiple real-world applications, with three dominant use cases: enhancing embodiment for individuals with severe disabilities, increasing productivity in logistics and industrial environments, and improving immersion in virtual environments.

The patent is part of the Company’s intellectual property (“IP”) strategy to broaden the protection of its core IP globally using patent families that cover multiple future applications of wearable bio-potential sensors and allows the Company to adapt its patent portfolio in real time to future changes in global markets.

“The newly allowed patent demonstrates the power of neural interfaces in enhancing everyday tasks – whether it’s weighing groceries, measuring the torque applied when closing a faucet, or ensuring connectors are properly fastened. Now that the patent is secured, we are diligently integrating these advanced features into our products to enrich our customers’ lives,” stated Mr. Guy Wagner, co-founder, President and Chief Science Officer of Wearable Devices Ltd.

About Wearable Devices Ltd.

Wearable Devices Ltd. is a pioneering growth company revolutionizing human-computer interaction through its AI-powered neural input technology for both consumer and business markets. Leveraging proprietary sensors, software, and advanced AI algorithms, the Company’s innovative products, including the Mudra Band for iOS and Mudra Link for Android, enable seamless, touch-free interaction by transforming subtle finger and wrist movements into intuitive controls. These groundbreaking solutions enhance gaming, and the rapidly expanding augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and XR landscapes. The Company offers a dual-channel business model: direct-to-consumer sales and enterprise licensing. Its flagship Mudra Band integrates functional and stylish design with cutting-edge AI to empower consumers, while its enterprise solutions provide businesses with the tools to deliver immersive and interactive experiences. By setting the input standard for the XR market, Wearable Devices is redefining user experiences and driving innovation in one of the fastest-growing tech sectors. Wearable Devices’ ordinary shares and warrants trade on the Nasdaq under the symbols “WLDS” and “WLDSW,” respectively.

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the “safe harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “estimate,” “anticipate” or other comparable terms. For example, we are using forward-looking statements when we discuss our technology and its potential benefits and our IP strategy. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: the trading of our ordinary shares or warrants and the development of a liquid trading market; our ability to successfully market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed on March 15, 2024 and our other filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Investor Relations Contact
Michal Efraty
IR@wearabledevices.co.il

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: Sintx Technologies Announces Board Chairman Transition

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sintx Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SINT) (“Sintx” or the “Company”), a leader in advanced ceramics for medical device and technical applications, today announced that Dr. Sonny Bal has retired as Chairman of the Board, and the Board of Directors has unanimously appointed Eric Olson, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, as its new Chairman, effective immediately.

Dr. Bal, who has served as Chairman since 2015, has played a crucial role in driving Sintx’s transformation, strengthening its core business, and positioning the Company for growth in the advanced materials sectors. He will continue to support the Company as a member of the Board of Directors, ensuring continuity as Sintx executes on its strategic objectives.

“On behalf of the Board and the entire Sintx team, I want to thank Sonny for his years of leadership, vision, and commitment to innovation,” said Eric Olson, CEO and newly appointed Chairman. “His guidance has helped prepare Sintx’s transition toward high-value medical applications and strategic partnerships. As we move into the next phase of execution, I am excited to lead the Company in advancing our commercial strategy, optimizing our asset portfolio, and delivering long-term value to our shareholders.”

Dr. Bal commented, “It has been an honor to serve as Chairman of Sintx Technologies and work alongside such a talented team. I am confident that under Eric’s leadership, Sintx is well-positioned for the next stage of growth, with a clear focus on unlocking the full potential of its biomaterial technology platform.”

Since being appointed CEO in August 2024, Eric Olson has refocused the Company on high-growth opportunities in biomedical and medical device applications. With a proven track record of leadership in the medical device and industrial sectors, his appointment as Chairman reinforces Sintx’s commitment to accelerating commercialization, enhancing financial discipline, and exploring strategic initiatives, including partnerships, licensing, and M&A opportunities.

For more information, please visit www.sintx.com

About SINTX Technologies, Inc.

Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, SINTX Technologies is an advanced ceramics company that develops and commercializes materials, components, and technologies for medical applications. SINTX is a global leader in the research, development, and manufacturing of silicon nitride, and its products have been implanted in humans since 2008. Over the past several years, SINTX has utilized strategic acquisitions and alliances to enter into new markets. For more information on SINTX Technologies or its materials platform, visit www.sintx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”) that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made and reflect management’s current estimates, projections, expectations and beliefs. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, difficulty in commercializing ceramic technologies and development of new product opportunities. A discussion of other risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements can be found in SINTX’s Risk Factors disclosure in its Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2024, and in SINTX’s other filings with the SEC. SINTX undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this report, except as required by law.

Business and Media Inquiries for SINTX:
SINTX Technologies
801.839.3502
IR@sintx.com

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI: Nearly Nine Out of 10 Decision Makers Rank the Phone as the Most Important Outbound Channel for Meeting Customer Service Goals and Increasing Revenues

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CHICAGO, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — While channels like email and messaging are more prevalent, the phone remains one of the most business-critical tools available, according to a 2025 study from Forrester Consulting, commissioned by TransUnion (NYSE: TRU). The study found 86% of decision-makers across a wide range of industries agree the phone is the most important outbound channel for meeting customer service goals and increasing revenues.

The study surveyed 719 decision-makers responsible for their company’s outbound call experience strategy, technology selection, and security. Its findings provide an update to the 2022 study and highlight key pain points, including inaccurate customer contact data and the threat of call spoofing. The full findings are available in the study, Optimizing Outbound Communications: Strategies And Technologies For Effective Customer Engagement. The State of Outbound Communications in 2025.

Decision-makers indicated their companies made 26% fewer calls while increasing use of other digital channels; however, the phone remains their top channel for urgent customer service issues and discussing personal matters.

“Business leaders understand the critical role communications solutions play in helping companies promote their brand while protecting consumers,” said James Garvert, senior vice president of TruContact™ Communications Solutions at TransUnion. “Adoption of customer contact, branded calling and call authentication solutions has proven to help businesses enhance the customer experience, increase revenues, and reduce fraud risk.”

Importance of communications and contact solutions
Three in four decision-makers say accurate caller information displayed on outbound calls is important for improving customer engagement and increasing answer rates. This rich content can be displayed through branded calling. Among the most valuable features of branded calling, respondents identified the following as “important” or “critical” to improving customer engagement and contact rates.

Most Important Features to Drive Customer Engagement

Accurate Caller
ID on
Outbound
Calls Protection
Against Call
Spoofing Indication on
Mobile Display
that Call Is
Authenticated Displaying Logo
on Outbound
Calls

75% 67% 62% 58%

Damaging effects of fraud and call-spoofing
Decision-makers noted the need for protection against call spoofing, with 80% reporting an uptick in customer service inquiries due to call spoofing and subsequent increased operational costs.

In addition, 72% have observed a decline in customer trust due to call spoofing, directly affecting retention. Despite the recognized need for robust solutions, effective measures are elusive—and that problem appears to have gotten worse. The current survey found 55% of decision-makers said their current technologies lack adequate call spoofing protection, representing an increase from 38% since 2022.

The study notes that businesses can also improve customer experience by focusing their use of the phone channel on urgent and personal matters—when it is most valued—and by understanding and respecting consumers’ individual contact preferences.

Click here to read Optimizing Outbound Communications: Strategies And Technologies For Effective Customer Engagement. The State of Outbound Communications 2025.

Learn more about TransUnion Branded Call Display (BCD), part of the Trusted Call Solutions (TCS) suite, and our suite of Customer Contact Intelligence solutions.

TransUnion will be at Enterprise Connect 2025 at booth #1327. Senior Director of Product Management, Mick Moss, will be speaking at the show on Tuesday March 18, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. on the Restoring Trust in the Voice Channel with Branded Calling panel and on Thursday, March 20, 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. on the Building Trust in Outbound Calling Systems panel.

Survey Methodology
In this study, Forrester conducted an online survey of 719 decision-makers at automotive dealer, collections, financial services, healthcare, insurance, travel and hospitality, and wealth management organizations in the US to evaluate the current state of outbound communications. Survey participants included decision-makers in customer experience/service, call center/contact center, IT, IT security, marketing/advertising, operations, and risk/compliance/fraud. Respondents were offered a small incentive as a thank-you for time spent on the survey. The study was completed in November 2024.

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)
TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this with a Tru™ picture of each person: an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care. Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good^® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world. http://www.transunion.com/business.

Contact Dave Blumberg

TransUnion

E-mail david.blumberg@transunion.com

Telephone 312-972-6646

The MIL Network –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SITI attends press conference of World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit in Beijing

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

SITI attends press conference of World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit in Beijing
In addition to the highly acclaimed annual Wuzhen Summit, the WIC has designated Hong Kong for the first time to host the Asia-Pacific Summit. Organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), the Summit will be held April 14 and 15 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre under the theme of “Integration of AI and Digital Technologies Shaping the Future – Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”.

The Summit is expected to attract around 1,000 participants from the Mainland and overseas, including representatives from governments and enterprises, international organisations, leading corporations, experts and scholars. Through exploring the latest trends in various technology areas and in-depth exchanges of views and experiences, the Summit aims to enable all parties to seize the development opportunities brought about by digital and intelligent transformation, promoting high-quality development in innovation and technology (I&T), strengthening digital collaboration, and creating new momentum and new advantages for the development of the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr Ren said that the WIC has chosen to organise the Asia-Pacific Summit in Hong Kong to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantage of global connectivity, fostering a cross-regional, cross-sector and cross-cultural dialogue platform to inject new impetus and create new opportunities for building an open, inclusive, innovative, connected and co-operative community with a shared future for the Asia-Pacific region.

Professor Sun expressed his gratitude to the WIC for choosing Hong Kong as the host city of the 2025 Summit, affirming Hong Kong’s pivotal role of bridging the country and the world as a dual platform. This creates a top-notch platform for exchanges, dialogue and co-operation in I&T, further strengthening Hong Kong’s position as an international I&T centre. The HKSAR Government endeavours to collaborate with the WIC in jointly making the Summit into the most influential regional I&T mega event. Professor Sun said he believes that the Summit will deepen regional co-operation in the I&T field, support Hong Kong’s development into an international I&T centre, as well as foster the vibrant development of the digital economy across the Asia-Pacific region.

The rich content of the Summit will include the opening ceremony and the main forum on “The Future of Digital Intelligence”, and three sub-forums on “Large Artificial Intelligence Models”, “Digital Finance” and “Digital Government and Smart Life” on the second day of the Summit, when internationally renowned speakers will share their insights to explore the future development and potential across various domains in digital technology. The Summit will also organise a series of affiliated activities including a government-enterprise dialogue session, a cybersecurity emergency response advanced training programme and an information meeting on Practice Cases and Awards for Pioneering Science and Technology. Details of the Summit are available from the WIC announcement www.wicinternet.org/2025-03/17/c_1079097.htm
In addition to the Summit, Hong Kong’s annual I&T mega event, the Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week) will take place concurrently in April to feature a series of exciting I&T activities. Co-organised by the ITIB and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, InnoEX will take place from April 13 to 16, bringing together major I&T elites from the Mainland and overseas, industry leaders and buyers from around the world. Through a large-scale exhibition, seminars and a series of business networking events, InnoEX will foster exchanges and dialogues, enabling participants to grasp the latest advancements and applications in I&T and explore global collaboration opportunities.

Professor Sun concluded his visit and returned to Hong Kong in the evening.
Issued at HKT 19:18

NNNN

Categories24-7, Asia Pacific, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Government special administrative region, MIL OSI

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 18, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New Director-General of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London, assumes office (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

New Director-General of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London, assumes office (with photo)
Miss Chau said, “I am honoured to take up this position and look forward to working with our partners from different sectors to promote the core strengths, the international competitiveness, the vast business potential and the cultural diversity of Hong Kong, with a view to strengthening the economic, commercial and cultural ties between Hong Kong and the nine countries under the purview of the office.”

Miss Chau joined the Government in 1989. She served in the Trade Officer Grade before joining the Administrative Service in 2014. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the Trade and Industry Department, the HKETO in Washington DC, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the former Food and Health Bureau and the HKETO in Brussels. Before assuming the post of the Director-General of the HKETO in London, Miss Chau was the Principal Assistant Secretary in the Development Bureau, overseeing the urban renewal policies.
Issued at HKT 10:30

NNNN

Categories24-7, Asia Pacific, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Government special administrative region, MIL OSI

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 18, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Inflation and Economic Trends in India

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 16 MAR 2025 6:33PM by PIB Delhi

Inflation and Economic Trends

CPI inflation moderated to a 7-month low of 3.6% in February 2025, aided by a sharp decline in vegetable prices.
Core inflation crossed 4% for the first time in 14 months, reaching 4.08%.
Industrial growth strengthened, with IIP expanding by 5.0% in January 2025, led by manufacturing and mining.
Rural inflation remains higher than urban inflation, influenced by food price trends.
Imported inflation surged, rising from 1.3% in June 2024 to 31.1% in February 2025, driven by rising prices of precious metals, oils, and fats.
RBI expected to implement at least 75 basis points of rate cuts in 2025, with successive reductions anticipated in April and August.
Corporate performance remains strong, with revenue, EBITDA, and PAT growth of 6.2%, 11%, and 12%, respectively, in Q3FY25.

The above are the major findings of the SBI Ecowrap report, published by the State Bank of India’s Economic Research Department. SBI Ecowrap is a research report that analyzes the Indian economy, including GDP growth, agricultural reforms, and formal and informal economies. The latest edition of SBI’s Ecowrap, released on March 12, 2025, provides a detailed analysis of India’s economic landscape in February 2025. It focuses on Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation, industrial growth, imported inflation, and corporate performance. The report highlights a significant moderation in inflation, particularly in food and beverages, while also projecting future trends in monetary policy and industrial output.

CPI Inflation Moderation

India’s CPI inflation fell to a 7-month low of 3.6% in February 2025 due to a substantial decline in food and beverage prices.
Food & Beverages inflation eased by 185 basis points (m-o-m) to 3.84%, mainly due to a sharp decline in vegetable prices.
Vegetable CPI declined sharply, entering negative territory (1.07%) for the first time in 20 months.
Approximately 80% of this decline was attributed to garlic, potatoes, and tomatoes.
A notable drop in garlic prices is potentially linked to dietary changes during the Maha Kumbh, which may have led to reduced consumption of non-vegetarian food.
Fruit inflation surged to a 10-year high of 14.8%, potentially due to increased demand during fasting periods associated with the Maha Kumbh.
Fuel and light deflation is still continued for 18 months.
Non-vegetarian food inflation (Egg/Meat/Fish) decelerated, possibly due to the Maha Kumbh period.
While overall inflation moderated, the core inflation crossed the 4.0% mark after 14 months to 4.08%. Core Inflation corresponds to the component of inflation that is likely to continue for a long period. Thus, core inflation captures the underlying trend of inflation and is, therefore, more stable.

Future CPI Inflation Trends

CPI inflation is expected to decline to 3.9% in Q4 FY25 and average 4.7% for FY25.
FY26 inflation is projected in the range of 4.0-4.2%, while core inflation may range between 4.2-4.4%.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may implement successive rate cuts in April and August 2025, with an overall expected cumulative rate cut of at least 75 basis points.
The cycle of rate cuts may continue from October 2025, following an intervening gap in August 2025.

State-wise Inflation Analysis

12 states recorded rural inflation above the national rural average.
10 states reported urban inflation higher than the national urban average.
Rural inflation continued to outpace urban inflation due to higher food prices and a larger food basket share (54.2% for rural areas vs. 36.3% for urban areas).
The highest inflation rates were recorded in Kerala (7.3%) and Chhattisgarh (4.9%).

State	Rural Inflation (%)	Urban Inflation (%)	Overall Inflation (%)
Kerala	8.0	4.5	7.3
Chhattisgarh	5.6	3.3	4.9
Goa	6.2	1.5	4.8
Bihar	4.3	4.7	4.5
Karnataka	4.6	3.0	4.5

The lowest inflation rates were recorded in Telangana (1.3%) and Delhi (1.5%).

State	Rural Inflation (%)	Urban Inflation (%)	Overall Inflation (%)
Telangana	0.5	1.3	1.3
Delhi	2.6	3.5	1.5
Goa	6.2	1.5	1.8
Maharashtra	2.2	2.4	3.1
Himachal Pradesh	3.3	4.0	3.3

Rising Share of Imported Inflation

Despite the overall decline in CPI inflation, the share of imported inflation rose from 1.3% in June 2024 to 31.1% in February 2025.
Key drivers include rising prices of precious metals, oils, fats, and chemical products.
The contribution of energy prices to imported inflation remains negative and in declining in absolute amount.

Industrial Growth and IIP Expansion

India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) expanded by 5.0% in January 2025, the highest in eight months, compared to 3.2% in December 2024.
The growth was driven by:
- Manufacturing sector: 5.5% growth
- Mining sector: 4.4% growth
- Primary goods: 5.5% growth
- Consumer Durables (long-term consumption goods): 7.2% growth
- Intermediate goods: 5.23% growth
Consumer Non-Durables (immediate consumption goods) contracted by 0.2%, indicating weak demand in that segment.

Sectoral Growth Trends

Capital Goods, Consumer Durables, FMCG, Healthcare, and Pharmaceuticals showed strong year-on-year growth in Q3FY25.
The Interest Coverage Ratio of listed entities improved by 20 basis points in Q3FY25, reflecting improved margins and financial stability.
More than 4000 corporates in the listed space reported revenue growth of 6.2%, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and profit after tax (PAT) growing by 11% and 12%, respectively, in Q3FY25 compared to Q3FY24.
Corporate ex-BFSI (more than 3400 listed entities) reported revenue and PAT growth of 5% (recovering from negative growth in previous quarters) and 9% in Q3FY25, respectively.

Monetary Policy Outlook & Corporate Capex Cycle

The combination of a strong balance sheet, comfortable interest coverage, and a downward interest rate cycle is expected to support the next capex cycle for Indian industries.
Improved corporate margins and liquidity conditions make Indian Inc. well-positioned for capital expenditure growth.
The aggregate EBITDA margin improved by 44 basis points in Q3FY25, reaching 14.84% from 14.4% in Q2FY25.

Conclusion

India’s economic indicators for February 2025 reflect a moderation in inflation, improved industrial output, and strong corporate earnings. While inflation trends remain favorable in the short term, imported inflation risks and rupee depreciation pose challenges going forward. The RBI’s expected rate cuts could further bolster growth, providing a positive environment for capex expansion and industrial performance. The evolving economic landscape suggests a cautious but optimistic outlook for the coming months.

References

https://bank.sbi/documents/13958/43951007/Ecowrap_20250312.pdf/97dd5dd2-b54d-1f0b-eb2b-1167ef1f81b1?t=1741844062565

https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/budget2019-20/economicsurvey/doc/vol2chapter/echap04_vol2.pdf

Click here to see PDF

*****

Santosh Kumar | Ritu Kataria | Rishita Aggarwal

Annexure 1: State-wise Inflation Rates: February 2025

*****

(Release ID: 2111647) Visitor Counter : 17

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 18, 2025

Accurate Caller ID on Outbound Calls	Protection Against Call Spoofing	Indication on Mobile Display that Call Is Authenticated	Displaying Logo on Outbound Calls
75%	67%	62%	58%

Contact	Dave Blumberg
	TransUnion
E-mail	david.blumberg@transunion.com
Telephone	312-972-6646

Category: Trade

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

Government Contracting-related Awards

Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery

SBA Resource Partner Awards

Exporter of the Year

Small Business Investment Company of the Year – Established Manager

Surety Bond Agent of the Year

The birth of a universal vision

Emerging cracks

New challenges to the status quo

An uncertain future

Minister Thomas-Symonds speech at the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

Updates to this page

TRA to investigate HVO biodiesel imports from the USA

Notes to Editors:

Share this page

Updates to this page

Share this

UK and Philippines upgrade trade relationship through inaugural talks

Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security Douglas Alexander MP said:

The International Meat Trade Association (MTA) said:

Background

Share this page

Updates to this page

Ice roads, ice cores and bases inside the ice sheet

Seeing climate change as a threat multiplier

Climate change is costly to ignore

‘Great Powers’

Pressuring neighbours

No commitment to global stability

Unsavoury history