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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests 9 Houston area criminal aliens in past week convicted or charged with sex offenses

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    March 5, 2025Houston, TX, United StatesChild Exploitation

    HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nine criminal aliens in the Houston area between Feb. 24 – 28 charged with, or have been convicted of, a sex offense and are amenable to removal from the U.S.

    The arrests were part of a multi-agency enforcement effort conducted by ICE, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigation Division, and the Texas Office of Attorney General.

    “Our local communities are safer as a direct result of this targeted enforcement effort,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “In just five days, working alongside our federal and state partners, and leveraging HSI’s unique investigative authorities and extensive expertise investigating child exploitation crimes, we were able to quickly locate and remove these criminal aliens from the community before they could reoffend.”

    The arrests made during the targeted enforcement effort included:

    • A 39-year-old three-time deported criminal alien from El Salvador arrested Feb. 24 who is charged with for continuous sexual assault of a minor.
    • A 61-year-old three-time deported criminal alien from Mexico arrested Feb. 26 who was previously convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a minor, driving while intoxicated, and illegal entry.
    • A 55-year-old criminal alien from Cuba arrested Feb. 25 who was previously convicted of aggravated sexual assault.
    • A 61-year-old criminal alien from Cuba arrested Feb. 26 who was previously convicted of sexual battery with a weapon, sexual assault, kidnapping, and failure to register as a sex offender.
    • A 57-year-old criminal alien from Vietnam arrested Feb. 24 who was previously convicted of abduction with intent to extort money for an immoral purpose, illegal possession of a weapon, and burglary.
    • A 57-year-old criminal alien from Vietnam arrested Feb. 25 who was previously convicted of gross sexual imposition with a minor under the age of 13, failure to register as a sex offender, aggravated assault, carrying a prohibited weapon, and prostitution.
    • A 41-year-old criminal alien from Mexico arrested Feb. 26 who was previously convicted of indecency with a minor by contact, DWI, and marijuana possession.
    • A 72-year-old criminal alien from the Philippines arrested Feb. 25 who was previously convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a minor and cocaine possession.
    • A 71-year-old criminal alien from Cuba arrested Feb. 27 who was previously convicted of sexual battery of a minor.

    To learn more about ICE’s mission to combat child exploitation in the Houston-area follow us on X at @HSIHouston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Partners Value Split Corp. Announces Completion of $200,000,000 Public Offering of Class AA Preferred Shares, Series 15

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES

    TORONTO, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Partners Value Split Corp. (the “Company”) announced today the completion of its previously announced offering of Class AA Preferred Shares, Series 15 (the “Series 15 Preferred Shares”). A total of 8,000,000 Series 15 Preferred Shares were issued at an offering price of $25.00 per Series 15 Preferred Share, raising gross proceeds of $200,000,000. The Series 15 Preferred Shares carry quarterly fixed cumulative preferential dividends representing a 5.15% annualized yield on the offering price and have a final maturity of March 31, 2031. The Series 15 Preferred Shares have been listed and posted for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PVS.PR. M.

    The net proceeds of the offering will be used by the Company to pay a special dividend on the Company’s capital shares.

    Prior to the closing of the offering, the Company subdivided the existing capital shares held by Partners Value Investments Inc. so that there are an equal number of preferred shares and capital shares outstanding.

    The Company owns a portfolio consisting of approximately 120 million Class A Limited Voting Shares of Brookfield Corporation and approximately 30 million Class A Limited Voting Shares of Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (collectively, the “Brookfield Securities”), which are expected to yield quarterly dividends that are sufficient to fund quarterly fixed cumulative preferential dividends for the holders of the Company’s preferred shares and to enable the holders of the Company’s capital shares to participate in any capital appreciation of the Brookfield Securities.

    Brookfield Corporation is a leading global investment firm focused on building long term-wealth for institutions and individuals around the world. Brookfield Corporation has three core businesses: alternative asset management, wealth solutions, and its operating businesses which are in renewable power, infrastructure, business and industrial services, and real estate. Brookfield Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BN.

    Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (“BAM”) is a leading global alternative asset manager, headquartered in New York, with approximately US$1 trillion of assets under management across renewable power & transition, infrastructure, private equity, real estate, and credit. BAM’s objective is to generate attractive, long-term risk-adjusted returns for the benefit of its clients and shareholders. BAM is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BAM.

    Jason Weckwerth, Chief Financial Officer, will be available at (416) 363-9491 to answer any questions regarding the offering.

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and regulations. The words “expected”, “will”, “agreed” and “enable” and other expressions which are predictions of or indicate future events, trends or prospects and which do not relate to historical matters or identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements with regard to the use of proceeds of the offering and quarterly dividends from the Company’s portfolio of Brookfield Securities which are expected to fund quarterly fixed cumulative preferential dividends for holders of the Company’s preferred shares and to enable holders of its capital shares to participate in any capital appreciation of the Brookfield Securities. Although the Company believes that the anticipated future results or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information and statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by the forward-looking information and statements include: the behaviour of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and exchange rates, availability of equity and debt financing and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s other documents filed with the Canadian securities regulators. We caution that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking information to make decisions with respect to the Company, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as may be required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or statements, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Reference should be made to the Company’s short form base shelf prospectus dated September 19, 2024 and the prospectus supplement dated February 27, 2025 for a description of the major risk factors.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leading international photographer Hrair Sarkissian to bring solo exhibition to Wolverhampton Art Gallery

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The solo exhibition Other Pains includes 3 bodies of work where captivating landscapes and urban scenes reflect sites of previous pain, trauma or melancholy from both the artist’s own personal history and that of others. Through extensive research Sarkissian conveys stories of conflict, displacement, loss and hope.

    By documenting sites that bear the scars of trauma as hints that remain of a life that has gone before in a landscape or previously loved place, Sarkissian draws upon personal and collective memories to reveal narratives previously untold.

    As a third generation Syrian photographer of Armenian descent, Sarkissian grew up with the inherited narrative of the 1915 Armenian genocide from which both of his grandparents were the sole survivors of their respective families.

    Sarkissian is considered one of the leading conceptual photographers of his generation. He trained at his father’s photographic studio in Damascus, Syria, which to this day informs his perspective and practice. In 2010, he completed a BFA in Photography at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam. Sarkissian’s practice spans photography, moving image, sculpture, sound and installation, sometimes creating meditative dreamscapes; sometimes capturing landscapes which were previously places of trauma and destruction.

    A major new commission for Other Pains, Sea of Trees, is an installation of 7 large format photographs with sound, captured in Aokigahara forest, which encompasses 30 square kilometres on the northwestern flank of Mount Fuji in Japan. A sea of trees thrives on hardened lava deposited by the last major volcanic eruption over a thousand years ago. The roots of hemlock, cypress and pine trees are unable to penetrate the ground, and snake out over the surface through a blanket of moss. Evergreen, and resembling an ocean when looked at from Mount Fuji, the forest is commonly referred to as Jukai, or Sea of Trees. The porous lava rock absorbs all sound, contributing to a profound sense of solitude.

    The practice of finding solace in remote places to end life has deep roots in Japanese culture and mythology. Aokigahara forest has long been associated with this – a place where souls meet or disappear.

    Sarkissian has captured the beauty and serenity of the forest in a series of large format photographs. Printed on aluminium and ceiling mounted, surrounded by the sounds of the Aokigahara forest, the installation allows visitors to walk around each work, emulating a sense of walking through the forest.

    Included in the exhibition is a 3 channel video installation Sweet & Sour, Sarkissian travelled to his ancestral village to capture a place that was unknown and yet familiar to him. He subsequently travelled to Damascus, where he shared the footage with his father, who had also never visited his birthplace. The filmed encounter focusses on the emotional landscape of his father’s face as he watches the footage Sarkissian has captured. A third screen shows Sarkissian himself overlooking his ancestral land.

    The third part of the exhibition in 47 archival inkjet prints is called Last Scene – a series of photographs of locations in The Netherlands that were chosen by terminally ill patients to visit as their last wish. The scenes were captured on the same date and time the actual visit took place in a previous year.

    Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, Councillor Chris Burden, said: “Wolverhampton Art Gallery is honoured to welcome award winning photographer Hrair Sarkissian in this powerful solo exhibition, Other Pains.

    “This immersive showcase of captivating landscapes and urban scenes reveals previously untold narratives, offering a compelling and unmissable experience.”

    The project centres on the power of a well loved place to express an outlook on life in one scene that is at once melancholic and joyful. The simplicity of each landscape or scene heightens attention to an inner journey of remembering the past and envisioning a future beyond your time. The images turn into mirrors: on the one hand the viewer can try to imagine the person who looked at the scene for the last time, while at the same time it encourages personal introspection.

    Hrair Sarkissian, Other Pains, runs at Wolverhampton Art Gallery from Saturday 29 March until Sunday 22 June. Visit Wolverhampton Arts & Culture for more information.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Inspectors praise Stanley Primary School

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    Stanley Primary School and Early Learning and Childcare has been praised for their work to improve outcomes for children.

    Inspectors from Education Scotland visited the school in January and highlighted several strengths in the school’s work.

    They also praised the school’s approach to children’s wellbeing, and the leadership opportunities given to pupils throughout their time at the school.

    The inspection also identified areas for improvement, including improving approaches to learning, teaching and assessment and enhancing planning and assessment strategies to ensure all children make the best possible progress.

    Education Scotland’s evaluations for Stanley Primary School and Early Learning and Childcare are as follows:

    Primary Stages:

    • Leadership of change: Satisfactory
    • Learning, teaching, and assessment: Satisfactory
    • Ensuring wellbeing, equality, and inclusion: Good
    • Raising attainment and achievement: Good

    Nursery Class:

    • Leadership of change: Good
    • Learning, teaching, and assessment: Good
    • Ensuring wellbeing, equality, and inclusion: Good
    • Securing children’s progress: Good

    Councillor John Rebbeck, convener of Perth and Kinross Council’s Learning and Families Committee, said: “This inspection report achievement is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment of the entire school community.

    “This report not only recognises the school’s current successes but also sets a benchmark for continued growth and improvement.”

    Last modified on 05 March 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reminiscing with the Class of 1975: A Look Back with School of Pharmacy Alumni.

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Cynthia Huge vividly recalls her time as a pharmacy student in the 1970s, a decade marked by cultural and political trouble. The Vietnam War protests and the Kent State shootings were important events during her college years. “It was a time of turmoil,” she says, noting the era’s profound impact on campus life. Despite these challenges, she felt her class embodied resilience and community.

    The pharmacy field itself was undergoing significant changes. “Pharmacy was shifting from independent ownership to chain drug stores,” Huge says. She believes this evolution opened the profession to more women. Her class of 1975 reflected this progress, with women making up 25% of students—an increase from just 10% a few years prior.

    Huge says that choosing to study pharmacy was a big decision. She had worked in a pharmacy during high school but entered UConn with little knowledge about the profession’s rigorous scientific foundation. “I thought all pharmacists did was type labels,” she says. Adjusting to courses like chemistry and physics wasn’t easy, but her determination and support from classmates helped her through.

    Cynthia Huge with the rest of the 1975 yearbook staff.

    Some of her fondest memories came from moments of creativity and humor. As co-editor of the yearbook, Huge and her team playfully dedicated it to the animals sacrificed in lab experiments. To fund the project, they organized a beer fest, a memorable event that showcased the community spirit of the School of Pharmacy.

    Reflecting on her journey, Huge acknowledges that the friendships and experiences she gained at UConn have shaped her life. “It was a different time, but the connections I made are still meaningful today,” she says. For aspiring pharmacists, she offers a simple message: embrace challenges, value collaboration, and treasure the lifelong bonds formed along the way.

    For Marghie Giuliano, the 70s at the School of Pharmacy were a time of transformation, both personally and professionally. Reflecting on her student years, Giuliano describes the decade as “unique, not just culturally and politically, but academically.” She recalls a time of significant curriculum changes, which posed challenges for students and professors alike. However, these challenges fostered resilience and growth.

    Marghie Giuliano posing for the 1975 yearbook.

    “We were labeled disruptive because we stood up for ourselves,” she says, recalling how her class was characterized by their willingness to question authority and advocate for their needs. These experiences strengthened her sense of self and cultivated a collaborative spirit among classmates. Giuliano fondly remembers the friendships that defined her experience: “We didn’t want to see anybody fail. There was a real sense of collaboration instead of competition.” This support network forged lifelong friendships and set a foundation for her career.

    Giuliano’s connection to UConn runs deep, reinforced by a family legacy in pharmacy. Her uncles, including one who also graduated from the School of Pharmacy, inspired her journey. Entering UConn for her first professional year was a significant transition from her small college background, but she found a welcoming community. “UConn has always been there for me—sometimes challenging me, sometimes supporting me,” she says. This enduring relationship with the university shaped her professional life, offering a sense of home within the larger institution.

    Looking back at the evolution of pharmacy, Giuliano marvels at the growth of the profession. “When we graduated, there were only three options: hospital, retail, or industry. Now, opportunities are endless,” she says. Giuliano encourages today’s students to broaden their horizons and embrace change, emphasizing the importance of leadership and adaptability. “Challenge yourself, step into leadership roles, and keep your vision of pharmacy open,” she says.

    Jack Collins had an unexpected start to his pharmacy career. Initially studying business at Boston College, a middle-of-the-night epiphany led him to transfer to UConn to follow in the footsteps of his pharmacist father and grandfather.

    “I woke up in the middle of the night and said, you know what? You need to go back to the pharmacy,” Collins says. “I felt that strongly. I’m from Connecticut. That’s the school you want to go to if you’re going to become a pharmacist.”

    His time at UConn wasn’t easy. The pharmacy program was intense, with five years of science-heavy courses that left little room for anything else. “It was science from freshman year through your fifth year, all in, full bore, and it was hard,” Collins says. Courses like organic chemistry and long lab sessions were especially challenging. “Organic was brutal…physics was hard, physics labs were hard.” But despite the challenges, Collins cherishes the relationships he formed with his classmates. “We had a great class. A lot of successful people came out of that class, and some of them are still good friends, even 50 years later.”

    As he entered the professional world, Collins saw the pressures of retail pharmacy firsthand and knew it wasn’t the right path for him. In the 1990s, he pivoted to Home Infusion Therapy and Compounding. “Retail pharmacy wasn’t going to sustain my growing family,” Collins says. “So, I did something different, and it worked out well.”

    Jack Collins catching up on his studies.

    Collins’ career highlights the adaptability of UConn graduates. He found success in niche areas of Pharmacy which allowed him to grow professionally and personally.

    As UConn celebrates 100 years of excellence, the class of 1975 stands as a testament to the school’s enduring legacy. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 50 years,” Collins reflects. “But I’m just happy to be part of it.”

    For future students, Collins’ advice is clear: “Try to find a branch of pharmacy that’s going to use your six years of very difficult education.” Collins encourages students to look for niches where they can apply their education and make a real impact, whether in hospitals, compounding, or other areas. “The opportunities are endless—go for it.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Deer Lake — Deer Lake RCMP investigates fatal snowmobile incident near Angus Lake

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Deer Lake RCMP is investigating a fatal snowmobile incident that occurred on March 4, 2025. A 55-year-old man is deceased.

    At approximately 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, police received the report. A group of snowmobilers were traveling together in a remote area near Angus Lake. One of the riders ended up in a brook, trapped underneath his snowmobile. The unresponsive man was removed from the water by his friends who administered countless rounds of CPR. Efforts to revive the man were unsuccessful.

    Deer Lake Search and Rescue was engaged, along with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC). The man’s body was removed from the area by JRCC and was transported to Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook. The man was pronounced deceased during his transport to the hospital by a medical professional onboard the aircraft.

    The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is engaged and the investigation is continuing.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nigeria reduces inflation rate, but the cost of living remains high – here’s why

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Taiwo Hassan Odugbemi, Lecturer in Economics, University of Abuja

    Nigeria recently rebased its consumer price index (CPI) from 2009 to 2024, leading to a significant drop in the reported inflation rate from 34.80% to 24.48%.

    This change has sparked discussions on the likely impact on economic planning, policy decisions, and public perception of inflation. Taiwo Odugbemi, an economist, unpacks what it means for a country to rebase its inflation rate and its implications for citizens.

    What is inflation rate rebasing and how is it done?

    Inflation rate rebasing follows a structured approach led by the National Bureau of Statistics to improve the accuracy of inflation measurements. Essentially what it means is that the National Bureau of Statistics expanded its data collection efforts to include a broader range of states, local government areas, and rural communities.

    The recent inflation revision involved:

    Updating the consumer price index basket

    The bureau reviewed and changed the composition of goods and services in the consumer price index basket. The index tracks the rate at which prices change over time, monthly or annually.

    These changes align the measurement of price changes with shifts in consumer spending habits.

    The changes to the basket are based on the household expenditure surveys which collect information on what households consume and spend.

    Categories such as telecommunications and technology were given greater weight. Less relevant items such as food and non-alcoholic beverages received reduced weighting to ensure the consumer price index accurately represents present-day household spending.

    Rebasing the inflation index

    The changes to the composition of the consumer price index basket require a change in the reference (base) year. The bureau has changed the consumer price index base year from 2009 to 2024.

    This adjustment aligns inflation measurements with current economic realities, reducing distortions caused by outdated reference periods. To achieve this, the National Bureau of Statistics has implemented high-frequency data collection methods, such as the National Longitudinal Phone Survey, which allows for more timely assessments of economic indicators.

    Adjusting weights of consumer price index components

    Each part of the consumer price index was given a new weight based on updated national consumption data. Spending categories with increased significance, such as transport and digital services, were given higher weights, while categories with declining relevance such as gas and other fuels were adjusted downward.

    Expanding data collection coverage

    The National Bureau of Statistics improved price data collection by:

    • increasing the sample size and geographical coverage

    • increasing the frequency of data collection

    • incorporating price variations from informal markets.

    The informal sector significantly contributes to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for approximately 58% of the gross domestic product (GDP).



    Read more:
    Nigeria’s 2025 budget has major flaws and won’t ease economic burden

    What does this rate rebase mean? Is it unusual?

    The rebase is a revision in the way inflation is measured. It reflects an effort to represent price movements and economic conditions more accurately.

    Inflation readjustment is not uncommon among economies striving for better data accuracy. Countries such as Ghana and Kenya have undertaken similar revisions in recent years.

    Ghana’s consumer price index rebasing in 2019 led to a lower reported inflation rate as it was calculated on newer spending habits.

    Similarly, in 2014, Nigeria rebased its gross domestic product. This resulted in a significant revision of economic indicators.

    Inflation in Nigeria reached 29.90% in January 2024. Revising how it is measured could be an attempt to capture structural economic changes more precisely.

    Concerns over outdated consumer price index weights might have driven the move. The rebase could also have been done because of shifts in consumer spending, or improvements in statistical methodologies to enhance policy-making and economic planning.

    The National Bureau of Statistics said the rebasing was necessary in order to reflect changes in consumption patterns.

    Given Nigeria’s persistent inflationary pressures, made worse by currency depreciation and food supply disruptions, this adjustment could have significant implications for economic forecasting and policy responses.



    Read more:
    Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits

    What are the implications for Nigerians?

    If inflation is perceived as declining, consumer confidence may improve, leading to increased spending and investment.

    However, many Nigerians may still feel that the cost of living remains high, particularly as food inflation remains a major concern.

    For workers and businesses, the adjustment could influence wage negotiations and pricing strategies. If inflation is officially lower, employers may resist wage increases, arguing that the real cost of living has not risen as sharply as previously thought.

    Similarly, businesses may reassess pricing decisions based on the revised inflation outlook.

    A lower reported inflation rate might reduce pressure on policymakers to expand social safety nets, even if citizens still struggle with economic hardship.



    Read more:
    Nigeria’s economy in 2025 doesn’t look bright — analyst explains why

    What changes in policy can be expected?

    This adjustment can alter the way monetary, fiscal and exchange rate policies are formulated.

    Monetary policy adjustments

    With a lower inflation rate, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may reconsider its aggressive tightening stance, which is reflected in the level it sets interest rates at.

    Previously, high inflation prompted the central bank to raise the monetary policy rate to 22.75% in a bid to curb inflation. Raising the rate makes it more expensive to borrow money, so demand for goods is lower and this reduces price increases.

    The revised inflation figure could justify a more measured approach to interest rate adjustments, potentially easing borrowing costs for businesses and households. This could support economic growth but must be carefully managed.

    In the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting after the inflation rebasing, the committee decided for the first time in three years to pause interest rate hikes.

    Fiscal policy considerations

    The government may use the revised inflation data to reassess budgetary projections, wage policies, and what it spends on subsidy programmes.

    A lower inflation rate could reduce the urgency for drastic public sector wage increases, though real income concerns remain.

    Additionally, it might influence subsidy policies, particularly in energy and agriculture. Lower inflation could be used to justify gradual subsidy phaseouts without significant backlash.

    Exchange rate management

    A lower inflation rate could improve investor confidence and reduce pressure on the naira. The central bank may use this as a basis to re-calibrate foreign exchange interventions, aiming for greater currency stability.

    If inflation is perceived as more controlled, capital inflows may increase, supporting the exchange rate and easing forex liquidity challenges.

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

    – ref. Nigeria reduces inflation rate, but the cost of living remains high – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/nigeria-reduces-inflation-rate-but-the-cost-of-living-remains-high-heres-why-251073

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Madagascar’s lemurs live with the threat of cyclones – has this shaped their behaviour?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alison Behie, Professor of Biological Anthropology, Australian National University

    Madagascar is an island that’s no stranger to natural disasters, in particular cyclones. This is because it’s located in the south-west Indian Ocean cyclone basin, a region of the Indian Ocean where tropical cyclones typically form and develop.

    Madagascar has experienced 69 cyclones between 1912 and 2022, although cyclones have been a pressure on the island for much longer – estimates range from hundreds to more than thousands of years. This regular exposure has resulted in a uniquely harsh and unpredictable environment.

    Madagascar is also the only place in the entire world where lemurs, a group of primates, are naturally found. It’s home to over 100 species of lemurs.

    Due to ongoing threats of disaster impacts, hunting and deforestation, lemurs are the most endangered group of mammals in the world. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 98% of lemur species are threatened with extinction, 31% of which are critically endangered.

    It is therefore important to understand future threats to lemurs so as to protect them.

    Lemurs are unusual among primates. They show a higher degree of traits associated with resilience to living in a disaster-prone environment. For example, very few species rely on a diet of fruit, which is one of the first food items to disappear after a cyclone. Over half of lemur species rely on leaves as their main food item.

    They also exhibit a high degree of energy conserving behaviours, including hibernation and torpor – a shorter period of inactivity characterised by a lower body temperature and metabolic rate.

    It has long been believed that these behaviours are a result of Madagascar’s frequent cyclones. Living in an unpredictable environment over multiple generations could lead to different features being beneficial for survival. Some evolutionary adaptations may happen within a few decades, others could form over thousands of years.

    However, there is variation among species in these traits and, to date, no one has tested whether the unique behavioural features of lemurs actually occur more frequently in species that have experienced more cyclones, or if there may be a different explanation. Our research wanted to clear this up.

    In our study, my colleagues and I found no association between cyclone impact and how resilient lemurs are. We did however find a positive association between cyclone impact and body size. This suggests that the more a lemur species is affected by cyclones, the smaller they are.

    Given the increase globally in disasters, this type of work allows us to better understand the most and least resilient species to prepare for conservation efforts into the future.

    How resilient are lemurs?

    My research focuses on how animals, particularly primates, respond to the threat of climate change and disaster exposure. Previous work my colleagues and I did with howler monkeys showed that historical hurricane exposure was significantly linked to the evolution of behavioural adaptations, like small group size and energy conserving behaviours.

    We set out to design a specific study for lemurs. We wanted to determine whether the variation in behavioural traits in lemurs could be accounted for by the variation in cyclone exposure across the island.

    To carry out this research, we first made a map showing how cyclones affect different parts of Madagascar. We used weather patterns, past cyclone paths, how strong the cyclones were, and how much rain they brought. Data used for this came from the past 58 years, which is the data that was available, although Madagascar has been hit by cyclones over a much longer time period.

    We then placed a map of where lemurs live on top of our cyclone map to see how much cyclones affect each lemur species’ home. Our study covered the 26 species for which enough data was published to be able to determine their overall behavioural traits.

    For each of these species, we created a “resilience score”. To create this score, each species got one point for each behavioural trait they exhibited that is associated with living in a cyclone-prone area. For example, a species that shows hibernation got one point and a species that does not got 0 points. The resilience traits we used included: energy conserving behaviours; habitat use; group size; fruit in the diet; home range size; geographic range; and body size.

    We then added up the score across all resilience traits and compared the resilience score of each species with their habitat range cyclone score. This helped us see if species in high-impact areas had higher resilience. If so, it would strongly suggest that resilience traits evolved as an adaptation to frequent cyclones.

    Our results found no relationship between cyclone impact and overall resilience score. This may be because the historical cyclone data we had access to covered only the past 58 years. This may not be an accurate proxy for longer term cyclone activity associated with evolutionary adaptations.

    It could also be that the traits linked to cyclone resilience may have already existed in the last common ancestor of lemurs due to rapid environmental change on the African continent. Recent research suggests this ancestor rafted to Madagascar from Africa on floating vegetation. These traits could have helped it survive the journey. They’re also seen in other wildlife believed to have rafted to their island habitats and that may have been crucial for island colonisation.

    While overall resilience scores were not associated with cyclone impact, we did find that lemur species with smaller bodies experienced greater cyclone impacts. The north-east of the island was found to experience higher cyclone activity compared to the south-west. This aligns with previous research suggesting that larger primates, which require more food and space and reproduce more slowly, are less resilient and more likely to die after habitat disturbance.

    Importance for conservation

    Ours was the first study to try to find a quantitative link between cyclone exposure and the evolution of behavioural adaptations in lemurs and only the second to do so in primates.

    While results did not show a link to overall resilience, they did provide a template for future studies to explore the concept on other primates at a global scale. The study also provides a cyclone impact grid that could be used to assess impacts on other wildlife in Madagascar.

    In addition, our work has highlighted the importance of body size as a factor associated with less resilience to disaster.



    Read more:
    Mozambique’s cyclone flooding was devastating to animals – we studied how body size affected survival

    This research helps us to understand more about how species responded to cyclones in the past, which improves our understanding of the sorts of behavioural flexibility needed to survive severe environmental change. This then improves our ability to predict the effects of future events and mitigate impacts through more effective and targeted conservation. This is particularly true in island ecosystems, such as Madagascar, where endemic species are confined.



    Read more:
    Madagascar supports more unique plant life than any other island in the world – new study

    Alison Behie receives funding from The Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Madagascar’s lemurs live with the threat of cyclones – has this shaped their behaviour? – https://theconversation.com/madagascars-lemurs-live-with-the-threat-of-cyclones-has-this-shaped-their-behaviour-249172

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UKHSA publishes latest survey on healthcare-associated infections

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    UKHSA publishes latest survey on healthcare-associated infections

    The report finds that overall healthcare-associated infections were present in 7.6% of patients, a 1% increase on the last reported figures in 2016.

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) on healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs), antibiotic use (AMU) and antibiotic stewardship (AMS) for England in 2023.

    The survey looks at data from 121 NHS trusts and independent sector organisations across England. It provides a one-day snapshot of prevalence levels in our healthcare system, offering insights on current practices and where targeted intervention across various healthcare settings are needed most.

    The report for 2023 found that overall HCAIs were present in 7.6% of patients, a 1% increase on the last reported figures in 2016. This rise could be associated with increased pressure on the healthcare system following the COVID-19 pandemic and more unwell patients due to an ageing population or more patients with comorbidities. Work is being done to understand the increase further.

    The results suggest England’s HCAI prevalence level is consistent with trends seen in other European countries, including Spain, Sweden and Ireland.

    Prevalence varied across different settings. In acute NHS trusts, 8% of patients tested positive for an HCAI. However, expected higher levels at 16.6% were recorded in acute specialty trusts, such as orthopaedic and children’s trusts where patients can be more susceptible to HCAIs. Among specialty trusts, HCAI prevalence was highest in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at 15.9%.

    Of the total number of 3,493 HCAIs reported by the participating organisations, pneumonia/lower respiratory tract infections (PNLRI) were the most common sites of infection (29.6%), followed by urinary tract infections (UTIs) (17.5%), and sepsis/disseminated infections (10.6%).

    This year’s report included mental health and community sites for the first time, with prevalence levels at 5.1% and 5% respectively. These additional data sets are essential to develop our understanding of the HCAI risks and antibiotic use levels across different healthcare settings in England for comparative purposes.

    The overall prevalence of antibiotic use in all hospital patients surveyed was 34.1% in 2023. This means that out of the 44,372 patients included in the national analysis, 15,134 were treated with an antibiotic on the day of the survey. In NHS acute care hospitals, the overall antibiotic use prevalence was similar in 2023 (37.3%), compared to 2016 (36.7%).

    Further analysis of the antibiotics prescribed showed that ‘Access’ and ‘Reserve’ antibiotics accounted for 31.3% and 6% of total antibiotic use respectively in participating hospitals. The UK’s 2024 AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) categorisation system is a tool used to help healthcare professionals prescribe the most appropriate antibiotics for patients while protecting their future effectiveness. Most patients should receive ‘Access’ antibiotics in the first instance. They offer the most effective treatment while minimising the potential for resistance. However, in some cases, for example seriously ill patients in hospitals, treatment with ‘Watch’ or ‘Reserve’ antibiotics may be required. Watch’ antibiotics are first or second choice antibiotics for a limited number of infections, while ‘Reserve’ are “last resort” or new antibiotics.

    By 2029, the UK is aiming to achieve 70% of total use of antibiotics from ‘Access’ across the human healthcare system to preserve efficacy. According to the latest assessment in 2023, this was 64.1% for England across the healthcare sector.

    Dr Colin Brown, Deputy Director at UKHSA, said:

    It’s good to see that overall levels of healthcare-associated infections remained relatively similar in 2023, compared to 2016. This is likely thanks to the efforts of staff across the healthcare system who work tirelessly to implement effective infection prevention and control measures, and ensure antibiotics are being prescribed and taken appropriately.

    However, levels have still increased in some parts of the health service, which must be addressed – together with continuing to drive down overall levels. Work is being conducted to better understand the drivers so that we can protect patients, especially those who are more susceptible to these types of infection such as the elderly and people with comorbidities.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government unlocks floating offshore wind with major investment for Scottish port

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government unlocks floating offshore wind with major investment for Scottish port

    The expansion of Port of Cromarty Firth will make it the first port able to make floating offshore wind turbines on site and at scale in the UK, backed by a grant from the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS).

    • Grant funding from UK government into Scotland’s floating offshore wind sector to drive growth and create hundreds of jobs
    • when fully developed, the port is expected to support up to 1,000 highly skilled jobs
    • Port of Cromarty Firth to become the UK’s first port able to make floating offshore wind turbines at scale – representing the next step of government’s Plan for Change to deliver clean power

    The Port of Cromarty Firth in Scotland will be a major hub for the UK’s world-leading floating offshore wind industry, as the UK government announces over £55 million for its expansion – creating hundreds of skilled jobs and generating growth, helping deliver the government’s Plan for Change.  

    Offshore wind projects are crucial to delivering the UK’s mission for clean power by 2030 and to become a clean energy superpower. The UK is already home to the largest grid-connected floating offshore wind farm in the world, with a further 30GW in the pipeline, and the latest statistics showing that wind generated more power than gas last year.  

    The expansion of Port of Cromarty Firth will make it the first port able to make floating offshore wind turbines on site and at scale in the UK, backed by a grant from the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS). 

    This initial financial backing from the UK government paves the way for the port to secure match-funding from other investors, with the port expected to become operational by the start of 2028.

    Construction work on the port’s expansion is expected to create up to 320 jobs. When fully developed, the port is expected to support up to 1,000 skilled jobs in the construction, installation and operational support of offshore and floating offshore wind – such as crane operators, marine engineers, and people working on the vessels towing the turbines out to sea.

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

    Communities in Scotland and across the country should be powered by reliable, home-grown, clean energy from British coastlines – this is how we reduce our reliance on unstable fossil fuel markets and bring down energy bills for good.

    That’s why the government is getting on with building the infrastructure needed to roll out clean energy quickly, creating skilled jobs in local communities and driving growth – the priority in our Plan for Change.

    The UK is already a world leader in floating offshore wind, but this support for Cromarty Firth will take us even further – creating hundreds of jobs in Scotland and delivering energy security for the UK.

    Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray, said:

    Scotland is a key part of making the UK a global leader in clean energy and this investment is a significant vote of confidence in the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and the surrounding area.

    Through our Plan for Change the UK government is paving the way for cutting-edge floating offshore wind technology while also helping to create highly skilled jobs and drive economic growth.

    Alex Campbell, Port of Cromarty Firth Chief Executive, said:

    The Port is delighted that FLOWMIS funding has been secured for our ambitious Phase 5 expansion, which is a critical step towards creating the UK’s first custom-built floating offshore wind integration port.  

    We believe this confirmation by the UK government shows the faith in our Trust Port status to deliver jobs and economic growth locally and nationally, and that the certainty from this announcement will unlock further investment in other Ports across the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport to boost their complementary plans.

    The £55.7 million grant award is the latest step taken by the government to deliver clean power by 2030 and support growth. The government also launched the Clean Industry Bonus, incentivising offshore wind developers to invest in cleaner supply chains and create jobs in industrial communities.

    FLOWMIS was launched in 2023, designed to provide grants to ports to support development of port infrastructure needed for deployment of floating offshore wind at scale. The Port of Cromarty Firth is one of two ports selected for funding, with plans for the second shortlisted port, Port Talbot, under development.

    Notes for editors

    The Port of Cromarty Firth estimates that between 280 – 1,000 FTE jobs will be created when the port becomes fully operational.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British Hallmarking Council appoints three new members

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    British Hallmarking Council appoints three new members

    The new members will be part of the British Hallmarking Council from January 2025 for a period of three years.

    The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has appointed three new members to the British Hallmarking Council from January 2025 for a period of three years.

    They will work with the Chair Noel Hunter, OBE and existing members of Council to ensure the organisation achieves its strategic objectives. 

    New members appointed are:

    • Kerry Gregory
    • Sally Leonard
    • Frederick Toye

    British Hallmarking Council Chair Noel Hunter said:

    I am delighted to welcome our three new members to Council. Their expertise in the precious metal, gemmology and jewellery trades will be invaluable as the Council continues its work to protect consumers, ensure the integrity and adequacy of hallmarking, and support growth in the sector.

    I would also like to express my thanks to our outgoing Secretary of State appointed Council members Joanna Hardy, Patrick Fuller, and Rachel Holloway for their invaluable contributions over the years.

    Kerry Gregory

    Kerry Gregory has been in the UK jewellery and pawnbroking industry for over 25 years. She started her business ‘Gemmology Rocks’ after a varied career of retail jewellery, valuing, pawnbroking and gemmology.

    Kerry holds qualifications in diamonds and gemstones from Gem-A, GIA, AIGS, and FEEG. As well as a certificate in Valuation Practice from NAJ. Kerry also holds a level 6 diploma in Education and Training specialising in teaching adults.

    Kerry is very active in both the UK and US industry, and has delivered presentations, and written articles, to critical acclaim, to many organisations and associations. A past long term tutor and head of ATC for Gem-A, she served on the board of Gem-A, and ran one of the UK Branches. Kerry is currently on the Board of Trustees for the Silversmiths and Jewellers Charity (UK), and a key contributor to the National Association of Jewellers Professional Trade Standards Committee.

    Sally Leonard

    Sally Leonard is a jeweller and consultant with over two decades of experience supporting the jewellery industry. Through her consultancy, she has guided hundreds of businesses, offering practical advice on strategy, market positioning, and sustainability.

    As the founder of Leonard of London, Sally combines her passion for design with a steadfast commitment to ethical sourcing and craftsmanship. Her work is rooted in inclusion and collaboration, helping to ensure that the jewellery sector remains both innovative and vibrant.

    She is honoured to be a Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company and the City of London.

    Frederick Toye

    Frederick Toye is chairman and a director of the celebrated British manufacturing firm Toye, Kenning & Spencer. Through the company, Frederick has collaborated with a wide variety of contemporary and well-known designers and brands creating precious metal jewellery, accessories and other items.

    The company uses several techniques at its diverse range of in-house workshops in the UK, including but not limited to stamping, polishing, plating, gold and silversmithing, engraving, toolmaking, enameling, woodwork, weaving, machine and hand-embroidery, gold and silver wire drawing and millinery.

    In addition, Frederick is one of the leading figures in the creation of state insignia, medals and regalia in the UK and holds a Royal Warrant from HM King Charles III for ‘the supply of gold and silver laces, insignia and embroidery’.

    Frederick is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Working in partnership to support young people in housing need

    Source: City of Norwich

    24 Pottergate. Copyright British Listed Buildings

    Published on Wednesday, 5th March 2025

    Norwich City Council is proud to announce the successful launch of an innovative new project aimed at supporting young people in housing need.

    The project has been made possible through a unique partnership with the Norfolk and Waveney Quakers the Benjamin Foundation and Solo Housing.

    Several years ago, a representative from the Quakers approached Norwich City Council with an offer to help address the growing issue of homelessness in the area. Following extensive discussions, the Quakers generously agreed to donate the use of their building at 24 Pottergate to the council.

    Using funds generated through the Right to Buy scheme, the council renovated and transformed the building into five self-contained apartments. These apartments are now managed by the Benjamin Foundation and provide safe, secure accommodation for young people facing housing challenges.

    The young residents are referred to the scheme by the council’s housing options team, with many coming from the care system. Once housed, they receive ongoing mentorship and support from the Benjamin Foundation to help them develop the skills needed to manage their own tenancies. This supportive environment empowers them to grow in confidence and independence, with the ultimate goal of transitioning into mainstream social housing.

    Councillor Beth Jones, portfolio holder for housing, commented on the initiative: “This programme is a shining example of what can be achieved through collaboration and compassion. It offers life-changing opportunities for young people in housing need, providing them with a stable foundation to build their futures. The generosity of the Norwich Quakers is truly inspiring, and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to them for their incredible contribution. By investing Right to Buy receipts into this project, the council has been able to deliver exceptional value for money while making a real difference to the lives of young people in our city.”

    This project highlights the power of partnership and community spirit in addressing complex social issues. Norwich City Council, the Norfolk and Waveney Quakers, and the Benjamin Foundation are committed to continuing their work together to create positive outcomes for vulnerable young people in the area.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foster for East Midlands Proudly Supports LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week

    Source: City of Derby

    Foster for East Midlands is proud to support LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week, which begins on Monday, March 3, 2025. This annual campaign encourages more LGBTQ+ people to consider adoption or fostering, ensuring every child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe and loving home.

    LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week, led by New Family Social, works to dispel myths about who can adopt or foster while promoting the support available for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. 

    In England, there were 83,860 looked-after children in 2024. At the same time, one in five adoptions in England in 2024 were to same-sex couples. These figures highlight the urgent need for more foster carers and adoptive parents, including those from LGBTQ+ communities, to provide stable and loving homes for children who need them most.

    As part of the campaign, Sarah and Elizabeth, who adopted through Adoption East Midlands, have shared their experience as a same-sex couple. They describe it as the best decision they ever made and praised the support they received throughout the process. They have adopted siblings, recognising the importance of keeping brothers and sisters together. Elizabeth shared how their children naturally came up with their own names for them as parents, calling them “Tall Mum” and “Short Mum.” Sarah emphasised the joy of seeing their children thrive and encouraged others to consider adopting sibling groups.

    Long-time foster carers Lyn and Shelley have also opened their hearts and home to over 100 children. “We started fostering because we wanted to help children feel loved and safe. It’s like being a big family, where everyone is welcome,” says Lyn. Over the years, they have cared for children of all ages, from babies to teenagers, helping many transition into adulthood. One of their most cherished memories is taking a child to the seaside for the first time. “Seeing their excitement was magical,” recalls Lyn. Shelley adds, “Even small gestures, like a Christmas present or a party dress, can mean the world to a child. It shows them they matter.”

    Shelley and Lyn emphasise that fostering is open to everyone, regardless of gender, background, or family structure. “Single mums, single dads, same-sex couples, and traditional families can all provide the loving and safe environment children need,” says Shelley. “What truly matters is a big heart, a sense of humour, and the ability to adapt to unexpected situations.”

    Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Lead Cabinet Member for Foster for East Midlands, said:

    We are proud to support LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week and encourage more individuals and couples from all backgrounds to consider fostering or adoption. Every child deserves stability, care, and love, and initiatives like this help break down barriers and ensure that more children can find their forever homes. If you’ve ever thought about fostering or adopting, now is the perfect time to take that first step.

    Join us for an Fostering and Adoption Information Event on Tuesday, 4 March, 6pm to 9pm at Derbyshire LGBT+, 25 Curzon Street, Derby, DE1 1LH. Register your place or see other events available on the webpage https://fosterforeastmidlands.org.uk/events/

    Foster for East Midlands is a partnership of four local authorities Derby City, Derbyshire, Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire Councils offering support and guidance to those interested in fostering. Anyone considering fostering can visit their webpage, call 03033 132 950 or email hello@fosterforeastmidlands.org.uk.

    Adoption East Midlands is a therapeutic, trauma-informed agency with a specialist adoption support service. More information is available on their webpage, social media channels, or call 0115 804 4567.

    Other Adoption and Fostering information events for your diary: 

    Adoption information events, book on our webpage:
    •    Wednesday, 13 March 12-2pm, online

    Fostering information events, book on our webpage:
    •    Thursday 6 March and 25 March, 12 noon – 1pm, online

    •    Wednesday 12 March, 5.30pm to 6.30pm
    Nottingham Central Library, Nottingham City, NG1 7FH

    •    Wednesday 19 March, 6.30pm to 7.30pm
    Chesterfield Fire Station Community Room, Chesterfield, S40 2WH

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — RCMP NL arrests five drivers for recent impaired operation offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP NL recently arrested five drivers, three on March 1, 2025 and two others on March 2, 2025, in various areas of the province for impaired driving offences.

    At approximately 4:45 a.m. on March 1, Burin Peninsula RCMP conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle that was parked on the Creston Causeway in Marystown. The driver, a 28-year-old man, showed signs of alcohol impairment and was arrested for impaired operation. Back at the detachment, the man provided further breath samples that were nearly twice the legal limit.

    Later in that morning, at approximately 7:15 a.m., Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP received a report of a vehicle off the road in a residential area of the town. Police attended the scene and checked on the driver, a 44-year-old, man who was seated in the driver’s seat of the idling vehicle. The man showed signs of alcohol impairment and failed a roadside breath test. He was arrested for impaired operation and, back at the detachment, provided breath samples that were above the legal limit.

    Later that afternoon, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP were called to a residential disturbance in Buchans. While officers were responding, information received stated that one of the individuals involved in the disturbance departed the residence in a vehicle while impaired. Officers located the 45-year-old man a short time later at another residence. He showed signs of impairment and was arrested. At the detachment, the man provided breath samples that were more than twice the legal limit.

    At approximately 3:00 p.m. on March 2, Harbour Grace RCMP stopped a vehicle traveling in front of the detachment after the driver passed a vehicle on a solid line. The driver, a 74-year-old man, showed signs of alcohol impairment and had open alcohol in the vehicle. Police administered a roadside breath test and the driver failed to provide a breath sample. He was arrested for refusal of a breath demand.

    Later that same evening, at approximately 8:45 p.m., Gander RCMP received a report of a suspected impaired driver on the Trans-Canada Highway, west of Gander. The vehicle was reportedly stopped on the highway without any headlights or tail lights activated. Police located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The driver, a 65-year-old man, showed signs of impairment consistent with alcohol and drugs. He was arrested, was provided a demand for a blood sample and was transported to James Paton Memorial Regional Health Centre in Gander. Officers await the results of the testing to determine if charges of impaired operation are appropriate.

    Each driver was released from custody with a future court date to face charges, a licence suspension and a vehicle impound and seizure, where appropriate.

    Impaired drivers place themselves and all others who share the roadway at increased risk of serious injury or death. RCMP NL is dedicated to keeping roadways safe and free from those who choose to drive while impaired. If you suspect a driver is operating a vehicle while impaired, please immediately contact your local police to make a report.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Venezuelan Gang Members Arrested, Charged with Bank Theft and Conspiracy

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

    BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that David Jose Gomez Cegarra, 24, and Jesus Segundo Hernandez-Gil, 19, both of Venezuela, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with bank theft and conspiracy to commit bank theft. The charges carry a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey E. Intravatola and Douglas A.C. Penrose, who are handling the case, stated that the defendants are members of the Tren de Aragua Gang, which has been designated by the White House as a Global Terrorist Organization. They are accused of participating in an ATM Jackpotting scheme. ATM Jackpotting involves removing an ATM’s cover and infecting the ATMs hard drive with malware or removing the hard drive and replacing it with an infected hard drive, which allows the operator to assume control of the ATM and cause it to dispense currency.

    According to the complaint, Gomez-Cegarra, Hernandez-Gil, and other co-conspirators successfully completed an ATM Jackpotting scheme at a Radius Federal Credit Union in Kenmore, NY, on October 5, 2024. Video surveillance shows that at approximately 4:05 p.m., a vehicle, driven by Gomez-Cegarra,  approached the drive-up ATM, a co-conspirator exited the vehicle and opened the ATM utilizing a key, appeared to install something in the ATM, pressed buttons, and closed the ATM. The vehicle then left the area. Over the next several hours, the vehicle re-appeared multiple times at the ATM and conducted illegal withdrawals. Radius Federal Credit Union reported that $110,440.00 was stolen from the ATM during this ATM Jackpotting event.

    Gomez-Cegarra, Hernandez-Gil, and other co-conspirators are also believed to be responsible for ATM Jackpotting events St. Maly’s Federal Credit Union in Framingham, Massachusetts, on October 6, 2024, at First National Bank of Dryden in Dryden, NY, on October 17, 2024, and at two Community First Bank locations in Mount Vernon, Illinois, on November 11, 2024. During these events, approximately $187,000 was reported stolen.

    On November 11, 2024, the Mahomet, Illinois Police Department stopped Gomez-Cegarra and Hernandez-Gil in a vehicle together for suspicious activity. Both men presented Venezuelan identifications. They were arrested by the Mahomet Police Department, and ultimately charged by the Mount Vernon Police Department in relation to the incidents that occurred at the Community First Bank locations in Mount Vernon, IL.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Kenmore Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Phillips, the Homer, NY, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Pitman, the Framingham, MA, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Lester Baker, and the Mahomet, Illinois, Police Department.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    # # # # 

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese student convicted of drugging and raping 10 women

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Met detectives appeal for victim-survivors to come forward after serial rapist convicted

    A serial rapist – who drugged and raped a number of women both in the UK and China – has been convicted, following one of the most complex investigations carried out by detectives in the Met.

    Zhenhao Zou, 28 (20.02.97), of Churchyard Row, Elephant and Castle, was today (Wednesday, 5 March) found guilty of a total of 28 offences, including 11 counts of rape against 10 different women.

    A jury found Zou guilty after a five-and-a-half-week trial at Inner London Crown Court. He will be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, 19 June.

    Following the conclusion of today’s court proceedings, detectives can now share they believe the scale of Zou’s offending may be much wider and are making a direct appeal for any victim-survivors who have not yet been identified to come forward and seek specialist support.

    While detectives have identified two victim-survivors, eight of the women who Zou was convicted of raping remain unidentified. Beyond this, detectives believe there may be more than 50 other women who may have been a victim and have not yet been identified by police.

    The investigation

    Zou is originally from Dongguan in the Guangdong Province of China and is believed to have lived in the UK since 2017.

    Before his arrest in January 2024, Zou was a student at University College London (UCL) since 2019 and prior to that studied at Queen’s University Belfast.

    Zou met women using online platforms and dating apps, inviting them to his home under the guise of studying or to have drinks. Officers have established that he invited women back to his address – one in central London and another in Elephant and Castle.

    Once inside he would offer them a drink which contained a substance – believed to be butanediol, which converts to GHB once in the human body.

    This would leave the victim-survivors drifting in and out of consciousness. While unconscious, he filmed himself as he raped and sexually assaulted them.

    Zou also kept items from victim-survivors, such as jewellery and clothing.

    After a woman came forward to report Zou, police searched his home and found the drugs butanediol and ketamine, as well as a number of hidden cameras. They also seized a number of laptops and mobile phones, which later uncovered the true scale of Zou’s offending.

    Officers downloaded the digital devices amounting to six and a half trillion bytes of data, which included around nine million WeChat messages.

    Met investigators spent months trawling through messages to understand Zou’s pattern of offending, painstakingly translating them into English from Simplified Chinese.

    They also watched hundreds of videos stored on his devices, which appear to show Zou filming himself raping and sexually assaulting women. It was after analysis of this graphic and disturbing material that it became apparent that he had not only committed offences in London, but also in his home country of China too.

    During the trial, officers were assisted by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, who helped to facilitate one of the brave victim-survivors giving evidence against Zou.

    As part of the investigation, the Met has also been supported by the Crown Prosecution Service, National Crime Agency and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

    The appeal

    To protect the integrity of ongoing legal proceedings after Zou was first charged with offences, detectives have not been able to publicly appeal for further potential victim-survivors until this time.

    The Metropolitan Police is now asking anyone who thinks they may have been a victim to come forward and speak with police.

    Specialist officers work closely with victim-survivors to seek justice and are available to offer support and signpost to external partners, so they can get help.

    Officers are keeping an open mind about the identities of unidentified victim-survivors, but are particularly keen to hear from women from the Chinese student community who may have met Zou and were living in and around London between 2019-2024. They also would like to speak to potential victims-survivors who may have met Zou while he was living in China.

    Women may have met Zou via online platforms, including student forums on the Chinese social media apps WeChat or Little Red Book, or may have spoken to him on dating apps, such as Bumble.

    Victim-survivors may have visited Zou at his accommodation in Woburn Place in central London or his address in Churchyard Row in Elephant and Castle in London. Others may have met Zou when he was living in China.

    Due to the nature of Zou’s offending, detectives believe that some women may not know they have been a victim-survivor and do not underestimate how distressing and difficult it may be to read or hear about his crimes following this verdict. They are reassuring potential victim-survivors that any reports will be fully investigated and dealt with the utmost sensitivity, care and compassion.

    Officers also understand that not every victim-survivor may wish to speak with the police to get support. Therefore, the charity Rape Crisis is also offering support for women to seek help and guidance from advisors who are independent to the police.

    As part of their appeal, detectives are also keen to speak to any witnesses who might have helpful information, in particular anyone who might have met Zou at parties or spoke to him on social media apps and has any concerns.

    Commander Kevin Southworth, lead for public protection at the Metropolitan Police, said: “Zhenhao Zou is a dangerous and prolific sexual predator, who manipulated and drugged women in order to prey on them in the most cowardly way.

    “I’d like to acknowledge the two women who bravely gave evidence against Zou in court – their courage and resilience has been unwavering.

    “We are determined to support all victim-survivors and are now asking women who believe they may have concerns about Zou to please come forward. I want to reassure anyone impacted that you are not alone and can seek specialist support and guidance, not only from the police, but also from independent charities and services.

    “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the investigation team, who have shown professionalism, compassion and determination in their pursuit for justice.”

    The Met recognises the impact that this horrific case will have on Londoners, in particular Chinese students who may have lived in and around Southwark and Lambeth. Officers continue to liaise with partners to ensure anyone with concerns can access advice and specialist support from local police teams.

    How to contact the police and independent support agencies:

    Reports relating to Zhenhao Zou can be made online via the Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP): https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X38-PO1. The MIPP is also available in Simplified Chinese (https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X38-PO2 ), so it is as accessible as possible for potential victims and survivors.

    If you wish to speak to Met detectives or make a report relating to Zou, you can also contact police via email on survivors@met.police.uk

    You can also make a report to police by calling 101 from within the UK, quoting reference 2904/04FEB25.

    If you live in England or Wales and have been affected by this case and would like to seek support from specialist agencies, please contact the independent charity Rape Crisis via their 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line or call them on 0808 500 2222. Specially trained staff are there to listen, answer questions and offer emotional support.

    Background

    • Please consult ‘Document 1’ for a full breakdown of offences, including information relating to locations of offences
    • Please consult ‘Document 2’ for a timeline of offences

    Tackling Violence against Women and Girls

    • In 2023, the Met launched its new Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Action Plan, working with women and girls across London to shape a new approach to keep them safe.
    • The Met has transformed the way it investigates rape and serious sexual offences. Under Operation Soteria, the Met is doing more to put victim-survivors at the heart of its response to these crimes.
    • As part of its commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, caused largely at the hands of predatory men, officers are placing more focus on suspects and offering support to those impacted alongside specialist partners.
    • Since 2021, the Met has more than doubled its charge rate for rape.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Invesco Ltd: Form 8.3 – PRS REIT PLC; Public dealing disclosure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1. KEY INFORMATION  
       
    (a) Full name of discloser: Invesco Ltd.  
    (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
    The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		    
    (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
    Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 PRS REIT plc, The  
    (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:    
    (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:
    For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 04.03.2025  
    (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
    If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A  
       
    2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE  
       
    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.  
    (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)  
       
    Class of relevant security: 1p ordinary GB00BF01NH51  
      Interests Short Positions  
      Number % Number %  
    (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 71,571,177 13.03      
    (2) Cash-settled derivatives:          
    (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:          
      Total 71,571,177 13.03      
       
       
    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    		  
       
       
    (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)  
       
    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:    
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:    
       
    3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE  
       
    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    		  
    (a) Purchases and sales  
       
    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit  
    1p ordinary GB00BF01NH51 Sale 15,616 1.13 GBP  
       
    (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions  
       
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit  
               
       
    (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)
     
    (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying
     
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
                   
       
    (ii) Exercise  
       
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit  
               
       
    (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)  
                 
    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)  
             
       
    4. OTHER INFORMATION  
       
    (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements  
       
    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”    		  
    None  
       
    (b) Agreements, arrangements, or understandings relating to options or derivatives  
       
    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”    		  
    None  
       
    (c) Attachments  
       
    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO  
       
    Date of disclosure 05.03.2025  
    Contact name Philippa Holmes  
    Telephone number +441491417447  
       

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LPL Welcomes Shorepoint Wealth Management

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LPL Financial LLC announced today that financial advisor Justin Lotano, CDFA®, has joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and custodial platforms. He reported serving approximately $250 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement assets* and joins LPL from Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network.

    Based in Colts Neck, N.J., Lotano’s profound interest in investments and his dedication to helping others have been the cornerstones of his professional journey since he started his career in 2006. He is joined by Joe Burgard, a recent financial advisor, along with registered representative Kevyn Marteniz and staff members TJ Savona and Gianna Granato.

    “We are a young team, with an average age of about 30, but we have a great level of experience guiding individuals into a more successful retirement,” said Lotano, who noted the team also focuses on helping clients through divorce and other life transitions. “We’ve made it a priority to cultivate long-lasting relationships with clients, and now we’re beginning to work with their children and grandchildren. Our goal is to help clients feel empowered and informed along each step of their financial journey, whether that’s navigating major life transitions, managing their wealth or planning for retirement.”

    Lotano, president of the Colts Neck Lions Club, is highly active in his community. He is proud to launch Shorepoint Wealth Management in the city where he grew up.

    “Working with LPL will allow me to build my brand and grow the business on my terms,” Lotano said. “LPL is constantly investing in technology and operational support, making it the ideal place to run my business. I appreciate the integrated technology and optionality within LPL’s platform, which allows us to evaluate the best planning software and other programs to pick the best fit for our clients and business. I’m excited for what’s ahead for Shorepoint Wealth Management.”

    Scott Posner, LPL Executive Vice President, Business Development, said, “We welcome Justin and his team to the LPL community. At LPL, we are dedicated to empowering advisors with the essential tools and support to help them create value with clients and run thriving practices. Our platform offers the flexibility and support they require to develop their brand and expand their business on their own terms. We look forward to supporting Shorepoint Wealth Management for generations to come.”

    Related

    Advisors, learn how LPL Financial can help take your business to the next level.

    About LPL Financial

    LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) is among the fastest growing wealth management firms in the U.S. As a leader in the financial advisor-mediated marketplace, LPL supports nearly 29,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,200 financial institutions, servicing and custodying approximately $1.7 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of approximately 6 million Americans. The firm provides a wide range of advisor affiliation models, investment solutions, fintech tools and practice management services, ensuring that advisors and institutions have the flexibility to choose the business model, services, and technology resources they need to run thriving businesses. For further information about LPL, please visit www.lpl.com.

    Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC (“LPL Financial”), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Shorepoint Wealth Management and LPL are separate entities.

    Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial.

    We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.

    *Value approximated based on asset and holding details provided to LPL from end of year, 2024.

    Media Contact: 
    Media.relations@LPLFinancial.com 
    (704) 996-1840

    Tracking #701422

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Industry Visionaries to Unveil What’s Next in AI at GTC 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NVIDIA today announced GTC 2025, the world’s premier AI conference, will return March 17-21 to San Jose, Calif. — bringing together the brightest minds in AI to showcase breakthroughs happening now in physical AI, agentic AI and scientific discovery. GTC will bring together 25,000 attendees in person — and 300,000 attendees virtually — for an in-depth look at the technologies shaping the future.

    NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang will deliver the keynote from SAP Center on Tuesday, March 18, at 10 a.m. PT focused on AI and accelerated computing technologies changing the world. It will be livestreamed and available on demand at nvidia.com. Registration is not required to view the keynote online.

    Onsite attendees can arrive at SAP Center early to enjoy a live pregame show hosted by the “Acquired” podcast and other surprise festivities. Virtual attendees can catch the pregame show live online.

    “AI is pushing the limits of what’s possible — turning yesterday’s dreams into today’s reality,” Huang said. “GTC brings together the brightest scientists, engineers, developers and creators to imagine and build a better future. Come and be first to see the new advances in NVIDIA computing and breakthroughs in AI, robotics, science and the arts that will transform industries and society.”

    AI is here, and it’s mainstream — powering the everyday brands that shape people’s lives. At GTC, some of the world’s largest companies, groundbreaking startups and leading academic minds will convene to explore the transformative impact of AI across industries.

    With over 1,000 sessions, 2,000 speakers and nearly 400 exhibitors, GTC will showcase how NVIDIA’s AI and accelerated computing platforms tackle the world’s biggest and toughest challenges — spanning climate research to healthcare, cybersecurity, humanoid robotics, autonomous vehicles and more. From large language models and physical AI to cloud computing and scientific discovery, NVIDIA’s full-stack platform is driving the next industrial revolution.

    At the conference, attendees can also look forward to curated experiences, including dozens of demos spanning every industry, hands-on training, autonomous vehicle exhibits and rides, and a new GTC Night Market featuring street food and wares from 20 local vendors and artisans.

    Notable speakers include:

    • Pieter Abbeel, director of the UC Berkeley Robot Learning Lab and co-director of the UC Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Lab
    • Drago Anguelov, vice president and head of research, Waymo
    • Frances Arnold, Nobel Laureate in chemistry and Linus Pauling Professor of chemical engineering, bioengineering and biochemistry, California Institute of Technology
    • Gülen Bengi, chief marketing officer, Mars Snacking
    • Esi Eggleston Bracey, chief growth and marketing officer, Unilever
    • Noam Brown, research scientist, OpenAI
    • Nadia Carlsten, CEO, Danish Centre for AI Innovation, Novo Nordisk Foundation
    • Max Jaderberg, chief AI officer, and Sergei Yakneen, chief technology officer, Isomorphic Labs
    • Athina Kanioura, executive vice president and chief strategy and transformation officer, PepsiCo
    • Jeffrey Katzenberg, founding partner, WndrCo
    • The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, United Kingdom
    • Yann LeCun, vice president and chief AI scientist, Meta; professor, New York University
    • Arthur Mensch, CEO, Mistral AI
    • Joe Park, chief digital and technology officer, Yum! Brands; president, Byte by Yum!
    • Rajendra “RP” Prasad, chief information and asset engineering officer, Accenture
    • Raji Rajagopalan, vice president, Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft
    • Aaron Saunders, chief technology officer, Boston Dynamics
    • RJ Scaringe, founder and CEO, Rivian
    • Clara Shih, head of business AI, Meta
    • Alicia Tillman, chief marketing officer, Delta Air Lines
    • Pras Velagapudi, chief technology officer, Agility Robotics

    More than 900 organizations will participate, including Accenture, Adobe, Arm, Airbnb, Amazon Web Services (AWS), BMW Group, The Coca-Cola Company, CoreWeave, Dell Technologies, Disney Research, Field AI, Ford, Foxconn, Google Cloud, Kroger, Lowe’s, Mercedes-Benz, Meta, Microsoft, MLB, NFL, OpenAI, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Pfizer, Rockwell Automation, Salesforce, Samsung, ServiceNow, SoftBank, TSMC, Uber, Volvo, Volkswagen, Wayve and Zoox.

    Quantum Day Arrives
    NVIDIA will host its first Quantum Day at GTC on March 20. The event will bring together the global quantum computing community and key industry figures.

    Leaders from the quantum computing industry will join a panel with Huang from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PT, shedding light on the current state and future of quantum computing. The panel will be livestreamed and available on demand, and feature pioneers in quantum computing, including:

    • Alan Baratz, CEO, D-Wave
    • Ben Bloom, CEO, Atom Computing
    • Peter Chapman, executive chair, IonQ
    • Rajeeb Hazra, CEO, Quantinuum
    • Loïc Henriet, co-CEO, Pasqal
    • Matthew Kinsella, CEO, Infleqtion
    • Subodh Kulkarni, CEO, Rigetti
    • John Levy, CEO, SEEQC
    • Andrew Ory, CEO, QuEra Computing
    • Théau Peronnin, CEO, Alice & Bob
    • Rob Schoelkopf, chief scientist, Quantum Circuits
    • Simone Severini, general manager, quantum technologies, AWS
    • Pete Shadbolt, chief scientific officer, PsiQuantum
    • Krysta Svore, technical fellow, Microsoft

    Quantum Day will also feature technical sessions with partners, NVIDIA researchers and more.

    AI Training and Certification for Developers
    NVIDIA is training the workforce of the future to equip them with critical skills for navigating and leading in an AI-driven future.

    GTC attendees can participate in more than 80 hands-on instructor-led workshops and training labs provided by NVIDIA Training.

    For the first time, onsite attendees can take certification exams for free — gaining a tremendous opportunity to validate their AI and accelerated computing skills and advance their careers.

    In addition, new professional certifications will be available in accelerated data science and AI networking, as well as workshops in generative AI, agentic AI and accelerated computing with CUDA® C++.

    Learn more about training offerings at GTC on the event webpage.

    Startup and Venture Capital Ecosystem
    For startups and VCs, GTC will feature an AI Day with expert panels, live demos from top startups, session tracks designed for investors, a VC reverse pitch session and exclusive networking opportunities with investors.

    The NVIDIA Inception Pavilion will spotlight cutting-edge innovation from the NVIDIA Inception program, home to more than 22,000 startups. Nearly 250 Inception members will showcase their breakthroughs with demos, exhibitions and sessions spanning areas such as healthcare, climate science and robotics.

    NVIDIA Financial Analyst Q&A
    NVIDIA will hold a Q&A session for investors on March 19 at 8:30 a.m. PT. The webcast will be available at investor.nvidia.com.

    About NVIDIA
    NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) is the world leader in accelerated computing.

    For further information, contact:
    Clarissa Eyu
    Corporate Communications
    NVIDIA Corporation
    ceyu@nvidia.com

    Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to: the timing, size, themes, sessions, speakers, participants, availability and impact of GTC, including the GTC keynote and the Quantum Day; AI pushing the limits of what’s possible — turning yesterday’s dreams into today’s reality; from large language models and conversational AI to cloud computing and scientific breakthroughs, NVIDIA’s full-stack platform driving the next industrial revolution; AI powering the everyday brands that shape people’s lives; NVIDIA training the workforce of the future; the availability of professional certifications for onsite attendees; and the timing and availability of the financial analyst Q&A are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: global economic conditions; our reliance on third parties to manufacture, assemble, package and test our products; the impact of technological development and competition; development of new products and technologies or enhancements to our existing product and technologies; market acceptance of our products or our partners’ products; design, manufacturing or software defects; changes in consumer preferences or demands; changes in industry standards and interfaces; unexpected loss of performance of our products or technologies when integrated into systems; as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the most recent reports NVIDIA files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on the company’s website and are available from NVIDIA without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

    © 2025 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo and CUDA are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/922e27de-6626-4818-9a6d-d3108f818e25.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Docker Appoints Mark Cavage as President and Chief Operating Officer to Accelerate Next Phase of Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Docker, Inc.®, the company behind the leading development suite of products built specifically for cloud-native development, today announced the appointment of Mark Cavage as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective immediately. Cavage, a proven technology executive with deep expertise in cloud infrastructure, developer experience, and enterprise-scale solutions, will play a key role in expanding Docker’s impact across modern application development, security, and cloud-native workflows.

    “Mark is an exceptional leader who brings a unique combination of technical depth and business acumen,” said Don Johnson, CEO of Docker. “His experience in building and scaling developer platforms and communities, coupled with his passion for driving execution, makes him the perfect addition to our leadership team. We’re thrilled to welcome him aboard as we continue to redefine how modern applications are developed and delivered.”

    With over 25 years in business, product development, and engineering, Cavage has played pivotal roles in shaping modern cloud and developer technologies. His career spans leadership positions at AWS, Joyent, Oracle, Salesforce (Heroku), Stripe, and Nuna. His experience in developer platforms, cloud-scale operations, and security-driven software delivery aligns seamlessly with Docker’s mission.

    At Oracle, Cavage co-founded Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) alongside Don Johnson, building it from the ground up into a hyperscale cloud platform supporting mission-critical applications and AI workloads. He also led Oracle’s application development and container strategy, making Oracle the first enterprise ISV to containerize its flagship databases and applications, and creating a renaissance for Java. At Salesforce, he spearheaded engineering for Heroku, and at Stripe, he was instrumental in launching the Stripe App Marketplace and leading its Financial Services division. Most recently, as CTO of Nuna, he drove innovation in healthcare via technology focused on patient engagement and outcomes.

    “Developer experience has always been a passion of mine, and Docker is among the few companies that truly defines a paradigm shift in how modern software is built and delivered,” said Cavage. “Docker’s platform is deeply loved by developers and thus fundamentally positioned to solve some of the hardest challenges in software development today—whether it’s making AI model deployment seamless, securing the software supply chain, or optimizing development workflows. The opportunities for Docker are massive, and I couldn’t be more excited to help drive the next phase of growth.”

    Cavage emphasized that Docker’s unparalleled mindshare in the developer community presents an extraordinary opportunity to scale its impact. “Nearly every developer interacts with Docker in some form, and Docker has an unparalleled ecosystem for containers – no matter where I look, a Dockerfile and Docker run is the default answer. The next step is to take what developers already know and trust and make it even easier to build, secure, and deploy modern, AI and cloud native applications.”

    Cavage joins Docker at a pivotal moment as the company expands beyond containers, building a future where modern application development is faster, more secure, and more efficient. With deep experience in cloud infrastructure, developer platforms, and enterprise solutions, he will play a key role in shaping Docker’s next chapter. His leadership will help Docker further improve developer experience, solve increasingly complex challenges, and expand its role across the software development lifecycle bringing greater automation, security, and scalability to modern software teams. As Docker strengthens its cloud-native capabilities, enhances AI-driven development, and deepens its investment in security and production-ready solutions, Cavage’s expertise will help drive execution, ensuring developers can focus on what they do best: building great software.

    About Docker
    Docker drives modern software development by making it easy to adopt container technology to radically boost productivity, security, testing, and collaboration at every step of the developer experience. Embraced by over 20 million developers worldwide, Docker’s unmatched flexibility and choice make it the preferred tool for developers seeking efficiency and innovation for creating modern applications. Learn more about Docker at www.docker.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [ALLIANCE PHARMA PLC – 04 03 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 ALLIANCE PHARMA PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 04 MARCH 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 1p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 12,149,074 2.2475    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 12,149,074 2.2475    

    NOTE: A transfer in of 544 shares was made by a discretionary client on 27/02/2025.

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    1p ORDINARY SALE 7,691 62p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 05 MARCH 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC – 04 03 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 04 MARCH 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 0.375p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 8,985,999 1.1339    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 8,985,999 1.1339    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 5,421 99.3p
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 3,785 99.35p
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 2,800 99.351p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 05 MARCH 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: India expands UK footprint as £41 billion partnership boosts countries’ growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    India expands UK footprint as £41 billion partnership boosts countries’ growth

    Britain and India bolster trade ties during Indian External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar’s visit to UK.

    • Indian External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar visits UK to boost £41 billion trading relationship  
    • UK welcomes the opening of 2 new Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester  
    • move set to enhance economic growth and support further regional Indian investments in the UK delivering on the government’s Plan for Change   

    The UK-India partnership will strengthen further with the opening of 2 new Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester, boosting regional economic ties and delivering on the growth agenda.  

    It comes as the UK welcomes Indian investment deals worth more than £100 million which is creating jobs, strengthening growth, and helping working people by putting more money in their pockets.   

    Before opening the consulates, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar will meet with Foreign Secretary David Lammy at Chevening House.   

    At Chevening, the foreign ministers will drive forward the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This will focus on fostering mutual economic growth, technological innovation, and collaboration on global challenges including climate change. They will also discuss Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the Middle East and other global affairs.  

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:   

    One of my first visits as Foreign Secretary was to India because deepening our partnership for our shared growth and security is a key part of this government’s Plan for Change. 

    Dr Jaishankar and I are supercharging our £41 billion trading relationship with India, after trade talks were relaunched in Delhi. It is the floor, not the ceiling of our ambitions that will benefit both our economies.  

    The opening of new Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester demonstrate the growing links between our peoples and how we are working together to deliver growth not only in London, but right across the UK. This expansion of India’s diplomatic presence will further boost our trading relationship and support the valued Indian community in the UK.

    Ministers are also set to discuss the Technology Security Initiative, launched during the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Delhi in July 2024. They will touch on the opportunities for citizens in both countries that will come from closer collaboration in sectors such as artificial intelligence, telecoms and critical minerals. Opportunities include more effective and affordable healthcare and more resilient supply chains, as well as greater innovation, investment and job creation.  

    And the visit will highlight the living bridge between the UK and India, including a special reception with Chevening scholars at Chevening House, celebrating India’s position as home to the world’s largest Chevening programme.  

    Background  

    • Chevening is the UK government’s flagship international scholarships and fellowships programme. It offers fully funded scholarships (including tuition, travel and living expenses) for a one-year postgraduate course in the UK
    • it also offers short term fellowships to mid-career professionals in cyber security, science and innovation, journalism, and leadership and excellence
    • it is mandatory for scholars and fellows to return to their home country upon completion of their course
    • the Chevening programme in India is the largest in the world, benefiting over 3,900 scholars and fellows since 1983. Over 40% of Chevening scholars in India come from outside metro cities, are first generation learners, and belong to lesser privileged groups

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK to extend electronic travel to European visitors

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    UK to extend electronic travel to European visitors

    Europeans can now apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travel to the UK and will need one from 2 April 2025.

    Photo: Getty Images

    The UK government is taking the last major step in the rollout of Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for the millions of visitors who pass through the UK border every year. From today, eligible Europeans can apply for an ETA and will need one to travel to the UK from Wednesday 2 April 2025.

    This expansion follows the successful rollout of ETAs to all eligible non-European nationals last year, which includes visitors from the USA, Canada and Australia who now need an ETA to travel. Almost 1.1 million visitors have been issued with ETAs and will benefit from smoother, easier travel to the UK for short trips in the future.

    ETAs will strengthen the immigration system’s security and keep our country safe by screening people before they set foot in the UK.

    Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra, said:

    Securing our borders is a foundation of the UK government’s Plan for Change and by digitising the immigration system we are paving the way for a contactless UK border, ensuring visitors enjoy a seamless travel experience in the future.

    Expanding ETA worldwide cements our commitment to enhance security through technology and innovation.

    Applying for an ETA is quick and simple through the UK ETA app and, with the vast majority of applicants currently receiving a decision automatically in minutes, spontaneous trips to the UK should still be possible. Prospective visitors can also apply on GOV.UK if they do not have access to a smartphone.

    Applicants provide their biographic and biometric details and answer questions on suitability and criminality. Once an applicant has successfully applied, their ETA is digitally linked to their passport.

    While most applications are approved quickly, it is still recommended to allow up to 3 working days to account for the small number of cases that require additional review.

    An ETA currently costs £10 and allows multiple visits to the UK of up to 6 months over a 2-year period, or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner. An ETA is not a visa, it is a digital permission to travel.

    The UK government continues to work closely with the travel industry, including major airline, maritime and rail carriers, to ensure the smooth implementation of our new digital requirements.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NOAA’s National Ocean Service: Working for you!

    Source: US National Ocean Service News

    Kayakers paddle through Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: Chuck Graham.

    NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) has a unique mission that includes some of the most interesting parts of government! NOS is America’s leader in coastal and ocean science, technology, and management. We balance economic and environmental needs and deliver tools and services that directly support national security and the public. Dive in to learn more about how NOS works for you each and every day.
    We make using GPS more accurate. Our science improves GPS data by providing positioning information that is accurate to a fraction of an inch. This ensures ships navigate safely under bridges; farmers efficiently apply fertilizer to crops; and construction occurs in exactly the right place and with precise engineering.
    We help to get ships — and their cargo — safely and efficiently across oceans and into ports. Our science plays a key role in ensuring that shipments move swiftly along our marine highways. Who doesn’t like a new pair of sneakers? How about fresh bananas? Almost everything we use, wear, and eat relies upon our ports operating safely and efficiently.

    We make nautical charts, the roadmaps of the ocean, so those on the water can avoid dangers and arrive safely at their destination. We’ve been doing this since President Thomas Jefferson first commissioned a survey of U.S. coasts in 1807!

    We provide real-time water level, current, and wind conditions along shipping routes, helping mariners navigate busy, narrow channels, and ensuring successful delivery of cargo. Our “air gap” sensors also tell vessel operators if their ships can safely fit under bridges.

    Two different renderings of NOAA Electronic Navigational Chart (NOAA ENC®) data of the Columbia River, Oregon. The top image is from an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) and the bottom image is output from the NOAA Custom Chart application.

    We respond when disasters strike. From extreme weather events to oil spills, our emergency response teams spring into action to assess impacts and aid in recovery.

    Following hurricanes and natural disasters, our scientists take flight aboard NOAA planes that collect aerial images of damage. The imagery is critical to understanding impacts sustained to both property and the environment and supports safe navigation during maritime recovery efforts. We also work to survey for dangers to navigation and remove marine debris to reopen ports and waterways.

    Every year we respond to over 150 oil and chemical spills in U.S. waters — which can threaten life, property, and substantially disrupt marine transportation with widespread economic impacts. Following a spill, our teams provide scientific support to estimate where the spill may go; analyze potential hazards; and to assess the risks and evaluate damages to people, habitats, and other species.

    Left image: National Geographic videographer Bob Perrin films an oil slick at the Deepwater Horizon site. Right image: Aerial view of a destroyed building in Asheville, North Carolina, collected by NOAA aircraft on October 5, 2024. Credit: NOAA.

    We forecast future ocean conditions and hazardous events. Our online tools help the public protect their health, safety, and wellbeing while at home and on the water, and our rip current forecasts keep swimmers safe while enjoying the ocean.

    We help to protect critical coastal infrastructure from hazardous events, like high tide flooding and tsunamis. We also maintain a national network of tide gauges, and gather and connect thousands of coastal and ocean data sources from around the country that inform NOAA forecasting tools for public safety and grow the ocean economy by improving public access to foundational data and information.

    Did you know that harmful algal blooms can occur in every U.S. coastal and Great Lakes state and can affect the health of people, animals, and even contaminate drinking water? We produce forecasts in the Gulf of America, the Gulf of Maine, and Lake Erie so beach-goers can adjust their plans; health officials and water treatment facility operators can focus their testing procedures; and seafood and tourism industries can minimize impacts to their businesses; and the public can remain healthy and well.

    NOAA deploys buoys like the one shown here in the Columbia River, Washington to collect real-time currents and wind data in support of scientific research, disaster recovery, and safe navigation. Credit: NOAA.

    We take care of special coastal and ocean places. By conserving unique areas around the country, we’re also boosting the economic benefits nationwide.

    We work with partners to manage 18 National Marine Sanctuaries and 30 National Estuarine Research Reserves in U.S. waters and along the coastline. These protected places provide opportunities for recreation and tourism — like fishing, diving, and whale watching — attracting visitors from all over the world and fueling local economies. As world-class destinations, these places also help raise public awareness about research and conservation.

    Did you know that coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and erosion, provide jobs for local communities, and are also a source of food and new medicines? We work to protect, conserve, and restore the nation’s coral reefs for current and future generations.

    Coral reef in Tres Palmas, Puerto Rico. Credit: NOAA

    These are just a few of the many ways NOS helps protect Americans and our oceans and coasts. Visit our website to learn more about how we contribute to NOAA’s mission of science, service, and stewardship.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple reveals M3 Ultra, taking Apple silicon to a new extreme

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple reveals M3 Ultra, taking Apple silicon to a new extreme

    March 5, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple reveals M3 Ultra, :br(xl)::br(l):taking Apple silicon to a new extreme

    The new chip delivers up to 2.6x the performance of M1 Ultra, along with Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and support for more than half a terabyte of unified memory — the most ever in a personal computer

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced M3 Ultra, the highest-performing chip it has ever created, offering the most powerful CPU and GPU in a Mac, double the Neural Engine cores, and the most unified memory ever in a personal computer. M3 Ultra also features Thunderbolt 5 with more than 2x the bandwidth per port for faster connectivity and robust expansion. M3 Ultra is built using Apple’s innovative UltraFusion packaging architecture, which links two M3 Max dies over 10,000 high-speed connections that offer low latency and high bandwidth. This allows the system to treat the combined dies as a single, unified chip for massive performance while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading power efficiency. UltraFusion brings together a total of 184 billion transistors to take the industry-leading capabilities of the new Mac Studio to new heights.

    “M3 Ultra is the pinnacle of our scalable system-on-a-chip architecture, aimed specifically at users who run the most heavily threaded and bandwidth-intensive applications,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. “Thanks to its 32-core CPU, massive GPU, support for the most unified memory ever in a personal computer, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and industry-leading power efficiency, there’s no other chip like M3 Ultra.”

    Ultra Performance and Efficiency

    M3 Ultra provides the most performance of any Mac chip, while maintaining the industry-leading power-efficiency of Apple silicon. It features up to a 32-core CPU with 24 performance cores and eight efficiency cores, delivering up to 1.5x the performance of M2 Ultra, and up to 1.8x that of M1 Ultra. It also has the largest GPU in any Apple chip, with up to 80 graphics cores that bring up to 2x faster performance than M2 Ultra, and up to 2.6x faster than M1 Ultra.1

    The advanced graphics architecture in M3 Ultra features dynamic caching, along with hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, so it can fly through the most demanding content creation workloads and games. A powerful 32-core Neural Engine fuels AI and machine learning (ML), and powers Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that puts powerful generative models right at the core of the new Mac Studio. In fact, M3 Ultra is built for AI, including ML accelerators in the CPU, Apple’s most powerful GPU, the Neural Engine, and over 800GB/s of memory bandwidth. AI professionals can use Mac Studio with M3 Ultra to run large language models (LLMs) with over 600 billion parameters directly on device, making it the ultimate desktop for AI development.

    Unparalleled Memory

    The unified memory architecture of M3 Ultra integrates the most high-bandwidth, low-latency memory ever available in a personal computer. Starting at 96GB, it can be configured up to 512GB, or over half a terabyte. This outpaces the memory available in today’s most advanced workstation graphics cards, removing limitations for pro workloads that demand large amounts of graphics memory like 3D rendering, visual effects, and AI.

    Thunderbolt 5 for Next-Generation Connectivity

    M3 Ultra brings Thunderbolt 5 to Mac Studio for up to 120 Gb/s data transfer speeds — more than double that of Thunderbolt 4. Each Thunderbolt 5 port is supported by its own custom-designed controller directly on the chip. This provides dedicated bandwidth for each port on Mac Studio, making it the industry’s most capable implementation of Thunderbolt 5.

    Thunderbolt 5 ports on Mac Studio are a game changer for pro users who require faster data transfer speeds for external storage, docking, and hub solutions, and want to be ready for the next generation of expansion chassis. Thunderbolt 5 also enables connecting multiple Mac Studio systems together for workflows that push the limits of content creation and computer science exploration.

    Cutting-Edge Technologies Built In

    In the pursuit of maximizing performance and efficiency, M3 Ultra integrates Apple’s advanced technologies right on the chip:

    • Apple’s custom-built UltraFusion packaging technology uses an embedded silicon interposer that connects two M3 Max dies across more than 10,000 signals, providing over 2.5TB/s of low-latency interprocessor bandwidth, and making M3 Ultra appear as a single chip to software.
    • With 2x the resources of M3 Max, the media engine within M3 Ultra is capable of far more concurrent video processing. The chip offers dedicated, hardware-enabled H.264, HEVC, and four ProRes encode and decode engines, allowing M3 Ultra to play back up to 22 streams of 8K ProRes 422 video.
    • The display engine supports up to eight Pro Display XDRs, driving more than 160 million pixels.
    • The Secure Enclave works with hardware-verified secure boot and runtime anti-exploitation technologies to provide state-of-the-art security.

    Better for the Environment

    The power-efficient performance of M3 Ultra helps the new Mac Studio meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and reduces the total amount of energy consumed over the product’s lifetime. Today, Apple is carbon neutral for global corporate operations and, as part of its ambitious Apple 2030 goal, plans to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Results are compared to previous-generation Mac Studio systems with Apple M1 Ultra, 20-core CPU, 64-core GPU, and 128GB of RAM; and Mac Studio systems with Apple M2 Ultra, 24-core CPU, 76-core GPU, and 192GB of RAM.

    Press Contacts

    Todd Wilder

    Apple

    wilder@apple.com

    Lauren Klug

    Apple

    l_klug@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with the M4 chip and a sky blue color

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with the M4 chip and a sky blue color

    March 5, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple introduces the new MacBook Air with the soaring performance of the M4 chip, a gorgeous new sky blue color, and a lower starting price of $999

    The world’s most popular laptop delivers more value than ever with greater performance, up to 18 hours of battery life, a 12MP Center Stage camera, and enhanced external display support — all in its strikingly thin and light design

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the new MacBook Air, featuring the blazing-fast performance of the M4 chip, up to 18 hours of battery life,1 a new 12MP Center Stage camera, and a lower starting price. It also offers support for up to two external displays in addition to the built-in display, 16GB of starting unified memory, and the incredible capabilities of macOS Sequoia with Apple Intelligence — all packed into its strikingly thin and light design that’s built to last. The new MacBook Air now comes in an all-new color — sky blue, a metallic light blue that joins midnight, starlight, and silver — giving MacBook Air its most beautiful array of colors ever. It also now starts at just $999 — $100 less than before — and $899 for education, making it an incredible value for students, business professionals, or anyone looking for a phenomenal combination of world-class performance, portability, design, and durability. With two sizes to choose from, the new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air are available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 12.

    “MacBook Air is by far the world’s most popular laptop, and today we’re giving everyone even more reasons to love it, including a big boost in performance with the M4 chip, a new Center Stage camera, and a beautiful new sky blue color,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Combined with its thin and light, fanless design, all-day battery life, and the incredible capabilities of macOS Sequoia with Apple Intelligence, MacBook Air is unlike any other laptop. And with a new lower starting price of $999, MacBook Air delivers more value to consumers than ever before, making this the perfect moment to upgrade or experience the Mac for the first time.”

    A Fresh New Hue: Hello, Sky Blue  

    Adding a new choice to the lineup of MacBook Air colors is the all-new sky blue. A beautiful, metallic light blue that creates a dynamic gradient when light reflects off of its surface, sky blue joins midnight, starlight, and silver to complete the brilliant array of color choices for MacBook Air. All color options, including sky blue, come with a color-matched MagSafe charge cable.

    M4: Performance to the Next Level 

    With M4 in MacBook Air, everything from daily activities like multitasking between apps to more demanding tasks like photo and video editing is faster and more fluid. The M4 chip features a powerful 10-core CPU, an up to 10-core GPU, and support for up to 32GB of unified memory, making the new MacBook Air up to 2x faster than the M1 model.1 When compared to the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air, the M4 model delivers up to 23x faster performance.1 With battery life on the new MacBook Air up to 18 hours, Intel-based upgraders will get up to six additional hours, so they can get more done on a single charge.1 The powerful Neural Engine in the M4 chip, which accelerates AI-based tasks, is also up to 3x faster than on MacBook Air with M1, significantly increasing speed in tasks like automatically enhancing photos and removing background noise from a video.

    MacBook Air with M4 delivers a new level of performance:

    • Spreadsheet calculation performance in Microsoft Excel is up to 4.7x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air, and up to 1.6x faster than the 13-inch MacBook Air with M1.1
    • Video editing in iMovie is up to 8x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air, and up to 2x faster than the 13-inch MacBook Air with M1.2
    • Photo editing in Adobe Photoshop is up to 3.6x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air, and up to 2x faster than the 13-inch MacBook Air with M1.1
    • Web browsing is up to 60 percent faster when compared to a PC laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, and more demanding tasks get up to 2x faster performance.1

    Built for Apple Intelligence

    MacBook Air is built for Apple Intelligence, unlocking exciting new capabilities that make Mac even more helpful and powerful. Users can explore creative new ways to express themselves visually with Image Playground, create the perfect emoji with Genmoji, and make their writing even more dynamic with Writing Tools. With new Siri improvements, users can move fluidly between spoken and typed requests to accelerate tasks throughout their day, and Siri can answer thousands of questions about Mac features and settings, with step-by-step instructions for how to do something on Mac. With access to ChatGPT seamlessly integrated into Writing Tools and Siri, users can choose to access ChatGPT’s expertise so they can get things done faster and easier than ever before. Users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and privacy protections are built in — their IP addresses are obscured and OpenAI won’t store requests. Users can choose whether to enable ChatGPT integration, and are in full control of when they use it and what information is shared with ChatGPT.

    Designed to protect users’ privacy at every step, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing, meaning that many of the models that power it run entirely on device. For requests that require access to larger models, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Mac into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence. When using Private Cloud Compute, users’ data is never stored or shared with Apple; it is used only to fulfill their request.

    Always Camera-Ready

    A new 12MP Center Stage camera with improved video quality keeps MacBook Air users looking their best, whether at home, school, or work. Center Stage automatically keeps users centered in the frame as they move around — great for connecting with friends and family over FaceTime or joining an important meeting. It also supports Desk View, which simultaneously displays the user and a top-down view of their desk, making video calls even more engaging for those who want to show off their latest DIY project or present a prototype at work.

    Enhanced Display Support 

    MacBook Air can easily power a multi-display setup to make viewing and interacting with content a breeze, for anyone from business professionals at the office multitasking across multiple windows, to students in a dorm room tackling a big project across several apps. For users who like to spread their work out, MacBook Air now supports up to two 6K external displays, in addition to its built-in Liquid Retina display.

    Everything Users Already Love

    More people choose MacBook Air over any other laptop. In addition to what’s new, MacBook Air with M4 includes all of the useful features and capabilities that have made it so popular, including:

    • Reliability and durability: The 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air feature a durable aluminum unibody enclosure that’s built to last, and are both less than half an inch thin, so users can work, play, or create from anywhere. The 13-inch model provides the ultimate in portability for users on the go, while the 15-inch model offers even more room to multitask.
    • Touch ID and Magic Keyboard: With the advanced security of Touch ID, users can easily and securely unlock their MacBook Air, make online purchases with Apple Pay, and download apps. The comfortable and quiet Magic Keyboard is backlit and comes with a full-height function row.
    • Gorgeous display: MacBook Air features a brilliant 13.6- or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display with up to 500 nits of brightness, support for 1 billion colors, and up to 2x the resolution of comparable PC laptops. Content looks vivid with sharp detail, and text appears super crisp.
    • Versatile connectivity: MacBook Air with M4 features fast Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. It also includes MagSafe charging and two Thunderbolt ports for connecting accessories like external storage and security keys, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
    • Mics and speakers: Users will sound their best with a three-mic array and enhanced voice clarity on audio and video calls. And with an immersive sound system that has support for Spatial Audio along with Dolby Atmos, users will enjoy a three-dimensional soundstage for music and movies.

    An Unrivaled Experience: macOS Sequoia

    macOS Sequoia completes the new MacBook Air experience with a host of exciting features, including iPhone Mirroring, allowing users to wirelessly interact with their iPhone, its apps, and notifications directly from their Mac.3 Safari, the world’s fastest browser,4 now surfaces relevant information on sites in Highlights; summarizes articles in the redesigned Reader; keeps videos front and center in a new Video Viewer; and lets users hide distracting items with Distraction Control. Gaming gets even more immersive with features like Personalized Spatial Audio and improvements to Game Mode, along with a breadth of exciting titles, including Civilization VII, Wuthering Waves, and more. Easier window tiling means users can stay organized with a window layout that works best for them. The all-new Passwords app gives convenient access to passwords, passkeys, and other credentials — all stored in one place. And users can apply new, beautiful built-in backgrounds for video calls, which include a variety of color gradients, or use their own photos.

    Next month, macOS Sequoia 15.4 will make it easier than ever to set up the new MacBook Air with iPhone. By simply bringing iPhone close to Mac, users can quickly and conveniently sign in to their Apple Account to get their files, photos, messages, passwords, and more on their new MacBook Air.5

    Better for the Environment

    MacBook Air is designed with the environment in mind. As part of Apple 2030, the company’s ambitious goal to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade, Apple is transitioning to renewable electricity for manufacturing, and investing in wind and solar projects around the world to address the electricity used to charge all Apple products, including MacBook Air. Today, all Apple facilities run on 100 percent renewable electricity — including the data centers that power Apple Intelligence.

    To achieve Apple 2030, the company is designing products with more recycled and renewable materials, which further drives down the carbon footprint. MacBook Air features over 55 percent recycled content overall, the most in any Apple product. This includes 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. The battery contains 100 percent recycled cobalt and — in a first for any Mac — over 95 percent recycled lithium. MacBook Air meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency, and is free of mercury, brominated flame retardants, and PVC. The packaging is entirely fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal to remove plastic from all packaging by the end of 2025.6

    Pricing and Availability

    • Customers can pre-order the new MacBook Air with M4 starting today on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 28 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Wednesday, March 12.
    • The 13-inch MacBook Air with M4 starts at $999 (U.S.) and $899 (U.S.) for education, and the 15‑inch MacBook Air with M4 starts at $1,199 (U.S.) and $1,099 (U.S.) for education. Both are available in sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver.
    • Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options, and accessories are available at apple.com/mac.
    • Apple Intelligence is available on all Mac models with M1 and later, in localized English for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK, and the U.S. Additional languages — including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (simplified), English (Singapore), and English (India) — will be available in April, with more languages coming over the course of the year, including Vietnamese. Some features, applications, and services may not be available in all regions or all languages.
    • With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth.
    • AppleCare+ for Mac provides unparalleled service and support. This includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, battery service coverage, and 24/7 support from the people who know Mac best.
    • Every customer who buys directly from Apple Retail gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup, or focus on features that help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.
    • Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments, and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Testing was conducted by Apple in January 2025. See apple.com/macbook-air for more information. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/batteries for more information.
    2. Results are compared to previous-generation MacBook Air systems with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD; and 1.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based MacBook Air systems with Intel Iris Plus Graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD.
    3. Available on Mac computers with Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip. See requirements on apple.com/macos/macos-sequoia. Some iPhone features (for example, camera and microphone) are not compatible with iPhone Mirroring.
    4. Testing was conducted by Apple in August 2024. See apple.com/safari for more information.
    5. Available next month on macOS Sequoia 15.4 with iPhone and iPad running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or a later version.
    6. Based on retail packaging as shipped by Apple. Breakdown of U.S. retail packaging by weight. Adhesives, inks, and coatings are excluded from our calculations of plastic content and packaging weight.

    Press Contacts

    Starlayne Meza

    Apple

    starlayne_meza@apple.com

    Lizette Viviana Du Pond

    Apple

    ldupond@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple unveils new Mac Studio, the most powerful Mac ever

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple unveils new Mac Studio, the most powerful Mac ever

    March 5, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple unveils new Mac Studio, the most powerful Mac ever, featuring M4 Max and new M3 Ultra

    With Thunderbolt 5, up to 512GB of unified memory, and an up to 16TB SSD, all in a compact design, the ultimate pro desktop delivers even more performance

    CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the new Mac Studio, the most powerful Mac ever made, featuring M4 Max and the new M3 Ultra chip. The ultimate pro desktop delivers groundbreaking pro performance, extensive connectivity now with Thunderbolt 5, and new capabilities in its compact and quiet design that can live right on a desk. Mac Studio can tackle the most intense workloads with its powerful CPU, Apple’s advanced graphics architecture, higher unified memory capacity, ultrafast SSD storage, and a faster and more efficient Neural Engine. It provides a big boost in performance compared to the previous generation, and a massive leap for users coming from older Macs.

    Mac Studio is a powerhouse for AI, capable of running large language models (LLMs) with over 600 billion parameters entirely in memory, thanks to its advanced GPU and up to 512GB of unified memory with M3 Ultra — the most ever in a personal computer. It’s also built for Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that transforms how users work, communicate, and express themselves, while protecting their privacy. The new Mac Studio is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning March 12.

    “The new Mac Studio is the most powerful Mac we’ve ever made,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “A complete game-changer for pros around the world — powering both home and pro studios — Mac Studio sits in a class of its own, offering a staggering amount of performance in a compact, quiet design that fits beautifully on your desk. With this new Mac Studio, we’re delivering even more extreme performance with M4 Max and M3 Ultra, support for half a terabyte of unified memory, up to 16TB of superfast storage, and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. Mac Studio truly is the ultimate pro desktop.”

    Mac Studio with M4 Max: A Performance Juggernaut

    The new Mac Studio with M4 Max is the perfect choice for video editors, colorists, developers, engineers, photographers, creative pros, and other users who need to blaze through intensive workflows. It delivers phenomenal single-threaded CPU performance with the world’s fastest CPU core, along with outstanding multithreaded CPU performance for complex workloads. Featuring an up to 16-core CPU, an up to 40-core GPU, over half a terabyte per second of unified memory bandwidth, and a Neural Engine that is over 3x faster than M1 Max, Mac Studio with M4 Max can run on-device AI models incredibly fast. Mac Studio with M4 Max is up to 3.5x faster than Mac Studio with M1 Max, and is up to 6.1x faster than the most powerful Intel-based 27-inch iMac.1

    The GPU in M4 Max also brings Apple’s advanced graphics architecture to Mac Studio for the first time, including dynamic caching, hardware-accelerated mesh shading, and a second-generation ray-tracing engine for more seamless content creation and gaming. Mac Studio with M4 Max starts at 36GB of unified memory, with support for up to 128GB, so users can do everything from sorting through thousands of images with speed and precision, to producing complex compositions with hundreds of tracks, plug-ins, and virtual instruments, all played in real time. And with the powerful Media Engine in M4 Max, which features two ProRes accelerators, Mac Studio performance is outstanding for videographers who can effortlessly work with multiple streams of 4K ProRes.

    Mac Studio with M4 Max enables:1

    • Up to 1.6x faster image processing in Adobe Photoshop when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and up to 2.9x faster when compared to the 27-inch iMac with Core i9. 
    • Up to 2.1x faster build performance when compiling code in Xcode when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and up to 3.1x faster when compared to the 27-inch iMac with Core i9. 
    • Up to 1.2x faster ProRes transcode performance in Compressor when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and up to 2.8x faster when compared to the 27-inch iMac with Core i9. 
    • Up to 1.6x faster video processing performance in Topaz Video AI when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Max, and up to 5x faster when compared to the 27-inch iMac with Core i9.

    Mac Studio with M3 Ultra: The Pinnacle of Pro Performance

    Mac Studio with M3 Ultra pushes demanding workflows to a whole new level. It delivers nearly 2x faster performance than M4 Max in workloads that take advantage of high CPU and GPU core counts, and massive amounts of unified memory.2 Mac Studio with M3 Ultra is up to 2.6x faster than Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, and up to 6.4x faster than the 16-core Intel Xeon W-based Mac Pro.1 With the new M3 Ultra, Mac Studio features an up to 32-core CPU with 24 performance cores, 50 percent more than any previous Ultra chip and the most CPU cores ever in a Mac. It also offers an up to 80-core GPU, more than any Apple silicon chip; a powerful 32-core Neural Engine for on-device AI and machine learning (ML); and a high-bandwidth memory architecture that delivers over 800GB/s of unified memory bandwidth.

    Mac Studio with M3 Ultra starts with 96GB of unified memory, which can be configured up to 512GB — the most unified memory ever in a personal computer — and up to 16TB of ultrafast SSD storage, so content and data can be kept locally. That’s enough storage for over 12 hours of 8K ProRes video. The advanced graphics architecture brings Dynamic Caching, along with hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, so graphics workflows like GPU-based renderers are up to 2.6x faster than Mac Studio with M1 Ultra.

    Mac Studio with M3 Ultra enables:1

    • Up to 16.9x faster token generation using an LLM with hundreds of billions of parameters in LM Studio when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, thanks to its massive amounts of unified memory.
    • Up to 2.6x faster scene rendering performance in Maxon Redshift when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, and up to 6.4x faster when compared to the 16-core Intel-based Mac Pro with Radeon Pro W5700X.
    • Up to 1.1x faster basecalling for DNA sequencing in Oxford Nanopore MinKNOW when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, and up to 21.1x faster when compared to the 16-core Intel-based Mac Pro with Radeon Pro W5700X. 
    • Up to 1.4x faster 8K video rendering performance in Final Cut Pro when compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, and up to 4x faster when compared to the 16-core Intel-based Mac Pro with Radeon Pro W5700X.

    Thunderbolt 5 for High-Bandwidth Accessories and Expansion

    The new Mac Studio features Thunderbolt 5 ports that deliver transfer speeds up to 120 Gb/s, up to 3x faster than the prior generation, enabling faster external storage, expansion chassis, and powerful hub solutions. For those who rely on PCIe expansion cards for their workflows, Thunderbolt 5 allows users to connect an external expansion chassis with higher bandwidth and lower latency. And with M3 Ultra, Mac Studio now drives up to eight Pro Display XDRs at the full 6K resolution. Mac Studio also offers a wide array of connectivity within easy reach for pros, including a 10Gb Ethernet port, an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot on the front to conveniently import photos and video, along with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

    Built for Apple Intelligence

    Mac Studio helps pros push the boundaries of what they can do, and Apple Intelligence elevates those experiences even further. Writing is even more dynamic with Writing Tools, which can help users rewrite, proofread, or summarize — whether they are responding to emails or using summarization to draft an abstract in seconds in apps like Scrivener. Pros can minimize unnecessary distractions with Priority Notifications and use live transcription in Notes to record and easily recap important meetings. With new Siri improvements, users can move fluidly between spoken and typed requests to accelerate tasks throughout their day, and Siri can answer thousands of questions about Mac features and settings, with step-by-step instructions like how to combine PDF files in Preview. With access to ChatGPT seamlessly integrated into Writing Tools and Siri, users can tap into ChatGPT’s expertise, so they can get things done even faster and easier. Users can choose to enable ChatGPT integration, and are in full control of when to use it and what information is shared with ChatGPT. Users can also explore creative new ways to express themselves visually with Image Playground, and drop their original image right into their paper, mood board, or Keynote presentation. Whether users are researching their next project, editing a video, creating new designs, or preparing for their next lecture, these new tools will help pros be even more productive.

    Designed to protect users’ privacy at every step, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing, meaning that many of the models that power it run entirely on device. For requests that require access to larger models, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Mac into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence. When using Private Cloud Compute, users’ data is never stored or shared with Apple; it is used only to fulfill their request.

    macOS Sequoia: An Unrivaled Experience

    macOS Sequoia completes the new Mac Studio experience with a host of exciting features, including iPhone Mirroring, which allows users to wirelessly interact with their iPhone, its apps, and notifications directly from their Mac.3 Pros can now move files, photos, and videos between iPhone and Mac as easily as they can drag and drop between apps on Mac. Easier window tiling means users can stay organized with a window layout that works best for them. The all-new Passwords app gives convenient access to passwords, passkeys, and other credentials, all stored in one place. And users can apply beautiful built-in backgrounds for video calls, which include a variety of color gradients and system wallpapers, or upload their own photos. Safari, the world’s fastest browser,4 now surfaces relevant information on sites in Highlights; summarizes articles in the redesigned Reader; keeps videos front and center in a new Video Viewer; and lets users hide distracting items with Distraction Control. Gaming gets even more immersive with features like Personalized Spatial Audio and improvements to Game Mode, along with a breadth of exciting titles, including Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition by CD PROJEKT RED, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and more.

    Next month, macOS Sequoia 15.4 will make it easier than ever to set up the new Mac Studio with iPhone.5 By simply bringing iPhone close to Mac, users can quickly and conveniently sign in to their Apple Account to get their files, photos, messages, passwords, and more on their new Mac Studio.

    The Ultimate Studio Setup

    Mac Studio, together with Studio Display, empowers creative users to build the studio of their dreams. Studio Display perfectly pairs with Mac Studio with its expansive 27-inch 5K Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera, studio-quality three-mic array, and six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. For users working on HDR workflows, Pro Display XDR offers a 32-inch Retina 6K display with up to 1600 nits of peak HDR brightness. Customers can also add matching Magic accessories — including Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse — that beautifully complement the elegant design of Mac Studio and Studio Display.

    Better for the Environment

    The new Mac Studio is designed with the environment in mind. As part of Apple 2030, the company’s ambitious goal to be carbon neutral across its entire carbon footprint by the end of this decade, Apple is transitioning to renewable electricity for its manufacturing, and investing in wind and solar projects around the world to address the electricity used to power all Apple products, including Mac Studio. Today, all Apple facilities run on 100 percent renewable electricity — including the data centers that power Apple Intelligence.

    To achieve Apple 2030, the company is designing products with more recycled and renewable materials, which further drives down the carbon footprint. Mac Studio features over 30 percent recycled content overall, including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. Mac Studio uses far less energy and materials than desktops in its class, and is free of mercury, brominated flame retardants, and PVC. The packaging is entirely fiber-based, bringing Apple closer to its goal to remove plastic from all packaging by the end of 2025.6

    Pricing and Availability

    • Customers can pre-order the new Mac Studio starting today on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 28 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Wednesday, March 12.
    • Mac Studio starts at $1,999 (U.S.) and $1,799 (U.S.) for education. Additional configure-to-order options are available at apple.com/store. 
    • More information on Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, and Magic accessories is available at apple.com/shop/buy-mac.
    • Apple Intelligence is available on all Mac models with M1 and later, in localized English for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK, and the U.S. Additional languages — including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (simplified), English (Singapore), and English (India) — will be available in April, with more languages coming over the course of the year, including Vietnamese. Some features, applications, and services may not be available in all regions or all languages. 
    • With Apple Trade In, customers can trade in their current computer and get credit toward a new Mac. Customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in to see what their device is worth. 
    • AppleCare+ for Mac provides unparalleled service and support. This includes unlimited incidents of accidental damage, battery service coverage, and 24/7 support from the people who know Mac best. 
    • Every customer who buys directly from Apple Retail gets access to Personal Setup. In these guided online sessions, a Specialist can walk them through setup, or focus on features that help them make the most of their new device. Customers can also learn more about getting started with their new device with a Today at Apple session at their nearest Apple Store.
    • Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments, and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Testing was conducted by Apple in January and February 2025. See apple.com/mac-studio for more information.
    2. Results are compared to Mac Studio systems with Apple M4 Max, 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 128GB of RAM, and 8TB SSD.
    3. Available on Mac computers with Apple silicon and Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 Security Chip. See requirements on apple.com/macos/macos-sequoia. Some iPhone features (for example, camera and microphone) are not compatible with iPhone Mirroring.
    4. Testing was conducted by Apple in August 2024. See apple.com/safari for more information.
    5. Available next month on macOS Sequoia 15.4 with iPhone and iPad running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or a later version.
    6. Based on retail packaging as shipped by Apple. Breakdown of U.S. retail packaging by weight. Adhesives, inks, and coatings are excluded from calculations of plastic content and packaging weight.

    Press Contacts

    Michelle Del Rio

    Apple

    mr_delrio@apple.com

    Starlayne Meza

    Apple

    starlayne_meza@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The child boss in ‘Severance’ reveals a devastating truth about work and child-rearing in the 21st century

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Anna Mae Duane, Professor of English, University of Connecticut

    Miss Huang is, in many ways, capitalism’s ideal child. Apple TV+

    In the second season of “Severance,” there’s an unexpected character: a child supervisor named Miss Huang, who matter-of-factly explains she’s a child “because of when I was born.”

    Miss Huang’s deadpan response is more than just a clever quip. Like so much in the Apple TV+ series, which has broken viewership records for the streaming service, I think it reveals a devastating truth about the role of work in the 21st century.

    As a scholar of childhood studies, I also see historical echoes: What constitutes a “child” – and whether one gets to claim childhood at all – has always depended on when and where a person is born.

    An age of innocence?

    Americans are deeply invested in the idea of childhood as a time of innocence, with kids protected by doting adults from the harsh realities of work and making ends meet.

    However, French historian Philippe Ariès famously argued that childhood, as many understand it today, simply did not exist in the past.

    The 14th-century painting ‘Madonna of Veveri’ depicts a young child with adultlike proportions.
    The Print Collector/Getty Images

    Using medieval art as one resource, Ariès pointed out that children were often portrayed as miniature adults, without special attributes, such as plump features or silly behaviors, that might mark them as fundamentally different from their older counterparts.

    Looking at baptism records, Ariès also discovered that many parents gave siblings the same name, and he explained this phenomenon by suggesting that devastatingly high child mortality rates prevented parents from investing the sort of love and affection in their children that’s now considered a core component of parenthood.

    While historians have debated many of Ariès’ specific claims, his central insight remains powerful: Our modern understanding of childhood as a distinct life stage characterized by play, protection and freedom from adult responsibilities is a relatively recent historical development. Ariès argued that children didn’t emerge as a focus of unconditional love until the 17th century.

    Kids at work

    The belief that a child deserves a life free from the stress of the workplace came along still later.

    After all, if Miss Huang had been born in the 19th century, few people would question her presence in the workplace. The Industrial Revolution yielded accounts of children working 16-hour days and accorded no special protection because of their tender age and emotional vulnerability. Well into the 20th century, children younger than Miss Huang routinely worked in factories, mines and other dangerous environments.

    To today’s viewers of “Severance,” the presence of a child supervisor in the sterile, oppressive workplace of the show’s fictional Lumon Industries feels jarring precisely because it violates the deeply held belief that children are occupants of a separate sphere, their innocence shielding them from the dog-eat-dog environs of competitive workplaces.

    Lewis Hine’s 1908 photograph of girls working at Newberry Mills in Newberry, S.C.
    Library of Congress

    Childhood under threat

    As a child worker, Miss Huang might seem like an uncanny ghost of a bygone era of childhood. But I think she’s closer to a prophet: Her role as child-boss warns viewers about what a work-obsessed future holds.

    Today, the ideal childhood – access to play, care and a meaningful education – is increasingly under threat.

    As politicians and policymakers insist that children are the future, many of them refuse to support the intensive caregiving required to transform newborns into functioning adults. As philosopher Nancy Fraser has argued, capitalism relies on someone doing that work, while assigning it little to no monetized value.

    Child-rearing in the 21st century exists within a troubling paradox: Mothers provide unpaid child care for their own children, while those who professionally care for others’ children – predominantly women of color and immigrants – receive meager compensation for this essential work.

    In other words, economic elites and the politicians they support say they want to cultivate future workers. But they don’t want to fund the messy, inefficient, time-consuming process that raising modern children requires.

    The show’s name comes from a “severance” procedure that workers undergo to separate their work memories from their personal ones. It offers a darkly comic version of work-life balance, with Lumon office workers able to completely disconnect their work selves from their personalities off the clock. Each is distinct: A character’s “innie” is the person they are at the job, and their “outtie” is who they are at home.

    I see this as an apt metaphor for how market capitalism seeks to separate the slow, patient work required to raise children and care for other loved ones from the cold-eyed pursuit of economic efficiency. Parents are expected to work as if they don’t have children and raise children as if they don’t work.

    The result is a system that makes traditional notions of childhood – with its unwieldy dependencies, its inefficient play and its demands for attention and care – increasingly untenable.

    Capitalism’s ideal child

    Plummeting global fertility rates around the world speak to this crisis in child care, with the U.S., Europe, South Korea and China falling well below the birth rate required to replace the existing population.

    Even as Elon Musk frets about women choosing not to have children, he seems eager to restrict any government aid that would provide the time or resources that raising children requires.

    Accessible health care, affordable, healthy food and stable housing are out of the reach of many. The current administration’s quest for what it calls “government efficiency” is poised to shred safety net programs that help millions of low-income children.

    In the midst of this dilemma, Miss Huang offers a surreal solution to the problems children pose in 2025.

    She is, in many ways, capitalism’s ideal child. Already a productive worker as a tween, she requires no parent’s time, no teacher’s patience and no community’s resources. Like other workers and executives at Lumon, she seems to have shed the inefficient entanglements of family, love and play.

    In this light, Miss Huang’s clever insistence that she is a child “because of when I was born” is darkly prophetic. In a world where every moment must be productive, where caregiving is systematically devalued and where human relationships are subordinated to market logic, Miss Huang represents a future where childhood survives only as a date on a birth certificate. All the other attributes are economically impractical.

    Viewers don’t yet know if she’s severed. But at least from the perspective of the other workers in the show, Miss Huang works ceaselessly and, in doing so, proves that she is no child at all.

    Or rather, she is the only kind of child that America’s economic system allows to thrive.

    Anna Mae Duane 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. The child boss in ‘Severance’ reveals a devastating truth about work and child-rearing in the 21st century – https://theconversation.com/the-child-boss-in-severance-reveals-a-devastating-truth-about-work-and-child-rearing-in-the-21st-century-249123

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Learning ethics − one Marvel movie at a time

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By James Calvin Davis, Professor of Religion, Middlebury

    Philosophically, there’s more to many superhero movies than first meets the eye. Daniel Fung/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.

    Title of course:

    Ethics in the MCU

    What prompted the idea for the course?

    As a die-hard fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I rewatch the movies and series on a regular basis. As an ethicist, I can’t help but notice that the MCU raises some really tough moral questions.

    Yes, the movies are about monsters and magic and things exploding, but they are also about racial prejudice, power and obligation, artificial intelligence, biotechnological enhancement and colonization. They center complicated questions about right and wrong, moral character and unintended consequences.

    The more I rewatched them, the more I was convinced that this would be a great way to introduce students to the study of ethics. So when my time came again to offer a first-year seminar, I constructed one around watching superheroes at work. Leading new college students through an ethical analysis of Marvel movies seemed like an opportunity to work on useful intellectual skills in a low-pressure environment. Not a bad way to start college!

    What does the course explore?

    I structured the course around specific moral questions and then used an MCU film or series to get the students thinking about those questions.

    For instance, the challenges faced by the female protagonist in “Captain Marvel” gave us an opportunity to talk more broadly about gender, empowerment and respect for women’s leadership, as did the brutal reaction to the movie by some comic book bros.

    The antagonist in “Black Panther” takes over the African country of Wakanda in order to ignite a global anticolonial uprising, and we used his perspective to think about the ethics of racial oppression, reparations and violent resistance.

    Captain America’s best friend, Bucky Barnes, who was captured and brainwashed into serving as a covert assassin for decades, has to deal with the consequences of his actions once he recovers his true self. Bucky’s situation invited us to talk about the relationship between intention and complicity in our moral judgments.

    And the most fascinating conversation I had in the entire semester was about the utilitarian calculus of the supervillain Thanos, who appears in the “Infinity War” and “Endgame” films. Overpopulation led to the destruction of Thanos’ home planet, and his fear that the whole cosmos could meet a similar fate drives him to wipe out half of all life in the universe.

    Was he justified? Our discussions explored the ethical limits of utilitarian calculations. To my shock, half of the class eventually came to the conclusion that Thanos may have had a moral point.

    Why is this course relevant now?

    While it is helpful to talk about moral responsibility theoretically, or with reference to real headlines, narrative is another useful way to get students to think about the ethical choices people make and how we make them. This is one way the arts and humanities can serve the liberal arts project, preparing young people for democratic citizenship.

    Stories serve as fictional but concrete “case studies” through which students can think about themselves and others as moral actors. By focusing on other characters, stories encourage our moral imagination and empathy. Rather than reducing ethical issues to abstraction, stories remind us that moral choices are made within particular circumstances and relationships.

    What materials does the course feature?

    Our main “texts” for the semester were movies and series we watched and discussed with certain moral questions in mind. In conjunction, we read short pieces on ethical theory to give students a tool kit for analyzing those issues. Authors ranged from classical writers such as Aristotle and 19th-century philosopher John Stuart Mill to more modern perspectives such as Martin Luther King Jr., theologian James Cone and philosopher Martha Nussbaum.

    We also read parts of two awesome books making similar connections: “The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” edited by Nicholas Carnes and Lilly J. Goren, and “Marveling Religion,” edited by Jennifer Baldwin and Daniel White Hodge.

    What will the course prepare students to do?

    I hope the course provides students a fun chance to develop capacities for ethical thinking at the beginning of their college career. Public discourse in the United States, which is the focus of my teaching and scholarship, could use more citizens with greater skill in moral discernment, and these days we all could use more fun. Why not do something that is entertaining but also has intellectual integrity and social usefulness?

    James Calvin Davis 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. Learning ethics − one Marvel movie at a time – https://theconversation.com/learning-ethics-one-marvel-movie-at-a-time-247308

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –