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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC – 04 02 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 FEBRUARY 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: 9,644,726 1.2170    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 9,644,726 1.2170    

    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 4,419 91.0055p
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 2,130 91.5p
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 6,270 91.6p
    0.375p ORDINARY PURCHASE 4,419 91.09p

    (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 FEBRUARY 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: Cyabra Launches AI-Powered ‘Insights’ Feature, Safeguarding Brands and Governments Against AI-Driven Digital Disinformation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • False news stories are 70% more likely to be shared than true stories across digital platforms, and experts predict disinformation will become the top challenge for public and private sectors worldwide in 2025.
    • Cyabra’s Insights feature equips organizations to quickly and confidently detect and comprehend digital threats.

    New York, NY, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Cyabra Ltd. (“Cyabra”), a leading AI platform for real-time disinformation detection, introduces Insights, a powerful new AI-feature designed to transform complex social media disinformation data into clear, actionable answers in seconds.

    False narratives, fake accounts, and AI-generated content are spreading faster than ever, costing businesses and governments billions annually and eroding public trust and reputations. With AI-generated disinformation spreading six times faster than the truth—especially during high-stakes events like elections and holiday seasons—the need for rapid-response tools has never been more critical.

    Insights takes the complexity out of disinformation detection by breaking down Cyabra’s robust data findings into intuitive visuals and an automated Q&A format. In response to users’ most common requests and questions, Insights empowers brands and governments to quickly uncover harmful narratives, identify fake accounts (bots), and understand how false content spreads—saving time, resources, and reputations during critical moments.

    “Every second matters when identifying and countering disinformation,” said Dan Brahmy, CEO and co-founder of Cyabra. “Insights turns vast amounts of data into clear, actionable knowledge, empowering our clients to uncover the real story behind the data and respond before the damage is done. It’s like having an expert analyst at your fingertips.”

    Key Features of Insights:

    1. Automated Disinformation Analysis: Identifies bots, fake profiles, and harmful narratives without manual input.
    2. Clear, Actionable Visuals: Unveils trends, patterns, and key metrics with heatmaps and charts that anyone can understand.
    3. User-Friendly Q&A Format: Answers critical questions about disinformation scans in seconds, helping users decide their next steps with confidence.

    “Clients often ask, ‘What’s next?’ when confronting disinformation,” said Yossef Daar, CPO and co-founder of Cyabra. “Insights takes the guesswork out of analysis, giving users a straightforward, visual way to see where false narratives are spreading, who’s behind them, and what’s driving engagement. This enables them to respond to digital threats faster and more effectively.”

    During beta testing, Insights enabled:

    • A Fortune 500 company to neutralize reputational damage in minutes after detecting a disinformation spike about its CEO.
    • A government agency to uncover and disrupt hashtags fueling disinformation campaigns, enabling quicker interventions.

    Insights is now available on Cyabra’s platform.

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

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

    For more information, visit www.cyabra.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How citizen science is shaping international conservation

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sasha Woods, Director of Science and Policy, Earthwatch Institute (Europe)

    Testing the River Gade in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Earthwatch Europe, CC BY-NC-ND

    Citizen science is a powerful tool for involving more people in research. By influencing policy, it is transforming conservation at global, national and local levels.

    Citizen science actively encourages non-scientists to be a part of the scientific research process. Sometimes the terminology gets confusing. We say “non-scientists” but through taking part in citizen science projects, people become scientists – they’re just not professionally involved in the research.

    It’s also worth noting that the “citizen” in citizen science is completely unrelated to ideas of national citizenship. Put simply, it’s science by the people for the people.

    Citizen scientists can take part in every stage of the research process. Depending on the project, participants can write the research questions, choose the methods, collect the data, analyse and interpret the results, and share the research as widely as possible. By broadening people’s understanding of scientific problems and solutions, citizen science can act as a powerful catalyst for change.

    It is already making an impact across lots of disciplines, including conservation, by addressing barriers to policy change such as lack of evidence and low levels of public engagement and input. While it’s not yet common for citizen science to directly influence policy, in our research we’ve seen how citizen science can shape policy at every scale: through promoting policy, monitoring progress towards policy or advocating for policy enforcement.

    At a local level, citizen science can influence policy and transform conservation science. The clean air coalition of western New York is a group of citizens concerned about smells and smoke, and their connection to chronic health problems in the community. The group collected samples in 2004 to determine what was in the air and presented this data to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

    In response, the DEC monitored air pollutants in four locations in the city of Tonawanda for a year between 2007 and 2008 – an investigation which formed the basis for compliance monitoring and regulatory actions. As a direct result of citizen science, the Tonawanda Coke Corporation agreed to improve its operations, monitor for leaks and upgrade pollution controls. By December 2019, levels of carcinogenic benzene had dropped 92% since the end of DEC’s sampling in 2008.

    Citizen science can also run at the national level. For example, the annual Big Butterfly Count, run by the Butterfly Conservation charity, encourages people in the UK to advocate for conservation policy by counting butterflies.

    Over 25 days in July and August 2024, 85,000 volunteers recorded their sightings, with alarming results. Average butterfly numbers were at their lowest in the survey’s 14-year history.

    The charity and its citizen scientists called on the UK government to ban pesticides that can harm butterflies and bees. And on January 23 2025, the government confirmed that, for the first time in five years, an emergency application for the use of a neonicotinoid pesticide on sugar beet in England will not be granted.

    The government highlighted that the decision was “based on robust assessments of environmental, health and economic risks and benefits” and, although not explicitly stated, it is clear that citizen scientists contributed to those assessments.

    Going global

    Citizen science also contributes data to international conservation policies. For example, the UN incorporates citizen science data into two of its largest environmental policy frameworks: the sustainable development goals (SDGs) – a set of targets to end poverty, protect the environment, and promote prosperity for all people – and the Kunming-Montreal agreement, which aims to halt and reverse biodiversity decline.

    As part of our work at the European branch of the Earthwatch Institute research organisation, we’re involved with a global water quality monitoring project called FreshWater Watch. This project has successfully engaged communities and governments in Sierra Leone and Zambia to collect data on the proportion of rivers and lakes with good water quality within a country. Over time, this indicator can be used to measure progress towards the SDG for clean water and sanitation.

    A volunteer tests water quality at Faendre Reen near Cardiff.
    Earthwatch Europe, CC BY-NC-ND

    Currently, only five of the 231 indicators used to measure progress for the SDGs include citizen science data. But recent research suggests such projects could contribute to up to 33% of these indicators and over half of the 365 indicators for the global biodiversity framework.

    And even where citizen science data is not used in official monitoring towards policy, it can still transform conservation science by educating people and empowering them to advocate for change.

    The Great UK WaterBlitz is a national example of this. WaterBlitzes are four-day campaigns in which volunteers assess the water quality of local rivers, ponds and lakes, using simple-but-reliable testing kits for nitrates and phosphates.

    Nitrates and phosphates occur naturally in the environment and are essential for plant growth. But high concentrations found in sewage and agricultural runoff trigger a process called eutrophication: an overgrowth of algae which leads to increased levels of bacteria and, therefore, decreased oxygen concentrations, which harms aquatic plants and animals.

    Citizen scientists used these simple testing kits to assess water quality.
    Sasha Woods/Earthwatch Europe, CC BY-NC-ND

    Our team has used such testing kits in river catchments for over 10 years, but recently expanded to a UK-wide campaign. In September 2024, we ran our largest event to date, with 4,500 participants investigating 2,300 locations. This created a national snapshot of freshwater health at a granular scale, which we have used to highlight pollution hotspots to the Environment Agency (EA).

    Although this data is not yet used for official monitoring or the development of conservation policy, its contribution to improving water ecosystems is increasingly acknowledged. As the EA’s deputy director for monitoring, insight and innovation told the Guardian: “The Environment Agency values the contribution of England’s growing network of citizen scientists and welcomes the Great UK WaterBlitz and other initiatives that complement our own research, monitoring and assessment work.”

    Despite demonstrating valuable contributions to research – particularly by providing robust datasets – citizen science still faces multiple challenges. The engagement, motivation and retention of volunteers is resource-intensive, and citizen science is not particularly well funded.

    And even though citizen science methods are frequently validated by laboratory scientists, policymakers can still be hesitant to integrate this into their monitoring frameworks, due to often unfounded concerns about the data’s quality and reliability.

    But citizen science is already influencing conservation. This will only increase as policymakers recognise it as a legitimate and valuable scientific approach. And because there are citizen science projects all over the world, anyone can be a part of this positive change.

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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Sasha Woods works for Earthwatch Europe.

    Stephen Parkinson works for Earthwatch Europe.

    – ref. How citizen science is shaping international conservation – https://theconversation.com/how-citizen-science-is-shaping-international-conservation-247033

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: September 5: tense and taut drama vividly recreates the Munich massacre

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Barry Langford, Professor of Film Studies, Royal Holloway University of London

    In the 21st-century, it’s become horrifyingly normal for terrorist atrocities to play out over live visual media. Countless millions watched the fall of the twin towers on television in September 2001. The 2019 Christchurch mass murderer live streamed his assault on Facebook Live. Hamas commandos on October 7 wore bodycams.

    Director Tim Fehlbaum’s new film September 5 vividly recreates the historical moment when this relationship arguably snapped into sharp focus for the first time. The US network ABC’s live coverage of the Black September attack on the Israeli team at the 1972 Munich Olympics introduced the term “terrorist” to many viewers for the first time.

    The Munich attack unfolded over a single day and culminated in the murder of all nine Israeli hostages. Two athletes were also killed during the initial attack on their residence, as were all of the Palestinian gunmen during a firefight with West German police.

    There have been numerous film and television treatments of the Munich attack. One of the best-known is Kevin Macdonald’s Oscar-winning 1999 documentary One Day in September, which prosecutes the negligence and incompetence of the German authorities. Another is Steven Spielberg’s drama Munich (2005). A heavily fictionalised account of the Mossad reprisals against Palestinians allegedly associated with the Munich attack, it includes a detailed and graphic flashback of the massacre itself.

    The trailer for September 5.

    Fehlbaum opts against providing another synoptic overview of this well-known sequence of events. Instead, September 5 focuses exclusively on the ABC Sports team whose assignment switched in an instant from broadcasting the achievements of record-breaking athletes to covering the unfolding crisis and its bloody denouement.

    Running a tense and taut 94 minutes, the drama unfolds almost entirely within the cramped, sweaty confines of the ABC control room. Located adjacent to the athletes’ village, the sports reporters must suddenly adapt to documenting actual, not sporting, disaster. We share their perspective on the unravelling catastrophe, from a distance, trying to cut through the chaotic and confused stream of conflicting information, all filtered through the cumbersome broadcast technologies of the time.

    Decades before smartphones and the internet, ABC Sports chief Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard) and inexperienced director Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro) battle myriad challenges. They haggle with rival networks for scarce satellite time (live satellite transmission was used for the first time at the Munich Games). They struggle to manoeuvre a weighty studio camera rig outdoors to gain a precious live feed on the apartment where the athletes are being held hostage. They even have to turn around magazines of 16mm film (in 1972 still the standard format for TV news reporting) in just minutes from negative to broadcast-ready clips.

    The meticulous period recreation, low-light filming and handheld camerawork lend the film an immediacy and a grainy intensity. It recalls classic journalistic 1970s thrillers such as All the President’s Men (1976).

    The unit transforms from a hardworking but relaxed outfit choosing whether to cover water polo or “soccer” to a team covering a grimly determined band of brothers (and one crucial sister, German translator Marianne, played by Leonie Benesch). Overcoming the odds to pursue the story to its bitter end, the story takes on the quality of a classic platoon movie.

    The film’s real focus is not so much the technical, but rather the novel ethical challenges the team must confront and decide, live and on-air. The young Peter Jennings (an uncanny impersonation by Benjamin Walker) is their sole trained news correspondent. But the sports crew need to parse the complex contexts of the conflict for a home audience far less steeped than today’s in Middle Eastern geopolitics.

    At the same time, they must fend off the intrusions of West German authorities increasingly panicked by the unfolding PR catastrophe, as Jews once again fall victim on German soil, less than three decades after the Holocaust.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Meanwhile, it becomes increasingly clear that the Palestinian guerrillas have chosen the Olympics precisely because of the opportunity to stage their cause to a global audience. Hence, the broadcasters are inescapably complicit in the crisis. They’re not simply reporters, but participants.

    In the film’s highest stakes sequence – and a moment of head-spinning reflexivity – the team become aware the terrorists are watching their live broadcast. It means they are able to see the German police manoeuvring into place as they ineptly prepare a rescue.

    Predictably, the pressure to nail the story in an era of scarce information collides with the ethical imperative to get the story right. This leads to the film’s grim climax, where Arledge initially directs anchor Jim McKay (seen only in archive broadcast footage) to repeat the German authorities’ claim that the hostages have been successfully rescued. Only to have to go back on his words when the awful truth emerges and McKay is forced into his famous declaration: “They’re all gone.”

    In the aftermath, the reporters must prepare for another day’s work, while wondering to what degree they may have contributed to the disaster. September 5 is all the more powerful for leaving us, like its protagonists, without ready answers to the weighty questions it so deftly raises, and which have become only more pressing over half a century later.

    Barry Langford 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. September 5: tense and taut drama vividly recreates the Munich massacre – https://theconversation.com/september-5-tense-and-taut-drama-vividly-recreates-the-munich-massacre-248725

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Friendship, a covenant, romance – no matter what you call it, David’s love for Jonathan is one of the Bible’s most beautiful

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jacob F. Love, Lecturer in Religious Studies, University of Tennessee

    An illustration of David and Jonathan from ‘Sunday at Home – A Family Magazine for Sabbath reading, 1883,’ published by the Religious Tract Society in London. whitemay/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

    For the idea of love, biblical Hebrew has precious few synonyms. Yet the Hebrew of the Bible can communicate a rich sensation of love: the love of a man for a woman, the love of any human being for their fellow human, the love of Israel for Israel’s God, and the love of God for all people.

    As a religion scholar, however, I believe one of the greatest loves in the Bible is a story of friendship: the intense devotion between the warrior Jonathan and David, who later became king of Israel and Judah. For many readers, their relationship represents a platonic ideal, while others see something more.

    ‘With all your heart’

    The main word for expressing love in the Hebrew Bible is “ahavah,” from the root “ahav.” It appears, for example, in the classic description of the relationship between God and Israel in the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 6: “You shall love (v’ahavta) the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”

    There are several places in the Hebrew Bible that demand that people care for one another, regardless of membership in any group, such as a tribe. Consider Leviticus 19:34, which invokes the Israelites’ suffering as slaves in Egypt: “you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

    The word “ahav” is also used to express emotional, romantic and sexual love, as in Genesis 29, the story of Jacob and Rachel. The young man serves Laban, Rachel’s father, for seven years in exchange for her hand in marriage – which seem “but a few days because of his love for her.” But Laban tricks Jacob into marrying Rachel’s sister, Leah, first – then working another seven years for Rachel.

    A steadfast love

    Among the more passionate poems in the Hebrew Bible is one David is said to have pronounced for Jonathan and his father, Saul, the Israelite king.

    A 14th century illustration of David and Jonathan’s first meeting.
    National Manuscript Center/Wikmedia Commons

    The three first meet when David, portrayed as a young shepherd, volunteers to fight Goliath, who is portrayed as a towering giant of a soldier, a champion of the Philistines battling Israel. Shockingly, David slays him with a simple sling and stone, and Saul meets with the boy.

    “After David finished speaking to Saul,” the author of 1 Samuel relates, “the body of Jonathan was bound to the body of David, and Jonathan loved him as he loved his own self.” The Hebrew word I translate as “body” here is a famously ambiguous one, “nefesh,” usually rendered as “soul,” “life” or “personality.”

    Many translators read this passage to mean that Jonathan and David form a covenant, a pact. Jonathan immediately removes his clothing and weapons and gives them to the other young man.

    Their loyalty is tested as Saul becomes jealous of David’s increasing success. Yet the young men’s bond is steadfast.

    Jonathan eventually dies in battle, and Saul commits suicide. David composes a beautiful eulogy poem mourning both men, but his description of Jonathan is particularly striking:

    Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

    How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

    The passage uses a rare synonym for “ahav” when it describes Jonathan as “greatly beloved”: “na’am,” suggesting “love,” “affection” or “pleasantness.”

    Labeling love

    What could David have meant by “your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women”? It is not surprising that many have wondered whether this suggests an intimate relationship.

    That would appear to contradict prohibitions on homosexuality found in the Book of Leviticus. One thing to consider, however, is that Leviticus is devoted to priestly concerns. The prohibition is not found in the Book of Deuteronomy, which repeats so many of the prohibitions found in Leviticus. Another question is whether we really know what the Levitical language means: What exactly is being prohibited here?

    Rembrandt’s painting of the pair, after Jonathan warns David of Saul’s plan to kill him.
    Hermitage Museum via Wikimedia Commons

    One thing we can say with certainty is that LGBTQ+ love and identities have existed throughout human history, regardless of what they are called. Various cultures have been more or less sympathetic to sexual variation, but that variation has always been there.

    David had many wives. Indeed, one of the most famous stories about him is his depravity in condemning a soldier, Uriah the Hittite, to a brutal death so that David could take Uriah’s wife, Bat-Sheva, as his own. But who’s to say whether David might have been open to an intimate relationship with a man he essentially called his lover?

    David’s life was fraught with tragedy, and his family infamous for scandal – perhaps none greater than the tale of his son Amnon raping his half-sister Tamar. Nevertheless, tradition reveres him as the greatest king of Israel and Judah, the author of beautiful poetry and the father of King Solomon, who is credited with the ultimate biblical love poem, the Song of Songs.

    I’d like to give the final word to the sages of the Mishnah, rabbinic literature written around the year 250 C.E.:

    “All love that depends on something, when that something ceases, the love fails; but all love that does not depend on anything will never cease. What is an example of love that depended on something? Such was the love of Amnon for Tamar. And what is an example of love that did not depend on anything? Such was the love of David and Jonathan.”

    Jacob F. Love is affiliated with Marble City Opera.

    – ref. Friendship, a covenant, romance – no matter what you call it, David’s love for Jonathan is one of the Bible’s most beautiful – https://theconversation.com/friendship-a-covenant-romance-no-matter-what-you-call-it-davids-love-for-jonathan-is-one-of-the-bibles-most-beautiful-248080

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier meets with Kyrgyz president in Beijing

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

    BEIJING, Feb. 5 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday met with visiting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Beijing.

    Noting that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Kyrgyzstan relations have developed rapidly in recent years, Li also said that the foundation of mutual trust has been strengthened, bilateral cooperation upgraded, and friendly exchanges deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples.

    China is willing to work with Kyrgyzstan to implement the important consensus reached by the presidents of the two countries, firmly support each other on major issues concerning core interests, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in all respects, and better contribute to their respective modernization drives, Li said.

    Li added that China stands ready to enhance the synergy of development strategies with Kyrgyzstan, focus on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, advance the construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and other connectivity projects, and create more new highlights of cooperation in fields such as mining, green energy, scientific and technological innovation.

    He further said that China will work closely with Kyrgyzstan in the United Nations and other multilateral mechanisms, strengthen the China-Central Asia mechanism, and steadily advance cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization — so as to inject more certainty into regional peace, stability and development.

    Japarov said Kyrgyzstan attaches great importance to the comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era with China, and is willing to further strengthen high-level exchanges with China, deepen cooperation concerning connectivity, agriculture, finance, mining, science and technology, tourism and people’s livelihood development, and strengthen youth and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

    Kyrgyzstan welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in Kyrgyzstan and will provide a safe and sound business environment for Chinese enterprises, Japarov added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Complaints about misselling and imposition of additional services have decreased

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    In 2024, the Bank of Russia received 338 thousand complaints from consumers of financial services and investors. People complained less about the imposition of additional services and misselling, more about cyber fraud and blocking of accounts and transfers.

    Thanks to the Bank of Russia’s behavioral supervision measures, complaints about the imposition of additional services when lending in banks decreased by 45.2% in 2024. This also affected the reduction in the number of complaints in consumer lending.

    In the microfinance organizations (MFO) segment, the number of complaints about imposition decreased by 2.1 times. In addition, people complained less often about inaccurate information in their credit history — by 38.7% and fraud — by 19.1%. In general, in 2024, the number of complaints about MFOs decreased by 22.1%.

    The number of misselling cases has decreased by more than 2 times. The downward trend began after the Bank of Russia was given the authority to suspend sales in 2023 that violated the rules for informing people.

    Complaints about insurers have decreased by 30%, mainly due to the fact that the procedure for challenging the bonus-malus coefficient (KBM) has changed. Previously, a significant share of all complaints about MTPL were template complaints about checking the coefficient. They were issued for a fee by intermediaries, although citizens can independently and free of charge correct the KBM. It can be found in the personal account on the website of the National Insurance Information System and there you can leave a request in case of disagreement with the value of the coefficient. By the end of the year, such template complaints practically ceased to be received by the Bank of Russia.

    Due to the fact that criminals are constantly inventing new ways to steal money, complaints about cyber fraud against banks have increased by 1.8 times. To solve this problem, the regulator has ordered that bank cards and access to online banking be blocked for citizens who are engaged in the withdrawal and cashing of stolen funds – droppering. Banks must also suspend for two dayssuspicious transfers. However, this measure had a negative impact on the dynamics of complaints, because the number of requests related to banks blocking transfers and accounts increased by 2.2 times. At the same time, for most requests, banks confirmed that such accounts were used to deceive people.

    “The good news this year is that complaints about imposition and misselling continue to decrease, which means that credit and microfinance organizations are becoming more customer-oriented. But, as is usually the case, there is also not so good news – this is, of course, an increase in complaints about fraud. We are taking additional measures to combat it. Starting from March 1, 2025, every citizen will be able to set a ban on concluding consumer credit (loan) agreements with banks and microfinance organizations in their credit history on the State Services portal. From September 1, the service will be available in the MFC. This will allow a person to protect themselves from a situation where fraudsters issue a loan in their name or when a person acts under their influence,” said Mikhail Mamuta, Head of the Service for the Protection of Consumer Rights and Ensuring the Availability of Financial Services of the Bank of Russia.

    Preview photo: 9dream studio / Shutterstock / Fotodom

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //VVV.KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23343

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin discussed the development of the region with the Governor of the Samara Region Vyacheslav Fedorishchev

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Marat Khusnullin held a working meeting with the Governor of the Samara Region Vyacheslav Fedorishchev

    February 5, 2025

    Marat Khusnullin held a working meeting with the Governor of the Samara Region Vyacheslav Fedorishchev

    February 5, 2025

    Marat Khusnullin held a working meeting with the Governor of the Samara Region Vyacheslav Fedorishchev

    February 5, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Marat Khusnullin held a working meeting with the Governor of the Samara Region Vyacheslav Fedorishchev

    Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin held a working meeting with the Governor of the Samara Region Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, at which issues of the region’s socio-economic development were discussed.

    “The region is developing systematically in various directions, including the region showing good results in construction. The implementation of integrated development projects for territories with an urban development potential of 1 million square meters of housing has begun. Large-scale road projects are being implemented. Thus, in July last year, the President opened traffic on the bypass of the city of Tolyatti with a bridge across the Volga. This road is part of the international corridor Europe – Western China. In addition, we are upgrading public transport. Due to federal support measures, 306 buses and 22 trolleybuses have been delivered to the Samara Region since 2020,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    The meeting also discussed the progress of the construction of the Teatralnaya metro station, for which an infrastructure budget loan was allocated. The Deputy Prime Minister noted the importance of this project for increasing the mobility of residents and the overall comprehensive development of Samara.

    “The Tolyatti bypass has significantly relieved the road on the Zhigulevskaya hydroelectric power station dam from traffic congestion and is globally helping the export, industrial, logistics and tourism potential of the region. The opening of the new highway is a long-awaited event for residents of the Samara-Tolyatti agglomeration. But a number of financial issues remain. Regional expenses for the concession fee, compensation for costs associated with the rise in the cost of the facility, and the return of the attracted infrastructure budget loan will amount to more than 91.5 billion rubles in the period from 2024 to 2037, with the majority of them, in the amount of 59 billion rubles, falling on the first 5 years of operation of the facility. Today we considered the possibility of allocating up to 10 billion rubles annually from the federal budget to the budget of the Samara Region from 2025 to 2031 for the implementation of the project to build a bypass of Tolyatti with a bridge crossing over the Volga until the mandatory payments from the region are reduced to an acceptable level,” said the Governor of the Samara Region Vyacheslav Fedorishchev.

    The parties also discussed the region’s work within the framework of the new national project “Infrastructure for Life”.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ​The EBA issues an Opinion in response to the European Commission’s proposed amendments to the EBA draft technical standards on conflicts of interests for issuers of asset-referenced tokens

    Source: European Banking Authority

    The draft RTS specify the requirements for policies and procedures on conflicts of interest for issuers of asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). They aim at strengthening the management of conflicts of interest by issuers of ARTs and ensure convergence of requirements across the European Union.

    In developing the draft RTS, the EBA took into account recent reports of governance failures, specifically regarding failures to identify and manage effectively conflicts of interest, within the crypto-asset market globally, and to requirements applicable within the traditional EU financial sector addressed at mitigating conflicts of interest.

    Legal basis and background   

    This Opinion is based on Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, which requires the EBA to submit its response in the form of an opinion to amendments to draft regulatory technical standards (RTS) proposed by the European Commission.  

    On 5 June 2024, the EBA submitted its final draft RTS to the EC and on 29 November 2024, the EC sent a letter to the EBA about its intention to endorse the RTS with amendments and submitted a modified version of the RTS. The opinion constitutes the EBA’s response to the EC.  

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: American Rebel CEO Andy Ross to Appear on ABC-TV Tampa Weekday Morning Show Morning Blend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Appearance Scheduled to Air on Friday, February 7 Broadcast Between 10 – 11 am Eastern

    Nashville, TN, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) (“American Rebel” or the “Company”), creator of American Rebel Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) and a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded safes, personal security and self-defense products and apparel (americanrebel.com), is excited to announce that its CEO Andy Ross will appear on the Friday, February 7 broadcast of Morning Blend (abcactionnews.com/morning-blend) on ABC Action News Tampa. Andy’s segment will appear between 10- 11 am Eastern Standard Time. Andy will promote the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout (prosuperstarshootout.com) and his Saturday concert appearance on the American Rebel Beer stage near the starting line at the conclusion of racing, discuss the company’s sponsorship of Tony Stewart Racing’s Funny Car driven by Matt Hagan and the ongoing launch of American Rebel Beer.

    “The PRO Superstar Shootout is the Pro Bowl of the NHRA drag racing season,” said Andy Ross. “Last year’s debut event was a massive success and American Rebel and I are honored to participate. The PRO Superstar Shootout is a chance for the race teams to have some friendly competition and a dress rehearsal for the NHRA season. There’s nothing better than a weekend at the track, except a weekend at the track with an after party. I can’t wait to play my brand of country patriotic rock ‘n’ roll for these great fans.”

    “Coming to Florida to support the PRO Superstar Shootout and the Matt Hagan Dodge//SRT Hellcat American Rebel Light Funny Car is very important for American Rebel,” continued Andy Ross. “We recently had a launch party for American Rebel Beer in Nashville at Kid Rock’s bar on Broadway and Tony, Matt and some of the other Tony Stewart Racing Team folks came into town to support us…it meant the world to me and our company. It’s more than business, it’s family.”

    “I can’t wait to unleash the American Rebel Beer Funny Car with Andy Ross at Bradenton,” said Matt Hagan. “Andy and the American Rebel Beer Team are going full throttle as they launch a new premium domestic light beer. We’re proud to promote his brand and watch them expand into more states and bars nationwide. I’m honored to represent them and stand behind their bold American spirit.”

    “It’s always a good time when Andy plays a concert at the racetrack,” continued Matt Hagan. “He likes to rock and that suits us just fine.”

    About American Rebel Light Beer

    Produced in partnership with AlcSource, American Rebel Light Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) is a premium domestic light lager celebrated for its exceptional quality and patriotic values. It stands out as America’s Patriotic, God-Fearing, Constitution-Loving, National Anthem-Singing, Stand Your Ground Beer.

    American Rebel Light is a Premium Domestic Light Lager Beer – All Natural, Crisp, Clean and Bold Taste with a Lighter Feel. With approximately 100 calories, 3.2 carbohydrates, and 4.3% alcoholic content per 12 oz serving, American Rebel Light Beer delivers a lighter option for those who love great beer but prefer a more balanced lifestyle. It’s all natural with no added supplements and importantly does not use corn, rice, or other sweeteners typically found in mass produced beers.

    About Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Nitro

    As tenacious as Stewart is in the cockpit of a racecar, he’s proven equally adept at providing cars and equipment for racing’s elite. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion can also list 31 owners’ titles to his resume, from NASCAR to USAC to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. In 2023 Stewart earned his 31st owner title when Matt Hagan and the TSR Funny Car team earned the championship on November 11th. His team, Tony Stewart Racing, fields a powerhouse lineup in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series with Tony in Top Fuel and Matt Hagan in Funny Car. After more than four decades of racing around in circles, Stewart has embarked on a straight and narrow path, albeit at more than 300 mph. For more information on TSR Nitro go to tsrnitro.com.

    About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) has operated primarily as a designer, manufacturer and marketer of branded safes and personal security and self-defense products and has recently transitioned into the beverage industry through the introduction of American Rebel Light Beer. The Company also designs and produces branded apparel and accessories. To learn more, visit www.americanrebel.com and www.americanrebelbeer.com. For investor information, visit www.americanrebel.com/investor-relations.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc.
    info@americanrebel.com

    American Rebel Beverages, LLC
    Todd Porter, President
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. American Rebel Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: AREB; AREBW) (the “Company,” “American Rebel,” “we,” “our” or “us”) desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “forecasts” “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include benefits of marketing outreach efforts, actual placement timing and availability of American Rebel Beer, success and availability of the promotional activities, our ability to effectively execute our business plan, and the Risk Factors contained within our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    Company Contact:
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com
    info@americanrebel.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Eric Herzog Named a CRN Channel Chief for the Third Time

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Infinidat, a leading provider of enterprise storage solutions, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Eric Herzog, CMO at Infinidat, to the prestigious 2025 CRN® Channel Chiefs list, which recognizes the IT vendor and distribution executives who are driving strategy and setting the channel agenda for their companies. This special distinction is the third time that Herzog has been recognized as a CRN Channel Chief during his extensive career as a senior executive for enterprise storage solutions through the channel.

    “I’m honored to be named a CRN Channel Chief again and to have the opportunity to work closely with Infinidat’s partners to make a significant impact through the channel,” said Eric Herzog, CMO at Infinidat. “I love the strong commitment, relentless effort, and competitiveness of our channel partners. Being recognized on the prestigious CRN Channel Chiefs list for the third time reflects positively on our power collaboration to drive large-scale deployments of next-generation enterprise storage. It’s important to keep the proverbial ‘finger on the pulse’ of the channel, and I am happy to report that there are many, many new opportunities for partners to grow their businesses with Infinidat in 2025.”

    Herzog has four decades of experience and proven success in the enterprise storage industry, managing all aspects of marketing, product management, sales, worldwide channels, and business development in both start-ups and Global Fortune 500 companies. Herzog was also named a CRN 2022 Channel Chief and a CRN 2015 Channel Chief. Prior to joining Infinidat in October 2021, he was CMO and VP of Global Storage Channels for IBM’s Storage Division. He was the executive sponsor for IBM Storage at Sirius Computer Solutions/CDW and Mainline Information Systems, as well as the executive sponsor for IBM Storage and EMC at Arrow.

    The channel is instrumental to Infinidat’s go-to-market strategy. Infinidat has invested heavily in building up its channel partner program to a 5-star rating (as recognized by CRN), increasing partner revenue, margins, co-op/marketing development funding (MDF), and joint events. Infinidat is dedicated to help channel partners grow their business, receive the best training available, and have easy access to experienced partner account managers.

    The Channel Chiefs list, released annually by CRN, showcases the top leaders throughout the IT channel ecosystem who work tirelessly to ensure mutual success with their partners and customers. As a Channel Chief, Herzog continues to be one of the top people in the storage industry, driving profitability-building channel agendas.

    “This year’s honorees exemplify dedication, innovation, and leadership that supports solution provider success and fosters growth across the channel,” said Jennifer Follett, VP, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor, CRN, at The Channel Company. “Each of these exceptional leaders has made a lasting channel impact by championing partnerships and designing creative strategies that get results. They’ve set a high bar in the channel, and we’re thrilled to recognize their standout achievements.”

    CRN’s 2025 Channel Chiefs list will be featured in the February 2025 print issue of CRN® Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/ChannelChiefs.

    About The Channel Company
    The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world’s top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers, and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com.

    About Infinidat
    Infinidat provides enterprises and service providers with a platform-native primary and secondary storage architecture that delivers comprehensive data services based on InfiniVerse®. This unique platform delivers outstanding IT operating benefits, support for modern workloads across on-premises and hybrid multi-cloud environments. Infinidat’s cyber resilient-by-design infrastructure, consumption-based performance, 100% availability, and cyber security guaranteed SLAs align with enterprise IT and business priorities. Infinidat’s award-winning platform-native data services and acclaimed white glove service are continuously recommended by customers, as recognized by Gartner® Peer Insights reviews. For more information, visit www.infinidat.com.

    Connect with Infinidat
    About Infinidat
    Read our blog
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    Be our partner

    Media Contact
    Infinidat
    Sapna Capoor
    Director of Global Communications
    scapoor@infinidat.com | Mobile: +44 (0) 7789684159

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: TransUnion Introduces TruVision Alternative Bank Risk Score to Help Lenders Better Assess Consumers with Limited Credit Histories

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Despite a strong employment picture, some consumers are still struggling financially due to elevated inflation and higher than normal interest rates. The lowest income households (those earning less than $50,000) face another challenge, with only 35% indicating they have sufficient access to credit and lending products.i In an effort to provide lenders with a clearer picture of thin- or no- file consumers, including those who may not be gaining sufficient access to credit, TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) introduced today the TruVision Alternative Bank Risk Score.

    This score includes checking and banking data applicable to the short-term lending space and can be used to enhance lenders’ existing underwriting scores. It offers a more holistic view of a consumer’s financial behavior and enhances the accuracy of credit risk decisions. The TruVision Alternative Bank Risk Score is enabled by TransUnion’s OneTru™ solution enablement platform, which now houses the company’s short-term lending data.

    This solution evaluates a consumer’s banking activities to assist in predicting their future financial behavior, particularly their likelihood of defaulting on loans or other credit obligations. The score complements the existing suite of tools that TransUnion already provides to lenders to help them in determining credit risk. It can be used with existing risk scores or as a standalone tool for underwriting.

    “The addition of the TruVision Alternative Bank Risk Score to TransUnion’s existing Alternative Lending suite of credit risk scores offers lenders a deeper look at potential borrowers who may otherwise have no, or very limited, credit history, as well as subprime borrowers,” said Liz Pagel, senior vice president of consumer lending at TransUnion. “It can aid in improving the predictive power of risk models, helping to identify potential risks that might be missed when relying on a single data source.”

    In addition to helping lenders make more informed decisions, this score can potentially offer some consumers with limited credit histories an alternate pathway to credit, by providing a more comprehensive view of their financial behavior, identifying those creditworthy consumers who may lack a traditional credit history but demonstrate responsible banking behavior.

    A recent report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) revealed that one in six households had no mainstream credit, and this percentage was significantly higher among lower-income households, those with a lower educational ceiling, and minority households. The report also indicated that those households without mainstream credit likely did not have a credit score with credit bureaus, making it that much harder to obtain credit moving forward.

    TransUnion’s Q4 2024 Consumer Pulse found that lower-income consumer households have a much more difficult time accessing credit.

    Lower Income Households Do Not Feel They Have Sufficient Access to Credit and Lending Products.

      Low (<$50K) Medium ($50-99K) High ($100k+)
    Have Sufficient Access 35% 64% 80%
    Neither Agree nor Disagree 31% 21% 11%
    Do Not Have Sufficient Access 34% 15% 8%

    Source: TransUnion Consumer Pulse, November 2024

    “TransUnion has long provided lenders with access to a wide range of tools, resources, and data with which informed lending decisions can be made,” said Jason Laky, executive vice president and head of financial services at TransUnion. “In this increasingly complex economic environment, many consumers, lower income or otherwise, are seeking credit with limited or non-existent traditional credit histories. The use of a broad suite of alternative credit data tools offers lenders a new and important tool in assessing risk among these consumers.”

    To learn more about how TransUnion gives lenders a Tru picture of consumers – helping them better assess creditworthiness and expand access to credit, click here.

    For consumers looking to learn more about how to build their credit, click here.

    About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)

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

    http://www.transunion.com/business

    i Q4 2024 TransUnion Consumer Pulse study

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Xsolis Ranked No. 1 Best in KLAS for Physician Advisory Services for Fourth Year

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FRANKLIN, Tenn., Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xsolis, an AI-driven technology company that reduces administrative waste by enabling collaboration between healthcare providers and payers, announced today a No. 1 ranking for Physician Advisory (PA) Services in the 2025 Best in KLAS awards.  This is the fourth year Xsolis has achieved first place in the category, which recognizes services that help organizations with their physician and utilization review. 

    “The education and knowledge of Xsolis’ PAs are unmatched,” said Cindy Neumany, senior vice president of clinical operations for population health at Hackensack Meridian Health, a leading not-for-profit health care organization with 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations in New Jersey. “Xsolis’ AI and its flexible models for clients have been invaluable to meet our unique goals.”

    Hackensack Meridian Health has been an Xsolis customer since 2021. In 2024, Xsolis’ PA Services achieved a 71% peer-to-peer success rate for Hackensack Meridian Health.

    Xsolis’ PA Services consistently receives positive feedback from clients about its flexibility – offering comprehensive external services or by supplementing hospitals’ internal models with review and peer-to-peer coverage – its high-quality reviews, responsiveness and its consultative, partnership approach. Serving clients since 2016, the Xsolis PA Services team undergoes rigorous training to support these goals. When paired with the company’s technology platform, Dragonfly, Xsolis’ PA Services also stands apart for its data insights capabilities, helping customers identify trends and areas for further improvement.

    “Receiving Best in KLAS is one of the most rewarding honors our team can receive because it is based on provider feedback,” said Heather Bassett, M.D., Xsolis chief medical officer and head of physician advisor services. “We are honored that Xsolis’ people, processes, and technology have been recognized for the collective value they bring our clients as we navigate industry challenges together.”

    According to the Hospital Financial Management Association, hospitals and health systems struggle with cost containment due to staffing shortages and rising operational costs. A lack of integration between documentation and care delivery can lead to significant rework or denials, with dire financial consequences. Physician advisors play a critical role in creating more resiliency in today’s healthcare ecosystem due to their abilities to bridge the gap between clinical practice and administrative needs for hospitals.

    “Congratulations to the 2025 winners of the Best in KLAS awards! Winning a Best in KLAS award signifies a commitment to delivering outstanding value and innovation to healthcare providers and patients alike,” said Adam Gale, KLAS CEO. “It is my hope that these awards inspire the winners and other companies to reach new heights.”

    Xsolis has been leveraging human-in-the-loop AI practices to develop AI solutions that streamline medical necessity decision-making in healthcare for over a decade, improving level of care authorizations, length-of-stay management, and payer-provider alignment. Xsolis’ collaborative AI platform is used in more than 500 hospitals nationwide, with more than two-thirds having shared access with their networked health plans.

    To learn more about Xsolis’ Physician Advisor Services, click here. To learn more about Xsolis’ AI solutions, click here.

    To explore the full 2025 Best in KLAS Physician Advisory Services category, click here.  

    About Xsolis 

    Xsolis is an AI-driven technology company that reduces administrative waste by enabling collaboration between healthcare providers and payers. Dragonfly®, its AI-driven proprietary platform, is the first and only solution to use real-time predictive analytics to continuously assign an objective medical necessity score and assess the anticipated level of care for every patient, enabling more efficiency across the healthcare system. Xsolis is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. For more information, visit www.xsolis.com.
     
    About KLAS 

    KLAS helps healthcare providers make informed technology decisions by offering accurate, honest, and impartial vendor performance information. KLAS monitors vendor performance through interviewing thousands of healthcare providers representing healthcare organizations throughout the US and here and there across the globe. KLAS uses a simple methodology to ensure all data and ratings are accurate, honest and impartial to help create market moving moments. Learn more at klasresearch.com.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/186e7992-0295-4262-a390-11e79c0870f6

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Uni-Fuels Announces Sponsorship for IBIA Annual Dinner 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: UFG), (“Uni-Fuels” or the “Company”), a global provider of marine fuel solutions headquartered in Singapore, today announced its bronze sponsorship of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) Annual Dinner 2025 to take place on February 24 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, London.

    The annual event, which brings together key stakeholders, industry leaders, and decision makers from across the maritime and marine fuel sectors, has gained recognition as a hallmark occasion for fostering collaboration, innovation, and networking within the global marine fuel community.

    “As a supporter of IBIA’s mission to promote improved standards, knowledge, and understanding in the industry, Uni-Fuels is honored to participate as a bronze sponsor in this year’s dinner,” said Uni-Fuels Chief Operating Officer Stefanie Tay. “This event aligns with our core principles of innovation, collaboration, and excellence in the marine fuels sector, and provides a valuable platform to engage with our peers and discuss future progress in our industry.”

    Ms. Tay added that the sponsorship also underscores Uni-Fuels’ dedication to addressing critical industry challenges such as decarbonization, sustainability, and operational efficiency.

    By supporting the IBIA Annual Dinner, she said, the Company reaffirms its commitment to fostering dialogue and collaboration that drive “meaningful progress in the industry.”

    About Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited

    Uni-Fuels is a fast-growing global provider of marine fuel solutions, helping shipping companies optimize fuel procurement across all markets and time zones. Founded in 2021, Uni-Fuels has evolved from modest beginnings into a dynamic, forward-thinking company. Backed by a passionate team and a growing presence across multiple locations, it has forged trusted partnerships with customers, supporting them in achieving their operational objectives with confidence, from shore to shore.

    For more information, visit www.uni-fuels.com.

    About IBIA

    The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) is the voice of the global bunker industry and represents all stakeholders across the industry value chain.

    Its membership includes ship owners/operators, bunker suppliers, traders, brokers, barging companies, storage companies, surveyors, port authorities, credit reporting companies, lawyers, P&I clubs, equipment manufacturers, shipping journalists and marine consultants. Today it has members in more than 70 countries.

    For more information, visit www.ibia.net.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the completion and timing of closing of the offering and the intended use of the proceeds. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “plan”, “intend”, “believe”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “can have”, “likely” and other words and terms of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements represent Uni-Fuels’ current expectations regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the initial public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

    Contact Information

    For Investor Relations:

    Uni-Fuels Holdings Ltd
    Email: investors@uni-fuels.com

    Skyline Corporate Communications Group, LLC
    Email: info@skylineccg.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ChargeAfter Teams Up with Bread Financial to Offer Flexible Payment Options through its Embedded Lending Network

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    With the addition of Bread Pay® pay-over-time options to its network of lenders, ChargeAfter enables merchants to provide qualified customers with instant access to its installment programs.

    ChargeAfter, the embedded lending platform for point-of-sale financing, announced today it has added Bread Pay pay-over-time financing to its network of lenders. Bread Pay is offered through Bread Financial® (NYSE: BFH), a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions. This long-term agreement will enable merchants to offer their customers seamless access to Bread Pay’s suite of long- and short-term financing options through ChargeAfter’s platform. Johnson Health Tech is among the first of ChargeAfter’s merchant partners to offer Bread Pay through its platform, enabling shoppers to finance purchases of BowFlex, Schwinn Fitness, and Horizon Fitness products.

    ChargeAfter’s waterfall technology enables merchants to deliver instant access to financing choices for customers across the credit spectrum. This is especially crucial for retailers and service providers that sell big-ticket items such as home improvement, electronics, jewelry, furniture, home appliances, healthcare, and automotive. Bread Financial is offered to prime credit customers through the platform, with merchants providing fast and frictionless access to Bread Pay pay-over-time options at every point of sale. 

    “We know that some big-ticket purchases can be an important decision for many consumers, and we’re committed to helping merchants offer flexible financing options to customers to make those purchases as seamless and affordable as possible,” said Rick Cunningham, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Bread Financial. “Our data shows consumers often choose a retailer based on their financing availability when purchasing these big ticket items*. By integrating Bread Pay at the point of sale through the ChargeAfter platform, we’re proud to empower consumers with greater choice and accessibility, taking the stress out of the purchasing process.”

    Meidad Sharon, CEO and founder of ChargeAfter added, “We are delighted that Bread Financial has joined our embedded lending network. The integration of Bread Pay products into our platform alongside a Bread Financial retail credit card offering enables merchants to seamlessly provide customers with a broader range of financing options. It is exciting to see merchants such as Johnson Health Tech enhance their prime financing offering with this product through ChargeAfter’s platform. As embedded lending becomes the new industry standard, ChargeAfter empowers merchants to deliver personalization and choices at every point of sale, providing an instant waterfall financing solution that benefits customers, merchants, and lenders alike.” 

    *From a Bread Financial proprietary survey published in 2023

    About ChargeAfter 
    ChargeAfter is pioneering the embedded lending network for point-of-sale consumer financing for merchants and financial institutions. Powered by a network of lenders and a data-driven matching engine, ChargeAfter streamlines the distribution of credit into a single, secure, and reliable embedded lending platform. Merchants can rapidly implement ChargeAfter’s omnichannel platform online, in-store, and at every point of sale, enabling them to provide personalized financing choices to their customers. 

    ChargeAfter is backed by payment expert investors including Visa, Citi Ventures, Synchrony Financial, Banco Bradesco, MUFG, PICO Venture Partners, Propel Venture Partners, and The Phoenix. ChargeAfter is headquartered in New York with an R&D center in Tel Aviv. Users can learn more at chargeafter.com.

    About Bread Financial® 
    Bread Financial® (NYSE: BFH) is a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, personalized payment, lending, and saving solutions to millions of U.S. consumers. Our payment solutions, including Bread Financial general purpose credit cards and savings products, empower our customers and their passions for a better life. Additionally, we deliver growth for some of the most recognized brands in travel & entertainment, health & beauty, jewelry, and specialty apparel through our private label and co-brand credit cards and pay-over-time products providing choice and value to our shared customers. 

    To learn more about Bread Financial, its global associates, and its sustainability commitments, users can visit breadfinancial.com or follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

    Contact

    Director of Marketing
    Varda Bachrach
    ChargeAfter
    varda.bachrach@chargeafter.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/89c2d85d-db29-4ec8-891e-f46e0c535c10

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Systemic Bio Wins the SLAS 2025 Innovation Award

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Systemic Bio™, a 3D Systems company (NYSE: DDD), has been named the winner of the prestigious SLAS 2025 Innovation Award. This award recognizes groundbreaking technological advancements poised to drive innovation in laboratory science and automation. The competition featured cutting-edge developments led by distinguished experts from top institutions worldwide.

    The award highlights Systemic Bio’s proprietary h-VIOS™ platform, designed to accelerate drug discovery and development using bioprinted human tissues. The Company’s presentation focused on the application of its platform to evaluate the safety of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). The technology enables early identification of safety concerns, capturing risks that historically have only been discovered during clinical trials, even after non-human primate studies failed to flag such issues.

    “I couldn’t be prouder of our team for winning this award,” said Taci Pereira, CEO of Systemic Bio. “This recognition is a testament to our relentless focus on demonstrating the scientific and translational value of our platform. We remain committed to expanding our capabilities and accelerating adoption to improve drug discovery and development.”

    Operating from Houston, Texas, Systemic Bio has the capability to produce thousands of tissue models under an ISO 7 clean room and a Quality Management System (QMS). These models support the Company’s ongoing collaborations with leading pharmaceutical companies to improve preclinical drug testing and reduce late-stage failures.

    The SLAS Innovation Award is presented annually at the SLAS International Conference and Exhibition, recognizing the most forward-thinking technological advancements in the field. More information on Systemic Bio’s work can be found at www.systemic.bio.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Systemic Bio or 3D Systems, as applicable, to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “estimates,” “intends,” “anticipates” or “plans” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as to the beliefs and expectations of Systemic Bio or 3D Systems as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the applicable company. The factors described under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in 3D Systems’ periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as of the date of the statement. Neither Systemic Bio nor 3D Systems undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

    About Systemic Bio
    Systemic Bio is a biotech company focused on accelerating drug discovery and development with human-relevant data from its proprietary platform of bioprinted vascularized organ models. Founded in 2022 as a wholly-owned company of 3D Systems, Systemic Bio leverages 3D Systems’ breakthrough, production-level bioprinting technology to create extremely precise healthy and diseased tissues using biomaterials and human cells. These proprietary organs-on-chips can be manufactured reproducibly in large quantities, and then perfused with drugs to study the effects on healthy or diseased tissue at the earliest stages of pharmaceutical drug development. These systems are multimodal and can be used to generate large datasets leveraged with machine learning to generate human-relevant therapeutic insights. More information on the company is available at www.systemic.bio.

    About 3D Systems
    More than 35 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every interaction – empowering our customers to create products and business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems’ solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods. More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

    Investor Contact: investor.relations@3dsystems.com
    Media Contact: press@systemic.bio

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: New Hope For Pets In The Fight Against Cancer: Fast, Accurate Diagnoses From Torigen Pharmaceuticals And Proscia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FARMINGTON, Conn. and PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Torigen Pharmaceuticals, recognized for pioneering cancer immunotherapy in veterinary medicine, is using software from Proscia®, a global leader in AI-enabled pathology solutions for precision medicine, to rapidly deliver expert diagnoses through its Specialty Pathology Service. In addition to helping more veterinarians make the best possible care decisions for pets and their families, these results can better inform the personalized vaccines Torigen develops.

    Pathologists at Torigen leverage Proscia’s Concentriq® to make precise diagnoses from data-rich images containing one of the most detailed and direct profiles of diseases like cancer. The enterprise pathology platform also enables Torigen’s team to work efficiently, ensuring results within an average of three-to-five days so that animal patients can begin treatment sooner.

    “Concentriq made our vision for Torigen Specialty Pathology a reality,” said Ashley Kalinauskas, CEO and Co-Founder of Torigen Pharmaceuticals. “We are now able to help veterinary practices of all sizes create hope for pets and their families by building the bridge between diagnostics and personalized immunotherapies, pushing the limits of animal medicine.”

    Torigen was founded to bring personalized cancer vaccines to the veterinary market. Preliminary published efficacy data demonstrates that dogs with metastatic hemangiosarcoma who received Torigen’s targeted immunotherapy or maximum tolerated dose chemotherapy had a 3.5x increase in overall survival compared to surgery alone.1 With Concentriq, Torigen is also in the beginning stages of establishing a data foundation for building AI models that further optimize immunotherapy recommendations.

    “The healthcare community should take note of Torigen,” said David West, Proscia’s CEO. “Realizing the promise of precision medicine depends on matching patients with the right treatments, and Torigen is addressing this full pathway. We are thrilled to play a part in its journey and in the lives of the pets, families, and veterinarians it serves.”

    About Torigen
    Torigen is transforming the pet cancer process with its personalized cancer vaccine and new pathology service, making pet cancer diagnostics and treatment more accessible and seamless. Torigen recognizes the instrumental role pets play in our families and is determined to extend the lives of companion animals despite a cancer diagnosis. Torigen is a spin-out from the University of Notre Dame and backed by Werth Ventures, Connecticut Innovations, Emerald Development Managers, Advantage Capital, The University of Connecticut, The University of Notre Dame, SoGal Ventures, Gaingels, and other prominent investors. For more information visit http://www.torigen.com.

    About Proscia
    Proscia is a software company accelerating pathology’s transition to a digital, data-driven discipline and enabling AI to advance precision medicine. Its Concentriq enterprise pathology platform, precision medicine AI portfolio, and real-world data fuel the development and use of novel therapies and diagnostics to drive the fight against humanity’s most challenging diseases, like cancer. 14 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies and a global network of diagnostic laboratories rely on Proscia’s solutions each day. The company has FDA 510(k) clearance and CE-IVDR certification for its diagnostic software. For more information, visit proscia.com, and follow Proscia on LinkedIn and X.

    1 Lucroy, M.D., Clauson, R.M., Suckow, M.A. et al. Evaluation of an autologous cancer vaccine for the treatment of metastatic canine hemangiosarcoma: a preliminary study. BMC Vet Res 16, 447 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02675-y

    Contact Information:

    For Proscia
    Sydney Fenkell
    VP, Marketing Communications
    sydney@proscia.com
    215.816.3436

    For Torigen Pharmaceuticals
    Ashley Kalinauskas
    CEO and Co-Founder
    info@torigen.com
    860.519.9956

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Onyeiwu, Professor of Economics & Business, Allegheny College

    During its 16th annual summit in Kazan, Russia, Brics – a group of emerging economies determined to act as a counterweight to the west and to whittle down the influence of global institutions – invited Nigeria and eight other countries to join it as “partner” countries. Nigeria formally accepted the invitation in January 2025. That invitation has generated questions about how Nigeria stands to benefit, especially when US president Donald Trump is threatening to sanction members of the group if they replace the US dollar as reserve currency. It was established in 2006 and initially composed of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. South Africa joined in 2010 and the bloc added four new members (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates) in 2023. In this interview, development economist Stephen Onyeiwu argues that Nigeria stands to gain from a Brics partnership, but would have to carefully balance its domestic interests with those of its western allies and Brics.

    What does it mean to be a Brics ‘partner’ country?

    The introduction of Brics partnership is an expansion mechanism designed to bring in more participants without giving them full membership. It is akin to “observer” status.

    Brics partners can participate in special sessions of summits and foreign ministers’ meetings, as well as other high-level events. Partners can also contribute to the organisation’s official documents and policy statements.

    But partners cannot host annual Brics summits or determine the venue. Neither can they select new members and partners.

    How beneficial is Brics partnership to Nigeria?

    The main benefit would be access to finance offered by Brics’ New Development Bank.

    The New Development Bank was established as an alternative to western-dominated international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. These institutions are sometimes used by the leading western countries to keep developing countries in line on global issues.

    Some developing countries are reluctant to criticise western countries for fear of losing access to funding by western-backed international financial institutions.

    Nigeria has been running a budget deficit of about 5% of GDP since 2019, and it needs funding to pay for the deficits. The New Development Bank could be an important source of funding for investment in Nigeria’s infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and so on.

    New Development Bank loans are also available in member countries’ local currencies. They don’t have to earn foreign exchange to repay the loans. This fosters exchange rate stability and promotes economic growth. The New Development Bank raises funds in member countries’ local currencies, and lends them to member countries.

    Nigeria could use its Brics partnership to garner the group’s support in matters that affect Nigeria globally. For instance, there have been requests for African countries to be included as permanent members (without veto power) of the UN security council. South Africa and Nigeria have been touted as potential candidates. Should this issue be raised at the UN, Nigeria can count on the support of its Brics allies, which includes two permanent members (China and Russia) of the security council.

    Mutual understanding and cooperation with other Brics members and partners might spill over into economic, trade and investment agreements. Friendly countries are more likely to trade with each other and invest in each other’s economy.

    How can Nigeria maximise its status as a Brics partner?

    Nigeria should use it to attract foreign direct investment in strategic sectors of the economy, such as infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture and technology.

    Some Brics members, like China, India, and the UAE, have investors that are seeking investment outlets abroad. Nigeria could use the bloc’s annual summits to showcase investment opportunities.

    The global economy is transitioning into “frontier industries and technologies”, such as big data, artificial intelligence, solar, drones, gene editing, 3D printing, blockchains, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, robotics and nanotechnology. China, India and Brazil are already well advanced in these technologies.

    Nigeria should use its partnership with these countries to build capabilities in frontier industries and technologies. It could get favourable terms in the transfer of these technologies.

    Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy from reliance on the export of hydrocarbons. But Nigerian producers have had a hard time accessing global markets. The country should negotiate trade deals that provide access to Brics markets, especially agricultural and agro-processed products, arts and crafts.

    But Nigeria has to promote economic growth and structural transformation at home. If the Nigerian economy falters, it is unlikely the country will be invited to become a full member of Brics.

    Would adding new members and partners reduce western dominance?

    Brics has so far not been able to significantly change the dynamics of the international political economy. Adding new members and partners, while symbolic, will not act as an effective counterweight to the influence of the G7 and G20 groups of nations.

    Most of the countries and partners in Brics are either allies of western countries or neutral on global issues. They are unlikely to support decisions or actions that are grossly inimical to western interests.

    Egypt and the UAE, for instance, receive military aid from the United States. Ethiopia and Nigeria are top recipients of foreign aid in Africa, much of it from western-backed financial institutions.

    The only outlier in the mix is Iran, whose membership was promoted by Russia. But Iran has no leverage to influence others in the bloc.

    On balance, therefore, Brics will not be a threat to western countries.

    Brics aspires to weaken the dominance of the US dollar for international transactions. Close to 90% of international trade transactions are conducted with the US dollar.

    Brics countries plan to reduce dollar dominance by encouraging member countries to settle their trade and financial transactions using their domestic currencies. For instance, South African businesses could purchase Chinese goods using the South African rand, while the Chinese could do the same for South African goods using the Chinese yuan. The more members you have in Brics swapping their currencies, the less important the US dollar will be.

    It is unlikely, however, that an increase in the number of Brics members and partners will weaken the dollar. Most will continue to have significant economic relationships with the west, including trade and foreign aid.

    They will also continue to conduct business with many non-Brics countries, which also have economic relationships with the west. They will need the US dollar to transact with many other countries.

    So increasing the number of Brics members and partners does not pose a threat to dollar dominance.

    Stephen Onyeiwu 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’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits – https://theconversation.com/nigerias-brics-partnership-economist-outlines-potential-benefits-248943

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Trump’s rage defies historical and literary comparisons, according to a classics expert

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rachel Hadas, Professor of English, Rutgers University – Newark

    Donald Trump’s anger has been building and now seems volcanic. Abstract Aerial Art/Getty Images

    The Greek divinity Nemesis, rarely depicted in art, has no place in the Olympian pantheon of a dozen gods and goddesses. But she’s an omnipresent force of retribution, an implacable force of punishment that arrives, if not sooner, then later.

    Nemesis can bide her time for generations, but there’s no escaping her.

    So too, it seems, with President Donald Trump, who is “clearly not a man who discards his grudges easily,” William Galston of the Brookings Institution said recently. This observation is an understatement.

    Trump’s resentment has been steaming since the 2020 presidential election. Now that he is again president, he’s far from appeased; his ire is boiling over.

    “Flooding the zone,” a term borrowed from football, was former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s way of describing the Trumpian tactic of issuing a barrage of statements whose sheer pace and multiplicity, not to mention contents, are intended to stymie any impulse at rational response.

    As he has gained fame and power, Trump’s contemptuous rage at his opponents and his appetite for vengeance appear to have sharpened.

    Like Nemesis, Trump is now pursuing his perceived enemies, using the power of the presidency. Among his recent retribution: He has
    fired Department of Justice officials and staff who worked on criminal investigations and prosecutions of him; he has revoked security clearances for intelligence officials to “punish his perceived opponents,” as one news story put it. And he has removed the portrait of Gen. Mark Milley from the Pentagon wall that traditionally features portraits of the retired chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as Milley was. In 2024, journalist Bob Woodward reported that Milley had told him, “No one has ever been as dangerous to this country as Donald Trump. Now I realize he’s a total fascist. He is the most dangerous person to this country” – clearly sparking Trump’s ire.

    As a poet and student of the classics, my impulse is to find analogs for this behavior, this temperament – precedents that might help provide some perspective.

    Trump displays his anger during a rally on Nov. 3, 2024, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

    Tyrants, heroes and horses

    Historians, I thought, would be able to come up with analogs. For example, Trump’s initial choice of a political ally, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, as attorney general – widely seen as unqualified for the post and who later withdrew – was likened to the Roman emperor Caligula, who made his horse a senator. Figures from Greek history, from the Athenian tyrant Pisistratus to Alexander the Great, could be famously power-hungry and vindictive.

    Classical epic and drama furnish plenty of rage, which is the first word of the Homeric epic “The Iliad.”

    Since epic and tragic heroes are in positions of power, temperament and action mesh. The Greek hero Achilles’ clash with the Greek army’s commander Agamemnon at the outset of “The Iliad” is psychologically plausible. Each man feels insulted and slighted by the other; both have cause for resentment.

    Achilles nurses his rage at all his fellow Greeks until, much later in the epic, his grief at the death of his beloved Patroklos sends him back into battle. This larger-than-life hero is vulnerable, changeable and human.

    Perhaps the most famous example of vengeance in Greek tragedy is Aeschylus’ trilogy, “The Oresteia.” When Clytemnestra murders her husband, Agamemnon, on his return from Troy, she has three comprehensible motives. Agamemnon has sacrificed their daughter; he has brought home a mistress, Cassandra; and Clytemnestra feels loyalty, both personal and political, to Aegisthus, her husband’s cousin, whom she has taken as a lover in her husband’s absence and who has his own reasons for hating Agamemnon.

    So vindicated does Clytemnestra feel in having murdered Agamemnon – and Cassandra as well – that she proudly compares her action to rain that fertilizes the crops. As rain is part of the cycle of the seasons, her act has righted the balance of justice.

    Agamemnon was murdered in cold blood by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus, in vengeance for Iphigenia’s death and all the grief he’d given them both.
    Flaxman, artist, from The Print Collector/Getty Images

    Cunning rage leads to death

    Turning to a few of Shakespeare’s more vengeful characters, Iago in “Othello” is an embodiment of a cunning rage that leads him to systematically destroy the innocent Othello’s marriage. He does this by falsely hinting – and then planting a chain of evidence suggesting – that Othello’s bride, Desdemona, is unfaithful.

    Othello eventually kills both Desdemona and himself. But the Romantic critic Samuel Taylor Coleridge famously referred to Iago’s “motiveless malignancy,” since it’s hard to be sure exactly why Iago is so set on destroying Othello.

    Hamlet himself is a reluctant avenger who keeps putting off the act of revenging his father’s murder. In the history play named for him, Richard III’s resentment, going back to having been a deformed and unloved child, makes more sense. Richard lusts after power; he systematically and clandestinely murders his own brother and nephews, who would stand between him and his elder brother Edward’s throne.

    Whether motivated by political ambition, generalized rancor or an inherited assignment, none of these figures ends well. They all have enemies, and they all – except Iago, who will be tortured and executed – die on stage. All have done plenty of damage; none survives long to feel vindicated. Even Clytemnestra’s triumph is short-lived, since her own son, Orestes, will soon avenge his father’s death by murdering his mother – Clytemnestra.

    But all these figures seem to feel personal passion. Even the opaque Iago has one chief target: Othello. They don’t present compelling parallels to Trump, whose anger appears to be simultaneously private and public.

    Easily offended, Trump is quick to strike back with insults; but he also seems to have an insatiable appetite for broader and deeper punishment, meted out to more people and even after a lapse of time. Hence literary parallels are less than compelling.

    Trump’s anger seems more general than personal. His aggrieved sense of having been wronged, victimized by his enemies, is a constant in his career. But his targets shift. One day it’s judges; another day it’s election officials. Yet another day, it’s the “deep state.”

    And Trump’s implacable resentment has struck a chord among many Americans whose resentment has a more rational basis. Trump’s base may believe he is speaking for them – “I am your warrior. I am your justice,” he said in a speech at a conservative forum, but his first priority has always been himself.

    A spirit, ranging for revenge

    The damage done by Trump is often inflicted by others. Their threats, harassment and even violence are done in the name of Trump.

    He has pardoned almost all of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, some of whom have now boasted they will acquire guns.

    Trump has removed government protection from figures who have dared to disagree with him and have received death threats, including Dr. Anthony Fauci.

    Shakespeare, turning history into great poetry, comes to mind after all. In “Julius Caesar,” knowing that his funeral oration over the body of the assassinated Caesar will stir up an angry mob, Mark Antony muses:

    “And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge,
    With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
    Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice
    Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war”

    Antony imagines Caesar’s vengeful spirit rising from the underworld to incite further violence. Not only will Caesar’s assassins be punished, but the hell of civil war will be let loose to cause widespread suffering. Precisely who Trump wants to punish appears secondary to his delight in releasing precisely those hellish dogs. Everyone is a potential enemy and a potential victim.

    “I am your retribution,” Trump has said. Nothing in Trump’s continuing story more clearly echoes the classics than this ominous melding of self with a superhuman principle of revenge.

    Such a merging of a mortal individual with a pitilessly abstract power like Nemesis is closer to myth than to history. Or so it would be comforting to assume.

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

    – ref. Why Trump’s rage defies historical and literary comparisons, according to a classics expert – https://theconversation.com/why-trumps-rage-defies-historical-and-literary-comparisons-according-to-a-classics-expert-248510

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: As Trump tries to slash US foreign aid, here are 3 common myths many Americans mistakenly believe about it

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joannie Tremblay-Boire, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland

    U.S. lawmakers and employees and supporters of the U.S. Agency for International Development speak outside the agency’s headquarters on Feb. 3, 2025. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

    U.S. foreign aid is in disarray.

    The Trump administration froze most aid disbursements on Jan. 20. According to billionaire Elon Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump with “special government employee status,” the U.S. Agency for International Development, widely known as USAID, had been shut down as of Feb. 3, 2025.

    Although the Trump administration lacks the legal authority to do this, hundreds of people on the agency’s staff have been put on unpaid leave or fired, according to news reports.

    And the agency’s official website wasn’t working. A partial replacement, however, had appeared within the State Department’s website.

    I’m a scholar of public policy who researches nonprofits, which in the foreign aid sphere are often called nongovernmental organizations. These groups are responsible for carrying out many programs funded by foreign aid from governments such as the United States.

    In light of the Trump administration’s attack on the government’s main foreign aid agency and the disruption of this funding, I believe it’s important to debunk three common myths:

    1. The U.S. spends too much on foreign aid.
    2. The U.S. spends more than its fair share on foreign aid compared with other countries.
    3. Corrupt governments squander U.S. foreign aid.

    What is foreign aid?

    Foreign aid consists of money, goods and services – such as training – that government agencies provide to other countries. Foreign aid falls into two broad categories: economic assistance and military – sometimes called security – aid.

    Economic assistance includes all programs with development or humanitarian objectives. That tends to include projects related to health, disaster relief, the promotion of civil society, agriculture and the like. Most U.S. economic aid dollars come from the State Department budget, including spending allocated by USAID, which has operated as an independent agency since the Kennedy administration.

    On Feb. 3, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that he was serving as USAID’s acting director, indicating that the agency was no longer independent of the State Department.

    While U.S. taxpayers have long spent just a few bucks each on foreign aid every year, the impact is profound, saving millions of people from hunger, averting the worst of natural disasters such as droughts and flooding, tackling life-threatening diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, and more.

    Myth No. 1: US spends too much on foreign aid

    The United States consistently spends only about 1% of its budget on foreign aid, including military and economic support. The 2023 aid managed by USAID totaled about US$40 billion.

    Americans tend to believe that their government spends a far bigger share of its budget on foreign aid than it does.

    In a survey the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted in 2015, it found that, on average, Americans believed that foreign aid accounts for nearly one-third of the budget. Only 3% of those polled answered correctly that foreign aid constituted 1% or less of total federal spending.

    Myth No. 2: US spends more than its fair share

    According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States is by far the leading national source of economic assistance dollars. In 2023, it contributed $64.7 billion in overseas development assistance, far outpacing the $37.9 billion spent by Germany, the second-biggest source of that kind of aid. Some of this assistance is managed by USAID, some by the Department of State, and a small portion by other government agencies, such as the Treasury and Health and Human Services departments.

    That tells only part of the story, however. The United States spends very little on foreign aid relative to the size of its economy, particularly compared with other rich countries. The U.S. spent about 0.24% of its gross national income on overseas development assistance in 2023. By comparison, Norway, the top contributor by this metric, gave 1.09% of its gross national income in overseas development aid that year. The United States ranks toward the bottom of OECD countries, close to Portugal and Spain, by this measurement.

    In 1970, the United Nations General Assembly agreed that “economically advanced countries” would aim to direct at least 0.7% of their national income to overseas development assistance. Although developed countries have repeatedly mentioned this target in agreements and at summits since then, very few countries have reached that goal. In 2023, only five countries met the 0.7% target.

    The OECD average was just 0.37% in 2023 – far higher than the 0.24% the U.S. provided that year.

    Myth No. 3: Corrupt governments squander US aid

    You may think that foreign aid consists of government-to-government transfers of money. But governments channel most aid through nonprofits such as Catholic Relief Services, public-private partnerships, private companies such as Chemonics International and Deloitte, and multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank.

    In fact, according to the Congressional Research Service, between 2013 and 2022, most U.S. foreign assistance bypassed governments altogether: NGOs received 24% of the money, for-profit companies 21%, multilateral organizations 34%, and other organizations, such as universities, research institutes and faith-based organizations, 7%.

    When the political scientist Simone Dietrich researched this question, she found that the United States outsources a lot of its foreign aid to NGOs. This is especially the case with the support it provides countries with bad governance and rampant corruption such as Sudan and Sri Lanka, which could be likely to squander or swipe those funds.

    To be sure, corrupt governments sometimes do squander U.S. foreign aid. But it is important to understand that most aid never enters the coffers of those corrupt governments in the first place.

    Even without Trump’s proposed cuts, US fails to lead

    Even if Trump fails at his current bid to greatly reduce foreign aid spending, other countries, including the United Kingdom and Denmark, are spending far more on economic assistance for the world’s poorest people, as a share of their economies, than the U.S. does.

    Slashing foreign aid would damage U.S. credibility with American allies, reduce U.S. influence around the globe and – as a group of more than 120 retired generals and admirals predicted when Trump tried to slash foreign aid in his first administration – make Americans less safe.

    Parts of this article appeared in a story first published on April 6, 2017, and have been updated.

    Joannie Tremblay-Boire 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. As Trump tries to slash US foreign aid, here are 3 common myths many Americans mistakenly believe about it – https://theconversation.com/as-trump-tries-to-slash-us-foreign-aid-here-are-3-common-myths-many-americans-mistakenly-believe-about-it-248979

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Water is the other US-Mexico border crisis, and the supply crunch is getting worse

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gabriel Eckstein, Professor of Law, Texas A&M University

    View of the Rio Grande flowing through Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, photographed from the Paso Del Norte International Bridge. Paul Rarje/AFP via Getty Images

    Immigration and border security will be the likely focus of U.S.-Mexico relations under the new Trump administration. But there also is a growing water crisis along the U.S.–Mexico border that affects tens of millions of people on both sides, and it can only be managed if the two governments work together.

    Climate change is shrinking surface and groundwater supplies in the southwestern U.S. Higher air temperatures are increasing evaporation rates from rivers and streams and intensifying drought. Mexico is also experiencing multiyear droughts and heat waves.

    Growing water use is already overtaxing limited supplies from nearly all of the region’s cross-border rivers, streams and aquifers. Many of these sources are contaminated with agricultural pollutants, untreated waste and other substances, further reducing the usability of available water.

    As Texas-based scholars who study the legal and scientific aspects of water policy, we know that communities, farms and businesses in both countries rely on these scarce water supplies. In our view, water conditions on the border have changed so much that the current legal framework for managing them is inadequate.

    Unless both nations recognize this fact, we believe that water problems in the region are likely to worsen, and supplies may never recover to levels seen as recently as the 1950s. Although the U.S. and Mexico have moved to address these concerns by updating the 1944 water treaty, these steps are not long-term solutions.

    The Rio Grande flows south from Colorado and forms the 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) Texas-Mexico border.
    Kmusser/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    Growing demand, shrinking supply

    The U.S.-Mexico border region is mostly arid, with water coming from a few rivers and an unknown amount of groundwater. The main rivers that cross the border are the Colorado and the Rio Grande – two of the most water-stressed systems in the world.

    The Colorado River provides water to more than 44 million people, including seven U.S. and two Mexican states, 29 Indian tribes and 5.5 million acres of farmland. Only about 10% of its total flow reaches Mexico. The river once emptied into the Gulf of California, but now so much water is withdrawn along its course that since the 1960s it typically peters out in the desert.

    The Rio Grande supplies water to roughly 15 million people, including 22 Indian tribes, three U.S. and four Mexican states and 2.8 million irrigated acres. It forms the 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) Texas-Mexico border, winding from El Paso in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east.

    The Colorado River flows through seven U.S. states and crosses into Mexico at the Arizona-California border.
    USGS

    Other rivers that cross the border include the Tijuana, San Pedro, Santa Cruz, New and Gila. These are all significantly smaller and have less economic impact than the Colorado and the Rio Grande.

    At least 28 aquifers – underground rock formations that contain water – also traverse the border. With a few exceptions, very little information on these shared resources exists. One thing that is known is that many of them are severely overtapped and contaminated.

    Nonetheless, reliance on aquifers is growing as surface water supplies dwindle. Some 80% of groundwater used in the border region goes to agriculture. The rest is used by farmers and industries, such as automotive and appliance manufacturers.

    Over 10 million people in 30 cities and communities throughout the border region rely on groundwater for domestic use. Many communities, including Ciudad Juarez; the sister cities of Nogales in both Arizona and Sonora; and the sister cities of Columbus in New Mexico and Puerto Palomas in Chihuahua, get all or most of their fresh water from these aquifers.

    A booming region

    About 30 million people live within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the border on both sides. Over the next 30 years, that figure is expected to double.

    Municipal and industrial water use throughout the region is also expected to increase. In Texas’ lower Rio Grande Valley, municipal use alone could more than double by 2040.

    At the same time, as climate change continues to worsen, scientists project that snowmelt will decrease and evaporation rates will increase. The Colorado River’s baseflow – the portion of its volume that comes from groundwater, rather than from rain and snow – may decline by nearly 30% in the next 30 years.

    Precipitation patterns across the region are projected to be uncertain and erratic for the foreseeable future. This trend will fuel more extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, which could cause widespread harm to crops, industrial activity, human health and the environment.

    Further stress comes from growth and development. Both the Colorado River and Rio Grande are tainted by pollutants from agricultural, municipal and industrial sources. Cities on both sides of the border, especially on the Mexican side, have a long history of dumping untreated sewage into the Rio Grande. Of the 55 water treatment plants located along the border, 80% reported ongoing maintenance, capacity and operating problems as of 2019.

    Drought across the border region is already stoking domestic and bilateral tensions. Competing water users are struggling to meet their needs, and the U.S. and Mexico are straining to comply with treaty obligations for sharing water.

    Cross-border water politics

    Mexico and the United States manage water allocations in the border region mainly under two treaties: a 1906 agreement focused on the Upper Rio Grande Basin and a 1944 treaty covering the Colorado River and Lower Rio Grande.

    Under the 1906 treaty, the U.S. is obligated to deliver 60,000 acre-feet of water to Mexico where the Rio Grande reaches the border. This target may be reduced during droughts, which have occurred frequently in recent decades. An acre-foot is enough water to flood an acre of land 1 foot deep – about 325,000 gallons (1.2 million liters).

    Allocations under the 1944 treaty are more complicated. The U.S. is required to deliver 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water to Mexico at the border – but as with the 1906 treaty, reductions are allowed in cases of extraordinary drought.

    Until the mid-2010s, the U.S. met its full obligation each year. Since then, however, regional drought and climate change have severely reduced the Colorado River’s flow, requiring substantial allocation reductions for both the U.S. and Mexico.

    In 2025, states in the U.S. section of the lower Colorado River basin will see a reduction of over 1 million acre-feet from prior years. Mexico’s allocation will decline by approximately 280,500 acre-feet under the 1944 treaty.

    This agreement provides each nation with designated fractions of flows from the Lower Rio Grande and specific tributaries. Regardless of water availability or climatic conditions, Mexico also is required to deliver to the U.S. a minimum of 1,750,000 acre-feet of water from six named tributaries, averaged over five-year cycles. If Mexico falls short in one cycle, it can make up the deficit in the next five-year cycle, but cannot delay repayment further.

    The U.S. and Mexico are struggling to share a shrinking water supply in the border region.

    Since the 1990s, extraordinary droughts have caused Mexico to miss its delivery obligations three times. Although Mexico repaid its water debts in subsequent cycles, these shortfalls raised diplomatic tensions that led to last-minute negotiations and large-scale water transfers from Mexico to the U.S.

    Mexican farmers in Lower Rio Grande irrigation districts who had to shoulder these cuts felt betrayed. In 2020, they protested, confronting federal soldiers and temporarily seizing control of a dam.

    U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum clearly appreciate the political and economic importance of the border region. But if water scarcity worsens, it could supplant other border priorities.

    In our view, the best way to prevent this would be for the two countries to recognize that conditions are deteriorating and update the existing cross-border governance regime so that it reflects today’s new water realities.

    Gabriel Eckstein is affiliated with the Permanent Forum on Binational Waters, International Association for Water Law, and International Water Resources Association.

    Rosario Sanchez receives funding from the USGS under the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program Act. She is affiliated with Texas A&M University and the non-profit as a volunteer to the Permanent Forum of Binational Waters, the International Association of Hydrogeologists, and the International Water Resources Association.

    – ref. Water is the other US-Mexico border crisis, and the supply crunch is getting worse – https://theconversation.com/water-is-the-other-us-mexico-border-crisis-and-the-supply-crunch-is-getting-worse-244722

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Reverence for the sacred waters of the Ganga and belief in its power to wash away sins bring millions to India’s Maha Kumbh festival

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sudipta Sen, Professor of History, University of California, Davis

    Pilgrims take a dip in the sacred waters of Sangam, at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers during the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj on Jan.13, 2025. Niharika Kulkarni/AFP via Getty Images

    Millions of people have been visiting Prayagraj, a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, to take part in the Maha Kumbh festival – a six-week-long event that began on Jan. 13, 2025.

    Called the world’s largest religious gathering, the event has already drawn 148 million people. Attendance is expected to exceed 400 million by the time it ends on Feb. 26, and surging crowds have already claimed dozens of lives at the sacred site.

    Attendees range from Indian business tycoons and members of parliament to social media personages, film stars and celebrities, including the philanthropist billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, who is a member of an ashram in Prayagraj.

    As a historian of the Ganga and its ecology, I am captivated by the enduring power of unwavering devotion that continues to drive pilgrims to this sacred site, despite the dangers posed by surging crowds and the spread of contagion. At least 30 people have been trampled to death and 60 have been injured in the stampede that followed this year.

    Ritual bathing at the confluence of large rivers has always had a special significance in Hindu rituals. Of such places, the Sangam, or confluence, at the city of Prayagraj is the most revered because this is where the rivers Ganga and Yamuna meet with the fabled Saraswati, also known as the goddess of learning and the arts – the unseen, mythical river that flows underneath.

    Hindus believe that bathing at the pilgrimage of Prayag has the power to wash away every sin known to humankind.

    Mythology behind the Kumbh

    The Kumbh festival is named after the celestial pitcher or “kumbha” that held the much coveted “amrita,” the nectar of immortality. In Hindu mythology, during what is known as the Age of Truth, the powerful clans of the asuras (demons) and devas (gods) fiercely battled over the source of eternal life.

    The cosmic ocean then was filled with milk, which they churned to draw out the nectar that would make them immortal. According to mythology, the asuras succeeded in the beginning, but their exertions disturbed Vasuki, the coiled, eternal snake at the Earth’s core, releasing a deadly poison that threatened to destroy the heavens. When the turn of the devas came, nectar was finally released from the depths of the netherworld. They drank the elixir and defeated the asuras.

    An illustration of the cosmic churning of the ocean.
    245CMR via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    During this epic battle, four drops of the nectar fell to the Earth in places that are held scared. Two are cities in present-day northern India, Haridwar and Prayag, and two in central India, Nashik and Ujjain – all located along meeting points of rivers.

    An overwhelming multitude of people

    The festival of the Kumbh also marks the 12-year orbital circuit of the planet Jupiter, or Brihaspati, the harbinger of good fortune and wealth.

    The present gathering commemorates the Maha Kumbh, or “Great” Kumbh, which is an exceptionally rare and auspicious event that takes place once every 144 years, following the completion of 12 regular Kumbh cycles. This sacred gathering is celebrated exclusively at Prayag.

    A gathering of this immense scale presents a monumental challenge for local and national authorities, testing their ability to coordinate the arrival and departure of hundreds of millions of people and housing them in thousands of tents in a city that is assembled just for the few weeks of the gathering.

    It serves as a showcase of the nation’s organizational prowess while striving to preserve the sanctity of this ancient festival. Not only have sandbags been laid for miles along the banks where pilgrims are congregating, local authorities have deployed 2,760 CCTV cameras to keep track of the throngs, prevent stampedes and prevent families from being separated.

    The 2025 event has been dubbed the first digital Maha Kumbh, where police and volunteers are using artificial intelligence-based software to locate missing people and deliver emergency alerts during unexpected crowd surges. They have also installed underwater drones to monitor bathers and prevent drowning. The state government allocated US$765 million (64 billion rupees) for infrastructure and support of police, medical staff and ambulances.

    Despite extensive preparations, the early rush for a bathing spot in the Ganga spiraled out of control just before dawn on Jan. 26 and many people were trampled. Such tragedies are not new to the Kumbh gathering. During the 1954 Kumbh, a much more devastating stampede resulted in the deaths of nearly 800 people. A melee at the train station during the 2013 Kumbh killed 36 people.

    The enduring appeal

    Over the centuries, countless pilgrims have bathed and prayed in the Ganga, driven by the enduring belief that its waters possess the power to cleanse the spirit and cure diseases.

    However, throngs of people wading into the Ganga often stoked the dread of infection and disease. In the latter half of the 19th century, during the heyday of British colonial rule, administrative officials considered mass ritual bathing at festivals such as Kumbh a great threat to public sanitation and hygiene and a potential source of cholera outbreaks. The colonial empire grew increasingly concerned after the number of pilgrims arriving in Prayag rose exponentially after the advent of the railways in the 1860s.

    Despite such fears, barring isolated episodes of cholera – the last one being in 1906, attributed to pilgrims drinking water from polluted pools – there has been little evidence of a major epidemic at the Kumbh in recorded history.

    Faith in the river’s purity has also been emboldened by research on high levels of oxygenation of the river water from algae and concentrations of the bacteriophage virus in the Ganga’s shallow pools, capable of eliminating harmful bacteria like E. coli.

    The magnificent celebration of the Kumbh and the enduring reverence for the sacred waters of the Ganga reflect a live connection to both myth and history across the great subcontinent of India.

    For the millions of pilgrims who bathe in the sacred waters, it is a continuation of the enduring belief in healing and spiritual redemption, both in this life and the next.

    Sudipta Sen 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. Reverence for the sacred waters of the Ganga and belief in its power to wash away sins bring millions to India’s Maha Kumbh festival – https://theconversation.com/reverence-for-the-sacred-waters-of-the-ganga-and-belief-in-its-power-to-wash-away-sins-bring-millions-to-indias-maha-kumbh-festival-247676

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s administration seems chaotic, but he’s drawing directly from Project 2025 playbook

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Zachary Albert, Assistant Professor of Politics, Brandeis University

    The Heritage Foundation flag flies over its building in July 2024 in Washington. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

    In his first few days back in office, President Donald Trump engaged in a whirlwind of executive actions, from exiting the World Health Organization, to deploying military personnel and National Guard troop to the U.S.-Mexico border.

    Many of these actions are unprecedented. Some appear to be illegal and unconstitutional, according to legal experts and judges. But none of them should come as a surprise – nearly all of them were outlined in 2022 in a plan called Project 2025.

    A Heritage Foundation representative attends a Moms for Liberty National Summit in Washington on Aug. 30, 2024.
    Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

    Project 2025 is top of Trump’s to-do list

    Project 2025 is a multifaceted strategy to advance conservative policies in the federal government. Part of this effort revolves around the “Mandate for Leadership,” a 922-page document published in April 2023 that outlines a slew of proposed governmental policy changes.

    The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank and advocacy group, organized the collaborative effort. A long list of other right-leaning research organizations and interest groups, like Moms for Liberty and Turning Point USA, also participated in Project 2025.

    In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Project 2025 participants wrote on the plan’s website that “to rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left,” they would “need both a governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration.”

    In my research on think tanks, I’ve investigated how these research organizations can influence public policymaking. The most potent strategy is to ally with a political party and support its objectives through research and advocacy. This is exactly what the Heritage Foundation has done via Project 2025.

    Even though Trump said during his 2024 campaign that he was not affiliated with the project, evidence of Project 2025’s agenda can be seen throughout the beginning of his second term – as well as in his first administration.

    For example, on Jan. 20, 2025, Trump echoed the plan’s statement that “men and women are biological realities” when he signed an executive order that, in part, recognizes “two sexes, male and female” that are “not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.” This order led to the removal of transgender references from government websites.

    Other orders are similarly aligned with Project 2025. Take Trump’s executive order that, in part, eliminated the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, or OFCCP, a government office previously charged with ensuring companies working with the government did not discriminate against any employees. Project 2025 recommended, quite simply, to “eliminate OFCCP.”

    Some news reports have found that there are already many other examples of Trump policy decisions and executive orders that appear to mirror Project 2025 recommendations.

    One CNN analysis from Jan. 31 found that more than two-thirds of the 53 executive orders Trump issued during his first week in office “evoked proposals outlined in [the] ‘Mandate for Leadership.‘”

    Heritage Foundation’s decades of activism

    Project 2025’s influence on Trump reflects the Heritage Foundation’s growing importance to the Republican Party.

    In my forthcoming book about the polarization and politicization of policy research organizations, I show the many ways that think tanks like the Heritage Foundation have become embedded within partisan networks and intimately connected to politicians. Increasingly, Heritage and other partisan-aligned think tanks, including progressive groups like the Center for American Progress, use their research to consistently support partisan agendas that align with their policy goals.

    The relationship between the Heritage Foundation and the GOP represents the most extreme version of this dynamic. The think tank has supported Republican presidents as far back as Ronald Reagan, using another policy document – also called the “Mandate for Leadership” – to secure significant policy gains through his administration. But the symbiosis between the Heritage Foundation and the GOP has been particularly notable since Trump gained more influence in the party.

    At the start of Trump’s first term, as one Heritage Foundation researcher told me in 2017, the think tank recognized that the “administration didn’t have much policy depth, so when they won the election they were sort of like, ‘Now what do we do?’ And that’s where Heritage comes in. … We work on these issues year-round, so we’ll stand by your side.”

    The Heritage Foundation also vetted potential staffers for federal government positions. This led to more than 66 Heritage employees or former employees working for the Trump administration by the middle of 2018.

    But Heritage has not entirely dictated Trump’s agenda. While the group did say that Trump “embraced 64 percent of our 321 recommendations” by the end of 2017, the think tank has also revamped its agenda to align with Trump on the issues he cared most about, like trade and culture wars.

    As the think tank’s president, Kevin Roberts, said in 2024, Heritage views its job as “institutionalizing Trumpism.”

    The people connecting Trump to Project 2025

    Many of the contributors to the “Mandate for Leadership” had been Trump administration officials, like Russ Vought, the former director of the Office of Management and Budget and current nominee for the same position.

    This list also includes John Ratcliffe, the former director of National Intelligence and incoming CIA director, and Tom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and current border czar.

    In all, more than half of the plan’s 312 authors, editors and contributors previously worked in the first Trump administration.

    An incredibly important but often underappreciated part of Project 2025 was its staffing effort: The coalition worked to identify, vet and train potential staffers and appointees who are now making their way into the Trump administration and executive agencies.

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer gestures toward a visual aid about Project 2025 during a news conference in September 2024 in Washington.
    Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

    What people – and the law – say about Project 2025

    Polling from January 2025 shows that a majority of Americans oppose many of Trump’s actions since retaking office, sometimes by large margins.

    Even during the presidential campaign, both Project 2025 itself and the policy ideas it advocated were broadly unpopular. Democrats consistently warned about the plan in their attacks against Republicans.

    The lack of popular approval for Project 2025 and its proposals is notable because the Heritage Foundation has historically invested time and money into gaining public support for its work. It even operates an initiative that polls citizens on how they “interpret arguments for and against our policy recommendations and how we can best gain their understanding and support.”

    There are also legal considerations.

    Many of Trump’s actions – like saying the government will deny citizenship to children born to some immigrants in the U.S. – rest on potentially unconstitutional interpretations and expansions of presidential power.

    This represents another about-face for the think tank, which has historically opposed efforts to empower the president at the expense of congressional authority. Indeed, the Heritage Foundation was founded to work through Congress to accomplish its goals. But with Project 2025, it seems it is pursuing a new strategy.

    How successful the Heritage Foundation is in helping Trump implement Project 2025 proposals will partially depend on how the public reacts. Whether Congress asserts its control over budgetary matters and exercises general oversight of the executive branch will also matter, as will the decisions made by the American judicial system.

    These checks and balances have helped sustain American democracy for nearly 250 years – whether they will continue to do so remains to be seen.

    Zachary Albert 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. Trump’s administration seems chaotic, but he’s drawing directly from Project 2025 playbook – https://theconversation.com/trumps-administration-seems-chaotic-but-hes-drawing-directly-from-project-2025-playbook-248821

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Onyeiwu, Professor of Economics & Business, Allegheny College

    During its 16th annual summit in Kazan, Russia, Brics – a group of emerging economies determined to act as a counterweight to the west and to whittle down the influence of global institutions – invited Nigeria and eight other countries to join it as “partner” countries. Nigeria formally accepted the invitation in January 2025. That invitation has generated questions about how Nigeria stands to benefit, especially when US president Donald Trump is threatening to sanction members of the group if they replace the US dollar as reserve currency. It was established in 2006 and initially composed of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. South Africa joined in 2010 and the bloc added four new members (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates) in 2023. In this interview, development economist Stephen Onyeiwu argues that Nigeria stands to gain from a Brics partnership, but would have to carefully balance its domestic interests with those of its western allies and Brics.

    What does it mean to be a Brics ‘partner’ country?

    The introduction of Brics partnership is an expansion mechanism designed to bring in more participants without giving them full membership. It is akin to “observer” status.

    Brics partners can participate in special sessions of summits and foreign ministers’ meetings, as well as other high-level events. Partners can also contribute to the organisation’s official documents and policy statements.

    But partners cannot host annual Brics summits or determine the venue. Neither can they select new members and partners.

    How beneficial is Brics partnership to Nigeria?

    The main benefit would be access to finance offered by Brics’ New Development Bank.

    The New Development Bank was established as an alternative to western-dominated international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. These institutions are sometimes used by the leading western countries to keep developing countries in line on global issues.

    Some developing countries are reluctant to criticise western countries for fear of losing access to funding by western-backed international financial institutions.

    Nigeria has been running a budget deficit of about 5% of GDP since 2019, and it needs funding to pay for the deficits. The New Development Bank could be an important source of funding for investment in Nigeria’s infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and so on.

    New Development Bank loans are also available in member countries’ local currencies. They don’t have to earn foreign exchange to repay the loans. This fosters exchange rate stability and promotes economic growth. The New Development Bank raises funds in member countries’ local currencies, and lends them to member countries.

    Nigeria could use its Brics partnership to garner the group’s support in matters that affect Nigeria globally. For instance, there have been requests for African countries to be included as permanent members (without veto power) of the UN security council. South Africa and Nigeria have been touted as potential candidates. Should this issue be raised at the UN, Nigeria can count on the support of its Brics allies, which includes two permanent members (China and Russia) of the security council.

    Mutual understanding and cooperation with other Brics members and partners might spill over into economic, trade and investment agreements. Friendly countries are more likely to trade with each other and invest in each other’s economy.

    How can Nigeria maximise its status as a Brics partner?

    Nigeria should use it to attract foreign direct investment in strategic sectors of the economy, such as infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture and technology.

    Some Brics members, like China, India, and the UAE, have investors that are seeking investment outlets abroad. Nigeria could use the bloc’s annual summits to showcase investment opportunities.

    The global economy is transitioning into “frontier industries and technologies”, such as big data, artificial intelligence, solar, drones, gene editing, 3D printing, blockchains, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, robotics and nanotechnology. China, India and Brazil are already well advanced in these technologies.

    Nigeria should use its partnership with these countries to build capabilities in frontier industries and technologies. It could get favourable terms in the transfer of these technologies.

    Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy from reliance on the export of hydrocarbons. But Nigerian producers have had a hard time accessing global markets. The country should negotiate trade deals that provide access to Brics markets, especially agricultural and agro-processed products, arts and crafts.

    But Nigeria has to promote economic growth and structural transformation at home. If the Nigerian economy falters, it is unlikely the country will be invited to become a full member of Brics.

    Would adding new members and partners reduce western dominance?

    Brics has so far not been able to significantly change the dynamics of the international political economy. Adding new members and partners, while symbolic, will not act as an effective counterweight to the influence of the G7 and G20 groups of nations.

    Most of the countries and partners in Brics are either allies of western countries or neutral on global issues. They are unlikely to support decisions or actions that are grossly inimical to western interests.

    Egypt and the UAE, for instance, receive military aid from the United States. Ethiopia and Nigeria are top recipients of foreign aid in Africa, much of it from western-backed financial institutions.

    The only outlier in the mix is Iran, whose membership was promoted by Russia. But Iran has no leverage to influence others in the bloc.

    On balance, therefore, Brics will not be a threat to western countries.

    Brics aspires to weaken the dominance of the US dollar for international transactions. Close to 90% of international trade transactions are conducted with the US dollar.

    Brics countries plan to reduce dollar dominance by encouraging member countries to settle their trade and financial transactions using their domestic currencies. For instance, South African businesses could purchase Chinese goods using the South African rand, while the Chinese could do the same for South African goods using the Chinese yuan. The more members you have in Brics swapping their currencies, the less important the US dollar will be.

    It is unlikely, however, that an increase in the number of Brics members and partners will weaken the dollar. Most will continue to have significant economic relationships with the west, including trade and foreign aid.

    They will also continue to conduct business with many non-Brics countries, which also have economic relationships with the west. They will need the US dollar to transact with many other countries.

    So increasing the number of Brics members and partners does not pose a threat to dollar dominance.

    – Nigeria’s Brics partnership: economist outlines potential benefits
    – https://theconversation.com/nigerias-brics-partnership-economist-outlines-potential-benefits-248943

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Leads Transport Innovation With Autonomous Tram, Smart Contracts

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Metro

    Moscow continues to set new standards in transport innovation: the first autonomous tram is now insured using a smart contract. This event was the first in Russia and was made possible by a tripartite agreement between the Moscow Metro, VTB Bank and SOGAZ Insurance.

    Maxim Liksutov said that the introduction of smart contract technology into urban transport insurance increases transparency, efficiency and safety. The system will allow future transactions to be carried out in digital rubles, which is in line with Moscow’s broader commitment to technological progress.

    Key benefits of smart contracts in transport insurance:

    Transparent execution and automation

    Elimination of human factor

    Full control over the targeted distribution of funds

    “A smart contract is a self-executing algorithm that ensures the fulfillment of all contractual obligations. This agreement became possible thanks to the cooperation of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and the First Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. By automating document flow, we will be able to speed up the execution of contracts and insurance payments,” said Maxim Liksutov.

    The development of autonomous transport in Moscow is ensured by the Autonomous Transport Research and Development Centre – a centre for advanced technological achievements. Situated on the territory of the Moscow Advanced Development Centre in the Kuntsevo district, it was ceremoniously opened by Mayor Sergei Sobyanin in May last year.

    The center is equipped with:

    Modern laboratory for testing autopilot systems

    High-performance servers for simulating trump behavior and training neural networks

    3D printer for creating prototypes of sensor mounts and other components.

    The center’s specialists, many of whom work for leading Russian and international companies, are developing software for autonomous transport in Moscow. Thanks to their work, the first autonomous tram in Russia has already been successfully launched.

    “This is a unique development for Europe, and it is entirely owned by the Moscow government. We continue to lead in the field of transport technologies, implementing intelligent solutions that increase efficiency and convenience for passengers,” added Maxim Liksutov.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Digital diagnostics to double number of foreign publications in 2024

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine of the Moscow Department of Health (DZM)

    The scientific journal Digital Diagnostics has seen a significant increase in the number of publications by foreign authors in 2024, doubling the figures for previous years. This year, the journal has published 16 articles written by foreign authors, compared to an average of 7 articles per year in previous years. The journal currently collaborates with authors from six countries.

    Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine.

    Yuri Vasiliev, Chief Consultant in Radiology at the Moscow Health Department and CEO of the Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine, noted that in 2024, their journal expanded its international reach as it featured articles by Indian scientists for the first time. He noted that India, as a member of BRICS, is part of an international organization with which they actively cooperate. He expressed confidence that broad international cooperation and exchange of experience will significantly improve scientific development in their countries. He also noted that 16 foreign articles were published in the journal this year, significantly more than the 7 articles published in 2022 and 2021. Notably, Italy presented 13 articles on clinical cases and scientific reviews, while Indian scientists presented original research in teleradiology, which is considered a valuable contribution to the field.

    In 2024, two landmark papers by Indian authors were published: “Radiological evaluation of pulmonary vascular and gastrointestinal changes in COVID-19 patients referred to a tertiary care centre in Chennai, India: a prospective cross-sectional study” and “Role of teleradiology in interpreting ultrasound images obtained in the emergency setting”. These papers were prepared by research teams from Image Core Lab and Mahatma Gandhi.

    This year, the Diagnostics and Telemedicine Center actively established contacts with colleagues from the BRICS countries. The Center’s employees took part in the International Municipal Forum of the BRICS countries and visited a specialized healthcare exhibition in New Delhi called India Health. In addition, the Center was visited by delegations from four BRICS countries – China, India, Iran and South Africa.

    Digital Diagnostics is recognized as one of the most progressive and prestigious journals in the field of radiology. Every year its portfolio expands and includes a wide range of topics, such as radiology and instrumental diagnostics, innovative methods, application of artificial intelligence, healthcare management and other scientific topics. The journal publishes articles by outstanding Russian scientists, as well as international experts who make a significant contribution to the development of scientific research. The journal publishes articles in three languages: Russian, English and Chinese, with a circulation of 5,000 copies.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Six new regions of the Russian Federation will be connected to the Moscow platform of medical services based on artificial intelligence MosMedAI

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine of the Moscow Department of Health (DZM)

    The MosMedAI platform uses advanced AI algorithms to assist healthcare professionals by highlighting possible pathologies in medical images using color segmentation and generating a radiological report. These advanced solutions have been extensively tested and have been successfully implemented in hospitals for the past five years.

    Currently, more than 75 percent of the country’s regions use medical services available on the MosMedAI platform. The integration of six new regions into this system is a significant step towards the digital transformation of healthcare in the country. Sergei Sobyanin emphasized that the platform offers 17 services based on artificial intelligence, designed to increase the speed and accuracy of diagnostic processes.

    The expansion of the AI-based platform is part of a broader initiative to modernize healthcare in Russia, improving access and quality for patients across the country, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on his Telegram channel.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Fraudsters withdraw money from ATMs without people’s plastic cards

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia (2) –

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

    Categoris24-7, Central Bank of OF Russia, Miles, Russians Banks, Russians savings, Russians finance, Russians Language, Russian economy, Russian banks

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    Fraudsters call citizens, including via messengers, and claim that unknown persons are trying to steal money from their account. To prevent the loss of savings, fraudsters convince a person to immediately install on their phone a supposedly mobile application of the Central Bank (the names may vary). Moreover, while it is being installed, they prohibit using the device.

    After this, the attackers ask the victim to launch the installed application, bring their card to their mobile phone and enter a confirmation SMS code from the bank, supposedly to authorize in the regulator’s application and save money in the account. In fact, the program downloaded to the person’s smartphone is malicious.

    It allows the fraudsters to create a virtual image of the victim’s bank card on the phone. As a result, the attackers can use this virtual image to withdraw money from ATMs that support contactless technology: instead of a bank card, they put their smartphone on the device.

    Do not download any mobile applications or programs at the request of strangers, and do not perform any actions in banking or other applications at their request.

    Do not disclose personal or financial information to strangers, no matter what pretext or method they use to obtain it.

    If you have any doubts about the safety of your money in your bank account, immediately call your bank at the number listed on its official website or on the back of your bank card.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fairer funding for charities

    Source: Scottish Government

    More than £60 million for pilot projects focusing on essential services and eradicating child poverty.

    A new Fairer Funding pilot to deliver on the Scottish Government’s top priority of eradicating child poverty will provide additional multi-year funding in the form of 45 grants to organisations across Scotland.

    The funding, subject to budget approval, will support projects in areas including health, education, poverty and culture and have a total value of £61.7 million in 2025-26 and £63.2 million in 2026- 27.

    Speaking on her visit today to the Gathering, the largest third sector event in the UK, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

    “I know many charities, faced with rising costs and falling donations, need more security and stability to enable them to plan and develop. Child poverty, in particular, requires longer-term interventions to help achieve the solutions we want to see. For that, the third sector needs financial stability and certainty. That’s why I have prioritised delivering on our commitment to provide more multi-year funding where we can to support the vital work of the third sector in Scotland, as part of our fairer funding approach.

    “The pilot is the first step in mainstreaming multi-year funding agreements more widely across the third sector. It will give organisations the ability to plan for the future and make the most of their resources. The pilot’s focus on grants connected to tackling child poverty and the delivery of frontline services to our communities will maximise the impact of longer term funding and support the delivery of our number one priority, eradicating child poverty.”  

    Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Chief Executive Anna Fowlie said:

    “The voluntary sector has a crucial role to play in delivering essential services across Scotland that people and communities rely on. Multi-year funding models are vital, providing security to voluntary organisations and, crucially, allowing them to get on and deliver for people and communities.

     “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to piloting multi-year funding for a range of voluntary organisations across Scotland – a first step, we hope, towards rolling out Fair Funding principles to voluntary sector funding.”

    Background

    Organisations to receive multi-year funding for 2025/26 and 2026/27

    Social Justice

    Scottish Refugee Council

    Scottish Empty Homes Partnership

    Homeless Network Scotland

    Housing Options Scotland

    Poverty Alliance

    CentreStage – Social Innovation Partnership

    COVEY – Social Innovation Partnership

    Flexibility Works – Social Innovation Partnership

    Heavy Sound – Social Innovation Partnership

    MsMissMrs – Social Innovation Partnership

    Street Soccer – Social Innovation Partnership

    WorkingRite – Social Innovation Partnership

    MCR Pathways

    Economy and Gaelic

    Scottish Mountain Rescue

    Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

    Youth Music Initiative

    Sistema Scotland

    Health and Social Care

    Cruse Scotland Bereavement Helpline

    Penumbra Self-harm support pilots

    BASICS Funding PHEC BASICS Scotland

    The Listening Service Samaritans

    Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults

    Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund Management

    Autism Advice Line Scottish Autism

    Young Scot Carer support funding

    Active Play Development Programme Inspiring Scotland

    Active Play Development Programme Actify

    Community Food Networks Edinburgh Community Food

    Community Food Networks Lanarkshire Community Food and Health Partnership

    Community Food Networks Community Food Initiative North East

    Community Food Networks Glasgow Community Food Network

    Drugs Policy: Core Funding Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs

    Drugs Policy: Family Recovery Initiative Fund Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs

    Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD Hub Scotland Service 

    Finance and Local Government

    Planning Aid Scotland

    Education and Skills

    Dyslexia Scotland

    Children’s Advocacy for Children’s Hearings

    Who Cares Scotland

    Inspiring Scotland

    Children in Scotland Enquire National Advice and Information Service on Additional Support for Learning

    Scottish Book Trust Bookbug

    Access to Childcare Fund

    Scottish Association of Minority Ethnic Educators

    Justice and Home Affairs

    Victim Centred Approach Fund

    Apex Scotland

    Medics Against Violence

    These pilots are in addition to the multi-year funding announced last week by Creative Scotland, which has been funded as part of a record £34 million uplift for culture in the draft 2025-26 Scottish Budget.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston City Council re-sign The Armed Forces Covenant

    Source: City of Preston

    Reinforcing the Council’s commitment to supporting Armed Forces serving members and veterans.

    Yesterday, Tuesday 4 February, Major Steve Tickle, Lord Lieutenant Amanda Parker, Preston City Council Chief Executive Adrian Phillips and members of the Armed Forces and Preston City Council gathered to re-sign The Armed Forces Covenant. 

    Preston City Council first signed the Armed Forces Community Covenant in 2012, and yesterday’s event reinforced the Council’s commitment to supporting Armed Forces serving members and veterans. 

    The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by local authorities that ‘together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, including the bereaved, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy, and society.’ 

    The Covenant focuses on helping members of the Armed Forces community have the same access to Government and commercial services and products as any other citizen. This support is provided in a number of areas including healthcare, education and childcare, housing and accommodation, employment, and financial services. 

    Preston City Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Melanie Close said: 

    “I am delighted that Preston City Council is committing to signing the Armed Forces Covenant. We are proud to reinforce our commitment to supporting our existing service personnel and their families, reservists and veterans who have all made a significant contribution to our communities.” 

    Preston City Council is an Armed Forces Friendly Employer and is proud to hold the Armed Forces Silver Award for those who proudly protect our nation, with honour, courage, and commitment and is now working towards achieving the Armed Forces Gold Award.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –