NewzIntel.com

Category: Vehicles

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Unexplained death, Puketaha, Waikato

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    An investigation is under way into the death of a person, who was found following a car fire at Puketaha overnight.

    Emergency services were called to a vehicle fire at the intersection of Marshmeadow and Holland roads about 3.50am. The person was found deceased in the vehicle by firefighters, who notified Police.

    The death is being treated as unexplained and cordons are in place while a scene examination is carried out.

    Diversions are expected to be in place for several hours and trains are delayed while Police work at the scene.

    Information will be released proactively when it becomes available.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune earns reverification as a Level III Trauma Center

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune (NMCCL) has earned reverification as a Level III Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma (ACS).

    The ACS Verification, Review, and Consultation Program helps hospitals to evaluate and improve trauma care by providing an objective, external review of a trauma center’s resources and performance in program features such as readiness, resources, patient and care among other components.

    “The certification or verification is good for three years, and it’s a pretty rigorous process that examines all the standards set by the American College of Surgeons, which is the governing body of trauma centers in the United States,” said Cmdr. Ryan Schutt, trauma medical director for NMMCL. “Receiving the verification means that NMCCL is meeting the metrics that ACS considers the gold standard for how to run a trauma system in the United States.”

    Since the original designation as a Level III Trauma Center in 2018, making NMCCL the first Navy military treatment facility in the nation to provide trauma care to a local community, NMCCL continues to make positive contributions in the military and civilian communities. Since last verification cycle in 2022, the NMCCL Trauma Center has recorded more than 5,000 trauma activations, receiving patients from Onslow County and five adjacent counties.

    “If you look at when we first became a verified in 2018, I think probably two-thirds of our trauma [cases] were coming from on base. Then, as our system has grown and we’ve kind of gained the trust of the public and the [Emergency Medical Service] systems; that’s basically flipped where now probably over 70% of our trauma cases come from off base.”

    ACS Trauma Quality Programs aim to improve quality of care for the patient by setting standards that define the structures and processes of care, measuring patient outcomes through risk-adjusted benchmarking, promoting best practices, and adhering to performance improvement principles.

    To receive certification, NMCCL has to adhere to the Committee on Trauma’s standards for measuring trauma center success like risk-adjusted benchmarking, promotion of best practices, and adherence to improvement principles.

    ACS also looks at the development and implementation of programs that support injury prevention and ensure optimal patient outcomes across the continuum of care. For The NMCCL Trauma Center, the impact on the non-Department of Defense community is not just in trauma patient care but trauma and injury prevention.

    “On base we are talking to Marines about weapons safety, vehicle safety, motorcycle safety, and drinking and driving,” said Schutt. “Off base, we do events like Stop the Bleed campaigns, which is teaching the public how to use tourniquets, car seat safety for new and expectant mothers and fall prevention for the elderly.”

    Since the trauma center’s inception, trauma nurses and corpsmen have instructed more than 8600 community members on Stop the Bleed techniques.

    Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune has provided more than 80 years of dedicated, passionate care for warfighters and beneficiaries at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Robber Sentenced to Additional Prison Term After Firing Machine Gun at Law Enforcement Officer

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    ATLANTA – Montrez Ballard has been sentenced to ten years in prison after firing a machine gun at a Georgia State Patrol officer. 

    “Ballard’s brazen actions endangered the life of a law enforcement officer,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Moultrie, Jr.  “This lengthy prison sentence reflects Ballard’s dangerous, and potentially lethal, attack on a Georgia State Patrol trooper whose very mission is to help keep our community safe.”

    “The swift and coordinated response of law enforcement ensured that a dangerous individual was taken off the streets before he could inflict further harm. ATF will not stand by while criminals use illegally modified weapons to terrorize our communities. We will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who believe they can act without consequence,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Jones.

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court:  On July 21, 2023, Ballard, driving a Nissan Maxima, abruptly cut off a Georgia State Patrol (GSP) trooper in Atlanta.  Ballard fled from the trooper after the officer activated his emergency equipment to stop Ballard.  In his attempt to evade the trooper, Ballard drove more than 20 miles per hour above the speed limit in a residential neighborhood, ran stop signs, and nearly struck another motorist. 

    Minutes into the chase, Ballard’s vehicle crashed into a stop sign.  Ballard then exited his vehicle and fled on foot.  When the trooper chased him, Ballard confronted the officer and fired at least three shots at the trooper.  The trooper returned fire but Ballard escaped.

    Other law enforcement agencies, including the Atlanta Police Department and Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, responded to help locate Ballard.  Officers eventually arrested Ballard – who was on probation for a state robbery offense at the time – and recovered his firearm.  Ballard’s gun, a Glock 19 9mm handgun, was examined and determined to be equipped with a device that converted the weapon into a machine gun, allowing the gun to fire continuously without multiple trigger pulls. 

     Montrez Ballard, 21, of Hampton, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to ten years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Atlanta Police Department and Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne A. Brown, Jr. prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barr, Artificial Intelligence: Hypothetical Scenarios for the Future

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

    Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have accelerated rapidly over the past few years.1 It is now commonplace to see autonomous vehicles navigating city streets, and generative AI tools are available on phones and other devices wherever we go. AI innovations make headlines and play a big role in financial markets, and generative AI has the potential to change how we think about productivity, labor markets and the macroeconomy.2 Today, I will address that question by outlining two hypothetical scenarios for AI’s impact and the implications for businesses, regulators, and society. I will focus my comments on Generative AI, or GenAI, a subset of AI that has seen significant growth and integration into economic activity in just a few short years.
    GenAI and Its AdoptionCompared to earlier iterations of AI, GenAI is able to generate content, which allows it to significantly enhance productivity across a range of knowledge-based activities and be used by people without coding skills. GenAI will likely become a “general purpose technology,” with widespread adoption, continuous improvement, and productivity enhancements to a wide range of sectors across the economy. We are already seeing GenAI improve the productivity of its own R&D.3 There is widespread enthusiasm for GenAI, and survey evidence shows much faster rates of consumer adoption of GenAI already than were seen for the personal computer or the internet.4 While actual deployment of GenAI is limited to some business functions, and there have been pitfalls along the way, businesses in almost every sector are experimenting with or considering how to make use of the technology.5
    Firms are also exploring Agentic AI—Gen AI systems that not only produce new content, but are also able to proactively pursue goals by generating innovative solutions and acting upon them at speed and scale.6 Imagining Agentic AI’s ultimate application, some speculate that we could experience a “country of geniuses in a data center”—a collective intelligence that surpasses human capabilities in problem-solving and collaboration.7 Some believe Agentic AI has the potential to connect ideas in disparate domains, potentially transforming research and development and society more broadly.8
    Hypothetical Scenarios Considering How GenAI Could EvolveToday, I will outline two hypothetical scenarios for considering how GenAI could evolve.9 In one, we see only incremental adoption that primarily augments what humans do today, but still leads to widespread productivity gains. In the other, we see transformative change where we extend human capabilities with far-reaching consequences. For each scenario, I consider the potential implications for the economy and financial sector.
    Thinking through hypothetical scenarios can help widen our lens to a range of possible outcomes and provide a framework for assessing the balance between benefits and risks. Scenarios are not predictions of the future, but provide a framework for analyzing the factors that could lead to different outcomes. Reality is complex. GenAI adoption rates will vary across industries, leading to diverse impacts on market structures. Elements of both scenarios will likely come to pass, and play out at different rates, which will influence the effects on the economy and society. In the short term, GenAI may be overhyped, while in the long run, it may be underappreciated. And, of course, things might turn out differently from these hypotheticals.
    Hypothetical 1: Incremental Progress with Widespread Productivity GainsFirst, let me begin with the incremental scenario, where GenAI primarily augments work in existing processes and leads to steady and widespread productivity gains, but does not fundamentally unlock new capabilities or transform the economy.
    In this state of the world, GenAI tools enhance efficiency and enable more personalized solutions across industries, in ways that have incremental—but still meaningful—effects on people’s lives. For instance, in customer service, professional writing—but not this speech—and software engineering, GenAI-powered tools are already supporting workers, improving accuracy and speed, and these effects could spread to other sectors.10 In this world, health care sees significant improvements as GenAI reduces administrative burdens, assists with diagnostics, and personalizes treatment plans based on real-time patient data. Medicines and other treatments are developed at a faster pace.11 Education is similarly affected, as GenAI alleviates administrative tasks for teachers, allows lessons to be tailored to individual students, and permits students to learn by doing.12 In manufacturing, GenAI-optimized supply chains anticipate and adjust more quickly to disruptions, and current manufacturing processes are refined through virtual iteration.13 In materials science, GenAI-driven experimentation accelerates the discovery of new materials, leading to advances in everything from construction to electronics.14 Turning to the financial sector, we could see similar productivity gains. Community banks leverage GenAI-powered chatbots to provide customized financial advice rooted in local knowledge, while institutions of all sizes continue to advance use of GenAI for compliance monitoring, fraud detection, risk management, and document analysis.15
    The impact to society would be incrementally positive in this state of the world. Humans would use GenAI as a tool to deliver goods and services that we currently produce in a more efficient way. Productivity would go up. The economy would grow at a faster pace.16
    What does this mean for the labor force? The impact will depend on the industry and the nature of the job. GenAI experiments suggest the technology holds the promise of levelling up skills and bringing productivity of lower-performing workers into line with higher performing workers.17 In other cases, it could augment the highest performers, leaving them more time for creativity or strategic aspects of their roles. Increasing automation for certain tasks may displace some workers, where certain skills can be replicated by GenAI. Historically, as technology has replaced some jobs, it has augmented existing roles or created new ones.18 However, this is not to downplay the individual cost for workers who need to retrain, find other employment, or change careers in response to major changes in labor demand. Society will need to account for these possible effects of AI.
    What does this mean for the economy? As I noted before, the economy should grow, if the incremental productivity gains are widespread. However, in this scenario, it is possible that the expected value creation from GenAI was overhyped, anticipating transformative breakthroughs rather than incremental productivity gains. This could trigger market corrections for the firms that have heavily invested in this technology if reality doesn’t measure up to expectations. While the U.S. economy experienced a surge of productivity growth during the dot.com boom in the late 1990s, it was followed by a wave of bankruptcies, capital overhang, and a cautious business investment climate.19 The effects of the ensuing recession were widespread.
    What does this mean for financial stability and other financial risks? In this incremental scenario, GenAI may magnify both the vulnerabilities and sources of resilience that already exist in the system. Attractive trades become more crowded, but risk managers gain new insights.20 Malicious actors gain new tools, but cyber defenders become better armed. So long as financial regulators, enterprise risk managers, and others charged with managing downside risks prioritize efforts to keep pace with the evolving financial ecosystem, there’s nothing to suggest a wholesale transformation of the balance of risks. Of course, keeping pace will pose challenges, and it’s important that we all focus on the need to meet these risks.
    Hypothetical Scenario 2: Transformative ChangeNow, let’s consider a more dramatic hypothetical scenario, in which GenAI adoption extends beyond improving on what we currently do, and provides new expertise and capabilities that have transformative effects on the economy and society. In this scenario, humans deploy their imagination and creativity—combined with robust investment in research and development—to deploy intelligent GenAI systems to make rapid breakthroughs in, for example, biotechnology, robotics, and energy, fundamentally reshaping existing industries and creating new ones. In this instance, to focus the mind, we can think of GenAI as no longer only a tool for scientists to analyze data—in a sense, it becomes the scientist, directing the research.21
    For instance, let’s say that GenAI applications in health care do not simply improve how we currently deliver care, but also enable therapies that target genetic mutations and cure diseases previously considered incurable.22 Similarly, manufacturing evolves to create GenAI-driven robotic factories, with goods produced with new materials and atomic precision.23 Materials science is transformed through the discovery of programmable materials and self-healing substances, all of which reshape construction, technology, and consumer goods.24 Meanwhile, GenAI optimizes fusion energy research, expediting the shift to sustainable energy sources.25 And GenAI helps to create the next generation of quantum computing.26 In that way, GenAI improves its own energy sources and computing capabilities, enabling it to become a more powerful creative tool.27
    Finance also looks radically different than it does today. Individuals with access to hyper-personalized financial planning and businesses with innovative products and services seamlessly connect with one another through near-frictionless or novel forms of financial intermediation.28 Trading strategies and risk-management practices are boosted by greater GenAI-based analytic tools that have dynamic real-time access to an enormous knowledge base in both the public and private domains.29
    Although this transformative scenario is more speculative and is accompanied by a far greater degree of uncertainty than the first, it is important to consider given the extraordinary opportunities for human advancement and welfare that could arise, even if just one of its transformative components were to come to fruition. We would need to fundamentally reimagine how the economy is structured.
    What are the impacts on the labor force, in a world where GenAI’s capabilities extend beyond what humans can accomplish today? Humans may have a role to manage multi-agent GenAI frameworks, or fill gaps where GenAI solutions remain expensive or inefficient for some applications. But this is a world where some workers may see their current jobs disappearing. It is also a world in which they may see their own work transformed and have many more choices about the work they do. The nature of labor would radically change, and this will require us to have broader conversations about how to organize the economy. These conversations should wrestle with how to navigate major economic shifts in a way that recognizes the impact on the human condition, and the extent to which people derive their communities, friendships, personal sense of meaning and dignity from their work.
    What about the competitive landscape? There is probably a greater likelihood that rewards for businesses would be distributed more unevenly at first, as significant breakthroughs with far-reaching ramifications may benefit a subset of firms and industries and concentrate economic power in firms that control GenAI breakthroughs. If only a handful of firms have the ability to accomplish the incredible things I’ve mentioned above, they may dominate markets and crowd out competitors. To the extent that GenAI becomes broadly effective, widely available, and cheap, these market advantages could lessen over time if the right regulatory environment supports competitive market dynamics.30 But history suggests caution in this regard; a handful of players may dominate.31
    And finally, for finance, we should anticipate fundamental changes in this scenario. When it’s working well, the financial system helps move money and risk through time and space.32 To the extent there are fundamental changes to how the economy is organized, we could need a new set of institutions, markets, and products to facilitate transactions among households, businesses, and GenAI agents.
    What Should We Do?Among the many ways in which we can help to harness the potential benefits of GenAI and minimize its risks, I will highlight only a couple today.
    Financial institutions, and the Federal Reserve System, should consider investing sufficient resources in understanding GenAI technology, incorporating it into their workflows where appropriate, and training staff on how to use the technology responsibly and effectively.33 Meanwhile, the financial regulatory community should approach the changing landscape with agility and flexibility. And beyond the financial sector, collaboration between governments, private industry, and research institutions will be critical to ensure that GenAI systems are not weaponized in catastrophic ways. We should continue to focus on responsible AI research and development and implement safeguards against misuse, including monitoring systems, standards for secure AI system development, and agreement on red lines for acceptable use cases.34 We should be attuned to the impact of GenAI on our economic and political institutions. There’s a risk that it concentrates economic and political power in the hands of the very few and could lead to the gains being realized only by a small group, while the rest are left behind.
    Another thing I want to emphasize is AI governance. I think most would agree that the goal of the technology is to improve the human condition, and to do that, we need to be intentional in advancing that goal. We should make sure that we think about GenAI as enhancing, not replacing, humans, and set up best practices and cultural norms to that end. Every financial institution should recognize the limitations of the technology, explore where and when GenAI belongs in any process, and identify how humans can be best positioned to be in the loop. We should also focus on data quality, and make sure that uses of GenAI do not perpetuate or amplify biases inherent in the data used to train the system or make incorrect inferences to the extent the data is incomplete or nonrepresentative.35 In the realm of regulation, frameworks for understanding model risk may need to be updated to address the complexity and challenges of explaining AI methods and the difficulty of assessing data quality.
    We need to be attuned to the risk in finance. The very attributes that make GenAI attractive—the speed, automaticity, and ability to optimize financial strategies—also present risk.36 When the technology becomes ubiquitous, use of GenAI could lead to herding behavior and the concentration of risk, potentially amplifying market volatility. As GenAI agents will be directed to maximize profit, they may converge on strategies to maximize returns through coordinated market manipulation, potentially fueling asset bubbles and crashes. Speed, automaticity, and ubiquity could generate new risks at wide scale.37
    We also should monitor how introduction of this technology changes the banking landscape. Nonbanks may be more nimble and risk-forward in incorporating GenAI into their operations, which may push intermediation to less-regulated, less transparent corners of the financial sector. In addition, this competitive pressure may push all institutions, including regulated institutions, to take a more aggressive approach to GenAI adoption, heightening the governance, alignment, and financial risks I mentioned before.
    In conclusion, while AI’s impact will vary across industries and the reality is evolving, the scenarios I have outlined today provide a framework to begin thinking about how we should respond to developments in GenAI. However, as I mentioned above, elements of both scenarios will likely be present in the future, and play out at different rates, which will influence the effects on the economy and society. Rapid advances in this technology, such as Agentic AI and advancements in open-source models, underscore just how new this technology is and the importance of understanding what it means for individuals, businesses, and markets. Thank you.

    1. The views expressed here are my own and are not necessarily those of my colleagues on the Federal Reserve Board. Return to text
    2. See, for instance, Lisa D. Cook, “Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and the Path Ahead for Productivity,” (speech at Technology-Enabled Disruption: Implications of AI, Big Data, and Remote Work Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, October 1, 2024). Return to text
    3. See Gaurav Sett, “How AI Can Automate AI Research and Development,” RAND Commentary, October 24, 2024. Return to text
    4. See Cory Breaux and Emin Dinlersoz, “How Many U.S. Businesses Use Artificial Intelligence?” (Washington: U.S. Census Bureau, November 28, 2023); Alexander Bick, Adam Blandin, and David J. Deming, “The Rapid Adoption of Generative AI,” NBER Working Paper No. 32966 (Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, September 2024, revised February 2025); and Leland Crane, Michael Green, and Paul Soto, “Measuring AI Uptake in the Workplace,” FEDS Notes (Washington: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, February 5, 2025). Return to text
    5. There’s evidence of firms experimenting with these tools and then abandoning them—due to a multitude of reasons. See Kathryn Bonney, Cory Breaux, Cathy Buffington, Emin Dinlersoz, Lucia S. Foster, Nathan Goldschlag, John C. Haltiwanger, Zachary Kroff, and Keith Savage, “Tracking Firm Use of AI in Real Time: A Snapshot from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey,” NBER Working Paper No. 32319 (Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, April 2024). Return to text
    6. For more on Agentic AI’s uses, advantages, and risks, see Mark Purdy, “What Is Agentic AI, and How Will It Change Work?” Harvard Business Review (December 12, 2024). Return to text
    7. See Dario Amodei, “Machines of Loving Grace,” October 2024, https://darioamodei.com/machines-of-loving-grace. Return to text
    8. For biology and drug discovery, see Jean-Philippe Vert, “Unlocking the Mysteries of Complex Biological Systems with Agentic AI,” MIT Technology Review (November 13, 2024), https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/11/13/1106750/unlocking-the-mysteries-of-complex-biological-systems-with-agentic-ai; and “Owkin Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase I AI-Optimized Clinical Trial of OKN4395, a First-in-Class EP2/EP4/DP1 Triple Inhibitor for Patients with Solid Tumors,” Business Wire, January 30, 2025, https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250130436779/en/Owkin-Announces-First-Patient-Dosed-in-Phase-I-AI-optimized-Clinical-Trial-of-OKN4395-a-First-in-Class-EP2EP4DP1-Triple-Inhibitor-for-Patients-with-Solid-Tumors. Return to text
    9. Others have used other types of scenarios. See Anton Korinek, “The Economics of Transformative AI,” The Reporter (Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, December 31, 2024); Iñaki Aldasoro, Leonardo Gambacorta, Anton Korinek, Vatsala Shreeti, and Merlin Stein, “Intelligent Financial System: How AI Is Transforming Finance (PDF),” BIS Working Papers No. 1194 (Basel, Switzerland: Bank for International Settlements, June 2024); and Ethan Mollick, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI (New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2024). Return to text
    10. For worker productivity gains in customer service, see Erik Brynjolfsson, Danielle Li, and Lindsey R. Raymond, “Generative AI at Work,” NBER Working Paper No. 31161 (Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, April 2023, revised November 2023). For GenAI assisted writing gains, see Shakked Noy and Whitney Zhang, “Experimental Evidence on the Productivity Effects of Generative Artificial Intelligence,” Science, vol. 381, no. 6654 (July 2023): 187–92; Jordan Usdan, Allison Connell Pensky, and Harley Chang, “Generative AI’s Impact on Graduate Student Writing Productivity and Quality,” SSRN (August 29, 2024), https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4941022. For software engineering, see Sida Peng, Eirini Kalliamvakou, Peter Cihon, and Mert Demirer, “The Impact of AI on Developer Productivity: Evidence from GitHub Copilot,” arXiv:2302.06590, February 13, 2023; Leonardo Gambacorta, Han Qiu, Shuo Shan, and Daniel M. Rees, “Generative AI and Labour Productivity: A Field Experiment on Coding (PDF),” BIS Working Papers No. 1208 (Basel, Switzerland: Bank for International Settlements, September 2024); Zheyuan (Kevin) Cui, Mert Demirer, Sonia Jaffe, Leon Musolff, Sida Peng, and Tobias Salz, “The Effects of Generative AI on High-Skilled Work: Evidence from Three Field Experiments with Software Developers,” SSRN (September 5, 2024, revised February 10, 2025), https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4945566. For worker gains in the consulting industry, see Fabrizio Dell’Acqua, Edward McFowland III, Ethan Mollick, Hila Lifshitz-Assaf, Katherine C. Kellogg, Saran Rajendran, Lisa Krayer, François Candelon, and Karim R. Lakhani, “Navigating the Jagged Technological Frontier: Field Experimental Evidence of the Effects of AI on Knowledge Worker Productivity and Quality (PDF),” Harvard Business School Working Paper No. 24-013 (September 2023). Return to text
    11. See Ethan Goh, Robert Gallo, Jason Hom, et al., “Large Language Model Influence on Diagnostic Reasoning: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” JAMA Network Open (October 28, 2024), https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2825395; Nikhil Agarwal, Alex Moehring, Pranav Rajpurkar, and Tobias Salz, “Combining Human Expertise with Artificial Intelligence: Experimental Evidence from Radiology,” NBER Working Paper No. 31422 (Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, July 2023, revised March 2024); Ashley Capoot, “Reid Hoffman Enters ‘Wondrous and Terrifying’ World of Health Care with Latest AI Startup,” CNBC, February 2, 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/02/reid-hoffman-launches-manas-ai-a-new-drug-discovery-startup.html; Kang Zhang, Xin Yang, Yifei Wang, Yunfang Yu, Niu Huang, Gen Li, Xiaokun Li, Joseph C. Wu, and Shengyong Yang, “Artificial Intelligence in Drug Development,” Nature Medicine, vol. 31 (January 2025): 45–59, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03434-4; Qian Liao, Yu Zhang, Ying Chu, Yi Ding, Zhen Liu, Xianyi Zhao, Yizheng Wang, Jie Wan, Yijie Ding, Prayag Tiwari, Quan Zou, and Ke Han, “Application of Artificial Intelligence in Drug-Target Interactions Prediction: A Review,” NPJ Biomedical Innovations, vol. 2, no. 1 (January 2025), https://doi.org/10.1038/s44385-024-00003-9. Return to text
    12. For more on education, see Justin Wolfers, “An Econ Educators Guide to our AI-Powered Future,” Macmillan Learning, EconEd (presentation), September 26, 2024, https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/events/econed; and Anne J. Manning, “Professor Tailored AI Tutor to Physics Course. Engagement Doubled,” Harvard Gazette, September 5, 2024. Return to text
    13. See Maxime C. Cohen and Christopher S. Tang, “The Role of AI in Developing Resilient Supply Chains,” Georgetown Journal of International Affairs (February 5, 2024); and Remko Van Hoek and Mary Lacity, “How Global Companies Use AI to Prevent Supply Chain Disruptions,” Harvard Business Review, November 21, 2023. Return to text
    14. See Sheldon Fernandez, “How Generative AI Can Be Used in Electronics,” Forbes, April 26, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2023/04/26/how-generative-ai-can-be-used-in-electronics-manufacturing. Return to text
    15. For U.S. financial institutions, see Elizabeth Judd, “How to Balance Human and Machine While Using Chatbots,” Independent Banker, January 1, 2025; and U.S. Department of the Treasury, “Artificial Intelligence in Financial Services (PDF)” (Washington: U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 2024). For foreign financial institutions, see Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority, “Artificial Intelligence in UK Financial Services—2024” (London: Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority, November 21, 2024); and Bank of Japan, “Use and Risk Management of Generative AI by Japanese Financial Institutions,” Financial System Report Annex (Tokyo: Bank of Japan, October 29, 2024). For global financial institutions, see OECD, “FSB Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Finance (PDF),” Financial Stability Board, September 30, 2024. Return to text
    16. Lida R. Weinstock and Paul Tierno, “The Macroeconomic Effects of Artificial Intelligence (PDF),” Congressional Research Service, January 28, 2025. Return to text
    17. See Shakked Noy and Whitney Zhang, “Experimental Evidence on the Productivity Effects of Generative Artificial Intelligence,” Science, vol. 381, no. 6654 (July 13, 2023): 187–92; Brynjolfsson et al., “Generative AI at Work” (see footnote 9); and “for software engineering” from footnote 9; Korinek (2024) from footnote 7. Return to text
    18. See David H. Autor, “Why Are There Still So Many Jobs? The History and Future of Workplace Automation,” Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 29, no. 3 (Summer 2015): 3–30.See Simona Abis and Laura Veldkamp. Return to text
    19. See Ben S. Bernanke, “Will Business Investment Bounce Back?” (speech at the Forecasters Club, New York, NY, April 24, 2003). Return to text
    20. See Financial Stability Board, The Financial Stability Implications of Artificial Intelligence (Basel, Switzerland: Financial Stability Board, November 14, 2024); and Jon Danielsson and Andreas Uthemann, “How AI Can Undermine Financial Stability,” VoxEU: CEPR, January 22, 2024. Return to text
    21. For some very early examples, see Davide Castelvecchi, “Researchers Built an ‘AI Scientist’—What Can It Do?” Nature, August 30, 2024, https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02842-3; Daniil A. Boiko, Robert MacKnight, Ben Kline, and Gabe Gomes, “Autonomous Chemical Research with Large Language Models,” Nature, December 20, 2023, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06792-0; and Helena Kudiabor, “Virtual Lab Powered by ‘AI Scientists’ Super-Charges Biomedical Research,” Nature, December 4, 2024, https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01684-3. Return to text
    22. For more on drug discovery and gene therapy, see Betty Zou, “Team Uses AI and Quantum Computing to Target ‘Undruggable’ Cancer Protein,” Phys Org, January 27, 2025; and Mohammad Ghazi Vakili et al., “Quantum-Computing-Enhanced Algorithm Unveils Potential KRAS Inhibitors,” Nature Biotechnology, January 22, 2025, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-024-02526-3. Return to text
    23. See NASA Technology Transfer Program, “Robonaut 2: Hazardous Environments (MSC-TOPS-44)”. Return to text
    24. For more on material sciences innovation, see Andy Extance, “First GPT-4-Powered AI Lab Assistant Independently Directs Key Organic Reactions,” Chemistry World, January 8, 2024, https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/first-gpt-4-powered-ai-lab-assistant-independently-directs-key-organic-reactions/4018723.article; Chenyang Liu, Xi Zhang, Jiahui Chang, You Lyu, Jianan Zhao, and Song Qiu, “Programmable Mechanical Metamaterials: Basic Concepts, Types, Construction Strategies—A Review,” Frontiers, vol. 11 (March 19, 2024); Aidan Toner-Rodgers, “Artificial Intelligence, Scientific Discovery, and Product Innovation,” MIT, November 27, 2024, https://aidantr.github.io/files/AI_innovation.pdf; and Thomas Hayes et al., “Simulating 500 Million Years of Evolution with a Language Model,” Science, January 16, 2025. Return to text
    25. See Tan Sui, “AI Could Help Overcome the Hurdles to Making Nuclear Fusion a Practical Energy Source,” The Conversation, January 29, 2025, https://theconversation.com/ai-could-help-overcome-the-hurdles-to-making-nuclear-fusion-a-practical-energy-source-247608; Jaemin Seo, SangKyeun Kim, Azarakhsh Jalalvand, Rory Conlin, Andrew Rothstein, Joseph Abbate, Keith Erickson, Josiah Wai, Ricardo Shousha, and Egemen Kolemen, “Avoiding Fusion Plasma Tearing Instability with Deep Reinforcement Learning,” Nature, vol. 626, February 21, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07024-9; and Massimiliano Lupo Pasini, German Samolyuk, Markus Eisenbach, Jong Youl Choi, Junqi Yin, and Ying Yang, “First-Principles Data for Solid Solution Niobium-Tantalum-Vanadium Alloys with Body-Centered-Cubic Structures,” Nature: Scientific Data, vol. 11, no. 907 (August 22, 2024), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03720-3. Return to text
    26. Nakia Melecio, “Exploring the Synergy: Quantum Computing and Generative AI at the Intersection of Innovation,” ScaleUp Lab Program, Enterprise Innovation Institute, Georgia Tech. Return to text
    27. For an example on GenAI and quantum computers, see Rahul Rao, “Quantum Computers Can Now Run Powerful AI That Works like the Brain,” Scientific American, April 22, 2024, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/quantum-computers-can-run-powerful-ai-that-works-like-the-brain. For an example about AI and clean energy, see Office of Policy, “How AI Can Help Clean Energy Meet Growing Electricity Demand” (Washington: U.S. Department of Energy, August 16, 2024). For examples of how GenAI is augmenting creativity, see Tojin T. Eapen, Daniel J. Finkenstadt, Josh Folk, and Lokesh Venkataswamy, “How Generative AI Can Augment Human Creativity,” Harvard Business Review (July–August 2023); and Anil R. Doshi and Oliver P. Hauser, “Generative AI Enhances Individual Creativity but Reduces the Collective Diversity of Novel Content,” Science Advances, vol. 10, no. 28 (July 12, 2024). Return to text
    28. See Iñaki Aldasoro, Leonardo Gambacorta, Anton Korinek, Vatsala Shreeti, and Merlin Stein, “Intelligent Financial System: How AI Is Transforming Finance (PDF),” BIS Working Papers No. 1194 (Basel, Switzerland: Bank for International Settlements, June 2024); and Sarah Hammer, “From Turing to Trading: How AI Is Revolutionizing Finance,” Finance Centers at the Wharton School, July 10, 2024. Return to text
    29. Large language models may even allow for the creation of synthetic data that allows for enhancing macroeconomic nowcasting and forecasting through economic AI agents that can also help with analyzing macroeconomic trends and contribute to more informed financial decisionmaking. See Anne Lundgaard Hansen, John J. Horton, Sophia Kazinnik, Daniela Puzzello, and Ali Zarifhonarvar, “Simulating the Survey of Professional Forecasters,” SSRN (December 1, 2024), https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5066286. Return to text
    30. Kelly Ng, Brandon Drenon, Tom Gerken, and Marc Cieslak, “DeepSeek: The Chinese AI App That Has the World Talking,” BBC News, February 4, 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yv5976z9po. Return to text
    31. For example, see IBM Newsroom, “Data Suggests Growth in Enterprise Adoption of AI Is Due to Widespread Deployment by Early Adopters, But Barriers Keep 40% in the Exploration and Experimentation Phases,” IBM, January 10, 2024, https://newsroom.ibm.com/2024-01-10-Data-Suggests-Growth-in-Enterprise-Adoption-of-AI-is-Due-to-Widespread-Deployment-by-Early-Adopters; and Jefferies Editorial Team, “Can Startups Outsmart Big Tech in the AI Race?” Jefferies, September 17, 2024, https://www.jefferies.com/insights/boardroom-intelligence/can-startups-outsmart-big-tech-in-the-ai-race. Return to text
    32. If AI agents proliferate in financial transactions, we will also need to be careful about the potential for unintended consequences such as collusion among AI agents. See Winston Wei Dou, Itay Goldstein, and Yan Ji, “AI-Powered Trading, Algorithmic Collusion, and Price Efficiency,” Jacobs Levy Equity Management Center for Quantitative Financial Research Paper, The Wharton School Research Paper, May 30, 2024, https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4452704. Return to text
    33. See Request for Information on the Development of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan, 90 Fed. Reg. 9,088 (PDF) (February 6, 2025). Return to text
    34. See Heather Domin, “AI Governance Trends: How Regulation, Collaboration, and Skills Demand Are Shaping the Industry,” World Economic Forum, September 5, 2024. Return to text
    35. For more on bias introduced in models, see Moshe Glickman and Tali Sharot, “How Human–AI Feedback Loops Alter Human Perceptual, Emotional, and Social Judgements,” Nature Human Behavior, December 18, 2024, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02077-2; Saul Asiel Flores, “‘Bias in, Bias out’: Tackling Bias in Medical Artificial Intelligence,” Yale School of Medicine, November 18, 2024; and Adam Zewe, “Researchers Reduce Bias in AI Models While Preserving or Improving Accuracy,” MIT News, December 11, 2024. For governance in central banks, see Claudia Alvarez Toca and Alexandre Tombini, Governance of AI Adoption in Central Banks (PDF) (Basel, Switzerland: Bank for International Settlements, January 2025). Return to text
    36. See, e.g., Michael P. Wellman, “Artificial Intelligence in Financial Services (PDF)” (written testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, September 20, 2023). Return to text
    37. See Jon Danielsson and Andreas Uthemann, “AI Financial Crises,” VoxEU: CEPR, July 26, 2024. For more on algorithm collusion, see Wei Dou et al., “AI-Powered Trading, Algorithmic Collusion, and Price Efficiency” (see footnote 33). Return to text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Declares State of Emergency, Shares Updates on Winter Weather

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Declares State of Emergency, Shares Updates on Winter Weather

    Governor Stein Declares State of Emergency, Shares Updates on Winter Weather
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Stein declared a state of emergency as emergency officials prepare for winter weather to impact the majority of the state. In a briefing this morning, Governor Stein, Director of Emergency Management Will Ray, and Secretary of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins provided an update on the winter weather that will impact much of the state starting Wednesday and into Thursday. The Governor advised that all North Carolinians take precautions by listening to local officials and plan accordingly for low temperatures, ice, and snow.  

    “This morning, I declared a state of emergency across North Carolina, and we are activating a cross-agency storm response,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Most of North Carolina will be impacted by this storm, and our greatest concerns are potential power outages and road safety. We urge all travelers to stay off the road once the storm hits on Wednesday, to keep their devices charged, and to monitor local weather.”  

    “The State Emergency Response Team has been activated and is working with the Department of Transportation, North Carolina National Guard, State Highway Patrol, Department of Health and Human Services, and local emergency management to provide resources quickly throughout the state,” said Director of Emergency Management Will Ray. “We ask that all North Carolinians continue to monitor the weather tomorrow and stay off the roads when possible.”  

    A winter storm will impact much of North Carolina Wednesday into Thursday. The forecast for northern central and eastern North Carolina includes snowfall accumulations of 2 to 6 inches, with localized totals reaching up to 9 inches across the far northeast. The northern mountains and higher elevations in western North Carolina are expected to receive 2 to 4 inches of snow. Elsewhere, lighter snowfall accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are anticipated, with the exception of far southeastern North Carolina, where light freezing rain or rain is expected. 

    Significant ice accumulation is possible in parts of central and eastern North Carolina. Accumulations of a quarter inch or more may cause tree limbs to break and lead to power outages. It is crucial for all North Carolinians to stay informed about the weather, as the forecast will be updated and refined as Wednesday approaches. 

    The State Emergency Response Team is activated, and the State Emergency Operations Center and Regional Coordination Centers remain in close communication with local emergency management officials to ensure that all resources are available and ready to quickly respond to aid our North Carolina communities.   

    The North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) has activated more than 180 guardsmen to assist and support local communities across the state.  

    More than 1,500 employees with the N.C. Department of Transportation have been pre-treating roads across the state. As of Tuesday morning, the agency had spread 1.8 million gallons of brine to pretreat hundreds of miles of interstates, highways, and secondary roads statewide. Nearly 600 trucks with plows and spreaders and 240 motor graders are ready to remove snow and ice, and more than 130,000 tons of salt are ready to treat roads after the storm hits. 

    Once the storm hits, NCDOT crews are prepared to work around-the-clock in shifts to plow and treat snow and ice until all state-maintained roads are cleared. The agency will prioritize clearing interstates first, followed by U.S. and N.C. routes and then secondary roads. 

    Visit ReadyNC.gov for power outage information and for information on how you and your family can prepare for winter weather. For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.   

    To prepare for winter weather, North Carolina Emergency Management officials recommend these tips:  

    • Pay close attention to your local forecast and be prepared for what’s expected in your area. Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio or a weather alert app on your phone to receive emergency weather alerts.   

    • Stock up on water and non-perishable food. 

    • Keep cell phones, mobile devices, and spare batteries charged. 

    • Stay home and off the roads if you can. 

    • Store an emergency kit in your vehicle in case you must travel. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first-aid kit, and road map.   

    • Dress warmly if you go outside. Wear multiple layers of thin clothing instead of a single layer of thick clothing.   

    • Gather emergency supplies for your pet including leash and feeding supplies, enough food for several days, and a pet travel carrier.   

    • Do not leave pets outside for long periods of time during freezing weather.   

    • Check in on your friends and neighbors, especially the elderly, during winter weather.  

    • If your power goes out:  

    • Only operate generators outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. 

    • Never burn charcoal indoors or use a gas grill indoors. 

    • Properly vent kerosene heaters. 

    • Use battery-powered sources for light, instead of candles, to reduce the risk of fire.  

    • If you are utilizing a portable heater, make sure that it is properly ventilated, has at least 3 feet of space on all sides, and never leave children unattended near a heater.  

    Feb 18, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Outlines National Security, Counter-UAS Opportunities in Grand Forks to Air Force Vice Chief of Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    02.15.25

    Project ULTRA Contract Expansion Expected in Coming Weeks

    GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven outlined to Gen. James Slife, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, opportunities to leverage the Grand Forks region’s expertise in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to enhance national security and address the increasing risks from the misuse of drone technology. In particular, Hoeven highlighted:

    • His efforts to secure an increased contract ceiling for Project ULTRA, which is expected in the coming weeks.
      • Hoeven has been working to increase the size and scope of Project ULTRA to support counter-UAS technology development.
      • Project ULTRA can serve as a bridge between an existing DoD contracting vehicle and new counter-UAS capabilities being developed in the private sector.
    • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) unfiltered radar data feed, which is in the process of being linked with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site.
      • Once completed, it will use the feed to enhance efforts to detect, identify and track malicious UAS.
      • Between Project ULTRA and the FAA radar data, Grand Forks will be uniquely positioned to develop methods for protecting domestic U.S. military bases against potential UAS threats.
    • Efforts to bring a future intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission to Grand Forks Air Force Base.
      • As a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Hoeven is working to ensure the military has sufficient ISR capacity to support warfighters across the globe.
      • The senator is advancing both airborne and space-based missions as opportunities to expand ISR operations in Grand Forks.

    “The Grand Forks region offers capabilities and capacity, unlike anywhere else, to address emerging national defense concerns. That includes protecting against the malicious use of drones, as well as leveraging the Grand Forks Air Force base’s longstanding excellence in ISR and its newfound leadership in satellite operations to ensure we have adequate intelligence operations, whether in the air or space, to meet the needs of our military across the globe,” said Hoeven. “Having General Slife here in North Dakota presents a great opportunity to make the case for utilizing our state’s expertise in UAS. With Project ULTRA receiving a contract increase in the coming weeks and the unfiltered FAA radar data feed nearly ready to go, we have the pieces in place to meet these critical military needs.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Getting EV Supply Chains Right | World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    Despite slowing electric vehicle sales growth in the US and Europe, over 30 million new EVs are expected on the road in 2027. To scale production, manufacturers are racing to secure reliable and sustainable supply chains for critical components and materials.

    From batteries to critical minerals to skills, what strategies are manufacturers and policy-makers adopting to meet the increasing demand?

    This session is linked to the ongoing work of the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains, Centre for Energy and Materials, and Automotive Industry of the World Economic Forum.

    This session was developed in collaboration with Business Insider.

    Speakers: Pan Jian, Anindya Novyan Bakrie, Jamie Heller, Bonginkosi Emmanuel “Blade” Nzimande, Elizabeth Shuler, Jakob Stausholm

    The 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum will provide a crucial space to focus on the fundamental principles driving trust, including transparency, consistency and accountability.

    This Annual Meeting will welcome over 100 governments, all major international organizations, 1000 Forum’s Partners, as well as civil society leaders, experts, youth representatives, social entrepreneurs, and news outlets.

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/
    X ► https://twitter.com/wef
    LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum
    TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum
    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #Davos2025 #WorldEconomicForum #wef25

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4tgXhJlUrI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN environment agency calls for urgent action on ‘triple planetary crisis’

    Source: United Nations 2

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Climate and Environment

    The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) called on Tuesday for urgent action to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, warning that progress on all fronts remains slow and uneven.

    “Last year brought both successes and disappointments in global efforts to tackle the triple planetary crisis,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, introducing the agency’s latest Annual Report.

    She also pointed to ongoing geopolitical tensions that are hindering environmental cooperation.

    “Environmental multilateralism is sometimes messy and arduous. But even in complex geopolitical times, collaboration across borders and across our differences is the only option to protect the foundation of humanity’s existence – Planet Earth.”

    Ambitious climate targets vital

    UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2024 warned that countries must cut emissions by 42 per cent by 2030 to keep global warming within the 1.5°C target agreed in the landmark Paris Agreement.

    Without drastic action, temperatures could rise between 2.6°C and 3.1°C this century, climate models warn, with catastrophic consequences.

    UNEP is actively working with over 60 low and middle-income countries to accelerate their transition to electric vehicles, part of a larger push to cut emissions from the transport sector.

    UN scientists highlight the kind of national projects making a difference, including Antigua and Barbuda procuring fleets of electric buses, and Kenya introducing legislation for major investments in electric motorcycles and public transit.

    Ending plastic pollution

    Plastic pollution, one of the most pressing global environmental threats, is another major focus, as international efforts continue to negotiate a legally binding ban.

    In Busan last year, 29 out of 32 articles of a new global plastic treaty were agreed. However, negotiations are continuing on a final text.

    UNEP is calling on countries to bridge their differences before the next round of negotiations.

    “Nations must work towards agreeing on a strong instrument to end plastic pollution before the seventh UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in December,” Ms. Andersen said.

    A call for greater action

    The UNEP head called for bolder commitments, particularly as countries prepare to submit their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to limit global warming later in February.

    “Humanity is not out of the woods,” Ms. Andersen warned.

    “Temperatures are rising, ecosystems are disappearing, and pollution remains a deadly threat. These are global problems that require global solutions. The world must pull together to build a fairer, more sustainable planet.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Proposes Additional Tax Relief: Increase the Property Tax Credit and Expand Eligibility

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the fiscal year 2026/2027 biennial budget proposal he presented to the Connecticut General Assembly earlier this month includes a recommendation that the state’s property tax credit, which provides a credit to income tax filers for property tax payments made on eligible property, be increased to $350. Additionally, the governor is proposing to expand eligibility for the credit to include more income tax filers.

    In total, this change would benefit approximately 800,000 filers and result in $85 million in tax relief. Approximately $60.8 million of that amount (or 71.6%) will benefit filers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $100,000 per year, and all the relief will benefit filers with an AGI of $160,000 or less.

    Since taking office in 2019, Governor Lamont has enacted more than $840 million in permanent tax cuts. This includes $500 million in income tax cuts for middle-class filers that was enacted in 2023 and became the largest income tax cut made in Connecticut history; increases in the Earned Income Tax Credit that have essentially eliminated income taxes for low-income filers; the elimination of taxes on pensions and Social Security for most seniors; and the creation of a cap on motor vehicle property taxes.

    “During the last five years, our administration has consistently worked in bipartisan cooperation with the legislature to enact a series of permanent tax cuts to benefit taxpayers in Connecticut, and this year I am asking them to again work with us on additional tax relief measures,” Governor Lamont said. “Before I became governor, the property tax credit was limited only to seniors and those with dependents, and we changed that law a couple of years ago to remove those restrictions and expand the credit to all adults. This year I am asking the legislature to revisit the property tax credit another time so that we can expand its eligibility again and increase the available credits even further.”

    Under the governor’s proposal, single filers earning up to $70,000 and joint filers earning up to $100,000 would qualify for the full $350 credit, with a phase out-schedule for higher incomes.

    The following chart lists the current property tax credit and phase-out schedules compared to Governor Lamont’s proposed enhancements:


    Proposed Changes to Property Tax Phase-Out Schedule


    Married Filing Jointly

    Current AGI Up To

    Current Maximum Credit

    Proposed AGI Up To

    Proposed Maximum Credit

    $70,500

    $300

    $100,000

    $350

    $80,500

    $255

    $110,000

    $298

    $90,500

    $210

    $120,000

    $245

    $100,500

    $165

    $130,000

    $193

    $110,500

    $120

    $140,000

    $140

    $120,500

    $75

    $150,000

    $88

    $130,500

    $30

    $160,000

    $35


    Singles

    Current AGI Up To

    Current Maximum Credit

    Proposed AGI Up To

    Proposed Maximum Credit

    $49,500

    $300

    $70,000

    $350

    $59,500

    $255

    $80,000

    $298

    $69,500

    $210

    $90,000

    $245

    $79,500

    $165

    $100,000

    $193

    $89,500

    $120

    $110,000

    $140

    $99,500

    $75

    $120,000

    $88

    $109,500

    $30

    $130,000

    $35

     

    The fiscal year 2023 biennial budget that Governor Lamont signed in 2022 (Public Act 22-118) increased the property tax credit from its then amount of $200 to the current amount of $300. Additionally, it removed the restriction that limited availability of the tax credit only to individuals over the age of 65 or who claim dependents on their federal tax returns.

    Governor Lamont’s fiscal year 2026/2027 biennial budget proposal is currently under consideration by the legislature’s Appropriations Committee and Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee.,

    **Download: Town-by-town breakdown of total personal income tax savings under Governor Lamont’s proposal

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s quiet change to US position on Taiwan is all about the economy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chee Meng Tan, Assistant Professor of Business Economics, University of Nottingham

    The US state department has removed a highly symbolic phrase from its routine update on Taiwan. Its previous briefings said: “We do not support Taiwan independence.” This disappeared on February 13 2025.

    That’s not all. Donald Trump’s new government also stated on the same day that it advocated a peaceful and coercion free resolution to the Sino-Taiwan issue and opposes unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. These may seem like small tweaks to previous US positions, but they are sending a big signal to China.

    Beijing is concerned that the changes in the state department’s factsheet suggest that Trump’s government may be taking a stronger tack than was expected in being prepared to defend, or throw support behind, the island of Taiwan.

    The issue for China is that it sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, which it believes should return to Beijing’s orbit. Many Taiwanese see it as a separate state.

    China hasn’t ruled out the use of force to make Taiwan part of the republic and has even sent warplanes to defend the Taiwan Strait in the past week. China claims the waterway between the island and the mainland as its own, though this is disputed under the United Nations convention on the law of the sea.

    Beijing will be concerned that Washington’s updated wording on Taiwan might mean that the US is less likely to stand idly by if China invades the island than it might have expected. But what’s also interesting is why the US is warming up to Taiwan despite how aggrieved Trump has been by how Taiwan has “stolen” the semiconductor industry from the US.

    Trump’s eye on business

    Given Trump’s transactional, or business-first approach, towards politics, it is hardly surprising that Washington’s updated statement of support on Taiwan’s independence may be aimed towards enhancing US rather than Taiwanese interests.

    Many in Trump’s second cabinet such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz are China hawks who view Beijing as a national security threat and advocate a more aggressive stance towards China. One major US concern is China’s growing influence in Asia, which challenges US influence within the region.

    Trump announces more tariffs on China in his first weeks in office.

    While Washington still appears to tip its hat towards a one-China policy, its updated statement on Taiwanese independence suggests that the US might adopt an aggressive approach to any move by Beijing. The US’s watching brief on the China-Taiwan conflict will mean Beijing will have to think hard before taking any measures towards reclaiming the island right now.

    A weakened Beijing?

    China’s president, Xi Jinping, had hoped to win international hearts and minds through the Belt and Road Initiative, its global trade plan to build an international network of countries receiving Chinese investment. But as China’s own economy is weakened by a real estate crisis that started in 2021, the aim of showing Xi’s success through economic means is not working out as hoped.

    The other avenue for Xi to enhance his reputation as leader is to bring Taiwan back into the Chinese fold. Since the Chinese Communist party came to power in 1949, various Chinese leaders have made reunification with Taiwan a long-term goal. So, if Xi could return Taiwan to China, he could be hailed domestically as one of the greatest leaders the country has ever seen.

    If China’s plan to reunify with Taiwan was already a major challenge, Washington’s altered stance on Taiwan independence and overt opposition towards coercion or the use of force makes this task even more difficult for Beijing. This could weaken Xi’s image and undermine his rule further (and may of course be part of Trump’s agenda).

    Prepped for the negotiation table

    The US and China had spent years in trade negotiations before US tariffs were imposed on China during Trump’s first term, culminating in the phase one deal in January 2020. Trump has already announced an extra 10% of tariffs on Chinese goods in his first month in office.

    It is plausible that these statements on Taiwan are aimed at enhancing Washington’s bargaining power in the burgeoning China-US trade war.

    In 2016, Trump accused China of “raping” the US with unfair trade policies, and imposed tariffs of up to 25% on Chinese goods coming into the US. During his 2024 presidential campaign trail, Trump went as far as to suggests that tariffs on Chinese goods could go as high as 60%.

    Higher tariffs are bad news for China since the country relies heavily on exports for economic growth, especially on high tech “new three” products – electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar panels – to recover its ailing economy.

    However, if Beijing is forced to retreat from Taiwan, Xi might have to fall back heavily on the economy to maintain political legitimacy. When that happens, Beijing could be forced to offer concessions to the Americans, such as buying more US products, and to address how subsidies are used to aid Chinese firms to the detriment of US businesses in China.

    Overall, it’s likely that someone on Trump’s team has thought about all the implications of tweaking its Taiwan stance, and sees it as working out well for the US economy and, potentially, the Trump government overall. Taiwan is just a pawn in the game.

    Chee Meng Tan 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. Trump’s quiet change to US position on Taiwan is all about the economy – https://theconversation.com/trumps-quiet-change-to-us-position-on-taiwan-is-all-about-the-economy-250106

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 5 ways to improve security governance and prevent future illegal mining tragedies from happening

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Andrew Grant, Associate Professor of Political Studies, Queen’s University, Ontario

    After six months trapped underground, roughly 246 illegal miners were rescued at Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, in mid-January following a court order and intense public outcry.

    An estimated 2,000 miners had been trapped underground after police blocked food and water from families and supporters in an attempt to force them into surrendering for arrest. In total, 87 died, many from starvation or dehydration, according to civic groups. Some survivors reportedly resorted to eating cockroaches or the flesh of their deceased colleagues to survive.

    Illegal miners, known as “zama zamas” in South Africa, are people who enter mining sites without authorization to extract leftover gold and other minerals, often under dangerous and exploitative conditions.

    This incident highlights the current failures in security governance at abandoned mining sites. Rather than ensuring safety and protecting lives, the police response contributed to the scale of the tragedy.

    To prevent similar tragedies, security governance at abandoned or closed mining sites must be improved, and inclusive policies that address employment needs must be implemented.

    A dangerous occupation

    As more mining sites in South Africa and across the world reach the end of their life cycles, the number of mine closures will increase, along with the need for more effective security governance.

    The value of remaining minerals, combined with the dearth of alternatives to sustain livelihoods, has led some people to engage in illegal artisanal mining, despite the significant risks involved.

    While illegal mining provides financial support for households in impoverished regions, it also releases pollutants into the environment, disrupts and degrades water resources and supports criminal networks.

    South Africa is a prime example of these challenges. The country is home to an estimated 6,000 abandoned mines and 30,000 illegal miners. Security governance challenges are a major part of South Africa’s socioeconomic reality, and these challenges continue to grow despite government crackdowns in recent years.

    Current enforcement efforts are doing little to address the decades of poor post-mine closure management. South Africa’s Petroleum and Mineral Resources Development Act requires mining companies to rehabilitate sites after closure, although compliance is sporadic, leaving communities and ecosystems at risk.

    With limited job opportunities in the formal sectors of the economy, many young people aged 15 to 34 have turned to informal sectors, including illegal mining, due to its low entry barriers. Compounding the problem is the government’s failure to legally distinguish between illegal and informal mining.

    5 ways to improve security governance

    The Buffelsfontein incident is a grim reminder that security governance cannot rely solely on policing tactics. Addressing the worsening socioeconomic cycle of miners trapped in abandoned and uncontrolled mines will require governments, companies and local communities to build stronger relationships before crises arise.

    Solutions must recognize that zama zamas work with no safety equipment and face daily threats from criminal syndicates who control mining territories. We propose five solutions that, together, address the socioeconomic and governance challenges:

    1. The Petroleum and Mineral Resources Development Act should be amended so mining permits are only granted when firms provide a mine closure security plan. This plan must include physical barriers like fencing and sealed shafts, with local communities involved in security enforcement. Funding would come from an independent relinquishment fund via annual contributions over the active lifespan of the mine to an interest-earning annuity held by a local financial institution and monitored by government and civil society.

    2. Security efforts should combine private security firms with community-based approaches, including hiring local residents in monitoring roles. This approach will foster trust, create jobs, improve security governance and enhance environment, social and governance (ESG) investment ratings.

    3. Drawing from successful models in other countries like Chile, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles and artificial intelligence monitoring methods can help monitor and secure high-risk areas. When used ethically, such technologies can reduce unauthorized mining activities.

    4. With unemployment in South African mining regions exceeding 40 per cent, governments and the private sector must focus on renewable energy, agriculture and entrepreneurship as economic alternatives for mining communities. Germany’s Emscher Park Project, for instance, has transformed coal mining regions into renewable energy hubs that create jobs and revitalize local economies. South Africa can also repurpose abandoned mining sites for such initiatives.

    5. As South Africa turns its attention to critical minerals, it has an opportunity to expand its green bonds to include funding for post-closure financial recovery for mining communities. These funds could finance infrastructure projects, vocational training and education so mining communities can transition successfully to other economic sectors.

    Lessons for Canada

    Canada is no stranger to the challenges of managing mines after closure. Across the Yukon, Northwest Territories and northern parts of several provinces, tailing pond failures have led to environmental pollution during the post-closure phase of the mining cycle.

    Investing in post-closure mine rehabilitation can prevent future harms to the environment, as well as enhance the human security of local communities. Green investors and sustainable finance funds like those informed by the Institute for Sustainable Finance must take a more active role in funding these efforts.

    The Buffelsfontein tragedy should serve as a wake-up call: security governance must evolve from punitive enforcement to proactive protection. Providing alternative livelihoods to illegal mining weakens criminal networks, removes dangerous working conditions, reduces environmental harms and saves lives.

    Though Canada is considered a mining superpower, it could learn valuable lessons from South Africa’s experience. Adopting our suggested solutions could help Canada address its own abandoned mine risks and ensure a more sustainable future for its mining communities.

    Andrew Grant has received grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

    Benjamin Ofosu-Atuahene has received funding in the form of an Ontario Graduate Scholarship.

    Olusola Ogunnubi has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. 5 ways to improve security governance and prevent future illegal mining tragedies from happening – https://theconversation.com/5-ways-to-improve-security-governance-and-prevent-future-illegal-mining-tragedies-from-happening-248741

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Trial Jury Convicts New Orleans Woman of Two 2022 Robberies of Igor’s Lounge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA- Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson announced that on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, DEBORAH COOPER (“COOPER”), 54, of New Orleans, was found guilty of all charges following a jury trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo.

    The jury found COOPER guilty of all seven counts against her.  Count 1 charged COOPER with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a).  Counts 2 and 4 charged COOPER with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2.  Counts 3 and 5 charged COOPER with using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and 2.  Count 6 charged COOPER with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).  Count 7 charged COOPER with tampering with proceedings, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1).

    According to court documents, COOPER, and an unknown person, robbed Igor’s Lounge, located on St. Charles Avenue, in New Orleans in February and March of 2022.  During the February robbery, COOPER, and the unknown person, held an Igor’s bartender at gunpoint and demanded she open the register and poker drawer.  The robbers then forced the bartender to the rear of the bar, and ordered her, at gunpoint, to lie on the floor while they fled. The robbers stole over twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.00) in U.S. currency.  Similarly, during the March robbery, COOPER and the unknown person, retuned to Igor’s and robbed another bartender at gunpoint.  This time , they stole over seven thousand dollars ($7,000.00) in U.S. currency. The New Orleans Police Department investigated the robberies and obtained surveillance footage showing the robbers parking COOPER’s Ram pickup truck near Igor’s on the day of the February robbery. NOPD then obtained a search warrant for COOPER’s residence and located various items of clothing worn by COOPER during the robberies, twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.00) in U.S. currency, and a Smith and Wesson firearm, that COOPER attempted to hide, during this search.  The NOPD also located blue latex gloves in COOPER’s Ram truck, similar to the blue latex gloves worn by the robbers during the March robbery.

    U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo will sentence COOPER on May 7, 2025.  COOPER faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years imprisonment up to a maximum term of life imprisonment as a result of being convicted of two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing of a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime.  This sentence will run consecutive to the sentences imposed by the Court for the remaining counts for which COOPER was convicted. As it relates to her convictions for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and Tampering with Proceedings, COOPER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  For the felon in possession of a firearm conviction, COOPER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  COOPER also faces a term of supervised release of up to 5 years after completing her term of imprisonment.  At sentencing, the Court will also impose a mandatory special assessment fee of $700.00.  Additionally, the Court may impose fines and restitution.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany Reed and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: RCMP Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams Continue to Deliver Safer Communities

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on February 18, 2025

    Provincially funded RCMP Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams (SERTs) continue to deliver significant results in preventing and addressing crime in Saskatchewan. From July to December 2024, RCMP SERT executed 385 arrest warrants, seized over 11.4 kilograms of illicit drugs, 144 firearms and more than $286,000 in cash from Saskatchewan communities.

    “Our partnership with the RCMP plays an important role in reducing crime across Saskatchewan and promoting community safety,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said. “These teams tackle a wide range of critical issues and we are proud of their accomplishments. The province will continue to work collaboratively with our policing partners to ensure the continued safety and security of Saskatchewan residents.”

    SERT includes the Crime Reduction Teams (CRTs), Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Team (WEST), and the Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team (STRT), each tackling critical areas of enforcement across the province.

    “These investigational successes demonstrate how SERT and local RCMP detachments work together as the provincial police force to enhance community safety across Saskatchewan,” Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore said. “As a highly skilled and specialized unit, SERT’s intelligence-led, enforcement-based policing initiatives continue to combat dangerous crime and violent gang activity in the province. We will continue to help make Saskatchewan a safer place for all those who call it home.”

    RCMP STRT is a specialized, intelligence-led enforcement team that investigates weapons, drug and human trafficking cases. From July through December 2024, the STRT opened 17 human trafficking files, executed 37 search warrants and made 31 arrests, seizing over 651,000 packs of tobacco and more than 900 grams of cocaine and laying 81 charges.

    In July 2024, a Saskatchewan Highway Patrol (SHP) Officer conducted an inspection of a semi and trailer near Swift Current and determined the semi’s documentation was inconsistent. As a result of the investigation, the officer located approximately 30 pallets of unstamped tobacco in the trailer. Working collaboratively, RCMP STRT took carriage of the investigation with assistance of the Swift Current Rural RCMP detachment. STRT determined the truck was carrying about 8.75 million unstamped cigarettes, which SHP indicated was one of the largest tobacco seizures in their history. 

    RCMP CRT responds to crime surges in rural areas, targeting prolific offenders and street gangs in Saskatchewan. From July through December 2024, the CRT executed 288 arrest warrants, laid over 400 charges, seized more than 8.6 kg of illicit drugs and made 352 arrests.

    In October 2024, North Battleford RCMP CRT- Gang Task Force executed search warrants at two residences as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. At the residences, officers located and seized a loaded handgun, a rifle, approximately 81 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 58 grams of crack cocaine, ammunition, a sum of cash and drug trafficking paraphernalia. Continued investigation led officers to arrest three individuals and charge two with possession for the purpose of trafficking, among other charges.

    RCMP WEST targets high-profile offenders who are a significant threat to public safety, such as gang members and violent offenders with outstanding warrants. The RCMP operates one WEST team out of Saskatoon and Meadow Lake and another out of Prince Albert. From July through December 2024, WEST executed 97 arrest warrants and made 82 arrests.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged serial arsonist faces federal charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old McAllen resident has been charged with arson and possession of a destructive device, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Daniel Eduardo Rivera is expected to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 9:00 a.m.

    According to the criminal complaint, Rivera has allegedly been targeting an individual since 2022 by setting multiple fires to the victim’s residence and vehicles.

    The charges allege that in November 2022 at approximately 2:03 a.m., fire department officials responded to the victim’s residence due to a fire coming from a storage shed. They extinguished it, but authorities later determined it to be incendiary in nature, according to the complaint.  

    At approximately 1:10 p.m. that same day, the fire department was allegedly dispatched to the victim’s house for a second time where they discovered the  porch to be fully engulfed with fire seeping into the home. The charges allege they were again able to extinguish it but not before it had caused significant damage to the home. They also found a Molotov cocktail at the scene, according to the complaint.  

    According to the victim, Rivera had allegedly confronted him and threatened to kill his family at night and burn the victim’s house down.

    The complaint further alleges that in May 2024, fire officials responded to a vehicle fire in McAllen. It has already been extinguished, but authorities allegedly determined another Molotov cocktail was used in an attempt to set the car ablaze. The investigation links Rivera to that incident, according to the charges.

    If convicted, Rivera faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the arson and a maximum of 10 for possession of a destructive device.  

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives is conducting the investigation with the assistance of the McAllen Fire Marshal’s Office, Fire and Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Devin V. Walker are prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prince Albert — Prince Albert RCMP respond to armed robbery of a vehicle

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On February 6, 2025 at approximately 9:56 p.m., Prince Albert RCMP received a report of an armed robbery near a business on Highway 2 and 264 in the Elk Ridge area.

    Investigation determined a female approached a vehicle, threatened the driver and directed them to drive to a specified location.

    The incident was reported to Prince Albert RCMP and officers located the vehicle at a business in Northside, SK and arrested the suspect at the scene. The driver did not report physical injuries to police.

    As a result of continued investigation, Saskatchewan RCMP arrested 20-year-old Jade Grieves.

    Jade Grieves from Nipawin is charged with:

    • one count, robbery – with other offensive weapon, Section 344(1)(b), Criminal Code;
    • three counts, fail to comply with a probation order, Section 733.1(1), Criminal Code.

    Jade Grieves appeared in Prince Albert Provincial Court on February 7 and February 10, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Swift Current  — Saskatchewan RCMP seize cocaine, charge female in Swift Current

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    An adult female is facing a drug trafficking charge after Saskatchewan RCMP executed a search warrant and seized cocaine in Swift Current, SK.

    On February 12, 2025, officers with Saskatchewan RCMP’s Swift Current Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team (STRT), Swift Current Municipal and Rural Detachments, and Police Dog Services (PDS) executed a search warrant at a residence on the 1100 block of Winnie Street East as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.

    An adult female was arrested at the residence. RCMP officers located and arrested two adult females in a vehicle at a business on 6th Avenue Northeast and South Service Road.

    While searching the residence and vehicle, officers located and seized approximately 109 grams of powder cocaine, a small amount of methamphetamine and other evidence of drug trafficking.

    As a result of investigation, 31-year-old Lacey Mandel of Swift Current, SK is charged with one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

    The two other females were released without charges.

    Lacey Mandel will make her first appearance in Swift Current Provincial Court on March 12, 2024.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Q4 2024 Auto and Property Insurance Shopping Increased 20% Compared to Q4 2023

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Feb. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Both auto and property insurance shopping saw 20% year-over-year increases in Q4 2024, according to TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) research. However, profitability for auto and property insurance was uneven.

    While auto insurance has come close to achieving rate adequacy, the property insurance market has been constrained due to limited rate increases and losses from natural disasters, like hurricanes Helene and Milton. What’s more, 2025 is already off to a bad start with wildfires in southern California posing significant losses for insurers.

    Both auto and property insurance shopping were driven primarily by consumers’ continued search for lower rates. These findings and more are included in TransUnion’s latest quarterly Insurance Personal Lines Trends and Perspectives Report.

    “The current market provides great potential for acquisition,” said Patrick Foy, senior director of strategic planning for TransUnion’s Insurance business. “The best moves insurers can make to procure high quality prospects is to use data segmentation enabling them to market to the best potential customers.”

    Traffic court data proves indispensable
    Driving record information is one of the most predictive variables for assessing an individual across the policy lifecycle. Legacy approaches, like referencing state motor vehicle records (MVRs), can have gaps and limitations—and are expensive to obtain.

    However, traffic court records cost significantly less to access, and they provide a more comprehensive picture of a driver’s past violations. For example, TransUnion’s latest report estimates that 11% of drivers have a ratable violation that can be identified by traffic court records but remain absent from MVRs.

    Insurers who access traffic court data through solutions like TransUnion’s TruVision™ Driving History solutions suite, can improve the quality of leads and increase customer lifetime value. These solutions can be deployed at any time across the policy lifecycle.

    In addition, understanding generational preferences can help insurers be effective across channels. While younger shoppers prefer a seamless digital experience, Baby Boomers still prefer the phone channel for discussing policy details. TruAudience® suite of marketing solutions can help insurers with identity resolution, audience building and measurement.

    Read the latest Insurance Personal Lines Trends and Perspectives Report.

    About TransUnion’s Insurance Personal Lines Trends and Perspectives Report
    This quarterly publication examines trends in the personal lines insurance industry, including shopping, migration, violation, credit-based insurance stability and more. The Trends and Perspectives Report research is based almost entirely on TransUnion’s extensive internal data and analyses. It includes information on insurance shopping transactions from July 2023 to December 2024. However, the report excludes shopping data from insurance customers in California, Hawaii (auto), Massachusetts (auto), and Maryland (property), where credit-based insurance scoring information is not used for insurance rating or underwriting.

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NextNRG Inc. Announces Fleet Fueling Agreement with Florida Beauty, a Division of Mogul Energy International, Inc., Supporting High-Demand Floral Logistics

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, Feb. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NextNRG Inc. (“NextNRG” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: NXXT), a pioneer in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applications for energy solutions, today announced its fueling-division EzFill, has entered into a fleet fueling agreement with Florida Beauty, a division of Mogul Energy International, Inc. (OTCMARKETS: MGUY), a publicly traded company specializing in refrigerated logistics and the transportation of time- and temperature-sensitive cargo.

    This strategic collaboration highlights NextNRG’s focus on rapidly expanding its commercial fleet fueling services while providing additional shareholder value for both companies through operational synergies and innovative solutions. Under the agreement, NextNRG will deliver mobile fueling solutions to Florida Beauty’s fleet of over 200 semi-trucks and 300 refrigerated trailers.

    Florida Beauty is one of the nation’s largest floral logistics companies and plays a key role in the transportation of fresh-cut flowers and other perishable goods across the country. During peak season times, Florida Beauty anticipates more than 1,000 loads leaving its facilities in Miami, FL and Ventura CA to support flower distribution.

    As a high-volume carrier, Florida Beauty relies on efficient fueling logistics to maintain supply efficiency during high demand periods like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, when supply chain reliability is critical.

    With floral imports exceeding 1.1 billion stems annually, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a consistent fuel supply is essential for minimizing downtime and ensuring timely deliveries. Miami International Airport handles nearly 90% of the nation’s fresh-cut flower imports during peak seasons, making it a critical hub for floral logistics. NextNRG’s fleet fueling services help companies like Florida Beauty operate efficiently, reducing disruptions and optimizing delivery operations.

    “As one of the nation’s largest transporters of fresh-cut flowers arriving from South America to Miami, and with over 40 years of experience in nationwide floral logistics, we take great pride in streamlining our operations,” said Ronen Koubi, CEO of Mogul Energy International, Inc. “Florida Beauty spends approximately $12 million annually refueling its massive fleet. With NextNRG, we can significantly improve efficiency by having fuel delivered directly to us, saving time and labor costs while reducing operational disruptions. Additionally, we look forward to continuing discussions with NextNRG about the electrification of our fleet and the deployment of a smart microgrid and wireless charging solutions at our headquarters.”

    “This Agreement with Florida Beauty reflects the value of combining innovative fueling solutions with the needs of high-volume logistics providers,” said, Michael D. Farkas CEO and Executive Chairman of NextNRG. “By working together, we will help Florida Beauty maximize operational efficiency while reinforcing our commitment to delivering tailored solutions for industries where uptime and reliability are essential. This agreement brings significant value to both organizations, strengthening shareholder confidence and positioning NextNRG as the go-to fueling solution for fleet operators in perishable goods logistics.”

    About NextNRG, Inc. (f/k/a EzFill Holdings, Inc.)

    NextNRG Holding Corp. (NextNRG) and EzFill have merged to form a combined entity focused on renewable energy, mobile fueling, and next-generation energy infrastructure. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, NextNRG is developing an integrated ecosystem that combines solar energy generation, battery storage, wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging, and on-demand fuel delivery.

    At the core of NextNRG’s strategy is the deployment of NextNRG Smart Microgrids, which utilize AI-driven energy management alongside solar power and battery storage to enhance energy efficiency, reduce costs, and improve grid resiliency. These microgrids are designed to serve commercial properties, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, parking garages, rural and tribal lands, recreational facilities, and government properties, expanding energy accessibility while supporting decarbonization initiatives.

    Following the merger with EzFill, NextNRG is integrating sustainable energy solutions into mobile fueling operations. The company will provide renewable energy to its fueling partners, supporting more efficient fuel delivery while advancing clean energy adoption. It continues to expand its growing fleet of fuel delivery trucks and national footprint, including the acquisition of Yoshi Mobility’s fuel division, further solidifying its position as a leader in the on-demand fueling industry.

    By combining renewable energy innovation with mobile fueling expertise, NextNRG is building a sustainable energy ecosystem that bridges traditional fuel needs with AI-powered clean energy solutions.

    The combined entity, NextNRG, trades under the symbol NXXT on the Nasdaq Capital Market. To find out more visit NextNRG.com.

    About Mogul Energy International, Inc.

    Mogul Energy International, Inc. (OTCMARKETS: MGUY), operating under the Florida Beauty brand, provides transportation, logistics, and warehouse consolidation and distribution services for perishable and other time- and temperature-sensitive cargo. With over 40 years of experience, Mogul Energy specializes in refrigerated long-haul, regional, and dedicated deliveries for industries such as floral, produce, plants, dairy, poultry, and meats, as well as dry, high-value commodities. Operating one of the largest floral transportation fleets in the U.S., Mogul Energy plays a vital role in the timely and efficient delivery of perishable goods.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time, we or our representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future performance, including: our financial performance and projections; our growth in revenue and earnings; and our business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “hopes,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “hopes” or the negative of these or similar terms. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those related to trade disputes, regulatory changes, or disruptions in the supply chain that could impact the floral logistics sector.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Jeff Ramson, CEO
    PCG Advisory, Inc. 
    jramson@pcgadvisory.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Romanian Police Serve Dozens of Warrants Following Parallel Investigation with the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    Romanian law enforcement officials conducted dozens of warrants this week in the Romanian counties of Brasov and Mures, following a parallel investigation with the FBI.

    The search warrants targeted locations suspected to have ties to an organized crime group engaged in ATM skimming in the United States and money laundering.

    During the operation, Romanian officials also detained several individuals for questioning and seized large amounts of cash, several vehicles, as well as skimming devices and associated instruments.

    “This group profited handsomely by targeting vulnerable EBT recipients who rely on funds to support their families and callously deprived victims of their basic needs,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “This investigation is yet another example of FBI Agents working closely with our foreign partners to identify, disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal enterprises who enter the United States illegally for the sole purpose of conducting criminal activity.”

    Today’s operation is the culmination of a two-year investigation conducted by the FBI and Romanian authorities to dismantle the command and control of the Dorneanu Organized Crime Group: a transnational criminal organization whose members conduct ATM skimming operations in the United States and then launder the profits back to Romania.

    “These individuals targeted and stole from our community’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Working together with our local, federal, and international partners, we can and will continue to root out and punish transnational criminal organizations and protect the less fortunate and American taxpayers.”

    The subjects targeted in this investigation worked directly for, or were associated with, Mihai Dorneanu—the alleged leader of the Dorneanu Organized Crime Group. Five members of this organization were arrested by the FBI and convicted in the Central District of California with violations including conspiracy, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and visa fraud. Four others were arrested for state violations by local authorities in Ventura and San Bernardino Counties. As a result of ongoing efforts in this case to disrupt ATM skimmers in Southern California, law enforcement recovered over 8,500 stolen credit card numbers belonging to victims in the United States.

    The five federal defendants include the following:

    • Marius Oprea was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Press Release
    • Dan Eugen Boar was sentenced to four years in federal prison.
    • Radu-Marian Moldovan was sentenced to time served in federal prison.
    • Attila Ravasz was sentenced to one year and three months in federal prison.
    • Andrei-Raul Cirilescu was sentenced to two years and four months in federal prison.

    A statement announcing the operation was also issued by Romanian authorities (translation available upon visiting page).

    The domestic investigation was conducted jointly by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office; the San Bernardino County Human Services Fraud Investigation Unit; the Diplomatic Security Service; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The federal defendants were prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.

    The FBI’s foreign partners include the Brașov Brigade for Combatting Organized Crime; prosecutors with the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism—Brașov Territorial Service; and Europol.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cochrane — Cochrane RCMP arrest and charge two prolific offenders

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    During Dec. of 2024, the Cochrane RCMP Crime Reduction Unit with assistance from the Southern Alberta General Investigation Section, monitored the release of two prolific offenders. Within just a few days after release, both offenders committed an Armed Robbery and stole a motor vehicle. RCMP soon located one offender in a stolen vehicle on Stoney Nakoda who then dangerously fled from Police. Police tracked the offender to a residence in Calgary and with assistance from Calgary Police Service, the offender was successfully arrested without incident.

    Later in the same month, Canmore RCMP responded to a break and enter where the second offender fled from police in a stolen vehicle. The police later located the offender on foot but he fled. The offender deployed bear spray at the officer but with assistance from the RCMP Police Dog Services, the offender was quickly apprehended. The officer was not injured.

    As a result of the investigation, the RCMP recovered a stolen shotgun and four stolen vehicles. The two offenders were charged with a combined total of 27 Criminal Code offences.

    A 26-year-old individual, a resident of Stoney Nakoda First Nation, was charged with:

    • Robbery with a Firearm;
    • Flight from Police;
    • Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle;
    • Theft of a Motor Vehicle;
    • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5000;
    • Three counts of Uttering Threats; and
    • Five Counts of Failing to Comply with a Probation Order.

    A 28-year-old individual, a resident of Stoney Nakoda First Nation, was charged with:

    • Robbery with a Firearm;
    • Pointing a Firearm;
    • Flight from Police;
    • Assault with a Weapon;
    • Assault on a Police Officer;
    • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5000;
    • Theft of a Motor Vehicle;
    • Three counts of Uttering Threats
    • Two counts of Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm; and
    • Two counts of Possession of a Firearm Contrary to an Order.

    Inspector Dave Brunner of the Cochrane RCMP said “We not only patrol the streets, but also patrol the patterns. We are here to identify, monitor, arrest and break the cycle of prolific offenders.” Both offenders have been remanded into custody and await court appearances.

    If you have any information regarding a crime, please contact Cochrane RCMP at 403-851-8000 or your area of jurisdiction. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Airdrie — Airdrie RCMP successful in crime reduction operation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Between the dates of Oct. 1, 2024 and Oct. 11, 2024, the Airdrie RCMP Crime Reduction Unit, with the assistance of the Airdrie General Investigations Section and Special Investigations Units, conducted an enhanced crime reduction operation. Strategies included targeting high crime hot spots, as well as individuals remaining on outstanding arrest warrants in the city of Airdrie and Rocky View County.

    As a result of this proactive operation, the following actions were completed:

    • 30 warrants were executed
    • 39 criminal code charges laid
    • 6 firearms and 1 military ordinance were seized
    • 2 stolen vehicles were recovered
    • 4 oz of a controlled substance, Cocaine, was seized

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Elk Point — Alberta RCMP arrest repeat offender in possession of stolen vehicle and firearms

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Jan. 8, 2025, units from the Alberta RCMP were attempting to locate a suspect wanted for a series of serious charges out of Cold Lake, Alta. when they located him at a rural residence near Elk Point, Alta. Prior to RCMP intervention, the suspect and two other individuals were observed departing in a motor vehicle. Several units, including the Alberta RCMP Emergency Response Team, monitored the suspect unit his vehicle was safely disabled.

    Checks on the vehicle the suspect was operating revealed that it was stolen. A search of the vehicle revealed several firearms recently stolen out of Vermillion, Alta. Additionally, a second stolen vehicle and two stolen trailers were located at the property that the suspect was observed leaving.

    RCMP have charged a 41-year-old individual, a resident of Cold Lake, with:

    • Flight from police;
    • Possession of firearm in motor vehicle (x6);
    • Unauthorized possession of a firearm;
    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000.

    The 41-year-old individual was taken before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody with his next court date set for Jan. 21, 2025, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Bonnyville, Alta.

    RCMP have charged a 33-year-old individual, a resident of MD of Bonnyville, with:

    • Possession of firearm in motor vehicle (x6);
    • Unauthorized possession of a firearm;
    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000;
    • Fail to comply with release conditions (x4);
    • Possession of a firearm contrary to order (x3).

    The 33-year-old individual was taken before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody with his next court date set for Jan. 13, 2025, at the Albert Court of Justice in Lac la Biche, Alta.

    A youth was also charged with multiple offences and released for a future court date.

    “This complex investigation saw the close coordination of multiple RCMP Units in Eastern Alberta including Bonnyville, Elk Point, Cold Lake, and our District GIS and Crime Reduction Teams. “says Sarah Parke Detachment Commander Bonnyville RCMP,” Ultimately with the close coordination of these Units our Emergency Response Team was able to safety disable the vehicle driven by this potentially dangerous suspect minimizing his risk to the public.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Calgary — Alberta RCMP and provincial partners track down top offenders

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    As part of a new RCMP-led data sharing initiative, Alberta RCMP, Calgary Police Service, and Alberta Sheriffs worked together in a Joint Forces Operation (JFO), targeting the top priority offenders in the province, through a warrant roundup.

    The decisions to implement the initiative came following the recognition by Alberta RCMP that all law enforcement agencies in Alberta were ranking priority offenders in different ways. Understanding that criminals operate in various jurisdictions, it was determined that a province wide-model to identify and prioritize offenders was required.

    Through the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police, all police forces in Alberta have entered into an information sharing agreement that will allow for intelligence and statistical data to be routinely shared. This sharing enables police agencies in Alberta to have a true understanding of the priority offenders that are causing the most harm, not only within individual policing jurisdictions, but across the province. This shared data allows police agencies to properly prioritize and take enforcement action on the most harmful offenders, ensuring the safety of all Albertans.

    Alberta RCMP ranks the tens of thousands of unique offenders in Alberta based on the harm they cause in individual communities. To determine the harm caused by these individuals, the Alberta RCMP Strategic Analysis and Research Unit developed a matrix to determine which offenders were causing the most harm in Alberta. This determination is done using the uniform Crime Severity Index scoring that is typically applied to communities by Statistics Canada and applying it to individual’s offenders.

    Alberta RCMP, with the assistance of Calgary Police Service Business Analytics, Intelligence & Reporting Section, and policing partners across the province, are now able to collect, translate, and disseminate the offender data of all police agencies in the province to form a clear province-wide priority offender list.

    From Nov. 17 to Nov. 30, 2024, the Joint Forces warrant apprehension team hit the streets of Calgary and Southern Alberta, which resulted in the following:

    • 88 arrests
    • 177 warrants executed; 44 for Provincial offences and 133 For Criminal Code offences, representing a total of 306 charges.

    RCMP Province wide executed 1005 warrants associated to 948 different offenders. The individuals arrested during the JFO had warrants from all types of crime, ranging from repeat petty thefts, to arsons, drug trafficking, robbery, and sexual offenses.

    To highlight some of the offenders who were arrested:

    • A 55-year-old male resident of Calgary, who had four warrants for his arrest with over 42 charges associated mostly related to property crime, was arrested. In the previous 18 months he has been linked to a number of offences such as robbery, drug possession and theft of motor vehicle.
    • A 42-year-old male resident of Airdrie, who had seven warrants for his arrest with a total of 27 charges for property crime and fail to comply with court ordered conditions, was arrested. In the previous 18 months he has been associated to files related to sexual interference, sexual assault, and a variety of property crime and drug trafficking offences.
    • A 34-year-old male resident of Calgary, who had five warrants for his arrest with a total of 32 charges for failing to comply with court orders, was arrested. He has a history of being involved in trafficking drugs, assault with a weapon, as well as a variety of property crime offences.
    • A 28-year-old female resident of Cold Lake had one warrant for her arrest for driving offences. She has had 50 interactions with police in the past 18 months, including for robbery, assault with a weapon, drug trafficking and firearms possession investigations.

    “Law Enforcement needs to work together to ensure that jurisdictional borders do not impede our ability to catch the criminals causing the most harm across Alberta,” said Supt. Mike McCauley of the Alberta RCMP. “A small percentage of criminals cause a significant amount of harm across the province, and by using data to drive our work like we do in operations like these, the impact is incredible. “

    “Thanks to strong interagency collaboration and information sharing, there are now fewer dangerous offenders on Alberta’s streets and in our communities,” said Supt. Mike Letourneau of the Alberta Sheriffs. “The Alberta Sheriffs are proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners as we pursue our shared objective of keeping Albertans safe.”

    “We are committed to working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners across the province to keep Calgarians safe,” says Superintendent Jeff Bell of the CPS Criminal Operations & Intelligence Division. “Apprehending offenders that have committed crimes across our province is a critical step in maintaining public safety and preventing further victimization. We are proud to have been a partner in this important initiative.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Oscar-nominated screenwriters attempt to craft authentic dialogue, dialects and accents

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris C. Palmer, Professor of English, Kennesaw State University

    Editors deployed AI to make the Hungarian dialogue in ‘The Brutalist’ sound more authentic. A24/TNS

    The 2025 slate of Oscar nominees recognizes many writers, directors and actors whose scripts and performances don’t necessarily reflect their own cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

    Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley, both white, co-wrote “Sing Sing,” a story about rehabilitation through art in a maximum security prison where the characters are almost entirely people of color.

    Meg LeFauve has now earned her second nomination for penning a script that gives voice the gamut of emotions surging through a young girl in “Inside Out 2.” She’s in her 50s.

    The director of “Conclave,” Edward Berger, its writer, Peter Straughan, and its lead actor, Ralph Fiennes, are all self-proclaimed lapsed Catholics. Yet they brought to life a political thriller set in the Vatican.

    “The Brutalist” was written entirely in English, but much of the film’s dialogue is in Hungarian, with two leads who are not native Hungarian speakers.

    Most screenwriters endeavor to craft characters outside their own backgrounds and experiences. But concerns about authentic language representation and cultural accuracy persist, and accusations of cultural appropriation and lazy research are commonplace.

    “Emilia Pérez,” for example, has been heavily criticized not only for unrealistic portrayals of gender transition but also for inauthentic depictions of Mexican culture and accents.

    The film’s director, Jacques Audiard, has even claimed his lack of knowledge of Spanish has been an artistic benefit. He says it gives him “a quality of detachment” to emphasize “emotion” rather than “focus too strongly on the accent, the punctuation.”

    His lack of interest in precise depictions of language and culture contrasts sharply with our recent research, which shows ample interest from practicing screenwriters in accurately representing dialects and accents in scripts.

    Wanting to get it right

    We surveyed over 50 current members of the Writers Guild of America, and they broadly told us that sensitivity to linguistic representation has increased since the 2010s.

    Several commented that there’s been more commitment to hiring writers who represent the characters’ voices and backgrounds. There’s also more “freedom to include diverse characters and worlds… but a commensurate emphasis on authenticity and a higher bar for what that means,” as one writer explained.

    “Authenticity” was consistently cited in our survey as a principal consideration when writing dialogue. Other concerns included scripts’ intelligibility, historical accuracy and believability.

    In most cases, screenwriters aspire to write dialogue that sounds authentic. But it’s not easy – and often requires collaboration to get it right. Writers noted how they’ll adjust their dialogue based on production needs, such as budgetary concerns, input from actors and directors, and feedback from dialect coaches and historical consultants.

    For example, spec scripts – or noncommissioned film scripts – are written before any casting or production decisions are made. The dialogue in these scripts will likely change once actors and other creatives are attached to the project.

    Recipes for capturing linguistic nuance

    In our study, we also reviewed screenwriting manuals published as far back as 1946.

    Manuals didn’t begin to raise explicit ethical concerns, such as the use of inaccurate linguistic stereotypes in dialogue, until the 1980s. For example, many older films, such as “Gone with the Wind,” often used phonetic spelling in their scripts, with features such as g-dropping – “quittin’” for “quitting” – to mark only the speech of lower-class or racially marginalized characters, despite the fact that all people, regardless of background, have accents.

    Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn and Tim Robbins look over a script on the set of the death row drama ‘Dead Man Walking,’ which was set in Louisiana.
    Demmie Todd/Fotos International via Getty Images

    Writing in heavy phonetics is generally discouraged in modern screenwriting.

    There are practical reasons for this. Scripts are read before they’re seen and therefore must first appeal to the not so general audience of executives who buy them. As one writer explained, “My script is targeted towards them.”

    Take “Trainspotting.” Irvine Welsh’s 1993 novel about a group of heroin addicts in Edinburgh was written with heavy phonetics to capture the characters’ Scottish dialect: “ah wouldnae git tae watch it.” But the screenplay uses lines without phonetics, such as, “I wouldn’t have bothered.”

    In this respect, there’s a notable difference in novels and their respective adaptations. One surveyed writer avoids dialectal markers and will “default to standard American English unless there is a reason not to.”

    That doesn’t mean the actors in “Trainspotting” should speak in an American English accent. Instead, screenwriters might simply indicate the use of language and dialect when describing the scene in a script or, as one surveyed screenwriter explained, “make a note in the parenthetical that ‘Brynn speaks with a heavy West Virginia accent’” to flag the work that “the actor, dialogue coach, and writer will need to do together.”

    This method is employed in “The Brutalist.” The film is partly in Hungarian, but writer and director Brady Corbet and his Norwegian co-writer, Mona Fastvold, wrote the Hungarian dialogue in standard English. They then used parentheticals to indicate any non-English delivery of dialogue. The film’s stars, Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones, worked with a dialect coach to hone their accents.

    “Anora,” which tells the story of an exotic dancer in a whirlwind romance, features characters who speak Russian, Armenian and English with varying degrees of fluency. Even though the characters frequently switch between these languages, the entire script is in unbroken English. Code-switching is simply marked with “Russian,” “Armenian” or “English” in the script before a piece of dialogue.

    ‘Anora’ featured characters who switched between Russian, Armenian and English.

    But limiting oneself to standard U.S. English restricts diversity in the written dialogue itself. Some writers may want to use dialect or language to convey character authenticity on the page.

    Our survey respondents described this as “flavor” – the strategic use of dialectal words or phrases to create distinct voices, with limited phonetics. Jesse Eisenberg, in his Oscar-nominated script “A Real Pain,” lightly blends American English with occasional Yiddish words to great effect: “… landed in Galveston for some fakakta reason,” or “crazy” reason.

    AI chimes in

    Attempts at authenticity can become muddied when AI gets involved.

    When making “The Brutalist,” Corbet controversially used AI technology to refine the movie’s Hungarian dialogue.

    Some questioned the film’s authenticity due to the use of AI, arguing that nothing can be authentic if it’s achieved artificially.

    But the film’s creators, including editor and native Hungarian speaker Dávid Jancsó, defended this choice. They argued the technology actually enhanced the language’s authenticity, particularly since Hungarian’s system of vowels and consonants is especially hard for nonnative speakers to capture accurately.

    Whether writers use phonetics or standard language, and whether producers use AI or dialect coaches, questions of ethics and linguistic authenticity will remain. It’s important to research language choices and dialogue, and to consult the diverse speakers portrayed in scripts.

    These are among the many essential checks and balances that are becoming bigger parts of the filmmaking process.

    Mitchell Olson is affiliated with Carter Stanton, Creative Executive at Brookstreet Pictures, which was a co-producer of “The Brutalist.” He’s also an acquaintance of Meg LeFauve. He has no stake in the performance of their work outside of having professional relationships.

    Chris C. Palmer 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. How Oscar-nominated screenwriters attempt to craft authentic dialogue, dialects and accents – https://theconversation.com/how-oscar-nominated-screenwriters-attempt-to-craft-authentic-dialogue-dialects-and-accents-247658

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES GROUP PLC – 17 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    		 17 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: 9,324,006 1.1765    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 9,324,006 1.1765    

    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 85,700 99.152p
    0.375p ORDINARY SALE 45,000 99.153p

    (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: 18 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: Form 8.3 – [THRUVISION GROUP PLC- 17 02 2025] – (CGAML)

    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 ASSET MANAGEMENT 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    		 THRUVISION 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    		 17 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: 1p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 23,230,000 13.3845    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 23,230,000 13.3845    

    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
    ORDINARY 1p SALE 20,000 2.82p

    (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: 18 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: Voltus, Vurge Announce Partnership to Deliver Comprehensive Utility Cost Optimization for Commercial Customers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Voltus, Inc. (Voltus), the leading distributed energy resource (DER) platform and virtual power plant (VPP) operator, and Vurge, the premier utility cost optimization service provider, today announced a partnership that allows customers to maximize the value of their DERs by ensuring that their utility bills for electricity, water, and gas are accurate and that they are informed of any opportunities to save on these costs.

    The partnership combines Voltus’s expertise in monetizing DERs with Vurge’s proven record of optimizing energy costs through utility bill analysis, enabling both companies to deliver enhanced value to their customers.

    “Our strategic partnership with Vurge presents a unique opportunity for our customers to significantly enhance their profitability,” noted Dan Svejnar, SVP of Growth at Voltus. “By leveraging Vurge’s expertise and advanced technology, we can identify untapped areas for energy savings for our customers within their operations.”

    The Voltus and Vurge collaboration is already delivering results for customers, including energy savings that directly translate into reduced operational costs and increased profit margins for Voltus customers, particularly in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region. Additionally, the partnership allows Voltus to explore innovative ways to optimize energy usage and potentially generate additional revenue streams for customers, further bolstering their overall financial performance. Vurge’s service offering uncovers DER operational flexibility, which Voltus can then monetize on behalf of those customers.

    “While our core expertise lies in finding utility cost savings, we often discover that our customers have untapped potential for DER monetization,” said Vlad Kaufman, CEO at Vurge. “Now, with Voltus, we’re able to offer customers a reliable means of activating that idle flexibility — a process that opens up new revenue streams for customers without compromising site reliability.”

    About Vurge
    Vurge is a national leader in utility cost savings, helping businesses optimize electric, gas, water, and wastewater expenses through expert analysis and innovative solutions. By identifying billing errors, applicable credits and exemptions and negotiating better rates, Vurge delivers significant savings without altering operations or requiring capital spend. With a results-driven approach and a commitment to client success, Vurge empowers companies to take control of their utility costs and boost their bottom line.

    About Voltus
    Voltus is a leading DER technology platform and virtual power plant operator connecting distributed energy resources to electricity markets, delivering less expensive, more reliable, and more sustainable electricity. Our commercial and industrial customers and DER partners generate cash by allowing Voltus to maximize the value of their flexible load, distributed generation, energy storage, energy efficiency, and electric vehicle resources in these markets. To learn more, visit www.voltus.co.

    Media Contact:
    Mona Khaldi
    press@voltus.co

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ECN Capital Schedules Q4-2024 Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ECN Capital Corp. (TSX: ECN) (“ECN Capital” or “the Company”) announced today that it intends to file its financial statements and management discussion and analysis for the three-month period and full year ended December 31, 2024, after markets close on Thursday, February 27, 2025.

    The Company will host an analyst briefing to discuss these results commencing at 5:30 PM (ET) on Thursday, February 27, 2025. The call can be accessed as follows:

    A telephone replay of the conference call may also be accessed until March 27, 2025, by dialing 1-800-645-7964 and entering the passcode 5036#.

    About ECN Capital Corp.

    With managed assets of US$6.7 billion, ECN Capital Corp. (TSX: ECN) is a leading provider of business services to North American based banks, credit unions, life insurance companies, pension funds and institutional investors (collectively our “Partners”). ECN Capital originates, manages and advises on credit assets on behalf of its Partners, specifically consumer (manufactured housing and recreational vehicle and marine) loans and commercial (inventory finance and rental) loans. Our Partners are seeking high quality assets to match with their deposits, term insurance or other liabilities. These services are offered through two operating segments: (i) Manufactured Housing Finance, and (ii) Recreational Vehicles and Marine Finance.

    Contact

    Katherine Moradiellos
    561-631-8739
    kmoradiellos@ecncapitalcorp.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Electrify Expo Expands in 2025 with New Cities, More Demos and Next-Level Experiences

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • North America’s premier electric vehicle festival returns for its biggest year yet, adding Chicago and Dallas to its eight-city tour
    • For the first time, attendees can choose from five ticket options, each tailored to enhance the experience for every type of EV shopper
    • New experiences, including the #EVRealityCheck Stage, alongside interactive demo zones like the Solar Zone, EV Charging Zone, Sim Zone, RC Zone and more

    AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Electrify Expo, North America’s largest electric vehicle (EV) and technology festival, is gearing up for its most exciting season yet in 2025. After a record breaking tour in 2024, Electrify Expo is expanding again, adding two major markets, Chicago and Dallas, to its eight city lineup. In addition to the new stops, attendees can look forward to expanded interactive zones and immersive experiences that showcase the latest advancements in electric mobility, charging and clean energy.

    “I have seen a massive increase in EV curiosity over recent months,” said BJ Birtwell, CEO and Founder of Electrify Expo. “US consumers appear eager to experience EVs and the best way to turn curious prospects into converts is with firsthand experiences, and that’s exactly what we do at Electrify Expo. We’ve become the 21st century Auto Mall jammed with attendees cross-shopping electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, bikes, scooters and more.”

    New for 2025
    Premium Ticket Experiences for Attendees: For the first time, Electrify Expo is offering five ticket options tailored to various needs and experiences.

    • General Admission Pass: All day access to the festival and demo experiences.
    • HeadStart Pass: Get early access to explore the festival an hour before general admission.
    • Dash Pass: Skip the lines with priority access to participating demo zones.
    • Power Pack: The best of both worlds, early entry plus priority access for the ultimate experience.
    • VIP Pass: Enjoy exclusive perks like premium lounge access, dash pass access, complimentary Electrify Expo merch, and VIP early entry.

    New Interactive Zones and Experiences: Building on its mission to provide hands-on EV experiences, Electrify Expo is unveiling new attractions in 2025.

    • EVRealityCheck Stage Powered by GreenCars: Debunk EV myths and challenge common EV misconceptions with live expert discussions, real world data and interactive Q&A sessions.
    • Electric Avenue: Go beyond the showroom with live product demonstrations, hands-on experiences and direct access to top EV brands.
    • The Solar Zone: Meet with a variety of solar manufacturers, retailers and installers and learn how Solar can power your home and EV…all while saving money.
    • EV Charging Zone: Get expert insights on EV charging, infrastructure and range with interactive demonstrations.
    • SIM Zone: Test your driving skills on high performance racing simulators in a hyper realistic setting.
    • Electric Stunt Zone: Watch pro riders push electric motorcycles to their limits in thrilling live performances at select locations.
    • LEV Zone: Experience the benefits of light electric vehicles, including UTVs, side by sides and modern electric golf carts.
    • RC Zone: Race high speed electric powered RC cars on tracks built for head to head competition.

    2025 tour schedule:

    • March 22-23: Orlando, FL
    • April 12-13: Phoenix, AZ
    • May 24-25: Dallas, TX **new city
    • June 21-22: Los Angeles, CA
    • July 12-13: Seattle, WA
    • August 23-24: San Francisco, CA
    • September 13-14: Chicago, IL **new city
    • October 18-19: New York, NY

    For the full 2025 schedule and to secure tickets, visit www.electrifyexpo.com. Media interested in attending may request credentials by emailing ee@skyya.com.

    Companies interested in exhibiting at the 2025 Electrify Expo locations can visit https://www.electrifyexpo.com/partner-registration.

    About Electrify Expo
    Electrify Expo is North America’s largest electric vehicle (EV) and technology festival, where consumers come to shop and experience all things electric. The festival showcases the industry’s leading brands and exciting startups through hands-on activations, demos and experiences spanning EVs, micromobility, solar energy, charging solutions, powersports, automotive aftermarket, and connected home technology, providing attendees with immersive learning opportunities and memorable interactions. From high-powered demo courses to engaging education zones, Electrify Expo offers a unique festival vibe for consumers to reshape what they think they know about EVs. In 2025, Electrify Expo’s nationwide tour will visit Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago and New York. To stay up to date on the latest news and announcements from Electrify Expo, visit www.electrifyexpo.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

    Media Contact
    Skyya PR
    ee@skyya.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/75ab5f32-89d3-44a9-8fd3-68efeab0ad0c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [ALLIANCE PHARMA PLC – 17 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    		 ALLIANCE PHARMA PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 17 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: 1p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 12,245,764 2.2654    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 12,245,764 2.2654    

    NOTE: On 14/02/2025 there was a transfer in of 4,130 shares by a discretionary client.

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    1p ORDINARY SALE 4,075 61.515p

    (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: 18 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 –