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  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Reed, Colleagues Blast Trump Admin. Decision To Shutter The CFPB and Put Consumers & Military Families at Risk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) and a number of their Senate colleagues in a letter demanding that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) perform its essential work supervising and investigating violations of consumer financial protection laws and taking forceful enforcement actions against scammers and payday lenders. This letter comes on the heels of an ill-advised move by the Trump administration to shutter the CFPB, which collects, investigates, and monitors consumer complaints about financial products and services, and provides relief to consumers who have been wronged by unscrupulous financial providers. 

    As a consumer watchdog, the CFPB looks out for Americans’ financial wellbeing, preventing scams and holding offenders accountable. This is especially true for servicemembers, veterans, and their families, Since the agency’s inception, the CFPB has returned over $21 billion back to consumers who have fallen victim to abusive and illegal activity.

    “This morning, in your capacity as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), you issued a directive to employees to cease all work without your express written approval.  This includes investigations, supervision, enforcement, and litigation activities, as well as all stakeholder engagement and public communications.  This decision leaves all Americans susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive practices, but in particular, it eliminates protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited,” wrote the senators.

    In this letter, the Senators also express The Trump Administration’s decision to stop supervision, enforcement, and litigation eliminates key protections enacted by Congress through the Military Lending Act (MLA) and Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to protect servicemembers, who are disproportionally targeted by predatory lenders and schemes, and often face greater financial risks than civilian borrowers due to the nature of their military service.  The financial and legal protections in these bipartisan laws – most notably a temporary reduction in interest rates on mortgages, credit cards, and auto loans – are critical to national defense and military readiness. 

    “Nullifying the MLA and imperiling servicemembers’ rights under the SCRA will degrade military readiness, cost taxpayers money, and tarnish servicemembers’ records.  The Department of Defense (DOD) has stated that ‘high-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.’  Morale suffers when servicemembers and their families are trapped in cycles of debt. And taxpayers are on the hook when our servicemembers leave the military due to avoidable personal issues like financial insecurity.  According to DOD, each separated servicemember costs the Pentagon more than $58,000,” they continued.

    “Accordingly, we request that the CFPB continue to supervise and investigate violations of the consumer financial protection laws and take forceful enforcement actions against lenders that violate the law, especially when it comes to predatory lending that harms our military readiness. We also request that the CFPB continue to make public communications to consumers, especially to servicemembers regarding the rights that they are owed under the SCRA,” the letter concluded.

    In addition to Sens. Warner and Reed, the letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Edward Markey (D-MA).

    A copy of the letter is available here and below:                                                      

    Dear Director Vought:

    This morning, in your capacity as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), you issued a directive to employees to cease all work without your express written approval.  This includes investigations, supervision, enforcement, and litigation activities, as well as all stakeholder engagement and public communications.  This decision leaves all Americans susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive practices, but in particular, it eliminates protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited. 

    This funding, supervision, enforcement, and communications freeze will hit military families especially hard.  Without a functional CFPB, military families will be stripped of their financial protections under the bipartisan Military Lending Act (MLA) that they have earned and deserve by serving our Nation.  The CFPB is the primary agency responsible for supervising and enforcing the MLA against nonbank financial companies, including payday lenders, pawnshops, and debt collectors who have charged servicemembers interest rates as high as 600% and who have threatened to derail their careers if they do not pay up. 

    The agency’s supervision and enforcement program has delivered concrete results for the military.  The CFPB has resolved 39 cases involving harm to servicemembers and veterans, returning $363 million to victims, including six enforcement actions for violations of the MLA.  Two additional MLA cases are currently pending in court, alleging that a pawn shop and an installment lender charged sky high interest rates to military families and engaged in deceptive practices to illegally harvest fees.  With these cases frozen, no supervision, staff locked out, and additional enforcement off the table, unscrupulous lenders will exploit these circumstances to engage in additional predatory lending.  The actions that you have taken since being installed as Acting Director betray our servicemembers and empower scammers who want to rip them off.

    Further, recent CFPB research identified a long-running pattern of lenders failing to decrease servicemembers’ interest rates while on active duty as required by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).  These failures cost servicemembers thousands of dollars per year.  The CFPB’s public communications have held lenders accountable and helped servicemembers exercise their rights under Federal law.

    Nullifying the MLA and imperiling servicemembers’ rights under the SCRA will degrade military readiness, cost taxpayers money, and tarnish servicemembers’ records.  The Department of Defense (DOD) has stated that “high-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.”  Morale suffers when servicemembers and their families are trapped in cycles of debt.  And taxpayers are on the hook when our servicemembers leave the military due to avoidable personal issues like financial insecurity.  According to DOD, each separated servicemember costs the Pentagon more than $58,000.

    Accordingly, we request that the CFPB continue to supervise and investigate violations of the consumer financial protection laws and take forceful enforcement actions against lenders that violate the law, especially when it comes to predatory lending that harms our military readiness.  We also request that the CFPB continue to make public communications to consumers, especially to servicemembers regarding the rights that they are owed under the SCRA. 

    We request your commitment no later than February 12, 2025.  Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Reintroduces National Right to Work Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    February 12, 2025

     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

     

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced the National Right to Work Act to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations or to refrain from such activities.

    “The National Right to Work Act ensures all American workers have the ability to choose to refrain from joining or paying dues to a union as a condition for employment,” said Dr. Paul. “Kentucky and 26 other states have already passed right to work laws. It’s time for the federal government to follow their lead.”

    “More Congressmen and Senators than ever before cosponsored the National Right to Work Act in the previous Congress, and we’re grateful to Senator Paul for introducing it again this year. Union bosses don’t get to decide what policies are “pro-worker.” That’s up to workers themselves, and the overwhelming majority support the Right to Work principle that union dues should always be a voluntary choice. The National Right to Work Act protects that choice. Anyone who truly stands with workers and against the union boss special interests that seek to force workers to pay union dues should support Senator Paul’s bill,” said Mark Mix, President of National Right to Work Committee.

    The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Roger Wicker (R-MS) Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Katie Britt (R-AL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), James Lankford (R-OK), Tim Scott (R-SC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Rick Scott (R-FL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Barrasso (R-WY), and Mike Lee (R-UT).

    Consistent with his continued efforts to reduce the massive size of government, Dr. Paul’s legislation does not add to existing federal law but instead deletes existing federal forced unionism provisions.

    The National Right to Work Act repeals six statutory provisions that allow private-sector workers, and airline and railroad employees, to be fired if they don’t surrender part of their paycheck to a union. Dr. Paul’s legislation will put bargaining power back where it belongs: in the hands of the American workers.

    You can read the National Right to Work Act HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Gozetotide approved for the treatment of prostate cancer

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Gozetotide binds to the cancer cells with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) on their surface, making them visible during the PET scan.

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today, 12 February 2025, approved gozetotide (brand name Illuccix) to be used in a type of medical imaging procedure called a Position Emission Tomography (PET) scan which is used to detect specific types of cancer cells in adults with prostate cancer.

    Gozetotide binds to the cancer cells with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) on their surface, making them visible during the PET scan.

    This gives healthcare professionals valuable information about the disease to help inform treatment options.

    The pharmaceutical form of this medicine is administered as one solution for injection.

    Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access, said:

    “Patient safety is our top priority, which is why I am pleased to confirm approval of gozetotide to detect specific types of cancer cells in adults with prostate cancer.

    “We’re assured that the appropriate regulatory standards of safety, quality and effectiveness for the approval of this new formulation have been met.

    “As with all products, we will keep its safety under close review.”

    A number of pivotal and supportive studies from the literature were presented to demonstrate efficacy and safety in the proposed indication, which are summarised in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC). 

    Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

    Some of the potential side effects include a temporarily increased blood level of a digestive enzyme (amylase), constipation, feeling weak, and warmth where the injection site is given.

    For the full list of all side effects reported with this medicine, see Section 4 of the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) or the SmPC available on the MHRA website.

    Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from this medicine are encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme, either through the website (https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/) or by searching the Google Play or Apple App stores for MHRA Yellow Card.   

     ENDS   

    Notes to editors   

    • The new marketing authorisation was granted on 12 February 2025 to TELIX PHARMACEUTICALS (UK) LIMITED

    • This product was submitted and approved via a national procedure. 

    • More information can be found in the Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information leaflets which will be published on the MHRA Products website within 7 days of approval. 

    • The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe.  All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks. 

    • The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care. 

    For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westbourne Green chosen for the central London’s largest Japanese style mini forest | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    London’s largest inner city forest has been planted just metres from the A40 Westway in Westbourne Green. The 426 new trees- known as a micro forest- will help to mitigate the effect of climate change by boosting biodiversity and reducing air and noise pollution in the local area.

    The project, a partnership between Westminster City Council, Ruth Wilmott Associates, and Creating Tomorrows Forests, sees nine different species of native trees including blackthorn, field maple, and crab apple introduced to the Westbourne Green Open Space in the central London’s biggest micro forest. The sapling trees were specifically chosen for their qualities in absorbing air pollution particulates, reducing noise, and adding to the area’s biodiversity by providing shelter, pollen, nectar, and fruit for local wildlife. Funding for the project has been provided through partnership with businesses working to provide community and environmental initiatives.

    Micro forests follow the Miyawaki Method, developed by Japanese biologist Akira Miyawaki, where saplings are densely planted to encourage ten times more rapid growth. Research suggests this method results in 18 times higher biodiversity than more widely spaced plantations as the faster growth rates accelerate the establishment of the micro forests.

    The council is aiming to plant a further 5000 more saplings in six micro forests new trees in the area, bringing Westminster’s total tree population to over 24,000. The new woodland area is part of the local authority’s broader environmental strategy to improve air quality and increase green space.

    Local primary schools are getting involved in the project, with children helping to name the new micro forest and sowing a wildflower meadow. Additional funding through the Rewild London Fund will provide materials to build animal boxes giving local children and their families the opportunity to learn about wildlife and get involved in conservation first hand.

    More information about Westminster City Council’s fairer environment strategy can be found on the council’s website. Creating Tomorrow’s Forests are also looking for businesses to get in touch to learn more about the project and funding.

    Councillor Ryan Jude, Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Ecology and Culture said:

    Not many people would think that a micro forest could be so central, but I’m thrilled that we are adding central London’s biggest plantation of trees to Westbourne Green. This is a huge step forward in mitigating climate change and helping our city become net zero by 2040.”

    “Westminster is home to some of London’s best green spaces so increasing biodiversity and plant life across the city underlines how serious we are improving biodiversity, protecting communities from harmful emissions and teaching younger residents about the value of nature.”

    Jack Gordon, a local resident to Westbourne Green added:

    Community based projects are the lifeblood of any close community and this is such an important way to help green the local area.”

    “More needs to be done understand how important trees and how they help mitigate the excesses of climate change and this can benefit us in so many different ways.”

    Elisabeth Boivin, Managing Director at Creating Tomorrow’s Forests said:

    We are delighted to be involved in this innovative project that will bring such direct benefits to residents around Westbourne Green Open Space, funded by our partnerships with businesses such as Wilmott Dixon and Ecologi. It will be fantastic to show how planting trees has such a positive impact on the local environment, and it is great to have this opportunity to educate people on the advantages of increasing biodiversity in our urban green spaces. We cannot wait to see how the micro forests grow and develop over time.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Preston City Council supports Rough Sleepers with first steps towards Independence

    Source: City of Preston

    With the acquisition of a central Preston property, Preston City Council is launching a night service.

    The aim of the service is to work with rough sleepers in taking steps to get them off the streets and into accommodation, whilst offering them safety, support and advice to help them gain independence.

    Supported by MEAM (Making Every Adult Matter) a consultation was carried out over a six-month period, by Preston City Council’s Housing Advice Services and Rough Sleeper Initiative team (RSI).

    Led by Preston City Council’s Service User Involvement Worker, a small peer group made up of frontline workers and service users, gave feedback on what a nighttime provision could offer.

    The most common answer from service users when asked what was needed was ‘more beds’.

    Preston City Council is committed to delivering this, especially for vulnerable, homeless women, whose numbers are growing, and who need gender specific accommodation alongside trauma-informed help and recovery.

    Based on the feedback, the night service, which plans to open its doors in March 2025, will comprise of cubicles for up to 14 people, and allocate places based on referrals from the Outreach Team working with our partners.

    The plans around increasing accommodation options for rough sleepers will see a focus on trauma informed recovery and breaking the cycle. Preston City Council will build on the successes of the Rough Sleeper Initiative Outreach

    The team who have worked relentlessly for positive change on challenging cases. From the Target Priority Group identified in 2021, 90% are now in accommodation.

    Alongside recovery models, Preston City Council will be addressing ways to aid prevention due to an increase in single homeless applications, and to avoid them becoming entrenched rough sleepers.

    Working with partner agencies to offer support around mental health, drugs and alcohol addiction in a supportive and inclusive environment, service users will also be able to partake in activities and support groups, helping them take positive steps towards gaining independence.

    Councillor Nweeda Khan, Cabinet Member for Communities and Social Justice at Preston City Council said:

    Preston City Council firmly believes that any individual sleeping on the streets in our city is unacceptable, and we stand committed to getting people off the streets and into secure and safe accommodation. National challenges around homelessness and housing have risen dramatically in recent years and we work hard with our community partners to stem the tide of increasing numbers of homelessness in Preston.

    We thank all our partners who time to take part in the research that was carried out.

    Currently there is limited emergency accommodation in the city and the Council have made opening a new Night Shelter Service a priority project, supported as part of a wider package, by the limited funding it has available, to tackle the problem.

    The Night Service will also provide longer term help and solutions through gender specific pathways, to more permanent housing and work with clients to break the cycle of an ‘on the street lifestyle.

    Preston City Council has invested significant resource in this priority area to date and has a strong long-term relationship with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

    The Council continues to explore all avenues for additional funding to support homelessness and rough sleeping.

    An agreement has now been reached with the Foxton Centre, a charity that supports vulnerable communities in Preston. The Council will continue to support the Foxton Day Centre which is, according to data from the Foxton Centre, is used mainly for food during the breakfast session, some showers and some laundry.

    John Parkinson, Chair of the Trustees at the Foxton Centre said:

    We welcome PCC investment in a night shelter in the city. This adds to the range of facilities provided in Preston to support rough sleepers and address the growing problem of homelessness.

    The agreement between PCC and The Foxton to continue to invest in the Foxton Day Centre and create a steering group to coordinate and build on the range of partnerships is a positive step forward. This will enable the further development of joined up services including medical, mental health, addiction and legal support which are currently in place at the Day Centre.

    Multi-agency coordination between statutory and voluntary sector providers is the most effective way to use the resources needed to support rough sleepers.

    As well as nighttime support, Preston’s Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), was activated in early January and has seen 44 people assisted during its operation, 10 have moved on for a variety of reasons and 34 of those currently in accommodation will be allocated support workers.

    SWEP is a good practice requirement offered by Preston City Council Housing and Homelessnes Services to ensure that people sleeping rough are not at risk of harm during extreme cold or severe weather.

    Drop-in Sessions

    Preston City Council is holding a series of drop-in sessions at the Town Hall between 4 – 8pm, in collaboration with MEAM for local businesses, answering questions and offering more information about the night service.

    Follow-up workshops are being offered for those interested in being involved or discussing ways in working together with the Council and MEAM.

    Awareness session

    • Thursday 27 February

    Workshops

    • Tuesday 4 March
    • Wednesday 5 March
    • Thursday 13 March

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New road safety measures following tragic accident

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Safety measures, including an extension of the 30mph speed limit along part of the A374 Embankment Road in Plymouth, along with the removal of a number of mature trees, will be implemented following a tragic accident where a driver sadly lost his life.

    In 2023, a young man was fatally injured in a road traffic collision. At the inquest last year, the coroner raised concerns about trees that line the road, particularly after hearing evidence from a forensic collision investigator, road safety engineer and a motor police officer, who all agreed that the location of the trees was “dangerous” and one of the contributing factors in the accident.

    As a result, the coroner wrote to the Council and requested that measures be taken to improve safety for pedestrians and all road users.

    The Council cannot ignore the recommendations of the coroner. Officers have assessed the road and in order to address the safety concerns, is planning on extending the existing 30mph speed limit along the western section of Embankment Road by around 800 metres on both sides, from its current terminal north-east of Stanley Place to a point north-east of the rowing club.

    In addition, the assessment found that not only are the trees sited very close to the road, but they have grown so big the footway is now incredibly narrow. Unfortunately, it is not possible to widen the footway or provide a safety barrier between the trees and the highway. Therefore, the Council plans to remove around 25 trees along the outbound side from the Glendinning cement depot to Arnold’s Point. These works will not involve any road closures but will eventually require complete reconstruction of the carriageway and footway over around 450 metres of road.

    The trees will be removed during February half-term (Monday 17 to Friday 21 February), when traffic levels will be reduced. 

    The Council is looking to plant replacement trees away from the road.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Consultation for visitor levy scheme for Aberdeen approved

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    A public consultation for a potential visitor levy scheme in Aberdeen which would raise revenue to be used for improvements for the visitor economy in the city has been agreed.

    Aberdeen City Council’s Finance and Resources Committee today approved the move which would see the scheme charge a percentage fee on overnight stays in accommodation.

    Convener of Finance and Resources Councillor Alex McLellan said: “Aberdeen City Council has developed the visitor levy scheme with key stakeholders which will now go out to consultation.

    “There is the potential for the scheme to raise significant funds to help support our ambition to be a leading visitor destination.

    “Our decision around whether or not to introduce a visitor levy will be informed by the consultation as it is important to consider the views of the trade, and a key part of that discussion will be around how the council could use the funds to boost the city’s economy, increase visitor numbers, and, in turn, fill hotel rooms.”

    Chair of the Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association Frank Whitaker said “It is fair to say that the hotel sector lobbied hard against legislation for a visitor levy. However, the law now enables local authorities across Scotland to implement a visitor levy, so it is incumbent on industry to work with local authorities to develop effective schemes that support local economic growth.

    “The introduction of a visitor levy scheme in Aberdeen City has the potential to be a positive economic growth lever if correctly invested, benefitting not just all types of visitors to Aberdeen but also local residents.”

    The report to committee said The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill allows local authorities in Scotland to charge a fee or tax on overnight stays in some types of accommodation. The levy would be calculated as a percentage of the chargeable transaction for accommodation, after deducting any commission costs.

    The main purpose of the bill is to invest more in the local economy in ways that will benefit business and leisure visitors as well as residents.

    The local authority has the discretion to set what the rate is and the legislation allows for local authorities to set different rates for different purposes or areas meaning that different rates can be set for particular events, such as arts festivals or special conferences and that local authorities can vary the area in which the levy applies within their boundary.

    Local authorities cannot vary the type of accommodation that the levy would apply to and that includes hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, guest houses, self-catering accommodation, camping sites, caravan parks, accommodation in a vehicle, or on board a vessel which is permanently or predominantly situated in one place.

    Cruise ships and motor homes are not subject to the levy. The levy is not payable where the visitor or any other person utilising the right to reside in the overnight accommodation is in receipt of benefits, payments, or allowances for a disability.

    The report said if it goes ahead, the absolute earliest a visitor levy scheme can come into effect in Aberdeen is 1 April 2027. For public consultation, a rate of 7% is proposed which would produce a levy of £5 per night on an average hotel room of £70 a night.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council unveils new £25m HGV and welfare bus fleet with enhanced safety features

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson alongside fleet colleagues at Bankhead Depot.

    Safety is at the heart of the Council’s fleet, with our entire fleet of new Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) along with our welfare buses all equipped with enhanced safety features.

    We’re investing over £25m into our new HGVs and welfare buses as part of our wider £56.8m Fleet Asset Management Plan 2023-2029.  

    We’ve taken inspiration from the Progressive Safe System (PSS) which was implemented by Transport for London (TfL) in October 2024 to enhance vehicle awareness and reduce the likelihood of collisions. There are seven key requirements under PSS:

    • Camera monitoring system fitted to the vehicle’s nearside
    • Class V and VI mirrors
    • Blind spot sensors fitted to the vehicles nearside
    • Moving off sensors fitted to the front of the vehicle
    • Side under-run protection on both sides of the vehicle
    • Audible warning alerts when vehicles turn left
    • Prominent visual warning signage

    In addition to adhering to PSS requirements, all our new vehicles are fitted with an Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS). AEBS uses sensors to monitor a vehicle’s surroundings and automatically apply the brakes if a collision is likely.

    Whilst there are no such safety requirement anywhere else in the UK outside of London, we took the decision to ensure all HGVs purchased as part of the replacement programme were equipped with the technology to meet this standard.

    Our 152 strong HGV fleet is comprised of refuse collection vehicles, road sweepers, road gritters, mobile library uses, construction vehicles in roads services, and utility trucks for maintaining streets and greenspace.

    Whilst our 27 welfare buses, which transport children with Additional Support Needs (ASN), are not classed as HGV we took the decision to order these buses with the new safety features. These vehicles operate in and around schools and built-up areas during peak travel times so it’s important they are as safe as possible for everyone.

    We’ve now taken delivery of over 70 of our new HGVs, with all new refuse collection vehicles due to arrive by the end of March 2025 and all other HGVs due to be in service this year.

    Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said:

    I was delighted to go down to Bankhead this morning to see some of these new vehicles firsthand and talk to our colleagues who operate them. We have a responsibility to our colleagues and our residents to make sure our fleet is as safe as possible. This is why we’re investing tens of millions of pounds into our fleet.

    With these changes I’m confident that we have the most advanced local authority fleet in Scotland when it comes to safety features. I hope that other parts of Scotland and the UK will look to London and Edinburgh’s example and follow suit.

    Safety is an absolute priority for us when delivering our services and I have no doubt that these new features will have a positive impact.

    Published: February 12th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Works underway to upgrade Enfield Road play area

    Source: City of Norwich

    Published on Wednesday, 12th February 2025

    A new, refurbished play area at Enfield Road is to open in the Spring, after a £100,000 contract was awarded to local firm Premier Playgrounds to undertake the works.

    Starting this month, the work will involve replacing the equipment to make sure the playground is a safe, fun and accessible space for everyone to enjoy.

    The project will involve replacing the current equipment and flooring, creating an inclusive, engaging and accessible space for children of all abilities.

    The work comes following a local consultation, with feedback from more than 200 residents who responded to our consultation, including 44 young people aged 2-12: Enfield Road Playground Upgrade (on Get Talking Norwich).

    “Enfield Road playground is a much-loved community asset, demonstrated by the high number of respondents to the consultation,” says Cllr Emma Hampton, Cabinet Member for a climate responsive Norwich. “We’re committed to updating and maintaining our play areas, to encourage active young lives and outdoor play.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Consultation launched to define Liverpool’s 15-year economic vision

    Source: City of Liverpool

    A public consultation has been launched asking businesses and residents to comment on a vision to grow Liverpool’s multi-billion-pound economy over the next 15 years.

    The Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy will set the framework for growth up to 2040 and the eight-week consultation, hosted by Liverpool City Council, aims to inform the development of the resulting action plan.

    The vision for Liverpool 2040 is to create a strong and inclusive economy that leaves no one behind.

    The strategy focuses on strengthening foundations to build a fairer, more prosperous, and sustainable city that creates opportunities for a good life for all its residents.

    The draft strategy focuses on several key themes, including:

    • Strengthening key sectors to drive growth, innovation, investment and productivity
      Key sectors include: Health & Life Sciences, Creative and Digital industries, Advanced Manufacturing and Maritime.
    • Build a vibrant, productive and resilient business base
    • Ensure access to skills development, employment opportunities and career building
    • Place people at the heart of growth activity and supporting aspirations and networks

    Several public engagement events will be staged over the coming months to gather views from the public. People can also go online at www.liverpool.gov.uk/growthstrategyconsultation to find out more and give their feedback.

    Liverpool currently powers a £16.7 billion economy, with over 14,000 businesses and around 230,000 people in employment.

    However, significant challenges remain, including low productivity and investment, financial pressures on public services, inequality of opportunity in some communities, and health challenges.

    In light of these challenges, the Council, which recently submitted a New Town bid to Government to regenerate a huge part of North Liverpool, is committed to supporting businesses and residents. Delivering an inclusive economy a core pillar for Liverpool’s Strategic Partnership plan for 2040.

    This draft inclusive growth strategy will also complement other key aims such as the city’s Net Zero commitment, the actions outlined in the 2040 Health of the City report as well as the Council’s Local Plan, Housing Plan and Transport Plan.

    To further underline the Council’s commitment, since June 2023, its Business Support Service has provided advice and guidance to over 1,000 Liverpool businesses and supported 300+ residents with direct advice on starting up a new business.

    The Adult Learning and Skills team has also supported over 4,500 residents to develop essential workplace skills, and the Ways to Work team has supported 1,708 economically inactive and unemployed residents with employment and skills services.

    Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Development and Growth, said: “This draft Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy is a vital piece of work and one which will come to define the conditions that support our businesses to grow.

    “Feedback to this draft strategy is crucial, it needs to reflects the views and needs of our businesses, non-profit organizations, charities, and voluntary organization – be it education, transport, housing or digital connectivity.

    “We also want to hear residents’ views to ensure we create a strong, relevant and deliverable strategy, one that will inform the initiatives, interventions and investment into the infrastructure the city needs to underpin our future economy.

    “All of this feedback will help us strengthen the strategy, ensure we deliver the right action for economic growth, and best placing us to build inclusivity so residents and communities thrive.”

    Councillor Lila Bennett, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Employment, Educational Attainment and Skills, said “The success of this strategy will be deeply rooted in the strength and diversity of our partnerships and our collective commitment and action. All our partners have a key role in driving economic growth and ensuring benefits are felt across all communities.

    “We also want our partners, including the business community, to embrace and deliver for our residents by realising opportunities and addressing challenges, from climate change to AI, to train and upskill their workforce to be ready for the economy of the future.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: CSL Behring’s Gene Therapy HEMGENIX® (etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb) Four Years Post-Infusion Data Continue to Show Sustained Efficacy and Safety in Adults with Hemophilia B

    Source: CLS Limited

    CSL Behring’s Gene Therapy HEMGENIX® (etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb) Four Years Post-Infusion Data Continue to Show Sustained Efficacy and Safety in Adults with Hemophilia B

    • 94 percent of patients eliminated factor IX prophylaxis and remained free of continuous prophylaxis through four years post-treatment
    • Mean factor IX activity levels were sustained at near normal levels of 37% through four years post-treatment, reinforcing the efficacy of HEMGENIX in the treatment of hemophilia B
    • Phase 3 HOPE-B data showed that a one-time treatment with HEMGENIX provided long-term bleed protection as mean adjusted annualized bleeding rate (ABR) for all bleeds was reduced by approximately 90% from lead-in as compared to year four

    KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Global biotechnology leader CSL (ASX:CSL; USOTC:CSLLY) today announced the four-year results from the pivotal HOPE-B study confirming the long-term durability and safety of a one-time infusion of HEMGENIX® (etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb) for adults living with hemophilia B. In an oral presentation at the 18th Annual Congress of the European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD), data showed that through four years, HEMGENIX continues to deliver elevated and sustained factor IX activity levels, can offer long-term and greater bleed protection compared to prophylactic treatment, can eliminate the need for routine factor IX prophylaxis, and maintains a favorable safety profile. Approved in 2022 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), HEMGENIX is the first gene therapy for the treatment of adults with hemophilia B who currently use factor IX prophylaxis therapy, or have current or historical life-threatening bleeding, or have repeated, serious spontaneous bleeding episodes. It is also the only approved gene therapy for hemophilia B that can treat adult patients with and without AAV5 neutralizing antibodies thereby providing the potential for a greater number of eligible patients to be treated.

    “Hemophilia B can cause spontaneous bleeds into the joints, resulting in extreme pain and progressive, arthritis-like damage, which can lead to permanent physical debility,” said Steven Pipe, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, Laurence A. Boxer Research Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, Pediatric Medical Director, Hemophilia and Coagulation Disorders Program Director, Special Coagulation Laboratory University of Michigan. “These results underscore the ability of HEMGENIX to offer long-term bleed protection with a one-time treatment, resulting in dramatic decreases in all annual bleed rates, including joint bleeds, and sustained independence from regular prophylactic infusions.”

    In the Phase III, open-label, single-dose, single-arm HOPE-B trial, 54 adult male participants with severe or moderately severe hemophilia B, with or without preexisting AAV5 neutralizing antibodies, were infused with a single dose of HEMGENIX. Of the 54 participants who received HEMGENIX, 51 completed four years of follow-up. HEMGENIX produced mean factor IX levels of 41.5 IU/dL (n=50) at year one, 36.7 IU/dL (n=50) at year two, 38.6 IU/dL (n=48) at year three and 37.4 IU/dL (n=47) at year four post-infusion. In addition, mean adjusted annualized bleeding rate (ABR) for all bleeds was reduced by approximately 90% from lead-in (4.16, n=54) as compared to year four (0.40, n=51). Furthermore, joint bleeds were reduced from a mean ABR of 2.34 at lead-in to 0.09 during year four. In year four, 94% of patients remained free of continuous prophylaxis treatment. No patients returned to continuous prophylaxis between year three and year four.

    There were no serious adverse events related to treatment with HEMGENIX. HEMGENIX was generally well-tolerated, with a total of 96 treatment-related adverse events (AEs), 92 (96%) of which occurred in the first six months post-treatment. The most common adverse events were an increase in alanine transaminase (ALT), for which nine (16.7%) participants received supportive care with reactive corticosteroids for a mean duration of 81.4 days (standard deviation: 28.6; range: 51-130 days).

    “These data continue to instill confidence in the clinical benefits of HEMGENIX, highlighting the remarkable impact of this one-time treatment to reduce the frequency of bleeds in people with hemophilia B and improve quality of life by alleviating the burden of ongoing factor IX prophylactic treatment,” said Andres Brainsky, Vice President R&D Hematology at CSL. “CSL is committed to continuing to provide ongoing data analyses of HEMGENIX, ensuring that healthcare providers and patients have the necessary information to make informed decisions about treatment options. We are proud to continue to provide life-changing treatment options to the hemophilia community.” 

    The multi-year clinical development of HEMGENIX was led by uniQure (Nasdaq: QURE) and sponsorship of the clinical trials transitioned to CSL after it licensed global rights to commercialize the treatment. Additionally, CSL established a post-marketing registry, which will be informative to all stakeholders and will generate additional evidence on the long-term safety, efficacy, and durability of gene therapy. HEMGENIX has also been granted conditional marketing authorization by the European Commission (EC) for the European Union and European Economic Area, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), as well as authorization by Health Canada, Switzerland’s Swissmedic and provisional approval by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

    For more information on HEMGENIX, please visit www.Hemgenix.com.

    About the Pivotal HOPE-B Trial
    The pivotal Phase III HOPE-B trial is an ongoing, multinational, open-label, single-arm study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of HEMGENIX. Fifty-four adult hemophilia B patients classified as having moderately severe to severe hemophilia B and requiring prophylactic factor IX replacement therapy were enrolled in a prospective, six-month or longer observational period during which time they continued to use their current standard of care therapy to establish a baseline Annual Bleeding Rate (ABR). After at least the six-month lead-in period, patients received a single intravenous administration of HEMGENIX at a 2×10^13 gc/kg dose. Patients were not excluded from the trial based on pre-existing neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) to AAV5.

    A total of 54 patients received a single dose of HEMGENIX in the pivotal trial, with 51 patients completing at least four years of follow-up. The primary endpoint in the pivotal HOPE-B study was ABR 52 weeks after achievement of stable factor IX expression (months 7 to 18) compared with the six-month lead-in period. For this endpoint, ABR was measured from month seven to month 18 after infusion, ensuring the observation period represented a steady-state factor IX transgene expression. Secondary endpoints included assessment of factor IX activity.

    No serious treatment-related adverse reactions were reported. One death resulting from urosepsis and cardiogenic shock in a 77-year-old patient at 65 weeks following dosing was considered unrelated to treatment by investigators and the sponsor company. A serious adverse event of hepatocellular carcinoma was determined to be unrelated to treatment with HEMGENIX by independent molecular tumor characterization and vector integration analysis. No inhibitors to factor IX were reported. 

    About Hemophilia B
    Hemophilia B is a life-threatening rare disease caused by a mutation on the F9 gene, resulting in low levels of functional clotting factor IX. People with the condition are particularly vulnerable to bleeds in their joints, muscles, and internal organs, leading to pain, swelling, and joint damage. Treatments for moderate to severe hemophilia B typically include life-long prophylactic infusions of factor IX to temporarily replace or supplement low levels of the blood-clotting factor.

    About HEMGENIX®
    HEMGENIX is a gene therapy that reduces the rate of abnormal bleeding in eligible people with hemophilia B by enabling the body to continuously produce factor IX, the deficient protein in hemophilia B. It uses AAV5, a non-infectious viral vector, called an adeno-associated virus (AAV). The AAV5 vector carries the Padua gene variant of Factor IX (FIX-Padua) to the target cells in the liver, generating factor IX proteins that are 5x-8x more active than normal. These genetic instructions remain in the target cells, but generally do not become a part of a person’s own DNA. Once delivered, the new genetic instructions allow the cellular machinery to produce stable levels of factor IX.

    Important Safety Information (ISI)

    What is HEMGENIX®?
    HEMGENIX®, etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb, is a one-time gene therapy for the treatment of adults with hemophilia B who:

    • Currently use Factor IX prophylaxis therapy, or
    • Have current or historical life-threatening bleeding, or
    • Have repeated, serious spontaneous bleeding episodes.

    HEMGENIX is administered as a single intravenous infusion and can be administered only once.

    What medical testing can I expect to be given before and after administration of HEMGENIX?
    To determine your eligibility to receive HEMGENIX, you will be tested for Factor IX inhibitors. If this test result is positive, a retest will be performed 2 weeks later. If both tests are positive for Factor IX inhibitors, your doctor will not administer HEMGENIX to you. If, after administration of HEMGENIX, increased Factor IX activity is not achieved, or bleeding is not controlled, a post-dose test for Factor IX inhibitors will be performed.

    HEMGENIX may lead to elevations of liver enzymes in the blood; therefore, ultrasound and other testing will be performed to check on liver health before HEMGENIX can be administered. Following administration of HEMGENIX, your doctor will monitor your liver enzyme levels weekly for at least 3 months. If you have preexisting risk factors for liver cancer, regular liver health testing will continue for 5 years post-administration. Treatment for elevated liver enzymes could include corticosteroids.

    What were the most common side effects of HEMGENIX in clinical trials?
    In clinical trials for HEMGENIX, the most common side effects reported in more than 5% of patients were liver enzyme elevations, headache, elevated levels of a certain blood enzyme, flu-like symptoms, infusion-related reactions, fatigue, nausea, and feeling unwell. These are not the only side effects possible. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect you may experience.

    What should I watch for during infusion with HEMGENIX?
    Your doctor will monitor you for infusion-related reactions during administration of HEMGENIX, as well as for at least 3 hours after the infusion is complete. Symptoms may include chest tightness, headaches, abdominal pain, lightheadedness, flu-like symptoms, shivering, flushing, rash, and elevated blood pressure. If an infusion-related reaction occurs, the doctor may slow or stop the HEMGENIX infusion, resuming at a lower infusion rate once symptoms resolve.

    What should I avoid after receiving HEMGENIX?
    Small amounts of HEMGENIX may be present in your blood, semen, and other excreted/secreted materials, and it is not known how long this continues. You should not donate blood, organs, tissues, or cells for transplantation after receiving HEMGENIX.

    Please see full prescribing information for HEMGENIX.

    You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

    You can also report side effects to CSL Behring’s Pharmacovigilance Department at 1-866-915-6958. 

    About CSL
    CSL (ASX:CSL; USOTC:CSLLY) is a global biotechnology company with a dynamic portfolio of lifesaving medicines, including those that treat haemophilia and immune deficiencies, vaccines to prevent influenza, and therapies in iron deficiency and nephrology. Since our start in 1916, we have been driven by our promise to save lives using the latest technologies. Today, CSL – including our three businesses: CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor – provides lifesaving products to patients in more than 100 countries and employs 32,000 people. Our unique combination of commercial strength, R&D focus and operational excellence enables us to identify, develop and deliver innovations so our patients can live life to the fullest. For inspiring stories about the promise of biotechnology, visit CSL.com/Vita and follow us on Twitter.com/CSL.

    For more information about CSL, visit CSL.com.

    Media Contacts
    Etanjalie Ayala, CSL Behring
    Mobile: +1 610 297 1069
    Email: etanjalie.ayala@cslbehring.com

    Stephanie Fuchs, CSL Behring
    Mobile: +49 151 58438860
    Email: Stephanie.Fuchs@cslbehring.com

    SOURCE CSL Behring

    MIL OSI News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Opening Remarks by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at Ukraine Defense Contact Group (As Delivered)

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Good afternoon, friends.

    Thank you, Secretary Healy for your leadership, both in hosting and now leading the UDCG. 

    This is my first Ukraine Defense Contact Group. And I’m honored to join all of you today.  

    And I appreciate the opportunity to share President Trump’s approach to the war in Ukraine.

    We are at, as you said Mr. Secretary, a critical moment. As the war approaches its third anniversary, our message is clear: The bloodshed must stop.  And this war must end.

    President Trump has been clear with the American people – and with many of your leaders – that stopping the fighting and reaching an enduring peace is a top priority.

    He intends to end this war by diplomacy and bringing both Russia and Ukraine to the table. And the U.S. Department of Defense will help achieve this goal. 

    We will only end this devastating war – and establish a durable peace – by coupling allied strength with a realistic assessment of the battlefield.

    We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective.  

    Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.  

    A durable peace for Ukraine must include robust security guarantees to ensure that the war will not begin again.  

    This must not be Minsk 3.0. 

    That said, the United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. 

    Instead any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops. 

    If these troops are deployed as peacekeepers to Ukraine at any point, they should be deployed as part of a non-NATO mission. And they should not covered under Article 5.  There also must be robust international oversight of the line of contact.

    To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine. 

    To further enable effective diplomacy and drive down energy prices that fund the Russian war machine, President Trump is unleashing American energy production and encouraging other nations to do the same. Lower energy prices coupled with more effective enforcement of energy sanctions will help bring Russia to the table. 

    Safeguarding European security must be an imperative for European members of NATO. As part of this Europe must provide the overwhelming share of future lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine.

    Members of this Contact Group must meet the moment.  

    This means:  Donating more ammunition and equipment. Leveraging comparative advantages.  Expanding your defense industrial base. And importantly, leveling with your citizens about the threat facing Europe.

    Part of this is speaking frankly with your people about how this threat can only be met by spending more on defense.  

    2% is not enough; President Trump has called for 5%, and I agree.

    Increasing your commitment to your own security is a down payment for the future. A down payment as you said Mr. Secretary of peace through strength.

    We’re also here today to directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe.

    The United States faces consequential threats to our homeland.  We must – and we are – focusing on security of our own borders.

    We also face a peer competitor in the Communist Chinese with the capability and intent to threaten our homeland and core national interests in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. is prioritizing deterring war with China in the Pacific, recognizing the reality of scarcity, and making the resourcing tradeoffs to ensure deterrence does not fail. 

    Deterrence cannot fail, for all of our sakes.

    As the United States prioritizes its attention to these threats, European allies must lead from the front. 

    Together, we can establish a division of labor that maximizes our comparative advantages in Europe and Pacific respectively.

    In my first weeks as Secretary of Defense, under President Trump’s leadership, we’ve seen promising signs that Europe sees this threat, understands what needs to be done, and is stepping up to the task.

    For example, Sweden recently announced its largest ever assistance package. We applaud them for committing $1.2 billion in ammunition and other needed materiel.

    Poland is spending 5% of GDP on defense already, which is a model for the continent.

    And 14 countries are co-leading Capability Coalitions. These groups are doing great work to coordinate Europe’s contributions of lethal assistance across eight key capability areas.

    These are first steps. More must still be done.  

    We ask each of your countries to step up on fulfilling the commitments that you have made.  

    And we challenge your countries, and your citizens, to double down and re-commit yourselves not only to Ukraine’s immediate security needs, but to Europe’s long-term defense and deterrence goals. 

    Our transatlantic alliance has endured for decades. And we fully expect that it will be sustained for generations to come. But this won’t just happen.  

    It will require our European allies to step into the arena and take ownership of conventional security on the continent.  

    The United States remains committed to the NATO alliance and to the defense partnership with Europe. Full stop.   

    But the United States will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependency.  Rather, our relationship will prioritize empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security. 

    Honesty will be our policy going forward – but only in the spirit of solidarity.   

    President Trump looks forward to working together, to continuing this frank discussion amongst friends, and to achieve peace through strength – together.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Meeting With Jordan’s King Abdullah II

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:

    On February 9, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II to affirm the strong partnership between the United States and Jordan and to discuss opportunities to advance shared interests. The Secretary expressed his appreciation for over 75 years of diplomatic ties between the United States and Jordan and for Jordan’s leadership in promoting security and stability in the Middle East.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prolific shoplifter jailed in east London

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A prolific shoplifter who repeatedly targeted stores in east London has been convicted following a Met Police investigation.

    Officers were called to Tesco Express on High Road in Leytonstone at 16:00hrs on Tuesday, 7 January, following a report a man had been apprehended by staff after attempting to steal a large amount of alcohol.

    The offender was detained by officers outside the store, with the incident captured on CCTV and the footage recovered as part of the investigation.

    Lee Moise, 46 (12.04.86), of no fixed address, was further charged with nine other thefts and common assault on a member of staff at the same location, as well as a theft at Co-op on Homerton High Street.

    He appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 9 January where he was sentenced to 12 months in jail, suspended for 18 months.

    Inspector Mohammed Uddin, from the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Homerton, said:

    “We know shoplifting has a significant impact on businesses which also extends to staff, and successful cases like this highlight our commitment to bringing offenders to justice as we focus on the crimes that matter most to Londoners.

    “Our Safer Neighbourhood Teams continue to work alongside local stores big and small on effective crime prevention initiatives, as well as carrying out more arrest enquiries and liaising with the council to identify shoplifters with the help of their CCTV operations.

    “We are also working with drug and homeless outreach teams who provide support to people known for shoplifting which is often used to fund their drug habits. It’s these targeted approaches that is making a difference in communities across London.”

    A Tesco spokesperson said:

    “Our colleagues work hard to serve our customers every day, and each member of our team deserves to feel safe at work.

    “We would like to thank all the officers and our internal security team who have worked collaboratively on this case.

    “We continue to liaise closely with our partners, such as the Metropolitan Police, to share information and invest in new ways to keep our stores, like the High Road Leytonstone Express, safe places to work and shop.”

    The conviction of Moise is another example of the intelligence-led approach Safer Neighbourhood teams in east London are taking to remove prolific shoplifters from their respective wards.

    In Homerton alone, neighbourhood officers have made 15 arrests relating to more than 50 crimes since September 2024, of which six people are currently serving prison terms.

    More widely, the Met is collaborating with the business community to target those who continuously shoplift, using data and technology such as phone tracking and surveillance techniques.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member Of The 764 Criminal Enterprise Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy and Other Charges

    Source: United States Attorneys General 10

    Jairo Jaime Tinajero, 25, pleaded guilty yesterday in the Western District of Kentucky to the following charges contained in the superseding information: racketeering conspiracy, online enticement, three counts of production of child sexual abuse material, three counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), five counts of interstate communications of threats, cyberstalking, and conspiracy to murder Jane Doe 1 in aid of racketeering. The terms of the plea agreement specify that both parties agree to the applicability of the terrorism sentencing enhancement (U.S.S.G. § 3A1.4 n. 4).

    On Oct. 11, 2023, a grand jury in the Western District of Kentucky returned an indictment charging Tinajero with online enticement and production of child sexual abuse material. On Oct. 4, 2023, in the Eastern District of Arkansas, Tinajero was arrested on a criminal complaint that was filed in the Western District of Kentucky.

    According to the court documents, Tinajero is a self-identified member of the 764 network. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the U.S. Government. Beginning in 2020, Tinajero started communicating with, and grooming, several minor victims to obtain sexually explicit content from them, including Jane Doe 1. In 2023, Tinajero began to threaten the safety of Jane Doe 1 and her family. Tinajero posted online in encrypted platforms associated with 764 and related groups a “Lorebook” – commonly used in 764 blackmail schemes — containing Jane Doe 1’s identifying information along with nude pictures of the minor.

    Between July 2023 and September 2023, during multiple discussions over social media, Tinajero and a co-conspirator agreed that Tinajero should kill Jane Doe 1. Tinajero and the co-conspirator specifically discussed that Tinajero should murder Jane Doe 1 and dispose of Jane Doe 1’s body in a barrel of acid after the murder. Tinajero posted multiple messages on various social media websites stating that he planned to kill Jane Doe 1 with a firearm because Jane Doe 1 refused to provide additional child sexual abuse material.

    On Aug. 26, 2023, Tinajero posted on Telegram, “Im determined to die” and “If I gotta kill her I can’t let her live and f**k with dudes and girls while I’m sick and miserable” and “Im gonna live stream it.” Tinajero also posted a picture of Jane Doe 1. On Sept. 2, 2023, Tinajero posted on Telegram, “I wanna kill them so bad just show up at their cribs and shoot 100 rounds in 5 seconds” and, on Sept. 3, 2023, posted “I didn’t wanna do anything bc I was scared of dying or prison but now I’m determined to die if I have to after getting rid of [Jane Doe 1] . . . .” Tinajero also began soliciting others to assist with attempting to kill Jane Doe 1.

    The FBI is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Violent Crime and Racketeering Section for the Criminal Division and the Eastern District of Arkansas provided assistance.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Tom Brady Joins Cloudera as Keynote Speaker as Company Kicks Off FY26 with Game-Changing Data and AI Capabilities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cloudera, the only true hybrid platform for data, analytics, and AI, welcomed Tom Brady as a guest speaker during the company’s annual Sales Kick Off, ELEVATE26, on February 11. Brady—interviewed onstage by Cloudera CEO Charles Sansbury and CRO Frank O’Dowd—offered attendees his advice on leadership, perseverance, teamwork, and what it takes to win.

    Taking place February 10-13 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Cloudera’s ELEVATE26 marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for the data and AI leader. Brady’s perspective on his personal and professional journey set the tone as the company plans for another successful year. In particular, his advice on how to stay motivated, maintain a solution-first mindset, and excel beyond expectations aligned with the business strategies and goals that Cloudera delivered to its more than 700 staff in attendance.

    “As one of the undisputed greatest athletes of all time, Tom was the perfect keynote speaker for our team this week,” said O’Dowd. “Cloudera has an unwavering commitment to being the best at what we do. We’ve had an incredibly successful year and are prepared to continue to lead the AI and data space and model the way into the future.”

    2024 was a milestone year for Cloudera with the company reaching over $1 billion in revenue by year end. With demand for trusted, governed AI and data management solutions skyrocketing, Cloudera prioritized investments in its platform and partnership ecosystem to deliver robust capabilities to its global customer base. This includes acquiring Verta’s operational AI platform and Octopai’s data lineage and catalog platform, and unleashing several key features—most recently new AI assistants and a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) studio.

    “The success we achieved last year is just the beginning,” said Sansbury. “Tom said it best: never settle. That’s exactly the mantra we’re going to bring into 2025 as we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible for our customers by delivering on the promise of supporting true hybrid, enabling modern data architectures, and accelerating enterprise AI.”

    To learn more about Cloudera, visit www.cloudera.com.

    About Cloudera

    Cloudera is the only true hybrid platform for data, analytics, and AI. With 100x more data under management than other cloud-only vendors, Cloudera empowers global enterprises to transform data of all types, on any public or private cloud, into valuable, trusted insights. Our open data lakehouse delivers scalable and secure data management with portable cloud-native analytics, enabling customers to bring GenAI models to their data while maintaining privacy and ensuring responsible, reliable AI deployments. The world’s largest brands in financial services, insurance, media, manufacturing, and government rely on Cloudera to use their data to solve what seemed impossible—today and in the future.

    To learn more, visit Cloudera.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X. Cloudera and associated marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cloudera, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    Contact
    Jess Hohn-Cabana
    cloudera@v2comms.com

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Societe Generale: shares and voting rights as of 31 January 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NUMBER OF SHARES COMPOSING CURRENT SHARE CAPITAL AND TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTING RIGHTS AS OF 31 JANUARY 2025

    Regulated Information

    Paris, 12 February 2025

    Information about the total number of voting rights and shares pursuant to Article L.233-8 II of the French Commercial Code and Article 223-16 of the AMF General Regulations.

    Date Number of shares composing current share capital Total number of
    voting rights
    31 January 2025 800,316,777

    Gross:    885,499,593

    Press contacts:

    Jean-Baptiste Froville_+33 1 58 98 68 00_ jean-baptiste.froville@socgen.com
    Fanny Rouby_+33 1 57 29 11 12_ fanny.rouby@socgen.com

    Societe Generale

    Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with more than 126,000 employees serving about 25 million clients in 65 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective – to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders.

    The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients:

    • French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance, with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank.
    • Global Banking and Investor Solutions, a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG.
    • Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities.

    Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe).
    For more information, you can follow us on Twitter/X @societegenerale or visit our website societegenerale.com.

    Attachment

    • Societe-Generale-shares-voting-rights-as-of-31-01-2025

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners II Co. Announces Closing of $230 Million Initial Public Offering, Including Full Exercise of Underwriters’ Over-Allotment Option

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CLAYMONT, Del., Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners II Co. (the “Company”) today announced the closing of its initial public offering of 23,000,000 units, which includes 3,000,000 units issued pursuant to the full exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option. The offering was priced at $10.00 per unit, resulting in gross proceeds of $230,000,000, before deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses.

    The Company’s units began trading on The Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) on February 11, 2025 under the ticker symbol “ATIIU.” Each unit consists of one ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one ordinary share at $11.50 per share. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the ordinary shares and warrants are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “ATII” and “ATIIW,” respectively.

    BTIG, LLC is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering.

    The offering was made only by means of a prospectus, copies of which may be obtained from: BTIG, LLC, 65 East 55th Street, New York, New York 10022, or by email at ProspectusDelivery@btig.comProspectusDelivery@btig.com. The registration statements relating to the securities were declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 10, 2025.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners II Co.

    Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners II Co. is a blank check company, also commonly referred to as a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue a business combination target in any business, industry or geographical location, the Company intends to focus its search for businesses in the technology industry, and its focus will be on the artificial intelligence, cloud services and automotive technology sectors.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the offering and the Company’s search for an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

    Contacts

    Long Long
    Chief Executive Officer
    Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners II Co.
    (725) 312-2430

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: RegEd Expands its Xchange Solution to Support Canadian Insurance Licensing and Securities Registration Requirements

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Raleigh, NC, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RegEd, the leading provider of regulatory compliance and credentialing solutions for the financial services industry, today announced the expansion of its Xchange Producer Management platform to support insurance licensing and securities registration in Canada. This expansion enables financial services firms to harmonize their US and Canadian licensing and registration processes, leveraging Xchange’s advanced automation to improve efficiency, enhance compliance, and accelerate time-to-market for financial professionals operating across both regions. The move comes as part of a new agreement with one of the largest wealth management firms in the US, who will partner with RegEd to launch the new capabilities.  

    As financial services firms continue to focus on digital transformation, many are seeking to modernize outdated licensing and registration systems. U.S.-based firms with operations in Canada, in particular, require a single, unified platform to support licensing and registration processes in both countries. The expansion of Xchange enables these firms to streamline operational workflows, reduce administrative overhead, and ensure compliance across multiple jurisdictions. 

    “As firms look to replace aging licensing and registration systems, they need a solution that can support their entire North American footprint,” said Frank Brienzi, CEO of RegEd. “With Xchange’s expansion into Canada, we are meeting that need—offering a comprehensive, automated solution that simplifies compliance for firms operating in both the U.S. and Canada.” 

    How Xchange Will Deliver More Value for Firms Who Operate in Canada 

    • Seamless U.S.-Canada Integration – Extends Xchange’s advanced automation capabilities to Canadian licensing and registration processes, enabling firms to manage both U.S. and Canadian compliance in a single system. 
    • Integration with the National Registration Database (NRD) – Synchronizes registration data in real time and enables electronic filings for Canadian securities registrants. 
    • Localization Capabilities – Provides support for both English and French-language interfaces and documentation, ensuring a seamless experience for Canadian users in their preferred language. 

    By investing in localization capabilities and NRD integration, RegEd is reinforcing its commitment to delivering best-in-class compliance technology to global financial services firms.

    “Xchange has long been the industry’s most trusted licensing and registration solution in the U.S.,” said Ethan Floyd, Chief Product Officer of RegEd. “Now, we’re bringing that same automation, efficiency, and compliance-driven innovation to the Canadian market, helping firms retire legacy systems and unify their licensing and registration functions.” 

    About RegEd 

    RegEd is the market-leading provider of RegTech enterprise solutions with relationships with more than 200 enterprise clients, including 80% of the top 25 financial services firms. 

    Established in 2000 by former regulators, the company is recognized for continuous regulatory technology innovation with solutions hallmarked by workflow-directed processes, data integration, regulatory intelligence, automated validations, business process automation and compliance dashboards. The aggregate drives the highest levels of operational efficiency and enables our clients to cost-effectively comply with regulations and continuously mitigate risk. 

    Trusted by the nation’s top financial services firms, RegEd’s proven, holistic approach to RegTech meets firms where they are on the compliance and risk management continuum, scaling as their needs evolve and amplifying the value proposition delivered to clients. For more information, please visit www.reged.com. 

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: LECTRA: 2024: improved financial results in what remains a degraded environment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    2024: improved financial results in what remains a degraded environment

    • Revenues: 526.7 million euros (+10%)*
    • EBITDA before non-recurring items: 91.1 million euros (+15%)*
    • Net income: 29.6 million euros (-9%)*
    • Free cash flow before non-recurring items: 72.1 million euros (+59%)*
    • Dividend**: €0.40 per share (+11%)

    * Change at actual exchange rates (%)
    ** Proposed to the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on April 25, 2025

         
    In millions of euros October 1 – December 31 January 1 – December 31
      2024(1) 2023 2024(1) 2023
    Revenues 132.5 119.3 526.7 477.6
    Change at actual exchange rates (%) 11%   10%  
    EBITDA before non-recurring items(2) 22.6 19.8 91.1 79.0
    Change at actual exchange rates (%) 14%   15%  
    EBITDA margin before non-recurring items
    (in % of revenues)    		 17.1% 16.6% 17.3% 16.5%
    Income from operations before non-recurring items(2) 11.9 12.3 49.3 49.1
    Change at actual exchange rates (%) -3%   0%  
    Net income 8.4 7.7 29.6 32.6
    Free cash flow before non-recurring items(2) 22.2 13.2 72.1 45.3
             

    (1)   2024 figures include Launchmetrics since January 23,2024
    (2)   The definition for performance indicators appears in the Management Discussion of December 31, 2024

    Paris, February 12, 2025. Today, Lectra’s Board of Directors, chaired by Daniel Harari, reviewed the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year 2024. Audit procedures have been performed by the Statutory Auditors. The certification report will be issued at the end of the Board of Director’s meeting of February 27, 2025.

    To facilitate analysis of the Group’s results, the accounts of Lectra excluding Launchmetrics (the “Lectra 2023 scope”) are analyzed separately from the Launchmetrics accounts. The detailed 2024 vs 2023 comparisons for the Lectra 2024 scope and for Launchmetrics are based on actual exchange rates, whereas the comparisons for the Lectra 2023 scope are stated on a like-for-like basis.

    1.    SUMMARY OF THE YEAR 2024

    The year 2024 was marked by a severely degraded macroeconomic and geopolitical environment, prompting the Group’s customers to exercise prudence in their investment decisions, though situations varied across geographies and market sectors.

    Under these conditions, for the Lectra 2023 scope, orders for new systems were stable, and new SaaS subscriptions grew by 8%, confirming their success and increasing adoption by the Group’s customers.

    2024 earnings in line with recent estimates

    On October 30, the Group reported that revenues and EBITDA before non-recurring items were expected to be near the lower end of the ranges indicated on February 14, i.e., revenues of 480 million euros and EBITDA before non-recurring items of 85 million euros for the Lectra 2023 scope; and 42 million euros in revenues and EBITDA margin before non-recurring items of over 15% for Launchmetrics, i.e., revenues of 522 million and 91.3 million euros of EBITDA margin before non-recurring items for the Lectra 2024 scope.

    In total, full-year 2024 revenues grew 10% to 526.7 million euros and EBITDA before non-recurring items increased 15% to 91.1 million euros.

    Successful integration of Launchmetrics

    Launchmetrics achieved revenues of 41.2 million euros and an EBITDA before recurring items of 7.0 million euros, and exceeded the Group’s profitability expectations with an EBITDA margin before non-recurring items of 16.9%.

    What’s more, this acquisition has considerably expanded Lectra’s SaaS activity, providing the basis for a twofold increase in SaaS revenues to 77.4 million euros at end-2024 and strengthening SaaS’s future potential.

    The integration — in terms of processes, teams and products — is already a proven success and enables Lectra to form a coherent set of SaaS activities. Launchmetrics has also contributed its top-level practices in the area of SaaS, thus enriching the customer experience across the Group.

    Continuing improvement in the fundamentals of the Group’s business model

    The fundamentals of the Group’s business model were substantially improved, notably on the basis of the strict cost control policy implemented since May 2023, and the contribution of Launchmetrics. Recurring revenues increased by 18%, with margins covering nearly all fixed costs. The EBITDA margin before non-recurring items rose 0.8 percentage point, to 17.3%. Free cash flow before non-recurring items generated in 2024 came to 72.1 million euros (+59%) and the Group’s net debt was brought down to 20.6 million euros at December 31, 2024.

    2.    Q4 2024

    Q4 2024 revenues were up 11% compared to Q4 2023, at 132.5 million euros, with Launchmetrics contributing 11.0 million euros.

    EBITDA before non-recurring items (22.6 million euros) was up 14% and the EBITDA margin before non-recurring items came to 17.1% (+0.5 percentage points).

    Free cash flow before non-recurring items rose sharply to 22.2 million euros (+68%).

    Lectra 2023 scope

    Currency changes had only a limited impact on revenues and results.

    Orders for new systems were stable compared to Q4, 2023, at 38.6 million euros, and new SaaS subscriptions came up to 3.6 million euros (+17%).

    Revenues came to 121.5 million euros, up 1%: revenues for new systems were down 6%, while recurring revenues were 5% higher.

    EBITDA before non-recurring items was 21.0 million euros and the EBITDA margin before non-recurring items came to 17.3%, up 0.3 percentage point.

    3.    2024

    Full-year 2024 revenues came to 526.7 million euros, up 10% with the following breakdown: 28% of total revenues for new systems, down 5%, 72% of total revenues in recurring revenues, up 18%, including Saas revenues of 77.4 million euros (x2.5).

    Launchmetrics, which has been consolidated since January 23, 2024, contributed 41.2 million euros to 2024 revenues.

    Gross profit came to 376.9 million euros, up 13%, and the gross profit margin was 71.6%, up 1.8 percentage points over 2023.

    EBITDA before non-recurring items came to 91.1 million euros, up 15%, and the EBITDA margin before non-recurring items rose 0.8 point to 17.3%.

    Income from operations before non-recurring items amounted to 49.3 million euros, stable compared to 2023. This included a 22.7-million-euro charge for amortization of intangible assets arising from the acquisitions carried out since 2021.

    Research and development costs, which were fully expensed in the period and included in fixed overhead costs, represented 12.8% of revenues (11.7% in 2023).

    Financial income and expenses represented a net charge of 6.0 million euros (2.8 million euros in 2023) due to higher interest rates and the financing of the Launchmetrics acquisition.

    Foreign exchange gains and losses generated a net loss of 2.2 million euros.

    Taking into account the amortization of intangible assets, the increase in financial expenses, and an income tax expense of 10.9 million euros, net income amounted to 29.6 million euros, down 9% compared to 2023.

    Free cash flow before non-recurring items was significantly higher, at 72.1 million euros (+59%).

    A particularly robust balance sheet

    At December 31, 2024, the Group had a particularly robust balance sheet with a consolidated shareholders’ equity of 374.4 million euros, a negative working capital requirement of 25.2 million euros and net debt of 20.6 million euros. The net debt consisted of financial debt of 102.5 million euros and cash of 81.9 million euros.

    Lectra 2023 scope

    Currency changes had only a limited impact on revenues and results.

    Orders for new systems (144,9 million euros) were stable compared to 2023.

    Orders for perpetual software licenses (11.4 million euros) fell by 18% — as most new software is now sold in SaaS mode— while orders for equipment and accompanying software (113.0 million euros), and for training and consulting (17.3 million euros) rose by 2% and 9%, respectively.

    Revenues were up 2% at 485.5 million euros, and recurring EBITDA was up 7% at 84.2 million Euros.

    4.    DIVIDEND

    The Company maintained its attractive shareholder compensation policy with dividends representing a payout ratio of about 40% of net income in 2023 and, as a result of the strong increase in free cash flow, the company has decided on a payout ratio of 50% of net income for the year 2024.

    The Board of Directors will propose to the Shareholders’ Meeting of April 25, 2025 the payment of a dividend at €0.40 per share in respect of fiscal year 2024.

    5.    CHANGES IN GOVERNANCE

    Following a disagreement with the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer regarding the role of the Lead Director, Ross McInnes has decided to resign from his position as Director, effective April 24, 2025. The Board of Directors thanks him for his contribution over the past three years. 

    As of April 25, 2025, the Board of Directors of Lectra will consist of 7 members: Daniel Harari (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer), Nathalie Rossiensky (Lead Director, Independent Director), Céline Abecassis-Moedas (Independent Director), Karine Calvet (Independent Director), Pierre-Yves Roussel (Independent Director), Jérôme Viala (non-Independent Director) and Hélène Viot-Poirier (Independent Director). 

    6.    ASSESSMENT OF THE 2023-2025 STRATEGIC ROADMAP – SECOND PROGRESS REPORT

    Launched in 2017, the Lectra 4.0 strategy aims to position the Group as a key Industry 4.0 player in its three strategic market sectors: fashion, automotive and furniture, before 2030. The strategy has been implemented up to now through three strategic roadmaps.

    The first strategic roadmap, which covered the 2017-2019 period, established the key fundamentals for the future of the Group.

    The second roadmap, which ran from 2020 through 2022, achieved a new dimension for the Group – primarily through the acquisition of Gerber in June 2021 – and opened new perspectives, with a financial position stronger than ever before, an extended worldwide presence, a broader customer base, a powerful product portfolio, a growing number of customers using its new offers for Industry 4.0, and a new brand image.

    The Group’s ambition over the 2023-2025 period is to take full advantage of its change in dimension to accelerate growth, to significantly increase the volume of SaaS in revenues, and to seize acquisition opportunities.

    Despite the unstable economic and geopolitical climate, Lectra successfully maintained its long-term strategic orientations. Further, all the fundamentals of the Group’s business model improved significantly and customer adoption of the SaaS model accelerated. The Group acquired Launchmetrics and strategic partnerships were concluded with Six Atomic and AQC.

    With the commitment of employees and recognition by customers, Lectra stands at the forefront in building a more sustainable future. The Group has taken numerous steps to enhance its offering to reduce environmental impact for its customers, notably through material traceability for fashion, thanks to the acquisition of a majority stake in TextileGenesis in early 2023.

    Details of the second progress report on this 2023-2025 strategic roadmap can be found in the December 31, 2024 “Management Discussion and Analysis” document, available on Lectra.com.

    7.    OUTLOOK

    In the challenging environment of 2024, Lectra proved to be highly resilient, confirming the relevance of its strategy and the quality of its fundamentals—crucial assets for the Group’s continued development.

    Outlook for 2025

    While initial positive signs can be detected, the lack of visibility in what remains an uncertain economic and geopolitical context, could continue to weigh on investment decisions by the Group’s customers going forward.

    In this context, the Group has begun the year 2025 with confidence and will pursue its strategy by meeting the needs of its customers as closely as possible via the quality of its offers for Industry 4.0 and by developing its SaaS activity.

    As in the previous two years, visibility regarding orders for new systems remains low, with no way of anticipating the timing or magnitude of a possible rebound, which could nevertheless occur during the course of the year.

    Recurring revenues, which accounted for 72% of total revenues in 2024, are expected to grow further in 2025, largely on the strength of expanding SaaS activity.

    Furthermore, the Group will maintain strict cost controls and anticipates a mix of orders that will favorably impact the gross margin.           

    In light of the above, Lectra has set the 2025 objective of achieving recurring revenues of over 400 million euros, including 90 million euros of SaaS revenues.

    Overall, revenues are expected to be between 550 and 600 million euros, with an EBITDA margin before non-recurring items close to 20%, based on exchange rates at December 31st, 2024, particularly of $1.04/€1.

    The Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations and the financial statements for Q4 and the fiscal year 2024 are available on lectra.com. First quarter earnings for 2025 will be published on April 24. The Annual Shareholders’ Meeting will take place on April 25, 2025.

    About Lectra

    As a major player in the fashion, automotive and furniture markets, Lectra contributes to the Industry 4.0 revolution with boldness and passion by providing best-in-class technologies.The Group offers industrial intelligence solutions – software, equipment, data and services – that facilitate the digital transformation of the companies it serves. In doing so, Lectra helps its customers push boundaries and unlock their potential. The Group is proud to state that its 3,000 employees are driven by three core values: being open-minded thinkers, trusted partners and passionate innovators.Founded in 1973, Lectra reported revenues of 527 million euros in 2024. The company is listed on Euronext, where it is included in the following indices: CAC All Shares, CAC Technology, EN Tech Leaders and ENT PEA-PME 150.

    For more information, visit lectra.com.

    Lectra – World Headquarters: 16–18, rue Chalgrin • 75016 Paris • France
    Tel. +33 (0)1 53 64 42 00 – www.lectra.com
    A French Société Anonyme with capital of €37,966,274 • RCS Paris B 300 702 305

    Attachment

    • Lectra_PressRelease_Q4FY2024

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: LECTRA: Q4 and Full Year 2024 financial report available

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Q4 and Full Year 2024 financial report available

    Paris, February 12, 2025 – Lectra informs its shareholders, in compliance with article 221-4-IV of the General Regulation of the Autorité des marchés financiers, that the Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations for the fourth quarter and the full year 2024 is available on the company’s website: www.lectra.com

    It is also available, upon request, at the company’s headquarters 16-18 rue Chalgrin, 75016 Paris (email: investor.relations@lectra.com)

    About Lectra

    A major player in the fashion, automotive and furniture markets, Lectra contributes to the development of Industry 4.0 with boldness and passion, fully integrating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into its global strategy. The Group offers industrial intelligence solutions – software, cutting equipment, data analysis solutions and associated services – that facilitate the digital transformation of the companies it serves. In doing so, Lectra helps its customers push boundaries and unlock their potential. The Group is proud to state that its 3,000 employees are driven by three core values: being open-minded thinkers, trusted partners and passionate innovators. Founded in 1973, Lectra reported revenues of 527 million euros in 2024. The company is listed on Euronext, where it is included in the following indices: CAC All Shares, CAC Technology, EN Tech Leaders and ENT PEA-PME 150. For more information, visit lectra.com.

    Lectra – World Headquarters: 16–18, rue Chalgrin • 75016 Paris • France
    Tel. +33 (0)1 53 64 42 00 – www.lectra.com
    A French Société Anonyme with capital of €37,966,274• RCS Paris B 300 702 305

    Attachment

    • LECTRA_Q4 and Full Year 2024 financial report available

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Exploring Molecular Switches Application In Modern Therapeutics Download Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Delhi, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Molecular switches are integral to cellular function, dictating key processes such as gene expression, signal transduction, and cellular response to stimuli. These switches operate by undergoing conformational changes in response to specific signals, which may involve the binding of small molecules, ions, or even other proteins. By toggling between an “on” and “off” state, molecular switches ensure that cellular functions are executed with precision. When these switches are deregulated, they can result in various diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune conditions. As a result, targeting these molecular switches has become an area of immense therapeutic interest.

    Molecular Switches As Therapeutic Targets, Drug Development, Drug Delivery Mechanism and Application By Indications Insight 2025 Research Insights:

    • Top 20 Drugs Sales Targeting Molecular Switches: 2022, 2023 and 2024
    • Molecular Switches Significance In Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine
    • Molecular Switches Significance In Drug Delivery and Release
    • Molecular Switches Significance As Therapeutic Targets
    • Molecular Switches In Cancer Therapeutics: Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Lung Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Gastric Cancer
    • Molecular Switches In Neurological Disorder: Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis
    • Molecular Switches In Autoimmune and Inflammatory Disorder: Diabetes, Arthritis, Lupus, Psoriasis

    Download Insight: https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-molecular-switches-cell-signaling-molecular-switches-applications

    One particularly compelling molecular switch is the Notch signaling pathway, which plays a crucial role in cell differentiation and proliferation. This pathway functions through the binding of ligands to the Notch receptor on the cell surface. Upon activation, the Notch receptor undergoes proteolytic cleavage, releasing its intracellular domain, which translocates to the nucleus to influence gene expression. Dysregulation of Notch signaling is often observed in cancers, particularly in hematological malignancies like T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In these cases, aberrant activation of Notch signaling leads to unchecked cell proliferation. As a result, drugs targeting Notch receptors or their downstream effectors are currently under investigation for cancer treatment, offering a promising strategy for the development of targeted therapies.

    Another important molecular switch is the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway, which is involved in mediating immune responses, hematopoiesis, and inflammation. In certain autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, the JAK/STAT pathway becomes hyperactivated, leading to chronic inflammation and tissue damage. JAK inhibitors, such as tofacitinib, have already shown effectiveness in treating these conditions by blocking the overactive signaling. The ability to inhibit the activation of JAK proteins represents a precise way to control aberrant immune responses. As research into JAK inhibitors expands, there may be even broader applications in treating diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and certain types of cancer.

    In addition to kinase and receptor-based switches, molecular switches involved in the regulation of apoptosis, or programmed cell death, offer another compelling avenue for therapeutic intervention. The BCL-2 family of proteins, which regulate the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, represents a class of switches that determine whether a cell survives or undergoes programmed cell death. Overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins like BCL-2 is frequently seen in cancers, allowing tumor cells to evade death despite DNA damage or other cellular stress. By inhibiting BCL-2 with small molecules like venetoclax, researchers have made significant strides in treating hematologic cancers, particularly chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This drug’s ability to reactivate the apoptotic pathway in cancer cells demonstrates how targeting molecular switches can reverse disease-promoting cellular processes.

    The commercial landscape for therapies targeting molecular switches continues to expand. With the increasing recognition of their role in disease pathology, the pharmaceutical industry is heavily invested in developing drugs that can specifically target these switches. Drug pipelines are filled with promising candidates, and many of these are now undergoing clinical trials to evaluate their effectiveness in treating a variety of diseases. However, challenges remain in developing drugs that are not only effective but also selective, as off-target effects can lead to adverse outcomes. The development of more precise drug delivery mechanisms, such as nanoparticles or biologics, may help overcome some of these hurdles.

    Moreover, resistance to these targeted therapies is an emerging concern. Just as cancers can develop resistance to traditional chemotherapy, they can also evolve resistance to targeted therapies aimed at molecular switches. In some cases, mutations in the target protein or bypass mechanisms can render these therapies ineffective. To combat resistance, combination therapies that target multiple molecular switches or pathways are being explored. This multi-pronged approach may enhance treatment efficacy and reduce the likelihood of resistance developing.

    Despite these challenges, the therapeutic potential of molecular switches remains vast. As research continues to uncover the complex roles that these switches play in disease progression, new and innovative treatments will likely emerge, offering more effective and personalized options for patients. The future of molecular switch-based therapies looks promising, with the potential to address a wide range of conditions, from cancers to autoimmune disorders and beyond. As the field progresses, it may redefine the way we approach disease treatment and pave the way for a new era of precision medicine.

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Doorstop interview – Merimbula

    Source: Prime Minister of Australia

    When registering for the Prime Minister’s mailing list, please note the following information:

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    Your personal information will be used for the purpose of providing you with updates and news relating to the Prime Minister and not for any other purpose except as authorised or required by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

    For more information on Campaign Monitor and this website’s privacy practices, see the website privacy statement.

    MIL OSI News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: HSI New England investigation leads to recovery of over $300,000 to victim of a computer support scam

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HARTFORD, Conn. — U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced on Feb. 7 the return of $328,573 to the victim of a computer support scam as the result of an ICE HSI cybercrime investigation.

    According to the complaint (3:24cv840), in February 2024, an elderly woman was tricked by a scammer who mimicked Microsoft customer support. The victim transferred approximately $550,000 to the scammers in two wire transfers. Within two days of the transfers, the victim and a family member reported the incident to the Simsbury Police Department, who then partnered with HSI to investigate the crime. Fortunately, one of the wire transfers, in the amount of $221,000, was reversed by the bank and returned to the victim. ICE HSI special agents traced the remaining money, totaling approximately $328,573, and seized it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and HSI special agents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office then worked with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to return the money to the victim on Feb. 4, 2025.

    “Cyber scams run by foreign malign actors are becoming more common and more sophisticated every day,” said ICE HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “The victim in this case contacted authorities quickly resulting in the recovery of most of her money by the bank and by HSI — a best case scenario and rare result. It is essential for victims of these kinds of cybercrimes to come forward as soon as possible. We want the public to know that help is available and to reach out immediately if they’ve been victimized by international scammers.”

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to helping victims of crime, and civil asset forfeiture is a powerful tool that allows the government to return money to victims of fraud schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman. “As we continue to pursue criminal prosecution of the individuals responsible for this and other computer crimes, it is equally important to ensure that the government uses all of its tools to minimize, and in this case, undo, the financial impact these crimes have on victims. This case represents the best case scenario, where nearly every dollar taken from the victim was returned to her. While it can be difficult to come forward and admit that you have been victimized by online scammers, know that federal law enforcement and our state and local partners stand ready to help you to the fullest extent possible.”

    This case was investigated by ICE HSI New England’s Hartford Resident Agent in Charge office. If you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, call the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11.

    Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSINewEngland to learn more about HSI’s global missions and operations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement on Staff Legal Bulletin 14M

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Today, under the direction of the Acting Chairman, Staff Legal Bulletin 14L is now rescinded by the issuance of Staff Legal Bulletin 14M (“SLB 14M”). SLB 14M moves the goalposts smack dab in the middle of this year’s shareholder proposal process. Doing so at this hour creates undue costs and uncertainty for investors and corporations alike. This type of political policy shifting mid-season serves to undercut capital formation, not facilitate it.

    SLB 14M implements different rules of the road for the process of excluding shareholder proposals from issuers’ proxy statements.[1] Such proposals include topics relating to poison pills, compensation, emerging issues such as AI, political and lobbying expenditures, and environmental or other issues that shareholders have identified as materially impacting the firm’s financial value.[2] The fact that the change is taking place at this time is significant. As anyone familiar with the shareholder proposal process knows, excluding a proposal from the proxy statement all but guarantees it will never make it to a shareholder vote.

    The rescission comes as no surprise given that the shareholder proposal process has become the target of politicized messaging and a preferred punching bag of those who wish to diminish corporate democracy. This is the case even though there are already numerous other mechanisms in place to limit the availability of the proxy ballot to shareholders.[3] Though the shareholder proposal process is designed merely to facilitate a dialogue with investors, today’s actions drowns out investor voices and facilitates corporate monologues instead.[4]

    Even though the rescission may not be a surprise, the timing of this action is arbitrary and inequitable. Shareholders have already crafted and submitted their proposals for this season. Corporations and shareholders will incur costs to supplement or alter no-action requests and responses. Further, SEC staff have already issued no-action letter responses related to proposals for this proxy season. Even for those stakeholders and observers who prefer a different approach to this process, the end result is quite possibly disparate treatment not just for shareholders, but for issuers as well. We are so focused on undoing the prior Commission’s agenda that we sow chaos now. By choosing this path, we forsake all consistency, and perhaps even the legitimacy, of the independent, historically staff-governed process to the detriment of all parties.

    While costly and confusing, corporations will still have a chance to revise their no-action requests to exclude proposals. Shareholders, of course, will have no such opportunity. The 14a-8 no-action process is fact-intensive, and exactly how a proposal is crafted is often determinative of its exclusion or inclusion. It is now too late for most shareholders to design proposals in line with SLB 14M.

    Instead of taking a measured approach that would ensure market stability and a meaningful consideration of cost and benefit, this leadership has rushed out staff guidance for the sake of political expediency, and at significant cost to shareholders, corporations, and SEC staff resources.

    [1] SLB 14M rescinds Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14L and, in large part, reinstates previous guidance on staff views relating to the (i)(5) and (i)(7) substantive bases for exclusion. See Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14M. It is important to note that (i)(7) was the most often used exclusion in the 2024 proxy season. See Merel Spierings, the Conference Board, 2024 Proxy Season Review: Corporate Resilience in a Polarized Landscape, H. L. School Forum on Corp. Gov. (Oct. 12, 2024).

    [3] For example, shareholders must meet certain ownership and resubmission thresholds to submit a proposal, and proposals are subject to a 500 word limit. See CFR 240.14a-8(b)(1), (d), & (i)(12).

    [4] Additionally, shareholder proposals are precatory, or merely advisory, in nature. See CFR 240.14a-8(i)(1).

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Costa to participate in the 8th EU-South Africa summit on 13 March 2025

    Source: Council of the European Union

    European Council President, António Costa, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to South Africa for the 8th EU-South Africa summit on 13 March 2025. The summit aims to strengthen the EU-South Africa strategic partnership and address key global and regional issues, including geopolitical challenges and bilateral cooperation in trade, security, energy, and innovation.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: First EU-Central Asia summit to take place on 3-4 April 2025

    Source: Council of the European Union

    The first EU-Central Asia Summit will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 3-4 April. The European Council President Costa and the European Commission President von der Leyen will discuss with the leaders of the five Central Asian countries how to intensify bilateral engagement and enhance cooperation between the two regions. They will also address the current geopolitical challenges facing the region, namely Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the ongoing developments in Afghanistan.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: NEURONES: 8.6% organic growth in 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRESS INFORMATION
    Heading: 2024 annual revenues        Nanterre, February 12, 2025 (after trading)

    8.6% organic growth in 2024

    (being audited, in € millions) 2023 2024 Growth of which organic
    Revenues 741.2 810.4 + 9.3% + 8.6%

    Achievements

    Forecasts for the year were exceeded, both in terms of activity and operating profit:

    • revenues totaled €810.4 million, up 9.3% (with 8.1% growth in Q4 );
    • operating profit represented 9.6% of revenues (€77.9 million *).

    With double-digit growth, the Group’s expansion is driven by digital projects, data, cybersecurity, public clouds, sovereign ans trusted clouds (SecNumCloud).

    The Group’s net increase in the payroll of 340 by 2024 has been supplemented by greater use of subcontracting.

    The full final annual results will be published on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 after the stock exchange closes.

    Outlook

    As usual, the forecasts for 2025 will be posted along with the Group’s Q1 revenues.

    * being audited.

    About NEURONES
    With 7,100 experts, and ranking among the French leaders in consulting and digital services, NEURONES helps large companies and organizations implement their digital projects, transform their IT infrastructures and adopt new uses.

    Euronext Paris (compartment B – NRO) – Euronext Tech Leaders – DSS mid-caps – ‘PEA-PME’ eligible
    www.neurones.net

    Attachment

    • neurones-2024-annual-revenues

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Docker Announces Don Johnson as New CEO, Succeeding Scott Johnston

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Docker, Inc.®, the leading development suite of products built specifically for cloud-native development, today announced the appointment of Don Johnson as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective February 12, 2024. Johnson was formerly the founder and Executive Vice President of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. He succeeds Scott Johnston, who will be departing Docker on the same date.

    Recognizing Scott Johnston
    Under Scott Johnston’s leadership, Docker continued to expand its position as the developer-first platform, driving innovation, security, and scalability.

    “Scott’s leadership has been definitional in establishing Docker as the most loved and indispensable developer platform for over 24 million developers, accelerating modern app development at an unparalleled scale,” said Rob Bearden, Docker Board Member. “On behalf of the entire Docker team and board, we thank Scott for his contributions and wish him the best in his next chapter.”

    “The past five years have been an incredible journey. I’m very proud of our growth and all that we’ve accomplished as a team, and so excited for where Docker is going. Don is the perfect leader to drive Docker’s next phase of growth and expansion,” said Scott Johnston.

    Welcoming Don Johnson as CEO
    Johnson joins Docker to drive its ambitious expansion into new areas stretching across the development life cycle and cloud-based services. At Oracle he founded Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), building it from the ground up into a hyperscale cloud platform that runs everything from mission-critical apps and enterprise workloads to massive AI training clusters. Previously he was at Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a technical leader from its inception. His deep expertise in developer platforms, hyperscale cloud, and building high performance engineering teams positions him perfectly to lead Docker’s next phase of innovation and growth.

    “I’m honored to join Docker and grateful to take the reins from Scott, who has built an incredible foundation. Docker both feels like a cool new startup and the bedrock of the container native universe, prevalent now and moving towards ubiquitous as Cloud Native takes over the world. But there is so much opportunity to solve the broad array of challenges that developers and businesses continue to struggle with – from building and running the latest AI models, to running and operating in a secure and scalable manner, to achieving advanced levels of compliance, to just not breaking the build in CI. Everything is harder than it should be. Every challenge that developers face is an opportunity for us to step in, take on the burden, and make their lives easier. You’re going to see Docker solve these problems and more, building and innovating, and shipping things fast. This is going to be a blast. I couldn’t be more excited to be here,” said Johnson.

    Docker is already loved by over 24 million developers, but the next era of Docker is about more than making containers easier—it’s about making modern software development frictionless, secure, and scalable.

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

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: RUBIS: Launch of an employees shareholding plan “Rubis Avenir 2025”

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris, 12 February 2025 – 5:45 pm

    The Management Board, at its meeting of 2 January 2025, decided to launch an employee shareholding plan “Rubis Avenir 2025” by way of the sale by the Company of treasury shares reserved for eligible employees of companies participating in the Rubis Avenir Company Savings Plan (Group companies based in France) under the conditions described below.

    The shares offered are existing treasury shares previously repurchased by the Company pursuant to the share buyback programme authorised by the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting on 11 June 2024 (22th resolution).

    The shares offer, established under Articles L. 3332-18 et seq. of the French Labor Code, will cover a maximum of 400,000 shares.

    The acquisition price, set at €17.15, corresponds, in accordance with Article L. 3332-19 of the French Labor Code, to 75% of the average share price over the 20 trading days preceding the decision of the Management Board.

    The subscription period will run from 17 March to 4 April 2025.

    The funds invested in Rubis shares through the “Rubis Avenir” mutual fund will be available at the end of a five-year lock-up period, except in cases where early release is allowed in accordance with Article R. 3324-22 of the French Labor Code.

    The acquired shares under the offer are existing ordinary shares fully assimilated with the existing shares comprising Rubis’ share capital.

    The “Rubis Avenir” mutual fund was set up in 2002 to allow employees to invest in Rubis’ capital, and thereby to strengthen the link between employees and the company. Rubis has performed an employees shareholding plan each year since the fund’s establishment.

    As of 31 December 2024, employees of the Group held 2.17% of Rubis’ share capital through the “Rubis Avenir” mutual fund.

      Contact
      RUBIS – Legal department
      Tel: +(33) 1 44 17 95 95

    Attachment

    • RUBIS: Launch of an employees shareholding plan “Rubis Avenir 2025”

    The MIL Network –

    February 13, 2025
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