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  • MIL-OSI: Turbo Energy Welcomes International Business Executive Julian Groves to Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VALENCIA, Spain, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Turbo Energy, S.A. (NASDAQ:TURB) (“Turbo Energy” or the “Company”), a global provider of leading-edge, AI-optimized solar energy storage technologies and solutions, today announced the appointment of Julian Groves to the Company’s Board of Directors, which was approved by the Company’s shareholders on December 18, 2024 at the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders.

    Turbo Energy Welcomes Julian Groves to Board of Directors 

    Groves brings Turbo Energy extensive experience in commercial strategy, geographic market expansion, worldwide product distribution and logistics, capital formation, private equity investments and corporate governance, as well as nearly three decades of experience leading business-to-business, direct-to-consumer, retail, wholesale and ecommerce initiatives for numerous iconic global brands in both the public and private sectors.       

    Since February 2019, Groves has served as Chief Operating Officer and executive member of the Board of MGO Global, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed company engaged in global commercialization of digitally-native lifestyle brands that have included both legendary soccer icon Leo Messi’s apparel brand, Messi Brand, and Stand Flagpoles. In this role, he has helped MGO raise tens of millions in pre-IPO, IPO and follow-on financings and is currently working to complete MGO’s business combination with one of the world’s leading commercial and pool management businesses serving the crude oil and refined petroleum tanker market in a transaction expected to be valued at more than $300 million. 

    Previously, Groves served as CEO of EC2M Holdings, a lifestyle brand-building company which owned and operated London Persona, a growing men’s lifestyle brand launched as a direct-to-consumer shopping experience for men seeking season-to-season high-end wardrobes. EC2M also represented the lifestyle brand Trickers throughout North America and Canada, charged with developing and managing the brand’s B2B channel. Other former senior executive posts have included Sales Director, EMEA of J Brand Europe, a premium, American denim clothing company in which Fast Retailing acquired an 80% stake for $290 million in 2012. As General Manager, EMEA of True Religion, Julian had full profit and loss (P&L) responsibility for the region, overseeing corporate operations in Switzerland and managing full P&L responsibility for the growing, fashion-forward denim brand.

    In August 2007, Julian was recruited by GUESS Europe to serve as Country Manager of the casual lifestyle brand’s operations in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Under his proven leadership, GUESS Europe opened 32 concessions and 22 retail shops, including GUESS’ Central London flagship store. Earlier in his distinguished career, he was General Manager, UK and Ireland, for Groupe Zannier International from September 2004 through 2007; United Kingdom Sales Director for Burberry from September 2001 through 2004; and United Kingdom Sales Manager for LVMH Kenzo Homme UK Ltd. from November 1997 through August 2001.

    Commenting on Groves’ appointment to the Board Enrique Selva, Chairman of the Board of Turbo Energy, stated, “I am delighted to welcome Julian to Turbo Energy’s Board and believe that his deep understanding of business strategy and global market penetration will have a significant impact on Turbo Energy’s planned expansion initiatives – with particular emphasis on commercialization of our SUNBOX Home solar energy storage technologies in the United States. He represents an outstanding addition to our Board and his unique and proven skillset is expected to greatly complement and enhance the overall strength and depth of capabilities of our leadership.”

    About Turbo Energy, S.A.

    Founded in 2013, Turbo Energy is a globally recognized pioneer of proprietary solar energy storage technologies and solutions managed through Artificial Intelligence. Turbo Energy’s elegant all-in-one and scalable, modular energy storage systems empower residential, commercial and industrial users expanding across Europe, North America and South America to materially reduce dependence on traditional energy sources, helping to lower electricity costs, provide peak shaving and uninterruptible power supply and realize a more sustainable, energy-efficient future. A testament to the Company’s commitment to innovation and industry disruption, Turbo Energy’s introduction of its flagship SUNBOX represents one of the world’s first high performance, competitively priced, all-in-one home solar energy storage systems, which also incorporates patented EV charging capability and powerful AI processes to optimize solar energy management. Turbo Energy is a proud subsidiary of publicly traded Umbrella Global Energy, S.A., a vertically integrated, global collective of solar energy-focused companies. For more information, please visit www.turbo-e.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of the business of the Company, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control, including the risks described in our registration statements and annual report under the heading “Risk Factors” as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Turbo Energy, S.A. specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    For more information, please contact:
    At Turbo Energy, S.A.                                                 
    Dodi Handy, Director of Communications                        
    Phone: 407-960-4636                                                    
    Email: dodihandy@turbo-e.com 

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Moderne Secures $30M to Drive Billions in Enterprise Code Modernization Savings – Based on Its Innovative Tech Used by AWS, Microsoft, and Broadcom AI Assistants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Moderne, the automated code refactoring and analysis company, announced it has closed $30 million in Series B funding led by Acrew Capital with participation from Morgan Stanley, Amex Ventures, and TIAA Ventures, as well as all previous investors Allstate, Intel Capital, Mango Capital and True Ventures. The funding is further validation that Moderne is emerging as the only company driving mass-scale code modernization and tech debt remediation critical to the progress and success of enterprises and hyperscalers.

    In the last two years, billions of dollars have been invested in AI-powered coding assistants to help developers write new software. However, these tools can fail to address the millions of applications and billions of lines of existing code that companies have developed over the last three decades that must be constantly updated, maintained and secured.

    Moderne is the only company with a proven platform designed to analyze and transform large codebases efficiently and cost-effectively. The technology, developed for a fraction of the cost of the new crop of AI-powered coding assistants, stems from the OpenRewrite open-source project Moderne CEO and co-founder Jonathan Schneider developed at Netflix. OpenRewrite has become the de facto standard for code migration and maintenance, and it has been integrated into a number of developer tools from the world’s largest software companies, including AWS’s Amazon Q, Broadcom’s App Advisor, and Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot.

    “The challenge of addressing technical debt impacts nearly every company, but it’s mission-critical for enterprises managing massive, complex codebases,” said Mark Kraynak, Founding Partner at Acrew Capital. “Moderne’s technology is purpose-built for this scale, plus it complements and improves this new generation of AI for code. Moderne has redefined what success in code modernization looks like—delivering proven results for some of the largest and most sophisticated enterprises.”

    The breakthrough innovation powering Moderne is its one-of-a-kind Lossless Semantic Tree (LST) data model for code that enables a new level of insights into a codebase beyond what is visible in the typical ‘code as text’ representation. The Moderne Platform can work across multiple LST files at once to analyze and transform codebases quickly and accurately. When combined with agentic experiences, like Moderne’s new Mod Agent, developers can work even more efficiently to understand and evolve large codebases.

    “Moderne alone produces the data that is going to drive the next decade of code modernization. This data covers everything the compiler knows about the code multiplied by tens of thousands of repositories at each customer,” said Schneider. “Moderne is already driving large-scale application modernization savings for our customers over and over again—and we’re only scratching the surface of what can be done.”

    With a team of language engineering and software development experts, Moderne grew its customer base by 250% in 2024, attracting many Fortune 500 companies, including Allstate, Choice Hotels, and Walmart. In fact, five top North American banks are Moderne customers. The company will use the new funding to extend its commitment to providing ideal customer experiences and rapid time to value with Moderne.

    Additional Investor Quotes:

    Amex Ventures: “Moderne’s technology and open-source community can help enterprises move their valuable software forward with higher accuracy and reliability,” said Kevin Weber, Managing Director at Amex Ventures. “The company helps ensure efficient and cost-effective modernization.”

    TIAA Ventures: “It’s crucial that financial institutions are agile and adaptive in today’s advanced digital age. Moderne offers an impressive at-scale approach that can revolutionize code modernization, helping to streamline, improve, and secure the software that’s driving some of the biggest industries. This investment can streamline and improve services for TIAA retirement clients, and we look forward to working with the Moderne team,” said Thompson Barro, Senior Director at TIAA Ventures.

    About Moderne
    Moderne automates mass-scale code modernization that’s critical to the progress and success of enterprise companies today—making a difference in minutes, not months. Moderne is based in Miami, and its investors include Acrew Capital, Intel Capital, True Ventures, Mango Capital, Allstate Strategic Ventures, Morgan Stanley, Amex Ventures, and TIAA Ventures, among other investors and advisors. To learn more visit www.moderne.ai

    Contact: merrill@freundpr.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. Announces Transfer of Listing of Common Stock to the New York Stock Exchange and Change in Ticker Symbol

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ASHEVILLE, N.C., Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTBI) (“Company” or “HomeTrust”), the holding company of HomeTrust Bank, today announced that the Company will transfer the listing of its common stock from the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (“NASDAQ”) to the New York Stock Exchange LLC (“NYSE”). HomeTrust’s common stock is expected to commence trading on the NYSE on Monday, February 24, 2025 under a new ticker symbol, “HTB”. The Company’s common stock is expected to continue to trade on NASDAQ until the close of the market on Friday, February 21, 2025.

    “We are excited to announce our partnership with the NYSE,” said Hunter Westbrook, President and Chief Executive Officer. “In joining the world’s largest stock exchange, we believe leveraging the NYSE trading platform will provide greater exposure for our Company and long-term value for our stockholders. We look forward to celebrating this occasion and milestone for HomeTrust by ringing The Opening Bell on our first of day of trading on the NYSE.”

    “We are pleased to welcome HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. to the New York Stock Exchange,” said Tara Dziedzic, Head of US Listings, New York Stock Exchange. “As an NYSE-listed company, HomeTrust joins our community of icons, disruptors and many of its peers, leveraging the membership value that our exchange uniquely provides.”

    About HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc.

    HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for HomeTrust Bank. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had assets of $4.6 billion. The Bank, founded in 1926, is a North Carolina state chartered, community-focused financial institution committed to providing value added relationship banking with over 30 locations as well as online/mobile channels. Locations include: North Carolina (the Asheville metropolitan area, the “Piedmont” region, Charlotte, and Raleigh/Cary), South Carolina (Greenville and Charleston), East Tennessee (Kingsport/Johnson City, Knoxville, and Morristown), Southwest Virginia (Roanoke Valley) and Georgia (Greater Atlanta).

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact, but instead are based on certain assumptions including statements with respect to the Company’s beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, assumptions and statements about future economic performance and projections of financial items. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated or implied by forward-looking statements. The factors that could result in material differentiation include, but are not limited to, the impact of bank failures or adverse developments involving other banks and related negative press about the banking industry in general on investor and depositor sentiment; the remaining effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on general economic and financial market conditions and on public health, both nationally and in the Company’s market areas; natural disasters, including the effects of Hurricane Helene; expected revenues, cost savings, synergies and other benefits from merger and acquisition activities might not be realized to the extent anticipated, within the anticipated time frames, or at all, costs or difficulties relating to integration matters, including but not limited to customer and employee retention, might be greater than expected, and goodwill impairment charges might be incurred; increased competitive pressures among financial services companies; changes in the interest rate environment; changes in general economic conditions, both nationally and in our market areas; legislative and regulatory changes; and the effects of inflation, a potential recession, and other factors described in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission – which are available on the Company’s website at www.htb.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Any of the forward-looking statements that the Company makes in this press release or in the documents the Company files with or furnishes to the SEC are based upon management’s beliefs and assumptions at the time they are made and may turn out to be wrong because of inaccurate assumptions, the factors described above or other factors that management cannot foresee. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

    www.htb.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Schellman Appoints Preeya Voss as Chief Revenue Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Schellman, a leading provider of attestation and compliance services and a top 50 CPA firm, is proud to announce the appointment of Preeya Voss as its new Chief Revenue Officer. Voss brings nearly two decades of experience in SaaS and services revenue leadership, with a proven track record of driving transformative growth across diverse industries and customer segments.

    Voss has spent her entire career in GTM, spanning a variety of industries and customer segments. She joins Schellman from her most recent role as Senior Vice President of Sales at Ellucian, the global market leader in EdTech for higher education. She was responsible for the company’s enterprise cross-selling strategy, including overseeing revenue growth for both SaaS subscriptions and professional services.

    “As we double down on our investment in sales and go-to-market strategies in 2025, having the right leadership is critical,” said Avani Desai, CEO of Schellman. “Preeya brings not only a wealth of experience in driving revenue and scaling organizations but also a unique ability to inspire teams and foster lasting client relationships. Her strategic mindset and passion for innovation will help us take our growth to the next level while staying true to our core values of excellence and client service.”

    In her role as Chief Revenue Officer, Voss will oversee all revenue-generating initiatives, including client acquisition, strategic partnerships, and go-to-market strategies. Her focus will be on enhancing Schellman’s growth trajectory by aligning sales, marketing, and customer success efforts to deliver exceptional value and outcomes for clients. Based in Denver, Colorado, Voss is an advocate for mentorship and is deeply committed to empowering early-career talent and women in customer-facing roles.

    “I’m honored to join Schellman as Chief Revenue Officer during such a pivotal time in the company’s history,” said Voss. “My mission is to amplify Schellman’s legacy of excellence by driving innovation, forging deeper client partnerships, and unlocking new market opportunities. With Schellman’s unparalleled suite of services—from SOC reports to the latest AI-related assessments to expanded sustainability services—we will continue to empower our clients to build trust with their customers in an increasingly complex compliance landscape.”

    Voss’ appointment underscores Schellman’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its leadership team with exceptional top-tier talent. This announcement follows a series of strategic advances in Q4 of 2024, including receiving ISO 42001 and ISO 14001 accreditation and furthering its mission to be a leader in compliance and attestation services.

    To learn more about Schellman’s services and how they can help your organization, visit the website.

    About Schellman
    “Schellman” is the brand name under which Schellman & Company, LLC and Schellman Compliance, LLC provide professional services. Schellman stands as a leading global provider of attestation, compliance, and certification services. Operating under two distinct entities, Schellman & Company, LLC (a top 50 firm) and Schellman Compliance, LLC (a globally accredited compliance assessment firm which is not a licensed CPA firm). The services provided by the Schellman entities include acting as a CPA firm (Schellman & Company, LLC Florida license number AD62941) as a leading provider of SOC reports, an ISO Certification Body, a PCI Qualified Security Assessor Company, a HITRUST assessor, a FedRAMP 3PAO, being among the pioneering CMMC Authorized C3PAOs, as well as offering international certification services including TISAX and HDS.

    Renowned for its professionals’ expertise combined with practical experience, Schellman delivers superior client service while upholding steadfast independence. The company’s approach fosters successful, long-term relationships, enabling clients to achieve multiple compliance objectives through a single trusted third-party assessor. For further information about the services provided, please visit schellman.com.

    Contact
    V2 Communications
    schellman@v2comms.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/099b8006-8be0-4e69-91a0-788fb889fc7d

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Two Payden Mutual Funds Receive Five-Star Overall Morningstar Rating™

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Payden Floating Rate Fund (PYFRX) and the Payden High Income Fund (PYHRX) each received a five-star overall Morningstar rating as of January 31, 2025.

    The Floating Rate Fund’s investment objective is to seek a high level of current income through floating rate debt instruments, with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. In addition, the fund received a five-star Morningstar rating for the three-, five- and ten-year periods.

    The High Income Fund invests in corporate high-yield bonds, which provide a premium to U.S. Treasury bonds. The fund generally invests in the higher-quality segment of the market and looks for companies with good growth prospects, superior and defensible products and strong management teams.

    The Payden Funds span the fixed income asset class, from short-term floating rate bonds to socially responsible municipal bonds to credit sensitive areas like high yield and emerging markets corporates. During a turbulent period for the bond market, with rising rates and increasing uncertainty about the future direction of the global economy, Payden’s process has endured even in challenging markets.

    About Payden & Rygel

    With $159 billion under management, Payden & Rygel is one of the largest privately-owned global investment advisers focused on the active management of fixed income and equity portfolios. Payden & Rygel provides a full range of investment strategies and solutions to investors around the globe, including Central Banks, Pension Funds, Insurance Companies, Private Banks, and Foundations. Independent and privately-owned, Payden is headquartered in Los Angeles and has offices in Boston, London, and Milan. Visit www.payden.com for more information about Payden’s investment offerings, including US mutual funds and Irish-domiciled funds (subject to investor eligibility).

    *Morningstar rates funds from one to five stars based on how well their risk-adjusted performance compares to similar funds. Within each Morningstar Category, the top 10% of funds receive five stars, the next 22.5% four stars, the middle 35% three stars, the next 22.5% two stars, and the bottom 10% receive one star. Funds are rated for up to three time periods—three-, five-, and 10 years—and these ratings are combined to produce an overall rating. Funds with less than three years of history are not rated. Ratings are objective, based entirely on a mathematical evaluation of past performance. They’re a useful tool for identifying funds worthy of further research, but shouldn’t be considered buy or sell recommendations. Morningstar does not adjust total returns for sales charges (such as front-end loads, deferred loads, and redemption fees). Total returns do account for the expense ratio, which includes management, administrative, 12b-1 Distribution fees, and other costs that are taken out of assets.

    © 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

    Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate, so investors’ shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. For the most recent month-end performance, which may be higher or lower than that quoted, visit our website at payden.com or call 800 572-9336.

    For more information and to obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus, visit payden.com or call 800 572-9336. Before investing, investors should carefully read and consider investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses and other important information about the Fund, which is contained in these documents.

    A Investing in high-yield securities entails certain risks from investing in investment grade securities, including higher volatility, greater credit risk, and the issues’ more speculative nature.

    B Investment in foreign securities entails certain risks from investing in domestic securities, including changes in exchange rates, political changes, differences in reporting standards, and, for emerging-market securities, higher volatility. The Payden Funds are distributed through Payden & Rygel Distributors, member FINRA.

    Sources for the material contained herein are deemed reliable but cannot be guaranteed. This material is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or an offer to sell or buy any security. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

    A chart accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2b8d395c-a448-4ade-a15e-69e566acc651

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Thrive Appoints Ben Reich as Chief Financial Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thrive, a global technology outsourcing provider for cybersecurity, Cloud, and IT managed services, today announced Ben Reich has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer. Reich will bring his strategic expertise in growing businesses organically and through acquisition as Thrive continues to experience rapid growth to meet the complex needs of the industries the company serves.

    With a proven track record of building finance, operations, and HR teams while successfully managing P&L and capital budgets, Reich brings a wealth of expertise in financial and M&A strategy to Thrive. Reich most recently held the title of Chief Financial Officer at Opti9 Tech, a leading hybrid cloud solutions provider, where he provided critical financial guidance to the executive team and stakeholders, and drove the M&A strategy by modeling potential acquisition targets, conducting due diligence, and evaluating synergies. Prior to Opti9 Tech, Reich served as Vice President, Finance at ATSG, completing the integration of four acquisitions and driving $100M in commitment from external investment groups.

    “We have grown into one of the leading global technology outsourcing firms, and to support our momentum, we need leaders who will help us execute our growth and expansion objectives,” said Bill McLaughlin, CEO of Thrive. “Ben’s proven track record and deep understanding of driving M&A strategy and business growth will be indispensable as we continue to scale to deliver the best solutions for our customers.”

    The appointment of Reich comes at an exciting time of growth for Thrive, having recently elevated Bill McLaughlin to the CEO role. The company also received a strategic investment from Berkshire Partners and Court Square Capital Partners to unlock further growth. Along with this, Thrive continues to expand geographically, most recently acquiring Michigan-based Safety Net and North Carolina-based The Longleaf Network.

    “Tapping into financial strategies that lead to business growth and bring real impact to organizations is what I’m most enthusiastic about,” said Reich. “Thrive’s growth trajectory and aggressive M&A goals are why I am here. I look forward to working with Bill and the rest of the Thrive team to start executing against them and continue to scale the company to ensure future success.”

    If you’re interested in learning more about open positions at Thrive, visit the careers page.

    About Thrive  
    Thrive delivers global technology outsourcing for cybersecurity, Cloud, networking, and other complex IT requirements. Thrive’s NextGen platform enables customers to increase business efficiencies through standardization, scalability, and automation, delivering oversized technology returns on investment (ROI). They accomplish this with advisory services, vCISO, vCIO, consulting, project implementation, solution architects, and a best-in-class subscription-based technology platform. Thrive delivers exceptional high-touch service through its POD approach of subject matter experts and global 24x7x365 SOC, NOC, and centralized services teams. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn.  

    Contacts  
    Amanda Maguire  
    thrive@v2comms.com   

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Allied Energy Fuels the Future of Crypto with Groundbreaking Natural Gas Agreement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MCKINNEY, Texas, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Allied Energy Corporation (OTC: AGYP) (“Allied Energy”) proudly announces a transformative Natural Gas Purchase and Sale Agreement with River Energy Group, LLC and Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. This collaboration positions Allied Energy at the forefront of both the energy and digital economies, helping to power the next generation of cryptocurrency data centers while embracing sustainable and efficient natural gas usage.

    With exclusive rights granted to Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. to purchase natural gas from the Thiel Well 1 in Washington County, Texas, this agreement is set to energize a state-of-the-art cryptocurrency mining facility. Strategically located near the wellhead, this facility is designed to meet the rapidly growing energy demands of the digital economy.

    As of the latest Texas Railroad Commission data from December 2024, Texas continues to lead in natural gas production, with the state accounting for nearly 25% of U.S. natural gas production. In 2023 alone, Texas produced more than 11 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily, making it the largest natural gas producer in the United States. The natural gas supply from Well 1 will provide the stable, reliable energy necessary to support Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. cutting-edge 2-3.5 megawatt mining operation, with plans for future expansion.

    In addition, according to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, the U.S. is the world leader in Bitcoin mining, with approximately 37% of the global hash rate coming from U.S.-based operations. This dominance is partly powered by reliable, low-cost energy sources such as natural gas, an efficient and environmentally responsible option for powering large-scale mining facilities.

    Key Highlights of the Agreement Include:

    • Exclusive Natural Gas Supply: Allied Energy and River Energy will deliver a steady and exclusive natural gas supply from Well 1, providing a reliable and cost-effective energy source to power Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. mining operations.
    • Crypto Datacenter Infrastructure: Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. will build and operate a state-of-the-art mining facility with a minimum one-megawatt power generation capacity, with plans for future expansion to meet future energy demands.
    • Sustainability and Efficiency: This collaboration is committed to utilizing natural gas in the most efficient and sustainable manner possible, supporting a greener, more energy-efficient future for the crypto currency sector.
    • Regulatory Compliance: Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. is fully dedicated to securing all required regulatory approvals and permits, ensuring that every aspect of the project meets rigorous environmental and safety standards.

    “We are thrilled to be partnering with River Energy and Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. on this exciting new venture,” said George Monteith, CEO of Allied Energy. “This agreement marks a major milestone for Allied Energy, highlighting our dedication to providing sustainable energy solutions for the rapidly growing crypto currency sector. It also positions us to play a pivotal role in the expanding natural gas market, supporting long-term growth and innovation.”

    This agreement represents a key moment for both the energy and technology industries, underscoring the importance of sustainable, reliable energy in powering the future of digital economies worldwide.

    About AGYP:

    Allied Energy Corp. is an energy development and production company acquiring oil & gas reserves in some of the most prolific hydrocarbon bearing regions of the United States. The Company specializes in the business of reworking & re-completing ‘existing’ oil & gas wells located in the thousands of mature oil & gas producing fields across the United States. The Company applies its knowledge, experience, and effective well-remediation technologies to achieve higher production volumes, longer well life, and more efficient recovery of the proven and available oil and gas reserves in the fields/projects in which it has acquired an ownership interest. The Company will utilize updated technologies such as hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”), drilling of lateral (“horizontal”) legs in productive zones, and utilizing new cased hole electric logging to locate bypassed pays, all to enhance daily rates and oil & gas recoveries. By acquiring interests in a growing number of selected projects in various regions, Allied Energy Corp. is diversifying its exposure and effectively minimizing risk as it pursues corporate growth, top line & bottom-line revenues to the benefit of all stakeholders. There are proven, recoverable reserves contained in the many aging oil & gas fields that have been bypassed by companies moving away from these fields in search of deeper, more plentiful, but more costly reserves. The Company plans to concentrate on bypassed oil and gas as there is less competition and, as mentioned above, the costs are considerably less. Additionally, the company will acquire interests in marginal wells that can be acquired at minimal cost, of which there are 420,000 wells in the U.S. Quoting Barry Russell, President of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (“IPAA”) – “With approximately 20 percent of American oil production and 10 percent of American natural gas production coming from marginal wells, they are America’s true strategic petroleum reserve.”

    About River Energy Group, LLC:

    River Energy Group, LLC brings over 90 years of expertise in the commodities, derivatives, and financial services sectors. The company has partnered with Allied Energy Corporation through a joint venture to identify, secure, and allocate stranded and flared natural gas resources. Their focus is on transforming these resources into resilient and reliable stand-alone microgrids, advancing sustainable energy solutions.

    About Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc.:

    Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. is a forward-thinking energy company specializing in the development, operation, and optimization of innovative energy solutions. The company focuses on providing high-capacity, sustainable energy to diverse industries, with a notable emphasis on powering crypto currency data centers. Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. is committed to advancing renewable energy technologies while ensuring operational efficiency, reliability, and regulatory compliance across all its projects. Through strategic partnerships and cutting-edge infrastructure, Louis Energy Gas Texas, Inc. continues to play a pivotal role in driving Texas’ energy future forward.

    Safe Harbor Statement:

    This Press Release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has tried, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking statements using words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “potential” and similar expressions. These statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs and are based upon information currently available to it. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or advise in the event of any change, addition or alteration to the information catered in this Press Release, including such forward-looking statements.

    Contact:

    Allied Energy Corporation
    Phone: 972-632-2393
    Email: info@alliedengycorp.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlliedEnergyCo1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BOS to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Results on March 31, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RISHON LE ZION, Israel, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BOS Better Online Solutions Ltd. (“BOS” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BOSC), an integrator of supply chain technologies, announced today that it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2024 before the market opens on Monday, March 31, 2025.

    BOS will host a video conference call on March 31, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. To access the video conference meeting, please click on the following link:

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89706334037?pwd=VvkIx2b1tfaGBMpknU4MHrCS7rpsFD.1

    For those unable to participate in the video conference, a recording of the meeting will be available the next day on the BOS website: https://www.boscom.com/conference-calls

    About BOS.
    BOS integrates cutting-edge technologies to streamline and enhance supply chain operations across three specialized divisions:

    • Intelligent Robotics Division: Automates industrial and logistics inventory processes through advanced robotics technologies, improving efficiency and precision.
    • RFID Division: Optimizes inventory management with state-of-the-art solutions for marking and tracking, ensuring real-time visibility and control.
    • Supply Chain Division: Integrates franchised components directly into customer products, meeting their evolving needs for developing cutting-edge products.

    For more information about BOS, please visit https://www.boscom.com/.

    For additional information, contact:

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Anfield Energy to Present at the Metals and Mining Growth Virtual Investor Conference February 13th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Anfield Energy, Inc. (TSXV:AEC; OTCQB:ANLDF), with its uranium and vanadium asset portfolio based in the Southwestern United States and focused on development and the pursuit of near-term production, today announced that Corey Dias, Chief Executive Officer, will present live at the Metals and Mining Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on February 13th, 2025

    DATE: February 13th
    TIME: 11:30 AM ET
    LINK: https://bit.ly/4hPp1JA
    Available for 1×1 meetings: February 12th and 13th

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.  

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • Recently completed a $15 million equity financing
    • Announced its intention to pursue a listing of its shares on a senior US stock exchange
    • Announced that it had completed its 14-hole, 14,100-foot drill program at its Slick Rock uranium and vanadium project and outlined its 2025 plans to advance the project, including the pursuit of a Plan of Operations

    About Anfield Energy, Inc.

    Anfield is a uranium and vanadium development and near-term production company that is committed to becoming a top-tier energy-related fuels supplier by creating value through sustainable, efficient growth in its assets. Anfield is a publicly traded corporation listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (AEC-V), the OTCQB Marketplace (ANLDF) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (0AD).

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access.  Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:
    Anfield Energy, Inc.
    Corey Dias
    Chief Executive Officer
    604-669-5762
    cdias@anfieldresources.com

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. “Forward-looking information” includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the anticipated use of proceeds from the Equity Financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals with respect to the Equity Financing and the intention to pursue a listing on a US stock exchange.

    Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved” or the negative connotation thereof.

    Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company will use the proceeds of the Equity Financing as currently anticipated; that the Company will receive regulatory approval with respect to the Equity Financing; and that the Company will be able to pursue a listing on a US stock exchange. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

    There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s plans or expectations include the risk that the Company may not use the proceeds of the Equity Financing as currently anticipated; that the Company may not receive regulatory approval with respect to the Equity Financing; the risk that the Company may not have the resources, or may otherwise be unable to pursue a listing on a US stock exchange; risks relating to the actual results of the Company’s operational activities, fluctuating commodity prices, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators.

    Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

    The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. We seek safe harbor.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Silver Tiger Metals to Present at the Metals and Mining Growth Virtual Investor Conference February 13th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR)(OTCQX:SLVTF) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, focused on Developing Production at the El Tigre Silver Mining District in Sonora Mexico, today announced that Glenn Jessome President & CEO, will present live at the Metals and Mining Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on February 13th, 2025

    DATE: February 13th
    TIME: 1:00pm EST
    LINK: https://bit.ly/3Ex4Xxc
    Available for 1×1 meetings: February 12th / 13th

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.  

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    About Silver Tiger and the El Tigre Historic Mine District

    Silver Tiger Metals Inc. is a Canadian company whose management has more than 27 years’ experience discovering, financing, and building large hydrothermal gold and silver mines in Mexico. Silver Tiger’s 100% owned 28,414 hectare Historic El Tigre Mining District is located in Sonora, Mexico. Principled environmental, social and governance practices are core priorities at Silver Tiger. 

    Silver Tiger commenced work on its El Tigre Project in 2017. El Tigre intends to build an open pit and underground mine. Silver Tiger has drilled over 150,000 meters at the El Tigre Project, with 119,000 meters completed since 2020. Silver Tiger has completed several MREs, a maiden MRE in 2017 and MRE updates in 2023 and 2024. The PEA for the El Tigre open pit was released in November 2023. 

    The October 2024 PFS for the El Tigre open pit delivered robust economics. The PFS projects an After-Tax NPV of US$222 million at a 5% discount rate, an After-Tax IRR of 40.0%, and a payback period of 2.0 years. This open pit operation is expected to have a 10-year mine life. The El Tigre project delivers a life of mine undiscounted After-Tax Cash Flow of US$318 million, with initial capital costs of $86.8 million (including $9.3 million in contingency). Operating cash costs are projected at $973/oz AuEq and $12/oz AgEq, with AISC at $1,214/oz AuEq and $14/oz AgEq. The economics of the Project have been evaluated based on a discounted $26/oz silver price and gold price of $2,150/oz. 

    Silver Tiger is now drilling from underground drill pads, focusing on the high-grade silver Veins, Sulphide and Shale Zones. A PEA for the permitted underground mineral resource is expected to be released in the first half of 2025.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:
    Silver Tiger Metals Inc.
    Devin Devarennes
    VP Investor Relations
    902-233-3656
    Devin@silvertigermetals.com

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Red Pine Exploration to Present at the Metals and Mining Growth Virtual Investor Conference February 13th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Red Pine Exploration Inc. (TSXV: RPX, OTCQB: RDEXF), based in Toronto, focused on Gold exploration in Canada, today announced that Michael Michaud, President and CEO, will present live at the Metals and Mining Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on February 13th, 2025

    DATE: February 13th
    TIME: 1:30 pm (EST)
    LINK: https://bit.ly/3CX0cMV
    Available for 1×1 meetings: February 13-17

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.  

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • Recent Drilling at the Wawa Gold Project has Expanded Gold System
    • Recent Mineral Resource Estimate increased by 150% ounces of gold
    • Fully Funded to complete 25,000 metre drill program

    About Red Pine Exploration Inc.

    Red Pine Exploration Inc. is a gold exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Company’s shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “RPX” and on the OTCQB Markets under the symbol “RDEXF”.

    The Wawa Gold Project is in the Michipicoten Greenstone Belt of Ontario, a region that has seen major investment by several producers in the last five years. The Company’s land package hosts numerous historic gold mines and is over 7,000 hectares in size. Red Pine is building a strong position as a major mineral exploration and development player in the Michipicoten region.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access.  Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:
    Red Pine Exploration Inc.
    Michael Michaud
    President and CEO
    905-410-3191
    mmichaud@redpineexp.com

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Art and science illuminate the same subtle proportions in tree branches

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mitchell Newberry, Research Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Michigan

    Tree branches in art throughout history follow geometric rules related to fractal geometry. ‘Almond blossom’ by Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

    Do artists and scientists see the same thing in the shape of trees? As a scientist who studies branching patterns in living things, I’m starting to think so.

    Piet Mondrian was an early 20th-century abstract artist and art theorist obsessed with simplicity and essence of form. Even people who have never heard of Mondrian will likely recognize his iconic irregular grids of rectangles.

    When I saw Mondrian’s 1911 “Gray Tree,” I immediately recognized something about trees that I had struggled to describe. By removing all but the most essential elements in an abstract painting, Mondrian demonstrated something I was attempting to explain using physics and fractal geometry.

    My field of research is mathematical biology. My colleagues and I try to explain how treelike structures such as veins and arteries, lungs and leaves fine-tune their physical form to efficiently deliver blood, air, water and nutrients.

    Fundamental research in the biology of branching helps cure cardiovascular diseases and cancer, design materials that can heal themselves and predict how trees will respond to a changing climate. Branching also shows up in ant foraging patterns, slime molds and cities.

    The treeless tree

    From 1890 to 1912, Mondrian painted dozens of trees. He started with full-color, realistic trees in context: trees in a farmyard or a dappled lane. Gradually he removed leaves, depth, color and eventually even branching from his tree paintings. “Gray Tree” uses only curved lines of various thickness superimposed on top of one another at seemingly random angles. Yet the image is unmistakably a tree.

    How did Mondrian convey the sense of a tree with so little? The science of trees may offer some clues.

    The science of branching

    One goal of mathematical biology is to synthesize what scientists know about the vast diversity of living systems – where there seems to be an exception to every rule – into clear, general principles, ideally with few exceptions. One such general principle is that evolution fine-tunes treelike structures in living things to make metabolism and respiration as efficient as possible.

    The body carefully controls the thickness of vessels as they branch, because deviation from the most efficient diameter wastes energy and causes disease, such as atherosclerosis.

    In many cases, such as human blood vessels, the body exerts much tighter control over diameter than length. So while veins and arteries might take circuitous routes to accommodate the vagaries of organs and anatomy, their diameter usually stays within 10% of the optimum. The same principle appears in tree branches as well.

    The precise calibration of branch diameter leads to a hallmark of fractal shapes called scale invariance. A scale invariance is a property that holds true regardless of the size of an object or part of an object you’re looking at. Scale invariance occurs in trees because trunks, limbs and twigs all branch in similar ways and for similar reasons.

    The scale invariance in branch diameter dictates how much smaller a limb should be as it branches and how much investment a tree makes in a few thick branches versus many thin ones. Trees have evolved scale invariance to transport water, reach light and resist gravity and wind load as efficiently as possible given physical limits.

    This science of trees inspired my colleague and me to measure the scaling of tree branch diameter in art.

    The art of trees

    Among my favorite images is a carving of a tree from a late-medieval mosque in India. Its exaltation of trees reminds me of Tolkien’s Tree of Gondor and the human capacity to appreciate the simple beauty of living things.

    But I also find mathematical inspiration in the Islamic Golden Age, a time when art, architecture, math and physics thrived. Medieval Islamic architects even decorated buildings with infinitely nonrepeating tiling patterns that were not understood by Western mathematics until the 20th century.

    The stylized tree carvings of the Sidi Saiyyed mosque also follow the precise system of proportions dictated by the scale invariance of real trees. This level of precision of branch diameter takes an attentive eye and a careful plan – much better than I could freehand.

    Indeed, wherever our team looked at trees in great artwork, such as Klimt’s “Tree of Life” or Matsumura Goshun’s “Cherry Blossoms,” we also found precise scale invariance in the diameter of branches.

    “Grey Tree” also realistically captures the natural variation in branch diameters, even when the painting gives the viewer little else to go on. Without realistic scaling, would this painting even be a tree?

    As if to prove the point, Mondrian made a subsequent painting the following year, also with a gray background, curved lines and the same overall composition and dimensions. Even the position of some of the lines are the same.

    But, in “Blooming Apple Tree” (1912), all the lines are the same thickness. The scaling is gone, and with it, the tree. Before reading the title, most viewers would not guess that this is a painting of a tree. Yet Mondrian’s sketches reveal that “Blooming Apple Tree” and “Gray Tree” are the very same tree.

    The two paintings contain few elements that might signal a tree – a concentration of lines near the center, lines that could be branches or a central trunk and lines that could indicate the ground or a horizon.

    Yet only “Gray Tree” has scale-invariant branch diameters. When Mondrian removes the scale invariance in “Blooming Apple Tree,” viewers just as easily see fish, scales, dancers, water or simply nonrepresentational shapes, whereas the tree in “Gray Tree” is unmistakable.

    Photo synthesis

    Mondrian’s tree paintings and scientific theory highlight the importance of the thickness of tree branches. Consilience is when different lines of evidence and reasoning reach the same conclusions. Art and math both explore abstract descriptions of the world, and so seeing great art and science pick out the same essential features of trees is satisfying beyond what art or science could accomplish alone.

    Just as great literature such as “The Overstory” and “The Botany of Desire” show us how trees influence our lives in ways we often don’t notice, the art and science of trees show how humans are finely attuned to what’s important to trees. I think this resonance is one reason people find fractals and natural landscapes so pleasing and reassuring.

    All these lines of thinking give us new ways to appreciate trees.

    Mitchell Newberry has published research on tree branching supported by University of Michigan and University of New Mexico. He volunteers with Cool It Burque, a tree-planting group in Albuquerque, NM.

    – ref. Art and science illuminate the same subtle proportions in tree branches – https://theconversation.com/art-and-science-illuminate-the-same-subtle-proportions-in-tree-branches-247967

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Young Trade Leaders: Eric, Nigeria

    Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)

    The Young Trade Leaders Programme was established to connect young people with the work of the WTO. Eric Andrew is the founder and Team Lead of AgrofixiNG, an organization in Nigeria successfully implementing solutions in agriculture and the circular economy.

    Eric shares his impressions about the programme and his plans as a Young Trade Leader.

    Download this video from the WTO website:
    https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7TE7dxZSP0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: U.S. 6th Fleet embarks flagship USS Mount Whitney

    Source: United States Navy

    During a simulated at-sea period, or fast cruise, the staff and Mount Whitney’s military-civilian combined crew exercised normal underway conditions and the battle rhythm required to sustain fleet-wide distributed maritime operations.

    “We demonstrated we could run our Maritime Operations Center effectively from our flagship,” said Vice Adm. J.T. Anderson, commander of U.S. 6th Fleet. “Our staff’s ability to deploy anytime while still commanding thousands of Sailors, ships, submarines and aircraft across two areas of operation is what makes our headquarters one of the most flexible, mobile, and active warfighting platforms in the U.S. military.”

    USS Mount Whitney is 6th Fleet’s primary warfighting platform and the only place where the commander can simultaneously command U.S. forces and NATO forces. Its command and control systems allow designated staff to enable an array of naval and joint operations while at sea, including rapid maritime response; planning, coordinating, and directing the employment of forces to maintain mission readiness; building working relationships with Allies and partners; protecting U.S. citizens and U.S. interests; and deterring hostile forces in European and African theaters.

    The three-day embark coincided with the U.S. 6th Fleet’s anniversary. Sixth Fleet was established Feb. 12, 1950 with the responsibility for the Mediterranean, marking 75 years of service.

    U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts a full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with Allies, in order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Exercise Cutlass Express 2025 launches across East Africa

    Source: United States Navy

    Exercise Cutlass Express 2025, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command and enabled by U.S. 6th Fleet, brings together more than 20 multinational partners for two weeks of training to support collaborative maritime security operations in the region.

    Throughout the exercise, U.S. forces will work alongside participating nations to enhance maritime domain awareness, improve international law enforcement capacity and increase interoperability between the U.S., African, and other multinational partner navies and coast guards.

    “Cutlass Express continues to provide an exceptional venue to collaborate with our African partners on maritime security,” said Vice Adm. J. T. Anderson, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet. “When we combine the strength of our partnerships with the high level of training provided by exercises like this, we improve the overall security and economic prosperity of a region that extends far beyond the territorial waters and exclusive economic zones of each individual nation.”

    This year’s exercise will focus training efforts in Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania, though information sharing and coordination will take place across nine maritime operation centers (MOCs) located throughout the region. Additionally, Exercise Cutlass Express 2025 is linked to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s International Maritime Exercise 2025 through information sharing between MOCs to improve theater-to-theater coordination, reduce regional seams, and strengthen U.S. and partner nation capabilities and interoperability.

    Exercise Cutlass Express 2025 will also run concurrently with the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa led exercise Justified Accord 2025 in Kenya and Tanzania to improve defense capabilities of multi-domain forces and refine crisis and counterterrorism responses, ultimately reducing global maritime threats.

    Participants in this year’s iteration of Cutlass Express include Belgium, Comoros, Djibouti, France, Georgia, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom.

    Cutlass Express is one of three regional maritime exercises led by U.S. 6th Fleet as part of a comprehensive strategy to provide collaborative opportunities to African forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns.

    Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni addresses CISL National Assembly

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    11 Febbraio 2025

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, delivered an address at the national assembly of CISL [Italian Confederation of Workers’ Unions] today.

    [This video is available in Italian only]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Ruslan Stefanchuk: “Peace in Ukraine can only be achieved if we stay strong”

    Source: European Parliament 3

    On Tuesday, the Chair of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, addressed a formal sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

    Welcoming Mr Stefanchuk to the hemicycle, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “I am proud that this Parliament has stood with Ukraine from the very first moment – united, unwavering, and resolute. We will keep pushing for peace. Peace must be just, it must be dignified, and it must be based on the principle of ‘Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’.

    In his address, Ruslan Stefanchuk, called on the EU to continue and increase its support for Ukraine. His country, he said, needs more defense systems, more airplanes and more investment in its military industry.

    Peace in Ukraine can only be achieved if we stay strong and put consolidated pressure on the Russian aggressor, in order to defend the civilized world, Mr Stefanchuck said. Russia does not only want to ruin our country, he added, it will want to move west, first towards Kyiv, and then towards Warsaw and Brussels: “The danger is much closer than you think.“

    To stop the aggression and to achieve a lasting peace, it is also essential that Russia faces sanctions it cannot circumvent, he said, while calling for additional sanctions. The president of the Ukrainian Parliament also called for the punishment of those responsible for war crimes. “Russia has crossed all the red lines imaginable in this war,“ he said.

    On Ukraine’s wish to join the EU, Ruslan Stefanchuk said his country will become stronger and better after this war as it is committed to the reform process. It hopes to open the first cluster of issues in the negotiations during the Polish presidency, he said.

    Debate on EU support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s war of aggression

    In a debate preceding the address by Mr Stefanchuk, MEPs considered the prospects of future ceasefire negotiations and a peace deal. Some speakers remarked that nothing must be discussed “about Ukraine and without Ukraine”, and nothing decided without Europe. Europe, they said, must be ready to assume a greater responsibility in providing security guarantees and preparing Kyiv for future NATO and EU membership. Others underlined the need to confiscate Russian assets to finance Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction, while several MEPs expressed serious concerns about how much Europe has paid and will continue to pay to support Ukraine.

    You can watch the debate again here. (11.02.2025)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Moscow Metro held its first training sessions with guide dogs this year.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Metro

    The first training sessions with guide dogs this year took place in the Moscow Metro, with 12 future service dogs beginning the training.

    Since 2014, more than 400 guide dogs have been trained in the metro under the guidance of inspectors from the Passenger Mobility Center and specialists from the Guide Dog Training School of the All-Russian Society of the Blind.

    During training, dogs learn to pass through turnstiles, go up and down escalators, and retrieve dropped objects. They quickly adapt to noise and large crowds. After completing their training, these four-legged helpers move easily in the subway and remain calm in a busy environment.

    Breeds that are best suited for the role of guide dogs include Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and East European Shepherds.

    “We are developing passenger services in city transport on the instructions of Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. In 2025, 40 guide dogs will undergo training in the Moscow Metro. The first 12 dogs have already begun training, and in the future they will help blind and visually impaired passengers move safely,” said Maxim Liksutov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: On February 14 at 15:00 there will be a press conference on the results of the meeting of the Board of Directors on monetary policy

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    The event will be attended by the Chairman of the Bank of Russia Elvira Nabiullina and the Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia Alexey Zabotkin.

    Elvira Nabiullina will make a statement on monetary policy and medium-term forecast.

    The press conference will be held at the Bank of Russia press center. The broadcast of the speech will be available on our website, channel inTelegram, as well as on the official page inVKontakte.

    Accreditation for journalists is open until 17:00 on February 12 at the following address: Media@kbr.ru.

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

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

    HTTPS: //vv. KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23363

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Metro held its first guide dog training sessions of the year

    Source: Moscow Metro

    The first guide dog training sessions of the year have taken place in the Moscow Metro, with 12 future service dogs beginning their lessons.

    Since 2014, more than 400 guide dogs have been trained in the metro under the supervision of inspectors from the Passenger Mobility Center and specialists from the Guide Dog Training School of the All Russia Association of the Blind.

    During training, dogs learn to pass through turnstiles, go up and down escalators, and retrieve dropped items. They quickly adapt to noise and large crowds. After completing their training, these four-legged assistants navigate the metro with ease and remain calm in busy environments.

    Dog breeds such as Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, and East European Shepherd are best suited for the role of guide dogs.

    “We are developing passenger services in urban transport following the directive of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin. In 2025, 40 guide dogs will undergo training in the Moscow Metro. The first 12 dogs have already started their training, and in the future, they will assist blind and visually impaired passengers in traveling safely,” — said Maksim Liksutov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restores Section 232 Tariffs

    Source: The White House

    COUNTERING TRADE PRACTICES THAT UNDERMINE NATIONAL SECURITY: Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump signed proclamations to close existing loopholes and exemptions to restore a true 25% tariff on steel and elevate the tariff to 25% on aluminum.

    • President Trump is taking action to protect America’s critical steel and aluminum industries, which have been harmed by unfair trade practices and global excess capacity.
    • President Trump is reinstating the full 25% tariff on steel imports and increasing tariffs on aluminum imports to 25%.
      • Key reforms include eliminating all alternative agreements, applying strict “melted and poured” standards, expanding tariffs to include key downstream products, terminating all general approved exclusions, and cracking down on tariff misclassification and duty evasion schemes.
    • The countries of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the European Union, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom had received exemptions, which prevented the tariffs from being effective.
      • By granting exemptions to certain countries, the United States inadvertently created loopholes that were exploited by China and others with excess steel and aluminum capacity, undermining the purpose of these exemptions.
    • The President is exercising his authority under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to adjust imports of steel and aluminum to protect our national security.
      • This statute provides the President with authority to adjust imports being brought into the United States in quantities or under circumstances that threaten to impair national security.
      • In March 2018, President Trump invoked authority under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. § 1862) to impose 25% tariffs on steel imports and 10% tariffs on aluminum.  These measures were remarkably effective in supporting recovery and reinvestment in the American steel industry and saved the domestic primary aluminum industry from total collapse. But exemptions and loopholes have permitted evasion of the tariffs and weakened the effectiveness of the program.
      • The reinvigorated Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum will support the program’s original objective of revitalizing the domestic steel and aluminum industries and achieving sustainable capacity utilization of at least 80%.

    RESTORING FAIRNESS TO STEEL AND ALUMINUM MARKETS: President Trump is taking action to end unfair trade practices and the global dumping of steel and aluminum.

    • Foreign nations have been flooding the United States market with cheap steel and aluminum, often subsidized by their governments.
    • A report from the first Trump Administration found that steel import levels and global excess were weakening our domestic economy and threatening to impair national security.
      • The report found that excess production and capacity, particularly in China, has been a major factor in the decline of domestic aluminum production.
    • While the domestic steel industry briefly achieved 80% utilization in 2021, subsequent trade pressure following the COVID-19 pandemic has depressed domestic production.  In 2022 and 2023, capacity utilization fell to 77.3% and 75.3%, respectively.  High import volumes from sources exempt from Section 232 tariffs are a major factor in depressing domestic production volumes. 
    • For aluminum, there was an increase in the capacity utilization rate between 2017 and 2019, from 40% to 61% during that period. But since 2019, the aluminum capacity utilization has once again seen a steady decline, falling from 61% to 55% between 2019 and 2023.  
    • The United States does not want to be in a position where it would be unable to meet demand for national defense and critical infrastructure in a national emergency.

    STRENGTHENING AMERICA’S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: President Trump’s decision to close existing loopholes and exemptions will strengthen United States’ steel and aluminum industries.

    • In his first term, President Trump imposed Section 232 tariffs to protect the American steel and aluminum industries from unfair foreign competition.
    • The steel tariffs that President Trump implemented led to thousands of jobs gained and higher wages in the metals industry.
      • These tariffs were hailed as a “boon” for Minnesota’s iron ore industry, with state officials crediting tariffs for bolstering the local economy. 
      • Steel and aluminum imports drastically decreased under President Trump, falling by nearly a third from 2016 to 2020.
      • The tariffs led to a wave in investment across the United States, with more than $10 billion committed to build new mills.
    • It was recently announced that Hyundai Steel is actively considering building a steel plant in the United States.
    • U.S. steelmakers, including the American Iron and Steel Institute and the Steel Manufacturers Association, have praised President Trump’s America First trade policy.

    TARIFFS WORK: Studies have repeatedly shown that contrary to public rhetoric, tariffs can be an effective tool for achieving economic and strategic objectives.

    • A 2024 study on the effects of President Trump’s tariffs in his first Administration found that they “strengthened the U.S. economy,” and “led to significant reshoring” in industries like manufacturing and steel production.
    • A 2023 report by the U.S. International Trade Commission that analyzed the effects of Section 232 and 301 tariffs on more than $300 billion of U.S. imports found that the tariffs reduced imports from China, effectively stimulated more U.S. production of the tariffed goods, with very minor effects on prices.
    • According to the Economic Policy Institute, the tariffs implemented by President Trump during his first Administration “clearly show[ed] no correlation with inflation” and only had a temporary effect on overall price levels.
    • An analysis from the Atlantic Council found that “tariffs would create new incentives for US consumers to buy US-made products.”
    • Former Biden Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen affirmed last year that tariffs do not raise prices: “I don’t believe that American consumers will see any meaningful increase in the prices that they face.”

    A 2024 economic analysis found that a global tariff of 10% would grow the economy by $728 billion, create 2.8 million jobs, and increase real household incomes by 5.7%.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Crime rises 5% in 2024

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    A total of 94,747 crimes were reported in 2024, representing an increase of 5% compared to the figure for 2023, Police said today.

    The upsurge was mainly attributed to an increase in deception cases.

    The overall detection rate was 30.4%, similar to that of 2023.

    Leaving deception cases aside, the overall crime figure recorded a drop of 185 cases last year, while the detection rate rose by 1.7 percentage points to 47.9%.

    There were 10,485 cases of violent crime, registering a rise of 3.6% – primarily driven by the rise in “naked chat blackmail” cases.

    Apart from deception and blackmail, another major crime of rape recorded an increase.

    A number of traditional crimes record a lower case load in 2024, with the detection rate for robbery and snatching cases hitting a record high.

    Deception cases rose 11.7% year-on-year in 2024 to 44,480, accounting for 46.9% of the overall number of crimes. Among them, 61.8% were Internet-related.

    The rise in deception cases was mainly attributed to the emergence of the new modus operandi of telephone deception involving “Impersonating Customer Service” since early last year. A total of 5,575 cases of such modus operandi were reported in 2024.

    As to the national security situation, since the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance came into force, as at the end of December 2024, Police’s National Security Department arrested a total of 316 people, with 60% having been charged.

    Looking forward, Police will focus this year on safeguarding national security, working to combat deception cases and ensuring that the 15th National Games will be conducted in a safe and orderly manner.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Acting Chairman Statement on Climate-Related Disclosure Rules

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Today, I am taking action on The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors rule that was adopted by the Commission on March 6, 2024 (the “Rule”).[1] The Rule is currently being challenged in litigation consolidated in the Eighth Circuit[2] and the Commission previously stayed effectiveness of the Rule pending completion of that litigation.[3] The Rule is deeply flawed and could inflict significant harm on the capital markets and our economy.

    Both Commissioner Peirce and I voted against the Rule’s adoption.[4] Commissioner Peirce said that then-existing disclosure rules were sufficient and that the “[R]ule’s anticipated benefits do not outweigh the costs.”[5] She argued that “only a mandate from Congress should put us in the business of facilitating the disclosure of information not clearly related to financial returns.”[6] I stated that the Commission was “without statutory authority or expertise” to address climate change issues and that “this [R]ule is climate regulation promulgated under the Commission’s seal.”[7]

    During the comment period, many submissions likewise urged that the Rule not be adopted. Among the reasons were that the Rule would require a large volume of financially immaterial information, financially material climate-related risks were already subject to disclosure under existing rules, and the proposed rules overstepped the SEC’s regulatory authority.[8]

    The Commission’s briefs previously submitted in the cases consolidated in the Eighth Circuit do not reflect my views. The briefs defend the Commission’s adoption of the Rule, but I continue to question the statutory authority of the Commission to adopt the Rule, the need for the Rule, and the evaluation of costs and benefits. I also question whether the agency followed the proper procedures under the Administrative Procedure Act to adopt the Rule.

    The lack of statutory authority is a weighty factor. Commissioners have a constitutional obligation to determine the bounds of the agency’s statutory authority, and my views on the Commission’s authority here were the result of lengthy study and research informed by many comments on all sides of the issue.

    These views, the recent change in the composition of the Commission, and the recent Presidential Memorandum regarding a Regulatory Freeze,[9] bear on the conduct of this litigation. I believe that the Court and the parties should be notified of these changes.

    Therefore, I have directed the Commission staff to notify the Court of the changed circumstances and request that the Court not schedule the case for argument to provide time for the Commission to deliberate and determine the appropriate next steps in these cases. The Commission will promptly notify the Court of its determination about its positions in the litigation.

    [2] Iowa v. SEC, No. 24-1522 (8th Cir.); see also Liberty Energy Inc. v. SEC, No. 24-cv-739 (N.D. Tex.).

    [5] Commissioner Peirce Statement.

    [7] Commissioner Uyeda Statement.

    [8] See, e.g., Comment of the Federal Regulation of Securities Committee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association (Jun. 24, 2022); Comment of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Jun. 16, 2022); Comment of the National Association of Convenience Stores (Jun. 8, 2022); Comment of the National Association of Manufacturers (Jun. 6, 2022).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Phobos Ransomware Affiliates Arrested in Coordinated International Disruption

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Note: View the superseding indictment here.

    Phobos Group Alleged to have Attacked Over 1,000 Victims Worldwide

    The Justice Department today unsealed criminal charges against Roman Berezhnoy, 33, and Egor Nikolaevich Glebov, 39, both Russian nationals, who allegedly operated a cybercrime group using the Phobos ransomware that victimized more than 1,000 public and private entities in the United States and around the world and received over $16 million in ransom payments. Berezhnoy and Glebov were arrested this week as part of a coordinated international disruption of their organization, which includes additional arrests and the technical disruption of the group’s computer infrastructure.

    From May 2019, through at least October 2024, Berezhnoy, Glebov, and others allegedly caused victims to suffer losses resulting from the loss of access to their data in addition to the financial losses associated with the ransomware payments. The victims included a children’s hospital, health care providers, and educational institutions.

    8Base Seizure Banner

    According to court documents, Berezhnoy, Glebov, and others operated a ransomware affiliate organization, including under the names “8Base” and “Affiliate 2803,” among others, that victimized public and private entities through the deployment of Phobos ransomware.

    As part of the scheme, Berezhnoy, Glebov, and others allegedly hacked into victim computer networks, copied and stole files and programs on the victims’ network, and encrypted the original versions of the stolen data with Phobos ransomware. The conspirators then allegedly extorted the victims for ransom payments in exchange for the decryption keys to regain access to the encrypted data by, among other things, leaving a ransom note on compromised victim computers and separately reaching out to victims to initiate ransom payment negotiations.

    As alleged, the conspirators also threatened to expose victims’ stolen files to the public or to the victims’ clients, customers, or constituents if the ransoms were not paid. The conspirators are further alleged to have established and operated a darknet website where they repeated their extortionate threats and ultimately published the stolen data if a victim failed to pay the ransom.

    After a successful Phobos ransomware attack, criminal affiliates paid fees to Phobos administrators for a decryption key to regain access to the encrypted files. Each deployment of Phobos ransomware was assigned a unique alphanumeric string in order to match it to the corresponding decryption key, and each affiliate was directed to pay the decryption key fee to a cryptocurrency wallet unique to that affiliate.

    The charges unsealed today against Berezhnoy and Glebov follow the recent arrest and extradition of Evgenii Ptitsyn, a Russian national, on charges relating to his alleged administration of the Phobos ransomware variant.

    In parallel with this week’s arrests, Europol and German authorities have announced an international operation involving the FBI and other international law enforcement partners to disrupt over 100 servers associated with this criminal network.

    Berezhnoy and Glebov are charged in an 11-count indictment with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, three counts of causing intentional damage to protected computers, three counts of extortion in relation to damage to a protected computer, one count of transmitting a threat to impair the confidentiality of stolen data, and one count of unauthorized access and obtaining information from a protected computer. If convicted, Berezhnoy and Glebov face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud-related count; 10 years in prison on each computer damage count; and five years in prison on each of the other counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department extends its thanks to international judicial and law enforcement partners in the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Thailand, Finland, and Romania, as well as Europol and the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, for their cooperation and coordination with the Phobos ransomware investigation. The National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided valuable assistance.

    Senior Counsel Aarash A. Haghighat of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. Former CCIPS Trial Attorney Riane Harper and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Jeffrey J. Izant for the District of Maryland provided substantial assistance.

    Additional details on protecting networks against Phobos ransomware are available at StopRansomware.gov, including Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Advisory AA24-060A.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OLAF plays pivotal role in uncovering 100 million EUR suspected subsidy fraud with links to organised crime

    Source: European Anti-Fraud Offfice

    Press release no 4/2025
    PDF version

    The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) played a key role in exposing a sophisticated fraud scheme involving EU funding worth over 100 million EUR. The investigation uncovered alleged fraud and forgery in documents for water supply and wastewater infrastructure projects financed by the European Cohesion Fund in Romania. 

    Following a request from the EPPO, OLAF launched several investigations, focusing on the authenticity and traceability of the documents submitted by companies participating in calls for tenders in Romania. These companies managed to secure eight contracts for drinking water distribution and sewage rehabilitation projects worth over 100 million EUR.

    In the framework of its investigations, OLAF gathered evidence indicating a complex fraud mechanism using companies established in Italy and Romania between 2018-2021. 

    To meet the financial and technical criteria required by the contracting authorities, the Romanian companies claimed an annual turnover of their associates of between 42 and 63 million EUR over a 3-year period. OLAF’s investigation revealed that the real turnover was 30 times lower. OLAF also found that after winning the tenders, the bidders transferred a percentage of the total contract value to the associates. 

    One of the companies under investigation was later also found to have been placed under administrative prevention order by Italian authorities under anti-mafia legislation, effectively banning it from public contracts and certain business activities, due to its suspected ties to organised crime.

    Additionally, OLAF identified fake contracts for construction projects in Iraq. According to the winning companies, their associates claimed to have executed design and construction works for drinking water in the country worth around 31 million EUR through its Iraqi branch. OLAF provided evidence that such project, in fact, never existed.

    Director-General Ville Itälä welcomed the results: “This case demonstrates how suspects attempted to manipulate the EU’s financial system for their own gain and at the expense of European taxpayers. Thanks to OLAF’s investigative expertise and the valuable cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, we were able to uncover the sophisticated scheme and help ensure that justice will be served. This is a clear example of how EU institutions working together can effectively protect public funding and uphold the integrity of EU financial interests.” 

    For the investigations already finalised, OLAF has recommended that the European Commission recover €20 million, representing the total amount paid from the Cohesion Fund for the suspected fraudulent contracts. 

    Furthermore, OLAF has transmitted its final reports to the EPPO. For more details, you can read EPPO’s press release here. 

    OLAF mission, mandate and competences:
    OLAF’s mission is to detect, investigate and stop fraud with EU funds.    

    OLAF fulfils its mission by:
    •    carrying out independent investigations into fraud and corruption involving EU funds, so as to ensure that all EU taxpayers’ money reaches projects that can create jobs and growth in Europe;
    •    contributing to strengthening citizens’ trust in the EU Institutions by investigating serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU Institutions;
    •    developing a sound EU anti-fraud policy.

    In its independent investigative function, OLAF can investigate matters relating to fraud, corruption and other offences affecting the EU financial interests concerning:
    •    all EU expenditure: the main spending categories are Structural Funds, agricultural policy and rural development funds, direct expenditure and external aid;
    •    some areas of EU revenue, mainly customs duties;
    •    suspicions of serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU institutions.

    Once OLAF has completed its investigation, it is for the competent EU and national authorities to examine and decide on the follow-up of OLAF’s recommendations. All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a competent national or EU court of law.

    For further details:

    Pierluigi CATERINO
    Spokesperson
    European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
    Phone: +32(0)2 29-52335  
    Email: olaf-media ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (olaf-media[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
    https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu
    LinkedIn: European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)

    If you’re a journalist and you wish to receive our press releases in your inbox, pleaseleave us your contact data.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Syrians share stories of violence and displacement from temporary shelters in the northeast

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Shivan* still recalls the terrible days he and his family experienced as fighting approached his town, Manbij, in northern Syria, in December 2024. He met a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) team during their visit to a school sheltering displaced people in Hassakeh governorate, and he shared stories of losing loved ones and fears about an unknown future.

    “We heard the sounds of fighting and explosions in Manbij and tried to stay safe, hoping that things would calm down and we wouldn’t have to flee. But the shooting intensified and came closer,” he says.

    When the armed men arrived, they ordered Shivan and everyone in their neighbourhood to leave their homes. “One of my friends refused to leave saying, ‘I am not going to leave my home’. I told him to just leave before they force us to, but I never imagined it would go like this,” Shivan says. “They shot him in the head without hesitation. I’ll never forget that day; my friend was killed in front of me.”

    Seeing the blood of his friend on the street, Shivan and his family joined an estimated 100,000 people who fled Manbij and Tal Rifaat to find safety in Raqqa and Hassakeh governorates in northeast Syria.

    This wave of displacement is part of a recurring cycle of violence and displacement that has been impacting Syrians for 13 years. Now, the most recent escalation of violence, including in Tel Rifaat, Shehba, and Manbij, has made these areas unsafe, forcing thousands to flee once again.

    MSF was not present in the areas people fled from, but collected testimonies about severe violence, including killings, harassment, and physical attacks, that people witnessed in their hometowns and along their journey to northeast Syria.

    “They physically abused us. Everyone was a target, they harassed my sisters and myself, touching our bodies and humiliated us in ways I can’t describe,” says Jiyan*, a woman who was also displaced from Manbij. “I wanted to fight back, to do something, but they had a gun pointed at my head, I couldn’t do anything but watch as they violated my family and my home.”

    Since then, thousands of displaced people have been staying in various temporary shelters. These places are harsh in the cold winter, not offering proper insulation, heating, or privacy. Many families struggled to find safe and stable shelter.

    A classroom in a school in Raqqa which has turned into a shelter for displaced people. Syria, January 2025.
    Giammarco Sicuro

    “When we reached Tabqa, we found out the situation there was not good,” says Layla*, who was displaced from Manbij. “The area was overcrowded with other displaced people, and there was no way we could stay there for long. I decided to bring my family here to Hassakeh, hoping for a better place to live.”

    MSF teams have been providing essential supplies, like hygiene kits, diapers, blankets, pillows, mattresses, and warm jackets, to improve people’s health and wellbeing, and reinforce their dignity. More than 17,500 essential items were distributed in 87 emergency collective centres across northeast Syria since December 2024.

    MSF teams have also carried out activities to improve access to clean water, including providing more than 5,000,000 litres of water to collective centres in Tabqa, Raqqa, and Hassakeh. To improve sanitation and prevent the spread of disease outbreaks, the teams have been cleaning latrines in make-shift collective centres.

    While local responders and international organisations are providing support, some essential services, including care for non-communicable diseases, are unavailable. In a further effort to address urgent healthcare needs, MSF launched mobile clinics in Tabqa providing medical services. In Kobane/Ain Al-Arab, MSF also donated 20,000 measles vaccines to support local healthcare services.

    17,500

    17,5

    essential items distributed

    5,000,000

    5,000,

    litres of water provided

    20,000

    20,

    measles vaccines donated

    The recent displacement has exacerbated an acute and longstanding crisis. People are living in overcrowded camps, infrastructure has been severely damaged, and there is a general lack of basics like water, electricity, healthcare, food, and weather-appropriate shelter.

    As of 20 January, around 24,000 people are still residing in makeshift shelters across northeast Syria. Some people felt comfortable enough to return to other areas across Syria, and others found accommodations with host communities. 
    With no safe place to return to, the need for support to those who have been displaced remains urgent.

    “I’m trying to survive,” says Ali*, a 70-year-old man. “But I have nothing left except memories of a life that was taken from me. I have no place to call home anymore.”

    *Names have been changed to protect the privacy and security of people providing testimonies.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council Leader welcomes LGBT+ History Month

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    The rainbow flag flying above the City Chambers

    This February marks the 20th anniversary of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender plus (LGBT+) History Month, with Council Leader, Jane Meagher, showing her support.

    Following the repeal of Section 28, LGBT+ History Month was created to recognise and honour the contributions of the LGBT+ community.

    The Council will mark the annual celebration by flying the rainbow flag above the City Chambers for the entire month of February.

    Council Leader Jane Meagher said:

    LGBT+ History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the history of the LGBT+ rights movement and campaign for equal rights. On the twentieth anniversary of this vital awareness month, we must recognise those individuals who have pushed the boundaries and advocated for social progress, creating a more inclusive world for all of us.

    We are proud of Edinburgh’s diversity and that anyone is welcome to make the city their home, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. It’s important that we demonstrate our support by proudly flying the rainbow flag above the City Chambers for the month of February. The flag is an international symbol of LGBT+ pride, showing all who live in and visit our city that we not only value but champion respect, tolerance, and inclusivity for all.

    Published: February 5th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Successful event helps lead construction industry towards decarbonisation

    Source: City of Derby

    On Thursday 6 February, over 100 people from the local construction industry attended an event at The Museum of Making. The event, hosted by Derby City Council, in partnership with SCAPE aimed to give attendees a clear roadmap to decarbonisation. According to the latest data from DESNZ, 25% of the UK’s CO2e emissions come from the built environment.

    The event included an opening speech from Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, Councillor Carmel Swan and an overview of the Council’s own ongoing journey to net zero as well as the role of procurement in delivering sustainable construction. 

    The second half of the event focused on the practicalities of decarbonisation within construction and gave participants an opportunity to hear about the Supply Chain Sustainability School and The Carbon Reduction Code. 

    The event supported the Council’s wider net zero ambition. With ongoing regeneration work across the city, the Council wants to ensure that the city develops with the climate and sustainability at the forefront of its ambitious plans. 

    Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability commented: 

    “It’s vitally important that we work alongside our construction industry and wider supply chain partners as they are key to being able to reach net zero, not just in Derby but the wider region and globally. 

    “This event has given us the perfect opportunity to open lines of communication about decarbonisation and we’ll keep those conversations going.” 

    Mark Robinson, Group Chief Executive at SCAPE, said: 

    “We were delighted to support this event, which provided a crucial platform for Derby’s construction supply chain to engage with buyers and gain practical insights into decarbonisation. The built environment is responsible for a significant proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions, so it’s vital that businesses at every level of the supply chain have the knowledge and support they need to deliver more sustainable projects. By working together and accessing initiatives like the Supply Chain Sustainability School and the Carbon Reduction Code, we can drive real change and help ensure that the industry moves towards a low-carbon future.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Since 2011, 220 police facilities have been renovated and improved in Moscow

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Since 2011, 220 police facilities have been comprehensively renovated and improved in the capital. Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement made a report on this topic at a meeting of the Moscow Government Petr Biryukov. Following the discussion Sergei Sobyanin instructed to continue work in this area.

    The Moscow government provides systematic assistance to the capital’s police in modernizing its material and technical base. In the newly constructed and renovated buildings of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Moscow, comfortable conditions for service are created: modern duty stations, service offices, laboratories, rest rooms, gyms, shooting ranges, canteens and buffets are equipped, and the territory is also being improved.

    The safety of employees and visitors is ensured by modern electronic security, surveillance and access control systems.

    Detainees are guaranteed conditions of detention that do not degrade human dignity.

    Moscow Mayor Opens New Building of Tverskoy District Police Department

    In total, 26 new facilities of the capital police were put into operation in 2010–2024. Among them are the building complexes of the Internal Affairs Directorates for the Western, Southern and Eastern Administrative Districts. In addition, the Internal Affairs Directorates for the districts of Akademichesky, Beskudnikovsky, Golyanovo, Danilovsky, Kotlovka, Ochakovo-Matveyevskoye, Rostokino, Tverskoy, Khovrino, Khoroshevo-Mnevniki, Yakimanka and the city of Moskovsky, the Kommunarsky MO of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the Canine Service Center, as well as a complex of administrative buildings on Ryabinovaya Street.

    It is planned to build more than 10 buildings for district departments of internal affairs, which are currently located on the ground floors of residential buildings, in former kindergartens and other unsuitable premises or have a small area.

    At the same time, comprehensive repairs and improvements are being carried out at the facilities of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Moscow. Since 2011, work has been completed on 220 of them. Among them are 79 buildings of district departments of internal affairs, six residential buildings – family dormitories for police officers, 91 sports and hockey grounds for training and recreation of employees and 44 other departmental facilities.

    Sobyanin spoke about the opening of a new building of the Yakimanka District Department of Internal Affairs

    During major repairs, work is carried out to replace engineering systems for heating and air conditioning, water supply and sanitation, sewerage, and power supply. In addition, video surveillance systems, access and evacuation control and management, automatic fire alarms are installed at the facilities, communication networks, telephones, and radio broadcasting are installed, and interior decoration of the premises is done.

    The plans for 2025 include starting the renovation of another building of the district department of internal affairs and two buildings of separate departments of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the city of Moscow, as well as continuing work on the modernization of the complex of buildings on Petrovka (house 38, second stage).

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12373050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: Return to war must be avoided at all costs, insists UN chief

    Source: United Nations 4

    Peace and Security

    A return to war in Gaza must be avoided at all costs, UN Secretary-General António Guterres insisted on Tuesday, amid fears that the three-week old ceasefire agreement between Hamas fighters and Israel is about to end.

    “We must avoid at all costs the resumption of hostilities in Gaza that would lead to an immense tragedy,” said the UN chief, in a statement relayed to journalists by UN Geneva spokesperson Rolando Gomez.

    “I appeal to Hamas to proceed with the planned liberation of hostages next Saturday. Both sides must fully abide by their commitments in the ceasefire agreement and resume serious negotiations in Doha for the second phase.”

    The development comes amid reports that Hamas suspended the scheduled release of hostages from Gaza on Saturday, on the grounds that Palestinians continue to be killed in the war-torn enclave and that too little aid is entering the Strip.

    UNRWA operations continue

    The UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said on Tuesday that its operations continue uninterrupted in Gaza and the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem.

    “Our clinics across the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem are open while the humanitarian operation in Gaza continues. We are committed to staying and delivering,” UNRWA said in an online post.

    The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, meanwhile, highlighted that a significant aid boost into Gaza has been possible “under the conditions generated by this [ceasefire] deal” that began on 19 January.

    Speaking in Geneva, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke said that the UN had delivered food, medical, shelter supplies and more in the last 21 days “which have enabled us to provide a range of critical services to people in need across Gaza and initiate repairs”.

    Responding to questions from journalists that UN aid teams had not been able to bring in certain materials which could help with the reconstruction of shattered medical centres and more, Mr. Laerke insisted that “the full visibility of the pipeline and the ceasefire deal and the compliance indicators, should be available to the guarantors of the ceasefire deal, which does not include the United Nations, but Egypt, Qatar and the US”.

    Surge in aid

    According to the latest humanitarian update from OCHA, more than 1.5 million people in Gaza have received food parcels since the ceasefire began.

    The World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed food parcels, hot meals and cash to more than 860,000 people in Gaza, OCHA said, and partners are providing more meals as community kitchens open in new areas. 

    Repair work continues on water wells across the enclave. However, widespread destruction of infrastructure and shortages of spare parts, generators and solar panels have impacted efforts to increase water production.      

    Today, nearly 60 health partners provide primary and secondary health services across the Gaza Strip, ensuring access to essential care.

    The UN reproductive health agency UNFPA is distributing supplies expected to benefit more than 65,000 people over the next three weeks. 

    UNFPA has also supported another health partner which has opened three temporary primary healthcare centres in Gaza and a temporary medical point in Jabalya in the north.

    OCHA reported that recent winter storms destroyed at least five child-friendly spaces in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in Gaza.

    “The needs are enormous,” Mr. Gomez told journalists. “The ceasefire is in place and of course that doesn’t mean that there aren’t enormous needs and they remain so…This is where our priorities lie.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –