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  • MIL-OSI: First American Bank Welcomes Stephen Penney as New Associate Advisor

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First American Bank is excited to announce the addition of Stephen Penney as the newest Associate Advisor to its team, furthering the bank’s efforts to build and grow its wealth management business in Florida. Stephen joins the bank from Deutsche Bank, bringing over 8 years of experience in the financial services industry. His deep expertise in wealth management, combined with a passion for client service, will be invaluable as the bank continues to expand its offerings and deliver personalized financial solutions to clients across the state.

    In his own words, Stephen shared, “I joined First American Bank because of its strong family-owned foundation and commitment to client service. I’m excited to contribute to a growing institution with a clear vision for the future.”

    As an Associate Advisor, Stephen will specialize in wealth planning, helping individuals, families, and businesses achieve their financial goals. He will leverage his extensive experience in financial services to craft tailored strategies that address clients’ unique needs.

    About Stephen Penney
    Stephen Penney is a wealth management professional with over 8 years of experience in the financial sector. Prior to joining First American Bank, Stephen served as a client associate at Deutsche Bank, where he provided exceptional support to top advisors and high-net-worth clients. He also held the role of Investment Specialist on Bank of America’s trade desk. Stephen holds an MBA from the University of Florida, is FINRA licensed, and is actively pursuing the CFA designation.

    Outside of his professional life, Stephen enjoys sailing on Biscayne Bay, learning to play golf, and spending time with friends and family.

    First American Bank investment products are not FDIC insured, not bank guaranteed, and may lose value.

    Contact:
    Teresa Lee
    305-631-6400
    tlee@firstambank.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Willis appoints Pat Donnelly as Head of Risk & Broking, North America

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Willis, a WTW business, (NASDAQ: WTW), today announced the appointment of Pat Donnelly as the new Head of Risk & Broking (R&B), North America, reporting to Lucy Clarke, President, R&B.

    Donnelly, a highly respected and accomplished leader in the insurance and risk management industry, brings a wealth of experience having held various leadership roles at Marsh, JLT and Aon.

    Most recently, he has served as President, Specialty & Global Placement at Marsh. Donnelly joined Marsh as part of the acquisition of JLT. His other Marsh experience includes President, Marsh U.S. and Canada, overseeing the company’s insurance broking and risk advisory businesses across North America.

    Earlier in his career, Donnelly was the CEO of JLT Specialty in North America, where he successfully built the company’s U.S. retail business. His extensive background also includes a significant tenure at Aon, where he held the position of Chief Broking Officer for U.S. Retail.

    Lucy Clarke, President, Risk & Broking, commented:

    “We are so excited to welcome Pat as the new Head of Risk & Broking for North America. Pat is one of the leading figures in our industry globally, widely respected as a committed, inspirational and thoughtful leader by clients, carriers and colleagues. His experience makes him the perfect fit for this critical role.

    “His leadership will be instrumental in driving growth, continuing and strengthening our specialist approach and ensuring that we deliver exceptional service and value to our clients.”

    Donnelly will be based in Chicago and is expected to join WTW in the second quarter of 2025.

    About WTW

    At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

    Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you.

    Learn more at wtwco.com.

    Media contacts

    Miles Russell +44 7903262118

    Miles.russell@wtwco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Order.co Wins the ‘Winter 2025 Leader’ Award from SourceForge

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Order.co, a B2B ecommerce platform that simplifies purchasing, today announced that it has been awarded the ‘Winter 2025 Leader’ Award in the Procurement and AP Automation categories by SourceForge, the world’s largest software review and comparison website.

    “It’s my pleasure to award the ‘Winter 2025 Leaders’ on SourceForge,” said SourceForge President, Logan Abbott. “Order.co has been named a Leader this Winter in the Procurement and AP Automation categories, and their high volume of outstanding user reviews on SourceForge is a testament to the excellent solution they provide to their customers.”

    The SourceForge Winter 2025 winners attained enough high ratings to place them in the top 5% of favorably reviewed products out of the 100,000 on SourceForge. Order.co boasts over 140 ratings on SourceForge from satisfied customers, with many sharing their excitement about the platform’s “easy, streamlined ordering.” Key features like consolidated monthly invoices with net terms, seamless GL coding, and real-time budget tracking have driven Order.co’s stellar customer reviews.

    “We are proud to be recognized as a Winter 2025 Leader by SourceForge,” said Zach Garippa, CEO & Co-Founder of Order.co. “This award is especially meaningful to us because it comes directly from our customers. This recognition is a reflection of their experience using our product to solve their toughest procurement and accounts payable problems, and we’re incredibly grateful for their trust and partnership. We look forward to continuing to innovate and deliver value.”

    About Order.co

    Order.co is a procurement and accounts payable automation software that helps businesses cut costs and complexity with every order. Hundreds of companies, like WeWork and Hugo Boss, leverage Order.co to centralize purchase-to-pay workflows, scale operations, gain total control over spending, and save an average of 5% on products.

    Founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York City, Order.co has raised $50M in funding from industry-leading investors like MIT, Stage 2 Capital, Rally Ventures, 645 Ventures, and more.

    About SourceForge

    SourceForge.net is the world’s largest software comparison directory, serving nearly 20 million users every month and featuring user reviews, product comparisons, software guides, and more. SourceForge’s mission is to help businesses find the best software to fit their needs and their budget.

    Media Contact

    Allison Reich
    Senior Manager of Brand, Content & Enablement
    Allison.reich@order.co

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Lagarde presents the latest monetary policy decisions – 30 January 2025

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Today our Governing Council decided on monetary policy, determining what’s needed to return inflation to our 2% goal in a timely manner.

    Listen to President Christine Lagarde present today’s decisions. The statement also covers:
    • how the economy is performing
    • how we expect prices to develop
    • the risks to the economic outlook
    • the dynamics behind financial and monetary conditions

    Published and recorded during our press conference on 30 January 2025

    Our monetary policy statement at a glance, 30 January 2025 www.ecb.europa.eu/press/press_conf…_january.en.html

    Christine Lagarde, Luis de Guindos: Monetary policy statement, 30 January 2025 www.ecb.europa.eu/press/press_conf…418aa0f4.en.html

    Monetary policy decisions, 30 January 2025 www.ecb.europa.eu/press/pr/date/20…0b29e622.en.html

    Combined monetary policy decisions and statement, 30 January 2025 www.ecb.europa.eu/press/press_conf…fb5af6f3189be827

    European Central Bank
    www.ecb.europa.eu/home/html/index.en.html

    You can also listen on all major podcast platforms.

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Trump Holds Press Briefing on Aviation Disaster

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    The White House

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShRYdYTtIx8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Solensia 7 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Cats

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    VMD response to concerns raised following media reports of serious adverse events in cats administered Solensia.

    The VMD is aware of media reports and concerns, including those raised on social media, following cases of serious adverse events in cats administered Solensia 7 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Cats.

    Solensia 7 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Cats is an authorised injectable veterinary medicinal product containing the active substance frunevetmab. It is indicated for the alleviation of pain associated with osteoarthritis in cats.

    The VMD assesses the safety, quality and efficacy of veterinary medicines before and after authorisation to ensure that the benefit-risk balance remains positive.  The VMD’s Pharmacovigilance team monitors all reports of suspected adverse events (both adverse reactions and lack of efficacy reports) from authorised veterinary medicinal products that are submitted to the VMD from veterinary professionals and from animal owners.

    The Veterinary Medicines Regulations also requires Marketing Authorisation Holders (MAHs) to monitor and report on the benefit-risk of their veterinary medicines on a continuous basis, including reporting adverse events within 30 days of awareness. All reports received by the VMD are evaluated and where appropriate, actions based on available data may be taken – for example adding additional warnings on the packaging or changing the way a product is used.

    We would like to reassure veterinary professionals and cat owners that we are constantly reviewing adverse event report data to ensure that the overall benefits of each UK licensed veterinary medicine product, when used in accordance with its labelling, outweighs the risks posed by their potential adverse events.

    As with any veterinary medicinal product marketed in the UK, Solensia has been subject to continuous monitoring since it was first authorised in February 2021.

    No medicine is 100% risk free. The VMD does not publish specific adverse event data, however information on adverse events that have been known to occur following administration of a particular product are summarised in sections 3.6/4.6 of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC).

    About the SPC

    The SPC is a document describing the properties and the officially approved conditions of use of a medicine. The SPC and associated product information are updated as new information is available, and the latest version of an SPC can be found on our publicly available Product Information Database. 

    Product information also physically  accompanies every authorised veterinary medicinal product when marketed and it is important for veterinary professionals to ensure that this information is reviewed prior to administering the product.  A rolling 6-month list of Summary of Product Characteristic (SPC) changes for veterinary medicines can be found on the Connect monthly medicines update page Vet practice & supply.

    The SPC and associated product information for Solensia, including a list of Post Authorisation Assessments that have occurred since the products were first authorised, can be found on this database.

    Following monitoring of pharmacovigilance data, the latest update to the adverse event section of the product information resulted in the addition of the adverse event anaphylaxis; (Solensia 7 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Cats – SPC change – GOV.UK).

    The following adverse events were already listed in the product information: alopecia, dermatitis, pruritus, injection site reaction (e.g. pain and alopecia) and skin disorders (e.g. skin scab, skin sore).

    Reporting incidence rate

    Based on Periodic Safety Update Report data that has been received for Solensia since authorisation, the incidence of adverse events in animals was 0.0025.[i]

    This means that according to the data the VMD has received, fewer than 3 animals have experienced a suspected adverse event for every 1000 doses of Solensia sold.

    This includes reports where more than one product was used, reports when the product was used off-label, that is using a medicine in a way that is not specified on the product’s label, or reports where, on further evaluation, there were other reasons for the adverse reaction occurring. We will continue to review data as it is received, and further data-led actions will be taken if appropriate.

    Jurisdictions

    There may be differences in the data that appears on product information in different jurisdictions. Each jurisdiction follows specific legislation and guidelines which regulate the safety information to be included on the veterinary medicine label and information leaflet during the authorisation process and the procedures to change this label as necessary, once the medicine is placed on the market and following analysis of post-marketing pharmacovigilance data.

    The current Veterinary Medicines Regulations can be found here: The Veterinary Medicines Regulation 2013 (legislation.gov.uk). The GB legislation is similar to that of comparative European countries.  

    How to report

    The reporting of adverse events is critical to increasing the volume of data available for ongoing monitoring in order to protect animal health, public health and the environment, and we strongly encourage reporting of adverse events by both veterinary professionals and animal owners.

    To report an adverse event, we would advise veterinary professionals to contact the Marketing Authorisation Holder/MAH (pharmaceutical company) for the product and animal owners to contact their veterinary practice and/or the MAH for the product.

    A MAH’s contact details can be found:

    • within the product information that comes with a medicine
    • by searching for the product on the Product information Database
    • on the MAH’s website

    Further information

    Important information for veterinary surgeons (PDF, 105 KB, 2 pages)

    The VMD does not give individual clinical advice, for advice on individual cases we would advise veterinary professionals to contact the MAH.

    The VMD cannot help with complaints or concerns regarding the conduct of veterinary surgeons, including the way an animal has been treated using veterinary medicines. These concerns should be addressed to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).

    Pharmacovigilance updates are published on gov.uk at  Urgent safety updates for veterinary-medicines; this also includes any updates involving non-veterinary medicines used in animals.

    To receive these pharmacovigilance updates via email, please click on the ‘Get emails about this page’ button. In addition, changes to authorisations most relevant to vets are published monthly in the Vet Record (the official journal of the British Veterinary Association).

    [i] Incidence of adverse events is rounded to 4 decimal places and is calculated by dividing the number of doses of a product sold during the period by the number of animals experiencing a suspected adverse event.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Improving Healthcare for Kids with Developmental Disabilities

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Charles Schumer today announced the opening of The Center for Discovery’s Children’s Specialty Hospital in Rock Hill, New York. This innovative facility is dedicated to supporting children and adolescents with complex disabilities, including autism, through specialized short-term inpatient care. Developed by The Center for Discovery’s (TCFD) multidisciplinary team over the past decade in close partnership with the NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), it introduces a new care model focused on proactive treatments to reduce long-term residential placements.

    “New York State is devoted to improving health outcomes for all children, particularly those with developmental disabilities whose families face challenges in accessing suitable medical care for their child’s needs,” Governor Hochul said. “By bolstering this continuum of care through The Center for Discovery’s Children’s Specialty Hospital, families will spend less time apart and remain connected to their communities following treatment.”

    Senator Charles Schumer said, “The Center for Discovery’s Children’s Specialty Hospital will provide critical life enhancing care to children and teens and be a beacon of hope in Sullivan County for generations to come. The impacts of the discoveries and systems of care made at this facility will stretch far beyond the Hudson Valley to help thousands of kids across America and the world. I was proud to deliver the historic federal investment to jumpstart this new first-of-its-kind hospital paving the way for a healthier future for vulnerable young patients and brighter future for the Hudson Valley, and I deeply appreciate the partnership of Governor Hochul and New York State legislative leaders in making this facility a reality. The Center for Discovery is a pillar of the Sullivan County economy, and this new hospital will create 400+ jobs while expanding the world class care provided here at the Center. Governor Hochul has been a tremendous partner and thanks to our team effort the dream for this facility that started so many years ago is finally a reality.”

    Funding for the Children’s Specialty Hospital project was made possible through a $48 million low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program, that Senator Schumer a longtime TCFD advocate helped secure, as well as a $4 million investment from New York State’s Empire State Development. The project also received critical support from the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), the New York State Department of Health (DOH), and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY).

    Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State has made significant strides with this innovative initiative, positioning itself as a national leader in preventive and holistic care for people with developmental disabilities. The launch of this facility reflects Governor Hochul’s dedication to improving the lives of families across New York.

    The Specialty Hospital is designed for children ages five to 21 who meet OPWDD’s eligibility criteria and require medical care, in addition to supporting their developmental disabilities. The Children’s Specialty Hospital will provide inpatient treatment and conduct comprehensive medical, behavioral, and clinical assessments over a maximum of six months. Through a collaborative approach, this program is designed to help children and adolescents thrive at home, in school, and remain integrated in the community.

    New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Acting Commissioner Willow Baer said, “Achieving health equity for people with developmental disabilities is a priority for the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities and ensuring access to complete medical care for children, in an appropriate setting, is a part of that goal. We’re so excited for The Center for Discovery’s new Children’s Specialty Hospital to begin to help New York families and are grateful to our state and federal partners for making this vital resource possible for children and teenagers with complex medical conditions.”

    Designed with both medical and therapeutic needs in mind, the new facility where the Children’s Specialty Hospital is located includes classrooms, a health clinic, sensory rooms, a therapeutic gym for physical and occupational therapies, a café, and a training kitchen. The 15-acre campus also offers outdoor walking trails, healing gardens, and a Food is Medicine® greenhouse, all supporting TCFD’s holistic approach to care.

    After completing short-term treatment at the Hospital, patients will return home with a specialized care plan that includes training for families, caregivers, and school districts. TCFD’s team of experts will continue to support families as they build on the progress made during their child’s stay.

    The Center for Discovery President & CEO Dr.Terry Hamlin said, “The Center for Discovery is deeply committed to supporting children and adolescents in innovative and expanded ways. With the launch of our new Children’s Specialty Hospital, we are thrilled to extend our reach and impact, providing a lifeline to families in search of answers. The children admitted to our hospital face extraordinary challenges. They live with co-occurring medical conditions that make their developmental disabilities profoundly complex to treat. Many of these medical issues are accompanied by pain, which often leads to maladaptive behaviors that further impact their quality of life. Families have long needed a place where their children’s complex needs are understood, and where there is integrated and coordinated care in one place. At The Center for Discovery, we are dedicated to addressing these medical complexities head-on, treating the root causes, and improving outcomes in ways that transform lives.”

    The Children’s Specialty Hospital is poised to establish a new benchmark for specialized care and is projected to make a significant impact both nationally and internationally. This new facility will enhance the range of services available throughout New York State, offering a model of care that has the ability to revolutionize the treatment of children with complex disabilities while providing essential support for families statewide.

    This groundbreaking initiative not only improves the level of care for children with disabilities but also aims to reduce extended hospital stays, enabling them to return home more swiftly.

    Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara said, “As Chair of the Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities and as a parent of a child with autism who attends The Center for Discovery, I know firsthand the challenges families face in accessing specialized care for children with complex disabilities. The opening of this first-of-its-kind Children’s Specialty Hospital is a monumental step forward for New York, providing critical medical care and much-needed support for families. This innovative model will not only improve health outcomes but also help reduce the need for long-term residential placements. I thank Governor Hochul, Senator Schumer, and all those who made this vision a reality.”

    About The Center for Discovery

    The Center for Discovery (TCFD) is a leading provider of healthcare and education services for more than 1,200 children and adults with complex conditions, medical frailties and autism spectrum disorders, located 90 miles northwest of New York City. Named a Center of Excellence in 2016, TCFD has long been a leader in developing new models of care for individuals with complex conditions. Located on 1,500 acres of land in Sullivan County, TCFD houses school campuses, residences, medical and research facilities, organic and biodynamic farmland, and leased private businesses offering meaningful employment opportunities. Deeply focused on an individual’s personal potential and possibilities, rather than a disability, TCFD strives to create better care and unique and challenging opportunities for the most vulnerable populations. For more information about TCFD, please visit their website.

    For more information about The Children’s Specialty Hospital, please contact Michael Rosen, Executive VP of Development, Marketing, and Strategic Communications, at [email protected].

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Subway Fare Evasion Down 26 Percent in New York City

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced significant progress on multi-faceted efforts to combat fare evasion across the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). In the last six months, from June 2024 through December 2024, subway fare evasion is down 26 percent. Across buses, including both the local and express bus network, fare evasion is down by 9.1 percent over the same period of time. This progress follows a comprehensive strategic response implemented by Governor Hochul, MTA and NYPD — including strategic deployment of enforcement, modifications to fare gates at numerous transit stations, and other measures helping to reduce fare evasion. The Governor also highlighted ongoing efforts to further crack down on fare evasion, including new anti-fare evasion measures being installed at all subway turnstiles this year and new fare gates being installed at 20 high-traffic stations this year.

    “We’re turning the tide against fare evasion to help protect transit riders and taxpayers and continue strengthening our transit system,” Governor Hochul said. “Our work is far from over – and we’ll continue to crack down on fare evasion this year through strong enforcement and new measures coming to subway turnstiles and fare gates throughout the system.”

    MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Our strategy has been to publicize the seriousness of the problem, to put in place stronger physical barriers, and to make sure there’s plenty of enforcement. We welcome the support we’re getting from Governor Hochul and the NYPD, and also the work that MTAPD is doing on the railroads, and it’s all starting to pay off.”

    NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said, “Fare evasion undermines the very system that moves New York City and provides essential transportation for our communities. Our team has made real progress, driving down fare evasion for the first time in years. We will continue to explore all measures and means to ensure fare compliance and sustain a system that is equitable for all.”

    NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said, “This significant decline in fare evasion is a critical first step in our efforts to make the transit system safer for all New Yorkers. Everyone should be able to ride the subway without fear of violence or chaos, and the NYPD will continue to patrol every station and overnight train to ensure that crime continues to decrease across our transit system. I thank Governor Hochul and the MTA for their partnership in keeping our city safe.”

    According to the MTA’s Blue-Ribbon Panel report, the situation regarding fare evasion had reached crisis levels, with the MTA losing an estimated $690 million in unpaid fares and tolls in 2022.

    To drive down fare evasion, Governor Hochul and the MTA have utilized recommendations from the report to advance a comprehensive strategy that has included strategic deployment of enforcement and ongoing modernization of turnstiles and fare gates, as well as other measures. This effort has also included strengthening coordination with NYPD to boost on-the-ground resources and increase the number of summonses for fare evasion.

    The results have shown clear progress. From June 2024 through December 2024, subway fare evasion is down 26 percent – from 14 percent of subway riders evading the fare to 10 percent. Across buses, including both the local and express bus network, fare evasion is down by 9.1 percent – from 50 percent of riders evading the fare last summer down to 45 percent, marking a pivotal shift in combating fare evasion.

    Strategic Deployment of Enforcement

    NYPD Collaboration

    NYPD issued 143,100 TAB summonses for subway fare evasion in 2024, a 96 percent increase from 2019. NYPD also created a new uniformed Bus Enforcement Unit that has been deployed alongside the MTA’s “EAGLE Team” to support fare compliance across all five boroughs.

    Bus Fare Enforcement: MTA EAGLE Team

    Following recommendations from the Blue-Ribbon Panel Report, the MTA took a data-driven approach to optimize deployment of the EAGLE Team, the MTA’s civilian bus fare inspection team, to the bus stops and times of day with the highest concentration of fare evaders. EAGLE Team inspectors are charged with inspecting fares on local and SBS bus routes, and with NYPD support, the officers both educate members of the community on fare payment options and issue summonses. The MTA has stepped up EAGLE Team deployment, enforcing bus fare payment on 148,000 buses at over 370 stops since September 2024. In 2025, the MTA will also implement sensors and screens on buses to further track and deter fare evasion.

    Subway Fare Enforcement – Gate Guards

    The MTA deployed unarmed gate guards across more than 208 subway stations, an expansion from 50 stations, taking a data-driven approach to optimize deployments based on station characteristics, ridership patterns, and more. Gate guards deter fare evasion.

    Environment: Improving the Fare Control Environment

    Expanding on several successful pilots from 2024, the MTA is rolling out data-backed modifications to more fare gates across the subway system and expects to see an even greater impact by combining multiple efforts together.

    Turnstile Modifications

    The MTA has made steps to tackle evasion tactics at the turnstiles to create stronger, more resilient barriers against fare evasion. This includes reconfiguration of turnstiles to prevent back-cocking at 75 percent of all turnstiles and installation of turnstile fins at 20 fare control areas, which have dissuaded and reduced the number of individuals jumping the turnstile.

    In the coming months, the MTA will scale up this initiative and implement a newer generation of fins, pilot additional anti-jumping interventions, and complete anti back-cocking modifications at the remainder of the turnstiles systemwide.

    Stopping the “Superhighway” of Fare Evasion

    Delaying the opening of the emergency exit gate by 15 seconds has proven to be cost-effective in pilots, reducing gate evasion by nearly 40 percent. The MTA will build on this successful pilot and roll out this delay at exit gates in at least 150 stations in 2025, beginning at 34 St-Penn Station, Canal St, 161 St-Yankee Stadium, and Jay St-MetroTech.

    Modern Fare Gates

    The MTA replaced traditional emergency exit gates with new, accessible wide-aisle gates at Atlantic Av-Barclays Center, 34 St-Penn Station and Astoria Blvd, and introduced a new full array at Sutphin Blvd-Archer  Av, where fare payment increased by 20 percent compared to 2023.

    In December 2023, the MTA released a Request for Information (RFI) to qualify the next generation of secure, accessible, and modern fare gates. After receiving and evaluating 12 responses from gate vendors, the MTA began in-lab testing of promising gate technology. The MTA will be conducting in-system testing and implementation of new fare gates at 20 stations by the end of 2025, and an additional 20 stations in 2026.

    The MTA will prioritize stations with higher ridership traffic, accessibility features and those with high fare evasion. Initial installation is scheduled to begin at 42 St-Port Authority, Delancey St-Essex St, and Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av.

    The MTA’s proposed 2025-2029 Capital Plan will accelerate this implementation even further, including $1.1 billion to install modern fare gates in at least 150 stations systemwide.

    Additional Strategies to Reduce Fare Evasion

    In 2024, the MTA began adopting best practices in behavioral change to further reinforce the need for fare payment. Through campaigns that highlight the humanity of transit workers and create a sense of collective responsibility to digital signs on buses stating that fares are required, the MTA is resetting social norms around fare payment.

    The MTA’s work with NYCPS to encourage student use of OMNY cards reinforces the importance of fare payment. Since the launch of student OMNY cards in September there has been a 51 percent increase in rides and 18 percent increase in weekly active rides among students. There has also been a 27 percent increase in taps-per-active-card during the previous semester compared to 2023. The new partnership with New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) has resulted in consistent fraud monitoring to ensure student cards are being used by the student to which they are assigned. The MTA has also created 15 Customer Service Centers that will be integrated with enrollment in Fair Fares, the City of New York’s program to provide eligible New Yorkers with half-fare MetroCards and OMNY accounts, as well as the MTA’s Reduced-Fare program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pennsylvania Resident Who Defrauded Allied World Insurance Company Sentenced to Prison

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES KEATING, 52, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 20 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding his former employer of more than $1.4 million.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Keating was an Assistant Vice President and surety bond claims handler at Allied World Insurance Company (“Allied World”).  He later served in the same capacity at Crum and Forster subsidiary U.S. Fire Insurance Company, where he also handled claims on Allied World surety bonds.  All surety bond claims were handled through Allied World’s offices in Farmington, Connecticut.

    Between 2017 and 2021, Keating defrauded Allied World in two ways.  First, he used a shell company, American Construction & Industrial LLC, to bill Allied World for unnecessary claims work that was not performed and took the proceeds for himself.  Second, he solicited and received kickbacks from Allied World vendors through another Keating-owned company, Surety Risk Solutions (also known as “SRS” or “SR5”), without the knowledge of his employer.  Keating also caused these vendors to use another company in which he had an undisclosed ownership interest, Kodiak Asset Recovery, for asset searches at vastly inflated prices.  Keating profited nearly $1 million through American Construction & Industrial LLC, more than $350,000 in kickbacks through Surety Risk Solutions, and nearly $125,000 through Kodiak Asset Recovery.

    Judge Bolden ordered Keating to pay restitution of $1,226,603.97, which represents the loss to Allied World of $1,446,491.95, less $219,887.98 that he previously repaid as part of a civil judgment.

    On July 30, 2024, Keating pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

    This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterford Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Stealing From Addiction and Mental Health Services Nonprofit

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHELE DEVINE, 51, of Waterford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling from the Southeastern Regional Action Council on Substance Abuse, Inc. (“SERAC”), where she was employed as its executive director.  Judge Underhill also ordered Devine to pay a $2,000 fine and perform 300 hours of community service while on supervised release.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, SERAC, headquartered in Norwich, is a 501(c)(3) organization that serves 41 towns in southeastern and northeastern Connecticut with substance abuse, problem gambling, and mental health related services.  SERAC is primarily funded through hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal grants from the State of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

    Devine was the executive director of SERAC until July 2022.  Beginning in approximately 2008, Devine spent thousands of dollars on purchases that did not relate SERAC but instead were personal expenses for Devine and her family, including thousands of dollars spent on home appliances; travel; timeshare fees at a Connecticut resort; stays at the Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires, Massachusetts; and private school donations.

    Judge Underhill ordered Devine to pay $397,064.93 in restitution.

    Devine was arrested on August 3, 2023.  On October 21, 2024, she pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

    Devine, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on March 12.

    This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the New London State’s Attorney’s Office and the State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boynton Beach Man Sentenced to Five Years for Distributing Videos Depicting the Sexual Abuse of Children

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

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Timothy Burch Morris (46, Boynton Beach) to five years in federal prison for distributing over the internet two videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. Morris was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release, pay $10,000 in assessments for child victims, and register as a sex offender.

    According to court documents, on November 20, 2023, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was working in an undercover capacity on a particular social media application (app) to identify individuals who were attempting to sexually exploit children using the internet. The UC joined an online public chatroom on the app posing as an adult with access to a child. App user “timkw37138,” who was later identified as Morris, posted within this public group – “Hi all. 44 very well hung male in Florida. My PM is open.” Later that day, the UC and Morris began texting using the private messaging feature of the app. Morris typed, “I just love stroking to guys [sic] daughters,” and stated that his favorite age is “prob 13-15 give or take a couple years neither side.”

    On November 22, 2023, when asked to verify if he was “legit,” Morris sent the UC a sexually explicit photo of himself. Five minutes later, Morris distributed two videos to the UC depicting minors being sexually abused. During another online conversation on November 27, 2023, Morris sent the UC another sexually explicit photo of himself taken at his residence.

    After further investigation, FBI agents arrested Morris. During a search incident to his arrest, agents seized Morris’s cellphone which contained several sexually explicit photos of Morris that he had taken while at his home that were consistent with those sent to the UC. During an interview with law enforcement, Morris admitted having the “timkw37138” user account on the app for over five years.   

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and West Palm Beach, with assistance from the Boynton Beach Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

    It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Germany — Lunenburg County District RCMP requesting public assistance with break and enter investigations

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Lunenburg County District RCMP is seeking the public’s assistance in relation to a series of break and enters that have recently occurred in New Germany and Barss Corner.

    On January 27, at approximately 2:48 a.m., Lunenburg County District RCMP was called to a gas station in Barss Corner where at least one person tried to enter the business, triggering the business’s alarm. No items were taken but the building was damaged during the break and enter.

    Later that morning, Lunenburg County District RCMP responded to a workshop in Barss Corner where at least one person had gained access to the shop overnight and taken approximately $8,000 of tools.

    On January 29, Lunenburg County District RCMP members were called to a business in New Germany where at least one person had entered the business overnight and took approximately $4,000 of equipment.

    There is no suspect description available at this time. Lunenburg County District RCMP, with assistance of RCMP Forensic Identification Services, is investigating and asking the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity in the area.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lunenburg County District RCMP at 902-527-5555. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Charge Farmington Woman with Assault and Child Abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington woman faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and child abuse stemming from an incident on the Navajo Nation.

    According to court records, on or about September 2, 2024, Tenille Quintawna Peshlakai, 32, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted the victim with a motor vehicle, intending to cause bodily harm, while simultaneously endangering a minor who was improperly restrained in the front passenger seat.

    Peshlakai will remain in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for January 31, 2025. If convicted, Peshlakai faces up to 10 years in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: We studied more than 500 giraffe skulls from all over Africa – and confirmed there are 4 distinct species

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Nikolaos Kargopoulos, Post-doctoral fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town

    Giraffes are among the world’s most recognisable animals. With their elongated necks and long legs, their gracious movements and unique coat patterns, they have inspired people’s imaginations for centuries.

    But is a giraffe just a giraffe? Or is there more variety between the animals at a genetic level than is evident just from looking at them?

    For more than a decade many researchers have compared the DNA of giraffes from all parts of Africa. These studies have revealed that there are four distinct giraffe species: the southern (Giraffa giraffa), Masai (Giraffa tippelskirchi), reticulated (Giraffa reticulata), and northern (Giraffa camelopardalis) giraffe.

    Different giraffe species face different risks. Some are among the most threatened large mammals in the world. While the southern and the Masai giraffe are relatively numerous and their populations estimated at approximately 45,000 and 50,000 individuals respectively, the situation does not look quite as rosy for the reticulated and the northern giraffe. Based on the latest estimates from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), only 16,000 and 6,000 individuals respectively remain in the wild.

    Therefore, it is critical to verify whether there are indeed different species of giraffe or not so that direct conservation efforts for the most threatened species can be increased before it’s too late.

    Read more: How many giraffe species are there? Understanding this is key to their protection

    The concept of species is fundamental in biology – but there is no consensus on its definition. There are many different approaches depending on individual scientists’ points of view. The best possible way to clarify the taxonomy (the system that organises living entities into groups) of organisms is through multiple approaches.

    Read more: Giraffes could go extinct – the 5 biggest threats they face

    There have been several studies of giraffe species based on their DNA, as well as on their ecology, behaviour, health and coat patterns.

    But there haven’t been many based on their skulls. That’s where our new study comes in. By examining the skulls of more than 500 giraffes from across the African continent, we were able to show that there are significant differences in the skull shapes of the different types of giraffe – and confirm that there are four species.

    These new findings are crucial for giraffe taxonomy and, ultimately, their conservation.

    How the study was done

    Giraffe skulls are important to the animals’ reproduction and evolution. That’s because of their ossicones, the horn-like structures that are longer and wider in males than in females.

    The size and shape of the ossicones is important in the dominance of males and their mating success with female giraffe. While some preliminary data already suggested some potential differences in the ossicone morphology between the giraffe species, limitations on the available specimens and the methodologies at the time reduced the validity of the results.

    Comparison of male and female skulls of the four species in lateral view. Kargopoulos et al 2024

    For our research we used state-of-the-art equipment and methodologies, and we studied more than 500 giraffe skulls from all over Africa. The skulls were directly sampled in the field from across their natural range in Africa, as well as museum collections, wildlife authority offices, and taxidermists in different countries in Africa, Europe and the US.

    Map showing the geographical range of the extant giraffe species and subspecies as well as representative male skulls of each subspecies in lateral view. Kargopoulos et al 2024, CC BY

    This extensive study required help from many different partners. While the project was initiated and guided by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the University of Cape Town, many colleagues in Africa, Europe and North America contributed.

    We used a handheld 3D scanner to capture the skulls’ shape in 3D. Then we used 3D geometric morphometrics methods to compare the shape of the giraffe skulls and find out if we could group them and find any significant differences. We chose so-called landmarks – specific points on the skulls – and captured their coordinates in space (their 3D distance from the centre of mass of the skull).

    Finally, specialised software was used to compare the differences in the coordinates of landmarks between our specimens and to conduct statistical analyses to show if these differences were significant or not.

    Skull variations

    These rigorous analyses allowed us to show skull variations between four species.

    These differences mostly concerned the ossicones. But there were also minor differences in their face, eye sockets, the region around the teeth, and the back part of the skull.

    The most striking difference concerned the median ossicone of the males. This is a smaller third ossicone situated in the midline of the skull above their eyes. We determined that there is a general trend in the size and shape of this ossicone that follows geography and taxonomy. In southern giraffe, the third ossicone is practically a small protrusion; in northern giraffe it is large and pointed; the Masai and reticulated giraffe have ossicones that are somewhere between those two forms.

    Such differences are likely important in the way individuals of a species recognise each other, thus affecting their reproductive success. Males with more developed ossicones intimidate their rivals to gain access to territory and females.

    Attention for individual species

    Angolan giraffe eating in north-west Namibia. © Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Author provided (no reuse)

    Our study is confirmation of what scientists have known for almost a decade and supports the taxonomic split of the giraffe.

    Similar discussions over two decades finally resulted in the African elephant being split into two distinct species in 2021.

    The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – which, it must be pointed out, is not a taxonomic authority – still only recognises one species of giraffe. It lumps all giraffes into one broad, threatened Red List category.

    We strongly believe that the IUCN needs to stand tall for these animals and reassess their status. It is time for each giraffe species to get separate and enhanced attention, both locally and internationally, in particular when it comes to their conservation. Giraffes and their wild habitats must be protected before it’s too late.

    – We studied more than 500 giraffe skulls from all over Africa – and confirmed there are 4 distinct species
    – https://theconversation.com/we-studied-more-than-500-giraffe-skulls-from-all-over-africa-and-confirmed-there-are-4-distinct-species-247466

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met police drive down violent crime in Merton in response to community concerns

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Local neighbourhood and specialist officers in Merton have led a series of intelligence-led warrants with more than £850,000 worth of suspected criminal property being taken off the streets of London this week alone.

    Officers visited 39 properties and made 32 arrests targeting the most prolific and dangerous offenders. Class A and Class B drugs with an estimated street value of £200,000 were seized, along with 14 offensive weapons, a firearm, and other high value items including cash.

    The operation, known as ‘Hessian’, has involved more than 600 officers since April 2024. It comes as part of the Met’s focus on community policing and tackling crime that matters most to residents who had raised concerns about serious violence in their area.

    As a result, Merton has recorded the largest fall in robbery offences (33 per cent) across the Met. Firearm offences are also down by 33 per cent, violent crime resulting in injury has decreased by 24 per cent and knife crime is down 14 per cent.

    In total across the operation, officers have now:

    • Carried out 71 warrants
    • Arrested 72 people
    • Seized 14 firearms with associated ammunition and 62 bladed and offensive weapons
    • Collected more than £620,000 worth of Class A and B drugs
    • Removed £1.4million in cash and other valuable items suspected to be the proceeds of crime
    • Upped patrols in the hotspot areas and been conducting weapons sweeps.

    Inspector Kevin Chambers, from the Met’s Merton Safer Neighbourhood Team, said:  

    “We remain focused on tackling the crimes that cause misery to communities and our targeted approach is working to reduce violence and organised crime in Merton and across London.

    “The Met has worked hard in South West London over the last 12 months to remove drugs, weapons and firearms from our streets, and relentlessly target criminal gangs to reduce offending and improve neighbourhoods.

    “The relationship with the people we serve is at the heart of everything we do and our ongoing commitment to prioritise community crime fighting is one of the key improvements that resulted in the Met recently being moved out of special measures.”

    Councillor Edith Macauley MBE, the London Borough of Merton’s Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said:

    “Operation Hessian, which was carried out by the police in response to concerns from residents, sends a clear message to criminal gangs that we won’t tolerate crime, drugs or violence in our community.

    “We’re determined to make sure Merton remains one of London’s safest boroughs and are joining forces with multiple partners, including the police, to act together to address residents’ fears about crime.”

    Last week (23 January), the Met moved out of special measures after making major improvements in many areas of service to London. This was a result of collective effort to change the Met and ensure it can deliver on its promise to Londoners – More Trust, Less Crime, High Standards.

    Over the last two-and-a-half years Met officers and staff have worked tirelessly to address more than 100 recommendations, several causes for concern and improve our service to London in areas far beyond those highlighted by HMICFRS.

    They have done so in the face of significant budget challenges, the sustained demand of public order and protest in London, increased scrutiny and accountability, all while continuing to do their day jobs keeping Londoner’s safe.

    To report a crime in your area ring 101 or visit the Met’s website. Always ring 999 in an emergency.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two jailed for murder of Sarah Mayhew in Croydon

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man and a woman have been jailed for murder after detectives pieced together a wealth of evidence to prove they murdered Sarah Mayhew, then dismembered her and dumped her body over several trips, in plain sight of the public.

    Steve Samson, 45 (10.05.79) of Burnell Road, Sutton, and Gemma Watts, 49 (22.07.75) of Holmbury Grove, Croydon, were sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 30 January for the murder of Sarah Mayhew.

    Samson will serve a whole life order and Watts will serve a minimum of 30 years’ imprisonment.

    The pair were also sentenced to five years each for perverting the course of public justice, to run concurrently.

    At an earlier hearing they both pleaded guilty to murder and preventing a lawful burial.

    Detective Chief Inspector Martin Thorpe, from the Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, said: “I would like to send my deepest condolences to Sarah’s family and friends. A loss is always hard, but to hear about the way Sarah spent her last moments must be heart-breaking. I commend their bravery and strength throughout this investigation; we will continue to support them should they need us.

    “Secondly, I would like to commend my colleagues from across the Met. The dedication shown to this investigation, which has been complex and challenging, has been extraordinary, they worked around the clock to pull together the evidence needed to bring this case to court.

    “The investigation included viewing hundreds of hours of CCTV, extensive forensic examinations within the defendants’ houses, the searching of fields and rivers, witness accounts, and reviewing the defendants’ phones. These revealed messages detailing what the defendants planned to do to Sarah, with texts and voice notes recorded by the defendants themselves, also revealing their intention to carry out violent attacks on others.

    “Sarah was a young woman who had the rest of her life ahead of her, before it was selfishly taken by Samson and Watts for their own sadistic motive.

    “Their sick and twisted desires were heard in court by her family. They listened to traumatising evidence which revealed that the two enjoyed the pain and torment that they put Sarah through. No sentence can ever bring Sarah back or compensate for her loss, we ask for you to please respect their privacy during this tough time.”

    An investigation was launched following a call to police shortly after 09:00hrs on 2 April 2024, to reports of human remains found in Rowdown Fields in Croydon.

    A forensic examination revealed the remains to be of Sarah Mayhew, 38, who was living in Croydon at the time of her death.

    Shortly after the first discovery, remains were also found in Mitcham in May 2024. A further examination revealed that the remains also belonged to Sarah.

    The investigation revealed messages on Samson’s phone which showed a conversation that suggested the pair wanted to murder Sarah. The conversation revealed that Samson was going to invite Sarah over to his house to which Watts replied “only if it’s a deal she ain’t leaving in one piece” to which Samson added “okay”.

    Following on from the discussion further messages were sent that indicated a sexual and sadistic motivation.

    Sarah was last seen on CCTV entering a property in Sutton on 8 March 2024 accompanied by Samson and his dog. It is believed that Sarah was murdered on this day.

    Messages were found from the same date sent by Samson who was trying to justify what they had done. The message to Watts said “we’re not evil, we’re not evil”.

    Two days later, Samson was captured on CCTV in a retail shop purchasing a hacksaw, blades and a bucket.

    The pair then began their attempt to clean-up the crime scene and conceal their involvement in the murder. Watts was seen on CCTV in a retail shop buying multiple cleaning products such as bleach and scourers, a receipt was later recovered for these following a search of her property.

    Further intelligence found that as well as the cleaning products, a silver incinerator bin was purchased to burn Sarah’s personal belongings, which were never recovered.

    Officers discovered that Samson and Watts travelled to and from Rowdown Fields using public transport on 11 March 2024 while carrying oversized shopping bags, which they appeared to have struggled to carry.

    In April, parts of Sarah’s body were found in the same location.

    It was also found that the pair travelled to the River Wandle with a suitcase. CCTV showed them returning from their journey with no suitcase.

    Sarah’s torso was then found in May in the same location.

    Following the discovery of Sarah’s remains in April, Samson was arrested at his home address on 6 April 2024 and Watts was arrested later on the same day.

    A search of Samson’s house found traces of blood in the same black bucket he had earlier purchased.

    A forensic detection dog also indicated areas of interest, one being the bottom of a wall in Samson’s bedroom – testing revealed extensive amounts of blood.

    They were charged on 9 April 2024 and convicted as above.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Continues Raising Alarm On Illegal Trump Admin Attempt to Freeze Federal Funding, Ongoing Lack of Clarity for Panicked Families and Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “The Trump administration’s half-hearted steps yesterday to clean up this massive mess they have made just affirms two things—one: they are still illegally withholding federal funds that are law; and two: this is an administration whose sheer incompetence, combined with their bad intentions and willful disregard of the law, is creating mass panic and chaos, and hurting people everywhere.”
    Murray lays out how funding freeze is still hurting Head Start providers, rental assistance, community health centers, hurting Tribes in Washington state
    ***VIDEO HERE***
    Washington, D.C. – This morning, at a press conference with Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Gary Peters (D-MI), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, once again spoke out forcefully to raise the alarm over the illegal, sweeping Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo issued by the Trump administration on Monday night that directed agencies to freeze vast swaths of federal funding passed into law by Congress.
    Yesterday morning—just hours after the OMB memo was issued—Murray joined Leader Schumer and Senators Merkley, Klobuchar, Murphy, Kim, and King for a press conference hammering the Trump administration for the unprecedented and dangerous move, and highlighting the mass panic and confusion it was already creating for families, businesses, nonprofits, towns, and communities in every part of the country. Immediately after the OMB memo became public Monday night, Murray and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro sent a letter to Acting OMB Director Matthew J. Vaeth raising the alarm on President Trump’s unlawful executive orders and the new memoranda. A fact sheet on the issue of the impoundment is available HERE.
    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below and video is HERE:
    “While a judge has put this illegal move to freeze federal grants on hold for a very few short days, as Senator Schumer talked about, the threat, and the chaos, and the panic remain.
    “And, let’s be clear, the Trump administration’s half-hearted steps yesterday to clean up this massive mess they have made just affirms two things—one: they are still illegally withholding federal funds that are law; and two: this is an administration whose sheer incompetence, combined with their bad intentions and willful disregard of the law, is creating mass panic and chaos, and hurting people everywhere.
    “Their explanations have created no clarity or certainty for many panicked families, businesses, nonprofits, towns, and states. And they don’t actually change the basic fact that Trump is holding up funding our communities are counting on—and funding that is law.
    “Because first off, there are lots of programs they are saying won’t be affected when that is not what organizations across the country are experiencing.
    “Just one example: yesterday, Head Start providers were locked out of their reimbursement portal—meaning folks that are taking care of our youngest kids were suddenly not sure how they were going to keep the doors open or pay their teachers and staff.
    “Rental assistance—the payment system for housing authorities was down yesterday, I checked again with my staff this morning; it is still down.
    “And beyond that, there is just a long list of programs still left completely on the chopping block. Programs that help red states and blue states alike.
    “Meanwhile, a Tribe back in my home state of Washington told me just a little bit ago that they are having to determine if they need to lay off 400 people.
    “Community Health Centers have been having difficulty drawing down their federal funds. Sometimes they are the only providers, especially in our rural or remote communities. It is the end of the month, they need to make payroll!
    “There are real patients to consider here as clinics have to think about whether they have the funds to cover services because of this illegal move. 
    “Funding for firefighters—you know what doesn’t stop when federal funding stops? Fires! I mean the list goes on, and on. The calls are coming in, and the chaos—I am here to tell you—has not died down this morning.
    “There is really only one solution here in the Senate, and that is for all of us—all of us—to stand up and say ‘enough.’ To demand President Trump revoke these reckless orders and recognize Congress—Congress—has the power of the purse.
    “We will fight this in the courts, yes, but President Trump needs to back down from this reckless order that is hurting Americans and just follow the law as Congress wrote it.
    “This kind of freeze is going to hurt their states just as much, if not more. This is not a red or blue issue.
    “So, as Leader Schumer has said, we are going to keep sounding the alarm and pointing out who President Trump is hurting. We are going to listen to folks back home and raise their stories for everyone to hear.
    “None of us were elected to hurt people or sow chaos. We are elected to help people and solve problems. I hope every Member of Congress works with us to make clear, and work to tell President Trump: the law is the law. Work to tell him that Congress is a co-equal branch of government and the executive is there to execute the laws Congress has written. “The White House needs to stop hurting the American people.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Trump Rescinding Devastating Memo in Face of National Backlash—While Continuing Efforts to Steal Power & Block Resources Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ICYMI: Senator Murray Continues Raising Alarm On Illegal Trump Admin Attempt to Freeze Federal Funding, Ongoing Lack of Clarity for Panicked Families and Communities
    ICYMI: Senator Murray Blasts Trump Admin for Illegally Blocking Funding for Communities, Comments on Latest OMB Update & Continued Chaos Nationwide
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on OMB rescinding its memo illegally freezing vast swaths of federal funding:
    “This is an important victory for the American people whose voices were heard after massive pressure from every corner of this country—real people made a difference by speaking out. Still, the Trump administration—through a combination of sheer incompetence, cruel intentions, and a willful disregard of the law—caused real harm and chaos for millions over the span of the last 48 hours which is still ongoing.
    “This fight is far from over; the Trump administration is still illegally withholding funding for communities in red states and in blue states. Senate Republicans are still intent on confirming Russ Vought, chief architect of Project 2025 as this country’s budget director. This is a man who time and again has refused to say he will follow the law.
    “I will keep working to hold this administration accountable and ensure President Trump follows the laws as intended by Congress.”
    Just this morning, Murray continued to raise the alarm on the funding freeze. Yesterday morning—just hours after the OMB memo was issued—Murray joined Leader Schumer and Senators Merkley, Klobuchar, Murphy, Kim, and King for a press conference hammering the Trump administration for the unprecedented and dangerous move, and highlighting the mass panic and confusion it was already creating for families, businesses, nonprofits, towns, and communities in every part of the country. Immediately after the OMB memo became public Monday night, Murray and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro sent a letter to Acting OMB Director Matthew J. Vaeth raising the alarm on President Trump’s unlawful executive orders and the new memoranda. A fact sheet on the issue of the impoundment is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray’s Remarks at Presser After OMB Rescinds Disastrous Memo: “This Fight is Far From Over”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “Make no mistake—the Trump Administration is still illegally holding up billions of dollars across the federal government through their Day One Executive Orders… Trump has made it clear he is not going to stop.”
    ICYMI: Senator Murray: “No Senator Who Believes Congress Holds the Power of the Purse Should Vote for Russ Vought” 
    ***VIDEO HERE***
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke at a press conference with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) immediately after OMB rescinded its disastrous Monday night memo that illegally froze vast swaths of federal funding appropriated by Congress for communities all over the country.
    Senator Murray has consistently raised alarm bells over President Trump and his top advisors’ ongoing efforts and plans to illegally block funding Congress has provided from making it out to American families, businesses, and communities. Last week, she grilled President Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, on his loud declarations that President Trump should unilaterally hold up funding—and his refusal to commit to Congress to follow the law. She called out President Trump’s unlawful executive orders holding up funding for infrastructure, national security programs, good-paying clean energy jobs and innovations, and much more—and released a fact sheet detailing how his orders violate the law and the constitution. On Monday night, after OMB issued its sweeping memo freezing trillions of dollars in funding for America, Senator Murray and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro sent a letter to Acting OMB Director Matthew J. Vaeth raising the alarm on President Trump’s unlawful executive orders and the new memoranda. She joined Leader Schumer and Senators Merkley, Klobuchar, Murphy, Kim, and King hours later for a press conference highlighting the mass panic and confusion the memo was already creating for families and communities in every part of the country. This morning, Senator Murray spoke at a press conference with Leader Schumer and Senators Heinrich and Peters hammering how badly Trump’s actions are hurting their states—and working people all across the country.
    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below and video is HERE:
    “Never in my time in the Senate have I seen a President cause as much chaos, and panic, and damage in such a short time as President Trump has caused with his brazen and illegal move to freeze federal grants, across the government, and across the country.
    “The Trump administration—through a combination of sheer incompetence, cruel intentions, and a willful disregard of the law—caused real harm and chaos for millions over the span of just 48 hours.
    “But we learned something important: when the American people speak out with one voice—when regular people stand up, it makes a difference. This victory belongs to everyone who raised their voice.
    “But make no mistake, the fight is far from over. My phone was ringing off the hook, and it still is.
    “You know, everyday Americans actually understand a freeze like this would hurt them, cause serious problems in their lives, and make their lives worse—homeless shelters kicking out kids, clinical trials getting canceled, child care providers laying people off, roads and bridges not getting built, cops not getting hired.
    “You know, while people like Elon Musk may not feel the pain of a single one of those cuts or delays, everyday Americans—who work hard every day, expect a fair shake, and expect the government to be there when it counts—they knew this would be catastrophic.
    “But again—and please understand this—the fight is not over. Because even though, after the intense outcry from the American people, Trump has now admitted this was a colossal mistake by rescinding the guidance—the threat, the chaos, the panic, can’t just be wiped away.
    “We have a lot of work to do right now, to make sure all the funding now actually does get moving again—this is not like turning on a light switch.
    “And as we just saw through the chaotic rollout, its complicated stuff. So we will all be watching closely to make sure funds get where they belong ASAP.
    “And even afterwards, no one is forgetting what they just tried to do, and what they are still doing.
    “Make no mistake: the Trump Administration is still illegally holding up billions of dollars across the federal government through their Day One Executive Orders.
    “You don’t have to take my word for it, the White House Press Secretary just said, and I quote: ‘This is not a rescission of the federal funding freeze. […] The President’s [Executive Orders] on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.’
    “That means they are still blocking investments Congress passed into law to help our communities.
    “They are still blocking things like international aid, clean air and water projects, investments in new clean energy jobs, and a lot of other projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Trump is stopping with his illegal executive orders.
    “And, aside from the fact they have not stopped blocking this funding illegally, their blatant attempt this week to illegally freeze trillions more in one fell swoop is, mark my words, a clear sign of what is to come: more lawless cuts, more chaos, more pain for our families.
    “Trump has made it clear he is not going to stop. Unless—unless Congress, and the American people, make clear we are not going to stand for it.
    “And we have an opportunity now to make that clear, when we vote on Russ Vought’s nomination to be Budget Director. He is the chief architect of Project 2025—which left its digital fingerprints all over the illegal OMB guidance that was issued.
    “This is a man who time and again has refused to say he will follow the law—including to me and to many others directly. 
    “Every lawmaker who doesn’t want to see funds that they worked to secure for their state—funds they know families are counting on—ripped away must vote ‘no.’ And that’s a start!
    “But, as long as the Trump administration is illegally holding back funds and harming families, this fight is not over.
    “I—and all of my colleagues— will keep working to hold this administration accountable, make sure our communities get the resources they are owed, and make certain President Trump follows the law as intended by Congress.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Release of New Data on Students’ Learning Post-Pandemic

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the release of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which shows that in 2024, students’ learning nationwide continued a more than decade-long trend of a growing achievement gap between higher-performing and lower-performing students.
    “These scores make painfully clear how much work remains to be done to help our students thrive in the classroom and learn the skills they need to succeed. I have pushed for years to get our schools the resources and tools needed to help students get ahead—including delivering record investments for our students and schools without any Republican votes—and I will continue to work with anyone and everyone focused on improving outcomes for our kids and closing widening achievement gaps.
    “But as we get these bleak results, one thing’s clear as day: President Trump trying to freeze federal funding headed to our students and schools—creating mass chaos and confusion—does absolutely nothing to address the challenges our kids are facing in the classroom. Nor will shutting down the Department of Education, slashing education funding to afford tax cuts for billionaires, or focusing on privatization efforts that help a sliver of students instead of the vast majority of kids who attend public schools, as the president is doing. This year’s scorecard should redouble our commitment to investing in our schools and students and in evidence-based approaches that support their learning and development, and I will keep fighting to do just that.”
    Senator Murray has long fought to ensure students can get a quality education and to ensure our nation’s students and schools have both the tools and the resources they need to thrive. From the very beginning of her service in the Senate, including throughout the pandemic, she worked to deliver resources for schools, including to reopen safely for in-person learning and support students, families, and educators throughout the public health crisis. In March 2020, Senator Murray introduced the Supporting Students in Response to Coronavirus Act to support students as COVID-19 spread, and she proceeded to work across the aisle to deliver resources to schools to support students in the CARES Act in March 2020 and in December 2020 through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). In March 2021, Senator Murray helped secure critical resources for K-12 schools in the American Rescue Plan, which was passed without any Republican votes. She also worked to require a portion of the resources are specifically used to address learning loss—and has pushed to ensure the resources are being used effectively to help students get back on track. In the years since, Senator Murray has fought to renew federal investments in our schools, ensure resources are used effectively and consistent with federal laws, and successfully defeated House Republicans’ efforts to gut federal educational funding as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee in the 118th Congress.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Presses Commerce Secretary Nominee Howard Lutnick on Census, NOAA Protection, Pacific Fisheries Consultation, AI Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    WASHINGTON — At today’s Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing for Secretary of Commerce nominee Howard Lutnick, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) pressed Lutnick on conducting a fair census count, protecting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from Project 2025 threats, consulting with Hawai‘i leaders on Pacific fisheries decisions, and strengthening artificial intelligence (AI) safety.
    First, Schatz asked Lutnick if he would pledge to carry out the census in an apolitical manner. Lutnick responded, “I promise you we will count each whole person. That’s what the Constitution says, and we will stick right to it rigorously.”
    Schatz then questioned whether Lutnick agreed with Project 2025’s threat to “dismantle” NOAA, to which Lutnick replied, “No.”
    Schatz also raised the issue of NOAA’s impact on the Hawai‘i Longline Fishery, asking, “Do I have your assurance that before NOAA, National Marine Fisheries, or anyone makes a move regarding our fishery in the Pacific that you will consult with our office, and our delegation, and the state of Hawai‘i?”
    In response, Lutnick said, “I’d be delighted to consult with your office… On the things that matter to you, I will happily commit to working with your office. That sounds like it would make me better at my job, so I’d appreciate your input.”
    Schatz brought up President Trump’s repeal of President Biden’s AI executive order, including potential impacts to the AI Safety Institute, asking, “What do we do in place of this and how quickly can we get it done? Because that part of this was one of the few things that we were not arguing about when it comes to AI policy.”
    Lutnick said, “The Department of Commerce has the gold standard when it comes to cybersecurity standards, so I think AI standards along the lines of that gold standard, that same model will be very effective. So that if you think of it as standards, I think we can get bipartisan agreement that we can find the right way to set those standards.”
    Schatz said he would continue to urge the Department of Commerce to ensure greater AI safety.
    Since the previous Trump Administration attempted to interfere with the count for political purposes, Schatz has led efforts to ensure a fair census. He has introduced legislation to ensure any future proposed changes are studied and tested.
    Video of Senator Schatz’s full exchange at today’s hearing is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU next generation defence technologies get €1 billion in funding

    Source: European Union 2

    More than €1 billion has been allocated by the European Defence Fund for the development of critical defence technologies and capabilities. Around €100 million each is set aside for critical fields such as ground combat, space, air and naval combat, energy resilience and environmental transition.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: ProVen Growth and Income VCT plc: Interim Management Statement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ProVen Growth and Income VCT plc
    Interim Management Statement
    for the nine months ended 30 November 2024

    ProVen Growth and Income VCT plc (the “Company”) presents an Interim Management Statement for the nine-month period ended 30 November 2024. The statement also includes relevant financial information between the end of the period and the date of this announcement.

    Performance

            Unaudited
    30-Nov 2024    		 Unaudited
    31-Aug
    2024    		 Unaudited
    31 May
    2024    		 Audited
    29-Feb
    2024
            Pence Pence Pence Pence
    Net Asset Value per share (“NAV”)       51.7 51.5 54.7 54.7
    Dividends paid since class launch (originally as ‘C’ Shares)*       79.90 79.90 78.40 78.40
    Total Return (NAV plus dividends paid since ‘C’ Share class launch)       131.60 131.40 133.10 133.10

    * Dividends paid represents dividends paid in respect of the Original ‘C’ Shares between their launch in 2006 up until their conversion in 2009 and as Ordinary Shares since the ‘C’ Share conversion. ‘C’ Shares were converted into Ordinary Shares on a one for one basis in 2009.

    Dividends paid or declared
    On 5 November 2024, the Company announced an Interim dividend for the year ending 28 February 2025 of 1.25p per share. This dividend was paid on 17 January 2025 to Shareholders on the register at 20 December 2024. Payment of this dividend will reduce the NAV per share as shown above to 50.45p and increase dividends paid to date to 81.15p per share.

    Investment portfolio summary at 30 November 2024
    Portfolio summary

      Cost Valuation
    Venture capital investments £’000 £’000
         
    Picasso Labs, Inc. (t/a CreativeX) 4,546                  11,425
    Luxury Promise Limited 6,020                   9,360
    MPB Group Limited 1,194                   6,476
    Gorillini NV (t/a Gorilla) 2,886                   6,464
    Social Value Portal Ltd 2,542                   5,472
    Dash Brands Ltd 3,282                   5,277
    Infinity Reliance Limited (t/a My 1st Years) 2,769                   5,057
    Utilis Israel Ltd (t/a Asterra) 2,144                   4,803
    Papier Ltd 4,703                   4,703
    Lupa Foods Limited 284                   4,585
    Other investments 81,716 60,970
    Total investments 112,086 124,592
         
    Cash and cash equivalents   39,655
    Other net current assets   (2,186)
         
    Net Assets   162,061

    Unquoted investments are valued at fair values established using the International Private Equity and Venture Capital Valuation Guidelines.

    Investment activity during the three-month period ended 30 November 2024

    Investment additions

    There were no additions made in the quarter to 30 November 2024.

    Investment disposals

     

    Cost

    		 Market
    value at 1 March 2024

    Disposal
    proceeds

    		 Gain
    against
    cost    		 Realised gain/
    (loss)
    in period
      £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000
    Lupa Foods Limited (loan repayment) 362 468 468 106 –
    Buckingham Gate Financial Services Limited – 150 155 155 5
      362 618 623 261 5

    Investment activity from 1 December 2024 to the date of this announcement

    In the period from 1 December 2024 to the date of this announcement, a follow on investment was made in Social Value Portal Ltd at cost of £118,000.

    In the period from 1 December 2024 to the date of this announcement, Lupa Foods Limited was fully disposed of, realising £4,574,000 of proceeds for the Company. Commonplace Digital Limited was disposed of for consideration of shares in Zencity Technologies Ltd. 

    Changes to share capital Ordinary
    Shares
    of 1.6187p each
    As at 1 September 2024 315,001,048
    Shares bought back during the 3 months to 30 November 2024 (4,402,488)
    Shares issued during the 3 months to 30 November 2024 3,129,865
    As at 30 November 2024 313,728,425

    In the period from 1 December 2024 to the date of this announcement, 1,797,547 Ordinary Shares were issued on 5 December 2024 pursuant to the offer for subscription that opened on 6 November 2024 and were allotted at an average price of 53.38p, based on the net asset value of 51.5p per Ordinary Share, being the net asset value as at 31 August 2024.

    In the period from 1 December 2024 to the date of this announcement, 1,094,340 Ordinary Shares were issued under the Company’s Dividend Reinvestment Scheme (“DRIS”) in relation to the dividend paid on 17 January 2025.

    Offer for Subscription
    ProVen VCT plc and ProVen Growth and Income VCT plc (the “Companies”) announced on 6 November 2024 that they had published a Prospectus (comprising Securities Note, Registration Document and Summary) in respect of a combined offer for subscription to raise up to £30,000,000 (up to £15,000,000 for each Company) by way of an issue of new ordinary shares in the Companies, with an over-allotment facility of up to a further £10,000,000 (up to £5,000,000 for each Company).

    Material events
    Other than the matters described above, there were no material events during the period from 1 September 2024 to 30 November 2024 or in the period from 1 December 2024 to the date of this announcement.

    Further information
    Further information regarding the Company can be found on the Company’s website: www.proveninvestments.co.uk or by contacting Beringea, the Investment Manager at info@beringea.co.uk or by telephone 020 7845 7820.

    Beringea LLP
    Company Secretary
    Telephone 020 7845 7820
    -End

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Thousands of fake medicines seized by EU-supported criminal investigation

    Source: European Union 2

    Europol investigated some 52 organised crime groups as part of a global effort to crack down on the trafficking of fake medicines and illicit doping substances. More than €11 million’s worth of fake medicines were taken off the markets, as a result of the investigation.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: From mine awareness to radio communication: OSCE and the Austrian Armed Forces International Centre mark 10 years of collaboration

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: From mine awareness to radio communication: OSCE and the Austrian Armed Forces International Centre mark 10 years of collaboration

    From mine awareness to radio communication: OSCE and the Austrian Armed Forces International Centre mark 10 years of collaboration | OSCE
    Skip navigation

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    Home Newsroom News and press releases From mine awareness to radio communication: OSCE and the Austrian Armed Forces International Centre mark 10 years of collaboration

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Turn Last Year’s Dreams Into Reality with Samsung’s Blue Tag Sale

    Source: Samsung

     
    As the new year unfolds, it’s time to turn your dreams into reality with Samsung’s Blue Tag Sale, running from 13 January to 2 March 2025. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your home appliances, tech gadgets, or enhance your lifestyle, Samsung’s latest innovations are here to help you make your 2025 a year of progress and transformation.
     
    Featuring cutting-edge products packed with advanced AI technology, Samsung is your partner in elevating your home and turning it into a space that works harder for you. We can help you turn last year’s dreams, into this year’s upgrade. From the kitchen to the living room, from productivity to entertainment, Samsung is committed to helping you create the home and lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of.
     
    Samsung believes in making your home a place where technology supports your goals and where AI-driven solutions empower you to live better, work smarter, and enjoy more. So start the new year with a Samsung upgrade that will elevate your home.
     
    Thanks to this year’s Blue Tag Sale offers of up to 30% off, you can get a wide selection of Samsung products, each designed to enhance your personal, professional, and lifestyle goals. Whether you want a smarter, more efficient kitchen, a seamless entertainment setup, or a connected home, Samsung’s ground-breaking technology helps you level up in every area.
     
    Deals to Jumpstart Your Year
    Take advantage of the incredible Blue Tag Sale offers including these:
    Side by Side Fridge, Non-Plumbed Water & Ice Dispenser, Gentle Black, 617L (RS64DG53R3B1FA) – Now at R29,999* (Save R2,100). The sophisticated, modern design of this fridge makes it a perfect addition to any kitchen.
    Side by Side Fridge, Plumbed Water & Ice Dispenser, Gentle Silver, 617L (RS65DG54R3S9FA) – Now at R28,999* (Save R2,200). Samsung’s SpaceMax technology offers more storage capacity inside, while maintaining a sleek, space-efficient exterior.
     

     
    These fridges deliver both functionality and style. They make smart living simple with SmartThings, enabling energy monitoring and usage patterns from the app. It is designed for families who need more from their home appliances. Plus, when you purchase any of the above fridges, you’ll receive a complimentary Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE 5G, allowing you to stay connected and productive throughout the year.
     
    Redemption steps:
     
    BUY
    Simply purchase any participating refrigerators. Purchase on or before 23 February 2025.
     
    VISIT
    https://www.samsung.com/za/offer/blue-tag-sale/redemption/
     
    COMPLETE
    Complete the redemption form, upload all required documents before the 31 March 2025. Upon successful submission and verification, an email will be sent to the participant, who will receive their gift within 7 to 14 working days.
     
    The Samsung Blue Tag Sale runs from 13 January – 2 March 2025, in Samsung stores, online, the Samsung Shop App, as well as participating retailers. Don’t miss out!
     
    For more information, visit www.samsung.com/za

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Calling all small business champions of the circular economy 

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: Calling all small business champions of the circular economy 

    Launched in 2021, the Small Business Champions Initiative celebrates organisations that empower small businesses to participate and succeed in global trade. This year, the organisers – the  International Chamber of Commerce, International Trade Centre and World Trade Organization’s Informal Working Group on Micro-, Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises, in partnership with United Nations Trade and Development – will recognise concepts and initiatives that help small businesses embrace the circular economy. 

    Along with the recognition, the winners will be invited to Geneva for an award ceremony on 27 June 2025. The International Trade Centre will additionally award each winner US$4,000 prize money to support the development or further scaling of their winning project and issue an award certificate. 

    What are we looking for and who can participate? 

    • Small businesses, enterprises, industry associations, chambers of commerce and non-governmental organisations leading initiatives such as awareness-raising campaigns, competitions, capacity building, training, mentoring and networking programmes related to the circular economy 
    • Small businesses engaged in the circular economy with innovative business concepts that reduce, prevent or repurpose waste 

    All proposals must have a clear link to international trade and include an action plan (see past competitions for reference). 

    Submit your proposal   

    Proposals should be submitted through this form by 28 March 2025. The winning proposals will be jointly selected by representatives from the competition organisers. For additional information, consult this guide. 

    Related publication

    • Sustainability

    Circular economy: Challenges and opportunities for businesses and policymakers

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Jail terms for men who ran Kent waste warehouse

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Rubbish later caught fire, disrupting town – Lancashire and Devon men guilty of waste crime

    Fire-ravaged unit at Westwood Business Park in Margate

    Routine complaints about flies in a seaside town unearthed a vast cavern of illegally-stored waste.

    No wonder the flies, as well as rats, were interested. David Weeks and Lee Brookes had built up a massive stockpile of rubbish, neatly packaged in black plastic.

    The Environment Agency prosecuted the pair, resulting in suspended prison sentences totalling 20 months between them for filling a Margate warehouse with the waste.

    It was spring 2017. As the weather warmed up, frustrated residents rang the local council to report swarms of flies close to an anonymous building.

    Officials at Thanet District Council contacted the Environment Agency, which began an investigation. It discovered the illegal storage of thousands of bales of household and construction waste inside the building, unit P, on the Westwood Business Park.

    Baled waste stored inside unit P before the fire.

    A director of Devon-based DW Land Ltd, Weeks signed a one-year lease with the building’s owners at the start of 2017.

    Lorry after lorry dumped waste

    But no sooner was the ink dry on the lease that lorry after lorry began arriving in Margate from across the home counties – a procession of 220 vehicles over three months, offloading 6,000 blocks of waste and placed in the building.

    Totnes businessman Weeks employed Brookes’ firm, OMC Outdoor Maintenance Company, of Whitworth, in Lancashire, to secure and manage unit P. Weeks told the Environment Agency he was the agent for two companies wanting the site for an energy-from-waste plant. 

    Judge Simon Taylor KC heard the waste had left legal sites in Hampshire and Hertfordshire, bound for the Kent coast, to be stored inside the building, but outside the law. Neither Brookes nor Weeks obtained an environmental permit for the storage of waste.

    Risk became reality when building went up in flames

    Matt Higginson, environment manager for the Environment Agency in Kent, said:

    Weeks and Brookes profited financially from payments made to the sites where the waste originated and from its storage in Kent.

    Not getting an environmental permit for the building, avoiding the cost and requirements of getting one, Weeks and Brookes gave themselves an unfair advantage over legitimate waste operators

    A permit for the site would have required a plan to manage the risk of fire. Risk became reality when the building went up in flames. The disruption for local people went on for almost a month.

    This case proves you must use firms authorised to take away your waste. Check the register of waste carriers’ licences on gov.uk.

    Throughout 2017 and 2018, Weeks and Brookes gave the Environment Agency several excuses as to why they couldn’t clear the waste from the building. 

    On 18 September that year, the building caught fire. Kent Fire and Rescue Service fought the blaze for 25 days. At its peak, rubbish burst out of the packaging. Although no cause for the fire has ever been found, roads and businesses had to close, and the disruption led to operations cancelled at the local hospital.

    View of fire-ravaged unit P at Westwood Business Park in Margate.

    It was only a year later, towards the end of 2019, and almost three years after the first delivery of rubbish, what waste survived the fire was finally removed by the battered building’s new owner.

    Weeks and Brookes gave scant assistance to the Environment Agency’s investigation. Even after the fire, the pair kept a very low profile.

    David Weeks, 55, of School Hill, Totnes, Devon, was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years. He also to pay £5,000 in costs, and a victim surcharge of £140.

    Judge Taylor also gave Weeks 150 hours unpaid work and 20 hours of rehabilitation activity aimed at preventing him from reoffending. He’ll have to wear an electronic tag to monitor his daytime movements for the next two months. 

    Lee Brookes, of Tonacliffe Way, Whitworth, Lancashire, received a sentence of four months in prison, suspended for a year. He was also given 80 hours of unpaid work and the same 20 hours of rehabilitation programme. The court also ordered the 49-year-old to pay costs of £1,000 and a £115 victim surcharge.   

    At the hearing on 21 January, the court was told Weeks was fined almost £10,000 seven years ago for his part in the management of a site in Plymouth where 13,000 tonnes of wood was stored illegally.   

    The two men pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to knowing their respective companies, DW Land and OMC Maintenance, ran the waste operation in Margate without an environmental permit between 13 January 2017 and 22 August 2019, against regulation 12 (1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. 

    DW Land Ltd, of Paignton Road, Stoke Gabriel, Totnes, Devon, and OMC Outdoor Maintenance Company Ltd, also of Tonacliffe Way, Whitworth, Lancashire, are no longer trading.

    Contact us: Journalists only –

    0800 141 2743 or communications_se@environment-agency.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Rachel Reeves’ route to economic growth is a slow one – and there are no guarantees voters will be patient enough

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Steve Schifferes, Honorary Research Fellow, City Political Economy Research Centre, City St George’s, University of London

    Go My Media/Shutterstock

    After six months of talking down the economy and warning of tough times ahead, the UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has changed her tune. She is now much more optimistic about Britain’s economic prospects and has announced a raft of measures including major pension reforms designed to unlock cash to boost growth and productivity.

    But Labour’s political problem is that none of her plans will have an immediate impact on the UK’s anaemic growth rate – the economy has virtually flatlined for the last six months. From day one Reeves has put growth at the centre of her plans, and a lack of it will mean tough choices in the spring, when she must spell out government spending plans for the next three years.

    The government is focusing on a wide range of “supply side” reforms, including unleashing pension funds to invest in Britain, as well as relaxing the planning system and building infrastructure – many of which have an uncanny resemblance to measures once proposed by former prime minister Liz Truss.

    At the heart of these plans is a big increase in investment in infrastructure to boost productivity – things like roads, public transport and technology – where Britain lags behind its major rivals.

    But there’s a big catch. The independent spending watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), estimates that it will take years – or even decades – for infrastructure projects to transform the British economy, with only a 0.1% boost in growth in the near term for every additional 1% on public investment.

    Without other measures that have a more immediate impact, the political risk to Labour is that its pledge to make everyone better off may feel hollow to voters.

    The challenges are particularly acute for big transport projects, as the debacle of HS2 illustrates. Even with changes to the planning system, work on expanding Heathrow airport is unlikely to start before 2030. And major projects like the Lower Thames crossing between Kent and Essex and the Sizewell C nuclear reactor in Suffolk have been in the planning stage for nearly 20 years.

    Electricity supply is another crucial area, with the need for more renewable energy and an expansion of the grid. This will now need to be financed largely by private capital as the government has scaled back its “green new deal”.

    So how exactly will all these big plans be financed? The government is hoping to unleash additional investment from the UK pension fund industry, by changing the rules to allow defined benefit (sometimes called final salary) schemes with surpluses to invest more widely.

    Although there is currently £160 billion available in these schemes, this could change if interest rates fall. It is also not clear how attractive such UK infrastructure investment would even be. Many projects, such as in privatised industries like water and electricity, will at least partly be funded by increased charges to consumers.

    The government’s own spending plans to increase public investment are relatively modest. These plans bring government capital spending (which allows for borrowing under the fiscal rules) just slightly above the historic average.

    Planning reform could also prove problematic. Although the government is changing some of the rules, especially in relation to housebuilding, planning decisions will be still made by local authorities. In many cases these will face strong local opposition, potentially delaying decisions.

    This points to the larger political problem for the government. The changes will not eliminate the tension between the government’s growth and environmental objectives, with the latter potentially a crucial issue in many of the marginal seats won by Labour in the last election.

    Heathrow expansion will put the government’s climate targets in serious jeopardy.
    Dinendra Haria/Shutterstock

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described the need to pull out the “weeds” of regulation as vital to growth plans. He has already sacked the head of the key regulatory agency, the Competition and Markets Authority. But allowing more consolidation of British industry could create monopolies, which tend to raise prices, increase profits and neglect investment.

    There are even greater concerns over possible deregulation of the financial sector, which could abolish many of the safeguards established after the global financial crisis in 2008.

    What’s missing?

    The government is much less clear on what it is going to do about the supply of skilled labour than the availability of capital. Shortages of skilled workers could limit progress on these big infrastructure projects if workers are also needed to build housing.

    Government plans for boosting skills training, and the funding for further and higher education, are still works in progress. Meanwhile, limits on immigration will reduce the number of skilled construction workers. And the details of the government’s plan to boost the labour force by getting more people on disability benefit back to work have yet to be spelled out.

    As Labour sets out its long-term growth plan, dark clouds are looming. In particular, in global terms the British economy is one of the most dependent on international trade and investment. But most of its trade is with its two largest trading partners – the EU and the USA.

    Growing protectionism in the US, coupled with a lack of access to EU markets caused by Brexit, could have a significant effect on Britain’s growth. The UK economy is projected by the IMF to grow by just 1.6% this year, which is still weak by historic standards.

    It may be of little consolation to the public if this is higher than in France and Germany. Reeves may well find that’s simply not enough to satisfy the expectations of voters.

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

    – ref. Rachel Reeves’ route to economic growth is a slow one – and there are no guarantees voters will be patient enough – https://theconversation.com/rachel-reeves-route-to-economic-growth-is-a-slow-one-and-there-are-no-guarantees-voters-will-be-patient-enough-248690

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Syria: Hostilities and aid challenges persist across devastated country

    Source: United Nations 4

    Peace and Security

    Humanitarians warned on Thursday that Syria continues to face major security and aid challenges in the northeast and beyond, in the uncertain aftermath of the overthrow of the Assad regime.

    In an update, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said more than 25,000 people have been newly uprooted from the northeastern city of Manbij where shelling and airstrikes have been reported.

    OCHA noted that hostilities have been intensifying over the past week, particularly in eastern Aleppo and around the Tishreen Dam.

    The dam is a key target for different groups of Syrian fighters vying for control of northern Syria. These include the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting alongside the PKK/YPG – the Kurdish Workers’ Party or People’s Protection Units. 

    Hundreds of thousands fleeing

    As a result of the escalating violence, the number of newly displaced people has increased to 652,000 as of 27 January, OCHA said.

    The deadly incidents reported in Syria’s northeast include shelling that struck a town in the Manbij countryside on 25 January, injuring an unverified number of children.

    On Saturday, clashes affected a displacement camp in Jarablus north of Manbij, injuring seven including two children and destroying five shelters. 

    On the same day, a car bomb detonated in front of a hospital and school in Manbij city, reportedly killing one civilian and injuring seven others.

    In the past week, OCHA, has also reported clashes in coastal areas  with “increased criminal activities, including looting and vandalism, constraining the movements of civilians during night hours”.

    The UN agency also noted continuing Israeli incursions into Quneitra in southern Syria, near the Golan Heights buffer zone that the Israeli military moved into – forces said temporarily – following the ouster of President Assad.

    Massive aid needs

    More widely across Syria’s governorates, the UN agency warned that a “lack of public services and liquidity constraints” have severely affected communities and the humanitarian response. In Homs and Hama, for instance, electricity is available for only 45 to 60 minutes every eight hours.

    In northwest Syria, 102 health facilities have already run out of funds since the start of 2025. The UN and its humanitarian partners are appealing for $1.2 billion to help the most vulnerable 6.7 million people in Syria until March.

    The developments came ahead of a UN Security Council meeting later on Thursday behind closed doors on Syria – and the reported declaration that head of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham and the caretaker authority in Damascus, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has been declared transitional president.

     It was also reported that the new caretaker authority has decided to suspend the Syrian constitution.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –