Category: Artificial Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Delivering new early childhood education service to Napranum

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    A community-run early childhood education and care service in Napranum is providing local families with greater flexibility and access to high quality early childhood education and care.

    Early education gives children the best start in life, and we want every to have access to quality early education and its transformative benefits.

    The Napranum Early Childhood Centre combined their former daycare and kindergarten services into an integrated centre on 23 June 2025.

    The integrated centre follows more than two years of dedicated work from the community, led by the Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council and Napranum Early Childhood Centre, and supported by the Department of Education and SNAICC – National Voice for our Children.

    The Napranum Early Childhood Centre service was funded in 2021 as part of an almost $30 million expansion of the Australian Government’s Community Child Care Fund Restricted Program, which funds the establishment of sites run by mainly First Nations led organisations.

    This is another example of the Albanese Government’s commitment to the Closing the Gap National Agreement, in particular increasing the role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

    SNAICC, the national peak body for Indigenous children, is the community partner for these sites, supporting their establishment and the implementation of community-led and culturally safe early childhood education and care.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Senator Dr Jess Walsh:

    “The integrated Napranum Early Childhood Centre opening is a fantastic outcome for First Nations children and families in Napranum, providing greater access for children in the community who need it most.

    “Every child should benefit from access to quality and culturally safe early childhood education and care, including in remote regional communities in Queensland.

    “That’s why the Australian Government is investing in our regional and remote communities through programs like the Community Child Care Fund.

    “More families access to quality early childhood education and care in areas where it is needed most. And that’s why our Government is investing $500 million over four years to deliver just that.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Leichardt, Matt Smith MP:

    “This is a great outcome for Napranum, being the only Early Childcare Centre in the community. This will not only save families from having to travel to Weipa to access childcare but also take pressure off the already long waiting list Weipa has. 
    We know the first five years of a child’s life if where they learn, develop and begin to shape their future so giving the children and families of Napranum the opportunity to access childcare, is fantastic for everyone.”
     

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Solidifies U.S. Position as Leader in AI

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    President Donald J. Trump is making America the undisputed world leader in artificial intelligence — and today marked a massive leap forward with the announcement of over $90 billion in groundbreaking AI and energy investments in Pennsylvania.
    Joined by leaders of the nation’s premier tech and energy giants, administration officials, and lawmakers, President Trump showcased the investments this afternoon at the first-ever Energy and Innovation Summit — underscoring the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to innovation, job creation, and American dominance.
    The announcement covered tens of billions of dollars in AI and energy investment, including Google’s $25 billion investment in data centers and infrastructure, Blackstone’s $25 billion investment in data centers and natural gas plants, and CoreWeave’s $6 billion investment in data center expansion.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Solidifies U.S. Position as Leader in AI

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    President Donald J. Trump is making America the undisputed world leader in artificial intelligence — and today marked a massive leap forward with the announcement of over $90 billion in groundbreaking AI and energy investments in Pennsylvania.
    Joined by leaders of the nation’s premier tech and energy giants, administration officials, and lawmakers, President Trump showcased the investments this afternoon at the first-ever Energy and Innovation Summit — underscoring the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to innovation, job creation, and American dominance.
    The announcement covered tens of billions of dollars in AI and energy investment, including Google’s $25 billion investment in data centers and infrastructure, Blackstone’s $25 billion investment in data centers and natural gas plants, and CoreWeave’s $6 billion investment in data center expansion.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Calls on Senate to Make DOGE Cuts Permanent

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – After exposing sweeping abuses at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) spoke on the Senate floor to urge her colleagues to pass President Trump’s rescissions bill to save taxpayer dollars and make Washington squeal.
    From funding fashion week to pickle makers, Ernst cited multiple wasteful USAID projects and taxpayer-subsidized partisan propaganda at National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) that she has uncovered.
    After being stonewalled, Ernst has been leading the fight to combat waste at USAID and sent Secretary of State Marco Rubio a letter detailing her experience with the rogue agency as it misled, lied, and deceived the American people about how their tax dollars are spent. She has continued her work exposing jaw-dropping waste at USAID.
    Last month, Ernst demanded transparency from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) over a $1.9 million grant it provided NPR last year.

    Watch Senator Ernst’s full remarks here.
    Ernst’s full remarks:
    “All Americans can take great pride in our nation’s generosity that has saved millions of people around the world from starvation and disease.
    “And, our government agencies coordinating aid efforts should be eager to share details about how their use of taxpayer money makes the world a better place.
    “Yet, over the past decade, USAID repeatedly rebuffed my requests for information, using intimidation and shell games to hide where money is going, how it’s being spent, and why.
    “As a result of my oversight, I learned that the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, is a rogue bureaucracy, operating with little accountability and even, sometimes, at odds with our nation’s best interests.
    “What warranted such secrecy and stonewalling?
    “Here’s just some of USAID’s questionable spending that I uncovered:
    “Money intended to alleviate economic distress in war-torn Ukraine was spent:
    “Sending models and designers on junkets to New York City and Fashion Weeks in Paris and London, at a cost of more than $203,000;
    “$148,000 went to a pickle maker;
    “A dog collar manufacturer fetched $300,000; and
    “A custom carpet manufacturer collected $2 million.
    “Elsewhere, $20 million was awarded to Sesame Workshop, which produces Sesame Street, to create content for Iraq;
    “$2 million went toward promoting tourism to Lebanon, a nation that our very own State Department warns against traveling to due to the risks of terrorism and kidnapping.
    “Yes, folks, $2 million for tourism to Lebanon when we are saying, don’t travel there.
    “$67,000 was spent to feed edible insects to children in Madagascar.
    “Over $800,000 was sent to China’s notorious Wuhan Institute of Virology to collect coronaviruses.
    “What exactly was our international development agency developing at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology?
    “Well, if the CIA, FBI, and other experts are correct that the COVID virus likely originated from a lab leak, USAID may have had a hand in a once-in-a-century pandemic that claimed the lives of millions.
    “There’s no shortage of other questionable USAID projects, but President Trump is putting an end to this deep state operation.
    “The foreign assistance programs that do advance American interests are now being administered under the watchful eye of Secretary Marco Rubio.
    “This includes projects previously supported by USAID that were caring for orphans and people living with HIV.
    “Imagine how much more good work like this could be done with the dollars that instead financed fashion shows, supported Sesame Street programs in Iraq, or ended up in China’s Wuhan Institute.
    “Overseas projects without merit are being ended and the tax dollars that were paying for them will be refunded if the Senate passes the rescissions bill.
    “It also cancels taxpayer subsidies to public broadcasting.
    “Too often, these programs are partisan propaganda.
    “You don’t have to take my word for it.
    “A National Public Radio senior editor recently confessed ‘It’s true NPR has always had a liberal bent.’
    “He admits the organization has ZERO Republicans in editorial positions.
    “Come on folks, even CNN has Scott Jennings to roast the looney liberal lunatics on that failing network.
    “NPR and PBS have a right to say whatever the heck they want, but they don’t have a right to force hardworking Americans to pay for their political propaganda being masked as a public service.
    “Defunding this nonsense is causing a lot of squealing from the big spenders around here.
    “Washington insiders are more upset at this effort to stop wasteful spending than at the misuse of taxpayer dollars.
    “In fact, saving tax money is such a crazy concept in Washington that Democrats are threatening to shut down the entire government if this bill passes.
    “It says a lot about the other side’s priorities when they’re willing to take hostage funding for veterans and senior citizens to prevent $9 billion in unnecessary waste, fraud, and abuse from being trimmed from our $7 trillion annual budget.
    “The interest that we are paying on our debt alone is costing nearly $3 billion every single day.
    “If we are ever going to get serious about our debt crisis, Congress needs to pass a rescissions bill like this every single week.
    “Folks, the simple truth is if you can’t find waste in Washington, it’s because you simply are not looking.
    “With our national debt now exceeding $37 trillion, the real question we should be asking isn’t ‘why is government spending now being scrutinized?,’ but rather, ‘why did it take so long?’”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons statement on President Trump’s decision to allow the export of advanced AI chips to China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced it would allow Nvidia to resume selling its H20 advanced computer chips to Chinese customers:

    “President Trump’s decision today hands China cutting-edge technology that Beijing will use to erase our competitive advantage in artificial intelligence, undermine our military, and outpace our economy. Thanks to the efforts of the Biden administration and bipartisan work in Congress, the United States was better positioned at the beginning of the year than any other country on the planet to lead the way on artificial intelligence, from chip design to applications. Now, President Trump is throwing that all away, giving China a tool that will strengthen their economy and military, while, just today, China announced it will restrict American access to critical battery technology and equipment we need for our own economy and security. The administration must immediately reverse this harmful decision and take steps to make sure its actions on AI actually match its tough-on-China rhetoric.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier calls on China, Australia to create stronger synergy for development

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

    Chinese premier calls on China, Australia to create stronger synergy for development

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang attends the 8th China-Australia CEO Roundtable with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, July 15 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday called on China and Australia to further strengthen cooperation, promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and create a stronger synergy for development to effectively address uncertainties.

    Li made the remarks while attending the 8th China-Australia CEO Roundtable with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Beijing.

    Around 30 representatives of business councils and enterprises from the two countries attended the roundtable.

    Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, Li said over the past decade, China-Australia economic and trade cooperation has demonstrated considerable resilience and vitality.

    The economic structures of the two countries are highly complementary, and the foundations for industrial and market integration are solid, making China and Australia natural partners, Li said.

    Li said China’s vast market will continuously unleash immense consumption potential, creating more opportunities for enterprises from both countries. He called on the two sides to strengthen collaboration in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and life sciences to better empower the industries of both countries.

    By working together, enterprises from both countries can accelerate cooperation in clean energy, electric vehicles, and energy storage, ultimately building a world-class green industrial chain that is both resilient and competitive, he added.

    Li emphasized that both the government and enterprises should work together to better promote development. China will continue to advance high-level opening-up, treat domestic and foreign-funded enterprises equally, and legally protect the rights and interests of foreign companies and entrepreneurs in China, he said.

    It is hoped that Australia would treat Chinese enterprises fairly, addressing issues regarding market access and investment reviews, he added.

    Li urged Chinese and Australian companies to maintain openness, embrace cooperation, and deepen their efforts to promote market integration and industrial collaboration.

    When addressing the roundtable, Albanese said the current bilateral relations are steadily developing, with enthusiasm for cooperation soaring among the business communities of both countries.

    The Australian side is willing to enhance dialogue with the Chinese side, expand cooperation in various fields including trade, agriculture, industry, energy resources, and green development, address global challenges such as climate change and uphold international equity and free trade. 

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang attends the 8th China-Australia CEO Roundtable with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SCST at Publishing 3.0+ Launch Ceremony (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the Publishing 3.0+ Launch Ceremony today (July 16):

    Kenneth (Member of the Legislative Council and the Chairman of Publishing 3.0+, Mr Kenneth Fok), Duncan (Member of the Legislative Council and the Chairman of Publishing 3.0+, Mr Duncan Chiu), Sharon (Executive Director of the Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society and the Chairman of Publishing 3.0+, Dr Sharon Wong), Mr Rashid Al Kous (Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, 

    Good morning. It is my great pleasure to officially launch Publishing 3.0+ with industry practitioners, scholars, experts and authors. And let me also extend my warmest welcome to Mr Rashid Al Kous, coming all the way from the United Arab Emirates, and our distinguished guests here from overseas copyright organisations around the world.

    Three years ago, the then Create Hong Kong, which is now restructured as the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, CCIDA, under my bureau, began sponsoring and steering the Publishing 3.0 project, as a touchstone of an in-depth application of artificial intelligence (AI) to the publishing industry, enabling the extensive production of e-books and audiobooks. The project enabled around 60 Hong Kong publishers to successfully convert paper publications into 5 000 bilingual e-books and audiobooks in Cantonese, Putonghua and English, seizing the tremendous opportunity of digital transformation.  

    Publishing 3.0+ builds on the success of its predecessor. This enhanced project will focus on large language models within the AI-driven system, and further strengthen its multilingual translation and content conversion capabilities, empower local publishers to convert Chinese books into multi-languages, and open doors to a global readership. Publishing 3.0+ will refine the e-books and audiobooks converted over the past years, and further deliver another 5 000 translated and converted copies of books.

    The fruitful expected outcome of 10 000 e-books and audiobooks will be showcased in the Hong Kong pavilions at various international book fairs in the coming months. We will further leverage the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)’s Asia IP Exchange, AsiaIPEX, to facilitate and encourage the industry to tap into the vast opportunities of copyright trading.

    President Xi Jinping has emphasised that literature and art serve as bridges of mutual understanding and communication among different countries and ethnic groups. With a considerable amount of foreign classics on his reading list, President Xi repeatedly shared his deep and inseparable bond with books on international occasions when meeting foreign friends. We see that books are media that help foster friendships and exchanges between cultures. 

    With the great delight of having our Middle East friend here today, may I share our exciting plan that Publishing 3.0+ will soon expand to include Arabic translation. During my official visit to the Middle East in April this year, I was deeply impressed by the region’s rich cultural and historical heritage. I am most delighted that Publishing 3.0+ will contribute to our effort to realising closer cultural links and friendship between the Middle East and Hong Kong, aligning the shared visions of both regions.

    Publishing 3.0+ is a collaboration of multiple parties. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Kenneth, Duncan and Sharon, the founder of InnoContent, whose unique blend of cultural insight, technological innovation and publishing expertise has been instrumental in realising this project. My special thanks also go to SenseTime for its unparalleled AI expertise and infrastructure, which enhance the system’s capabilities, and the Hong Kong Publishing Federation, the Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society, and the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre for their unwavering support since the last project, and the HKTDC for its efforts in the intellectual property trading.

    Before I close, I wish Publishing 3.0+ a striking success under the collaborative efforts by the Government, the publishing industry and technology partners. I look forward to seeing Hong Kong’s AI-driven publishing sector reaches new heights, telling the good story of Hong Kong. Through this initiative, we will showcase creativity, vitality, and innovation in the age of new media. 

    Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 516

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL6

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 516
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    840 PM CDT Tue Jul 15 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Western Iowa
    Extreme north central Kansas
    Extreme southwest Minnesota
    Eastern Nebraska

    * Effective this Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from 840 PM
    until 300 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…A line of storms will continue spread east-southeastward
    through the overnight hours with the potential to produce occasional
    severe outflow gusts of 60-70 mph and isolated large hail near 1
    inch diameter.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 50
    statute miles east and west of a line from 15 miles west northwest
    of Worthington MN to 40 miles west southwest of Beatrice NE. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 513…WW 514…WW 515…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean storm motion vector
    30030.

    …Thompson

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW6
    WW 516 SEVERE TSTM IA KS MN NE 160140Z – 160800Z
    AXIS..50 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    15WNW OTG/WORTHINGTON MN/ – 40WSW BIE/BEATRICE NE/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 45NM E/W /40E FSD – 57W PWE/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 550. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 30030.

    LAT…LON 43739486 40069650 40069839 43739686

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU6.

    Watch 516 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (10%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low ( 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (10%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    Mod (60%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73 Holds Awards Ceremony, July 10, 2025 [Image 2 of 4]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on


    SINGAPORE (July 10, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd F. Cimicata, left, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), presents the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal to Chief Master-at-Arms Nicolasa Simmons, assigned to COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF 73, during an awards ceremony on Sembawang Naval Installation, July 10, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed surface units and aircraft carriers, along with regional Allies and partners, to facilitate patrols in the South China Sea, participation in naval exercises and responses to natural disasters. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 07.10.2025
    Date Posted: 07.10.2025 07:27
    Photo ID: 9172260
    VIRIN: 250710-N-ED646-6053
    Resolution: 8256×5504
    Size: 5.72 MB
    Location: SG

    Web Views: 12
    Downloads: 1

    PUBLIC DOMAIN  

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pearl Harbor conducts SHOTEX [Image 1 of 3]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on


    PACIFIC OCEAN (14 July, 2025) – Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jose Alvarado, center, instructs Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Derick Castromedina, left, on how to prepare influenza syringes in the mess decks aboard the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in the Indo-Pacific on 14 July, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Mario E. Reyes Villatoro)

    Date Taken: 01.01.2009
    Date Posted: 07.15.2025 21:41
    Photo ID: 9181922
    VIRIN: 250714-N-OJ012-1039
    Resolution: 3159×2527
    Size: 909.99 KB
    Location: US

    Web Views: 2
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN  

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Royal Thai Navy Vice Admiral Benjapon Rusakul Visits COMLOG WESTPAC, July 10, 2025 [Image 3 of 4]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on


    SINGAPORE (July 10, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, right, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), and Vice Adm. Benjapon Rusakul, Director General Naval Supply Department, Royal Thai Navy, pose for a photo during a scheduled visit to Sembawang Naval Installation, July 10, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings/Released)

    Date Taken: 07.10.2025
    Date Posted: 07.13.2025 22:03
    Photo ID: 9177784
    VIRIN: 250710-N-YV347-1067
    Resolution: 5923×4231
    Size: 16.64 MB
    Location: SEMBAWANG PORT, SG

    Web Views: 6
    Downloads: 2

    PUBLIC DOMAIN  

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) Deck Department Sailors stow lines [Image 1 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on


    PACIFIC OCEAN (July 14, 2025) Seaman Rey Ramos, from Brooklyn, New York, stows line in the forecastle of the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in the Pacific Ocean on July 14, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexander Bussman)

    Date Taken: 07.14.2025
    Date Posted: 07.15.2025 21:53
    Photo ID: 9181926
    VIRIN: 250714-N-RW505-1152
    Resolution: 5050×3367
    Size: 10.06 MB
    Location: US

    Web Views: 0
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN  

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) Deck Department Sailors stow lines [Image 3 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) Deck Department Sailors stow lines [Image 3 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) Deck Department Sailors stow lines [Image 5 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) Deck Department Sailors stow lines [Image 5 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Members Connect 2025 Unfolds on a Global Stage in New York

    Source: Samsung

    On July 8 (local time), Samsung Electronics hosted Samsung Members Connect 2025 in New York City, welcoming over 70 Samsung Members Stars selected from 17 countries around the world.
     
    Samsung Members is a pre-loaded app and all related activities that provide access to a variety of Galaxy-related news, benefits and community activities. Within the app’s community, highly active users who consistently share high-quality content and engage with others are selected as Samsung Members Stars (hereinafter “Members”).
     
    At the July 2025 Samsung Members Connect, Members were among the first to get hands-on with the newly unveiled Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7 and the next evolution of Galaxy AI.
     
    Through a series of curated programs, they captured and shared their real-time experiences — offering authentic insights with their local communities. Teaming up with influencers from #TeamGalaxy, Members co-created content that showcased the energy and excitement of the moment.
     
    Their shared journey is now live on Samsung Newsroom. Let’s take a look.
     
     
    Orientation Kicks Off Connections Between Members
    The event commenced with a Members Orientation, where participants introduced their past activities within the Samsung Members community. Members overcame language and cultural differences, laying the groundwork for future collaboration.
     
    ▲ Samsung Members engaging and getting to know one another.
     
     
    A Broader Experience Unfolds at Galaxy Unpacked 2025
    One of the most anticipated highlights of the event was Galaxy Unpacked 2025, held in Brooklyn. Members attended in person, being among the very first to experience the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7 and the latest AI innovations.
     
    The event showcased Samsung’s vision for multimodal Galaxy AI — technology that understands user intent, responds seamlessly and delivers truly personalized experiences. It marked another step forward in Galaxy AI’s evolution into a trusted companion in everyday life.
     
    ▲ Members attending and experiencing Galaxy Unpacked 2025 firsthand.
     
    ▲ Members in a hands-on session with the products at the Experience Zone after Galaxy Unpacked 2025.
     
    Samsung Members Stars Florencia Danloy (Argentina) said, “The Galaxy Z Fold7, which I first experienced in New York, featured a much slimmer and more refined professional design. I could immediately feel the difference the moment I held it in my hand.
     
    Following Galaxy Unpacked 2025, participants visited the Galaxy Experience Space, where they engaged in hands-on activities featuring AI-based multitasking and Google Gemini Live — presented in creative ways inspired by Korean culture.
     
    Sophia Hwang, EVP and Head of Retail team, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, said, “We hope you’ll take this opportunity to experience the innovation of our latest Galaxy products throughout the Galaxy Experience Space and share your insights with Samsung Members communities around the world.”
     
    ▲ Members exploring the Galaxy Experience Space.
     
    ▲ Group photo taken after EVP Sophia Hwang’s welcoming speech.
     
     
    Members and #TeamGalaxy Shape Stories Together
    The workshop brought Members and #TeamGalaxy together for a meaningful exchange of Galaxy knowledge and content creation insights. Drawing on their individual strengths, they collaborated on the next day’s group mission — discussing Galaxy’s new features, planning storylines and selecting key New York landmarks that would best capture their creative messages.
     
    ▲ Members and #TeamGalaxy planning their content shoot together.
     
     
    An ‘Epic Tour’ With the New Galaxy Devices in New York
    Set against the urban backdrop of New York City, the ‘Epic Tour’ offered Members a chance to creatively experience the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7.
     
    From creatively reinterpreting Broadway posters using AI to capturing unique moments at city landmarks with FlexCam, Members brought their ideas to life. Each team worked on concept planning, real-time filming and editing — culminating in compelling content co-produced with #TeamGalaxy.
     
    Samsung Members Stars Darshan Kiran Jaiswal (India) said, “The magic of Galaxy AI goes beyond editing — it truly feels like having a creative partner right in your pocket!”
     
    ▲ Members and #TeamGalaxy working together on their mission.
     
    At the Gala Night, Members enjoyed a meaningful evening set to live jazz and framed by the New York skyline. Members viewed creative group photos co-created with #TeamGalaxy during the Epic Tour mission. A live vote selected the best shot, adding a fun highlight to the evening.
     
    ▲ Sharing the group mission photos from the Epic Tour at Gala Night.
     
    Over four inspiring days, Samsung Members Connect 2025 gave Members a unique opportunity to dive deep into the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7 and the next chapter of Galaxy AI. More than just a product showcase, it was a global platform for connection — strengthening the bond between Members and the brand.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Tech – RedShield enhances DDoS and bot attack protection with ‘Third Horizon’

    Source: Botica Butler Raudon Partners for RedShield

    Innovative RedShield identity challenge responds to evolving threat landscape

    Auckland, New Zealand, 16 July 2025 – RedShield, a web application security service using AWS technology, has introduced a new layer of security in response to the proliferation of ever-more-sophisticated Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) and automated bot attacks.

    The new ‘Third Horizon’ protection that RedShield is introducing to its service thwarts DDoS attacks by disrupting the attack vector, requiring bad actors to respond in ways that cannot easily be managed by typical automated tools to gain access to a web application.

    “Much of the security industry remains focused on traffic profiling via AI-driven anomaly detection,” said Fabian Partigliani, Chief Executive Officer at RedShield. 

    “However, in the last three years automated, bot-driven threats have become both greater in scale and frequency and more sophisticated.

    “As a result, traditional anomaly detection alone is no longer enough as a defence. In response to the escalation of DDoS and automated bot attacks, RedShield is introducing the ‘Third Horizon’ as the next evolution of DDoS and bot protection.”

    Practical barriers to bad actors

    The Third Horizon introduces additional practical barriers to automated attacks. When deployed to protect an application, and RedShield’s controls detect suspicious activity, users seeking access to a web application must first provide a valid email address and then verify their identity via a code sent to that address. This adds friction and therefore cost to the attacker seeking to make automated attacks. While this may seem like a familiar two factor authentication approach, Third Horizon comes into play even when there is no existing user account.

    “Third Horizon adds a layer of complexity that bad actors hate because it costs them more time, resources, and money,” says Partigliani. “There are no simple technologies available to let them create enormous volumes of fake user accounts and then retrieve and enter verification for each one. An attacker will typically go and find an easier target.”  

    Three layers of protection

    RedShield’s protection operates on multiple horizons:


    • First Horizon: Traffic Profiling: Blocking large volumetric attacks and obvious bad traffic. This is “table stakes” – necessary but not sufficient given the evolving attacks. RedShield uses “always on” volumetric protection from hyperscale cloud provider, AWS, to provide the best defence.
    • Second Horizon: Sophisticated Bot Detection: Using advanced techniques to identify and block malicious bots that are trying to look legitimate. This raises attacker cost but is an ongoing arms race – determined attackers will find ways to evade detection.
    • Third Horizon: Identity & Intent Challenge: When activity looks suspicious or systems are under particular strain, RedShield’s controls can challenge the user, asking for an email address and only enabling access to the site when a code included in an email sent to that address is entered. As mass automated bot attacks cannot readily respond to this challenge at scale, this significantly increases the complexity and cost for the attacker, protecting critical applications while prioritising availability for legitimate users.
    Scale of threat

    According to the Imperva Bad Bot Report, almost half of all 2024 traffic was related to bot activity, with almost one third of the overall global traffic being connected to malicious bots. While attacks of greater than 1 terabit per second (Tbps) grew 1800% globally from Q3 to Q4 last year alone, a bigger concern is their sophistication. Bots mimic humans to take over accounts, scrape data, or overload specific functions like login pages or checkout processes. Attacks target APIs and business logic, putting New Zealand businesses at risks of operational disruption, data theft, and reputational damage.

    RedShield’s service applies its three horizon approach and AWS’ global infrastructure to protect organisations from even these latest threats. RedShield’s Third Horizon will be available to customers in the coming weeks, on request, as an additional service for critical applications that need an extra layer of protection.

     

    RedShield solutions are available on the AWS Marketplace.

     

    About RedShield

    RedShield is the essential partner for enterprises needing a fast, effective security solution for difficult-to-fix application risks. Our expert-driven service, powered by AWS, not only blocks threats and provides application-specific fixes on-the-fly, without requiring code changes, but also includes comprehensive change management, vulnerability scanning, monitoring, 24/7 incident management and detailed reporting. RedShield secures your entire application landscape – from legacy systems to crown jewels – reducing risk, controlling costs, and enabling development teams to stay focused on growth.

    For more information visit RedShield’s website and LinkedIn pages:
    https://www.redshield.co
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/redshield-security

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Intelligence Committee Passes Intelligence Authorization Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    July 15, 2025
    CONTACT:     
    Caroline Tabler (Cotton) 202 224-2353Patrick McCann (Cotton) 202 224-2353Rachel Cohen (Warner) 202 228-6884
    Senate Intelligence Committee Passes Intelligence Authorization Act
    Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), and Senator Mark R. Warner (D-Virginia), Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statements after the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence passed the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (IAA) today on a bipartisan 15-2 vote. The bill authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances oversight of national security threats and our United States Intelligence Community.
    “I’d like to thank my colleagues for their tireless work on this bill that will go a long way towards keeping America safer and making the intelligence agencies charged with doing so more transparent and efficient. I am pleased this bill includes needed reforms and restructuring to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, restricts the travel of adversarial diplomats inside the United States, and protects Intelligence Community installations by adding further reviews to nearby land purchases which safeguards them against drone threats. This bill passed out of committee on a bipartisan basis and I hope my colleagues will support its passage by the full Senate,” said Senator Cotton.
    “This bipartisan bill provides the Intelligence Community the resources it needs to do its mission while ensuring that we maintain rigorous oversight of the IC’s activities. This year’s IAA responds to important concerns, including by enhancing protections for whistleblowers, and also safeguards our Nation’s critical infrastructure in the wake of the Salt Typhoon compromises.  At the same time, it readies the IC for the future by promoting IC energy resiliency through the deployment of nuclear technologies and enhancing the IC’s ability to detect and counter threats relating to biotechnologies and bioweapons,” said Senator Warner. 
    The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 will:
    Significantly reform and improve efficiencies and effectiveness within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the broader Intelligence Community;
    Require that visas be denied to certain nationals applying to work at the United Nations if they are known or suspected of being foreign intelligence officers or committing intelligence or espionage activities;
    Prohibit the Intelligence Community from contracting with Chinese military companies engaged in biotechnology research, development, or manufacturing;
    Codify tour and travel restrictions for Chinese, Russian Iranian and North Korean diplomats in the United States;
    Improve the Intelligence Community’s artificial intelligence capabilities and capacity and establish guidelines for the IC’s procurement and use of artificial intelligence;
    Shores up counter-intelligence risks posed by Salt Typhoon compromises of U.S. telecommunications infrastructure by leveraging IC procurement power;
    Strengthen the security of telecommunications networks by establish baseline cybersecurity requirements for vendors of telecommunications services to the IC;
    Establish authorities for protecting Central Intelligence Agency facilities from unmanned aircraft systems;
    Require the Intelligence Community to develop a policy for sharing biotechnological threats with U.S. agencies, allies, and private-sector partners, including on PRC efforts to acquire genomic data;
    Require the Director of National Intelligence to identify sites for deployment of advanced nuclear technologies;
    Establish a fund to support IC efforts to acquire and integrate emerging technologies proven to meet mission needs;
    Prohibit Intelligence Community contractors from collecting or selling Intelligence Community personnel location data;
    Support the Intelligence Community workforce by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to issue standard guidelines for Intelligence Community personnel to document and report Anomalous Health Incidents; 
    Enhance protections for, and congressional oversight of, Intelligence Community whistleblowers;
    Require the Director of National Intelligence to enhance efforts to counter narcotics trafficking with the Government of Mexico;
    Promote transparency by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to conduct a declassification review and publish intelligence relating to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic;
    Streamline the construction of Intelligence Community facilities;
    Amend the Spectrum Relocation Fund authorization to clarify eligibility for Title 50 agencies that utilize spectrum and whose usage could be impacted by future reallocation decisions;
    Protect Americans’ privacy by statutorily requiring procedures governing the dissemination of U.S. identities and corresponding reporting requirements, as well as prohibits the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis from collecting intelligence on Americans; and
    Provide additional reviews for foreign purchases of land near IC facilities.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Veritex Holdings, Inc. Announces Date Change for Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Cancellation of Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Veritex Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: VBTX), the parent holding company for Veritex Community Bank, today announced a date change for release of its second quarter 2025 earnings results. Veritex will now release its second quarter 2025 earnings results before the opening of the market on Friday, July 18, 2025. The earnings release will be available on Veritex’s website, https://ir.veritexbank.com/.

    Veritex also announced the cancellation of its second quarter 2025 investor conference call that Veritex had announced would occur on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 due to the announcement on July 14, 2025 that Veritex has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. There will be no conference call scheduled this quarter relating to Veritex’s second quarter results.

    About Veritex Holdings, Inc.

    Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Veritex is a bank holding company that conducts banking activities through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Veritex Community Bank, with locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and in the Houston metropolitan area. Veritex Community Bank is a Texas state-chartered bank regulated by the Texas Department of Banking and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. For more information, visit www.veritexbank.com.

    Source: Veritex Holdings, Inc.

    CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This communication may contain certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, certain plans, expectations, goals, projections, and statements about the benefits of the proposed transaction, the plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of Veritex and Huntington, the expected timing of completion of the transaction, and other statements that are not historical facts and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties that are beyond the control of Veritex and Huntington. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, estimates, uncertainties and other important factors that change over time and could cause actual results to differ materially from any results, performance, or events expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including as a result of the factors referenced below. Statements that do not describe historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as expect, anticipate, continue, believe, intend, estimate, plan, trend, objective, target, goal, or similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as will, may, might, should, would, could, or similar variations. The forward-looking statements are intended to be subject to the safe harbor provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

    Veritex and Huntington caution that the forward-looking statements in this communication are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to assess and are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond Veritex’s and Huntington’s control. While there is no assurance that any list of risks and uncertainties or risk factors is complete, below are certain factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained or implied in the forward-looking statements or historical performance: changes in general economic, political, or industry conditions; deterioration in business and economic conditions, including persistent inflation, supply chain issues or labor shortages, instability in global economic conditions and geopolitical matters, as well as volatility in financial markets; changes in U.S. trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs; the impact of pandemics and other catastrophic events or disasters on the global economy and financial market conditions and our business, results of operations, and financial condition; the impacts related to or resulting from bank failures and other volatility, including potential increased regulatory requirements and costs, such as FDIC special assessments, long-term debt requirements and heightened capital requirements, and potential impacts to macroeconomic conditions, which could affect the ability of depository institutions, including us, to attract and retain depositors and to borrow or raise capital; unexpected outflows of uninsured deposits which may require us to sell investment securities at a loss; changing interest rates which could negatively impact the value of our portfolio of investment securities; the loss of value of our investment portfolio which could negatively impact market perceptions of us and could lead to deposit withdrawals; the effects of social media on market perceptions of us and banks generally; cybersecurity risks; uncertainty in U.S. fiscal and monetary policy, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve; volatility and disruptions in global capital, foreign exchange and credit markets; movements in interest rates; competitive pressures on product pricing and services; success, impact, and timing of our business strategies, including market acceptance of any new products or services including those implementing our “Fair Play” banking philosophy; changes in policies and standards for regulatory review of bank mergers; the nature, extent, timing, and results of governmental actions, examinations, reviews, reforms, regulations, and interpretations, including those related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Basel III regulatory capital reforms, as well as those involving the SEC, OCC, Federal Reserve, FDIC, CFPB and state-level regulators; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of the parties to terminate the merger agreement between Veritex and Huntington; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Veritex and Huntington; delays in completing the transaction; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction); the failure to obtain Veritex shareholder approval or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the transaction on a timely basis or at all; the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where Veritex and Huntington do business; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; potential adverse reactions or changes to business, customer or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction; the ability to complete the transaction and integration of Veritex and Huntington successfully; the dilution caused by Huntington’s issuance of additional shares of its capital stock in connection with the transaction; and other factors that may affect the future results of Veritex and Huntington. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in Veritex’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, each of which is on file with the SEC and available on Veritex’s investor relations website, ir.veritexbank.com, under the heading “Financials” and in other documents Veritex files with the SEC, and in Huntington’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, each of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and available in the “Investor Relations” section of Huntington’s website, http://www.huntington.com, under the heading “Investor Relations” and in other documents Huntington files with the SEC.

    All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and are based on information available at that time. Neither Veritex nor Huntington assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or other factors affecting forward-looking statements that occur after the date the forward-looking statements were made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by federal securities laws. If Veritex or Huntington update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that Veritex or Huntington will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. As forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, caution should be exercised against placing undue reliance on such statements.

    IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    In connection with the proposed transaction, Huntington will file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will include a Proxy Statement of Veritex and a Prospectus of Huntington, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. The proposed transaction involving Huntington and Veritex will be submitted to Veritex’s shareholders for their consideration. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF VERITEX ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE TRANSACTION WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders will be able to obtain a free copy of the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Huntington and Veritex, without charge, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference in the proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Huntington Investor Relations, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, Huntington Center, 41 South High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43287, (800) 576-5007 or to Veritex Investor Relations, Veritex Holdings, Inc., 8214 Westchester Drive, Suite 800, Dallas, Texas 75225, (972) 349-6200.

    PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION

    Huntington, Veritex, and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Veritex in connection with the proposed transaction under the rules of the SEC. Information regarding the interests of the directors and executive officers of Huntington and Veritex and other persons who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of shareholders of Veritex in connection with the transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus related to the transaction, which will be filed by Huntington with the SEC. Information regarding Huntington’s directors and executive officers is available in its definitive proxy statement relating to its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 6, 2025, and other documents filed by Huntington with the SEC. Information regarding Veritex’s directors and executive officers is available in its definitive proxy statement relating to its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 29, 2025, and other documents filed by Veritex with the SEC. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials filed with the SEC. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described above under “Important Additional Information.”

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Update – Sandoz Inc. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall Expansion of One Additional Lot of Cefazolin for Injection Due to Vials Being Potentially Mislabeled as Penicillin G Potassium for Injection

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    July 15, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    July 15, 2025
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Vials incorrectly labelled as Penicillin G Potassium for Injection contain Cefazolin for Injection

    Company Name:
    Sandoz, Inc.
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Sandoz

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Cefazolin for Injection, USP, 1 gm vial

    Company Announcement
    “This press release is an update to the company’s press release, previously issued on 07/14/2025, to include a new title and additional photos.”
    This is an update to the Company Statement issued on June 27, 2025.
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Princeton, NJ – July 15, 2025 – Sandoz, Inc. (“Sandoz”) is initiating a voluntary nationwide recall expansion of one additional lot of Cefazolin for Injection, USP, 1 gram per vial. The lot is being recalled due to a customer complaint indicating that four (4) vials incorrectly labelled as Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP, 20 million Units were included in cartons (25 vials per carton) of Cefazolin for Injection, USP 1 gram per vial product. Sandoz has confirmed that the vials incorrectly labelled as Penicillin G Potassium for Injection contain Cefazolin for Injection, USP, 1 gram per vial.
    Risk Statement: There is a reasonable probability that the inadvertent administration of cefazolin injection following dosing recommendation of penicillin G potassium injection due to mislabeling may pose serious and potentially life-threatening adverse health consequences, including lack of efficacy leading to less than optimal treatment of severe infections, antibiotic resistance, adverse reactions, severe allergic reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis), drug interactions, and delayed recovery.
    To date, Sandoz has not received any reports of adverse events or injuries related to the product mislabeling. Sandoz has received a complaint of administration of the incorrectly labelled product to a patient.
    Lots impacted by the voluntary recall and its expansion:

    Product Name 

    Vial NDC 

    Carton NDC 

    Lot Number 

    Expiration Date 

    Manufacturer 

    Distributor 

    Cefazolin for Injection, USP(25 by 1g vials)

    0781-3451-70

    0781-3451-96

    PG4360

    2027-NOV

    Sandoz GmbH

    Sandoz Inc

    Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP

    0781-6136-94

    N/A

    PG4360

    2027-NOV

    Sandoz GmbH

    Sandoz Inc

    Cefazolin for Injection, USP(25 by 1g vials)

    0781-3451-70

    0781-3451-96

    PG4362

    2027-NOV

    Sandoz GmbH

    Sandoz Inc

    Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP

    0781-6136-94

    N/A

    PG4362

    2027-NOV

    Sandoz GmbH

    Sandoz Inc

    Cefazolin for Injection USP is used for the treatment of infections caused by certain bacteria in many different parts of the body including the treatment of pneumonia. Cefazolin for Injection USP can also be used to prevent infections, before and after surgery. Antibacterial drugs like Cefazolin for Injection USP treat only bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections. Cefazolin for Injection USP is indicated for adult, elderly, pediatric patients, including newborn term infants.
    Penicillin G Potassium for Injection is indicated in the treatment of certain serious infections including septicemia, skin and wound infections. It is also approved for the treatment of diphtheria, community-acquired pneumonia, peritonitis, meningitis/brain abscesses, osteomyelitis, infections of the genital tract, anthrax, tetanus, gas gangrene, listeriosis, pasteurellosis, rat bite fever, fusospirochetes, actinomycosis, complications in gonorrhea and syphilis and Lyme. To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain effectiveness of Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP and other antibacterial drugs, Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. Penicillin G Potassium for Injection is indicated for use in adults, adolescents, children, pediatric, newborn infants and preterm infants.
    Although both Cefazolin and Penicillin G Potassium belong to the beta-lactam group of antibiotics, they are indicated for different types of infections, and the spectrum of susceptible organisms also differs. Additionally, while the patient populations overlap, each medicine has specific on-label distinct groups, and the dosing regimens may differ, as well.
    Sandoz is notifying its customers by letter and is arranging for return of the recalled product. The product being recalled was shipped to select wholesalers for further distribution nationwide. Healthcare providers and customers who have this product should immediately stop use of this lot only and contact Sedgwick, the Sandoz Reverse Distributor, directly by phone at (844) 265-7409 or by email at Sandoz5615@sedgwick.com.
    For questions about the recall process, please call Sedgwick at (844) 265-7409 between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday – Friday (EST).
    Please report any adverse reactions by calling Sandoz at (800) 525-8747. Customer service agents are available from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (EST), Monday-Friday, except on national holidays.
    Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail, or by fax.

    Complete and submit the report online: www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm
    Regular Mail or Fax: Download form www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.

    This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
    Note: The photos represent images of Lot PG4360. Potential mislabeling of Lot PG4362 would appear in a similar manner, except for the lot number printed on the packaging, which would read PG4362.
    DISCLAIMERThis Media Release contains forward-looking statements, which offer no guarantee with regard to future performance. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance at the time the statements are made. They are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not confined to, future global economic conditions, exchange rates, legal provisions, market conditions, activities by competitors and other factors outside of the control of Sandoz. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecasted or expected. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and Sandoz undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
    ABOUT SANDOZSandoz (SIX: SDZ; OTCQX: SDZNY) is the global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, with a growth strategy driven by its Purpose: pioneering access for patients. More than 20,000 people of 100 nationalities work together to ensure 900 million patient treatments are provided by Sandoz, generating substantial global healthcare savings and an even larger social impact. Its leading portfolio of approximately 1,300 products addresses diseases from the common cold to cancer. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Sandoz traces its heritage back to 1886. Its history of breakthroughs includes Calcium Sandoz in 1929, the world’s first oral penicillin in 1951, and the world’s first biosimilar in 2006. In 2024, Sandoz recorded net sales of USD 10.4 billion
    Link to Original Press Release

    Company Contact Information

    Media:
    Jeanne LaCour, Vicki Crafton
    1-609-955-2339, 1-201-213-6338

    Product Photos

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Update – Sandoz Inc. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall Expansion of One Additional Lot of Cefazolin for Injection Due to Vials Being Potentially Mislabeled as Penicillin G Potassium for Injection

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    July 15, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    July 15, 2025
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Vials incorrectly labelled as Penicillin G Potassium for Injection contain Cefazolin for Injection

    Company Name:
    Sandoz, Inc.
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Sandoz

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Cefazolin for Injection, USP, 1 gm vial

    Company Announcement
    “This press release is an update to the company’s press release, previously issued on 07/14/2025, to include a new title and additional photos.”
    This is an update to the Company Statement issued on June 27, 2025.
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Princeton, NJ – July 15, 2025 – Sandoz, Inc. (“Sandoz”) is initiating a voluntary nationwide recall expansion of one additional lot of Cefazolin for Injection, USP, 1 gram per vial. The lot is being recalled due to a customer complaint indicating that four (4) vials incorrectly labelled as Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP, 20 million Units were included in cartons (25 vials per carton) of Cefazolin for Injection, USP 1 gram per vial product. Sandoz has confirmed that the vials incorrectly labelled as Penicillin G Potassium for Injection contain Cefazolin for Injection, USP, 1 gram per vial.
    Risk Statement: There is a reasonable probability that the inadvertent administration of cefazolin injection following dosing recommendation of penicillin G potassium injection due to mislabeling may pose serious and potentially life-threatening adverse health consequences, including lack of efficacy leading to less than optimal treatment of severe infections, antibiotic resistance, adverse reactions, severe allergic reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis), drug interactions, and delayed recovery.
    To date, Sandoz has not received any reports of adverse events or injuries related to the product mislabeling. Sandoz has received a complaint of administration of the incorrectly labelled product to a patient.
    Lots impacted by the voluntary recall and its expansion:

    Product Name 

    Vial NDC 

    Carton NDC 

    Lot Number 

    Expiration Date 

    Manufacturer 

    Distributor 

    Cefazolin for Injection, USP(25 by 1g vials)

    0781-3451-70

    0781-3451-96

    PG4360

    2027-NOV

    Sandoz GmbH

    Sandoz Inc

    Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP

    0781-6136-94

    N/A

    PG4360

    2027-NOV

    Sandoz GmbH

    Sandoz Inc

    Cefazolin for Injection, USP(25 by 1g vials)

    0781-3451-70

    0781-3451-96

    PG4362

    2027-NOV

    Sandoz GmbH

    Sandoz Inc

    Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP

    0781-6136-94

    N/A

    PG4362

    2027-NOV

    Sandoz GmbH

    Sandoz Inc

    Cefazolin for Injection USP is used for the treatment of infections caused by certain bacteria in many different parts of the body including the treatment of pneumonia. Cefazolin for Injection USP can also be used to prevent infections, before and after surgery. Antibacterial drugs like Cefazolin for Injection USP treat only bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections. Cefazolin for Injection USP is indicated for adult, elderly, pediatric patients, including newborn term infants.
    Penicillin G Potassium for Injection is indicated in the treatment of certain serious infections including septicemia, skin and wound infections. It is also approved for the treatment of diphtheria, community-acquired pneumonia, peritonitis, meningitis/brain abscesses, osteomyelitis, infections of the genital tract, anthrax, tetanus, gas gangrene, listeriosis, pasteurellosis, rat bite fever, fusospirochetes, actinomycosis, complications in gonorrhea and syphilis and Lyme. To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain effectiveness of Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP and other antibacterial drugs, Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. Penicillin G Potassium for Injection is indicated for use in adults, adolescents, children, pediatric, newborn infants and preterm infants.
    Although both Cefazolin and Penicillin G Potassium belong to the beta-lactam group of antibiotics, they are indicated for different types of infections, and the spectrum of susceptible organisms also differs. Additionally, while the patient populations overlap, each medicine has specific on-label distinct groups, and the dosing regimens may differ, as well.
    Sandoz is notifying its customers by letter and is arranging for return of the recalled product. The product being recalled was shipped to select wholesalers for further distribution nationwide. Healthcare providers and customers who have this product should immediately stop use of this lot only and contact Sedgwick, the Sandoz Reverse Distributor, directly by phone at (844) 265-7409 or by email at Sandoz5615@sedgwick.com.
    For questions about the recall process, please call Sedgwick at (844) 265-7409 between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday – Friday (EST).
    Please report any adverse reactions by calling Sandoz at (800) 525-8747. Customer service agents are available from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (EST), Monday-Friday, except on national holidays.
    Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail, or by fax.

    Complete and submit the report online: www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm
    Regular Mail or Fax: Download form www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.

    This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
    Note: The photos represent images of Lot PG4360. Potential mislabeling of Lot PG4362 would appear in a similar manner, except for the lot number printed on the packaging, which would read PG4362.
    DISCLAIMERThis Media Release contains forward-looking statements, which offer no guarantee with regard to future performance. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance at the time the statements are made. They are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not confined to, future global economic conditions, exchange rates, legal provisions, market conditions, activities by competitors and other factors outside of the control of Sandoz. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecasted or expected. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and Sandoz undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
    ABOUT SANDOZSandoz (SIX: SDZ; OTCQX: SDZNY) is the global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, with a growth strategy driven by its Purpose: pioneering access for patients. More than 20,000 people of 100 nationalities work together to ensure 900 million patient treatments are provided by Sandoz, generating substantial global healthcare savings and an even larger social impact. Its leading portfolio of approximately 1,300 products addresses diseases from the common cold to cancer. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Sandoz traces its heritage back to 1886. Its history of breakthroughs includes Calcium Sandoz in 1929, the world’s first oral penicillin in 1951, and the world’s first biosimilar in 2006. In 2024, Sandoz recorded net sales of USD 10.4 billion
    Link to Original Press Release

    Company Contact Information

    Media:
    Jeanne LaCour, Vicki Crafton
    1-609-955-2339, 1-201-213-6338

    Product Photos

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 515

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL5

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 515
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    430 PM MDT Tue Jul 15 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Central Wyoming

    * Effective this Tuesday afternoon and evening from 430 PM until
    1000 PM MDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…A band of thunderstorms will likely intensify while moving
    eastward across central Wyoming, with the potential to produce
    severe outflow gusts up to 70 mph and isolated large hail up to 1
    inch in diameter.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 60
    statute miles north and south of a line from 40 miles northwest of
    Riverton WY to 45 miles north northeast of Casper WY. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 513…WW 514…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 450. Mean storm motion vector
    27025.

    …Thompson

    SEL5

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 515
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    430 PM MDT Tue Jul 15 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Central Wyoming

    * Effective this Tuesday afternoon and evening from 430 PM until
    1000 PM MDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…A band of thunderstorms will likely intensify while moving
    eastward across central Wyoming, with the potential to produce
    severe outflow gusts up to 70 mph and isolated large hail up to 1
    inch in diameter.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 60
    statute miles north and south of a line from 40 miles northwest of
    Riverton WY to 45 miles north northeast of Casper WY. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 513…WW 514…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 450. Mean storm motion vector
    27025.

    …Thompson

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW5
    WW 515 SEVERE TSTM WY 152230Z – 160400Z
    AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    40NW RIW/RIVERTON WY/ – 45NNE CPR/CASPER WY/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM N/S /31W BOY – 26NNE DDY/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27025.

    LAT…LON 44350901 44370613 42630613 42610901

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU5.

    Watch 515 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low ( 2 inches

    Low (10%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    Mod (60%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Questions Mike Waltz on Trump Administration’s Kneecapping Of U.S. Counter-Propaganda Efforts, Failures In Yemen

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday questioned former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz at a confirmation hearing on his nomination to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Murphy demanded answers from Waltz on the Trump administration’s decision to cede ground to Russia and China in the global information war by shutting down USAGM, the umbrella agency for American foreign media operations such as Radio Free Europe and Voice of America. He also pushed Waltz about the Trump administration’s failure to disrupt Houthi attacks against American allies and commercial shipping in the Red Sea. 
    Murphy highlighted the Trump administration’s reckless dismantling of American counter-propaganda capabilities: “This administration, while you were at the NSC, essentially shut down USAGM, which is the umbrella agency for our global media operations, fired 92% of the staff, announced plans to shut down Radio Free Europe and Voice of America. They’re only open today because of court orders. The administration does not support the Global Engagement Center, which is also now shut down, which was the State Department’s ability to try to work with partners around the world to counter Chinese propaganda and Russian propaganda.” 
    Stressing that the administration’s decisions will further empower our adversaries and set back U.S. national security interests, Murphy continued: “We were already having circles run around us by Russia and by China predominantly even before the administration went forward with this essential destruction of our existing information and counter-propaganda capacity. So maybe just share with me: while you were National Security Adviser, why did you believe that it advanced U.S. national security interests to shut down our most important agencies that try to win the information war, which is a war that whether we like it or not, exists in this world, and we’re not fighting it today, while our adversaries are?” 
    On Waltz and the Trump Administration’s strategically inconsequential campaign against the Houthis in Yemen, Murphy said: “You were very involved in the offensive operations in Yemen. As you saw in this last week, the Houthis have restarted attacks on the shipping lanes. Two very devastating attacks. Throughout the last two months, they have been continuing to take offensive operations against Israel. It doesn’t look like we did much to really fundamentally change the battle space there. They still have pretty robust offensive capabilities to target shipping lanes and to target our friends. We spent, it looks like, around $1 billion, depleted a lot of our ammunition stocks. How do you look at that operation in retrospect knowing that, as we sit here today, the Houthis have once again begun attacks in the Red Sea?”
    A full transcript of Murphy’s exchanges with Waltz is available below. 
    MURPHY: “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you all for being here.
    “Mr. Waltz, the U.N. doesn’t have a conventional army. It’s got peacekeepers, but there’s no aircraft carriers, there’s no air force. This is a place where smart power matters, right? This is a place where we invest in things like diplomacy and humanitarian aid and economic development to try to stabilize the world. 
    “I think what worries me about your fit for this position is that while you were at the National Security Council, you oversaw the dismantling of many of our most important smart power tools in the U.S. foreign policy toolkit. A lot of conversations happened on this committee about what has happened to USAID, our ability to influence the world through economic development and humanitarian assistance. But not as much conversation has happened about the attempted destruction – I think, led by an NSC process – of our information and media operations around the world. 
    “This administration, while you were at the NSC, essentially shut down USAGM, which is the umbrella agency for our global media operations, fired 92% of the staff, announced plans to shut down Radio Free Europe and Voice of America. They’re only open today because of court orders. The administration does not support the Global Engagement Center, which is also now shut down, which was the State Department’s ability to try to work with partners around the world to counter Chinese propaganda and Russian propaganda. I mean, listen, we were already having circles run around us by Russia and by China predominantly even before the administration went forward with this essential destruction of our existing information and counter-propaganda capacity. 
    “So maybe just share with me: while you were National Security Adviser, why did you believe that it advanced U.S. national security interests to shut down our most important agencies that try to win the information war, which is a war that whether we like it or not, exists in this world, and we’re not fighting it today, while our adversaries are?”
    WALTZ: “Thank you for the question. And I think we’re in violent agreement that we have to win the information war. We may have a disagreement on the best way to do that. What we did not see were the metrics, were the actual results. As you mentioned, we’re getting, in many ways, outpaced in the information space. Yet for decades we’ve had these entities that have become expensive and have become quite bloated. I think the best way to block and tackle our adversaries abroad is through our amazing private sector, through innovation, through what we’re seeing in our leadership role in AI and in other spaces. And so as the president, as the secretary looked across the interagency and those entities, they made those decisions.”
    MURPHY: “But the private sector isn’t going to fight Russian and Chinese propaganda around the world, right? I mean, that has to be an essential function of U.S. national security policy, correct?”
    WALTZ: “Well, what they are going to do is show the power of free markets, the power of entrepreneurship, and show, really, the power of the U.S. in terms of a free society and with our values.”
    MURPHY: “We’re going to rely on Disney?”
    WALTZ: “I think we’re actually more aligned than what you think. What we were looking at is the actual effectiveness. It’s the tool that we questioned, and then the president and secretary made a decision to reallocate resources.”
    MURPHY: “Listen, I hope the administration does rethink this. If they’ve got a better idea on how to try to project power in the information space, then I think we’re all willing to hear it. But right now, we’re taking ourselves off the playing field. 
    “You were very involved in the offensive operations in Yemen. As you saw in this last week, the Houthis have restarted attacks on the shipping lanes. Two very devastating attacks. Throughout the last two months, they have been continuing to take offensive operations against Israel. It doesn’t look like we did much to really fundamentally change the battle space there. They still have pretty robust offensive capabilities to target shipping lanes and to target our friends. We spent, it looks like, around $1 billion, depleted a lot of our ammunition stocks. How do you look at that operation in retrospect knowing that, as we sit here today, the Houthis have once again begun attacks in the Red Sea?”
    WALTZ: “Well, thank you, senator, for the question. I think we also have to look at it in the context of, from the figures that I’ve seen, a 20% to 30% increase in shipping through the Red Sea, an increase in revenues through the Suez Canal. And what we do not have are our warships being used as target practice by the Houthis, which is what, frankly, we had in the last administration. Now, do we need to work to make sure that’s enduring? Perhaps the Houthi leadership hasn’t fully gotten the message. But I would defer to Secretary Rubio, Secretary Hegseth and the president on the way forward there.”
    MURPHY: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defra Secretary of State at Water UK Reception

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Speech

    Defra Secretary of State at Water UK Reception

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs delivered a speech at the UK Water Reception hosted at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre

    This is a moment for Government and industry to join together to unlock the potential of our water sector and grow our economy in every region of this country.

    We need water for economic growth.

    Communities can’t function without it. Water is essential for every household and business across the country. We need it to grow the food that feeds our families. To build 1.5 million new homes, hospitals, schools and roads. To cool power stations that supply our electricity and the data centres to run our IT systems. 

    Water flows through our breathtaking countryside, boosting our tourism and leisure industries.

    The public were not aware at the time of the last general election, this country was facing water rationing within ten years.  There was not enough water to meet the growing demands of our population. As David just said, no new reservoirs had been built in 30 years.

    Water infrastructure was outdated and crumbling. Leaking pipes wasted valuable water supplies. Record levels of sewage polluted our waterways.

    [Political section removed]

    In just one year, we’ve introduced tough new measures to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. Including ringfencing customers’ money so it can only be spent on what it was intended for: upgrading and improving water infrastructure.

    Our Water Special Measures Bill became law in February, giving the regulators new powers to hold water companies to account.

     And Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, will soon complete the biggest review of the water sector in a generation to ensure we have a robust regulatory framework to clean up our waterways, build the infrastructure we need for a reliable water supply, and restore public confidence in this vital economic sector.

    He will publish his full findings next week, and the Government response will follow quickly afterwards.

    This strong action has laid the groundwork for the sector to move forward.

    Today is the start of a new partnership between the water sector and government.

    Turning the page on the past to begin a new chapter of growth and opportunity.

    The water sector is a priority for economic growth.

    We’ve worked together and secured £104 billion pounds of private sector investment in the water sector over the next five years.

    That’s the biggest private sector investment into our water sector in its entire history, and the second biggest investment in any part of the economy over the lifetime of this parliament – and getting this investment right matters.

    It will build and upgrade infrastructure in every region of the country – cutting sewage in half by 2030 and cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.

    So, parents don’t have to worry about letting their children splash about in the water. So, we can experience the majesty of national treasures like Lake Windermere. Or enjoy a moment of calm by going for a swim in nature.

    It will fund nine new reservoirs and nine large-scale water transfer schemes, and reduce leaks from water pipes.

    So families – like those in Guildford –   don’t have to rely on bottled water when their water supply is disrupted. So businesses don’t lose profits when they’re forced to shut because the taps have run dry. So farmers can keep growing food in the face of increasingly unstable and unpredictable weather patterns.

    This vast investment will fuel economic growth.

    Over the next 5 years, it will create 30 thousand good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the country.

    Jobs that are rooted in the communities they serve.

    Money to upgrade roads, schools and hospitals. Encouraging businesses to invest in the area. Attracting more visitors to support rural tourism.

    This investment will make sure we can build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, construct major infrastructure projects to support the green energy transition, and power new industries such as data centres that can unlock the UK’s AI potential.

    This is what we mean when we talk about the Government’s Plan for Change.

    We must work together to make sure that £104 billion is spent in the best way to secure the improvements we want to see, and in the timescales we want to see them.

    Earlier this year, my colleague the Water Minister Emma Hardy and I toured the country to see how this investment will be spent.

    Around Cambridge, one of the UK’s fastest growing economies, investment in water infrastructure will support 4500 new homes, community facilities such as schools and leisure centres, and office and laboratory space in the city centre.

    On the River Avon, Wessex Water are investing £35 million pounds to expand the Saltford Water Recycling Plant, increasing their wastewater treatment capacity by 40% to meet rising demand, and creating local jobs near Bath.

    And in Hampshire, work’s begun on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s and when it’s full, this will supply water to around 160,000 people and, during construction, it will generate more than £10 million a year to the South East economy,  with construction jobs and apprenticeships.

    We need to get spades in the ground in every region.

    I’ve set up a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget – providing value for money for customers.    

    The Taskforce will make sure we have the water, wastewater and drainage needed for the new developments and infrastructure that will drive long-term economic growth.

    Energy and Utility Skills estimate 43,000 people will be needed to take up jobs in the water industry over the next five years.

    That’s good, skilled, well paid jobs such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.

    It’s imperative we have the skilled workforce in place.

    Because without it, all this investment will not be possible.

    That’s why we’re here today. To work together to ensure the industry and supply chain have the capacity to meet our shared ambitions for a successful, growing water sector underpinning a successful, growing economy.

    This demands a whole Government approach.

    Torsten Bell, the Minister for Pensions, and Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, will both be here today, will give more details on how we plan to do this via our employment and skills programmes.

    And I’m delighted that later today I’ll sign our ‘Water Skills Pledge’ with Alison McGovern, the Minister for Employment – affirming our commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.

    We will work together to show people that a career in the water industry and its supply chain is something they can be proud of for a lifetime.

    Something that gives you new skills, exciting challenges and can set you up for life – wherever in this country you live.

    These are jobs that make a difference. Making sure people have a reliable, clean water supply, protecting our food security, cleaning up our waterways – and stimulating economic growth in every part of the country to raise living standards and wages and improve people’s lives.

    This is a fresh start, a moment to build new partnerships and set the direction for the water sector of the future.

    We are working together to bring about the change that people in this country voted for last year. It’s an exciting time for the water industry, and I’m proud to stand alongside you as we chart the journey forwards to success.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defra Secretary of State at UK Water Reception

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Defra Secretary of State at UK Water Reception

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs delivered a speech at the UK Water Reception hosted at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre

    This is a moment for Government and industry to join together to unlock the potential of our water sector and grow our economy in every region of this country.

    We need water for economic growth.

    Communities can’t function without it. Water is essential for every household and business across the country. We need it to grow the food that feeds our families. To build 1.5 million new homes, hospitals, schools and roads. To cool power stations that supply our electricity and the data centres to run our IT systems. 

    Water flows through our breathtaking countryside, boosting our tourism and leisure industries.

    The public were not aware at the time of the last general election, this country was facing water rationing within ten years.  There was not enough water to meet the growing demands of our population. As David just said, no new reservoirs had been built in 30 years.

    Water infrastructure was outdated and crumbling. Leaking pipes wasted valuable water supplies. Record levels of sewage polluted our waterways.

    [Political section removed]

    In just one year, we’ve introduced tough new measures to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. Including ringfencing customers’ money so it can only be spent on what it was intended for: upgrading and improving water infrastructure.

    Our Water Special Measures Bill became law in February, giving the regulators new powers to hold water companies to account.

     And Sir Jon Cunliffe, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, will soon complete the biggest review of the water sector in a generation to ensure we have a robust regulatory framework to clean up our waterways, build the infrastructure we need for a reliable water supply, and restore public confidence in this vital economic sector.

    He will publish his full findings next week, and the Government response will follow quickly afterwards.

    This strong action has laid the groundwork for the sector to move forward.

    Today is the start of a new partnership between the water sector and government.

    Turning the page on the past to begin a new chapter of growth and opportunity.

    The water sector is a priority for economic growth.

    We’ve worked together and secured £104 billion pounds of private sector investment in the water sector over the next five years.

    That’s the biggest private sector investment into our water sector in its entire history, and the second biggest investment in any part of the economy over the lifetime of this parliament – and getting this investment right matters.

    It will build and upgrade infrastructure in every region of the country – cutting sewage in half by 2030 and cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.

    So, parents don’t have to worry about letting their children splash about in the water. So, we can experience the majesty of national treasures like Lake Windermere. Or enjoy a moment of calm by going for a swim in nature.

    It will fund nine new reservoirs and nine large-scale water transfer schemes, and reduce leaks from water pipes.

    So families – like those in Guildford –   don’t have to rely on bottled water when their water supply is disrupted. So businesses don’t lose profits when they’re forced to shut because the taps have run dry. So farmers can keep growing food in the face of increasingly unstable and unpredictable weather patterns.

    This vast investment will fuel economic growth.

    Over the next 5 years, it will create 30 thousand good, well-paid jobs in every corner of the country.

    Jobs that are rooted in the communities they serve.

    Money to upgrade roads, schools and hospitals. Encouraging businesses to invest in the area. Attracting more visitors to support rural tourism.

    This investment will make sure we can build 1.5 million homes this Parliament, construct major infrastructure projects to support the green energy transition, and power new industries such as data centres that can unlock the UK’s AI potential.

    This is what we mean when we talk about the Government’s Plan for Change.

    We must work together to make sure that £104 billion is spent in the best way to secure the improvements we want to see, and in the timescales we want to see them.

    Earlier this year, my colleague the Water Minister Emma Hardy and I toured the country to see how this investment will be spent.

    Around Cambridge, one of the UK’s fastest growing economies, investment in water infrastructure will support 4500 new homes, community facilities such as schools and leisure centres, and office and laboratory space in the city centre.

    On the River Avon, Wessex Water are investing £35 million pounds to expand the Saltford Water Recycling Plant, increasing their wastewater treatment capacity by 40% to meet rising demand, and creating local jobs near Bath.

    And in Hampshire, work’s begun on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, the first reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s and when it’s full, this will supply water to around 160,000 people and, during construction, it will generate more than £10 million a year to the South East economy,  with construction jobs and apprenticeships.

    We need to get spades in the ground in every region.

    I’ve set up a Water Delivery Taskforce to bring together Government, regulators, and water industry representatives, to ensure water companies complete their planned investments on time and on budget – providing value for money for customers.    

    The Taskforce will make sure we have the water, wastewater and drainage needed for the new developments and infrastructure that will drive long-term economic growth.

    Energy and Utility Skills estimate 43,000 people will be needed to take up jobs in the water industry over the next five years.

    That’s good, skilled, well paid jobs such as bioresources technicians, hydraulics specialists, engineers, construction workers, and surveyors.

    It’s imperative we have the skilled workforce in place.

    Because without it, all this investment will not be possible.

    That’s why we’re here today. To work together to ensure the industry and supply chain have the capacity to meet our shared ambitions for a successful, growing water sector underpinning a successful, growing economy.

    This demands a whole Government approach.

    Torsten Bell, the Minister for Pensions, and Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, will both be here today, will give more details on how we plan to do this via our employment and skills programmes.

    And I’m delighted that later today I’ll sign our ‘Water Skills Pledge’ with Alison McGovern, the Minister for Employment – affirming our commitment to ensuring the water sector has the skills and workforce it needs to succeed.

    We will work together to show people that a career in the water industry and its supply chain is something they can be proud of for a lifetime.

    Something that gives you new skills, exciting challenges and can set you up for life – wherever in this country you live.

    These are jobs that make a difference. Making sure people have a reliable, clean water supply, protecting our food security, cleaning up our waterways – and stimulating economic growth in every part of the country to raise living standards and wages and improve people’s lives.

    This is a fresh start, a moment to build new partnerships and set the direction for the water sector of the future.

    We are working together to bring about the change that people in this country voted for last year. It’s an exciting time for the water industry, and I’m proud to stand alongside you as we chart the journey forwards to success.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Aguilar: Republicans own the health care crisis that they’ve created

    Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    July 15, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu held a press conference on the failure of House Republicans to protect health care and lower costs.

    CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Thank you for joining us. Pleased as always to be joined by Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, Ted Lieu. Good morning. Republicans spent the last week lying about their vote to throw 17 million Americans off of health insurance. They’re so terrified of voter backlash that they’re charting new frontiers in dishonesty and political chutzpah. Rob Bresnahan says the Big Ugly Law will be the largest deficit reduction in 30 years, when it actually explodes the deficit by $4 trillion. Gabe Evans, on the other hand, has twisted himself into knots claiming that there are no Medicaid cuts, because, technically, health care spending will continue to rise—he’s hoping that the one in three voters in Colorado who he represents won’t notice losing their health care. Derrick Van Orden wants his voters to believe that somehow he managed to secure more money for BadgerCare even though he voted for $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid—prompting the Governor of Wisconsin to call him out for lying.

    Here’s the truth: Republicans own the health care crisis that they’ve created. People will get sick, hospitals will close—like we’ve seen in places like Curtis, Nebraska—and nursing homes will shut down. And they’re doing all of this so they can give billionaires tax breaks and make private jets fully tax-deductible. They’re the same rich and well-connected elites that they’re protecting by keeping the Epstein files under lock and key after campaigning to release them. It’s shameful—and House Democrats will make sure that they’re held accountable. Now I’ll turn it over to Vice Chair Ted Lieu. 

    VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar. Donald Trump, when he campaigned, promised on day one he would end inflation and lower costs. Donald Trump lied to the American people because we now know that inflation has continued to increase under his policies and that of Republicans. The most recent inflation report shows that inflation increased to 2.7 percent above expectations and core CPI increased to 2.9 percent. We call on Trump and Republicans to focus on lowering costs instead of things like the Big Ugly Bill, that are kicking millions of people off health care.

    I’ve also noticed that there’s been an uptick in activity around Epstein files recently. I just want to remind the American people that in February of this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi acknowledged the existence of Jeffrey Epstein’s client list. In fact, she said that Jeffrey Epstein’s client list is, ‘sitting on my desk right now.’ Where is that client list? What is Attorney General Pam Bondi hiding? She needs to release the Epstein files as soon as possible. I talked about the Epstein files under the Biden Administration; I’m talking about it under the Trump Administration. This is a case of the powerful protecting the powerful. We need to have those files released. I also note that the Epstein files that have already been released show that Trump is all over the files. He’s in multiple pictures with Jeffrey Epstein. There’s multiple videos of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein. There are plane logs of Trump on Epstein’s plane. There are statements by Trump about Epstein. There are court pleadings of alleged victims of Epstein naming Trump. So, we need to have these Epstein files released.

    I also want to talk a little bit about Ukraine. The only way we get Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table is to defeat Russian troops on the battlefield. I support President Trump’s decision to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine. I support President Trump’s decision to say that he’s going to backfill Europe’s military equipment when Europe sends military equipment to Ukraine. That is how we’re going to get Putin to the negotiating table by letting Putin know that he cannot win this war. With that, I yield back.

    Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.

    ###



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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 514

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL4

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 514
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    350 PM CDT Tue Jul 15 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Northern Kansas
    Western and Central Nebraska
    Southeast South Dakota

    * Effective this Tuesday afternoon and evening from 350 PM until
    1100 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 80
    mph likely
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms are forecast to develop along a
    front this afternoon into the evening and grow upscale into a linear
    cluster. Large hail will be the primary severe hazard this
    afternoon before storms increase in coverage and congeal into one or
    two linear clusters. Severe gusts will become the primary severe
    hazard during the evening as this activity moves east-southeast
    across the Watch area.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 85
    statute miles east and west of a line from 35 miles east northeast
    of Chamberlain SD to 20 miles south southeast of Mccook NE. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 513…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 70 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    28025.

    …Smith

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW4
    WW 514 SEVERE TSTM KS NE SD 152050Z – 160400Z
    AXIS..85 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    35ENE 9V9/CHAMBERLAIN SD/ – 20SSE MCK/MCCOOK NE/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 75NM E/W /70ESE PIR – 18SSE MCK/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..70 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 28025.

    LAT…LON 43959696 39919883 39910204 43950038

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU4.

    Watch 514 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (10%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low ( 65 knots

    Mod (60%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (30%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (90%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: White River Bancshares Co. Announces Annual Cash Dividend of $0.50 Per Diluted Share

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV) (the “Company”), the holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas (the “Bank”), today announced its Board of Directors declared an annual cash dividend of $0.50 per share. The dividend will be payable on August 29th, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 18th, 2025.

    “We sincerely thank every shareholder for your trust and investment in our community bank. I’m proud that our 2024 performance enables us to reward our shareholders through both earnings growth and our annual cash dividend,” said Gary Head, Chief Executive Officer.

    About White River Bancshares Company

    White River Bancshares Company is the single bank holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Bank has locations in Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Rogers, Brinkley, Harrison and Jonesboro, Arkansas. Founded in 2005, Signature Bank of Arkansas provides a full line of financial services to small businesses, families and farms. White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV), trades on the OTCQX® Best Market.  

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements about future events. These forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions of management of the Company and the Bank and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms. Our ability to predict results of future events and the actual effect of future plans or strategies are inherently uncertain and actual results may differ materially from those predicted in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or that could affect the outcome of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates; the economic health of the local real estate market; general economic conditions; credit deterioration in our loan portfolio that would cause us to increase our allowance for loan losses; legislative or regulatory changes; technological developments; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the quality or composition of our loan and securities portfolios; demand for loan products in our market areas; deposit flows and costs of capital; competition; retention and recruitment of qualified personnel; demand for financial services in our market areas; and changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

    Contact: Scott Sandlin, Chief Strategy Officer
      479-684-3754

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: CloudFirst to Join Performive in Strategic Growth Transaction

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MELVILLE, N.Y., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Data Storage Corporation (Nasdaq: DTST) (the “Company”) today announced that on July 11, 2025 it entered into a definitive agreement to sell the assets of the business of its wholly owned subsidiary, CloudFirst Technologies Corporation. The goal of this transaction is to continue to accelerate CloudFirst’s growth with a new purchaser, while exploring strategic opportunities for the Company that enhance shareholder value. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and approval by Data Storage Corporation’s shareholders at its annual meeting of shareholders scheduled for September 10, 2025.

    Under the terms of the agreement, CloudFirst will join Performive, a cloud and infrastructure services provider backed by Renovus Capital Partners, a private equity firm. CloudFirst will continue to market its services under its well-established brand, the CloudFirst leadership team will remain in place, and CloudFirst will maintain its renowned support and account management teams. The Company expects continuity throughout the approval process and beyond.

    If the transaction is approved by the Company’s shareholders, Data Storage expects that it will retain its public listing and continue to operate Nexxis Inc., a provider of telecommunications and data services. Assuming shareholder approval and closing of the transactions, the Company is planning to use the proceeds together with certain other cash on hand in connection with a tender offer to repurchase up to 85% of its outstanding shares.  Data Storage intends to use the funds remaining in the Company following the tender offer to pursue strategic growth through acquisitions in high-growth sectors, including, but not limited to, AI-enabled SaaS, cybersecurity, and healthcare automation.

    Chuck Piluso, CEO of Data Storage Corporation, commented, “This agreement highlights the long-term value CloudFirst has created and reflects confidence in the future. While the transaction remains subject to shareholder approval, operations at CloudFirst remain unchanged, with no changes to structure or leadership. The current teams remain fully committed to delivering the high standards our clients expect and, in fact, over the past 30 days we have added staff. With the added scale and strategic backing from this transaction, we expect CloudFirst to be well-positioned for continued growth, while preserving the identity and strengths that have driven its success to date.”  

    “Although we believe in the strong fundamentals and long-term potential of CloudFirst, we believe that the public markets did not adequately reflect its value. This transaction positions CloudFirst for continued growth in a private setting, while allowing Data Storage to return value to shareholders and pursue strategic opportunities in high growth sectors,” concluded Mr. Piluso.

    About Data Storage Corporation

    Data Storage Corporation (Nasdaq: DTST) through its subsidiaries, is focused on providing solutions that ensure business continuity, improvement in business processes, and efficiency, while striving to build shareholder value.

    For more information, please visit www.dtst.com or follow us on X @DataStorageCorp.

    Safe Harbor Provision

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “projects,” “estimates,” “plans” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may” and “could” are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts, although not all forward-looking statements include the foregoing. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and include statements regarding approval by the Company’s shareholders at its annual meeting scheduled for September 10th, 2025; the transaction continuing to accelerate CloudFirst’s growth and allowing the Company to explore strategic opportunities that enhance shareholder value; CloudFirst continuing to market its services under its well-established brand; the CloudFirst leadership team remaining in place; CloudFirst maintaining its renowned support and account management teams; the Company’s expectation of continuity throughout the approval process and beyond; the Company expecting to retain its public listing and continuing to operate Nexxis Inc.; the Company’s plan to use the proceeds together with certain other cash on hand in connection with a tender offer to repurchase up to 85% of its outstanding shares; the Company’s intention to use the funds remaining in the Company following the tender offer to pursue strategic growth through acquisitions in high-growth sectors; CloudFirst being well-positioned for continued growth; the transaction positioning CloudFirst for continued growth in a private setting; the transaction allowing the Company to return value to shareholders and pursue strategic opportunities in high-growth tech sectors. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include approval by the Company’s shareholders at its annual meeting scheduled for September 10, 2025; consummation of the transaction; the transaction continuing to accelerate CloudFirst’s growth and allowing the Company to explore strategic opportunities that enhance shareholder value; the Company retaining its public listing and continuing to operate Nexxis Inc.; the Company’s plan to use the proceeds together with certain other cash on hand in connection with a tender offer to repurchase up to 85% of its outstanding shares; the Company’s use of its remaining funds; the transaction positioning CloudFirst for continued growth in a private setting; and the transaction allowing the Company to return value to shareholders and pursue strategic opportunities in high-growth sectors. These risks should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read together with the other cautionary statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was initially made. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

    Contact:
    Crescendo Communications, LLC
    212-671-1020
    DTST@crescendo-ir.com

    The MIL Network