NewzIntel.com

Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York and N. Yorkshire-based investigators help ensure extradition order and jail time for former Brookside actor

    Source: City of York

    A total of 23 years in prison for a former Brookside actor and his associates has been awarded this afternoon.

    Former Brookside actor Philip Foster and eight associates have today (28 February 2025) been sentenced for their part in a £13.6 million fraud that ran for over eight years.

    The sentences handed down at Sheffield Crown Court today are the result of an over 6-year investigation by National Trading Standards, whose work uncovered an extensive network of sham modelling agencies that cruelly exploited the dreams of aspiring young models and their parents.

    Foster was the ringleader of the operation. He orchestrated the fraud from Spain, using a network of associates based in England who operated a string of sham modelling agencies and photography studios in cities across the country, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry, and Nottingham.

    More than 6,000 victims were deceived by the group – mainly young people and mothers – who ended up parting with substantial amounts of money under the false promise of securing paid modelling work.

    The fraud worked by setting up a photographic studio in the area and running a social media advertising campaign. People who responded were given the false impression that a model agency was interested in them, with emails telling them they had potential. Victims were then invited to a ‘free’ test shoot at the photographic studio, which turned out to be a ruse to try to extort money out of them.

    At the test shoot, victims were given a studio experience, handed glossy brochures and told how successful other people had been. They would then be told that they passed their studio test and that modelling agencies were interested, but they needed to purchase their portfolio photographs from the studio in order to join an agency and become an agency model.

    Victims were duped by the group who, between them, gave a good impression of running successful model businesses and lied to them about their potential. Millions of pounds were taken from aspiring models, with some coerced into financing the upfront payment through credit deals arranged by the fraudsters or taking out expensive payday loans.

    Instead, victims received poor quality digital photographs that stood no real chance of landing them professional jobs. Virtually none of the victims received any paid modelling work.

    The sham agencies were often dissolved after short periods, rebranded repeatedly to avoid detection, and paid no tax. Money from the scam was laundered through UK bank accounts before being transferred to Spain or carried in cash on commercial flights by co-conspirators.

    The investigation traced substantial sums to Foster, who lived in luxury abroad and purchased high-end watches and cars with the proceeds of the fraud. The investigation heard how many victims, left financially and emotionally devastated, described feeling humiliated and betrayed. Some experienced lasting distress that affected their confidence, wellbeing and their ability to trust others.

    The sentences, which were handed down today in the absence of Philip Foster, who is currently living in Spain, are as follows:

    • Philip Foster, aged 49, Edificio Marina Mariola, Marbella, Spain, sentenced to 8.5 years for conspiracies to defraud
    • Michael Foster, aged 27, Snowdon Lane, Liverpool, sentenced to 3.5 years for conspiracy to defraud
    • Paul Evans, aged 39, no known address, sentenced to 3.5 years for offences related to money laundering
    • Jamie Peters, aged 52, Pentland Place, Warrington, sentenced to 24 months, suspended for 2 years, for conspiracy to defraud
    • Lisa Foster, aged 42, Manchester Road, Astley, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
    • Emily Newall, aged 29, Bolton Road, Kearsley, Greater Manchester, sentenced to 10 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
    • Atif Qadar, aged 44, Larkswood Drive, Crowthorne, sentenced to 12 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
    • Paul Fleury, aged 57, Manchester Road, Swinton, Manchester, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
    • Aslihan Foster aged 39, Tredington Road, Coventry, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for an offence related to money laundering

    Today’s sentencing follows over 6 years of investigative work by the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, hosted by North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, including forensic analysis of financial transactions, thousands of consumer complaints, and witness testimony from victims. The team was supported by the National Trading Standards South West Regional Investigations Team, hosted by Bristol City Council.

    Judge Dixon, said: 

    “The business worked on the basis of greed taking what they could where they could. Some people were so convinced by the level of deception that they took out payday loans, which gives a clear indication as to how manipulative and
    cynical the fraud was. It was horrible, despicable, dishonest behaviour and every single one of you deserves to go to prison. 

    “The officers have carried out an exceptional job to bring these defendants to justice. It was not straightforward or easy. This investigation was conducted with particular skill.  A commendation should be made on the basis of the skill deployed.”

    Lord Bichard, Chair of the National Trading Standards, said:

    “Foster’s cruel exploits left thousands of victims in serious debt, causing lasting emotional distress and significant financial pressures.

    “Today’s sentences are an important reminder to would-be criminals that Trading Standards officers across the country are determined to clamp down on fraud, protecting victims and bringing criminals to justice.

    “I would encourage anyone who has been a victim of similar scams to report it to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.”

    Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member with responsibility for Trading Standards at City of York Council, said:

    Today’s sentencing follows years of highly effective trading standards investigative work. Mr Foster and his associates made millions by exploiting the hopes of young people, leaving a trail of broken dreams and financial hardship. I urge everyone to question any modelling contract which demands money up front, and hope that the young people and families affected can now move on to a brighter future, whichever path they choose.”

    North Yorkshire Council’s executive member Cllr Greg White, whose responsibilities include Trading Standards, said:

    “Foster and his fellow scammers cruelly exploited young hopefuls trying to break into one of the most competitive industries. In some cases, parents borrowed money or sacrificed savings, believing they were investing in their children’s futures.

    “I urge anyone searching online for modelling opportunities to remember that legitimate agencies don’t ask for money upfront, it’s often only scam agencies who push expensive photoshoots as a pre-requisite to getting work.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: OnStation Unveils Groundbreaking Alert System to Protect Road Workers and Drivers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CLEVELAND, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OnStation, the leading provider of live digital stationing solutions for the heavy highway industry, announced today a new product that prioritizes jobsite worker safety. Active Worksite™ allows all OnStation App users to notify the traveling public of “workers ahead” using connected navigation apps powered by an integration with iCone. This new technology introduces a never-before-seen alert for drivers and communicates the urgency of slowing down in construction zones where workers are present.

    Available in March 2025, the product sends fully anonymized worker location data to iCone who then relays the information to statewide traffic safety data feeds and popular navigation apps in real time. When Active Worksite™ is toggled on by an OnStation App user who is within 130 feet of a stationed project alignment centerline, drivers will receive an alert within their driving apps like Waze, connected OEM navigation systems and other display dashboards. The OnStation system does not share the user’s location when disabled and is not intended to be used for tracking purposes with other entities on the OnStation system. The user experience for the traveling public is similar to current notifications for speed zones, debris on roadway, and stalled cars. When drivers realize humans are present, they are more likely to slow down and watch for workers.

    Unlike conventional Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) guidelines found in Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) plans, which are meticulously crafted months ahead with fixed construction timelines, OnStation’s approach dynamically adapts to the real-time presence of workers, ensuring seamless and safe operations throughout the project. Because the road worker initiates the action in the OnStation App, essentially creating a live beacon, drivers will see a new, more relevant alert, one that is especially impactful during unexpected hours on nights and weekends. Active Worksite™ can also be activated in cases where the work is impromptu, in the absence of a stationed centerline, such as shoulders where road maintenance crews are removing roadkill or repairing roadway features.

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, more than half of all highway worker fatalities at road construction sites in 2022 involved a worker on foot being struck by a vehicle. Further, 2023 data shows the construction industry accounts for the highest total number of fatal work injuries in the private sector, and the third highest fatality rate per 100,000 workers at 9.6.

    “It’s time for a behavior change,” says Nate Till from Brooks Construction. “The injury and fatality data for roadway construction is daunting. If we can get the average driver to understand there are hard working men and women coming up ahead in the roadway, it humanizes the problem and gets people to change their behavior. We know that speed zone alerts work by getting people to slow down and avoid tickets. Now, with Active Worksite™, we can get people to slow down in construction zones before it’s too late.” Brooks Construction, an existing OnStation customer, has already purchased the product.  

    Active Worksite™ is available for a flat fee in addition to purchases of any OnStation license type. Visit onstationapp.com for more information about OnStation and its solutions.

    About OnStation

    OnStation is a collaborative digital stationing platform that offers location-based project records from bid to close. Specifically designed for the heavy highway industry, OnStation’s mobile app centralizes communication, boosts productivity, enhances worker safety, and improves project quality. Users benefit from live jobsite stationing, milepost, and LRS capabilities. They can overlay design layers on the project map and communicate via a custom chat platform that organizes and records project events at their locations. OnStation is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and is supported on all desktop systems.

    Contact

    Jessica Kodrich

    Director of Marketing

    jkodrich@onstationapp.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cdaf9db1-faa5-4266-bd11-b5a0c7e53dce

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New era of ambient intelligence is helping support healthcare providers and patients

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: New era of ambient intelligence is helping support healthcare providers and patients

    Next time you’re in a public place, stop and look around. Notice how many people are head’s down, staring at their phones. This is one of the unintended consequences of technology: while the intent is to connect us more to the world, it often distracts us from what’s actually happening around us.   

    This unintended technological distraction has also had a negative impact in healthcare. Over the last decade, increasing regulations and mounting administrative burdens placed upon doctors, nurses, and radiologists, have come at a high cost to those who had dedicated their lives to caring for others. The effects of this have been well documented, with rising job dissatisfaction and burnout rates, increasing staffing shortages as clinicians leave the workforce, and the continued erosion of doctor-patient connection.1

    As a technologist who has been working on cracking some of the thorniest problems in healthcare, it’s painful to know that for years, despite our best efforts, technology has seemed one step behind in being able to restore the joy of caring for patients while simultaneously providing a more connected digital experience. 

    That is, until the introduction of GPT. With generative AI, we’ve seen an incredibly positive and disrupting force in healthcare, and these gains will only increase as this critical innovation is applied to some of the most complex problems in healthcare. In fact, over the next three years, we will begin to see a tectonic shift in the entire user experience, moving from technology that is injected into various use cases to the pervasive infusion of AI that is seamlessly embedded into the ways we live and work.   

    Discover AI-powered solutions with Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare

    In healthcare, ambient intelligence will be the driving force for restoring the joy of practicing medicine and providing a better experience for patients. 

    The real story of ambient intelligence  

    There’s a lot written about technology curves and AI in healthcare, but I want to tell you the story that isn’t in the history books. The real story of how ambient intelligence was born. 

    Some of us are old enough to remember the original Star Trek from the 1960’s where there was a computer that would be listening to the crew have a conversation and then weigh in with any guidance related to the situation at hand. It wasn’t trying to take over, it wasn’t replacing the captain and officers on the bridge, it was just supporting the team by adding insights in real time to augment the decision-making process.   

    Most of us saw this as a cool sci-fi idea until one day, during a meeting with Epic, we talked about finding a way to make healthcare more intuitive, like the AI in Star Trek. The gauntlet had been thrown, and we were in.

    Charting a new course in healthcare technology 

    Inherent in ambient intelligence are two equally important variables, accurately transcribing a conversation between the doctor and patient into a text, and then turning that transcript into a clinical note.  

    That was back in 2014, when there were no large language models, patient data wasn’t widely available, systems were extremely siloed, there wasn’t a way to even capture the recording and, even if those other aspects were possible, speech recognition for clinical conversations were running at about 50% word error rate (WER). This meant that the speech recognition system was getting only correctly capturing about half of the words spoken. That was essentially the state-of-the-art for ambient medical speech recognition and simply put, it didn’t work.

    We weren’t sure if and when we’d ultimately be successful, but we knew the first challenge that we needed to tackle was getting more data to feed our models so that we could understand this emerging ambient workflow. We started a research program to boost recognition performance for ambient conversational medical speech because at that time, the major breakthroughs were being made in neural computing.

    We then turned our attention to abstractive summarization, or essentially trying to figure out how to convert the conversational transcript between the doctor and patient into a structured clinical note, which is subject to a variety of constraints and requirements necessary for appropriate documentation.

    Back then summarization was in its infancy, but the new neural summarization technology showed a lot of promise when large in-domain data sets comprised of millions of input and summarized output pairs were available. Although these data sets didn’t exist yet, there were virtual scribing workflows, where doctor-patient conversations were recorded and manually processed by human scribes. So, we made the decision to use clinical scribes to train the increasingly powerful models that were tailored to the task and then observe how their application accelerated clinical documentation. Essentially, the scribes were generating in-domain data that was then used by neural summarization machine learning to develop ambient summarization.

    Given the complexities of a clinical encounter, we started with medical specialties that had highly-repetitive scenarios, like orthopedics, and then expanded to cover all ambulatory specialties across a larger population of doctors.

    While we were making gains, they were incremental. To give you a sense of what this looked like, here is a chart that shows each new model revision as a plot point and you can see the percent of clinical encounters processed by AI and resulting human-in-the-loop edit rates, versus our forecast of where those figures would be.

    Image source: HLS Solutions Research, January 2025

    The dawn of a new era  

    It’s inevitable that anyone who’s tried to tackle an extremely thorny problem at some point will hit a wall where they ask themselves the question: Are we beating the problem or is the problem beating us? Although we had parity in converting a doctor-patient conversation to text, converting transcripts into customized clinical notes across specialties was challenging, and progress was slower than we would have liked.  We were using a human-in-the-loop to improve the quality of our model output, which wasn’t a scalable long-term solution, and we had stalled at an error rate that would not produce automation. We didn’t know the exact formula to make the problem yield.

    Then, GPT happened.

    Overnight, the scaling laws of AI changed. Major technological gains went from happening every one-and-a-half years to happening four times a year. While at the time, it had felt like we were hitting a wall, in hindsight, that time allowed us to deeply understand the requirements of how this technology would show up in the doctors’ workflow, and we partnered with the EHR companies to work through the technical details and optimize the user experience.

    We immediately put a stake in the ground and began leveraging this new AI.

    We used GPT as a shortcut to fine tune models and customize output, which allowed us to move faster while dramatically improving outcomes. We were also getting real-time feedback from clinicians who let us know what was working well and, most importantly, where the experience wasn’t optimized. It’s that latter feedback that is always the most helpful, because it enables us to triangulate the problems and work on ways to fine tune and improve the experience.

    Based on the foundational models, we could see we would have a prototype in six months, but the challenge was that out-of-the-box GPT—while good—was not as performant as our bespoke models. That’s when we decided to combine generative AI and our unique training corpus. Within six months of a blistering R&D cycle, the team delivered a level of automation that had previously been unachievable in the prior six years. It was one of the first times in history that GPT-4 had been fine tuned for healthcare.   

    The new scaling laws were bending the curve of innovation. We were at the dawn of a new era: The ambient AI market.

    Image source: Epoch, ‘Parameter, Compute and Data Trends in Machine Learning’​ 

    Over the course of 11 months, we went from zero users to creating the first clinical ambient intelligence experience for doctors that is trusted by more than 600 major healthcare systems, and producing more than 3 million episodes of care per month and growing. 

    We achieved human parity, and had achieved a level of performance that enabled automation that provided doctors with a draft clinical note that required minimal editing, the automation problem had begun to yield. 

    The future is now 

    The future that we had classified as science fiction is here today, and ambient listening has already become table stakes. In fact, we release AI improvements weekly to our speech and listening technologies, which have been trusted and used by hundreds of thousands of clinicians for years.   

    But more than that, we are witnessing a massive pivot unlike anything we’ve seen before: a new form of user experience—the combination of natural interaction and the infusion of real-time intelligence. 

    As exciting as this all is, the true promise of addressing clinician burnout, improving the patient experience, and delivering better health outcomes hinges on collaboration and partnership. Every company operating in this space is limited by the laws of single company physics, which is why it’s an exciting time to be at a partner-led company. By opening up our ecosystem, we are harnessing the power of the Microsoft platform and extending it to thousands of companies worldwide that are focused on building applications and capabilities to improve the doctor-patient experience and positively impact the episode of care.   

    We are enabling partners in the ecosystem to publish their capabilities directly into our ambient dial tone—the power of thousands of incredible minds all working to help clinicians, and solving for high-value use cases ranging from clinical condition diagnosis, autonomous clinical coding, and automating outbound healthcare consumer messaging, to enhancing data analytics and interpretation, medical literature discovery, autogenerating personalized patient educational materials, and automating clinical trial patient identification. These are just a few of the thousands of areas of innovation that are being actively worked on by healthcare companies worldwide. And this is the power of the platform. This is the ecosystem that will transform the way care is delivered, enhance patient experiences, support better outcomes across the health and life science ecosystem, and restore the joy of practicing medicine to clinicians around the world.   

    Trust above all else 

    No conversation about generative AI should happen without talking about responsibility, and no technology should be deployed without a detailed examination around what is contained in the data and how it is being used. Key responsible AI standards around fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, inclusiveness, and transparency must take the center stage in every discussion. AI is like a massive power tool, and data is the current powering it—so everyone handling it needs to be trained properly and aware of any unintended consequences or potential harm it could cause.  

    Creating high-value use cases that deliver real outcomes 

    In the end, the real testament to building outcomes-based technology comes down to one simple fact: does using it empower the person to do and be the best version of themselves? To that end, we carefully track the performance of all our solutions to make sure we’re building technology that is living up to its promise and exceeding expectations. I recommend that anyone who is advancing an AI agenda should do the same, because this is the real path to advancing human abilities and improving the healthcare ecosystem.   

    Not every day is a win, and that’s okay—this is a marathon, not a sprint—but we continue to see powerful outcomes reported back by the people we serve. We’re seeing:  

    • 70% improvement in work-life balance for clinicians and reduced feeling of burnout and fatigue.2
    • 80% feel it reduces cognitive burden.3
    • 5 minutes save per clinician per encounter (on average).4
    • 93% of patients say their physician is more personable and conversational.5

    Hear what clinicians have to say about this AI-powered clinical automation solution:

    As great as these results are, we’re not settling. We’re going to keep pushing ahead, refining our models, working with doctors, nurses, radiologists, and leaders across the health care and life sciences ecosystem to deliver the best technologies for those who continue to dedicate their lives to helping others. We’re just at the beginning of our journey, and we will continue to relentlessly innovate, and find new ways to streamline documentation, surface information, and automate tasks for clinicians worldwide. 

    Learn more 

    Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare

    Accelerate innovation and improve healthcare experiences

    1AMA, Burnout benchmark: 28% unhappy with current health care job, May 17, 2022.

    2 Microsoft survey of 879 clinicians across 340 healthcare organizations using DAX Copilot; July 2024.

    3 Microsoft survey of 879 clinicians across 340 healthcare organizations using DAX Copilot; July 2024.

    4 Microsoft survey of 879 clinicians across 340 healthcare organizations using DAX Copilot; July 2024.

    5 Survey of 413 patients conducted by multiple healthcare organizations whose clinicians use DAX Copilot; June 2024.

    Joe Petro

    Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Health & Life Sciences

    Joe Petro is the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Health & Life Sciences (HLS) Solutions and Platforms, which develops integrated heathcare experiences that provide greater access to care, enhance the clinician-patient relationship, and improve outcomes.

    See more articles from this author

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: “I really worry about what will happen to people’s mental health in Gaza. The ceasefire needs to hold.”

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Katrin Glatz Brubakk, a child psychotherapist and mental health activity manager for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), recently returned from her second mission in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. She answers three questions about the state of people’s mental health in Gaza and why it is crucial for the ceasefire to hold. 

    1. You’ve been to Gaza twice, once from August to September 2024 and then from January to February 2025, what can you tell us about the state of people’s mental health when the ceasefire was announced? 

    When the ceasefire started, people could finally breathe a bit easier. They had been in survival mode for more than 15 months and finally didn’t have to worry that bombs would drop on their tents during the night or that their children might get killed while they went out to fetch bread or water. They started to gain a bit of hope that life might go back to some form of normal.

    But then they started to worry about the future. How long would the ceasefire last? Could they move back to their old homes? How long would it take before their children could get back to school, and would there even be any kind of normal life again in Gaza with all the destruction?

    What I saw was the ‘grief of peace’ emerging. During the war, survival was the only focus, but with the ceasefire, people began to grieve everything they’d lost: their houses, their normal life, family members—some still under the rubble—their children’s education, their sense of security, prosperity, and hope for the future. Even though the bombs weren’t falling anymore, there was still a lot of worry.

    Katrin Glatz Brubakk, a child psychotherapist and mental health activity manager What I saw was the ‘grief of peace’ emerging. During the war, survival was the only focus, but with the ceasefire, people began to grieve everything they’d lost…

    Katrin Glatz Brubakk, mental health activity manager, Palestine, Gaza, February 2025.
    © MSF

    They’ve been clinging to the hope of getting back to their lives for as long as the ceasefire lasts. One of my colleagues said, “It doesn’t matter how much has been destroyed, it doesn’t matter that we’ve lost everything as long as they’re not killing us.” I really worry about what will happen to people’s mental health in Gaza. The ceasefire needs to hold. Children have been looking forward to going back to their rooms, seeing their friends, and going to school again. If the ceasefire doesn’t continue, that hope will be gone, and it will be devastating for the people of Gaza.

    2. You worked at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis and at the modular field hospital in Deir-al-Balah, what can you tell us about the patients you treated there?

    The mental health of both children and adults in Gaza has been severely affected. They have gone through immense trauma, worrying about their lives for more than a year. We see depressive symptoms in adults and children—some pulling out their hair, biting themselves, being restless all the time, or becoming totally withdrawn from the world because they can’t take it anymore.

    One of the children I met in Gaza is ’the koala bear.’ It’s her mother who calls her that because she clings to her all the time. She’s a beautiful little girl, three years old, with curly hair and curious eyes, but as soon as you get close, she moves back, fearful, and clings even tighter to her mother. She lived in northern Gaza with her family. First, they were bombed, and she was injured. Then they didn’t have enough food, and her little sister, just one year and two months old, starved to death. After that, this little girl started to cling to her mother constantly.

    She doesn’t leave her side, when she’s sleeping, when she’s awake—even when she gets curious about something—she always makes sure to stay very close. These are the effects of war on children. They spend their entire time being scared, living this life is full of uncertainty and they wonder if the worst will happen to them. They don’t spend time being children as they should—playing, learning, exploring, making friends.

    All the things that are the basis of healthy human development are being taken away from them. This war will live in these children for years to come.

    3. Why is it important that the ceasefire lasts?

    The ceasefire needs to hold because without it, these children will once again be trapped in extreme survival mode, where every moment is about staying alive. It needs to hold because their future is being stripped away from them. The ceasefire needs to hold because the toll of this war on the people in Gaza has been immense, both physically and psychologically. They can’t take it anymore. They can’t take the fear of getting killed every day or of keeping their children alive. The ceasefire in Gaza needs to hold because the uncertainty, fear and trauma have lasted too long for anyone to bear. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Costa Rica: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Consultation Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    February 28, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    San José: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Mr. Ding Ding, held the 2025 Article IV consultation with the Costa Rican authorities during February 18-28. At the conclusion of the discussions, Mr. Ding issued the following statement:

    Costa Rica is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Western Hemisphere, achieving notable economic success in recent years. GDP growth has averaged above 5 percent since 2021, outpacing regional peers and contributing to lower poverty and unemployment. Over the same period, public debt fell by an impressive 8 percentage points of GDP to below 60 percent of GDP. These successes are fruits of good macroeconomic policies, wide-ranging reforms in the context of becoming a member of the OECD, two successfully completed IMF-supported programs, and a strategic focus on exports and economic diversification. Growth is projected to remain strong at about 4 percent for 2025.

    Inflation is showing encouraging signs of returning towards the inflation target, following decisive monetary policy easing by the BCCR. Having been near zero since mid-2024, headline inflation has begun to rise and is projected to reach the BCCR’s tolerance band in mid-2025 and the 3 percent target within a year. However, core inflation remains subdued and there are downside risks, primarily stemming from low inflation expectations becoming entrenched below the target. Upside risks could arise from possible commodity price increases and/or supply-side disruptions.

    The BCCR’s forward-looking data-dependent approach has proven effective and its inflation targeting regime is working well. At the current monetary policy rate, inflation is expected to be 3 percent by 2026Q1. If the convergence of inflation to the 3 percent target weakens in the coming months, there is room for the BCCR to cut the policy rate further. Credit growth has been strong. If there are signs of excess credit growth especially associated with FX loans, macroprudential measures should be tightened to mitigate potential risks to financial stability.

    It is important to further strengthen the BCCR’s autonomy, governance, and operational framework. This would be achieved by approving legislative proposals to improve BCCR governance, transparency, and accountability, and institutionalize the central bank’s de facto autonomy.

    The exchange rate should be allowed to adjust more flexibly to market conditions. The BCCR accumulated US$ 920 million in international reserves during 2024, and reserve coverage is now comfortable by multiple metrics. A further accumulation of international reserves is unwarranted and would impose unnecessary costs over time. Moreover, frequent foreign exchange intervention can weaken monetary policy transmission and hinder foreign exchange market development. Concerted efforts including legal reforms are needed to deepen FX markets and strengthen the non-financial public sector’s ability to manage currency risks, reducing its reliance on the BCCR as an intermediary for FX transactions. Alongside the planned reform to restructure existing pension funds into generational funds, regulatory limits on foreign investments by local pension funds need to be updated. Adjustments to these limits should be phased in and supported by FX market development.

    There is scope to further capitalize on the significant progress on financial sector oversight. Indicators of financial soundness remain comfortable, notwithstanding the resolution of two small non-bank financial institutions last year. These episodes highlighted the importance of a strong supervisory and resolution framework. The Legislative Assembly should, therefore, pass the proposed amendments to the bank resolution and deposit insurance law that would further strengthen supervisory and resolution powers and enhance the crisis management framework.

    Although public debt fell to below 60 percent of GDP in 2024, the task of rebuilding fiscal space is not yet complete. The debt ratio fell in part due to some drawdown of cash balances and transfers of cash balances by decentralized and autonomous entities to the Treasury Single Account (which lowered financing needs). However, the primary surplus fell in 2024 due to temporary factors and the regrettable reductions of the vehicle property tax (marchamo) and corporate tax base. An unwinding of temporary factors is expected to help the primary balance rise to around 1½ percent of GDP this year. A higher primary balance is essential to bring debt down further, reduce interest costs, and create room for additional spending. While spending should be less than the ceiling permitted by the fiscal rule, the higher primary balance should still allow for some increases in priority areas like infrastructure, child and adult care (which will help boost female labor market participation), and investments in skills training for vulnerable groups (which will help reduce dependency on social assistance).

    Tax reforms could improve the fairness and efficiency of the system while raising resources for both debt reduction and somewhat higher spending. However, revenue-increasing bills presented over the last five years that would also have increased progressivity and bolstered dynamism have not been viewed favorably by legislators. These have included proposals to reduce VAT and income tax exemptions (such as on the salario escolar and for lottery winnings) and to bring income from self-employment, salaries, and pensions under a single threshold while raising the top marginal rate. These bills warrant renewed consideration as higher revenues would allow faster increases in social and capital spending. At the same time, we are worried that various Legislative Assembly bills are reducing revenues.

    Full implementation of the public employment bill and debt management reforms would improve spending quality and reduce interest costs. Legislative proposals aimed at amending the public employment law could significantly undermine progress in containing the public-sector wage bill. Institutions that have not yet fully implemented the public employment law should do so without further delay to ensure its benefits are broadened to beyond the central government. Legal reforms to permit access to international sovereign debt markets and grant the executive branch more flexibility in issuing external debt would also be valuable. There have been welcome improvements in the quality of government finance statistics, which are expected to be used in the setting of fiscal policies.

    A comprehensive solution is needed to resolve the dispute between Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) over social security claims. The outstanding claim is due to an unfunded expansion of beneficiaries and CCSS’s unilateral decisions to raise the government’s contribution. Addressing this issue requires urgent improvements in the CCSS’s registry systems so as to allow for an accurate tracking of outlays and beneficiaries. Moreover, the CCSS and the MoF should clarify the scope of healthcare services and pension benefits that are currently covered by the budget while identifying additional funding sources as needed to ensure that the healthcare and pension systems are actuarially sound. Strengthening CCSS governance will be essential to ensure that any future changes to the social security system include a thorough assessment of the fiscal and labor market implications of such changes. There is also scope to enhance the accountability of the CCSS, the transparency of their operations, and the simplicity of the system, in line with international best practice. These reforms will be critical to safeguard the long-run sustainability of the social security system as the population ages.

    Advancing supply-side reforms can help sustain Costa Rica’s impressive economic performance by addressing key bottlenecks to growth. To tackle skill shortages, particularly in high-tech industries, it is essential to accelerate efforts to reduce skills mismatches, align school curricula with industry needs, promote dual education (including apprenticeship programs) and bilingual education, and improve adult secondary education graduation rates. The recent reduction of the minimum contribution base for part-time workers has helped encourage formal employment but there is scope to lower the high tax wedge on labor, substituting for alternative revenue sources. Enhancing infrastructure quality and maintenance would further strengthen potential growth. In this regard, integrating climate considerations into public investment decisions is already making infrastructure more resilient against natural disasters. Given the substantial additional funding needed to upgrade infrastructure, approving and implementing the new legislation on public private partnerships is critical. Additionally, ongoing reforms to facilitate private-sector electricity provision, including diversification into non-hydroelectric renewables, will make electricity more affordable and less vulnerable to fluctuations in rainfall.

    The IMF team is grateful to the Costa Rican authorities and other counterparts for the productive discussions and hospitality during the mission.

    Costa Rica: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Projections

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    Output and Prices

    (Annual percentage change)

    Real GDP

    4.6

    5.1

    4.3

    3.9

    3.8

    3.6

    GDP deflator

    6.3

    -0.1

    0.0

    2.9

    3.2

    3.2

    Consumer prices (period average)

    8.3

    0.5

    -0.4

    2.0

    3.0

    3.0

    Savings and Investment

    (In percent of GDP)

    Gross domestic saving

    14.4

    13.8

    14.3

    14.1

    14.1

    14.3

    Gross domestic investment

    17.7

    15.3

    15.7

    15.7

    15.7

    15.8

    External Sector

    Current account balance

    -3.3

    -1.4

    -1.4

    -1.6

    -1.6

    -1.5

    Trade balance

    -6.7

    -3.7

    -2.7

    -3.0

    -2.8

    -3.1

    Financial account balance

    -2.5

    -0.7

    -0.7

    -1.6

    -1.5

    -1.5

    Foreign direct investment, net

    -4.4

    -4.3

    -4.0

    -5.3

    -5.5

    -5.4

    Gross international reserves (millions of U.S. dollars)

    8,724

    13,261

    14,181

    15,056

    16,077

    16,827

    External debt

    50.7

    43.3

    38.6

    35.5

    33.3

    30.9

    Public Finances

    Central government primary balance

    2.1

    1.6

    1.1

    1.5

    1.6

    1.7

    Central government overall balance

    -2.8

    -3.2

    -3.8

    -3.0

    -2.7

    -2.3

    Central government debt

    63.0

    61.1

    59.8

    59.4

    58.4

    57.1

    Money and Credit

    Credit to the private sector (percent change)

    3.3

    1.9

    6.4

    7.5

    7.0

    7.0

    Monetary base 1/

    8.0

    7.9

    8.0

    8.0

    8.0

    8.0

    Broad money

    47.5

    47.4

    49.4

    50.1

    50.3

    50.9

    Memorandum Items

    Nominal GDP (billions of colones) 2/

    44,810

    47,059

    49,116

    52,531

    56,237

    60,132

    Output gap (as percent of potential GDP)

    -0.3

    1.0

    0.6

    0.5

    0.4

    0.2

    GDP per capita (US$)

    13,240

    16,390

    17,901

    19,013

    20,009

    21,045

    Unemployment rate

    11.7

    7.3

    6.9

    8.0

    8.5

    9.0

    Sources: Central Bank of Costa Rica, and Fund staff estimates.

    1/ Includes currency issued and required reserves.

    2/ National account data reflect the revision of the benchmark year to 2017 for the chained volume measures, published in January 2021.
    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Meera Louis

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/02/28/mcs-022825-costa-rica-staff-concluding-statement-of-the-2025-article-iv-consultation-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: It was risky for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to call an early election — but it did pay off

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sam Routley, PhD Candidate, Political Science, Western University

    Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s election gamble has paid off. As a consequence of last night’s election results, the Progressive Conservatives are now set to form their third consecutive majority government.

    By and large, last night’s election results were dull and uninspiring, looking very similar to the outcome of the province’s election in 2022. The Progressive Conservatives return (going from 79 to 80) with only one additional member of caucus, receiving a noticeable but modest two per cent bump in support.

    And, while the Liberals saw even more of a recovery from 2018, the generally widespread distribution of that vote means that they were only able to gain five seats. Although tarnished, the New Democrats return as the official opposition party.

    Unprepared rivals

    These lacklustre results flow directly from lacklustre campaigns. The fact is that, regardless of Premier Ford’s legitimate calls for a renewed mandate amidst an aggressive American administration, the party had been looking for an excuse to call a premature election for quite some time. In doing so, they were able to — quite intentionally — catch their rivals unprepared, complete with incomplete candidate slates, unknown leaders and undercooked policy platforms.

    It meant that, while Ford was able to run a safe and constrained front-runner’s campaign, his main opponents struggled to find the momentum necessary to move the dial and exploit enough backlash. This is alongside real policy vulnerabilities in health care and education, with enough voters expressing discontent with what they felt to be an unnecessary and self-serving election call.

    Chaotic news cycle

    There are good reasons to believe that voters were mostly apathetic towards the parties and their candidates. Alongside the reasons already stated, the dense, chaotic and ever-shifting news cycle of the last few months may have entailed that this election was able to slip by quietly.

    But this does not seem to be the full story, as this year’s turnout — while still low — is slightly higher than that of 2022. Instead, voters also seemed to have wanted to maintain the status quo.

    On the local level, siting members of the provincial legislature from all three parties generally performed quite well. Of the 111 ridings with party-nominated incumbents, for example, only four lost. So while many voters may have been unhappy with the election call, the unpredictable environment may have also had the reverse effect of leading them to support, if not fully endorse, the leaders they already have.

    Regardless of the more limited dynamics of this election, however, we cannot overlook the fact that this has been a very real accomplishment for Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives. In a period of high executive turnover and anti-incumbent backlash, Doug Ford has, as the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, brought about a track record of secure, consecutive majorities — a feat that was last attained by Leslie Frost and John Robarts.

    In many ways, it brings to mind the years of the traditional “big blue machine,” when the party controlled the government of Ontario for 40 consecutive years.

    Durable persona

    Here, Ford’s success is much deeper than a matter of suave electoral maneuvering, and it is more long-standing than the recent confrontation with the Trump administration. Instead, these results attest to the fact that, while the Premier is not without his detractors, he has nevertheless managed to secure a stable, solid and sufficient base of support through the combination of both a carefully balanced policy agenda and a durable leadership persona.

    As with his successful conservative predecessors, Ford practices a form of the pragmatic and moderate governance that characterizes Ontario. A large part of what makes this successful is the fact that while it makes policy decisions flexible, it does not make them arbitrary.

    Ford continues to emphasize a government oriented around continual economic growth and innovation as a means to accomplish raising living standards, fund the province’s social programs and — more recently — rival the United States. Combined with Ford’s aptitude in retail politics this has created a clear and accessible political project supported by big developers, small business owners and private-sector workers’ unions.

    In a political environment shaped by personality, Ford continues to suck up the majority of the political oxygen in Ontario. Even while a good portion of Ontarians may dislike Ford — he is far from the most popular of Canada’s premiers — they have not experienced an overriding need to get rid of the incumbent, nor pursue another course of change.

    While politics is impossible to predict, it suggests that this state of continuity will persist in Ontario, even amid a chaotic global environment.

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

    – ref. It was risky for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to call an early election — but it did pay off – https://theconversation.com/it-was-risky-for-ontario-premier-doug-ford-to-call-an-early-election-but-it-did-pay-off-251142

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: COP16 concludes in Rome with a landmark agreement to mobilise resources for people and nature

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    News story

    COP16 concludes in Rome with a landmark agreement to mobilise resources for people and nature

    • The UK welcomes the positive conclusion to negotiations at the resumed meeting of CBD COP16, which saw the international community make progress towards halting and reversing nature loss by 2030

    A growing seedling

    • The agreement sets out a strategy for global collaboration on raising finance from all sources
    • A finalised Monitoring Framework will allow the international community to increase transparency on the global effort to address the nature crisis

    The extended session of COP16 in Rome ended today (Friday 28 February), after participants landed on a significant new agreement to address the global nature crisis.

    The deal will see global collaboration on raising finance for biodiversity, and details of the monitoring framework of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets finalised to accelerate nature recovery.

    An agreement on resource mobilisation creates a clear strategy for global collaboration on raising finance from all sources to fund the work necessary to achieve the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.  

    The finalisation of a Monitoring Framework and the global approach to reviewing progress in delivering the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, will ensure shared approach to tracking progress with transparency and accountability. 

    Ruth Davis, UK Special Representative for Nature, who was present at the negotiations in Rome said:  

    “This agreement is a significant step forward in the effort to tackle the nature crisis. 

    “As the need for action becomes ever more urgent, a moment of genuine progress like this is heartening to see. Now, we must build on the spirit of co-operation shown in Rome to mobilise the resources needed to restore nature.

    “This is essential to help maintain food security, store carbon and tackle the impacts of floods and droughts.”

    The UK played a key role in working with the parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to finalise complex discussions on nature finance, and to agree a monitoring framework which will enable all Parties to measure and report in a consistent manner the delivery of their national actions. This will significantly enhance the ability of the international community to monitor the global state of nature, as well as understanding how best to focus future interventions. 

    Negotiations in Rome saw the launch of the Cali Fund for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources. This is an important step to allow companies who utilise genetic databases derived from nature, such as the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and biotech sectors, to direct funds on a voluntary basis towards the Indigenous Peoples and local communities who safeguard biodiversity. 

    The Government also published the UK National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP) during the resumed COP16, which commits to achieving all 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework at home. It highlights the UK’s international leadership to halt and reverse nature loss as work continues to halt the decline of species by 2030. 

    This extended session follows the original meeting of COP16 in Cali, Colombia in November 2024. The UK will seek to build on the success of COP16 at the UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil later this year and CBD COP17 in Armenia in 2026

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Alaska Private Nonprofits Affected by October Storm and Flooding

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Alaska of the March 31, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset physical damage caused by the Oct. 20-23, 2024 severe storm and flooding.

    The disaster declaration covers the Bering Strait Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA) and Northwest Arctic Borough.

    Under this declaration, PNPs providing services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans. Eligible PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements might include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by any disaster. 

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans.”

    PNPs are also eligible to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the PNP suffered any physical property damage. 

    Interest rates can be as low 3.25%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible. 

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return applications for physical property damage is March 31. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Oct. 31.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Arkansas Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Spring Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Arkansas of the March 31 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the adverse weather conditions occurring in the following counties last spring.

    Declaration

    Number

    Primary

    Counties

    Neighboring

    Counties

    Incident Type

    Incident Date

    Deadline
    20507 Ashley Bradley, Chicot, Drew and Union in Arkansas; Morehouse and Union in Louisiana. Excessive Rain, Hail and High Winds May 13-14, 2024 3/31/25
    20508 Boone Carroll, Marion, Newton and Searcy in Arkansas; Taney in Missouri. Hail and High Winds May 8-9, 2024 3/31/25
    20509 Carroll Benton, Boone, Madison and Newton in Arkansas; Barry, Stone and Taney in Missouri. Tornado, Flash Flood, Hail, High Winds and Lightning May 24-26, 2024 3/31/25
    20510 Lonoke Arkansas, Faulkner, Jefferson, Prairie, Pulaski and White in Arkansas. Excessive Rain, Hail and High Winds May 20-24, 2024 3/31/25
    20511 Madison Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Newton and Washington in Arkansas. Excessive Rain, Flash Flood, High Winds and Lightning April 26-29, 2024 3/31/25
    20512 Prairie Arkansas, Lonoke, Monroe, White and Woodruff in Arkansas. Hail and High Winds May 24-26, 2024 3/31/25

    Under these declarations, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    By law, SBA makes EIDLs available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared these disasters on July 29, 2024. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration.

    The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than March 31, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to California Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Topanga Canyon Landslide

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in California of the April 1, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the March 9-June 2, 2024 Topanga Canyon Boulevard (State Route 27) landslide.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs impacted by financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than April 1, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: ALR Miner Provides Free Mining Contracts to Increase Passive Income

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ALR Miner, a leading cloud mining platform founded in 2018 and headquartered in the UK, today shared insights on how cloud mining can help investors earn passive income without incurring the costs associated with traditional mining.

    ALR Miner has deployed more than 60 large-scale mining data centers in many countries around the world, relying on renewable energy such as solar and wind power to carry out clean energy cloud mining business, which also greatly reduces the cost of mining. The company serves more than 6 million users in 180 countries and regions.

    Advantages of Cloud Mining
    Traditional mining requires a large investment in high-performance hardware and other resources, and users need to spend thousands of dollars to start mining, which is difficult for ordinary investors to accept. In contrast, cloud mining allows users to rent mining power from providers without a large upfront investment, and it is easier for individuals to participate in cryptocurrency mining without financial pressure. The advantages of cloud mining include:

    Accessibility: People around the world can access cloud mining services through the Internet.
    Cost-effectiveness: No hardware equipment needs to be purchased, and no electricity bills need to be paid.
    Technical expertise: No need to assemble equipment, optimize its performance, or solve technical problems.
    Scalability: Flexible contract plans, choose according to your own financial budget.
    Energy efficiency: Use renewable clean energy as mining power to protect the environment.
    Quick returns: The profit will be settled within 24 hours after the contract takes effect, and the principal will be returned when the contract expires.

    Get started with ALR Miner

    Step 1: Create an account and get a $12 bonus instantly

    ALR Miner has a simple registration process. You only need an email address to create an account. After registration, you can participate in cloud mining for free, and you can get a $0.6 bonus for daily check-ins.

    Step 2: Activate your account and choose a contract

    Choose a mining contract that suits your budget and goals. ALR Miner offers a variety of contracts with different terms and different returns. Whether you are a novice or an experienced investor, the platform can meet your needs.
    Basic Cloud Computing Power: $100 investment, 2-day cycle, $6.6 total profit
    Basic Cloud Computing Power: $1,200 investment, 14-day cycle, $225 total profit
    Smart Cloud Computing Power: $3,200 investment, 21-day cycle, $974 total profit
    Classic Cloud Computing Power: $5,100 investment, 30-day cycle, $2,295 total profit
    Classic Cloud Computing Power: $8,200 investment, 40-day cycle, $5,379 total profit
    Advanced Cloud Computing Power: $30,000 investment, 50-day cycle, $26,400 total profit
    For more new contracts, please visit the official website: https://www.alrminer.com.

    Step 3: Activate your account and wait for your earnings to arrive

    As your mining activities progress, you will begin to see profits accumulating in your account. Track your performance through the platform’s dashboard and withdraw your earnings when you are ready.
    Advantages of ALR Miner

    Global accessibility: People around the world can access cloud mining services through the internet, eliminating geographical barriers.
    Intuitive and simple interface: The platform’s user-friendly interface ensures that even cryptocurrency novices can easily navigate.
    Professional and experienced team: Provide a 24/7 online manual customer service team to ensure that users can solve problems in a timely manner.
    Own cutting-edge equipment: Use mining equipment provided by top mining machine manufacturers such as Bitmain, Shenma Miner, Canaan Creative, etc. to ensure stable operation and efficient production capacity of Bitcoin mining machines.
    Eliminate hardware maintenance: Take care of all hardware, maintenance, upgrades and troubleshooting, allowing users to focus on receiving the cryptocurrencies they mine.
    Clean energy efficiency: Each mine is equipped with solar and wind power infrastructure.
    Support for multiple popular cryptocurrencies: ALR Miner supports DOGE, BTC, ETH, USDC, USDT, BCH, LTC, XRP, SOL, etc. for settlement.
    Alliance reward program: As long as the users you invite purchase platform contracts, you will receive a generous referral reward of up to 3–5%; becoming a professional alliance partner can also receive an additional monthly salary reward of up to $15,000.

    The benefits of ALR Miner are significant and varied, providing an attractive entry point into cryptocurrency mining through cost-effectiveness and accessibility. Whether you are new to mining or an experienced investor, ALR Miner’s platform makes it easy for you to maximize your profits.

    For more information, please visit the official website: https://www.alrminer.com

    About ALR Miner
    Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Monmouthshire, ALR Miner is a leading cryptocurrency mining platform, mining equipment distributor and complete mining solution provider. We have advanced cryptocurrency mining equipment, sites, maintenance facilities and cheap clean electricity. For more information, please visit https://www.alrminer.com or email info@alrminer.com.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation to invest and is not intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks. There is a possibility of loss of funds. You are strongly advised to perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    Olivia Miller 
    Marketing Manager
    Alr Miner
    +44 7514 226545
    info@alrminer.com
    WhatsApp+44 7514 226545

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: LA Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for $2.3 Million COVID Loan Scheme and Falsely Seeking Nearly $1.3 Million in Pandemic Tax Credits

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A woman from the Mid-City area of Los Angeles was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in COVID-19 government loans and to submitting false claims in an unsuccessful effort to secure from the IRS nearly $1.3 million in pandemic-related tax credits, the Justice Department announced today.

    Casie Hynes, 39, was sentenced late Thursday afternoon by United States District Judge Hernán D. Vera, who also ordered her to pay $2,376,168 in restitution.

    In April 2024, Hynes pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of false claims.

    “The defendant exploited a crisis to line her own pockets, diverting vital relief funds from businesses that needed the money,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “The sentence imposed today sends a message to others that you will be held accountable if you steal government relief funds.”

    From June 2020 to December 2021, Hynes submitted more than 80 fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from banks and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) in the names of approximately 20 companies. Congress designed these programs to provide government relief to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Hynes submitted the bogus applications in the names of both existing and newly created companies, including Nasty Womxn Project and She Suite Collective and others purportedly owned by Hynes or her friends and family members. On those applications, Hynes often used the personal information and signatures of other people without their authorization and even though those people were not involved with the companies. Hynes also provided false information on the applications, including as to the number of purported employees at the companies, the companies’ average monthly payroll, and who purportedly owned and controlled these sham businesses. Hynes also submitted fabricated tax documents and bank statements in support of the fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications.

    In reliance on Hynes’ fraudulent loan applications, banks and the SBA approved PPP and EIDL loans for the various companies she created and then disbursed the COVID-19 relief funds into bank accounts she controlled and used to pay for her own personal expenses.

    Hynes admitted that she intended to cause approximately $3,174,323 in losses and she received approximately $2,255,244 in fraudulent proceeds from this scheme.

    In a related scheme, Hynes used some of the same companies named in her PPP and EIDL fraud to submit bogus tax forms to the IRS, requesting refunds. Following COVID-19’s outbreak, Congress enacted laws authorizing the IRS to reduce the employment tax burdens of small businesses and reimburse those businesses for wages paid to employees who were on sick or family leave and could not work because of the pandemic. During the tax years 2020 and 2021, the IRS offered the Employee Retention Credit and paid sick and family leave credit to businesses that were significantly impacted by COVID-19.

    From May 2021 to April 2022, Hynes caused to be submitted 12 tax forms that sought refunds based on false statements on behalf of Nasty Womxn Project LLC, She Suite Ventures, and Casie Hynes Consulting. Hynes knew these companies had little to no business operations, did not have the number of employees she claimed, and did not pay the quarterly wages she claimed in the tax forms.

    Hynes fraudulently sought approximately $1,255,703 in COVID-19 tax credits and tax refunds through these false claims, none of which the IRS paid.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    Tips and complains from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint From at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Report for the fourth quarter of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Oslo, 28 February 2025

    Highlights in the quarter and for the full year

    Interoil’s total operated production 2024 was 754.918 barrels of oil equivalent (boe), a decrease from 949.778 boe in the same period of 2023. Operations in 2024 were impacted by downhole equipment failure at the Vikingo well and harsh winter conditions in Argentina. These challenges resulted in revenues of USD 16.8 million, down from USD 19.2 million in the prior year.

    Interoil Colombia successfully completed a downhole intervention to the Vikingo well. Current production at present is on average 150 bopd.

    The Company decided to establish an Audit Committee on 18 October. The initial members are Ms. Isabel Valado, who possesses a recognized background and extensive experience in accounting, administration, and finance; Mr. Germán Ranftl Moreno, who brings 25 years of experience in finance and accounting; and Mr. Hugo Quevedo, Chair of the who has extensive experience in corporate matters and the oil and gas and energy sectors

    In August, Interoil revised its Q2 and H1 financial reports due to an unintentional error in the Q1 figures, prompting formal investigations by Finanstilsynet and Oslo Børs (OSE). In December, the investigations concluded, resulting in a NOK 750,000 violation charge from Oslo Børs. Additionally, the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority, imposed a NOK 800,000 violation charge for breaches of applicable regulations.

    Subsequent Events

    In January, at the Company’s request, bondholders approved amendments to the bond terms to settle the full January 2025 interest payment in kind by issuing and delivering additional bonds.

    In January, Interoil launched its well service campaign in the Mana Field, aiming to service five wells. The pulling rig is currently working on the second well of the planned sequence. The campaign seeks to recover up to 50 bopd and 600 kscfpd of gas.

    For more information, please see enclosed Interoil Exploration and Production ASA’s Report for the fourth quarter of 2024.

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    ******

    Please direct any further questions to ir@interoil.no (mailto:ir@interoil.no)

    About Interoil

    Interoil Exploration and Production ASA is a Norwegian based exploration and production company – listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with focus on Latin America. The Company is operator and license holder of several production and exploration assets in Colombia and Argentina with headquarter in Oslo.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Blasts Trump Admin for Lawlessly Cancelling Lifesaving USAID, State Programs Important to America’s National Interests

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “The Trump administration has chosen to spit in the face of the law and Congress—expressing total disdain for a court order mandating that they release the foreign aid funding they had illegally withheld.”
    Murray: “If Ebola, Marburg, or any other infectious disease makes it to our shores, it will be thanks to Elon and Trump—two billionaires without a clue who are positively smug about their own ignorance.”
    ***VIDEO HERE***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to speak out about the Trump administration’s decision on Wednesday to illegally terminate 90% of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and 60% of State Department programs.
    Senator Murray has been sounding the alarms about the Trump administration flagrantly violating the law to block enacted funding across government, dismantle long-established agencies like USAID, and recklessly fire federal workers en masse. Earlier this week, she blasted the Trump for permanently eliminating 1,600 USAID employees positions in violation of the law.
    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
    “M. President, I come to the floor today to make a simple point: the law cannot be in the eye of the beholder.
    “The law is the law—but yet again, we are seeing the Trump administration break the law. 
    “Many of us have been closely following the Trump administration’s illegal freeze of congressionally appropriated funding, including of foreign aid—not just from the State Department, but also from USAID, the African Development Foundation, Inter-American Foundation, and other independent agencies.
    “Each of these agencies’ existence as an independent entity has long been enshrined in statute, and reaffirmed by bipartisan majorities in both chambers year-after-year in annual appropriations.
    “Our appropriations law also explicitly requires the administration to notify and consult with Congress before undertaking any efforts to reorganize, realign, or downsize foreign affairs agencies—as the sweeping reductions in force issued last week and many other brazen actions we’ve seen clearly seek to do.
    “The Administration’s actions—including firing the USAID Inspector General and the State IG—will make waste and fraud more likely and will prevent even foreign assistance programs allegedly supported by the administration from being effectively implemented and will also effectively block hundreds of millions of dollars for other programs enacted into law by bipartisan majorities.
    “Needless to say, the Trump administration has not consulted or notified Congress about these changes—that is in violation of the law.
    “But this week they took a further step. The Trump administration has chosen to spit in the face of the law and Congress—expressing total disdain for a court order mandating that they release the foreign aid funding they had illegally withheld.
    “When finally told they must comply, Secretary Rubio personally approved the termination of 90% of USAID programs, and 60% of State Department programs—virtually overnight.
    “They terminated more than $58 billion in multi-year programs, and have told us they have no intention of utilizing those funds.
    “The termination of those awards is absolutely not what Congress intended. Congress appropriated the funding, on a bipartisan basis, with the express intent to see those dollars spent.
    “This is not trivial stuff. We are talking about resources that often mean the difference between life and death. Resources that are imperative, not just because they are lifesaving but because they are an investment in our own national security—and U.S. businesses.
    “Let’s take Ebola for example: USAID helps other countries around the world respond to and contain Ebola outbreaks. That’s pretty darn important because there is no known cure for Ebola.
    “Thanks to the good work of USAID—along with our international partners, often supported by USAID awards—we have never had an Ebola outbreak here at home.
    “Yesterday, at President Trump’s cabinet meeting, Elon Musk even admitted that, ‘yes we want to fight Ebola’—of course, then he said, they accidentally cut USAID’s Ebola prevention efforts, but that it had been ‘restored’ with no ‘interruption.’
    “Yet we know for a fact that is a lie. U.S.-based companies implementing these programs received termination notices yesterday.
    “Any basic accounting of USAID’s capacity to stop outbreaks abroad shows quite plainly that any disease prevention efforts supported by the U.S. at this point are merely symbolic.
    “You cannot break the foundation of public health systems overseas and expect that it won’t have a damaging impact here at home. This makes America less safe.
    “If Ebola, Marburg, or any other infectious disease makes it to our shores, it will be thanks to Elon and Trump—two billionaires without a clue who are positively smug about their own ignorance. 
    “But it’s not just our infectious disease response that has now been gutted. Everything from resources to help prevent kids from getting malaria to aid for refugees in war torn places like Syria where it is directly in our national security interest to foster stability.
    “And it’s not just resources for far-away places—this will hit home in blue and red states. U.S. universities in my home state, in Indiana, in Florida, in Texas, and other states have had their partnerships terminated.
    “American students from across our country that are now participating in exchange programs overseas are impacted by this.
    “To put it into perspective for my colleagues: 5,800 of 6,300 USAID grants and contracts are being terminated—that’s nine out of ten—and that’s not to mention 4,100 of 6,800 State Department grants and contracts.
    “And the only detail we have is from NGOs, faith-based organizations, and U.S. contractors sending these termination notices to our committee.
    “We do not have one shred of detail from the State Department. Not one shred. The scale is staggering—and it shows you that this administration’s scheme is to bulldoze right through restraining orders and court orders so that by the time the law catches up to them, the damage will have been done.
    “Compliance is easy at that point. What’s left to fix once you’ve burned everything to the ground?
    “This administration knows full well they are breaking the law. They are showing us all in plain view that their goal is to do irreparable damage—as much as possible, as fast as possible.
    “Well, I am sounding the alarm because this illegal power grab is in direct violation of congressional intent and appropriations law.
    “The Supreme Court should act with haste to bring this administration to account and ensure that money Congress appropriated gets to where it was intended.
    “Whether it’s President Trump, or Elon Musk, or the Secretary of State calling the shots, Congress has no visibility into DOGE’s actions, frustrating our ability to write funding bills when government funding runs out in weeks. 
    “By ignoring the law and congressional intent, the administration has created chaos, they have eroded trust in the United States, and made way for Russia and China to take advantage of this leadership vacuum.
    “No one should fall for this thin veneer about ‘efficiency’ while the Administration racks up legal fees, overdue payments to contractors, pays people not to work, and forces a global recall of staff.
    “We have a process to avoid this kind of chaos. The President submits his or her budget request to Congress. Congress holds hearings publicly, and writes and passes bills that become law. 
    “We have explicit notification and consultation requirements for foreign assistance funding for a reason.
    “M. President—do I need to march down to the National Archives? Do I need to make sure we still have a Constitution?
    “Do I need to check whether the laws we passed are still there? Or did they start running them through a shredder? Because as blatant and persistent as it has been, no one—no one—should expect this kind of lawlessness to fade away.
    “I cast my votes and speak on this floor as a voice for the people of the state I represent, Washington state. I was not elected to let the President or some unaccountable billionaire decide how their tax dollars get spent.
    “Every Senator here should speak loudly with one unified voice: Congress holds the power of the purse, and no President can unilaterally abolish an entire agency or ignore our appropriations laws.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-Italy Young Leaders Programme

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    UK-Italy Young Leaders Programme

    This UK-Italy programme brings together a group of professionals whose common link is their leadership and passion for forging closer UK and Italy ties.

    Young Leaders Programme

    This competition is now closed. All successful candidates have been notified.

    Every year, the UK and Italian Government will hold an open competition to invite applications from young Italian and British professionals onto the programme. Young Leaders can come from all sectors, including positions in the civil service, the military, leading companies, politics, charitable organisations, start-ups or the arts. They are dedicated to encouraging closer relations between the UK and Italy by promoting an innovative vision of the future bilateral relationship.

    Successful applicants are asked to sign the Young Leaders Charter (see attachment) and invited to undertake a visit to both the UK and Italy, to encourage closer relations through understanding culture and values, promoting constructive dialogue, exchanging thoughts and ideas and promoting the bilateral relationship.

    Once the Young Leaders have completed their visits, they will be invited to join the “Young Leaders Alumni” network, which includes personalities from distinguished careers ranging from journalists, scientists, the military and academics to business entrepreneurs, writers, art directors and composers.

    The UK-Italy Young Leaders Programme is an initiative supported by both governments, and is delivered by the British Embassy in Rome and the Italian Embassy in London.

    Read the Young Leaders Charter

    Young Leaders Charter

    PDF, 448 KB, 3 pages

    Download the YLP pamphlet with more information on the programme

    UK-ITALY young leaders programme pamphlet

    PDF, 342 KB, 14 pages

    This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

    Request an accessible format.
    If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email fcdo.correspondence@fcdo.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

    Discover more about the 2024 young leaders (bios)

    Young Leaders 2024 – bios

    PDF, 889 KB, 6 pages

    New list of young leaders for 2025 (bios)

    Young Leaders 2025 – bios

    PDF, 650 KB, 12 pages

    Application process

    How can I apply for the Young Leaders Programme?

    To apply for the Programme, you must be a young professional under 40 years old (on the closing date for applications) who is a UK and/or Italian citizen. You must speak fluent English and demonstrate a commitment to build and shape UK-Italy bilateral relations.

    See attachment above for list of successful candidates for 2025.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Upcoming and Recent Speaking Engagements

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Several events in the coming weeks will allow me to highlight CBO’s projections in The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2025 to 2035, as well as the agency’s ongoing work.

    On Monday, March 3, I will summarize the budget and economic outlook at an annual conference hosted by the National Association for Business Economics. On Wednesday, March 5, I will participate in a panel on the state of the U.S. budget and the economy at the Milken Institute’s 2025 Finance Forum.

    The following week, on Monday morning, March 10, I will visit the Hoover Institution at Stanford University to discuss CBO’s latest budget projections.

    Budgetary issues were also the focus of remarks I delivered during a webcast for Market News International (MNI) on Monday, February 24. I discussed and answered questions about the long-term U.S. fiscal situation and other topics.

    Phillip L. Swagel is CBO’s Director.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Raleigh Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Illegally Export Sensitive Technology to China

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – David C. Bohmerwald, the owner of a Raleigh-based electronics resale business called Components Cooper, Inc., pled guilty to attempting to export accelerometer technology with military applications to China without a license, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act (“ECRA”), and faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced.  The case is the result of the district’s Disruptive Technology Strike Force (DTSF) cell.  

    “North Carolina is home to cutting-edge technologies that fuel our economy, improve our lives, and are vital to national security.  But our status as a major tech hub also makes us a target, as America’s foreign adversaries seek to acquire sensitive tech to advance their military might and interests around the world,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Bubar, “We’ve launched a multi-agency Disruptive Technology Strike Force cell to shut down international schemes that smuggle sensitive technology and IP to America’s adversaries. This case is just one example, exposing a scheme to evade U.S. export laws by shipping nearly $20,000 worth of accelerometers with missile applications from North Carolina to the People’s Republic of China.”

    “Consistent application and administration of our export controls is crucial for national security and economic stability,” said Jeffrey Levine, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Office of Export Enforcement Special Agent in Charge. “The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is another example of how those agencies with enforcement responsibilities work together to help prevent the proliferation of sensitive technologies and materials that could be used for military or terrorist purposes, ensuring that critical goods do not fall into the wrong hands.”

    “The disruption of this scheme to illegally export sensitive technology means that accelerometers and other items will not be used by unauthorized individuals or for adversarial purposes,” said Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant, who supervises Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Charlotte that covers North and South Carolina. “HSI is a proud member of the Disruptive Technology Strike Force and cases like this demonstrate HSI’s commitment to keeping military-grade equipment out of the hands of our adversaries. HSI will aggressively investigate, disrupt, and hold accountable criminals that supply sensitive technology to unauthorized users.”

    According to court documents, and information presented in court, Bohmerwald, age 63, purchased 100 accelerometers from a U.S.-based electronics company, and then attempted to export the devices to a company in China. These accelerometers have a wide array of applications ranging from research and development of products to defense uses. When used for military applications, accelerometers are crucial to structural testing, monitoring, flight control, and navigation systems. The technology can help missiles fly more accurately and measure the precise effect munitions have on structures. A license is required to export the accelerometers to China.

    The U.S. based electronics company notified law enforcement due to Bohmerwald’s suspicious and unusual purchase request. Among other things, when Bohmerwald purchased the accelerometers, he claimed that they were for an end user in Missouri. In fact, when federal agents contacted the Missouri company, they denied having an order pending with Bohmerwald and his business, Components Cooper.

    After Bohmerwald received the accelerometers, he dropped two parcels at a local FedEx shipping store. One of the packages was addressed to a business in China. An agent with the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, detained the package and found it contained 100 accelerometers. The agent confirmed that there were no relevant licenses on file to support the export of the items. In addition, Bohmerwald falsely listed the value of the package at $100, when the true value was nearly $20,000. When interviewed by agents, Bohmerwald admitted to acquiring the technology on behalf of a Chinese-based company, knowing that the technology was export-controlled, and knowing export of the items required a license.

    This case was coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. The Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the plea. BIS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles and Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00302-BO.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 2025 Annual News Conference

    Source: Caribbean Development Bank

    CDB’s Annual News Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. (AST).

    Speakers

    • Mr. Daniel Best, President
    • Mr. Ian Durant, Director, Economics Department
    • Mr. L. O’Reilly Lewis, Director, Projects Department (Ag.)
    • Ms. Valerie Isaac, Division Chief, Environmental Sustainability

    What to expect

    • The President’s vision for CDB and the role of the Bank in driving economic growth across the Region in 2025
    • A review of 2024 regional economic performance and the forecast for 2025
    • Highlights of the Bank’s projects in 2024 and a preview of planned projects and expected outcomes for 2025
    • The Bank’s priorities in the climate and environmental space for 2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Illegally Export Sensitive Technology to China

    Source: United States Attorneys General 10

    David C. Bohmerwald, 63, the owner of a Raleigh-based electronics resale business called Components Cooper Inc., pleaded guilty to attempting to export accelerometer technology with military applications to China without a license, in violation of the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced.

    According to court documents and information presented in court, Bohmerwald purchased 100 accelerometers from a U.S.-based electronics company and then attempted to export the devices to a company in China. These accelerometers have a wide array of applications ranging from research and development of products to defense uses. When used for military applications, accelerometers are crucial to structural testing, monitoring, flight control, and navigation systems. The technology can help missiles fly better and measure the precise effect munitions have on structures. A license is required to export the accelerometers to China.

    The U.S.-based electronics company notified law enforcement due to Bohmerwald’s suspicious and unusual purchase request. Among other things, when Bohmerwald purchased the accelerometers, he claimed that they were for an end user in Missouri. In fact, when federal agents contacted the Missouri company, they denied having an order pending with Bohmerwald and his business, Components Cooper.

    After Bohmerwald received the accelerometers, he dropped two parcels at a local FedEx shipping store. One of the packages was addressed to a business in China. An agent with the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), detained the package and found it contained 100 accelerometers. The agent confirmed that there were no relevant licenses on file to support the export of the items. In addition, Bohmerwald falsely listed the value of the package at $100, when the true value was nearly $20,000. When interviewed by agents, Bohmerwald admitted to acquiring the technology on behalf of a Chinese-based company, knowing that the technology was export-controlled, and knowing export of the items required a license.

    Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, John Sonderman, performing the non-exclusive duties of the Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.

    The BIS, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    This case was coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Admirals Group AS Unaudited Financial Results for 12 months of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Admirals Group AS Unaudited Financial Results for 12 months of 2024

    Despite lower client activity, Admirals Group AS delivered resilient trading income and positive EBITDA through effective cost control measures.

    • The Group’s net trading income decreased by 6% to EUR 38.4 million (2023: EUR 40.9 million), being supported by higher volatility on the financial markets.

    • The Group’s total operating expenses decreased by 16% to EUR 42.4 million (2023: EUR 50.3 million) as a result of cost optimisation efforts.

    • EBITDA was EUR 0.9 million (2023: EUR -6.5 million).

    • Net loss was EUR -1.6 million (2023: EUR -9.7 million).

    Although the income was supported by higher volatility in financial markets, Group’s cost optimisation effort was partly muted due to voluntary suspension of new client registrations in the Cyprus based operating company Admirals Europe Ltd. This company acts as the primary service entity of the Group in the EU which is one of the core markets for the Group’s business. The suspension started in April 2024 is voluntary and temporary in nature and it was necessary to allow for the implementation of required technical and organisational measures to ensure satisfactory alignment of Group’s product governance efforts with objectives and needs of it’s European clients. At the same time other Group entities continued to carry out their services uninterrupted as usual.

    Statement of Financial Position

    (in thousands of euros) 31.12.2024 31.12.2023
    Assets    
    Cash and cash equivalents 41,607 41,025
    Due from investment companies 18,736 18,961
    Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 1,228 5,062
    Loans and receivables 8,315 4,772
    Inventories 665 311
    Other assets 2,092 2,137
    Tangible fixed assets 1,359 1,950
    Right-of-use assets 2,541 2,603
    Intangible assets 3,304 5,147
    Total assets 79,847 81,968
         
    Liabilities    
    Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss 334 224
    Liabilities and accruals 3,326 4,318
    Deferred tax liability 0 1
    Subordinated debt securities 4,103 4,102
    Lease liabilities 2,818 2,894
    Total liabilities 10,581 11,539
         
    Equity    
    Share capital 250 250
    Own shares -456 -315
    Statutory reserve capital 25 25
    Currency translation reserve 30 -834
    Retained earnings 69,417 71,276
    Total equity attributable to owners of the parent 69,266 70,402
    Non-controlling interest 0 27
    Total equity 69,266 70,429
    Total liabilities and equity 79,847 81,968

     Statement of Comprehensive Income

    (in thousands of euros) 2024 2023
    Net gains from trading of financial assets at fair value through profit or loss with clients and liquidity providers 40,653 46,276
    Brokerage and commission fee revenue 1,408 2,134
    Brokerage and commission fee expense -3,558 -5,118
    Other trading activity related income 489 412
    Other trading activity related expense -583 -2,768
    Net income from trading 38,409 40,936
    Other income similar to interest 947 171
    Interest income calculated using the effective interest method 424 900
    Interest expense -472 -496
    Other income 3,004 741
    Other expenses -233 -185
    Net losses on exchange rate changes -1,016 -984
    Profit / (loss) from financial assets at fair value through profit or loss -444 61
    Personnel expenses -13,394 -15,231
    Operating expenses -25,412 -31,875
    Depreciation of tangible and intangible assets -2,594 -2,310
    Depreciation of right-of-use assets -787 -837
    (Loss) before income tax -1,568 -9,109
    Income tax -24 -616
    (Loss) for the reporting period -1,592 -9,725
    Other comprehensive income / (loss):    
    Items that subsequently may be reclassified to profit or loss:    
    Currency translation adjustment 864 -165
    Total other comprehensive income / (loss) for the reporting period 864 -165
    Total comprehensive (loss) / income for the reporting period -728 -9,890
    Net (loss) attributable to the owners of the parent -1,592 -9,746
    Net profit attributable to non-controlling interest 0 21
    (Loss) for the reporting period -1,592 -9,725
    Total comprehensive (loss) attributable to the owners of the parent -728 -9,911
    Total comprehensive income attributable non- controlling interest 0 21
    Total comprehensive (loss) for the reporting period -728 -9,890
    Basic and diluted earnings per share -0.65 -3.95

    Additional information: 

    Lauri Reinberg 
    Chief financial officer of Admirals Group AS
    lauri.reinberg@admiralmarkets.com 
    +372 6309 300
    https://www.admirals.group/

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Admiral Markets AS Unaudited Financial Results 12 Months of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Admiral Markets AS Unaudited Financial Results 12 Months of 2024

    Despite lower client activity, Admirals Markets AS delivered resilient trading income and positive net profit through effective cost control measures. 
    • Net trading income increased by 48% to EUR 13.5 million (2023: EUR 9.1 million) being supported by higher volatility on the financial markets.
    • Total operating expenses decreased by 26% to EUR 13.7 million (2023: EUR 18.5 million).
    • EBITDA was EUR 2.0 million (2023: EUR -6.9 million).
    • Net profit was EUR 1.3 million (2023: EUR -8.2 million).

    Although the income was supported by higher volatility in financial markets, Admirals Group’s cost optimisation effort was partly muted due to voluntary suspension of new client registrations in the Cyprus based operating company Admirals Europe Ltd. This company acts as the primary service entity of the Group in the EU which is one of the core markets for the Group’s business. The suspension started in April 2024 is voluntary and temporary in nature and it was necessary to allow for the implementation of required technical and organisational measures to ensure satisfactory alignment of Group’s product governance efforts with objectives and needs of it’s European clients. At the same time other Group entities continued to carry out their services uninterrupted as usual.

    Statement of Financial Position

    (in thousands of euros) 31.12.2024 31.12.2023
    Assets    
    Due from credit institutions 19,381 10,175
    Due from investment companies 13,362 9,014
    Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 2,516 6,353
    Loans and receivables 29,231 37,274
    Inventories 665 311
    Other assets 650 970
    Investment into subsidiaries 4,180 4,180
    Tangible fixed assets 1,041 1,494
    Right-of-use asset 1,757 2,221
    Intangible fixed assets 2,821 2,943
    Total assets 75,604 74,935
         
    Liabilities    
    Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss 333 217
    Liabilities and prepayments 744 980
    Subordinated debt securities 1,347 1,353
    Lease liabilities 2,025 2,499
    Total liabilities 4,449 5,049
         
    Equity    
    Share capital 2,586 2,586
    Statutory reserve capital 259 259
    Retained earnings 68,310 67,041
    Total equity 71,155 69,886
    Total liabilities and equity 75,604 74,935

    Statement of Comprehensive Income

    (in thousands of euros) 2024 2023
    Net gains from trading of financial assets at fair value through profit or loss with clients and liquidity providers 37,435 41,777
    Brokerage and commission fee revenue 1,062 1,668
    Brokerage and commission fee expense -25,451 -34,656
    Other trading activity related income 418 339
    Net income from trading 13,464 9,128
    Other income similar to interest 85 172
    Interest income calculated using the effective interest method 1,366 1,044
    Interest expense -155 -184
    Other income 433 877
    Other expense 0 10
    Net gains on exchange rate changes 198 -214
    Net loss from financial assets at fair value through profit or loss -444 61
    Personnel expenses -4,019 -4,634
    Operating expenses -7,642 -12,168
    Depreciation of tangible and intangible assets   -1,532 -1,259
    Depreciation of right-of-use assets -485 -484
    (Loss) / Profit before income tax 1,269 -7,651
    Income tax 0 -535
    Net (loss) / profit for the reporting period 1,269 -8,186
    Comprehensive income for the reporting period 1,269 -8,186
    Basic and diluted earnings per share 3.14 -20.26

    Additional information: 

    Lauri Reinberg 
    Chief financial officer of Admirals Group AS
    lauri.reinberg@admiralmarkets.com 
    +372 6309 300
    https://www.admirals.group/

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: HTXMining: Enhancing Crypto Staking Accessibility with Secure and Efficient Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HTXMining, a Liquidity Staking Platform, introduced an advanced Liquidity Staking Platform aimed at providing users with a streamlined and efficient way to participate in cryptocurrency staking. HTXMining can rock the world of cryptocurrencies with its appealing features. Htxmining impressed its investors by providing new ways to make the most of their digital assets, all while keeping things safe and profitable.

    Image by HTXMining

    HTXMining: The Future of Crypto Staking

    Cryptocurrency staking provides a means to engage in blockchain networks by contributing digital assets. This process helps secure transactions and validate blocks, and in return, participants earn rewards. Compared to traditional mining, staking presents a more environmentally conscious option, as it does not require significant hardware investments or excessive energy usage. Platforms like HTXMining offer staking services that allow assets to be locked for a specified duration in exchange for staking rewards.

    Liquidity Staking: Maintaining Asset Availability

    Liquidity staking on HTXMining enables participants to stake assets while maintaining access to their funds, allowing continued trading or utilization while earning staking rewards. This feature is unique to HTXMining, providing investors with flexibility and financial freedom. Prot potential can be maximized by providing liquidity to decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and automated market makers (AMMs) without sacrificing asset availability.

    Liquidity Mining for Enhanced Engagement

    In addition to staking, HTXMining offers liquidity mining options where participants contribute assets to liquidity pools in decentralized nance (DeFi) protocols. As part of this process, contributors support market operations and may receive incentives based on their contribution levels.

    The platform offers diverse liquidity mining pools. Whether staking Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin (BTC), or stablecoins like USDT and USDC, HTXMining ensures that participants can diversify their investments while optimizing earnings.

    Why HTXMining Serves as a Good Crypto Staking Platform

    HTXMining is regarded as a reliable platform for crypto staking due to its commitment to transparency, security, and portability. Among the key distinguishing features of HTXMining are:

    Flexible Staking Options: A range of staking durations is available, tailored to various financial strategies.

    Low Transaction Fees: Minimal transaction fees enable participants to maximize staking and liquidity mining rewards.

    User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive interface of HTXMining ensures accessibility for both beginners and experienced users.

    24/7 Customer Support: HTXMining provides continuous assistance to address any inquiries.

    Ways to Earn with HTXMining

    HTXMining continues to evolve its platform with planned integrations of AI-powered staking optimization, advanced DeFi tools, and multi-chain support, expanding engagement across various blockchain networks. The platform is designed for both beginners and experienced investors, offering multiple earning methods, including:

    1. Traditional Staking

    Traditional staking on HTXMining provides a low-risk method to earn rewards with cryptocurrency. It offers a stable and predictable return, making it an attractive option for investors who prioritize a reliable income stream.

    2. Liquidity Staking

    Liquidity staking on HTXMining enables investors to stake assets while still maintaining access to liquidity. The Liquidity Staking mechanism ensures that stakers benefit from both trading and staking rewards.

    3. Liquidity Mining

    HTXMining’s liquidity mining pools present another lucrative investment avenue. Investors can enhance overall earnings by contributing assets to liquidity pools.

    4. Referral and Affiliate Programs

    Beyond staking, HTXMining offers a referral and affiliate program that provides additional earning potential. Commissions can be earned by introducing new participants to the platform, creating opportunities for increased revenue.

    HTXMining: A Leading Liquidity Staking Platform

    HTXMining’s robust security measures and liquidity mining solutions offer an effective way to earn income through cryptocurrency staking. Regardless of experience level in the crypto industry, the platform is designed to accommodate all participants. HTXMining ensures maximum rewards with top-tier security and a seamless user experience.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risk, and there is potential for loss of funds. It is strongly recommended to practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.

    Media Contact:

    Paul Winterowd, HTXMining
    +15757887086
    info@htxmining.com
    https://htxmining.com/

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c3e6962a-3240-4490-9e74-7b424a9a6f08

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: Unified Arab position will ‘help guide the way forward’

    Source: United Nations 4

    Peace and Security

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday stressed that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza must hold, urging all parties to honour their commitments and prevent a breakdown of the agreement.

    Addressing journalists at UN Headquarters in New York, he announced that he will be travelling to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, next week, for the Extraordinary Summit of the League of Arab States.

    The emergency Summit is set to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza, which had been at the centre of an intense Israeli military operation following the brutal 7 October terror attacks by Hamas and other terrorist groups against communities in southern Israel.

    More than 1,200 Israeli civilians were killed and more than 250 taken hostage.

    Peace and stability

    The UN chief said that Tuesday’s Summit provides an opportunity for leaders from across the Arab world “to come together and discuss the elements required to deliver peace and stability” in the enclave.

    “Their unified position will help guide the way forward,” he stressed.

    Until the ceasefire took effect on 19 January, more than 47,000 Palestinians were killed in the fighting and tens of thousands more injured tens of thousands, according to Gazan health authorities. Over 90 per cent of the enclave’s housing units have been damaged or destroyed.

    Ceasefire must be extended

    “The ceasefire and hostage release deal must hold. The coming days are critical. The parties must spare no effort to avoid a breakdown of this deal,” Mr. Guterres told reporters.

    “I urge them to uphold their commitments and implement all of it in full.”

    He reiterated his call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, with humane treatment guaranteed for those in captivity, while also underscoring the need to maintain humanitarian aid to the enclave.

    “Each moment the ceasefire holds means more people reached and more lives saved,” the UN chief added.

    Political framework for Gaza’s future

    While ending the immediate crisis is essential, Mr. Guterres also underscored that a long-term political framework was needed for Gaza’s recovery, reconstruction and lasting stability.

    “This framework must be based on clear principles. This means staying true to the bedrock of international law,” he said.

    He insisted the need to prevent any form of ethnic cleansing, ensuring no long-term Israeli military presence in Gaza, addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns, and accountability for violations of international law.

    “And it means Gaza remaining an integral part of an independent, democratic and sovereign Palestinian State, with no reductions in its territory or forced transfer of its population,” he added.

    Any transitional arrangements, he stated, should have a clear and limited timeframe leading to a unified Palestinian administration.

    Escalation in West Bank must end

    Mr. Guterres also voiced concern over rising violence in the West Bank, where Israeli military operations and settler attacks have led to deaths, displacement, and destruction.

    “Unilateral actions, including settlement expansion and threats of annexation, must stop,” he said, calling for an end to attacks on civilians and their property.

    Two-State solution the only path

    The only path to lasting peace is a two-State solution, said Mr. Guterres, where Israel and Palestine live side by side, in peace and security and in line with international law and UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.

    “The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, to chart their own future, and to live on their land in freedom and security,” he said.

    At next week’s Summit in Cairo, Mr. Guterres said he would call for sustainable reconstruction and a “unified, clear and principled” political solution.

    “Palestinians deserve lasting stability and a just and principled peace. And the people of Israel deserve to live in peace and security,” he said.

    “At this fragile moment, we must avoid a resumption of hostilities that would deepen the suffering and further destabilize a region that is already perched on a knife’s edge.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the press [please scroll down for Arabic]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Ladies and gentlemen of the media,  

    I want to start by expressing my deep concern about information received in the last 48 hours by UN agencies — as well as many humanitarian and development NGOs — regarding severe cuts in funding by the United States. 

    These cuts impact a wide range of critical programmes.

    From lifesaving humanitarian aid, to support for vulnerable communities recovering from war or natural disaster.

    From development, to the fight against terrorism and illicit drug trafficking.  

    The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world. 

    In Afghanistan, more than 9 million people will miss out on health and protection services, with hundreds of mobile health teams and other services suspended. 

    In north-east Syria, where 2.5 million people need assistance, the absence of US funding means programmes are leaving large populations even more vulnerable.

    In Ukraine, cash-based programming — a key feature of the humanitarian response, reaching 1 million people in 2024 — has been suspended in key regions.

    In South Sudan, funding has run out for programmes to support people who have fled the conflict in neighbouring Sudan, leaving border areas dangerously overcrowded.

    Meanwhile, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime will be forced to stop many of its counter-narcotics programmes, including the one fighting the fentanyl crisis, and dramatically reduce activities against human trafficking. 

    And funding for many programmes combatting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera have stopped. 

    We have been extremely grateful for the leading role the United States has provided over the decades. 

    For example, thanks to the generosity of donors — led by the United States — the UN assists and protects more than 100 million people every year through our humanitarian programming.

    From Gaza to Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine and beyond. 

    American funding directly supports people living through wars, famines and disasters, providing essential health care, shelter, water, food and education — the list goes on. 

    The message is clear. 

    The generosity and compassion of the American people have not only saved lives, built peace and improved the state of the world. 

    They have contributed to the stability and prosperity that Americans depend on.  

    United Nations staff members around the world are deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together — as partners. 

    Now going through with these cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe and less prosperous. 

    The reduction of America’s humanitarian role and influence will run counter to American interests globally. 

    I can only hope that these decisions can be reversed based on more careful reviews, and the same applies to other countries that have recently announced reductions in humanitarian and development aid. 

    In the meantime, every United Nations agency stands ready to provide the necessary information and justification for its projects.

    And we look forward to working with the United States in this regard.  

    All humanitarian coordinators in the field are urgently updating strategies on how to protect as much lifesaving work as possible. 

    The Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which brings together UN humanitarian agencies and our partners, has agreed on an ambitious plan for efficiency and prioritization.

    Our absolute priority remains clear. 

    We will do everything we can to provide life-saving aid to those in urgent need.

    And we will continue our efforts to diversify the pool of generous donors who support our work.  

    We remain committed to making the global humanitarian effort as efficient, accountable and innovative as possible while continuing to save lives. 

    Dear ladies and gentlemen of the media, 

    Next Tuesday, I will be in Cairo to join the Extraordinary Summit of the League of Arab States to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza. 

    Since the horrific attacks of terror by Hamas in Israel on October 7, the ensuing hostilities have unleashed an unprecedented level of death and destruction in Gaza. 

    Gaza has become a nexus of death, displacement, hunger and disease. 

    Hospitals, schools and water facilities have been destroyed and reduced to rubble.  

    And the risk of further destruction looms over the population. 

    Tuesday’s Summit is an opportunity for leaders across the Arab world to come together and discuss the elements required to deliver peace and stability in Gaza. 

    Their unified position will help guide the way forward. 

    I will outline key priorities. 
     
    First — the ceasefire and hostage release deal must hold. 

    The coming days are critical. 

    The parties must spare no effort to avoid a breakdown of this deal. 

    I urge them to uphold their commitments and implement all of them in full. 

    All hostages must be released immediately, unconditionally and in a dignified manner.

    The parties must ensure humane treatment for all those held under their power. 

    All transfers must be carried out in a dignified way and as per the terms of the deal. 

    Humanitarian aid must be maintained, protected and funded, flowing without impediment to reach people in desperate need. 

    Each moment the ceasefire holds means more people reached and more lives saved.  

    Time and again, we’ve shown what we can deliver. 

    Since the ceasefire, humanitarians have been able to scale-up and expand operations in Gaza, including to areas that were unreachable during the fighting. 

    Together with our partners, we’ve reached hundreds of thousands of people…

    Providing food to nearly everyone in Gaza.

    Delivering shelter kits, clothing and other essential items to tens of thousands of displaced people.

    And doubling the amount of clean water available to people in Gaza.  

    Meanwhile, our partners have distributed medical supplies reaching some 1.8 million people, helping health facilities continue their lifesaving work. 

    The message is clear. 

    With the right conditions and access, we can do far more.  

    The ceasefire must hold. We must keep the humanitarian lifeline open. 

    As part of this, I will once again appeal for the urgent and full support of UNRWA’s work.

    UNRWA’s unique role must be maintained. 

    Second — ending the immediate crisis is only a first step.  

    There must be a clear political framework that lays the groundwork for Gaza’s recovery, reconstruction and lasting stability. 

    This framework must be based on clear principles. 

    This means staying true to the bedrock of international law. 

    It means preventing any form of ethnic cleansing. 

    It means there should be no long-term Israeli military presence in Gaza. 

    It means addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns. 

    It means accountability for violations of international law. 

    And it means Gaza remains an integral part of an independent, democratic and sovereign Palestinian state, with no reductions in its territory or forced transfer of its population. 

    Both Gaza and the occupied West Bank — including East Jerusalem — must be treated as one — politically, economically and administratively.

    And governed by a Palestinian government that is accepted and supported by the Palestinian people.  

    And any transitional arrangements must be designed to achieve a unified Palestinian government within a precise and limited timeframe.

    I will also call for an urgent de-escalation of the alarming situation in the West Bank.   

    Unilateral actions, including settlement expansion and threats of annexation, must stop.

    I call for an end to attacks on civilians and their property. 

    Finally, we must take tangible steps — now — towards the realization of a two-State solution.

    The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, to chart their own future, and to live on their land in freedom and security. 

    The only path to lasting peace is one where two states — Israel and Palestine — live side by side in peace and security, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.

    Palestinians deserve lasting stability and a just and principled peace. 

    And the people of Israel deserve to live in peace and security. 

    At this fragile moment, we must avoid a resumption of hostilities that would deepen the suffering and further destabilize a region that is already perched on a knife’s edge. 

    We need sustainable reconstruction and a unified, clear and principled political solution. 

    That’s what I will call for in Cairo next week. 

    Thank you.
    ******************

    حضرات السيدات والسادة الإعلاميين،

    أود أن أبدأ بالإعراب عن قلقي العميق إزاء المعلومات التي وردت في الساعات الـ 48 الماضية من قبل وكالات الأمم المتحدة – وكذلك العديد من المنظمات غير الحكومية الإنسانية والمعنية بالتنمية – بشأن التخفيضات الحادة في التمويل من قبل الولايات المتحدة.

    وتؤثر هذه التخفيضات على مجموعة واسعة من البرامج الحاسمة…

    من المساعدات الإنسانية المنقذة للحياة، إلى دعم المجتمعات الهشة التي تتعافى من الحروب أو الكوارث الطبيعية…

    ومن التنمية إلى مكافحة الإرهاب والاتجار غير المشروع بالمخدرات.

    ستكون العواقب مدمرة بشكل خاص على الفئات الضعيفة في جميع أنحاء العالم.

    ففي أفغانستان، سيُحرم أكثر من تسعة ملايين شخص من الخدمات الصحية وخدمات الحماية، مع تعليق الخدمات التي تقدمها مئات الفرق الصحية المتنقلة.

    أما في شمال شرق سوريا، حيث يحتاج 2.5 مليون شخص إلى المساعدة، فإن غياب التمويل الأمريكي يعني أن البرامج ستترك أعدادا كبيرة من السكان أكثر عرضة للخطر.

    في أوكرانيا، تم تعليق البرامج القائمة على النقد في مناطق رئيسية – وهذه البرامج تُعدّ سمة رئيسية للاستجابة الإنسانية وقد وصلت إلى مليون شخص في عام 2024.

    أما في جنوب السودان، فقد نفد التمويل المخصص لبرامج دعم الأشخاص الذين فروا بسبب النزاع في السودان المجاور، مما ترك المناطق الحدودية مكتظة بشكل خطير.

    وفي الوقت نفسه، سوف يضطر مكتب الأمم المتحدة المعني بالمخدرات والجريمة إلى وقف العديد من برامجه لمكافحة المخدرات، بما في ذلك برنامج مكافحة أزمة الفنتانيل، وتقليص أنشطة مكافحة الاتجار بالبشر بشكل كبير.

    وتوقف تمويل العديد من برامج مكافحة فيروس نقص المناعة البشرية/الإيدز والسل والملاريا والكوليرا.

    وأعربنا عن امتناننا للغاية للدور الرائد الذي قدمته الولايات المتحدة على مدى عقود.

    فعلى سبيل المثال، وبفضل سخاء المانحين – وعلى رأسهم الولايات المتحدة – تساعد الأمم المتحدة وتحمي أكثر من 100 مليون شخص كل عام من خلال برامجنا الإنسانية…

    من غزة إلى السودان وأفغانستان وسوريا وأوكرانيا وغيرها.

    يدعم التمويل الأمريكي بشكل مباشر الناس الذين يعيشون في الحروب والمجاعات والكوارث، ويوفر لهم الرعاية الصحية الأساسية والمأوى والمياه والغذاء والتعليم – والقائمة تطول.

    الرسالة واضحة.

    إن سخاء الشعب الأمريكي وتعاطفه لم ينقذ الأرواح ويبني السلام ويحسّن حالة العالم فحسب.

    لقد ساهم في تحقيق الاستقرار والازدهار الذي يعتمد عليه الأمريكيون.

    إن موظفي الأمم المتحدة حول العالم فخورون للغاية بما أنجزناه معا – كشركاء.

    إن المضي قدماً في هذه الاقتطاعات سيجعل العالم أقل صحة وأقل أمناً وأقل ازدهاراً.

    وسيتعارض تقليص دور أمريكا الإنساني ونفوذها مع المصالح الأمريكية على الصعيد العالمي.

    لا يسعني إلا أن آمل في أن يتم التراجع عن هذه القرارات بناء على مراجعات أكثر دقة، وينطبق الأمر نفسه على الدول الأخرى التي أعلنت مؤخرا عن تخفيضات في المساعدات الإنسانية والإنمائية.

    وفي غضون ذلك، تقف كل وكالة من وكالات الأمم المتحدة على أهبة الاستعداد لتقديم المعلومات والمبررات اللازمة لمشاريعها.

    ونحن نتطلع إلى العمل مع الولايات المتحدة في هذا الصدد.

    يقوم جميع منسقي الشؤون الإنسانية في الميدان بتحديث الاستراتيجيات على وجه السرعة حول كيفية توفير حماية بأكبر قدر ممكن من العمل المنقذ للحياة.

    وقد اتفقت اللجنة الدائمة المشتركة بين الوكالات، التي تجمع بين وكالات الأمم المتحدة الإنسانية وشركائنا، على خطة طموحة لتحقيق الكفاءة وتحديد الأولويات.

    وتبقى أولويتنا المطلقة واضحة.

    سنبذل كل ما في وسعنا لتقديم المساعدات المنقذة للحياة لمن هم في حاجة ماسة إليها.

    وسنواصل جهودنا لتنويع مجموعة المانحين الأسخياء الذين يدعمون عملنا.

    وسنظل ملتزمين بجعل الجهود الإنسانية العالمية فعالة وخاضعة للمساءلة ومبتكرة قدر الإمكان مع الاستمرار في إنقاذ الأرواح.

    حضرات السيدات والسادة الإعلاميين،

    سأكون يوم الثلاثاء المقبل في القاهرة للمشاركة في مؤتمر القمة الاستثنائي لجامعة الدول العربية لمناقشة إعادة إعمار غزة.

    ومنذ الهجمات الإرهابية المروعة التي شنتها حماس في إسرائيل في 7 تشرين الأول/أكتوبر، جرّت الأعمال العدائية التي أعقبت ذلك مستويات غير مسبوقة من الموت والدمار في غزة.

    فأصبحت غزة بؤرة للموت والنزوح والجوع والمرض.

    ودُمّرت المستشفيات والمدارس ومرافق المياه وتحولت إلى أنقاض.

    ويحدق بالسكان خطر التعرض للمزيد من الدمار.

    ويمثل مؤتمر القمة الذي سيُعقد الثلاثاء فرصة ليجتمع قادة العالم العربي ويناقشوا العناصر المطلوبة لتحقيق السلام والاستقرار في غزة.

    وسيساعد موقفهم الموحد في توجيه سُبل المضي قدما.

    وسأحدد فيما يلي الأولويات الرئيسية.

    أولا – يجب أن يصمد اتفاق وقف إطلاق النار وإطلاق سراح الرهائن.

    الأيام القادمة حاسمة.

    ولا يجب على الطرفين ادّخار أي جهد لتجنب انهيار هذا الاتفاق.

    وأحثهما على الوفاء بالتزاماتهما وتنفيذها بالكامل.

    ويجب إطلاق سراح جميع الرهائن فورا ودون شروط وبطريقة تصون كرامتهم.

    ويجب على الطرفين ضمان المعاملة الإنسانية لجميع المحتجزين تحت سلطتهم.

    ويجب الاستمرار في تقديم المساعدات الإنسانية وحمايتها وتمويلها والسماح بإيصالها دون عوائق إلى الأشخاص الذين هم في أمس الحاجة إليها.

    وكل لحظة يصمد فيها وقف إطلاق النار تعني الوصول إلى عدد أكبر من الأشخاص وإنقاذ المزيد من الأرواح.

    لقد بيّنا مرارا وتكرارا ما يمكننا تقديمه.

    ومنذ وقف إطلاق النار، تمكّن العاملون في المجال الإنساني من تكثيف عملياتهم في غزة وتوسيع نطاقها، بما في ذلك إلى المناطق التي تعذّر الوصول إليها أثناء القتال.

    وبالتعاون مع شركائنا، وصلنا إلى مئات الآلاف من الأشخاص…

    ووفّرنا الغذاء لجميع السكان في غزة تقريبا…

    وأوصلنا مستلزمات الإيواء والملابس وغيرها من المواد الأساسية لعشرات الآلاف من النازحين…

    وضاعفنا كمية المياه النظيفة المتاحة للناس في غزة.

    وفي الوقت نفسه، قام شركاؤنا بتوزيع الإمدادات الطبية لتصل إلى حوالي 1,8 مليون شخص، مما ساعد المرافق الصحية على مواصلة عملها المنقذ للحياة.

    رسالتنا واضحة.

    إذا ما توفرت لنا الظروف المناسبة وأُتيح لنا الوصول، يمكننا القيام بأكثر من ذلك بكثير.

    ويجب أن يصمد وقف إطلاق النار. ويجب أن نُبقي شريان الحياة الإنساني مفتوحا.

    وفي هذا الإطار، إنني أناشد مرة أخرى من أجل تقديم الدعم العاجل والكامل لعمل الأونروا.

    ويجب الحفاظ على دور الأونروا الفريد من نوعه.

    ثانيا – إنهاء الأزمة الآنية ليس سوى الخطوة الأولى.

    يجب أن يكون هناك إطار سياسي واضح يُرسي الأسس اللازمة للتعافي وإعادة الإعمار وتحقيق الاستقرار الدائم في غزة.

    ويجب أن يستند هذا الإطار إلى مبادئ واضحة.

    وهذا يعني الالتزام بأسس القانون الدولي.

    وهذا يعني منع أي شكل من أشكال التطهير العرقي.

    وهذا يعني أنه ينبغي ألا يكون هناك وجود عسكري إسرائيلي طويل الأمد في غزة.

    وهذا يعني معالجة الشواغل الأمنية المشروعة لإسرائيل.

    وهذا يعني المساءلة عن انتهاكات القانون الدولي.

    وهذا يعني بقاء غزة جزءا لا يتجزأ من دولة فلسطينية مستقلة وديمقراطية وذات سيادة، دون أي انتقاص من أراضيها أو نقل قسري لسكانها.

    ويجب التعامل مع قطاع غزة والضفة الغربية المحتلة – بما في ذلك القدس الشرقية – ككيان واحد – سياسيا واقتصاديا وإداريا…

    تحكمهما حكومة فلسطينية يقبلها الشعب الفلسطيني ويدعمها.

    ويجب أن تصمم أي ترتيبات انتقالية بهدف التوصّل إلى حكومة فلسطينية موحدة في إطار زمني دقيق ومحدود.

    وسأدعو كذلك إلى تهدئة عاجلة للوضع المثير للجزع في الضفة الغربية.

    فالمنازل والبنية التحتية المدنية تُدمّر.

    والمدنيون يُقتلون.

    والمجتمعات المحلية تُهجّر وتُمنع من العودة.

    ويُمنع الوصول إلى الرعاية الصحية.

    ويجب أن تتوقف الأعمال أحادية الجانب، بما في ذلك التوسع الاستيطاني والتهديدات بالضم.

    وأدعو إلى وضع حد للهجمات على المدنيين وممتلكاتهم.

    وأخيرا، يجب أن نتخذ خطوات ملموسة – الآن – نحو تحقيق حل الدولتين.

    يجب أن يتمتع الشعب الفلسطيني بالحق في أن يحكم نفسه بنفسه، وأن يرسم مستقبله بنفسه، وأن يعيش على أرضه في حرية وأمان.

    والطريق الوحيد لتحقيق السلام الدائم هو الطريق الذي تعيش فيه دولتان – إسرائيل وفلسطين – جنبا إلى جنب في سلام وأمن، بما يتماشى مع القانون الدولي وقرارات الأمم المتحدة ذات الصلة، وتكون القدس عاصمة للدولتين.

    يستحق الفلسطينيون الاستقرار الدائم والسلام العادل والقائم على المبادئ.

    ويستحق شعب إسرائيل أن يعيش في سلام وأمن.

    وفي هذه اللحظة الهشة، يجب أن نتجنب استئناف الأعمال العدائية التي من شأنها أن تعمّق المعاناة وتزيد من زعزعة الاستقرار في منطقة هي أصلا على شفا هاوية.

    نحن بحاجة إلى إعادة إعمار مستدامة وحل سياسي موحد وواضح وقائم على المبادئ.

    هذا ما سأدعو إليه في القاهرة الأسبوع المقبل.

    شكرا لكم.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: More than 70 projects will strengthen wildfire prevention, support forestry

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    VICTORIA – Workers and communities throughout B.C. are benefiting from Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) supported projects that reduce wildfire risk and increase fibre supply, keeping local mills and energy plants running in the face of U.S. tariff threats and unjustified softwood lumber duties.

    With $28 million from the Province, FESBC is supporting 43 new and expanded fibre-recovery projects and 31 new and expanded wildfire-mitigation projects.

    “In tough times, I want workers in our forest sector to know I’ve got their back,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “Whether it’s better utilizing existing sources of fibre or helping protect communities from wildfire, the projects are supporting workers and companies as they develop new and innovative forest practices.”

    Projects are taking place in all eight of the Province’s natural resource regions, helping create jobs, reducing wildfire risk and supporting B.C.’s pulp and biomass sector. They will be complete by the end of March 2025, in advance of wildfire season.

    Fibre-recovery projects take wood fibre that would otherwise be burned or abandoned and put it in the hands of mills and forestry companies that can use it, helping keep forestry workers on the job. Through the Province’s continued investment in FESBC, the projects they support have delivered 44,000 logging truckloads worth of fibre out of the bush since April 2024. That fibre would once have been burned in slash piles and is instead creating jobs and revenue for local businesses.

    “These projects are putting local businesses and people to work reducing wildfire risk and recovering fibre for local pulp mills, and pellet and energy plants,” said Jason Fisher, executive director, FESBC. “FESBC received strong proposals from across the province and we are pleased to support this strong group of proponents in their forest-management activities.” 

    Government continues to take action to support the forest sector in the face of U.S. softwood lumber duties and tariff threats, including through the recently formed Softwood Lumber Advisory Council, streamlining the permitting process and continuing to advocate to the federal government.

    Quick Facts:

    • Founded in 2016, FESBC is fully funded by the Province to support forestry projects at the community level.
    • As part of Budget 2024, B.C. announced FESBC would get an additional $60 million over three years to continue community-focused wildfire risk-reduction and fuel-management projects, as well as improving utilization of biomass from harvested timber.
    • Since 2016, $79.6 million has been invested in 201 community wildfire risk-reduction projects through FESBC.

    Learn More:

    For information about fibre-supply and wildfire-mitigation projects, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/FESBCNewExpandedFunding.pdf

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Reserve Board begins 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

    .

    February 28, 2025
    Federal Reserve Board begins 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances
    For release at 11:00 a.m. EST

    The Federal Reserve Board in March will begin its regular study of household finances, the Survey of Consumer Finances, which provides the public and policymakers with detailed and important insights into the economic condition of American families.
    “This survey is an important source of information on the financial well-being of American families,” Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell said in a letter to prospective survey participants. “Our most recent survey, which took place in 2022, has been important to understanding the different ways that American families experienced the unusual economic conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.”
    The data collected will provide a representative picture of what Americans own—from houses and cars to stocks and bonds—how and how much they borrow, and how they bank, as well as their feelings about their economic situation and that of the United States more broadly. Past study results have contributed to policy discussions regarding the evolution of housing as a key component of wealth, the recovery of households from the Great Recession, changes in the kinds and amount of credit used by families, and a broad range of other issues.
    The current version of the survey has been undertaken every three years since 1983. It is being conducted through December of this year and for the Board by NORC, a social science research organization at the University of Chicago.
    Participants in the study are chosen at random from 119 geographic areas, including metropolitan areas and rural counties across the United States, using a scientific sampling procedure. A representative of NORC contacts each potential participant personally to explain the study and request time for an interview.
    Individual survey responses are kept strictly confidential. NORC uses names and addresses only for the administration of the survey and must destroy that identifying information at the close of the study. NORC is forbidden from giving the names and addresses of participants to anyone at the Federal Reserve or elsewhere, and that information is permanently destroyed after the survey is completed.
    Summary results for the 2025 study will be published in late 2026 after all data from the survey have been assessed and analyzed. The letter from Chair Powell will be mailed in mid-March to approximately 13,000 households urging their participation in the study.
    For media inquiries, please e-mail [email protected] or call 202-452-2955.

    Last Update: February 28, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Last Chance to Shop the Best Deals on Home Health and Fitness with Innovative Smart Appliances

    Source: Samsung

     
    The Samsung Blue Tag Sale, which is running until 2 March 2025, presents a great opportunity to get cutting-edge technology for home health and fitness. The company’s innovative range of appliances and mobile devices is transforming how consumers approach wellness, making it easier to live a healthier, more active lifestyle from the comfort of home. From smart TVs and health-tracking wearables to eco-friendly appliances that promote well-being, Samsung’s products are designed to support every aspect of a modern, health-conscious lifestyle.
     
    The cutting-edge products are set to redefine the boundaries of home wellness, offering users an integrated and seamless experience that promotes a healthier lifestyle.  As the world continues to prioritise health and wellness, Samsung’s innovative smart appliances are set to become an essential part of modern living. By seamlessly integrating technology and wellness, Samsung is empowering users to take control of their health and fitness, one smart appliance at a time.

    Samsung Smart TVs: Your Fitness Hub at Home
    Samsung’s Smart TVs are more than just entertainment hubs – they’re powerful tools for fitness. Users can stream workout routines, follow wellness content, or track fitness progress with apps like YouTube and Samsung Health. Whether you’re following a yoga session or monitoring your steps, these devices serve as an all-in-one fitness station for the modern home.
     
    Samsung Food App
    Samsung Food is making food preparation more convenient which allows you to plan meals based on users’ food preferences or support sustainable food practice goals. Samsung Food now features enhanced tools designed to support users to better maintain their health and to reach wellness goals. The platform provides nutrition-focused meal plans that track and monitor caloric intake within daily meal schedules, whether for recipes or individual food items. It offers “Tailored for You” plans, delivering weekly recipe and snack recommendations based on users’ nutritional needs,6 chosen diets and previous recipe preferences
     
     

     
    Air Conditioners: Breathe Easy, Live Healthier
    Maintaining clean air in the home is crucial for health, especially during fitness activities. Samsung’s air conditioners, equipped with air-purifying technology, improve indoor air quality, creating a more comfortable and healthier environment. These devices ensure that every workout, whether indoors or outdoors, takes place in fresh, clean air.
     
    Samsung Devices & Smartwatches: Your Health and Fitness Companion.
    Samsung’s mobile devices, especially the Galaxy series, provide comprehensive features for health and fitness management. With robust fitness apps, heart rate monitoring, and wellness tracking, users can easily access workout routines, nutrition guides, and health data from their smartphones. Samsung’s seamless device integration makes it simple to stay connected and in control of your health journey. The Samsung Galaxy Watch is an essential accessory for those looking to boost their fitness goals. With advanced features like heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and multiple exercise modes, it helps users stay motivated and on track. Integrated with Samsung Health, the Galaxy Watch makes it easy to monitor daily activity, set goals, and engage with a supportive fitness community.

    Some of the Deals You Don’t Want to Miss:
    Wind-Free AR6500T Wall-mount AC with Wind-Free with an easy to clean anti-bacterial filter. Now R10,799* (Save R2,800)
    Cook delicious healthy dishes without guesswork with Samsung 40L Solo Microwave Oven Black MS40DG5504AGFA. Now R2,799* (Save R800)
    Welcome to the new era of AI-powered health, Galaxy Watch7 (Bluetooth, 44mm). Now R4,999* (Save R1,500)
    Galaxy S24 FE offers a range of health and wellness features to help you stay on top of your fitness goals. Now R12,999* (Save R2,000)
    Upgrade your viewing experience with the 65 Inch QLED 4K Q60D Tizen OS Smart TV (2024). Now R13,999* (Save R1000)
    Enjoy stunning picture quality which upscales content with 85″ DU7000 Crystal UHD 4K HDR Smart TV. Now R22,999* (Save R2,000)
     
    User Experience
    From simplifying daily routines to fostering a health-conscious home environment, Samsung’s products are designed with the user experience in mind. Whether it’s a quick workout, a healthy meal, or cleaner air, Samsung’s innovative solutions make it easier than ever to prioritise health and fitness at home.
     
    The Samsung Blue Tag Sale is running in Samsung stores, online, the Samsung Shop App, and participating retailers until 2 March 2025. Don’t miss out!
     
    For more information, visit www.samsung.com/za

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Welsh Secretary’s message on St David’s Day

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Welsh Secretary’s message on St David’s Day

    Jo Stevens celebrates UK Government delivery in Wales this St David’s Day and looks to the year ahead.

    Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens.

    For the first time as Welsh Secretary, I’m delighted to be able to wish everyone across Wales a happy St David’s Day. 

    Following the election last July, we promised to deliver change and that is what we have begun to do.

    We pledged safer streets, green energy and, above all, new jobs and economic growth for people across Wales. Underpinning all of this was the promise of a transformed relationship between the UK and Welsh Governments – a partnership that delivers for the people of Wales.

    And we have begun the work to deliver on our guiding missions in every part of the country. This work will continue to accelerate during 2025.

    We want a health system fit for the future for Wales and in the Autumn Budget we provided a record settlement of £21 billion to the Welsh Government. It now has £1.7 billion extra next year on public services in Wales especially on improving the NHS and driving down waiting lists.

    We now have two governments in Wales, working together to ensure that we reform the NHS and other public services to deliver for you. 

    As we make our streets safer, people in Wales can expect to see more police back on the beat. 

    We are investing in 13,000 additional neighbourhood officers, PCSOs, and special constables across Wales and England and these officers will work to restore the visible, accessible policing that our communities deserve.

    The UK Government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower provides huge opportunities for Wales.

    Earlier this week I was delighted to announce a major investment of £600m in Bute Energy’s onshore wind energy parks which will be built the length and breadth of Wales and generate the clean power we need as well creating 2,000 jobs in the process. 

    This investment is landmark deal for the sector in Wales and cements our position as a centre for major clean energy investment.

    Similarly, the golden opportunity of floating offshore wind will be a critical part of our clean energy mission. Wales can lead the world in the creation of huge turbines in the seas off our coastline that will help drive down energy bills and create the jobs of the future. Bringing more of that investment into Wales a priority for this year.

    Above all, our mission is to kickstart economic growth.

    We have already seen huge investment come to North Wales at Eren Holdings and Kellanova, creating and securing hundreds of jobs. 

    The two Investment Zones in Cardiff and Newport and Wrexham and Flintshire are a crucial part of our work with Welsh Government to provide a rocket-boost to sector strengths like creative industries, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

    We’ve given the green light for Welsh freeports to unlock billions in private investment and galvanise almost 20,000 jobs in our port communities like Milford Haven, Port Talbot and Holyhead.

    Our plans will also see us drive growth in individual communities. Earlier this month we announced a £15 million funding package dedicated to two major cultural projects in Wales – £10m for Venue Cymru in Conwy and £5 million was allocated to the Newport Transporter Bridge. This funding helps ensure these landmarks remain valuable resources for their areas. These projects are not just about preserving heritage; they are about driving economic growth, creating jobs, and showcasing Wales as a leader in tourism and culture.

    And our investment in the community of Port Talbot stands as a testament to our determination to drive growth, and not to accept decline for out industrial areas.

    Within weeks of coming to office we had secured a better deal with Tata Steel. And then weeks later tens of millions of pounds began to be released into the community – money that had previously not been spent despite the clear need to support the workforce, local businesses and the community. 

    So far more than £50m has been announced. That money is funding initiatives in Port Talbot ranging from the creation of an £8.2m industrial site in the town creating new products for the steel and metal industries, to providing individual training opportunities for Tata steelworkers or their families. 

    In the coming year I will ensure that the rest of the Transition Board money is invested in the community of Port Talbot.

    In just a few short months, the new UK Government has made significant strides in transforming Wales building on our strengths in industry, green energy and, most of all, our people. There is still work to do but I know Wales will continue to be a brilliant place to do business. 

    I’d like to send my best wishes to everyone celebrating our national day in Wales and around the world.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fraudster Receives Prison Sentence in Illegal Paycheck Protection Program Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Jerry Baptiste, the last of 20 defendants charged in a wide-ranging criminal scheme to steal Paycheck Protection Program funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been sentenced for his role in the scheme.

    “This defendant and his co-conspirators used an unprecedented global crisis to defraud the government and the American people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Today’s tough, but fair, sentence sends the message that stealing from the government does not pay.” 

    “This sentencing wraps up an exhaustive investigation into a fraud scheme that stole emergency funds from businesses and individuals that desperately needed them during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.  “The FBI will make every effort to ensure federal funds are used as intended and punish anyone who would steal from our government.”

    “The sentencings of the 20 defendants serves as a reminder to those who committed PPP fraud that investigations into their criminal acts have not ended,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue their diligent search for those who defrauded the American people during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the third superseding indictment, and other information presented in court: from April 2020 through May 2020, Jerry Baptiste conspired with Darrell Thomas, Denesseria Slaton, Amanda Christian, Charles Petty, Bern Benoit, and others to submit a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan application for Transportation Management Services Inc. (“Transportation Management”), a company that Benoit purported to own. The PPP loan application for Transportation Management falsely represented that it maintained 66 employees and an average monthly payroll of $332,167, and that it would use the PPP funds for payroll, lease payments or mortgage interest, and utilities.

    To support its payroll figures, Transportation Management submitted with its PPP loan application false IRS Form 941s, which are the Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, for each quarter of 2019. Transportation Management also included with its PPP loan application a fraudulent bank statement. Through the Transportation Management PPP loan application, Baptiste and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained $830,417. Baptiste also participated in preparing other fraudulent PPP loans.

    Jerry Baptiste, 47, of Miami, Florida was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to six and a half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of$830,417. On October 29, 2024, Baptiste pleaded guilty to money laundering pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement.

    All the defendants in Baptiste’s case have now been convicted and sentenced, with punishments ranging from probation to 15 years’ imprisonment:

    • Darrell Thomas. On June 16, 2021, Thomas pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and money laundering. On May 9, 2022, Thomas was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $13,206,752.10 in restitution.
    • Andre Lee Gaines. On June 17, 2021, Gaines pleaded guilty to the charge of making a false statement. On October 5, 2021, Gaines was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $806,710 in restitution.
    • Kahlil Gibran Green. On September 1, 2020, Green pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. On January 14, 2021, Green was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $830,000 in restitution.
    • Bern Benoit. On March 11, 2021, Benoit pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. On September 8, 2021, Benoit was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,105,217 in restitution.
    • Carla Jackson. On February 15, 2024, Jackson was found guilty of money laundering by jury verdict. On May 16, 2024, Jackson was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $335,238.22 in restitution.
    • Ricky Dixon. On August 1, 2022, Dixon pleaded guilty to the charges of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit money laundering. On January 25, 2023, Dixon was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,320,928.31 in restitution.
    • Meghan Thomas. On July 27, 2022, Thomas pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On May 23, 2023, Thomas was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,381,760.35 in restitution.
    • Jesika Blakely. On March 15, 2022, Blakely pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. On February 8, 2023, Blakely was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $5,348,498.89 in restitution.
    • Amanda Christian. On March 5, 2022, Christian pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On September 13, 2022, Christian was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $835,542 in restitution.
    • Dwan Ashong. On June 29, 2022, Ashong pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. On October 31, 2022, Ashong was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,604,807 in restitution.
    • John Gaines. On January 31, 2024, Gaines pleaded guilty to the charge of money laundering. On June 26, 2024, Gaines was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $806,710 in restitution.
    • Charles Petty. On November 2, 2021, Petty pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. On February 25, 2022, Petty was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $830,417 in restitution.
    • Derek Parker. On April 14, 2022, Parker pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On August 31, 2022, Parker was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $163,620.40 in restitution.
    • David Belgrave II. On May 25, 2022, Belgrave pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. On August 25, 2022, Belgrave was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, with 18 months on home detention, and ordered to pay $877,000 in restitution.
    • Charles Hill IV. On September 29, 2021, Hill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On January 12, 2022, Hill was sentenced to five years’ probation, with 27 months on home detention, and ordered to pay $1,004,805 in restitution.
    • Ryan Whittley. On May 25, 2022, Whittley pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On August 29, 2022, Whittley was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $797,275 in restitution.
    • El Hadj Sall. On August 24, 2022, Sall pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On November 29, 2022, Sall was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $973,585 in restitution.
    • Rick McDuffie. On April 27, 2022, McDuffie pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On August 23, 2022, McDuffie was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $5,125 in restitution.
    • Teldrin Foster. On February 15, 2024, Foster was found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, making a false statement to a federally insured bank, and money laundering by jury verdict. On June 25, 2024, Foster was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $9,606,627.35 in restitution. 

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samir Kaushal and Nathan Kitchens, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tal Chaiken and Norman Barnett, of the Northern District of Georgia, and Trial Attorney Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecuted the case.

    The Department of Justice remains vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (“NCDF”) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.         

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Cyber A.I. Group CEO to Speak at SXSW Dream Wealth Camp 2025 on the Future of Cybersecurity and A.I. in Wealth Creation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI and NEW YORK and PARIS, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cyber A.I. Group, Inc. (“CyberAI” or the “Company”), an emerging growth Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and IT services company engaged in the proactive acquisition of a broad spectrum of Cybersecurity service providers on an international basis, announced today that its CEO, Walter Hughes, will be a featured speaker at Dream Wealth Camp 2025, an exclusive South by Southwest (SXSW) event in Austin, Texas.

    Dream Wealth Camp, hosted by Dreambloc, is a premier venture mastermind experience that convenes elite founders, investors, and thought leaders to navigate the complexities of scaling businesses and building generational wealth. Designed as a high-impact, closed-door gathering, the event provides tailored strategies, one-on-one mentorship, and investment deal flow opportunities. Hughes will join an esteemed lineup of experts to discuss digital transformation, Cybersecurity’s evolving role in investment strategy, and the intersection of artificial intelligence and wealth creation.

    “As the digital age reshapes the global economy, Cybersecurity is no longer a cost center—it is the foundation of trust in every transaction, every investment, and every technological advancement,” said Hughes. “At CyberAI, we are not only safeguarding enterprises but redefining how Cybersecurity and A.I. integrate into wealth-building ecosystems. Dream Wealth Camp is an ideal forum to engage in these critical conversations and chart the next frontier of investment strategy.”

    Hughes’ participation underscores CyberAI’s commitment to shaping the future of Cybersecurity through strategic acquisition and innovation. With an aggressive global expansion strategy, the company is assembling a powerhouse portfolio of security-focused IT service providers, reinforcing its vision of becoming the premier force in next-generation Cybersecurity solutions.

    Dream Wealth Camp 2025 will take place on March 6-7 at SXSW in Austin, Texas, offering curated sessions and networking opportunities with some of the most influential minds in business and technology.

    About Cyber A.I. Group

    Cyber A.I. Group, Inc. (“CyberAI”) is an international company engaged in the acquisition and management of worldwide Cybersecurity and IT services firms. CyberAI is pursuing a highly proactive “Buy & Build” strategy to rapidly expand operations internationally by acquiring a broad spectrum of IT services companies and repositioning them to address fast-growing market needs for Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence markets. The Company has developed an active pipeline of 300+ perspective acquisitions which are in various stages of analysis. The Company’s initial target is to acquire multiple companies representing aggregate revenues annualizing $100 million. CyberAI’s business model is focused on the acquisition and consolidation of IT services worldwide with proven ability in broad conventional technology services with strong cash flow and enhance performance through A.I.-driven Cybersecurity initiatives. This emphasis on conventional companies with strong revenues and EBITDA distinguishes CyberAI from the explosion of A.I. startups that may be pinning their future on a single technological breakthrough which may never materialize. This “Buy & Build” strategy provides CyberAI with the maximum flexibility for diversification and risk management for moving into new fields and addressing fast moving market opportunities. For additional information, please visit: cyberaigroup.io.

    Contact

    Cyber A.I. Group, Inc.
    Tel: 786.749.1221
    info@cyberaigroup.io

    Paris:
    17-21 Rue Saint-Fiacre
    Paris 75002, France

    New York:
    641 Lexington Avenue, 14th Floor,
    New York, NY 10022

    Miami:
    990 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 503
    Miami, FL 33132

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2df6821b-254e-4be9-98d3-040669a0342a

    The MIL Network –