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  • MIL-OSI Global: Wood burning stoves are a serious problem for your health – and the environment

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Asit Kumar Mishra, Research Fellow in School of Public of Health, University College Cork

    Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

    There is something cosy and appealing about settling down next to a roaring fire in winter but, every year, nearly 61,000 premature deaths in Europe are caused by air pollution as a result of people burning wood or coal to heat their homes.

    Wood-burning stoves are often considered safer, cleaner and more attractive than open fires. This may, in part, explain why from 2021 to 2022, sales of wood-burning stoves increased by 40% in the UK.

    However, burning wood is not necessarily a healthier or greener alternative to coal or gas for home heating.

    Wood burning produces a complex chemical mixture of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and gases, which can be breathed deep into the lungs. The specific contents vary based on the type of stove and the type of fuel, but chemicals can include carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and a range of volatile organic compounds, such as cancer-causing formaldehyde and benzene.

    Exposure to wood smoke affects the heart, blood vessels and the respiratory system – and PM2.5 is considered to be the biggest threat. Wood smoke increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes and can exacerbate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Exposure to PM2.5 from wood burning can also cause premature death.

    Exposure to this pollution also leads to loss of work days, reduced productivity, higher expenses on healthcare and increased hospital admissions.

    The risks are higher for people over 65, children, pregnant women and people with existing heart or lung conditions. Chronic wood smoke inhalation has been associated with systemic inflammation, which can make the lungs more vulnerable to infections, such as flu and COVID.

    In the UK and Ireland, solid fuel heating is the main source of outdoor PM2.5 during wintertime. While wood is the dominant solid fuel in the UK, peat burning is regularly found to make the largest contribution to PM2.5 in Ireland.

    Under cold, stagnant weather conditions, air pollution, even in small rural towns, can be as high as that found in very polluted parts of north India.

    Exposure to outdoor air pollution caused by wood burning is an obvious health risk. But the pollution also finds its way into homes, worsening indoor air quality. Also, when lighting or refuelling a wood stove, large quantities of PM2.5 escape into the indoor air. Depending on how effective the home ventilation is, the PM2.5 levels can take hours to reduce.

    Looks aren’t everything

    In surveys carried out in Ireland and the UK, it was found that most people using solid fuel stoves did it for the aesthetics and the “homely feel”. The desire to save money or necessity came next.

    Most people who use indoor wood burning in London are in wealthier neighbourhoods, while those most affected by the consequent air pollution are in poorer areas.

    Educational campaigns regarding the effect of wood-burning stoves on health and the environment can be an important tool to reduce their usage. New initiatives, such as the Clean Air Night held in the UK and Ireland, are valuable in raising awareness and possibly changing long-term heating habits.

    Encouraging users to move to more efficient and renewable heating technologies like heat pumps can reduce emissions and harm to health. This move even works out to be cheaper, except for people who source their own wood.

    Communities can also be provided with information on their local air quality, allowing them to visualise real-time effects of their actions. For example, the PM2.5 sensor network map for Cork is freely accessible to the community and identifies locations and times when PM2.5 pollution is unhealthy.

    If you have a wood burner, you could check that the pollution levels aren’t too high before you fire it up.

    How to reduce emissions

    People who rely on solid fuel stoves as their only source of home heating can adopt the following measures to reduce emissions. Use low-emission labelled stoves that reduce pollution. When burning, have small hot fires, with enough air supply and do not let the fire smoulder.

    Choose carefully what is burnt, in compliance with relevant regulations. Do not burn garbage, plastics, cardboard, treated or painted wood in your stoves. These items increase exposure to toxic pollutants.

    Ensure that stoves are installed and maintained annually by professionals. And, when lighting up or refuelling, make sure that the room the stove is in is well ventilated. This means open windows, no blocked vents, and exhaust fans or kitchen hoods can be used for additional ventilation.

    People who use solid fuel stoves as a secondary source of heating could consider using the stove less or even stopping using it altogether. That really would be a breath of fresh air.

    Asit Kumar Mishra is a DOROTHY co-fund Fellow and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow and receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101034345.

    John Wenger has previously received funding from several governmental organisations in Ireland for research into solid fuel burning, including the EPA and Irish Research Council.

    – ref. Wood burning stoves are a serious problem for your health – and the environment – https://theconversation.com/wood-burning-stoves-are-a-serious-problem-for-your-health-and-the-environment-245737

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Trumps want you to buy their meme coins, but history should make us cautious about the hype

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emmanuel Mogaji, Associate Professor in Marketing, Keele University

    Just before assuming office as the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump introduced his meme coin – $Trump. The digital token attracted lots of attention, and a couple of days after its launch the combined value of the coins was nearly US$8.5 billion (£6.9 billion).

    Trump venturing into meme coins is perhaps not surprising, given his history of branding everything from sneakers to bibles. The first lady followed suit with a meme coin of her own ($Melania, which briefly outperformed her husband’s coin).

    History shows us that speculative hypes like this are not new. Hype can distort rational decision-making, with investors often neglecting due diligence and failing to ask the usual important questions of their investment.

    In 17th-century Netherlands, tulip bulbs became status symbols. Rare varieties could fetch six times a typical salary – until the bubble burst, leaving many financially devastated. Similarly, the South Sea Bubble of the 18th century saw the South Sea Company’s stock price skyrocket based on speculative frenzy (and a high-profile figurehead in King George I) before crashing back down. And the dotcom bubble of the early 2000s saw unproven tech startups achieve sky-high valuations on sheer optimism until the inevitable crash.

    The rise of meme coins, including the Trump ventures, bears similarities to the frenzy surrounding these past phenomena. They are driven by hype, the perception of scarcity and the promise of high returns. These factors can inflate the value irrationally and lead to significant financial risks for those who invest.

    Meme coins thrive on the power of hype. Prominent figures like Trump and viral sensations such as internet star Haliey Welch’s failed cryptocurrency have the power to generate enormous buzz. Like the tulip mania of the 1600s, these digital tokens don’t hold any intrinsic value but instead rely on public sentiment to drive prices up. The hype can quickly make them seem indispensable and highly valuable, even though they have no physical existence.

    The ease of access to meme coins also boosts their popularity. People can buy them online using simple apps or websites – much like shopping for any other product – without the need for a broker or intermediary. This autonomy appeals to modern investors, allowing them to manage their assets from the comfort of their homes. However, the simplicity and convenience often mask the high risks involved.

    Social media amplifies the excitement surrounding meme coins, creating a community vibe that fuels their popularity. The constant buzz on platforms and among influencers generates Fomo (fear of missing out), pressuring people to join the bandwagon in pursuit of the potential gains. But this rush can lead to ill-informed decisions.

    Meme coins are seen as opportunities for quick and substantial profits – an anonymous buyer (the so-called Lucky Crypto Trader) reportedly made US$100 million within hours on Trump’s coin. But these successes are rare and unpredictable. For most consumers, investing in meme coins is like gambling, with no guarantees of returns and a high likelihood of losses.

    Is it ethical?

    As a researcher in financial services marketing and fintech, I focus on the ethical and financial implications of meme coins.

    Cryptocurrencies remain largely unregulated, leaving investors without protection. So the influence of prominent figures like the Trumps hyping these assets raises questions of accountability and fairness. This lack of oversight puts inexperienced consumers at significant financial risk, which only serves to underline the need for caution.

    The parallels with past speculative bubbles offer valuable lessons. From tulip mania to the dotcom bust, history shows us the dangers of unchecked hype and speculative investments. Consumers should learn from these events to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the cryptocurrency era. There are some basic principles would-be buyers should bear in mind.

    To navigate the risks associated with meme coins and cryptocurrencies, consumers should find out more about the technology and become more aware of the trends and performance of the coins. Managing expectations is crucial; speculative investments are unpredictable and the hype can die away quickly. Diversifying investments rather than concentrating all funds in one asset or market can spread risk and provide greater financial stability.

    Education is equally important – taking the time to read the fine print on investment opportunities, such as Trump’s coin disclaimer that it is not an investment vehicle, is essential to understanding the true nature of these assets.

    Trump’s venture into meme coins is the latest in a long history of speculative financial trends, and he will probably not be the last to capitalise on this craze.

    But until regulatory frameworks catch up, consumers should tread carefully, ensuring that their pursuit of profits does not come at the expense of their financial security.

    Emmanuel Mogaji 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. The Trumps want you to buy their meme coins, but history should make us cautious about the hype – https://theconversation.com/the-trumps-want-you-to-buy-their-meme-coins-but-history-should-make-us-cautious-about-the-hype-248057

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Amid LA fires, neighbors helped each other survive – 60 years of research shows local heroes are crucial to disaster response

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Tricia Wachtendorf, Professor of Sociology and Director, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware

    Neighbors fill and pass a bucket of pool water to help extinguish a spot fire in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Jan. 9, 2025. Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Image

    As wildfires swept through neighborhoods on the outskirts of Los Angeles in January 2025, stories about residents there helping their neighbors and total strangers began trickling out on social media.

    Accounts of Hollywood stars clearing streets for emergency vehicles to get through and raising money for fire victims were widely circulated. But there were many other examples of less-famous people helping older neighbors to safety, and even showing up with trailers to evacuate horses.

    Businesses, including fitness centers, opened their facilities so evacuees could shower or charge their phones. Organizations that routinely work with homeless populations quickly mobilized their members to help ensure people living on the streets and in camps could get to secure, safe locations away from the fires and hazardous air quality.

    Disasters, by definition, overwhelm local resources, making civilian responders like these essential. Sixty years of research at the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research Center and by others examining the social aspects of disaster has repeatedly shown effective disaster management requires mobilizing community resources far beyond official channels.

    Often the response happens through local groups that form in response to a clear need in the community and with shared skills and interests. And this is exactly what we are witnessing in Los Angeles.

    Civilians helping often number in the thousands

    The number of those who step up to help during disasters varies by event, but it can be tremendous.

    Following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, over 6,800 volunteers worked with the Red Cross on the response. That same year, volunteers responding to the Kobe earthquake in Japan logged more than 1 million person-days of activity, a measure of the number of people times the hours they contributed.

    People use garden hoses to try to prevent homes from catching fire in Altadena, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2025. Neighbors rushed to help neighbors as the wind blew burning embers into neighborhoods.
    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    In an in-depth study of the Sept. 11, 2001, World Trade Center attacks, we interviewed local residents who used their retired fireboat to pump water for the firefighters at ground zero. Operators of tug, ferry and tour boats in and around New York City immediately responded to quickly evacuate 500,000 people in the area from danger. In fact, the majority of the boats involved belonged to private companies. Other volunteers queued evacuees and organized supplies and rides to get people home.

    Over 900 people, most acting in unofficial capacities, were awarded medals or ribbons for their efforts in just the marine response after the World Trade Center attack.

    A survey of residents after the 1985 Mexico City earthquake found that nearly 10% of local residents volunteered in the first three weeks of the response. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, in California, a survey of residents in Santa Cruz and San Francisco counties found that two-thirds of the public were involved in response activities.

    Local businesses are often quick to help in disasters. Greg Dulan, center, who runs a soul food restaurant and food truck, hands out hot meals to wildfire evacuees at a church in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 15, 2025.
    Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    However, much of the work local residents contribute during and after disasters goes unaccounted for in official reports.

    There is no mechanism to quantify the full extent to which a neighbor or a complete stranger helps someone flee from peril. Yet when people are trapped and minutes count, research shows it is family, friends and neighbors who are already on the scene and are most likely to save lives. It’s often everyday citizens who also take on immediate tasks such as debris removal. Providing a phone, a car, a place to do laundry, or a little bit of elbow grease can fill a gap and let firefighters and other formal responders focus on critical operations.

    Getting the right help to where it’s needed

    Every study of a large-scale disaster conducted by the Disaster Research Center has revealed some level of emergent, informal helping behavior.

    The lack of public understanding about the large number of local residents already involved, often including disaster victims themselves, can lead to an influx of outsiders eager to help. Their arrival can actually pose challenges for the disaster response.

    When too many people show up, or when people try to operate outside their areas of expertise, they can put themselves and others at further risk. Communities often need supplies, but unsolicited goods of the wrong kind or at the wrong time can create more problems than they solve.

    Local groups such as the Pasadena Community Job Center organize volunteers to send them where help is requested. This group is removing debris from streets in Pasadena, Calif., in the wake of the Eaton Fire on Jan. 14, 2025.
    Zoë Meyers/AFP via Getty Images

    So, what can you do to best support these local efforts?

    Making a financial contribution to a trusted disaster response or local organization can go a long way to providing the support communities actually need. Organizations such as the American Red Cross or Feeding America, or local community-based groups that routinely work in the area, are often best suited to help where it’s needed the most.

    Skilled help will be needed for the long term

    Also, remember that disasters don’t end when the emergency is over. Survivors of the Los Angeles-area fires face years of confusing and frustrating recovery tasks ahead.

    Offering help after the immediate threat has passed – particularly skilled help, such as experience in construction or expertise in managing insurance and FEMA paperwork – is just as important.

    For example, after fires in 1970 destroyed hundreds of homes in the San Diego area, local architects, engineers and contractors donated their time and skills to help people rebuild. Their work was coordinated by a local architect and member of the Chamber of Commerce to ensure projects were assigned to reputable volunteers.

    As we recognize the important ways that neighbors and strangers helped those around them, the broader community can support wildfire victims by responding to offering the right help as recovery needs emerge. Just about every skill that is useful in calm times will be needed in these difficult months and years ahead.

    Tricia Wachtendorf receives funding from the National Science Foundation and Arnold Ventures Foundation.

    James Kendra receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    – ref. Amid LA fires, neighbors helped each other survive – 60 years of research shows local heroes are crucial to disaster response – https://theconversation.com/amid-la-fires-neighbors-helped-each-other-survive-60-years-of-research-shows-local-heroes-are-crucial-to-disaster-response-247660

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rare Anglo-Saxon Gold Panel at risk of leaving the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A temporary export bar has been placed on a rare Anglo-Saxon, Gold and Garnet Panel

    • The panel is valued at almost £4,000
    • The export bar has been placed to allow time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire the panel 

    An export bar has been placed on a rare Anglo-Saxon, Gold and Garnet Panel (c. 600-670) to provide an opportunity for a UK gallery or institution to acquire it for the nation.  

    The panel was discovered with a metal detector near Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire, on 6 March 2013 and has never been publicly exhibited. 

    The discovery of the panel near Pocklington is significant as it potentially offers insight into the study of artistic, political and cultural relationships between two of the most powerful kingdoms in 7th-century England, East Anglia in the east, and Northumbria in the north.

    The item comprises a gold and garnet cloisonné panel of trapezoidal shape and displays clear links to the significant gold and garnet cloisonné metalwork from the Sutton Hoo ship burial and the Staffordshire Hoard. 

    The upper surface is filled with tiny interlocking cloisons or cells made from upright strips of gold soldered to a sheet gold backplate and filled with hand-cut garnets.

    Arts Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said: 

    Across the country, detectorists continue to make important discoveries, which help tell us the history of our nation. 

    This beautiful panel potentially holds information into how the mediaeval kingdoms of this country interacted and co-existed. I hope a UK buyer can be found so it can be studied further and its stories can be shared with the public.” 

    Committee Member Tim Pestell said:  

    Amid the bitter politics of seventh-century England, rival kingdoms fought to gain power and prestige. An important way of expressing their resulting wealth was through delicate and technically complex pieces of jewellery like this example, found near Pocklington in Yorkshire. Using tiny hand-cut garnets set in gold cells or cloisons, the designs used in this example finds ready parallels in the better-known metalwork of Sutton Hoo and the Staffordshire Hoard. I hope that the bar placed on its export allows a museum to acquire this wonderful artefact as it has much yet to tell us about this pivotal period in English history.

    The RCEWA Committee found the panel met the first and third Waverley criterion for its outstanding connection with our history and national life and its outstanding significance to the study of early mediaeval English regional society, English metalwork, the study of workshop practises, collaboration, and national and international exchange.

    The decision on the export licence application for the panel will be deferred for a period ending on 23 March 2025 inclusive. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the panel at the recommended price of £3,968 (inclusive of VAT of £128 [which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution]). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.

    Notes to editors

    1. Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the panel should contact the RCEWA on 02072680534 or rcewa@artscouncil.org.uk.
    2. Details of the item are as follows: The object is a trapezoidal panel of unidentified function, perhaps from a larger composite object. It dates from the early to mid-7th century and is made from gold inlaid with garnets in the cloisonné technique. The object measures 21.3 mm in length, with a width of 7.3 mm (min) expanding to 14.9 mm (max), 2.8 mm thick and weighing 2.89 g. The maker is unknown, as is standard for metalwork of this period. It is in fairly good condition, with some damage to the gold framework. Nine of the original 14 garnets survive in situ.
    3. Provenance: From the Collection of Dr Tony Abramson; Bonhams, Antiquities Sale, 2 October 2014, lot 140; Found at Pocklington area, East Yorkshire Recorded with the British Museum, ref. NLM-1A8B56 // 2013 T184
    4. The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an  independent body, serviced by Arts Council England (ACE), which advises the Secretary of State for  Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Florida Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Hit by Hurricane Milton: Low Interest Disaster Loans Now Available!

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that low interest federal disaster loans are now available to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations who sustained economic losses from the severe storm, tornadoes, and straight-line winds caused by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9-10, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Martin, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee and Palm Beach. 

    Under this declaration, 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 this 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 that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.  

    “When disasters strike, businesses and nonprofits face significant challenges,” said Randle Logan, acting associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “These SBA loans provide the financial support needed to manage costs and move forward with greater confidence.”  

    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 amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.  

    SBA’s disaster loan program has been replenished through the American Relief Act of 2025, signed into law by President Biden on December 21, 2024.  

    For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 6592955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for 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 Sept. 15, 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 http://www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Maryland Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Hit by Summer Drought: Low Interest Disaster Loans Now Available!

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Maryland are eligible to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought and excessive heat that occurred June 11 – Oct. 22, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot and Wicomico in Maryland, as well as the counties of Sussex in Delaware, Lancaster and York in Pennsylvania, Alexandria, Fairfax County, King George, Northumberland, Prince William, Stafford and Westmoreland in Virginia, and the District of Columbia. 

    Under this declaration, 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 this 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 that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.  

    “When disasters strike, businesses and nonprofits face significant challenges,” said Randle Logan, acting associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “These SBA loans provide the financial support needed to manage costs and move forward with greater confidence.”  

    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 amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.  

    SBA’s disaster loan program has been replenished through the American Relief Act of 2025, signed into law by President Biden on December 21, 2024.  

      For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 6592955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for 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 Sept. 15, 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 http://www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Relief Still Available to Lewis County Residents Hit by August Storm: Don’t Miss the Deadline to Apply for an SBA Disaster Loan

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters in Lewis County, New York of the Feb. 18 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset physical damage caused by the severe storm and flooding that occurred Aug. 18 – 19, 2024.  

    Eligible businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.   

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.   

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

    “SBA disaster loans do more than repair damage, — they mitigate against future disasters,” said Randle Logan, acting associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “Expanded funding is available to make pro-active property and building upgrades that protect homes and businesses from future storms.” 

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.25% for nonprofits, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to 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 also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs, such as ongoing operating expenses for small businesses and private nonprofit organizations.  EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the organization suffered any physical property damage.     

    SBA’s disaster loan program has been replenished through the American Relief Act of 2025, signed into law by President Biden on December 21, 2024.   

    For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 6592955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for 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 SBA no later than Feb. 18, 2025. The deadline to submit economic injury applications is Sept. 22, 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 or 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 http://www.sba.gov.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Georgia Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Hit by Hurricane Helene: Low Interest Disaster Loans Now Available!

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Georgia and surrounding states coastline are eligible to apply for low interest disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by Hurricane Helene on Oct. 26-27, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Bleckley, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Dooley, Dougherty, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Grady, Hancock, Houston, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lanier, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, Marion, McDuffie, McIntosh, Miller, Mitchell, Montgomery, Oglethorpe, Pierce, Pulaski, Quitman, Randolph, Richmond, Screven, Seminole, Stewart, Sumter, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Turner, Twiggs, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson and Worth in Georgia, as well as the counties of Barbour and Russell in Alabama, Baker, Columbia, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Madison and Nassau in Florida, and Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, Edgefield, Hampton, Jasper and McCormick in South Carolina. 

    Under this declaration, 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 this 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 that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.  

    “When disasters strike, businesses and nonprofits face significant challenges,” said Randle Logan, acting associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “These SBA loans provide the financial support needed to manage costs and move forward with greater confidence.”  

    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 amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.  

    SBA’s disaster loan program has been replenished through the American Relief Act of 2025, signed into law by President Biden on December 21, 2024.  

    For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 6592955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for 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 Sept. 15, 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 http://www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Drone Market Size Continues to Rise Steeply Generating Lucrative Revenue Opportunity

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The drone platform services segment dominated the global drone services market share in recent years and is estimated to be the fastest growing through 2032. This is due to the growing use of drones for emergency response and public safety. Drone platform services refer to a range of software and hardware solutions that enable the safe and efficient operation of drones. Drone MRO services comprise maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for items such as wind turbine blades, solar plates, and oil & gas pipelines, especially in hard-to-reach locations. The drone MRO services segment is expected to register significant growth during the forecast period due to increasing demand for low cost and effective inspection services across various sectors. Autonomous drones are UAVs that can operate without human intervention, using advanced software, sensors, and cameras. These drones have been playing an essential role in various industries such as agriculture, construction, mining, and logistics. The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) software improves the overall performance of unmanned aerial systems, enabling drones to recognize objects, examine information, and provide real-time analytical feedback. A report from Fortune Business Insights said that: “The increase in precision farming needs, aiming to boost crop productivity, drives market growth. Drone OEMs are investing in R&D for thermal cameras, multispectral sensors, and LiDAR, improving drone efficacy in monitoring fields, creating vegetation maps, and detecting issues such as disease and irrigation irregularities. Thus, it drives the market growth during the forecast period.”    Active Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), Palladyne AI Corp. (NASDAQ: PDYN), Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMBA).

    Fortune Business Insights continued: “Agricultural drones, flying at a specific altitude with sensors, provide crucial analytical data for controls crop health, treatment, exploration, field soil analysis, and yield assessments, aiding farmers in making informed decisions and reducing time and costs. The surveillance & inspection segment dominates the market. It is estimated to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period, owing to rising demand for surveillance and inspection operations from agriculture, oil & gas, mining, and other sectors. The product delivery segment held the second-largest share in the application segment. It refers to the use of drones to deliver goods to customers. This entails specialized drones equipped with sensors and GPS technology to navigate and deliver packages to their intended destinations. The rising demand for fast and efficient delivery services is anticipated to boost the product delivery segment.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Announces Listing of its Common Shares on the Mexican Stock Exchange – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces that it its common shares are approved for listing and trading on the BMV: Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (Mexican Stock Exchange). The shares trade under the symbol “ZENA” on its International Quotation System (SIC), effective January 23, 2025.

    “As we continue to expand our business into new geographical markets, this additional listing on the Mexican Stock Exchange not only broadens our international exposure but provides increased liquidity for our shareholders. We look forward to sharing our story with Mexican investors as we continue to drive value for our shareholders,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    In Additional ZENA News – ZenaTech Inc.’s (NASDAQ:ZENA) Acquires KJM Land Surveying LLC, a Second Acquisition to Accelerate Drone Innovation in Land Surveys and Establish a Southeast Base for its Drone as a Service Business – ZenaTech, a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces that it has acquired KJM Land Surveying LLC, a well-established Pensacola Florida land survey engineering company with a long history and roster of repeat customers. This is ZenaTech’s second acquisition as part of a larger roll-up strategy to disrupt the land survey industry by accelerating the use of drones for speed, accuracy and innovation benefits. The acquisition will also form the base of the Southeast US region of its national Drone as a Service or DaaS business which utilizes drone solutions from its subsidiary company ZenaDrone.

    “Closing this second acquisition is another step in our Drone as a Service or DaaS strategy, establishing a Southeast base with an experienced team and customer relationships, which adds to our Northwest base and national rollout. We have the opportunity to significantly disrupt the land survey business at scale using drone technologies. We view our DaaS business model as similar as to how Uber disrupted the taxi industry,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D. “This acquisition, as well as the 20 others we have identified, have the potential to add accretive revenue over the short term as well as the long term.”

    The US Surveying and Mapping Services industry is estimated at $10.3 billion according to Business Research Insights, growing at least 3% annually. Remotely piloted drones with an array of sensors and cameras, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and GPS systems for capturing high-resolution pictures and data are revolutionizing the land survey industry gathering aerial data across expansive terrains in a matter of hours instead of weeks or months using traditional methods.   Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    Other recent developments in the technology industry include:

    Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMBA) recently announced during CES the N1-655 edge GenAI system-on-chip (SoC), which provides on-chip decode of 12x simultaneous 1080p30 video streams, while concurrently processing that video and running a hybrid of multiple, multimodal vision-language models (VLMs) and traditional CNNs. This SoC’s high AI processing performance supports most of the popular multimodal VLMs and large-language models (LLMs), while consuming only 20 watts of power—10-100x lower than cloud processors. For example, the N1-655 reliably runs the Phi, Gemma, LLaVA-OneVision and Llama models, without the need for an internet connection, on data inputs like visuals and speech in applications such as on-premise AI boxes, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and smart-city security video recorders.

    Following its initial N1 SoC introduced last year, Ambarella is building up a family of edge GenAI SoCs for tasks that go beyond what can be done on-camera. Both of the current family members process GenAI models locally to improve privacy with state-of-the-art performance per watt, significantly reducing power consumption as well as the total cost of ownership compared to cloud-based inference processing.

    AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS) recently announced the completion of its previously announced historic order of eBee VISION systems to its reseller for French Army surveillance operations. Each system consists of an eBee VISION UAV, ground control systems, comms and antenna package, and a tactical backpack unit. The final 15 units have been delivered pursuant to this purchase order, with the total order valued at $3.4M, which represents the largest single order since the Company was founded.

    Bill Irby, AgEagle President, stated, “As AgEagle embarks on what we anticipate being a promising new year in the expanding drone market, closing out this historic requisition serves as a strong indicator of what we believe will be our most successful year to date. In conjunction with our reseller partner we have conducted multiple training events with the French Army which provided invaluable real-time feedback we are leveraging to accelerate the evolution of our eBee VISION. We believe these insights, in addition to our recent significant milestone achievements, will be essential to the scaling of our high-value intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance product offerings to military and commercial operations worldwide. We look forward to driving ongoing sustainable revenue growth and remain committed to building long-term value for all our stakeholders.”

    Palladyne AI Corp. (NASDAQ: PDYN) and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, recently announced the completion of the first successful flight in which multiple Teal drones equipped with Palladyne™ Pilot AI software autonomously collaborated to identify, prioritize, and track objects of interest on the ground. The flight demonstrates how the Palladyne Pilot AI software leverages sensor management and platform collaboration to enable a flight of two or more drones to autonomously collaborate and share multi-modal sensor information under constrained communication between drones. This follows Palladyne AI’s announcement in December 2024 that it had successfully demonstrated a single drone’s ability to interface with a small drone’s autopilot system using Palladyne Pilot to autonomously identify, prioritize, and track terrestrial targets.

    “Enabling multiple Teal and Black Widow drones to synthesize and share multi-modal sensor fusion information in real-time will dramatically improve situational awareness in the field,” said Geoff Hitchcock, Chief Revenue Officer, Red Cat Holdings, Inc. “Even more compelling is the ability to translate that shared information into autonomous navigation, enabling a single operator to manage multiple drones with a substantially reduced cognitive load and in operational environments with limited connectivity. We look forward to engaging with our customers to showcase the value of this groundbreaking joint-solution.”

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at http://www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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    DISCLAIMER:  FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels.  FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein.  FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.  FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities.  The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material.  All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks.  All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release.  FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers.  Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks.  For current services performed FNM has been compensated fifty four hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company.  FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

    Contact Information:

    Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757

    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Adoption of Drones-as-a-Service Industry Explodes Along Rising Revenue Opportunities in the Billions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The drone market size continues to expand as the drone services industry evolves, offering a diverse range of services for both remotely controlled and autonomously flown drones. This industry integrates software-controlled flight plans into drones’ embedded systems, making it a critical component in sectors like agriculture, insurance, construction, marine, aviation, oil & gas, mining, and infrastructure. The demand for these services, which includes tasks such as search and rescue, package delivery, industrial inspections, imaging, and healthcare supply distribution to remote areas, significantly contributes to the growing drone market size. A study from MarketsAndMarkets said the Global Drone Services Market Size, which was valued at USD 17.0 billion in 2023, is estimated to reach USD 57.8 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 27.7% during the forecast period. The report said: “In terms of market segmentation, drone services are categorized by the type of service provided, including platform services (further divided into flight piloting and operation, data analysis, and data processing), maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), and simulation and training. The application-based segmentation encompasses inspection and monitoring, mapping and surveying, spraying and seeding, filming and photography, transport and delivery, as well as security, search, and rescue. The industry-based segmentation covers a wide spectrum of sectors, including construction and infrastructure, agriculture, utility, oil & gas, mining, defense and law enforcement, media and entertainment scientific research, insurance, aviation, marine, healthcare and social assistance, and transportation, logistics, and warehousing. These industries rely heavily on drones for functions like inspection, monitoring, and photography, further driving the drone market size.” Active Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI), EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH), Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE: UMAC), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS).

    MarketsAndMarkets continued: “Furthermore, the market is categorized by solution type into end-to-end solutions, which encompass all platform services like piloting and operations, data analytics, and data processing. Point solutions are specific to piloting or data processing for applications such as surveying, inspection, and monitoring. North America is expected to hold the largest share of the drone market size within the drone services industry, as these services continue to replace legacy solutions in commercial sectors.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Announces Listing of its Common Shares on the Mexican Stock Exchange – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces that it its common shares are approved for listing and trading on the BMV: Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (Mexican Stock Exchange). The shares trade under the symbol “ZENA” on its International Quotation System (SIC), effective January 23, 2025.

    “As we continue to expand our business into new geographical markets, this additional listing on the Mexican Stock Exchange not only broadens our international exposure but provides increased liquidity for our shareholders. We look forward to sharing our story with Mexican investors as we continue to drive value for our shareholders,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    In Additional ZENA News – ZenaTech Inc.’s (NASDAQ:ZENA) Acquires KJM Land Surveying LLC, a Second Acquisition to Accelerate Drone Innovation in Land Surveys and Establish a Southeast Base for its Drone as a Service Business – ZenaTech, a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces that it has acquired KJM Land Surveying LLC, a well-established Pensacola Florida land survey engineering company with a long history and roster of repeat customers. This is ZenaTech’s second acquisition as part of a larger roll-up strategy to disrupt the land survey industry by accelerating the use of drones for speed, accuracy and innovation benefits. The acquisition will also form the base of the Southeast US region of its national Drone as a Service or DaaS business which utilizes drone solutions from its subsidiary company ZenaDrone.

    “Closing this second acquisition is another step in our Drone as a Service or DaaS strategy, establishing a Southeast base with an experienced team and customer relationships, which adds to our Northwest base and national rollout. We have the opportunity to significantly disrupt the land survey business at scale using drone technologies. We view our DaaS business model as similar as to how Uber disrupted the taxi industry,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D. “This acquisition, as well as the 20 others we have identified, have the potential to add accretive revenue over the short term as well as the long term.”

    The US Surveying and Mapping Services industry is estimated at $10.3 billion according to Business Research Insights, growing at least 3% annually. Remotely piloted drones with an array of sensors and cameras, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and GPS systems for capturing high-resolution pictures and data are revolutionizing the land survey industry gathering aerial data across expansive terrains in a matter of hours instead of weeks or months using traditional methods.   Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    Other recent developments in the drone technology industry include:

    EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility (“UAM”) technology platform company, recently announced the launch of its Exhibition (Experience) Center in Shenzhen’s Luohu Sports and Leisure Park. It is the world’s first EH216-S takeoff and landing site featuring a fully automated vertical lift vertiport. It also marks a new smart infrastructure in Shenzhen dedicated to the commercial operations of the EH216-S pilotless passenger-carrying aerial vehicle, establishing a groundbreaking model for electric vertical takeoff and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft operations in urban areas.

    The Luohu UAM Center, designed by EHang, boasts an automated three-dimensional vertical lift vertiport. This innovative facility reduces labor costs and optimizes space usage through its automated operations. The Luohu UAM Center, spanning approximately 753 square meters, has brought this advanced design to life. The first floor is dedicated to a hangar and boarding area, providing passengers with a seamless and comfortable experience. The integrated takeoff and landing pad with the hangar enables rapid charging, thereby streamlining flight operations. During the launch ceremony on January 21, an EH216-S aircraft was lifted from the first to the second floor by the vertical lift platform. It then took to the skies, completing a lap over the Luohu Sports and Leisure Park before landing smoothly, marking its first flight at the Luohu UAM Center. The demonstration received widespread acclaim from attendees.

    Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI) recently announced that its ballistics protection unit, Safe-Pro USA LLC (Safe-Pro USA) will be exhibiting at the upcoming SHOT Show 2025. The event is scheduled to take place from January 21-24, 2025, at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, Nevada. Safe-Pro USA will be exhibiting in the Palazzo Ballroom at booth #55939 on January 22nd and 23rd.

    The Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade ShowSM (SHOT Show®) is one of the largest of its kind events for target shooting, hunting, outdoor recreation and law enforcement. The annual event, attracting more than 55,000 industry professionals from around the world, serves as a premier platform to showcase new products, engage in educational sessions, and forge valuable connections. At SHOT Show 2025, Safe-Pro USA will be displaying an array of new ballistic protective solutions designed for law enforcement. Highlighted by its ultra-lightweight and ultra-thin “305 PRO” hard armor plate, Safe-Pro USA will also display newly developed high-performance ballistic plates and vests compliant with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) latest ballistic standard, NIJ 0101.07, all designed to offer enhanced protection for law enforcement and first responders against high-power rifle threats such as AR-15s and AK-47s.

    Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS) recently announced that its Ondas Autonomous Systems Inc. (“OAS”) business unit’s Airobotics subsidiary has received a purchase order for its Iron Drone Raider from a major defense company. The order includes the integration and testing of new features required for defending from additional ground threats.

    “The Iron Drone Raider is a high performing, modular platform with AI-driven navigation and operating capabilities tailored to the most demanding defense requirements,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas. “Indeed, this versatility is allowing for expanded applications further expanding the potential market size for our Iron Drone platform. These new use cases meet an additional need identified by a governmental customer with the required performance and cost parameters. Securing this platform expansion highlights the exceptional talent and experience of our Airobotics team and the confidence our defense partners and customers have in Ondas.”

    During the third quarter of 2024, OAS secured several initial orders in the defense market, totaling approximately $14.4 million, which included several purchase orders totaling $9.0 million from a major government military customer for the Iron Drone Raider system. The Iron Drone Raider systems are being deployed as a core element of a multi-layered homeland security infrastructure to protect critical locations, assets and populations from the threat of hostile drones.

    Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE American: UMAC), a leading innovator in drone technology with a current focus on U.S. based manufacturing and marketing of drone parts recently announced the release of the Rotor Riot Brave 55A ESC and its addition to the Blue UAS Framework. This product addresses the critical need for non-Chinese, NDAA-compliant components in the U.S. drone industry. Unusual machines now has two drone components placed on the Blue UAS Framework.

    The Blue UAS Framework is a program established by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to provide the Department of Defense and other government entities with trusted, secure drone components that meet rigorous cybersecurity, performance, and regulatory standards. Products listed on the framework ensure compliance with federal requirements, such as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), reducing risks associated with foreign-made or unverified components. Inclusion in the Blue UAS Framework underscores Unusual Machines’ commitment to supplying reliable solutions for government and defense applications.

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at http://www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

    Follow us on Facebook to receive the latest news updates: https://www.facebook.com/financialnewsmedia

    Follow us on Twitter for real time Market News: https://twitter.com/FNMgroup

    Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/financialnewsmedia/

    DISCLAIMER:  FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels.  FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein.  FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.  FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities.  The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material.  All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks.  All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release.  FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers.  Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks.  For current services performed FNM has been compensated fifty four hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company.  FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

    Contact Information:

    Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757

    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Georgians Have Two Weeks Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance; Deadline is Feb. 7, 2025

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    Georgians Have Two Weeks Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance; Deadline is Feb. 7, 2025

    Georgia survivors of Tropical Storm Debby (Aug. 4—20. 2024) and Hurricane Helene (Sept. 24—Oct. 30, 2024) in the counties designated for Individual Assistance have just two weeks left to apply for FEMA assistance.The application period for federal disaster assistance ends on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.Counties approved for assistance for Hurricane Helene are: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Butts, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Dodge, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Montgomery, Newton, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Stephens, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler and Wilkes.Counties approved for assistance for Tropical Storm Debby are: Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Long and Screven.If you had storm-related expenses and live or own a business in one of the listed counties, you are encouraged to apply for disaster assistance. FEMA assistance can provide grants, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) may offer loans for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related needs. For more information or to apply online with SBA, visit sba.gov/disaster. Additional information is also available by calling the Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or via email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.You can apply for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in most languages. Survivors can also contact the Georgia Call Center Monday through Saturday at 678-547-2861 for assistance with their application.To apply in person, visit a Disaster Recovery Center, where FEMA and SBA specialists can help you apply for assistance, upload documents, answer questions and provide information on available resources. You may visit any open Disaster Recovery Center. For locations and hours, go online to fema.gov/drc. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance – YouTube.FEMA provides help to all disaster survivors, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. Our top priority is ensuring that disaster assistance is reaching people in need.For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery, visit fema.gov/helene/georgia and fema.gov/disaster/4821. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or follow FEMA on social media at: FEMA Blog on fema.gov, @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol on X, FEMA or FEMA Espanol on Facebook, @FEMA on Instagram, and via FEMA YouTube channel. Also, follow Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton on X @FEMA_Cam.
    jakia.randolph
    Fri, 01/24/2025 – 13:27

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Simplifying Crypto Payments: Introducing Bybit Pay

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is excited to launch Bybit Pay, an innovative payment platform designed to seamlessly connect traditional finance with the digital economy. This new solution is about processing payments and building strategic partnerships that drive growth, innovation, and financial inclusion on a global scale.

    Bybit Pay is a next-generation payment solution designed to simplify transactions across fiat and cryptocurrencies. With seamless integration across websites, mobile apps, and point-of-sale (POS) systems, Bybit Pay empowers businesses to offer efficient, secure, and low-cost payment options to their customers. Whether it’s for online platforms, in-store purchases, or cross-border payments, Bybit Pay bridges the gap between traditional payment methods and the growing demand for digital financial services.

    Bybit Pay is happy to welcome more forward-thinking partners joining its ecosystem – businesses, payment providers, and service platforms looking to innovate and scale their operations in the evolving digital finance landscape. Partners gain access to:

    • A Global User Base: Instantly connecting with Bybit’s network of over 60 million global users.
    • Seamless Integration: Easily incorporating Bybit Pay into existing financial infrastructures and business systems.
    • Scalable Solutions: Growing with flexible, future-proof payment technologies designed to adapt to market needs.
    • Cross-Industry Collaboration: Unlocking opportunities through partnerships across e-commerce, traditional finance, and digital asset sectors.

    Empowering Businesses and Customers Alike

    For businesses, Bybit Pay offers the tools to drive potential revenue growth, reduce operational costs, and improve financial efficiency. At the same time, customers are able to benefit from faster transactions, lower fees, and the freedom to choose between fiat and cryptocurrency payment methods – creating a frictionless payment experience for all.

    A Vision for the Future

    Joan Han, Bybit’s Sales and Marketing Director, envisions a brighter future for payments, noting: “Bybit Pay represents a shift in how we connect businesses to the digital future. It’s more than a payment platform; it’s a call to partners to innovate and redefine transactions with solutions that are efficient, accessible, and forward-thinking.”

    The Future of Payments Starts Here

    Bybit Pay represents a new chapter in digital finance – where innovation, scalability, and reliability come together to create unparalleled opportunities for growth.

    #Bybit / #TheCryptoArk

    About Bybit

    Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 60 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open, and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

    For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press 

    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com

    For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

    Contact

    Head of PR

    Tony

    Bybit

    tony.au@bybit.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7c878034-d424-4c73-9f6b-1056a73a4449

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Coolmuster iOS Assistant for Mac V5.0 Updated：Enhanced iPhone Manager on Mac

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Coolmuster, a leading consumer software provider specializing in data management solutions for 10+ years, announces a significant update to Coolmuster iOS Assistant for Mac. This enhanced version synchronizes key features from the Windows version, optimizing user experience and enabling seamless management, transfer, and backup of iOS data on Mac computers.

    What’s New in Coolmuster iOS Assistant for Mac V5.0?

    The latest update introduces several key improvements:

    • Optimized Data Loading: Enhanced loading for SMS, memos, thumbnails, and voice memos accelerates transfers.
    • Improved Media Navigation: Refined iCloud thumbnail loading and image export with creation time for smoother media management.
    • Data Integrity Fixes: Resolved potential data loss issues when loading albums, ensuring safe photo management.
    • E-book Transfer Resolution: Fixed issues with transferring e-books to iOS devices.
    • iOS 18 Compatibility: Improved recognition of memos and voice memos, enhancing overall functionality.
    • Performance Enhancements: Addressed potential crashes and optimized performance for a more reliable user experience.

    “Our goal with the latest update was to enhance the user experience and ensure that managing iOS data on Mac is as seamless as possible,” said the Co-founder of Coolmuster. “We listened to our users’ feedback, and these improvements reflect our commitment to providing reliable and efficient tools for their digital lives.”

    Additionally, Coolmuster offers a suite of data management tools, including the Coolmuster Android Assistant, Coolmuster Mobile Transfer, Coolmuster iPhone Data Recovery and Coolmuster Lab.Fone for Android, offering efficient solutions for phone management, transfer and recovery.

    Compatibility and Pricing

    Supported Systems:

    • Windows OS: Windows 7 or newer
    • Mac OS: Mac OS X 10.9 or later
    • iOS: iOS 5.0 and above (including iOS 18)

    Pricing:

    • 1 Year License: Starting from $25.95 for 1 PC
    • Lifetime License: Starting from $35.95 for 1 PC
    • Business License: Starting from $35.95 for 2-5 PCs

    To celebrate the update and appreciate user trust, Coolmuster will host giveaways, offering free software and 20% discounts on selected products. Details can be found at Coolmuster Giveaways.

    About Coolmuster

    Established in 2013, Coolmuster is dedicated to developing powerful and user-friendly software for iOS, Android, Office, Utilities, and Multimedia. With over 2 million users in 160 countries, Coolmuster is committed to enhancing digital life through innovative technology and exceptional customer support.

    More information: https://www.coolmuster.com/

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tennessee Document Processing Centers to Close; FEMA Help Remains

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Tennessee Document Processing Centers to Close; FEMA Help Remains

    Tennessee Document Processing Centers to Close; FEMA Help Remains

    The Document Processing Centers operated by FEMA will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan.24.  While FEMA centers were open, more than 5,146 people were able to get information and guidance in face-to-face meetings with  FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies and organizations.  FEMA urges survivors to stay in touch. For more information, go to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to midnight Eastern Time seven days a week and specialists speak many languages. Applying for assistance is an ongoing process that began when you submitted your application. FEMA may try to get in touch with you from an unknown number. You could receive a letter from FEMA letting you know that your application has missing or incomplete information. Be sure to provide any information that is needed.
    kwei.nwaogu
    Fri, 01/24/2025 – 14:58

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Culture Secretary speech at the Creative Industries Growth Summit

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s speech on government plans to grow the creative industries, at the Creative Industries Growth Summit in Gateshead.

    Welcome to the first Creative Industries Growth Summit. The first national and international gathering of the industries we have chosen to be the centre of our plan for economic growth. 

    Today I want to talk to you about how, together, we are going to take the brakes off our fastest growing industries and from design and TV to music, video games and fashion, we are going to unleash the power of our creative industries. 

    To grow our economy. To create good jobs, choices and chances for all our young people. To power the world through our dynamic creative industries. 

    It’s no accident that we chose to meet here in Gateshead. A town with a proud industrial history. Through iron, steel and coal the people of this town – and this region – powered us through the last century. And Gateshead is now at the forefront of Britain’s cultural renaissance. 

    Through great institutions like the Baltic and the Glasshouse, sculptures like the Angel of the North, and a growing film industry and video games industry across the region, Gateshead and the North East are a shining example – every bit as striking as the Millennium Bridge – of how you build a living, breathing bridge from our past to our future. 

    That potential exists in every nation and region of the United Kingdom. Where our world class creative industries have given us a uniquely British brilliance, from the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, Derry Girls in Northern Ireland, the Hay Festival in Wales, the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, and the British Museum in London which pulls in more visitors from around the world than any apart from in New York.

    But while governments of every stripe have appreciated the social value of our creative industries, they have consistently underpriced the huge economic potential of industries that are already among our most powerful engines of growth. That ends with us.

    I shouldn’t have to say it but I do. From theatre to fashion, advertising to publishing, the creative industries have grown one and a half times faster than the rest of the economy. You together in this room are responsible for creating one in seven jobs through the creative economy. You contribute £124 billion to our economy. Your industries generate nearly 6% of our GVA.

    Paul Simon once sang: “Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts.” There are only three countries that are net exporters of music. That is so uniquely true of Britain. We are the musicians, the creators, the storytellers, who tell our story, light up the world and power this economy. That is the talent and ambition that you have, that has built sectors that were worth more to the economy in 2022 than aerospace, life sciences and the automotive industries combined. 

    But too often you’ve done extraordinary things, not in partnership with your government, but despite it. You’ve been knocking on doors in Whitehall for far too long with a clear message. You want the stability that gives investors confidence to back you. You want a government willing to take a bulldozer to every barrier to growth.

    Well today we’re throwing those doors wide open. We share your passion. We match your ambition and we are going to back you to the hilt as one of only eight industries that we believe will power us through the next century.

    I’m delighted that Baroness Shriti Vadera has agreed to lead us through this new chapter as the next chair of our revamped Creative Industries Council. She and the titan that is Sir Peter Bazalgette have wasted no time in setting to work on the Sector Plan, which is our dedicated plan in the Industrial Strategy that will guide us forwards. 

    But as we put those plans in place to carry the torch forwards, you’ve been nothing but straight with us about what is holding you back. And we’ve heard it loud and clear. Investment, innovation, international competitiveness, and skills. So today in all of these areas we’re taking the brakes off our fastest growing industries and inviting you to motor ahead. 

    We’re starting by making sure you have the investment and backing you need. Like every part of the UK economy, the creative industries have amazing start-ups that struggle to scale up. The growth potential is huge, but the investments are often wrongly deemed too risky and this is particularly true outside London and the South East – forcing great British creative businesses to look overseas to scale.

    We are determined to keep that creative pound here in the UK. So as a first step to addressing that all-important finance barrier, the British Business Bank, which supports over £17 billion in finance for businesses already, is committing to increase the scale of its support for the creative industries. 

    Backing capital fund managers to invest in UK creatives, supporting those experts who understand the unique strengths of this sector in the UK. And we are asking the British Business Bank to report to us on its investment in the creative industries, so that we know the real world impact it is having.

    Secondly, we’re taking steps today to address some of the principal barriers to innovation, research and development investment. Time and again we’ve seen examples of creative businesses coming up with innovations that go on to benefit the wider economy. 

    3D modelling, pioneered for video games, is now employed by Rolls Royce in developing engines. 

    Visualisation technologies are helping bring down the backlog in the NHS, helping surgeons at hospitals like University College Hospital, to increase the number of prostate operations they do every year. That is lives changed because of the work you are doing.

    It’s why the Prime Minister’s Council of Science and Technology recommended that public investment in R&D in the creative industries reflect the size, economic contribution and future growth potential of the sector.

    So today we are announcing that we will strengthen the investment from our national research funding agency UKRI into creative R&D.

    This means building on the success of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and programmes like the Creative Clusters Programme. It means UKRI will develop a specific new strategy to support the creative industries.

    And it means a long-term investment plan for innovation and growth in the sector, allowing us to build world-leading infrastructure around the UK. And again, to underline this commitment, the Government will ask UKRI to report on its investment in the creative industries.

    Because underpinning this is our belief that public and private investment should better reflect the creative industries’ contribution to the economy and its enormous growth potential. 

    But as we embrace new innovation across the country, we will do it in a way that works for creatives, rather than just paying lip service to your concerns. Creators have always been at the cutting edge of new technologies. 

    But we hear creators’ concerns and we recognise the worry that AI is an existential threat to livelihoods. There is no value without content. I want to assure you in the clearest possible terms: creatives are at the core of our AI strategy.

    When it comes to copyright we’re unambiguous in our desire for a copyright regime that provides creators with real control, transparency and ensures they can license their content.

    Thirdly, we’re taking on the skills shortages holding your industries back. We are proud to be supporting major investment projects like the Crown Works film studio in Sunderland. But too often what I hear from young people is that they could no more dream of getting those jobs than going to the moon. 

    That is not just a tragic waste of human potential. It’s bad business. 

    It’s why people like Stephen Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, who is working to bring in a film school in Birmingham, is recruiting and training 20% of his workforce from local postcodes. 

    It is essential for investors to know that they don’t have to incur the costs of shipping people in to work on a project, because that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not.

    [political content]

    So, the Education Secretary has announced a review of the curriculum. As part of that we are putting creativity, art, music, culture and sport back at the heart of the curriculum, supporting culture and creativity through the education system.

    We’re going to introduce shorter apprenticeships from August 2025. This is one of our first steps towards a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy, recognising the particular needs of this sector.

    A movie can take six months to film, while the inflexible apprenticeship model we inherited requires a commitment to 12. We’re knocking down these needless hurdles and this is just the start.

    Skills England, along with DfE and my department, are now committing to work with creative employers to identify where else the apprenticeship system can be more flexible to help them get the skills they need, when they need them.

    We want kids growing up in Gateshead and Wigan to know that they have a contribution to make, that is seen and is valued. And that contribution is not just for Britain – it’s for the world.

    Because our creative industries aren’t just at the heart of our Industrial Strategy and our economic plan, but right at the centre of our ambition to reconnect Britain to the world.

    This week the Foreign Secretary and I put the creative industries at the heart of our new Soft Power Council which we lead together and we launched on Wednesday.

    We both know that when it comes to international competitiveness, we cannot afford to stand still. So in Europe we are working together to unlock closer cooperation to support our touring artists and those across the EU.

    We’ve wasted no time in introducing tax credits for VFX and independent film. A shining example of how industry and government working together drives investment, creates jobs and allows the best storytellers in the world to tell those stories to the world.

    And to drive the sector’s international impact, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and I are extending the Music Export Growth Scheme, which will help great artists to take their talent to the next level. Because nobody has a monopoly on talent. 

    I spent three of the happiest years of my life just over the Tyne Bridge at Newcastle University. And apart from having to get used to being called a southerner, those years introduced me to the very rich culture and heritage here in the North East.

    And when I look around this region, it is obvious to me, as it is to so many of you, that this is a region that should be the Hollywood of the UK. With its innovation, its work ethic, its ability to reinvent and reimagine itself. 

    There is a reason why investors are clamouring to invest here. Not just the creativity of the people, and the strong local leadership, but the beauty of the backdrops and the sheer scale of the space to build film studios like Crown Works in Sunderland. 

    So it is extraordinary that for 19 of the last 20 years only two regions – London and the South East – have had the backing and investment to make a net contribution to the public purse. 

    Trying to grow the economy while ignoring the potential in most parts of Britain is like trying to fly a jet on only one engine. So as well as breaking down the barriers to investment, innovation and skills, we are going to build on what you’ve started through the Sector Plan – learning from the success of London as a global hub, to turbocharge the growth of the creative industries right across the UK. 

    There is huge untapped potential across our country, from the music industry in Liverpool to film and TV production here in the North East. And we know mayors and local businesses – like Kim McGuiness here in the North East and Tracy Brabin who has led trade delegations and created cultural collaborations all over the world – know better than anyone how to unlock this creativity, innovation, and growth. 

    That is why today we are announcing new funding for six Mayoral Strategic Authorities with high potential, which local leaders will be able to spend and invest on what they know local creative industry businesses need. They are: the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands, and the West of England.

    This is just the first step in boosting growth in all parts of the country. The Sector Plan will include further support that will benefit all businesses wherever they are based. We will work with any part of the country that wants to prioritise the creative industries in their local growth plan.

    Alongside that, we are putting money where our mouth is. Today the Chancellor and I are committing £40 million of funding toward the creative industries in the next fiscal year. Including funding 127 businesses to take growth to the next level – including 11 here in the North East of England.

    That’s new funding for creators and creative businesses, major music labels, film studios and fashion houses. It is a serious sign of our belief in these industries and breaking down the barriers, so that many of you in this room can do the same.

    And this is just the first step. In the months ahead we will be taking more action, developing the Industrial Strategy across Whitehall and knocking down these barriers in the way of this sector’s growth.

    [political content]

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sexism linked to social ills for men and women, finds largest cross-cultural study of its kind

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Magdalena Zawisza, Associate Professor in Gender and Consumer Psychology, Director of Groups and Societies Research Centre and Chair of Faculty Athena Swan Committee, Anglia Ruskin University

    Feminism is facing a backlash, with women’s rights being rolled back in many countries and a significant number of people saying feminism has gone far enough or even too far. Yet women still face basic obstacles to education in some countries and are generally paid less than men. They still suffer from male violence and, in some places, face increasing restrictions to reproductive rights. There are even some places where families force midwives to kill their newborn girls.

    Many women are also fed up with doing both a full-time job and the lion’s share of domestic duties and unpaid caring jobs. It’s easy to wonder whether gender equality is simply impossible, especially as many men inaccurately perceive that gains for women equate losses for men.

    But there is hope. Our 62-nation psychological study, which is largest of its kind, suggests that gender equality benefits us all and sexism is harmful to everybody – women, men and nations in many surprising ways. As such, we all have an interest in promoting egalitarianism.

    As our findings show, sexism is linked with several social ills affecting us all. For example, higher sexism predicted lower GDP – indicating lower economic productivity. It also predicted a lower “global peace index”, meaning nation’s higher domestic and international conflict, militarisation and lower safety and security.

    Further, sexism was linked to a greater level of antidemocratic practices in a given country. Lastly, it even predicted shorter healthy lifespans (ones without chronic disease or disability) in women and men as measured with WHO’s Healthy Life Expectancy in Women and Men. For example, our data reveals that one point increase in sexism (measured from 0-5) is linked with a 9.12 months shorter lifespan in men and 8.88 months in women.

    While the type of analysis we did cannot directly prove that sexism causes these issues, the pattern of our findings aligns with theoretically driven predictions and with experiments that directly test such links on a smaller scale. It makes more sense to expect that sexism leads to poor health than that poor health leads to sexism, for example.

    Specifically, other research reports that sexism reduces human capital by restricting women’s education and job opportunities, thus depleting economic productivity. A country where most women work is likely to have much higher productivity than a country where all the women stay at home.

    Research also shows that sexist masculine norms encourage male violence contributing to greater conflict. And we know that sexism is linked to medical discrimination for women, such as less medical research on women and treating women’s complaints as less credible. This may lead to poorer health.

    Sexism prevents men from getting help with their mental and physical health.
    YURII MASLAK/Shutterstock

    For men, sexism discourages seeking help for psychological or medical problems, seeing it as weakness. It also encourages risk-taking, such as aggression or not using seatbelts. This may well cause a reduction in health and wellbeing.

    Two faces of sexism

    Importantly, our study also reveals that affectionate but patronising attitudes to women are also harmful to all – you might not even recognise them as sexist. And you are not alone.

    After 30 years of its conception, our research supports the ambivalent sexism theory. The theory proposes that sexism has two faces: hostile and benevolent. While both are ugly, the latter hides under the veil of superficial positivity. Hostile sexism is an open and overt hostility to non-traditional women and a desire to punish those who break norms, such as female politicians.

    Benevolent sexism, on the other hand, is superficially positive but patronising. It includes attitudes that reward traditional women, such as stay-at-home mums, by idealising them, offering them male protection and provision. This sounds innocent, but such beliefs imply women’s weakness.

    In fact, research has shown that exposure to benevolent sexism increases women’s acceptance of hostile sexism, decreases their work performance, and reduces their support for gender equality action.

    Both ideologies work together to maintain men’s power over women: they form a system of rewards and punishments akin to the iron fist (hostility) in a velvet glove (benevolence). Thus, hostile and benevolent sexism are internalised also by women.

    Our study shows that people who hold benevolent sexist views are also more likely to hold hostile sexist views, as the two correlate positively in 62 countries across five continents. Compared with 2000, when the last such study was done in 19 countries, average national sexism scores dropped a meagre 0.47 points (on a 0-5 scale). See our world map of this and other concepts we measured.

    While men are more sexist than women around the world, women’s beliefs about themselves are also sexist to some extent. Interestingly, as men’s hostile sexism increased, women embraced benevolent sexism more (sometimes outscoring men) – probably attempting to secure the promised protection and provision.

    Unfortunately, this benevolent promise appears false. Across our 62 countries, the higher benevolent sexism, the lower was the gender equality, women’s labour participation and the more time women spend on unpaid domestic chores.

    Taken together, our research suggests that it may well be in the interests of women, men and nations alike to tackle sexism for a better future for us all. In other words, women’s gains mean men’s gains too.

    Dr Magdalena Zawisza received funding for activities related to this study from from National Science Centre, Poland. She volunteers her expertise to Women on Boards CIC Leadership Committee and Think Tank, UK.

    This research was funded by a grant from the National Science Centre in Poland (grant 18 number: 2017/26/M/HS6/00360) awarded to Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka

    – ref. Sexism linked to social ills for men and women, finds largest cross-cultural study of its kind – https://theconversation.com/sexism-linked-to-social-ills-for-men-and-women-finds-largest-cross-cultural-study-of-its-kind-247183

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Yorkshire company fined for polluting river with bleach

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A Huddersfield company has been fined and ordered to pay costs totalling almost £9,000 after it polluted a river with bleach and killed hundreds of fish.

    Specialist packing company Liquipak Ltd, based at Queens Mill Business Centre at Queens Mill Road, appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 9 January 2025, where it pleaded guilty to an illegal discharge of bleach.

    The court heard that in September 2021 the bleach – sodium hypochlorite – escaped after a wooden pallet collapsed. The spilt bleach was flushed into surface water drains which discharge into the River Holme where it meets the River Colne in Huddersfield.

    Over 800 dead fish were counted 3kms downstream in the River Colne, as well as dead aquatic invertebrates, such as insects that live in water.

    In mitigation the court heard the company was deeply remorseful and that it was an unfortunate accident. The court also heard the company had introduced new handling procedures for its containers and had obtained a drainage plan.

    The company was ordered to pay a fine of £2,666.67 after being given credit for an early guilty plea in addition to a victim’s surcharge and prosecution costs bringing the total amount to £8,973.67.

    Thorough investigation after reports of pollution

    Environment Agency Environment Officer Peter Kirton said:

    Companies have a responsibility to ensure their activities do not have serious environmental impacts.

    It’s important they understand their site drainage and the difference between surface and foul drains.

    We carried out a thorough investigation into this pollution incident and the company has since taken steps to ensure there is no recurrence in future.

    The court heard the liquid was stored in containers – those containing liquids are stored inside the warehouse and empty containers outside.

    In September 2021 the Environment Agency received a report of dead fish in the River Colne. Officers attended and their investigation traced the source to Liquipak.

    The company explained there had been a spillage of bleach inside the warehouse, which happened when a wooden pallet the containers were stacked on gave way, resulting in some of them toppling and spilling.

    The contents went down a manhole cover in the warehouse. It hadn’t been reported to the Environment Agency because the company thought the manhole led to the foul sewer.

    An Environment Agency officer used green dye to trace the discharge from the manhole, confirming it was a surface water drain that led to the river.

    While the court agreed the incident was negligent, it accepted there were mitigating circumstances including that the company co-operated fully with the investigation, carried out a clean-up and has since taken steps around storage and operation to prevent it happening again in the future. The court accepted the offence was not commercially motivated.

    Pollution incidents can be reported to the Environment Agency on its 24-hour incident hotline, 0800 807060.

    Background

    Full charge

    On 2 September 2021 Liquipak Ltd caused a water discharge activity, namely the discharge of Sodium Hypochlorite into inland freshwaters, namely the River Holme at its confluence with the River Colne, otherwise than in accordance with an environmental permit.

    Contrary to Regulations 12(1)(b) and 38(1)(a) Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Relief Still Available to Indiana Small Businesses and Nonprofits Hit by May Storms: Don’t Miss the Deadline to Apply for an SBA Disaster Loan!

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Indiana of the Feb. 24 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred May 7, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Ripley, Rush, and Union in Indiana, as well as Butler and Hamilton counties in Ohio. 

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to 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 small 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 that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.  

    “When disasters strike, businesses and nonprofits face significant challenges,” said Randle Logan, acting associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “These SBA loans provide the financial support they need to manage costs and continue moving forward.”  

    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 amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.  

    SBA’s disaster loan program has been replenished through the American Relief Act of 2025, signed into law by President Biden on December 21, 2024.  

    For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 6592955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for 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 economic injury applications is Feb. 24, 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 or 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 http://www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Newberry County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>COLUMBIA, S.C. – A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Newberry County to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene.  
    Newberry County
    Newberry Armory275 General Henderson RoadNewberry, SC 29108
    Open Jan. 24, Jan. 27-29, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., closed Jan. 25-26.
    FEMA is encouraging South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Jan. 28.
    Click here to find centers that are already open in South Carolina. To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. 
    You can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the state of South Carolina and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. 
    Homeowners and renters in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation can apply for federal assistance.
    The quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or by calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select this link.
    FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Corporation and Former Chief Executive Officer Plead Guilty to Health Care Fraud and Tax Conspiracy

    Source: United States Attorneys General 9

    The Justice Department announced today that KBWB Operations LLC, which did business as Atrium Health and Senior Living (KBWB-Atrium), and former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Member Kevin Breslin of KBWB-Atrium, both pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of tax conspiracy related to the operation of numerous skilled nursing facilities.

    “Americans rely on skilled nursing facilities to care for themselves, family members and other loved ones, and the operators of these institutions must live up to their obligations and the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to help ensure the safety and dignity of our must vulnerable citizens.”

    Breslin, 58, of Hoboken, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on Dec. 17, 2024. KBWB-Atrium pleaded guilty in the same court on Jan. 21. Breslin is one of six owners of KBWB-Atrium. KBWB-Atrium’s corporate headquarters was located in Little Falls, New Jersey, and its Midwest corporate office was located in Appleton, Wisconsin. KBWB-Atrium operated and owned nursing facilities in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

    On Feb. 1, 2023, a Wisconsin grand jury returned a 12-count indictment against defendants Breslin and KBWB-Atrium (collectively the defendants) charging health care fraud and tax conspiracy, among other charges. According to court documents, from approximately Jan. 1, 2015, to in or about September 2018, KBWB-Atrium operated and owned 23 skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin, and Breslin was responsible for overseeing all of KBWB-Atrium’s operations. The primary source of income for the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities was federal Medicare and Medicaid funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

    According to court documents, the defendants’ alleged health care fraud scheme involved unlawfully diverting CMS funds intended for the operation, management, maintenance, and care of the residents of the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities for other purposes and personal expenses. The defendants allegedly prioritized distributions and guaranteed payments to KBWB-Atrium’s owners regardless of KBWB-Atrium’s financial situation. The defendants’ alleged actions resulted in failing to meet the required federal regulations governing skilled nursing facilities, including not operating the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities in a manner that would enhance residents’ quality of life. According to court documents, the defendants also knew that vendors were not being paid for extended periods of time or some were not paid at all for their services. Additionally, defendants allegedly failed to pay third-party administrators monies deducted from KBWB-Atrium employees’ paychecks for insurance premiums and 401(k) plan contributions.

    As a part of the tax conspiracy alleged in court documents, Breslin, acting on behalf of KBWB-Atrium, directed that income taxes and employment taxes withheld from KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin employees’ paychecks not be paid over to the IRS. This caused employees to prepare tax returns listing those withholdings as having been paid to the IRS, which was false.

    The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on May 7 before U.S. District Judge William M. Conleyfor the Western District of Wisconsin. Breslin faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for the health care fraud count and five years in prison for the conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States count, along with a period of supervised release. Both defendants face restitution and other monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence of each defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.       

    “Healthcare fraud affects every American,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “My office was proud to partner with the Justice Department’s Civil Division to help prosecute these individuals who harmed seniors and exploited our health care benefits programs for personal gain.”

    “This guilty plea demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding individuals accountable who exploit vulnerable populations and defraud the healthcare system for personal gain,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Breslin’s actions not only eroded public trust but endangered the well-being of patients who rely on our health care system. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to investigate and bring to justice those who abuse positions of trust.”

    “The guilty pleas of Kevin Breslin and KBWB Operations LLC serve as a reminder that healthcare fraud is not only a direct violation of patient care, but also an attack on the financial systems that underpin public and private trust,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI and its law enforcement partners remain dedicated to investigating and prosecuting individuals and businesses who seek to exploit public and private institutions for personal gain.”

    “HHS-OIG is dedicated to protecting Medicare and Medicaid funds and ensuring that health care providers uphold their responsibility to serve vulnerable populations with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The actions of those involved in this scheme erode the trust placed in our nation’s health care system, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who misuse public funds for personal gain.”

    “Employers placing profit over upholding their legal fiduciary responsibilities when managing health benefit plans will not be tolerated,” said Regional Director Ruben R. Chapa of the Employee Benefits Security Administration in Chicago. “The Employee Benefits Security Administration remains committed to ensuring that those who knowingly break the law are held fully accountable.”

    The IRS-CI Chicago Field Office; HHS-OIG – Office of Investigations, Milwaukee Field Office; U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, New York and Chicago Regional Offices; FBI Milwaukee Field Office; and the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin.

    Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwi.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Urges Senate to Confirm Hegseth and Rollins, Secure American Farmland with the FARM Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke on the Senate floor in support of Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Defense, who will bring much-needed change to the Department of Defense.
    Additionally, Sen. Tuberville addressed legislation he reintroduced on Wednesday, the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act. The FARM Act will help secure America’s agricultural industry and food supply chains from foreign adversaries by creating a permanent seat for the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Additionally, Sen. Tuberville encouraged the Senate to move quickly on confirming President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, who will fight for America’s farming communities and defend against foreign influence in the U.S. agricultural sector.
    Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON CONFIRMING PETE HEGSETH
    “Thank you, Mr. President,
    I want to reiterate what my colleague from Tennessee just talked about, the importance of the vote that we just took. Just a few minutes ago our nominee for new Secretary Defense, Pete Hegseth. 
    Now the procedure is, as we just voted, to close the vote and now, we wait 30 hours from just a few minutes ago and have the final vote on his nomination, which it looks like that he has the votes of a majority to be appointed, or sent to the White House, to be confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense.
    I’m on the Armed Services Committee, and I’ve watched four years of the destruction of the best military in our world, United States of America. It is a shame what has happened, the DEI, the woke agenda that’s being pushed on the troops in our country, to me, is embarrassing.
    I’m a military brat. My dad died on active duty in the military. Awarded five bronze stars and a Purple Heart at age 17 driving a tank across Europe after landing the first day at Normandy. We have to change course in our military, and we can talk about inflation and pumping gas and the crime and all the things that we’re having a lot of problems with, but if you don’t have a strong military to protect our borders and protect the citizens in our country from adversaries all over the world, we got problems. And it’s got to start there.
    Pete Hegseth is the choice, the right choice. I like his age, I like his demeanor, I like the things he brings to our military. He’s exciting and he will energize this military into the next decade. And I’m excited about that. 
    So, hopefully in about 30 hours we’ll vote tomorrow night around 9:00 and we’ll vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as our new Secretary of Defense.
    ON THE FARM ACT
    Now, I’d like to turn to national security threats in our Nation’s agriculture sector and food supply chains.
    I’m on the Ag Committee. Over the past few years, the United States has experienced a rapid increase in foreign investment in agricultural sector, particularly from China. We have to open our eyes. Bad things are happening around us. Growing foreign investment in agriculture and other essential industries like health care and energy is a direct threat to our country’s national security.
    You know for years now I’ve been sounding the alarm about foreign ownership of American farmland and other elements of our food chain. According to USDA data from December 2023,  foreign investors own approximately 45 million acres of U.S. agriculture land. Now let me say that again: 45 million acres of our forest and agriculture land in this country has been sold to foreign entities. Does that not scare us? What [did] we just see during COVID about our drug supply? We looked around, we looked for health care and help after COVID hit our hit our borders and what happened? We found out that it was all being made in China.
    So, 45 million acres, this represents over 1.5 million acres in one calendar year. Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land in increased modestly from 2012 to [20]17 an average increase of 0.6 million acres per year, that’s 2012 to 2017. But since 2017, the number has skyrocketed to an average of 2.6 million acres a year that we’re selling, our farmland, to our adversaries. And it’s just not China. It’s Russia it’s other entities that don’t wish us well at the end of the day. So additionally, between 2010 and [20]21, entities or individuals from China increased their ownership of U.S. agriculture land more than twenty-fold from about 14,000 acres to 400,000 Acres. This is an unbelievable and unsustainable pace for the United States of America.
    Now, Alabama is experiencing, my state, this firsthand. We have the fourth largest amount of foreign owned agricultural land in the United States at 2.2 million acres, most of which is forest land. It’s not really agriculture in terms of growing row crops, it’s basically our forest. You know, I represent over 62,000 farmers in the state of Alabama. I hear from them time and time again about foreign activity in our agriculture community. Threats like these are something our states can’t handle all on their own.
    Which is why President Ford established, President Ford, established a Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, also known in short terms, CFIUS. This was in 1975. In other words, this committee is supposed to keep an eye on foreign investments in our country. This is the governmental body that oversees the vetting process of foreign investments and acquisitions of American companies in the interest of national security. CFIUS is composed of nine members of President’s cabinet including the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Energy. The Attorney General, the US Trade Representative, and the Director of Office of Science and Technology Policy also sit on this vetting board of industry and land in our country.
    Nowhere on that list did you hear me say the Secretary of Agriculture. Now why is that? […] Considering the massive increase in foreign investment in our country, we need additional oversight for what’s going on in our country. We got our eyes closed. Which is why yesterday I introduced the Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act, called the FARM Act, here on the floor that will accomplish three major things.
    First, it would add the Secretary of Agriculture as a permanent member of CFIUS. In other words, that somebody that’s going to help our agriculture people vet land that’s being bought by foreign entities. Second, it would protect U.S. agriculture industry from foreign control through transactions, mergers, and acquisitions, and agreements, and it would also designate agriculture supply chains as critical infrastructure and critical technology. Third, it would require a report to Congress on current and potential foreign investments in the U.S. agriculture industry. This legislation, folks, is long overdue.
    These foreign investments now reach into every aspect of agriculture industry and supply chains from farming and processing, to packaging and shipping. We cannot, and I repeat, we cannot allow our adversaries to have a foot in the door to our critical supply chains. Food security is national security. We must prioritize increased oversight of foreign investment, and our food supply chains especially those coming from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. 
    This starts with giving the agriculture community a permanent seat at the table of CFIUS. The FARM Act does just that.
    ON CONFIRMING BROOKE ROLLINS
    And there’s no better person to fill this permanent seat on CFIUS than my good friend, who we had a hearing today, as a new nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins. I’ve known Brooke for 30 years. I met her while I was coaching at Texas A&M. She was the student body president in 1994. The students saw then what President Trump, what they see in her today, her strong leadership and her conviction of agriculture. It will be no different when she becomes the Secretary of Agriculture for the United States of America. 
    Brooke was brought up in a small agricultural community of Glen Rose, Texas. She comes from several generations of American farmers. She participated in levels of 4-H and FFA. She raised livestock throughout her life. Now she is [a] mother, she’s involved in the show steer industry with her four children. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural development from A&M and later earned a law degree at the University of Texas. 
    Later at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, she was engaged with rural and agriculture communities throughout Texas. She led litigation efforts that focused on the defense of Texas landowners and farmers against federal interference and regulations. Next, Brooke went on to serve in several roles in President Trump’s White House. She served as the Director of Domestic Policy Council, Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives, and Director of The Office of American Innovation. In these roles, she helped roll back terrible EPA rules like Waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, that targeted farmers and ranchers. 
    After the White House, she joined the American First Policy Institute, where she focused on protecting U.S. farmland and foreign entities seeking to gain control, especially from the Chinese. At AFPI, she strove to improve American food security, independence, as well as support measures that defend U.S. agriculture trade. Brooke understands these many challenges.
    In short, Brooke is a conservative warrior and will be an excellent Ag Secretary. I look forward to working with her to secure our farmland from foreign entities and working with her on passing a Farm Bill that puts American producers first again.
    As Alabama’s voiced on the Senate Ag Committee, I will continue fighting to secure our agriculture supply chain so our agriculture community can continue to put food on the table. And that starts with someone like Brooke Rollins as our Secretary of Agriculture. She is a terrific nominee, and I look forward to working with her on the Committee.
    I expect to move, her to move easily through the Committee vote, and here on this floor. So, once she’s out of Committee, the Senate must vote on her for confirmation. She’ll do great. She’s perfect for the job and I ask that the Senate take up both efforts quickly to defend our agriculture communities which feeds not only the American people but the entire world.
    I yield the floor.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Corporation and Former Chief Executive Officer Plead Guilty to Health Care Fraud and Tax Conspiracy

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department announced today that KBWB Operations LLC, which did business as Atrium Health and Senior Living (KBWB-Atrium), and former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Member Kevin Breslin of KBWB-Atrium, both pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of tax conspiracy related to the operation of numerous skilled nursing facilities.

    “Americans rely on skilled nursing facilities to care for themselves, family members and other loved ones, and the operators of these institutions must live up to their obligations and the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to help ensure the safety and dignity of our must vulnerable citizens.”

    Breslin, 58, of Hoboken, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on Dec. 17, 2024. KBWB-Atrium pleaded guilty in the same court on Jan. 21. Breslin is one of six owners of KBWB-Atrium. KBWB-Atrium’s corporate headquarters was located in Little Falls, New Jersey, and its Midwest corporate office was located in Appleton, Wisconsin. KBWB-Atrium operated and owned nursing facilities in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

    On Feb. 1, 2023, a Wisconsin grand jury returned a 12-count indictment against defendants Breslin and KBWB-Atrium (collectively the defendants) charging health care fraud and tax conspiracy, among other charges. According to court documents, from approximately Jan. 1, 2015, to in or about September 2018, KBWB-Atrium operated and owned 23 skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin, and Breslin was responsible for overseeing all of KBWB-Atrium’s operations. The primary source of income for the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities was federal Medicare and Medicaid funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

    According to court documents, the defendants’ alleged health care fraud scheme involved unlawfully diverting CMS funds intended for the operation, management, maintenance, and care of the residents of the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities for other purposes and personal expenses. The defendants allegedly prioritized distributions and guaranteed payments to KBWB-Atrium’s owners regardless of KBWB-Atrium’s financial situation. The defendants’ alleged actions resulted in failing to meet the required federal regulations governing skilled nursing facilities, including not operating the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities in a manner that would enhance residents’ quality of life. According to court documents, the defendants also knew that vendors were not being paid for extended periods of time or some were not paid at all for their services. Additionally, defendants allegedly failed to pay third-party administrators monies deducted from KBWB-Atrium employees’ paychecks for insurance premiums and 401(k) plan contributions.

    As a part of the tax conspiracy alleged in court documents, Breslin, acting on behalf of KBWB-Atrium, directed that income taxes and employment taxes withheld from KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin employees’ paychecks not be paid over to the IRS. This caused employees to prepare tax returns listing those withholdings as having been paid to the IRS, which was false.

    The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on May 7 before U.S. District Judge William M. Conleyfor the Western District of Wisconsin. Breslin faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for the health care fraud count and five years in prison for the conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States count, along with a period of supervised release. Both defendants face restitution and other monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence of each defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.       

    “Healthcare fraud affects every American,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “My office was proud to partner with the Justice Department’s Civil Division to help prosecute these individuals who harmed seniors and exploited our health care benefits programs for personal gain.”

    “This guilty plea demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding individuals accountable who exploit vulnerable populations and defraud the healthcare system for personal gain,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Breslin’s actions not only eroded public trust but endangered the well-being of patients who rely on our health care system. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to investigate and bring to justice those who abuse positions of trust.”

    “The guilty pleas of Kevin Breslin and KBWB Operations LLC serve as a reminder that healthcare fraud is not only a direct violation of patient care, but also an attack on the financial systems that underpin public and private trust,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI and its law enforcement partners remain dedicated to investigating and prosecuting individuals and businesses who seek to exploit public and private institutions for personal gain.”

    “HHS-OIG is dedicated to protecting Medicare and Medicaid funds and ensuring that health care providers uphold their responsibility to serve vulnerable populations with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The actions of those involved in this scheme erode the trust placed in our nation’s health care system, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who misuse public funds for personal gain.”

    “Employers placing profit over upholding their legal fiduciary responsibilities when managing health benefit plans will not be tolerated,” said Regional Director Ruben R. Chapa of the Employee Benefits Security Administration in Chicago. “The Employee Benefits Security Administration remains committed to ensuring that those who knowingly break the law are held fully accountable.”

    The IRS-CI Chicago Field Office; HHS-OIG – Office of Investigations, Milwaukee Field Office; U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, New York and Chicago Regional Offices; FBI Milwaukee Field Office; and the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin.

    Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.  For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdwi.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting growth through regulatory reform: response from Environment Agency CEO to the Prime Minister

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    A response from Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency to the Prime Minister on a new approach to regulators and regulations to support economic growth.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Supporting growth through regulatory reform: response from Environmental Agency CEO to the Prime Minster

    PDF, 201 KB, 5 pages

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    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 defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

    Details

    A letter to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade from Philip Duffy, the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency.

    It outlines how the Environment Agency will support a new approach to regulators and regulations to support economic growth.

    This is a response to a letter from the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, dated 24 December 2024.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 January 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Press Release: FDIC Approves Merger Application for WesBanco Bank, Inc., Wheeling, West Virginia

    Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC

    CategoriesBusiness, Commerce, MIL-OSI, United States Federal Government, United States Government, United States of America, US Commerce, US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC, US Federal Government, US Insurance Sector, USA

    WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) approved a Bank Merger Act (BMA) application submitted by WesBanco Bank, Inc., Wheeling, West Virginia, to acquire and merge with Premier Bank, Youngstown, Ohio. The resulting bank will operate in West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and will operate under the name, WesBanco Bank, Inc.

    When reviewing applications pursuant to the requirements of the BMA, the FDIC considers certain statutory factors, including the competitive effects of the transaction, the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the existing and proposed institutions, the convenience and needs of the communities to be served, the risk to the stability of the U.S. banking or financial system, and the anti-money laundering records of the institutions involved. The FDIC found favorably on those factors as well as additional requirements applicable to the transaction as an interstate merger under section 44 of the Federal Deposit Insurance (FDI) Act.

    The transaction shall not be consummated until all necessary approvals, exemptions, and/or non-objections have been obtained from all relevant federal and state regulatory authorities.

    As noted by FDIC Acting Chairman Travis Hill earlier this week, improving the bank merger approval process is a high priority for the agency going forward.

    ###

    MEDIA CONTACT: 
    mediarequests@fdic.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor unveils plan to turbocharge investment across the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    A package of investment reforms to spur regional growth across the country is being announced to attract investment in all corners of the UK.

    Ahead of her speech next week on economic growth, the Chancellor has announced a new approach across the National Wealth Fund (NWF) and the Office for Investment (OfI), which will work with local leaders across the UK to support places to build pipelines of incoming investment and projects linked to regional growth priorities.

    This new approach will put local knowledge and leadership at the forefront, with tailored strategies for each region, ensuring investment matches local needs and drives sustainable growth. Putting the government’s Plan for Change into action, the goal is to harness growth everywhere to rebuild Britain and usher in a decade of national renewal.

    The National Wealth Fund will also trial Strategic Partnerships starting in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, and Glasgow City Region. These partnerships will provide enhanced, hands-on support with tailored commercial and financial advice to help regions develop and secure long-term investment opportunities.

    This initiative will play a key role in unlocking investment across sectors such as technology, manufacturing, and green energy, helping to fuel the next wave of economic growth.

    This builds on the positive impact the NWF has already had in supporting regional growth. In the last six months, the NWF has created 8,600 jobs and unlocked nearly £1.6 billion in private investment across various sectors, including green technologies, digital infrastructure, and manufacturing.

    The news comes the same day as Regional Mayors are set to meet with the Deputy Prime Minister and other ministers from MHCLG, HMT, and DWP in Rotherham to discuss key regional priorities and how government can further support them to achieve their growth ambitions. This meeting will inform the government’s ongoing efforts to align national and local growth strategies and unlock investment opportunities in each region.

    On top of this, OfI is working closely with local leaders and industry to turn regional growth plans into commercially attractive investment opportunities. Starting with Liverpool City Region and North East Combined Authorities, the OfI will pilot an approach that connects regions to central government and industry expertise to support them in unlocking private investment.

    These initiatives will test how government can work in partnership with regions to see where investment can play a meaningful role in driving growth, which is the best way to improve living standards and put more money in working people’s pockets.

    Launching this initiative in Scotland comes in recognition of the nation’s potential to drive forward ambitious projects in support of this government’s growth and clean energy missions. The government is committed to working in close partnership with the devolved governments through the National Wealth Fund to maximise investment opportunities in Scotland’s cities to deliver growth.

    Our cities have huge potential to drive improved living standards and spread opportunities across their wider regions. Bringing the productivity of major cities like Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Glasgow to the national average would deliver an extra £33 billion in additional Gross Value Added (GVA) annually, contributing significantly to the government’s Plan for Change economic growth objectives.

    The action today comes as the Chancellor returns from Davos, where she has been making the case for investment in the whole of the U.K. Since entering office, the government has been focused on restoring economic stability, which is the foundation of growth, to give businesses the confidence to invest and expand in the UK.

    Securing investment is also central to the government’s mission to deliver economic growth which will create jobs, improve living standards, and make communities and families across the country better off as part of our Plan for Change.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP said:

    At Davos I’ve been telling some of the world’s biggest investors that the U.K. is a safe bet for their investments, whether that’s in London or Leeds.

    And in our mission for growth, it’s critical that we are growing every region’s local economy, that’s why we are doing things differently. Those with local knowledge and skin in the game are best placed to know what their area needs, and our transformative reforms will put local leaders at the centre of a network that will connect them with investment opportunities, bringing wealth and jobs to their communities.

    Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said:

    Growth is at the top of this government’s agenda, and we want to see that growth in every region across the country. That means giving local leaders the powers they need to get their local economies moving, which is exactly what we are doing with our Devolution Priority Programme.

    Today I am meeting with England’s regional Mayors to talk about how to realise their communities’ huge potential for growth – because they know their areas best.

    Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds said:

    The UK is one of the most connected places in the world to do business, and investors should be in no doubt that Britain is back on the global stage, helping attract investment into the most productive parts of the UK economy.

    Our forthcoming Industrial Strategy will supercharge eight key growth sectors in the UK economy, unleashing the full potential of our cities and regions and giving businesses the certainty they need as we lead the charge for the innovation and jobs of the future.

    Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray said:

    It’s fantastic to see that Glasgow has been chosen as one of four areas where the UK Government will develop investment pipelines. The move will see us engage with local leaders and tap into their expertise to find out exactly where we can best put to use support from avenues like the National Wealth Fund and Office for Investment.

    Encouraging regional growth is key to our Plan for Change, to speed up investment in business and industry, creating jobs and opportunity right across the UK.

    The potential for growth in Scotland is phenomenal and we’ll explore every opportunity to maximise that growth, to put more money in people’s pockets and see living standards improved everywhere.

    Further action to drive regional growth will also include a review of the Green Book, the government guidance on value for money, and how it is being used across the public sector to provide objective, transparent advice on public investment across the country. This review will report back at the conclusion of the Spending Review this summer.

    There will also be a new senior taskforce, chaired jointly by HMT and MHCLG permanent secretaries, who will work with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to explore further devolution opportunities in skills, transport, and business support.

    The government will expand this engagement to other Mayoral Authorities through senior official working groups, to explore how national government can work with local leaders to ensure they have the appropriate levers available to deliver their Local Growth Plans and unlock economic growth across England.

    Mayors are already delivering transformative outcomes, such as Greater Manchester’s Adult Skills Fund, which has supported 17,000 residents in accessing new learning opportunities, and the Bee Network, which is integrating public transport across the region.

    This follows the English Devolution White Paper, published at the end of last year, which set out an enhanced devolution framework to ensure strategic authorities have the powers and tools they need to meet local growth ambitions.

    Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said:

    This government knows that the best way to achieve its growth mission is by working with mayors and backing our Local Growth Plans to boost the economy in all parts of the country.

    With the National Wealth Fund based here in the heart of the North, driving forward transformational investments in partnership with local leaders, we will deliver the well-paid jobs and the vibrant, well-connected places our communities need and deserve.

    Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said:

    Greater Manchester is growing faster than the UK economy but we have got so much more to give to UK plc. The reforms announced today will help us to do just that and go much further and faster in support of the national growth mission. We particularly welcome the opportunity to work with Government to review the Green Book and how it is used to steer public investment, as the current approach is not working for the North of England.

    Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands said:

    This is a great show of faith by the Government in our regions to deliver the growth and high-quality jobs the country needs. The West Midlands is a hotbed of innovation and business talent ready to support the Government’s mission for growth.

    With the Government, I’m focused on delivering growth and with plans for a gigafactory, and three Investment Zones secured, we’re already making progress on creating thousands of new jobs. At the same time I am equipping our people with the skills to succeed in the industries of the future such as advance manufacturing, life sciences and green technology. 

    With this new Strategic Partnership, the West Midlands will be one of the best places to do business, with an economy that creates real opportunities and benefits everyone across our communities.

    Cllr Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet said:

    This is welcome recognition of the Glasgow City Region’s role as Scotland’s metro region, a vital motor in delivering prosperity and with a track record of securing and delivering on investment.

    Cities and city regions are the vital engine rooms of local and national economic growth and Glasgow’s selection as one of the four strategic partnerships to work with Government on maximising investment opportunities will, I’m sure, contribute to our ambition to become the most innovative, resilient and inclusive regional economy in the UK.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Premium Income Corporation Announces Class A Consolidation Ratio

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (TSX: PIC.A; PIC.PR.A) Premium Income Corporation (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that in connection with the special retraction right granted to shareholders arising as a result of the extension of the term of the Fund to November 1, 2031, the Fund is announcing a consolidation of its Class A shares effective the opening of trading on or about November 12, 2024. As more Preferred shares than Class A shares were retracted on the special retraction, the consolidation will ensure that an approximately equal number of Class A shares and Preferred shares will be outstanding immediately following the consolidation. Under the consolidation, each Class A share will be consolidated into approximately 0.67 of a Class A share. The total value of a shareholder’s investment in Class A shares will not change, however, the number of Class A shares reflected in the shareholder’s account will decline and the net asset value per Class A share will increase proportionately. The consolidation is subject to regulatory approval. No fractional shares will be issued and shareholders are not required to take any action for the consolidation to be effective.

    In addition, the Fund is pleased to announce that distributions on the Class A shares will be paid monthly instead of quarterly commencing in November 2024. Monthly distributions are expected to be $0.08 per Class A share or $0.96 per share per annum (compared to the previous rate of $0.81276 per annum). Holders of Class A shares will continue to receive ongoing leveraged exposure to a high-quality portfolio consisting principally of common shares of Bank of Montreal, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada and The Toronto-Dominion Bank. Holders of the Preferred shares are expected to continue to benefit from fixed cumulative preferential monthly distributions in the amount of $0.10625 ($1.275 per annum) per Preferred share representing a yield of 8.5% on the original issue price of $15.00 per share.

    For further information, please contact Investor Relations at 416.681.3966, toll free at 1.800.725.7172, email at info@mulvihill.com or visit http://www.mulvihill.com

    John Germain, Senior Vice-President & CFO Mulvihill Capital Management Inc.
    121 King Street West
    Suite 2600
    Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3T9

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Buncombe County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: New Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Buncombe County

    New Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Buncombe County

    RALEIGH, N.C. –  A new Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open Saturday, Oct. 26 in Fairview (Buncombe County) to assist North Carolina survivors who experienced loss from Tropical Storm Helene. The Buncombe County DRC is located at:  Cane Creek Pool590 Lower Brush Creek Rd.Fairview, NC 28730Open: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday through SundayIn addition to the fixed site, Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (M-DRCs) are open in Buncombe County for a limited time to provide in-person support. M-DRCs can be found at the following locations and operational hours:Swannanoa Fire Rescue – Bee Tree Fire Sub Station510 Bee Tree Rd. Swannanoa, NC 28778Open: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Oct. 25 – 27Buncombe County Sports Park (Parking Lot)58 Apac Dr. Asheville, NC 28806Open: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Oct. 28 – 31A DRC is a one-stop shop where survivors can meet face-to-face with FEMA representatives, apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to local assistance in their area, apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans and much more.  FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other uninsured, disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral or dental expenses. Centers are already open in Bakersville, Boone, Brevard, Burnsville, Hendersonville, Lenoir, Marion, Marshall, Sylva, Waynesville, Jefferson, Newland, Old Fort, Sparta, Morganton and Charlotte. To find those center locations, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a zip code to 43362. Additional recovery centers will be opening soon. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology.  Homeowners and renters in 39 North Carolina counties and tribal members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can visit any open center, including locations in other states. No appointment is needed.  It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance. The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via the FEMA app. You may also call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. 
    barbara.murien…
    Fri, 10/25/2024 – 21:49

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to California Businesses and Residents Affected by the Chinatown Apartment Complex Fire

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    “As communities across the Southeast continue to recover and rebuild after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the SBA remains focused on its mission to provide support to small businesses to help stabilize local economies, even in the face of diminished disaster funding,” said Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. “If your business has sustained physical damage, or you’ve lost inventory, equipment or revenues, the SBA will help you navigate the resources available and work with you at our recovery centers or with our customer service specialists in person and online so you can fully submit your disaster loan application and be ready to receive financial relief as soon as funds are replenished.”

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to California businesses and residents affected by the Chinatown Apartment Complex Fire that occurred Sept. 13, announced Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster in response to a request SBA received from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s authorized representative, Director Nancy Ward of the California Office of Emergency Services, on Oct. 24.

    The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura counties in California.

    “When disasters strike, our Disaster Loan Outreach Centers are key to helping business owners and residents get back on their feet,” said Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “At these centers, people can connect directly with our specialists to apply for disaster loans and learn about the full range of programs available to rebuild and move forward in their recovery journey.”

    “Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster,” Sánchez continued. “Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 29, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application,” Sánchez added. The center will be open on the days and times indicated below. No appointment is necessary.

    LOS ANGELES COUNTY
    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Chinatown Service Center/Medical Center
    711 W. College St., Rm. 100
    Los Angeles, CA  90012

    Opens at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29

    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

    Closes at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5

    Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

    For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

    “SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” Sánchez said. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

    Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

    On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

    Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

    Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at 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 apply for property damage is Dec. 24, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is July 25, 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 http://www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Forum on China-UK dialogue, collaboration in screen industry held in London

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

    LONDON, Oct. 25 — A forum centered on dialogue and collaboration between the Chinese and British screen industries was held in London on Friday, drawing over 200 professionals and industry insiders from both countries.

    The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum (SLSIF) 2024 highlighted outstanding Chinese and British film and television projects, featuring speeches, panel discussions, trailer screenings, and the launch of new collaborative projects between China and the United Kingdom (UK).

    Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London, said that the forum would create valuable opportunities for the Chinese and British screen industries to deepen their understanding of each other’s strengths and explore potential collaborations.

    “New business relationships are crucial for building connections, developing ideas, enhancing mutual understanding, and potentially laying the groundwork for real co-production opportunities between the UK and China, London and Shanghai,” Wootton said.

    During the panel discussions, participants shared insights on the opportunities and challenges in China-UK screen industry cooperation, as well as the global dissemination of Chinese content.

    “In today’s globalized world, cultural exchanges and cooperation are essential for world peace and development,” said Luo Yi, Deputy Director-General at the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism. He emphasized that high-quality audiovisual productions act as “the bridge and bond linking different peoples.”

    The event included the showcase of 35 Chinese productions spanning genres such as animation, documentaries, period dramas, and contemporary urban series. The forum also celebrated the release of “Asia”, a seven-episode natural history documentary series produced by BBC Studios.

    “With the creative industries at the heart of the industrial strategy, and with forums like this, I think we can expect great things between China’s collaboration in the future,” said Rupert Daniels, Director of Creative, Consumer, Sports, and Education at the UK Department for Business and Trade. He added that such partnerships not only enhance commercial prospects but also strengthen cultural capacity and connections.

    Launched in 2023, SLSIF aims to enhance understanding and foster dialogue between the Chinese and British screen industries, promoting the successful realization of co-production projects.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Announces Funding to Support Yeager Airport Upgrades

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on both the Senate Appropriations and Commerce Committees, as well as Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, announced a funding award from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for West Virginia International Yeager Airport to support the new terminal project.

    This grant award, which was made possible through provisions included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that Senator Capito helped negotiate and craft, will provide funding for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the passenger terminal, including constructing a new concourse, at Yeager Airport.

    “CRW’s terminal is from the 1940s and is long overdue for a major upgrade. As I was helping negotiate the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, I made certain to highlight and support the needs of smaller and rural airports in West Virginia and across the country,” Senator Capito said. “We are now seeing the results with funding like this headed to West Virginia to support significant passenger growth at Yeager Airport. West Virginia continues to see the benefits of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and this grant announcement is yet another example.”

    “Thanks to this significant investment, we are on the path to fully transforming the passenger experience at CRW,” Dominique Ranieri, Airport Director and CEO of West Virginia International Yeager Airport, said. “This project will not only upgrade our facilities to meet modern standards but also ensures CRW remains a key, competitive asset for the region. We are immensely grateful for Senator Capito’s ongoing support in securing the funding needed to position the Airport for future growth.”

    Individual award details listed below:

    • $8,000,000 IIJA Airport Terminal Program grant to West Virginia International Yeager Airport (Charleston, W.Va.) to enhance passenger amenities, expand the security checkpoint, and meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –