NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Women on “skinny jabs” must use effective contraception, MHRA urges in latest guidance 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Women on “skinny jabs” must use effective contraception, MHRA urges in latest guidance 

    Anyone who suspects that they’ve had an adverse reaction to their weight loss or diabetes medicine or suspects it is not a genuine product, should report it to the MHRA. 

    Women taking popular medicines for weight loss and diabetes, sometimes referred to as “skinny jabs”, are being reminded to use effective contraception while taking these medicines and, in some cases, for up to two months between stopping the medicine and trying to get pregnant.  

    These medicines must not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant, or during breastfeeding. Anyone who gets pregnant while using them should speak to their healthcare professional and stop the medicine as soon as possible. This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby. 

    Effective contraception includes oral (the pill) and non-oral (the implant, coil or condoms) forms of contraception. However, Mounjaro may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight. Therefore, those taking Mounjaro who are overweight and are using an oral form of contraception are advised to also use a non-oral form of contraception. This only applies to those taking Mounjaro and is especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any dose increase. 
     
    This advice, which is already in the patient leaflets that come with the medicine, is just one of the reminders in the latest guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on the safe use of “GLP-1 medicines” known by the brand names Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza.  

    The full advice can be found on the regulator’s website. It comes after concerns from the UK regulator that some people are not using these medicines for weight loss and diabetes safely.  

    Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said:

    Skinny jabs are medicines licensed to treat specific medical conditions and should not be used as aesthetic or cosmetic treatments. They are not a quick fix to lose weight and have not been assessed to be safe when used in this way. 

    Our guidance offers patients a “one stop shop” for our up-to-date advice on how to use these powerful medicines safely.  

    This guidance should not be used as a substitute to reading the patient information leaflet or having a conversation with a healthcare professional as part of the prescribing process.  

    Alongside advice on contraceptive use, the MHRA reminds patients that these medicines should not be bought from unregulated sellers such as beauty salons or via social media, or taken without a prior consultation with a healthcare professional. Not only does this expose people wanting to lose weight to serious health risks, it is also against the law to sell these medicines in this way. The only way to guarantee receiving a genuine GLP-1 medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy.  

    The guidance also reminds patients of the symptoms to look out for in the event of acute pancreatitis which, although uncommon, can be serious. The main symptom of this is severe pain in the stomach that radiates to the back and doesn’t go away. Anyone who experiences this should seek immediate medical help. 

    Summary of advice to patients

    • You should only take GLP-1 medicines if they have been prescribed to you by a healthcare professional.   

    • Always have a conversation with your prescriber about the benefits and risks of GLP-1 medicines before you start taking them.   

    • Do not take GLP-1 medicines if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding. If you get pregnant while using them, you speak to a healthcare professional and stop them as soon as possible.

    • If you are prescribed Mounjaro (tirzepatide), use a barrier form of contraception and do not rely on oral contraception.   

    • Understand the potential side effects and have a conversation with a healthcare professional if you are concerned.   

    • Tell your doctor you take a GLP-1 medicine if you are about to have surgery.   

    • Report any adverse reactions to the Yellow Card scheme.   

    • After taking the recommended four doses in each syringe, any medicine left in the syringe should not be extracted and the syringe should be disposed of in the bin.  

    • Use of these medicines is not a quick fix to lose weight and the MHRA has not assessed the safety and effectiveness of these medicines when used by people who do not meet the medical requirements.   

    Anyone who suspects that they’ve had an adverse reaction to a GLP-1 medicine,  or suspects it is not a genuine product, should report it to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.   

    Notes to editors 

    • Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 or GLP-1 RAs) are medicines that help people feel fuller by mimicking a natural hormone released after eating. Some newer medicines, like Mounjaro, also act on a second hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar control. These have been referred to in the media as “weight loss injections” or “skinny jabs”, but not all are authorised for weight loss.
    • The full guidance can be found on the MHRA’s website.
    • The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
    • The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
    • For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Kosovo Draws SDR 80.122 million Under the Stand-By Arrangement

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 4, 2025

    Washington, DC: Following the successful conclusion of Stand-by (SBA) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangements on May 24, 2025, the Kosovo authorities have made use of SDR 80.122 million (€96.22 million) available under the SBA, approved on May 25, 2023.

    The authorities will use the drawing to build buffers against potential shortfalls in external financing in a context of heightened uncertainty, as foreshadowed in their Letter of Intent of April 30, 2025 (see IMF Country Report No. 2025/112).

    Kosovo’s SBA and RSF arrangements provided access to SDR 80.122 million (€96.22 million, 97 percent of quota) and to SDR 61.95 million (€74.39 million, 75 percent of quota) respectively, to support Kosovo’s economic policies. Together with the SBA drawdown and already disbursed RSF resources, Kosovo will have outstanding IMF credit of SDR 142.07 million (€170.61 million).

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Camila Perez

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

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/04/pr25181-kosovo-draws-sdr-80-million-under-the-stand-by-arrangement

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Over half a million more children to get free school meals

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Over half a million more children to get free school meals

    New entitlement to free school meals for all children in household on Universal Credit.

    Over half a million more children will benefit from a free nutritious meal every school day, as the government puts £500 back into parents’ pockets every year by expanding eligibility for free school meals.

    From the start of the 2026 school year, every pupil whose household is on Universal Credit will have a new entitlement to free school meals. This will make life easier and more affordable for parents who struggle the most, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change to break down barriers to opportunity and give children the best start in life.  

    The unprecedented expansion will lift 100,000 children across England completely out of poverty. Giving children access to a nutritious meal during the school day also leads to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes – meaning they get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.

    Since 2018, children have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty have been unable to access free school meals.

    The government’s historic new expansion to those on Universal Credit will change this and comes ahead of the Child Poverty Taskforce publishing its ten-year strategy to drive sustainable change later this year. It comes on top of targeted support for families being hit the hardest with the cost-of-living crisis, with urgent action including raising the national minimum wage, uprating benefits and supporting 700,000 families through the Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions.

     Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    Working parents across the country are working tirelessly to provide for their families but are being held back by cost-of-living pressures.

    My government is taking action to ease those pressures. Feeding more children every day, for free, is one of the biggest interventions we can make to put more money in parents’ pockets, tackle the stain of poverty, and set children up to learn.

    This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country, helping families who need it most and delivering our Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

    It is the moral mission of this government to tackle the stain of child poverty, and today this government takes a giant step towards ending it with targeted support that puts money back in parents’ pockets.

    From free school meals to free breakfast clubs, breaking the cycle of child poverty is at the heart of our Plan for Change to cut the unfair link between background and success.

    We believe that background shouldn’t mean destiny. Today’s historic step will help us to deliver excellence everywhere, for every child and give more young people the chance to get on in life.

    The Government is also offering more than £13 million in funding to 12 food charities across England to redistribute thousands of tonnes of fresh produce directly from farms to fight food poverty in communities.

    The Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme is helping farms and organisations to work collaboratively to ensure edible food that might have been left in fields instead ends up on the plates of those who need it, including schoolchildren.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    Poverty robs children of opportunities and damages their future prospects. This is a moral scar on our society we are committed to tackling.

    By expanding Free School Meals to all families on Universal Credit, we’re ending the impossible choice thousands of our hardest grafting families must make between paying bills and feeding their children.

    This is just the latest step of our Plan for Change to put extra pounds in people’s pockets – a downpayment on our Child Poverty Strategy, building on our expansion of free breakfast clubs, our national minimum wage boost and our cap on Universal Credit deductions through the Fair Repayment Rate.

    To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, the government is also acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance.

    This new entitlement will apply to children in all settings where free school meals are currently delivered, including schools, school-based nurseries and Further Education settings. We expect the majority of schools will allow parents to apply before the start of the school year 2026, by providing their National Insurance Number to check their eligibility.

    Schools and local authorities will continue to receive pupil premium and home to school transport extended rights funding based on the existing free school meals threshold. 

    This is just the latest step in the government’s Plan for Change to break the unfair link between background and opportunity, including rolling out free breakfast clubs, expanding government-funded childcare to 30 hours a week for working parents and commitment to cap the number of branded school uniform items.

    Nick Harrison, CEO of the Sutton Trust, said: 

    This is a significant step towards taking hunger out of the classroom. Children can’t learn effectively when hungry, so this announcement not only helps to tackle the effects of child poverty, but will also likely help improve education outcomes for disadvantaged young people.

    Giving free school meals to all families who are eligible for Universal Credit is also easier for parents to understand, so has the potential to increase take up rates. This is an important milestone in delivering on the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity.

    Kate Anstey, head of education policy at Child Poverty Action Group said: 

    This is fantastic news and a game-changer for children and families.  

    At last more kids will get the food they need to learn and thrive and millions of parents struggling to make ends meet will get a bit of breathing space.

    We hope this is a sign of what’s to come in autumn’s child poverty strategy, with government taking more action to meet its manifesto commitment to reduce child poverty in the UK. 

    From April 2026 until the end of parliament, millions of households are set to receive a permanent yearly above inflation boost to Universal Credit. The increase, a key element of the Government’s welfare reforms to be laid before Parliament, will tackle the destitution caused by years of inaction that has left the value of the standard allowance at a 40 year low by the early 2020s.

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: McDonald meets council officials to discuss Ahoghill Woodland

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by Alderman Stewart McDonald:
    “This morning I met with council officials to discuss the ongoing concerns surrounding Ahoghill Woodland Park — an issue that has exercised me for some time.
    “Like many in the local community, I was initially encouraged by the plans for the park. However, over the years the project has failed to progress as promised, and there are now clear signs of neglect and disrepair that urgently need to be addressed.
    “While some of the damage is due to vandalism — which I am glad is now being tackled — the broader issues require more than short-term fixes.
    “One particularly serious concern is the condition of the pond. I have raised this matter repeatedly with officials. Given how overgrown and unsafe the area has become, there is now a real health and safety risk, especially for children who could accidentally fall in. I welcome the council’s confirmation that the pond is to be filled in.
    “I continue to believe this site has genuine potential as a valuable asset for local families and visitors alike. But realising that potential will require vision, commitment, and proper strategic planning. I remain determined to fight for the improvements needed to make this park the community facility it was meant to be.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Resident Sentenced for Leading Bank Fraud and ID Theft Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Created Fake Recruiting Website to Steal Identifications; 14 Others Convicted

    ALBANY, Ga. – The final defendant and ringleader of a bank fraud and aggravated identity theft scheme involving stolen checks and a fake online recruiting website was sentenced to federal prison today.

    Jalen Tylee Hill, aka “Roscoe Hill,” 26, of Americus, was sentenced to serve 81 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Court will determine restitution at a later date. Hill previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to possess stolen mail on May 14, 2024. A codefendant, Victoria Lynn Carter, 25, of Americus, was sentenced to serve one year of supervised release after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. The sentences were handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on June 4. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Schemes to defraud and steal from citizens will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case serves as a reminder for all of us to be as vigilant as possible with what we share online and monitor our financial accounts. I commend the good investigative work of our local and federal law enforcement partners for helping to prevent any more people and businesses from falling victim to this fraud.”

    “The sentencing of this defendant and co-defendants exemplifies the dedication of the investigative efforts which sends a strong message to individuals to consider the consequences of stealing mail and committing financial fraud,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “I commend the hard work and countless hours put forth by all of the law enforcement agencies involved, which resulted in the dismantling of this criminal network.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a local church in December 2021 about mail theft and forged checks. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that numerous checks had been stolen out of mailboxes at residential and commercial locations in Georgia. The checks were then forged and deposited into other bank accounts. Specifically, the checks were often altered by having the “Pay To” designation changed to an individual involved in the fraud. That individual would then

    make a deposit into their banking account. Other times, the checks would be altered by computer software.

    Investigators discovered that Hill directed the scheme and would recruit people via Facebook. Hill would often offer to deposit stolen, forged or duplicated checks into the bank accounts of the recruits on condition that they would split half the funds. Investigators were able to determine that in six months, Hill stole hundreds of pieces of mail, participated in at least 68 incidents of bank fraud, and unlawfully used debit cards belonging to other individuals at least 14 occasions. Hill then deposited, or attempted to deposit, the numerous stolen, forged or otherwise fraudulent checks of more than ten financial institutions into other bank accounts, resulting in an intended loss of approximately $165,743.68. As part of another scheme discovered by investigators, Hill created a fake solar panel installation company recruiting page online from which he stole the identities of 28 individuals, including their driver’s licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, instructional permits and other documents depicting personally identifiable information.

    The following codefendants have been convicted for their participation in the crime:

    Quontavius Markeese Hill, 34, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and after serving more than eight months in custody was sentenced to time served plus three years of supervised release and to pay $10,815.89 restitution on Nov. 8, 2023;

    Accacia Renae Gordon, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve four months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and to pay $14,970.35 restitution on Jan. 15, 2025;

    Shaneria Sharae Murray, 33, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve 45 days in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and to pay $2,000 restitution on Dec. 2, 2024;

    Chelsea Ja’Nay Tullis, 29, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve one month in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on March 15, 2024;

    LaQuashia Nichole French, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve 15 days in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and to pay $2,227.91 restitution on Oct. 23, 2024;

    Jazmon Lace Whitehead, 31, of Oglethorpe, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $7,658.59 restitution on March 17, 2025;

    Chasity LaCole Wellons, 31, of Cordele, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2,000 restitution on Jan. 22, 2025;

    DeKeyvia Moasha Blackshear, 26, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Aug. 16, 2024;

    Janita Bre’Shaye Terry, 24, of Columbus, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024;

    Kelbresha Danielle Thomas, 30, of Oglethorpe, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024;

    Jenetta Small, 29, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve two years of supervised release on March 14, 2025;

    Tyavia Deashia Richardson, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to one year of supervised release and to pay $4,740 restitution on Aug. 14, 2024; and

    Kimbreyanna Andranique Peeples, 23, of Butler, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve one year of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024.

    The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the FBI and the U.S Secret Service (USSS).

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Gran Tierra Energy Announces Sale of Gran Tierra North Sea Limited

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta , June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (“Gran Tierra” or the “Company”) (NYSE American:GTE) (TSX:GTE) (LSE:GTE) today announced that a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company has signed an agreement to sell its wholly owned subsidiary, Gran Tierra North Sea Limited (“GTNSL”), to NEO Energy for total consideration of US$7.5 Million. NEO Energy is a private upstream company and a leading independent operator in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.

    GTNSL holds a 100% equity interest in UKCS licence P2358 which includes the Serenity Discovery.

    Completion of the transaction is subject to certain customary conditions precedent, including consent from the North Sea Transition Authority in respect of the change of control of GTNSL. The transaction is expected to close sometime in the third quarter of 2025.

    About Gran Tierra Energy Inc.

    Gran Tierra Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, is an independent international energy company currently focused on oil and natural gas exploration and production in Canada, Colombia and Ecuador. The Company is currently developing its existing portfolio of assets in Canada, Colombia and Ecuador and will continue to pursue additional new growth opportunities that would further strengthen the Company’s portfolio. The Company’s common stock trades on the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GTE. Additional information concerning Gran Tierra is available at www.grantierra.com. Except to the extent expressly stated otherwise, information on the Company’s website or accessible from our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into and should not be considered part of this press release. Investor inquiries may be directed to info@grantierra.com or (403) 265-3221.

    Gran Tierra’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) are available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company’s Canadian securities regulatory filings are available on SEDAR+ at http://www.sedarplus.ca and UK regulatory filings are available on the National Storage Mechanism website at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism.

    Contact Information

    For investor and media inquiries please contact:

    Gary Guidry
    President & Chief Executive Officer

    Ryan Ellson
    Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

    +1-403-265-3221

    info@grantierra.com

    Forward Looking Statements and Legal Advisories:

    This press release contains statements about future events that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and financial outlook and forward looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, including those statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “expect,” “plan,” “can,” “will,” “should,” and “believes,” derivations thereof and similar terms identify forward-looking statements. Among the important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to the risk factors detailed from time to time in Gran Tierra’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, under the caption “Risk Factors” in Gran Tierra’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed February 24, 2025 and its other filings with the SEC. These filings are available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the fact that this press release remains available does not constitute a representation by Gran Tierra that Gran Tierra believes these forward-looking statements continue to be true as of any subsequent date. Gran Tierra disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Europe Subcommittee Chairman Self Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on NATO

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee Chairman Keith Self delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled, “Assessing the Challenges Facing NATO.”

    Watch Here

    -Remarks-

    The purpose of this hearing is to provide members with an informed perspective of the U.S. policy toward NATO and an opportunity to discuss NATO’s trajectory in advance of the June summit in The Hague. I now recognize myself for an opening statement.

    The Hague will be focused on funding for NATO, This first chart […] shows the NATO nations. They, they are listed top to bottom by GDP. They are listed on the right side by the percentage that they provide.

    Of course, the U.S. is at the top with Almost $29 trillion in GDP then you go down to Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada, and Spain. Down here you’ve got the frontline countries you’ve got Lithuania, you’ve got Latvia, you’ve got Estonia. Uh, some of the Balkan countries are down below. The ones that I want to point out. The summit tells us that they are going to be going above 3% somewhere.

    I want to point out right here we have got some the major economies in NATO — specifically France, Italy, Canada [and Spain] — that are well below […] their current 2% commitment. These are major economies. This is a major change that needs to happen at the summit.

     Now just a couple of comparisons. This compares Poland to everyone else on the Eastern Flank, the eastern flank being defined as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. Poland has a GDP of about 840 billion dollars, eastern flank is 890, so they’re not dissimilar. The defense budgets are quite a bit disimilar.

    Their percentage though Poland is at over 4% currently and going higher. The Eastern Flank is a 2.36 and going higher and has already committed to go higher.

    And one more just to give you an idea of where the funding in NATO. stands, this is Germany versus the Eastern Flank, so we’ve added Poland to the East of Germany. So Germany has the 4.6, the Eastern Flank has 1.7. Here are the defense budgets. The Eastern Flank is providing a higher percentage than Germany is.

    So, my point in all of these three slides is [that] there is work to do in the summit later this month. Now I know that people have made commitments, but what you just saw were 2024, the last year we had a full year’s funding toward NATO. That is, that is a major problem that I wanted to highlight. We’ve got other issues in this, in this briefing, but that’s the one that I wanted to start with. The first thing we have to start with is everyone pulling their weight in NATO.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: 4 June 2025 ‘New Horizons 2025’ Zabaykalye International Economic Forum to be held on 25–27 June as off-site event of EEF

    Source: Eastern Economic Forum

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: 4 June 2025 Delegation from Qatar visited Republic of Kalmykia to discuss joint tourism and investment projects A delegation from the State of Qatar, led by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Thani, visited the Republic of Kalmykia as part of a fact-finding tour aimed at studying the region’s natural and tourism potential, as well as developing international cooperation in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development. The visit was the result of active work by the Qatari delegation at the Caucasus Investment Forum on 25–27 May, where issues related to the development of Russian-Qatari trade, economic, environmental and investment projects were discussed. During the visit Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Thani met with Batu Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia.

    Source: Eastern Economic Forum

    4 June 2025

    Delegation from Qatar visited Republic of Kalmykia to discuss joint tourism and investment projects

    A delegation from the State of Qatar, led by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Thani, visited the Republic of Kalmykia as part of a fact-finding tour aimed at studying the region’s natural and tourism potential, as well as developing international cooperation in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development. The visit was the result of active work by the Qatari delegation at the Caucasus Investment Forum on 25–27 May, where issues related to the development of Russian-Qatari trade, economic, environmental and investment projects were discussed. During the visit Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Qatar Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Thani met with Batu Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia.

     

    “Qatar rightfully holds a special place on the list of Russia’s strategic partners. Our relations are rooted in years of friendship, cooperation, and implementation of joint projects. For us, this visit is not just a sign of attention from our partners in Qatar, but a symbol of strengthened cooperation between our states. Kalmykia has unique natural resources, a rich cultural heritage and a desire for open international dialogue. Developing ties with one of the leading countries in the Persian Gulf opens up new horizons not only in the field of environmental protection and investment, but also in the humanitarian sphere, through the strengthening of cultural dialogue and mutual respect. The visit of the Qatari ambassador is an opportunity to introduce our friends to the region’s potential and meaningfully contribute to strengthening of our relationship,” noted Batu Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia.

    The visit included a tour of Kalmykia’s national parks, an introduction to the region’s unique ecosystems, such as the Black Earth Nature Reserve, singing sand dunes, the coast of Lake Rosovoye, as well as the region’s wildlife, including saigas, horses, and camels. The programme was designed to give participants a chance to get a feel for the soul of Kalmykia: guests got to not just see the region, but really experience its atmosphere and learn about the traditions and beauty that make Kalmykia so special.

     

    “We express our sincere gratitude for the warm welcome and friendship of the people of Kalmykia. Today’s meeting reflects the bilateral efforts to strengthen friendly and neighbourly relations between the countries. The close and trusting relations between the leaders of our countries serve as a solid foundation for the implementation of joint projects in the fields of environment, sustainable development, and the exchange of tourist flows,” said Ambassador of the State of Qatar Ahmed Nasser Al-Thani.

    It is important to note that the State of Qatar has been taking part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) since 2021, when it participated as a guest country. This status opens up broad opportunities for deepening economic, cultural and tourism cooperation between the two countries. In 2025, a representative delegation from Qatar will also take part in the SPIEF, which will be held from 18 to 21 June. In addition, a Russia – Qatar business forum was held in Moscow in April, organized with the support of the Roscongress Foundation and government agencies of both countries. The event became an important platform for discussing promising areas of cooperation and strengthening business ties between the two countries.

    The visit of the delegation from the State of Qatar to Kalmykia is an example of effective practice in getting to know Russian regions, which helps to reveal their unique natural and tourist potential. Such fact-finding tours create a foundation for promoting Russian tourist programmes in the global market, attract investment in regional infrastructure, and contribute to the recognition of Russian culture.

    “We express our gratitude to the Ambassador of the State of Qatar for his visit to Kalmykia and for supporting friendly and neighbourly relations between our countries. It is very important to develop international cooperation and showcase the unique nature of Russian regions so that people from different countries can discover the beauty and richness of our country. Exchanging experience with foreign partners helps to introduce best practices in nature conservation and create eco-friendly tourist routes. For example, programmes are already being implemented in Kamchatka where tourists can see rare birds, enjoy the unique nature of the region, as well as learn about methods of protecting them, developed with the participation of international experts. Such cooperation helps to foster a responsible attitude towards nature and supports long-term efforts to preserve unique ecosystems,” emphasized Shukhrat Razakov, Advisor to the Director General for International Cooperation and Tourism at the Kamchatka Falcon Centre.

    Such initiatives aimed at promoting regions and expanding tourism opportunities are reflected and supported by major professional platforms organized by the Roscongress Foundation. One such event is the Let’s Travel! Russian Tourism Forum, which will be held from 10 to 15 June 2025 at VDNKh in Moscow. This Forum brings together experts, regional representatives, and international partners. It provides a unique opportunity to present new routes, exchange experiences, and build effective cooperation for the development of domestic and international tourism.

    Read more

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI: Descartes Announces Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Record Services Revenues

    WATERLOO, Ontario and ATLANTA, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (TSX:DSG) (Nasdaq:DSGX) announced its financial results for its fiscal 2026 first quarter (Q1FY26). All financial results referenced are in United States (US) currency and, unless otherwise indicated, are determined in accordance with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

    “Our first quarter of fiscal 2026 showed strong annual growth, consistent with our communicated plans,” said Edward J. Ryan, Descartes’ CEO. “This is a challenging and uncertain economic and trade environment for shippers, carriers and logistics services providers. They face challenges on how, when, or if, to react to changes in global trade relationships, tariffs, sanctions and economic forecasts. We continue to see strong interest in our domain expertise and our solutions to help companies navigate the complex trade landscape. We remain committed to growing our business with prudent investments and cost discipline to build the premier network and technology for logistics-intensive businesses.”

    Q1FY26 Financial Results
    As described in more detail below, key financial highlights for Descartes’ Q1FY26 included:

    • Revenues of $168.7 million, up 12% from $151.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 (Q1FY25) and up 1% from $167.5 million in the previous quarter (Q4FY25);
    • Revenues were comprised of services revenues of $156.6 million (93% of total revenues), professional services and other revenues of $11.8 million (7% of total revenues) and license revenues of $0.3 million (less than 1% of total revenues). Services revenues were up 14% from $137.8 million in Q1FY25 and consistent with $156.5 million in Q4FY25;
    • Cash provided by operating activities of $53.6 million, down from $63.7 million in Q1FY25 and down from $60.7 million in Q4FY25;
    • Income from operations of $46.2 million, up 9% from $42.4 million in Q1FY25 and down from $47.1 million in Q4FY25;
    • Net income of $36.2 million, up 4% from $34.7 million in Q1FY25 and down from $37.4 million in Q4FY25. Net income as a percentage of revenues was 21%, compared to 23% in Q1FY25 and 22% in Q4FY25;
    • Earnings per share on a diluted basis of $0.41, up 2% from $0.40 in Q1FY25 and down from $0.43 in Q4FY25; and
    • Adjusted EBITDA of $75.1 million, up 12% from $67.0 million in Q1FY25 and consistent with $75.0 million in Q4FY25. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues was 45%, compared to 44% in Q1FY25 and 45% in Q4FY25.

    Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues are non-GAAP financial measures provided as a complement to financial results presented in accordance with GAAP. We define Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation (for which we include related fees and taxes) and other charges (for which we include restructuring charges, acquisition-related expenses, and contingent consideration incurred due to better-than-expected performance from acquisitions). These items are considered by management to be outside Descartes’ ongoing operational results. We define Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues as the quotient, expressed as a percentage, from dividing Adjusted EBITDA for a period by revenues for the corresponding period. A reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues to net income determined in accordance with GAAP is provided later in this release.

    The following table summarizes Descartes’ results in the categories specified below over the past 5 fiscal quarters (unaudited; dollar amounts, other than per share amounts, in millions):

      Q1
    FY26    		 Q4
    FY25    		 Q3
    FY25    		 Q2
    FY25    		 Q1
    FY25
    Revenues 168.7 167.5 168.8 163.4 151.3
    Services revenues 156.6 156.5 149.7 146.2 137.8
    Gross margin 76% 76% 74% 75% 77%
    Cash provided by operating activities 53.6 60.7 60.1 34.7 63.7
    Income from operations 46.2 47.1 45.8 45.9 42.4
    Net income 36.2 37.4 36.6 34.7 34.7
    Net income as a % of revenues 21% 22% 22% 21% 23%
    Earnings per diluted share 0.41 0.43 0.42 0.40 0.40
    Adjusted EBITDA 75.1 75.0 72.1 70.6 67.0
    Adjusted EBITDA as a % of revenues 45% 45% 43% 43% 44%
               

    Cash Position
    At April 30, 2025, Descartes had $176.4 million in cash. Cash decreased by $59.7 million in Q1FY26. The table set forth below provides a summary of cash flows for Q1FY26 in millions of dollars:

      Q1FY26
    Cash provided by operating activities 53.6
    Additions to property and equipment (1.9)
    Acquisitions of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired (112.3)
    Issuances of common shares, net of issuance costs 3.6
    Payment of withholding taxes on net share settlements (6.5)
    Effect of foreign exchange rate on cash 3.8
    Net change in cash (59.7)
    Cash, beginning of period 236.1
    Cash, end of period 176.4
       

    Acquisition of 3GTMS
    On March 24, 2025, Descartes acquired all of the shares of 3GTMS, a leading provider of transportation management solutions. The purchase price for the acquisition was approximately $112.7 million, net of cash acquired, which was funded from cash on hand.

    Cost Reduction Initiatives
    Considering the economic and global trade uncertainty many Descartes customers are facing, Descartes has undertaken cost reduction initiatives designed to reduce its cost base. The plan is designed to reduce Descartes’ global workforce by approximately 7% and eliminate various other operating expenses. As a result, Descartes expects to incur restructuring charges of approximately $4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 (Q2FY26), which will also impact cash generated from operations in Q2FY26. Once completed, Descartes anticipates annualized cost savings of approximately $15 million.

    Management Update
    Descartes is pleased to announce the appointment of William Green as Executive Vice President, Global Sales. Mr. Green has served as Descartes’ Senior Vice President for North American Sales since August 2020. Mr. Green has previously held senior commercial roles at Salesforce, PROLIFIQ and CDC Software (now Aptean). “We’re excited for Bill to extend his leadership of our growth successes in North America to our global commercial operations,” said Mr. Ryan.

    Andrew Roszko, Descartes’ Chief Commercial Officer, will depart the company in Q2FY26 to pursue another opportunity. Mr. Roszko was appointed EVP Global Sales in February 2019 and appointed Chief Commercial Officer in June 2022. “Andrew has been a valuable contributor to Descartes’ commercial development. We wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Mr. Ryan.

    Conference Call
    Members of Descartes’ executive management team will host a conference call to discuss the company’s financial results at 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 4. Designated numbers are +1 289 514 5100 for North America and +1 800 717 1738 for international, using conference ID 26605.

    The company will simultaneously conduct an audio webcast on the Descartes website at www.descartes.com/descartes/investor-relations. Phone conference dial-in or webcast login is required approximately 10 minutes beforehand.

    Replays of the conference call will be available until June 11, 2025, by dialing +1 289 819 1325 or Toll-Free for North America using +1 888 660 6264 with Playback Passcode: 26605#. An archived replay of the webcast will be available at www.descartes.com/descartes/investor-relations.

    About Descartes

    Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

    Descartes Investor Contact
    Laurie McCauley                                                                     
    (519) 746-2969
    investor@descartes.com

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relates to Descartes’ expectations concerning future revenues and earnings, and our projections for any future reductions in expenses or growth in margins and generation of cash; our assessment of the potential impact of geopolitical events, such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine (the “Russia-Ukraine Conflict”), and between Israel and Hamas (“Israel-Hamas Conflict”), or other potentially catastrophic events, on our business, results of operations and financial condition; our assessment of the potential impact of tariffs, sanctions and other actions by individual countries on global trade and our business; continued growth and acquisitions including our assessment of any increased opportunity for our products and services as a result of trends in the logistics and supply chain industries; rate of profitable growth and Adjusted EBITDA margin operating range; demand for Descartes’ solutions; growth of Descartes’ Global Logistics Network (“GLN”); customer buying patterns; customer expectations of Descartes; development of the GLN and the benefits thereof to customers; and other matters. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions including the following: global shipment volumes continuing at levels generally consistent with those experienced historically; the Russia-Ukraine Conflict and Israel-Hamas Conflict not having a material negative impact on shipment volumes or on the demand for the products and services of Descartes by its customers and the ability of those customers to continue to pay for those products and services; countries continuing to implement and enforce existing and additional customs and security regulations relating to the provision of electronic information for imports and exports; countries continuing to implement and enforce existing and additional trade restrictions and sanctioned party lists with respect to doing business with certain countries, organizations, entities and individuals; Descartes’ continued operation of a secure and reliable business network; the stability of general economic and market conditions, currency exchange rates, and interest rates; equity and debt markets continuing to provide Descartes with access to capital; Descartes’ continued ability to identify and source attractive and executable business combination opportunities; Descartes’ ability to develop solutions that keep pace with the continuing changes in technology, and our continued compliance with third party intellectual property rights. These assumptions may prove to be inaccurate. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Descartes, or developments in Descartes’ business or industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, Descartes’ ability to successfully identify and execute on acquisitions and to integrate acquired businesses and assets, and to predict expenses associated with and revenues from acquisitions; the impact of network failures, information security breaches or other cyber-security threats; disruptions in the movement of freight and a decline in shipment volumes including as a result of the impact of current and future trade barriers, including tariffs, further protectionist measures and reactive countermeasure or contagious illness outbreaks; a deterioration of general economic conditions or instability in the financial markets accompanied by a decrease in spending by our customers; the ability to attract and retain key personnel and the ability to manage the departure of key personnel and the transition of our executive management team; changes in trade or transportation regulations that currently require customers to use services such as those offered by Descartes; changes in customer behaviour and expectations; Descartes’ ability to successfully design and develop enhancements to our products and solutions; departures of key customers; the impact of foreign currency exchange rates; Descartes’ ability to retain or obtain sufficient capital in addition to its debt facility to execute on its business strategy, including its acquisition strategy; disruptions in the movement of freight; the potential for future goodwill or intangible asset impairment as a result of other-than-temporary decreases in Descartes’ market capitalization; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada, including Descartes’ most recently filed Management’s Discussion and Analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures – Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues

    We prepare and release quarterly unaudited and annual audited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. We also disclose and discuss certain non-GAAP financial information, used to evaluate our performance, in this and other earnings releases and investor conference calls as a complement to results provided in accordance with GAAP. We believe that current shareholders and potential investors in our company use non-GAAP financial measures, such as Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, in making investment decisions about our company and measuring our operational results.

    The term “Adjusted EBITDA” refers to a financial measure that we define as earnings before certain charges that management considers to be non-operating expenses and which consist of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation (for which we include related fees and taxes) and other charges (for which we include restructuring charges, acquisition-related expenses, and contingent consideration incurred due to better-than-expected performance from acquisitions). Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues divides Adjusted EBITDA for a period by the revenues for the corresponding period and expresses the quotient as a percentage.

    Management considers these non-operating expenses to be outside the scope of Descartes’ ongoing operations and the related expenses are not used by management to measure operations. Accordingly, these expenses are excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, which we reference to both measure our operations and as a basis of comparison of our operations from period-to-period. Management believes that investors and financial analysts measure our business on the same basis, and we are providing the Adjusted EBITDA financial metric to assist in this evaluation and to provide a higher level of transparency into how we measure our own business. However, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues are non-GAAP financial measures and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues should not be construed as a substitute for net income determined in accordance with GAAP or other non-GAAP measures that may be used by other companies, such as EBITDA. The use of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues does have limitations. In particular, we have completed six acquisitions since the beginning of fiscal 2025 and may complete additional acquisitions in the future that will result in acquisition-related expenses and restructuring charges. As these acquisition-related expenses and restructuring charges may continue as we pursue our consolidation strategy, some investors may consider these charges and expenses as a recurring part of operations rather than expenses that are not part of operations.

    The table below reconciles Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues to net income reported in our unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations for Q1FY26, Q4FY25, Q3FY25, Q2FY25, and Q1FY25, which we believe is the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

      Q1FY26 Q4FY25 Q3FY25 Q2FY25 Q1FY25
    Net income, as reported on Consolidated Statements of Operations 36.2 37.4 36.6 34.7 34.7
    Adjustments to reconcile to Adjusted EBITDA:          
    Interest expense 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3
    Investment income (1.9) (1.9) (2.9) (2.7) (4.1)
    Income tax expense 11.7 11.4 11.9 13.6 11.5
    Depreciation expense 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4
    Amortization of intangible assets 19.1 19.4 17.5 17.4 15.0
    Stock-based compensation and related taxes 4.9 5.4 5.6 5.8 4.3
    Other charges 3.4 1.6 1.8 0.2 3.9
    Adjusted EBITDA 75.1 75.0 72.1 70.6 67.0
               
    Revenues 168.7 167.5 168.8 163.4 151.3
    Net income as % of revenues 21% 22% 22% 21% 23%
    Adjusted EBITDA as % of revenues 45% 45% 43% 43% 44%
               
    The Descartes Systems Group Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (US dollars in thousands; US GAAP; Unaudited)
         
      April 30, January 31,
      2025 2025
    ASSETS    
    CURRENT ASSETS    
    Cash 176,411 236,138
    Accounts receivable (net)    
    Trade 60,456 53,953
    Other 15,646 16,931
    Prepaid expenses and other 43,100 45,544
      295,613 352,566
    OTHER LONG-TERM ASSETS 27,366 24,887
    PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET 13,944 12,481
    RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS 7,721 7,623
    DEFERRED INCOME TAXES 4,867 3,802
    INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET 368,122 321,270
    GOODWILL 992,257 924,755
      1,709,890 1,647,384
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY    
    CURRENT LIABILITIES    
    Accounts payable 23,154 20,650
    Accrued liabilities 73,151 79,656
    Lease obligations 3,402 3,178
    Income taxes payable 9,535 9,313
    Deferred revenue 109,608 104,230
      218,850 217,027
    LEASE OBLIGATIONS 4,533 4,718
    DEFERRED REVENUE 2,196 978
    INCOME TAXES PAYABLE 6,540 5,531
    DEFERRED INCOME TAXES 25,834 34,127
      257,953 262,381
         
    SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY    
    Common shares – unlimited shares authorized; Shares issued and outstanding totaled 85,782,830 at April 30, 2025 (January 31, 2025 – 85,605,969) 574,816 568,339
    Additional paid-in capital 498,092 503,133
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss (21,243) (50,497)
    Retained earnings 400,272 364,028
      1,451,937 1,385,003
      1,709,890 1,647,384
         
    The Descartes Systems Group Inc.
    Consolidated Statements of Operations
    (US dollars in thousands, except per share and weighted average share amounts; US GAAP; Unaudited)
       
      Three Months Ended
      April 30, April 30,
      2025 2024
         
    REVENUES 168,739 151,348
    COST OF REVENUES (exclusive of amortization presented separately below) 39,747 35,413
    GROSS MARGIN 128,992 115,935
    EXPENSES    
    Sales and marketing 18,850 17,471
    Research and development 25,069 22,191
    General and administrative 16,312 14,948
    Other charges 3,449 3,918
    Amortization of intangible assets 19,114 15,024
      82,794 73,552
    INCOME FROM OPERATIONS 46,198 42,383
    INTEREST EXPENSE (236) (273)
    INVESTMENT INCOME 1,962 4,059
    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 47,924 46,169
    INCOME TAX EXPENSE (RECOVERY)    
    Current 12,251 12,318
    Deferred (571) (816)
      11,680 11,502
    NET INCOME 36,244 34,667
    EARNINGS PER SHARE    
    Basic 0.42 0.41
    Diluted 0.41 0.40
    WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING (thousands)    
    Basic 85,677 85,274
    Diluted 87,577 87,116
         
    The Descartes Systems Group Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
    (US dollars in thousands; US GAAP; Unaudited)
       
      Three Months Ended
      April 30, April 30,
      2025 2024
    OPERATING ACTIVITIES    
    Net income 36,244 34,667
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:    
    Depreciation 1,450 1,358
    Amortization of intangible assets 19,114 15,024
    Stock-based compensation expense 4,366 3,769
    Other non-cash operating activities (34) 96
    Deferred tax recovery (571) (816)
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities (6,966) 9,643
    Cash provided by operating activities 53,603 63,741
    INVESTING ACTIVITIES    
    Additions to property and equipment (1,862) (1,764)
    Acquisition of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired (112,327) (139,973)
    Cash used in investing activities (114,189) (141,737)
    FINANCING ACTIVITIES    
    Payment of debt issuance costs (38) (38)
    Issuance of common shares for cash, net of issuance costs 3,558 4,231
    Payment of withholding taxes on net share settlements (6,487) (6,745)
    Cash used in financing activities (2,967) (2,552)
    Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 3,826 (1,482)
    Decrease in cash (59,727) (82,030)
    Cash, beginning of period 236,138 320,952
    Cash, end of period 176,411 238,922
         

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australian kids BYO lunches to school. There is a healthier way to feed students

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liesel Spencer, Associate Professor, School of Law, Western Sydney University

    Getty Images/ courtneyk

    Australian parents will be familiar with this school morning routine: hastily making sandwiches or squeezing leftovers into containers, grabbing a snack from the cupboard and a piece of fruit from the counter.

    This would be unheard of in many other countries, including Finland, Sweden, Scotland, Wales, Brazil and India, which provide free daily school meals to every child.

    Australia is one of the few high-income countries that does not provide children with a daily nutritious meal at school.

    As families increasingly face food insecurity and a cost-of-living crisis, here’s how school lunches could help.

    School lunches are important

    During the week, children get a third of their daily food intake at school. What they eat during school hours has a significant impact on their health.

    Australian children have much higher rates of obesity than children in countries with healthy lunch programs.

    As children’s diets affect physical and cognitive development, and mental health, poor diet can also affect academic performance.

    International research shows universal school meal programs – where all children are provided with a healthy meal at school each day – can improve both health and educational outcomes for students.

    The problem with BYO lunchboxes

    In Australia, children either bring a packed lunch or buy food at the school canteen. But the vast majority of these lunches don’t meet kids’ dietary needs.

    As a 2022 Flinders University report notes, more than 80% of Australian primary school lunches are of poor nutritional quality. Half of students’ school-day food intake comes from junk food and fewer than one in ten students eat enough vegetables.

    While these figures are based on 2011–2012 data, subsequent national survey data does not show significant improvements in children’s healthy diet indicators, including fruit and vegetable consumption. Time pressures on carers mean pre-packaged food can be a default lunchbox choice.

    At the same time, many families with school students are not able to provide their children with healthy lunches. Food insecurity — not having regular access to enough safe, healthy and affordable food — affects an estimated 58% of Australian households with children, and 69% of single-parent households.

    Hot weather also raises food safety concerns, as it’s hard to keep fresh food cool in schoolbags.

    School meals programs in Australia

    There are some historical examples of providing food to children at school in Australia. This includes the school milk program which ran from 1950s to 1970s. There were also wartime experiments in the 1940s. For example, the Oslo lunch (a cheese and salad sandwich on wholemeal bread, with milk and fruit) was provided at school to improve the health of children.

    Today, there is a patchwork of school food programs run by not-for-profit organisations providing breakfast and/or lunch, and various schemes, including kitchen garden and school greenhouse programs.

    There are also pilot schemes providing hot meals. For example, in Tasmania, the current pilot school lunch program feeds children in participating schools a hot lunch on some days of the week with state government support. Evaluation of the program showed strong benefits: healthier eating, calmer classrooms, better social connections from eating lunch together, and less food waste.

    The 2023 parliamentary inquiry into food security recommended the federal government work with states and territories to consider the feasibility of a school meals program.

    In May, the South Australian parliament opened an inquiry into programs in preschools and schools to ensure children and young people don’t go hungry during the day.

    What would it take to introduce school meals?

    Rolling out universal school meal programs across Australian schools would require cooperation between government and private sectors.

    It could build on what already exists – including canteens, school gardens, food relief and breakfast clubs – to create a more consistent and inclusive system.

    There’s a strong evidence base to guide this, both from Australian pilot programs and international examples.

    Decisions would have to be made about regulation and funding – whether to opt for a federally-funded and regulated scheme with federal and state cooperation, or a state-by-state scheme.

    Funding mechanisms from international models include fully government-funded, caregiver-paid (but with subsidies for disadvantaged families) and cost-sharing arrangements between government and families.

    Costs per child per day are around A$10, factoring in economies of scale. Some pilot programs report lower costs of around $5, but involve volunteer labour.

    More research is needed to determine parent and community attitudes and model these funding options, including preventative health benefits.

    Delivery models may also vary depending on each school’s size, location and infrastructure. This could include onsite food preparation, central kitchens delivering pre-prepared meals, or partnerships with not-for-profit providers.

    Ultimately, providing food at school could save parents valuable time and stress, and ensure all Australian students can access the health and education benefits of a nutritious school meal.

    Liesel Spencer has undertaken volunteer work for the Federation of Canteens in Schools (Australia).

    Miriam Williams has undertaken volunteer work for the Federation of Canteens in Schools (Australia).

    Katherine Kent 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. Australian kids BYO lunches to school. There is a healthier way to feed students – https://theconversation.com/australian-kids-byo-lunches-to-school-there-is-a-healthier-way-to-feed-students-257465

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Unprecedented heat in the North Atlantic Ocean kickstarted Europe’s hellish 2023 summer. Now we know what caused it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, UNSW Sydney

    Westend61/Getty Images

    In June 2023, a record-breaking marine heatwave swept across the North Atlantic Ocean, smashing previous temperature records.

    Soon after, deadly heatwaves broke out across large areas of Europe, and torrential rains and flash flooding devastated parts of Spain and Eastern Europe. That year Switzerland lost more than 4% of its total glacier volume, and severe bushfires broke out around the Mediterranean.

    It wasn’t just Europe that was impacted. The coral reefs of the Caribbean were bleaching under severe heat stress. And hurricanes, fuelled by ocean heat, intensified into disasters. For example, Hurricane Idalia hit Florida in August 2023 – causing 12 deaths and an estimated US$3.6 billion in damages.

    Today, in a paper published in Nature, we uncover what drove this unprecedented marine heatwave.

    A strange discovery

    In a strange twist to the global warming story, there is a region of the North Atlantic Ocean to the southeast of Greenland that has been cooling over the last 50 to 100 years.

    This so-called “cold blob” or “warming hole” has been linked to the weakening of what’s known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation – a system of ocean currents that conveys warm water from the equator towards the poles.

    During July 2023 we met as a team to analyse this cold blob – how deep it reaches and how robust it is as a measure of the strength of the Atlantic overturning circulation – when it became clear there was a strong reversal of the historical cooling trend. The cold blob had warmed to 2°C above average.

    But was that a sign the overturning circulation had been reinvigorated? Or was something else going on?

    A layered story

    It soon became clear the anomalous warm temperatures southeast of Greenland were part of an unprecedented marine heatwave that had developed across much of the North Atlantic Ocean. By July, basin-averaged warming in the North Atlantic reached 1.4°C above normal, almost double the previous record set in 2010.

    To uncover what was behind these record breaking temperatures, we combined estimates of the atmospheric conditions that prevailed during the heatwave, such as winds and cloud cover, with ocean observations and model simulations.

    We were especially interested in understanding what was happening in the mixed upper layer of water of the ocean, which is strongly affected by the atmosphere.

    Distinct from the deeper layer of cold water, the ocean’s surface mixed layer warms as it’s exposed to more sunlight during spring and summer. But the rate at which this warming happens depends on its thickness. If it’s thick, it will warm more gradually; if it’s thin, rapid warming can ensue.

    During summer the thickness of this surface mixed layer is largely set by winds. Winds churn up the surface ocean and the stronger they are the deeper the mixing penetrates, so strong winds create a think upper layer and weak winds generate a shallower layer.

    Sea surface temperature anomaly (°C) for the month of June 2023, relative to the 1991–2020 reference period.
    Copernicus Climate Change Service/ECMWF

    Thinning at the surface

    Our new research indicates that the primary driver of the marine heatwave was record-breaking weak winds across much of the basin. The winds were at their weakest measured levels during June and July, possibly linked to a developing El Niño in the east Pacific Ocean.

    This led to by far the shallowest upper layer on record. Data from the Argo Program – a global array of nearly 4,000 robotic floats that measure the temperature and salinity in the upper 2,000 metres of the ocean – showed in some areas this layer was only ten metres deep, compared to the usual 20 to 40 metres deep.

    This caused the sun to heat the thin surface layer far more rapidly than usual.

    In addition to these short term changes in 2023, previous research has shown long-term warming associated with anthropogenic climate change is reducing the ability of winds to mix the upper ocean, causing it to gradually thin.

    We also identified a possible secondary driver of more localised warming during the 2023 marine heatwave: above-average solar radiation hitting the ocean. This could be linked in part with the introduction of new international rules in 2020 to reduce sulfate emissions from ships.

    The aim of these rules was to reduce air pollution from ship’s exhaust systems. But sulfate aerosols also reflect solar radiation and can lead to cloud formation. The resultant clearer skies can then lead to more ocean warming.

    Early warning signs

    The extreme 2023 heatwave provides a preview of the future. Marine heatwaves are expected to worsen as Earth continues to warm due to greenhouse gas emissions, with devastating impacts on marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and fisheries. This also means more intense hurricanes – and more intense land-based heatwaves.

    Right now, although the “cold blob” to the southeast of Greenland has returned, parts of the North Atlantic remain significantly warmer than the average. There is a particularly warm patch of water off the coast of the United Kingdom, with temperatures up to 4°C above normal. And this is likely priming Europe for extreme land-based heatwaves this summer.

    Global ocean temperatures on June 2 2025. A patch of abnormally warm water is visible off the southern coast of the United Kingdom.
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    To better understand, forecast and plan for the impacts of marine heatwaves, long-term ocean and atmospheric data and models, including those provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, are crucial. In fact, without these data and models, our new study would not have been possible.

    Despite this, NOAA faces an uncertain future. A proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year released by the White House last month could mean devastating funding cuts of more than US$1.5 billion – mostly targeting climate-based research and data collection.

    This would be a disaster for monitoring our oceans and climate system, right at a time when change is severe, unprecedented, and proving very costly.

    Matthew England receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Alex Sen Gupta receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Andrew Kiss receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Zhi Li receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Unprecedented heat in the North Atlantic Ocean kickstarted Europe’s hellish 2023 summer. Now we know what caused it – https://theconversation.com/unprecedented-heat-in-the-north-atlantic-ocean-kickstarted-europes-hellish-2023-summer-now-we-know-what-caused-it-258061

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Israel’s new aid system is inhumane. Israel needs to end its restrictions on aid now: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Israel’s new aid system is inhumane. Israel needs to end its restrictions on aid now: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, following the vote on the E10 draft UN Security Council resolution on Gaza.

    The United Kingdom voted in favour of this resolution today because the intolerable situation in Gaza needs to end.

    We are determined to see an end to this war, secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas and alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation for Palestinians in Gaza. 

    This Israeli Government’s decisions to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict aid are unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive, and the UK completely opposes them.

    The Israeli Government says it has opened up aid access with its new system.

    But Palestinians, desperate to feed their families, have been killed as they try to reach the very few aid sites that have been permitted by Israel. 

    This is inhumane.

    We support the UN’s call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable.

    Israel needs to end its restrictions on aid now: let the UN and humanitarians do their job to save lives, reduce suffering and maintain dignity.

    President, we regret that the Council was unable to reach consensus today, but we remain committed to the vision of this text.

    We will continue to strongly support the efforts led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. 

    A ceasefire is the best way to secure the release of all remaining hostages and achieve a long-term political solution.

    And we repeat our condemnation of the heinous attack by Hamas on 7th October and demand that it release all the hostages immediately and unconditionally. Hamas can have no role in the future governance of Gaza.

    A two-state solution is the only way to bring the long-lasting peace, stability and security that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve. 

    We welcome France and Saudi Arabia’s leadership in chairing an international conference later this month.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Asia-Pacific countries do not welcome NATO participation in regional affairs – Chinese Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) — Asia-Pacific countries do not welcome the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)’s involvement in the region, which certainly does not need an Asia-Pacific NATO, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular briefing for journalists on Wednesday.

    Lin Jian made the remarks in response to remarks made by a European leader at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue, who linked the Taiwan issue to Ukraine, mentioned the so-called “Chinese threat” in the South China Sea, and hinted that NATO had reason to “be involved” in the Asia-Pacific region.

    A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said China firmly opposes the remarks, noting that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and that the Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affairs.

    He said that the Taiwan question and the Ukrainian crisis are incomparable, and that China firmly opposes any remarks or actions aimed at confusing or distorting the essence of the Taiwan question. He called on relevant parties to firmly adhere to the one-China principle through practical actions and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the PRC.

    “The current situation in the South China Sea is generally stable. There is no problem with the freedom of navigation and overflight that countries enjoy in accordance with the law,” Lin Jian said.

    He stressed that China has always advocated the proper resolution of maritime disputes and differences through negotiations and consultations with the countries directly concerned and on the basis of respect for historical facts.

    “Countries outside the region should respect the efforts made by regional countries to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, instead of inciting differences and provoking conflicts,” Lin Jian added.

    He recalled that NATO, as a regional defense organization, has no right to go beyond the geographical boundaries and mandate defined by its founding treaty. China firmly opposes NATO’s attempts to “move east” into the Asia-Pacific region, escalate tensions and create confrontation in it, and undermine peace and stability in the region and the world.

    Stressing that Asia is the common home of China and other Asian countries, Lin Jian said it has maintained rapid growth in recent years and, through the joint efforts of countries in the region, has become an outpost of global growth and an oasis of peaceful development.

    China has always been committed to the principles of goodwill, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in its diplomacy towards neighboring countries, resolutely opposes bloc confrontation and has never sought the so-called “sphere of influence,” the Chinese diplomat said.

    “Relevant parties should not make malicious guesses or sow discord among Asia-Pacific countries based on the Cold War mentality. Instead, they should do more to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman concluded. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: State Council Taiwan Affairs Office condemns slanderous remarks by Taiwan Chief Executive and DPP leadership

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) — State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhu Fenglian on Wednesday condemned recent remarks by Taiwan Chief Executive Lai Qingde and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership that denigrated the social system on the Chinese mainland.

    In response to a question from the media, Zhu Fenglian said Lai Qingde and the DPP administration are maliciously slandering and attacking the Chinese mainland, trying to escalate the cross-shore confrontation and mislead international public opinion.

    “Their intentions are extremely insidious and their methods are extremely unworthy,” Zhu Fenglian pointed out.

    According to her, under the guise of slogans about “democracy,” they are trying to mislead the international community, in a vain attempt to challenge the international architecture based on the one-China principle.

    Their actions completely violate the spirit of democracy, and the essence of their “fake democracy, real dictatorship” has long been visible to the world and condemned by Taiwanese compatriots, the official representative added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Trump’s Tax Cut Bill Will Increase Deficit by $2.4 Trillion – Congressional Budget Office

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    NEW YORK, June 4 (Xinhua) — The U.S. Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency, on Wednesday released an analysis projecting that President Donald Trump’s tax cut bill will reduce tax revenues by $3.7 trillion, increasing the federal budget deficit by $2.4 trillion over the next decade.

    The report, published on the agency’s website on June 4 but dated May 20, also projects that if the bill is passed, the number of people without health insurance would increase by 10.9 million, including 1.4 million people who are in the country without legal status and who use government-funded programs.

    The document, which D. Trump and Republican lawmakers call a “big, beautiful” bill, was passed by the House of Representatives (lower chamber) of the US Congress with a narrow majority of votes and is currently awaiting consideration by the Senate (upper chamber). –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Transocean Ltd. Announces Exercise of $100 Million Option for Harsh Environment Semisubmersible

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    STEINHAUSEN, Switzerland, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) (“Transocean”) today announced that a two-well option was exercised for the Transocean Spitsbergen in Norway. The program is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2026 in direct continuation of the rig’s current program and contribute approximately $100 million in backlog, excluding additional services.

    About Transocean

    Transocean is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. The company specializes in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on ultra-deepwater and harsh environment drilling services and operates the highest specification floating offshore drilling fleet in the world.

    Transocean owns or has partial ownership interests in and operates a fleet of 32 mobile offshore drilling units, consisting of 24 ultra-deepwater floaters and eight harsh environment floaters.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The statements described herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements could contain words such as “possible,” “intend,” “will,” “if,” “expect,” or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions, and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are beyond our control, and many cases, cannot be predicted. As a result, actual results could differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, estimated duration of customer contracts, contract dayrate amounts, future contract commencement dates and locations, planned shipyard projects and other out-of-service time, sales of drilling units, the cost and timing of mobilizations and reactivations, operating hazards and delays, risks associated with international operations, actions by customers and other third parties, the fluctuation of current and future prices of oil and gas, the global and regional supply and demand for oil and gas, the intention to scrap certain drilling rigs, the effects of the spread of and mitigation efforts by governments, businesses and individuals related to contagious illnesses, and other factors, including those and other risks discussed in the company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and in the company’s other filings with the SEC, which are available free of charge on the SEC’s website at: www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. We expressly disclaim any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or beliefs with regard to the statement or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based, except as required by law. All non-GAAP financial measure reconciliations to the most comparative GAAP measure are displayed in quantitative schedules on the company’s website at: www.deepwater.com.

    This press release, or referenced documents, do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and do not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”) or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of Transocean and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of Transocean.

    Analyst Contact:
    Alison Johnson
    +1 713-232-7214

    Media Contact:
    Pam Easton
    +1 713-232-7647

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Reducing the risk of servicing accounts of droppers and technical companies: methodological recommendations of the Bank of Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    Bank of Russia draws attention credit institutions that shadow businesses (online casinos, cryptocurrency exchangers, financial pyramids, drug dealers, etc.) use corporate cards for their payments, which are issued to so-called technical companies.

    In order to prevent such risks, the regulator recommends that banks analyze money transfers to corporate cards of technical companies from cards of individuals and vice versa.

    Banks are also asked to implement online monitoring of client transactions to promptly identify droppers and technical companies. They must assess whether the analyzed clients have counterparties that have previously transferred money to droppers. If the risk is confirmed, the bank can introduce a limit on individual transactions for crediting money in favor of such a client, including outside working hours.

    The Bank of Russia is publishing new methodological recommendations in addition to the existing ones tools on combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

    Preview photo: Alexander Kazakov / TASS

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

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

    HTTPS: //vv. KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 24675

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Patrushev: Over the course of a year, systematic work has been established to ensure the effective functioning of treatment facilities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    “The task of improving the health of the country’s water bodies was set by the President of Russia. Of course, the result of this work is of the utmost importance and determines the quality of life of people. Systematization of problems, development of individual action plans, control and on-site events allowed us to significantly increase the pace of implementation of projects for the construction and commissioning of treatment facilities. Of course, we must not only maintain this momentum, but also increase it. In addition to completing the construction, we must be sure that the commissioned facilities meet the regulatory indicators for wastewater treatment. To this end, Rosprirodnadzor regularly conducts inspections for each facility. Also, digital information and analytical resources of the incident operate around the clock for effective monitoring and timely management decisions,” said Dmitry Patrushev.

    The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the established format of work has proven its effectiveness. As an example, a conclusion was recently received on reaching the standard indicators of two large-scale facilities – treatment facilities in Irkutsk and Shchyolkovo near Moscow. At the same time, the facility in Irkutsk became the flagship – it was the first in the Baikal natural territory to reach the purification standards.

    Dmitry Patrushev noted that the experience gained will definitely be taken into account when implementing the national project “Ecological Well-being” launched in 2025. In particular, the competitive selection will be carried out on the basis of a comprehensive calculation of the effectiveness of each specific project, and the treatment facility will be considered commissioned only after receiving a positive conclusion from Rosprirodnadzor. To strengthen the responsibility of the subjects of the Russian Federation for the quality of project implementation, the bar for regional co-financing will be raised.

    The Deputy Prime Minister reported that over the past year, important changes have been made to the regulatory framework for the construction and operation of treatment facilities. In May, the Government approved rules that gave regions the opportunity to establish fishery standards for water quality, taking into account the specifics of individual water bodies. A regulation on interdepartmental interaction in the construction of treatment facilities has also been developed.

    Following the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed federal agencies to conduct a series of training seminars with the regions to provide the necessary methodological assistance, including explaining the procedure for selecting projects for participation in the new national project “Environmental Well-Being”. The practice of on-site events to monitor the work will continue.

    Incident No. 55 “Wastewater Treatment Facilities” was created on June 15, 2024 to coordinate work on the construction and reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities implemented within the framework of the national project “Ecology”, as well as to ensure the operation of these facilities with the achievement of the parameters of standard wastewater treatment. Currently, work is being considered at 145 facilities in 19 regions.

    When working in the incident format, a special project management system is used, which is deployed on the basis of the Government Coordination Center. It allows for prompt coordination of the actions of participants and monitoring of project implementation in real time.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko: The IT industry’s contribution to the Russian economy amounted to 6%

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister – Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko presented the results of monitoring the IT industry for 2024. The presentation took place as part of a meeting with digital transformation leaders at the Digital Industry of Industrial Russia conference in Nizhny Novgorod.

    “Today, digital is everywhere – in public administration, the economy, the social sphere. And the basis of these changes is the developments of our IT companies. The IT industry is actively developing. This is evident, among other things, from the solutions presented at CIPR. At the same time, there was previously no reliable and unified model for assessing the industry that would show the real picture and dynamics. We presented an approach based on departmental data on accredited IT companies. It has been verified by businesses and specialized institutes. Thus, the contribution of the IT industry to Russia’s GDP in terms of gross value added was 6%. This is many times more than previously presented estimates, because they did not include data on large technology companies with a non-core OKVED code. Based on comprehensive and regular monitoring of the IT industry, it is also proposed to analyze the effectiveness of government support measures,” said Dmitry Grigorenko.

    In the developed methodology, the IT industry is understood as a set of companies included in the register of accredited organizations operating in the field of information technology (register of IT companies). Aggregated data from the Federal Tax Service, as well as data from the Ministry of Digital Development, the Bank of Russia, the Federal Customs Service and Rosstat are used to monitor the IT industry.

    An independent methodology for assessing the IT industry was developed by ANO Digital Economy with the support of the Ministry of Digital Development. According to the results of 2024, the contribution of accredited IT companies to the Russian economy amounted to 6%. The IT industry is actively supported by the state, and for every ruble of state support invested, 2 rubles were received in taxes.

    Monitoring is planned to be carried out on an ongoing basis with the possibility of expanding the list of indicators.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: More than 5 thousand km of roads have been restored in the reunited regions

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The restoration of motorways in the reunited regions is proceeding at an active pace, taking into account both the strategic importance of the backbone network of highways and the demand for inter-municipal and intra-city roads. Over 5 thousand km have already been repaired, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin reported.

    “Last week, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed an order to allocate more than 7.6 billion rubles to the budgets of the DPR, LPR, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions for road repairs. This will allow us to bring another 240 km up to standard. At the same time, to date, in the reunited regions, we have made high-quality road surfaces on more than 5 thousand km. Now, for example, under the supervision of Avtodor, asphalt laying has been completed on two more highways in the Kherson region,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    The Deputy Prime Minister added that the first road, more than 50 km long through the settlement of Ivanovka, connects two strategic highways: Odessa – Melitopol – Novoazovsk and R-280 “Novorossiya”. The second – Novaya Kakhovka – Armyansk – goes from Chaplinka and adjoins the Odessa – Melitopol – Novoazovsk road.

    “In general, we have good readiness of roads in the Kherson region according to the 2025 program. More than 125 km of the lower layer and about 120 km of the upper layer of asphalt concrete have been laid. In fact, the current year’s program in the region has been completed by about 70%. Now the main focus will be on the arrangement of roads: marking, installing barrier fencing, sidewalks and bus stops for local residents will be provided in certain areas. Currently, about 150 people and more than 230 units of equipment are involved in the Kherson region,” said Vyacheslav Petushenko, Chairman of the Board of the state-owned company Avtodor.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexey Overchuk opened the renovated Russian House in Dushanbe.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    As part of the visit of the Russian delegation to the Republic of Tajikistan, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk took part in the opening ceremony of the renovated Russian Center for Science and Culture (Russian House) in the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe.

    Alexey Overchuk emphasized that the Russian House has been operating in Dushanbe since 2011 and during this time many useful and creative projects have already been implemented that contribute to the development of humanitarian ties between Russia and Tajikistan. There are educational courses to prepare for admission to Russian universities, including under the quota of the Government of the Russian Federation, events are held to improve the qualifications of teachers, clubs and sections for talented youth operate, educational exhibitions are held, literature and textbooks are distributed – in 2024 alone, more than 19.5 thousand copies of educational, methodological and fiction literature in Russian were donated.

    “We are very grateful to see such a good response among the residents of Dushanbe. Today we saw a large number of children and young people here who come and learn something new,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    The new building of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Dushanbe with an area of 1.3 thousand square meters is located in the very center of the city and has the necessary infrastructure for conducting full-fledged educational and cultural-educational activities. On two floors there are modern classrooms and public spaces for education and creative workshops.

    The Russian House hosts preparatory courses for high school students who dream of entering Russian universities, and for those who want to study Russian, Russian language courses are taught mainly by participants in the Russian Teacher Abroad project. There is a consultation center for applicants on career guidance and admission to universities, and Olympiads and entrance examinations are held. The additional education center “Russia is with you” has been opened to popularize the Russian language and culture, science and engineering education.

    “We live in the era of the fourth industrial revolution and the data economy, when knowledge and culture are not only a key resource for national development, but also the most reliable bridge connecting peoples. The Russian Center for Science and Culture is called upon to serve as such a bridge to support cultural and humanitarian interaction between Russia and Tajikistan. We hope that this house will be strengthened as a platform where new projects and initiatives will be born that contribute to the development of science and culture in our common civilizational space,” Alexey Overchuk emphasized.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: “Artek” is the standard of quality children’s recreation in Russia and around the world

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    A festive concert dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the International Children’s Center “Artek” was held at the National Center “Russia”. The participants were greeted by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov.

    The Deputy Prime Minister noted that this marked the start of a large marathon of festive events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Artek.

    “We, born in the USSR, of course, have special feelings when we say the word “Artek”. We understand that this international children’s recreation center is a standard of quality for all Russians and for the whole world. Over 100 years, more than 2 million children from 150 countries have experienced this and have become Artek members forever. Here they participated in educational programs, improved their health, played sports and were creative, but most importantly, as our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin says, “Artek teaches friendship,” he emphasized.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko added that the President had ordered the creation of an organizing committee, which had prepared a large-scale program of festive events, including the launch of a rocket, the filming of documentaries, the release of jubilee medals, commemorative postage stamps, and much more. And the culmination of the celebrations will be the final grand event, which will take place on June 16 in Artek itself.

    The Deputy Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to everyone who contributes to the development of the education system.

    For the anniversary of Artek, the honorary badge “Counselor of Russia” was established, and a competition of the same name will soon be launched.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko presented the first badge “Counselor of Russia” for significant contribution to the education and enlightenment of the younger generation. The award was received by the excellent public education worker of the Russian Federation, the counselor of “Artek” in 1965-1966 Roza Yakovlevna Shatyro from the Republic of Tatarstan.

    In her response, Roza Yakovlevna noted that during her work as a counselor, she gave her heart to thousands of children.

    “You and I are very happy people because we are friends and carry this friendship throughout the world. Thanks to Artek, I have friends all over the planet. I keep in touch with everyone, we congratulate each other on holidays,” she added.

    Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov took to the stage with Valentina Nikolaevna Cherkasova. As a child, she survived the siege of Leningrad, and after the war, in 1949, she vacationed in Artek. Together they performed the song “Artek Oath”, written by journalists of “Pionerskaya Pravda” Vladimir Boganov and Anatoly Anufriev.

    “Today, Artek is the best international children’s center. Artek counselors are the best counselors in the world. Everyone who has ever been to Artek becomes an example for their peers. And just like 100 years ago, today all children strive to get to the center. We continue to support and develop Artek, its branches operate in the Zaporizhzhya region and in Sevastopol. The center trains school directors’ advisors on education. And we will do everything so that a piece of Artek is in the soul of every schoolchild,” noted Sergey Kravtsov.

    Guests of the anniversary concert were representatives of 89 regions of Russia. Among them were ministers of education, heads of subjects, children recognized as stars of “Artek” in different years, veterans of the International Children’s Center “Artek”. In addition, the event was attended by foreign delegations from about 30 countries.

    “People from all over Russia and the world have gathered here in Moscow today – representatives of all regions, different ages and cultures. Artek has always been a symbol of childhood, dreams and international cooperation. And today it has once again proven its strength, bringing together those who believe in goodness, mutual understanding and common values. Schoolchildren and adults, counselors and guests – everyone brought their own history, traditions and energy here, creating a unique atmosphere of Artek warmth,” emphasized Konstantin Fedorenko, Director of the International Children’s Center “Artek”.

    On June 16, 2025, the International Children’s Center “Artek” will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Earlier, the State Duma and the Federation Council hosted thematic photo exhibitions. An important event was the publication of the decree of President Vladimir Putin on awarding the Artek team with the Order of Honor.

    Five films were shot for the anniversary, including the film “100 Years of Happy Childhood”, the premiere of which was organized in January 2025. Together with Samara University and the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations, a branded small spacecraft was launched into space, and on February 28, a launch vehicle with the anniversary logo of “Artek” was launched at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. At the end of May, the anniversary shift started at the children’s center, which will last until June 17-18.

    On June 5, there will be a press screening of the adventure film “Artek. Through the Centuries”, which was filmed on the territory of the International Children’s Center. On June 9, the GUM (Moscow) will host the opening of an exhibition under the slogan “Artek at 100!”, where unique archival materials will be presented. Guests will also enjoy an interactive program from the camp counselors. On June 12, the International Children’s Festival “Let There Always Be Sunshine” will start.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator John Albers Highlights Life-Saving Impact of Organ Transport Legislation Signed into Law in May

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (June 4, 2025) — Today, Sen. John Albers (R–Roswell) recognized the life-saving impact of legislation he authored earlier this year, Senate Bill 58, the Georgia Transporting Life-Saving Organs and Personnel Act, which was signed into law by Governor Brian P. Kemp on May 9, 2025.

    The measure creates a legal framework for licensing and operating emergency organ transport vehicles in Georgia, formally recognizing them as ambulance services and authorizing their use on public roads during time-sensitive transplant procedures. The legislation ensures these vehicles can move efficiently and safely without regulatory delays, removing bureaucratic barriers that could otherwise cost lives.

    “This legislation means the world to me—not just as a lawmaker, but as a father,” said Sen. Albers. “After donating a Kidney to my son in 2021 I understand and know the urgency that families feel in those moments. When a match is found, every second counts. This law gives patients and medical teams a better chance to succeed.”

    SB 58 exempts emergency organ transport vehicles from certain regulatory hurdles such as the Emergency Medical Systems Communications (EMSC) Program and medical adviser requirements. It also ensures appropriate insurance coverage and compliance with Department of Public Health standards, while streamlining coordination between healthcare providers and emergency responders.

    “By treating these specialized vehicles as essential emergency services, we are modernizing our healthcare system in a meaningful way,” Sen. Albers added. “Whether it’s a kidney, liver, heart with a team of surgeons rushing to save a life, Georgia now ensures that every tool necessary for an organ transplant has a clear and direct path to where it’s needed most.”

    Sen. Albers, Chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee, has consistently advocated for public safety and healthcare reforms that put people first. SB 58 is a testament to his commitment to addressing real-world challenges with practical solutions and to his deep personal connection to the issue of organ donation. Senator Albers worked with the GA Department of Public Safety, “NORA” Nationwide Organ Recovery Transport Alliance, LifeLink of Georgia, and the Georgia Transplant Foundation to make this a reality.

    The law took effect immediately upon its signing in May. Read more about the bill here.

    # # # #

    Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56th Senate District, which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and Fulton County. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at John.Albers@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington State Man Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging He Provided Material Support to Palm Springs Fertility Clinic Bomber

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Washington state man was arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he provided material support to the Palm Springs fertility clinic bomber by shipping and paying for significant quantities of ammonium nitrate – an explosive precursor – prior to the suicidal terror attack last month.

    Daniel Jongyon Park, 32, of Kent, was arrested last night shortly after his flight from Poland arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Park is charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists and made his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of New York.

    “This defendant is charged with facilitating the horrific attack on a fertility center in California. Bringing chaos and violence to a facility that exists to help women and mothers is a particularly cruel, disgusting crime that strikes at the very heart of our shared humanity,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are grateful to our partners in Poland who helped get this man back to America and we will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “Park allegedly sent large amounts of explosive precursors to the man who drove a car bomb to a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, an attack that potentially could have killed innocent people,”  said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners work together to find and hold accountable those who engage in domestic terrorism and other illegal activity. I also want to express my thanks to authorities in Poland for their vital assistance in this case.”

    “This defendant is charged with shipping large quantities of explosive precursors to the man whose suicide bombing last month destroyed a fertility clinic in Palm Springs,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Domestic terrorism is evil and unacceptable. Those who aid terrorists can expect to feel the cold wrath of justice.”

    According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of Twentynine Palms, California, drove a car containing a bomb to a fertility clinic in Palm Springs on May 17. Bartkus detonated the bomb, killing himself, injuring numerous victims, destroying the fertility clinic’s building, and damaging surrounding buildings and areas. Bartkus’s attack was motivated by his pro-mortalism, anti-natalism, and anti-pro-life ideology, which is the belief that individuals should not be born without their consent and that non-existence is best.

    Park – who shares Bartkus’s extremist views – shipped large quantities of explosive precursor materials to Bartkus, including approximately 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate. Days before the Palm Springs bombing, Park paid for an additional 90 pounds (40.8 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate that was shipped to Bartkus.

    Park sent the first shipments of approximately 180 pounds (81.7 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate to Bartkus shortly before traveling to Bartkus’s residence, where he stayed with Bartkus from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8. Three days before Park arrived at Bartkus’s house, records from an AI chat application show that Bartkus researched how to make powerful explosions using ammonium nitrate and fuel.

    During his stay at Bartkus’s residence, Park and Bartkus spent time in Bartkus’s room as well as in a detached garage “running experiments,” according to the affidavit. This was the same garage where law enforcement, during a search after the May 17 bombing, located significant amounts of chemicals commonly used in the construction of homemade bombs.

    Four days after Bartkus conducted the suicide bombing, Park flew to Europe. On May 30, Park was detained in Poland and later was ordered deported to the United States. 

    If convicted, Park would face a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI’s Inland Empire Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. Considerable assistance was provided by the Palm Springs Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department; the FBI’s legal attaché in Warsaw, Polish authorities, and FBI field offices in Seattle, New York, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Portland.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Gerdes and Anna P. Boylan for the Central District of California, and Trial Attorney Patrick J. Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor and Adidas America reach settlement for $235K in penalties resolving fall hazard and unsafe ladder violations

    Source: US Department of Labor

    ALBANY, NY – The U.S. Department of Labor has entered into a settlement agreement with Adidas America Inc. that requires the company to pay $235,000 in fines and implement enhanced safety measures at multiple facilities.

    The agreement comes after the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted a 2024 follow-up inspection at an Adidas warehouse in upstate New York. OSHA initially cited for hazards in 2021 during an inspection that found missing guardrails and an unsafe ladder.

    Inspectors returned in 2024 to find that Adidas had not corrected the hazards cited in 2021 and found an additional unsafe ladder violation. 

    The May 30, 2025, settlement requires Adidas to implement enhanced abatement measures at its facilities in New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico, including adopting a comprehensive Safety and Health Management program, retraining employees on fall hazards, assessing and auditing potential fall hazards at each facility, and discontinuing use of overhead storage in the facilities. 

    Adidas also agreed to pay $235,000 in penalties. 

    Adidas America Inc. is a subsidiary of Adidas AG, an athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany.

    OSHA’s Warehousing page provides solutions to prevent injuries from hazards including forklifts, slips, trips and falls and materials handling. The agency’s stop falls website offers safety information and video presentations in English and Spanish to teach workers about fall hazards and proper safety procedures.

    Learn more about OSHA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: “The AI Mothership Has Landed”: Legendary Tech Investor Reveals Musk’s Most Powerful Project Yet

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a new briefing from bestselling author and tech entrepreneur James Altucher, startling revelations are emerging about Musk’s most ambitious AI undertaking yet — a project known as “Project Colossus.”

    According to Altucher, this facility — now operational in Memphis — will soon power what he calls Artificial Superintelligence, ushering in a second wave of AI unlike anything we’ve seen before. And it’s happening alongside the return of Donald Trump, who Altucher says has already “cleared the path” for AI developers like Musk to move forward at full speed.

    Musk’s “AI Mothership” Quietly Built in Memphis

    Altucher opens his briefing with a bold claim: Elon Musk has already surpassed all major tech competitors — including OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft — with a covert project few have even heard of.

    “Elon Musk has created the AI mothership… an innovation of such enormous proportion… that he has already surpassed all the leading AI developers.”

    “Right here, inside this warehouse in Memphis, Tennessee… lies a massive supercomputer Musk calls ‘Project Colossus.’”

    According to Altucher, this isn’t speculation — it’s already functional and has been acknowledged by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who reportedly called it:

    “The fastest supercomputer on the planet.” — Jensen Huang

    AI 2.0: The Rise of Artificial Superintelligence

    Altucher claims the world is on the verge of an entirely new technological era — one that goes beyond ChatGPT and the public’s current understanding of AI.

    “This will lead to the rise of AI 2.0… Or what I call ‘Artificial Superintelligence.’”

    “AI 1.0 gives us all the world’s knowledge at our fingertips. AI 2.0… gives that knowledge to intelligent machines that I believe will solve our problems for us.”

    A Presidential Greenlight

    In the same briefing, Altucher highlights Donald Trump’s early move to eliminate restrictions that were previously in place under President Biden.

    “In one of his FIRST acts as President… Donald Trump overturned Executive Order #14110.”

    “That’s why Donald Trump REPEALED Biden’s AI executive safety order on Day 1… Clearing the path for leading AI developers like Musk.”

    Trump has also unveiled a $500 billion AI infrastructure plan, which Altucher says reflects the seriousness of the new administration’s approach.

    “Trump also announced the LARGEST AI investment in history… Stargate… a massive, AI data center and infrastructure project with an estimated $500 billion price tag.”

    What Comes Next: A 10X Expansion?

    Altucher warns that the biggest developments are yet to come — and soon.

    “In a matter of weeks, Elon plans to unveil a critical new update to Project Colossus that is expected to increase its power by 10-fold.”

    “That’s when I predict Elon could announce a major update to this new AI project. One that some say will essentially 10X its power – overnight.”

    He adds, “This second wave of ARTIFICIAL SUPERINTELLIGENCE… Will rival all of the great innovations of the past. Electricity… the wheel… even the discovery of fire.”

    A Life’s Work Converging

    Altucher isn’t just reporting from the sidelines — he claims to have been immersed in AI for more than 40 years.

    “I’ve been working in the artificial intelligence field for the better part of the last four decades.”

    “I helped pioneer AI trading on Wall Street.”

    “At one point, I was recruited by IBM to help them develop their Deep Blue AI supercomputer… the one that beat the world chess champion, Gary Kasprov, in 1997.”

    What’s at Stake

    Altucher closes his report by pointing to a quote from Russian President Vladimir Putin as a sobering reminder of what this technology represents on the world stage.

    “Whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world.” — Vladimir Putin

    With Trump clearing regulatory barriers and Musk ramping up development, Altucher believes the United States is poised to enter a defining moment in global technology leadership.

    About James Altucher

    James Altucher is a former hedge fund manager, computer scientist, and the author of over 20 books on finance, technology, and personal growth. A longtime pioneer in digital innovation, Altucher has advised startups, traded for top funds, and interviewed some of the most influential figures in business and tech. His latest work focuses on exposing the hidden infrastructure behind emerging AI technologies and preparing readers for the changes ahead.

    Media Contact:
    Derek Warren
    Public Relations Manager
    Paradigm Press Group
    Email: dwarren@paradigmpressgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington State Man Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging He Provided Material Support to Palm Springs Fertility Clinic Bomber

    Source: US State of California

    A Washington state man was arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he provided material support to the Palm Springs fertility clinic bomber by shipping and paying for significant quantities of ammonium nitrate – an explosive precursor – prior to the suicidal terror attack last month.

    Daniel Jongyon Park, 32, of Kent, was arrested last night shortly after his flight from Poland arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Park is charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists and made his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of New York.

    “This defendant is charged with facilitating the horrific attack on a fertility center in California. Bringing chaos and violence to a facility that exists to help women and mothers is a particularly cruel, disgusting crime that strikes at the very heart of our shared humanity,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are grateful to our partners in Poland who helped get this man back to America and we will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “Park allegedly sent large amounts of explosive precursors to the man who drove a car bomb to a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, an attack that potentially could have killed innocent people,”  said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners work together to find and hold accountable those who engage in domestic terrorism and other illegal activity. I also want to express my thanks to authorities in Poland for their vital assistance in this case.”

    “This defendant is charged with shipping large quantities of explosive precursors to the man whose suicide bombing last month destroyed a fertility clinic in Palm Springs,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Domestic terrorism is evil and unacceptable. Those who aid terrorists can expect to feel the cold wrath of justice.”

    According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of Twentynine Palms, California, drove a car containing a bomb to a fertility clinic in Palm Springs on May 17. Bartkus detonated the bomb, killing himself, injuring numerous victims, destroying the fertility clinic’s building, and damaging surrounding buildings and areas. Bartkus’s attack was motivated by his pro-mortalism, anti-natalism, and anti-pro-life ideology, which is the belief that individuals should not be born without their consent and that non-existence is best.

    Park – who shares Bartkus’s extremist views – shipped large quantities of explosive precursor materials to Bartkus, including approximately 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate. Days before the Palm Springs bombing, Park paid for an additional 90 pounds (40.8 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate that was shipped to Bartkus.

    Park sent the first shipments of approximately 180 pounds (81.7 kilograms) of ammonium nitrate to Bartkus shortly before traveling to Bartkus’s residence, where he stayed with Bartkus from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8. Three days before Park arrived at Bartkus’s house, records from an AI chat application show that Bartkus researched how to make powerful explosions using ammonium nitrate and fuel.

    During his stay at Bartkus’s residence, Park and Bartkus spent time in Bartkus’s room as well as in a detached garage “running experiments,” according to the affidavit. This was the same garage where law enforcement, during a search after the May 17 bombing, located significant amounts of chemicals commonly used in the construction of homemade bombs.

    Four days after Bartkus conducted the suicide bombing, Park flew to Europe. On May 30, Park was detained in Poland and later was ordered deported to the United States. 

    If convicted, Park would face a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI’s Inland Empire Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. Considerable assistance was provided by the Palm Springs Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department; the FBI’s legal attaché in Warsaw, Polish authorities, and FBI field offices in Seattle, New York, San Diego, Las Vegas, and Portland.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Gerdes and Anna P. Boylan for the Central District of California, and Trial Attorney Patrick J. Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Latest news – Next DPAL Meeting on the situation of disabled Palestinians in the oPt – 05/06/2025 – Delegation for relations with Palestine

    Source: European Parliament

    Next meeting of the delegation will take place in Brussels, on Thursday, 5 June 2025 at 10:00 – 11:30 and will be devoted to an exchange of views on the situation of disabled Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with:

    • MsMilena Ansari, Palestinian lawyer and Human Rights Watch researcher based in Jerusalem
    • Ms Nadia Hadad, from European Disability Forum Executive Committee
    • Ms Shatha Abusrour and Mr Mohammed Al-Arabi, Palestinian disability right activists

    The meeting will be web-streamed through the European Parliament’s Multimedia Centre. Interpretation services will be available in English, French, Italian, and Arabic

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Exchange on Child-Friendly Justice in Criminal Matters – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    Child Abuse Online © Image used under license from Adobe

    On 12 June, the LIBE Committee will hold an exchange of views on Child-Friendly Justice in Criminal Matters – Children as Victims, Witnesses and Offenders aiming to identify barriers, gaps, and weaknesses in judicial proceedings.

    Every year, around 2.5 million children participate in judicial proceedings in the EU. Due to children’s especially vulnerable position, the EU and international organizations are working to develop child-friendly justice systems. However, the practices regarding children’s participation in criminal proceedings vary considerably across and within Member States.

    MIL OSI Europe News –