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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes England acquires Ripon Barracks from the Ministry of Defence to pave way for 1,300 new homes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Homes England acquires Ripon Barracks from the Ministry of Defence to pave way for 1,300 new homes

    Planning permission has been granted by North Yorkshire council for the new homes as part of a phased development plan

    Credit: Aecom

    Homes England and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have today confirmed that land at Ripon Barracks, a military site scheduled for closure, will be developed into 1,300 new homes following a sale between the two public sector organisations.

    The homes will be surrounded by natural green spaces and complemented by a new primary school, community centre and retail area to create a vibrant new community. 

    In March, the site was named as part of a trailblazer approach to development on public sector land, with a changed cross-government approach to MoD land providing a blueprint for accelerating housebuilding. A ‘tripartite taskforce’ of MoD, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and HM Treasury is working to deliver further planning changes

    The plans have been made possible by extensive collaboration work between Homes England, MoD, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and the Army Basing and Infrastructure Directorate, as part of the new trailblazer approach, with teams in all organisations working cooperatively to unlock the publicly owned site for housing delivery. The sale of Ripon Barracks is part of the MoD’s Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) portfolio, which includes investing in key military infrastructure and releasing sites that are no longer needed by the MoD.  

    The development will be delivered in phases, with initial work beginning at the vacant Deverell Barracks site to provide the first 150 new homes. The remaining areas – Claro Barracks, Laver Banks, and the former Engineering Park – will be developed following the scheduled departure of the Royal Engineers to the nearby Marne Barracks in Catterick.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary for Housing Angela Rayner, said: 

    Unlocking underused public land like Ripon Barracks is exactly the kind of practical action people want to see, and a crucial part of tackling the housing crisis we face.  

    By working with Homes England as a key delivery partner, we’re making a real difference for people in North Yorkshire by creating vibrant communities and driving economic growth. This marks another step forward in our mission to build 1.5 million homes in our Plan for Change.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: 

    We are delivering on our promise to create a new, trailblazer approach to the use of public land and unlock homeownership for working families in North Yorkshire and beyond. We are working together to speed up planning permissions and housebuilding plans. This is a truly cross-government effort to remove blockers, deliver homes and boost growth in support of our Plan for Change. 

    Alongside this, we are investing more than £7 billion this Parliament on improving accommodation for military personnel and their families, providing them the standard of living they truly deserve.

    Homes England will act as the master developer for Ripon Barracks and will coordinate delivery of the essential infrastructure needed before construction can begin. This includes the planning of site-wide drainage, supporting road networks, and other key enabling works.  

    Homes England and the MoD will work together to honour the site’s military past through appreciative design, landscaping, and interpretive elements within the new community. Core design principles will preserve and integrate notable historical features of the site, such as the linear parade ground layout and the original footpath network. 

    Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, said:  

    This milestone achievement is the result of government bodies uniting to drive forward this government’s mission of building 1.5 million homes this parliament. By combining MoD’s land assets with Homes England’s planning and development expertise, we’ve unlocked a site with a historic past which we’re determined will shape the development’s future.

    Deputy Head of Major Disposals for DIO, Robert Smith, said:  

    This is an important milestone in bringing forward Ripon Barracks for redevelopment and is testament to the strong collaboration between all partners involved. Ripon Barracks has a rich history and this is an excellent example of how sites that are no longer needed by the military can be unlocked to bring real benefits to the local community.

    Notes to editors: 

    1. Under current DEO Army plans, 21 Engineer Regiment will move from Claro Barracks into Marne Barracks in Catterick where they will co-locate with 32 Engineer Regiment and 5th Regiment Royal Artillery in a mixture of refurbished and modern purpose-built buildings. 

    2. As well as delivering new and refurbished accommodation for over 40,000 military personnel and their families, the Defence Estate Optimisation Portfolio will also deliver new and refurbished technical, training and office space for over 64,000 MOD personnel. 

    3. DEO is on target to release enough surplus MOD land for over 32,000 new homes to be built across the country, as well as a range of community enhancing construction projects including schools, offices, shops, parks and open green spaces. 

    4. Defence Estate Optimisation is the single biggest estates change programme within Defence, bringing together an ambitious portfolio of interdependent programmes, construction activity, unit and personnel moves, and land release. www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-estate-optimisation-deo-portfolio 

    5. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) was formed in 2011 as the Ministry of Defence’s estates arm, supporting the armed forces to enable military capability by planning, building, maintaining, and servicing infrastructure.  https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-infrastructure-organisation 

    About Homes England 

    We are the government’s housing and regeneration Agency, and we’re here to drive the creation of more affordable, quality homes and thriving places so that everyone has a place to live and grow.  

    We make this happen by working in partnership with thousands of organisations of all sizes, using our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more quality homes built. 

    Learn more about us: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/homes-england/about 

    Press Office Contact Details 

    Email: media@homesengland.gov.uk 

    Phone: 0207 874 8262

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Great British Energy Lands Deal to Deliver Offshore Wind Jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Great British Energy Lands Deal to Deliver Offshore Wind Jobs

    Britain’s workers in industrial heartlands such as Teesside, Scotland, South Wales and East Anglia to benefit from a deal for the country’s industrial renewal.

    • Britain’s workers and industries supported as Energy Secretary and Great British Energy announce a major public-private deal to drive investment into offshore wind jobs.
    • Great British Energy’s initial investment of £300 million to catalyse a further £700 million from industry and The Crown Estate, taking the total pot to £1 billion as part of the Industrial Strategy.
    • Comes as Clean Industry Bonus allocations are confirmed, as government turbocharges delivery of clean energy jobs and growth through the Plan for Change.

    Britain’s workers in industrial heartlands such as Teesside, Scotland, South Wales and East Anglia are set to benefit from a major deal crowding in investment for the country’s industrial renewal.

    The government and Great British Energy, the UK’s publicly owned clean power company, have today (17 June) joined forces with industry and The Crown Estate to invest £1 billion in offshore wind supply chains. This will secure Britain’s renewal through manufacturing facilities and skilled well-paid jobs, delivering on government’s mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.

    Investment comes after the Spending Review confirmed the biggest programme of investment in homegrown energy in history and forms part of the government’s Industrial Strategy – which will include clean energy industries – sending a clear signal to the world to ‘Build it in Britain’.

    This investment will power the next generation of offshore wind in Britain, supporting British innovation from blueprint to blade. By backing the manufacturing of turbines, floating platforms, HVDC cables, and cutting-edge technologies, alongside upgrading vital port infrastructure from Leith and Teesside to Great Yarmouth and Port Talbot. This investment will unlock thousands of jobs, kickstarting growth in coastal communities and industrial towns, and secure a cleaner, more independent energy future for Britain.

    The funding is made up of:

    • £300 million announced by Great British Energy in April, which provides upfront public investment to crowd in funding from the private sector into Britain’s industrial regions.
    • £400 million from The Crown Estate, intended to support new infrastructure, including ports, supply chain manufacturing and research and testing facilities.
    • £300 million being developed by the offshore wind industry to match fund government through the Industrial Growth Plan, to deliver new investments into supply chains such as advanced turbines technologies and foundations and substructures.

    This takes the pot to £1 billion, building the industries of the future in Britain, such as floating offshore wind, and securing the UK as an attractive investment destination for international investors and existing UK companies. 

    Funding will support thousands of additional jobs – from the electricians manufacturing the turbines and blades to the engineers responsible for the construction and maintenance of wind farms. The government is giving long-term industrial certainty to hardworking British people as part of the Plan for Change.

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    This is an unprecedented collaboration between public and private investors with Great British Energy crowding in millions of private sector investment from industry and The Crown Estate, to ensure that British companies and workers win the global race for clean energy.

    We are witnessing the coming of age of Britain’s green industrial revolution as we build this new era of clean energy abundance, helping deliver new jobs, energy security and lower household’s bills through our Plan for Change.

    Great British Energy Chief Executive Dan McGrail said:

    Today’s announcement highlights the unique role Great British Energy can play in the market. By providing state-backed, catalytic investment, we can deliver on our remit to crowd-in investment, giving much needed certainty to developers and investors in the clean energy sector. GBE will continue to support domestic supply chains, driving sustainable economic growth for all corners of the UK.

    RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Jane Cooper said:

    A concerted focus from industry and Government on growing the offshore wind industry’s supply chain in the UK could deliver an extra 10,000 jobs between now and 2035, boosting the UK’s economy by £25 billion. Our sector is stepping up, working closely with the Energy Secretary and the Crown Estate to create new opportunities for manufacturing high-value goods like turbine towers, blades, foundations and cables, and providing high quality jobs building, operating and maintaining offshore wind farms.

    Our ambition is to transform quaysides around our coastline into clusters of global excellence in offshore wind, bringing new jobs and investment to communities which often badly need economic renewal.

    Richard Sandford, Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council, said;

    Growing our supply will avoid the kind of bottlenecks that push up costs and cause delays, so it is good for developers, consumers and our Clean Power Mission. We are working to match the Government’s funding to support a homegrown supply chain, and drive long-term sector growth. It’s vital that industry and Government keep working together to remove barriers so that we can get more capacity through clean power auctions and more funding to the supply chain.

    Gus Jaspert CMG, Managing Director, Marine at The Crown Estate, said:

    The power of offshore wind is not just in secure, green energy, but also in the opportunity to create jobs, investment and support economic growth across the country.  As our ambition on renewable energy grows, so too does our ambition to grow the UK’s supply chain and infrastructure.  Scaling up investment in our domestic supply chain will propel the UK towards its clean energy goals and take our world-leading sector to the next level, supporting thousands more jobs and creating an increasingly attractive environment for investors.

    The funding comes as Great British Energy have announced that leading public finance and investment institutions have come together to accelerate the deployment of funding, supporting domestic supply chain development for offshore wind projects.

    Great British Energy will bring together the National Wealth Fund, The Scottish National Investment Bank, The Crown Estate, Crown Estate Scotland and The Development Bank of Wales, agreeing to develop a unified public finance ‘ecosystem’ to build Britain’s offshore wind supply chains.

    The government will also allocate up to £544 million from its Clean Industry Bonus, which provides funding to offshore wind developers for prioritising their investment into some of Britain’s most deprived communities, and in cleaner supply chains. 

    Funding will go to developers investing in regions such as Scotland, the North East and the East Anglia. Subject to the outcome of this year’s renewables auction, industry estimates this could support up to 14,000 jobs, and drive up to £9 billion of private funding into these communities over the next four years.  For every £1 spent on the bonus, it is estimated to crowd in £17 of private investment.

    This means unlocking private sector investment into manufacturers of electrical equipment, heavy steel products, upgraded port facilities and the high-tech components needed to build floating and fixed offshore wind farms.

    This will support good jobs for British people in these regions – delivering the government’s mission to become a Clean Energy Superpower and Plan for Change.

    Notes to editors: 

    Offshore wind supply chains:

    • The funding comes as Great British Energy today have announced that leading public finance and investment institutions have come together to accelerate the deployment of funding, supporting domestic supply chain development for offshore wind projects.
    • Great British Energy, The National Wealth Fund, The Scottish National Investment Bank, The Crown Estate, Crown Estate Scotland and The Development Bank of Wales have each agreed to develop a unified, integrated public finance ecosystem to support the growth of the UK’s offshore wind sector.
    • Developers are set to contribute to the pot once they have secured a Contracts for Difference in the next auction round (AR7).

    Clean Industry Bonus:

    • Industry applied for Clean Industry Bonus in their numbers, with hundreds of bids, in a major vote of confidence for the Prime Minister’s mission to become a Clean Energy Superpower.   
    • Up to £200 million has been allocated to invest in clean energy facilities in the North East, unlocking up to an additional £4 billion private sector investment into manufacturers such as electrical equipment and heavy steel products.     
    • Up to £185 million has been allocated to Scotland, unlocking up to £3.5 billion private sector investment in ports and high-tech components needed to build floating and fixed offshore wind farms.    
    • The East of England has been allocated up to £20 million and Northern Ireland has up to £25 million to develop clean energy manufacturing capacity. 

    Offshore wind developers will now go on to bid for contracts to deliver their projects, as part of the next Contracts for Difference renewables round. This means there will be some attrition in winning CIB bids. Those project that win CfD contracts can then finalise the above investments into factories, with any unsuccessful projects in the main auction able to bid again next year.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CYBERSTALKING AND SENDING OBSCENE MATERIALS TO MINOR FEMALES

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Charles M. Schmaltz, 28, of Pensacola, Florida, pled guilty in federal court for cyberstalking and sending obscene materials to minor females. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Protecting children from online exploitation and abuse is of paramount importance, and my office will aggressively pursue, prosecute, and seek punishment to the fullest extent of the law for those who prey upon our most innocent, vulnerable populations. My message to offenders is clear: if you prey upon our children, you had better pray we don’t find you.”

    Court documents reflect that Schmaltz communicated with multiple minor females between 2022 – 2024 by utilizing ten or more social media accounts to contact them.  The minor females, and later their parents, repeatedly requested that Schmaltz cease communicating with them.  Instead, Schmaltz sent sexually explicit content to the minor females, including extremely graphic communications about engaging in sexual acts with the minors and images of his own genitals.  The minor females in this case ranged in age from 9 – 15 years old.  Schmaltz was eventually caught through the work of a multi-agency investigation in North Florida and South Alabama, where some of the victims were located.

    Schmaltz faces up to thirty years’ imprisonment, and lifetime supervision upon release.  

    The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dale County Sheriff’s Office as well as Dothan Police Department in South Alabama. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

    Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2025, at 1:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: The Keg Royalties Income Fund Enters into Arrangement Agreement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Not for distribution to U.S. News wire services or dissemination in the U.S.

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Keg Royalties Income Fund (the “Fund”) (TSX: KEG.UN) today announced that, further to the non-binding letter of intent previously announced on May 5, 2025 (the “LOI”), it has entered into an arrangement agreement (the “Arrangement Agreement“) with 1543965 B.C. Ltd. (the “Purchaser“) an affiliate of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (collectively with its affiliates, “Fairfax”) pursuant to which the Purchaser has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding units of the Fund (“Units”) other than Units already owned by Fairfax, for a price of $18.60 per Unit (the “Purchase Price”), payable in cash (the “Transaction”). The Transaction is not subject to a financing condition. The Fund will continue to pay its monthly cash distribution to unitholders (“Unitholders”) until the Transaction is completed, including a prorated cash distribution for the month in which the closing of the Transaction (the “Closing”) occurs, as well as a special cash distribution based on the Fund’s historical practice of paying annual special distributions, prorated for the portion of the fiscal year completed as of the Closing.

    Kip Woodward, Chairman of the Fund, commented, “The Transaction offers the Fund’s unitholders a substantial premium at a compelling valuation, as well as immediate liquidity. It also provides the Keg business with additional financial flexibility in the hands of a committed, well-capitalized owner with a long-term perspective. We are very pleased to have reached this definitive agreement with Fairfax for our unitholders, following our announcement of the non-binding LOI last month.”

    Benefits of the Transaction to Unitholders

    The Transaction, if completed, will provide numerous benefits to Unitholders, including the following:

    • Compelling Value and Significant Premium – the Purchase Price represents a 30.8% premium to the closing price for the Units on May 2, 2025 (the last trading day prior to the announcement of the LOI), and a 34.7% premium to the 20-day volume weighted average trading price as of that date.
    • Certainty and Immediate Liquidity – the Purchase Price is 100% payable in cash, with no financing condition, providing Unitholders with certainty and immediate liquidity.
    • Continued Distributions to Closing – the Fund will continue to pay its monthly cash distribution to Unitholders of $0.0946 per Unit until the Transaction is completed, including a prorated monthly distribution for the month in which the Closing occurs, as well as a special cash distribution based on the Fund’s historical practice of paying annual special distributions, with such special cash distribution being set at $0.055 per Unit for the 2025 fiscal year, prorated for the portion of the fiscal year completed as of the Closing.

    Trustee Recommendation

    The Transaction is the product of extensive, arm’s length negotiations that took place between the board of trustees of the Fund (the “Trustees”) and representatives of Fairfax. Throughout the negotiations, the Trustees were advised by independent and highly qualified legal and financial advisors.

    In connection with their review of the Transaction, the Trustees retained Fort Capital Partners (“Fort Capital”) as its independent valuator in accordance with Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101“). Fort Capital delivered an oral opinion to the Trustees that, as of June 16, 2025, and subject to certain assumptions, limitations and qualifications to be set forth in the written formal valuation that will be included in the management information circular (the “Circular“) that will be sent to the Unitholders in connection with the special meeting to be called to approve the Transaction (the “Special Meeting“), the fair market value of the Units is in the range of $16.50 to $19.50 per Unit (the “Formal Valuation“). Fort Capital has also delivered an oral fairness opinion to the Trustees that, as of June 16, 2025, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications to be set forth in Fort Capital’s written fairness opinion that will be included in the Circular, the consideration to be received by the Unitholders (other than Fairfax) pursuant to the Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Unitholders (other than Fairfax) (the “Fort Capital Fairness Opinion“).

    Additionally, Capital West Partners (“Capital West”), financial advisor to the Trustees, provided an oral fairness opinion to the Trustees stating that, as of June 16, 2025, and subject to certain assumptions, limitations and qualifications to be set forth in Capital West’s written fairness opinion that will be included in the Circular, the consideration to be received by the Unitholders (other than Fairfax) pursuant to the Transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Unitholders (other than Fairfax) (together with the Fort Capital Fairness Opinion, the “Fairness Opinions“).

    The Trustees of the Fund, after receiving legal and financial advice, the Fairness Opinions and the Formal Valuation, have unanimously determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of the Fund and fair to the Unitholders (other than Fairfax) and unanimously recommend that the Unitholders vote in favour of the Transaction.

    Copies of the Formal Valuation and the Fairness Opinions, as well as additional details regarding the terms and conditions of the Transaction, will be contained in the Circular, which will be filed with applicable Canadian securities regulators, made available on the SEDAR+ profile of the Fund at www.sedarplus.ca and mailed to the Unitholders in connection with the Special Meeting.

    Transaction Structure and Details

    The Transaction is structured as a statutory plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), pursuant to which, among other things, the Purchaser will acquire all of the issued and outstanding Units, other than Units already owned by Fairfax, for the Purchase Price payable in cash.

    The Transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of this year and is subject to customary closing conditions, including court approval, the approval of the Unitholders (as further described below), approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and regulatory approval under the Competition Act (Canada).

    Completion of the Transaction will be subject to the approval of (i) more than two-thirds (66 2/3%) of the votes cast by Unitholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Special Meeting and (ii) the majority of the votes cast by Unitholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Special Meeting, excluding the votes of Fairfax (which currently owns approximately 33.92% of the Units on a fully-diluted basis, including securities exchangeable into Units (“Exchangeable Units”)) and any other Unitholders whose votes are required to be excluded for the purposes of “minority approval” under MI 61-101. Further details regarding the applicable voting requirements will be contained in the Circular.

    The Trustees and certain other Unitholders, including individuals who are directors and/or officers of certain subsidiaries of the Fund, and, as previously announced, the largest holder of outstanding Units (without taking into account any Exchangeable Units held by Fairfax), have agreed to vote their respective Units, if any, in favour of the resolution approving the Transaction, subject to certain customary conditions set forth in voting and support agreements (the “Support Agreements”). These Unitholders who have entered into Support Agreements currently hold an aggregate of approximately 14.7% of the issued and outstanding Units on an undiluted basis (representing approximately 9.9% of the issued and outstanding Units on a fully diluted basis, including the Exchangeable Units).

    Advisors

    Capital West Partners and Lawson Lundell LLP are acting as financial advisor and legal advisor, respectively, to the Trustees in respect of the Transaction. Torys LLP is acting as legal advisor to Fairfax in respect of the Transaction.

    Forward Looking Information

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information includes, but is not limited to, statements concerning the Fund’s objectives, its strategies to achieve those objectives, as well as statements made with respect to the Trustees’ beliefs, plans, estimates, projections and intentions, and similar statements concerning anticipated future events, results, circumstances, performance or expectations that are not historical facts. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “expects”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will”, “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, intentions, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent the Trustees’ expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances. Forward-looking information in this news release, which includes, among other things, statements relating to the Transaction (including statements in respect of the consummation of the Transaction, the payment of cash distributions, and the satisfaction of the conditions precedent thereto, in each case, if at all), is necessarily based on a number of opinions and assumptions that the Trustees considered appropriate and reasonable as of the date such statements are made in light of their experience, current conditions and expected future developments, including the assumption that the Transaction can be completed on acceptable terms and that any conditions precedent can be satisfied.

    Risks and uncertainties related to the Transaction include, but are not limited to: the possibility that the Transaction will not be completed on the terms and conditions currently contemplated; failure of the Fund and Fairfax to obtain the required regulatory, court, stock exchange and Unitholder approvals for, or satisfy other conditions to effect, the Transaction; the risk that the Transaction may involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; the risk of a change in general economic conditions; the risk that, prior to the completion of the Transaction, the business of KRL (as defined below) may experience significant disruptions; the risk that any legal proceedings may be instituted against the Fund or determined adversely to the interests of the Fund; and other risk factors contained in filings made by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulators, including the Fund’s annual information form dated March 25, 2025 and financial statements and related management discussion and analysis for the financial year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain jurisdictions of Canada and available at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Although the Trustees have attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other risk factors not presently known to them or that they presently believe are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward- looking information. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future results. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speaks only as of the date made. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Fund’s expectations as of the date of this news release (or as the date they are otherwise stated to be made) and are subject to change after such date. However, the Fund disclaims any intention or obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws in Canada. All of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements.

    About The Keg Royalties Income Fund

    The Fund is a limited purpose, open-ended trust established under the laws of the Province of Ontario that, through The Keg Rights Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of the Fund, owns certain trademarks and other related intellectual property used by Keg Restaurants Ltd. (“KRL”). Vancouver-based KRL is the leading operator and franchisor of steakhouse restaurants in Canada and has a substantial presence in select regional markets in the United States. KRL has been named the number one restaurant company to work for in Canada in the latest edition of Forbes “Canada’s Best Employers 2025” survey.

    About Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited

    Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited is a holding company which, through its subsidiaries, is primarily engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and the associated investment management.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fengate Asset Management and Tilbury Properties achieve financial close on new student residence in Ontario

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SARNIA, Ontario, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fengate Asset Management (Fengate), in partnership with Tilbury Properties (Tilbury), today announced financial close on a new student residence at Lambton College in Sarnia. The residence will provide much-needed accommodation to 311 college students when it opens in September 2027.

    Fengate and Tilbury were selected to design, construct, finance, operate, and maintain the new on-campus residence following a competitive procurement process. Fengate is managing the investment on behalf of the Fengate Infrastructure Yield Fund and its affiliated entities, including an investment by LiUNA’s Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada.

    Located in the heart of Lambton County, Lambton College is a globally recognized leader in education, innovation, and applied research. As the sole post-secondary institution in the region, the College plays a vital role in the community, driving economic development and diversification, propelling social and environmental innovation, and providing quality education to domestic and international students to ensure a thriving skilled workforce.

    “Fengate looks forward to bringing its deep institutional project experience to this new campus residence to provide modern, sustainable accommodation opportunities to Lambton College students in 2027,” said Mac Bell, Managing Director, Infrastructure Investments at Fengate.

    Fengate delivered and is operating the Emily Carr University of Art + Design in British Columbia (B.C.) – the only specialized post-secondary institution in B.C. In 2023, the firm also completed a public-private partnership bundle of six schools in Prince George’s County, Maryland, to provide state-of-the-art schools and 8,000 new desks for K-8 and middle school students.

    “Tilbury is proud to partner with Lambton College on this exciting new student residence,” said Michael Kaye, Founding Partner at Tilbury. “This thoughtfully designed project will modernize the College’s on-campus housing and support the academic and personal success of students for decades to come.”

    Specializing in purpose-built student accommodation, Tilbury takes a collaborative, hands-on approach with its post-secondary partners. The company prides itself on tailoring each project to meet the unique needs of academic institutions, creating exceptional living and learning environments. In September 2025, Tilbury will open a 452-bed residence and dining hall at the University of Windsor, further demonstrating its leadership in on-campus housing development.

    The new campus residence at Lambton College will incorporate energy-efficient systems and sustainable building materials to minimize environmental footprint and will include landscaped green spaces to enhance the campus environment.

    Construction is scheduled to start later this month.

    About Fengate

    Fengate is a leading alternative investment manager focused on infrastructure, private equity and real estate strategies, with more than $10 billion of capital commitments under management. The firm has been investing in infrastructure since 2006 with a focus on mid-market greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets in the transportation, social, energy transition and digital sectors. Fengate is one of North America’s most active infrastructure investors and developers with a portfolio of more than 50 assets. Learn more at www.fengate.com.

    About Tilbury

    Tilbury Properties is a Canadian real estate development firm focused on purpose-built student housing. Founded in 2020, the company has over 1,000 student beds in various stages of development, making it one of the leading developers in Canada’s student housing sector. Learn more at www.tilburyprop.com.

    Media Contact

    Maddison Sharples
    Vice President, Communications and Marketing
    Fengate Asset Management
    +1 416-254-3326
    Maddison.Sharples@fengate.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fengate Asset Management and Tilbury Properties achieve financial close on new student residence in Ontario

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SARNIA, Ontario, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fengate Asset Management (Fengate), in partnership with Tilbury Properties (Tilbury), today announced financial close on a new student residence at Lambton College in Sarnia. The residence will provide much-needed accommodation to 311 college students when it opens in September 2027.

    Fengate and Tilbury were selected to design, construct, finance, operate, and maintain the new on-campus residence following a competitive procurement process. Fengate is managing the investment on behalf of the Fengate Infrastructure Yield Fund and its affiliated entities, including an investment by LiUNA’s Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada.

    Located in the heart of Lambton County, Lambton College is a globally recognized leader in education, innovation, and applied research. As the sole post-secondary institution in the region, the College plays a vital role in the community, driving economic development and diversification, propelling social and environmental innovation, and providing quality education to domestic and international students to ensure a thriving skilled workforce.

    “Fengate looks forward to bringing its deep institutional project experience to this new campus residence to provide modern, sustainable accommodation opportunities to Lambton College students in 2027,” said Mac Bell, Managing Director, Infrastructure Investments at Fengate.

    Fengate delivered and is operating the Emily Carr University of Art + Design in British Columbia (B.C.) – the only specialized post-secondary institution in B.C. In 2023, the firm also completed a public-private partnership bundle of six schools in Prince George’s County, Maryland, to provide state-of-the-art schools and 8,000 new desks for K-8 and middle school students.

    “Tilbury is proud to partner with Lambton College on this exciting new student residence,” said Michael Kaye, Founding Partner at Tilbury. “This thoughtfully designed project will modernize the College’s on-campus housing and support the academic and personal success of students for decades to come.”

    Specializing in purpose-built student accommodation, Tilbury takes a collaborative, hands-on approach with its post-secondary partners. The company prides itself on tailoring each project to meet the unique needs of academic institutions, creating exceptional living and learning environments. In September 2025, Tilbury will open a 452-bed residence and dining hall at the University of Windsor, further demonstrating its leadership in on-campus housing development.

    The new campus residence at Lambton College will incorporate energy-efficient systems and sustainable building materials to minimize environmental footprint and will include landscaped green spaces to enhance the campus environment.

    Construction is scheduled to start later this month.

    About Fengate

    Fengate is a leading alternative investment manager focused on infrastructure, private equity and real estate strategies, with more than $10 billion of capital commitments under management. The firm has been investing in infrastructure since 2006 with a focus on mid-market greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets in the transportation, social, energy transition and digital sectors. Fengate is one of North America’s most active infrastructure investors and developers with a portfolio of more than 50 assets. Learn more at www.fengate.com.

    About Tilbury

    Tilbury Properties is a Canadian real estate development firm focused on purpose-built student housing. Founded in 2020, the company has over 1,000 student beds in various stages of development, making it one of the leading developers in Canada’s student housing sector. Learn more at www.tilburyprop.com.

    Media Contact

    Maddison Sharples
    Vice President, Communications and Marketing
    Fengate Asset Management
    +1 416-254-3326
    Maddison.Sharples@fengate.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Intermex and the New York Red Bulls Join Forces to Bring Financial Services to Northeastern Communities Through the Shared Passion for Soccer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — International Money Express, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMXI) (“Intermex” or the “Company”), a leading money remittance provider to Latin America and the Caribbean, today announced a new official partnership with the New York Red Bulls, one of Major League Soccer’s most dynamic and community-focused clubs. This collaboration brings together two organizations committed to serving and celebrating the diverse cultural richness of the Latino community, using soccer as a powerful platform for connection.

    With over 85 million soccer fans across the United States and Latinos representing nearly 70% of MLS viewership, this partnership with the New York Red Bulls strengthens Intermex’s commitment to remain close to its customers in the northeast region — not only through financial services, but by supporting the sport that represents identity, family, and tradition for millions of Latino households.

    “Intermex was built by Latinos for Latinos. Partnering with the New York Red Bulls allows us to engage directly with the vibrant northeast latin communities we proudly serve, in one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world,” said Marcelo Theodoro, Chief Product, Marketing & Digital Officer at Intermex. “NY Red Bulls represents the cutting edge of the sport, This partnership demonstrates Intermex’s ambition to expand, grow, and redefine what it means to move money and provide financial services with meaning in the digital age.”

    “The Red Bulls and Sports Illustrated Stadium are proud to welcome Intermex to our club and venue,” said Scott Epstein, Head of Corporate Partnerships, New York Red Bulls. “As valued partners, we both pride ourselves on the exceptional customer and fan experience we strive to deliver.”

    Through this partnership, Intermex and the New York Red Bulls will collaborate on in-stadium activations, community outreach events, and cultural initiatives that spotlight the passion, pride, and identity that soccer brings to Latino families across the Tri-State area.

    About Intermex
    Founded in 1994, Intermex applies proprietary technology to enable consumers to send money from the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany to more than 60 countries. The company facilitates digital money movement through its website and mobile app, as well as through a vast network of retail agents and company-operated stores. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Intermex also operates international offices in Puebla, Mexico; Guatemala City, Guatemala; London, England; and Madrid, Spain. Learn more at www.intermexonline.com.

    About New York Red Bulls
    The New York Red Bulls are one of 29 teams in Major League Soccer (MLS). The club is owned by the global energy drink and media company Red Bull GmbH and plays its home matches at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. Since joining MLS as a founding member in 1996, the Red Bulls have won three Supporters’ Shields, earned multiple playoff appearances, and continue to serve as a leader in youth development through its Academy system. The club is deeply committed to connecting with the diverse communities of the New York and New Jersey metro area through soccer, community programs, and fan engagement. For more information, visit www.newyorkredbulls.com.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Alex Sadowski
    Investor Relations Coordinator
    ir@intermexusa.com
    305-671-8000

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XWELL Named Official Wellness Spa of the Orlando Magic

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XWELL, Inc. (Nasdaq: XWEL) (“XWELL” or the “Company”), a leading provider of wellness solutions for people on the go, today announced it has been named the Official Wellness Spa of the Orlando Magic as part of a new multiyear partnership. The partnership reflects a significant milestone in XWELL’s strategic expansion beyond airports and into high-growth local markets – beginning with Florida.

    “This partnership with the Orlando Magic represents a powerful opportunity to introduce our wellness offerings to a broader community,” said XWELL CEO Ezra Ernst. “Florida is a priority growth market for us, and we’re proud to partner with an organization that shares our dedication to physical and mental well-being. Together, we’ll help make wellness more accessible and top-of-mind for fans throughout the region.” 

    Building on its strong foundation in Orlando —where XWELL has long served wellness-minded travelers at its Xpres Spa in Orlando International Airport—this new collaboration allows XWELL to extend its reach into the broader community. It underscores the company’s expanding mission to liberate wellness beyond travel hubs and into daily life.

    Through this partnership, XWELL will receive significant brand integration across the Magic’s digital and in-arena platforms, including LED signage during home games, sponsored sweepstakes, radio promotions, website and app placement, and exclusive activations at Magic Fan Fest events outside the Kia Center. The agreement also includes on-court contests, consumer giveaways, and a co-branded wellness event at a local XWELL spa location featuring appearances by Magic alumni, the Magic entertainment teams, and fan-favorite mascot STUFF.

    “The Orlando Magic are thrilled to partner with XWELL, a brand continuing to grow in Central Florida,” said Magic Sr. Vice President of Global Partnerships J.T. McWalters. “As two organizations that place an emphasis on legendary customer service, this partnership is a natural fit. We can’t wait to share with our fans all that XWELL has to offer the Central Florida community.”

    The partnership plays a key role in supporting XWELL’s business goals in Florida, where the company is focused on expanding its medspa footprint as well as building brand awareness and lasting connections with local consumers. Through high-visibility brand activations and community engagement, XWELL aims to strengthen customer acquisition and solidify its role as a leading wellness provider in the state – inside and outside the airport.

    For Magic fans and the broader Orlando community, XWELL’s presence at Kia Center and in the local area reflects the shared commitment of both brands to the health and well-being of its fans, players, and staff. With a growing number of wellness spas and services available to Magic fans across Florida, XWELL is poised to help bring the same mindset of care, recovery, and resilience off the court and into everyday life.

    XWELL and the Orlando Magic will launch their first co-branded campaign and sweepstakes this season, offering fans exclusive discounts, chances to win a year of spa treatments, and additional unique opportunities to come.

    To learn more about XWELL’s services and locations, visit www.XWELL.com.

    About XWELL, Inc.
    XWELL, Inc. (Nasdaq: XWEL) is a global wellness holding company that operates a portfolio of brands dedicated to health, beauty, and self-care, including Xpres Spa®, Naples Wax Center®, XpresCheck®, and HyperPointe™. With locations in airports and metropolitan areas across the country, XWELL is redefining the modern wellness experience through innovation, personalization, and accessibility.

    About the Orlando Magic
    Orlando’s NBA franchise since 1989, the Magic’s mission is to be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way. Under the DeVos family’s ownership, the Magic have seen great success in a relatively short history, winning eight division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2024, 2025) with seven 50-plus win seasons and capturing the Eastern Conference title in 1995 and 2009. Off the court, on an annual basis, the Orlando Magic gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise and grants. Orlando Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 7,000 volunteer hours annually. In addition, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF) which serves at-risk youth, has distributed more than $30 million to local nonprofit community organizations over the last 35 years. The Magic’s other entities include the team’s NBA G League affiliate, the Osceola Magic, 2021 G League champions, and the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, which serves as the affiliate to the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. The Magic play their home games at the award-winning Kia Center – voted by fans no. 1 in the NBA for game experience; honored with TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ Customer Experience Award; named SportsBusiness Journal’s Sports Facility of the Year; and awarded the Venue Excellence Award (VEA) by the International Association of Venue Managers. The Magic practice at the award-winning AdventHealth Training Center. The Magic was also recognized by the Sports Business Journal as one of the “Best Places to Work” in sports in 2023 and 2024. For ticket information, visit OrlandoMagic.com or call 407-89-MAGIC.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release may contain “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the 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. These include statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “should,” “seeks,” “future,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: the anticipated use of proceeds from the private placement. Forward-looking statements relating to expectations about future results or events are based upon information available to XWELL as of the date of this press release, and are not guarantees of the future performance of the Company, and actual results may vary materially from the results and expectations discussed. Additional information concerning these and other risks is contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning XWELL, or other matters and attributable to XWELL or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. XWELL does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date hereof.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/314d6ece-0fb7-460a-8413-bd3ffe40667d

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The story of the journalist on the Rainbow Warrior’s last voyage, David Robie

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

    In April 2025, several of the Greenpeace crew visited Matauri Bay, Northland, the final resting place of the original flagship, the Rainbow Warrior. This article was one of the reflections pieces written by an oceans communications crew member.

    COMMENTARY: By Emma Page

    I was on the track maintenance team, on the middle level. We were mostly cleaning up the waterways. I was with my son Wilbur who’s 11, and he was there with his friend Frankie, who’s 12, and they were also knee deep in digging out all of the weeds.

    It was my first time at Matauri Bay. One of the things it made me really think about, which is not only specific to the oceans campaign I work on, was really feeling for the first time what being part of Greenpeace as a community or a movement or family means and feels like.

    Other reflections:

    1. Juan: Diving the Rainbow Warrior
    2. Emma: The story of the journalist on the last voyage, David Robie
    3. Fleur: The incredible vision of sculptor Chris Booth
    4. Moira: Connecting with the people and the land
    David Robie’s tent talk about the Rainbow Warrior on the Rongelap voyage in May 1985 . . . the two men on the sheet screen are the late Senator Jetin Anjain (left) and Greenpeace campaigner Steve Sawyer who were key to the success of the relocation. Image: Greenpeace Aotearoa

    Looking back 40 years
    David Robie gave us a really great presentation of what it was like on board the Rainbow Warrior as a freelance journalist on that final voyage in 1985. David is a journalist and was actually one of my journalism lecturers when I went to journalism school at AUT, like 15 plus years ago!

    At that time on the Rainbow Warrior he was reporting on the journey to Rongelap and helping the people move from their island home.

    When you’re hearing people like David talking about being on that last voyage and sharing those memories — then thinking about how all of us here now are continuing the work — and that in the future, there will be people who join and keep campaigning for oceans and for all the other issues that we work on — I had this really tangible feeling of how it all fits together.

    The work goes behind us and before us – I think I described it in my reflection on the day, ‘looking back and moving forward’. And that it’s bigger than me right now or bigger than all of us right now. 

    Russel [Norman, executive director] said it in a way too, about feeling the challenge from the past when you’re looking at those photos of the people who were on that last voyage, and the really brave work that they did. You see them looking out at you and it does feel motivational, but also like a challenge to keep being courageous.


    Dr David Robie’s talk about the Rainbow Warrior and Rongelap. Video: Greenpeace

    We can get caught up in the everyday of trying to do something. And this was one of those moments where you get more of a bird’s eye view, and that felt significant.

    Connecting with the people in the photos
     I think one of the most moving things was hearing David talk about the people in the photographs, making them come alive with the stories of the people and what they were like, including when he talked about his favourite photo that he thought best represented Fernando sitting on a boat with his camera in mid-conversation.

    The photographer Fernando Pereira (right) and Rongelap Islander Bonemej Namwe ride ashore in the ‘bum bum’. Born on Kwajalein, Namwe, 62, had lived most of her life on Rongelap. The Rainbow Warrior I was in Rongelap to assist in the evacuation of islanders to Mejatto. © David Robie / Eyes of Fire / Greenpeace

    David has written in his book about being on the Rainbow Warrior (Eyes of Fire), putting it in the political context of the time.

    He  talked to us about the difficulties and all the challenges back 40 years ago, getting content to the media from a boat, and sending radio reports — how important it was to get the story out there.

    The Greenpeace photographer — that was Fernando — would have to develop the photos himself on board, then transmit them to media outlets. He was one of the people who was key in getting the story of that final voyage to the media and to the wider public.

    I found it interesting also talking with David about the different struggles for journalism training these days — there’s less outlets now to train as a journalist in New Zealand.

    That’s because there’s less jobs and there’s so much pressure on the media at the moment. Lots of outlets closing down, people losing their jobs and then the impact of that in terms of being able to get stories out.

    Emma Page is oceans communications lead for Greenpeace Aotearoa. Republished with permission.

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The story of the journalist on the Rainbow Warrior’s last voyage, David Robie

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

    In April 2025, several of the Greenpeace crew visited Matauri Bay, Northland, the final resting place of the original flagship, the Rainbow Warrior. This article was one of the reflections pieces written by an oceans communications crew member.

    COMMENTARY: By Emma Page

    I was on the track maintenance team, on the middle level. We were mostly cleaning up the waterways. I was with my son Wilbur who’s 11, and he was there with his friend Frankie, who’s 12, and they were also knee deep in digging out all of the weeds.

    It was my first time at Matauri Bay. One of the things it made me really think about, which is not only specific to the oceans campaign I work on, was really feeling for the first time what being part of Greenpeace as a community or a movement or family means and feels like.

    Other reflections:

    1. Juan: Diving the Rainbow Warrior
    2. Emma: The story of the journalist on the last voyage, David Robie
    3. Fleur: The incredible vision of sculptor Chris Booth
    4. Moira: Connecting with the people and the land
    David Robie’s tent talk about the Rainbow Warrior on the Rongelap voyage in May 1985 . . . the two men on the sheet screen are the late Senator Jetin Anjain (left) and Greenpeace campaigner Steve Sawyer who were key to the success of the relocation. Image: Greenpeace Aotearoa

    Looking back 40 years
    David Robie gave us a really great presentation of what it was like on board the Rainbow Warrior as a freelance journalist on that final voyage in 1985. David is a journalist and was actually one of my journalism lecturers when I went to journalism school at AUT, like 15 plus years ago!

    At that time on the Rainbow Warrior he was reporting on the journey to Rongelap and helping the people move from their island home.

    When you’re hearing people like David talking about being on that last voyage and sharing those memories — then thinking about how all of us here now are continuing the work — and that in the future, there will be people who join and keep campaigning for oceans and for all the other issues that we work on — I had this really tangible feeling of how it all fits together.

    The work goes behind us and before us – I think I described it in my reflection on the day, ‘looking back and moving forward’. And that it’s bigger than me right now or bigger than all of us right now. 

    Russel [Norman, executive director] said it in a way too, about feeling the challenge from the past when you’re looking at those photos of the people who were on that last voyage, and the really brave work that they did. You see them looking out at you and it does feel motivational, but also like a challenge to keep being courageous.


    Dr David Robie’s talk about the Rainbow Warrior and Rongelap. Video: Greenpeace

    We can get caught up in the everyday of trying to do something. And this was one of those moments where you get more of a bird’s eye view, and that felt significant.

    Connecting with the people in the photos
     I think one of the most moving things was hearing David talk about the people in the photographs, making them come alive with the stories of the people and what they were like, including when he talked about his favourite photo that he thought best represented Fernando sitting on a boat with his camera in mid-conversation.

    The photographer Fernando Pereira (right) and Rongelap Islander Bonemej Namwe ride ashore in the ‘bum bum’. Born on Kwajalein, Namwe, 62, had lived most of her life on Rongelap. The Rainbow Warrior I was in Rongelap to assist in the evacuation of islanders to Mejatto. © David Robie / Eyes of Fire / Greenpeace

    David has written in his book about being on the Rainbow Warrior (Eyes of Fire), putting it in the political context of the time.

    He  talked to us about the difficulties and all the challenges back 40 years ago, getting content to the media from a boat, and sending radio reports — how important it was to get the story out there.

    The Greenpeace photographer — that was Fernando — would have to develop the photos himself on board, then transmit them to media outlets. He was one of the people who was key in getting the story of that final voyage to the media and to the wider public.

    I found it interesting also talking with David about the different struggles for journalism training these days — there’s less outlets now to train as a journalist in New Zealand.

    That’s because there’s less jobs and there’s so much pressure on the media at the moment. Lots of outlets closing down, people losing their jobs and then the impact of that in terms of being able to get stories out.

    Emma Page is oceans communications lead for Greenpeace Aotearoa. Republished with permission.

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cuts to School Lunch and Food Bank Funding Mean Less Fresh Produce for Children and Families

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The U.S. government recently cut more than $1 billion in funding to two long-running programs that helped schools and food banks feed children and families in need. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the reductions are a “return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives.” But advocacy groups say the cuts will hurt millions of Americans.

    The reductions came just days before the release of the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again report, an analysis of the factors causing chronic disease in children. One of those factors, the report says, is poor diet.

    Marlene Schwartz, a professor of human development and family sciences and director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health at UConn, discusses why cutting the Local Food for Schools and the Local Food Purchase Assistance programs means less fresh food will be available to children and families – and could hurt local farmers and ranchers too.

    The Conversation has collaborated with SciLine to bring you highlights from the discussion, edited here for brevity and clarity.

    Could you explain the two programs that were cut?

    Marlene Schwartz: Most schools were eligible for Local Food for Schools, a $660 million program, which has now been cut. The funds for Local Food for Schools were on top of the reimbursement that schools get for meals and would have allowed them to buy more local, fresh food.

    The Local Food Purchase Assistance program was designed primarily for food banks. Again, the idea was to provide federal money, about $500 million, so food banks could buy from local farmers and support local agriculture. But that too was cut.

    How will these cuts affect families and schoolchildren?

    Schwartz: Many children eat two of their meals, five days a week, at school. During the 2022-2023 school year, about 28 million kids ate lunch at school. More than 14 million had breakfast there.

    Having fresh, local produce in the school cafeteria provides the opportunity to introduce children to more fruits and vegetables and teach them about the food grown in their own communities. Think about how powerful a lesson about nutrition and local agriculture can be when you not only hear and read about it but can taste it too.

    How will these cuts affect farmers and ranchers?

    Schwartz: When the funding was there, the farmers and ranchers knew they had guaranteed buyers for their products. So the loss of these funds, especially so quickly, will have a very negative effect on them. Suddenly, the buyers they counted on don’t have the money to buy from them.

    How does nutritious food in schools impact kids?

    Schwartz: Both the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program are required to comply with the dietary guidelines for Americans, so they’ve always had nutrition standards. These guidelines are updated every five years to reflect the most recent science and public health needs.

    The regulations on school meal nutrition were strengthened significantly with the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. We’ve done a number of studies showing that because of these changes, healthier meals are available at schools, and children eat better. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also did a large national study that reported much the same.

    Another study looked at the nutritional quality of the food at school, from home and at restaurants. It found that school food was the healthiest of all. Many people were surprised by this, but when you think about it, schools are the only setting required to follow federal and state nutrition regulations – restaurants and grocery stores don’t have to do that.

    But getting kids to eat nutritious food can be a challenge.

    Schwartz: We’ve known for decades that American children are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. We know they’re eating too much added sugar, saturated fat and sodium.

    This is due in part to the millions of dollars food companies spend to entice children to eat more sugary cereals, sweetened beverages and fast food.

    I think the best nutrition education happens on your plate. By maximizing the quality of food served in schools, policymakers can influence the diets of millions of children every single day.

    How nutritious are the foods at food banks?

    Schwartz: Food banks often measure their success in terms of the pounds of food they distribute into a community. But families relying on the charitable food system often have a higher risk of diet-related illness – like high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes – and many want healthier foods.

    In response, food banks, which nationwide serve about 50 million Americans, have made a concerted effort to improve the nutritional quality of their food. There’s now a system to help food banks consistently track the nutritional quality of what they provide.

    Watch the full interview to hear more.

    Originally published in The Conversation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Regime change wouldn’t likely bring democracy to Iran. A more threatening force could fill the vacuum

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Andrew Thomas, Lecturer in Middle East Studies, Deakin University

    The timing and targets of Israel’s attacks on Iran tell us that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s short-term goal is to damage Iran’s nuclear facilities in order to severely diminish its weapons program.

    But Netanyahu has made clear another goal: he said the war with Iran “could certainly” lead to regime change in the Islamic republic.

    These comments came after an Israeli plan to assassinate the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly rebuffed by United States President Donald Trump.

    It’s no secret Israel has wanted to see the current government of Iran fall for some time, as have many government officials in the US.

    But what would things look like if the government did topple?

    How is power wielded in today’s Iran?

    Founded in 1979 after the Iranian Revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has democratic, theocratic and authoritarian elements to its governing structure.

    The founding figure of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, envisioned a state run by Islamic clerics and jurists who ensured all policies adhered to Islamic law.

    As Iran was a constitutional monarchy before the revolution, theocratic elements were effectively grafted on top of the existing republican ones, such as the parliament, executive and judiciary.

    Iran has a unicameral legislature (one house of parliament), called the Majles, and a president (currently Masoud Pezeshkian). There are regular elections for both.

    But while there are democratic elements within this system, in practice it is a “closed loop” that keeps the clerical elite in power and prevents challenges to the supreme leader. There is a clear hierarchy, with the supreme leader at the top.

    Khamenei has been in power for more than 35 years, taking office following Khomeini’s death in 1989. The former president of Iran, he was chosen to become supreme leader by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body of Islamic jurists.

    While members of the assembly are elected by the public, candidates must be vetted by the powerful 12-member Guardian Council (also known as the Constitutional Council). Half of this body is selected by the supreme leader, while the other half is approved by the Majles.

    The council also has the power to vet all candidates for president and the parliament.

    In last year’s elections, the Guardian Council disqualified many candidates from running for president, as well as the Majles and Assembly of Experts, including the moderate former president Hassan Rouhani.

    As such, the supreme leader is increasingly facing a crisis of legitimacy with the public. Elections routinely have low turnout. Even with a reformist presidential candidate in last year’s field – the eventual winner, Masoud Pezeshkian – turnout was below 40% in the first round.

    Freedom House gives Iran a global freedom score of just 11 out of 100.

    The supreme leader also directly appoints the leaders in key governance structures, such as the judiciary, the armed forces and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

    The all-powerful IRGC

    So, Iran is far from a democracy. But the idea that regime change would lead to a full democracy that is aligned with Israel and the US is very unlikely.

    Iranian politics is extremely factional. Ideological factions, such as the reformists, moderates and conservatives, often disagree vehemently on key policy areas. They also jockey for influence with the supreme leader and the rest of the clerical elite. None of these factions is particularly friendly with the US, and especially not Israel.

    There are also institutional factions. The most powerful group in the country is the clerical elite, led by the supreme leader. The next most powerful faction would be the IRGC.

    Originally formed as a kind of personal guard for the supreme leader, the IRGC’s fighting strength now rivals that of the regular army.

    The IRGC is extremely hardline politically. At times, the IRGC’s influence domestically has outstripped that of presidents, exerting significant pressure on their policies. The guard only vocally supports presidents in lockstep with Islamic revolutionary doctrine.

    In addition to its control over military hardware and its political influence, the guard is also entwined with the Iranian economy.

    The IRGC is heavily enriched by the status quo, with some describing it as a “kleptocratic” institution. IRGC officials are often awarded state contracts, and are allegedly involved in managing the “black economy” used to evade sanctions.

    Given all of this, the IRGC would be the most likely political institution to take control of Iran if the clerical elite were removed from power.

    In peacetime, the general consensus is the IRGC would not have the resources to orchestrate a coup if the supreme leader died. But in a time of war against a clear enemy, things could be different.

    Possible scenarios post-Khamenei

    So, what might happen if Israel were to assassinate the supreme leader?

    One scenario would be a martial law state led by the IRGC, formed at least in the short term for the purposes of protecting the revolution.

    In the unlikely event the entire clerical leadership is decimated, the IRGC could attempt to reform the Assembly of Experts and choose a new supreme leader itself, perhaps even supporting Khamenei’s son’s candidacy.

    Needless to say, this outcome would not lead to a state more friendly to Israel or the US. In fact, it could potentially empower a faction that has long argued for a more militant response to both.

    Another scenario is a popular uprising. Netanyahu certainly seems to think this is possible, saying in an interview in recent days:

    The decision to act, to rise up this time, is the decision of the Iranian people.

    Indeed, many Iranians have long been disillusioned with their government – even with more moderate and reformist elements within it. Mass protests have broken out several times in recent decades – most recently in 2022 – despite heavy retaliation from law enforcement.

    We’ve seen enough revolutions to know this is possible – after all, modern Iran was formed out of one. But once again, new political leadership being more friendly to Israel and the West is not a foregone conclusion.

    It is possible for Iranians to hold contempt in their hearts for both their leaders and the foreign powers that would upend their lives.

    Andrew Thomas 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. Regime change wouldn’t likely bring democracy to Iran. A more threatening force could fill the vacuum – https://theconversation.com/regime-change-wouldnt-likely-bring-democracy-to-iran-a-more-threatening-force-could-fill-the-vacuum-259042

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • Labour welfare schemes empower over 50 lakh unorganised workers: Govt

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Over 50 lakh workers and their families have benefitted from welfare schemes implemented by the Union Ministry of Labour & Employment, which continues to deliver critical support to India’s unorganised workforce through the Directorate General of Labour Welfare (DGLW), particularly in the Beedi, Cine, and Mining sectors.

    The flagship Education Assistance Scheme for instance offers annual scholarships ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹25,000 to the children of eligible workers. Managed through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), the scheme receives over one lakh applications annually, with benefits disbursed via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for transparency and efficiency.

    The Ministry also provides vital healthcare support, including outpatient services and financial aid for critical illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and kidney transplants. Assistance under the scheme ranges from ₹30,000 for minor surgeries to up to ₹7.5 lakh for cancer treatment, offering a safety net for low-income families.

    Though the Revised Integrated Housing Scheme (RIHS) was merged with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in 2016, the Ministry continued disbursing pending installments to eligible beneficiaries until March 31, 2024, fulfilling its commitment to dignified housing.

    The welfare schemes are implemented nationwide by the Labour Welfare Organisation (LWO), operating under DGLW, through a robust network of 18 Welfare Commissioners. These initiatives focus on social protection, healthcare, education assistance, and housing support, especially in remote and underserved areas, and reflect the government’s commitment to inclusive welfare under the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Telling the Story of the Arctic”: New Photo Exhibition at HSE

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    The opening of the exhibition “Khatanga. Heritage” took place in the atrium of the HSE building on Pokrovsky Boulevard, organized with the support of the Russian Geographical Society (RGS). As part of the educational project, photo materials with interactive excursions are presented, as well as a series of videos and a podcast, drawing attention to the cultural and environmental aspects of the region.

    The project became a logical continuation of a large-scale environmental campaign “Arctic. General cleaning”, during which work was carried out over two years to clean the banks of the village of Khatanga in the Krasnoyarsk Territory from accumulated metal waste. Volunteers from different parts of Russia took part in the expeditions, they carried out research, media and environmental activities. In three shifts, volunteers managed to remove more than 700 tons of industrial waste, which significantly improved the ecological situation in the area and made it possible to create an extensive archive of photo and video materials.

    As Andrey Lavrov, Senior Director of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, noted, the Russian Geographical Society has been a partner of the Higher School of Economics since 2022. He recalled that Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technologies HSE actively cooperates with the Russian Geographical Society, and the university students work a lot on Arctic topics, including within the framework of the project “Rediscovering Russia”. “It was important for us to tell the story of the Arctic, a strategically important territory for Russia, through such an exhibition,” said Andrei Lavrov.

    Russia is a huge country, it is almost impossible to see everything in it, says Professor Fuad Aleskerov, head of Department of Mathematics FEN HSE. “Such exhibitions give an understanding of where and what we have in our homeland. In addition, the photographs describe what our volunteers saw when they came to the Arctic to clean up trash. I myself participate in environmental projects, and support them financially. In this case, we need working hands, and if I were a student now, of course, I would go too,” he emphasized.

    Dmitry Kobets, a representative of the Russian Geographical Society and a visiting lecturer at the HSE Department of Mathematics, did not know in his student years that one could spend one’s vacation on an expedition and benefit entire regions. He believes that it is important to tell students about this opportunity by organizing such exhibitions.

    “I thought that an expedition was a matter for big scientists, but it turns out that it is not. The Russian Geographical Society (and not only it) provides an opportunity for young specialists who have just started their journey to go on an expedition. And there is no need to do complex scientific work. Maybe you just want to relax and change the intellectual vector of activity that prevailed from September to June. And after the expedition, you also create a good community,” added Dmitry Kobets.

    In total, four thematic virtual tours were prepared for the exhibition.

    1. “Khatanga. Three suns for luck”, which takes you into the world of creativity, where each photographic work carries its own unique emotion and story.

    2. “The cold raised me”, dedicated to the harsh Arctic region, which is currently home to less than 6,000 people: the history of Khatanga, its people, and its natural conditions.

    3. “Khatanga – this is us”, which tells about the members of the expedition: young photographers, scientists, journalists, athletes and managers.

    4. “A snowflake won’t melt” — a quiz journey for the exhibition’s youngest spectators.

    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: Draganfly’s Commander 3XL Integrated with TB2 Aerospace’s DROPS System Achieves 100% Success Rate During U.S. Army’s SMEX25 Operational Trials

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    In alignment with the Presidential Executive Order “Unleashing American Drone Dominance”

    Golden, CO, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TB2 Aerospace LLC, in collaboration with Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) (FSE: 3U8A) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), a drone solutions, and systems developer, (NASDAQ: DPRO), is proud to announce the successful deployment and performance of the Drone Recharging Operational Payload System (DROPS) during the U.S. Army’s Sustainment Modernization Experiment 2025 (SMEX25).

    Throughout SMEX25’s week-long field exercises, the DROPS system, integrated with Draganfly’s Commander 3XL, achieved a 100% success rate in autonomously deploying, recovering, and recharging TB2’s tactical resupply pods. The event provided an opportunity to validate real-world operational performance in austere and high-demand scenarios, drawing praise from defence evaluators and technology observers alike.

    “The successful deployment of DROPS at SMEX25 underscores our commitment to advancing autonomous logistics solutions,” said Hank Scott, CEO of TB2 Aerospace. “Our system’s performance in a live operational environment validates its potential to revolutionize military tactical resupply and contested logistics.”

    He added, “The successful integration of the Commander 3XL and DROPS in support of the U.S. Army’s mission is a great example of the advantage we strive to bring to our partners and their stakeholders.”

    Key Capabilities Demonstrated:

    • Autonomous Payload Operations: The Commander 3XL, enabled with DROPS, autonomously captured, transported, and delivered payloads without any manual intervention, streamlining tactical resupply and significantly reducing the need for human logistics support in the field.
    • Platform Agnosticism: DROPS functioned seamlessly across various platforms, confirming its plug-and-play versatility, with special emphasis on its integration with Draganfly’s Commander 3XL platform. The Draganfly 3XL is now ‘DROPS Enabled’, whilst the smaller Draganfly Apex and the larger Heavy Lift are in the process of becoming DROPS Enabled.

    About Draganfly

    Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8A) is a pioneer in drone solutions, AI-driven software, and robotics. With over 25 years of innovation, Draganfly has been at the forefront of drone technology, providing solutions for public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, mapping, and surveying. The Company is committed to delivering efficient, reliable, and industry-leading technology that helps organizations save time, money, and lives.

    Media Contact

    media@draganfly.com

    Company Contact
    Cameron Chell
    Chief Executive Officer
    (306) 955-9907
    Email: info@draganfly.com

    About TB2 Aerospace

    Founded in 2020, TB2 Aerospace is a U.S.-based defence technology innovator developing autonomous logistics and tactical payload systems. The company’s flagship solution, DROPS, is a modular, reconfigurable payload delivery system designed to extend and enhance the operational capabilities of unmanned systems in defense, disaster response, and homeland security applications.

    Annabel Mead
    Communications and Marketing Consultant
    Canny Comms
    ✉ annabel@canny-comms.co.uk

    Partnership Inquiries
    Hank Scott
    Chief Executive Officer, TB2 Aerospace
    ✉ hank@tb2aerospace.com

    Visit www.tb2aerospace.com for more information.

    Forward Looking Statements

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This release contains certain “forward looking statements” and certain “forward-looking ‎‎‎‎information” as ‎‎‎‎defined under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎and information can ‎‎‎‎generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‎‎‎‎‎“may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, ‎‎‎‎‎“estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “plans” or similar ‎‎‎‎terminology. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎and information are based on forecasts of future ‎‎‎‎results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and ‎‎‎‎assumptions that, while believed by ‎‎‎‎management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant ‎‎‎‎business, economic and ‎‎‎‎competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎include, but are not ‎‎‎‎limited to, statements with respect to DROPS being a game-changing force multiplier for the Department of Defence and its allies as well as Draganfly’s ability to enable DROPS on the Draganfly Apex and the larger Heavy Lift. Forward-‎‎‎‎looking statements and information are subject to various ‎known ‎‎and unknown risks and ‎‎‎‎‎uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to ‎control or ‎‎predict, that ‎‎‎‎may cause ‎the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be ‎materially ‎‎different ‎‎‎‎from those ‎expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions ‎about ‎‎such ‎‎‎‎risks, uncertainties ‎and other factors set out here in, including but not limited to: the potential ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎impact of epidemics, ‎pandemics or other public health crises, including the ‎COVID-19 pandemic, on the Company’s business, operations and financial ‎‎‎‎condition; the ‎‎‎successful integration of ‎technology; the inherent risks involved in the general ‎‎‎‎securities markets; ‎‎‎uncertainties relating to the ‎availability and costs of financing needed in the ‎‎‎‎future; the inherent ‎‎‎uncertainty of cost estimates; the ‎potential for unexpected costs and ‎‎‎‎expenses, currency ‎‎‎fluctuations; regulatory restrictions; and liability, ‎competition, loss of key ‎‎‎‎employees and other related risks ‎‎‎and uncertainties disclosed under the ‎heading “Risk Factors“ ‎‎‎‎in the Company’s most recent filings filed ‎‎‎with securities regulators in Canada on ‎the SEDAR ‎‎‎‎website at www.sedar.com and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on EDGAR through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes ‎‎‎no obligation to update forward-‎looking ‎‎‎‎information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-‎‎‎looking information represents ‎‎‎‎‎managements’ best judgment based on information currently available. ‎‎‎No forward-looking ‎‎‎‎statement ‎can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. ‎‎‎Accordingly, readers ‎‎‎‎are advised not to ‎place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or ‎‎‎information.‎

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: W&T Announces Settlement Agreement with Majority of Surety Providers

    Source: W & T Offshore Inc

    Headline: W&T Announces Settlement Agreement with Majority of Surety Providers

    HOUSTON, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — W&T Offshore, Inc. (NYSE: WTI) (“W&T” or the “Company”) today announced that it has come to a settlement agreement with two of its largest surety providers which calls for the dismissal of a previously filed lawsuit. The settlement agreement requires the surety providers to withdraw their current collateral demands, and further provides that the surety providers may not make additional collateral demands or increase premiums through December 31, 2026.

    Key highlights for the settlement agreement include:

    • Dismissal of all claims by the applicable party in the lawsuit, without prejudice;
    • Two participating surety providers, together with W&T’s other major surety provider who did not attempt to increase premiums or call for collateral, represent nearly 70% of W&T’s surety bond portfolio;
    • Premium rates for all existing bonds provided by the two surety providers will be locked in at W&T’s historical rates without increase through December 31, 2026, representing a prolonged rate lock in excess of “ordinary course” rate negotiations, thereby providing consistency and predictability in W&T’s premium expense;
    • W&T is not required to provide any collateral to the applicable sureties, and the applicable surety providers will immediately withdraw all demands for collateral;
    • Surety providers may not make demands for collateral through December 31, 2026, outside certain limited circumstances involving unlikely events of default; and
    • Parties retain the right to negotiate and establish new surety bonds at rates to be determined in the ordinary course.

    Tracy W. Krohn, W&T’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated, “We are pleased with the agreement that we have reached with two of our largest surety providers, and we believe that the objectives achieved in this outcome illustrate the strength of the legal position that W&T has aggressively advanced since the beginning of these unnecessary surety lawsuits. This outcome is very positive for W&T overall, as we will not acquiesce to unjustified collateral demands made by the applicable sureties and we have locked in our historical premium rates through the end of 2026. We believe the entry into these settlement agreements vindicates our resolve to stand up to surety providers’ unjustified demands on independent oil and gas operators, such as W&T. For the past 40 plus years, W&T has reliably plugged and abandoned assets, paid its negotiated premiums and operated responsibly in the Gulf of America. We demand fairness and transparency for all oil and natural gas producers in the Gulf of America and will continue to pursue the pending litigation against our other surety providers that have unlawfully colluded and decided to not deal fairly with W&T and other independent oil and gas producers.”

    “This agreement, coupled with the promising developments in the regulatory environment driven by the White House’s directives, alleviates some of the uncertainty that has unnecessarily and artificially suppressed our stock price and we expect that this will allow us to deliver more value to our shareholders. Since the start of the year, we have strengthened our balance sheet, and we have a solid cash position with sufficient liquidity to enable us to continue to evaluate growth opportunities, both organically and inorganically. Operationally and financially, our start to 2025 has been strong, and we expect production to continue to increase thus driving more value creation. We are well-positioned to succeed and believe that the future is bright for W&T.”

    About W&T Offshore

    W&T Offshore, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas producer with operations offshore in the Gulf of America and has grown through acquisitions, exploration and development. As of March 31, 2025, the Company had working interests in 52 fields in federal and state waters (which include 45 fields in federal waters and seven in state waters). The Company has under lease approximately 634,700 gross acres (496,900 net acres) spanning across the outer continental shelf off the coasts of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, with approximately 487,200 gross acres on the conventional shelf, approximately 141,900 gross acres in the deepwater and 5,600 gross acres in Alabama state waters. A majority of the Company’s daily production is derived from wells it operates. For more information on W&T, please visit the Company’s website at www.wtoffshore.com.

    Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

    This press release contains 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. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this release, including those regarding the potential outcome of the litigation, the impact of the settlement on the Company, potential growth opportunities, and the Company’s future production are forward-looking statements. When used in this release, forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by terms or phrases such as “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “target,” “could,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “goal,” “will,” “should,” “may” or other words and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Items contemplating or making assumptions about actual or potential future production and sales, prices, market size, and trends or operating results also constitute such forward-looking statements.

    These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and speak only as of the date of this release. While management considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company’s control. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as results actually achieved may differ materially from expected results described in these statements. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of such statements, unless required by law.

    Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ including, among other things, the regulatory environment, including availability or timing of, and conditions imposed on, obtaining and/or maintaining permits and approvals, including those necessary for drilling and/or development projects; the impact of current, pending and/or future laws and regulations, and of legislative and regulatory changes and other government activities, including those related to permitting, drilling, completion, well stimulation, operation, maintenance or abandonment of wells or facilities, managing energy, water, land, greenhouse gases or other emissions, protection of health, safety and the environment, or transportation, marketing and sale of the Company’s products; inflation levels; global economic trends, geopolitical risks and general economic and industry conditions, such as the global supply chain disruptions and the government interventions into the financial markets and economy in response to inflation levels and world health events; volatility of oil, NGL and natural gas prices; the global energy future, including the factors and trends that are expected to shape it, such as concerns about climate change and other air quality issues, the transition to a low-emission economy and the expected role of different energy sources; supply of and demand for oil, NGLs and natural gas, including due to the actions of foreign producers, importantly including OPEC and other major oil producing companies (“OPEC+”) and change in OPEC+’s production levels; disruptions to, capacity constraints in, or other limitations on the pipeline systems that deliver the Company’s oil and natural gas and other processing and transportation considerations; inability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or to obtain adequate financing to fund capital expenditures, meet the Company’s working capital requirements or fund planned investments; price fluctuations and availability of natural gas and electricity; the Company’s ability to use derivative instruments to manage commodity price risk; the Company’s ability to meet the Company’s planned drilling schedule, including due to the Company’s ability to obtain permits on a timely basis or at all, and to successfully drill wells that produce oil and natural gas in commercially viable quantities; uncertainties associated with estimating proved reserves and related future cash flows; the Company’s ability to replace the Company’s reserves through exploration and development activities; drilling and production results, lower–than–expected production, reserves or resources from development projects or higher–than–expected decline rates; the Company’s ability to obtain timely and available drilling and completion equipment and crew availability and access to necessary resources for drilling, completing and operating wells; changes in tax laws; effects of competition; uncertainties and liabilities associated with acquired and divested assets; the Company’s ability to make acquisitions and successfully integrate any acquired businesses; asset impairments from commodity price declines; large or multiple customer defaults on contractual obligations, including defaults resulting from actual or potential insolvencies; geographical concentration of the Company’s operations; the creditworthiness and performance of the Company’s counterparties with respect to its hedges; impact of derivatives legislation affecting the Company’s ability to hedge; failure of risk management and ineffectiveness of internal controls; catastrophic events, including tropical storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, pandemics and other world health events; environmental risks and liabilities under U.S. federal, state, tribal and local laws and regulations (including remedial actions); potential liability resulting from pending or future litigation; the Company’s ability to recruit and/or retain key members of the Company’s senior management and key technical employees; information technology failures or cyberattacks; and governmental actions and political conditions, as well as the actions by other third parties that are beyond the Company’s control, and other factors discussed in W&T Offshore’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q found at www.sec.gov or at the Company’s website at www.wtoffshore.com under the Investor Relations section.

         
    CONTACT: Al Petrie Sameer Parasnis
      Investor Relations Coordinator Executive VP and CFO
      investorrelations@wtoffshore.com sparasnis@wtoffshore.com
      713-297-8024 713-513-8654

    Source: W&T Offshore, Inc.

    Released June 17, 2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Driven by a Dream: Farah Al Fulfulee’s Quest to Reach the Stars

    Source: NASA

    Farah Al Fulfulee was just four years old when she started climbing onto the roof of her family’s house in Iraq to gaze at the stars.
    “It scared me how vast and quiet the sky was, but it made me very curious. I grew a deep passion for the stars and constellations and what they might represent,” she said.
    Her father noticed her interest and began bringing home books and magazines about space. Al Fulfulee first read about NASA in those pages and was fascinated by the agency’s mission to explore the cosmos for the benefit of all humanity.
    “Right then I knew I had to be an astronaut! I must go to space myself and get a closer look,” she said. “I knew I must find a way to go and work for NASA and fulfill my dream, working with other people like me who had a passion to explore the universe.”

    As a girl growing up in the Middle East, Al Fulfulee had few opportunities to pursue this dream, but she refused to give up. Her dedication to schoolwork and excellence in science and math earned her a spot at the University of Baghdad College of Engineering. She completed a degree in electronic and communication engineering — similar to American electrical and computer engineering programs — and graduated as one of the top 10 students in her class. “We had a graduation party where you dress up as what you want to be in the future,” she recalled. “I wore a spacesuit.”

    Al Fulfulee was ready to launch her career, but Iraq did not have a developed space industry and finding work as a female engineer was a challenge. She accepted a project engineer position with a prominent Iraqi engineering firm in the information technology sector and spent four years working for the company in Iraq, Turkey, and Jordan, but she was disappointed to discover that her role involved very little engineering. “I was the only female on the team,” she said. “It was not common for a woman to work in the field or with customers, so I was always left behind to do office work. The job was not fulfilling.”
    Still determined to join NASA, Al Fulfulee kept looking for her chance to come to the United States and finally found one in 2016, when she moved to Oklahoma to be near her sister. A new challenge soon rose: Without a degree from an American school or previous work experience in the United States, engineering opportunities were hard to come by. Al Fulfulee spent the next six years working in quality assurance for a human resources software company while she completed a MicroMasters program in software verification and management from the University of Maryland and honed her English and leadership skills.
    Her big break came in 2022, when she landed a job with Boeing Defense, Space, and Security as a software quality engineer. “I was so excited,” she said. “I knew I was much closer to my dream since Boeing worked in the space industry and I would be able to apply internally to work on a space program.”

    Less than one year later, Al Fulfulee became a system design and analysis engineer for the International Space Station Program and joined the Station Management and Control Team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. She helps develop requirements, monitors performance, and validates testing for electrical systems and software supporting space station payloads. She also designs hardware, software, and interface specifications for those systems. Al Fulfulee has served as the team’s point of contact, delivering verification assessment and data assessment reports for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 and Crew-10 missions, as well as the upcoming Axiom Mission 4 flight. She is currently working to support testing and verification for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11.
    “I could not be happier,” she declared.
    She is also not stopping. “I won’t quit until I wear the blue suit.”

    Al Fulfulee has been an enthusiastic volunteer for various NASA studies, including the Exploration Atmosphere Studies that tested spacewalk safety protocols in an analog environment. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Space Operations Engineering from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She is an avid gardener and learning how to grow produce indoors as a volunteer experimental botanist with the Backyard Produce Project, noting that such knowledge might come in handy on Mars.
    She is also helping to inspire the next generation. Earlier this year, Al Fulfulee was a guest speaker at the Women in Tech & Business Summit in Iraq – an event designed to encourage Iraqi women to pursue technology careers. “I was the only person representing women in space,” she said. “It was a really moving experience.” Al Fulfulee provided practical advice on breaking barriers in aerospace and shared her story with the crowd.
    “I know my path is long and across the continents,” she said, “but I am enjoying my journey.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oklahoma Survivors Can Apply for SBA Loans

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Oklahoma Survivors Can Apply for SBA Loans

    Oklahoma Survivors Can Apply for SBA Loans

    OKLAHOMA CITY – Businesses and residents in seven Oklahoma counties impacted by the March 14-21 wildfires and straight-line winds are eligible to apply for low-interest disaster assistance loans from the U

    S

    Small Business Administration (SBA)

    FEMA partners with other agencies to meet the needs of survivors after a disaster, and SBA loans are the largest source of federal recovery funds

    Residents and businesses in Cleveland, Creek, Lincoln, Logan, Oklahoma, Pawnee and Payne counties can apply for these loans if they sustained property damage

    Affected homeowners, renters and businesses do not need to wait for an insurance settlement before submitting an SBA loan application – and are under no obligation to accept an SBA loan if an application is approved

    Residents can still apply for an SBA loan if they received assistance from FEMA

    Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3

    25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2

    688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years

    Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition

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

    SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement

    Homeowners may be eligible for a disaster loan of up to $500,000 for primary residence repairs or rebuilding

    The SBA may also be able to help homeowners and renters with up to $100,000 to replace important personal property, such as damaged automobiles

    Businesses and private nonprofit organizations can borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged property, destroyed real estate, inventory, machinery and equipment, and other essential assets

    The SBA can lend additional funds for measures that help protect, prevent or minimize disaster damage from occurring in the future

     SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofits to help recover from economic damage caused by a declared disaster

     The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program may be used to cover operating expenses, including fixed debts, payroll, rent, and other bills not paid due to the disaster

    EIDLs are available even if the business or private nonprofit did not suffer any physical damage

    The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises

    Oklahoma residents can apply for a disaster loan online at SBA

    gov/disaster or by calling 800-659-2955

     For the latest information about Oklahoma’s recovery, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4866

     Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x

    com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook

    com/FEMARegion6/
    thomas

    wise
    Mon, 06/16/2025 – 20:03

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Meijer Issues Recall on Frederik’s Dark Chocolate Almonds Due to Presence of Undeclared Cashews

    Source: US Food and Drug Administration

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    June 13, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    June 16, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & BeveragesAllergens
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Undeclared cashews

    Company Name:
    Meijer
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Frederick’s by Meijer

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Dark Chocolate Almonds

    Company Announcement
    GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., June 13, 2025 – Meijer is announcing a recall of certain packages of Frederik’s Dark Chocolate Almonds because they may also contain dark chocolate-covered cashews, which are not declared on the label. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to cashews run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product.
    The recall includes Frederik’s Dark Chocolate Almonds in black stand-up pouches sold at Meijer stores in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, and Wisconsin with a sell-by date of 05/07/2026 or 05/28/2026, and 8-count, 1.5-ounce multi-pack boxes with a sell-by date of 05/05/2026. Meijer has not received any claims of illness associated with this recall to date.
    The following products are included in the recall:

    UPC 

    Recalled Product Name 

    Sell By Date(s) 

    7-08820-68730-1

    Frederik’s by Meijer Dark Chocolate Almonds (12 oz.)

    05/07/2026,05/28/2026

    7-19283-11923-0

    Frederik’s Dark Chocolate Almonds 8-count 1.5 oz.

    05/05/2026

    This recall was initiated after Meijer was informed of the issue by a customer who received the product.
    Customers with allergies or sensitivities to cashews should discontinue use and return the product to the customer service desk at any Meijer store for a full refund. Customers with questions regarding this recall can contact Meijer at 800-543-3704 from 7 a.m.-1 a.m. EDT daily. Customers with questions or concerns about their health are encouraged to contact their primary care provider.
    About Meijer: Meijer is a privately owned, family-operated retailer that serves customers at more than 500 supercenters, grocery stores, neighborhood markets, and express locations throughout the Midwest. As the pioneer of the one-stop shopping concept, more than 70,000 Meijer team members work hard to deliver a friendly, seamless in-store and online shopping experience featuring an assortment of fresh foods, high-quality apparel, household essentials, and health and wellness products and services. Meijer is consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work and annually donates at least 6 percent of its profit to strengthen its communities. Additional information on the company can be found by visiting newsroom.meijer.com.

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    Meijer
    800-543-3704

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    Content current as of:
    06/16/2025

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Recruitment of minors into organised crime – 17-06-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The recruitment of minors into serious and organised crime has increasingly become a tactic used by criminal networks to avoid detection, capture and prosecution. By using minors, the criminal networks increase the distance between the criminal activity and the network’s core members or leaders, hampering identification. Even though there is a lack of reliable and comparable data on this phenomenon, several EU Member States have reported an increase in the involvement of minors in serious and organised crime. While the rising demand for recreational drugs seems to be the main driver behind the increase, minors are involved in other markets too, including property crime and online fraud. Criminal networks exploit children as young as 12 years for low-skilled roles such as local street dealers, cash couriers, warehouse operators and extractors of drugs from shipping containers. Easier access to firearms has led to a shift from minor crime to more serious, especially violent, crime, such as extortion and killings. Many minors are lured into organised crime by the promise of financial gain, social status, or sense of belonging, whilst others may be coerced or forced into this lifestyle due to their circumstances or environment. The consequences of such involvement are far-reaching, affecting not only the minors involved, but also the communities and society as a whole. The processes for recruiting minors into organised crime are still poorly understood, but there is a clear trend of increased use of digital tools for recruitment and communication, such as encrypted messaging services, apps and video games that are popular with young people. The EU recognises the severity of the problem and the need for closer cooperation between the affected Member States and for an integrated preventive response. By facilitating the exchange of best practices amongst Member States, integrating the local dimension into efforts to counter the infiltration of criminal networks into the economy and society, and by adopting a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach, the EU contributes to preventing the recruitment of minors into organised crime and to mitigating the devastating consequences.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – ETS maritime surcharges – E-001705/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    All sectors, including maritime transport, need to contribute to the EU climate neutrality goal by 2050 and the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) is a key policy to achieve this objective.

    While the ETS Directive[1] allows for the transfer of the ETS costs from the shipping company to another entity operating the ship, it does not regulate the pass-through of costs to shippers.

    The Commission’s report[2] on the monitoring of the ETS extension to maritime transport shows that shipping companies typically pass ETS costs to shippers, with a limited impact on overall transport prices in 2024, estimated between 1% and 5% for deep sea container services.

    A case study revealed that surcharges do not always reflect the EU ETS costs expected on specific routes, possibly due to shipping companies’ strategies in redistributing costs among their lines.

    Information to be published by 30 June 2025 in Thetis Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV)[3] will detail ship level emissions reported by shipping companies under the ETS, possibly aiding shippers in their commercial discussions.

    In terms of effectiveness, companies passing on the ETS costs would generally incentivise their consumers to shift towards greener alternatives.

    At the same time, the ETS would continue incentivising investments in mitigation reduction solutions in synergy with other policies such as FuelEU Maritime[4].

    The Commission will continue closely monitoring the implementation of the ETS extension to maritime transport, with reports due every two years.

    The above-mentioned report should therefore be seen as the first step of an ongoing process providing the foundation for future analysis and for possible enhancements of the monitoring approach.

    • [1] Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
    • [2] COM(2025) 110 final — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0110.
    • [3] The dedicated Union information system developed and operated by the European Maritime Safety Agency that supports the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2015/757 — https://mrv.emsa.europa.eu/.
    • [4] Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport, and amending Directive 2009/16/EC.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Mobility poverty in the EU’s outermost regions – E-001290/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission announced, in the Mid-term Review Communication[1], the launch of consultations for an updated strategy for the outermost regions to address their permanent constraints. Several EU instruments already include favourable conditions for their transport needs.

    The European Regional Development Fund[2] supports airport infrastructure only in these regions and compensates for airports’ higher operating costs.

    The Connecting Europe Facility[3] supports transport infrastructure with higher co-financing rates. Several Public Service Obligations ensure connectivity with outermost regions[4], and social aid schemes support air transport for their residents[5].

    Outermost regions benefit from specific provisions under transport-related climate legislation. Domestic flights and sea journeys between an outermost region and its Member State are exempted from the Emissions Trading System[6] until end 2030 and can be exempted under the FuelEU Maritime Regulation[7] until end 2029.

    Around EUR 1.6 billion was set aside from the Emissions Trading System revenues to cover price difference between the use of eligible sustainable aviation fuels and fossil kerosene, covering exceptionally the full difference at outermost regions’ airports.

    The Social Climate Fund regulation[8] requires that relevant Member States consider outermost regions’ specificities in their national plans.

    As set out in the communication COM(2025) 46 final The road to the next multiannual financial framework[9], the future budget will include a strengthened, modernised cohesion and growth policy, in partnership with national, regional and local authorities, including outermost regions.

    • [1] A modernised cohesion policy: the mid-term review, COM(2025) 163 final.
    • [2] Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02021R1058-20241224 .
    • [3] Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02021R1153-20240718.
    • [4] Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02008R1008-20201218.
    • [5] Based on Article 107(2)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
    • [6] Directive (EU) 2023/959 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 amending Directive 2003/87/EC establishing a system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the European Union and Decision (EU) 2015/1814 concerning the establishment and operation of a market stability reserve for the European Union greenhouse gas emission trading system. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02023L0959-20230516.
    • [7] Article 2(4) of Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport, and amending Directive 2009/16/EC.
    • [8] Regulation (EU) 2023/955 establishing a Social Climate Fund and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02023R0955-20240630.
    • [9] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0046.
    Last updated: 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Fight against child sexual abuse: updated rules to address new technologies

    Source: European Parliament

    On Tuesday, Parliament adopted its position on draft legislation to improve EU countries’ capacity to fight child sexual abuse effectively.

    MEPs backed an update to EU-wide definitions of the crimes linked to child sexual abuse (CSA) and exploitation. The proposal is designed to adapt legislation to new technologies, for example artificial but realistic-looking deepfake CSA material, and ensure that abuse and solicitation can be prosecuted regardless of whether they occurred online or in the real world.


    Stiffer punishments and no limitation periods

    In their amendments, MEPs propose to raise the maximum punishments for a number of CSA offences, including for sexual activities with children above the age of sexual consent who do not consent. Other examples are recruiting children for exploitation in prostitution, possessing or distributing CSA material, and offering remuneration for certain CSA crimes.

    MEPs also want to abolish limitation periods for crimes covered by the updated law, since statistics show that the majority of victims only speak up long after the offence occurred. Victims should also be able to seek compensation indefinitely.


    New technological crimes

    To bring EU laws up to date with technological developments, MEPs want to criminalise explicitly the use of artificial intelligence systems “designed or adapted primarily” for CSA crimes. They have also endorsed provisions on the livestreaming of CSA, and dissemination online of related material.

    To make investigations more effective, MEPs are pushing for the possibility to conduct undercover investigations and employ covert surveillance methods.


    Definition of consent and exemption for peers

    MEPs want a new definition of consent specifically for children over the age of sexual consent. Consent-based interactions between peers should not be criminalised unless there is dependency or an abuse of trust. Pretending to be a peer should, however, be a punishable aggravating circumstance.


    Victim support

    Child victim support should be free of charge and include medical and forensic examinations, help with documenting evidence, gender-sensitive medical care and access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. MEPs want this to be in line with the Barnahus model, where services come together under one roof to support child victims.

    Third parties, such as civil society organisations, should also be able to report crimes.


    Quote

    Rapporteur Jeroen Lenaers (EPP, Netherlands) said: “The law we voted for today is ambitious, but we can never be ambitious enough when it comes to protecting children. We are criminalising child sexual abuse manuals, and lifelike AI material will be treated the same as real material. We also need to abolish the statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse crimes, because there can be no deadline on justice.”


    Next steps

    The EP position was adopted with 599 votes in favour, 2 against and 62 abstentions. Negotiations between Parliament and Council on the final form of the law are scheduled to begin on 23 June.


    Background

    The recast directive on sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children, child sexual abuse material, and solicitation of children will harmonise EU countries’ definitions of and punishments for these crimes, covering both online and offline activity.

    A separate proposal for a regulation on child sexual abuse material online is also being discussed by lawmakers. The European Parliament adopted its position on the draft regulation in 2023 and is waiting for the Council to reach a common position.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Fact Sheets – East Asia – 16-06-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    East Asia has vital geostrategic importance for the EU and is facing important geostrategic challenges. The Indo-Pacific is home to more than 50% of the world’s population. Two thirds of the world’s container trade passes through the Indo-Pacific and its sea lanes are the main routes for trade and energy supplies. The EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was adopted in September 2021 to increase the EU’s engagement, build partnerships and reinforce the rules-based international order and address global challenges. The EU is adapting its current instruments to support its strategic autonomy. Its Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, formally approved by the Council in March 2022, promotes an open and rules-based regional security architecture, including secure maritime routes, capacity-building and an enhanced naval presence in the Indo-Pacific. The EU’s strategy encompasses seven priority areas: sustainable and inclusive prosperity, the green transition, ocean governance, digital governance and partnerships, connectivity, security and defence, and human security.East Asia faces security concerns such as the nuclear challenge in North Korea, the maritime disputes in the East and the South China Seas, and the Taiwan issue. The EU is a strong economic player in East Asia and is working to foster fair trade, multilateralism, institution building, democracy, good governance and human rights.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Next-Gen Edge AI Solutions for the Real World: Autonomous Navigation for Drones, Surveillance and Robotics

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVINE, Calif., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lantronix Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRX), a global leader in compute and connectivity IoT solutions enabling Edge AI Intelligence, today announced its collaboration with Aerora, a provider of integrated NDAA-compliant propulsion, ground control and precision AI payload systems. This collaboration delivers Edge AI-driven solutions that significantly accelerate advancements in drones, robotics and surveillance applications delivered by Aerora’s OEM platform for AI-Powered Visual Navigation.

    “Lantronix’s collaboration with Aerora promises to advance the development of AI-powered drones and other intelligent applications, equipping developers with cutting-edge tools from leading embedded compute technologies,” said Saleel Awsare, CEO and president of Lantronix. “This breakthrough in advanced AI-driven solutions delivers a transformative impact, opening doors to new opportunities in both private and government sectors.”

    Grandview Research estimates that by 2030, the global drone market will reach $163.6 billion. Most forecasts predict a CAGR of 15 percent through 2030, with some commercial segments expected to grow even faster, especially as drone applications expand into logistics, agriculture, infrastructure and public safety. The U.S. Federal Government also acknowledges the importance of unmanned aircraft systems, such as drones, for commercial and government industries and has enabled support of drone manufacturers.

    Aerora’s solution is supported by Lantronix’s Open-Q™ System-on-Module (SoM) powered by Qualcomm® Technologies chipsets, which provides unparalleled processing capabilities for AI-driven situational awareness, advanced computational imaging and real-time decision-making.

    With Lantronix’s Open-Q SOMs, developers can confidently build AI-powered solutions while knowing they are backed by industry-leading embedded compute technologies.

    As part of the integrated solution, Aerora has incorporated the Teledyne FLIR Hadron 640R module and Prism software, enabling advanced thermal and RGB imaging capabilities. OEMs of drones, robotics and surveillance solutions face increasing pressure to shorten development timelines while maintaining high standards for imaging and control systems. New Edge AI technologies, such as this solution, can help reduce or eliminate engineering overhead and shorten time-to-market.

    Aerora’s full-stack solution includes pre-integration of the camera, gimbal, gimbal motors, housing, telemetry and interface while featuring 4K video stream simultaneously with high-resolution thermal video. Aerora is working with multiple OEM drone manufacturers, integrating its platform of an integrated camera + gimble solution, which helps meet the industry’s technological requirements while ensuring NDAA compliance.

    “At Aerora, our core mission is to deliver rapid integration, flexible sensor solutions and fully NDAA-compliant manufacturing at scale. By collaborating closely with industry leaders like Lantronix and Qualcomm and integrating advanced imaging technologies such as Teledyne FLIR’s Hadron 640R, we empower drone OEMs to significantly reduce development timelines, expand their operational capabilities and confidently meet demanding market requirements,” said Ghel Ghedh, chief technology officer for Aerora.

    To learn more about this innovative solution, download the complete white paper here.

    About Lantronix

    Lantronix Inc. is a global leader of compute and connectivity IoT solutions that target high-growth industries including Smart Cities, Automotive and Enterprise. Lantronix’s products and services empower companies to succeed in the growing IoT markets by delivering customizable solutions that address each layer of the IoT Stack. Lantronix’s leading-edge solutions include Intelligent Substations infrastructure, Infotainment systems and Video Surveillance, supplemented with advanced Out-of-Band Management (OOB) for Cloud and Edge Computing. 

    For more information, visit the Lantronix website.

    About Aerora

    Aerora™ accelerates drone and robotics innovation by offering fully integrated, NDAA-compliant propulsion, ground control, and precision AI payload systems. Managing the entire supply chain and overseeing all manufacturing processes—both onshore and offshore—we empower manufacturers to effortlessly scale, streamline operations, and faster time to market without compromising quality or compliance. Aerora™ is based in Santa Clara, California.

    For more information, visit the Aerora website.

    “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements related to Lantronix products and awards. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, future business, financial condition, or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this news release. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, such factors as the effects of negative or worsening regional and worldwide economic conditions or market instability on our business, including effects on purchasing decisions by our customers; our ability to mitigate any disruption in our and our suppliers’ and vendors’ supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other outbreaks, wars and recent tensions in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, or other factors; future responses to and effects of public health crises; cybersecurity risks; changes in applicable U.S. and foreign government laws, regulations, and tariffs; our ability to successfully implement our acquisitions strategy or integrate acquired companies; difficulties and costs of protecting patents and other proprietary rights; the level of our indebtedness, our ability to service our indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements; and any additional factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Sept. 9, 2024; as well as in our other public filings with the SEC. Additional risk factors may be identified from time to time in our future filings. The forward-looking statements included in this release speak only as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

    Lantronix Media Contact:
    Gail Kathryn Miller 
    Corporate Marketing & 
    Communications Manager 
    media@lantronix.com 
    949-212-0960 

    Lantronix Analyst and Investor Contact:
    investors@lantronix.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Private sector urged to use SAYouth.mobi to create more job opportunities

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on businesses and other public sector entities to use SAYouth.mobi to provide more pathways for young people to earning and learning.

    In his weekly newsletter, the President reflected that the country observed Youth Day on 16 June in tribute to the generations of young people who continue to inspire the ongoing pursuit for social justice, equality and opportunity for all.

    “The private sector needs to use all available mechanisms, including the Employee Tax Incentive, to hire young people.

    “South Africa’s young people deserve to lead lives of dignity. Unemployment is robbing far too many youths of this right. As government and business, let us continue to work together and do all within our means to empower young people to find jobs and create their own opportunities,” the President said. 

    WATCH | Youth Day commemoration 

    [embedded content]

    President Ramaphosa said that if the country is to live up to the democratic promise for which so many sacrificed their lives, it is essential to invest in today’s generation of young people and unleash their potential.

    Like many parts of the world, he highlighted that South Africa is grappling with high youth unemployment. 

    “To overcome this challenge, we need an approach that includes investing in education and skills development, fostering youth entrepreneurship and implementing targeted employment programmes focusing on young people,” he said. 

    As part of this work, government established the Presidential Employment Stimulus and the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, initiatives that are providing opportunities to hundreds of thousands of young people at a time when not enough jobs are being created to absorb new entrants into the labour market.

    Since it began in 2020, the Presidential Employment Stimulus has provided more than two million jobs and livelihood opportunities. Of the participants in the programme to date, 72% are young people and 66% are women.

    A vital part of government’s efforts to empower young people is the SAYouth.mobi platform, which is a single point for unemployed young South Africans to access opportunities for work, training and learning.

    There are now over 4.7 million young people registered on the SAYouth platform and the Department of Employment and Labour’s employment services database. Through these platforms, young people have been supported to access over 1.6 million earning opportunities.

    “Last week in the City of Tshwane, I met with a number of young people who told me excitedly they had been approached by potential employers who had seen their profiles on SA Youth.mobi.

    “I want to encourage young job-seekers to utilise this trusted recruitment platform at https://sayouth.mobi/. Registration is free and the app is zero rated, meaning you can access the site and its contents without incurring any data charges,” the President said. 

    READ | Presidential Youth Initiative continues to empower SA’s most excluded youth

    The President said government has also focused on providing workplace experience and on-the-job training. He added that young people have often expressed frustration around the onerous experience requirements from employers, which effectively serve as a barrier to entry for them. 

    In 2019, government abolished the work experience requirement for entry level jobs in the public sector. Through the Youth Employment Service, a collaboration with the private sector, thousands of young people have been placed in workplace experience opportunities in a range of economic sectors.

    “The extent and scale of the youth unemployment crisis means that we should not focus solely on placing more young people in formal, existing jobs, but that we must bolster skills development and foster an entrepreneurial culture.

    “It is critical that we overcome the mismatch between the skills available in the workforce and market need,” he said. 

    President Ramaphosa said this is why government is investing in vocational training. 

    “We have increased funding to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and subsidies for the operationalisation of new campuses. Each year, we are placing thousands of learners and graduates into workplace experience opportunities.

    “Entrepreneurship is a key economic growth driver, but rates of entrepreneurial activity in South Africa are relatively low compared to other countries. We are working to foster an enabling environment that allows more young people to become self-employed,” the President said. 

    The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention has been working with the National Youth Development Agency and the Department of Small Business Development to financial and non-financial support to young people for their businesses.

    “Through all of these initiatives, the state has supported millions of young South Africans with work opportunities, work experience and skills development. However, we can only vastly scale up the employment of young people with greater private sector involvement,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Boost to UK defence and trade as Carrier Strike Group arrives in the Indo-Pacific

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Boost to UK defence and trade as Carrier Strike Group arrives in the Indo-Pacific

    Port visits to Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, and Republic of Korea will boost UK trade and defence cooperation

    UK security and growth has received a boost as the UK-led international Carrier Strike Group (CSG25) began operations in the Indo-Pacific.

    Led by the aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, CSG25 has undertaken a joint exercise with the Indian Navy, deepening the UK’s defence relationship with a key strategic partner ahead of a port visit to India later this year. 

    The deployment, known as Operation Highmast, includes ships from Canada, Norway and Spain, and has now been joined by a New Zealand Frigate, HMNZS Te Kaha, after entering the Indian Ocean, having passed through the Red Sea. 

    The task group, which left the UK in April, previously completed exercises in the Mediterranean. 

    Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard said:  

    I am delighted that our Carrier Strike Group and 4,000 Service Personnel, are now operating in the Indo-Pacific region. Working with our Allies and partners, to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad. 

    This isn’t just about hard power; the upcoming exercises and port visits are about building influence and boosting trade opportunities both for defence and other sectors of our economy which will deliver British jobs and growth, and delivers on the Government’s Plan for Change.

    Commodore James Blackmore, Commander CSG said:  

    The deployment sends a powerful message that the UK and its allies are committed to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. It’s a privilege to lead our sailors, marines, soldiers and aircrew as we demonstrate warfighting capability.

    Over the next few months, CSG25 will join British Army and Royal Air Force units to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, the Australian-led multinational exercise involving US and many other regional partners. This major exercise builds towards full operational capability of the UK’s carrier strike capability.  

    With two F-35B squadrons embarked, the RAF and Royal Navy are set to redefine the landscape of naval air power, in a move to warfighting readiness in support of NATO, while reinforcing Britain’s commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific region. 

    Port visits to Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and the Republic of Korea will showcase British defence capabilities through trade demonstrations and fairs, directly supporting the Government’s Plan for Change through economic growth. A port visit to Darwin, Australia, provides an opportunity to further develop the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the UK and the United States. 

    The Carrier Strike Group will also host the prestigious Pacific Future Forum in Japan, bringing together defence, security and technology leaders from across the region to discuss shared challenges. 

    The deployment follows the Prime Minister’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad. 

    Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority and is the foundation of its Plan for Change. The strength, capability and global reach of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, demonstrated through Operation Highmast, is critical to the security and stability of the UK, supporting the delivery of the Government’s five missions.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Presidential Spokesperson Mr Magwenya on President Ramaphosa participation at the G7 Leaders’ Summit

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    Presidential Spokesperson Mr Magwenya on President Ramaphosa participation at the G7 Leaders’ Summit

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O55_HGCzK5k

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: STL visits Shanghai (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    ​The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, paid a two-day visit to Shanghai and met with local government officials as well as trade representatives on transport and logistics issues.

    Upon her arrival yesterday (June 16), Ms Chan first had a meeting with the Director of the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, Mr Yu Fulin, and other officials to exchange views on issues of mutual interest, including traffic management, shipping and aviation. She also visited an all-electric ferry, which commenced operation in April, to learn about Shanghai’s progress in promoting green transport.

    She subsequently met with representatives of the China Shipowners’ Association to give an overview of the latest developments of Hong Kong’s maritime services. She encouraged Mainland shipowners and shipping enterprises to register their ships in Hong Kong. Hong Kong ranks fourth globally in shipping registration and the quality of the Hong Kong flag has long been internationally renowned, with its port detention rate consistently among the top three lowest in the world. Additionally, the Government will introduce tax concessions for commodity trading, further generating new impetus for the maritime services sector. Combined with the market influence of Mainland shipowners and the shipping sector, this initiative will reinforce the influence of the country in the international shipping community.

    Ms Chan visited the Yangshan Port in Shanghai today (June 17) to gain insights into the operations of its automated terminal. She said, “The Port of Shanghai and ports in Hong Kong are advancing in unison towards greening, digitalisation and adoption of smart technologies. The visit has deepened exchanges between the two sides on high-quality port development and allowed us to draw on Yangshan Port’s experience to facilitate discussions with port operators on a roadmap for the smart transformation of Hong Kong’s ports. The Port of Shanghai leverages technology to drive port development, and I look forward to further strengthening exchanges and co-operation with it in the future, consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s strengths as the ‘southern gateway’ of the country.”

    She continued that Shanghai and Hong Kong are both vital shipping centres to the country, ranking third and fourth respectively in the 2024 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index Report. She expressed hope that through this visit and exchanges, both cities can work together to strive toward the country’s strategic goal of becoming a maritime powerhouse and explore opportunities for deeper collaboration.

    Ms Chan concluded her duty visit to Shanghai and returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Data Centres and Blue Turtle Technologies partner to accelerate South Africa’s digital infrastructure and cloud transformation

    Africa Data Centres (https://www.AfricaDataCentres.com), a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, has formed a commercial partnership with Blue Turtle Technologies, one of South Africa’s leading enterprise IT solutions providers, to deploy colocation services in the Cape Town and Midrand data centres. This agreement marks a significant step in expanding South Africa’s enterprise cloud and digital infrastructure ecosystem, enabling secure, scalable, and compliant colocation and private hosted cloud services for local enterprise customers. 

    The partnership enables Blue Turtle Technologies to deploy several racks, providing their enterprise clients with access to world-class, secure, and compliant colocation and private hosted cloud services. Additionally, this collaboration will also allow South African businesses the opportunity to rapidly embrace cloud computing, digital transformation, and data-driven operations in a scalable, compliant, and high-performance colocation environment.   

    “This partnership enables us to offer customers trusted colocation and private cloud solutions in two of South Africa’s most strategic data centre locations,” said Jan Hitge, Business Development Manager, Managed Services at Blue Turtle Technologies. “As enterprise clients increasingly look for secure, scalable, and cost-efficient alternatives to on-premises infrastructure, we anticipate strong market uptake – a confidence reflected in the accelerated ramp-up timeline we’ve committed to.” 

    By providing high-availability colocation services backed by regulatory compliance, low-latency connectivity, and disaster recovery capabilities, the partnership is expected to support enterprises in modernising their IT environments, enhancing security posture, and meeting evolving data sovereignty requirements under laws such as South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). 

    “This agreement is about more than just filling racks; it’s about enabling digital transformation across the economy,” said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Africa Data Centres. “Blue Turtle brings a strong client base and the ability to scale rapidly, making them an ideal partner in our mission to deliver secure, resilient, and sustainable digital infrastructure across South Africa. As demand for trusted infrastructure continues to climb, we will work towards this partnership evolving to support broader cloud initiatives, edge computing, and AI-ready infrastructure deployments.” 

    With commercial partners like Blue Turtle, Africa Data Centres continues to expand its footprint and impact across the continent, powering the next phase of enterprise transformation and solidifying South Africa’s status as a leading technology hub in Africa. 

    Africa Data Centres, which operates the continent’s largest interconnected, vendor- and cloud-neutral data centre platform, will benefit from Blue Turtle’s strong go-to-market capabilities and proven track record in delivering IT solutions to South Africa’s enterprise sector. 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Data Centres.

    Africa Data Centres:
    Africa Data Centres owns and operates Africa’s largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities. Bringing international experts to the pan-African market, Africa Data Centres is a trusted partner for rapid and secure data centre services and interconnections across Africa. Strategically located in South, East and West Africa our world-class data centre facilities provide a home for all business-critical data for Africa’s small, medium and large enterprises and global hyperscale customers. https://www.AfricaDataCentres.com 

    MIL OSI Africa –