Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Denounces Potential Closure of Chicago Job Corps Center, Calls for Congressional Action to Protect Vital Program

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01) today vehemently condemned the recent decision by the Department of Labor, stemming from the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts, to phase out operations at Job Corps centers across the nation, including the Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center. This move threatens to displace hundreds of young Chicagoans, disrupt critical job training and educational opportunities, and exacerbate economic hardship within the broader Chicago community.

    The Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center has been a beacon of hope and a ladder to opportunity for countless individuals in our city. The center serves approximately 500 students annually, equipping them with the skills necessary to achieve economic self-sufficiency and contribute meaningfully to our communities.

    “The decision to shutter the Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center is a cruel and counterproductive blow to the young people of Chicago, particularly those in underserved communities within the First District who rely on its services,” said Congressman Jackson. “At a time when we should be investing in workforce development and creating pathways out of poverty, this action does the exact opposite. It risks rendering students homeless and derailing their futures. This is not just an attack on a program; it’s an attack on the aspirations of our youth and the economic well-being of our city.”

    The history of Job Corps in Chicago is rich with success stories of individuals who have overcome significant barriers to achieve stability and success. Nationally, Job Corps has a proven track record, with studies demonstrating positive impacts on participants’ educational attainment, employment rates, and earnings, while reducing involvement in the criminal justice system. The closure of the Chicago center would sever a vital link for many young people to these life-changing opportunities.

    Congressman Jackson expressed his strong support for the recent federal court decision to issue a temporary restraining order:

    “The court’s intervention provides a crucial, albeit temporary, reprieve. It underscores the reckless nature of this decision and the irreparable harm it would cause,” stated Congressman Jackson. “However, a temporary stay is not a permanent solution.”

    Congressman Jackson is calling on his colleagues in Congress to take immediate and decisive action to protect and fully fund the Job Corps program. He has noted his support for legislative efforts such as H.R. 2281, the “Strengthening Job Corps Act of 2025,” which aims to reauthorize and enhance the program.

    “We cannot stand idly by while essential programs like Job Corps are dismantled,” Congressman Jackson urged. “I call on Congressional leadership to bring forward legislation that safeguards the future of Job Corps and ensures that centers like the Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center can continue their invaluable work. Investing in our young people is an investment in the future of Chicago and our nation. Now is the time to strengthen these programs, not abandon them.”

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: CLARKE ISSUES STATEMENT ON TRUMP’S TRAVEL BAN 2.0

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke (9th District of New York)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    June 5, 2025

    MEDIA CONTACT: 

    e:jessica.myers@mail.house.gov

    c: 202.913.0126

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement:

    “Donald Trump’s latest travel ban is not a new policy; it’s a dangerous sequel to the same discriminatory playbook he used during his first term with the infamous Muslim Ban.

    “That policy tore families apart, sowed fear in immigrant communities, and betrayed America’s values. Now, with a wider list of targeted nations, he is doubling down on the same hateful rhetoric and xenophobic strategy. The ban’s scope and lack of nuanced security assessments reveal its true nature: a political maneuver rooted in prejudice rather than a genuine effort to protect our nation. This renewed travel ban is nothing short of a thinly veiled continuation of his anti-immigrant, anti-Black, and anti-Muslim agenda, and it is rooted in the very foundation set by Project 2025. 

    “Let me be clear: this latest travel ban is not a matter of national security, but is rather a blatant continuation of Donald Trump’s longstanding war on Black and brown immigrants. From the moment he referred to African nations as ‘shithole countries,’ his agenda has been crystal clear: to demonize and shut out people of color from the promise of America. 

    “The Ninth Congressional District of New York represents a cultural mosaic of diversity, and I see every day how immigrant families strengthen our neighborhoods, drive our economy, and enrich our culture. My heart breaks for my constituents, because this disturbing decision doesn’t just impact the millions still confined to their home nations. It cuts off the lifeline of their family members who have found a new home in my district and across America who rely on resources from their families here in the states. They all deserve dignity — not discrimination. I stand with them, and I will use every tool at my disposal in Congress to oppose this unjust and un-American ban.”

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Lawler, Cleaver Reintroduce Bipartisan HUD Legislation To Ensure Annual Oversight

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 6/5/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05) reintroduced the HUD Accountability Act of 2025, a bipartisan measure that would require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to testify before Congress on an annual basis. The bill aims to strengthen transparency and ensure HUD leadership is held accountable amid an ongoing housing affordability crisis.

    The HUD Accountability Act, which passed committee last Congress with bipartisan backing, would require the HUD Secretary to testify annually for five years before the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. 

    The legislation outlines key areas for testimony, including:

    • Progress in addressing the affordable housing and homelessness crises
    • The condition and performance of HUD programs, including public housing
    • Oversight efforts to combat waste, fraud, and abuse
    • The financial status of FHA’s mortgage insurance funds
    • The capacity of the Department to deliver on its statutory mission
    • And any other relevant agency operations and priorities

    “With families in New York and across the country being crushed by skyrocketing housing costs, Congress needs to take this crisis seriously, and that starts with oversight,” said Congressman Lawler. “In the past, there have been long gaps between appearances by the HUD Secretary before the Financial Services Committee. That lack of regular oversight isn’t acceptable. Our bill ensures the Secretary testifies annually on the Department’s programs, finances, and priorities.”

    “Last Congress, I hosted the first congressional field hearing in Rockland County in years to hear directly from constituents about how high housing costs are affecting their lives,” Congressman Lawler concluded. “Whether it’s addressing the workforce housing crunch or improving HUD oversight, I’m focused on bringing greater transparency and accountability to programs meant to serve the American people.”

    “Whether a Republican or Democratic administration, it is imperative that the people’s representatives have an opportunity to provide oversight of the Executive Branch on behalf of the public, which includes bringing Cabinet officials before Congress to explain their policymaking actions and motivations,” said Congressman Cleaver. “I was proud to support this bipartisan legislation last Congress, and I’m happy to reintroduce it with Congressman Lawler as we seek to lower housing costs and ensure transparency for the American people.”

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 05, 2025 Rep. Mullin Leads Clean Energy and Climate Initiatives in the FY26 Appropriations Package  Washington, D.C. – On World Environment Day, U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin announced a series of federal initiatives he’s leading to accelerate climate solutions and clean energy innovation.   As part of the House Appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026, Rep. Mullin… Read More

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Mullin California (15th District)

    Washington, D.C. – On World Environment Day, U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin announced a series of federal initiatives he’s leading to accelerate climate solutions and clean energy innovation.  

    As part of the House Appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026, Rep. Mullin led 21 lawmakers in submitting a range of funding requests, including several that were bipartisan, that seek to enhance America’s environmental leadership, speed our transition to clean energy, and promote the well-being of communities across the nation. 

    “We must invest in innovative, science-based solutions to help combat the climate crisis, preserve our planet and strengthen America’s global competitiveness,” said Rep. Mullin. “My funding requests reflect the urgent need to modernize our energy systems, protect public health, and lead the world in clean technology development.” 

    The House Appropriations Committee will now review these requests for consideration in the FY26 Appropriations package.   

    Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Research  
    Rep. Mullin co-led a bipartisan request to increase funding for research and development of marine carbon removal technologies within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Oceans are our planet’s largest carbon sink, and advancing marine-based solutions can restore ecosystems, capture atmospheric carbon, and benefit coastal economies. 

    Solar and Wind Grid Integration Programs  
    Proposed clean energy projects could double the nation’s power supply, but it takes an average of 5 years to connect them to the grid. Rep. Mullin is requesting robust funding for Solar and Wind Energy Systems Integration programs through the Department of Energy (DOE). These funds would support technologies that enable faster, more secure integration of renewable energy into the grid, helping to meet climate goals and stabilize energy infrastructure.  

    Standardizing Communication for Grid-Connected Devices  
    Rep. Mullin is supporting efforts within the Department of Energy to standardize communication between smart devices – such as electric vehicle chargers, smart thermostats, and home batteries – and the electric grid.  Standardization will improve grid capacity and flexibility, which would boost efficiency and help avoid costly upgrades to transmission infrastructure. 

    Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers Rep. Mullin is requesting $42 million for the National Institute of Health’s Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers, which are at the forefront of research into how pollutants like PFAS and microplastics affect human health. Their work is vital to understanding and preventing chronic diseases, which are the leading cause of death and a major driver of U.S. healthcare costs. 

    Groundwater Rise Report 

    In coastal regions across the country, rising seas and extreme rainfall are causing groundwater levels to rise, which increases risks to public health, infrastructure and trillions of dollars in property. Rep. Mullin requests $2 million for the U.S. Geological Survey to  forecast groundwater rise nationally and better prepare communities.  

    Digital Coast Program  

    Rep. Mullin co-led a bipartisan request for robust funding for NOAA’s Digital Coast Program, a popular program that leverages geographical information systems (GIS) to collect and analyze data. The program consolidates and makes publicly available information that helps coastal managers better plan for storms, flooding, natural disasters and other challenges that impact vulnerable communities.  

    Next-Generation Solar Demonstrations  
    Solar energy is a critical tool for American defense applications. Rep. Mullin is requesting at least $40 million to support demonstrations of next-generation solar technology in the military. 

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by Prime Minister Carney on World Environment Day

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    “Canada’s nature is woven into our identity and culture. On World Environment Day, we affirm our commitment to protecting Canada’s natural heritage and defending it for future generations.

    “Canada’s new government will create new protected areas and national parks, bolster Indigenous stewardship, protect wildlife in and around our coastal waters, and safeguard our fresh water through the new Canada Water Agency.

    “Furthermore, we will strengthen Parks Canada’s disaster response at home and champion nature conservation internationally, including by stopping illegal wildlife trade across our borders with modern technology.

    “Together, we will protect the most beautiful country in the world and build a strong and united Canada.”

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI: Kyivstar Group Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results in Conjunction with its Nasdaq Listing Process

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Total operating revenue reaches USD 255 million or UAH 10.6 billion, up 37.1% year-on-year in USD and 49.6% in local currency terms
    • Profit for the period amounts to USD 44 million, up 22.2% year-on-year in USD and 33.7% in local currency terms, with a profit margin of 17.3%
    • Adjusted EBITDA1 reaches USD 140 million, up 50.5% year-on-year in USD and 64.6% in local currency terms, with an adjusted EBITDA margin1 of 54.9%
    • Completes acquisition of Uklon, Ukraine’s leading ride-hailing business, and increases stake in Ukraine’s leading digital health platform Helsi, subsequent to quarter-end

    KYIV, Ukraine, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kyivstar Group, Ukraine’s leading digital operator (“Kyivstar Group” or “the Company”) and a subsidiary of VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON) (“VEON Group” or “VEON”), today announced its unaudited financial and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

      1Q25 1Q24 YoY 1Q25 1Q24 YoY
      USD mln or % UAH bln or %
    Total operating revenue 255 186 37.1 % 10.6 7.1 49.6 %
    Profit for the period 44 36 22.2 % 1.8 1.4 33.7 %
    Adj. EBITDA1 140 93 50.5 % 5.8 3.6 64.6 %
    Average UAH/USD exchange rates: 1Q25: 41.7563 UAH/USD; 1Q24: 38.1727 UAH/USD
    End-of period UAH/USD exchange rates as of March 31, 2025: 41.4787 UAH/USD; as of March 31, 2024: 39.2214 UAH/USD
    1For more information, see section titled “Presentation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures” at the end of this press release, including the reconciliations of non-IFRS measures to IFRS measures.
     

    “Kyivstar Group continues to deliver exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders, leveraging our market-leading network and innovative digital services to drive growth,” said Oleksandr Komarov, CEO of Kyivstar Group. “Our first quarter results reflect the strength of our digital operator strategy, delivering robust financial growth. In parallel, we continue to invest in strategic opportunities that drive Ukraine’s digital future, such as the acquisition of Uklon and increasing our stake in Helsi. We are excited to complement this operational performance with the continued progress towards our plans to list Kyivstar Group on the Nasdaq Stock Market.” 

    First Quarter 2025 Financial and Operational Highlights

    • Robust Revenue Growth: Total operating revenue for 1Q25 was USD 255 million, up 37.1% year-on-year in USD and 49.6% year-on-year in local currency terms. This result includes the impact of the customer appreciation program undertaken by the Company in the first quarter of 2024 following a cyber security incident at the end of 2023, which lowered revenue in the first quarter of 2024 by an estimated USD 46 million (UAH 1.7 billion) in value. Excluding the impact of the customer appreciation program, local currency revenue growth was 20.1% year-on-year in 1Q25.
    • Strong Profitability: Adjusted EBITDA for 1Q25 was USD 140 million, up 50.5% year-on-year. This represents an adjusted EBITDA margin of 54.9% in 1Q25. In local currency terms, 1Q25 adjusted EBITDA growth was 64.6% year-on-year, and adjusted EBITDA margin was 54.9%, driven by revenue growth and a decrease in operating costs. Excluding the impact of the customer appreciation program, local currency adjusted EBITDA growth was 10.2% year-on-year in 1Q25.
    • Multiplay Customers Supporting Growth: The Multiplay customer base, which are customers who use at least one digital application in addition to 4G data and voice connectivity, was up by 40.7% year-on-year to 6.1 million customers, and represented 29.5% of one-month-active mobile customersi reflecting increased adoption of digital products.
    • Digital Services Users: Total digital monthly active users across Kyivstar Group’s digital applications MyKyivstar, Kyivstar TV and Helsi reached 10.3 million in 1Q25, up 32.9% from 7.7 million a year earlier.

    Strategic Milestones:

    • Announced business combination agreement with Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I (Nasdaq: CCIR) (“Cohen Circle”), beginning the process for Kyivstar Group to be the only pure-play Ukrainian investment opportunity on U.S. stock markets.
    • Completed the acquisition of Uklon, a leading Ukrainian ride-hailing and delivery platform, for approximately USD 155.2 million in April 2025. Uklon operates in 28 cities across Ukraine and facilitated more than 100 million rides and 3 million deliveries in 2024, and also provides ride-hailing services in Uzbekistan.
    • Increased ownership stake in Helsi, Ukraine’s largest digital platform, from 69.99% to 97.99% in May 2025. Helsi is a digital data management platform supporting the provision of healthcare services and improving patients’ access to healthcare with over 9.4 million appointments booked in the year ended December 31, 2024.

    The results announcement is made concurrently with Kyivstar Group and VEON Holdings B.V.’s filing of a registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-287802) in conjunction with Kyivstar’s anticipated listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) following the anticipated completion of a business combination with Cohen Circle that was previously announced on March 18, 2025.

    With the announcement of its 1Q2025 results, Kyivstar Group also updated the investor presentation available to its potential investors. A copy of the investor presentation will be available on a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Cohen Circle with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov.

    Additional Information and Where to Find It

    Kyivstar Group Ltd. and VEON Holdings B.V. have filed on June 5, 2025 a registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-287802) (as may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement) as co-registrants that includes a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus of Cohen Circle and a preliminary prospectus of Kyivstar Group. When available, Cohen Circle will mail a definitive proxy statement/prospectus relating to the business combination and other relevant documents to its shareholders. This communication does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the business combination and is not intended to provide the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the business combination. VEON, Cohen Circle and Kyivstar Group may also file other documents regarding the business combination with the SEC. Cohen Circle’s shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the Registration Statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed in connection with the business combination, as these materials will contain important information. Investors and shareholders will be able to obtain free copies of the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed or will be filed with the SEC by Cohen Circle through the website maintained by the SEC website at www.sec.gov or by directing a written request to: Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I, 2929 Arch Street, Suite 1703, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

    About Kyivstar Group

    Kyivstar Group operates Ukraine’s leading digital operator, serving more than 23 million mobile customers and over 1.1 million home internet fixed line customers as of December 31, 2024. Kyivstar Group and its subsidiaries provide services across a wide range of mobile and fixed line technologies, including 4G, big data, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, digital TV, and more. VEON, together with Kyivstar Group, intends to invest USD 1 billion in Ukraine during 2023-2027, through social investments in infrastructure and technological development, charitable donations and strategic acquisitions. Kyivstar Group and its subsidiaries have been operating in Ukraine for more than 27 years. For more information, visit: www.kyivstar.ua.

    About VEON

    VEON is a digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers. Operating across six countries that are home to more than 7% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on Nasdaq. For more information, visit:https://www.veon.com.

    About Cohen Circle

    Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I is a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by investment firm Cohen Circle, LLC and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more technology and/or financial services businesses. Cohen Circle’s units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “CCIRU,” “CCIR” and “CCIRW,” respectively.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This press release shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent, or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the transactions mentioned herein or the proposed business combination with Cohen Circle. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

    Participants in the Solicitation

    Cohen Circle, Kyivstar Group, certain shareholders of Cohen Circle, VEON and certain of Cohen Circle’s, Kyivstar Group’s and VEON’s respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Cohen Circle with respect to the proposed business combination. A list of the names of such persons and information regarding their interests in the proposed business combination is set forth in the Registration Statement. Free copies of these documents may be obtained from the sources indicated above.

    Financial Information Presented

    Kyivstar Group’s results and other financial information presented in this document are, unless otherwise stated, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and have not been externally reviewed and/or audited. The financial information included in this document is preliminary and is based on a number of assumptions that are subject to inherent uncertainties and subject to change. The financial information presented herein is based on internal management accounts, is the responsibility of management and is subject to financial closing procedures which have not yet been completed and has not been audited, reviewed or verified. Certain amounts and percentages that appear in this document have been subject to rounding adjustments. As a result, certain numerical figures shown as totals, may not be an exact arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede or follow them. Although we believe the information to be reasonable, actual results may vary from the information contained above and such variations could be material. As such, you should not place undue reliance on this information. This information may not be indicative of the actual results for the current period or any future period.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “may,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “strategy,” “will,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” “would” and similar expressions (including the negative versions of such words or expressions).

    Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to, among other things, the timing of the closing of the proposed business combination and the listing of Kyivstar Group’s common shares and warrants on Nasdaq, the expected investment opportunity in Kyivstar Group following the closing of the business combination, including the expectation that Kyivstar Group will be the only pure-play Ukrainian investment opportunity and the growth potential of Kyivstar Group. These statements are based on VEON, Cohen Circle and Kyivstar Group management’s current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause Kyivstar Group’s, VEON’s or Cohen Circle’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release, including, but not limited to, the inability to complete the business combination due to the failure to obtain the necessary shareholder approvals or to satisfy other conditions to closing; changes to the proposed structure of the business combination that may be required or appropriate as a result of applicable laws or regulations; the decision by the SEC to deem effective the Registration Statement; the ability to meet the Nasdaq listing standards upon closing of the business combination and admission of Kyivstar Group for trading on Nasdaq; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the escalation or de-escalation of war between Russia and Ukraine; the successful integration of Uklon; continued growth in digital services; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” included in the Registration Statement filed by Kyivstar Group with the SEC on June 5, 2025 and in any other subsequent filings with the SEC by Kyivstar Group or Cohen Circle. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON, Kyivstar Group and Cohen Circle cannot predict with accuracy and some of which neither VEON, Kyivstar Group nor Cohen Circle might not even anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON, Kyivstar Group and Cohen Circle do not undertake to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws.

    Presentation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Performance Metrics

    In addition to the results provided in accordance with IFRS throughout this press release, Kyivstar Group has provided the non-IFRS financial measures Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin (the “Non-IFRS Financial Measures”), as well as key performance indicators mobile ARPU, multiplay customers and total digital MAU.

    Kyivstar Group defines Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortization, impairment, gain/loss on disposals of non-current assets, net foreign exchange gain and other non-operating gains/losses, net. Kyivstar Group defines Adjusted EBITDA Margin as Adjusted EBITDA divided by total operating revenues. Kyivstar Group uses the Non-IFRS Financial Measures in addition to its results determined in accordance with IFRS in order to evaluate its financial and operating performance, to generate future operating plans and make strategic decisions. Kyivstar Group believes that the Non-IFRS Financial Measures may be helpful to investors because they provide additional tools for investors to use in evaluating its ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing its financial results with other companies operating in similar industries because they provide consistency and comparability with past financial performance. The Non-IFRS Financial Measures are not intended to replace, and should not be considered superior to, the presentation of the Kyivstar Group financial results in accordance with IFRS. The Non-IFRS Financial Measures may not be comparable to other similarly entitled measures computed by other companies.

    The following table presents reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin to the most directly comparable IFRS financial performance measures, which are profit for the period and profit margin, respectively:

        Three months ended
    March 31,
    2025
      Three months ended
    March 31,
    2024
     
    (USD in millions)          
    Profit for the period   44     36  
    Income taxes   14     9  
    Profit before tax   58     45  
    Depreciation   31     31  
    Amortization   13     12  
    Impairment, net   2     1  
    Finance costs   21     21  
    Finance income   (7)     (8)  
    Other non-operating gain/(loss), net   1     (1)  
    Net foreign exchange (loss)/gain   21     (8)  
    Adjusted EBITDA   140     93  
    Profit margin   17%     19%  
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin   55%     50%  
                 

    Key Performance Indicators

    Mobile ARPU measures the monthly average revenue per mobile user. Kyivstar Group calculates mobile ARPU by dividing its mobile service revenue (excluding guest roaming and wholesale interconnection revenue) during the relevant period by the average number of its mobile customers during the period and dividing by the number of months in that period. Mobile service revenue used to calculate mobile ARPU excludes guest roaming and wholesale interconnection revenue, as this revenue is not generated by Kyivstar Group’s customers but are proceeds received by other operators for the services received by its subscribers.

    Multiplay customers are doubleplay 4G customers who also used one or more of Kyivstar Group’s digital products at any time during the one month prior to such measurement date.

    Total digital MAU is a gross total cumulative MAU of applications offered. Under this metric, a single individual who is active in more than one application is counted as a separate MAU under each such application, such that the total digital MAUs may include individuals being counted more than once.

    Contact Information

    Kyivstar Group

    Media and Investor Contact:
    Kyivstar@icrinc.com

    VEON Media Contact
    Email: pr@veon.com

    i Multiplay as a % of total active Kyivstar one-month subscriber base in March 2025 (unique active subscribers over one-month period)

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Kyivstar Group Reaches Nasdaq Listing Milestone with Public Filing of Registration Statement on Form F-4

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KYIV, Ukraine, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kyivstar Group Ltd., Ukraine’s leading digital operator (“Kyivstar Group” or “the Company”) and a subsidiary of VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON) (“VEON Group” or “VEON”), today announced the public filing of its Registration Statement on Form F-4 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

    This filing represents a milestone in Kyivstar Group’s plans to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) following the anticipated completion of a business combination with Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I (Nasdaq: CCIR) (“Cohen Circle”) that was announced on March 18, 2025.

    Today, as we announce the public filing of our Registration Statement, we are excited to complement our operational performance with the continued progress towards our plans to list Kyivstar Group on the Nasdaq Stock Market,”  said Oleksandr Komarov, CEO of Kyivstar Group.  “We are excited to be a company that not only delivers exceptional value to our customers, but also represents a compelling investment opportunity for U.S. and global investors interested in Ukraine’s growth and resilience.”

    The closing of the business combination is expected to occur during the third quarter of 2025 and is subject to the approval of Cohen Circle’s shareholders and other customary closing conditions.

    Additional Information and Where to Find It

    Kyivstar Group Ltd. and VEON Holdings B.V. have filed on June 5, 2025 a registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-287802) (as may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”) as co-registrants that includes a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus of Cohen Circle and a preliminary prospectus of Kyivstar Group. When available, Cohen Circle will mail a definitive proxy statement/prospectus relating to the business combination and other relevant documents to its shareholders. This communication does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the business combination and is not intended to provide the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the business combination.  VEON, Cohen Circle and Kyivstar Group may also file other documents regarding the business combination with the SEC. Cohen Circle’s shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the Registration Statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed in connection with the business combination, as these materials will contain important information. Investors and shareholders will be able to obtain free copies of the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed or will be filed with the SEC by Cohen Circle through the website maintained by the SEC website at www.sec.gov or by directing a written request to: Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I, 2929 Arch Street, Suite 1703, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

    About Kyivstar Group

    Kyivstar Group operates Ukraine’s leading provider of mobile communication, serving more than 23 million mobile customers and over 1.1 million home internet fixed line customers as of December 31, 2024. Kyivstar Group and its subsidiaries provide services across a wide range of mobile and fixed line technologies, including 4G, big data, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, digital TV, and more. VEON, together with Kyivstar Group, intends to invest USD 1 billion in Ukraine by 2027, through social investments in infrastructure and technological development, charitable donations and strategic acquisitions. Kyivstar Group and its subsidiaries have been operating in Ukraine for more than 27 years. For more information, visit: www.kyivstar.ua

    About VEON

    VEON is a digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers. Operating across six countries that are home to more than 7% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on Nasdaq. For more information, visit: https://www.veon.com.

    About Cohen Circle

    Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I is a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by investment firm Cohen Circle, LLC and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more technology and/or financial services businesses. Cohen Circle’s units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “CCIRU,” “CCIR” and “CCIRW,” respectively.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This press release shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent, or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the transactions mentioned herein or the proposed business combination with Cohen Circle. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

    Participants in the Solicitation

    Cohen Circle, Kyivstar Group, certain shareholders of Cohen Circle, VEON and certain of Cohen Circle’s, Kyivstar Group’s and VEON’s respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Cohen Circle with respect to the proposed business combination. A list of the names of such persons and information regarding their interests in the proposed business combination is set forth in the Registration Statement. Free copies of these documents may be obtained from the sources indicated above.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “may,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “strategy,” “will,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” “would” and similar expressions (including the negative versions of such words or expressions).

    Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to, among other things, the timing of the closing of the proposed business combination and the listing of Kyivstar Group’s common shares and warrants on Nasdaq, the expected investment opportunity in Kyivstar Group following the closing of the business combination, including the expectation that Kyivstar Group will be the only pure-play Ukrainian investment opportunity and the growth potential of Kyivstar Group. These statements are based on VEON, Cohen Circle and Kyivstar Group management’s current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause Kyivstar Group’s, VEON’s or Cohen Circle’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release, including, but not limited to, the inability to complete the business combination due to the failure to obtain the necessary shareholder approvals or to satisfy other conditions to closing; changes to the proposed structure of the business combination that may be required or appropriate as a result of applicable laws or regulations; the decision by the SEC to deem effective the Registration Statement; the ability to meet the Nasdaq listing standards upon closing of the business combination and admission of Kyivstar Group for trading on Nasdaq; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the escalation or de-escalation of war between Russia and Ukraine; the successful integration of Uklon; continued growth in digital services; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” included in the Registration Statement filed by Kyivstar Group with the SEC on June 5, 2025 and in any other subsequent filings with the SEC by Kyivstar Group or Cohen Circle. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON, Kyivstar Group and Cohen Circle cannot predict with accuracy and some of which neither VEON, Kyivstar Group nor Cohen Circle might not even anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON, Kyivstar Group and Cohen Circle do not undertake to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws.

    Contact Information

    Kyivstar Group

    Media and Investor Contact:
    Kyivstar@icrinc.com

    VEON

    Media Contact:
    Email: pr@veon.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Firm Capital Property Trust Announces Results of Annual Meeting of Unitholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Firm Capital Property Trust (“FCPT” or the “Trust“), (TSX: FCD.UN) is pleased to announce the voting results for its Annual and Special Meeting of unitholders (“Unitholders”) of Trust Units (“Units”) of the Trust held on June 5, 2025 (the “Meeting”).

    All the matters put forward before Unitholders for consideration and approval as set out in the Trust’s management information circular dated April 23, 2025 (the “Circular“) were approved by the requisite majority of votes cast at the Meeting. In particular, Unitholders approved the election of all trustee nominees, the approval of MNP LLP as the Trust’s auditors, approving for a period of three years, all unallocated options, rights and other entitlements issuable pursuant to the Trust’s option plan and approving for a period of three years, all unallocated entitlements issuable pursuant to the Trust’s incentive arrangements, all as described in the Circular. The results of the votes on the board of trustees of the Trust is as follows:

    Nominee Votes “For” % Votes “For” Votes “Withheld” % of Votes “Withheld”
    Geoffrey Bledin 9,172,015 99.4% 55,306 0.6%
    Eli Dadouch 7,857,717 85.2% 1,369,604 14.8%
    Stanley Goldfarb 9,120,792 98.8% 106,529 1.2%
    Jonathan Mair 7,835,944 84.9% 1,391,377 15.1%
    Robert McKee 7,835,844 84.9% 1,391,477 15.1%
    Sandy Poklar 7,810,534 84.6% 1,416,787 15.4%
    Lawrence Shulman 9,149,407 99.2% 77,914 0.8%
    Howard Smuschkowitz 9,151,255 99.2% 76,066 0.8%
    Manfred Walt 9,150,997 99.2% 76,324 0.8%
    Victoria Granovski 7,812,809 84.7% 1,414,512 15.3%
    Jeffrey Goldfarb 9,150,557 99.2% 77,264 0.8%

    9,340,241 Units were represented by Unitholders in person or by proxy at the Meeting, representing approximately 25.3% of the total issued and outstanding Units at the record date for the Meeting. Full details of the voting results will be posted under the Trust’s profile on www.sedarplus.ca.

    ABOUT FIRM CAPITAL PROPERTY TRUST (TSX : FCD.UN)

    Firm Capital Property Trust is focused on creating long-term value for Unitholders, through capital preservation and disciplined investing to achieve stable distributable income. In partnership with management and industry leaders. The Trust’s plan is to own as well as to co-own a diversified property portfolio of multi-residential, flex industrial, and net lease convenience retail. In addition to stand alone accretive acquisitions, the Trust will make joint acquisitions with strong financial partners and acquisitions of partial interests from existing ownership groups, in a manner that provides liquidity to those selling owners and professional management for those remaining as partners. Firm Capital Realty Partners Inc., through a structure focused on an alignment of interests with the Trust sources, syndicates and property and asset manages investments on behalf of the Trust.

    FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

    This press release contains contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, among others, statements associated with the opportunities that may be available to the Trust and statements regarding the business of the Trust. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue”, and by discussions of strategies that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Trust. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and various future events will not occur. Although management of the Trust believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements will occur as anticipated. These statements are not guarantees and are based on our estimates and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Trust’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024 under “Risks and Uncertainties” (a copy of which can be obtained at www.sedarplus.ca). Neither the Trust nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any forward-looking statements, and no one has any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or such other factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

    Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Additional information about the Trust is available at www.firmcapital.com or www.sedarplus.ca.

    For further information, please contact:
       
    Robert McKee Sandy Poklar
    President & Chief Executive Officer Chief Financial Officer
    (416) 635-0221 (416) 635-0221
       
    For Investor Relations information, please contact:
       
    Victoria Moayedi  
    Director, Investor Relations  
    (416) 635-0221  
       

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: WITH NEARLY 8,000 ‘ZOMBIE HOUSES’ PLAGUING ROCHESTER, SCHUMER CALLS ON FEDS TO IMMEDIATELY RENEW HUD PARTNERSHIP – EXPIRING IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS – FOR CITY TO TRANSFORM ABANDONED HOUSES INTO HOMES FOR…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Amid Nationwide Housing Shortage, Schumer Says Preserving HUD Partnership – Which Expires July 1 – Is Win-Win-Win For Getting Rid Of Zombie Houses, Revitalizing Neighborhoods & Creating Good-Paying Jobs For Monroe County

    City Of Rochester Has Transformed Over 850 Vacant Homes With Help From Agreement With HUD; With Contract Expiring In Less Than 30 Days, Schumer Calls On HUD To Act Quickly Before This Agreement Expires

    Schumer: Renewing This HUD-Rochester Agreement Is Vital So Rochester Can Transform Abandoned ‘Zombie Houses’ Into Homes For First-Time Home Buyers

    With the City of Rochester’s contract set to expire in less than 30 days, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer called on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to immediately renew its contract to convert abandoned “zombie houses” across Rochester into high-quality affordable housing for first-time homebuyers. Through this partnership, the City of Rochester has transformed hundreds of abandoned properties while creating good-paying construction jobs. Schumer said that with over 8,000 vacant houses across Rochester, HUD needs to cut the red tape and renew this agreement to support Rochester families, neighborhoods, and jobs.

    “With nearly 8,000 abandoned homes plaguing Rochester, we cannot let the City’s federal housing partnership expire in less than 30 days. HUD must cut the red tape and immediately approve the City’s plan to breathe new life into these zombie homes,” said Senator Schumer. “Thanks to this contract, we’ve already turned hundreds of abandoned ‘zombie houses’ into family houses for first-time homebuyers while creating good-paying construction jobs in Monroe County. With the nationwide housing shortage hitting Rochester hard, HUD renewing this agreement before it expires next month is the difference between hope and despair for countless Rochester families seeking the dream of home ownership.”

    The City of Rochester has a contract with HUD’s Asset Control Area Program to purchase vacant HUD-foreclosed homes and convert them to high-quality affordable housing for first-time homebuyers through a partnership with the Rochester Housing Development Fund Corporation (RHDFC). Since 2005, Rochester has renovated over 850 vacant homes through this program, boosting neighborhood property values by an average of $15,000 per house and generating more than $33.5 million in local contracting work creating good-paying construction jobs for Monroe County. As of the most recent census in 2020, there are more than 8,000 vacant homes in the City of Rochester. The City’s contract ends on July 1, and they are looking to renew the contract with HUD to help address the housing shortage in the region.

    “Securing this renewal will enable us to turn boarded-up, vacant houses into dream homes for first-time buyers and generate steady work for our skilled tradespeople and local contractors,” Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans said. “With Senator Schumer urging HUD to act, we stand ready to patch the holes in the fabric our city’s housing inventory, breathe hope into every block, and build the safe, equitable, and prosperous Rochester our residents deserve.”

    In a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner, Schumer urged the department to cut the red tape, renew this contract, and work with Rochester to identify new HUD-foreclosed abandoned homes for inclusion in the program to maximize the number of properties covered by the partnership and further boost the supply of housing. The senator said amid the nationwide housing shortage that has hit the Rochester-Finger Lakes region hard, this contract is essential to helping buyers find and purchase homes while driving millions of dollars of new development into local neighborhoods.

    Schumer’s letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner can be found HERE or below:

    Dear Secretary Turner:

    I write to request the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) prioritize and swiftly work with the City of Rochester to renew the Asset Control Area (ACA) Agreement between HUD and the City of Rochester that is now slated to lapse in less than 30 days on July 1, 2025. Without immediate full renewal, Rochester will lose access to being able to acquire and rehab now vacant HUD-foreclosed homes, transforming these “zombie properties” into safe, affordable housing for first-time homebuyers. If this contract is not renewed, a two decades-old partnership that has transformed 796 abandoned properties in the City of Rochester into quality homes for families and residents will be halted, at a time when Rochester, like much of the country, is facing a housing supply crisis. Because new homebuyers are struggling to find new affordable housing since demand now far exceeds housing inventory in Rochester, I request HUD structure the renewed ACA to make more of HUD’s vacant foreclosed homes available in the ACA pipeline.  This month, the National Association of Realtors ranked Rochester as the fifth most competitive housing market in the nation underscoring the new barriers prospective homeowners are confronting in the Rochester market.

    Since 2005, the ACA Agreement between HUD, the City of Rochester, and the Rochester Housing Development Fund Corporation (RHDFC) has enabled the City to acquire hundreds of vacant, FHA-foreclosed single-family homes, transfer them to RHDFC for rehabilitation, and sell them to income-qualified buyers through the HOME Rochester program. That initiative has rehabilitated over 850 “zombie homes”, the majority made possible through the ACA agreement, boosting neighboring property values by an average of $15,000 per house, generating more than $33.5 million in local contracting work, and creating good-paying jobs for Monroe County.

    Today, Rochester homebuyers face fresh headwinds in its housing market. In recent years, despite many vacant homes plaguing Rochester neighborhoods, a dwindling supply of quality housing has made it exceptionally challenging for buyers to find and purchase homes, leading to frustration and difficulty for those trying to navigate the market. As a result of these conditions, programs like HOME Rochester – the City’s vehicle for acquisition, rehabilitation, and resale – have become an even more vital pathway to homeownership for working families. Yet, beginning in 2020, the pipeline of HUD-foreclosed homes available through the ACA began to decrease, with just one property acquired in 2020 and one in 2021, compared with 29 acquisitions between 2017 and 2020. 

    Therefore I urge you to:

    1. Renew Rochester’s ACA Agreement for another two-year term, so that property acquisitions and HOME Rochester rehabilitations can proceed uninterrupted.
    1. Partner directly with the City of Rochester, RHDFC, and the Greater Rochester Housing Partnership to review the current inventory of HUD-foreclosed homes, identify new properties for inclusion, and structure a renewal that maximizes the number of properties, and the neighborhoods, covered under the agreement.
    1. Streamline HUD’s approval process by permitting bulk submission of property lists and rehabilitation plans – rather than negotiating each property one at a time – to eliminate red tape and accelerate delivery of homes to first-time buyers.

    Renewing this agreement and making more HUD vacant foreclosed homes available for rehabilitation can be the difference between hope and despair for countless Rochester families seeking their dream of homeownership and a boost to strengthen Rochester by reviving now-abandoned houses and driving millions of dollars of new development into local neighborhoods. 

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. protects 220 more affordable homes

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Rob Botterell, BC Green Party house leader; MLA for Saanich North and the Islands –

    “These projects show what’s possible when communities and non-profits are given the tools to take housing off the speculative market. When we protect and expand affordable housing, we don’t just solve the housing crisis – we make progress on health, education and economic stability. To create lasting change, we need continued and expanded support for protecting existing affordable homes.”

    Julius Bloomfield, mayor of Penticton –

    “Today’s announcement highlights the success of our affordable housing pilot funding program. This program, along with our updated permissive tax-exemption policy, reflects our commitment to non-market housing and partnerships to protect affordable rentals so residents can stay in homes they can afford.”

    Raymond Kendell, a tenant in Penticton –

    “I was worried I wouldn’t find a place. It’s expensive here in Penticton. I’ve lived here 4.5 years. I appreciate that the Penticton and District Society for Community Living improved our building. Most people in the building seem stress-free and much happier now.”

    Tarra Kenney, CEO, Penticton and District Society for Community Living (PDSCL)  –

    “The acquisition of the apartments at 680 Wade Ave. E. in Penticton, made possible through the Rental Proection Fund (RPF), marks a significant step in ensuring affordable housing for our community. Thanks to this funding, PDSCL has been able to maintain lower rental rates, providing stability and accessibility for residents who need it most.”

    Stephen Bennett, CEO, Affordable Housing Societies –

    “We are grateful for the support of the Province through the Rental Protection Fund (RPF) for our purchase of the Camelot apartments in Chilliwack. Because of this purchase, we have been able to ensure the residents of that building continue to have housing stability at rents they can afford.”

    Mark Miller, CEO, Connective –

    “Connective thanks the Government of B.C. and the RPF for their investment in sustainable housing solutions. We’re proud to play a role in addressing urgent housing needs in Fort St. John, and know that safe, secure housing is essential to building strong, thriving communities.”

    Lindsay Lord, CEO, Connective Kamloops –

    “Connective is proud to be the new owner of Riverside Gardens and would like to thank and commend the B.C. government and the RPF for working rapidly and diligently in addressing the housing crisis through innovative programs. Connective remains committed to the development, acquisition and protection of affordable housing for our community.”

    Lee-Anne Michayluk, CEO, More Than A Roof Housing Society –

    “This acquisition underscores our ongoing commitment to fostering strong, thriving communities by prioritizing sustainable and affordable housing solutions. We extend our appreciation to the RPF team and the provincial government as we work together to create lasting, positive impacts for current and future residents.”

    Jeffrey Yu, board president, New Vista Society –

    “New Vista wants to thank Minister Kahlon and Katie Maslechko from the Rental Protection Fund for their leadership and contribution allowing us to resume housing services in the city of Vancouver, where our founder started our society back in 1943. Thank you so much.” 

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Video: The UN Must Return to its Founding Purpose

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: The U.S. vetoed a counterproductive @UN Security Council resolution that targeted Israel and failed to condemn Hamas. As President Trump has made clear, we will not support any resolution that fails to demand Hamas disarm, leave Gaza, and release all hostages.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    X: https://x.com/StateDept
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    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSTATEBPA/signup/32562

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
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    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xOnNd_Scig

    MIL OSI Video

  • MIL-OSI USA: Zinke, Daines, Smith, Larsen Introduce Bill to Combat Drug Trafficking in Montana’s Tribal Communities

    Source: US Congressman Ryan Zinke (Western Montana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Representative Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), today announced the bipartisan “Protection for Reservation Occupants Against Trafficking and Evasive Communications Today (PROTECT) Act” to combat drug trafficking in tribal communities. The “PROTECT Act” would expand Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ) to allow tribal nations to prosecute non-Native offenders for drug trafficking. It would also allow tribal courts to execute warrants for electronic material to better combat drug traffickers and other criminals. 

     “I’ve sat down with tribal leaders across Western Montana, and the devastation of the opioid crisis is both heartbreaking and unacceptable. The PROTECT Act gives Tribal Nations the tools and authority they need to take on the opioid crisis. It’s time we empower tribal courts and law enforcement to protect their communities and save lives,” said Zinke.

     “Under President Trump’s leadership, we’ve seen strong decisive action to secure the southern border and keep our communities safe. I’m proud to work alongside my bipartisan colleagues to further deliver on our promise to curb the spread of deadly drugs like fentanyl and crack down on crime. Protecting our Native American tribes while upholding and enhancing tribal sovereignty will always be one of my top priorities,” said Daines.

     “For years, Tribal leaders in Minnesota have raised the alarm that drug traffickers are exploiting complex legal jurisdiction on Tribal land, making Native communities some of the most hurt by the opioid and fentanyl epidemics. I hear directly from Tribal leaders about how their sheriffs will routinely arrest the same people for selling drugs, drop them off with the county police, and have to arrest them again the next day. The Tribe can’t do anything about it. The PROTECT Act would help Tribes fight back against these drug traffickers. This proposal is bipartisan and common sense, and it respects and upholds Tribes’ inherent sovereignty and right to protect their people,” said Smith. 

     “The opioid epidemic has devastated Northwest Washington,” said Rep. Larsen. “Tribes in my district have continually told me about the unique challenges their courts and law enforcement face to stop drug trafficking on Tribal land. This bill would give Tribes the tools they need to protect tribal sovereignty, save lives and keep Tribes and communities across Northwest Washington safe,” said Larsen. 

     Read the bill text HERE.

     Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez (D-Wash.), Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Tom Cole (R-Okla.), and Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) joined in introducing the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

     

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin On Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill: The American People Did Not Vote For This Disaster

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    June 05, 2025

    In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin slammed the Republican reconciliation plan that will kick 16 million Americans off their health care coverage, close rural hospitals

    WASHINGTON  U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor exposing the disastrous provisions in the Republicans’ reconciliation plan that will slash health care and eliminate jobs to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.  In his remarks, Durbin underscored that this legislation will harm Americans, as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released new estimates showing that 16 million Americans will lose their health insurance under this plan.

    “What exactly were people voting for in the last presidential election?  Well, many things… but the recurring theme seems to be the cost of living for the average family, the ability of mothers and fathers to make ends meet, and to see a realization of their dreams and aspirations.  But we were told, over and over again, that families across this country were being overwhelmed by the cost of living, gas, groceries, housing.  And so they gave a majority of the votes to President Trump, who promised he would ‘Make America Great Again.’  Since taking office, I don’t believe that the President has come near to keeping his promise,” Durbin began.  “Instead he has hired many of his billionaire buddies and cut deals with the ultra-wealthy that will harm the same Americans who voted for him.”

    “Hidden in more than 1,000 pages in the bill that passed the House of Representatives is a plan, a laundry list of things, that I don’t believe Americans even considered voting for in the last November election.  They’re going to have a devastating impact on families in states, red and blue alike… Billionaires are going to win, and American families are going to lose,” Durbin said.

    Durbin spoke about the impact of the $800 billion cuts to Medicaid included in the reconciliation bill, emphasizing that if those cuts are carried out, rural hospitals will be forced to close because they rely on Medicaid funding to operate.  Nationwide, half of all rural hospitals already operate with negative margins, and more than 300 rural hospitals are at immediate risk of closure, including 26 in Kansas, 22 in Alabama, and nine in Missouri.

    “Do you think the voters in last November’s election for President of the United States would actually vote to close down their local hospital?  That’s what’s looming,” Durbin continued.  “Three weeks ago, 20 hospital administrators from across the state of Illinois, from Chicago down to the southernmost part of our state, all took a special trip to Washington to warn me that the bill that was pending before the House of Representatives threatened the survival of hospitals across our state.  These are hospitals which are not only critical for providing professional medical care, delivering babies, saving people’s lives who were in automobile accidents, but also major parts of the local economy.”

    “You come to rural, small town Midwest America and ask the impact of the local hospital, and they’ll tell you, ‘we don’t know that we can keep a business or attract a business if we didn’t have it.  We count on it every day to be there when we need it.’  And, secondly, it’s a major employer. In fact, in most towns, the biggest employers in downstate,” Durbin said.  “Then they warned me, many of these hospitals are hanging on by a thread.  The money that they receive from government insurance programs like Medicaid keeps the doors open and the lights on and the doctors in town.  And now we have a proposal from Republicans to cut that Medicaid benefit and coverage for 16 million Americans.”

    As if those deep cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act were not harmful enough, Republicans have included a $500 billion cut to Medicare, despite promises to protect the program in their reconciliation bill. 

    “Now you dig deeply into this Republican budget bill that has come over from the House of Representatives, and it turns out… they’re also cutting Medicare,” Durbin said.  “Republicans couldn’t help themselves, they slashed Medicare benefits and reduced access to hospitals, nursing homes, and medications for seniors in all 50 states.”

    “Why would Republicans in Congress take a wrecking ball to these two major parts of our health care system?  To provide money for tax breaks for the wealthiest people in America,” Durbin continued. 

    “It sounds like Republicans in Congress want to be the ones deciding who is worthy of health care in America.  But Americans who depend on Medicaid are not strangers.  They’re your neighbors.  They’re people at your church, at your school, and at your work.  It probably is your family too.  If you or your loved one gets sick, will congressional Republicans deem you worthy of seeing a doctor?” Durbin said. 

    Durbin continued on, arguing that the American people did not vote to lose their health care to pad the pockets of billionaires.

    “Is that what this election was all about?  Did the American people vote for tax cuts for billionaires?  I don’t think so,” Durbin said. 

    “A party like the Republicans who claim they’re the party of the working class.  ‘Working class’ billionaires?  They refuse to put their money where their mouth is,” Durbin said.  “Republicans in Congress may try to say they’re just trying to lower your taxes, but most of the benefit is going to wealthy people who won’t even notice it.”

    “Under the Republican plan, taxpayers in the wealthiest 0.1 percent would get a $300,000 tax cut every year… Why? At the expense of health care for 16 million Americans?” Durbin said.

    Durbin also emphasized that the Republican plan would jeopardize thousands of jobs created by the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, which invested in clean energy jobs across the country.  Since the passage of the legislation, 85 percent of investment in clean energy technologies has landed in Republican districts.

    “In just two years since passing the Inflation Reduction Act, businesses have announced 340 new clean technology projects.  One estimate says that this will create 150,000 permanent jobs,”Durbin said.  “The Republicans ‘big, ugly bill’ puts these jobs at risk, taking a hatchet to tax policy that make these projects possible. The promise of a Republican repeal has already scared the private sector into withdrawing a $14 billion investment and cancelling 10,000 clean energy manufacturing jobs. Why would the so-called party of the working class want to give their own constituents a pink slip?”

    Durbin concluded his remarks by urging his Republican colleagues in the Senate to oppose the legislation that will only benefit billionaires at the expense of their constituents.

    “My Republican colleagues must know that this plan does not ‘Make America Great Again.’  It makes our debt the greatest in the history of our nation.  It harms families in red and blue states,”Durbin said.

    “I urge a handful of my Republican colleagues, and that’s all it takes, show some courage, show some common sense.  Tell the folks in the House, and tell the White House as well, this approach is not going to work. Taking health insurance away from 16 million Americans, more than has ever happened in the history of this country, is fundamentally unfair, and we all know it,” Durbin said.

    “I urge my Republican colleagues to listen to their constituents. Because I know Americans who voted for Trump in November, did not vote for what I just described,” Durbin concluded his speech.

    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 06/5/2025 VIDEO: Blackburn Confronts Law Professor for Calling Conservative Justices ‘Evil’ and Urges Passage of Protect Our Supreme Court Justices Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) confronted University of Pennsylvania law professor Kate Shaw on referring to conservative United States Supreme Court justices as “evil colleagues” as Supreme Court justices have faced threats of intimidation at their homes by those seeking to influence their decisions. Professor Shaw denied these comments despite being under oath and her comments being on tape. Senator Blackburn also pressed Professor Shaw on whether she supports the Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act to deter intimidation of justices.

    Click here to download video of Senator Blackburn’s remarks during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. 
    On Shaw’s comments about Supreme Court justices:
    Blackburn: “Would you like to provide explanation about why you think conservative justices are evil? Do you care to explain yourself?”
    Shaw: “I would have to look at the transcript senator. I think that the dismissive approach to sex equality arguments in the Dobbs case was deeply concerning. One paragraph in the opinion suggests that there’s no sex equality problem with abortion restrictions or prohibitions. I think that’s deeply wrong, and in the more colloquial sort of mode of a podcast conversation. That is probably what I intended to convey, that he discounted very serious sex equality concerns.”
    On Blackburn’s Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act:
    Blackburn: “I’ve got a bill, the Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act, and it would deter intimidation of Supreme Court Justices. It would increase the maximum term of imprisonment for violation of Section 1507 from one year to five years… Increasing the maximum time jail time for a protester under 1507 is, I think, an effective way to deter this intimidation of our justices. So, I’d like to hear from each of you on this.”
    Shaw: “…I would need to take a look. I’m not prepared to take a position… If we’re talking about increasing penalties for violence, I would absolutely support that.”
    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: REPS. CLARKE AND VAN DUYNE LAUNCH BIPARTISAN CREATORS CAUCUS TO BRING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO POLICY PROCESS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke (9th District of New York)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    June 5, 2025

    MEDIA CONTACT: 

    e: jessica.myers@mail.house.gov

    c: 202.913.0126

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) and Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) held a press conference to launch the first-of-its-kind bipartisan Congressional Creators Caucus. The purpose of this new caucus is to bring the perspectives of online content creators into the public policy arena to educate Members of Congress on the unique challenges they face as the new start-ups of the modern economy. The Members were joined by numerous creators, including Matthew (MatPat) and Stephanie Patrick, founders of Edutainment Brand Theorist Media.

    The rapid advancements in technology and the rise of social media platforms in the 21st century have brought about the emergence of not only creators but a thriving new sector: the Creator Economy, the vibrant ecosystem of online content creators operating on digital platforms, and the diverse businesses that have emerged to support them. As these digital entrepreneurs build businesses and their impact continues to grow, ensuring their voices are heard in the legislative process is imperative.

    “As digital content creators’ online presence continues to reach billions globally, Congress must work to ensure resources and protections are in place to support their success in this new era of start-ups,” said Rep. Clarke. “Congress has a responsibility to meet this moment. That’s why I am proud to establish this caucus as a first-of-its-kind bipartisan forum for content creators and Congress to work together to address the challenges they face as nontraditional small businesses owners. Creators’ voices deserve to be heard throughout the policy making process, and the Creators Caucus is the key to ensuring they are.”

    “The Congressional Creators Caucus seeks to empower more Americans to follow their dreams, build their own small businesses, and share their unique perspectives with the world,” said Rep. Van Duyne. “The Creators Caucus hopes to bring better understanding to how these developing small businesses are operating, what struggles they face, and how Congress can work with them to foster growth, opportunity, safety, and security for our digital creators and their viewers alike.”

    “The creator economy is a powerful economic engine in the United States, making significant contributions to GDP and job growth. Creators are building business, growing audiences, and sharing their voices online. We are thankful to Representatives Clarke and Van Duyne for launching the Congressional Creators Caucus and look forward to continuing the work to support the growing creator ecosystem,” Alexandra Veitch, Senior Director, YouTube Government Affairs & Public Policy.

    Watch the full press conference HERE.

    View photos from the press conference HERE.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘No one knew what was happening’: new research shows how domestic violence harms young people’s schooling

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Roberts, Professor of Education and Social Justice, Monash University

    Taiki Ishikawa/ Unsplash, CC BY

    Every school around Australia is almost certain to have students who are victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.

    The 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study found neglect and physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children is widespread. Among Australians aged 16–65 years, 32% experienced physical abuse, 28.5% experienced sexual abuse, 39% experienced emotional abuse and 9% had been neglected during their childhoods.

    As the place where children spend the bulk of their time outside home, schools could be an important source of help and support. But are they equipped to do this?

    Our research, published in the Australian Journal of Social Issues, explores the impact of domestic and family violence on young people’s education. Our findings show just how significant the disruption to a young person’s education can be, including how safe or supported they feel at school.

    Our study

    Our study draws on data from the Adolescent Family Violence in Australia project. This is a national survey of more than 5,000 young Australians aged 16–20 years old. We focused on a subset of 1,651 respondents who had experienced domestic and family violence, either by experiencing violence between other family members or being directly subjected to it.

    The survey asked both structured and open-ended questions to explore the impacts of domestic and family violence.

    Family violence disrupts school attendance and participation

    Our study showed family violence has a significant impact on school attendance. Young people told us they missed classes or dropped out of school during their experiences of violence.

    For some young people, attending school while coping with trauma, fear and instability at home was too overwhelming.

    A 19-year-old woman shared how she became so anxious in the presence of teachers and other authority figures she could only manage one day of school per week in a secluded setting.

    Another young woman described missing classes regularly to care for her mother after violent episodes, while a 20-year-old man said he stayed home to protect his mother.

    Even when young victims did attend school, the emotional toll of family violence often meant they were socially withdrawn. Some spoke about losing friends due to frequent house moves and school shifts, while others withdrew socially because of anxiety and trauma. One 17-year-old explained:

    I don’t talk a lot to male teachers and don’t really have close friendships with girls at my school, so I tend to stay home.

    Some participants described school as a safe haven away from their abusive home. But even in these cases, learning was often still difficult. One young person commented:

    Yes, I wanted to go to school to get away from home, but felt very alone and isolated because no one knew what was happening.

    Family violence and homework

    The effects of family violence extend beyond the classroom. Many young people told us how the chaos, fear and emotional exhaustion of life at home made it difficult, if not impossible, to complete homework or study for exams. One young woman remarked:

    I can’t do any homework at home because it’s not a safe environment for me.

    Another young person described being kept up late listening to fighting or because of police visits, leaving them physically and emotionally exhausted in the morning.

    In some cases, abusive parents directly prevented their child from attending school or doing homework. Other young people described not having access to the tools they needed, like a working computer or internet connection – sometimes withheld deliberately by a parent.

    These accounts show how for some children experiencing family violence, learning at home is not just difficult, it is fundamentally unsafe.

    Young people spoke of how domestic violence made it impossible to study at home.
    C.T.PHAT/Shutterstock, CC BY

    A missed opportunity

    It can be difficult for schools to fully understand and appreciate what’s happening for students at home.

    Few of the young people we surveyed proactively disclosed their experiences to school staff, including teachers and counsellors. Disclosure rates ranged from just 12% to 17%, depending on the type of violence the young person reported experiencing.

    For those young people who did disclose, their experiences varied. Some young people described school staff as a lifeline – listening without judgement, offering helpful information and taking action where needed.

    Others described being ignored, dismissed or harmed further by insensitive responses. As one young person said, the “school counsellor told me I needed to understand dad’s behaviour and keep my head down”.

    The help students received seemed to depend on the individual teacher or school counsellor, their knowledge and training. This inconsistency represents a major barrier to effective and early intervention.

    What needs to change

    As well as learning, schools can also provide safety, stability and healing. We need schools to be supported to provide more effective and consistent care for students experiencing family violence.

    As other research has similarly found, responses need to be trauma-informed (recognising the impact of trauma on students) and student-centred (focusing on individuals’ needs). This involves:

    • providing trauma and domestic violence-informed training to all school staff

    • ensuring schools have clear processes to follow if a student disclosures domestic violence, including referrals to appropriate external supports

    • adopting flexible attendance and academic policies for young people impacted by domestic violence

    • building collaborative partnerships with community-based domestic violence and mental health services.


    The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault. The Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491) offers advice and counselling to men looking to change their behaviour.

    Steven Roberts receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Government and ANROWS, among others. He is a Board Director at Respect Victoria, but this article is written wholly separate from and does not represent that role.

    Kate has received funding for research on violence against women and children from a range of federal and state government and non-government sources. Currently, Kate receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), the South Australian government, Safe Steps, Australian Childhood Foundation and 54 Reasons. This piece is written by Kate Fitz-Gibbon in her role at Monash University and Sequre Consulting, and is wholly independent of Kate Fitz-Gibbon’s role as chair of Respect Victoria and membership on the Victorian Children’s Council.

    Rebecca Stewart is a project officer at No to Violence. The views expressed in this article are her own.

    ref. ‘No one knew what was happening’: new research shows how domestic violence harms young people’s schooling – https://theconversation.com/no-one-knew-what-was-happening-new-research-shows-how-domestic-violence-harms-young-peoples-schooling-256890

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Resident-to-resident aggression is common in nursing homes. Here’s how we can improve residents’ safety

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joseph Ibrahim, Professor, Aged Care Medical Research Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University

    Wbmul/Shutterstock

    The Coroners Court of Victoria is undertaking an inquest into the deaths of eight aged care residents across six facilities, over a nine-month period in 2021.

    Each death occurred after an interaction between residents, known as resident-to-resident aggression.

    If your loved one is living in aged care, it’s natural to be distressed and concerned for their safety after hearing about these deaths.

    Here’s what we know about when and where it’s more likely to happen, how relatives can safeguard their loved ones, and what’s happening across the system to reduce the risk of it occurring.

    What does it look like?

    Resident-to-resident aggression refers to aggressive and intrusive interactions between long-term care residents that would likely be unwelcome and potentially cause the recipient physical or psychological distress or harm. It includes physical, sexual and verbal aggression.

    However, the term “aggression” is potentially misleading. In most cases, the residents involved are not consciously intending to cause harm.

    The prevalence of resident-to-resident aggression in aged care has been estimated at 20%, but is likely under-reported. This means that over a month, 20% of aged care residents are likely to experience an incident of resident-to-resident aggression. This is usually verbal abuse or an invasion of privacy.

    The variation in reported prevalence rates makes it hard to know if the rate is increasing.

    The consequences of resident-to-resident aggression range in seriousness from functional decline, to psychological or physical injury, to death.

    In 2017, we published a national study of deaths from resident-to-resident aggression in nursing home residents in Australia. Over 14 years, we identified 28 deaths.

    Almost 90% of residents involved – either as an “exhibitor” (often referred to as the aggressor) or a target – had dementia. Three-quarters of those diagnosed with dementia had a history of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, including wandering and physical aggression.

    Exhibitors of aggressive behaviour were mostly male (85.7%), often younger, and more recently admitted to the aged care facility than the target.

    Resident-to-resident aggression leading to death was most likely to occur between two male residents.

    Half of all incidents leading to death involved a resident pushing and the target falling, leading to injuries such as hip fracture and head injury. This underscores the vulnerabilities posed by physical frailty among aged care residents.

    Incidents resulting in death occurred mostly in communal areas, reflecting the ongoing challenges of an aged care system that relies on residents living together.

    Learning from past incidents

    Resident-to-resident aggression was previously brought to national attention by the death of a resident at the Oakden facility in South Australia. This led to a coronial inquest and the facility closed in 2017.

    The case raised issues including the need for residents exhibiting potentially aggressive behaviour to have regular clinical reviews, accurate and detailed documentation, and adequate escalation and reporting of any incidents of aggression.

    Since 2021, facilities have been required to report incidents of “unreasonable use of force”. The Australian Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission monitors these events through the Serious Incident Response Scheme.

    The last report, from March 2023, provides a series of case studies and highlights the need for better approaches to behaviour support and risk assessment.

    However, prevention requires a broader systems-based approach to better understand the problem, and generate and evaluate interventions. This should include reviewing trends at the facility, provider and national level.

    Approaching individual situations

    Resident-to-resident aggression is expected to become more common as more people are diagnosed with dementia.

    Cognitive impairment in both the exhibitor of aggressive behaviour and targets makes this more complex, as a resident could become either one, depending on the precipitating circumstances.

    In one-third of the cases we analysed, the exhibitor of aggressive behaviour and the target had been involved in an earlier incident together in the past 12 months. This suggests there are opportunities for intervention.

    Are police involved?

    When serious injury or death occurs, it is the role of police to investigate the incident and refer to the Office of Public Prosecutions, if appropriate.

    Attributing legal responsibility is problematic and criminal charges are rarely filed. This may be because the residents involved are unfit for police interview or unfit to stand trial.

    Alternatively, prosecution may not be deemed in the public interest.

    Managing symptoms of dementia

    Dementia may impair a person’s ability to reason, express their needs and manage their emotions. It can also impair their ability to respond, in a socially acceptable way, to interpersonal conflict.

    Behaviour-management strategies to support the person with dementia include having a calm environment with a familiar routine and clear communication.

    Over the past decade, more formal services have become available to help manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

    Dementia Support Australia operates a Severe Behaviour Response Team which is available 24/7, responding to referrals from health professionals within 48 hours.

    Specialist dementia care units also operate across Australia, as recommended by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety final report.

    Managing dementia symptoms requires multidisciplinary expertise spanning the aged care, disability and mental health sectors. Yet integrating these services remains a challenge.

    The federal government has committed to addressing the sub-optimal management of residents living with dementia.

    Supporting your loved one

    If you’re worried about your loved one, the first step is to express these concerns directly to the facility staff, as you would with any other matter. Open communication helps the facility staff to get to know your loved one and provide more tailored support.

    Being better informed about the subject can help you to advocate for your loved one.

    The Older Persons Advocacy Network is available to residents for free, independent and confidential support. They can advocate for you if you feel your concerns aren’t being heard or your loved one’s care is compromised.

    What happens next with the inquest?

    The Coroners Court will investigate this important and distressing issue and aims to reduce the number of preventable deaths.

    The coroner will hear the evidence, and may make formal recommendations about how to improve resident safety. Government agencies are required to consider and respond to these recommendations.

    It’s clear we have a long way to go to safeguard the rights of older people living in residential care.

    Joseph Ibrahim is a medical specialist in geriatrics and an academic with over 30 years of clinical experience. He is a Professor with the Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University and an Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. He previously received funding from state and national government for research into the safety and quality of aged care homes and resident-on-resident aggression. He has also been an expert witness for criminal and coroners court cases as well as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

    Amelia Grossi 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. Resident-to-resident aggression is common in nursing homes. Here’s how we can improve residents’ safety – https://theconversation.com/resident-to-resident-aggression-is-common-in-nursing-homes-heres-how-we-can-improve-residents-safety-257818

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Is black mould really as bad for us as we think? A toxicologist explains

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide

    Peeradontax/Shutterstock

    Mould in houses is unsightly and may cause unpleasant odours. More important though, mould has been linked to a range of health effects – especially triggering asthma.

    However, is mould exposure linked to a serious lung disease in children, unrelated to asthma? As we’ll see, this link may not be real, or if it is, it’s so rare to not be a meaningful risk. Yet we still hear mould in damp homes described as “toxic”.

    Indeed, mouldy homes can harm people’s health, but not necessarily how you might think.

    What is mould?

    Mould is the general term for a variety of fungi. The mould that people have focused on in damp homes is “black mould”. This forms unsightly black patches on walls and other parts of damp-affected buildings.

    Black mould is not a single fungus. But when people talk about black mould, they generally mean the fungus Stachybotrys chartarum or S. chartarum for short. It’s one of experts’ top ten feared fungi.

    The focus on this species comes from a report in the 1990s on cases of haemorrhagic lung disease in a number of infants. This is a rare disease where blood leaks into the lungs, and can be fatal. The report suggested chemicals known as mycotoxins associated with this species of fungus were responsible for the outbreak.

    What are mycotoxins?

    A variety of fungi produce mycotoxins to defend themselves, among other reasons.

    Hundreds of different chemicals are listed as myocytoxins. These include ones in poisonous mushrooms, and ones associated with the soil fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus.

    The fungus typically associated with black mould S. chartarum can produce several mycotoxins. These include roridin, which inhibits protein synthesis in humans and animals, and satratoxins, which have numerous toxic effects including bleeding in the lungs.

    While the satratoxins, in particular, were mentioned in the report from the 90s in children, there are some problems when we look at the evidence.

    The amount of mycotoxins S. chartarum makes can vary considerably. Even if significant amounts of mycotoxin are present, getting them into the body in the required amount to cause damage is another thing.

    Inhaling spores in contaminated (mouldy) homes is the most probable way mycotoxins enter the body. For instance, we know mycotoxins can be found in S. chartarum spores. We also know direct injection of high concentrations of mycotoxin-bearing spores directly in the noses of mice can cause some lung bleeding.

    Stachybotrys chartarum mycotoxins have been blamed for lung issues after exposure to black mould.
    Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock

    But just because inhaling spores is the probable route of contamination doesn’t mean this is very likely.

    That’s because S. chartarum doesn’t release a lot of spores. Its spores are typically embedded in a slimy mass and it rarely produces the spore densities needed to replicate the animal studies.

    The original reports suggesting the US infants who were diagnosed with haemorrhagic lung disease were exposed to toxic levels of mycotoxins were also flawed.

    Among other issues, the concentrations of mould spores was calculated incorrectly. Subsequent correction for these issues resulted in the association between S. chartarum and this disease cluster basically disappearing.

    The American Academy of Asthma Allergy and Immunology states while there is a clear, well-established relationship between damp indoor spaces and detrimental health effects, there is no good evidence black mould mycotoxins are involved.

    But mould can cause allergies

    Moulds can affect human health in ways unrelated to mycotoxins, typically through allergic reactions. Moulds including black moulds can trigger or worsen asthma attacks in people with mould allergies.

    Some rarer but severe reactions can include allergic fungal sinusitis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and rarer still, hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

    These can typically be controlled by removing the mould (or removing the person from the source of mould).

    People with impaired immune systems (such as people taking immune-suppressant medications) may also be prone to mould infections.

    In a nutshell

    There is sufficient evidence that household mould is associated with respiratory issues attributable to their allergic effects.

    However, there is no strong evidence mycotoxins from household mould – and in particular black mould – are associated with substantial health issues.

    Ian Musgrave has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study adverse reactions to herbal medicines and has previously been funded by the Australian Research Council to study potential natural product treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. He is currently a member of one of the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s statutory councils.

    ref. Is black mould really as bad for us as we think? A toxicologist explains – https://theconversation.com/is-black-mould-really-as-bad-for-us-as-we-think-a-toxicologist-explains-258173

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Making it easier to build a granny flat makes sense – but it’s no solution to a housing crisis

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    RyanJLane/Getty Images

    As part of its resource management reforms, the government will soon allow “super-sized granny flats” to be built without consent – potentially adding 13,000 dwellings over the next decade to provide “families with more housing options”.

    This represents genuine progress in reducing regulatory barriers. But the scale of the housing crisis means we have to ask whether incremental reforms can deliver meaningful change.

    The numbers provide important context. Against current consenting rates of 40,000 to 50,000 new dwellings per year, those projected 70-square-metre granny flats represent a 2.6% increase in housing supply.

    In Auckland, where housing pressure is most acute, 300 additional units might be built annually. For some, that’s likely to be useful. But for a country already facing a housing crunch, it’s insignificant.

    The costs of a granny flat

    The numbers also reveal who can participate in this proposed solution. Building a basic 70-square-metre granny flat will cost between NZ$200,000 and $300,000. Add site works, utility connections and mandatory licensed building practitioner supervision, and total project costs will be closer to the upper end of that range.

    At current interest rates, financing $250,000 requires approximately $480 weekly in loan payments. While rents of $500-$600 per week are achievable in urban markets, these thin margins assume optimal conditions.

    For property owners with existing equity, this presents a viable investment. For those seeking affordable housing – young families, essential workers, recent immigrants – the benefits remain largely theoretical.

    This dynamic illustrates a persistent challenge in market-based housing solutions: policies intended to improve affordability often primarily benefit those with capital to deploy.

    Pressure on the pipes

    Each granny flat requires full residential infrastructure – water, wastewater and stormwater connections. The development contributions – fees councils charge on new builds to fund infrastructure – will help fund network upgrades. But New Zealand already faces a $120-185 billion water infrastructure deficit over the next 30 years, just to fix existing systems.

    The challenge is particularly acute in established suburbs where these units are most likely to appear. Parts of Christchurch serviced by vacuum sewers already operate at capacity. Auckland’s combined sewer areas face overflow risks during heavy rainfall. Wellington’s ageing pipes struggle with current demand.

    Adding thousands of dispersed infill units to stressed networks poses genuine engineering challenges that funding alone cannot solve.

    Transport infrastructure faces similar pressures. With minimum parking requirements axed across the nation, these new granny flats will likely increase on-street parking demand and local traffic.

    While some granny flat residents may rely on public transport or active modes, New Zealand’s car ownership rates – 837 vehicles per 1,000 people – suggest most will own vehicles.

    Auckland’s sewer systems are already under pressure. New granny flats will add strain on the infrastructure.
    Janice Chen/Getty Images

    Approved but not always built

    International experience offers instructive parallels. California’s 2017 Accessory Dwelling Unit legislation provides the closest comparison. After removing similar regulatory barriers, California saw permits increase from 1,000 in 2016 to 13,000 in 2019.

    However, construction costs and infrastructure constraints limited actual completions to roughly 60% of approved units.

    Australian cities report similar patterns. Despite permissive regulations in many areas, only 13-23% of suitable properties actually added secondary dwellings. High construction costs and infrastructure limitations proved more binding than regulatory constraints.

    Closer to home, Auckland’s experience with minor dwellings under the Unitary Plan suggests cautious optimism. Since 2016, the city has averaged 300-400 secondary dwelling consents annually where permitted. The number of units actually constructed is unknown.

    Allowing one-storey detached 70-square-metre units without building consent may increase this modestly. But they are unlikely to dramatically accelerate production given persistent cost and capacity constraints.

    Another form of wealth transfer

    The policy’s benefits flow primarily to existing property owners. They will gain new development rights without competitive tender or public process. While perhaps justified by broader housing benefits, it’s worth acknowledging this is a form of wealth transfer.

    Granny flats typically add roughly their construction cost to property values, providing capital gains alongside rental income potential.

    For renters, benefits depend on how many units actually materialise and at what price point. Secondary units often rent at 20-30% below comparable standalone houses due to their size and backyard location.

    This could meaningfully expand options for singles and couples. But families requiring larger accommodation will see limited benefits.

    The policy’s design constraints also tell us what kind of urban density is acceptable. Single-storey height limits, two-metre boundary setbacks and standalone requirements essentially mandate the least efficient form of intensification.

    Units could share walls and services, and two-storey designs that use less land could be permitted. Instead, the granny flat exemption favours the one configuration that maintains suburban aesthetics while delivering minimal extra housing.

    A modest response to the housing crisis

    The granny flat exemption exemplifies New Zealand’s approach to housing challenges: acknowledging a crisis while implementing modest responses.

    Despite severe shortfalls in housing supply, the medium-density development common in comparable countries remains largely unrealised. An estimated 180,000 households could be accommodated through comprehensive densification.

    There are genuine benefits worth acknowledging, of course. The exemption reduces bureaucratic barriers, enables some additional housing and gives property owners new options.

    The question isn’t so much whether the new policy should be embraced. But rather whether the government is willing to complement it with larger changes the housing crisis demands.

    Timothy Welch 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. Making it easier to build a granny flat makes sense – but it’s no solution to a housing crisis – https://theconversation.com/making-it-easier-to-build-a-granny-flat-makes-sense-but-its-no-solution-to-a-housing-crisis-258185

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s justifications for the latest travel ban aren’t supported by the data on immigration and terrorism

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Charles Kurzman, Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

    Taliban fighters guard the former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on June 5, 2025. AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi

    The Trump administration on June 4, 2025, announced travel restrictions targeting 19 countries in Africa and Asia, including many of the world’s poorest nations. All travel is banned from 12 of these countries, with partial restrictions on travel from the rest.

    The presidential proclamation, entitled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” is aimed at “countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full or partial suspension on the entry or admission of nationals from those countries.”

    In a video that accompanied the proclamation, President Donald Trump said: “The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted.”

    The latest travel ban reimposes restrictions on many of the countries that were included on travel bans in Trump’s first term, along with several new countries.

    But this travel ban, like the earlier ones, will not significantly improve national security and public safety in the United States. That’s because migrants account for a minuscule portion of violence in the U.S. And migrants from the latest travel ban countries account for an even smaller portion, according to data that I have collected. The suspect in Colorado, for example, is from Egypt, which is not on the travel ban list.

    As a scholar of political sociology, I don’t believe Trump’s latest travel ban is about national security. Rather, I’d argue, it’s primarily about using national security as an excuse to deny visas to nonwhite applicants.

    Terrorism and public safety

    In the past five years, the U.S. has witnessed more than 100,000 homicides. Political violence by militias and other ideological movements accounted for 354 fatalities, according to an initiative known as the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, which tracks armed conflict around the world. That’s less than 1% of the country’s homicide victims. And foreign terrorism accounted for less than 1% of this 1%, according to my data.

    The Trump administration says the U.S. cannot appropriately vet visa applicants in countries with uncooperative governments or underdeveloped security systems. That claim is false.

    The State Department and other government agencies do a thorough job of vetting visa applicants, even in countries where there is no U.S. embassy, according to an analysis by the CATO Institute.

    The U.S. government has sophisticated methods for identifying potential threats. They include detailed documentation requirements, interviews with consular officers and clearance by national security agencies. And it rejects more than 1 in 6 visa applications, with ever-increasing procedures for detecting fraud.

    Members of the Yemeni community and others wave American and Yemeni flags as they gather on the steps of Brooklyn’s Borough Hall to protest President Donald Trump’s first travel ban on Feb. 2, 2017, in New York.
    AP Photo/Kathy Willens

    The thoroughness of the visa review process is evident in the numbers.

    Authorized foreign-born residents of the U.S. are far less likely than U.S.-born residents to engage in criminal activity. And unauthorized migrants are even less likely to commit crimes. Communities with more migrants – authorized and unauthorized – have similar or slightly lower crime rates than communities with fewer migrants.

    If vetting were as deficient as Trump’s executive order claims, we would expect to see a significant number of terrorist plots from countries on the travel ban list. But we don’t.

    Of the 4 million U.S. residents from the 2017 travel ban countries, I have documented only four who were involved in violent extremism in the past five years.

    Two of them were arrested after plotting with undercover law enforcement agents. One was found to have lied on his asylum application. One was an Afghan man who killed three Pakistani Shiite Muslim immigrants in New Mexico in 2022.

    Such a handful of zealots with rifles or homemade explosives can be life-altering for victims and their families, but they do not represent a threat to U.S. national security.

    Degrading the concept of national security

    Trump has been trying for years to turn immigration into a national security issue.

    In his first major speech on national security in 2016, Trump focused on the “dysfunctional immigration system which does not permit us to know who we let into our country.”

    His primary example was an act of terrorism by a man who was born in the U.S.

    The first Trump administration’s national security strategy, issued in December 2017, prioritized jihadist terrorist organizations that “radicalize isolated individuals” as “the most dangerous threat to the Nation” – not armies, not another 9/11, but isolated individuals.

    If the travel ban is not really going to improve national security or public safety, then what is it about?

    Protesters wave signs during a demonstration against President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban on May 15, 2017, in Seattle.
    AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

    Linking immigration to national security seems to serve two long-standing Trump priorities. First is his effort to make American more white, in keeping with widespread bias among his supporters against nonwhite immigrants.

    Remember Trump’s insults to Mexicans and Muslims in his escalator speech announcing his presidential campaign in 2015. He has also expressed a preference for white immigrants from Norway in 2018 and South Africa in 2025.

    Trump has repeatedly associated himself with nationalists who view immigration by nonwhites as a danger to white supremacy.

    Second, invoking national security allows Trump to pursue this goal without the need for accountability, since Congress and the courts have traditionally deferred to the executive branch on national security issues.

    Trump also claims national security justifications for tariffs and other policies that he has declared national emergencies, in a bid to avoid criticism by the public and oversight by the other branches of government.

    But this oversight is necessary in a democratic system to ensure that immigration policy is based on facts.

    Charles Kurzman has received funding for research on terrorism from the National Institute of Justice and the National Science Foundation.

    ref. Trump’s justifications for the latest travel ban aren’t supported by the data on immigration and terrorism – https://theconversation.com/trumps-justifications-for-the-latest-travel-ban-arent-supported-by-the-data-on-immigration-and-terrorism-255471

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Introduce Bicameral Bill to Repeal the Gun Industry’s Legal Liability

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) were joined today, during the first week of Gun Violence Awareness Month, by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and U.S. Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) in leading a group of 81 members of Congress in introducing the bicameral Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act, legislation to ensure that victims of gun violence have their day in court and that negligent gun companies and gun sellers are not shielded from liability when they disregard public safety. The bill would repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), passed by Congress in 2005, which gives the gun industry a unique and unjustifiable legal liability shield that protects gun manufacturers from lawsuits.

    Murphy, Blumenthal, Swalwell, Schiff, Evans, and Thompson announced the legislation today during a virtual press conference joined by leading gun violence prevention advocates: Kris Brown, president of Brady; Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action; and Adam Skaggs, chief counsel and vice president of GIFFORDS Law Center. Video of the press conference is available here.

    “There’s absolutely no reason why the gun industry should get special treatment when it comes to negligence. Their immunity from lawsuits effectively gives them a license to kill. It’s past time for Congress to repeal PLCAA and allow gun violence victims their day in court,” said Murphy.

    “PLCAA is the ultimate sweetheart deal – legal immunity afforded to basically no other industry for a product that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year,” said Blumenthal. “Despite the strength and perseverance of the Sandy Hook, Uvalde, and Highland Park families – and the tenacity of their legal teams – this is a problem that cannot be solved only through the courts. PLCAA must be repealed by Congress.”

    “No industry in American has a liability shield like gun manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and importers,” said Swalwell. “The NRA and their GOP stooges made sure that the gun industry has a unique immunity from accountability. This bill ends that ridiculous carve out. The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act will finally repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) once and for all, allowing victims of gun violence to bring civil suits against gun producers and sellers. The time has long since come for Congress to be clear – if you put the most dangerous weapons in the hands of the most dangerous people, you will be held accountable.”

    “More than a 100 Americans are killed by a gun every single day in America. And yet, Congress does nothing to hold the gun industry accountable when the negligence of gun makers and dealers is responsible for the tragic consequences their products have on our kids, our families, and our communities. As long as gun violence continues to take the lives of so many in California and across the nation, I will fight to repeal the liability shield that wrongly protects negligent gun industry actors from liability,” said Schiff.

    “Victims and survivors should be able to hold the gun industry accountable in court for negligent behavior. But right now, the gun industry is shielded from any liability when they disregard public safety. That’s wrong,” said Crow. “I’m introducing this bill so we can finally hold the gun industry responsible.”

    “As someone who’s advocated for this concept in Pennsylvania’s legislature and now in Congress, I’m proud to be a co-lead on this bill to restore this basic right of victims and survivors – a right that a heavy-handed federal government took away 20 years ago. So many American gun deaths could be avoided if we held companies accountable for things like illegal sales, defective guns and irresponsible marketing. State attorneys general were able to hold Big Tobacco accountable in the 1990s, and they should be able to hold gun manufacturing companies accountable in the 21st century since thousands of lives depend on it. This legislation would be an important tool in the toolbox to protect our citizens from gun violence,” said Evans.

    “In the 20 years since PLCAA was passed, it’s become clear that negligent gun manufacturers and dealers have taken advantage of the law. Responsible manufacturers and dealers don’t need this legal protection – and irresponsible ones are hiding behind it. As a hunter, combat veteran and responsible gun owner, I’m proud to work with Senator Blumenthal and Representative Swalwell to introduce this sensible legislation,” said Thompson, Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

    When Congress passed PLCAA, its supporters argued that it was necessary to protect the gun industry from frivolous lawsuits, and that victims of gun violence would not be shut out of the courts. In reality, numerous cases around the nation have been dismissed on the basis of PLCAA, even when the gun dealers and manufacturers acted in a fashion that would qualify as negligent if it involved any other product. Victims in these cases were denied the right to even discover or introduce evidence. This legislation allows civil cases to go forward against irresponsible bad actors.

    In 2005, the National Rifle Association (NRA) identified PLCAA as their “number one” legislative priority, and the NRA celebrated the passage calling it the “most significant piece of pro-gun legislation in twenty years.” Letting courts hear these cases would provide justice to victims and their families, while creating incentives for responsible business practices that would reduce injuries and deaths. Effectively, the gun industry would once again be subject to the same laws as every other industry, just as it was prior to 2005.

    The legislation is endorsed by Brady, GIFFORDS Law Center, Everytown for Gun Safety, March for Our Lives, Guns Down America, Newtown Action Alliance, and Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund.

    U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the bill.

    U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.-01), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04), Wesley Bell (D-Mo.-01), Don Beyer (D-Va.-08), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio-11), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), Sean Casten (D-Ill.-06), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.-05), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.-04), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.-01), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.-17), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.-03), Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas-07), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.-10), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.-26), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.-04), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.-25), Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.-03), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.-05), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.-10), David Scott (D-Ga.-13), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02) also cosponsored the bill in the House of Representatives.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Bringing ENT care closer to home in Northland

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A new mobile ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist clinic has been launched in Northland, bringing high-quality specialist care directly to local communities, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey say.“This is a significant step toward improving access to care for people in rural and remote parts of Northland,” Health Minister Simeon Brown says.The initiative began in May with the first of several rural outreach clinics held in Kawakawa. Additional clinics are planned for Kaikohe and Rawene this month.“In just two days, the mobile clinic saw 53 patients – more than half of whom had been waiting over 10 months for an appointment, mostly for a first specialist assessment. Others were seen after spotting the clinic parked in their community.“These patients would otherwise have had to travel to Whangārei Hospital. That’s why initiatives like this make a real difference in improving timely access to care and delivering services closer to home.“They also support our focus on reducing wait times for first specialist assessments and elective surgeries by easing pressure on hospital waitlists.”Patients were assessed for a range of conditions, including hearing loss, grommet and tonsil concerns, chronic ear disease, nasal and sinus obstruction, and head and neck lumps.Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says the mobile clinic is a welcome development for the region.“Access to healthcare is one of the biggest concerns for people living in rural and remote communities.“This mobile clinic is fully equipped with advanced diagnostic and treatment technology, providing a standard of care on par with what patients receive at Whangārei or Kaitaia hospitals – exactly what rural communities deserve.”The service supports procedures such as endoscopy, vertigo manoeuvres, treatment for otitis media, adult grommet insertions, and removal of foreign bodies from the ear, nose, or throat. It also enables outpatient bookings for ENT surgeries including adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and mastoidectomy.“This initiative is a practical example of how we’re working to bring services closer to home and reduce long waits for specialist care.“Our focus is on ensuring all New Zealanders, regardless of where they live, can get the care they need without having to travel long distances or face lengthy delays,” Mr Doocey says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Issues Builder’s Remedy Legal Alert: Local Governments Must Comply with California Housing Law

    Source: US State of California

     Alert emphasizes the importance of lawful and consistent processing of Builder’s Remedy applications across California 

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a legal alert to help California local officials understand the importance of the consistent statewide interpretation and application of California’s Housing Accountability Act (HAA) — including local governments’ responsibility to timely process Builder’s Remedy applications. In the alert, Attorney General Bonta analyzes two recent court cases involving the cities of La Cañada Flintridge and Goleta to explain these responsibilities and highlight that local governments’ faithful and expedient discharge of their duties is essential to resolving California’s housing shortage crisis and making housing more affordable for all Californians. 

     “California courts have been very clear about the interpretation of California housing law and the responsibility of local governments to follow the law and swiftly process Builder’s Remedy applications,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The legal alert today is intended to ensure local governments understand their responsibility to facilitate affordable housing: California expects nothing less and is committed to ensuring that all cities and counties are part of the solution — no exceptions.” 

    Background on Housing Element and the Builders Remedy

    Under the state’s Housing Element Law, every city and county in California must periodically update its housing element to meet its share of the regional and statewide housing needs. Among other things, a compliant housing element must include an assessment of housing needs, an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to meeting those needs, and a program to implement the policies, goals, and objectives of the housing element. 

    Under California’s HAA, failure to adopt a timely and compliant local housing plan triggers the so-called “Builder’s Remedy.” Under the HAA’s Builder’s Remedy provision, local governments subject to the Builder’s Remedy may not deny certain housing projects — in particular, those that include certain thresholds of low- or moderate-income units — for inconsistency with zoning or land use designation. While developers have submitted dozens of Builder’s Remedy applications in the past years, many noncompliant jurisdictions have been failing to process those applications in a timely fashion, leaving the state of California no choice but to step in. 

    In the legal alert today, Attorney General Bonta highlights the results of two cases that make clear local governments’ responsibility and legal duty to process builders remedy applications. 

    Cal. Housing Defense Fund v. City of La Cañada Flintridge 

    In 2023, Attorney General Bonta, Governor Newsom, and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) filed a request to intervene in Cal. Housing Defense Fund v. City of La Cañada Flintridge, in order to uphold California’s housing laws, and reverse the City of La Cañada Flintridge’s denial of a mixed-use affordable housing project after it failed to comply with Housing Element Law between October 15, 2021 and November 17, 2023 —  also the time period in which the project’s application was considered. The affordable housing project, pursuant to the Builder’s Remedy, would bring approximately 80 mixed-income residential dwelling units, 14 hotel units, and 7,791 square feet of office space to the community. 

    In 2024, the court held that La Cañada Flintridge did not have a housing element in substantial compliance with state law at the time a Builder’s Remedy application was submitted and ordered the City to process the application in accordance with the law. La Cañada Flintridge appealed this decision and was subsequently ordered to either post an appeal bond of $14 million or dismiss its appeal. La Cañada Flintridge dismissed its appeal. 

    The key takeaways in this case include: 

    • A Builder’s Remedy application vests at the time of submission of a SB 330 preliminary development application — a city cannot ‘backdate’ its housing element compliance date to an earlier date so as to avoid approving a Builder’s Remedy application.
    • The refusal to process a timely Builder’s Remedy application is a violation of the HAA.

    Shelby Family Partnership, L.P. v. City of Goleta

    In 2024, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief in support of a proposed affordable housing project in Goleta — a city located in Santa Barbara County that is experiencing an acute housing shortage. A housing development project by the Shelby Family Partnership would have created 56 single-family homes, 13 of which would be affordable to lower-income households. In 2023, Goleta unlawfully refused to process an SB 330 preliminary application, seeking to add the aforementioned affordable homes, based on its theory that SB 330 applies only to “new” projects.

    On February 26, 2025, the superior court issued an order requiring Goleta to process the at-issue affordable housing project pursuant to state law, finding that:

    • SB 330 is not limited only to “new” development projects and does not prevent applicants from amending an existing project — including submitting an application under the Builder’s Remedy; and
    • Local governments cannot disapprove qualifying housing development projects, except in narrowly defined circumstances pursuant to the HAA. 

    The legal alert goes on to explain consequences for the failure to properly implement in the Builder’s Remedy, such as a referral to and intervention by the Attorney General and penalties under the HAA — including a minimum fine of $10,000 per unit of the proposed project. If a local government appeals a court order finding that the local government violated the HAA, the local government must post an appeal bond or dismiss its appeal. The appeal bond guarantees that a project remains financially viable if the city or county loses the appeal. In 2024, La Cañada Flintridge appealed the decision ordering it to process a lawful builder’s remedy application, and was ordered to either post an appeal bond of $14 million or dismiss its appeal. La Cañada Flintridge dismissed its appeal. These consequences emphasize the importance of the HAA and California’s intent to further promote housing development projects. 

    The full legal alert can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey Hosts Listening Session on the Impacts of Republican Attacks on Digital Equity

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Senate Republicans recently voted to repeal an FCC rule increasing access to Wi-Fi hotspots for students and educators at home
    Washington (June 5, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, hosted a virtual listening session Wednesday to hear from digital equity advocates about the impacts of the Trump administration’s efforts to cut funding for digital equity programs in Massachusetts and across the country. From the administration’s termination of Digital Equity Act funding, to Republican efforts to block E-Rate funding for Wi-Fi hotspots for students and educators at home, these actions have had dire consequences for efforts to close the digital divide. More than 200 digital equity champions from across Massachusetts joined the Senator’s listening session to share their stories.
    “Trump’s decision to cancel funding for Digital Equity Act grants is reckless, short-sighted, and illegal,” said Senator Markey. “These grants were promises — real, actionable investments in real communities to bridge the very real gaps in internet access, digital skills, and opportunity. I appreciated listening to and learning from the many digital equity advocates in Massachusetts about the impact these cuts will have on their organizations and the populations they serve. I will carry their stories with me in our fight for a just digital future.”
    “Everyone deserves access to the internet. It’s essential for being able to participate in our economy and utilize the resources and services that so many of us rely on,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. “It’s terrible that the Trump Administration is blocking our efforts to bring internet access to veterans, rural communities and individuals with disabilities across the state. They need to restore this funding.”
    “Massachusetts is committed to empowering our most vulnerable citizens with digital skills training, devices and other resources to thrive in our digital society,” said Michael Baldino, Director of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. “As we work to achieving universal access to reliable broadband service, we are disappointed that the federal government has stripped critical funds that are necessary for us to implement our statewide digital equity plan.”
    “Through Ameelio’s work, correctional staff see how connection to the outside world betters everyone behind bars – the incarcerated people and their fellow officers alike,” said April Feng, CEO of Ameelio. “When people are connected to those who they love and those who love them, to the best parts of their lives, they have hope. And that hope will sustain them to serve their time meaningfully, go to school, find a job, build a home, and enable a future. Investing in digital equity behind the walls is not just a matter of improving conditions for incarcerated individuals — it is a public safety and economic imperative.”
    Senator Markey is the House author of the E-Rate program, which has invested nearly $62 billion to connect schools and libraries to the internet across the country. Massachusetts schools and libraries have received more than $895 million from the E-Rate program and another $97 million from the Emergency Connectivity Fund, a $7 billion program that Senator Markey created within the American Rescue Plan to provide devices and connectivity for students and educators at home.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Markey, Baldwin, Rep. Carter Announce Legislation to Protect Public TV Channels

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Bill Text (PDF)
    Washington (June 5, 2025) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Representative Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, today announced the introduction of the Protecting Community Television Act, legislation that would undo rulemaking from the first Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that effectively limited the resources available for public, educational, and government (PEG) channels.
    Under the Communications Act, cable companies negotiate franchise agreements with local governments to provide cable services in a community. The Act caps franchise fees that a cable company pays to the local government at 5% of revenue. This revenue helps fund PEG stations, as well as other community services such as public libraries and emergency responders. In addition, cable companies historically paid up to 5% cap and provided additional, in-kind support to the community, such as free cable service to schools or access to building studios. In 2019, the FCC issued a new rule that counted those in-kind contributions towards the 5% cap, meaning cable companies could reduce their cash payments by claiming the value of those services. With fewer cash resources, local governments were forced to choose between investing in PEG programming or supporting other public services. The result has been less funding for PEG stations.
    “Millions of Americans rely on community television to keep up with the news that matters most to them, stay plugged into enriching, educational programming, and hold their local governments to account. But the Trump administration has forced communities across the country to pull the plug on public programming,” said Senator Markey. “At a time when news and media have become more consolidated than ever before, I am proud to partner with Senator Baldwin and Representative Carter to reintroduce the Protecting Community Television Act to uphold local access to public, education, and government channels for every household in our country.”
    “I’m proud to cosponsor this bill and stand with communities that depend on local media to stay informed, connected, and heard. PEG channels are lifelines for civic engagement and public education, especially in times of crisis, and they shouldn’t be collateral damage in a corporate accounting maneuver. This legislation restores the original promise Congress made: that local governments should have the tools they need to meet community needs without being forced to choose between vital services and local voices,” said Congressman Carter.
    The legislation is endorsed by Democratic Leader Schumer (D-N.Y), and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angus King (I-Me.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
    The Protecting Community Television Act is endorsed by Alliance for Community Media, National Association of Counties, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, National League of Cities, MassAccess, and Maine Community Media Association.
    “The Alliance for Community Media welcomes the re-introduction of the Protecting Community Television Act and want to thank Senator Markey and Representative Carter for their support for community access television. Passage of the Act will reduce fees that drain away monetary support for local community media channels across the country. At a time when we have fewer and fewer local journalists and reliable local information sources, cities and towns need community access television more than ever, and this bill will help sustain our operations,” said Mike Wassenaar, President & CEO, Alliance for Community Media.
    “Counties rely on public communications channels to disseminate local news and updates to residents in a timely manner,” said Matthew Chase, Executive Director of the National Association of Counties. “By preserving monetary support for public, educational and government channels through franchise fees, counties would ensure that essential local content remains accessible to residents. Counties thank Senators Ed Markey and Tammy Baldwin for introducing the Protecting Community Television Act and urge its swift passage”
    “The Protecting Community Television Act (PCTA) is elegant legislation that seeks to protect benefits consistent with the Cable Act and cable franchising principles since 1984.  In 2019, the Federal Communications Commission issued an order that undermines this ability by redefining the term “franchise fees” as used in the Cable Act and substituting its definition for that written by Congress in 1984. The Protecting Community Television Act remedies that altered meaning by protecting local public, educational and community access television so folks in communities across the country can continue to access relevant and timely local news that they rely on. Thanks to Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA) for continuing to advocate for the PCTA, which reaffirms Congress’ original intent to protect the long-standing ability of local governments to manage public property and provide for local media through public, educational and governmental access channels (PEG Access) in cable franchise agreements,” said Mike Lynch, Legislative Director for National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein and Emergency Management Officials Provide Updates at the Start of Hurricane Season, Urge North Carolinians to Stay Safe

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein and Emergency Management Officials Provide Updates at the Start of Hurricane Season, Urge North Carolinians to Stay Safe

    Governor Stein and Emergency Management Officials Provide Updates at the Start of Hurricane Season, Urge North Carolinians to Stay Safe
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Josh Stein, Director of Emergency Management Will Ray, Attorney General Jeff Jackson, First Sergeant Chris Knox of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, and Colonel Patrick Henderson of the North Carolina Army National Guard held a briefing to provide updates and guidance at the start of hurricane season. Governor Stein urged North Carolinians to have a plan in place in case of emergency and shared resources to help people prepare and stay safe.

    “As our state braces for hurricane season, I encourage North Carolinians be aware of emergency management warnings and resources so that they have a plan to stay safe in case of an emergency,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Emergency Management continues to prepare amidst uncertainty on the federal level – we must stay the course and do everything in our power to keep North Carolinians safe no matter what happens in Washington, DC.”

    “Hurricane season has begun and there are steps to be taken to protect yourself, your family, and your property if a hurricane or tropical weather does strike,” said North Carolina Director of Emergency Management Will Ray. “Remember to put together an emergency kit, have multiple avenues from which you can receive emergency announcements, and take the steps needed to protect your home.”         

    The State Emergency Response Team has begun preparations for the 2025 hurricane season by reviewing lessons learned from previous storms as well as polices and procedures and exercising key processes to ensure all resources are available to local communities should a storm impact the state. The focus of the State Emergency Response Team is to support local emergency management and first responders, but it is imperative that all North Carolinians take the time to prepare their household for tropical weather. Preparedness builds resilience. 

    Last month Governor Stein published an op-ed about smart ways to reform FEMA in USA Today as North Carolina braces for hurricane season. The Governor outlines his recommendations to reform FEMA, including focusing on permanently rebuilding homes and businesses, implementing a common application for survivors to apply for aid, and moving away from reimbursement programs. There is much room for improvement in FEMA, but abolishing FEMA exacerbates the problem as we enter another hurricane season.

    Make sure your family is prepared before disaster strikes. Below are some things you can do immediately to get prepared: 

    • Put together an emergency kit, including non-perishable food and water (1 gallon per person per day) for 3 to 7 days, a battery-powered or hand crank radio or a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio with extra batteries, and prescriptions and over the counter medication.
    • Be aware of any unique needs for babies, elderly, or disabled members of your household, as well as pets.
    • Have multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings such as the weather alert app on your phone, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio, or local TV news.
    • Build an emergency plan in case you and your family need to evacuate, including a plan for communication. Have printed copies of family members’ phone numbers, social media handles, email addresses, and important medical information in case mobile devices die. Plan where you will meet if you are separated from your family and have copies of important papers such as birth and adoption certificates, driver’s licenses, or military ID’s.
    • Take steps to protect your home by preparing a full list of personal items to help with insurance settlements or tax deductions.
    • Be sure you know how to shut off your utilities safely. Water, electricity and gas are key services that can also cause special problems during an emergency. Do NOT try to turn the gas back on yourself. Always call a trained expert.

    Get involved in your community’s preparedness activities: 

    • Learn about the emergency plans for your children’s schools, your workplace, and your neighborhood.
    • Participate in community preparedness exercises and drills.
    • Volunteer with a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to learn about disaster preparedness and receive training in basic disaster response skills.
    • Contact the NC Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster for more ways to help.

    Click here to view the full Emergency Management briefing.

    Click here for more tips on how to be prepared for hurricane season. 

    ### 

    Jun 5, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Lendmark Financial Services Unveils its Strategic Growth Plan for Florida

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark), a leading provider of personalized loan solutions, today announced plans to expand its retail branch footprint across North and Central Florida. Beginning with the debut of its Ocala branch last week, the company plans to add more than 10 branch locations in or around Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tallahassee, and Tampa. In tandem, the lender will also expand its other financing solutions, providing loans for customers of small, independent automobile dealerships and retail businesses.

    Celebrating 29 years in business this August, Lendmark has opened more than 200 branches in the past five years alone, resulting from strategically intentional growth coast-to-coast. The company continues to expand into new regions, most recently Wisconsin, with a branch portfolio of more than 520 locations across 22 states.

    Lendmark plans to add approximately 25 more branches to its overall portfolio in 2025. Though data-driven site selection, disciplined execution and planful acquisitions are contributing factors, the company’s growth strategy truly begins with putting people first.

    “We’re ready to rise and shine – like only Lendmark can – as we bring our first-rate service excellence to communities across the Sunshine State to meet the financial needs of more Floridians,” said Bret Hyler, President and Chief Operating Officer of Lendmark. “We believe the Lendmark experience is underpinned by the level of empathy and trust our loan consultants build with customers in each branch, growing into genuine relationships that, in many cases, last beyond the life of the loan.”

    With two existing branches in the Brandon and Orlando markets, Lendmark is primed to welcome thousands of Florida customers to its planned branch openings over the next three-to-five years, starting with Ocala and then its St. Augustine location later this summer.

    Better Together: Florida Growth Driven by Relationship-based Approach

    Lendmark’s approach to lending begins with the fundamental premise that lending solutions should be in the best interest of the customer and the lender. This helps drive a satisfactory loan experience and positive customer outcome. The company remains laser-focused on creating a differentiated customer experience that fosters deep relationships with individual customers, business partners, and the local community at large.

    “What sets Lendmark apart is the way that we connect with and care for each customer who walks through our doors. This is a business where our local branch, retail and auto sales teams know you by name and greet you with a warm ‘hello’ at every interaction,” continued Hyler. “We take time to meet the communities we’ll be serving before we move in, and we’re excited to support new customers across Florida, including small businesses and individuals.”

    Lendmark loans are used to purchase local goods and services, such as car and home repairs, personal care, debt consolidation, household goods, and more. With every loan solution offered, the company ensures that its customers have simple and affordable fixed terms, and a payment that works within their household budget.

    As part of the loan experience, the company also offers a curated selection of credit and insurance ancillary products to customers. These optional products, such as Involuntary Unemployment Insurance (IUI), are intended to help cover unplanned life events, like the unexpected loss of a job, that could occur during the life of the loan. These consumer-driven choices help protect the borrower’s credit profile so that the loan associated with their unplanned life event does not negatively impact their credit history.

    Lendmark Serves: Doing Good by Giving Back

    Giving back to the people and places Lendmark serves is at its core. Each year, employees around the country support dozens of causes in the communities where they live and work, participating in local volunteer activities and championing Lendmark’s signature philanthropic initiative,‘Climb to Cure,’ which kicked off in 2015.

    The company will raise over $10 million by August 31, 2025 to mark its 10-year anniversary partnering with CURE Childhood Cancer, an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to funding lifesaving pediatric cancer research that is utilized nationwide.

    So far, Lendmark’s employees, partners and customers have rallied together to raise $8.83 million, all of which directly supports CURE in its fight to conquer childhood cancer while caring for recently diagnosed patients and their families.

    About Lendmark Financial Services

    Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark) provides personal and household credit and loan solutions for consumers. Founded in 1996, Lendmark strives to be the lender, employer, and partner of choice by helping consumers meet both planned and unplanned life events through affordable loan offerings.

    Lendmark currently operates more than 520 branches in 22 states across the country, providing personalized services to customers and retail business partners with every transaction. Lendmark is headquartered in Lawrenceville, Ga.

    For more information, visit www.lendmarkfinancial.com.

    Media Contacts  
    Lisa Burby
    Vice President, Corporate Communications
    lburby@lendmarkfinancial.com
    678-913-1720
    Jeff Hamilton
    Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
    jhamilton@lendmarkfinancial.com
    678-625-3128

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Concrete Pumping Holdings Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: BBCP) (the “Company” or “CPH”), a leading provider of concrete pumping and waste management services in the U.S. and U.K., reported financial results for the second quarter ended April 30, 2025.

    Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Summary vs. Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2024 (where applicable)

    • Revenue of $94.0 million compared to $107.1 million.
    • Gross profit of $36.2 million compared to $41.8 million.
    • Income from operations of $8.3 million compared to $12.1 million.
    • Net loss of $0.0 million compared to net income of $3.0 million.
    • Net loss attributable to common shareholders was $0.4 million, or $(0.01) per diluted share, compared to net income of $2.6 million, or $0.05 per diluted share.
    • Adjusted EBITDA1 of $22.5 million compared to $27.5 million, with Adjusted EBITDA margin1 of 23.9% compared to 25.7%
    • Amounts outstanding under debt agreements were $425.0 million with net debt1 of $387.2 million. Total available liquidity at quarter end was $352.5 million compared to $216.9 million one year ago.
    • Leverage ratio1 at quarter end of 3.7x.

    Management Commentary

    “In the second quarter, we continued to navigate a challenging construction environment, marked by persistent macroeconomic headwinds and regional weather disruptions,” said CPH CEO Bruce Young. “Despite these pressures, we delivered solid results by remaining focused on cost discipline, fleet optimization, and strategic pricing across our businesses.”

    “Our U.S. Concrete Waste Management segment once again delivered strong growth, highlighting both the appeal of our unique offering and the rising demand for sustainable jobsite solutions. Although our U.S. Concrete Pumping segment remains affected by weakness in commercial construction and, more recently, by emerging challenges in residential construction, the infrastructure market has remained resilient, helping to partially offset broader market pressures and support the segment’s performance.”

    “We remain committed to generating strong free cash flow, deleveraging the balance sheet, and pursuing disciplined, strategic M&A that complements our core capabilities and geographic footprint. These priorities position us well for long-term value creation. While the near-term demand backdrop remains challenged, we are confident that our leadership position, operational discipline, and breadth of service offerings will allow us to capitalize on the eventual recovery in commercial construction activities.”

    ______________
    1 Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, net debt and leverage ratio are financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for a discussion of the non-GAAP financial measures used in this release and a reconciliation to their most comparable GAAP measures.

    Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results

    Revenue in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $94.0 million compared to $107.1 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2024. The decrease was primarily attributable to a continued slowdown from deferrals in commercial construction work and emerging challenges in residential work, mostly due to high interest rates, uncertainty around extensions of U.S. tax policy and adverse weather events in the months of February and April. Further, while the Company has not been directly impacted by tariffs, the added uncertainty surrounding tariffs has contributed to the deferral of certain commercial construction projects.

    Gross profit in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $36.2 million compared to $41.8 million in the prior year quarter. Gross margin declined 50 basis points to 38.5% compared to 39.0% in the prior year quarter.

    General and administrative expenses (“G&A”) in the second quarter declined 6% to $27.9 million compared to $29.7 million in the prior year quarter primarily due to lower labor costs of approximately $1.3 million and non-cash decreases in amortization expense of $0.8 million. As a percentage of revenue, G&A costs were 29.7% in the second quarter compared to 27.7% in the prior year quarter.

    Net loss in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $0.0 million compared to net income of $3.0 million in the prior year quarter. Net loss attributable to common shareholders in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $0.4 million, or $(0.01) per diluted share, compared to net income of $2.6 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, in the prior year quarter.

    Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $22.5 million compared to $27.5 million in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 23.9% compared to 25.7% in the prior year quarter.

    Liquidity

    On April 30, 2025, the Company had debt outstanding of $425.0 million, net debt of $387.2 million and total available liquidity of $352.5 million.

    Segment Results

    U.S. Concrete Pumping. Revenue in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $62.1 million compared to $74.6 million in the prior year quarter. The decline was driven by a continued slowdown from deferrals in commercial construction work and emerging challenges in residential work, mostly due to high interest rates, uncertainty around extensions of U.S. tax policy and adverse weather events in the months of February and April. Further, while the Company has not been directly impacted by tariffs, the added uncertainty surrounding tariffs has contributed to the deferral of certain commercial construction projects. Net loss in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $1.6 million compared to net income of $0.9 million in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA was $12.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 compared to $17.5 million in the prior year quarter. These decreases were largely driven by the decrease in revenue, as discussed above.

    U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services. Revenue in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 increased 7% to $18.1 million compared to $16.9 million in the prior year quarter. The increase was driven by organic growth and pricing improvements. Net income in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $1.2 million compared to net income of $1.1 million in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 increased 12% to $6.7 million compared to $5.9 million in the prior year quarter. Increases in both net income and adjusted EBITDA are mostly due to higher revenue and disciplined cost control.

    U.K. Operations. Revenue in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $13.8 million compared to $15.5 million in the prior year quarter. Excluding the impact from foreign currency translation, revenue was down 13% year-over-year, due to lower volumes caused by a general slowdown in commercial construction work. Net income in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 was $0.4 million compared to $1.0 million in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA was $3.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 compared to $4.1 million in the prior year quarter. Excluding the impact from foreign currency translation, net income and adjusted EBITDA changes were primarily related to the decrease in revenue.

    Fiscal Year 2025 Outlook

    The Company now expects fiscal year 2025 revenue to range between $380.0 million to $390.0 million, Adjusted EBITDA to range between $95.0 million to $100.0 million, and free cash flow2 to be approximately $45.0 million. These expectations assume the construction market will not start to meaningfully recover until fiscal year 2026 and that the Company continues to strengthen its organizational infrastructure and invest in its fleet to position the business for growth in fiscal 2026.

    ________________
    2 Free cash flow is defined as Adjusted EBITDA less net maintenance capital expenditures and cash paid for interest.

    Share Repurchase Program

    In June 2025, the board of directors of the Company approved a $15.0 million increase to the Company’s share repurchase program. Including this increase, there have been a total of $50.0 million in authorizations since the inception of the share repurchase program in June 2022. All authorizations are set to expire on December 31, 2026.

    During the six months ended April 30, 2025, the Company repurchased 1,311,386 shares for a total of $7.8 million at an average share price of $5.97 per share. Including the new $15.0 million share repurchase authorization approved in June 2025, a total of $24.2 million would have been available for purchase under the Company’s repurchase program as of April 30, 2025.

    “Today’s additional $15.0 million share repurchase authorization reflects our commitment to driving shareholder value,” said Bruce Young. “Our disciplined approach to capital allocation, strong free cash flow and consistent operational execution have allowed us to support the growth of our businesses while delivering expected shareholder returns and creating long-term value.”

    Conference Call

    The Company will hold a conference call on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss its second quarter 2025 results.

    Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
    Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (3:00 p.m. Mountain Time)
    Toll-free dial-in number: 1-877-407-9039
    International dial-in number: 1-201-689-8470
    Conference ID: 13752905

    Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Gateway Group, Inc. at 1-949-574-3860.

    The conference call will be broadcast live and is available for replay here (https://viavid.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1714111&tp_key=af0b6ebb93) as well as the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.concretepumpingholdings.com.

    A replay of the conference call will be available after 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day through June 12, 2025.

    Toll-free replay number: 1-844-512-2921
    International replay number: 1-412-317-6671
    Replay ID: 13752905

    About Concrete Pumping Holdings

    Concrete Pumping Holdings is the leading provider of concrete pumping services and concrete waste management services in the fragmented U.S. and U.K. markets, primarily operating under what we believe are the only established, national brands in both geographies – Brundage-Bone for concrete pumping in the U.S., Camfaud in the U.K., and Eco-Pan for waste management services in both the U.S. and U.K. The Company’s large fleet of specialized pumping equipment and trained operators position it to deliver concrete placement solutions that facilitate labor cost savings to customers, shorten concrete placement times, enhance worksite safety and improve construction quality. Highly complementary to its core concrete pumping service, Eco-Pan seeks to provide a full-service, cost-effective, regulatory-compliant solution to manage environmental issues caused by concrete washout. As of April 30, 2025, the Company provided concrete pumping services in the U.S. from a footprint of approximately 90 branch locations across 22 states, concrete pumping services in the U.K. from approximately 35 branch locations, and route-based concrete waste management services from 21 operating locations in the U.S. and one shared location in the U.K. For more information, please visit www.concretepumpingholdings.com or the Company’s brand websites at www.brundagebone.com, www.camfaud.co.uk, or www.eco-pan.com.

    ForwardLooking Statements

    This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company’s actual results may differ from expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “outlook” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s expectations with respect to future performance, including the Company’s fiscal year 2025 outlook. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. Most of these factors are outside the Company’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the adverse impact of recent inflationary pressures, changes in foreign trade policies, restrictive monetary policies, global economic conditions and developments related to these conditions, such as fluctuations in fuel costs on our business; adverse and severe weather conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings, rulings or demand letters that may be instituted against or sent to the Company or its subsidiaries; the ability of the Company to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; the ability to identify and complete targeted acquisitions and to realize the expected benefits from completed acquisitions; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that the Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This press release presents Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, net debt, free cash flow and leverage ratio, all of which are important financial measures for the Company but are not financial measures defined by GAAP.

    EBITDA is calculated by taking GAAP net income and adding back interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs net of interest income, income tax expense, and depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated by taking EBITDA and adding back loss on debt extinguishment, stock-based compensation, changes in the fair value of warrant liabilities, other expense (income), net, goodwill and intangibles impairment and other adjustments. Other adjustments include non-recurring expenses, non-cash currency gains/losses and transaction expenses. Transaction expenses represent expenses for legal, accounting, and other professionals that were engaged in the completion of various acquisitions. Transaction expenses can be volatile as they are primarily driven by the size of a specific acquisition. As such, the Company excludes these amounts from Adjusted EBITDA for comparability across periods.

    The Company believes these non-GAAP measures of financial results provide useful supplemental information to management and investors regarding certain financial and business trends related to our financial condition and results of operations, and as a supplemental tool for investors to use in evaluating our ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing our financial measures with competitors who also present similar non-GAAP financial measures. In addition, these measures (1) are used in quarterly and annual financial reports and presentations prepared for management, our board of directors and investors, and (2) help management to determine incentive compensation. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for performance measures calculated under GAAP. These non-GAAP measures exclude certain cash expenses that the Company is obligated to make. In addition, other companies in our industry may calculate EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently or may not calculate it at all, which limits the usefulness of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as comparative measures. Adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by total revenue for the period presented. See below for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) calculated in accordance with GAAP.

    Net debt as a specified date is calculated as all amounts outstanding under debt agreements (currently this includes the Company’s term loan and revolving line of credit balances, excluding any offsets for capitalized deferred financing costs) measured in accordance with GAAP less cash. Cash is subtracted from the GAAP measure because it could be used to reduce the Company’s debt obligations. A limitation associated with using net debt is that it subtracts cash and therefore may imply that there is less Company debt than the most comparable GAAP measure indicates. CPH believes this non-GAAP measure provides useful information to management and investors in order to monitor the Company’s leverage and evaluate the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. See “Reconciliation of Net Debt” below for a reconciliation of Net Debt to amounts outstanding under debt agreements calculated in accordance with GAAP.

    The leverage ratio is defined as the ratio of net debt to Adjusted EBITDA for the trailing four quarters. The Company believes its leverage ratio measures its ability to service its debt and its ability to make capital expenditures. Additionally, the leverage ratio is a standard measurement used by investors to gauge the creditworthiness of an institution.

    Free cash flow is defined as Adjusted EBITDA less net maintenance capital expenditures and cash paid for interest. This measure is not a substitute for cash flow from operations and does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures, since certain non-discretionary expenditures, such as debt servicing payments, are not deducted from the measure. CPH believes this non-GAAP measure provides useful information to management and investors in order to monitor and evaluate the cash flow yield of the business.

    The financial statement tables that accompany this press release include a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and net debt to the applicable most comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure. However, the Company has not reconciled the forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA guidance range and free cash flow range included in this press release to the most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP measures because this cannot be done without unreasonable effort due to the lack of predictability regarding the various reconciling items such as provision for income tax expense and depreciation and amortization.

    Current and prospective investors should review the Company’s audited annual and unaudited interim financial statements, which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and not rely on any single financial measure to evaluate the Company’s business. Other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA, net debt and free cash flow differently and therefore these measures may not be directly comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

    Contact:

    Company:
    Iain Humphries
    Chief Financial Officer
    1-303-289-7497
    Investor Relations:
    Gateway Group, Inc.
    Cody Slach
    1-949-574-3860
    BBCP@gateway-grp.com  
       
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
                 
        As of April 30,     As of October 31,  
    (in thousands, except per share amounts)   2025     2024  
    Current assets:                
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 37,788     $ 43,041  
    Receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $881 and $916, respectively     48,378       56,441  
    Inventory     6,157       5,922  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     11,231       6,956  
    Total current assets     103,554       112,360  
                     
    Property, plant and equipment, net     412,967       415,726  
    Intangible assets, net     99,793       105,612  
    Goodwill     223,998       222,996  
    Right-of-use operating lease assets     24,757       26,179  
    Other non-current assets     11,437       12,578  
    Deferred financing costs     2,284       2,539  
    Total assets   $ 878,790     $ 897,990  
                     
    Current liabilities:                
    Revolving loan   $     $ 20  
    Operating lease obligations, current portion     4,860       4,817  
    Accounts payable     12,341       7,668  
    Accrued payroll and payroll expenses     11,757       14,303  
    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities     27,069       28,673  
    Income taxes payable     1,861       850  
    Total current liabilities     57,888       56,331  
                     
    Long term debt, net of discount for deferred financing costs     417,346       373,260  
    Operating lease obligations, non-current     20,418       21,716  
    Deferred income taxes     84,402       86,647  
    Other liabilities, non-current     11,891       13,321  
    Total liabilities     591,945       551,275  
                     
                     
    Zero-dividend convertible perpetual preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 2,450,980 shares issued and outstanding as of April 30, 2025 and October 31, 2024     25,000       25,000  
                     
    Stockholders’ equity                
    Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 52,132,683 and 53,273,644 issued and outstanding as of April 30, 2025 and October 31, 2024, respectively     6       6  
    Additional paid-in capital     388,737       386,313  
    Treasury stock     (35,972 )     (25,881 )
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)     3,089       (483 )
    Accumulated deficit     (94,015 )     (38,240 )
    Total stockholders’ equity     261,845       321,715  
                     
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 878,790     $ 897,990  
                     
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
                 
        Three Months Ended April 30,     Six Months Ended April 30,  
    (in thousands, except per share amounts)   2025     2024     2025     2024  
                                     
    Revenue   $ 93,958     $ 107,062     $ 180,404     $ 204,773  
    Cost of operations     57,776       65,295       112,987       129,692  
    Gross profit     36,182       41,767       67,417       75,081  
    Gross margin     38.5 %     39.0 %     37.4 %     36.7 %
                                     
    General and administrative expenses     27,922       29,712       55,672       61,570  
    Income from operations     8,260       12,055       11,745       13,511  
                                     
    Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs     (8,554 )     (6,903 )     (14,769 )     (13,426 )
    Loss on extinguishment of debt                 (1,392 )      
    Interest income     260       30       673       90  
    Change in fair value of warrant liabilities                       130  
    Other income (expense), net     28       44       62       84  
    Income (loss) before income taxes     (6 )     5,226       (3,681 )     389  
                                     
    Income tax expense (benefit)     (2 )     2,180       (1,038 )     1,169  
                                     
    Net income (loss)     (4 )     3,046       (2,643 )     (780 )
                                     
    Less preferred shares dividends     (426 )     (430 )     (865 )     (870 )
                                     
    Loss available to common shareholders   $ (430 )   $ 2,616     $ (3,508 )   $ (1,650 )
                                     
    Weighted average common shares outstanding                                
    Basic     52,699       53,430       52,875       53,501  
    Diluted     52,699       54,380       52,875       53,501  
                                     
    Net income per common share                                
    Basic   $ (0.01 )   $ 0.05     $ (0.07 )   $ (0.03 )
    Diluted   $ (0.01 )   $ 0.05     $ (0.07 )   $ (0.03 )
                                     
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
           
        For the Six Months Ended April 30,  
    (in thousands, except per share amounts)   2025     2024  
                     
    Net loss   $ (2,643 )   $ (780 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:                
    Non-cash operating lease expense     2,575       2,567  
    Foreign currency adjustments     (54 )     (451 )
    Depreciation     20,726       20,565  
    Deferred income taxes     (2,706 )     (590 )
    Amortization of deferred financing costs     896       890  
    Amortization of intangible assets     6,058       7,771  
    Stock-based compensation expense     905       1,273  
    Change in fair value of warrant liabilities           (130 )
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     1,392        
    Net gain on the sale of property, plant and equipment     (188 )     (1,147 )
    Other operating activities     (46 )     65  
    Net changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
    Receivables     8,407       6,279  
    Inventory     (130 )     612  
    Other operating assets     (6,297 )     (2,420 )
    Accounts payable     4,296       (1,218 )
    Other operating liabilities     (2,424 )     (3,841 )
    Net cash provided by operating activities     30,767       29,445  
                     
    Cash flows from investing activities:                
    Purchases of property, plant and equipment     (19,491 )     (28,817 )
    Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment     3,232       5,236  
    Net cash used in investing activities     (16,259 )     (23,581 )
                     
    Cash flows from financing activities:                
    Proceeds on long term debt     425,000        
    Payments on long term debt     (375,000 )      
    Proceeds on revolving loan     124,474       167,611  
    Payments on revolving loan     (124,494 )     (170,138 )
    Dividends paid     (53,132 )        
    Payment of debt issuance costs     (8,153 )      
    Purchase of treasury stock     (8,508 )     (3,017 )
    Other financing activities     (136 )     1,409  
    Net cash used in financing activities     (19,949 )     (4,135 )
    Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash     188       366  
    Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents     (5,253 )     2,095  
    Cash and cash equivalents:                
    Beginning of period     43,041       15,861  
    End of period   $ 37,788     $ 17,956  
                     
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Segment Revenue
                 
        Three Months Ended April 30,     Change  
    (in thousands, unless otherwise stated)   2025     2024     $     %  
    U.S. Concrete Pumping     62,109     $ 74,617     $ (12,508 )     (16.8 )%
    U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services(1)     18,057       16,898       1,159       6.9 %
    U.K. Operations     13,792       15,547       (1,755 )     (11.3 )%
    Total revenue   $ 93,958     $ 107,062     $ (13,104 )     (12.2 )%
    (1) For the three months ended April 30, 2025 and 2024, intersegment revenue of $0.1 million is excluded.
        Six Months Ended April 30,     Change  
    (in thousands, unless otherwise stated)   2025     2024     $     %  
    U.S. Concrete Pumping   $ 119,022     $ 141,300     $ (22,278 )     (15.8 )%
    U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services(1)     34,750       32,518       2,232       6.9 %
    U.K. Operations     26,632       30,955       (4,323 )     (14.0 )%
    Total revenue   $ 180,404     $ 204,773     $ (24,369 )     (11.9 )%
    (1) For the six months ended April 30, 2025 and 2024, intersegment revenue of $0.2 million isexcluded.
     
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Segment Adjusted EBITDA and Net Income (Loss)

    During the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, the Company updated its methodology in which the Company allocates its corporate costs to better align with the manner in which the Company now allocates resources and measures performance. As a result, segment results for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

        Three Months Ended April 30, 2024     Six Months Ended April 30, 2024  
    (in thousands)   U.S. Concrete Pumping     U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services     U.S. Concrete Pumping     U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services  
    As Previously Reported                                
    Net income (loss)   $ (999 )   $ 3,001     $ (7,843 )   $ 5,406  
    Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs, net of interest income     6,193             11,947        
    EBITDA     15,979       6,188       23,016       11,568  
    Stock-based compensation     737             1,273        
    Other expense (income), net     (7 )           (27 )     (7 )
    Other Adjustments     514             3,668        
    Adjusted EBITDA     17,223       6,188       27,930       11,561  
                                     
    Recast Adjustment                                
    Net income (loss)   $ 1,936     $ (1,936 )   $ 5,578     $ (5,578 )
    Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs, net of interest income     (1,566 )     1,566       (3,323 )     3,323  
    EBITDA     370       (370 )     2,255       (2,255 )
    Stock-based compensation     (189 )     189       (350 )     350  
    Other expense (income), net                 3       (3 )
    Other Adjustments     67       (67 )     (774 )     774  
    Adjusted EBITDA     248       (248 )     1,134       (1,134 )
                                     
    Current Report As Recast                                
    Net income (loss)   $ 937     $ 1,065     $ (2,265 )   $ (172 )
    Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs, net of interest income     4,627       1,566       8,624       3,323  
    EBITDA     16,349       5,818       25,271       9,313  
    Stock-based compensation     548       189       923       350  
    Other expense (income), net     (7 )           (24 )     (10 )
    Other Adjustments     581       (67 )     2,894       774  
    Adjusted EBITDA     17,471       5,940       29,064       10,427  
                                     
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Segment Adjusted EBITDA and Net Income (Loss) Continued
           
        Net Income (Loss)  
        Three Months Ended April 30     Change  
    (in thousands, unless otherwise stated)   2025     2024     $     %  
    U.S. Concrete Pumping   $ (1,601 )   $ 937     $ (2,538 )     *  
    U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services     1,202       1,065       137       (12.9 )%
    U.K. Operations     395       1,044       (649 )     (62.2 )%
    Total   $ (4 )   $ 3,046     $ (3,050 )     (100.1 )%
    *Change is not meaningful                                
                                     
        Adjusted EBITDA  
        Three Months Ended April 30     Change  
    (in thousands, unless otherwise stated)   2025     2024     $     %  
    U.S. Concrete Pumping   $ 12,663     $ 17,471     $ (4,808 )     (27.5 )%
    U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services     6,655       5,940       715       12.0 %
    U.K. Operations     3,179       4,137       (958 )     (23.2 )%
    Total   $ 22,497     $ 27,548     $ (5,051 )     (18.3 )%
        Net Income (Loss)  
        Six Months Ended April 30     Change  
    (in thousands, unless otherwise stated)   2025     2024     $     %  
    U.S. Concrete Pumping   $ (4,681 )   $ (2,265 )   $ (2,416 )     (106.7 )%
    U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services     1,426       (172 )     1,598       *  
    U.K. Operations     612       1,527       (915 )     (59.9 )%
    Other           130       (130 )     *  
    Total   $ (2,643 )   $ (780 )   $ (1,863 )     (238.8 )%
    *Change is not meaningful                                
                                     
        Adjusted EBITDA  
        Six Months Ended April 30     Change  
    (in thousands, unless otherwise stated)   2025     2024     $     %  
    U.S. Concrete Pumping   $ 21,800     $ 29,064     $ (7,264 )     (25.0 )%
    U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services     11,701       10,427       1,274       12.2 %
    U.K. Operations     6,007       7,339       (1,332 )     (18.1 )%
    Total   $ 39,508     $ 46,830     $ (7,322 )     (15.6 )%
                                     
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Quarterly Financial Performance
                                         
    (dollars in millions)   Revenue     Net Income     Adjusted EBITDA1     Capital Expenditures2     Adjusted EBITDA less Capital Expenditures     Earnings (Loss) Per Diluted Share  
                                                     
    Q1 2024   $ 98     $ (4 )   $ 19     $ 17     $ 3     $ (0.08 )
    Q2 2024   $ 107     $ 3     $ 28     $ 7     $ 21     $ 0.05  
    Q3 2024   $ 110     $ 8     $ 32     $ 6     $ 26     $ 0.13  
    Q4 2024   $ 111     $ 9     $ 34     $ 2     $ 32     $ 0.16  
    Q1 2025   $ 86     $ (3 )   $ 17     $ 4     $ 13     $ (0.06 )
    Q2 2025   $ 94     $     $ 22     $ 12     $ 10     $ (0.01 )
                                                     
    1Adjusted EBITDA is a financial measure that is not calculated in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States (“GAAP”). See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for a discussion of the definition of this measure and reconciliation of such measure to its most comparable GAAP measure.
    2Information on M&A or growth investments included in net capital expenditures have been included for relevant quarters below:
    *Q1 2024 capex includes approximately $5 million growth investment.
    *Q2 2024 capex includes approximately $1 million M&A and $3 million growth investment.
    *Q3 2024 capex includes approximately $4 million growth investment.
    *Q4 2024 capex includes approximately $3 million growth investment.
    *Q1 2025 capex includes approximately $2 million growth investment.
    *Q2 2025 capex includes approximately $2 million growth investment.
     
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Net Income to Reported EBITDA to Adjusted EBITDA
                 
        Three Months Ended April 30,     Six Months Ended April 30,  
    (dollars in thousands)   2025     2024     2025     2024  
    Consolidated                                
    Net income (loss)   $ (4 )   $ 3,046     $ (2,643 )   $ (780 )
    Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs, net of interest income     8,294       6,873       14,096       13,336  
    Income tax expense (benefit)     (2 )     2,180       (1,038 )     1,169  
    Depreciation and amortization     13,584       14,239       26,784       28,337  
    EBITDA     21,872       26,338       37,199       42,062  
    Loss on debt extinguishment                 1,392        
    Stock based compensation     538       737       905       1,273  
    Change in fair value of warrant liabilities                       (130 )
    Other expense (income), net     (28 )     (44 )     (62 )     (84 )
    Other adjustments(1)     115       517       74       3,709  
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 22,497     $ 27,548     $ 39,508     $ 46,830  
                                     
    U.S. Concrete Pumping                                
    Net income (loss)   $ (1,601 )   $ 937     $ (4,681 )   $ (2,265 )
    Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs, net of interest income     5,211       4,627       8,522       8,624  
    Income tax expense (benefit)     (482 )     515       (1,662 )     (1,588 )
    Depreciation and amortization     9,006       10,270       18,081       20,500  
    EBITDA     12,134       16,349       20,260       25,271  
    Loss on debt extinguishment                 862        
    Stock based compensation     371       548       609       923  
    Other expense (income), net     (4 )     (7 )     (18 )     (24 )
    Other adjustments(1)     162       581       87       2,894  
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 12,663     $ 17,471     $ 21,800     $ 29,064  
                                     
    U.S. Concrete Waste Management Services                                
    Net income (loss)   $ 1,202     $ 1,065     $ 1,426     $ (172 )
    Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs, net of interest income     2,369       1,566       4,141       3,323  
    Income tax expense     332       1,067       415       1,982  
    Depreciation and amortization     2,651       2,120       4,927       4,180  
    EBITDA     6,554       5,818       10,909       9,313  
    Loss on debt extinguishment                 530        
    Stock based compensation     167       189       296       350  
    Other expense (income), net     (12 )           (14 )     (10 )
    Other adjustments     (54 )     (67 )     (20 )     774  
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 6,655     $ 5,940     $ 11,701     $ 10,427  
                                     
    (1) Other adjustments include the adjustment for non-recurring expenses and non-cash currency gains/losses. For the six months ended April 30, 2024, other adjustments includes a $3.5 million non-recurring charge related to sales tax litigation.
     
        Three Months Ended April 30,     Six Months Ended April 30,  
    (dollars in thousands)   2025     2024     2025     2024  
    U.K. Operations                                
    Net income   $ 395     $ 1,044     $ 612     $ 1,527  
    Interest expense, net     714       680       1,433       1,389  
    Income tax expense     148       598       209       775  
    Depreciation and amortization     1,927       1,849       3,776       3,657  
    EBITDA     3,184       4,171       6,030       7,348  
    Other expense (income), net     (12 )     (37 )     (30 )     (50 )
    Other adjustments     7       3       7       41  
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 3,179     $ 4,137     $ 6,007     $ 7,339  
                                     
    Other                                
    Net income   $     $     $     $ 130  
    EBITDA                       130  
    Change in fair value of warrant liabilities                       (130 )
    Adjusted EBITDA   $     $     $     $  
                                     
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Net Debt
                                   
        April 30,     July 31,     October 31,     January 31,     April 30,  
    (in thousands)   2024     2024     2024     2025     2025  
    Senior Notes     375,000       375,000       375,000       425,000       425,000  
    Revolving loan draws outstanding     16,428             20              
    Less: Cash     (17,956 )     (26,333 )     (43,041 )     (85,132 )     (37,788 )
    Net debt   $ 373,472     $ 348,667     $ 331,979     $ 339,868     $ 387,212  
                                             
     
    Concrete Pumping Holdings, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Historical Adjusted EBITDA
                                           
    (dollars in thousands)   Q1 2024     Q2 2024     Q3 2024     Q4 2024     Q1 2025       Q2 2025  
    Consolidated                                                
    Net income (loss)   $ (3,826 )   $ 3,046     $ 7,560     $ 9,427     $ (2,639 )   $ (4 )
    Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs     6,463       6,873       6,261       5,976       5,802       8,294  
    Income tax expense (benefit)     (1,011 )     2,180       3,081       3,854       (1,036 )     (2 )
    Depreciation and amortization     14,097       14,239       14,491       14,283       13,200       13,584  
    EBITDA     15,723       26,338       31,393       33,540       15,327       21,872  
    Transaction expenses                                    
    Loss on debt extinguishment                             1,392        
    Stock based compensation     536       737       644       477       367       538  
    Change in fair value of warrant liabilities     (130 )                              
    Other expense (income), net     (39 )     (44 )     (276 )     (47 )     (34 )     (28 )
    Other adjustments(1)     3,191       517       (123 )     (290 )     (41 )     115  
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 19,281     $ 27,548     $ 31,638     $ 33,680     $ 17,011     $ 22,497  
                                                     
    (1) Other adjustments include the adjustment for non-recurring expenses and non-cash currency gains/losses. For the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, other adjustments includes a $3.5 million non-recurring charge related to sales tax litigation.
     

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Byrna Technologies Announces Preliminary Fiscal Second Quarter Record Revenues of $28.5 Million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANDOVER, Mass., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Byrna Technologies Inc. (“Byrna” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: BYRN), a technology company, specializing in the development, manufacture, and sale of innovative less-lethal personal security solutions, today announced select preliminary financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended May 31, 2025.

    Preliminary Second Quarter Results
    Based on preliminary unaudited results, Byrna expects total revenue for the fiscal second quarter of 2025 to be $28.5 million, representing a 41% increase from $20.3 million in the fiscal second quarter of 2024. The record Q2 performance was driven by strong early demand for the new Byrna Compact Launcher (CL), which launched on May 1, along with meaningful channel expansion.

    E-commerce sales grew 15% year-over-year, supported by growing brand recognition and an increasingly balanced channel mix.

    Dealer sales rose 106% year-over-year to $7.5 million, driven by early success in the Company’s partnership with Sportsman’s Warehouse, which soft-launched Byrna products in select stores during the second quarter. As of quarter-end, the program had rolled out an initial group of stores featuring shop-in-shop formats, with in-store ‘Byrna Genius’ installations expected to begin in July to support continued growth and deepen in-store engagement. Growth in the dealer channel also reflected continued momentum from Byrna’s traditional distributor network.

    International sales rose 86%, including approximately $800,000 in royalty revenue from Byrna LATAM, which is up from a negligible base in the prior year period.

    To ensure sufficient supply for the CL launch and build inventory across product lines, Byrna produced 38,237 Compact Launchers in the quarter, contributing to a total of 63,835 launchers manufactured.

    Management Commentary
    “We are continuing to raise the bar at Byrna and are encouraged with our ability to generate a record $28.5 million in revenue for the second quarter,” said Byrna CEO Bryan Ganz. “While we saw softness in overall consumer spending throughout the quarter, the launch of the CL and sustained expansion of our total addressable market helped drive a 41% year-over-year increase in revenue. This success is a testament to the growing strength of our brand and the innovation behind the CL.

    “Over the past six months, we’ve steadily ramped production to support a successful launch of the CL. With the rollout now underway and a healthy inventory of SD and LE launchers in place, we are transitioning to a steady-state production cadence of 15,000 launchers per month. Combined with the ramping Sportsman’s Warehouse partnership and an expanded influencer roster—including the recent addition of Tucker Carlson—we’re well positioned to maintain momentum through the second half of 2025 and beyond.”

    Preliminary Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Sales Breakdown:

    Sales Channel ($ in millions) Q2 2025
    Q2 2024
    % Change
    Web 16.6   14.4   15%
    Byrna Dedicated Dealers 7.5   3.6   106%
    Law Enforcement / Schools / Pvt Security 0.1   0.0   120%
    Retail Stores 0.8   0.2   223%
    International 3.6   1.9   86%
    Total Sales 28.5   20.3   41%


    Conference Call
    Byrna plans to report its full financial results for the fiscal second quarter in July, which will be accompanied by a conference call to discuss the results and address questions from investors and analysts. The conference call details will be announced prior to the event.

    About Byrna Technologies Inc.
    Byrna is a technology company specializing in the development, manufacture, and sale of innovative non-lethal personal security solutions. For more information on the Company, please visit the corporate website here or the Company’s investor relations site here. The Company is the manufacturer of the Byrna® SD personal security device, a state-of-the-art handheld CO2 powered launcher designed to provide a non-lethal alternative to a firearm for the consumer, private security, and law enforcement markets. To purchase Byrna products, visit the Company’s e-commerce store.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. All statements contained in this news release, other than statements of current and historical fact, are forward-looking. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” and “believes” and statements that certain actions, events or results “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “might,” “occur,” “be achieved,” or “will be taken.” Forward-looking statements include descriptions of currently occurring matters which may continue in the future. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, our statements related to preliminary revenue results for the second fiscal quarter 2025, the timing of the release of full financial results for the quarter, expectations for future sales growth and demand trends, the impact of marketing strategies, the anticipated performance of new products and retail store expansion, and the Company’s ability to sustain momentum throughout 2025. Forward-looking statements are not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Forward-looking statements are based on, among other things, opinions, assumptions, estimates, and analyses that, while considered reasonable by the Company at the date the forward-looking information is provided, inherently are subject to significant risks, uncertainties, contingencies, and other factors that may cause actual results and events to be materially different from those expressed or implied.

    Any number of risk factors could affect our actual results and cause them to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this news release, including, but not limited to, disappointing market responses to current or future products or services; prolonged, new, or exacerbated disruption of the Company’s supply chain; the further or prolonged disruption of new product development; production or distribution or delays in entry or penetration of sales channels due to inventory constraints, competitive factors, increased shipping costs or freight interruptions; prototype, parts and material shortages, particularly of parts sourced from limited or sole source providers; determinations by third party controlled distribution channels not to carry or reduce inventory of the Company’s products; determinations by advertisers to prohibit marketing of some or all Byrna products; the loss of marketing partners or endorsers; potential cancellations of existing or future orders including as a result of any fulfillment delays, introduction of competing products, negative publicity, or other factors; product design defects or recalls; litigation, enforcement proceedings or other regulatory or legal developments; changes in consumer or political sentiment affecting product demand; regulatory factors including the impact of commerce and trade laws and regulations; import-export related matters or tariffs, sanctions or embargos that could affect the Company’s supply chain or markets; delays in planned operations related to licensing, registration or permit requirements; and future restrictions on the Company’s cash resources, increased costs and other events that could potentially reduce demand for the Company’s products or result in order cancellations. The order in which these factors appear should not be construed to indicate their relative importance or priority. We caution that these factors may not be exhaustive; accordingly, any forward-looking statements contained herein should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. Investors should carefully consider these and other relevant factors, including those risk factors in Part I, Item 1A, (“Risk Factors”) in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K, should understand it is impossible to predict or identify all such factors or risks, should not consider the foregoing list, or the risks identified in the Company’s SEC filings, to be a complete discussion of all potential risks or uncertainties, and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

    Investor Contact:
    Tom Colton and Alec Wilson
    Gateway Group, Inc.
    949-574-3860
    BYRN@gateway-grp.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova visited the Noginsky boarding house in the Moscow region

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On the eve of Social Worker Day, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova visited the gerontology department of the Noginsky boarding house in Chernogolovka, Moscow Region.

    “Today’s visit is connected with the fact that our colleagues, workers of the social service system, have a professional holiday. These are incredible people who give themselves to those who come to them with their difficult life situations. I sincerely want to thank all social workers of the country for this work, for the love for those people to whom they give themselves,” Tatyana Golikova congratulated the workers.

    During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister inspected the boarding house and talked to residents and staff. The institution has double occupancy, an assembly hall, a tea room, a library, and a physical therapy room.

    “Today in the Moscow Region we are also getting acquainted with active longevity technologies, which, on the instructions of the head of state, we will implement from January 1, 2025, as part of the national project “Family”. I am sure that thanks to such technologies, the number of senior citizens will grow. We see that technologies allow us to nurse even the most seriously ill patients so that they return to life, to society and become active. Now we are working in two areas: to support the older generation and those people who need help, people with disabilities, people who suffered during a special military operation, and their families. We are actively developing a long-term care system. By 2030, on the instructions of the head of state, 500 thousand of our citizens should be covered by long-term care, now it is 174 thousand. Such social homes are also one of the areas. As part of our project, together with the regions, we will carry out major repairs of 43 such houses and build 55. The most important thing is that these are not the same nursing homes that were before. This is a completely new look for social homes, where people who come here find their family, and sometimes even get married,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    The department employs 35 people, and is home to 45 elderly and disabled people. They have daily classes – Nordic walking, fitness, drawing, beading, string art, decoupage, dancing, cooking, and also have their own choir. All residents undergo annual medical examinations.

    In 2025, the boarding house took first place in the country as the best organization with the safest and most harmless working conditions.

    In total, there are 36 state-run boarding houses in the Moscow region, where 7 thousand elderly citizens and disabled people live.

    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