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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Technology transforming tailings ponds

    [. Yet, for decades, operators have been forced to store most of the water they use on site, leading to billions of litres now contained largely in tailings ponds.

    Alberta is investing $50 million from the industry-funded TIER system to help develop new and improved technologies that make cleaning up oil sands mine water safer and more effective. Led by Emissions Reduction Alberta, the new Tailings Technology Challenge will help speed up work to safely reclaim the water in oil sands tailing ponds and eventually return the land for use by future generations.

    “Alberta’s government is taking action by funding technologies that make treating oil sands water faster, effective and affordable. We look forward to seeing the innovative solutions that come out of this funding challenge, and once again demonstrate Alberta’s global reputation for sustainable energy development and environmental stewardship.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    “Tailings and mine water management remain among the most significant challenges facing Alberta’s energy sector. Through this challenge, we’re demonstrating our commitment to funding solutions that make water treatment and tailings remediation more affordable, scalable and effective.”

    Justin Riemer, CEO, Emissions Reduction Alberta

    As in other mines, the oil sands processing creates leftover water called tailings that need to be properly managed. Recently, Alberta’s Oil Sands Mine Water Steering Committee brought together industry, academics and Indigenous leaders to identify the best path forward to safely address mine water and reclaim land.

    This new funding competition will support both new and improved technologies to help oil sands companies minimize freshwater use, promote responsible ways to manage mine water and reclaim mine sites. Using technology for better on-site treatment will help improve safety, reduce future clean up costs and environmental risks, and speed up the process of safely addressing mine water and restoring sites so they are ready for future use.

    “Innovation has always played an instrumental role in the oil sands and continues to be an area of focus. Oil sands companies are collaborating and investing to advance environmental technologies, including many focused on mine water and tailings management. We’re excited to see this initiative, as announced today, seeking to explore technology development in an area that’s important to all Albertans.”

    Kendall Dilling, president, Pathways Alliance 

    Quick facts

    • All mines produce tailings. In the oil sands, tailings describe a mixture of water, sand, clay and residual bitumen that are the byproduct of the oil extraction process.
    • From 2013 to 2023, oil sands mine operations reduced the amount of fresh water used per barrel by 28 per cent. Recycled water use increased by 51 per cent over that same period.
    • The Tailings Technology Challenge is open to oil sands operators and technology providers until Sept. 24.
    • The Tailings Technology Challenge will invest in scale-up, pilot, demonstration and first-of-kind commercial technologies and solutions to reduce and manage fluid tailings and the treatment of oil sands mine water.
    • Eligible technologies include both engineered and natural solutions that treat tailings to improve water quality and mine process water.
    • Successful applicants can receive up to $15 million per project, with a minimum funding request of $1 million.
    • Oil sands operators are responsible for site management and reclamation, while ongoing research continues to inform and refine best practices to support effective policy and regulatory outcomes.

    Related information

    • Emissions Reduction Alberta
    • Using science and technology to tackle tailings ponds (June 12, 2025)

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DAUPHIN COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Promote Safe Driving During Summer Travel

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    June 18, 2025 – Middletown, PA

    ADVISORY – DAUPHIN COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Promote Safe Driving During Summer Travel

    Officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) and Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP) will gather to promote safe summer travel, urging motorists to follow traffic laws for the safety of all road users.

    The statewide Fourth of July impaired driving enforcement campaign began Monday and runs through July 6.

    WHO:
    Mike Carroll, Secretary, PennDOT
    Mark Compton, CEO, PA Turnpike
    Sgt. Logan Brouse, Communications Office Director, PSP
    Kelly Whitaker, Central Regional Coordinator, PA TIPP

    WHEN:
    Wednesday, June 18 at 1:00 PM

    WHERE:
    PA Turnpike TIP Building, 2850 Turnpike Industrial Drive, Middletown, PA. Event is outside, at the back of the main entrance parking lot. See map for details. In case of inclement weather, the event will move indoors.

    See Full Advisory for Map

    RSVP:
    Media interested in attending should RSVP with the name of reporter/photographer to morbanek@paturnpike.com.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Health Neuromodulation Center of Excellence for Veterans

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn Health announced Connecticut created legislation to establish a Neuromodulation Center of Excellence at the Brain and Spine Institute that provides veterans access for stroke recovery through Vivistem, a product of Microtransponder.  Vivistim is a transformative stroke intervention that helps ischemic stroke survivors improve upper limb function during the chronic phase of recovery when progress in therapy often slows.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability. Addressing this public health concern, Connecticut Rep. Henry Genga proposed legislation for the Neuromodulation Center of Excellence with support from the Veterans with Disabilities Task Force. The program is a collaboration between UConn Health and Hartford HealthCare.

    UConn Health has been at the forefront of transforming the stroke continuum of care, having implanted Connecticut’s first 13 recipients of the Vivistim Paired VNS System. After implant, stroke survivors commence the six-week Vivistim protocol, which typically includes 18 90-minute occupational or physical therapy sessions where therapists use a wireless remote to communicate with the device, pairing vagus nerve stimulation with therapy tasks designed around the stroke survivors’ functional goals.

    Christopher Conner, MD, Ph.D., is a neurosurgeon at UConn Health.  (Photo Credit: Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health)

    “Since launching the Vivistim program a year ago, we have seen incredible results with our stroke survivors that complement the clinical evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of Vivistim,” said Dr. Chris Conner, director of functional and epilepsy neurosurgery at UConn Health. “We are receiving tremendous interest nationally and internationally from stroke survivors who are willing to travel for Vivistim Therapy, in addition to an increase in the number healthcare providers planning to launch Vivistim programs. We take pride that UConn Health is a leader of innovation, transforming the stroke continuum of care to ensure veterans and stroke survivors can achieve meaningful outcomes.”

    “A remarkable first for the state of Connecticut, the Neuromodulation Center of Excellence sets the standard for how our country can ensure veterans are among the first to access groundbreaking medical technology that offers life-changing care,” said Rep. Genga, who serves as Connecticut’s House Majority Whip at Large. “It has been my honor to champion this bill because of the strong clinical evidence that demonstrates Vivistim helps stroke survivors thrive through disability with improved upper limb function, more independence and restored dignity.”

    Vivistim is the first and only intervention clinically proven to help chronic ischemic stroke survivors regain 2-3 times more upper extremity function than high-intensity stroke therapy alone. In current clinical practice, the Vivistim device is implanted in stroke survivors, enabling therapists to use a wireless remote that communicates with the device to pair vagus nerve stimulation with high-repetition, goal-oriented functional activities to increase neuroplasticity.  The standard protocol is for stroke survivors to participate in in-clinic Vivistim Therapy during 90-minute sessions three times a week for six weeks.

    Validating the long-term effectiveness of Vivistim Therapy™, a one-year follow-up analysis study published in the May 2025 issue of Stroke demonstrated that stroke survivors treated with Paired VNS™ Therapy for upper extremity deficits post-stroke maintained improvements in function, activity, participation and quality of life for at least one year after completing the course of therapy and utilizing self-directed therapy outside of the clinic.

    “MicroTransponder applauds Rep. Genga, UConn Health, Hartford HealthCare, the Veterans with Disabilities Task Force and all of the supporters for this first-of-its-kind legislation that validates Vivistim as therapy for life for helping stroke survivors recover from upper extremity paralysis,” said Richard Foust, MicroTransponder’s CEO. “The Neuromodulation Center of Excellence is a replicable solution to address veterans’ unique public health concerns and the limited treatment options that previously existed for stroke survivors beyond acute intervention.”

    John Nute receives the courage award from Representative Genga and the Veteran’s and Disability Task for being the first patient to receive the Vivistem system in CT. (Photo Credit: The Words and Music Company)

    For John Nute, who survived a stroke in 2013 and was the first Vivistim user in Connecticut in May 2024 when his surgery was performed by Conner, his therapy focused on his love for cooking. His range of motion increased significantly with Vivistim Therapy, enabling him to accomplish more in the kitchen, such as cutting a cucumber.

    The Neuromodulation Center of Excellence will launch in 2027 with 10 patients who will be implanted at UConn Health’s Brain and Spine Institute. Hartford HealthCare will conduct their therapy. The collaboration was fostered by the Veterans with Disabilities Task Force, which was created to reduce veteran suicides by closing access gaps to social services and advanced medical care.

    Stroke survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals interested in discovering how Vivistim Paired VNS Therapy helps improve upper limb function can visit Vivistim.com or contact the Neurosurgery Department at UConn Health’s Brain and Spine Institute.

    [embedded content]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Advancing healthcare AI innovation at HLTH Europe 2025

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Advancing healthcare AI innovation at HLTH Europe 2025

    The global healthcare landscape is complex and challenging. Workforce shortages,1 clinician burnout, and lack of access to essential health services2 are placing increasing pressure on healthcare systems in Europe, and around the world. However, advancements in AI present a tremendous opportunity to help. In Europe, for example, hospital Trusts have made good progress migrating data to the cloud and adopting AI to enhance efficiency.3 

    To keep the momentum around innovation, AI leaders, innovators, startups, researchers, scientists, and policymakers are coming together at HLTH Europe 2025 to stand up their latest AI use cases. Microsoft will showcase our commitment to advancing AI for better health by focusing on accelerating life-saving breakthroughs, transforming the healthcare experience, and enabling global health equity. These areas are central to our mission to help shape a future for every person on the planet to live healthier.  

    Explore Microsoft Dragon Copilot capabilities

    Accelerating life-saving breakthroughs

    Advancements in AI are also playing a pivotal role in accelerating life-saving breakthroughs and transforming healthcare into a more precise and efficient domain. Microsoft and the Mayo Clinic are leveraging multimodal data imaging models for chest X-rays lines and tubes to drive innovations in disease detection, and treatment while advancing the state of precision medicine. Jonathan Carlson, Vice President Managing Director at Microsoft Health Futures, and Dr. Matthew Carlson, Vice President Chair of Radiology at Mayo Clinic, will spotlight the collaboration and the ways in which unified data, intelligence, and generative AI are adding value to clinician workflows and patient care. 

    Transforming the healthcare experience  

    At the heart of every clinical consultation is a human moment. But in an era of increasing clinical demands, empathy is at risk of becoming a casualty of efficiency. Our recent global survey, featuring insights from over 13,500 patients across 10 European countries and Australia, revealed a growing disconnect in the clinician-patient interaction but more importantly, an opportunity to rebuild that connection with the help of AI.  

    Earlier this year, we announced Microsoft Dragon Copilot, a new groundbreaking AI solution that transforms the way clinicians work. At HLTH Europe 2025 we are bringing Dragon Copilot to life with Dr. Markus Vogel, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft DACH, Dr. Simon Wallace, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft United Kingdom, and Dr. Joost Juiskens, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft Netherlands, who will demonstrate how Dragon Copilot combines proven technologies with advanced generative AI and healthcare-focused safeguards to revolutionize clinical workflows and enhance patient care across Europe. 

    Dragon Copilot represents a significant step forward in scalable, AI-powered clinical productivity and will be generally available to European markets later this year. Ambient AI, when responsibly implemented, is transforming clinical documentation, lightening administrative burdens, and making healthcare more human-centered. Healthcare leaders should feel empowered to harness AI to restore what matters most—meaningful and empathetic connections between patients and clinicians. 

    Enabling global health equity, responsibly  

    Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to bringing AI technologies to life, we are dedicated to enabling global health equity through responsible innovation. By prioritizing health literacy, fostering trust, and aligning with Microsoft’s responsible AI practices, Microsoft is tackling real-world challenges in healthcare. We are focused on inclusive and equitable solutions that help ensure advancements in AI are accessible and impactful for every community. Through ongoing efforts to promote understanding and confidence in AI-powered healthcare, we are shaping a future where transformative technology benefits patients, clinicians, and populations worldwide. 

    The future of healthcare starts now  

    At Microsoft, we’re not just imagining meaningful change—we’re making it happen. Through strategic collaborations, responsible innovation, and deep commitment to the human side of healthcare, we are realizing the mission of AI for better health for every patient, provider, and population on the planet. 

    Learn more about Microsoft Healthcare solutions  

    Microsoft Dragon Copilot

    An extensible AI workspace that scales across specialties, care settings, and devices

    1 World Health Organization, Health workforce.

    2 World Health Organization, Billions left behind on the path to universal health coverage, September 18, 2023.

    3 NHS England, AWS NHS migration case studies.

    Kees Hertogh

    Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences Marketing

    Kees Hertogh leads the Global Health & Life Science Product Marketing team at Microsoft. He is responsible for Microsoft’s global marketing priorities across the health and life science verticals and Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare portfolio and go-to-market strategies.

    See more articles from this author

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Advancing healthcare AI innovation at HLTH Europe 2025

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Advancing healthcare AI innovation at HLTH Europe 2025

    The global healthcare landscape is complex and challenging. Workforce shortages,1 clinician burnout, and lack of access to essential health services2 are placing increasing pressure on healthcare systems in Europe, and around the world. However, advancements in AI present a tremendous opportunity to help. In Europe, for example, hospital Trusts have made good progress migrating data to the cloud and adopting AI to enhance efficiency.3 

    To keep the momentum around innovation, AI leaders, innovators, startups, researchers, scientists, and policymakers are coming together at HLTH Europe 2025 to stand up their latest AI use cases. Microsoft will showcase our commitment to advancing AI for better health by focusing on accelerating life-saving breakthroughs, transforming the healthcare experience, and enabling global health equity. These areas are central to our mission to help shape a future for every person on the planet to live healthier.  

    Explore Microsoft Dragon Copilot capabilities

    Accelerating life-saving breakthroughs

    Advancements in AI are also playing a pivotal role in accelerating life-saving breakthroughs and transforming healthcare into a more precise and efficient domain. Microsoft and the Mayo Clinic are leveraging multimodal data imaging models for chest X-rays lines and tubes to drive innovations in disease detection, and treatment while advancing the state of precision medicine. Jonathan Carlson, Vice President Managing Director at Microsoft Health Futures, and Dr. Matthew Carlson, Vice President Chair of Radiology at Mayo Clinic, will spotlight the collaboration and the ways in which unified data, intelligence, and generative AI are adding value to clinician workflows and patient care. 

    Transforming the healthcare experience  

    At the heart of every clinical consultation is a human moment. But in an era of increasing clinical demands, empathy is at risk of becoming a casualty of efficiency. Our recent global survey, featuring insights from over 13,500 patients across 10 European countries and Australia, revealed a growing disconnect in the clinician-patient interaction but more importantly, an opportunity to rebuild that connection with the help of AI.  

    Earlier this year, we announced Microsoft Dragon Copilot, a new groundbreaking AI solution that transforms the way clinicians work. At HLTH Europe 2025 we are bringing Dragon Copilot to life with Dr. Markus Vogel, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft DACH, Dr. Simon Wallace, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft United Kingdom, and Dr. Joost Juiskens, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft Netherlands, who will demonstrate how Dragon Copilot combines proven technologies with advanced generative AI and healthcare-focused safeguards to revolutionize clinical workflows and enhance patient care across Europe. 

    Dragon Copilot represents a significant step forward in scalable, AI-powered clinical productivity and will be generally available to European markets later this year. Ambient AI, when responsibly implemented, is transforming clinical documentation, lightening administrative burdens, and making healthcare more human-centered. Healthcare leaders should feel empowered to harness AI to restore what matters most—meaningful and empathetic connections between patients and clinicians. 

    Enabling global health equity, responsibly  

    Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to bringing AI technologies to life, we are dedicated to enabling global health equity through responsible innovation. By prioritizing health literacy, fostering trust, and aligning with Microsoft’s responsible AI practices, Microsoft is tackling real-world challenges in healthcare. We are focused on inclusive and equitable solutions that help ensure advancements in AI are accessible and impactful for every community. Through ongoing efforts to promote understanding and confidence in AI-powered healthcare, we are shaping a future where transformative technology benefits patients, clinicians, and populations worldwide. 

    The future of healthcare starts now  

    At Microsoft, we’re not just imagining meaningful change—we’re making it happen. Through strategic collaborations, responsible innovation, and deep commitment to the human side of healthcare, we are realizing the mission of AI for better health for every patient, provider, and population on the planet. 

    Learn more about Microsoft Healthcare solutions  

    Microsoft Dragon Copilot

    An extensible AI workspace that scales across specialties, care settings, and devices

    1 World Health Organization, Health workforce.

    2 World Health Organization, Billions left behind on the path to universal health coverage, September 18, 2023.

    3 NHS England, AWS NHS migration case studies.

    Kees Hertogh

    Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences Marketing

    Kees Hertogh leads the Global Health & Life Science Product Marketing team at Microsoft. He is responsible for Microsoft’s global marketing priorities across the health and life science verticals and Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare portfolio and go-to-market strategies.

    See more articles from this author

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces FAA Grants for Wellsville & Olean Airports

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $76,762 to the Wellsville Airport and $33,250 to the Olean Airport for designing a new hangar and a new gate, respectively. 

     

    Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded this grant to the Town of Wellsville in order to reconstruct an existing 15,000-square-foot hangar used for aircraft storage. For the City of Olean, the funds will be used to reconstruct two existing gates.

     

    “Investing in our local airports is essential to strengthening our regional infrastructure and economy,”said Congressman Langworthy.“I’m proud to support these FAA grants, which will help Wellsville and Olean airports make needed upgrades that improve safety, access, and future growth opportunities for our communities.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces FAA Grants for Wellsville & Olean Airports

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $76,762 to the Wellsville Airport and $33,250 to the Olean Airport for designing a new hangar and a new gate, respectively. 

     

    Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded this grant to the Town of Wellsville in order to reconstruct an existing 15,000-square-foot hangar used for aircraft storage. For the City of Olean, the funds will be used to reconstruct two existing gates.

     

    “Investing in our local airports is essential to strengthening our regional infrastructure and economy,”said Congressman Langworthy.“I’m proud to support these FAA grants, which will help Wellsville and Olean airports make needed upgrades that improve safety, access, and future growth opportunities for our communities.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces $143,172 Grant for Rehabilitation at Dunkirk Airport

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced Chautauqua County has been awarded $143,172 by the Department of Transportation for the Dunkirk Airport.

     

    Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded this grant for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) for the design and rehabilitation of Taxiway A West at the Dunkirk Airport.

     

    “As the chairman of the House Aviation Safety Caucus, I am pleased that the FAA is investing in small local airports such as the Dunkirk Airport,” said Congressman Langworthy. “This funding will be used to ensure that the runways at Dunkirk Airport are of the highest standard – because when it comes to aviation safety, we must ensure the absolute best.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces $143,172 Grant for Rehabilitation at Dunkirk Airport

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced Chautauqua County has been awarded $143,172 by the Department of Transportation for the Dunkirk Airport.

     

    Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded this grant for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) for the design and rehabilitation of Taxiway A West at the Dunkirk Airport.

     

    “As the chairman of the House Aviation Safety Caucus, I am pleased that the FAA is investing in small local airports such as the Dunkirk Airport,” said Congressman Langworthy. “This funding will be used to ensure that the runways at Dunkirk Airport are of the highest standard – because when it comes to aviation safety, we must ensure the absolute best.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Firearms Felon from Virginia Sentenced to 27 Months for Possession of Two Pistols in the District

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Joshua Eduardo Hurtado, 25, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in federal prison for being a felon in unlawful possession of a pistol and ammunition while on supervised release following a previous federal firearms conviction.

                The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge William McCool of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Hurtado, aka “Migo,” pleaded guilty on October 10, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the 27-month prison term, Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Hurtado to serve three years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, on November 6, 2022, about 2:40 a.m., MPD officers responded to the intersection of 1700 Rhode Island Avenue and Saint Matthews Court NW, to assist United States Secret Service officers with a firearm recovery.

                The Secret Service officers spotted a black firearm with an extended magazine in plain view, sticking out of the rear pocket of the front passenger seat in a parked and unoccupied Chevrolet Suburban.

                About 30 minutes later, officers made contact with the driver of the Suburban. The driver stated that he was a rideshare operator and that the items were left in the SUV by a passenger he knew only as “Migo.” The driver consented to a search of the Suburban. Officers recovered two firearms from the pocket behind the front passenger seat – a Glock 23, .40 caliber pistol loaded with 22-rounds; and a Glock 19 pistol loaded with 17-rounds. Migo was identified as Joshua Hurtado. An FBI forensics DNA test linked the Glock 23 to Hurtado.

                At the time of the offense, Hurtado knew he previously had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia for possession of two firearms in his apartment in Woodbridge, Virginia.

                That previous conviction stemmed from an incident in November 2020. Alexandria Police Department officers found the victim of a homicide inside a vehicle registered to the Hurtado’s father. The decedent’s cellphone contained conversations indicating that Hurtado was involved in narcotics trafficking. On December 8, 2020, the police executed a warrant at an apartment that Hurtado had apparently rented under a stolen identity, in which he resided alone.

                Alexandria police seized a pill bottle containing 42 morphine pills; about 1,500 light blue pills that appeared packaged for distribution but were later determined to contain no controlled substances; and two loaded firearms: a loaded Glock 26, 9-mm pistol with an extended magazine; and a loaded Aero Precision X15 AR-type pistol.

                This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jared English with significant assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Courtney.

    23cr0373

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Central Ohio woman sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for $2.8 million pandemic relief fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Westerville woman who claimed affiliation with Dayton-area pizza restaurants to obtain nearly $1.9 million in COVD-19 relief funds was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 70 months in prison.

    Lorie A. Schaefer, 63, also assisted a co-defendant in fraudulently receiving more than $980,000 pandemic relief loans in exchange for payment, causing a total of $2.8 million in fraud.

    According to court documents, Schaefer opened new bank accounts in December 2020 prior to registering a fictitious business name with the State of Ohio in March 2021.

    Schaefer fraudulently claimed affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurants in Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn. When notified that a Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan for nearly $1.9 million had been filed in the name of Flying Pizza, individuals at the family-owned business said their restaurants could not justify such a large loan.

    Schaefer claimed to have 98 employees and submitted altered bank records as part of her application. Schaefer also claimed the business was established in March 2021, even though the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984. Additionally, she claimed not to be under indictment despite having pending theft charges in Meigs County. Schaefer attached multiple fraudulent documents to her PPP application, including a bank statement, tax records, and a letter from the IRS.

    Bank records indicate Schaefer improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, for example, nearly $26,000 on liposuction, a $10,000 check for a “newborn baby gift,” and more than $900,000 to purchase and renovate a home in Westerville. Schaefer also made purchases at Wayfair, Lamps Plus, Kroger, KFC, Burger King, Arby’s, McDonald’s and Olive Garden. Evidence also suggests Schaefer used the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles in Ohio and property in Australia.

    After being charged in this case, Schaefer committed new offenses and violated her pre-trial release multiple times, leading to the revocation of her bond.

    She pleaded guilty in July 2024 and twice attempted to withdraw her guilty plea.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former New York State Assembly Candidate Charged with Wire Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Dao Yin Allegedly Reported Fake Campaign Donations to Defraud New York State of $162,800 in Public Matching Funds

    Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Dao Yin, a Queens resident and former 2024 New York State Assembly candidate, with wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud New York State’s public campaign finance system by reporting false campaign contributions—including forged signatures of purported contributors—to secure matching funds.  Yin was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation, announced the charges.

     “As alleged, the defendant, a former candidate for public office, submitted forged campaign contribution cards from members of the very community he hoped to represent, to fraudulently obtain thousands of dollars in public matching funds that he was not entitled to receive,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s arrest demonstrates that this Office will protect the integrity of elections and pursue candidates for elected office who violate campaign finance laws.”

    Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the New York State Public Campaign Finance Board (PCFB) for its assistance.

    “Through lies and deceit, the defendant allegedly stole over $160,000 in taxpayer dollars to fund his campaign for elected office,” stated Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.  “Fraud and public corruption threaten the integrity of our elections and will not be tolerated.  The Criminal Division remains committed to aggressively prosecuting frauds that undermine U.S. interests and waste public funds.”

     “Dao Yin allegedly fabricated support to be unlawfully awarded more than $150,000 to further his election campaign. Yin also allegedly abused his position to defraud a matching funds program that could have been used to support other candidates for state office. The FBI remains committed to investigating any individual who implements deceitful tactics to find a seat in public office,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.

    “As charged, this former candidate for the New York State Assembly manipulated the campaign finance system through fraudulent campaign contributions in order to claim matching funds that he was not eligible to receive,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber.  “DOI and our law enforcement partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI remain committed to protecting the integrity of the campaign finance system and public dollars.”

    The New York State Public Campaign Finance Program

    The PCFB oversees and administers the New York State Public Campaign Finance Program (the Program), which provides candidates running for statewide or state legislative office the ability to qualify for and receive public matching funds based on small donations from residents in applicable districts.

    To participate in the Program, a candidate must register an authorized committee with the PCFB, be in a covered election for a covered office, meet threshold requirements for the number of matchable contributions received, and total monetary contributions received, and adhere to all other program requirements such as making periodic disclosures to the PCFB.  Contributions between $5 and $250 are generally eligible for public matching funds provided they meet certain criteria.  For a State Assembly race, the candidate generally must have raised a minimum of $6,000 in matchable contributions and have a minimum of 75 matchable donations. For cash contributions to qualify for matching funds, the candidate’s authorized committee is required to submit contribution cards that, among other information, list each contributor’s name, residential address, and date of contribution.  The contribution card also must be signed by the contributor.

    The Fraudulent Scheme

    As alleged in the complaint, the defendant registered his campaign committee, Dao Yin for New York 2024 (the Committee), with the PCFB so that it could receive funds through the Program.  The defendant served as the treasurer of the Committee.

    To qualify for public matching funds, the defendant submitted fraudulent contribution cards through the Committee to the PCFB that listed the names and purported to bear the signatures of individuals he falsely claimed had donated to the Committee.  By doing so, the defendant obtained approximately $162,800 in public matching funds from the Program.

    The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section and the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Grubin and Rebecca Schuman, along with Trial Attorney Lina Peng, are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa.

    The Defendant:

    DAO YIN
    Age:  62
    Flushing, NY

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-208

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Task Force and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Capture Rape Suspect

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Watertown, NY – The U.S. Marshals Service arrested an alleged child rape suspect yesterday.

    Jonathan Astacio, 31, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was wanted by the Muhlenberg Township Police Department for rape of a child.

    Members of the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force – Syracuse Division and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Astacio at 519 Mundy Street, Watertown, New York.

    “Mr. Astacio posed a danger to our community. We have captured him with the assistance of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. We wish to thank both the community and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in this case,” said David McNulty, the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of New York.

    The U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force – Syracuse Division includes Deputy U.S. Marshals, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Parole, New York State Police, Syracuse Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Auburn Police Department. The USMS Major Case Fugitive Program prioritizes the investigation and apprehension of high-profile offenders who are considered to be some of the country’s most dangerous fugitives. These offenders tend to be career criminals with histories of violence or whose instant offense(s) pose a significant threat to public safety.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Broadcom Delivers the Modern Private Cloud with VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) is announcing the general availability of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0, the platform for the modern private cloud. With VCF 9.0, customers gain a consistent operating model for the private cloud, spanning data centers, edge, and managed cloud infrastructure from service providers and hyperscalers. VCF 9.0 combines the agility and scalability of public cloud with the security, performance, architectural control and total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits of an on-premises environment.

    VCF 9.0 delivers a single unified platform that supports all applications—traditional, modern, or AI—with consistent operations, governance, and controls across the private cloud environment. With VCF 9.0, customers benefit from a modern private cloud that:

    • Accelerates innovation with out-of-box self-service offerings and a consistent experience that frees development teams to focus on applications instead of infrastructure.
    • Controls cost through deep visibility and insights into resource usage that allow better planning, predicting, and optimization of cloud spend.
    • Enables sovereignty and security with data control that supports better compliance, cyber resilience at scale and fleet-level management that helps ensure the latest patches are applied quickly, security controls are up to date, and policy compliance continues.

    “With this next generation of our cloud platform, VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, we are again raising the bar for the modern private cloud by vastly simplifying the deployment, operations, and developer experience of the cloud,” said Krish Prasad, senior vice president and general manager, VCF Division, Broadcom. “Most enterprises are now looking to the private cloud to run both traditional mission-critical and new AI and containerized applications. VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 is the ideal platform for running these modern applications, enabling our customers to be more innovative, efficient, resilient, and secure. We are very excited to see that customers of all sizes are embracing VCF at a rate that has exceeded even our own high expectations.”

    “VMware Cloud Foundation has enabled us to execute on our private cloud strategy by breaking down IT silos, removing technical debt, and allowing teams to shift from focusing on keeping the lights on to higher value projects that move our business forward,” said Roger Joys, Principal Technology Strategy Advisor, Cloud & Data, GCI Communications. “By delivering an ‘everything as code’ private cloud platform, we simply do everything faster and more securely now. Security patches are easier to implement, new applications are deployed in minutes rather than months, and services are updated and rolled out to customers in a fraction of the time. These are all benefits people only thought were possible in the public cloud. We are doing these things in our modern private cloud.”

    “VMware Cloud Foundation is at the core of our Digital Application Platform. Using VCF, we have expanded our on-prem delivery capabilities while improving operational efficiency,” said Paolo Bazzica, chief information officer, IPZS. “At IPZS, we feel that we are now on the right track to continue supporting Italy’s digital transition with a modern private cloud that enables full use of our competences to deliver cloud native applications. Compared to more traditional on-prem setup, we saw a steep IT manual tasks reduction by up to 70% through automation while improving our business resilience.”

    “With VMware Cloud Foundation, we can offer our customers a private cloud operating model from our own data center,” said Michael Heier, Head of Managed Workplace, Ratiodata. “VCF offers a significantly more flexible and easier-to-manage IT infrastructure with its automation, advanced security features, dynamic networking capabilities, and comprehensive cloud management. VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service enables us to deliver a unified platform for both VM and containerized apps, while VMware Private AI allows us to securely harness AI capabilities across this infrastructure. Increased server performance and superior VM density will reduce our total number of servers, lowering power consumption and costs by an estimated 25–30%.”

    “Previously we had a large-scale legacy IT infrastructure that needed to evolve into something that was very agile, flexible, cost-optimized and secure,” said Keith Woolley, Chief Digital and Information Officer, University of Bristol. “With VMware Cloud Foundation, University of Bristol has built a modern private cloud that completely revolutionizes the way we operate and deliver services to our academic community. VCF enables us to run our AI jobs. It gives us the sovereignty we were seeking. And we know there’s hidden benefits in the VCF platform that we’re only just starting to discover.”

    The Fundamental Shifts in VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0​
    VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 boasts a completely new architecture that empowers IT admins and application teams to accomplish far more and spend far less. The platform delivers a streamlined experience for building, operating, and securing a modern private cloud across on-premises data centers, in hyperscaler and VMware Cloud Service provider clouds, and at the edge. VCF 9.0 is uniquely designed to remove the friction between infrastructure and application teams.

    One Interface for Private Cloud Operations
    VCF 9.0 introduces a unified interface for cloud administrators, offering a holistic view of private cloud operations. The new Quick Start App significantly reduces setup time and complexity. Integrated cost management and policy enforcement enables immediate compliance and operational efficiency. Scalable fleet management allows administrators to plan, schedule, and execute upgrades across clusters efficiently, increasing daily productivity up to 10x1. Centralized identity and access management, including single sign-on, password policies, and certificates, enable consistency across environments. Consolidated log management delivers insights twice as fast1, allowing for rapid response. Advanced analytics help administrators understand workload behavior, enabling targeted responses for security and performance optimization.

    Frictionless Cloud Consumption Experience
    VCF 9.0 offers a unified interface for platform and development teams, simplifying infrastructure service delivery and consumption. Platform teams can effectively organize, provision, and manage tenant resources with granular control. More secure, role-based access is enabled through streamlined administration of both admin and tenant identities. Compliance across all deployments is maintained by built-in governance policies, while pre-configured blueprints simplify provisioning, lessen manual tasks, and guarantee repeatable, compliant infrastructure. Developers gain access to automated and elastic self-service IaaS services, creating a genuine cloud-like experience.

    Unified VM, Container and Kubernetes Platform
    VCF 9.0 takes a significant leap forward as a unified platform for traditional, cloud native and AI applications. The embedded vSphere Kubernetes Service (VKS) enables both virtual machines (VMs) and containers to be treated equally. This allows customers to build, deploy, and run Kubernetes and virtualized workloads together and eliminates complex DevOps stacks and integrations. Developers can immediately begin building and deploying, while IT maintains security and consistency. A single interface and operational model manages VM-based applications, cloud-native workloads, AI/ML applications, and traditional enterprise databases.

    Superior Cloud Cost Transparency
    VCF 9.0 offers distinct cost predictability and transparency advantages over public cloud. Comprehensive insights extend beyond infrastructure, incorporating software licensing, operational expenses, and data center costs, thus providing a holistic TCO perspective. Additionally, built-in analytics enable predictive cost modeling for effective infrastructure planning and forecasting, helping organizations avoid unforeseen financial challenges. Automated resource optimization dynamically reclaims underutilized capacity to enhance workload efficiency and prevent unnecessary infrastructure sprawl. Finally, detailed showback and chargeback data, grounded in resource allocation, provide a clear return on infrastructure investment.

    Sovereign and Secure
    VCF 9.0 is engineered to provide robust data control, compliance, and resilience, empowering IT operations amidst regulatory complexities and geopolitical uncertainty. A key feature is the new SecOps dashboard, offering a quick view of platform security and data controls, along with integrated compliance policies. Regulatory guardrails facilitate consistent governance. VCF 9.0’s support for the latest confidential computing technologies from AMD and Intel will enable organizations to leverage the newest generation of secure enclaves, encrypted memory, and attestation capabilities, allowing IT teams to deploy confidential workloads across heterogeneous infrastructure while maintaining consistent security policies and operational workflows.

    Core Innovation Delivers Meaningful Customer Outcomes
    VCF 9.0 is built on industry-leading compute, networking, and storage technologies, and Broadcom continues to innovate around these core capabilities to deliver significant customer value. Advanced Memory Tiering for NVMe can deliver 38%1 lower memory and server TCO. VMware vSAN ESA with Global Dedupe2 can reduce storage TCO by 34%1. VMware NSX enhanced data path can deliver as much as 3x1 switching performance to maximize throughput. New vSAN-to-vSAN data protection with deep snapshots enables more efficient, native recovery from disasters or ransomware attacks. As a platform for modern AI applications, VCF delivers virtually zero performance overhead when compared to bare metal3 while providing the ability to support zero-downtime vMotion for AI applications.

    New Innovation Across Advanced Services for VCF Portfolio
    Advanced services for VMware Cloud Foundation are ready-to-deploy solutions that enable customers to accelerate innovation in their private cloud environments. This diverse library of private cloud solutions is similar to what enterprises have come to expect from the public cloud, allowing them to access the tools and technologies they need to rapidly address a variety of use cases and business opportunities. With VCF 9.0, Broadcom is delivering new innovations across the advanced services portfolio:

    • VMware ​Private AI​ Foundation​ with NVIDIA: This joint AI solution from Broadcom and NVIDIA is built on VMware Cloud Foundation and includes the VMware private AI package and NVIDIA AI Enterprise. The solution offers air-gap support for isolated deployments; GPU-as-a-Service with multi-tenancy support for AI workloads; NVIDIA vGPU C-Series profile visibility to eliminate manual capacity tracking; improved resource utilization with enhanced GPU and vGPU monitoring capabilities; simplified model usage and scalability with Model Runtime; NVIDIA NIM for easy, high-performance AI model inference; and more efficient creation of AI Agents with Agent Builder Service.​
    • VMware Live Recovery: A single solution for managing cyber and disaster recovery across VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) deployments, VMware Live Recovery now delivers increased data sovereignty through an on-premises isolated clean room / recovery environment (IRE) for cyber recovery (available as a VMware Validated Solution); flexibility to recover to a VCF isolated clean room on-premises or an existing cloud option; up to 200 immutable snapshots per VM enabled by native replication; and more efficient scaling through the ability to expand storage independently of compute with vSAN storage clusters
    • VMware vDefend: This advanced service for VCF provides built-in threat detection and response, zone- and application-level micro-segmentation, distributed lateral security, reduced attack surface, and zero trust enforcement across VCF environments. With VCF 9.0, vDefend has added self-service microsegmentation; VPC-aware lateral security with delegated administration; VCF Import integration to streamline transition of existing vDefend deployments into VCF 9.0; and global IDS/IPS policy management for consistent threat defense policies across multi-site VCF deployments.​ Read the news blog here.
    • VMware Data Services Manager (DSM): As an advanced service for VCF, DSM 9.0 currently provides enterprise support for PostgreSQL and MySQL, and is now in Tech Preview with Microsoft SQL Server​. New integration with VCF Automation enables IT teams to deliver database as a service (DBaaS), while additional DSM enhancements increase the operational efficiency for large database fleet management.
    • Avi Load Balancer: This service provides plug-and-play load balancing services for VM and Kubernetes workloads with built-in global server load balancer (GSLB), application health and latency analytics, and web application firewall (WAF). With VCF 9.0, Avi Load Balancer now supports load balancing as self-service, streamlined operations and lifecycle management, and VPC-aware deployments. Read the news blog here.

    Partner Ecosystem Commentary

    “AMD and VMware continue to push the boundaries of enterprise infrastructure. The latest release of VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 builds on our shared vision to deliver solutions with great performance, exceptional total cost of ownership, and advanced security with AMD EPYC™ processors featuring SEV-SNP. Customers can confidently and efficiently scale modern workloads—from virtualization to AI—across secure hybrid cloud environments.” – Raghu Nambiar, Corporate Vice President, Silicon Design Engineering, AMD

    “Azure VMware Solution (AVS) is a fully managed VCF service that provides customers the flexibility to combine VMware Cloud Foundation private clouds with the scale and flexibility of Azure. As customers adopt the latest innovations in VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, they will be able to take advantage of Microsoft’s support for VCF license portability to extend VMware workloads to Azure as is, with minimal to no refactoring, and benefit from the continuity, scale, and fast provisioning for VMware workloads on global Azure infrastructure.” – Brett Tanzer, Vice President, Product Management for the Azure Solutions and Ecosystem Team

    “As organizations face increasing demands for data security, control and scalability, they’re turning to Dell Technologies to help them easily build private cloud environments. VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 on Dell infrastructure will deliver a private cloud solution that eliminates IT silos, reduces risk and boosts operational efficiency.” – Gil Shneorson, Senior Vice President, Solutions Platform, Dell Technologies

    “Our strong partnership with Broadcom is key to delivering the latest VMware innovations on Google Cloud. With VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0, we’re particularly excited about the unified interface for private cloud operations, which streamlines management, and the frictionless cloud consumption experience, which empowers both platform and development teams. We look forward to bringing these advanced capabilities and more to Google Cloud VMware Engine, further enabling our customers to accelerate innovation and optimize their cloud environments.” – Nirav Mehta, Vice President, Product Management, Google Cloud

    “As enterprises embrace hybrid operating models, IT teams are under increasing pressure to modernize infrastructure without adding complexity or compromising on security and resilience. HPE GreenLake for VMware Cloud Foundation with VCF 9.0 will offer a co-engineered, validated solution with flexible consumption, multi-layered security and pre-integrated technology—all designed to streamline an organization’s private cloud journey.” – Rajeev Bhardwaj, Vice President and Chief Product Officer, Private Cloud and Flex Solutions, HPE

    “VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0 on Intel® Xeon® 6 platforms brings new levels of cost optimization and advanced security to the modern private cloud. With greater hardware consolidation and Intel® TDX enabling confidential computing, our mutual customers can lower total cost of ownership, enhance trust and data protection, and accelerate their AI adoption.” – Greg Ernst, CVP, Sales and Marketing Group, Intel Corporation

    “Lenovo ThinkAgile VX Series, a co-engineered solution with VMware Cloud Foundation, enables enterprises to implement a hybrid cloud environment using a turnkey solution for faster deployments, seamless lifecycle management and full-stack monitoring with Lenovo XClarity. Built on trusted Lenovo servers that are reliable and secure, this workload-ready solution is tested, optimized and validated for compliance to handle various workloads, including demanding AI projects. With VCF 9.0, Lenovo will offer customers a unified platform for all applications, blending public cloud agility with on-premises security and resilience.” – Stuart McRae, Executive Director and General Manager, Data Storage Solutions, Lenovo ISG

    “Enterprises building AI factories need solutions for integrating AI into the heart of their operations. VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA fast-tracks enterprise AI deployments with a secure, full-stack platform for building, customizing and running AI models, agents and applications.” – John Fanelli, Vice President, Enterprise AI Software at NVIDIA

    Additional Resources

    Sources
    1-Based on internal Broadcom engineering estimates or test results, subject to change. March 2025.
    2-vSAN Global Dedupe requires RPQ. Contact account team for details.
    3-MLPerf Inference v5 Benchmark results, April 2025.

    About Broadcom
    Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) is a global technology leader that designs, develops, and supplies a broad range of semiconductor, enterprise software and security solutions. Broadcom’s category-leading product portfolio serves critical markets including cloud, data center, networking, broadband, wireless, storage, industrial, and enterprise software. Our solutions include service provider and enterprise networking and storage, mobile device and broadband connectivity, mainframe, cybersecurity, and private and hybrid cloud infrastructure. Broadcom is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

    Broadcom, the pulse logo, and Connecting Everything are among the trademarks of Broadcom. The term “Broadcom” refers to Broadcom Inc., and/or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    Media Contact:
    Roger T. Fortier
    VCF Division, Broadcom
    +1.408.348.1569
    roger.fortier@broadcom.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fairy Devices Launches Global Sales of THINKLET – Programmable Wearable AI Device for Developers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TOKYO, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fairy Devices Inc., a Tokyo-based deep tech platformer, today announced the global launch of THINKLET, a programmable wearable AI device for AI application developers.

    The international sales page is available at
    https://mimi.fairydevices.jp/technology/device/thinklet/en/

    THINKLET is a programmable wearable AI device that enables developers to build AI applications using the THINKLET App SDK. It is designed for engineers with software development experience.
    A full suite of developer resources—including an official developer portal, tutorials, and sample apps—is available at
    https://fairydevicesrd.github.io/thinklet.app.developer/
    (Note: The content is available in Japanese only. Please use your preferred translation tool.)
    Sample movies created with THINKLET are available at the following link:
    https://www.youtube.com/@fairydevicesinc.official5032

    THINKLET was exhibited at the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2025, the premier international conference for Human-Computer Interaction, where it received high praise from researchers around the world.
    https://fairydevices-chi2025.studio.site/

    Lightweight and worn around the neck, THINKLET is built for hands-free daily operation. It features a wide-angle Full HD camera, a five-microphone array for reliable voice capture in noisy environments, GPS and a 9-axis motion sensor for activity and location tracking, cellular connectivity via SIM card, and wireless interfaces such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. These features make it ideal for applications such as remote collaboration, on-site data capture, and voice-based AI interaction.

    Note: THINKLET is intended for developers with software development experience. It is not a plug-and-play consumer device.

    THINKLET has already been adopted by a wide range of Japanese research institutions and industrial partners—including Daikin Industries, a global air conditioning manufacturer—for use in field operations and prototyping of AI-powered solutions. With global availability now open, Fairy Devices aims to enable developers worldwide to build practical wearable AI applications.

    For more information or to request a developer unit, please visit
    https://mimi.fairydevices.jp/technology/device/thinklet/en/

    About Fairy Devices Inc.
    Fairy Devices is a Japan-based technology company dedicated to revolutionizing how onsite and deskless workers interact with devices and data, particularly in industrial and field environments. By combining cutting-edge hardware, AI-driven software, and user-centric design, we create solutions that streamline workflows, improve safety, boost productivity, and enable interaction with AI. Our flagship product, THINKLET, exemplifies our commitment to pioneering next-generation human-computer interaction—providing a powerful wearable AI platform that supports both practical operations and advanced research.

    Media Contact
    Fairy Devices Inc.
    Email: thinklet-sales@fairydevices.jp
    Website: https://fairydevices.jp/en

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: 
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2ce2219c-77c9-4e06-b273-d8d593b06d78

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Solutions30 Annual General Meeting Results – June 17, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Approval of all resolutions

    Nomination of new Supervisory Board members

    The Solutions 30 SE General Meeting was held in Luxembourg on June 17, 2025, chaired by Gianbeppi Fortis, Chairman of the Management Board.

    All resolutions proposed at the Annual General Meeting were adopted, including:

    • Approval of the annual accounts and the consolidated accounts of the Company for the financial year ended on 31 December 2024, and allocation of results;
    • Approval of the nomination of Mrs. Maria Zesch et de Mr. Olivier Domergue as members of the Supervisory Board, and approval of the renewal of Mrs. Pascale Mourvillier’s mandate as member of the Supervisory Board;
    • Re-appointment of PKF Audit & Conseil S. à r.l. as approved statutory auditor;
    • Appointment of PKF Audit & Conseil S. à r.l in relation to the assurance opinion on the sustainability reporting included in the management report for the financial year 2025;
    • Approval of the annual remuneration of the Supervisory Board members;
    • Approval of the remuneration report (advisory vote);     

    Solutions30 thanks its shareholders for their support and trust.

    Results of the votes will be available today on the Group’s website: www.solutions30.com.

    About Solutions30 SE

    Solutions30’s mission is to make the technological developments that are transforming our daily lives accessible to everyone, individuals and businesses alike, especially with regard to the digital transformation and the energy transition. With its network of more than 16,000 technicians, Solutions30 has completed over 65 million call-outs since its inception and led over 500 renewable energy projects with a combined maximum output surpassing 1800 MWp. Every day, Solutions30 is doing its part to build a more connected and sustainable world. Solutions30 has become an industry leader in Europe with operations in 10 countries: France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Poland. The capital of Solutions30 SE consists of 107,127,984 shares, equal to the number of theoretical votes that can be exercised. Solutions30 SE is listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN FR0013379484- code S30). Indices : CAC Mid & Small | CAC Small | CAC Technology | Euro Stoxx Total Market Technology | Euronext Tech Croissance.

    Visit our website to learn more: www.solutions30.com

    Contact

    Individual Shareholders:
    Tel: +33 1 86 86 00 63 – shareholders@solutions30.com

    Investor relations
    Investor.relations@solutions30.com

    Press – Image 7:

    Charlotte Le Barbier – Tel: +33 6 78 37 27 60 – clebarbier@image7.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: RIBER completes phase I of ROSIE with a partnership agreement signed with NQCP, a leading research center in Denmark

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RIBER completes phase I of ROSIE with a partnership agreement signed with NQCP, a leading research center in Denmark

    Bezons (France), June 17, 2025 – 6:00pm (CET) – RIBER, the global leader in Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) equipment for the semiconductor industry, announces the signing of a three-year collaborative partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP), a world-class research center based in Denmark.

    A strategic partnership to qualify the ROSIE process, the first 300 mm machine dedicated to photonics and compatible with silicon fabs

    This partnership marks a major milestone in RIBER’s ambition to become an integral part of silicon fab production lines. It focuses on the industrial qualification of ROSIE (Riber Oxide Silicon Epitaxy), a platform specifically designed for oxide growth on 300 mm wafers and fully compliant with SEMI standards.

    ROSIE is aimed at several strategic markets:

    • ultra-fast optical communications, particularly the Datacom / Telecom segments;
    • optical computing;
    • photonic quantum technologies.

    First ROSIE system sold

    The partnership includes the sale of the first ROSIE unit to NQCP, with delivery scheduled for the second half of 2025. The system will be integrated into a pilot line dedicated to photonic technologies. The program involves joint development work to optimize the process, which will be standardized in the equipment to enable rapid production ramp-up and fast-track achievement of the productivity levels expected by customers.

    A French-born platform supported by France 2030 to tackle global silicon industry challenges

    Developed since 2021, ROSIE embodies RIBER’s commitment to breakthrough innovation, combining cutting-edge MBE expertise with full compatibility with the industrial requirements of silicon production lines. The project has received support from the Île-de-France Region through the Innov’Up program and from Bpifrance under the France 2030 investment plan.

    An exceptional collaboration

    Partnering with Professor Krogstrup’s team was a natural choice.

    “The scientific environment, the team’s outstanding expertise, and their enthusiasm were decisive in our decision,” comments Dr. Jean-Louis Guyaux, Chief Technology Officer of RIBER Lab.

    Annie Geoffroy, Chairwoman and CEO of RIBER, adds: “Our partnership with a leading European lab in integrated silicon photonics is a strategic lever to accelerate the development of innovative processes. This collaboration will help us better meet growing market demands for performance, miniaturization, and energy efficiency, while also strengthening our capacity for innovation.”

    Driving a European innovation forward

    Through this partnership, RIBER confirms its driving force in the European ecosystem for applied photonics research. It showcases the ability of a French industrial SME to bring cutting-edge technology to a global stage and underlines the power of collaboration between industry and science in shaping tomorrow’s technologies.

    “This collaboration launches Phase II of the ROSIE journey – industrialization. It is a source of pride for RIBER to see a French technology emerge as a key enabler for next-generation quantum components,” concludes Annie Geoffroy.

    About NQCP

    The Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP) is a research initiative launched by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, in collaboration with the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen. The program aims to develop a fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC) hardware and quantum algorithms that solve complex life-science problems.
    NQCP takes an interdisciplinary approach, exploring multiple qubit technologies to identify the most promising platform. It leverages a global network of academic and industrial partners. The program also includes the creation of the Quantum Foundry Copenhagen, a facility dedicated to new manufacturing processes for high-precision quantum components, essential for the future generation of quantum computing processors.
    More information: https://nqcp.ku.dk/

    About RIBER

    Founded in 1964, RIBER is the global market leader for MBE – molecular beam epitaxy – equipment. It designs and produces equipment for the semiconductor industry and provides scientific and technical support for its clients (hardware and software), maintaining their equipment and optimizing their performance and output levels. Accelerating the performance of electronics, RIBER’s equipment performs an essential role in the development of advanced semiconductors that are used in numerous applications, from information technologies to photonics (lasers, sensors, etc.), 5G telecommunications networks and research, including quantum computing. RIBER is a BPI France-approved innovative company and is listed on the Euronext Growth Paris market (ISIN: FR0000075954).
    www.riber.com

    Contacts

    RIBER
    Annie Geoffroy | tel: +33 (0)1 39 96 65 00 | invest@riber.com

    ACTUS FINANCE & COMMUNICATION
    Cyril Combe | tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 36 | ccombe@actus.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: GPC Exchange Launches Strategy Automation API for Institutional Traders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GPC Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform known for its institutional-grade infrastructure, today announced the official launch of its Strategy Automation API Suite. This new toolkit is designed to support hedge funds, quantitative teams, and multi-account operators seeking seamless deployment and control of automated trading strategies across centralized and decentralized venues.

    The API suite enables real-time execution of predefined logic across multiple accounts, trading pairs, and platforms—while maintaining strict control over latency, execution priority, and asset movement. This development marks another step in GPC Exchange’s roadmap to provide programmable, compliant, and performance-optimized services for professional digital asset participants.

    “In today’s fragmented market landscape, institutional investors need smart infrastructure that adapts to their strategies, not the other way around,” said Evelyn Hartmann, Chief Infrastructure Officer at GPC Exchange. “This API suite turns GPC Exchange into a strategy execution backbone—capable of coordinating trades across regions, instruments, and risk frameworks.”

    Core Features of the Strategy Automation API Suite:
     • Cross-Platform Execution Engine – Enables strategy logic to route orders across GPC Exchange and integrated external platforms, supporting arbitrage, hedging, and multi-exchange deployment.
     • Real-Time Strategy Feedback – Offers streaming updates on execution status, slippage rates, and market response signals.
     • Custom Risk Parameters – Institutional users can define automated stop conditions tied to NAV changes, volatility triggers, or portfolio drawdown thresholds.
     • Sub-Account Synchronization – Supports coordinated trading across team-managed sub-accounts with asset-specific permissions and automated allocation logic.
     • SDK Support – Developer tools available in Python, Go, and Node.js to integrate strategies with backtesting, order engines, and smart contract automation modules.

    The suite operates on top of GPC Exchange’s high-performance matching engine, which delivers microsecond-level trade response. It integrates with GPC’s behavior-based risk model and supports KYC-verified user partitions for added control and compliance.

    Expanding Institutional Use Cases
     GPC Exchange’s Strategy Automation API is ideal for a range of professional applications:
     • Statistical arbitrage and market-making algorithms
     • Global execution of delta-neutral and momentum strategies
     • Multi-platform rebalancing for asset managers
     • Automated execution of stablecoin settlement instructions for treasury teams

    Early access participants have reported significant latency reductions and execution consistency, particularly in volatile conditions. The exchange plans to expand the suite to support DeFi protocol calls, strategy modularization, and event-driven smart order types.

    About GPC Exchange
    GPC Exchange is a global digital asset platform serving institutions and professional traders. The platform offers multi-chain compatibility, AI-powered trading infrastructure, cross-chain settlement, and regulatory-grade security protocols. GPC Exchange operates regional hubs in Asia, North America, and Europe.

    https://pioneersxs.com/

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: VUBE Exchange Unveils New Visual Identity for VUBE Academy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Seattle, WA, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VUBE Exchange today introduced a bold new visual identity for its educational platform, VUBE Academy, signaling a strategic move to unify design clarity, community interaction, and structured learning in a single immersive interface.

    The redesigned visual system emphasizes simplicity, flow, and accessibility. Key upgrades include a refreshed typography suite, modular layout architecture, and a muted-yet-modern color palette designed to reduce visual fatigue and enhance content comprehension across screens and languages.

    “The new visual language reflects our belief that education is not just about content—it’s about the way content is experienced,” said Lucas Meyer, Chief Product Officer at VUBE Exchange. “We’ve built a design system that invites participation, supports exploration, and scales with each learner’s path.”

    The interface now features clearly defined learning tracks, adaptive navigation menus, and progress indicators that create a sense of continuity and momentum. Visual cues guide users from foundational concepts to advanced modules, while reducing the friction commonly found in educational tools.

    Complementing the visual update, VUBE Academy now integrates community-driven features such as peer discussion zones, learning cohorts, and topic-specific message boards—all organized using the same new visual framework. These design choices reinforce VUBE Exchange’s vision of education as a shared, evolving experience.

    Personalization also plays a central role in the new system. Dashboards dynamically reflect user behavior, preferences, and completed modules—offering intuitive re-entry points, learning reminders, and curated content suggestions without overwhelming the user.

    This launch marks a visual and functional transformation of VUBE Academy from a static course portal into a participatory knowledge ecosystem—visually consistent, behaviorally adaptive, and community-aligned.

    About VUBE Exchange
    VUBE Exchange is a user-first digital finance platform focused on building trusted, transparent, and intelligent financial infrastructure. Through technology, design, and education, VUBE Exchange empowers users to connect, learn, and grow within a secure and scalable environment. .

    https://vertex-lab.com/

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: WMBT Exchange Launches WPoints System to Boost User Engagement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WMBT Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform known for its security standards and AI-driven infrastructure, today announced the launch of WPoints, a proprietary reward points system aimed at enhancing user interaction, retention, and long-term ecosystem value. This new incentive mechanism is part of WMBT Exchange’s broader strategic plan to drive user participation through structured engagement and reward logic.

    WPoints are designed to accumulate through various verified user actions, including trading activity, account verification, platform education module participation, referrals, and community contributions. These points can then be redeemed for functional benefits such as trading fee discounts, priority access to token offerings, NFT collectibles, and other exclusive platform privileges.

    “Building a self-reinforcing engagement model requires more than transactional efficiency,” said Matthew Collins, Director of Ecosystem Development at WMBT Exchange. “WPoints will help define long-term user participation standards and ensure that every action contributes to real economic utility within the WMBT ecosystem.”

    Multi-Layered Reward Architecture

    The WPoints system introduces a multi-dimensional reward engine designed to integrate seamlessly with daily platform operations. It includes the following core components:

    Task-Based Point Generation: Users can earn WPoints through activities such as daily logins, successful KYC verification, first trade completion, course enrollments, staking participation, and referral conversions.

    Tiered Loyalty Model: Accumulated WPoints contribute to a tiered loyalty structure that unlocks progressively higher benefits, including enhanced withdrawal limits, API usage preferences, and early access to promotional events.

    Redemption Marketplace: WPoints can be redeemed within a dedicated on-platform marketplace for discounts, feature unlocks, and participation in WMBT Exchange-exclusive product launches.

    Anti-Manipulation Safeguards: An AI-enhanced validation layer ensures WPoints are earned through authentic behavior. The system is protected against bots, farming schemes, and referral abuse through behavioral analysis and transaction fingerprinting.

    Integration with Web3 and Governance Models

    Looking ahead, WMBT Exchange plans to integrate WPoints into future decentralized governance mechanisms. Users who reach specific loyalty thresholds may be eligible for voting rights on platform development proposals, liquidity incentives, and project listing decisions. Furthermore, cross-platform recognition initiatives are being developed to allow WPoints interoperability with third-party DeFi platforms, NFT marketplaces, and crypto-focused learning tools.

    The rollout of WPoints begins this month across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and select EMEA regions. A phased expansion to North America and institutional partner platforms is scheduled for Q4 2025. As part of the onboarding strategy, all new users registering before July 31 will receive a welcome bonus of WPoints equivalent to a fee rebate on their first three trades.

    Positioning WMBT Exchange as a Participatory Financial Ecosystem

    With the introduction of WPoints, WMBT Exchange underscores its commitment to creating a participatory financial ecosystem where users contribute not just capital, but data, time, and behavior patterns that shape the growth of the platform. The system builds upon previous initiatives such as AI-powered security protocols, multilingual education hubs, and micro-investment products targeting underbanked populations.

    WMBT Exchange continues to evolve from a pure trading venue into an intelligent infrastructure layer within the broader digital finance landscape. The addition of the WPoints system represents a significant milestone in aligning platform utility with user contribution, delivering both operational engagement and long-term network value.

    About WMBT Exchange

    WMBT Exchange is a global digital asset trading platform committed to building secure, compliant, and intelligent infrastructure for the future of finance. With support for multi-chain asset trading, institutional-grade custody, and AI-powered risk control, WMBT Exchange serves users across more than 30 countries. The platform prioritizes transparency, scalability, and user education to enable sustainable growth in the digital asset economy. Through continuous innovation and a commitment to regulatory alignment, WMBT Exchange is shaping the next generation of financial participation.

    https://wmbtex.com/

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Orca Announces Results of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Orca Energy Group Inc. (“Orca” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: ORC.A, ORC.B) is pleased to announce the voting results from its annual meeting of shareholders held on June 17, 2025 (the “Meeting“). The results for each of the resolutions set forth in the Company’s management proxy circular dated June 17, 2025 are set forth below:

    1.  Fixing the Number of Directors

    By ordinary resolution passed via ballot, the number of directors to be elected at the Meeting was fixed at five members. The results of the ballot were as follows:

        Percentage of Votes Cast at the Meeting (%)
    Class   For   Against
    A   100%   0%
    B   99.64%   0.36%
             

    2.  Election of Directors

    By ordinary resolution passed via ballot, all of the nominees proposed as directors were duly elected as directors of Orca to serve until the next annual meeting or until their successors are duly appointed or elected. The results of the ballot were as follows:

            Percentage of Votes Cast at the Meeting (%)
    Name of Nominee   Class   For     Withheld
    David Ross   A
    B    		   100%
    99.51%    		   0%
    0.49%
    Jay Lyons   A
    B    		   100%
    99.13%    		   0%
    0.87%
    Linda Beal   A
    B    		   100%
    99.36%    		   0%
    0.64%
    Dr. Frannie Léautier   A
    B    		   100%
    99.36%    		   0%
    0.64%
    Lisa Mitchell   A
    B    		   100%
    99.13%    		   0%
    0.87%
                 

    3.  Appointment of Auditors

    By ordinary resolution passed via ballot, KPMG LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, were appointed as auditors of the Company until the next annual meeting or until their successors are duly appointed and the directors were authorized to fix their remuneration. The results of the ballot were as follows:

        Percentage of Votes Cast at the Meeting (%)
    Class   For   Withheld
    A   100%   0%
    B   99.93%   0.07%
             

    About Orca Energy Group Inc.

    Orca is an international public company engaged in natural gas exploration, development and supply in Tanzania through its subsidiary PanAfrican Energy Tanzania Limited. Orca trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbols ORC.A and ORC.B.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 1st Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    17 June 2025

                                        Oxford Technology 2 VCT Plc (the “Company”)

    Legal Entity Identifier: 2138002COY2EXJDHWB30   

     1st Quarter Results 

    Oxford Technology 2 VCT Plc presents its quarterly update for the 3 month period ending 31 May 2025. The Directors have reviewed the valuation of its entire portfolio as at that date. The unaudited net asset value (NAV) per share for each Class (as at 31 May 2025) were included in the Annual Report for the year ended 28 February 2025 released earlier today and are shown in the table below, together with other associated data:

      Unaudited NAV
    p per share 31/05/25    		 Audited NAV p per share 28/02/25 Change in NAV % Cumulative Dividends
    p per share
    to 31/05/25    		 Total NAV Return
    p per share    		 Shares in Issue
    Share Class          
    OT1 37.7 36.6 3.1% 55.0 92.7 5,431,655
    OT2 15.8 15.2 4.1% 22.5 38.3 5,331,889
    OT3 15.0 15.1 -0.3% 42.0 57.0 6,254,596
    OT4 18.3 19.8 -7.6% 48.0 66.3 10,826,748

    The NAVs incorporate bid prices of Arecor Therapeutics plc of 42p (a reduction of 6p since 28 February 2025) and Scancell Holdings Plc of 9.5p (an increase of 1.4p). The Directors have also reviewed the carrying costs of the unquoted investments and these remain unchanged from their values at 28 February 2025, apart from the impact of the recent investment in ImmunoBiology Limited (“ImmBio”).

    Shareholders are reminded that the Chairman’s statement in the Company’s 2025 Annual Financial Statements (“2025 Annual Report”) included details of how each Share Class’s net asset value per share changes with movements in the share prices of the Company’s primary AIM investments.

    No dividends were paid during the period under review. As indicated in the 2025 Annual Report, a total of £40,000 was invested by the Company in ImmBio in the period (OT2 Share Class: £30,000 and  OT3 Share Class: £10,000). The holding in Mirriad Advertising Plc, which had negligible value, has been disposed of (OT4 Share Class only). No other shares were bought nor sold in any the portfolio companies in any of the four Share Classes.

    The Directors are not aware of any other events or transactions which have taken place between 31 May 2025 and the publication of this statement which have had a material effect on the financial position of the Company.

    At 31 May 2025, the Company’s issued share capital by Share Class is shown in the table above. The Company holds no shares in treasury and the total voting rights in the Company are 27,844,888. This figure of 27,844,888 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

    Enquiries: Lucius Cary Oxford Technology Management 01865 784466

    This announcement contains inside information as stipulated under the UK version of the Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014 which is part of English Law by virtue of the European (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this information is now considered to be in the public domain.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Legislation to Lower Cost of Critical Care for Opioid-Use Disorder 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in introducing the Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency (MORE) Savings Act, legislation to make it easier for individuals struggling with an opioid-use disorder (OUD) to access evidence-based treatment. The Senators’ legislation would eliminate costs for opioid treatment and recovery support services for people with private insurance plans and for people enrolled under a new Medicare pilot program, while increasing federal funding for Medicaid treatment programs. 
    Senators Welch and Blumenthal are joined on the legislation by Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). 
    “The opioid crisis is hurting families and communities across the country. In Vermont, opioid overdose deaths have skyrocketed nearly 500% in the past decade. We urgently need to find solutions that make it easier and more affordable for those in crisis to get the addiction care they need,” said Senator Welch. “The MORE Savings Act breaks down barriers to the cost of care and medication to help more Americans recover from opioid-use disorder.”  
    “Opioid use disorders upend lives and can lead to tragic, heart-breaking deaths. Individuals struggling with these disorders need and deserve access to affordable, quality treatment and support. This critical legislation draws on proven strategies in the fight against addiction to promote prevention and treatment efforts,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By removing costly insurance barriers and bolstering Medicaid programs with increased funding, the MORE Savings Act ensures that those battling an opioid use disorder have access to the resources necessary to start and continue on the road to recovery.” 
    “No New Mexican should be forced to choose between getting treatment and paying the rent,” said Senator Heinrich. “I’m proud to support the MORE Savings Act to break down cost barriers to proven, life-saving care and help more people with opioid use disorder start their path to recovery.” 
    “Every day, more than 115 Americans lose their lives to opioid overdoses. As addiction continues to devastate families in New Mexico and across the country, we must ensure that cost is never a barrier to treatment,” said Senator Luján. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency Savings Act— to make treatment more affordable and accessible, so more Americans have the chance to recover.” 
    “The opioid epidemic has devastated families across the country. Cost should never be a barrier to getting addiction treatment. By eliminating the cost of care and medication, the MORE Savings Act would help more Americans break free from addiction and prime their road to recovery,” said Senator Klobuchar. 
    The MORE Savings Act works to provide affordable access to OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery support. Specifically, the legislation requires individual and group health insurance plans to cover prescription drugs and recovery services with no cost-sharing—including copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance—and creates a pilot program to eliminate Medicare cost-sharing for OUD treatment and behavioral health services. The legislation also provides increased funding for Medicaid programs to provide prescription drugs and behavioral health services to better treat individuals struggling with an OUD.  
    Read and download the full text of the bill. 
    Senator Welch has led his colleagues in a series of substance use disorder research, treatment, and prevention efforts. This Congress, Senator Welch reintroduced his bipartisan, bicameral Overcoming Prevalent Inadequacies in Overdose Information Data Sets (OPIOIDS ACT) to confront the devastating opioid crisis and give state and local governments additional tools to address the opioid epidemic in their communities. In 2023, Senator Welch’s bipartisan Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act was signed into law by President Biden. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Brazil’s ‘bill of devastation’ pushes Amazon towards tipping point

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Philip Fearnside, Biólogo e pesquisador titular (Departamento de Ecologia), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA)

    A bill essentially abolishing Brazil’s environmental licensing system is just days away from likely passage by the country’s National Congress. Despite the environmental discourse of President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, what is known as the “bill of devastation” (PL 2159/2021) apparently has his tacit approval. Even if Lula vetoes the bill, anti-environmental voting blocks in the National Congress have more than the 60% in each house needed to override a veto.

    The “bill of devastation” has been promoted as relieving “low impact” projects of unnecessary bureaucracy, but it is very much more than this. First, it is for both “low” and “medium” impact projects, two categories that are vaguely defined, allowing projects with major impacts to be benefitted. The bill applies to licensing at both the state and federal levels, and at the state level there is expected to be a “race to the bottom” as states compete to attract investments by loosening environmental restrictions.

    The “medium impact” category is a misnomer, as it includes most mining projects such as the mine tailings dams that broke in 2015 at Mariana and in 2019 at Brumadinho to create two of Brazil’s worst environmental disasters.

    Under the bill, these “low” and “medium” impact projects would be licensed by what is known as “self-licensing,”. This eliminates the need for an environmental impact assessment, public hearings and specification of compensatory measures in the event of accidents or other impacts. Basically, this self-declared statement consists of checking a series of boxes on an online form.

    Bypassing any public or committee debate, at the last minute before the Senate’s plenary vote the bill was modified with an amendment that increased its environmental impact even more. The amendment created a “Special Environmental License” that would allow any project considered to be “strategic” to have an accelerated approval process, regardless of the magnitude of its impacts.

    The amendment is believed to be specifically intended to facilitate the controversial mouth-of-the-Amazon oil project, which has major potential impacts both from potentially uncontrollable oil spills and from its impact on climate change.

    Brazil’s imminent climate disaster

    Global climate and the Amazon forest are both approaching tipping points where the process of collapse escapes from human control. These imminent disasters are intertwined: if the Amazon forest were to collapse it would release more than enough greenhouse gases to push global temperatures beyond the point where human society loses the option to contain climate change by cutting emissions to zero, and if global temperatures rise uncontrollably, it would soon push the Amazon forest to collapse.

    The Amazon forest is on the verge of tipping points in terms of temperature, the ongoing increase in dry season length, the percentage of forest cleared and a combination of various climatic and direct anthropogenic impacts.

    The loss of the Amazon forest that would result from crossing any of these tipping points would, among other impacts, sacrifice the forest’s vital role in recycling water.

    A volume of water greater than the Amazon River’s total flow is released as water vapor by the leaves of the trees, providing rainfall that not only maintains Amazon forest but also maintains agriculture and city water supplies in other parts of Brazil and in neighboring countries. The water vapor is transported by winds known as “flying rivers” to São Paulo, the World’s fourth largest city, which depends on this water supply.

    Amazon destruction

    Given these catastrophic prospects, Brazil’s government should be acting decisively to halt the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and to lead the World in combatting climate change. These necessities are interrelated, as effective leadership is done through example and Brazil cannot continue to merely exhort other countries to reduce their emissions when its domestic decisions are acting to increase global warming. This includes the “bill of devastation”.

    Rapidly phasing out fossil fuel use is fundamental to containing global warming. The amount by which human society must reduce its emissions and the trajectory in time that this reduction must follow are determined by analysis of the best available data and climate models.

    The “Global Stocktake” by the Climate Convention, released at COP-28 in 2023, showed that anthropogenic emissions must decline by 43% by 2030 compared to 2023, and by 84% by 2050 to stay within the limit currently agreed under the Paris Agreement of 1.5 ºC above the pre-industrial average global temperature.

    This limit represents a tipping point both for the global climate system and for the Amazon forest. Above this point there is a sharp increase in the annual probability of uncontrollable feedbacks driving the system to a catastrophic shift or collapse.

    The mouth-of-the-Amazon project is critical. A massive auction of drilling rights, both onshore and offshore, is scheduled for 17 June, including 47 blocks in the mouth of the Amazon River.

    Environmental approval of the first “experimental” well (FZA-M-59) is viewed as the key to international oil companies being willing to bid on these blocks. The head of the Brazilian licensing agency (IBAMA) has been under intense pressure to approve the project.

    Oil project

    Within the licensing debate, the focus is almost entirely on whether Petrobras has the infrastructure and personnel to mount a rescue operation for marine wildlife in the event of an oil spill, rather than the more basic question of whether a leak could be plugged if it should occur.

    Unfortunately, there are strong indications that a leak could not be plugged for months or years, as the site has double the 1.5-km water depth at the Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico that spilled uncontrollably for five months in 2010, and the ocean currents are much stronger and more complex in the mouth of the Amazon.

    Petrobras constantly brags about its long experience with offshore oil extraction, but neither Petrobras nor any other company has plugged a leak at a location with the depth and complexity of the mouth-of-the-Amazon site.

    Containing global warming is inconsistent with opening new oil fields due to the economic logic of these projects, which is different from the economics of continued extraction of existing oilfields. This is what led the International Energy Agency (IEA) to recommend that no new oil or gas fields be opened anywhere in the World.

    In the case of the mouth of the Amazon project, the expectation is that it would take five years to begin commercial production and another five years to pay for the investment; since no one will want to stop with zero profit, the project implies extracting petroleum for many years after that – far beyond the time when the World must stop using oil as fuel.

    Petrobras claims that the mouth-of-the-Amazon project and other planned new oilfields are needed for Brazil’s “energy security” to guarantee that Brazilians will not lack fuel for their vehicles.

    The falsity of this argument is obvious from the fact that Brazil currently exports over half of the oil it extracts, and this percentage is expected to rise with the planned expansion. The reserves in Brazil’s existing oilfields are far greater than what the country can consume before fossil-fuel use must cease. In other words, the expansion of oil extraction is purely a matter of money.

    Another argument promoted by Petrobras and by President Lula is that the oil revenue is needed to pay for Brazil’s energy transition. While the energy transition must indeed be paid for, it should have a guaranteed place in Brazil annual budget, like health and education, and not be treated as something optional that depends on windfall financial gains.

    President Lula’s sleepwalk

    President Lula apparently lacks understanding of Brazil’s suicidal course towards a climate catastrophe. He has surrounded himself with proponents of projects with enormous climatic consequences, such as his minister of transportation who presses for Highway BR-319 and his minister of mines and energy and the president of Petrobras who push for the mouth-of-the-Amazon and other new oil and gas projects.

    Clearly, Lula does not listen to his minister of environment and climate change on these issues. He lives in a “disinformation space,” to use the term coined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinski to describe Donald Trump. The question of whether President Lula will awake from his sleepwalk before COP-30 in November is critical, as this is his opportunity to assume global leadership on climate change. Although there is no indication that this is likely, efforts to penetrate his disinformation space must continue.

    Philip Fearnside receives funding from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Amazonas State Research Support Foundation (FAPEAM), and the Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change (Rede Clima).

    – ref. Brazil’s ‘bill of devastation’ pushes Amazon towards tipping point – https://theconversation.com/brazils-bill-of-devastation-pushes-amazon-towards-tipping-point-259027

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Video: First Hearing of the Religious Liberty Commission, part 3

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    The Religious Liberty Commission held its first hearing at the Museum of the Bible.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM61qht_lc8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Massie, Khanna Introduce Bipartisan War Powers Resolution to Prohibit Involvement in Iran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Thomas Massie (4th District of Kentucky)

    For Immediate Release
    Contact: massie.press@mail.house.gov
    Contact #: 202-225-3465

    Washington, D.C.- Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) announces that he has introduced a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to prohibit “United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran.” War Powers Resolutions are privileged in the House of Representatives and can be called up for debate and a floor vote after 15 calendar days without action in committee.

    “The Constitution does not permit the executive branch to unilaterally commit an act of war against a sovereign nation that hasn’t attacked the United States,” said Rep. Massie. “Congress has the sole power to declare war against Iran. The ongoing war between Israel and Iran is not our war. Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution.”

    Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) joined Rep. Massie as co-lead of the Iran War Powers Resolution. 

    “No president should be able to bypass Congress’s constitutional authority over matters of war. The American people do not want to be dragged into another disastrous conflict in the Middle East. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan War Powers Resolution with Rep. Massie to reassert that any military action against Iran must be authorized by Congress,” said Rep. Khanna.

    In addition to Reps. Massie and Khanna, original cosponsors include Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Rep. Gregorio Casar (D-TX), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Ayanna Presley (D-MA), Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (R-MI), and Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY). Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) has introduced companion legislation in the United States Senate. 

    The text of the Massie-Khanna Iran War Powers Resolution is available here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Quigley, Keating, & McGovern Reintroduce Bill To Provide War Risk Insurance To Commercial Vessels Trading With Ukraine

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

    On June 12, Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05), Co-Chair of the Ukraine Caucus, along with Congressman Bill Keating (MA-09), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, and Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee reintroduced the Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act of 2025.

    As Russia continues its illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, the United States must continue to provide vital support for Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its aggression, and assemble the support of our like-minded allies and partners who recognize that the seizure of land through military force is illegal and immoral. As part of broader efforts to support Ukraine, the Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would help increase Ukrainian exports, ensure the Ukrainian agriculture sector can effectively deliver its products to the global market, and strengthen Ukraine’s economy as it defends itself from aggression.

    “Putin’s unprovoked war has upended every aspect of life for Ukrainians—including their economy. Amidst a constant state of fear and unease, Russia has deliberately targeted Ukraine’s thriving grain industry, limiting the country’s ability to export and threatening the food security of millions,” said Ukraine Caucus Co-Chair Quigley. “This legislation will counteract Putin’s malicious actions and help Ukraine increase its exports, strengthen its economy, and feed its people. This must be the first in many steps Congress takes to ensure Ukraine can continue its fight for freedom.”

    “The Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would allow the U.S. government to provide vital war risk insurance to NATO and partner vessels importing cargo into or exporting cargo from Ukraine,” said Ranking Member Keating. “As Russia’s war of aggression continues, the United States must expand its support for Ukraine and we must do all we can to ensure Ukraine is able to export grain to the global market.”

    “Ukraine’s fight is the world’s fight—and nowhere is that more evident than Russia’s malicious targeting of their ability to export grain, threatening food security for millions around the world,” said Ranking Member McGovern. “The Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would ensure Ukrainians can continue to participate in the global economy, and would provide critical insurance to those working to export grain and prevent starvation in food insecure areas around the world. Congress should pass this bill quickly to ensure that Ukraine can continue to fight back against Putin’s evil and unprovoked war of aggression.”

     Specifically, this legislation: 

    • Expands eligibility for war risk insurance to NATO and Ukrainian vessels participating in waterborne commerce importing cargo to or exporting cargo from Ukraine.
    • Establishes the Insurance for Ukraine Initiative to bolster confidence in Ukraine’s economic recovery, encourage investment in Ukraine’s economic recovery, promote closer economic integration with Ukraine, coordinate dialogue related to war risk insurance, and work with Ukraine and other partners to ensure the shipment of grain to and from Ukraine.
    • Directs the Secretary of State to provide diplomatic and political support to countries that provide war risk insurance for Ukraine, and to pursue a multilateral insurance mechanism through the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to protect the shipment of grain and other commodities from Ukraine.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Leading a 250 Kilogram Meth Trafficking Ring from Prison

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Jonathan Adam Sarratt, 38, an inmate incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sarratt has been serving a sentence for trafficking methamphetamine, burglary, and possession of a stolen vehicle since 2019.  

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that since at least early 2023, Sarratt, while incarcerated in SCDC, was facilitating the distribution of at least 250 kilograms of methamphetamine to a drug trafficking ring within the Upstate. 

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Sarratt to 300 months of incarceration consecutive to the state sentence he is currently serving and a five-year term of supervision following his release. Sarratt is projected to be released from SCDC in 2026. Additionally, the Court ordered a judgment against the defendant for $1 million. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins has already sentenced Sarratt’s co-defendantswith the final co-defendant, Daniel Wentz, awaiting sentencing.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations– Border Enforcement Security Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and the Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gloucester man sentenced to over four years in prison for trafficking drugs and firearms

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for dealing firearms without a license and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    According to court documents, on Jan. 16, 2024, Daniel Shaun Smith, 37, brokered a transaction in which another individual delivered a stolen handgun to a buyer in Smith’s presence. At the same time, Smith also delivered a shotgun to the buyer. On Jan. 18, 2024, during a controlled purchase conducted at Smith’s residence, Smith sold the buyer another shotgun and ammunition. During this transaction, Smith asked if the buyer wanted to use methamphetamine with him, but the buyer declined.

    On Feb. 8, 2024, during another controlled purchase at Smith’s residence, Smith sold the buyer a sawed-off shotgun, a handgun, 1,971 rounds of assorted ammunition, four rifle scopes, a Tactacam scope, and 1.62 grams of methamphetamine. Another individual present during the transaction provided the buyer 3,000 rounds of ammunition.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recovered the firearms and ammunition.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-57.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Local Operation Nets 117 Arrests of Violent Felons in Support of Operation Take Back America

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Boston, MA – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force arrested 117 fugitives for charges including homicide, robbery, sex offenses, felonious assault, felonious narcotics, and firearms violations. In support of Operation Take Back America, the USMS worked in collaboration with federal, state, and local partners with its latest high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative.

    The local operation dubbed, “Operation Spring Cleaning,” covered 45 operational days from March 31 to May 30, and targeted fugitives and violent offenders in 9 metropolitan areas in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Brockton, Holyoke, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Springfield, and Worcester. During the operation, investigators also seized 9 firearms, 544 rounds of ammunition and 188 grams of narcotics. The 9 Metropolitan areas selected for the operation were high crime areas identified by the federal initiative Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which was initially launched in 2001. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a comprehensive, collaborative, and data-driven initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at reducing violent crime, particularly gun violence, in American communities. PSN focuses on fostering partnerships between law enforcement, community organizations, and other stakeholders to develop and implement strategic solutions.

    The operation also aimed to target individuals with ties to Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO). One significant arrest was an MS-13 gang member who was wanted out of Worcester Superior Court for charges of murder and carrying a loaded firearm without a license. He had a criminal history to include assaults and carrying dangerous weapons and been wanted since June 2024. He was arrested on May 30, 2025 in Pawtucket, RI by USMS MA and RI Fugitive Task Forces, Worcester PD, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS), and Pawtucket PD.

    “The success of this operation is truly a testament to the dedication to duty and the commitment to teamwork exhibited by our local, state, and federal partners,” said acting U.S. Marshal Matt Lawlor. “The USMS is committed to reducing violence in our communities by apprehending and removing violent offenders that are negatively impacting our local communities across the Commonwealth,” he added.

    The U.S. Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary agency for fugitive investigations. The Marshals have the broadest arrest authority among federal law enforcement agencies. The Marshals aid state and local agencies in locating and apprehending their most violent fugitives. Formed in 1999, the District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force is headquartered in Boston and coordinates federal, state, county, and local resources to develop collateral leads, gather intelligence, and track and apprehend targeted fugitives. Participants include the U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police Department, Brockton Police Department, Cambridge Police Department, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Haverhill Police Department, Lowell Police Department, Middlesex Sheriff’s Department, New Bedford Police Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, Springfield Police Department, Worcester Police Department, West Springfield Police Department, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Randolph Police Department, Quincy Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

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