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  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Program Celebrates 25 Years of Promoting Healthy Smiles for Young Children

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Program Celebrates 25 Years of Promoting Healthy Smiles for Young Children

    NCDHHS Program Celebrates 25 Years of Promoting Healthy Smiles for Young Children
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    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Into the Mouths of Babes program, a partnership that delivers preventive oral health services to young children insured by NC Medicaid. Since 2000, this program has helped medical providers across the state give infants and toddlers early dental evaluations, preventive oral health care and other dental services that lay the foundation for good health.

    “Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children,” said Dr. Patrick Roberson, DDS, North Carolina State Dental Director. “This program provides vital oral health services for children who need it most and connects medical and dental care to improve outcomes.”

    Into the Mouths of Babes was originally piloted in nine western North Carolina counties as the “Smart Smiles” program in the mid-1990’s. In 2001, the program expanded statewide and established a reimbursement package through NC Medicaid.

    “Since Into the Mouths of Babes began, more than 2.8 million claims have been submitted for preventive oral health services,” said Dr. Mark Casey, DDS, MPH, Dental Officer for NC Medicaid. “This is the finest example of a cost-effective preventive oral health care program at work.”

    Early oral health evaluations provided through Into the Mouths of Babes allow medical providers to identify issues before they become serious, ensuring families can get help early. Additionally, caregiver education provided by the program gives families the tools they need to support healthy habits for life.

    “Our rural pediatric practice has provided fluoride treatments to infants and toddlers for over 15 years,” said Dr. Marston Crawford, MD, FAAP, pediatrician for Coastal Children’s Clinic. “These treatments, combined with caregiver discussion about early oral health, have sharply reduced cavities and preventable dental surgery. The majority of our children enter kindergarten cavity-free.”

    Training and community outreach are key to the program’s long-term success. NCDHHS employs 20 public health dental hygienists in 10 regions across the state who provide training for Into the Mouths of Babes. The American Academy of Family Physicians also provides continuing medical education hours to physicians who attend an NCDHHS training session.

    Key program partners include NC Medicaid, the NCDHHS Division of Public Health’s Oral Health Section, UNC Adams School of Dentistry, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, the North Carolina Pediatric Society and the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians among others. 

    “The NC Academy of Family Physicians is proud to support this program,” said Gregory Griggs, Executive Vice President of the Academy. “It has made a huge difference in reducing tooth decay for children across North Carolina.”

    For more information on the program, including partnerships and the online toolkit, visit the Into the Mouths of Babes webpage. 

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte celebra el 25 aniversario del programa Into the Mouth of Babes, una colaboración que brinda servicios preventivos de salud oral a niños pequeños asegurados por NC Medicaid. Desde el año 2000, este programa ha ayudado a los proveedores médicos de todo el estado a brindar evaluaciones dentales tempranas a bebés y niños pequeños, atención preventiva de la salud oral y otros servicios dentales que sientan las bases para una buena salud.

    “La caries dental es la enfermedad crónica más común en los niños”, dijo Dr. Patrick Roberson, DDS, Director Dental del Estado de Carolina del Norte. “Este programa proporciona servicios vitales de salud oral para los niños que más lo necesitan y conecta la atención médica y dental para mejorar los objetivos”.

    Into the Mouths of Babes se había iniciado originalmente en nueve condados del oeste de Carolina del Norte como el programa “Smart Smiles” a mediados de la década de 1990. En 2001, el programa se expandió por todo el estado y estableció un paquete de reembolso a través de NC Medicaid.

    “Desde que comenzó Into the Mouth of Babes, se han presentado más de 2,8 millones de solicitudes de servicios preventivos de salud oral”, dijo la Dra. Mark Casey, DDS, MPH, Oficial Dental de NC Medicaid. “Este es el mejor ejemplo de un programa de costo económico de atención preventiva de la salud oral que funciona”.

    Las evaluaciones tempranas de salud oral proporcionadas a través de Into the Mouth of Babes permiten a los proveedores médicos identificar los problemas antes de que se agraven, asegurando que las familias puedan obtener ayuda temprano. Además, la educación para los cuidadores proporcionada por el programa brinda a las familias las herramientas que necesitan para mantener hábitos saludables de por vida.

    “Nuestra práctica pediátrica rural ha proporcionado tratamientos con flúor a bebés y niños pequeños durante más de 15 años”, dijo el Dr. Marston Crawford, MD, FAAP, pediatra de Coastal Children’s Clinic. “Estos tratamientos, combinados con la charla con los cuidadores sobre la salud oral en los primeros años de edad, han reducido drásticamente las caries e intervenciones quirúrgicas dentales menores. La mayoría de nuestros niños entran al jardín de infantes sin caries”.

    La capacitación y el alcance comunitario son clave para el éxito a largo plazo del programa. El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés), emplea a 20 higienistas dentales de salud pública en diez regiones de todo el estado quienes proporcionan formación para Into the Mouth of Babes. La Academia Estadounidense de Médicos de Familia también ofrece horas de educación médica continua a los médicos que asisten a una sesión de capacitación del NCDHHS.

    Los socios clave del programa incluyen NC Medicaid, la Sección de Salud Oral de la División de Salud Pública de NCDHHS, la Escuela de Odontología UNC Adams, la Escuela de Salud Pública Global UNC Gillings, la Sociedad Pediátrica de Carolina del Norte y la Academia de Médicos de Familia de Carolina del Norte, entre otros.

    “La Academia de Médicos de Familia de Carolina del Norte se enorgullece de apoyar este programa”, dijo Gregory Griggs, Vicepresidente Ejecutivo de la Academia. “Ha marcado una gran diferencia en la reducción de la caries dental en los niños de Carolina del Norte”.

    Para obtener más información sobre el programa, incluidas las colaboraciones y el kit de herramientas en línea, visite la página web de Into the Mouths of Babes.

    Feb 3, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Blue Ridge Natural Mix Dog Food Recalled

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising consumers that Blue Ridge Beef is recalling 5,700 pounds of their two-pound log Natural Mix dog food due to a contamination of Salmonella.

    The recalled products have the Lot number N25/12/31. (Lot numbers are stamped in the clips on the end of the chubs/bags.) The products have UPC# 854298001054.

    Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

    Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

    Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

    Samples of the product were collected on 01/08/25 by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and tested by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Food and Drug Protection Laboratory. The product tested positive for Salmonella.

    On 01/27/2025 the firm was notified by the FDA that the product tested positive for Salmonella.

    These products were distributed between January 3, 2025 and January 24, 2025. The product is packaged in clear plastic and was sold primarily in retail stores located in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York State, Tennessee, and Rhode Island.

    Consumers who have purchased this product are urged to return to place of purchase or destroy the food in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access it.

    For more information contact blueridgebeefnc@yahoo.com or 704-873-2072.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shakopee Woman Pleads Guilty in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A Shakopee woman pleaded guilty for her role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, at times between October 2020 and January 2022, Mekfira Hussein knowingly and willfully conspired with others to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misappropriate millions in federal child nutrition funds. Specifically, Hussein and her husband, Abduljabar Hussein, fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds by falsely claiming to have served meals to thousands of children per day.

    According to court documents, in October 2020, the defendant enrolled her non-profit, Shamsia Hopes, in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future, at the direction of one of its employees, Abdikerm Eidleh. The defendant submitted her application to Aimee Bock, Feeding Our Future’s executive director. In December 2020, and also at the direction of Abdikerm Eidleh, the defendant’s husband registered his company, Oromia Feeds LLC, with the State of Minnesota as a food vendor. Abduljabar Hussein’s company, Oromia Feeds, had a contract to prepare meals to be served by Shamsia Hopes sites run by Mekfira Hussein.

    According to the plea agreement entered today, Hussein submitted fraudulently inflated invoices for reimbursement—including inflated meal counts and false attendance rosters. As part of their scheme, the defendant and her husband paid at least $140,000 in kickbacks to Eidleh and least $12,000 in kickbacks to Aimee Bock.  In some instances, these kickback payments were disguised as “consulting fees,” when, in fact, neither Eidleh nor Aimee Bock provided any service to justify these payments.  In other instances, Feeding Our Future billed hundreds of thousands of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program claims under the name of the defendant’s organization, Shamsia Hopes, without the defendant’s knowledge or authorization, and Feeding Our Future siphoned those funds to others involved in the conspiracy.

    Throughout the fraudulent conspiracy, the Husseins obtained up to $8.8 million in federal child nutrition program funds some of which they used to pay for personal expenditures unrelated to feeing children. For instance, the defendant and her husband used $173,438 of their proceeds to pay off the mortgage on their home in Shakopee, Minnesota, and also purchased a 2021 Porsche for $93,250, a 2022 GMC truck for $61,722.

    Hussein pleaded guilty last Friday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Her sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

    The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lackawanna County Woman Sentenced To 27 Years’ Imprisonment For Production Of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, sentenced Mykayliah Hevener, age 26, of Carbondale, Pennsylvania, on January 30, 2025, to 27 years in prison for her production of child pornography.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, for an approximate nine-month period in 2023, Hevener engaged in sexual contact with a toddler and used the toddler to create images and videos of child pornography which were either viewed live or sent over the internet to a co-conspirator, Benjamin Egli, of Iowa. Mr. Egli is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa. He has entered a guilty plea and awaits sentencing in that matter. 

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) and the Tipton, Iowa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Arrested For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Antonio Candia-Bautista (45, Mexico) with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Candia-Bautista faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.

    According to the complaint, Candia-Bautista was deported from the United States on October 4, 2016. At some time thereafter, he unlawfully reentered the United States. He was recently arrested during a state investigation into an automobile accident in Sumter County on January 28, 2025. A records check confirmed that Candia-Bautista was a citizen of Mexico with no lawful permission to be present in the United States.

    A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Palm Beach County drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – On Jan. 30, a federal district judge in West Palm Beach, Florida sentenced Anthony Raul Del Valle, 29, of Lake Worth Beach, Florida, to 120 months in federal prison. The sentence comes after a federal jury found Del Valle guilty of distributing acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in November 2024.

    On April 8, 2024, Del Valle distributed pills that appeared to be oxycodone, but in fact were fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, to three family members in Lantana, Florida. All three family members immediately ingested the pills after the distribution. Two of the family members died less than two hours after the distribution.

    On April 10, 2024, law enforcement agents identified and arrested Del Valle as the source of the pills after conducting a controlled purchase from Del Valle. Law enforcement agents recovered a loaded firearm from Del Valle during the arrest.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announced the sentence.

    The DEA, Miami Field Division investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, Lantana Police Department, Boynton Beach Police Department and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon O’Shea Darsch and Alexandra Chase prosecuted it.

    According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning our nation. Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate. Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida.

    For more information visit: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html#; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80062.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Charged With False Statement To Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Eugenio Gonzalez-Paredes (53, Dominican Republic) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. If convicted, Gonzalez-Paredes faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, Gonzalez-Paredes made a false statement on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473 stating that he had not previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison. At the time Gonzalez-Paredes made the statement, he had previously been convicted twice in the United States District Court in the District of Puerto Rico for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To 7 Years For Possession Of Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Sherron Gary (41, Tampa) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Gary pleaded guilty in October 2024.

    According to court documents, on April 9, 2023, officers with the Tampa Police Department (TPD) attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Gary after observing the vehicle had a broken taillight. Gary failed to pull over and instead fled from the officers at a high rate of speed. A police helicopter followed Gary. After Gary’s vehicle was boxed in by law enforcement, Gary fled from the officers on foot, which the helicopter was also able to capture.

    As Gary fled, the helicopter crew observed Gary discard an item as he was running that resembled a firearm. TPD officers apprehended Gary. After the arrest, the helicopter crew directed officers back to the location where they had observed Gary discard the firearm. Officers located a 9mm Walther Creed semiautomatic pistol at the location.

    At the time, Gary had four prior felony convictions, including aggravated battery and armed burglary of a dwelling, trafficking of cocaine, delivery of cocaine, and delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of church. As a convicted felon, Gary is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lakeland Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Trafficking Fentanyl And Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jermaine Jerome Campbell (35, Lakeland) to 12 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Campbell pleaded guilty on June 25, 2024.

    According to court documents, on September 15, 2023, Campbell distributed fentanyl pills to another individual from his mother’s residence. Upon searching Campbell’s home on September 21, 2023, law enforcement recovered bulk quantities of methamphetamine hidden inside of a tool bag.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Indicted For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alex Rafael Gonzalez-Morales (35, Honduras) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Gonzalez-Morales faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His trial is set for March 3, 2025.   

    According to the indictment, Gonzalez-Morales was previously convicted of of unlawful reentry of a removed alien and was subsequently removed from the United States in November 2019. Following his removal, Gonzalez-Morales did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On or about January 14, 2025, Gonzalez-Morales was found to be voluntarily in the United States.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami – Jacksonville sub-office It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: GL Communications Advances Ethernet Testing with the Latest PacketExpert™ 10GX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GL Communications Inc., a global leader in telecom testing solutions, addressed the press regarding their latest release of the PacketExpert™ 10GX, used for testing Ethernet and IP networks and individual network infrastructure.

    [For illustration, refer to https://www.gl.com/images/Newsletter/packetexpert-10gx-newsletter.jpg]

    Vijay Kulkarni, CEO of GL Communications, states, “The PacketExpert™ is a multi-functional Ethernet tester that supports both electrical and optical interfaces. It can conduct a wide range of tests, including Bit Error Rate Testing, Smart Loopback Testing, RFC 2544, ITU-T Y.1564 testing to verify service level agreements, Wide Area Network Emulation, Packet Recording and Playback, Multi-stream UDP/TCP Traffic Generation, Wirespeed Ethernet Tap, and TCP Throughput Testing (RFC 6349). It supports speeds up to 10 Gbps across electrical and single-mode and multi-mode optical interfaces. GL also offers compatible SFPs and fiber-optic cables, providing a ready-to-use testing solution.”

    A single PacketExpert™ 10GX device features two 10/2.5/1 Gbps ports and two 10/100/1000 Mbps ports, all of which support both electrical and optical connections. The device is fully compatible with all SFP and SFP+ modules available on the market.

    Controlled via a Windows® PC through a USB connection, the PacketExpert™ offers an intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) for configuring test parameters, starting and stopping tests, viewing real-time graphs and statistics, and exporting results.

    For larger testing environments, rack-mount variants of the PacketExpert™ 10GX are available. These enclosures can house up to six devices, delivering a total of 24 GigE ports. Additionally, the solution includes optional licensing for Python and C# Scripting, enabling automation and repetitive testing workflows.

    Other key features include:

    • 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps (Base-T and Base-FX), 1G, 2.5G, 10G speeds
    • Electrical and Optical (SFP and SFP+) interfaces
    • Wirespeed Bit Error Rate Testing
    • RFC 2544 – Throughput, latency, frame loss, and back-to-back performance tests
    • Aggregated Ethernet network tap and filter. Can include 12 TTL triggers based on user defined packet detection
    • ITU-T Y.1564 – Test service level agreements
    • Wirespeed packet capture and playback
    • Layer wise Testing – Ethernet, Stacked VLAN (Q-in-Q), Stacked MPLS, IP, UDP
    • Smart loopback (auto layer detection) and layer-wise loopback testing
    • TCP Throughput Testing – according to the RFC 6349 standard
    • Multi stream traffic generation and analysis – send and receive multiple UDP streams and measure throughput, packet loss, delay, jitter, and packet reordering at full wirespeed
    • Generate frame sizes from 64 bytes to 16000 bytes
    • Emulate impairments such as congestion, latency, loss, jitter, and packet reordering
    • Playback previously recorded traffic with precise time stamping to emulate real world traffic

    About GL Communications Inc.,

    GL Communications is a global provider of telecom test and measurement solutions. GL’s solutions are used to verify the quality and reliability of Wireless, Fiber Optic, TDM and Analog networks.

    Warm Regards,

    Vikram Kulkarni, PhD

    Phone: 301-670-4784 x114

    Email: info@gl.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: RUBIS: Transactions carried out within the framework of the share buyback programme (excluding transactions within the liquidity agreement) – 27 to 31 January 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris, 3 February 2025, 06:00pm

    Issuer Name: Rubis (LEI: 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742)
    Category of securities: Ordinary shares (ISIN: FR0013269123)
    Period: From 27 to 31 January 2025

    Upon the authorisation granted by the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting held on 11 June 2024 to implement a share buyback program, the Company carried out, between 27 to 31 January 2025, the repurchases of its own shares in order to transfer them to employees and/or corporate officers of the Company and/or companies related to it in the context of a shareholding plan.

    Aggregate presentation per day and per market:

    Name of issuer Identification code of issuer (Legal Entity Identifier) Day of transaction Identification code of financial instrument Aggregated daily volume (in number of shares) Daily weighted average price of the purchased shares * Market
    (MIC Code)
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 27/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,668 24.7824 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 27/01/2025 FR0013269123 12,385 24.7926 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 27/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,311 24.7927 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 27/01/2025 FR0013269123 24,115 24.7972 XPAR
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 28/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,533 24.9753 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 28/01/2025 FR0013269123 12,207 24.9777 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 28/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,402 24.9745 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 28/01/2025 FR0013269123 24,017 24.9735 XPAR
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 29/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,516 24.8467 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 29/01/2025 FR0013269123 11,979 24.8569 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 29/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,440 24.8613 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 29/01/2025 FR0013269123 23,712 24.8586 XPAR
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 30/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,691 25.1200 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 30/01/2025 FR0013269123 12,580 25.1201 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 30/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,629 25.1160 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 30/01/2025 FR0013269123 24,419 25.1217 XPAR
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 31/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,000 25.2381 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 31/01/2025 FR0013269123 10,000 25.2418 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 31/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,000 25.2404 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 31/01/2025 FR0013269123 20,800 25.2464 XPAR
    * Four-digit rounding after the decimal TOTAL 205,404 24.9915  

    Detailed presentation per transaction:

    Detailed information on the transactions carried out from 27 to 31 January 2025 is available on the Company’s website (www.rubis.fr) in the section “Investors – Regulated information – Share buyback programme”.

      Contact
      RUBIS – Legal Department
      Tel. : + 33 (0)1 44 17 95 95

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Skyward Specialty to Host Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Call Wednesday, February 26, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.™ (NASDAQ: SKWD) (“Skyward Specialty” or “the Company”) expects to issue its fourth quarter 2024 earnings results after the market closes on Tuesday, February 25th which will be available on the Company website at investors.skywardinsurance.com/ under Quarterly Results.

    Skyward Specialty will host its earnings call to review the fourth quarter 2024 financial results on Wednesday, February 26 at 9:30 a.m. EDT.

    Investors may access the live audio webcast via the link on the Company’s investor site at investors.skywardinsurance.com/ under Events & Presentations. Additionally, investors can access the earnings call via conference call by registering via the conference link. Users will receive dial-in information and a unique PIN to join the call upon registering.

    A webcast replay will be available two hours following the call in the same location on the Company’s investor website.

    About Skyward Specialty

    Skyward Specialty (NASDAQ: SKWD) is a rapidly growing and innovative specialty insurance company, delivering commercial property and casualty products and solutions on a non-admitted and admitted basis. The Company operates through eight underwriting divisions — Accident & Health, Captives, Global Property & Agriculture, Industry Solutions, Professional Lines, Programs, Surety and Transactional E&S.

    Skyward Specialty’s subsidiary insurance companies consist of Houston Specialty Insurance Company, Imperium Insurance Company, Great Midwest Insurance Company, and Oklahoma Specialty Insurance Company. These insurance companies are rated A (Excellent) with a stable outlook by A.M. Best Company. For more information about Skyward Specialty, its people, and its products, please visit skywardinsurance.com.

    For investor relations information contact:

    Natalie Schoolcraft
    nschoolcraft@skywardinsurance.com
    614-494-4988

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister’s remarks in Brussels: 3 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s remarks in Brussels.

    Thank you, Mark – it’s very good to be here.

    I should say it’s very good to be back here.

    And as you know, the UK’s commitment to NATO is stronger than ever –

    Because the need for NATO is clearer than ever.

    We’ve had a very good and productive discussion today…

    On how we can meet the rising threats that Russia poses across our continent…

    Including the situation, of course, in Ukraine.

    A couple of weeks ago, as you know, I was in Kyiv…

    I saw residential buildings, destroyed just days before.

    I met soldiers in the ICU…

    Recovering from really terrible burns.

    And I met children, whose parents are out there now…

    On the frontline.

    And, it’s yet another reminder…

    That this is a not a war not just in Ukraine…

    It’s a war on Ukraine…

    Against those children and their future.

    That’s why – together –

    We stand with them.

    We are all working to end this war…

    But let’s be absolutely clear –

    Peace will come through strength.

    And we must do all we can now to support Ukraine’s defence…

    And that means stabilising the front line…

    Providing the kit and the training they need.

    And that’s why, this year…

    The UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever

    before.

    We need to see all allies stepping up – particularly in Europe.

    President Trump has threatened more sanctions on Russia…

    And it’s clear that that’s got Putin rattled.

    We know that he’s worried about the state of the Russian economy.

    So I’m here to work with our European partners on keeping up the

    pressure…

    Targeting the energy revenues and the companies supplying his

    missile factories…

    To crush Putin’s war machine.

    Because ultimately –

    Alongside our military support…

    That is what will bring peace closer.

    And we must keep working together to bolster NATO.

    And as you say, things that would have provoked utter outrage, just a few years

    ago…

    Have now become almost commonplace:

    Russian spy ships loitering off the British coast…

    A campaign of sabotage across Europe…

    Cyber-attacks, election interference, and attempted assassinations.

    Russia is seeking to destabilise our continent – target our values.

    So we should still be outraged.

    And we must harden European’s defence.

    In the UK we are proud to be a leading NATO ally…

    Part of the Forward Land Forces…            

    Helping to police our skies and patrol our seas.

    Our defence spending is of course 2.3% of GDP now…

    And we are working hard work to set the path to 2.5%…

    And NATO plans and requirements…

    As well as the principle of “NATO First”…

    Will be at the heart of our Strategic Defence Review this year.

    Across Europe, we must shoulder more of the burden now –

    Because it is our burden to carry.

    Now that’s what I’ll be discussing at the EU Council this evening.

    We want to deliver an ambitious UK-EU Security partnership…

    To bolster NATO…

    Covering military technology and R&D…

    Improving the mobility of forces across Europe…

    Protecting our critical infrastructure…

    And deepening our industrial collaboration to increase defence production.

    We can’t be commentators when it comes to matters of peace on

    our continent.

    We must lead. 

    And that is what I’m determined to do.

    Thank you so much Mark.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Speech: Prime Minister’s remarks in Brussels: 3 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s remarks in Brussels.

    Thank you, Mark – it’s very good to be here.

    I should say it’s very good to be back here.

    And as you know, the UK’s commitment to NATO is stronger than ever –

    Because the need for NATO is clearer than ever.

    We’ve had a very good and productive discussion today…

    On how we can meet the rising threats that Russia poses across our continent…

    Including the situation, of course, in Ukraine.

    A couple of weeks ago, as you know, I was in Kyiv…

    I saw residential buildings, destroyed just days before.

    I met soldiers in the ICU…

    Recovering from really terrible burns.

    And I met children, whose parents are out there now…

    On the frontline.

    And, it’s yet another reminder…

    That this is a not a war not just in Ukraine…

    It’s a war on Ukraine…

    Against those children and their future.

    That’s why – together –

    We stand with them.

    We are all working to end this war…

    But let’s be absolutely clear –

    Peace will come through strength.

    And we must do all we can now to support Ukraine’s defence…

    And that means stabilising the front line…

    Providing the kit and the training they need.

    And that’s why, this year…

    The UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever

    before.

    We need to see all allies stepping up – particularly in Europe.

    President Trump has threatened more sanctions on Russia…

    And it’s clear that that’s got Putin rattled.

    We know that he’s worried about the state of the Russian economy.

    So I’m here to work with our European partners on keeping up the

    pressure…

    Targeting the energy revenues and the companies supplying his

    missile factories…

    To crush Putin’s war machine.

    Because ultimately –

    Alongside our military support…

    That is what will bring peace closer.

    And we must keep working together to bolster NATO.

    And as you say, things that would have provoked utter outrage, just a few years

    ago…

    Have now become almost commonplace:

    Russian spy ships loitering off the British coast…

    A campaign of sabotage across Europe…

    Cyber-attacks, election interference, and attempted assassinations.

    Russia is seeking to destabilise our continent – target our values.

    So we should still be outraged.

    And we must harden European’s defence.

    In the UK we are proud to be a leading NATO ally…

    Part of the Forward Land Forces…            

    Helping to police our skies and patrol our seas.

    Our defence spending is of course 2.3% of GDP now…

    And we are working hard work to set the path to 2.5%…

    And NATO plans and requirements…

    As well as the principle of “NATO First”…

    Will be at the heart of our Strategic Defence Review this year.

    Across Europe, we must shoulder more of the burden now –

    Because it is our burden to carry.

    Now that’s what I’ll be discussing at the EU Council this evening.

    We want to deliver an ambitious UK-EU Security partnership…

    To bolster NATO…

    Covering military technology and R&D…

    Improving the mobility of forces across Europe…

    Protecting our critical infrastructure…

    And deepening our industrial collaboration to increase defence production.

    We can’t be commentators when it comes to matters of peace on

    our continent.

    We must lead. 

    And that is what I’m determined to do.

    Thank you so much Mark.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests illegal Dominican national convicted of murder in Massachusetts

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Dominican national convicted for murder in Massachusetts in 2007 when officers arrested Cesar Augusto Polanco, 59, January 24 at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Norfolk after he was released from state custody.

    “Cesar Augusto Polanco came to this country lawfully; however, his horrendous actions have deemed him a significant threat to the residents here,” said acting ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “We will not allow our communities to be subjected to the danger posed by violent alien offenders. ICE ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing these criminals from New England.”

    Polanco lawfully entered the United States at John F. Kennedy International Airport March 18, 1990 and later violated the terms of his lawful admission.

    Polanco was convicted of murder March 8, 2007, and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. ICE issued an immigration detainer against Polanco June 20, 2013, with the Massachusetts Correctional Institution.

    ICE served Polanco with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge December 20, 2013, and was ordered removed from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic June 25, 2014.

    The Massachusetts Correctional Institution honored the immigration detainer and informed ICE Boston of Polanco’s release. Polanco remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

    “ICE recognizes the importance of our relationships with state and local law enforcement partners, and we will continue to share information and coordinate operations with those partners in a way that ensures safety within our community,” Hyde said. “As a result of this partnership, the Massachusetts Correctional Institution contacted ICE and allowed for a safe transfer of a violent criminal. In doing so, they enabled us to make the arrest in the safety of a jail cell rather than sending a team of officers into the community to make a potentially dangerous arrest.”

    The 287(g) program – through the delegation of some immigration officer duties – allows ICE to cooperate with its state and local law enforcement partners to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of noncitizens who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws. While the 287(g) Program has yielded successes, ICE recognizes the program is not universally regarded as the most effective or appropriate model in every jurisdiction. Accordingly, ICE maintains its authority to utilize 287(g) agreements and exercise strict oversight. ICE continually evaluates the overall effectiveness of the program.

    Members of the public with information regarding child sex offenders can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Boston’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Washington, D.C. arrests illegal Salvadoran national who sexually assaulted Virginia resident

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Salvadoran national convicted of sexually assaulting a Virginia resident when officers with ICE Washington, D.C. arrested Nicolas Alberto Hernandez-Lopez, 46, Jan. 15 in Fairfax County, Virginia.

    “Nicolas Alberto Hernandez-Lopez illegally reentered the United States, and then victimized a resident of our Virginia community. This is not something that the officers of ICE Washington, D.C. will tolerate,” said ICE Enforcement and removal Operations Washington, D.C. acting Field Office Director Patrick Divver. “We will continue our mission of arresting public safety threats and removing egregious alien offenders from our Washington, D.C. and Virginia neighborhoods.”

    Hernandez-Lopez lawfully entered the U.S. and later violated the terms of his lawful admission.

    Officials in Fairfax County, Virginia convicted Hernandez-Lopez of second-degree sexual assault March 7, 2019, and sentenced him to prison.

    Officers with ICE arrested Hernandez-Lopez April 7, 2023, and served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge. The immigration judge ordered Hernandez-Lopez removed from the U.S. on May 23, 2023, and ICE officers removed Hernandez-Lopez to El Salvador June 9, 2023.

    Hernandez-Lopez unlawfully re-entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    Officers with ICE Washington, D.C. arrested Hernandez-Lopes January 15 in Fairfax County, Virginia. He remains in ICE custody.

    Members of the public with information regarding child sex offenders can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Boston’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X at @EROWashington.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests illegal Haitian national charged with assault, sex crime against a Massachusetts resident

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Haitian national charged with assault and battery and indecent assault and battery of a person 14 years or older when ICE officers arrested Jean Yves Yves Ovilme, 37, January 22 in Boston.

    “Mr. Ovilme will have his day in court, but he stands accused of horribly victimizing a Massachusetts resident,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Mr. Ovilme posed a significant danger to our Massachusetts neighborhoods, and we will not tolerate such threats to our New England community. ICE Boston will continue our mission of arresting and removing illegal alien offenders.”

    Ovilme legally entered the United States Nov. 10, 2023, at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but he later violated the terms of his lawful admission.

    The West Roxbury District Court in Boston arraigned Ovilme Nov. 20, 2024, for the charges of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older as well as assault and battery. ICE issued an immigration detainer against Ovilme with the court later that day.

    ICE determined that the state of Massachusetts ignored the immigration detainer and released Ovilme on Jan. 3. Ovilme remains in ERO custody.

    Members of the public with information regarding child sex offenders can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Boston’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressure Monitoring Device Recall: Medtronic Neurosurgery Issues Correction for Becker and Exacta External Drainage and Monitoring Systems Due to Cracks And/Or Leaks in Stopcocks

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    This recall involves correcting certain devices, and does not involve removing them from where they are used or sold. The FDA has identified this recall as the most serious type. This device may cause serious injury or death if you continue to use it without correction.

    Affected Product

    • Product Names: Becker External Drainage and Monitoring System, Exacta External Drainage and Monitoring System (EDMS)
    • Unique Device Identifier (UDI)/Model: See full list of affected products.

    What to Do  

    • Inspect all Becker and Exacta EDMS devices for cracks or leaks.
    • If there are cracks and/or leaks, do not use the these devices. 
    • Monitor all patients with EDMS for evidence of infection. 

    In November 2024, Medtronic Neurosurgery sent all affected customers an Urgent Medical Device Correction recommending the following actions:

    For providers

    • Inspect all stopcocks and connections before use to make sure connections are secure and there are no visible cracks.
    • Do not use the device if cracks or leaks are identified. Return it to Medtronic.
    • Pre-fill the system with sterile isotonic saline solution before connecting to the patient.
    • Check all connections to make sure fittings (connections) are finger-tight and leak-free.
    • Finger tighten all connections. Over tightening can cause cracks and leaks. 
    • Allow device to air dry completely after cleaning with alcohol or a disinfectant containing alcohol. 
    • Replace any system that develops cracks or leaks during use using sterile technique. Return the damaged system to Medtronic. 
      • Consider application of hemostat or other clamp to the proximal patient line during replacement if blocking the patient line will not create patient risk. 
    • Monitor all patients with EDMS for evidence of infection. 
    • Replace any system with cracks or leaks and continue monitoring the patient for evidence of infection.

    For customers

    • Complete and return the enclosed customer confirmation form to acknowledge the letter. 
    • Post a copy of the notification near impacted product as a reminder of the issue and recommended actions. 
    • Keep a copy of the letter and completed response form for institutional records.
    • Contact Medtronic Customer Service via email: rs.jaxcustomerservice@medtronic.com, or phone: 1-800-874-5797 Option 1, and mention FA1452, to initiate the returns process.

    Medtronic will honor return of unused product for a full credit. 

    Reason for Recall  

    Medtronic Neurosurgery is recalling certain Becker and Exacta EDMS due to a risk for cracks and or leaks in device stopcocks. 

    The use of affected product may cause serious adverse health consequences, including leaks of cerebrospinal fluid, infections, and death.  
     
    There have been 15 reported injuries. There have been no reports of death.  

    Device Use

    Becker and Exacta External Drainage and Monitoring Systems (EDMS) provide a complete closed system to drain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from specific parts of the brain and to monitor CSF pressure and flow rate from these areas. 

    Contact Information  

    Customers in the U.S. with questions about this recall should contact their Medtronic representative or Medtronic Technical Support at 1-888-826-5603 (reference FA1452). 

    Full List of Affected Devices (if applicable)  

    Product Names  Medtronic Product Number (REF)    GTIN
    EDMS 24146 BECKER NO Y-SITEEDMS 24146 BECKER NO Y-SITE  24146 00763000333423
    EDMS 24146 BECKER NO Y-SITE  24146 00763000572839
    EDMS II 25120 BECKER W/1-WAY VALVE 25120 00763000333430 
    EDMS II 25120 BECKER W/1-WAY VALVE 25120 00763000431297
    KIT 26040 BECKER EDMS II 26040 00763000333447 
    KIT 26040 BECKER EDMS II 26040 00763000406066 
    KIT 27581 EXACTA W/EDM VCATH 35CM 27581   00763000333478
    BECKER 27609 W/NEEDLESLESS INJ. SITE  27609 00763000333485
    BECKER 27609 W/NEEDLESLESS INJ. SITE  27609 00763000529307 
    EDM 27636 EXACTA W/BRAIDED CORD LOCK  27636  00763000333492
    EDM 27666 EXCTA W GLUE STPCK GR PT LN 27666 00763000333515
    BECKER 27670 STOP BELOW DC NDL-LS IN 27670 00763000333522 
    BECKER 27670 STOP BELOW DC NDL-LS IN  27670 00763000529314
    BECKER 27672 ONEWAY VLV Y-SITE PT LN 27672 00763000333539 
    EDMS 27702 EURO BECKER II GR PT LN 27702 00763000333553 
    EDMS 27702 EURO BECKER II GR PT LN  27702 00763000467326
    EDM 27732 EXACTA W/NDL-LS INJ. ST W/CAP 27732  00763000333560 
    BECKER 27761 STOP BCNDLESS PATLN 24  27761 00763000333577 
    BECKER 27761 STOP BCNDLESS PATLN 24  27761 00763000529338
    BECKER 27767 NO STPCOCK ON PTLN 63  27767  00763000333584 
    EDMS 27779 BECKER BC NDLESS BOND CONN 27779  00763000333591
    EDMS 27779 BECKER BC NDLESS BOND CONN 27779  00763000529345
    EDMS 27785 EXACTA 50ML BC NDLESS INJ 27785  00763000333607
    EDMS 27795 EXACTA 100ML CATH 27795 00763000333614 
    EDMS 27811 BECKER GRN PL VCATH 27811 00763000333638 
    EDMS 27861 EXACTA 50ML ANTIRFLUX GRNPL 27861  00763000333645
    EDMS 27873 BECKR W/SC BLW DC W/NLESS INJ 27873  00763000333652
    EDMS 27931 BECKER GS TUBING SMARTSITES  27931 00763000333669 
    EDMS 27931 BECKER GS TUBING SMARTSITES  27931 00763000467364
    EDMS 46128 BECKER II BLUE PT LN 46128  00763000333676 
    EDMS 46128 BECKER II BLUE PT LN  46128   00763000406073 
    EDMS 46129 EURO BECKER II BLUE PT LN 46129   00763000333683
    EDMS 46129 EURO BECKER II BLUE PT LN 46129   00763000431259 
    SYSTEM 46700 EXACTA DISP. DRAINAGE 46700 00763000333690
    SYSTEM 46705 EXACTA DRAINAGE 100ML 46705 00763000333706

    Additional FDA Resources (listed in order of most to least recent):  

    • FDA’s Enforcement Report
    • Medical Device Recall Database

    Unique Device Identifier (UDI)

    The unique device identifier (UDI) helps identify individual medical devices sold in the United States from manufacturing through distribution to patient use. The UDI allows for more accurate reporting, reviewing, and analyzing of adverse event reports so that devices can be identified, and problems potentially corrected more quickly.

    How do I report a problem?

    Health care professionals and consumers may report adverse reactions or quality problems they experienced using these devices to MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Announces 2025 Legislative Proposal: Increase Special Education Support for Municipalities

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the state budget proposal he will present to the Connecticut General Assembly later this week will include an increase in funding for towns and cities to provide special education services for students with disabilities, as well as the creation of a new program that incentivizes municipalities to provide special education programming to students in-district or on a regional basis.

    “Over the last several years, special education services have been one of the largest cost drivers for school districts due to the increase in the number of students eligible for special education services and the rapid increase in the cost of those services, particularly for students outplaced in approved special education programs,” Governor Lamont said. “I know that special ed is a major expense when developing town and city budgets and can be unpredictable from year to year. This increased investment supports our municipalities and supports students with special needs.”

    For fiscal year 2027, the governor is recommending to the legislature that the Excess Cost Grant, which subsidizes high-cost placements for students with the greatest needs, be increased by an additional $40 million.

    Additionally, the governor is asking the legislature to establish the High-Quality Special Education Incentive Grant program. Administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education, this competitive grant program will increase the capacity of school districts to provide high-quality special education programming in-district and regionally, reducing reliance on out-of-district placements and meeting students’ needs as identified by their Individual Education Program in the least restrictive environment. For fiscal year 2027, the governor is proposing to allocate $10 million from the General Fund and $4 million in bond funds to support it.

    The State Department of Education is also currently undergoing a study to analyze other states’ annual special education rate-setting for providers of special education services, including placements in out-of-district programs, which could result in additional recommendations by the department. Initiated by Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, this initiative aims to address the financial unpredictability associated with these specialized services and help districts better manage their budgets.

    “By incentivizing districts to provide high-quality special education services right within their communities through new and innovative partnerships, by devoting additional funding to the Excess Cost Grant, and by addressing special education tuition costs, this proposal will directly tackle the rising costs of special education services,” Commissioner Russell-Tucker said. “It will assist our schools in building stronger educational opportunities for the 91,847 students who are receiving special education services across Connecticut.”

    Governor Lamont is scheduled to deliver his annual budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. Documents containing the full details of his biennial budget proposal and other legislative proposals will be filed on that date.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James and Coalition of 22 Attorneys General Celebrate Court Victory Stopping Federal Funding Freeze

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 22 attorneys general today celebrated winning a court order halting the implementation of a Trump administration policy that would block many federal agency grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs. On Friday, Judge John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the administration’s illegal funding freeze after Attorney General James and the coalition filed a lawsuit to stop the policy.

    “The power of the purse belongs to Congress – not the President of the United States,” said Attorney General James. “Last week, I led a coalition of attorneys general in suing to stop this dangerous and chaotic policy, and we won a court order to stop it while our lawsuit proceeds. Now, New Yorkers can rest assured that federal funds for critical services – meals for our seniors, health care, community public safety, disaster relief, and so much more – are currently not at risk. I will continue to fight in court to defend the essential programs and services New Yorkers need.”

    The TRO won by Attorney General James prohibits federal agencies from taking any action that would “pause, freeze, block, cancel or terminate” the provision of federal funding, unless otherwise permitted by existing statute or the terms of the grant. Because of Attorney General James’ immediate intervention, programs that provide critical health and childcare services to families in need, deliver support to public schools, combat violence and expand public safety, provide life-saving disaster relief to states, and more are no longer at immediate risk of losing their funding.

    In a notice sent to federal agencies and filed with the court this morning, the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicated its intent to comply with the court order and affirmed that the TRO blocking the illegal freeze applied to all federal funding awards or obligations, including those made to recipients such as hospitals, non-profits, or other organizations. The TRO applied to both current and future grants of federal assistance.

    This morning, Attorney General James also sent a letter to hundreds of recipients of federal funding informing them that federal financial assistance cannot be frozen as a result of the administration’s policy, which is now blocked. This included health care providers, who were informed that funding cannot be frozen or withdrawn on the basis of providing gender affirming care to minors. Attorney General James also reminded providers that regardless of funding, all providers in New York are obligated to comply with New York state laws, including those that prohibit discrimination against individuals based on their sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or membership in other protected classes. To comply with New York law, Attorney General James warns all providers that they must continue to provide health care services, including gender affirming care, to transgender or gender nonconforming individuals.

    This lawsuit was led by Attorney General James and the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. 

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reducing Gun Violence in New York Communities

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $20.7 million to support SNUG Street Outreach programs that work to reduce gun violence and save lives in 14 communities across New York State. These grants to community-based organizations and hospitals fund outreach workers, hospital responders, social workers and case managers who are credible messengers and work with individuals at risk of gun violence, connecting them with support and services to change behavior and increase opportunities. Last week, Governor Hochul announced that shooting incidents with injury reported in communities participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence initiative reached record lows in 2024 with 588 incidents reported compared to 817 in 2023, a 28 percent reduction. The Governor’s FY26 Executive Budget continues unprecedented support for SNUG, Gun Involved Violence and other initiatives in communities that report 90 percent of violent crimes with firearms and 85 percent of violent crimes outside of New York City.

    “Public safety is my number one priority — that’s why my Budget invests in proven initiatives like the SNUG program to drive down gun violence, save lives and keep New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “Outreach teams across the State are working alongside law enforcement and local partners to target gun violence anywhere it occurs, and to engage stakeholders in a comprehensive approach that makes our communities safer for all.”

    New York State’s SNUG program uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting transmission and treating individuals, families and communities affected by the violence. Administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, SNUG, Gun Involved Violence (GIVE) initiative, the State’s nationally recognized Crime Analysis Centers Network and Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower) are key components of Governor Hochul’s comprehensive plan to address the causes and consequences of gun violence and other crimes.

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Our SNUG Street Outreach teams are a critical component of Governor Hochul’s comprehensive crime reduction and public safety plan. These dedicated individuals work in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence. They mediate and defuse conflicts and provide access to programs and support, including counseling and case management, so youth and families can thrive, and communities can heal. We thank Governor Hochul for her continued support of this work and for her leadership on public safety.”

    The $20.7 million will fund staff, programs, services, equipment and technology for the SNUG locations during the 2025 calendar year. Community-based organizations and hospitals receive the funding, which supports 181 full-time and 39 part-time employees who work in specific neighborhoods in Albany, the Bronx, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mt. Vernon, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie, Syracuse, Rochester, Troy, Utica, Wyandanch and Yonkers. DCJS tracks shooting data in these “SNUG zones” and last year, those zones collectively reported significant, double-digit decreases in shooting victims, individuals killed by gun violence and shooting incidents with injury when compared to 2023.

    SNUG outreach workers, social workers, case managers and hospital responders work in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by gun violence, and the program also embeds social workers and hospital responders at Level One trauma centers in Albany, Buffalo, the Bronx, Rochester and Syracuse. These professionals work with individuals and families in the aftermath of a violent incident to offer support, services and connect them to the SNUG program in their communities for additional assistance.

    SNUG staff are credible messengers who live in the communities in which they work, and some have been involved with the criminal justice system or lost loved ones to violence. They work with teens and young adults to detect and defuse disputes before they escalate; respond to shootings to prevent retaliation through mediation and assist family members of those who have been injured or killed; and mentor youth involved with the program to set goals and connect them with educational and job opportunities as well as other services. The programs also engage the community, religious organizations and clergy, and local businesses by sponsoring anti-violence marches, job fairs, block parties, sporting events and other community gatherings.

    The following organizations and hospitals will receive funding and support from DCJS to administer SNUG:

    New York City and Long Island

    • Bronx – Jacobi Medical Center: $2,702,617
    • Hempstead – Family and Children’s Association: $1,164,397
    • Wyandanch – Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk: $746,522

    Hudson Valley

    • Mt. Vernon – Family Services of Westchester: $1,088,391
    • Newburgh – Regional Economic Community Action Plan: $896,799
    • Poughkeepsie – Family Services Inc.: $1,076,245
    • Yonkers – Yonkers YMCA: $1,010,259

    Capital Region

    • Albany – Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region: $1,820,329 and Albany Medical Center: $262,310
    • Troy – Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region: $860,134

    Central New York

    • Syracuse – Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility: $1,820,189 and SUNY Upstate Medical Center: $464,374

    Mohawk Valley

    • Utica – Integrated Community Alternatives Network: $792,673

    Finger Lakes

    • Rochester – PathStone Corp.: $1,949,426 and Rochester General Hospital: $571,002

    Western New York

    • Buffalo – Erie County Medical Center: $2,800,915
    • Niagara Falls – Community Missions of Niagara Frontier: $ 677,170

    Comprehensive training, site visits and support from DCJS set SNUG apart from other community-based violence interruption programs across the state and country. New staff must complete 40 hours of training and new supervisors complete 32 hours of management training. All staff must also complete 40 hours of professional development training annually. This ongoing training and support help ensure that the program operates consistently across all SNUG sites despite being operated by different community-based organizations and hospitals.

    State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “As a State Senator, I was proud to advocate for the first SNUG investments in Yonkers and New York State because I knew that real community-driven solutions were key to reducing gun violence and keeping our neighborhoods safe. We’ve seen firsthand how SNUG has changed lives—interrupting cycles of violence, providing critical support, and helping young people find a better path. I’m so proud that Yonkers is receiving more than $1 million in new funding to support this lifesaving program. As Majority Leader, I remain committed to continuing smart, effective investments like SNUG across Westchester and New York. I thank Governor Hochul, my Westchester Delegation and Majority Senators, as well as our partners in the Assembly for their continued leadership and partnership in the fight against gun violence. I look forward to building on this progress together to keep our communities safe.”

    State Senator Jamaal Bailey said, “Investing $20.7 million in SNUG to enhance efforts such as preventing gun violence, supporting at-risk individuals, and strengthening communities across New York State is essential. SNUG has been a pivotal partner in preventing gun violence and an organization that has significantly impacted my district, and will continue to do so as Mt. Vernon – Family Services of Westchester is receiving $1,088,391. By funding outreach workers, social workers, and hospital responders, future conflicts can de-escalate and create safer neighborhoods and brighter futures for all of us. Thank you to Governor Hochul for your leadership and prioritizing the safety of our community.”

    State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “This funding for SNUG, is about more than just intervention—it’s about changing the conditions that lead to violence in the first place. Jacobi Hospital’s Standing Up to Violence program has done just that in its years in service. By supporting credible messengers, outreach workers, and trauma responders, we’re making sure the right people are in place to mediate conflicts, connect at-risk individuals with opportunities, and prevent the next tragedy before it happens. I commend Governor Hochul for investing in real solutions, because every neighborhood, every family, every child in the Bronx deserves to grow up safe from gun violence.”

    State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, “Every member of our community deserves to feel safe, wherever they may be. Over $20 million dollars in funding to reduce gun violence across New York State will build upon the tremendous impact that programs such as GIVE have already had on communities like Rochester. I applaud Governor Hochul for addressing the root causes of violence and supporting working solutions to protect our fellow New Yorkers.”

    State Senator Sean Ryan said, “Promoting public safety in Buffalo and across our state is a top priority. It’s why we have passed the toughest gun safety laws in the nation and continue to fund initiatives that reduce crime and strengthen communities. I am thankful for Governor Hochul’s support for these outreach programs, which have a proven track record of reducing gun violence.”

    State Senator Monica Martinez said, “Gun violence is taking the lives of New Yorkers and instilling fear within our communities. The SNUG Street Outreach program is a proven tool that preempts these devastating tragedies by engaging at-risk individuals and providing them with the support needed to choose a different path. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for enshrining our shared commitment to ending gun violence in New York State in this year’s executive budget.”

    State Senator Patricia Fahy said, “Investing in evidence-based programming and on-the-ground resources is exactly how we combat the scourge of gun violence. Partnering with law enforcement, community-based interrupters in cycles of violence like the Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region and increasing the state’s commitment to funding these initiatives is why we’re seeing gun violence rates drop in communities across the state. Thank you to Governor Hochul and my legislative colleagues for continuing to work to ensure that New Yorkers everywhere feel safe on our streets, and to ending the epidemic of gun violence here in New York State.”

    State Senator Siela Bynoe said, “The epidemic of gun violence that has taken the lives of too many people across Long Island, and the nation, must end. Addressing the root causes of gun violence through programs that offer outreach where it’s most needed, is both necessary and impactful. I am grateful for Governor Hochul’s support of community-based solutions in the district.”

    State Senator Joseph Griffo said, “It is imperative that we continue to look for ways to address and reduce gun violence in the state. This funding will strengthen the SNUG program in Utica by supporting a variety of important services and resources that will enhance public safety in the city and region.”

    State Senator Rachel May said, “The state has demonstrated real progress in reducing gun violence rates, and this is our opportunity to continue that success. By increasing funding for the Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility and SUNY Upstate Medical Center, we can make a meaningful impact on our communities where the scourge of gun violence is widespread. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her leadership, as well as to my colleagues in the legislature for their commitment to curb gun violence in New York State.”

    Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “We know that outreach works. When people in the community are supporting efforts to combat gun violence, lives get saved. I support the GIVE Initiative and other anti-violence initiatives as well as the work SNUG continues to do in our communities. The Response Teams at Erie County Medical Center continue to be top of the line.”

    Assemblymember J. Gary Pretlow said, “As we continue to combat gun violence in our communities, investing in programs like SNUG is not just necessary—it’s life-saving. This funding from Governor Hochul ensures that we can provide resources, mentorship, and intervention to those most at risk, creating safer neighborhoods for everyone. I am proud to support SNUG and the dedicated individuals working tirelessly to break the cycle of violence in Mount Vernon and beyond.”

    Assemblymember William B. Magnarelli said, “Reducing gun violence is a priority in protecting our communities. By working with organizations in the community, together we can reinforce safety measures and prevention methods to decrease gun violence.”

    Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said, “As one of the original supporters of SNUG which started here in the Capital Region, I have worked closely with Trinity Alliance and those who are part of SNUG and have seen the positive impact of the program. That is why I am appreciative of the Governor’s support to continue to grow the program, including in the City of Troy where the program has taken roots and is welcomed by the public safety team. The data validates the critical need and impact of the program which is making our communities safer.”

    Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter said, “I am grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership and commitment to reducing gun violence in our communities. The $20.7 million investment in SNUG Street Outreach programs, including critical funding for Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility and SUNY Upstate Medical Center, will have a direct and positive impact on the lives of people in the 128th Assembly District. By supporting outreach workers, hospital responders, and case managers, this initiative provides life-changing resources to those most at risk, helping to break cycles of violence and create safer neighborhoods. I look forward to seeing the continued progress of these evidence-based efforts to protect and uplift our communities.”

    Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson said, “Unfortunately, gun violence plagues the cities of Newburgh and Poughkeepsie as it does too many areas of the State and the Nation. Gun violence must be addressed in three ways: ending gun trafficking from outside of New York State; enforcing our gun laws including full application of our red flags laws; and engaging the community through community-based organizations to discourage and stop gun violence before it starts. I wish to applaud Governor Hochul for her commitment to stopping gun violence using all three avenues and for the investment in this year’s budget in anti-gun violence initiatives with community-based organizations.”

    Assemblymember Marianne Buttenschon said, “We unfortunately continue to see our youth negatively impacted by gun violence and this program works to reduce the violence. I appreciate the Governor providing additional funding to SNUG Programs.”

    Assemblymember Demond Meeks said, “Community-based programs like SNUG and GIVE are making a real difference in the fight against gun violence. By focusing on mediation, mentorship, and support, they’re helping to change behaviors and address the root causes of this complex issue. The data is clear: these programs are strengthening our neighborhoods and saving lives. I commend Governor Hochul for her ongoing commitment to investing in these vital resources that directly support communities disproportionately impacted by crime.”

    Assemblymember Jen Lunsford said, “Tangible investments in grassroots organizations working to stop gun violence in our community have paid dividends over the past year. We can see crime trending down in nearly every gun-related category thanks to this kind of targeted delivery of resources. This announcement from the Governor of large scale funding for gun violence prevention will help us continue to reduce violence and bring peace and stability to our neighborhoods.”

    Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr. said, “Far too many families in the Bronx and across our communities in New York have felt the devastating effects of gun violence. The SNUG program will strengthen intervention efforts and connect at-risk individuals with critical resources. By addressing the root causes of violence and providing meaningful intervention, we are not only preventing tragedies but also creating pathways to brighter futures for individuals and families. I thank Governor Hochul for her leadership and commitment to investing in proven violence prevention programs that make a tangible difference in the lives of New Yorkers.”

    Assemblymember Kwani B. O’Pharrow said, “Investing in community outreach and support programs like SNUG is crucial for reducing gun violence and fostering safer environments. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your commitment to transforming lives and creating lasting change in our communities.”

    Assemblymember Gabriella Romero said, “With a partner like Governor Kathy Hochul investing in our communities that need it most, we are making real strides in reducing gun violence and saving lives. I want to thank the Governor for her continued commitment to evidence-based, community-driven solutions like SNUG. This $20.7 million investment—including over $2 million for Albany’s Trinity Alliance and Albany Medical Center—will ensure that outreach workers, hospital responders, and social service professionals can continue their critical work to proactively reduce gun violence. These initiatives are making a difference, and I remain committed to securing the resources Albany needs to keep our neighborhoods safe.”

    Assemblymember Noah Burroughs said, “SNUG has been doing excellent work in the community within my district. Gun-related crimes are down and we would like to see those numbers decrease more. This is a great opportunity for the 14 communities in New York State that Snug services to continue doing good work throughout all of its communities. Thank you Governor Hochul for this investment in Hempstead.”

    Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, “SNUG Street Outreach is impactful because it empowers community-based organizations to leverage their existing relationships and partnerships to reduce gun violence in the areas where they serve. Since implementing SNUG, Rochester has seen a significant and marked decrease in violence, at all levels. But we still have work to do. The funding the Governor is providing to Rochester General Hospital and Pathstone will enable them to bring on the staff, programming and services they need to expand this successful public safety initiative.”

    Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said, “Investing in SNUG programs helps to build safer communities and reduce gun violence. This grant award will help provide the ongoing training and support that is critical to SNUG and I thank Governor Hochul for her partnership in helping to keep our citizens safe.”

    Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “I want to thank and applaud Governor Kathy Hochul and DCJS for their continued investments for SNUG & GIVE initiatives. I have said it many times before, that this Governor isn’t just talk, but action. The investments in these programs allow cities like Albany to wisely make strategic choices to get resources on the ground, establish connections with our neighbors and allow alternative approaches to focusing on public safety. Just this week at my State of the City we highlighted a reduction of crime of 3% compared to the 5-year average & a reduction of 21% since I assumed office. Today’s announcement of an additional $2 million dollars to keep these programs going is something celebrated by every resident in the City of Albany. Thank you Governor!”

    Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon said, “I want to thank Governor Hochul for her continued investment in violence prevention efforts here in Buffalo. The $2.8 million awarded to Erie County Medical Center for the SNUG Street Outreach program will provide critical resources to community organizations and trauma responders who work tirelessly to prevent gun violence and save lives. In recent years, we’ve seen firsthand how these initiatives make a real difference in our neighborhoods and this funding will allow us to continue that progress—connecting at-risk individuals with the support they need and ensuring a safer, healthier, stronger Buffalo for all.”

    Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said, “With New York State’s strong support, teamwork with community partners and effective intervention by Syracuse Police, gun violence is down significantly in the City of Syracuse. In 2024, gun violence dropped more than 26% across all of the major categories and the most serious violence – shooting victims injured or deceased dropped 39%. This funding for outreach programs shows Governor Hochul knows reducing gun violence requires the full community working together which is the focus of our Mayor’s Office to Reduce Gun Violence. I’m deeply grateful for the Governor’s help and for the caring and effective work the SNUG Street Outreach team does every day in Syracuse.”

    Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans said, “Governor Hochul’s leadership and continued investments in programs like GIVE and Project RISE have played a major role in helping us reduce gun violence in Rochester by more than 50 percent from the peak years of the pandemic. This investment in SNUG outreach workers is yet another example of her commitment and resolve on this critical issue and the city of Rochester is fortunate for the governor’s partnership.”

    Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino said, “We appreciate the continued investment by Governor Hochul in programs that help keep our communities safe. We know that our community benefits from the various initiatives advanced by the Governor. These additional resources will help continue our efforts to keep our City safe.”

    Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne D. Flowers said, “Governor Hochul continues to deliver for the City of Poughkeepsie, and we are grateful for her commitment to our community. Investing in vital outreach programs like SNUG strengthens our city by expanding our ability to engage and support our youth, guiding them toward positive opportunities. With the TRAC Program no longer in operation, I encourage Family Services Inc. and SNUG to use this funding to develop additional gun violence prevention initiatives and create safe spaces for our children after school. Congratulations to SNUG and I look forward to collaborating with them as we work together to unite our community in the fight against gun violence.”

    Utica Mayor Michael Galime said, “To truly be proactive with the issues of Gun Violence we must make sure to approach it from every angle. Good policing will always be at the forefront but additional resources like SNUG are essential to providing additional boots on the ground to raise awareness and prevention. In Utica we are grateful for this funding and will continue to support SNUG however possible.”

    Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey said, “A huge thank you goes out to Governor Hochul for allocating more funds for anti-violence initiatives in the city of Newburgh! This funding is a significant step toward fostering safer communities and reducing violence. Thank you again, Governor Hochul, for your commitment to making Newburgh a safer place!”

    Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs, Jr. said, “Thank you Governor Hochul for supporting our village through programs such as SNUG that have successful results in our community.”

    Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello said, “I commend Governor Hochul for her continued investment in SNUG and the critical work of violence prevention programs across New York State. In Troy, we have seen firsthand the positive impact of SNUG in engaging our communities, de-escalating conflicts, and providing essential support to those at risk. This funding will help strengthen these efforts and help make our neighborhoods safer.”

    The Division of Criminal Justice Services provides critical support to all facets of the state’s criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New evidence following appeal for information

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating the death of 48-year-old Ian Airlie have received new evidence following a media appeal for information.

    On Wednesday, 22 January, officers were alerted to additional CCTV footage.

    Having viewed the clip, investigating officers are satisfied the footage shows Mr Airlie accidently falling down the escalator at Waterloo Station. There is no evidence he was pushed.

    Detective Inspector Chris Rogers, who is leading the investigation, said:

    “This new evidence means we have been able to rule out that Mr Airlie was pushed. His fall down the escalator was a very sad and unfortunate accident.

    “His death, however, remains unexplained and we will continue to investigate all avenues until we can build a full picture.

    “We continue to offer support to Mr Airlie’s family. They have been updated by officers and we request that they receive privacy at this difficult time.”

    A post-mortem examination on Tuesday, 29 October 2024 was inconclusive and officers await the result of further tests.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact the police via 101 – quoting 01/942310/24.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Coface : agreement to acquire Cedar Rose Group, strengthening its information services in the Middle East and Africa

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Coface: agreement to acquire Cedar Rose Group, strengthening its information services in the Middle East and Africa

    Paris, 3 February 2025 – 17.35

    Coface announces that it has signed an agreement with Mr. Antoun Massaad and Mrs. Christina Massaad, co-founders of the company, to acquire the Cedar Rose Group.

    With over 25 years’ experience, Cedar Rose is one of the leading providers of business information solutions in the Middle East and Africa region. In a region where information is difficult to access and with positive economic growth outlook, Cedar Rose has built up a vast business network enabling it to produce data whose quality is recognized by its customers, including a number of multinationals.

    Following the acquisition, Cedar Rose will become Coface’s information provider in the region, for both credit insurance and information services sales. All Coface’s customers will benefit from enhanced Coface data.

    This external growth operation will enable Coface to further strengthen its information production capabilities in areas where information is not readily available. This acquisition aligns perfectly with the objectives of Power the Core ‘s strategic plan, which notably focuses on data excellence.

    The closing of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions.

    Ernesto de Martinis, CEO for Mediterranean and Africa region said:

    “This acquisition enables Coface to strengthen its position in a zone that promises strong growth, where information remains difficult to obtain, and in which Coface has now been operating for many years. We look forward to welcoming Cedar Rose’s teams to Coface and to working with their partners in the region.”

    Antoun Massaad, Cedar Rose Group’s CEO and co-founder said:

    “We are delighted to join the Coface team in the Mediterranean & Africa region (MAR). This acquisition is a major milestone in the Cedar Rose story, and I believe it will supercharge Coface’s business information strategy. We are confident that our company, our employees and our international partners will all benefit from this smart strategic alliance.”

    CONTACTS

    ANALYSTS / INVESTORS
    Thomas JACQUET: +33 1 49 02 12 58 – thomas.jacquet@coface.com
    Rina ANDRIAMIADANTSOA: +33 1 49 02 15 85 – rina.andriamiadantsoa@coface.com

    MEDIA RELATIONS
    Saphia GAOUAOUI: +33 1 49 02 14 91 – saphia.gaouaoui@coface.com
    Adrien BILLET: +33 1 49 02 23 63 – adrien.billet@coface.com

    FINANCIAL CALENDAR 2025
    (subject to change)

    FY-2024 results: 20 February 2025 (after market close)
    Q1-2025 results: 5 May 2025 (after market close)
    Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting: 14 May 2025
    H1-2025 results: 31 July 2025 (after market close)
    9M-2025 results: 3 November 2025 (after market close)

    FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    This press release, as well as COFACE SA’s integral regulatory information, can be found on the Group’s website: http://www.coface.com/Investors

    For regulated information on Alternative Performance Measures (APM), please refer to our Interim Financial Report for H1-2024 and our 2023 Universal Registration Document (see part 3.7 “Key financial performance indicators”).

    Les documents distribués par COFACE SA sont sécurisés et authentifiés avec Wiztrust.
    Vous pouvez vérifier l’authentification sur le site www.wiztrust.com.
     

    COFACE: FOR TRADE
    With over 75 years of experience and the most extensive international network, Coface is a leader in trade credit insurance & risk management, and a recognised provider of Factoring, Debt Collection, Single Risk insurance, Bonding, and Information Services. Coface’s experts work to the beat of the global economy, helping around 100,000 clients in 100 countries build successful, growing, and dynamic businesses. With Coface’s insight and advice, these companies can make informed decisions. The Group’ solutions strengthen their ability to sell by providing them with reliable information on their commercial partners and protecting them against non-payment risks, both domestically and for export. In 2023, Coface employed ~4,970 people and registered a turnover of €1.87 billion.

    www.coface.com

    COFACE SA est cotée sur le Compartiment A d’Euronext Paris
    Code ISIN : FR0010667147 / Mnémonique : COFA

    DISCLAIMER – Certain declarations featured in this press release may contain forecasts that notably relate to future events, trends, projects or targets. By nature, these forecasts include identified or unidentified risks and uncertainties, and may be affected by many factors likely to give rise to a significant discrepancy between the real results and those stated in these declarations. Please refer to chapter 5 “Main risk factors and their management within the Group” of the Coface Group’s 2023 Universal Registration Document filed with AMF on 5 April 2024 under the number D.24-0242 in order to obtain a description of certain major factors, risks and uncertainties likely to influence the Coface Group’s businesses. The Coface Group disclaims any intention or obligation to publish an update of these forecasts, or provide new information on future events or any other circumstance.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: 2024 financial statements: significant reduction in net loss

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRESS RELEASE

    2024 financial statements: significant reduction in net loss

    Evry, 03 February 2025 – 5:45pm: Global Bioenergies’ Board of Directors today approved the 2024 annual financial statements, which have been audited by the Statutory Auditor and show a significantly reduced loss of €-5.9M.

    Samuel Dubruque, Chief Financial Officer of Global Bioenergies, comments: “In two years, we have managed to halve our net loss (€-12.0M in 2022, €-8.7M in 2023 and €-5.9M in 2024). The Company has reorganized itself to match its new partnership development model, which enables us to reduce expenses by optimizing allocated resources. We anticipate that 2025 will result in a further reduced net loss.

    We are also holding discussions with our banking partners to negotiate the payment schedule of our debts, aiming at postponing any repayments beyond 2025, which would extend our financial visibility with our current cash position until September 2025. If we were unable to reach an agreement with our banking partners in the coming months, new financing would be required to meet our debt repayments”.

    Marc Delcourt, co-founder and CEO of Global Bioenergies, adds: “Our new technical approach, which will combine our technology with the one of a major international industrialist, will enable us to drastically reduce the CAPEX1and OPEX2of isobutene production and its conversion into SAF. We can now set our sights very high in this field: to take over from HEFA, the only commercially exploited technology to date, but which will soon plateau because it relies on limited resources (used cooking oil and tallow oil). We are more convinced than ever of the need to provide decarbonizing solutions in a world that sometimes seems resigned to global warming and its many consequences”.

    • Group Profit & Loss Account
    € thousands from 01/01/24
    to 30/12/2024
    12 months    		 from 01/01/23
    to 31/12/2023
    12 months    		 from 01/01/22
    to 31/12/2022
    12 months
           
    Operating income 4,692 8,910 1,715
    Operating expenses -11,436 -18,621 -14,907
    Operating profit (loss) -6,744 -9,711 -13,192
           
    EBITDA -4,428 -6,878 -11,383
           
    Financial profit 59 107 -95
    Non-recurring items -428 -239 -147
    Income tax (CIR) -1,251 -1,187 -1,447
           
    Net income (loss) -5,861 -8,656 -11,986
    • Details of operating income
    Details of operating income (€ thousands) 2024 2023 2022
    Sales 361 3,249 698
    Operating subsidies 4,188 2,698 895
    Change in inventories -312 1,530 -118
    Other 455 1,432 240
    TOTAL 4,692 8,910 1,715

    Operating income consists mainly of operating subsidies recognized under the Isoprod and Prénidem projects from ADEME.

    • Details of operating expenses
    Details of operating expenses (€ thousands) 2024 2023 2022
    Staff 4,174 4,553 4,287
    Laboratory 390 346 343
    Industrialization/Commercialization 1,506 8,778 6,713
    Rentals and maintenance 1,060 1,034 850
    Intellectual property 320 390 323
    Amortization 2,386 1,590 703
    Other 1,600 1,931 1,688
    TOTAL 11,436 18,621 14,907

    Operating expenses have decreased mainly on industrialization and production items, as the work carried out during the first half of the year on the demo plant at Pomacle Bazancourt was brought to completion. No such expenditure was necessary in the second half of the year.

    • Group Balance Sheet
    Assets (€ thousands) 31/12/24 31/12/23 31/12/22   Liabilities (€ thousands) 31/12/24 31/12/23 31/12/22
                     
    Intangible assets 69 327 539   Capital 908 906 749
    Tangible assets 486 2,471 3,612   Share premium – 10,538 16,029
    Assets under construction – 77 401   Balance carried forward -918 -2,769 -2,708
    Financial assets 349 341 1,546   Profit (loss) -5,861 -8,656 -11,986
              Equipment subsidies 129 2,758 463
                     
    NON-CURRENT ASSETS 904 3,217 6,097   EQUITY -5,742 2,778 2,547
                     
    Inventories 402 219 2,592   PROVISIONS 198 53 110
    Receivables 3,144 2,247 3,647   Conditional advances and loans 13,088 12,451 11,486
    Cash 4,692 11,673 8,768   Trade payables 1,475 2,411 5,580
    Marketable securities 171 171 173   Tax and social security liabilities 625 559 502
    Prepaid expenses 338 378 300   Other debts and deferred income 7 3 1,352
                     
    CURRENT ASSETS 8,746 15,038 15,480   PAYABLES and DEFERRED INCOME 15,195 15,423 18,921
                     
    TOTAL ASSETS 9,651 18,254 21,577   TOTAL LIABILITIES 9,651 18,254 21,577

    The Group’s balance sheet shows a gross cash position of €4.7M at 31 December 2024. The Company is currently holding discussions with its banking partners to negotiate the payment schedule of debts. Excluding bank repayments, monthly cash consumption is around €0.6M.

    • 2024 highlights and recent events

    2024 was marked by the efforts made and then the decision to stop the search for financing the project to build a 2,500-ton plant dedicated to cosmetics, in a general context that was highly unfavorable to financing first industrial projects. The Company then decided to redirect its efforts in SAF by forging partnerships with major manufacturers to strengthen the competitiveness of its process by 2030. In the meantime, the Company is maintaining its ambitions in the cosmetics sector, which serves as a steppingstone for the SAF market (same molecules, same process).

    As a reminder, the Company’s process is one of only a dozen solutions to be ASTM certified. The Company has developed a process for producing SAF from plant-based resources, and has also demonstrated through a proof-of-concept that its process could be used to produce e-SAF, i.e. from a resource derived from the combination of CO2 and hydrogen produced from renewable electricity, in this case e-acetic acid, which could be produced by industrial players in the future. Europe favors the use of e-SAFs going forward, as they have the advantage over bio-SAFs of not requiring plant products or agricultural or forestry land.

    As part of its strategic repositioning, the Company announced today3 that it has signed a Term Sheet with a major international industrialist to co-develop a SAF production process combining its technology with the partner’s proprietary technology. This combination will significantly reduce capital expenditure and production costs, making it the most promising technology to take over after the HEFA4 process.

    About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES

    As a committed player in the fight against global warming, Global Bioenergies has developed a unique process to produce SAF and e-SAF from renewable resources, thereby meeting the challenges of decarbonising air transport. Its technology is one of the very few solutions already certified by ASTM. Its products also meet the high standards of the cosmetics industry, and L’Oréal is its largest shareholder with a 13.5% stake. Global Bioenergies is listed on Euronext Growth in Paris (FR0011052257 – ALGBE).

    Contacts

    1 CAPEX: Capital Expenditures
    2 OPEX: Operational Expenses
    3 Press Release: Signature of a term sheet to combine two technologies and bring SAF production to the next level, 03 February 2025
    4 HEFA: Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Signature of a term sheet to combine two technologies and bring SAF production to the next level

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRESS RELEASE

    Signature of a term sheet to combine two technologies and bring SAF production to the next level

    Evry, 03 February 2025 – 05:45 p.m.: Global Bioenergies has signed a term sheet with a large international industrialist (undisclosed) to co-develop a process leading to Sustainable Aviation Fuels (“SAF”) at a reduced cost and an improved CO2reduction. This process will rely on the combination of Global Bioenergies’ bio-isobutene process and the industrialist’s proprietary technology. Such combination, which reached early proof-of-concept stage, would have a decisive competitive advantage among the existing SAF technologies, aiming at relaying the current SAF production based on used cooking oil.

    Marc Delcourt, co-founder and CEO of Global Bioenergies, states: “Following our ASTM certification during the summer 2023, we have teamed up with a large industrialist who had identified a perfect match between their technology and Global Bioenergies’. The combination of both technologies would result in a process overcoming the two major barriers for SAF production: capex and opex costs.”

    As of today, the only commercial technologies are the HEFA process and its co-processing variation, both based on used cooking oil and animal tallow oil. These resources are soon to plateau, and the SAF community is now focused on identifying the best suited technology to take the relay.

    Frédéric Ollivier, CTO at Global Bioenergies, comments:” The combination of the two technologies will lead to a much simpler and straightforward process to produce SAF, designed for implementation in existing facilities. Such combination could lower feedstock, capex, and processing costs very substantially, and utilize existing biorefinery assets such as corn dry mills, after minor retrofitting, limiting main investment to the downstream stages of converting isobutene into SAF. CO2savings would also be improved. We already obtained early proof of concept, and are now preparing for the next phase.”

    If developments are successful, the technology will be ready to take up mandated and targeted SAF volumes from 2030 and beyond.

    The SAF market just passed the 1 million tons per year mark (0.3% of global jet fuel production) in 20241 and is expected to reach 16 million tons annually in 2030 and up to 250 million tons per year by 20502, due to the European increasing SAF mandates and the American ‘Grand Challenge’. A growing number of countries, including the UK, Japan and Singapore, are also progressively putting mandates in place.

    Martin Stephan, CBO at Global Bioenergies, concludes:” The accomplishment of this vision, where SAF production follows an exponential growth, will encounter a serious hurdle coming from the investment needs. IATA estimates that 3 840 billion dollars investment will be necessary in the next 30 years1 to building the corresponding facilities and reach net zero. Our combination of technologies, aimed at reducing capex by 4 folds if compared to other SAF technologies, already finds interested ears in the industry. These new perspectives can also be transposed to the cosmetics sector, which remains our stepping stone market.”

    About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES

    As a committed player in the fight against global warming, Global Bioenergies has developed a unique process to produce SAF and e-SAF from renewable resources, thereby meeting the challenges of decarbonising air transport. Its technology is one of the very few solutions already certified by ASTM. Its products also meet the high standards of the cosmetics industry, and L’Oréal is its largest shareholder with a 13.5% stake. Global Bioenergies is listed on Euronext Growth in Paris (FR0011052257 – ALGBE).

    Contacts

    1 IATA (International Air Transport Association), December 2024 – IATA
    2 SAF market outlook 2024, SkyNRG – SAF-Market-Outlook-2024-Summary.pdf

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On Trump Administration Forcing Out Multiple DOJ And FBI Officials

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    January 31, 2025

    CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Trump Administration reportedly purged multiple Justice Department and FBI officials involved in Donald Trump’s prosecution and the prosecution of January 6 rioters:

    “The Trump Administration’s purge of dozens of DOJ and FBI officials involved in investigating Donald Trump and the January 6 rioters is a major blow to the FBI and Justice Department’s integrity and effectiveness. This is a brazen assault on the rule of law that also severely undermines our national security and public safety. Unelected Trump lackeys are carrying out widespread political retribution against our nation’s career law enforcement officials. President Trump would rather have the FBI and DOJ full of blind admirers and loyalists than experienced law enforcement officers.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Visits El Valor Children And Family Center

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    January 31, 2025

    CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited El Valor Cantu Children & Family Center in Little Village to meet with staff members and families impacted by recent overreaching executive orders from the Trump Administration.

    El Valor serves more than 4,000 children, adults with disabilities, and their families annually. Durbin met with leadership staff at the center to discuss the recently announced federal grant funding freeze, the impact of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions, and other executive orders from the administration, and their effects on the El Valor community.

    “Earlier this week, President Trump threw America into chaos when he abruptly announced a freeze on trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans that so many Americans depend on, including at Head Start centers like El Valor,” said Durbin. “This, along with continued threats of ICE action in our city, has deeply impacted communities here in Chicago. I was grateful to meet with staff at El Valor to hear their concerns, and I’ll continue working to ensure Chicagoans are safe and receiving the services and funding they deserve.”

    “We thank Senator Durbin and Clerk Valencia for visiting our program, allowing them to see and hear firsthand from our families about the impact of our services. A funding pause affects not only our program but many others like it, making it harder for working families to provide for their loved ones. We greatly appreciate our civic leaders for hearing our concerns and advocating for our community as we navigate challenges from the current administration,” said El Valor President & CEO Rey B. Gonzalez.

    “It’s important for all of us to see the direct impact the impulsive decisions the Trump Administration is making has on our communities. I’m grateful to Senator Durbin for coming to sit with our children, families and communities to hear directly from those who suffer the consequences when those who are supposed to lead choose politics over people. Thank you to everyone at El Valor for continuing to show up and serve, uplifting our neighbors by doing the work,” said Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia.

    El Valor offers dual language instruction, mental health services, and parental support, and 70 percent of its funding comes from federal sources—with Head Start funding making up the majority. This week, Head Start grantees across the state were frozen out of the payment management system that allows them to collect reimbursements and pay staff and rent. Some Head Start centers in Illinois had to send employees home for the day and shutter doors because they could not make payroll.

    This week, Durbin spoke on the Senate floor about the impact this federal funding freeze is already having, reading messages from impacted constituents who rely on federal funding to support critical programs and medical research. 

    Last month, as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Durbin held a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “How Mass Deportations Will Separate American Families, Harm Our Armed Forces, and Devastate Our Economy.” The hearing examined the consequences of mass deportations, as well as stressed the need to shift congressional efforts toward sensible solutions that bring order to the border and provide a path to citizenship to longtime residents with no serious criminal convictions.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Non-executive directors of UK Statistics Authority appointed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Government has announced the appointment of three non-executive directors to the Board of the UK Statistics Authority.

    The Authority’s statutory objective is to promote and safeguard the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good. 

    The three appointees are:

    Peter Barron, who is a Northern-Irish communications expert with senior experience in consumer technology and public affairs. He spent more than 20 years working in television news and current affairs at the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4, before working in external relations at Google from 2008 to 2018, and then at Stripe from 2021 to 2023. Peter holds a BSc in European Studies and Modern Languages from the University of Manchester (UMIST) and is a trustee of the Disasters Emergency Committee and the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration.

    Professor Mairi Spowage, who is Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, Scotland’s leading economic research institute at the University of Strathclyde. Mairi leads research on modelling economic impact, economic measurement, regional economic and trade performance and public sector finances. Mairi has previously held roles as the Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Fiscal Commission and Head of National Accounts at the Scottish Government, with almost 20 years of experience of working in statistics and analysis, including transport, household surveys and performance measurement.

    Dr Sarah Walsh, a risk and governance specialist who is currently advising clients in different sectors. Sarah has 20 years’ generalist experience, including Risk Director roles at Telegraph Media Group, Guardian Media Group, Save the Children and Imperial College London. Presently, she serves as a non-executive director at the Royal College of Nursing Publishing, including membership of the Royal College of Nursing’s Audit Committee and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She also serves as independent non-executive member of the Audit and Risk Committees for Science Museum Group, St John’s Ambulance and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University, and a PhD in Aerodynamics from the University of Manchester.

    Appointments to the Board of the UK Statistics Authority are regulated. These appointments were made by Rt Hon Nick Thomas–Symonds MP, Minister for Cabinet Office. The advisory assessment panel was: Sir Robert Chote, Chair, UKSA (Chair of the panel); Steffan Jones, Director, Joint Data and Analysis Centre, Cabinet Office and Zarin Patel, Non Executive Director, HM Treasury.  

    Appointees began their roles at the end of January 2025.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Appoints Arnaud Peral of France United Nations Resident Coordinator in Philippines

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Arnaud Peral of France as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, with the host Government’s approval, on 1 February.

    Mr. Peral was most recently the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tunisia since 2020.  Prior to that, he served successively as United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Ecuador, UNDP Country Director in Colombia, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in México and then Brazil, Programme Manager and Chief of Staff in UNDP´s Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean in New York and Programme Officer in UNDP Cuba.

    Prior to joining the UN system in 2000, Mr. Peral served as Cooperation Counsellor for Scientific and Technical Cooperation in the French Embassy in Cuba, Research Assistant in the Ministry of Environment in France and Research Assistant in public policy in the Ministry of Agriculture in Chile.

    Mr. Peral holds a master’s degree in development economics from the University of Paris X-Nanterre and a bachelor’s degree in economic policy from the University Pierre Mendes France, Grenoble.

    __________

    * This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1982 of 17 September 2020.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –