Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: DRC: MSF appeals for humanitarian access in Goma as casualties seek medical care.

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    30 January, 2025: Goma/Kinshasa- An influx of wounded people is arriving at Kyeshero hospital in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams in the hospital are treating people through the armed clashes and insecurity that have hit the city in recent days. We have been affected by several incidents since the beginning of the week, some of which have limited our ability to provide people with the medical care they need. We are now preparing to send new teams to Goma and need guaranteed humanitarian access from the involved parties.

    Fighting between M23, the Congolese army, and their respective allies reached Goma’s city centre earlier this week, causing panic and impacting residents. Goma, the capital city of North Kivu province, has been cut off from the rest of the world for several days, and victims of the fighting are arriving at medical facilities whenever they can.

    Humanitarian and medical facilities have not been spared during the violence.

    “At Kyeshero hospital, a bullet pierced the roof of the operating theatre during an operation,” says Virginie Napolitano, MSF’s emergency coordinator in North Kivu, speaking from Goma. “Some of our stock of equipment and medicines has been looted, jeopardising our medical assistance inside and outside Goma. Armed looting has also affected our colleagues in Goma. One of them was wounded by gunshot in his home during an attack. Other organisations and medical facilities have also come under fire. This is totally unacceptable.”

    Despite the situation, an MSF team continues to provide care for wounded patients at Kyeshero hospital, in support of Ndosho hospital, where the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is receiving an even greater influx of wounded.

    Since Thursday, 142 wounded patients have been treated at Kyeshero. On Tuesday alone, MSF received 37 injured people, half of them civilians and the majority of whom are women. Most of the injuries were caused by shrapnel, while other patients suffered gunshot wounds.

    Since Friday, people have had to cope with continuous water and electricity cuts. The supply of meals that MSF provides to patients and their families is in jeopardy, as insecurity, the risk of looting, and the closure of roads are preventing us from replenishing food stocks, which only last two to three days.

    The worsening insecurity and intense fighting have forced MSF to temporarily reduce the number of active teams in Goma and in the camps for internally displaced people on the outskirts of the city. Meanwhile, medical and humanitarian needs in and around Goma will only grow. In recent weeks, tens of thousands of people have joined the 650,000 people who had already been living in camps around Goma for more than two years. Fighting has also reached areas around camps, sending people fleeing once again.

    “The impact of this fighting on the civilian population is enormous. In addition to the wounded and dead, we are receiving devastating reports from internally displaced people camps where our teams can no longer go,” says Stephan Goetghebuer, MSF’s head of programmes in North Kivu. “In the Kanyaruchinya displaced people’s site, the health centre we support continues to operate, but the team has seen two children die this week because they could not be transferred to any hospital.”

    MSF is preparing to send teams back into Goma to assess what response can be provided, and how best we could scale up, following the looting of the past few days. We would like to replenish our stocks and scale up emergency care as soon as possible. One possible way to move new teams and equipment into Goma would be through the Great Barrier, which separates DRC from Rwanda. This requires facilitation and guarantees from the involved parties.

    As the situation continues to deteriorate, MSF urges the warring parties to do more to protect civilians. They must also respect the most basic rules of international humanitarian law and guarantee humanitarian access, so that essential medical assistance can be provided to people.

    MSF teams are still present in other conflict-affected areas of both North and South Kivu provinces.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  
     

    MIL OSI – Submitted News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Call to End Prescribing Puberty Blockers In NZ

    Source: Family First

    MEDIA RELEASE

    30 January 2025

    Family First is calling for an immediate end to new prescribing of puberty blockers due to the clear lack of quality probative evidence of efficacy and safety.

    It comes at the same time as more than 100 doctors, academics, lawyers, politicians and “detransitioners” are calling for the Albanese government in Australia to launch an immediate inquiry into youth gender medicine and to pause the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapies for children in Australia.

    Family First and its legal representatives met with the Puberty Blocker Consultation Team from the Ministry of Health in January.

    Family First has subsequently written to both the PBC Team and Health NZ to reiterate the following points regarding the safety and efficacy requirements under the Medicines Act 1981 (the Medicines Act) and Family First’s concerns about inconsistent standards, stating the following:

    “We are aware that these provisions do not apply directly to off-label use of puberty blockers under section 25 of the Medicines Act, but we have been advised that the Medicines Act generally requires proof of safety and efficacy before allowing the sale and supply of new medications for specific indications in New Zealand.

    “Throughout the Medicines Act, there are strict conditions relating to safety and efficacy both for a medicine to first obtain consent to be used in New Zealand and secondly for it to be removed from the market if concerns arise about its safety and efficacy, including the following:

    1. Applications for the Minister’s consent under section 20 of the Medicines Act require evidence to be provided, under section 21(2), of both the safety and efficacy of the medicine.
    2. Section 35 enables the Minister to revoke or suspend a consent under sections 20 or 23 if he is of the opinion that either the medicine can no longer be administered or used safely or that the efficacy of the medicine can no longer be regarded as satisfactory.
    3. Section 36 enables the Director-General to give notice and require an importer or manufacturer to satisfy him of the “safety or efficacy of that medicine” if he “has reason to believe that any medicine, not being a new medicine, may be unsafe or ineffective for the therapeutic purpose for which is it sold”. This process can also then lead to a notice from the Minister prohibiting the sale or supply of the medicine under section 36(3)(a).
    4. Even a change in an existing approved medicine can be referred to the Minister for consideration, under section 24(5), if the Director-General considers that despite the evidence supplied he is insufficiently informed of the safety or efficacy of the medicine after that change.

    “As discussed, we are concerned about the ability of patients to give their informed consent for puberty blockers for Gender Dysmorphia prescribed under section 25 when they have not been proven to be safe, efficacious or reversible for the purposes they are currently being prescribed and used for in New Zealand.

    “This is based on the Ministry of Health’s own Position Statement on the Use of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Affirming Care dated 21 November, 2024, following the release of an evidence brief which examined the safety and long-term impacts of puberty blockers when used in the context of gender-affirming care. [View the Impact of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Dysphoric Adolescents: An evidence brief.]

    Family First’s position remains that there should be an immediate end to new prescribing of puberty blockers due to the clear lack of quality probative evidence of efficacy and safety. Existing users need to be transitioned from Puberty Blockers in a medically appropriate way or at the very least, have the lack of quality evidence on safety, efficacy and reversibility explained to them with a view to confirming they and their parents or guardians do provide informed consent.  This in turn also means the Ministry’s Position Statement must be updated immediately to remove the factually incorrect statements regarding efficacy, safety, and future risks, including any references to the PATHA Guidelines.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health Protest – Protest calls for answers on company chosen to supply vape kits

    Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

    Public Health experts are questioning a decision by the Government to purchase $575,000 worth of vaping products from a company accused of allegedly bribing the New Zealand Government.
    They will be meeting today at 12.30pm today on Parliament’s forecourt to raise their concerns and call for a public inquiry into the influence of the tobacco and vape industry on the Government’s Smokefree policy.
    The company chosen to supply vaping kits to Government funded stop smoking services is Chinese based vaping giant RELX.
    Reporting by The Straits Times in Singapore obtained leaked call recordings where employees of RELX can be heard discussing bribing the New Zealand Government.
    RELX employees can be heard saying: “we don’t do that visibly in Australia and New Zealand. But government payments are not a problem for us because, because these are extremely… how do I put it… subtle.”
    “It’s just like how the Big Tobacco does it, right, they go through multiple shell companies and associations and consultants and agencies and whatnot. And it’s almost… you need to have a very persistent investigative journalist to find out…”
    Additional reporting by 60 Minutes in Australia confirmed the company at the centre of these allegations is RELX.
    Thousands of RELX vaping products distributed to stop smoking services in early January were purchased by Te Whatu Ora. There doesn’t appear to be a formal tender process that took place to choose a vaping supplier and funding came out of the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Innovation fund.
    With serious accusations of bribery surfacing the Associate Minister of Health Casey Costello needs to front up and explain why no tender process was followed and why the Government chose vaping company RELX to supply $575k worth of vaping products.
    We are now over a year into our Government appearing to have been influenced by the tobacco and vape industry in their decision making and now there are accusations of bribery taking place.
    RELX has a questionable history of following relevant New Zealand legislation and regulations here and overseas. RELX continued to publish prohibited advertising including using Instagram influencers following new laws to crack down on vape advertising in late 2020.
    The Straits Times stories:
    60 Minutes story:
    The Age/Sydney Morning Herald version (also attached) of the 60 Minutes piece:
    RELX ownership
    Mission Holdings Limited is an umbrella company for Mission Retail Limited, Mission Distribution Limited and Mission Brands.
    The shareholders/directors are Jing Zhang and Jingrui Liu (the companies office address listed for both is: 4 Magee Place, East Tamaki Heights, Auckland, 2016) and Haodong (Sky) Deng and Dan Shan (Both share the same address: 9 Gilford Place, East Tamaki Heights, Auckland, 2016).
    Jing Zhang worked for British American Tobacco for 3 years 6 months from July 2007, then for Philip Morris International for 8 years and 3 months from Jan 2011 until March 2019, and founded Mission Brands in April of 2019.
    Haodong (Sky) Deng worked for Philip Morris from November 2014 until March 2019 before also co-founding Mission Brands in April 2019.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Domestic violence – MacDonnell Region

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a 35-year-old man in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Amoonguna this morning.

    Around 5:30am, police received reports that a 36-year-old woman had been stabbed by her partner within the community.

    Police and St John Ambulance attended the scene and the woman was conveyed to Alice Springs Hospital in a stable condition with a laceration to her head.

    The 35-year-old man was arrested at the scene and remains in custody, expected to be charged later today.

    Investigations are ongoing and police urge anyone with information to call police on 131 444 and quote reference P25029595 . Anonymous reports can also be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    Support services for those affected by domestic or family violence are available, including 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and Lifeline (13 11 14).

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Parrish Man Arrested For Trafficking Firearms To Convicted Felon

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

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Frank Jude Petrone, Sr. (55, Parrish) with trafficking firearms to a convicted felon. If convicted, Petrone faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

    According to the complaint, on October 2, 2024, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office notified the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that Petrone was selling firearms to an individual he knew to be a convicted felon. Petrone sells firearms for a licensed gun dealer. On three separate occasions between October 2024 and January 2025, Petrone sold the convicted felon, acting as a confidential source, three firearms and 117 rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits selling firearms to a convicted felon and a convicted felon cannot pass the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

    On the evening of October 17, 2024, Petrone sold a .357 Taurus International 605 Poly Protector revolver and 10 rounds of .357 ammunition to the confidential source. On November 8, 2024, Petrone sold a 9mm Sig Sauer M18 semi-automatic pistol to the confidential source. And on January 2, 2025, Petrone sold a .45 ISAS 1911A1 semi-automatic pistol to the confidential source. During that transaction, Petrone also offered to sell a machinegun with an obliterated serial number.

    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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

    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 USA: Hoeven to Serve as Chairman of Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    01.29.25
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that he will again serve as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee. Hoeven has served as the lead Republican on the committee since 2017, having previously fulfilled the role of chairman in the 115th and 116th Congresses.
    “The hard work of our farmers and ranchers provides a solid foundation for North Dakota’s economy, while ensuring Americans continue to benefit from the lowest-cost, highest-quality food supply in the world,” said Hoeven. “My role on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee has been a tremendous opportunity to address the needs of our producers, agri-businesses and rural communities. I look forward to serving as chairman once again, where I will continue working to provide the tools and resources needed to support a strong ag economy, while advancing new innovations and market access to give our producers a competitive edge in the global economy.”
              As chairman, Hoeven will continue his efforts to advance critical priorities for farmers, ranchers and rural America through annual funding legislation. This includes:
    Advancing implementation of the $33.5 billion in disaster assistance that he worked to secure for producers in the year-end legislation.
    Securing strong support for agriculture research, including:
    The precision agriculture work being undertaken by Grand Farm, North Dakota State University (NDSU) and their partners.
    The agriculture policy research center the senator is working to stand up at NDSU.

    Ensuring access to credit for producers to better enable them to manage their operations, cover their costs and weather challenges.
    Improving access to foreign markets for producers and agri-businesses.
    Supporting greater transparency and competition in cattle markets, including through his Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program.
    Providing regulatory relief to reduce costs for producers and making sure programs are voluntary and farmer-friendly.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Israel’s new laws banning UNRWA already taking effect

    Source: United Nations 4

    Peace and Security

    Israeli legislation banning the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, is due to enter into force in the coming hours, bringing fundamental changes to its operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to the agency and Palestinians they serve in Gaza who spoke with UN News on Wednesday.

    Soundcloud

    If implemented, the two new laws passed in October will simultaneously prohibit Israeli authorities from contacting UNRWA and ban the agency from operating in war-ravaged Gaza and East Jerusalem and the West Bank, according to UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler.

    As such, poised to change are Israel’s role as the occupying power and the work of the UN General Assembly-mandated agency known since 1949 as the backbone of humanitarian aid assisting nearly six million Palestine refugees today.

    Check out UN Photo’s essay What UNRWA Built here.

    © UNRWA

    The war in Gaza has seen an unprecedented number of attacks on UN premises and staff. (file)

    Evacuation and relocation

    Israel as the occupying power is responsible for issuing visas to international staff from humanitarian organizations like UNRWA, whose headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem comprise a compound protected by the 1946 Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

    © UNRWA

    UNRWA has been called the backbone of humanitarian assistance in war-ravaged Gaza.

    The Knesset legislation has yet to come into force but is already impacting UN operations in the region.

    Israel has shortened all visas for UNRWA’s international staff to expire on Wednesday, which “is tantamount to being evicted” or declared persona non grata, Mr. Fowler said.

    As such, UNRWA’s international staff at the East Jerusalem office had to evacuate and relocate to Amman, Jordan earlier in the day. Office equipment and vehicles have been moved out, and efforts are continuing to digitise its archives.

    National staff will remain in East Jerusalem, but they face risks, including upcoming demonstrations by Israeli protestors, Mr. Fowler said. During the Gaza war, the compound had faced security issues, including arson attacks and violent protests.

    UNRWA had to comply with Israeli orders due to visa requirements despite East Jerusalem being recognised as occupied territory under international law, he added.

    Will UNRWA shut down completely?

    UNRWA’s mandate has remained the same for decades and it will not be ceasing all operations, said Mr. Fowler. It is unique as a working model that has provided core services such as healthcare and education to refugees and their descendants in line with its General Assembly-approved mandate.

    The agency also provides services to Palestinians in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

    UNRWA remains absolutely committed to stay and deliver,” Mr. Fowler said.

    “We will not stop. We’re not bowing down to this. But, we do know that the practical impacts, the uncertainty mean that our operations could be substantially affected.”

    © UNRWA

    UNRWA and partners begin the second round of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza in 2024. (file)

    Backbone of aid in Gaza

    Up to the current fragile ceasefire, Israeli forces killed more than 47,000 Palestinians – according to local health authorities – and 270 UNRWA staff members in Gaza. Yet, despite challenges, agency staff in Gaza continue to operate, providing essential humanitarian aid, Mr. Fowler said.

    Over the first three days of the 19 January ceasefire, UNRWA provided food for one million people and one million blankets.

    Indeed, the UN agency is responsible for over half of deliveries inside the Gaza Strip and over half the aid coming in.

    The ceasefire has allowed UNRWA to scale up aid, but the situation remains precarious, he stressed.

    © UNRWA

    Aid is delivered to Gaza as Palestinians return to their homes during the ceasefire.

    Impact on services

    The Israeli laws could halt all UNRWA operations in Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank, affecting schools, healthcare centres and other services, Mr. Fowler explained.

    Some Palestinians in Gaza are worried at the prospect of losing UNRWA, including Iman Hillis, who is currently staying in an UNRWA school with her family.

    “We will have nothing to eat or drink, and this will affect us greatly,” she told UN News. “All the people will be destroyed and will not have food, water or flour.”

    International response amid ‘biggest fears’

    UNRWA supporters, UN Member States and UN officials have pressed Israel to reverse course up to the last minute. However, there is concern about the precedent this situation could set for other UN operations worldwide, Mr. Fowler said.

    The current situation is as unique as the agency itself. Israel’s ban is unprecedented. Never before has a UN Member State tried to undo the mandate of a UN organization.

    ‘We’re at the 11th hour’

    We face the risk of this becoming an example, which would then eventually morph into some kind of new normal,” Mr. Fowler said.

    In other places around the world, that “new normal” is a “very, very nightmarish scenario”, he warned.

    The multilateral system is not perfect, but it’s the system that we have, and this is a unilateral blow against multilateralism,” he said.

    “We’re at the 11th hour. We all have to continue efforts to convince Israeli authorities to at least freeze this decision or void the laws completely. Our biggest fear is there is no Plan B.”

    Why can’t other aid agencies just take over?

    Uniquely, the UN General Assembly makes the decisions on UNRWA and how and where it operates.

    No other agency has the scale and depth to do what we do,” Mr. Fowler said.

    However, under international humanitarian law, the occupying power is responsible to assure the wellbeing of the population under occupation, he added.

    By voiding our mandate, the Israeli officials who have promoted this need to think hard about the fact that if there’s any Plan B, it’s on them,” he said.

    Soundcloud

    How will Israel’s role change?

    As the occupying power, Israel is and has been responsible for all services to the populations living in Occupied Palestinian Territory since it seized the areas in 1967.

    An agreement in 1967 between Israel and UNRWA recognised the UN Palestine relief agency and its General Assembly-mandated tasks serving Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

    With the new legislation that, in effect, cancels that agreement, Israel continues to be responsible as the occupying power, including for all public services.

    As such, Israel will need to absorb the cost. UNRWA’s annual budget runs at about $1 billion every year.

    UN News

    Over 20,000 displaced Palestinians are taking shelter in a UNRWA school in Gaza.

    What is UNRWA?

    Since 1950, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has contributed to the welfare and human development of Palestine refugees, defined as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 war”.

    © UNRWA

    Humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza.

    • The agency operates in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Established by a UN General Assembly resolution, UNRWA is funded almost entirely through voluntary contributions from UN Member States.
    • UNRWA has long faced misinformation and disinformation, including about its staff and operations. This has intensified since the war in Gaza began on 7 October 2023.
    • An example is the claim that the UN agencies that deliver humanitarian assistance in crisis zones across the globe would be better placed to do the work currently carried out by UNRWA.
    • In fact, UNRWA’s established infrastructure – the agency directly manages critical public-like services (schools, health centres, social protection), relying on 30,000 staff members, most of them Palestine refugees – and its cost-effectiveness have no equivalent elsewhere in the UN.
    • Find out more about the work UNRWA does here.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace – NZ climate target under international scrutiny as trading partners raise concerns

    Source: Greenpeace

    Ahead of the Government’s NDC climate target announcement today, Greenpeace Aotearoa has revealed that New Zealand’s trading partners are asking yet more questions about our climate credibility.
    In a written question to the European Commission lodged in December 2024, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Saskia Bricmont asked: “What actions is the Commission taking to ensure that NZ does not backtrack on its climate ambitions when it comes to methane reduction?”
    It follows similar questions raised in the UK Parliament and during the EU Trade Commissioner hearings last year about whether breaches of environmental clauses in trade agreements with New Zealand would face consequences.
    Greenpeace spokesperson Amanda Larsson says, “Since taking office, Luxon has worked to roll back virtually every policy that cuts pollution. That includes giving our highest-emitting industry – dairying – a free pass to keep polluting.”
    In her question about methane, MEP Bricmont was referring to the Government’s review of methane targets in line with no additional warming – a controversial way to measure methane that effectively writes off current high levels of pollution.
    Larsson says no additional warming lacks scientific credibility.
    “It is a metric being pushed heavily by the livestock industry as a way to get out of jail free for their huge contribution to climate change. By effectively using an accounting trick, the industry wants us to greenlight pollution as usual,” says Larsson.
    “The livestock industry’s push to change how methane is measured threatens all New Zealand industries that benefit from our trade agreements with the EU and UK, including kiwifruit and wine.”
    New Zealand’s free trade agreements with both the EU and the UK include clauses that require no weakening of environmental and climate protections by either party. Bricmont went on to ask whether the Commission was “prepared to use all means at its disposal to enforce the FTA if NZ indeed decides to weaken its national methane reduction targets.”
    Larsson says that many people will be watching closely to see if today’s climate target announcement will further weaken climate ambition, including by weakening the methane target in line with no additional warming.
    “The Government must seize the opportunity to pull the climate emergency brake and set a stronger target to reduce methane emissions. Our children and grandchildren’s futures are on the line.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Lifestyle – Kickstart 2025 with Exercise New Zealand: We Are Here For You!

    Source: Exercise NZ

    As January unfolds and the new year gains momentum, it’s the perfect opportunity to set intentions, embrace change, and prioritise what truly matters. ExerciseNZ is encouraging all Kiwis to kickstart 2025 by making movement an essential part of their daily lives. 

    With summer in full swing, Aotearoa provides the perfect backdrop to establish new habits. Whether it’s an early-morning beach walk, backyard games with family, joining a local exercise class, or tackling that daunting pre-season training, committing to regular physical activity now can set the tone for a healthier and more fulfilling year ahead.

    At ExerciseNZ, we are committed to supporting Kiwis in creating a lifestyle fuelled by physical activity and exercise. As the National Association for the Exercise Industry, we work to empower individuals and communities by providing the tools, resources, and guidance needed to make physical activity a sustainable part of everyday life. Partnering with gyms, exercise facilities, and professionals across the country, 

    ExerciseNZ ensures access to high-quality, safe, and inclusive movement experiences for everyone in Aotearoa. To begin our year together, we’d like to highlight some of the work we do to help Kiwis flourish through movement and exercise.

    Connecting Kiwis with Local Facilities and Experts: ExerciseNZ supports over 500 gyms and exercise facilities nationwide, ensuring Kiwis can easily find the right space to begin or continue their exercise journey. Whether you’re looking for group exercise classes, personal trainers, or specialised programs, ExerciseNZ can help connect you with the right professionals.

    Education and Professional Development: ExerciseNZ provides registration for exercise professionals (REPs), ensuring the industry remains at the forefront of innovation, safety, and inclusivity. This guarantees that all members of the community receive safe and effective guidance tailored to their individual needs when training with a REPS registered individual or facility. .

    Advocating for Exercise and Well-being: ExerciseNZ actively works to promote the importance of physical activity at a national level, advocating for policies and initiatives that make exercise accessible to all. This includes working with workplaces, government, and various community groups to encourage physical activity as a part of everyday life.

    Cultural Capability and Inclusivity: Recognising the diverse needs of Aotearoa, ExerciseNZ is committed to building cultural capability within the exercise industry. This includes fostering environments that are welcoming and inclusive for the diverse cultural population here in Aotearoa.

    Supporting Mental Well-being Through Movement: ExerciseNZ highlights the mental health benefits of physical activity, working to normalise conversations about how exercise can reduce stress, improve mood, and support overall mental well-being.

    No matter your activity level or where you are on your journey, Exercise New Zealand is here to support you. Visit ExerciseNZ’s website to explore exercise facilities near you, find expert advice, or discover programs that can help you stay motivated and inspired throughout the year.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act into Law

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act into Law

    A statement from Secretary Noem on the signing of the bill is below:  

    “Thank you, President Trump, for signing the Laken Riley Act. This law restores commonsense to our broken immigration system. Under President Trump, violent criminals and vicious gang members will no longer be released into American communities.” 

    The Laken Riley Act is named after a Georgia nursing student who was killed by a Venezuelan alien who was previously arrested and paroled into the U.S. under the previous administration.  

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Billings man sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking meth, possessing gun on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS — A federal judge today sentenced a Billings man who admitted to armed trafficking of methamphetamine and other substances on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, David Victor Fast Horse, 36, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    In court documents, the government alleged that on Aug. 30, 2022, tribal law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a pickup truck on Upper Road on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation because officers believed the driver had a tribal warrant for her arrest. A man jumped out of the front passenger seat and began running. A Rocky Boy’s police officer caught up with the man, later identified as Fast Horse, and found him retreating around a shed. Officers retraced Fast Horse’s path and located a green pistol and black case hidden near a woodpile where he had emerged. Fast Horse said he was given the gun and case and told to run. Officers opened the case and found 18 blue pills, which tested for a mixture of substances, two small baggies with a small amount of meth, a digital scale and a car key. Fast Horse later admitted he sold meth, but not fentanyl, and that he had come to Rocky Boy’s to buy drugs from his friend. Fast Horse is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior federal felony conviction for burglary.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Rocky Boy’s Police Department, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 30 January 2025 Kāinga Ora invites wool sector to submit proposals for carpet supply Kāinga Ora is now offering both wool and nylon carpet providers the opportunity to tender for the supply of carpet and underlay in its homes.

    Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

    Having used nylon carpet for more than a decade, the agency is opening up its recent Request for Proposal (RFP) to wool carpet suppliers also, allowing a direct price and offering comparison.

    Chief Executive Matt Crockett says Kāinga Ora has traditionally used solution dyed nylon carpet due to its durability and price.

    “Kāinga Ora owns and maintains more than 75,000 homes throughout New Zealand. Over the two years to 30 June 2026, we are adding a further 2,650 new homes to our portfolio and will be significantly renovating or replacing another 3,000 existing homes.

    “It’s important the products and materials used in these properties are fit for purpose, durable and cost-effective to ensure value for money. These will continue to be our key assessment criteria when we compare supplier proposals.

    “This RFP is an opportunity for us to retest market pricing for both wool and nylon carpet offerings, as part of a robust procurement process. This approach gives all suppliers the fair chance to put their best proposals forward, and we look forward to seeing what they can offer.”

    Kāinga Ora has informed suppliers that it is closing its current procurement process and will be reissuing a new RFP inviting submissions from both wool and nylon carpet suppliers.

    The new RFP will be released to the market via the Government Electronic Tender Service.

    Page updated: 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Cowsert Column: Week Two Under the Gold Dome

    Source: US State of Georgia

    By: Sen. Bill Cowsert (R–Athens)

    The second week of the legislative session is commonly referred to as “Budget Week” at the State Capitol. The budget process begins with Gov. Brian Kemp presenting a proposed budget for consideration by the General Assembly. This year’s budget proposal is presented in a printed report of 390 pages, which is just the increases to the 2025 budget. Various agencies present budget requests during joint Senate and House Appropriations Committee meetings. The House then passes an appropriations bill setting forth governmental spending for the upcoming year. Finally, the Senate makes its changes and the differences are worked out by a joint conference committee and the final version is sent to the Governor for his signature. The General Assembly’s most important endeavor is passing a balanced, commonsense budget, addressing the needs of Georgia citizens each year. In fact, the only bill which the General Assembly is required to pass each year is the annual appropriations bill.

    Over the past 15 years, Georgia’s state budget has experienced steady growth, reflecting the state’s expanding economy and increasing demands for public services. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, Georgia’s budget was approximately $17.4 billion during the heart of the Great Recession. Fast forward to FY 2026, and that figure has more than doubled to $37.71 billion. In addition, approximately $22.46 billion in federal funds are included in Georgia’s 2026 budget.

    Without going into extensive detail, the Governor proposes spending 20.33 billion (53.9%) on education, 8.76 billion (23.2%) on healthcare, 3.05 billion (8.1%) on public safety and 2.78 billion (7.4%) on transportation. This leaves only $2.79 billion (7.4%) for all other areas of government spending.

    A key factor in Georgia’s economic stability is our unwavering commitment to maintaining a balanced budget. Unlike the federal government, which has spent both recklessly and unapologetically, Georgia is constitutionally required to balance its budget every year. This requirement ensures that the state lives within its means, preventing excessive debt accumulation and promoting long-term financial health for all citizens. Maintaining a balanced budget encourages responsible spending, requiring lawmakers to prioritize essential services and eliminate wasteful expenditures. It also enhances Georgia’s credit rating, allowing us to finance large-scale projects at lower interest rates, saving taxpayers money in the long run. Perhaps most importantly, a balanced budget fosters public confidence in our state’s financial management, reinforcing Georgia’s reputation as a great place to live, work and raise a family. By adhering to a balanced budget and prioritizing critical investments, we continue to build a prosperous future for all Georgians.

    Thanks to our responsible fiscal management, Georgia has built a robust Revenue Shortfall Reserve (RSR), commonly known as the “rainy day fund.” The reserve was depleted to less than $50 million during the great recession, however, By FY 2023, the reserve had reached its statutory cap of 15% of the prior year’s revenue, totaling $5.4 billion. This financial cushion allows the state to weather economic downturns without resorting to drastic spending cuts or tax increases, ensuring continuity in essential public services. In addition, Georgia has over $11 billion in additional undesignated reserves over and above the funds held in the rainy day fund. There is really no authority for the State to accumulate taxpayer funds above the amounts needed to fund basic state needs. Fortunately, Gov. Kemp and the legislature have refunded at least $1 billion per year to taxpayers and significantly reduced taxes in response to our financial good fortune.

    It’s important to highlight the stark contrast in spending at the federal level due to the Biden administration’s recent mismanagement of funds. Unfortunately, both political parties are guilty of irresponsible budgeting at the federal level. In fact, the last time that the federal budget was balanced was in the early 1990s when Bill Clinton was President and John Kasich was Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the United States House. As of 2024, our national debt exceeded $35 trillion, with annual budget deficits contributing over $1 trillion annually to this growing burden. Persistent federal deficits pose risks such as higher interest rates, reduced national savings and potential economic uncertainty for future generations. These misguided spending practices have led our country down a dangerous path. Calls are growing for a constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to pass a balanced budget just like Georgia and almost all other states must do.

    It is a privilege and an honor to serve the people of the 46th Senate District. As always, don’t hesitate to contact my office with any legislative concerns. I hope to see you under the Gold Dome soon.

    # # # #

    Sen. Bill Cowsert serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities. He represents the 46th Senate District which includes portions of Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Oconee and Walton Counties. He may be reached at (404) 463-1366 or via email at bill.cowsert@senate.ga.gov

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

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: North American Construction Group Ltd. Announces Early Redemption of 5.5% Debentures Due June 30, 2028

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ACHESON, Alberta, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — North American Construction Group Ltd. (“NACG” or “the Company”) (TSX:NOA/NYSE:NOA) announced today that it has delivered notice to the holders of the Company’s outstanding 5.5% convertible unsecured subordinated debentures due June 30, 2028 (the “Debentures”) that pursuant to Section 4.3 of the trust indenture governing the Debentures dated June 1, 2021 (the “Trust Indenture”), the Company will, effective February 28, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”), redeem all issued and outstanding Debentures, plus accrued interest thereon.

    In accordance with the Trust Indenture, holders of these Debentures may convert the outstanding Debentures into common shares of the Company at a price of $24.23 per share, which is at a discount to the closing price of NACG’s common shares of $28.45 per share on January 29, 2025, the date of this press release.

    The Company encourages individual holders of Debentures (“Debentureholders”) to review redemption instructions from their financial institution to ensure a request for conversion is submitted in advance of the cutoff time set by the Debentureholder’s financial institution. This can be several days in advance of the Redemption Date and is not controlled by the Company.

    As of the date hereof, there was $74,106,000 ($1,000 per Debenture) aggregate principal amount of Debentures issued and outstanding. Accordingly, on the Redemption Date, subject to compliance with the Trust Indenture, the holder of each Debenture (unless converted prior to the Redemption Date in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture) will receive a total payment of $1,008.86111 (the “Redemption Price”), comprised of a principal repayment of $1,000.00 and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon from the interest payment date of December 31, 2024 of $8.86111 until the Redemption Date. All interest on the Debentures shall cease from and after the Redemption Date.

    The Company intends to pay the Redemption Price in cash. Subject to regulatory approval, the Company intends to have the Debentures de-listed from the Toronto Stock Exchange following their redemption.

    About the Company

    NACG is one of Canada and Australia’s largest providers of heavy construction and mining services. For more than 70 years, NACG has provided services to the mining, resource, and infrastructure construction markets. For more information about North American Construction Group Ltd., visit www.nacg.ca.

    For further information contact:
    Jason Veenstra, CPA, CA
    Chief Financial Officer
    North American Construction Group Ltd.
    (780) 948-2009
    jveenstra@nacg.ca
    www.nacg.ca

    Forward-Looking Information

    The information provided in this release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “will”, “intends”, “may”, “could” or similar expressions. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the redemption of the Debentures, the issuance of Common Shares as payment of the Redemption Price, the payment of cash in respect of interest and fractional shares and the anticipated de-listing of the Debentures. These forward-looking statements are being made by NACG based on certain assumptions that NACG has made in respect thereof as at the date of this news release, regarding, among other things that all required regulatory approvals will be obtained on the necessary terms in a timely manner; and that NACG will, on the Redemption Date, meet all of the required terms and conditions of the Debentures (including those set forth in the applicable debenture indentures) in order to effect the redemption on the terms currently contemplated (which includes assumptions respecting trading prices of the Common Shares). These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: the risk that regulatory approvals will not be obtained in the timelines or on the terms required thereby delaying the redemption or causing it to not occur at all; the risk that NACG will not be able to meet the requirements for redemption on the Redemption Date, including with respect to the price of its Common Shares, which ability may be impacted by a number of risk factors. The material factors or assumptions used to develop the above forward-looking statements and the risks and uncertainties to which such forward-looking statements are subject are highlighted in the Company’s MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2023 and quarter ending September 30, 2024. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements because of any number of factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond NACG’s control. For more complete information about NACG, please read our disclosure documents filed with the SEC and the CSA. These free documents can be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or on the CSA website at www.sedarplus.com.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Enovix to Release Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results on February 19, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enovix Corporation (“Enovix”) (Nasdaq: ENVX), a global high-performance battery company, today announced it will release financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, after the close of the market.

    Enovix will hold a live video call at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET on February 19, 2025, to discuss the company’s business updates, key milestones, and financial results. To join the call, participants must use the following link to register: https://enovix-q4-2024.open-exchange.net/. This link will also be available via the Investor Relations section of Enovix’s website at https://ir.enovix.com. Investors may also submit questions on the registration page that they would like addressed on the call by Enovix management.

    An archived version of the call will be available on the Enovix investor website for one year at https://ir.enovix.com.

    About Enovix

    Enovix is on a mission to deliver high-performance batteries that unlock the full potential of technology products. Everything from IoT, mobile, and computing devices, to the vehicle you drive, needs a better battery. Enovix partners with OEMs worldwide to usher in a new era of user experiences. Our innovative, materials-agnostic approach to building a higher performing battery without compromising safety keeps us flexible and on the cutting-edge of battery technology innovation.

    Enovix is headquartered in Silicon Valley with facilities in India, Korea and Malaysia. For more information visit www.enovix.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

    For media and investor inquiries, please contact:

    Enovix Corporation

    Robert Lahey

    Email: ir@enovix.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: African Development Bank Partners with AXIAN Telecom to Accelerate Africa’s Digital Transformation

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    The African Development Bank has approved a $160 million senior corporate loan to support AXIAN Telecom to expand digital access and financial inclusion in nine African countries. The loan will accelerate the modernization and expansion of AXIAN Telecom‘s network infrastructure, with a focus on 4G and 5G deployment; while also driving digital innovation in its operations, enabling them to expand to more countries.

    AXIAN Telecom, headquartered in Mauritius, serves 42.9 million mobile subscribers, 11.4 million data users, and 15.2 million mobile financial service users, positioning itself as a leader in Africa’s digital transformation.

    A key focus of the funding is to address gender disparities in access to financial services. Over $10 million will be dedicated to empowering 22,000 women entrepreneurs in Madagascar through AXIAN’s Mvola platform. Additionally, a $2.5 million grant will enhance financial literacy and credit access for 34,000 women businesses across Madagascar, Tanzania, and Senegal, enabling them to grow and transition into the formal economy.

    Highlighting the initiative’s importance, the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, Solomon Quaynor, said: “This investment reflects the African Development Bank’s commitment to driving Africa’s digital transformation and fostering inclusive growth. By supporting AXIAN Telecom’s growth plan, we are bridging the digital divide, creating opportunities for millions across the continent, and fostering innovation.”

    Quaynor described the African Development Bank’s support as part of a partnership to accelerate progress, advance financial inclusion—particularly for women—and drive sustainable development, adding, “Together, we are building the infrastructure and ecosystems that will enable Africa to thrive in the digital age.”

    AXIAN Telecom CEO, Hassan Jaber said, “We are honoured to partner with an organisation that shares our vision of advancing Africa’s digital economy. The funding from the African Development Bank not only underscores the immense digital potential of the continent but also highlights the critical role of collaboration in driving sustainable development.”

    Jabaer emphasized that the support from the African Development Bank will build on the company’s ongoing initiatives, such as expanding affordable internet access and fostering innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide. while aligning seamlessly with the recent transformation of our mobile businesses under the Yas brand.

    « Yas represents our commitment to empowering a young, dynamic, and digitally connected population, embracing every opportunity with a resounding ‘YES.’ Together, this collaboration will help drive meaningful change across Africa’s digital landscape, furthering our shared mission of digital and financial inclusion,” he added.

    The partnership aligns with the African Development Bank’s “Hi-5” development priorities, particularly “Industrialize Africa” and “Integrate Africa”, which enhance connectivity, foster cross-border digital services, and support financial inclusion.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Mission 300: Significant new donor pledges in support of the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa announced on margins of the Africa Energy Summit

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    Denmark, the United Kingdom, Spain and France have unveiled new or additional contributions to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, demonstrating strong support for the African Development Bank-managed fund as it expands energy access across Africa, including through the Mission 300 partnership. Another new donor – Japan –joined in December 2024 with a $5 million contribution under AGIA.

    SEFA is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. It aims to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa in line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa and Mission 300.

    Mission 300, an ambitious new partnership of the African Development Bank Group, the World Bank Group and other development partners, aims to provide access to electricity to an additional 300 million Africans by 2030.

    France, a new donor to SEFA, will provide €10 million. Denmark, the UK and Spain will increase existing contributions by DKK 100 million (€13.4 million), £8.5 million (€10.13) and €3 million, respectively.

    France’s contribution will bolster the Africa Green Infrastructure Alliance (AGIA), a platform of the African Development Bank, Africa 50 and other partners that will develop transformative sustainable infrastructure projects for investment.

    These contributions come as SEFA enjoyed its best year on record in 2024, with $108 million approved for 14 projects. SEFA now boasts a portfolio of over $300 million in highly impactful investments and technical assistance programmes, which is expected to unlock up to $15 billion in investments and deliver approximately 12 million new electricity connections.

    Denmark’s Acting State Secretary for Development Policy, Ole Thonke, said: “Africa is endowed with enormous untapped potential for renewable energy, which can fuel green industrialisation. The latest Danish financial contribution to SEFA will focus on the newly established Africa-led Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA), further supporting the continent’s ambitious development and climate goals.”

    “We are halfway through this decisive decade to achieve the sustainable development goals and get on track to tackle climate change,” said Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. “Achieving our collective goals of reliable, affordable and clean power is a golden thread that links economic growth, greater investment, strengthened resilience and climate ambition. By accelerating the roll-out of clean power, the UK and Mission 300 are putting green and inclusive growth at the heart of our partnerships with Africa. Our announcement of an additional £8.5 million in UK funding for the AfDB’s SEFA will mobilise the much-needed private sector investment so that more Africans can access clean power right across the continent.”

    Inés Carpio San Román, Alternate Governor of Spain for the African Development Bank, said, “We are pleased that Spain has decided to renew its support for the SEFA fund with a contribution of €3 million. This reaffirms our commitment to the crucial sector of renewable energy, which plays a key role in fostering sustainable development across Africa.”

    “As a strong supporter of Africa’s green infrastructure investments with financial tools that mobilise private finance, France is proud to contribute €10 million to the AGIA through SEFA,” stated Bertrand Dumont, Director General of the French Treasury and Governor for France at the African Development Bank. “This very first contribution is our first step towards reinforcing Africa’s sustainable development and accelerating the continent’s path to a low-carbon economy. By investing in green infrastructure in Africa, we are investing for the future.”

    Dr Daniel Schroth, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the African Development Bank, said, “We welcome the new commitments from donors whose support underscores the impactful work of SEFA. These contributions are essential in enabling SEFA to fulfil its role as a key delivery vehicle for Mission 300 at this pivotal moment.”

    ABOUT SEFA

    SEFA is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. SEFA offers technical assistance and concessional finance instruments to remove market barriers, build a more robust pipeline of projects and improve the risk-return profile of individual investments. The Fund’s overarching goal is to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa, in line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa and the M300.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Study shows Big Oil fueled deadly wildfires in Los Angeles

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    San Francisco, CA (January 29, 2025) – The latest study by the World Weather Attribution on the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, confirmed that climate change, fueled by fossil fuel burning, made the fires 35% more likely. The analysis shows these flammable conditions will only worsen if we continue down the path of inaction. In response to the study, Zachary Norris, Greenpeace USA California Climate Director, said:

    “Climate change has been making California wildfires larger, faster and more deadly for years. All 8 of the state’s largest fires have all occurred in the last 7 years.  But the fires in Los Angeles have also shown that as droughts stretch longer, rainfall drops, and temperatures rise, entire communities are being devastated. These fires were 35% more likely to occur because of climate change, which is primarily caused by the burning of oil, gas, and coal, and if we don’t change course, these flammable conditions will only intensify. While Big Oil companies continue to pull in billions in profits, we’re paying the price in lives lost and homes destroyed. But it doesn’t have to be this way – it’s time to stop drilling and start paying for the damage they’ve caused.”


    Contact: Gigi Singh, Communications Manager at Greenpeace USA
    (+1)  631-404-9977, [email protected]  

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Insurance Sector – ICNZ welcomes Govt’s Climate Adaptation response

    Source: Insurance Council of NZ

    The Insurance Council of New Zealand Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ) has welcomed the Government’s commitment to introduce legislation to Parliament this year on a Climate Adaptation framework and prepare New Zealanders for the impact of climate change on lives, property and communities.
    “New Zealanders need certainty about the way natural hazard risks from climate change are going to be managed and Government leadership in this critical area is welcome,” ICNZ Chief Executive Kris Faafoi said
    The Government was responding to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee’s Inquiry into Climate Adaptation released in October last year.
    “The Government has acknowledged that a significant proportion of New Zealanders live in areas susceptible to increasing natural hazard risk and that the prospect of more frequent and severe weather events may impact the stability of our housing, finance and insurance markets.
    “The insurance industry is keen to continue to contribute to the policy formation to keep protecting communities and customers. As the Government has noted, an implementation plan will be required that all sectors can buy into and is achievable.
    “New Zealand is a risky country, and we are committed to finding solutions that reduce our exposure to natural hazard risks by avoiding building in dumb places and by investing in infrastructure that protects communities as well as better preparing for recovery from future natural disasters.
    “We also support the government’s goal of a cross-party solution to ensure New Zealand’s approach is enduring. Adapting to climate change requires a long-term political commitment as reinsurers and insurers need long-term policy and investment certainty for some of the likely actions and investments required to safeguard Kiwis and minimise the insurance protection gap.
    “We commend the Government for taking this approach. When Climate Change Minister Simon Watts and insurers met with reinsurers in London last year, they told us that they have confidence in New Zealand’s plan and that being proactive and having consistent policy settings would help keep reinsurance available for New Zealand.
    “While there is work already underway to prepare for a changing climate, we need to work with haste on this issue to keep all of New Zealand protected from the worst effects of future events.
    “Research shows every dollar invested in adaptation brings substantial economic benefits..By addressing these risks now, New Zealand can avoid the higher costs associated with future climate-related disasters,” Kris Faafoi said.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Guidance on Restoring America’s Fighting Force

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Today, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth published a memorandum to reinforce that the Department of Defense (DoD) has an obligation to the American public to ensure their sons and daughters serve under the best leadership we can provide them. Doing so is a national security imperative. A foundational tenet of the DoD must always be that the most qualified individuals are placed in positions of responsibility in accordance with merit-based, color-blind policies.

    The full memorandum can be read here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Over Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl, Meth, and Cocaine Charges After High-Speed Police Chase

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

    INDIANAPOLIS— Lamone Lauderdale, 37, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 248 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

    According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, a Zionsville Police Department K9 officer pulled Lamone Lauderdale over for speeding. A K9 sniff indicated the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. When Lauderdale was asked to step out of the car, he fled and led officers on a high-speed pursuit down US-421. Lauderdale eventually came to a stop after striking two other vehicles and popping his tire on a median near Michigan Road in Indianapolis. Lauderdale then fled on foot carrying a black bag.

    Lauderdale was eventually found and arrested but was no longer carrying the black bag. Officers located the abandoned bag, which contained 170 grams of methamphetamine, 60 grams of fentanyl, 111 grams of cocaine, a pill press, a digital scale, a 9mm handgun, and 11 rounds of live ammunition.

    A later search of Lauderdale’s vehicle recovered an additional 22 grams of methamphetamine, another digital scale, another handgun and five rounds of ammunition.

    “Traffickers of deadly drugs, armed with deadly weapons, are a poison in our communities,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Those who choose to endanger our families to further their own greed will be identified and prosecuted. With our federal, state, and local partners, we are committed to ensuring dangerous criminals are taken off our streets and held accountable for their actions. I commend the talented professionals at the Zionsville Police Department and ATF, and our federal prosecutor, for their efforts to apprehend and successfully prosecute this dangerous criminal.”

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Zionsville Police Department and investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Dorchester Men Charged as Felons in Possession of Firearms

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

    BOSTON – Two Dorchester men were charged yesterday with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition following the execution of a federal search warrant in Dorchester.  

    Rickey Simmons, 46, and Robert Campbell, 35, were each charged by criminal complaint with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  

    According to the charging documents, two loaded firearms were allegedly recovered from the first floor living area occupied by Simmons. Campbell was allegedly found in possession of a key to a safe in in his bedroom that was found to contain thousands of dollars along with a loaded Glock firearm. The room also contained a small amount of what is believed to be cocaine. Additionally, just outside the door of the bedroom, a bag containing three additional Glock firearms was located, including one that was equipped with a machine gun conversion device, allowing it to fire fully automatically. In the same bag, a loaded, extended magazine that fit the converted machine gun was recovered. According to court records, Campbell has prior convictions for assaulting police officers and resisting arrest.

    The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Grady and Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit are  prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Helena man sentenced to more than seven years in prison for conviction of firearm crime

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

    GREAT FALLS — A Helena man who admitted to a firearm crime after a welfare check led to him being arrested on a warrant while attempting to flee officers was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Scott Hamilton, 44, pleaded in October 2024 to receipt of a firearm and ammunition with intent to commit a felony.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    In court documents, the government alleged that at 4 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped a man wearing dark clothing and carrying a duffel bag on Montana Highway 12 for a welfare check. The man, identified as Hamilton, told officers he had car trouble and was walking to East Helena. Officers learned there was an active warrant for Hamilton out of Broadwater County. When officers attempted to arrest Hamilton, he fled across the highway and dropped his bag as he ran. Officers pursued and arrested Hamilton and recovered the duffle bag. Inside the duffle bag were two firearms, a .22 caliber revolver and a 9mm pistol, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Hamilton had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

    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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Son and Mom Sentenced for Their Role in Shooting a Victim and Conspiring to Tamper with Witnesses

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

    TULSA, Okla. – The U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Marco Dionte Atkins and his mother, Sidney Brook Mayfield, after a jury found them guilty in September.

    “Atkins acted recklessly and violently when he shot at someone outside of an occupied business, where children were present,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “After being arrested, Atkins and his mother relentlessly campaigned against witnesses, trying to evade being held accountable for their actions. I commend law enforcement for their hard work in pursuing justice.”

    In Nov. 2023, Sidney Mayfield pulled into a convenience store directly across the street from a high school. Five teenagers were in the car, including Marco Atkins, Mayfield’s then 18-year-old son. The teens, Mayfield and Atkins, were seen entering the store on video surveillance. After a few minutes inside the store, a verbal altercation began between the teens and the victim. The teens, Mayfield and Atkins, left the store. The teens continued to argue with the victim outside. The video shows Atkins inside the vehicle, firing multiple rounds toward the victim, eventually hitting him in the stomach. Mayfield then sped off.

    Shortly after Atkins was arrested in January 2024, Mayfield and Atkins began tampering with witnesses, obstructing the investigation, and commenting publicly about retaliation. Atkins’ original trial was set to begin in June of 2024 but was forced to be continued due to their obstruction and witness tampering. After the trial was continued in June, evidence showed Mayfield ranting on social media about a witness being a “snitch,” announcing the witness’s full name and where the family resided. In the video played for the jury, Mayfield stated that she would “kill anybody” that went against her or her son and that she would “ride with Marco until the [explicit] wheels fell off.” Shortly after she posted that video, Mayfield was indicted and arrested, and Atkins was charged with additional counts.    

    Atkins, 19, was sentenced to 180 months, followed by five years of supervised release. He was found guilty of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

    Mayfield, 39, was sentenced to 70 months, followed by three years of supervised release. She was found guilty of Retaliating Against a Witness, Victim, and Informant; Corruptly Tampering with a Witness, Victim, and Informant; and False Declaration Before a Grand Jury.

    They were both found guilty of Conspiracy to Tamper with a Witness, Victim, and Informant by Corrupt Persuasion and Corruptly Obstructing the Due Administration of Justice.

    Atkins and Mayfield are citizens of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. They will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Dowdell and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Hampton Financial Corporation Announces 1st Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

    TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hampton Financial Corporation (“Hampton” or the “Company”, TSXV:HFC) today announced its financial results for the 1st quarter ended November 30th, 2024.

    First Quarter ended November 30th, 2024.

    IFRS results highlights:

    • Q1 Revenue of $3,133,000; an increase of 80% year-over-year
    • Q1 Net Loss of $(799,000) or $(0.01) per share;

    Fiscal results (IFRS results adjusted for non-cash Items) highlights:

    • Q1 Adjusted Net Loss of $(505,000) or $(0.01) per share;
    • Q1 EBITDA of $240,000 vs $(249,000) in the comparative quarter last year

    Summary of Corporate Developments:

    Our 1st quarter results reflect the continued challenging environment across the Capital markets industry. Rising interest rates and global uncertainty continue to delay many corporate finance and broader financial decisions on the part of issuers. While 2025 is showing some signs of improvement, the year ahead for our core business remains unclear. That said we intend to move ahead with a number of initiatives to further expand our business portfolio, while growing our existing Wealth Management prorate and Capital Markets businesses. Our acquisition of Oxygen Working Capital in early 2024 has been integrated and we continue to explore opportunities to expand the landing book.

    “The first quarter results continue to demonstrate the industry-wide challenges faced during the fall of 2024. Capital Markets activities have started to improve as interest rates have stabilized, so we are hopeful for a stronger second half of the year. We remain optimistic for the balance of the fiscal year,” said Hampton Executive Chairman & CEO Peter Deeb.

    Copies of Hampton’s unaudited interim financial statements and its Management’s Discussion & Analysis for the three months ended November 30, 2024, can be accessed on SEDAR+ at www.sedar.com.

    About Hampton Financial Corporation

    Hampton is a unique private equity firm that seeks to build shareholder value through long-term strategic investments.

    Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hampton Securities Limited (“HSL”), Hampton is actively engaged in family office, wealth management, institutional services and capital markets activities. HSL is a full-service investment dealer, regulated by CIRO and registered in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, and Quebec. In addition, the Company, through HSL, provides investment banking services, which include assisting companies with raising capital, advising on mergers and acquisitions, and aiding issuers in obtaining a listing on recognized securities exchanges in Canada and abroad and HSL’s Corporate Finance Group provides early stage, growing companies the capital, they need to create value for investors. HSL continues to develop its Wealth Management, Advisory Team and Principal-Agent programs which offers to the industry’s most experienced wealth managers a unique and flexible operating platform that provides additional freedom, financial support, and tax effectiveness as they build and manage their professional practice.

    Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Oxygen Working Capital (“OWC”) the company offers factoring and other commercial financing services to clients across Canada.

    The Company is exploring opportunities to diversify its sources of revenue by way of strategic investments in both complimentary business and non-core sectors that can leverage the expertise of its Board and the diverse experience of its management team.

    For more information, please contact:

    Olga Juravlev
    Chief Financial Officer
    Hampton Financial Corporation
    (416) 862-8701

    Or

    Peter M. Deeb
    Executive Chairman & CEO
    Hampton Financial Corporation
    (416) 862-8651

    The TSXV has in no way approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

    No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. This press release does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction outside of Canada. The securities being offered have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to a U.S. person absent registration or pursuant to an available exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. There will be no public offering of securities in the United States.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively referred to herein as “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Company. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as “should”, “hopeful”, “recovery”, “anticipate”, “achieve”, “could”, “believe”, “plan”, “intend”, “objective”, “continuous”, “ongoing”, “estimate”, “outlook”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “project” or similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes.

    Forward-looking statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors beyond the Company’s ability to predict or control which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements herein. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results may vary, and vary materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein. Accordingly, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements herein and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Quick Custom Intelligence and Modulus Celebrate Success at ICE

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading provider of cutting-edge business intelligence solutions for the casino industry, and Modulus, an innovator in advanced gaming system technology, are pleased to announce a successful showcase at the International Casino Expo (ICE). Throughout the event, both companies met with dozens of current customers and new prospects, demonstrating the latest in AI technology and data-driven business intelligence tools.

    By joining forces in the Modulus booth, QCI and Modulus underscored the synergy of their combined technologies, generating excitement among attendees. The live demos highlighted how these next-generation solutions can empower casinos to make data-driven decisions, enhance customer engagement, and streamline operations.

    “The energy at this year’s ICE was truly inspiring,” said Marc Attal, COO of Modulus. “Our newest technology received an exceptional response, and our digitalization strategy for slots and tables resonated deeply with clients who clearly saw the benefits of optimization it brings. Showcasing QCI’s solutions in our booth amplified our message and created an immersive experience that highlighted the potential of the cutting-edge AGI55 platform. The excitement and enthusiasm from both existing and prospective clients made this one of our most successful shows yet, reaffirming our commitment to innovation and excellence.”

    “It was fantastic to be part of the show,” remarked Andrew Cardno, CTO of QCI. “Meeting so many new customers and prospects has sparked a sense of excitement and optimism for what lies ahead for QCI in the global casino market. We are grateful to Modulus for the opportunity to partner in showcasing how our integrated solutions can help casinos operate more efficiently and profitably.”

    Both companies look forward to expanding their footprint in international gaming markets, fueled by the success and enthusiasm generated at ICE. QCI and Modulus remain committed to developing innovative technologies that drive real-world results for casino operators everywhere.

    ABOUT Quick Custom Intelligence
    Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI AGI Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 250 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and The Bahamas. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $35 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI’s data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Denver, Dallas, and Tulsa. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at www.quickcustomintelligence.com.

    ABOUT Andrew Cardno

    Andrew Cardno is a distinguished figure in the realm of artificial intelligence and data plumbing. With over two decades spearheading private Ph.D. and master’s level research teams, his expertise has made significant waves in data tooling. Andrew’s innate ability to innovate has led him to devise numerous pioneering visualization methods. Of these, the most notable is the deep zoom image format, a groundbreaking innovation that has since become a cornerstone in the majority of today’s mapping tools. His leadership acumen has earned him two coveted Smithsonian Laureates, and teams under his mentorship have clinched 40 industry awards, including three pivotal gaming industry transformation awards. Together with Dr. Ralph Thomas, the duo co-founded Quick Custom Intelligence, amplifying their collaborative innovative capacities. A testament to his inventive prowess, Andrew boasts over 150 patent applications. Across various industries—be it telecommunications with Telstra Australia, retail with giants like Walmart and Best Buy, or the medical sector with esteemed institutions like City Of Hope and UCSD—Andrew’s impact is deeply felt. He has enriched the literature with insights, co-authoring eight influential books with Dr. Thomas and contributing to over 100 industry publications. An advocate for community and diversity, Andrew’s work has touched over 100 Native American Tribal Resorts, underscoring his expansive and inclusive professional endeavours.

    ABOUT Modulus 

    As one of the world’s largest independent gaming management system providers, Modulus operates across 40 countries spanning Europe, Africa, South America, Canada, and Asia. Our multilingual suite of management software empowers gaming operators to optimize revenues and efficiently manage costs. With headquarters in Monaco and offices in France and Austria, along with partner offices in South Africa, Latin America, and Asia, our dedicated team of R&D and support professionals ensures the highest levels of customer engagement and product development. Explore the innovative technology of SYSTM Connect, enhancing player experiences and delivering fast, reliable network communication. Visit our website at www.modulusgroup.eu

    Contact:

    Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intellligence

    Phone: 858-349-8354

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Stellar V Capital Corp. Announces Pricing of $150 Million Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stellar V Capital Corp. (the “Company”), a newly organized special purpose acquisition company formed as a Cayman Islands exempted company and led by its co-CEOs Prokopios (Akis) Tsirigakis and George Syllantavos, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 15,000,000 units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share. The units are expected to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market (“NASDAQ”) under the ticker symbol “SVCCU” beginning January 30, 2025. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. The Company expects the Class A ordinary shares and warrants comprising the units to begin separate trading on the 52nd day from this date. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and the warrants are expected to be traded on NASDAQ under the symbols “SVCC” and “SVCCW,” respectively.

    BTIG, LLC is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering.

    The Company has granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,250,000 units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is expected to close on January 31, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

    A registration statement relating to the securities sold in the initial public offering was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on January 29, 2025. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the prospectus may be obtained from: BTIG, LLC, 65 East 55th Street, New York, New York 10022, or by email at ProspectusDelivery@btig.com or by accessing the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Stellar V Capital Corp.

    Stellar V Capital Corp. is a blank check company, also commonly referred to as a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the Company’s initial public offering (“IPO”) and search for an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of Stellar V Capital Corp., including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Stellar V Capital Corp.’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the IPO filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Stellar V Capital Corp. undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Production begins at CH4 Global’s first full-scale EcoPark

    Source: CH4 Global

    ADELAIDE, Australia – January 30, 2024 – CH4 Global, Inc., will today officially open phase one of its first full-scale EcoPark, where it has begun to grow and process Asparagopsis in 10 large-scale cultivation ponds with a combined capacity of 2 million litres – capable of producing 80 metric tonnes of the seaweed each year.

    Over the next year, the facility will expand to 100 ponds capable of producing enough Asparagopsis to serve 45,000 cattle per day – a significant step toward meeting demand from CH4 Global’s existing commercial partners in Australia and beyond. With additional investment, the facility could eventually expand to 500 ponds capable of serving hundreds of thousands of cattle per day.

    South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas attended the launch of the EcoPark in Louth Bay, 23km north of Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.

    “I congratulate CH4 global on this significant achievement,” Mr Malinauslkas said.

    “South Australia is already a world leader in decarbonisation.

    “Helping the rest of the world achieve this challenge presents an incredible opportunity to deliver a more complex economy and more jobs for South Australians.

    “CH4 Global’s EcoPark is a shining example of what we can achieve – using Research and Development to develop new industries.

    “Propagating a local seaweed to feed cattle has the potential to drastically reduce methane emissions from agriculture, both here and around the globe.”

    The EcoPark consists of research and development facilities, a seedling hatchery, patented in-land growth ponds, and harvesting and drying technologies to convert Asparagopsis into CH4 Global’s Methane Tamer products – allowing end-to-end production.

    The EcoPark will sustainably grow methane-reducing Asparagopsis at scale. Asparagopsis, which is a red seaweed native to South Australia, drastically reduces methane emissions from cows by up to 90 per cent.

    CH4 Global founder and Chief Executive Dr Steve Meller said the EcoPark was the first commercial facility of its kind, enabling the scalable propagation of Asparagopsis to meet the needs of feedlots under contract. CH4 Global’s system delivers consistent, high-quality production at a fraction of the cost, enabling profitability throughout the value chain without government subsidies.

    With its proprietary pond-based system, CH4 Global aims to reduce production costs by up to 90 per cent compared to conventional tank-based methods, enabling rapid scaling while positioning CH4 Global to deliver its feed supplement at a price point that ensures profitability throughout the agricultural value chain.

    “The EcoPark allows us to now grow Asparagopsis at-scale, providing more Methane Tamer to the feedlots and farmers we are already working with, and to meet the needs of the increasing number of organisations contacting us to help them change the feeding habits of their cows as we start bending the climate curve,” Dr Meller said.

    “We are well and truly working towards eliminating one billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and reaching 150 million cattle by 2030 through our local and international partnerships with feedlots and farmers, and it’s fantastic to see beef from these cows hitting shelves in Australia and heading overseas.”

    Dr Meller said the Louth Bay EcoPark was an essential step on the climate journey and would be positive for the Eyre Peninsula community and economy.

    CH4 Global has committed to preventing the creation of one gigatonne of CO2 emissions by 2032.

    To do so, CH4 Global needs to reach 150 million cattle —10 per cent of the world’s total.

    “Along with supporting farmers in South Australia, Queensland and overseas to reduce emissions, we’re working closely with the Eyre Peninsula community by having worked with local contractors to build the EcoPark, sourcing local materials and providing regional jobs.”

    CH4 Global has also been working with First Nations communities across South Australia, including with the planting of native species and on a land management plan, and providing a gathering space on-site.

    CH4 Global has implemented a sustainable design framework for Louth Bay and future EcoParks, guiding the use and management of energy and natural resources, waste and GHG emissions, and efficient use of eco-friendly materials.

    As part of its sustainable design framework, CH4 Global has remediated the 14ha site and will be responsible for 13km of beach. Remediation has included removing 5,000 tonnes of concrete tanks – crushed and recycled; 11.76 tonnes of HDPE to be recycled in Adelaide, 10 tonnes of plastic aquaculture trays and other plastic equipment for filtering water and other purposes, which have been rehomed and reused within the community; and sent five tonnes of steel to recycling.

    CH4 Global will be holding an opening event at Louth Bay this morning, at 10.30am. The media is invited to attend.

    Dr Meller is available for interviews. Video footage and photography will also be available post-event.

    About CH4 Global

    CH4 Global, founded in 2018, is on an urgent mission to bend the climate curve, through collaboration with strategic partners worldwide. We deliver market-disruptive products that enable the food industry value chain to radically reduce GHG emissions.

    The company’s first innovation, Methane Tamer feed additives for feedlot cattle, harnesses the power of Asparagopsis seaweed to reduce enteric methane emissions by up to 90 per cent. CH4 Global is headquartered in Henderson, Nevada, in the US, with current subsidiaries in Australia and New Zealand.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – International project to support Australia’s transition to clean energy with next-gen electrolysers – Swinburne University

    Source: Swinburne University


    An international team is developing new electrolysers to support Australia’s transition to clean energy. 


    Led by Swinburne University of Technology researchers Associate Professor Rosalie Hocking and Associate Professor Andrew Ang, the project will strengthen Australia’s capability in domestic manufacturing for renewable technologies, positioning the country as a leader in the global energy transition. 


    “This grant enables us to tackle key challenges in scaling up electrolysers by innovating catalyst design and electrode manufacturing, advancing CO₂ reduction technologies for a sustainable energy future,” says Associate Professor Hocking. 


    Hydrogen electrolysers enable the production of clean hydrogen from water using renewable electricity. This process provides a high-energy, low-emission alternative for sectors that are challenging to electrify, such as heavy transport and industrial processing. 


    By 2050, CSIRO predicts that manufacturing of hydrogen electrolysers industry could generate $1.7 billion in revenue and 4,000 jobs, plus $1.2 billion and 1,000 jobs from installation services. Associate Professor Ang says a key part of making this a reality is reducing costs. 


    “The cost of manufacturing is often overlooked in new technologies despite being a critical consideration in any scalable technology.”  


    “By scaling up these cutting-edge electrode systems, the project will contribute to the development of next-generation electrolysers that support Australia’s transition to clean energy.” 


    The international collaboration between Swinburne’s Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering team and Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon (RMUTP) in Thailand will examine innovative ways to fabricate catalysts materials and Australia’s capacity to scale those technologies. 


    This project aims to develop innovative copper oxide (CuOx) and multimetal oxide catalyst systems for the production of value-added C2+ products, such as hydrocarbons and syngas, using renewable energy in proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers. 


    By advancing catalyst design and optimising manufacturing techniques, the project addresses key challenges related to cost and scalability in the deployment of hydrogen production technologies.  


    Associate Professor Hocking says that international partnerships are essential for building Australia’s science and research capabilities. 


    “Employing innovative techniques like thermal spray will help position Australia as a global leader in renewable technology development.” 

    MIL OSI – Submitted News

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: 

    Section 1.  Purpose and Policy.  Parents trust America’s schools to provide their children with a rigorous education and to instill a patriotic admiration for our incredible Nation and the values for which we stand.  
    In recent years, however, parents have witnessed schools indoctrinate their children in radical, anti-American ideologies while deliberately blocking parental oversight.  Such an environment operates as an echo chamber, in which students are forced to accept these ideologies without question or critical examination.  In many cases, innocent children are compelled to adopt identities as either victims or oppressors solely based on their skin color and other immutable characteristics.  In other instances, young men and women are made to question whether they were born in the wrong body and whether to view their parents and their reality as enemies to be blamed.  These practices not only erode critical thinking but also sow division, confusion, and distrust, which undermine the very foundations of personal identity and family unity.

    Imprinting anti-American, subversive, harmful, and false ideologies on our Nation’s children not only violates longstanding anti-discrimination civil rights law in many cases, but usurps basic parental authority.  For example, steering students toward surgical and chemical mutilation without parental consent or involvement or allowing males access to private spaces designated for females may contravene Federal laws that protect parental rights, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), and sex-based equality and opportunity, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).  Similarly, demanding acquiescence to “White Privilege” or “unconscious bias,” actually promotes racial discrimination and undermines national unity.

    My Administration will enforce the law to ensure that recipients of Federal funds providing K-12 education comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination in various contexts and protecting parental rights, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.; Title IX, 20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.; FERPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232g; and the PPRA, 20 U.S.C. 1232h.

    Sec. 2.  Definitions.  As used herein:
    (a)  The definitions in the Executive Order “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” (January 20, 2025) shall apply to this order.
    (b)  “Discriminatory equity ideology” means an ideology that treats individuals as members of preferred or disfavored groups, rather than as individuals, and minimizes agency, merit, and capability in favor of immoral generalizations, including that: 
    (i)     Members of one race, color, sex, or national origin are morally or inherently superior to members of another race, color, sex, or national origin; 
    (ii)    An individual, by virtue of the individual’s race, color, sex, or national origin, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; 
    (iii)   An individual’s moral character or status as privileged, oppressing, or oppressed is primarily determined by the individual’s race, color, sex, or national origin; 
    (iv)    Members of one race, color, sex, or national origin cannot and should not attempt to treat others without respect to their race, color, sex, or national origin; 
    (v)     An individual, by virtue of the individual’s race, color, sex, or national origin, bears responsibility for, should feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress because of, should be discriminated against, blamed, or stereotyped for, or should receive adverse treatment because of actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, sex, or national origin, in which the individual played no part; 
    (vi)    An individual, by virtue of the individual’s race, color, sex, or national origin, should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment to achieve diversity, equity, or inclusion; 
    (vii)   Virtues such as merit, excellence, hard work, fairness, neutrality, objectivity, and racial colorblindness are racist or sexist or were created by members of a particular race, color, sex, or national origin to oppress members of another race, color, sex, or national origin; or
    (viii)  the United States is fundamentally racist, sexist, or otherwise discriminatory.
    (c)  “Educational service agency” (ESA) has the meaning given in 20 U.S.C. 1401(5), and the terms “elementary school,” “local educational agency” (LEA), “secondary school,” and “state educational agency” (SEA) have the meanings given in 34 C.F.R. 77.1(c).
    (d)  “Patriotic education” means a presentation of the history of America grounded in: 
    (i)    an accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling characterization of America’s founding and foundational principles; 
    (ii)   a clear examination of how the United States has admirably grown closer to its noble principles throughout its history; 
    (iii)  the concept that commitment to America’s aspirations is beneficial and justified; and
    (iv)   the concept that celebration of America’s greatness and history is proper.
    (e)  “Social transition” means the process of adopting a “gender identity” or “gender marker” that differs from a person’s sex.  This process can include psychological or psychiatric counseling or treatment by a school counselor or other provider; modifying a person’s name (e.g., “Jane” to “James”) or pronouns (e.g., “him” to “her”); calling a child “nonbinary”; use of intimate facilities and accommodations such as bathrooms or locker rooms  specifically designated for persons of the opposite sex; and participating in school athletic competitions or other extracurricular activities specifically designated for persons of the opposite sex.  “Social transition” does not include chemical or surgical mutilation.

    Sec. 3.  Ending Indoctrination Strategy.  (a)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, to advise the President in formulating future policy, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall provide an Ending Indoctrination Strategy to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, containing recommendations and a plan for:
    (i)   eliminating Federal funding or support for illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology; and
    (ii)  protecting parental rights, pursuant to FERPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232g, and the PPRA, 20 U.S.C. 1232h, with respect to any K-12 policies or conduct implicated by the purpose and policy of this order.
    (b)  The Ending Indoctrination Strategy submitted under subsection (a) of this section shall contain a summary and analysis of the following:
    (i)    All Federal funding sources and streams, including grants or contracts, that directly or indirectly support or subsidize the instruction, advancement, or promotion of gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology:
    (A)  in K-12 curriculum, instruction, programs, or activities; or 
    (B)  in K-12 teacher education, certification, licensing, employment, or training; 
    (ii)   Each agency’s process to prevent or rescind Federal funds, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, from being used by an ESA, SEA, LEA, elementary school, or secondary school to directly or indirectly support or subsidize the instruction, advancement, or promotion of gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology in: 
    (A)  K-12 curriculum, instruction, programs, or activities; or 
    (B)  K-12 teacher certification, licensing, employment, or training; 
    (iii)  Each agency’s process to prevent or rescind Federal funds, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, from being used by an ESA, SEA, LEA, elementary school, or secondary school to directly or indirectly support or subsidize the social transition of a minor student, including through school staff or teachers or through deliberately concealing the minor’s social transition from the minor’s parents.
    (iv)   Each agency’s process to prevent or rescind Federal funds, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, from being used by an ESA, SEA, LEA, elementary school, or secondary school to directly or indirectly support or subsidize:
    (A)  interference with a parent’s Federal statutory right to information regarding school curriculum, records, physical examinations, surveys, and other matters under the PPRA or FERPA; or 
    (B)  a violation of Title VI or Title IX; and
    (v)    A summary and analysis of all relevant agency enforcement tools to advance the policies of this order.
        (c)  The Attorney General shall coordinate with State attorneys general and local district attorneys in their efforts to enforce the law and file appropriate actions against K-12 teachers and school officials who violate the law by:
    (i)    sexually exploiting minors; 
    (ii)   unlawfully practicing medicine by offering diagnoses and treatment without the requisite license; or
    (iii)  otherwise unlawfully facilitating the social transition of a minor student.
    (d)  The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall regularly convene the heads of the agencies tasked with submitting the Ending Indoctrination Strategy under subsection (a) of this section to confer regarding their findings, areas for additional investigation, the modification or implementation of their respective recommendations, and such other policy initiatives or matters as the President may direct.
     
    Sec. 4.  Reestablishing the President’s Advisory 1776 Commission and Promoting Patriotic Education.  (a)  The President’s Advisory 1776 Commission (“1776 Commission”), which was created by Executive Order 13958 of November 2, 2020, to promote patriotic education, but was terminated by President Biden in Executive Order 13985 of January 20, 2021, is hereby reestablished.  The purpose of the 1776 Commission is to promote patriotic education and advance the purposes stated in section 1 of Executive Order 13958, as well as to advise and promote the work of the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday (“Task Force 250”) and the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in their efforts to provide a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026.
    (b)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Education shall establish the 1776 Commission in the Department of Education.
    (c)  The 1776 Commission shall be composed of not more than 20 members, who shall be appointed by the President for a term of 2 years.  The 1776 Commission shall be made up of individuals from outside the Federal Government with relevant experience or subject-matter expertise.  
    (d)  The 1776 Commission shall have a Chair or Co-Chairs, at the President’s discretion, and a Vice Chair, who shall be designated by the President from among the Commission’s members.  An Executive Director, designated by the Secretary of Education in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shall coordinate the work of the 1776 Commission.  The Chair (or Co-Chairs) and Vice Chair shall work with the Executive Director to convene regular meetings of the 1776 Commission, determine its agenda, and direct its work, consistent with this order.
    (e)  The 1776 Commission shall:
    (i)    facilitate the development and implementation of a “Presidential 1776 Award” to recognize student knowledge of the American founding, including knowledge about the Founders, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitutional Convention, and the great soldiers and battles of the American Revolutionary War;
    (ii)   in coordination with the White House Office of Public Liaison, coordinate bi-weekly lectures regarding the 250th anniversary of American Independence that are grounded in patriotic education principles, which shall be broadcast to the Nation throughout calendar year 2026; 
    (iii)  upon request, advise executive departments and agencies regarding their efforts to ensure patriotic education is appropriately provided to the public at national parks, battlefields, monuments, museums, installations, landmarks, cemeteries, and other places important to the American founding and American history, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law; 
    (iv)   upon request, offer advice and recommendations to, and support the work of Task Force 250 and the United States Semiquincentennial Commission regarding their plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence; and
    (v)    facilitate, advise upon, and promote private and civic activities nationwide to increase public knowledge of and support patriotic education surrounding the 250th anniversary of American Independence, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
    (f)  The Department of Education shall provide funding and administrative support for the 1776 Commission, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (g)  Members of the 1776 Commission shall serve without compensation but, as approved by the Department of Education, shall be reimbursed for travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
    (h)  Insofar as chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Advisory Committee Act), may apply to the 1776 Commission, any functions of the President under that Act, except that of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary of Education, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services.
    (i)  The 1776 Commission shall terminate 2 years from the date of this order, unless extended by the President. 

    Sec. 5.  Additional Patriotic Education Measures.  (a)  All relevant agencies shall monitor compliance with section 111(b) of title I of Division J of Public Law 108-447, which provides that “[e]ach educational institution that receives Federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the educational institution,” including by verifying compliance with each educational institution that receives Federal funds.  All relevant agencies shall take action, as appropriate, to enhance compliance with that law. 
    (b)  All relevant agencies shall prioritize Federal resources, consistent with applicable law, to promote patriotic education, including through the following programs:
    (i)    the Department of Education’s American History and Civics Academies and American History and Civics Education-National Activities programs; 
    (ii)   the Department of Defense’s National Defense Education Program and Pilot Program on Enhanced Civics Education; and
    (iii)  the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and Fulbright, U.S. Speaker, and International Visitor Leadership programs, as well as the American Spaces network.

    Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: 
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or 
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    MIL OSI USA News