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Category: Technology

  • MIL-OSI: Abacus Global Management Sues Coventry and its Chairman Alan Buerger for Defamation and Anticompetitive Conduct

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Coventry and Chairman Alan Buerger Engaged in Years-Long Campaign to Systematically Disseminate False and Misleading Information About the Publicly-Traded Company

    Coventry and Buerger Found a Key Partner and Megaphone for its Defamatory Statements: Short Seller Morpheus Research

    ORLANDO, Fla., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abacus Global Management, Inc. (“Abacus” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ABL), a leader in the alternative asset management space, today provided the following statement:

    Coventry First LLC, parent company of life settlements provider Coventry Direct (“Coventry”), and its Chairman Alan Buerger engaged in a concentrated effort to manipulate market sentiment about its biggest competitor, Abacus Global Management, through a systematic campaign to disseminate false and misleading statements about Abacus to regulators, auditors, market analysts, customers, investors and the public, causing confusion, concern, and financial injury to Abacus, its clients, and its shareholders, according to a lawsuit filed last night by Abacus in Florida’s Ninth Circuit Court.

    The lawsuit alleges that a short report published by Morpheus Research on June 4, 2025 was Coventry’s latest attack on Abacus. Coventry will be responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages should Abacus prove that Morpheus was acting as Coventry and Buerger’s willing partner and megaphone for the same defamatory statements Coventry was circulating about Abacus’ valuation methodology, statements regulators and market makers had ignored for months.

    The lawsuit details a multi-year effort by Coventry and its Chairman and founder, Alan Buerger, to cast doubt on Abacus’ valuation practices and stock price. Unable to compete with Abacus’ transparent pricing model and performance, Coventry and Buerger devised a scheme to undermine Abacus through false and misleading statements to convince the market that Abacus pays policyholders too much for their policies, causing an overvaluation of Abacus’ assets. This is more than idle talk: they have tried to convince anyone who will listen that the biggest threat to Coventry’s business is in fact illegitimate. 

    “This isn’t about competitive practices or even good faith criticism of a competitor’s business model – they clearly crossed the line into tortious interference and defamation,” said Abacus Global Management CEO Jay Jackson. “They’re losing market share to Abacus because we offer policyholders better terms and more transparent pricing, so instead of competing on product, they chose to try to manipulate markets by damaging Abacus’ reputation, confusing its customers, and undermining investor confidence with false statements. We’ve built a successful business through our fierce commitment to transparency – and we are going to fight back.”

    The lawsuit details the fundamental flaw at the center of Coventry’s false claims: Abacus buys policies from individuals​​ and sells them to investors. When the policies are sold to investors, who conduct their own evaluation of the policies’ value, the sale price consistently exceeds Abacus’ valuations. In short, the market is thoroughly and indisputably corroborating the value of Abacus’ assets and debunking Coventry’s central premise.

    “Coventry’s core claim is that top-tier investors like KKR are overpaying for life insurance policies—policies they’ve purchased from Abacus repeatedly over many years,” continued Abacus CEO Jackson. “Coventry essentially argues that they and Alan Buerger, with their less than sterling reputation, are more sophisticated investors than these major institutional firms. This claim is clearly absurd.”

    Coventry’s claim “deliberately ignores Abacus’ consistent and legally mandated disclosures that its publicly-traded balance sheet is valued ‘under the fair value method’ – that is, market price,” according to the filing.

    To convince the market that Abacus is not properly valuing its policies, Coventry targeted one of the six life expectancy estimate organizations Abacus uses, Lapetus Solutions. Coventry, and in particular Buerger, have “intentionally made false and misleading statements about Lapetus” through “purportedly independent but paid studies” that claim to show Lapetus systematically underestimates life expectancy. Coventry spread these false claims “across a wide range of audiences, each deliberately chosen to inflict maximum harm on Abacus,” including presenting its lies to: Abacus’s auditor, Grant Thornton; TD Securities, a market analyst tracking Abacus’ stock; the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and included the defamatory claims about Abacus in a lawsuit against the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“OIR”).

    Coventry claims Abacus is using Lapetus to value the policies it holds on its balance sheet, thereby inflating the value of each policy based on inaccurate life expectancy estimates. But as the lawsuit explains, quoting public filings, Abacus has repeatedly disclosed that it “does not use a life expectancy valuation model to value the policies,” rendering the entire accusation meritless. Separately, Abacus uses Lapetus as one of six life expectancy provider inputs when determining the price it will pay seniors for their policies, and not to derive its balance sheet valuations. If Coventry is correct that Lapetus is underestimating life expectancy, then it means Abacus is simply overpaying senior citizens for their policies.

    Abacus alleges that Coventry and Buerger recently “took these insinuations to the next level” when Buerger gave an interview, on the Tegus expert network platform, in which he accused Abacus of “manufactur[ing] earnings,” said that its “stockholders…will be subordinated to the asset-backed debt, which is to say they will all be wiped out when this thing goes upside down,” falsely repeating that Abacus, was “us[ing] Lapetus…primarily,” and predicting, “it’s just a matter of time before [Abacus] implodes.”

    The reality, found in the lawsuit filed today, is Abacus’s financial statements and internal controls over financial reporting have been found “in compliance with GAAP by a respected public company auditor in every annual audit,” that Abacus “has zero asset-backed debt” that can layer other investors in its capital structure, and that Abacus does not use Lapetus “to value the assets on its balance sheet, nor has it ever done so.”

    Coventry and Buerger also solicited “multiple short sellers to write a hit piece on Abacus, regurgitating the same false claims about Lapetus and Abacus’s valuation” with at least one prominent short seller who turned them down, noting “that senior citizens are making too much money off of selling their insurance policies is not a compelling story.”

    But eventually, Coventry and Buerger found a willing partner and megaphone for its defamatory statements: short seller Morpheus Research.

    Buerger’s interview was released to investors for the first time on June 4, 2025, 90 minutes before markets opened. Three hours later, Morpheus Research issued a short report that quoted Buerger’s most inflammatory accusations and heavily cited Coventry’s “research” on Lapetus.

    Within minutes, Abacus stock (NASDAQ: ABL) dropped more than 21%, erasing more than $200 million in market capitalization, based on well-trafficked lies.

    The lawsuit alleges Morpheus was acting as Coventry’s and Buerger’s willing partner and megaphone for the same defamatory statements about the Abacus valuation methodology, which regulators and market makers had ignored for months. The short report from Morpheus “parrots the same or similar false and misleading statements that Coventry had previously peddled.” As Morpheus acknowledges, one of its “sources” for the report includes “Abacus competitors,” a.k.a. Coventry, and ​​Morpheus timed the report to coincide with the release of Buerger’s Tegus interview.

    In the wake of Buerger’s interview and the report from Morpheus Research, Abacus is fielding questions from investors “parroting the points Coventry has been shilling for over a year,” and Buerger is “communicating directly with Abacus investors, and disseminating his misleading study of Lapetus.”

    The filing notes: “Coventry’s relentless campaign against Abacus has caused substantial harm to the company and its shareholders. Coventry’s false narrative attempts to project its own financial vulnerabilities onto Abacus, but the facts demonstrate otherwise. The market analysts who came to Abacus’ defense after the short report recognize the truth: Abacus’ transparent approach is a ray of sunshine in an otherwise beleaguered industry, and that explains its rapid rise.”

    Further, the lawsuit details how Coventry is “the poster child” for unsavory behavior in the industry, including:

    • Bid-rigging charges from the New York Attorney General;
    • Settling a multi-billion-dollar fraud case brought by AIG;
    • A Florida Office of Insurance Regulation investigation and a subsequent consent order requiring Coventry to adopt a remedial business plan;
    • A federal Court of Appeals characterized Coventry’s policy origination practices as “illegal”; and how
    • Coventry has been a leading player in Stranger-originated life insurance (STOLI), a practice widely viewed as illegal, and the SEC has noted the practice “​​may encourage fraud”, and multiple states have banned the practice.

    Abacus is represented in the lawsuit by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. Abacus is seeking hundreds of millions in damages, some of which are still accruing, from the harms to its reputation, its customer base, and its relationships with current and potential investors.

    The full filing can be read here.

    Contacts:
    Investor Relations
    Robert F. Phillips – SVP Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs
    rob@abacusgm.com
    (321) 290-1198

    David Jackson – Director of IR/Capital Markets
    david@abacusgm.com
    (321) 299-0716

    Abacus Global Management Public Relations
    press@abacusgm.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Trust Declares its Monthly Common Shares Distribution and Quarterly Preferred Shares Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Trust (the “Trust”) has declared its regular monthly distribution of $0.070 per share of the Trust’s common shares (NYSE: XFLT). The Trust also declared preferred dividends for the quarter of $0.40625 per share of the Trust’s 6.50% Series 2026 Term Preferred Shares (NYSE: XFLTPRA).

    The following dates apply to each declaration:

    Share Class Ex-Dividend Date Record Date Payable Date Amount Change
    from
    Previous
    Declaration
    XFLT July 15, 2025 July 15, 2025 August 1, 2025 $0.070 No Change
    XFLTPRA July 15, 2025 July 15, 2025 July 31, 2025 $0.40625 No Change1

    Common share distributions may be paid from net investment income (regular interest and dividends), capital gains and/or a return of capital. The specific tax characteristics of the distributions will be reported to the Trust’s common shareholders on Form 1099 after the end of the 2025 calendar year. Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Trust is net income or profit. For further information regarding the Trust’s distributions, please visit www.xainvestments.com.

    The Trust’s net investment income and capital gain can vary significantly over time; however, the Trust seeks to maintain more stable common share monthly distributions over time. The Trust’s investments in CLOs are subject to complex tax rules and the calculation of taxable income attributed to an investment in CLO subordinated notes can be dramatically different from the calculation of income for financial reporting purposes under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), and, as a result, there may be significant differences between the Trust’s GAAP income and its taxable income. The Trust’s final taxable income for the current fiscal year will not be known until the Trust’s tax returns are filed.

    As a registered investment company, the Trust is subject to a 4% excise tax that is imposed if the Trust does not distribute to common shareholders by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gain or loss) for the calendar year and (ii) 98.2% of its capital gain in excess of its capital loss (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for a one-year period generally ending on January 31 of the calendar year (unless an election is made to use the Trust’s fiscal year). In certain circumstances, the Trust may elect to retain income or capital gain to the extent that the Board of Trustees, in consultation with Trust management, determines it to be in the interest of shareholders to do so.

    The common share distributions paid by the Trust for any particular period may be more than the amount of net investment income from that period. As a result, all or a portion of a distribution may be a return of capital, which is in effect a partial return of the amount a common shareholder invested in the Trust, up to the amount of the common shareholder’s tax basis in their common shares, which would reduce such tax basis. Although a return of capital may not be taxable, it will generally increase the common shareholder’s potential gain, or reduce the common shareholder’s potential loss, on any subsequent sale or other disposition of common shares.

    Preferred shareholders are entitled to receive cumulative cash dividends and distributions on the Trust’s 6.50% Series 2026 Term Preferred Shares, when, as and if declared by, or under authority granted by, the Board of Trustees of the Trust out of funds legally available for distribution and in preference to dividends and distributions on common shares. If the Trust is unable to distribute the full dividend amount due in a dividend period on the Trust’s 6.50% Series 2026 Term Preferred Shares, the dividends will be distributed on a pro rata basis among the preferred shareholders.

    Distributions and dividends shall be paid on the Payable Date listed above unless the payment of such distribution or dividend is deferred by the Board of Trustees upon a determination that such deferral is required in order to comply with applicable law, to ensure that the Trust remains solvent and able to pay its debts as they become due and continue as a going concern or, with regard to the Trust’s regular monthly distribution to common shareholders, to comply with the applicable terms or financial covenants of the Trust’s senior securities.

    Future common share distributions will be made if and when declared by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, after the evaluation of several factors, including the Trust’s continued compliance with terms and financial covenants of its senior securities, the Trust’s net investment income, financial performance and available cash. There can be no assurance that the amount or timing of common share distributions in the future will be equal or similar to that described herein or that the Board of Trustees will not decide to suspend or discontinue the payment of common share distributions in the future.

    The investment objective of the Trust is to seek attractive total return with an emphasis on income generation across multiple stages of the credit cycle. The Trust seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a dynamically managed portfolio of opportunities primarily within the private credit markets. Under normal market conditions, the Trust will invest at least 80% of its Managed Assets in floating rate credit instruments and other structured credit investments. There can be no assurance that the Trust will achieve its investment objective.

    The Trust’s common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “XFLT,” and the Trust’s 6.50% Series 2026 Term Preferred Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “XFLTPRA.”

    About XA Investments
    XA Investments LLC (“XAI”) serves as the Trust’s investment adviser. XAI is a Chicago-based firm founded by XMS Capital Partners in 2016. XAI serves as the investment adviser for two listed closed-end funds and an interval closed-end fund. The listed closed-end funds, the XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Trust and XAI Madison Equity Premium Income Fund both trade on the New York Stock Exchange and the interval fund, Octagon XAI CLO Income Fund is available via direct subscription and through select broker/dealers and wealth management platforms.

    In addition to investment advisory services, the firm also provides investment fund structuring and consulting services focused on registered closed-end funds to meet institutional client needs. XAI offers custom product build and consulting services, including development and market research, sales, marketing, and fund management.

    XAI believes that the investing public can benefit from new vehicles to access a broad range of alternative investment strategies and managers. XAI provides individual investors with access to institutional-caliber alternative managers. For more information, please visit www.xainvestments.com.

    About XMS Capital Partners

    XMS Capital Partners, LLC, established in 2006, is a global, independent, financial services firm providing M&A, corporate advisory and asset management services to clients. It has offices in Chicago, Boston and London. For more information, please visit www.xmscapital.com.

    About Octagon Credit Investors
    Octagon Credit Investors, LLC (“Octagon”) serves as the Trust’s investment sub-adviser. Octagon is a 25+ year old, $32.1B below-investment grade corporate credit investment adviser focused on leveraged loan, high yield bond and structured credit (CLO debt and equity) investments. Through fundamental credit analysis and active portfolio management, Octagon’s investment team identifies attractive relative value opportunities across below-investment grade asset classes, sectors and issuers. Octagon’s investment philosophy and methodology encourage and rely upon dynamic internal communication to manage portfolio risk. Over its history, the firm has applied a disciplined, repeatable and scalable approach in its effort to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for its investors. For more information, please visit www.octagoncredit.com.

    XAI does not provide tax advice; please consult a professional tax advisor regarding your specific tax situation. Income may be subject to state and local taxes, as well as the federal alternative minimum tax.

    Investors should consider the investment objectives and policies, risk considerations, charges and expenses of the Trust carefully before investing. For more information on the Trust, please visit the Trust’s webpage at www.xainvestments.com.

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

             
    NOT FDIC INSURED    NO BANK GUARANTEE    MAY LOSE VALUE
             
    Paralel Distributors, LLC – Distributor


    Media Contact:

    Kimberly Flynn, President

    XA Investments LLC
    Phone: 888-903-3358
    Email: KFlynn@XAInvestments.com
    www.xainvestments.com

    1 The Trust’s 6.50% Series 2026 Term Preferred Shares dividend is calculated based on the preferred shares Liquidation Preference of $25.00 per share and the fixed dividend rate of 6.50%.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XAI Madison Equity Premium Income Fund Declares its Monthly Distribution of $0.060 per Share

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XAI Madison Equity Premium Income Fund (the “Fund”), has declared its regular monthly distribution of $0.060 per share on the Fund’s common shares (NYSE: MCN) payable on August 1, 2025. The amount represents no change from the previous month’s distribution amount.

    As mentioned in previous distribution declarations, the Fund has changed its distribution frequency from quarterly to monthly, which went into effect with the April 1, 2025 declaration.

    Ex-Dividend Date   July 15, 2025
       
    Record Date   July 15, 2025
       
    Payable Date   August 1, 2025
       
    Amount   $0.060 per share
       
    Change from Previous Month   No Change

    The following dates apply to the declaration:

    Common share distributions may be paid from net investment income (regular interest and dividends), capital gains and/or a return of capital. The specific tax characteristics of the distributions will be reported to the Fund’s common shareholders on Form 1099 after the end of the 2025 calendar year. Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net income or profit. For further information regarding the Fund’s distributions, please visit www.xainvestments.com.

    The Fund’s net investment income and capital gain can vary significantly over time; however, the Fund seeks to maintain more stable common share quarterly distributions over time. The Fund’s final taxable income for the current fiscal year will not be known until the Fund’s tax returns are filed.

    As a registered investment company, the Fund is subject to a 4% excise tax that is imposed if the Fund does not distribute to common shareholders by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gain or loss) for the calendar year and (ii) 98.2% of its capital gain in excess of its capital loss (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for a one-year period generally ending on December 31 of the calendar year (unless an election is made to use the Fund’s fiscal year). In certain circumstances, the Fund may elect to retain income or capital gain to the extent that the Board of Trustees, in consultation with Fund management, determines it to be in the interest of shareholders to do so.

    The common share distributions paid by the Fund for any particular period may be more than the amount of net investment income from that period. As a result, all or a portion of a distribution may be a return of capital, which is in effect a partial return of the amount a common shareholder invested in the Fund, up to the amount of the common shareholder’s tax basis in their common shares, which would reduce such tax basis. Although a return of capital may not be taxable, it will generally increase the common shareholder’s potential gain, or reduce the common shareholder’s potential loss, on any subsequent sale or other disposition of common shares.

    Future common share distributions will be made if and when declared by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, after the evaluation of several factors, including the Fund’s net investment income, financial performance and available cash. There can be no assurance that the amount or timing of common share distributions in the future will be equal or similar to that described herein or that the Board of Trustees will not decide to suspend or discontinue the payment of common share distributions in the future.

    The Fund’s objective is to achieve a high level of current income and current capital gains, with long-term capital appreciation as a secondary objective. The Fund intends to pursue its objective by investing in a portfolio of common stocks and utilizing an option strategy, primarily by writing (selling) covered call options on a substantial portion of the common stocks in the portfolio in order to generate current income and gains from option writing premiums and, to a lesser extent, from dividends. Market action can impact dividend issuance as the Fund’s total assets affect the Fund’s future dividend prospects. The Fund provides additional information on its website at www.xainvestments.com.

    About XA Investments

    XA Investments LLC (“XAI”) serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. XAI is a Chicago-based firm founded by XMS Capital Partners in 2016. XAI serves as the investment adviser for two listed closed-end funds and an interval closed-end fund. The listed closed-end funds, the XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Trust and XAI Madison Equity Premium Income Fund both trade on the New York Stock Exchange and the interval fund, Octagon XAI CLO Income Fund is available via direct subscription and through select broker/dealers and wealth management platforms.

    In addition to investment advisory services, the firm also provides investment fund structuring and consulting services focused on registered closed-end funds to meet institutional client needs. XAI offers custom product build and consulting services, including development and market research, sales, marketing, and fund management.

    XAI believes that the investing public can benefit from new vehicles to access a broad range of alternative investment strategies and managers. XAI provides individual investors with access to institutional-caliber alternative managers. For more information, please visit www.xainvestments.com.

    About XMS Capital Partners
    XMS Capital Partners, LLC, established in 2006, is a global, independent, financial services firm providing M&A, corporate advisory and asset management services to clients. It has offices in Chicago, Boston and London. For more information, please visit www.xmscapital.com.

    About Madison Investments
    Madison Investments is an independent investment management firm based in Madison, WI. The firm was founded in 1974, has approximately $28.3 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2025, and is recognized as one of the nation’s top investment firms. Madison offers domestic fixed income, U.S. and international equity, covered call, multi-asset, insurance and credit union investment management strategies. For more information, please visit www.madisoninvestments.com.

    Madison and/or Madison Investments is the unifying tradename of Madison Investment Holdings, Inc., Madison Asset Management, LLC, and Madison Investment Advisors, LLC. Madison Funds are distributed by MFD Distributor, LLC. Madison is registered as an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. MFD Distributor, LLC is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member firm of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority www.finra.org.

    XAI does not provide tax advice; please consult a professional tax advisor regarding your specific tax situation. Income may be subject to state and local taxes, as well as the federal alternative minimum tax.

    Investors should consider the investment objectives and policies, risk considerations, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. For more information on the Fund, please visit the Fund’s webpage at www.xainvestments.com.

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

             
    NOT FDIC INSURED    NO BANK GUARANTEE    MAY LOSE VALUE

    Media Contact:

    Kimberly Flynn, President
    XA Investments LLC
    Phone: 888-903-3358
    Email: KFlynn@XAInvestments.com
    www.xainvestments.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Occidental to Announce Second Quarter Results Wednesday, August 6, 2025; Hold Conference Call Thursday, August 7, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Occidental (NYSE: OXY) will announce its second quarter 2025 financial results after close of market on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, and will hold a conference call to discuss the results on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 1 p.m. Eastern/12 p.m. Central.

    The conference call may be accessed by calling 1-866-871-6512 (international callers dial 1-412-317-5417) or via webcast at oxy.com/investors. Participants may pre-register for the conference call at https://dpregister.com/sreg/10200631/ff63fe0694.

    Second quarter 2025 financial results will be available through the Investor Relations section of the company’s website. A recording of the webcast will be posted on the website within several hours after the call is completed.

    About Occidental

    Occidental is an international energy company with assets primarily in the United States, the Middle East and North Africa. We are one of the largest oil and gas producers in the U.S., including a leading producer in the Permian and DJ basins, and offshore Gulf of America. Our midstream and marketing segment provides flow assurance and maximizes the value of our oil and gas, and includes our Oxy Low Carbon Ventures subsidiary, which is advancing leading-edge technologies and business solutions that economically grow our business while reducing emissions. Our chemical subsidiary OxyChem manufactures the building blocks for life-enhancing products. We are dedicated to using our global leadership in carbon management to advance a lower-carbon world. Visit Oxy.com for more information.

    Contacts

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Wyden, Sanders, Gillibrand Demand Answers on “Reckless” AI Tool Rollout at SSA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 01, 2025

    Reporting revealed AI program delayed Social Security retirement claims processing by 25 percent

    “We are concerned that SSA will make even bigger mistakes in incorporating AI into higher-risk tasks, particularly in roles that could jeopardize Americans’ financial security.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to  Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano, demanding answers on the reckless installation of artificial intelligence (AI) into SSA’s phone systems, which have blocked people from accessing their earned Social Security benefits—all while leaving Congress, advocates, and the American people in the dark.  

    “This lack of communication from your agency undermines its efforts to improve services by sowing chaos and confusion, which breeds distrust in the agency and its leadership,” wrote the senators.

    SSA is rushing to incorporate a new AI tool into its national 1-800 number and the phone systems of 1,200 field offices—without having sought input from advocates, Congress, or the American people. SSA made this rash decision just a month after it was forced to abandon its fraud-detection AI chatbot, which slowed claims processing by 25%—and found that fraud is essentially non-existent. 

    The senators emphasized that the Trump administration failed to develop comprehensive AI policies and follow basic IT guidelines. Under previous SSA Commissioner O’Malley, the agency developed policies that would foster Americans’ trust in SSA’s use of AI. 

    “As the Senate committee with jurisdiction over the Social Security and SSI programs, we have a responsibility to ensure SSA pays the right benefit amount to the right person at the right time, provides the public with the level of customer service they expect, and is a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, including overseeing SSA’s development and adoption of emerging technology like AI,” concluded the senators.

    To further understand how SSA will change its reckless actions of implementing AI systems without consultation, the senators requested answers to the following questions by July 18, 2025:

    1. Please provide a detailed description of the new AI-based chatbot, including how it determines whether it has successfully answered a caller’s questions before hanging up? 

    2. What metrics is SSA using to determine whether this AI-based chatbot is successful at improving service delivery at the national 1-800 number?

    3. What metrics did SSA use to evaluate the successes or challenges of this AI-based chatbot before rolling it out nationwide to field offices?

    4. What stakeholders, especially those who represent beneficiaries and employees, were consulted pre- and post-deployment of this AI-based chatbot?

    5. Is SSA planning to procure, develop, or implement any new AI systems this year? If so, please list and provide a detailed description of these AI systems, their expected implementation dates, how they are expected to improve service delivery, and what steps SSA will be taking to prevent disruptions to services during the transition. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Nasdaq Announces the Board of Directors of its U.S. Exchanges

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq: NDAQ) today announced the election of all nominated directors to the boards of the U.S. exchanges operated by the company, which include The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, Nasdaq PHLX LLC, Nasdaq BX, Inc., Nasdaq ISE, LLC, Nasdaq MRX, LLC, and Nasdaq GEMX, LLC:

    • Kathlyn Card Beckles, Chief Legal Officer, Verisk Analytics, Inc.
    • Michael J. Curran, Retired Chairman and CEO, Boston Stock Exchange
    • Anne Marie Darling, Group Co-Chief Operating Officer and Barclays Execution Services Co-Chief Executive Officer, Barclays
    • Kevin Kennedy, EVP, North American Markets, Nasdaq
    • Thomas A. Kloet, Retired CEO and Executive Director, TMX Group Limited
    • Anita Lynch, Former Chief Data Officer, New Relic, Inc.
    • David Rosato, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer, Eastern Bancshares
    • Andrew J. Schultz, Head of Strategic Options Business, The Susquehanna International Group of Companies
    • Elizabeth Wideman, SVP and Senior Deputy General Counsel, Comcast Corporation
    • Thomas A. Wittman, Retired EVP and Head of Global Trading and Market Services, Nasdaq

    For further governance information, visit: http://ir.nasdaq.com/corporate-governance/nasdaq-stock-market/board-of-directors.

    About Nasdaq

    Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a leading global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions, and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on X @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

    Media Relations Contact:

    Chris Hayden
    +1.301.523.5829
    Christopher.Hayden@nasdaq.com

    Investor Relations Contact

    Ato Garrett
    +1.212.401.8737
    Ato.Garrett@Nasdaq.com

    -NDAQF-

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nasdaq Announces the Board of Directors of its U.S. Exchanges

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq: NDAQ) today announced the election of all nominated directors to the boards of the U.S. exchanges operated by the company, which include The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, Nasdaq PHLX LLC, Nasdaq BX, Inc., Nasdaq ISE, LLC, Nasdaq MRX, LLC, and Nasdaq GEMX, LLC:

    • Kathlyn Card Beckles, Chief Legal Officer, Verisk Analytics, Inc.
    • Michael J. Curran, Retired Chairman and CEO, Boston Stock Exchange
    • Anne Marie Darling, Group Co-Chief Operating Officer and Barclays Execution Services Co-Chief Executive Officer, Barclays
    • Kevin Kennedy, EVP, North American Markets, Nasdaq
    • Thomas A. Kloet, Retired CEO and Executive Director, TMX Group Limited
    • Anita Lynch, Former Chief Data Officer, New Relic, Inc.
    • David Rosato, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer, Eastern Bancshares
    • Andrew J. Schultz, Head of Strategic Options Business, The Susquehanna International Group of Companies
    • Elizabeth Wideman, SVP and Senior Deputy General Counsel, Comcast Corporation
    • Thomas A. Wittman, Retired EVP and Head of Global Trading and Market Services, Nasdaq

    For further governance information, visit: http://ir.nasdaq.com/corporate-governance/nasdaq-stock-market/board-of-directors.

    About Nasdaq

    Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a leading global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions, and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on X @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

    Media Relations Contact:

    Chris Hayden
    +1.301.523.5829
    Christopher.Hayden@nasdaq.com

    Investor Relations Contact

    Ato Garrett
    +1.212.401.8737
    Ato.Garrett@Nasdaq.com

    -NDAQF-

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Eos Energy Announces Second Funding Under Its Department of Energy Loan Guarantee to Fuel U.S. Battery Manufacturing Capacity Expansion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TURTLE CREEK, Pa., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOSE) (“Eos” or the “Company”), an American energy company and the leading innovator in designing, sourcing, manufacturing, and providing zinc-based battery energy storage systems (BESS) manufactured in the United States, today announced that it has received its second loan advance from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office in the amount of $22.7 million. With this advance, the Company has fully drawn the maximum allowable amount under the first tranche of $90.9 million in connection with the completion of its first state-of-the-art manufacturing line.

    The loan advance covers 80% of eligible costs, incurred as part of the Company’s production expansion plans related to Project AMAZE. These funds support Eos’ ongoing efforts to expand its operational capacity to meet growing customer demand and further its strategic growth objectives.

    “Production volumes at our first state-of-the-art manufacturing line are growing every week as we progress toward realizing the full 2 GWh capacity on Line 1,” said Nathan Kroeker, Eos Chief Commercial Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer. “The loan proceeds from the DOE, which follow the recently upsized convertible notes and common stock offerings, continue to strengthen our financial position and position us to scale U.S. production, and advance the build out of our second state of the art manufacturing line.”

    To support 6 GWh in recently signed MOU’s that are expected to convert to purchase orders along with rising demand for “buy American”, “build American” solutions, Eos is scaling to meet the growing needs of AI-driven load growth, data centers, and safety conscious storage markets. Eos’ flexible discharge capability – supporting partial, multiple, and long-duration cycling—is ideally suited to match the complex demands of the largest power users in the world.

    In response, Eos has submitted a purchase order for its second state-of-the-art manufacturing line, marking a key step in expanding U.S. production and delivering safe, reliable long-duration energy storage for its customers.

    The DOE funding builds on Eos successfully closing $336 million in concurrent offerings of common stock and convertible senior notes, which significantly restructured the Company’s balance sheet, lowered its cost of capital, and fueled its ability to grow U.S.-based operations. With this financing, Eos is executing on its long-term strategy: building a robust domestic supply chain, scaling next-generation U.S. battery manufacturing, and creating high-quality American jobs.

    About Eos Energy Enterprises

    Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. is accelerating the shift to American energy independence with positively ingenious solutions that transform how the world stores power. Our breakthrough Znyth™ aqueous zinc battery was designed to overcome the limitations of conventional lithium-ion technology. It is safe, scalable, secure, sustainable, manufactured in the U.S., and the core of our innovative systems that today provides utility, industrial, and commercial customers with a proven, reliable energy storage alternative for 4 to 16+ hour applications. Eos was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. For more information about Eos (NASDAQ: EOSE), visit eose.com.

    Contacts        
    Investors: ir@eose.com
    Media: media@eose.com

    Forward Looking Statements

    Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expected revenue, for the fiscal years December 31, 2025, our path to profitability and strategic outlook, statements regarding orders backlog and opportunity pipeline, statements regarding our expectation that we can continue to increase product volume on our state-of-the-art manufacturing line, statements regarding our future expansion and its impact on our ability to scale up operations, statements regarding our expectation that we can continue to strengthen our overall supply chain, statements regarding our expectation that our new comprehensive insurance program will provide increased operational and economic certainty, statements that refer to the delayed draw term loan with Cerberus, milestones thereunder and the anticipated use of proceeds, statements that refer to outlook, projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and the information currently available to, them. Because such statements are based on expectations as to future financial and operating results and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from those projected.

    Factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: changes adversely affecting the business in which we are engaged; our ability to forecast trends accurately; our ability to generate cash, service indebtedness and incur additional indebtedness; our ability to achieve the operational milestones on the delayed draw term loan; our ability to raise financing in the future; risks associated with the credit agreement with Cerberus, including risks of default, dilution of outstanding Common Stock, consequences for failure to meet milestones and contractual lockup of shares; our customers’ ability to secure project financing; the amount of final tax credits available to our customers or to Eos pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act; the timing and availability of future funding under the Department of Energy Loan Facility; our ability to continue to develop efficient manufacturing processes to scale and to forecast related costs and efficiencies accurately; fluctuations in our revenue and operating results; competition from existing or new competitors; our ability to convert firm order backlog and pipeline to revenue; risks associated with security breaches in our information technology systems; risks related to legal proceedings or claims; risks associated with evolving energy policies in the United States and other countries and the potential costs of regulatory compliance; risks associated with changes to the U.S. trade environment; our ability to maintain the listing of our shares of common stock on NASDAQ; our ability to grow our business and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain our management and key employees; risks related to the adverse changes in general economic conditions, including inflationary pressures and increased interest rates; risk from supply chain disruptions and other impacts of geopolitical conflict; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that Eos may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; other factors beyond our control; risks related to adverse changes in general economic conditions; and other risks and uncertainties.

    The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to additional risks, uncertainties, and factors, including those more fully described in the Company’s most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Further information on potential risks that could affect actual results will be included in the subsequent periodic and current reports and other filings that the Company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Moreover, the Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks and uncertainties may emerge that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

    Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Eos Energy Announces Second Funding Under Its Department of Energy Loan Guarantee to Fuel U.S. Battery Manufacturing Capacity Expansion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TURTLE CREEK, Pa., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOSE) (“Eos” or the “Company”), an American energy company and the leading innovator in designing, sourcing, manufacturing, and providing zinc-based battery energy storage systems (BESS) manufactured in the United States, today announced that it has received its second loan advance from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office in the amount of $22.7 million. With this advance, the Company has fully drawn the maximum allowable amount under the first tranche of $90.9 million in connection with the completion of its first state-of-the-art manufacturing line.

    The loan advance covers 80% of eligible costs, incurred as part of the Company’s production expansion plans related to Project AMAZE. These funds support Eos’ ongoing efforts to expand its operational capacity to meet growing customer demand and further its strategic growth objectives.

    “Production volumes at our first state-of-the-art manufacturing line are growing every week as we progress toward realizing the full 2 GWh capacity on Line 1,” said Nathan Kroeker, Eos Chief Commercial Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer. “The loan proceeds from the DOE, which follow the recently upsized convertible notes and common stock offerings, continue to strengthen our financial position and position us to scale U.S. production, and advance the build out of our second state of the art manufacturing line.”

    To support 6 GWh in recently signed MOU’s that are expected to convert to purchase orders along with rising demand for “buy American”, “build American” solutions, Eos is scaling to meet the growing needs of AI-driven load growth, data centers, and safety conscious storage markets. Eos’ flexible discharge capability – supporting partial, multiple, and long-duration cycling—is ideally suited to match the complex demands of the largest power users in the world.

    In response, Eos has submitted a purchase order for its second state-of-the-art manufacturing line, marking a key step in expanding U.S. production and delivering safe, reliable long-duration energy storage for its customers.

    The DOE funding builds on Eos successfully closing $336 million in concurrent offerings of common stock and convertible senior notes, which significantly restructured the Company’s balance sheet, lowered its cost of capital, and fueled its ability to grow U.S.-based operations. With this financing, Eos is executing on its long-term strategy: building a robust domestic supply chain, scaling next-generation U.S. battery manufacturing, and creating high-quality American jobs.

    About Eos Energy Enterprises

    Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. is accelerating the shift to American energy independence with positively ingenious solutions that transform how the world stores power. Our breakthrough Znyth™ aqueous zinc battery was designed to overcome the limitations of conventional lithium-ion technology. It is safe, scalable, secure, sustainable, manufactured in the U.S., and the core of our innovative systems that today provides utility, industrial, and commercial customers with a proven, reliable energy storage alternative for 4 to 16+ hour applications. Eos was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. For more information about Eos (NASDAQ: EOSE), visit eose.com.

    Contacts        
    Investors: ir@eose.com
    Media: media@eose.com

    Forward Looking Statements

    Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our expected revenue, for the fiscal years December 31, 2025, our path to profitability and strategic outlook, statements regarding orders backlog and opportunity pipeline, statements regarding our expectation that we can continue to increase product volume on our state-of-the-art manufacturing line, statements regarding our future expansion and its impact on our ability to scale up operations, statements regarding our expectation that we can continue to strengthen our overall supply chain, statements regarding our expectation that our new comprehensive insurance program will provide increased operational and economic certainty, statements that refer to the delayed draw term loan with Cerberus, milestones thereunder and the anticipated use of proceeds, statements that refer to outlook, projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and the information currently available to, them. Because such statements are based on expectations as to future financial and operating results and are not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from those projected.

    Factors which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: changes adversely affecting the business in which we are engaged; our ability to forecast trends accurately; our ability to generate cash, service indebtedness and incur additional indebtedness; our ability to achieve the operational milestones on the delayed draw term loan; our ability to raise financing in the future; risks associated with the credit agreement with Cerberus, including risks of default, dilution of outstanding Common Stock, consequences for failure to meet milestones and contractual lockup of shares; our customers’ ability to secure project financing; the amount of final tax credits available to our customers or to Eos pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act; the timing and availability of future funding under the Department of Energy Loan Facility; our ability to continue to develop efficient manufacturing processes to scale and to forecast related costs and efficiencies accurately; fluctuations in our revenue and operating results; competition from existing or new competitors; our ability to convert firm order backlog and pipeline to revenue; risks associated with security breaches in our information technology systems; risks related to legal proceedings or claims; risks associated with evolving energy policies in the United States and other countries and the potential costs of regulatory compliance; risks associated with changes to the U.S. trade environment; our ability to maintain the listing of our shares of common stock on NASDAQ; our ability to grow our business and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain our management and key employees; risks related to the adverse changes in general economic conditions, including inflationary pressures and increased interest rates; risk from supply chain disruptions and other impacts of geopolitical conflict; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that Eos may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; other factors beyond our control; risks related to adverse changes in general economic conditions; and other risks and uncertainties.

    The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to additional risks, uncertainties, and factors, including those more fully described in the Company’s most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Further information on potential risks that could affect actual results will be included in the subsequent periodic and current reports and other filings that the Company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Moreover, the Company operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment, and new risks and uncertainties may emerge that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

    Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Robinhood Markets, Inc. to Announce Second Quarter 2025 Results on July 30, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MENLO PARK, Calif., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Robinhood Markets, Inc. (“Robinhood”) (NASDAQ: HOOD) announced that it will release its second quarter 2025 financial results on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, after market close. Robinhood will host a video call to discuss its results at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET on the same day. The video call and supporting materials will be available at investors.robinhood.com. The event will also be live streamed to YouTube and X.com via Robinhood’s official channels, @RobinhoodApp. Following the call, a replay and transcript will also be available at investors.robinhood.com.

    Ahead of the call, Robinhood shareholders can visit https://app.saytechnologies.com/robinhood-markets-2025-q2 to submit and upvote questions for management using the Q&A platform developed by Say Technologies. The Q&A platform will be open for question submission starting Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Shareholders will be able to submit and upvote questions until Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Management will address a selection of the most upvoted questions relating to Robinhood’s business and financial results on the earnings call. Shareholders can email hello@saytechnologies.com for any support inquiries.

    About Robinhood

    Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) transformed financial services by introducing commission-free stock trading and democratizing access to the markets for millions of investors. Today, Robinhood lets you trade stocks, options, futures (which includes options on futures, swaps, and event contracts), and crypto, invest for retirement, and earn with Robinhood Gold. Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Robinhood puts customers in the driver’s seat, delivering unprecedented value and products intentionally designed for a new generation of investors. Additional information about Robinhood can be found at www.robinhood.com.

    Robinhood uses the “Overview” tab of its Investor Relations website (accessible at investors.robinhood.com/overview) and its Newsroom (accessible at newsroom.aboutrobinhood.com), as means of disclosing information to the public in a broad, non-exclusionary manner for purposes of the SEC Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg. FD). Investors should routinely monitor those web pages, in addition to Robinhood’s press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts, as information posted on them could be deemed to be material information.

    “Robinhood” and the Robinhood feather logo are registered trademarks of Robinhood Markets, Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

    Contacts

    Investor Relations

    ir@robinhood.com

    Media

    press@robinhood.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Robinhood Markets, Inc. to Announce Second Quarter 2025 Results on July 30, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MENLO PARK, Calif., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Robinhood Markets, Inc. (“Robinhood”) (NASDAQ: HOOD) announced that it will release its second quarter 2025 financial results on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, after market close. Robinhood will host a video call to discuss its results at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET on the same day. The video call and supporting materials will be available at investors.robinhood.com. The event will also be live streamed to YouTube and X.com via Robinhood’s official channels, @RobinhoodApp. Following the call, a replay and transcript will also be available at investors.robinhood.com.

    Ahead of the call, Robinhood shareholders can visit https://app.saytechnologies.com/robinhood-markets-2025-q2 to submit and upvote questions for management using the Q&A platform developed by Say Technologies. The Q&A platform will be open for question submission starting Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Shareholders will be able to submit and upvote questions until Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Management will address a selection of the most upvoted questions relating to Robinhood’s business and financial results on the earnings call. Shareholders can email hello@saytechnologies.com for any support inquiries.

    About Robinhood

    Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) transformed financial services by introducing commission-free stock trading and democratizing access to the markets for millions of investors. Today, Robinhood lets you trade stocks, options, futures (which includes options on futures, swaps, and event contracts), and crypto, invest for retirement, and earn with Robinhood Gold. Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Robinhood puts customers in the driver’s seat, delivering unprecedented value and products intentionally designed for a new generation of investors. Additional information about Robinhood can be found at www.robinhood.com.

    Robinhood uses the “Overview” tab of its Investor Relations website (accessible at investors.robinhood.com/overview) and its Newsroom (accessible at newsroom.aboutrobinhood.com), as means of disclosing information to the public in a broad, non-exclusionary manner for purposes of the SEC Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg. FD). Investors should routinely monitor those web pages, in addition to Robinhood’s press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts, as information posted on them could be deemed to be material information.

    “Robinhood” and the Robinhood feather logo are registered trademarks of Robinhood Markets, Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

    Contacts

    Investor Relations

    ir@robinhood.com

    Media

    press@robinhood.com

    The MIL Network –

  • Wimbledon’s AI judges receive mixed reviews from players and fans

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The All England Club’s decision to replace line judges with artificial intelligence technology at Wimbledon has received mixed reviews from players and fans alike.

    This week has marked the first time the tournament has been played without meticulously dressed judges determining whether the ball is in or out.

    The 300 line judges have been cut to 80 who are instead assisting chair umpires and interceding should the latest Hawk-Eye Electronic Line Calling (ELC) system, fail.

    The system uses AI to analyse footage from up to 18 cameras to track the progress of the ball and decide if it is in or out.

    Sally Bolton, the Chief Executive of the All England Club, said the new system was brought in to ensure the calls were accurate and not to cut costs.

    “It’s not a money-saving exercise; it’s about evolving the tournament and making sure that we’re providing the most effective possible line calling,” she said.

    World number one Jannik Sinner told a press conference after his victory over fellow Italian and close friend Luca Nardi:

    “As tennis tries to get better for the umpire it’s very difficult to see, especially when first serves are over 200km per hour, so it’s very difficult to see in a small space if they’re in or out, so for sure the technology helps, especially here on grass.”

    However, other players found problems with the technology. On Monday, China’s Yuan Yue complained that the system was too quiet for her to hear its decision.

    There were small protests outside the grounds against the technology, while some fans expressed sadness about the absence of line judges – a tradition that goes back to the 1870s – and the drama that often accompanies a player’s challenge.

    “Tennis is a physical sport, but it’s also a mental game and at a professional level I think that idea of challenging a call is really part of the game,” Jess from Oxford told Reuters.

    “As a spectator when they review the footage and everybody is clapping, and it’s the whole thing that this decision comes out and there’s uproar or whatever.

    “It’s sad that part of the atmosphere is gone, because you can’t challenge the calls now. It’s AI, it’s resolute.”

    Ivan from Northern Ireland raised concerns that the technology may have some teething problems.

    “It was strange not having a line judge. We watched a game on Court Two and a couple of times a ball from where we were sitting, which was close to the line, was out.

    “The player pointed to it and stopped and looked to the umpire, and he just ignored it, and the player accepted it. But I expected to see the replay.

    “There were a couple of other times when it was obviously out and obviously in and the replay came up. So the replays were not consistent.”

    -Reuters

  • Wimbledon’s AI judges receive mixed reviews from players and fans

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The All England Club’s decision to replace line judges with artificial intelligence technology at Wimbledon has received mixed reviews from players and fans alike.

    This week has marked the first time the tournament has been played without meticulously dressed judges determining whether the ball is in or out.

    The 300 line judges have been cut to 80 who are instead assisting chair umpires and interceding should the latest Hawk-Eye Electronic Line Calling (ELC) system, fail.

    The system uses AI to analyse footage from up to 18 cameras to track the progress of the ball and decide if it is in or out.

    Sally Bolton, the Chief Executive of the All England Club, said the new system was brought in to ensure the calls were accurate and not to cut costs.

    “It’s not a money-saving exercise; it’s about evolving the tournament and making sure that we’re providing the most effective possible line calling,” she said.

    World number one Jannik Sinner told a press conference after his victory over fellow Italian and close friend Luca Nardi:

    “As tennis tries to get better for the umpire it’s very difficult to see, especially when first serves are over 200km per hour, so it’s very difficult to see in a small space if they’re in or out, so for sure the technology helps, especially here on grass.”

    However, other players found problems with the technology. On Monday, China’s Yuan Yue complained that the system was too quiet for her to hear its decision.

    There were small protests outside the grounds against the technology, while some fans expressed sadness about the absence of line judges – a tradition that goes back to the 1870s – and the drama that often accompanies a player’s challenge.

    “Tennis is a physical sport, but it’s also a mental game and at a professional level I think that idea of challenging a call is really part of the game,” Jess from Oxford told Reuters.

    “As a spectator when they review the footage and everybody is clapping, and it’s the whole thing that this decision comes out and there’s uproar or whatever.

    “It’s sad that part of the atmosphere is gone, because you can’t challenge the calls now. It’s AI, it’s resolute.”

    Ivan from Northern Ireland raised concerns that the technology may have some teething problems.

    “It was strange not having a line judge. We watched a game on Court Two and a couple of times a ball from where we were sitting, which was close to the line, was out.

    “The player pointed to it and stopped and looked to the umpire, and he just ignored it, and the player accepted it. But I expected to see the replay.

    “There were a couple of other times when it was obviously out and obviously in and the replay came up. So the replays were not consistent.”

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI USA: Early Alert: Blood Pump Controller Issue from Abiomed

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    This communication is part of the Communications Pilot to Enhance the Medical Device Recall Program. The FDA has become aware of a potentially high-risk issue. The FDA will keep the public informed and update this web page as significant new information becomes available. 
    Affected Product
    The FDA is aware that Abiomed has issued a letter to affected customers recommending all Automated Impella Controllers (AIC) have updated instructions for use:

    What to Do
    Be aware that an Automated Impella Controller (AIC) may not detect an Impella pump when connected. Have a back-up AIC available in the unlikely event of a device failure.

    On June 23, Abiomed sent all affected customers a letter recommending the following actions: 

    Have a back-up Automated Impella Controller (AIC) available in the unlikely event of a device failure. 
    Console-to-Console Transfer: If the AIC screen in Image 1 remains for more than 20 seconds and does not advance after connecting the pump to the transferred console: 

     Immediately switch the pump to the previous console to restore support to the patient. 
    If the previous console displays an alarm message, switch to a different console if available. 
    Restart the console that does not advance from Image 1 before attempting to re-connect a pump.  

    Case Start: If the AIC screen in Image 2 remains for more than 20 seconds after connecting the pump and does not progress to indicate “Detecting Impella”, either re-start the case on the console or switch the pump to a different console 
    Review this notice carefully and forward to anyone in your facility that needs to be informed 
    If any affected products have been forwarded to another facility, contact that facility and provide them with this notice. 

    Check this web page for updates. The FDA is currently reviewing information about this potentially high-risk device issue and will keep the public informed as significant new information becomes available.

    Reason for Alert
    Abiomed stated that they have identified an Automated Impella Controller (AIC) issue that may impair the detection of an Impella pump when connected to an AIC. The pump detection issue may occur with any of the Abiomed Impella pumps and may occur during console-to-console transfer or case start. There is no visual alarm displayed on the AIC screen to indicate the detection issue in these situations.  
    This issue may result in inadequate hemodynamic support. Patients in cardiogenic shock are at increased risk, as prolonged episodes of inadequate support may not be well tolerated and may lead to life-threatening injuries. 
    As of June 13, Abiomed has reported no serious injuries and 3 deaths associated with this issue. 
    Device Use
    The Automated Impella Controller is the primary user control interface for the Impella Catheter. The Impella pump system is a blood pump that provides temporary full or partial heart support. The device pumps part or all of the patient’s blood circulation either during an adjunctive procedure where the patient requires hemodynamic stability, or a temporary use of the device to unload the heart to give it time to recover from an acute condition. 
    Contact Information
    Customers in the U.S. with adverse reactions, quality problems, or questions about this recall should contact Abiomed at 978-646-1400.
    Unique Device Identifier (UDI)
    The unique device identifier (UDI) helps identify individual medical devices sold in the United States from distribution to use. The UDI allows for more accurate reporting, reviewing, and analyzing of adverse event reports so that devices can be identified more quickly, and as a result, problems potentially resolved more quickly.

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

    Content current as of:
    07/01/2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Early Alert: Infusion Pump Software Issue from Baxter

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    This communication is part of the Communications Pilot to Enhance the Medical Device Recall Program. The FDA has become aware of a potentially high-risk issue. The FDA will keep the public informed and update this web page as significant new information becomes available. 
    Affected Product 

    Spectrum V6 infusion pump startup screen

    Spectrum V8 infusion pump startup screen

    The FDA is aware that Baxter has issued a letter to affected customers recommending certain Spectrum Infusion Pumps be removed from where they are used or sold: 

    Product Description

    Product Code

    UDI-DI

    Sigma Spectrum Infusion System (V6 Platform)

    35700BAX

    00085412091570

    Affected Serial Numbers:  

    765100
    772744
    789742
    841197
    867753
    920606
    1024015
    770164
    788724
    793079
    842498
    918342
    962810
    1027523 

    Product Description

    Product Code

    UDI-DI

    Sigma Spectrum Infusion System (V8 Platform)

    35700BAX2

    00085412498683

    Affected Serial Numbers:   

    2006307
    2052091
    2093765
    2095360
    2104302
    2119236
    2141815
    2025925
    2067699
    2094483
    2095541
    2105238
    2119436
    2143406
    2034297
    2074097
    2094580
    2096351
    2105769
    2135482
    2143684
    2051591
    2090658
    2095202
    2096856
    2118940
    2137976
    2156201

    What to Do 
    Identify affected Spectrum pumps and remove them from service. Check the software version installed on the pump and contact Baxter to schedule service if required. 

    On June 20, Baxter sent all affected customers a letter recommending the following actions: 

    Immediately locate Spectrum pumps with the affected serial numbers and remove them from service. The product code and serial number can be found on the bottom of the infusion pump.  
    Check and record the software version installed on the pump. The software on a V6 pump should begin with the number 6 and the software on a V8 pump should begin with the number 8. The software version is located on the startup screen upon powering up the pump as pictured above.  Additionally, the software version is indicated in the pump menu which can be accessed by following the steps below.  

    For V6: From the Pump Information screen, press the ‘sw info’ soft key to display the software version screen. 
    For V8: From the Select Care Area screen, press the ‘options menu’ soft key. Select ‘User Options’ and press OK. Select ‘View Information’ and press OK. Select ‘Pump Information’ and press OK to display the Pump Info screen. 

    Contact Baxter to confirm the software version on the affected pumps and to schedule service if required. Baxter Global Technical Services can be reached at 800-843-7867 Monday through Friday, between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm Eastern Time. 
    If you received this communication directly from Baxter, acknowledge receipt of this notification by following the instructions on the enclosed reply instruction sheet, even if you have no remaining inventory. Acknowledging receipt will prevent you from receiving repeat notices. If you do not complete the acknowledgement, you will receive a phone call from OnProcess Technology on behalf of Baxter to confirm your receipt of this notification. 
    If you purchased this product from a distributor or wholesaler, please note that responding on the Baxter customer portal is not applicable. If a response is requested by your distributor or wholesaler, please respond to them according to their instructions. 
    Please forward a copy of this communication to the Chief Medical Officer, Medical Director, Director of Nursing, Director of Pharmacy, Facility Risk Manager, Director of Purchasing/Central Supply, and any other departments within your institution who use the affected product. 
    If you are a dealer, wholesaler, distributor/reseller, or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that distributed any affected product to other facilities, please notify your customers of this Urgent Medical Device Recall in accordance with your customary procedures and check the associated box on the customer portal. 

    Check this web page for updates. The FDA is currently reviewing information about this potentially high-risk device issue and will keep the public informed as significant new information becomes available. 

    Reason for Alert 
    Baxter stated that certain Spectrum infusion pumps may have an incorrect version of software. A software version intended for Spectrum V8 may have been installed on the affected Spectrum V6 pumps, and a software version intended for Spectrum V6 may have been installed on the affected Spectrum V8 pumps. Spectrum software is designed for the pumping mechanism setup specific to each pump platform. The V8 software installed in a Spectrum V6 pump, or vice versa, may cause an inaccurate flow rate of overinfusion or underinfusion, especially over a long run time. Additionally, the V6 and V8 designs include many differences in the clinical workflow and user interface. The appearance of the menus and the requested inputs from the pump are different between the two platforms. If a user who was trained and experienced on a V6 pump was presented with a V6 pump with V8 software, or vice versa, they may experience confusion and delay during use or may accidentally mis-program the infusion.  
    This could result in a delay or interruption of therapy, underinfusion, or overinfusion. The issues described above may lead to serious adverse health consequences such as drug toxicity, overdose, fluid overload, electrolyte imbalances, and delayed or subtherapeutic drug levels causing ineffective treatments. The severity and nature of these outcomes include serious injury and death, and are dependent on the type of medication, fluid, or infusate being delivered and the clinical condition of the patient, with high-risk populations being particularly vulnerable. 
    As of June 12, Baxter has reported no serious injuries or deaths associated with this issue. 
    Device Use 
    Spectrum infusion pumps are intended to provide intravenous infusion of parenteral fluids, blood, and blood products to a patient under the direction or supervision of a physician or other certified health care professional. 
    Contact Information 
    Customers in the U.S. with adverse reactions, quality problems, or questions about this recall should contact Baxter at corporate_product_complaints_round_lake@baxter.com or 800-843-7867. 
    Unique Device Identifier (UDI) 
    The unique device identifier (UDI) helps identify individual medical devices sold in the United States from distribution to use. The UDI allows for more accurate reporting, reviewing, and analyzing of adverse event reports so that devices can be identified more quickly, and as a result, problems potentially resolved more quickly. 

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

    Content current as of:
    07/01/2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: HerBodhi Launches Primal Queen Alternative Backed by Science for Natural Hormonal Balance and Women’s Wellness

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a marketplace flooded with synthetic hormone therapies, under-researched wellness supplements, and quick-fix diet fads, a new player has emerged that promises to disrupt the status quo — HerBodhi. Designed specifically for women navigating hormonal imbalances, stubborn weight gain, low energy, and gut health issues, HerBodhi is redefining what it means to achieve balance the natural way.

    With a commitment to transparency, science-backed ingredients, and long-term women’s wellness, HerBodhi stands out not just as another product on the shelf — but as a movement. And with growing curiosity about how it compares to similar offerings like Primal Queen, consumers are paying close attention.

    This press release explores HerBodhi’s origins, formulation, benefits, customer response, and how it is setting a new benchmark in the women’s wellness space.

    Get HerBodhi for Hormonal Balance & Wellness

    The HerBodhi Mission: A New Standard for Hormonal and Metabolic Health

    HerBodhi was created out of necessity. In recent years, more women have been speaking up about the struggles of bloating, PMS, weight retention, brain fog, low libido, and irregular cycles — only to be told it’s “normal” or offered synthetic hormone solutions with side effects. HerBodhi founders believed there had to be a better way.

    Built on a philosophy of holistic, herbal balance, HerBodhi’s mission is simple but powerful:

    To empower women to take control of their hormones, metabolism, and emotional well-being through nature and science combined.

    The team behind HerBodhi includes medical herbalists, nutritionists, and biochemists who sought to design a formula that truly addresses the root causes of hormone dysfunction — not just the symptoms.

    Their belief? A woman in balance is unstoppable.

    Why Hormonal Balance Is the Missing Link in Weight Loss & Wellness

    Many women spend years hopping from diet to diet or trying intense workout routines—without lasting success. What’s often overlooked is the role of hormones like estrogen, cortisol, insulin, and thyroid hormones in determining fat storage, cravings, mood, and energy levels.

    When hormones are even slightly out of balance, it becomes nearly impossible to lose weight or feel emotionally stable. That’s where HerBodhi shines—it addresses the root cause, not just the symptoms.

    Visit Official Website To Start Your Journey With Herbodhi

    The Key Ingredients of HerBodhi?

    HerBodhi’s proprietary formula contains a synergistic blend of adaptogens, hormone-regulating herbs, digestive aids, and metabolic boosters. Each ingredient is carefully sourced, tested, and dosed to ensure efficacy and safety.

    Key ingredients include:

    • Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex Agnus-Castus): Known for balancing progesterone levels and relieving PMS and menopausal symptoms.
    • Ashwagandha Root: An adaptogen that regulates cortisol levels, reduces anxiety, and supports thyroid health.
    • DIM (Diindolylmethane): Naturally found in cruciferous vegetables, DIM supports estrogen metabolism and hormone detoxification.
    • Black Cohosh: Supports mood stability and reduces hot flashes.
    • Berberine: Helps balance blood sugar and improve metabolic efficiency.
    • Probiotic Blend: Supports gut flora, digestion, and estrogen elimination.
    • Zinc & Magnesium: Essential minerals for hormone production and mood regulation.

    These ingredients work together to address key imbalances that commonly affect women — from estrogen dominance to adrenal fatigue, poor digestion, and stubborn fat storage.

    HerBodhi is 100% vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, and contains no artificial fillers or preservatives. It’s manufactured in FDA-registered, GMP-certified facilities in the United States.

    How Does HerBodhi Work?

    HerBodhi works through a three-phase mechanism to bring the body back into balance naturally:

    1. Hormonal Harmony Phase

    Regulates key female hormones (estrogen, progesterone and cortisol) to eliminate imbalances caused by stress, aging, or lifestyle.

    2. Fat Metabolism Activation

    Helps the body naturally convert stored fat into energy, reduces insulin resistance, and minimizes abdominal weight gain.

    3. Mood & Energy Restoration

    Improves mental clarity, reduces brain fog, enhances mood, and restores energy through adaptogenic herbs and essential nutrients.

    What Makes HerBodhi a Long-Term Solution?

    Where other supplements often offer temporary fixes, HerBodhi is built for sustainable wellness.

    The team encourages users to commit to at least 90 days of use to begin rebalancing hormonal pathways and cellular health. According to internal customer surveys, over 70% of users reported:

    • Improved mood and emotional regulation
    • Decreased PMS symptoms
    • More regular menstrual cycles
    • Noticeable fat loss around the midsection
    • Clearer skin and fewer hormonal breakouts
    • Better sleep quality and reduced fatigue

    This is not a pill designed to change your body overnight. Rather, HerBodhi aims to restore balance from within — gradually, safely, and in alignment with your body’s natural rhythms.

    Take Control of Your Hormones with HerBodhi

    HerBodhi’s Impact on the Gut-Hormone Axis

    Emerging research continues to support the idea that gut health and hormonal balance are deeply intertwined. The gut microbiome plays a vital role in metabolizing hormones, regulating appetite, and preventing inflammation.

    HerBodhi includes a proprietary probiotic + prebiotic complex that:

    • Enhances estrogen detoxification through the liver and bowels
    • Reduces bloating and improves digestion
    • Encourages proper elimination, essential for hormonal regulation
    • Supports serotonin production, which is primarily generated in the gut

    This gut-hormone synergy is one of the key differentiators of HerBodhi, making it more than just a hormone-balancing supplement — it’s a total body reset.

    Safety First: The HerBodhi Transparency Promise

    In an industry known for misleading claims and proprietary blends that obscure ingredient amounts, HerBodhi operates with full transparency.

    Each bottle lists exact dosages of every ingredient, along with links to clinical studies supporting its inclusion. All raw materials are independently tested for:

    • Purity
    • Potency
    • Heavy metals
    • Pesticides
    • Microbial contamination

    The company is also fully compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for customers.

    What Makes HerBodhi Different from Others Like (Primal Queen)?

    • Woman-Specific Formulation: Unlike generic blends, HerBodhi is tailored for the female body and its unique hormonal rhythms.
    • Science-Backed Ingredients: Every herb is supported by clinical data and included in its most effective form (e.g., KSM-66 Ashwagandha).
    • Root-Cause Approach: Rather than masking symptoms, HerBodhi targets hormonal imbalance at its core.
    • Clean Manufacturing: Produced in GMP-certified, FDA-inspected facilities with no GMOs, soy, dairy, or synthetic fillers.
    • Adaptogenic Synergy: Combines adaptogens and botanicals for long-term wellness, not just quick fixes.
    • Backed by Real Women: Trusted by thousands of women globally who have reported lasting physical and emotional improvements.

    Visit Official Website to Get More Info..

    Who Should Use HerBodhi?

    HerBodhi is ideal for women experiencing:

    • PMS and irregular periods
    • Hormonal acne or mood swings
    • Perimenopause or menopause symptoms
    • Unexplained weight gain (especially belly fat)
    • Chronic fatigue, low libido, or stress

    It supports women in their 20s through 60s looking to reclaim hormonal balance and emotional well-being naturally.

    Is HerBodhi Backed by Science?

    Yes. Each ingredient has been chosen based on clinical studies demonstrating effectiveness for women’s hormonal and emotional health.

    • Black Cohosh has shown significant reductions in menopause symptoms.
    • KSM-66 Ashwagandha is clinically proven to reduce cortisol and anxiety.
    • Red Clover helps improve bone density and reduce hot flashes.

    HerBodhi unites these ingredients in a synergistic formula designed for everyday use and long-term balance.

    Customer Feedbacks

    Thousands of women have turned to HerBodhi in the last year, and the testimonials speak for themselves.

    “I was skeptical at first, but by month two my bloating was gone, I’d lost 8 pounds, and my PMS rage just disappeared. This supplement changed my life.” – Samantha R., 36

    “After struggling with PCOS symptoms for years, HerBodhi was the first thing that actually made a difference. I feel like myself again.” – Karla M., 29

    “I’m in my late 40s, and perimenopause hit me hard. HerBodhi gave me back my sleep, my energy, and my sex drive. Worth every penny.” – Jenna L., 48

    The company encourages transparency in its reviews — with a full spectrum of feedback, not just cherry-picked testimonials — so women can make informed choices.

    Availability, Pricing, and Guarantee

    HerBodhi is currently available exclusively through its official website (https://getherbodhi.com), allowing the company to maintain quality control and avoid third-party knockoffs. Buying directly from the source gives you access to special bundle discounts, free shipping on select packages. It also ensures your order is protected with secure checkout and fast delivery. Avoid third-party sites to reduce the risk of counterfeit products—always choose the official site for safe, effective, and verified HerBodhi supplements.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q1: Can I take HerBodhi while on birth control?
    Yes, but consult your doctor for specific medical guidance.

    Q2: Are there any side effects?
    HerBodhi is generally well-tolerated, but mild symptoms like nausea may occur in sensitive individuals.

    Q3: Is it safe for long-term use?
    Yes. HerBodhi is made with non-habit-forming herbs and is safe for consistent daily use.

    Q4: When will I see results?
    Many users notice changes in mood and energy within 7–14 days, with full hormonal support visible by weeks 4–6.

    Conclusion: A New Era for Women’s Wellness

    With its strategic launch, HerBodhi is more than a supplement — it’s a signal that women deserve better.

    Better ingredients.
    Better transparency.
    Better results.
    And most importantly, better respect for their unique physiological needs.

    While comparisons with products like Primal Queen are inevitable, HerBodhi isn’t just another brand vying for attention. It’s a carefully crafted solution that listens to women — and delivers.

    As the company prepares to expand into retail and expand educational outreach on hormonal health, one thing is clear: HerBodhi is not a trend — it’s the future of women’s wellness.

    Media Contact:

    Brand website: https://getherbodhi.com/

    Email: hello@herbodhi.com

    Manufactured under the Technical Guidance of:

    Bodhi Wellness, UAB

    Company code: 307001428

    Address

    Aludarių g. 3, LT-01113 Vilnius, Lithuania

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Navicore Solutions Offers Crucial Financial Support as Credit Card Interest Rates Increase

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MANALAPAN, N.J., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As credit card interest rates continue to climb, averaging 25.37% for existing balances in June, Navicore Solutions is stepping up to provide essential financial counseling services to consumers nationwide. Despite the December 2024 Federal Reserve rate cuts, credit card Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) remain high, exacerbating financial strain for many Americans.

    The average APR has been steadily increasing, particularly since the beginning of 2022, due to a combination of factors including the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes and increases in credit card issuers’ margins.

    The Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate cuts in December 2024 have had minimal impact on credit card APRs, which remain near record highs. For instance, the average APR on new credit cards ranges between 20% and 29% which is significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. This persistent rise in credit card interest rates is contributing to increased financial distress, with many consumers struggling to manage their debt.

    Navicore Solutions, a nonprofit credit counseling organization offers confidential, and personalized financial counseling to individuals and families across the United States. Navicore’s certified counselors work with clients to develop customized debt management plans, often reducing interest rates and consolidating multiple payments into a single monthly payment. This approach can help clients pay off unsecured debt in three to five years, providing a clear path to financial stability.

    “In these challenging economic times, it’s more important than ever for consumers to seek professional guidance,” said Diane Gray, Chief Operating Officer with Navicore. “Our team is dedicated to helping individuals regain control of their finances, reduce debt, and avoid the pitfalls of high-interest credit card debt.”

    For those struggling with credit card debt, reaching out to a nonprofit credit counseling agency like Navicore Solutions can be a crucial step toward financial recovery with services designed to empower consumers with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed financial decisions and achieve long-term financial health.

    About Navicore Solutions

    Founded in 1991, Navicore Solutions is a national leader in the field of nonprofit financial counseling with a mission to strengthen the well-being of individuals and families through education, guidance, advocacy, and support.

    Navicore counselors provide a wide range of services including credit counseling to consumers in need; education programs through workshops, courses and written material; debt management plan to provide relief for applicable consumers; student loan counseling for those struggling with student loan debt; and housing counseling services in the areas of rental, pre-purchase, default and reverse mortgage. The agency is an advocate of financial education helping communities achieve and maintain financial stability.

    Contact:
    Lori Stratford
    Digital Marketing Manager
    Navicore Solutions
    lstratford@navicoresolutions.org
    navicoresolutions.org

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Lightchain AI Surpasses $21M Raised, Enters Final Bonus Round Ahead of July Mainnet Launch

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHREWSBURY, United Kingdom, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lightchain AI, the decentralized AI-native blockchain platform, has officially entered its Final Bonus Round after successfully raising over $21 million during its structured 15-stage presale. With strong participation from early contributors, developers, and validators, this final phase offers a fixed price of $0.007125 per LCAI token—representing the last opportunity to participate ahead of the mainnet launch scheduled for July 2025.

    The milestone reflects Lightchain AI’s steady momentum and increasing recognition within the decentralized AI ecosystem. Designed to bring scalable, intelligent infrastructure to the blockchain space, the platform introduces a purpose-built Artificial Intelligence Virtual Machine (AIVM), a transparent Proof-of-Intelligence consensus mechanism, and comprehensive tools for developer onboarding and participation.

    A Foundation for Intelligent On-Chain Applications

    Lightchain AI is building a decentralized infrastructure tailored for real-world AI applications, focusing on performance, auditability, and accessibility. Its validator-based network rewards useful AI computations, ensuring that both security and utility are central to network operations.

    All original team token allocations (5%) have been reallocated to ecosystem growth, including developer grants, infrastructure expansion, and validator rewards, underlining Lightchain AI’s builder-first philosophy.

    The project has already implemented and tested its staking infrastructure, allowing validators to lock LCAI tokens and simulate long-term network participation, reinforcing both security and decentralization as the protocol moves closer to launch.

    Developer Grant Program and Ecosystem Support

    To further encourage ecosystem development, Lightchain AI has announced a $150,000 Developer Grant Program. This initiative will fund innovative dApps, research, and tooling projects that align with the platform’s vision of autonomous intelligence on-chain.

    Developers now have access to the Lightchain Developer Portal, which includes APIs, SDKs, and documentation, enabling seamless integration and development. Public GitHub repositories are also set to be launched, opening the door to wider community collaboration and transparency.

    Lightchain AI Presale

    Final Bonus Round Now Live

    The Final Bonus Round is currently open and offers a fixed token price of $0.007125, giving new participants an opportunity to join the project’s early-stage supporters. This round will close before the mainnet launch and represents the final window to acquire LCAI tokens at presale pricing.

    “We are incredibly grateful for the trust and support from our growing community,” said a Lightchain AI spokesperson. “With the Final Bonus Round now underway and mainnet launch approaching, we’re excited to welcome more contributors to help build a truly intelligent, decentralized future.”

    Key Upcoming Milestones

    • Mainnet Launch – Scheduled for July 2025
    • Public GitHub Release – Imminent for open-source collaboration
    • Validator Program – Ongoing recruitment and onboarding
    • Developer Grant Distribution – Begins Q3 2025


    Learn More

    To participate in the Final Bonus Round or apply for developer grants, visit:

    Contact:
    SHAJAN SKARIA
    media@lightchain.ai

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Lightchain AI. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ef70de1c-6c9d-4c71-b023-f974eb7a0229

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector: leveraging research, boosting innovation and enhancing competitiveness – A10-0123/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    on the future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector: leveraging research, boosting innovation and enhancing competitiveness

    (2025/2008(INI))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 9, 151, 152, 153(1) and (2) thereof, as well as Articles 173 and 179 thereof, which concern EU industrial policy and research and refer to, among other things, the competitiveness of the Union’s industry and the strengthening of the Union’s scientific and technological bases,

    – having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Article 5(3) thereof and Protocol No 2 thereto on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 entitled ‘Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU’ (COM(2024)0137),

    – having regard to the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 29 January 2025 entitled ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ (COM(2025)0030),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation’ (COM(2025)0085),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’ (COM(2019)0640),

    – having regard to the report by Enrico Letta of 10 April 2024 entitled ‘Much more than a market’,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 19 February 2025 entitled ‘A Vision for Agriculture and Food – Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations’ (COM(2025)0075),

    – having regard to Rule 55 and Rule 148(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A10-0123/2025),

    A. whereas the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector has been recognised as one of 10 strategic technology sectors for Europe’s competitiveness, economic security and sustainability; whereas the sector is characterised by very high productivity, growth and employment, and delivers globally competitive, cutting-edge solutions in healthcare, life sciences, industrial production and transformation, sustainable biomanufacturing, energy and food security; whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing are important enablers of the bioeconomy at large; whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing can help enhance the EU’s strategic autonomy, resilience and circularity by reducing industry’s dependency on fossil-based input and other external dependencies in various sectors; whereas the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector still faces regulatory and financial obstacles and an incomplete internal market; whereas the Commission is expected to present an EU biotech act, an updated EU bioeconomy strategy, an EU life sciences strategy, an EU innovation act and an EU circular economy act;

    B. whereas according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), biotechnology is defined as the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services; whereas biomanufacturing is not clearly defined and the Commission should therefore propose such a definition; whereas a definition of biomanufacturing should be future-proof, open to scientific and technological developments, and technology neutral, so as to broadly encompass the use of biotechnology or other technologies for the production of bio-based material products and solutions including, but not limited to, chemical, mechanical or thermal processes;

    C. whereas the biotech and biomanufacturing industries have led the development and deployment of breakthrough innovations in healthcare, such as mRNA-based vaccines; whereas biotechnology processes can be used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients and key manufacturing inputs for medicines;

    D. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of having robust raw material value chains and manufacturing capabilities within Europe, to ensure security of supply of critical products and to mitigate shortages, for example of essential medicines;

    E. whereas artificial intelligence (AI) can help drive biotechnology innovation – e.g. in personalised medicine and drug discovery – resulting in health and environmental benefits; whereas the use of AI in biotechnology can also present ethical challenges and risks, related to the protection of private data, which need to be addressed in order to maintain public trust and acceptance;

    F. whereas biotechnology is applied in various aspects of animal and plant-based agriculture and also indirectly, through its use in activities such as waste management;

    G. whereas biotechnology can strengthen the resilience of forests and, in the case of biomanufacturing, the forest sector can offer sustainably produced, renewable and recyclable raw materials that can be used in high-value innovative products, materials and applications;

    H. whereas the EU is a global leader in research and biomanufacturing capacity, yet its potential remains unexploited due to the lack of a sufficiently coordinated policy framework that enables the efficient scaling up of innovation, the attraction of investment and the commercialisation of new technologies; whereas the ‘one in, one out’ approach ensures that all burdens introduced by Commission initiatives are considered, and administrative burdens are offset by removing burdens of equivalent value in the same policy area at EU or Member State level; whereas Parliament has called for the EU’s research budget to be doubled; whereas EU private investment in research, development and innovation is lagging behind other major economies; whereas promoting investment in pioneering demo and commercial production plants can accelerate the commercialisation of EU innovation in the bio-based industries;

    I. whereas urgent, coherent and consistent action needs to be taken during the next few years to make the EU a world leader in biotechnology, biomanufacturing and life sciences effecting a bold level of change, in accordance with due process and supported by competitiveness checks and adequate funding;

    J. whereas lengthy and complex authorisation procedures, particularly concerning approval times, represent a competitive disadvantage for EU operators and drive project developers out of the EU, and hinder industrial deployment and growth;

    K. whereas current EU regulatory frameworks do not cater precisely to the specificities of bio-based products; whereas the existing regulatory authorisation processes for biotech products needs to be urgently addressed to ensure that the EU remains globally competitive; whereas an effective regulatory framework for conducting clinical research is essential for the competitiveness of the most innovation-intensive aspects of the EU’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors; whereas the Commission should take account of the regulatory frameworks of non-EU countries leading in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector, in the context of existing and future EU legislation covering the industry, to ensure compatibility without lowering existing EU safety and environmental standards;

    L. whereas the EU’s biotechnology and biomanufacturing investment and venture capital ecosystem remains fragmented; whereas high energy prices, regulatory burdens, barriers, and a lack of available key feedstock, raw materials and components are limiting the ability of start-ups and other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale up, and limit large-scale deployment; whereas EU biomanufacturing capacity and supply chain resilience, including the availability of feedstock, are essential to reduce dependence on non-EU actors; whereas effective global supply chains – including strategic partnerships with reliable global actors – are also important to secure stable access to critical resources, avoid supply disruptions and foster continuous innovation in essential technologies;

    M. whereas bio-based feedstocks, such as sustainably sourced biomass, recycled waste and CO2 captured from biogenic sources, could be used as alternative feedstocks for the manufacturing of, for example, polymers, plastics, solvents, paints, detergents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, thereby contributing to EU emission reduction, resource efficiency and strategic autonomy; whereas the EU could further incentivise market demand and market uptake for sustainable bio-based products and materials;

    N. whereas it is vital to increase the use of sustainable bio-based raw materials as part of the means of reaching the EU’s 2050 climate targets; whereas biotechnology has the potential to transform the refinery and chemical industry towards biomanufacturing, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the EU’s climate objectives;

    O. whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing are regulated across many different regulatory frameworks; whereas current EU regulatory frameworks for biotechnology and biomanufacturing are inconsistent across sectors, creating legal uncertainty and slowing market access for innovative solutions; whereas the lengthy authorisation processes, particularly concerning approval times, need to be urgently addressed and improved, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach, to compete with corresponding time frames outside the EU; whereas the use of regulatory sandboxes should be expanded to ensure that emerging technologies have a clear development pathway; whereas new EU-wide regulation in the form of an EU biotech act should be duly justified based on examples of concrete gaps and shortcomings in current legislation and implementation, focusing on the specificities of the industry;

    P. whereas a coherent, robust and future-proof intellectual property (IP) framework is essential, ideally resulting in economic, environmental and societal benefits;

    Q. whereas public awareness in the EU of biotechnology and biomanufactured products should be further strengthened, in order to boost public acceptance; whereas the ethical aspects of biotechnology should be considered; whereas stakeholder consultation plays a crucial role in shaping responsible and ethical biotechnology policies; whereas civil society can play an essential role in ensuring public trust;

    R. whereas the engineering of DNA and organisms is increasingly carried out in automated biofoundries, which produce a wealth of data and improved designs and knowledge of biological functions;

    S. whereas the EU’s regulatory framework needs to adequately address evolving risks, opportunities and responsibilities associated with the handling, trade and synthesis of biological material, particularly in the context of synthetic biology; whereas existing biosecurity gaps need to be addressed by the EU and through international cooperation;

    Criteria for a comprehensive EU biotech act

    1. Emphasises the growth potential of the European biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector and the need for the EU to remain world-leading in this field; underlines the commitment to the principles of better regulation and lawmaking, simplification and administrative burden reduction; underlines that the simplification of EU legislation must not endanger any of the fundamental rights of citizens, workers and businesses or risk regulatory uncertainty; believes that any simplification proposal should not be rushed and proposed without proper consideration, consultation and impact assessments; therefore asks the Commission, if it proposes a new EU-wide regulation in the form of an EU biotech act, to address concrete gaps and shortcomings in current legislation and implementation, and to present legislation that can be revised, simplified, streamlined, repealed and which reduces bureaucratic burdens, focusing on the specificities of the industry and maintaining relevant safety and security standards; asks that an EU biotech act adopt a comprehensive cross-sectoral scope and that it be accompanied by an impact and cost assessment, competitiveness checks as well as a comprehensive assessment by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, taking due consideration of the impact on SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, as well as the interaction with other relevant legislative and non-legislative initiatives, including proposals currently undergoing the co-legislative procedure;

    2. Recalls that according to the OECD, biotechnology is defined as the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services; notes, however, that biomanufacturing is not clearly defined and calls on the Commission to propose such a definition;

    3. Recommends streamlining and harmonising existing and upcoming initiatives relating to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with the objective of strengthening the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry through clear industrial and research and development (R & D) competences;

    4. Urges the Commission to ensure coherence and consistency across all initiatives and legislative measures that may affect biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovations and companies, especially start-ups and scale-ups;

    5. Calls on the Commission to ensure that any future relevant legislative initiatives have a broad enough scope to capture the width of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry and its full range of applications; recommends facilitating a fast and efficient uptake of biotechnology and biomanufacturing through clear regulatory frameworks;

    6. Calls on the Commission to implement measures within its structures in order to ensure coordination, coherence and complementarity across its relevant directorates-general, and to enable more efficient scale-up and commercialisation of research, development and innovation results; highlights the importance of efforts to improve policy coherence and coordination at national level;

    7. Calls on the Commission to take account of regulatory frameworks of non-EU countries leading in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector, in the context of existing and future EU legislation covering the industry, to ensure compatibility, where possible and without compromising consumer safety, and a level playing field for EU biotech companies competing internationally, and to learn from best practices from outside the EU without lowering existing EU standards;

    8. Calls on the Commission to present a report on the implementation of current legislation in the field of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including identifying potential gaps and regulatory barriers hampering the growth of the industries applying these technologies and manufacturing processes, including barriers to improving the EU’s self-sufficiency in key feedstocks, raw materials and components; recalls the precautionary principle laid down in Article 191 TFEU; urges the Commission to share with Parliament the preliminary findings of its study on regulatory burden, in this regard, and the potential need to review legislation related to biotechnology and biomanufacturing; calls for a simplification of current requirements for the sector across regulatory frameworks to enable faster approval procedures and market access, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach and avoiding regulatory uncertainty;

    9. Welcomes the recently launched Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub; requests that the Commission provide further guidance to EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies and the Member States with regard to the Net-Zero Industry Act[1] and the new Clean Industrial Deal in terms of permitting and financing, and to consider the creation of supporting hubs, in order to improve guidance and advice to companies navigating through the regulatory framework;

    10. Calls on the Commission to urgently streamline, simplify and shorten the time required for authorisation procedures, particularly approval time frames, for biotechnology materials and products throughout their manufacturing- and life-cycles, and to facilitate the market uptake of bio-based solutions, including the provision of pre-authorisation guidance, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach, particularly in the context of its regular review of EU agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority, the European Medicines Agency and the European Chemicals Agency; calls on the Commission to ensure that the relevant EU agencies are adequately resourced, to enhance their capacity for conducting authorisation procedures in a timely manner;

    11. Calls on the Commission to consider the possibility of a simplified approvals procedure for biotechnology products that have already been approved by trusted regulatory bodies in like-minded countries with EU-equivalent standards;

    12. Calls on the Commission to consider simplifying labelling practices, such as the use of QR codes, and ensure fair market conditions between biotechnology and other products, such as marketing and advertising, without compromising consumer safety or access to relevant consumer information;

    13. Recalls that harmonised, predictable, future-proof and internationally competitive IP and data protection rules for biotechnology and biomanufacturing patents are essential for the development of the industry, resilient supply chains and sustainable economic growth; underlines the importance of improving IP protection rules by longer terms for patented technologies to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, foster innovation and the EU’s strategic autonomy, protect cutting-edge technologies, reward long-term investments, and support high-risk research; considers that a coherent, robust and future-proof IP framework is essential; welcomes, in this regard, the EU’s recently established unitary patent system;

    14. Calls for a common clinical trials framework with streamlined approval procedures across the Member States to minimise administrative burdens and delays, and which allows for the use of real-world evidence for biotechnology therapies; asks the Commission to present the current situation in this regard, as well as potential improvements; calls for the swift implementation of the Clinical Trials Regulation[2] and the use of the EU’s Clinical Trials Information System;

    15. Underlines the strategic importance for the EU of a strong biotechnology ecosystem to support R & D, manufacturing, and patient access to innovative medicines; points out that biotechnology processes can be used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients and key manufacturing inputs for both off-patent and innovative medicines;

    16. Recommends using the next generation of regulatory sandboxes to assess the specific impacts and possibilities of emerging biotechnology and biomanufacturing applications, ensuring that new technologies can be trialled in a controlled but flexible and future-proof regulatory environment; stresses the importance of ensuring that EU policy takes account of technological and scientific developments to safeguard the EU’s global competitiveness;

    17. Recommends developing a strategy to support biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies transitioning from the regulatory sandbox regime to full market access; requests that the strategy include, but not be limited to, support mechanisms, regulatory assistance and guidance on compliance with EU legislation;

    The need to promote the advantages and specificities of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry

    18. Underlines that effectively scaling up biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU hinges on a robust, competitive and circular bioeconomy; calls on the Commission to present an updated bioeconomy strategy, which takes account of current challenges and reinforces the bioeconomy’s industrial dimension and its links to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, incentivising the development and production of sustainable, innovative, high-value added bio-based materials, products and solutions, to contribute to EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy;

    19. Acknowledges the important role biomass plays in biomanufacturing; recalls, in this regard, the importance of adopting an approach open to different sustainable biomass technologies grounded in robust analysis, and with the aim of enhancing feedstock access and use, as well as harnessing international supply chains, while aiming to avoid unintended environmental externalities;

    20. Underlines the need to account for the specificities of biogenic carbon, bio-based products and processes, and to differentiate them from petrochemical and fossil-based products, in the context of EU and national chemical, materials and environmental legislation;

    21. Points out that essential components, such as enzymes, lactic acid bacteria and other microorganisms, run the risk of being prohibited or unduly disincentivised by EU regulations primarily designed for petrochemical and synthetic substances, such as the REACH Regulation[3];

    22. Is concerned that the European Investment Bank (EIB)’s interpretation of sustainability criteria under the EIB Group Paris alignment framework may result in access to funding for bio-based materials and projects being denied; asks the Commission to examine relevant definitions accordingly and encourage biotechnology- and biomanufacturing-friendly interpretations; calls on the EIB to propose de-risking instruments for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, in order to raise capital; calls, moreover, on the EIB to improve outreach, advisory support and information on financing instruments and opportunities for eligible biotechnology and biomanufacturing projects, in particular SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups;

    23. Underlines the benefit and contribution of bio-based products and processes to the EU’s CO2 reduction objectives, which, given the potential of these products to increase sustainability and lower the EU’s environmental footprint, need to be reflected in respective life cycle assessments, information for consumers and public procurement;

    24. Considers that, in order to accelerate the substitution of fossil-based feedstocks, the market demand and market uptake of sustainable bio-based products could be further incentivised in the EU; considers that bio-based feedstocks, such as sustainably sourced biomass, recycled waste and CO2 captured from biogenic sources, could be used as alternative feedstocks for the manufacturing of various products, contributing to the EU’s emissions reduction, resource efficiency and strategic autonomy; in this context, recalls the commitment in the EU’s Competitiveness Compass to develop policies to reward early movers; considers that coherent and adequate sustainability criteria should be ensured for biomass;

    25. Underlines the importance of upholding the EU’s high standards of food and consumer safety and the potential of biotechnology applications when assessing biotechnology applications in food and feed to protect consumer health, assess impact on circularity and sustainability, and to consider social, ethical, economic, environmental and cultural aspects of food innovation; calls on the Commission to identify smooth routes to market for safe applications of biotechnology in food products, while reiterating that such biotechnology applications need to be properly examined, prior to any future authorisation and subsequent placing on the EU market, including gathering toxicological information and clinical and pre-clinical studies where relevant, and ensuring traceability;

    26. Underlines that biosecurity risks, including bioethical considerations, must be addressed in conjunction with biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation, ensuring responsible access to and use of synthetic biology tools, genetic editing technologies and biological materials; calls for the establishment of an EU biosecurity registry for synthetic DNA, benchtop synthesis equipment and genetic engineering tools, improving transparency and risk-assessment mechanisms, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, such as industry and civil society, and while ensuring sensitive data is adequately protected; stresses the importance of EU strategic autonomy in biotechnology supply chains, ensuring that critical biomanufacturing inputs and expertise remain within Europe; calls for stronger international cooperation on biosecurity standards, including mandatory international screening standards, ensuring that EU-based biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies benefit from global best practice while maintaining competitiveness;

    27. Urges the Commission to conduct a study on biological materials and to present an updated communication and an action plan on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risks, in particular regarding bioterrorism and bio-risks;

    Horizontal issues

    28. Underlines the importance for supply chain security of ensuring a sufficient, stable and competitive supply of feedstock, raw materials and essential components, such as sustainable biomass and enzymes for biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies; calls for potential risks, gaps and dependencies to be closely monitored while safeguarding company-sensitive data and the functioning of the internal market;

    29. Stresses the importance of developing EU raw material value chains and manufacturing, and enhancing self-sufficiency where possible, while also fostering strategic partnerships and cooperation with like-minded non-EU countries to secure resilient and diversified access to critical inputs of biotechnology and biomanufacturing industries in the EU;

    30. Stresses that, in an increasingly tense geopolitical context, biotechnology and biomanufacturing should be fully leveraged to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy, enhance food security and reduce dependence on non-EU countries; highlights the need to stimulate market demand and uptake of bio-based products to boost the growth, competitiveness and sustainability of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector;

    31. Notes that the scale-up and commercialisation of research results remains a major challenge in the EU, and stresses the need to improve knowledge and technology transfer between academia and industry to ensure that EU-funded biotechnology and biomanufacturing research leads to commercial applications and industrial deployment; highlights the importance of strengthening public-private collaboration and supporting universities and research institutions with high levels of technology transfer, spin-offs, and start-up creation, for example by applying the CERN model of building start-up studios within research institutions; calls for strategic investments in shared EU infrastructure – such as pilot facilities, biobanks or innovation accelerators – to support the scale-up of prototypes and the market uptake of innovative biotechnology and biomanufacturing solutions; underlines that innovation cannot solely take place for short-term economic benefit, and that biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation should be driven through a bottom-up approach under a standalone and long-term framework programme; calls on the Commission to facilitate the creation of world-leading research hubs for biotechnology and biomanufacturing to drive innovation and collaboration between academia, industry and venture capital; emphasises the need for robust physical testing facilities in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector to drive innovation and facilitate the production and market access for SMEs and start-ups;

    32. Stresses the need to ensure access to affordable energy for biotechnology and biomanufacturing operators, given the high energy intensity of large-scale biological production processes; underlines the importance of facilitating the authorisation and validation of large industrial plants, such as bioreactors, which are essential for scale-up but also face significant construction and operating risks; welcomes the latest revision of the Renewable Energy Directive[4] and its provisions to simplify permitting procedures, and calls on the Member States to swiftly implement relevant measures to support the deployment of biotechnology and biomanufacturing infrastructure;

    33. Underlines the need for a skilled and diverse European workforce in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector and for the promotion of entrepreneurial skills, in close collaboration with industry and research institutions; calls for increased investment in biotechnology and biomanufacturing education and targeted professional training, including in but not limited to areas such as regulatory compliance, quality assurance and process engineering; supports the development of competence centres and public-private training initiatives across all Member States to enable upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning to safeguard the attractiveness of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry; highlights the importance of adapting educational curricula to the evolving needs of the sector, and of promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, with a particular focus on attracting more girls and women into biotechnology and biomanufacturing careers; encourages more public awareness about career opportunities in the field to attract talent from non-EU countries and suggests exploring the potential for transatlantic cooperation; welcomes the recently launched Choose Europe for Science pilot scheme to attract top non-EU researchers, scientists and academics to Europe;

    34. Calls for the urgent completion of the capital markets union to attract institutional investors to the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry, including venture capital, pension funds and private equity; underlines that the sector is characterised by high levels of risk and that reducing the cost of investment failure in the EU is necessary for attracting large-scale capital investment; calls for dedicated support to ensure that biotechnology and biomanufacturing SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups can access sufficient funding and compete globally; stresses that cross-border investment barriers must be reduced to facilitate investment in biotechnology and biomanufacturing scale-ups;

    35. Notes that public-private partnerships and mission-driven EU investment strategies, such as the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, are essential for de-risking biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation and for increasing the likelihood that IP and industrial capacity remain in Europe; urges EU investment instruments, such as the InvestEU programme, to be strengthened to support biotechnology and biomanufacturing projects considered as high-risk from an investment perspective; underlines that the sector is characterised by a high concentration of SMEs, which face disproportionate barriers in accessing capital despite being critical drivers of innovation; supports the exploration of a biotechnology Important Project of Common European Interest to facilitate industrial deployment and first-mover investments in bio-based chemicals, materials, and products and solutions;

    36. Notes that public awareness of biotechnology and biomanufactured products in the EU should be further strengthened to boost public acceptance; recommends engaging with citizens and civil society organisations to communicate the characteristics, benefits and implications of the growing presence of biotechnology-based products and services in the European market;

    Future-proof research and innovation

    37. Regrets that European private investment in research, development and innovation is lagging behind other major economies and that the scale-up and commercialisation of research results remain a major challenge in Europe; highlights the fact that European and national public systems for R & D funding remain complex and insufficiently coordinated, resulting in duplications and inefficiencies; calls for an EU-wide approach to coordinating public investment in R & D for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with the dual objective of closing excellence and innovation gaps and accelerating commercialisation; underlines the importance of strengthening European collaboration, pooling knowledge and resources, and leveraging public funding with private investment; recalls the key role of framework programmes such as Horizon Europe in fostering scientific excellence, innovation and technical development and calls for targeted investment in strategic biotechnology and biomanufacturing subfields, such as industrial, environmental, marine, health and agri-food biotechnology;

    38. Reiterates the call to double the EU’s research budget and to reach the target of 3 % of EU gross domestic product being devoted to R & D by 2030;

    39. Notes the growing role of synthetic biology, bioinformatics, data and game-changing AI-driven biotechnology and biomanufacturing research; calls on the Commission to integrate biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation into the EU digital and AI strategies, ensuring interoperability between biotechnology and biomanufacturing data infrastructure and AI-driven discovery platforms; notes that AI capabilities are dependent on the efficient use of data; considers that the creation of industrial data spaces for biotechnology and biomanufacturing is important for efficient data sharing;

    40. Acknowledges that, while AI systems and quantum computing can significantly speed up research and lead to new innovations, enabling better computational designs of biological systems, they can also increase the risk of biological threats; underlines, therefore, the need to apply a risk-based approach to the use of AI in scientific research and manufacturing;

    41. Considers that the ethical use of AI, bioinformatics and synthetic biology is crucial for building trust and for society at large to benefit from these technologies; underlines the need to safeguard data privacy, data security, transparency and human oversight of the use of AI systems in the health biotechnology sector;

    42. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Statement from FBI Minneapolis on the Location of Remains of Jordan Manny Collins Jr.

    Source: US FBI

    “The FBI Minneapolis Division is honored to have joined our law enforcement partners in the ongoing effort to recover Manny Collins,” said Alvin M. Winston Sr., special agent in charge of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office. “In response to a request for assistance from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Minneapolis deployed our highly trained Evidence Response Team, along with the FBI’s Laboratory Evidence Response Team Unit and the Technical Hazardous Response Unit from Quantico, VA. Both units are expertly trained in ensuring safety at complex crime scenes.

    “This collaborative effort underscores our deep commitment and unity in the mission to recover Manny Collins. The coordination and resource-sharing among all agencies and volunteers have been crucial to finding Manny.

    “The FBI extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Manny Collins during this difficult time. We remain dedicated to pursuing justice and will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure that the truth is uncovered and that justice is served.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Advancing Agenda for a Strong, Prosperous America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    ***Click here for audio.***
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate voted today to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) by a vote of 51 to 50. This legislation permanently extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts, accelerates American energy dominance, supports the nation’s farmers and ranchers, reduces federal spending, invests in generational defense capabilities such as President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile-defense shield, and delivers the largest single border-security investment in U.S. history.
    Within 10 years, OBBBA will cut the total deficit nearly in half and primary deficits will become surpluses. It builds upon the 2017 Trump tax cuts with incentives for investing in America to create new jobs and revive domestic manufacturing. The pro-growth policies are reflected in the recent Congressional Budget Office score indicating the legislation will reduce the deficit by $507 billion. The Council of Economic Advisors estimates it will slash the deficit by over $2 trillion over the next decade and lead to higher worker wages and increased GDP.
    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the legislation:
    “What we did with this vote today is took a decisive step toward implementing President Trump’s agenda and restoring some fiscal sanity to Washington, D.C. which has been missing for several decades. It delivers on our promise as Republicans to extend pro-growth tax policy permanently, not just another extension, but make it permanent, and it gives much-needed certainty to American families, and businesses, and investment of all types. We are really aligning federal spending with North Dakota pragmatism, quite honestly. We’re slashing Green New Deal gimmicks, boosting reliable energy sources, delivering unprecedented resources to the border, which we know is in high demand, and then bringing defense efforts like the Golden Dome and nuclear modernization to complete fruition. It’s really a win for every American who believes prosperity, security, and fiscal responsibility all go hand in hand.”
    Prevents a $4 Trillion Tax Increase
    ***Click here for audio on OBBBA tax provisions***
    This legislation permanently extends the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to provide relief for working Americans and job creators. Without this bill, Americans would receive a $4 trillion tax hike, the largest increase in American history. It supports families by expanding the standard deduction, which is utilized by more than 90% of taxpayers, and the Child Tax Credit, and making both improvements permanent.
    The OBBBA includes pro-growth provisions to support small businesses by preserving the small business deduction to support job creation and local economic growth. It also includes efforts to boost domestic production and investment, including full expensing for domestic research and development, and new capital investments. To support financing for domestic investments, the OBBBA reinstates a globally competitive interest deduction.
    Promotes Energy Dominance
    To promote American energy dominance, the legislation rapidly phases out tax credits for intermittent wind and solar projects while boosting reliable domestic energy sources like nuclear, geothermal, and hydropower. The OBBBA also improves the 45Q credit, a critical tool for North Dakota’s lignite coal and oil producers, by indexing the value of the credit to inflation and equalizing the rate for all users of the credit. It promotes oil and gas development by requiring the Bureau of Land Management to hold quarterly leases, reduces royalty rates to pre-Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) levels, ensures timely leasing of federal coal resources, pauses the IRA natural gas tax for a decade, and creates an opt-in program at the Council on Environmental Quality for expedited environmental reviews. Finally, the OBBBA repeals costly Biden-era green energy efforts including the electric vehicle tax credit, rescinds unobligated IRA funds, nixes the costly methane tax, and fully repeals the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
    Delivers the Largest Border Security Package in American History
    In the few months since President Trump’s return to the White House, illegal border crossings have dropped precipitously. The OBBBA provisions support these efforts and include funding for over 2,300 miles of border walls and barriers while also giving U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources to carry out the mission of protecting the border. This funding will allow ICE to hire additional officers and agents to patrol the border. The bill invests $46.55 billion to complete the Trump Wall and upgrade its barriers and intrusion sensors alongside $4.1 billion for hiring and training agents, officers, pilots, and support staff, as well as incentives to retain top talent. It ends the previous administration’s catch-and-release policy, deploys artificial intelligence (AI)-powered non-intrusive inspection systems, drones, counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems radar, and a nationwide biometric entry-exit network to stop fentanyl at the border.
    Curbs Immigration Abuse & Makes the System Pay for Itself
    The legislation flips the “everything is free” asylum pipeline on its head, imposing an inflation-indexed minimum $100 asylum-application fee that is split evenly between immigration courts and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to attack the backlog without touching taxpayers. Aliens removed in absentia now face a $5,000 fee upon apprehension—half of which flows directly into ICE’s Detention & Removal Office Fee Account to fund beds and removals.
    Makes Long Overdue Improvements to the Farm Safety Net
    To address the absence of a new Farm Bill, the OBBBA supports farm country by raising reference prices for covered commodities under the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. For crop year 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay farmers the larger of ARC or PLC, regardless of which program they enrolled in for the year. It boosts premium support for the individual-based crop insurance and the Supplemental Coverage Option. The bill increases marketing assistance loan rates, improves disaster and animal disease prevention programs for livestock, and funds a supplemental agricultural trade promotion program. The OBBBA also modifies work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility and sets in place reforms to improve efficiency and management of the program. 
    Implements Commonsense Medicaid Reforms
    The bill reduces waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program and puts Medicaid on a fiscally sustainable path. It establishes sensible work requirements for able-bodied adults and provides exemptions for individuals with dependent children or medical needs. It increases the frequency of eligibility verifications and limits the use of financing gimmicks such as provider taxes to ensure Medicaid remains available for the most vulnerable into the future. The bill also establishes a rural health transformation fund to support critical rural hospitals and clinics across the country. 
    Invests in Generational Defense Capabilities
    President Trump’s Golden Dome initiative, unmanned ships, drones, AI and other recent investments in new defense technology in North Dakota and across the country, are included in the OBBBA. The legislation allocates $25 billion for the Golden Dome missile defense system and $210 million for MH-139 helicopters. Additionally, it provides $15 billion to accelerate nuclear modernization programs specifying $2.5 billion for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program and $600 million for the Minuteman III ICBM, both of which are housed in North Dakota. It also includes $90 million for APEX Accelerators and significant improvements in quality of life for troops and their families. 
    Modernizes Commerce & Transportation Infrastructure
    The OBBBA injects more than $34 billion into the arteries of American commerce—keeping goods, data, and people moving safely and on time. It fully recapitalizes the Coast Guard with $24.593 billion for new Offshore, Fast-Response, Polar, and Arctic cutters, long-range UAVs, autonomous surface vessels, and critical shore-facility upgrades. Another $12.57 billion modernizes the Federal Aviation Administration’s radars, telecom backbone, runway-safety tech, and controller displays to cut delays and boost air-travel safety nationwide. The bill restores the Federal Communications Commission’s auction authority through 2034 and directs the auction of mid-band spectrum within two years—part of a plan which ultimately reallocates 500 MHz for 5G/6G—and gives National Telecommunications and Information Administration the resources to value and relocate Federal users.
    Click here for bill text. Click here for one-pagers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Senate Passage of the GOP’s Devastating Budget Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    07.01.25
    Cantwell Statement on Senate Passage of the GOP’s Devastating Budget Bill
    Full final text of the disastrous bill wasn’t made available before final vote – the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office doesn’t even know the full cost to the American people; Cantwell was able to strip provision of bill that would have effectively banned states from enforcing AI consumer protection laws
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Just now, the United States Senate passed a budget bill 51 to 50 (with the Vice President repeatedly casting tie-breaking votes, on final passage of the bill and procedural votes). U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement:
    “Over the past several days, my Republican colleagues made it very clear what their mission is – to make the largest cuts in the social safety net in U.S. history in order to give away tax breaks to major corporations and billionaires.  No matter how loud the voices of our constituents, of our state and local leaders, and of our health care providers, they stuck to their script and adopted legislation that will slash about a trillion dollars from Medicaid and cut billions from SNAP,” Sen. Cantwell said. 
    “I voted against this bill that will strip health insurance from 17 million Americans. The bill that Republicans drafted in the dark of night will hit those that can least afford it the hardest.  The lowest 20% of earners will lose an average of $700 a year, far more than they will get from the tax cuts.
    “The House of Representatives should reject this disastrous legislation so Congress can come back later this month to craft a bipartisan fiscally responsible package that will support working families without adding $3 trillion to our unsustainable federal debt.”
    The finalized text of the bill passed by the Senate this morning wasn’t ever shown to Senators before Republican leadership pushed forward with the final vote. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which is typically tasked with calculating the financial impact of any major piece of legislation, has not had time to give the bill a score. Prior to scheduling the vote, Senate Republicans refused to hold final meetings with the Senate Parliamentarian – tasked with ensuring that the language in bills follows certain rules and procedures that govern the Senate. Instead, the Parliamentarian had to make decisions on some provisions in a matter of minutes from the Senate floor.
    Sunday night, Sen. Cantwell delivered a speech on the Senate floor to highlight how various provisions included in the 940-page document ultimately sell out the American people. That speech can be watched in full HERE; a transcript is HERE.
    Hours before this morning’s final vote, shortly after 4 a.m., the Senate voted 99-1 in favor of an amendment co-sponsored by Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R–TN) to strip a ten-year moratorium on state AI regulations from the Republican budget reconciliation bill.  The Senate’s consideration of the bill, known as a votearama in the Senate, set records for the number of debate votes and the length of the debate, and the Senate stayed in session all night as Sen. Cantwell and her colleagues fought to improve the bill.
    “The Senate came together tonight to say that we can’t just run over good state consumer protection laws,” Sen. Cantwell said. “States can fight robocalls and deepfakes and provide safe autonomous vehicle laws. This also allows us to work together nationally to provide a new federal framework on Artificial Intelligence that accelerates U.S. leadership in AI while still protecting consumers.” 
    For weeks, Sen. Cantwell raised alarms over the provision which would have forced states to make an impossible choice between enforcing AI consumer protections or accepting federal BEAD funding to expand broadband access. Despite several revisions by its author and misleading assurances about its true impact, state officials from across the country, including 17 Republican Governors and 40 state Attorneys General, as well conservative and liberal organizations – from the Heritage Foundation to the Center for American Progress – rallied against the harmful proposal. On June 18, Sen. Cantwell hosted a virtual press conference alongside Sen. Blackburn to underscore the impacts to Americans across the country if Congress were to pass the moratorium on state AI legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Rays of Hope Forum: Bringing Hope in Africa and Beyond

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    The IAEA’s Rays of Hope Forum returned to Ethiopia, where the cancer care initiative was launched in 2022.

    Cancer patients around the world are being given better access to life-saving care thanks to support from the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative, participants at a Rays of Hope Forum heard.

    Rays of Hope aims to widen access to life-saving cancer care where there is the most need; by helping low- and middle-income countries establish or expand medical imaging, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine services. Since its launch in Ethiopia three years ago, more than 90 countries have requested support under the initiative.

    “Cancer is a top cause of death in Africa, taking 2000 lives a day,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, speaking at the Forum opening in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday. “Three years ago, here at the African Union Headquarters, we launched Rays of Hope. Today, we are bringing cancer care to countries that had none.”

    Temesgen Tiruneh, Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, said: “Let this Forum be a call to collective action. Let it inspire deeper cooperation, bolder investments, and unwavering solidarity — so that no child dies from a treatable cancer, no mother waits endlessly for a diagnosis, and no nation is left behind simply because of geography or GDP.”

    The Minister of Health of Ethiopia, Mekdes Daba Feyssa and the Chief of Staff of the African Union Mohamed Al- Amine Souef also gave opening remarks at the Rays of Hope Forum.

    During the morning sessions, representatives from countries that have received support under the Rays of Hope initiative shared their experiences.

    These included Benjamin Hounkpatin, Minister of Health in Benin, Gilbert Kabanda Kurhenga, Minister of Scientific Research and Technology in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mekdes Daba Feyssa, Minister of Public Health in Ethiopia, Selibe Mochoboroane, the Minister of Health in Lesotho, lbrahima Sy, Minister of Health and Social Action in Senegal, Lawrence Ookeditse, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Health in Botswana and Fredrick Ouma Oluga, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Health in Kenya.

    Countries which have donated to the Rays of Hope also spoke of the importance of the initiative. Speakers included Jens Hanefeld, Ambassador of Germany to Ethiopia and Permanent Observer to the African Union in Ethiopia, Maurizio Busanelli, Permanent Representative of Italy to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Ethiopia, Tsutomu Nakagawa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the African Union and Julien Voituriez, First Counsellor, Embassy of France to Ethiopia and to the African Union.

    Watch the live stream here.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: In Dialogue with North Macedonia, Experts of the Human Rights Committee Commend Anti-Discrimination Measures, Raise Concerns about Reports of Excessive Use of Force by Border Officials and Attacks on Journalists

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Human Rights Committee today concluded its consideration of the fourth periodic report of North Macedonia on how it implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, with Committee Experts commending the State’s efforts to address discrimination, and raising issues concerning reports of border officials’ excessive use of force against asylum seekers and attacks on journalists.

    A Committee Expert acknowledged the positive efforts made by the State towards strengthening the rule of law and addressing discrimination, pursued in the context of North Macedonia’s candidacy for membership of the European Union.

    One Committee Expert cited reports of excessive use of force carried out by border officials against asylum seekers.  How did the State party ensure that such reports were investigated in a timely and effective manner?

    Another Committee Expert said there had been an increase in attacks on journalists in recent years; how was the State working to prevent such attacks?  What training was provided to public officials on the right to freedom of expression?

    Nikola Prokopenko, State Counsellor for Criminal Legislation at the Ministry of Justice of North Macedonia and head of the delegation, said North Macedonia had been committed to implementing the Committee’s recommendations, which had been integral to strategic priorities in reforming the legal system, strengthening the rule of law, and advancing democracy in alignment with European standards.

    On measures to prevent discrimination, the delegation said the State was harmonising the law on the prevention of discrimination with relevant European Union directives.  The national commission monitoring discrimination had been strengthened; it had helped to develop national policies on preventing discrimination and to raise civil servants’ awareness of the issue.

    There were internal mechanisms within the police service that investigated complaints of excessive use of force and torture by police officers, the delegation said.  When evidence was found, criminal proceedings were instituted against the accused officer, who was also sanctioned.  There had been no reports of excessive use of force against migrants and asylum seekers between 2022 and 2024.

    The delegation also said recent amendments to the Criminal Code allowed for the ex-officio prosecution of attacks on journalists.  The State had worked to raise the visibility of crimes against journalists and increase punishments for such crimes.  There were four crimes committed against journalists in 2024; all these cases had been prosecuted.

    In concluding remarks, Mr. Prokopenko expressed appreciation for the constructive dialogue, saying that the Committee’s recommendations would serve as valuable guidance for strengthening laws and policies. The State would leave the dialogue motivated to build a more just and equitable human rights-based society.

    Changrok Soh, Committee Chairperson, in concluding remarks, commended North Macedonia on its ratification of international treaties, legal norms on gender-based violence, and policies on gender equality.  However, he said concerns remained related to issues such as hate speech, prison conditions, and the limited protection framework for asylum seekers.  Mr. Soh closed by expressing sincere gratitude to all those who had contributed to the dialogue.

    The delegation of North Macedonia was made up of representatives of the Ministry for Inter-Community Relations; the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services; the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; the Ministry of Interior; the Ministry of Education and Science; and the Permanent Mission of North Macedonia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Human Rights Committee’s one hundred and forty-fourth session is being held from 23 June to 17 July 2025.  All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m., Tuesday 1 July to begin its consideration of the fourth periodic report of Latvia (CCPR/C/LVA/4).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the fourth periodic report of North Macedonia (CCPR/C/MKD/4).

    Presentation of the Report

    NIKOLA PROKOPENKO, State Counsellor for Criminal Legislation at the Ministry of Justice of North Macedonia and head of the delegation, said North Macedonia had been committed to implementing the Committee’s recommendations over the reporting period.  These recommendations had been integral to strategic priorities in reforming the legal system, strengthening the rule of law, and advancing democracy in alignment with European standards.

    In 2022, the State signed the Second Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime; in 2023, it ratified the European Convention on Human Rights; in November 2024, it ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents; in December 2024, it ratified the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products; and the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure was in its final parliamentary reading.  In October 2024, North Macedonia was elected a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term.

    During the reporting period, North Macedonia completed implementation of the justice sector reform strategy 2017–2022, which laid the foundation for a more transparent, efficient, and accountable justice system; and adopted a development strategy for the justice sector 2024–2028, aimed at further advancing the rule of law and access to justice.

    According to the strategy for Roma inclusion 2022–2030, dedicated funds had been allocated from the national budget to support the implementation of targeted projects in areas of employment, housing, social inclusion, healthcare, and persons lacking personal documentation.  In parallel, the implementation of the strategy for combatting human trafficking and illegal migration (2021–2025) was in the evaluation process.  The State was developing the national action plan for the rights of the child (2025–2029), and the strategy and national action plan for the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (2026–2033).

    Over the past period, notable progress had been made in the legislative sphere, including through the harmonisation of the Criminal Code with the provisions of the Istanbul Convention; and the adoption of the law on audio and audiovisual media services, the new law on the media, and the law on the execution of sanctions, aimed at enhancing legal clarity and institutional effectiveness.  The State was also actively engaged in drafting amendments to the law on the Judicial Council, the law on the courts, the law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the law on the Council of Public Prosecutors.  These reforms were an integral part of the development sectoral strategy for the judiciary, aiming to further strengthen judicial independence, transparency, and accountability.

    The Government had partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund to identify the most vulnerable groups of children and conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing services and programmes aimed at addressing child poverty and social exclusion.  It had enacted the law on justice for children and adopted a declaration on the prevention of and fight against violent extremism, which was jointly signed by religious communities and civil society organizations in the country.

    The consistent and effective implementation of reforms in the field of education remained a national priority.  Several reform-oriented laws on education had been adopted, aimed at enhancing accessibility, inclusiveness, and quality of education across all levels.

    The State party was actively implementing the second national action plan to support the women, peace and security agenda.  It had also focused efforts on strengthening institutional capacities for support to and protection of victims of gender-based violence, while intensifying activities aimed at the prevention of discrimination and violence against women and domestic violence.

    North Macedonia remained fully committed to the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.  In December 2024, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a final resolution confirming the closure of two cases against the country, thus acknowledging its efforts in implementing the Court’s decisions.

    The fight against corruption and organised crime remained a high national priority.  The State was steadfastly implementing the national strategy for the prevention of corruption and conflict of interests, which set a comprehensive framework for transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity.  The Interdepartmental Body for Coordination of Anti-Corruption Activities played a vital role in fostering inter-institutional cooperation and ensuring the effective implementation of anti-corruption measures across all sectors. 

    The State party was currently drafting a new law on internal affairs, which introduced mandatory professional integrity checks for all personnel at the Ministry of the Interior.  In addition, it had adopted the plan for the prevention of corruption in the penitentiary system (2022–2026), as well as a sector-specific integrity policy.

    Towards the continuous development of staff in the penitentiary sector, the State had established a functional training and education centre, currently staffed with 31 certified trainers, which played a pivotal role in building institutional capacity, improving service delivery, and aligning penitentiary practices with European and international standards.

    In support of freedom of expression, the State had taken concrete steps to strengthen criminal law protection for journalists, thereby reinforcing a safe and enabling environment for independent journalism.

    The State party was prioritising both the enhancement of the legal framework and the strengthening of institutional capacities to prevent and protect against acts of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.  It had established the Commission for Monetary Compensation to Victims of Violent Crime, in accordance with the law on payment of monetary compensation to victims of violent crimes, which was adopted in 2022.  This mechanism envisaged a crucial form of redress and recognised the State’s responsibility to support victims on their path to recovery.

    In the period ahead, North Macedonia would intensify reform efforts and take more decisive, accelerated steps to ensure timely and effective implementation of the planned reform agenda.  Fully-fledged membership of the European Union would serve as a powerful catalyst for the effective realisation, advancement, and sustained protection of human rights in the country.  The State’s reform agenda for 2024 to 2027 promoted reforms that were integral to completing the European Union integration journey.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said the dialogue was taking place in the context of North Macedonia’s candidacy for membership of the European Union and membership of the Human Rights Council.  The Committee acknowledged the positive efforts made by the State towards strengthening the rule of law and addressing discrimination.

    North Macedonia had not provided information on the application of the Covenant in its report.  Was the Covenant used by national courts?  How did the State party ensure dissemination of the Committee’s general comments?  During the COVID-19 pandemic, the State party had adopted measures that derogated from the Covenant without reporting them.  Why was this?  The Committee had registered less than five individual communications from North Macedonia. What was being done to ensure that individuals were aware of the Committee’s communications procedure?

    The national human rights institution had “B” status under the Paris Principles and lacked resources.  The role of the national human rights institution as the national preventive mechanism had not been formalised.  Would the State party adopt a law to ensure that the Ombudsperson had sufficient resources and independence, and that its reports were followed up on by the authorities?

    The reform of the Criminal Code in 2023 reportedly made it more difficult to prosecute cases of corruption.  What results had been obtained in prosecuting cases of corruption and money laundering?  Had proceedings involving the former Prime Minister concluded? What was the mandate of the State’s Anti-corruption Commission and how was it funded?

    Another Committee Expert said North Macedonia had made many attempts to address discrimination, including the 2020 law on the prevention of discrimination and the establishment of the Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination.  However, this Commission reportedly operated with only a fifth of the resources it needed.  What challenges did the State party face in ensuring the effective implementation of the legal framework on discrimination?  How effective were remedies available to victims of discrimination?  How was the State party addressing barriers that prevented the reporting of discrimination?

    The national action plan on the Roma for 2014 to 2022 reportedly had achieved limited progress, indicating structural issues. What measures were in place to combat de facto segregation of the Roma in housing and education?  How was the State party empowering Roma women?  What steps had been taken to facilitate access to birth registration for all Roma persons?

    One Committee Expert asked about the results of the strategy for equality and non-discrimination for 2022 to 2026.  The State party needed to recognise discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds for hate speech and hate crimes within the Criminal Code.  Would this be done?  Some 32 cases of hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex peoples had been brought to courts, but only two had reached convictions.  Was the State party considering measures to increase the conviction rate?

    Why did the State party impose long pre-trial detention periods of up to 180 days?  Would it revise its practices and ensure that pre-trial detention was used only as a last resort?  Could judicial sentences imposing pre-trial detention be appealed?  Did detained persons have access to a lawyer from the moment of their arrest, and did the State party implement alternatives to pre-trial detention?

    A Committee Expert said North Macedonia adopted a national gender equality strategy in 2017, but no progress had been made on the draft law on gender equality.  Why was this?  It was welcome that the State party had appointed its first woman President in 2024. North Macedonia had a comparatively high percentage of women members of parliament for the region, but had a low representation of ethnic minority women.  How was the State party addressing this?  Only three out of 18 ministers were women; only two out of 82 mayors were women; and women represented 36 per cent of managerial positions in the public sector.  What were the obstacles to improving women’s representation in decision-making?

    New gender-based violence and domestic violence legislation was commendable, but it did not recognise psychological violence and cyber violence.  Would the State party amend the Criminal Code to address these forms of violence? Violence against female journalists and human rights defenders had increased recently.  What measures had the State party taken to implement existing laws and protect these women from violence?  Women involved in court procedures related to gender-based violence were often unaware of their right to free legal aid.  Underaged mothers who were victims of violence were unable to access support shelters.  Cases of gender-based violence had increased in recent years, but there was a low number of criminal convictions of perpetrators.  How was the State party addressing these issues?  Had sufficient funds been allocated to implementing the national action plan on preventing gender-based violence, including to collect data on the issue?

    During the reporting period, North Macedonia had adopted a law permitting abortion from 12 to 17 weeks of pregnancy and regulations on abortion procedures.  However, abortion medications had not been registered and procedures were not available in rural areas.  Would the State party address these issues?

    A Committee Expert noted the establishment of accountability measures within the Ombudsperson’s Office to investigate complaints against police officers on acts of torture and ill-treatment.  Most investigations of complaints had not led to prosecutions; however, there were continued reports of police using violence to obtain forced confessions, and of excessive use of force carried out by border officials against asylum seekers.  How did the State party ensure that complaints of excessive use of force by the police were investigated in a timely and effective manner? 

    The Roma community reportedly continued to face violence and threats from police officers, and not enough was being done to investigate such cases in an impartial manner.  How would the State party ensure the effective investigation of such cases and the punishment of perpetrators?  How would the State party promote the effectiveness of investigative mechanisms, including the national preventive mechanism?

    There were reports of a lack of implementation of prison reform.  The prison system was reportedly severely overcrowded and understaffed.  Some prisons struggled to provide sufficient access to clean water and food, including for juvenile detainees.  What measures would the State party take to address prison overcrowding, provide adequate health and sanitation services in all prisons, and ensure that prison staff were trained on international standards on the treatment of prisoners?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said that according to the Constitution of North Macedonia, ratified international treaties were part of the domestic legal order.  The State party had undertaken activities to raise awareness of the Committee’s individual communications procedure, and would work to raise the awareness of members of the judiciary about the Committee’s jurisprudence.

    In 2016, the State party adopted legislative amendments to strengthen the Ombudsperson, and a committee was now developing further measures to expand its mandate to monitor the rights of persons with disabilities and trafficking in persons.  National authorities had implemented 74 per cent of the Ombudsperson’s recommendations.  The State was considering measures to strengthen the degree of implementation of the recommendations.

    The State had increased the budget of the National Commission against Corruption by 47 per cent in recent years, and had developed an electronic platform for reporting cases of money laundering and organised crime, which included indicators for monitoring the anti-corruption policy.  It was also drafting amendments to the law on the prevention of corruption and conflicts of interest, which would make sanctions for misdemeanours stricter.  A law on the protection of whistleblowers was adopted in 2022, which had led to three related cases being brought to the courts.  The National Commission against Corruption produced annual reports, proposing initiatives for holding officials responsible and for institutions to respond to cases of corruption.  In 2025, 65 corruption cases were opened, most relating to violations of the Electoral Code involving non-reporting of conflicts of interest by political candidates.

    The State party had incriminated psychological violence in article 144 of the Criminal Code, recognising such violence as an aggravating circumstance.

    The civil oversight mechanism for torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment granted individuals the right to protection against ill-treatment.  Twenty-five complaints of ill-treatment by police were filed in 2024. There had been three complaints related to torture over the reporting period.  The Ombudsperson had established that there were no violations of rights in most of the cases.  Eight cases related to excessive use of force by the police were still under examination.

    Legal remedies were available to victims of discrimination, including civil lawsuits.  The State party sought to build the capacities of relevant entities within the judiciary to respond to cases of discrimination.  Discrimination was a subject in curricula at the judicial academy.

    North Macedonia had undertaken many activities to fight corruption within the prison system as part of the plan for the fight against corruption 2022-2025.  Amendments to the law on the execution of sanctions had been drafted, under which all prison staff would be obliged to make asset declarations.  In the second half of 2024, the State party increased the number of prison inspections.  Around 100 disciplinary actions had been imposed against prison staff in 2024, and proceedings had been initiated against two former prison wardens who were accused of abusing their authority.

    The State party had advanced the legislative framework to address prison overcrowding, while also developing prison infrastructure.  New laws concerning the Probation Service were being developed, which would increase the Service’s staff.  There had been more than 700 probation cases in 2024 and thus far had been more than 500 in 2025.  The State was promoting the use of probation instruments by the courts and had procured electronic bracelets for house arrests.  There were plans to increase funding for the reconstruction of the prison system.

    The Ombudsperson registered complaints of torture and violence in prisons, and there were plans to establish a registry of injuries among inmates.  The State party had increased the number of disciplinary proceedings against prison staff and had organised visits to prisons by non-governmental organizations. 

    In 2022, the State drafted the second cycle of the strategy for the Roma.  A coordinating unit for the strategy had been set up, and the budget for its implementation had been increased.  The strategy’s main focuses were healthcare, education, housing, employment and civil registration.  Most projects adopted under the former strategy had been completed.  The number of Roma who applied for social housing had increased, as had the number of Roma employees in the public administration. All Roma children born in the State had the right to birth registration, including children born to undocumented parents.

    The State party had developed measures to implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, including measures to prevent the segregation of Roma students in primary schools.  The State party had increased the number of Roma education mediators, who were working on keeping Roma individuals in the education system and preventing discrimination.  Some 97 per cent of Roma students now progressed from primary to secondary school.

    North Macedonia had appointed gynaecologists in the municipality with the largest number of Roma.  There were health care mediators who supported Roma persons’ access to health care procedures.  Ante- and neo-natal screenings for the Roma were funded by the State.  Door-to-door vaccination campaigns were conducted in Roma settlements.

    The State party had adopted clinical guidelines for medically induced abortions and procured medications for abortions, but these had yet to be approved for use.  The State had, in collaboration with a non-governmental organization, trained doctors in one hospital to perform the procedure.

    Analysis was being conducted on the level of harmonisation of the law on the prevention of discrimination with relevant European Union directives, with a view to revising this law. The national commission monitoring discrimination had been strengthened; it had helped to develop national policies on preventing discrimination and to raise civil servants’ awareness of the issue. A research centre for the design of gender responsive budgets and policies was being set up and a report on the implementation of the national strategy for gender equality was being prepared.  Shelters for victims of gender-based violence and domestic violence had been set up across the country.

    There were internal mechanisms within the police service that investigated complaints of excessive use of force and torture and ill-treatment by police officers.  When evidence was found, criminal proceedings were instituted against the accused officer, who was also sanctioned.  A specialised department of the Public Prosecutor was mandated to prosecute police officers who had used excessive force.  There had been no reports of excessive use of force against migrants and asylum seekers between 2022 and 2024.

    The Criminal Code included provisions on cyber bullying, stalking, abuse of personal data, and sexual harassment. The State party had adopted amendments to the Criminal Code that included journalists within the group of professions performing in the public interest and increased penalties for crimes against journalists.  Defamation was decriminalised in 2017 and changed to an administrative offence.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on the strategy to bring the Ombudsperson to “A” status under the Paris Principles; progress in investigations into corruption cases involving high-ranking officials; the results of measures implemented by the commission to combat corruption and the national strategy to combat corruption; whether the national strategy against gender-based violence included measures for the collection of data on domestic violence; measures to address the anti-gender movement in the State; the share of the Roma in the national population and in public bodies; and investigations into cases of ill-treatment against the Roma community.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the State party was planning measures to strengthen the implementation of the Ombudsperson’s recommendations, including a deadline for reporting on implementation.  It would take into consideration the Ombudsperson’s financial independence and the status of its employees in upcoming legal reforms.

    From 2017 to 2024, 412 cases of corruption were opened, including 62 cases involving high-profile officials, including the former Prime Minister, and former mayors and prosecutors.  Some 110 indictments had been instituted related to abuse of official power, bribery and corruption.  Offenders had been sentenced to up to 15-year prison sentences, and assets had been confiscated, including more than 800,000 euros in one case.

    The State party had achieved great progress in prosecuting hate crimes.  The Criminal Code had been amended to expand the types of hate crimes and grounds for discrimination addressed, including discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  Training had been provided for the judiciary on the amended legislation.

    Hate speech was currently defined in eight different criminal laws.  The State party was preparing a revision to its Criminal Code that would establish a stand-alone offence of hate speech.

    In 2025, one case of an attack against a woman human rights defender had been brought before the courts.  There were a few cases of such attacks brought before the courts each year in the past three years.

    Pre-trial detention could be renewed for longer periods depending on the severity of the crime.  For most crimes, it could be renewed up to 90 days, but it could be renewed for up to two years for crimes punishable with life imprisonment.

    The State party was working to harmonise all national laws with the law on the prevention of discrimination and to raise public awareness of discrimination.  The Commission for the Protection of Discrimination lacked human resources, but had achieved great results, organising public awareness campaigns on international instruments related to discrimination.  Many citizens filed complaints with the Commission.  The draft law on gender equality was being analysed in cooperation with non-governmental organizations.

    The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy collected data from social work centres on domestic violence.  There had been 319 newly registered victims of domestic violence in the first quarter of 2025.  In 2024, there was a 14 per cent increase in reported cases of domestic violence. Awareness raising campaigns on the prevention of domestic violence had been carried out, which included information on the mechanism for reporting such violence.

    Gender-based attacks against women were widespread. Policies in North Macedonia were implemented with an obligatory gender analysis.  The State party was championing institutional support for women and their promotion to management positions.  Anti-gender equality movements had appeared in North Macedonia in 2023.  The State party had raised public awareness about gender equality in response.  Some 39 per cent of members of Parliament were women.  Under the new strategy for the prevention of gender-based violence and domestic violence, there were provisions on countering digital violence.

    The police did not keep data on the ethnic affiliations of persons filing reports on excessive use of force by law enforcement. Laws were equally applied when processing all reports.

    Refugees and asylum seekers were housed in open accommodation centres, but were free to leave those centres.  Refugees often transited through the country.  No asylum seekers’ applications had been rejected without reasonable grounds.  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees controlled the process of assessing asylum applications.  Asylum seekers who wished to report excessive use of force by the police or challenge decisions on asylum could lodge complaints with the appeals court or the European Court of Human Rights.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, presidential decrees were issued to enforce a state of emergency.  These decrees did not suspend constitutional rights, beyond enforcing a strict regime regarding movement.  A Constitutional Court ruling that invoked the Covenant had reversed a decision, which had banned certain persons’ from exiting the country.

    Alternative measures to detention, such as house arrest and bail, were applied by the State, and judges were provided with training on these measures.  Remand imprisonment was often stopped on appeal; in 2023, 3.6 per cent of cases were ceased after a court appeal.

    The State party was working to improve legal provisions governing excessive use of force, torture and abuse of office.  New amendments removed the statute of limitations on cases of torture and excessive use of force by the police.  The public prosecutor’s office had investigated 424 cases of excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said North Macedonia had made huge efforts in combatting trafficking in persons, with a national action plan for 2021 to 2025 and a specific plan addressing child trafficking. Severe penalties had been introduced for the exploitation of children, and measures ensuring the non-punishment of victims and the provision of compensation and shelter had been introduced. There was a rise in the number of victims of trafficking identified in 2021 and reports of ongoing complicity by the police regarding trafficking.  How was this complicity being addressed?  How did the State party ensure victims had access to support and compensation in line with international standards?  How was it addressing the root causes of trafficking, including poverty, lack of education and social marginalisation?  How would the State party enhance identification of adult victims of trafficking?

    The legal framework on political representation had been updated, which had led to increased representation of minority groups in Parliament.  However, there were no representatives of the Roma community.  The Ombudsperson had also reported an increased representation of minorities in the public sector from 2007 to 2020.  There was a lack of funds and staff for the agencies working for the rights of minorities.  How would this be addressed?  How was the State party collecting data on the needs of minorities, and promoting their cultural identities and participation in cultural life?  What measures were in place to promote the Macedonian cultural identity?

    One Committee Expert welcomed that the Constitutional Court passed a decision in 2012 repealing articles of the law on travel documents, granting every citizen the right to freedom of movement. However, several complaints had been filed at the European Court of Human Rights regarding legal limitations on the rights of freedom of movement of the Roma.  In 2023, the Court found that Romani citizens’ freedom of movement had been violated, ordering the State to provide remedies.  What measures were in place to ensure that the right of freedom of movement of the Roma was protected, and that all persons who restricted that right in border areas were held to account?  How had the decision of the European Court of Human Rights been implemented?

    Asylum seekers faced prolonged waits for biometric identification, which restricted their access to basic services.  Reports of detention of asylum seekers were also concerning.  Two temporary transit centres in North Macedonia reportedly operated without State regulation.  How would the State party expedite the issuance of biometric identification to asylum seekers and refugees to facilitate their freedom of movement and access to services?  How would it ensure that detention of asylum seekers was implemented only as a last resort and prevent the detention of women and children asylum seekers?  There were reports of pushbacks of asylum seekers, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement.  Had these incidents been investigated?

    The Committee welcomed several positive measures by the State party to address statelessness, including ratification of the 1963 Statelessness Convention and efforts to provide stateless persons with documentation.  However, there was no official statelessness determination procedure, and some regions had insufficient birth registration systems.  How would the State party strengthen measures to register undocumented persons and ensure that all Roma persons were registered?  Would it establish an effective and fair statelessness determination procedure?

    One Committee Expert asked about the status of the bill amending witness protection measures.  There were significant delays in court cases on corruption and allegations of a lack of transparency in the appointment of judges on the Judicial Council. Could the delegation comment on these issues?  Had implementation of the strategy to strengthen the justice system improved access to justice for marginalised persons?  There was a significant backlog of administrative dispute cases; how was this being addressed?

    A bill on religious groups had been developed which sought to harmonise religious laws with provisions of the Criminal Code and punish antisemitism and the glorification of fascism.  What was the status of this bill?  Had measures been adopted to identify cases of hate speech against religious groups online and punish perpetrators?

    How many journalists had been punished under the law on slander?  There had been an increase in attacks on journalists in recent years; how was the State working to prevent such attacks?  What training was provided to public officials on the right to freedom of expression?  What activities were undertaken by the prosecutor’s office to monitor threats against journalists?

    A Committee Expert asked about legal guarantees offered to persons who were subject to illegal surveillance.  How did judges intervene in such cases?  Was there an exclusion regime in courts for evidence which had been obtained illegally?  What progress had been made in reforming police guidelines related to the collection and treatment of detainees’ data?  What measures were implemented through the State’s digital transformation strategy?

    Another Committee Expert said that in 2024, North Macedonia adopted a law on justice for children that incorporated the best interests of the child.  This was a positive step.  However, only 22 per cent of families with children in North Macedonia were receiving family cash benefits, and more than 7,000 children with disabilities did not receive disability benefits.  What plans were in place to improve social support for children with disabilities and their families?

    What measures were in place to abolish child and forced marriages?  Violence against children remained a problem in the State.  Almost three-quarters of all children were exposed to violent discipline at home, with higher rates for children with disabilities.  Roma children made up 75 per cent of children in correctional facilities, where they were subjected to solitary confinement. What could be done to protect all children in the country?

    It was welcome that measures were taken to improve the accessibility of the voting process for persons with disabilities. How did the State party support the candidacy of persons with disabilities in elections?  What had been done to support undocumented persons and detained persons to exercise their voting rights?  The Constitutional Court had struck down amendments to the electoral code in 2025.  How would the State party ensure that future legal amendments to electoral laws did not infringe on voting rights?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the national action plan on trafficking in persons included measures to increase the police’s capacity to address trafficking cases.  The State party applied the principle of non-refoulement for victims of trafficking; it did not forcibly return them to their places of origin.  It was setting up a working group to develop the next iteration of the national action plan on trafficking for 2026 to 2030.  A law on compensation for victims of trafficking was adopted in 2022.  North Macedonia was part of a working group on combatting trafficking in the Western Balkans.  The State conducted awareness raising campaigns on identifying trafficking victims. A roadmap for treating victims of trafficking had also been developed, as had guidelines for their legal representation and reintegration.

    The national strategy on cohesion and multiculturalism included policies promoting culture, education and media representation.  The Ministry for Inter-Community Relations had allocated funds for marking national days for different communities’ celebrations.  The State provided funds to 33 non-governmental organizations to implement activities promoting multiculturalism, ethnic coexistence and minority languages.

    Instruction in primary schools was provided in Macedonian and communities’ local languages, including Albanian, Bosnian and Serbian.  Some 64,000 pupils received instruction in their mother tongues.  All students could learn the minority language of their community, which was taught as an optional subject.  Teaching programmes for Macedonian as a second language had been implemented. The State provided grants to primary and secondary schools to facilitate programmes promoting ethnic harmony. Criteria for developing textbooks written in minority languages had been lowered to facilitate their development.

    Amendments had been made to the Criminal Code to prevent impunity for trafficking crimes.  The criminal procedural law included provisions on the protection of witnesses, which applied to all vulnerable witnesses.  The State party was working to amend this law in line with relevant European Union directives.  The law on witness protection, which was adopted in 2005, was in line with international standards.

    The State party had implemented reforms to the law on surveillance of communications and had established the operative technical agency. These efforts aimed to ensure that regulation of surveillance was in line with international standards.  In 2023, five officers were charged for the destruction of surveillance equipment and were issued prison sentences.

    Amendments to the Criminal Code in 2022 had resulted in the statute of limitations expiring for certain cases related to organised crime and corruption, leading to reduced sentences.  The State party was working to address this shortcoming in its ongoing revision of the Criminal Code.  The average time for the conclusion of administrative cases was 188 days.

    North Macedonia had developed a law prohibiting antisemitism and the glorification of genocide and fascist crimes.  It had also amended the law on the Judicial Council that required the Council to provide explanations for the election of all judges; it would be adopted soon.  The law envisaged the inclusion of non-governmental organizations in the process of electing judges.

    As part of judicial reform efforts, the State had taken steps to address shortcomings in the judiciary that led to cases being passed back and forth between courts, and had set up an electronic case register.  It was also reforming its legal aid system and had provided increased training to legal aid practitioners.

    Recent amendments to the Criminal Code allowed for the ex-officio prosecution of attacks on journalists.  The State had worked to raise the visibility of crimes against journalists and increase punishments for such crimes.  There were four crimes committed against journalists in 2024; all these cases had been prosecuted.  In 2024, there were 15 lawsuits filed against journalists for defamation.  Measures had been implemented to reduce the amount of compensation ordered in these cases, and alternatives to compensation, such as public apologies, were promoted.

    The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy would soon adopt a national action plan on children’s rights, which would address issues such as child poverty and protection from violence.  There was also a strategy for deinstitutionalisation which ensured that no children were placed in institutions; more than 600 children had been placed in foster families.  The State sought to increase healthcare coverage for preschool children.  To combat poverty, the State provided guaranteed minimal child benefits and benefits for children with disabilities and the families that cared for such children.  Measures were in place to support access to the labour market for disadvantaged persons.  Inspections were carried out to identify cases of child abuse and neglect. Amendments to the law on the family were planned to prohibit child marriage.

    The State party was implementing measures to support the participation of persons with disabilities in elections.  North Macedonia had adopted a national strategy on the rights of persons with disabilities and a related action plan. Some 75 experts had been trained to recognise difficulties in child development.  The State party was expanding the network of social protection services for persons with disabilities, including family-based care services.

    In 2018, the State incriminated violence against children, including cyberviolence, which was punished with up to three years imprisonment.  Trafficking of children was considered an aggravating circumstance.  The State party would work to raise public awareness to prevent child marriages.

    Under the national strategy on the Roma, data was collected on areas such as housing and employment.  Around 1.9 per cent of the Roma community was part of the public administration.  All births could be registered, regardless of whether the parents were documented or not. North Macedonia sought to eradicate statelessness.  There were 100 unresolved cases of unregistered persons, but their cases would be resolved through the law on foreigners.  Asylum seekers waited only 15 days to receive identification documents; there were no cases of forced expulsion.  Amended regulations prescribed time limits for keeping biometric materials.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on how biometric data was stored by the police; measures to prevent non-refoulement and to investigate alleged cases of pushbacks, including those involving Greece; efforts to legally recognise religious groups that were not recognised in the Constitution; efforts to implement European Court of Human Rights decisions related to the freedom of movement of Roma individuals; statistics on compensation paid to victims of abuse by law enforcement officials; quotas for representation of women and minority ethnic groups in elections in North Macedonia in 2025 and 2026; the voter turnout rate for the most recent election and mechanisms promoting voter participation; whether the State party had any pending ratifications of international human rights treaties; and whether it investigated reports by non-governmental organizations of pushbacks at the border.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said there were no recent reports of pushbacks of asylum seekers at the border.  Greek authorities reacted to problems at the border with Greece.  A period had been set for the storage of biometric materials and guidelines had been developed on storage methods.

    The law on witness protection established a witness protection unit within the Ministry of Interior and the Council for Witness Protection.  Witness protection measures included identity changes, which were implemented in cooperation with other countries.

    The judgement of the European Court of Human Rights related to the freedom of movement of Roma persons had been executed. No legislative amendments had been adopted, as legislation allowed for freedom of movement of the Roma.  A law on prevention from discrimination had been adopted, which placed the burden of proof on the alleged perpetrator.  Around 113 civil lawsuits had been filed against the Ministry of Interior related to the freedom of movement; assessment of those cases had been completed.

    The State party had not registered cases of discrimination of the Roma at border crossings.  Persons with expired or damaged travel documents were not allowed to exit the country; this measure applied to all citizens.  Parents were not allowed to take children out of the country if they did not have the permission of the other parent.  Police officers who violated the rights of citizens were prosecuted.  The State party investigated every report of pushbacks that it received, including reports from non-governmental organizations.

    Asylum reception centres accommodated asylum seekers whose applications were being considered and unaccompanied minors, who were provided with special care and immediately appointed social workers as ex-officio guardians.  The State worked to shorten the period of accommodation in such centres.  Asylum seekers’ rights were ensured by the State. They were provided with food, healthcare, sanitation facilities, interpretation services, and free legal aid.

    State law guaranteed religious freedom for all religious groups.  The law envisaged civil oversight of the registration of religious groups. Reasons for not granting registration needed to be provided.  The State party had mechanisms for processing hate speech against religious communities.

    The State party was in the process of ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure.  It had harmonised legislation with international standards in 2019 to prohibit solitary confinement of children.

    There had been no explicit application of the Covenant or the Committee’s jurisprudence over the reporting period. The State party would work to strengthen the capacity of the judiciary in this regard.  The Constitutional Court regularly applied the European Convention on Human Rights.

    Closing Statements

    NIKOLA PROKOPENKO, State Counsellor for Criminal Legislation at the Ministry of Justice and head of the delegation, expressed appreciation for the constructive dialogue.  The State party valued the Committee’s efforts in reviewing the application of the Covenant in North Macedonia.  The State faced challenges related to corruption, independence of the judiciary and the protection of marginalised groups.  These challenges tested the State party’s resolve to uphold the human rights of all.  The Committee’s recommendations would be given due consideration and would serve as valuable guidance for strengthening laws and policies.  The review was a step in the State’s ongoing journey toward strengthening human rights protections.  North Macedonia was dedicated to cooperating with the human rights treaty bodies and to promoting justice and rights globally.  The State would leave the dialogue motivated and encouraged to build a more just and equitable human rights-based society.

    CHANGROK SOH, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation for its thoughtful and thorough responses to the Committee’s questions.  The dialogue addressed key aspects of implementation of the Covenant. The Committee commended the State’s ratification of international treaties, legal norms on gender-based violence, and policies on gender equality, among other measures.  However, concerns remained related to issues such as hate speech, prison conditions, implementation gaps in protective legislation, and the limited protection framework for asylum seekers.  Mr. Soh closed by expressing sincere gratitude to all those who had contributed to the dialogue.

    __________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

    __________

     

    CCPR25.012E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A New Alloy is Enabling Ultra-Stable Structures Needed for Exoplanet Discovery

    Source: NASA

    A unique new material that shrinks when it is heated and expands when it is cooled could help enable the ultra-stable space telescopes that future NASA missions require to search for habitable worlds.

    One of the goals of NASA’s Astrophysics Division is to determine whether we are alone in the universe. NASA’s astrophysics missions seek to answer this question by identifying planets beyond our solar system (exoplanets) that could support life. Over the last two decades, scientists have developed ways to detect atmospheres on exoplanets by closely observing stars through advanced telescopes. As light passes through a planet’s atmosphere or is reflected or emitted from a planet’s surface, telescopes can measure the intensity and spectra (i.e., “color”) of the light, and can detect various shifts in the light caused by gases in the planetary atmosphere. By analyzing these patterns, scientists can determine the types of gasses in the exoplanet’s atmosphere.
    Decoding these shifts is no easy task because the exoplanets appear very near their host stars when we observe them, and the starlight is one billion times brighter than the light from an Earth-size exoplanet. To successfully detect habitable exoplanets, NASA’s future Habitable Worlds Observatory will need a contrast ratio of one to one billion (1:1,000,000,000).
    Achieving this extreme contrast ratio will require a telescope that is 1,000 times more stable than state-of-the-art space-based observatories like NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and its forthcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. New sensors, system architectures, and materials must be integrated and work in concert for future mission success. A team from the company ALLVAR is collaborating with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to demonstrate how integration of a new material with unique negative thermal expansion characteristics can help enable ultra-stable telescope structures.
    Material stability has always been a limiting factor for observing celestial phenomena. For decades, scientists and engineers have been working to overcome challenges such as micro-creep, thermal expansion, and moisture expansion that detrimentally affect telescope stability. The materials currently used for telescope mirrors and struts have drastically improved the dimensional stability of the great observatories like Webb and Roman, but as indicated in the Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 developed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, they still fall short of the 10 picometer level stability over several hours that will be required for the Habitable Worlds Observatory. For perspective, 10 picometers is roughly 1/10th the diameter of an atom.

    NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope sits atop the support structure and instrument payloads. The long black struts holding the telescope’s secondary mirror will contribute roughly 30% of the wave front error while the larger support structure underneath the primary mirror will contribute another 30%.
    Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
    Funding from NASA and other sources has enabled this material to transition from the laboratory to the commercial scale. ALLVAR received NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) funding to scale and integrate a new alloy material into telescope structure demonstrations for potential use on future NASA missions like the Habitable Worlds Observatory. This alloy shrinks when heated and expands when cooled—a property known as negative thermal expansion (NTE). For example, ALLVAR Alloy 30 exhibits a -30 ppm/°C coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) at room temperature. This means that a 1-meter long piece of this NTE alloy will shrink 0.003 mm for every 1 °C increase in temperature. For comparison, aluminum expands at +23 ppm/°C.

    While other materials expand while heated and contract when cooled, ALLVAR Alloy 30 exhibits a negative thermal expansion, which can compensate for the thermal expansion mismatch of other materials. The thermal strain versus temperature is shown for 6061 Aluminum, A286 Stainless Steel, Titanium 6Al-4V, Invar 36, and ALLVAR Alloy 30.
    Because it shrinks when other materials expand, ALLVAR Alloy 30 can be used to strategically compensate for the expansion and contraction of other materials. The alloy’s unique NTE property and lack of moisture expansion could enable optic designers to address the stability needs of future telescope structures. Calculations have indicated that integrating ALLVAR Alloy 30 into certain telescope designs could improve thermal stability up to 200 times compared to only using traditional materials like aluminum, titanium, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRPs), and the nickel–iron alloy, Invar.

    To demonstrate that negative thermal expansion alloys can enable ultra-stable structures, the ALLVAR team developed a hexapod structure to separate two mirrors made of a commercially available glass ceramic material with ultra-low thermal expansion properties. Invar was bonded to the mirrors and flexures made of Ti6Al4V—a titanium alloy commonly used in aerospace applications—were attached to the Invar. To compensate for the positive CTEs of the Invar and Ti6Al4V components, an NTE ALLVAR Alloy 30 tube was used between the Ti6Al4V flexures to create the struts separating the two mirrors. The natural positive thermal expansion of the Invar and Ti6Al4V components is offset by the negative thermal expansion of the NTE alloy struts, resulting in a structure with an effective zero thermal expansion.
    The stability of the structure was evaluated at the University of Florida Institute for High Energy Physics and Astrophysics. The hexapod structure exhibited stability well below the 100 pm/√Hz target and achieved 11 pm/√Hz. This first iteration is close to the 10 pm stability required for the future Habitable Worlds Observatory. A paper and presentation made at the August 2021 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers conference provides details about this analysis.
    Furthermore, a series of tests run by NASA Marshall showed that the ultra-stable struts were able to achieve a near-zero thermal expansion that matched the mirrors in the above analysis. This result translates into less than a 5 nm root mean square (rms) change in the mirror’s shape across a 28K temperature change.

    Beyond ultra-stable structures, the NTE alloy technology has enabled enhanced passive thermal switch performance and has been used to remove the detrimental effects of temperature changes on bolted joints and infrared optics. These applications could impact technologies used in other NASA missions. For example, these new alloys have been integrated into the cryogenic sub-assembly of Roman’s coronagraph technology demonstration. The addition of NTE washers enabled the use of pyrolytic graphite thermal straps for more efficient heat transfer. ALLVAR Alloy 30 is also being used in a high-performance passive thermal switch incorporated into the UC Berkeley Space Science Laboratory’s Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment-Night (LuSEE Night) project aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 2, which will be delivered to the Moon through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. The NTE alloys enabled smaller thermal switch size and greater on-off heat conduction ratios for LuSEE Night.
    Through another recent NASA SBIR effort, the ALLVAR team worked with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to develop detailed datasets of ALLVAR Alloy 30 material properties. These large datasets include statistically significant material properties such as strength, elastic modulus, fatigue, and thermal conductivity. The team also collected information about less common properties like micro-creep and micro-yield. With these properties characterized, ALLVAR Alloy 30 has cleared a major hurdle towards space-material qualification.
    As a spinoff of this NASA-funded work, the team is developing a new alloy with tunable thermal expansion properties that can match other materials or even achieve zero CTE. Thermal expansion mismatch causes dimensional stability and force-load issues that can impact fields such as nuclear engineering, quantum computing, aerospace and defense, optics, fundamental physics, and medical imaging. The potential uses for this new material will likely extend far beyond astronomy. For example, ALLVAR developed washers and spacers, are now commercially available to maintain consistent preloads across extreme temperature ranges in both space and terrestrial environments. These washers and spacers excel at counteracting the thermal expansion and contraction of other materials, ensuring stability for demanding applications.
    For additional details, see the entry for this project on NASA TechPort.
    Project Lead: Dr. James A. Monroe, ALLVAR
    The following NASA organizations sponsored this effort: NASA Astrophysics Division, NASA SBIR Program funded by the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ames Science Directorate’s Stars of the Month: July 2025

    Source: NASA

    The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Sigrid Reinsch, Lori Munar, Kevin Sims, and Matthew Fladeland. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond.

    Space Biosciences Star: Sigrid Reinsch
    As Director of the SHINE (Space Health Impacts for the NASA Experience) program and Project Scientist for NBISC (NASA Biological Institutional Scientific Collection), Sigrid Reinsch is a high-performing scientist and outstanding mentor in the Space Biosciences Research Branch. Her dedication to student training and her efforts to streamline processes have significantly improved the experience of welcoming summer interns at NASA Ames.

    Space Science and Astrobiology Star: Lori Munar
    Lori Munar serves as the assistant Branch Chief of the Exobiology Branch. In the past few months, she has gone above and beyond to organize a facility and laboratory surplus event that involved multiple divisions over multiple days. The event resulted in considerable savings across the groups involved and improved the safety of N239 staff and the appearance of offices and labs.

    Space Science and Astrobiology Star: Kevin Sims
    Kevin Sims is a NASA Technical Project Manager serving the Astrophysics Branch as a member of the Flight Systems Implementation Branch in the Space Biosciences Division. Kevin is recognized for outstanding project management for exoplanet imaging instrumentation development in support of the Habitable Worlds Observatory. Kevin has streamlined, organized, and improved the efficiency of the Ames Photonics Testbed being developed as part the AstroPIC Early Career Initiative project.

    Earth Science Star: Matthew Fladeland
    Matthew Fladeland is a research scientist in the Earth Science Division managing NASA SMD’s Program Office for the Airborne Science Program, located at Ames. He is recognized for exemplary leadership and teamwork leading to new reimbursable agreements with the Department of Defense, for accelerating science technology solutions through the SBIR program, and for advancing partnerships with the US Forest Service on wildland ecology and fire science.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Aliexpress, Temu, Shein in the Spotlight – Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

    Source: European Parliament

    ecommerce © Image used under license from Adobe Stock

    On 25 June 2025, IMCO held an exchange of views with representatives from the European Commission on the ongoing investigations regarding the compliance of e-commerce platforms with EU consumer and digital laws. The Commission updated Members about the state of play regarding the ongoing enforcement actions against Aliexpress, Temu and Shein designated as a Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

    The Commission accepted and made binding a series of commitments offered by AliExpress to settle a number of concerns, such as the platform’s transparency on advertising and recommender systems. The Commission also preliminarily found AliExpress in breach of its obligation to assess and mitigate risks related to the dissemination of illegal products. The Commission opened formal proceedings against Temu with respect to the sale of illegal products, addictive design and the systems used to recommend purchases to users, as well as data access for researchers. When it comes to Shein, the Commission has sent two requests for information regarding the design of the interface, protection of minors, transparency of recommending systems, traceability of traders, compliance by design, presence of illegal content and goods on its marketplace and access to data. The Commission is investigating but has not opened formal proceedings.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Safety of eCommerce products – Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

    Source: European Parliament

    online shopping.PNG © stock adobe

    On 26 June 2025, IMCO approved an own initiative report on product safety and regulatory compliance in e-commerce and non-EU imports. This report includes the digitalisation of market surveillance and customs processes through technologies such as AI and block chain. It also delves into improved consumer transparency on product safety and sustainability.

    Rapporteur Salvatore De Meo (EPP) reaffirmed the importance of simplifying the regulatory framework, clarifying platform liability and the role of the ‘responsible person’ for non-EU imports and delineating non-fiscal duties under the deemed importer Union Custom Code framework. Additional elements comprise a reference to working conditions in large “warehouses”, a mention of exploring reduced VAT for second-hand goods, the need for adequately covering fast fashion, and a reference to the impact of e-commerce logistics on urban environments and city centres. On the handling fee, the report simply acknowledges the Commission’s proposal at this stage, pending further assessment.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The power of connections in developing countries

    Source: European Investment Bank

    PasarPolis’ chief executive officer, Cleosent Randing, says artificial intelligence has helped build efficient claims systems. LeapFrog

    LeapFrog has also invested in companies like PasarPolis and Goodlife Pharmacy to improve access to insurance and healthcare.

    Nur Fajar earns an income as a rideshare driver on his motorbike in Jakarta, just like his father did. He was introduced to PasarPolis through a friend and bought life insurance for himself and his father.

    When his father fell ill and passed away a few months later, Fajar was relieved to learn that he qualified for an insurance payment. Now, Fajar earns additional income as an insurance sales agent, encouraging others in his community to take out the simple policies.

    PasarPolis is the first company in Indonesia to offer a range of insurance products – vehicle, home and travel – through agreements with mobile apps. By working closely with companies such as Gojek, the e-commerce company Tokopedia and the technology firm Xiaomi, PasarPolis offers insurance products that cover a range of needs.

    Gojek is a ride-hailing app that operates across Southeast Asia, with over 2 million drivers in Indonesia alone, including Fajar. PasarPolis provides insurance to people who offer and take rides through Gojek.

    PasarPolis grew fast and now serves more than 80 million people, issuing over a billion policies. Its chief executive officer, Cleosent Randing, credits part of this success to artificial intelligence, which has helped build efficient claims systems.

    “Technology is the biggest enabler for us to really make insurance available for all, in terms of removing the friction,” Randing says, “in terms of creating products that are innovative or really making claims seamless.”

    In East Africa, Goodlife Pharmacy is making healthcare easier and more reliable for around two million people each year. With 145 stores across Kenya and Uganda, the company runs East Africa’s largest chain of pharmacies. These stores offer pharmaceuticals, diagnostics services and doctor consultations. “What makes us stand out is our customer service,” says Amaan Khalfan, Goodlife’s chief executive officer. “I think that’s the critical driver.”

    Lilian Kelly, a pharmacy technician at Goodlife, says that many people don’t understand their medication or how important it is to use it correctly. She ensures that people know how to take their medicine when they get home from a hospital or doctor’s visit.

    Kelly gives support in person and online. She fields questions and follows up with clients through WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram. “It’s actually exciting,” she says, “being able to change someone’s life in that way.”

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Strategic dependence: Brussels losing its soul in American clouds (cloud services of Microsoft, AWS/Amazon, Google) – E-001866/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission’s digital transformation is guided by its cloud strategy[1], prioritising a secure hybrid multi-cloud approach. The hybrid aspect is delivered through private cloud infrastructure under full Commission control, as the key part of its digital autonomy.

    The multi-cloud dimension ensures resilience and mitigates vendor lock-in, with operators awarded via procurement procedures compliant with EU laws, data protection and cybersecurity legislation and international agreements.

    Contracts have been awarded to a variety of providers, all of which are EU-based entities. The Commission has included European providers without corporate ties to the United States and makes extensive use of open-source software.

    Currently, in line with the objective to avoid dependency, 85% of workloads run in the Commission’s private cloud. The remaining 15%, managing non-confidential data, are equally distributed among Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL (AWS) and Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, and — to a lesser extent — OVHcloud. Contracts concluded with AWS and Microsoft are valid until 2030 and 2031 respectively, with no volume commitment in usage.

    Since 2014, successive cloud and software framework contracts[2] have incorporated award criteria reflecting European digital sovereignty initiatives such as references to SecNumCloud that resulted in a contract awarded to OVHcloud.

    Looking ahead, the Commission remains committed to leveraging forthcoming legislative and procurement instruments to strengthen EU digital sovereignty and foster innovative EU services.

    The upcoming Cloud and Artificial Intelligence Development Act[3] will ensure secure EU-based capacity for critical needs, backed by a single EU-wide cloud policy for the public sector.

    • [1] https://commission.europa.eu/publications/european-commission-cloud-strategy_en.
    • [2] For example, Cloud III or SIDE III.
    • [3] https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14628-AI-Continent-new-cloud-and-AI-development-act_en.

    MIL OSI Europe News –