NewzIntel.com

Category: Military Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Booker, Reed Introduce Bills to Permanently Protect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans from Offshore Drilling

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Booker, Reed Introduce Bills to Permanently Protect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans from Offshore Drilling

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Earth Day, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) announced a pair of bills to permanently protect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans from the dangers of fossil fuel drilling. The package includes Padilla’s West Coast Ocean Protection Act, which would permanently prohibit new oil and gas leases for offshore drilling off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as Booker and Reed’s Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism (COAST) Anti-Drilling Act, which would permanently prohibit the U.S. Department of the Interior from issuing leases for the exploration, development, or production of oil and gas in the North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida Planning Areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.

    This legislation comes just after the 15th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which resulted in the deaths of 11 workers, 134 million gallons spilled into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days, the demise of thousands of marine mammals and sea turtles, and billions of dollars in economic losses from the fishing, outdoor recreation, and tourism industries.

    Representative Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, are leading companion legislation in the House for the West Coast Ocean Protection Act and the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism (COAST) Anti-Drilling Act, respectively.

    A one-pager on the West Coast Protection Act is available here.

    Full text of the West Coast Protection Act is available here, and full text of the COAST Anti-Drilling Act is available here.

    “We must end offshore oil drilling in coastal waters once and for all,” said Senator Padilla. “Over 50 years ago, after a catastrophic oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, Californians rose up and demanded environmental protections, spurring the modern environmental movement and creating the very first Earth Day. As the Trump Administration threatens to recklessly open our coasts to new drilling, California and the West Coast need permanent safeguards to protect our communities from the devastation of fossil fuels and disastrous oil spills. We must act now to fulfill the promises we made to our children and our constituents to meet the urgency of this environmental crisis with bold action.”

    “This week marks both Earth Day and the 15th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster,” said Senator Booker. “I’m standing alongside my colleagues in the House and Senate to reaffirm our commitment to protecting our communities and our environment. Offshore drilling endangers our coastal communities – both their lives and their livelihoods – and threatens marine species and ecosystems. The COAST Act, along with this critical package of legislation, will ensure that marine seascapes along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, and the wildlife, industries, and communities that rely on them, are protected from the dangers of fossil fuel drilling.”

    “Offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean would open up the eastern seaboard to considerable risk, and we have seen the destruction that an accident can cause. This legislation is about more than simply protecting the environment, it’s also about protecting the tourism and fishing industries that create jobs and help power Rhode Island’s economy,” said Senator Reed.

    “It’s clear that in the 15 years since the most catastrophic oil spill disaster in history, Republicans in the pocket of Big Oil have learned nothing. Offshore drilling poses significant threats to our public health, coastal economies, and marine life. The science is clear, and so is the public sentiment: we need to speed up our transition to a clean energy future, not lock ourselves into another generation of fossil fuel fealty,” said Representative Huffman. “We cannot let history repeat itself. My Democratic colleagues aren’t standing idly by as the Trump administration tries to reverse all of our progress so they can give handouts to Big Oil. Our legislation will cut pollution and ramp up clean energy, ensuring our coasts remain safe, clean, and open to all Americans— not turned into open season for fossil fuel billionaires looking to drill, spill, and cash in.” 

    “For decades, I’ve fought to protect our coasts from the dangers of oil and gas development, and this legislative package reaffirms that commitment. Offshore drilling risks devastating spills, accelerates climate change, and threatens the livelihoods of coastal communities like those in New Jersey. On Earth Day and every day, we must stand up to Big Oil and prioritize renewable energy that actually protects our planet,” said Representative Pallone.

    These bills reaffirm vital protections for America’s coastal communities and ecosystems. The Biden Administration protected more than 625 million acres of U.S. ocean waters — including the Pacific coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, the entire East Coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of the Northern Bering Sea — from offshore oil and gas drilling. President Trump immediately tried to roll back those protections, attempting to illegally reopen those areas to drilling on day one of his second term. Trump’s record speaks for itself: during his first Administration, the Interior Department proposed a sweeping plan to open 47 offshore oil and gas lease areas across nearly every U.S. coastline, from California to New England.

    The two bills would protect critical coastal communities, economies, and ecosystems against offshore drilling, which is especially important in the face of the climate crisis. U.S. coastal counties support 54.6 million jobs, produce $10 trillion in goods and services, and pay $4 trillion in wages. Offshore drilling poses significant threats to public health, coastal economies, and diverse marine life that play an important economical, ecological, and cultural role in our ecosystem. 

    California began efforts to block offshore drilling in 1969 when an oil rig off the coast of Santa Barbara leaked 3 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, blanketing beaches with a thick layer of oil and killing thousands of marine mammals and birds. It was the largest oil spill in U.S. history until the Exxon Valdez spill 20 years later. California is also approaching the 10th anniversary of the Refugio State Beach Oil Spill, in which a Plains All American Pipeline in Santa Barbara County ruptured and spilled hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil, marking the worst spill in the area since 1969 and impacting some of the most biologically diverse regions along California coast.

    After the 1969 Santa Barbara spill, California blocked all new offshore oil drilling in state waters, protecting our coastal waters up to three miles from the shore. The state reinforced that ban in 1994 by passing the California Coastal Sanctuary Act, which prohibited new leasing in state waters. However, in 2018, the Trump Administration released a five-year offshore leasing plan that proposed opening up the entire West Coast to new drilling despite widespread opposition in Pacific coast states. This proposal was blocked by the courts, but the threat of drilling remains until a permanent ban is enacted.

    The West Coast Protection Act is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). It is endorsed by organizations including Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Oceana, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, Surfrider Foundation, Seattle Aquarium, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Nassau Hiking & Outdoor Club, Lee (MA) Greener Gateway Committee, South Shore Audubon Society (Freeport, NY), Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Futureswell, Ocean Conservancy, Environment America, WILDCOAST, Food & Water Watch, Environmental Protection Information Center, Ocean Defense Initiative, Center for Biological Diversity, The Ocean Project, Business Alliance to Protect the Pacific Coast, Animal Welfare Institute, Wild Cumberland, Climate Reality Project – North Broward and Palm Beach County Chapter, U.S. Climate Action Network, American Bird Conservancy, Surf Industry Members Association, Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific Coast (BAPPC), Clean Ocean Action, and Hispanic Access Foundation.

    The COAST Anti-Drilling Act is cosponsored by Senator Padilla as well as Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Angus King (I-Maine), Markey, Merkley, Sanders, Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Whitehouse, and Wyden. It is endorsed by organizations including Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Oceana, Surfrider Foundation, Earthjustice, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Nassau Hiking & Outdoor Club, Lee (MA) Greener Gateway Committee, South Shore Audubon Society (Freeport, NY), Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Futureswell, Ocean Conservancy, Environment America, Food & Water Watch, Waterspirit, Business Alliance to Protect the Atlantic, Clean Ocean Action, Jersey Coast Anglers Association (NJ), American Littoral Society, Save Coastal Wildlife, Environmental Protection Information Center, Defenders of Wildlife, Ocean Defense Initiative, Center for Biological Diversity, The Ocean Project, North Carolina Coastal Federation, Animal Welfare Institute, Wild Cumberland, Climate Reality Project – North Broward and Palm Beach County Chapter, U.S. Climate Action Network, National Aquarium, American Bird Conservancy, and Hispanic Access Foundation.

    “It’s time to end the threat of expanded drilling off America’s coasts forever,” said Joseph Gordon, Oceana Campaign Director. “Oceana applauds these Congressional leaders for reintroducing pivotal legislation that would establish permanent protections from offshore oil and gas drilling for millions of acres of ocean. Earth Day is an important reminder that every coastal community deserves healthy oceans and oil-free beaches. This bill is part of a national movement to safeguard our multi-billion-dollar coastal economies from dirty and dangerous offshore drilling. Congress must swiftly pass these bills into law and reject any expansion of drilling to protect our coasts.”

    “Protecting these waters puts coastal communities and wildlife above polluters and brings us closer to a world where our waters are free from oil spills, endangered whale populations are free from seismic blasting, and local economies can thrive,” said Taryn Kiekow Heimer, Director of Ocean Energy at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). “Now more than ever, we need leadership from Congress to protect our oceans from an industry that only cares about its bottom line – and a Trump administration willing to do anything to give those oil billionaires what they want.”

    “The Trump administration’s path of so-called ‘energy dominance’ is paved with threats to American coasts,” said Sierra Weaver, senior attorney for Defenders of Wildlife. “This set of bills offers real protections for coastal communities and wildlife against unwanted, unreasonable and unsafe offshore oil drilling. This is just the type of bold action we need on the 15th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.”

    “Imperiled species like Southern resident orcas and sea otters need clean, healthy ocean habitats to thrive. New offshore drilling would bring habitat destruction, noise pollution and the threat of spills and chronic contamination to those species and their homes,” said Joseph Vaile, Northwest Program senior representative for Defenders of Wildlife. “This legislation is a critical step toward permanently safeguarding marine mammals and coastal communities from irreversible harm. We thank Senator Padilla for championing the West Coast Ocean Protection Act at a time when the threat of offshore drilling is especially urgent.”

    “California’s spectacular marine life — including complex kelp forests and charismatic sea otters — and vibrant coastal economies rely on healthy ecosystems. This legislation could, once and for all, block offshore drilling activities along the continental shelf, and protect critical marine habitats along California’s iconic Pacific Coast,” said Pamela Flick, Defenders of Wildlife California Program Director.

    “These bills will permanently protect our coastal communities from the threats of offshore drilling. Oil spills like the one caused by the deadly BP drilling disaster 15 years ago are dangerous to people’s health and our public waters. The economic vitality of entire regions depend on oceans staying healthy,” said Earthjustice Senior Legislative Representative Laura M. Esquivel. “We applaud these Members of Congress for doing what’s right on behalf of their constituents.” 

    “These important bills will protect our environment, communities, and economy from the harmful effects of offshore oil and gas development. Offshore drilling is a dirty and damaging practice that threatens our nation’s ocean recreation, tourism, and fisheries industries valued at $250 billion annually. The Surfrider Foundation urges members of Congress to support this important legislation to prohibit new offshore drilling in U.S. waters,” said Pete Stauffer, Ocean Protection Manager, Surfrider Foundation.

    “These bills are critical, especially now. Protecting our environment and frontline communities from the dangers of offshore oil and gas development must be a top priority in the face of the escalating climate and biodiversity crises,” said Elizabeth Purcell, Environmental Policy Coordinator with Turtle Island Restoration Network. “Congress must act swiftly and support these bills to protect our oceans from further exploitation by the oil and gas industry, ensuring a healthy and safe planet for all.”

    “We are the generation that will live with the consequences of today’s energy choices. As young ocean advocates, we want to leave a better legacy for ocean health behind us than what has been left for us,” said Mark Haver, North America Regional Representative with Sustainable Ocean Alliance. “Congress has a moral responsibility to prevent new offshore oil and gas drilling leases. We will be counting on Congress to act on behalf of our ocean and future generations.”

    “Our coasts are a source of life, livelihood, and recreation for coastal communities and the millions of visitors they see every year,” said Athan Manuel, Director of the Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program. “They also support untold diverse wildlife and ecosystems that are put at risk by exploitation from the oil and gas industry. These bills provide much-needed critical protections for the health of our coastal communities and to ensure that future generations will get to enjoy the wonders of our oceans and beaches.”

    “It has been clear for years that we cannot afford to expand fossil fuel extraction and burning if we want any hope of staving off the ever worsening effects of climate change,” said Mitch Jones, Managing Director of Policy and Litigation at Food & Water Watch. “In addition to the threat of worsening climate chaos, offshore drilling directly endangers local environments, wildlife, and economies due to the threats of oil spills and disruptions to aquatic life. We urge Congress to pass these bills to protect our coastlines and our oceans from Trump’s disastrous push for more drilling.”

    “Water is the pulse of our planet, the sacred thread that connects all life. We all have a responsibility to protect the very essence that sustains us,” said Rachel Dawn Davis, Public Policy & Justice Organizer at Waterspirit. “The threat of exploitation-whether through drilling or pollution-puts ecosystems and future generations at risk. We must continue to honor and defend our waters; in preserving them, we preserve life itself.”

    “Our oceans provide forever benefits in so many ways for both local communities and whole nations. We thoroughly support the bipartisan protections put forward in these Bills, which would position the United States to lead the world and reap huge benefits for tourism, energy security, health and local jobs, not to mention the beautiful wildlife that drives billions of dollars of tourism and other benefits,” said Global Rewilding Alliance.

    “A clean ocean is crucial for the conservation of marine biodiversity,” said Jenna Reynolds, Executive Director of Save Coastal Wildlife. “A polluted ocean poses significant risks to marine wildlife, including increased vessel traffic around oil platforms, which can lead to collisions with marine animals, especially sea turtles and juvenile whales which are difficult to see from moving vessels. Oil spills can directly coat and kill marine animals, including seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals, and can also damage coastal ecosystems like beaches and coastal wetlands, impacting wildlife and people that rely on these areas. We need to bring back and fully protect biodiversity in our ocean!”

    “We must work toward a future where our coastal communities, economies, and marine life can thrive thanks to a healthy ocean. As the Trump Administration seeks to threaten our favorite beaches and ecosystems with new offshore drilling, it’s more important than ever for ocean champions in Congress to advance ocean protections,” said Sarah Guy, Ocean Defense Initiative. “We are grateful for the leadership of members supporting these bills, and commit to working toward a future where all our coasts are protected from the harms of offshore drilling.”

    “We believe our coasts are far too valuable to risk for short-term fossil fuel gains,” said Katie Thompson, Executive Director of Save Our Shores. “Permanently protecting offshore areas from oil and gas leasing is a critical step toward safeguarding marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and our climate future. These bills reflect the will of the people to prioritize ocean health and long-term sustainability over polluting industries of the past.”

    “This suite of legislation is a critical move to safeguard our marine resources against Trump and his Big Oil agenda,” said Rachel Rilee, oceans policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It’s been 15 years since the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster devastated coastlines and killed hundreds of thousands of marine animals. Our oceans and the incredible ecosystems they support are counting on us. Congress must pass these bills and then get right back to work protecting marine life and coastal communities from every manmade danger and every Republican attack.”

    “Americans love our coasts. For some of us, they’re home, and for many others, they’re home to wonderful memories, including family vacations at the beach, fishing trips with friends, and encounters with wildlife like sea turtles, dolphins, and whales. But oil spills can destroy all of that. It’s simply not worth the risk. We must not squander our children’s inheritance,” said Bill Mott, Executive Director of The Ocean Project. “The ocean offers endless inspiration, recreational opportunities, and serves as a critically important economic driver. Yet despite its vastness, it is incredibly vulnerable. As we’ve seen too many times before, offshore oil and gas drilling is not compatible with stewarding our ocean. We all share a responsibility to keep our coasts clean and our ocean healthy for future generations. That’s why we urge Congress to act now to prohibit new offshore oil and gas development forever.”

    “AWI commends these Congressional leaders for taking bold action to protect our oceans and coasts from dirty, dangerous oil and gas development along the outer continental shelf,” said Georgia Hancock, Senior Attorney and Director of the Animal Welfare Institute’s marine wildlife program. “Fifteen years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, it remains painfully clear: there is no such thing as safe offshore oil drilling, nor is there any way to fully clean up a significant oil spill. Keeping oil rigs out of the ocean prevents unnecessary harm to sensitive marine animals like sea turtles, whales, and seabirds, and avoids the massive costs associated with environmental remediation when things go wrong. These bills draw a clear line in the sand: our marine ecosystems are too precious to risk.”

    “The Pacific west coast economy provides over $80 Billion in GDP via industries like tourism, outdoor recreation, fishing, retail, and real estate, supporting more than 825,000 jobs. And BAPPC’s 8,100 business members rely on a clean ocean to drive their revenues and provide for their customers, employees and families. We strongly support the West Coast Protection Act and other legislation to prohibit new offshore drilling and protect our businesses by prioritizing a healthy coastal ecosystem,” said Grant Bixby, Founding Member, The Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific Coast.

    “The impact of offshore oil drilling on marine life is well-documented, from toxic discharges of drilling mud and fracking chemicals, to chronic oil spills, to the effects of a major well blow-out as has occurred many times in the history of offshore oil drilling. It is time we stopped burning fossil fuels and switch to non-polluting sources such as wind, solar, and other green energy sources. Industrializing our oceans is the last thing we should be doing,” said the International Marine Mammal Project, Earth Island Institute.

    “The oceans and coasts are the lifeblood of the US economy. They deserve not only protection but increased investment and stewardship. Anyone that threatens the coasts puts the entire US economy at risk,” said the Center for the Blue Economy.

    “We strongly support these bills to protect our vital coastal ecosystems and ocean health, which are increasingly threatened by the climate crisis. Offshore oil and gas leasing not only poses a direct risk of pollution to our waters and endangers marine life, but also contributes to climate change by perpetuating our reliance on fossil fuels. We urge swift passage of these protections to safeguard coastal communities, their economies, and a livable future for all,” said the U.S. Climate Action Network.

    “Offshore oil and gas drilling threatens coastal communities and endangers whales, sea turtles and other wildlife that Americans treasure,” said National Aquarium President and CEO John Racanelli. “On Earth Day and every day, all of us – people and wildlife – rely on a healthy ocean for our very survival. The science is clear that moving from dependence on fossil fuels towards clean energy sources safeguards marine ecosystems and protects public health. Legislation that places sensible limits on new oil and gas development along our shores is just smart public policy.”

    “President Biden’s recent permanent ban on offshore drilling in most ocean realms of the US is strong and cause for celebration! That said, codifying this long-overdue protection with acts of Congress is needed to add bulwark against attempts to override the ban as well as provide proof of bipartisan support for the ocean. The reason is simple: a healthy ocean sustains all life on earth and is essential to a vibrant clean ocean economy,” said Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action.

    “Last year President Biden issued an executive action to protect more than 625 million acres of federal waters from fossil fuel development, a historic and bold decision to defend coastal communities, public health, and ecosystems. Azul’s 2024 nationwide poll found that Latinos across political ideologies support action to ban offshore drilling and are even willing to pay more out of pocket to make it happen. We applaud the leadership of members of Congress seeking to codify protections for coastal waters against offshore drilling, and these added protections are needed to defend against threats to undo existing protections against offshore drilling,” said Marce Gutiérrez-Graudins, Founder of Azul.

    “Protecting our oceans is a matter of safeguarding our health, our economy, and our future. Proposals to reduce existing ocean protections and expand offshore drilling raise serious concerns for coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and millions of livelihoods,” said Maite Arce, President and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation. “Latino communities, many of whom live along our coasts and rely on clean water and healthy marine environments for recreation, jobs, and cultural connection, are uniquely impacted. We support efforts that uphold strong protections and ensure our public lands and waters remain preserved for future generations. Now is the time for bold, bipartisan leadership that centers communities and protects the ocean legacy we all share.”

    “The New Jersey Environmental Lobby unequivocally supports all of the bills,” said Anne Poole, President of the NJ Environment Lobby. “Our organization’s primary focus is State legislation and policies that affect our densely populated coastal state, but oceans know no national or state boundaries.  The oceans are connected and impact all life on this globe.  What affects one coast eventually affects us all. Thank you to all of these ocean champions for their foresight and political courage!”

    In 2021, Senator Padilla joined West Coast Senators in calling on Senate leadership to include the West Coast Ocean Protection Act in the Senate version of the budget reconciliation bill after an estimated 126,000 gallons of oil spilled off the coast of California.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lawton-Area Trio Sentenced to Serve More Than 12 Years Collectively in Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendants Ordered to Pay Nearly $2.7 Million in Restitution Collectively

    OKLAHOMA CITY – JIMMIE MATHEWS, 41, NATHAN MATHEWS, 42, and AMBER DELGER, 55, all of the Lawton area, have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    The defendants were each charged in May 2024, with Delger being charged by Information with conspiring to commit health care fraud, and both Jimmie and Nathan charged by a 16-count federal grand jury Indictment with conspiring to commit health care fraud and fifteen counts of health care fraud. Beginning in 2016, Nathan owned Emerald Lane Therapy Services (Emerald Lane) in Lawton, a massage therapy provider. Delger was a subsequent co-owner of the company. Nathan and Jimmie also owned a separate massage therapy provider, Stars & Stripes Therapy (Stars & Stripes), which opened its doors in Lawton in January 2020. Both businesses purportedly treated TRICARE beneficiaries, submitted claims to the Defense Health Agency (DHA), and received payments from DHA for those services.

    According to public record, beginning in January 2018, the defendants conspired together to submit false and fraudulent claims to TRICARE for services that were never rendered. Court documents allege that after TRICARE beneficiaries visited either of the businesses, the defendants would schedule multiple appointments for the beneficiaries many months in advance. If the beneficiary couldn’t make the appointments, or stopped coming altogether, the defendants would nonetheless continue to bill TRICARE as if the beneficiaries had received care. Additionally, Emerald Lane billed TRICARE using the National Provider Identity (NPI) number of an occupational therapist long after the therapist had stopped working for the business. In total, Emerald Lane and Stars & Stripes billed more than $7 million to TRICARE and received nearly $3 million in reimbursement.

    In October 2024, Jimmie and Nathan pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud. Previously, on June 17, 2024, Delger pleaded guilty to the same.

    “Through their fraudulent conduct, these defendants exploited programs intended to provide critical benefits to our nation’s military, veterans, and their families” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Through vigorous investigation and prosecution, we will continue to protect taxpayer funded institutions and ensure that TRICARE dollars are protected and properly allocated to help those who serve.”

    “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is committed to ensuring TRICARE, the U.S. Military healthcare program, is not subjected to fraudulent schemes that expose beneficiaries to harm and waste valuable tax dollars,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Gosch of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office.  “These sentencings demonstrate our tireless pursuit to investigate individuals that seek to enrich themselves at the expense of this valuable program.”  

    Last week, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced both Nathan and Jimmie. Nathan was sentenced to serve 87 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,410,255.66 in restitution. Jimmie was sentenced to serve 42 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $632,026.43 in restitution. Delger was previously sentenced on January 31, 2025, to serve 26 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $653,269.00. In announcing the sentences, Judge Dishman described the fraud scheme as egregious and far reaching in its scope, duration, and impact. Judge Dishman further noted that the public needs to know that health care fraud is not acceptable, will not be tolerated, and will result in prosecution and punishment.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the United States Department of Defense. Assistant U.S. Attorney D.H. Dilbeck prosecuted the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Defence Secretary Statement to the House of Commons

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Defence Secretary Statement to the House of Commons

    Ukraine Update

    Thank you Mr Speaker. Today, HMS Prince of Wales set sail from Portsmouth and I trust the whole House will join me in wishing the entire carrier strike group a safe and successful global deployment.

    Mr Speaker, I wish to make a statement on the ongoing war in Ukraine.

    Today, parliament returns from its Easter break.

    But during the last two weeks Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has continued. Drones strikes. Missile attacks. Fierce fighting on the frontline.

    On Palm Sunday, men, women and children in Sumy, on their way to church were hit by Putin’s deadliest attack on Ukrainian civilians so far this year, killing 35 people – including young children – and injuring over 100 more.

    We are united in condemnation at this brutal attack and Putin’s illegal actions.

    At this critical moment for Ukraine and for European security, we have stepped up the Government’s efforts for Ukraine and we will step up further, both to increase military support for the fight today and to secure peace for tomorrow.

    Mr Speaker, we cannot jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war.

    So, ten days ago in Brussels, the UK convened and I co-chaired the 27th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, alongside my good friend, the German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.

    51 nations and partners – from Europe from the Indo Pacific, from South America – came together at NATO HQ, including Ukrainian President Zelensky, US Defence Secretary Hegseth and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

    We came together to step up our support for Ukraine in the fight. Together we pledged a record 21 billion euros of military support to put Ukraine in strongest possible position and to increase pressure on Putin to negotiate.

    Mr Speaker this year, the UK is providing £4.5 billion in military support to Ukraine, more than ever before.

    And in Brussels, I announced £200 million of support will be surged to the front line, with supplies starting to reach Ukraine’s fighters within the next month including radar systems, anti-tank mines and hundreds of thousands of drones.

    I also announced £160 million worth to help the repair and maintenance essential battlefield vehicles and equipment.

    This support will strengthen Ukrainian troops in the close fight now and strengthen our industrial links with Ukraine to boost UK businesses.

    When President Trump talks about peace through strength, it’s the commitments made through this Contact Group that provide the strength to secure that peace.

    Despite President Putin’s promise of a 30-hour pause in fighting, I can confirm that Defence Intelligence have found, and I quote “no indication that a ceasefire on the frontline was observed over the Easter period”.

    And 10,000 missiles and drones have been fired into Ukraine during this year alone, including from the Black Sea.

    So, while Putin has said he declared an Easter truce – he broke it.

    While Putin says he wants peace – he rejected a full ceasefire.

    And while Putin says he wants to put an end to the fighting – he continues to play for time in negotiations.

    And the military, the Russian military continue to press on a number of fronts.

    Mr Speaker, I can confirm Russian military progress is slowing.

    Putin gained less territory in March then he did in February and less territory in February than he did in January.

    Ukrainian towns which Russia have been targeting since before Christmas have still not been captured.

    Ukrainian troops have still not been ejected from Russian territory in Kursk.

    Whatever ground Putin is taking comes at enormous human cost. Over 940,00 Russians have likely been killed or injured in the war so far – including over 150,000 killed and injured this year alone.

    Last month, the average daily casualty rate on the Russian side was 1,300 – almost double the rate of this time last year.

    While at home, Putin faces crippling interest rates at 21 per cent, inflation running at over 10 per cent and the Russian government is spending nearly 40 per cent of its total budget on this military campaign.

    I have to say Mr Speaker, in the days ahead, it is likely that Russia will keep up attacks on the Sumy oblast to help it fully reclaim nearby contested areas of Kursk.

    In central Donetsk oblast, Russia is targeting urban strongholds such as Toretsk, Povrosk and Chasiv Yar. 

    And in Kharkiv, Russia is continuing to make assaults towards the rail and logistics hub of Kupiansk.

    We do expect more ground to be taken, and more Russian missiles fired into Ukraine.

    And that is why we must remain united for Ukraine across this House, across this country, and across those nations standing alongside Ukraine.

    And we will step up support for Ukraine and pressure on Putin to force him to recognise that now is the time for peace, and continuing the war will prove much worse in the long run for Russia.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 April 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: George Edwards Appointed Eastern Territory Coordinator

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM International President Brian Bryant has appointed George Edwards to serve as Eastern Territory Coordinator, effective April 1, 2025.
     
    Edwards, who had served as an International Representative, was appointed to the Eastern Territory as a Special Representative in August 2021. Prior to that, Edwards had served as District 4’s Directing Business Representative and Assistant Directing Business Representative. 
     
    Edwards is known as one of the leading voices for shipbuilding and repair workers in the IAM and nationally. He has participated in numerous high-profile negotiations and organizing campaigns over the course of his IAM career. 
     
    “George has spent decades dedicating himself to the IAM Union, our members and the labor movement as a whole,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “He is a passionate and knowledgeable voice for IAM members in all industries, and we welcome George to this new role in the Eastern Territory.”
     
    Edwards began his career as an IAM Local S6 tinsmith at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, where he helped build ships for the U.S. Navy. He held several positions in the local, including officer and general steward, before joining District 4’s staff.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Owner of Collapsed Nursing Home Empire Sentenced to 36 Months’ Imprisonment for $38 Million Tax Fraud Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced to 36 months in prison for his role in a $38 million employment tax fraud scheme involving nursing homes he owned across the country, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Joseph Schwartz, 65, of Suffern, New York, previously pled guilty to two counts of an indictment charging him with willfully failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from employees of his company, and willfully failing to file an annual financial report (Form 5500) with the Department of Labor for the employee 401K Benefit Plan Schwartz sponsored, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Schwartz, an insurance broker and operator of Skyline Management Group LLC (“Skyline”), with headquarters in New Jersey, willfully failed to pay employment taxes relating to numerous health care and rehabilitation facilities that Skyline operated in 11 states.

    According to the indictment, Schwartz was required to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) trust fund taxes withheld from the pay of employees of Skyline and related companies.  From October 2017 through May 2018, Schwartz caused taxes to be withheld from employees’ pay but failed to then pay over more than $38 million in employment taxes to the IRS.  As an administrator of the Skyline 401K plan, Schwartz further had an obligation to file an annual Form 5500 financial report with the Secretary of Labor for calendar year 2018, but knowingly and willfully failed to file the report.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; Investigators with the Department of Labor-Employee Benefits Security Administration, under the direction of Regional Director Mark Seidel in the New York Regional Office; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly; and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz in the New York Regional Office, with the investigation that led to the sentencing in this case.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel H. Rosenblum and Kendall R. Randolph of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Shawn Noud of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Kevin H. Marino, Esq. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operators of New Jersey Company Sentenced to Prison and Enter Into Related Civil Settlement Agreement for Roles in $127 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    NEWARK, N.J. – Two operators of a New Jersey marketing company were sentenced to prison for their roles in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, United States Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Eric Karlewicz a/k/a “Anthony Mazza,” 46, of Rockland County, New York, and Nicco Romanowski, 33, of Roswell, Georgia, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court following their guilty pleas to Informations charging conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud.  Karlewicz was sentenced to 51 months in prison and Romanowski was sentenced to 80 months in prison.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From in or around June 2017 through in or around May 2019, Karlewicz and Romanowski participated in a scheme with durable medical equipment (“DME”) companies, telemedicine companies, and doctors to submit false claims to health care benefit programs, including Medicare and TRICARE, based on a circular scheme of kickbacks and bribes.  Karlewicz and Romanowski controlled a New Jersey-based marketing company, Empire Pain Center Holdings LLC (“Empire”), though which they and their co-conspirators identified Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries to target.  Employees of Empire called the beneficiaries to pressure them to agree to accept DME, frequently consisting of back, shoulder, and knee braces. Karlewicz and Romanowski paid Empire’s employees commissions, bonuses, and incentives to encourage them to convince as many beneficiaries as possible to accept DME, regardless of medical necessity.

    Karlewicz and Romanowski, through Empire, then paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies, which in turn paid kickbacks to doctors in exchange for prescriptions for the DME. As agreed upon, the doctors signed the prescription orders regardless of medical necessity, often without ever speaking to the patient.  Karlewicz and Romanowski distributed the prescriptions to DME suppliers around the country, with which Empire had additional kickback arrangements. These DME suppliers submitted claims for reimbursement to health care benefit programs including Medicare and TRICARE, and thereafter sent a portion of the proceeds to Empire as payment for the doctor’s orders generated through the conspiracy.  Empire received more than $63 million from DME suppliers in exchange for the referrals. 

    In total, Karlewicz and Romanowski caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs totaling in excess of $127 million for DME.  Using proceeds from the scheme, Karlewicz and Romanowski purchased luxury vehicles, including a Ferrari, and Lamborghini, a Bentley, and a BMW.

    In addition to the prison terms, Judge Salas sentenced each defendant to three years of supervised release and ordered them to pay $127,600,000 in restitution.  Karlewicz was ordered to forfeit over $63 million, and Romanowski was ordered to forfeit over $5.5 million.

    United States Attorney Habba also announced that Karlewicz and Empire entered into a civil settlement agreement. As part of that civil settlement agreement, Karlewicz and Empire admitted to violating the False Claims Act and agreed to the entry of a consent judgment against them in the amount of $63.8 million.

    The civil settlement agreement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The relator, Robert Jackson Tyler, Jr., will receive a share of the funds recovered by the United States pursuant to the False Claims Act.

    United States Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Silvestro, with the investigation.

    The government is represented in the criminal case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Bank Integrity, Recovery, and Money Laundering Unit in Newark.

    The government is represented in the civil case by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney Martha Glover of U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Fraud Section. 

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Darren Gelber, Esq. (for Eric Karlewicz)

                                Alyssa Cimino, Esq. (for Nicco Romanowski)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 250th Anniversary of the Shot Heard Round the World

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    State of Wyoming A Proclamation By the Governor of Wyoming WHEREAS, 250 years ago, on April 19, 1775, the fires of the American Revolutionary War were ignited at Lexington and Concord, where “the shot heard round the world” symbolized the courageous fight for independence and heralded the establishment of a nation built on the principles of liberty and self-rule; and WHEREAS, the gallant individuals known as the Patriots, who stood valiant against oppression, sacrificed their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor in their quest for liberty, thereby laying the cornerstone for what would become the United States of America; and WHEREAS, it is appropriate and just to reflect upon and rejoice in the liberties won through their valor, to educate our youth about the virtues of resilience and unity, and to renew our pledge to maintain these fundamental ideals; and WHEREAS, the citizens of Wyoming, heirs to both a pioneering spirit and a commitment to freedom, observe this day as a chance to honor the legacies of those early American Patriots and express gratitude for the enduring freedoms we enjoy; and WHEREAS, the Wyoming National Guard and other military units in Wyoming, embracing the ethos “Ride for the Brand,” serve as both the Sword and Shield of our State and Nation, with our brave Airmen and Soldiers currently deployed around the world, upholding these traditions and our commitment to global peace and security; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mark Gordon, Governor of the State of Wyoming, do hereby proclaim April 19, 2025, to be, PATRIOTS’ DAY And urge all citizens of Wyoming to join in commemorating the American Patriots and the brave members of our Wyoming military forces who valiantly fight for our independence and freedoms. Given at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne, this nineteenth day of April, in the year two thousand and twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and forty-ninth. By the Governor, Mark Gordon Governor of the State of Wyoming   State of Wyoming Proclamation Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the ‘Shot Heard Round the World’ WHEREAS, 250 years ago, on April 19, 1775, the American Revolutionary War began with clashes in Massachusetts at Lexington and Concord, where “the shot heard round the world” marked the first stand in the fight for independence and the birth of a nation founded on liberty and self-governance; and WHEREAS, the brave men and women who stood against tyranny, known as the Patriots, risked their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor in the pursuit of freedom, laying the foundation for the United States of America; and WHEREAS, it is fitting to reflect upon and celebrate the freedoms secured through their struggle, to educate future generations about the values of perseverance and unity, and to reaffirm our commitment to upholding these ideals; and WHEREAS, the citizens of Wyoming cherish the freedoms and rights established by our nation’s founders, and Patriots’ Day serves as an opportunity to express gratitude for the blessings of liberty; WHEREAS, the Wyoming National Guard, serving as both the Sword and Shield of our State and Nation, embodies the spirit of those early American Patriots, maintaining readiness to defend our freedoms and actively participating in community and state functions, thereby fostering a continuous link to our foundational values of liberty and service; WHEREAS, the motto “Ride for the Brand” encapsulates the loyalty, dedication, and sense of duty that our Wyoming military personnel bring to their service, committing to the defense and well-being of our community and country; and WHEREAS, our Airmen and Soldiers, deployed around the world, continue to uphold these principles, ensuring our state and nation remain a beacon of freedom and security in the global community; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mark Gordon, Governor of the State of Wyoming, do hereby proclaim April 19, 2025, as Patriots’ Day in Wyoming and encourage all residents to join in honoring the legacy of the American Patriots and our own Wyoming military forces, both at home and abroad, who valiantly fight for our independence and freedoms. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the State of Wyoming to be affixed this nineteenth of April 2025. Mark Gordon Governor of Wyoming

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hudson County Man Charged with Production, Distribution, and Possession of Child Pornography, and Coercion and Enticement

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey man was arrested for allegedly inducing multiple minors to send him sexually explicit videos and pictures over online platforms, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Julian Nova, 19, of Bayonne, New Jersey is charged by complaint with two counts of production of child pornography, two counts of coercion and enticement, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Nova appeared on April 17, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III in Newark federal court and was detained.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    In or around October and November 2023, Nova coerced multiple minor victims to produce child pornography, which he then distributed online. After gaining the victims’ trust, including by posing as a teenage girl, Nova enticed the victims to send child pornography of themselves. Nova then blackmailed the minor victims into producing additional child pornography, some of which included acts of self-degradation, by threatening to distribute the existing images and videos to the minor victims’ family and friends if they did not comply.

    The charges of production of child pornography carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charges of coercion and enticement carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit with the investigation leading to the charges.  She also thanked the FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly for their assistance.

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

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kober of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Chuck Payne Applauds Signing of Comprehensive Tort Reform Legislation by Governor Kemp

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (April 22, 2025)—Yesterday, Governor Brian P. Kemp signed Senate Bills 68 and 69 into law, marking a major step forward in Georgia’s ongoing effort to strengthen its civil justice system and protect consumers from abusive litigation practices. Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy (R–Macon) carried the bills in the Senate on behalf of Governor Kemp, who named tort reform his top legislative priority for the 2025 session.

    SB 68 enacts comprehensive tort reform, including changes to negligent security liability, apportionment of fault, and damages in civil cases, to curb “nuclear verdicts” and reduce the burden of frivolous lawsuits on small businesses. Complementing this effort, SB 69, the Georgia Courts Access and Consumer Protection Act, targets the growing influence of Third-Party Litigation Financing (TPLF) by requiring these entities to register with the state, banning foreign-affiliated financiers from operating in Georgia, and increasing public transparency through open access to registration records.

    “For Dalton and Whitfield County, where manufacturing is not just an industry but a way of life, these reforms mean stability, opportunity and continued investment in our community,” said Sen. Chuck Payne (R–Dalton). “Together, Senate Bills 68 and 69 reinforce Georgia’s standing as the No. 1 state for business by creating a predictable, transparent legal environment that supports job growth. I am proud to have cosponsored these pieces of legislation, and I am thankful for the support of Governor Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones and Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy in getting these measures across the finish line.”

    For more information about Senate Bill 68, click here. For more information about Senate Bill 69, click here.

    # # # #

    Sen. Chuck Payne serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security. He represents the 54th Senate District, which includes Whitfield and Murray County as well as part of Gordon County. He may be reached at 404.463.5402 or by email at Chuck.Payne@senate.ga.gov.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Future of Innovation in Arizona is Bright: DataGlobal Hub Supports Governor Hobbs’ Robotics Innovation Month by Announcing the Phoenix Tech Festival on AI & Innovation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHOENIX, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DataGlobal Hub, a leading global media company focused on Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), is thrilled to announce the Phoenix Tech Festival, an in-person technology conference designed to bring together data professionals, business leaders, tech enthusiasts, and researchers for an unforgettable experience of learning, connection, and growth.

    Phoenix Tech Festival will take place on May 10, 2025, at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona. Spotlighting how AI is driving innovation and reshaping the future of business, featuring the brightest minds in the industry.

    This immersive evening event will offer attendees a chance to engage in insightful AI discussions, hands-on tech showcases, and real conversations on the evolving digital landscape. From expert panels to dynamic exhibitions, the festival provides a space where ideas ignite, knowledge flows, and valuable connections are made.

    The event is scheduled to run from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM, beginning with exclusive tech discussions, panel sessions, and live showcases, followed by a vibrant afterparty between 11:00 PM — 2:00 AM offering a relaxed setting for deeper networking and celebration.

    Whether you’re a seasoned technologist, an emerging entrepreneur, or simply curious about the possibilities of AI, Phoenix Tech Festival offers the clarity, perspective, and opportunities you need to move forward.

    Conference Highlights

    Keynote Speakers:

    • Jarrett Albritton – Vice President of Sales and Strategy at WriteSea and host of the Big Tech Energy Podcast, with over $40 million in sales-driven results and a mission to uplift diverse tech talent.
    • Richard H. Miller – AI and Design Strategy Consultant and former Senior Director at Oracle, recognized for his leadership in conversational AI and global UX design.
    • Bill Swartz – Founder and Director of AIVN, with over 23 years of executive search experience at Swartz Executive Search, drives Arizona’s AI and deep tech startup ecosystem through innovation and networking.
    • Seyi Ogebule Ph.D. – Product Lead for Edge GPU, Network & Edge at Intel with over 11 years of experience, specializes in AI, graphics, and media workloads, driving innovation in edge computing
    • Professor Matthew Prater – Professor of Robotics and Embedded Systems at UAT. With over 15 years in pharmaceuticals, he led robotic synthesis innovations and recently guided the UAT Robotics Team to victory at the 2025 VEX U Judges Award.
    • Professor Brant Becote, PhD, CISSP, PMP – Cybersecurity Professor at UAT and former Director of International Relations for the US Navy. Brings 22+ years of experience in cybersecurity, diplomacy, and strategic leadership.

    Workshop

    • PJ W. – Advisor at Pixel Palette Nation and Partner at AnChain.AI, focused on ethical tech deployment in Web3, blockchain, and digital ecosystems.
    • Matt Burkett – Director at CEOPro.ai, a visionary in AI integration with over 14 years in R&D and innovation at companies such as Neuro AI and Preferred Tactical.

    Panelists:
    Panel Topic: The Future of Technology, AI and Innovation

    • Stephanie Orji, CPACC – Senior ADA Analyst and Director of Digital Accessibility, an advocate for inclusive digital solutions and equal access across the web.
    • Jarrett Albritton – Vice President of Sales and Strategy at WriteSea and host of the Big Tech Energy Podcast, with over $40 million in sales-driven results and a mission to uplift diverse tech talent.
    • Dr. Matteo Genna – Chief Product Officer at Lunasonde and former CTO of World View Enterprises, with over two decades of experience in engineering, remote sensing, and aerospace innovation.
    • Tim Taylor – Patent Attorney at Garlick & Markison, specializing in litigation-grade patent portfolio development with over 15 years of experience.
    • Kent Gibson – Chief Technology Officer at REVOBOT and former Head of Science at Ocado Technology, known for pioneering advancements in mechatronics and robotics innovation.
    • Professor Matthew Prater – Professor of Robotics and Embedded Systems at UAT. With over 15 years in pharmaceuticals, he led robotic synthesis innovations and recently guided the UAT Robotics Team to victory at the 2025 VEX U Judges Award.
    • Professor Brant Becote, PhD, CISSP, PMP – Cybersecurity Professor at UAT and former Director of International Relations for the US Navy. Brings 22+ years of experience in cybersecurity, diplomacy, and strategic leadership.

    Panel Topic: Beyond the Buzz: Real-World Content Creation with AI Tools

    • Brandon Falk – Short Form Video Ad Campaign Creator with over 11 years of experience in creative production, specializing in 15-second videos that enhance brand identity and growth.
    • PJ W. – Advisor at Pixel Palette Nation and Partner at AnChain.AI, focused on ethical tech deployment in Web3, blockchain, and digital ecosystems.

    Featured Exhibitors:

    • DataRango – A gamified learning platform designed to make data and AI education more engaging and accessible.
    • CEOPro.ai – An AI-powered business consulting solution offering fast, actionable insights for decision-makers.
    • REVOBOTS – Showcasing TaskBot, a hyper-humanoid 3D printed platform powered by agentic AI and built to operate seamlessly in real-world environments.
    • OPNRS – A Berlin-based boutique agency specializing in supporting disruptive companies and brands through creative events, media, and team-building initiatives.
    • Interview Buddy – A virtual interview platform connecting users with elite professionals across disciplines, including machine learning, UI/UX, product management, and more.

    AIVN Showcase Success

    Following our participation in the AIVN AI/ML & Robotics Startup & Innovation Showcase on April 17, masterfully organized by the Artificial Intelligence Venture Network in partnership with REVOBOT, DataGlobal Hub proudly presented DataRango, our gamified learning platform, alongside over 15 leading tech exhibitors. The event, brought to life under the visionary leadership of Bill Swartz, was more than a showcase; it was a catalyst for connection, learning, and innovation. With tech experts, thought leaders, and enthusiasts in attendance, it marked a significant milestone in our journey. We also hosted open mentoring sessions in collaboration with Innov8ive Academy, equipping attendees with actionable insights for breaking into top global tech roles. Bill’s dedication to building a vibrant, inclusive tech ecosystem continues to inspire and drive meaningful impact across the industry.

    About DataGlobal Hub

    DataGlobal Hub is a trusted global media organization focused on news, analysis, and resources in the world of Data and Artificial Intelligence. Our mission is to empower individuals and organizations to thrive in the digital era through high-quality content, thought leadership, and community engagement. With a growing network of global experts and contributors, we remain committed to making AI knowledge practical, inclusive, and impactful.

    Call to Action

    Registration: Secure your spot now: https://dataglobalhub.org/events/phoenix-tech-festival 

    Ticket price: 100 dollars (20% off early bird offer)

    After-party ticket costs $20.

    Learn More About DataGlobal Hub:

    Website: https://dataglobalhub.org 

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dataglobalhub?igsh=YzljYTk1ODg3Zg== 

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dataglobal-hub/ 

    X (Twitter): https://x.com/DataGlobalHub 

    Media Contact

    Company Name: DataGlobal Hub

    Website: https://www.dataglobalhub.org/ 

    Contact Person: Mojeed Abisiga, CEO

    Email: abisigadamilola@gmail.com 

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1ccd95cd-e6dd-4bc8-ac19-ff14c4cf7eca

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fab1d474-b874-4fef-9b23-744a49bcc99f

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Leads Colleagues in Condemning Trump and Hegseth’s Trans Military Service Ban

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 22, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) Committees—led 13 of her fellow Senate Democratic colleagues in condemning President Trump’s un-American, unconstitutional transgender military service ban for being a blatant violation of our brave servicemembers’ civil rights and weakening our national security. The lawmakers demanded answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on whether the Administration is complying with the nationwide injunctions that halted the unconstitutional ban, and that the Administration disclose whether any trans servicemembers have been wrongfully dismissed as a result of Trump’s executive order despite the courts’ injunctions.
    “This policy insults the service of brave Americans who believe that all people, regardless of differences, are equal and have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” wrote the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Secretary Hegseth. “As the Joint Force faces a recruiting crisis amid a staggering attrition rate for new troops (nearly a quarter of Army recruits have failed to complete their initial contracts since 2022), our Nation cannot afford to expel several thousand troops serving honorably on a baseless, hateful whim.”
    The lawmakers derided Trump’s trans military service ban for not only being discriminatory and based on false pretenses, but also for hurting our military readiness and exacerbating the ongoing military recruiting crisis in service of continuing hateful attacks against transgender Americans.
    “The United States military became the greatest fighting force in the world by pioneering the integration of diverse groups,” the lawmakers continued. “We have triumphed over our enemies because military effectiveness and lethality are strengthened by a broad range of skills, experiences and backgrounds. Naysayers who have derided the U.S. military as lacking the discipline, intelligence and ability to achieve unit cohesion among Americans of different classes, races, ethnicities, religions and yes, genders, have been proven wrong again and again.”
    In addition to Duckworth, the letter is co-signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-WA).
    The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
    Dear Secretary Hegseth:
    We write to express our expectation that the Department of Defense (Department) adhere to recent U.S. District Court injunctions halting terminations of transgender servicemembers and provide all servicemembers with equal protection under the law by protecting the constitutional and legal rights of our Nation’s transgender troops. Our extreme concern over the demonstrably false and propaganda-laden claims in President Donald Trump’s January 27, 2025 Executive Order “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” (EO) is rooted in our commitment to military recruiting and readiness.
    Fewer than one percent of the American people—approximately 0.4 percent—choose to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.  Given the unwillingness or inability of 99.6 percent of the U.S. population to serve in our military, the last thing our Nation should be doing is rejecting patriotic Americans who are ready and willing to serve our country in uniform and bravely accept the risk of making the ultimate sacrifice.
    The United States military became the greatest fighting force in the world by pioneering the integration of diverse groups.  In fields where performance is the top priority, effective leaders recruit from the widest pool of applicants, understanding that arbitrarily restricting eligibility on a discriminatory basis betrays the very concept of meritocracy. We have triumphed over our enemies because military effectiveness and lethality are strengthened by a broad range of skills, experiences and backgrounds.  Naysayers who have derided the U.S. military as lacking the discipline, intelligence and ability to achieve unit cohesion among Americans of different classes, races, ethnicities, religions and yes, genders, have been proven wrong again and again.
    This should not be a controversial issue: most Americans support transgender individuals serving in the military, and a 2020 study found that transgender servicemembers reported above-average physical health and few risk behaviors.  As the Joint Force faces a recruiting crisis amid a staggering attrition rate for new troops (nearly a quarter of Army recruits have failed to complete their initial contracts since 2022), our Nation cannot afford to expel several thousand troops serving honorably on a baseless, hateful whim.
    The Trump administration’s repeated attacks on the transgender community reveal an ideological obsession rooted in a poor understanding of science. Transgender identities are valid, and respecting someone’s gender identity while minding your own business harms no one.  All servicemembers—cisgender and transgender—benefit from investing in unit cohesion, contrary to the false claims in the EO.  This policy insults the service of brave Americans who believe that all people, regardless of differences, are equal and have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Contrary to the low opinion you and the President seem to have of our servicemembers’ professionalism and commitment to mission accomplishment, we believe that our troops can serve together cohesively in pursuit of military effectiveness and excellence, regardless of their differences in identity. Fox News television personalities—not military units—are the ones bothered by transgender people faithfully serving their country.
    This EO establishes a dangerous precedent, allowing the President to arbitrarily decide that an entire group of people is harmful to an undefined ideal of “unit cohesion” and purge them from the Joint Force—without producing any meaningful evidence. You have already personally questioned women’s fitness to serve and erased public records of accomplishments by American military heroes from minority backgrounds.  Who will be targeted next?
    Nearly 20 percent of the transgender community are current servicemembers or Veterans, a significantly higher rate than the approximately seven percent of all U.S. adults fitting these categories.  In return for this patriotism, the administration denies transgender servicemembers not only the ability to serve, but also the resulting benefits they have earned.  The EO and ensuing Department policy proposals specifically target transgender individuals who have accessed gender-affirming care, even though such care continues to be accepted as evidence-based, medically necessary and highly effective by all major medical and behavioral health professional organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association.
    On March 18, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes issued a nationwide preliminary injunction in Talbott v. Trump (1:25-cv-00240, (D.D.C.)), blocking implementation of the EO. Judge Reyes stated that the ban undermines national security, is likely unconstitutional and is “soaked with animus and dripping with pretext.”  10 days later, U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Hale Settle, a former JAG officer appointed by President George W. Bush, issued a second nationwide injunction against the transgender military ban in Shilling v. Trump (2:25-cv-00241 (W.D. Wash.)).  These injunctions were timely, as the Department was scheduled to begin implementing the ban on March 28, 2025, despite several military experts and former leaders characterizing this rapid timeframe as “rushed,” “alarming” and “brutal.”  We could not agree more.
    As the Secretary of Defense, you are ultimately responsible for ensuring the United States maintains a strong and capable fighting force that will keep Americans safe. This harmful EO negatively impacts national security and undermines your oath of office. Given the recent legal developments concerning the order, we request that you respond to the following questions in writing by April 25, 2025:
    Do you commit to following the nationwide injunctions from Talbott v. Trump and Shilling v Trump regarding implementation of President Trump’s transgender servicemember ban? Please explain the steps taken to comply with these injunctions.
    How many taxpayer dollars will be spent to implement this policy?
    As of the date of this letter, how much has been spent on the government’s defense in the aforementioned lawsuits and any other legal challenges related to this EO?
    Approximately how many taxpayer dollars have been spent on training, continuing education, fitness testing, boarding and other related expenses on the transgender troops you are seeking to expel from the Joint Force?
    What is the estimated cost for administrative time spent scouring records to identify transgender servicemembers, pursuing the administrative separation process, providing transition services and implementing associated lifetime benefit payouts to forcibly remove honorably serving, fit transgender troops from service?
    Were any servicemembers prematurely dismissed due to the EO and planned policy implementations? What assistance was provided to help these individuals transition back to civilian life?
    Please provide a detailed reintegration plan for any servicemembers prematurely separated or who began the separation process, outlining how the Department is working to undo the harm already done.
    Do you commit to consulting with professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association, to ensure that our Nation’s transgender servicemembers receive the medically necessary, evidence-based healthcare they earned in service to our country?
    How will you ensure that transgender servicemembers can continue to serve without facing stigma or backlash resulting from the Trump administration’s targeted attacks against them?
    The ban on transgender service members will have long-term consequences on military morale and recruitment. Addressing these issues promptly is crucial to prevent negative impacts on the Armed Forces. As the Secretary, you have the opportunity to help reverse the Trump administration’s anti-science, ideologically driven agenda. Swift corrective action will help preserve the military’s integrity and ensure it continues to attract and retain the best talent. Denying any servicemember who has met the qualifications to serve our Nation the right to serve based on ideological grounds is inherently un-American and jeopardizes our national security. This administration’s animus towards transgender heroes prioritizes a manufactured culture war over military excellence and readiness and is a purge of brave servicemembers who protect our freedoms.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    The Honorable Mike JohnsonSpeaker of the House of RepresentativesWashington, D.C. 20515
    March 28, 2025
    Dear Mr. Speaker:
    I write to apprise you of developments in Yemen and the broader Middle East region.
    Houthi militants operating from bases in Yemen have perpetrated piratical aggressions against shipping and have continued to threaten and attack United States forces in the airspace and waters in and around Yemen. I will no longer allow this band of pirates to threaten and attack United States forces and commercial vessels in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. We will act to keep Americans safe. Consistentwith my commitment to defend United States forces and to uphold navigational rights and freedoms, I directed the Department of Defense to take several actions concerning the Houthis in Yemen, described below.
    First, I directed the Department of Defense to move additional forces equipped for combat into the Middle East to enhance the defensive capabilities available to United States forces and facilitate necessary military actions. These forces include capabilities for air and missile defense of Israel and of locations hosting United States forces as well as fighter, support, and reconnaissance aircraft to enable strikes on Houthi targets. The additional forces have deployed to countries in the Middle East region as detailed in the attached classified annex.
    Second, at my direction, forces under United States Central Command have commenced large-scale strikes in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen to eliminate the capabilities the Houthis use for attacks on United States forces and commercial ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters. United States Navy ships and aircraft, along with United States Air Force bombers, fighters, and unmanned aircraft, operating in and around Yemen, have participated in these strikes. Targets have included Houthi leadership and equipment, command and control facilities, and munitions storage facilities. We will continue these decisive military operations until the Houthi threat to United States forces and navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea and adjacent waters has abated.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I directed these actionsconsistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests abroad and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests, pursuantto my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive to conduct United States foreign relations. I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.
    Sincerely,
    Donald J. Trump
    The Honorable Charles GrassleyPresident pro tempore of the SenateWashington, D.C. 20510
    March 28, 2025
    Dear Mr. President:
    I write to apprise you of developments in Yemen and the broader Middle East region.
    Houthi militants operating from bases in Yemen have perpetrated piratical aggressions against shipping and have continued to threaten and attack United States forces in the airspace and waters in and around Yemen. I will no longer allow this band of pirates to threaten and attack United States forces and commercial vessels in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. We will act to keep Americans safe. Consistentwith my commitment to defend United States forces and to uphold navigational rights and freedoms, I directed the Department of Defense to take several actions concerning the Houthis in Yemen, described below.
    First, I directed the Department of Defense to move additional forces equipped for combat into the Middle East to enhance the defensive capabilities available to United States forces and facilitate necessary military actions. These forces include capabilities for air and missile defense of Israel and of locations hosting United States forces as well as fighter, support, and reconnaissance aircraft to enable strikes on Houthi targets. The additional forces have deployed to countries in the Middle East region as detailed in the attached classified annex.
    Second, at my direction, forces under United States Central Command have commenced large-scale strikes in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen to eliminate the capabilities the Houthis use for attacks on United States forces and commercial ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters. United States Navy ships and aircraft, along with United States Air Force bombers, fighters, and unmanned aircraft, operating in and around Yemen, have participated in these strikes. Targets have included Houthi leadership and equipment, command and control facilities, and munitions storage facilities. We will continue these decisive military operations until the Houthi threat to United States forces and navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea and adjacent waters has abated.
    I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I directed these actionsconsistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests abroad and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests, pursuantto my constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive to conduct United States foreign relations. I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.
    Sincerely,
    Donald J. Trump

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Children’s military sports camps to open in the capital for the 80th anniversary of Victory — Sobyanin

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In honor of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, children’s military-sports tent camps will open in the capital. Sergei Sobyanin announced this in his telegram channel.

    “A project unique to the capital’s education system will start on June 1. The camps will be named after outstanding marshals of the Soviet Union: “Zhukov” will be located on the territory of the “Alabino” training ground, “Rokossovsky” – in the “Patriot” park, “Vasilevsky” – in the Noginsk rescue center of the Russian Emergencies Ministry,” the Moscow Mayor wrote.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin 

    Over 4.5 thousand students of grades 7–10 will attend specialized shifts during the summer — winners of city, all-Russian and international competitions and contests in sports, tourism and military-patriotic areas. A total of six two-week shifts will be organized during the summer.

    The guys will undergo tactical, engineering and fire training, learn the basics of topography, fire and rescue operations and field medicine, learn to operate unmanned aerial vehicles and navigate the terrain.

    The programs were developed by the capital Department of Education and Science together with the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM of Russia). Participation is free. You can submit an application in the web version of the electronic diary of the Moscow Electronic School project in in the “School” section, indicating your achievements in competitions and contests.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12648050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Mount Whitney conducts Tripoli and Benghazi port visits to promote regional stability, national unity and Libyan sovereignty

    Source: United States Navy

    TRIPOLI, Libya – The Blue Ridge-class command and control ship, USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), arrived in Libya for scheduled port visits, April 20-21, in support of enduring U.S.-Libya cooperation and regional security. While in Libya, Mount Whitney visited both Tripoli and Benghazi for key engagements with leaders from across the country.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dutton promises Coalition would increase defence spending to 3% of GDP ‘within a decade’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will promise a Coalition government would boost Australia’s spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP within five years and 3% within a decade.

    Launching the Coalition’s long-awaited defence policy on Wednesday in Western Australia, Dutton will commit to investing more than $21 billion to take spending to 2.5%.

    Australia’s current defence spending is about 2% of GDP, and due to rise to 2.3% by 2033-34. The Trump administration has flagged it wants allies to raise their spending to 3%.

    Trump’s under-secretary of defence for policy, Elbridge Colby, has said:

    The main concern the United States should press with Australia […] is higher defence spending. Australia is currently well below the 3% level advocated for by NATO Secretary General Rutte, and Canberra faces a far more powerful challenge in China.

    The opposition statement, from Dutton and shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie, does not go into detail about how the bigger allocation would be spent, or how it would be paid for.

    Defence Minister Richard Marles gave notice of Labor’s line of attack if there is no detail provided. He said on Tuesday:

    It won’t cut it to have vague numbers, to have aspirations, to have signposts in the future. There needs to be a great deal of specificity in respect of what that defence policy looks like.

    In its statement, the opposition accuses Labor of overseeing “more than $80 billion in cuts and delays to defence in just three years, degrading morale and capability, and putting Australia at risk”.

    It says the commitment to 2.5% is “significantly higher than under Labor and demonstrates the Coalition’s commitment to keeping Australia safe in uncertain times”.

    Under Labor, defence spending has stayed static at 2% of GDP for three years – and Labor has walked away from its own target of increasing defence spending to 2.4% of GDP by 2033-34, dropping it instead to ‘over 2.3%’.

    In its most recent budget, Labor delivered no new funding for defence.

    In stark contrast, a Dutton Coalition government will increase defence spending to 3% of GDP within a decade, while Labor’s spend plateaus at around 2.3%.

    The opposition says Australia is facing the most complex and serious strategic circumstances since the second world war.

    The rise of authoritarian powers, and conflict in Europe and the Middle East are a reminder that Australia cannot take peace for granted.

    “Under the Coalition, there will be clarity around the risks we face and a strategy to deter them,” the opposition says.

    “We believe that investing in Defence is an investment in peace – which is maintained through a strong army, navy, air force and enhanced cyber security.”

    This week’s statement follows an earlier Coalition commitment to reinstate the fourth squadron of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters.

    Dutton said: “The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister regularly tell Australians that we live in the most precarious period since the end of the second world war. Yet, over the last three years, Labor has done nothing about it, other than rip money out of Defence, weakening strength and morale.”

    Hastie said: “A Dutton Coalition government will back Australian workers and businesses in defence industry to develop the sovereign capabilities our country needs. They are a critical enabler to the Australian men and women in uniform”.

    Hastie has been little seen on the campaign trail.

    Marles said over the last three years the government had engaged “in the biggest peacetime increase in defence spending that Australia has seen”.

    “We’ll continue to look at what the appropriate levels of defence spending are.

    “Increases in defence spending will happen under this government […] because that is, in fact, what we’ve done over the last three years”.

    Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Dutton promises Coalition would increase defence spending to 3% of GDP ‘within a decade’ – https://theconversation.com/dutton-promises-coalition-would-increase-defence-spending-to-3-of-gdp-within-a-decade-254993

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Stripping federal protection for clean water harms just about everyone, especially already vulnerable communities

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeremy Orr, Adjunct Professor of Law, Michigan State University

    A Des Moines Water Works employee takes samples from a nearby river for analysis. The regional water utility delivers drinking water to more than 500,000 Iowans. AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

    Before Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, U.S. factories and cities could pipe their pollution directly into waterways. Rivers, including the Potomac in Washington, smelled of raw sewage and contained toxic chemicals. Ohio’s Cuyahoga River was so contaminated, its oil slicks erupted in flames.

    That unchecked pollution didn’t just harm the rivers and their ecosystems; it harmed the humans who relied on their water.

    The Clean Water Act established a federal framework “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.”

    As an attorney and law professor, I’ve spent my career upholding these protections and teaching students about their legal and historical significance. That’s why I’m deeply concerned about the federal government’s new efforts to roll back those safeguards and the impact they’ll have on human lives.

    A fire of an oil slick on the Cuyahoga River swept through docks at the Great Lakes Towing Company site in Cleveland in 1952, one of several times that pollution in the river caught fire.
    Bettman/Getty Images

    Amid all the changes out of Washington, it can be easy to lose sight of not only which environmental policies and regulations are being rolled back, but also of who is affected. The reality is that communities already facing pollution and failing infrastructure can become even more vulnerable when federal protections are stripped away. Those laws are ultimately meant to protect the quality of the tap water people drink and the rivers they fish in, and in the long-term health of their neighborhoods.

    A few of the most pressing concerns in my view include the government’s moves to narrow federal water protections, pause water infrastructure investments and retreat from environmental enforcement.

    Diminishing protection for US wetlands

    In 2023, the Supreme Court narrowed the definition of “waters of the United States.” In its decision in Sackett vs. Environmental Protection Agency, the court determined that only wetlands that maintained a physical surface connection to other federally protected waters qualified for protection under the Clean Water Act.

    Wetlands are important for water quality in many areas. They naturally filter pollution from water, reduce flooding in communities and help ensure that millions of Americans enjoy cleaner drinking water. The Clean Water Act limits what industries and farms can discharge or dump into those waterways considered “waters of the U.S.” However, mapping by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that upward of 84%, or 70 million acres, of the nation’s wetlands lacked protection after the ruling.

    The Sackett ruling also called into question the definition of “waters of the U.S.”

    The Trump EPA, in announcing its plans to rewrite the definition in 2025, said it would make accelerating economic opportunity a priority by reducing “red tape” and costs for businesses. Statements from the administration suggest that officials want to loosen restrictions on industries discharging pollution and construction debris into wetlands.

    Toxic algae blooms fueled by farm, urban and industrial runoff can trigger fish kills and shut down beaches for days, harming tourism businesses.
    Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    Pollution already harms wetlands along Florida’s Gulf Coast, leading to fewer fish and degraded water quality. It also affects people whose jobs depend on healthy waterways for fishing, recreation and tourism.

    This marks a shift away from the federal government protecting wetlands for the role they play in public health and resilience. Instead, it prioritizes development and industry – even if that means more pollution.

    Pausing investment for rebuilding crumbling infrastructure

    Public water systems are also at risk. The Trump administration on its first full day in office froze at least US$10 billion in federal water infrastructure funding. That included money for replacing lead pipes and building new water treatment plants, allocated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

    Public water systems across the country have been falling into disrepair in recent decades due to aging and sometimes dangerous infrastructure, as cities with lead water pipes have discovered.

    The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the nation’s drinking water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure grades of a C-minus, D and D-plus, respectively, in its 2025 Infrastructure Report Card. The group estimates that America’s drinking water systems alone need more than $625 billion in investment over the next 20 years to reach a state of good repair.

    Jackson, Miss., volunteers distributed bottled water to residents in 2022 after the aging water system failed.
    AP Photo/Steve Helber

    Congress passed the Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to help pay for updating drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems. That included replacing lead pipes and tackling water contamination, especially in the most vulnerable communities. Many of the same communities also have high poverty and unemployment rates and histories of racial segregation rooted in government discrimination.

    Where I live in Detroit, this need is especially clear. We have the fourth-highest number of lead service lines, connecting water mains to buildings, of any city in the country, and these pipes continue to put people at risk every day. Just an hour up the road, the Flint water crisis left a predominantly Black, working-class community to suffer the consequences of lead-contaminated water.

    These aren’t abstract problems; they’re happening right now, in real communities, to real people.

    Dropping lawsuits meant to stop pollution

    The Trump administration’s decision to drop from some environmental enforcement lawsuits filed by previous administrations is adding to the risks that communities face.

    The administration argues that these decisions are about reducing regulatory burdens – dropping these lawsuits reduces costs for companies.

    However, stepping back from these lawsuits leaves the communities without a meaningful way to put an end to the long-standing harms of environmental pollution. Few communities have the resources to litigate against private polluters and must rely on regulatory agencies to sue on their behalf.

    Real lives are affected by these changes

    What America is seeing now is more than a change in regulatory approach. It’s a step back from decades of progress that made the nation’s water safer and communities healthier.

    President Donald Trump talked repeatedly on the campaign trail about wanting clean air and clean water. However, the administration’s moves to reduce protection for wetlands, freeze infrastructure investments and abandon environmental enforcement can have real consequences for both.

    At a time when so many systems are already under strain, it raises the question: What kind of commitment is the federal government really making to the future of clean water in America?

    Jeremy Orr works for Michigan State University College of Law and Earthjustice.

    – ref. Stripping federal protection for clean water harms just about everyone, especially already vulnerable communities – https://theconversation.com/stripping-federal-protection-for-clean-water-harms-just-about-everyone-especially-already-vulnerable-communities-252267

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Habeas corpus: A thousand-year-old legal principle for defending rights that’s getting a workout under the Trump administration

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Andrea Seielstad, Professor of Law, University of Dayton

    Two Latin words – ‘habeas corpus’ – protect any person, whether citizen or not, from being illegally confined. deepblue4you, iStock / Getty Images Plus

    In some parts of the world, a person may be secreted away or imprisoned by the government without any advanced notification of wrongdoing or chance to make a defense. This has not been lawful in the United States from its very inception, or in many other countries where the rule of law and respect for individual civil rights are paramount.

    The legal doctrine of “habeas corpus,” a Latin phrase that has its American roots in English law as early as the 12th century, stands as a barrier to unlawful arrest.

    In its essence, habeas corpus protects any person, whether citizen or not, from being illegally confined. Habeas corpus is Latin for “you shall have the body” and requires a judge literally to have the body of any incarcerated person brought physically forward so that the legality of their detention may be assessed.

    That is why habeas, sometimes also called the “Great Writ”, is front and center right now in many of the lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s arrest and deportation of noncitizen students, scholars, humanitarian refugees and others.

    In an April 7, 2025, decision in a habeas corpus case brought by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union representing Venezuelans who faced deportation, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the government must give those it aims to deport the opportunity to legally challenge their removal from the U.S. This chance for due process when deprived of liberty is what habeas corpus is and does.

    Since then, several federal judges have issued habeas writs blocking certain deportations from the U.S. and even movement of potential deportees from one state to another.

    The rapid deportation to El Salvador of noncitizens from the U.S. has sparked public concern about deportees’ ability to challenge the move.
    Dominic Gwinn, Middle East Image / Middle East Images via AFP

    Habeas corpus’s deep roots

    The idea that no person shall be deprived unjustly of liberty formally dates to the 39th Clause of the Magna Carta signed by England’s King John in 1215.

    The Magna Carta itself was, as the U.K. parliament describes it, “the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government was not above the law.”

    Although the writ originally was a means of enforcing the king’s power over his subjects, as noted by the Supreme Court in reviewing the writ’s long history, English judges over time issued habeas corpus “to enforce the King’s prerogative to inquire into the authority of a jailer to hold a prisoner.”

    The idea crossed the ocean to play an important part in the formation of the U.S. constitutional form of democracy. As the Supreme Court emphasized in a 2008 case holding that the habeas corpus privilege existed even for “aliens” designated as enemy combatants and detained at Guantanamo Bay: “Protection for the privilege of habeas corpus was one of the few safeguards of liberty specified in a Constitution that, at the outset, had no Bill of Rights.”

    In the Federal Judiciary Act of 1789, which created lower federal courts following the ratification of the Constitution, Congress gave immediate power to the federal courts to issue habeas corpus relief.



    Read more:
    Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans to El Salvador sparks legal questions likely to reach the Supreme Court

    Congress expanded the right in 1867 to permit habeas corpus challenges to unlawful actions by state and local officials. This enabled people who were still held in slavery or indentured servitude, or otherwise detained in state jails, to seek release in federal court. This legislation also established the framework, still recognized today, for state prisoners to attack the constitutionality of their state convictions in federal court.

    States and some tribes also have their own habeas corpus statutes. Congress also extended habeas to allow federal challenges to detention by tribal officials via the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, which made many of the constitutional rights held by individuals applicable to official action by federally recognized Native American tribes. In fact, habeas corpus is the sole remedy under the Indian Civil Rights Act for challenging any of the enumerated rights in that act.

    When is habeas corpus used?

    The principal use of habeas corpus, historically and in more modern times, has been “to seek release of persons held in actual, physical custody in prison or jail,” as Justice Hugo Black wrote in a 1962 Supreme Court opinion.

    Its scope extends well beyond imprisonment, however. Habeas has been the vehicle for challenging interference with child custodial rights, involuntary commitment to inpatient treatment or psychiatric care, military induction, restrictive conditions of pretrial release, probation or parole, and banishment from tribal lands, to name a few examples.

    Besides securing the physical release of imprisoned persons, habeas corpus may result in dismissal of criminal charges, new trials or appeals, the appointment of legal counsel, and court orders directing remediation of cruel or inhumane conditions of confinement.

    The idea that no person shall be deprived unjustly of liberty formally dates back to the 39th Clause of this document, the Magna Carta, signed by England’s King John in 1215.
    The National Archives

    Critical safeguard of liberty

    Detained individuals have been blocked from using habeas corpus less than a handful of times in American history.

    In the words of the Constitution’s Article I, which governs congressional power: “The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.”

    For example, it was suspended by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War; in Hawaii after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor; during rebellions in 11 South Carolina counties overtaken by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction in the years just after the Civil War; and in certain provinces of the U.S.-controlled Philippines in 1905.

    Significantly, however, habeas relief has remained vital to challenges to presidential orders and congressional enactments even during times of war and other national security concerns.

    The Supreme Court reaffirmed the validity of using habeas corpus in many efforts to suspend or limit the writ in cases stemming from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

    In November 2001, President George W. Bush issued a military order authorizing the indefinite detention of noncitizens suspected of being connected to terrorism. Under that order, Yaser Hamdi, who was an American citizen, was detained in U.S. military facilities without being charged, without legal counsel or the possibility of court hearings after being accused of fighting for the Taliban against the United States.

    In a 2004 ruling on Hamdi’s case against the government, the Supreme Court upheld the right of every American citizen to use habeas corpus, even when declared to be an enemy combatant.

    The court later ruled that Congress’ efforts to impose similar limits with respect to noncitizens being detained at Guantanamo Bay under the Military Commissions Act of 2006 were an unconstitutional abridgment of habeas corpus rights.

    In the 2004 landmark case of Rasul v. Bush, the Supreme Court reaffirmed limits on when habeas corpus can be suspended – and when it cannot. The justices said that even foreign detainees captured in countries around the world and brought to Guantanamo Bay on suspected ties to terrorism had the right to challenge their detention in U.S. courts.

    As these cases affirm, “Neither citizenship nor territoriality have been determined to be essential to the exercise of the writ.”

    Habeas corpus is a critical safeguard of liberty. In the words of Chief Justice John Marshall in the seminal 1803 case, Marbury v. Madison, the “very essence” of civil liberty is “the right to claim the protection of the laws, whenever he receives an injury.”

    Andrea Seielstad does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Habeas corpus: A thousand-year-old legal principle for defending rights that’s getting a workout under the Trump administration – https://theconversation.com/habeas-corpus-a-thousand-year-old-legal-principle-for-defending-rights-thats-getting-a-workout-under-the-trump-administration-254525

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: What’s it like training in Croatia?

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    U.S. Army video by Vincenzo Vitiello

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #Army

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbNPgQPkNA8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: Correction to stock exchange release: Siili Solutions Plc: Business review, 1 January – 31 March 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Correction to stock exchange release: Siili Solutions Plc: Business review, 1 January – 31 March 2025

    Siili Solutions Plc Stock exchange release 22 April 2025 at 14:10 EEST

    This is a correction to the stock exchange release published by Siili Solutions Plc on 22 April 2025 at 9:30 am by which the company published its business review for the period 1 January – 31 March 2025. In the key figures table there was “Total full-time employees and subcontractors (FTE) at the end of the period” instead of two separate key figures “Number of full-time employees (FTE) at the end of the period” and “Number of full-time subcontractors (FTE) at the end of the period”.

    The corrected release is stated below as a whole and the revised report is attached to this release.

    Q1 2025 for Siili: Siili continued AI strategy implementation and actions for profitability improvements, revenue at the previous year’s level

    January-March 2025

    • We completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Intergrations Group Oy
    • We launched an Advisory service to accelerate our clients’ digital business and use of artificial intelligence
    • We adjusted our competence profile to match our strategy and the current market situation
    • The revenue for the first quarter was EUR 29.9 (29.8) million, representing increase of 0.3% year on year. Organically, revenue decreased by 1.6% from the comparison period.
    • Adjusted EBITA for the first quarter was EUR 1.3 (1.6) million, which corresponds to 4.2% (5.3%) of revenue
    EUR million Q1/2025 Q1/2024
    Revenue 29.9 29.8
    Revenue growth, % 0.3% -11.3%
    Organic revenue growth, % -1.6% -11.3%
    Share of international revenue, % 27.1% 27.7%
    Adjusted EBITA 1.3 1.6
    Adjusted EBITA, % of revenue 4.2% 5.3%
    EBITA 1.2 1.4
    EBIT 0.9 1.1
    Earnings per share, EUR 0.05 0.07
    Number of employees at the end of the period 957 973
    Average number of employees during the period 950 990
    Number of full-time employees (FTE) at the end of the period 931 950
    Number of full-time subcontractors (FTE) at the end of the period 144 137

    Outlook of 2025

    Revenue for 2025 is expected to be EUR 108-130 million and adjusted EBITA EUR 4.7-7.7 million.

    CEO Tomi Pienimäki:

    The first quarter of this year was challenging for Siili as the sluggish market conditions prevailed, and we took concrete steps to improve the profitability of our operations. However, many positive developments also occurred during the initial months of the year while we focused with determination on the implementation of our strategy.

    The Group’s revenue in January-March amounted to just under EUR 30 million, broadly at the previous year’s level. Adjusted EBITA for the first quarter amounted to EUR 1.3 million, 4.2% of revenue. Profitability came in slightly weaker than last year, in line with our expectations. However, when comparing to the previous year’s result, it is worth noting that the adjusted EBITA for the comparison period was improved by the temporary layoffs implemented during Q1 2024.

    During the initial months of the year, we have seen encouraging developments in the market, with our customers moving from testing artificial intelligence to firm transition programmes. In March, we launched a new Advisory service to accelerate our customers’ digital business and adoption of AI.

    An example of how we support our customers on their AI journey is an AI-assisted training programme we delivered for Alma Media at the beginning of the year. It is a tailored solution that helps Alma Media to integrate AI seamlessly into its operations and culture.

    Siili also worked with Varma to modernise a key system. The objective of the modernisation was to simplify the maintenance of the system and improve its scalability and development potential, ensuring it continues to meet Varma’s business needs reliably into the future. The work was carried out in stages and in close cooperation with the client, ensuring the continuous operability of the system.

    During the opening months of the year, we have also built new cooperation networks that allow extensive utilisation of Siii’s expertise. In March, Siili was accepted as a member in the Digital Defence Ecosystem, which brings together Finland’s leading technology companies to support national defence capabilities and the security of supply. Siili also became an NVIDIA partner earlier this year as part of the NVIDIA Partner Network (NPN), which significantly supports us in bringing scalable, production-ready AI solutions to our customers.

    In February–March, we adjusted our competence profile to align with the strategy we released last year, and current market conditions. Following change negotiations started in February, we will reduce 25 roles from Siili Finland’s functions and 8 from Siili Auto Finland. Actions affecting personnel are always difficult for the organisation, but we believe these adjustments will strengthen Siili’s competitiveness and profitability. With these measures, we estimate that we will achieve a total of 2.2 million euros in annual cost savings.

    To strengthen Siili’s competence profile, we concluded the acquisition of a majority stake in Integrations Group Oy at the beginning of the year. Integrations Group is now part of Siili, and the collaboration has started strongly. We continue to strengthen our competence profile in line with the strategy also through recruitment and human resources development.

    I want to thank all our customers and partners for the past few months, but above all, I extend my thanks to the Siili team for their commitment and outstanding work during the quarter.

    —

    This is not an interim report under IAS 34. The company complies with the half-yearly reporting requirements of the Securities Markets Act and publishes business reviews for the first three and nine months of the year, which present key information on the company’s financial performance. The financial information presented in this business review is unaudited.

    Further information:
    CEO Tomi Pienimäki
    Tel: +358 40 834 1399, email: tomi.pienimaki(at)siili.com
    CFO Aleksi Kankainen
    Tel: +358 40 534 2709, email: aleksi.kankainen(at)siili.com

    Distribution:
    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Main media
    www.siili.com/en

    Siili Solutions in brief:
    Siili Solutions Plc is a forerunner in AI-powered digital development. Siili is the go-to partner for clients seeking growth, efficiency and competitive advantage through digital transformation. Our main markets are Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Siili Solutions Plc’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange. Siili has grown profitably since its founding in 2005. www.siili.com/en

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Gilat Receives Over $15 Million in Orders from Leading Satellite Operators

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PETAH TIKVA, Israel, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: GILT, TASE: GILT), a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions and services, announced today that its Commercial Division received over $15million in orders from leading global satellite operators. Deliveries are scheduled for throughout 2025.  

    The orders reflect strong ongoing momentum for Gilat’s equipment and services across GEO, MEO, and LEO Very High Throughput Satellite (VHTS) constellations. The demand spans multi-service applications, with particular emphasis on In-Flight Connectivity (IFC), reinforcing Gilat’s leadership in enabling broadband mobility solutions worldwide.

    Satellite operators continue to rely on Gilat’s comprehensive solutions for their ability to support a broad range of products and solutions with the flexibility, performance, and scale needed to meet increasing connectivity demands. Our next-generation solutions are designed to deliver efficient, high-performance connectivity across diverse verticals.

    “These significant orders from some of the world’s most prominent satellite operators reaffirm our position as a trusted partner for enabling next-generation satellite services,” said Ron Levin, President of Gilat’s Commercial Division. “We’re seeing strong and consistent demand for our products and solutions and we’re proud to play a key role in supporting the expansion of global broadband connectivity across LEO, GEO and MEO constellations.”

    About Gilat

    Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: GILT, TASE: GILT) is a leading global provider of satellite-based broadband communications. With over 35 years of experience, we develop and deliver deep technology solutions for satellite, ground, and new space connectivity, offering next-generation solutions and services for critical connectivity across commercial and defense applications. We believe in the right of all people to be connected and are united in our resolution to provide communication solutions to all reaches of the world.

    Together with our wholly owned subsidiaries—Gilat Wavestream, Gilat DataPath, and Gilat Stellar Blu—we offer integrated, high-value solutions supporting multi-orbit constellations, Very High Throughput Satellites (VHTS), and Software-Defined Satellites (SDS) via our Commercial and Defense Divisions. Our comprehensive portfolio is comprised of a cloud-based platform and modems; high-performance satellite terminals; advanced Satellite On-the-Move (SOTM) antennas and ESAs; highly efficient, high-power Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPA) and Block Upconverters (BUC) and includes integrated ground systems for commercial and defense markets, field services, network management software, and cybersecurity services.

    Gilat’s products and tailored solutions support multiple applications including government and defense, IFC and mobility, broadband access, cellular backhaul, enterprise, aerospace, broadcast, and critical infrastructure clients all while meeting the most stringent service level requirements. For more information, please visit: http://www.gilat.com

    Certain statements made herein that are not historical are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “estimate”, “project”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Gilat to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, inability to maintain market acceptance to Gilat’s products, inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, rapid changes in the market for Gilat’s products, loss of market share and pressure on prices resulting from competition, introduction of competing products by other companies, inability to manage growth and expansion, loss of key OEM partners, inability to attract and retain qualified personnel, inability to protect the Company’s proprietary technology and risks associated with Gilat’s international operations and its location in Israel, including those related to the terrorist attacks by Hamas, and the hostilities between Israel and Hamas and Israel and Hezbollah. For additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties associated with Gilat’s business, reference is made to Gilat’s reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.

    Contact:

    Gilat Satellite Networks
    Hagay Katz, Chief Product and Marketing Officer
    hagayk@gilat.com

    Alliance Advisors:

    GilatIR@allianceadvisors.com
    Phone: +1 212 838 3777

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Best Vice-Rector for Science: Maria Karelina Becomes Laureate of the National Award

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Maria Karelina received the national award “Vice-Rector of the Year for Research” in the nomination “Economic Universities”.

    The winners of the award were announced at the Scientific Professorial Forum, organized by the Russian Professorial Assembly, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Russian Academy of Education as part of the Decade of Science and Technology in the Russian Federation.

    For over 100 years, the State University of Management has not only been a leader in management education, but also actively participates in the development of science, the formation of new methods and developments, making discoveries and implementing scientific developments in practice.

    Under the supervision of Maria Yuryevna, the volume of R&D carried out by our university has increased threefold, and the goal for 2025 is to double this figure.

    On the basis of the State University of Management, work is being carried out on a major scientific project in the field of agro-industrial complex, an Advanced Engineering School was created jointly with the M.D. Millionshchikov State Petroleum Technical University, developments are being carried out in the field of UAVs, state assignments are being carried out, projects with the support of the Russian Science Foundation and fundamental research are being carried out.

    The student design bureau of the State University of Management became one of the winners of the Competition of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia in the nomination “Creation and Development of a Student Design Bureau”, the projects of the Engineering Project Management Center were presented to the Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrey Kartapolov, young scientists of our university were recognized as the best in several major competitions, and these are far from all the victories and achievements of the State University of Management in the field of science in 2024.

    We congratulate Maria Karelina on her well-deserved award and wish her further success in her professional development, endless energy to bring all her ideas to life, and a loyal team that will support her along the way.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/22/2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Netherlands: Chris Rampling

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Netherlands: Chris Rampling

    Mr Chris Rampling has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands in succession to Ms Joanna Roper CMG. Mr Rampling will take up his appointment during July 2025.

    Curriculum vitae           

    Full name: Christopher Maxwell Rampling

    Date Role
    2023 to 2024 FCDO, Director-General (acting) Defence & Intelligence
    2020 to 2024 FCDO, National Security Director
    2018 to 2020 Beirut, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
    2014 to 2018 Brussels, UK Permanent Representation to the EU, Foreign Policy, Defence and Development Counsellor
    2013 to 2014 FCO, Head Corporate Services Programme
    2013 Secondment to The Prince’s Trust
    2009 to 2013 Amman, Deputy Head of Mission
    2007 to 2009 FCO, Deputy Head, Counter Proliferation Department
    2005 to 2007 FCO, Team Leader, Turkey Team
    2003 Jerusalem, Political and Press Officer
    2002 to 2005 Tripoli, Political and Press Officer
    2000 to 2002 Pre-posting training (including Arabic language training, Cairo)
    1999 to 2000 FCO, Desk officer, Turkey/Malta
    1999 Joined FCO
    1996 to 1999 Private sector (Insurance)

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes fit for heroes: Raft of new measures to improve military family housing

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Homes fit for heroes: Raft of new measures to improve military family housing

    Living conditions for families in military housing will be transformed under a new Consumer Charter, as Defence Secretary John Healey promised to “stop the rot” in military housing.

    Defence Secretary John Healey visits military housing

    • New Consumer Charter for families in military homes, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.
    • Measures will include higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs, renovation of the worst homes, and a named housing officer for every family – all in place before the one-year anniversary of 36,000 military homes being brought back into public ownership.
    • Pledge comes alongside the announcement of an independent, expert team appointed to help deliver a rapid Defence Housing Strategy – with work already underway.

    The Charter will be part of a new Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, which will set out further plans to improve the standard of service family homes across the country.

    Under the Charter, basic consumer rights, from essential property information and predictable property standards, to access to a robust complaints system, will be rapidly introduced. These will be underpinned by new, published satisfaction figures, putting forces families front and centre.

    The wider Defence Housing Strategy – overseen by the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns – will also turbocharge the development of surplus military land, creating opportunities for Armed Forces homeownership. It will further support the delivery of affordable homes for families across Britain as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    It follows the Government’s landmark deal, completed in January, to bring back 36,000 military homes into public ownership, reversing a 1996 sale described by the Public Accounts Committee as “disastrous”, and saving the taxpayer £600,000 per day by eliminating rental payments to a private company.

    The announcement follows the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to deliver “homes for heroes” and means that under this government, support will be there for veterans at risk of homelessness. This included removing local connection tests for veterans seeking social housing, meaning as of November, veterans will have access to the housing support they need.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

    Our Armed Forces serve with extraordinary dedication and courage to keep us safe. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.

    For too long, military families have endured substandard housing without the basic consumer rights that any of us should expect in our homes. That must end and our new Consumer Charter will begin to stop the rot and put families at the heart of that transformation.

    We cannot turn around years of failure on forces housing overnight, but by bringing 36,000 military homes back into public ownership, we’ve already taken greater control and are working at pace to drive up standards. This is about providing homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation, and I’m determined to deliver the decent, affordable housing that our forces families have every right to expect.

    The new Consumer Charter will include the following commitments: 

    • A strengthened move-in standard so families can have confidence that the home they are moving into will be ready on time and will be clean and functional.

    • Improved, clearer information for families ahead of a move, including photographs and floor plans of all homes when a family applies for housing.

    • More reliable repairs, including an undertaking to complete urgent repairs within a set timeline consistent with Awaab’s Law, and a new online portal for service personnel to manage repairs.

    • Raising the minimum standard of forces family housing with a new programme of works targeted at the worst homes, with up to 1,000 refurbished as a downpayment on the broader programme of renewal to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy.

    • Better and clearer communication for families, including a named housing officer for every service family who they can contact for specific housing related queries.

    • A new, simpler complaints process that will shorten the process to two stages in line with industry best practice, so that service personnel and families have a quicker resolution, backed up by the new Armed Forces Commissioner.

    • Modernising policies to allow more freedom for families to make improvements, giving them a greater sense of pride in their homes.

    These improvements will be in place by the one-year anniversary of the announcement to buy back military homes last December, with final detail to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy following consultation with military personnel and their families.

    Many of the commitments in the Charter will be achieved by driving better performance – and better value for the taxpayer – from existing suppliers of maintenance and support for service family housing.

    The new standards will be underpinned by new published customer satisfaction measures and enhanced accountability so families can have confidence in the improvements being made. This will sit alongside an independently conducted stock survey, as recommended by the Kerslake review of military housing which was published last year.

    The Defence Housing Strategy will be driven by an independent review team whose members have been announced today, and which will be chaired by former Member of Parliament and housing expert Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, drawing on expertise from industry and forces families.

    In the meantime, the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People have instructed the MOD to immediately plan improvements for the new Consumer Charter, as part of a short-term action plan to enhance the family homes after years of neglect.

    Natalie Elphicke Ross, Chair of the Defence Housing Strategy Review said:

    Our pride in our armed forces must include pride in our military homes. Delivering better housing, boosting home ownership opportunities for service personnel and improving the experiences of service families will be at the heart of our work.

    David Brewer, Chief Operating Officer of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:

    We are dedicated to making changes that will bring real improvements to the lives of families living in military homes and the plans set out in the new charter are an important step towards doing this.

    The advisory team, announced today, brings together an exceptional group of individuals, who through their expertise and experience will help ensure our housing strategy maximises benefits, not just to families living in military homes, but to communities and industry more widely.

    Antony Cotton MBE said:

    Our Armed Forces community are the backbone of our society, so improving the standard of service family housing is essential if we are to continue to retain and recruit the soldiers, sailors and aviators that protect us selflessly, every day. I welcome this consumer charter as a starting point to give our military families an improved service, and homes they deserve.

    Background

    The members appointed to the Defence Housing Strategy review team are: 

    • Chair, Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, Director and Head of Housing at The Housing & Finance Institute. Previously Natalie chaired the New Homes Quality Board on standards and redress for customers of new build homes, co-chaired the Elphicke-House Report 2015 on the role of local authorities in housing supply and served as an expert adviser on the development of the national strategy for estate regeneration. A former law firm partner specialising in housing finance, Natalie’s experience includes advising central and local governments, lenders, developers and housing associations on financing, structuring and delivering homes across all tenures.

    • Bill Yardley, Chair of McCarthy Stone Shared Ownership Limited. Bill serves as Chair of a regulated residential development company and is a Non- Executive Director at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, in the Houses of Parliament and at the Surrey Property Group Limited. He has previously worked at board level in the public and private sectors in residential development, regulated housing, property investment, education and the NHS and has been a public member of Network Rail and chaired a charity. Bill has also served as a Crown Representative and on the Government Construction Board.

    • Cat Calder, Housing Specialist, Army Families Federation. Cat is a housing professional with over 13 years of experience advocating for improved living conditions for families in military accommodation. She has held key positions within the Army Families Federation and has direct experience of military housing, having previously lived in service family accommodation for a number of years.

    • Nigel Holland, former Divisional Chair, Taylor Wimpey and Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group. Formerly a Divisional Chair of Taylor Wimpey, one of the UK’s largest residential developers. Nigel is also a Non-Executive Director of The Riverside Group, a major provider of affordable housing, care and support services in England and Scotland, with more than 75,000 homes in management. He has a wealth of experience in the homebuilding industry, leading large-scale developments in the UK and overseas. 

    • Alex Notay, Chair and Commissioner, Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Alexandra is an internationally recognised expert on housing, placemaking and ESG. She has 20 years’ strategic advisory and investment experience across four continents and in August 2024 took over as Chair of the Radix Big Tent Housing Commission. Until July 2024 she was Placemaking and Investment Director at Thriving Investments, the fund and asset management arm of Places for People Group, overseeing a UK-wide residential strategy.

    • James Hall, Housing and Land, Greater London Authority. James has over a decade’s experience in housing and development, working with the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He worked extensively on strategy, policy and communications in Westminster and Whitehall, and most recently worked at the Greater London Authority on housing policy and delivery.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Over 5,000 runners take part in maiden soldierathon at Army Hospital (R&R) in a fitting tribute to brave soldiers

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 22 APR 2025 11:21AM by PIB Delhi

    Over 5,000 runners came together at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi on April 20, 2025 for the first edition of soldierathon ‘Run for Soldiers and Run with Soldiers’ – a fitting tribute to the brave heroes of the Armed Forces. Jointly organised by Army Hospital (R&R) and Fitistan – Ek Fit Bharat, the event brought together veterans, soldiers, civilians, students and fitness enthusiasts in a celebration of unity and national pride.

    The Soldierathon featured three race categories – 10 km timed run, 5 km fun run, and a 3 km walk – all designed to encourage mass participation and inclusivity. Runners shared the track with Indian soldiers, drawing inspiration from their discipline, determination, and spirit of service.

    The event was officially flagged-off by Governor of Mizoram General (Dr) VK Singh (Retd) along with the Chief of the Naval Staff; Vice Chief of the Army Staff; Director General Armed Forces Medical Services; General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area; DGMS (Navy); DGMS (Air) and Commandant, Army Hospital (R&R) amidst an atmosphere filled with patriotic fervour and emotional tributes.

    The event served a larger purpose – raising funds to support the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre in Kirkee, Pune, which provides specialised care, therapy, and support for soldiers injured in the line of duty. The overwhelming response reinforced the shared commitment to give back to those who are selflessly serving the nation.

    *****

    SR/Savvy

    (Release ID: 2123362) Visitor Counter : 5

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The European Main Battle Tank Development (FMBTech) project has been launched to develop the technologies behind the tank of the future

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: The European Main Battle Tank Development (FMBTech) project has been launched to develop the technologies behind the tank of the future

    The Technologies for Existing and Future Main Battle Tanks (FMBTech) project has been officially launched. This European project aims to revolutionise Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) for modern hybrid warfare. Coordinated by Thales, the initiative brings together a consortium of 26 companies from 13 European Union (EU) Member States and Norway.

    Funded by the European Commission under the European Defence Fund (EDF, 2023 edition) and the consortium, this three-year initiative will develop modular and adaptable solutions to ensure readiness for diverse and complex battlefields. By using innovative technology bricks, the project aims to build a future of agile, intelligent, and cooperative MBTs to address the limitations of aging fleets in the EU and Norway.

    FMBTech positions the EU at the forefront of advanced, cutting-edge defence technologies, reinforcing military innovation and collaboration within European defence. The project will enhance the effectiveness, safety, and cost-efficiency of both existing and future MBTs, ensuring they remain pivotal assets on the battlefield while bridging the gap to emerging 5th-generation capabilities.

    About FMBTech

    A European Consortium with 26 participating entities, FMBTech features 8 SMEs and 7 RTOs from 13 EU Member States and Norway.

    The FMBTech project was selected by the European Commission for funding under the European Defence Fund (EDF) in 2023. The project has been allocated a total budget of €19 million.

    The EDF is the Commission’s instrument for supporting research and development actions in the defence sector. Its main objectives are to foster cooperation between companies, including SMEs, and Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) throughout the Union, to promote the development of defence capabilities through investment, and to help EU companies develop advanced and interoperable defence technologies and equipment.

    The partners are:

    THALES SIX GTS FRANCE SAS France

    ARQUUS France

    C&V CONSULTING Belgium

    CY4GATE SPA Italy

    ENVIRONICS OY Finland

    EIGHT BELLS HELLAS I.K.E Greece

    GMV AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE SA Spain

    GUARDIARIS RACUNALNISKE APLIKACIJE IN SIMULACIJE D.O.O Slovenia

    HENSOLDT FRANCE SAS France

    ISD AEROSPACE LIMITED Ireland

    MBDA FRANCE France

    MSM LAND SYSTEMS S.R.O Slovakia

    KNDS France

    OŚRODEK BADAWCZO-ROZWOJOWY URZĄDZEŃ MECHANICZNYCH OBRUM SP. Z O.O. Poland

    POLITECNICO DI MILANO Italy

    SAFRAN ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE France

    SAVOX COMMUNICATIONS OY Finland

    SCERTAS GMBH Germany

    SKYLD SECURITY AND DEFENCE LIMITED Cyprus

    SOPRA STERIA AS Norway

    TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY Finland

    THALES ITALIA SPA Italy

    VETRONICS RESEARCH CENTRE EU LTD Cyprus

    VOJENSKÝ VÝZKUMNÝ ÚSTAV SP Czech Republic

    WOJSKOWA AKADEMIA TECHNICZNA IM. JAROSLAWA DABROWSKIEGO Poland

    WOJSKOWY INSTYTUT TECHNIKI PANCERNEJ I SAMOCHODOWEJ Poland

    About Thales

    Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.

    The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.

    Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Know and Remember: The Victory Museum Invites You to Spend a Special Weekend

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Combine active and educational recreation for the whole family, learn a lot of new and interesting things about the past and present of the country, instill in children love and respect for their native land and introduce them to the history of Victory – all this can be done on the weekend. The Victory Museum has prepared a rich program of events for guests of all ages. With the support of the Moscow Government, it opens the third season of the Victory Park. The Main Patriotic project. Every weekend, cultural and educational events aimed at patriotic education and preserving historical memory will be held in Victory Park on Poklonnaya Gora. Guests will enjoy a large-scale quest “Forward to Victory” with interesting tasks, prizes and gifts, musical performances, excursions, master classes and original photo zones.

    The project will start on April 26 and 27 and will end on October 12. All events are free. You can join them on weekends from 11:00 to 19:00. Information about the program of the days will be updated weekly on the project page “Victory Park. The main patriotic”.

    New, unforgettable, eternal

    This year, more than 80 sites with various events for visitors will open on the territory of the memorial complex on Poklonnaya Gora. They will be recognizable by the stationary pavilions with the project name – “Victory Park. The Main Patriotic”.

    Muscovites and guests of the capital are in for a large-scale quest “Forward to Victory”. For the first time, the game for the whole family will take place along six unique routes throughout the Victory Park. Participants will receive “Red Army books” in which they will have to enter information about the completion of each of the 20 tasks and collect star stamps. Players will receive memorable prizes: a coin dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory, a Red Army soldier’s cap, a ticket to the Victory Museum, a certificate for visiting its unique exhibition “Battle for Moscow. The First Victory!”

    The G.O.R.A. Museum will be one of the venues for the project’s events for the first time. There are nine thematic areas, five interactive points and more than 400 examples of military equipment on display. Participants of the quest, upon presenting a “Red Army book”, will be able to visit the museum’s exposition for free and immerse themselves in the historical atmosphere of the 1940s.

    Free bus and walking tours are planned for the Victory Park memorial complex. A guided bus will depart from the Park Pobedy metro station at 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 and 18:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Walking tours will start from the Park Pobedy metro station, from Partizan Alley from the Minskaya metro station, and from the main building Victory Museum.

    A field kitchen will open at the Frontline Agitation Team and Masters Square sites. Free lunches will be served to those guests who actively participated in the quest and other project events.

    What have you prepared for the coming weekend?

    On April 26 and 27, visitors to Victory Park will be able to attend demonstration races at the DOSAAF Moscow karting club, in the pneumatic shooting range, and at the training ground for the standards of the All-Russian physical culture and sports complex “Ready for Labor and Defense.”

    At the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps site, you can learn first aid, basic fire safety rules, water and tourist rescue skills, and how to use rescue tools.

    During these days, the creative teams of the State Budgetary Cultural Institution Mosconcert, radio Gordost, children’s ensembles Domisolka and Neposedy, the musical theater Na Poklonke and others will perform at the Frontline Agitation Team site.

    At the Park Pobedy metro station and on the circular alley near the Victory Monument, original master classes will be organized: “Living History”, “What a Soldier Has in His Duffel Bag”, “Letter to the Defender of the Fatherland”, and a game library with board games will be opened. In addition, near the Park Pobedy metro station, everyone will be greeted by a photo zone with a retro car from the 1940s and reenactors in uniforms from those years.

    Park visitors will be able to try their hand at the Young Fighter Course, master orientation skills and pitch an army tent at the Zarnitsa site, and make a commemorative coin at the Masters Square. Soldier Alley will teach you how to play gorodki and organize chess tournaments.

    The project “Victory Park. The Main Patriotic” has already won the hearts of city residents and tourists.

    Last season, its events were visited by about 700 thousand people, of whom more than 100 thousand joined the historical quest. In total, over 130 thousand prizes were awarded to the project participants in 2024. More than 26 thousand people visited the free walking and bus tours of the Victory Museum around the memorial complex on Poklonnaya Gora. Together with the guides, they saw its numerous monuments: the tallest Victory monument in Russia, the sculptural compositions “Tragedy of the Nations”, “We were together in the fight against fascism”. The excursionists also learned about the history of the complex. In total, within the framework of the program “Victory Park. The main patriotic” more than 130 creative programs were held, two thousand artists performed. Everyone could take part in sports competitions, over 100 different competitions were held in the park over the course of six months – game tournaments in gorodki, chess, master classes in parachuting and many others.

    An extensive program of festive events has been prepared in Moscow for the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. You can find out more details by link.

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152934073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Active Citizens” are invited to take part in the Victory Day quiz

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    On the eve of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Active Citizen project invites Muscovites to take part in new quiz, dedicated to the heroic pages in the history of the country.

    Participants will have to answer eight questions. Each will have five possible answers and only one will be correct. “Active Citizens” will be able to learn details about the exhibits of the Museum of the Defense of Moscow, which preserve the memory of the courage of their owners and the feat of the entire Soviet people. For example, the exhibition will feature the personal belongings of a Red Army servicewoman who received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In one of the questions, city residents will have to recall her military specialty. In addition, they will need to choose the correct name of a famous military vehicle and one of the symbols of a large-scale battle of the Great Patriotic War – the Battle of Moscow.

    By answering questions, Muscovites will learn interesting facts about places and buildings on the map of the capital that have become an integral part of the history of the war. Today, these objects can be found on Mokhovaya Street, Kaloshin Lane, and other places.

    The “Big Quiz” was prepared jointly with the capital Department of Culture.

    New quiz releases are published on the project website “Active Citizen” every two weeks. By participating in them, Muscovites get acquainted with the history of the city, significant events, achievements and interesting places of the capital. For example, in the issue about Southern and Northern river terminals The townspeople will learn what secrets and symbols they hold.

    Users of the project with a full or standard account on the mos.ru portal can join the quizzes. For correct answers, participants are awarded points of the city loyalty program “A Million Prizes”. They can be used to receive goods and services from partner organizations of the program, discounts in cafes and restaurants, as well as to top up the Troika transport card and parking account in the Parking of Russia application. In addition, points can be donated to charity.

    Project “Active Citizen” has been operating since 2014. During this time, more than seven million people have joined it, and over seven thousand votes have been held. Every month, the city implements 30 to 40 decisions made by Muscovites. The project is being developed by the State Institution “New Management Technologies” and the Moscow Department of Information Technology.

    The creation, development and operation of the e-government infrastructure, including the provision of mass socially significant services, as well as other services in electronic form, correspond to the objectives of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State” and the regional project of the city of Moscow “Digital Public Administration”.

    Sobyanin: This year, we will install another 240 historical markers for Victory Day

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/152507073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Siili Solutions Plc, Business review, 1 January–31 March 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Q1 2025 FOR SIILI: Siili continued AI strategy implementation and actions for profitability improvements, revenue at the previous year’s level

    Siili Solutions Plc Stock Exchange Release 22 April 2025 at 9:30 am EEST

    January-March 2025

    • We completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Intergrations Group Oy
    • We launched an Advisory service to accelerate our clients’ digital business and use of artificial intelligence
    • We adjusted our competence profile to match our strategy and the current market situation
    • The revenue for the first quarter was EUR 29.9 (29.8) million, representing increase of 0.3% year on year. Organically, revenue decreased by 1.6% from the comparison period.
    • Adjusted EBITA for the first quarter was EUR 1.3 (1.6) million, which corresponds to 4.2% (5.3%) of revenue
    EUR million Q1/2025 Q1/2024
    Revenue 29.9 29.8
    Revenue growth, % 0.3% -11.3%
    Organic revenue growth, % -1.6% -11.3%
    Share of international revenue, % 27.1% 27.7%
    Adjusted EBITA 1.3 1.6
    Adjusted EBITA, % of revenue 4.2% 5.3%
    EBITA 1.2 1.4
    EBIT 0.9 1.1
    Earnings per share, EUR 0.05 0.07
    Number of employees at the end of the period 957 973
    Average number of employees during the period 950 990
    Total full-time employees and subcontractors (FTE)
    at the end of the period    		 1,075 1,087

    Outlook of 2025

    Revenue for 2025 is expected to be EUR 108-130 million and adjusted EBITA EUR 4.7-7.7 million.

    CEO Tomi Pienimäki:

    The first quarter of this year was challenging for Siili as the sluggish market conditions prevailed, and we took concrete steps to improve the profitability of our operations. However, many positive developments also occurred during the initial months of the year while we focused with determination on the implementation of our strategy.

    The Group’s revenue in January-March amounted to just under EUR 30 million, broadly at the previous year’s level. Adjusted EBITA for the first quarter amounted to EUR 1.3 million, 4.2% of revenue. Profitability came in slightly weaker than last year, in line with our expectations. However, when comparing to the previous year’s result, it is worth noting that the adjusted EBITA for the comparison period was improved by the temporary layoffs implemented during Q1 2024.

    During the initial months of the year, we have seen encouraging developments in the market, with our customers moving from testing artificial intelligence to firm transition programmes. In March, we launched a new Advisory service to accelerate our customers’ digital business and adoption of AI.

    An example of how we support our customers on their AI journey is an AI-assisted training programme we delivered for Alma Media at the beginning of the year. It is a tailored solution that helps Alma Media to integrate AI seamlessly into its operations and culture.

    Siili also worked with Varma to modernise a key system. The objective of the modernisation was to simplify the maintenance of the system and improve its scalability and development potential, ensuring it continues to meet Varma’s business needs reliably into the future. The work was carried out in stages and in close cooperation with the client, ensuring the continuous operability of the system.

    During the opening months of the year, we have also built new cooperation networks that allow extensive utilisation of Siii’s expertise. In March, Siili was accepted as a member in the Digital Defence Ecosystem, which brings together Finland’s leading technology companies to support national defence capabilities and the security of supply. Siili also became an NVIDIA partner earlier this year as part of the NVIDIA Partner Network (NPN), which significantly supports us in bringing scalable, production-ready AI solutions to our customers.

    In February–March, we adjusted our competence profile to align with the strategy we released last year, and current market conditions. Following change negotiations started in February, we will reduce 25 roles from Siili Finland’s functions and 8 from Siili Auto Finland. Actions affecting personnel are always difficult for the organisation, but we believe these adjustments will strengthen Siili’s competitiveness and profitability. With these measures, we estimate that we will achieve a total of 2.2 million euros in annual cost savings.

    To strengthen Siili’s competence profile, we concluded the acquisition of a majority stake in Integrations Group Oy at the beginning of the year. Integrations Group is now part of Siili, and the collaboration has started strongly. We continue to strengthen our competence profile in line with the strategy also through recruitment and human resources development.

    I want to thank all our customers and partners for the past few months, but above all, I extend my thanks to the Siili team for their commitment and outstanding work during the quarter.

    —

    This is not an interim report under IAS 34. The company complies with the half-yearly reporting requirements of the Securities Markets Act and publishes business reviews for the first three and nine months of the year, which present key information on the company’s financial performance. The financial information presented in this business review is unaudited.

    FURTHER INFORMATION:
    CEO Tomi Pienimäki
    Tel: +358 40 834 1399, email: tomi.pienimaki(at)siili.com
    CFO Aleksi Kankainen
    Tel: +358 40 534 2709, email: aleksi.kankainen(at)siili.com

    DISTRIBUTION:
    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Main media
    www.siili.com/en

    SIILI SOLUTIONS IN BRIEF:
    Siili Solutions Plc is a forerunner in AI-powered digital development. Siili is the go-to partner for clients seeking growth, efficiency and competitive advantage through digital transformation. Our main markets are Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Siili Solutions Plc’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange. Siili has grown profitably since its founding in 2005. www.siili.com/en

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Indonesia hold ministerial talks

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China and Indonesia pledged shared efforts to ensure the peace and stability of the South China Sea, expand security cooperation and uphold the multilateral trading system during their first joint meeting of foreign and defense ministers, also known as the “2+2” dialogue, in Beijing on Monday.

    The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Defense Minister Dong Jun with Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

    The dialogue mechanism between Beijing and Jakarta is the first of its kind that China has established with a foreign country.

    The two sides agreed to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea and set an example in maritime cooperation, Wang told a news conference after the meeting, adding that the coast guard agencies of both countries signed a maritime security cooperation agreement.

    Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and to accelerating consultations on a Code of Conduct.

    Wang stressed that as each other’s major trading partners, the two countries should remain committed to opposing any kind of unilateralism or trade protectionism.

    “We believe that abusing tariffs will seriously undermine the normal trade exchanges between countries, and we pledged to jointly promote regional economic integration, ensure stable and smooth supply and industrial chains and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South,” Wang said.

    In terms of security cooperation, he said that Beijing and Jakarta agreed to establish a bilateral consultation mechanism on disarmament, nonproliferation and arms control.

    They also agreed to enhance law enforcement and security cooperation and jointly combat transnational crimes, such as transnational gambling and online and telecommunication fraud, and strengthen cybersecurity cooperation, Wang noted.

    Speaking of defense cooperation, Dong called on the two sides to have more substantive cooperation in areas including strategic communication, exchanges between services, equipment and technology, and maritime security.

    Calling the meeting a milestone in bilateral ties, Sugiono said that Indonesia is willing to work with China to further consolidate political mutual trust, enhance exchanges at all levels, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and strengthen communication and coordination under multilateral frameworks such as ASEAN-China cooperation.

    Indonesia firmly upholds the one-China policy and opposes any foreign intervention in China’s domestic affairs, he added.

    Sjamsoeddin said that Indonesia is committed to enhancing strategic trust with China through transparent and equitable defense cooperation.

    Indonesia is the largest economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while China has been Indonesia’s largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years.

    In 2024, bilateral trade exceeded $147.8 billion, marking a year-on-year increase of 6.1 percent, according to Wang Lutong, Chinese ambassador to Indonesia.

    Xu Liping, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Center for Southeast Asian Studies, said that the establishment of the joint foreign and defense ministerial dialogue will help expand China’s neighborhood diplomacy.

    The mechanism places greater emphasis on deepening China-Indonesia comprehensive strategic partnership and translating it into concrete actions, Xu said.

    During President Xi Jinping’s Southeast Asian tour last week, China and Malaysia, and China and Cambodia agreed respectively to establish joint foreign and defense dialogue mechanisms, while the strategic dialogue mechanism of diplomacy, national defense and public security was upgraded to the ministerial level with Vietnam.

    Such arrangements show that strategic security dialogues and cooperation with neighboring countries have become increasingly institutionalized and mature, Xu said, adding that this brings greater stability and predictability to regional peace and prosperity.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What would Australia be willing to go to war over? This needs to be made clear in our defence strategy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Carr, Associate Professor, Strategy and Australian Defence Policy, Australian National University

    In 2024, the National Defence Strategy made deterrence Australia’s “primary strategic defence objective”.

    With writing now underway for the 2026 National Defence Strategy, can Australia actually deter threats to the nation?

    Traditionally, our defence strategy only asked that our military capabilities “command respect”. In today’s world, however, Australia needs a far more active military posture to defend itself.

    To effectively deter an adversary, Australia needs the equipment, signals and processes to convince a potentially hostile nation to reconsider the cost of militarily threatening us.

    A deterrence strategy promises to reduce the likelihood of conflict. It reduces the opportunities for an adversary to score “cheap” wins by communicating how we could “deny” their main goal and potentially “punish” them for their aggression.

    It forces an adversary to make a choice: back down or risk failing at your objective and starting a more significant confrontation.

    While we don’t know exactly how a future adversary might react, Australia must do more to make our intent clear on how we would respond to a provocation.

    We are part of an international team researching the ways to do this. This is what we think is needed in the next National Defence Strategy.

    What deterrence looks like

    Creating a credible deterrence posture is not easy. The 2024 defence strategy lists a wide variety of actions that could change an adversary’s risk assessment.

    Some of these things are specific (surveilling and protecting Australia’s sea lanes of communication). Others are vague and loosely connected to deterrence (supporting the global rules-based order).

    To make sure our deterrence message is as clear and effective as possible, the 2026 strategy will need a much tighter policy framework around where Australia would have the power to deter an adversary, and how we would do so.

    It will also need to detail the specific defence preparations Australia has undertaken to credibly deter threats.

    Vagueness in language or generalities in proposed actions will not cut it.

    What history can teach us

    The scholarly literature on how to implement an effective deterrence is largely drawn from Cold War history.

    Many times, the US and USSR made deliberate efforts to send deterrence signals to the other side. They did this by acquiring new capabilities (such as longer-range missiles) and expanding their nuclear stockpiles, or by conducting military exercises and deploying forces around the world. These messages, however, were often misunderstood.

    Sometimes, these signals – such as US President John F. Kennedy’s reinforcement of West Berlin with an additional battalion during the Berlin Crisis of 1961 – made political sense, but less so militarily.

    One way for Australia to approach this deterrence question is considering the adversary’s theory of victory – how they seek to achieve their goal – and then identifying ways to explicitly and publicly show we can disrupt it.

    For example, after winning the 1982 Falkland Islands War against Argentina, Britain invested significant resources into the Mount Pleasant Air Base on the islands. They are now home to up to 2,000 personnel, enabling significant and rapid reinforcements in the event of future hostilities.

    The use of ‘trip wires’

    Australia is now acquiring significant new strike capabilities. However, even if we increase our defence spending beyond the 3% of GDP currently being discussed, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will not be able to defend everything across the entire region and the waters around us.

    We will need to find low-cost defensive actions.

    Deterring an adversary from attempting a “cheap win” against Australia, for instance, might require the “forward presence” of Australian troops far from our own shores. Even if they would not be able to defend against an attack on their own, they could serve as a “trip wire” force. This means if they were attacked, it would likely compel Australia to go to war.

    So, let’s say Australia has a “forward presence” of troops stationed in the Cocos Islands, Papua New Guinea or even the Philippines. This signals a credible commitment to use those forces to protect ourselves and our regional partners against a threat. And should these soldiers be killed, it would likely generate public anger and a political insistence on a significant response.

    While a lot of contemporary military thinking is about how to put robots and drones in harm’s way instead of our fellow citizens, some tasks, such as a “forward presence” deterrence, can likely only be done by humans.

    We need to be clear about red lines

    All of this means that deterrence is not just about a country’s capabilities – going to war is ultimately about politics, and human emotion.

    As such, credibility also depends on practical rituals – such as Britain holding Cabinet meetings in the Falklands and NATO hosting flag parades in the Baltics. These convey a belief over what matters enough to go to war.

    For Australian deterrence to be more credible, the next iteration of the National Defence Strategy will have to be more explicit than its predecessor in spelling out what Australia would be willing to go to war over.

    If our government cannot address this now, how are we going to communicate this to an adversary – and convince them of it – in a crisis?

    The government is understandably reluctant to be specific about the commitments and threats it is willing and able to make in a public document, or to acknowledge the limits to Australia’s abilities.

    But deterring without communicating is a contradiction in terms. We need to be explicit about what would cause Australia to resist or retaliate, even at the cost of war, in order to credibly deter an adversary from taking such an action.
    This must be at the core of how the 2026 National Defence Strategy approaches deterrence as Australia’s “primary defence objective”.

    This piece is part of a series on the future of defence in Australia. Read the other stories here.

    Andrew Carr receives funding from the Department of Defence on a research project on ‘Pathways of Deterrence’.

    Stephan Fruehling receives funding from the Department of Defence on a research project on ‘Pathways of Deterrence’.

    – ref. What would Australia be willing to go to war over? This needs to be made clear in our defence strategy – https://theconversation.com/what-would-australia-be-willing-to-go-to-war-over-this-needs-to-be-made-clear-in-our-defence-strategy-253246

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –