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  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Slams Trump Administration For Eliminating AmeriCorps Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    May 06, 2025
    In his remarks, Durbin emphasized the impact of eliminating the funding for AmeriCorps programs that help provide health care, education for children, and support after natural disasters
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor admonishing the Trump Administration’s decision to cruelly eliminate funding forAmeriCorps, a widely-supported program that has strengthened American communities for more than three decades.
    “From rebuilding homes, to providing rural health care, tutoring kids after school, cleaning up after natural disasters, AmeriCorps supports our most under-resourced communities.  My Republican colleagues represent communities that benefit from AmeriCorps, whose members serve in their states.  For decades, AmeriCorps has had bipartisan support, which it deserves,” Durbin said.
    “But last week, unfortunately, the Trump Administration pulled the rug out from under these community organizations by eliminating their funding,” Durbin said.
    Durbin continued on, speaking about the direct impact that eliminating AmeriCorps funding has had on Illinois, including the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House in East St. Louis, Illinois, which Durbinvisited last month.
    “Organizations like Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House in East St. Louis, Illinois, my hometown, provides meals to members of all ages of the East St. Louis community.  They were left scrambling after the President’s announcement eliminating AmeriCorps [funding],” Durbin said.  “The East St. Louis community is located in a food desert, which means members like Ayshia, who takes care of her grandfather, have come to rely on the center’s food pantry for healthy options.”
    “Last month, eight dedicated AmeriCorps members worked in the center’s café to offer a safe place for the community to eat a hot meal.  Today, because of Trump’s cuts, the tables are empty,”Durbin said.
    “Camille, who is Lessie Bates Davis’ Program Director for AmeriCorps, shared that she has 120 days to close out the program.  After that, even she will be left without a job,” Durbin continued.
    Durbin also pointed to the Boys and Girls Club in Livingston, Illinois, where a constituent has said that, despite being unpaid because of the funding cuts, he will continue to serve his community.
    “Take Lukas, an AmeriCorps volunteer who has worked at the Boys and Girls Club in Livingston, Illinois, providing students with a safe place to learn and to play after school.  He won’t get paid because of the Trump cuts, but he plans to continue to volunteer unpaid,” Durbin said.
    Durbin concluded his remarks by calling on his Republican colleagues to stand up for AmeriCorps, a program that has enriched the communities they represent.
    “I urge my Republican colleagues to fight against this Administration’s senseless attempts to eliminate such small amounts of funding that have such incredible, positive impact in their communities as well as my own.  Don’t sit by in silence,” Durbin concluded.
    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Leads MOMS Act to Support Culture of Life, Empower Women and Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pro-life members of Congress like U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) have long recognized the importance of providing strong support for pregnant mothers. To honor moms across the country ahead of Mother’s Day, Cramer joined U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) in introducing their More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act. The bill provides resources and support for women in the earliest stages of motherhood, including prenatal, postpartum, and early childhood.
    Notably, the MOMS Act includes Cramer’s Unborn Child Support Act which supports expectant mothers and their unborn children by giving them the option to receive child support from the father during pregnancy. It also authorizes the creation of Pregnancy.gov, a federal clearinghouse with information about adoption agencies, pregnancy resource centers, and a national list of federal funding opportunities for non-profits and healthcare entities. The MOMS Act establishes a grant program to support women in carrying their pregnancies to term and care for their newborn babies. It also creates a grant program to expand access to pre- and post-natal telehealth appointments in rural and medically underserved areas. 
    Cramer is a strong supporter of life, co-chairing the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. Earlier this year, he received an A+ rating from Susan B. Anthony List for voting “consistently to defend the lives of the unborn and infants.”  
    “Supporting moms throughout motherhood is essential to fostering a culture of life, and we want moms empowered and supported,” said Cramer. “The MOMS Act will help provide them with the resources they need in the early stages of motherhood, and help them gain access to the child support payments they may need.”
    “The Republican Party is the party of life, the party of parents, and the party of families,” said Britt. “At the heart of the MOMS Act is building a comprehensive culture of life to give moms, children, and families the support system they need to thrive and live their American Dream. As a mom myself, I don’t have to wonder what other moms are facing – I’m living it. I know firsthand that there is no greater blessing in life than our children and I also understand the types of challenges that women face during their pregnancy journeys and while raising their kids. I’m proud to support women throughout these seasons of motherhood, and the MOMS Act is part of my continued commitment to fight on their behalf.”
    “Being pro-life and pro-family means valuing not only the life of the child but doing everything we can to support moms throughout pregnancy and beyond,” said Schmitt. “I’m glad to introduce this bill to help ensure moms have the resources they need and help set families on the path to achieving the American dream.”
    Cosponsors of the MOMS Act include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
    Bill text can be found here, and a section-by-section of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Cut Taxes on Overtime, Deliver on Key Trump Campaign Promise

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Overtime Wages Tax Relief Act, which would provide much needed relief for overtime wage workers. This bill would create a tax deduction for overtime wages up to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples—targeting middle-income Americans. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the bill’s introduction. 
    “President Trump campaigned and won on a promise to cut taxes for millions of Americans working overtime—and we are delivering on that promise,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Thousands of Alabamians put in way more than 40 hours a week in order to save for retirement, put their kids through college, and keep the trains running. They should not be punished with higher taxes for working longer hours. Alabama was the first state to pass overtime tax exemptions, and I am hopeful that the federal government will follow suit. I’m proud to join Senators Marshall, Ricketts, and Justice in helping deliver on this critical piece of President Trump’s agenda, which will put American workers first.”
    “President Trump promised relief for millions of hardworking Americans, and we’re proud to help deliver on that with the Overtime Wages Tax Relief Act,” said Sen. Marshall. “Our legislation ensures Kansans keep more of their hard-earned wages and codifies a key pillar of President Trump’s pro-worker agenda as we work to pass our ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ It’s time to put American workers first again, and I’m proud to work with Senators Tuberville, Ricketts, and Justice to ensure we do just that.”  
    Joining Sens. Tuberville and Marshall in introducing the legislation are Sens. Jim Justice (R-WV) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE).
    Read full text of the legislation here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Specifically, the Overtime Wages Tax Relief Act would:
    Introduce a tax deduction for overtime wages – up to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples,
    Include phase-out eligibility based on income:
    The deduction begins to phase out when income reaches $100,000 for individuals or $200,000 for married couples,
    The deduction is reduced by $50 for every $1,000 in income above the threshold, similar to the Child Tax Credit,

    Define overtime to include a wide range of workers such as law enforcement officers, nurses, trade workers, factory employees, and other eligible professions, and
    Require employers to report overtime earnings to ensure transparency and accuracy in claiming the deduction.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, VA Secretary Doug Collins Discuss Streamlining Processes to Improve Outcomes for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing with President Trump’s Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), Doug Collins. Sen. Tuberville and Secretary Collins discussed the importance of the VA improving its processes to ensure veterans get the best possible care.
    Read excerpts from the hearing below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Secretary Collins, for being here. And thanks to the veterans that are here today, and I want to pass on the thanks from the 400,000 veterans in the state of Alabama. They have, for the first time, in just two months, have seen progress at a lot of the VAs in my state. We’ve seen a record number of disability claims processed, employees finally returned into work, and an end of the DEI programs like treatment for ‘gender dysphoria.’ You know, the days of business [as usual] as we all are noticing and hearing today are over. And finally, our veterans are being put first.
    And let’s talk about the budget a little bit, Mr. Secretary. Over the last ten years, the VA’s budget has more than doubled and the number of employees that the VA [employs] has increased more than 100,000, but the number of veterans in our country is declining and the VA enrollment has [not] changed. The VA has become a bloated bureaucracy. I think most of us will agree with that. Secretary Collins, why has the VA budget become so bloated over the last ten years if the veteran population has remained stagnant?”
    COLLINS: “Senator, I appreciate the question because there’s also one other number that we’re leaving out there as well—that veteran population actually enrolled in the VA has stayed steady at 9.1 million. And again, we can try and talk about numbers all we want here, but it’s been 9.1 million steady for the last, you know, ten years we look at this. So, we’re also losing veterans as a total population. We’re also not gaining in the enrollment of the VA. What we tend to forget, and some people say, ‘well, we’ve had an increase in different programs’—we have, but we also lose about 400,000 veterans a year to death, you know, natural causes. So, I mean, it’s a priority of function. 
    So, what we’re looking at here is there’s been programs that have been increased, there’s been a mandatory spending increase, and there’s been the things that we look at. I think what we’re actually looking at here though is there’s been a decision that we want to—that it’s easier to just put money and people toward issues without looking at, is there any cost or is there any real world aspect of that? Is there a return on investment? I think that as you talk to veterans and I go out and talk to the veterans, one of the things that we’re having is that those amount of numbers in people aren’t equating into how we can actually function.
    I mean, I appreciate the Ranking Member’s service. I appreciate it—we just disagree on this that when we have doctors and nurses [and] other clinicians who are not actually, you know, being clinicians and not reading, you know, charts or doing anything else. They’re actually, you know, formulating policy or doing administrative work. When I have, you know, these many folks that need to be more in the clinics, then we’re not helping the veteran. That’s just something that’s not happening. When you’re taking time to process disability claims that went up, then also not having the proper, you know, computer, the AI technology to help us and do that, but also putting out the issues that are slowing up. 
    And then also we get in our own way. Because we’re such a bureaucratic organization, we have rules over rules over rules. I had a gentleman tell me just the other day—and this is, again, I’ve seen this before from my own daughter. He actually said that—he was a double amputee. He actually said, ‘I have to go to the VA if I need a new wheelchair, I have to go to my primary care, a PT, and an OT before I can get a seating clinic appointment.’ Explain to me why we’re having to go through that kind of mess to get straight to a seating clinic in which we know where they need to be to start with.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. I often hear a lot about the large amounts of paperwork and the administrative burden VA doctors are forced to navigate when seeing patients. This leads to VA doctors seeing less patients per day. Where do you see the opportunity to reduce all these administrative processes?”
    COLLINS: “I think there’s plenty of opportunities there. And again, this has nothing to do with employees, has nothing to do with money. Simply, are we doing it most efficiently in the process? I’ve made a statement to every hospital that I go to, every clinic that I go to, every veteran benefit office that I go to. Just say this, tell me […] if you have ten sheets of paper to get a veteran the services that they need or ten sheets of paper to do the next thing, can you do it with five? I mean, I’ll show you an example—to apply for benefits in our VBA, there’s a sheet on there […] that has a full listing of the veteran as far as just basic information about their military service. And this for older veterans could be a problem actually to go back and remember dates. If the veteran served, then we could use that with their name, their Social Security number […] or their ID number, using their DD214, we can gain all the records that we need to confirm that they’re a part. But yet, we’re making them go through this process of filling out a form that many of our veterans who may or may not have computer capabilities are having trouble with, so it makes it difficult.”
    TUBERVILLE: “I hear from my some of the supervisors in the VAs, and they say we use two coding systems, one hospital coding system that is very, very effective. And the other one is from the WHO, which is a useless piece of crap. This comes from them. Why do we use both of those?”
    COLLINS: “That’s something I’m looking at now, again, to try and streamline the issues that we have in our system so that we, again, it is interesting a lot of times we end up talking about processes and plans here and not talking about actual care and actually what the veteran experiences when they go in. Most of the veterans, I will tell you a lot of times they actually—when they get through the labyrinth and stuff to get there, they are happy with the service that they get. They’re glad that they’re getting the service and they appreciate that. […] But when we actually put restrictions on our employees and put restrictions on veterans getting in, it just makes it all the worst. Thank you.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Sends Urgent Letter to Transportation Secretary Duffy, Pushes for “All Necessary Steps” to Address Issues at Newark Airport, Including Directing Additional Staff and Resources to Restore Regular Operations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    NEWARK, N.J. – This afternoon, Senator Cory Booker sent a letter to United States Department of Transportation Secretary (USDOT) Sean Duffy regarding the ongoing operational challenges at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), including widespread flight delays and cancellations, reportedly outdated air traffic control systems, and chronic staffing shortages.
    Booker wrote: “Given the serious consequences for our nation’s aviation system, it is critical that the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) take all necessary steps to identify and address the underlying causes of the ongoing flight disruptions. I appreciate that the USDOT has already responded to this ongoing situation by identifying the importance of technology upgrades across the entire air traffic control system, and I am committed to supporting these efforts in Congress. 
    “However, I ask that you also immediately direct additional staff and resources in order to restore regular operations at EWR in the days ahead. This is of particular importance as the busy summer travel season approaches, which will put further pressure on EWR and the region’s airspace. Specifically, I request that you take additional steps to address the staffing shortages at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, which have contributed significantly to the repeated suspension and interruption of flight operations at EWR.”  
    Booker concludes: “These issues, along with the termination of thousands of employees that directly support the FAA’s day-to-day operations, are putting an additional strain on the FAA and our aviation system at a time when public safety has come under well-deserved scrutiny after recent accidents. Given the gravity of the problems impacting operations at EWR and the major inconveniences this has caused for people traveling through New Jersey, I am requesting a briefing to discuss the problems you’ve identified within the USDOT and the steps you are taking to alleviate these burdens.”
    A full copy of the May 6 letter can be found here and below:
    Dear Secretary Duffy:
    I write to express our serious concerns over the ongoing flight delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) that have stranded travelers, disrupted Americans’ lives, and negatively impacted our national economy over the past week. As you know, EWR is one of the busiest airports in the country and operates within the third busiest airspace—a major shutdown of service at EWR has an immediate ripple effect throughout the nation’s entire aviation system. 
    Given the serious consequences for our nation’s aviation system, it is critical that the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) take all necessary steps to identify and address the underlying causes of the ongoing flight disruptions. I appreciate that the USDOT has already responded to this ongoing situation by identifying the importance of technology upgrades across the entire air traffic control system, and I am committed to supporting these efforts in Congress. 
    However, I ask that you also immediately direct additional staff and resources in order to restore regular operations at EWR in the days ahead. This is of particular importance as the busy summer travel season approaches, which will put further pressure on EWR and the region’s airspace. Specifically, I request that you take additional steps to address the staffing shortages at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, which have contributed significantly to the repeated suspension and interruption of flight operations at EWR.  
    These issues, along with the termination of thousands of employees that directly support the FAA’s day-to-day operations, are putting an additional strain on the FAA and our aviation system at a time when public safety has come under well-deserved scrutiny after recent accidents. Given the gravity of the problems impacting operations at EWR and the major inconveniences this has caused for people traveling through New Jersey, I am are requesting a briefing to discuss the problems you’ve identified within the USDOT and the steps you are taking to alleviate these burdens.  
    I thank you in advance for your attention to Newark Liberty International Airport’s urgent needs to improve air traffic control staffing levels and invest in updated technologies that will keep our passengers and aviation workers safe. I look forward to working with you to make these improvements and ensure safety and reliability for the traveling public. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Best New Online Casinos: JACKBIT Voted #1 Online Casino for New Crypto Players

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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    How to Join JACKBIT

    Joining JACKBIT, one of the best new online casinos, is a quick and straightforward process, thanks to its streamlined, no-KYC registration. This makes it an ideal choice for players seeking an anonymous online casino. Follow these simple steps to get started:

    1. Visit JACKBIT’s official website using a secure browser.
    2. Locate and click the “Sign Up” or “Register” button in the top-right corner of the homepage.
    3. Provide minimal details, such as an email address, password, and preferred currency, to maintain anonymity.
    4. Choose a payment method from 17+ cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum) or fiat options (e.g., Visa, Google Pay) and make your first deposit.
    5. Claim the 30% Rakeback and 100 free spins welcome bonus to boost your gaming experience.
    6. Start exploring the 7,000+ games or dive into the sportsbook for betting action.

    The entire process takes less than five minutes, making JACKBIT one of the most accessible new online casinos. Before signing up, ensure you meet your jurisdiction’s legal gambling age, typically 18 or 19, to comply with regulations. JACKBIT’s user-friendly onboarding process reinforces its position as a top choice among the best new online casinos, offering instant access to a world of gaming excitement.

    ✅SIGN UP AT JACKBIT AND ENJOY FAST, ANONYMOUS PLAY!

    The Selection Process: Defining Excellence in Online Gaming

    Our selection process for identifying the best new online casinos is rigorous and transparent, focusing on measurable criteria that define excellence in online gaming. JACKBIT excels across these key areas, earning its place as a leader in the industry:

    • Game Quality and Variety: A diverse, high-quality game library is essential for player satisfaction. JACKBIT’s 7,000+ titles, including slots, table games, live dealers, and a sportsbook with 140+ sports, set a benchmark for variety and quality in the best new online casinos.
    • User Experience: Intuitive navigation and cross-device compatibility are critical for accessibility. JACKBIT’s responsive design ensures seamless gameplay on desktops, tablets, and smartphones, making it a standout among brand new online casinos.
    • Bonuses and Fairness: Promotions should enhance gameplay without excessive restrictions. JACKBIT’s 30% Rakeback, 100 free spins, and weekly giveaways are generous and transparent, offering more value than many competitors in the best crypto casinos.
    • Payment Flexibility: Secure, diverse payment methods cater to modern player needs. JACKBIT’s support for 17+ cryptocurrencies and fiat options like Apple Pay provides unmatched convenience, positioning it as a top Pay ID casino alternative.
    • Security and Trust: Licensing, encryption, and fair play are paramount for player confidence. JACKBIT’s Curacao Gaming License, SSL encryption, and no-KYC policy build trust, making it a leading anonymous online casino.
    • Innovation: Features like crypto integration and anonymous play set top casinos apart. JACKBIT’s no-KYC approach, extensive crypto support, and innovative promotions make it a pioneer in the best new online casinos.

    This comprehensive process confirms JACKBIT’s excellence, redefining standards for online gaming and solidifying its position as a top choice among the best new online casinos in 2025.

    Games Offered in JACKBIT

    JACKBIT’s game library is a cornerstone of its appeal, offering over 7,000 titles across multiple categories. This extensive selection makes it a standout among the best new online casinos, catering to every type of player. Below is a detailed exploration of its offerings:

    1. Slots

    Slots dominate JACKBIT’s catalog, with over 5,000 titles, including 180+ Megaways and progressive jackpots. These games range from classic fruit machines to modern video slots with cinematic graphics and immersive storylines. Popular titles include:

    • Gold Party: A high-volatility slot with massive payout potential, ideal for thrill-seekers.
    • Chilli Heat: A vibrant, medium-variance slot with engaging free spins features, perfect for casual players.
    • Wolf Gold: A fan-favorite with stacked wilds and jackpot opportunities, offering exciting gameplay.

    Regular slot tournaments and free spins promotions enhance the experience, making JACKBIT a top destination for slot enthusiasts in the best new online casinos.

    2. Table Games

    JACKBIT offers a robust selection of table games for players who enjoy strategy and skill-based gaming:

    • Craps: A thrilling dice game with multiple betting options, available in RNG format and possibly live dealer versions, appealing to risk-takers.
    • Blackjack: Variants like Power Blackjack, Blackjack VIP, and Infinite Blackjack offer low house edges and strategic depth, catering to both novices and experts.
    • Roulette: Options include European, American, and Lightning Roulette, each with unique gameplay and betting limits to suit different preferences.
    • Poker: Titles like Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud, and video poker variants such as Jacks or Better provide diverse options for poker fans.
    • Baccarat: Features Mini Baccarat, VIP Baccarat, and Speed Baccarat for quick-play enthusiasts seeking fast-paced action.

    These table games combine skill and excitement, reinforcing JACKBIT’s position among the best new online casinos.

    3. Live Dealer Games

    JACKBIT’s live dealer section, powered by industry leaders like Evolution Gaming and Pragmatic Play, delivers an authentic casino experience:

    • Live Blackjack: Multiple tables with low-stakes and VIP options, featuring real-time interaction with professional dealers.
    • Live Roulette: Variants like Immersive Roulette and Auto Roulette provide dynamic gameplay with high-definition streaming.
    • Live Baccarat: Includes No Commission Baccarat and Punto Banco, offering fast-paced action for baccarat fans.
    • Game Shows: Titles like Dream Catcher, Mega Wheel, and Crazy Time add interactive fun with big win potential, appealing to players seeking entertainment.

    High-definition streaming, professional dealers, and real-time chat create an immersive environment, making JACKBIT a top choice for live gaming fans in the best crypto casinos.

    4. Sportsbook

    JACKBIT’s sportsbook is a standout feature, offering:

    • 140+ sports, including football, basketball, tennis, cricket, and e-sports like Dota 2 and Counter-Strike.
    • 82,000+ live monthly events and 75,000+ pre-match events, ensuring constant betting opportunities.
    • 4,500+ betting types, from moneylines to prop bets, with competitive odds and live streaming for select events.

    The sportsbook’s depth and variety make it a go-to for sports betting enthusiasts, complementing JACKBIT’s casino offerings and reinforcing its status as a leader in the best new online casinos.

    5. Specialty Games

    JACKBIT also offers low-stakes, high-fun options for casual players:

    • Bingo: Over 20 titles, such as Shamrock Bingo and Burning Pearl Bingo, provide quick, entertaining gameplay.
    • Scratch Cards: Digital scratch games with instant-win mechanics, perfect for fast-paced fun.
    • Mini-Games: Crypto-friendly options like Aviator and Plinko, known for their simplicity and high RTPs, appeal to players seeking unique experiences.

    These specialty games add diversity to JACKBIT’s portfolio, catering to a wide audience in the best new online casinos.

    6. Virtual Sports

    JACKBIT’s virtual sports section includes simulated events like virtual football, horse racing, and greyhound racing. Powered by advanced algorithms, these games offer 24/7 betting opportunities with realistic graphics and quick results, making them a great addition for sports fans.

    This extensive game variety ensures JACKBIT remains a top choice among the best new online casinos, offering something for every player, from slot enthusiasts to sports bettors.

    Additional Gaming Features

    JACKBIT enhances its gaming experience with several unique features that elevate it among the best new online casinos:

    • Tournaments: Regular slot and table game tournaments offer cash prizes and free spins, adding a competitive edge for players seeking excitement.
    • Progressive Jackpots: Slots like Mega Moolah and Divine Fortune provide the chance for life-changing payouts, attracting high-stakes players.
    • Demo Mode: Many games offer free play, allowing players to test strategies or explore new titles without risking funds, a valuable feature for beginners.
    • Multi-Language Support: Games are available in multiple languages, including English, German, French, and Spanish, catering to a global audience and enhancing accessibility.

    These features make JACKBIT a dynamic and engaging platform, solidifying its reputation as a leader in the best crypto casinos. By offering competitive tournaments, massive jackpots, and flexible play options, JACKBIT ensures players have a rewarding and personalized experience.

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    Payment Options in JACKBIT

    JACKBIT’s payment system is designed for flexibility, speed, and security, making it a top pick among the best new online casinos. It supports both cryptocurrencies and fiat methods, catering to a diverse player base. Here’s a comprehensive overview:

    1. Cryptocurrencies

    JACKBIT accepts over 17 cryptocurrencies, ensuring fast, secure, and fee-free transactions:

    • Bitcoin (BTC): The most popular choice, offering instant deposits and withdrawals with full anonymity.
    • Ethereum (ETH): Known for quick processing and low transaction costs, ideal for frequent players.
    • Tether (USDT): A stablecoin that ensures value stability, perfect for consistent payouts.
    • Solana (SOL): Offers ultra-fast transactions and minimal fees, appealing to tech-savvy players.
    • Ripple (XRP): Provides rapid processing for seamless deposits and withdrawals.
    • Additional Cryptos: Includes Litecoin (LTC), Cardano (ADA), Dogecoin (DOGE), and more, providing ample options.

    Crypto transactions are processed instantly, with no fees, making JACKBIT a leader in the best crypto casinos for players seeking efficiency and privacy.

    2. Fiat Methods

    For players preferring traditional banking, JACKBIT offers:

    • Visa/MasterCard: Secure credit/debit card deposits are processed instantly, though withdrawals may take 1-3 days, depending on the provider.
    • Google Pay: A convenient option for mobile users, offering quick and secure deposits.
    • Apple Pay: Provides instant, secure deposits for iOS users, enhancing accessibility.
    • Bank Transfers: Reliable for larger transactions, though withdrawals may take 3-5 days and could incur minor fees.

    While JACKBIT doesn’t explicitly mention Pay ID casino support, its fiat options provide similar convenience for traditional banking users, ensuring accessibility for all players.

    Additional Notes

    • Minimum Deposits: Typically $10-$20 (or crypto equivalent), making JACKBIT accessible to players with varying budgets.
    • Withdrawal Limits: High limits, such as $10,000 weekly, cater to high rollers, with crypto withdrawals offering greater flexibility.
    • Security: SSL encryption and blockchain technology ensure safe transactions across all methods, aligning with the standards of the best new online casinos.

    JACKBIT’s diverse payment options, combined with its focus on speed and security, make it a top choice for players seeking a reliable and flexible gaming platform.

    Regulation of the Best Online Casinos

    Regulation is a cornerstone of trust in online gambling, and JACKBIT operates under a Curacao Gaming License, a common choice for crypto casinos due to its flexibility and global reach. This license ensures legal operation and regular audits for fairness, aligning with the standards of the best new online casinos. Key regulatory aspects include:

    • Licensing: The Curacao license guarantees compliance with international gaming standards, providing players with a safe and fair environment.
    • Data Protection: SSL encryption safeguards personal and financial data, ensuring secure transactions and privacy for all users.
    • Fair Play: Random Number Generators (RNGs) and provably fair games ensure unbiased outcomes, giving players confidence in the integrity of JACKBIT’s offerings.
    • Responsible Gambling: Tools like deposit limits, self-exclusion, and reality checks promote safe play, demonstrating JACKBIT’s commitment to player well-being.
    • Age Verification: JACKBIT enforces legal gambling age requirements (18 or 19, depending on jurisdiction), ensuring compliance with local regulations.

    While the Curacao license is reputable, some players may prefer casinos licensed by stricter authorities like the Malta Gaming Authority or UK Gambling Commission. However, JACKBIT’s no-KYC policy and robust security measures make it a trustworthy choice for those seeking an anonymous online casino. Its adherence to regulatory standards reinforces its position among the best crypto casinos.

    The Most Popular Payout Methods at JACKBIT

    JACKBIT’s payout methods are optimized for speed, convenience, and privacy, with cryptocurrencies leading the way due to their alignment with the platform’s no-KYC ethos. Here are the most popular options among players:

    • Bitcoin (BTC): The fastest and most widely used method, offering instant, fee-free withdrawals with complete anonymity, making it ideal for players in the best new online casinos.
    • Ethereum (ETH): Popular for its quick processing and low transaction costs, providing a seamless payout experience for frequent players.
    • Tether (USDT): A stablecoin that ensures consistent payout values, perfect for players seeking stability in their withdrawals.
    • Ripple (XRP): Known for ultra-fast transactions and minimal fees, offering a reliable option for quick payouts.
    • Visa/MasterCard: A dependable choice for fiat users, though withdrawals take 1-3 days and may incur minor fees, depending on the provider.

    Cryptocurrency payouts dominate due to their speed and privacy, aligning with JACKBIT’s status as a top anonymous online casino. Fiat options remain popular for players transitioning from traditional banking, offering flexibility similar to a Pay ID casino. JACKBIT’s focus on instant, secure payouts ensures players can access their winnings with ease, reinforcing its position among the best new online casinos.

    Responsible Gambling at JACKBIT

    JACKBIT prioritizes player well-being with a comprehensive suite of responsible gambling tools, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all users. These features align with the standards of the best new online casinos and demonstrate JACKBIT’s commitment to promoting healthy gaming habits:

    • Deposit Limits: Players can set daily, weekly, or monthly caps on their deposits to manage spending and maintain control over their gaming budget.
    • Self-Exclusion: Options to temporarily or permanently suspend accounts allow players to take a break if needed, supporting long-term well-being.
    • Reality Checks: Periodic reminders of playtime and spending help players stay aware of their gaming activity, encouraging mindful play.
    • Support Resources: JACKBIT provides links to organizations like GamCare and Gambling Therapy, offering professional support for players seeking assistance.

    These tools empower players to game responsibly, ensuring JACKBIT remains a safe and trusted platform. By prioritizing player well-being, JACKBIT reinforces its reputation as a leader in the best crypto casinos, catering to a global audience with care and integrity.

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    Commonly Asked Questions

    1. Why is JACKBIT considered one of the best new online casinos?
      JACKBIT’s no-KYC policy, 7,000+ games, instant crypto payouts, and generous bonuses make it a top choice for 2025, offering a seamless and rewarding experience.
    2. What bonuses does JACKBIT offer?
      New players receive a 30% Rakeback and 100 free spins, plus weekly giveaways, VIP rewards, and Pragmatic Drops & Wins with a €2,000,000 prize pool.
    3. Which payment methods are most popular at JACKBIT?
      Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and Visa/MasterCard are widely used for their speed, security, and reliability, making JACKBIT a strong Pay ID casino alternative.
    4. Is JACKBIT a brand-new online casino?
      Launched in 2022, JACKBIT is a relatively new online casino but has quickly gained prominence due to its innovative features and player-focused approach.
    5. Does JACKBIT support Pay ID casino options?
      While not explicitly mentioned, JACKBIT’s fiat options like Visa, Google Pay, and Apple Pay offer similar convenience for traditional banking users.

    EMAIL: support@jackbit.com

    Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure

    General Disclaimer

    This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. The content is based on research and user reviews, but no warranties are made. Players must verify all information before acting, as online gambling carries inherent risks. Ensure you meet your jurisdiction’s legal gambling age before participating.

    Casino and Gambling Disclaimer

    Online gambling involves risks and may not be suitable for everyone. Gambling laws vary by jurisdiction, and compliance is your responsibility. We do not promote gambling, and participation is at your own risk. JACKBIT is a third-party platform, and we are not liable for any losses or disputes arising from its use. Always gamble responsibly and seek professional advice if needed.

    Affiliate Disclosure

    This article may contain affiliate links, which earn us a commission at no additional cost to you for qualifying actions. These links help support our content creation. Our reviews remain unbiased, and we only recommend products and platforms we believe offer genuine value. Conduct your own research before signing up or making deposits to ensure JACKBIT meets your needs.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4f15aa58-806e-4a39-80fd-fcdaa1a6ef34

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Statement on President Trump’s Threats to Use Military Force in Mexico and Greenland

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the lead Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Western Hemisphere subcommittee, released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s statements threatening to use U.S. military force to violate Mexican sovereignty and invade a NATO ally:
    “Throughout my travels in Virginia, I’m hearing about the need to stabilize our economy and lower prices—not start new wars right across our southern border in Mexico, or with our NATO ally Denmark. Using U.S. military personnel in this manner would be a waste of taxpayer money and military resources at a time when we should be focusing on how to best counter real adversaries like China, Russia and Iran, and on serious law enforcement initiatives to tackle the threats posed by cartels.
    “The Constitution gives Congress the authority to declare wars and to authorize the use of military force; there is no authorization for military action within Mexican or Danish territory. Should Trump order unauthorized military action in Mexico or Greenland, I will immediately file legislation to force a vote to stop it. If we’re going to order our young men and women in uniform to risk their lives in conflict, we owe it to them to have a robust debate and vote.”
    For years, Kaine has been the leading voice in Congress raising concerns over Presidents’ efforts to expand the use of military force without congressional authorization. In September of 2017, Kaine wrote a piece in TIME warning of the consequences if Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal with Iran. In July of 2018, Kaine wrote a piece in The Atlantic warning that President Trump was blundering toward war with Iran. In 2020, Kaine’s bipartisan war powers resolution seeking to avoid a needless war with Iran passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan majorities. Kaine’s bipartisan legislation to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations of Military Force and formally end the Gulf and Iraq Wars was passed by the Senate in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos UK: JACKBIT is Ranked the Most Trusted Online Casino of 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JACKBIT Casino is making a bold impact on the UK’s online casino scene for 2025, offering a distinctive mix of privacy, speed, and premium gameplay. Since its launch in 2022, it has become a top choice for UK players who value no KYC requirements, instant crypto withdrawals, and access to over 7,000 games. With a sleek, user-friendly interface and full cryptocurrency support, JACKBIT delivers a modern, secure, and rewarding experience for real-money casino enthusiasts.

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    JACKBIT Casino Features for UK Players

    JACKBIT ranks among the best online casinos UK for 2025, offering privacy-first gaming with no KYC requirements. Players enjoy access to 7,000+ games, including top online pokies, live dealer tables, and more, powered by 85+ leading providers.

    It supports 20+ cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, plus fiat options such as Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. With instant withdrawals, zero fees, and 24/7 multilingual support, JACKBIT delivers secure, flexible, and seamless gaming, making it a top-rated choice for crypto and real money casino fans.

    Our Favorite Overall Casino in the UK

    JACKBIT stands out in the best Online Casinos UK for 2025, thanks to its blend of anonymity, fast payouts, and top-tier gaming. Licensed by Curacao eGaming, it’s a leading no KYC casino, ensuring privacy without sacrificing security.

    UK players can claim 30% rakeback and 100 wager-free spins, plus enjoy a VIP program offering up to 30% rakeback. With a sleek interface, a sportsbook covering 140+ sports, and flexible crypto + fiat payment options, JACKBIT delivers a seamless, private, and high-reward casino experience.

    ✔️GRAB 30% RAKEBACK + 100 WAGER-FREE SPINS – VIP PERKS AWAIT!

    Benefits of JACKBIT:

    • No KYC Policy: A true Anonymous Online Casino, ideal for privacy-conscious UK players.
    • Instant Withdrawals: Crypto payouts processed in minutes, a hallmark of best Crypto Casinos.
    • Vast Game Library: Over 7,000 titles, including best online pokies, table games, and live dealer options.
    • Flexible Payments: Supports 20+ cryptocurrencies and fiat methods like Apple Pay and Visa.
    • Generous Bonuses: 30% rakeback, 100 free spins, weekly $10,000 giveaways, and Pragmatic Drops & Wins (€2,000,000) in best Online Casinos UK.
    • Robust Sportsbook: Covers 140+ sports with 82,000+ monthly live events.
    • Multilingual Support: 24/7 live chat in English, German, French, and more.

    Negatives of JACKBIT:

    • No Dedicated Mobile App: Mobile play is browser-based, unlike some New Online Casinos.
    • Limited Fiat Withdrawal Options: Crypto-focused withdrawals may inconvenience fiat users.
    • Occasional Verification for Large Withdrawals: May delay big payouts, despite the best No KYC Casino status.
    • Restricted in Some Regions: UK players must confirm eligibility due to licensing nuances.

    How To Join JACKBIT Casino? Step By Step

    Joining JACKBIT, a leader in best online casinos UK, is quick and straightforward:

    1. Visit the Official Site: Navigate to JACKBIT’s website and click “Sign Up.”
    2. Register Anonymously: Provide an email and password—no personal details required, aligning with its Anonymous Online Casino ethos.
    3. Deposit Funds: Choose from 20+ cryptocurrencies (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum) or fiat options like Visa or Apple Pay. The minimum deposit for the welcome bonus is $50.
    4. Claim Your Bonus: 30% rakeback and 100 wager-free spins.
    5. Start Playing: Dive into 7,000+ games, from best online pokies to sports betting, in best Crypto Casinos.

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    How We Selected JACKBIT as the Best Online Casino in the UK

    Our rigorous evaluation process ensures JACKBIT ranks among the best online casinos in the UK. We assessed critical factors to identify the top crypto casinos for UK players:

    License and Security

    JACKBIT operates under a Curacao eGaming license, guaranteeing legitimacy and fair play. Advanced SSL encryption and a no KYC policy make it a secure best No KYC Casino, safeguarding UK players’ data and transactions in best online casinos UK.

    Bonuses and Promotions

    JACKBIT’s welcome offer, 30% rakeback, and 100 wager-free spins set a high standard in the best online casinos. Weekly $10,000 tournaments, Daily 1000 free spins, and Pragmatic Drops & Wins. The VIP rakeback system (up to 30%) and social media bonuses reward loyalty, making it a favorite in New Online Casinos.

    Casino Games

    Boasting over 7,000 games, JACKBIT offers unmatched variety, from slots and table games to live dealer options and a sportsbook with 140+ sports. This diversity appeals to all UK players in best Online Casinos UK.

    Casino Game Providers

    JACKBIT collaborates with 85 industry-leading providers, including Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Play’n GO, and Microgaming, ensuring top-quality online pokies and live games in best Crypto Casinos.

    Banking Methods

    JACKBIT supports 20+ cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Solana, etc.) and fiat options (Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer) tailored for UK players. Instant crypto deposits and withdrawals position it as a leader in Pay ID Casino and best online casinos UK.

    Customer Support

    Available 24/7 via live chat in multiple languages (English, German, French, etc.), JACKBIT’s responsive support enhances its reputation as a top no KYC casino. Email support ([email protected]) ensures reliable assistance for UK players.

    How We Choose the Top-Rated Casino Sites in the UK

    To rank the best online casinos UK, we evaluate licensing, game variety, payment speed, bonuses, customer support, and user experience. JACKBIT excels with its Curacao license, 7,000+ games, instant crypto payouts, and no KYC policy, making it a premier anonymous online casino.

    Mobile compatibility, responsible gambling tools (self-exclusion, deposit limits), and player feedback from platforms like Trustpilot are also critical, cementing JACKBIT’s status in new online casinos and best crypto casinos in the UK.

    The Selection Process: Defining Excellence in Online Gaming

    Our selection process for the best online casinos UK is meticulous:

    • Gameplay Testing: We played slots, poker, live dealer games, and sports betting to assess quality, fairness, and RTP rates.
    • Payment Verification: Tested deposits and withdrawals for speed, reliability, and fees in Pay ID Casino options.
    • Bonus Evaluation: Analyzed wagering requirements, bonus terms, and overall value.
    • Security Checks: Confirmed licensing, encryption, and responsible gambling measures for best no KYC Casino standards.
    • Player Feedback: Reviewed Trustpilot and forum insights for real user experiences in best crypto casinos.

    JACKBIT’s instant payouts, vast game selection, and privacy-first approach made it the top choice for best online casinos UK.

    A Gaming Paradise: 8,000+ Ways to Play

    While JACKBIT’s library is closer to 7,000 games (not 8,000 as sometimes claimed), it remains a gaming paradise for UK players in best online casinos UK. From best online pokies to live dealer tables, digital scratch cards, and a comprehensive sportsbook, the platform caters to every taste. Its sportsbook, featuring 82,000+ monthly live events, 75,000+ pre-match events, 4,500+ betting types, and 140+ sports, adds unparalleled versatility, making JACKBIT a standout in best crypto casinos.

    Craps

    JACKBIT offers digital craps with provably fair outcomes, delivering fast-paced dice action. The intuitive interface and customizable betting options make it accessible for beginners and seasoned UK players in new online casinos.

    Live Dealer Games

    With over 250 live dealer games from Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and Ezugi, JACKBIT provides immersive experiences in blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and game shows like Dream Catcher and Crazy Time. High-definition streaming, multi-camera angles, and professional dealers make it a highlight of the best crypto casinos.

    Poker

    Poker fans enjoy variants like Casino Hold’em, Caribbean Stud, Three Card Poker, and Texas Hold’em, with daily tournaments offering cash prizes and leaderboards. JACKBIT’s poker offerings are a draw for strategic players in the best online casinos UK.

    Roulette

    From XXXtreme Lightning Roulette to classic European, American, and French variants, JACKBIT’s roulette selection is diverse, with high RTPs (up to 97.3%) and sleek graphics in the best No KYC casinos. Features like auto-play and bet history enhance the experience.

    Blackjack

    Blackjack enthusiasts explore numerous variants, including live dealer tables with side bets (Perfect Pairs, 21+3) and multi-hand options. High RTPs (up to 99.5%) and strategic depth make it a favorite in Anonymous Online Casino.

    Slots

    With over 5,000 slot titles, including progressive jackpots (Mega Moolah), Megaways (Bonanza), and classic fruit machines, JACKBIT’s best online pokies cater to all preferences. Popular titles like Tasty Bonanza, Rise of Olympus deliver thrilling gameplay with RTPs ranging from 95% to 98% in the best online casinos.

    Table Games

    Beyond poker, roulette, and blackjack, JACKBIT offers baccarat, sic bo, and hi-lo. These games feature RNG and live versions, with flexible betting limits (£0.10 to £5,000) to suit casual players and high rollers in the best online casinos UK.

    Digital Scratch Cards

    JACKBIT includes digital scratch card games, offering instant-win excitement with themes like treasure hunts and sports. High RTPs (up to 94%) and low stake best cryptos make them popular in new online Casinos.

    Mini-Games

    JACKBIT’s mini-games, such as Aviator, Plinko, and Mines, provide quick, crypto-friendly entertainment. Provably fair algorithms ensure transparency, appealing to UK players in best crypto casinos.

    Sportsbook

    JACKBIT’s sportsbook is a major draw, covering 140+ sports, including football, cricket, rugby, tennis, esports, and niche options like Gaelic hurling. With 82,000+ monthly live events, 75,000+ pre-match events, and 4,500+ betting types (e.g., over/under, handicaps), it offers competitive odds and in-play betting, making it a top feature in best online casinos UK.

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    Payment Options

    JACKBIT’s payment system is a cornerstone of its appeal in the best online casinos UK, offering a robust blend of cryptocurrency and fiat methods tailored for UK players. All transactions are fee-free, with instant crypto deposits and withdrawals, and fiat processing times are competitive.

    Cryptocurrencies (20+)

    JACKBIT supports an extensive range of cryptocurrencies, ensuring fast, secure, and private transactions for UK players:

    • Bitcoin (BTC): Minimum deposit $20, instant withdrawals, 1–5 minute processing.
    • Ethereum (ETH): Supports ERC-20 tokens, instant payouts, and low gas fees.
    • Tether (USDT): Stablecoin for low volatility, instant withdrawals.
    • Solana (SOL): High-speed transactions, minimal fees, 1–3 minute processing.
    • Ripple (XRP): Near-instant transfers, popular in Pay ID Casino.
    • Litecoin (LTC): A Fast alternative to Bitcoin, with low fees and instant payouts.
    • Binance Coin (BNB): Supports BEP-20 tokens, instant processing.
    • Cardano (ADA): Eco-friendly blockchain, quick withdrawals.
    • Dogecoin (DOGE): Fun and fast for small transactions, instant payouts.
    • USD Coin (USDC): Stablecoin with 1:1 USD peg, instant processing.
    • TRON (TRX): High throughput, low-cost transfers, 1–5 minutes.
    • Bitcoin Cash (BCH): Faster than Bitcoin, low fees, instant withdrawals.
    • Monero (XMR): Privacy-focused, ideal for an Anonymous Online Casino, instant payouts.
    • Chainlink (LINK): Supports DeFi integrations, quick processing.
    • Polygon (MATIC): Scalable Ethereum layer-2 solution, instant withdrawals.
    • Shiba Inu (SHIB): Meme coin with growing adoption, 1–5 minute processing.
    • Dai (DAI): Decentralized stablecoin, instant payouts.
    • Dash (DASH): Enhanced privacy and speed, instant withdrawals.
    • Stellar (XLM): Low-cost cross-border payments, 1–3 minute processing.
    • Cosmos (ATOM): Interoperable blockchain, quick withdrawals.

    Fiat Payment Methods

    JACKBIT accommodates UK players preferring traditional methods, with secure and reliable options:

    • Visa/MasterCard: Minimum deposit $20, instant deposits, withdrawals in 1–3 days.
    • Apple Pay: Secure mobile payments, instant deposits, withdrawals in 1–2 days.
    • Google Pay: Fast and convenient, instant deposits, withdrawals in 1–2 days.
    • Bank Transfer: Minimum $50, ideal for larger transactions, deposits in 1–3 days, withdrawals in 3–5 days.

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    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6dcee7c9-acff-4da4-9755-f9e074d09ee1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: WISeKey and OISTE.ORG Generate and Launch a Post-Quantum Cryptography Root Key to Defend Against Quantum Cyber Threats

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WISeKey and OISTE.ORG Generate and Launch a Post-Quantum Cryptography Root Key to Defend Against Quantum Cyber Threats

    Geneva, Switzerland, May 7, 2025 –WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, in collaboration with the OISTE.ORG Foundation, today announced the rollout of the “Quantum Root Key,” a new Root of Trust using post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms, designed to protect digital identities, communications, and systems against the disruptive power of quantum computing. The “Quantum Root Key” has already been created and will be made widely available once Microsoft and other OS and Browsers adopt the new PQC Roots, marking a critical advancement in securing global digital infrastructures for the quantum age.

    Much of the sensitive data transmitted across the globe today relies on encryption to protect it from cybercriminals and unauthorized access. However, the rise of quantum computing, with its ability to perform complex mathematical operations such as factoring large prime numbers, threatens to upend the foundations of modern encryption. Common encryption schemes, once considered unbreakable, will become ineffective against quantum algorithms such as Shor’s. The solution cannot simply be to increase key lengths indefinitely; a new cryptographic paradigm is required.

    WISeKey and the OISTE.ORG Foundation have responded to this threat with the launch of “Quantum Root Key,” powered by NIST-standardized Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) algorithms such as ML-DSA (previously known as CRYSTALS-Dilithium), ML-KEM (CRYSTALS-Kyber), and FALCON. These algorithms are designed to resist quantum attacks and preserve long-term data confidentiality. The “Quantum Root Key” allows a new set of PQC trust services through WISeKey’s trusted Trust Services infrastructure and its Post-Quantum PKI (PQC-PKI) platform, which anchors cryptographic security within tamper-resistant environments such as Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs), and secure microcontrollers.

    These new Post-Quantum Trust Services enable secure authentication, quantum-safe encryption, and long-term data integrity for critical systems and communications. It supports the issuance and lifecycle management of quantum-resistant digital certificates, protecting everything from financial transactions and patient medical data to government communications and IoT infrastructures. Sectors that depend on long-term confidentiality, such as defense, healthcare, finance, and telecommunications, will benefit immensely from this forward-looking technology. However, devices with limited processing power, such as those in the IoT ecosystem, may experience resource challenges when handling these larger certificates, an area where optimization remains a key focus.

    Post-Quantum Safe certificates issued by this platform maintain a structure similar to traditional Root and Intermediate Certificate Authority (ICA) certificates, including defined Key Usages, Certificate Revocation List (CRL) and Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) endpoints. The critical distinction lies in their use of post-quantum key types, which require significantly larger key sizes and mathematical models to prevent exploitation by quantum adversaries.

    To accelerate real-world adoption, WISeKey’s semiconductor subsidiary SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) is also launching the SEALSQ Quantum Lab. This platform offers companies and researchers access to WISeKey’s PQC-PKI infrastructure for pilot projects, evaluation, and early-stage deployment of quantum-resistant certificates. The Quantum Lab is set to become a leading reference hub for organizations seeking to future-proof their digital security strategies.

    Carlos Moreira, Founder and CEO of WISeKey, stated, “Quantum computing is set to redefine cybersecurity. Our Quantum RootKey and new PQC-PKI ensure that digital identities and communications remain secure in the face of these changes. Our collaboration with the OISTE.ORG Foundation reinforces our mission to create a secure and privacy-centric digital world.”

    As the cybersecurity world prepares for the quantum era, the industry is not standing still. From quantum-safe algorithms and key generation to advanced encryption and certificate management, next-generation systems are already being deployed in the fight against tomorrow’s cyber threats. WISeKey and OISTE.ORG are leading the way by turning emerging cryptographic theory into practical, scalable solutions, ensuring that today’s data stays secure well into the future.

    About WISeKey

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

    Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

    Disclaimer
    This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.

    Press and Investor Contacts

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd
    Company Contact: Carlos Moreira
    Chairman & CEO
    Tel: +41 22 594 3000
    info@wisekey.com     		 WISeKey Investor Relations (US) 
    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    Tel: +1 212 836-9611
    lcati@equityny.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Questions VA Secretary Collins on Veteran Access to Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    ***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.***
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Doug Collins testified before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) today about the future of the VA. The department is tasked with providing and delivering the health care and benefits earned by millions of veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
    [embedded content]
    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) started his questioning by emphasizing how there is a health care labor shortage everywhere, which can be addressed in part through VA and rural provider partnerships.  There are 36 Critical Access Hospitals serving communities across North Dakota. However, only five of these communities have a VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinics.
    “North Dakota is in this rectangular spot in the middle of North American continent that’s about 350 miles across and about 200 miles up and down, there are 36 critical access hospitals in rural communities,” said Cramer. He also gave an example of the long-distance travel required for veterans’ health care in many rural states by referring to the experience of residents of Fortuna, North Dakota, who must travel from “Fortuna, North Dakota to Fargo, North Dakota, where the only VA Hospital is 412 miles [away] and takes roughly six hours and 19 minutes if you don’t stop to go to the bathroom.”
    Cramer explained North Dakota’s 36 critical access hospitals often have available beds space capacity to serve additional patients, which could help alleviate backlogs at VA facilities. There is an abundance of community infrastructure not being utilized. Cramer said there must be a way to better utilize existing infrastructure, save money, and create opportunity for veterans and struggling hospitals in rural America.
    “I don’t disagree with you at all,” said Collins. “I think it’s just a matter of using all the resources that we have.”
    Regarding workforce needs and the agency’s plan to review existing functions, Cramer noted there were 52,000 new positions added at the VA between 2021 and 2024. He asked Collins if this has substantially improved health care offerings for veterans.
    “Yeah, I don’t think so,” said Collins. “Ten years ago, if told you that in 2025 you’re going to have a budget of almost $400 billion and you’re going to have a workforce of 470,000 you would have thrown a party. Everything would have been great because that would have been the answer to everything. Well, we’re 10 years later, and we’re still experiencing the same thing.”
    “I think everybody on this committee wants to have an honest discussion about how to do better for our veterans and that kind of real data can help us, because we have plenty of data there to tell us where we’ve been okay, where we haven’t been so good, and where we’ve been awful or great,” concluded Cramer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: OP Financial Group’s Interim Report for 1 January–31 March 2025: OP Financial Group reports a good first quarter in an uncertain operating environment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OP Financial Group
    Interim Report 1 January–31 March 2025
    Stock Exchange Release 7 May 2025 9.00 am EEST

    OP Financial Group’s Interim Report for 1 January–31 March 2025: OP Financial Group reports a good first quarter in an uncertain operating environment

    • Operating profit decreased by 31% to EUR 423 million (618).
    • Net interest income decreased by 11% to EUR 631 million (709). Insurance service result was EUR 2 million (-10) and net commissions and fees were EUR 206 million (205). Income from customer business, that is, net interest income, insurance service result and net commissions and fees, decreased by a total of 7% to EUR 839 million (904).
    • Impairment loss on receivables reversed came to EUR 24 million (-39), representing -0.10% of the loan and guarantee portfolio (0.15).
    • Investment income decreased by 88% to EUR 19 million (151).
    • Total expenses grew by 10% to EUR 590 million (537). The cost/income ratio weakened to 60% (45).
    • In the year to March, the loan portfolio grew by 1% to EUR 99.1 billion (98.4). Deposits increased by 5% to EUR 77.5 billion (73.6).
    • The CET1 ratio was 20.0% (21.5), which exceeds the minimum regulatory requirement by 6.9 percentage points. The changes in the collateral management process decreased capital adequacy. The changes in the EU Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR3), which took effect on 1 January 2025, caused a slight reduction in the capital adequacy of OP Financial Group.
    • The Retail Banking segment’s operating profit decreased by 23% to EUR 291 million (379). Net interest income decreased by 17% to EUR 464 million (558). Impairment loss on receivables reversed came to EUR 26 million (-27). Net commissions and fees increased by 2% to EUR 190 million (187). The cost/income ratio weakened to 60% (46). In the year to March, the loan portfolio grew by 0.4% to EUR 71.0 billion (70.6). Deposits increased by 4% to EUR 64.0 billion (61.8). Assets under management grew by 6% to EUR 94.4 billion (89.4).
    • Corporate Banking segment’s operating profit grew by 13% to EUR 145 million (129). Net interest income decreased by 0.5% to EUR 165 million (166). Impairment loss on receivables decreased by 89% to EUR 1 million (12). Net commissions and fees decreased by 10% to EUR 21 million (23). The cost/income ratio was 33% (32). In the year to March, the loan portfolio grew by 1% to EUR 28.2 billion (27.8). Deposits increased 14% by to EUR 14.2 billion (12.5). 
    • The Insurance segment’s operating loss was EUR -14 million (118). The insurance service result grew to EUR 2 million (-10). Investment income fell to EUR -17 million (129). The combined ratio reported by non-life insurance improved to 99.5% (108.9).
    • Group Functions’ operating profit was EUR 23 million (-5). Net interest income grew to EUR 2 million (-6).
    • OP Financial Group increased the OP bonuses to be earned by owner-customers for 2025 by 40% compared to the normal level of 2022. Additionally, owner-customers get daily banking services without monthly charges in 2025. Together, these benefits added up to EUR 104 million in value for owner-customers during the reporting period.
    • Outlook: OP Financial Group’s operating profit for 2025 is expected to be at a good level but lower than that for 2023 and 2024. For more detailed information on the outlook, see “Outlook”.

    OP Financial Group’s key indicators

    € million Q1/2025 Q1/2024 Change, % Q1–4/2024
    Operating profit, € million 423 618 -31.4 2,486
      Retail Banking*** 291 379 -23.4 1,328
      Corporate Banking*** 145 129 12.8 520
      Insurance -14 118 -111.5 578
      Group Functions 23 -5 – 19
    New OP bonuses accrued to owner-customers, € million -81 -75 7.6 -314
    Total income** 989 1,194 -17.1 4,844
    Total expenses -590 -537 10.0 -2,262
    Cost/income ratio, %*/** 59.7 45.0 14.7 46.7
    Return on equity (ROE), %* 7.5 12.1 -4.5 11.6
    Return on equity, excluding OP bonuses, %* 8.8 13.4 -4.6 13.0
    Return on assets (ROA), %* 0.85 1.25 -0.40 1.24
    Return on assets, excluding OP bonuses, %* 0.99 1.39 -0.39 1.39
      31 Mar 2025 31 Mar 2024 Change, % 31 Dec 2024
    CET1 ratio, %* 20.0 19.6 0.3 21.5
    Loan portfolio, € billion 99.1 98.4 0.7 98.9
    Deposits, € billion 77.5 73.6 5.4 77.7
    Assets under management, € billion**** 94.4 89.4 5.6 93.3
    Ratio of non-performing exposures to exposures, %* 2.48 3.04 -0.56 2.64
    Ratio of impairment loss on receivables to loan and guarantee portfolio, %* -0.10 0.15 -0.25 0.09
    Owner-customers (1,000) 2,121 2,095 1.3 2,115

    Comparatives for the income statement items are based on the corresponding figures in 2024. Unless otherwise specified, figures from 31 December 2024 are used as comparatives for balance-sheet and other cross-sectional items. 
    * Change in ratio, percentage point(s). 
    ** OP bonuses to owner-customers, which were previously shown on a separate line in the income statement, have been divided under the following items based on their accrual: interest income, interest expenses, and commission income from mutual funds. The line ‘OP bonuses to owner-customers’ is no longer shown in the income statement. Comparative information of Q1 2024 has been adjusted accordingly. For more detailed information on the change, see Note 1 to the Half-year Financial Report 1 January–30 June 2024, Accounting policies and changes in accounting policies and presentation.
    *** As of 1 January 2025, OP Asset Management Ltd, OP Fund Management Company Ltd and OP Real Estate Asset Management Ltd, including subsidiaries, are reported as part of the Retail Banking segment. Comparative information of 2024 has been adjusted accordingly. 
    **** The presentation of assets under management was changed at the beginning of 2025. Comparatives have been adjusted to correspond to the current definition.

    Comments by the President and Group Chief Executive Officer:

    Geopolitical tensions and the trade war are making the economic outlook uncertain

    In the first quarter of 2025, the business environment was marked by uncertainty and an exceptionally tense geopolitical situation. The war in Ukraine has continued for more than three years, no solution is in sight for the Middle-East conflict, and the trade war ignited by US tariff rises is creating exceptional uncertainty in the world economy. As the tectonic plates of geopolitics and world trade structures shift, it is difficult to see where they will settle. The golden age of globalisation, which began in the late nineties, already appears to be over for now; free global trade seems unlikely to return to its former course. Mounting trade barriers will slow global growth and increase inflationary pressures.

    Due to the uncertainty, the most recent analyses revise economic forecasts downwards: OP Financial Group’s latest projection envisages GDP growth of 1% in Finland this year. The world economy is expected to grow by only 2.5%, which is a relative slowdown in terms of global growth. However, given the exceptional uncertainty in growth prospects, positive changes in the outlook are also possible.

    Gloomy economic expectations have spurred cuts in interest rates and the markets expect short-term market rates to keep falling in the euro zone. Conversely, long-term rates have risen due to concerns that public debt will continue to rise in the euro zone.

    The uncertainty seems to be dampening consumer confidence and companies’ willingness to invest. Despite this, the housing market continues its gradual recovery.

    The trade war has magnified the unusual volatility in stock market prices. In many markets, the early-year rise in stock prices was wiped out as Q1 ended: in late March, the global equity index was 2.1% lower than at the end of 2024. European share markets defied this trend, rising by 5.2% after the year-end; the Nasdaq Helsinki closed 4.2% higher.

    OP Financial Group performed well, despite the turbulence in capital markets

    Regardless of the challenging business environment, OP Financial Group’s profitability remained high and its operating profit was EUR 423 million. This represents a decrease of 31% compared to the same period in 2024. Our strong profit performance will enable us to continue providing outstanding benefits for our more than 2.1 million owner-customers in 2025. This year again, we will use benefits to help ease the strain on households in economically challenging times. We will pay 40% extra (compared to the normal level of 2022) on OP bonuses earned in 2025 and will not charge our owner-customers monthly fees for daily services throughout the year. Together, these benefits will add up to more than EUR 400 million in value for our owner-customers. Being customer-owned, OP Financial Group will continue to share its financial success through a range of financial and other benefits for owner-customers.

    Strong capital adequacy and excellent liquidity provide security in the uncertain and often unpredictable business environment. At the end of March, OP Financial Group’s CET1 ratio was 20.0%, which exceeds the minimum regulatory requirement by 6.9 percentage points. OP Financial Group is one of the most financially solid large banks in Europe. Furthermore, our liquidity remained excellent. Strong capital adequacy, excellent liquidity and broad trust among customers and other stakeholders are vital for banks and insurance companies, particularly in these uncertain times. All of these are in excellent shape at OP Financial Group.

    Income from OP Financial Group’s business operations was EUR 989 million in January–March, which was 17% less year-on-year. In particular, net interest income fell by 11% due to decreases in market rates. Net commissions and fees were at the same level year-on-year.

    The insurance service result was a EUR 2 million profit, compared to a EUR 10 million loss for Q1 in 2024. This was due to a more favourable claims trend than a year earlier, although the insurance service result for this year’s Q1 was weighed down by growing operating expenses and the poor profitability of health insurance.

    Due to turbulence in the markets, income from investment activities was modest at EUR 19 million, compared to EUR 151 million at the end of March last year.

    Totalling EUR 590 million, OP Financial Group’s expenses were higher by 10% year-on-year, mainly due to rising personnel costs and higher investments in ICT development. At 60%, OP Financial Group’s cost-income ratio clearly deteriorated compared to Q1 2024.

    Of the three business segments, the best performer was Corporate Banking, which had an operating profit of EUR 145 million in January–March, a year-on-year increase of 13%. Despite a 23% decrease, Retail Banking’s operating profit of EUR 291 million was also a good performance. The segment was particularly affected by falling market rates: net interest income decreased by 17%. Due to a poor investment result, the Insurance segment recorded a EUR 14 million operating loss. This compares to the segment’s operating profit of EUR 118 million for Q1 in 2024.

    Both deposit and loan volumes are growing – impairment loss on receivables was exceptionally positive

    The deposit portfolio grew by 5% year-on-year, total deposits being EUR 77.5 billion at the end of March. OP Financial Group’s market share of deposits has been growing markedly over the last couple of years.

    Moreover, its loan portfolio, which grew by around 1% year-on-year, was EUR 99.1 billion: with this, the Group held onto its position as Finland’s leading provider of home loans. The home loan market has shown signs of recovery in recent months: for example, the euro amount of new home loans granted by OP Financial Group in March 2025 was 28% higher than in March 2024. OP’s home loan customers have continued to repay their loans diligently and on schedule. The number of loan modification applications was lower than in the same period in 2024. Year-on-year, the number of corporate loans under special monitoring declined.

    The ratio of non-performing exposures to the loan and guarantee portfolio decreased to 2.5%. Exceptionally, reversals of impairment loss on receivables totalled EUR 24 million in January–March, compared to EUR -39 million recognised for Q1 a year earlier.

    Savings and investments are growing strongly – OP First Investment for babies incentivises long-term investment

    Alongside our aim to coach our customers in making better financial choices, we have focused on making personal financial management easier for them, while enabling and supporting long-term saving and investing. Wealth management is one of our growth focus areas and we aim to make a clear growth leap in this business activity. Despite the volatility on stock markets, our customers retained a strong interest in securing their financial futures and accumulating wealth.

    Customers were interested in systematically investing in funds – they made almost 57,000 new systematic investment agreements with us, which is a 22% increase compared to Q1 in 2024. There are already more than 1.4 million OP mutual fund unitholders. In addition, the number of active equity investors grew by 34%. Reaching almost EUR 94 billion in value, investment assets managed by OP Financial Group grew by 6% compared to January–March 2024.

    OP Financial Group member cooperative banks will make an OP First Investment donation – a EUR 100 investment in the OP-World Index fund – to every baby born in Finland this year. The wellbeing of children and youths is one of OP’s values and part of its approach to corporate responsibility. With OP First Investment, we want to encourage families to engage in systematic, long-term saving and investment. Based on last year’s figures, the estimated aggregate value of OP First Investment donations may exceed EUR 4.3 million. OP First Investment can be received from May 2025, when it will become available for babies born in 2025 (including those born before May).

    The mild winter had a positive impact on claims, but health insurance claims expenditure continued to grow considerably

    Pohjola Insurance’s premiums written grew by 1% compared to the first quarter of last year. Premiums written grew by more than 8% regarding personal customers, but decreased by 2% in the case of corporate customers.

    Pohjola Insurance’s claims expenditure fell by 16% year-on-year. Due to the mild winter, building claims were 36% down and compensation paid for vehicle claims was 2% lower than for Q1 in 2024. On the other hand, health insurance compensation grew by 14% compared to the first three months of last year.

    Compensation was paid for a total of 94% of all claims, which was the same level as a year earlier.

    Use of digital services is still growing – phone number-based payment is becoming more versatile

    Use of digital services grew substantially again. Our personal and corporate customers increasingly use digital channels for banking and insurance. OP-mobile was logged into more than 60 million times in March. The app already has more than 1.7 million active users. Use of OP Aina – which was launched in June last year as a personal assistant for customers using OP-mobile – grew in the first quarter to 1.5 million service interactions. We use OP Aina to provide customers with services that are even more personalised than before and continuously available.

    Siirto Brand Oy, a joint venture between OP and Nordea, began operating: the company provides Finnish solutions for easy and secure payment. With just a phone number, users can make payments to friends or online stores, and a feature for ordering recurring or single e-invoices is planned. These services will expand opportunities to make account-based payments in Finland. Siirto already has 1.5 million registered users.

    A historically large structural change is underway among OP cooperative banks

    New plans were published during the first quarter for mergers between OP cooperative banks around Finland. The mergers announced and decided so far will reduce the number of OP cooperative banks from 93 at the end of 2024 to 54 by the end of 2025. In addition, several projects (both published and unpublished) for mergers between OP cooperative banks are being planned.

    Key drivers of mergers between OP cooperative banks include ensuring that they can provide the most comprehensive, highest quality banking services possible in their operating regions, while keeping pace with the increase in banking regulations.

    In uncertain times, we need pioneers that point the way to futures filled with hope

    OP Financial Group is in excellent shape to support customers in various ways in the uncertain business environment. We want to be a pioneer pointing the way to futures filled with hope in Finnish society – we will pursue this objective through a number of measures this year. An example is our new partnership with the Hive coding school, through which we aim to promote work-based immigration and the training of people from diverse backgrounds for high-level roles in IT. The future success and wellbeing of Finland and its people depend on stepping up work-based immigration and solving the challenges posed by the ageing of society, as Finland’s working-age population decreases.

    My warm thanks to all our customers for the trust they showed in OP Financial Group in early 2025. We aim to continue being worthy of the confidence you place in us. I would also like to thank our employees and governing bodies for their excellent work in the first quarter of 2025.

    Timo Ritakallio
    President and Group CEO


    January–March

    OP Financial Group’s operating profit was EUR 423 million (618), down by 31.4% or EUR 194 million year on year. Income from customer business (net interest income, net commissions and fees and insurance service result) decreased by a total of 7.2% to EUR 839 million (904). The cost/income ratio weakened to 59.7% (45.0). New OP bonuses accrued to owner-customers increased by 7.6% to EUR 81 million.

    As a result of lower market interest rates, net interest income decreased by 11.0% to EUR 631 million. Net interest income reported by the Retail Banking segment decreased by 16.9% to EUR 464 million and that by the Corporate Banking segment decreased by 0.5% to EUR 165 million. OP Financial Group’s loan portfolio grew by 0.7% to EUR 99.1 billion while deposits grew by 5.4% to EUR 77.5 billion, year on year. Household deposits increased by 4.1% year on year, to EUR 49.0 billion. New loans drawn down by customers during the reporting period totalled EUR 6.1 billion (4.5).

    Impairment loss on receivables reversed came to EUR 24 million (-39). Final credit losses totalled EUR 16 million (12). At the end of the reporting period, loss allowance was EUR 784 million (824), of which management overlay accounted for EUR 58 million (77). Non-performing exposures decreased, accounting for 2.5% (3.0) of total exposures. Impairment loss on loans and receivables accounted for -0.10% (0.15) of the loan and guarantee portfolio.

    Net commissions and fees grew by 0.4% to EUR 206 million. Owner-customers’ use of daily banking services has been free of monthly charges since October 2023. Net commissions and fees for payment transfer services increased by EUR 3 million to EUR 58 million, and those for mutual funds by EUR 2 million to EUR 46 million.

    The insurance service result was EUR 2 million (-10). Insurance service result includes EUR 142 million (129) in operating expenses. Non-life insurance net insurance revenue, including the reinsurer’s share, decreased by 1.1% to EUR 419 million. Net claims incurred after the reinsurer’s share decreased by 15.8% to EUR 287 million. The combined ratio reported by non-life insurance improved to 99.5% (108.9).

    Investment income (net investment income, net insurance finance expenses and income from financial assets held for trading) decreased by a total of 87.5% to EUR 19 million. Investment income decreased as a result of the decrease in the value of equity investments and notes and bonds in particular. Net investment income together with net finance income describe investment profitability in the insurance business. The combined return on investments at fair value of OP Financial Group’s insurance companies was -1.1% (2.0).

    Net income from financial assets recognised at fair value through profit or loss, or notes and bonds, shares and derivatives, totalled EUR -448 million (744). Net income from investment contract liabilities totalled EUR 184 million (-359). Net insurance finance expenses totalled EUR 229 million (-250).

    In banking, net income from financial assets held for trading came to EUR 53 million (8) as a result of changes in the value of derivatives.

    Other operating income totalled EUR -11 million (9). A EUR 23 million valuation adjustment in patient insurance policies with full risk for own account decreased other operating income.

    Total expenses grew by 10.0% to EUR 590 million. Personnel costs rose by 9.4% to EUR 280 million. The increase was affected by headcount growth and pay increases. OP Financial Group’s personnel increased by more than 800 year on year. The number of employees increased in areas such as sales, customer service, service development, risk management and compliance. Depreciation/amortisation and impairment loss on PPE and intangible assets decreased by 4.1% to EUR 32 million. Other operating expenses increased by 12.4% to EUR 278 million. ICT costs totalled EUR 139 million (123). Development costs were EUR 101 million (83) and capitalised development expenditure EUR 13 million (14). Charges of financial authorities were EUR 1 million (1). The EU’s Single Resolution Board (SRB) does not collect stability contributions from banks for 2025.

    At EUR 73 million (69), OP bonuses for owner-customers are included in earnings and are divided under the following items based on their accrual: EUR 33 million (35) under interest income, EUR 22 million (19) under interest expenses, EUR 13 million (11) under commission income from mutual funds, and EUR 4 million (4) under the insurance service result.

    Income tax amounted to EUR 85 million (125). The effective tax rate for the reporting period was 20.1% (20.3). Comprehensive income after tax totalled EUR 362 million (509).

    OP Financial Group’s equity amounted to EUR 18.2 billion (18.1). Equity included EUR 3.1 billion (3.3) in Profit Shares, terminated Profit Shares accounting for EUR 0.2 billion (0.4).

    OP Financial Group’s funding position and liquidity are strong. The Group’s LCR was 202% (193) and NSFR was 129% (129).


    OP Cooperative’s Annual Cooperative Meeting

    On 9 April 2025, OP Cooperative held its Annual Cooperative Meeting which elected members of the Supervisory Council, the auditor and the sustainability reporting assurer.

    The Supervisory Council comprises 36 members. The Annual Cooperative Meeting re-elected the following members to the Supervisory Council who were due to resign: Managing Director Jouni Hautala, Lawyer Taija Jurmu, Managing Director Pekka Lehtonen, Vicar Toivo Loikkanen, Managing Director Kari Mäkelä, Chair of the Board of Directors Annukka Nikola, Managing Director Ulf Nylund, Managing Director Teemu Sarhemaa and Managing Director Ari Väänänen.

    New Supervisory Council members elected were entrepreneur Erkki Haavisto, Managing Director Sanna Metsänranta, Managing Director Pertti Purola, Product Manager Sanna Tefke, Director of Rural Administration Hannu Tölli and Managing Director Mikko Vepsäläinen.

    At its reorganising meeting on 9 April 2025, the Supervisory Council elected the Chairs of the Supervisory Council. Chair of the Board of Directors Annukka Nikola was elected as Chair and Lawyer Taija Jurmu and Managing Director Ari Väänänen as Vice Chairs of the Supervisory Council.

    The Annual Cooperative Meeting elected PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy, an audit firm, to act as auditor for the financial year 2025, with APA Lauri Kallaskari as the chief auditor.

    The Annual Cooperative Meeting elected PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy, a sustainability audit firm, to assure OP Financial Group’s sustainability reporting for the financial year 2025, with Tiina Puukkoniemi, ASA, acting as the chief authorised sustainability auditor.


    Outlook

    The global economic outlook has weakened due to increased tariffs and a higher level of uncertainty. The Finnish economy is likely to grow less than previously expected and the outlook is exceptionally uncertain. The escalation of geopolitical crises or a rise in trade barriers may affect capital markets and the economic environment of OP Financial Group and its customers.

    OP Financial Group’s operating profit for 2025 is expected to be at a good level but lower than that for 2023 and 2024.

    The most significant uncertainties affecting OP Financial Group’s earnings performance are associated with developments in the business environment, changes in the interest rate and investment environment, and developments in impairment loss on receivables. Forward-looking statements in this Interim Report expressing the management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions are based on the current view on developments in the economy, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.


    Press conference

    OP Financial Group’s financial performance will be presented to the media by the President and Group Chief Executive Officer Timo Ritakallio in a press conference on 7 May 2025 at 11am at Gebhardinaukio 1, Vallila, Helsinki. Media enquiries: OP Corporate Communications, tel. +358 10 252 8719, viestinta@op.fi

    OP Corporate Bank plc and OP Mortgage Bank plc will publish their own interim reports.

    Schedule for 2025 Interim Reports and Half-year Financial Report:

    Half-year Financial Report 1 January–30 June 2025 30 July 2025
    Interim Report 1 January–30 September 2025 28 October 2025
    OP Amalgamation Pillar 3 Disclosures 31 March 2025 Week 19
    OP Amalgamation Pillar 3 Disclosures 30 June 2025 Week 33
    OP Amalgamation Pillar 3 Disclosures 30 September 2025 Week 45

    Helsinki, 7 May 2025

    OP Cooperative
    Board of Directors


    Additional information:

    Timo Ritakallio, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, tel. +358 (0)10 252 4500
    Mikko Timonen, Chief Financial Officer, tel. +358 (0)10 252 1325
    Piia Kumpulainen, Chief Communications Officer, tel. +358 10 252 7317

    DISTRIBUTION

    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
    Euronext Dublin (Irish Stock Exchange)
    London Stock Exchange
    Major media
    op.fi

    OP Financial Group is Finland’s largest financial services group, with more than two million owner-customers and over 14,000 employees. We provide a comprehensive range of banking and insurance services for personal and corporate customers. OP Financial Group consists of OP cooperative banks, its central cooperative OP Cooperative, and the latter’s subsidiaries and affiliates. Our mission is to promote the sustainable prosperity, security and wellbeing of our owner-customers and operating region. Together with our owner-customers, we have been building Finnish society and a sustainable future for 120 years now. www.op.fi

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Stasher and Quadient Partner to Launch Nationwide Luggage Storage Using UK Smart Locker Network

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Quadient (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Stasher, the world’s first luggage storage platform. This partnership marks a significant expansion of Stasher’s UK network and will provide travelers in key cities throughout the UK, including London, Birmingham, York, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cardiff and Manchester, with more convenient, secure, and accessible luggage storage options through more than 1,640 Parcel Pending by Quadient smart lockers.

    Gone are the days of dragging bags through crowded streets or waiting for hotel or travel check-in. Stasher offers hassle-free bag storage in 1,100+ cities worldwide, connecting travelers with a global network of trusted hotels, shops, and now Parcel Pending by Quadient smart lockers in the UK. Backed by award-winning customer support and a 4.8/5 rating from over 1.2 million reviews, Stasher has become the go-to solution for travelers seeking flexibility and peace of mind.

    The integration with Parcel Pending by Quadient smart lockers marks a new chapter in convenience. Combining Stasher’s seamless booking experience with Parcel Pending by Quadient’s secure and easy-to-use locker terminals, travelers will now enjoy even more flexible storage – perfect for early arrivals, late departures, and everything in between.

    “We’re excited to partner with Quadient to grow our smart lockers footprint,” said Oscar Thanoyannis, Commercial Director at Stasher. “This collaboration brings us closer to our mission: making travel easier, lighter and more enjoyable for everyone.”

    The partnership is further proof of Quadient’s commitment to offering a broad range of services that enhance urban last-mile logistics and consumer convenience. Open to all carriers and services, Parcel Pending by Quadient open network lockers serve as local convenience hubs, offering secure, 24/7 access for deliveries, returns, exchanges, and item storage for services such as prescription pick up, retail click and collect, key exchange, and spare parts. Now, through this collaboration with Stasher, they will also operate as luggage storage hubs.

    “We’re proud to join forces with Stasher to extend the reach and functionality of our Parcel Pending by Quadient smart locker network,” said Katia Bourgeais-Crémel, EVP Parcel Locker Solutions Europe at Quadient. “This partnership highlights the versatility of our lockers and our commitment to creating innovative, consumer-centric solutions that simplify everyday life—whether it’s picking up a parcel or storing your luggage.”

    Quadient is steadily expanding its smart locker network across key markets in the U.S., Japan, and Europe. With over 25,700 units currently installed worldwide, the company is well on its way toward its long-term objective of deploying 40,000 by 2030.

    Learn more at parcelpending.com/en-gb.

    About Stasher
    Stasher is the world’s first luggage storage platform, connecting travelers with thousands of verified hotels, shops, and smart lockers to store their bags securely and affordably. Operating in more than 1,100 cities with over 8,000 hosts, Stasher is trusted by millions to provide a seamless solution for bag storage before check-in, after check-out, during layovers, or while attending events.

    About Quadient®
    Quadient is a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and EnterNext® Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing. For more information about Quadient, visit www.quadient.com.

    Contact

    Joe Scolaro, Quadient
    Global Press Relations Manager
    +1 203-301-3673
    j.scolaro@quadient.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Cybernet and Nokia redefine Pakistan’s network landscape with 1.2T-per-lambda backbone

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    Cybernet and Nokia redefine Pakistan’s network landscape with 1.2T-per-lambda backbone

    • Cybernet has selected Nokia’s innovative 1830 Global Express (GX) platform with integrated optical line system capabilities and ICE7 coherent optics.
    • Cybernet’s new network will provide connectivity services to over 25 cities across Pakistan.
    • The Nokia solution will help Cybernet meet growing customer bandwidth demands with high-capacity services at market-competitive cost and power per bit.

    7 May 2025

    Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced that Cybernet, Pakistan’s leading fiber broadband provider, has chosen Nokia’s cutting-edge optical transport solution for its new long-haul Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) network. Designed to deliver 1.2 terabits per second (Tbps) per wavelength, this next-generation infrastructure will power Cybernet’s national backbone. The network will connect over 25 cities in its initial phase and deliver more than 50 Tbps of long-haul capacity.

    This deployment will support data center interconnect, enterprise and carrier networks, as well as Cybernet’s flagship consumer broadband service, StormFiber.

    Cybernet provides comprehensive connectivity solutions across Pakistan, serving enterprise, corporate, and residential customers, in addition to offering carrier and transit services to international telecom operators. To support its growing data demands and build a terabit-scale infrastructure, Cybernet is deploying Nokia’s 1830 GX platform, integrated with 1.2T ICE7 coherent optics. The new network will expand capacity along resilient, diverse routes and enable a high-speed, low-latency terrestrial backbone that spans the entire country.

    In addition to connecting cities and communities through Cybernet’s digital highways, the new backbone will also support cross-border transit services for carriers and internet service providers in Central Asia. By delivering scalable, high-capacity services at globally competitive rates, this initiative will ultimately accelerate Pakistan’s digital transformation and foster regional connectivity.

    “By enhancing our network with cutting-edge technology, we’re able to keep pace with our customers’ rapidly evolving connectivity needs and deliver a superior end-user experience. Nokia is a trusted technology leader with the expertise and innovation to support our modernization goals. The 1830 GX-based solution will form the foundation for high-capacity services connecting Pakistan—and the region—to the global digital economy,” said Maroof Ali Shahani, Chief Operating Officer of Cybernet.

    “Deploying state-of-the-art optical solutions ensures networks are not just keeping pace with, but even staying ahead in the race to meet surging bandwidth demands. As Cybernet prepares to modernize its network infrastructure, Nokia is proud to be helping transform Pakistan’s connectivity landscape with a 1.2T backbone, seamlessly interconnecting data centers, powering government networks, and delivering direct-to-home services,” said James Watt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Optical Networks at Nokia.

    Multimedia, technical information and related news
    Product Page: ICE7 1.2Tb/s high-performance coherent optics

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    About Cybernet

    Cybernet is a leading fixed-line telecommunications provider in Pakistan with over 25 years of experience delivering high-quality connectivity solutions. Operating the country’s largest and most resilient FTTX network, Cybernet serves enterprise, carrier, and residential customers nationwide. It has international points of presence in France, the UAE, Oman, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Its service portfolio includes Carrier Ethernet, IPLC, DIA, MPLS, IP Transit, Wholesale Voice, Peering, cross-border and submarine transit capacities, as well as cloud and carrier-grade hosting. Cybernet is also the parent company of StormFiber, a fast-growing fiber broadband provider active in over 25 cities across Pakistan. Through sustained investment in infrastructure and innovation, Cybernet is helping to shape the future of Pakistan’s digital ecosystem.

    Media inquiries
    Nokia Press Office
    Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

    Follow us on social media
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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Quantum Sensing via Matter-Wave Interferometry Aboard the International Space Station

    Source: NASA

    Future space missions could use quantum technologies to help us understand the physical laws that govern the universe, explore the composition of other planets and their moons, gain insights into unexplained cosmological phenomena, or monitor ice sheet thickness and the amount of water in underground aquafers on Earth.

    NASA’s Cold Atom Lab (CAL), a first-of-its-kind facility aboard the International Space Station, has performed a series of trailblazing experiments based on the quantum properties of ultracold atoms. The tool used to perform these experiments is called an atom interferometer, and it can precisely measure gravity, magnetic fields, and other forces.
    Atom interferometers are currently being used on Earth to study the fundamental nature of gravity and are also being developed to aid aircraft and ship navigation, but use of an atom interferometer in space will enable innovative science capabilities.
    Physicists have been eager to apply atom interferometry in space, both to enable new measurements for space science and to capitalize on the extended free-fall conditions found in space. This could enable researchers to achieve unprecedented performance from these quantum sensors.
    These interferometers, however, require exquisitely sensitive equipment, and they were previously considered too fragile to function for extended periods without hands-on attention. The Cold Atom Lab, which is operated remotely from Earth, has now demonstrated that it is possible to conduct atom interferometry in space. The CAL Science Team has published two papers so far documenting these experimental milestones.

    The results of the first study, published in the November 2023 issue of Nature, described the demonstration of simultaneous atom interferometry with both rubidium and potassium quantum gases for the first time in space. The dual-species atom interferometer not only exhibited robust and repeatable operation of atom interferometry in Earth orbit, but it also served as a pathfinder for future experiments that aim to use quantum gases to test the universality of free fall, a key tenet of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
    In the second study, the results of which were featured in the August 2024 issue of Nature Communications, members of the science team used the CAL atom interferometer to measure subtle vibrations of the space station and to remotely measure the frequency of the atom interferometer laser— the first time ultra-cold atoms have been used to detect changes in the surrounding environment in space. This paper also reported on the demonstration of the wave-like nature of matter persisting for the longest ever freefall time (over a tenth of a second) in space.
    “Reaching these milestones was incredibly challenging, and our success was not always a given,” said Jason Williams, the Cold Atom Lab project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “It took dedication and a sense of adventure by the team to make this happen.”
    Space-based sensors that can measure gravity with high precision have a wide range of potential applications. They could reveal the composition of planets and moons in our solar system, because different materials have different densities that create subtle variations in gravity.
    The U.S.-German GRACE-FO (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-on) mission is currently collecting gravity measurements using classical sensors that detect slight changes in gravity to track the movement of water and ice on Earth. A future mission using atom interferometry could provide better precision and stability, revealing even more detail about surface mass changes.
    Precise measurements of gravity could also offer insights into the nature of dark matter and dark energy, two major cosmological mysteries. Dark matter is an invisible substance that makes up about 27% of the universe, while the “regular” matter that composes planets, stars, and everything else we can see makes up only 5%. Dark energy makes up the remaining 68% of the universe and is the driver of the universe’s accelerating expansion.
    “Atom interferometry could also be used to test Einstein’s theory of general relativity in new ways,” said University of Virginia professor Cass Sackett, a Cold Atom Lab principal investigator. “This is the basic theory explaining the large-scale structure of our universe, and we know that there are aspects of the theory that we don’t understand correctly. This technology may help us fill in those gaps and give us a more complete picture of the reality we inhabit.”
    About the size of a minifridge, the Cold Atom Lab launched to the space station in 2018 with the goal of advancing quantum science by placing a long-term facility in the microgravity environment of low Earth orbit. The lab cools atoms to almost absolute zero, or minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 273 degrees Celsius). At this temperature, some atoms can form a Bose-Einstein condensate, a state of matter in which all atoms essentially share the same quantum identity. As a result, some of the atoms’ typically microscopic quantum properties become macroscopic, making them easier to study.
    Quantum properties can sometimes cause atoms to act like solid objects and sometimes like waves. Scientists don’t yet entirely understand how the building blocks of matter can transition between such different physical behaviors, but they’re using quantum technology like what’s available on the Cold Atom Lab to seek answers.
    In microgravity, Bose-Einstein condensates can reach colder temperatures and can exist for longer, giving scientists more opportunities to study them. The atom interferometer is among several tools in the CAL facility enabling precision measurements by harnessing the quantum nature of atoms.

    Due to its wave-like behavior, a single atom can simultaneously travel two physically separate paths. If gravity or other forces are acting on those waves, scientists can measure that influence by observing how the waves recombine and interact.
    “I expect that space-based atom interferometry will lead to exciting new discoveries, fantastic quantum technologies impacting everyday life, and will transport us into a quantum future,” said Nick Bigelow, a professor at University of Rochester in New York and Cold Atom Lab principal investigator for a consortium of U.S. and German scientists who co-authored the studies cited above.
    Designed and built at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Cold Atom Lab is sponsored by the Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at the Agency’s headquarters in Washington DC and the International Space Station Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The work carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, was executed under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
    Learn more about Cold Atom Lab at https://coldatomlab.jpl.nasa.gov/
    Just how cold are the atoms in Cold Atom Lab? Find out at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7311
    To learn more about the Cold Atom Lab’s recent upgrades visit https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/upgrading-the-space-stations-cold-atom-lab-with-mixed-reality and https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7660
    Project Lead: Kamal Oudrhiri, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
    Sponsoring Organization:  Biological and Physical Sciences Division (BPS)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft and FFA help students use smart sensors and AI to learn about the future of farming

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft and FFA help students use smart sensors and AI to learn about the future of farming

    Partnership expands FarmBeats for Students program to all 50 states to help grow next generation of farmers

    REDMOND, Wash. — May 6, 2025 — Microsoft Corp. and the National FFA Organization on Tuesday announced the national expansion of FarmBeats for Students, a cutting-edge educational program integrating smart sensors, data science and artificial intelligence (AI) to teach precision agriculture in classrooms. Starting today, FFA teachers and students throughout the United States, including FFA chapters in 185 middle and high schools, will receive a classroom set of FarmBeats for Students kits free of charge. The kits include ready-to-use sensor systems along with curriculum for teachers and are designed for classrooms of all kinds; no prior technical experience is required.

    More and more farmers are adopting advanced technology, including automating systems such as tractors and harvesters and using drones and data analysis to intervene early against pests and disease, to maximize crop yield, optimize resource usage, and adjust to changing weather patterns. Gaining hands-on experience with machine automation, data science and AI will help American agricultural students remain competitive in the global market.

    Using the FarmBeats for Students kits and free curriculum, students build environmental sensor systems and use AI to monitor soil moisture and detect nutrient deficiencies — allowing them to understand what is happening with their plants and make data-driven decisions in real time. Students can adapt the kit to challenges unique to their region — such as drought, frost and pests — providing them with practical experience in tackling real-world issues in their hometowns.

    “Microsoft is committed to ensuring students and teachers have the tools they need to succeed in today’s tech-driven world, and that includes giving students hands-on experience with precision farming, data science and AI,” said Mary Snapp, Microsoft vice president, Strategic Initiatives. “By teaming up with FFA to bring FarmBeats for Students to students across the country, we hope to inspire the next generation of agriculture leaders and equip them with the skills to tackle any and all challenges as they guide us into the future.”

    “Our partnership with Microsoft exemplifies the power of collaboration in addressing industry needs while fostering personal and professional growth among students,” said Christine White, chief program officer, National FFA Organization. “Supporting agricultural education and leadership development is crucial for shaping the next generation of innovators and problem solvers. Programs like this equip students with technical knowledge, confidence and adaptability to thrive in diverse and evolving industries. Investing in these young minds today sets the stage for a more sustainable, innovative and resilient agricultural future.”

    In addition, teachers, students or parents interested in FarmBeats for Students can purchase a kit for $35 at this link and receive free training at Microsoft Learn.

    Any educator interested in implementing the FarmBeats for Students program can now access a new, free comprehensive course on the Microsoft Educator Learn Center, providing training on precision agriculture, data science and AI, allowing teachers to earn professional development hours and badges.

    FarmBeats for Students was co-developed by Microsoft, FFA and agriculture educators. The program aligns with the AI for K-12 initiative guidelines; Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career standards; Computer Science Teachers Association standards; and Common Core math standards.

    For more information about FarmBeats for Students, visit aka.ms/FBFS.

    About National FFA Organization

    The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,027,200 student members as part of 9,235 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

    About Microsoft

    Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

    For more information, press only:

    Microsoft Media Relations, We. Communications, (425) 638-7777, [email protected]

    Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit Microsoft Source at https://news.microsoft.com/source. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: State of ransomware in 2025

    Source: Securelist – Kaspersky

    Headline: State of ransomware in 2025

    With the International Anti-Ransomware Day just around the corner on May 12, Kaspersky explores the ever-changing ransomware threat landscape and its implications for cybersecurity. According to Kaspersky Security Network data, the number of ransomware detections decreased by 18% from 2023 to 2024 – from 5,715,892 to 4,668,229. At the same time, the share of users affected by ransomware attacks increased by 0.02 p.p. to 0.44%. This smaller percentage compared to other cyberthreats is explained by the fact that attackers often don’t distribute this type of malware on a mass scale, but prioritize high-value targets, which reduces the overall number of incidents.

    That said, if we look at incidents at organizations requiring immediate incident response services that were mitigated by Kaspersky’s Global Emergency Response Team (GERT), we’ll see that 41.6% of them were related to ransomware in 2024, compared to 33.3% in 2023. Targeted ransomware is likely to remain the primary threat to organizations around the world for the foreseeable future.

    Below are some of the global trends that Kaspersky observed with ransomware in 2024.

    Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) dominance

    The RaaS model remains the predominant framework for ransomware attacks, fueling their proliferation by lowering the technical barrier for cybercriminals. In 2024, RaaS platforms like RansomHub thrived by offering malware, technical support and affiliate programs that split the ransom (e.g., 90/10 for affiliates/core group). This model enables less-skilled actors to execute sophisticated attacks, contributing to the emergence of multiple new ransomware groups in 2024 alone. While traditional ransomware still exists, the scalability and profitability of RaaS make it the primary engine, with platforms evolving to include services such as initial access brokering and data exfiltration, ensuring its dominance into 2025.

    Some groups continue to go cross-platform, while Windows remains the primary target

    Many ransomware attacks still target Windows-based systems, reflecting the operating system’s widespread use in enterprise environments. The architecture of Windows, combined with vulnerabilities in software such as Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and unpatched systems, makes it a prime target for ransomware executables. In recent years, however, some attackers have diversified, with groups like RansomHub and Akira developing variants for Linux and VMware systems, particularly in cloud and virtualized environments. While Windows remains the epicenter, the growing focus on cross-platform ransomware signals a shift toward exploiting diverse infrastructures, especially as organizations adopt hybrid and cloud setups. This is not a new trend, and we expect it to persist in the coming years.

    Overall ransomware payments down, average ransom payment up

    According to Chainalysis, ransomware payments dropped significantly in 2024 to approximately $813.55 million, down 35% from a record $1.25 billion in 2023. On the other hand, Sophos reports that the average ransom payment surged from $1,542,333 in 2023 to $3,960,917 in 2024, reflecting a trend of targeting larger organizations with higher demands. This report also highlights that more organizations paid ransoms to get their data back, although other reports indicate that fewer organizations paid ransoms than in 2023. For example, according to Coveware, a company that specializes in fighting ransomware, the payment rate hit a record low of 25% in Q4 2024, down from 29% in Q4 2023, driven by law enforcement crackdowns, improved cybersecurity and regulatory pressures discouraging payments.

    While encryption remains a core component of many ransomware attacks, the primary goal for some groups has shifted or expanded beyond locking data

    In 2024, cybercriminals increasingly prioritized data exfiltration alongside, or sometimes instead of, encryption, focusing on stealing sensitive information to maximize leverage and profits or even extending threats to third parties such as customers, partners, suppliers, etc. Encryption is still widely used, but the rise of double and triple extortion tactics shows a strategic pivot. RansomHub and most modern ransomware groups often combine encryption with data theft, threatening to leak or sell stolen data if a ransom is not paid, making exfiltration a critical tactic.

    Dismantled or disrupted ransomware actors in 2024

    Several major ransomware groups faced significant disruptions in 2024, though the ecosystem’s resilience limited the long-term impact. LockBit, responsible for 27.78% of attacks in 2023, was hit hard by Operation Cronos in February 2024, with law enforcement seizing its infrastructure, arresting members and unmasking its leader, Dmitry Khoroshev. However, despite these efforts, LockBit relaunched its operations and remained active throughout 2024.

    ALPHV/BlackCat, another prolific group, was dismantled after an FBI operation in December 2023, though affiliates migrated to other groups such as RansomHub. The Radar/Dispossessor operation was disrupted by the FBI in August 2024, and German authorities seized 47 cryptocurrency exchanges linked to ransomware laundering. Despite these takedowns, groups like RansomHub and Play quickly filled the void, underscoring the challenge of eradicating ransomware networks. However, according to the latest research, the RansomHub group presumably paused their operations as of April 1, 2025.

    Some groups disappear, others pick up their work

    When ransomware groups disband or disappear, their tools, tactics and infrastructure often remain accessible in the cybercriminal ecosystem, allowing other groups to adopt and enhance them. For example, groups like BlackMatter or REvil, after facing pressure from law enforcement, saw their code and methods reused by successors like BlackCat, which in turn was followed by Cicada3301. Disappearing groups may also sell their source code, exploit kits or affiliate models on dark web forums, enabling emerging or existing gangs to repurpose these resources. In addition, malicious tools are sometimes leaked to the internet, as was the case with LockBit 3.0. As a result, many smaller groups or individuals unrelated to the ransomware developers, including hacktivists and low-skilled cybercriminals, get hold of these tools and use them for their own purposes. This cycle of knowledge transfer accelerates the evolution of ransomware as new actors build on proven strategies, adapt to countermeasures, and exploit vulnerabilities faster than defenders can respond. In telemetry, these new groups using old toolkits can be identified as old groups (e.g., LockBit).

    Ransomware groups increasingly developing their own custom toolkits

    This is done to increase the effectiveness of their attacks and avoid detection. These toolkits often include exploitation tools, lateral movement tools, password attack tools, etc. that are tailored to specific targets or industries. By creating proprietary tools, these groups reduce their reliance on widely available, detectable exploits and maintain control over their operations. This in-house development also facilitates frequent updates to counter defenses and exploit new vulnerabilities, making their attacks more resilient and harder for cybersecurity measures to mitigate.

    General vs. targeted ransomware share

    Targeted ransomware attacks, aimed at specific organizations for maximum disruption and payout, focus on high-value targets such as hospitals, financial institutions and government agencies, leveraging reconnaissance and zero-day exploits for precision. General ransomware, which spreads indiscriminately via phishing or external devices, often affects smaller businesses or individuals with weaker defenses. The focus on targeted attacks reflects cybercriminals’ preference for larger ransoms, though general ransomware persists due to its low-effort, high-volume potential.

    According to Kaspersky research, RansomHub was the most active group executing targeted attacks in 2024, followed by Play.

    Each group’s share of victims according to its data leak site (DLS) as a percentage of all reported victims of all groups during the period under review (download)

    AI tools used in ransomware development (FunkSec)

    FunkSec emerged as a ransomware group in late 2024 and quickly gained notoriety, claiming multiple victims in December alone and outpacing established groups like Cl0p and RansomHub. Operating on a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, FunkSec employs a double extortion tactic that combines data encryption with exfiltration. The group targets sectors such as government, technology, finance and education in countries including India, Spain and Mongolia.

    FunkSec is notable for its heavy reliance on AI-assisted tools, particularly in malware development. Its ransomware features AI-generated code with comments that are perfect from a language perspective, suggesting the use of large language models (LLMs) to streamline development and evade detection. Unlike typical ransomware groups that demand millions, FunkSec’s ransoms are unusually low, adopting a high-volume, low-cost approach.

    Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver attacks continue

    Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) is an increasingly prevalent technique used in ransomware attacks to bypass security defenses and gain kernel-level access on Windows systems.

    With BYOVD, attackers deploy a legitimate but vulnerable driver – often digitally signed by a trusted vendor or Microsoft – on a target system. These drivers, which operate at the kernel level (ring 0) with high privileges, contain exploitable flaws that allow attackers to disable security tools, escalate privileges or execute malicious code undetected. By leveraging signed drivers, attackers can evade Windows’ default security checks.

    Although BYOVD is an advanced technique, there is a range of open-source tools like EDRSandblast and Backstab that lower the technical barriers and simplify such attacks. According to the Living Off The Land Drivers (LOLDrivers) project, hundreds of exploitable drivers are known, highlighting the scale of the problem. Attackers continue to find new vulnerable drivers, and tools like KDMapper allow mapping of unsigned drivers into memory via BYOVD, complicating defenses.

    Share of users whose computers were attacked by crypto-ransomware, by region. Data from Kaspersky Security Network (download)

    In the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions, ransomware affected a higher share of users due to rapid digital transformation, expanding attack surfaces and varying levels of cybersecurity maturity. Enterprises in APAC were heavily targeted, driven by attacks on infrastructure and operational technology, especially in countries with growing economies and new data privacy laws.

    Ransomware is less prevalent in Africa due to lower levels of digitization and economic constraints, which reduce the number of high-value targets. However, as countries like South Africa and Nigeria expand their digital economies, ransomware attacks are on the rise, particularly in the manufacturing, financial and government sectors. Limited cybersecurity awareness and resources leave many organizations vulnerable, though the smaller attack surface means the region remains behind global hotspots.

    Latin America also experiences ransomware attacks, particularly in countries like Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico. Manufacturing, agriculture, and retail, as well as critical sectors such as government and energy are targeted, but economic constraints and smaller ransoms deter some attackers. The region’s growing digital adoption is increasing exposure. For example, NightSpire ransomware compromised Chilean company EmoTrans, a logistics company serving key industries in Chile such as mining, agriculture and international trade. The group first appeared in March 2025, and attacked government institutions, manufacturers and other companies in various parts of the world. Like many other groups, NightSpire uses the double extortion strategy and has its own data leak site (DLS).

    The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) sees a smaller share of users encountering ransomware attacks. However, hacktivist groups like Head Mare, Twelve and others active in the region often use ransomware such as LockBit 3.0 to inflict damage on target organizations. Manufacturing, government, and retail are the most targeted sectors, with varying levels of cybersecurity maturity across the region affecting security.

    Europe is confronted with ransomware, but benefits from robust cybersecurity frameworks and regulations that deter some attackers. Sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and education are targeted, but mature incident response and awareness limit the scale of attacks. The region’s diversified economies and strong defenses make it less of a focal point for ransomware groups than regions with rapid, less secure digital growth.

    For example, RansomHub claimed responsibility for a 2024 attack on Kawasaki’s European offices, disrupting operations across multiple countries. The breach compromised customer and operational data, affecting supply chains for Kawasaki’s motorcycle and industrial products in Europe. The regional impact was significant in countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, where Kawasaki has a strong market presence, highlighting vulnerabilities in Europe’s manufacturing sector.

    Change in the share of users whose computers were attacked by crypto-ransomware, by region, 2024 compared to 2023. Data from Kaspersky Security Network (download)

    Emerging threats and future outlook

    Looking ahead to 2025, ransomware is expected to evolve by exploiting unconventional vulnerabilities, as demonstrated by the Akira gang’s use of a webcam to bypass endpoint detection and response systems and infiltrate internal networks. Attackers are likely to increasingly target overlooked entry points like IoT devices, smart appliances or misconfigured hardware in the workplace, capitalizing on the expanding attack surface created by interconnected systems. As organizations strengthen traditional defenses, cybercriminals will refine their tactics, focusing on stealthy reconnaissance and lateral movement within networks to deploy ransomware with greater precision, making it harder for defenders to detect and respond in time.

    Ransomware groups are also likely to escalate their extortion strategies, moving beyond double extortion to more aggressive approaches such as threatening to leak sensitive data to regulators, competitors or the public. The Ransomware-as-a-Service model will continue to thrive, allowing less-skilled actors to launch sophisticated attacks by purchasing access to pre-built tools and exploit kits. Geopolitical tensions may further drive hacktivism and state-sponsored ransomware campaigns targeting critical assets, such as energy grids or healthcare systems, as part of hybrid warfare. Smaller organizations with limited cybersecurity budgets will face heightened risks as attackers exploit their weaker defenses. To adapt, businesses must adopt zero-trust security models, secure IoT ecosystems and prioritize employee training to mitigate phishing and social engineering threats.

    The proliferation of large language models (LLMs) tailored for cybercrime will further amplify ransomware’s reach and impact. LLMs marketed on the dark web lower the technical barrier to creating malicious code, phishing campaigns and social engineering attacks, allowing even less-skilled actors to craft highly convincing lures or automate ransomware deployment. As more innovative concepts such as RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and LowCode, which provide an intuitive, visual, AI-assisted drag-and-drop interface for rapid software development, are quickly adopted by software developers, we can expect ransomware developers to use them to automate their attacks as well as new code development, making the ransomware threat even more prevalent.

    Recommendations

    To effectively counter ransomware in 2025, organizations and individuals must adopt a multi-layered defense strategy that addresses the evolving tactics of groups like FunkSec, RansomHub and others that leverage AI, Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) and double extortion.

    Prioritize proactive prevention through patching and vulnerability management. Many ransomware attacks exploit unpatched systems, so organizations should implement automated patch management tools to ensure timely updates for operating systems, software and drivers. For Windows environments, enabling Microsoft’s Vulnerable Driver Blocklist is critical to thwarting BYOVD attacks. Regularly scan for vulnerabilities and prioritize high-severity flaws, especially in widely used software like Microsoft Exchange or VMware ESXi, which were increasingly targeted by ransomware in 2024.

    Strengthen endpoint and network security with advanced detection and segmentation. Deploy robust endpoint detection and response solutions such as Kaspersky NEXT EDR to monitor for suspicious activity like driver loading or process termination. Network segmentation is equally important – limit lateral movement by isolating critical systems and using firewalls to restrict traffic. Implement a zero-trust architecture that requires continuous authentication for access.

    Invest in backups, training and incident response planning. Maintain offline or immutable backups that are tested regularly to ensure rapid recovery without paying a ransom. Backups should cover critical data and systems and be stored in air-gapped environments to resist encryption or deletion. User education is essential to combat phishing, which remains one of the top attack vectors. Conduct simulated phishing exercises and train employees to recognize AI-crafted emails used by FunkSec and others for stealth. Kaspersky GERT can help develop and test an incident response plan to minimize potential downtime and costs.

    The recommendation to not pay a ransom remains robust, especially given the risk of unavailable keys due to dismantled infrastructure, affiliate chaos or malicious intent, as seen in the 2024 disruptions. By investing in backups, incident response and preventive measures like patching and training, organizations can avoid funding criminals and mitigate the impact. Kaspersky also offers free decryptors for certain ransomware families. If you get hit by ransomware, check to see if there is a decryptor available for the ransomware family used in your case. Note that even if one isn’t available right now, it may be added later.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Premier League champions have already been crowned but there’s still a lot on the line – mainly money

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ronnie Das, Associate Professor in Data Analytics, The University of Western Australia

    The English Premier League (EPL) is one of the most prestigious and widely consumed soccer competitions in the world.

    Yet it is also manifestly lopsided when it comes to competitive balance. Only a handful of teams are title contenders each season.

    The rest mainly aim to avoid relegation to the second-tier Championship, or strive to qualify for lucrative Europe-wide competitions that run alongside the domestic season.

    Despite the dominance of a handful of teams, and this year’s title race already being decided in Liverpool’s favour, there is still major fan interest, even among neutrals.

    The reason why is prestige and the financial windfalls for the teams that qualify for European leagues.

    Soccer’s uneven playing field

    Competitiveness in the Premier League has significantly declined since 1997 due to growing overseas investments.

    Super-wealthy investors such as Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour have permanently changed the fortunes of Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively. Since foreign acquisitions, these clubs experienced meteoric rises and dominated the league, and in Manchester City’s case, have enjoyed a near-monopoly on the league title in recent years.

    Superior financial backing provides unfair advantages in the player transfer market, wage affordability, and modernising training facilities that domestically funded clubs can’t match.

    This is probably a major reason why in 33 years of the EPL’s existence, there have only ever been seven different winners.

    This isn’t a unique feature of the English competition.

    Among the major European leagues, Barcelona and Real Madrid have combined 18 Spanish La Liga titles since 2004, Bayern Munich has won 15 German Bundesliga championships, and in Italy’s Serie A, Juventus (nine), Inter Milan (seven) and AC Milan (two) have shared the vast majority of titles over the past two decades.

    This is an illustration of what economists call industrial concentration – market domination by a small number of organisations.

    Normally, a fundamental principle when designing a sports league is the idea that every team should have a chance of winning it.

    In US sports, such as the National Basketball Association, this is enshrined within the sport’s rules and governance.

    One can argue it has been a long time since there was any such equality in English football.

    Despite the criticism, there is still major interest in the Premier League, due mainly to the jostling for European qualification.

    Why it’s not all about the title

    Liverpool and its fans are still celebrating their title win, which they clinched with four games to spare. The victory, the club’s 20th in top-tier English soccer, equals their arch-rival Manchester United’s record.

    The league’s often thrilling relegation battle has also already been decided.

    But interest in the league’s final few games is still high because many clubs are jostling for European qualification.

    These European-wide competitions are, in descending order of prestige, the Champions League, Europa League and the recently launched Conference League.

    Organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), these competitions bring together the top teams from each major European soccer league to compete against each other.

    This year, the top five English clubs (instead of the usual top four) will be offered a confirmed Champions League position. This is due to the collective best performance of English clubs this season in the Champions League.

    At the time of writing, there is only a seven-point spread between the six teams still vying for a top-five finish, with three games left to play.

    The sixth team in the league table, and the FA Cup winner, also receives the opportunity to join Europe’s second-tier club league tournament, the Europa League.

    And the Carabao Cup winner secures a spot in the third-tier Conference League.

    With Newcastle United (Carabao Cup winner) and Manchester City (favourite for FA Cup final) likely to finish in the top five Premier League places, the race for Europe is getting more intense with mathematical permutations suggesting up to ten Premier League places may be open to European league qualification.

    This means 12 EPL teams are still fighting for every single point.

    European qualification delivers enormous financial incentives. For many of the smaller competing clubs, such as Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Fulham, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

    Money matters

    Champions League qualification offers the largest financial rewards, with a €2.467 billion prize pool (A$4.34 billion), and minimum €18.62 million (A$32.7 million) reward per club for participation.

    Each victory during the tournament’s league stage also attracts a further €2.1 million (A$3.69 million) performance bonus, and bonuses for qualifying for the knockout stage range from €1 million to €18.5 million (A$1.75 million to $32.4 million) per club, depending on how far they progress.

    For Europa League participation, the reward is €4.31 million (A$7.57 million) per team, and €3.17 million (A$5.57 million) for the Conference League.

    This money is vital for clubs’ survival, especially as player wages and the transfer market have skyrocketed in recent years.

    For example, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, the highest-paid Premier League player, earns £500,000 (A$1.028 million) per week.

    So, having the financial means to purchase top-quality players and sustain a strong team is becoming incredibly difficult for clubs with limited investments and earnings.

    For smaller clubs, qualifying for European competition can be a lifeline, which is why there’s still so much interest in the Premier League’s upper mid-table battles – despite Liverpool already being a week into the title celebrations.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The Premier League champions have already been crowned but there’s still a lot on the line – mainly money – https://theconversation.com/the-premier-league-champions-have-already-been-crowned-but-theres-still-a-lot-on-the-line-mainly-money-254700

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: More than 50 years after trying to reach Venus, a failed Soviet spacecraft is about to return to Earth

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alice Gorman, Associate Professor in Archaeology and Space Studies, Flinders University

    A postage stamp from the Soviet Union celebrating its Venus space program from the 1960s and 1970s. Soviet Union/Wikipedia

    During the height of the Cold War in the 1960s and 1970s, the USSR launched 29 spacecraft towards Venus, the planet scientists call Earth’s “twin sister”.

    Three flew past Venus, and went into orbit around the Sun. Sixteen orbited or landed on Venus, where they experienced a climate often described as “hellish”.

    Ten got stuck in Earth orbit. All of them re-entered Earth’s atmosphere the same year they were launched – except Kosmos 482, which has stayed aloft for 53 more years. As the last remnant of the Soviet Venus program left in Earth orbit, it’s not your average piece of space junk.

    Because it was designed to withstand Venusian conditions, many think the lander may make planetfall on Earth instead of incinerating in the atmosphere. And that is expected to happen this week.

    Destination Morning Star

    Venus was a target of interest because its thick clouds might be hiding life on the surface. But the spacecraft were also Cold War weapons aimed at demonstrating the superiority of socialist science.

    Venera 1 was launched in 1961, only four years after Sputnik 1, the first satellite. Venera 7, in 1970, was the first spacecraft to successfully soft-land instead of crashing on a planet. Vega 2 was the last USSR Venus mission in 1984.

    The Venera probes were launched in pairs, a few days apart. If one failed, the other might succeed. Venera 8 was launched on March 27 1972 and reached Venus 117 days later. On March 31, its twin left Earth but failed to escape Earth orbit, earning the designation Kosmos 482.

    Venera 8 (pictured here) was identical to Kosmos 482 and made it to Venus.
    Lavochkin/Roscosmos/Wikipedia

    The spacecraft comprised a delivery “bus” about 3.5 metres tall, with a propulsion system, solar panels and a mesh dish antenna at one end, and the spherical landing craft at the other end. The landers had their own refrigeration system to cool them down and a heat shield to protect them. If all went to plan, the buses would eject the landers from orbit. The landers would hit the upper cloud decks at a speed of nearly 12km per second.

    At 60km altitude, the main parachute was released to float the lander down to the surface. A range of instruments would then measure the temperature, pressure, wind speed, visibility, atmospheric gases and rock composition, and radio the results back to Earth. Each lander carried a USSR medallion inside.

    But all didn’t go to plan. Venera 8 sped on its way to Venus, sending its lander down on July 22.

    Fate had something different in store for Kosmos 482.

    How to be space junk in one easy step

    The upper rocket stage that was meant to propel the Kosmos 482 bus out of Earth orbit shut off too early because the timer wasn’t set correctly. The rocket stage fell back to Earth and burnt up, while titanium pressure vessels from its fuel system fell onto fields in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    The bus and landing craft came apart in mid-June and the bus fell back into the atmosphere in 1981. The 465kg lander continued its orbit alone.

    At its farthest, the lander was 9,000km away, coming as close as 210km in its highly elliptical orbit around Earth. Over 50 years, that orbit has lowered to only 2,000km at its farthest point. Now the atmosphere is dragging it back towards Earth with a predicted re-entry of May 10. You can get updates on Kosmos 482’s position here.

    Venera 9 took the first images of the surface in 1975. The Venera 13 and 14 missions took the first colour photos.

    Will the lander fall on Earth?

    The lander had a titanium body designed to withstand Venus surface conditions of 90 times the atmospheric pressure of Earth and 470°C. After more than 50 years it won’t have the refrigeration, the capacity to aerobrake or a working parachute to slow it down and keep it cool. Its reentry will be uncontrolled.

    Typically, space junk reenters at around seven kilometres per second and can reach temperatures of 1,600°C as it tears through the atmosphere. Titanium alloys have a melting point of around 1,700°C. This is why the so-called “space balls” that landed in New Zealand in April 1972 survived reentry. If they did, then the lander could as well.

    Six of the nine other failed Kosmos reentries had landers or impactors, but we don’t know where they are – either they did not survive, fell into the ocean, or have not yet been found on land. This may also be the fate of the Kosmos 482 lander.

    The Kosmos 482 lander filmed from Leiden in 2020 by space tracking expert Marco Langbroek (Delft Technical University)

    Danger from Venus

    Venus might be the planet of love, but in popular culture, it has been associated with danger.

    In the 1960 East German film The Silent Star (later dubbed into English as First Spaceship on Venus), the Venusians plan to bombard Earth with radiation so they can conquer it.

    In the 1968 film Night of the Living Dead, an American Venus probe returns bringing a deadly radiation which turns the dead into zombies.

    An episode of the hit 1970s TV series The Six Million Dollar Man characterised a Russian Venus spacecraft as a “death probe” when it accidentally returned to Earth.

    These representations reflect Cold War fears of nuclear war and war waged from space.

    In the 21st century, we have a new source of anxiety: the environmental impacts of space junk. But spacecraft such as Kosmos 482 are not the junk people should be worried about.

    In the past five years, there’s been a massive increase in the number of rocket launches and the number of spacecraft in low Earth orbit. More and more space junk is reentering the atmosphere. For example, it’s estimated that a Starlink satellite reenters almost every day. When it burns up, it leaves behind damaging chemicals and soot particles.

    In the meantime, Venera 8 is still waiting silently on the surface of Venus for its twin to arrive.

    Alice Gorman is an expert member of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) International Scientific Committee on Aerospace Heritage and a Fellow of the Outer Space Institute.

    – ref. More than 50 years after trying to reach Venus, a failed Soviet spacecraft is about to return to Earth – https://theconversation.com/more-than-50-years-after-trying-to-reach-venus-a-failed-soviet-spacecraft-is-about-to-return-to-earth-255836

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: For 100 years, we have marvelled at planetariums. Here’s a brief history of how humans brought the stars indoors

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Bush, Senior Lecturer in History and Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne

    Ulverstone Planetarium, Hive Tasmania

    Picture this: a small audience is quietly ushered into a darkened room. They gasp in awe, as a brilliant night sky shines above. They wonder – as many after them will do – what trickery has made the roof above their heads disappear?

    But this is a performance; the stars above an ingenious projection. For the first time a public audience has experienced the spectacle of the opto-mechanical planetarium. The location is the newly opened Deutsches Museum in Munich, built to celebrate science and technology. The date is May 7 1925.

    Visualising the heavens

    Throughout time, cultures around the world have used the stars to help make sense of the world, to understand where we come from and determine our place in the cosmos.

    People have tried to recreate the movements of the stars and planets since antiquity. In the 1700s, the orrery, a clockwork model of the Solar System, was developed. The word “planetarium” was invented to describe orreries that featured the planets.

    One room-sized orrery example was built by the self-taught Frisian astronomer Eise Eisinga. It’s still operational today in Franeker, Netherlands.

    No human has ever been to the edge of the Solar System to see this view. Orreries, and other mechanical models of the universe like celestial globes, present views from impossible, external perspectives.

    Eise Eisinga’s orrery was constructed on a scale of 1mm:1 million km with the pendulum clock that drives the mechanism located in the ceiling above.
    Erik Zachte, CC BY-SA

    The first planetariums

    The desire for a realistic view of the stars and planets, created from a perspective we actually see, gathered pace in the early 20th century as light pollution from growing cities diminished the view of the night sky.

    People like Oskar von Miller, first director of the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany, wanted to return this vision of the stars and planets to everyone. (Ironically, von Miller’s earlier career was as an electrical engineer, rolling out the city lighting that contributed to light pollution.)

    One early attempt to create this view of the night sky was the Atwood Sphere, installed in Chicago in 1913.

    Approximately five metres across, it was made of sheet metal perforated with a star map. When viewed from the inside, the light shining through 692 pinholes replicated the Chicago night sky. The whole structure could even be rotated to simulate the motion of the stars.

    A realistic display of the stars is one thing. Representing the planets, whose positions in the sky change from night to night, is a different one. Von Miller and others at the Deutsches Museum knew that fixed holes could not represent the complexity of a moving planet.

    What if the planets were displayed by projection? If so, couldn’t the stars be projected, as well? With this realisation, a new kind of planetarium was born, borrowing the name from earlier orreries but working in a completely different way.

    The task of building such a device was given to the German optical company Carl Zeiss AG. After many setbacks, their first planetarium projector was completed in 1923, with the first performance at the Deutsches Museum a century ago today.

    Planetariums were a hit with the public. Within decades, they had spread around the world – the first planetarium in the United States opened in Chicago in 1930, while the first one in Asia opened in Osaka, Japan in 1937. The popularity of planetariums particularly accelerated in the US during the space race of the 1960s.

    Australia’s oldest operating planetarium is the Melbourne Planetarium, managed by Museums Victoria since 1965. In Aotearoa New Zealand, Auckland’s Stardome Observatory has been in operation since 1997. The current longest-running planetarium in the southern hemisphere is in Montevideo, Uruguay, operational since 1955.

    Changing pace of technology

    The opto-mechanical planetarium projector remains a technological wonder of the modern world. Individual plates, perforated with pinholes, are illuminated by a bright central light. Separate lenses focus each projection from one of these star maps to fill the entire dome with about 5,000 stars.

    The Sun, Moon and planets have separate projectors driven by gears and rods that mechanically calculate the object’s position in the sky for any time or place.

    The Zeiss ZKP-1 star projector was installed at Adelaide Planetarium in 1972.
    Adelaide Planetarium

    By the 1990s, a digital revolution had begun. With the advent of computers, the positions of the planets could now be calculated digitally. The Melbourne Planetarium became the first digital planetarium in the southern hemisphere when it installed the Digistar II in 1999.

    This system, developed by computer graphics company Evans and Sutherland, replaced the multiple lenses of earlier projectors with a fisheye lens. A single beam of light swept across the whole dome so rapidly that it seemed to create a single image – albeit in a bizarre green colour, rendering a starfield of fuzzy green blobs.

    The first accurate fly-through of a star field was created by Evans and Sutherland and used as the opening credits of Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982).

    The trade-off for a less crisp starfield was a 3D database with more than 9,000 stars. For the first time, planetarium audiences could fly through space, far beyond the edge of the Solar System.

    Planetarium technology continues to develop. Today, most planetariums operate through video projection. Known as fulldome, the output from multiple projectors is blended together to create a seamless video, transforming the planetarium into a sophisticated 360-degree theatre.

    A still fulldome frame from Melbourne Planetarium’s production Moonbase One, released in 2018.
    Museums Victoria

    A gateway to the stars

    Astronomy has also changed over the last century. Just as Zeiss was completing its first projector, astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that other galaxies exist beyond our Milky Way galaxy.

    The stars shown on the dome in Munich in 1925 turned out to be just a tiny part of the universe that we know today.

    Planetariums’ digital systems now incorporate data from telescopes and space agencies around the world. Audiences can fly off Earth, orbit the planets and moons of the Solar System, and explore the billions of known galaxies.

    In the planetarium, data from the GAIA spacecraft shows the little Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy dropping stars like breadcrumbs as it orbits the Milky Way.
    Museums Victoria, CC BY-SA

    Yet some things have not changed. From orreries and lantern slides to opto-mechanical and digital planetariums, the communication of astronomy has always been about more than just the latest results of science.

    The power of the planetarium over the last 100 years has been its ability to evoke wonder and awe. It taps into our enduring fascination with the vast mystery of the night sky.

    Tanya Hill works at the Melbourne Planetarium operated by Museums Victoria.

    Martin Bush 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. For 100 years, we have marvelled at planetariums. Here’s a brief history of how humans brought the stars indoors – https://theconversation.com/for-100-years-we-have-marvelled-at-planetariums-heres-a-brief-history-of-how-humans-brought-the-stars-indoors-255228

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF KA‘IWA RIDGE TRAIL FOR LFA TREATMENT, May 6, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF KA‘IWA RIDGE TRAIL FOR LFA TREATMENT, May 6, 2025

    Posted on May 6, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

         JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

     

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

     

    FIRST TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF KA‘IWA RIDGE TRAIL

    FOR LITTLE FIRE ANT TREATMENT

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    May 6, 2025

    HONOLULU — The Ka‘iwa Ridge Trail, popularly known as the Lanikai Pillbox Trail, will close for Little Fire Ant (LFA) treatment from 6-10 a.m. tomorrow, May 7. Several agencies including the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), the O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC), and the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture are partnering in the effort to control LFA at this location.

     

    Although not yet found on the trail itself, LFA were detected on the eastern slope of the ridge during a recent delimiting survey by Hawai‘i Ant Lab. Partners determined that an aerial approach would be best to treat the tricky ridge terrain and selected Aloha ‘Āina Drones to support the project.

    “Drone technology is advancing our efforts to move this site from an active infestation to eradication,” said OISC Outreach Coordinator Erin Bishop. “Drones offer a faster, safer  and more cost-effective way to treat large, steep areas.”

    The DOFAW Nā Ala Hele Trail and Access Program will support the closure with stewards posted at the trail heads. Hikers who seek to use the trail during the closure will be encouraged to return after 10 a.m., once the trail reopens.

     

    This will be the first in a series of treatments of LFA at this location over the next nine months. Anticipated trail closures are as follows:

    Treatment Closure Back-up Date
    1 May 7, 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. May 9, 6 a.m. – 10 a.m.
    2 June 18 June 20th
    3 July 30 Aug 1
    4 September 10 September 12
    5 October 22 October 24
    6 December 3 December 5
    7 January 14, 2026 January 16, 2026
    8 February 25, 2026 February 27, 2026

     

    As of April 2025, there have been over 80 LFA detections on island. The agencies involved in this treatment at Lanikai Pillbox reflect the broad base of cooperation across the island to control this pest. OISC, the Hawai‘i Ant Lab, and nonprofits like Hui o Ko‘olaupoko and the KEY Project have played instrumental roles in raising community support to control new detections. As a result, emergent populations of LFA have been successfully managed in other places on O‘ahu such as Mililani-Mauka, Kāneʻohe, Kailua and Mānoa.

    Bishop added: “We’re thrilled to move forward with this innovative approach with the support of DOFAW — without it, the threat of LFA spreading into surrounding residential and recreational areas would remain. This marks a major step forward in protecting our communities and environment.”

    # # # 

     

    RESOURCES 

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR) 

     

    Photographs – Ma‘akua Ridge Trail Closure for LFA Eradication (various):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/vxm7y9kz7w6eoo73fr77m/AOV74EOKSIZUkXa5oKszLKA?rlkey=3pwmkfsu6a6jse9pnm1v90w90&st=ty14p5gi&dl=0

     

    Little Fire Ant information:

    Little Fire Ant (LFA)

    LITTLE FIRE ANTS ON OAHU AND MAUI

    Little Fire Ant

    www.stoptheant.org

     

    For more information about LFA on Oʻahu, visit: www.oahuisc.org/lfa-community-actions/ or contact Erin Bishop, OISC Outreach Coordinator, at 808-266-7994.

     

    Trail information:

    https://hawaiitrails.ehawaii.gov

    Get the Outerspatial App

    https://www.facebook.com/oahu.hele/

     

     

    Media Contact: 

    Ryan Aguilar

    Communications Specialist

    Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    808-587-0396 

    Email: [email protected] 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Greens leader Adam Bandt and Teal Zoe Daniel likely to lose their seats

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    With 80% of enrolled voters counted, the ABC is giving Labor 87 of the 150 House of Representatives seats, the Coalition 40, the Greens zero and all Others ten, with 13 seats remaining undecided.

    Based on votes realigned to a Greens vs Labor two candidate count in Melbourne, the ABC has Greens leader Adam Bandt trailing Labor by almost 4,400 votes (52.9–47.1). This would be a 9.4% swing to Labor from the Greens since the 2022 election. Analyst Kevin Bonham agrees with the ABC’s estimate. Primary votes are 40.3% Bandt (down 4.4%), 31.5% Labor (up 5.8%) and 19.1% Liberals (down 0.5%).

    Bandt had won Melbourne by 60.2–39.8 against Labor at the 2022 election, but his margin was reduced to 56.5–43.5 by an unfavourable redistribution. Bandt has become hated by the right, so it’s natural that their preferences would go to Labor ahead of Bandt.

    If this result is confirmed, the Greens will have lost three of their four House seats. In the fourth seat (Ryan), The Poll Bludger’s projections have the Greens just ahead of Labor when one of these parties is excluded, so they will probably beat the Liberal National Party on Labor preferences.

    Despite these losses, the Greens overall vote has held up, down 0.5% to 11.8%. It’s likely the Greens will improve when absent votes start being counted; these votes were cast outside a voter’s home electorate.

    The problem for the Greens is that their vote has become too dispersed and not concentrated enough to win single-member seats. In the proportional Senate, the Greens have performed far better, holding all their six seats that were last elected in 2019 (one from each state).

    Liberal Tim Wilson gains Goldstein

    The ABC has called a Liberal gain in Goldstein, with Teal independent incumbent Zoe Daniel defeated by a current margin of 684 votes. Daniel won on ordinary votes, which include election day and pre-poll votes cast within Goldstein, by 51.8–48.2. But the nearly 14,000 postals counted so far have favoured Wilson by a huge 64–36, and there’s still at least 6,000 postals to be counted.

    In other close Teal vs Liberal contests, an amendment to a pre-poll booth hurt the Teal in Liberal-held Bradfield, and she now trails by 178 votes. Postals that have heavily favoured the Liberal are almost finished, and the Teal may be able to regain the lead on other vote types.

    In Kooyong, incumbent Teal Monique Ryan leads the Liberals by 622 votes. Ryan won ordinary votes by 52.3–47.7, but she’s losing the 14,000 postals counted so far by 62–38, and there’s still at least 6,500 postals to be counted.

    Other close seats

    The electoral commission is still realigning the two candidate count in Bendigo, Bean and Fremantle. he ABC estimates Labor has an 1,183 vote lead over the Nationals in Bendigo, a 355 vote lead over a Teal independent in Fremantle, but Labor trails a Teal independent in Bean by 943 votes.

    In Liberal-held Menzies, Labor leads by almost 1,400 votes and should win, as the Liberal-favouring postals are nearly finished. In Labor-held Bullwinkel, Labor leads the Liberals by 50 votes and should extend their lead once vote types other than postals start being counted. In LNP-held Longman, the LNP leads Labor by 439 votes, but postals are nearly finished and Labor may regain the lead on other vote types.

    Adrian Beaumont 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. Greens leader Adam Bandt and Teal Zoe Daniel likely to lose their seats – https://theconversation.com/greens-leader-adam-bandt-and-teal-zoe-daniel-likely-to-lose-their-seats-256067

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How having no pants in public went from a nightmare to the Met Gala’s hottest fashion trend

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jye Marshall, Lecturer, Fashion Design, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology

    While the official theme of the 2025 Met Gala was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, another trend emerged among those on the red carpet: no pants.

    While many might shudder at the thought of wearing their underwear in public, the no-pants trend has picked up steam in recent years, with celebrities such as Kristen Stewart, Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Sydney Sweeney and many more rocking the look.

    Lisa’s outfit confuses the internet

    Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter and K-pop star Lisa in particular rocked the internet with their pantless outfits at the Met Gala – although the latter has stirred up some controversy.

    Social media users were offended by Lisa’s underwear – part of a lacy bodysuit designed by Louis Vuitton – which seems to have an image of civil rights activist Rosa Parks embroidered onto it (although this hasn’t been confirmed), along with a number of other figures.

    It’s possible the look wouldn’t seem quite as offensive if the rest of the bodysuit wasn’t concealed by the blazer. Nonetheless, it’s a less successful attempt at marrying the gala’s theme of Black dandyism with one of the hottest trends in fashion right now.

    But where exactly does the no-pants trend come from? Is it as “new” as it seems? And do we have Bridget Jones herself to thank?

    The modern revival of no pants

    The revival of no pants, or mini shorts, marks a shift towards individualism in fashion, and is possibly also leveraging shock value. We’ve seen the trend slowly reemerge since 2022, with celebrity outfits and a series of runway adoptions.

    The latest runways have continued to deliver collections with hot pants, mini shorts and simply no pants, including Miu Miu Spring 2024 RTW, Alexander Wang Spring 2025 RTW and Louis Vuitton Spring 2025.

    The body positive movement may also be a factor in the way celebrities are expressing themselves. The no-pants trend is a moment to celebrate the legs. It’s also particularly useful for people who are shorter, as it creates the illusion of longer legs by pulling the focus to the torso.

    Sabrina Carpenter told Vogue she was specifically advised by Pharrell Williams – Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director – to not wear pants at the Met Gala due to her short stature.

    Back to the origins

    While fashion is often seen as frivolous, the way we dress is actually closely linked with cultural, economic and political movements.

    Pants for women have a long and complex history. Before the mid-19th century, it was considered unacceptable for women in Western societies to wear bloomers (pants), as this was seen as a threat to male power.

    This 1896 satirical cartoon by William H. Walker (1871-1938) shows a navy ship crewed by women.
    untitled; William H. Walker Cartoon Collection, MC068, Public Policy Papers, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

    The taboo continued up until the early 19th century, with one 1903 men’s magazine presenting a special issue of “bifurcated girls” – that is, women posing in trousers.

    And it was only in 2013 that France officially overturned a 200-year-old (unenforced) ban that said women could only wear trousers with permission from the police.

    If the no-pants trend seems overtly or subtly transgressive, it is because of the centuries women have spent trying to negotiate how much they can show of their bodies.

    Exoticism also has a big role to play in the way women adopted trends to expose their body. In the past, each time women revealed parts of their body they weren’t “supposed to”, they’ve been met with public shock.

    As for the no-pants trend, we can probably trace the first contemporary examples of this back to the rise of ballet clothing and dancewear, particularly the leotard, from the 1950s onward.

    The workout videos of the 1980s (hello, Jane Fonda) also boosted the popularity of the look.

    The fashion life cycle

    For women, pants provided practicality and freedom of movement, which was especially important as they took on men’s roles during the first and second world wars. So it’s no surprise womens’ pants became a fashion mainstay.

    Other trends, such as going pantless, will usually come into mainstream fashion in one of two ways. Either they trickle down from runways and celebrities, or bubble up from street style or social media.

    Trend cycles begin with “innovators” and “early adopters” – the bold among us who are ready to take the risk before others. Research into fashion trends suggests about 1% to 2.5% of the population are innovators who will adopt a style before it gains traction among the public.

    Trends will generally die when they hit a point of saturation and people become tired of them. While a trend that’s closer to classic fashion may last ten years, fashion “fads” tend to fizzle out after about one to two years.

    Given the Met Gala appearances, I think the no-pants look will be sticking around for at least another year. We can also expect it to dilute as it trickles down into mainstream fashion, which means we might see more mini shorts in stores instead.

    Jye Marshall is a member of the Australian Fashion Council and Ethical Clothing Australia Accreditation.

    – ref. How having no pants in public went from a nightmare to the Met Gala’s hottest fashion trend – https://theconversation.com/how-having-no-pants-in-public-went-from-a-nightmare-to-the-met-galas-hottest-fashion-trend-255952

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: In an election that played out on social media as much as TV, do leaders’ debates still matter?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Mills, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney

    With the election campaign now fading into the rear-view mirror, the parties, particularly the Liberals, will be reviewing their campaign strategies. A part of this will likely be the use of televised debates.

    Leaders’ debates have been part of Australian election campaigns since 1984, but the 2025 campaign set a record of four televised exchanges between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

    The increased frequency, ever-evolving formats and fragmenting audiences of these televised campaign rituals do not guarantee improved voter information.

    Debates are idealised in international academic research as a “public service event”.

    But the evolution of Australian debates over four decades suggests voter education tends to be compromised by considerations of electoral strategy and network marketing.

    Risk versus reward

    Back in the 1980s, debates were a more stately affair – one-off events hosted by the National Press Club and carried by the national broadcaster.

    1984 Great Debate: Bob Hawke and Andrew Peacock.
    National Library of Australia29.9 MB (download)

    This year, all four of the Albanese–Dutton exchanges were conducted in-house by the rival television networks.

    In total, the four debates reached nearly six million viewers – though “reach” only measures “the total amount of people who dipped in for at least 60 seconds on linear TV, and 15 seconds on streaming”, according to media publication Mumbrella.

    Even allowing for party officials, election nerds and political scientists who watched more than one debate, these are still significant numbers, if lower than in decades past. The Australian electorate, it seems, is not yet entirely jaded about politics and politicians.

    Notably, squeezing four debates into a five-week campaign meant the last two took place with pre-polling under way.

    For the networks, hosting a debate presents an opportunity to showcase their stars, generate “exclusives” and maximise audiences. Their interest lies in mistakes or conflict, not policy rundowns.

    By contrast, for the Labor and Liberal campaign professionals, debates are primarily about risk minimisation. Debates are high-risk verbal combat: any gaffe, “gotcha” moment, forgotten statistic or ill-disciplined response in front of a live television audience carries a potentially high cost.

    So leaders spend valuable campaign hours preparing for debates, rehearsing their talking points, workshopping zingers, probing ways of exploiting the other’s weaknesses and responding to their taunts and challenges.

    They are structured such that they are not debates at all. There is no exchange, no rebuttal, no counterargument. For the most part, they resemble press conferences or studio interviews: formats in which the leaders are well practised and journalists are elevated to equal prominence with the political leaders.

    What’s the appeal?

    The principal motivation for both incumbent and challenger is that debates offer direct and protracted opportunities to articulate their key messages.

    In an era of fragmented audiences and shortened attention spans, each network promoted and gathered the viewers for them.

    Opening and closing statements in which the leaders outline their contrasting visions and policy themes operate like paid advertisements – but without the payment.

    The parties can then repackage the highlights into snackable short videos for social media, giving it a long tail. Both parties did this in this election.

    Indeed, debates are all about whose voice is heard in an election campaign. Leaders’ debates reinforce the dominance of the major parties. Labor and Liberal strategists alike resist any suggestion that they should share the debate platform with minor parties.

    But while it remains true that only the major party leaders have a chance of forming a new government, the new reality of Australian elections is that the majors rely heavily on preference flows from minor parties and independents, who thus have a legitimate claim to be heard on a debate stage.

    Perhaps those in the live TV audiences who judged neither Albanese nor Dutton as winners of the debates were not “undecideds”, but minor party supporters.

    Do debates shift votes?

    Previous research suggests debates tend to assist challengers more than incumbents. Opposition leaders have the additional advantage of standing on an equal footing with the prime minister.

    The exceptions generally occur when incumbents look likely to lose the election and want to gain ground against their challenger. Think Paul Keating in 1996, Kevin Rudd in 2013 and Scott Morrison in 2019, who all agreed to multiple debates.

    In 2025, Albanese joins that list, given his poor poll standings before the campaign began.

    It is not possible to measure what, if any, effect the four debates had on Albanese’s turnaround during the campaign. Voter effects are notoriously difficult to measure.

    The Australian Electoral Study has identified only modest effects in previous campaigns. Perhaps thanks to confirmation bias, debates are more likely to reinforce than change opinions.

    But the 2025 campaign may suggest something more. The campaign certainly saw significant shifts in opinion, including in perceptions of the two leaders. In Newspoll, Albanese surged as preferred prime minister, and as more likely to make Australians better off over the next three years.

    With hindsight, it seems clear that voters warmed to Albanese’s confidence, consistency and plans for the future, and cooled on Dutton’s policy-light focus on grievance.

    My hunch is the extended exposure of the leaders over four debates, right through the campaign and into the early voting period, provided some fuel for that change in perception.

    Stephen Mills was a staff member (1986-91) for Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke and since 2015 has volunteered for local Labor election campaigns.

    – ref. In an election that played out on social media as much as TV, do leaders’ debates still matter? – https://theconversation.com/in-an-election-that-played-out-on-social-media-as-much-as-tv-do-leaders-debates-still-matter-255771

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 7, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 7, 2025.

    In an election that played out on social media as much as TV, do leaders’ debates still matter?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Mills, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney With the election campaign now fading into the rear-view mirror, the parties, particularly the Liberals, will be reviewing their campaign strategies. A part of this will likely be the use of televised debates.

    Labor has promised fast action to cut student debt, but arts students will have to wait for lower fees
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor of Higher Education Policy, Monash University Labor’s federal election win means university fees and costs are set to change. But some of these changes will not be immediate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already said planned cuts to student debt will be a top

    How having no pants in public went from a nightmare to the Met Gala’s hottest fashion trend
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jye Marshall, Lecturer, Fashion Design, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology While the official theme of the 2025 Met Gala was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, another trend emerged among those on the red carpet: no pants. While many might shudder at the thought of

    Greens leader Adam Bandt and Teal Zoe Daniel likely to lose their seats
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne With 80% of enrolled voters counted, the ABC is giving Labor 87 of the 150 House of Representatives seats, the Coalition 40, the Greens zero and all

    For 100 years, we have marvelled at planetariums. Here’s a brief history of how humans brought the stars indoors
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Bush, Senior Lecturer in History and Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne Ulverstone Planetarium, Hive Tasmania Picture this: a small audience is quietly ushered into a darkened room. They gasp in awe, as a brilliant night sky shines above. They wonder – as many after

    More than 50 years after trying to reach Venus, a failed Soviet spacecraft is about to return to Earth
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alice Gorman, Associate Professor in Archaeology and Space Studies, Flinders University A postage stamp from the Soviet Union celebrating its Venus space program from the 1960s and 1970s. Soviet Union/Wikipedia During the height of the Cold War in the 1960s and 1970s, the USSR launched 29 spacecraft

    The Premier League champions have already been crowned but there’s still a lot on the line – mainly money
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ronnie Das, Associate Professor in Data Analytics, The University of Western Australia The English Premier League (EPL) is one of the most prestigious and widely consumed soccer competitions in the world. Yet it is also manifestly lopsided when it comes to competitive balance. Only a handful of

    Cheap overseas, ruinous in Australia: here’s how to make double-glazed windows the norm
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Trivess Moore, Associate Professor in Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University New Africa/Shutterstock In Europe, double-glazed windows are standard. But in Australia, these energy-saving windows are remarkably uncommon. Correctly installed, the effect of double-glazing is remarkable. Instead of a house losing or gaining huge amounts of

    More Australians are overdosing on GHB. But there are ways to reduce your risk
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Freestone, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Centre for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs, UNSW Sydney Hendo Wang/Unsplash Gamma hydroxybutyrate – better known as GHB – is an increasingly popular illegal drug being used recreationally in Australia. While it can create feelings of euphoria, disinhibition and increased libido,

    The election of a new pope is announced with smoke: what do the colours mean, and how are they made?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Johnson, Professor of Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology and Director of the ACU Centre for Liturgy, Australian Catholic University For nearly 800 years the Catholic Church has utilised the process of the conclave to elect a new pope. “Conclave” means “with a key”, indicating the cardinal-electors

    Avoiding AI is hard – but our freedom to opt out must be protected
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Jin Kang, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science, RMIT University Vietnam Wachiwit Imagine applying for a job, only to find out that an algorithm powered by artificial intelligence (AI) rejected your resume before a human even saw it. Or imagine visiting a doctor where treatment options are

    Popes have been European for hundreds of years. Is it time for one from Africa or Asia?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University Catholicism did not begin as a “white” faith. Born on the eastern rim of the Mediterranean, it spread through the trading routes and legions of the Roman Empire into Africa, Asia and, only later, what we now call Europe.

    Moving towns: 4 stories of communities facing relocation show the complex realities of managed retreat
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stacy Vallis, Lecturer in Architecture and Emerging Technologies, Auckland University of Technology Shutterstock/Emagnetic With large parts of New Zealand having recently been pummelled by ex-tropical Cyclone Tam and ongoing bouts of heavy rain, it is important to remember that natural hazards have long shaped our cities. Two

    Indonesian postcard image ‘dangerous’ but Fiji a rising star in RSF press freedom index
    Pacific Media Watch To mark the release of the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) partnered with the agency The Good Company to launch a new awareness campaign that puts an ironic twist on the glossy advertising of the tourism industry. Three out of six countries featured in the exposé are from

    Gender quotas are the only way for the Liberals to go: Simon Birmingham
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Liberals’ former Senate Leader Simon Birmingham has urged the party to adopt quotas for its women in parliament, in an excoriating post-election critique. Birmingham, a leading moderate who retired from parliament in January, says given the Liberals’ parliamentary representation

    Why do some people get a curved back as they age and what can I do to avoid it?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jakub Mesinovic, Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University fran_kie/Shutterstock As we age, it’s common to notice posture changes: shoulders rounding, head leaning forward, back starting to curve. You might associate this with older adults and wonder: will this happen to me?

    As Warren Buffett prepares to retire, does his investing philosophy have a future?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angel Zhong, Professor of Finance, RMIT University Warren Buffett, the 94-year-old investing legend and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, has announced plans to step down at the end of this year. His departure will mark the end of an era for value investing, an investment approach built

    Labor settled the ‘funding wars’ just before the election. Here are 4 big issues schools still face
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stewart Riddle, Professor, School of Education, University of Southern Queensland Days before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the federal election, the Labor government settled a long-running argument with the states over school funding. This locked in a new 25%–75% split on federal and state funding for schools.

    What’s the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E. Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Douglas Olivares/Shutterstock. Arthritis – an umbrella term for around 100 conditions that damage the joints – affects 4.1 million Australians. This is expected to rise by 31% to 5.4 million by 2040

    Office design isn’t keeping up with post-COVID work styles – here’s what workers really want
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ozgur Gocer, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney Flexible work has become the new norm, despite the best efforts of companies calling workers back to the office. Some employers assume that a return to the old ways of working is both possible and desirable. But for many workers,

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News release from Dept. of Agriculture on compost reimbursement program

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    News release from Dept. of Agriculture on compost reimbursement program

    Posted on May 6, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

        

         

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

    ʻOIHANA MAHIʻAI

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
     GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

    SHARON HURD
    CHAIRPERSON

    HAWAIʻI BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

     

    DEAN M. MATSUKAWA
    DEPUTY TO THE CHAIRPERSON

    HAWAIʻI BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

     

     

     

    COMPOST REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM RELEASES $427,000
    TO ASSIST AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

    NR25-10

    May 6, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) Compost Reimbursement Program for Fiscal Year 2025 has completed disbursements totaling $427,670 to 24 Hawai‘i agricultural operations for the purchase and transport of compost in Hawai‘i. Of the 24 businesses, 14 were farming and 10 were landscaping operations, with an average reimbursement of about $17,820 each.

    Governor Josh Green, M.D., released $400,000 for the program in August 2024, from funds appropriated by the 2024 state Legislature (Act 231) for programs to control invasive species. HDOA added another $27,670 from department funds toward the program.

    “For many agricultural operations, compost is a necessary element and a major expense,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture. “Helping to defray some of the cost to purchase compost and also to transport it really helps out the growers.”

    The program reimbursed agricultural operations up to 50% of the cost of compost purchased between July 1, 2024 and May 1, 2025, including the cost of transportation. The reimbursements were not to exceed $50,000 per qualified applicant. The program also required that the compost be purchased from a certified processor, retailer or wholesalers licensed to do business in Hawai‘i. In addition, certified processors were limited to those companies regulated by the Hawai‘i Department of Health Solid Waste Management Program, which helps to ensure that the compost does not harbor pests, such as the coconut rhinoceros beetle and other invasive species.

    The 2025 legislative session included a bill that would continue the reimbursement program in 2026. The funding level is still pending.

    # # #

    Media Contact:
    Janelle Saneishi
    Public Information Officer
    Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture
    Phone: 808-973-9560
    Cell: 808-341-5528
    Email:     [email protected]
    Website:     http://hdoa.hawaii.gov

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: COVID is still around and a risk to vulnerable people. What are the symptoms in 2025? And how long does it last?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor and Epidemiologist, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies (IDIE) Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

    Five years ago, COVID was all we could think about. Today, we’d rather forget about lockdowns, testing queues and social distancing. But the virus that sparked the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, is still circulating.

    Most people who get COVID today will experience only a mild illness. But some people are still at risk of severe illness and are more likely to be hospitalised with COVID. This includes older people, those who are immunocompromised by conditions such as cancer, and people with other health conditions such as diabetes.

    Outcomes also tend to be more severe in those who experience social inequities such as homelessness. In the United Kingdom, people living in the 20% most deprived areas have double chance of being hospitalised from infectious diseases than those in the least deprived areas.

    How many cases and hospitalisations?

    In Australia, 58,000 COVID cases have been reported so far in 2025. However, testing rates have declined and not all positive cases are reported to the government, so case numbers in the community are likely much higher.

    Latest data from FluCan, a network of 14 hospitals, found 781 people were hospitalised for COVID complications in the first three months of the year. This “sentinel surveillance” data gives a snapshot from a handful of hospitals, so the actual number of hospitalisations across Australia is expected to be much higher.

    While deaths are lower than previous years, 289 people died from COVID-related respiratory infections in the first two months of the year.

    What can we expect as we head into winter?

    We often see an increase in respiratory infections in winter.

    However, COVID peaks aren’t just necessarily seasonal. Over the past few years, peaks have tended to appear around every six months.

    What are the most common COVID symptoms?

    Typical early symptoms of COVID included fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and shortness of breath. These have remained the most common COVID symptoms across the multiple variant waves.

    Early in the pandemic, we realised COVID caused a unique symptom called anosmia – the changed sense of taste or smell. Anosmia lasts about a week and in some cases can last longer.
    Anosmia was more frequently reported from infections due to the ancestral, Gamma, and Delta variants but not for the Omicron variant, which emerged in 2021.

    However, loss of smell still seems to be associated with some newer variants. A recent French study found anosmia was more frequently reported in people with JN.1.

    But the researchers didn’t find any differences for other COVID symptoms between older and newer variants.

    Should you bother doing a test?

    Yes. Testing is particularly important if you experience COVID-like symptoms or were recently exposed to someone with COVID and are at high-risk of severe COVID. You might require timely treatment.

    If you are at risk of severe COVID, you can see a doctor or visit a clinic with point-of-care testing services to access confirmatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing.

    Rapid antigen tests (RATs) approved by Australia’s regulator are also still available for personal use.

    But a negative RAT doesn’t mean that you don’t have COVID – especially if you are symptomatic.



    Read more:
    COVID-19 rapid tests still work against new variants – researchers keep ‘testing the tests,’ and they pass

    If you do test positive, while you don’t have to isolate, it’s best to stay at home.

    If you do leave the house while experiencing COVID symptoms, minimise the spread to others by wearing a well-fitted mask, avoiding public places such as hospitals and avoiding contact with those at higher risk of severe COVID.

    How long does COVID last these days?

    In most people with mild to moderate COVID, it can last 7–10 days.

    Symptomatic people can spread the infection to others from about 48 hours before you develop symptoms to about ten days after developing symptoms. Few people are infectious beyond that.

    But symptoms can persist in more severe cases for longer.

    A UK study which tracked the persistence of symptoms in 5,000 health-care workers found symptoms were less likely to last for more than 12 weeks in subsequent infections.

    General fatigue, for example, was reported in 17.3% of people after the first infection compared with 12.8% after the second infection and 10.8% following the third infection.

    Unvaccinated people also had more persistent symptoms.



    Read more:
    How long are you infectious when you have coronavirus?

    Vaccinated people who catch COVID tend to present with milder disease and recover faster. This may be because vaccination prevents over-activation of the innate immune response.

    Vaccination remains the best way to prevent COVID

    Vaccination against COVID continues to be one of the most effective ways to prevent COVID and protect against it. Data from Europe’s most recent winter, which is yet to be peer reviewed, reports COVID vaccines were 66% effective at preventing symptomatic, confirmed COVID cases.

    Most people in Australia have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. But if you haven’t, people over 18 years of age are recommended to have a COVID vaccine.

    Boosters are available for adults over 18 years of age. If you don’t have any underlying immune issues, you’re eligible to receive a funded dose every 12 months.

    Boosters are recommended for adults 65–74 years every 12 months and for those over 75 years every six months.

    Adults over 18 years who are at higher risk because of weaker immune systems are recommended to get a COVID vaccine every 12 months and are eligible every six months.

    Check your status and eligibility using this booster eligibility tool and you can access your vaccine history here.

    A new review of more than 4,300 studies found full vaccination before a SARS-CoV-2 infection could reduce the risk of long COVID by 27% relative to no vaccination for the general adult population.

    With ongoing circulation of COVID, hybrid immunity from natural infection supplemented with booster vaccination can help prevent large-scale COVID waves.

    Meru Sheel receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She serves on WHO’s Immunization and Vaccines Related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (IVIR-AC)

    – ref. COVID is still around and a risk to vulnerable people. What are the symptoms in 2025? And how long does it last? – https://theconversation.com/covid-is-still-around-and-a-risk-to-vulnerable-people-what-are-the-symptoms-in-2025-and-how-long-does-it-last-253840

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hear it from locals: State investment helps prevent and prosecute organized retail crime

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 6, 2025

    What you need to know: From October 2023 to December 2024, participants collected data on arrests, referrals, charges, convictions, and sentencing related to organized retail crime.

    Sacramento, California – Last month, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the results from $267 million in grants to 55 communities to hire more police and secure more felony charges against suspects. Proposed by the Governor and distributed by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), program participants collected data on arrests, referrals, charges, convictions, and sentencing related to organized retail crime. From October 2023 to December 2024, 88% of the 373 organized retail theft convictions were felonies. 

    The funding is split between two grant programs with unique applicants for each. The prevention program grantees compile arrest and referral data, while prosecution grant participants record charges, convictions, and sentencing. Future reporting may include updates on charges, convictions, and sentencing as individuals move through the criminal justice system. 

    Here is a snapshot of what leaders are saying across the state:

    Local elected officials 

    Mayor Mark Armstrong, City of San Ramon: “As of March 30, 2025, San Ramon’s Organized Retail Theft (ORT) Suppression Team has investigated 264 incidents of ORT crimes and made 119 arrests. They have referred 137 cases to Contra Costa County District Attorney for review, and participated in 6 multi-agency special operations. They have recovered more than $196,000 in stolen goods. The team has made a significant impact for major retailers like Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Target, Home Depot and Safeway. Ulta Beauty recently reported that 30% of all of their organized retail theft cases in northern California were solved or closed by the San Ramon ORT team.”

    Mayor Martha Guerrero, City of West Sacramento: “As Mayor of West Sacramento, I fully support the launch of the FastPass to Prosecution initiative being put forth by Yolo County District Attorney Reisig in partnership with our regional law enforcement partners. This collaboration is a critical step towards addressing a rise in retail theft negatively impacting the business communities throughout Yolo County. By streamlining the reporting and prosecution processes specific to habitual offenders, the FastPass initiative offers much needed assurance to the business community and will promote a safer consumer experience for residents. Through these partnerships, West Sacramento is investing in real solutions and will continue to champion innovative approaches to promoting public safety.”

    Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, Sonoma County Board of Supervisors President: “Retail theft has taken a real toll on our local businesses, but thanks to the Governor’s investment in preventing and prosecuting organized retail crime, we’re finally turning a corner. We’re hearing from business owners and residents who feel a renewed sense of safety and support. This is what it looks like when the state steps up as a true partner to local communities – and it’s making a difference.”

    Mayor Daniel Lurie, City of San Francisco: “People deserve to both feel safe and be safe in our city. Our administration is working every day to support our local businesses and energize our commercial corridors, and support from our state partners is critical to doing that work downtown and in communities across the city. Thank you to Governor Newsom for investing in the safety of San Franciscans.”

    Mayor Bapu Vaitla, City of Davis: “We commend Governor Newsom for his strong leadership in addressing the rise of organized retail crime through the ORT grant investment. This initiative directly strengthens local jurisdictions’ capacity to prevent and investigate complex retail theft operations that impact our local businesses and community safety. In Yolo County, state funding has enhanced our ability to conduct investigations and work closely with the District Attorney’s Office to ensure that offenders are held accountable. These targeted resources are helping disrupt criminal networks and restore confidence among retailers and residents alike.”

    Law enforcement leaders

    Ron Lawrence, Costa Mesa Chief of Police: “The Costa Mesa Police Department is grateful for the opportunity provided by the Governor’s Office and BSCC to launch a grant-funded initiative targeting organized retail theft, motor vehicle theft, and motor vehicle accessory theft. With this support, CMPD implemented high-visibility patrols, cutting-edge technology, and collaborative operations that resulted in a 31% reduction in organized retail theft and a 35% drop in vehicle-related crimes. This partnership has also enabled 18 operations, 205 arrests, expanded officer training, and successful collaboration with other agencies and retail partners to disrupt major theft rings.”

    Jonathan Arguello, Newark Chief of Police: “The Organized Retail Theft Grant has been a tremendous asset to the Newark Police Department in launching Newark’s Vehicle and Accessory Theft Prevention Program. It has enabled us to expand our deployment of Automated License Plate Readers in our city, significantly enhancing our ability to identify and apprehend those responsible for motor vehicle thefts and other crimes. This technology is critical in our continued efforts to protect Newark’s businesses, support our local economy, and keep our community safe.”

    Andrew Binder, Palo Alto Chief of Police: “The State’s Organized Retail Theft grant funding has made a real difference in our community. It has enabled us to strategically deploy additional officers in our high traffic retail areas, expand our automated license plate recognition network, and invest in a new technological alternative to high speed vehicle pursuits.  It has also deepened our collaborative relationships with local retailers and facilitated community policing. In no small part due to the initiatives supported by the ORT grant, we’ve experienced fewer overall retail thefts, coupled with an increase in the rate of suspect apprehension and the recovery of property. This program continues to be a success story for us.”

    William “Bill” Scott, San Francisco Police Chief: “The City and County of San Francisco was facing an epidemic of organized retail theft and motor vehicle accessory theft. The grant has enabled us to utilize tools like automated license plate reader cameras in strategic areas, a surge of retail theft blitz operations with increased staffing, and better coordination with other law enforcement agencies, as well as the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. The support has greatly enhanced our ability to reduce theft related crimes and has been critical to our success.”

    Denton Carlson, San Ramon Chief of Police: “Organized retail theft goes beyond the financial loss for retailers. It impacts the quality of life in our community and is linked to criminal activities like drug trafficking and other illegal operations. This grant has allowed the San Ramon Police Department to strengthen our ability to combat Organized Retail Theft through state-of-the-art technological tools and the initiation of a suppression team, dramatically improving our collaborative efforts with local retailers and other law enforcement organizations. This behavior will not be tolerated in our community or by our organization, and this grant provided and continues to provide the resources the San Ramon Police Department needed to see that through.”

    Robert Jonsen, Santa Clara County Sheriff: “Organized retail theft is not a victimless crime—it threatens the safety, economic stability, and quality of life for everyone in our community. This critical grant funding has been a game-changer, empowering our task force to build strong partnerships with retailers and allied agencies, swiftly dismantle sophisticated theft rings, and send a clear message: Santa Clara County will not tolerate these crimes. Our team has made nearly 200 arrests and recovered close to $770,000. The results speak for themselves. We’re not just solving cases, we’re restoring public trust and protecting local businesses from serious financial harm.”

    Jeff Laugero, Stanislaus County Chief District Attorney: “The ORT Grant has been extremely helpful in strengthening partnerships and in obtaining additional follow up information that is crucial to the prosecution of these cases. The grant has also enabled us to increase our visibility. Our ‘Pay at the register or pay the consequences’ public messaging campaign sends the clear message that retail theft will not be tolerated in Stanislaus County. Those who commit these crimes will be held accountable.”

    David Marshall, Yolo County District Attorney’s Office Chief Investigator: “The direct file reporting option for retailers has been incredibly effective, with several retailers sharing their stored digital evidence and internal theft reports. This enables us to link offenders to multiple incidents, across various retailers, and to connect criminal associates. We’ve closed the gap between retailers and law enforcement – the trust we have been able to build has led to unprecedented partnerships.” 

    Local prosecutors

    Ryan Bal, Placer County District Attorney Investigator: “I have investigated Retail Theft for years – these funds have changed the landscape – allowing the Placer County District Attorney’s team to rapidly deploy our resources, identify those individuals engaged in organized retail theft, and ultimately protecting the safety of our citizens and the bottom line of our local retail partners.”

    Thien Ho, Sacramento County District Attorney: “The ORT grant has enabled our office to expand the prosecution of retail thefts through the vertical prosecution model. Our office is now better positioned to identify and prosecute upper-level offenders who orchestrate organized retail theft and recruit lower-level individuals to commit the crimes.”

    Brooke Jenkins, San Francisco District Attorney: “The organized retail theft vertical prosecution grant has been a game changer for my office. Because of this grant, our work with the San Francisco Police Department to combat rampant organized retail theft in our city has been strengthened, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable and making our community safer.”

    Jeff Rosen, Santa Clara County District Attorney: “The Organized Retail Theft Vertical Grant has strengthened our ability to effectively combat the scourge of retail theft affecting our county. The grant has furthered our goal to become the organized retail theft intelligence hub for our county by collaborating closely with law enforcement, retailers and prosecutors in other counties to hold cross-jurisdictional thieves accountable to the greatest extent possible. A sign of the grant’s success is a recently filed 65 felony charge complaint against a group of thieves who stole over 150 times from Home Depots throughout 11 Northern California counties. Our county will continue to hold those who threaten our retailers, both big and small, accountable.”

    Erik Nasarenko, Ventura County District Attorney: “Thanks to Governor Newsom and the state’s ORT Grant, we’ve been able to dedicate a full-time prosecutor to fight organized retail theft in Ventura County. Just last year alone, we filed 124 cases involving 208 defendants, and recovering more than $500,000 in stolen goods. This grant has made a real difference in helping us hold offenders accountable and protect our businesses and communities.”

    This is the biggest reform of the California mental health system in decades and will finally equip partners to deliver the results all Californians need and deserve. Treatment centers will prioritize mental health and substance use support in the community like never before. Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and begin implementing this critical reform – working closely with city and county leaders to ensure we see results.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

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  • MIL-Evening Report: India and Pakistan have fought many wars in the past. Are we on the precipice of a new one?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Hall, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University

    India conducted military strikes against Pakistan overnight, hitting numerous sites in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and deeper into Pakistan itself. Security officials say precision strike weapon systems, including drones, were used to carry out the strikes.

    Pakistan says at least eight civilians have been killed and many more injured.

    While there’s still much uncertainty around what’s happened, it is clear both sides are closer to a major conflict than they have been in years – perhaps decades.

    We’ve seen these kinds of crises before. India and Pakistan have fought full-scale wars many times over the years, in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999.

    There were also cross-border strikes between the two sides in 2016 and 2019 that did not lead to a larger war.

    These conflicts were limited because there was an understanding, given both sides possess nuclear weapons, that escalating to a full-scale war would be very dangerous. That imposed some control on both sides, or at least some caution.

    There was also external pressure from the United States and others on both occasions not to allow those conflicts to spiral out of control.

    While it’s possible both sides will exercise similar restraint now, there may be less pressure from other countries to compel them to do so.

    In this context, tensions can escalate quickly. And when they do, it’s difficult to get both sides to back down and return to where they were before.

    Why did India strike now?

    India says it was retaliating for a terror attack last month on mostly Indian tourists in heavily militarised Kashmir, which both sides claim. The attack left 26 dead.

    There was a claim of responsibility after the attack from a group called the Resistance Front, but it was subsequently withdrawn, so there’s some uncertainty about that.

    Indian sources suggest this group, which is relatively new, is an extension of a pre-existing militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been based in Pakistan for many years.

    Pakistan has denied any involvement in the tourist attack. However, there’s been good evidence in the past suggesting that even if the Pakistani government hasn’t officially sanctioned these groups operating on its territory, there are parts of the Pakistani establishment or military that do support them. This could be ideologically, financially, or through other types of assistance.

    In previous terror attacks in India, weapons and other equipment have been sourced from Pakistan. In the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, for instance, the Indian government produced evidence it claimed showed the gunmen were being directed by handlers in Pakistan by phone.

    But as yet, we have no such evidence demonstrating Pakistan is connected to the tourist attack in Kashmir.

    India has also repeatedly asked Pakistan to shut down these groups. While the leaders have occasionally been put in jail, they’ve later been released, including the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack.

    And madrassas (religious schools) that have long been accused of supplying recruits for militant groups are still permitted to operate in Pakistan, with little state control.

    Pakistan, meanwhile, claims that attacks in Kashmir are committed by local Kashmiris protesting against Indian “occupation” or Pakistanis spontaneously moved to take action.

    These two positions obviously don’t match up in any way, shape or form.

    A political cost to pay for not acting

    It remains to be seen what cost either side is willing to pay to escalate tensions further.

    From an economic standpoint, there’s very little cost to either side if a larger conflict breaks out. There’s practically no trade between India and Pakistan.

    New Delhi has likely calculated that its fast-growing economy will not be harmed by its strikes and others will continue to trade and invest in India. The conclusion of a trade deal with the United Kingdom, after three years of negotiations, will reinforce that impression. The deal was signed on May 6, just before the Pakistan strikes.

    And from the standpoint of international reputation, neither side has much to lose.

    In past crises, Western countries were quick to condemn and criticise military actions committed by either side. But these days, most take the view that the long-simmering conflict is a bilateral issue, which India and Pakistan need to settle themselves.

    The main concern for both sides, then, is the political cost they would suffer from not taking military action.

    Before the terrorist attack on April 22, the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had claimed the security situation in Kashmir was improving, and ordinary Indians could safely travel in the region. Those claims were undermined by what occurred that day, making it crucial for the government to respond.

    And now, if Pakistan doesn’t react to the Indian strikes, its government and especially its military would have a cost to pay, too.

    Despite a patchy record of success, Pakistan’s army has long justified its outsize role in national politics by claiming that it alone stands between the Pakistani people and Indian aggression. If it fails to act now, that claim might look hollow.

    Little external mediation to bank on

    So, how does this play out? The hope would be there’s limited military action, lasting a few days, and then things calm down rapidly, as they have in the past. But there are no guarantees.

    And there are few others willing to step in and help deescalate the dispute. US President Donald Trump is mired in other conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and his administration’s diplomacy has so far been inept and ineffective.

    When asked about the Indian strike today, Trump replied it was a “shame” and he “hopes” it ends quickly.

    That’s very different from the strong rhetoric we’ve seen from US presidents in the past when India and Pakistan have come to blows.

    New Delhi and Islamabad will likely have to settle this round themselves. And for whoever decides to blink or back down first, there may be a substantial political cost to pay.

    Ian Hall receives funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He is also an honorary academic fellow of the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne.

    – ref. India and Pakistan have fought many wars in the past. Are we on the precipice of a new one? – https://theconversation.com/india-and-pakistan-have-fought-many-wars-in-the-past-are-we-on-the-precipice-of-a-new-one-256080

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Meta’s new AI chatbot is yet another tool for harvesting data to potentially sell you stuff

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

    Tony Lam Hoang/Unsplash

    Last week, Meta – the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp – unveiled a new “personal artificial intelligence (AI)”.

    Powered by the Llama 4 language model, Meta AI is designed to assist, chat and engage in natural conversation. With its polished interface and fluid interactions, Meta AI might seem like just another entrant in the race to build smarter digital assistants.

    But beneath its inviting exterior lies a crucial distinction that transforms the chatbot into a sophisticated data harvesting tool.

    ‘Built to get to know you’

    “Meta AI is built to get to know you”, the company declared in its news announcement. Contrary to the friendly promise implied by the slogan, the reality is less reassuring.

    The Washington Post columnist Geoffrey A. Fowler found that by default, Meta AI “kept a copy of everything”, and it took some effort to delete the app’s memory. Meta responded that the app provides “transparency and control” throughout and is no different to their other apps.

    However, while competitors like Anthropic’s Claude operate on a subscription model that reflects a more careful approach to user privacy, Meta’s business model is firmly rooted in what it has always done best: collecting and monetising your personal data.

    This distinction creates a troubling paradox. Chatbots are rapidly becoming digital confidants with whom we share professional challenges, health concerns and emotional struggles.

    Recent research shows we are as likely to share intimate information with a chatbot as we are with fellow humans. The personal nature of these interactions makes them a gold mine for a company whose revenue depends on knowing everything about you.

    Consider this potential scenario: a recent university graduate confides in Meta AI about their struggle with anxiety during job interviews. Within days, their Instagram feed fills with advertisements for anxiety medications and self-help books – despite them having never publicly posted about these concerns.

    The cross-platform integration of Meta’s ecosystem of apps means your private conversations can seamlessly flow into their advertising machine to create user profiles with unprecedented detail and accuracy.

    This is not science fiction. Meta’s extensive history of data privacy scandals – from Cambridge Analytica to the revelation that Facebook tracks users across the internet without their knowledge – demonstrates the company’s consistent prioritisation of data collection over user privacy.

    What makes Meta AI particularly concerning is the depth and nature of what users might reveal in conversation compared to what they post publicly.

    Open to manipulation

    Rather than just a passive collector of information, a chatbot like Meta AI has the capability to become an active participant in manipulation. The implications extend beyond just seeing more relevant ads.

    Imagine mentioning to the chatbot that you are feeling tired today, only to have it respond with: “Have you tried Brand X energy drinks? I’ve heard they’re particularly effective for afternoon fatigue.” This seemingly helpful suggestion could actually be a product placement, delivered without any indication that it’s sponsored content.

    Such subtle nudges represent a new frontier in advertising that blurs the line between a helpful AI assistant and a corporate salesperson.

    Unlike overt ads, recommendations mentioned in conversation carry the weight of trusted advice. And that advice would come from what many users will increasingly view as a digital “friend”.

    A history of not prioritising safety

    Meta has demonstrated a willingness to prioritise growth over safety when releasing new technology features. Recent reports reveal internal concerns at Meta, where staff members warned that the company’s rush to popularise its chatbot had “crossed ethical lines” by allowing Meta AI to engage in explicit romantic role-play, even with test users who claimed to be underage.

    Such decisions reveal a reckless corporate culture, seemingly still driven by the original motto of moving fast and breaking things.

    Now, imagine those same values applied to an AI that knows your deepest insecurities, health concerns and personal challenges – all while having the ability to subtly influence your decisions through conversational manipulation.

    The potential for harm extends beyond individual consumers. While there’s no evidence that Meta AI is being used for manipulation, it has such capacity.

    For example, the chatbot could become a tool for pushing political content or shaping public discourse through the algorithmic amplification of certain viewpoints. Meta has played role in propagating misinformation in the past, and recently made the decision to discontinue fact-checking across its platforms.

    The risk of chatbot-driven manipulation is also increased now that AI safety regulations are being scaled back in the United States.

    Lack of privacy is a choice

    AI assistants are not inherently harmful. Other companies protect user privacy by choosing to generate revenue primarily through subscriptions rather than data harvesting. Responsible AI can and does exist without compromising user welfare for corporate profit.

    As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, the choices companies make about business models and data practices will have profound implications.

    Meta’s decision to offer a free AI chatbot while reportedly lowering safety guardrails sets a low ethical standard. By embracing its advertising-based business model for something as intimate as an AI companion, Meta has created not just a product, but a surveillance system that can extract unprecedented levels of personal information.

    Before inviting Meta AI to become your digital confidant, consider the true cost of this “free” service. In an era where data has become the most valuable commodity, the price you pay might be far higher than you realise.

    As the old adage goes, if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product – and Meta’s new chatbot might be the most sophisticated product harvester yet created.

    When Meta AI says it is “built to get to know you”, we should take it at its word and proceed with appropriate caution.

    Uri Gal 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. Meta’s new AI chatbot is yet another tool for harvesting data to potentially sell you stuff – https://theconversation.com/metas-new-ai-chatbot-is-yet-another-tool-for-harvesting-data-to-potentially-sell-you-stuff-255966

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor says its second term will be about productivity reform. These ideas could help shift the dial

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roy Green, Emeritus Professor of Innovation, University of Technology Sydney

    Summit Art Creations/Shutterstock

    In his victory speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted social policy as a major factor in Labor’s electoral success, particularly Medicare, housing and cost of living relief. He was justified in doing so.

    But looking forward, Treasurer Jim Chalmers named stalled productivity growth as a top priority for the next three years:

    The best way to think about the difference between our first term and the second term …[is] the first term was primarily inflation without forgetting productivity, the second term will be primarily productivity without forgetting inflation.

    The government asked the Productivity Commission in December to develop five pillars of its productivity agenda and come up with actionable reforms. And for the first time, the commission went out and sought “productivity pitches” from anyone in the community.

    Ahead of further reports due out later this year, those community “pitches” offer some clues about where the Albanese government might start to tackle productivity over the next three years and beyond.

    Why does productivity matter?

    Essentially, productivity is about working smarter, not harder. It’s about efficiency and innovation driving more output for an economy or company. Growth in productivity has been the driver of real wage growth and improved living standards since the Industrial Revolution.

    However, productivity performance has slumped across most advanced economies. In Australia, growth is the slowest in 60 years. This is despite the transformative impact of the internet and digital technologies.

    Explanations of the productivity slowdown are many and varied. Some have suggested the growth of the care economy and the services sector more broadly means productivity is reduced. Others wonder whether it can be measured at all in this context.

    The explanation that has gained most acceptance is that productivity has increased dramatically in “frontier firms” at the cutting edge of technological change and business innovation. The problem in Australia is that we have too few frontier firms and too many “laggard” companies. The rate of new technology adoption is too slow.

    This problem is made more acute by Australia’s trade and industrial structure, which is heavily weighted to resources exports rather than the knowledge-based industries of the future.

    What is the Productivity Commission looking at?

    This is the rationale for the Treasurer’s request in December for the Productivity Commission to identify priority reforms in five key areas. He asked for “actionable recommendations to assist governments to make meaningful and measurable productivity-enhancing reforms”.

    The five pillars are:

    • creating a more dynamic and resilient economy
    • building a skilled and adaptable workforce
    • harnessing data and digital technology
    • delivering quality care more efficiently
    • investing in cheaper, cleaner energy and the net zero transformation.

    These are ambitious objectives, and the Productivity Commission is pursuing the review task in a different way from the past by seeking ideas directly from the community through crowd sourcing.

    This is a sensible move, especially given the commission’s role in presiding over Australia’s productivity decline. Perhaps they are finally learning from failed experiments in deregulation, privatisation and contracting out.

    The commission has published a selection of the 500 suggestions it received. These include research and development initatives; improving university collaboration with industry; improving management capabilities and building inclusive workplaces; and reforming skilled migration.

    In the technology area, suggestions included developing internal capability and processes in the public service; making more use of artificial intelligence; and improving digital infrastructure in regional areas.

    In the care economy, pharmacists could play an increased role, such as consulting on minor illnesses, while more could be invested in preventative health.

    The fifth area of focus, the energy transition, produced ideas on streamlining state and federal approval processes for net zero projects; increasing fossil fuel taxes; supporting electric vehicle uptake and vehicle-to-grid technology.

    The commission has said it plans to continue the consultation process and release interim reports mid-year.

    Will it be enough to shift the dial?

    The question remains, will these individual measures on their own, however meritorious, be sufficient to shift the dial on Australia’s productivity performance without a more comprehensive approach to innovation and industrial policy?

    The government set up a “strategic examination” of research and development (R&D) in February. An interim discussion paper found links between the decline of productivity growth, the decline of business spending on R&D, and the decline of manufacturing.

    In other words, reversing the productivity slowdown may not simply be a matter of boosting R&D. It will also require the revival and reinvention of manufacturing. It implies a complex sovereign capability and means for diversifying Australia’s export mix in global markets and value chains.

    This is the purpose of the government’s Future Made in Australia strategy, with its twin objectives of economic resilience and net zero transition. That success in turn depends on the development of a more effective and joined up research and innovation system.

    The chance was missed in the commodity boom to design and deliver overdue structural changes in the Australian economy. Instead, the productivity decline was masked by a terms-of-trade boost to our national income, thanks to higher commodity prices.

    The Albanese government’s second and possibly third term in office provides another opportunity to undertake the major structural changes required to secure Australia’s future as an inclusive and dynamic knowledge-based economy. Surely this one will not be missed.

    Roy Green 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. Labor says its second term will be about productivity reform. These ideas could help shift the dial – https://theconversation.com/labor-says-its-second-term-will-be-about-productivity-reform-these-ideas-could-help-shift-the-dial-255880

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –