Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Funding to support Canberra’s tourism and hospitality businesses

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    James Souter and Alice O’Mara will use the funding to expand Beltana Farm.

    The ACT Government’s Tourism Product Development Fund will support 15 local businesses this year.

    These businesses will receive a share of close to $500,000 in funding to enhance what they can offer customers.

    Developing better visitor experiences

    The fund encourages co-investment in the tourism, hospitality and events sectors through:

    • infrastructure
    • products
    • experiences.

    Having better visitor experiences in Canberra can help boost the local economy and create jobs.

    It also enhances Canberra’s reputation as a tourism destination.

    Growing Beltana Farm

    Beltana Farm in Pialligo is one successful recipient this year.

    The small business will receive $100,000 to help it expand.

    This will go towards a shop focused on the truffle industry and other local produce. The farm will also add a training and tasting room.

    “Thanks to the support from the Tourism Product Development Fund, we have been able to expand our business offerings, turning our farm into a multifaceted destination,” Beltana Farm owner Alice O’Mara said.

    “Visitors will soon be able to enjoy engaging experiences complemented by curated farm tastings and a boutique shopping experience featuring our farm-made products as well as other Canberra-made produce and items.”

    A wide range of recipients

    Other recipients from this round include:

    • Canberra Glassworks – $10,000 to upgrade their public sound system.
    • National Capital Educational Tourism project – $50,000 for the addition of The Dinosaur Museum and Canberra Glassworks to the Book Canberra Excursions booking platform.
    • High Country Hikes – $11,000 to for the purchase of a vehicle to establish a new walking tour.
    • Gang Gang Cafe – $38,659 for upgraded outdoor dining infrastructure to host live music and cultural events.
    • Abode – The Apartment Hotel Murrumbateman – $25,000 to develop a conference space.
    • Yarralumla Play Station – $30,000 to build ‘The Canberra Maze’.
    • Share-A-Bike – $35,000 to establish a Lakeside Bike Hire pop-up bicycle rental facility.
    • Wilma – $20,000 to establish the new Canberra Region Wine Room.
    • Australian Outward-Bound Foundation – $10,000 for the purchase of a larger bus for transportation.
    • Capital Brewing Co. – $25,000 for the enhancement of an outdoor seating structure.
    • Canberra Racing Club – $25,000 for the installation of Wi-Fi at Thoroughbred Park.
    • Lunetta Trattoria – $20,000 for revitalisation of the Red Hill ground floor kiosk into a modern wine bar.
    • Midnight Hotel – $20,000 to establish the ‘Mark’ brand art hub.
    • The Truffle Farm – $80,000 to construct an additional luxury cabin.

    The fund’s background

    The Tourism Product Development Fund was set up in 2021 to help Canberra’s tourism sector recover after COVID.

    Its success in supporting local businesses and helping the recovery of the local visitor economy has seen it continue.

    Over three years, the program has invested over $4 million in total funding (this includes matched funding from the recipients).

    Some past recipients include: Squeaky Clean, Big River Distillery, Mount Majura Wines, Edgar’s and The Jetty for the enhancement of food and beverage spaces; Go Boat for Go Boat Charters; Australian National University Mt Stromlo Observatory for an astro tourism facility; Dynamic Motivation, Cycle Canberra and Woodlands & Wetlands Trust for Mountain E-bike Tours in Canberra; Cubby and Co for new vineyard accommodation; Capital Woodland and Wetlands Conservation Association for the development of the Majura Treetops Adventure Park; The Canberra Distillery for a distillery education facility.


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    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI: eSHARE Welcomes John Paglierani as Senior VP of Engineering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WALTHAM, Mass., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — eSHARE, the pioneering force in the field of Trusted Collaboration, is proud to announce the appointment of John Paglierani as its Senior Vice President of Engineering.

    With over 30 years of experience delivering innovative technology solutions to enterprises, John has a proven track record of effectively scaling engineering and operations teams to deliver mission-critical applications. As a dedicated engineering leader, he excels at building efficient teams, delivering high-quality products, and maintaining the highest level of security—making him the perfect fit to accelerate the growth of our engineering organization. 

    Before joining eSHARE, John served as VP of Engineering at HYPR, a pioneer in passwordless authentication. There, he led the expansion of the engineering team and delivered two new products—Affirm and Adapt—to market. John brings extensive experience in cybersecurity and enterprise applications, having successfully delivered and supported B2B security solutions. His technical expertise and ability to scale engineering organizations efficiently will be instrumental in advancing eSHARE’s Trusted Collaboration solutions, ensuring our governance approach meets the evolving demands of today’s modern enterprises.

    Nicholas Stamos, Founder & CEO of eSHARE, highlighted John’s expertise in scaling engineering organizations and his ability to deliver high-impact, secure solutions: 
    John brings a wealth of expertise in cybersecurity and enterprise technology, making him the ideal leader to help scale our engineering team. His track record of delivering mission-critical applications will play a key role in advancing our technology and ensuring our solutions remain best-in-class.” 

    John Paglierani added: “I’m excited to join eSHARE at a time of rapid growth and innovation. I look forward to scaling our engineering efforts and delivering secure, high-impact solutions to our customers.” 

    John’s appointment reinforces eSHARE’s commitment to delivering secure, efficient, and scalable collaboration solutions that help enterprises work smarter—without compromising on governance or user experience. 

    About eSHARE 

    eSHARE is transforming the digital workplace, enabling organizations to take control of secure, compliant collaboration within M365. Trusted by Global 2000 giants, including top names in aerospace and insurance, eSHARE delivers unparalleled data protection with intelligent guardrails and seamless user experiences. Accelerate M365 adoption, enhance secure collaboration with Copilot, and unlock your organization’s full potential. Join the thousands of users across nearly every country in the world who rely on eSHARE as the driving force behind Trusted Collaboration. 

    For more information about eSHARE and its Trusted Collaboration solutions, please visit our website.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e596df2a-5f99-47e5-b7ed-dac09e840981

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: AMERICAN REBEL ANNOUNCES CLOSING OF UP TO $11 MILLION PRIVATE PLACEMENT PRICED AT-THE-MARKET UNDER NASDAQ RULES

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    $2.5 million upfront with up to approximately $8.5 million of potential aggregate gross proceeds upon the exercise in full of warrants

    Nashville, TN, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) (“American Rebel” or the “Company”), creator of American Rebel Beer and a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded safes, personal security and self-defense products and apparel, today announced the closing of its previously announced private placement for the purchase and sale of an aggregate of 724,640 shares of common stock (or pre-funded warrant in lieu thereof), series A warrants to purchase up to 724,640 shares of common stock and short-term series B warrants to purchase up to 2,173,920 shares of common stock at a purchase price of $3.45 per share of common stock (or per pre-funded warrant in lieu thereof) and accompanying warrants priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. The series A warrants and the short-term series B warrants have an exercise price of $2.95 per share and are exercisable immediately upon issuance. The series A warrants expire five years from the date of issuance and the short-term series B warrants expire eighteen months from the date issuance.

    H.C. Wainwright & Co. acted as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

    The gross proceeds from the offering were approximately $2.5 million, prior to deducting placement agent’s fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The potential additional gross proceeds to the Company from the series A warrants and the short-term series B warrants, if fully exercised on a cash basis, will be approximately $8.5 million. No assurance can be given that any of the series warrants will be exercised, or that the Company will receive cash proceeds from the exercise of the series warrants. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

    The securities described above were offered in a private placement under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder and, along with the shares of common stock underlying the warrants, have not been registered under the Securities Act, or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities issued in the private placement and shares of common stock underlying the warrants may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws. Pursuant to a registration rights agreement with investors, the Company has agreed to file a resale registration statement covering the securities described above.

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

    About American Rebel Light Beer

    Produced in partnership with AlcSource, American Rebel Light Beer (americanrebelbeer.com) is a domestic premium light lager celebrated for its exceptional quality and patriotic values. It stands out as America’s Patriotic, God-Fearing, Constitution-Loving, National Anthem-Singing, Stand Your Ground Beer.

    American Rebel Light is a Premium Domestic Light Lager Beer – All Natural, Crisp, Clean and Bold Taste with a Lighter Feel. With approximately 100 calories, 3.2 carbohydrates, and 4.3% alcoholic content per 12 oz serving, American Rebel Light Beer delivers a lighter option for those who love great beer but prefer a more balanced lifestyle. It’s all natural with no added supplements and importantly does not use corn, rice, or other sweeteners typically found in mass produced beers.

    About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AREB) has operated primarily as a designer, manufacturer and marketer of branded safes and personal security and self-defense products and has recently transitioned into the beverage industry through the introduction of American Rebel Beer. The Company also designs and produces branded apparel and accessories. To learn more, visit americanrebelbeer.com or americanrebel.com. For investor information, visit americanrebel.com/investor-relations.

    American Rebel Holdings, Inc.
    info@americanrebel.com

    American Rebel Beverages, LLC
    Todd Porter, President
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com

    Forward-looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. American Rebel Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: AREB; AREBW) (the “Company,” “American Rebel,” “we,” “our” or “us”) desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “forecasts” “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which include, but are not limited to statements related the intended use of proceeds from the offering and the potential exercise of the series warrants. We have based these forward-looking statements primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include market and other conditions, benefits of Nationwide Ad Campaign, success and availability of the promotional activities and ad campaigns, our ability to effectively execute our business plan, and the Risk Factors contained within our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    Company Contact:
    tporter@americanrebelbeer.com
    info@americanrebel.com
    For Media Inquiries Contact:
    Matt@Precisionpr.co

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI China: Guangdong’s industrial robot output exceeds 240,000 units in 2024

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Guangdong’s industrial robot output exceeds 240,000 units in 2024

    Updated: April 9, 2025 21:22 Xinhua
    An educational robot is pictured during a display at the tech company UBTECH in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 26, 2025. Guangdong’s industrial robot output exceeded 240,000 units in 2024 with a year-on-year increase of 31.2 percent, ranking first in the country for five consecutive years, according to the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An industrial robot is pictured during a test at a manufacture base of Guangdong Topstar Technology Co., Ltd. in Dongguan, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An industrial robot for car manufacturing is displayed at Midea-Kuka Intelligent Manufacturing Science and Technology Park in Foshan, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors learn about humanoid robots at the tech company UBTECH in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member introduces a robot at the tech company UBTECH in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A production line of industrial robots is pictured at Midea-Kuka Intelligent Manufacturing Science and Technology Park in Foshan, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member synchronizes robot actions at Leju Robotics in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A humanoid robot interacts with people at the tech company DIGIT in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Zhou Renyi, a member of humanoid robot research team, interacts with GoMate, a humanoid robot, at GAC R&D Center in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    GoMate, a humanoid robot, shakes hands with Zhou Renyi, a member of humanoid robot research team at GAC R&D Center in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First Digital and STEM Bursary students graduate

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    First Digital and STEM Bursary students graduate

    100 talented young people from Lancashire complete Strategic Command’s Bursary programme, helping to develop valuable cyber capabilities for the UK.

    Claire Fry presents a student with their certificate. MOD Crown Copyright

    At a recognition ceremony, students from four Lancashire colleges graduated from the programme, each receiving a certificate acknowledging their hard work and newly acquired expertise, marking an important step in their journey toward cyber careers. 

    Kerry Harrison, Lead for the Lancashire Digital Skills Partnership, part of the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub, said:

    This bursary has opened doors for 100 young Lancashire students to careers they hadn’t imagined. By working with Strategic Command, local colleges and industry, we’ve helped these talented young people gain valuable technical cyber and wider work ready skills that benefit both our regional economy and national security. Their success shows what we can achieve when government, education and business collaborating to tackle the digital skills gap.

    MOD Crown Copyright

    The celebration event featured career-focussed activities for students to explore their future options, including a jobs marketplace showcasing apprenticeships and internships, networking training and activities with the armed forces esports teams. Representatives from the National Cyber Force spoke about real-world cyber opportunities, putting the students at the centre of conversations about their potential careers. 

    Every student received a certificate detailing the activities they completed and the valuable work-ready skills they acquired through the Work Ready Lancashire project. Some students received additional recognition for their achievements. From each college, one student received the Immersive Labs Top Student Award for dedicating the most hours to their training, while two students earned Spotlight Awards for outstanding dedication throughout the programme. 

    Strategic Command’s Chief Information Officer Charlie Forte and Director Functional Integration Claire Fry personally presented these awards, taking time to listen to students’ stories, celebrate their successes and see the students’ progress firsthand. 

    Claire Fry, Director Functional Integration, said:

    Witnessing the journey of these students from day one to now has been truly inspiring and eye opening. They have grown not just their cyber and digital skills but as human beings, and this programme has enabled them to truly flourish as young adults. Collaboration between Digital Skills for Defence, Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub and industry partners has been critical in giving these students a real advantage for their potential career in a cyber and digital role in defence.

    Launched in 2024 for 16-18 year olds studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects, the bursary provides practical cyber training, mentoring and financial support to students across four Lancashire colleges. Strategic Command’s work with the Lancashire Cyber Partnership, which includes the National Cyber Force, is part of a drive to build cyber talent, with the northwest serving as an ideal venue to nurture these skills. This location serves as a launchpad for promising students to enter government departments, defence organisations and businesses working in the cyber sector. 

    The programme’s success stems from partnerships with the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub, local colleges, and industry partners who provide students with hands-on experience tackling real cyber challenges. The Digital Bursary is part of Strategic Command’s wider work to build cyber talent, which includes the Cyber Direct Entry programme. By bringing together education, industry and government, Strategic Command is building the diverse and skilled workforce needed to protect the UK’s digital future.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Two rapists have their sentences increased after Solicitor General intervenes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Two rapists have their sentences increased after Solicitor General intervenes

    Two rapists have had their sentences increased by the Court of Appeal after their cases were referred by the Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP.

    The Solicitor General has secured sentence increases in two separate cases where the offenders committed sexual abuse. 

    In the first case, Paul Watson, 45, from Chorley, over a four-month period between January and April 2024, coerced and controlled a woman, and carried out multiple rapes. 

    The court heard that the victim submitted to the offender because she was terrified for her own safety.

    In a separate case, Anthony McNamara, 46, from County Durham, groomed and repeatedly raped a young person for several years. The offending began when the victim was 12.

    Following his arrest by the police in May 2024, McNamara was told not to contact the victim. However, he breached his bail conditions and continued to groom and engage in sexual activity with the victim.

    The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

    I am sickened to read about these rapists’ crimes, who both repeatedly preyed on their victims and inflicted terror upon them.

    I am glad that the court has rightly decided to increase both of these sentences, and my thoughts today are with the victims who suffered unimaginable abuse.

    On 3 April 2025, Watson’s 17-year sentence was quashed, and the court imposed a sentence of life imprisonment, following the Solicitor General’s decision to refer it to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

    On 3 April 2025, Anthony McNamara’s 13-year sentence was substituted for a total sentence of 23 years, comprising of 18 years custodial term and a 5-year extended license.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Marine aggregate extraction, saltmarsh footbridge and research project all given green light by MMO

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Marine aggregate extraction, saltmarsh footbridge and research project all given green light by MMO

    Marine aggregates, scientific research and saltmarsh restoration feature in the latest applications granted by the MMO Marine Licensing team.

    Aggregate dredging in Area 1806 

    Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited applied for a marine licence to dredge marine aggregates at Area 1806, south-southeast of Beachy Head in the East English Channel Region. 

    The licence allows Hanson Aggregates to dredge marine aggregates for 15 years and extract a maximum of 1 million tonnes of aggregate in any 12-month period. The total permitted extraction over the 15-year term of the licence is 15 million tonnes. 

    The extraction of aggregates uses trailer suction hopper dredgers and cargo screening will be employed.  

    Marine aggregates are crucial to the construction industry as they are used for building houses and transport infrastructure and are also important to the marine environment through replenishing beaches and improving coastal defences.  

    Marine aggregate extraction has wider environmental benefits as it reduces both quarrying on land and lorry deliveries over large distances. Due to cargo screening, it is also possible to extract different sediments based on customer demand. 

    New footbridge at Stiffkey Saltmarsh 

    The National Trust applied for a marine licence to construct a replacement footbridge over Cabbage Creek at Stiffkey Saltmarsh on the Norfolk Coast Path. 

    There has been a crossing at the location since the late 19th century. The new footbridge will replace the former bridge that had fallen into disrepair and had to be removed in 2022.  

    Stiffkey Saltmarsh is a valuable habitat and has several protected site designations as well as being an area of outstanding natural beauty. The new footbridge is designed to be unobtrusive to the surrounding environment while also providing safe access for everyone to enjoy the saltmarsh. The crossing will also remove the risk of visitors becoming cut off by high tides and requiring evacuation.  

    The marine licensing team worked with the applicant to ensure appropriate measures were in place to protect the natural environment, while also enabling the project to begin before winter restrictions pushed the project back by a year. 

    Stronger Shores – Scientific Sensor Array 

    Durham Wildlife Trust were granted a marine licence as part of their Stronger Shores project. The aim of the project is to gather information that can be used to inform technical models assessing the potential for natural subtidal seaweed and seaweed aquaculture.  

    The project involves depositing 12 scientific units in the North Sea off the coast of County Durham, fitted with instruments to measure wave force, attenuation, turbidity, water quality and biodiversity metrics. The units can be fitted with either seeded rope or unseeded rope for aquaculture growth. The data gathered over the 23 month length of the project should provide information on the effects of seaweed in contributing to climate resilience through nature-based-solutions. 

    The marine licensing team supported the applicant through the application process through positive and proactive communication which enabled the application to be processed within the 90-day KPI.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Special Envoy for Road Safety in Mauritius, Madagascar and Eswatini to support initiatives to increase road safety

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, will visit Mauritius, Madagascar and Eswatini from 8 to 16 April 2025 to support global and national authorities’ road safety initiatives. In particular, the Special Envoy will launch locally the UN Global Campaign for Road Safety #MakeASafetyStatement, developed in partnership with JCDecaux.  He will also join the 2025 Kofi Annan Road Safety Award to be held in Eswatini on 14-15 April.  

    The Special Envoy will meet members of the Government as well as representatives of the private and public sectors two months after the Declaration of Marrakesh where Member states further committed to accelerate efforts for achieving the Decade of Action for Road Safety‘s goal of halving the number of the victims on the road by 2030. 

    The Silent pandemic on the road 

    The Special Envoy Jean Todt qualified road crashes as “The Silent Pandemic on the Road”. Indeed, every year, the staggering toll of road-related fatalities globally claims the lives of 1.19 million people, leaving 50 million others with severe injuries. Furthermore, road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years.  

    Road crashes are disproportionately high in Africa compared to other regions of the world. The continent loses annually over 300,000 people through road crashes, even though its countries are witnessing the lowest levels of motorization in the world. Africa has a traffic fatality rate of 19.5 deaths per 100,000 people compared to 16 deaths per 100,000 in Southeast Asia, and 6.5 deaths per 100,000 in Europe.  

    “Africa is the continent proportionately most affected by road crashes. Knowing that these affect the youngest first, beyond the human tragedy this is an economic devastation sacrificing or invalidating for life the active force of a country. While the vaccine to avoid this carnage on the road exists, I urgently call on everyone to use it.” — United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt. 

    Thirty-eight percent of all African road traffic fatalities occur among pedestrians while 43 percent occur among car occupants. Motorized 2-3 wheelers and cyclists account for 7 percent and 5 percent of Africa’s traffic deaths respectively. A significant proportion of road fatalities on the continent occur in urban areas.  Furthermore, the ongoing improvement of the quality and coverage of Africa’s roads will increase crashes on the continent if it is not accompanied by appropriate road safety measures.  

    Towards enhanced road safety in Mauritius 

    The fatality rate in Mauritius is 10/100,000 inhabitants (WHO 2023). There is an increase in motorcycles crashes. Under the leadership of the Minister of Land Transport of Mauritius, Hon. Osman Mahomed, a series of 16 measures aiming to improve road safety are being envisaged in the country. Among these: re-introduction of the “Penalty Point System”; introduction of the Graduated Licensing System; helmets for sale for motorcycles of or exceeding a capacity of 50 cubic centimeters should be in accordance with set standards and be made mandatory; road safety education in schools; stringent enforcement by the Police or ERS -Transport Squad with regular crack down operations at night. 

    Men are the most affected, representing 89% of fatalities.Women are mostly victims as pedestrians (64%) and passengers (21%), while men die on motorcycles (35%) and as pedestrians (28%), with an average of 9% each as drivers, cyclists, passengers and passengers on the back (2023 figures, Le Mauricien).  

    “The current Government will implement the necessary projects and initiatives to make our roads safer as we expand and modernize our land transport” highlights Minister of Land Transport Osman Mahomed. 

    Safer roads for economic growth in Madagascar 

    The fatality rate in Madagascar is 22.5/100,000 inhabitants (WHO 2023). Poor maintenance and erosion have rendered a significant portion of the road network (mostly unpaved) unsafe (UNEP 2024). Madagascar has one of the least developed road networks in the world. Transport has been widely recognized as a barrier to the provision of and access to health services in rural areas. Madagascar’s overall poor infrastructure is negatively affecting its economic growth and development opportunities.  

    While 70 percent of primary roads are in good condition, about two-thirds of secondary and tertiary roads are estimated to be in poor condition (WB, 2018). There is a high risk of motorcycle crashes in Madagascar, due to the poor state of roads and the non-use of helmets responding to UN safety standards. When we know that quality helmets reduce the risk of death by over six times and reduce the risk of brain injury by up to 74% (WHO 2021), it is urgent to act to stop the carnage on the road. 

    “By 2030, Madagascar aims to halve road deaths and injuries, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3.6. This ambition falls into a dynamic of profound transformation: build infrastructures respectful of international standards, promote the introduction of new safer vehicles, strengthen technical inspection procedures, and integrate road safety into national education programs. We are also determined to provide training for those involved in the sector, and to ensure more humane and effective assistance of accident victims” highlights Valéry Manambahoaka RAMONJAVELO – Ministry of Transport and Meteorology. 

    Toward vision zero victim on the road In Eswatini 

    The fatality rate in Eswatini is 25/100,000 inhabitants (WHO 2021), affecting first children as well as the most productive age group (15-49 years old). Road crashes impose huge constraints on Eswatini ’s economy, up to 10.8% of GDP (Eswatini National Road Safety Strategy 2023-2030). The Kingdom of Eswatini ratified in 2020 the African Union Road Safety Charter with the vision zero fatal and serious injury on Eswatini’s roads by 2063.  Drink-driving, speeding and overloading, in this order, are the major causes of accidents on the country’s roads. (Times of Swaziland). 

    The Kingdom of Eswatini is making efforts to substantially enhance road safety, with an ongoing road safety legislative reform. The Kingdom has also established a Center of Excellence in Road Safety. In addition, Eswatini is fostering South-South cooperation with other African countries and partners on transport and road safety. 

    The Kofi Annan Road Safety Award

    The Kofi Annan Road Safety Award, organized by the Kofi Annan Foundation, in collaboration with UNECA and the Ministry of Transport of Eswatini, will be in the form of certificates of recognition delivered to governments, the private sector or civil society organizations that have made outstanding contributions to road safety in Africa.   

    This year the following countries will receive awards: Cameroon (Innovation & Digitalization), Ethiopia (Public Transportation/Modal shift), Kenya (Safer Vehicles), Nigeria (Road Safety management), Senegal (Road safety financing), South-Africa (post-crash care). 

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Blumenthal Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen Research & Treatment Development for Brain Cancers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) reintroduced the Bolstering Research and Innovation Now (BRAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen research and treatment development for brain tumors and to improve the accessibility of brain tumor health care. U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY) and Mike Rounds (R-SD), as well as Representatives Kim Schrier (D-WA-08), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-08) and John Joyce (R-PA-13) joined Trahan and Blumenthal in introducing the bicameral legislation.
    “Too many families across our communities have faced the devastating reality of a brain tumor diagnosis. With more than a million Americans currently battling malignant brain tumors, we must act with urgency and purpose,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The bipartisan BRAIN Act will accelerate life-saving research, drive innovation in treatment, and expand support for survivors – offering hope to patients and their loved ones.”
    Today, more than one million people in the United States are living with a primary brain tumor. Another 94,000 more will likely be diagnosed in 2025, in addition to hundreds of thousands of Americans diagnosed with metastatic brain cancer. Despite major improvements made in the treatment of other cancers in recent years, incidence and survival rates for malignant brain tumors have remained stagnant for 45 years, with a five-year relative survival rate of only 35.7%.
    “Our son Will was a remarkable and driven young man—accomplishing so much, including earning two master’s degrees while undergoing treatment for a brain tumor,” said Arlene Gluck, a Concord, Massachusetts resident. “Sadly, there is still no cure for brain tumors. That’s why we’re thankful to Representative Lori Trahan for sponsoring the BRAIN Act, which supports innovative, collaborative research and enhanced survivorship care among its key initiatives. We remain hopeful that our advocacy will help bring meaningful change for those who face this devastating disease in the future.”
    “Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation promotes research and development for brain cancer treatment to help Americans suffering from this viscous form of cancer,” said Senator Blumenthal. “Stagnant incidence and survival rates that have persisted for decades make it all the more clear—we must redouble our efforts to defeat brain tumors once and for all.”
    “A brain tumor diagnosis is devastating news for too many American families, and the federal government needs to step up to help find a cure and better diagnostics and treatment. The BRAIN Act is about saving lives, changing lives, and improving health outcomes. It would help fast-track scientific discovery and breakthroughs by improving access to clinical trials for patients and advancing innovative new treatments. It would also make it easier for researchers to access biospecimens for new research on brain tumors and fund more clinical trials for the most aggressive, hard-to-treat brain tumors,” said Senator Reed. “This bipartisan bill would also establish new programs and research for brain tumor survivors to improve quality of life and ensure appropriate follow up care over the long term.”
    “After losing my wife, Bobbi, to glioblastoma, I know firsthand how tragic a brain tumor diagnosis can be for patients and their families. Raising awareness and supporting efforts to find a cure is a personal priority for me,” said Senator Barrasso. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to advance treatments and support research to find a cure for these deadly diagnoses.”
    “For me, the fight against cancer is personal. When my late wife Jean was courageously battling cancer a few years ago, we were already seeing encouraging progress in the development of new treatments for many cancers,” said Senator Rounds. “I firmly believe we are years, not decades, away from seeing cures to many of the most deadly cancers. The BRAIN Act will allow us to continue capitalizing on the progress we have made so far by implementing programs and funding that will advance research and treatments for brain tumors. I am glad to be joining a bipartisan group of my colleagues on this legislation.”
    “As a pediatrician, I know brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer related deaths in children. That’s why we need the BRAIN Act signed into law – to invest in brain cancer research, provide new treatment options and hope for families, and ensure transparency in this public health investment.” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. 
    “The BRAIN Act marks a major leap forward in the fight against brain tumors and rare cancers,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. “For too long, patients and families have faced these devastating diagnoses with limited options. This bipartisan bill drives innovation, strengthens collaboration, and ensures greater transparency and support for those affected. By investing in research and accelerating progress, the BRAIN Act brings us closer to breakthroughs—and ultimately, a cure.”
    “Thousands of Americans are diagnosed with fatal brain tumors every year, yet there are very few treatments available,” said Congressman John Joyce, M.D. “Like so many throughout the country, I have experienced firsthand the pain these brain tumors can cause for families and patients alike, and as a physician, I understand how critical medical innovations are to give patients hope and to save American lives. I am proud to join the BRAIN Act, which will encourage further advancements in the treatment of cancerous brain tumors, giving hope to so many patients.”
    In order to reduce mortality rates and make meaningful progress against brain tumors, better-funded and collaborative research is needed. The BRAIN Act takes a comprehensive, complementary approach to meet this need and further advance research for these aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers.
    Specifically, the BRAIN Act:

    Increases transparency of federally-funded biobank collections so that researchers are aware of others who possess samples that might be shared to enable important research.
    Sufficiently resources the National Cancer Institute’s Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, so that it can realize its promise of vetting treatments and completing innovative early-phase clinical trials. 
    Enables team science to advance immunotherapy research (CAR-T) engineered to attack brain cancer cells.
    Directs the Centers for Disease Control to conduct a public education campaign around the importance of clinical trials and biomarker testing in cancer treatment.
    Augments and expands funding to develop innovative systems of care models for brain tumor survivors.
    Directs FDA to issue guidance to ensure brain tumor and other rare and recalcitrant cancer patient access to clinical trials evaluating treatments for other diseases.

    “This is a landmark bill for the brain tumor community,” said David Arons, President & Chief Executive Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. “As far as we know, the BRAIN Act represents the first piece of legislation introduced in Congress specifically designed to target policy solutions at the many barriers impeding progress for brain and other rare and difficult-to-treat cancers. We thank Senators Blumenthal, Barrasso, Reed, and Rounds, as well as Representatives Trahan, Fitzpatrick, Schrier, and Joyce, for realizing the major unmet needs of this community and championing policies that support brain tumor patients, survivors, families, and the research poised for breakthroughs ahead.”
    “In my 12-year career as a practicing neuro-oncologist and clinical researcher, I’ve seen first-hand the devastating toll that brain tumors take on patients and families,” said Nicholas Blondin, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine. “I’ve also witnessed transformative changes in the way we treat other cancers, such as breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma. Unfortunately, we have not experienced the same level of progress in the tools and treatment options for patients with malignant brain tumors. More concerted policies to adequately fund cutting-edge research, paired with initiatives to raise awareness about the advances that are currently happening in diagnostics and clinical trials, are essential. New models for addressing the challenges patients face in their brain tumor journey will greatly benefit efforts in the field of neuro-oncology to catch up to the progress we have seen in treating other cancers.”
    A section by section for the BRAIN Act is available HERE and a one-page summary of the bill is available HERE.
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Influenza vaccines safe, effective

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Influenza vaccines currently used in Hong Kong are safe and effective, and the side effects of flu vaccines are usually mild and transient, the Centre for Health Protection said today.

    The centre made the statement in response to media enquiries on the safety of the influenza vaccine.

    Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr Edwin Tsui noted the influenza vaccination has been scientifically proven to be one of the most safe and effective ways to prevent seasonal flu and its complications, and can significantly reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death from seasonal influenza, adding that Hong Kong has established a pharmacovigilance system to monitor adverse events following immunisation.

    He pointed out that in the past five years, over eight million doses of the influenza vaccine have been administered and there have been no deaths reported after vaccination.

    Except those with known contraindications, all people aged six months and above, particularly those who have a higher risk of getting infected with influenza and developing complications, such as the elderly and children, should receive the seasonal flu vaccine every year.

    Dr Tsui said: “Severe cases related to seasonal influenza involving adults and cases of severe paediatric influenza-associated complication recorded in the recent flu season were significantly lower than in the influenza season before the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that this is the result of the general public’s willingness to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine.”

    Local data showed that the rate of severe influenza complications among children who did not receive the seasonal influenza vaccination of the current season is about four times that of vaccinated children.

    Among the elderly, the rate of severe influenza including death among residents of the residential care homes aged 65 years or above who did not receive seasonal flu vaccination of the current season is 2.3 times that of vaccinated residents.

    The data highlighted the important protective role of seasonal influenza vaccination against severe infection and death.

    Dr Tsui noted that influenza vaccines currently used in Hong Kong, including inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV), recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) and live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), are safe and effective.

    Traditional IIV has been used for decades. The vaccine has proven to be safe and reliable through repeated testing and quality assessment. The safety of the newer LAIV and RIV is comparable to that of IIV.

    He added that the World Health Organization has also indicated that vaccination is the most effective means to prevent serious illness arising from flu.

    The side effects of influenza vaccines are usually mild and transient, and the most common include pain and redness at the injection site. Some recipients may experience fever, chills, muscle pain and tiredness. Severe adverse reactions to influenza vaccines are very rare.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News

  • MIL-OSI: Building a Team for Growth: The Bank of Glen Burnie Promotes Jonathan Shearin to Chief Lending Officer and Names Jeff Welch Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GLEN BURNIE, Md., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Bank of Glen Burnie®, a wholly owned subsidiary of Glen Burnie Bancorp (NASDAQ: GLBZ), announced today the expansion of its lending team to position the Bank to carry out its growth strategy focused on growing the commercial banking and lending portfolios. Jonathan Shearin, who previously served in the role of vice president and director of commercial banking, was promoted to the role of chief lending officer effective March 13, 2025. Jeff Welch was named executive vice president and chief credit officer effective March 31, 2025.

    “Jonathan hit the ground running and has made a significant impact to our loan portfolio since joining the bank in 2024,” said Mark C. Hanna, President and CEO. “Jonathan is out in our community every day building relationships in Anne Arundel County and the surrounding areas while constantly looking for opportunities to help local businesses obtain the financial expertise and tools they need to grow their own businesses. His energy and leadership, combined with his early success, made him a natural fit to assume the role of chief lending officer. In his new role, Shearin will be focused on driving sales and revenue to maximize return on capital invested in loans and achieve profitability. He will be tasked with helping to develop the Bank’s lending strategy, building relationships, supervising our commercial lending team, and overseeing loan production and growth objectives.”

    “I’m honored to step into this role and lead our lending team as we continue to support the businesses and communities we serve,” said Shearin. “Our focus remains on building strong client relationships, providing tailored financing strategies, and driving sustainable growth for the businesses and communities we serve. I look forward to working alongside our team to strengthen our market position and create new opportunities for long-term success.”

    As the Bank builds out its leadership team tasked with growing commercial loans and deposits, Jeff Welch joins The Bank of Glen Burnie in the newly created role of chief credit officer and will also serve as executive vice president. A seasoned banking executive, Welch brings more than 40 years of progressive risk management, lending, and sales management experience to lead efforts to effectively manage credit risk and help ensure the soundness of the Bank’s loan portfolio. His responsibilities as chief credit officer will include evaluating loan applications, regulatory compliance related to credit risk, and overseeing credit administration.

    Welch most recently served as executive vice president and chief credit officer at Burke & Herbert Bank, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, where he was responsible for the Credit Risk Management and Loan Administration Divisions. Welch has spent the entirety of his banking career in progressive leadership roles at financial institutions located in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. corridor, bringing a wealth of expertise about the banking environment, the economy and the credit needs of the area.

    Welch holds a Master of Business Administration in finance from Marymount University and is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in operations management.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Jeff to The Bank of Glen Burnie,” remarked Hanna. “His proven track record in developing and implementing strategic plans at all levels combined with his relationship building skills will prove invaluable to us as we look to grow and thrive as we set the pace for growth during our next 75 years of community banking in Anne Arundel County. Jeff’s recent retirement from Burke & Herbert Bank presented us with an opportunity to recruit a highly experienced chief credit officer with extensive experience in credit policy and risk management/portfolio oversight in addition to sales management, financial analysis, and project management expertise. Jeff is well suited to help shape The Bank of Glen Burnie’s strategic direction. We have built a stellar lending team, and I am confident that together Jonathan and Jeff will lead this team to new heights and help The Bank of Glen Burnie significantly expand our loan portfolio while successfully managing risk.”

    “I am excited to join The Bank of Glen Burnie at a time when we are poised to execute our strategic planning lending objectives focused on growing our loan portfolio,” said Welch. “We have an outstanding lending team, and I look forward to working together to build new relationships in the community and to meet the credit needs of local business owners in our market.”

    About Glen Burnie Bancorp

    Glen Burnie Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Founded in 1949, The Bank of Glen Burnie® is a locally owned community bank with seven Anne Arundel County branches. The Bank is engaged in commercial and retail banking, including accepting demand and time deposits and originating loans to individuals, associations, partnerships, and corporations. The Bank’s real estate financing consists of residential first and second mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit and commercial mortgage loans. The Bank also originates automobile loans through arrangements with local automobile dealers. Additional information is available at thebankofglenburnie.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The statements contained herein that are not historical financial information may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause the company’s actual results in the future to differ materially from its historical results and those presently anticipated or projected. These statements are evidenced by terms such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “should,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” and similar expressions. Although these statements reflect management’s good faith beliefs and projections, they are not guarantees of future performance and they may not prove true. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Government not to set euro adoption date for now

    Source: Czech National Bank

    The government has acknowledged the joint recommendation of the Ministry of Finance and the Czech National Bank not to set a date for adopting the single European currency for the time being. The recommendation is based on the findings contained in Assessment of the Fulfilment of the Maastricht Convergence Criteria and the Degree of Economic Alignment of the Czech Republic with the Euro Area. This document has provided an objective assessment of the Czech Republic’s economic preparedness for adopting the euro since the country joined the European Union.

    The assessment covers three areas. The first assesses compliance with the nominal (Maastricht) convergence criteria, which are a necessary but not sufficient condition for joining the euro area. These criteria set fiscal and monetary reference values, compliance with which is meant to reduce the risks and costs associated with the absence of an independent monetary policy. Successful compliance with the relevant criteria should also mitigate risks to stability and prevent the emergence of imbalances in the monetary union. In 2024, the Czech Republic fulfilled the interest rate convergence criterion and the government financial position criterion. However, it did not meet the criterion on price stability, due to a low reference value and persisting elevated growth of service prices in the domestic economy. The Czech Republic is formally non-compliant with the exchange rate fluctuation criterion, as it is not part of the ERM II exchange rate mechanism.

    The second area assesses the Czech Republic’s economic preparedness for adopting the euro. A key element of these indicators is an assessment of the Czech Republic’s economic alignment with the euro area and the ability of the Czech economy to absorb any negative economic shocks through other mechanisms after losing its monetary policy independence. The Czech Republic has made no substantial progress in this area since the last assessment in 2023. There are still many obstacles on the path to the single European currency. One of them is the unfinished process of economic convergence of the Czech economy, especially as regards the price and wage levels, which remain well below the euro area average. The relatively low structural similarity between the Czech economy and the euro area could also create problems under the single monetary policy. Unresolved domestic structural issues related to the current economic model and future challenges to public finances (population ageing, infrastructure investment, etc.) pose a significant risk. Planned large-scale projects (the construction of high-speed railways and new nuclear units) will place a significant financial burden on public budgets. Addressing the current challenges of economic transformation and long-term public finance sustainability should therefore be prioritised before making a decision on joining the monetary union.

    On the other hand, the high degree of openness of the Czech economy and its close trade and ownership links with the euro area are key positive factors. Some labour market indicators, especially the low long-term unemployment rate and the banking sector’s resilience to negative shocks, are also favourable.

    The final area of assessment concerns the euro area itself. The economic heterogeneity of the euro area is high. This was further highlighted by the energy crisis and its impacts on Member States’ economies. Economic alignment of euro area countries is essential to the smooth functioning of the monetary union. The fiscal positions of most euro area countries are also a negative factor.

    The institutions and rules of the euro area have changed over recent years, and discussions on further deepening integration are still ongoing. The future potential financial and non-financial commitments relating to the Czech Republic’s euro area entry thus cannot be reliably estimated at the moment.

    Petra Vlčková
    Spokesperson
    CNB Communications Division

    Petra Vodstrčilová
    Spokesperson
    Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic


    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kelly, Thompson introduce bipartisan Mental Health Research Accelerator Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee Chairman Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Ranking Member Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) re-introduced the bipartisan Mental Health Research Accelerator Act to incentivize private companies with financial resources to collaborate with academic or nonprofit research institutions on neurological and mental health research to tackle the root causes of mental health conditions.

    “When it comes to addressing mental health access and care, we must utilize every tool in our toolbox,” Rep. Kelly said. “This new legislation allows us to make America’s tax system work for the American people by incentivizing research partnerships into brain health. I’m proud to work with my Ways and Means Committee colleague, Rep. Mike Thompson, on this vital legislation.”

    “Investing in brain research is key to addressing the root causes of mental health conditions, not just managing the symptoms,” Rep. Thompson said. “Mental illness is often at the core of challenges like homelessness, substance abuse, and workplace struggles. Simply funding symptom management isn’t enough—we must get ahead of the problem by advancing research that can prevent these issues from arising in the first place. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Kelly to support this critical work and help drive meaningful progress.”

    “Today, more than 60 million Americans suffer from a mental illness. Recent work by Price Water House Coopers estimated that the economic burden of mental illness was more than $1 trillion annually, not counting the value of human life associated with the almost 50,000 deaths by suicide. Research from the pharmaceutical industry has moved away from mental illness drugs because of the cost and risks involved. H.R. 2085 will provide necessary economic incentives for industry to partner with research universities across our country to engage in public-private partnerships that will have the potential to find new drugs and treatments but also to provide new jobs. This is a non-partisan issue and merits the support of everyone,” said Garen Staglin, Founder of the One Mind Foundation.

    BACKGROUND

    The Mental Health Research Accelerator Act provides $10 billion in allocable tax credits over a six-year period. The credits are available to nonprofits, state and local agencies, and private companies who collaborate on neurological research.

    Because of the high cost of neurological research, and the challenges in producing market-viable products, there is not enough investment in cutting edge neurological research. The credit is capped at 25 percent of allowable expenses and is a competitive credit to be allocated based on merit, as determined by the Treasury Department. Any credits not allocated by the end of the window are simply deemed moot and returned to Treasury unless the credit is extended by Congress.

    Read the full text of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam to Speak at UConn Law 2025 Commencement

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Arunan Arulampalam, mayor of the City of Hartford, will deliver the commencement address as the UConn School of Law celebrates the Class of 2025 on Sunday, May 18.

    “It is an honor to have Mayor Arulampalam, a leader who has tirelessly worked to revitalize Hartford, as our commencement speaker,” Dean Eboni S. Nelson says. “Many of this year’s graduates have provided legal services to underserved individuals in Hartford through our clinics and pro bono programs, making them key partners in the vital work being done to strengthen our local community. Considering the mayor’s distinguished career of service and advancing justice, his personal and professional journeys will serve as tremendous inspiration for our graduates as they begin their legal careers.”

    The son of Sri Lankan refugees, Arulampalam was born in Zimbabwe and made a home and a family in Hartford after graduate school. Prior to being elected mayor in November 2023, he served as CEO of the Hartford Land Bank, where he developed a first-in-the-nation program to train Hartford residents to become local developers and tackle blight in their city.

    Arulampalam served in Governor Ned Lamont’s administration as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Before that, he was a lawyer at the downtown firm Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. Arulampalam also served on the Board of the Hartford Public Library, the House of Bread, and on the Hartford Redevelopment Authority. He earned his BA in International Studies from Emory University and his JD from Quinnipiac University School of Law.

    “It is an incredible honor to join the UConn School of Law community and celebrate the Class of 2025,” Arulampalam says.  “These graduates represent the future of justice and advocacy, and their commitment to serving others, particularly through their work in Hartford, inspires hope for a stronger, more equitable society. As they embark on this next chapter, I am confident they will continue to make a profound impact on our city, our state, and beyond.”

    The University of Connecticut School of Law will hold its 102nd commencement on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 10 a.m. on the law school campus. The Class of 2025 includes nearly 200 graduates receiving JDs, LLMs, and SJD degrees. For more information, please visit our commencement site.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Man Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    BILLINGS – An Atlanta, Georgia man who defrauded banks in multiple states was sentenced today to 57 months in prison to be followed by 5 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.  The defendant was also ordered to pay $161,401.17 in restitution.

    Stanford Wilvin Lightfoot, 33, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that for approximately 5 months in 2023, Stanford Lightfoot was a member of a large fraud ring that had been defrauding banks in Montana, Maine and Missouri.  In each location, Lightfoot and other coconspirators would travel to the state from the base of operations in Atlanta, Georgia.  Once there, they would recruit local homeless individuals who possessed valid ID cards.  They would then take these homeless individuals to local banks and provide them with fraudulent checks from real accounts.  These checks all possessed forged signatures of real people and were, therefore, means of identification.  The homeless individuals would then attempt to cash the checks and, if successful, would provide the money to Lightfoot and his coconspirators.  If the homeless individuals were caught by police, they would be abandoned to take the blame.  In Montana, Lightfoot hit multiple banks in Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston utilizing local homeless individuals to forge checks in excess of $20,000.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI, Livingston Police Department, Belgrade Police Department, and Bozeman Police Department.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Testimony on the Congressional Budget Office’s Request for Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Chairman Valadao, Ranking Member Espaillat, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the Congressional Budget Office’s budget request. CBO requests appropriations of $75.8 million for fiscal year 2026. Most of that amount—86.6 percent—would be for pay and benefits; 9.8 percent would be for information technology (IT); and 3.6 percent would be for training, expert consultant services, office supplies, and other items. The requested amount is an increase of $5.8 million, or 8.2 percent, above the funding provided for this year.

    Of the increase, 52 percent would primarily cover increases in current employees’ salaries and benefits and would enable CBO to expand its staff in key areas of Congressional interest. The remaining 48 percent would address increased costs to enhance the agency’s cybersecurity and IT infrastructure; such improvements are critical to protecting sensitive data and improving the agency’s computing power for analyzing complex data sets. CBO is prioritizing advancements in a security strategy called zero trust architecture, which requires verification before allowing access to any user or device.

    The requested budget is based on continued strong interest in CBO’s work from the Congressional leadership, committees, and Members. In 2024, CBO published about 1,100 cost estimates for legislation and devoted significant resources to analyzing the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159); the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42); the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-47); and H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024. For those bills and many others, the agency also fulfilled thousands of requests for technical assistance. In addition, CBO prepared dozens of reports, many at the request of Chairs or Ranking Members of Congressional committees.

    CBO will provide many estimates and a large amount of technical assistance to the 119th Congress as lawmakers consider significant legislative initiatives. With additional resources, the agency could provide even more. Under the funding provided for this year, CBO will maintain its staffing at about 270 employees and focus on the highest priority current needs, including preparing cost estimates, providing technical assistance as the Congress crafts legislation, and analyzing the economic and dynamic budgetary effects of proposed policies. CBO will reduce expenditures elsewhere, by deferring hiring for some positions and deferring some activities, including not undertaking some longer-term improvements in its IT infrastructure.

    The fiscal year 2026 request would allow CBO to grow to 285 employees. That number would allow the agency to better meet its responsibilities under the Congressional Budget Act. The request also would allow for IT enhancements, including some currently on hold.

    Of the 15 additional staff members CBO would hire in 2026:

    • 9 would improve CBO’s capabilities to provide timely analysis of changes to health care programs, border security, credit programs (like student loans), and the U.S. population (particularly because of changes in immigration) and of dynamic policy effects (that is, determining how changes in fiscal policies would affect the economy and how those economic changes would, in turn, affect the federal budget);
    • 2 would enhance CBO’s responsiveness in producing cost estimates and providing technical assistance in the legislative process;
    • 1 would be an addition to the agency’s editing staff to enhance the readability and accessibility of CBO’s materials;
    • 1 would provide increased legal assistance;
    • 1 would enhance CBO’s IT security; and
    • 1 would boost outreach to Congressional staff and the press.

    CBO plans to use expert consultants more than it has in the past—enabling the agency to shift to the Congress’s key areas of focus more easily and to be more nimble in conducting facility management, work in IT, and financial management.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Angola exported more liquefied natural gas to Europe and less to Asia in 2022 and 2023

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    April 9, 2025


    Angola exported more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe and less to Asia in 2022 and 2023, according to estimates from the Statistical Review of World Energy, when Europe increased LNG imports to offset reduced natural gas imports by pipeline from Russia following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.

    Prior to 2022, most of Angola’s LNG exports went to the Asia-Pacific region, primarily India. In 2023, however, Europe received 75% of Angola’s total 175 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of LNG exports; France and the United Kingdom were the largest recipients in Europe, taking about 32 Bcf and 28 Bcf, respectively, in 2023. The Asia-Pacific region received the remaining 25%, with India receiving the most at about 35 Bcf for the year.


    Most of the natural gas produced in Angola is associated gas produced at its offshore oil fields. However, a substantial amount of that natural gas is flared as a byproduct of oil operations or is reinjected into oil fields to increase oil recovery. Angola does not import any natural gas because it produces enough natural gas to meet domestic demand. The natural gas that Angola does not consume or flare domestically is exported in the form of LNG.

    Angola LNG Limited (ALNG) owns and operates Angola’s sole LNG export terminal in Soyo, which has a liquefaction capacity of 250 Bcf per year. The LNG facility produced its first cargo of LNG in 2013, but it subsequently shut down as a result of technical failures and did not restart operations until 2016. The LNG facility uses associated gas produced at Angola’s offshore fields as feedstock, and ALNG also plans to draw additional supplies from non-associated gas projects. One such project is the Northern Gas Complex, where operator Eni plans to begin production from the Quiluma and Maboquerio fields in 2026.

    The Northern Gas Complex is Angola’s first non-associated gas project, and Eni aims to develop two offshore platforms, an onshore natural gas-processing plant, and pipelines to transport natural gas from the two fields to the Angola LNG terminal in Soyo. The Northern Gas Complex is expected to reach peak production of about 141 Bcf per year.

    For more on Angola’s energy sector, please see the latest version of the Country Analysis Brief: Angola.

    Principal contributor: Eric Han

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: A Decade of Progress: 10 Years of the EU Regional Support to Protection-Sensitive Migration Management Systems in the Western Balkans

    Source: European Asylum Support Office

    Over the past decade, the European Union (EU) funded programme “EU Regional Support to Protection-Sensitive Migration Management Systems in the Western Balkans” has played a pivotal role in strengthening migration and asylum systems across the region. Implemented as a partnership among the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), this initiative has supported authorities in the Western Balkans in enhancing migration and asylum governance, towards aligning them with EU and international standards.

    Launched in response to the growing complexities of migration management and asylum in the region, the programme was conceived at a critical moment. Between 2015 and 2016, the Western Balkans witnessed a significant surge in arrivals, with over 1 million people transiting through Serbia and North Macedonia alone. This movement underscored the urgent need for protection-sensitive and sustainable migration and asylum management systems. 

    Over the past decade, the initiative has played a key role in transitioning from an emergency response to shaping comprehensive legal and policy frameworks, improving border and asylum procedures, and reinforcing protection mechanisms for individuals in vulnerable situations. 

    On 8 April, a reception event took place in Brussels, marking the ten-year milestone of the programme, organized in cooperation with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, who provided opening remarks. The reception celebrated the efforts towards the effective and rights-based management of migrants and persons in need of international protection in the Western Balkans. 

    More than 1,180 border guards and other officials and frontline responders have received specialized and protection-sensitive training on integrated border management, focusing on key areas such as fundamental rights, screening, debriefing, detection of falsified documents, countering trafficking in human beings, non-voluntary returns and contingency planning. “The regional programme allows Frontex to support Western Balkan partners on their EU-accession path and integration in the European border and coast guard community. Equally importantly, the regional programme and other EU support allow to extend the EU fundamental rights standards and integrated border management principles to the region“, noted Paweł Śliwiński, Acting Head of Frontex Pre-accession Cooperation Sector.

    The programme has significantly enhanced border cooperation and risk analysis, reinforcing efforts to manage migration effectively while safeguarding access to asylum. In the last two years alone, the programme reached 11,300 individuals with immediate legal counselling, while legal assistance was provided to 1,700 asylum seekers and refugees. Speaking at the event, Alexander de Chalus, Senior Operations Officer for UNHCR, reflected: “UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is proud of the collective actions undertaken within the regional IPA project, especially those which positively impact and help develop the implementation of asylum systems in the Western Balkans. UNHCR also acknowledges the importance of partnering within the project with local civil society actors, which also fosters the sustainability of the activities.

    The programme has also facilitated voluntary return and reintegration, supporting thousands of migrants stranded in the region. “Not only we have supported them with return assistance, but also with tailored reintegration support to help them rebuild their life with dignity and opportunity“, emphasized Donatella Bradić, IOM Senior Western Balkans Programme Coordinator. “Since its inception, more than 3,000 migrants have benefited from assisted voluntary return programmes.

    Regional cooperation has been at the core of the programme, bringing together authorities from the Western Balkans, international partners, and EU member states to develop harmonized policies and share best practices. “The EUAA’s commitment to support our Western Balkans partners in strengthening their asylum and reception systems continues, to bring them closer to the practices of the Common European Asylum System as part of the EU enlargement process. With over 260 capacity development actions delivered across the region, we have moved beyond just enhancing individual technical skills to focus on institutional procedures,” stressed Eva Wipler, Head of EUAA International Cooperation Sector.

    As the region advances on its path towards EU accession, the programme remains committed to fostering sustainable migration and asylum governance. Celebrating its 10-year milestone, it highlights the significant achievements made through a unique joint collaboration. By bringing together two EU agencies, two UN partners, and national authorities of the Western Balkan region, it has not only addressed post emergency response but also continues to strengthen resilient, sustainable, and EU-aligned migration and asylum systems for the future.
     

    Media contacts:

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI: LPL Financial Welcomes Trimp Wealth Management

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LPL Financial LLC announced today that father and son financial advisors Patrick Trimp, CFP®, and Jack Trimp, ChFC®, of Trimp Wealth Management have joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and custodial platforms. They reported serving approximately $220 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets* and join LPL from Nations Financial Group, Inc.

    Based in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Patrick transitioned to the wealth management industry in 1999 after a decade of service in the U.S. Navy, during which he completed nuclear power training and was assigned to the USS Hammerhead, a fast-attack submarine. It was during his time in the Navy that Patrick was inspired to pivot his career, marrying his background in math with the intrigue of financial strategy.

    In 2008, he launched Trimp Wealth Management with the goal of helping his clients achieve their financial objectives through education, strategic planning and a commitment to their success. Jack joined his father’s practice in 2019, and together, they take a client-centered approach to helping their clients build sound financial futures.

    “Being able to add value for my clients’ financial wellness is the best part of the job,” Patrick said. “We’re here to guide our clients in making smart and strategic decisions about their finances and help them pursue their goals. We get to know our clients on a deeply personal level, and we are proud that most of our clients come to us through referrals.”

    It was the pair’s desire to provide a more elevated and streamlined client experience that led them to LPL Financial.

    “We spent more than three years looking for a new partner, so you could say we really did our due diligence. In the end, the decision to partner with LPL was the obvious choice,” Jack said. “What really stood out to us was LPL’s integrated and open architecture platform where we can access everything with a single sign-on as well as their ongoing commitment to meeting the evolving needs of advisors. We are confident that making the move to LPL is the right decision for our business and our clients.”

    The Trimps are active in their community and believe strongly in the importance of volunteering. Patrick is an active member in his church and Jack served as a missionary to South Africa, Uganda and South Sudan, working in refugee camps with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), a non-profit Christian organization.

    Scott Posner, LPL Executive Vice President, Business Development, said, “We welcome Patrick and Jack to the LPL community and wish them success with this next chapter of their business. As their partner, we are committed to delivering innovative technology, integrated platforms and strategic resources to help them seamlessly run their practice and provide an elevated client experience. We look forward to supporting Trimp Wealth Management for years to come.”

    Related

    Advisors, learn how LPL Financial can help take your business to the next level.

    About LPL Financial

    LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPLA) is among the fastest growing wealth management firms in the U.S. As a leader in the financial advisor-mediated marketplace, LPL supports nearly 29,000 financial advisors and the wealth management practices of approximately 1,200 financial institutions, servicing and custodying approximately $1.7 trillion in brokerage and advisory assets on behalf of approximately 6 million Americans. The firm provides a wide range of advisor affiliation models, investment solutions, fintech tools and practice management services, ensuring that advisors and institutions have the flexibility to choose the business model, services, and technology resources they need to — run thriving businesses. For further information about LPL, please visit www.lpl.com.

    Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial LLC (“LPL Financial”), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Trimp Wealth Management and LPL Financial are separate entities.

    Throughout this communication, the terms “financial advisors” and “advisors” are used to refer to registered representatives and/or investment advisor representatives affiliated with LPL Financial.

    We routinely disclose information that may be important to shareholders in the “Investor Relations” or “Press Releases” section of our website.

    *Value approximated based on asset and holding details provided to LPL from end of year, 2024.

    Media Contact: 
    Media.relations@LPLFinancial.com 

    Tracking #714926

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Gevo and Future Energy Global Sign SAF Scope 1 and Scope 3 Voluntary Carbon Credit Offtake Agreement to Accelerate Book-and-Claim Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ENGLEWOOD, Colo., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) and Future Energy Global (FEG) are pleased to announce that they have signed a pioneering offtake agreement for carbon abatement attributes, to enable airlines and other companies to reduce their CO2 emissions through Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Under the multi-year agreement, FEG will acquire from Gevo the Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions credits from 10 million gallons per year of fuel to be produced at Gevo’s alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) SAF production facility, Gevo ATJ-60, to meet demand from FEG customers, both airlines and corporates, seeking to decarbonize their operations. The agreement also includes an option for FEG to increase the off-take at a later date.

    This agreement is expected to enable Gevo’s financing of the construction of its ATJ-60 facility. Gevo has secured a loan guarantee conditional commitment of $1.63 billion (including capitalized interest during construction) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) and is originating equity from project level capital providers. Under development in Lake Preston, South Dakota, ATJ-60 is designed to address the market need for cost-effective jet fuel while abating carbon and to respond to growing worldwide demand for SAF. Gevo’s proprietary plant design is expected to be able to produce 60 million gallons of SAF per year at similar production costs to conventional jet fuel, but with far lower carbon emissions.

    The aviation industry has targeted net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, and SAF is expected to contribute around two thirds of the necessary emissions reduction, but to achieve this, its production quantities need to scale more than 400-fold. SAF is not yet available at all major airports worldwide so FEG provides SAF-derived Scope 1 credits to airlines who wish to buy additional SAF but who cannot easily source the physical fuel at their own airports. Similarly, when companies purchase and retire SAF-derived Scope 3 credits to compensate for their business travel emissions, they mitigate the added cost of SAF to airlines and thus enable the faster scale-up of SAF production.

    The Greenhouse Gas Protocol defines different “scopes” of responsibility for emissions. The emissions from a flight fall under an airline’s direct responsibility (i.e., Scope 1), but a company with staff flying for business on that flight is responsible for its staff’s share of the flight’s emissions (i.e., Scope 3 or indirect emissions). Separating the Scope 1 and Scope 3 attributes from the physical fuel, an approach known as “Book and Claim,” reduces fuel transportation and storage costs and carbon emissions, and unlocks a global SAF market both for airlines and for indirect aviation fuel customers around the world who are seeking to mitigate their emissions.

    “Gevo has always planned to leverage SAF market economics to scale our business, and a Book and Claim market that enables the trading of SAF environmental attributes can accelerate SAF production even faster,” says Dr. Patrick R. Gruber, CEO of Gevo. “Future Energy Global is building just such a market, spanning corporate customers, airlines, and aircraft lessors. Aircraft lessors own about half of all commercial aircraft worldwide, and Book and Claim is a critical enabler to allow them and their airline customers to adopt SAF faster.”

    “FEG’s collaboration with Gevo strongly enhances the portfolio of Book and Claim solutions we can offer our airlines, our lessors and our corporate customers,” says Natasha Mann, CEO and Co-Founder of FEG. “It’s crucial to scale SAF production, and our business model lets us unlock the capital to do so. We’re impressed with Gevo’s pipeline, which combines technology ready for today’s market and additional technologies far along in development that could increase production efficiency and accelerate the trajectory of SAF scaling.”

    FEG’s unique business model brings together investors, suppliers, and buyers to help accelerate and scale SAF production globally. FEG generates additional revenue streams by commercializing the carbon credits which SAF provides, enhancing the business case for faster production scale-up. FEG’s offtake agreement with Gevo is expected to fulfill a market need by giving buyers access to SAF credits at predictable prices, while providing financial commitments and revenue certainty that are expected to allow suppliers like Gevo to expand. FEG’s initial focus has been on aviation, though its sustainable-fuel credit solutions span the transport spectrum, including marine and land transport.

    About Gevo
    Gevo is a next-generation diversified energy company committed to fueling America’s future with cost-effective, drop-in fuels that contribute to energy security, abate carbon, and strengthen rural communities to drive economic growth. Gevo’s innovative technology can be used to make a variety of renewable products, including SAF, motor fuels, chemicals, and other materials that provide U.S.-made solutions. By investing in the backbone of rural America, Gevo’s business model includes developing, financing, and operating production facilities that create jobs and revitalize communities. Gevo owns and operates one of the largest dairy-based renewable natural gas (“RNG”) facilities in the United States, turning by-products into clean, reliable energy. We also operate an ethanol plant with an adjacent carbon capture and sequestration (“CCS”) facility, further solidifying America’s leadership in energy innovation. Additionally, Gevo owns the world’s first production facility for specialty ATJ fuels and chemicals. Gevo’s market-driven “pay for performance” approach regarding carbon and other sustainability attributes, helps ensure value is delivered to our local economy. Through its Verity subsidiary, Gevo provides transparency, accountability, and efficiency in tracking, measuring and verifying various attributes throughout the supply chain. By strengthening rural economies, Gevo is working to secure a self-sufficient future and to make sure value is brought to the market.

    For more information, see www.gevo.com.

    About Future Energy Global
    Future Energy Global, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and with staff in Europe and North America, is a pioneering SAF market accelerator.

    Through its innovative SAF pre-purchasing ecosystem, Future Energy Global accelerates the flow of capital into the SAF industry, operating at the intersection of investors, suppliers, and buyers, and bringing benefits to all parties, and ultimately also to the environment. FEG’s activities are guided by three core values: visionary independence, collaborative energy and sustainable ethos.

    FEG’s initial focus has been on aviation, though our sustainable-fuel credit solutions span the transport spectrum, including marine and land transport.

    Future Energy Global is backed by Aviation Partners, the world leader in advanced winglet technology which has already saved more than 140 million tons of aviation CO2 emissions.

    For more information, see fe.global

    About Book and Claim
    Book and Claim is a well-established structure for accounting for environmental attributes and has been in use for many years in markets such as renewable electricity generation, where individual electrons cannot be tracked through the grid. Book and Claim systems overcome this challenge by allowing renewable electricity providers to “book” the electricity they supply to the grid, while customers can “claim” the renewable electricity they have bought, whether or not they physically receive the renewable electrons. Book and Claim systems, whether in renewable electricity or in SAF, rely on robust tracking and accounting procedures to ensure that environmental credits are counted only once.

    Forward Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to a variety of matters, including, without limitation, Future Energy Global and its business system, Gevo’s ATJ-60 project and the financing thereof, the markets for SAF and associated environmental attributes, and other statements that are not purely statements of historical fact. These forward-looking statements are made based on the current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions of the management of Gevo and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Gevo undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although Gevo believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Gevo in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Gevo for the year ended December 31, 2024 and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by Gevo.

    Media Contact
    Heather L. Manuel
    VP, Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships
    PR@gevo.com

    IR Contact
    Eric Frey
    VP, Corporate Development
    IR@Gevo.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: ReversingLabs Selected as a 2025 SC Awards Finalist

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ReversingLabs (RL), the trusted name in file and software security, today announced that RL Spectra Intelligence has been recognized as a 2025 finalist in the Threat Intelligence category for the 2025 SC Media’s SC Awards. The SC Awards, now in its 28th year, recognize the solutions, organizations, and individuals that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in advancing the security of information systems.

    “As threat actors continue developing more sophisticated malware and advanced delivery techniques, many security teams struggle to keep up—often relying on threat intelligence that is inaccurate, outdated, or too vague to act on,” said Mario Vuksan, CEO and Co-founder of ReversingLabs. “For over 15 years, ReversingLabs has been dedicated to filling this gap by providing the world’s largest Threat Repository of more than 422B pieces of malware and goodware to assist organizations with the most immediate, credible, and trusted threat intelligence and advanced malware detection. Having Spectra Intelligence named an SC Awards finalist is an honor and strong validation of this work and amplifies our success in delivering timely, actionable intelligence that empowers businesses to stay ahead of today’s advanced threats.”

    RL Spectra Intelligence delivers high-fidelity, orchestration-ready file and network threat intelligence backed by its threat repository of malware and goodware that is continuously updated—every day, 20 million files are analyzed, and 3 million pieces of malware are curated. Currently, the repository contains more than 422 billion searchable files (23.92 PB) and is growing by roughly 17 billion per quarter. In 2024, RL added 67 billion files to its threat repository.

    At a time when companies require visibility into the software that powers their businesses, Spectra Intelligence delivers prescriptive file and network insights with verified threat classification—empowering fast, confident action. In 2024, Spectra Threat Intelligence identified 624 million malicious URLs, 26 percent more than it detected in 2023. Over this same period, it collected 163 million domains, up 116 percent over 2023. Of these domains, Spectra Intelligence identified 78 million that were malicious.

    “From the rise of generative AI attacks to breaches exploiting third-party access and non-human credentials, the past year has reminded us that cybersecurity needs to be about innovations that help enterprises pivot, adapt, and thrive in a threat landscape that changes by the hour,” said Tom Spring, Senior Editorial Director, SC Media.

    “Being named an SC Awards finalist is a recognition not only of technical innovation, but of a shared commitment to making the digital world safer,” Spring said. “It’s inspiring to see how this year’s community of finalists—across identity, cloud, data protection, and beyond—is pushing forward together, united by purpose.”

    The 2025 SC Awards entries were evaluated across 33 specialty categories by a distinguished panel of judges, comprised of cybersecurity professionals, industry leaders, and members of the CyberRisk Alliance CISO community, representing sectors such as healthcare, financial services, education, and technology.

    Find ReversingLabs and the full list of 2025 finalists on SC Media’s website: www.scworld.com/sc-awards. For additional details on ReversingLabs Spectra Intelligence, click here.

    About CyberRisk Alliance
    CyberRisk Alliance provides business intelligence that helps the cybersecurity ecosystem connect, share knowledge, accelerate careers, and make smarter and faster decisions. Through our trusted information brands, network of experts, and more than 250 innovative annual events we provide cybersecurity professionals with actionable insights and act as a powerful extension of cybersecurity marketing teams. Our brands include SC Media, the Official Cybersecurity Summits, Security Weekly, InfoSec World, Identiverse, CyberRisk Collaborative, ChannelE2E, MSSP Alert, LaunchTech Communications, TECHEXPO Top Secret and CyberRisk TV.
    Learn more at www.cyberriskalliance.com.

    About ReversingLabs
    ReversingLabs is the trusted name in file and software security. We provide the modern cybersecurity platform to verify and deliver safe binaries. Trusted by the Fortune 500 and leading cybersecurity vendors, RL Spectra Core powers the software supply chain and file security insights, tracking over 422 billion searchable files daily with the ability to deconstruct full software binaries in seconds to minutes. Only ReversingLabs provides that final exam to determine whether a single file or full software binary presents a risk to your organization and your customers.

    Media Contact
    Doug Fraim
    Guyer Group
    Doug@Guyergroup.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Xage Security Appoints Susanto Irwan as President and Chief Technology Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xage Security, a global leader in zero trust access and protection, today announced the promotion of cofounder Susanto Irwan to the role of President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In this expanded role, Irwan will continue leading Xage’s technology vision while scaling the company’s efforts across product and R&D investments.

    Irwan has led Xage’s technical strategy since its founding in 2017, playing a pivotal role in developing the company’s product portfolio. As President and CTO, he will deepen his engagement with customers and partners while continuing to spearhead platform innovation.

    At the heart of Xage’s next wave of growth and innovation is the protection of AI infrastructure and the integration of AI as a foundational capability. Breakthroughs in AI are enabling Xage to deliver a faster path to protection and productivity—without disrupting existing operations. By embedding intelligence directly into the platform, Xage is creating an intuitive user experience for more accessible and effective zero trust enforcement than ever before.

    “Building the company and product at Xage is my passion,” said Susanto Irwan. “What we’ve accomplished is a source of personal pride—and, more importantly, it’s making a real impact. My focus will remain on advancing our mission: innovating to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and protecting the systems that matter most to society.”

    The company also announced that Duncan Greatwood, Chairman of the Board of Directors (BOD), will resume the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Greatwood, who previously served as Xage’s CEO from 2017 to 2023, rejoins the company following a leave of absence. Geoffrey Mattson, who served as CEO during Greatwood’s leave, will continue to work with the company as an advisor.

    “Xage is at a pivotal inflection point,” said Duncan Greatwood. “With accelerating market demand, a robust product roadmap, and the transformational potential of AI embedded into our innovation strategy, I’m excited to return and help lead the company into its next chapter of growth. I want to thank Geoff Mattson for his leadership, under which the company has continued to secure major new customers and to expand its product portfolio to position us strongly for our next phase. The momentum we’re seeing—and the critical need for intelligent, adaptive cybersecurity—point to tremendous upside. As attackers increasingly leverage AI to scale threats, our commitment to building AI-powered protection and productivity into our platform is more important than ever.”

    Other recent executive hires further underscore Xage’s momentum, including the appointments of Russell McGuire as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Ashraf Daqqa as Vice President of the META Region.

    Xage continues to experience rapid growth, driven by rising demand for zero trust solutions across critical sectors. The company has achieved 2x growth in annual recurring revenue (ARR), alongside strong customer acquisition—growing its customer base across energy, defense, utilities, manufacturing, transportation, and supply chain & logistics sectors. Recent customer wins include major contracts with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and multiple Global 2000 enterprises.

    In parallel, Xage continues to build strong momentum with strategic partners, further expanding its reach and impact across critical markets. Key partnerships with industry leaders such as SAIC, Darktrace, Optiv, World Wide Technology (WWT), CyberKnight Technologies, and Orange Cyberdefense are driving broader adoption of Xage’s zero trust solutions and accelerating customer success across both commercial and public sector verticals.

    “We’ve had strong conviction in Xage from the beginning, and that belief has only deepened as the company begins to scale,” said Sumant Mandal, Managing Partner at March Capital. “Congratulations to Susanto for his expanded role and we are excited to have Duncan resume as CEO.”

    “Xage has demonstrated exceptional traction across critical sectors, fueled by a product that’s both visionary and practical,” said Mark Gudiksen, Managing Partner at Piva Capital. “With a leadership team deeply rooted in both innovation and execution, we’re pleased to back a company with such potential.”

    About Xage Security
    Xage Security is a global leader in zero trust access and protection on a mission to pioneer a secure tomorrow. Control access and prevent attacks in the cloud, in the data center, at the remote operational edge anywhere on Earth, and even in orbit with the Xage Fabric Platform. Xage is easy to manage and can be deployed in a day, giving users easy and secure access to the assets they need from anywhere, while preventing advanced adversaries and insider threats at every stage of the attack chain. Learn why organizations like the U.S. Space Force, PETRONAS, and Kinder Morgan choose Xage at xage.com.

    Media Contact
    press@xage.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Ushur Achieves HITRUST r2 Recertification Demonstrating the Highest Level of Information Protection Assurance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ushur, a leader in Customer Experience Automation (CXA), today announced that it has successfully renewed its two-year risk-based (r2) certification for its CXA platform from the HITRUST Alliance for information security.

    “At Ushur, security and regulatory compliance are foundational to Ushur’s platform and product innovation,” said Henry Peter, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder at Ushur. “Our HITRUST r2 recertification validates that commitment—enabling enterprises in healthcare, financial services and insurance to deploy our Vertical AI Agents with confidence, knowing we meet the industry’s highest standards.”

    Ushur’s HITRUST r2 Certification confirms adherence to the highest security, compliance and risk management standards. This achievement places Ushur among an elite group of organizations worldwide that have met rigorous industry and regulatory requirements.

    “Organizations in regulated industries face relentless pressure to stay ahead of evolving security threats and ever-changing compliance requirements. At Ushur, we recognize that protecting sensitive data isn’t just a requirement—it’s a responsibility,” said Chandra Dash, Senior Director of Information Security & GRC at Ushur. Our HITRUST r2 recertification reinforces our unwavering commitment to security and trust—so our customers can confidently deploy AI-powered automation to transform their customer experiences while meeting the highest standards of regulatory compliance.”

    “HITRUST certification is globally recognized as validation that information security and privacy controls are effective and compliant with various regulations. HITRUST certification is considered the gold standard because of the comprehensiveness and applicability of the control requirements, depth of the assurance process and level of oversight that ensures accuracy,” said Jeremy Huval, Chief Innovation Officer at HITRUST.

    Beyond its HITRUST r2 recertification, Ushur maintains a robust security and compliance posture, including SOC 2 Type II certification. This certification, awarded by an independent third-party auditor, verifies that Ushur adheres to the Trust Services Criteria set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), ensuring stringent controls for managing sensitive customer data.

    The Ushur platform is compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), adhering to stringent data privacy and security standards for protecting personal information in commercial use. As a trusted provider of enterprise-class healthcare solutions, Ushur also meets the rigorous requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), employing advanced security measures to safeguard protected health information (PHI) across physical, network and process levels. Additionally, the platform complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), ensuring secure processing, storage and transmission of payment-related data.

    Ushur also sets a new standard for accessible, AI-powered communication by having achieved WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 compliance. This compliance achievement enables organizations to offer digital services that align with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reducing the risk of non-compliance while ensuring a more inclusive and seamless experience for all users.

    Today, over 50% of Ushur’s customers are Fortune 500 companies, including global leaders in insurance and healthcare, such as Aflac, Unum, Irish Life and Cigna. To learn more about Ushur’s commitment to security, compliance and accessibility, visit ushur.com/security-and-compliance.

    About Ushur
    ‍Ushur delivers the world’s first Customer Experience Automation (CXA) platform built specifically for regulated industries. Purpose-built for delivering ideal self-service, Ushur infuses intelligence into digital experiences for the most delightful and impactful customer engagements. Equipped with guardrails and compliance-ready infrastructure, Ushur powers vertical AI Agents for healthcare, financial services and insurance use cases. Designed for rapid, code-less deployment with flexible, advanced capabilities for IT and business teams, enterprises can transform customer and employee journeys at scale, driving faster time to value and improved outcomes.

    Media Contact
    Anthony Stipa
    anthony@scribewise.com
    (610) 420-1724

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: XA Investments Launches Interval Fund Index Providing Greater Transparency to the Marketplace

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XA Investments LLC (“XAI”), a leader in closed-end interval and tender offer fund research, announced the launch of the new XAI Interval Fund Index (“INTVL”). A total return index, INTVL tracks interval/tender offer funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, with over $100 million in net assets.

    At the end of March 2025, the Index’s 77 constituents combined for more than $103 billion in total net assets, or roughly 60% of the net asset value for the entire interval and tender offer fund market. The Index has a January 2023 base date with two years of historical performance.

    “The XAI Interval Fund Index will give asset managers and financial advisors an unprecedented level of clarity in a market that has been notoriously difficult to track,” stated Kim Flynn, President of XA Investments. “By applying our in-house research, proprietary data, and rigorous methodology, XA Investments has been able to create the first index tracking the interval and tender offer fund market,” Flynn added.

    INTVL marks a shift in evaluating funds and continuing advancement for asset managers, financial advisors, and individual investors. The index offers market insights through daily intelligence to monitor and track the interval and tender offer fund market. Designed to act as a barometer for the interval and tender offer fund market, the XAI Interval Fund Index makes essential market insights possible.

    “The introduction of the XAI Interval Fund Index is another example of XA Investment’s leadership in providing the closed-end interval and tender offer marketplace with the innovative research and data needed to solidify investor interest in this burgeoning investment option,” said Philip Hasbrouck, senior managing director, Cliffwater. “The team at Cliffwater expects it will quickly find acceptance as a valuable tool by asset managers, Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and individual investors alike.”

    INTVL has a diverse mix of interval funds with varying investment strategies across seven different asset classes including credit, real estate/real assets, hedge funds, specialty, multi-asset, tax-free bonds and venture/private equity. The Index currently has 77 constituents which includes interval and tender offer funds with a daily or weekly net asset value that meet a minimum asset threshold. The Index is calculated daily and rebalanced quarterly. Indxx, Inc. serves as the index calculation agent.

    For more information on the XAI Interval Fund Index, please visit https://xainvestments.com/intvl. If you would like to license the Index, or have any questions, please contact info@xainvestments.com or 888-903-3358. The XAI Interval Fund Index is available on Bloomberg under the ticker INTVL.

    About XA Investments

    XA Investments LLC (“XAI”) is a Chicago-based firm founded by XMS Capital Partners in 2016. XAI serves as the investment adviser for two listed closed-end funds and an interval closed-end fund, respectively the XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Trust (NYSE: XFLT), the XAI Madison Equity Premium Income Fund (NYSE: MCN), and the Octagon XAI CLO Income Fund (OCTIX). In addition to investment advisory services, the firm also provides investment fund structuring and consulting services focused on registered closed-end funds to meet institutional client needs. XAI offers custom product build and consulting services, including product development and market research, marketing and fund management. XAI believes that the investing public can benefit from new vehicles to access a broad range of alternative investment strategies and managers. For more information, please visit www.xainvestments.com.

    Media Contact:

    Joanna Sowa

    jsowa@xainvestments.com

    312 374 6938

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Insights from Rate Insurance: 2025 Home Insurance Trends

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SCHAUMBURG, Ill., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rate Insurance, LLC, a subsidiary of Rate and one of the fastest-growing national personal lines and small commercial insurance brokers, has released its 2025 Home Insurance Trends Report. The report offers a data-driven look into the state of home insurance in the U.S., providing homeowners and industry professionals with a clearer understanding of current cost pressures and evolving market dynamics.

    Using proprietary customer data collected over the past six years, Rate Insurance analyzed nearly 70,000 active home insurance policies across all 50 states. The report draws from policies placed with more than 70 different carriers, offering a robust snapshot of national trends.

    Findings include significant premium increases, shifting deductible patterns, and state-specific developments impacting coverage costs and availability. The report also includes claims analysis and strategic recommendations to help homeowners manage rising insurance expenses and make informed decisions in 2025.

    “Insurance costs are climbing, but that doesn’t mean customers are powerless,” said Jeff Wingate, President of Rate Insurance. “This report is designed to demystify what’s driving those increases and give homeowners practical ways to keep their policies both affordable and effective—whether adjusting deductibles, bundling coverage, or shopping across carriers.”

    The full 2025 Home Insurance Trends Report is available here.

    About Rate Insurance

    Rate Insurance is a national insurance brokerage licensed in all 50 states that offers comprehensive personal, commercial, specialty, and life insurance products. Founded in 2008 and owned by Guaranteed Rate d/b/a Rate, operating as Guaranteed Rate, Inc. in New York, the second-largest retail mortgage lender in the country, Rate Insurance has been recognized as a Top 50 Personal Lines Agency and a Top 100 Property & Casualty Agency in the U.S. Additionally, the company has been honored as the 2023 Agent for the Future, Outstanding Overall Agency Award winner.

    Rate Insurance has built a reputation for exceptional customer service, as demonstrated by its 4.9-star rating from over 3.5k Google-verified reviews. Combining a growing team of insurance agents and a cutting-edge digital platform, Rate Insurance leverages its relationships with over 100 top-rated insurance carriers to provide customers with competitive rates and a personalized shopping experience. For more information, visit rate.com/insurance.

    © Rate Insurance, LLC is licensed in all 50 states (d/b/a Rate Insurance Agency, LLC in California (License 0K09890), Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, and Texas).

    Media Contact

    press@rate.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Community Bankshares Inc. Reports Over $69 Million in Government Guaranteed Lending in Q1 Across 14 States

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAGRANGE, Ga., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Community Bankshares, Inc., the holding company of Phoenix Lender Services, Thomas Financial Group, and Community Bank & Trust, announced today the successful deployment of over $69 million in Small Business Administration (SBA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) backed loans through the end of Q1 2025. The financing activity spans 14 states, reflecting the company’s growing national presence and commitment to delivering critical capital to underserved and rural communities.

    Together, the loans will help create over 400 new jobs and retain more than 350 while enabling key infrastructure expansion, debt refinancing, and facility upgrades for small to mid-sized businesses.

    The lending activity included 17 SBA loans totaling over $23 million, funded by Community Bank & Trust, with origination, underwriting, and closing assisted by Phoenix Lender Services and Thomas Financial Group through their Lender Service Provider (LSP) relationship. Furthermore, Phoenix Lender Services helped to originate, underwrite, and close another $46.7 million in USDA-backed loans.

    “This is exactly the type of impact we built Phoenix Lender Services to deliver,” said Chris Hurn, President of Community Bankshares and President & CEO of Phoenix Lender Services. “We are proud to empower community banks with the tools and expertise they need to deliver transformative capital into rural, urban, and working-class communities — especially when it strengthens supply chains, creates jobs, and preserves family-run businesses.”

    Phoenix Lender Services serves as the Lender Service Provider (LSP) on SBA, USDA, and commercial loans, overseeing eligibility, origination, underwriting, packaging, closing, compliance, and servicing to ensure a seamless borrower and lender experience.

    “Phoenix Lender Services was instrumental in helping us deploy this capital efficiently and effectively,” said Steve Jefferies, President & CEO of Community Bank & Trust. “They bring unmatched knowledge of SBA and USDA lending, and our partnership allows us to expand our reach and serve more businesses across our communities nationwide.”

    Their growing national presence included financing business owners in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, and Wisconsin — and spans industries such as food logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, petroleum, distribution and specialty retail.

    “Securing a loan through Community Bank & Trust, with the support of Phoenix Lender Services, made it possible for us to acquire Firm Foundations Framing—marking a pivotal moment in our journey,” said Ed Black, President of Firm Foundations Framing. “As a construction company building between 750 and 1,000 homes annually across Georgia, this acquisition enables us to retain and grow a business that directly impacts hundreds of lives. More importantly, it fulfills a lifelong dream of business ownership and lays the groundwork for continued growth and opportunity within our communities.”

    “This isn’t our first time working with Thomas Financial Group—and for good reason. We wouldn’t be where we are today without their support,” said Kevin Durling, President of Petroleum Equipment & Services, Inc. “The company’s expertise and understanding of the USDA process are unmatched.”

    About Community Bankshares, Inc. (CBI)
    Community Bankshares, Inc., is a dynamic bank holding company revolutionizing the financial landscape through its support for America’s small and mid-sized businesses. As a mission-focused company, CBI is redefining how lending capital is provided across the nation and its territories in ways that promote business stability and encourage local area prosperity. In doing so, CBI fosters economic growth, job creation and retention, and community strength.

    About Phoenix Lender Services (PHX)
    Based in Georgia and serving clients nationwide, Phoenix Lender Services offers a comprehensive suite of commercial lending solutions, including loan originating, underwriting, closing, and servicing; participant lender matching (USDA); secondary market sales; portfolio management; risk analysis; and compliance reviews and regulatory support. PHX’s seasoned professionals combine extensive industry expertise in SBA and USDA government-guaranteed lending (over 700 combined years) with industry-leading technologies to deliver tailored solutions that align with each client’s unique strategic goals. PHX is a wholly owned subsidiary of CBI.

    About Thomas Financial Group (TFG) 
    Thomas Financial Group, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a nationally recognized leader in providing innovative and comprehensive commercial lending solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of rural and underserved communities across America. With over 40 years of experience in originating and packaging loans within the USDA and SBA government-guaranteed lending space, TFG’s highly capable team helps clients successfully navigate even the most complex financing scenarios to meet the needs of our nation’s businesses. TFG is a wholly owned subsidiary of CBI.

    About Community Bank & Trust (CB&T)
    Community Bank & Trust, a subsidiary of Community Bankshares Inc., is a trusted financial institution dedicated to serving individuals, families, and businesses across its service area and nationwide. Headquartered in LaGrange, GA, CB&T is committed to leveraging its rural roots to empower local consumers and commercial entities, as well as underserved groups and communities, with a broad slate of accessible, personalized banking solutions while also reaching a diverse and growing nationwide audience.

    MEDIA CONTACT

    Hannah Williams
    Uproar PR by Moburst for Community Bank Shares, Inc.
    hannah.williams@moburst.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: RemoFirst Announces Expansion of RemoHealth to Include Local Health Insurance Options

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RemoFirst, a pioneering global Employer of Record (EOR) provider known for its innovative workforce solutions, today announced the expansion of its healthcare offerings with the launch of RemoHealth Local. This new service extends local health insurance options to international employees, and is currently available to 90% of the talent engaged on the RemoFirst platform.

    Building on its reputation for offering high-quality, personalized international private medical insurance, RemoFirst’s new RemoHealth Local initiative allows clients to provide their employees with personalized health benefits that are compliant with local regulations and tailored to local market conditions. They will continue to offer the original RemoHealth Global solution which allows employers to issue global health insurance plans to their international employees.

    Enhanced Localized Coverage
    RemoHealth Local represents a significant enhancement in RemoFirst’s ability to cater to the nuanced needs of globally dispersed teams. Each market offering under RemoHealth Local simplifies benefits administration and enables scalability across different geographies.

    “We are excited to bring RemoHealth Local to the marketplace. This expansion is aligned with our vision to streamline the complex aspects of global employment and provide comprehensive, localized solutions that support the health and well-being of employees everywhere,” said Nurasyl Serik, CEO & Co-founder at RemoFirst. “As we continue to add new countries to the RemoHealth Local portfolio, our clients can look forward to a seamless integration of global employment needs with local care standards.”

    A Commitment to Global Employee Well-being
    The introduction of RemoHealth Local is part of RemoFirst’s broader strategy to enhance the employee experience by providing accessible, high-quality healthcare options that support the physical and mental well-being of their international workforce.

    This approach not only assists businesses in maintaining a healthier, more engaged workforce but also in attracting top talent by offering superior employee benefits.

    Future Outlook and Continued Innovation
    As one of FAST’s Most Innovative Companies in the world in 2025, RemoFirst is committed to continuous improvement and innovation within the global EOR space. The company plans to keep expanding the geographical reach of RemoHealth Local, adding more countries and refining its offerings to meet the evolving needs of its clients.

    Other offerings that can be added to RemoFirst’s core EOR service include: Contractor Payments (to pay international contractors/freelancers in their local currencies), RemoVisa (for issuing Visas and Work Permits in 85+ countries), RemoTech (for issuing work equipment around the world), and RemoCheck (for offering background checks for international employees).


    About RemoFirst
    RemoFirst is a global Employer of Record (EOR) provider, offering comprehensive workforce solutions, including payroll, tax compliance, benefits management, and HR services in over 185 countries. Trusted by businesses worldwide, RemoFirst enables companies to legally employ global teams and run international payroll seamlessly.

    For Media Inquiries:
    Angelica Krauss
    Director of Marketing
    angelica@remofirst.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Fusion Fuel Signs Non-Binding Letter of Intent to Acquire British Fuel Distribution Company

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ireland, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via IBN – Fusion Fuel Green PLC (Nasdaq: HTOO) (“Fusion Fuel” or the “Company”), a leading provider of full-service energy engineering and advisory solutions, today announced that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent (“LOI”) to acquire 100% of a privately held British fuel distribution company (the “Target”).

    In the proposed acquisition, the Company will purchase 100% of the outstanding shares of the Target from its shareholders for total consideration valued at £50 million, consisting of £25 million in cash funded through debt financing, £2 million in cash financed from a capital raise, £8 million in the Company’s shares subject to a make-whole agreement, and two additional payments of £7.5 million cash each within nine months and 18 months from the closing.

    The Target reported over $50 million in revenue and $4 million in net income for the year ending in 2023 and delivered strong growth in 2024, generating over $54 million in revenue and $7 million in net income. The transaction, if consummated, would mark a significant expansion of Fusion Fuel’s presence in the energy distribution sector, aligning with the Company’s broader strategic objectives.

    John-Paul Backwell, Chief Executive Officer of Fusion Fuel, commented: “This proposed transaction reflects our progress in executing our growth strategy, which began with our acquisition of Quality Industrial Corp. late last year. Our short-term priority is to build a synergistic portfolio of profitable and cash-generating businesses across the energy value chain. In addition to significantly increased revenues and profitability, acquiring this United Kingdom-based fuel distribution company would enable us to expand our footprint in the energy distribution space while also broadening our geographic presence into a key new market.”

    The LOI is non-binding, and consummation of the transaction remains subject to further due diligence, the negotiation of definitive agreements, and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. The Company expects to provide further updates as discussions progress.

    About Fusion Fuel Green PLC

    Fusion Fuel Green PLC (NASDAQ: HTOO) is an emerging leader in the energy services sector, offering a comprehensive suite of energy supply, distribution, and engineering and advisory solutions through its Al Shola Gas and BrightHy brands. Al Shola Gas provides full-service industrial gas solutions, including the design, supply, and maintenance of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) systems, as well as the transport and distribution of LPG to a broad range of customers across commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. BrightHy, the Company’s newly launched hydrogen solutions platform, focuses on delivering innovative engineering and advisory services that enable decarbonization across hard-to-abate industries.

    Learn more about Fusion Fuel by visiting our website at https://www.fusion-fuel.eu and following us on LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target”, “may”, “intend”, “predict”, “should”, “would”, “predict”, “potential”, “seem”, “future”, “outlook” or other similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions) that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Fusion Fuel has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations, including but not limited the ability of the investment reported on to be consummated as anticipated. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the Company’s ability to enter into a definitive share purchase agreement with the shareholders of the Target, the ability of the parties to complete their due diligence and all other closing conditions, the Company’s ability to complete the proposed acquisition and integrate the Target’s business, obtain all necessary regulatory and other consents and approvals in connection with the transaction, andthose set forth in Fusion Fuel’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2024, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements.

    Investor Relations Contact

    ir@fusion-fuel.eu

    Wire Service Contact:
    IBN
    Austin, Texas
    www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com
    512.354.7000 Office
    Editor@InvestorBrandNetwork.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Flourish Announces Relationship with Carson Group

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Flourish, a platform that helps registered investment advisors (RIAs) grow by evolving from holistic advice to holistic implementation, today announced a new relationship with Carson Group Partners (“Carson”), a financial advisory network of more than 150 RIA offices and approximately $42B in assets under management. The partnership will bring Flourish Cash, Flourish’s flagship cash management offering, to all Carson advisors.

    Carson manages approximately $42 billion in assets and counts more than 52,000 client families in its advisory network. This new relationship reinforces the importance of cash being a part of the client-advisor strategic conversation. 

    “Industry research and our own Flourish data confirm that high and ultra-high net worth investors hold about 20% of their net worth in cash. These funds are typically sitting in checking and savings accounts earning next to nothing and often well over the FDIC limits, unprotected from potential bank failures,” said Flourish CEO Max Lane. “While held-away savings are discussed as part of holistic planning, without a specific advisor-centric solution there’s often no follow-through on optimizing reserve cash. This partnership gives Carson advisors an integrated, secure, higher yielding cash option to optimize clients’ held-away cash while also uncovering new assets to drive organic growth.

    “Carson is committed to equipping our advisors with innovative financial tools that elevate client results and solve real world needs. Flourish serves to help advisors execute on financial plans, unlocking growth and adding protection,” said Dani Fava, Chief Strategy Officer at the Carson Group. “This partnership strengthens advisor capabilities while seamlessly integrating into existing workflows. The greater visibility into clients’ cash savings offers advisors a route to growth.”

    Flourish’s products are built exclusively for RIAs and help financial advisors bring held-away assets into their orbit. Flourish also offers Flourish Annuities, an end-to-end digital annuities solution that makes it easy for RIAs to include annuities in client portfolios.

    Over 900 RIAs managing over $1.6 trillion in combined assets trust Flourish to help them fully execute financial plans and bring more assets into their orbit. As a platform that helps RIAs grow by evolving from holistic advice to holistic implementation, Flourish also allows advisors to feature their firm’s branding as well as providing client-friendly marketing materials, premium support, and more.

    ABOUT FLOURISH
    Flourish builds technology that empowers financial advisors, improves financial lives and retirement outcomes, and delivers new and innovative investment options to advisors. Today, the Flourish platform supports more than $7 billion in assets under custody and is used by more than 900 wealth management firms representing more than $1.6 trillion in assets under management. Flourish is wholly-owned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). For more information, visit www.flourish.com

    ABOUT CARSON GROUP
    Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Carson Group serves financial advisors and investors through its three businesses — Carson WealthCarson Coaching and Carson Partners. Carson Group has created an ecosystem dedicated to helping financial advisors unleash the full potential of their firms by providing marketing, compliance, technology, investment strategies, succession planning, M&A support, and coaching. The company currently manages approximately $42 billion* in AUM and serves more than 52,000 families among its advisor network of 150+ partner offices, including 50+ Carson Wealth locations. For more information, visit www.carsongroup.com.

    *Combined AUM of CWM, LLC and NWCM.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance, or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied.


    This feedback may not be representative of the experience of other customers, and is not a guarantee of future performance or success. 

    Flourish is an online platform through which investors can access financial services and products. Flourish’s offerings are provided by different entities and are subject to different terms, investor protections, and risks. Flourish Cash is offered by Flourish Financial LLC, a registered broker-dealer and FINRA member. Flourish Financial LLC is not a bank. Check the background of Flourish Financial LLC and its personnel on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. Flourish Annuities refers generally to the annuity platform operated by Flourish Technologies LLC and to Flourish Insurance Agency LLC, and, where applicable, Flourish Financial LLC. Flourish Insurance Agency operates in its capacity as a licensed insurance producer with offices in Jersey City, New Jersey, and does business in California under the name Flourish Digital Insurance Agency, providing insurance services related to such platform. Variable annuities, defined in this context to include Registered Index-Linked Annuities (“RILAs”), are offered through Flourish Financial LLC. Annuities shown on the platform are sold through Flourish Annuities, and are issued by one or more licensed insurance companies. The Flourish entities mentioned above are affiliates. Flourish Cash and Flourish Annuities accounts are separate accounts and only assets in Flourish Cash accounts may be eligible for protection by the FDIC or SIPC. Please review the Legal section of our website, and the disclosures provided with each Flourish service or product for further information. If you were introduced or invited to Flourish by an investment advisor or other third party, please be aware that, unless otherwise disclosed to you, they are not affiliated with any Flourish entity. The role of the investment advisor or other firm that invited you to Flourish may vary between different Flourish services and products, as further described in your terms of service. © 2025 Flourish. All rights reserved.

    A Flourish Cash account is a brokerage account offered by Flourish Financial LLC, a registered broker-dealer and FINRA member. Flourish Financial LLC is not a bank. Check the background of Flourish Financial LLC and its personnel on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. The cash balance in a Flourish Cash account will be swept from the brokerage account to deposit account(s) at one or more third-party Program Banks that have agreed to accept deposits from customers of Flourish Financial LLC. The accounts at Program Banks will pay a variable rate of interest. The cash balance in a Flourish Cash account that is swept to one or more Program Banks is eligible for FDIC insurance, subject to FDIC rules, including FDIC aggregate insurance coverage limits. FDIC insurance will not be provided until the funds arrive at the Program Bank. Flourish Cash’s current Program Banks can be found here. For additional information regarding FDIC coverage, visit https://fdic.gov/ and https://www.flourish.com/advisors.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: BlackLine Recognized in Report on Top AI Use Cases for Accounts Receivable Automation in 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlackLine, Inc. (Nasdaq: BL), has been recognized in the recently published Forrester Report: Top AI Use Cases for Accounts Receivable Automation in 2025. The report highlights key areas where artificial intelligence is transforming the accounts receivable (AR) function, with BlackLine cited for its capabilities in three essential categories: Collection Management, Explainability and Transparency, and Model Bias and Inaccuracy.

    According to the report,

    BlackLine trains AI models with diverse data sets to minimize bias and continuously monitors prediction accuracy, with human reviews to ensure performance.”

    “Finance & accounting leaders want AI they can trust—not just to automate workflows, but to enhance judgment, reduce risk, and ensure data integrity,” said Charlie Gaulke, SVP of Product Management at BlackLine. “For us, being recognized for mitigating model bias and increasing accuracy reflects our commitment to delivering responsible, explainable, and user-controlled AI—grounded in the real-world needs of the Office of the CFO.”

    The Forrester report also recognized BlackLine’s AR Intelligence solution in the following areas:

    • Collection Management: “BlackLine’s AR Intelligence forecasts invoice payments, enabling proactive collection.”
    • Explainability and Transparency: “BlackLine provides visualizations, dashboards, and interfaces to help users understand AI outputs, using interpretable models and explainable AI techniques for transparency.”

    BlackLine’s AR Intelligence applies machine learning to help organizations reduce days sales outstanding (DSO), improve working capital performance, and increase the accuracy of cash forecasting—while maintaining full transparency into how AI-generated insights are produced and validated.

    “Our vision is to bring autonomous finance to every company in the world,” said Jeremy Ung, Chief Technology Officer at BlackLine. “That means using AI not just to automate tasks, but to elevate human judgment—so people become exception handlers and reviewers, while AI handles the heavy lifting. In the year ahead, we’re focused on automating the preparer and collector roles and augmenting the reviewer and approver. It’s part of our broader mission to deliver agentic, explainable, and high-impact AI use cases that move the Office of the CFO toward faster, smarter, and more trusted financial operations.”

    The Forrester: Top AI Use Cases for Accounts Receivable Automation in 2025 report, authored by Meng Liu and contributors, was published on March 14, 2025. It provides a roadmap for finance and technology leaders seeking to adopt AI in AR processes more effectively.

    To learn more about BlackLine’s AI solutions, visit: https://www.blackline.com/why-blackline/blackline-ai/

    MEDIA CONTACT:

    Samantha Darilek

    VP, Communications

    P. 877-777-7750

    E: samantha.darilek@blackline.com

    The MIL Network