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Category: Vehicles

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Takata and illegal charges in Cyprus – P-001974/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-001974/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Giorgos Georgiou (The Left)

    According to Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles, national authorities must implement adequate corrective measures and the cost of repairs must not be passed on to vehicle owners.

    In Cyprus, two representatives of manufacturing companies, whose vehicles constitute the majority of the recalled vehicles, are indirectly passing on the cost of repairs by charging for mandatory diagnostic tests prior to replacement. The competent national authority was informed by the manufacturers themselves that the vehicles in question had defective airbags and, in turn, informed the vehicle owners.

    Despite 57 warnings from the EU and the Commission’s recommendations to Member States, the Government in Cyprus refuses to comply with the relevant regulation and put in place corrective or restrictive measures. Today, around 56 000 vehicles are on the road at risk of having faulty airbags, which can be activated even without the vehicle being involved in an accident. Cyprus already has two confirmed deaths from faulty airbags.

    What measures does the Commission intend to put in place to ensure that the Government in Cyprus takes all corrective measures and ends illegal charging, as required by Regulation (EU) 2018/858?

    Submitted: 16.5.2025

    Last updated: 20 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch to Demand Senate Pass his Resolution Decrying Two-Month Blockade on Food and Medicine in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today at 3:45PM, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) will demand the Senate pass his resolution calling on the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to bring an end to the blockade of food and lifesaving humanitarian aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza. In the resolution, Senators express grave concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the imminent starvation of tens of thousands of children.
    This morning, Senator Welch joined NPR to discuss the humanitarian catastrophe, and said, “I want aid to flow. It’s really very, very simple…The United States has a role to play here, and Congress has a role to play. The idea that we’re accepting this, we’re turning our head the other way as if this is not happening, is wrong.”
    S.Res.224 is now cosponsored by 44 Democrats and two Independents.
    The United Nations warned today that 14,000 babies in Gaza are at risk of death within the next 48 hours if humanitarian aid and care is not delivered. After an 11-week blockade, five trucks entered Gaza yesterday and around 100 are expected to enter today—which is not nearly enough to help starving children and families.
    Watch a livestream of the Senate floor via C-SPAN.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Makes $360 Million Available to Communities to Increase Number of Trained Firefighters and Keep Communities Safe

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Makes $360 Million Available to Communities to Increase Number of Trained Firefighters and Keep Communities Safe

    DHS Makes $360 Million Available to Communities to Increase Number of Trained Firefighters and Keep Communities Safe

    Additional $36 Million to be Made Available for Research to Improve Firefighter Health and SafetyWASHINGTON – Under the leadership of President Trump, states and localities will be empowered to manage disasters and emergencies

    These fire grant programs align with that vision by helping communities build the response capabilities they need to keep their citizens and communities safe

    Today, FEMA announced that $360 million in funding are available to help keep communities and firefighters safe through the Fiscal Year 2024 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program

    FEMA will award SAFER grants directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations across the country to help them increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters available in their communities

     FEMA also announced that applications will be accepted for $36 million available through the FY 2024 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant program

    These funds help strengthen community fire prevention programs and support scientific research on innovations that improve firefighter safety, health and well-being

     In 2024, there were approximately 4,200 home fire fatalities in the United States, including 61 firefighters

    To help keep communities and firefighters safer, FEMA will award SAFER funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing, provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards and fulfill traditional missions of fire departments

    The purpose of the FP&S grant program is to award grants directly to fire departments, national, regional, state, local, Tribal Nation and non-profit organizations such as academic (e

    g

    , universities), research foundations, public safety institutes, public health, occupational health and injury prevention institutions for fire prevention programs and to support firefighter health and safety research and development such as clinical studies that address behavioral, social science and cultural research

    The application period for both the FY24 SAFER and FP&S programs will open at 9 a

    m

    ET on May 23, 2025, and close on July 3, 2025, at 5 p

    m

    ET

    Over the years, SAFER funds have had a big impact in communities around the nation

    The Medway (Massachusetts) Fire Department received $741,443 in SAFER funds to hire four new firefighters

    Chief Jeff Lynch said the award had measurable impacts on the department’s staffing levels and response times

    For example, because of the presence of a firefighter hired using SAFER funds, the department was able to respond with extra personnel to a house fire on March 20, 2019

    The firefighters rescued the family’s pet dog and stopped the fire in time to save their house and belongings

    The FP&S grant program has also made a difference for the fire service

    The Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firefighters Association (CVVFA) advocates for all fire service in their region, which includes departments in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia

    The group has received more than $3

    5 million in FP&S funding since 2016, spread out over eight awards

    CVVFA used that funding to build ResponderSafety

    com and the Responder Safety Learning Network (RSLN

    org), their resources and programming

    The grant funds have also supported nationwide outreach and education

    Products include 48 online training modules on roadway incident response safety for firefighters; multiple training videos in topics like safe backing up of apparatus and high visibility; and public service announcements featuring emergency services personnel who survived being struck on the roadway and family members of responders who were struck and killed in the line-of-duty

    Since 2005, the SAFER program has awarded approximately $5

    2 billion in grant funding and the FP&S grant program has awarded nearly $900 million since its inception in 2002

     The FY 2024 SAFER and FP&S Notices of Funding opportunity and technical assistance documents for both programs are available at www

    grants

    gov and on the FEMA website here: SAFER and FP&S

    Additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants is also available on the FEMA website

    joy

    li
    Tue, 05/20/2025 – 16:45

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Calls on Trump Administration to Strengthen American Critical Mineral Supply Chain

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce in response to their Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Processed Critical Minerals and their Derivative Products calling on the Trump Administration to take strategic action to protect, invest in, and strengthen America’s critical mineral supply chain. The Senator also expressed concern that the Administration’s recent tariff policy has undermined our economic and national security.
    “First, critical minerals are deeply important to the economy of Nevada,” the Senator wrote. “It is not an understatement to say that the actions taken in this investigation could impact Nevada more than any other state in the country. Therefore, I encourage you to proceed in a cautious and consultative manner to ensure that any actions taken do not adversely impact my constituents and businesses. Second, I am concerned that President Trump’s trade actions to date work counter to U.S. economic and national security. Blanket tariffs on allies and the chaotic uncertainty of the administration’s trade policy undermine our ability to attract greater U.S. investment and strengthen U.S. critical mineral supply chains.”
    Within Nevada is the “lithium loop” – a region within 250 miles of Reno where critical minerals are mined, extracted, and processed; electric vehicles and batteries are produced; and lithium batteries and other materials are recycled. The state has 19 times more lithium deposits than the next highest state, and Nevada is home to Albemarle’s Silver Peak facilities – the only facility with commercial-scale lithium production in the U.S.
    “Instead of indiscriminate tariffs on allies, we should be imposing strategic tariffs on adversaries,” the Senator continued. “Instead of eliminating tax credits that catalyze investment and growth, we should be expanding tax credits to ensure America dominates the industries of the future. I stand ready to work with you and the administration on any policies that help Nevadans, particularly in these sectors and supply chains which are so key to my state’s economy.”
    Read the full letter here.
    Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to strengthen our national security and supply chains. Earlier this year, the Senator demanded Secretary of Defense Hegseth and Secretary of the Treasury Bessent provide answers on the national security impacts of President Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods. She has consistently blocked burdensome taxes on mining and wrote important provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bolster Nevada’s critical mineral supply chain. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets, which are critical components of cell phones, computers, defense systems, and electric vehicles, but are almost exclusively made in China.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republican Governors Issue Joint Letter to Senate Leadership Supporting Repeal of California’s Radical Electric Vehicles Rules

    Source: US Republican Governors Association

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Republican governors sent a joint letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune thanking him for his support of the Senate’s work to roll back burdensome regulations through the Congressional Review Act (CRA) and to encourage the use of the CRA to stop the radical unelected bureaucrats in California from dictating rules that negatively affect the quality of life, jobs, and commerce in states across the nation.

    In part, the governors wrote:

    “Toward the end of the Biden administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a rule approving California’s ban on gas-powered cars by 2035. This approval impacts all our states as the EPA has historically acknowledged the nationwide effect of California’s regulations.

    “However, our nation’s capital is in Washington, D.C., not Sacramento, California. Our states have enough regulatory pressure coming from Washington. We do not need California to regulate us as well.

    “Thankfully, the House of Representatives voted in early May to withdraw California’s waiver and stop the ban on gasoline-only vehicles. In a bipartisan vote, with 35 Democrats joining 211 Republicans, the House used the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to block California’s plan.”

    Read the full letter here.

    Signatories to the letter include: Governor Kay Ivey (AL), Governor Sarah Sanders (AR), Governor Brian Kemp (GA), Governor Brad Little (ID), Governor Mike Braun (IN), Governor Kim Reynolds (IA), Governor Jeff Landry (LA), Governor Mike Kehoe (MO), Governor Greg Gianforte (MT), Governor Jim Pillen (NE), Governor Joe Lombardo (NV), Governor Kelly Armstrong (ND), Governor Henry McMaster (SC), Governor Bill Lee (TN), Governor Greg Abbott (TX), Governor Spencer Cox (UT), Governor Glenn Youngkin (VA), Governor Patrick Morrisey (WV), Governor Mark Gordon (WY), and Governor Jenniffer González-Colón (PR).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Revitalizing Long Island Downtowns

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced awards for a total of 23 transformational projects on Long Island as part of two economic development programs: the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward. Eight projects were announced for Smithtown-Kings Park, the Round 7 winner of a $10 million DRI award; eight projects were announced for Brookhaven-North Bellport, a Round 2 winner of a $4.5 million NY Forward award; and seven projects were announced for Mineola, also a Round 2 winner of a $4.5 million NY Forward award.

    “Long Island’s towns and villages represent the best of our state, and I’m investing in 23 transformation projects so they can continue to be the hubs of industry and culture we cherish,” Governor Hochul said. “These projects will make our communities stronger for generations of residents and businesses while honoring the historic character that makes New York special.”

    New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said, “When we invest in our downtowns, we’re investing in the heart of our communities. Through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward program, we’re not just funding projects – we’re fostering vibrant, walkable neighborhoods that spur economic growth, enhance quality of life for residents and preserve the unique character of each municipality and region. These signature programs exemplify our commitment to ensuring that every New Yorker, in every corner of our State, has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.” 

    Town of Smithtown – Kings Park

    The Town of Smithtown has already taken significant steps toward revitalizing Kings Park with aggressive housing and economic development goals to catalyze future transformation through the DRI. The DRI projects will help to support the Town’s vision to create a walkable, mixed-use business district centered around the Long Island Rail Road station with access to restaurants, commercial development, community space and new diverse housing opportunities.

    The 8 Smithtown DRI projects, totaling $9.7 million, include:

    • Implement Main Street and Pedestrian Improvements ($4,500,000): Implement streetscape and pedestrian improvements to increase walkability and safety for both pedestrians and drivers along Main Street. Improvements may include utility line relocation on Main Street, bulb-outs, reduced curb cuts, widened sidewalks, accessible pedestrian ramps and high-visibility crosswalks. The streetscape improvements would also provide a reconfigured parking lot near 75 Main Street.
    • Install Town Green and Library Outdoor Learning Area with Connections to Local Trails ($1,435,000): Convert an underutilized municipal parking lot and parts of the library’s open space into a new park. The new, expanded park will feature a gazebo/stage, a multi-functional outdoor learning area, a new playground community garden and seating. The park will have expanded pathway connections to the Hike and Bike Trailhead.
    • Transform 26-34 Main Street into Mixed-Use Development ($900,000): Construct a three-story mixed-use development at the heart of Main Street with new retail and community facility spaces and approximately 16 apartments. Building will be further set back from Main Street to widen sidewalks and improve pedestrian experience by Russ Savatt Park.
    • Rehabilitate the Historic Mixed-Use Building at 4 Main Street ($850,000): Renovate the restaurant, apartments and outdoor seating areas of a historic building on Main Street’s most prominent corner. Exterior renovations include lighting, signage, landscaping, windows and insulation. Interior renovations include upgrades to HVAC, flooring, ceilings and equipment.
    • Restore the VFW Building for Community Events at 40 Church Street ($728,000): Complete restorations to enable community facility usage and events including roof, sidings, foundation sealing, windows, sewer connection, new signage and an awning. Interior work includes electrical, HVAC, flooring, painting, plumbing, generator and fire safety.
    • Establish a Small Project Grant Program to Support Capital Improvements ($600,000): Create a small grant fund that will help small businesses and property owners improve exteriors and interiors including signage and awnings, windows, entrances, patios, doors and sidings.
    • Implement Branding, Marketing and Signage Strategy for Kings Park ($400,000): Utilize marketing services to attract businesses and create a cohesive visual identity. This includes the re-design and installation of wayfinding signage, a new web and media presence and new programing strategies.
    • Create a Pedestrian Pathway from LIRR Main Street and Russ Savatt Park ($287,000): Create a pedestrian walkway from the LIRR Station to Main Street via Russ Savatt Park to guide pedestrians and visitors. The walkway will be improved with landscaping, crosswalks and lighting.

    Town of Brookhaven-North Bellport

    The Town of Brookhaven will use public/private partnerships to overcome inequities and strengthen the community. Through the development of NY Forward projects the Town will foster new affordable housing close and accessible to the LIRR station; a mixed-use business district; upgrade public amenities; building façade improvements; and streetscape enhancements to improve pedestrian safety.

    The 8 North Bellport NY Forward Projects, totaling $4.5 Million, include:

    • Implement Sidewalks and Lighting Improvements ($1,300,000): Implement new sidewalks on Atlantic Ave from Provost to Station Rd and Post Ave from Patchogue to Montauk Hwy. Install lighting on Atlantic Ave from Station Rd to North Dunton Ave, Post Ave and Montauk Hwy.
    • Develop Affordable Homeownership on Ecke Avenue ($1,250,000): Construct 32 homes with 32 Accessory Apartments (ADU) (64 total units) on vacant land.
    • Create Storefronts and Office Space at 1700-1742 Montauk Highway ($786,855): Commercial development with first floor retail and second floor office and community space.
    • Renovate a School Annex at 1415 Montauk Highway ($446,000): Renovate a school annex for Pre-K to second grade classes. Space will host events and programs open to the public.
    • Upgrade Robert Rowley Park ($345,152): Park improvements including upgraded playground equipment and surfacing, landscaping, new benches, upgraded and increased lighting, pickleball courts, basketball court improvements and upgraded fencing and paving.
    • Enhance Bellport Station ($200,000): Improvements to Bellport Station including cleaned up vegetation and new landscaping.
    • Improve Outdoor Space at the Boys and Girls Club ($96,993): Improvements include backyard and playground upgrades, basketball court construction, parking lot lighting and a meditation garden.
    • Upgrade the Facade at 1414 Montauk Highway ($75,000): Reface the exterior of the building and add new lighting, store signage and a sidewalk complex sign.

    Village of Mineola

    The Village of Mineola has engaged in thoughtful planning and supportive zoning changes to attract new businesses and people to the downtown, which has helped create over 1,400 housing units during the last decade. The NY Forward projects will build on these important prior efforts by creating more public spaces in the downtown; developing vacant parcels into mixed-use buildings; and completing placemaking and pedestrian improvements.

    The 7 Mineola NY Forward Projects, totaling $4.5 Million, include:

    • Redevelop Second and Main Street to Strengthen the Downtown Core ($1,300,000): Expand sidewalks on the north side of Second Street and east side of Main Street, install automatic bollards for temporary road closures, remove utility poles and bury power lines, and enhance streetscapes with landscaping and amenities.
    • Redevelop 199 Jericho Turnpike into a Mixed-Use Building that Preserves the Historic Façade ($1,000,000): Redevelop 199 Jericho Turnpike with a 40,000-square-foot mixed-use building featuring 30 residential apartments, including 15 affordable units and a 2,685-square-foot retail space, while preserving the historic bank façade and adding sidewalk pavers, street trees and parking.
    • Strengthen Pedestrian Streetscapes With a Focus on Lighting the Downtown Core and Installing Area-Wide Wayfinding ($850,000): Install wayfinding and gateway signage to promote Village identity and guide visitors to key destinations, while enhancing streetscapes with trees, planters, seating and the removal of cluttered poles.
    • Install a Public Mural on the Pavilion Garage and Activate Surrounding Public Space ($505,000): Install a large-scale mural on the north-facing wall of The Pavilion Parking Garage and transform the ground area into a flexible space with landscaping, lighting, seating and public amenities to create an inviting environment for events, commuters and residents.
    • Activate and Improve Connection from Station Plaza to Second Street Passageway ($417,000): Enhance pedestrian connectivity between the train station and Downtown Mineola by upgrading the Mineola Boulevard Bridge underpasses and Morgan Parc alleyway with improved lighting, public art and aesthetic enhancements.
    • Establish a Small Project Fund to Support Local Businesses and Improve the Public Realm ($300,000): Establish a fund to support property improvements within the NYF Area, offering grants for façade enhancements, signage, building renovations, accessibility upgrades, sustainability projects and public art, with tailored guidelines for private and non-profit applicants.
    • Renovate Facade of the St. James to Promote a More Vibrant Second Street ($128,000): Renovate the St. James façade to modernize its appearance with French sliding doors, updated lighting, new signage, an upgraded entryway and enhanced surface treatments to enhance customer experience and align with Second Street’s revitalization.

    In the FY25 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul made the “Pro-Housing Community” designation a requirement for cities, towns and villages to access up to $650 million in State discretionary programs, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and New York Forward. To date, more than 300 municipalities across the State have become certified. To further support localities that are doing their part to address the housing crisis, Governor Hochul secured $100 million in the FY26 Enacted Budget to create a Pro-Housing Supply fund to assist certified Pro-Housing Communities with critical infrastructure projects necessary to create new housing, such as sewer and water infrastructure upgrades.

    Empire State Development President, CEO, and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward programs are transforming communities across New York State by turning local visions into bold investments to generate place-based economic development. These projects will create new opportunities for businesses, support vibrant public spaces, and attract residents and visitors alike – laying the foundation for sustainable growth and stronger regional economies.” 

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “All across this State, the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward programs are strategically prioritizing communities, growing economies with targeted awards, creating more housing opportunities that improve affordability for New Yorkers where it is most needed, and building on the diverse character of our neighborhoods. By working with local and municipal partners, these awards continue Governor Hochul’s commitment to developing the full potential of our downtowns as economic drivers and attractive places to live.”

     Empire State Development Board Chair Kevin Law said, “As a Long Islander, I’m especially proud to see these transformative investments in Kings Park, North Bellport, and Mineola. These awards demonstrate how targeted funding can reinvigorate commercial centers while preserving their distinct identities. These projects address critical needs—enhancing accessibility around transit hubs, diversifying residential options, and modernizing infrastructure—that will position these localities for long-term prosperity and fuel regional economic growth that will benefit Long Islanders for generations.”

    LIREDC Co-Chairs Linda Armyn and Dr. Kimberly R. Cline said, “From creating a walkable, transit-connected downtown in Kings Park to advancing affordable housing and public amenities in North Bellport, and mixed-use revitalization in Mineola, these projects are reshaping Long Island’s economic landscape. Through DRI and NY Forward, we’re delivering smart, community-driven investments that support small businesses, strengthen infrastructure, and foster vibrant, inclusive downtowns where residents and visitors alike can thrive.”

    State Senator Siela A. Bynoe said, “The seven NY Forward Projects planned in the Village of Mineola are a welcome investment in the future of the village and its residents. These grants stand as a testament to the forward-thinking work the Village of Mineola has engaged in to attract business and increase housing. It is an exciting opportunity for the village to now expand on that work with beautified streetscapes, improved lighting, support for local businesses, and increased walkability. I extend my gratitude to Governor Hochul for recognizing the transformational effect of investing in our downtowns.”

    Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim said, “I’m incredibly proud and grateful to see Kings Park’s vision come to life through the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative. From Main Street beautification, which includes the prospect for the highly sought-after utility line relocation, to the new Town Green, Library Outdoor Learning Area, trail access and pedestrian connections to the LIRR and Russ Savatt Park, these projects will give our downtown the vibrant facelift it truly deserves—right where our community gathers every day. This milestone reflects the hard work of a talented team of planners, environmental experts, consultants, and our partners in government. I want to sincerely thank Governor Kathy Hochul, Empire State Development, the Regional Economic Development Council, and especially the Kings Park community for their continued input and commitment throughout this incredible process.”

    Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Daniel J. Panico said, “The people and community of North Bellport have been and continue to be a priority of mine since being elected Supervisor of Brookhaven Town. This investment continues the positive momentum forward toward brighter days. I have long believed that people believe more of what they see with their eyes compared to what they hear with their ears. Accordingly, this investment will deliver tangible improvements and will enable us to continue our work in the North Bellport community. I thank the Governor, her staff, and all those who see the value in partnering with and investing in Brookhaven Town.”

    Village of Mineola Mayor Paul Pereira said, “The Village of Mineola is excited to get these transformational projects started. The NY Forward Program will help the village achieve its goals of revitalizing the downtown into the premier destination on Long Island that it deserves to be. The local planning committee worked tirelessly with the community and the state planners to present the most transformative projects possible. As these projects get under way, along with the projects that have already been approved locally, our residents can see the positive change that is happening. Thank you to the governor and her team for their continued support of our great community. We are excited to get to work.”

    DRI and NY Forward communities developed Strategic Implementation Plans (SIPs), which create a vision for the future of their downtown and identify and recommend a slate of complementary, transformative and implementable projects that support that vision. The SIPs are guided by a Local Planning Committee (LPC) comprised of local and regional leaders, stakeholders and community representatives, with the assistance of an assigned consultant and DOS staff, all of whom conduct extensive community outreach and engagement when determining projects. The projects selected for funding from the SIP were identified as having the greatest potential to jumpstart revitalization and generate new opportunities for long-term growth.

     About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative

    The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation and results in compact, walkable downtowns that are a key ingredient to helping New York State strengthen its economy, as well as to achieving the State’s bold climate goals by promoting the use of public transit and reducing dependence on private vehicles. Through nine rounds, the DRI has awarded a total of $900 million to 91 communities across every region of the State.

    About the NY Forward Program

    First announced as part of the 2022 Budget, Governor Hochul created the NY Forward program to build on the momentum created by the DRI. The program works in concert with the DRI to accelerate and expand the revitalization of smaller and rural downtowns throughout the State so that all communities can benefit from the State’s revitalization efforts, regardless of size, character, needs and challenges.

    NY Forward communities are supported by a professional planning consultant and team of State agency experts led by DOS to develop a Strategic Investment Plan that includes a slate of transformative, complementary and readily implementable projects. NY Forward projects are appropriately scaled to the size of each community; projects may include building renovation and redevelopment, new construction or creation of new or improved public spaces and other projects that enhance specific cultural and historical qualities that define and distinguish the small-town charm that defines these municipalities. Through three rounds, the NY Forward program has awarded a total of $300 million to 60 communities across every region of the State.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Breakdown, Rakaia River Bridge

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Motorists using the Rakaia River should expect delays after a truck broke down on the bridge.

    Police were notified about 5.55am.

    The truck is currently blocking the southbound land.

    Drivers are asked to take care while arrangements are made to move the truck.

    Traffic management is being arranged.

    ENDS

    Iissued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Woman Who Trafficked Over 10 Pounds of Methamphetamine Hidden Inside Bag of Dog Food Sentenced to Decade in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Georgia woman was sentenced on May 14, 2025 in federal court in Boston for her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that trafficked narcotics from Mexico into the United States.

    Brooke Logan Paniagua, 28, of Dalton, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 48 months of supervised release. In January 2025, Paniagua pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.  

    On Sept. 25, 2022, the DTO informed a confidential source that a female courier would be transporting 12 pounds of methamphetamine from Georgia to Massachusetts. On Sept. 27, 2022, Paniagua called the confidential source to coordinate the time and location to meet to complete the sale of the methamphetamine. Paniagua informed the confidential source that the methamphetamine was hidden inside a 50-pound bag of dog food.  
        
    On Sept. 27, 2022, Paniagua arrived at the agreed-upon location and notified the confidential source that she had arrived at the location. During a search of her person, a .22 caliber Ruger handgun loaded with eight rounds of ammunition was located in Paniagua’s back pocket. A search of Paniagua’s vehicle resulted in the recovery of a large, partially opened bag of dog food that contained five plastic containers filled with 12.3 pounds of 97% pure methamphetamine. 
            
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, and the Natick, Newton and Waltham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Duo Sentenced to 17 Years Each for Violent Armed Carjackings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    INDIANAPOLIS— Bryant Hoskins, 20, and Samuel Fancher, Jr., 19, of Indianapolis, have each been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of carjacking, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

    According to court documents, in late May of 2024, Fancher Jr. and Hoskins committed two violent carjackings in less than one week, targeting Uber drivers during the late-night hours.

    On May 24, 2024, at 4:30 in the morning, the duo called an Uber to pick them up near East 21st street in Indianapolis. Once they reached their drop off location, they held the driver at gunpoint and ordered him to get out of the car. When the driver did not immediately comply, one of the defendants dragged the driver out of the car and punched him in the head. They took the driver’s wallet and then drove away in his Toyota Rav 4. After fleeing the scene, they took videos of themselves driving the stolen vehicle and bragging, “I told you we was gone get one… we got one.”

    Just five days later on May 29, the duo called another Uber to pick them up near Franklin Road, this time targeting a luxury vehicle so they could sell the stolen vehicle for profit. Once they reached their drop off location, they held the female driver at gunpoint and ordered her to get out of her Mercedes GLA. She did not immediately comply, and during the ensuing struggle Hoskins fired his weapon. The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and received treatment at a local hospital.

    “Uber drivers frequently work alone during late hours, putting their safety at risk just to earn a living. The defendants exploited this vulnerability, leaving both victims deeply traumatized and showing no signs of remorse. Instead, they became emboldened—committing additional crimes and boasting about their actions,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Gig workers have the right to feel safe, especially as they provide vital transportation services. Our office remains committed to working with federal and local partners to ensure that violent offenders are held accountable for their reckless actions.”

    “No one should fear becoming a victim of violence simply while driving their car in an effort to support themselves,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley. “This sentence sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will pursue violent offenders relentlessly and work tirelessly to restore a sense of safety and justice to our neighborhoods.”

    FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey L. Massa and Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Torrington Man Involved in Hartford-Based Drug Ring Guilty of Fentanyl Trafficking Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found MARIO PASCUAL-AQUINO, 44, of Torrington, guilty of fentanyl trafficking offenses.

    According to the evidence presented during the trial, this matter stems from a DEA Hartford Task Force investigation of a Hartford-based drug trafficking organization involved in the distribution of a large amount of fentanyl and other narcotics, and the transportation and laundering of cash proceeds from their drug trafficking activity.  In January 2022, law enforcement coordinated a motor vehicle stop of a minivan and seized $92,000 from a hidden compartment.  The investigation revealed that Harold Luis Del Orbe, also known as “Jaro,” was directing the operators of the minivan to conduct narcotics-related transactions on his behalf.  On November 16, 2022, investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant at an apartment on Putnam Heights in Hartford and seized approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl, items used to process and package narcotics, and a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun.  Pascual-Aquino, Del Orbe, and others were present in the apartment at the time of the search.

    The trial before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver began on May 14, 2025.  On May 19, Pascual-Aquino was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.  At sentencing, which is scheduled for August 13, Pascual-Aquino faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

    Pascual-Aquino, who had been released on bond, was remanded to custody at the conclusion of his trial.

    Del Orbe pleaded guilty to related charges and, on May 6, 2025, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment.

    In April 2017, Pascual-Aquino was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 30 months of imprisonment for his role in a stolen identity tax refund scheme.

    This investigation is being conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone and Robert S. Dearington through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tonko Calls Out EPA Administrator Zeldin for Slashing Protections to Environment & Public Health

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko, Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, today questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin during an Environment Subcommittee hearing on the EPA’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

    Listen to Rep. Tonko’s opening remarks HERE and see below as prepared for delivery.

    President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for EPA has been called “problematic,” “an unserious proposal,” and “maybe a bridge too far to be achievable.”

    These were the reactions of Republican Appropriators last week, and I expect you will hear even less charitable reviews from Democrats on this Subcommittee today.

    This proposal includes a 55% reduction from FY25 levels, resulting in agency funding levels not seen since the mid-1980s.

    If enacted, this would fundamentally dismantle the EPA as we know it and cripple the agency’s ability to carry out its core mission of protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink.

    The request includes devastating cuts that will undermine states’ efforts to protect public health and carry out their obligations, including a $2.46 billion reduction to the State Revolving Funds for water infrastructure and a $1 billion reduction for categorical grants, which are critical to supporting staffing of state environmental agencies.

    I believe this is part of a disturbing trend we are seeing to force more costs onto state governments, as is being done with the proposed cuts to Medicaid in the majority’s reconciliation bill.

    Similar to these funding cuts, earlier this year the Administration expressed a desire to reduce EPA staffing levels by 65%, which would return the agency to 1971 personnel levels — the agency’s second year in existence.

    It is not credible to suggest that the agency can fulfill its statutory requirements — including all the major environmental laws and amendments to those laws that have been enacted since the 1970s — with these proposed staffing levels.

    Cuts of this magnitude would not only hollow out the agency’s expertise and capacity, but they are insensitive to the public servants who have dedicated their lives to supporting the agency’s mission.

    And it is worth reminding everyone of what that mission is: To protect human health and the environment.

    In just a few short months, I believe the agency, under Administrator Zeldin’s leadership, has lost sight of this mission.

    Mr. Zeldin launched the “Powering the Great American Comeback” initiative focused on American energy, auto manufacturing, and artificial intelligence dominance.

    And broadly speaking, I am not necessarily opposed to aspects of that agenda, but I also do not believe it is the appropriate role for our nation’s environmental regulator to be leading this effort.

    Because EPA’s contributions to those goals more or less translate to how can we reduce environmental protections and enforcements of those protections for the benefit of energy producers, the auto industry, and Big Tech, even if ordinary Americans will pay the price by breathing harmful air pollution, drinking contaminated water, and being exposed to dangerous chemicals.

    We have already seen a slew of agency actions that will result in greater pollution and reduce our scientific capacity to understand how that pollution will impact Americans’ health and well-being.

    This includes reconsidering rules that protect Americans from pollution from power plants, vehicles, and industrial facilities, and weakening standards to keep PFAS out of our drinking water.

    Each of these public health protections up for reconsideration went through robust rulemaking processes and economic analyses, which found that every one of these rules delivers greater benefits to the American people, in public health and economic benefits, than they cost.

    I am also concerned by EPA’s efforts to terminate previously awarded grants without producing any evidence of fraud, waste, or abuse.

    For each of those awards, the previous administration carried out competitive selection processes based upon requirements enacted by Congress.

    Whether or not Administrator Zeldin personally believes Congress was wasting taxpayer dollars when it directed EPA to carry out those funding opportunities is irrelevant.

    No Administrator should be the sole arbitrator of what is a good use of Congressionally-directed taxpayer dollars, and yet we have seen billions of dollars impounded without justification.

    Finally, I am very concerned by reports that EPA is planning to eliminate the Energy Star program, which is a voluntary, non-regulatory labeling program with strong support from industry and consumers.

    Energy Star has been incredibly effective at supporting American manufacturing, enabling people to lower energy bills, and reducing strain on our electricity system.

    This seems obviously in line with the President’s energy and economic agenda, and yet, there may be an effort underway to terminate the program.

    If we cannot even find common ground on a broadly popular, voluntary, low-cost program to benefit consumers, I have serious doubts that we will be able to find anything to agree upon this year.

    Mr. Administrator, I appreciate you being here, and I hope we can work together to ensure that your agency and this committee have a productive, transparent relationship that honors the critical public health and scientific mission of the EPA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harbour Grace — Harbour Grace RCMP arrests two vehicle occupants after responding to call for service in Carbonear

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Two occupants of a vehicle were arrested by Harbour Grace RCMP after police responded to a call for service in Carbonear on May 16, 2025.

    Shortly before 9:00 a.m. on Friday, Harbour Grace RCMP received a request to assist paramedics who were responding to reports of an unresponsive man and woman, both found in a vehicle on Lemarchant Street in Carbonear. Police attended the scene and observed the unresponsive occupants inside the vehicle. A man was in the driver seat with the engine running and the vehicle still in gear. An officer put the vehicle in park and turned off the engine.

    The driver, a 36-year-old Carbonear man, became responsive and displayed signs of drug impairment. He was arrested and was transported to Carbonear General Hospital where blood samples were obtained as part of a drug impaired driving investigation. Officers await the results of the testing to determine if charges of drug impaired driving are appropriate.

    The passenger, a 33-year-old Bell Island woman, was found in breach of conditions of a release order and she was arrested.

    Various illicit and prescription drugs, drug paraphernalia and other items consistent with drug trafficking were seized from the vehicle, along with a number of weapons. The vehicle was seized and impounded.

    Both individuals were held in police custody and later released.

    The investigation is continuing. A number of charges under the Criminal Code and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act are expected.

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Safeguard U.S. Manufacturing, Transit Operations Against Chinese Influence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 05.20.2025

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped introduce the Safeguarding Transit Operations to Prohibit (STOP) China Act, which would protect domestic transit operations and help level the playing field for American manufacturers, suppliers, and workers by preventing any federal funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from being awarded to grantees for the purchase of transit buses or rail cars made by Chinese-controlled companies. The bill would help ensure that American taxpayer dollars are invested in American manufacturers, like those in Michigan, not China. 
    “China is actively working to undermine American workers and our economic success, particularly in the transportation industry, by flooding global markets with artificially cheap vehicles, from electric vehicles to buses,” said Senator Peters. “These vehicles could also pose a serious national security threat. This bipartisan bill would address these concerns and help level the playing field for Michigan manufacturers, suppliers, and workers as we continue to lead the world in mobility innovation by preventing taxpayer dollars from being used to support companies owned and operated by the Chinese Communist Party.”
    The Stop China Act would prohibit any federal funds from being awarded to grantees for the purchase of Chinese government transit buses or rail cars. It seeks to close loopholes in the previously enacted Transportation Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act that have allowed Chinese entities to continue competing for U.S. Government funds. It also requires the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with the U.S. Attorney General, to produce a list of prohibited entities headquartered or affiliated with China. 
    The legislation is endorsed by the Alliance for American Manufacturing, Steel Manufacturers Association, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Steelworkers, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and Transport Workers Union of America.
    Peters has made strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains a top priority. Peters helped author and pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. manufacturing of semiconductor chips, strengthen critical domestic supply chains, and create good-paying American jobs. The CHIPS and Science Act additionally authorized increased funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which has been a priority for Peters. Peters additionally supported and helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will strengthen domestic manufacturing, onshore our supply chains, combat the climate crisis, and create millions of American jobs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Memorial Day to kick off busy season for state ferries with added service returning to 3 routes this summer

    Source: Washington State News 2

    More than 300,000 holiday travelers expected

    SEATTLE – Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of Washington State Ferries’ busy season. And this year, summer comes with some welcome news for riders.

    More sailings will return to three routes from mid-June through early July, just in time for the system’s peak travel surge.

    Service restoration

    WSF will bring back the following service:

    • The Seattle/Bremerton run will return to its two-boat schedule starting Sunday, June 15.
    • The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth “Triangle” route will resume a three-boat schedule daily beginning Monday, June 30.
    • A second vessel will operate on the Port Townsend/Coupeville run every Friday through Monday from July 4 through the end of the route’s shoulder season on Oct. 13.

    “Thanks to recent and ongoing hiring and training, we are in a better position to staff the three boats needed for this added service,” said WSF Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey. The head of WSF also cautioned that with more vessels operating, there will be no dedicated backup ferry and fewer crew available for last-minute relief requests. “This raises the risk of cancellations due to staffing, equipment or terminal issues,” he added.

    An updated Service Contingency Plan (PDF 2.4MB) has more details about service restoration and how WSF plans to respond if a boat becomes unavailable.

    Memorial Day weekend ridership

    The holiday rush will ramp up on Thursday, May 22, which coincides with National Maritime Day this year. WSF is the largest employer of mariners in the region, supporting thousands of skilled maritime professionals who keep the system running every day. More than 300,000 people are expected aboard the 2,000+ sailings over the five-day period ending Monday, May 26.

    Ferry travel tips

    To help navigate the crowds, customers are encouraged to download and use the Washington State Department of Transportation’s mobile app or visit the WSF website before heading to the terminal.

    The app and website allow users to:

    Busy travel times

    People boarding a ferry by vehicle can expect the busiest sailings will likely be westbound (or onto an island) Thursday through Saturday, May 22-24, and eastbound (or off island) Saturday through Monday, May 24-26. Prepare for long lines and extended wait times. With more than 400 departures a day, consider travelling early in the morning or late at night.

    Holiday schedules

    On Memorial Day, May 26, there will be a few holiday schedule changes for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands, Edmonds/Kingston, Point Defiance/Tahlequah and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes. The Seattle/Bainbridge Island run will operate a Saturday timetable and the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route will use its two-boat weekend schedule. Holiday sailings are marked on the schedules for each route.

    People using state highways to get to the ferry terminal should plan for potential holiday travel backups and delays by checking real-time traffic information on the WSDOT mobile app or online using the WSDOT travel map feature.

    WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Financial firms are driving up rent in Toronto — and targeting the most vulnerable tenants

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Cloé St-Hilaire, PhD Candidate in Planning, University of Waterloo

    In recent years, Canadians have increasingly seen financial firms — such as private equity firms and real estate investment trusts (REITs) — buying up apartment buildings. The largest 25 financial landlords in Canada hold nearly 20 per cent of the country’s private, purpose-built rental stock.

    At the same time, Canada’s housing affordability crisis has exploded. A 2022 report found that in 93 per cent of Canadian neighbourhoods, a full-time minimum wage worker cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment.

    Many observers have connected this financialization of housing to rising unaffordability. But until recently, a lack of data has made it challenging to prove it.

    Our recent study, based on building-level rent and ownership data in the Greater Toronto Area, is the first to decisively show that financial firms charge higher rents and raise them more quickly than other landlords. We also found that financial firms raise rents most aggressively in lower-income areas with more racialized residents.

    Why does financialization raise rents?

    Financialization refers to the growing role of the finance sector in various parts of the economy. In the rental housing market, it involves the purchase of rental buildings by financial firms like asset managers, REITs and pension funds.

    These “financial landlords” treat housing as an investment product, not as a basic human need.



    Read more:
    Housing is both a human right and a profitable asset, and that’s the problem

    Financial landlords act differently from other landlords. Unlike smaller landlords, they are guided by the “shareholder value maximization” principle, which means their primary goal is to maximize returns for their shareholders.

    While smaller landlords are most likely also motivated by profit, they do not have a duty to external investors like financial firms do and they do not have access to the same strategies to manage their properties. Financial landlords have the scale and sophistication to pursue these profits in ways that smaller-scale landlords cannot.

    Research shows that financial landlords in Canada are associated with increased cost burdens for renters, higher eviction filing rates and higher rates of building disrepair. Our study adds to this evidence by showing they also charge higher rents.

    Financial firms openly promote higher rents

    Even before conducting our analysis, we had reason to believe financial firms would charge higher rents, in part because many of them have publicly said so.

    In a 2018 investor presentation, Minto REIT wrote that they charged “the highest in-place rent” among their public peers.

    Similarly, Centurion REIT published a report in 2020 featuring a graph demonstrating that its rent increases were outpacing both inflation and average rents.

    In a 2019 white paper, Canada’s largest private landlord, Starlight Investments, wrote about how their “value add strategy” for upgrading apartments sets them apart from other types of landlords. In the same publication, they reported increasing the monthly rent in one property by $411 — a 31 per cent increase.

    Financial firms charge the highest rent premiums

    Our analysis reveals that financial firms do indeed charge more.

    Our study compared building-level quarterly rent data to average rents from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for 1,602 buildings between 2022 and 2024.

    We found that when landlords advertise a unit to rent, they typically charge more than the average neighbourhood rent. We call this upcharge a rent “premium” — the dollar or percentage difference between the rent posted for an available unit and the average neighbourhood rent for a unit of the same size.

    We found that financial firms charged the highest premiums across the GTA, posting 44 per cent higher rents — or $670 more — than local averages. By comparison, non-financial chain landlords — those with multiple buildings but not classified as financial firms — charged a 30 per cent, or $477, premium.

    Meanwhile, smaller-scale owners owners of just a few buildings charged a smaller rent premium of 15-22 per cent. We found financial firms charged the highest premiums regardless of whether the building was brand new or in need of repairs.

    Algorithmic pricing and rent inflation

    One of the landlords with the highest rent premiums is private equity firm Woodbourne, which said they used RealPage’s YieldStar platform, an algorithmic pricing software.

    This software is at the centre of a lawsuit alleging more than a dozen landlords and property managers conspired to artificially inflate rents across Canada.

    The use of AI-driven pricing tools in Canada’s rental market is now under investigation by the Competition Bureau.

    Our study also found that, over time, financial firms raised rents more aggressively than other landlords. On average, they increased asking rents by five per cent — or $96 — every quarter. By comparison, smaller-scale landlords owning just one property raised asking rents by 3.6 per cent, or $59.

    Using a regression model, we demonstrated that out of all ownership types, financial ownership was the strongest predictor for higher rents and higher rent premiums. Using our model, we estimated that a tenant would pay 13 per cent more for their unit if it was owned by a financial firm instead of a single property owner.

    Low-income, marginalized tenants are exposed

    Our study also found that the highest rent premiums were being charged in Toronto’s “neighbourhood improvement areas.” These are areas the city has identified as having inequitable social and economic outcomes.

    While we found that all landlords charge higher premiums in these neighbourhoods, financial landlords were the most aggressive, charging a 49 per cent premium compared to 41 per cent elsewhere.

    We also identified a spatial connection between high rent premiums and the number of racialized residents in a neighbourhood: areas with higher rent premiums often had a greater percentage of racialized residents.

    These findings suggest that financial firms are complicit in driving gentrification in marginalized neighbourhoods, targeting areas with lower-income and racialized renters for the most aggressive rent increases.

    Reining in financial landlords

    While financial firms report on record breaking annual returns and “rental uplifts” of 15 per cent, Canada faces a dire housing affordability crisis.

    Financialization is detrimental to the right to adequate housing. We show that financialization is worsening affordability in Toronto: a trend that will continue, especially since financial landlords are the largest acquirers of suites in the city and the country’s largest landlords.

    To address this issue, we support recent policy recommendations aimed at reining in the power of financial landlords. These include better tracking of who landlords are, stricter tenant protections and more social housing.

    If left unchecked, financialization will continue to deepen the affordability crisis, with the greatest harms falling on those who can least afford it.

    Cloé St-Hilaire receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship). She previously received funding from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec.

    Martine August receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Government of Ontario Early Researcher Award.

    – ref. Financial firms are driving up rent in Toronto — and targeting the most vulnerable tenants – https://theconversation.com/financial-firms-are-driving-up-rent-in-toronto-and-targeting-the-most-vulnerable-tenants-255935

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Launches New Communications Satellite

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    WENCHANG, HAINAN PROVINCE, May 20 (Xinhua) — China on Tuesday successfully launched a new communications satellite into orbit from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in southern China’s Hainan Province.

    The ChinaSat-3B satellite was launched at 19:50 Beijing time by a Long March-7A carrier rocket. The satellite successfully entered its designated orbit.

    The satellite will primarily provide voice, data, radio and television signal transmission services.

    The current launch was the 577th flight mission for the Long March series of launch vehicles. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 21, 2025

  • PM Modi to inaugurate 103 amrit stations on Thursday, including five redeveloped stations in Karnataka

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 103 newly redeveloped Amrit Stations across the country via video conferencing during a special event in Bikaner, Rajasthan, on Thursday, May 22. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Railways on Tuesday, five of these upgraded stations are located in Karnataka—Munirabad, Bagalkot, Gadag, Gokak Road, and Dharwad.

    The redevelopment of these 103 stations, spread across 86 districts in 18 States and Union Territories, has been undertaken under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) at a total cost exceeding Rs.1,100 crore. The initiative is part of a broader nationwide effort to modernize over 1,300 railway stations by integrating regional architectural styles with state-of-the-art passenger amenities.

    The upgraded Amrit Stations are designed to offer improved facilities, enhanced accessibility for Divyangjan, and sustainable infrastructure while preserving cultural heritage. Among Karnataka’s five stations, major upgrades have been completed as follows:

    Gadag Railway Station

    Redeveloped for Rs 23.24 crore, Gadag Railway Station now features a spacious entrance hall, dedicated parking, and a modern circulating area with separate entry and exit points. Platforms 1, 2, and 3 have been revamped with new shelters, Divyangjan-friendly amenities, and a 12-meter-wide Foot Over Bridge equipped with lifts and escalators. Serving over 40 trains daily, the station is a key junction connecting Hubballi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad.

    Dharwad Railway Station

    With an investment of Rs 17.1 crore, Dharwad Railway Station now includes a second entry, a wide Foot Over Bridge, three lifts, and two escalators. Aesthetic upgrades such as façade lighting and modern signage have been added, along with enhanced facilities like passenger information systems, new furniture, and upgraded toilets. Situated on the Londa–Hubballi line, the station connects Dharwad with cities such as Belagavi, Pune, Goa, and Bengaluru.

    Bagalkot Railway Station

    Redeveloped for Rs. 16.06 crore, Bagalkot Railway Station now offers a new station building, separate waiting rooms for men and women, upgraded platforms with modern shelters and toilet blocks, and a 12-meter-wide Foot Over Bridge. Located on the Gadag–Hotgi rail line, the station improves connectivity to Vijayapura, Solapur, and Bengaluru.

    Munirabad Railway Station

    Located in the Koppal district, Munirabad station has been upgraded at a cost of Rs.18.40 crore. The station now features a new building, modern signage, lifts, a large Foot Over Bridge, and over 3600 sqm of platform shelters. As the nearest railhead to Hampi—just 10 km away—Munirabad station is expected to further boost tourism in the region, including access to attractions like the Tungabhadra Dam and Anjanadri Hill.

    Gokak Road Railway Station

    Gokak Road station has seen a major revamp costing Rs 16.98 crore. Enhancements include a newly constructed G+1 building, a 3463 sqm circulating area with smooth vehicle access, a new Foot Over Bridge, improved lighting, signage, digital systems, and better waiting areas. The redevelopment is poised to support regional development and tourism.

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: District 776 Fires Up the Grills for a Great Cause

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM District 776 in Fort Worth, Texas, held a two-day barbecue cook-off to support Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines (GDA | TLC). More than 30 teams barbecued, held an auction of homemade baked goods, and raffles, raising nearly $6,000 for the IAM’s charity of choice.

    The fundraiser’s goal is to raise money for GDA | TLC, which transforms lives through partnerships with service dogs for countless veterans, people who are blind or visually impaired, families affected by autism, and facilities in need that depend on GDA’s services every day.

    “District 776’s commitment to Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines is a shining example of how solidarity extends beyond the shop floor,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. “Their passion, teamwork, and generosity are what make our union family truly special.”

    “Events like these showcase the heart of our union where skill meets service,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “IAM members don’t just work hard on the job; they show up for their communities, and the success of this fundraiser proves it.”

    “You can taste the pride and purpose in every bite,” said IAM District 776 Business Representative Mark H. Miller. “Our members don’t just build airplanes, they build stronger communities. Supporting GDA | TLC is something we believe in wholeheartedly.”

    Under threatening skies, BBQ teams from across Texas traveled to the District 776 complex in RVs, trucks, and trailers to set up for the event. Several teams were made up of IAM members employed at nearby aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. Among them was 14-year-old Jayden Lopez, the son of IAM members Freddy and Machelle Lopez and was participating in his second BBQ event.

    “It feels good to be out here helping a cause that really matters,” said Jayden. “I’m learning a lot about cooking and giving back, and it’s fun doing it with my family and friends.”

    His mother, Machelle, added, “We’re proud to see Jayden getting involved at such a young age. Events like this teach more than just barbecue, they teach compassion, community, and the value of service.”

    To continue to be successful, GDA | TLC depends on the talents, goals, and generosity of dedicated volunteers and donors like IAM members across North America.

    View all the photos here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Texas Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Residents Affected by Spring Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses, nonprofits, and residents in Texas of the June 20 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset physical damage caused by thunderstorms, straight‑line winds and tornadoes occurring on April 4.

    The declaration covers the Texas counties of Bowie, Camp, Cass, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus and Upshur.

    Small businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s physical damage loans.”

    SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for nonprofits, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms, based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is June 20.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Biometrics remains the most advantageous way to pay for travel – 63 rubles

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In order to compensate for the growing costs of carriers for fuel, electricity, spare parts and other necessary materials, the Moscow Government has decided to index fares on public transport by an average of five percent. The changes will come into force on June 1, 2025.

    Since 2011, the change in fares in the capital has been significantly lower than the inflation rate. The fares themselves are among the most affordable among large cities in Russia, despite the fact that it is in Moscow that passengers of public transport make the longest and most multimodal trips.

    The cost of a single trip on the metro, Moscow Central Circle and Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) in Moscow, and on ground-based urban passenger transport using a Wallet ticket on a Troika card will be 67 rubles instead of 63 rubles, and in the suburbs – 90 rubles instead of 84.

    The cost of travel on other tickets at the “Wallet” and “Ediny” tariffs with a limit and when paying by bank card will change within the range of four to six rubles.

    At the same time, the cost of a single trip using biometrics will be 63 rubles, which is four rubles less than with a “Wallet” ticket, and 11 rubles less than when paying with a bank card. Thus, biometrics has remained the most advantageous method of paying for travel for the fourth year, used by more than 400 thousand passengers.

    Transfers from one route to another of ground transport, as well as between rail modes of transport, will remain free. When traveling using several modes of transport, the most advantageous tariff will remain the “90 minutes” tariff. The cost of unlimited travel tickets for 30, 90 and 365 days remains one of the lowest among Russian cities with a population of over one million.

    The funds received from the tariff indexation will be used to ensure high-quality and reliable operation of urban transport, further infrastructure upgrades, and the development of passenger services and the ticket system. Since 2010, the number of metro stations in Moscow has increased more than 1.6 times, with their number, together with the platforms of the Moscow Central Circle, reaching 302. In addition, during this time, four Moscow Central Diameters have been launched, new tram lines are being built and existing ones are being reconstructed. Moscow is the world’s first in terms of rolling stock upgrades, with new comfortable routes appearing here. Passengers can pay for travel in new convenient ways, including biometrics, the Troika virtual card, and the fast payment system.

    In addition, the cost of moving and storing vehicles will change from June 1. However, it will remain lower than the city’s actual costs for evacuation.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/154092073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Law Celebrates the Class of 2025

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Nearly 200 UConn Law graduates, surrounded by a jubilant crowd of family and friends, celebrated the conferral of their degrees during the 102nd commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 19.

    Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam delivered the keynote address, reflecting on how both triumphs and setbacks can guide us to where we’re meant to be. He noted that although he was once rejected by UConn Law, he now stood before the graduates as the city’s mayor and featured speaker.

    See photos from commencement

    Arulampalam spoke about how important it is to be able to see ourselves in each other and connect with each other on a personal level. He shared a story of meeting President Joe Biden at the White Houseand being struck by an octogenarian Irish Catholic finding similarities with a Sri Lankan-by-way-of-Zimbabwe immigrant half his age.  He urged the audience to overcome the instinct to mistrust those who are different and instead strive to build the kind of society they wish to live in.

    “UConn Class of 2025, you get to choose your destinies and our destinies, and you could be the very best of humanity,” Arulampalam said. “You could be the most powerful type of person, one who sows love in the midst of pain and brokenness and division, one who brings life into the midst of darkness, one who builds community in the midst of chaos. and collectively that is our point.”

    Dean Eboni S. Nelson spoke about the many ways the Class of 2025 served its community, both inside and outside the law school, calling acts of service the class’s “collective love language.”

    “You have exemplified the values of compassion, empathy, civility, and understanding as you’ve supported your peers and colleagues during challenging and fraught times,” she said. “The rich diversity of your cultures, experiences, and viewpoints has contributed to our excellence, and your leadership and advocacy have helped to bring and hold our community together. You have made one another better, and you have made this law school better. And for that, I thank you.”

    The Class of 2025 features 143 graduates with juris doctor (JD) degrees, 54 with master of laws (LLM) degrees, and one with a doctor of the science of laws (SJD) degree. Five graduates earned dual degrees – a JD and a graduate degree from another UConn school or college.

    Lois Nnenna Owunna, representing the LLM class, spoke of a feeling of belonging at UConn Law. She highlighted the diverse countries of origin, different languages, and unique traditions among the LLM graduates, noting that perseverance was their common thread. Nnenna Owunna added that they have a lot to give; they bring resilience, compassion, and a drive for justice, in addition to their legal knowledge.

    “What we have experienced has bonded us for life,” she said. “We didn’t let borders or accents divide us. We built bridges.”

    Meet some of the graduates

    Speaking on behalf of the Evening Division, Yanhire Sierra-Lavalle reflected on the support of her family. She has held onto her father saying “Of course she is, she’s Yani” about her plans to attend law school five years ago.

    “Look for mentors, colleagues, or friends, look for people who will continue to uplift you,” she told her classmates. “Look for the person who says ‘Of course you did it. You’re you.’ Don’t forget to give yourself grace. Be kind to yourself. Take care of yourself and give yourself the credit you have earned. When you find yourself in the room with some of the smartest people you have ever met, remember you’re in that room too.”

    Alex Davenport, speaking for the Day Division, shared a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. about moments of conscience, expressing confidence that she and her classmates are prepared to meet those moments with courage.

    “Today is an expression of hope,” she said. “As we turn to the next chapter of our lives, I hope that we daily model commitments to empathy, service, community, and justice. I hope our lives are filled with love and joy. I hope we each know a career that embodies integrity and breathes courage.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [CRANEWARE PLC – 19 05 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 CRANEWARE PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 19 MAY 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 1p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 1,718,050 4.8519    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 1,718,050 4.8519    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    1p ORDINARY PURCHASE 3,700 2195p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 20 MAY 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [GLOBALDATA PLC – 19 05 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 GLOBALDATA PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 19 MAY 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 0.01p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 11,062,280 1.3716    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 11,062,280 1.3716    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    0.01p ORDINARY SALE 4,000 187.39p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 20 MAY 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government condemns Diepkloof protest action

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Tuesday, May 20, 2025

    Government has condemned the acts of violence that claimed two lives in protest action in Gauteng’s Diepkloof.

    “We strongly condemn the violence and looting that took place in Diepkloof and extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the two individuals who lost their lives. Every life lost under such circumstances is one too many, and we deeply mourn this tragedy,” Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Acting Director-General, Nomonde Mnukwa said.

    In a statement on Tuesday, government said it deeply regrets the tragic loss of lives during the violent housing protest in Soweto on Monday.

    Two people lost their lives when angry Diepkloof residents blocked roads, looted trucks, and clashed with police, citing the City of Johannesburg’s failure to develop vacant land.

    Government further added that it acknowledges and upholds the constitutional right of all South Africans to protest and express their grievances.

    However, such actions must be conducted peacefully and within the confines of the law. The right to protest does not extend to acts of criminality, violence, or the infringement of the rights and safety of others.

    “We are confident that law enforcement authorities will conduct a thorough investigation into the events of Monday to ensure those responsible are held accountable and to help prevent similar incidents in the future. Government has full confidence in the ability of the South African Police Service to act decisively and lawfully,” said Mnukwa.

    Government called on all citizens to exercise their rights responsibly, and to uphold the values of democracy, dialogue, and mutual respect.

    “Violent acts and destruction of property not only weaken the legitimacy of genuine causes but also threaten the safety and livelihoods of innocent members of the community,” it said. –SAnews.gov.za

    Share this post:

    MIL OSI Africa –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Foreign Secretary statement, 20 May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Foreign Secretary statement, 20 May 2025

    Statement by Foreign Secretary David Lammy to the House of Commons on the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

    With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    This weekend, the Israeli Defence Force started a new, extensive ground operation throughout Gaza, Operation Gideon’s Chariot. Five Israeli divisions are now operating there.

    Prime Minister Netanyahu says that they are going to take control of the Strip letting only minimal amounts of food reach Gazans. Madam Deputy Speaker I quote Prime Minister Netanyahu – “just enough to prevent hunger.”

    Fewer than ten trucks entered Gaza yesterday. The UN and WHO have issued stark warnings of the threat of starvation hanging over hundreds of thousands of civilians. Madam Deputy Speaker, this is abominable.

    Civilians in Gaza facing starvation, homelessness, trauma, desperate for this war to end, now confront renewed bombardment, new displacement and new suffering. And the remaining hostages kept apart from their loved ones by Hamas for almost six hundred days are now at heightened risk from the war around them.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, two months ago the ceasefire collapsed. Since then, the humanitarian catastrophe has rapidly intensified.

    For eleven weeks, Israeli forces have blockaded Gaza, leaving the World Food Programme without any any remaining stocks. Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, with three more hospitals in northern Gaza ceasing operations this weekend.

    Yet more aid workers and medical workers have been killed. After last year proved the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel.

    The diplomatic deadlock between Israel and Hamas has sadly also hardened. Despite the efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt – which we of course support – no ceasefire has emerged.

    We repeat our demand that Hamas release all the hostages immediately and unconditionally and reiterate that they cannot continue to run Gaza.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, we are now entering a dark new phase in this conflict. Netanyahu’s government is planning to drive Gazans from their homes into a corner of the Strip to the south and permit them a fraction of the aid that they need.

    Yesterday, Minister Smotrich even spoke of Israeli forces “cleansing” Gaza, “destroying what’s left”, of resident Palestinians “being relocated to third countries”.

    We must call this what it is. It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous. And I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, Israel suffered a heinous attack on October 7th and the Government has always backed Israel’s right to defend itself. We have condemned Hamas and its abhorrent treatment of the hostages. And we have stood with families and demanded their loved ones be released.

    But the planned displacement of so many Gazans is morally unjustifiable, wholly disproportionate and utterly counter-productive. Whatever Israeli ministers claim, this is not the way to bring the hostages safely home.

    Nearly all the hostages have been freed through negotiations, not military force. And that is why hostage families themselves – and many other Israelis – oppose this plan so strongly.

    Nor will this plan eliminate Hamas or make Israel secure. This war has left a generation orphaned and traumatised, ready for Hamas to recruit. As we learned in Northern Ireland to defeat terrorists and their warped ideology you cannot just rely on military might. You have to offer a viable political alternative. Opposing the expansion of a war that’s killed thousands of children is not rewarding Hamas.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, since entering office, we have taken concerted action on Gaza.

    We restored funding to UNRWA. We supported the independence of international courts. We suspended arms export licences. We provided food and medical care to hundreds of thousands of Gazans. We’ve worked with Arab partners on a plan to ensure a reconstructed Gaza no longer run by Hamas.

    And since Israel restarted strikes on Gaza, this Government has demanded Israel change course. Privately, in my conversations with Foreign Minister Sa’ar and Strategic Affairs Minister Dermer, and publicly, in repeated joint statements with my French and German counterparts, we have made clear that Israel’s actions are intolerable.

    We have raised our concerns in the UN Security Council and before the International Court of Justice. Yesterday, my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister joined leaders from France and Canada strongly opposing the expansion of Israel’s military operations. And the UK led a further statement with twenty-seven partners criticising Israel’s proposed new aid delivery mechanism and defending the essential humanitarian principles of the international system that the UK did so much to establish in the first place.

    Our message is clear. There is a UN plan ready to deliver aid at scale, needed with mitigations against aid diversion. There are brave humanitarians ready to do their jobs. There are 9,000 trucks at the border. Prime Minister Netanyahu: end this blockade now and let the aid in.

    Regrettably, Madam Deputy Speaker, despite our efforts, this Israeli government’s egregious actions and rhetoric have continued. They are isolating Israel from its friends and partners around the world. Undermining the interests of the Israeli people. And damaging the image of the state of Israel in the eyes of the world.

    I find this deeply painful, as a lifelong friend of Israel and a believer in the values expressed in its declaration of independence.

    As the Prime Minister and fellow leaders said yesterday, we cannot stand by in the face of this new deterioration. It is incompatible with the principles that underpin our bilateral relationship. Rejected by Members across this House and frankly it’s an affront to the values of the British people.

    Therefore today, I am announcing that we have suspended negotiations with this Israeli government on a new free trade agreement. We will be reviewing cooperation with them under the 2030 Bilateral Roadmap.

    The Netanyahu government’s actions have made this necessary. Madam Deputy Speaker, today, my Honourable Friend the Minister for the Middle East is summoning the Israeli Ambassador to the Foreign Office to convey this message.

    I say now to the people of Israel: we want, I want a strong friendship with you based on our shared values with flourishing ties between our people and societies. We are unwavering in our commitment to your security and to your future, to countering the very real threat from Iran, the scourge of terrorism and the evils of antisemitism.

    But the conduct of the war in Gaza is damaging our relationship with your government. And, as the Prime Minister has said, if Israel pursues this military offensive as it has threatened, failing to ensure the unhindered provision of aid, we will take further actions in response.

    The UK, Madam Deputy Speaker, will not give up on a two-state solution. Israelis living in secure borders, recognised and at peace with their neighbours, free from the threat of terrorism. Palestinians living in their own state, in dignity and security, free of occupation.

    The two-state solution remains the ideal framework, indeed, the only framework, for a just and lasting peace. But as the House knows, its very viability is in peril.

    Endangered not only by the war in Gaza, but by the spread of illegal Israeli settlements and outposts across the Occupied West Bank, with the explicit support of this Israeli government.

    There are now weekly meetings to approve new settlement construction. Settlement approval has accelerated while settler violence has soared. Here too, we have acted, repeatedly pressing for a change in this course and direction, sanctioning seven entities last October, and signing a landmark agreement to bolster support for the Palestinian Authority, when Prime Minister Mustafa visited London just last month.

    But here too, we must do more. Today, we are therefore imposing sanctions on a further three individuals and four entities involved in the settler movement.

    I have seen for myself the consequences of settler violence. The fear of its victims. The impunity of its perpetrators. Today, we are demonstrating again that we will continue to act against those who are carrying out heinous abuses of human rights.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, despite the glimmer of hope from January’s ceasefire, the suffering from this conflict has worsened. But January showed another path was possible.

    We urge Netanyahu’s government to choose this path. The world is judging. History will judge them. Blocking aid, expanding the war, dismissing the concerns of your friends and partners. This is indefensible and it must stop.

    I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 20 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: 20 Reasons Why Congress Must Unite Behind the One, Big, Beautiful Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Congressional Republicans MUST unite to pass President Donald J. Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill and take advantage of the once-in-a-generation opportunity they were given by voters.
    Here are 20 reasons why Congress must unite behind the One, Big, Beautiful Bill:
    It delivers the largest tax cut in American history. This means an extra $5,000 in Americans’ pockets with a DOUBLE-DIGIT percent DECREASE to their tax bills. Americans earning between $30,000 and $80,000 will pay around 15% less in taxes.
    It includes NO TAX ON TIPS and NO TAX ON OVERTIME. This makes good on two of President Trump’s cornerstone campaign promises and will benefit hardworking Americans where they need it the most — their paychecks.
    It delivers Big, Beautiful Deportations. The bill permanently secures our borders by making the largest border security investment in history, funding at least one million annual removals of illegal immigrants and ramping up “mass deportation operations to a level never before seen in American history.”
    It finishes President Trump’s border wall. As a result, 701 miles of primary wall, 900 miles of river barriers, 629 miles of secondary barriers, and 141 miles of vehicle and pedestrian barriers will be constructed — stopping deadly fentanyl from flowing into our communities and securing the border from dangerous illegal immigrant murderers and rapists.
    It boosts Border Patrol and ICE agents on the frontlines. It empowers immigration authorities to carry out their mission by hiring 10,000 new ICE personnel, 5,000 new customs officers, and 3,000 new Border Patrol agents — and gives $10,000 bonuses in each of the next four years to agents on the frontlines.
    It protects Medicaid for Americans by kicking 1.4 million illegals off the benefits. This bill eliminates waste, fraud, and abuse by ending benefits for at least 1.4 million illegal immigrants who are gaming the system.
    It requires able-bodied Americans to work if they receive benefits. With 4.8 million able-bodied adults choosing not to work, The One, Big, Beautiful Bill puts work requirements in place and supports them as they find dignity through employment.
    It reverses the spending curse plaguing Washington, D.C. The legislation delivers the largest deficit reduction in nearly 30 years, with $1.6 trillion in mandatory savings.
    It ends taxpayer-funded sex change for minors. It reverses the Biden-era mandate that Medicaid cover so-called “gender transition” procedures for minors — ending the taxpayer-funded chemical castration and mutilation of American children.
    It provides historic tax relief to Social Security recipients. It slashes taxes on seniors’ Social Security benefits.
    It will give Americans PERMANENT tax relief through the Trump Tax Cuts. If the bill doesn’t pass, Americans will see the largest tax increase in history.
    It finally modernizes air traffic control, fulfilling President Trump’s plan to completely overhaul the systems that keep Americans flying safely and efficiently. This will allow President Trump to update our air traffic control systems and act where the Biden Administration failed (despite repeated warnings).
    It ends the taxpayer-funded Green New Scam. The legislation repeals or phases out every “green” corporate welfare subsidy in Democrats’ so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” immediately stops credits from flowing to China and saves taxpayers $500+ billion every year, and reverses electric vehicle mandates that let radical climate activists set the standards for American energy.
    It incentivizes MADE IN AMERICA. It rewards companies that build their products in America with lower taxes — and allows Americans who buy an American-made vehicle to fully deduct their auto loan interest.
    It is pro-family. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill increases the child tax credit, establishes MAGA Accounts for newborns to start saving, and strengthens paid family leave.
    It repeals Democrats’ insane attack on the gig economy. It repeals the requirement that Venmo, PayPal, and other gig transactions over $600 be reported to the IRS.
    It protects family farmers. The bill prevents the greedy death tax from hitting two million family-owned farms who would otherwise see their exemptions cut in half and cuts taxes on farmers by over $10 billion.
    It’s a once-in-a-generation chance to revolutionize our nation’s defense capabilities and protect the homeland against new threats. It funds President Trump’s Golden Dome, invests in American shipbuilding, and modernizes our military.
    It unleashes American energy dominance. The legislation increases onshore and offshore oil and gas leases, which provides certainty for energy producers, spurs job growth, and makes energy more affordable for American consumers.
    It boosts American mineral development. This bill increases mining of domestic minerals and makes America less dependent on foreign adversaries for critical minerals.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: In ‘Paying For It,’ ex-lovers reimagine friendship, family and the meaning of sex work

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ummni Khan, Associate Professor, Department of Law and Legal Studies, Carleton University

    Emily Lê and Daniel Beirne star in the film that sees director and multidisciplinary artist Sook-Lin Yee adapt the graphic memoir of her ex-lover, Chester Brown, for the screen. (Wilding Pictures & Hawkeye Pictures)

    The film Paying For It, Sook-Yin Lee’s live-action adaptation of cartoonist Chester Brown’s 2011 graphic memoir, reveals unexpected overlaps between paid sexual encounters and romantic relationships.

    Lee, a boundary-shattering artist working across film, music, acting and broadcast, has never shied away from taboo. With Paying For It, she takes on sex work, romance and the messy labour of chosen family by adapting her ex-lover’s memoir for the screen.

    ‘Paying For It,’ graphic memoir by Chester Brown.
    (Drawn & Quarterly)

    In my 2019 article “Chester Brown and the Queerness of Johns,” I analyze Brown’s original book, which traces his pivot from monogamy with Lee to regularly seeing sex workers in the late 1990s.

    Both a memoir and a manifesto, the book pairs accounts of paid sex with arguments for decriminalizing sex work, voiced through debates with friends and a detailed appendix. In my analysis, I frame Brown’s memoir as a queer intervention, one that disrupts heteronormative ideals of romantic relations, intimate exchanges and sexual propriety.

    Lee’s cinematic version of Paying For It affirms Brown’s stance, but filters the story through her own perceptions and snapshots of her love life. In doing so, she traces how she and Brown reinvented their relationship, while portraying his encounters with sex workers with nuance and care.

    Drawing on my research in sexuality — including scholarship on sex work, client surveillance and client regulation — I see the film as a defiant celebration of unconventional bonds between exes who remain best friends, and between clients and sex workers, where even purchased orgasms can carry moments of tenderness and mutual respect.

    Radical relationship honesty

    The film opens with Sonny (Lee’s fictional persona, played by Emily Lê) confessing to live-in boyfriend Chester (Daniel Beirne) that she’s falling in love with someone else.

    Rather than erupting in rage or jealousy, Chester remains composed. Together, they choose to see what might come next. As Sonny begins seeing other people, Chester continues living in the house and becomes privy to her romantic sagas, from the steamy beginnings to the bitter blowouts. To the bewilderment of his friends, he remains content with the arrangement.

    Eventually, Chester decides to pay for sex, a decision he shares with Sonny.
    What emerges is a portrait of creative kinship where two people refuse the usual scripts and choose radical openness instead.

    Unconventional bond

    Decades after the events depicted in the film, Lee has described Brown as her “best friend” and “as family.”

    Lee and Brown shape personal histories into overlapping narratives. That they’ve promoted the film together, and appeared in joint interviews and public discussions, suggests a sense of mutual trust at the heart of their collaboration.

    Probing the meanings of sex and intimacy

    Chester moves — and sometimes stumbles — through criminalized terrain, figuring out how to find sex workers, engage respectfully and follow the unspoken rules of the exchange. The film suggests sometimes it’s just sex for Chester, and at other times, the exchange carries an emotional connection for him.

    With one sex worker, Chester shares his real name and gifts a book he wrote about Louis Riel.

    Sociologist Elizabeth Bernstein has analyzed how sex workers are sometimes paid to offer their clients an erotic experience “premised upon the performance of authentic interpersonal connection.”

    In the film, a potential for emotional reciprocity between Chester and a sex worker becomes evident. Without giving too much away, by the film’s end we see how a casual and transactional beginning transforms into something more enduring for both parties.

    ‘Paying For It,’ trailer.

    Risks in both romance and sex work

    The film also highlights the risks running through both sex work and romance.

    Sex workers face threats of abuse, arrest, disrespect and boundary violations. The film gestures to these realities in a scene following a police raid on a sex work venue.

    But the film also shows Sonny’s relationships aren’t immune to danger either. One boyfriend’s rage nearly results in harm to her pet.

    Just as navigating risk is part of both romance and sex work, so too is grappling with the social forces that shape desire. In one pointed exchange, Sonny calls out Chester for only paying young, conventionally attractive women. He counters by asking why she doesn’t date Asian men, forcing them both to confront their own biases.

    Sex worker rights

    While Paying For It is deeply personal, it is also unmistakably political, especially in its implicit advocacy for sex worker rights.

    To navigate the ethical complexities of depicting sex work, Lee consulted with performer, activist and author Andrea Werhurn, who wrote a memoir about being a former escort; Werhurn stars in the film as the sex worker Denise.

    Lee also interviewed Valerie Scott — one of the applicants who challenged Canada’s prostitution laws in the Bedford case.

    The film presents sex work as legitimate labour, highlighting the skills and emotional intelligence it demands. At the same time, it underscores how sex workers remain vulnerable to police harassment, violence and social stigma.

    Canada’s perverse laws on sex work

    The marginalized status of sex work, as dramatized in the film, is shaped by a legal system structured by moralism and hypocrisy.

    Set in the 1990s, Paying For It takes place at a time when Canada didn’t criminalize the sale of sex directly but prohibited nearly everything around it, including soliciting, working indoors and operating brothels.

    These contradictions pushed the industry underground, exposing sex workers to abuse, police harassment, sting operations and heightened health risks, while often branding them with criminal records.

    Sex work kept in the shadows

    In 2013, the Supreme Court’s Bedford decision struck down these provisions, ruling that they violated sex workers’ constitutional rights, most importantly, the right to security of the person.

    But the legal victory was short-lived. In 2014, the Conservative government introduced the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, which criminalized the purchase of sexual services while ostensibly decriminalizing its sale.

    In practice, the model keeps paid sex in the shadows, where workers face ongoing risks, limited negotiating power and barriers to reporting abuse or working in safer indoor settings. What’s being protected isn’t sex workers, but a puritanical social order.



    Read more:
    Sex workers are left out in the cold by Ottawa’s unjust conviction amendments

    This puritanical approach also underpins the newly criminalized status of clients. In my chapter “From Average Joe to Deviant John,” I trace how western attitudes toward men who pay for sex evolved from a “boys will be boys” tolerance to a framework that pathologizes and vilifies them.

    Paying For It resists this framing. The film presents Chester as awkward but principled: a considerate client navigating desire in a criminalized and judgmental culture.

    The price of choosing love freely

    Paying For It offers an alternative kind of love story. It spotlights a relationship where former lovers honour the heart (their continued commitment to one another), the body (respecting each other’s sexual autonomy) and the mind (their willingness to question social norms).

    In this way, the film redefines “paying for it” not as a burden but as a conscious and liberating investment in diverse forms of love and intimacy.

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

    – ref. In ‘Paying For It,’ ex-lovers reimagine friendship, family and the meaning of sex work – https://theconversation.com/in-paying-for-it-ex-lovers-reimagine-friendship-family-and-the-meaning-of-sex-work-255294

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/HOLY LAND – Time wasted between betrayed promises of peace and massacres of innocents

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    photo UNRWA

    by Father Ibrahim Faltas, ofm*Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) – “In Gaza, children, families, and the surviving elderly are reduced to starvation.” With these words, Pope Leo XIV recalled the suffering in Gaza during Sunday’s Regina Caeli in St. Peter’s Square, packed with faithful and in the presence of Heads of State, government leaders, and representatives of numerous countries around the world.Earlier, in his homily, the Holy Father had emphasized that love and unity are the starting point of the mission entrusted by Jesus to Peter. Leo XIV shows us the way: the defense of life, both physical and spiritual, is born from love and unity.In the Holy Land, life remains suspended between betrayed promises of peace and the certainty of death. It is not unforeseeable events or natural disasters that cause this suffering, but rather unscrupulous human hands and minds.In Gaza, 950 children have died in the last month alone. Since the beginning of the war, the death toll has risen to more than 20,000. It is estimated that one million children lack food, medical care, and education.The suffering of the children of the Holy Land moves and saddens the Holy Father, as well as all those who value the life and future of humanity. All the children of this land suffer: Palestinians, Israelis, Lebanese, Syrians, Muslims, Christians, Jews. All are marked by profound physical and moral traumas. The pain of childhood is profound, it leaves deep scars. I know children in the Holy Land who can no longer smile, play, or even eat, because they suffer for their peers in Gaza.Those who have suffered hunger will not forget it: the lack of food leaves a wound of humiliation that persists even when they have food. It will also take a long time to heal the physical wounds and restore serenity to those who have suffered.While children suffer, weapons continue to kill, aid fails to cross the border, and no one can find a solution to stop the violence. The Holy Father suffers for Gaza and reaffirms that love and unity are the missionary commitment of the People of God. The powerful of the Earth have heard, directly, his firm and simple, humble and determined message: love for humanity, unity in the search for peace.Let us not waste time, so as not to lose the possibility of saving lives and the possibility of giving hope to lives. Time is precious. Whoever does not stop violence wastes time without love. (Agenzia Fides, 20/5/2025)*Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ancient pollen reveals stories about Earth’s history, from the asteroid strike that killed the dinosaurs to the Mayan collapse

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Francisca Oboh Ikuenobe, Professor of Geology and Geophysics, Missouri University of Science and Technology

    An electron microscope image, colorized, shows different structures of pollen grains, including sunflower, morning glory and primrose. Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility

    If you are sneezing this spring, you are not alone. Every year, plants release billions of pollen grains into the air, specks of male reproductive material that many of us notice only when we get watery eyes and runny noses.

    However, pollen grains are far more than allergens – they are nature’s time capsules, preserving clues about Earth’s past environments for millions of years.

    Pollen’s tough outer shell enables it to survive long after its parent plants have disappeared. When pollen grains become trapped in sediments at the bottom of lakes, oceans and riverbeds, fossil pollen can provide scientists with a unique history of the environments those pollen-producing plants were born into. They can tell us about the vegetation, climate and even human activity through time.

    Fossil pollen grains of Carya (hickory) have been found in southeastern Missouri that are millions of years old.
    Francisca Oboh Ikuenobe

    The types of pollen and the quantities of pollen grains found at a site help researchers reconstruct ancient forests, track sea-level changes and identify the fingerprints of significant events, such as asteroid impacts or civilizations collapsing.

    As palynologists, we study these ancient pollen fossils around the world. Here are a few examples of what we can learn from these microscopic pollen grains.

    Missouri: Pollen and the asteroid

    When an asteroid struck Earth some 66 million years ago, the one blamed for wiping out the dinosaurs, it is believed to have sent a tidal wave crashing onto North America.

    Marine fossils and rock fragments found in southeastern Missouri appear to have been deposited there by a massive wave generated by the asteroid hitting what is now Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

    Among the rocks and marine fossils, scientists have found fossilized pollen from the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleocene periods that reflects changes in the surrounding ecosystems. The pollen reveals how ecosystems were instantly disrupted at the time of the asteroid, before gradually rebounding over hundreds to thousands of years.

    A University of Michigan-led study using data from the Chicxulub asteroid impact crater modeled how far the resulting tsunami likely would have reached. Ancient pollen grains and marine fossils found in southeastern Missouri and analyzed by scientists at the Missouri University of Science and Technology offer hard evidence of the flooding.
    Molly M. Range, et al., 2022, CC BY

    Pollen from gymnosperms, such as pines, as well as ferns and flowering plants, such as grasses, herbs and palm trees, all record a clear pattern: Some forest pollen disappeared after the impact, suggesting that the regions’ vegetation changed. Then the pollen slowly began to reemerge as the environment stabilized.

    US Gulf Coast: Sequoia pollen and sea-level rise

    Fossilized pollen grains have also helped scientists trace slower but equally dramatic changes along the eastern Gulf Coast states of Mississippi and Alabama.

    During the Early Oligocene, around 33.9 to 28 million years ago, sea levels rose and flooded low-lying conifer forests in the region. Researchers identified a distinct change in pollen released by Sequoia-type trees, giant conifers that once dominated the coastal plains.

    Scientists have been able to use those pollen records to reconstruct how far the shoreline moved inland by tracking the proportion of pollen grains in the geologic record to the rise of marine microfossils.

    The evidence shows how the sea flooded land ecosystems hundreds of miles from today’s coast. Pollen is a biological marker and geographic tracer of this ancient change.

    Western Australia: From swamp to salinity

    In Western Australia, sediment cores from the beds of Lake Aerodrome, Gastropod Lake and Prado Lake reveal how long-term drying can change the ecology of a region.

    During the Eocene, a period from about 55.8 million to 33.9 million years ago, lush swamp forests surrounded freshwater lakes there. That’s reflected by abundant pollen from tropical trees and moisture-loving shrubs and fern spores at that time. However, vegetation changed dramatically as the Australian tectonic plate drifted northward and the climate became more arid.

    The upper layers of the sediment cores, which capture more recent times, contain pollen mostly from wind-pollinated, salt- and drought-tolerant plants – evidence of shifting vegetation under growing environmental stress.

    Magnified images of fossil pollen studied in Australia. Clockwise from upper left, they are pollen from acacia, aglaonema and eucalyptus.
    Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe

    The presence of Dunaliella, a green alga that thrives in very salty water, alongside sparse pollen from plants that could survive dry environments, confirms that lakes that once supported forests became highly saline.

    Guatemala: Maya history and forest recovery

    Closer to the tropics, Lake Izabal in Guatemala offers a more recent archive spanning the past 1,300 years. This sediment record reflects both natural climate variation and the profound impact of human land use, especially during the rise and fall of the Maya civilization.

    Around 1,125 to 1,200 years ago, pollen from crops such as maize and opportunistic herbs surged, at the same time tree pollen dropped, reflecting widespread deforestation. Historical records show political centers in the region collapsed not long afterward.

    Quiriguá was an ancient Mayan city near Lake Izabal, where pollen studies show the rise in deforestation and the recovery. Quiriguá began to decline in the ninth century and was eventually abandoned.
    Daniel Mennerich/Flickr, CC BY-SA

    Only after population pressure eased did the forest begin to recover. Pollen from hardwood tropical trees increased, indicating vegetation rebounded even as rainfall declined during the Little Ice Age between the 14th and mid-19th centuries.

    The fossil pollen shows how ancient societies transformed their landscapes, and how ecosystems responded, providing more evidence and explanations for other historical accounts.

    Modern pollen tells a story, too

    These studies relied on analyzing fossil pollen grains based on their shapes, surface features and wall structures. By counting grains – hundreds to thousands per sample – scientists can statistically build pictures of ancient vegetation, the species present, their abundances, and how the composition of each shifted with the climate, sea-level changes or human activity.

    This is why modern pollen also tells a story. As today’s climate warms, the behavior of pollen-producing plants is changing. In temperate regions such as the U.S., pollen seasons start earlier and last longer due to warming temperatures and rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from vehicles, factories and other human activities.

    All of that is being recorded in the fossil pollen record in the sediment layers at the bottoms of lakes around the world.

    So, the next time you suffer from allergies, remember that the tiny grains floating in the air are biological time capsules that may one day tell future inhabitants about Earth’s environmental changes.

    Francisca Oboh Ikuenobe receives funding from the National Science Foundation, American Chemical Society-Petroleum Research Fund, and International Continental Scientific Drilling Program. She is affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Geophysical Union Geological Society of America, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Association for Women Geoscientists, Geological Society of Nigeria, AASP – The Palynological Society, SEPM – Society for Sedimentary Geology, and The Paleontological Society.

    Linus Victor Anyanna receives research support from the National Science Foundation. He is a member of the Geological Society of America, AASP-The Palynological Society, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and the Geological Society of Nigeria.

    – ref. Ancient pollen reveals stories about Earth’s history, from the asteroid strike that killed the dinosaurs to the Mayan collapse – https://theconversation.com/ancient-pollen-reveals-stories-about-earths-history-from-the-asteroid-strike-that-killed-the-dinosaurs-to-the-mayan-collapse-254190

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 21, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Duos Technologies Appoints Retired Brigadier General Craig Nixon as Chairman of the Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (“Duos” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: DUOT), today announced the appointment of Brigadier General (Ret.) James Craig Nixon as the new Chairman of its Board of Directors, effective immediately.

    Brigadier General Nixon succeeds Kenneth Ehrman, who has served as Chairman since 2020. Mr. Ehrman stepped down from the Board to focus on the continued growth of Halo Collar, a leading provider of smart pet safety solutions. Duos sincerely appreciates his leadership and contributions during a pivotal period in the Company’s development.

    “We are honored to welcome Brigadier General Craig Nixon as our new Chairman,” said Chuck Ferry, CEO of Duos. “Craig brings a distinguished track record of leadership and operational excellence from both the military and private sectors. His strategic mindset and business acumen will be invaluable as we continue scaling our data infrastructure and energy businesses alongside our established AI technology platforms. We are equally grateful to Kenneth Ehrman for his leadership and support during a pivotal phase in Duos’ growth, and we wish him continued success with Halo Collar.”

    Brigadier General Nixon is a decorated special operations veteran with over 29 years of military service, including seven tours in elite units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Following his retirement in 2011, he transitioned into business leadership, serving as CEO of ACADEMI and later building Constellis Group into a global leader in security and training with over $1 billion in annual revenue.

    In addition to his military and executive career, Nixon was one of the founding partners of the McChrystal Group, a leadership consultancy, and currently serves as CEO of Nixon Six Solutions, a growth and strategy advisory firm. He is also a board member and advisor to multiple government and technology organizations and a recognized speaker on geopolitics, leadership, and veterans’ issues.

    “I’m honored to step into the role of Chairman at such a transformational time in Duos’ journey,” said Nixon. “The Company’s expansion into critical infrastructure sectors like edge data centers and power generations, coupled with its deep foundation in AI and machine vision, positions it for long-term opportunities. I look forward to supporting Chuck and the entire Duos team as we build on this momentum.”

    Nixon is a graduate of Auburn University, holds two master’s degrees in military art and science and strategic studies, and was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame. He brings a unique combination of decorated military service, entrepreneurial success, and board governance experience to the Company.

    About Duos Technologies Group, Inc.
    Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DUOT), based in Jacksonville, Florida, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Duos Technologies, Inc., Duos Edge AI, Inc., and Duos Energy Corporation, designs, develops, deploys and operates intelligent technology solutions for Machine Vision and Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) applications including real-time analysis of fast-moving vehicles, Edge Data Centers and power consulting. For more information, visit www.duostech.com , www.duosedge.ai and www.duosenergycorp.com.

    Forward- Looking Statements
    This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding, among other things our plans, strategies and prospects — both business and financial. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “will,” “may,” “intend,” “estimated,” and “potential,” among others. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make in this news release include market conditions and those set forth in reports or documents that we file from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements attributable to Duos Technologies Group, Inc. or a person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary language.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4bffaa21-c5a2-4fc8-9655-e641c3c76852

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

    May 21, 2025
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