NewzIntel.com

Category: Vehicles

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Western Cape Government alarmed by 18 road fatalities in one week

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Western Cape Provincial Government has expressed deep concern over the latest statistics regarding road safety in the province for the period between 29 April and 4 May 2025.

    During this time, 16 fatal crashes resulted in the tragic loss of 18 lives, highlighting the severe consequences of reckless and negligent driving.

    According to the province, a total of 267 speeding violations were recorded. Some of the highest speeds recorded included 163 km/h in a 120 km/h zone, 139 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, 124 km/h in an 80 km/h zone, 114 km/h in a 70 km/h zone, and 104 km/h in a 60 km/h zone.

    “These shocking speeds not only endanger the lives of drivers, but also those of passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists. 

    “Speeding increases the likelihood of losing control of a vehicle, reduces the effectiveness of protective equipment, and increases stopping distances, ultimately raising the risk and severity of incidents,” the statement read. 

    In the past week, the Western Cape’s Provincial Traffic Services carried out 238 integrated operations, which included roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and speed control initiatives.

    During these operations, more than 36 000 vehicles were stopped and inspected, with over 8 000 fines issued for various violations, and 128 arrests made.

    “Notably, 86 of these arrests were for driving under the influence of alcohol, further compounding the danger on our roads.”

    The Western Cape Mobility Department urged all road users to take personal responsibility for road safety. 

    The provincial department believes that many crashes and fatalities recorded are preventable and stem from poor driving decisions, including excessive speed, driving under the influence, and ignoring basic road rules.

    “In the past week, 16 crashes could have been avoided, and 18 lives could have been saved. These statistics should not just shock us, they should spur us into action. The truth is that too many of these incidents are due to human error and a disregard for rules that are intended to protect us all. 

    “We each have the power to help prevent crashes and save lives,” said Western Cape Mobility Department’s Head of Communication, Muneera Allie.

    The provincial government said it remains committed to enforcement, education, and interventions to improve road safety. 

    “The success of these efforts depends on every single road user doing their part.

    “Let’s work together to make our roads safer, for our families, our friends, our communities. Every life matters.”

    Tips to avoid speeding:

    •    Plan your journey and allow extra time to reach your destination.

    •    Pay attention to speed limit signs and road conditions.

    •    Avoid distractions and stay focused on the road.

    •    Be mindful of weather and traffic, adjust your speed accordingly. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Police find human remains suspected to be of missing journalist and partner

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Thursday, May 8, 2025

    The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, has confirmed that the police have found human remains in an open veld in the KwaMhlanga area in Mpumalanga. 

    Police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, said DNA testing will be conducted to ascertain if they belong to missing Pretoria-based journalist and his partner. 

    “The area where the remains were found was pointed out by suspects as an area where they left the pair,” said Mathe on Thursday.

    The couple had been missing since 18 February 2025.

    On Sunday, a cross-province operation involving Gauteng and Mpumalanga police — led by the Deputy National Commissioner of Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya and the Acting Provincial Commissioner of Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph MKhwanazi — led to the questioning and subsequent arrests of four suspects.

    The first suspect, according to investigations, is said to have been the last in the company of the missing couple.

    The second, third and fourth suspects were found with different vehicle parts believed to be that of Ndlovu. 

    One of those arrested is said to be a mechanic who builds and fixes cars in KwaMhlanga.

    Two of the Volkswagen Citi Golfs that were found in the possession of the suspects have been seized. – SAnews.govza 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PDS Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years for Gun Battle in Southeast Washington Neighborhood

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    WASHINGTON –  Isjalon Jermiah Armstead, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison in connection with a June 2023 shootout in a residential neighborhood in Southeast.

    The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

    Armstead, aka “Smaut,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit street crew. He pleaded guilty Jan. 30, 2025, to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the 120-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy B. Jackson ordered Armstead to serve four years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, on June 5, 2023, Armstead was in possession of a half-pound of marijuana and intended to sell it. About 3:15 p.m., Armstead — who was seated in the front passenger seat of a 2005 Nissan Altima near the intersection of Third and Atlantic Streets, SE — engaged in a gun battle with the driver of another car. During the shootout, Armstead fired a .300 caliber AR-Pistol from the passenger seat before the Altima he was riding in became disabled and crashed through a fence and stopped in a grassy area next to an apartment building on Atlantic Street.   

    Armstead, who suffered bullet wounds to his wrist and chest during the shootout, and the driver of the vehicle both fled on foot through a wooded area between Atlantic Street and Valley Avenue, stopping to discard the AR-Pistol in a trash receptacle. Responding MPD officers apprehended Armstead about 3:18 p.m. at the intersection of Fourth Street and Valley Avenue, SE, retraced Armstead’s steps, and found the AR-Pistol which was later determined to have Armstead’s DNA on it.

    According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, SE, and operated an open-air drug market outside a market. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang. The combined gang also conspired to carry firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom they had “beefs.”

    This sentence is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 26 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Task Force, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.

    23cr379

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM remarks on the UK’s landmark economic deal with the US: Thursday 8 May

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    PM remarks on the UK’s landmark economic deal with the US: Thursday 8 May

    Prime Minister’s remarks that he delivered at Jaguar Land Rover today (Thursday 8 May) on the UK agreeing a landmark economic deal with the United States.

    Just a few moments ago, I spoke to President Trump, the President of the United States.

    And I am really pleased to announce to you, and I wanted to come to you to announce it, that we have agreed the basis of an historic Economic Prosperity Deal.

    That is a deal will protect British businesses and save thousands of jobs in Britain, really important, skilled, well-paid jobs.

    It will remove tariffs on British steel and aluminium, reducing them to zero.

    It will provide vital assurances for our life sciences sector, so important to our economy and grant unprecedented market access for British farmers without compromising our high standards.

    And for the great British cars that you make here, that we see all around us, this deal means that US tariffs will now be cut from 27.5% to 10% for 100,000 vehicles every year, that’s a huge and important reduction.

    And I know from when I was last here, how much that will have been weighing on your minds when you knew the size of the tariffs that would otherwise be in place. 

    To get that decrease was hugely important to me and I can tell you my teams were working really hard on this deal night and day for weeks. I was working with them.

    And in politics what matters sometimes is who you have in your mind’s eye when you are making these deals, who do you have in your mind’s eye when you are taking decisions. 

    What I took away from here last time was you and the brilliant work that you do and had you in my mind’s eye as we did that. 

    We have scope to increase that quota as we go forward, this is not fixed, this is where we have got to. 

    And all of these tariff cuts will come into place as soon as possible and that’s really important in relation as well to the work that you are doing, and the brilliant cars that you make.

    And as Adrian has said I was here with you just a few weeks ago and I promised you that I would deliver in the national interest.

    And today I am really pleased to come back here, to be able to look you in the eye and say I have delivered on the promise I made to you. 

    And that’s why as soon as I knew this deal was coming in today, I said I want to come back to JLR to talk to the workforce there, for whom this means so such. 

    Now of course we are the first country to secure such a deal with the United States.

    In an era of global instability that is so important. The great challenge of our age is to secure and renew Britain. 

    And that is what we are going to do.  

    Acting in the national interest.

    Shaping this new era – not being shaped by it.

    If it’s not good for Britain, we won’t do it.

    If it doesn’t mean more money in people’s pockets, we won’t do it.

    If it doesn’t mean security and renewal in every part of the country – we won’t do it.

    But that doesn’t mean we’re turning inward. 

    Instead, we are sending a message to the world that Britain is open for business – seeking trade agreements with India on Tuesday, with the US today, and working to boost trade with other partners too – including of course the EU with who we have an important meeting just a week on Monday. 

    Making deals that will benefit working people.

    You know – in recent years an idea has taken hold that you show strength by rejecting your allies. 

    That you shut the door, put the phone down, storm off. I’ve had plenty of people urging me to do that rather than stay in the room and fight for the interests of our country. 

    I want to be absolutely crystal clear – that is not how this Government operates. It is never how this Government operates. We don’t storm off, we stay in the room, and we negotiate, and we work for our country with the national interest at the foremost of our mind. 

    Because the other way of working doesn’t deliver the benefits that working people need.

    And so I also want to be clear – this is just the start.

    With the deal we have done today we can say: jobs saved. Jobs won. But not job done. 

    Because we are more ambitious for what the UK and US can do together.

    So we are hammering out further details to reduce barriers to trade with the United States across the board.

    We have £1.5 trillion invested in each other’s economies, creating 2.5 million jobs across both countries.

    There are so many areas where I think we can even more than that and put more pounds in the pockets of working people across the United Kingdom.

    As the two biggest services exporters in the world, we will work to bring down barriers, creating jobs in our thriving services sectors – in Leeds, in Manchester, London and Birmingham.

    As the only two western nations with trillion-dollar tech sectors we will go further to deepen our partnership in new technologies to shape the innovations of this century together and create the jobs of the future. 

    Because, look – our history shows what we can achieve when we work together.

    And what timing for this deal, that we have agreed this deal on VE Day.  

    80 years ago, today Churchill was addressing the nation at the end of the Second World War. Victory in Europe. 

    And we were standing the United Kingdom with the United States on defence and security. For 80 years we have been the closest of partners, and today we have added to that trade and the economy in the special relationship between us. 

    Defined by peace and economic prosperity. 

    So, it is fitting today that we renew the bond on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: If talks with the US fail, the EU plans to impose duties on US goods worth 95 billion euros and initiate proceedings in the WTO

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BRUSSELS, May 8 (Xinhua) — The European Commission has launched a public consultation on a list of imported U.S. goods worth 95 billion euros (107.2 billion U.S. dollars), warning that they could be the target of retaliatory measures if ongoing talks with the United States fail to produce an agreement, it said in a statement on Thursday.

    The consultations cover a wide range of U.S. industrial and agricultural products, including wine, frozen meats, aircraft, automobiles and auto parts, chemicals, medical products, electrical equipment and machinery.

    In parallel, the European Union is considering the possibility of introducing new restrictions on the export of goods such as scrap steel and chemical products to the United States, worth 4.4 billion euros.

    The U.S. currently imposes 25 percent tariffs on steel, aluminum and cars on the EU, as well as basic 10 percent tariffs on most other goods. The EU is bracing for a possible end to a 90-day “tariff truce” that expires on July 8. If no agreement is reached, the U.S. universal tariffs could rise to 20 percent.

    The European Commission said consultations on retaliatory measures were underway on both the US universal tariffs and the US tariffs on cars and auto parts.

    In the case of a WTO dispute, after the EU formally requests consultations, the parties will have up to two months to reach a mutually acceptable solution. If no agreement is reached, the EU may request the creation of a dispute resolution panel to issue a ruling. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: More Mammograms Mean Better Support for Women and Faster Access to Care

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 8, 2025

    Regina and Saskatoon breast screening locations have each added another mammography machine to their fleet, allowing more clients to receive screening mammograms in a timely way.  

    The new equipment – operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) – plays a vital role in enabling access to screening mammograms for those currently eligible and the many new individuals who will become eligible this year and in 2026. 

    “The combination of these capital investments and efforts by our dedicated health care teams have allowed us to make strides in providing Saskatchewan patients with timely access to breast screening and diagnostics,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “We appreciate ongoing work by the SHA and Saskatchewan Cancer Agency to improve breast health services in our province. Thank you to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan for their fundraising efforts to purchase additional equipment to increase capacity for screening.”

    “The additional equipment at SHA Breast Screening locations in Saskatoon and Regina will enable us to provide timely access to breast screening services and support the expansion of the breast screening age to patients aged 40 years and older,” SHA Medical Imaging Executive Director Richard Dagenais said. “We are profoundly grateful to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan, and their generous donors, for their ongoing partnership and support.” 

    The two new machines are the result of strong fundraising efforts by the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan to improve access to breast screening. More than $2 million has already been raised as part of this campaign, which will also see new and additional mobile mammography vehicles on the road for the screening program, now called BreastCheck.

    “It is thanks to our generous donors that we can ensure this vital new equipment will be available for Saskatchewan women,” Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan CEO Nora Yeates said. “We especially thank PTI Transformers Inc. whose incredible gift of $1 million made these two new digital mammography machines possible.”

    BreastCheck is intended for healthy women aged 47 and older who experience no breast health concerns like lumps, discharge or skin changes. Breast screening is done entirely in Saskatchewan at eight locations across the province and from the mobile mammography bus. No referral is needed to access screening services. 

    To learn more about donating to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan’s campaign for breast cancer screening equipment, visit: cancerfoundationsask.ca/donate.

    To find a breast screening location near you and schedule a screening mammogram, visit the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency online at SaskCancer.ca/BreastCheck or call 

    toll-free at 1-855-584-8228.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: MiddleGround Capital Completes Add-On for Xtrac with Acquisition of Zoerkler

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEXINGTON, Ky., May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MiddleGround Capital (“MiddleGround”), an operationally focused private equity firm that makes control investments in North American and European headquartered middle-market B2B industrial and specialty distribution companies, today announced that it has acquired Zoerkler GmbH & Co KG (“Zoerkler” or “the Company”), an Austria-based manufacturer and supplier of high-performance transmission components for the aerospace & defense, automotive, rail, and industrial industries. Zoerkler will be integrated into MiddleGround’s portfolio company, Xtrac, a leading designer, manufacturer, and supplier of high-performance transmissions and mechatronics for top-level professional motorsport and specialist high-performance automotive applications.

    Headquartered in Jois, Austria, Zoerkler is a leading manufacturer of gearing solutions and transmission systems specializing in high-performance applications serving industrial and mobility end-markets, including motorsport, automotive, aerospace & defense, agriculture, and rail. Zoerkler’s capabilities span the entire value chain, with an emphasis on R&D and prototyping activities that allow small-series production with high-batch-size spare parts to serve customers in short lead times that are best-in-class for the industry.

    “We’re very excited to welcome the Zoerkler team to the Xtrac platform. Zoerkler is well-established and highly regarded in the industry and offers a unique opportunity to bring a complementary transmission and drivetrain component specialist to our portfolio,” said John Stewart, Founding and Managing Partner of MiddleGround. “This acquisition underscores our commitment to partnering with leading technology and engineering companies aligned with our Mobility Thesis. Further, Zoerkler brings attractive end-market diversification to our Xtrac platform, allowing us to unlock new segments and customer demand, expand our high-performance engineering expertise into aerospace & defense, and other segments, and augment Xtrac’s long-term growth potential.”

    As a trusted partner of several blue-chip customers for high-quality components, including Leonardo, Safran, Mercedes AMG, Porsche, Honda and Comer Industries, Zoerkler has established a meaningful network which will enhance Xtrac’s product line and expand its offerings into highly attractive markets, whilst ensuring focus on serving long standing core motorsport and high performance automotive customers. The company’s production capabilities complement Xtrac’s, and its world-class manufacturing quality will unlock existing demand from both current and new motorsport and high-performance automotive customers. Further, Zoerkler’s additional machining capacity will facilitate higher production volumes and new programs across the Xtrac platform.

    “For over 100 years, Zoerkler has been recognized for superior quality and innovation in developing and producing premium drive systems,” said Bernhard Wagner, CEO at Zoerkler. “Joining forces with a cutting edge, market-leading brand like Xtrac will create new engineering and manufacturing synergies for both businesses. Additionally, MiddleGround’s operational expertise, combined with their support of our core values of quality, precision, reliability, and safety, makes them an ideal partner as we enter this next phase of growth.”

    “Adding Zoerkler to the Xtrac platform is highly exciting. As well as providing additional capacity and an established presence within Europe, the addition of Zoerkler will bring new products, precision manufacturing capacity, and an established aerospace presence, allowing us to better serve the complex needs of our customers,” said Adrian Moore, CEO at Xtrac. “Zoerkler’s unwavering commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction perfectly aligns with our mission, which prioritizes R&D, technological advancements, and the continuous development of our team, with exceptional customer service.”

    With the acquisition of Zoerkler, MiddleGround is further building on its extensive experience in electric drive systems manufacturing and the powersports aftermarket segments. Having already invested in Helix, a leading designer and manufacturer of the world’s most power-dense electric motors and inverters, and New Eagle, a leading provider of proprietary hardware and software technology solutions that are mission-critical for the development of mechanical control systems for a variety of applications, including autonomous and electric vehicles, MiddleGround continues to expand its portfolio of companies within the mobility sector.

    About Zoerkler GmbH & Co KG
    Headquartered in Jois, Burgenland, AT, Zoerkler is a leading manufacturing company specializing in high-performance drive systems for the aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors. Founded more than 120 years ago, the firm is family-owned and owner-managed. They are guided by the principle “the spirit of precision”, and pay attention to quality, precision, reliability and safety in products as well as actions. Zoerkler is a reliable partner for companies worldwide in the development and production of high-quality drive systems. With expertise spanning the entire development process—from design and prototyping to series production—Zoerkler delivers customized solutions that meet the highest industry standards. For more information, please visit http://www.zoerkler.at.

    About Xtrac
    Based in Berkshire in the UK and Indiana and North Carolina in the US, Xtrac is a prominent ambassador for the UK’s world-renowned motorsport industry.

    Established in 1984, the company employs around 500 highly qualified employees, including those trained through Xtrac’s award-winning apprentice and undergraduate schemes to work on global customer programmes, supplying world-class transmission and driveline products, including gearboxes, differentials, and gearchange systems. It exports around 70 per cent of its manufacturing output to Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, and the US.

    Xtrac works mainly with the high-performance automotive sector alongside its traditional heartland of the motorsport industry. Customers of its high-performance automotive and motorsport business sectors rely on its specialist expertise, augmented by the company’s substantial investment in research and innovation supported by advanced design, engineering and manufacturing resources.

    For further information, please visit www.xtrac.com.

    About MiddleGround Capital
    MiddleGround Capital is a private equity firm based in Lexington, Kentucky with over $3.85 billion of assets under management. MiddleGround makes control equity investments in middle market B2B industrial and specialty distribution businesses. MiddleGround works with its portfolio companies to create value through a hands-on operational approach and partners with its management teams to support long-term growth strategies. For more information, please visit: https://middleground.com/.

    MiddleGround Capital Media Contacts
    Doug Allen/Maya Hanowitz
    Dukas Linden Public Relations
    MiddleGround@dlpr.com
    +1 (646) 722-6530

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark Economic Deal with US saves thousands of jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Landmark Economic Deal with US saves thousands of jobs

    Today the UK and US has agreed a landmark economic deal which will save thousands of jobs for British carmakers and steel industry

    • Britain secures the first US trade deal protecting British business and British jobs, the second landmark deal in Britain’s national interest in a matter of days following the India deal
    • Prime Minister delivers on his promise to save UK steel and British car makers – saving thousands of jobs across the country
    • US tariffs on automotives immediately slashed from 27.5%, with steel and aluminium reduced to zero
    • Unprecedented market access for British farmers with protections on food standards maintained 

    Thousands of jobs have been saved as the Prime Minister secured a first-of-a-kind trade agreement with the US.

    It is the second major trade announcement this week – following the India Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday, this historic agreement with the US to slash tariffs delivers for UK carmakers, steelworks and farmers – protecting jobs and providing stability for exporters. 

    Car export tariffs will reduce from 27.5% to 10% – saving hundreds of millions a year for Jaguar Land Rover alone. This will apply to a quota of 100,000 UK cars, almost the total the UK exported last year. 

    The Prime Minister visited Jaguar Land Rover last month announcing greater freedom for car manufacturers to back British industry in the face of global headwinds. During this visit he told workers he would accelerate trade deals to protect their jobs, their livelihoods, and to champion British business worldwide. 

    The UK steel industry – which was on the brink of collapse just weeks ago – will no longer face tariffs thanks to today’s deal. The Prime Minister negotiated the 25% tariff down to zero, meaning UK steelmakers can carry on exporting to the US. This follows last month’s intervention from the Prime Minister to take control of British Steel to save thousands of jobs in Scunthorpe.

    In a win for both nations, we have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef – with UK farmers given a tariff free quota for 13,000 metric tonnes. There will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports. 

    We will also remove the tariff on ethanol – which is used to produce beer – coming into the UK from the US, down to zero. 

    It is one of many international deals that the Government is landing to boost our economy – following an Indian trade deal which will add £4.8 billion to the UK economy and £2.2 billion in wages every year.

    Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

    “The new global era demands a government that steps up, not stands aside. 

    “This historic deal delivers for British business and British workers protecting thousands of British jobs in key sectors including car manufacturing and steel. 

    “My government has put Britain at the front of the queue because we want to work constructively with allies for mutual benefit rather than turning our back on the world.

    “As VE Day reminds us, the UK has no greater ally than the United States, so I am delighted that eight decades on, under President Trump the special relationship remains a force for economic and national security. 

    “This is jobs saved, jobs won but not job done and our teams will continue to work to build on this agreement. 

    “My Government is determined to go further and faster to strengthen the UK’s economy, putting more money in working people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.”

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    “I am delighted our calm approach and proactive engagement with the US has resulted in this deal which cuts tariffs for UK industry and cuts costs for businesses.

    “Businesses across the country will be glad to see our approach working, but this is only the beginning. We look forward to strengthening our trading relationship with the US through a wider economic deal, which will help us to deliver on our Plan for Change to provide economic stability and make this country fit for the future.”

    Adrian Mardell, Chief Executive Officer, JLR said:  

    “The car industry is vital to the UK’s economic prosperity, sustaining 250,000 jobs. We warmly welcome this deal which secures greater certainty for our sector and the communities it supports. We would like to thank the UK and US Governments for agreeing this deal at pace and look forward to continued engagement over the coming months.”

    Work will continue on the remaining sectors – such as pharmaceuticals and remaining reciprocal tariffs. But – in an important move – the US has agreed that the UK will get preferential treatment in any further tariffs imposed as part of Section 232 investigations. The deal opens the way to a future UK US technology partnership through which our science-rich nations will collaborate in key areas of advanced technology, for example biotech, life sciences, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, aerospace and space. 

    The Digital Services Tax remains unchanged as part of today’s deal. Instead the two nations have agreed to work on a digital trade deal that will strip back paperwork for British firms trying to export to the US – opening the UK up to a huge market that will put rocket boosters on the UK economy.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RI Delegation Announces Unfrozen Federal Transportation Funding

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo today announced that the Trump administration unfroze $251 million in previously announced federal funding to support critical transportation projects across Rhode Island’s I-95 corridor.

    “Transportation investment should be driven by need and merit – not partisanship.  The Trump Administration is legally required to provide these funds — which were authorized and appropriated by Congress and awarded by the previous administration – and never should have been frozen in the first place.  We’re talking about overdue, needed upgrades and maintenance to bridges along our interstate highway system.  We have seen the exponential cost of allowing bridges to fail,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.  “I appreciate Senator Whitehouse’s bipartisan efforts at EPW and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for approaching this issue with commonsense and reaching the right decision. Going forward, the Trump Administration needs to work with Congress and states to wisely invest in our infrastructure, enhance the safety and reliability of our transportation network, and strengthen our economy.”

    “Through the Environment and Public Works Committee, I have successfully pushed to release significant funds for major Rhode Island infrastructure projects.  Chair Capito has helped me, and I am grateful for her effort and support.  As a result, USDOT is freeing a quarter billion dollars we had secured for the I-95 bridge repairs on top of our previously announced $221 million emergency Washington Bridge funding,” said Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.  “That’s more than half a billion dollars kicked loose for Rhode Island infrastructure.  I’ll continue pressing to free and secure federal funding for Rhode Island’s job-creating infrastructure investments.”

    “This funding will improve safety and commute times for thousands of Rhode Islanders every day,” said Magaziner.  “Along with the rest of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, I will continue to advocate for our state to get our share of federal funding to improve our infrastructure and quality of life.” 

    “I’m thrilled that our state will be receiving federal infrastructure funds that we helped secure for critical upgrades in the Ocean State,” said Amo.  “As we continue to translate these federal dollars into improvements to better connect communities in Rhode Island, I look forward to working in close coordination with our delegation, state, local, and federal partners, to deliver safe, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure for generations to come.”

    The most recent unfrozen federal funding includes $251.1 million for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to address the condition of 15 bridges located along nearly 10 miles of National Highway System pavement.  These bridges provide key neighborhood connections throughout the cities of Providence and Cranston, and also serve 180,000 vehicles daily, including roughly 9,000 truck and heavy freight vehicles.  This federal funding will allow RIDOT to take a major step in addressing the I-95 corridor holistically while maintaining the safe and efficient movement of freight and multimodal users to arterial roads carried over interstates.  RIDOT plans call for replacing 11 bridges and eliminating four.  The project will improve vertical clearances on I-95 and reduce bridge strikes.

    The federal funds will flow to Rhode Island through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program (BIP).  Senators Reed and Whitehouse helped create BIP in 2021 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided federal funding for bridge replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, and protection with the goal of improving safety, efficiency, and reliability.

    An additional $549,770 will be unfrozen for the City of East Providence to support the City’s traffic circulation improvements project.

    In late March, the delegation announced significant progress to unfreeze federal funding for reconstruction of the westbound Washington Bridge, as the state gained access to the first $30 million wave of funds from over $220.9 million in federal grants for the Interstate-195 Washington Bridge, which has been partially closed since December 2023 due to a catastrophic failure.

     On a national level, the American Society of Engineers’ most recent report found that underinvestment in infrastructure could cost American households and businesses nearly $2 trillion over 20 years, or as much as $625 per household per year. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark economic deal with United States saves thousands of jobs for British car makers and steel industry

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Landmark economic deal with United States saves thousands of jobs for British car makers and steel industry

    Thousands of jobs have been saved as the Prime Minister secured a first-of-a-kind trade agreement with the US.

    • Britain secures the first US trade deal protecting British business and British jobs, the second landmark deal in Britain’s national interest in a matter of days following the India deal
    • Prime Minister delivers on his promise to save UK steel and British car makers – saving thousands of jobs across the country
    • US tariffs on automotives immediately slashed from 27.5%, with steel and aluminium reduced to zero
    • Unprecedented market access for British farmers with protections on food standards maintained

    Thousands of jobs have been saved as the Prime Minister secured a first-of-a-kind trade agreement with the US.

    It is the second major trade announcement this week – following the India Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday, this historic agreement with the US to slash tariffs delivers for UK carmakers, steelworks and farmers – protecting jobs and providing stability for exporters. 

    Car export tariffs will reduce from 27.5% to 10% – saving hundreds of millions a year for Jaguar Land Rover alone. This will apply to a quota of 100,000 UK cars, almost the total the UK exported last year. 

    The Prime Minister visited Jaguar Land Rover last month announcing greater freedom for car manufacturers to back British industry in the face of global headwinds. During this visit he told workers he would accelerate trade deals to protect their jobs, their livelihoods, and to champion British business worldwide. 

    The UK steel industry – which was on the brink of collapse just weeks ago – will no longer face tariffs thanks to today’s deal. The Prime Minister negotiated the 25% tariff down to zero, meaning UK steelmakers can carry on exporting to the US. This follows last month’s intervention from the Prime Minister to take control of British Steel to save thousands of jobs in Scunthorpe.

    In a win for both nations, we have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef – with UK farmers given a tariff free quota for 13,000 metric tonnes. There will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports. 

    We will also remove the tariff on ethanol – which is used to produce beer – coming into the UK from the US, down to zero. 

    It is one of many international deals that the Government is landing to boost our economy – following an Indian trade deal which will add £4.8 billion to the UK economy and £2.2 billion in wages every year.

    Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

    The new global era demands a government that steps up, not stands aside. 

    This historic deal delivers for British business and British workers protecting thousands of British jobs in key sectors including car manufacturing and steel. 

    My government has put Britain at the front of the queue because we want to work constructively with allies for mutual benefit rather than turning our back on the world.

    As VE Day reminds us, the UK has no greater ally than the United States, so I am delighted that eight decades on, under President Trump the special relationship remains a force for economic and national security. 

    This is jobs saved, jobs won but not job done and our teams will continue to work to build on this agreement. 

    My Government is determined to go further and faster to strengthen the UK’s economy, putting more money in working people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    I am delighted our calm approach and proactive engagement with the US has resulted in this deal which cuts tariffs for UK industry and cuts costs for businesses.

    Businesses across the country will be glad to see our approach working, but this is only the beginning. We look forward to strengthening our trading relationship with the US through a wider economic deal, which will help us to deliver on our Plan for Change to provide economic stability and make this country fit for the future.

    Adrian Mardell, Chief Executive Officer, JLR said:

    The car industry is vital to the UK’s economic prosperity, sustaining 250,000 jobs. We warmly welcome this deal which secures greater certainty for our sector and the communities it supports. We would like to thank the UK and US Governments for agreeing this deal at pace and look forward to continued engagement over the coming months.

    Work will continue on the remaining sectors – such as pharmaceuticals and remaining reciprocal tariffs. But – in an important move – the US has agreed that the UK will get preferential treatment in any further tariffs imposed as part of Section 232 investigations. The deal opens the way to a future UK US technology partnership through which our science-rich nations will collaborate in key areas of advanced technology, for example biotech, life sciences, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, aerospace and space. 

    The Digital Services Tax remains unchanged as part of today’s deal. Instead the two nations have agreed to work on a digital trade deal that will strip back paperwork for British firms trying to export to the US – opening the UK up to a huge market that will put rocket boosters on the UK economy.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Director of Kent car sales company banned for Covid loan abuse

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Director of Kent car sales company banned for Covid loan abuse

    Joseph Harrison, the director of South East Commercials Ltd was disqualified as a director for 12 years and ordered to repay £38,295.

    • Car dealer Joseph Harrison applied for two Covid Bounce Back loans, totalling £90,000 on behalf of his company. 

    • He was only entitled to one Covid loan for his company, South East Commercials Ltd, under the rules of the scheme. 

    • Harrison was subject to a director disqualification order which came into effect on 6 May 2025 following a hearing at the High Court in London.  

    A car dealer from Kent – who is now living in Spain – has been banned from being a company director for 12 years after his company received a second £45,000 Covid Bounce Back loan it was not entitled to.  

    Joseph Harrison, from Wrotham, was the director of South East Commercials Ltd – a used car sales dealership in Kent – before it was dissolved in January this year.  

    An Insolvency Service investigation found that the 38-year-old applied for a Covid loan of £45,000 in June 2020.   

    However, he applied for a second loan – in August 2020 – for a further £45,000 having declared this was his first and only application for his business.  

    At a hearing at the High Court in London on 15 April 2025 Harrison was disqualified from being a director for 12 years, with his ban beginning on 6 May 2025. 

    He was also ordered to repay the current balance of £38,295 from the second loan.  

    Ann Oliver, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:  

    Joseph Harrison applied for and received a second Covid loan when he was only entitled to one for his car sales business.  

    A 12-year ban is a significant disqualification and demonstrates the seriousness of his actions.  

    The Insolvency Service is committed to ensuring those who abused this scheme – which was designed to benefit the economy and help small businesses – are brought to justice. 

    Joseph Harrison operated as a sole trader for a number of years before South East Commercials Ltd was incorporated in May 2020.  

    The company sold used cars and light motor vehicles, such as motorcycles.  

    In the report to creditors, Mr Harrison stated that the first Bounce Back loan application was made by a third party on his behalf.  

    The Insolvency Service did not find evidence of a third party’s involvement.  

    He also stated that he did not know that only one successful loan application was permitted under the scheme.  

    However, the Insolvency Service has seen evidence that Mr Harrison signed the declaration on his company’s second loan application confirming that this was his first and only application. 

    Joseph Harrison was disqualified for 12 years under sections 6 and 15A of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986. 

    The Bounce Back loan scheme helped small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, at a low interest rate, guaranteed by the Government.  

    Further information:  

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: U.S.-UK Reach Historic Trade Deal

    Source: The White House

    ESTABLISHING A NEW PARADIGM FOR OUR SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP: Today, on the 80th anniversary of Victory Day for World War II, President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a historic trade deal, providing American companies unprecedented access to the UK markets while bolstering U.S. national security. This is a great deal for America.

    • President Trump: “The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.”
      • “The UK will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products.”
      • “This is now turning out to be, really, a great deal for both countries.”
    • Prime Minister Starmer: “This is going to boost trade between and across our countries. It’s going to not only protect jobs, but create jobs, opening market access.”
    • This trade deal will significantly expand U.S. market access in the UK, creating a $5 billion opportunity for new exports for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers.
      • This includes more than $700 million in ethanol exports and $250 million in other agricultural products, like beef.
      • It commits the countries to work together to enhance industrial and agricultural market access.
      • It closes loopholes and increases U.S. firms’ competitiveness in the UK’s procurement market.
      • It ensures streamlined customs procedures for U.S. exports.
      • It establishes high standard commitments in the areas of intellectual property, labor, and environment.
      • It maximizes the competitiveness and secures the supply chain of U.S. aerospace manufacturers through preferential access to high-quality UK aerospace components.
      • It creates a secure supply chain for pharmaceutical products.
    • The reciprocal tariff rate of 10%, as originally announced on Liberation Day, is in effect.
    • The United States will agree to an alternative arrangement for the Section 232 tariffs on UK autos.
      • Under the deal, the first 100,000 vehicles imported into the U.S. by UK car manufacturers each year are subject to the reciprocal rate of 10% and any additional vehicles each year are subject to 25% rates.
    • The United States also recognizes the economic security measures taken by the UK to combat global steel excess capacity and will negotiate an alternative arrangement to the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum.
      • This deal creates a new trading union for steel and aluminum.
    • This U.S.-UK trade deal will usher in a golden age of new opportunity for U.S. exporters and level the playing fields for American producers.
    • Today’s action also sets the tone for other trading partners to promote reciprocal trade with the United States.

    A FRAMEWORK TO BOLSTER ECONOMIC SECURITY: President Trump continues to advance the interests of the American people, enhancing market access for American exporters and lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers to protect our economic and national security.

    • On April 18, President Trump had a call with Prime Minister Starmer to discuss our bilateral trade relationship.
    • U.S. total goods trade with the UK was an estimated $148 billion in 2024.
    • The UK average applied agricultural tariff is 9.2% while the U.S. average applied agricultural tariff (prior to April 2) was 5%.
    • The UK maintains certain tariff and non-tariff barriers that restrict market access and create an unfair playing field for American workers and businesses.
      • For example, the UK imposes tariffs that can exceed 125% on meat, poultry, and dairy products on top of maintaining non-science-based standards that adversely affect U.S. exports.
    • On April 2, 2025, Liberation Day, President Trump imposed a 10% tariff on all countries to address unfair trade practices that have contributed to America’s trade deficit and imbalances in order to better protect American workers and our national security. 

    A MILESTONE IN ADVANCING AN AMERICA FIRST TRADE POLICY: Since Day One, President Trump challenged the assumption that American workers and businesses must tolerate unfair trade practices that have disadvantaged our workers and businesses for decades and contributed to our historic trade deficit.

    • Reversing these conditions and addressing the lack of reciprocity in America’s trade relationships will bring about a new Golden Age and Make America Great Again.
    • President Trump continues to advance the interests of the American people, enhancing market access for American exporters and lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers.
    • The Economic Prosperity Deal with the United Kingdom is a critical step forward in a special relationship to promote reciprocal trade with a key ally and partner.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Convicted for Possessing Machinegun in Connection With Drug Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – After a five-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Osman Malik Sesay, 32, of Gambrills, Maryland. Sesay was found guilty of a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance; possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; maintaining a drug involved premises; and possession of firearms — including a machinegun — in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. 

    The conviction for possession of a machinegun in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of 30 years imprisonment. Sesay faces an additional mandatory consecutive sentence of five years imprisonment for possessing another firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking on a previous date.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan, Federal Bureau of Investigation – Washington Field Office, Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department; and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

    According to the evidence presented at trial, between November 13, 2020, and continuing until at least July 16, 2021, Sesay conspired with others in a drug trafficking operation involving the bulk distribution of marijuana.  Sesay used multiple fake identifications — and at least four stolen luxury vehicles and seven firearms, including two equipped with machinegun conversion devices — to facilitate his drug trafficking operation. He also leased apartments under fake names to store his drugs, proceeds, and firearms.

    Anne Arundel County Police Department and PGPD Washington Area Vehicle Enforcement (W.A.V.E.) Auto Theft Unit detectives observed Sesay operating stolen vehicles in March 2021.  On April 29, 2021, W.A.V.E. detectives arrested Sesay in Prince George’s County, Maryland, driving a stolen Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged. 

    During the arrest, authorities found that Sesay possessed more than $14,000 in U.S. currency and a fraudulent Maryland driver’s license.  The fraudulent Maryland driver’s license was associated with a fraudulently rented apartment in Lanham, Maryland, where Sesay stored his drugs.  Sesay also had a Glock 26 firearm in the glove compartment of the stolen vehicle, which Sesay possessed in furtherance of his drug trafficking.  The Glock 26 firearm had a machinegun conversion device attached.

    Then on June 30, 2021, after he was released on bond pending trial, a PGPD Guardian Helicopter captured surveillance footage of Sesay conducting a drug transaction out of a stolen Corvette in a Washington, D.C. school parking lot.  On July 16, 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants on Sesay’s fraudulently rented apartments in Lanham, Maryland, and Gambrills, Maryland. 

    Sesay used the fraudulently rented apartment in Lanham, Maryland as a stash house for his drugs, and used the fraudulently rented apartment in Gambrills, Maryland to store more drugs, cash, and firearms.  In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 90 pounds of marijuana.  Evidence showed that Sesay transported marijuana across the country on a commercial airplane using fake identification.

    Law enforcement also recovered more than $40,000 in U.S. Currency and six firearms, five of which were loaded, from the apartment in Gambrills, Maryland.  And officers seized the stolen Corvette, a stolen Audi A7 sedan, and a stolen Land Rover Range Rover Velar that Sesay used as part of his drug trafficking operation.  Inside the vehicles, law enforcement recovered more marijuana.  Additionally, law enforcement discovered a loaded Glock 30 firearm with a machinegun conversion device attached — which Sesay possessed in furtherance of his drug trafficking — inside the stolen Corvette.  As a convicted felon, Sesay is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition.

    Sesay faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking on April 29, 2021; a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum of life for possessing firearms, including a machinegun, in furtherance of drug trafficking on July 16, 2021; a maximum of five years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance; a maximum of five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; a maximum of 20 years in prison for maintaining a drug involved premises; and a maximum of 10 years in prison each for two felon in possession of firearms and ammunition charges.  U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2025, at 12 p.m.

    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.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, ATF, Anne Arundel County Police Department, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick D. Kibbe and Brooke Y. Oki who are prosecuting the federal case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at Parkinson’s Disease risk and proximity to golf courses

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in JAMA Network Open looks at proximity to Golf Courses and the risk of Parkinson’s Disease.

    Prof David Dexter, Director of Research, Parkinson’s UK, said: 

    “This study suggests an association between pesticides and Parkinson’s, however there are some important limitations in the methodology to be aware of. Firstly, Parkinson’s starts in the brain 10-15 years before diagnosis and the study didn’t only use subjects who permanently lived in the area. This would not only affect participants’ exposure, but also suggests their Parkinson’s could have started before they moved around a golf course. The population was also not matched for location with 80% of the Parkinson’s subjects living in urban areas, compared to only 30% of controls, hence other factors like air pollution from motor vehicles etc could also account for some of the increases in Parkinson’s incidence. Additionally, no analysis was made of the drinking water for pesticide levels. Once again, this lessens the validity of the claim of pesticide exposure because the studies have not been carefully controlled.”

     

    Dr Katherine Fletcher, Research Lead at Parkinson’s UK, said:

    “Parkinson’s is complex. The causes of the condition are unclear and are likely to involve both genetic and environmental factors. Many studies have investigated whether pesticides increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s in different populations around the world. The results have been varied, but overall suggest that exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of the condition. However, the evidence is not strong enough to show that pesticide exposure directly causes Parkinson’s. This study supports the association between pesticides and Parkinson’s. However, it’s quite reductive and doesn’t take into account how someone might have been exposed to pesticides at their workplace or whether they have a genetic link to the condition.

    “In Europe and the UK, the use of pesticides are strictly controlled, and some – like paraquat – are banned, due to concerns about their wider health and environmental impacts. So, the risk of exposure to these for most people is extremely low.”

     

    ‘Proximity to Golf Courses and Risk of Parkinson Disease’ by Krzyzanowski et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Thursday 08th May 2025.

     

    DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.9198

     

    Declared interests

    Prof David Dexter: “The author declares that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence their comment reported in this article.”

    Dr Katherine Fletcher: “The author declares that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence their comment reported in this article.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Practice AI™ Revolutionizes Lemon Law Case Management with AI-Powered Lemon Law Demand Writer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Practice AI™, a leader in AI-powered legal technology, today announced the launch of its groundbreaking Lemon Law Demand Letter feature on AI Demands™. The innovative platform automates and streamlines the demand letter generation process. Specifically created for lemon law attorneys, this new tool empowers legal professionals to generate comprehensive and ready-to-send demand letters in mere minutes, effortlessly.

    Practice AI™ Lemon Law Demand Feature transforms the traditionally time-consuming task of drafting lemon law demands by allowing attorneys to simply upload repair orders, purchase orders, and other crucial case documents. The platform’s advanced AI analyzes the information, extracting vital details about vehicle defects, case facts, and potential settlement demands.

    This AI-driven system automatically identifies recurring mechanical issues and constructs a compelling legal argument tailored to the specifics of each case. Our software ensures demand letters are not only thorough but also strategically optimized for a strong legal claim.

    The feature significantly reduces the time and effort associated with drafting lemon law claims. Attorneys can now forgo the manual review of extensive repair records, allowing them to concentrate on critical case strategy and client advocacy. This powerful tool enhances accuracy, ensures adherence to legal standards, and boosts overall efficiency. Attorneys now have the ability to achieve faster case resolutions and improved outcomes for their clients.

    Boost Your Lemon Law Practice with AI-Powered Efficiency

    Lemon law cases demand precision and persuasive documentation. The feature streamlines this process, delivering:

    • Comprehensive Demand Letters Instantly: Upload repair records and within minutes, receive a fully detailed letter including defect summaries, legal justifications, and settlement requests.
    • Reduced Risk with AI-Powered Accuracy & Compliance: Our built-in AI checks guarantee legally sound and correctly formatted demand letters, minimizing errors.
    • Smart Document Summaries: AI automatically extracts crucial details from repair records, quickly identifying recurring issues and organizing essential case facts for rapid review.

    Empower Your Firm: Why Lemon Law Attorneys Choose Lemon Law Demands

    • Accelerate Case Progress: Generate high-quality demand letters instantly, freeing up valuable time.
    • Ensure Legal Precision: Minimize errors and enhance compliance with AI-driven accuracy.
    • Boost Productivity: Automate time-consuming tasks, allowing you to focus on strategic case management.
    • Scale Your Practice: Handle a greater volume of cases without increasing your workload.

    With the introduction of Lemon Law Demands to the Practice AI platform, CEO Hamid Kohan shared his vision: “Our goal is to empower lemon law attorneys with the tools they need to work faster and more efficiently while maintaining the highest standards of legal precision.”

    Practice AI actively engages with industry leaders and legal practitioners, reinforcing its commitment to transformative change in legal services and fostering strategic partnerships to explore new solutions.

    Explore how AI Demands can revolutionize your practice by signing up.

    About Practice AI™

    Practice AI™ delivers AI-powered solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of the legal industry. The company’s innovative platforms streamline legal processes, improve accuracy, and enable attorneys to focus on delivering exceptional client service. For more information about AI Demands, visit Practice AI or contact us below.

    For media inquiries, please contact:

    Practice AI

    Address: 21731 Ventura Blvd. #175, Woodland Hills, CA 91364

    Phone: (424) 476-5858

    Email: sales@mylawfirm.ai

    Visit us on social media:

    Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | X.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Fraudulent crowdfunding after the Lapu Lapu tragedy highlights the need for vigilance and oversight

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jeremy Snyder, Professor, Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

    Around 100,000 members of Vancouver’s Filipino community and other residents recently gathered to take part in the Lapu Lapu street festival to celebrate Filipino culture. This vibrant community celebration ended in tragedy when a vehicle was driven at high speed through the festival.

    Eleven people were killed in the April 26 attack, and dozens injured in what acting police chief Steve Rai called the “darkest day in the city’s history.”

    There has been an outpouring of community support for the victims, their friends and families, and the Filipino community in Vancouver. This support has taken the form of flowers and messages left at the attack site, vigils and gatherings and religious events.

    And, as is now common following high-profile tragedies, the Lapu Lapu festival attack has been accompanied by a number of crowdfunding campaigns by and for its victims.

    A memorial for the victims of the Lapu Lapu tragedy.
    (J. Snyder), CC BY

    Helping after disaster

    Many of these crowdfunding campaigns are hosted by GoFundMe, which has set up a dedicated hub for these fundraisers. A week after the attack, the 16 campaigns on this hub had raised more than $2.3 million.

    Dozens of other fundraisers on GoFundMe have raised additional money for various causes and groups associated with the tragedy and Vancouver’s Filipino community. Other crowdfunding platforms have also hosted related crowdfunding campaigns.

    Crowdfunding is a way for the public to help those in need in concrete ways while also expressing their shock and sadness over tragic events. People from across the world have taken advantage of crowdfunding’s accessibility to learn about victims and join the outpouring of support.

    This support can be large and consequential. A campaign for Andy Le, a teenager who lost his family at the festival attack, has received more than $500,000 in donations. As a result of this support, Le has in turn pledged to donate half that money to other victims.

    This viral, international support has meant these campaigns are likely able to raise vastly more money than would be possible through traditional, purely local and offline activities.

    Teenager Andy Le, who lost his family in the Lapu Lapu attack, redistributes the funds raised in an online campaign.

    Fraud and fundraising

    But while the online nature of crowdfunding allows for a global response to high-profile tragedies, the relatively impersonal nature of crowdfunding has its downsides. Our research has demonstrated that crowdfunding sometimes attracts fraudulent campaigns.

    High-profile events that spur numerous campaigns and massive financial support are particularly attractive to fraudsters. Unfortunately, this has been the case with the Lapu Lapu festival tragedy. In one case, a GoFundMe campaign fraudulently raised more than $57,000, ostensibly to return the body of “Reyna Dela Peñato” to the Philippines after her death at the festival and to support her sons.

    Separately, the Philippine Consulate General of Vancouver warned of fraudulent campaigns on its behalf that used images from its website.

    Vetting authenticity

    Communities can provide mutual support by detecting these fraudulent campaigns, especially in tight-knit communities like Filipinos in Vancouver. In the case of the fraudulent campaign for “Reyna Dela Peñato,” it was flagged by Raquel Narraway, a Vancouver resident who had been compiling information on fundraisers. Narraway was able to marshal her connections to the local Filipino community to show that the campaign was not genuine.

    GoFundMe does its own vetting as well, identifying some campaigns as “verified” after contacting organizers.

    However, responding to actual and potential fraud creates new burdens on victims to prove their legitimacy to the public and crowdfunding platforms. Local community members are in turn taken away from grieving to investigate these campaigns. These policing activities inject a level of distrust into fundraising that is less present when giving takes place between people with pre-existing connections.

    Growing challenges

    While the problem of fraud in crowdfunding isn’t new, changes to the practice of crowdfunding may make it harder to detect. The advent of large language models or artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT have made it easier for crowdfunding campaigners to edit their campaign narratives to appeal to a wider pool of potential donors.

    Crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe are also pushing AI features directly into their platforms to “enhance” these campaigns and help campaigners “connect with more donors.” These features may be especially appealing to people whose first language is not English, as may be the case with some victims of the Lapu Lapu festival attack.

    While the AI-ification of crowdfunding creates a more level playing field for campaigners, it may also make fraud easier to commit and harder to detect. This will be true if generating fake campaigns is easier using chatbots and if legitimate campaigns use AI and take on a less authentic voice.

    Online crowdfunding isn’t going anywhere, and for many victims of the Lapu Lapu festival attack, it has enabled them to ease some of the burden from that terrible day. However, we should be aware that crowdfunding isn’t a purely beneficial tool for people in need. Without proper oversight, it may develop in ways that are even more problematic.

    Jeremy Snyder receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Valorie A. Crooks receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, BC Women’s Health Research Institute and MITACS..

    – ref. Fraudulent crowdfunding after the Lapu Lapu tragedy highlights the need for vigilance and oversight – https://theconversation.com/fraudulent-crowdfunding-after-the-lapu-lapu-tragedy-highlights-the-need-for-vigilance-and-oversight-255934

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking News: EU to Launch WTO Case Over US Tariffs

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Xinhua | 08. 05. 2025

    Keywords: wto,us duties,eu intends,urgent,trial,european union will appeal,thursday declared,dispute resolution,consultations,us measures,duties,usa,request,organization,violate,opinion

    BRUSSELS, May 8 (Xinhua) — The European Union will ask the World Trade Organization (WTO) for consultations to resolve disputes with the United States over U.S. “mirror tariffs” and duties on cars and auto parts, the European Commission said Thursday, saying the U.S. tariffs violate fundamental WTO rules. -0-

    Source: Xinhua

    Breaking News: EU to initiate WTO case over US tariffs Breaking News: EU to initiate WTO case over US tariffs

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Military parade held in Kyrgyzstan to mark 80th anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic War

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BISHKEK, May 8 (Xinhua) — A ceremonial military parade dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War was held in the central Ala-Too Square in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, on May 8.

    The parade was observed by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, members of the Cabinet of Ministers, veterans and servicemen of the armed forces, representatives of other security agencies of the country, representatives of the diplomatic and military-diplomatic corps accredited in the republic, as well as the public, youth and guests of the capital.

    S. Japarov delivered a congratulatory speech in which he noted the historical significance of the Victory, the courage and heroism of the generations that defended peace. “So that future generations never forget the invaluable contribution of our fathers and the consequences of the devastating war that took tens of millions of innocent lives, we must teach young people to value peace and tranquility, to live with an awareness of their true value,” the head of state emphasized.

    As noted by the press service of the country’s Ministry of Defense, the military parade in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory was the largest in the history of independent Kyrgyzstan both in terms of the number of personnel and the quantity and quality of equipment involved in the parade. In total, about 3 thousand servicemen and more than 120 units of military and special equipment, including heavy armored vehicles, artillery, air defense systems and aviation, took part in the parade. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alabama Local 2003 Supports Military Veterans Displaced By Fire

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Local 2003 in Alabama had already taken action to make a donation and collect much-needed items for the home to assist the Veterans at CSM Bennie G. Adkins Veteran’s Home, then tragedy struck in the form of a fire. As a result, many Veterans had to be moved to a Health and Rehabilitation Center.


    “True solidarity is shown not just in times of comfort, but in moments of crisis,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. “Local 2003 stands with our veterans, not only to honor their past sacrifices, but to support them through present trials with dignity, compassion, and unwavering respect.”

    “When I walked into the Enterprise Health and Rehabilitation Center with John Parker, our Local 2003 Veteran’s Committee Chairman, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said IAM Local 2003 Recording Secretary Michelle Hunt. “The memory of the April 16 fire that struck the veterans home still felt fresh as more than 80 veterans were displaced that day.”

    Many of the veterans told their stories, some humorous, others deeply moving but all woven with pride and sacrifice. Despite being relocated, their spirits were high, and their sense of camaraderie was strong. 

    The staff expressed deep gratitude for the donations. They told us the most pressing need now is simple: fruit juices and lemonade. It’s a small thing, but it can make a big difference in their day.

    “The veterans welcomed us warmly, eager to share stories of their service. Despite the disruption, their resilience and good spirits were inspiring,” said Parker. “Hearing about their time in the military was a powerful reminder of the sacrifices they made for our country and why our continued support matters.”

    The rehabilitation center staff expressed sincere gratitude for Local 2003’s support and shared that their current most significant need is fruit juices and lemonade, small comforts that go a long way.

    Local 2003 will continue to accept donations at the union hall and plan to deliver them during the first week of May. If you can contribute, your generosity will directly help these veterans as they recover and wait to return home.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Man Sentenced to 34 Months in Federal Prison for Being a Drug User in Possession of a Stolen Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 5, 2025.

    Jeremy Highhorse, 19, was sentenced to two years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Highhorse was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession of a Stolen Firearm by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 11, 2025.

    In April 2024, law enforcement received a report of shots fired. Highhorse was the driver of a vehicle that matched descriptions of a vehicle seen speeding away after shots were fired. Law enforcement attempted to initiate a traffic stop of the vehicle Highhorse was driving. Instead of pulling over, Highhorse led law enforcement on a high-speed car chase. When the car came to a stop, Highhorse was arrested, and inside the vehicle was a firearm. Highhorse discharged this firearm that day, and he had come into possession of the firearm by stealing it. The vehicle Highhorse was driving was reported stolen by the same person he stole the firearm from. Highhorse was using controlled substances that day as well. It is unlawful to possess a firearm as an active user of controlled substances.

    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.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

    Highhorse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Sentenced To Prison For Mail Theft And Illegal Gun Possession

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Montavius Hancock, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States (mail theft and unlawful possession of a USPS arrow key) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.  Hancock pleaded guilty to these offenses on August 21, 2024.

    Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees North Carolina, Jeff Krafels, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), which overseas Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.

    According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on January 13, 2024, Hancock was observed stealing U.S. mail from a business park in Charlotte using an “arrow key,” which is a master key used by the U.S. Postal Service. CMPD officers responded to the scene and attempted to stop Hancock’s vehicle as he fled the area. After Hancock was taken into custody, CMPD officers searched his vehicle where they recovered stolen mail from several locations around Charlotte. The face value of the checks contained within the stolen mail was over $400,000.

    Hancock was also sentenced today for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after he was charged under a separate criminal indictment. Court records show that on December 22, 2023, CMPD officers arrested Hancock for possessing a Smith and Wesson, model M&P Shield EZ, 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial number. Hancock has previous felony convictions, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the USPIS, USPS-OIG and CMPD for their investigation and recognized the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for its invaluable assistance with the firearm investigation.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Kinlaw with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.

    To report suspected mail theft, and other mail-related crimes, tips, or incidents go to https://mailtheft.uspis.gov/ or call USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. Call 911 to report an active crime in progress.

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Ricketts Promotes Renewable Fuels and Nebraska’s Farmers During Press Call

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) highlighted his efforts to promote renewable fuels and Nebraska’s farmers during his weekly press call. Ricketts recently led a resolution declaring May 2025 as Renewable Fuels Month in America. He spoke with members of Nebraska press about the resolution:
    “Nebraska farmers fuel the world through the production of renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel,” said Ricketts. “Renewable fuels save consumers money at the pump and support Nebraska agriculture. They clean our environment and support American energy security.”
    Ricketts also underscored the cost savings renewable fuels provide Nebraskan families.
    “Biofuels save consumers money at the pump,” continued Ricketts. “Last time I filled up at Hy-Vee, I saved 55 cents per gallon with E10 compared to the regular 89 octane. That’s saving money at the pump. That’s real relief.”
    In addition, Ricketts described the economic benefits of biofuels for Nebraska’s farmers. Nebraska’s 25 ethanol plants have capacity to make nearly 2.2 billion gallons of biofuel each year. These plants provide more than 1,300 good-paying jobs with an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion.
    TRANSCRIPT:
    Senator Ricketts: “Thank you very much for joining this press call today. 
    “Nebraska farmers fuel the world through the production of renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. 
    “Renewable fuels save consumers money at the pump and support Nebraska agriculture. 
    “They clean our environment and support American energy security. 
    “That’s why I introduced a bipartisan resolution designating May 2025 as Renewable Fuels Month in America. 
    “As Governor, you may recall I did that a lot for the state of Nebraska. We’re doing it for America now.
    “My resolution celebrates Nebraska’s farmers, rural communities, and home-grown energy. 
    “Biofuels save consumers money at the pump. 
    “Nebraska drivers saved at least $325 million last year by using ethanol blends like E10 and E15. 
    “During the summer months, drivers can save more than 30 cents per gallon. 
    “Owners of flex fuel vehicles, which can run on blends up to E85, can save even more. 
    “Last time I filled up at Hy-Vee, I saved 55 cents per gallon when I filled up with E10 compared to the regular 89 octane.  
    “That’s saving money at the pump.
    “That’s real relief. 
    “Biofuels support Nebraska agriculture. 
    “Our state is America’s second-largest ethanol producer. 
    “Our 25 ethanol plants have capacity to make nearly 2.2 billion gallons each year. 
    “These plants support more than 1,300 good-paying jobs. 
    “They bring an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion dollars. 
    “Biofuels help local farmers get better prices for their corn and soybeans. 
    “A typical dry mill ethanol plant adds nearly 50% more value to every bushel of corn processed last year. 
    “That’s value-added agriculture. 
    “These fuels help drive our economy forward. 
    “Biofuels can help clean our environment. 
    “Ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 44% to 52% compared to regular gasoline. 
    “E15 also reduces other pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulates.
    “That means cleaner air for our communities. 
    “Biofuels also support American energy security. 
    “The Renewable Fuels Association estimates that U.S.-produced ethanol displaced the need for 630 million barrels of imported oil in 2024. 
    “Using home-grown fuels means we rely less on authoritarian countries like Venezuela.
    “Authoritarian countries don’t share our values.
    “We should never depend on them for energy when we have proven solutions right here in Nebraska. 
    “This resolution is one of my many ways I’m supporting renewable fuels. 
    “I led the fight against Biden’s EV mandate. 
    “I introduced the Flex Fuel Fairness Act to expand access to flex fuel vehicles. 
    “I’m pushing to pass Senator Deb Fischer’s bill to allow year-round E15 sales nationwide. 
    “I introduced the Renewable Fuel for Ocean-Going Vessels Act with Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar. 
    “That bipartisan bill helps biofuels power cargo ships and other large vessels. 
    “I also support the Farm to Fly Act, which will develop the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. 
    “Consumers, producers, and industry would all benefit from these expanded opportunities. 
    “Nebraska’s biofuels producers help fuel America and the world. 
    “Every day is a good day to choose biofuels. 
    “As you get ready to hit the road this summer, consider filling up on E15. 
    “You’ll be supporting local producers, helping clean our environment, and promoting American energy security. 
    “You’ll also be saving money at the pump! 
    “Now that’s a win for everybody.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Trading Icon Moves Markets with the Iron Condor Strategy and Empowers Retail Investors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SPARKS, Nev., May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — David Chau, known in the financial world as Captain Condor, continues to redefine the world of options trading with his audacious bets and market-moving trades. Recently featured in The Wall Street Journal, Chau’s influence in the options market has skyrocketed, making waves not just with institutional investors but with individual traders as well.

    As the founder of InsideOptions, an exclusive educational community of over 1,000 traders, Chau has made headlines for his ability to move the S&P 500 index through massive options trades tied to the volatility of the market. His proprietary Iron Condor strategy, which profits from S&P 500 movement within a defined range, has drawn attention for its complexity and ability to generate significant returns even in volatile market conditions.

    Chau’s influence has been compared to that of legendary traders throughout history, as his trades have been large enough to move the markets and spark conversations across the financial world. His online community amplifies his trades, and when he shares his positions, many of his followers mimic his actions, creating an outsized impact.

    “Trading is a mental battlefield, and you need the fortitude to take risks while staying grounded in strategy,” said David Chau, reflecting on his approach to trading. “It’s about seeing the bigger picture and understanding how to navigate complex market dynamics.”

    InsideOptions: An Educational Community Revolutionizing Retail Trading

    At the heart of Chau’s approach is InsideOptions, where he shares his expertise with fellow traders. With an annual fee for membership, InsideOptions offers more than just trade alerts; it’s a comprehensive educational trading system designed for serious investors who want to dive deep into the world of options.

    Unlike many trading programs, InsideOptions does not simply cater to novice traders. Members of the community range from seasoned Wall Street professionals to doctors and engineers seeking to learn more about options trading. This diverse, committed group follows Chau’s educational content, amplifying his market knowledge and solidifying the power of informed retail investors.

    Chau’s approach has drawn both admiration and caution. Some financial experts warn that such high-risk strategies could be seen as gambling, but Chau believes his disciplined strategy is the key to his success. “It’s about understanding risk and controlling the environment you trade in,” said Chau.

    The Iron Condor Strategy: A Unique Path to Profits

    Chau’s signature strategy, the Iron Condor, involves creating a position that benefits from limited price movement. By selling both a put and a call option on the S&P 500 index at different strike prices, he profits if the index stays within a certain range. It’s a strategy that is designed for savvy traders, but Chau’s success in executing it has captured the attention of both the media and his growing network of followers.

    Through his educational content, Chau and his community have contributed to the dramatic rise of individual investors within the options market. With the number of daily options contracts surging in recent years, retail traders now account for nearly 30% of all options activity. Chau’s ability to tap into this trend has made him a household name in the trading world.

    SPX Program Fund LP: Institutional-Grade Investment Vehicle

    Alongside his educational platform InsideOptions, Chau is also actively working on expanding the SPX Program Fund LP, a separate investment vehicle focused on professional, institutional-grade trading strategies. This fund caters exclusively to accredited investors and operates independently from InsideOptions under its own specific regulatory framework.

    “As the founder of InsideOptions, I continue to manage and grow my options trading community and educational platform. Alongside this, I am also actively working on expanding my SPX Program Fund LP, a separate investment vehicle focused on professional, institutional-grade trading strategies with the goal of providing exceptional returns for accredited investors. These two entities, while both benefiting from my expertise in options trading, operate independently, and I am committed to ensuring that each one adheres to its own specific regulatory and operational framework,” states Chau.

    The fund aims to provide exceptional returns using sophisticated options strategies while maintaining strict compliance with all applicable securities regulations. Potential investors must meet accreditation requirements as defined by SEC guidelines.

    The Rise of Retail Power in Finance

    Chau’s influence comes at a time when retail trading is experiencing unprecedented growth. Following the market rally of 2020 and a surge in options activity, retail investors have taken center stage, contributing to the dramatic swings in stock prices and creating new opportunities for those willing to take risks.

    “People are fascinated by big market-moving trades, and they want to see what happens when a trader puts it all on the line,” said Avanidhar Subrahmanyam, a professor of behavioral finance at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. “The curiosity around these trades, and their outcomes, has created a new culture of retail trading.”

    What’s Next for Captain Condor?

    Looking ahead, David Chau plans to expand his influence even further. With a growing presence on social media, plans for speaking engagements, and potential partnerships with academic institutions, Chau is positioned to continue leading the charge in the evolution of retail trading while growing his professional fund operations.

    “The journey is just beginning,” Chau said. “There’s much more to learn, and I’m excited to continue helping people master their trading psychology and gain a deeper understanding of the markets through InsideOptions, while also pursuing institutional-grade investment strategies through the SPX Program Fund LP.”

    For media inquiries or to schedule an interview with David Chau, please contact:
    Patricia Baronowski-Schneider
    President, Pristine Advisers
    pbaronowski@pristineadvisers.com
    516-473-4052

    About David Chau (“Captain Condor”)

    David Chau, known as Captain Condor, is a full-time options trader who has gained recognition for his market-moving trades. As the founder of InsideOptions, he leads an exclusive educational community of traders and offers educational content to help individual investors navigate the complex world of options trading. Additionally, he manages the SPX Program Fund LP, an independent investment vehicle for accredited investors focused on institutional-grade options strategies. His trading approach, focused on the Iron Condor strategy, has made him one of the most influential retail traders in the market today.

    For more information, visit www.insideoptions.io.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s New Energy Passenger Vehicle Sales Rise Significantly in April

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua) — China’s new energy passenger vehicle market continued to grow at a solid pace in April, with retail sales of the new energy vehicles reaching about 922,000 units, data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed Thursday.

    According to the organization, this figure increased by 37 percent year-on-year, but decreased by 7 percent compared to the previous month.

    The penetration rate of new energy vehicles, a measure of their popularity, rose to 52.3 percent in the domestic market last month.

    According to CPCA data, total retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles in the first four months of this year were 3.34 million units, up 37 percent from the same period a year earlier.

    Retail sales of passenger cars in the Chinese market in April amounted to 1.79 million units, up 17 percent from April last year, but down 8 percent from the previous month.

    In the first four months of this year, total retail sales of passenger cars reached 6.92 million units, up 9 percent year-on-year. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Xinjiang commemorates Soviet comradeship in anti-Japanese war through Red Tourism promotion

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    URUMQI, May 8 (Xinhua) — A wooden arch bridge, which has become one of the “calling cards” of Xinjiang’s red tourism, is still carefully preserved on the Baiyang River in Urumqi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The 85-year-old structure stands as a silent witness to the desperate story of how Chinese communists organized and protected a vital supply route for the Chinese nation from the Soviet Union through the northwest territory during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

    After the Chinese people’s all-out anti-Japanese war began in 1937, Japanese militarists quickly captured China’s coastal regions, thereby cutting off communications linking the country to the outside world. At such a critical moment for the existence of the Chinese nation, the authorities were forced to organize a new route for the import of ammunition from friendly countries in the country’s northwestern inland region, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

    The first state to assist China in the all-out anti-Japanese war was the USSR, which supplied strategic cargo through Xinjiang by both air and road transport. In particular, cargo was sent by land from Almaty, after crossing the Khorgos border crossing, it passed through Ili, Dihua (present-day Urumqi), Turpan, Hami and other places in Xinjiang, and after leaving Xinjiang, it was delivered to the city of Lanzhou in Gansu Province.

    The length of this transport route exceeded 1,500 km in the section within Xinjiang, and the above-mentioned arch bridge, called “Dabancheng”, became an essential passage on the way between Dihua and Turpan. The bridge was built and opened to traffic in 1940. Its length is 28.5 m, and the width of the deck made of wooden slabs soaked in special oil is 7 m.

    According to published data, during the period 1937-1941, the USSR, with the help of this international corridor, delivered to the Chinese front more than 1,200 aircraft of various types, 82 tanks, over 2,000 vehicles, more than 4,300 artillery units and 14 thousand machine guns, as well as a large quantity of other ammunition.

    According to Mai Yuhua, deputy director of the Research Institute of History at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences, of all the international aid and weapons received by China during the anti-Japanese war, 80 percent came from the USSR, and 90 percent of them were delivered to the front lines through Xinjiang. “Therefore, helping the local authorities of Xinjiang to protect and guarantee the continuity of this communication artery was one of the important tasks for the Chinese communists who were in Xinjiang at that time,” he noted.

    Now, a tourist zone has been created around the Dabancheng Arch Bridge, which is included in the list of cultural relics protected at the level of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Here, visitors can view the arch bridge, learn about historical episodes of the Anti-Japanese War, and participate in various interactive activities, including a test of manually transporting strategic cargo in the absence of motor vehicles.

    In recent years, the area has attracted more and more visitors, thanks to efforts by Xinjiang authorities to effectively utilize and promote red tourism resources. Such efforts have also resulted in the improvement and increased visitor numbers of other military and revolutionary memorial sites, including a museum dedicated to the Xinjiang Mission of the Chinese Communist-controlled 8th Army, which was once tasked, among other things, with the extraordinary task of organizing and protecting the “red” logistics route between Yan’an (Shaanxi Province, Northwest China) and Moscow, via Xinjiang.

    Summing up the situation of Xinjiang’s tourism market during the recently concluded International Labor Day holiday (May 1-5), many online platforms reported a significant increase in the number of searches for museums, memorial sites, cemeteries of martyrs, and other red tourism sites.

    According to data from the Urumqi City Museum, which also functions as the Urumqi Revolutionary Historical Memorial Sites Management Center, over 12,000 people visited various museums and memorial sites throughout the city every day from May 1 to 5 as part of the red tourism. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia County Man Sentenced To 137 Months For Drug Trafficking And Firearm Possession In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Leon Weathersbe, age 38, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 7, 2025 to 137 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus and court documents, on April 12, 2022, Pennsylvania State Police troopers conducted a traffic stop on Weathersbe’s vehicle. During the stop, troopers recovered $1600 from Weathersbe’s person. Weathersbe provided consent to search the vehicle; however, he fled the stop on foot as troopers began to search the vehicle. Weathersbe was not apprehended at the time. Troopers continued their search of Weathersbe’s vehicle and recovered distribution quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana, as well as a loaded handgun under the driver’s seat. 

    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.

    The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Rideshare Passengers’ Privacy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) reintroduced the Safe and Private Rides Act, bipartisan legislation to require transportation network companies (TNCs) to notify passengers when their driver has a video recording device in the car. The Senators’ legislation would also allow passengers to opt out of riding with a driver with a dashcam, preventing rideshare drivers from violating passengers’ privacy. 
    “Millions of people around the country rely on rideshare services for transportation every day, whether it’s to the doctor, work, or the airport. Folks using rideshare services deserve to have peace of mind about their digital privacy during a ride, which includes knowing if they will be filmed before calling a ride,” said Senator Welch. “Our bipartisan Safe and Private Rides Act gives passengers using rideshare services straightforward privacy protections by allowing the option to opt out of a rideshare using video recording devices that record passengers.” 
    “Passengers shouldn’t have to sacrifice their right to privacy the moment they step into a rideshare vehicle, and they deserve to know when they are being recorded,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Safe and Private Rides Act would increase transparency and ensure that both driver safety and passenger privacy are protected as more Americans take advantage of these services.” 
    51% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 have used a rideshare service, and ridesharing companies are expected to generate $54 billion annually by 2027. As more and more Americans take advantage of these services, safety and privacy must be prioritized. 
    Dashcams, while beneficial for the driver, present privacy concerns for passengers. There have been reported instances of rideshare drivers recording passengers and subsequently releasing the footage online.  
    Rideshares offer convenience and accessibility, and they are an example of American innovation. As they grow, their drivers should be able to use technology to protect themselves. Passengers should also be able to make decisions to preserve their privacy. 
    The Safe and Private Rides Act would increase transparency by giving passengers a choice while preserving the driver’s safety. Specifically, the Safe and Private Rides Act would:  
    Require TNCs to notify passengers when their driver has a video recording device in the car; 
    Require TNCs to allow passengers to opt out of riding with a driver with a recording device in the car; and  
    Grant the Federal Trade Commission the authority to enforce these transparency requirements. 
    Read and download the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: How the Industry of Drones is Evolving Rapidly with New Trends and Technologies Emerging Regularly

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Experts in the drone industry are excited about its future. One such player said: “As we soar into a new era of technological innovation, drones are rapidly becoming a significant part of our everyday lives. From aerial photography to package delivery and from environmental monitoring to emergency response, drones are revolutionizing numerous industries.” They continued: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are at the forefront of drone technology advancements. Companies… are leading the way in this area with drones that can navigate complex environments autonomously using AI.  The market for AI in drones is expected to grow significantly, impacting sectors like agriculture, construction, and security. According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the market size for drones with AI is expected to grow from $2.1 billion in 2022 to $6.5 billion by 2027. The trend towards increased autonomy in drone technology is gaining momentum.  Companies are developing drones that can perform complex tasks without human intervention, such as detecting leaks, inspecting pipelines, and even charging themselves. This increased autonomy is expected to boost efficiency and productivity in various sectors, including agriculture, construction, and logistics. For example, autonomous drones can be used for precision agriculture, where they can monitor crop health, apply fertilizers, and even harvest crops. The enormous commercial potential is why the global precision agriculture market size is expected to reach $19.24 billion by 2030.”   Active Companies in the drone industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), Palladyne AI Corp. (NASDAQ: PDYN), Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT).

    MarketsandMarkets added: “Drone swarming, the coordinated operation of multiple drones, is another emerging trend. Each drone in a swarm operates autonomously yet in harmony with the others, allowing the swarm to cover larger areas and perform tasks more efficiently than a single drone. Companies… are pioneering this technology, using it to create stunning light shows at live events. However, the potential applications of drone swarming extend far beyond entertainment. For example, in search and rescue operations, a swarm of drones can cover a large area to search for signs of life, allowing rescue teams to locate and reach victims more quickly. This technology could prove invaluable in the aftermath of natural disasters, where time is of the essence. The world of drones is evolving rapidly, with new trends and technologies emerging regularly. These advancements are opening up new applications and markets, from agriculture and construction to healthcare and entertainment. As we continue to explore the potential of these versatile machines, it’s clear that drones will play an increasingly important role in our future.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) ZenaDrone Tests Proprietary Camera Enabling IQ Nano Drone Swarms for US Defense Applications and Blue UAS Submission – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions, announces that its subsidiary ZenaDrone is testing a new proprietary specialized camera that enables more efficient indoor applications such as inventory and security management, when utilizing IQ Nano drone swarms for commercial and US defense applications. The new camera prototype developed by its Taiwan component manufacturing subsidiary, Spider Vision Sensors, in collaboration with its certified electronics manufacturing partner, Suntek Global, will enable faster and more precise collection of data including multiple bar codes simultaneously scanned by multiple drones in a drone swarm. The company plans to apply for Blue UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) certification that lists and validates drones for military and government use.

    “Our Spider Vision Sensors subsidiary in collaboration with Suntek Global, has helped us speed up development of customized and specialized cameras required for our innovative drone swarm applications for commercial and defense customers. This partnership will continue to be invaluable as we develop our NDAA-compliant supply chain and received Blue UAS certification which will allow military and federal agencies to directly purchase our drones.,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    Military and Defense departments use small autonomous indoor drones like the 10X10 inch IQ Nano for various applications such as inventory management, indoor building reconnaissance, search and rescue, training simulations, and explosives detection. ZenaDrone is also engaged in a paid trial which includes developing drone swarm applications for inventory management and security applications with a multinational auto parts manufacturer customer.

    A drone swarm is a coordinated group of autonomous drones that communicate and work together using AI and real-time data sharing, to perform tasks collaboratively without direct human control. Drone swarms enhance efficiency, accuracy, automation, and performance compared to a single drone. Autonomous drones can rapidly scan thousands of bar codes or RFID tags per second with high accuracy, providing real-time visibility into inventory without disrupting workflows. A drone swarm can also cover more ground simultaneously, dramatically reducing inventory audit times and manual labour while providing near-total inventory visibility.

    An AI drone swarm for indoor security and surveillance enhances coverage, response time, and efficiency by autonomously patrolling large areas, detecting threats, and providing real-time situational awareness. Unlike stationary cameras or human patrols, drone swarms can dynamically adapt to security breaches, track intruders, and coordinate movements to eliminate blind spots. AI-driven analytics enable them to identify anomalies, recognize faces, and detect unauthorized activity with high precision, reducing false alarms and improving security decision-making. Their autonomous nature minimizes human labor costs while ensuring 24/7 monitoring in complex environments like warehouses, data centers, or commercial facilities.

    The ZenaDrone IQ Nano is available in 10×10 and 20×20-inch sizes, designed to perform regular and frequent inspections such as bar code or RFID scanning, facility maintenance inspections, security monitoring, 3D indoor mapping and other applications inside a warehouse, distribution, or plant facility. It is designed for autonomous use featuring integrated sensors, high-quality cameras, data collection and analysis including AI methodologies. Weighing 1.5kg and with a flight time of at least 20 minutes before utilizing the automatic battery recharging station, it is designed for hovering stability and safety with obstacle avoidance capabilities.   Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    In Additional ZENA News: ZenaTech’s (NASDAQ:ZENA) Expands Ireland Office Offering Drone as a Service (DaaS) Including Precision Agriculture to a European Market Growing at 28.6% Annually – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions, announces it will be expanding operations and opening a new, larger office and its European Headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. The new hub will facilitate the Company’s drone sales and DaaS drone services — including precision agriculture solutions — to a growing UK and European market. The Company anticipates the official grand opening during the summer of 2025.

    Strategically located near Dublin Airport and accessible via all major motorways, the new office location will serve a growing customer base in Ireland and enable growth across Europe, catering to agriculture as well as construction, renewable energy — including wind and solar farms — golf courses, racecourses, and warehouse and logistics.

    “Expanding our Dublin office and establishing a European HQ marks a new chapter in our strategy to scale our drones and DaaS offerings globally while servicing the fastest growing agricultural drone markets located in Europe. Our AI-powered drone solutions are designed to boost crop yields while reducing operational costs and provide smart, data-driven insights — empowering crop monitoring and health assessment, nutrient and resource optimization, and profitability,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    The European agricultural drone market was valued at approximately USD 4.6 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 43.23 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.58% according to Market Data Forecast . This growth is fueled by the adoption of drones for crop spraying, mapping, pest control, seeding, and remote sensing, which enhance productivity and resource efficiency in farming. Growth is also supported by favorable European government policies and a strong focus on sustainable farming practices.    Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.zenatech.com/newsroom/

    Other recent developments in the drone industry include:

    To meet the emerging air threats of today and the rapidly evolving threats of tomorrow, AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) recently announced Titan 4, the next generation of its battle-proven, warfighter-trusted Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) technology. Titan 4 is a smaller, lighter, more powerful, highly extensible Radio Frequency (RF)-based solution to detect and defeat Group 1 and 2 drone threats.

    Titan 4 is portable and mission-adaptable—supporting mobile, dismounted, or fixed-site use—and can deploy in under five minutes to identify and neutralize threats, creating a protective dome around personnel and infrastructure. Titan 4 is 17% lighter and 73% smaller than its dual-chassis predecessor, now integrated into a single compact chassis as compared to its dual-chassis predecessor. It offers nearly 250% more transmit power with 540W of total output over six RF bands to address both current and emerging threats. For enhanced airspace awareness, AV has integrated its Titan-SV system within Titan 4 to provide operators with AI/ML-backed passive, long-range precision threat detection.

    Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), a leading provider of private industrial wireless networks and commercial drone and automated data solutions, recently announced it has secured a $3.4 million order for its Iron Drone Raider Counter-UAS system from renowned European defense contractor for their governmental end client. This marks the initial deployment of the Iron Drone Raider in Europe and represents a major milestone in the global expansion of Ondas’ counter-UAS business.

    “Ongoing geopolitical instability and the rapid proliferation of hostile drone technologies have intensified the urgency for effective counter-UAS capabilities across NATO-aligned and partner nations,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas. “This order reflects the rising global demand for autonomous aerial defense systems that can be rapidly deployed, scaled, and adapted to modern threat environments. Iron Drone Raider delivers a differentiated solution for military and homeland security operators charged with safeguarding critical infrastructure and civilian populations from increasingly sophisticated aerial threats.”

    Palladyne AI Corp. (NASDAQ: PDYN), a developer of artificial intelligence software for robotic platforms in the defense and commercial sectors, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, recently announced a significant testing milestone in their ongoing collaboration—the completion of an autonomous, cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.

    During this most recent testing, which leveraged Red Cat’s Teal 2 and Black Widow drones and the Palladyne™ Pilot AI software, each platform operated using onboard edge computing and constrained communication protocols without reliance on centralized infrastructure to communicate. The system enabled real-time, distributed detection and tracking of multiple dynamic and static ground objects—including humans and vehicles—in different regions of interest, providing a single operator with comprehensive situational awareness. The two companies previously announced a successful two-drone flight operation in January 2025, and Palladyne AI announced a single-drone testing scenario in December 2024 to autonomously identify, prioritize, and track terrestrial targets.

    About FN Media Group:

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Beam Global Reports 23% Increase in Q1 2025 Orders for its EV ARC™ Off-Grid Solar-Powered Charging Units Over Previous Quarter

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beam Global, (Nasdaq: BEEM), a leading provider of innovative and sustainable infrastructure solutions for the electrification of transportation and energy security, today announced a broad range of new orders for its EV ARC™ off-grid solar-powered charging units, despite a reduction in federal demand. The 23% quarter-over-quarter increase in orders reflects growing demand for clean, resilient infrastructure solutions across a wide variety of sectors and regions.

    Recent orders were placed by a mix of municipal and county governments, state and federal agencies, environmental organizations, and private sector companies including those in construction, clean energy, and technology. The orders came from multiple states including California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, and Washington.

    “This increase in quarter-over-quarter orders is at almost exactly the same rate as the growth of electric vehicle sales in the U.S. and demonstrates the success of our shifting focus toward commercial customers rather than the federal government following the recent election, even as we continue to receive orders from federal entities, albeit at a reduced rate,” said Desmond Wheatley, CEO of Beam Global. “It also proves that while we are focusing heavily on growth in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, we are still performing strongly in the U.S. We look forward to this growth continuing throughout the year on a global scale.”

    As demand for electric vehicles continues to rise, with global EV sales up 29% in 2025 and a 16% increase in North America alone, Beam Global remains at the forefront, delivering innovative, sustainable solutions that help public and private sector organizations meet their climate and operational goals.

    To learn more about Beam Global’s solutions, visit www.BeamForAll.com.

    About Beam Global
    Beam Global is a clean technology innovator which develops and manufactures sustainable infrastructure products and technologies. We operate at the nexus of clean energy and transportation with a focus on sustainable energy infrastructure, rapidly deployed and scalable EV charging solutions, safe energy storage and vital energy security. With operations in the U.S. and Europe, Beam Global develops, patents, designs, engineers and manufactures unique and advanced clean technology solutions that power transportation, provide secure sources of electricity, save time and money and protect the environment. Beam Global is headquartered in San Diego, CA with facilities in Broadview, IL and Belgrade and Kraljevo, Serbia. Beam Global is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol BEEM. For more information visit BeamForAll.com, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This Beam Global Press Release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements in this Press Release other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by terms or phrases such as “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “goal,” “will,” “should,” “may,” or other words and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or results. These statements relate to future events or future results of operations. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause Beam Global’s actual results to be materially different from these forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, Beam Global expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

    Media Contact
    Andy Lovsted
    +1-858-335-8465
    Press@BeamForAll.com

    Investor Relations
    Luke Higgins
    +1-858-799-4583
    IR@BeamForAll.com

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f5e6095f-b0ab-4cb4-8793-e5fc32cc9e33

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cash payments now available for on-street parking bays

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    Cash payments can now be made for on-street car parking bays in Harpenden and St Albans City Centre.

    The measure has been introduced to help people who struggle with digital payment methods, either the PayByPhone app or contactless.

    Instead, motorists can choose to pop into a PayPoint shop near the bays and pay by cash.

    All they need to provide is the registration plate of their vehicle and the PayByPhone location code of the parking bay which can be found on signs and payment machines.

    The initiative follows St Albans City and District Council’s decision to charge for the use of 243 limited waiting bays in Harpenden and 70 in St Albans.

    Another improvement of the service will allow people using the PayByPhone app to enter only one code.

    Currently, they need to input two codes – one to activate the free half-hour parking and the other to activate payment for additional time.

    A new one-code system is being tested and scheduled to come into operation later this month to make the app easier to use.

    Councillor Helen Campbell, Lead for Parking, said:

    It was always our intention to find a way for people to pay by cash although modern parking machines do not allow this.

    Most people are using PayByPhone with many others using contactless, but it is important that we allow for cash payments too.

    We recognise there are some people who might not be able to use a mobile phone app or contactless or who simply prefer not to do so.

    We do not want anyone to feel excluded from using these parking spaces, so I am pleased that our PayPoint system is now up and running. It is all about giving our residents and visitors choice and flexibility.

    The shops taking part in the scheme will display a PayPoint sticker in the window and are strategically located close to the bays.

    In Harpenden, you can pay by cash at: Morrisons Daily, 46 High Street, and Wines Beers Spirits, 28 Station Road.

    In St Albans, you can pay by cash at: Dulcies, 30 St Peter’s Street, Tas Food and Wine, 109 Victoria Street, Shree News, 147 Victoria Street, The Little Convenience Store, 130 London Road, and the Esso Service Station, 99-111 London Road.

    Motorists are reminded that with PayByPhone you can also phone over a payment to 0330 400 7275.

    In Harpenden, you can use one of the nine contactless payment machines by inputting your registration plate.

    For more information, please see: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/car-parks-and-street-pay-and-display

    Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, 01727-819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –