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Category: Vehicles

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ukraine must stay at the forefront of the international agenda: UK Statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Ukraine must stay at the forefront of the international agenda: UK Statement to the OSCE

    UK Military Advisor, Lt Col Joby Rimmer, says amid global crises, including war in Iran, the UK urges continued focus on Ukraine.

    Thank you, Madame Chair. The United Kingdom remains steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. This unwavering support is rooted in the defence of sovereignty, international law, and the multilateral system. As Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression with resilience and determination, recent developments underscore both the urgency of sustained assistance and the growing strain on Russia’s military and economic apparatus.

    On the battlefield, Ukraine continues to hold the line, and in several areas, it is pushing it back. In Sumy Oblast, Russian attempts to establish a buffer zone were reversed by Ukrainian forces in late June. On 30 June, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the liberation of Andriyivka and advances near Oleksiivka, halting Russia’s northern offensive. Across Kharkiv, Kherson, and Zaporizhia, Russian offensives remain stalled or inconclusive. Ukrainian counterattacks have blunted their momentum. Russia’s increasing reliance on small, dispersed assault groups, observed between 22-30 June, reflects not tactical ingenuity but strategic desperation. On 27 June, Ukraine’s Security Service and Special Operations Forces struck the Marinovka airfield in Russia’s Volgograd region, destroying two Su-34 fullback fighter jets and damaging two more.

    While Russia may emphasise incremental battlefield gains, these claims frequently lack independent verification. What is verifiable reality is that Russia’s economy is buckling under the weight of its own aggression. Oil and gas revenues are falling, inflation is surging, and the rouble continues to depreciate. President Putin himself has admitted the economy is ‘overheating.’ Sanctions are biting hard, damaging Russia’s industrial base, widening the gap between military demand and production capacity, and forcing the Kremlin to rely on a dwindling National Wealth Fund to plug a ballooning deficit. Arms exports have collapsed, and production of advanced systems like the Su-57 fighter jet has been suspended due to parts shortages. This has driven Russia to search for sources elsewhere – China remains the decisive enabler of Russia’s war, and Iran has provided drones and ballistic missiles. In addition, over half of the artillery shells used by Russia since 2024 have come from North Korea. A telling sign of Moscow’s increasing dependence on foreign support.

    So how does Russia respond? President Putin has escalated his campaign of terror from the skies. On June 29, Russian forces launched the largest air assault since the start of the full-scale invasion, firing over 500 aerial weapons in a single night. While most were intercepted, the attacks caused civilian casualties and widespread infrastructure damage. President Zelenskyy rightly condemned these strikes as further proof that Russia is not seeking peace, but destruction.

    Finally, the Russian delegation will no doubt highlight recent NATO defence announcements as provocative. To clarify, again, in response to Russia’s increasing aggression across the Euro-Atlantic area, its illegal actions in Ukraine and its irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, the United Kingdom is reinforcing its own defence and deterrence posture. Our procurement of F-35A aircraft and participation in NATO’s dual-capable aircraft nuclear mission represent the most significant enhancement of our nuclear readiness in a generation. This is a strategic move to ensure NATO’s credibility and preparedness to respond to an increasingly volatile security environment.

    Madame Chair, while the world faces multiple crises, from instability in the Middle East to tensions in the Indo-Pacific, we must not lose sight of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia’s invasion is not just a conflict against Ukraine; it is a direct assault on the principles that underpin global peace and security. Let us be clear: Russia’s aggression will not succeed. Its economy is faltering, its military is overstretched, and its international isolation is deepening. Ukraine, by contrast, stands strong, resilient, united, and supported by a global coalition of democracies. The United Kingdom reaffirms its enduring commitment to Ukraine. We will stand with the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 July 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Repairs bring daytime alternating traffic on SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge Tuesday, July 15

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Extra travel time needed between Jefferson and Kitsap counties

    SHINE – Travelers between Jefferson and Kitsap counties across Hood Canal should prepare for longer delays Tuesday, July 15. The State Route 104 Hood Canal Bridge will be reduced down to single lane, one-way alternating traffic for repairs to a hydraulic component for the bridge.

    From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, Washington State Department of Transportation bridge crews will close one lane across the bridge to create a work zone for a large crane. The crane is needed to replace a 6,000-pound hydraulic cylinder on the west span of the bridge.

    Alternating one-way vehicle traffic will be in place while crews remove the existing hydraulic cylinder and install a new one.

    This work must be done during the day for safety and efficiency. High winds have the potential to cancel the work.

    WSDOT needs help from travelers

    During the closure travelers are encouraged to:

    • Add extra travel time to help prevent delays.
    • Consider postponing discretionary trips.
    • Travel before or after scheduled work hours.
    • Refrain from blocking driveways on SR 3 and SR 104 in Kitsap and Jefferson counties.

    The day after work is completed, Wednesday, July 16, travelers can expect several draw span closures to vehicle traffic. Each closure is scheduled to be 30 minutes or less and allows crews to flush the hydraulic system.

    Why is this work needed

    The hydraulic cylinder, also called a ram, is a vertical piece of equipment used to lift and lower the driving surface of the bridge when it opens for boat traffic. During a recent inspection, crews discovered a hydraulic leak in one of the 12 rams on the west side of the bridge. Engineers determined it was caused by saltwater corrosion on the ram. Hydraulic leaks, left unaddressed, will cause the hydraulic lift to fail, risking damage to the bridge.

    Since the discovery of the leak, the bridge has been restricted to 300-foot openings for boat traffic. The bridge is designed to open to 600 feet, which is needed for some commercial and military marine openings, and also during storm season to relieve pressure on the bridge.

    Background

    This is the first ram replacement on the west span since they were installed in 2009 as part of a bridge replacement and retrofit project.

    The 7,867-foot-long Hood Canal Bridge is one of the longest floating bridges in the world, and the only one that spans across saltwater. The bridge requires constant maintenance due to the harsh marine environment.

    Long established maritime laws require the Hood Canal Bridge and other movable bridges like it to open for marine traffic.

    Real time travel information in available on the Hood Canal Bridge webpage, the WSDOT app and the online travel map. Travelers can also sign up to receive email alerts for advanced notice about work on the Hood Canal Bridge.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Care work is not a cost – it’s an $11 trillion investment waiting to transform societies

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The world stands at a historic crossroads. Global economies can either continue sidelining the $11 trillion worth of unpaid care work that sustains societies or choose to invest in it as the foundation of inclusive growth, job creation, and long-term economic resilience.

    This was the urgent call issued by Dr Basani Baloyi, Programme Director at the Institute for Economic Justice, at the Third Technical Meeting of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) underway at the Skukuza Conference Centre in Mpumalanga. 

    “The care economy is not a woman’s issue. It’s an economic imperative. It’s not a burden to be managed. It’s an opportunity to be seized. It is not a cost to be minimised. It’s an investment that will transform societies,” Baloyi said on Wednesday. 

    Her remarks drove home the message that investing in the care economy has far-reaching, proven returns. In Canada, a $10-per-day childcare programme created over 40 000 new jobs in the early childhood care sector, while expanding women’s participation in the workforce. 

    In Nordic countries, decades of investment in comprehensive care systems have led to some of the world’s highest levels of gender equality and economic competitiveness.

    “With our collective economic power, our diverse experiences and our shared commitment to sustainable development, the G20 has an unprecedented opportunity to scale these successes globally,” Baloyi said. 

    Framing the conversation around care as central to economic and social planning, Baloyi said this is the moment to shift from a model where care is invisible and undervalued, to one where it is measured, invested in, and integrated into policy design.

    “We have the evidence from Brazil’s groundbreaking National Caregiving Policy. We have the framework from South Africa’s comprehensive approach to women’s economic empowerment. What we need now is the collective will to act,” she said. 

    Throughout her keynote, Baloyi painted a vivid picture of care work’s current invisibility, and the toll it takes on women’s economic lives.

    “Picture this. It’s 3am and Maria, a nurse in São Paulo, finishes her shift caring for kids. She drives home not to rest, but to care for her mother and prepare breakfast for her children before they wake up.” 

    She said similar stories echoed across the globe. “Nomsa in Johannesburg juggles a teaching job and caring for a disabled sibling, and Sarah in Chicago reduces her engineering hours to care for her ailing father.”

    Baloyi said these are the women whose sacrifices are excluded from GDP, undervalued in policy, and absent in economic planning. 

    “What they call love, we call unpaid work,” Baloyi quoted philosopher Silvia Federici. 

    Globally, she explained that unpaid care work by women amounts to 9% of global GDP – equivalent to $11 trillion. In Brazil alone, it’s estimated that women subsidise the economy by at least $10.8 trillion annually. Yet, this work remains uncounted, unrecognised and unsupported.

    “We measure the production of cars and computers, but not the production of healthy, educated, capable human beings, who drive those cars and operate those computers,” she said. 

    This invisibility, Baloyi warned, has profound economic consequences, reinforcing gender roles, excluding millions of women from the labour market, and weakening economic resilience.

    However, Brazil’s pioneering move in 2024 to introduce a National Caregiving Policy – a collaborative effort across 20 ministries, municipalities and academia – signals a turning point. 

    South Africa’s G20 Presidency builds on this foundation, with three key priorities that will shape the future of care economies globally. 

    “These priorities recognise that care economy transformation requires addressing the full spectrum of challenges that women face. What makes this moment extraordinary is not just the ambition, but the methodology. 

    “South Africa is facilitating policy discourse and collaboration based on evidence, based research across G20 countries, they are creating platforms for sharing cross-country experiences, learning from both successes and challenges, and developing context sensitive recommendations that respect the diversity of G20 nations, while advancing common goals,” she said. 

    The data, Baloyi explained, is on South Africa’s side. According to the World Economic Forum, a $1.3 trillion investment in social jobs, particularly in the care economy, would generate $3.1 trillion in GDP and create over 10 million jobs in the United States alone. 

    The International Labour Organisation projects that invest in childcare and long-term care could result in 203 million jobs globally by 2035.

    “These aren’t just numbers. They represent millions of families lifted out of poverty, and millions of women able to participate fully in economic life,” Baloyi said. 

    She also urged G20 nations to adopt the ILO’s 5R Framework:

    • Recognise care work in policy and planning.
    • Reduce the burden through services and infrastructure.
    • Redistribute responsibilities between genders and institutions.
    • Represent care workers in decision-making.
    • Reward care work with fair wages and social protections.

    “Imagine Maria in São Paulo able to focus on her career, knowing her family is well cared for… Nomsa in Johannesburg receiving community support services… Sarah in Chicago returning to full-time work, thanks to elder care support… This is achievable policy implementation. When countries invest in care infrastructure, the ripple effects are profound,” she said. 

    Baloyi further told delegates that by 2030, over 2.3 billion adults will require care services. By 2050, 80% of the world’s elderly population will live in low- and middle-income countries, many lacking adequate care systems.

    “We can either prepare for this demographic transition through strategic investment or allow it to become a crisis that overwhelms families and destabilises economies. 

    “The 708 million women worldwide, who are outside the labour force due to care responsibilities, are counting on us. The future generations, who will inherit the economic and social systems we build today, are counting on us,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: JACKSON MAN SENTENCED TO 103 MONTHS FOR BEING A FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

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

    JACKSON, MS – A Jackson, Mississippi man was sentenced on Monday, June 23rd to 103 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm to be served consecutively to 11 years remaining on a state sentence for armed robbery.

    According to court documents, Romelo Walker, 27, was found by Capitol Police officers to be in possession of a firearm on August 9, 2024, in Hinds County. Court records indicate that Walker fled a traffic stop in his vehicle at a high rate of speed through a neighborhood before being arrested after a foot chase. Walker had previous state convictions for armed robbery and domestic violence as recently as 2022. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    Walker was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 6, 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 24, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

    The ATF investigated the case with the assistance of the Capitol Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Southbound travel plan announced

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Transport & Logistics Bureau announced today that the Southbound Travel Scheme is targeted to be launched in November.

    The automated carparks of the Airport Authority at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port form part of the Southbound Travel Scheme, providing “park and fly” arrangements before the Hong Kong control point, while Guangdong vehicles entering into the urban area are required to undergo vehicle inspection and other procedures.

    Secretary for Transport & Logistics told reporters this afternoon that the target is to achieve simultaneous implementation of the entry of Guangdong vehicles into Hong Kong and the parking of the vehicles in the Airport Authority’s automated car park.

    Ms Chan noted the simultaneous implementation of both parts of the scheme will be in November, adding that the exact timing will be subject to follow-up discussions between the Hong Kong and Guangdong authorities.

    The Airport Authority’s “park and fly” carpark has 1,800 spaces and it has developed a booking system. For entry into the urban area, it will start with a 100 daily booking quota to test the system and procedural arrangements.

    From now till November, the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong will actively formulate the arrangements for the Southbound Travel Scheme in a prudent and orderly manner, including management arrangements, system interface, construction works, facilitation measures, port clearance, monitoring measures, insurance arrangements, publicity work and full-scale drills.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson: One Big Beautiful Bill is the “Most Conservative Legislation We’ve Ever Worked On”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — Tonight, Speaker Johnson joined Sean Hannity on Fox News’ Hannity to discuss how House Republicans are preparing to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill and deliver President Trump’s full agenda to the American people.

    “85 to 90% of this bill is the House generated product. The Senate made some modifications to it. They made it more conservative in some places and moderated it a little bit in others,” Speaker Johnson said. “But I’ll tell you what, as the President said so well today, this is no longer just a House bill, it’s not a Senate bill, it’s the bill of the hardworking American people.”

    Watch the full interview here

    On Republicans nearing the finish line for One Big Beautiful Bill:

    85 to 90% of this bill is the House generated product. The Senate made some modifications to it. They made it more conservative in some places and moderated it a little bit in others. But I’ll tell you what, as the President said so well today, this is no longer just a House bill, it’s not a Senate bill, it’s the bill of the hardworking American people. And we are going to deliver it, as you said, Sean, by July 4th. It is so critically important. Remember, we got a clear mandate from the people in November to do this. President Trump ran on a clear set of priorities and promises, and we did as well. And this is the vehicle to deliver it. We’re almost there at that finish line.

    We’re at the one-yard line in this game that’s been played over a year, really. We worked on this for about 14 months to get us to this point. We’re going to run it right up the middle and score for the American people. And I tell you what, everybody is going to benefit from this bill Sean. As you noted all those features, it’s the most conservative piece of legislation we’ve ever worked on. You need to mention at the same time that even though while we’re having historic tax cuts, we also have historic savings. We’re going to save $1.6 trillion for the American people. We’re going to cut down the size and scope of government, make it more efficient, make it work better for the people. They demand and deserve that, and the Republicans are delivering. 

    On the commonsense and popular work requirements provision:

    But when you’re talking about Medicaid, we need to make sure the program is sustained for the people it’s intended for. That’s, you know, the elderly, the disabled, young pregnant mothers, down on the luck, for example. So that’s what we do by reinstituting work requirements. If you’re a young able-bodied man, you should be helping to pull the wagon, not riding it. And so we have this very popular provision that says if you’re going to receive Medicaid, you got to show that you’re working or at least looking for a job or volunteering in your community for 20 hours a week. It should be much more, but that is a minimal requirement that will reduce a lot of the abuse of the program and shore it up for the people that need it the most. We’re very proud of that. And by the way, the American people love it. It’s a commonsense provision.

    On One Big Beautiful Bill adding “jet fuel” to the US economy:

    Remember the first two years of the Trump administration. After the first two years, we brought about the greatest economy in the history of the world, it wasn’t even close, prior to COVID. Everybody was doing better. Literally every demographic in the country and every region of the country, because we had a combination of reduced taxes and reduced regulations. We’re going to do that again, this time and with this bill on steroids. It really will be jet fuel to the economy and everyone will benefit. 

    We’re estimating the average American will have an additional $10,000 take home pay because of this. You will have no taxes on your tips and on your overtime. Seniors will get a reduction in taxes, because of a credit they’ll have, those on social security. There’s something in this bill, literally, as the President said today, for everyone. It is great policy and is going to help the economy, help the American people, and fulfill the promises of the America First agenda. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH study links particulate air pollution to increased mutations in lung cancers among nonsmokers

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Media Advisory  Wednesday, July 2, 2025

    Whole-genome sequencing study found air pollution to cause more cancer-related changes than secondhand smoke.
    What
    Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and their colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, have found that fine-particulate air pollution, which includes pollution from vehicles and industry, was strongly associated with increased genomic changes in lung cancer tumors among people who have never smoked. By assembling the largest-ever whole-genome analysis of lung cancer in individuals who have never smoked, researchers were able to link air pollution exposure to increased cancer-driving and cancer-promoting genetic mutations. This could potentially lead to more prevention strategies for never-smokers.
    Researchers analyzed lung tumors from 871 never-smoker patients across 28 geographic locations worldwide as part of the Sherlock-Lung study. They found associations between air pollution exposure and changes in the TP53 gene, and other genetic mutational signatures previously associated with tobacco smoking. They also observed a relationship between air pollution and shorter telomeres, which are sections of DNA found at the end of chromosomes. Telomeres shorten naturally with age and shorter telomeres are related to cells inability to continue to replicate. However, scientists found fine particulate air pollution was linked to premature shortening of telomeres.
    Prior genomic studies of lung cancer have focused on tobacco smokers, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of how lung cancer develops in people who have never used tobacco. By beginning to uncover the mechanisms through which tissues acquire cancer-causing or cancer-promoting mutations following environmental exposures, this study helps scientists better understand the primary drivers of lung cancer in this population—which represents up to 25% of all lung cancer cases globally.
    Interestingly, the researchers found that while exposure to secondhand smoke was associated with slightly higher mutation burdens and shorter telomeres, compared to tumors in patients who were not exposed, it did not lead to an increase in cancer-driving mutations or mutational signatures. This suggests that secondhand smoke may have a lower overall ability to cause genetic mutations, known as mutagenicity, compared to air pollution.
    This work was led by researchers at NIH’s National Cancer Institute and the University of California, San Diego, and published in Nature on July 2, 2025.
    Who
     Maria Teresa Landi, M.D., Ph.D. (Senior author and PI of the Sherlock-Lung study) and Tongwu Zhang, Ph.D., are available for comment on this study.
    Reference
    Díaz-Gay, M and Zhang T et al. The mutagenic forces shaping the genomic landscape of lung cancer in never smokers. Nature. 2025. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09219-0
    About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of people with cancer. NCI supports a wide range of cancer research and training extramurally through grants and contracts. NCI’s intramural research program conducts innovative, transdisciplinary basic, translational, clinical, and epidemiological research on the causes of cancer, avenues for prevention, risk prediction, early detection, and treatment, including research at the NIH Clinical Center—the world’s largest research hospital. Learn more about the intramural research done in NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI website at cancer.gov or call NCI’s Cancer Information Service, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

    Institute/Center

    National Cancer Institute (NCI)

    Contact

    NIH Office of Communications and Public Liaison
    301-496-5787

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crime in California drops again — state records second-lowest homicide rate since 1966

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 2, 2025

    What you need to know: California is delivering on its promises – significant investments in public safety help ensure safety in communities statewide with lower crime rates in 2024.

    Sacramento, California – As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Betrayal” that would slash public safety funding across the country, California continues to chart a different path — investing in real solutions that are delivering real results.

    New data released by the California Department of Justice shows that in 2024, nearly every major crime category declined, including violent crime, property crime, homicides, aggravated assaults, motor vehicle theft, burglary, and robbery. In addition, total full-time criminal justice personnel increased 1.9% from 2023 to 2024.

    In the wake of a nationwide spike in crime during the pandemic, California made the choice to invest — not abandon — our communities. While Republicans in Congress push a bill that would gut law enforcement funding and the President focuses on arresting farmworkers, California is showing what real public safety looks like: serious investments, strong enforcement, and real results.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Homicide rates

    The 2024 homicide rate is now the second lowest since at least 1966. The overall number of homicides decreased by nearly 12% since 2023. 

    California’s homicide rates have historically been lower than many other states. According to CDC data from 2022, the latest year available for all states, Alabama’s homicide rate was 152% higher than California’s, Oklahoma’s was 41% higher and Arkansas’ was 100% higher.

    • Louisiana = 2nd worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Alabama = 3rd worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Arkansas = 6th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Tennessee = 10th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022 
    • Oklahoma = 20th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022

    California Trends: 2023 and 2024

    • Violent Crime Rate: ↓ Decreased 6%
    • Property Crime Rate: ↓ Decreased 8.4%
    • Homicide Rate: ↓ Decreased 10.4% 
    • Aggravated Assault Rate: ↓ Decreased 6.5% 
    • Motor Vehicle Theft Rate: ↓ Decreased 15.2% 
    • Burglary Rate: ↓ Decreased 9.1% 
    • Robbery Rate: ↓ Decreased 6.3% 

    Trends over time 

    Since 2019, property crime, arson, burglary, and robbery have all decreased in California. Burglary rate decreased 18.8% from 2019 to 2024, the largest decrease of all categories. During that same time period, property crime rate decreased 9.1%, arson rate decreased 8.7%, and robbery rate decreased 9.6%. 

    Firearms vs. public safety 

    According to the Homicide in California report, firearms were still the most common weapon used in a homicide when a weapon was identified. Of all crime-linked guns recovered in 2024, 65% were not associated with a California sale, meaning that they likely originated out of state, in jurisdictions with weaker gun safety laws. Year after year, California is ranked as the #1 state in the country for its strong gun safety laws — along with some of the lowest rates of gun deaths — by Giffords Law Center and Everytown for Gun Safety. 

    The data points are based on crimes reported to local law enforcement, which are then reported to CADOJ. The underlying data associated with the annual reports is available on OpenJustice here.

    Stronger enforcement. Serious penalties. Real consequences.

    California has invested $1.6 billion since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. In 2023, as part of California’s Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

    Last August, Governor Newsom signed into law the most significant bipartisan legislation to crack down on property crime in modern California history. Building on the state’s robust laws and record public safety funding, these bipartisan bills offer new tools to bolster ongoing efforts to hold criminals accountable for smash-and-grab robberies, property crime, retail theft, and auto burglaries. While California’s crime rate remains at near historic lows, these laws help California adapt to evolving criminal tactics to ensure perpetrators are effectively held accountable.

    As part of the state’s largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime, Governor Newsom announced last year the state distributed $267 million to 55 communities to help local communities combat organized retail crime. These funds have enabled cities and counties to hire more police, make more arrests, and secure more felony charges against suspects. 

    Saturating key areas 

    Working collaboratively to heighten public safety, the Governor tasked the California Highway Patrol to work with local law enforcement areas in key areas to saturate high-crime areas, aiming to reduce roadway violence and criminal activity in the area, specifically vehicle theft and organized retail crime. Since the inception of this regional initiative, there have been over 7,300 arrests, more than 5,000 stolen vehicles recovered and over 350 firearms confiscated across Bakersfield, San Bernardino and Oakland.

    Press releases

    Recent news

    Jul 1, 2025

    News What you need to know: After weeks of pressure from Governor Newsom, President Trump finally allowed California’s wildfire crews to return to the frontlines — but nearly 5,000 soldiers, including California National Guard members, remain sidelined in Los Angeles,…

    Jul 1, 2025

    News What you need to know: California has invested billions of dollars to fight fires and treated millions of acres to reduce wildfire risk, while the Trump administration continues to cut resources and neglect its responsibility to manage the 57% of the state’s…

    Jun 30, 2025

    News PLACER COUNTY — As California enters peak fire season, Governor Gavin Newsom will make an announcement with the potential to help prevent wildfires on over half of forest lands in the state.WHEN: Tuesday, July 1, at approximately 10 a.m.LIVESTREAM: Governor’s…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Uganda’s ride-hailing motorbike service promised safety – but drivers are under pressure to speed

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rich Mallett, Research Associate and Independent Researcher, ODI Global

    Motorcycle-taxis are one of the fastest and most convenient ways to get around Uganda’s congested capital, Kampala. But they are also the most dangerous. Though they account for one-third of public transport trips taking place within the city, police reports suggest motorcycles were involved in 80% of all road-crash deaths registered in Kampala in 2023.

    Promising to solve the safety problem while also improving the livelihoods of moto-taxi workers, digital ride-hail platforms emerged a decade ago on the city’s streets. It is no coincidence that Uganda’s ride-hailing pioneer and long-time market leader goes by the name of SafeBoda.

    Conceived in 2014 as a “market-based approach to road safety”, the idea is to give riders a financial incentive to drive safely by making digital moto-taxi work pay better. SafeBoda claimed at the time that motorcyclists who signed up with it would increase their incomes by up to 50% relative to the traditional mode of operation, in which riders park at strategic locations called “stages” and wait for passengers.

    In the years since, the efforts of SafeBoda and its ride-hail competitors to bring safety to the sector have largely been deemed a success. One study carried out in 2017 found that digital riders were more likely to wear a helmet and less likely to drive towards oncoming traffic. Early press coverage was particularly glowing, while recent academic studies continue to cite the Kampala case as evidence that ride-hailing platforms may hold the key to making African moto-taxi sectors a safer place to work and travel.

    Read more: Ride-hailing in Lagos: algorithmic impacts and driver resistance

    Is it all as clear-cut as this? In a new paper based on PhD research, I suggest not. Because at its core the ride-hail model – in which riders are classified as independent contractors who do poorly paid “gig work” rather than as wage-earning employees – undermines its own safety ambitions.

    Speed traps

    In my study of Kampala’s vast moto-taxi industry – estimated to employ hundreds of thousands of people – I draw on 112 in-depth interviews and a survey of 370 moto-taxi riders to examine how livelihoods and working conditions have been affected by the arrival of the platforms.

    To date, there has been only limited critical engagement with how this change has played out over the past decade. I wanted to get beneath the big corporate claims and alluring platform promises to understand how riders themselves had experienced the digital “transformation” of their industry, several years after it first began.

    Read more: Kenya’s ride-hailing drivers say their jobs offer dignity despite the challenges

    One of the things I found was that, from a safety perspective, the ride-hail model represents a paradox. We can think of it as a kind of “speed trap”.

    On one hand, ride-hail platforms try to moderate moto-taxi speeds and behaviours through managerial techniques. They make helmet use compulsory. They put riders through road safety training before letting them out onto the streets. And they enforce a professional “code of conduct” for riders.

    In some cases, companies also deploy “field agents” to major road intersections around the city. Their task is to monitor the behaviour of riders in company uniform and, should they be spotted breaking the rules, discipline them.

    On the other hand, however, the underlying economic structure of digital ride-hailing pulls transport workers in the opposite direction by systematically depressing trip fares and rewarding speed.

    Under the “gig economy” model used by Uganda’s ride-hail platforms, the livelihood promise hangs not in the offer of a guaranteed wage but in the possibility of higher earnings. Crucially, it is a promise that only materialises if riders are able to reach and maintain a faster, harder work-rate throughout the day – completing enough jobs that pay “little money”, as one rider put it, to make the gig-work deal come good. Or, as summed up by another interviewee:

    We are like stakeholders, I can say that. No basic salary, just commission. So it depends on your speed.

    We already know from existing research that the gig economy places new pressures on transport workers to drive fast and take risky decisions. This is especially the case for workers on low, unsteady pay and without formal safety nets.

    And yet, it is precisely these factors that routinely lead to road traffic accidents. Extensive research from across east Africa has shown that motorcycle crashes are strongly associated with financial pressure and the practices that lead directly from this, such as speeding, working long hours and performing high-risk manoeuvres. All are driven by the need to break even each day in a hyper-competitive informal labour market, with riders compelled to go fast by the raw economics of their work.

    Deepening the pressure

    Ride-hail platforms may not be the reason these circumstances exist in the first place. But the point is that they do not mark a departure from them.

    If anything, my research suggests they may be making things worse. According to the survey data, riders working through the apps make on average 12% higher gross earnings each week relative to their analogue counterparts. This is because the online world gets them more jobs.

    But to stay connected to that world they must shoulder higher operating costs, for: mobile data (to remain logged on); fuel (to perform more trips); the use of helmets and uniforms (which remain company property); and commissions extracted by the platform companies (as much as 15%-20% per trip).

    As soon as these extras are factored in, the difference completely disappears. The digital rider works faster and harder – but for no extra reward.

    Rethinking approaches to safety reform

    Ride-hail platforms were welcomed onto the streets of Kampala as an exciting new solution to unsafe transport, boldly driven by technological innovation and “market-based” thinking.

    Read more: Uganda’s speedy motorbike taxis will slow down for cash – if incentives are cleverly designed

    But it is important to remember that these are private enterprises with a clear bottom line: to one day turn a profit. As recent reports and my own thesis show, efforts to reach that point often alienate and ultimately repel the workers on whom these platforms depend – and whose livelihoods and safety standards they claim to be transforming.

    A recent investment evaluation by one of SafeBoda’s first funders perhaps puts it best: it is time to reframe ride-hailing as a “risky vehicle” for safety reform in African cities, rather than a clear road to success.

    – Uganda’s ride-hailing motorbike service promised safety – but drivers are under pressure to speed
    – https://theconversation.com/ugandas-ride-hailing-motorbike-service-promised-safety-but-drivers-are-under-pressure-to-speed-259310

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Nova Scotia Earns Top Grade for Removing Barriers for Businesses

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Nova Scotia has earned the highest score from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), leading the other provinces and territories on removing internal trade barriers and mutually recognizing the goods, services and registered workers of reciprocating regions.

    The Province received the overall top score of 9.4 (A grade) in CFIB’s annual interprovincial co-operation report card, up from a C the previous year.

    “I’m thrilled Nova Scotia is being recognized for making things better for businesses and workers, and I hope it continues to encourage other provinces and territories to join us and make free trade a reality, nationwide,” said Premier Tim Houston. “I won’t stop working in the best interests of hard-working Nova Scotians, and this government will continue to push to advance mutual recognition policies, cut red tape and make it easier for businesses and people to thrive in Nova Scotia.”

    CFIB’s report credits Nova Scotia’s Free Trade and Labour Mobility within Canada Act for sparking a wave of action from other governments, including the federal government, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia and Quebec, which will improve the flow of goods and services.

    Other key accomplishments:

    • The Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act automatically recognizes goods, services and certified workers from other parts of Canada. Nova Scotia also played a lead role in the creation of the Atlantic Physicians Registry, is participating in the mutual recognition pilot project for the transportation sector and working toward a mutual recognition agreement on consumer goods through the Committee on Internal Trade.

    • Effective today, July 2, the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency will automatically recognize all provincial certifications for the Red Seal skilled trades from Alberta and Quebec. Workers from those provinces who hold provincial certifications without a Red Seal endorsement can now work in Nova Scotia without any further applications or approvals.

    • Nova Scotia was among the first to implement interprovincial direct-to-consumer sales for alcoholic beverages, which took effect June 26.

    • In terms of labour mobility, in 2023, 71 per cent of regulatory bodies issued a decision for interprovincial applicants in good standing within five days and 81 per cent issued a decision within 10 days.

    • Nova Scotia recently announced new regulations that allow more types of commercial trucks and other passenger vehicles to enter and operate in the province, supporting the movement of goods and services across the country.

    • The Province has announced its intentions to amend the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations to remove Nova Scotia-specific requirements for off-site construction.

    Quotes:

    “Nova Scotia needs more skilled trades professionals. By recognizing provincial trade certifications from Quebec and Alberta, we’re helping people start jobs faster – without extra paperwork or delays. That’s a win for apprentices, employers and our economy.”
    — Michelle Bussey, CEO, Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

    “I’ve been so impressed with the leadership of Nova Scotia, of the leaders and everyone in government, and also it being an occasion for whole of government reform. I think a lot of governments can look to Nova Scotia and see what bold change can bring. When you introduce this sort of legislation, it boosts export volumes by up to 40 per cent. It really does matter. Canadians have been working for free trade since 1867. This is the biggest opportunity since then.”
    — Ryan Manucha, research fellow, C.D. Howe Institute; expert on interprovincial trade in Canada

    Quick Facts:

    • more than $530 billion worth of goods and services moves across provincial and territorial borders every year – equal to 18 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP)
    • interprovincial exports contribute about 17 per cent of Nova Scotia’s GDP and make up about half of Nova Scotia’s total exports (about 49 per cent of all goods and services)
    • in 2023, the value of Nova Scotia’s interprovincial exports was more than $10 billion, and the value of Nova Scotia’s interprovincial trade was nearly $29 billion
    • more than 40 per cent of Canadian businesses participate in internal trade by buying or selling goods across provincial or territorial borders
    • according to CFIB, removing internal trade barriers could grow Canada’s economy by as much as $200 billion annually in the long run, or about $5,100 per person

    Additional Resources:

    The State of Internal Trade: Canada’s Interprovincial Cooperation Report Card, 2025 edition: https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/research-economic-analysis/state-of-internal-trade-canadas-interprovincial-cooperation-report-card

    Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency: https://www.nsapprenticeship.ca/tradespersons/trade-certificates

    Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/free%20trade%20and%20mobility%20within%20canada.pdf

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action Results in 324 Defendants Charged and Over $14.6 Billion in Intended Fraud Loss Charged

    Source: US FBI

    DETROIT – Today, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced criminal charges and civil resolutions in three cases in connection with alleged schemes to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and defraud federal health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. The charges were filed in federal court and are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. The criminal charges stem from the sale of controlled substance prescriptions in exchange for cash. The civil cases resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act by several health care providers.

    “Today’s record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown sends a crystal-clear message to criminal actors, both foreign and domestic, intent on preying upon our most vulnerable citizens and stealing from hardworking American taxpayers: we will find you; we will prosecute you, and we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

    All the cases are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets.  The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets in connection with the takedown.

    The criminal defendants charged in the Eastern District of Michigan were involved in a conspiracy to unlawfully distribute over 1.9 million commonly diverted controlled substance prescriptions for Oxycodone, Percocet, and Norco. The civil resolutions target $6 million in fraud on Medicare and Medicaid, returning much of those funds to the impacted federal programs.

    The Eastern District of Michigan, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division, Civil Frauds, and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate, prosecute, and resolve the cases included as part of the Department’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and FBI.

    In addition, the Fraud Section’s Midwest Strike Force charged four defendants in the Eastern District of Michigan. In particular, law enforcement and prosecutors in the Eastern District of Michigan were involved in Operation Gold Rush, which targeted the attempt by foreign actors to steal more than $10 billion from the Medicare program. Click on the following link for more information about the charged cases:  https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2025-national-hcf-case-summaries

    United States Attorney Gorgon said, “We are proud to partner with the Fraud Section Healthcare Fraud Strike Force to protect patients and preserve the integrity of our healthcare system. This collaboration strengthens our ability to identify and stop fraudulent activity so that resources are used to support care for Americans—not exploitation. Healthcare fraud will not be tolerated.”

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office charged and resolved the following matters:

    Usman Ahmad, R.Ph. 66 of Lake, Orion, Michigan; Durand Bynum, 46 of Canton, Michigan; Ebony Daniels, 33 of Eastpointe, Michigan; and Allen Satawhite, 37 of Detroit, were charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances in connection with their roles in an unlawful scheme to distribute Schedule II controlled substances Oxycodone, Oxycodone-Acetaminophen (Percocet); and Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (Norco). As alleged in the indictment, the owner of P & A Aftercare, located in Southfield, Michigan, hired several doctors to issue controlled substance prescriptions for a cadre of “fake” patients, without medical necessity and outside the scope of professional medical practice, in exchange for cash payments. The “fake” patients were recruited by Bynum, Daniels, Satawhite and others. Ahmad owned and operated Detroit Hoover Pharmacy, in Detroit, Michigan. He used the pharmacy to engage in a scheme and pattern of illegal conduct involving the unlawful distribution of prescription drug-controlled substances issued by the doctors at P & A Aftercare. Specifically, Ahmad distributed prescription drugs from the pharmacy illegally, outside the course of usual professional pharmacy practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Michigan Regina R. McCullough and Philip A. Ross.   

    “The indictment of four individuals for their alleged roles in conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs reflects the FBI’s unyielding efforts to investigate and disrupt those who violate federal law,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Exploiting the well-being of our community and the healthcare system for personal gain will not be tolerated. The alleged actions betray public trust and divert critical resources. I also want to thank the members from our FBI Detroit Field Office and federal partners at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General for their continued work to uncover and dismantle these illegal schemes.”

    “The illegal prescribing and distribution of controlled substances—particularly opioids—by health care professionals puts the health and safety of our communities at serious risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these egregious allegations.”

    Villa Financial Services LLC, Villa Olympia Investment LLC, and six southeast Michigan Villa nursing homes – The Ambassador, Father Murray, Imperial, Regency, St. Joseph’s and Westland – have agreed to pay the United States and the State of Michigan a total of $4,500,000, to resolve a civil qui tam lawsuit alleging that they violated the False Claims Act by systematically failing to provide services to nursing home residents and/or providing materially and grossly substandard services to nursing home residents. Among other things, the United States alleged that the facilities failed to have a sufficient number of appropriately trained staff possessing satisfactory skill levels to adequately care for the residents. The United States also alleged that the facilities failed to take adequate measures to prevent, control, and provide care related to infections. In addition, the United States alleged that the facilities failed to take adequate measures to prevent and follow appropriate protocols related to resident falls. In connection with the settlement, Villa Financial Services LLC, Villa Olympia Investment LLC, and the six nursing homes will enter into a five-year quality-of-care Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with HHS-OIG. Under the CIA, the settling companies are required to retain an independent quality monitor to review the companies’ delivery of care and evaluate their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to patient care problems. The case is being jointly prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Wizner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Kelly McAuliffe of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Commercial Litigation Branch – Fraud Section, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division.

    Wahid Makki, 62, and his spouse, Zainab (aka Zeinab) Makki, 62, of Dearborn Heights, together with the two pharmacies they operated, Kirtland Corp. aka New Millennium Drugs and Western Wayne Pharmacy, LLC, have agreed to pay the United States and the State of Michigan $1,500,000 to resolve a civil qui tam lawsuit alleging that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Medicare and Medicaid Programs for prescription drugs that New Millenium Drugs and Western Wayne Pharmacy billed to the Programs, but never dispensed. In addition, Wahid Makki has agreed to his exclusion from the Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federal health care programs for 10 years. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Wizner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division.

    The investigation, prosecution and resolution of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nearly 50 Charged in Southern District of Texas as Part of National Health Care Fraud Takedown

    Source: US FBI

    Combined efforts have resulted in charges against 18 medical professionals after nearly 12 million pills distributed and over $360 million fraudulently billed to Medicare

    HOUSTON – A total of 22 cases are being announced as part of local efforts targeting health care fraud and include various schemes alleging unlawful distribution of controlled substances, some of which were diverted onto the black market, hospice fraud, kickbacks and other Medicare/Medicaid fraud schemes involving medically unnecessary genetic tests, durable medical equipment and more.  

    The charges filed in Southern District of Texas (SDTX) federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 national health care fraud takedown.

    “Americans rely on Medicare for needed treatments and living-saving care. Those that bilk this fund to unlawfully enrich themselves are ultimately stealing from the taxpayer and damaging public confidence in our health system,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Today’s takedown is a reminder to would-be medical fraudsters that the Department of Justice is always standing guard over the public fisc.”

    “This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

    One of the largest cases include three individuals for their alleged roles in a $110 million hospice fraud and kickback scheme. The charges allege Dera Ogudo, 39, and Victoria Martinez, 35, both of Richmond, operated hospice company United Palliative & Hospice Company (UPHC) that misled vulnerable elderly adults about what services were being billed to their Medicare and Medicaid plans. According to court documents, UPHC Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and/or their family members believed they would be receiving palliative or home health services. In truth, these patients were enrolled in hospice services but were not actually terminally ill as Medicare and Medicaid requires, according to the charges. Ogudo allegedly paid kickbacks to several group homeowners in exchange for enrolling their beneficiaries in hospice with UPHC and bribed a physician to certify and re-certify UPHC patients as terminally ill when they were not. Ogudo also allegedly paid kickbacks to Evelyn Shaw, 52, Houston, in exchange for referrals from a local psychiatric hospital where Shaw was employed as discharge coordinator.

    In relation to the scheme, Carlos Munoz, 57, Richmond, is charged by information. Ogudo allegedly paid Munoz, a medical doctor, kickbacks and bribes to certify and re-certify Medicare and Medicaid patients for hospices services.

    In a separate case, Keilan Peterson aka Young Jay or Jay, 38, and Kimberly Martinez, 47, Houston, have been charged for their alleged participation in a scheme to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances in exchange for cash through Relief Medical Center and GroveCare clinics in Houston. As alleged in their indictment, Peterson paid three doctors to allow Peterson, Martinez and others at the clinics to use the doctors’ electronic prescribing credentials to issue prescriptions for significant amounts of hydrocodone, carisoprodol and oxycodone. Peterson also allegedly sent some of these illegitimate prescriptions to his own pharmacy, Next Level Pharmacy, and took possession of the controlled substances to sell on the black market. In total, the indictment alleges Peterson and others issued over 2 million controlled substance pills, the vast majority of which were unauthorized, issued without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice.

    A podiatrist and the self-proclaimed CEO of a local medical clinic were also charged in another $90 million Medicare fraud scheme. The 15-count superseding indictment alleges David Jenson, 57, and Nestor Rafael Romero Magallanes, 29, both of Spring, conspired to fraudulently bill Medicare for over $90 million for skin substitute products-often for patients who did not have qualifying wounds. They allegedly submitted claims for patients who did not have qualifying wounds, or any wounds at all, and continued billing even after a 2023 audit denied all their claims and flagged the conduct as improper. The indictment further alleges Jenson and Romero falsified medical records to make it appear patients had chronic wounds and manipulated documentation to show those wounds were improving despite no such existing conditions. 

    Charged with wire fraud, Tyneza P. Mitchell, 43, Spring, was allegedly involved in a scheme to bill the COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured Program. The charges allege billing included in-office consultations regarding COVID diagnosis and treatment she never provided. As alleged in the indictment, Mitchell is a licensed nurse practitioner who received $9.9 million as a result of her fraudulent scheme.

    Daphne Johnson, 60, Stafford, was allegedly involved in a scheme to bill Medicaid $793,804 for mental health therapy services she never provided. As alleged in the information, Johnson received $331,112 as a result of her fraudulent scheme.

    Prosecutors with the Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force also filed charges against several more individuals in this district with assistance from SDTX.

    Chad Harper, 49, Pearland, is facing numerous charges in connection with a $115 Medicare fraud scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Harper owned multiple laboratories through which he billed Medicare for genetic and other diagnostic testing induced by kickbacks and bribes which were medically unnecessary or otherwise ineligible for Medicare. The indictment alleges Harper generated business through a nationwide network of marketers who directed referrals to the laboratories in exchange for illegal kickbacks that Harper paid through shell companies. Harper allegedly funded his operation through, among other ways, obtaining a fraudulent equipment loan from a local credit union. Harper allegedly laundered the proceeds of his schemes through other shell companies, which purchased and held real properties and assets and passed profits on to Harper.

    Dr. Maryam “Meg” Qayum, 67, New Caney, is charged with multiple counts of illegally distributing a controlled substance along with Jared Williams, 48, Pearland; and Tomi-Ko Bowers, 70, Lester “Lay” Stokes, 37, and Melvin Sampson, 55, all of Houston. The charges stem from their alleged roles in diverting more than three million opioids onto the black market. As alleged in the indictment, Qayum is a medical doctor and Bowers an advanced practice registered nurse who operated Recare Clinic in Kingwood along with Stokes. They allegedly sold oxycodone and hydrocodone prescriptions to drug traffickers in exchange for cash. Sampson is alleged to be one such individual who recruited others to pose as patients, paid cash for the prescriptions from Qayum, filled Qayum’s prescriptions at complicit pharmacies and resold the drugs on the black market.

    Other Strike Force cases include one charging Sacha Lashun Betts, 47, Houston, and Nicholas Aguillard, 49, Rosenberg; Lisa Darlene Durden, 60, and Jordan O. Williams, 56, both of Missouri City; Quincy Guillory, 51, Richmond; Mykel Walker, 42, Cypress, and Kaeita Rankin, 48, Houston. The indictment alleges they participated in a conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances in connection with the establishment, oversight and operation of a drug trafficking organization that controlled more than a dozen “front” pharmacies used to sell opioids and other commonly abused prescription drugs, often in bulk, to street-level drug dealers on Houston’s black market. From 2015 through 2022, the defendants’ pharmacies unlawfully distributed and dispensed more than 4.4 million doses of opioids and other commonly abused prescription drugs, with an estimated street value exceeding $75 million, according to the charges. The co-conspirators allegedly sold opioids and other commonly abused prescription drugs to street-level drug traffickers in exchange for cash.

    Other cases involve fraudulent schemes for kickbacks or billing Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic tests or footbath drugs, durable medical equipment, conspiracies to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances, some involving diversion onto the black market or in connection to the operation of pill-mill pharmacies. Those charged in this district also include residents of Houston, Richmond, League City, Rosharon, Sugar Land, Katy, Pearland and Manvel as well as U.S. citizens from Florida, Indiana and Georgia.

    All the cases are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown.

    Descriptions of each SDTX case and others involved in the enforcement actions are available on the Department of Justice’s website.

    Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (OIG), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Federal Housing Finance Agency – OIG and U.S. Postal Service – OIG conducted the various investigations with assistance of police departments in Conroe, Dickinson and Houston. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Brad Gray, Kathryn Olson, Christine Lu, Alexander Alum and Thomas Carter are prosecting the SDTX cases with assistance from AUSAs Kristine Rollinson and Brandon Fyffe who are handling forfeiture matters. Counsel to the Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit Alexis Gregorian, Acting Assistant Chief Devon Helfmeyer, Senior Litigation Counsel Catherine Wagner and Trial Attorneys Adam Tisdall, Andrew Tamayo, Monica Cooper, Benjamin Smith, Yael Mash, Erika V. Suhr, Ethan Womble, Claire Horrell and Gary A. Crosby are prosecuting the Strike Force matters.

    SDTX and The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Rapid Response, Texas, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England and Northeast Strike Forces are prosecuting the cases as well as U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Districts of Columbia, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont; Northern and Western Districts of Texas; Central, Northern and Southern Districts of California; Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida; Middle District of Georgia; Northern District of Illinois; Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky; Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana; Eastern District of Michigan; Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi; Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio; Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma; Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee; Eastern District of Virginia; Western District of Washington; Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team.

    A complaint, information or indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Policy announcement of Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    ​The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (July 2) announced the policy direction of Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (the Southbound Travel Scheme).

    The Southbound Travel Scheme is an important measure to promote the facilitation of the flow of people and vehicles between Hong Kong and the Mainland as well as the transport and logistics development through the study and formulation of transport policies between Hong Kong, Macao and the Mainland, thereby duly implementing the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as the requirements of relevant documents of the Central Government. With the agreement of Guangdong and the strong support of the Central Government, Guangdong and Hong Kong have been discussing and taking forward the policy through the task force for collaboration on Guangdong-Hong Kong transportation, and reached a consensus on expediting the implementation of the policy of the Southbound Travel Scheme. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisiana felon sentenced to federal prison for Shelby County firearms violation

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

    BEAUMONT, Texas –A Bourg, Louisiana man has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Brad Michael Broussard, 44, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 1, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on January 1, 2024, Broussard was stopped by law enforcement in Shelby County after he struck several construction barrels while traveling down the highway.  The smell of marijuana was evident during the traffic stop prompting a search of the vehicle.  A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of four firearms, including a pistol equipped with a homemade silencer.  Broussard was also in possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms, marijuana, numerous prescription pills, a methamphetamine pipe, and assorted other drug paraphernalia.  

    Further investigation revealed Broussard has five felony convictions, all for burglary.  Federal law prohibits convicted felons from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Tennessee Gang Member Sentenced for Possession of a Machinegun

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

    Jackson, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Mekevin Woods, 23, of Bolivar, Tennessee, to 38 months in federal prison for possessing a machinegun conversion device, also known as a “switch.” Interim U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. announced the sentence today.

    According to evidence presented in court, on December 23, 2023, an officer with the Bolivar Police Department (BPD) attempted a traffic stop of a gray 2022 Infiniti Q60.  When the driver refused to stop, he led the BPD officer on a high-speed pursuit reaching speeds of 80 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone. Finally, Woods, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, traveled into oncoming traffic, jumped from the vehicle, and fled on foot. While fleeing, the officer observed Woods with a firearm in his right hand.

    Officers with the Bolivar Police Department ultimately arrested Woods with the assistance of a K-9 unit and located a Glock handgun loaded with 32 rounds in an extended magazine with a machinegun conversion device attached to the firearm. Officers also determined the vehicle was stolen out of Memphis. Woods was identified as a member of the TMO 45 gang, a hybrid street gang comprised of both adult and juvenile members, that is involved in firearms and narcotics trafficking and is responsible for several shooting incidents in the Fayette and Hardeman County area.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Resident Agency; and the Bolivar Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorney Christie Hopper prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    ###

    For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Uganda’s ride-hailing motorbike service promised safety – but drivers are under pressure to speed

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rich Mallett, Research Associate and Independent Researcher, ODI Global

    Motorcycle-taxis are one of the fastest and most convenient ways to get around Uganda’s congested capital, Kampala. But they are also the most dangerous. Though they account for one-third of public transport trips taking place within the city, police reports suggest motorcycles were involved in 80% of all road-crash deaths registered in Kampala in 2023.

    Promising to solve the safety problem while also improving the livelihoods of moto-taxi workers, digital ride-hail platforms emerged a decade ago on the city’s streets. It is no coincidence that Uganda’s ride-hailing pioneer and long-time market leader goes by the name of SafeBoda.

    Conceived in 2014 as a “market-based approach to road safety”, the idea is to give riders a financial incentive to drive safely by making digital moto-taxi work pay better. SafeBoda claimed at the time that motorcyclists who signed up with it would increase their incomes by up to 50% relative to the traditional mode of operation, in which riders park at strategic locations called “stages” and wait for passengers.

    In the years since, the efforts of SafeBoda and its ride-hail competitors to bring safety to the sector have largely been deemed a success. One study carried out in 2017 found that digital riders were more likely to wear a helmet and less likely to drive towards oncoming traffic. Early press coverage was particularly glowing, while recent academic studies continue to cite the Kampala case as evidence that ride-hailing platforms may hold the key to making African moto-taxi sectors a safer place to work and travel.



    Read more:
    Ride-hailing in Lagos: algorithmic impacts and driver resistance

    Is it all as clear-cut as this? In a new paper based on PhD research, I suggest not. Because at its core the ride-hail model – in which riders are classified as independent contractors who do poorly paid “gig work” rather than as wage-earning employees – undermines its own safety ambitions.

    Speed traps

    In my study of Kampala’s vast moto-taxi industry – estimated to employ hundreds of thousands of people – I draw on 112 in-depth interviews and a survey of 370 moto-taxi riders to examine how livelihoods and working conditions have been affected by the arrival of the platforms.

    To date, there has been only limited critical engagement with how this change has played out over the past decade. I wanted to get beneath the big corporate claims and alluring platform promises to understand how riders themselves had experienced the digital “transformation” of their industry, several years after it first began.



    Read more:
    Kenya’s ride-hailing drivers say their jobs offer dignity despite the challenges

    One of the things I found was that, from a safety perspective, the ride-hail model represents a paradox. We can think of it as a kind of “speed trap”.

    On one hand, ride-hail platforms try to moderate moto-taxi speeds and behaviours through managerial techniques. They make helmet use compulsory. They put riders through road safety training before letting them out onto the streets. And they enforce a professional “code of conduct” for riders.

    In some cases, companies also deploy “field agents” to major road intersections around the city. Their task is to monitor the behaviour of riders in company uniform and, should they be spotted breaking the rules, discipline them.

    On the other hand, however, the underlying economic structure of digital ride-hailing pulls transport workers in the opposite direction by systematically depressing trip fares and rewarding speed.

    Under the “gig economy” model used by Uganda’s ride-hail platforms, the livelihood promise hangs not in the offer of a guaranteed wage but in the possibility of higher earnings. Crucially, it is a promise that only materialises if riders are able to reach and maintain a faster, harder work-rate throughout the day – completing enough jobs that pay “little money”, as one rider put it, to make the gig-work deal come good. Or, as summed up by another interviewee:

    We are like stakeholders, I can say that. No basic salary, just commission. So it depends on your speed.

    We already know from existing research that the gig economy places new pressures on transport workers to drive fast and take risky decisions. This is especially the case for workers on low, unsteady pay and without formal safety nets.

    And yet, it is precisely these factors that routinely lead to road traffic accidents. Extensive research from across east Africa has shown that motorcycle crashes are strongly associated with financial pressure and the practices that lead directly from this, such as speeding, working long hours and performing high-risk manoeuvres. All are driven by the need to break even each day in a hyper-competitive informal labour market, with riders compelled to go fast by the raw economics of their work.

    Deepening the pressure

    Ride-hail platforms may not be the reason these circumstances exist in the first place. But the point is that they do not mark a departure from them.

    If anything, my research suggests they may be making things worse. According to the survey data, riders working through the apps make on average 12% higher gross earnings each week relative to their analogue counterparts. This is because the online world gets them more jobs.

    But to stay connected to that world they must shoulder higher operating costs, for: mobile data (to remain logged on); fuel (to perform more trips); the use of helmets and uniforms (which remain company property); and commissions extracted by the platform companies (as much as 15%-20% per trip).

    As soon as these extras are factored in, the difference completely disappears. The digital rider works faster and harder – but for no extra reward.

    Rethinking approaches to safety reform

    Ride-hail platforms were welcomed onto the streets of Kampala as an exciting new solution to unsafe transport, boldly driven by technological innovation and “market-based” thinking.



    Read more:
    Uganda’s speedy motorbike taxis will slow down for cash – if incentives are cleverly designed

    But it is important to remember that these are private enterprises with a clear bottom line: to one day turn a profit. As recent reports and my own thesis show, efforts to reach that point often alienate and ultimately repel the workers on whom these platforms depend – and whose livelihoods and safety standards they claim to be transforming.

    A recent investment evaluation by one of SafeBoda’s first funders perhaps puts it best: it is time to reframe ride-hailing as a “risky vehicle” for safety reform in African cities, rather than a clear road to success.

    Rich received funding for this research from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

    – ref. Uganda’s ride-hailing motorbike service promised safety – but drivers are under pressure to speed – https://theconversation.com/ugandas-ride-hailing-motorbike-service-promised-safety-but-drivers-are-under-pressure-to-speed-259310

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ivey Honors Alabama Manufacturers on ‘Made in the USA’ Day

    Source: US State of Alabama

    MONTGOMERY — In recognition of National “Made in the USA” Day on July 2, 2025, Governor Kay Ivey today signed a formal proclamation celebrating Alabama’s manufacturing community and its critical role in driving economic growth across the state.

    “On this ‘Made in the USA’ Day, we proudly salute the hardworking Alabamians who make our state a true manufacturing powerhouse,” said Governor Ivey. “Alabama ranks among the top five states for manufacturing job concentration, and that’s the result of strong partnerships, innovative thinking and a tireless commitment to quality.”

    Manufacturing accounts for nearly 16% of Alabama’s Gross Domestic Product, with economic output exceeding $50 billion last year, according to data from the National Association of Manufacturers industry group.

    The sector includes a broad range of industries, from automotive and aerospace to metals and kitchen appliances. It supports more than 290,000 jobs across all regions of Alabama.

    Governor Ivey emphasized the continued focus of her Administration on strengthening this vital sector, which encompasses more than 4,000 enterprises across the state.

    “We’re building for the future — through workforce training programs, infrastructure investment and a pro-growth business climate that attracts world-class companies to Alabama,” said Governor Ivey. “These efforts are paying off in the form of new jobs, rising wages and thriving communities.”

    Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair echoed the governor’s message, noting the strategic importance of manufacturing in the state’s long-term economic development goals.

    “From motor vehicles and rockets to aircraft and steel, Alabama manufacturers are producing the goods that move the world,” said Secretary McNair. “This sector fuels innovation and opportunity across our state, and we are deeply committed to supporting its continued success.”

    The Alabama Department of Commerce has played a key role in facilitating the state’s manufacturing momentum through initiatives like the Catalyst strategic plan, the Alabama Development Fund and other initiatives— all designed to accelerate job creation, upskill the workforce and open new opportunities in rural and urban areas alike.

    Manufactured goods from Alabama are sold across the world, driving exports from the state to exceed $26.8 billion in value during 2024, the second highest annual figure. Motor vehicles are the state’s top export category, and Alabama ranks as the nation’s No. 2 auto-exporting state.

    Manufacturing jobs in Alabama also provide for a good living. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, average annual wages in Alabama’s manufacturing sector exceed $85,000.

    “Manufacturing remains the backbone of Alabama’s economy, and our industry is powered by the incredible men and women who show up every day to make world-class products,” said Manufacture Alabama President and CEO Jon Bargainer.

    “Thanks to Governor Ivey’s leadership and the strength of our workforce, the industry continues to thrive, contributing positively to both urban and rural communities throughout our state,” added Bargainer. “Manufacturers offer some of the most meaningful careers that support Alabama’s families and secure a prosperous future.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Patrushev: Six facilities for processing municipal solid waste with a total capacity of half a million tons have been commissioned

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting within the framework of incident No. 58 “Organization of the system for handling municipal solid waste”. The work was attended by the management of relevant departments, industry companies, heads of regions and representatives of the Federal Assembly.

    “We continue to move steadily towards solving the tasks outlined by the President to form a closed-loop economy. In recent months, six solid municipal waste handling facilities have been commissioned – in Perm Krai, Tomsk and Lipetsk Oblasts, the Udmurt Republic and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Their combined capacity is 0.5 million tons for processing and 170 thousand tons for disposal of solid municipal waste,” said Dmitry Patrushev.

    The Deputy Prime Minister noted that, according to plans, five more facilities should be completed by the end of the year.

    In accordance with the Presidential Decree, sorting by 2030 should reach 100%, and landfill disposal should decrease to 50%, while a quarter of the waste should be returned for recirculation. At present, 57% of waste is processed in our country, and slightly more than 80% is sent to landfills. Dmitry Patrushev emphasized that the dynamics of achieving planned values ahead of schedule must be maintained, while increasing the scale of infrastructure construction.

    The Deputy Prime Minister also noted a positive trend during the first half of the year in a number of regions in terms of updating the fleet of special equipment, equipping container sites and purchasing containers. Dmitry Patrushev instructed to continue this work under the supervision of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Russian Ecological Operator.

    The incident was used to analyze the work on concluding concession agreements for the construction of industry infrastructure. In March of this year, the Government provided such an opportunity to 19 regions. The Deputy Prime Minister instructed to speed up the conclusion of such agreements.

    The issue of supplying garbage trucks to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation under the preferential leasing program, launched for the first time this year, was also raised. The limit provided for 2025 is 420 million rubles. This will ensure the supply of more than 1.2 thousand vehicles to the regions.

    The incident meeting discussed the introduction of a system for photographic recording of the state of sites in the country with the transfer of data to the federal system for recording solid municipal waste. Following the meeting, seven regions were recommended to eliminate the backlog and ensure the introduction of the system into operation.

    Incident No. 58 “Organization of a system for handling municipal solid waste” was created on the instructions of the Chairman of the Government to ensure the implementation of reform in the area of waste management.

    When working in the incident format, a special project management system is used, which is deployed on the basis of the Government Coordination Center. It allows for prompt coordination of the actions of participants and monitoring of project implementation in real time.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Provides Update on State of Missouri’s Continued Disaster Response and Recovery Efforts

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JULY 2, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe shared the following updates on the State of Missouri’s support for communities recovering from the severe weather and flooding that has affected much of the state in 2025.  

    “Our state team members have done an outstanding job this year, working shoulder to shoulder with local counterparts to aid Missouri families and businesses recovering from an unprecedented string of damaging storms,” Governor Kehoe said. “These efforts—along with the work of our faith-based and volunteer disaster response partners, and the federal disaster support approved by President Trump—are making a tremendous difference as we move forward together as a state.”

    On Monday, Governor Kehoe signed Executive Order 25-27 extending a State of Emergency in Missouri through August 31, 2025. The extension will help further assist with disaster recovery efforts, as additional flooding and severe storms occurred in Southwest Missouri over this past weekend. Governor Kehoe first declared a State of Emergency on March 14, 2025, through Executive Order 25-19 in preparation for severe weather. The State of Emergency declaration in Executive Order 25-19 was subsequently extended by Executive Order 25-22, Executive Order 25-23, and now Executive Order 25-27.

    Some recent highlights on the state’s response include:

    • More than $22 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) assistance has been provided to over 4,600 families in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis, and Scott counties. This funding follows President Trump’s June 9 approval of a federal Major Disaster Declaration for the May 16 tornado and severe storms that devastated parts of Missouri.
    • During the activation of the Missouri National Guard to the City of St. Louis, guard members supported debris management collection at four drop-off sites and hauled hundreds of dump truck loads to the landfill. This support enabled the city and its residents to remove the equivalent of well over 200 football fields piled one foot high with debris.
    • On June 14, Governor Kehoe signed Senate Bill 1 into law after the special session, allocating $100 million to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for disaster relief to help the City of St. Louis recover from the May 16 tornado that damaged or destroyed thousands of homes.
    • More than $3.8 million in FEMA/SEMA assistance has been provided to over 750 households impacted by the March 14-15 storms and wildfires in Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Carter, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Louis, Wayne, Webster, and Wright counties. President Trump approved Governor Kehoe’s federal Major Disaster Request for this disaster on May 21.
    • Currently eight Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are open for residents impacted by the May 16 or March 14-15 severe storms to help with disaster assistance applications, answer questions, and upload required documents. Search Missouri locations at fema.gov/DRC. The fastest way to apply is at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If residents were impacted March 14-15, the deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance is July 22. For those impacted on May 16, the deadline is August 11.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: CORRECTION: The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Wins Global Trade Review (GTR) Best Deals of 2025 for Türkiye Earthquake Response Financing

    The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, has been recognized with a GTR (Global Trade Review) Best Deals of 2025 for its innovative US$150 million Murabaha financing facility, to support Türkiye’s post-earthquake economic recovery.

    Executed in close partnership with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance of the Republic of Türkiye, the Industrial Development Bank of Türkiye (TSKB), and the Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye (TKYB), this landmark Shariah-compliant financing was the first Islamic trade finance facility designed for post-disaster recovery.

    The financing was developed in response to the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye in February 2023, resulting in an estimated US$100 billion in damages and disrupting over 220,000 businesses. The facility delivered working capital support and laid the foundation for sustainable economic revival in key sectors including food security, agriculture, and trade.

    Commenting on the award, Nazeem Noordali, Chief Operating Officer, ITFC highlighted, “This award is a testament to our continued commitment to support trade-driven resilience. By partnering with Türkiye’s public sector and key development banks, we have introduced an Islamic finance solution that strengthens recovery and supports long-term trade sustainability.”

    Ms. Sedef Aydaş Head of Department the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Treasury and Finance, stated that ITFC is one of the first financing organizations showing its willingness to support Türkiye’s post-earthquake economic recovery and added that: “We as Ministry of Treasury and Finance are delighted and thankful to receive GTR Best Deal of 2024 with the first transactions with ITFC for its financing support to Türkiye regarding food security, agriculture and SME trade financing in the earthquake region. I hope the deals we had with ITFC will be one of the landmark projects for future transactions in various areas.”

    The project has also accelerated the adoption of Islamic trade finance solutions in Türkiye’s public sector. TSKB and TKYB utilized the opportunity to develop new Shariah-compliant frameworks with strategic impact across other sectors like renewable energy, climate resilience, employment and inclusive development. It also opened new avenues for Islamic financing in Türkiye’s public sector, paving the way for future Murabaha based financing from international players.

    Commenting on the award, Ms. Meral Murathan, Executive Vice President & Sustainability Leader of TSKB, said: “As Türkiye’s first privately-owned development and investment bank, we have been committed to supporting sustainable and inclusive development for the past 75 years. In the aftermath of the February 2023 earthquake, we placed the sustainable redevelopment of the affected regions at the core of our mission. The US$ 150 million Murabaha-based agreement we signed with ITFC in August 2024 marks the first cooperation between TSKB and ITFC. We are pleased to have structured this partnership to support trade-driven recovery and resilience in the earthquake-impacted areas by addressing the urgent needs of local businesses.”

    The award was presented at the GTR Best Deals 2025 ceremony, where ITFC representative alongside officials from the Ministry of Treasury and Finance of the Republic of Türkiye and TSKB.

    İbrahim H. Oztop, the CEO of the Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye commented “We are very pleased to be involved in this transaction, executed in collaboration with ITFC, our partner institution. This financing not only represents a step forward in strengthening our corporate financing structure but also helps us to achieve our strategic goals. We consider this award as a recognition of our institution’s vision and mission on an international level.”

    This recognition reinforces ITFC’s leadership in Islamic trade finance solutions and its contribution to achieving SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure).

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

    Contact Us:
    Tel: +966 12 646 8337 
    Fax: +966 12 637 1064  
    E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org

    Social Media:
    Twitter: https://apo-opa.co/449UUsq
    Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/3G6J6hv
    LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/40Ac5AZ

    About the International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
    The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving the socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided more than US$83 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, enabling them to successfully compete in the global market.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Remarks by STL on Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (with photo/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, at a media session on the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles today (July 2):

    Reporter: You mentioned that the initial daily quota for Guangdong cars to enter Hong Kong urban area will be 100 and will increase gradually. I wonder how you come up with that number? Will there be a cap for the quota given the capacity of car parking spaces in Hong Kong? How will the Government ensure that there are enough parking spaces for those cars? Secondly, regarding road safety, will Guangdong drivers be required to take any mandatory training or test to familiarise themselves with Hong Kong’s driving rules or regulations? Will they be penalised for any violation? Finally, you mentioned that there will be vehicle examinations in Mainland before those cars can enter Hong Kong, can you elaborate on the roles of Hong Kong authorities in those examinations and what kind of examinations will be conducted?

    Secretary for Transport and Logistics: As I have mentioned just now, today’s announcement covered the entry of Guangdong vehicles to Hong Kong. It comprises two parts. The first part is regarding the parking of vehicles in the automated car park organised and arranged by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and the automated car park is situated at the artificial island of the Hong Kong-Macao-Zhuhai Bridge BCP (Boundary Control Point) area. That part will allow Guangdong vehicles to be parked and facilitate their visitors to transit via our Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).

    As for the part regarding the entry of Guangdong vehicles into the Hong Kong territory, we would like to advance the implementation so that we can achieve a simultaneous implementation, i.e. we will allow and facilitate the application by Guangdong vehicles for both parts, including the part for entry into the Hong Kong territory. Given that the entry of Guangdong vehicles into the Hong Kong territory will require vehicle examinations and also application for the date and time to enter the Hong Kong territory, this will inevitably involve some time for processing, so the implementation and the entry of vehicles into the automated car park organised by the AAHK will be earlier. As for application for the entry of Guangdong vehicles into the territory, due to the need for them to go through various procedures, we hope that we will advance and streamline. Hopefully before the end of this year, they will be able to enter into the Hong Kong territory. We would like to try out our system’s various procedures and make sure that the implementation is smooth and organised. We would also monitor the implementation situation, the reaction of the society, the community and also the user experience so that we will map out our roadmap for the gradual implementation and increase of the daily entry number. Although we start small, we would like to make an early head-start so that we have a firm and useful basis for us to advance quicker and on a larger scale.

    As for the requirements for the vehicle inspection, basically the entry of this kind of Guangdong vehicles, they will have to follow the requirements under the Hong Kong law. The Transport Department has a series of requirements regarding the vehicle type and vehicle conditions. We will facilitate and arrange the vehicle inspection in the Guangdong Province so as to facilitate that all the vehicles, which have applied for the Scheme, will go through all the necessary requirements for vehicle inspection. As for the individuals, like the drivers of these Guangdong vehicles, they are required to hold valid driving licence in Guangdong and Mainland area. In other words, they are required to undergo very serious and robust procedures and checking as regards their capability to drive their own cars. The Transport Department will also discuss with the Guangdong authorities and map out detailed requirements and procedures so as to uphold our requirements as well as to facilitate such kind of drivers to come to Hong Kong and get the necessary driving permits in order to allow their cars to be driven into the Hong Kong territory.

    Reporter: Can you please clarify whether the Government will surely launch or seek to launch the Scheme on a certain date in November and drivers from Guangdong can submit their applications? Given the Bureau has been criticised for delaying the launch quite a few times, can you give us a date? Secondly, does one quota mean one vehicle on the road for the Southbound Scheme? Given the Northbound Scheme has a daily quota of 500, but we have observed more than 500 vehicles at the road crossing border. Any difference between the two in terms of application? Have you estimated how many vehicles will be on the road daily when the Scheme is launched?

    Secretary for Transport and Logistics: I would like to stress that it is our target and our aim to achieve simultaneous implementation of the entry of Guangdong vehicles into the Hong Kong territory and the parking of the vehicles in the HKIA automated car park. The simultaneous implementation of both parts of the Scheme will be implemented in November. As regards the exact timing, this will be an area subject to our detailed follow-up discussion between the Hong Kong and Guangdong authorities. As regards the number of the vehicles on the road, those vehicles parked into the HKIA automated car park as the Executive Director, Mr Yiu, just mentioned, there will be a total capacity of 1 800 car parking spaces and these car parking spaces are arranged and organised under an automated car park system which gives the efficiency and the certainty for the Guangdong drivers to park their vehicles. The actual number for admission of the parking of vehicles on a daily basis will of course be evaluated and assessed based on the average number of days of stay of these vehicles in the car park. We presume that will be reflected in their travel pattern when they take their transit arrangement in the HKIA. As regards the entry of the Guangdong vehicles into the Hong Kong territory, we will actively discuss with the Guangdong authorities in order to map out the exact number of stay and the duration of stay for these Guangdong vehicles in Hong Kong. Our current thinking is to allow them for a stay of three to a few days. This number is actually based on our assessment of our capacity and also our wish to allow these Mainland residents using Guangdong registered vehicles to stay in Hong Kong so that they can enjoy a full stay of experience in Hong Kong, they can go and visit different tourist spots, they can buy things, they can go to shopping malls and they can also participate in different conferences and activities in Hong Kong. But in any event, we will be flexible and we hope that the number of stay can enable them to have a good experience in Hong Kong.

    (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [MARLOWE PLC – 30 06 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

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

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 MARLOWE PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 30 JUNE 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 NO

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

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

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

    Class of relevant security: 50p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 3,064,783 3.9031    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 3,064,783 3.9031    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    50p ORDINARY SALE 351 441.01p
    50p ORDINARY SALE 1,400 441.05p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

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

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

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

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

    (ii)        Exercise

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

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

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

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

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

    NONE

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

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

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 02 JULY 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [MARLOWE PLC – 01 07 2025] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

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

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 MARLOWE PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 01 JULY 2025
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 NO

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

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

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

    Class of relevant security: 50p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 3,064,543 3.9028    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 3,064,543 3.9028    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    50p ORDINARY SALE 240 439.282p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

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

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

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

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

    (ii)        Exercise

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

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

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

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

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

    NONE

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

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

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 02 JULY 2025
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

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

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • NCB busts global drug cartel spanning four continents; Amit Shah congratulates agencies for major crackdown

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, on Wednesday lauded the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and associated enforcement agencies for dismantling a sprawling global drug cartel that trafficked controlled pharmaceutical substances across four continents using sophisticated digital methods.

    In a post on the social media platform X, Shah said, “Congratulations to NCB and all agencies on busting a global drug cartel. The probe set a stellar example of multi-agency coordination, resulting in eight arrests and seizures of five consignments while triggering crackdowns in the US and Australia against the ring that operates across four continents and more than ten nations. Our agencies are constantly monitoring sophisticated modes like crypto payments and anonymous drop shippers used by these gangs. The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led government is determined to saw off every drug cartel and protect our youth, no matter where they operate from.”

    Operation MED MAX: From Delhi to Alabama

    Dubbed Operation MED MAX, the NCB’s HQ Operations Unit led one of the most extensive crackdowns against the illegal pharmaceutical drug trade. The operation uncovered a syndicate that exploited encrypted communication platforms, drop-shipping models, and cryptocurrency transactions to move controlled medicines between India, the USA, Australia, and Europe.

    The investigation began on May 25, 2025, when the NCB intercepted a vehicle near Mandi House in New Delhi, acting on confidential intelligence. Officers seized 3.7 kilograms of Tramadol tablets from two occupants, both pharmacy graduates from a private university in Noida.

    Their interrogation revealed that they operated as vendors on a major Indian B2B platform, selling pharmaceutical pills to clients overseas. Subsequent leads led investigators to a stockist in Roorkee and a key associate in Delhi’s Mayur Vihar, who disclosed connections to a coordinator in Udupi, Karnataka. This link revealed data on at least 50 international consignments, including 29 within the USA, 18 within Australia, and others bound for Estonia, Spain, and Switzerland.

    Global Cooperation and Major Seizures

    Based on intelligence provided by India’s NCB, global counterparts and Interpol tracked the syndicate’s operations. This led to the arrest of a major bulk re-shipper and money launderer in Alabama, USA, by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US DEA). The US operation resulted in the seizure of over 17,000 tablets of controlled medication and multiple cryptocurrency wallets linked to the syndicate.

    In parallel, law enforcement in Australia dismantled an illegal pill manufacturing facility directly connected to the network. Additional stockists and operatives are under scrutiny worldwide.

    Sophisticated Network and Modus Operandi

    Investigations revealed the cartel’s extensive use of encrypted messaging platforms such as Telegram and reliance on cryptocurrency, PayPal, and Western Union for payments. The network used anonymous international drop-shippers to evade detection, ensuring that operators never shipped within their home countries.

    The syndicate’s operations were managed through a major B2B platform where handlers paid for premium vendor profiles to attract buyers. A dedicated call centre in Udupi, employing around ten staff members—many allegedly unaware of the illegal activities—handled customer queries and orders. Payments were processed in cryptocurrency, with commissions distributed down the supply chain to re-shippers in various countries.

    Repeat buyers were systematically recruited as re-shippers or stockists, enabling the network’s organic expansion across multiple jurisdictions.

    Kingpin Traced to UAE

    The alleged mastermind coordinating the cartel’s international operations and finances has been traced to the UAE. Indian authorities are working closely with UAE officials to bring the individual to justice.

    Ongoing Investigations

    So far, eight individuals have been arrested in India in connection with the syndicate. The financial trail involving crypto wallets and suspected hawala transactions remains under investigation. The NCB is also coordinating with private sector platforms to curb illegal online pharmacies that openly market controlled substances.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Building local value through skills development at the Learning and Knowledge Development Facility (LKDF) Forum 2025


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    The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), through its Learning and Knowledge Development Facility (LKDF) and with the support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), convened the LKDF Forum 2025 under the theme “Skills Development and Local Value Addition: Ensuring Sustainable Growth in Global Supply Chains.” The Forum took place both online and in-person at the World of Volvo in Gothenburg, Sweden. 

    Achieving sustainable, ethical supply chains requires transforming industrial processes, business relations, and workforce skills, with local value addition key to reducing dependency on external inputs and boosting resilience. For emerging markets, building local capabilities diversifies economies and creates jobs; for multinationals, localizing supply chains offers market growth, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance. UNIDO’s Director General Gerd Müller opened the event by calling for greater investment in skills for responsible, future-oriented supply chains, declaring “To build competitive and resilient supply chains with more local value addition, more high value manufacturing and services, more market access, [and] more prosperity, skills development is absolutely key.” 

    Maria Tegborg, Acting Head of the Global Department of Sida, echoed this message, underscoring the role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in bridging skills gaps and improving economic outcomes, stating “we must continue to invest in skills development to ensure that supply chains operate responsibly.”

    The Forum highlighted how localizing skills and competencies across value chains—particularly in manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and industrial processing—is key to enabling multinational corporations and developing countries to thrive.   

    UNIDO’s Virpi Stucki stressed the need for systemic approaches to workforce development, explaining that strong policy frameworks and transparent supply chains must support sustainable value addition. “When combined with strong policy direction and stakeholder engagement along the way, developing the labour force can be a continuing input into national benefit,” she noted.    

    Anchoring programs in local priorities and ambitions was also a recurring theme. Enabel’s Charlotte Vanstallen stressed, “It all starts, I think, with the local objective and the local focus and the [local] ambition… it cannot be mentioned enough.” Participants agreed that without a strong local perspective, initiatives risk being ineffective or unsustainable. Early engagement of local stakeholders and tailoring programs to community needs make efforts more demand-driven, effective, scalable, and foster stronger ownership and lasting impact. 

    The discussion recognized  the importance of soft skills, sustainability literacy, ESG compliance, and attention to the informal economy, which still represents the majority of employment in many parts of the world. In this context, Caterina Occhio, Economic Inclusion and ESG Advisor at UNIDO, emphasized the power of social procurement models to professionalize informal labour, raise compliance standards, and promote living wages—contributing to what she described as a “culture shift” for sustainable sourcing. 

    The Forum underscored the need for strong cross-sectoral partnerships to close the skills gap across supply chains. UNIDO’s Public-Private Development Partnerships (PPDP) were highlighted as an effective model for aligning vocational training and education with industry demands. By leveraging the strengths of both sectors, these partnerships foster targeted training programs that integrate technical skills with sustainability practices.   

    The Forum welcomed 37 in-person participants and 231 online attendees,  from public and private sectors, civil society, academia, and international organizations. Among the distinguished participants were representatives from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the European Commission, the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Volvo Group, Siemens Healthineers, Enabel, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Festo Didactic, and numerous Swedish and international companies representing a wide range of global value chains.   

    The first day of LKDF Forum 2025 concluded with a strong call to action: align national industrial policies with education and training reforms, strengthen cooperation at regional and global levels, and place local communities at the centre of development strategies. Participants were united in the view that sustainable industrialization will depend on holistic, inclusive, and partnership-based approaches to skills development and value addition.   

    The second day of the LKDF Forum 2025 featured a co-creation workshop facilitated by UNIDO’s LKDF team in partnership with the Volvo Group. Participants from public, private, and development sectors engaged in strategic discussions aimed at fostering actionable, cross-sector collaboration to strengthen skills ecosystems. This interactive session enabled meaningful exchanges and connections among attendees, laying the groundwork for future partnerships across industries and generating thirteen new PPDP project ideas. The day continued with a guided visit to the Volvo Trucks Experience Facility, where participants learned about Volvo’s history, explored the latest innovations in truck manufacturing, and even had the opportunity to test drive several vehicles. 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: How CPC is shaping China’s modernization roadmap through five-year plans

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

    As the Communist Party of China (CPC) celebrates the 104th anniversary of its founding this week, the Party’s signature five-year plans continue to serve as a roadmap for China’s modernization drive.

    This year, China is set to complete its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and is formulating the blueprint for the next one, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s long-term strategy for national rejuvenation.

    From transforming an agrarian society into the world’s second-largest economy to charting a path toward becoming a great modern socialist country in all respects by mid-century, these plans reflect the CPC’s enduring commitment to long-term strategic vision and collective prosperity.

    Through this cyclical yet ever-evolving roadmap, China sets strategic goals, defines government priorities, regulates business operations, and mobilizes national resources — all in pursuit of its overarching objective of building a modern socialist nation.

    The country’s first plan in 1953 marked its initial push toward industrialization with the establishment of the nation’s first major steel and automobile plants. Fast-forward to the 13th (2016-2020), and it saw the completion of the world’s largest high-speed rail network.

    “Five-year plans are to China’s development what construction drawings are to building a house,” said Ran Hao, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. “It tells the government and society which ‘floor’ to focus on and which ‘road’ to build over the next five years, helping avoid a piecemeal approach.”

    A framework, not a dogma 

    Although China’s five-year plans include quantitative targets, such as the GDP growth goal, first introduced in the seventh five-year plan, it does not mean the CPC is running a centralized planned economy.

    “It’s not about the government dictating everything; rather, the plans set the direction and priorities,” Ran said.

    Since 2006, targets have been divided into two types: binding targets, which reflect government commitments, such as reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP, and anticipatory targets, which represent desired outcomes like GDP growth, to be pursued primarily through market mechanisms.

    In a break from tradition, the 14th Five-Year Plan did not set a quantitative target for GDP growth; instead, it described expected growth in broader terms, in part to emphasize quality over speed.

    “Five-year plans are suited to the Chinese mentality and the Chinese idea of thinking long-term,” said British scholar Martin Jacques. For millennia, Confucian classics have taught that those who plan ahead are more likely to succeed.

    China’s five-year plans set clear goals but give regions the leeway needed to tailor their own pathways. National plans are broad frameworks that guide local governments in creating their own action plans, explained Yin Jun, a researcher with the Peking University.

    At present, the CPC is drafting proposals for the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).

    Observers said the upcoming plan will emphasize a future-oriented approach to global challenges, foster new quality productive forces, and strengthen the social safety net to improve public well-being.

    Planning with collective efforts 

    Given their far-reaching impact, China’s five-year plans are developed over several years, and informed by research, expert reviews, inter-agency coordination and public consultation. For example, work on the current 14th Five-Year Plan began as early as 2018.

    While drafting the five-year plan, the CPC highly values public inputs, which reflect society’s needs and help foster consensus. In 2020, for the first time, public advice was collected online, with suggestions like mutual-aid elderly care included in the final plan.

    Over three months that year, seven symposiums were held with the Party’s leader meeting with entrepreneurs, experts, local officials, and representatives from the grassroots level to listen to their suggestions.

    The combination of top-level planning with public participation continued this year. In May, major media platforms invited public feedback, and netizens proposed improvements such as enhancing rural express delivery infrastructure and installing elevators in older communities, among other ideas.

    An old saying from Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” offers insight into the success of China’s five-year plans: Triumph comes when the leaders and the people share the same goal.

    Impact beyond borders 

    China’s five-year plans not only guide national development but also offer opportunities for global investors.

    Madiyar Tukpatov, chairman of a public transport company in Astana, Kazakhstan, visited China earlier this year to research electric buses. His company began using Chinese electric buses in 2020 and plans to further integrate Chinese EV technology into Astana’s transport system.

    New energy vehicles (NEVs) have been developed as a strategic industry over several five-year plans. Their production and sales each exceeded 12.8 million units in 2024, maintaining China’s position as the global leader in this sector for 10 consecutive years. Chinese NEVs can be found in over 70 countries and regions.

    Benjamin Mgana, chief editor of foreign news at The Guardian newspaper in Tanzania, praised China’s approach to planning, saying it demonstrates that developing countries can create workable strategies based on their own realities, rather than copying Western models.

    Inspired by China’s success, a growing number of countries have adopted their own medium- to long-term strategies. Poland, Ethiopia and Tanzania have sought support from Chinese institutions to assist in their planning process.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Surveillance & Monitoring Expected to be Largest Revenue Opportunity for Drone as a Service (DaaS) Market Through 2030

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The drone surveying market is expected to continue to sustain and continue to gain momentum due to increasing demand for aerial intelligence and high-precision mapping across major sectors such as agriculture, mining, construction, and environmental monitoring. A report from Fact.MR analysis indicates that the industry will be valued at USD 1.97 billion in 2025 and will grow to USD 11.49 billion by 2035, at a strong CAGR of 19.3% during the period. The report said: “Technological improvements in LiDAR, thermal imaging, and real-time stream of data over the past three years have dramatically improved safety and efficiency in drone surveying. Drones are increasingly being employed by governments and institutions for commercial use as they are safe, accurate, and cost-effective. Fact.MR believes that support from the authorities, especially in Europe and North America, is fueling commercial usage with better codes in the law. The increasing demand for high-precision geospatial intelligence is one of the key drivers of the adoption of drone surveying. Fact.MR research is of the view that the mining, agriculture, oil & gas, and infrastructure sectors increasingly depend on drones to maximize planning, minimize human risk, and digitize high-resolution terrain information with cost-efficient scalability across vast and inaccessible areas. The enormous digital revolution in the industrial sectors continues to accelerate demand. Combining drones with AI analytics, GIS platforms, and cloud systems enables real-time processing and decision-making. Fact. MR believes that the combination of drone technology with automation and IoT is revolutionizing conventional surveying processes into dynamic data-driven ecosystems.”   Active Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), Trimble Inc. (NASDAQ: TRMB), NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN).

    Fact.MR continued: “The drone surveying industry is segmented by survey type into land survey, property survey, rail survey, and infrastructure survey. By end-use industry, it is categorized into energy, construction, transportation & warehouse, agriculture, mining, oil & gas extraction, public administration, and real estate & industrial plant. Regionally, the industry spans North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. IT concluded: “During the period 2025 to 2035, the infrastructure survey will be the most remunerative survey type segment, driven by the worldwide boom in urbanization, smart city programs, and projects for modernizing public infrastructure. Due to this increasing dependence and favorable regulatory changes across UAV use in civil infrastructure, the infrastructure survey segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6% from 2025 to 2035, ahead of the industry average of 19.3%.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Expands Drone as a Service (DaaS) to California with Offer to Acquire an Engineering and Surveying Firm, Tapping into Precision Agriculture and Viticulture Market – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), and enterprise SaaS, has signed an offer to acquire a California-based civil engineering and land surveying firm with a well established history of operations. This marks ZenaTech’s first proposed transaction in the US West Coast or Southwest region, creating a strategic entry point into California ─ a high-value market for drone-based precision agriculture due to a massive agriculture economy, crop diversity, labor and water challenges, and an openness to innovation.

    With a commercial, construction and sustainability solution customer base and a deep regional presence, the proposed acquisition positions ZenaTech to scale its Drone as a Service or DaaS survey operations. It also provides significant opportunity to expand into California’s wine and agriculture sectors using advanced drone capabilities including aerial imaging, precision spraying, irrigation analytics, and wildfire detection and monitoring in high-risk areas.

    “This proposed acquisition is more than just our first Southwest region location — it’s a strategic foothold into a high-value, high-growth state for precision agriculture,” said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech. “The firm is a natural fit to help execute our growth strategy for crop health monitoring and precision spraying to serve viticulture, large estates, and commercial farming operations across California.”

    With the global agricultural drone market projected to reach USD 10.3 billion by 2030, driven by rising demand for precision technologies in farming, California stands out as a key growth region as well as being home to nearly 90% of all US vineyard acreage. Considering California’s mounting climate and agricultural challenges, ZenaTech’s AI-powered autonomous drone solutions offer timely, scalable innovation that serves the needs of commercial enterprises, cooperatives, agriculture consultants, and public sector stakeholders.

    ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service (DaaS) business model offers both business and government customers reduced costs and convenience to utilize drones to streamline legacy processes and manual tasks such as inspections, surveying, maintenance, precision agriculture and inventory management ─ there is no need to purchase drone hardware and software, find a drone pilot, manage maintenance and operation, or acquire regulatory approvals. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and utilizes ZenaDrone’s multifunction AI autonomous drones.

    The company has closed six acquisitions across the US to date as part of its DaaS business model and strategy and has announced it plans to complete approximately 20 more in the next 12 months. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    Other recent developments in the markets include:

    Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS) recently announced that its subsidiary, American Robotics Inc., has entered into a strategic partnership with Mistral Inc. (“Mistral”), a Maryland-based business development and defense contracting firm. The agreement focuses on joint marketing, sales, and integration of the Optimus drone system and Iron Drone Raider into the United States defense and homeland security markets.

    Under the agreement, Mistral will support American Robotics’ business development by opening sales channels through its well-established relationships with U.S. governmental buyers, including federal, state, local law enforcement, military, and homeland security entities. The initial term of the agreement is three years, with an automatic renewal option and a structured success fee model based on realized sales.

    “This collaboration with Mistral accelerates and strengthens our commercial strategy in the U.S., enhancing our ability to deliver mission-ready autonomous systems to the homeland security and defense sectors,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas Holdings. “We are witnessing increased demand for advanced aerial intelligence and counter-drone solutions, and Mistral’s deep relationships, experience, and operational know-how make them an ideal partner to scale our footprint in this critical market.”

    Trimble Inc. (NASDAQ: TRMB)‘s Trimble Stratus – With Trimble Stratus Software, one can use drone data to map, measure, and manage worksite and assets. Connect the right information to the right people at the right time.

    Survey Frequently and Faster – Get accurate, up-to-date topographic surveys whenever you need without having to bring in a survey crew – Avoid information bottlenecks by getting answers to questions yourself with an intuitive, web-based tool – Survey inaccessible or hazardous areas safely using a drone.

    NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) – Nvidia AI Technology Added to Vision for Autonomous Drones – Generative AI modules aim to upgrade Foresight’s vision systems with additional computing power – Vision software company Foresight Autonomous Holdings has integrated Nvidia’s Jetson Orin generative AI computing modules into its 3D-perception system.

    Foresight is using Nvidia’s Jetson Orin Nano and Jetson AGX Orin modules to improve the capabilities of its perception systems deployed in various use cases, with a major focus on autonomous drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.

    The Jetson modules, which are used in generative AI, computer vision and advanced robotics, upgrade Foresight’s vision system with the computing power needed for autonomous drones and UAVs, according to Foresight.

    Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon’s drones deliver items in 60 minutes or less—here’s how we simplified the process. – Prime Air built an easy-to-use customer experience to make ordering and receiving a wide selection of items via drone delivery faster than ever. It’s never been easier to receive a drone delivery from Amazon if you live in one of the locations where we currently offer it. From tapping the “place your order” button to seeing the item delivered, the entire process takes 60 minutes or less. So, if you realize you need more sunscreen or forgot you needed more batteries, but don’t have time to make a trip to the store, Amazon has you covered.

    It all starts at Amazon.com or in the Amazon Shopping app. Customers can choose more than 60,000 items for drone delivery as our selection continues to grow. Recently, we received FAA approval to deliver several new categories of items, including devices like Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy cellphones, Apple AirTags, Apple AirPods, Ring doorbells, and Alpha Grillers Instant Read Food Thermometers. All you need to do is select the drone delivery option when you check out if you’re in an eligible area and the item in your cart is 5 pounds or less.

    About FN Media Group:

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    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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    Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757

    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Surveillance & Monitoring Expected to be Largest Revenue Opportunity for Drone as a Service (DaaS) Market Through 2030

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The drone surveying market is expected to continue to sustain and continue to gain momentum due to increasing demand for aerial intelligence and high-precision mapping across major sectors such as agriculture, mining, construction, and environmental monitoring. A report from Fact.MR analysis indicates that the industry will be valued at USD 1.97 billion in 2025 and will grow to USD 11.49 billion by 2035, at a strong CAGR of 19.3% during the period. The report said: “Technological improvements in LiDAR, thermal imaging, and real-time stream of data over the past three years have dramatically improved safety and efficiency in drone surveying. Drones are increasingly being employed by governments and institutions for commercial use as they are safe, accurate, and cost-effective. Fact.MR believes that support from the authorities, especially in Europe and North America, is fueling commercial usage with better codes in the law. The increasing demand for high-precision geospatial intelligence is one of the key drivers of the adoption of drone surveying. Fact.MR research is of the view that the mining, agriculture, oil & gas, and infrastructure sectors increasingly depend on drones to maximize planning, minimize human risk, and digitize high-resolution terrain information with cost-efficient scalability across vast and inaccessible areas. The enormous digital revolution in the industrial sectors continues to accelerate demand. Combining drones with AI analytics, GIS platforms, and cloud systems enables real-time processing and decision-making. Fact. MR believes that the combination of drone technology with automation and IoT is revolutionizing conventional surveying processes into dynamic data-driven ecosystems.”   Active Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), Trimble Inc. (NASDAQ: TRMB), NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN).

    Fact.MR continued: “The drone surveying industry is segmented by survey type into land survey, property survey, rail survey, and infrastructure survey. By end-use industry, it is categorized into energy, construction, transportation & warehouse, agriculture, mining, oil & gas extraction, public administration, and real estate & industrial plant. Regionally, the industry spans North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. IT concluded: “During the period 2025 to 2035, the infrastructure survey will be the most remunerative survey type segment, driven by the worldwide boom in urbanization, smart city programs, and projects for modernizing public infrastructure. Due to this increasing dependence and favorable regulatory changes across UAV use in civil infrastructure, the infrastructure survey segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6% from 2025 to 2035, ahead of the industry average of 19.3%.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Expands Drone as a Service (DaaS) to California with Offer to Acquire an Engineering and Surveying Firm, Tapping into Precision Agriculture and Viticulture Market – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), and enterprise SaaS, has signed an offer to acquire a California-based civil engineering and land surveying firm with a well established history of operations. This marks ZenaTech’s first proposed transaction in the US West Coast or Southwest region, creating a strategic entry point into California ─ a high-value market for drone-based precision agriculture due to a massive agriculture economy, crop diversity, labor and water challenges, and an openness to innovation.

    With a commercial, construction and sustainability solution customer base and a deep regional presence, the proposed acquisition positions ZenaTech to scale its Drone as a Service or DaaS survey operations. It also provides significant opportunity to expand into California’s wine and agriculture sectors using advanced drone capabilities including aerial imaging, precision spraying, irrigation analytics, and wildfire detection and monitoring in high-risk areas.

    “This proposed acquisition is more than just our first Southwest region location — it’s a strategic foothold into a high-value, high-growth state for precision agriculture,” said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech. “The firm is a natural fit to help execute our growth strategy for crop health monitoring and precision spraying to serve viticulture, large estates, and commercial farming operations across California.”

    With the global agricultural drone market projected to reach USD 10.3 billion by 2030, driven by rising demand for precision technologies in farming, California stands out as a key growth region as well as being home to nearly 90% of all US vineyard acreage. Considering California’s mounting climate and agricultural challenges, ZenaTech’s AI-powered autonomous drone solutions offer timely, scalable innovation that serves the needs of commercial enterprises, cooperatives, agriculture consultants, and public sector stakeholders.

    ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service (DaaS) business model offers both business and government customers reduced costs and convenience to utilize drones to streamline legacy processes and manual tasks such as inspections, surveying, maintenance, precision agriculture and inventory management ─ there is no need to purchase drone hardware and software, find a drone pilot, manage maintenance and operation, or acquire regulatory approvals. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and utilizes ZenaDrone’s multifunction AI autonomous drones.

    The company has closed six acquisitions across the US to date as part of its DaaS business model and strategy and has announced it plans to complete approximately 20 more in the next 12 months. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    Other recent developments in the markets include:

    Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS) recently announced that its subsidiary, American Robotics Inc., has entered into a strategic partnership with Mistral Inc. (“Mistral”), a Maryland-based business development and defense contracting firm. The agreement focuses on joint marketing, sales, and integration of the Optimus drone system and Iron Drone Raider into the United States defense and homeland security markets.

    Under the agreement, Mistral will support American Robotics’ business development by opening sales channels through its well-established relationships with U.S. governmental buyers, including federal, state, local law enforcement, military, and homeland security entities. The initial term of the agreement is three years, with an automatic renewal option and a structured success fee model based on realized sales.

    “This collaboration with Mistral accelerates and strengthens our commercial strategy in the U.S., enhancing our ability to deliver mission-ready autonomous systems to the homeland security and defense sectors,” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas Holdings. “We are witnessing increased demand for advanced aerial intelligence and counter-drone solutions, and Mistral’s deep relationships, experience, and operational know-how make them an ideal partner to scale our footprint in this critical market.”

    Trimble Inc. (NASDAQ: TRMB)‘s Trimble Stratus – With Trimble Stratus Software, one can use drone data to map, measure, and manage worksite and assets. Connect the right information to the right people at the right time.

    Survey Frequently and Faster – Get accurate, up-to-date topographic surveys whenever you need without having to bring in a survey crew – Avoid information bottlenecks by getting answers to questions yourself with an intuitive, web-based tool – Survey inaccessible or hazardous areas safely using a drone.

    NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) – Nvidia AI Technology Added to Vision for Autonomous Drones – Generative AI modules aim to upgrade Foresight’s vision systems with additional computing power – Vision software company Foresight Autonomous Holdings has integrated Nvidia’s Jetson Orin generative AI computing modules into its 3D-perception system.

    Foresight is using Nvidia’s Jetson Orin Nano and Jetson AGX Orin modules to improve the capabilities of its perception systems deployed in various use cases, with a major focus on autonomous drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.

    The Jetson modules, which are used in generative AI, computer vision and advanced robotics, upgrade Foresight’s vision system with the computing power needed for autonomous drones and UAVs, according to Foresight.

    Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon’s drones deliver items in 60 minutes or less—here’s how we simplified the process. – Prime Air built an easy-to-use customer experience to make ordering and receiving a wide selection of items via drone delivery faster than ever. It’s never been easier to receive a drone delivery from Amazon if you live in one of the locations where we currently offer it. From tapping the “place your order” button to seeing the item delivered, the entire process takes 60 minutes or less. So, if you realize you need more sunscreen or forgot you needed more batteries, but don’t have time to make a trip to the store, Amazon has you covered.

    It all starts at Amazon.com or in the Amazon Shopping app. Customers can choose more than 60,000 items for drone delivery as our selection continues to grow. Recently, we received FAA approval to deliver several new categories of items, including devices like Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy cellphones, Apple AirTags, Apple AirPods, Ring doorbells, and Alpha Grillers Instant Read Food Thermometers. All you need to do is select the drone delivery option when you check out if you’re in an eligible area and the item in your cart is 5 pounds or less.

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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    DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels.  FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein.  FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.  FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities.  The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material.  All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks.  All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release.  FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers.  Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks.  For current services performed FNM has been compensated fifty one hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company.  FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

    Contact Information:
    Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757

    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Sixth Street Completes Acquisition of Enstar

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enstar Group Limited (“Enstar”) (Nasdaq: ESGR) today announced the closing of its acquisition by investment vehicles managed by affiliates of Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm, for $338.00 in cash per ordinary share, representing a total equity value of $5.1 billion. Liberty Strategic Capital, J.C. Flowers & Co. LLC, and other institutional investors also participated in the transaction.

    “This is a major moment for Enstar as we begin our next chapter as a private company,” said Enstar’s Chief Executive Officer Dominic Silvester. “Together with Sixth Street, we will build on our position as a leading global (re)insurance group, delivering innovative solutions to our partners and maintaining our competitive advantage. I’d like to thank our employees, past and present, whose contributions have been instrumental to achieving this milestone.”

    “Enstar is a compelling company with a robust business model and an exceptional management team,” said Michael Muscolino, Co-Founder and Partner at Sixth Street. “We are thrilled to reach this milestone and look forward to partnering with Dominic and the rest of the Enstar team to help them execute on their existing strategy.”

    In connection with the closing of the transaction, Enstar notified The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (“NASDAQ”) that Enstar intends to voluntarily withdraw its depositary shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a 7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preferred Share, Series D, par value $1.00 per share, and its depositary shares, each representing a 7.00% Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preferred Share, Series E, par value $1.00 per share (collectively, the “depositary shares”) from listing on NASDAQ and registration pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Enstar expects to file a Form 25 Notification of Delisting with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on or about July 14, 2025, relating to delisting and deregistering of the depositary shares. Enstar has not arranged, and does not intend to arrange, for listing and/or registration of the depositary shares on another national securities exchange or for quotation of the depositary shares in a quotation medium.

    The transaction was announced on July 29, 2024, and approved by Enstar shareholders at the Company’s Special General Meeting of Shareholders on November 6, 2024. With the completion of the acquisition, Enstar’s ordinary shares will no longer be listed publicly, and Enstar will continue operations as a privately held, standalone company. The Company will continue to operate under the Enstar name.

    Advisors

    Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor to Enstar and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Hogan Lovells US LLP acted as legal advisors. Ardea Partners LP, Barclays PLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as financial advisors to Sixth Street and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP acted as legal advisors.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This communication contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that include words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “may,” “will” and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements for purposes of the federal securities laws or otherwise. These statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Enstar and its management team. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those related to the satisfaction of any post-closing regulatory requirements.

    Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, in addition to those identified above, include: (i) the risk that an active trading market for the newly preferred shares that our holders of the depositary shares representing Enstar Preferred Shares received in the transaction does not exist and may not develop; (ii) those risks and uncertainties set forth under the headings “Forward Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in Enstar’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, as such risk factors may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports filed by Enstar with the SEC from time to time, which are available via the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov; and (iii) those risks described in the definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”) filed with the SEC on October 11, 2024 and available from the sources indicated below.

    These risks, as well as other risks associated with the transaction, are more fully discussed in the Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on October 11, 2024, in connection with the transaction. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. Enstar undertakes no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statements or publicly announce any updates or revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein, or to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, circumstances or assumptions underlying such statements, except as required by law. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from what we may have expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We caution that you should not place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements. You should specifically consider the factors identified in this communication that could cause actual results to differ. Furthermore, new risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict those events or how they may affect Enstar.

    About Enstar

    Enstar is a global insurance group that offers innovative capital release solutions through its network of group companies in Bermuda, the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia, and other international locations. A market leader in completing legacy acquisitions, Enstar has acquired more than 120 companies and portfolios since its formation in 2001. For further information about Enstar, see www.enstargroup.com.

    About Sixth Street

    Sixth Street is a global investment firm with over $115 billion in assets under management and committed capital. The firm uses its long-term flexible capital, data-enabled capabilities, and “One Team” culture to develop themes and offer solutions to companies across all stages of growth. Founded in 2009, Sixth Street has more than 650 team members including over 280 investment professionals around the world. For more information, visit www.sixthstreet.com, and follow Sixth Street on LinkedIn.

    Contact:

    For Enstar:
    For Investors: Matthew Kirk (investor.relations@enstargroup.com)
    For Media: Jenna Kerr (communications@enstargroup.com)

    For Sixth Street:
    media@sixthstreet.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Enovix Corporation Announces Share Repurchase Program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FREMONT, Calif., July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enovix Corporation (“Enovix”) (Nasdaq: ENVX), a global high-performance battery company, today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program under which the company may repurchase up to $60 million of its outstanding common stock.

    The repurchase program is designed to provide Enovix with greater flexibility in managing its capital structure, including the ability to respond to market volatility and return value to shareholders. The company may repurchase shares from time to time in open-market transactions, privately negotiated transactions, or by other means, in accordance with applicable securities laws and subject to market conditions and other factors.

    “This repurchase program reflects our confidence in the company’s long-term fundamentals and the strength of our 100% silicon-anode battery technology,” said Ryan Benton, Chief Financial Officer of Enovix. “It also underscores our commitment to delivering long-term shareholder value.”

    The timing and amount of any repurchases will be determined at the company’s discretion and may be modified, suspended, or discontinued at any time. The repurchase program does not obligate Enovix to acquire any specific number of shares. The buyback authorization is effective beginning June 30, 2025, and any unused capacity will expire on December 31, 2026.

    About Enovix Corporation

    Enovix is a leader in advancing lithium-ion battery technology with its proprietary cell architecture designed to deliver higher energy density and improved safety. The Company’s breakthrough silicon-anode batteries are engineered to power a wide range of devices from wearable electronics and mobile communications to industrial and electric vehicle applications. Enovix’s technology enables longer battery life and faster charging, supporting the growing global demand for high-performance energy storage. Enovix holds a robust portfolio of issued and pending patents covering its core battery design, manufacturing process, and system integration innovations. For more information, visit https://www.enovix.com.

    Forward‐Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance and can be identified by words such as anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, might, plan, possible, potential, predict, should, would and similar expressions that convey uncertainty about future events or outcomes. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, references to long-term potential, the success of our silicon anode battery technology, manufacturing scale up timelines, and the ability to commercialize Enovix technology. Actual results and outcomes could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, those risks and uncertainties and other potential factors set forth in our filings with the SEC, including in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of our most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other documents that we have filed, or that we will file, with the SEC. For a full discussion of these risks, please refer to Enovix’s filings with the SEC, including its most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, available at https://ir.enovix.com and www.sec.gov. Any forward-looking statements made by us in this press release speak only as of the date on which they are made and subsequent events may cause these expectations to change. We disclaim any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Contacts:

    Investors
    Robert Lahey
    ir@enovix.com

    Media Contact:
    Bateman Agency for Enovix
    Kaelyn Attridge
    enovix@bateman.agency

    The MIL Network –