Latest news with #Pantheon
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Axed $170 million contract shows how DOGE-led cuts came over US Navy objections
The US Navy canceled a $170 million contract for data migration, citing redundancy and waste. But the decision contradicts goals of cutting fat and improving efficiency, insiders say. The episode shows how officials are scrambling to find large savings despite internal concerns. A US Navy contract to move sailors' server-stored records to a secure cloud system was recently torpedoed as part of DOGE-led cuts that show how top officials are under pressure to find large cost-savings even over the objections of their own organizations. An IT services provider named Pantheon received a $170 million contract last year to relocate the records threatened by flooding from a Tennessee data center to cloud storage. But a top Navy official ordered it to be cut, at the suggestion of Department of Government Efficiency newcomers, over the strenuous warnings of their own personnel officials. An internal memo reviewed by BI highlighted that the system that DOGE recommended reverting to has been plagued by delays, a bloated budget, and little to show for it all. Continued "delays have resulted in the Navy having to expend even more resources on legacy systems that are past end of life and do not meet the needs of the Service," the memo said. The Navy's Information Officer argued the contract was duplicative of legacy software, and justified the cancelation with the idea that government workers could do the same cloud migration contractors were then performing. But none of that is true, three sources familiar with the contract said, arguing this was hype from Navy leaders eager to offer up juicy cuts to DOGE officials to boost their own standing. The "decision, driven by demonstrably false and misleading claims, directly contradicts the Administration's goals of cutting waste, improving efficiency, and reforming failing IT programs," a second internal document says. If the archaic data center in Tennessee floods, as Navy HR officials fear, the impact to personnel would be excruciating, sources said, hampering salary payments, recruiting efforts, and stalling promotions. Without such data on hand, it would be impossible to know who is eligible to promote and when, or even how to readily assign qualified troops during a war. The location maintains records for the over 330,000 sailors on active-duty. "We were making good progress," said one Navy official familiar with the efforts, a tough chore considering that dozens of interconnected systems feed data throughout each other system for Pantheon's 500 data workers to map out. The Navy halted their work and canceled the contract earlier this month. first reported the contract's cancelation last week, and potential impacts to sailors' careers. The modernization efforts were led by the Navy's "N1," the military equivalent of a human resources section that oversees almost all Navy administrative matters, led by Vice Adm. Richard Cheeseman. Sources told BI that oversight passed only recently to the Navy's Chief Information Officer, Jane Rathburn. Internal documents reviewed by BI noted that the CIO's office told DOGE officials that the contract was duplicative, and that the government would be better served relying on old software known colloquially as "NP2." But the Pantheon contract was anything but duplicative, as the CIO claimed, and the company would have saved the Navy hundreds of millions, according to sources. What's more, the old NP2 system has its own problems. Sources said that by the time Pantheon arrived, the legacy software's price tag had ballooned to an eye-watering $1 billion over the last five years in Tennessee, with no real progress to show. One source estimated the actual cost to be closer to $5 billion. A source with knowledge of Pantheon's work, and who voiced support for DOGE goals of improved efficiency, noted that the NP2 program requires staffing and oversight from the Navy. He suggested that rendering NP2 obsolete — in part by through contracts like Pantheon's — could mark some government offices and jobs for elimination. The debacle began to unfold just before Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the DoD to curb IT contracts, and instead "in-source more expertise and harness the unparalleled talent of our existing experts," according to a memo released this week. Navy leaders underscored to DOGE officials that government employees could instead tackle the cloud migration efforts. But internal memos decried such a move, noting that government personnel have not performed any of the hundreds of previous migrations, and calling such an idea "not financially responsible." Navy spokesperson Ferry Gene Baylon told Business Insider that the contract was canceled based on recommendations from DOGE. "The Navy is focused on the wellbeing of the men and women who serve as we look to optimize resources essential to Navy personnel systems, pay management, and operational readiness," Baylon wrote in an email, adding that "it would be premature to comment on the details of future contracts." She did not comment on internal memos. Sources told BI that Pantheon has already received $30 million of the $170 million total due. Now, it's unclear what will happen next to fix sailors' data, and who will be in charge. That the data in Tennessee will continue to be at-risk rather than proceeding with Pantheon will inevitably hurt sailors, the Navy official said, adding that amid years of recruiting challenges, the service's ability to retain its force depends on paychecks. "If you can't pay them or promote them correctly, you're not going to keep people," the official said. "They're going to leave, rightly so, because they're not being treated the way they deserve to be treated." Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Axed $170 million contract shows how DOGE-led cuts came over US Navy objections
A US Navy contract to move sailors' server-stored records to a secure cloud system was recently torpedoed as part of DOGE-led cuts that show how top officials are under pressure to find large cost-savings even over the objections of their own organizations. An IT services provider named Pantheon received a $170 million contract last year to relocate the records threatened by flooding from a Tennessee data center to cloud storage. But a top Navy official ordered it to be cut, at the suggestion of Department of Government Efficiency newcomers, over the strenuous warnings of their own personnel officials. An internal memo reviewed by BI highlighted that the system that DOGE recommended reverting to has been plagued by delays, a bloated budget, and little to show for it all. Continued "delays have resulted in the Navy having to expend even more resources on legacy systems that are past end of life and do not meet the needs of the Service," the memo said. The Navy's Information Officer argued the contract was duplicative of legacy software, and justified the cancelation with the idea that government workers could do the same cloud migration contractors were then performing. But none of that is true, three sources familiar with the contract said, arguing this was hype from Navy leaders eager to offer up juicy cuts to DOGE officials to boost their own standing. The "decision, driven by demonstrably false and misleading claims, directly contradicts the Administration's goals of cutting waste, improving efficiency, and reforming failing IT programs," a second internal document says. If the archaic data center in Tennessee floods, as Navy HR officials fear, the impact to personnel would be excruciating, sources said, hampering salary payments, recruiting efforts, and stalling promotions. Without such data on hand, it would be impossible to know who is eligible to promote and when, or even how to readily assign qualified troops during a war. The location maintains records for the over 330,000 sailors on active-duty. "We were making good progress," said one Navy official familiar with the efforts, a tough chore considering that dozens of interconnected systems feed data throughout each other system for Pantheon's 500 data workers to map out. The Navy halted their work and canceled the contract earlier this month. first reported the contract's cancelation last week, and potential impacts to sailors' careers. The modernization efforts were led by the Navy's "N1," the military equivalent of a human resources section that oversees almost all Navy administrative matters, led by Vice Adm. Richard Cheeseman. Sources told BI that oversight passed only recently to the Navy's Chief Information Officer, Jane Rathburn. Internal documents reviewed by BI noted that the CIO's office told DOGE officials that the contract was duplicative, and that the government would be better served relying on old software known colloquially as "NP2." But the Pantheon contract was anything but duplicative, as the CIO claimed, and the company would have saved the Navy hundreds of millions, according to sources. What's more, the old NP2 system has its own problems. Sources said that by the time Pantheon arrived, the legacy software's price tag had ballooned to an eye-watering $1 billion over the last five years in Tennessee, with no real progress to show. One source estimated the actual cost to be closer to $5 billion. A source with knowledge of Pantheon's work, and who voiced support for DOGE goals of improved efficiency, noted that the NP2 program requires staffing and oversight from the Navy. He suggested that rendering NP2 obsolete — in part by through contracts like Pantheon's — could mark some government offices and jobs for elimination. The debacle began to unfold just before Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the DoD to curb IT contracts, and instead "in-source more expertise and harness the unparalleled talent of our existing experts," according to a memo released this week. Navy leaders underscored to DOGE officials that government employees could instead tackle the cloud migration efforts. But internal memos decried such a move, noting that government personnel have not performed any of the hundreds of previous migrations, and calling such an idea "not financially responsible." Navy spokesperson Ferry Gene Baylon told Business Insider that the contract was canceled based on recommendations from DOGE. "The Navy is focused on the wellbeing of the men and women who serve as we look to optimize resources essential to Navy personnel systems, pay management, and operational readiness," Baylon wrote in an email, adding that "it would be premature to comment on the details of future contracts." She did not comment on internal memos. Sources told BI that Pantheon has already received $30 million of the $170 million total due. Now, it's unclear what will happen next to fix sailors' data, and who will be in charge. That the data in Tennessee will continue to be at-risk rather than proceeding with Pantheon will inevitably hurt sailors, the Navy official said, adding that amid years of recruiting challenges, the service's ability to retain its force depends on paychecks. "If you can't pay them or promote them correctly, you're not going to keep people," the official said. "They're going to leave, rightly so, because they're not being treated the way they deserve to be treated."
Local Italy
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Local Italy
Italy to mark Republic Day with free entry to state-owned museums
The Festa della Repubblica, celebrated every year on June 2nd, commemorates the birth of the Italian Republic as we know it today. It marks the date in 1946 when Italians voted in a referendum to abolish the unpopular, Fascist-aligned monarchy and establish a democratic republic. As the date falls on a Monday this year, people in Italy will be looking forward to a three-day weekend. And while a trip to the beach to take advantage of the expected sunny weather might sound enticing, if you're staying in the city, you'll be able to visit one of the country's many state-owned museums and archeological parks free of charge. These include some of Italy's best-known cultural attractions, which are featured in a list on the culture ministry's website. Those in Rome, for example, will have free access to the Colosseum, the Pantheon (which introduced an entry fee for non-residents in 2023), Castel Sant' Angelo, the Borghese Gallery, and the nearby archeological park of Ostia Antica. People in Florence will be able to visit the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo's David. Venice residents and visitors will have access to Palazzo Grimani and its Accademia Gallery, housing masterpieces by the likes of Tintoretto and Titian, free of charge. And Milan's Pinacoteca di Brera gallery and Cenacolo Vinciano museum, home to Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, will also open their doors for free. The initiative is related to Italy's free museum Sundays scheme, through which state museums and parks open to the public for free on the first Sunday of every month. That means visitors will be able to access the same sites for free on Sunday, June 1st – though you could miss out on special events or unusual opening hours being offered on Monday in honour of Republic Day. For some of the more popular sites, the ministry notes that you may need to book your place in advance; check the website of the attraction you plan on visiting to see whether this applies.
Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Peter David, comic book writer renowned for ‘The Incredible Hulk' dies at 68
Peter David, the acclaimed comic book writer best known for redefining The Incredible Hulk, has died at 68 following a series of health complications. His death was confirmed on Sunday, 25 May 2025, by longtime friend and fellow author Keith R.A. DeCandido. 'Just got the news that Peter David finally lost his rather lengthy battle with his failing physical form last night,' DeCandido shared. David's legacy spans decades. His 12-year tenure on The Incredible Hulk introduced psychological complexity to the character, delving into dissociative identity disorder and expanding the Hulk mythos with creations like the Riot Squad and the Pantheon. Beyond the Hulk, David's creative credits include iconic runs on X-Factor, Spider-Man 2099, Aquaman, Young Justice, Supergirl, and Captain Marvel. His influence stretched across both Marvel and DC Comics, earning him a place among the genre's most respected voices. In recent years, David faced significant medical challenges, including kidney disease, surgeries, and strokes. A GoFundMe page, restarted by a family friend, highlighted his battle to cover medical costs after being denied Medicaid. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and daughters Ariel, Shana, Gwen, and Caroline.
Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
EU country with it's own 'Trevi Fountain' named Italian dupe without the crowds
Forget about the cramped, busy streets of Rome and check out this stunning EU town that offers a perfect dupe to the famous Trevi Fountain. Introducing, Priego de Córdoba Avoid the herds of selfie-stick-waving tourists in one of Italy's busiest cities with this stunning 'dupe'. Renowned for its rich history, Renaissance architecture, and cheap slices of pizza - Rome is one of the most popular cities across the whole of Europe. Last year, it was reported a record-breaking 22.2 million visitors flocked to the city, which is home to the iconic Colosseum, Pantheon, and the ancient ruins of Palatine Hill. Rome also surrounds Vatican City - which is classed as one of the smallest countries in the world by area - which boasts attractions including St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. But, it is Trevi Fountain, which sits in front of the grand Poli Palace, that really lures the crowds in - attracting between 10,000 and 12,000 visitors every single day. Built by Italian architecture Nicola Salvi in the 18th Century, this impressive structure depicts Oceanus, the God of water, surrounded by the statues of Abundance, Salubrity, tritons and hippocamps. Last year, the Baroque landmark was closed for a three-month restoration project, sparking high demand for an already insatiably popular site. But with insufferable levels of crowding worsening year by year, Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri a new queuing system had been installed to limit holidaymakers. If you're deterred by the idea of being sardined next to thousands of strangers, just to throw a penny into the water for good luck - fear not, as there is a perfect dupe that attracts a fraction of the footfall. Located in Priego de Córdoba, a town in the Andalusia region of Spain, you'll stumble across Fuente del Rey (aka King's Fountain). Built in 1803, and officially recognised as a Site of Cultural Interest in 1984, this grand structure features three pools all standing on different levels. "In the first pool stands a sculpture of a lion fighting with a serpent, attributed to the neoclassical sculptor Álvarez Cubero," explains the region's tourist board. "The second level contains the central figure of the monument, a sculpture of Neptune and Amphitrite riding a chariot pulled by horses emerging from the water. There is a waterfall between this and the final pool, from which the water runs out through the mask of the Clergy. There are 199 spouts in the fountain, many of them with stone masks bearing the faces of fantastic creatures." The nearest airport to Priego de Córdoba is Granada, but Brits will have a hard time flying there directly - even in the peak summer season. Instead, you're better off flying into Malaga, which takes on average two hours and 40 minutes. You can get direct flights here from most major UK airports, including Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds, and London Luton. If you're flexible with dates, you can grab return fares in July for as little as £34. Once you've touched down in Spain, you'll have to either drive or hail a taxi and travel up to Priego de Córdoba. This 80-mile journey takes around one and a half hours. Accommodation in Priego de Córdoba varies depending on your budget. For example, a week's stay (Monday, July 7 - 14) at the Balcón de la Villa costs just £421. This is based on two adults sharing a superior deluxe double or twin room. However, if you want a more luxurious experience, you can hire out a two-bedroom apartment at Corijo La Presa, which is tucked away in the lush countryside, on the exact same dates for £893. *Prices based on Skyscanner and listings at the time of writing.
