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Blog

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance: Statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UK Special Envoy on post-Holocaust issues and Chair of International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, Lord Pickles, remarks to OSCE Permanent Council.

    Distinguished friends, your excellencies,

    Today, we gather in the shadow of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Allies and the public had a good idea of the murder of the Jews long before the gates of Auschwitz were opened by Soviet Troops eighty years ago.

    But listening to rumours and reading secret reports does not prepare anyone for the naked brutality. The Nazis and their collaborators are an indelible stain on European Civilisation and on World History.

    We come together to honour the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. But we do not come with clean hands. Many fellow European citizens’ fate was to be shot in ditches, gassed in industrial murder centres or worked to death because World governments turned their backs on the Jews. Migration was restricted, making flight impossible for most. We know the poor results of the Evian Conference encouraged the Nazis into more extreme measures. Appeasement and doing nothing encouraged bullies and fanatics.

    The Nazis did not invent antisemitism, nor did they need to explain it in lands they occupied what antisemitism was.

    As Professor Yehuda Bauer of blessed memory said, “No one comes away clean” from the history of the Holocaust.

    Legislation restricting Jewish employment, property and civil rights was present in countries years before the Second World War. Signs saying, “forbidden for Jews” and “Jews not welcome” were present long before the Nazi occupation. When the Nazis arrived, the restrictions and the notices were quickly adopted.

    While there is no state policy, the signs “Jews not welcome” and “Jew Free Zone” are back on our Streets along with chants and slogans that distort and demean the Holocaust.

    The Holocaust began with words of hatred, laws of exclusion, and acts of humiliation.

    The strength of liberal democracy is tolerance of other people’s views and a willingness to accept some disruption in the interest of free speech.

    Across our member countries, the forces of law and order have floundered against the waves of antisemitism. At times, they seem incapable of identifying breaches. Senior UK police officers saw the slogan “From the River to the Sea” as a harmless folk scene rather than the reality of a chant of ethnic cleansing.

    The risk is that opponents of an open society misread tolerance as weakness and become emboldened to use increasingly extreme language and actions.

    Holocaust distortion has moved from the fringes to mainstream public life.

    Distortion does not deny the Holocaust outright. Instead, it minimises, excuses, or misrepresents it.

    It builds a bridge between mainstream careless indifference and extreme ideologies.

    As the last survivors move from contemporary memory to the pages of history, we are the custodians of the truth.

    The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is committed to countering distortion. We uphold the truth and protect the facts.

    The OSCE’s mission aligns with this responsibility.

    Both our organisations are in the business of building a safer and more inclusive society.

    To support governments in this vital work, IHRA has developed essential tools, including its internationally recognised definitions on antisemitism and on Holocaust denial and distortion.

    These provide governments, institutions, and educators with a framework for identifying and effectively addressing these issues.

    To combat these scourges, we must be able to recognise them.

    Additionally, the IHRA provides comprehensive recommendations for Holocaust education.

    It also provides guidelines for the preservation and accessibility of archives and memorial sites.

    Together, these tools lay the framework for preserving memory and the truth.

    The UK Presidency of IHRA has pursued a triple-track approach to strengthening archives: including sharing of information between institutions and the public, using personal possessions to tell a story in human form, and preserving the sites of murder and destruction.

    Deniers and distorters can lie and twist. We will preserve the memory of the Holocaust by telling the unvarnished truth. And the truth can never hurt us. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial News: Stock Index of Benchmark Stock Issuers to Appear on the Market

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    The Bank of Russia, together with the Moscow Exchange, launched shareholder value creation programIt is addressed to Russian public joint-stock companies and is aimed at increasing their investment attractiveness, increasing capitalization and supporting best corporate practices.

    The program provides for the creation of a benchmark – a group of issuers capable of growing at an accelerated rate and thus acting as a driver of capitalization of the entire stock market. Issuers whose shares are included in the first and second levels of the Moscow Exchange listing can participate in the program. Their securities will be included in the calculation base of its new stock index. It will become a useful benchmark for the market and a guide for investors on which securities are best to invest in. Based on the index, professional participants will be able to form collective investment funds, as well as index strategies for trust management.

    The applications of candidates will be reviewed by a committee consisting of representatives of the Moscow Exchange, the Bank of Russia and the Analytical Credit Rating Agency. They will assess the effectiveness of corporate governance, the level of information transparency of the issuer and its financial and economic indicators. The status of the program participant will need to be confirmed at least once a year.

    Vladimir Chistyukhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia:

    “We will consider the program’s implementation successful if we achieve two results. First, the number of its participants will grow, which implies the dissemination of best practices in the market. Second, the share of the program participants’ value in the total market capitalization will grow. We believe that the launch of the program will not only stimulate demand for equity instruments. We expect that investors will view the shares of benchmark issuers as attractive objects for portfolio investments. We will be glad if representatives of various industries join the program, as well as those who have recently held an IPO or are preparing for an initial placement.”

    Viktor Zhidkov, Chairman of the Board of the Moscow Exchange:

    “Over the long term, the market grows primarily due to high-quality issuers. It is wonderful when such issuers become more numerous, and the process of their emergence is orderly and transparent. This can be facilitated by a number of procedures and instruments that the Bank of Russia and the Moscow Exchange have tried to combine within the framework of the shareholder value creation program. Discussing how best to broadcast the new benchmark to the market, we came to the conclusion that the launch of a separate stock index is preferable to marking or creating a separate sector. Thus, the issuer will receive the status of a program participant precisely after the official inclusion of its shares in the calculation base of the new index. I hope that the market will appreciate our initiative, and the criteria for inclusion in the corresponding index will become a guide for a wide range of issuers.”

    Applications from issuers to participate in the program will be accepted from March 31 to June 15, 2025, inclusive.

    Preview photo: Emerald_media / Shutterstock / Fotodom

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV.KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23328

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The Bank of Russia and the Moscow Exchange have launched a program to create shareholder value for public companies

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    The Bank of Russia, together with the Moscow Exchange, launched Shareholder Value Creation ProgramIt is addressed to Russian public joint-stock companies and is aimed at increasing their investment attractiveness, increasing capitalization and supporting best corporate practices.

    The program provides for the creation of a benchmark – a group of issuers capable of growing at an accelerated rate and thus acting as a driver of capitalization of the entire stock market. Issuers whose shares are included in the first and second levels of the Moscow Exchange listing can participate in the Program. Their securities will be included in the calculation base of the new Moscow Exchange stock index. It will become a useful benchmark for the market and a guide for investors on which securities are best to invest in. Based on the index, professional participants will be able to form collective investment funds, as well as index strategies for trust management.

    The candidates’ applications will be reviewed by a committee consisting of representatives of the Moscow Exchange, the Bank of Russia and the Analytical Credit Rating Agency. They will assess the corporate governance, the level of information transparency of the issuer and its financial and economic indicators. The status of the Program participant will need to be confirmed at least once a year.

    Vladimir Chistyukhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Bank of Russia:

    “We will consider the implementation of the Program successful if we achieve two results. Firstly, the number of its participants will grow, which implies the dissemination of best practices in the market. Secondly, the share of the value of the Program participants in the total market capitalization will increase. We believe that the launch of the Program will not only stimulate demand for equity instruments. We expect that investors will look at the shares of benchmark issuers as attractive objects for portfolio investments. We will be glad if representatives of various industries join the Program, as well as those who have recently held an IPO or are preparing for an initial placement.”

    Viktor Zhidkov, Chairman of the Board of Moscow Exchange:

    “Over the long term, the market grows primarily due to high-quality issuers. It is wonderful when such issuers become more numerous, and the process of their emergence is orderly and transparent. This can be facilitated by a number of procedures and instruments that the Bank of Russia and the Moscow Exchange have tried to combine within the framework of the Shareholder Value Creation Program. Discussing how best to broadcast the new benchmark to the market, we came to the conclusion that launching a separate stock index is preferable to marking or creating a separate sector. Thus, the issuer will receive the status of a participant in the Program precisely after the official inclusion of its shares in the calculation base of the new index. I hope that the market will appreciate our initiative, and the criteria for inclusion in the corresponding index will become a guide for a wide range of issuers.”

    Applications from issuers to participate in the Program will be accepted from March 31 to June 15, 2025, inclusive.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 01/30/2025, 16-42 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the RU000A101FY1 security (RSetiMR1P2) were changed.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    01/30/2025

    16:42

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 30.01.2025, 16-42 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 105.11) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1115.71 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 8.75%) of the RU000A101FY1 security (RSetiMR1P2) were changed.

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The Bank of Russia has raised the property criterion for assigning the status of a qualified investor

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    The minimum amount of assets that a person must own to be recognized as a qualified investor increases from 6 to 12 million rubles. And from January 1, 2026, to 24 million rubles. The corresponding indicationThe regulator was registered by the Russian Ministry of Justice.

    According to the Bank of Russia, such a measure will reduce the number of cases in which a person receives the status of a qualified investor, but does not understand the specifics of complex financial instruments and the risks associated with them.

    The comprehensive reform that the regulator is consistently implementing is aimed at giving people more opportunities to obtain such status based on knowledge and experience, and at creating more investors in the market who make informed decisions.

    Preview photo: Ulisse / Shutterstock / Fotodom

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

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

    HTTPS: //vv. KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 23329

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business confidence signals progress

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says.

    “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.”

    The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 in January, while expected own activity eased four points to +46.

    ANZ summarises the business confidence change between months as “easing, but still extremely high”.

    “This is another sign that the business outlook is on the right track. I’m pleased to see businesses feel more confident about the economy,” Nicola Willis says.

    “I know New Zealanders have been doing it tough. Many have suffered through a high cost of living and sky-high interest rates. 

    “This survey result, along with NZIER’s this month, shows things are set to get better.

    “New Zealanders are impatient for that change, and so am I. That’s why I am focused on driving economic growth to go further and faster.

    “We’ve already had positive progress with inflation under control and interest rates finally coming down. The fact that firms expect an increase in their own activity is a sign of future economic growth.

    “Economic growth means more and better-paying jobs for Kiwis and creates community wealth, bringing in the revenue we need to pay for the world-class infrastructure, health and education services New Zealanders deserve.

    “That is where we are heading.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Businessman Indicted for Tax Evasion

    Source: United States Attorneys General 10

    A federal grand jury in Jacksonville, Florida, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Florida businessman with tax evasion, not filing a tax return and not paying taxes.

    According to the indictment, Phillip Mak, of Jacksonville, was a self-employed businessman who from 2008 through 2020 earned approximately $10.3 million in income. During that same period, Mak allegedly did not pay any federal taxes and, except for two years, did not file tax returns. The IRS allegedly assessed approximately $1.9 million in outstanding taxes, penalties and interest against Mak for tax years 2008, 2009, 2012-2015 and 2019-2020.

    Instead of paying what he owed, Mak allegedly attempted to shield his assets from the IRS by transferring $1 million in cash to his domestic partner’s bank accounts. In addition, the indictment alleges that Mak, after being interviewed by IRS investigators, transferred ownership of his home to his domestic partner’s trust, created a nominee entity and began depositing his income into a bank account held in the name of that entity.

    In total, Mak is alleged to have caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $1.92 million.

    If convicted, Mak faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for tax evasion and a maximum sentence of one year in prison for each charge of failure to file a tax return and failure to pay tax. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd and Michael Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cannizzaro for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Enlight to Report Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results on Wednesday, February 19, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enlight Renewable Energy Ltd. (“Enlight”, “the Company”, NASDAQ: ENLT, TASE: ENLT.TA), a leading global renewable energy platform, today announced it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024, before market open on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

    Conference Call Information

    Enlight will host a conference call to review its financial results and business outlook at 8:00 AM ET on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. Management will deliver prepared remarks followed by a question-and-answer session. Participants can join by conference call or webcast:

    Conference Call

    Please pre-register to join by conference call:
    https://register.vevent.com/register/BI9b595c26a5dc4208953cad5b9bb5f4e8
    Upon registering, you will be emailed a dial-in number, direct passcode and unique PIN.

    Webcast

    Please register and join by webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/74sp8fv8

    The press release with the financial results as well as the investor presentation materials will be accessible from the Company’s website prior to the conference call. Approximately one hour after completion of the live call, an archived version of the webcast will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at https://enlightenergy.co.il/info/investors/.

    About Enlight

    Founded in 2008, Enlight develops, finances, constructs, owns, and operates utility-scale renewable energy projects. Enlight operates across the three largest renewable segments today: solar, wind and energy storage. A global platform, Enlight operates in the United States, Israel and 10 European countries. Enlight has been traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since 2010 (TASE: ENLT) and completed its US IPO (NASDAQ: ENLT) in 2023. Learn more at enlightenergy.co.il.

    Investor Contact

    Yonah Weisz
    Director IR
    investors@enlightenergy.co.il

    Erica Mannion or Mike Funari
    Sapphire Investor Relations, LLC
    +1 617 542 6180
    investors@enlightenergy.co.il

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s expectations relating to the Project, the PPA and the related interconnection agreement and lease option, and the completion timeline for the Project, are forward-looking statements. The words “may,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “target,” “seek,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “contemplate,” “possible,” “forecasts,” “aims” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: our ability to site suitable land for, and otherwise source, renewable energy projects and to successfully develop and convert them into Operational Projects; availability of, and access to, interconnection facilities and transmission systems; our ability to obtain and maintain governmental and other regulatory approvals and permits, including environmental approvals and permits; construction delays, operational delays and supply chain disruptions leading to increased cost of materials required for the construction of our projects, as well as cost overruns and delays related to disputes with contractors; our suppliers’ ability and willingness to perform both existing and future obligations; competition from traditional and renewable energy companies in developing renewable energy projects; potential slowed demand for renewable energy projects and our ability to enter into new offtake contracts on acceptable terms and prices as current offtake contracts expire; offtakers’ ability to terminate contracts or seek other remedies resulting from failure of our projects to meet development, operational or performance benchmarks; various technical and operational challenges leading to unplanned outages, reduced output, interconnection or termination issues; the dependence of our production and revenue on suitable meteorological and environmental conditions, and our ability to accurately predict such conditions; our ability to enforce warranties provided by our counterparties in the event that our projects do not perform as expected; government curtailment, energy price caps and other government actions that restrict or reduce the profitability of renewable energy production; electricity price volatility, unusual weather conditions (including the effects of climate change, could adversely affect wind and solar conditions), catastrophic weather-related or other damage to facilities, unscheduled generation outages, maintenance or repairs, unanticipated changes to availability due to higher demand, shortages, transportation problems or other developments, environmental incidents, or electric transmission system constraints and the possibility that we may not have adequate insurance to cover losses as a result of such hazards; our dependence on certain operational projects for a substantial portion of our cash flows; our ability to continue to grow our portfolio of projects through successful acquisitions; changes and advances in technology that impair or eliminate the competitive advantage of our projects or upsets the expectations underlying investments in our technologies; our ability to effectively anticipate and manage cost inflation, interest rate risk, currency exchange fluctuations and other macroeconomic conditions that impact our business; our ability to retain and attract key personnel; our ability to manage legal and regulatory compliance and litigation risk across our global corporate structure; our ability to protect our business from, and manage the impact of, cyber-attacks, disruptions and security incidents, as well as acts of terrorism or war; the potential impact of the current conflicts in Israel on our operations and financial condition and Company actions designed to mitigate such impact; changes to existing renewable energy industry policies and regulations that present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to renewable energy projects; the reduction, elimination or expiration of government incentives for, or regulations mandating the use of, renewable energy; our ability to effectively manage our supply chain and comply with applicable regulations with respect to international trade relations, tariffs, sanctions, export controls and anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws; our ability to effectively comply with Environmental Health and Safety and other laws and regulations and receive and maintain all necessary licenses, permits and authorizations; our performance of various obligations under the terms of our indebtedness (and the indebtedness of our subsidiaries that we guarantee) and our ability to continue to secure project financing on attractive terms for our projects; limitations on our management rights and operational flexibility due to our use of tax equity arrangements; potential claims and disagreements with partners, investors and other counterparties that could reduce our right to cash flows generated by our projects; our ability to comply with tax laws of various jurisdictions in which we currently operate as well as the tax laws in jurisdictions in which we intend to operate in the future; the unknown effect of the dual listing of our ordinary shares on the price of our ordinary shares; various risks related to our incorporation and location in Israel; the costs and requirements of being a public company, including the diversion of management’s attention with respect to such requirements; certain provisions in our Articles of Association and certain applicable regulations that may delay or prevent a change of control; and other risk factors set forth in the section titled “Risk factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and our other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC.

    These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. Except as may be required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

    The MIL Network –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Talonvest Capital Negotiates $49.5M Bridge Loan for Six-Property Portfolio Owned by Volta Global

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Talonvest Capital, Inc., a boutique self-storage and commercial real estate advisory firm, has successfully negotiated the refinance of a state-of-the-art portfolio on behalf of its client, Volta Global. The portfolio includes six strategically converted properties located in the high-growth states of Texas, North Carolina, and Alabama. The portfolio comprises 467,468 net rentable square feet (NRSF) across 4,434 self-storage units and 103,000 rentable square feet of industrial space in two locations.

    The non-recourse bridge loan, provided by a debt fund, features interest-only payments, substantial cash-out proceeds, an earnout provision, and a competitive interest rate. The lender also funded the remaining construction draws on several properties, offering significant benefits to the borrower. Through negotiations, Talonvest secured a 35-basis point improvement in the loan spread from the initial market quotes to the final rate.

    Jeff Evans, President of Volta Global, commented, “The Talonvest team proved to be an outstanding partner in this transaction. We deeply valued their strategic insight and expert guidance. By leveraging their extensive lender network, Talonvest facilitated a new lending relationship with the capabilities and enthusiasm to close not only on this transaction, but for future opportunities as well.”

    The Talonvest team responsible for this transaction included David DiRienzo, Britt Taylor, Mason Brusseau, and Lauren Maehler.

    About Talonvest Capital Inc.:

    Talonvest Capital is a commercial real estate advisory firm specializing in sourcing cutting-edge capital programs and advising on capital market trends for industrial, self-storage, multifamily, office, and retail property owners. Talonvest Capital offers a unique boutique approach by leveraging the company’s collective institutional knowledge and remaining highly engaged throughout the entire assignment, including the closing process, to deliver tailored capital solutions for their clients.   With over four decades of experience, Talonvest Capital has a unique perspective from its team’s previous experience on the lending side, managing institutional equity, executing nationwide joint venture investments, and facilitating diverse capital placements for clients across the United States. Learn more at https://talonvest.com.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dd9ac5a1-f339-42ce-82ac-36cea360157a

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e73d3b5b-5127-4e81-ad84-aea911ce8cb7

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/defa038b-bd9d-4251-a609-ace8e8dfc6e0

    The MIL Network –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: The Victory Bancorp, Inc. Announces 2024 Fourth Quarter Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LIMERICK, Pa., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Victory Bancorp, Inc. (OTCQX: VTYB), the holding company for The Victory Bank, today announced record growth and financial highlights for the year ended December 31, 2024.

    Financial Highlights for 2024:

    • Loan Growth: Loans increased by $26.6 million despite much higher interest rates and softening demand for loans, underlining the Bank’s commitment to a strong lending culture and continued investment in lending infrastructure.
    • Deposit Growth: Deposits grew by $33 million in 2024, driven by the bank’s focus on delivering exceptional customer service and focus on relationship banking.
    • Capital Acquisition: The Bancorp successfully issued $4.65 million of subordinated debt in the fourth quarter, of which $2.5 million was down-streamed to the bank to support growth initiatives and enhance capital strength.
    • Net consolidated earnings: Earnings rose by $83 thousand year-over-year in the fourth quarter. Compared to the third quarter, earnings remained stable, with a slight decrease from $586 thousand to $558 thousand. The return on average equity for the fourth quarter was 7.58%.
    • Book Value: Book value per common share remained nearly consistent, decreasing slightly from $14.89 in the third quarter to $14.84 in the fourth quarter. This stability reflects a solid foundation and demonstrates the company’s ability to maintain value per share despite market fluctuations.
    • Stockholders’ Equity: As of December 31, 2024, the company’s equity position grew by $1.4 million compared to the end of 2023.
    • Dividends: The bank paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.065 per share; $0.26 per share for the calendar year

    Loan Quality Metrics: The bank maintained superior loan quality metrics that outperformed peers:

    • Losses to Average Loans at 0.0% as of December 31, 2024, compared to the peer average of 0.05% (as of September 30, 2024).
    • 30-89 Day Past Due Loans at 0.01%, significantly better than the peer average of 0.42%.
    • Non-Performing Loans at 0.05%, well below the peer average of 0.49%.

    Bank Leader, Joseph W. Major, stated, “The year 2024 has been a remarkable period of growth and achievement. Despite a challenging economic landscape, our team’s dedication and strategic initiatives have driven record results. The $26.7 million growth in our loan portfolio and $33 million increase in deposits underscore our ability to attract and retain high-value clients, and earnings showed substantial improvement based on improvements to net interest margin and overall balance sheet growth. Additionally, our successful capital acquisition strengthens our financial foundation and positions us for continued expansion.”

    “Our commitment to maintaining exceptional asset quality remains unwavering. The fact that our loan quality metrics significantly outperform peers is a testament to the vast experience of our lending and credit teams, our disciplined approach to risk management and our focus on long-term stability.”

    “We are excited about the future and remain committed to delivering exceptional value to our shareholders, clients, and communities.”

    Victory Bancorp, Inc. is traded on the OTCQX market under the symbol VTYB (https://www.otcmarkets.com) and is the parent company of The Victory Bank, a Pennsylvania state-chartered commercial bank, headquartered in Limerick, Pennsylvania, which is located just outside the Philadelphia market in Montgomery County. The Victory Bank was established in 2008 as a specialized business lender that provides high-quality banking services to small and mid-sized businesses and professionals through its three offices located in Montgomery and Berks Counties, Pennsylvania. Additional information about Victory Bancorp is available on its website, VictoryBank.com.

    This presentation may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, changes in interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand, real estate values, and competition; changes in accounting principles, policies, or guidelines; changes in legislation or regulation; and other economic; competitive, governmental, regulatory, and technological factors affecting the Company’s operations, pricing, products, and services.

    Contact:
    Joseph W. Major    ,
    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

    Robert H. Schultz,
    Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer

    Owen Magers
    Investor Relations
    484-791-3435

    The Victory Bancorp, Inc.
    548 N. Lewis Rd.
    Limerick, PA 19468

             
    CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (unaudited)        
    (dollars in thousands, except per share data)            
        December 31,   September 30,   December 31,
    Selected Financial Data   2024   2024   2023
                 
    Investment securities $ 44,642   $ 46,110   $ 47,931  
                 
    Loans, net of allowance for loan losses   390,954     395,213     364,383  
                 
    Total assets   461,024     467,939     442,163  
                 
    Deposits   397,080     398,169     364,032  
                 
    Borrowings   15,440     24,692     36,200  
                 
    Subordinated debt   17,309     12,851     12,830  
                 
    Stockholders’ equity $ 29,337   $ 29,437   $ 27,948  
                 
    Book value per common share $ 14.84   $ 14.89   $ 14.17  
                 
    Allowance/loans   0.92 %   0.91 %   0.94 %
                 
    Nonperforming assets/total assets   0.05 %   0.04 %   0.49 %
                 
        3 Months Ended
        December 31,   September 30,
    		   December 31,
    Selected Operations Data   2024   2024   2023
                 
    Interest income $ 7,281   $ 7,526   $ 6,680  
                 
    Interest expense   3,886     4,064     3,337  
                 
    Net interest income   3,395     3,462     3,343  
                 
    Provision for loan losses   (32 )   71     170  
                 
    Other income   299     239     210  
                 
    Other expense   3,000     2,895     2,748  
                 
    Income before income taxes   726     735     635  
                 
    Income taxes   (168 )   (149 )   (160 )
                 
    Net income $ 558   $ 586   $ 475  
    Earnings per common share (basic) $ 0.28   $ 0.30   $ 0.24  
                 
    Earnings per common share (diluted) $ 0.28   $ 0.29   $ 0.23  
                 
    Return on average assets (annualized)   0.48 %   0.50 %   0.45 %
                 
    Return on average equity (annualized)   7.58 %   8.14 %   6.97 %
                 
    Net charge-offs (recoveries)/average loans   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %

    The MIL Network –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: DIAGNOS Announces Financial Contribution of $400,000 from the Government of Canada

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BROSSARD, Quebec, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diagnos Inc. (“DIAGNOS” or the “Corporation”) (TSX Venture: ADK, OTCQB: DGNOF, FWB: 4D4A), a pioneer in early detection of critical health issues through the use of its FLAIRE platform based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), announces today that it was granted a financial contribution of up to CA$400,000 from the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions organization (CED) to implement an international marketing strategy for CARA (the “Project”).

    As per the terms of the financial assistance agreement signed between DIAGNOS and CED, CED has committed to making a refundable contribution up to $400,000 to DIAGNOS, calculated at 50% of eligible expenses related to the Project, for the period of June 7, 2024 to June 30, 2026. Repayment of the contribution by DIAGNOS will begin 24 months after the end of the Project and span over 60 months, no interest bearing.

    Mr. André Larente, President and CEO of DIAGNOS, said “We would like to thank CED for its support and trust in DIAGNOS. We are proud to be recognized by the Government of Canada as being a key asset in the Canadian economy.”

    More details are available in the press release from CED, dated January 29, 2025, which can be found at this address: link

    About CED
    CED is the key economic development player for Quebec’s regions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In order to accomplish its core responsibility, which is economic development in Quebec, CED fosters business start-ups and growth. It helps them become more innovative, productive and competitive. It supports efforts to engage the regions of Quebec and attract investments that will help boost the economic well-being of Quebec and Canada.

    Additional information is available at CED | About DEC

    About DIAGNOS
    DIAGNOS is a publicly traded Canadian corporation dedicated to early detection of critical health problems based on its FLAIRE Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform. FLAIRE allows for quick modifying and developing of applications such as CARA (Computer Assisted Retina Analysis). CARA’s image enhancement algorithms provide sharper, clearer and easier-to-analyze retinal images. CARA is a cost-effective tool for real-time screening of large volumes of patients.

    Additional information is available at www.diagnos.com and www.sedarplus.com.

    For further information, please contact:

    Mr. André Larente, President
    DIAGNOS Inc.
    Tel: 450-678-8882 ext. 224
    alarente@diagnos.ca

    This news release contains forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements. DIAGNOS disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Baker Hughes Secures Significant Gas Technology Order for Third Expansion Phase of Aramco’s Jafurah Gas Field

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Contract awarded by Tecnicas Reunidas for six gas compression trains and six propane compressors, including balance of plants and auxiliaries
    • State-of-the-art technologies to support third expansion phase of the largest unconventional gas field in Saudi Arabia

    HOUSTON and LONDON, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR), an energy technology company, announced Thursday it has been awarded an order by Tecnicas Reunidas for six gas compression trains and six propane compressors, for the third expansion phase of Aramco’s Jafurah gas field, located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    Building on its broad experience in providing technology solutions for the entire natural gas value chain, Baker Hughes will supply state-of-the-art electric motor driven compression solutions, leveraging its recently expanded Damman Center in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. This order adds to Baker Hughes’ long-standing partnership with Aramco, which includes the supply of compression solutions for the Haradh and Hawiyah gas plants, first phase of the Jafurah gas plant and gas compression facilities, and more recently, equipment for the third phase of Saudi Arabia’s Master Gas System project.

    “Gas continues to serve as a vital source of reliable, abundant and lower-carbon energy,” said Ganesh Ramaswamy, executive vice president of Industrial & Energy Technology at Baker Hughes. “Our advanced gas compression technology will enable efficient and reliable production from the Jafurah field, further supporting Aramco’s vision and contributing to Saudi Arabia’s energy development.”

    About Baker Hughes
    Baker Hughes (NASDAQ: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

    For more information, please contact:

    Media Relations
    Chiara Toniato
    +39 3463823419
    chiara.toniato@bakerhughes.com

    Baker Hughes Investor Relations
    Chase Mulvehill
    +1 346-297-2564
    investor.relations@bakerhughes.com

    The MIL Network –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Onerep Honors Pledge to Educate Consumers on How to Manage Their Data and Warns Against Using Third Parties for Removal from Non-Public Data Brokers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Onerep, a company that has helped users remove millions of records of their personal data on public sites, has released an update of its free tool YourControl which helps with managing personal information on data brokers with non-public directories. Initially, the tool was built to help consumers manage the exposure of their personal data at its source – major consumer reporting agencies. Today, its list of brokers was expanded to include additional non-public brokers.

    As a part of its pledge to public education, Onerep is warning consumers about services that advertise the removal of personal information from consumer reporting agencies and other non-public data brokers.

    When a data broker has no public directory, it means that there is no way for a third-party to know if that broker even has your profile. To request the removal of your data, these so-called privacy services share your information with data broker companies. “In the name of privacy, there are companies spreading your personal information to random companies with no way of knowing if they had it in the first place. These practices pose major risks to consumers,” says Dimitri Shelest, founder of Onerep.

    Submitting your personal data to hundreds of random brokers in no way enhances your safety; in fact, it exposes consumers to unnecessary risks. To make matters worse, these brokers might then supply consumer data to public people-search sites. YourControl helps users identify which of these non-public brokers play this role and provides instructions for safely managing their data with those companies.

    “YourControl puts consumers in charge of how their personal information is used, at the top of the data pyramid,” says Shelest. “It’s free and open source because Onerep believes the public deserves to have access to a free and easy tool that helps them cut off the flow of their personal data at the source.”

    YourControl, combined with Onerep’s core service, packs a powerful one-two-punch in protecting consumers. Onerep’s nominal subscription works overtime removing user’s personal data from public data brokers such as people-search sites while YourControl helps consumers take charge of their data at non-public sources such as consumer reporting agencies.

    More about YourControl here: https://onerep.com/blog/yourcontrol-free-data-broker-removal-extension

    About Onerep

    Onerep is a digital privacy company specializing in the removal of employee and consumer data from public data brokers and people search sites. The company’s technology and approach are trusted by prestigious organizations in the United States, including professional associations, consumer groups, and law enforcement agencies. Onerep’s solutions are also working behind the scenes to power privacy features offered by globally recognized brands. To learn more visit onerep.com.

    PRESS
    Onerep
    press@onerep.com

    The MIL Network –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kash Patel Disparages Public Figures On A Regular Basis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    January 30, 2025
    Kash Patel has frequently posted or reposted attacks on prominent public figures, both Republican and Democratic. The attacks go beyond mere policy disagreements and veer into personal attacks and suggestions of criminality.
    Among others, Kash Patel has publicly disparaged:
    Public servants, who he threatened with a “constitutional guillotine.”
    Journalists, including calling for specific reporters to be stripped of their credentials.
    Members of Congress, who he chainsawed in an AI-generated video of himself.
    Democrats, who he called “vindictive, evil, [and] vicious.”
    Elon Musk, at least eight separate times on Truth Social.
    …and many, many more.
    U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement:
    “On Truth Social, Kash Patel has frequently posted or reposted attacks on Democrats and Republicans—including some on this Committee. The posts go beyond mere policy disagreements and veer into personal attacks, and they do not reflect the integrity we expect from a top law enforcement officer.”
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing For President Trump’s Pick To Be FBI Director, Kash Patel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    January 30, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing for Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
    Key Quotes:
    “Mr. Patel has neither the experience, the temperament, nor the judgment to lead an agency of 38,000 [people] and 400 field offices around the globe. During the time I’ve served on this Committee, I’ve had the opportunity to consider four prior FBI Director nominations. Each one was a Republican, and I voted for all of them. So, my concerns about the Director of the FBI are not partisan.”
    “As much as Republicans claim that President Biden and former Attorney General Garland weaponized the FBI, let’s look at the record: President Biden kept the FBI Director, a lifelong Republican who had been appointed by President Trump. Contrast that with President Trump, who fired his first FBI Director, James Comey, and forced out his second FBI Director, Chris Wray, for being insufficiently loyal. With Mr. Patel, obviously the President has found a loyalist.”
    “Mr. Patel’s loyalty includes touting conspiracy theories and threaten[ing to go after President Trump’s enemies.] How do we know Mr. Patel’s theories? His beliefs, what motivates him, and what he really believes? He wrote it in a book. The book [is titled] Government Gangsters, and I urge all of you to read [it] before you cast a vote for [him]. In it, Mr. Patel has published an enemies list of 60 people who he calls, ‘members of the deep state.’ This list includes many distinguished public servants who have dedicated their lives to our nation.” 
    “Then there is Mr. Patel’s plan to ‘shut down the F.B.I. Hoover Building on Day 1 and reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state.’’ And he has said, ‘We’re going to come after the people in the media, we’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly, [and] we’re putting you all on notice.’”
    “Does this sound like the kind of nonpartisan, law enforcement professional who should lead the FBI? Not to me. This is someone who has left behind a trail of grievances throughout his life, lashing out at anyone who disrespects him or doesn’t agree with him.”
    “Mr. Patel’s record is clear: he traffics in debunked conspiracy theories that serve or benefit his political beliefs. Let’s start with January 6… I will always be grateful to the U.S. Capitol police officers who risked their lives defending me, members of Congress, and visitors of the United States Capitol on that day. Mr. Patel posted on social media, ‘Jan. 6 never an insurrection: cowards in uniform exposed.’ Let me repeat that. ‘Cowards in uniform.’ Who was in the Capitol building on January 6 in uniform—the Capitol Police were. Do you think they were cowards?… And Mr. Patel claims that the FBI, the agency he aspires to lead, ‘was planning January 6 for a year.’ Mr. Patel has gone so far as to co-produce and sell musical recordings of a song performed by January 6 rioters who violently assaulted police officers.”
    “The FBI plays a critical role in keeping Americans safe from terrorism, violent crime, and other threats. Our nation needs an FBI Director who understands the gravity of this mission and is ready on day one, not someone who is consumed by his own personal political grievances. The American people deserve an FBI Director who is focused on keeping the public safe from terrorism, drug trafficking, and violent crime, not the checklist of personal grievances we find in this book. Mr. Patel, your record makes clear that you are not that person.”
      
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Takes Forceful and Unprecedented Steps to Combat Anti-Semitism

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UNITED STATES: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to Combat Anti-Semitism.
    Expanding on his Executive Order 13899, President Trump’s new Order takes forceful and unprecedented steps to marshal all Federal resources to combat the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets since October 7, 2023.
    Every Federal executive department and agency leader will review and report to the White House within sixty days on all criminal and civil authorities and actions available for fighting anti-Semitism.
    Immediate action will be taken by the Department of Justice to protect law and order, quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.
    The Order demands the removal of resident aliens who violate our laws.
    GOING ON OFFENSE TO ENFORCE LAW AND ORDER AND TO PROTECT CIVIL RIGHTS: Immediately after the jihadist terrorist attacks against the people of Israel on October 7, 2023, pro-Hamas aliens and left-wing radicals began a campaign of intimidation, vandalism, and violence on the campuses and streets of America.
    Celebrating Hamas’ mass rape, kidnapping, and murder, they physically blocked Jewish Americans from attending college classes, obstructed synagogues and assaulted worshippers, and vandalized American monuments and statues.
    The Biden Administration turned a blind eye to this coordinated assault on public order; it simply refused to protect the civil rights of Jewish Americans, especially students. According to a December 2024 U.S. House of Representatives Staff Report on anti-Semitism, “the failure of our federal government departments and agencies is astounding.”
    PRESIDENT TRUMP KEEPS HIS PROMISES AND BUILDS ON HIS SUCCESS: In his first term, President Trump kept his biggest promises:
    He moved the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem: After decades of broken promises and despite much criticism, President Trump was the President who finally kept his commitment to Israel to move the American embassy from Tel-Aviv to Israel’s true and rightful capital: Jerusalem.
    He established the Abraham Accords: President Trump delivered the greatest breakthrough for peace in the Middle East in decades by brokering the normalization of ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, protecting Israel and Jews and spreading security and prosperity to the entire region.
    Now, President Trump has promised that the Federal Government will:
    Protect the civil rights of our Jewish citizens: “My promise to Jewish Americans is this: With your vote, I will be your defender, your protector, and I will be the best friend Jewish Americans have ever had in the White House.”
    Aggressively enforce the law, protect public order, and prosecute anti-Semitic crimes: “I will issue clear orders to my Attorney General to aggressively prosecute terroristic threats, arson, vandalism and violence against American Jews.”
    Deport Hamas Sympathizers and Revoke Student Visas: “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Connecticut Leaders, IAM Members Embrace Future Challenges, Commit to Renewed Fight for Working Class

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Union members gathered in Mystic, Conn., over the weekend for the semi-annual Connecticut State Council of Machinists meeting. Patrick Buzzee, President of the State Council, opened the conference with a robust agenda. This gathering brought together IAM members from various industries, as well as legislative leaders, to provide an essential platform for discussing labor challenges in the state and advancing collective bargaining strategies.

    IAM International President Brian Bryant addressed the delegation with a powerful message of progress and vigilance. He highlighted the recent successes in securing strong contract wins, emphasizing the importance of solidarity and strategic negotiations in achieving these victories.

    However, President Bryant also issued a stark warning about the new administration’s aggressive approach, pointing to over 150 executive orders, many aimed at undermining the working class. Despite these challenges, he urged the members to remain resilient and engaged in the fight for workers’ rights.

    “The IAM will not falter on its promise to protect America’s working middle class, and an IAM union contract is one way to ensure that promise,” said Bryant.

    In a forward-looking moment, Bryant also discussed the importance of embracing new technology, particularly artificial intelligence, urging union members to stay ahead of the curve and harness these tools to strengthen their positions in the evolving workforce.

    IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan passionately addressed the delegation about the growing challenge of foreign competition in military shipbuilding, a sector vital to national security and proudly supported by IAM members in Connecticut. He stressed Connecticut’s critical role in producing these ships and underscored the importance of keeping this work in the hands of skilled American workers.

    “Our members are the backbone of this industry, building the ships that defend our nation’s security,” said Sullivan. “We must continue to protect these jobs and ensure that the work stays here, in the hands of those who know how to get it done.”

    Additionally, Sullivan spoke about the recent successes throughout the Eastern Territory, praising the collective efforts to expand the union’s influence and protect workers’ rights.

    “These victories prove that when we stand together, we are unstoppable,” said Sullivan.

    The delegation was joined by several legislative representatives from both the state and federal levels; members learned about the current challenges and strategies for moving forward during a difficult and uncooperative administration in Washington, D.C. This event highlighted the union’s ongoing commitment to advocating for workers’ rights, fair wages, and improved working conditions in Connecticut and beyond.

    Among the most significant challenges for Connecticuters is the passage of a bill designed to lessen the economic impact on striking workers in Connecticut by providing them unemployment benefits after a two-week waiting period. The bill made it to Gov. Ned Lamont’s (D) desk last year, where the governor vetoed it, dealing a blow to organized labor. The state’s labor force vows to fight for and secure this worker-friendly bill.

    Also speaking at the meeting were working family champions in Connecticut.

    • U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, representing Connecticut’s 2nd District, has been a leading voice for programs that provide young workers with non-traditional education and critical skills, strengthening the backbone of our nation’s infrastructure.
    • Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz comes from a proud union household and has tirelessly advocated for working families across Connecticut, fighting for economic opportunity and fairness.
    • State Rep. Anthony Nolan of the 39th District has dedicated his career to supporting working families and championing vital services for veterans, ensuring that those who serve our nation receive the respect and resources they deserve.
    • State Rep. Kevin Brown of the 56th District is a passionate educator who prioritizes skilled trades, vocational training, and non-traditional education pathways after high school, empowering the next generation with practical tools for success.
    • State Sen. Saud Anwar of the 3rd District and medical doctor has focused on addressing the opioid crisis, particularly its impact on the American workforce due to competitive strain injuries, advocating for both prevention and recovery initiatives.

    These leaders represent a shared commitment to uplifting Connecticut’s working families, expanding educational opportunities, and building a stronger, more inclusive future.

    IAM Assistant Legislative Director Loren Almeroth addressed the delegation, highlighting key legislative priorities, including the increasing threat of foreign competition in the defense sector. He emphasized the need for policies that support domestic manufacturing and ensure the U.S. remains competitive globally. Almeroth also outlined the broad range of legislative initiatives the IAM is pursuing on Capitol Hill, focusing on worker protections, fair wages, and strengthening labor rights, urging continued advocacy and collaboration to push these crucial issues forward. Almeroth also praised National Political and Legislative Director Hasan Solomon, recognizing him as a champion on Capitol Hill for tirelessly advocating for IAM members and pushing for policies that safeguard American manufacturing jobs.

    During his remarks, Ed Hawthorne, President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, emphasized the importance of unity and strength in solidarity among the state’s unions. Highlighting SEIU’s recent rejoining of the national AFL-CIO after leaving in 2005, he celebrated the renewed commitment to collective action. Hawthorne passionately coined the phrase, “Solidarity isn’t a noun; it’s a verb. It requires action,” reminding everyone to build solidarity through ongoing efforts to stand together for workers’ rights and a better future.

    Closing out the conference portion of the meeting, the Connecticut State Council of Machinists was honored by the Connecticut AFL-CIO with an award for their outstanding commitment to the 2024 election season. Exceeding expectations, the IAM contributed over 7% of their resources—far surpassing the 1% ask—for physical support during the election. The award was presented by Legislative Director Jennifer Berigan, Political Director Joelyn Leon, and Legislative and Political Organizer CC Cienawski, recognizing the IAM’s exceptional dedication to strengthening the voice of working families at the ballot box.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Preparations Begin for Joint IAM Bargaining at Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    The recent merger of Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines has set into motion the preparation for negotiations of the two airlines on joint collective bargaining agreement contracts for the members of the two carriers. 

    IAM District 142 President and Directing Chair John M. Coveny Jr. recently appointed a 10-member team to serve on the Negotiating Committee.  

    The team recently attended the Negotiation Preparation class at the IAM’s William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, Md., supported by District 142 General Chair Jesse Wilson, David Figueira, and International Representative Jeffrey Tobius. The team reviewed the current contract language, looking at all agreements for upcoming negotiations with the employer. 

    Negotiating Committee Members include:
    Melissa Hopson (Alaska, ANC)
    Jane McGrath (Alaska, ANC)
    Jackson Hartsfield (Alaska, BOS)
    Andrea Mondoy-Honaker (Alaska, SEA)
    Sandra Hagan (Alaska, SEA) 
    Mark Walker (Alaska, SEA)
    Garrett Gebauer (Alaska, ANC)
    Stacy Williams (Hawaiian, HNL)
    Mana Kanahele (Hawaiian, HNL)
    Ku’ulei McGuire (Hawaiian, HNL)

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Announces 2025 Legislative Proposal: Strengthen the Ability To Prosecute Hate Crimes

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the package of legislative proposals he will ask the Connecticut General Assembly to ratify during the 2025 regular session will include a bill consolidating and strengthening the state’s existing hate crime statutes in order to increase the ability of police and prosecutors to charge criminals with these crimes and seek enhanced penalties.

    Connecticut’s hate crimes statutes originate to 1990 when the legislature established a single crime of intimidation based on bigotry or bias. Since then, the legislature modified that law on several occasions and created numerous other statutes addressing the prosecution of hate crimes and expanding the list of protected classes.

    Governor Lamont supports the overall intent of these laws and applauds their adoption, however he has received reports from police and prosecutors who’ve noted that as these laws have become modified and heightened over the years, they’ve become scattered within various sections of the Connecticut General Statutes and contain some inconsistent terminology, complicating the ability of these laws to actually be used in the prosecution of crimes.

    The legislation the governor is proposing, which originates from the work of the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council, consolidates all of the state’s existing hate crimes laws into a new hate crimes chapter of the Connecticut General Statutes, which will simplify and make it easier for police and prosecutors to charge and prosecute criminals with these crimes. It also modifies the intent standard to align more closely with the hate crimes laws used in other states by removing the element that a defendant must have acted “maliciously.”

    “Connecticut has led the nation in the adoption of hate crimes laws, and that is a good thing, but in order for them to be effective and for police and prosecutors to be able to use them, these laws need to be streamlined within our statutes,” Governor Lamont said. “Hate crimes are intended to induce fear and terrorize entire groups of people, and that is why the prosecution of crimes involving acts of hate must include enhanced penalties.”

    The Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council is an advisory body consisting of volunteers appointed by the governor who represent a wide range of community and civic groups. Recently, the group has been researching data related to the reporting of hate crimes and working with professors from UConn Law School to develop procedures and techniques in which the prosecution of hate crimes can be supported.

    “Over the last couple of years, the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council has been conducting valuable research on the prevalence of hate crimes in the state, and specifically looking into how frequently these crimes get reported to law enforcement and then appropriately prosecuted,” Governor Lamont said. “The council’s research into this topic is going to help us make Connecticut’s hate crimes laws more effective.”

    The following is a list of existing hate crimes laws in the Connecticut General Statutes that Governor Lamont is seeking to consolidate into one new chapter:

    • Hate Crime Causing Physical Injury
    • Hate Crime Causing Physical Contact
    • Hate Crime Affecting Property
    • Hate Crime Affecting Religious Property
    • Hate Crime by Threat of Physical Contact
    • Hate Crime by Threat to Property
    • Hate Crime by Threatening in the First Degree with Respect to House of Religious Worship or Religiously-Affiliated Community Center
    • Hate Crime by Threatening in the Second Degree with Respect to House of Religious Worship or Religiously-Affiliated Community Center
    • Hate Crime by Advocacy or Urging
    • Hate Crime by Deprivation of Civil Rights
    • Hate Crime by Burning Cross
    • Hate Crime by Noose
    • Hate Crime with Mask or Hood
    • Ridicule by Commercial Advertisement
    • Discriminatory Public Accommodations Practice
    • Discriminatory Housing Practice
    • Hate Crime by False Report
    • Hate Crime by False Report to Law Enforcement
    • Hate Crime by False Report Resulting in Serious Physical Injury or Death
    • Hate Crime by Stalking
    • Hate Crime by Misuse of Emergency 9-1-1 System

    Governor Lamont is scheduled to deliver his annual budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. Documents containing the full details of his biennial budget proposal and other legislative proposals, including this bill on hate crimes, will be filed on that date.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Supporting First Responders Fighting Cancer

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted the efforts of the State’s Office of Fire Prevention and Control’s protocols that aim to protect New York’s firefighters and their families during Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. Studies have shown firefighters are at a higher risk of cancer than the general public, largely due to their exposure to an increased level of toxins found in smoke at structure fires. As part of the 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul announced new legislation to ban the sale of firefighter gear containing emerging contaminant per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS in New York State to ensure our firefighters have access to the highest quality and safest protective equipment available while mitigating the potential public health and environmental impact of these chemicals.

    “Keeping our state’s firefighters safe while they put their lives on the line to protect the people and communities across New York is absolutely critical, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect them from the harmful toxins they come into contact with on the job.” Governor Hochul said, “I’ll continue making sure our firefighters and first responders have all the equipment and resources they need to protect themselves while they work to protect their communities.”

    New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “New York’s firefighters put their lives on the line to keep our communities and loved ones safe every day. Helping them reduce their exposure to the carcinogens that they confront while doing their jobs is critical. Our commitment to assisting them mitigate their risk of exposure and ensuring that they have the knowledge and resources they need to protect themselves, will always be a top priority.”

    To ensure New York’s firefighters are not only aware of this threat but also know how to limit their own risk, State Fire officials developed basic protocols for decontaminating firefighting gear following an emergency response and are continuing to offer training and education statewide to promote their use by firefighters. Since 2022, more than 3,200 students have undergone training across New York State.

    Research has shown that fire service members can take simple and inexpensive steps to reduce their exposure to toxins and other carcinogens by up to 85 percent through the turnout gear decontamination process, using sanitation wipes to the face and hands while on scene of a fire, and showering after a fire. These measures also serve to protect their families by reducing unintentional exposure upon returning home from the station after a shift or response.

    State Fire officials partner with county fire coordinators across the State to schedule Firefighter Contamination Reduction and Cancer Prevention classes. During these training programs, State Fire instructors distribute firefighter decontamination kits to attendees. At each session, firefighters view a live demonstration of the decontamination protocols, an educational video that details the risks facing firefighters, and have an opportunity for a Q&A with OFPC personnel. The kits contain information on decontamination immediately after incident response and items such as a five-gallon bucket, post-fire wipes, hose, detergent, brush and spray bottle. Since 2023, more than 1,100 New York State fire stations have received decontamination kits. Additionally, OFPC is expanding its entire roster of firefighting classes and trainings to include a section on cancer awareness and prevention education.

    State Fire Administrator James Cable said, “This training is intended to raise awareness of the cancer risks faced by firefighters and provide simple steps firefighters can take to reduce those risks to themselves and their families. Our goal is to provide a decontamination kit for every fire station in the State.”

    If firefighting turnout gear is not decontaminated properly after a fire, firefighters risk exposing harmful chemicals to their firehouses and homes, potentially harming co-workers and family members. According to two studies conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), firefighters are currently being diagnosed with cancer at a nearly 10 percent higher rate than the general public and experiencing cancer-related deaths at a nearly 15 percent higher rate.

    To combat these trends, DHSES and OFPC have established basic, inexpensive protocols which will go a long way in limiting firefighters’ exposure to harmful chemicals often found in smoke.

    If exposed during a response, firefighters should:

    • Perform on scene gross decontamination, stop the exposure, and stop the spread of contaminates to the apparatus and station.
    • While on scene, use post-fire wipes to reduce exposures.
    • Shower as soon as possible and put on clean clothes.
    • Wash tools, equipment and apparatus after fires.
    • Transport gear in non-porous containers such as a clear garbage bag.
    • Wear only clean gear, including hood.

    Firefighters interested in attending or hosting an educational session can view the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control’s training calendar or contact their county’s Fire Coordinator.

    As part of the 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul announced new legislation to ban the sale of firefighter gear containing emerging contaminant per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in New York State to ensure our firefighters have access to the highest quality and safest protective equipment available while mitigating the potential public health and environmental impact of these chemicals.To safeguard themselves, firefighters rely on specialized protective gear designed to withstand extreme temperatures and repel water and oil. For years, this essential equipment has unfortunately contained the emerging contaminant per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Evolving evidence has revealed the potential dangers of PFAS exposure, raising concerns about the long-term health and safety of our firefighters even as we continue to work to limit the release of this contaminant into New York’s air, lands and waters. The legislation would take effect in 2028.

    About the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control

    The Office of Fire Prevention and Control delivers a wide breadth of essential services to firefighters, emergency responders, state and local government agencies, public and private colleges and the citizens of New York to help ensure the safety of all stakeholders. OFPC advances public safety through firefighter training, education, fire prevention, special operations and technical rescue programs.

    About the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

    The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provides leadership, coordination and support to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate disasters and other emergencies. For more information, find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, or visit our website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: DEQ issues six penalties in December for environmental violations

    Source: US State of Oregon

    tatewide, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued six penalties totaling $488,874 in December for various environmental violations. A detailed list of violations and resulting penalties is at https://ordeq.org/enforcement.

    Fines ranged from $5,050 to $372,600. Alleged violations included a wastewater treatment and disposal system that exceeded pollution limits and discharged wastewater to a creek when not permitted to, a hazardous waste treatment and disposal facility that failed to properly treat hazardous waste prior to disposing it and a fuel products transloading company that modified its facility and operated that change without authorization from DEQ.

    DEQ issued civil penalties to the following organizations:

    • Chemical Waste Management, Arlington, $49,200, hazardous waste.
    • City of Junction City, Junction City, $5,050, wastewater.
    • City of Lebanon, Lebanon, $33,800, wastewater.
    • Container Management Services, LLC, Portland, $21,224, hazardous waste.
    • HempNova Lifetech Corp., Central Point, $7,000, hazardous waste.
    • Zenith Energy Terminal Holdings, LLC, Portland, $372,600, air quality permitting. Learn more about this case by reading the press release DEQ issued on Dec. 6, 2024.

    Recipients of DEQ civil penalties must either pay the fines to the state treasury or file an appeal within 20 days of receiving notice of the penalty. They may be able to offset a portion of a penalty by funding a supplemental environmental project that improves Oregon’s environment. Learn more about these projects at https://ordeq.org/sep.

    Penalties may also include orders requiring specific tasks to prevent ongoing violations or additional environmental harm.

    DEQ works with thousands of organizations and individuals to help them comply with laws that protect Oregon’s air, land and water. DEQ uses education, technical assistance, warnings and penalties to change behavior and deter future violations.

    Media contact: Michael Loch, public affairs specialist, michael.loch@deq.oregon.gov, 503-737-9435.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Eliminate Tax Breaks for Businesses Dealing in Russia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Cornyn (R-Tex.) introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent businesses from claiming a foreign tax credit or deduction against taxes paid to fund the Russian government’s war machine. Currently, businesses paying taxes in foreign countries are eligible to claim a tax credit or deduction in the United States to reduce the burden of double taxation. There are certain hostile countries to which this tax credit does not apply, including North Korea and Iran, and Cortez Masto’s HONOR Act would add Russia to that list.

    In September 2023, Russia President Vladimir Putin illegally suspended the U.S-Russia Tax Treaty. Following a letter from Senators Cortez Masto and Cornyn, the United States Department of the Treasury retaliated by suspending benefits for Russian businesses and investors. The HONOR Act would take this suspension one step further and prevent businesses funding Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine from receiving tax breaks in the United States. This bill would ensure U.S. taxpayers are not subsidizing Putin’s oppressive government.

    “We should not be giving tax breaks to businesses that are funding the Putin regime. It’s that simple,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan legislation expands upon current Treasury Department policy, holds Russia accountable for its criminal activity in Ukraine, and protects American national security.”

    “Businesses that continue to engage with Russia are enriching Putin’s oppressive regime,” said Senator Cornyn. “This commonsense bill would force these businesses to give up their foreign tax credits and deductions for taxes paid to Russia, which subsidize the Russian war apparatus.”

    Senator Cortez Masto has consistently advocated for the U.S. to stand up to Russian aggression and support Ukrainian sovereignty. She has voted to pass bipartisan legislation to support Ukraine and helped pass bipartisan economic sanctions that were signed into law to hold Russia accountable for its illegal invasion of Ukraine. She voted in support of sanctions against Russia and its Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and she supported similar sanctions in the 2020 and 2021 National Defense Authorization Acts.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Small Business Advisory Committee to Continue Discussing Challenges Facing Emerging Fund Managers, and Explore Hurdles for Small Public Companies Not Listed on a National Securities Exchange

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee today released the agenda for its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, which will include discussion of capital raising challenges facing emerging fund managers and hurdles facing small public companies not listed on a national securities exchange. Members of the public can watch the live meeting via webcast on www.sec.gov.

    The committee, which provides advice and recommendations to the Commission on rules, regulations, and policy matters relating to small businesses, will start the morning session by hearing from SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation staff, who will provide an overview of its 2024 Annual Report, which includes in-depth data on the state of capital raising activity from startup to small cap along with the office’s policy recommendations. The committee will spend the rest of the morning exploring ways to support and facilitate capital formation for emerging fund managers, building upon ideas generated during a previous committee meeting. To facilitate discussion, committee members will hear from Ashok Kamal, Executive Director at NuFund Venture Group, and Sara Zulkosky, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Recast Capital.

    In the afternoon session, the committee will explore the challenges of small public companies not listed on a national securities exchange. Understanding the decision-points and challenges those companies face is critical to fostering access to capital for, and investor participation in, those smaller public companies. As part of the discussion, members will hear from Dan Zinn, General Counsel and Chief of Staff at OTC Markets Group.

    The full agenda, meeting materials, and information on how to watch the meeting are available on the committee webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Apply Now for Colorado’s Free Universal Preschool: Early February Deadlines for 2025-26 Enrollment

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER — Colorado families continue shaping history, with more than 19,000 applications already submitted for Colorado Universal Preschool’s 2025-26 enrollment. This nationally recognized program provides up to 15 hours of free, high-quality preschool weekly for children in their pre-kindergarten year, with additional hours available for qualifying families. 

    “Free preschool is saving Coloradans an average of $6,100 every year while giving students the best possible start. We are thrilled that so many families have already signed up for the next school year to better prepare their child for success,” said Governor Jared Polis. 

    “Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program is transforming lives and has propelled Colorado from 27th to 7th in preschool enrollment across the nation,” said Dr. Lisa Roy, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. “With over 85,600 children served in just two years, now is the time for all eligible families to apply for the upcoming school year.” 

    Key Enrollment Deadlines 

    • Feb. 5: First family-to-provider matching round deadline. Families applying by this date increase their chances of securing a top-choice preschool. 
    • Feb. 3: Pre-registration deadline for families continuing care with a participating provider, with a sibling enrolled, or with a family member employed by a provider. 
    • March 5: Final matching round deadline. After this, families can directly enroll with providers as space allows. 

    Colorado’s innovative enrollment process provides multiple pathways, including pre-registration, general registration, and direct enrollment. Families can choose from diverse settings—home-based, school-based, or community-based—to find the best fit for their child. Families can check to see when they are eligible based on their district’s kindergarten eligibility dates, using this Age Eligibility Lookup Tool. 

    Program Director Dawn Odean said, “With one in three eligible children enrolled for the upcoming year and a history of matching 90% of families with their first or second choice, it’s exciting to see that our continuous improvement and strong partnerships across the state are delivering real results for families.” 

    How to Apply Families 

    can easily apply online and explore resources at UPK.Colorado.Gov. 

    For support: 💻
    Visit: Help.Upk.Colorado.Gov 
    📧Email: universalpreschool@state.co.us 
    📲Call: 303-866-5223 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. MST). 

    Interpreters available in 100+ languages. 

    Early Education: A Critical Investment in Colorado’s Future 

    “Investing in high-quality early education is one of the most impactful steps we can take,” said Dr. Lisa Roy, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. “With 90% of brain development occurring by age five, preschool helps build essential skills for lifelong success, from early literacy to social-emotional growth. Colorado families: Don’t wait! Apply today to give your child the best possible start in this nationally celebrated program. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cracked and Nulled Marketplaces Disrupted in International Cyber Operation

    Source: US State of California

    At Least 17M U.S. Victims Affected

    The Justice Department today announced its participation in a multinational operation involving actions in the United States, Romania, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Greece to disrupt and take down the infrastructure of the online cybercrime marketplaces known as Cracked and Nulled. The operation was announced in conjunction with Operation Talent, a multinational law enforcement operation supported by Europol to investigate Cracked and Nulled.

    Operation Talent Seizure Banner

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross for the Western District of New York, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, Assistant Director Brian A. Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miraglia of the FBI Buffalo Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI San Antonio Field Office made the announcement.

    Cracked

    According to seizure warrants unsealed today, the Cracked marketplace has been selling stolen login credentials, hacking tools, and servers for hosting malware and stolen data — as well as other tools for carrying out cybercrime and fraud — since March 2018. Cracked had over four million users, listed over 28 million posts advertising cybercrime tools and stolen information, generated approximately $4 million in revenue, and impacted at least 17 million victims from the United States. One product advertised on Cracked offered access to “billions of leaked websites” allowing users to search for stolen login credentials. This product was recently allegedly used to sextort and harass a woman in the Western District of New York. Specifically, a cybercriminal entered the victim’s username into the tool and obtained the victim’s credentials for an online account. Using the victim’s credentials, the subject then cyberstalked the victim and sent sexually demeaning and threatening messages to the victim. The seizure of these marketplaces is intended to disrupt this type of cybercrime and the proliferation of these tools in the cybercrime community.

    The FBI, working in coordination with foreign law enforcement partners, identified a series of servers that hosted the Cracked marketplace infrastructure and eight domain names used to operate Cracked. They also identified servers and domain names for Cracked’s payment processor, Sellix, and the server and domain name for a related bulletproof hosting service. All of these servers and domain names have been seized pursuant to domestic and international legal process. Anyone visiting any of these seized domains will now see a seizure banner that notifies them that the domain has been seized by law enforcement authorities.

    The FBI Buffalo Field Office is investigating the case.

    Senior Counsel Thomas Dougherty of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Kruly for the Western District of New York are prosecuting the case.

    Nulled

    The Justice Department announced the seizure of the Nulled website domain and unsealed charges against one of Nulled’s administrators, Lucas Sohn, 29, an Argentinian national residing in Spain. According to the unsealed complaint affidavit, the Nulled marketplace has been selling stolen login credentials, stolen identification documents, hacking tools, as well as other tools for carrying out cybercrime and fraud, since 2016. Nulled had over five million users, listed over 43 million posts advertising cybercrime tools and stolen information, and generated approximately $1 million in yearly revenue. One product advertised on Nulled purported to contain the names and social security numbers of 500,000 American citizens.

    The FBI, working in coordination with foreign law enforcement partners, identified the servers that hosted the Nulled marketplace infrastructure, and the domain used to operate Nulled. The servers and domain have been seized pursuant to domestic and international legal process. Anyone visiting the Nulled domain will now see a seizure banner that notifies them that the domain has been seized by law enforcement authorities.

    According to the complaint, Sohn was an active administrator of Nulled and performed escrow functions on the website. Nulled’s customers would use Sohn’s services to complete transactions involving stolen credentials and other information. For his actions, Sohn has been charged with conspiracy to traffic in passwords and similar information through which computers may be accessed without authorization; conspiracy to solicit another person for the purpose of offering an access device or selling information regarding an access device; and conspiracy to possess, transfer, or use a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit or to aid and abet or in connection with any unlawful activity that is a violation of federal law.

    If convicted, Sohn faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to traffic in passwords, 10 years in prison for access device fraud, and 15 years in prison for identity fraud.

    The FBI Austin Cyber Task Force is investigating the case. The Task Force participants include the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, among other agencies.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Karthik Srinivasan and Christopher Mangels for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Tindall for the Western District of Texas handling the forfeiture component.

    The Justice Department worked in close cooperation with investigators and prosecutors from several jurisdictions on the takedown of both the Cracked and Nulled marketplaces, including the Australian Federal Police, Europol, France’s Anti-Cybercrime Office (Office Anti-cybercriminalité) and Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt) and Prosecutor General’s Office Frankfurt am Main – Cyber Crime Center (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Frankfurt am Main – ZIT), the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and Guardia Civil, the Hellenic Police (Ελληνική Αστυνομία), Italy’s Polizia di Stato and the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police (Inspectoratul General al Poliției Romane). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.

    A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Venezuelan Man Charged with Being in the United States Illegally After Having Been Previously Removed by Immigration Officials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Jorge Humberto Moreno Martinez, 34, of Venezuela, has been charged by criminal complaint with being unlawfully present in the United States after having been previously removed by immigration officials.

    On January 28, 2025, Moreno appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Moreno be detained during the pendency of this matter.

    According to court records, Moreno was previously removed from the United States by immigration officials on November 15, 2016, after he completed a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence following his New York felony conviction for burglary in the second degree. At that time, Moreno was advised and acknowledged that due to his criminal history he was prohibited from entering or attempting to enter the United States. Despite that warning, Moreno re-entered the United States and his presence in the country thereafter was in violation of U.S. law.

    Court records also state that when agents from the Department of Homeland Security attempted to arrest Moreno at a parking lot in Williston, Vermont, on January 27, 2025, Moreno fled in a vehicle, hitting three law enforcement vehicles before travelling at more than 100 miles per hour on a busy street before he was apprehended. As he drove, items were discarded from Moreno’s vehicle. Law enforcement recovered some of those items, which tested presumptively positive for cocaine base and cocaine.

    The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Moreno is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Moreno faces up to 20 years’ incarceration if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Department of Homeland Security, including its Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP”) divisions, with assistance from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”).

    The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Colin Owyang. Moreno is represented by Brooks McArthur, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Sanger Police Officer Convicted on Eight Counts of Sexually Assaulting Women While on Duty

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif — On Wednesday, a federal jury in Fresno convicted former Sanger Police Department Officer J. DeShawn Torrence, 42, of eight counts of deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law for sexually assaulting four women whom he encountered during the course of his official duties. The jury found that the offenses included kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, and attempted aggravated sexual abuse, and also caused bodily injury.

    Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Siddartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.

    The evidence at trial proved that Torrence sexually assaulted four women. He kidnapped a 21‑year-old woman who was walking to a store to buy groceries for her young children, drove her outside of town in his police car, and sexually assaulted her at an isolated dead end. Torrence forcibly raped a second victim, a 67-year-old woman, after following her into her home during a DUI investigation. With a third victim, Torrence showed up at her door in his police uniform after midnight, entered her apartment, pinned her against the kitchen counter, and sexually assaulted her. Torrence showed up multiple times at the home of a fourth victim, a domestic violence victim, supposedly to investigate a prior domestic violence incident. During those follow up visits, Torrence forced the victim to expose sensitive parts of her body for no legitimate reason, and he sexually assaulted her.

    “Law enforcement officers are entrusted with great power to protect the public and keep them safe from harm. This officer’s crimes were an egregious breach of that trust and an appalling abuse of power, as he repeatedly preyed on the women in his community and violated their civil rights,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “We stand ready to investigate and prosecute such crimes with all the tools we have available.”

    “The FBI Sacramento Field Office is grateful to the brave victims who came forward and trusted us to investigate the allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of a police officer,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI is deeply committed to working with our partners to thoroughly investigate such cases to protect the American people and preserve public trust in law enforcement.”

    The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.

    Torrence is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2025. Torrence faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for five of the counts. The remaining counts each carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former U.S. Postal Employee Guilty Of Stealing Mail Contents

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on January 16, 2025, SONIA MILLER (“MILLER”), age 54, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty to theft of U.S. mail matter by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709(a).

    According to court documents, on or about March 14, 2023, MILLER unlawfully removed the contents of several parcels of mail entrusted to her as a postal employee.

    At sentencing, MILLER faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 5 years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: MEXICAN NATIONAL RESIDING IN GEORGIA CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED PRODUCTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ATTEMPTED TRANSFER OF OBSCENE MATERIAL TO A MINOR

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a two-count indictment charging Victorino De La Cruz, age 42, of Mableton, Georgia, with attempted production of child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. De La Cruz appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.

    According to the indictment, between August 8, 2024 and November 22, 2024, De La Cruz knowingly attempted to employ, use, persuade, entice, and coerce an individual he believed was a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Additionally, according to the indictment, on August 11, 2024, De La Cruz, using a means of interstate commerce, knowingly attempted to transfer obscene material to an individual he believed had not attained the age of 16 years old.

    Attempted production of child pornography is punishable by a maximum penalty of 15 – 30 years in prison, depending on sentencing enhancements. Attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. De La Cruz also faces potential sex offender registration, supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

    This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Anderson.

    NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 31, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Myanmar

    Source: United Nations – English

    our years since the military seized power and arbitrarily detained members of the democratically elected Government on 1 February 2001, the situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, with devastating consequences for civilians.
     
    The Secretary-General condemns all forms of violence and calls on all parties to the conflict to exercise maximum restraint, uphold human rights and international humanitarian law, and prevent further incitement of violence and intercommunal tensions. He reiterates his concern regarding the military’s stated intention to hold elections amid intensifying conflict, including aerial bombardment and widespread human rights violations and without conditions that permit the people of Myanmar to freely and peacefully exercise their political rights, including safety and security. 
     
    Over 19.9 million people in Myanmar – more than one-third of its population – need humanitarian assistance, compared to one million before the military took over four years ago. Unimpeded access must be assured to enable the UN and its partners to continue to deliver humanitarian assistance and essential services.
     
    The Secretary-General renews his calls for greater cooperation among all stakeholders to bring an end to the hostilities and help the people of Myanmar forge a path towards an inclusive democratic transition and return to civilian rule.  The Secretary-General also appeals to countries in the region to grant access to safety and protection for those fleeing conflict and persecution and for the international community to provide greater support to countries, including Bangladesh, hosting refugees from Myanmar.
     
    The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Julie Bishop, remains actively engaged with all stakeholders, in close cooperation with ASEAN, in the search of a Myanmar-led resolution to the crisis. 
     
    A viable future for Myanmar must ensure safety, accountability, and opportunity for all its communities, including the Rohingya, and address the root causes of conflict, discrimination and disenfranchisement in all its forms. The Secretary-General reaffirms the unwavering support of the United Nations to the people of Myanmar in these efforts.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

    January 31, 2025
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