NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chilean National Charged With Conspiracy And Possessing Property Stolen From Burglary Of Jewelry Store

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Chilean man, believed to be part of a South American theft group, is charged for his involvement in a conspiracy to break into a jewelry store in New Jersey and possess the stolen property in other states, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Gustavo Ignacio Salas Ortega, 33, of Chile, is charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines.  ICE ERO Newark arrested Salas Ortega on October 14, 2024, in Rochelle Park, New Jersey.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna stated, “Sophisticated and highly organized burglars that allegedly target businesses do great damage and put the public at risk. The defendant is charged with conspiring to break into a jewelry store in New Jersey to steal expensive wristwatches and jewelry and then taking the valuables to other states.  This office is committed to finding the perpetrators of these crimes and preventing them from continuing to harm our businesses.”

    “The Joint Organized Crime Task Force has been working tirelessly to apprehend these alleged criminals, following a labyrinth of conspirators that span multiple states.” FBI-Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said. “These alleged criminals are part of South American theft groups who have been targeting stores throughout the United States for months. These alleged thieves have worked equally hard to evade law enforcement as they have to infiltrate the very businesses they have ripped off. This charge marks a positive step forward towards dismantling this group.”

    “As alleged, the illegal alien offender threatened the public safety of our community by participating in an organized theft group,” said ICE ERO Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris.  “These charges against Salas Ortega demonstrate ICE ERO Newark’s commitment to uphold the integrity of our immigration system while promoting the security of New Jersey’s residents.”

    “We are incredibly proud of the tireless efforts of our detectives and the collaborative work with federal agencies that led to the identification of these suspects. This case underscores the importance of community and inter-agency cooperation in solving complex crimes,” said Millburn Police Chief Gilfedder. “Our department remains committed to bringing those responsible to justice and ensuring the safety of our residents and businesses.”

    Salas Ortega appeared on February 4, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court and was detained.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    The defendant was part of a group that scouted a jewelry store in a New Jersey mall before committing the burglary.  The defendant and his co-conspirators then entered the jewelry store through the ceiling and a hole they cut through an adjacent wall.  Law enforcement later found the defendant wearing an expensive wristwatch that had been in the jewelry store at the time of the burglary. Further investigation showed that the defendant had possessed the stolen wristwatch in New York on multiple days after the burglary.

    The charge of conspiracy to sell or receive stolen property carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; and the charge of receipt of stolen property carries a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of money involved in the offense, whichever is greater.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the FBI Newark’s Joint Organized Crime Task Force (JOCTF), under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris; the Millburn Police Department under the direction of Chief Brian Gilfedder; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Edward T. Cetnar, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Denver Police Department, Paramus Police Department, Fair Lawn Police Department, Edison Police Department, Northbrook (IL) Police Department, Vacaville (CA) Police Department, Nassau County (NY) Police Department, Woodbury (NY) Town Police Department, Town of Greenburgh (NY) Police Department, New York Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FBI Denver, FBI New York, and the FBI Legal Attaché Santiago, Chile.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                                ###

    Defense counsel:

    Mary Toscano, Esq., Roseland, New Jersey

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Booker introduce bill to give more small businesses access to disaster loans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations and Banking Committees, today joined Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in introducing the Small Business Disaster Damage Fairness Act of 2025. The bill would allow borrowers to get a Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance loan for up to $50,000, rather than the current $14,000, without pledging collateral. 

    “Too many small business owners can’t put up collateral for a loan when disaster strikes. As a result, they can’t re-open their doors. My bill would make sure small businesses can get back to serving their communities after disasters hit,” said Kennedy. 

    The SBA’s Disaster Loan Program is designed to help homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits repair, rebuild and recover from disaster-related losses. In 2024, there were 27 weather-related disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage. 

    “New Jerseyans are unfortunately too familiar with the impacts of extreme weather, from hurricanes to major flooding events. The last thing homeowners and small businesses should need to worry about is how they will access the funding they need to rebuild after a storm. This bill will help ensure small businesses everywhere have the support they need to recover in the wake of a disaster,” said Booker. 

    The bill also codifies the Government Accountability Office (GAO)’s recommendation to distinguish between rural and urban communities for outreach and instructs the GAO to further report the Disaster Loan Program’s default rate.

    Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) cosponsored the bill.

    The full bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis to Chair Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property for the 119th Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis released the following statement on his role as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property for the 119th Congress: 

    “I’m excited to receive the gavel from my colleague and friend Senator Coons and to return as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property for the 119th Congress. As a champion for strong, reliable, and predictable intellectual property rights – for inventors and creators large and small – I look forward to ushering in meaningful change within the IP space. This change includes reforming patent eligibility via the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act, reforming the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, ensuring that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office delivers on its mission to deliver high-quality and timely patents and trademarks, that the U.S. Copyright Office delivers on its mission to deliver timely registrations, as well as ensuring that theft of IP via online piracy is not tolerated via both legislative and enforcement means. I also believe the we must keep a close eye on artificial intelligence and its impact on the IP space. Strong, reliable, and predictable IP rights drive investments to innovative technologies and encourage the creation of content that employs vast numbers of U.S. citizens – all of which are critical to the economic and global competitiveness of our great country and to our national security. Therefore, I will continue to champion and push to ensure that the U.S. does not fall behind and that the U.S. remains the global innovation leader.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Voting Against Doug Collins for VA Secretary, Reports of DOGE at VA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Murray: “We should all be deeply concerned about what it could mean to give Elon Musk and his cronies free rein at VA—I am already hearing that DOGE may have barged into VA today.  Musk and his associates already have the personal financial information of every veteran receiving disability or education benefits because of their illegal data mining at the Department of Treasury.  Will they now look at private health records of veterans?  What else will they do that could put the health and safety of our veterans at risk? If Vought and Musk push to cut veterans benefits and limit healthcare eligibility as Project 2025 has outlined—would Doug Collins stand up to them?”

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, released the following statement after voting no on the nomination of Doug Collins to serve as Secretary of Veterans Affairs:

    “Right now, the Trump administration is illegally withholding funding from communities across America, and they are ransacking and effectively gutting entire federal agencies—this kind of lawlessness is putting our economy, national security, and future at risk.

    “Today I voted NO to confirm Doug Collins as VA Secretary because at this point I have not seen a single cabinet secretary stand up to Trump’s illegal power grab. We should all be deeply concerned about what it could mean to give Elon Musk and his cronies free rein at VA—I am already hearing that DOGE may have barged into VA today.  Musk and his associates already have the personal financial information of every veteran receiving disability or education benefits because of their illegal data mining at the Department of Treasury.  Will they now look at private health records of veterans?  What else will they do that could put the health and safety of our veterans at risk? If Vought and Musk push to cut veterans benefits and limit healthcare eligibility as Project 2025 has outlined—would Doug Collins stand up to them? If this administration continues to press VA doctors, nurses, and support staff to resign—will Collins push back? I cannot confidently say he would.  

    “I had a productive meeting with Mr. Collins prior to his hearing and we will need to work together on many issues, including getting the Electronic Health Record system fixed, but I cannot vote to confirm him as Trump dismantles government and breaks the law. As I work with Mr. Collins to support our veterans, I will also be pressing him to follow the laws as intended by Congress.”

    Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting veterans and their families has always been an important priority for her. Senator Murray has fought throughout her career for increased benefits for veterans, housing assistance, better access to veterans’ clinics throughout Washington state, and more accountability from the VA.

    Advocating for women veterans in particular has been a longtime focus for Senator Murray, and as Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in 2010, Senator Murray passed her landmark Women Veterans Health Improvement Act into law. Murray has worked to permanently authorize the VA child care pilot program to increase access to free, quality child care for veterans during their appointments, make much-needed improvements to the women veterans call center, and fix a loophole that left veterans footing the bill for medically-necessary emergency newborn transportation that VA should be covering. Murray introduced and helped pass the Deborah Sampson Act, legislation to address gender disparities at VA that established a dedicated Office of Women’s Health at VA and required every VA health facility to have a dedicated women’s health primary care provider, among other things. Murray also helped to pass the MAMMO Act to expand access to high-quality breast cancer screening and treatment services for veterans. Senator Murray leads the Veteran Families Health Services Act, comprehensive legislation that would expand fertility treatments—including IVF—and family-building services for servicemembers and veterans who are unable to conceive without assistance, and she has sought unanimous consent to pass the legislation on multiple occasions. Last March, Murray applauded VA’s move to expand IVF services to eligible unmarried veterans and eligible veterans in same-sex marriages, and allowing veterans to use donated gametes in IVF services. 

    Senator Murray has been conducting oversight on the flawed Electronic Health Record system rollout in Washington state since the Trump Administration first negotiated the contract with Cerner (later acquired by Oracle), and at every point in the process since then. Murray has consistently pushed VA on its failed implementation of EHR—conducting oversight, holding the administration accountable, and calling on VA to halt deployment of EHR until they get it right in Washington state. In March 2023, Murray introduced comprehensive legislation that would require VA to implement a series of EHR reforms to better serve veterans, medical personnel, and taxpayers. In the Fiscal Year 2024 funding bills, Senator Murray negotiated and passed as Chair of the Appropriations Committee stronger language to hold VA and Cerner accountable for the rollout of the EHR system, and in May 2024, she sent a letter urging VA to consider feedback on the system from providers and veterans in Spokane and Walla Walla and reiterating that VA must not move forward on the rollout of EHR until the myriad issues that have plagued the system in the locations where it has been launched are fixed.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Call on Trump Admin to Address the Illegal Effort to Dismantle USAID

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, and Tim Kaine, along with 35 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing their deep concern regarding the illegal attempt by Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) officials to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

    “We are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),” wrote the senators. “Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners.”

    The senators continued: “The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy.”

    USAID is a critical pillar of U.S. national security strategy, providing lifesaving aid and development support around the world.

    This week, USAID workers were denied access to the agency’s headquarters and the White House threatened to close the agency and move it under the State Department without the necessary congressional approval. The administration has also furloughed thousands of senior career civil servants, including two top security officials who had denied DOGE officials access to classified documents and systems without the proper clearances.

    In their letter, the senators called on Secretary Rubio to address the dysfunction created by these illegal actions and clarify the status of the funding that’s been legally approved by Congress.

    Full text of the letter available HERE and below.

    Dear Secretary Rubio:

    The effective administration of U.S. foreign assistance is critical to advancing core U.S. national security priorities, including countering the influence of China, Russia and Iran. As you acknowledged at your confirmation hearing, pushing back on China in particular is a top bipartisan priority.

    As such, we are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners.

    The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.

    Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat.

    Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.

    We request immediate clarification on the following:

    Status of USAID:

    • Confirmation of your understanding that any effort to abolish USAID or merge USAID into the Department of State absent Congressional consultation and approval is illegal.
    • Confirmation of your understanding that adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran are quickly moving into the vacuum left by suspended USAID programs.
    • The Department of State’s assessment of Mr. Elon Musk’s financial ties to China and the impact of these ties to the decision-making process of Mr. Musk and his employees.
    • Confirmation that neither you nor any member of your leadership team are taking direction from Mr. Musk with regards to the work of the Department of State or USAID, personnel or financial decisions for either agency, or any other matters relevant to U.S. national security.
    • Confirmation of the names and employment status of individuals directed by Mr. Musk to engage with USAID staff, the qualifications of these individuals, and the level of their security clearances – if any.

    Personnel:

    • Confirmation of your understanding that any unauthorized access by or disclosure of classified information to individuals without appropriate security clearance could be considered a criminal offense.
    • The legal authority and rationale under which, on January 28, more than 50 senior career civil and foreign service USAID officials were placed on administrative leave. This move was not only unprecedented, but also inconsistent with the Office of Personnel Management’s own guidelines for the use of administrative leave.
    • The legal authority under which, on January 28, approximately 390 USAID Institutional Support Contractors (ISCs) were given stop-work orders, and clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this termination.
    • Whether any Department of State career civil and foreign service or contractors have been placed on administrative leave or removed from their roles as a result of or relating to the assistance freeze or any directives from the Office of Foreign Assistance.
    • Clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this mass furlough.
    • Clarification of whether these individuals were directed to be terminated without cause.
    • Confirmation that personnel will not face retaliation or retribution for performing their duties under the previous Administration’s policy direction.
    • Under what authorities and by which official’s directive career civil service, foreign service, and Personal Services Contractors (PSC), and those under other hiring authorities have been removed from their roles or limited in their ability to execute their work.
    • Confirmation that further career civil service, foreign service and USAID contractors will not be removed from their roles without cause or receive stop work orders.
    • Whether, upon full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities, the Administration intends to re-hire contractors who have been removed from their roles.
    • Any additional guidance provided to State and USAID staff regarding the foreign assistance freeze, including confirmation of whether direct hires, contractors, or implementing organizations have been directed not to speak publicly about the foreign assistance freeze.
    • Public identification of the individual currently serving as the Director or Acting Director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and as Acting Deputy Administrator of USAID, and the dates upon which this individual was appointed to each position.
    • Confirmation of your understanding that the State Department’s Director of Foreign Assistance has no authority to issue personnel directives for USAID.

    Resumption of Foreign Assistance:

    • The specific process and anticipated timeframe for activities to receive exemptions or waivers, as referenced in your January 28, 2025 directive to State and USAID staff.
    • The mechanisms and metrics established for this waiver process.
    • The timeline for full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities.
    • Clarification of what risk assessment or analysis of potential risk to U.S. national security interests were conducted prior to the decision to freeze foreign assistance activities.
    • Confirmation of the Department of State’s obligation to comply with U.S. contract law and your responsibility as Secretary of State ensure the Department honors its commitments to contracting partners.

    We welcome your urgent attention to these questions. We and our staff stand ready to work with you to ensure U.S. foreign assistance funding continues to be deployed effectively to protect American citizens, at home and abroad.

    Respectfully,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jefferson, U.S. Economic Outlook and Monetary Policy

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

    Thank you, Professor Smith. It is an honor to be speaking to you today here at Lafayette College.1 I am glad to have the opportunity to return to such a historically important place as Easton, Pennsylvania, and the Lehigh Valley. This area was part of this country’s colonial beginnings, it was instrumental in the rising of the industrial age, and, as the home to Crayola, it very literally played a role in coloring how we see the world. Today, this region is leading the way forward with its many outstanding institutions of higher education, very prominently including, of course, Lafayette College.

    Today, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you my outlook for the U.S. economy and my views of appropriate monetary policy. This is a useful time to do that, as my colleagues and I on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve’s primary monetary policymaking body, held our first meeting of 2025 just last week.
    Overall, the U.S. economy is starting the year in a good position. I expect inflation’s slow descent to continue, and I anticipate that economic growth and labor market conditions will remain solid. I have learned, however, that it is wise to be humble about my projections. There is always a great deal of uncertainty around any economic forecast, and currently we face additional uncertainties about the exact shape of government policies, as well as their economic implications.
    Last week, my FOMC colleagues and I discussed the latest economic developments and reviewed data that arrived since our previous policy meeting in December. At the conclusion of that meeting, I voted in support of the Committee’s decision to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 percent. This decision was made in support of our goals to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. I remain focused on setting policy to achieve the dual-mandate goals given to us by Congress: maximum employment and stable prices. Sound monetary policy and positive supply-side developments have contributed to the achievement of sustained economic growth in recent years, the return of low unemployment, and inflation moving sustainably toward our 2 percent objective. I remain committed to returning inflation to our target while sustaining the solid labor market. Now is an appropriate time to assess the path forward for the economy. I am happy to be here today to share my views with you.
    Economic ActivityThe U.S. economy appears to be maintaining its momentum after growing at a solid pace last year. Last year’s growth was notable because many private forecasters in 2023 projected a significant downturn sometime in 2024.2 However, data over the past year painted a very different picture. GDP grew 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to last week’s data release.3 As you can see in figure 1, that extends a stretch of solid quarterly growth over the past couple of years. Shortly, when I discuss the labor market, I will say more related to the large swing in GDP growth in 2020 that stands out in this chart. For all of 2024, the economy grew 2.5 percent, which is a modest slowing from the 3.2 percent growth in 2023. The economy has been benefiting from positive supply developments, including more workers joining the labor force and higher labor productivity.
    The resilience of American consumers is the driving force behind the solid economic growth seen in recent quarters. Household spending, adjusted for inflation, grew 3.2 percent in 2024, slightly stronger than in 2023. The consumer spending data we have received recently have surprised me to the upside. As you can see in figure 2, personal consumption increased at a faster pace each quarter last year. Nominal retail sales rose briskly in the second half of last year. Private-sector data are consistent with GDP figures. According to private surveys of businesses, activity in the services sector, which accounts for about two-thirds of all consumer spending, has been on a general upward trajectory since mid-2020.4
    Elsewhere in the economy, growth has been less robust. Residential investment has been fairly flat over the past three quarters, and growth of business fixed investment cooled last year from its strong 2023 pace. Much of the equipment investment that did take place came from imports. Indeed, domestic manufacturing industrial production was flat last year. Overall, I see the economy as continuing to grow at a healthy pace this year, though I anticipate growth to be slightly lower than what we observed in 2024. Households and firms face an uncertain environment, and that tends to lower consumer spending and business investment. If consumer spending continues to grow at the same pace as it has in the past two years, however, that could cause me to revise up my outlook for overall economic growth.
    Labor MarketTurning to employment, I see the labor market as being in a solid position, with conditions broadly returning to balance after a period of being overheated. It’s helpful to step back and look at the labor market’s path over the past five years. Looking at figure 3, you can see that the unemployment rate surged in early 2020, peaking at 14.8 percent in April 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic first took hold and a wide swath of the global economy was shutdown. The unemployment rate subsequently fell swiftly as the economy recovered. By April 2023, it touched 3.4 percent, a half-century low. At that point, many employers reported that they were struggling to fill openings. Then, over the latter part of 2023 and early 2024, the unemployment rate rose nearly a percentage point, an unusual pattern outside of a recession. As a policymaker, I took note of this rise when considering our dual-mandate objectives. Now, I have also taken note that the unemployment rate has effectively held steady since the middle of last year. I view that as a sign that downside risks in the labor market have abated.
    The latest jobs report showed that the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in December, the same reading as in June 2024.5 That is low by historical standards and close to estimates of the longer-run rate that is consistent with our employment mandate. In the three months ending in December, payrolls rose by an average of 170,000 jobs a month. While employment growth has eased somewhat from the early part of last year, the steady unemployment rate suggests that payroll gains have been sufficient to absorb new entrants to the labor market. The general moderation in hiring is consistent with other measures showing that the demand for labor has come into better balance with the supply of workers.
    Looking at figure 4, you can see that as of November, there were 1.2 job openings for every unemployed person seeking work. That ratio is down from 2.0 in 2022, when the labor market was overheated. Also notice that the current vacancy-to-unemployment ratio is just a little below its value before the pandemic took hold. And while hiring has eased from the pace in 2023, layoffs have not increased. As you can see in figure 5, the number of Americans seeking first-time unemployment benefits has trended at historically low levels for the past three years. Consistent with a moderation in hiring and a steady unemployment rate, workers’ wage gains have slowed from when the labor market was overheated. Still, the pace of increase in average hourly earnings has been healthy, increasing 3.9 percent during the 12 months ending in December, and shows that, on average, worker pay has grown at a faster rate than the rate of inflation.
    Looking broadly across the past several months, I see a labor market that is in solid condition and not a source of significant inflationary pressure. While the downside risks of a rapidly weakening labor market appear to have lessened, I expect some further softening that could cause the unemployment rate to edge just slightly higher this year but stay in a range consistent with recent readings.
    InflationThinking about the other component of our dual mandate, inflation has come down a great deal over the past two and a half years but remains somewhat elevated relative to our 2 percent objective. Inflation, as measured by the 12-month change in the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, peaked at 7.2 percent in June 2022. Looking at the blue line in figure 6, you can see that it has since come down to 2.6 percent as of this past December. Economists also pay close attention to core inflation, which excludes often volatile food and energy costs. That core PCE inflation figure, shown by the red dashed line, peaked at 5.6 percent in 2022. By December 2024, it had eased to 2.8 percent. Annualized inflation over the past three months has been closer to our 2 percent objective. As you can see, the path of disinflation has been bumpy. I expect that to continue to be the case.
    I find it helpful to look at the components of inflation to better understand underlying trends. Looking at figure 7, core goods inflation, the blue line, is running close to pre-pandemic levels, reflecting a better alignment between supply and demand after pandemic-related distortions. Nonhousing services inflation, the red dashed line, has cooled largely in line with slower wage growth. Housing services inflation, the purple dotted line, remains somewhat elevated, but I expect more progress in that category as the earlier slowing in growth of rents for new tenants feeds through into growth of average rents.6
    With supply and demand conditions having moved into better balance, wage growth slowing to a more sustainable pace, and longer-term inflation expectations remaining well anchored, I see a path for inflation to continue its progress toward our longer-run goal. While the easing of overall inflation in recent years has been encouraging, the fact is that it remains above our 2 percent objective. Monthly inflation readings tend to be volatile, consistent with the bumpy path I described, but the 12-month readings have held in a fairly consistent range somewhat above our target over the second half of last year.
    Monetary PolicyIn the current environment, I attach a high degree of uncertainty to my projections. As I have already mentioned, there have been notable recent instances where forecasters have been surprised. That said, I see the risks to achieving our employment and inflation goals as being roughly in balance, and I am attentive to the risks to both sides of our mandate. That better balanced position is partly a result of the monetary policy actions over the past few years, which I will review briefly.
    As you can see in figure 8, the FOMC responded to elevated inflation by raising the policy rate 5-1/4 percentage points over about 15 months, starting in March 2022, and then holding the rate at that restrictive level for more than a year. This contributed to inflation easing from a 40-year high to near current levels while maintaining a solid labor market. That outcome was historically unusual but greatly welcomed. By September of last year, I had growing confidence that with an appropriate recalibration of our policy stance, strength in the labor market could be maintained in a context of moderate economic growth and inflation moving sustainably down to 2 percent. The FOMC reduced the federal funds rate by a full percentage point over the course of our final three meetings last year. As a result of those actions, our policy stance is now significantly less restrictive than it was when we began lowering the federal funds rate. Given current economic conditions—specifically, inflation that remains modestly above our target and a labor market that is solid—and my projections of future economic conditions, I voted last week to maintain our current policy stance. As long as the economy and labor market remain strong, I see it as appropriate for the Committee to be cautious in making further adjustments.
    Over the medium term, I continue to see a gradual reduction in the level of monetary policy restraint placed on the economy as we move toward a more neutral stance as the most likely outcome. That said, I do not think we need to be in a hurry to change our stance. In considering additional adjustments to the federal funds rate, I will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks. As is always the case, monetary policy is not on a preset course. To that end, I could envision a range of scenarios for future policy. For example, if the economy remains strong and inflation does not continue to move sustainably toward 2 percent, we can maintain policy restraint for longer.
    Alternatively, if the labor market were to weaken unexpectedly or inflation were to fall more quickly than anticipated, it may be appropriate to reduce the policy rate more quickly. Our current stance of policy is well positioned to deal with the risks and uncertainties that we face in pursuing both sides of our dual mandate.
    As I conclude, I want to assure you that I am mindful that monetary policy decisions affect communities, families, and businesses across the country. I highly value opportunities to visit places like Lafayette College and Easton to share my views, hear from you, and see how the economy is experienced firsthand in your community. I remain fully committed to supporting maximum employment and bringing inflation sustainably to our 2 percent goal. Our success in delivering on these goals matters to all Americans.
    Thank you.

    1. The views expressed here are my own and are not necessarily those of my colleagues on the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Open Market Committee. Return to text
    2. See Harriet Torry and Anthony DeBarros (2023), “A Recession Is No Longer the Consensus,” Wall Street Journal, October 15. Return to text
    3. See Bureau of Economic Analysis (2025), “Gross Domestic Product, 4th Quarter and Year 2024 (Advance Estimate) (PDF),” news release, January 30. Return to text
    4. See the December 2024 Services ISM Report on Business, which is available on the Institute for Supply Management’s website at https://www.ismworld.org/supply-management-news-and-reports/reports/ism-report-on-business/services/december. Return to text
    5. See Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), “The Employment Situation—December 2024 (PDF),” news release, January 10. Return to text
    6. See Philip N. Jefferson (2024), “U.S. Economic Outlook and Housing Price Dynamics,” speech delivered at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Secondary and Capital Markets Conference and Expo 2024, New York, May 20. Return to text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Senate Floor, Rosen Calls Out Trump Administration for Breaking Promise to Lower Grocery Prices, Doing Nothing to Address Egg Shortage

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    Watch Senator Rosen’s Full Remarks HERE.
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) took to the Senate floor to call out the Trump Administration for its lack of actions to lower grocery prices and address the egg shortage Nevadans are experiencing. In her speech, Senator Rosen called on President Trump to take real actions to lower costs for Nevada families.
    Below are Senator Rosen’s floor remarks as delivered: 
    It’s now been more than two weeks since President Donald Trump took the oath of office, and there have been virtually no actions – virtually no actions – to lower costs at the grocery store. 
    On the campaign trail, Donald Trump made promises – over and over – that he would address rising costs.
    In fact, he said, quote: “On day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again.” On day one.
    And he said, quote: “When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on day one.” End quote.
    Well, way past day one, it’s now day sixteen of his presidency, and so far, the Trump Administration has failed to meet the President’s own goal and promise to hardworking families.
    Just look at what it costs to buy milk, bread, and eggs!
    When Nevadans go to the grocery store, many are seeing empty shelves where the eggs are supposed to be. 
    And the eggs people do find, well, they cost an arm and a leg.
    So, just look at this picture here from Reno, Nevada – a grocery store there. Empty shelves. That’s where the eggs would be.
    And meanwhile, the Trump Administration is doing nothing to help fix this or stop corporations from jacking up the prices.
    Instead, President Trump has been cozying up to billionaire CEOs and taking actions that will hurt families and drive prices up and up.
    Trump’s first actions were to push through a whirlwind of executive orders – including to roll back actions to lower prescription drug prices.
    So, I want to repeat that. One of President Trump’s first actions was to stop efforts to lower your prescription drug costs.
    […]
    So I urge my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to come together and prioritize solving kitchen table issues instead of pushing extreme wedge issues.
    It’s what the American people need us to do for them.
    That’s what the American people are counting on us to do for them.
    We need to get busy and do that.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Statement on Vote Against Pam Bondi as Attorney General

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement:

    “I’ve known Pam Bondi for years and have had the opportunity to work with Ms. Bondi on various issues in the past, including advancing the First Step Act and police accountability and reform efforts during the first Trump administration. My experiences with her have been very positive and constructive. She became someone I could trust and rely upon. I was grateful to work with her in efforts to reform our broken criminal justice system and improve public safety.

    “Should Pam Bondi be confirmed, I am committed to working with her on issues where we can find common ground and that advance the ideals of justice and create safer and stronger communities in New Jersey and our country.

    “Unfortunately, President Trump’s unacceptable, unprecedented, and dangerous attacks on the independence of the Department of Justice since taking office are antithetical to democratic values and cause grave concern for anyone who believes in a justice system free from politics. By purging prosecutors who worked on Jan. 6 cases, firing top level FBI officials, and demanding a list of thousands of agents who investigated him, Donald Trump is attempting to dismantle entire systems of accountability and oversight, and extract payback against those who he feels have wronged him.

    “Given Trump’s actions and the clear attacks on the independence, transparency, and accountability of the Justice Department, I cannot support his nominees for key leadership positions at the Justice Department. I will vote against Ms. Bondi for attorney general as an express condemnation of Trump’s larger actions against the important norms and traditions of the Justice Department.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, DeLauro Introduce Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) introduced the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act (EFSIA), legislation that would grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to collect microbial samples from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), also known as factory farms, during outbreaks or when there is a public health need. 

    Factory farming is at the heart of the spread of bird flu. The reintroduction of this legislation comes as public health experts raise alarms about the ongoing threat of H5N1, avian influenza, as variations continue to mutate, and in addition to persistent foodborne illness risks.  

    The CDC reports that 1 in 6 Americans suffer from foodborne illnesses annually, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Many of these illnesses stem from bacteria and other microbes originating in animal agriculture. Over 55 percent of foodborne Salmonella cases are linked to animals and animal products. Harmful bacteria from animal production facilities also contaminate fields of produce, further endangering consumers.

    Despite these clear threats, public health agencies currently lack the authority to conduct microbial sampling on factory farms, limiting their ability to investigate and prevent outbreaks. Investigators are frequently denied access to farms, obstructing efforts to pinpoint the source of outbreaks and implement safeguards.

    “Every year, thousands of Americans fall victim to foodborne illnesses,” said Senator Booker. “Currently, the FDA lacks the jurisdiction to investigate outbreaks and identify the sources of contaminated food stemming from animal agriculture. This bicameral legislation will reduce the prevalence of foodborne diseases by empowering the FDA and other public health agencies to properly respond to and investigate outbreaks when they happen and get contaminated food off our grocery shelves.”

    “It is clear that corporate consolidation has made our food system more vulnerable—not only to foodborne illness but also to emerging public health threats like H5N1,” said Representative DeLauro. “This crisis is exacerbated by a weak FDA, which lacks the authority to properly investigate outbreaks and remove contaminated food from the market. Under current law, multinational corporations can obstruct FDA foodborne illness investigations, delaying critical public health interventions. That cannot continue. That is why I am reintroducing the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act, which will ensure FDA has the power to investigate corporate agribusinesses, respond effectively to public health threats, and protect American consumers.”

    “The Expanded Food Safety Act would close a critical gap in our public health safety net by allowing outbreak investigators a chance to trace the source of outbreaks on large animal farms,” said Sarah Sorscher, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Center for Science in the Public Interest. “This common sense safeguard is long overdue and can help provide solutions to stop outbreaks at their source.”

    The legislation is endorsed by American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Animal Rights Initiative, Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at The George Washington University, Associated Humane Societies, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Ceres Community Project, Chilis on Wheels, Compassionate Action for Animals, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, Earthjustice, Environmental Working Group, Farm Forward, Farm Sanctuary, Food and Water Watch, Food Animal Concerns Trust, Friends of the Earth, Godspeed Horse Hostel Inc, Government Accountability Project, Iowa Environmental Council, KWT Consulting, Mercy For Animals, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, Mercy For Animals, PIRG, San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility, Slow Food USA, STOP Foodborne Illness, Strategies for Ethical & Environmental Development (SEED), Texas Humane Legislation Network, Vegan Activist Alliance, and World Animal Protection.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: It’s the most American of sports, so why is the NFL looking to Melbourne for international games?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney

    Melbourne’s status as the sporting capital of Australia is well-established: the Victorian city hosts annual events such as the Australian Open tennis tournament, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Melbourne Cup horseracing carnival, Boxing Day cricket Test and more.

    Now the United States’ National Football League (NFL) is set to join the party.

    In May last year, the NFL earmarked Australia as a future host for an international game.

    Now it has been reported the NFL is set to lock-in three regular season games in Melbourne at the MCG, starting in October 2026, just after the Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final.

    The teams set to feature in the first game are 2022 Super Bowl winners the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles will play in next week’s Super Bowl and feature an Australian, Jordan Mailata, on their team.

    The Rams and the Eagles both have international marketing rights to Australia – giving the clubs an opportunity to build brand awareness and fandom beyond the US through fan engagement, events and commercial opportunities.

    What’s in it for Victoria?

    The NFL contests would pour millions of dollars into the Victorian economy; each team would travel with hundreds of staff, while thousands of fans would likely travel from interstate and overseas.

    The Victorian government has not revealed any revenue estimates but last year’s Super Bowl week in Las Vegas generated more than $US1 billion ($A1.61 billion) in economic impact.

    Given the NFL’s love of razzmatazz, it would likely host a week-long procession of activities and fan zones across the city before almost certainly filling the MCG with 100,000 spectators.

    However, the choice of the MCG as a venue was not without controversy.

    The MCG boasts the biggest capacity of any stadium in Australia, but it is an oval shape, not rectangular, which makes the viewing experience more difficult when it hosts sports such as soccer, rugby – or NFL.

    Critics have suggested Accor Stadium in Sydney’s west or Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane (both rectangular venues) would be better for these games.

    What’s in it for the NFL?

    The NFL has broadened its international presence during the past decade or so, and now hosts eight games internationally each season.

    But why did NFL decide on Australia to join the likes of England, Germany, Spain, Brazil and Mexico?

    It chose places with strong sports consumer marketplaces, where streaming is popular and destinations where US fans are likely to travel to.

    Australia, while not as popular as in the days of Paul Hogan, is still a popular destination for many Americans, especially those who like sports.

    American football is far from a dominant sports code in Australia but is still a significant global market for the NFL, with an estimated fan base of more than six million supporters across the country.

    But principally, it’s about the money.

    The NFL’s media broadcast deal is one of, if not the, most lucrative in world sports: the TV and streaming media rights are said to be worth more than $US100 billion ($A161 billion).

    Analysts estimate the NFL’s international games will collectively add $US1 billion ($A1.61 billion) to the league’s TV rights.

    This has helped the NFL build a huge global audience, which Commissioner Roger Goodell has said is a key strategy:

    The media platforms are essential – we want to reach the most people we can through our media partners, because that’s how most people experience football. But when we bring games (to international markets), it is […] the spark that lights the flame. Playing the games is a big part of making our game global.

    The NFL is also looking to Australia for future athletic talent.

    In recent years, NFL and college football teams have regularly recruited Australian athletes as punters (specialist kickers), who grew up kicking balls and can transfer their skills to the American game.

    The NFL also recently set up a talent academy on the Gold Coast to encourage talented youngsters from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific to pursue their NFL dream.

    What fans can expect

    Melbourne is not Las Vegas, but even so, if confirmed, the games will deliver some old-fashioned American showbiz to the state.

    The MCG will likely be packed with fans (both hardcore and casual) for the contest, and of course the sport’s famous half-time shows.

    And then there’s the athletic brilliance of the players: the game is considered by some to be as intellectual as chess but with enormous physical prowess required. The chance to see these massive athletes up close will no doubt be a huge drawcard.

    NFL fans in Australia – and very likely New Zealand, the Pacific and even further abroad – will no doubt be waiting with bated breath for the league to confirm the games, and then try to find a way to secure sought-after tickets.

    Tim Harcourt supports both the Green Bay Packers to keep his Wisconsin in laws happy and the Minnesota Vikings as he once lived in Minneapolis.

    – ref. It’s the most American of sports, so why is the NFL looking to Melbourne for international games? – https://theconversation.com/its-the-most-american-of-sports-so-why-is-the-nfl-looking-to-melbourne-for-international-games-248870

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall, Rep. Van Duyne Reintroduce Legislation to Reduce Overbearing Regulations for America’s Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., and U.S. House Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) introduced the bicameral Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act to protect our small businesses from the financial burden of top-down federal regulations. 
    When Washington, D.C. imposes regulations, it often comes at a significant cost to our locally-owned businesses. In 2022 alone, complying with regulations cost American small businesses an average of $15,133.57 (adjusted for 2024 dollars) per employee on their payroll. The Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act alleviates these costs and requires the Administration to submit an annual report to Congress outlining the impacts of regulations on small businesses. 
    “I will always stand with Main Street over Wall Street, and remain laser-focused on supporting our nation’s small businesses. That means making it easier for them to do their jobs and keeping the federal government out of the way!” said Senator Marshall. “It’s time to slash the red tape and create a regulatory environment that ensures America’s small businesses, the backbone of our economy, thrive.”
    “After Biden-Harris imposed more than $1.7 trillion in regulatory costs and inflicted 20% inflation, America’s small businesses are in desperate need of relief. I’m glad to partner with Senator Marshall to reintroduce the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act to slash burdensome regulations for our job creators as we work to keep the American Dream alive for the next generation,” said Rep. Van Duyne (R-TX-24). 
    “The first rule of economic growth is to stop stifling entrepreneurs. Yet, that’s exactly what Washington does to small businesses. Startups and mom-and-pops can’t afford full-time staff dedicated to regulatory compliance they way bigger companies can. Capping regulatory costs for small businesses at current levels is an important step towards better regulatory policy, as are the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act’s improved transparency requirements.” said Ryan Young, Competitive Enterprise Institute Senior Economist.
    “The Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act directs the SBA Administrator to quantify and monitor regulatory costs on small businesses, which is greatly needed as the cumulative costs are overwhelming small firms and undermining their competitiveness. Quantifying these costs on an annual basis and determining whether rules cumulatively exceed a zero-based regulatory budget provide a framework that promotes accountability and sensible regulation. SBE Council strongly supports this legislation, as it will help Congress with critical oversight and help to inform and educate regulators about the need to consider small business impact as they propose and advance their regulatory initiatives.” said Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council.
    “Small businesses often deeply suffer the effects of federal regulations because they have limited resources for compliance. This bill from Senator Roger Marshall and Representative Beth Van Duyne would ensure these burdens are minimized and tallied,” said Nicholas Johns, Senior Policy and Government Affairs Manager, National Taxpayers Union. “National Taxpayers Union applauds this bill because it would prevent the Small Business Administration from hindering companies under their purview and create a government-wide report detailing the regulatory costs on small businesses.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall, Hawley Demand Answers from Ford For Terminating Partnership with Kansas City Company

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Senators Roger Marshall M.D. and Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a letter to the Ford Motor Company demanding answers for terminating its partnership with Jack Cooper, a Kansas City-based company. 
    For over 40 years, Jack Cooper and Ford have had a strong business partnership until Ford abruptly ended its deal before the contract deadline and without explanation, leading to 400 Kansas City area jobs being lost. The letter requests Ford to provide an explanation for ending its deal with Jack Cooper and affirm that Ford will fulfill all legal obligations resulting from the agreement ending.
    “For over four decades, Jack Cooper has been a reliable partner to Ford, fulfilling all performance standards and playing an important role in Ford’s success. To end such a relationship without a clear and justified cause strikes us as a profound betrayal of American workers, who have buoyed Ford for nearly half a century,” the members wrote.“This decision disrupts lives and erodes the community’s trust in what is supposed to be a paradigmatic American company. Yet, the workers at Jack Cooper and their families are still waiting for answers,” the members continued.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: White Supremacist Leader Found Guilty of Conspiring to Destroy Regional Power Grid

    Source: US State of Vermont

    After a six-day trial, a jury found Brandon Russell, 29, of Orlando, Florida, guilty of conspiracy to damage an energy facility.

    According to evidence presented at trial, from at least November 2022 to Feb. 3, 2023, Russell conspired to carry out attacks against critical infrastructure, specifically transformers located within electrical substations, in furtherance of his racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist beliefs. Russell posted links to open-source maps of infrastructure, which included the locations of electrical substations, and he described how a small number of attacks on substations could cause a “cascading failure.” Russell also discussed maximizing the impact of the planned attack by hitting multiple substations at one time.

    Russell recruited a Maryland-based woman, Sarah Beth Clendaniel, to carry out the attacks in Baltimore and elsewhere. They planned to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. The intended monetary loss associated with the planned attacks would have exceeded $75 million. Clendaniel identified five substations to target, and Russell attempted to secure a weapon for Clendaniel. Clendaniel stated that if they hit a number of substations all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city,” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” She further added, “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.”

    Russell faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to damage an energy facility and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17.

    On Sept. 25, 2024, Clendaniel was sentenced to 18 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for conspiring with Russell to damage or destroy an energy facility. Clendaniel was also sentenced to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and 3 years of supervised release.

    The FBI investigated the case.

    The Justice Department’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Votes “No” on Director of National Intelligence Nominee Tulsi Gabbard in Senate Intelligence Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 04, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., voted against advancing Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to serve as director of national intelligence in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today.

    “Tulsi Gabbard’s statements, writings, and record since she left Congress show that she views issues of national security and foreign intelligence primarily through an extreme partisan lens. Disturbingly, Ms. Gabbard refused to commit to opposing an illegal order from Donald Trump, in response to my question at her confirmation hearing. I am not convinced that she would stand up to demands to defund intelligence community oversight bodies, fire intelligence officials for perceived disloyalty to Donald Trump, or grant Elon Musk’s DOGE henchmen access to sensitive systems and materials,” Wyden said.

    “During her confirmation process, however, I was encouraged by her commitments related to FISA, encryption, protections for whistleblowers and journalists, and numerous other topics.  If Ms. Gabbard is confirmed by the full Senate, it is my intention to hold her to these commitments.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wisconsin Man Indicted for Selling and Smuggling Firearms to Buyers in Saudi Arabia

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A six-count indictment was unsealed today charging Mark John Buschman, 60, of Viroqua, Wisconsin, for allegedly selling firearms and related parts without a license to buyers in Saudi Arabia, shipping the prohibited items, and then lying to federal inspectors about it.

    According to the indictment, Buschman allegedly conducted an illegal export conspiracy for more than five years, lasting from about February 2019 to about December 2024. Buschman obtained firearms and firearms parts in the U.S. and advertised the items for sale on eBay and other online marketplace-style websites. When buyers in Saudi Arabia expressed interest in the items for sale, he agreed to sell and ship the items out of the country to them. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Saudi Arabian-based buyers paid the defendant approximately $398,000.

    Court documents indicate that serial numbers from some of the firearms and firearms parts were removed before he shipped the items. The defendant then prepared the items further before shipping them by concealing the firearms and firearm parts inside of common household appliances and tools such as toasters, coffee makers, space heaters, fans, and landscaping edge trimmers. For example, the defendant concealed rifle barrels in items such as car axles, and smaller pistols inside of toasters. Using a fake return address, the defendant shipped the items through the U.S. Postal Service to freight forwarders, which are companies that specialize in the logistics of shipping items from one country to another. The defendant allegedly shipped the items to freight forwarding companies that operated out of Ohio, New Jersey, Oregon, and elsewhere without declaring that the shipments contained firearms and firearms parts.

    Buschman is charged by indictment with conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; attempted smuggling of goods from the United States; transporting and shipping firearms with removed, obliterated, or altered serial numbers; mailing firearms as nonmailable prohibited items; unlawful dealing in firearms without a license; and making false statements to law enforcement. If convicted on all counts, Buschman faces a maximum penalty of 42 years in prison and fines of up to $1.5 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Homeland Security Investigations Cleveland Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Cleveland Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives are investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Shepherd and Jerome J.  Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio, Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan for the Western District of Wisconsin prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Veea Issues Letter to Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Veea Inc. (NASDAQ: VEEA), a pioneer in edge computing and AI-driven solutions, today issued a Letter to Shareholders from Founder and Chief Executive Officer Allen Salmasi.

    Dear Fellow Shareholders,

    On the occasion of Veea ringing the Nasdaq Opening Bell on February 5, I want to welcome our shareholders and share our insights with respect to our vision, strategy, and the opportunities that lie ahead.

    Connecting the World at the Edge
    I am thrilled to share with you that a monumental shift in technology has occurred, one that now directly aligns with our vision of the future dating back to the founding of the company ten years ago. This transformation is the convergence of Edge Computing, Hyperconverged Networks, and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the very edge that all things connect to the network, commonly referred to as Edge AI.

    We have developed a portfolio of fully integrated, scalable, and turnkey wireless and wired communications and computing devices and services – VeeaHub products, VeeaWare, and VeeaCloud – that deliver cloud-to-edge solutions and allow businesses to manage high volumes of data to enable real-time applications and maintain system reliability. Our solutions have been iterated over the last several years to minimize production costs, reduce installation expenses, and deliver scalability with easy integration to third party solutions, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership compared to typical edge computing solutions.

    We possess more than 100 exclusively-owned patents covering 26 patent families, and a significant partner ecosystem. Our products have been deployed to enterprises and SMB/SMEs across several countries, providing real-world solutions across various end markets. We are transforming lives from remote villages in Indonesia, where Veea’s mesh network is empowering internet connectivity in health, education, and agriculture, to retailers in Mexico, farms in North America, a campus in Hong Kong, and a 21-acre commercial building complex in Orlando, Florida where our Veea Edge Platform is enabling common indoor and outdoor common area Wi-Fi.

    Well Positioned to Support the 5thIndustrial Revolution
    Significant advances in AI technologies are now driving the 5th Industrial Revolution, fundamentally reshaping how we live, work, and interact. Unlike previous industrial revolutions driven by mechanization, electricity, computing, and automation, the 5th Industrial Revolution is characterized by the seamless integration of AI and human intelligence to enhance decision-making, improve productivity, and drive innovation across every sector. This is not just a technological trend; it is a pivotal force shaping the future of industries, economies, and our organization.

    AI inferencing is at the heart of this revolution, driving a new business paradigm that demands a fresh approach to technology infrastructure and service delivery. AI inferencing refers to the process where a trained AI model applies its learned knowledge to analyze new, unseen data and generate predictions or decisions based on the patterns it has identified during training; essentially, it’s the “action” of using an AI model to make sense of “new information” and draw conclusions from it. For many enterprise and consumer use cases massive amounts of data must be collected and processed at the edge. Among many of its utilities, this is what Veea Edge Platform does most efficiently.

    Veea’s unique implementation of Edge AI brings the power of AI closer to where data is generated—at the “edge” of networks. This means faster decision-making, reduced latency, enhanced security, increased reliability, data privacy and sovereignty, and real-time insights without the dependency on centralized cloud infrastructure. Edge Computing complements this by processing data locally, significantly improving efficiency and reducing bandwidth costs.

    Edge Computing is not just a supporting technology—it is the core capability that enables AI inferencing to deliver real-time, context-aware insights to both enterprises and consumers alike. By processing data closer to the source, Edge Computing ensures that AI applications are responsive, resilient, and efficient. This shift requires businesses to adopt new operational models, emphasizing agility, scalability, and decentralized intelligence.

    AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS)
    At Veea, we are at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging Edge Computing to power our AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) offerings. Traditional business models are no longer sufficient to support the speed, scale, and complexity required by broadly adopted AI-driven applications. Some believe that AI Agents will eventually replace SaaS solutions.

    Hyperconverged Networking (HCN) is the backbone that supports this rapid data processing and AI-driven environment. By integrating computing, storage, and networking into a unified system, HCN enhances scalability, simplifies IT infrastructure, and ensures robust data flow between edge devices and core systems. Veea’s virtualized software environment, supporting cloud-native applications, together with one of the most advanced HCN implementations, positions us very well to lead in the delivery of highly optimized solutions in this new era, creating unparalleled value for our customers and sustainable growth for our shareholders.

    Through the seamless integration of Edge AI, Edge Computing, and Hyperconverged Networking, all supported by Veea’s cloud-managed products, we are driving:

    – Innovation: Delivering cutting-edge products and services that meet the demands of the widest range of the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

    – Operational Efficiency: Reducing costs and improving performance for many industries.

    – Growth Opportunities: Expanding into new markets and sectors that are rapidly adopting AI inferencing and edge technologies.

    – Shareholder Value: Enhancing our competitive advantage, creating revenue streams, and supporting long-term financial performance.

    A Unique Business Model Supported by Technology that Delivers Solutions to Real World Problems
    What sets Veea apart in this transformative era is our unique business model as a Managed Service Provider (MSP) that is delivering solutions such i) as 5G fixed wireless access through our VeeaHub edge computing products with AI-driven cybersecurity, and a range of value-added services currently being rolled-out by network operators to SMBs and SME, as one of its highly scalable use cases, and ii) Edge AI inferencing through our innovative AIaaS offering with complete turnkey hardware and software solutions (i.e., full stack). This model allows us to deliver AI-powered applications and insights at scale without requiring the end-users to invest heavily in infrastructure or specialized talent.

    Through our AIaaS platform, we provide end-to-end management of AI workloads, from deployment and optimization to continuous monitoring and maintenance. This approach offers several key differentiators:

    – Scalability: Clients can easily scale their AI capabilities as their business grows, without the complexities of managing hardware and software.

    – Cost Efficiency: By offering AI on a subscription basis, we lower the barriers to entry, making advanced AI accessible to organizations of all sizes.

    – Agility: Our managed services enable rapid deployment and iteration, allowing businesses to adapt quickly to changing market demands.

    – Expertise: Clients benefit from our deep expertise in AI, edge computing, and hyperconverged networking, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.

    AI inferencing supported by Edge AI represents a compelling business model and a significant growth opportunity for several reasons:

    – Explosive Market Demand: The global demand for real-time, data-driven decision-making is rising across industries including retail, healthcare, manufacturing, smart buildings, smart cities, and smart farming. Organizations need solutions that process data instantly, making Edge AI inferencing critical.

    – Recurring Revenue Streams: The MSP and AIaaS business models enable predictable, recurring revenue through subscription-based offerings. This stabilizes our financial outlook and supports sustainable growth.

    – Competitive Advantage: Edge AI allows businesses to differentiate themselves through faster, smarter, and more secure operations. By providing managed AI inferencing services, we help our clients maintain a competitive edge, which in turn strengthens our market position.

    – Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Our managed services reduce the cost and complexity for customers, making it more attractive for businesses to adopt advanced AI without large upfront investments.

    – Global Scalability: The decentralized nature of Edge AI allows us to serve clients worldwide, expanding our reach and unlocking new markets without the limitations of traditional centralized data processing.

    – Rapid Innovation Cycle: Continuous improvements in AI algorithms, edge devices, and networking technologies create opportunities for us to innovate and offer enhanced services regularly, driving both customer retention and new customer acquisition.

    – Portable Software Stack: Our full stack software can run on third-party hardware (i.e., CPU-based or GPU-based servers, Access Points (APs), routers, etc.) with a Linux host that meet our minimum requirements, making our cloud-managed platform hardware agnostic.

    In Closing
    Our commitment to innovation and excellence, combined with a differentiated business model, not only strengthens our value proposition to customers but also positions us to develop a robust, recurring revenue stream that drives sustainable growth and profitability.

    We are committed to investing in these transformative technologies, fostering strategic partnerships, and continuing to lead in innovation. Our goal is to ensure that Veea remains at the forefront of this technological revolution, delivering growth and value to our shareholders.

    Thank you for your continued support and trust in our vision. Together, we are shaping the future.

    Warm regards,

    Allen Salmasi
    Founder & Chief Executive Officer

    About Veea
    Veea Inc. (NASDAQ: VEEA) was formed in 2014 and is headquartered in New York City with a rich history of major innovations in the development of advanced networking, wireless and computing technologies. Veea makes living and working at the edge simpler and more secure. Veea has unified multi-tenant computing, multiaccess multiprotocol communications, edge storage and cybersecurity solutions through fully integrated cloud- and edge-managed products. Veea’s fully integrated turnkey solution offers end-to-end cloud management of devices, applications and services with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), optionally with a highly simplified plug and play 5G-based Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offering. Veea Edge Platform™ enables direct connections from the wide area optical fiber, cellular and satellite networks to devices on the local area networks created by a VeeaHub® mesh cluster over network-managed Wi-Fi and IoT devices – a unique patented capability called Multiprotocol Private Network Slicing (MPNS) for ISPs to offer subscription-based services for one or a group of endpoints. Veea Developer Portal and development tools provide for rapid development of edge applications including federated learning with pre-trained models for inferencing to cost-effectively enable Edge AI for most enterprise use cases.

    Veea was recognized in 2023 by Gartner as a Leading Smart Edge Platform for the innovativeness and capabilities of our Veea Edge Platform™ and a Cool Vendor in Edge Computing in 2021. Veea was named in Market Reports World’s in its research report published in October 2023 as one of the top 10 Edge AI solution providers alongside IBM, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services among others. For more information about Veea and its product offerings, visit veea.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”) as well as Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the Company’s future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “seek,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely” or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding the Company’s strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties including those regarding: the Company’s business strategies, and the risk and uncertainties described in “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements” and the additional risk described in Veea’s Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2024 and any subsequent filings which Veea makes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements made in the press release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in the press release. We undertake no obligation to update or revise 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 except as required by law. You should read this press release with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

    The Equity Group

    Devin Sullivan
    Managing Director
    dsullivan@equityny.com

    Conor Rodriguez
    Analyst
    crodriguez@equityny.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast Exposes Outrageous USAID and State Department Grants

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast released the following video exposing radical, far-left grants issued by the State Department and United States Agency for International Development under the Biden administration.

    WATCH HERE

    Democrats and unaccountable bureaucrats don’t want Americans to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being wasted abroad. Chairman Mast is here to set the record straight.

    Several egregious examples include:

    $15 million for condoms to the Taliban through USAID.

    $446,700 to promote the expansion of atheism in Nepal through the State Department.

    $1 million to boost French-speaking LGBTQ groups in West and Central Africa through the State Department.

    $14 million in cash vouchers for migrants at the southern border through the State Department.

    $20,600 for a drag show in Ecuador through the State Department.

    $47,020 for a transgender opera in Colombia through the State Department.

    $32,000 for an LGBTQ-centered comic book in Peru through the State Department.

    $55,750 for a climate change presentation warning about the impact of climate change in Argentina to be led by female and LGBT journalists through the StateDepartment.

    $3,315,446 for “being LGBTQ in the Caribbean” through USAID.

    $7,071.58 for a BIPOC speaker series in Canada through the State Department.

    $80,000 for an LGBTQ community center in Bratislava, Slovakia through the State Department.

    $3.2 million to help Tunisian migrants readjust to life in Tunisia after deportation through the State Department.

    $16,500 to foster a “united and equal queer-feminist discourse in Albanian society” through the State Department.

    $10,000 to pressure Lithuanian corporations to promote “DEI values” through the State Department.

    $8,000 to promote DEI among LGBTQ groups in Cyprus through the State Department.

    $1.5 million to promote job opportunities for LGBTQ individuals in Serbia through USAID.

    $70,884 to create a U.S.-Irish musical to promote DEI in Ireland through the State Department.

    $39,652 to host seminars at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on gender identity and racial equality through the State Department.

    $2.5 million to build electric vehicle charging stations in Vietnam’s largest cities through USAID.

    $425,622 to help Indonesian coffee companies become more climate and gender friendly through USAID.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Superseding Indictment Charges Chinese National in Relation to Alleged Plan to Steal Proprietary AI Technology

    Source: US State of California

    Note: View the superseding indictment here. 

    A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets in connection with an alleged plan to steal from Google LLC (Google) proprietary information related to AI technology.

    Ding was initially indicted in March 2024 on four counts of theft of trade secrets. The superseding indictment returned today describes seven categories of trade secrets stolen by Ding and charges Ding with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets.

    According to the superseding indictment, Google hired Ding as a software engineer in 2019. Between approximately May 2022 and May 2023, Ding uploaded more than 1,000 unique files containing Google confidential information from Google’s network to his personal Google Cloud account, including the trade secrets alleged in the superseding indictment.

    While Ding was employed by Google, he secretly affiliated himself with two People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based technology companies. Around June 2022, Ding was in discussions to be the Chief Technology Officer for an early-stage technology company based in the PRC.  By May 2023, Ding had founded his own technology company focused on AI and machine learning in the PRC and was acting as the company’s CEO. 

    The superseding indictment alleges that Ding intended to benefit the PRC government by stealing trade secrets from Google. Ding allegedly stole technology relating to the hardware infrastructure and software platform that allows Google’s supercomputing data center to train and serve large AI models. The trade secrets contain detailed information about the architecture and functionality of Google’s Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) chips and systems and Google’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) systems, the software that allows the chips to communicate and execute tasks, and the software that orchestrates thousands of chips into a supercomputer capable of training and executing cutting-edge AI workloads. The trade secrets also pertain to Google’s custom-designed SmartNIC, a type of network interface card used to enhance Google’s GPU, high performance, and cloud networking products.  

    As alleged, Ding circulated a PowerPoint presentation to employees of his technology company citing PRC national policies encouraging the development of the domestic AI industry. He also created a PowerPoint presentation containing an application to a PRC talent program based in Shanghai. The superseding indictment describes how PRC-sponsored talent programs incentivize individuals engaged in research and development outside the PRC to transmit that knowledge and research to the PRC in exchange for salaries, research funds, lab space, or other incentives. Ding’s application for the talent program stated that his company’s product “will help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level.”

    If convicted, Ding faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each trade-secret count and 15 years in prison and $5,000,000 fine for each economic-espionage count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Boome and Molly K. Priedeman for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stephen Marzen and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    Today’s action was coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states.

    A superseding indictment 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 –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Mexican Nationals arrested with 14 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – Three citizens of Mexico were arrested late last week in Bellevue, Washington in connection with a drug deal involving more than 25 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. All three men are being held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, Washington, on a criminal complaint.

    According to records filed in the case, on January 29, 2025, an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations began communicating with a transnational drug organization about purchasing crystal methamphetamine. The deal was set for the next day: 30 pounds of crystal methamphetamine for $62,000 to be exchanged at a restaurant parking lot in Bellevue.

    After the undercover agents were shown the drugs, they walked the defendants back towards a vehicle where they claimed the money was waiting. As law enforcement swooped in to arrest the drug traffickers, they attempted to flee but were taken into custody. The men are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with attempt to distribute.

    The three men are identified as:

    Eber Omar Barrones-Madrid, age 24

    Juan Jose Prado-Estrada, age 25

    Jose Manuel Ochoa-Sanchez, age 27

    The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vince Lombardi.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitdeer Announces Strategic Acquisition of 101 MW Site and Gas-fired Power Project in Alberta to Deliver the Industry’s First Fully-Vertically Integrated Bitcoin Mining Site

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitdeer Technologies Group (NASDAQ: BTDR) (“Bitdeer” or the “Company”), a world-leading technology company for blockchain and high-performance computing, today announced the successful close of the acquisition of a fully licensed and permitted 101 MW site and gas-fired power project situated on 19 acres of land near Fox Creek, Alberta in an all-cash transaction for $21.7 million. The site has potential to scale to 1 GW of power, reflecting Alberta’s abundant energy resources, supportive regulatory posture and pro-business environment.

    The 101 MW gas-fired power project includes all permits and licenses required to construct an on-site natural gas power plant, as well as approval for a 99 MW grid interconnection with Alberta Electric System Operator (“AESO”). Bitdeer will develop and construct the power plant in partnership with a leading Engineering, Procurement and Construction (“EPC”) company and is expected to be energized by Q4 2026.

    Concurrently, the Company plans to build 99 MW of datacenter capacity for Bitcoin mining. This newly acquired site and power generation project provides the Company a unique opportunity to become the world’s first fully-vertically integrated Bitcoin miner at scale and potentially achieve some of the lowest Bitcoin mining production costs in the industry.

    Strategic Benefits

    • Full vertical integration: The Company will have control of the land, power generation, electrical and datacenter infrastructure as well as using its own internally developed and manufactured Bitcoin mining machines. The Company can deploy approximately [9] EH/s of its SEALMINER A3 mining machines upon completion, which are anticipated to have industry leading machine-level efficiency of 11-12 J/TH.
    • Low Power Costs: Projected energy production costs of approximately $20 to $25 per MWh1, based on current gas prices.
    • Sustainability & Potential Carbon Credit Upside: As part of the project acquisition, Bitdeer will deploy a carbon utilization system that captures CO2 making the project a net zero carbon producer. This initiative aims to offset Canada’s carbon tax obligations and may generate future revenue through carbon credits.
    • Energy Cost Optimization & Revenue Flexibility: The Company expects to curtail and sell power back to the Alberta grid to stabilize prices during periods of high demand. The Company estimates this could potentially optimize costs even further.

    “We are really excited about planting roots in Alberta, our first site in Canada. This acquisition is the culmination of extensive collaboration with multiple government agencies and the Canadian Blockchain Consortium. It marks a significant step in our strategy to become the first fully-vertically integrated Bitcoin miner, giving us unmatched control over costs, energy efficiency, and scalability,” said Haris Basit, Chief Strategy Officer at Bitdeer. “By combining our own power generation, SEALMINER mining machines and opportunistic grid participation, we believe this site will set a new benchmark for industry unit economics.”

    Regarding the project, Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta said, “We are so pleased to welcome the world’s first net-zero, fully integrated off-grid Bitcoin mining facility — right here in Alberta. Today’s investment is another sign that Alberta continues to be a leader in technology and innovation not only across the country, but across the world. If you want to do business and have a plan to bring your own power, then Alberta is the place for you.”

    Estimated Costs and Development Timeline
    The Company plans to commence site preparation and initial infrastructure development in Q2 2025 and energization in Q4 2026.

    Asset Actual and Estimated Costs
    101 MW Fox Creek Site and 19-acre land near Fox Creek, Alberta $21.7 million cash
    Gas-fired power plant ~$90 million
    Electrical & datacenter infrastructure $300K per MW or ~$30 million
     

    About Bitdeer Technologies Group
    Bitdeer is a world-leading technology company for blockchain and high-performance computing industry. Bitdeer is committed to providing comprehensive computing solutions for its customers. The Company handles complex processes involved in computing such as equipment procurement, transport logistics, datacenter design and construction, equipment management, and daily operations. The Company also offers advanced cloud capabilities to customers with high demand for artificial intelligence. Headquartered in Singapore, Bitdeer has deployed datacenters in the United States, Norway, and Bhutan. To learn more, visit https://ir.bitdeer.com/ or follow Bitdeer on X @ BitdeerOfficial and LinkedIn @ Bitdeer Group.

    Investors and others should note that Bitdeer may announce material information using its website and/or on its accounts on social media platforms, including X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Therefore, Bitdeer encourages investors and others to review the information it posts on the social media and other communication channels listed on its website.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “anticipate,” “look forward to,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including factors discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Bitdeer’s annual report on Form 20-F, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in Bitdeer’s subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. Bitdeer specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether due to new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers should not rely upon the information on this page as current or accurate after its publication date.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    Investor Relations
    Orange Group
    Yujia Zhai
    bitdeerIR@orangegroupadvisors.com

    Public Relations
    BlocksBridge Consulting
    Nishant Sharma
    bitdeer@blocksbridge.com

    1 Assumes natural gas costs of ~$2.06 / GJ, plus regular maintenance and O&M

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: QMC Metering Solutions Reaffirms Independence and Commitment to Customer Partnerships

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAS VEGAS, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QMC Metering Solutions, a privately owned leader in metering systems, wishes to clarify recent questions in the marketplace regarding our ownership and affiliations. We want to assure our valued customers and partners that QMC remains an independent company, fully focused on delivering the high-quality metering products and services you have come to trust.

    As a privately owned company, QMC operates independently, enabling us to focus entirely on our customers’ needs and drive innovation without external influence. Although we highly value strong industry partnerships, QMC is not owned by any billing companies, does not provide billing services, and has no plans to do so. The organization is managed by a dedicated group of individual Board members and shareholders.

    “Our independence is an integral part of who we are as a company,” said Stew Hutton, President of QMC Metering Solutions USA. “It enables us to remain agile, customer-focused, and innovative in how we serve our clients. We’re grateful for the trust our partners place in us and are committed to continuing to earn that trust every day.”

    For over 30 years, QMC has been dedicated to supporting billing companies, utilities, property managers, and contractors across North America with reliable and innovative metering solutions. From water and energy metering to advanced data collection systems, QMC is proud to deliver best-in-class technology designed to empower businesses and improve utility management.

    As we move forward, QMC remains committed to the partnerships we’ve built and to helping our customers succeed. We are proud of our independence, as it allows us to focus solely on providing the very best solutions to our clients.

    For more information about QMC Metering Solutions and our suite of innovative products and services, please visit qmeters.com.

    About QMC Metering Solutions
    QMC Metering Solutions is a trusted provider of high-accuracy metering systems designed to support utility management and efficiency. Privately owned and operated, QMC offers a range of products and services to customers across North America. With a focus on quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, QMC empowers businesses to optimize utility usage and operations.

    About Truety

    QMC provides quality metering hardware for multi-family developers and manufactured housing. With over 30 years’ of experience in the metering industry, QMC is proud to present our newest solution, Truety. Truety combines accurate metering data with utility-grade submeters, eliminating the guesswork in tenant billing. No missing data, no estimates, no disputes. Deploy and bill faster and more efficiently with Truety.

    Contact Information:
    Stew Hutton
    President, QMC Metering Solutions USA, QMC Metering Solutions
    stew@qmeters.com
    (415) 770-2246
    qmeters.com

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cad3dab3-3314-4f28-b3c8-9836fb97a154

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing RFK Jr.’s Nomination for HHS Secretary

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.04.25

    Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing RFK Jr.’s Nomination for HHS Secretary

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Finance, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) voted no on advancing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

    “I wanted to vote for Mr. Kennedy in the context of my family’s history. My dad stood behind his father the night his father gave the famous speech. I told him in my office, in my family, the Kennedy’s stood up. But when he answered Senator Cassidy’s question, and he couldn’t even give him the answer — that yes, the data is there to support vaccines today — I don’t need any more data, all of a sudden.”

    Sen. Cantwell continued: “I need someone at HHS who is going to say, we are going to be a leader in medical technology, science, vaccines, we are going to fight foreign powers, we are going to be there to provide global health. And I don’t want a recalcitrant. I need a leader. And that is why I’m voting no,” said Sen. Cantwell.

    The speech Sen. Cantwell referenced was on the night of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968, when Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Sr. spoke in Indianapolis and delivered the tragic news to attendees. Her father, Paul Cantwell, was standing just behind the late Senator during that speech. Today, the Kennedy-King National Commemorative Site near the site of the speech honors both Dr. King and Sen. Kennedy.   

    Last week, Sen. Cantwell grilled Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his nomination hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on his anti-science and anti-vaccine views, and his promise to cut 600 employees from the National Institutes of Health:

    “I represent a very big innovation state – innovation in health care, specifically. Innovation like NIH funding to the Fred Hutch Cancer Center that helped develop the HPV vaccine, which has the potential to eliminate over 95% of cervical cancer. NIH also funds a lot of jobs and grants – nearly 11,000 people in the State of Washington and over $1.2 billion worth grants,” Sen. Cantwell said last week during the nomination hearing. “I definitely am troubled by the medical research side of innovation, and some of the things that you have said. In fact, this issue about laying off 600 employees at NIH.”

    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s Q&A with RFK Jr. during last week’s nomination hearing is available HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s questioning is available HERE. Our full press release on the nomination hearing is available HERE.

    For decades, Sen. Cantwell has remained a staunch supporter of medical innovation and evidence-based science, including treatments for fentanyl addiction, abortion, vaccinations, stem cell research, and more.

    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks during today’s Finance Committee markup is available HERE, audio HERE, and transcript HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Lee Introduces Resolution Affirming USA Creation and Protection of the Panama Canal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced a resolution recognizing the great American achievement of creating the Panama Canal, the vital importance of the Canal in trade, national security, and geopolitics, and the necessity to ensure the neutrality of the Canal from interference by global adversaries like China. The resolution is co-sponsored by Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

    RESOLUTION

    Expressing the vital importance of the Panama Canal to the United States.

    Whereas early efforts of the Colombian government and French investors to construct a canal across Panama were unsuccessful and resulted in bankruptcy by 1889;

    Whereas, as a condition of United States Government support for Panama’s independence from Colombia, including the positioning of United States troops in the then-territory of Panama, the United States was to be assured access to construct and control a canal in perpetuity, an agreement that culminated in the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, signed at Washington November 18, 1903;

    Whereas the Panama Canal was never initiated, engineered, or built by the Panamanian government;

    Whereas the United States Government funded, pioneered, and built the Panama Canal over a 10-year period from 1904 to 1914, at a cost of $375,000,000 and 10,000 lives, and raised the canal above sea level through construction of a lock system;

    Whereas, historically, the Panama Canal has been distinct from the sovereign territory of Panama;

    Whereas the Panama Canal serves as a vital connection between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, connecting the east and west coasts of the United States and providing passage for more than 14,000 vessels in 2023;

    Whereas approximately 72 percent of vessels traveling through the Panama Canal are traveling to or from United States ports;

    Whereas, without the Panama Canal, vessels would have to pass through the notoriously dangerous Cape Horn, extending transit by nearly 8,000 miles;

    Whereas, in 1977, President Carter surrendered United States control over the Panama Canal in a series of trea- ties with Panama known as the ‘‘Torrijos-Carter Trea- ties’’;

    Whereas one of those treaties, the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal, signed at Washington September 7, 1977, otherwise known as the ‘‘Neutrality Treaty’’, reserved the right of the United States to use armed force to defend the permanent neutrality of the Panama Canal;

    Whereas, for nearly a decade, the People’s Republic of China has steadily increased its footprint in the Panama Canal;

    Whereas, in 2016, Panama ceded control of Margarita Island, the Panama Canal’s largest Atlantic port, to the People’s Republic of China-affiliated Landbridge Group in a $900,000,000 agreement;

    Whereas, in 2018, Panama entered into a $1,400,000,000 agreement for the China Communications Construction Company and the China Harbor Engineering Company to construct the fourth bridge across the Panama Canal;

    Whereas CK Hutchison Holdings, based in Hong Kong, manages two of the Panama Canal’s five ports, including the Balboa port along the Pacific and Cristobal port along the Atlantic;

    Whereas the rapid acceleration of Chinese influence in the Panama Canal poses a high risk of intelligence-gathering and surveillance by the People’s Republic of China;

    Whereas Chinese law requires the assets of civilian firms to be made available to support the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China;

    Whereas the Panama Canal would serve as a logistics point between the east and west coasts of the United States in the event of a conflict involving United States Armed Forces, cementing its value to homeland and hemispheric defense;

    Whereas the ability of the People’s Republic of China to control major entry and exit points of the Panama Canal would provide the People’s Republic of China with a significant military advantage relevant to United States Armed Forces in the event of a conflict:

    Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate—

    (1) recognizes the ingenuity and labor of Americans that made the Panama Canal possible for future generations, with special regard for those Americans who lost their lives in pursuit of the Panama Canal project;

    (2) expresses that the Panama Canal is vital to United States regional security, hemispheric hegemony, and economic interests;

    (3) assesses that a pattern of Chinese-backed investment in port infrastructure and canal operations in Panama constitutes a violation of the Neutrality Treaty; and

    (4) urges the Trump administration to ensure that the canal remains neutral and to take all appropriate measures to enforce the Neutrality Treaty.

    The text of the resolution may be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barrasso: Pam Bondi Will Usher in a New Era of Safety, Sanity, and Justice

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, spoke on the Senate Floor as the Senate prepares to vote on the confirmation of Pam Bondi, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Attorney General.

    Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.

    Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:

    “The Justice Department needs a leader who has the qualifications, the experience, the determination, and the moral clarity to keep America safe.

    “Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is that leader. She has my vote and my vocal support.

    “The Attorney General is America’s top prosecutor. The role should be filled by an experienced prosecutor.

    “Attorney General Bondi has prosecution experience. A lot of it.

    “She spent almost 30 years as a criminal prosecutor and then as a state attorney general. She has more trial experience than any modern U.S. Attorney General.

    “Attorney General Bondi is the most experienced career criminal prosecutor ever to be America’s chief law enforcement officer. She is ready to lead on Day One.

    “In Florida, Attorney General Bondi prosecuted a range of violent crimes. She locked up the worst of the worst. Her signature achievements were in fighting illegal drugs and human trafficking.

    “When she became Florida Attorney General in 2011, the state was overrun with pill mills and opioid overdoses.

    “Pam Bondi shut down the pill mills. She locked up the drug dealers. She pushed for stronger laws to stop the spread of synthetic opioids.

    “Under her leadership, Florida led the fight against this deadly epidemic.

    “Attorney General Bondi also protected victims of human trafficking in Florida. She pledged to make combatting human trafficking a top priority at the Department of Justice.

    “Pam Bondi is a fierce advocate for safety. She is also a skilled leader.

    “The Department of Justice is a huge agency. It controls 40 separate organizations. It employs more than 115,000 people. It oversees all 94 U.S. Attorneys across the country.

    “Leading the DOJ is an enormous undertaking. Pam Bondi is up to the challenge.

    “The Florida Attorney General’s office is one of the largest in the country.

    “It handles a broad scope of civil and criminal investigations, just like the Department of Justice. She led that office effectively and efficiently.

    “Attorney General Bondi has received overwhelming support from across the country.

    “More than 100 former senior DOJ officials wrote a letter to the Judiciary Committee in support of Pam Bondi. Here is what they said about Bondi’s track record: It shows ‘the no-nonsense, law-and-order, pro-law enforcement approach she will bring to the Department of Justice.’

    “The Fraternal Order of Police also urged the Senate to confirm Pam Bondi. This is an organization of more than 377,000 members of law enforcement.

    “Attorney General Bondi has also earned the support of Second Amendment advocates.

    “United States Attorney General Pam Bondi will stand in stark contrast to the prior administration’s Justice Department.

    “The previous administration gave us two tiers of justice.

    “It labeled parents as ‘domestic terrorists.’ It brought charges against pro-life protestors, then threw them in prison. It worked with left-wing judges and prosecutors to try to throw President Trump in jail.

    “This doesn’t begin to get into the Russiagate Hoax or covering up for Hunter Biden. In both cases, you saw rogue federal agents try to subvert the democratic process.

    “At her hearing before the Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Bondi promised a different path.

    “Instead of playing politics, Pam Bondi pledged to enforce the law fairly,
    fully, and faithfully.

    “As she said in her opening statement, she will return the DOJ to its ‘core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously enforcing the law.’

    “Her commitment to the Constitution, public safety, and equal justice under the law is exactly what America needs.

    “The partisan, politicized, and polarizing prosecutions are over. Pam Bondi will usher in a new era of safety, sanity, and justice. Pam Bondi has my vote to be United States Attorney General.

    “The Senate should confirm her without delay.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch on Elon Musk’s USAID Takeover: “Constitutionally, no President and no unelected billionaire can unlawfully shut a Congressionally authorized agency down.” 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) tonight took to the Senate floor to speak on President Trump and Elon Musk’s unconstitutional actions to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and call on Congress to protect the agency, which has played an indispensable role in protecting the interests, security, and reputation of the United States around the globe. 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 

    Read Senator Welch’s remarks as delivered here. 
    Senator Welch’s Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the 119th Congress include:  

    Senate Committee on Finance  

    Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry 

    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit  

    Senate Committee on the Judiciary 

    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on the Constitution  

    Senate Committee on Rules & Administration  

    Senator Peter Welch has spent the bulk of his life working to improve the lives of folks who too often get left behind. After fighting housing discrimination in Chicago, he enrolled in law school at the UC-Berkeley, and later settled in White River Junction, Vermont, where he worked as a public defender before founding a small law practice. He was first elected to represent Windsor County in the Vermont Senate in 1980. Peter was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served for 16 years before being elected to the Senate in 2022. In the Senate, he’s focused on lowering costs for Vermonters, making Washington work better for Vermont, and protecting civil rights and democracy in America and abroad.
    Learn more about his work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: North American Construction Group Ltd. Fourth Quarter Results Conference Call and Webcast Notification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ACHESON, Alberta, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — North American Construction Group Ltd. (“NACG” or “the Company”) (TSX:NOA.TO/NYSE:NOA) announced today that it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024 on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 after markets close. Following the release of its financial results, NACG will hold a conference call and webcast on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. Mountain Time (9:00 a.m. Eastern Time).

    The call can be accessed by dialing:
    Toll free: 1-800-717-1738
    Conference ID: 71653

    A replay will be available through April 6, 2025, by dialing:
    Toll Free: 1-888-660-6264
    Conference ID: 71653
    Playback Passcode: 71653

    A slide deck for the webcast will be available for download the evening prior to the call and will be found on the company’s website at www.nacg.ca/presentations/

    The live presentation and webcast can be accessed at: North American Construction Group Ltd. Fourth Quarter Results Conference Call and Webcast Registration

    A replay will be available until April 6, 2025, using the link provided.

    About the Company

    North American Construction Group Ltd. is a premier provider of heavy civil construction and mining services in Canada, the U.S. and Australia. For over 70 years, NACG has provided services to the mining, resource and infrastructure construction markets.

    For further information, please contact:

    Jason Veenstra, CPA, CA
    Chief Financial Officer
    North American Construction Group Ltd.
    Phone: (780) 960-7171
    Email: ir@nacg.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy in the New York Post: Congress must defend freedom of dissent after Biden’s outrageous “debank” scandal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, today penned this op-ed in the New York Post arguing that Congress must stop federal regulators from pressuring banks to remove the accounts of their political adversaries.

    Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:

    “It’s not a crime to dissent from the woke agenda, but that didn’t stop the Biden administration’s financial regulators from treating people who disagree with it like terrorists.

    “For the past four years, the federal government has placed major banks under immense pressure to close accounts owned by conservative individuals and businesses with little notice or transparency. 

    “This practice—known as debanking—used to be reserved for crime organizations and money launderers.

    “Under President Biden, though, debanking became one of the federal government’s most effective censorship tools.

    “Without a bank account, Americans cannot receive direct deposits, pay many bills or securely transfer money.

    “In an increasingly cashless world, debanking doesn’t just shut a person out of his bank account—it shuts him out of society.

    “On Wednesday, the Senate Banking Committee is holding a hearing so Congress can begin to understand how widespread this abusive practice has become.”

    . . .

    “Fair-minded Americans know the federal government should not be enticing major banks to treat law-abiding citizens like terrorists.

    “That’s why I’ve introduced the No Red and Blue Banks Act, which would prohibit the federal government from contracting with banks that refuse to do business with companies solely because of political differences.” 

    . . . 

    “In America, you can believe what you want.

    “Congress must protect all law-abiding citizens from religious and political discrimination, including their ability to bank.”

    Read Kennedy’s full op-ed here.

    The full text of the No Red and Blue Banks Act is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy introduces resolution to repeal Biden admin rule targeting offshore oil and gas production

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, today introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval to reverse the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) rule that targets oil and gas production on the outer continental shelf. 

    On Sept. 3, 2024, the Biden administration published its rule requiring all new oil and gas leaseholders on the outer continental shelf to submit an archeological report to the BOEM before production can begin. The rule burdens lessees with conducting costly surveys for marine archaeological resources, such as shipwrecks or “cultural resources.” 

    “By handcuffing Louisiana and America’s energy production, Pres. Biden hurt our national security and sent prices soaring. Congress must act quickly to reverse his lame-duck move to burden oil and gas producers with even more regulations,” said Kennedy. 

    Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) joined the resolution.

    “The Biden administration was in hyperdrive to finalize regulatory strangleholds on U.S. oil and gas production, one of which is this BOEM cultural survey requirement.  With the new Congress, I truly hope we can effectively use the Congressional Review Act to overturn this Biden rule and return some commonsense to our nation’s energy policies,” said Hyde-Smith.

    Previously, the BOEM regional director only required leaseholders to issue an archeological report if a project had the potential to impact archeological resources. The Biden administration’s rule, which went into effect on Oct. 3, 2024, now requires all new oil and gas leaseholders to conduct reports. Existing leaseholders on the outer continental shelf have 11 months to comply with the regulation. 

    Kennedy’s resolution to reverse the Biden administration’s rule would help make sure that BOEM does not handicap oil and gas producers’ ability to provide affordable energy to Americans.

    Text of the resolution is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Crapo, Daines Lead Bill to Defend Firearm Businesses and the Second Amendment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    Bill Prohibits Federal Government from Using Taxpayer Dollars to Enter into Contracts with Anti-Second Amendment Corporations?

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced the Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination (FIND) Act to prohibit the federal government from entering into contracts with groups that discriminate unfairly against firearm associations or businesses.

    “We cannot allow businesses with anti-Second Amendment policies and rhetoric to benefit from taxpayer-funded government contracts,” said Risch.“The FIND Act ensures the federal government doesn’t line the pockets of businesses working against Idahoans’ right to keep and bear arms.”

    “Taxpayer dollars should not support businesses that unfairly target law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights. Full stop,” said Crapo.

    “Democrats and woke corporations have proven over and over again that they want to carry out an unconstitutional, overreaching gun-grabbing agenda, and under no circumstances should our federal government use taxpayer dollars for these efforts. Doing business with anti-Second Amendment corporations erodes Americans’ trust and infringes on law-abiding citizens’ Constitutional rights. It must stop,” said Daines.

    The legislation was cosponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Trump Holds a Press Conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    The White House

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvheR2KJYyY

    MIL OSI Video –