NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor recovers $594K in back wages, damages for 419 workers denied overtime by Florida construction contractor

    Source: US Department of Labor

    LEESBURG, FL – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $594,313 in back wages and damages for 419 workers after a federal investigation found a Leesburg-based employer failed to pay workers all of their required overtime wages.

    An investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined Amtex-NMS Inc., operating as Southeast Modular Manufacturing, violated the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime provision by not paying workers time-and-a-half their regular rate for all hours over 40 in a workweek. Specifically, its rounding methods improperly reduced hours that resulted in unpaid overtime for hours worked over 40 per workweek.

    Investigators also discovered the employer violated federal recordkeeping requirements by failing to maintain complete and accurate records of workers’ wages and hours.

    “Some employers use a pay method referred to as rounding to produce even and balanced calculations of hours worked. While it can be a useful tool, it is the responsibility of all employers to ensure the use of rounding in their time systems is balanced and does not always round in the employer’s favor,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Vilma Bell in Orlando, Florida. “We encourage all workers and employers to contact their nearest Wage and Hour Division office with any questions regarding their rights and obligations under the law.”

    Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division and workers’ rights, including a search tool to use if you think you may be owed back wages collected by the division. 

    Workers and employers alike can help ensure hours worked and pay are accurate by downloading the department’s free Android and iPhone Timesheet App. Employers and workers can contact the Wage and Hour Division at its toll-free number, 1-866-4-US-WAGE (487-9243). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crimes

    Source: US State of California

    A Texas man pleaded guilty today before Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett for the Southern District of Texas to not reporting and paying over employment taxes that his company withheld from its employees’ paychecks. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.

    The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Joseth “Joe” Limon, of Harris County, owned and operated Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. From 2013 through 2018, Platinum did not file employment-tax returns, and, according to its payroll records, did not pay more than $8.8 million in employment taxes. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.

    After closing Platinum, he set up another labor-staffing company, Rockwell Staffing LLC, in the name of his then 18-year-old daughter. When he later found out that the IRS was attempting to collect Rockwell’s unpaid employment taxes, he caused his daughter to submit an affidavit to the IRS that falsely claimed that Rockwell had been a victim of identity theft and had no employment tax liability.

    Limon is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Loxahatchee Man Convicted At Trial Of Conspiring To Traffic Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Wilmer Sanchez Aquino (36, Loxahatchee) guilty of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and attempting to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Sanchez Aquino faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 27, 2025.

    On May 1, 2025, co-defendant Luis Garcia-Serrano (36) pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A third co-defendant, Antonio Gonzalez Prado (49), pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025, to cocaine trafficking. He faces a minimum of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. 

    According to evidence presented at trial, in September 2021, Sanchez Aquino received a package containing two kilograms of cocaine on behalf of Garcia-Serrano. In November 2021, investigators intercepted a kilogram of cocaine intended for an address in the Middle District of Florida and replaced the cocaine with a block of wood. Garcia-Serrano and Sanchez Aquino discussed the block of wood inside the package and how Sanchez Aquino already had a buyer lined up to buy the kilogram. Financial records from Sanchez Aquino’s checking account showed cash deposits going into the account during the conspiracy. Sanchez Aquino testified in his defense at trial and claimed that he was not the person in certain phone calls despite his phone number being used in those calls and being referred to in one call as “Wilmer.”

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza. The forfeiture is being handled by AUSA Suzanne Nebesky.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement on the First Review under El Salvador’s Extended Fund Facility Arrangement

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    May 27, 2025

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • IMF staff and the Salvadoran authorities have reached staff-level agreement on the first review of the 40-month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board, El Salvador would receive nearly US$120 million (SDR 86.16 million).
    • Program performance has been strong. Key fiscal and reserve targets were met with margins and substantial progress continues in the ambitious reform agenda in the areas of governance, transparency, and financial resilience.
    • Continued implementation of the fiscal consolidation plan and structural agenda remains critical to address macroeconomic imbalances and create conditions for stronger and more sustainable growth.

    Washington, DC: IMF staff and the Salvadoran authorities have reached staff-level agreement on the first review of the country’s extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). They also finalized discussion on the 2025 Article IV consultation focused on boosting El Salvador’s medium-term growth prospects.

    Upon the conclusion of these discussions Mr. Cubeddu, Deputy Director of the Western Hemisphere Department, and Mr. Torres, Mission Chief for El Salvador, issued the following statement:

    “IMF staff have reached staff-level agreement with the Salvadoran authorities on the first review under the 40-month EFF arrangement.[1] The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board, and contingent on the implementation of the agreed prior actions.

    “The authorities have made significant progress in implementing their economic reform plan under the IMF-supported program. Most program targets set for the first review were comfortably met, and implementation of the structural benchmarks is progressing well.  Meanwhile, despite a more challenging external backdrop, El Salvador’s economy continues to expand supported by improved confidence and still robust remittances. Prudent policies and more favorable terms of trade have led to reduction in inflation and the current account deficit.

    Against the backdrop of early strong program implementation, understandings have been reached on policies to continue to secure program objectives, including with the technical support from the Fund and other development partners:

    • The fiscal consolidation will continue this year through cuts in the wage bill and current spending restraint, and plans are being developed to reform the civil service and the pension systems to underpin the adjustment beyond this year. This will be supported by the new Fiscal Sustainability Law, which is expected to be enacted shortly.
    • External buffers will be strengthened further through the accumulation of government deposits at the Central Bank, supported by financing from International Financial Institutions and fiscal discipline. Meanwhile, bank liquidity requirements will be raised in line with program commitments, while bank oversight is strengthened, including of cooperatives.
    • Following the adoption of the Anti-Corruption Law, attention will now focus in securing its proper and timely implementation to complement ongoing efforts to enhance governance, accountability, and transparency, including of the fiscal accounts of the overall public sector.
    • On Bitcoin, efforts will continue to ensure that the total amount of Bitcoin held across all government-owned wallets remains unchanged, consistent with program commitments, while also securing the unwinding of the public sector’s participation in the Chivo wallet by end-July.

    There is a shared understanding that steadfast program implementation and agile policy making, in the context of rising global uncertainties, remain critical to further entrench stability and lay the foundation for stronger and more sustainable growth. IMF staff thank the Salvadoran authorities for the excellent collaboration and constructive discussions.”

    [1] The EFF was approved by the IMF Executive Board on February 26, 2025, with total access of SDR 1033.92 million (about US$1.4 billion or 360 percent of quota), and initial disbursement of SDR 86.16 million. Other official creditors committed to provide additional financial support for a combined total of roughly US$3.5 billion.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Meera Louis

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/05/27/pr-25162-el-salvador-imf-reaches-agreement-on-the-1st-rev-under-eff

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How ongoing deforestation is rooted in colonialism and its management practices

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Justine Loizeau, Postdoctoral research fellow in sustainability and organization, Aalto University

    As early as 1917, the Michelin company invested in plantations to produce rubber in what is now Vietnam. Here, hevea trees are seen in Southeast Asia in 1913. W. F. de Bois Maclaren, The Rubber Tree Book.

    Half of the world’s forests were destroyed during the 20th century, with three regions mainly affected: South America, West Africa and Southeast Asia. The situation has worsened to the point that, in 2023, the European Parliament voted to ban the import of chocolate, coffee, palm oil and rubber linked to deforestation.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    A long-standing dependence on raw materials

    These products are at the heart of our economies and consumption habits. The case of rubber is particularly emblematic. Without this material, there would be no tyres and, thus, no cars, bicycles, sealing joints or submarine communication cables. Industrial rubber production depends on extracting latex, a natural substance that rubber trees such as hevea produce. Under pressure from corporations and states, Brussels last October announced a one-year postponement of its law regulating rubber imports.

    This dependence on the rubber industry is not new. Rubber was central to the second industrial revolution, especially with the rise of automobiles and new management methods. While this history often centres on factories, citing contributions from figures such as Frederick Taylor and Henry Ford and industrial giants like Michelin, its colonial roots are less well known.

    Indeed, rubber – like the other resources mentioned above – has been and continues to be primarily produced in former colonial territories. In many cases, rubber trees are not native to the regions where they have been cultivated. Rubber seeds from South America, where latex was already extracted by picking, were transported by colonists to empires for the development of plantations. In particular, the French colonial empire, spanning Africa and Southeast Asia, saw a significant expansion of hevea plantations at the expense of primary forests. Monocultures of rubber trees replaced thousands of hectares.

    Ford in the Amazon, Michelin in present-day Vietnam

    This management model was favoured because it allowed for lower extraction costs from the coloniser’s perspective. For example, in 1928, Henry Ford negotiated an agreement with the Brazilian government granting him a 10,000 km2 concession of forest land to establish Fordlandia, a settlement designed to produce the rubber needed for his factories. However, this industrial utopia in the Amazon failed due to resistance from Indigenous people and a fungal disease that ruined the plantations.

    Business Insider reports on the Fordlandia fiasco.

    Following the same model, Michelin invested in plantations in present-day Vietnam as early as 1917. The plantation model and new management methods reduced the cost of rubber production and accelerated its global distribution. These management practices spread across the British, Dutch and French empires, becoming dominant in Southeast Asia in the early 20th century at the expense of primary forests.



    À lire aussi :
    Allowing forests to regrow and regenerate is a great way to restore habitat

    The ‘Taylorization’ of work and nature

    Rubber plantations resulted from applying Taylorism not only to workers – especially colonised workers – but also to nature. Both people and trees were subjected to a so-called “scientific” organisation of labour. In our article, L’arbre qui gâche la forêt The Tree That Spoils the Forest, published in the Revue française de gestion (French Journal of Management) in 2024, we analysed historical archives, including a variety of newspapers from 1900 to 1950, covering national, local, colonial and thematic (scientific, cultural, etc.) perspectives. We show that this organisational model is based on an accounting undervaluation of indigenous people’s labour and of nature. This undervaluation is embodied in the metric of the cost price (i.e. the total cost of production and distribution) and in the shared concern to see it lowered. “Ultimately, it’s the cost price that must determine the fate of rubber,” stated the newspaper L’Information financière, économique et politique on February 1, 1914.

    In the eyes of some, Asians who were labelled as “coolies” and Brazilian “seringueiros” comprised a low-cost labour pool, with no mention of their working conditions and despite very high mortality rates. “Coolie” is a derogatory colonial term that refers to agricultural labourers of Asian heritage, while “seringueiros” refers to workers in South American rubber plantations.

    “By the way, in the Far East, there are reservoirs of labour (Java Island, English Indies), which supply plantations with workers who, while not the most robust, provide regular work at a very advantageous cost price.” (L’Information financière, économique et politique, November 11, 1922)

    Concerning trees, only the plantation costs were considered, silencing the human and ecological costs of primary forest destruction.

    “In the first year, some 237 francs will have to be spent on the clearing itself; then the planting, with staking […] and weeding, will represent an expense of 356 francs. […] For the following years, all that remains to be done is to consider the maintenance costs, cleaning, pruning, care, supply of stakes, replacement, etc. This will result in an expenditure of 1,250 francs for the first five years.” (L’Information financière, économique et politique, January 31, 1912)

    The ‘Cheapization’ of life

    The focus on cost price leads to standardisation of management practices by aligning with what is cheapest, at the expense of ever more intense exploitation of human and non-human workers. In other words, these assumptions about the construction of accounting metrics and the circulation of these metrics play a role in the “cheapization” of human and non-human labour. We borrow the concept of “cheapization” from the environmental historian Jason W. Moore. In his view, the development of capitalism is marked by a “cheapization of Nature”, which includes, within the circuits of capitalist production and consumption, humans and non-humans whose work does not initially have a market value. Living beings are thus transformed into a commodity or factor of production: “animals, soils, forests and all kinds of extra-human nature” are being put to work.



    À lire aussi :
    What actually makes avocados bad for the environment?

    Why does this colonial past matter?

    These ways of managing people and nature continue to this day. Many industries still rely on the extraction of natural resources at low cost and in large quantities in the countries of the global south. Rubber is not the only resource whose exploitation dates to the Industrial Revolution: palm oil, sugar, coffee and cocoa have also had, and still have, an impact on the forests of the global south and are based on the work of local people. The exploitation of these resources is also often the fruit of colonial history. In 1911, the Frenchman Henri Fauconnier brought the first palm oil seeds, a plant originally from Africa, to Malaysia. More than a century later, the country remains a leading palm oil producer, a resource largely responsible for the deforestation of primary forests.

    Beyond the case of rubber alone, we question the link between the pursuit of profit in formerly colonised territories, the destruction of the environment and the exploitation of local populations on two levels. Not only are primary forests destroyed to feed short-term profits, but habituation to this mode of environmental management is a historical construct. We must remember this when looking at news from countries with colonial pasts. Whether we’re talking about preserving the Amazon rainforest, poisoning soil and human bodies with chlordecone in the Antilles, or building a pipeline in Uganda, we need to take a step back. What are the historical responsibilities? What are the links between creating economic activities here and exploiting ecosystems and local populations there? What role do management theories and tools play in realising or reproducing these exploitative situations?

    At a time when the ecological and social emergency is constantly invoked to call for the transformation of management practices and business models, the rubber example invites us to consider the colonial matrix of managerial practices and the Western historical responsibilities that led to this same emergency. And suppose we have to turn to other forms of management tomorrow: who may legitimately decide how to bring about this change? Are former colonisers best placed to define the way forward? Knowledge of colonial history should encourage us to recognise the value of the knowledge and practices of those who were and remain the first to be affected.

    The COCOLE project is supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR), which funds project-based research in France. The ANR’s mission is to support and promote the development of fundamental and applied research in all disciplines, and to strengthen dialogue between science and society. To find out more, visit the ANR website.

    Antoine Fabre has received funding from the French National Research Agency
    via the programme “Counting in a colonial situation. French Africa (1830-1962)” (ANR-21-CE41-0012, 2021-2026).

    Pierre Labardin is a professor at La Rochelle University. He has received funding from the French National Research Agency via the programme “Counting in a colonial situation. French Africa (1830-1962)” (ANR-21-CE41-0012, 2021-2026).

    Clément Boyer et Justine Loizeau ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur poste universitaire.

    – ref. How ongoing deforestation is rooted in colonialism and its management practices – https://theconversation.com/how-ongoing-deforestation-is-rooted-in-colonialism-and-its-management-practices-257578

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Graham Responds to the Editor: The U.S. Senate Won’t Tolerate Putin’s Games

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

    In Case You Missed It

     

    Graham Responds To The Editor: The U.S. Senate Won’t Tolerate Putin’s Games

    The South Carolina Republican sends a message to Moscow.

    To: The Editor

    Re: Your Editorial “A Sanctions Message to Putin—and China” (May 21)

    From: U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina)

    The Wall Street Journal

    May 26, 2025

    https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-u-s-senate-wont-tolerate-putins-games-vladimir-russia-war-ukraine-sanctions-16780c2f?mod=letterstoeditor_article_pos1

    Regarding your editorial “A Sanctions Message to Putin—and China” (May 21): Since taking office, President Trump has earnestly sought to bring Ukraine and Russia together to achieve a just and honorable peace, ensuring global stability. That is more important now than ever. America’s shameful withdrawal from Afghanistan didn’t merely damage our reputation; it set in motion aggression across the world. If the U.S. continues to lead decisively on bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to an end, that could change. Mr. Trump can restore our reputation—and end the bloodbath.

    Yet peace requires willing partners. While Ukraine has made clear it is ready for such an end, Russia has made more excuses than the market can bear. President Trump has asked Vladimir Putin to provide a term sheet outlining the requirements for a cease-fire, bringing the roadblocks to peace to a head. Depending on how Russia responds, we will know which course to take.

    The Senate is prepared either way. I have coordinated with the White House on the Russia sanctions bill since its inception. The bill would put Russia on a trade island, slapping 500% tariffs on any country that buys Moscow’s energy products. The consequences of its barbaric invasion must be made real to those that prop it up. If China or India stopped buying cheap oil, Mr. Putin’s war machine would grind to a halt.

    The sanctions bill has 82 co-sponsors. As Sen. Thune said last week, if Mr. Putin continues to play games, the Senate will act. I’m hoping for the best, but when it comes to the thug in Moscow, we should all prepare for more of the same.

    Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.)

    Seneca, S.C.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Tours Clinton Fire Station, Visits SAM Outdoor Education Center in Augusta

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Click HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos

    Clinton, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins toured the current fire station in Clinton and reviewed plans for a new station made possible by $2,000,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending she secured through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The existing 5,000-square-foot station is too small to support the needs of Clinton’s current fire and rescue operations and cannot accommodate the updated equipment the department plans to purchase.

    “Touring the current fire station today gave me a clear picture of the challenges facing Clinton firefighters and EMTs to swiftly respond to emergency situations. I am so glad I could support Clinton’s first responders and residents with this funding for an upgraded facility, and I appreciate Deputy Fire Chief Travis Leary for sharing these plans with me,” said Senator Collins.

    Senator Collins has secured nearly $45 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for 28 fire stations across the State of Maine since Fiscal Year 2022.

    Following the tour of the fire station, Senator Collins headed to Augusta to visit the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM) Outdoor Education Center, where she met with SAM Executive Director David Trahan as well as local Scout members Jacob and Elizabeth Blais. Both Jacob and Elizabeth are working toward becoming Eagle Scouts, and as part of Jacob’s Eagle Scout project, he designed and built a kiosk with maps and information about local plants for the Center. 

    Click HERE, HERE, and HERE for individual photos

    “I was so pleased to talk with Jacob and Elizabeth, Scouts in Troop 603 in Augusta. Organizations like Scouting America and the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine do an excellent job conserving our environment and teaching future generations about Maine’s rich outdoor heritage,” said Senator Collins.

    In Fiscal Year 2023, Senator Collins secured $700,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending to support SAM’s efforts to collaborate with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife on research related to expanded hatchery production.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada to mark the 25th anniversary of the entombment of Canada’s Unknown Soldier

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ottawa, ON – Veterans Affairs Canada will host a commemorative ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa to mark the 25th anniversary of the entombment of Canada’s Unknown Soldier. Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, will lay a wreath and deliver remarks alongside the Honourable Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, representatives from The Royal Canadian Legion and other dignitaries.

    The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands as a powerful symbol of remembrance, representing the more than 120,000 Canadians who gave their lives in service to peace and freedom. It is a memorial for all who served in the navy, army, air force and merchant marine, and those who may serve in the future.

    Location:    National War Memorial
                          Ottawa, Ontario

    Date:            Wednesday, 28 May 2025

    Time:           10:30 EDT

    Notes for media:

    Media who wish to participate must register by 08:00 EDT on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 by contacting media@veterans.gc.ca with their name and media outlet. Media are asked to arrive no later than 10:00 EDT.

    Please let us know if you have any accessibility needs and we will work with you to enable your participation.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Files Help America Vote Act Lawsuit Against North Carolina for Inaccurate Voter List

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the State of North Carolina and the North Carolina State Board of Elections for failure to maintain an accurate voter list in violation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

    The lawsuit alleges that the State of North Carolina, in violation of HAVA’s mandate and clear Congressional intent, used a State voter registration form that did not require a voter to provide identifying information such as a driver’s license or last four digits of a social security number. Voters were then added to the State’s voter registration roll without the required information, and many of these voters remain on the registration rolls without it.

    On March 25, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14248 entitled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections” to ensure that elections are being held in compliance with federal laws that guard against illegal voting, unlawful discrimination, and other forms of fraud, error, or suspicion. The election integrity issues raised in this action are a core component of the Federal election laws that Congress has statutorily charged the Attorney General of the United States, through the Civil Rights Division, to enforce.

    “Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws.”

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the integrity of the vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

    More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Job Opportunities and Training for At-Risk Youth

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced $56.5 million to help approximately 21,000 young people from low-income households enter the job market this summer through New York State’s Summer Youth Employment program. As part of the FY 2026 State Budget, the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is distributing funding to all 57 counties and New York City to implement a Summer Youth Employment Program to introduce at-risk youth to New York’s workforce, where they will gain professional training and develop useful skills that will help them improve educational performance and explore possible career paths.

    “Investing in our young people’s future and providing them with the resources and tools they need to succeed is a top priority of my administration,” Governor Hochul said. “The Summer Youth Employment Program helps young New Yorkers across the state find good summer jobs that provide valuable experiences and skills that will help them pursue their educational and career goals and prepare them for success in the workforce as adults.”

    The Summer Youth Employment Program supports businesses and communities across the state in providing summer jobs for youth from low-income families. Participants work in entry-level jobs at places such as parks, summer camps, child care organizations, cultural centers, educational facilities, and community-based organizations, among others.

    To be eligible for the program, youth must be between the ages of 14 and 20 and have a household income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which varies by household size and, for example, is $53,300 for a family of three.

    The FY 2026 State Budget included an increase of $1.5 million for the program over last year to address minimum wage increases. The program served more than 21,000 young people last summer.

    New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “The Summer Youth Employment Program provides young people from lower-income households good summer jobs in a range of occupations that provide participants a paycheck and the important opportunity to gain valuable work experience that will support their future success in school and in the job market. The Summer Youth program is also an important part of the state’s efforts to build a strong workforce pipeline for area businesses. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for continuing to prioritize programs and policies that support the health, well-being, and future promise of New York’s youth while helping to strengthen our communities.”

    State Senator Sean Ryan said, “Connecting at-risk youth with good job opportunities helps not only them, but also their families, their communities, and our economy. This funding will boost our state’s workforce, promote safer and stronger communities, and set thousands of young New Yorkers up for successful careers.”

    Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “The Summer Youth Employment Program empowers young people to be proactive as they work towards their future careers, all while supporting businesses and communities across the state with meaningful summer jobs. The continued funding for this program represents an investment into the future job market and a commitment to seeing all young people succeed and thrive. Thousands of young New Yorkers will have an opportunity to grow their professional skillset without the burden of economic hardship holding them back.”

    Funding Awards for the Summer Youth Employment Program Breakdown by County:

    County Funding
    Albany $774,578
    Allegany $221,757
    Broome $650,283
    Cattaraugus $321,822
    Cayuga $230,591
    Chautauqua $491,187
    Chemung $259,293
    Chenango $174,812
    Clinton $250,440
    Columbia $133,304
    Cortland $166,684
    Delaware $147,217
    Dutchess $613,770
    Erie $2,598,654
    Essex $93,743
    Franklin $188,360
    Fulton $177,426
    Genesee $140,702
    Greene $137,344
    Hamilton $13,714
    Herkimer $198,769
    Jefferson $358,283
    Lewis $97,913
    Livingston $196,071
    Madison $211,149
    Monroe $2,164,276
    Montgomery $174,934
    Nassau $1,806,927
    Niagara $568,697
    NYC $29,329,237
    Oneida $724,225
    Onondaga $1,396,576
    Ontario $254,309
    Orange $1,078,708
    Orleans $137,245
    Oswego $468,563
    Otsego $220,851
    Putnam $109,026
    Rensselaer $387,905
    Rockland $993,778
    Saratoga $333,260
    Schenectady $367,739
    Schoharie $97,089
    Schuyler $57,613
    Seneca $119,365
    St. Lawrence $490,045
    Steuben $309,545
    Suffolk $2,315,367
    Sullivan $243,516
    Tioga $140,953
    Tompkins $435,842
    Ulster $415,932
    Warren $127,626
    Washington $169,208
    Wayne $242,690
    Westchester $1,754,517
    Wyoming $129,071
    Yates $87,499
    Total $56,500,000

    Funding Awards for the Summer Youth Employment Program Breakdown by Region:

    Region Amount
    Capital Region $2,194,793
    Central NY $2,473,563
    Finger Lakes $3,841,908
    Long Island $4,122,294
    Mid-Hudson $5,209,247
    Mohawk Valley $1,553,818
    New York City $29,329,237
    North Country $1,335,713
    Southern Tier $2,237,310
    Western NY $4,202,117
    Total $56,500,000

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Action Taken by Governor Phil Scott on Legislation – May 27, 2024

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott announced action on the following bills, passed by the General Assembly.

    On May 27, Governor Scott signed bills of the following titles:

    • H.167, An act relating to establishing the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters Grant at the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
    • H.339, An act relating to removing the repeal of 7 V.S.A. § 230
    • H.364, An act relating to approval of the annexation of property by the Village of Swanton
    • H.396, An act relating to the creation of the Mollie Beattie Distinguished Service Award
    • H.481, An act relating to stormwater management

    To view a complete list of action on bills passed during the 2025 legislative session, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Drug Dealer from Fort Hall Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    POCATELLO – Walker Dean Cates, 39, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.

    According to court records, Cates sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to an individual on three occasions at his residence at Fort Hall. On April 11, 2024, Cates sold 3.58 grams of methamphetamine. On July 22, 2024, Cates and his co-defendant, Mariah Dawn Russell, sold 10.92 grams of fentanyl. On August 21, 2024, Cates and co-defendant Russell sold 505.7 grams of fentanyl.

    On October 9, 2024, officers traveled to Cates home to arrest him pursuant to the federal arrest warrant. Cates fled from police officers in his vehicle at a high rate of speed. Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies pursued Cates through the residential area and the backroads of Fort Hall. Officers subsequently arrested Cates after he crashed his vehicle in a rural area of Fort Hall.

    Cates was held accountable for a total of 516.62 grams of fentanyl and 3.58 grams of methamphetamine that he sold to the individual.

    Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Cates to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Cates pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2025. On December 16, 2024, codefendant Russell pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Russell is scheduled for sentencing on July 17, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Hall Police Department and the BADGES Task Force, which is a HIDTA-funded task force that includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pocatello Police Department, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho State Police, and the Chubbuck Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted this case.

    These cases were investigated through the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multiagency drug enforcement initiatives, including the BADGES Task Force.

    The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking in Bannock County and throughout the region.

    This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction.

    The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.

    This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 200 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 175 have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 11,144 months (approximately 928.66 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 77.4 months (6.45 years). Defendants indicted for drug trafficking offenses serve, on average, approximately 64.19 months (5.35 years) in federal prison.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: TransAlta Renews Normal Course Issuer Bid

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TransAlta Corporation (“TransAlta” or the “Company”) (TSX: TA) (NYSE: TAC) announced today that the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) has accepted the notice filed by the Company to implement a normal course issuer bid (“NCIB”) for a portion of its common shares (“Common Shares”).

    Pursuant to the NCIB, TransAlta may repurchase up to a maximum of 14,000,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 4.7% of the 296,449,829 Common Shares issued and outstanding as at May 20, 2025. Purchases under the NCIB may be made through open market transactions on the TSX and any alternative Canadian trading systems on which the Common Shares are traded, based on the prevailing market price. Any Common Shares purchased under the NCIB will be cancelled.

    Transactions under the NCIB will depend on future market conditions. TransAlta will initially retain discretion whether to make purchases under the NCIB, and to determine the timing, amount and acceptable price of any such purchases, subject at all times to applicable TSX and other regulatory requirements. The period during which TransAlta is authorized to make purchases under the NCIB commences on May 31, 2025, and ends on May 30, 2026, or such earlier date on which the maximum number of Common Shares are purchased under the NCIB or the NCIB is terminated at the Company’s election.

    Under TSX rules, not more than 481,658 Common Shares (being 25% of the average daily trading volume on the TSX of 1,926,633 Common Shares for the six months ended April 30, 2025) can be purchased on the TSX on any single trading day under the NCIB, with the exception that one block purchase in excess of the daily maximum is permitted per calendar week.

    TransAlta has repurchased and cancelled 7,963,000 Common Shares on the open market through the facilities of the TSX and/or alternative Canadian trading systems at an average price of $12.00 per share under its prior NCIB approved by the TSX on May 27, 2024, for the twelve-month period commencing May 31, 2024.

    The NCIB provides the Company with a capital allocation alternative with a view to providing long-term shareholder value. TransAlta’s Board of Directors and Management believe that, from time to time, the market price of the Common Shares does not reflect their underlying value and purchases of Common Shares for cancellation under the NCIB may provide an opportunity to enhance shareholder value.

    About TransAlta Corporation:
    TransAlta owns, operates and develops a diverse fleet of electrical power generation assets in Canada, the United States and Australia with a focus on long-term shareholder value. TransAlta provides municipalities, medium and large industries, businesses and utility customers with clean, affordable, energy efficient and reliable power. Today, TransAlta is one of Canada’s largest producers of wind power and Alberta’s largest producer of hydro-electric power. For over 114 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud member of the communities where we operate and where our employees work and live. TransAlta aligns its corporate goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Future-Fit Business Benchmark, which also defines sustainable goals for businesses. Our reporting on climate change management has been guided by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S2 Climate-related Disclosures Standard and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. TransAlta has achieved a 70 per cent reduction in GHG emissions or 22.7 million tonnes CO2e since 2015 and received an upgraded MSCI ESG rating of AA.

    For more information about TransAlta, visit its website at transalta.com.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-looking Information:
    This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words “may”, “will”, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. More particularly, and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to TransAlta’s intentions with respect to the NCIB, the effects of repurchases of Common Shares and purchases thereunder, including any enhancement to shareholder value. These statements are based on TransAlta’s belief and assumptions based on information available at the time the assumptions were made. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that could cause such differences include: the entering into of an automatic securities purchase plan; legislative or regulatory developments; any significant changes to Common Share price or trading volume; continued availability of capital and financing; changes to general economic, market or business conditions; business opportunities that become available to, or are pursued by TransAlta; and other risk factors contained in the Company’s annual information form and management’s discussion and analysis. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, which reflect TransAlta’s expectations only as of the date of this news release. TransAlta disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. 

    Note: All financial figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

    For more information:

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: APA Corporation Announces Appointment of Aneil Kochar as Vice President and Treasurer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — APA Corporation (Nasdaq: APA) today announced that Aneil Kochar has been promoted to vice president and treasurer, effective May 22.

    Kochar will head APA’s Treasury department, providing global oversight for the company’s capital structure analysis, financing strategies, risk insurance, banking policies, and cash and liquidity management. The role of treasurer was previously held by Ben C. Rodgers who was recently promoted to chief financial officer.

    “I am pleased to welcome Aneil to APA’s leadership team. He has vast financial experience in the oil and gas industry and has played a crucial role in APA’s financial strategies over the past five years, driving value creation and improving cash management. Aneil will be a strong addition to our executive team,” said Ben C. Rodgers, APA’s Chief Financial Officer.

    Kochar has held the position of assistant treasurer for APA since 2022, having joined the company in 2020 as the director of Finance. Before joining APA, Kochar was vice president Finance and treasurer at Chisholm Oil and Gas, where he oversaw FP&A and treasury activities. Prior to that, he worked at EIG Global Energy Partners as an investment professional, focusing on origination and management of oil and gas debt and equity investments. Kochar began his career in energy investment banking at Morgan Stanley. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.

    About APA
    APA Corporation owns consolidated subsidiaries that explore for and produce oil and natural gas in the United States, Egypt and the United Kingdom and that explore for oil and natural gas offshore Suriname and elsewhere. APA posts announcements, operational updates, investor information and press releases on its website, www.apacorp.com.

    Contacts:

    Investor: (281) 302-2286
    Media: (713) 296-7276
    Website: www.apacorp.com

    APA-F

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: QCI’s CTO Andrew Cardno to Speak at C2G Conference on the Power of Analytic Theories in Bingo and Slots

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) is proud to announce that Andrew Cardno, Chief Technology Officer of QCI, will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Class 2 Gathering (C2G) Conference, taking place June 2–4, 2025, at Prairie Band Casino in Mayetta, Kansas.

    Mr. Cardno will participate in General Session II: “Utilizing Analytic Theories”, scheduled for Tuesday, June 3 from 11:30 AM to 12:20 PM. This session will explore the integration of analytic theories and artificial intelligence to enhance player engagement and drive data-driven decision-making in bingo and slot operations. Joining Mr. Cardno on stage will be Erik Isner, with the session moderated by Eric Casey.

    Attendees will gain insight into how descriptive and diagnostic analytics uncover player behavior, while predictive models help forecast churn and high-value player actions. The session will also address solution-focused analytics for retention and monetization, and how probability models and game theory are redefining success in the highly competitive brick-and-mortar gaming landscape.

    “Integrating advanced analytic theories with AI is transforming our industry,” said Andrew Cardno, CTO of QCI. “From optimizing bingo outcomes through pattern recognition to leveraging reinforcement learning in slots, we are ushering in a new era of data-led decision making that drives both player satisfaction and operational efficiency.”

    Sarah House, C2G Committee Co-Chair, added, “We’re thrilled to have Andrew Cardno bring his extensive expertise to the C2G Conference. His insights into the application of advanced analytics and AI in gaming align perfectly with our mission to drive meaningful conversations around innovation and modernization in tribal gaming.”

    The C2G Conference is a key gathering for tribal gaming operators and technology leaders, offering a platform for exploring cutting-edge innovations and strategies to improve performance across gaming properties.

    ABOUT CLASS 2 GATHERING
    Class 2 Gathering brings together casino and gaming professionals, vendors, and experts in the field of class II casino gaming from the traditional bingo hall experience to the slot floor. The conference will combine education paths, showcase current innovations, plus engaging events for participants.

    The education paths have a wide range of topics encompassing class II gaming including data analytics, cybersecurity, guest service, mobile on premise, and the hub and spoke model. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit the exhibitor expo, user workshops, and network during evening events. Registration and agenda information can be found at www.class2gathering.com.

    ABOUT QCI
    Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI Enterprise Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 250 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and Europe. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $35 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI’s data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Denver, and Phoenix. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at www.quickcustomintelligence.com.

    ABOUT Andrew Cardno
    Andrew Cardno is a distinguished figure in the realm of artificial intelligence and data plumbing. With over two decades spearheading private Ph.D. and master’s level research teams, his expertise has made significant waves in data tooling. Andrew’s innate ability to innovate has led him to devise numerous pioneering visualization methods. Of these, the most notable is the deep zoom image format, a groundbreaking innovation that has since become a cornerstone in the majority of today’s mapping tools. His leadership acumen has earned him two coveted Smithsonian Laureates, and teams under his mentorship have clinched 40 industry awards, including three pivotal gaming industry transformation awards. Together with Dr. Ralph Thomas, the duo co-founded Quick Custom Intelligence, amplifying their collaborative innovative capacities. A testament to his inventive prowess, Andrew boasts over 150 patent applications. Across various industries—be it telecommunications with Telstra Australia, retail with giants like Walmart and Best Buy, or the medical sector with esteemed institutions like City Of Hope and UCSD—Andrew’s impact is deeply felt. He has enriched the literature with insights, co-authoring 10 influential books with Dr. Thomas and contributing to over 100 industry publications. An advocate for community and diversity, Andrew’s work has touched over 100 Native American Tribal Resorts, underscoring his expansive and inclusive professional endeavors.

    Contact:
    Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intelligence
    Phone: 858-349-8354

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia could tax Google, Facebook and other tech giants with a digital services tax – but don’t hold your breath

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fei Gao, Lecturer in Taxation, Discipline of Accounting, Governance & Regulation, The University of Sydney, University of Sydney

    Tada Images/Shutterstock

    Tech giants like Google, Facebook and Netflix make billions of dollars from Australian users every year. But most of those profits are not taxed here.

    To address this tax gap, some countries have introduced a new kind of tax called the digital services tax, or DST. It applies to revenue earned from users in a country, even if the company has no physical operations there. Some European Union member countries, the UK and Canada have all introduced such a tax.

    In Australia, it is estimated the five largest tech giants recorded A$15 billion in revenue in Australia last year, but combined they paid only $254 million in tax.

    Australia has never contemplated imposing a similar tax. New Zealand tried but backed down last week after the United States threatened to impose higher tariffs on New Zealand goods.

    So what’s holding Australia back?

    How 20th-century tax treaties create 21st-century problems

    To understand why Australia thinks its hands are tied on the taxation of the multinational tech giants, we need to step back in time.

    About 100 years ago, Australia and other developed nations decided to tax residents on all their income earned worldwide, while non-residents were taxed only on income earned locally.

    After the second world war, Australia entered into tax treaties so foreign companies selling to Australian customers would no longer be taxed here. Instead, those companies’ home countries would tax all their profits.

    As the world moved to digital products this century, it became easy for giant multinational enterprises offering advertising on social media (such as Facebook and Instagram), advertising on search platforms (Google), and streaming services (Netflix) to provide those services from abroad. Little or no activity is conducted through local branches.

    But countries where the sales are made have increasingly questioned the wisdom of having forfeited their taxing rights over income by foreign providers.

    The rise of the digital services tax

    The obvious solution would have been to renegotiate the treaties. This would restore the right of countries like Australia to tax foreign companies’ profits made from local customers or users.

    However, treaty renegotiation is slow and complex. So several European countries, beginning with France in 2019, came up with a short-cut solution.

    They introduced a discrete new tax on sales of digital services, called digital services taxes (DSTs). While the specific design varies by country, most DSTs apply a low tax rate, typically between 3% and 5%, on revenue rather than profits. They target large digital platforms that earn money from users within the taxing country, regardless of the company’s location.

    Because DSTs are levied on revenue and are structured as separate from income tax, governments argued they could be introduced without breaching income tax treaties.

    The new taxes quickly became popular and spread widely.
    In Australia, the Greens have called for a DST, but both major parties have remained steadfast in their objection to a new tax. This is due to the concern that the US may impose retaliatory tariffs on Australian goods.

    US tech bosses at the inauguration of President Trump: (from left to right) CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, CEO of Google Sundar Pichai and X CEO Elon Musk.
    Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AFP

    How big is the tax loss?

    Australians are enthusiastic consumers of digital products. Depending on which companies are included in the calculation, the annual revenues vary between $15 billion and $26 billion a year, but only a fraction of that is taxed here.

    At a time when the federal budget is forecasting deficits for the foreseeable future, Australia is foregoing potentially millions in lost revenue from these digital giants.

    While Australia has avoided a DST as a solution to the income tax loss, it has been willing to regulate and tax foreign digital companies in other ways.
    Australia collects 10% goods and services tax, or GST, on digital services provided to Australian companies, including streaming platforms and app subscriptions.

    This helps ensure foreign providers are taxed similarly to domestic ones when it comes to the GST.

    Australia has also imposed non-tax obligations on digital giants such as the requirement that digital platforms pay Australian media outlets for using their news content.



    Read more:
    Australia’s ‘coercive’ news media rules are the latest targets of US trade ire

    Serious hurdles for reform

    In February, the Trump administration described DSTs as tools used by foreign governments to “plunder American companies” and warned retaliatory tariffs would be imposed in response.

    The accompanying White House fact sheet singled out Australia and Canada, arguing the US digital economy dwarfs those countries’ entire economies. It suggested any attempt to tax US tech companies would not go unanswered.

    Six weeks later, the US imposed a 10% tariff on most Australian exports to the US and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium exports.

    The US sees its penal tariff plans as a useful negotiating tool to pressure trading partners into retreat on a broad range of peripheral complaints, including the digital services tax.

    To date, only two countries have retreated: New Zealand and India. Other countries are standing firm.

    In Australia, the Greens have called for the adoption of a DST, but the current and previous governments remain firm in their opposition. There is concern about antagonising the US at a delicate time when our broader trade relations are under scrutiny.

    For the foreseeable future, the digital giants will continue to earn billions from Australian users. Most of those profits will remain beyond the reach of Australian tax law.

    Richard Krever receives funding from the ARC

    Fei Gao does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Australia could tax Google, Facebook and other tech giants with a digital services tax – but don’t hold your breath – https://theconversation.com/australia-could-tax-google-facebook-and-other-tech-giants-with-a-digital-services-tax-but-dont-hold-your-breath-257251

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From surprise platypus to wandering cane toads, here’s what we found hiding in NSW estuaries

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maarten De Brauwer, Senior Research Scientist in Marine and Estuarine Ecology, Southern Cross University

    Maarten De Brauwer

    Rivers up and down the north coast of New South Wales have been hammered again, just three years after devastating floods hit the Northern Rivers and Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley.

    The events of 2022 sparked our latest research into the estuaries of NSW. These special places, where the rivers meet the sea, are teeming with life. Now – for the first time – we can reveal what lives where, in maps based on tell-tale traces of DNA.

    Together with Indigenous rangers from six language groups, we surveyed 34 estuaries to capture evidence of living species – everything from microbes to fish, plants and mammals.

    We were surprised to find platypus in places they had not been seen for years. We also identified elusive native species such antechinus and rakali, and 68 invasive or pest species including cane toads – spreading further south than previously thought.

    This catalogue of species in NSW estuaries can be used by authorities and scientists – but anyone, anywhere can explore the map online.

    Mapping life in NSW estuaries (Southern Cross University)

    Estuaries are vital, yet many questions remain

    First Nations Peoples have long recognised the vital importance of the areas where land meets sea. Estuaries are have provided food resources for thousand of years and are home to important historical and contemporary cultural sites.

    Today, 87% of Australians live within 50km of the sea. This makes estuaries one of the most intensively used areas of NSW. They provide critical habitats such as seagrass or mangroves, host high biodiversity, and have a high social value as places for recreational activities such as fishing.

    Yet research into the species that live in estuaries is mostly limited to large estuaries such as Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay or Port Stephens.

    NSW has excellent water quality monitoring programs, and vital habitats such as seagrass meadows have been the subject of long-term mapping programs. However, large gaps remain.

    Understanding how biodiversity in estuaries changes over time, especially in response to extreme events, can help governments design appropriate responses to maintain or restore ecosystem health. But with nearly 200 estuaries in NSW, studying changes in biodiversity is not a simple task.

    Find out what lives in your local estuary free, online.
    Wilderlab

    Our DNA detective work

    Measuring salinity or oxygen levels in water is relatively straightforward, using equipment on the shoreline or hanging off the side of a boat. Finding out what lives where is much more difficult. This where new genetic methods come in.

    Collecting environmental DNA samples at the Clarence River estuary.
    Southern Cross University

    Life forms leave tell-tale traces of DNA in the environment. Animals may shed hair, skin or scales, as well as poo. Plants produce pollen and leaves that end up in the water.

    We matched small snippets of DNA to find the species it belonged to – a bit like scanning a barcode in the supermarket.

    This technique allows us to analyse the full extent of biodiversity in estuaries. This includes not just fish, but also species at the base of the food chain such as microscopic algae – all from a few litres of water.

    Indigenous rangers live and work on Country and know it well. We formed alliances with six groups of Indigenous rangers through the state’s Cultural Restoration Program:

    • Batemans Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council (Walbunja)
    • Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council
    • Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council
    • Jerinja Local Aboriginal Land Council
    • LaPeruse Local Aboriginal Land Council (Gamay)
    • Yaegl Wadyarr Gargle Land and Sea Contractors.

    Our research builds on the different strengths and interests of local groups. The rangers worked with us all the way through, from the design phase to selecting sampling sites of ecological or cultural significance, helping to conduct surveys and working with scientists to interpret the results.

    Trained in environmental DNA methods, rangers can monitor their Country independently in future.

    What did we find?

    We now have the largest publicly available biodiversity dataset for NSW estuaries. It covers everything from single-celled algae at the base of the food chain, to top predators such as great white sharks and white-bellied sea eagles.

    Anyone can explore the interactive map to find out what lives in the estuaries nearby or further afield.

    Rangers detected platypus in the lower reaches of Bega River, in places where they were thought to have disappeared. Totemic species such as dolphins were widespread across the state, including urban estuaries such as Botany Bay in Sydney, while mullet and bream were found shifting between the mouth and further upriver. Cane toads were found at Sandon River in the Northern Rivers region, and most recently in Coffs Harbour, much further south than expected.

    These results mean a lot to local Indigenous mobs. They can integrate contemporary scientific results into traditional ecological knowledge and use both approaches to better understand how estuaries respond to extreme weather events or activities such as habitat restoration.

    We also recently returned to sample sites following Tropical Cyclone Alfred and the extreme rainfall events in March. Being able to compare the data to a well-established baseline survey means we will be able to see which species were worst affected.

    Knowledge sharing for the future

    Two-way knowledge sharing between Indigenous knowledge holders and research scientists is improving our understanding of estuarine health.

    The results of this project will help Indigenous groups to care for their Country while also improving scientific knowledge to better respond to environmental impacts such as floods for decades to come.

    The project was a team effort. L to R: Kait Harris (NSW Departments of Primary Industries and Regional Development), Maarten De Brauwer (Southern Cross University), Shaun Laurie (Yaegl Rangers), and Amos Ferguson (Yaegl Rangers).
    Southern Cross University

    The authors wish to acknowledge this program was delivered collaboration with and on behalf of the Departments of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Fisheries & Forestry, with funding provided by the Australian and NSW governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements as part of the NSW Estuary Asset Protection program (NEAP).

    Maarten De Brauwer received funding from the federal government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (Riparian Stabilisation Package) as part of the NSW state government’s Estuary Asset Protection program. He is a board member of the Southern eDNA Society.

    Kaitlyn Harris works for NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

    Kelly Gittins works for the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

    – ref. From surprise platypus to wandering cane toads, here’s what we found hiding in NSW estuaries – https://theconversation.com/from-surprise-platypus-to-wandering-cane-toads-heres-what-we-found-hiding-in-nsw-estuaries-257123

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Safeguard Consumers’ Genetic Data After 23andMe Bankruptcy Sparks Privacy Concerns

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to introduce the Don’t Sell My DNA Act to safeguard consumers’ sensitive genetic data during corporate bankruptcy proceedings.
    The Don’t Sell My DNA Act strengthens consumer privacy protections by:
    Modernizing the Bankruptcy Code to include genetic information in the definition of “personally identifiable information”;
    Requiring written notice and affirmative consumer consent prior to the use, sale or lease of genetic information during bankruptcy proceedings; and
    Requiring the trustee or debtor in possession of genetic information to permanently delete any data not subject to a sale or lease.
    “Consumers should feel confident that any personal information shared with a public company isn’t up for grabs when that company files for bankruptcy,” Grassley said. “This bill would fill gaps in current law to help safeguard consumers’ genetic information and ensure Americans’ DNA isn’t treated like any other financial asset.”
    “Advances in DNA testing have allowed Americans to have unprecedented access to important insights about their genetics, but these companies must have a plan to protect this data in the event of bankruptcy,” Cornyn said. “By updating the bankruptcy code, this legislation would safeguard Americans’ sensitive genetic information to ensure it cannot be weaponized against them or made public without their knowledge and consent.”
    “For too long companies have profited off of Americans’ data while consumers have been left in the dark, which is especially concerning in light of reports that 23andMe plans to sell customer genetic data assets to a large pharmaceutical company,” Klobuchar said. “This bill will put new protections in place to safeguard Americans’ privacy while giving consumers greater control over how their sensitive health data is shared.”
    Audio of Grassley discussing the bill is available HERE.
    Read the full bill text HERE.
    Background:
    Recent bankruptcies of genetic testing and biotech companies – such as 23andMe – have raised concerns about the protection of consumers’ sensitive genetic data.
    Under current law, the Bankruptcy Code prohibits entities from selling off “personally identifiable information,” which prevents identity theft, financial fraud and the unauthorized use of personal information. While the current definition of “personally identifiable information” includes an individual’s name, address, email, phone number, social security number and credit card number, it does not include protections for genetic information. This legislation closes that gap.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFTER HOUSE GOP VOTED TO MAKE LARGEST CUT TO FOOD ASSISTANCE IN HISTORY – IMPACTING 150,000 IN ROCHESTER-FINGER LAKES – SCHUMER SAYS WE MUST UNITE TO SAVE SNAP; STANDING WITH ROCHESTER FAITH LEADERS,…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Says Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Be Ugly For Hardworking NY Families, Decimating Healthcare & Funding For Local Hospitals, Raising Energy Costs By Slashing $$ For Clean Energy Projects Across NY & Raising Costs For Counties Across The Board By Shifting The Costs For Vital Programs Like SNAP & Medicaid
    Already 24 Truckloads Of Produce For Foodlink’s 350+ Rochester-Area Food Pantries Have Been Canceled Due To Trump’s Cruel USDA Cuts & Now With GOP Voting To Make Largest SNAP Cut In History; Senator, With Church Leaders & Advocates, Says Double Whammy Could Hurtle Rochester-Finger Lakes To A Hunger Crisis
    Schumer: No Child In Rochester Should Go To Bed Hungry
    After House Republicans just last week voted to pass the largest cut to the anti-hunger program SNAP in American history, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today stood with Rochester-Finger Lakes religious leaders, food banks, and farmers on the frontlines of the local fight against hunger to show the devastating local impacts the massive proposed $300 billion SNAP cut to fund Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires. Over 150,000 kids, seniors and families in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region rely on these anti-hunger programs for food, and Schumer joined with church leaders to detail exactly why these new cuts would be so harmful, and demand that the GOP stop this devastating assault that could hurtle Rochester and millions of others across America to a hunger crisis.
    “Last week, in the dark of night, House Republicans rushed to pass their so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ in the hopes that their massive cuts to American families would go unnoticed. We are here to ensure that doesn’t happen, and shine a light on how the largest cut to food assistance in history could hurtle 150,000 kids, seniors, and families into a hunger crisis,” said Senator Schumer. “Trump already canceled 24 truckloads of U.S. farm-grown food headed to hungry families in Rochester, and these cuts would be a double whammy. This is not a partisan issue, it is a moral issue. I’m here with our food banks, faith leaders, and farmers on the frontlines to stand up to protect these programs and stop this cruel cut to SNAP. Stealing from anti-hunger programs that feed Rochester families to pay for Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires is as backwards as it gets. There is nothing beautiful about cutting SNAP so children go hungry and can’t learn or have productive lives. Senate Democrats are united in opposing this cruel bill, and we are united with the people to demand the GOP block these SNAP cuts. Otherwise, it will be families here in Rochester that go hungry.”
    “How we care for those on the margins speaks volumes about who we are as a people,” said Pastor Doug Stewart of The Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word. “Many of our religious traditions have engrained in their DNA the call to care for the dignity and well-being of those on the margins – values that should compel us to stand against policies that sacrifice the poor on the altar of tax breaks and corporate privilege. In a nation with abundant resources, the persistence of hunger is a moral failing—a call to action for all who believe in equity and the common good.  When dinner and grocery programs like those at Incarnate Word are pushed to their limits, we see the sharp painful consequences of such policies. I am grateful for the work of Senator Schumer and other community leaders in their tireless efforts of drawing attention to how drastic cuts in anti-hunger programs could lead to a full-blown hunger crisis that harms the most vulnerable. I’m proud to stand beside Senator Schumer today.”
    Schumer explained how Trump’s USDA has already cruelly canceled $1 billion in food assistance including 24 truckloads of food locally, right as demand is surging. Schumer said if these SNAP cuts became law, it would be a double whammy. Rochester’s Foodlink and its network of 350+ Food Pantries across the 10-county Rochester Finger Lakes region last year alone recorded 1.8 million requests for food assistance (a 36% increase from the prior year), and if these SNAP cuts move forward they say it would be devastating.
    The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY seniors, veterans and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Schumer said that we should be investing more not less in anti-hunger programs, but under the Republican proposal, the average family would be reduced to just $5.00 per day per person. A breakdown of SNAP recipients in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region from the Center for American Progress can be found below:

    County

    SNAP Recipients

    % of County on SNAP

    SNAP Retailers

    Genesee

    4,785

    8.3%

    52

    Livingston

    5,731

    9.3%

    45

    Monroe

    109,665

    14.6%

    611

    Ontario

    9,350

    8.3%

    82

    Orleans

    5,350

    13.6%

    32

    Seneca

    3,647

    11.2%

    36

    Wayne

    8,539

    9.4%

    79

    Wyoming

    2,513

    6.4%

    33

    Yates

    2,080

    8.5%

    23

    TOTAL

    151,660

     

    993

    Last week, House Republicans passed a bill that would rip $300 billion away from SNAP. This proposal would impact Rochester-Finger Lakes residents in many ways, including the addition of a work requirement which would raise the age to access SNAP benefits from age 55 to age 64 and only exempt SNAP recipients from work requirements if they have someone younger than 7 years old in their household, down from the current exemption for all families with children under 18 years old.
    Schumer said, “I’m all for reducing any waste or fraud to make the program more efficient, but rushing to pass these massive damaging cuts with no plan while they slash our food banks is a recipe for disaster. Republicans are tying themselves in knots trying to justify these massive cuts. I ask my Republican friends this: which category does a hungry 7 year old fall under: are they waste? Are they fraud? Or are they abuse?”
    Schumer explained the Republican proposal to cut $300 billion from SNAP would inevitably mean costs of feeding families shift to states, who simply do not have the capacity to absorb this massive increase in expenses, risking families going hungry. Under this Republican proposal, states would be required to pay 5 – 25% of their state’s SNAP benefits based on the state’s error rate. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), mandating New York State to cover even a modest share of SNAP benefits would shift astronomical costs to the state, with even just 5% increasing New York State’s costs by nearly $3.5 billion from FY2026 to FY2034. The senator said it is impossible to cut this much from federal SNAP funding without ripping food away from hungry children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more. These figures represent just the costs from SNAP cuts and do not factor in additional costs states would have to bear if Republicans pass their proposed Medicaid cuts in this same bill.
    These agonizing decisions would be amplified even further at the local level, with non-profits, many of whom have already had their funding cut, unable to fill in the gap. Counties could even be forced to shoulder the burden of increased costs in SNAP, using more local dollars to provide coverage because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient federal funding.
    The proposed SNAP cuts would be a blow to Rochester-Finger Lakes food banks which have already been hit hard by Trump’s funding freezes and canceled payments. Earlier this year, the USDA canceled $1 billion in food assistance for organizations to purchase locally grown food. USDA programs provide food banks, schools, and other organizations with federal support to purchase local food products from NY farms.
    Trump’s USDA cuts have already hit the Rochester-Finger Lakes region hard. Rochester’s Foodlink has already been forced to cancel 24 truckloads of U.S. farm grown food worth approximately $1 million. Meanwhile, food insecurity is affecting more families across the region, with Foodlink seeing a 40% increase in visits to network food pantries and meal programs from 2023 to 2024.  
    Schumer said these proposed cuts will limit food banks’ ability to keep shelves stocked as more people have been forced to rely on food banks to feed their families. Food bank workers and religious leaders across Upstate New York are concerned about the impact of potential cuts to SNAP on the people they serve, and farmers are worried there will be nowhere to sell their food if SNAP funding levels drop.
    “The devasting SNAP cuts proposed in the House bill will take away billions of meals for some of our nation’s most vulnerable residents — and impact the health of our seniors, educational opportunities for our youth and the economic prosperity of our country,” said Julia Tedesco, president & CEO of Foodlink. “At a time when food-insecurity rates are high and visits to local food pantries spiked 40% last year, Foodlink and our partners simply cannot fill the gap with a SNAP reduction of this magnitude. We call on Congress to oppose these cuts to ensure the health and wellbeing of our neighbors during these challenging times.”
    Jay Formicola, Rochester resident who relies on SNAP said, “I receive SNAP benefits and they are a lifeline for me and thousands of people just like me across this region. We all know that prices in the grocery store are high. Inflation has made it harder and harder for me to makes ends meet. I work. I budget. I meal plan. And it’s still hard. Any plan that takes away food from working people like me, or families dealing with soaring cost of living, makes no sense. This will create worse and more costly problems.”
    “We serve 500 households every week and see firsthand how food insecurity impacts Rochester families – from a mom unsure she’ll have enough food for her children during weekends, to seniors and working parents lining up in the cold and snow hours before our pantry doors even open,” said Dawn Burdick, Executive Director of Rochester Hope North Clinton Food Pantry, based on the campus of St. Michael’s. “Our families rely on the nearly 20,000 pounds of food we receive through Foodlink’s network every week, and fresh, locally grown produce is always most in demand. The USDA funding freeze has already made it harder for us to keep our shelves stocked and supply healthy options for our neighbors. Any future cuts to SNAP will surely have an even more wide-ranging impact – not only making it tougher for families to put food on the table, but also straining our ability to keep up with the growing need. In a region as rich in resources as ours, it’s disheartening to see these threats to vital food programs increase the stress and insecurity faced by our community and the volunteers who work so tirelessly to help.”
    Reverend Tedd Pullano, Third Presbyterian Church Associate Pastor for Outreach said, “Third Presbyterian Church has chosen to be a “Matthew 25 congregation”, which means we follow Jesus’ call to care for all people, whoever they are. A big piece to following Jesus’ call is to “welcome and feed the hungry”. Every week, through our free Food Cupboard and our Saturday meal, we serve over 200 people (approximately 600 per month). Our Food Cupboard is in a “self-service shopping format” that allows people to choose items that best meet their needs family. A critically important and popular aspect of our ministry is providing fresh dairy and produce through Foodlink to these families, so their children can grow up healthy and strong, mentally and physically. The recent USDA funding elimination freeze is detrimental to that effort and dangerous to people; now the proposal to cut SNAP funding would further damage families and hamper these beautiful people’s ability to survive. SNAP is the backbone of food security for so many in our community. We’re grateful, and proud, to stand in our faith, alongside Senator Schumer and push to protect this important SNAP funding – and care for people who are working hard and trying to make ends meet.”
    Sister Beth LeValley with the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Rochester said, “Yesterday, on Memorial Day we remembered those who gave their lives so that America and its ideals would endure.  Just the loss of SNAP benefits alone would impact 11 million people including an estimated 4 million children.  We should be ashamed to support, much less pass, legislation that penalizes the vulnerable at the same time that it compensates the wealthy.  Penalizing the vulnerable and compensating the wealthy are not ideals held by people of faith; they are not ideals held by people of conscience; nor are they ideals embedded in our founding American documents.  We are grateful Senator Schumer is here today joining with us to change the course of an ill-devised exercise of power –an exercise of power that benefits only a segment of our society.   We welcome his support and urge more lawmakers to follow his lead.
    Proposed rollbacks to the country’s most widely utilized nutrition assistance program would strain budgets for Rochester-Finger Lakes families. Schumer said decimating funding for SNAP right as costs at grocery stores across the country are skyrocketing will hit the Rochester-Finger Lakes region hard. According to the New York State Community Action Association, more than 15% of people in Monroe County live in poverty, including nearly 24% of children. According to No Kid Hungry, over half of New Yorkers reported going into debt in the past year due to rising food costs, with over 60% of families with children. According to the latest “Map the Meal Gap” report from Feeding America, nearly 10,000 more people experienced food insecurity in 2023 compared to 2022 within Foodlink’s 10-county Rochester Finger Lakes region service area. Approximately 160,920 residents experienced food insecurity in 2023, compared to 151,820 the year prior. Between 2021 and 2023, the region’s food insecurity rate rose from 9.3% to 12% to 12.8% which is the highest rate since 2013, and child food insecurity averaged 17.6%.
    SNAP not only supplements families’ food budgets, it has also generated great economic benefits for New York State and NY-25 specifically. According to the National Grocers Association, grocery stores across New York State sold over $2.1 billion in groceries to people using SNAP benefits, including $149.8 million in NY-25. This created more than 18,500 New York jobs in the grocery industry, including 1,319 in NY-25, and generated more than $820.8 million in grocery industry wages, including $58.3 million in NY-25.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFTER HOUSE GOP VOTED TO MAKE LARGEST CUT TO FOOD ASSISTANCE IN HISTORY – IMPACTING 108,000 IN CENTRAL NY – SCHUMER WITH SYRACUSE-CNY FAITH LEADERS IN OSWEGO COUNTY WHICH HAS AMONG HIGHEST FOOD…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Says Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Be Ugly For Hardworking NY Families, Decimating Healthcare & Funding For Local Hospitals, Raising Energy Costs By Slashing $$ For Clean Energy Projects Across NY & Raising Costs For Counties Across The Board By Shifting The Costs For Vital Programs Like SNAP & Medicaid
    Already The Foodbank of CNY Is Preparing To Lose ~2 Million Pounds Of Food Due To Trump’s Cruel USDA Cuts & Now With GOP Voting To Make Largest SNAP Cut In History; Senator, With Syracuse Church Leaders & Advocates, Says Double Whammy Could Hurtle Central NY & Oswego County Which Has Highest Food Insecurity In All NYS Into To A Hunger Crisis
    Schumer: No Child In Central NY Deserves To Go To Bed Hungry
    After House Republicans just last week voted to pass the largest cut to the anti-hunger program SNAP in American history, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer stood in Central New York’s hunger hotspot, Oswego County, which has one of the top 5 highest rates of food insecurity in all of NY, with religious leaders, food banks, and farmers on the frontlines of the local fight against hunger to show the devastating local impacts the massive proposed $300 billion SNAP cut to fund Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires. Over 108,000 in Central NY rely on these anti-hunger programs for food, and Schumer joined with church leaders to detail exactly why these new cuts would be so harmful, and demand that the GOP stop this devastating assault that could hurtle Rochester and millions of others across America to a hunger crisis.
    “Last week, in the dark of night, House Republicans rushed to pass their so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ in the hopes that their massive cuts to American families would go unnoticed. We are here in Oswego County which has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in New York to ensure that doesn’t happen. We are here to shine a light on how the largest cut to food assistance in history could hurtle 108,000 Central New York kids, seniors, and families into a hunger crisis,” said Senator Schumer. “Trump already canceled more than a million pounds of U.S. farm-grown food headed to hungry families in Central New York, and these cuts would be a double whammy. This is not a partisan issue, it is a moral issue. I’m here with our food banks, faith leaders, and farmers on the frontlines to stand up to protect these programs and stop this cruel cut to SNAP. Stealing from anti-hunger programs that feed Central New York families to pay for Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires is as backwards as it gets. There is nothing beautiful about cutting SNAP so children go hungry and can’t learn or have productive lives. Senate Democrats are united in opposing this cruel bill, and we are united with the people to demand the GOP block these SNAP cuts. Otherwise, it will be families here in Central New York that go hungry.”
    Schumer explained how Trump’s USDA has already cruelly canceled $1 billion in food assistance, and his FEMA has indefinitely frozen over $130 million in previously allocated funds, hurting every level of food distribution from regional food banks like the Food Bank of CNY to local food pantries like Catholic Charities Oswego Food Pantry. If these SNAP cuts move forward it would be a triple whammy for Central NY, hurtling the region’s ongoing hunger crisis to unforeseen levels. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY seniors, veterans and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Schumer said that we should be investing more not less in anti-hunger programs, but under the Republican proposal, the average family would be reduced to just $5.00 per day per person. A breakdown of SNAP recipients in Central New York from the Center for American Progress can be found below:

    County

    SNAP Recipients

    % of County on SNAP

    SNAP Retailers

    Cayuga

    9,215

    12.3%

    57

    Cortland

    5,933

    12.9%

    52

    Madison

    6,585

    9.8%

    68

    Onondaga

    68,796

    14.6%

    455

    Oswego

    18,184

    15.4%

    109

    TOTAL

    108,713

     

    741

    Last week, House Republicans passed a bill that would rip $300 billion away from SNAP. This proposal would impact Central New York residents in many ways, including the addition of a work requirement which would raise the age to access SNAP benefits from age 55 to age 64 and only exempt SNAP recipients from work requirements if they have someone younger than 7 years old in their household, down from the current exemption for all families with children under 18 years old.
    Schumer said, “I’m all for reducing any waste or fraud to make the program more efficient, but rushing to pass these massive damaging cuts with no plan while they slash our food banks is a recipe for disaster. Republicans are tying themselves in knots trying to justify these massive cuts. I ask my Republican friends this: which category does a hungry 7 year old fall under: are they waste? Are they fraud? Or are they abuse?”
    Schumer explained the Republican proposal to cut $300 billion from SNAP would inevitably mean costs of feeding families shift to states, who simply do not have the capacity to absorb this massive increase in expenses, risking families going hungry. Under this Republican proposal, states would be required to pay 5 – 25% of their state’s SNAP benefits based on the state’s error rate. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), mandating New York State to cover even a modest share of SNAP benefits would shift astronomical costs to the state, with even just 5% increasing New York State’s costs by nearly $3.5 billion from FY2026 to FY2034. The senator said it is impossible to cut this much from federal SNAP funding without ripping food away from hungry children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more.
    These agonizing decisions would be amplified even further at the local level, with non-profits, many of whom have already had their funding cut, unable to fill in the gap. Counties could even be forced to shoulder the burden of increased costs in SNAP, using more local dollars to provide coverage because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient federal funding.
    According to CBPP, 20,000 people in NY-22 and 14,000 people in NY-24 reside in households with adults ages 18-64 with school-age children and would likely lose SNAP benefits under this Republican proposal, and Schumer said that is only the tip of the iceberg.
    The proposed SNAP cuts would be a blow to Central New York food banks which have already been hit hard by Trump’s funding freezes and canceled payments. Earlier this year, the USDA canceled $1 billion in food assistance for organizations to purchase locally grown food. USDA programs provide food banks, schools, and other organizations with federal support to purchase local food products from NY farms. At FEMA, $130 million in previously allocated funding for the Emergency and Food and Shelter Program has been indefinitely frozen since January. The program helps local nonprofit organizations provide food and shelter individuals and families who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, hunger or homelessness.
    Trump’s USDA and FEMA cuts have already hit Central New York hard. At the Food Bank of CNY, which delivered over 22.9 million pounds of food and over 19 million meals to families across 11 Upstate NY counties in 2024, USDA cuts have already caused a loss of over $450,000 and may cause additional losses of up to $1 million per year, translating to an estimated 500,000 pounds of food and 100,000 meals annually. At Catholic Charities of Oswego County, which served 2,213 adults, 1,368 children, and 360 seniors in 2024, FEMA cuts will slash as much as $14,000 from their food pantry in Fulton, forcing them to cut back on hundreds if not thousands of meals each year. Elsewhere in Oswego County, USDA cuts jeopardize food security for the 10,000 people served by Oswego County Opportunities last year, including 150 people suffering from intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental illnesses, chemical addiction, or homelessness, and more than 50 families with pre- / post-partem women and infant children. In Onondaga County, USDA cuts have meant less food available, unhealthier options, and increased competition. At the Interfaith Community Collective food pantry in Syracuse, USDA cuts have already forced pantry staff to reduce the amount of meals served, shorten meal service time, and even turn people away hungry. At New Americans Blessing Box, USDA cuts have made it more difficult to find fresh foods like vegetables, fruits, and meats, as well as culturally targeted foods like Halal chicken, jasmine rice, and spices.
    Schumer said these proposed cuts will limit food banks’ ability to keep shelves stocked as more people have been forced to rely on food banks to feed their families. Food bank workers and religious leaders across Upstate New York are concerned about the impact of potential cuts to SNAP on the people they serve, and farmers are worried there will be nowhere to sell their food if SNAP funding levels drop.
    “No matter which way you slice it, this Congressional Republican plan will screw Central New York families, food banks and farmers from farm to table. We need everyone to stand up to these cuts that would take away food from our neighbors in need,” added Schumer.
    Murray Gould, Food Pantry Director, St. Lucy’s Church of Syracuse, “We at St. Lucy’s Church are grateful for the efforts of Senator Schumer for highlighting this critical issue. We have seen a 40% increase in people seeking our assistance at our pantry in the last nine months. We do know that approximately 75% of our clients receive snap benefits. The proposed reduction in snap as well as the devastating decrease in funding to the food. SNAP cuts will be creating more hunger in our communities. As a faith based community in our neighborhood, these proposed changes can only be described as cruel.”
    Maura Ackerman, Executive Director of the Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance, said, “SNAP is one of the most powerful tools we have to fight hunger and poverty, especially for families with children. In a city like Syracuse – with the highest child poverty rate among U.S. cities with populations over 100,000 – that support is not just meaningful, it’s essential. Every SNAP dollar feeds a neighbor and strengthens our local economy, generating nearly twice its value in economic activity. This is about investing in our kids, our communities, and our collective future. We can’t let politics stand in the way of basic human needs. We’re grateful to Senator Schumer for championing this commonsense, bipartisan priority. Making sure children have enough to eat should never be up for debate.”
    Brian Reeves, Owner, Reeves Farm said, “Cuts to food assistance programs have several negative impacts to our communities; fewer people receive adequate nutrition, farmers sell less of their production, and any excess unsold production can over supply the marketplace and drive down the price the farmer receives for the food which does get sold. On behalf of farmers across New York, I would like to thank Senator Schumer for fighting to ensure that critical SNAP dollars keep flowing to help farms like mine continue providing fresh, nutritious, locally grown food to the members of our community who need it the most.”
    Sheila Dion, Founder & Director, Erin’s Angels of CNY said, “Hunger is not a political issue, it is a human issue. Cutting SNAP benefits is not just a budget decision—it’s a moral decision. Oswego County is often cited among the New York Counties with the highest rates of child food insecurity. According to Feeding America, seventy six percent of the families in Oswego County are income eligible for federal nutrition programs. Every day, we see firsthand the impact hunger has on children in our community. These proposed cuts would leave thousands of kids without the nutrition they need to grow, learn, and thrive. At Erin’s Angels, we fill the weekend gap, but SNAP is the lifeline that helps families feed their children the rest of the week. Undermining this program would deepen food insecurity across the country—and hurt the most vulnerable among us. We would like to thank Senator Chuck Schumer for helping to raise awareness of this very important issue and for advocating for the hungry in New York State and in Oswego County. By denouncing SNAP cuts, highlighting the negative effects these cuts will have on millions of New York residents, calling for a coalition to oppose these devastating cuts, demanding action from New York state republicans to oppose these cuts and protect SNAP, securing funding for food banks, advocating for farmers and visiting food banks across the state he has consistently demonstrated his commitment to addressing hunger and supporting those facing food insecurity in New York State.”
    Roseann Bayne, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, CiTi BOCES said, “Cuts to SNAP will deepen the crisis of food insecurity in Oswego County—already among the highest in New York State. Over 26% of adults here are food insecure, and nearly one in four school-age children live in poverty—well above state and national averages. Even small cuts in benefits could push many from low food security into true hunger, especially seniors surviving on below-average Social Security and limited retirement income. And our students? Many arrive at school undernourished, disadvantaged before the day even begins—struggling at times to focus, learn, or thrive. SNAP isn’t about handouts; it’s a lifeline for families, seniors, and individuals doing their best to get by. Many folks here work full-time and still earn far less than the ALICE survival budget. Opinions and misinformed judgment don’t feed people. Policy rooted in compassion and facts does. On behalf of CiTi BOCES, I thank Senator Schumer for coming to Oswego County to advocate for the critical SNAP funds that our community depends on.”
    Peter O. Nwosu, President, SUNY Oswego said, “At SUNY Oswego, we recognize that students cannot achieve academic success while facing food insecurity. That’s why, through our Empire State Service Corps, we’ve established a dedicated team of students who provide peer-to-peer support to help their classmates apply for SNAP benefits. This work reduces barriers and empowers students to focus on their education without the burden of basic needs insecurity. We are committed to sustaining this and other vital services to help our students succeed. We are grateful to Senator Schumer for his ongoing advocacy to expand and protect SNAP access for college students. His continued leadership is instrumental in ensuring that higher education remains accessible and equitable for all.”
    Josh Stephani, Director, Adirondack Food System Network said, “Federal cuts to SNAP have disastrous implications the communities across the Adirondacks, our most vulnerable individuals, and further threaten our food system. Nearly one third of our population is supported by SNAP – children, seniors, and many families are supported through this important program. Alongside rising costs for transportation, housing, and living in the region, many families are already struggling to provide for their families without enough resources. These vital programs work to support our economy and provide for our families in need. Specifically, by cutting SNAP, we are placing further economic hardships on our North Country communities, reducing the $300 million economic benefit of this program into our Adirondack region and putting the health of our neighbors at risk. For the communities who call this place home, these programs are a vital lifeline for their moments of need. On behalf of the Adirondack Food System Network, we thank Senator Schumer for his continued advocacy for these critical and lifesaving programs for our communities, New Yorkers, and the entire country. The Adirondacks are often seen as the last mile for essential services, and we are proud to have the Senator as an advocate for the North Country advocating on our behalf.”
    Proposed rollbacks to the country’s most widely utilized nutrition assistance program would strain budgets for Central New York families. Schumer said decimating funding for SNAP right as costs at grocery stores across the country are skyrocketing will hit Central New York hard. According to the New York State Community Action Association, more than 17% of people in Oswego County live in poverty, including nearly 25% of children. According to No Kid Hungry, over half of New Yorkers reported going into debt in the past year due to rising food costs, with over 60% of families with children. In Oswego County, more than 26% of adults self-report as food insecure per the NYS Department of Health, and over 20% of children are food insecure according to Feeding America. With 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children suffering from food insecurity, Oswego County food insecurity is the highest of any county in Central New York.
    SNAP not only supplements families’ food budgets, it has also generated great economic benefits for New York State and NY-24 specifically. According to the National Grocers Association, grocery stores across New York State sold over $2.1 billion in groceries to people using SNAP benefits, including $103.3 million in NY-24. This created more than 18,500 New York jobs in the grocery industry, including 910 in NY-24, and generated more than $820.8 million in grocery industry wages, including $40.2 million in NY-24.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Department of State Press Briefing – May 27, 2025

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Spokesperson Tammy Bruce leads the Department Press Briefing at the Department of State, on May 27, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
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    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
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    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0aSXaDAGow

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington State Urges Court to Uphold Orders Blocking Trump Administration’s Attack on USRAP Refugees

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – Attorney General Nick Brown today joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Pacito v. Trump, supporting a challenge to Executive Order 14163, which indefinitely suspended the entry of refugees through the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program (USRAP) and effectively dismantled USRAP’s infrastructure by terminating agreements and funding for resettlement agencies.

    “Washington has a long history of welcoming refugees and won’t be dissuaded by the president’s illegal executive order,” Attorney General Nick Brown said. “We’re proud to file this amicus brief in support of those in need. Every community is made stronger by their presence.”

    The attorneys general argue that the President’s Executive Order is unlawful because it ignores the Immigration and Nationality Act, which stipulates that in order to suspend the entry of a specific class of people, there must be a finding that those individuals are detrimental to the national interest. The President’s Order includes no findings specific to USRAP refugees, who are legally admitted to the country, authorized to work, and have undergone rigorous vetting. 

    The attorneys general also claim that the President’s Order is illegal because cutting off federal funding for resettlement organizations directly impedes those agencies’ ability to fulfill their statutorily mandated requirement to meet the basic needs of refugees. Notably, the President’s Order undercuts Congressional intent to ensure newly arrived refugees can become economically self-sufficient and successfully integrate into communities where they live. The attorneys general assert the Executive Order has caused enormous public harm for refugees already living in states across the country. 

    Additionally, the attorneys general refute the President’s claim that USRAP refugees are a “burden” and instead contend that such individuals are a benefit to their states. In fact, the attorneys general argue that their states have made active decisions to welcome refugees, who, between 2005 and 2019, contributed $124 billion more to the federal government than they consumed in public services and $92.3 billion more to state and local governments.  

    In their brief, the attorneys general assert that lower courts were correct in issuing two preliminary injunctions against the President’s unlawful Order and ask the Court to uphold those injunctions, which prevent the Administration from enforcing and implementing the Order.

    Attorney General Brown and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell led the amicus brief. The attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin joined the brief.

    The brief is available here.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” Starts Exchange And Cash Tender Offer For Notes ISIN LT0000405938

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA), CANADA, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN, OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. OTHER RESTRICTIONS ARE APPLICABLE. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE IN THIS STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE BELOW.

    • Under the Exchange offer, the Noteholders of Notes ISIN LT0000405938 (EUR 2021/2025 Notes) may exchange the EUR 2021/2025 Notes to new senior unsecured Notes ISIN LT0000134439 (EUR 2025/2027 Notes) to be issued at an exchange ratio of 1 to 1. These EUR 2025/2027 Notes will carry an annual interest rate of 8.0% and be issued under Final Terms and Base Prospectus approved on 27 May 2025.
    • Investors participating in the Exchange offer will receive unpaid accrued interest in cash from 14 December 2024 until 13 June 2025 (including) to be paid on 16 June 2025.
    • Under Cash Tender offer the Noteholders of EUR 2021/2025 Notes may receive a cash payment of 99 per cent of Denomination per each EUR 2021/2025 Note tendered on 13 June 2025, plus unpaid accrued interest in cash from 14 December 2024 until 13 June 2025 (including) to be paid on 16 June 2025.
    • The Exchange offer period for Noteholders of EUR 2021/2025 Notes will run from 28 May 2025 to 11 June 2025, 2:30 pm CEST/3:30 pm Vilnius time.
    • Cash Tender offer period for Noteholders of EUR 2021/2025 Notes will run from 28 May 2025 to 12 June 2025, 2:30 pm CEST/3:30 pm Vilnius time.

    Closed – End Investment Company Intended for Informed Investors UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” has launched its public offering of EUR 2025/2027 Notes and an offer to exchange its EUR 2021/2025 Notes for new EUR 2025/2027 Notes, or alternatively, to tender the EUR 2021/2025 Notes (Denomination of EUR 100,000 and integral multiples of EUR 1,000) for a cash payment of EUR 99.00 per Denomination. The objective is to refinance the EUR 2021/2025 Notes and issue new EUR 2025/2027 Notes in an amount up to EUR 65 million.
    Manager of Closed – End Investment Company Intended for Informed Investors UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos”: “With the exchange offer, we are offering existing EUR 2021/2025 Notes investors a possibility to conveniently switch their investment maturing on December 2025 to the newly issued debt securities. As to the cash offer, since after the sale of Polish PV portfolio at the end of 2024 the company has collected excess cash proceeds, it was decided to provide an additional liquidity opportunity for existing investors to tender their notes to the Issuer. The company has allocated up to EUR 10 million for the tender offer which can be increased up to EUR 30 million subject to demand of new EUR 2025/2027 Notes.”
    Closed – End Investment Company Intended for Informed Investors UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” has appointed FMĮ UAB Orion Securities to act as the Lead Manager to UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” in Exchange and Cash Tender offer for EUR 2021/2025 Notes.

    EXCHANGE AND CASH OFFER
    Noteholders of the EUR 2021/2025 Notes (ISIN LT0000405938) are invited to:

    • Exchange their existing EUR 2021/2025 Notes (ISIN LT0000405938) at a 1:1 ratio for new senior unsecured EUR 2025/2027 Notes (ISIN LT0000134439) with a denomination of EUR 100,000 and integral multiples of EUR 1,000, carrying an annual interest rate of 8.0% to be issued under Final Terms and Base Prospectus approved on 27 May 2025.
    • In case there is an oversubscription of EUR 2025/2027 Notes the investors shall be satisfied and the number of EUR 2025/2027 Notes to be allocated to each investor shall be determined upon the discretion of the Issuer.

    Alternatively, the Noteholders of the EUR 2021/2025 Notes (ISIN LT0000405938) may:

    • Tender their existing EUR 2021/2025 Notes (ISIN LT0000405938) for cash payment of 99 per cent of Denomination per each EUR 2021/2025 Note tendered to be paid on 13 June 2025, plus accrued and unpaid interest from 14 December 2024 until 13 June 2025 (including) to be paid on 16 June 2025.
    • Cash offer is of minimum EUR 10 million; cash offer maximum amount of EUR 30 million is subject to demand of new EUR 2025/2027 Notes.

    The existing EUR 2021/2025 Notes not exchanged or tendered will remain outstanding and be redeemed at maturity.

    INFORMATION ON OFFERING PROCESS
    All noteholders will be notified of the offer through their depository banks. Upon instructing their custodian to participate—either by exchanging notes or tendering for cash—the respective EUR 2021/2025 Notes will be restricted from trading. Notes not instructed for participation will remain freely tradable.
    Exchange Offer Period: 28 May 2025 – 11 June 2025, closing at 2:30 pm CEST / 3:30 pm Vilnius time.
    Results Announcement: On or around 13 June 2025.

    NEW EUR 2025/2027 NOTES

    Closed – End Investment Company Intended for Informed Investors UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” intends to issue new EUR 2025/2027 Notes in an amount of EUR 65 million with the following features:

    • Interest rate of 8.0% per annum.
    • Maturity of 2,5 years.
    • Terms and conditions: Final Terms and Base Prospectus. Documents are available at: https://lordslb.lt/AEI_green_bonds_2025/.
    • Listing on Nasdaq Vilnius Stock Exchange (Regulated Market).
    • Distribution period: from 28 May 2025 to 11 June 2025, 2:30 pm CEST/3:30 pm Vilnius time.

    INVESTOR PRESENTATIONS
    Manager of Closed – End Investment Company Intended for Informed Investors UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” Mantas Auruškevičius will present the offer via webcast/conference call:

    • English-language session: 4 June 2025 at 13:00 CEST / 14:00 Vilnius time. Please register in advance to attend:

    https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d32cZE8xSqyFs8tcMpwLqA#/registration

    • Lithuanian-language session: 5 June 2025 at 9:00 CEST / 10:00 Vilnius time. Please register in advance to attend:

    https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wxUoUAWzQ9244uO9HlNX-g#/registration

    CONTACT INFORMATION

    For questions about the Exchange offer, please contact Orion Securities via email: corporateaction@orion.lt, phone: +37068758168.
    Further details and required documents are available at: https://lordslb.lt/AEI_green_bonds_2025/

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION
    The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa or any other countries or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, the notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this announcement may come are required to inform themselves of and observe all such restrictions.
    This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America. The notes have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States of America and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States of America or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined under Regulation S under the Securities Act) except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
    This announcement does not constitute an offer of notes to the public in the United Kingdom. No prospectus has been or will be approved in the United Kingdom in respect of the notes. Accordingly, this announcement is not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of this announcement as a financial promotion may only be distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons in (i), (ii) and (iii) above together being referred to as “Relevant Persons”). Any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this announcement or any of its contents.

    Mantas Auruškevičius
    Manager of Closed – End Investment Company Intended for Informed Investors
    UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos”
    mantas.auruskevicius@lordslb.lt

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Highway 1 bus lane construction begins between McKenzie, Colwood interchanges

    Major construction is underway on the Highway 1 bus-on-shoulder project, which will improve transit for people travelling between downtown Victoria and the Westshore.

    The new bus lanes will stretch from the McKenzie Interchange to the Colwood Interchange on Highway 1, making the bus a faster, more reliable and convenient option for commuters on southern Vancouver Island.

    Drivers should expect daytime lane shifts on Highway 1 during construction and are reminded to follow posted speed limits. The Burnside Road on-ramp and the Helmcken overpass will close overnight between 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. as needed. The Galloping Goose Trail may have short-term closures of as long as 15 minutes between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Highway closures will be updated on DriveBC. Trail closures will be marked with signs on site and posted on the project website.

    The Highway 1 bus-on-shoulder project will reduce congestion by prioritizing rapid transit, and is a key part of the South Island Transportation Strategy to create a dedicated rapid transit corridor between downtown Victoria and the Westshore as part of BC Transit’s RapidBus program.

    The project also includes a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge on the Galloping Goose Trail at Craigflower Creek to enhance active transportation in the area. Additional improvements include ecological restoration, upgraded bus stops at the Helmcken Interchange, realignments to Portage Road, widened ramps and new roadside barriers.

    This work complements the Colquitz Bridges Widening project, which is well underway and supports BC Transit’s upgrades in the Six Mile area of View Royal, improving connections between communities and creating a continuous, rapid-transit corridor. The project is expected to be completed in late fall 2027 and will provide a continuous system of transit-only lanes between downtown Victoria and the Colwood transit exchange.

    The bus-on-shoulder project is jointly funded, with the Province contributing $67 million and the federal government investing $28 million through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about the Highway 1 bus-on-shoulder project, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/hwy1busonshoulder

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal Hosts Infrastructure Roundtable Discussion in Ventura

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    On May 23, Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) hosted an infrastructure roundtable discussion in Ventura. The discussion focused on Ventura’s priorities for highway, transit, and rail infrastructure as Congress prepares to update the Surface Transportation bill. As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Congressman is working to ensure the Central Coast receives its fair share of federal infrastructure funding. Download photos here.

    “One of the best investments we can make in Ventura County’s future is upgrading our physical infrastructure,” said Rep. Carbajal, a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “As Congress prepares to update the Surface Transportation bill, I met with local leaders to hear what Ventura needs from the federal government to advance its critical infrastructure projects.”

    Carbajal was joined by Ojai City Councilwoman, Ojai Mayor Pro-Tem, Vice Chair of the Board for Gold Coast Transit District, and Commissioner for Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) Rachel Lang, VCTC Executive Director Martin Erickson, Ventura County Transportation Commissioner Jim White, Director of Ventura County Public Works Agency Gregg R. Strakaluse, and City Engineer for City of Ventura Peter Sheydayi.

    The regular reauthorization of our nation’s surface transportation programs is vital to national and economic security. Multi-year reauthorizations provide states with the long-term certainty they need to plan and execute many important surface transportation infrastructure projects. 

    The most recent surface transportation reauthorization was included in the much broader Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA); it expires on September 30, 2026.

    One of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s main priorities for the 119th Congress is passing the next bipartisan, multi-year surface transportation reauthorization before the current law expires.

    In January 2025, the Committee began holding hearings to examine different aspects of our highway, transit, and rail transportation programs and ensure that Committee Members gather information in preparation for the development of this legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawler, Castro, Salazar, and Cherfilus-McCormick Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen U.S.-Caribbean Relations

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 5/27/25… Last week, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Ranking Member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, introduced the Strengthening US-Caribbean Partnership Act. 

    This bipartisan bill would improve the relationship between the United States and the Caribbean by designating the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as an international organization with diplomatic privileges and immunities consistent with the International Organization Immunities Act.  

    The International Organization Immunities Act, enacted in 1945, governs how the United States extends the rights and treaties generally accorded to embassies of countries that have diplomatic relations with the United States to international organizations like CARICOM.  

    “The presence of Caribbean-American communities in the Hudson Valley is felt in everything from the food we enjoy to the churches, schools, and small businesses that keep our neighborhoods thriving,” said Congressman Mike Lawler. “By extending privileges and immunities to our partner countries in CARICOM, we can strengthen U.S. ties in the region. I’m eager to support legislation that promotes a foreign policy that reflects the lived experiences of the people I represent.”  

    “Today’s introduction of this bill demonstrates the bipartisan commitment to a strong U.S.-Caribbean relationship,” said Congressman Joaquin Castro. “This is an important step forward to engage more deeply with the Caribbean and offer our support through CARICOM. We share common interests — by strengthening U.S. ties in the Caribbean, we strengthen our nation’s security, economic well-being, and prosperity.”  

    “I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation extending full diplomatic privileges and immunities to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),” said Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar. “As the Representative for Miami, the gateway to the Caribbean and home to one of the nation’s largest Caribbean American communities, I witness daily how our island partners’ success powers Miami’s commerce and tourism enriches our culture. Strengthening these bonds is not only good diplomacy; it is sound economic and national security policy. When the Caribbean thrives, the United States prospers!” 

    “The countless contributions of the Caribbean-American community can be felt and seen in communities across South Florida,” said Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. “By strengthening our diplomatic engagement with CARICOM, we’re laying the necessary foundation for enhanced economic, security, and cultural ties that will yield long-term, strategic benefits.” 

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

    ###

    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Celebrates SALT Relief in House Tax Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    “I’m proud to be delivering long-overdue tax relief to working Americans, middle-class families and senior citizens,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. “As our Mayor and Governor continue to tax us to death year after year, our community is in desperate need of SALT relief. This package also includes key provisions like expanding the Child Tax Credit, funding to secure our borders, upgrading our nation’s air traffic control systems, and jumpstarting domestic energy production to help lower energy costs. Together, these measures will provide the critical relief New Yorkers need and deserve.”

     

    “If you look across Staten Island and Southwest Brooklyn, that’s what you have homeowners living in one, two, and three family homes. We want to make sure that as the cost of living continues to rise that we are able to help homeowners keep a bit more money in their pockets, and that is what this SALT deduction restoration is going to be doing. It is going to allow folks to better afford the homes they already have and maybe for some of our aspiring homeowners who are looking to put down that down payment, get a mortgage, it is going to be a little easier knowing that property tax bill is going to be deducted on their federal income taxes,” said Councilman David Carr.

     

    “Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis is a tireless, principled, passionate voice for the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn. She doesn’t just talk about helping the middle class — she actually does it. This bill builds on the 2017 Trump tax cuts, and it goes even further — cutting taxes, cutting red tape, and cutting through the nonsense that’s been hammering families like mine for years,” said Councilman Frank Morano.

     

    “Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has consistently fought to ease the financial burden on hard-working families in New York, one of the most heavily taxed states in the nation. Recognizing how unfair the 2017 cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction was to middle-class homeowners, especially in high-tax states like New York, she led the charge in advocating for its restoration and reform. By working to lift the SALT cap, Rep. Malliotakis helped deliver real tax relief to families who were being penalized simply for living and working in their home state. Her efforts not only put more money back into the pockets of New Yorkers but also helped make the region more affordable and economically competitive — a critical step toward preventing the outmigration of residents and businesses,” said Assemblyman Michael Tannousis.

     

    “Raising the SALT cap is a huge win that delivers BIG savings for Staten Island families and seniors. But this is not the end of the road for us here in New York: Albany Democrats are likely already finding ways to snatch those savings right back with more taxes, fees, and reckless policies. That’s what they do best: take, spend, and then cry broke. I will be there to fight them – for you – every step of the way. I am incredibly grateful to have an unrelenting partner in Congresswoman Malliotakis who will go to bat and deliver for Staten Islanders at all costs,” said Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo.

     

    “The Congresswoman’s successful push to quadruple the SALT deduction to $40,000 is a big win for our community. It eases the financial strain on middle-class homeowners caused by New York’s high property taxes. We appreciate her commitment to our economic well-being,” said the Port Richmond North Shore Alliance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast, Republicans Blast EU Inaction as Polish Globalists Undermine Free Election

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-226-8467

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast led fellow members of the panel in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raising serious concerns over the European Union’s role in ensuring fair elections as Poland approaches the second round of its presidential elections on June 1, 2025.

    Chairman Mast and his fellow Republicans cite recent reports that a Polish NGO with ties to U.S. Democrat Party megadonor George Soros facilitated a social media campaign featuring $105,000 worth of allegedly illegal political ads promoting Civic Coalition candidate Rafal Trzaskowski and discrediting his rivals.

    The new developments follow a monthslong refusal by Poland’s current government to release tens of millions of dollars in public campaign funds to the opposition Law and Justice party.

    “Reports of foreign-funded political advertisements favoring Rafał Trzaskowski, the Civic Coalition (KO) candidate backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, that may have occurred in contravention of Polish law, combined with the Tusk government’s reported monthslong refusal to comply with court orders to release public funding to the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, suggest a deliberate effort to tilt the electoral playing field,” the lawmakers wrote. “These actions, occurring under the European Commission’s watch, expose a troubling double-standard in the EU’s approach to Poland’s rule of law, which demands your urgent attention.”

    In addition to Chairman Mast, the letter was co-signed by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Keith Self (R-TX), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Andy Harris (R-MD).

    Read the full letter here and below.

    Dear President von der Leyen:

    We write to express profound alarm over reported developments in Poland that may undermine the integrity of its democratic processes, particularly as the country approaches the second round of its presidential election on June 1, 2025. Reports of foreign-funded political advertisements favoring Rafał Trzaskowski, the Civic Coalition (KO) candidate backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, that may have occurred in contravention of Polish law, combined with the Tusk government’s reported monthslong refusal to comply with court orders to release public funding to the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, suggest a deliberate effort to tilt the electoral playing field.  These actions, occurring under the European Commission’s watch, expose a troubling double-standard in the EU’s approach to Poland’s rule of law, which demands your urgent attention.

    On May 15, an investigation by a leading Polish publication reported that a Polish NGO, which received funding from organizations funded by U.S. Democratic Party megadonor George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, facilitated the production of social media advertisements promoting Trzaskowski and discrediting his rivals, PiS-backed Karol Nawrocki and Confederation-backed Sławomir Mentzen.  Several sources also reported that Estratos Digital GmbH—a Vienna-based firm majority-owned by Higher Ground Labs, a U.S. fund operated by major Democratic Party operatives who helped run the U.S. presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Kamala Harris—was behind the approximately 420,000 PLN ($105,000 USD) in allegedly “illegal political ads” posted by the Polish NGO on Facebook since April 10, 2025 in support of Trzaskowski.  Estratos is the same organization that reportedly played a key role backing the anti-Viktor Orban opposition in Hungary’s 2022 elections, allegedly “concealing campaign financing sources, raising additional red flags about their operations in Poland.”

    Equally disturbing are reports of the Tusk government’s monthslong refusal to release tens of millions of dollars in public campaign funding that PiS is legally entitled to receive, defying a ruling by the Supervisory Chamber of Poland’s Supreme Court, a payment demand from Poland’s National Electoral Commission, and an opinion by Poland’s Ombudsman (Human Rights Commissioner) Marcin Wiące to release the money.  Further, by withholding these funds, the Tusk administration appears to be attempting to cripple PiS’s ability to compete fairly in the presidential election and violating the rule of law.

    The European Union, as a guarantor of democratic standards and human rights under the Treaty on European Union, has a responsibility to ensure that member states uphold the rule of law.  Yet, despite the European Commission’s vocal criticism and decision to withhold over $150 billion from Poland for alleged rule of law violations under the previous PiS government, it has remained conspicuously silent despite clear evidence of rule of law violations under Tusk’s administration.  In fact, in February 2024—after the Tusk government ousted and installed a new National Prosecutor without President Duda’s approval in reported violation of Polish law—the European Commission, under your direction, released $7.1 billion (€6.3 billion) of the funds it had been withholding from the PiS government despite the fact that the Tusk government had not yet implemented any of the “milestones” the EU had demanded the previous PiS government complete for their release.  This selective enforcement—condemning and sanctioning PiS while ignoring Tusk’s actions—suggests a double standard that could undermine the EU’s credibility as a guardian of democratic principles.

    These developments also raise critical questions about the integrity of Poland’s democratic institutions and the EU’s role in ensuring fair elections. To address these concerns, we respectfully request that your staff arrange a briefing to answer the following questions:

    1.        What entities provided the $105,000 (420,000 PLN) used for the Facebook advertisements promoting Rafał Trzaskowski, and did any of these funds originate from foreign sources in violation of Polish electoral law?

    2.        What role, if any, did Estratos Digital GmbH and its U.S.-based owner, Higher Ground Labs, play in coordinating or financing these advertisements, and to what extent were U.S. Democratic Party operatives directly involved?

    3.        How does the Commission justify its failure to address the Tusk government’s refusal to release millions of dollars in court-ordered funding to PiS, given its prior sanctions against the prior PiS government for rule-of-law violations?

    4.        Why has the Commission remained silent on Finance Minister Andrzej Domański’s defiance of Poland’s Supreme Court, National Electoral Commission, and Ombudsman rulings, given its previous vocal criticism and aggressive actions against the PiS government?

    5.        What oversight mechanisms, if any, has the Commission implemented to prevent foreign-funded NGOs, such as those linked to George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, from influencing Poland’s 2025 presidential election?

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Memorial Day Ceremony to honor fallen heroes, including local Soldier Pvt. Scott A. Miller

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    Wyoming National Guard

     Casper, WY — The Wyoming Veterans Commission invites the public to attend the annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery in Casper.

    This solemn event will pay tribute to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

    This year’s ceremony holds special significance as it honors Army Pvt. Scott A. Miller, a native of Casper, who was killed in action on June 9, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq. Pvt. Miller, a 2004 graduate of Natrona County High School, was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) based at Fort Lewis, Washington. Known for his warm smile and mischievous sense of humor, Miller was remembered by his teachers and family as a “burly country boy” with “a heart just as big as Wyoming” .

    His parents, Bob and Suzi Miller, will be present at the ceremony as honored guests, representing Gold Star families who have endured the profound loss of a loved one in military service.

     Ceremony Highlights:

     

    • Master of Ceremonies: Kelly Ivanoff, Commissioner, Wyoming Veterans Commission
    • Invocation & Benediction: Leon Chamberlain
    • Presentation of Colors: Kelly Walsh High School Marine Corps JROTC
    • National Anthem: Angela Gordon
    • Pledge of Allegiance: Hank Laurenz, President, Natrona County United Veterans Council
    • Guest Speakers: Bob and Suzi Miller, Gold Star Family
    • Reading of “In Flanders Fields”: Kelly Ivanoff
    • Wreath Laying: Veterans Service Organization
    • Rifle Salute: Natrona County High School Army JROTC
    • Taps: Wyoming Army National Guard Military Honors
    • Musical Tribute: “Amazing Grace” performed by Paul Marquard on bagpipes

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Fills Two County Office Vacancies

    Source: US State of Missouri

    MAY 27, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced two appointments to fill two county office vacancies.

    Hattie Davis, of Marble Hill, was appointed as the Bollinger County Circuit Clerk.

    Ms. Davis currently serves as Acting Bollinger County Circuit Clerk, a position for which she has been serving since March. She brings experience from her previous roles in the Office of State Courts Administration, where she served as Senior Court Clerk, and the Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where she served as an Administrative Assistant. Ms. Davis is active in the Marble Hill Optimist Club and previously supported families through the U.S. Army’s Family Readiness Group.

    Rodney McKinney, of Marthasville, was appointed as the Warren County Prosecuting Attorney.

    Mr. McKinney currently serves as an attorney at law at his own firm, the Law Office of Rodney McKinney, which he has operated since 2008. He previously served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Franklin County and as an assistant public defender in the City of St. Louis. In addition to his legal duties, Mr. McKinney is a member of the Missouri Bar and the Franklin County Bar Association and volunteered with the Franklin County Treatment Court from 2013-2020. He holds a Juris Doctor from St. Louis University School of Law, where he graduated cum laude and was a member of law review, and a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

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    MIL OSI USA News –