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Category: Commerce

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Kentucky Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by September Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP)organizations in Kentucky of the June 2 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought beginning Sept. 24, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the Kentucky counties of Anderson, Boyle, Carroll, Casey, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Gallatin, Garrard, Grant, Henry, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Martin, Mercer, Nelson, Oldham, Owen, Pike, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble, Washington and Woodford, as well as Mingo and Wayne in West Virginia. 

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises. 

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. 

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 2, 2025. 

    ### 

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Peruvian National Extradited for Overseeing Call Center That Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. Consumers

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A resident of Lima, Peru, accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme, was extradited to the United States and made her initial appearance in Miami federal court, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

    Carla Magaly Alcedo Mendoza (Alcedo), 43, of Lima, Peru, will face federal charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. Alcedo was arrested on March 27, 2023, by Peruvian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request.

    According to the indictment, the defendant managed and operated Peruvian call centers from January 2013 through December 2018. The defendant and her co-conspirators in Peru allegedly used Internet-based telephone calls to contact Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. These call centers falsely told victims they worked on behalf of universities, Hispanic help centers, and government entities and that the victims had been selected to receive financial assistance for English language programs. Many consumers expressed interest in receiving the products. In later calls, Alcedo and her co-conspirators falsely claimed the victims were required to pay storage and other fees related to the materials. When victims refused to pay, Alcedo and her co-conspirators pressured and extorted these victims, including by claiming they would be taken to court or even arrested if they failed to make payments.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Republic of Peru, including the Peruvian National Police, for assisting in extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States. The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

    “The reach of American justice is boundless in pursuing fraudsters who target the elderly and other vulnerable groups,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Transnational criminals who use scams, fear, and intimidation to steal from victims will be held accountable.”

    “Today marks the fourteenth arrest and tenth extradition in this investigation, which was made possible by the outstanding collaboration between federal and international partners. We have proven that when we work together, no criminal is beyond our reach,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division.

    Alcedo is charged in an 18-count federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Alcedo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges are prosecuting the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Peruvian National Police, and the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition.

    The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cyber attacks are “wake up call” for businesses – Pat McFadden

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Cyber attacks are “wake up call” for businesses – Pat McFadden

    Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, will set out what action the government is taking to improve cyber security in a speech next week.

    • Pat McFadden led briefing with national security officials and National Cyber Security Centre CEO on Friday about support being provided to retailers
    • He will use keynote speech at CyberUK to say “companies must treat cyber security as an absolute priority”
    • Comes as National Cyber Security Centre works closely with affected organisations to provide expert advice and support 

    In the wake of a wave of cyber attacks on retailers, Pat McFadden will set out what action the government is taking to improve the country’s cyber security in a speech next week, as the government secures Britain’s future through the Plan for Change.

    Recognising the impact such attacks have on working people as they go about their daily lives, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will highlight moves to “bolster our national defences” including through the Cyber Security Bill.

    It follows a briefing he led with national security officials and NCSC CEO Richard Horne on Friday about the recent hacks and expert support being provided to retailers.

    In the keynote speech at the CyberUK conference in Manchester next week, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will say:

    “These attacks need to be a wake-up call for every business in the UK.

    “In a world where the cybercriminals targeting us are relentless in their pursuit of profit – with attempts being made every hour of every day – companies must treat cyber security as an absolute priority.

    “We’ve watched in real-time the disruption these attacks have caused – including to working families going about their everyday lives. It serves as a powerful reminder that just as you would never leave your car or your house unlocked on your way to work. We have to treat our digital shop fronts the same way.”

    The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is working closely with organisations that have reported incidents to them to fully understand the nature of these attacks and to provide expert advice to the wider sector based on the threat picture.

    They’re also urging leaders to follow the advice on the NCSC website to ensure they have appropriate measures in place to help prevent attacks and respond and recover effectively.

    In his speech next week, Pat McFadden will encourage firms from all sectors to consider what cyber protections they have in place.

    In a message to business leaders across the UK, he will say: “We are ready to support you. The National Cyber Security Centre is standing ready to support businesses and provide advice, and guidance, on how to raise the cyber security bar.”

    Pat McFadden will set out the action the government is taking to boost the country’s cyber protections.

    He will say: “We’re modernising the way the state approaches cyber, through the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. That legislation will bolster our national defences.

    “It will grant new powers for the Technology Secretary to direct regulated organisations to reinforce their cyber defences It will require over 1,000 private IT providers to improve their data and network security.

    “It will require companies to report a wider array of cyber incidents to the NCSC in the future – to help us build a clearer picture of who, and what, hostile actors are targeting.”

    Last month (April) the government launched a Cyber Governance Code of Practice. This is a package of measures which shows boards and directors how they can manage digital risks and protect their businesses and organisations from cyber attacks.

    It covers a range of areas, including having robust cyber strategies in place, promoting a culture in workplaces so all employees are aware of the potential cyber risks they could face in their daily work, and having incident response plans in place which will mean organisations can respond quickly to cyber incidents as they occur.

    Small businesses looking to strengthen their online defences are also encouraged to engage with the NCSC’s Small Business Guide, which provides quick and easy actions to help bolster their defences and support through the Cyber Local scheme, which provides tailored funding to boost regional cyber skills.  

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peruvian National Extradited for Overseeing Call Center That Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. Consumers

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A resident of Lima, Peru, accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme, was extradited to the United States and made her initial appearance in Miami federal court, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

    Carla Magaly Alcedo Mendoza (Alcedo), 43, of Lima, Peru, will face federal charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. Alcedo was arrested on March 27, 2023, by Peruvian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request.

    According to the indictment, the defendant managed and operated Peruvian call centers from January 2013 through December 2018. The defendant and her co-conspirators in Peru allegedly used Internet-based telephone calls to contact Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. These call centers falsely told victims they worked on behalf of universities, Hispanic help centers, and government entities and that the victims had been selected to receive financial assistance for English language programs. Many consumers expressed interest in receiving the products. In later calls, Alcedo and her co-conspirators falsely claimed the victims were required to pay storage and other fees related to the materials. When victims refused to pay, Alcedo and her co-conspirators pressured and extorted these victims, including by claiming they would be taken to court or even arrested if they failed to make payments.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Republic of Peru, including the Peruvian National Police, for assisting in extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States. The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

    “The reach of American justice is boundless in pursuing fraudsters who target the elderly and other vulnerable groups,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Transnational criminals who use scams, fear, and intimidation to steal from victims will be held accountable.”

    “Today marks the fourteenth arrest and tenth extradition in this investigation, which was made possible by the outstanding collaboration between federal and international partners. We have proven that when we work together, no criminal is beyond our reach,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division.

    Alcedo is charged in an 18-count federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Alcedo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges are prosecuting the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Peruvian National Police, and the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition.

    The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the old challenges and new commercial practices in the internal market – B10-0246/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Anna Cavazzini
    on behalf of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

    B10‑0246/2025

    European Parliament resolution on the old challenges and new commercial practices in the internal market

    (2025/2542(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its resolution of 18 January 2023 on the 30th anniversary of the single market: celebrating achievements and looking towards future developments[1],

    – having regard to the report by Enrico Letta of 17 April 2024 entitled ‘Much more than a Market’ (the Letta report),

    – having regard to the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’ (the Draghi report),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 29 January 2025 entitled ‘the 2025 Annual Single Market and Competitiveness Report’ (COM(2025)0026),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 29 January 2025 entitled ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ (COM(2025)0030),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 11 February 2025 entitled ‘A simpler and faster Europe: Communication on implementation and simplification (COM(2025)0047),

    – having regard to the question to the Commission on the old challenges and new commercial practices in the internal market (O-000012/2025 – B10‑0264/2025),

    – having regard to Rules 142(5) and 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas the European Union’s ability to compete and prosper in the global economy is vital, especially amid the current geopolitical challenges and climate and other environmental crises; whereas its current, medium and long-term competitiveness relies on a fully integrated and efficient single market that allows European businesses to innovate and prosper and prioritises the reduction of administrative burdens;

    B. whereas the single market, comprising nearly 450 million citizens and 23 million businesses, generates a gross domestic product (GDP) of EUR 17 trillion, positioning the EU among the world’s three largest economies and contributing approximately one-sixth of global economic output;

    C. whereas the Draghi report demonstrated that compliance costs resulting from various pieces of legislation remain very high for European companies, therefore hindering European innovation capacity;

    D. whereas it remains crucial to improve the functioning of the single market by addressing persisting fragmentation through common, harmonised EU policies, more efficient implementation and enforcement, and the simplification of EU rules; whereas reducing administrative burdens and costs, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), can help foster innovation and support European businesses; whereas unlocking the full potential of the single market requires overcoming persistent barriers to the free movement of goods and services;

    E. whereas the rapid expansion of digital platforms and e-commerce has introduced new market dynamics and whereas evolving trends in global e-commerce are exerting additional pressure on customs controls, market surveillance and consumer protection authorities;

    F. whereas geopolitical shifts and global economic transformations are reshaping supply chains, requiring the EU to adapt its single market policies; whereas the EU has set the highest standards for product safety and consumer protection, both offline and online;

    G. whereas attention has been drawn to a growing number of cases reported across the EU in which goods and services offer reduced quantity or quality, despite stable or rising prices;

    Old and enduring challenges

    1. Reaffirms that the single market has been a cornerstone of European economic integration, enabling the free movement of goods, services, capital and people; stresses, however, that there are long-standing and emerging challenges that necessitate ambitious reforms without harming European competitiveness or imposing unnecessary administrative burdens on companies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate efforts towards implementing these reforms and to eliminate remaining unjustified obstacles to the free movement of goods and services, while ensuring a high level of consumer protection;

    2. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to maintain strong consumer protection while also providing for competition rules that are innovation-friendly, future-proof and proportionate; emphasises the need to ensure legal certainty and consistency and minimise regulatory complexity and fragmentation, which could disproportionately affect SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups;

    3. Calls on the Commission to ensure that future legislative initiatives are consistently guided by the strategic priorities outlined in its communications and competitiveness strategy;

    4. Underscores that, as demonstrated by the Letta and Draghi reports, there is still untapped potential in the services sector; calls for further action in this sector to address the significant obstacles that persist, starting from setting ambitious targets in the upcoming single market strategy; notes that services account for three quarters of EU GDP, represent two thirds of employment and create 9 out of 10 new jobs in the EU economy; notes also, however, that services are still the least developed segment of the EU single market;

    5. Welcomes the proposal for a regulation on a public interface connected to the Internal Market Information System for the declaration of posting of workers and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 (COM/2024/531), which should lead to simplification and strengthened enforcement; notes also that digitalisation could significantly reduce administrative burdens for cross-border services and ensure better access for businesses and consumers; calls, in this regard, for a single declaration portal and the digitalisation of A1 forms for cross-border services;

    6. Stresses the importance of the effective recognition of professional qualifications and the removal of unjustified barriers to the free movement of professionals in order to make EU professional services globally competitive in future decades; encourages the Commission to remain vigilant in pursuing infringement procedures where Member States do not comply with EU legislation on the recognition of qualifications;

    7. Stresses that single market rules should safeguard access to public services and preserve consumer rights as well as other overriding reasons of public interest; adds that any assessment to evaluate restrictions in the single market for services should include qualitative criteria;

    8. Notes the role that EU public procurement can play in overcoming barriers to market entry, supporting sustainable and resilient industrial ecosystems, high quality jobs and value creation in the EU;

    9. Acknowledges that the new legislative framework (NLF) has contributed to consistency in EU product legislation and that since its adoption, the industry sector, supply chains and products have experienced important transformations in the light of the digital and green transition, but also changes in market dynamics; notes that the 2022 evaluation of the NLF identified critical challenges, such as potential foreign influence, illegal practices, inadequacies in addressing digitalisation and the circular economy, and potential updates to obligations and definitions for certain economic operators to reflect new market realities;

    10. Stresses that addressing these issues and making the NLF future-proof is essential to ensure coherence, reduce costs and ensure free movement of goods; calls, therefore, for an update to the NLF in order to streamline product rules, promote digitalisation and simplify compliance and market surveillance procedures; considers that the NLF should promote the use of Digital Product Passports as a means of demonstrating product conformity and complying with information requirements;

    11. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to simplify EU rules and make them easier to implement, and to significantly reduce administrative burdens, in particular for SMEs, which play a vital role in sustaining local communities and economies; stresses the importance of ensuring legal certainty and consistency for businesses, as well as predictability for long-term investments, which are essential to boost competitiveness, innovation and resilience and to deliver fast and meaningful improvements for consumers and businesses; calls, furthermore, on the Member States to prevent actions that could compromise the level playing field in the internal market;

    12. Recognises that inconsistent and fragmented enforcement of EU laws across the Member States continues to distort competition and undermine the single market’s integrity; adds that primary responsibility for enforcement of EU rules lies with the Member States; invites the Commission to make full use of its enforcement powers; calls for improved monitoring and enforcement mechanisms at EU level, such as harmonised rules on minimum levels of checks, harmonised methodologies to conduct these checks and joint inspections, in order to ensure the uniform application of EU law and, where applicable, swift redress for consumers;

    13. Stresses the importance of maintaining a competitive and dynamic economic environment by safeguarding consumers’ rights and enforcing digital competition rules to address unfair business practices that distort market conditions; calls, furthermore, on the Member States to increase the capacity of market surveillance authorities and customs authorities to ensure effective enforcement of single market rules, particularly in respect of e-commerce and imports from non-EU countries;

    14. Recalls that territorial supply constraints in the retail and wholesale segments fragment the single market, limit consumer choice and contribute to significant price disparities across the Union, particularly affecting the prices of basic consumer goods; highlights that while competition law penalises some of these practices effectively, many fall outside its scope; calls, therefore, on the Commission to propose measures to address the issue, including stronger enforcement against anti-competitive distribution agreements, in order to safeguard fair competition, thereby ensuring the integrity of the single market;

    15. Calls on the Commission to investigate the causes for the differentiated levels of the inflation of basic goods and consumer price increases observed in some EU Member States;

    16. Considers that the single market is a key tool in times of crisis if the Member States can act in a coordinated way; considers that the recently adopted Internal Market Emergency and Resilience Act[2] will be crucial to ensure coordination in order to prevent shortages and ensure the smooth functioning of the single market, including the free movement of essential goods and services throughout the EU;

    17. Calls on the Commission to empower consumers to easily exercise their passenger rights by establishing national enforcement bodies, which should be granted harmonised investigation and enforcement powers and which should be able to efficiently process individual complaints and related fines;

    18. Highlights that e-commerce measures targeting geo-blocking, notably the Geoblocking Regulation[3], have been successful in creating a framework for a less fragmented single market and enhancing consumer choice for online shopping; notes with concern that the implementation of the regulation has been inadequate;

    19. Notes that the European Accessibility Act[4] will become applicable across all EU Member States as of 28 June 2025; stresses the importance of its full and effective implementation by the Member States in order to ensure the harmonisation of accessibility requirements for products and services, thereby guaranteeing their accessibility to persons with disabilities across the EU internal market;

    Emerging commercial practices

    20. Highlights that the rapid expansion of digital platforms and e-commerce has introduced new market dynamics and has created advanced opportunities and challenges and risks for users; acknowledges that the Digital Markets Act[5] (DMA) and the Digital Services Act[6] (DSA) constitute key legislative instruments ensuring fair competition, contestability and fairness in digital platforms, while also fostering consumer protection and a safer, more trustworthy and more transparent digital environment in the digital economy; calls for proper enforcement of the EU’s new technology legislation to ensure genuine, autonomous and informed consumer choice, protection and fair competition;

    21. Considers it essential to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of these two legislative acts and urges the Commission to conclude its ongoing investigations in the framework of the DSA and the DMA;

    22. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act[7] maintains a risk-based, innovation-friendly approach, ensuring that compliance requirements are proportionate to the actual risks posed by AI applications while respecting the need to ensure a high level of protection of health, safety and fundamental rights;

    23. Welcomes the Commission’s ‘digital fairness’ fitness check of consumer law and the upcoming public consultation; underlines that some issues remain unaddressed concerning the protection of consumers online, leading to an imbalance between consumers and traders within the digital economy; calls on the Commission to address these issues in the upcoming Digital Fairness Act; believes that digital addiction, online gambling, protection of minors online and persuasive technologies used by online actors, such as targeted advertising, influencer advertising and dark patterns, should fall under the Digital Fairness Act, which should close legal loopholes and be consistent with current legal instruments in order to better protect consumers online, taking into account the need to avoid unnecessary regulatory burdens;

    24. Notes that evolving trends in global e-commerce and supply chain restructuring are placing greater pressure on customs controls, market surveillance and consumer protection authorities; highlights that the volume of unsafe and illicit products sold on e-commerce platforms, in particular from non-EU countries, has been increasing in recent years; highlights the significance of Digital Product Passports in these processes; calls, therefore, for a reinforced market surveillance framework and a revision of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation[8] and calls on the Council to swiftly adopt its position in order to enable the adoption of the revised Union Customs Code and the establishment of an EU customs authority in 2026;

    25. Calls on the Member States to allocate sufficient technical, human and financial resources to national authorities; calls on the Member States and the Commission to ensure sufficient funds and expertise to strengthen customs authorities and market surveillance across the Union and to intensify joint activities and EU testing;

    26. Emphasises the need to strengthen consumer protection in both online and offline markets, ensuring transparency in advertising and pricing, especially concerning dynamic pricing, ensuring fair business practices and stronger safeguards against fraud to foster consumer trust in cross-border commerce and the highest level of protection;

    27. Stresses that attention has increasingly been drawn to instances where goods and services offer less in terms of quantity or quality while prices remain the same or increase; calls on the Commission to assess the scale and underlying causes of such practices and to explore appropriate measures to enhance transparency and consumer awareness;

    28. Underlines that environmental sustainability and fair-trade considerations are increasingly shaping commercial practices by playing an important role in consumers’ purchasing decisions and consequently driving businesses towards sustainability; adds that transparency and information for consumers on environmental aspects as well as on socially-responsible and ethical production processes allow consumers to adopt sustainable consumption patterns;

    29. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to maintain their level of ambition in this regard and work further on EU-wide labelling schemes; recalls that the objective of the Green Claims Directive is to establish a tool to protect consumers against greenwashing by establishing requirements for substantiation and verification;

    30. Highlights the need to further combat misleading advertising and greenwashing and to strengthen the second-hand market; notes, however, that restrictive sustainability rules may have a negative impact on European competitiveness;

    31. Highlights that some growing trends in e-commerce raise concerns with regard to goods from non-EU countries not fulfilling EU safety and sustainability requirements, thus negatively impacting SMEs in the EU; welcomes the Commission communication on ‘A comprehensive EU toolbox for safe and sustainable e-commerce’ and asks the Commission to swiftly implement the recommendations contained therein;

    32. Emphasises that harmonised technical standards are essential for the free movement of goods within the single market, ensuring product safety, quality and performance across the Member States; highlights that standards must reflect the interests, policy objectives and values of the Union by taking into account the views of all stakeholders; adds that the recent Court of Justice of the European Union ruling[9] acknowledges the added value of harmonised standards that form part of EU law because of their legal effects and establishes that they should be made freely accessible; underlines the need to improve the agility of the standardisation framework, particularly for emerging green and digital value chains, and to help industry to maintain competitive positions in key technology markets;

    33. Considers that the EU must increase its efforts to set up a new mechanism with the Member States and national standardisation bodies to share information, coordinate and strengthen the European approach to international standardisation activities; calls for swift action to update the EU standardisation framework in order to speed up the standardisation process to ensure the rapid publication of harmonised standards that grant presumption of conformity and are aligned with international standards to support global trade while encouraging greater industry participation, particularly from SMEs;

    34. Stresses the need to reinforce the external dimension of the single market to safeguard the EU’s strategic autonomy and global influence and welcomes the gradual integration of EU candidate countries to the single market with a view to their future EU membership; emphasises that the EU’s high regulatory standards can serve as a global benchmark and must be effectively enforced to ensure a level playing field for European businesses; calls on the Commission to intensify regulatory dialogues and political cooperation with other relevant non-EU countries in order to identify common challenges and try to build joint actions, especially concerning e-commerce, digital rules and consumers;

    35. Reiterates its call for innovative, complementary and flexible interaction between the ongoing work on the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement currently in force and the accession negotiation process, thus allowing for Ukraine’s gradual integration into the EU single market and sectoral programmes;

    Conclusions

    36. Recognises that geopolitical tensions, climate change, challenges to EU competitiveness and economic disparities pose significant risks to the integrity of the single market; calls for a robust, coordinated and strategic policy response to strengthen the single market;

    37. Calls for the continued evolution of the single market to address both remaining unjustified barriers and emerging commercial challenges; takes the view that eliminating regulatory fragmentation, promoting simplification, significantly reducing administrative burdens, enhancing enforcement and ensuring resilient supply chains are critical to maintaining the EU’s competitive edge and fair market conditions and enhancing the single market; underlines the importance of consulting all relevant stakeholders in these processes;

    38. Emphasises the importance of digital transformation, the circular economy and adaptability to global economic shifts in securing the EU’s long-term economic dynamism;

    39. Reiterates that strengthening the internal and external dimensions of the single market is essential for preserving the EU’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness;

    40. Urges the Commission, therefore, to reflect the foregoing in the forthcoming new single market strategy, scheduled for June 2025, in the 2030 consumer agenda, scheduled for the end of 2025, and in the Digital Fairness Act, scheduled for 2026;

    °

    ° °

    41. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lakeland Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For $370,000 COVID Relief Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Jeanty Cherilus (54, Lakeland) to one year and six months in federal prison for wire fraud. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $370,000, the proceeds of Cherilus’s criminal conduct. Cherilus pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025.

    According to court documents, Cherilus was an owner of Natransusa Corporation (“NATRANS”), a business that advertised to provide automobile salvage and transportation services. Cherilus, through NATRANS, submitted applications to obtain federal Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) to which Cherilus and NATRANS were not entitled. The loan applications had materially false and fraudulent representations, including an inflated number of employees and average payroll, and certifications that the loan proceeds would be used for business-related purposes. Cherilus also included fraudulent supporting documentation to induce the Small Business Administration and an approved lender to fund the loans. After receiving the PPP and EIDL funds, Cherilus used the money for purposes other than what was approved by the terms of the loan and for his own personal enrichment.

    “USAID OIG will continue its aggressive pursuit of accountability for bad actors that exploit and abuse federal assistance programs, domestically or overseas,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean Bottary. “As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Task Force, we are proud to partner with the Department of Justice on this and other ongoing cases. As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Task Force, this investigation was conducted by USAID OIG after identifying the fraudulent loan scheme through a USAID-related programming matter.”

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Agency for International Development-Office of Inspector General and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Peruvian National Extradited for Overseeing Call Center That Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. Consumers

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    A resident of Lima, Peru, accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme, was extradited to the United States and made her initial appearance in Miami federal court, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

    Carla Magaly Alcedo Mendoza (Alcedo), 43, of Lima, Peru, will face federal charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. Alcedo was arrested on March 27, 2023, by Peruvian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request.

    According to the indictment, the defendant managed and operated Peruvian call centers from January 2013 through December 2018. The defendant and her co-conspirators in Peru allegedly used Internet-based telephone calls to contact Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. These call centers falsely told victims they worked on behalf of universities, Hispanic help centers, and government entities and that the victims had been selected to receive financial assistance for English language programs. Many consumers expressed interest in receiving the products. In later calls, Alcedo and her co-conspirators falsely claimed the victims were required to pay storage and other fees related to the materials. When victims refused to pay, Alcedo and her co-conspirators pressured and extorted these victims, including by claiming they would be taken to court or even arrested if they failed to make payments.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Republic of Peru, including the Peruvian National Police, for assisting in extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States. The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

    “The reach of American justice is boundless in pursuing fraudsters who target the elderly and other vulnerable groups,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Transnational criminals who use scams, fear, and intimidation to steal from victims will be held accountable.”

    “Today marks the fourteenth arrest and tenth extradition in this investigation, which was made possible by the outstanding collaboration between federal and international partners. We have proven that when we work together, no criminal is beyond our reach,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division.

    Alcedo is charged in an 18-count federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Alcedo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges are prosecuting the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Peruvian National Police, and the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition.

    The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Podcast: Jared Spataro on maximizing intelligence on tap

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Podcast: Jared Spataro on maximizing intelligence on tap

    MOLLY WOOD: That was Jared Spataro, Microsoft’s Chief Marketing Officer for AI at Work. Spataro and his team help companies understand how to use AI to solve unique business problems, reduce costs, and drive value. They also use sophisticated research and customer feedback to improve the company’s products and help customers deploy them in a relevant, productive, and secure way. Some of that research is on display in the new 2025 Work Trend Index report. It examines survey data from 31,000 workers across 31 countries, plus brings in LinkedIn hiring and labor market trends and trillions of Microsoft 365 productivity signals. It surfaced insights to help every leader and employee understand how knowledge work will evolve. And in his AI at Work newsletter on LinkedIn, Spataro predicts that soon all businesses will operate with collaborative teams of humans and AI agents, or what he calls “digital employees.” He notes that this evolution will require every leader to redefine how they think about their teams, so we talked about that, as well as how AI agents will transform workflows and team structures, and why the vital first step for companies is to hire that first digital employee. Here’s my conversation with Jared. Jared, thanks so much for joining me on WorkLab.  

    JARED SPATARO: It’s great to be here. Thanks for having me, Molly.  

    MOLLY WOOD: So a key phrase that comes up in the new Work Trend Index report is that leaders can now access “intelligence on tap.” How do you define intelligence on tap?  

    JARED SPATARO: Well, I think it’s worth pausing for a second just to recognize that, up to this point in human history, if you wanted intelligence to help you do something, you really had to hire a human. And today, we have reached the point with this technology, with the models that are out there powered by AI, that they can really think, reason, even do, at the level of a human. So what that means is you can start to buy intelligence without hiring humans, and you can buy it like you would purchase a commodity like electricity, any other input to a business. That means it goes from being something scarce and expensive, also kind of bundled up in a particular package, to something abundant and cheap and available on demand in a much smaller package that you can purchase. So from my perspective, it’s a really, really big thing. It’s a big deal for business. 

    MOLLY WOOD: Another key point in this report is that AI-forward companies, or the ones you call “Frontier Firms,” will have a real advantage in seizing the force-multiplying power of AI agents. Do you think all companies will have to become Frontier Firms?   

    JARED SPATARO: I think they’ll either become a Frontier Firm or they’ll end up being disrupted by someone who’s figured out how to use this intelligence on tap more effectively than they do. So you look at, for instance, the volatility in the market today. You look at how quickly companies have to now adapt to all sorts of different situations, and those that are able to combine human intelligence with artificial intelligence in the form of agents, I think they’re going to differentiate themselves for sure. 

    MOLLY WOOD: The question of course, in a time of uncertainty, or I guess really any time, is what timeline are we talking about? How soon do companies have to be ready for this?  

    JARED SPATARO: Well, let’s just look at the report for a second. Already, 82% of the people that we surveyed say they’re confident that they’ll use what they call “digital labor” to expand their workforce capacity in the next 12 to 18 months, Molly. So that’s kind of how companies are thinking about it. But at the same time, we look at this and say that it will be a process. There’s going to be a work-in period, but I’m confident that this calendar year, companies who are on it, who recognize, I’ve gotta be looking to the future, they’ll be experimenting with digital labor and digital employees.  

    MOLLY WOOD: Well, and of course, you must be interacting with customers who are already operating this way. Are there examples of companies who have taken the leap?  

    JARED SPATARO: For sure. You know, interestingly, what we find is that there’s kind of this barbell in the distribution. There are companies who are growing concerned, who look at this and say, Hey, I want to be on the forefront here. So, as an example, Dow, they’re an American multinational, they are already projecting that they’ll save millions in the first year with a supply chain agent that they have created to catch misapplied fees. It happens to literally save them millions of dollars. But on the other end of the distribution, the other end of the spectrum, we are definitely seeing AI-native firms that are really representative of these Frontier Firms that are leading the way. There’s an ad agency called Supergood that has folded decades of ad research into their platform to scale expertise across teams with AI. There’s another really interesting company. It’s an AI-powered staffing firm run by a single employee that’s on track to earn $2 million this year. So you look at both ends of the spectrum and you can see it. The tough place to be, the place I don’t think anybody wants to be, is in the middle, you know, where you’re not either someone kind of coming up and disrupting or someone who’s decided, Hey, I’m going to get ahead of this, because the middle is the place that will be disrupted. 

    MOLLY WOOD: Right. So for the business leaders who are trying to leave the middle as soon as possible, who are trying to recalibrate for this era, what should they focus on?   

    JARED SPATARO: One of the things that we are seeing in the report is that the companies who are taking the step forward are those who recognize that they have to first increase AI literacy across the entirety of the firm. Last year was a really interesting year because the WTI, when we released it, showed that employees were leading, they were the people out in front bringing AI into the workplace. Well, this year it’s kind of really flipped around. We now have managers who are leading the charge, and they’re recognizing they’re ahead of many of their employees. And so we have to have a way, I think, to help all employees start to improve their AI literacy. But then from there, once you improve AI literacy, you kind of have to change a mindset. You really have to think, well, what would I do if I had intelligence on tap? Where would I apply that first? You know, how would I structure everything from my teams to my processes to take advantage of that? And that’s maybe the two steps that we’d give, we’d encourage everybody to start with a broad base, and then second, look for very specific ways to apply the tech.  

    MOLLY WOOD: We’ve been talking about the potential of AI agents, or digital employees. I mean, what is that and how does that differ from AI, which we might think of as a personal assistant that can manage your calendar or write an email? 

    JARED SPATARO: This idea of a digital employee introduces a lot of really important concepts, but perhaps the most important concept is this idea of the digital employee is autonomous and can go off, kind of goal-seek in a very complex, not well-defined environment to get to an outcome that you’re looking to accomplish. That type of digital employee is just priceless because it could sort through all of the noise, sort through the systems, all the data that it has access to, in order to go grab what it needs, reason across that, and come back and say, Hey boss, I think I’ve got something here for you. And that’s the idea of hiring your first digital employee that can do that type of work.  

    MOLLY WOOD: I want that. I want that. Are you and your team at Microsoft already using digital employees like this day to day?  

    JARED SPATARO: We absolutely are just starting to do that. In fact, on my team there’s a data scientist, Alex Farach, who has created three agents to assist him with the Work Trend Index, which is really exciting. One agent goes online every day, scoops up some relevant new research. Another assists with statistical analysis. He has a third one that drafts really rich briefs to help him connect the dots. So imagine that, he has started to command, if you will, a team of agents that are helping him. These are digital employees to help him get the work done. So, pretty exciting, to see it come to life. I’m just starting to do that same thing. Typically, mine is much more oriented toward the interactions I’m having with customers as I’m starting to get up to speed or try to figure out how I can work with a particular customer. 

    MOLLY WOOD: What does this start to look like day to day for knowledge workers? What does a typical workday look like for someone who has AI agents performing tasks on their behalf? It’s like a view from the future, if you will.  

    JARED SPATARO: Well, let’s start with the present and then we’ll go to the future. You know, presently, we know through our telemetry that almost all professionals start and end their day in email or on Teams. So in other words, in communication tools. It makes a lot of sense, we’re kind of checking in with colleagues. But we think that the way this will happen is that people will have a personal assistant. We call that Copilot, and that personal assistant will be how you start and end your day, because it will be infinitely better than a single-threaded communication tool at providing you a view of all the work that you’re doing. That personal assistant also, most importantly, will essentially be your window into the world of digital labor, or the world of agents, if you will, and we believe that window, the ability of a Copilot, for instance, to orchestrate all of the agents that are getting work done on your behalf, that’s where the power will come in. 

    MOLLY WOOD: Stepping back, I think a lot of employees are wondering if digital employees are going to assist human employees or replace them. So the question on everyone’s mind, of course, is what happens to jobs?  

    JARED SPATARO: I see it this way. First off, 80% of the global workforce, both employees and leaders, say that they’re lacking enough time or energy to get their work done. So you have to look at it for a moment and recognize the moment that we’re in, the context in which we’re operating. So I believe we need intelligence on tap. And the way I think of it is, we have too many problems to solve, too many things to work through, too many challenges to tackle, and this is such an important time as you look at the history of business, as you look at the history of the world. So, we look at this and say, man, our brightest days are yet ahead. We look at the ability for digital employees to not only help us cut costs, but also help us innovate as we look at everything from energy to some of the most pressing problems that humanity faces. That’s where we get excited that these digital employees will really help us. 

    MOLLY WOOD: So how should leaders and employees think about their own agency as more and more work teams have humans and AI agents collaborating? Some people aren’t thinking of this in terms of business value and opportunities. They’re imagining, you know, scenarios from science fiction.  

    JARED SPATARO: That is certainly the narrative that I see often in the press, because it taps into Hollywood, it taps into, you know, I think it does tap into our fears. This technology is not something where you click a button and it’s wired into every one of your systems and it can do everything without your help. And so I think human agency here is incredibly important. You can hire your first digital employee, but you have to onboard the thing, you know, you have to connect it up to your systems, you have to tell it what it can and can’t do. You have to watch it ramp up into your organization. So I’m excited about this moment because I think it will all be guided by human agency. Nothing’s going to happen here without humans recognizing, wow, this is my opportunity to leave my mark on history, to leave my mark on humanity, to do something that will be a pattern that we’re going to follow for decades to come. So I hope people are energized by it. I hope they don’t think that it’s a fearful thing. Instead, I hope they really recognize that it’s an opportunity for leadership and for a lasting mark on the history of the world. 

    MOLLY WOOD: So you mentioned that in the past, some of the AI revolution has been driven from the bottom up, from employees bringing ideas in. Now it really is the role of leaders and managers to implement this change and bring people on board. How does this change the role of managers, not just from an adoption perspective, but also managing human and digital employees at the same time? 

    JARED SPATARO: Well, let’s start from the role of managers. I think the theory of the firm has been predicated on this idea that you organize around the labor and how it uses capital. You know, those are the economic basics. Now, all of a sudden, the theory of the firm actually changes because a manager is meant to allocate resources that now include this intelligence on tap to produce outputs. And that means that, literally, a manager has to learn a whole new skill set, not only depending on what you’re doing, how do you create kind of the processes, if you will, to get something done, but where do you stick human talent? Where do you stick this intelligence on demand? How do you coordinate between those things? I mean, there’s a whole new, I think it’s a whole new era that we’ll be opening up here. Very exciting.  

    MOLLY WOOD: I could imagine that that would apply to younger employees too.  

    JARED SPATARO: My theory is that really educational institutions are going to start to need to think about, how do we essentially produce early-in-career talent that works as well as mid-career talent used to? In other words, during their education, how do they learn to become the boss of agents, such that they are able to command a team, able to produce the same type of work a medium or large size team would produce. Because they know how to delegate, they know how to judge work, they know how to pull it back together. They know how to send things back to be done again. You know, that’s usually stuff that takes 10, 15 years in the workforce to learn just by practice. And we expect, I expect, that early-in-career folks will be able to do that work now with the aid of these tools. So in many ways, I think we’re making every employee a manager, every employee a leader. And that’s a very different change. Today, a lot of knowledge work happens at the leaf nodes, you know, people who have to kind of get the work done all on their own, whether they’re an analyst or a writer or a designer. And what we’re essentially saying is, all of those jobs are going to turn into managerial jobs where certainly you can do the work if you want to, but you’ll find you get more done, you produce better work, when you orchestrate agents to go get that work done.  

    MOLLY WOOD: In fact, one of our recent podcast guests, Harvard Business School professor Karim Lakhani, just co-authored a paper called “The Cybernetic Teammate.” You’ve said you’re pretty excited by some of its findings, right?  

    JARED SPATARO: Man, I love this study. You know, this is a study I can’t help but cite as I work with management teams. Probably the most important finding of the study from my perspective is that a single person equipped with AI can perform as well as an entire team of people not equipped with AI. And we’re just getting started. But it was specifically a field test, Molly, that was done with Procter and Gamble, so it’s real work in the real world, and I just think that finding is remarkable. I think we’ll come back to it, you know, in five, 10 years and say, yeah, that was the beginning. We saw it right there. We saw a spark of what the future was going to be.  

    MOLLY WOOD: You know, it strikes me that we’re talking about this in such a matter-of-fact way. There are digital employees, you have cybernetic teammates, intelligence is now on tap. Can you give us your perspective on the tech advancements that got us to the point where we’re discussing this in such a commonplace way?   

    JARED SPATARO: It’s caught so many of us by surprise because it’s happened so quickly. Go back to November of 2022, ChatGPT is introduced. Remember, at that point, we’re still not sure if technology can pass the Turing Test. In other words, could it respond to questions from humans in a way that we could not determine if there were a human or a machine on the other side? You know, that was the question in November of 2022. Well, we found it could. We also started to see the early glimmers of reasoning. It wasn’t just answering questions, but it looked like it was actually kind of, in a reasoning type of way, mimicking what humans do to answer questions. And that was exciting for us. Then fast-forward, the models continued to get more and more capable, but fast-forward essentially to December of last calendar year, of 2024, where OpenAI introduced the first reasoning model. This was a model that was trained on what we call chain-of-thought types of patterns, where we were literally saying, now we want to train you to reason. We actually want to show you what it looks like to do good analytical and mathematical reasoning and see if we can train you to do that. o1 was the first model that did that. It proved to be just kind of mind blowing for us. o3 is the current best tech out there. It is now outperforming and demonstrating what we call superhuman intelligence, Molly, meaning humans cannot outperform it in particular domains. And that’s I think why we’re all of a sudden, matter of fact. We saw the glimmers of reasoning come on. We saw the models get better, and then bang, over the last couple of months we’re in this place where, with our best thinking, we’re not sure we can outthink the machines. And that’s pretty exciting. I think it leads us to imagine what we can do with this technology to really further our dreams about what we can do for the human family. 

    MOLLY WOOD: I want to ask you about the ROI of AI. How are firms performing, particularly firms that are starting out with AI or really evolving into, or starting as Frontier Firms?  

    JARED SPATARO: Well, truly Frontier Firms are outperforming their peer group or their industry set in really exciting ways. One of the key measures that we see that just gets right to the heart of things is essentially revenue per employee. That’s an important measure for almost every industry, because you’re looking at how you’re deploying capital and people to get things done. And in some of these places, we’re starting to see them do 4x, 10x, or more per employee. And that’s just simply because it’s a really different setup. I mean, they start and say, well, why would you need these types of roles? I know of one of these Frontier Firms, for instance, that decided not to hire a CFO simply because they felt like they had enough analytical understanding, and using an agent to aid that they were able to get the specialized skills that they needed. I know another one that decided to not hire a CMO, but instead hire someone who was earlier in career and say, hey, we believe in you with these tools, we think you can perform as well as any seasoned veteran would be in marketing. Those types of decisions kind of lead you there. And then you start to get from revenue per employee to just some of the key measures in a particular industry. You know, I have seen the legal profession really start to undergo some big changes. Lawyers are all about essentially how much they can bill per hour. Well, all of a sudden when you have intelligence on tap, that doesn’t even make sense as a way of thinking about the business model any longer. And so there’s another place that we’re starting to see entire business models change. So it starts with the most basic of just looking at how much you’re driving per employee. But I think we’re going to start to see big changes even in the models that people use to monetize what value they produce. 

    MOLLY WOOD: It feels like that ability to quantify is so important. It’s so valuable to say, this is why you can’t stay in the middle.  

    JARED SPATARO: Well, here’s what’s happened that I think has been so interesting. I mean, all along the way I feel like I’ve learned things where I look backwards and say, of course I should have known that. So let me just trace Jared’s history here. You know, we came out with a digital assistant that was saving people first 20, then 30, then the good people can use Copilot 40 hours a month. But guess what? Most CFOs said, That’s cute, but I don’t really have a way of quantifying that to the bottom line. It doesn’t impact revenue and obviously as directly as I wish, Jared. That makes sense to me. So then we moved over to process re-engineering where people were like, Hey, pick a process, something like customer support. And with that process, can you use this technology to really impact costs in a measurable way? And they were, for sure. The biggest problem was you can only pick so many processes a quarter, in a year, and get that work done. The sweet spot that we found has been this idea of digital labor and digital employees, and that’s because I believe everything in a firm today is really tooled around an employee. We all get what it looks like to hire and onboard an employee. We know what the costs are. We call them a fully burdened cost for an employee. Everybody speaks that language. You tell me I can add the equivalent of five employees to my team without all of those costs, I know how to do the math on that. And that’s where I think we’ve hit a sweet spot of how we will be able to quantify, measure consistently in the frame and the system that we’ve already set up the impact of this technology. So I think it’s a really interesting maturity point in just the world absorbing the technology, measuring the impact of the technology.  

    MOLLY WOOD: You are someone who specifically has seen a lot of technology transformations. What can we learn from the times that we have been somewhere like this before?  

    JARED SPATARO: The one that I go back to that I have the most experience with is the internet. You know, it’s really fun to go back and look at people’s predictions as the internet started to move out of the laboratory, out of research, and into a commercial setting. And I would say the shape of what I have studied there, the impact on society, you know, I feel like we’re going to see that same thing happen here. I believe that, you know, when you look at the internet, no one would say the internet’s been bad for humanity. We all think, man, our lives are much better. At the same time, we can also look at some things that we should have done early on with the internet. I look at an example of something like social media. And so I think that some of those same patterns apply here. So I just think that going back to look at what’s happened, particularly with the internet, really provides us with a good model that’ll help guide some of what we need to do with this tech. 

    MOLLY WOOD: If you are willing, can you tell us how you’re starting to see AI be incorporated outside of work? I have heard, for example, you may have used it to help you learn Spanish.  

    JARED SPATARO: I have been using it to learn Spanish. I love this thing for language learning, because up to this point you’ve had to find a way to hire or become really good friends with a native speaker so that you can practice. I love just conversing with it. And then you can set it up and say, Hey, I want you to converse with me about these topics, but if I make mistakes, I want you to pause for a second, kind of pause the conversation that’s happening, just correct me and then we’ll go back to the conversation. So I ask it things about, you know, single-cell biology. I ask it about the finer points of dining. I mean, you can just ask any specialty topic and it comes back to you, which is really fun. But in general, I would say that that’s what I see outside of work. People starting to use it to learn about new things, to augment their understanding of the world, to create opportunities to expand what they think about and what they’re processing. I mean, all of that’s very exciting to me.   

    MOLLY WOOD: Knowing that we’re in this moment of profound change, what is your advice for business leaders today?  

    JARED SPATARO: Yeah, that’s pretty easy. I mean, I’d say hire your first digital employee this week. You need to get after this. The idea that this is, you know, months off, that was like last year. This year you can hire your first digital employee. So I’d say that’s the first one. Number two, what that introduces then is this idea of human-agent teams. And so I think you need to start thinking about your human-agent ratio. You know, that should be a really good measure. We don’t know exactly what that should look like, but it will be a measure of how you’re deploying this technology. And then the last thing I’d say is, once you start to see that pattern take shape, you’ve got your first digital employee, you’re starting to see them proliferate, you’ve got human-agent teams, you need to think about every team and every process. Like, don’t just have it be localized. You know, if you don’t do it, your competitor will be doing it. So there is a sense of urgency that I think is important for business leaders to feel at this moment here in the spring of 2025.  

    MOLLY WOOD: This is a high bar because a lot of exciting things are happening. What excites you the most about this moment? 

    JARED SPATARO: I feel like humanity’s hit a point where we have been facing some challenges that have been almost like brick walls. You know, whether that is how to cure cancer or how to truly eradicate poverty, how to really grow GDP around the world in a way that’s both sustainable and shareable. You know, some really important questions. And I think we’ve hit that brick wall because I think it’s fair to say that we’ve reached the limitations of our ability to work through them on our own. I think what excites me the most is with this technology, we can tackle those things. We can invent new drugs. We can invent new energy technologies. We can create ways for the people who have not traditionally had access to specialty training and education and capital. To create firms that flourish right out of the gate. I don’t know, you put those things together, they are very hopeful. You know, it does feel to me like a new chapter in the history of mankind. That is, I don’t know, if you don’t get inspired by that, I don’t know what I have to offer you to be inspired by.  

    MOLLY WOOD: Jared Spataro is Microsoft’s Chief Marketing Officer for AI at Work. For more of his insights, follow him on LinkedIn, subscribe to the LinkedIn newsletter AI at Work. Jared, thank you so much for the time today. 

    JARED SPATARO: Great to be here. 

    MOLLY WOOD: If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the WorkLab podcast for more fascinating guests with actionable insights that can help leaders develop an AI-first mindset and maximize the ROI of AI. If you’ve got a comment or a question, drop us an email at worklab@microsoft.com, and check out Microsoft’s Work Trend Indexes and the WorkLab digital publication, where you’ll find all of our episodes along with thoughtful stories that explore how business leaders are thriving in today’s digital world. You can find all of it at microsoft.com/worklab. As for this podcast, rate us, review us, and follow us wherever you listen. It helps us out a lot. The WorkLab podcast is a place for experts to share their insights and opinions. As students of the future of work, Microsoft values inputs from a diverse set of voices. That said, the opinions and findings of our guests are their own, and they may not necessarily reflect Microsoft’s own research or positions. WorkLab is produced by Microsoft with Godfrey Dadich Partners and Reasonable Volume. I’m your host, Molly Wood. Sharon Kallander and Matthew Duncan produced this podcast. Jessica Voelker is the WorkLab editor.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Over $10 Million in SBA Relief Approved to Assist Kentucky State Rebuild After Severe Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved more than $10 million in federal disaster loans to support Kentucky businesses, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters affected by severe storms, straight-Line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides occurring Feb. 14 through Mar. 17, 2025. As of May 2, 2025, the SBA has provided over $2.4 million to businesses/EIDL and over $7.8 million to residents in the wake of this disaster.

    “Surpassing $10 million in disaster loans reflects more than just numbers — it represents small businesses reopening, families returning home and communities rebuilding stronger,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator for the SBA’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience. “These loans provide vital support for recovery, and we encourage anyone still in need to apply before the deadline.”

    SBA has extended the physical damage loan applications. Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is still available to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations for working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDLs are available regardless of whether the organization suffered any physical property damage and may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for PNPs, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is May 25, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Nov. 24, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Democrats Demand Investigation into Elon Musk’s Alleged Abuse of White House Position for Personal Gain

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, led a coalition of senior Senate Democrats in sending a letter to President Donald J. Trump demanding an investigation into reports that senior White House advisor Elon Musk has used his government role to improperly advance his personal business interests abroad. The senators cited recent reporting on a disturbing pattern in which Musk allegedly leveraged high-level access to U.S. trade policy to pressure foreign governments – including India, South Africa, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Lesotho – into granting favorable treatment to his satellite internet provider Starlink in apparent exchange for U.S. policy concessions. These allegations, if true, would constitute a serious violation of federal ethics laws and a profound breach of public trust.
    “Public servants must serve Americans, not their own bank accounts,” the senators wrote. “These alleged actions are an egregious breach of public trust, degrade our credibility with allies and partners, and potentially violate U.S. laws.”
    In addition to Warner, the letter was signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee; Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee; Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member, Senate Budget Committee; Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee; Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense; Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; Ed Markey (D-MA), Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member, Senate Agriculture Committee; Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
    The letter details instances of Musk meeting with foreign leaders – including those from India and Bangladesh – inside the White House complex and the Blair House, shortly before their governments fast-tracked regulatory approvals for Starlink. In one example, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission issued what was described as “the swiftest recommendation” in its history for a Starlink license shortly after officials requested a delay in U.S.-imposed tariffs and met with Musk on White House grounds.
    The senators noted that these developments came amid ongoing U.S. trade negotiations, raising serious questions about potential quid pro quo arrangements. The senators further warned that allowing a special government employee to influence foreign trade decisions to benefit their private ventures represents not only a potential legal violation but a corrosion of America’s international credibility.
    The senators also condemned the misuse of taxpayer-funded government properties for personal business dealings, writing, “The White House and the Blair House are not merely buildings – they are enduring symbols of American democracy and service. To use this public property for personal enrichment is not only a betrayal of the public trust – it also sends a dangerous signal that power is not a solemn responsibility, but an asset to be exploited for personal gain.”
    The lawmakers called on President Trump to launch a full investigation into Musk’s conduct, to publicly disclose the findings, and to provide Congress with a complete account of Musk and his associates’ use of government positions for personal benefit.
    A copy of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Wyoming Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Wildfires

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Wyoming of the June 2 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by wildfires beginning June 11, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Wyoming counties of Campbell, Converse, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan and Weston as well as Powder River in Montana.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than June 2.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: ESET Wins 2025 SC Award for Ransomware Remediation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, is proud to announce that ESET Ransomware Remediation has won a 2025 SC Award for Best Business Continuity, Disaster, Ransomware Recovery Solution. Presented on April 29 during the SC Awards Reception at RSAC™ 2025, this award recognizes ESET’s advanced Ransomware Remediation technology and its pivotal role in helping organizations mitigate ransomware threats and recover swiftly from attacks. The SC Awards program, now in its 28th year, recognizes the solutions, organizations, and individuals that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in advancing the security of information systems.

    “We are truly honored by this recognition, which affirms our belief that ransomware defense must go beyond prevention and empower speedy, seamless recovery,” said Ryan Grant, VP of Marketing and Sales at ESET North America. “With ESET Ransomware Remediation, we’ve built a solution that not only stops attacks in their tracks but also gives businesses the ability to bounce back quickly and confidently. It’s a critical step toward a future where organizations aren’t just reacting to threats, but are truly resilient in the face of them.”

    ESET Ransomware Remediation, part of the ESET PROTECT platform, distinguishes itself by creating temporary encrypted backups in a sequestered environment, enabling rapid data recovery even in the event of encryption by ransomware. Unlike solutions reliant on the Windows Volume Shadow Copy service, ESET’s proprietary approach works post-execution, in concert with ESET Ransomware Shield, to detect, block, and recover from ransomware attacks with minimal disruption.

    The SC Awards celebrate the most outstanding achievements in cybersecurity, from innovative technologies to forward-thinking organizations and individuals. The 2025 entries were evaluated across 33 specialty categories by a distinguished panel of judges, comprised of cybersecurity professionals, industry leaders, and members of the CyberRisk Alliance CISO community, representing sectors such as healthcare, financial services, education, and technology. The judging process emphasized technical merit, market impact, and the ability to solve real-world cybersecurity challenges. View the full list of 2025 SC Awards winners here: www.scworld.com/sc-awards.

    “This year’s winners rose to the top, but they did so in a field crowded with standout talent, bold ideas, and hard-earned innovation,” said Tom Spring, Senior Editorial Director, SC Media. “With more than 160 finalists and hundreds of submissions, the 2025 SC Awards reflect the depth, diversity, and dynamism of the cybersecurity community.”

    “SC Awards are recognized worldwide by the cybersecurity community, and we are honored to take home the Best Business Continuity, Disaster, Ransomware Recovery Solution award this year,” said Tony Anscombe, Chief Security Evangelist for ESET. “Cybersecurity solutions are evolving at breakneck speed, and these innovations are on full display this week at RSAC 2025. It was a pleasure to be recognized alongside some of the most innovative cybersecurity vendors in the industry at the SC Media Awards Ceremony.”

    For more information on ESET’s award-winning Ransomware Remediation solution, visit www.eset.com.

    About ESET

    ESET® provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown— securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts and blogs.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Embassy Bank Honored as “Best Bank & Mortgage Company” in Lehigh Valley for Fourth Consecutive Year

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BETHLEHEM, Pa., May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Embassy Bank For the Lehigh Valley is proud to announce that it has once again been named Best Bank & Mortgage Company by the Who’s Who in Business survey, featured in Lehigh Valley Style magazine. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Embassy has received this distinguished recognition.

    The Who’s Who in Business survey is conducted by FieldGoals.US, a Harrisburg-based firm and the nation’s largest consumer and voter research collective. Thousands of residents across the Lehigh Valley participate annually, offering feedback on their personal experiences and identifying businesses that consistently deliver outstanding service, value, and a commitment to quality.

    “This award is especially meaningful because it reflects the voices of the Lehigh Valley community we proudly serve,” said Dave Lobach, Chairman, President and CEO, Embassy Bank. “As an independent community bank, we are deeply rooted in this region, and being recognized by our neighbors is the highest honor. We remain committed to building trusted relationships through personalized, reliable financial solutions delivered with the care and service only a true community bank can provide.”

    Embassy’s continued recognition speaks to the hard work of its team and its unwavering focus on fostering positive customer experiences.

    About Embassy Bank

    Embassy Bank For the Lehigh Valley is a full-service community bank operating ten branch offices in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. The Bank is the largest Lehigh Valley headquartered community bank and, as of June 30, 2024, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Summary of Deposits indicates that the Bank holds the 4th spot in deposit market share in Lehigh and Northampton Counties combined. For more information, visit www.embassybank.com.

    Contact:
    David M. Lobach, Jr.
    Chairman, President and CEO
    (610) 882-8800

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: WEEX Shines at TOKEN2049, Launches Dubai Studio to Accelerate Global Expansion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On May 1, 2025, WEEX, the world’s leading cryptocurrency trading platform, made an impressive appearance at TOKEN2049 in Dubai. As a platinum sponsor of the event, WEEX not only showcased its global strategy and product portfolio at the main venue but also hosted a grand Open Day event at its Dubai studio before the conference. The event attracted over 300 guests on-site, with more than 3,000 registrations.

    TOKEN2049, one of the most influential industry events in the global crypto ecosystem, attracted thousands of blockchain professionals, investors, tech experts, and industry leaders from around the world. At the conference, WEEX shared forward-looking insights on topics such as technological innovation, user security, and industry trends, releasing key platform strategies and attracting numerous attendees for discussions. Particularly in the “Demo Trading Competition”, participants experienced the advantages of up to 400x leverage and a wide range of trading pairs. The event exceeded expectations in terms of participation, further validating the platform’s trading execution efficiency and depth.

    WEEX Vice President Andrew Weiner was also invited to speak on the main stage of TOKEN2049, delivering a speech titled From 500 Million to 5 Billion: What Sets WEEX Apart. He stated: “Our appearance at TOKEN2049 is not just to showcase the platform’s strengths, but also marks the accelerated implementation of WEEX’s global strategy. We will continue to expand globally and build a more resilient and localized platform through innovative services and regulatory advancements.”

    On the eve of the event, WEEX hosted an Open Day at its Dubai studio, inviting global KOLs, key partners, and community representatives to celebrate together. The Open Day, initially planned for 100 attendees, saw over 300 participants. WEEX’s Head of Business, Thomas, delivered a speech, highlighting the platform’s rapid growth milestones, innovation, and strategic collaborations with partners. He mentioned, “Since our founding, we have built a platform based on trust and efficient trading from the ground up. Our user base has exceeded 6 million, daily trading volume surpasses $5 billion, and we currently offer over 1,700 trading pairs. We will continue to expand our ecosystem and attract more users to join us.”

    During the Open Day, WEEX also prepared trophies for KOLs and partners who have supported the platform since its inception, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the platform’s development, further strengthening the collaboration. Some KOLs at the event shared their experiences and insights on working with WEEX, reflecting on key moments of mutual growth.

    Currently, WEEX is committed to driving local operations and international collaboration. To better serve global users, the platform will continue to deepen its market presence, enhance service capabilities, and expand its reach to ensure sustainable growth and development worldwide. Since its inception, WEEX has expanded its operations in over 170 countries and regions globally.

    Looking ahead, WEEX will continue to focus on key global markets, leveraging technological innovation, asset protection, and localized services to build dual defense of user trust and platform strength. Together with global partners, WEEX will lead the development of the next generation of crypto trading platforms and contribute to the sustainable growth of the global cryptocurrency industry.

    Disclaimer: WEEX does not currently conduct any virtual asset activities in the UAE and has not been licensed by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). WEEX will only engage in virtual asset activities in Dubai upon obtaining the necessary VARA license.
    For more information about WEEX, please visit:
    Website | X (Twitter) | Telegram | Discord | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube
    For media inquiries, please contact: support@weex.com

    Contact:
    Regina O’Keefe
    market@weexglobal.com

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by WEEX. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. GlobeNewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b2e50e9d-58bc-499c-8b58-7d2b85ff051a

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fc0aa90d-daec-440a-97aa-df914f9ffe7c

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d7e8720b-b153-46e7-b645-6ae5cf6263fb

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3f7db2b2-3bd2-45e3-95f0-5030cacf7d51

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Premier Heads to Spain, United Kingdom for Trade Mission

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Premier Tim Houston will leave on Sunday, May 4, for a provincial trade mission in two critical markets – Spain and the United Kingdom.

    The Premier and Kent Smith, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, will head to Barcelona, Spain, to promote Nova Scotia’s seafood sector at events scheduled May 5-10. The Premier will also be attending meetings regarding defence and security as well as renewable energy before heading to London, England, for meetings and speaking opportunities to promote Nova Scotia to leaders in the United Kingdom.

    “It is a privilege to represent Nova Scotians on these provincial trade missions. Leaders and the business community from other countries repeatedly tell me how highly they think of our province, people and products,” said Premier Houston. “Spain and the United Kingdom are top destinations for Nova Scotia’s fish and seafood exports. We want to strengthen that partnership as well as explore additional opportunities to do more trade with them. Nova Scotia has a lot to offer, and we’re making sure the world knows it.”

    While in Spain, Premier Houston and Minister Smith will attend Seafood Expo Global, the largest international seafood event, which attracts serving industry professionals and buyers, at all points of the supply chain, from around the world. The Premier will also speak to international buyers, media and culinary decision-makers and influencers at an event promoting Nova Scotia’s seafood industry.

    During his stop in London, Premier Houston will be the keynote speaker at the annual general meeting of the Canada-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce at the House of Lords on May 13. Premier Houston will speak to chamber members and attendees about the long-standing ties between Nova Scotia and the United Kingdom and the opportunities that exist to strengthen cultural connections and the trade relationship.

    Nova Scotia is currently focused on making the province more self-reliant by investing in the seafood sector, wind resources and critical minerals. The Province is also developing a comprehensive trade action plan to facilitate internal trade, enhance productivity and drive critical sectors with input from businesses and industry.

    Quotes:

    “The European market represents a great opportunity to grow Nova Scotia’s seafood industry. By promoting our premium-quality seafood, we are helping our companies expand internationally, driving economic growth and securing a sustainable future for our coastal communities.”
    — Kent Smith, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture

    Quick Facts:

    • Nova Scotia continued to be Canada’s seafood export leader in 2024; top global export destinations were the United States ($1.2 billion), China ($614.2 million), South Korea ($61.5 million), Japan ($58.9 million) and France ($48.9 million)
    • seafood exports to the European Union reached $218.3 million; top markets were France, Belgium ($43.5 million), the Netherlands ($35.9 million), Spain ($31.9 million) and Denmark ($22.5 million)
    • mission delegates are Premier Houston; Minister Smith; Nicole LaFosse Parker, Chief of Staff and General Counsel; Jason Hollett, Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture; Executive Deputy Minister Tracey Taweel; and Mike McMurray, Executive Director, International Relations and Military Relations

    Additional Resources:

    Canada-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce: https://www.canada-uk.org/

    Seafood Expo Global: https://www.seafoodexpo.com/global/

    Information about Nova Scotia seafood and exporters is available at: https://nsseafood.com/

    Other than cropping, Province of Nova Scotia Photos are not to be altered in any way.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Healthcare facility incident probed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government has set up an inter-departmental team to ensure cases concerning the recent suspected closure of a private healthcare facility are handled as soon as possible and people affected by it are provided with assistance.

    The dedicated team comprises representatives from the Security Bureau, the Commerce & Economic Development Bureau, the Customs & Excise Department, Police, the Department of Health and the Consumer Council.

    The Department of Health said that the parents of children affected by the incident that have been registered with Maternal & Child Health Centres (MCHCs) may make an appointment by calling the registered MCHCs for advice on the vaccinations the children need to receive.

    For a small number of children who have not been registered with MCHCs, parents may call 2125 1188, which will operate from tomorrow from 9am to 5pm daily until further notice. Parents can also send emails or messages to 6170 8006 for enquiries.

    Meanwhile, the Customs & Excise Department is conducting investigations into offences under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance regarding unfair trade practices. If there is any violation of the ordinance, Customs will take enforcement action.

    As at 4pm today, Customs and Police received 312 reports and the Consumer Council received 157 complaints on the incident. The Consumer Council urges those responsible for the private healthcare facilities to provide an explanation as soon as possible to address consumers’ concerns. Consumers can call the council’s hotline at 2929 2222 if in doubt.

    Members of the public may report any suspected violation of the ordinance to Customs on the 24-hour hotline 182 8080, email its crime-reporting account or fill out an online form.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Coface SA: Disclosure of total number of voting rights and number of shares in the capital as at April 30, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COFACE SA: Disclosure of total number of voting rights and number of shares in the capital as at April 30, 2025

    Paris, May 2nd, 2025 – 17.45

    Total Number of
    Shares Capital    		 Theoretical Number of Voting Rights1 Number of Real
    Voting Rights2
    150,179,792 150,179,792 149,368,649

    (1)   including own shares
    (2)   excluding own shares

      Regulated documents posted by COFACE SA have been secured and authenticated with the blockchain technology by Wiztrust. You can check the authenticity on the website www.wiztrust.com.

    About Coface

    COFACE SA is a société anonyme (joint-stock corporation), with a Board of Directors (Conseil d’Administration) incorporated under the laws of France, and is governed by the provisions of the French Commercial Code. The Company is registered with the Nanterre Trade and Companies Register (Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés) under the number 432 413 599. The Company’s registered office is at 1 Place Costes et Bellonte, 92270 Bois Colombes, France.

    At the date of 31 December 2024, the Company’s share capital amounts to €300,359,584, divided into 150,179,792 shares, all of the same class, and all of which are fully paid up and subscribed.

    All regulated information is available on the company’s website (http://www.coface.com/Investors).

    Coface SA. is listed on Euronext Paris – Compartment A
    ISIN: FR0010667147 / Ticker: COFA

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mountain America Credit Union’s Margaret Mathis Named 2025 Utah Business HR Achievement Award Recipient

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANDY, Utah, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mountain America Credit Union is proud to announce Margaret Mathis, director of talent acquisition, has been named a 2025 Utah Business HR Achievement Award recipient. Her exceptional leadership and significant impact in the field of human resources have earned her recognition as one of Utah’s top HR professionals.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link.

    The Utah Business HR Achievement Award program honors the human resources professionals who have gone beyond the call of duty to make their companies great places to work. Mathis was featured in the April issue of Utah Business and honored at an awards ceremony on April 30 at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business.

    “Margaret consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to her role in HR,” said Trent Savage, senior vice president of human resources. “This achievement and recognition is a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence, leadership and the people she serves every day.”

    With over 20 years of experience in human resources, Mathis has excelled in various roles across industries such as staffing, call centers, and automotive. She has been a key contributor at Mountain America Credit Union for nearly a decade, where her leadership has been instrumental in driving the success of our talent acquisition team.

    Mathis’ outstanding achievements have been recognized with multiple awards, including the OnCon Top 50 Talent Acquisition Professionals in North America Award in 2021 and the OnCon Top 100 Talent Acquisition Professionals in North America Award in 2023. Under her leadership, Mountain America’s talent acquisition team received the OnCon Top 100 Talent Acquisition Team in North America Award in 2023.

    To learn more about Mountain America, visit macu.com/newsroom.

    About Mountain America Credit Union
    With more than 1 million members and $20 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union helps its members define and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure, cutting-edge mobile banking technology, over 100 branches across multiple states, and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain America—guiding you forward. Learn more at macu.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WTAS: Stakeholders Applaud Ciscomani’s Efforts to Protect Medicaid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    “I cannot, and will not, support any legislation that reduces Medicaid benefits for vulnerable populations the program was intended to serve, like the working poor, individuals with disabilities, single mothers, and the elderly.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Local and national stakeholders are praising U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani for his efforts to protect Medicaid and ensure that vulnerable populations, like the working poor, single mothers, the elderly, continue to receive the benefits they depend on. 

    Recently, Ciscomani and 12 Republican colleagues sent a letter to House Republican leadership and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie making it clear that they will not vote for legislation that reduces Medicaid coverage for those who need it. You can read the full letter here. 

    “Medicaid benefits are a lifeline for our vulnerable populations, and I am committed to continue working to ensure these individuals are able to access the healthcare and support they need,” said Ciscomani. “While I support targeted reforms to fix flaws in the program, improve the delivery of care, and reduce the rate of improper payments, I cannot, and will not, support any legislation that reduces Medicaid benefits for vulnerable populations the program was intended to serve, like the working poor, individuals with disabilities, single mothers, and the elderly.” 

    This effort builds upon a previous letter Ciscomani sent to Speaker Mike Johnson making it clear that slashing or underfunding Medicaid, “would have serious consequences, particularly in rural and predominantly Hispanic communities where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling to keep their doors open.” 

    This effort is supported by a number of local and national stakeholders including: El Rio Health, Banner Health, United Cerebral Palsy of Southern Arizona (UCPSA), Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Carondelet Health Network, the Arizona Association of Providers for People with Disabilities, the National Medical Association, Advocates for Community Health, the American Cancer Society in Arizona, the Federation of American Hospitals, American Health Care Association, America’s Essential Hospitals, the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), the Arc of Tucson, and Advocates for Community Health. 

    WHAT THEY ARE SAYING 

    Clint Kuntz, Chief Executive Officer of El Rio Health: “We applaud Congressman Juan Ciscomani for taking action in support of preserving Medicaid coverage.  Medicaid is a vital lifeline for millions of Americans and even small cuts to this program could cause catastrophic effects for both the physical and economic health of our local communities. As a Community Health Center, El Rio Health is proud to serve these patients every day and ensure they receive the care they need to live healthy, productive lives.” 

    Amy Perry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Banner Health: “The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona’s version of Medicaid, is essential for millions of Arizonans to access high quality healthcare. Today, AHCCCS covers 26% of the state’s population, and proposed cuts to this program threaten access to care. This includes infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly, disabled, veterans, and the working poor. Reducing federal funding will leave our vulnerable community members without support and hospitals, rural care sites, and other critical access providers in peril.” 

    Dr. Cindy Mars, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of UCPSA: “At UCPSA, we are encouraged by Representative Ciscomani’s support in opposing cuts to Medicaid. His action demonstrates a clear understanding of the essential role Medicaid plays in ensuring that individuals with disabilities can live with dignity and independence in their communities. We appreciate his commitment to protecting the services that uplift families and sustain the workforce that cares for our most vulnerable.” 

    Rhonda Murray, Chief Operating Officer of UCPSA: “The health, independence, and very futures of people with disabilities depend on the strength of Medicaid. Cutting it would have heartbreaking and irreversible consequences. We thank Representative Ciscomani for standing up for our communities and ask him to continue his support to protect Medicaid and the people who rely on it every day.” 

    Dr. Virginia Caine, President of the National Medical Association: “Medicaid helps to ensure that hospitals and other healthcare providers can serve those in need. The National Medical Association believes it is important not to sacrifice the health and dignity of our most vulnerable neighbors. Doing so could negatively impact health outcomes, including mortality rates, and management of chronic diseases. We are in full support of Medicaid and advocate for its continued use.” 

    Chiricahua Community Health Centers: “Congressman Juan Ciscomani once again showed courage by signing onto a second letter calling for the protection of Medicaid. It builds on his earlier advocacy with the Congressional Hispanic Conference and signals meaningful leadership. But this fight isn’t over. We’re counting on Congressman Ciscomani to keep standing strong for the health of Arizona’s families by protecting Medicaid – health insurance that not only supports those who qualify but additionally supports the entire structure of rural healthcare access.” 

    Carondelet Health Network: “We appreciate Congressman Ciscomani’s work to oppose cuts to the Medicaid program that would harm constituents, providers, and Arizona’s economy. He signed onto a letter to House Leadership making it clear that he will not vote in favor of legislation that reduces Medicaid benefits. We appreciated the opportunity to discuss the impact of cuts to the Medicaid program and for his leadership on this critical issue.” 

    The American Cancer Society in Arizona: “Thank you Rep. Ciscomani for publicly stating the importance of Medicaid for your constituents and people nationwide in your letter to House leadership. Medicaid is a lifeline for cancer patients and all those at risk of developing this disease.” 

    The Arc of Tucson: “Thank you Rep. Ciscomani for your courageous stand, along with twelve other members of the U.S. House of Representatives, by writing a letter urging Congress to protect Medicaid during budget negotiations. We commend these leaders for their commitment to protecting Medicaid.” 

    ANCOR: “ANCOR appreciates Representative Ciscomani’s leadership in speaking out at this crucial time as cuts to Medicaid threaten the ability of people with disabilities to remain in their homes and communities. We are grateful to the Congressman for his firm commitment to protecting Medicaid from cuts that would have harmful impacts on our communities, families, and the provider network that supports people with disabilities through critical long-term services and supports.” 

    The Federation of American Hospitals: “Thank you, Rep. Ciscomani, for your commitment to protecting coverage and access to healthcare for your 207,131 constituents on Medicaid and the millions more seniors, children, and people with disabilities who rely on the program.” 

    American Health Care Association: “Thank you to the twelve Republicans who are standing up for seniors and our most vulnerable on Medicaid, especially those in nursing homes. In a new letter, they draw a red line – protect Medicaid or risk losing support for the reconciliation bill.” 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Best No Credit Check Loans Guaranteed Approval Direct Lender – IOnline Payday Loans

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHERIDAN, Wyo., May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — This article provides an overview of no credit check loans guaranteed approval direct lenders, detailing their requirements, advantages, disadvantages, and how they function as quick financial solutions for emergency expenses. It covers various types of no credit check loans, including Best online payday loans and best installment loans for bad credit. The article also addresses the risks associated with no credit check loans and offers tips for identifying trustworthy lenders. Additionally, it explores whether these loans can provide the financial relief you may be seeking.

    >> Click Here to Apply for No Credit Check Loans >>

    Key Takeaways

    No credit check loans are a type of loan offered by direct lenders without checking credit history.

    These loans have minimal requirements and can be applied for online.

    However, they come with high interest rates and potential for debt cycle, so it’s important to research and find a reputable lender.

    >> Click Here to Apply for No Credit Check Loans >>

    What Are No Credit Check Loans Guaranteed Approval Direct Lenders?

    No credit check loans with guaranteed approval from lenders are available to borrowers with limited credit histories, offering them the chance to secure financial assistance without the worry of credit score evaluations.

    These loans are specifically designed to help individuals who need urgent support in managing emergency bills or unexpected financial challenges. They cater to those with bad credit and low credit scores who may encounter difficulties in obtaining traditional loans.

    The streamlined application process ensures quicker access to cash, and the guaranteed approval from direct lenders provides borrowers with peace of mind. This opportunity allows borrowers to regain control over their financial situations.

    >> Click Here to Apply for No Credit Check Loans >>

    What Are the Requirements for These Loans?

    The requirements for no credit check loans with guaranteed approval vary slightly among direct lenders; however, they generally focus on assessing a borrower’s income and financial stability rather than their credit history. Typically, borrowers must provide adequate documentation to demonstrate their ability to repay the loans. This documentation usually includes:

    • Proof of income, which may consist of recent pay stubs or bank statements, allowing lenders to evaluate the borrower’s financial capability.
    • Age verification, as applicants generally need to be at least 18 years old to enter into a loan agreement.
    • Residency confirmation, indicating that the borrower resides within the lender’s operating area.
    • Identification, such as a government-issued ID, which helps authenticate the applicant’s identity.

    For individuals with poor credit, tribal installment loans can offer a practical solution, providing access to funds without the strict requirements typically associated with traditional loans.

    What Are the Benefits of No Credit Check Payday Loans?

    No credit check loans guaranteed approval are just one option among a wide range of short-term financial products that can benefit consumers facing or urgent expenses. These loans are specifically designed for individuals with bad credit, but they come with inherent risks that borrowers should consider before applying.

    One key feature is the quick availability of cash through online lenders offering instant approval for emergency bills. No credit check loans with guaranteed approval provide borrowers with rapid access to funds, allowing them to cover emergency expenses as quickly as possible. The expedited and streamlined application process enables fast processing times, with loans often accessible for same-hour, next-day, or next-week payments. Additionally, the absence of credit or background checks means fewer eligibility hurdles typically discourage borrowers from seeking financial assistance.

    Another advantage is financial control. Borrowers can manage their cash flow by selecting loan amounts that fit their specific circumstances. Moreover, these loans offer flexibility in repayment terms with predictable monthly payments, providing short-term financial relief, as they are designed to assist borrowers for a few weeks or months until they have an opportunity to restructure their finances.

    How Do No Credit Check Installment Loans Work?

    No credit check Installment loans with guaranteed approval are essential for borrowers who require quick funding to address their financial needs. These loans usually involve a straightforward online application process with direct lenders, enabling them to evaluate the borrower’s income and repayment ability without considering their credit history.

    Lenders typically provide a loan approval decision shortly after the application is submitted, facilitating rapid access to funds when needed. This simple process showcases the various borrowing solutions available, allowing individuals to choose loan amounts that align with their financial requirements.

    What Is the Application Process of No Credit Check Loans?

    The application process for no credit check loans with guaranteed approval is designed to be straightforward and efficient, enabling borrowers to navigate financial emergencies with ease. Prospective borrowers can start by filling out an online application on the lender’s website, which typically requires basic personal information, income details, and bank account information for fund transfer. It is important to pay close attention to the accuracy of the information provided, as this can significantly expedite income verification and increase the likelihood of approval.

    Once the application is submitted, lenders usually conduct a swift assessment of the details, facilitating a quick decision. Following this review, borrowers may receive a loan contract that outlines the terms and conditions, which should be carefully reviewed before signing.

    To further assist applicants, many lenders offer robust customer support options, including live chat, phone assistance, and helpful FAQs on their websites. It is advisable to read customer reviews to understand the experiences of other borrowers. Additionally, comprehending the loan’s repayment structure is crucial. Whenever possible, ensure that all details are provided honestly to avoid future complications.

    How Long Does It Take to Get Approved?

    The time required to obtain approval for no credit check loans with guaranteed approval can vary; however, one of the advantages of these loans is that borrowers can typically expect a relatively quick decision.

    Many online and direct lenders offer same-day payday loans, allowing borrowers to receive approval within just a few hours of submitting their application. This rapid funding is particularly beneficial for individuals facing urgent expenses who cannot afford to wait for the longer approval times associated with traditional loans.

    Overall approval times depend on several factors, which can significantly impact how quickly individuals can access funds during financial emergencies. The most significant factors that can either expedite or delay the approval process include:

    • Completeness of the loan application: Incomplete applications are a common cause of delays. Providing comprehensive information upfront minimizes the need for additional back-and-forth communication during the approval process.
    • Efficiency of the lender’s processing system: Different lenders have various processing systems, which can greatly influence the timeline for approval.
    • Type of loans: Different loan types inherently require different durations for approval, as some may necessitate more documentation than others.

    Understanding these factors can help borrowers prepare effectively, ensuring they provide all necessary information upfront to facilitate a faster approval process.

    What Are the Different Types of No Credit Check Loans?

    No credit check loans encompass a variety of loan types tailored to meet diverse financial needs, particularly for individuals with poor credit or those facing financial emergencies, such as bad credit loans and tribal installment loans.

    Each type of no credit check loan serves a specific purpose, enabling borrowers to select options that align with their needs and repayment capacity. It is essential for borrowers to understand the different categories, including online payday loans and installment loans, in order to make informed decisions.

    Online Payday Loans No Credit Check

    Online payday loans and personal loans provide individuals with short-term financial assistance to meet their immediate financial needs. Typically offered by direct lenders like CreditNinja and Fund Finance, these loans feature streamlined online applications. They are usually required to be repaid on the borrower’s next payday, making them an effective solution for resolving financial emergencies.

    Many payday loans can be funded on the same day, making them a suitable option for urgent expenses such as car repairs or medical bills. These loans are specifically designed to assist individuals facing unexpected financial challenges. The quick funding enables borrowers to address expenses without delay.

    The application process is generally straightforward and requires minimal documentation, enhancing accessibility for many. Eligibility typically involves being a legal adult with a steady income, such as SSI or TANF, and an active bank account. Most lenders do not conduct extensive credit checks, allowing those with less-than-perfect credit histories to qualify.

    Consequently, online payday loans not only provide timely financial relief but also help borrowers manage their short-term cash flow effectively.

    Installment Loans for Bad Credit and Personal Installment Loans

    Installment loans for bad credit are designed for individuals with poor credit scores, featuring longer repayment periods and affordable monthly payments. These loans cater to various borrowing needs and offer greater flexibility and security compared to other loan options, including online installment loans.

    For instance, borrowers can benefit from customized loan terms, as bad credit installment loans typically come with flexible repayment terms that range from a few months to several years. This extended timeframe enables borrowers to better manage their repayment capacity and diminishes the risks associated with the lump-sum repayments common with payday loans.

    Advantages of Installment Loans for Bad Credit:

    • Flexible repayment terms that can fit within monthly budgets
    • Larger loan amounts that are more accessible to borrowers with bad credit
    • No immediate repayment pressure

    In contrast, payday loans usually have much shorter terms and higher interest rates, which can be more challenging for borrowers seeking financial stability. As a result, recipients of installment loans can focus on gradually repairing their credit while alleviating their short-term financial burdens.

    No Denial Installment Loans Direct Lenders Only

    No denial installment loans from direct lenders provide an inclusive borrowing option for individuals with poor credit histories. Unlike traditional lending practices, these loans prioritize the borrower’s ability to repay rather than their credit score, ensuring that those who might be rejected elsewhere can secure the financial support they need.

    This approach allows borrowers to regain control over their finances and access funds when they need them most. Typically, these loans come with flexible terms, enabling individuals to manage repayment schedules that fit their financial situations.

    The easy application process ensures that those in urgent need of funds can obtain quick cash without excessive waiting periods. The absence of denial encourages borrowers to focus on improving their credit over time, rather than feeling constrained by their past.

    Additionally, many lenders offer support services that provide guidance on responsibly managing these loans, further give the power toing individuals on their journey to improved financial health.

    What Are the Risks of No Credit Check Loans?

    No credit check loans offer several benefits, particularly for individuals with a poor credit history or those facing unexpected urgent expenses in Houston. However, borrowers should also be aware of the risks associated with these loans.

    One significant risk is the high-interest rates, which can lead to challenging repayment situations and potentially result in a cycle of debt if not managed properly. It is crucial to understand these risks when considering no credit check loans to make informed borrowing decisions and ensure that financial services remain sustainable.

    High Interest Rates

    High-interest rates pose a significant risk for no credit check loans, particularly for individuals with poor credit. These loans typically charge borrowers more than traditional loans due to the increased risk for lenders, which can create financial difficulties for borrowers who may struggle to repay them on time. The structure of high-interest rates can vary widely, depending on the lender’s policies and the borrower’s creditworthiness.

    For individuals seeking financial assistance, it is crucial to understand the terms, as the initially appealing agreement may conceal the potential for substantial future obligations.

    The manner in which high-interest rates are charged can lead to several challenging situations, including high interest loans:

    • Interest can accumulate quickly, making repayment more difficult for those who are already in financial distress.
    • Late fees may be applied, further increasing the cost of the loan.
    • The total repayment amount can far exceed the original loan amount.

    Therefore, individuals must carefully consider the overall cost of borrowing to avoid falling into a cycle of debt that could result in long-term financial instability.

    Potential for Debt Cycle

    The debt cycle represents one of the most significant risks associated with no credit check loans. It occurs when borrowers take out additional loans to repay existing ones, leading to a state of perpetual instability. This cycle begins when borrowers are unable to meet their repayment obligations and resort to borrowing again to settle prior debts.

    As the cycle progresses, the burden of high interest rates can exacerbate the borrowers’ situation, trapping them in an endless loop of debt. However, the debt cycle can be avoided by recognizing early warning signs and staying vigilant regarding one’s financial situation and repayment options.

    Some potential strategies to recover and ultimately break the cycle include:

    • Creating a budget that prioritizes essential needs
    • Communicating with lenders to seek assistance in renegotiating loan terms
    • Exploring debt consolidation options to pay off immediate debts

    How to Find a Reputable No Credit Check Loan Lender? Consider Loan Services and Borrowing Options

    Finding a trustworthy lender is one of the most crucial steps when seeking no credit check loans. A reliable lender ensures that borrowers have a process in place that protects them from financial predation and provides fair service.

    The first step for consumers should be thorough research, which includes seeking out lenders with positive customer reviews, proper licensing, and a transparent lending process. Trusting the lender is vital, as it helps consumers avoid scams and unfavorable loan terms.

    Research Online

    Researching online is one of the most effective strategies for finding a trustworthy lender for no credit check loans, as it allows borrowers to compare various options and read reviews from previous customers. When navigating through the vast amount of information available, it is crucial to pay attention to a few key factors that can significantly influence your borrowing experience. Start by compiling a list of potential lenders, focusing not only on the speed of approval but also on the transparency of their terms.

    • Reputation: Choose lenders with a solid reputation, such as Payday Ventures and establish their credibility through various platforms.
    • Loan Terms: Understand the interest rates and repayment schedules they offer.
    • Customer Reviews: Evaluate customer feedback, including those for CreditNinja, to gauge the experiences and satisfaction levels of others.

    By prioritizing these elements during your research, you can gain better financial control over your borrowing choices. Ultimately, responsible borrowing revolves around making informed decisions, and selecting a well-researched lender is integral to that journey.

    Check for Proper Licensing and Accreditation

    Before engaging with any lender, especially Native American lenders, it is essential to verify that they are properly licensed and accredited, as this is a requirement for all legal operations involving no credit check loans. Doing so protects individuals from lenders that operate illegally and ensures that responsible lending practices are upheld.

    The following four steps can help verify a lender’s licensing and accreditation:

    • First, individuals should visit the lender’s official website, where accredited lenders typically display their credentials.
    • Second, consulting the database of the appropriate financial regulatory authority, or platforms like Loan Raptor, can confirm a lender’s licensing status. For instance, in the U.S., the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau oversees various lending operations.
    • Third, examining customer service ratings and reviews can provide valuable insight into a lender’s operational legitimacy.
    • Finally, the quality of customer service, as seen in companies like Fund Finance, reflects a lender’s commitment to providing a positive experience for its clients.

    Read Customer Reviews

    Customer reviews are one of the most effective ways to identify trustworthy lenders for no credit check loans, as they provide valuable insights into the experiences of other borrowers and help assess a lender’s reliability. Understanding how to interpret these reviews can significantly enhance one’s borrowing experience. When evaluating reviews, consider the following factors:

    • Consistency of Feedback: If multiple reviewers highlight a particular positive or negative aspect of a lender, it is likely a consistent feature of their service.
    • Detailed Experiences: Reviews that provide a thorough account of the entire borrowing process tend to be more beneficial for potential borrowers than those offering only an overall rating.
    • Customer Service: Many reviews will mention whether the lender, such as Super Personal Finder, has responsive and helpful customer support. This consideration is crucial, especially for individuals who are new to borrowing.

    By quickly and effectively analyzing these factors, borrowers can enhance their understanding and achieve better financial outcomes, ensuring that their decisions are well-informed and tailored to their unique circumstances.

    What Are Some Alternatives to No Credit Check Loans? Consider Eligibility Requirements and Loan Contracts

    There are several financial solutions available that can address urgent needs in the borrowing market without the risks associated with no credit check loans. Alternatives to no credit check loans include secured loans, which require collateral, and credit unions including US residents that provide more favorable terms and lower interest rates for individuals with poor credit.

    Additionally, peer-to-peer lending platforms such as Loan Raptor connect individuals seeking loans with lenders willing to provide funds based on borrowers’ profiles rather than relying on traditional credit checks.

    Secured Loans

    Secured loans serve as a close alternative to no credit check loans offered by Native American lenders. These loans require borrowers to pledge collateral to guarantee the loan, which results in lower interest rates, a better payment history and more favorable terms.

    Commonly accepted forms of collateral include property, vehicles, bank accounts, TANF benefits, and other valuable assets. By securing their property and valuables as collateral, borrowers increase their chances of obtaining larger loan amounts at reduced interest rates, improving the loan process.

    Secured loans are particularly appealing compared to no credit check loans, as they offer lower interest rates and fees. However, no credit check loans typically allow for faster access to funds, albeit at a higher cost and with stricter repayment terms.

    Borrowers should carefully evaluate their financial situations to determine if secured loans represent a more sustainable financial solution.

    Credit Unions

    Credit unions serve as a viable alternative to no credit check loans, offering financial services to individuals with poor credit histories. They provide affordable loans with lower monthly payments and reduced interest rates, similar to Payday Ventures offerings.

    Plus favorable loan terms, credit unions prioritize exceptional customer service and offer financial literacy programs like those provided by Super Personal Finder. Unlike profit-driven banks, these member-owned institutions focus on serving their members, which ultimately benefits the community and promotes inclusivity.

    The advantages of credit unions include:

    • Lower fees and better interest rates, similar to Credit Clock
    • Access to credit-building resources
    • Flexible repayment options tailored to individual circumstances

    These features give the power to people to build healthier financial futures while fostering a sense of community.

    Peer-to-Peer Lending

    Peer-to-peer lending platforms connect borrowers directly with individual lenders, offering an alternative to traditional no credit check loans. This system allows borrowers with diverse credit histories to secure funding based on their overall profiles. Unlike traditional lending institutions, which often rely heavily on credit scores and standardized applications, peer-to-peer lending evaluates an individual’s potential more holistically. This innovative approach provides financial solutions to those who may have been overlooked, including small business owners, SSI recipients, and individuals with limited credit histories.

    By participating in a peer-to-peer lending network like Fund Finance, borrowers can benefit from several advantages, such as lower interest rates due to reduced overhead costs for lenders, flexible repayment terms tailored to their financial situations, and direct communication that fosters a sense of community between all parties involved, as seen in Sheridan networks.

    However, it is also important to consider the potential risks associated with peer-to-peer lending. Borrowers may face higher interest rates in certain scenarios, particularly if they have poor credit, as noted by CreditNinja, as well as the possibility of encountering strict penalties for late payments or defaults. Understanding the dynamics of peer-to-peer lending can give the power to individuals to make informed borrowing decisions.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are no credit check loans guaranteed approval direct lender, like those by Mukesh Bhardwaj?

    No credit check loans guaranteed approval direct lender are loans that are offered by a direct lender and do not require a credit check as part of the approval process. These loans are typically designed for individuals with bad credit or those who have no credit history.

    Can I get a loan with bad credit using a direct lender, such as IOnline Payday Loans?

    Yes, you can still obtain a loan with bad credit by using a direct lender that offers no credit check loans. These lenders will not consider your credit score when determining your eligibility for a loan, making it easier for individuals with bad credit to secure financing.

    What are the advantages of using a direct lender for a no credit check loan?

    One advantage of using a direct lender for a no credit check loan is that the application process is typically quicker and easier. Direct lenders also offer more flexibility and often have less strict eligibility requirements, making it easier for individuals with bad credit to obtain a loan.

    Are there any disadvantages of using a direct lender for a no credit check loan?

    Some potential disadvantages of using a direct lender for a no credit check loan include higher interest rates and fees, as well as potentially being scammed by fraudulent lenders. It is important to carefully research and choose a reputable direct lender when considering a no credit check loan.

    Can I get an installment loan with no credit check from a direct lender while living in Houston?

    Yes, many direct lenders offer installment loans for bad credit without requiring a credit check. These loans are typically repaid in regular installments over a set period of time, making it easier for borrowers to manage their payments.

    Are there any direct lenders that offer no credit check loans with no denial?

    Yes, there are direct lenders that offer no credit check loans with no denial, meaning that they do not deny applicants based on their credit score. However, these loans may still have other eligibility requirements, such as a minimum income or employment status, so it is important to carefully review the lender’s terms and conditions before applying.

    Disclaimer: This announcement contains general information about Ionline payday loan services and should not be considered financial advice. Ionline Payday Loans does not guarantee loan approval, and loan terms may vary by applicant and lender requirements. Loans are available to U.S. residents only.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9979136f-b151-46be-977f-a7f1b2b47174

     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Protections Against Foreign Threats to U.S. Networks

    Source: US Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)

    Contact: Riley Pingree

    (May 1, 2025) WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 906, the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency (FACT) Act.

    Currently, U.S. law does not require public disclosure of companies tied to foreign adversaries operating in our technology and telecommunications markets. Although the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is prohibited from issuing new licenses to entities deemed national security threats, some companies linked to adversarial governments still hold certain approvals.

    This bicameral, bipartisan legislation, introduced by U.S. Representative Robert Wittman (VA-01) and co-led by Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07), would require the FCC to publish a list of companies that both hold FCC authorizations and have any ownership ties to adversarial foreign governments, including China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea.

    “This week, Congress voted to protect the security and privacy of every American,” said Congressman Kean. “I am pleased to have co-led this bipartisan effort, which strengthens the FCC’s ability to hold foreign adversaries like China and Russia accountable for exploiting our telecommunications infrastructure. The FACT Act is necessary to securing our networks and ensures Americans are no longer left in the dark about who has access to them. It is important that we work across the aisle to recognize this threat and to reinforce our national security.”

    Congressman Wittman (VA-01) said, “The House’s passage of my bipartisan FACT Act marks real progress in countering foreign threats to our tech infrastructure. The Chinese Communist Party continues to use every tool at its disposal to surveil Americans and infiltrate our telecommunications and technology markets. This legislation is a critical step toward exposing the CCP’s malign influence and preventing foreign adversaries from having unfettered access to our telecommunications infrastructure. I’ll continue advocating for strong, bipartisan action to protect our national security.”

    Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce said, “The enemies of America have made a concerted effort to destabilize and undermine our communications networks. The FACT Act will increase awareness of whether companies with licenses or other authorizations to access our networks have ties to adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. I thank Rep. Kean for his work gathering overwhelming bipartisan support for this legislation to secure our infrastructure and improve our national security.”

    Read the full text of the bill here.

    Congressman Kean was the Republican lead of the FACT Act on the Energy and Commerce Committee, making this his first co-led bill and fourth cosponsored bill to pass the House during the 119th Congress. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Northwest Arkansas Business Owners Plead Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Pandemic Relief Loan Programs

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    FAYETTEVILLE —A Florida couple, formerly of Northwest Arkansas, pleaded guilty Monday to defrauding Pandemic Relief Loan Programs. U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the plea hearing, in which Fawaad Welch, age 41, and Julia Youngblood, age 41, both waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a criminal information.  Welch pled to wire fraud and Youngblood pled to misprision of a felony related to the scheme.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, between May of 2020 through October of 2021, Welch and Youngblood applied for Pandemic Relief Loan Programs through their Arkansas business, Slipstream Creative, LLC, which was a Northwest Arkansas advertising and marketing company located in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

    Throughout the applications, Welch provided the lenders with false statements regarding their assets and liabilities and the intended use of funds received through the SBA7(a), Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Main Street Loan Programs.  Youngblood them signed those application on behalf of the business.   According to the information filed by the Government, after receiving the loan funds, Welch then diverted large parts of the loan proceeds for the personal benefit of the couple.  For example, in the applications submitted for these loans, the couple failed to disclose material information such as tax liabilities and the fact that they were receiving loans from the other loan programs.  Also, within months of receiving $1.5 million in “working capital” Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds in October 2021, Welch transferred $1.3 million of that loan to the couple’s personal bank account.  The couple then purchased a home in Florida using $445,000 of those Government program loan funds.  

    According to the plea agreement entered into by Welch, after being asked by Generations Bank officials if Welch and Youngblood take salaries and informed that “the Fed restricts changes to your salaries with the [Main Street Loan Program] and doesn’t allow distributions, Welch replied, “Yes sir we do at 10k a month so all is good there.  5k a piece.”  After receiving the $3 million in program funds, within a month Welch had transferred $950,000 in Main Street Loan Program funds out of the business and to himself. 

    In the plea agreements with the Government, the couple agrees that pursuant to this scheme, they should be held accountable for more than $3.5 million but less than $9.0 million in intended loss.

    Following the preparation of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office, Welch and Youngblood will be scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Welch faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years in prison, and Youngblood faces a maximum penalty of three (3) years in prison.  Both individuals will also be assessed a period of supervised release, monetary penalties, and restitution. U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks will determine the couple’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney David Clay Fowlkes announced the change of plea hearings.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Relief investigated the case.

    U. S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Wulff are prosecuting the case for the United States.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at

    Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.

    Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Kevin Vilkin Joins Milken Young Leaders Circle

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kevin Vilkin, co-founder of Emergent Strategic Partners, has joined the Milken Young Leaders Circle (YLC), an honor awarded to outstanding executives, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who are shaping the future of business and philanthropy. As a member of YLC, Vilkin will join a network of high-impact individuals working across industries to drive innovation, economic growth, and social progress.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Kevin to the YLC community,” said Jenny Sorin, Associate Director, Business and Program at the Milken Institute. “His dedication to advancing renewable energy and leveraging technology for global impact aligns with the Milken Institute’s mission to drive meaningful change. Through his leadership at Emergent, Kevin is helping leading brands accelerate clean energy adoption and reduce carbon emissions. We look forward to the insights and impact he will bring to our network.”

    “I am honored to be recognized by and join the Milken Young Leaders Circle,” said Vilkin. “At Emergent, we believe in the power of transformative partnerships, and I look forward to collaborating with this extraordinary group of leaders to create meaningful change at scale.”

    About Kevin Vilkin

    Before launching Emergent, Vilkin founded and successfully exited his first business—a music events company—at the age of 21, helping shape the careers of global artists such as Mumford & Sons and the Zac Brown Band. He founded the Vanguard Program for Summit Series, connecting the world’s most influential leaders, including Richard Branson, Ray Dalio, and Jeff Bezos.

    Vilkin currently serves as a Senior Advisor to Redaptive, ID.me, and GoodLeap. He sits on the Board of Directors at Conservation International, is a member of Business Executives for National Security (BENS), and has been recognized as a Milken Young Leaders Circle and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Additionally, he previously served as a Senior Advisor to TPG Growth.

    About Emergent Strategic Partners

    Emergent develops strategic partnerships that scale sustainable innovations for large enterprises. By connecting leading companies with emerging businesses, Emergent drives cost efficiencies and revenue growth while providing family offices with access to high-potential investment opportunities. Emergent partners’ impact includes $2.2B in revenue generated, $2.8B in enterprise value created, and $1.3B in capital raised.

    Media Contact:
    Paul Orszag
    Emergent Strategic Partners
    porszag@esp.co
    (661) 803-6617

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: JOBS BOOM: More Americans Working for Higher Pay

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    “This is the second month in a row where the jobs report has beat expectations. Wages are continuing to rise and labor force participation is increasing. This is exactly what we want to see. More Americans working for higher wages. More winning is on the way!” — Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
    President Donald J. Trump is revitalizing the American economy as the workforce grows and businesses onshore jobs — and today’s jobs report proves it.
    Here’s what you need to know:
    In April, the U.S. added 177,000 jobs — smashing expectations for another month as the labor market responds to President Trump’s economic vision.
    Private education and health services: +70,000
    Transportation and warehousing: +29,000
    Leisure and hospitality: +24,000
    Professional and business services: +17,000
    Financial activities: +14,000

    Labor force participation grew as more Americans enter the workforce during President Trump’s Golden Age.
    Americans’ wages continue to rise, with real average hourly wages up by nearly 4% over the past year.
    Construction employment increased for the third straight month, adding 11,000 new jobs — with no evidence of labor shortages in sight.
    The federal government cut jobs for the third straight month as President Trump implements his bold vision to right-size the bureaucracy.
    Here’s what they’re saying:
    Economist Steve Moore: “This is an amazing report. The labor force participation rate rose — so this is a really strong number.”
    Fox Business Network’s Charles Payne: “Transportation and warehousing — those are the jobs that were supposed to be hit, right? Up 29,000 … Maybe some of this manufacturing, some of these deals that the White House has announced, maybe we’re starting to see that already play out.”
    Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo: “As President Trump would say, ‘It’s going to be the best economy anybody has ever seen.’ Look, we’ve got a market that is reflecting that.”
    ERShares CEO Joel Shulman, Ph.D.: “This is very encouraging because we’re already seeing many of the companies dependent upon foreign suppliers already reshoring some of their jobs.”
    Former Toys “R” Us CEO Gerald Storch: “We’re going to be in great shape.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: JOBS BOOM: More Americans Working for Higher Pay

    Source: The White House

    “This is the second month in a row where the jobs report has beat expectations. Wages are continuing to rise and labor force participation is increasing. This is exactly what we want to see. More Americans working for higher wages. More winning is on the way!” — Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

    President Donald J. Trump is revitalizing the American economy as the workforce grows and businesses onshore jobs — and today’s jobs report proves it.

    Here’s what you need to know:

    • In April, the U.S. added 177,000 jobs — smashing expectations for another month as the labor market responds to President Trump’s economic vision.
      • Private education and health services: +70,000
      • Transportation and warehousing: +29,000
      • Leisure and hospitality: +24,000
      • Professional and business services: +17,000
      • Financial activities: +14,000
    • Labor force participation grew as more Americans enter the workforce during President Trump’s Golden Age.
    • Americans’ wages continue to rise, with real average hourly wages up by nearly 4% over the past year.
    • Construction employment increased for the third straight month, adding 11,000 new jobs — with no evidence of labor shortages in sight.
    • The federal government cut jobs for the third straight month as President Trump implements his bold vision to right-size the bureaucracy.

    Here’s what they’re saying:

    • Economist Steve Moore: “This is an amazing report. The labor force participation rate rose — so this is a really strong number.”
    • Fox Business Network’s Charles Payne: “Transportation and warehousing — those are the jobs that were supposed to be hit, right? Up 29,000 … Maybe some of this manufacturing, some of these deals that the White House has announced, maybe we’re starting to see that already play out.”
    • Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo: “As President Trump would say, ‘It’s going to be the best economy anybody has ever seen.’ Look, we’ve got a market that is reflecting that.”
    • ERShares CEO Joel Shulman, Ph.D.: “This is very encouraging because we’re already seeing many of the companies dependent upon foreign suppliers already reshoring some of their jobs.”
    • Former Toys “R” Us CEO Gerald Storch: “We’re going to be in great shape.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: James and Bilirakis Spearhead Bill to Empower Parents to Better Protect Children

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Representative John James (MI-10) introduced the App Store Accountability Act, a landmark bill designed to increase safeguards within app stores to empower parents and protect children. Congressman Gus Bilirakis, who is Chairman of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over this important content area has joined James as an original co-sponsor of this legislation. The bill ensures that children are not accessing age restricted material through online app stores and provides parents with more control over what their children can access. A national poll commissioned by Digital Childhood Alliance found that 88% of parents want app stores to require parental approval before minors can download a new app.  Just as how brick-and-mortar stores are held responsible for selling age-restricted materials like tobacco or alcohol to minors, the App Store Accountability Act will hold digital app stores accountable for providing adult or age restricted material to minors. 

    “Requiring parental consent before kids can download apps is a commonsense measure that ensures parents have the ability to stay informed and engaged in their children’s digital lives, helping to prevent exposure to harmful apps and privacy risks,” said Congressman Gus Bilirakis.  “By equipping parents with effective, easy-to-use tools and resources, we empower them to better protect their children while fostering open communication and digital literacy within families.”

    Rep. James issued the following statement regarding his legislation:“Kids cannot consent — and any company that exposes them to addictive or adult material should be held accountable. The App Store Accountability Act holds Big Tech companies to the same standard as local corner stores. It safeguards the next generation by empowering parents and ensures that when it comes to protecting children, no one is above the law.” 

    Specifically, the App Store Accountability Act would:

    • Require age verification for access to App Store ID.
    • Require parental consent for users under 18 using App stores.
    • Link devices of minors on app stores to parents/guardians.
    • Establish enforcement mechanisms for violations of this act.

    Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is leading an identical companion bill in the Senate.  “For too long, Big Tech has profited from app stores through which children in America and across the world access violent and sexual material while risking contact from online predators,” said Senator Lee. “Our legislation brings age verification and accountability to the source of the problem.”  

    “App stores are the digital gatekeepers of our children’s lives. They control what gets through, but until now, they’ve had zero accountability. This bill fixes that.”– Casey Stefanski, Executive Director, Digital Childhood Alliance

    “The App Store Accountability Act is a commonsense solution to an acute problem created by tech companies. The fact is that contracts signed by minors are unenforceable, but the app stores, including Apple’s and Google’s, make all users – including children – sign a user agreement entitling the companies to collect data and limiting their liability. We wouldn’t accept this from a bank. We wouldn’t accept this from a car dealership. Why are we accepting this on an iPhone?” – Joel Thayer, President of the Digital Progress Institute

    “App stores open the door to exploit vulnerabilities in kids. Protecting our children online begins with age verification and parental consent. This bill can end exploitation before it starts!” –Russ Tuttle, Founder & President The Stop Trafficking Project

    “App stores treat children like virtual adults—promoting adult-oriented platforms and allowing minors to accept terms and download any app without parental oversight. Parents, not tech companies, should have the final say over their child’s app usage. This bill restores parents’ digital sovereignty, empowers them to make informed choices, and reestablishes appropriate digital boundaries for children.”—Annie Chestnut Tutor, The Heritage Foundation

    “Protecting our children from predatory online business practices should be automatic. And those who don’t honor this common-sense principle must be held accountable. Requiring age verification, parental consent, and enhanced transparency in today’s powerful App Stores is a lifeline parents have been waiting for.”—Chris McKenna, Founder & CEO Protect Young Eyes

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump and many GOP lawmakers want to end all funding for NPR and PBS − unraveling a US public media system that took a century to build

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Josh Shepperd, Associate Professor of Media Studies, University of Colorado Boulder

    Cast members of the children’s television show ‘Sesame Street’ pose with Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Grover, Ernie, Bert and Oscar the Grouch in 1969. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    The Trump administration’s drive to slash government spending on everything from the arts to cancer research also includes efforts to carry through on the Republican Party’s long-standing goal of ending federal funding for NPR, the nation’s public radio network, and PBS, its television counterpart.

    Across the country, 1,500 independent stations affiliated with NPR and PBS air shows such as “Morning Edition,” “Marketplace,” “PBS NewsHour,” “Frontline” and “Nova.” Some 43 million people tune into public radio every week, and over 130 million watch PBS every year, according to the networks.

    Public media stations air local news and, when necessary, emergency information. Most also feature regional, national and global coverage of arts and culture. With commercial media divesting from local news reporting, audiences that have long relied on public media to inform their communities are even more dependent now on that service, as are audiences that got their local news from commercial sources.

    Investigating public media

    Public media is also under attack from the Republican majority in Congress and facing scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission, the government agency that regulates media.

    Brendan Carr, whom President Donald Trump appointed to lead the FCC, helped draft Project 2025. That’s the conservative blueprint that Trump distanced himself from during the 2024 campaign but has since embraced.

    As proposed in Project 2025, the FCC is examining NPR’s approach to underwriting. Through underwriting, financial support from sponsors is acknowledged on air without asking audiences to form an opinion about a product or make a specific purchase.

    The FCC is investigating whether those messages on NPR and PBS “cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements.”

    The top executives of NPR and PBS have denied that their underwriting practices violate any regulations or laws.

    At the same time, House Republicans are holding hearings regarding what they say is public media’s “liberal bias.” Their attention is primarily directed at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the nonprofit corporation that stewards federal money that Congress appropriates for NPR and PBS.

    And in a separate move, Trump demanded that CPB “cancel existing direct funding to the maximum extent allowed by law” and “decline to provide future funding” in an executive order issued on May 1, 2025. Trump’s order accused NPR and PBS of bias in its “portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.”

    I’m a media historian who wrote a book about the origins of public media in the U.S. and how NPR and PBS contribute to democratic participation. Both networks are designed to provide equal access to information for every listener and viewer.

    In my view, as these efforts to investigate and end the funding of public media proceed, it’s worth revisiting why the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was founded in the first place and to understand how it contributes to equal access to information today.

    Beginning with education

    U.S. public media took root in the 1920s, when public universities built radio stations so that rural communities could receive better access to the kind of education available in cities.

    The first programs consisted of professors and radio hosts giving lectures about history, finance and other subjects such as cooking, quilting and music appreciation.

    Some of those professors believed so strongly in democratic access to media that they built radio stations with their own hands, including one at the University of Wisconsin. In other cases, professors experimented with performing live drama. Ohio State University broadcast the first educational radio Shakespeare performances in the late 1920s.

    Many people liked the programming enough to tune in, but the quality of early educational broadcast experiments was inconsistent. Some professors didn’t understand how to talk with audiences and were criticized for their monotone deliveries.

    Amid threats to its federal funding, PBS reports on the history of U.S. public media.

    Running the ‘bicycle network’

    Interest in improving the quality of educational radio grew once radio ownership became more widespread. Over 500 U.S. stations were on the air in 1940. By 1945, when World War II ended, over 95% of families owned radio receivers.

    Every listener could take correspondence classes. And educators started to research how to make learning through the radio more compelling and fun.

    By the late 1940s, colleges and universities started to pay better attention to making education on the radio both entertaining and informative. They traded their best programs all around the country, through a system they called the “bicycle network.”

    Once national distribution was in place, producers of educational radio and TV shows came to an agreement about their best programs through a group called the National Association of Educational Broadcasters. They landed on formulas now associated with NPR and PBS. Home economics instruction evolved into cooking shows. Interviews with professors became public affairs programs.

    Radio stations started to combine different kinds of programs that spanned an entire school day. A half-hour children’s comedy show now weaved math, storytelling, music and civics. This format laid some of the groundwork for “Sesame Street.”

    In the 1950s a philosophy of public media emerged.

    The National Association of Educational Broadcasters’ members believed that everyone should have equal access to education no matter where they lived. They argued that information they presented should be held to rigorous standards, such as fact-checking and even peer review, the academic practice of verifying research validity.

    Educational broadcasters aired programs for all kinds of audiences, including in communities not served by commercial media.

    To stay focused on their mission, educational broadcasters decided to bar taking money from corporate advertisers. This meant that most money came from state and local governments instead of businesses.

    State authorities were able to make public announcements, quickly report emergencies and provide free airtime for political candidates. State lawmakers also thought that these media outlets could help their constituents learn trades at their own pace.

    Phasing in government funding

    Using broadcasting to provide equal access to education required a lot of new infrastructure.

    By the late 1950s the federal government started to fund the construction of radio towers, transmitters and buildings so that every person could access educational programs via broadcasts. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a law in 1958 that funded educational access because it could contribute to national defense.

    Nearly a decade later, in 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act. That law guaranteed a permanent stream of government funding for educational radio and television. Congress had pivoted from “education” to “public” broadcasting as the medium incorporated a wider array of programs, including BBC shows from the U.K.

    PBS first went live in 1970, and NPR’s first broadcast aired in 1971.

    To buffer NPR and PBS from the influence of political parties and commercial sponsors, the law called for the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

    In addition to receiving and then disbursing to NPR and PBS the federal funds that Congress appropriates for public media, the CPB provides additional grants to stations across the country. Notably, federal funds help to pay for maintaining equipment and studios where public media programs are taped. That is, most government funding for public media is dedicated to maintaining the technology necessary to continue with its mission to provide equal access.

    The rest of the federal money supports the same program development and audience engagement research that started with the National Association of Educational Broadcasters’ “bicycle network.”

    NPR has gotten more sophisticated since it first went on the air in 1971, as CBS News reports.

    Establishing a strong track record

    The CPB model has succeeded by many measures. About 99% of Americans have access to public media through their television sets, car radios, computers and other devices.

    The CPB received $535 million in government funding in the 2025 fiscal year, equal to roughly $1.60 per American. About 70% of that money supports local radio and television stations. Public media costs taxpayers far more elsewhere. A 2022 study found that Germany spends around $142 per person, the U.K. spends $81, and Canada spends over $26 per year.

    The U.S. system is also unusual in that the local affiliates are nonprofits that have to pay for the NPR and PBS programs they run. Like the CPB, NPR and PBS are independent nonprofits, not government agencies.

    Rather than having the federal government foot the whole bill, in the U.S. public media also relies on $1.3 billion in annual charitable donations from viewers, listeners, corporations and foundations. Of that, public media receives $170 million in underwriting, according to a 2023 report.

    But should the federal government end all federal funding for the CPB, their NPR- and PBS-affiliated stations would have more trouble buying, repairing and replacing the transmitters, antennas and websites required to broadcast their programs.

    Losing access to local news

    The CPB has already sued the Trump administration over its attempt to oust three of its board members. The CPB asserts that because it is an independent organization and not a federal agency, the federal government can’t dictate who serves on its board. Trump’s executive order could also be challenged in court. And, as is the case with all executive orders, any future administration could rescind it.

    Most likely, the original target audience of educational radio − rural communities − would feel the biggest impact if the Trump administration does end federal funding of NPR and PBS. That’s because rural areas have few alternatives now that local journalism has been hit hard by corporate cuts to newsrooms.

    Public media’s first century inspired an alternative approach to media other than producing programs that tobacco companies, automakers and other businesses would want to sponsor. How Congress, the FCC and the courts proceed today will influence public media’s reach and practices for the next century.

    Josh Shepperd is under contract to co-author an update of the history of public broadcasting for Current, public media’s trade journal, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Josh is not a paid employee or vendor of either institution.

    – ref. Trump and many GOP lawmakers want to end all funding for NPR and PBS − unraveling a US public media system that took a century to build – https://theconversation.com/trump-and-many-gop-lawmakers-want-to-end-all-funding-for-npr-and-pbs-unraveling-a-us-public-media-system-that-took-a-century-to-build-253206

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Awards – 2025 New Zealand Plumbing Conference Awards: Full list of winners

    Source: Master Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers

    Master Plumbers is pleased to announce the winners and finalists awarded at the 2025 New Zealand Plumbing Awards on Friday 2 May. The New Zealand Plumbing Awards wraps up our annual New Zealand Plumbing Conference, this year held in Brisbane, Australia.
    Plumbing World Scholarships
    Plumbing World Scholarships are awarded to three Masterlink apprentices who have demonstrated diligence in their assignment completions, and maturity and personal growth over the past year. They are a true asset to their Masterlink Host business.
    Winners receive a $1,000 credit at Plumbing World, with the overall winner receiving registration, tickets and travel to the 2026 New Zealand Plumbing Conference.
    WINNER Blake Jones-Downes – McBeth Plumbing & Gas, Taupō
    WINNER Rory van Vroonhoven – CF Reese Plumbing, Hamilton
    OVERALL WINNER Trent Toomey – Gas & Water Limited, Dunedin
    Mark Whitehead Training Leader of the Year
    This award recognises an individual who has gone beyond the call of duty to help educate and support people entering the industry. The winner will have demonstrated a true commitment to young people entering the industry, and an understanding of efforts required in building knowledge and standards within the sector. He or she deserves to be recognised for hard work and dedication to strengthening the industry.
    WINNER Jacob Smith – Plumbing & Gas Works, Hamilton
    Product of the Year
    This award recognises the significant contribution to product development of a company or individual in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry in the past year.
    WINNER Aladdin Easyfit Isolator – Plumbing World
    New Zealand Plumber, Gasfitter or Drainlayer Employee of the Year
    This award recognises excellence in the trade skills of an individual Certifying Plumber, Gasfitter or Drainlayer, who is a respected member of their trade and known for their leadership skills. The winner will have demonstrated ability in trade calculations; in the selection of materials appropriate to the specifications and design of their work; and in applying relevant documentation and regulatory compliance to their work.
    WINNER Darrin Minifie – DL Good Plumbers, Auckland
    Outstanding Projects Award
    The award recognises an exceptional project that displays excellence and high levels of innovative plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying methods, the use of new materials or the innovative use of existing materials.
    WINNER Hockly Plumbers, Wellington, for their work on Ngā Mokopuna The Living Building
    James Douglas Medallion
    The prestigious James Douglas Medallion has been awarded each year since 1948. It recognises outstanding recently qualified tradespersons who have demonstrated hard work, commitment, and determination to achieve industry success. Young people are the lifeblood of our industry, and it is important we can attract and retain the best young people entering the workforce.
    The overall James Douglas Medallion recipient will be chosen from these three finalists and will receive a $500 cash prize together with a Career Development Scholarship to the value of $2,500 from The Skills Organisation. This is a major prize designed to build the winner’s career progression.
    PLUMBING FINALIST Andrew Smith – E.G. Glennie & Co Ltd
    GASFITTING FINALIST Marieke Oram – Clyne and Bennie Ltd
    DRAINLAYING FINALIST Daniel Collins – Evergreen Plumbing Group Ltd
    WINNER Andrew Smith – E.G. Glennie & Co Ltd
    Jackson Women in Plumbing
    This award recognises a woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying industry.
    WINNER Andrea Lovell – Heron Plumbing, Auckland
    Graeme Victor Smith Contribution to the Industry
    This award is presented in recognition of values important to Graeme Smith’s career and personal involvement in the industry. It recognises commitment to Master Plumbers, to the industry, to running a successful business and to developing young and future plumbers.
    WINNER Aaron Rink – CF Reese Plumbing, Hamilton
    Master Plumbers Business Partner of the Year
    This award recognises a Master Plumbers business partner who is commitment to Master Plumbers as well as contributes and supports the success of the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry.
    WINNER Allproof Industries
    New Zealand Master Plumber of the Year
    This award recognises a Master Plumbers member that can clearly demonstrate its business acumen and drive for success. The recipient will exemplify the highest levels of professionalism and service.
    WINNER Jason Brown Plumbing & Gas
    About the New Zealand Plumbing Awards
    The New Zealand Plumbing Awards acknowledge the many positive achievements and success stories in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry and are presented at a gala dinner on the final night of the annual New Zealand Plumbing Conference. Organised by Master Plumbers, the national conference has been held for over 100 years and is the premier event in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry, with attendees coming from all over the country.
    Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ Inc (Master Plumbers) is the national membership organisation for plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses, with 18 regional Associations and Branches across New Zealand. Companies go through a Quality Assurance programme in order to become a member. We provide members with a wide range of resources and training opportunities to support them in staying up with the latest technologies, products and compliance requirements. We advocate on behalf of our members and our industry.
    About Masterlink:
    Masterlink, a group training scheme owned by Master Plumbers, provides managed mentored apprenticeships across New Zealand, with Regional Managers supporting the apprentices and the businesses who host them during their training.
    About NZ Plumber:
    NZ Plumber is the award-winning, bi-monthly magazine for New Zealand’s plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers. It is owned by Master Plumbers.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Arbor Realty Trust Reports First Quarter 2025 Results and Declares Dividend of $0.30 per Share

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company Highlights:

    • GAAP net income of $0.16 per diluted common share
    • Distributable earnings1 of $0.28, or $0.31 per diluted common share, excluding $7.1 million of realized losses from the sale of two real estate owned properties that were previously reserved
    • Declares cash dividend on common stock of $0.30 per share
    • Closed on a new $1.15 billion repurchase facility to unwind in full two CLO vehicles; enhancing leverage, reducing pricing and generated ~$80 million of additional liquidity
    • Servicing portfolio of ~$33.48 billion, agency loan originations of $605.9 million
    • Structured loan portfolio of ~$11.49 billion, originations of $747.1 million and runoff of $421.9 million
    • Foreclosed on seven non-performing loans as real estate owned assets totaling $196.7 million

    UNIONDALE, N.Y., May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ABR), today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. Arbor reported net income for the quarter of $30.4 million, or $0.16 per diluted common share, compared to net income of $57.9 million, or $0.31 per diluted common share for the quarter ended March 31, 2024. Distributable earnings for the quarter was $57.3 million, or $0.28 per diluted common share, compared to $96.7 million, or $0.47 per diluted common share for the quarter ended March 31, 2024.

    Agency Business

    Loan Origination Platform

      Agency Loan Volume (in thousands)
      Quarter Ended
      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
    Fannie Mae $ 357,811     $ 556,676  
    Freddie Mac   178,020       675,244  
    Private Label   44,925       27,650  
    FHA   16,041       119,050  
    SFR-Fixed Rate   9,111       —  
    Total Originations $ 605,908     $ 1,378,620  
           
    Total Loan Sales $ 730,854     $ 1,270,048  
           
    Total Loan Commitments $ 645,401     $ 1,353,527  
                   

    For the quarter ended March 31, 2025, the Agency Business generated revenues of $62.9 million, compared to $78.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2024. Gain on sales, including fee-based services, net was $12.8 million for the quarter, reflecting a margin of 1.75%, compared to $22.2 million and 1.75% for the fourth quarter of 2024. Income from mortgage servicing rights was $8.1 million for the quarter, reflecting a rate of 1.26% as a percentage of loan commitments, compared to $13.3 million and 0.99% for the fourth quarter of 2024.

    At March 31, 2025, loans held-for-sale was $314.6 million, with financing associated with these loans totaling $279.4 million.

    Fee-Based Servicing Portfolio

    The Company’s fee-based servicing portfolio totaled $33.48 billion at March 31, 2025. Servicing revenue, net was $25.6 million for the quarter and consisted of servicing revenue of $43.4 million, net of amortization of mortgage servicing rights totaling $17.8 million.

      Fee-Based Servicing Portfolio ($ in thousands)
      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
      UPB   Wtd. Avg. Fee (bps)   Wtd. Avg. Life (years)   UPB   Wtd. Avg. Fee (bps)   Wtd. Avg. Life (years)
    Fannie Mae $ 22,683,885     46.2   6.2   $ 22,730,056     46.4   6.4
    Freddie Mac   6,123,074     21.4   6.6     6,077,020     21.5   6.8
    Private Label   2,603,122     18.7   5.3     2,605,980     18.7   5.5
    FHA   1,519,675     14.0   19.0     1,506,948     14.1   19.2
    Bridge   278,293     10.4   2.8     278,494     10.4   3.0
    SFR-Fixed Rate   276,839     20.1   4.1     271,859     20.1   4.4
    Total $ 33,484,888     37.5   6.7   $ 33,470,357     37.8   6.9
                                   

    Loans sold under the Fannie Mae program contain an obligation to partially guarantee the performance of the loan (“loss-sharing obligations”) and includes $34.7 million for the fair value of the guarantee obligation undertaken at March 31, 2025. The Company recorded a $1.9 million net provision for loss sharing associated with CECL for the first quarter of 2025. At March 31, 2025, the Company’s total CECL allowance for loss-sharing obligations was $50.8 million, representing 0.22% of the Fannie Mae servicing portfolio.

    Structured Business

    Portfolio and Investment Activity

      Structured Portfolio Activity ($ in thousands)
      Quarter Ended
      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
      UPB   %   UPB   %
    Bridge:              
    Multifamily $ 367,750       49 %   $ 371,250       54 %
    SFR   356,294       48 %     273,087       40 %
        724,044       97 %     644,337       94 %
              .    
    Mezzanine/Preferred Equity   4,440       1 %     35,592       5 %
    Construction – Multifamily   18,637       2 %     4,368       1 %
    Total Originations $ 747,121       100 %   $ 684,297       100 %
                   
    Number of Loans Originated   20           28      
                   
    Commitments:              
    SFR $ 162,400         $ 375,894      
    Construction – Multifamily   92,000           54,000      
    Total Commitments $ 254,400         $ 429,894      
                   
    Loan Runoff $ 421,941         $ 900,583      
                           
      Structured Portfolio ($ in thousands)
      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
      UPB   %   UPB   %
    Bridge:              
    Multifamily $ 8,637,773       75 %   $ 8,725,429       76 %
    SFR   2,247,817       20 %     1,993,890       18 %
    Other   171,952       1 %     173,787       2 %
        11,057,542       96 %     10,893,106       96 %
                   
    Mezzanine/Preferred Equity   405,770       4 %     404,401       3 %
    Construction – Multifamily   23,005       <1 %     4,367       <1 %
    SFR Permanent   3,076       <1 %     3,082       <1 %
    Total Portfolio $ 11,489,393       100 %   $ 11,304,956       100 %
                                   

    At March 31, 2025, the loan and investment portfolio’s unpaid principal balance (“UPB”), excluding loan loss reserves, was $11.49 billion, with a weighted average interest rate of 6.94%, compared to $11.30 billion and 6.90% at December 31, 2024. Including certain fees earned and costs associated with the loan and investment portfolio, the weighted average interest rate was 7.85% at March 31, 2025, compared to 7.80% at December 31, 2024.

    The average balance of the Company’s loan and investment portfolio during the first quarter of 2025, excluding loan loss reserves, was $11.39 billion with a weighted average yield of 8.15%, compared to $11.46 billion and 8.52% for the fourth quarter of 2024. The decrease in yield was primarily due to a decrease in the average SOFR rate in the first quarter of 2025.

    During the first quarter of 2025, the Company recorded an $8.4 million net provision for loan losses associated with CECL. At March 31, 2025, the Company’s total allowance for loan losses was $240.9 million. The Company had twenty-three non-performing loans with a UPB of $511.1 million, before related loan loss reserves of $35.3 million, compared to twenty-six loans with a UPB of $651.8 million, before loan loss reserves of $23.8 million at December 31, 2024.

    In addition, at March 31, 2025, the Company had five loans with a total UPB of $142.8 million (before related loan loss reserves of $7.3 million) that were less than 60 days past due classified as non-accrual, compared to nine loans with a total UPB of $167.4 million at December 31, 2024. Interest income on these loans is only being recorded to the extent cash is received.

    During the first quarter of 2025, the Company modified twenty-one loans with a total UPB of $949.8 million, most of which had borrowers investing additional capital to recapitalize their deals. Nineteen of these loans with a total UPB of $849.4 million, contained interest rates based on pricing over SOFR ranging from 3.10% to 4.25% and were modified to provide temporary rate relief through a pay and accrual feature. At March 31, 2025, these modified loans had a weighted average pay rate of 5.18% and a weighted average accrual rate of 2.56%. In addition, of the total modified loans for the first quarter, $16.5 million were less than 60 days past due and $38.3 million were non-performing at December 31, 2024, and are now current in accordance with their modified terms.

    Financing Activity

    The balance of debt that finances the Company’s loan and investment portfolio at March 31, 2025 was $9.49 billion with a weighted average interest rate including fees of 6.82%, as compared to $9.46 billion and a rate of 6.88% at December 31, 2024.

    The average balance of debt that finances the Company’s loan and investment portfolio for the first quarter of 2025 was $9.42 billion, as compared to $9.67 billion for the fourth quarter of 2024. The average cost of borrowings for the first quarter of 2025 was 6.96%, compared to 7.10% for the fourth quarter of 2024.

    In March 2025, the Company closed a $1.15 billion repurchase facility and transferred approximately $1.43 billion of assets into this facility, $1.34 billion of which were from two of the Company’s existing CLO vehicles that were redeemed in full and at par. The facility is match funded with 80% leverage and pricing of SOFR plus 1.85%, well below the pricing of SOFR plus 2.24% and 77% leverage of the CLOs replaced at the time of redemption. Additionally, this facility is 88% non-recourse to the Company and has a 24-month reinvestment period. As a result of these transactions, the Company created approximately $80 million of additional liquidity and has increased the returns on these assets through enhanced leverage and reduced pricing.

    Dividend

    The Company announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share of common stock for the quarter ended March 31, 2025. The dividend is payable on May 30, 2025 to common stockholders of record on May 16, 2025.

    Earnings Conference Call

    The Company will host a conference call today at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast and replay of the conference call will be available at www.arbor.com in the investor relations section of the Company’s website, or you can access the call telephonically at least ten minutes prior to the conference call. The dial-in numbers are (800) 579-2543 for domestic callers and (785) 424-1789 for international callers. Please use participant passcode ABRQ125 when prompted by the operator.

    A telephonic replay of the call will be available until May 9, 2025. The replay dial-in numbers are (800) 934-2127 for domestic callers and (402) 220-1139 for international callers.

    About Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.

    Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ABR) is a nationwide real estate investment trust and direct lender, providing loan origination and servicing for multifamily, single-family rental (SFR) portfolios, and other diverse commercial real estate assets. Headquartered in New York, Arbor manages a multibillion-dollar servicing portfolio, specializing in government-sponsored enterprise products. Arbor is a leading Fannie Mae DUS® lender and Freddie Mac Optigo® Seller/Servicer, and an approved FHA Multifamily Accelerated Processing (MAP) lender. Arbor’s product platform also includes bridge, CMBS, mezzanine and preferred equity loans. Rated by Standard and Poor’s and Fitch Ratings, Arbor is committed to building on its reputation for service, quality, and customized solutions with an unparalleled dedication to providing our clients excellence over the entire life of a loan.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Certain items in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Arbor can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Arbor’s expectations include, but are not limited to, changes in economic conditions generally, and the real estate markets specifically, continued ability to source new investments, changes in interest rates and/or credit spreads, and other risks detailed in Arbor’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and its other reports filed with the SEC. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Arbor expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Arbor’s expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

    Notes

    1. During the quarterly earnings conference call, the Company may discuss non-GAAP financial measures as defined by SEC Regulation G. In addition, the Company has used non-GAAP financial measures in this press release. A supplemental schedule of non-GAAP financial measures and the comparable GAAP financial measure can be found on the last two pages of this release.
    ARBOR REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    Consolidated Statements of Income – (Unaudited)
    ($ in thousands—except share and per share data)
     
      Quarter Ended March 31,
        2025       2024  
    Interest income $ 240,693     $ 321,292  
    Interest expense   165,251       217,676  
    Net interest income   75,442       103,616  
    Other revenue:      
    Gain on sales, including fee-based services, net   12,781       16,666  
    Mortgage servicing rights   8,131       10,199  
    Servicing revenue, net   25,603       31,526  
    Property operating income   4,387       1,570  
    Gain (loss) on derivative instruments, net   3,400       (5,257 )
    Other income, net   4,419       2,333  
    Total other revenue   58,721       57,037  
    Other expenses:      
    Employee compensation and benefits   46,036       47,694  
    Selling and administrative   16,312       13,933  
    Property operating expenses   3,474       1,678  
    Depreciation and amortization   3,744       2,571  
    Provision for loss sharing (net of recoveries)   1,786       273  
    Provision for credit losses (net of recoveries)   9,075       19,118  
    Total other expenses   80,427       85,267  
    Income before extinguishment of debt, loss on real estate, (loss) income from equity affiliates and income taxes   53,736       75,386  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt   (2,319 )     —  
    Loss on real estate   (2,810 )     —  
    (Loss) income from equity affiliates   (1,634 )     1,418  
    Provision for income taxes   (3,591 )     (3,592 )
    Net income   43,382       73,212  
    Preferred stock dividends   10,342       10,342  
    Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest   2,602       4,997  
    Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 30,438     $ 57,873  
           
    Basic earnings per common share $ 0.16     $ 0.31  
    Diluted earnings per common share $ 0.16     $ 0.31  
           
    Weighted average shares outstanding:      
    Basic   190,060,776       188,710,390  
    Diluted   206,862,320       222,926,076  
           
    Dividends declared per common share $ 0.43     $ 0.43  
                   
    ARBOR REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    ($ in thousands—except share and per share data)
     
      March 31, 2025
    (Unaudited)    		   December 31, 2024
    Assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 308,842     $ 503,803  
    Restricted cash   40,563       156,376  
    Loans and investments, net (allowance for credit losses of $240,937 and $238,967)   11,215,625       11,033,997  
    Loans held-for-sale, net   314,635       435,759  
    Capitalized mortgage servicing rights, net   357,220       368,678  
    Securities held-to-maturity, net (allowance for credit losses of $10,767 and $10,846)   158,658       157,154  
    Investments in equity affiliates   77,095       76,312  
    Real estate owned, net   302,158       176,543  
    Due from related party   9,605       12,792  
    Goodwill and other intangible assets   87,727       88,119  
    Other assets   495,221       481,448  
    Total assets $ 13,367,349     $ 13,490,981  
           
    Liabilities and Equity:      
    Credit and repurchase facilities $ 4,780,753     $ 3,559,490  
    Securitized debt   3,286,395       4,622,489  
    Senior unsecured notes   1,237,160       1,236,147  
    Convertible senior unsecured notes   286,555       285,853  
    Junior subordinated notes to subsidiary trust issuing preferred securities   144,890       144,686  
    Mortgage notes payable — real estate owned   123,851       74,897  
    Due to related party   1,458       4,474  
    Due to borrowers   52,062       47,627  
    Allowance for loss-sharing obligations   85,515       83,150  
    Other liabilities   239,251       280,198  
    Total liabilities   10,237,890       10,339,011  
           
    Equity:      
    Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. stockholders’ equity:      
    Preferred stock, cumulative, redeemable, $0.01 par value: 100,000,000 shares authorized, shares issued and outstanding by period:   633,682       633,684  
    Special voting preferred shares – 16,173,761 shares      
    6.375% Series D – 9,200,000 shares      
    6.25% Series E – 5,750,000 shares      
    6.25% Series F – 11,342,000 shares      
    Common stock, $0.01 par value: 500,000,000 shares authorized – 192,161,707 and 189,259,435 shares issued and outstanding   1,922       1,893  
    Additional paid-in capital   2,410,499       2,375,469  
    (Accumulated deficit) retained earnings   (38,600 )     13,039  
    Total Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. stockholders’ equity   3,007,503       3,024,085  
    Noncontrolling interest   121,956       127,885  
    Total equity   3,129,459       3,151,970  
    Total liabilities and equity $ 13,367,349     $ 13,490,981  
                   
    ARBOR REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    Statement of Income Segment Information – (Unaudited)
    (in thousands)
     
      Quarter Ended March 31, 2025
      Structured
    Business    		   Agency
    Business    		   Other (1)   Consolidated
    Interest income $ 230,087     $ 10,606     $ —     $ 240,693  
    Interest expense   161,579       3,672       —       165,251  
    Net interest income   68,508       6,934       —       75,442  
    Other revenue:              
    Gain on sales, including fee-based services, net   —       12,781       —       12,781  
    Mortgage servicing rights   —       8,131       —       8,131  
    Servicing revenue   —       43,361       —       43,361  
    Amortization of MSRs   —       (17,758 )     —       (17,758 )
    Property operating income   4,387       —       —       4,387  
    Gain on derivative instruments, net   —       3,400       —       3,400  
    Other income, net   2,078       2,341       —       4,419  
    Total other revenue   6,465       52,256       —       58,721  
    Other expenses:              
    Employee compensation and benefits   18,157       27,879       —       46,036  
    Selling and administrative   8,932       7,380       —       16,312  
    Property operating expenses   3,474       —       —       3,474  
    Depreciation and amortization   3,352       392       —       3,744  
    Provision for loss sharing   —       1,786       —       1,786  
    Provision for credit losses (net of recoveries)   9,154       (79 )     —       9,075  
    Total other expenses   43,069       37,358       —       80,427  
    Income before extinguishment of debt, loss on real estate, loss from equity affiliates and income taxes   31,904       21,832       —       53,736  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt   (2,319 )     —       —       (2,319 )
    Loss on real estate   (2,810 )     —       —       (2,810 )
    Loss from equity affiliates   (1,634 )     —       —       (1,634 )
    Benefit from (provision for) income taxes   639       (4,230 )     —       (3,591 )
    Net income   25,780       17,602       —       43,382  
    Preferred stock dividends   10,342       —       —       10,342  
    Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest   —       —       2,602       2,602  
    Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 15,438     $ 17,602     $ (2,602 )   $ 30,438  
                                   

    (1) Includes income allocated to the noncontrolling interest holders not allocated to the two reportable segments.

    ARBOR REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    Balance Sheet Segment Information – (Unaudited)
    (in thousands)
     
      March 31, 2025
      Structured Business   Agency Business   Consolidated
    Assets:          
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 55,328     $ 253,514     $ 308,842  
    Restricted cash   15,943       24,620       40,563  
    Loans and investments, net   11,215,625       —       11,215,625  
    Loans held-for-sale, net   —       314,635       314,635  
    Capitalized mortgage servicing rights, net   —       357,220       357,220  
    Securities held-to-maturity, net   —       158,658       158,658  
    Investments in equity affiliates   77,095       —       77,095  
    Real estate owned, net   302,158       —       302,158  
    Goodwill and other intangible assets   12,500       75,227       87,727  
    Other assets and due from related party   249,904       254,922       504,826  
    Total assets $ 11,928,553     $ 1,438,796     $ 13,367,349  
               
    Liabilities:          
    Debt obligations $ 9,580,201     $ 279,403     $ 9,859,604  
    Allowance for loss-sharing obligations   —       85,515       85,515  
    Other liabilities and due to related parties   206,181       86,590       292,771  
    Total liabilities $ 9,786,382     $ 451,508     $ 10,237,890  
                           
    ARBOR REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    Reconciliation of Distributable Earnings to GAAP Net Income – (Unaudited)
    ($ in thousands—except share and per share data)
     
      Quarter Ended March 31,
        2025       2024  
    Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 30,438     $ 57,873  
           
    Adjustments:      
    Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest   2,602       4,997  
    Income from mortgage servicing rights   (8,131 )     (10,199 )
    Deferred tax benefit   (137 )     (3,952 )
    Amortization and write-offs of MSRs   20,864       18,418  
    Depreciation and amortization   4,568       3,193  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt   2,319       —  
    Provision for credit losses, net   756       14,804  
    (Gain) loss on derivative instruments, net   (4,697 )     5,523  
    Loss on real estate   2,810       —  
    Stock-based compensation   5,935       6,020  
           
    Distributable earnings (1) $ 57,327     $ 96,677  
           
    Diluted distributable earnings per share (1) $ 0.28     $ 0.47  
           
    Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (1) (2)   206,862,320       205,511,529  
                   

    (1) Amounts are attributable to common stockholders and OP Unit holders. The OP Units are redeemable for cash, or at the Company’s option for shares of the Company’s common stock on a one-for-one basis.

    (2) The diluted weighted average shares outstanding exclude the potential shares issuable upon conversion and settlement of the Company’s convertible senior notes principal balance.

    The Company is presenting distributable earnings because management believes it is an important supplemental measure of the Company’s operating performance and is useful to investors, analysts and other parties in the evaluation of REITs and their ability to provide dividends to stockholders. Dividends are one of the principal reasons investors invest in REITs. To maintain REIT status, REITs are required to distribute at least 90% of their REIT-taxable income. The Company considers distributable earnings in determining its quarterly dividend and believes that, over time, distributable earnings is a useful indicator of the Company’s dividends per share.

    The Company defines distributable earnings as net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders computed in accordance with GAAP, adjusted for accounting items such as depreciation and amortization (adjusted for unconsolidated joint ventures), non-cash stock-based compensation expense, income from MSRs, amortization and write-offs of MSRs, gains/losses on derivative instruments primarily associated with Private Label loans not yet sold and securitized, changes in fair value of GSE-related derivatives that temporarily flow through earnings, deferred tax provision (benefit), CECL provisions for credit losses (adjusted for realized losses as described below) and gains/losses on the receipt of real estate from the settlement of loans (prior to the sale of the real estate). The Company also adds back one-time charges such as acquisition costs and one-time gains/losses on the early extinguishment of debt and redemption of preferred stock.

    The Company reduces distributable earnings for realized losses in the period management determines that a loan is deemed nonrecoverable in whole or in part. Loans are deemed nonrecoverable upon the earlier of: (1) when the loan receivable is settled (i.e., when the loan is repaid, or in the case of foreclosure, when the underlying asset is sold); or (2) when management determines that it is nearly certain that all amounts due will not be collected. The realized loss amount is equal to the difference between the cash received, or expected to be received, and the book value of the asset.

    Distributable earnings is not intended to be an indication of the Company’s cash flows from operating activities (determined in accordance with GAAP) or a measure of its liquidity, nor is it entirely indicative of funding the Company’s cash needs, including its ability to make cash distributions. The Company’s calculation of distributable earnings may be different from the calculations used by other companies and, therefore, comparability may be limited.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Business review on US tariffs has concluded

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Business review on US tariffs has concluded

    Government statement on conclusion of US tariff review

    The process seeking views from businesses and interested stakeholders to shape any future UK action on tariffs has now concluded. 

    The four-week Request for Input launched on Wednesday 3 April in response to the US imposing tariffs on a range of products and has received over 200 responses. Work to analyse those responses begins while keeping all options on the table. 

    The Government will now rapidly analyse the comments and data which scope out the impacts of possible UK tariffs, as well as views on a range of products that could be included in any UK’s response. 

    Negotiations on an economic prosperity deal with the US to remove existing and future tariffs continue at pace and remain our focus. 

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: 

    We are now in a new era for trade and the economy, and that means going further and faster to strengthen the UK’s economy. 

    All options remain on the table and any future UK action will be made in the national interest – and that is exactly why this engagement was so important.  

    Our approach so far has been guided by the interests of British business and their voice will continue to be at the heart of our decisions. 

    While we analyse responses, this Government’s priority will be to build on the strength of our relationship with the US and continue talks to find a resolution for UK businesses.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –