NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Asia’s Next Growth Frontier

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    Opening Remarks by the IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva
    At a conference on Asia and the IMF: Resilience through Cooperation, Tokyo, Japan, March 5, 9AM JST

    March 4, 2025

    (As Prepared for Delivery)

    I would like to thank Finance Minister Kato for welcoming us today and want to express my gratitude to Governor Ueda for joining. I’m very sorry I can’t be with you in person. But thankfully technology allows me to join you virtually.

    Those who have been to Tokyo’s Skytree know that it has the best views of the city. And like so much in Japan, it’s an engineering masterpiece. Gazing across Tokyo’s skyline, it’s hard to imagine just how much the city—and the country—has changed in the 80 years since the Bretton Woods Institutions were established.

    After World War II, Japan invested heavily in infrastructure and manufacturing and introduced sweeping reforms. These set the country on a path to becoming an economic powerhouse.

    Inspired by Japan’s success, other countries in Asia followed suit. Today, the region contributes over 60 percent of global growth, and is home to some of the world’s largest, most innovative companies.

    Of course, Asia is a very diverse continent, with a mix of advanced economies, emerging and frontier markets, and small island states. Demographics and income levels vary too.

    But across the region, openness and deepening economic ties have been crucial to countries’ success.

    The world is changing, however. Many countries face weaker growth prospects and are saddled with high public debt. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent geopolitical developments have brought into focus the importance of security of supplies. Trade is no longer the engine of global growth it used to be. And we are in the midst of massive transformations, from rapid advances in AI to changing patterns of capital flows and trade. 

    Against this background, governments worldwide are shifting their priorities. The new US administration is rapidly reshaping its policies on trade, taxation, public spending, deregulation, and digital assets. And other governments are also recalibrating their approaches and adjusting their policies.

    The future of growth

    How should countries in Asia adapt? Let me highlight three opportunities.

    First, the shift toward services-led growth. While trade in goods has flattened, service flows are surging. In fact, services have already drawn about half of the region’s workers, up from just 22 percent in 1990.

    Economists have traditionally thought of services as less productive than manufacturing. Our research suggests otherwise. Asia’s labor productivity in financial services is four times higher than in manufacturing, and twice as high in business services.

    Second, digitalization and AI. The demand for digital products and services in the region has accelerated quickly and is on track to continue growing faster than the region’s GDP. Japan’s Rakuten, China’s Alibaba Group, and Indonesia’s GoTo Group now rival e-commerce giants Amazon and Walmart.

    In AI development, Japan and China are racing ahead, followed closely by South Korea and Singapore. This could be an important boost for productivity. In Singapore, for example, an estimated 40 percent of jobs could be made more productive by AI. The country has several digital economy agreements now in place, enabling digital companies in the region to connect and share data more easily.

    That brings me to my third point: greaterregional cooperation andtrade. On the surface, it might look as if the world is retreating from integration. But regionally, countries are leaning in.

    Over the past four decades, intra-regional trade in Asia has increased by 43 percent. Today, more than half of Asian trade is regional.

    The trend is the same for foreign direct investment. FDI from Asian countries to Japan, for example has nearly doubled over the past decade, as market opportunities in Japan’s technology sector grow.

    Together, the shift toward services, digitalization and AI, and greater regional integration can lift growth. But to harness these opportunities, the region will need to carefully navigate domestic developments and global changes.

    The IMF’s role

    That is where the IMF comes in. We strive to be trusted partners to our member countries, provide country-specific advice and safeguard the stability of the global economy. Our work spans economic analysis, policy advice, financing and capacity development.

    And as the world economy has changed, we too have evolved. From managing fixed exchange rates in the 1970s, to active surveillance of countries’ economic and financial policies and more systematic coverage of spillovers.

    More recently, our thinking on capital flow management and foreign exchange interventions has changed, and we’ve upgraded our lending toolkit to include more flexible instruments tailored to emerging market economies.

    Thanks in large part to Japan’s support, we are also offering more support to low-income countries, especially in capacity development, and a stronger presence around the world through our regional technical assistance centers.

    We are grateful to Japan for the deep engagement in thinking about the future of the Fund. Today’s discussions are an important part of that. 

    My colleagues and I are keenly interested in ideas and reflections on:

    • how we can best support our members, especially the most vulnerable among them, to grow and build economic resilience;
    • how to tailor more of our advice to support countries’ efforts to deepen regional collaboration, by thinking through our strategic engagement with groups like the ASEAN, the Pacific Island countries, as well as medium sized and larger economies; and
    • how to strengthen the global financial safety net. We’re assessing how IMF facilities can be further improved to support resilience in our member countries. And we are working closely with regional arrangements to enhance crisis prevention and response capabilities.

    We know from experience that reforms are hard, but we also know they can steer countries towards stronger and durable growth and can achieve a more stable and prosperous global economy.

    You can count on the IMF in this journey.

    Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke and the rest of our team are excited to be part of today’s productive discussion. I look forward to the outcome.

    Thank you.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER:

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

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/03/05/sp030525-md-asias-next-growth-frontier

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Arab leaders adopt Egypt’s Gaza reconstruction plan

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Karam Haloub’s kids are seen near their damaged house in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Arab leaders approved on Tuesday an Egyptian reconstruction plan for Gaza, which is estimated to cost 53 billion U.S. dollars and aims to avoid displacing Palestinians from the enclave.

    The plan was accepted at the closing of the emergency Arab summit held in Cairo with full support from participating Arab leaders.

    The summit also agreed to form a non-factional technocratic committee to administer Gaza for at least six months under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority.

    Following the summit, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told a press conference that Egypt will begin to promote its reconstruction plan internationally.

    He detailed that the plan includes the establishment of a seaport and an airport in the Gaza Strip and the recycling of the rubble left by the destruction in Gaza.

    According to the summit’s final statement, the Arab leaders issued a warning that any attempts to displace the Palestinian people or to annex any part of the occupied Palestinian territory would lead the region into a new phase of conflict, undermine opportunities for stability, and expand the conflict to other countries in the region.

    The Arab leaders pledged to provide all types of financial, material, and political support for the implementation of the reconstruction plan, urging the international community and financing institutions to promptly provide the necessary support for the plan, according to the statement.

    The Arab leaders also emphasized the urgency of implementing the second and third phases of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, stressing the importance of each party’s commitment to its obligations, particularly the Israeli side, to achieve a permanent cessation of “aggression” against Gaza.

    They demanded that Israel should completely withdraw from the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt, and ensure safe, adequate, and immediate access to humanitarian, shelter, and medical aid without obstacles.

    Participants pose for a group photo before attending the Extraordinary Arab Summit-Summit for Palestine in New Administrative Capital, Egypt, on March 4, 2025. [Photo/Egyptian Presidency handout via Xinhua]

    The Arab leaders vowed to work on establishing a trust fund to receive financial pledges from all donor countries and financing institutions to implement recovery and reconstruction projects.

    The plan counters a previous proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump, which suggests redeveloping Gaza and relocating Gazans to neighboring countries, including Egypt and Jordan.

    Oren Marmorstein, spokesperson for Israel’s foreign ministry, rejected the plan on X, reiterating Israel’s support for Trump’s plan.

    For his part, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the UN’s readiness to back the Egypt-drafted plan, stressing that Gaza should remain as part of the State of Palestine.

    Describing the situation in Gaza as “horrific,” Guterres called for allowing humanitarian aid into the enclave.

    Hamas welcomed the summit’s outcomes, saying that they reflect significant political support for the Palestinian cause, particularly amid the escalation of “Israeli aggression.”

    In a press statement, Hamas praised the positions of Arab leaders during the summit, highlighting their rejection of attempts to displace Palestinians or undermine their cause.

    Hamas stressed that the unified Arab stance sends a clear message that the Palestinian “Nakba,” the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, will not be repeated.

    The group also commended the summit’s adoption of the Gaza reconstruction plan, calling for all necessary resources to ensure its success.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Economic green shoots start on the dairy farm

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Increased production and higher export prices mean that New Zealand dairy farmers will play a big role in New Zealand’s economic recovery Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said in a speech at an Environmental Diary Leaders conference in Wellington today.

    “Dairy exports are forecast to grow by around $4.5 billion this year meaning more money in the pockets of Kiwi farmers and more jobs in rural New Zealand,” Mr McClay says. 

    “The strong performance of our dairy farmers is welcome news for the economy as the government continues to lower inflation through careful spending meaning reducing interest rates and by delivering fewer and less costly regulations.

    Milk production for the last season was up 4 per cent on the previous year, marking the highest level in a decade. December alone saw the strongest output in four years, meaning consumers around the world can enjoy more of the world’s highest quality and safest environmentally friendly grass fed dairy. 

    “Agriculture remains the backbone of our economy with food and fibre exports bringing in over $10,600 for every Kiwi, with dairy exports alone contributed $4,700 per person. The dairy industry also employs over 54,000 people,” Mr McClay says.

    “The Government is committed to meeting our environmental and climate change obligations, but we will do this without closing down farms or sending jobs and production overseas.

    “The primary sector is fundamental to achieving our ambitious goal of doubling exports by value in ten years and the coalition government is backing farmers to be world best. 

    “With strong production already in the vat, feed crops coming in, and consumers eager for our products, the sector is well positioned to turbo charge the economy and deliver for every New Zealander,” Mr McClay says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Slams Trump’s “Sandstorm of Chaos” Meant to Distract from His Billionaire Tax Giveaways

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    March 04, 2025
    Senator Warren joined Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Massachusetts Congressional Delegation ahead of President Trump’s joint address to Congress
    Warren: “The whole Republican plan fits on a bumper sticker: Billionaires win; families lose.” 
    Washington, D.C. – At a press conference today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation in delivering remarks on Trump’s agenda to benefit billionaires while hurting working people ahead of Trump’s Joint Address to Congress.
    Senator Warren called the first six weeks of the new administration a “sandstorm of chaos” meant to distract from President Trump’s goal of jamming through trillions in tax cuts to billionaires at the expense of health care, Social Security, and programs that benefit working people.  
    Senator Warren was joined by her guest Doug Kowalewski, a former National Science Foundation employee from Wellesley who, after six years of service, was fired unexpectedly in Elon Musk’s and the Department of Government Efficiency’s gutting of the federal workforce. Doug shared his story at Senator Warren’s recent town hall in Framingham, Massachusetts.
    Transcript: Press Conference with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Massachusetts Congressional DelegationU.S. SenateMarch 4, 2025
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: We are all here today as the federal representatives of the seven million people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. And we stand proudly with the Mayor of Boston, who has been “invited” – I think that’s still a word – she has been invited by the Republicans to come and defend Boston and to defend the values that we fight for every day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. So we want to be here, in part, to talk about what this fight is about.   
    Over the last six weeks, Donald Trump has created a sandstorm of chaos to try to distract us from his real agenda: Tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by cuts to health care and Social Security. These are programs that mommas and daddies and babies and seniors rely on every single day.
    Trump and his unelected co-president Elon Musk are dismantling our government, piece by piece, so that it works better for those same billionaires and worse for everyone else. The whole Republican plan fits on a bumper sticker: Billionaires win; families lose. 
    Trump promised, you may remember, to lower costs “on day one.” Instead, he and co-President Musk have tried to fire the financial cops that keep Americans from getting cheated. They have slashed funding that supports research for cures for cancer and Alzheimer’s. And they have fired thousands of hardworking public servants, including the people who keep us safe when we fly on airplanes, the people who make sure that nuclear materials are safely stored, and people who inspect our food.
    One of those hardworking public servants is Doug. Up until two weeks ago, Doug worked at the National Science Foundation — until out of nowhere, he was fired along with over one hundred of his colleagues. And I’ve invited Doug here to share his story. Doug, come on over. 
    Doug Kowalewski, Senator Warren’s Guest for Trump’s Joint Address to Congress: So, after six years of service at the National Science Foundation, I was fired two weeks ago from today. And me, along with 167 of my colleagues were called into a Zoom meeting to get a mass termination firing with no cause. And this doesn’t just impact me — this impacts all of Massachusetts. A limited workforce at NSF or NST or NIH jeopardizes the billions of federal investments that directly fund our top-notch research and researchers in Massachusetts and powers our local economy.
    So, I’m scared for our country. Millions of Americans who have dedicated their lives and dedicated their careers to this country are suffering because of unelected billionaires. I’m here with Senator Warren to fight back against these illegal terminations and to stand up for hardworking civil servants. Thank you. 
    Senator Warren: Thank you very much, Doug. And I appreciate Doug being here. I just want to say, this is what happens when you go to town halls. I had a town hall in Framingham a week ago and Doug stood up and told his story, as have lots of other people in Massachusetts. 
    I would say the biggest question at that town hall is: What can we do? And Doug is living proof of what we can do. We can tell our stories because they matter. We build a grassroots movement across this story by not using big words and abstract terms, but by telling the story person by person by person about what kind of work you do and what it means when you just get called in and told, “You’re fired,” because it fits in someone else’s political agendas, so thank you for being here, Doug. I appreciate it.   
    Alright, I just want to say: Doug is standing up, he’s pushing back and that’s what we’ve all got to do. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joined on Capitol Hill by Allison Hope of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Comes as the Trump Administration implemented sweeping 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Allison Hope, Executive Director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association, today joined Senate Democrats for a press conference on Capitol Hill with Americans from across the country who are being hurt by Trump Administration policies—from businesses hit by tariffs to veterans who were laid off by Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to cancer researchers.  
    Allison Hope, Executive Director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association spoke about how Trump’s Trade War will hurt Vermont’s maple industry: 
    “Vermont makes about 50-51% of the U.S. production of pure maple syrup, and we have Canadian partners across the border. In the past 20 years, Vermont’s production rates have grown 500% and a 25% Canadian tariff on maple equipment—most of which comes across the border, because that’s where most maple syrup is made—on the Canadian imports that come into Vermont will have a staggering effect on Vermont’s producers, who not only are agricultural farmers, but they are foresters, and so they keep a large swath of Vermont forested. 
    “I think that our Canadian counterparts are a huge part of our trade. The U.S. can’t supply all ofthe maple syrup for retail in the United States, and so we bring into Vermont —and other areas of the U.S.—Canadian bulk syrup. When that price goes up, it affects the shelf price at retail, and those larger contracts for blended Vermont, U.S., and Canadian maple syrup—those contracts change for cents on the dollar. And so, the end result of that will be a potential stagnation of production in Vermont and also a loss of potential shelf space at a time when it’s really hard and really expensive to get it back,” Hope said.  
    After the event, Senator Welch emphasized the importance of making sure the Trump Administration hears directly from those who are impacted by Trump’s misguided trade policies: 
    “These tariffs are really going to hurt our economy in Vermont, and the impacts will be far-reaching. President Trump is singlehandedly raising costs for Vermonters—from the food on our table, to our energy bills, to the materials our home construction companies and manufacturers need. It’s important that the Trump Administration and my colleagues across the aisle hear directly from those who are impacted and that they drop this misguided plan.” 
    Watch a livestream of the press conference below: 
    Vermont’s maple industry—as well as farms and businesses across Vermont—are bracing for the economic fallout of Trump’s 25% tariff on Canada, which went into effect today. Sugar makers expect the cost of Canadian-made sugaring equipment to dramatically increase. Bulk maple sales to major retailers like Costco, Target, and Whole Foods rely on both U.S. and Canadian producers and most of the equipment needed to produce syrup is manufactured in Canada.   
    Last week, Senator Welch expressed opposition to the Trump Tariffs after voting against the nominationof Jamieson Greer for United States Trade Representative. He also joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes on Imported Goods Act, which would shield American businesses and consumers from rising prices imposed by tariffs on imported goods into the United States. The bill would keep costs down for imported goods by limiting the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—which allows a President to immediately place unlimited tariffs after declaring a national emergency—while preserving IEEPA’s use for sanctions and other tools.    

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australia’s newest city starting to take shape

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 5 March 2025

    Released by: The Premier, Deputy Premier, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    The Western Sydney Aerotropolis is set to take-off, with the official opening of the first building at Bradfield City Centre and the release of the Minns Labor Government’s infrastructure delivery plan which will drive further investment into the region.

    The Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF) – is the first step in delivering the new city of Bradfield at the heart of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and the start of an innovation ecosystem that will boost the NSW manufacturing industry.

    A landmark partnership agreement between the AMRF and 11 NSW and ACT universities will see this ecosystem rapidly evolve with the world class research capabilities of the universities combined with the AMRF’s industrial expertise and infrastructure.

    Under the agreement, the parties will work together to translate research into production and develop the next generation of advanced manufacturing experts through a paid internship program.

    Critical to facilitating further growth in the precinct, the NSW Government has released the Aerotropolis Sector Plan, which sets out how essential government infrastructure will be delivered quickly and efficiently to service the development of thousands of hectares of employment land.

    The Sector Plan, developed by Infrastructure NSW, provides certainty to industry, the community, and all levels of government around how infrastructure will be sequenced and prioritised in the Aerotropolis.

    This will enhance the State’s competitiveness and boost the supply of serviced land to combat the critical shortage across NSW. It will also assist planning assessment authorities to align development with infrastructure capacity in the region.

    This is the first time the Aerotropolis has had a concrete road map that brings together planning and infrastructure coordination.

    With the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport due to open by the end of 2026, investment in Bradfield City Centre and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis capitalises on the opportunity to deliver more than 120,000 high-quality jobs and new industries that will see the Western Sydney economy boom.

    This work builds on the Minns Labor Government’s historic investment in Western Sydney to deliver more homes, jobs and investment to the region.     

    To find out more about Bradfield City Centre, First Building and AMRF collaboration with NSW VCC visit: Bradfield Development Authority | NSW Government

    To find out more and read the Aerotropolis Sector Plan, visit: Aerotropolis Sector Plan  | NSW Government

    Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

    “The Aerotropolis is almost 40 times the size of Sydney CBD and provides an unprecedented economic opportunity for Western Sydney.

    “We’re backing the region with over $25 billion of infrastructure investment that is going to ensure the critical roads and services are delivered as quickly as possible to give industry certainty and confidence to invest in the area.

    “We asked Infrastructure NSW to develop the Aerotropolis Sector Plan to identify how and when we will do this. Today’s announcement demonstrates the value in utilising whole-of-government coordination to deliver on our commitments.

    “With Bradfield and the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF), we’re showcasing the NSW Government’s commitment to rebuilding the state’s critical manufacturing capability and delivering economic growth in the region.”

    Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

    “Western Sydney is a rich and diverse region set to boom with the opening of the new Airport. We’re building better communities by investing in the region.

    “With Bradfield and the Aerotropolis, we’re giving kids in Western Sydney the opportunity to dream about a future with high quality jobs close to home.”

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “The First Building opening is another example of the genuine momentum building around Australia’s first new city in over 100 years.

    “This is just the beginning of Bradfield’s future growth as it evolves into a world class city with 10,000 homes, 20,000 high quality jobs, and critical green open spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trump Tells Farmers ‘Have Fun’ As He Kicks Off Pointless Trade Wars. Cantwell Tells the Truth: ‘It’s Not Going to Be Fun, It’s Going to Be A Nightmare’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    03.04.25
    Trump Tells Farmers ‘Have Fun’ As He Kicks Off Pointless Trade Wars. Cantwell Tells the Truth: ‘It’s Not Going to Be Fun, It’s Going to Be A Nightmare’
    Ahead of Presidential address, Cantwell calls on Congress to reclaim its Constitutional authority over tariffs; Cantwell also calls out arbitrary and wasteful layoffs at NOAA, NIH, NSF, USDA: “These kinds of ideas sound great, but they’re not well thought out. It’s literally throwing tax dollars away.”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, delivered a Senate floor speech raising concerns about the economic fallout of Trump’s newly announced tariffs, hours before the President is set to deliver remarks before a Joint Session of Congress.
     “Trump said to our farmers yesterday on Truth Social, quote, ‘tariffs will go on external products on April 2. Have fun.’ End quote,” Sen. Cantwell said. “’Have fun?’ ‘Have fun?’ When retaliatory tariffs strike our farmers — just as they did in the first Trump administration — it’s not going to be fun, it’s going to be a nightmare for our farmers. And many of the farmers in my state worry [whether] they will be able to farm at all.”
    “I hope my colleagues will slow down on this tariff tirade. Under Article One, Section Eight of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the power to set duties and regulate foreign commerce. However, Congress has spent the last 80 years delegating its tariff authority to presidents,” she continued. “This president, I believe, is abusing this authority. He calls it an emergency. He’s using the trade wars to supposedly force countries to do things like changing their border policies. I believe it’s time for Congress to start taking back some of that power and considering how we’re going to protect the family farm.”
    Over the past 24 hours, as President Trump’s long-promised 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariff increase on goods from China took effect, stock prices in the United States have plummeted. The Dow fell more than 700 points this morning. Today, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board criticized his decision: “Trump takes the dumbest tariff plunge.”.
    Sen. Cantwell also showed the following graph with the alarming new forecast by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, which recently began predicting negative real GDP growth for the first quarter of 2025, a rapid reversal of its prior forecast for growth.  “Just last week, when people want to talk about GDP and where this is going, it’s amazing that the Atlanta Fed was forecasting GDP growth over two percent for the first quarter of 2025…. but we can see when we got to February, we fell off a cliff… this drop is the representation of a cliff that President Trump is pushing the American economy over.”

    “We know this — that in my state, families are paying more for groceries. They’re paying more at the gas pump. They’re paying more at electricity bills. And they are seeing the stock market plummet because as businesses grapple with Trump’s unnecessary trade war, businesses are concerned about the long-term impacts of the supply chain and the cost of those tariffs,” Sen. Cantwell said.
    In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. More information on how President Trump’s tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China will affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE. Nationwide:
    A 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico would add an estimated $144 billion a year to the cost of manufacturing in the United States.
    Tariffs on Canada and Mexico could increase U.S. car prices by as much as $12,000.
    According to the Yale Budget Lab, Trump’s proposed tariffs would result in the highest U.S. effective tariff rate in more than 80 years, and depending on the level of retaliation by other trading partners, will result in increased costs of between $1,600 and $2,000 per household. According to their analysis, electronics, clothing, cars, and food will all see above-average price increases.
    Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023.  In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.
    In her speech today, Sen. Cantwell also railed against the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) push to indiscriminately slash federal workers from the payroll, compromising the vital ongoing work at federal agencies.
    “The cuts that these agencies have been facing are really the cuts to some of the most technical jobs the United States government has. Whether you’re talking about NOAA, or the National Weather Service, or the National Institutes of Health, or the National Science Foundation, or the US Department of Agriculture — they’ve all been targeted for reductions. These agencies are critical to our economic growth and to our security. And at a time when we are seeing more extreme weather events, or more floods or more wildfires, why shouldn’t we be investing more in weather forecasting, not less? 
    “And when you look at NOAA workers who support our commercial, and recreation, and tribal fisheries, they employ 1.7 million people, including thousands in the State of Washington. Why would you cut specialized workforce that are helping support the growth of GDP?” Sen. Cantwell said.
    “DOGE wants to cap the overhead expenses of research. University of Washington medicine tells me that this would leave them with shortfalls and that they might have to stop clinical trials that are underway. You can’t just stop medical research like it’s a faucet! Once halted, the research, the data, the clinical trials, the patients, the laboratories, the equipment — all that led to innovation will be lost. You think you just turn that back on? You know, these kinds of ideas sound great, but they’re not well thought out. It’s literally throwing tax dollars away.”
    Since DOGE announced its intent to hack away at federal agencies and programs, Sen. Cantwell has been sounding the alarm and coming to the defense of workers at NOAA, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the National Park Service, and more.
    A video of her speech on the Senate floor today can be viewed HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Funding and investment for Yukon RCMP in Budget 2025–26

    Funding and investment for Yukon RCMP in Budget 2025–26
    zaburke

    The Government of Yukon is committed to building safer communities by strengthening RCMP capacity and ensuring RCMP officers have the resources they need to respond effectively across the territory. In Budget 2025-26, the Yukon government is increasing RCMP funding by $5.2 million – subject to legislative approval – bringing the total investment in the RCMP for the upcoming fiscal year to $47 million.

    Through Budget 2025–26, the Department of Justice is seeking approval from the Legislative Assembly to invest strategically in ways that enable relationship building with partners to foster safer communities, to support culturally relevant services and to encourage innovation. 

    If approved, new funding in 2025-26 will be used to build police capacity, support RCMP members, modernize equipment and upgrade detachments.

    • Building police capacity – $1.82 million will fund the creation of nine new positions – eight RCMP officers and one public service worker – which will improve policing capacity across the territory. This includes:
      o    New officers for specialized teams, including the Emergency Response Team, strengthening responses to high-risk incidents.
      o    Permanent funding for two officer positions with Car 867, ensuring a continued mental health-focused response to people in crisis, following the success of the two-year pilot program.
      o    The Yukon has the third highest police per capita ratio in Canada, with a police strength of 325 officers per 100,000 population.
    • An additional $354,000 has been allocated to continue to fund two RCMP resources for the Whitehorse Detachment to support community safety initiatives in the Downtown core. 
    • Supporting RCMP members – $1.51 million is allocated for RCMP pay raises per the second round of RCMP collective bargaining, with an additional $483,000 earmarked for the third round of collective bargaining. The Government of Yukon recognizes the importance of the collective bargaining process and ensuring that the hardworking members of the RCMP receive pay that reflects the increasing demands of their jobs.
    • Modernizing equipment for safer policing and public accountability – $1.39 million is allocated to invest in critical tools such as body armor, boat replacements, and the introduction of new body-worn cameras to improve officer and public safety, while enhancing accountability.
    • Improving RCMP infrastructure – In addition to the operations and maintenance budget, $3.15 million in capital funding is dedicated to upgrading and maintaining detachments across the territory. Planned projects include renovations to the Old Crow detachment, and the assessment of the Haines Junction detachment for potential future upgrades.

    The Government of Yukon will continue to prioritize investments in public safety to protect Yukoners and our economy.
     

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of $1.4 million bank fraud and identity theft scheme pleads guilty to victimizing bank customers nationwide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Used victims’ personal information to open business bank accounts, linked them to established personal accounts, and drained victim funds

    Seattle – A leader in a nationwide $1.4 million bank fraud scheme pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Amber Towndrow, 36, was indicted along with coconspirator Darby Canfield, 35, in April 2024. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend no more than eight years in prison for Towndrow when she is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead on June 12, 2025.

    According to records filed in the case, Towndrow and her coconspirators acquired personal identifying information for at least 19 victims nationwide. In Western Washington, the co-schemers used that personal information to register businesses with the Washington Secretary of State. Armed with the business documents and false identification documents such as drivers’ licenses and passports, Towndrow would open business bank accounts at financial institutions where the victim already had a personal savings account. The bank system would link the new business bank account to the real customer’s bank account. The conspirators would then transfer money from the personal bank account to the business account. Towndrow would then use a business account debit card to purchase money orders and high value goods such as designer merchandise or electronics. Towndrow and other conspirators would use various fake IDs to cash the money orders at locations such as Money Tree outlets.

    With this scheme Towndrow committed bank fraud and identity theft in Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, Indiana, and Washington D.C.

    The plea agreement details how Towndrow defrauded a victim living in Illinois by creating a company registered in Colorado. Towndrow listed the Illinois victim as the registered owner of the company. Towndrow traveled to a Chase branch in Seattle where she opened a business banking account for the fake company. Towndrow and her coconspirators used online banking to transfer $131,709 from the Illinois victim account to the business account.  Towndrow used the business debit card to purchase 128 U.S. Postal Service money orders totaling $126,653. The money orders were made payable to various people the co-schemers could impersonate with their fake IDs. The conspirators then cashed several of the money orders at various locations in the Seattle area.

    The plea agreement admits similar conduct regarding a victim residing in Texas, who was defrauded of $75,000, of which $50,000 was used to purchase MoneyGram money orders across the Seattle area.

    Towndrow admits she opened at least 50 business bank accounts and attempted to obtain $1.4 million. She admits she successfully obtained $664,000.

    Conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and bank fraud are punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory minimum two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed in the case.

    The case is being investigated by The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the Seattle Police Department.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asia’s Next Growth Frontier

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    Opening Remarks by the IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva
    At a conference on Asia and the IMF: Resilience through Cooperation, Tokyo, Japan, March 5, 9AM JST

    March 4, 2025

    (As Prepared for Delivery)

    I would like to thank Finance Minister Kato for welcoming us today and want to express my gratitude to Governor Ueda for joining. I’m very sorry I can’t be with you in person. But thankfully technology allows me to join you virtually.

    Those who have been to Tokyo’s Skytree know that it has the best views of the city. And like so much in Japan, it’s an engineering masterpiece. Gazing across Tokyo’s skyline, it’s hard to imagine just how much the city—and the country—has changed in the 80 years since the Bretton Woods Institutions were established.

    After World War II, Japan invested heavily in infrastructure and manufacturing and introduced sweeping reforms. These set the country on a path to becoming an economic powerhouse.

    Inspired by Japan’s success, other countries in Asia followed suit. Today, the region contributes over 60 percent of global growth, and is home to some of the world’s largest, most innovative companies.

    Of course, Asia is a very diverse continent, with a mix of advanced economies, emerging and frontier markets, and small island states. Demographics and income levels vary too.

    But across the region, openness and deepening economic ties have been crucial to countries’ success.

    The world is changing, however. Many countries face weaker growth prospects and are saddled with high public debt. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent geopolitical developments have brought into focus the importance of security of supplies. Trade is no longer the engine of global growth it used to be. And we are in the midst of massive transformations, from rapid advances in AI to changing patterns of capital flows and trade. 

    Against this background, governments worldwide are shifting their priorities. The new US administration is rapidly reshaping its policies on trade, taxation, public spending, deregulation, and digital assets. And other governments are also recalibrating their approaches and adjusting their policies.

    The future of growth

    How should countries in Asia adapt? Let me highlight three opportunities.

    First, the shift toward services-led growth. While trade in goods has flattened, service flows are surging. In fact, services have already drawn about half of the region’s workers, up from just 22 percent in 1990.

    Economists have traditionally thought of services as less productive than manufacturing. Our research suggests otherwise. Asia’s labor productivity in financial services is four times higher than in manufacturing, and twice as high in business services.

    Second, digitalization and AI. The demand for digital products and services in the region has accelerated quickly and is on track to continue growing faster than the region’s GDP. Japan’s Rakuten, China’s Alibaba Group, and Indonesia’s GoTo Group now rival e-commerce giants Amazon and Walmart.

    In AI development, Japan and China are racing ahead, followed closely by South Korea and Singapore. This could be an important boost for productivity. In Singapore, for example, an estimated 40 percent of jobs could be made more productive by AI. The country has several digital economy agreements now in place, enabling digital companies in the region to connect and share data more easily.

    That brings me to my third point: greaterregional cooperation andtrade. On the surface, it might look as if the world is retreating from integration. But regionally, countries are leaning in.

    Over the past four decades, intra-regional trade in Asia has increased by 43 percent. Today, more than half of Asian trade is regional.

    The trend is the same for foreign direct investment. FDI from Asian countries to Japan, for example has nearly doubled over the past decade, as market opportunities in Japan’s technology sector grow.

    Together, the shift toward services, digitalization and AI, and greater regional integration can lift growth. But to harness these opportunities, the region will need to carefully navigate domestic developments and global changes.

    The IMF’s role

    That is where the IMF comes in. We strive to be trusted partners to our member countries, provide country-specific advice and safeguard the stability of the global economy. Our work spans economic analysis, policy advice, financing and capacity development.

    And as the world economy has changed, we too have evolved. From managing fixed exchange rates in the 1970s, to active surveillance of countries’ economic and financial policies and more systematic coverage of spillovers.

    More recently, our thinking on capital flow management and foreign exchange interventions has changed, and we’ve upgraded our lending toolkit to include more flexible instruments tailored to emerging market economies.

    Thanks in large part to Japan’s support, we are also offering more support to low-income countries, especially in capacity development, and a stronger presence around the world through our regional technical assistance centers.

    We are grateful to Japan for the deep engagement in thinking about the future of the Fund. Today’s discussions are an important part of that. 

    My colleagues and I are keenly interested in ideas and reflections on:

    • how we can best support our members, especially the most vulnerable among them, to grow and build economic resilience;
    • how to tailor more of our advice to support countries’ efforts to deepen regional collaboration, by thinking through our strategic engagement with groups like the ASEAN, the Pacific Island countries, as well as medium sized and larger economies; and
    • how to strengthen the global financial safety net. We’re assessing how IMF facilities can be further improved to support resilience in our member countries. And we are working closely with regional arrangements to enhance crisis prevention and response capabilities.

    We know from experience that reforms are hard, but we also know they can steer countries towards stronger and durable growth and can achieve a more stable and prosperous global economy.

    You can count on the IMF in this journey.

    Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke and the rest of our team are excited to be part of today’s productive discussion. I look forward to the outcome.

    Thank you.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER:

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

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Manurewa’s first Pan-Pacific strategy aims to amplify Pasifika voices

    By Mary Afemata, Local Democracy Reporting

    The Manurewa Local Board is developing its first Pan-Pacific strategy in Aotearoa New Zealand to amplify Pasifika voices in local decision-making.

    A recent community workshop brought leaders and residents together to develop a strategy that will help guide how the board engages with Pasifika communities. The plan will then be presented in June.

    Akerei Maresala-Thomson, an Auckland Council partner and facilitator of the workshop at Manurewa Library, described it as a listening session.

    LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTING

    “A lot of work has gone into reaching this stage, with investment from both past and present board members. This will be the first Pasifika strategy for the board-a win for our community.”

    The strategy aims to amplify Pacific voices in local decision-making, promote cultural recognition, improve access to services, and encourage Pasifika participation in governance.

    Maresala-Thomson facilitated a similar workshop in 2019, laying the groundwork for this initiative.

    The strategy, expected to be presented in June, will be informed by feedback from the workshop and an online community survey.

    According to the 2023 Census, Pasifika make up nearly 40 percent of Manurewa’s approximately 39,450 residents. The consultation process involved gathering demographic information and identifying key priorities for the community.

    “There was a diverse mix of expertise and perspectives in the room,” said Maresala-Thomson. “Some smaller Pasifika communities weren’t represented, and our youth were largely absent.

    Notes from the workshop will help shape the final draft of the Pan-Pacific strategy, set for presentation in June. Image: LDR/Mary Afemata

    “However, many contributed via the online survey, which helped guide our discussions.”

    The local board wants a Pan-Pacific approach — not just input from the larger island groups but representation from all the diverse Pacific communities, he said.

    “More often than not, and this is no fault of our own, our Samoan, Cook Island, and Tongan communities naturally make up the larger share of our population.

    “But they wanted to make sure we also reached our smaller community groups, like our Niuean, Tuvaluan, Solomon Islands, and even Rotuman communities.”

    The group received great representation from the Tuvaluan, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Niuean communities, in addition to the larger, traditional networks from Samoan and Tongan communities, he said.

    ‘Great networking opportunity’
     One attendee, Kate*, who asked not to be identified, said she joined the workshop to understand how local boards align with Pasifika priorities.

    “It was a great networking opportunity, but ultimately, I wanted to know how I can best support the community,” she said. “The issues raised today aren’t new. We’ve been talking about them for years.”

    Kate believes many Pasifika families struggle to engage with local government because they don’t see the impact of their input.

    “There’s access to these spaces, but people don’t know where to go or why it matters. We need better ways to bring the conversation into people’s homes,” she said.

    Engaging Pasifika youth was another key discussion point.

    “There are youth in different spaces, and we need to find the champions — whether through youth councils, community groups, or other networks-who can help share the message among their peers.”

    Community educator Kathleen Guttenbeil-Vatuvei . . . “When you hear ‘strategy,’ you want to be involved in shaping solutions.” Image: Facebook/TP/LDR

    Kathleen Guttenbeil-Vatuvei, a community educator and financial mentor at Vaiola Pacific Island Budgeting Service Trust, said she attended the event to ensure financial capability was part of the discussion.

    “When you hear ‘strategy,’ you want to be involved in shaping solutions,” she said. “What is the local board going to do about these issues? Are they listening? How do we fit into this strategy, and do we have a voice?”

    She stressed the importance of youth involvement.

    “Youth should be equally represented. But sometimes, they feel intimidated around elders or community leaders. It’s important to create spaces where they feel comfortable contributing.”

    Angela Dalton, Councillor for Manurewa-Papakura and former chair of the local board, received a message from Maresala-Thomson thanking her for initiating the strategy years ago.

    “I always felt we weren’t turning words into tangible outcomes for Pasifika,” Dalton said.

    “I was determined to build strong relationships to ensure we deliver projects that meet the needs of our growing Pasifika population.”

    Auckland Council partner and facilitator Akerei Maresala-Thomson . . . facilitating a discussion on strengthening the relationship between the Manurewa Local Board and Pasifika communities. Image: LDR/Mary Afemata

    Feedback will shape final draft
    Feedback will shape the final draft of the strategy. A subcommittee will refine the document before it is presented to the Manurewa Local Board.

    The goal is to align its implementation with the 2025-2026 Local Board Plan, ensuring Pasifika priorities are embedded in decision-making.

    A steering committee will oversee the project, ensuring it reflects the aspirations of Manurewa’s Pasifika communities and fosters meaningful engagement with local government.

    Maresala-Thomson said: “What we get from today, from your feedback, which has been amazing, this will help to draft the strategic plan specifically for Pacific and Manurewa.”

    Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Asia Pacific Report is a community member of the LDR project.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 02/20/2025 Blackburn, Lee, Colleagues Introduce DEFUND Act to Pull USA from UN

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced the Disengaging Entirely from the United Nations Debacle (DEFUND) Act, which calls for the United States’ complete withdrawal from the United Nations (UN). This legislation addresses grave issues of national sovereignty and fiscal accountability which have plagued US involvement in the UN. The DEFUND Act is co-sponsored by Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.). House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas) are introducing the companion bill in the House of Representatives.
    “The United Nations has betrayed our trust time and time again, and we cannot continue to be their cash cow and undermine our own national security interests,” said Senator Blackburn. “The DEFUND Act would stop all forms of U.S. financial support to the UN and hold this wayward organization accountable for placating Hamas terrorists and the Chinese Communist Party.”
    “No more blank checks for the United Nations. Americans’ hard-earned dollars have been funneled into initiatives that fly in the face of our values, enabling tyrants, betraying allies, and spreading bigotry,” said Senator Lee. “With the DEFUND Act, we’re stepping away from this debacle. If we engage with the UN in the future, it will be on our terms, with the full backing of the Senate and an iron-clad escape clause.”
    “From UNRWA actively protecting Hamas and acting against our ally Israel, delayed condemning Hamas, to China being elected to the “Human Rights Council,” to the propagation of climate hysteria, covering for China’s forced abortion and sterilization programs, the UN’s decades-old, internal rot once again raises the questions of why the United States is even still a member or why we’re wasting billions — indeed, $12.5 billion in 2021 — every year on it,” said Representative Roy.  “The UN doesn’t deserve one single dime of American taxpayer money or one bit of our support; we should defund it and leave immediately. I am proud to lead this critical effort alongside Mike Lee and Mike Rogers.”
    BACKGROUND
    Key Elements of the DEFUND Act:
    Repeals critical acts that bind the U.S. to the UN, such as the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 and the United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act.
    Ceases all forms of U.S. financial support to the UN, including assessed and voluntary contributions.
    Prohibits any U.S. involvement in UN peacekeeping operations.
    Revokes diplomatic immunity for UN officials within the United States.
    Formalizes withdrawal from the World Health Organization and other UN conventions.
    Sets stringent conditions for any future engagement with the UN, requiring Senate approval with explicit withdrawal provisions.
    The introduction of the DEFUND Act comes in response to years of unchecked bureaucratic expansion and financial misuse by the UN at the expense of American taxpayers. 
    You can read the one-pager by clicking HERE. 
    You can read the bill text by clicking HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Reserve Bank NZ Governor Adrian Orr resigns

    Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

    05 March 2025 – Reserve Bank of New Zealand Governor Adrian Orr has resigned and will finish in the role on 31 March.

    Mr Orr, who was first appointed as Governor in March 2018, says it has been a privilege to lead an institution that plays a critical role in the economic wellbeing and prosperity of all New Zealanders.

    “Over the last seven years we’ve significantly built our capability and capacity so we can respond to an increasing complex and challenging global environment. We’ve made considerable progress in our approach to monetary and financial policy, alongside driving much-needed maturity uplifts in our balance sheet capital, digital, data and technology.”

    “We’ve advanced many major, multi-year programmes, to modernise and strengthen the RBNZ and the New Zealand financial system and led the implementation of strategies related to the Future of Money and Cash, Future of Payment and Settlements, Financial Inclusion, Climate Change, and Māori Access to Capital,” Mr Orr says.

    “I’m incredibly proud of the RBNZ’s people, our work and the impact of our mahi on all New Zealanders,” Mr Orr says.

    “I leave the role with consumer price inflation at target, and an economy in a cyclical recovery following the long period of COVID-related disruption. The financial system remains sound. However, there is much work left to do on the major multi-year strategies RBNZ is following. Ongoing focus and funding will be critical to these projects’ success.”

    RBNZ Board Chair Professor Neil Quigley thanked Mr Orr for his leadership and commitment to the central bank. “Adrian has been critical to leading the institutional reforms needed to implement the new Reserve Bank Act, Deposit Takers Act, and Depositor Compensation Scheme. In particular, Adrian has demonstrated resilience and fidelity to the Bank in operationalising the changes in governance and decision-making that followed from the creation of a Monetary Policy Committee with external members from 2019 and the Reserve Bank Act coming into force in July 2022.”

    “He has also driven a significant uplift in leadership and capability across the Bank, and modernised its culture to reflect contemporary New Zealand society,” Professor Quigley says.

    Deputy Governor Christian Hawkesby will be Acting Governor until 31 March. From 1 April the Minister of Finance, on recommendation from the RBNZ Board, will appoint a temporary Governor for a period of up to six months. Mr Hawkesby will also chair the Monetary Policy Committee.

    More information

    RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=2cb69240b9&e=f3c68946f8
    RBNZ Deputy Governor Christian Hawkesby https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=9057f58407&e=f3c68946f8
    Reserve Bank Act 2021. https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=8952ed0d47&e=f3c68946f8

    Under the Reserve Bank Act the Minister of Finance can appoint temporary Governor for a period of up to six months, following a recommendation from the RBNZ Board.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with premiers to discuss a Team Canada response to unjustified U.S. tariffs against Canada

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened a virtual meeting with Canada’s premiers to discuss the United States’ unjustified tariffs against Canada. The Prime Minister was joined by the Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s Ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, and Canada’s Fentanyl Czar, Kevin Brosseau.

    The Prime Minister and the premiers denounced the U.S.’ decision to impose unjustified tariffs and committed to stand united against this economic threat. They noted that mutually beneficial trade between Canada and the U.S. has underpinned the world’s closest economic partnership for decades. They underscored that tariffs would weaken both of our countries, put thousands of good paying jobs at risk, and make life less affordable for both Canadians and Americans alike.

    The Prime Minister and the premiers discussed Canada’s robust response to the imposition of tariffs by the U.S., which includes moving forward with 25 per cent tariffs on $155 billion worth of imported goods, beginning immediately with a list of goods worth $30 billion. The scope of the Canadian counter tariffs will be increased to $155 billion if the current U.S. tariffs are maintained, and could also be increased if new tariffs are imposed.

    The Prime Minister emphasized that Canada’s response is designed to minimize negative impacts on Canadians and the economy, while also recognizing that U.S. tariffs will inevitably cause some economic hardship. Minister LeBlanc stated the federal government will soon announce an initial package of supports to mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs on Canadian workers, families, and businesses. First Ministers also discussed progress to reduce barriers to internal trade and labour mobility within Canada.

    The Prime Minister and the premiers thanked Canadians for their resilience and solidarity in the face of this threat. They noted their response to these challenging times has proven to the world that Canada will always be strong, free, proud, and united. First Ministers agreed to continue working together to defend Canada’s economy and sovereignty in the weeks and months ahead.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray on Yearlong CR, DOGE’s Utter Lack of Transparency, and Elon Musk’s Glaring Conflicts of Interest

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    In floor speech, Murray slams yearlong CR proposal, calls for transparency from DOGE so Congress can do its job, and reiterates call for Musk to come before Congress
    Murray: “No one wants a shutdown—well, no one except Elon Musk, who recently said that ‘sounds great.’”
    Murray: “Elon Musk is, apparently, in charge of his own conflicts of interest—we’re just supposed to trust him. Has he recused himself from a single decision? We haven’t heard a single update about that.”
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor speech***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations, took to the Senate floor and delivered the following remarks on government funding talks, House Republican leadership’s yearlong CR plan, DOGE’s utter lack of transparency, and Elon Musk’s glaring conflicts of interest that are going completely unaddressed by the Trump administration:
    [ON GOVERNMENT FUNDING TALKS]
    “No one wants a shutdown. Well, actually, no one except Elon Musk, who recently said that ‘sounds great,’ or Donald Trump or Russ Vought.
    “That’s why I have been at the table this entire time, ready to pass bills that protect key investments and ensure Congress—not Donald Trump or Elon Musk—decides whether or not our public schools or lifesaving cancer research get funded.
    “Unfortunately, Republican leadership told their members last week to walk away from the negotiating table—which raises the risk of a shutdown—in an attempt to pass a clean yearlong continuing resolution that would actually give Trump and Musk exactly what they want: fewer restraints, and more power over federal spending so they can pick winners and losers as they see fit, which would hurt all of our constituents.
    “Nonetheless, I am urging Republican leadership to come back to the table, if they are willing to do that, and work with us on full-year funding bills—the type of work we do together every year—and prevent a shutdown while we do that.
    [ON REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP’S FULL-YEAR CR]
    “We cannot stand by and accept a yearlong power grab CR that would help Elon take a chainsaw to programs that families rely on and agencies that keep our communities safe.
    “We actually have a job to do—Republicans and Democrats—to be a voice for our constituents, to advocate for the funding they need, and to get support back to our communities.
    “I have heard my House Republican colleagues say they will not restrict a Republican President’s powers. I want to be clear: what I am asking for is to work together to make sure that as we write and negotiate these full-year spending bills, our laws get followed. I welcome, and I want everyone to know, I am open to any and all ideas on how we can work together to do that.
    “I am confident we can get this done. I am ready to pass a short-term CR immediately to take down the risk of a shutdown so that we can finish our negotiations and write full-year spending bills.
    [ON UTTER LACK OF TRANSPARENCY FROM TRUMP ADMIN, DOGE]
    “Now, on a topic I believe appropriators on both sides would agree with: we need far more information and transparency and accountability from the Trump administration to write these bills.
    “Because, here’s one big problem—among many: how are we supposed to fund the government when many agencies are not responding to any of our questions, and when we have no clear picture of who is actually in charge of many of our agencies?
    “It’s clear as day there have been a lot of dramatic changes made across the government.
    “Agencies are being illegally shuttered. Workers are being fired by the thousands—again, often in direct violation of laws we have passed. And hundreds of billions of dollars in federal programs and grants have been frozen, unfrozen, and frozen again. We’ve had contracts that have recklessly cancelled, some accidentally and then restarted—not to mention the workers who have fired and rehired.
    “It is incredibly chaotic—and it makes it much harder to write legislation that actually responds to the latest developments, when programs are switching on and off again like a two-year-old is playing with a light switch—and when the number of people and programs illegally terminated remains unclear.
    “It is much more difficult to write funding bills for Department programs when we have no idea what the Department is actually doing, or what the actual plan is for the next year, or if it’s actually them or perhaps DOGE making the plans in the first place.
    “When we are seeing decisions made and reversed, or made and ignored, or made by people who have no authority making them—and yet seemingly being implemented. And it’s not just the whirlwind of decisions that are causing chaos. It is the complete lack of transparency and accountability surrounding these decisions from Trump and Musk that makes it all but impossible to get a straight answer.
    “When we have questions that urgently need answers—like why has this energy program been frozen, or when will the NIH grants start up again, or which VA contracts have actually been scrapped or how many workers are being pushed out—then it helps if we know who is actually in charge.
    “When our constituents have problems that require solutions quickly or they will have to close a business, or lay people off, or lose the family farm—then it matters that we can get the right person on the phone to get things resolved.
    “And yet, when there is information we urgently need so we can write funding bills and avoid a shutdown like agency priorities or unexpected challenges or just the basic nuts and bolts stuff—to say nothing of the information we need to address the very extraordinary circumstances and decisions of the past few weeks—it is totally unclear who we should actually be talking to if we want answers that actually reflect the reality of what is happening.
    “It is totally unclear who is actually making decisions—and who is actually in charge.
    “Appropriators have now sent over thirty letters to agencies since January 20th asking to just understand agency actions—and that’s to say nothing of the efforts from me and my staff to get answers to our emails and our calls. But the answers have been few and very far between.
    “And what’s more, just because we hear something from someone who should know, just because we hear from someone who should be in charge—we have found that does not mean it’s actually true.
    “There is more than one time in the past few weeks, where we’ve been told one thing, only to see the reality is entirely different.
    “Like, for example, when the OMB funding freeze was implemented and we were told it won’t affect Head Start—except that it did affect Head Start. Providers in my state were locked out of the payment system for days—even after the funding freeze itself was rescinded.
    “It seems like the only thing that has been consistent about the last few weeks is that every time there has been chaos, every time I’ve seen actions that fly in the face of laws we have passed—not to mention common sense—or contradict what I’ve heard from agency leaders, DOGE has been at the center of it.
    “We have seen DOGE absolutely trample the authority of Congress, and other federal agencies—including officials Congress confirmed.
    “For example, while Secretary Rubio instituted a recklessly broad and illegal freeze of all foreign assistance funding, he publicly announced exceptions for a limited set of programs—including lifesaving aid—the basic idea being that we probably shouldn’t let HIV spread rampant and we probably shouldn’t let food grown right here in America rot in ports while children starve.
    “Causing mass death through pointless negligence is not really a good strategy for bolstering our global reputation. It is cruel and self-defeating. So, as Secretary of State he made the exception. But DOGE had other plans. Because on the rare occasion that what was left of USAID staff who hadn’t been sidelined, was able to clear these payments through the agency’s interim leadership—surprise! DOGE staffers would veto the payments anyways.
    “Keep in mind: we don’t know about this because DOGE disclosed it or State disclosed it—we know only because of reporting.
    “That should not be how this works. Congress—and the American people—should not be out of the loop.
    “Especially given the serious stakes here—and the serious questions that remain, like: on what authority did they veto these payments? Whose orders did they overrule the Secretary? I would very much like to know.
    “Because while the Secretary is guilty of plenty of the attacks on his workforce and programs, it certainly seems like the Secretary of State got steamrolled on numerous occasions, without even knowing it.
    “And if that’s the case: who are we supposed to talk to with questions about State’s funding needs? The Secretary, or the two DOGE minions who actually have their hands directly on the levers of power here?
    “And let’s not forget about what happened at Treasury. DOGE wanted access to our most secure systems. Agency officials told them no. And then the agency officials were told ‘you’re fired.’
    “That sent a chilling message to our federal workers: you stand up to DOGE at your own peril.
    “And it’s not just Treasury—DOGE has been worming its way into Department after Department, making a beeline for the most sensitive systems, including ones storing my constituents’ sensitive financial data, and bulldozing over anyone who stands in their way, for any reason.
    “We don’t even know who all of these people are or whether they even have security clearances.
    “They even had people fired for denying them access to classified material beyond their security levels. That is how completely unchecked their power has become. And we have incredibly little insight into what they are actually doing with those sensitive systems.
    “We’ve seen DOGE claim they only can view some data—that’s already deeply concerning—but there are also plenty of indications they have been given more power at times.
    “And they are interested in tinkering around with some of these systems too or unaccountably blocking payments like we saw at USAID
    “And let’s talk about the Defense Department, because first Secretary Hegseth was saying he wanted to revive the quote, ‘warrior spirit’ at the Department, but now he’s telling employees to reply to DOGE’s weekly emails. He is firing thousands of defense personnel, and he’s asking every corner of DOD to propose major cuts.
    “So, as an appropriator, trying to write full-year bills that fund our military, which is it? Major increases? Or major cuts?
    “And who do I ask about the Department’s needs? Is this up to the Secretary? Or up to DOGE? And who at DOGE is even steering this ship? 
    “We need to know this kind of thing—and we really needed to know yesterday. Because we have a deadline coming up for funding the military, and we have some serious questions for whoever is in charge about how the administration is approaching things.
    “And when I say whoever is in charge, I don’t mean who is in charge on paper—because it seems like there is a big disconnect.
    “I mean who is actually making the decisions and driving actions at our agencies—and at DOGE for that matter.
    “Because, look: first Elon was running DOGE with Vivek, then it was just Elon, then it supposedly wasn’t Elon at all.
    “But then, Elon kept right on posting about hiring decisions like someone in charge and rehiring an individual who resigned after their blatant racism came to light.
    “And he kept right on doing press availabilities with the President—in the Oval Office—to discuss his work at DOGE, like someone in charge. So it sure looks like Elon is still the head of DOGE.
    “And even after we were all finally told, with great supposed certainty, that DOGE is actually being run by another person no one had even mentioned, we then promptly learned: oh, she’s on vacation. And the very next day we saw Elon briefing the Cabinet on what he is doing at DOGE.
    “If that seems at all confusing, or contradictory, I don’t think it’s an accident, so much as a smokescreen—one that seems designed to hide the obvious fact that Elon Musk is the one calling the shots at DOGE.
    [ON ELON MUSK’S GLARING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST]
    “All of us here in Congress really need to know that—because this is the richest man in the world with billions in government contracts on the line.
    “Elon Musk is, apparently, in charge of his own conflicts of interest. We’re just supposed to trust him. Has he recused himself from a single decision? We haven’t heard a single update about that.
    “As a steward of taxpayer dollars who wants to make sure the bills we write are implemented to help my constituents—not Elon Musk’s bottom line—I would like to know:
    Did the owner of Space X recuse himself from decisions gutting NASA?
    Did the owner of Tesla interfere at all in funding freezes that will hurt his competition in the electric vehicle market?Does the guy who posted criticizing Verizon’s work for FAA and pitching his own company Starlink as an alternative have anything to do with reports the government may reverse course now on the Verizon contract?
    Did the guy selling satellite internet have any role in halting funds that were helping connect my constituents to broadband?
    Or what about all the watchdogs that have been fired? People reviewing Neuralink devices at FDA? People at the agency that reviews the safety of Tesla’s self-driving cars? Or the Inspector General looking into Elon’s connections to foreign governments?
    “Despite what Musk likes to pretend, it is not in the slightest bit transparent for him alone to be deciding what he hides, and what he shares about his role in government.
    “Nor is it transparent when DOGE is posting updates that are often completely inaccurate from getting basic math wrong, to getting wrong basic timelines of what Trump did versus Biden did, to not understanding how contracts work—and counting the same ‘cuts’ over and over and over again.
    “They aren’t being transparent—they are muddying up the waters with falsehoods and disinformation and making it that much harder for us to write meaningful funding bills in the next few days.
    “I mean—if DOGE doesn’t even know what programs they’ve cut and how much they’ve cut—how are we supposed to understand how these decisions could hurt our constituents? How are we supposed to write legislation that rejects the cuts we find harmful or even aligns if there are areas of agreement?
    [ON MUSK NEEDING TO COME BEFORE CONGRESS]
    “We need real answers from DOGE—and we need them as soon as possible. And so, I am once again requesting that Elon Musk come before Congress for a hearing and be held accountable to the American people.
    “Tell us: what exactly are you doing? Why are you firing federal employees whose salaries are covered by fees, not taxpayer dollars? Why are you firing veterans—by the thousands—who are doing work to support our communities? Why are you planning to fire the people who make sure seniors get their Social Security checks? Who are the people who work for you? How were they vetted? What are your long-term plans for the agencies? And based on what authority are you overruling Secretaries, directing federal workers, and ignoring the laws we pass in Congress?
    “America is waiting—but we are losing valuable time. Congress—and the American people—deserve answers. And we need them to do our jobs.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Highlights Stories of WA Businesses, Farms, Organizations Harmed by Trump’s Illegal Funding Freezes Ahead of Joint Address

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray has been a leading voice calling out the Trump administration for illegally freezing hundreds of billions of dollars owed to communities across the country, including hundreds of millions of dollars for Washington state
    ***WATCH VIDEO HERE; DOWNLOAD HERE***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference with businesses and organizations across Washington state—from Bremerton, to Skagit County, to Vancouver, to Okanogan—who are being harmed by Trump’s ongoing illegal freezes on vast swaths of federal funding owed to Washington state and communities across the country, putting critical projects, jobs, and entire businesses at risk. Senator Murray has been raising the alarm nonstop and working to get out information on what Trump’s illegal funding freezes mean for people across the country since his Day One Executive Orders went into effect—these illegal Executive Orders are right now blocking hundreds of billions of dollars in funding from going out the door.
    Joining Senator Murray for the press conference today were: Michael Frazier, Executive Director of Viva Farms in Skagit County; Rena Shawver, Executive Director of Okanogan County Community Action Council in Okanogan; Richard Schwarz, the CEO of Safe Boats in Bremerton; and Greg Franks, President of Manor Management Services, the management agency for Smith Tower in Vancouver. All four speakers represent businesses and organizations that have had federal funding they are owed frozen, cut off, or thrown into uncertainty because of the illegal actions of this administration.
    Ahead of President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress, Senator Murray is lifting up the stories of real people in Washington state who are being hurt by Donald Trump’s reckless and illegal moves—from his indiscriminate mass firings across the federal workforce that will undermine services we all rely on and put lives at risk, to his illegal funding freezes that are seriously harming businesses and organizations across Washington state and putting them in financial jeopardy. Senator Murray’s statement on why she won’t be attending the Joint Address tonight is HERE.
    “Despite what we may hear later tonight—the true state of our union is that Musk and Trump have ground it to a halt, by blocking important funding in total disregard of the law and total lack of concern over how their actions put American jobs at risk,” Senator Murray said on the press call today. “You won’t hear that from Trump tonight. But I can tell you—we are hearing it at my office, where the phones are still ringing off the hook with calls from business owners, farmers, workers, cities, Tribes, nonprofits, and so many other people who are seeing what this funding freeze means for the work they do, for the people they serve, and are desperate to raise the alarm. Trump and Musk may not want to hear about the damage they are causing—but I am not going to let them ignore it.”
    “Viva Farms is a Skagit and King County based nonprofit farm-business training organization and incubator farm with a 15-year history of success growing the next generation of farmers. Our main focus is economic development: supporting farmers on their path to viability while supporting the larger food and agricultural economy. And, as a training program, we are concerned with the next generation of farmers; who will grow our food for the future? Including Viva’s Team, dozens of farm owners and their employees, over 100 people earn their livelihoods directly through our work, and all of this is at risk because of the current funding freeze,” said Michael Frazier, Executive Director of Viva Farms, based in Skagit County. Right now, because of Trump’s Executive Orders and subsequent actions to recall contracted federal funding, Viva Farms’ future is uncertain—they are unable to access a total of about $5 million awarded, multi-year federal grants, $1 million of which was to be spent this year. The loss of these funds could be catastrophic to the future of Viva Farms and many of the farmers they serve.
    “Rural safety net programs for disaster relief, emergency assistance for basic needs, and job support are essential to the economic health of our entire community. The kind of programming that will run out of these facilities provide a safety net for working families and people in crisis. We hope to see the funding for these resiliency hubs come through soon,” said Rena Shawver, Executive Director of Okanogan County Community Action Council (OCCAC) in Okanogan, which supports working families and low-income residents with lifeline emergency services that help them get back on their feet. Right now, Trump’s Day One Executive Orders are blocking a $20 million Community Change Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for OCCAC from moving forward—this funding will create a Food Hub to store the county’s food for assistance programs, and a multipurpose Community Center in Omak that would house job-training, daycare, energy assistance, and other programs to help the community become more resilient to the effects of poverty and disasters. The award was announced in December 2024 and the facility has been in design and development for over a decade. EPA was working on the contract with OCCAC for the funds when the freeze occurred; OCCAC now has not heard from the EPA since January 24th.
    “We design and manufacture aluminum boats for coast guards, militaries, first responders. We’re a 100 percent employee-owned small business… Following the Executive Order that paused foreign assistance programs, we received stop work orders for all of our foreign military and security cooperation contracts that were issued through the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL). The majority of those boats were already in production and partially completed. Then we received additional stop work orders for the Mark VI patrol boats that we’re currently building for Ukraine, as well as for all the weapons systems for the Island-class Coast Guard cutters that are being refurbished for Ukraine by another shipyard. The Ukraine contract was stopped even though we have four boats completely done, two more in production, and have ordered most of the long lead materials for the remaining two. And now we’re being asked questions that lead us to at least fear that it’s possible that that contract could be cancelled in its entirety… In total, about 90 employees out of our total of 300 have been affected by these stop work orders. And then probably the most serious immediate concern is that late last month, we were also notified that we were not going to be paid for the work that we had completed on these programs—our invoices were issued after the Executive Order, but prior to the stop work orders on these contracts. That policy affects several millions of dollars worth of invoices and is clearly contrary to the terms of our contracts,” said Richard Schwarz, CEO of Bremerton-based Safe Boats International. SAFE Boats’ operations have been significantly disrupted since Trump took office—the company was told to stop building ships for partnered countries and wait for a 90-day review before it can restore the manufacturing or before contracts are canceled. Six SAFE Boats contracts awarded by the Navy, State Department, and Coast Guard have been placed on hold.
    “After nearly 60 years of local organized labor leaders coming together and providing 170 affordable rental homes in Vancouver, Washington, to low- and extremely-low-income seniors, Smith Tower is in need of improvements to preserve the affordability and the structure for the next 60 years or more. Our government must ensure the predictable and timely delivery of funding commitments already made by HUD and EPA in order to avoid additional costs which could derail the project entirely and put at risk the stability and safety of these seniors’ homes and hundreds of jobs,” said Greg Franks, President of Manor Management Services, the management agency for Smith Tower in Vancouver, Washington. Smith Tower was awarded a $10 million loan through HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program in 2024, as well as an $11.5 million loan from EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund—this funding, although already awarded, is currently frozen by the Trump administration and at risk.
    Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered on today’s press call, are below and video is HERE:
    “Thank you so much for coming on today and sharing your stories; it is so important that people hear what is happening to all of you.
    “As we all know, President Trump is coming to Congress tonight to give what is called the State of the Union, but I don’t think it’s right to call it a State of the Union because he’s going to be really ignoring the state of emergency that he and Elon have created through a very reckless and illegal funding freeze, and massive cuts.
    “We have seen Trump put on this show before, and he is going to blow by the facts and reality of the harm that’s been caused, regardless of what’s actually happening—regardless of what’s actually happening, he’ll probably say that the state of the union is strong.
    “Maybe for billionaires like him and Elon Musk—but I will tell you, for families across the country, for our small businesses, for our farms and people in Washington state who are just trying to get by, he has made life harder and made things a lot worse.
    “He gave the richest man in the world the keys to the kingdom. And now, they’re cutting off funding that Congress, all of us, passed—and they’re doing it left and right.
    “This is not making us safer. It is not making us stronger. It’s causing chaos, and it is costing us jobs.
    “The illegal funding freeze is choking off funding for infrastructure and energy projects, investments to lower people’s electric bills.
    “It is grinding cancer research to a halt, as researchers now are being cut off from the funds that they need to do things like replenish their basic lab supplies.
    “It is putting our family farms and businesses in jeopardy, as farmers who took steps like installing solar panels, or upgrading their greenhouses—helping them save money while counting on federal assistance they were promised—they’re suddenly being stiffed by the billionaires who are now running the government.
    “The freeze is hurting our forests and our parks. It is endangering our families, as groups like the Northwest Youth Corp have to suspend their crews and interns because their funds have been frozen—even funds for work they had already completed!
    “It is hurting organizations like Safe Boats, which you will hear from in a minute. And they do the work that is critical to our national security—they will tell you about that—and now the Trump administration is really putting them in financial straits.
    “Not to mention Tribes across our state who are still waiting on funding they were owed.
    “Or in Waitsburg, Washington, where the frozen funding is risking their water main bursting—they can’t now get access a grant for a project to protect drinking water from flooding and earthquakes, wildfires and more. It is frozen; they can’t get to it.
    “So, despite what we are going to hear tonight here, the true state of our nation is that Musk and Trump have ground it to a halt because they are blocking important funding—in total disregard of the law, by the way—and total lack of concern over how their actions put Americans and American jobs at risk.
    “Probably won’t hear that from Trump tonight—but I can tell you, we are hearing it in my office. The phones are still ringing off the hook with calls from business owners, farmers, workers, cities, Tribes, nonprofits, so many people who are seeing what this funding freeze means for the work they are doing, for the people that they serve, and they are desperate to raise the alarm.
    “You know, this is not like turning a light switch on and off, no harm is done. This is like fighting a fire, one President Trump himself set—and as long as they ignore this problem, or worse, keep fanning the flames—the worse it is going to get.
    “Now, we have seen the impact we can have by speaking out. When everybody raising their voices and saying ‘we don’t want our country to be behaving like this.’ We have seen that if we raise the alarm, and raise our voices, and bring enough shame down on their heads—it is possible to get this administration to reverse the course.
    “But we also know, we’ve got to be loud. We’ve got to be clear about what is at stake.
    “They may not want to hear about the damage they are causing—but I am not going to let them ignore it.
    “That is why tonight I am holding this call, so we can lift up the stories of people who actually are on the receiving end of Trump and Musk’s devastating freeze and who can say a bit, tell us about what is at stake for them, their communities, our country, if we don’t get things back on track.
    “So I really appreciate all of you in coming on this today and sharing your stories so people understand what’s at stake and what’s happening to you.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Secures Commitment from Trump’s State Department Nominee to Reimburse USAID-Funded, American Organizations for Their Work Before Stop Work Order

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    March 04, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC)—successfully secured a commitment from President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Michael Rigas, that if confirmed he will work to reimburse American-founded and run organizations for work done in December and January before Trump’s disastrous stop work order. During her remarks, Duckworth highlighted how organizations in Illinois and around the country have not been paid and are still owed tens of millions of dollars in reimbursements, forcing them to lay off staff or even consider bankruptcy as they endure this financial uncertainty. Some of these organizations reportedly were told by USAID that they will only be reimbursed if the Administration deems the expenses as legitimate. Duckworth’s full remarks at the SFRC hearing can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.
    “Donald Trump’s illegal attacks on USAID have not only devastated lives and livelihoods around the world, but also severely harmed American-founded and American-run organizations here at home who conducted business as normal—and have still not been paid tens of millions of dollars that they are owed for their work,” said Duckworth. “Failing to reimburse this work is forcing these organizations to make impossible decisions—whether laying off staff or considering bankruptcy. The Trump Administration must hold themselves accountable for the chaos they’ve unleashed by dismantling USAID and—at a bare minimum—reimburse organizations for the work they did before the stop work order.”
    Duckworth has repeatedly called out President Donald Trump and his Administration’s illegal attack on USAID. Last month, Duckworth led her fellow SFRC Democratic colleagues in demanding immediate answers from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on how much it will cost American taxpayers to pull USAID workers off the job overseas and relocate them back to the United States. Duckworth also spoke out against Trump’s ongoing illegal power grabs—including the shuttering of USAID—on the Senate floor as part of Senate Democrats’ 30-hour protest opposing Project 2025 architect Russell Vought’s nomination to serve as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As a result of Trump’s ongoing lawlessness, Duckworth also announced that she will be a blanket-no on all remaining top-level cabinet nominees.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China opens ‘two sessions’ with commitment to high-quality development amid challenges

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The annual “two sessions,” a highly anticipated event on China’s political calendar, began on Tuesday with the opening of the annual session of the country’s top political advisory body.
    The annual session of China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), is set to begin on Wednesday.
    Offering a critical window into China’s development roadmap for 2025, the final year of its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), the sessions hold profound significance as the world’s second-largest economy accelerates its shift toward high-quality development and advances Chinese modernization.
    This year’s “two sessions,” the first since last July’s reform-themed third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), are expected to shape the country’s policy direction amid an increasingly complex and challenging domestic and global landscape.
    Key political gatherings
    Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders attended the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held at the Great Hall of the People.
    Wang Huning, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, delivered a work report on behalf of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee.
    The country’s top political advisor said China has accomplished its main economic and social development targets for 2024, applauding the major achievements made in the country’s modernization drive.
    During the eight-day sessions, the Chinese premier, top legislator, top political advisor, chief justice and top procurator will present work reports. Lawmakers will review the government’s annual budget and development plan, and deliberate an amendment to the law on deputies to the NPC and local people’s congresses.
    In parallel, ministers from various government departments will hold interviews and press conferences to engage with the public, clarify policies, and address pressing concerns.
    This year’s “two sessions” are expected to foster consensus and enhance confidence as China strives to further deepen reforms and achieve the goals outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan.
    Macroeconomic policy shift
    This year’s economic growth target, along with an array of widely-watched key macroeconomic indicators for 2025, including the deficit-to-GDP ratio and the inflation target, is expected to be unveiled in the government work report at the start of the NPC session.
    In 2024, China achieved its growth target of around 5 percent, largely thanks to significant macroeconomic measures designed to counter economic headwinds.
    Despite the challenges China’s economy has faced in recent years, it is projected to contribute about 30 percent of global economic growth in 2024, making it the largest source of growth for the world economy.
    While China’s economy has demonstrated resilience, challenges and problems such as insufficient domestic demand and external pressures persist.
    Amid evolving challenges, China has signaled a shift in its macroeconomic stance. Months before the “two sessions” at the tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference, policymakers pledged to roll out more proactive macro policies this year. Notably, they adopted a “moderately loose” monetary policy, significantly departing from the “prudent” approach over the past 14 years.
    China has also pledged to actively use the room for a higher deficit, increase the issuance of local government special-purpose bonds, continue to issue ultra-long special treasury bonds and increase transfer payments from the central government to local governments. The specifics of these pro-growth measures will also be a key focus of this year’s “two sessions.”
    Domestic demand, tech innovation
    The Central Economic Work Conference also outlined key priorities, including boosting consumption, to shore up China’s economy.
    Jiang Ying, Deloitte China chair and a member of the CPPCC National Committee, believed that in 2025, the challenges China’s economy will face, brought about by the reshaping of the international order and geopolitical conflicts, are becoming increasingly complex. “To address these challenges, China will emphasize achieving high-quality growth driven by domestic demand and technological innovation,” she stated.
    China has a supersized domestic market and a complete industrial system, with ample room for the upgrades of demand, said Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th NPC, at a press conference held on Tuesday.
    “To boost the greater stability and resilience of China’s economy, it’s important to reduce the negative impact of external economic shocks while promoting a shift in growth drivers from external demand to domestic demand,” said Jin Penghui, director of the People’s Bank of China Shanghai Head Office.
    “This includes boosting consumption and upgrading consumption patterns, particularly by unlocking potential in areas such as services, health and digital consumption,” added Jin, an NPC deputy.
    Over the past month, Chinese tech start-up DeepSeek has made global waves with its open-source, widely popular chatbot, fueling expectations that this year’s “two sessions” will highlight the development of new quality productive forces, particularly in areas like AI.
    Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2024, China’s total spending on research and development (R&D) amounted to 3.61 trillion yuan (about 503.21 billion U.S. dollars), securing its position as the world’s second-largest spender on R&D.
    Yan Chunhua, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a national lawmaker, told Xinhua that the applications of these technologies in their respective sectors will create new quality productive forces, fueling the high-quality development of China’s economy and society. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Brookfield Wealth Solutions announces Group Capital position of over $16 Billion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Group capital triples over two-year period

    Financial strength underpins A ratings across life and annuity companies

    BROOKFIELD, NEWS, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brookfield Wealth Solutions (NYSE, TSX: BNT) today announced its year-end 2024 capital position with over $16 billion of group capital across its regulated insurance subsidiaries and holding companies. This strong capital position underpins the A financial strength ratings assigned to Brookfield Wealth Solutions’ life and annuity companies, and the investment grade ratings for its life and annuity holding company.

    Brookfield Wealth Solutions’ group capital has tripled from $5.7 billion in 2022 to an estimated $16.1 billion in 2024 through a combination of retained earnings and capital contributions from Brookfield Corporation. 

    Sachin Shah, CEO, Brookfield Wealth Solutions, said: “With over 5,000 people dedicated every day to serving the needs of policyholders and retirees, we’ve been able to build a world-class wealth business that provides individuals with safe and secure retirement income. This past year has culminated in record levels of group and entity-level capital. This February we participated in the first group Supervisory College, where we had the opportunity to share details of our assets, reserves and capital position with our insurance regulators from eight jurisdictions. With our upcoming entrance into the UK insurance market, we look forward to continued prudent growth and an expanded Supervisory College in 2025.”

    Summary of Group Capital            
    in USD, billions            
                 
    Group / Entity   12/31/2022   12/31/2023   12/31/2024
    Insurance Subsidiaries1   5.1   7.5   13.5
    Group Holding Companies   0.7   1.5   2.6
    Total Brookfield Wealth Solutions   5.7   9.0   16.1
    1. Calculated on an aggregate basis in accordance with applicable insurance regulations.
     

    About Brookfield Wealth Solutions

    Brookfield Wealth Solutions Ltd. (NYSE, TSX: BNT) is focused on securing the financial futures of individuals and institutions through a range of retirement services, wealth protection products and tailored capital solutions. Each class A exchangeable limited voting share of Brookfield Wealth Solutions is exchangeable on a one-for-one basis with a class A limited voting share of Brookfield Corporation (NYSE, TSX: BN). For more information, visit bnt.brookfield.com or contact:

    Media:  Investor Relations:
    Kerrie McHugh Rachel Schneider
    Tel: (212) 618-3469 Tel: (416) 369-3358
    Email: kerrie.mchugh@brookfield.com Email: Rachel.schneider@brookfield.com
       

    Non-GAAP and Performance Measures

    We make reference to Brookfield Wealth Solutions’ group capital in this news release, which is calculated on an aggregate basis in accordance with applicable insurance regulations and is not derived from generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). These references should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial measures calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We caution readers that these non-GAAP financial measures or other financial metrics are not standardized under U.S. GAAP and may differ from the financial measures or other financial metrics disclosed by other businesses and, as a result, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers and entities. We provide additional information on key terms and non-GAAP measures in our filings available at bnt.brookfield.com.

    Notice to Readers

    This news release and any related oral statements made by our representatives may contain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and in any applicable Canadian securities regulations (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future results, events or conditions, and include, but are not limited to, statements which reflect management’s current estimates, assumptions and expectations regarding the operations, business, financial condition, expected financial results, performance, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, strategies, capital management and outlook of Brookfield Wealth Solutions and its subsidiaries, as well as the outlook for international economies for the current fiscal year and subsequent periods.

    In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of the words such as “believes,” “thinks,” “expects,” “potential,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “seeks,” “intends,” “targets,” “projects,” “foresees,” “forecasts,” or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would” and “could.” In particular, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release include statements regarding the growth of our business, the status of regulatory approvals including the anticipated timing thereof, the size of the U.K. pension market and opportunities relating thereto.

    Although we believe that our anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable estimates, assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Brookfield Wealth Solutions or its subsidiaries to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information.

    Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) investment returns that are lower than target; (ii) the impact or unanticipated impact of general economic, political and market factors in the countries in which we do business; (iii) the behavior of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and foreign exchange rates; (iv) global equity and capital markets and the availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within these markets (v) litigation; (vi) changes in tax laws; (vii) ability to collect amounts owed; (viii) catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and epidemics/pandemics; (ix) the possible impact of international conflicts and other developments including terrorist acts and cyberterrorism; (x) the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives and strategies; (xi) the failure of effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting and other risks; (xii) health, safety and environmental risks; (xiii) the maintenance of adequate insurance coverage; (xiv) the existence of information barriers between certain businesses within Brookfield’s asset management operations; (xv) risks specific to our business segments; (xvi) factors detailed from time to time in our documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada and the United States; and (xvii) the failure to obtain and/or maintain required regulatory approvals. We caution that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Readers are urged to consider the foregoing risks, as well as other uncertainties, factors and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. Except as required by law, Brookfield Wealth Solutions undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether written or oral, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Past performance is not indicative nor a guarantee of future results. There can be no assurance that comparable results will be achieved in the future, that future investments will be similar to the historic investments discussed herein, that targeted returns, growth objectives, diversification or asset allocations will be met or that an investment strategy or investment objectives will be achieved (because of economic conditions, the availability of investment opportunities or otherwise).

    Readers are urged to consider the foregoing risks, as well as other uncertainties, factors and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Cloud Stack Announces Six Scenario-specific Solutions for Carriers to Drive Efficiency, Revenue Growth, and Digital Inclusion

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Cloud Stack Announces Six Scenario-specific Solutions for Carriers to Drive Efficiency, Revenue Growth, and Digital Inclusion

    [Barcelona, Spain, March 4, 2025] At MWC 2025, during the Huawei Cloud Carrier Forum, themed “Take a Cloud Leap to Transform from Telco to Techco”, Huawei released six Huawei Cloud Stack-based scenario-specific solutions for carriers around the world, as well as a Telco2Techco Cloud Leap Program. They aim to help carriers enhance operational efficiency and generate new revenue streams through cloud innovation.
    Shang Haifeng, President of Huawei’s Huawei Cloud Stack Business Dept, delivering an opening speech through digital human

    Today, more and more carriers are transforming themselves from traditional telecommunications companies (telcos) to technology companies (or techcos). Shang Haifeng, President of the Huawei Cloud Stack Business Dept at Huawei, said: “This [telco-to-techco] transformation is not just about adopting new technologies; it is about redefining the role of carriers in a digital-first world. At Huawei Cloud, we are proud to partner with global carriers on their journey to becoming techcos.”
    Johnny Lyu, CTO of International Business, Huawei Cloud Stack, delivering a keynote

    In recent years, carrier transformation has typically started with an all-cloud transformation for boosting operational efficiency and enriching services for an enhanced customer experience. Johnny Lyu, CTO of International Business at Huawei Cloud Stack, said: “Huawei Cloud Stack offers a reliable cloud foundation. Today, we are releasing six scenario-specific solutions for carriers, helping them improve the efficiency of their businesses, platforms, and services, and start a second growth curve.”
    Huawei Cloud Stack’s six scenario-specific solutions for carriers include three for enhancing internal operational efficiency and three out-of-the-box solutions aimed at driving external revenue growth.
    Leap to Cloud to improve efficiency
    FinTech: This solution supports secure, high-performance, and flexible operational capabilities for Mobile Money. It helps ensure the compliance of both mobile financial services and data while enhancing user experience for their customers.
    Marketing big data: This solution offers an efficient, one-stop, cloud-native data foundation with 200 built-in data models for simplified development. It guarantees 99.999% availability on the cloud, supporting customer acquisition and retention by carriers.
    AICC: A solid, centrally managed cloud foundation for Artificial Intelligence Contact Center (AICC) ensures 24/7 availability for services such as digital ambassadors for customer service, AI scheduling, and AI voice analytics.
    Spark innovation with out-of-the-box solutions
    Smart government: Huawei Cloud Stack provides a unified cloud operations platform, enhancing capabilities in product listing, metering and billing, and customer management. This enables better public services for both businesses and residents as well as digitalized, modernized city governance.
    Smart education: This solution offers course management, remote classrooms, and exam management on the cloud. A high-concurrency, high-performance platform supports AI-generated live captions in multiple languages as well as knowledge graphs.
    Cloud phone: Huawei Cloud Stack supports cloud-based virtual phones with pre-installed apps, such as gaming and office tools. These virtual phones can serve as data backups for users, with flexible permissions control, helping carriers drive 4G conversion among subscribers.
    Launch ceremony of Huawei’s Telco2Techco Cloud Leap Program

    Huawei Cloud Stack, together with Orange, Zain Kuwait, iSoftStone, and ULearning, jointly launched the Telco2Techco Cloud Leap Program underpinned by six scenario-specific solutions for carriers. Focusing on 10+ innovative service scenarios, this program offers project support, marketing support, training, enablement, and more, helping carriers accelerate the transition from telcos to techcos.
    MWC Barcelona 2025 is held from March 3 to March 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate, and AI will help carriers reshape business, infrastructure, and O&M. Huawei is actively working with carriers and partners around the world to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world.For more information, please visit: https://carrier.huawei.com/en/events/mwc2025

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ex-Girlfriend of Crypto ‘Godfather’ Agrees to Plead Guilty to Tax Charge for Failing to Report More Than $2.6 Million in Illicit Income

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – The former girlfriend of a cryptocurrency fraudster who dubbed himself “The Godfather” has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal tax charge for failing to report more than $2.6 million in ill-gotten gains she obtained via her then-boyfriend’s criminal activities, the Justice Department announced today.

    Iris Ramaya Au, 35, of Irvine, is charged in a single-count information with subscribing to a false tax return.

    Au has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge and is expected to make her initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming days.

    According to Au’s plea agreement, from 2020 to 2024, Iza committed a series of crimes, including fraudulently obtaining access to advertising accounts and lines of credit provided by Facebook Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. and selling access to those accounts. Iza obtained millions of dollars of unreported income as a result of these schemes.

    Separately, Iza engaged active Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputies to provide private security for him and caused the deputies, among other things, to obtain court-authorized search warrants and confidential law enforcement information targeting people with whom Iza had financial and personal disputes.

    At Iza’s direction, Au created shell corporations and opened bank accounts in the names of those entities. She then used the illicit funds placed into those accounts to pay approximately $1 million to the deputies, mostly in cash, purchase or lease luxury real estate, cars, jewelry, and clothing, pay for recreational activity for Iza and herself valued at nearly $10 million, and acquire approximately $16 million in cryptocurrency for Iza.

    Au admitted in her plea agreement that she transferred more than $2.6 million from these various accounts to her personal bank accounts during the period 2020 through 2023, income that she willfully failed to report to the IRS on her federal tax returns.

    After pleading guilty, Au will face up to three years in federal prison.

    On January 30, Iza appeared before a federal judge and pleaded guilty to a first superseding information charging him with conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 16, at which time he will face up to 35 years in federal prison. Iza has been in federal custody since September 2024.

    IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. O’Brien and J. Jamari Buxton of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Energy – Private sector joins up to unlock new, large scale clean energy generation

    Source: BusinessNZ

    A new private sector-led initiative is aiming to boost the number of multi-million-dollar power deals in New Zealand’s corporate sector, increasing clean energy capacity, and enhancing energy security.
    The collaboration between the BusinessNZ Energy Council, Sustainable Business Council, EVAmarketplace, the Employers and Manufacturers Association, and DLA Piper is raising industry awareness of the potential of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in New Zealand and exploring new tools to support uptake.
    PPA agreements involve pre-purchasing power over a 10-20 year-period by medium to large energy users, including manufacturers, commercial buildings and others.
    Tina Schirr, Executive Director at the BusinessNZ Energy Council, says the agreements make new generation more commercially viable by incentivising the development of new renewable projects and will help give certainty to business customers.
    “Aside from security of supply, businesses are also looking to reduce their carbon footprint to help meet demand from their customers and meet 2030 targets,” said Schirr.
    “Significant reductions in costs are possible too – but you have to ride out the ups and the downs.”
    The market has been on the rise in Europe for some time with deal count peaking at 272 published PPAs in 2024, representing a 65% increase from 2022.
    Tom Metcalfe, a senior lawyer in DLA Piper’s international renewables practice, offered insights on growth in the European market at a recent industry meeting. Hosted by the Employers and Manufacturers Association, the workshop was attended by more than 100 participants from across the energy sector.
    “We have seen volatility in energy prices lead to a sharpened focus on energy procurement strategies and the potential benefits of price hedges in the European market. There is clearly potential for New Zealand too against a backdrop of high wholesale power prices,” said Metcalfe.
    “Another important part of the PPA market is the sale and purchase of environmental attribute certificates. So having a robust system for the transfer of traceable certificates is key.”
    Mark Williamson, Partner at DLA Piper in New Zealand, highlighted additional drivers for the growing momentum of PPAs globally.
    “Regulatory incentives, and corporate sustainability commitments have also contributed to the uptake in Europe,” said Williamson.
    “These agreements are proving to be a key mechanism for unlocking large-scale renewable energy projects, and a vital part of achieving the Government’s goal to double New Zealand’s renewable electricity generation.”
    Antonia Burbidge, Head of Climate and Nature at the Sustainable Business Council, said there are some successful local examples of large-scale, long-term deals currently in play domestically.
    “Lodestone Energy for example, has been a market leader,” said Burbidge.
    “It is fantastic to see information sharing happening related to process, for example, the need for early engagement with lenders. In other cases, it’s what you can expect in terms of outcomes such as reporting or helping achieve Scope 1, 2, and even Scope 3 emissions targets – which has been tricky territory for many.”
    Off the back of the industry workshop new resources including a legal template are underway to support market delivery.
    “Our next step is a standardised corporate PPA template to simplify the process and reduce legal costs – a common barrier to entry. This is expected to increase market liquidity, and could significantly benefit New Zealand’s economy,” said Schirr.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Announces Conviction and Sentencing of Father and Daughter Who Stole Over $230,000 from an Elderly New Yorker

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the conviction and sentencing of Frank Whittaker, 56, of Kingston, NY, and his daughter Christine Ellsworth, 39, of Accord, NY, for stealing more than $230,000 from a vulnerable elderly victim in Ulster County. Whittaker and Ellsworth gained the trust of the elderly victim by providing lawn maintenance and assisting with household tasks, and eventually gained access to the then 92-year-old’s checkbook and finances. Whittaker had himself appointed as a Power of Attorney (POA) over the elderly victim’s finances and from July 2021 through August 2022, Whittaker and Ellsworth stole over $230,000 by writing themselves checks and illegally transferring funds from the victim’s bank and investment accounts into an account in Whittaker’s name. Whittaker was sentenced today to five years of probation and must pay restitution to the elderly victim. Ellsworth was sentenced today to three years of probation during which she is prohibited from working with the elderly.  

    “Scamming vulnerable seniors out of their savings that took a lifetime of hard work to earn is heartless,” said Attorney General James. “Frank Whittaker and Christine Ellsworth maliciously gained the trust of an innocent, elderly woman and stole her life savings in order to treat themselves to a new car and visits to restaurants and casinos. I thank the New York State Police and our partners in law enforcement for their continued assistance in this investigation. Anyone who attempts to defraud New Yorkers to line their own pockets will be brought to justice.”

    “I want to thank the Attorney General’s Office for their strong partnership that has led to the sentencing of these two individuals and their dishonest act,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. “This joint investigation found that Mr. Whittaker and Ms. Ellsworth preyed on a vulnerable victim who entrusted them to provide care for her, but instead chose to financially profit off her situation. The New York State Police will continue to put an end to these crimes and ensure innocent victims will not be taken advantage of.”

    Beginning in 2021, Whittaker and Ellsworth gained the trust of the victim, who needed assistance caring for herself and her home. Whittaker convinced the victim to grant him POA over her affairs and added himself as the POA on multiple bank and annuity accounts belonging to the victim, with Ellsworth named as the successor POA. Though he had POA, Whittaker was not legally allowed to spend the victim’s money for his and his daughter’s personal benefit. 

    Over the next year, Whittaker and Ellsworth stole over $230,000 from the victim and used the stolen funds to purchase a new 2021 GMC Sierra pickup truck costing $57,500, and also spent thousands of dollars at local restaurants and stores, including Walmart, a jeweler, and florists, among other personal expenses. They also made numerous cash withdrawals, including at ATMs located in Turning Stone Casino and Resort in Verona, and the Saratoga Casino Hotel in Saratoga Springs.

    In August 2024, Whittaker and Ellsworth were charged by an Ulster County Grand Jury with Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a Class C felony). Simultaneous with their arrests, the Office of the Attorney General executed a search warrant to seize the remaining funds in Whittaker’s bank account, recovering over $92,000 of the victim’s stolen money.

    On November 12, 2024, before Judge Bryan Rounds in Ulster County Court, Whittaker pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a Class D felony) and Ellsworth pleaded guilty to Petit Larceny (a Class A misdemeanor). Whittaker was sentenced today to five years’ probation, and must pay $192,000 in restitution to the elderly victim, including forfeiture of the $92,000 that OAG seized from his bank account. Ellsworth was sentenced to three years’ probation and as a condition of her probation, she is prohibited from working with the elderly for three years. 

    Attorney General James thanks the New York State Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit, the Ulster County Department of Social Services, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office for their valuable assistance in this matter.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Cheryl J. Lee of the Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau (CEFC). Analytical work was provided by Legal Analyst Kai Tsurumaki, under the supervision of Supervising Analyst Paul Strocko and Deputy Supervising Analyst Jayleen Garcia. Forensic accounting was performed by Forensic Auditor Kirven Bashiri, under the supervision of Chief Auditor Kristen Fabbri and Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro of the Forensic Audit Section. CEFC is led by Bureau Chief Stephanie Swenton and Deputy Bureau Chief Joseph G. D’Arrigo.

    The criminal investigation was conducted by Detectives Eamon H. Murphy and Jason Johnston, under the supervision of Assistant Chief Samuel Scotellaro and Deputy Chief Juanita Bright of the Major Investigations Unit. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Investigator Oliver Pu-Folkes. Both CEFC and the Investigations Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jose Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Education for Democracy, Agreement on Conservation of Marine Biological Diversity among Several Resolutions Adopted by General Assembly

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Poland’s President Warns of Resurgence of ‘Russian Imperialism’, Calls War on Ukraine ‘Beginning of Effort to Violently Destroy International Order’

    The General Assembly, over the course of two meetings today, adopted seven resolutions — some drawing more contention than others — and heard an address by the President of Poland.

    International Day for Judicial Well-being

    First, the General Assembly took up the draft resolution titled “International Day for Judicial Well-being” (document A/79/L.52).  Introducing the text, Lionel Rouwen Aingimea, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Nauru, stressed that — while the judiciary “serves as a cornerstone of justice” — challenges faced by judicial officers have long been overlooked.

    However, the representative of the United States said that his delegation will request a recorded vote — and vote no — “because this resolution represents the internationalization of the self-care movement and the migration of it into domains where it does not belong”.

    The Assembly then adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 160 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 3 abstentions (Haiti, Madagascar, Syria).  Through the text, the General Assembly decided to proclaim 25 July of each year the International Day for Judicial Well-being.

    Education for Democracy

    Next, the Assembly considered the draft resolution titled “Education for democracy” (document A/79/L.56).  The representative of Mongolia introduced that text, emphasizing that an inclusive education system empowers individuals and strengthens governance institutions.  The text therefore calls for investments in quality education and lifelong learning, also urging Member States to harness the potential of digital technologies to advance education for democracy, he said.

    The representative of the United States said that his delegation will again call for a recorded vote — and vote no — on this draft “because much of the text violates United States policies”.  Specifically, he said that its discussion of misinformation and disinformation is an “unequivocal red line for the United States”, as these terms are “intentionally nebulous and ill-defined so they can be wielded as tools of censorship”.

    The Assembly then adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 151 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 8 abstentions (Argentina, Belarus, Fiji, Madagascar, Russian Federation, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Syria).  Through the text, the Assembly strongly encouraged Member States and education authorities to integrate education for democracy — along with civic education and human-rights education, among others — into their education standards.

    After the vote, the representative of the Russian Federation noted that “democracy does not have a universal definition or a single model”.  She also disassociated from the text’s reference to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), stating that mention of the Office in a resolution about education is “unjustified” — a point echoed by Nicaragua’s representative.

    Iran’s representative, meanwhile, said that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Education 2030 Incheon Declaration are “absolutely non-legally binding”.  Disassociating from relevant paragraphs, he said that Iran’s national plans and programmes “will be our final source of action and reference”.  Argentina’s representative also disassociated from several paragraphs, stressing that “every State, within its own sovereignty, has the right to participate [in the 2030 Agenda] — or not”.

    UN Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Central Asia and Afghanistan

    The Assembly then turned to the draft resolution titled “United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan” (document A/79/L.57/Rev.1).  Introducing that text, the representative of Kazakhstan said that the Centre aims to address the specific needs of Central Asian countries, which each possesses unique challenges and opportunities that are shaped by diverse socioeconomic contexts, cultural realities and environmental conditions.

    The representative of the Russian Federation then noted that the countries of Central Asia are “unified by a shared history, similar geographic and social conditions and shared challenges in development”.  Therefore, they must coordinate efforts and find shared regional solutions.  “This, in turn, meets the current trends to regionalize efforts in the area of development,” he noted.

    The Assembly then adopted the text without a vote, through which it decided to formalize the Centre in Almaty, Kazakhstan.  Further, it requested the Secretary-General to appoint its Head and further decided that the costs of all its activities shall be met by voluntary contributions.

    After the vote, several delegates expressed concern over the process by which this text was negotiated.  Switzerland’s representative said that her delegation would have preferred more transparency and inclusivity, while the representative of Türkiye said that the wider membership was not sufficiently consulted during negotiations.  Mexico’s representative expressed hope that “this way of carrying out multilateral negotiations will not be repeated in other processes”.

    Meanwhile, the representative of the United States said that Kazakhstan “needs neither an expanded UN system nor the SDGs in order to prosper — it should instead make sovereign decisions for its people and cast aside the burden of soft global governance”.  For her part, Australia’s representative — also speaking for Canada and New Zealand — welcomed the adoption.

    International Day of Peaceful Coexistence and International Day of Hope

    The Assembly also considered the draft resolution titled “International Day of Peaceful Coexistence” (document A/79/L.53).  Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister for Transportation and Telecommunications of Bahrain, introducing that text, said that it reaffirms the role of Member States and other stakeholders in promoting tolerance, respect for religious and cultural diversity and human rights.

    The representative of the United States again said that his delegation will call for a recorded vote on this text — and vote no — expressing concern that the resolution “advances a programme of soft global governance that is inconsistent with US sovereignty”.  He added:  “Simply put, globalist endeavours like Agenda 2030 and the SDGs lost at the ballot box; therefore, the US rejects and denounces the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the SDGs.”

    He also expressed concern that the resolution’s titular reference to “peaceful coexistence” could be “co-opted to imply the United Nations’ endorsement of China’s ‘Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence’”.  Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, China’s representative said that such principles are “widely recognized by the international community and contained in many international instruments”.

    Adopting the resolution by a recorded vote of 162 in favour to 3 against (Argentina, Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions (Paraguay, Peru), the Assembly decided to proclaim 28 January as the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence, to be observed annually.

    The Assembly then turned to the draft resolution titled “International Day of Hope” (document A/79/L.54).  Introducing it, Kiribati’s representative said that hope is “a force that has carried humanity through the darkest of times and propelled us towards a future of possibility, resilience and renewal”.  However, he expressed disappointment over the decision by the United States to force a vote.

    On that, the delegate of the United States said that the text “contains references to diversity, equity and inclusion that conflict with US policies that seek to eliminate all forms of discrimination and create equal opportunities for all”.  He added: “In a world that faces many challenges, funding and effort should be allocated to critical causes and crises, rather than International Days.”

    The Assembly then adopted the text by a recorded vote of 161 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 4 abstentions (India, Paraguay, Peru, Türkiye), through which it decided to declare 12 July the International Day of Hope.

    “What we’ve just seen this morning is a clear example of the lack of commitment by the United States to a culture of peace, to the United Nations as a whole and to multilateralism in general,” stressed the representative of Cuba, after the vote.

    Agreement on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

    The Assembly also took up the draft resolution titled “Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction” (document A/79/L.55).  Singapore’s representative, introducing the text, called on States to ratify the agreement. He also made an oral revision to replace “welcome” with “take note of” regarding signatures and ratifications of the agreement to date.

    The Assembly then adopted that text, as orally revised, without a vote.  By its terms, the Assembly called on all States and regional economic integration organizations that have not done so to consider signing, ratifying, approving or accepting the Agreement as soon as possible.

    However, the representative of the Russian Federation disassociated from consensus, stating that mechanisms to establish marine protected areas without appropriate scientific research “run the risk of abuse and unsubstantiated restriction of rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of States on the high seas”.  His counterpart from the United States, meanwhile, said that her country is “currently reviewing its policies and does not take a position on this matter”.

    Eightieth Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

    The Assembly also adopted, without a vote, a text titled “Eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War” (document A/79/L.51), which requested the holding of a special meeting of the Assembly to commemorate all victims of the Second World War in the second week of May in 2025 and every five years thereafter.

    The representative of the Russian Federation, introducing that text, said that 2025 marks the eightieth anniversary of the victory over Nazism, fascism and Japanese militarism.  Paying tribute to the millions who were sacrificed for that victory — including 27 million from the Soviet Union — he said that the international community has a shared duty to honour that victory.

    However, Ukraine’s representative underscored that it is the “height of cynicism” for a State engaged in an unprovoked war of aggression to attempt to unite nations around the memory of the Second World War.  She added:  “Despite the high price paid for peace, the promise of ‘never again’ remains unfulfilled — today, Europe is witnessing the most brutal war since Hitler.”

    The representative of the United Kingdom, similarly, pointed to the “fundamental irony of Russia summoning us here today”, having presented a resolution “to mark the end of one war in Europe having started another”.  Lithuania’s representative added:  “Today, Russia instrumentalizes the memory of the Second World War to justify its own crimes, both past and present.”  Poland’s representative, also speaking for a group of 34 other European States, spotlighted the Russian Federation’s “cynicism of using ‘de-Nazification’ to justify its illegal aggression and occupation of part of an independent UN Member State”.

    “We have to say this — the sponsor of this resolution simply does not live by the words of the UN Charter,” stressed the representative of Canada, also speaking for Australia and New Zealand.  “Russia’s aggression — and we must name it precisely — and its bid to expand its territory at the expense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other States is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter,” he said.

    For his part, the representative of the United States said that the “Russia-Ukraine war has waged on for far too long”, urging that the “UN be guided by its original purpose and unite to end the bloodshed”.  All Member States should recommit themselves to the “old vision of peace that propelled us out of the devastation and despair of World War II”, he added.  Israel’s representative said:  “It is our responsibility not only to remember but to ensure that future generations carry this memory forward to prevent history from repeating itself.”

    Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, the delegate of the Russian Federation expressed concern about the politicized statements delivered by the delegates of Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and the United Kingdom.  It is the actions of European States, she said, that are hampering the settlement of the Ukraine conflict.

    Appointments to Joint Inspection Unit

    In other business, the Assembly decided, without a vote, to appoint Makiese Kinkela Augusto (Angola), Victor Moraru (Republic of Moldova), Jesús Miranda Hita (Spain) and Marcel Jullier (Switzerland) to the Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations system, for a five-year term beginning 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2030.

    Address by President of Poland

    The General Assembly also heard an address by Andrzej Duda, President of Poland.  Noting that recent years have demonstrated how fragile peace and security are, he spotlighted the resurgence of “Russian imperialism”.  The 2014 attack on Ukraine marked “just the beginning of an effort to violently destroy the international order”, he said.

    Detailing Poland’s security cooperation, he pointed to the United States missile base in Redzikowo — an example of the “American security umbrella over Europe” — as well as recent talks with United States President Donald J. Trump.  Poland is also active in collective security systems and UN peacekeeping missions, and he also highlighted the Three Seas Initiative, which aims to improve connectivity among 13 countries across Central and Eastern Europe.

    “Poland has never imposed its views on anyone” or colonized another country, he went on to say.  Recalling his country’s long history, he invoked the construction of a powerful seventeenth-century State, gradual partitions, loss of independence, a 123-year-long independence struggle, the achievement of independence in 1918 and the destruction of that independence “by the two totalitarian regimes of the twentieth century:  Russian communism and German Nazism”.

    In the last 30 years of Poland’s history — after it broke free from the Russian Federation’s sphere of influence — it transformed from a backward, poor country with high unemployment into a highly developed State and the twenty-first largest economy in the world, he pointed out.  “Only peace can provide optimal conditions for development,” he said, adding that it is necessary to defend peace with real force.

    The representative of the Russian Federation, taking the floor under a point of order after the address, said that his delegation “had doubts” regarding the expediency of conducting today’s meeting.  “The President of Poland spent a lot of time on debating our country,” he said, adding that — although the Council adopted a text calling for peace between the Russian Federation and Ukraine — one of Poland’s leaders “talked about the logic of military focus” and providing support to Ukraine.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Labour calls on Govt to condemn Israel’s aid blockade

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The National Government needs to publicly condemn Israel’s cutting off of aid supplies to the war-ravaged people of Gaza.

    Israel has cut off aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas into accepting a change in the ceasefire agreement that would allow for hostages to be released without an Israeli troop withdrawal. Aid agencies have confirmed that while thousands of trucks have entered the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire was agreed in January, none have entered since Sunday.

    “The deliberate starvation of a people is a crime against humanity, and a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement. The Government should condemn Israel’s move and call for the immediate resumption of aid shipments into Gaza,” Labour associate foreign affairs spokesperson Phil Twyford said.

    “Ninety percent of Gazans have been displaced from their homes, and the economy destroyed. They are completely dependent on humanitarian aid for survival at this point.

    “It is horrific for Israel to cut off those supplies as a way of applying pressure so they can change the ceasefire agreement. The Government must find its voice and condemn this outrage,” Phil Twyford said. 

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Huge milestone for UTAS Stadium redevelopment

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The transformation of the University of Tasmania (UTAS) Stadium has taken a giant leap forward, with a Development Application (DA) for main works now released.

    The main works will include a brand-new centre-west stand for an upgraded spectator experience, expanded western infill seating and a revitalised eastern stand for ultimate comfort and atmosphere. The works will also create a dynamic south-east entry plaza.

    These enhancements will elevate UTAS Stadium into a world-class destination for sports and entertainment, benefiting fans, athletes, and the entire Launceston community.

    The DA is open for public exhibition, and community members are invited to review the plans and be part of this once-in-a-generation transformation.

    With $130 million in joint funding—$65 million each from the Australian and Tasmanian governments—this project is set to make Launceston a powerhouse for national sporting and entertainment events, boosting business, tourism, and local pride.

    The main works are set to commence in July and scheduled to be completed by early 2027.

    For more details on the project, visit Infrastructure.tas.gov.au.

    To view the DA, visit: https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Business-and-Development/Planning/Advertised-Development-Applications

    Quotes attributed to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “Upgrading existing facilities is the first step towards overhauling the stadium into a premier destination for fans and athletes.”

    “We’re growing the economy and creating jobs in Northern Tasmania by investing in local sports infrastructure.”

    “This investment is part of our Government’s commitment to creating a sustainable investment framework for growing cities such as Launceston.”

    Quotes attributed to Tasmanian Minister for Sports and Events Nick Duigan:

    “The Tasmanian Government is squarely focused on delivering the transformational infrastructure that will create jobs, economic growth and provide better opportunities for Tasmanians. “

    “This revitalisation project ensures UTAS Stadium will continue to host world-class events, inspiring the next generation of sporting stars and reinforcing Tasmania’s status as a premier destination for major events and sporting excellence.”

    “It will also support the Tasmania Devils Football Club.”

    “Reaching this important milestone reinforces our government’s commitment to delivering a premier sports and entertainment venue for the region, enhancing the overall experience for visitors and the local community.”

    “Our government is investing in sporting facilities right across the State as part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future to ensure locals have access to the facilities they need.”

    Quotes attributed to City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood:

    “This is an incredible opportunity for Launceston and Northern Tasmania and will ensure UTAS Stadium remains a premiere sporting facility for our community for future generations.”

    “The redevelopment aims to attract national sporting and entertainment events to Launceston, supporting the City of Launceston’s vision to make the city a premier business, retail and lifestyle hub.”

    Quotes attributable to CEO of Stadiums Tasmania James Avery:

    “This development will make a significant difference to the northern Tasmanian sports and events community.”

    “It will result in a host of new events coming to UTAS Stadium in addition to securing the future of those community, sporting and entertainment events that have become a mainstay on the Launceston calendar.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australian Deputy PM: Huge milestone for UTAS Stadium redevelopment

    Source: Minister of Infrastructure

    The transformation of the University of Tasmania (UTAS) Stadium has taken a giant leap forward, with a Development Application (DA) for main works now released.

    The main works will include a brand-new centre-west stand for an upgraded spectator experience, expanded western infill seating and a revitalised eastern stand for ultimate comfort and atmosphere. The works will also create a dynamic south-east entry plaza.

    These enhancements will elevate UTAS Stadium into a world-class destination for sports and entertainment, benefiting fans, athletes, and the entire Launceston community.

    The DA is open for public exhibition, and community members are invited to review the plans and be part of this once-in-a-generation transformation.

    With $130 million in joint funding—$65 million each from the Australian and Tasmanian governments—this project is set to make Launceston a powerhouse for national sporting and entertainment events, boosting business, tourism, and local pride.

    The main works are set to commence in July and scheduled to be completed by early 2027.

    For more details on the project, visit Infrastructure.tas.gov.au.

    To view the DA, visit: https://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Business-and-Development/Planning/Advertised-Development-Applications

    Quotes attributed to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “Upgrading existing facilities is the first step towards overhauling the stadium into a premier destination for fans and athletes.”

    “We’re growing the economy and creating jobs in Northern Tasmania by investing in local sports infrastructure.”

    “This investment is part of our Government’s commitment to creating a sustainable investment framework for growing cities such as Launceston.”

    Quotes attributed to Tasmanian Minister for Sports and Events Nick Duigan:

    “The Tasmanian Government is squarely focused on delivering the transformational infrastructure that will create jobs, economic growth and provide better opportunities for Tasmanians. “

    “This revitalisation project ensures UTAS Stadium will continue to host world-class events, inspiring the next generation of sporting stars and reinforcing Tasmania’s status as a premier destination for major events and sporting excellence.”

    “It will also support the Tasmania Devils Football Club.”

    “Reaching this important milestone reinforces our government’s commitment to delivering a premier sports and entertainment venue for the region, enhancing the overall experience for visitors and the local community.”

    “Our government is investing in sporting facilities right across the State as part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future to ensure locals have access to the facilities they need.”

    Quotes attributed to City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood:

    “This is an incredible opportunity for Launceston and Northern Tasmania and will ensure UTAS Stadium remains a premiere sporting facility for our community for future generations.”

    “The redevelopment aims to attract national sporting and entertainment events to Launceston, supporting the City of Launceston’s vision to make the city a premier business, retail and lifestyle hub.”

    Quotes attributable to CEO of Stadiums Tasmania James Avery:

    “This development will make a significant difference to the northern Tasmanian sports and events community.”

    “It will result in a host of new events coming to UTAS Stadium in addition to securing the future of those community, sporting and entertainment events that have become a mainstay on the Launceston calendar.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former CEO of Special Purpose Acquisition Company Charged with Accounting Fraud, Obstruction of Justice, and Perjury

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging VADIM KOMISSAROV, the former Chief Executive Officer of Trident Acquisitions Corp. (“TDAC”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), with engaging in a scheme to defraud TDAC investors and investors in TDAC’s successor company, Lottery.com Inc., by publicly reporting false and misleading revenue and business information. KOMISSAROV was arrested yesterday evening and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Vadim Komissarov, the former CEO of Trident Acquisitions Corp., engineered sham transactions and reported false and misleading revenue, all to ensure his SPAC merger went through and to make himself wealthy. To make matters worse, he tried to cover up his crimes by lying to the SEC under oath. This Office, and our partners at the FBI, will continue to pursue executives of public companies, including executives of SPACs, who defraud unsuspecting investors.”

    FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Vadim Komissarov allegedly tried to secure a winning ticket by developing an elaborate scheme comprised of inflated profits, falsified transactions, and perjurious statements to sell company shares. Komissarov allegedly abused his authority as the company’s CEO to conjure a façade of success and interfere with an investigation into his suspected misconduct. The FBI will never permit any individual who attempts to unlawfully cash out at the expense of their investors’ money and trust.”

    According to the allegations contained in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

    From November 2020 through May 2022, KOMISSAROV engaged in a scheme to defraud TDAC investors and investors in TDAC’s successor company, Lottery.com Inc., by publicly reporting false and misleading revenue and business information about a prospective acquisition target and by profiting from the effect of the deception by selling shares of Lottery.com before other market participants realized the true state of the company (the “Revenue Scheme”).

    The Revenue Scheme arose from an effort by KOMISSAROV to identify a suitable target for TDAC before TDAC reached a deadline to either use or return investor funds that had been raised to support an acquisition.  In November 2020, KOMISSAROV settled on AutoLotto, Inc., d/b/a Lottery.com as a target for TDAC.  To deceive TDAC shareholders about the nature of AutoLotto’s business, and to thereby secure their approval for TDAC’s acquisition of AutoLotto (the “Business Combination”), KOMISSAROV worked with others to improperly and misleadingly inflate AutoLotto’s revenue and to report those inflated figures to TDAC’s shareholders through public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which KOMISSAROV signed or caused to be filed as the principal executive, financial, and accounting officer of TDAC.

    The Revenue Scheme created the false appearance of revenue-generating business activity for AutoLotto and later for Lottery.com through a series of sham transactions, including a fraudulent $9 million roundtrip transaction that KOMISSAROV engineered using the alias “Vlad.”

    In April 2022 and May 2022, KOMISSAROV sold almost 300,000 Lottery.com shares for more than $600,000, months before Lottery.com disclosed to investors that it had identified errors in the company’s reported revenue and available cash.

    By June 2023 and August 2023, the enforcement staff of the SEC had begun to investigate TDAC and Lottery.com. After receiving a subpoena from the SEC for documents and testimony in connection with the SEC’s investigation, KOMISSAROV schemed to obstruct the SEC’s investigation. For example, during a call with two Lottery.com executives, KOMISSAROV said he wanted to “sync” his “clock[]” with them and align on a false and misleading narrative that concealed his involvement in some of the sham transactions that were part of the Revenue Scheme. KOMISSAROV warned the Lottery.com executives, “guys, you do understand, you say that I was involved with this transaction . . . .  if Trident and me specifically knew about it, then I am in deep, deep, deep, deep water . . . . So, if you come out and say that I was involved, then I am in deep shit.”

    KOMISSAROV also personally tried to obstruct the SEC’s investigation. On November 20, 2024, KOMISSAROV provided sworn testimony to the SEC in connection with the SEC investigation into TDAC and Lottery.com. During his testimony, KOMISSAROV gave false and misleading answers about his prior communications with the Lottery.com executives and his involvement in the $9 million fraudulent roundtrip transaction that was part of the Revenue Scheme.

    *                 *                 *

    KOMISSAROV, 53, of New York, New York, was charged in the Indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, to make false and misleading statements in proxy statements, and to make false filings with the SEC; one count of securities fraud; five counts of making false and misleading statements in proxy statements; one count of obstruction of justice; and one count of perjury. The conspiracy charge and the perjury charge each carry a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. The charges of securities fraud, making false and misleading statements in proxy statements, and obstruction of justice each carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.   

    The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the FBI.  Mr. Podolsky also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorneys Justin V. Rodriguez and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution.

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

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Hampton Financial Corporation Announces Results of Annual Meeting of Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hampton Financial Corporation (“Hampton” or the “Company”) (TSXV: HFC) is pleased to announce the results from the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders held February 28, 2025. All matters put forth in the management information circular dated January 30, 2025 were passed, including the election of the six (6) nominees for election as director, each of whom was an incumbent director of the Company, identified in the management information circular.

    About Hampton Financial Corporation

    Hampton is a unique private equity firm that seeks to build shareholder value through long-term strategic investments. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hampton Securities Limited (“HSL”), Hampton is actively engaged in family office, wealth management, institutional services and capital markets activities. HSL is a full-service investment dealer, regulated by CIRO and registered in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, and Quebec. In addition, the Company, through HSL, provides investment banking services, which include assisting companies with raising capital, advising on mergers and acquisitions, and aiding issuers in obtaining a listing on recognized securities exchanges in Canada and abroad and HSL’s Corporate Finance Group provides early stage, growing companies the capital, they need to create value for investors. HSL continues to develop its Wealth Management, Advisory Team and Principal-Agent programs which offers to the industry’s most experienced wealth managers a unique and flexible operating platform that provides additional freedom, financial support, and tax effectiveness as they build and manage their professional practice. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Oxygen Working Capital (“OWC”) the company offers factoring and other commercial financing services to clients across Canada. The Company is exploring opportunities to diversify its sources of revenue by way of strategic investments in both complimentary business and non-core sectors that can leverage the expertise of its Board and the diverse experience of its management team.

    For more information, please contact:

    Olga Juravlev
    Chief Financial Officer
    Hampton Financial Corporation
    (416) 862-8701

    or

    Peter M. Deeb
    Executive Chairman & CEO
    Hampton Financial Corporation
    (416) 862-8651

    The TSXV has in no way approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SuRo Capital Corp. to Report Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results on Tuesday, March 11, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SuRo Capital Corp. (“SuRo Capital”) (Nasdaq: SSSS) today announced that it will report its financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 after the close of the U.S. market on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

    Management will hold a conference call and webcast for investors at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET). The conference call access number for U.S. participants is 866-580-3963, and the conference call access number for participants outside the U.S. is +1 786-697-3501. The conference ID number for both access numbers is 6936935. Additionally, interested parties can listen to a live webcast of the call from the “Investor Relations” section of SuRo Capital’s website at www.surocap.com. An archived replay of the webcast will also be available for 12 months following the live presentation.

    A replay of the conference call may be accessed until 5:00 p.m. PT (8:00 p.m. ET) on March 18, 2025 by dialing 866-583-1035 (U.S.) or +44 (0) 20 3451 9993 (International) and using conference ID number 6936935.

    About SuRo Capital Corp.

    SuRo Capital Corp. (Nasdaq: SSSS) is a publicly traded investment fund that seeks to invest in high-growth, venture-backed private companies. The fund seeks to create a portfolio of high-growth emerging private companies via a repeatable and disciplined investment approach, as well as to provide investors with access to such companies through its publicly traded common stock. SuRo Capital is headquartered in New York, NY and has offices in San Francisco, CA. Connect with the company on X, LinkedIn, and at www.surocap.com.

    Contact

    SuRo Capital Corp.
    (212) 931-6331
    IR@surocap.com

    The MIL Network –