NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s Southeast Asia tour promotes good-neighborliness, mutually beneficial cooperation, Chinese FM says

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese President Xi Jinping’s just-concluded Southeast Asia tour focused on good-neighborly relations and promoted mutually beneficial cooperation, and achieved a complete success, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said during a press briefing that Xi’s trip to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia from Monday to Friday was the first overseas tour of the Chinese head of state this year.

    The tour sent a strong signal that China firmly defends multilateralism and international trade rules, Wang said.

    On Xi’s visit to Vietnam, Wang said that the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and countries is the biggest advantage of and the most important political guarantee for the development of China-Vietnam relations.

    The leaders of the two parties and countries unanimously confirmed that in accordance with the overarching goals characterized by “six mores,” the two sides will advance the development of their comprehensive strategic cooperation with higher quality and on deeper levels, and accelerate the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, he said.

    During Xi’s visit to Vietnam, bilateral railway cooperation has been expanded and upgraded, which particularly demonstrated the determination of the two countries to seek common development, Wang said.

    On Xi’s visit to Malaysia, Wang said its most significant outcome was that the leaders of the two countries elevated China-Malaysia relations to a new height and announced the building of a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future.

    This marks another leap in the positioning of the bilateral relationship after China and Malaysia announced the joint building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future in 2023, Wang noted.

    A highlight of this visit is that the two sides agreed to become a pacesetter for regional cooperation on new quality productive forces, focusing on cutting-edge fields such as digital economy, green economy and artificial intelligence, he added.

    Speaking of Xi’s visit to Cambodia, Wang noted that the highlight was the joint announcement by Xi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on elevating the China-Cambodia relationship to an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, which marks the first time that China has elevated its bilateral relationship with a Southeast Asian country to an all-weather level.

    Wang said that during Xi’s Southeast Asia tour, the Chinese president pointed out that economic globalization benefits all countries and no country can retreat into isolation.

    Trade wars will undermine the international trading system, the stability of the global economic order and the legitimate interests of all countries in the world, especially developing countries, Xi noted.

    As key members of the Global South, China and neighboring countries should strengthen coordination and cooperation, stand together to combat the undercurrent of camp-based confrontation, jointly oppose unilateralism and counter the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak with the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, so as to safeguard the bright prospects of our Asian family, Xi said.

    Xi underscored that despite the headwind of mounting protectionism, China will pursue high-quality development, expand high-standard opening up and share development opportunities with neighboring countries.

    China’s mega market is always open to neighboring countries, and China welcomes more high-quality products from ASEAN members, he added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Joins Alsobrooks, Maryland Democratic Delegation in Pushing Sec. Kennedy for Answers on Disastrous Mass Layoffs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined a letter led by U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) with the Maryland Democratic Delegation – U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representatives Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), and Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) to express outrage and demand answers regarding the mass terminations of civil servants at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Congressman Hoyer and his colleagues questioned the extent of the devastation and consequential impacts these mass layoffs will have on the state and country. 

    “This reckless reduction in force and Department reorganization comes at a time when measles is spreading in communities across the country, avian flu is proliferating throughout our livestock populations, families are experiencing a childcare availability and affordability crisis, and cities across the country are still reeling from opioid and fentanyl overdoses. Instead of showing leadership on these concurrent emergencies and fulfilling the Department’s mission, this Administration has crippled the very teams and entire divisions that combat public health challenges, prevent disparities, and ensure that our families and children are safe,” the lawmakers wrote.

    “Maryland has already been hard hit by attacks to NIH research…This medical research funds new life-saving cures for Maryland patients – from our newborns to our seniors, from children battling rare cancers to our servicemembers injured in battle. It funds thousands of Maryland jobs, and to arbitrarily cut it threatens Maryland’s health, safety, and economy. Slashing research funding will ultimately harm patients and even cost lives,” continued the lawmakers. 

    The lawmakers are requesting Secretary Kennedy meet with them to answer these questions by May 1, 2025.

    You can read the full letter to Secretary Kennedy here or below:

    Dear Secretary Kennedy: 

    We write with shared concerns regarding the plan you announced on March 27, 2025, to begin yet another extensive round of mass terminations of civil servants at the Department of Health and Human Services (Department or HHS), along with an irrational and dangerous reorganization of the staff and operating divisions of the Department. In the weeks since that announcement, thousands of HHS employees have been summarily fired, wreaking havoc and chaos on our public health system. These actions are having a devastating and disproportionate impact on our state of Maryland. We demand a full and comprehensive analysis on what these cuts will mean for access to care, critical services, and lifesaving research in the state. We also demand an in-person meeting with you to discuss these concerns and the impact of the Department’s actions on our constituents. According to the announcement, cuts would include at least 3,500 full-time employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2,400 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1,200 employees at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 300 employees at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). 

    According to the Maryland Department of Labor, preliminary data shows at least 2,755 jobs were cut in 11 federal offices located across the state, with an impact rippling across multiple counties.

    This reckless reduction in force and Department reorganization comes at a time when measles is spreading in communities across the country, avian flu is proliferating throughout our livestock populations, families are experiencing a childcare availability and affordability crisis, and cities across the country are still reeling from opioid and fentanyl overdoses. Instead of showing leadership on these concurrent emergencies and fulfilling the Department’s mission, this Administration has crippled the very teams and entire divisions that combat public health challenges, prevent disparities, and ensure that our families and children are safe. 

    The latest reductions are part of a multipronged attack on our state, as the Department has abruptly terminated billions in critical public health grants, including $200 million to Maryland that would go towards vaccination programs, disease surveillance, and alleviating health disparities. The critical services the Department is responsible for were already threatened from the Administration’s initial haphazard firings of probationary employees by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk’s Fork in the Road policy, which forced thousands of Department staff to resign or retire early. Now, the Administration is further decimating the teams of civil servants that work to make Americans healthy and safe every day.

    As you well know, the FDA, NIH, CMS, and multiple other HHS agencies are headquartered in Maryland, and these cuts pose a direct threat to our constituents, Maryland’s economy, and all Americans.

    At the FDA, headquartered in White Oak, the Administration has annihilated the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research – which the Maryland medical device and pharmaceutical industries rely on for the safe and timely approval of their products or therapeutics for patients. The Administration has also attacked the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products – which plays a critical role in prevention and harm reduction for Maryland youth. The FDA communications team that writes alerts about contaminated drugs and warnings to emergency room doctors about emerging threats was also terminated — which will have dire consequences for patient care. Across the FDA, thousands of Maryland based staffers that help to keep our food and health systems safe have been summarily dismissed, by an Administration only purporting to want to “Make America Healthy Again.” 

    At the NIH, based in Bethesda, this Administration has compounded its efforts to undermine the excellence of our crown jewel of scientific and medical research, with yet another round of terminations. This Administration has decimated NIH Institutes by firing leadership and critical staff to the point of non-functionality, including the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 

    Maryland has already been hard hit by attacks to NIH research. In February, the NIH unveiled a new indirect cost rate guidance that would cap indirect cost rates that Maryland researchers rely on to sustain their groundbreaking, life-saving research, studies, and patient clinical trials. It also arbitrarily froze or terminated research grants in the state and has delayed the review of NIH grant applications. This medical research funds new life-saving cures for Maryland patients – from our newborns to our seniors, from children battling rare cancers to our servicemembers injured in battle. It funds thousands of Maryland jobs, and to arbitrarily cut it threatens Maryland’s health, safety, and economy. Slashing research funding will ultimately harm patients and even cost lives. 

    Attacks to the NIH are only the beginning of cuts to our health research infrastructure. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), based in Rockville, is critical for tracking data on healthcare outcomes and conducting research to improve the safety of patient care has been taken apart by DOGE. The Administration plans to merge AHRQ with another operating division at the Department and gut its budget, all while firing half of its employees. 

    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), based in Rockville, has already faced hundreds of layoffs. The Department dismissed 10 percent of SAMHSA’s workforce during the first rounds of firings, and the Administration plans to further reduce the agency by up to 50 percent. While Maryland has made significant progress in preventing and reducing opioid overdose-related deaths, Baltimore City still has a death rate nearly double that of any other large city in the country. Now, the Administration is pulling the rug from underneath our state and the dozens of community-based organizations on the ground that rely on SAMHSA for training, resources, and technical assistance that helps with opioid use disorder prevention and treatment services.

    CMS, based in Woodlawn, faced hundreds of cuts to staff, including the elimination of the Office for Minority Health and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, which respectively helps address health disparities across the country and resolves discrimination complaints. Employees at CMS’ Innovation Center (CMMI) were fired and a third of the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination office, which helps serve the over 160,000 Marylanders that are dually enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid were let go. CMS is responsible for overseeing coverage for over 160 million Americans through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. This includes 1.6 million Marylanders who rely on Medicaid and CHIP for lifesaving health coverage. Any attack on CMS represents a threat to Marylanders’ and the nation’s access to care.

    At the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), headquartered in Rockville, 500- 600 civil servants were fired, compromising HRSA’s mission to improve care for vulnerable and low-income communities. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau was wiped out by staffing cuts, crippling efforts to combat the maternal mortality crisis. Maryland women’s health disparities, including maternal morbidity, remain higher than national averages, and will only be exacerbated by this action. DOGE has also reportedly fired 40 percent of the Bureau of Primary Health Care, which oversees the Health Center Program that provides high quality, accessible primary and preventive medical, behavioral and dental services to all people, regardless of income or insurance status. Maryland’s sixteen Federally Qualified Health Centers deliver comprehensive primary healthcare to more than 360,000 patients across Maryland. That access to care in our state are at risk without civil servants to effectively run the program. 

    The Indian Health Service (IHS), which is also headquartered in Rockville, was not mentioned in initial reporting regarding the HHS reorganization or reduction in force. In fact, longtime civil servants in the Senior Executive Service (SES) have reported that their duty stations have been reassigned to remote IHS locations ranging from Alaska to South Dakota. While these locations suffer from high vacancy rates, the Department is pushing staff that do not have the qualifications or background for available IHS roles into an ultimatum: relocate your family across the country for a job that does not actually exist, or leave the Department. 

    Additionally, the Department fired approximately 500 staffers at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the April 1 wave of terminations, paralyzing the Department’s ability to effectively operate its human services programs. As you know, most program and support staff were eliminated in five regional offices around the country. While ACF’s Region 3 Office – which serves Maryland – remains open for now, staff in Region 3 will likely have to absorb the work and caseload of now shuttered Regions 1, 2,5, 9 and 10. This will put an untenable strain on their ability to support states like Maryland in operating child support, family assistance and child welfare programs, and providers operating Head Start and child care programs.

    This is in addition to the nearly two hundred probationary ACF employees who have been on administrative leave since mid-February, and because of this Administration, are still unable to 3 provide states like Maryland with the technical assistance needed to operate critical programs, increasing the financial burden on already-struggling households. Head Start serves seven thousand children in Maryland. Thousands more families rely on the availability of affordable, quality childcare in the state – availability which is endangered when the civil servants that help providers adapt to workforce challenges or monitor for abuse and neglect in our state’s facilities are shamefully fired or prevented from doing their jobs.

    Also at ACF, the Department terminated the entire Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) staff, threatening the timely disbursement of millions of dollars to states like Maryland, to help thousands of our constituents stay safe in the coming summer months. More than 18% of Maryland households are energy burdened; the Maryland Office of Home Energy Programs received a record number of energy assistance applications last year. Likewise, the Department eliminated the Office of Family Assistance – undermining the ability for the nearly 28,000 Maryland families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to receive critical support without interruption.

    Both the dismantling of the Administration for Community Living and the slashing of reportedly half of the staff that work on federal aging and disability programs at the Department will cause real harm to programs in Maryland that support some of our state’s most vulnerable communities – seniors and individuals with disabilities. This includes programs that prevent elder abuse, connect seniors with nutritious meals, and provide supports to caregivers – like the Maryland Caregiver Navigation Grant.

    Perhaps most galling, is that you have admitted that many of these firings at the Department are in error, telling reporters “We’re going to do 80% cuts, but 20% of those are going to have to be reinstated, because we’ll make mistakes.” Further reporting found that HHS has no intention of actually reinstating a significant number of the staffers that have been fired or rectifying the mistakes it has made – calling into question your control of the situation and understanding of the Department’s reorganization. As the Secretary, you are ultimately responsible for answering for both these “mistakes” and any harm that comes from your destruction of our public health workforce and infrastructure. 

    As such, we request an in-person meeting with you no later than May 1, 2025, to discuss these concerns. We also request comprehensive answers to the following questions, including details on the reductions at the Department to date, and your plans for additional workforce reductions and reorganization. 

    1. For each of the below agencies, please specify since January 20, how many Maryland residents: received a RIF notice or were terminated on the basis of their probationary status? Please also specify how many more Maryland residents the agency intends to respectively terminate:

    • SAMHSA 
    • FDA  
    • NIH 
    • CDC 
    • CMS 
    • IHS
    • HRSA  ‘
    • ACF 
    • ACL
    • AHRQ

    2. For each of the below agencies, please specify since January 20, how many Maryland residents are currently on administrative leave pending termination:
     

    • SAMHSA 
    • FDA
    • NIH 
    • CDC 
    • CMS 
    • IHS
    • HRSA 
    • ACF 
    • ACL 
    • AHRQ 

    3. For each of the below agencies, please specify the number of Maryland residents who participated in the Deferred Resignation Program:

    • SAMHSA 
    • FDA 
    • NIH
    • CDC 
    • CMS 
    • IHS 
    • HRSA 
    • ACF 
    • ACL 
    • AHRQ

    4. Please describe the reduction in force plans at the IHS headquarters and at IHS locations across the country.

    5. Please provide a detailed description of impact analysis performed to determine the impact on cancer research as a result of NIH Reductions in Force. 

    6. Please provide a detailed description of impact analysis performed to determine the impact on vaccine development and research as a result of FDA Reductions in Force. 

    7. Please provide a detailed description of the impact analysis performed regarding reductions in staffing to ACF services and programs, including technical assistance to states and childcare providers, childcare costs and child safety, supports for survivors of violence, and the effectiveness of the TANF and LIHEAP programs. 

              a. Please provide a detailed description of the analysis performed by the Department describing how LIHEAP staffing reductions will not lead to higher energy costs for Marylanders.

              b. Please provide a detailed plan for how the Department plans to ensure that there is no delay due to case backlogs experienced by the state of Maryland or Maryland human services providers due to staff reductions at ACF? 

    8. Please provide a detailed description of the analysis performed by the Department describing how the staffing reductions to HRSA will not impact Maryland FQHCs, or access to affordable care in Maryland communities.

    9. Please provide a detailed description of the analysis performed by the Department describing how the staffing reductions to CMS will not impede Marylander’s access to Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and the ACA Marketplace.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Statement on Tax Day

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on Tax Day to highlight the continued attacks on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by the Trump Administration:

    “Today is the last day for most Americans to file their tax returns. The vast majority of them do so dutifully not only because the law requires it of them but also because they recognize it as an integral part of healthy civic life in our country.

    “The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress have made it harder for working Americans to file their taxes and easier for the wealthiest tax cheats to get out of paying their fair share. Today, the Internal Revenue Service is an agency in turmoil. By cutting IRS funding and purging staff at the height of tax season, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought have deleted the people throughout our nation who provide customer service to taxpayers, hear tax disputes, crack down on tax fraud, and ensure Americans get their tax refunds on time.

    “Trump and Musk’s DOGE henchmen have also accessed taxpayers’ private data, including their Social Security numbers, addresses, financial history, and much more. Furthermore, they intend to breach longstanding legal firewalls, sharing rather than protecting sensitive taxpayer data. Every American who cares about their personal privacy ought to be outraged by these unprecedented breaches.

    “Meanwhile, Republicans continue their assault on the IRS’s enforcement budget. Even though studies indicate $1 invested in examining tax returns for millionaires yields $12 in federal revenue, the agency has been desperately understaffed and underfunded for decades. Further cuts and fewer employees will only make it harder for the IRS to enforce our existing tax laws – especially among the wealthiest individuals and corporations who know how to cover their tracks.

    “Hardworking American taxpayers shouldn’t have to bear additional costs just so the wealthy can get out of paying what they legally owe.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer, Meeks to Introduce Major Russian Sanctions, Ukraine Assistance Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), former Majority Leader, and Representative Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee introduced a comprehensive bill to support Ukraine and thwart Russia’s ability to wage its illegal war there. Like the Senate bill introduced earlier this month by Senator Lindsey Graham, this legislative package imposes numerous sanctions and other economic measures against Russia should it fail to cease its war of aggression against Ukraine. But this legislation also includes further vital provisions to sustain security assistance to Ukraine for its defense, generate resources for post-war reconstruction, and override presidential actions to terminate existing sanctions without cause. The bill also imposes new sanctions and export control authorities to place additional pressure on Russia, including to curb tankers carrying Russian oil above the international price cap and to ensure dual-use controls on semiconductors and other technologies that could be used to support Russia’s weapons capabilities.

    A section by section of the legislation can be found here. A PDF of the bill can be found here.

    Additional cosponsors of the bill include Representatives William Keating (MA-09), Ranking Member of the Europe Subcommittee; Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Ranking Member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Lloyd Doggett (TX-37). 

    “The US-led international response to Russia’s illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine has isolated Moscow as a global pariah, devastated the Kremlin’s capacity to fund this war, and provided essential support to the Ukrainians fighting for freedom. Now is not the time to ease up on this successful approach nor put pressure solely on the victim, Ukraine. The U.S. must remain committed to shoring up Ukraine’s ability to negotiate a just, acceptable end to this war and to holding Russia – and those supporting its illegal invasion – accountable for as long as Putin’s war of choice continues. This weekend’s missile attack in Sumy that claimed dozens of civilian lives, including children, further demonstrates the barbarity Russia has used to sow terror throughout this war, and the need to impose serious consequences for its atrocities. Make no mistake – Vladimir Putin started this war. He is a bully with no respect for peace, Ukrainian sovereignty, or international norms, and he will only end this illegal war when the world compels him to,” said Ranking Member Meeks.

    “Our allies in Ukraine are on the front lines of freedom – fighting not only for their nations’ sovereignty but also against authoritarianism worldwide. I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing urgently needed legislation that will support our allies in Ukraine and invest in their recovery through tougher sanctions on Russian oil exports, security and military assistance, and dual use export provisions. Importantly, this legislation also includes provisions that will allow the Congress, a coequal branch of government, to advance resolutions of disapproval if the President waves his authority – and assert with our own voice that Ukraine has bipartisan support in the United States,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer. “I thank Ranking Member Greg Meeks for his work to put together comprehensive legislation that reflects our values, strengthens our democracy, and ensures the United States remains on the right side of history. We must not give aid and comfort to our enemy, Russia, and we must remain steadfast in the battle for democracy.”

    “I am co-sponsoring this legislation because it reaffirms the American people’s unwavering commitment to a sovereign, democratic Ukraine,” said Ranking Member Keating. “As Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russia’s brutal full-scale invasion, it is critical that the United States stands firmly by its side—not just militarily, but economically and diplomatically. This legislation includes key provisions from my own bills that aim to support Ukraine across multiple fronts. It provides war risk insurance to ensure the continued flow of international commerce with Ukraine, blocks illegal U.S. technology exports to Iran where they are used to manufacture drones deployed by Russia, and promotes the diversification of Ukraine’s energy supply. Ukraine’s victory requires more than military support – it demands a comprehensive strategy to help rebuild its economy, secure its infrastructure, and restore its independence.”

    “Our friends in Ukraine are fighting for the democratic ideals we share against a war criminal, Vladimir Putin, and the rising threat of authoritarianism globally,” said Ranking Member Connolly. “The American commitment to Ukraine, its sovereignty, and its recovery must be lasting and ironclad. We must stand firmly behind the Ukrainian people by countering Russian disinformation, advocating for multilateral support for Ukraine’s reconstruction, providing additional U.S. security assistance, and implementing crippling sanctions on Russia and its enablers to force Putin to the negotiating table. That’s why this bill includes provisions from my bipartisan legislation to expand sanctions on North Korea for its material support for Russia’s illegal invasion. The war in Ukraine is a battle between dictatorship and democracy. Between freedom and oppression. The United States must remain on the right side of history. Slava Ukraini.” 

    “Pleased to join Rep. Meek’s comprehensive bill, including provisions I authored to stop laundered Russian oil imports and to use frozen Russian assets for compensation to Ukrainians. We support Ukraine and reaffirm our recognition of Putin as a war criminal with sole responsibility for the war. We reject appeasement by Trump and his Republican enablers of Putin, who should bear the ever-mounting costs of his ongoing destruction. The world is watching whether America will remain a beacon of hope, standing with our democratic allies, or drift itself into Russian-style authoritarianism,” said Rep. Doggett.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Reno Small Business, Rosen Calls on Trump to Reverse Devastating Trump Tariffs

    US Senate News:

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

    RENO, NV – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) visited Orucase, a local outdoor recreation small business in Reno, to discuss how President Trump’s across-the-board tariffs are harming Nevada’s economy. In Nevada, 99 percent of all businesses are small businesses, and Trump’s tariffs are threatening their ability to stay afloat.
    “President Trump’s reckless across-the-board tariffs are devastating Nevada small businesses — which make up the backbone of our state’s economy,” said Senator Rosen. “Today, I visited Orucase, a local small business that is in the crosshairs of this reckless trade war, to highlight how much small businesses are already being hurt from these tariffs. I will continue fighting back against these reckless policies in the Senate.”
    “This tariff policy is not theoretical for us, it’s an existential threat,” said Isaac Howe, co-founder and owner of Orucase. “These duties will force us to raise retail prices, which will make it more difficult to operate and cost customers more. I’m grateful to Senator Rosen for her willingness to advocate for Nevada businesses like ours.”
    In the Senate, Senator Rosen has been fighting back against President Trump’s reckless tariffs and the destructive impacts they’re having on Nevada’s economy. She recently led Senate colleagues in demanding that the Trump Administration reverse course on tariffs and provide relief for small businesses. Senator Rosen also helped pass a resolution in the Senate to overturn Trump’s tariffs on Canada.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN to participate in the Regional Workshop on Climate Change, in Brunei Darussalam

    Source: ASEAN

    At the invitation of the Honourable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will participate in the Regional Workshop on Climate Change, to be held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, on 21 April 2025. SG Dr. Kao will deliver remarks during the Opening Ceremony of the Regional Workshop, together with the Honorable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof and the President of ERIA, Professor Tetsuya Watanabe. The workshop is expected to help shape the operational framework of the ASEAN Centre for Climate Change and transition finance strategies, ensuring a robust start to ASEAN’s collaborative climate action efforts.
    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN to participate in the Regional Workshop on Climate Change, in Brunei Darussalam appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Demands Answers From HHS On Mass Firings At HRSA That Imperil Primary Care and Maternal Health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    New York Has Over 4,300 HRSA Health Care And Service Delivery Sites

    So Far In FY2025, HRSA Has Awarded Over $256 Million In Funding To Health Programs And Facilities In New York

    Firings Include Workers Who Oversee The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, Which Gillibrand Helped Establish in 2022

    U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) led nine of their colleagues in sending a letter demanding answers from Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on the abrupt and unprecedented mass firing of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) employees. HRSA is the primary federal agency tasked with improving access to health care for vulnerable populations, including uninsured and underinsured children and families and individuals living in rural communities.

    New York has over 4,300 HRSA Health Care and Service Delivery Sites, which are facilities that are funded by or participate in HRSA programs. So far in FY2025, HRSA has awarded over $256 million in funding to these facilities and other health programs across New York State. These grants help fund health care facilities in rural areas; support programs that help patients living with HIV/AIDS, substance use disorder, maternal health complications, and cancer; and bolster health care workforce training programs across the state. Firing HRSA employees imperils their ability to provide care to New Yorkers and potentially puts this funding in jeopardy.

    These firings also include layoffs of HRSA workers who run the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, which provides free, 24/7 support to pregnant and postpartum women facing mental health challenges. Senator Gillibrand helped establish the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline in 2022. Since its launch, the hotline has received more than 54,000 calls and texts — a large part of which have been from postpartum moms reporting depression, anxiety, or feeling overwhelmed. Maternal mental health issues are the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the United States. By firing the individuals who keep the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline operational, HHS is jeopardizing the lives of American moms.

    “HRSA employees help struggling mothers, vulnerable children, uninsured patients, and individuals who live in rural areas access critical health care,” said Senator Gillibrand. “By indiscriminately firing these employees, the Trump administration is jeopardizing access to these vital services and threatening programs that help keep New Yorkers healthy. This is unacceptable, particularly at a time when our country is facing a health care workforce crisis. I am proud to work with my fellow senators to demand answers about these egregious firings at HHS, and I will not rest until our concerns are remedied.”

    In addition to Sens. Gillibrand and Blunt Rochester, the letter was also signed by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

    The full letter can be found here and below:

    Dear Secretary Kennedy:

    We write concerning the abrupt and unprecedented mass firing of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) employees who serve vulnerable populations including children, seniors, uninsured Americans, and rural communities. Reportedly, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) used spreadsheets to slash entire divisions without fully understanding the critical functions that many of the former employees performed. Therefore, we request detailed information about who was fired, their specific job functions, and the measures you will implement to ensure that at-risk Americans do not suffer due to your Reduction in Force (RIF).

    HRSA is the primary agency tasked with improving access to health care for vulnerable populations, including the un- and underinsured, children, and families. On March 27, 2025, HHS announced a rushed and ill-conceived RIF in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order 14210, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.” This is on top of the firing of seven percent of HRSA staff that occurred on February 14, 2025. These egregious staffing cuts have particularly decimated the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), which not only runs counter to the administration’s goal of elevating preventative care and reducing the prevalence of chronic disease but comes at a time when the United States ranks last in maternal health outcomes relative to other high-income countries.

    The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reportedly fired 40 percent of the Bureau of Primary Health Care, which oversees the Health Center Program. This program effectively closes health care access gaps by providing high quality, affordable primary medical, dental, mental health care, and low-cost prescription drugs. Health centers provide care to over 32.5 million patients at 15,000 clinics across every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Pacific Basin. Health centers typically provide a wider array of lifesaving health care services for diverse populations impacted by barriers to care, serving one in five rural residents, one in three living in poverty, and over 400,000 veterans. Of the 32.5 million patients served by health centers, almost one-third are children, and 11 percent are seniors. A strong health center network is integral to increasing primary care access for people at every stage of life.  

    Through the Health Center Program, HRSA not only finances critical health care services, but safeguards patients from low-quality, inaccessible care. HRSA ensures that health centers comply with the highest health care standards to support improved clinical outcomes, improved access to services, and proper financial management. As a result of HHS’s actions, the ability of health centers to carry-out their critical mission of providing safe and accessible care is now in jeopardy, particularly at a time when the U.S. is facing a primary care workforce crisis.

    Combined with the Health Center Program, HRSA administered health workforce programs through the Bureau of Health Workforce are our largest defense against nationwide workforce shortages that are driving preventable deaths. HRSA is critical to adequately staffing health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) with physicians, nurses, dentists, and mental health providers. As an increasing number of rural hospitals close- leaving many Americans without reasonable access to emergency, obstetric, primary, or specialty care- the country cannot afford to lose any investment in the health care workforce.

    HHS has also terminated 20% of the employees at the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. This bureau oversees important programs that support children and pregnant women, such as the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant and the Healthy Start Program. These initiatives help reduce infant deaths, provide wrap-around services not covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and reach families before, during, and after pregnancy. In 2023, the Title V MCH Services Block Grant helped provide services to an estimated 59 million people. This included 94% of all pregnant women, 98% of infants, and 59% of children nationwide, including children with special health care needs. Although your administration claims to support families, mothers, and children, you are actively undermining the health and wellbeing of these vulnerable groups.

    At your direction, HHS has reportedly fired workers who oversee the Maternal Mental Health Hotline, which offers free and confidential support to the very large proportion of expectant and new mothers experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety, and mothers who simply need a listening ear during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. From October to December 2024, the hotline received 7,500 calls and texts— a majority of which were from postpartum parents, reporting depression, anxiety, or feeling overwhelmed. Maternal mental health issues are the leading cause of maternal death in the United States. These firings could disrupt an essential support pathway for saving the lives of American moms. 

    We remain concerned that these indiscriminate firings have destabilized HRSA and reduced the ability of the agency to provide critical, quality services to the vulnerable populations at the core of its mission. We request a full account of the status of HRSA’s workforce and the impact these firings will have on the American people. Please respond to the following questions and requests for information by no later than Monday, April 21st at 5 p.m.: 

    1. Please provide the total number of people terminated or put on administrative leave for all of HRSA, and specifically from each of the following offices as a result of EO 14210. Please provide a complete breakdown of position, GS level, and veteran status, and clearly state the justification for termination. This accounting should include employees who have since been reinstated or placed on administrative leave, noting that change in status.
      1. Maternal and Child Health Bureau
      2. Bureau of Primary Health Care
      3. Bureau of Health Workforce
      4. HIV/AIDS Bureau
      5. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
      6. Provider Relief Bureau
    2. Please provide the total number of people terminated or put on administrative leave, who accepted the deferred resignation program offer, or accepted the VERA/VSIP offer between January 18, 2025 and April 1, 2025 for all of HRSA and specifically from each of the following divisions. Please provide a complete breakdown of position, GS level, and veteran status, and clearly state the justification for termination. This accounting should include employees who have since been reinstated or placed on administrative leave, noting that change in status.
    1. Maternal and Child Health Bureau
    2. Bureau of Primary Health Care
    3. Bureau of Health Workforce
    4. HIV/AIDS Bureau
    5. Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
    6. Office of Women’s Health
    1. How many people who were terminated or put on administrative leave were the primary or secondary contact for grantees?
    2. What methods and frequency of communication are being used to inform grant recipients about their new points of contact? Have you confirmed that each grantee received notice of the change?
    3. How many people involved with operations or compliance with the following grants or contracts were terminated or put on administrative leave?
      1. Section 330 grants
      2. Early childhood development grants
      3. Cancer screenings grants
      4. School-based health center grants
      5. Maternal health hotline
      6. Home visiting program
      7. Title V Maternal Health Block Grant
      8. Healthy Start
    4. Have grantees been able to draw down funding at the same rate they were able to at this time last year? Please describe the cause of any delays in funding reimbursements experienced by grantees.
    5. Have HRSA project officers or related personnel been instructed to withhold information from grant recipients regarding the continued availability of previously awarded support under EO 14210?
    6. What instructions or communication have been provided to HRSA employees internally regarding program termination and staff reductions related to EO 14210?
    7. What instructions have been given to remaining staff about how to absorb workloads of terminated employees?
    8. What safeguards are in place to ensure that essential functions of HRSA are not harmed as a result of the RIF and proposed restructure of HHS??
    9. How does terminating grants under EO 14210 align with HRSA’s mission to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable populations and all Americans?
    10. Will you commit that, despite these terminations, HRSA will make all funding opportunity announcements for congressionally appropriated funding for Fiscal Year 2025 available immediately to allow communities the time necessary to develop robust proposals and that HRSA will award all congressionally appropriated funding by September 30th?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff Completes 2025 Article IV Mission to Nigeria

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, April 18, 2025/APO Group/ —

    • The Nigerian authorities have taken important steps to stabilize the economy, enhance resilience, and support growth. These reforms have put Nigeria in a better position to navigate the external environment.
    • The macroeconomic outlook is marked by significant uncertainty. Elevated global risk sentiment and lower oil prices impact the Nigerian economy.
    • Macroeconomic policies need to further strengthen buffers and resilience, reduce inflation, and support private sector-led growth.

    An International Monetary Fund team, led by Axel Schimmelpfennig, IMF mission chief for Nigeria, visited Lagos and Abuja on April 2–15 to hold discussions for the 2025 Article IV Consultations with Nigeria. The team met with Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Yemi Cardoso, senior government and central bank officials, the Ministry of the Environment, the private sector, academia, labor unions, and civil society. At the end of the visit, Mr. Axel Schimmelpfennig, issued the following statement:

    “The Nigerian authorities have taken important steps to stabilize the economy, enhance resilience, and support growth. The financing of the fiscal deficit by the central bank has ceased, costly fuel subsidies were removed, and the functioning of the foreign exchange market has improved. Gains have yet to benefit all Nigerians as poverty and food insecurity remain high.

    ”The outlook is marked by significant uncertainty. Elevated global risk sentiment and lower oil prices impact the Nigerian economy. The reforms since 2023 have put the Nigerian economy in a better position to navigate this external environment. Looking ahead, macroeconomic policies need to further strengthen buffers and resilience, while creating enabling conditions for private sector-led growth.

    “The authorities communicated to the mission that they will implement the 2025 budget in a manner that is responsive to the decline in international oil prices. A neutral fiscal stance would support monetary policy to bring down inflation. To safeguard key spending priorities, it is imperative that fiscal savings from the fuel subsidy removal are channeled to the budget. In particular, adjustments should protect critical, growth-enhancing investment, while accelerating and broadening the delivery of cash transfers under the World Bank-supported program to provide relief to those experiencing food insecurity.

    “A tight monetary policy stance is required to firmly guide inflation down. The Monetary Policy Committee’s data-dependent approach has served Nigeria well and will help navigate elevated macroeconomic uncertainty. Announcing a disinflation path to serve as an intermediate target can help anchor inflation expectations.”

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s Southeast Asia tour promotes good-neighborliness, mutually beneficial cooperation: Chinese FM

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Xi’s Southeast Asia tour promotes good-neighborliness, mutually beneficial cooperation: Chinese FM

    BEIJING, April 18 — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s just-concluded Southeast Asia tour focused on good-neighborly relations and promoted mutually beneficial cooperation, and achieved a complete success, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said during a press briefing that Xi’s trip to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia from Monday to Friday was the first overseas tour of the Chinese head of state this year.

    The tour sent a strong signal that China firmly defends multilateralism and international trade rules, Wang said.

    On Xi’s visit to Vietnam, Wang said that the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and countries is the biggest advantage of and the most important political guarantee for the development of China-Vietnam relations.

    The leaders of the two parties and countries unanimously confirmed that in accordance with the overarching goals characterized by “six mores,” the two sides will advance the development of their comprehensive strategic cooperation with higher quality and on deeper levels, and accelerate the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, he said.

    During Xi’s visit to Vietnam, bilateral railway cooperation has been expanded and upgraded, which particularly demonstrated the determination of the two countries to seek common development, Wang said.

    On Xi’s visit to Malaysia, Wang said its most significant outcome was that the leaders of the two countries elevated China-Malaysia relations to a new height and announced the building of a high-level strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future.

    This marks another leap in the positioning of the bilateral relationship after China and Malaysia announced the joint building of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future in 2023, Wang noted.

    A highlight of this visit is that the two sides agreed to become a pacesetter for regional cooperation on new quality productive forces, focusing on cutting-edge fields such as digital economy, green economy and artificial intelligence, he added.

    Speaking of Xi’s visit to Cambodia, Wang noted that the highlight was the joint announcement by Xi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on elevating the China-Cambodia relationship to an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, which marks the first time that China has elevated its bilateral relationship with a Southeast Asian country to an all-weather level.

    Wang said that during Xi’s Southeast Asia tour, the Chinese president pointed out that economic globalization benefits all countries and no country can retreat into isolation.

    Trade wars will undermine the international trading system, the stability of the global economic order and the legitimate interests of all countries in the world, especially developing countries, Xi noted.

    As key members of the Global South, China and neighboring countries should strengthen coordination and cooperation, stand together to combat the undercurrent of camp-based confrontation, jointly oppose unilateralism and counter the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak with the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, so as to safeguard the bright prospects of our Asian family, Xi said.

    Xi underscored that despite the headwind of mounting protectionism, China will pursue high-quality development, expand high-standard opening up and share development opportunities with neighboring countries.

    China’s mega market is always open to neighboring countries, and China welcomes more high-quality products from ASEAN members, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Introduces Bill to Stand Up for Wisconsin Workers Impacted by Harmful Trade Policies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and her colleagues introduced a bill to stand back up a successful program that supports American workers who have lost their jobs or suffered reduced hours or wages due to harmful trade policies. The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Reauthorization Act of 2025 would bring back the TAA Program, which expired in 2022 and offers a range of services to support displaced workers, including access to skills training, job search and relocation assistance, and extended income support.
    “For years, I’ve fought bad trade deals that were a race to the bottom, shipped Wisconsin jobs overseas, and hollowed out our communities. When Wisconsin workers bear the brunt of unfair trade policies, we have to ensure they have the tools and support that they need to get back on their feet and back in the workforce,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to fight for our workers and ensure they have a helping hand when they are the ones to pay the price from bad trade deals – because at the end of the day, it’s our workers who make our Made in Wisconsin economy move forward.”
    Since its creation in 1974, more than 5 million Americans have benefitted from the TAA Program, with more than 75 percent of participants successfully finding new jobs within six months. Since the program expired, nearly 200,000 workers – including more than 3,200 in Wisconsin – who may qualify for assistance have been unable to receive TAA given the lapse in authorization.   
    The TAA Reauthorization Act of 2025 would reauthorize the TAA Program through 2031 to help ensure American workers have access to the resources they need to transition to new employment opportunities at the same level or higher than their previous job.
    The TAA Reauthorization Act of 2025 is supported by the United Auto Workers (UAW), United Steel Workers (USW), AFL-CIO, and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).  
    This bill is led by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and also co-sponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Disrupting Houthi Financial Networks

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

    The United States is committed to disrupting Houthi financial networks and banking access as part of our whole-of-government approach to eliminating Iran’s threat network. — Spokesperson Tammy Bruce

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9fIqaWR0xE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Inside the hack-for-hire scandal: ongoing saga to uncover potential Exxon-linked cyberattacks intended to derail climate accountability

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Reports of a major hack-for-hire scheme began to appear after the 2019 indictment of an Israeli private investigator, Aviram Azari, and the groundbreaking 2020 research by Citizen Lab into hacking-for-hire groups. Both Azari’s indictment and Citizen Lab’s report found that individuals and groups had been targeted by hackers, allegedly under the direction of private investigators that were working with powerful clients. 

    These clients appear to include DCI Group (DCI), a public relations and lobbying firm based in Washington D.C. One of DCI’s clients at the time the hacking allegedly occurred was ExxonMobil Corporation (Exxon), according to multiple news outlets’ analysis of court documents revealed this January and a source contacted by Reuters. During the same period that hacking occurred, the victims of the hacking appear to have been involved with the #ExxonKnew campaign and associated climate accountability litigation. The hack targets indicate a potential motive to derail momentum behind these lawsuits and #ExxonKnew campaigns, which accused ExxonMobil of knowing about and deliberately hiding or miscommunicating about climate change and the impacts of the industry. 

    Since the investigation of Azari, another private investigator, Amit Forlit, has recently been indicted and appears to be connected to the same hacking scheme involving Exxon based on court documents for both investigators and their business connections with each other at the time hacking occurred. To what extent Azari and Forlit worked together is not yet known, but court documents have suggested they are business associates. The news of Forlit’s involvement became public when the U.S. Department of Justice filed a request for Forlit to be extradited from the U.K. in 2024. DCI and Exxon were not named in the U.S. request to extradite Forlit for alleged hacking involvement, but Forlit’s lawyer mentioned both companies in his defense.

    A Greenpeace banner flies over the skyline of Dallas towed by an airplane. The banner reads “Exxon: Time to pay for climate lies” and “Prosecute Exxon.” ExxonMobil is currently under investigation by the New York Attorney General to determine if the company lied about the risks of climate change. ExxonMobil’s corporate headquarters is in nearby Irving. © Ron Heflin / Greenpeace

    The source contacted by Reuters provides the most detailed account of what allegedly occurred. According to that account, the hacking scheme began in late 2015, with DCI arranging targets, providing them to Forlit, who then worked with third-party contractors to conduct hacking. Reuters determined that “In an effort to push a narrative that Exxon was the target of a political vendetta aimed at destroying its business, some of the stolen material was subsequently leaked to the media by DCI.” Moreover, the source alleges that the National Association of Manufacturers, an industry group that received funding from Exxon, used hacked material to pressure the U.S. Supreme Court to drop a lawsuit against Exxon, Energy Transfer subsidiary Sunoco, and other oil and gas companies. The lawsuit was filed by the city and county of Honolulu and charges the companies for climate damages.

    Both DCI and Exxon have publicly stated that they were not involved in any illegal activity, including hacking. An Exxon spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal in 2023 that the company “has no knowledge of Azari, had no involvement in any hacking activities and has not been accused of any wrongdoing. To be clear, ExxonMobil has done nothing wrong”. A spokesperson stated that “if there was any hacking involved, we condemn it in the strongest possible terms” to NPR two years later. 

    DCI partner Craig Stevens denied the firm’s involvement in a statement to NPR, saying “Allegations of DCI’s involvement with hacking supposedly occurring nearly a decade ago are false and unsubstantiated… Meanwhile, radical anti-oil activists and their donors are peddling conspiracy theories to distract from their own anti-U.S. energy activities”.

    Neither company has been charged with any wrongdoing, though environmental groups and a few U.S. senators have called for a formal investigation. Initial investigations around Azari involved additional clients that have not been named; Forlit also had other clients though extradition orders focus on his involvement with DCI and Exxon. According to an anonymous source to the Wall Street Journal, DCI partner Justin Peterson commissioned the hacking and was a key connection to Forlit.

    Citizen Lab’s research, as well as court documents against Azari, indicate that there is a large hack-for-hire industry whose clients may include a range of organizations from large oil and gas companies like Exxon, to financial firms, industry groups, and so on. Targets of these hacking schemes include climate groups like Greenpeace, but have also included public defenders, government officials, politicians, financial companies, banks, and others.Citizen Lab did not identify Azari, Forlit, or other individuals working as private investigators who sought hacking services. The investigation of Azari and Forlit came from FBI probes into hacking operations. 

    Despite the sentencing of Azari in 2023, the clients who ordered or benefited from hacking were never named. The Southern District of New York identified that Exxon publicly used hacked material, suggesting they may be a client of the hack-for-hire operations. Many victims of hacking were notified by Citizen Lab during their investigations, however the full extent of the hacking scheme is still unknown.

    The lack of any real investigation by Exxon is another example of the oil and gas industry avoiding accountability. Compounded with their efforts to seek legal immunity using tactics employed by the gun industry, filing SLAPP and other predatory lawsuits against journalists and activists, financially backing anti-protest legislation at the state and federal level, and a decades-long disinformation campaign, the industry may stop at nothing to ensure its dominance. 

    Despite evidence to the contrary, Exxon has continued to deny any involvement in the hack-for-hire scheme being investigated and the full extent of the hack is still unclear. 

    As a result, we are calling on:

    • The U.S. Department of Justice to fully investigate the hack-for-hire scheme.
    • Exxon’s board to commission an independent, internal investigation to determine how Exxon became connected to the hacking scheme, and to identify who may have been involved.
    • Congress to resist all attempts by the fossil fuel industry to secure a “liability waiver” which would grant “immunity” from any effort to hold the industry accountable for climate damages. 

    The details of the hack-for-hire scheme have been revealed over the last six years with research by Citizen Lab and the federal investigation of two private investigators. Clients and benefactors of the hacking have yet to be formally investigated.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Trump Executive Orders roll back ocean protections

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    WASHINGTON, DC (April 18, 2025) – Yesterday, the Trump administration issued a new Executive Order that opens vast swaths of protected ocean to commercial exploitation, including areas within the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. It allows commercial fishing in areas long considered off-limits due to their ecological significance—despite overwhelming scientific consensus that marine sanctuaries are essential for rebuilding fish stocks and maintaining ocean health. These actions threaten some of the most sensitive and pristine marine ecosystems in the world. In response to the announcement, Arlo Hemphill, Greenpeace USA project lead on ocean sanctuaries, said:

    “Opening the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to commercial fishing puts one of the most pristine ocean ecosystems on the planet at risk. Almost 90 percent of global marine fish stocks are fully exploited or overfished. The few places in the world ocean set aside as large, fully protected ocean sanctuaries serve as ‘fish banks’, allowing fish populations to recover, while protecting the habitats in which they thrive. President Bush and President Obama had the foresight to protect the natural resources of the Pacific for future generations, and Greenpeace USA condemns the actions of President Trump today to reverse that progress.”

    A second Executive Order calls for deregulation of America’s fisheries under the guise of boosting seafood production. 

    John Hocevar, Oceans Campaign Director at Greenpeace USA, said: 

    “If President Trump wants to increase U.S. fisheries production and stabilize seafood markets, deregulation will have the opposite effect. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has already slashed jobs at NOAA and is threatening to dismantle the agency responsible for providing the science that makes management of U.S. fisheries possible. Trump’s executive order on fishing could set us back by decades, undoing all the progress that has been made to end overfishing and rebuild fish stocks and America’s fisheries. While there is far too little attention to bycatch and habitat destruction, NOAA’s record of fisheries management has made the U.S. a world leader. Trump seems ready to throw that out the window with all the care of a toddler tossing his toys out of the crib.”

    The executive orders, announced on April 17, 2025, are detailed here:
    Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness
    Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Unleashes American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific

    ###

    Contact: Gujari Singh, Greenpeace USA Campaign Communication Manager, [email protected], 631-404-9977

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Google loses online ad monopoly case. But it’s just one of many antitrust battles against big tech

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior Research Associate in Media and Communications, University of Sydney

    Tech giant Google has just suffered another legal blow in the United States, losing a landmark antitrust case. This follows on from the company’s loss in a similar case last year.

    Social media giant Meta is also currently embroiled in a landmark legal battle in the US that could change not only how it operates, but how millions of people around the world communicate.

    Hearings in the Meta case commenced earlier this week in a court in Washington DC, after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg failed to settle the case for US$450 million. Brought by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the suit alleges Meta broke antitrust laws and illegally secured a monopoly over social media platforms.

    Along with Google and Meta, Amazon and Apple are also currently facing significant antitrust challenges in the US.

    All of these actions are continuing despite major changes in both the FTC and the US Department of Justice as a result of the election of Donald Trump.

    Collectively, these cases represent a substantial regulatory push to examine and potentially curb the market power of big tech. So what are all of these cases about exactly? What are the next steps in each of them? And what might they mean for consumers?

    The cases against Google

    The case Google just lost was related to online advertising.

    The US Department of Justice alleged Google had behaved anticompetitively to monopolise the complex digital advertising technology market. This market facilitates the buying and selling of online ads.

    The US district judge, Leonie Brinkema, agreed Google has a monopoly over the tools used by online publishers to host ad space, and the software that facilitates transactions between online publishers and advertisers.

    In her ruling, Judge Brinkema said Google had “wilfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts” which ultimately resulted in it obtaining “monopoly power in the open-web display publisher ad server market”.

    Google has said it will appeal the decision. The Department of Justice will ask the court to require Google to divest parts of its ad tech business when the remedies phase of this trial starts later this month.

    The second case involving Google is related to internet search.

    The Department of Justice argued Google used exclusionary agreements, such as paying Apple billions annually to be the default search engine on iPhones, to lock out competitors.

    In August 2024, a federal judge ruled Google acted illegally to maintain its search monopoly.

    The case has now moved to the remedies phase. A crucial remedies trial is scheduled to begin next week. During this, the court will hear arguments on what actions should be taken against Google. Potential remedies could be significant, with regulators previously suggesting measures such as restrictions on Google’s Android operating system or even forcing the sale of its Chrome browser.

    Google has stated its intention to appeal this ruling as well.

    The case against Meta

    The FTC’s case against Meta alleges the tech giant illegally maintained a monopoly in the market for “personal social networking services”.

    The core of the FTC’s argument is that Meta employed a “buy-or-bury” strategy to eliminate competitive threats.

    This allegedly involved acquiring nascent rivals, most notably Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, specifically to neutralise them before they could challenge Facebook’s dominance.

    The FTC points to internal communications as evidence of anticompetitive intent. These include Mark Zuckerberg’s statement, “It is better to buy than compete”. They also include an internal memo which showed Zuckerberg considered spinning off Instagram in 2018 over concerns about antitrust scrutiny.

    The commission argues Meta’s actions stifled innovation and harmed consumers by limiting choices. It’s seeking to force Meta to divest, or sell off, both Instagram and WhatsApp.

    Meta vigorously defends its actions. It argues it does not hold a monopoly, facing fierce competition from platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).

    The company contends the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were pro-competitive, allowing Meta to invest billions to improve and scale the apps, ultimately benefiting users. A key defence point is that the FTC itself reviewed and approved both deals over a decade ago.

    The trial is expected to last eight weeks.

    The cases against Apple and Amazon

    In March 2024, the Department of Justice, along with several states, sued Apple, alleging it illegally maintains a monopoly in the smartphone market.

    The lawsuit claims Apple uses its control over the iPhone ecosystem to stifle competition and innovation by, for example, degrading messaging quality between iPhones and Android devices and limiting the functionality of third-party digital wallets and smartwatches.

    Apple filed a motion to dismiss the case in August 2024. The litigation is in its early stages and is expected to continue for several years.

    In September 2023, the FTC, joined by numerous states, also sued Amazon.

    The lawsuit alleges the tech giant unlawfully maintains monopoly power in both the market for “online superstores” (where consumers shop) and “online marketplace services” (for third-party sellers).

    The FTC claims Amazon uses interlocking anticompetitive tactics. These include punishing sellers for offering lower prices elsewhere, coercing sellers into using its services, degrading search results with excessive ads, and charging exorbitant seller fees.

    In late 2024, the presiding judge largely denied Amazon’s attempt to dismiss the core federal claims, allowing the case to proceed.

    A trial is currently scheduled for October 2026.

    Major structural changes could come

    Taken together, these lawsuits represent the most significant antitrust enforcement push against major technology firms in the US in decades. They signal a fundamental re-examination of how competition laws apply to fast-evolving digital platforms and ecosystems.

    The outcomes could potentially lead to major structural changes. These changes could include the forced breakup of companies such as Meta, or significant behavioural remedies restricting how these firms operate.

    Regardless of the specific results, the decisions in these cases will likely set crucial legal precedents. In turn, these will profoundly shape the future competitive landscape for technology. They will also likely influence regulation globally, and impact innovation and investment across the digital economy.

    What the cases do not reflect is the change in independence of regulatory bodies in the US, where consistency with White House policy is now paramount. The outcomes will surely test the relationship between Trump and the “tech bros” who’ve, quite literally, been at his side recently.

    Rob Nicholls is a member of the Sydney University Centre for AI, Trust, and Governance and also receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Google loses online ad monopoly case. But it’s just one of many antitrust battles against big tech – https://theconversation.com/google-loses-online-ad-monopoly-case-but-its-just-one-of-many-antitrust-battles-against-big-tech-254602

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: $SRC Ecosystem Joins Trade Finance Distribution Initiative as Non-Bank Originator to Revolutionize Trade Finance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TALLINN, Estonia, April 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — $SRC Ecosystem, a product of LGR Global and a pioneering AI and blockchain-powered trade finance solution, is thrilled to announce its membership in the Trade Finance Distribution Initiative (TFDi) as a non-bank originator.

    TFDi, a global consortium of leading banks, non-bank financial institutions, and technology providers, is dedicated to transforming trade finance into a liquid, investable asset class through standardized, technology-driven practices. By joining TFDi, $SRC strengthens its mission to unlock liquidity for SMEs, representing 90% of global businesses, by leveraging its innovative technology to address inefficiencies, liquidity inaccessibility, credit barriers, and geographic limitations in traditional trade finance.

    “Joining TFDi is a landmark achievement for $SRC Ecosystem,” said H.H. Ali Amirliravi, Founder and CEO of $SRC. “Our AI-driven onboarding, blockchain-based real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, and smart contract solutions align perfectly with TFDi’s vision of a transparent, scalable trade finance ecosystem. Together, we can bridge the $2.5 trillion gap and empower SMEs to thrive in global markets.”

    $SRC’s platform revolutionizes trade finance by converting trade assets into liquid, tradable tokens, automating credit scoring and risk assessment with AI, and enabling seamless cross-border settlements. Its digital twin technology provides real-time supply chain monitoring, enhancing transparency and trust. As a TFDi member, $SRC will collaborate with industry leaders to develop standardized practices, connect with institutional investors, and drive innovation in trade asset distribution.

    $SRC Ecosystem brings cutting-edge technology and a bold vision to TFDi, With $SRC’s focus on SME financing through AI and blockchain complements TFDi’s mission to close the trade finance gap and create new opportunities for originators and investors alike.

    With SMEs accounting for 70% of the global workforce yet struggling to access capital, $SRC’s membership in TFDi amplifies its ability to deliver scalable, technology-driven solutions. This partnership positions $SRC at the forefront of the trade finance revolution, fostering collaboration with global stakeholders to make trade finance more accessible and efficient.

    For more information about $SRC Ecosystem and its mission, visit https://linktr.ee/SRCEcosystem. To learn about TFDi, visit www.tradefinancedistribution.com.

    Contact:

    Website: https://lgrglobal.com
    Name: Ali Amirliravi
    Email: ali.amirliravi@lgrglobal.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Colombia: Staff Statement

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    April 18, 2025

    Washington, DC: A staff team has been actively engaging with the Colombian authorities in the context of the ongoing 2025 Article IV consultation, with visits to Bogotá in mid-February and early-April. Ms. Oner and Mr. Ding issued today the following statement:

    The Colombian economy continues to expand with some moderation in key imbalances. After slowing sharply in 2023, the economy expanded by 1.7 percent in 2024 supported by private consumption, reflecting a robust labor market and a gradual recovery in investment. Headline inflation resumed its downward trend in March, reaching 5.1 percent (y/y), underpinned by appropriately tight monetary policy. Meanwhile, the current account deficit narrowed further to 1.8 percent of GDP in 2024, supported by strong tourism and remittances inflows. This was financed with net foreign direct investment inflows, despite net portfolio outflows. International reserves remain adequate, rising to 130 percent of ARA by end-March, supported by the authorities’ reserve accumulation program last year. The banking system remains sound—liquid, adequately capitalized and provisioned—and subject to strong oversight.

    However, public deficits and public debt have risen more than expected. The central government overall fiscal deficit rose to 6.7 percent of GDP in 2024, up from 4.2 percent of GDP in 2023 and 1.1 percentage points of GDP above the authorities’ deficit target in the medium-term fiscal framework. The higher deficit reflected lower-than-projected tax revenues as well as higher than targeted primary expenditures, despite spending adjustments in late-2024. Liquidity constraints contributed to an accumulation of large budgetary backlogs (2.8 percent of GDP) that are in the process of being cleared this year, competing with 2025 budgetary resources. The higher deficits, coupled with a somewhat weaker peso, resulted in gross public debt reaching 61.3 percent at end-2024. As a result, Colombian spreads have risen, especially relative to peers, also impacted by tighter global financial conditions.

    Against the backdrop of elevated and shifting global risks, the Article IV consultation continues on the outlook and on policies to mitigate shocks, while decisively strengthening public finances.

    • Staff continues to engage with the authorities on the implications of rising global trade tensions on the Colombian economic outlook (given knock-on effects including through the commodity price channel as well as the financial and trade channels) and in better understanding the authorities’ policy response to this new environment.
    • Importantly, engagement continues as the authorities work on plans to reduce the fiscal deficit this year and going forward. While the 2025 Financing Plan published in February envisages an improvement in the central government deficit to 5.1 percent of GDP, the authorities are working on the policies underpinning the projected revenue gains as well as the necessary expenditure adjustments to meet the overall fiscal deficit target and bolster resilience in the more shock-prone context.

    The Article IV consultation will continue in the period ahead. We thank the authorities for the open and constructive dialogue, and we look forward to maintaining our close engagement, including in the margins of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in late-April in Washington, DC.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Jose de Haro

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

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/04/18/pr25116-colombia-staff-statement

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 18th, 2025 Heinrich, Rep.Vasquez Lead Introduction of Wild and Scenic Legislation to Protect Gila River

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) reintroduced their M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act, legislation to designate portions of the Gila River, its watershed, and other rivers in the Gila National Forest as Wild and Scenic Rivers. The bill will be a boon to New Mexico’s outdoor economy, while protecting an irreplaceable natural resource for future generations of New Mexicans. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, are original cosponsors.
    The Greater Gila watershed comprises the largest remaining network of naturally free-flowing river segments in the Southwestern United States.
    The M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act protects portions of the Gila River, some of its tributaries, and other nearby rivers under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Gila is treasured by New Mexicans because it supports exceptional experiences for families to cherish, spectacular scenery and wildlife habitat, abundant cultural resources, the integrity of an important water source, and many traditional uses. Designating portions of the Gila River and its watershed as Wild and Scenic Rivers will protect one of the nation’s most iconic and treasured rivers, as well as the immense recreational and agricultural economies that rely on it.
    “The Gila and San Francisco Rivers are among the last wild, free-flowing rivers in the Southwest— vital to the region’s wildlife, communities, and culture. To truly safeguard the Gila’s wild character, we must also protect its rivers,” said Heinrich, Ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Our M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act will ensure that the Gila and San Francisco watersheds receive the lasting protections they deserve. These protections enhance water quality, support local economies, bolster outdoor recreation, and preserve healthy ecosystems. In New Mexico, the Rio Chama, the Jemez, the Rio Grande, and the Pecos all benefit from this important designation. The Gila and San Francisco watershed deserve no less.”
    “The Gila River is a symbol of everything we love about New Mexico—wild, beautiful, and full of life,” said Vasquez. “This legislation is about protecting that legacy for future generations, and I’m proud to stand alongside so many New Mexicans who have fought for years to make this legislation possible”
    Heinrich originally introduced the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act with former-U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) in 2020. The legislation passed out the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in 2023. The bill is named after Maynard Hubbard “Dutch” Salmon from Silver City, New Mexico. Salmon was a nature writer, longtime advocate for the Gila River, and co-founder of the Gila Conservation Coalition.
    The M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act has received support from local community leaders, Tribes, sportsmen and women, and business leaders.
    Resources:
    Background:  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Sentenced to 38 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Juan Demetrio Villalpando Dominguez, 65, of California, was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    According to the plea agreement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted long-term, overlapping investigations of Villalpando Dominguez’s son, Juan Demetrio Villalpando, Jr. a/k/a “Junior,” and others.  Two confidential sources made controlled purchases of narcotics in furtherance of the investigations.  These controlled purchases were often negotiated with Mexico-based sources of supply and carried out by the suppliers’ associates in the Denver metropolitan area.

    Drug proceeds collected from Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr.’s customers by one confidential informant were aggregated and then sent in packages addressed to an uncharged person.  The true recipient of the money, however, was Villalpando Dominguez.  Villalpando Dominguez would then arrange for his son, Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr., to receive the money in Mexico.

    “Money laundering is a serious offense that enables drug traffickers to peddle their deadly wares,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “We will hold offenders accountable.”

    “Facilitating drug trafficking by funneling illegal proceeds back to Mexico perpetuates the scourge of the drug epidemic in our communities,” said Amanda Prestegard, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “Removing these money launderers from the streets and putting them in prison is a result of the hard work of CI special agents, who proudly provide financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice and keep our communities safe.”

    “Dismantling cartels requires more than seizing drugs – it includes cutting off the flow of illicit money that fuels their operations. That’s why targeting the money laundering component of these networks is a key priority,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “With our partners at IRS-CI and ICE, the FBI continues to take a strategic, coordinated approach to bring these complex criminal enterprises to justice and safeguard all Americans from the devastating impact of illegal drugs.”

    United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing.

    The FBI, IRS-CI, and DHS conducted the investigation in this case.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Duncan and Michael Houlihan, as well as by former Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung.

    This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    Case No.:  23-cr-00106-CNS

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Takes Aim at Radical Activist Groups’ Foreign Ties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assess whether The People’s Forum and Code Pink are obligated to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), due to the group’s reported Chinese Communist Party ties.

    “Evidence suggests that The People’s Forum and Code Pink have been funded and influenced by Mr. [Neville Roy] Singham and the communist Chinese government, both of which are foreign principals. The evidence also suggests that The People’s Forum and Code Pink have engaged in covered political activities that directly advance the communist Chinese government’s political and policy interests,” Grassley wrote.

    “Secretive foreign lobbying and public relations campaigns by China and other adversaries undermines the political will and interests of the American people. The People’s Forum and Code Pink’s reported role in advancing policies in favor of the communist Chinese government is more than alarming and their potential obligation to register as foreign agents for purposes of FARA ought to be investigated,” Grassley continued.

    Read Grassley’s letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel HERE.

    Background:

    Neville Roy Singham is a social activist and billionaire who reportedly “works closely with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its propaganda worldwide.” Singham has reportedly attended Communist Party workshops focused on “promoting the party internationally,” shares office space and staff with the Shanghai Maku Cultural Communication Company and co-produces a YouTube show that’s partially financed by China’s propaganda department.

    The People’s Forum, self-described as a “political and cultural hub,” is also funded in large part by Singham – who reportedly donated over $20.4 million through a series of shell organizations and donor advisory groups. The People’s Forum offers courses titled, “Lenin and the Path to Revolution” and “China75 – When the People Stand Up.” The group joined Code Pink in hosting a conference moderated by the Qiao Collective, known as “a diaspora Chinese media collective.” Further, the Executive Director of the People’s Forum openly pedaled Chinese propaganda when appearing on CGTN, a Chinese state-owned media group. DOJ directed CGTN to register under FARA in 2019. 

    Code Pink, self-described as a “grassroots organization working to end U.S. warfare and imperialism,” was founded by Singham’s wife, Jodie Evans, and has reportedly received roughly a quarter of its donations from organizations with ties to Singham. Since marrying Singham in 2017, Evans and Code Pink have “stridently support[ed] China,” with Evans publicly describing the Uyghurs, an ethnically Muslim minority group, as “terrorists” and defending their mass detention. Further, Code Pink activists have met with the House Select Committee on China to directly advocate for Chinese interests, including denying evidence of forced labor in the Uyghurs’ native region of Xinjiang.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: Boosting Biofuels Boosts Farm Economy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    Q: Why is the Renewable Volume Obligation important for Iowa farmers?
    A: Biomass-based fuels convert feedstocks, including corn and soybeans, for use in the nation’s fuel supply, from passenger vehicles to commercial trucks, marine shipping, rail and aviation. Biodiesel and ethanol expand domestic markets for grain farmers, which is particularly vital when there’s uncertainty with overseas trading partners. Iowa farmers and biofuel producers stand ready to meet demand that provides reliable, affordable, cleaner fuel for consumers.
    Two decades ago, I helped steer through Congress two federal laws that unleashed America’s renewable fuels era in the 21st century. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 built upon the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that established the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). President George W. Bush signed both pieces of legislation that accelerated use of renewable fuels in the transportation sector, primed the pump for the biofuel industry in rural America, produced cleaner burning fuel and fostered U.S. energy independence. The RFS set annual targets with the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO), a requirement that specifies volumes for refiners and importers to blend into the nation’s fuel supply. Congress authorized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the RFS program. It sets annual RVO’s divided among four buckets: conventional biofuel; advanced biofuel; cellulosic biofuel; and biomass-based diesel. As a lifelong family farmer and lawmaker on the Senate Agriculture Committee, I make my voice loud and clear under both Republican and Democrat administrations to champion homegrown biofuel, including speaking out against unfair policies for used cooking oil and imported ethanol. The EPA needs to follow the law as Congress intended. Bureaucratic lollygagging brings uncertainty to the marketplace and unfairness to farmers and biofuel producers who have the capacity to meet demand. During the Biden administration, I invited the White House Climate Czar to visit Iowa to see how renewable fuels are where the rubber meets the road for a more sustainable energy policy, cleaner environment and stronger economy in rural America.
    Q: What are you pressing the Trump administration to do on this issue?
    A: In April, I led a bipartisan letter with Sen. Amy Klobuchar pressing the EPA to keep its commitment to American energy production and affirm renewable fuels are an important component of that all-the-above energy strategy. We urged the administration to increase RVO levels that take into account biofuels production capacity and the productivity of the American farmer. Specifically, the EPA should set volume levels for biomass-based diesel at 5.25 billion gallons in 2026. What’s more, the EPA ought to provide multi-year RVO standards to provide certainty and growth for the biofuel industry. This would send a strong message to boost investment in biofuels that are an important piece of the economic pie in rural communities. We’ve seen what happens when RVO levels are low-balled, biofuel facilities are forced to reduce their workforce, idle production or shut down their facilities. That’s a big blow to economic vitality on Main Street and a big market loss for local farmers. I’ll be keeping close tabs on the EPA as it works to determine RVO standards.
    In addition to trade and energy policies, the federal tax code holds significant sway over investment and profitability in rural America. As former chairman and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, I’ve secured important energy tax incentives that ensured public policy kept pace with advancing technologies in alternative energy. As Congress takes up tax policy in the coming months, I’ll be at the table advocating for the family farmer and biofuel producers. Along those lines, in January I pressed Trump’s cabinet nominees about the importance of providing clarity about new biofuel incentives in the federal tax code. Specifically, I explained the urgency to clean up after the Biden administration’s failure to deliver certainty for farmers and biofuel producers by failing to issue guidance for the clean fuel production tax credit, called 45Z. I’m working as hard as ever on behalf of Iowa biofuel producers and family farmers who are putting in the work, taking on the risk and deploying new technologies to power America’s energy needs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Peters Introduces Bill to Bolster Ship Repair Industry, Jobs, and Navy Sailors’ Wellbeing in San Diego

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    Today, Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA-50) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02) introduced the Smart Ship Repair Act (SSRA) of 2025, a follow-up to Rep. Peters’ SSRA of 2023 and SSRA of 2024, which have both become law. This iteration of the SSRA would increase the amount of time a ship is allowed to stay in its homeport for repairs before the Navy can move a ship and its crew to other locations for maintenance work. 

    The SSRA of 2025 would require the Navy to change its current practice of soliciting ship repair contracts on a coast-wide basis for work periods longer than 12 months to only those that are projected to last more than 18 months. Currently, ships homeported in San Diego that need more than 12 months of maintenance could be moved to other facilities along the West Coast if the Navy receives a more cost -effective bid from other companies to perform the work.  This makes it difficult for San Diego’s ship repair industry to recruit and maintain its workforce and invest in its facilities. It also forces sailors to possibly spend their time ashore away from their families after long deployments at sea. 

    “San Diego is home to a vibrant ship repair industry that employs nearly 8,000 workers and supports the Navy’s force posture in the Asia-Pacific,” said Rep. Peters. “This bill will help protect those jobs and support a high quality of life for sailors and their families while also ensuring the Navy can meet its ship repair needs as it prepares for the threats of the future.” 

    “From 2014 to 2024, the Navy’s surface fleet in Hampton Roads decreased from 48 to 28 vessels, creating challenges for our ship repair industry and causing a 30% workforce reduction,” said Rep. Kiggans. “One of the best ways we can support our Navy and bolster our ship repair industry is to ensure our ships are repaired within their homeports. I am proud to introduce this important legislation that will support the highly skilled men and women who repair our ships, strengthen our maritime industrial base, and provide a better quality of life for our servicemembers.” 

    “PSDSRA enthusiastically supports the proposed legislation to extend the coast wide bid threshold to 18 months,” said Gordon Rutherford, President, Port of San Diego Ship Repair Association. “This not only keeps work in San Diego that supports all of our businesses, it also provides stability and better quality of life for the crews of San Diego based ships who already spend enough time away from home in defense of our country.” 

    “Austal USA appreciates Congressman Peters continued efforts to support and bring stability to the ship repair industry in San Diego,” said Larry Ryder, Vice President of Business Development & External Affairs at Austal USA. “The Smart Ship Repair Act of 2024 will help San Diego continue to provide world class ship repair services to the U.S. Navy and support jobs in San Diego.” 

    “BAE Systems appreciates Congressman Peters’ and Congresswoman Kiggans’ continued leadership in support of U.S Navy ship maintenance,” said Paul Smith, Vice President and General Manager of BAE Systems Ship Repair. “We believe the Smart Ship Repair Act of 2025 further enhances predictability and stability for necessary naval repair work. This would allow sailors to remain close to home during repair periods up to 18 months, while preserving shipyard worker jobs in the Navy’s key homeports.” 

    According to the Port of San Diego Ship Repair Association, the San Diego shipbuilding and repair industry contributed more than $3.7 billion to the region’s economy in 2023. The nearly 8,000 jobs in the industry support an estimated additional 7,430 jobs in related industries and the local economy. Nearly $474.8 million in tax revenues were generated by shipbuilding and ship repair in 2023. Approximately $307.1 million went to the federal government and $167.7 million went to state and local governments.  

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Guatemalan Man Unlawfully Residing in the United States and Convicted of Sexual Battery Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of an Unaccompanied Alien Child in the United States

    Source: US State of California

    On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted a man for his alleged role in smuggling an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to the United States and for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the minor after she entered the United States.

    “The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.”

    According to the indictment, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Cleveland, illegally entered the United States in 2023. Thereafter, Tiul Xi allegedly encouraged and induced a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the United States and to use the identity of Tiul Xi’s sister as her alias. As a UAC, the Guatemalan girl was placed in the care and custody of ORR. As alleged, Tiul Xi then falsely stated on documents submitted to ORR when he applied to sponsor and obtain custody of the girl that he was the UAC’s brother and that her alias was her actual name. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s alleged false statements when, on or about Sept. 5, 2023, ORR released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care.

    Tiul Xi is charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    “This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States. This is vital work and through their victim centered approach, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents are perfectly positioned to uncover any similar crimes by predatory sponsors.”

    “The Office of Refugee Resettlement is committed to continuing vital policy changes that promote the safety and welfare of unaccompanied alien children related into the Unites States,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “We have significantly increased sponsor vetting with the wellbeing of the child at the core of our process. We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light.”

    The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance.

    Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan Man Unlawfully Residing in the United States and Convicted of Sexual Battery Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of an Unaccompanied Alien Child in the United States

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted a man for his alleged role in smuggling an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to the United States and for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the minor after she entered the United States.

    “The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.”

    According to the indictment, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Cleveland, illegally entered the United States in 2023. Thereafter, Tiul Xi allegedly encouraged and induced a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the United States and to use the identity of Tiul Xi’s sister as her alias. As a UAC, the Guatemalan girl was placed in the care and custody of ORR. As alleged, Tiul Xi then falsely stated on documents submitted to ORR when he applied to sponsor and obtain custody of the girl that he was the UAC’s brother and that her alias was her actual name. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s alleged false statements when, on or about Sept. 5, 2023, ORR released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care.

    Tiul Xi is charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    “This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States. This is vital work and through their victim centered approach, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents are perfectly positioned to uncover any similar crimes by predatory sponsors.”

    “The Office of Refugee Resettlement is committed to continuing vital policy changes that promote the safety and welfare of unaccompanied alien children related into the Unites States,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “We have significantly increased sponsor vetting with the wellbeing of the child at the core of our process. We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light.”

    The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance.

    Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Oak Valley Bancorp Reports 1st Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OAKDALE, Calif., April 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oak Valley Bancorp (NASDAQ: OVLY) (the “Company”), the bank holding company for Oak Valley Community Bank and their Eastern Sierra Community Bank division, recently reported unaudited consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2025. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, consolidated net income was $5,297,000, or $0.64 per diluted share (EPS). This compared to consolidated net income of $6,008,000, or $0.73 EPS, for the prior quarter and $5,727,000, or $0.69 EPS, for the same period a year ago.
    The net income decrease compared to prior periods was primarily due to an increase in operating expenses.

    Net interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was $17,807,000, compared to $17,846,000 in the prior quarter, and $17,241,000 in the same period a year ago. The decrease from the prior quarter is attributable to a Federal Open Market Committee (“FOMC”) rate cut in December-2024 that lowered the yield on certain variable rate assets, and there were 2 fewer days of interest accruals. In spite of the December-2024 FOMC rate cut, the net interest margin increased to 4.09% for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to 4.00% for the prior quarter and 4.09% for the same period last year, partially due to a decline in deposit interest expense. Average cost of funds decreased to 0.79% as of March 31, 2025, compared to 0.86% for the prior quarter and increased from 0.68% for the first quarter of 2024. The higher average gross loan balance, and upward repricing of loan yields also contributed to the increase in earning asset yield and net interest margin.

    Non-interest income was $1,613,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, compared to $1,430,000 for the prior quarter and $1,519,000 for the same period last year. The increase compared to prior periods was mainly due to positive changes in the fair value of equity securities.

    Non-interest expense totaled $12,624,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, compared to $11,548,000 in the previous quarter and $11,529,000 in the same quarter a year ago. The increase in non-interest expense compared to prior periods corresponds primarily to staffing expenses and general operating costs related to servicing the growing loan and deposit portfolios.

    Total assets were $1.92 billion at March 31, 2025, an increase of $23.8 million and $118.6 million from December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2024, respectively. Gross loans were $1.09 billion at March 31, 2025, a decrease of $15.6 million and an increase of $51.4 million over December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2024, respectively. The Company’s total deposits were $1.71 billion at March 31, 2025, an increase of $17.9 million and $101.2 million from December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2024, respectively. Our liquidity position remains strong, as evidenced by $209.3 million in cash and cash equivalents balances at March 31, 2025, representing an increase of $40.5 million over December 31, 2024.

    “Our balance sheet remains strong and although we’ve seen modest loan paydowns this quarter, it represents a very small reduction in gross loans and compares favorably to what we generally expect for the beginning of the year,” stated Chris Courtney, CEO. “We remain committed to delivering steady growth while maintaining a conservative approach to risk management.”

    Non-performing assets (“NPA”) remained at zero as of March 31, 2025, as they were as of December 31, 2024, and March 31, 2024. The allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) as a percentage of gross loans was 1.05% at March 31, 2025, compared to 1.04% at December 31, 2024 and 1.05% at March 31, 2024. Given industry concerns of credit risk specific to commercial real estate, management has performed a thorough analysis of this segment as part of the CECL credit risk model’s ACL computation, concluding that the credit loss reserve relative to gross loans remains at acceptable levels, and credit quality remains stable.

    Oak Valley Bancorp operates Oak Valley Community Bank & their Eastern Sierra Community Bank division, through which it offers a variety of loan and deposit products to individuals and small businesses. They currently operate through 18 conveniently located branches: Oakdale, Turlock, Stockton, Patterson, Ripon, Escalon, Manteca, Tracy, Sacramento, Roseville, two branches in Sonora, three branches in Modesto, and three branches in their Eastern Sierra division, which includes Bridgeport, Mammoth Lakes, and Bishop. The Company will open its 19th branch location in Lodi later this year.

    For more information, call 1-866-844-7500 or visit www.ovcb.com.

    This press release includes forward-looking statements about the corporation for which the corporation claims the protection of safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

    Forward-looking statements are based on management’s knowledge and belief as of today and include information concerning the corporation’s possible or assumed future financial condition, and its results of operations and business. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Those factors include fluctuations in interest rates, government policies and regulations (including monetary and fiscal policies), legislation, economic conditions, including increased energy costs in California, credit quality of borrowers, operational factors and competition in the geographic and business areas in which the company conducts its operations. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available at the time of the release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

    Contact: Chris Courtney/Rick McCarty
    Phone: (209) 848-2265
    www.ovcb.com  
    Oak Valley Bancorp
    Financial Highlights (unaudited)
               
    ($ in thousands, except per share) 1st Quarter 4th Quarter 3rd Quarter 2nd Quarter 1st Quarter
    Selected Quarterly Operating Data:   2025     2024     2024     2024     2024  
               
    Net interest income $ 17,807   $ 17,846   $ 17,655   $ 17,292   $ 17,241  
    (Reversal of) provision for credit losses   –     –     (1,620 )   –     –  
    Non-interest income   1,613     1,430     1,846     1,760     1,519  
    Non-interest expense   12,624     11,548     11,324     11,616     11,529  
    Net income before income taxes   6,796     7,728     9,797     7,436     7,231  
    Provision for income taxes   1,499     1,720     2,473     1,547     1,504  
    Net income $ 5,297   $ 6,008   $ 7,324   $ 5,889   $ 5,727  
               
    Earnings per common share – basic $ 0.64   $ 0.73   $ 0.89   $ 0.72   $ 0.70  
    Earnings per common share – diluted $ 0.64   $ 0.73   $ 0.89   $ 0.71   $ 0.69  
    Dividends paid per common share $ 0.300   $ –   $ 0.225   $ –   $ 0.225  
    Return on average common equity   11.58 %   12.86 %   16.54 %   14.19 %   13.86 %
    Return on average assets   1.13 %   1.25 %   1.56 %   1.30 %   1.26 %
    Net interest margin (1)   4.09 %   4.00 %   4.04 %   4.11 %   4.09 %
    Efficiency ratio (2)   65.01 %   59.91 %   58.07 %   60.97 %   61.46 %
               
    Capital – Period End          
    Book value per common share $ 21.89   $ 21.95   $ 22.18   $ 20.55   $ 19.97  
               
    Credit Quality – Period End          
    Nonperforming assets / total assets   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 %
    Credit loss reserve / gross loans   1.05 %   1.04 %   1.07 %   1.04 %   1.05 %
               
    Period End Balance Sheet          
    ($ in thousands)          
    Total assets $ 1,924,365   $ 1,900,604   $ 1,900,455   $ 1,840,521   $ 1,805,739  
    Gross loans   1,090,953     1,106,535     1,075,138     1,070,036     1,039,509  
    Nonperforming assets   –     –     –     –     –  
    Allowance for credit losses   11,448     11,460     11,479     11,121     10,922  
    Deposits   1,713,592     1,695,690     1,690,301     1,644,748     1,612,400  
    Common equity   183,520     183,436     185,393     171,799     166,916  
               
    Non-Financial Data          
    Full-time equivalent staff   225     223     222     223     219  
    Number of banking offices   18     18     18     18     18  
               
    Common Shares outstanding          
    Period end   8,382,062     8,357,211     8,358,711     8,359,556     8,359,556  
    Period average – basic   8,231,844     8,224,504     8,221,475     8,219,699     8,209,617  
    Period average – diluted   8,278,301     8,278,427     8,263,790     8,248,295     8,244,648  
               
    Market Ratios          
    Stock Price $ 24.96   $ 29.25   $ 26.57   $ 24.97   $ 24.78  
    Price/Earnings   9.56     10.09     7.52     8.69     8.86  
    Price/Book   1.14     1.33     1.20     1.22     1.24  
               
    (1) This is a non-GAAP measure because its computed on a fully tax equivalent basis using a marginal federal tax rate of 21%.  
    (2) This ratio was changed to GAAP basis as of the quarter ended December 31, 2024, and all prior periods have been restated accordingly.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Schrier, Senator Cantwell Host Roundtable with Healthcare Leaders in Wenatchee area

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

    WENATCHEE, WA – Yesterday,Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) convened a roundtable discussion with Chelan County healthcare organization leaders and providers to discuss the impact that proposed Medicaid cuts would have on the community. 

    In Washington State, approximately 1.5 million individuals are enrolled in Medicaid, also known as Apple Health. This number includes about 900,000 children. The House Republican budget has called for nearly a trillion dollars in cuts to essential programs, like Medicaid. These cuts would be devastating for all Washingtonians, especially those in rural communities. In this roundtable discussion, Congresswoman Schrier spoke directly with leaders and providers from North Central Washington healthcare organizations to hear their thoughts about the impacts of the proposed Medicaid cuts. The consensus was that dramatic cuts to Medicaid would have profound impacts on patient health, healthcare access, clinic survival, and the local economy.

    “As a pediatrician, I have seen firsthand the benefits of access to regular, affordable medical care. That is why for the last 6 years, I’ve worked with colleagues in both parties to strengthen Medicaid,” said Congresswoman Kim Schrier. “Here in Washington’s Eighth District, I represent over 125,000 people on Apple Health who are at risk of losing their healthcare under Republican budget plans. If Republicans achieve their goal of cutting 880 billion dollars from Medicaid, we will be sicker, we will be poorer, we will leave our jobs to care for our parents, we will have longer wait times in the ER because that is where people go when they have nowhere else to go, our healthcare system will be pushed to the brink, and our rural hospitals will cut services or close. I’ll keep fighting to protect Medicaid and healthcare for our children, seniors, and most vulnerable.”

    Cutting Medicaid, Senator Maria Cantwell said, “affects the programs, then affects the hospital, then it affects the workforce, then you end up with shortages, then you end up with deserts. Then you end up with, ‘Who wants to have a business there?’ It keeps cascading,” Sen. Cantwell said. “This is a crazy idea. This is not a sledgehammer — this is like a ticking time bomb that’s blowing up the foundation of the system. And we have to take your stories and go back [to D.C.] and convince these people that it’s not even worth thinking about.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Launches New Round of Outdoor Equity Grant Funding

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER — Today, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced its Outdoor Equity Grant funding opportunity, aimed at increasing access to outdoor recreation activities for underserved Colorado youth and families. From April 18-June 2, organizations helping instill a sense of wonder, excitement and responsibility for the environment in Colorado youth can apply for financial support from the Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Program (OEGP), which will award funding through Outdoor Equity Grants this December.

    The Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Program (OEGP) will award up to $100,000 per project to community organizations across the state that connect youth to nature and remove barriers that prevent youth from experiencing the outdoors.

    “In Colorado, we believe that everyone should have access to outdoor recreation and Colorado’s iconic open spaces, and these grants help us achieve that goal. This funding creates new and exciting opportunities for every Coloradan to enjoy all our state has to offer, supporting fun, healthy activities, and our strong outdoor recreation economy,” said Governor Jared Polis.

    The OEGP was created through HB21-1318 to increase access to outdoor opportunities for all Coloradans. Through funding from the Colorado Lottery, the program has invested over $8.5 million, supporting environmental learning opportunities, outdoor education, exposure to career pathways, public health and outdoor fun for underserved youth and families. To date, the program has provided nearly 100,000 experiences in the outdoors for more than 63,000 Coloradans.

    “The OEGP remains essential for connecting Colorado’s underrepresented youth to the natural world, and we strongly encourage all eligible organizations who are meaningfully engaging communities to apply,” said Dan Gibbs, the Director for the Department of Natural Resources. “We’re excited to support your innovative approaches to cultivating youth-nature connections and to continue to ensure all Colorado youth can develop lifelong relationships with the outdoors.”

    Since 2022, the grant program has distributed 141 awards to 111 organizations, investing in 51 Colorado counties. From connecting youth with their ancestral sites to supporting high schoolers answering environmental questions through research, Outdoor Equity Grants have offered participants many diverse outdoor and environmental learning opportunities.

    “The Outdoor Equity grant program is essential to sustain Colorado Parks and Wildlife as a nationally recognized leader in conservation. When we invest in introducing diverse youth to wild spaces and connecting them to our natural heritage, we’re securing Colorado’s position as the nation’s premier outdoor destination while creating pathways for our people and our natural environment to thrive alongside one another,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “The OEGP is vital to CPW as we reach our goals of perpetuating wildlife, strengthening ecosystems, and inspiring the next generation to connect with the outdoors.”

    Eligible applicants, including nonprofits, for-profit entities, schools, Tribes and local governments, must submit the grant interest form through the link posted on the OEGP webpage by June 2 to be considered for funding. Grant interest submissions must describe how they will increase outdoor access for the Colorado youth and families furthest from outdoor access and opportunity, including youth from low-income and communities of color, LGBTQ+ youth, youth who are members of Tribal nations with historical ties to Colorado, and youth with disabilities. The applicants who best show they will cultivate connections between youth and nature will be selected to submit an application in September. Awards will be announced in December.

    “In just three years, we’ve seen this grant program open doors to nature for countless young people who’ve often found those doors closed or hard to reach,” said Hilda Nucete, Vice-Chair of the Outdoor Equity Grant Board. “We particularly encourage applications from organizations working with youth on the margins of outdoor access—whether due to economic barriers, historical exclusion, or geographic isolation. Your creative approaches to bridging these gaps aren’t just valuable; they’re transformative for Colorado’s next generation of environmental stewards.”  

    To continue to support quality outdoor experiences for Colorado youth, the Board invites organizations that have previously received Outdoor Equity Grant funding to reapply if they have spent more than half of their previous grant award, or plan to do so by Sept. 30. Organizations that have received Outdoor Equity Grants for three years in a row are not eligible to apply.

    The OEGP Board is committed to providing funding to organizations that have traditionally been unable to apply for grant programs due to organizational barriers. It encourages organizations of all sizes and with diverse missions to apply, particularly those with experience reaching the youth furthest from outdoor opportunity. The board will provide applicants guidance through a virtual Q&A session on Wednesday, April 30 at 10 a.m. The link to register for the Q&A session can be found on the OEGP website.

    Groups must submit their letters of interest via the online form posted on the OEGP website by June 2. Find out more on the Outdoor Equity Grant Program website: https://cpw.state.co.us/outdoor-equity-grant-program.

    Grant application schedule:

    • April 18, 2025-June 2, 2025 at 5 p.m. MST: Submit a grant interest form
    • April 30, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. MST: Grant interest webinar and Q&A. Register in advance.
    • Aug. 5, 2025-Sept. 30, 2025 at 5 p.m.: Selected applicants submit applications
    • Aug. 26, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. MST: Application webinar and Q&A
    • Dec. 15, 2025: Applicants Notified of Grant Decision
    • March 31, 2026: Grants Disbursed

    ###
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Monroe Capital Corporation Schedules First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, April 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monroe Capital Corporation (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: MRCC) announced today that it will report its first quarter ended March 31, 2025 financial results on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, after the close of the financial markets.

    The Company will host a webcast and conference call to discuss these operating and financial results on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The webcast will be hosted on a webcast link located in the Investor Relations section of our website at http://ir.monroebdc.com/events.cfm. To participate in the conference call, please dial (800) 715-9871 approximately 10 minutes prior to the call. Please reference conference ID # 9094217. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, the webcast will be available for replay on the Company’s website approximately two hours after the event.

    About Monroe Capital Corporation
    Monroe Capital Corporation is a publicly-traded specialty finance company that principally invests in senior, unitranche and junior secured debt and, to a lesser extent, unsecured debt and equity investments in middle-market companies. The Company’s investment objective is to maximize the total return to its stockholders in the form of current income and capital appreciation. The Company’s investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, Monroe Capital BDC Advisors, LLC, which is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and an affiliate of Monroe Capital LLC. To learn more about Monroe Capital Corporation, visit www.monroebdc.com.

    About Monroe Capital LLC
    Monroe Capital LLC (including its subsidiaries and affiliates, together “Monroe”) is a premier asset management firm specializing in private credit markets across various strategies, including direct lending, technology finance, venture debt, alternative credit solutions, structured credit, real estate and equity. Since 2004, the firm has been successfully providing capital solutions to clients in the U.S. and Canada. Monroe prides itself on being a value-added and user-friendly partner to business owners, management, and both private equity and independent sponsors. Monroe’s platform offers a wide variety of investment products for both institutional and high net worth investors with a focus on generating high quality “alpha” returns irrespective of business or economic cycles. The firm is headquartered in Chicago and has 11 locations throughout the United States, Asia and Australia.

    Monroe has been recognized by both its peers and investors with various awards including Private Debt Investor as the 2024 Lower Mid-Market Lender of the Year, Americas and 2023 Lower Mid-Market Lender of the Decade; Inc.’s 2024 Founder-Friendly Investors List; Global M&A Network as the 2023 Lower Mid-Markets Lender of the Year, U.S.A.; DealCatalyst as the 2022 Best CLO Manager of the Year; Korean Economic Daily as the 2022 Best Performance in Private Debt – Mid Cap; Creditflux as the 2021 Best U.S. Direct Lending Fund; and Pension Bridge as the 2020 Private Credit Strategy of the Year. For more information and important disclaimers, please visit www.monroecap.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. Any such statements, other than statements of historical fact, are likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under the Company’s control, and that the Company may or may not have considered; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual developments and results are highly likely to vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future. Such statements speak only as of the time when made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any such statement now or in the future.

    SOURCE:  Monroe Capital Corporation

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Ring Energy Provides Operational Update – Amended to Correct Wells Drilled in First Quarter 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ~ Announces Timing of First Quarter Earnings Conference Call ~

    THE WOODLANDS, Texas, April 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ring Energy, Inc. (NYSE American: REI) (“Ring” or the “Company”) today provided an operational update, including first quarter 2025 oil sales volumes above the high end of the Company’s guidance range and total sales volumes above the midpoint of guidance. The Company also announced the timing of Ring’s quarterly results conference call.

    KEY HIGHLIGHTS

    • Produced over 12,000 barrels of oil per day (“Bo/d”), exceeding high end of guidance;
    • Produced over 18,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day (“Boe/d”), exceeding the midpoint of guidance;
    • Oil production outperformance was driven by the success of Ring’s drilling program, featuring 7 wells (4 horizontal and 3 vertical wells) coming online, all surpassing the Company’s pre-drill estimates;
    • Completed the acquisition of the Central Basin Platform (“CBP”) assets of Lime Rock Resources IV, LP (“Lime Rock”) on March 31, 2025;
      • Highly accretive transaction provides immediate and meaningful increased cash flow from shallow declining, long life, oil weighted assets;
      • Realized initial operational synergies by reducing LOE over 5%;
      • Production during the first two weeks of Ring’s operations exceeded expectations by over 200 Boe/d, averaging over 2,500 Boe/d; and
    • Company has over 6,300 barrels of oil per day hedged with weighted average downside protection of $64.44 per barrel for the remainder of the year, as of April 1, 2025.

    Mr. Paul D. McKinney, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “The first quarter has set a strong foundation for 2025, and we look forward to sharing our full results in early May. Despite some initial weather-related downtime, we are pleased to report that oil sales volumes surpassed our highest projections, thanks to the outstanding performance of the wells drilled this quarter. Every well not only met but exceeded our pre-drill expectations, showcasing our operational excellence. Additionally, we successfully completed our Lime Rock asset acquisition before the quarter’s end, and we are actively integrating these new properties into our portfolio—yielding an impressive 200 Boe/d increase over earlier estimates during the first two weeks of operations. We are confident that these achievements will propel us toward continued success in the upcoming months.”

    Mr. McKinney concluded, “Our value-focused and proven strategy is designed to effectively navigate both high and low commodity price cycles, emphasizing the generation of free cash flow, maintaining a disciplined capital spending program, and prioritizing debt reduction. The flexibility in our contracting terms with drilling rigs and oil field service providers empowers us to quickly adapt our capital spending to stay aligned with our objectives. Our steadfast, value-focused strategy ensures we maintain the discipline and agility needed to navigate price volatility, positioning the Company for enduring success.”

    First Quarter Earnings Conference Call

    Ring plans to issue its first quarter 2025 earnings release after the close of trading on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The Company has scheduled a conference call on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. central standard time to discuss its first quarter 2025 operational and financial results. To participate, interested parties should dial 833-953-2433 at least five minutes before the call is to begin. Please reference the “Ring Energy First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call”. International callers may participate by dialing 412-317-5762. The call will also be webcast and available on Ring’s website at www.ringenergy.com under “Investors” on the “News & Events” page. An audio replay will also be available on the Company’s website following the call.

    ABOUT RING ENERGY, INC.

    Ring Energy, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration, development, and production company with current operations focused on the development of its Permian Basin assets. For additional information, please visit www.ringenergy.com.

    SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements involve a wide variety of risks and uncertainties, and include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s strategy and prospects, including: expected first quarter 2025 sales volumes and capital projects activity levels; the potential impact of and the Company’s efforts to manage commodity price volatility through targeted contracting, hedging and other Company-directed strategies; and, the expected benefits and related timing afforded by the recent completion for the Lime Rock acquisition – all of which are designed to further position the Company for long-term success. The forward-looking statements include the Company’s ability to execute its proven strategy designed to further position the Company for long-term success. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and subject to numerous assumptions and analyses made by Ring and its management considering their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to expectations is subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which are disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and its other SEC filings. Ring undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

    CONTACT INFORMATION

    Al Petrie Advisors
    Al Petrie, Senior Partner
    Phone: 281-975-2146
    Email: apetrie@ringenergy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Texas Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Heat and Winds

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Texas who sustained economic losses due to heat and winds occurring June 1 through Dec. 31, 2024.

    The declaration includes the Texas counties of Andrews, Armstrong, Austin, Bailey, Borden, Brazos, Briscoe, Burleson, Callahan, Castro, Cochran, Coke, Coleman, Collingsworth, Colorado, Concho, Cottle, Crane, Crockett, Crosby, Dawson, Dickens, Donley, Ector, Fayette, Fisher, Floyd, Fort Bend, Gaines, Garza, Glasscock, Gray, Grimes, Hale, Hall, Haskell, Hemphill, Hockley, Howard, Irion, Jones, Kent, King, Lamb, Lee, Lipscomb, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, McCulloch, Menard, Midland, Mitchell, Motley, Nolan, Parmer, Reagan, Roberts, Runnels, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, Sterling, Stonewall, Swisher, Taylor, Terry, Tom Green, Upton, Waller, Ward, Washington, Wharton, Wheeler, Winkler and Yoakum as well as the New Mexico county of Lea and the Oklahoma counties of Beckham, Ellis and Roger Mills.

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

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

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

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

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

    Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than Dec. 11, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: XploraDEX Presale Enters Final 72 Hours – Last Call Before XRP’s First AI Decentralized Exchange Goes Live

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, Switzerland, April 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With just 72 hours left on the clock, the presale for XploraDEX’s $XPL Token has entered its final and most intense phase. What began as one of the most ambitious launches on XRPL is now transforming into a full-blown movement, as traders, whales, and DeFi pioneers scramble to secure their position before the door shuts for good.

    XploraDEX is not just a new decentralized exchange. It’s a smart trading ecosystem powered by artificial intelligence, designed specifically for the XRP Ledger. The platform promises to usher in a new generation of on-chain trading, where decisions are informed by predictive analytics, behavior-based automation, and real-time machine learning insights.

    Join $XPL Presale

    Over the past two weeks, XploraDEX has captured the attention of the wider crypto community. What started with grassroots momentum quickly evolved into a presale frenzy. Today, over 96% of the $XPL allocation has been claimed, with new participants arriving by the minute as FOMO reaches a boiling point.

    The $XPL token is the core of this revolution. Holders gain access to a suite of premium tools and benefits, including:

    • AI-generated market analysis and trade execution signals
    • Automated strategy deployment based on user risk profiles
    • Access to private staking pools and yield opportunities
    • Launchpad participation for future XRPL-based token sales
    • Protocol governance rights that let holders help shape the platform

    Participate in $XPL Presale

    But beyond features, what’s truly driving this rush is timing. XploraDEX is launching at a pivotal moment when demand for advanced, efficient DeFi solutions on XRPL is skyrocketing. Unlike traditional DEXs that rely on outdated methods and guesswork, XploraDEX provides data-driven precision that adapts with the market.

    In the final 72 hours of the presale, activity has spiked across all fronts. The XploraDEX Telegram is flooded with new users, Twitter mentions are trending, and high-value wallets continue to deploy capital into $XPL. This is no longer just a presale—it’s the tipping point before a historic launch.

    Once the sale ends, $XPL will debut on XRPL-based DEXs at a significantly higher valuation. Platform rollout will begin immediately, starting with staking, AI beta modules, and liquidity farming. Those who acted early will gain not just token value, but first access to the most intelligent trading interface XRPL has ever seen.

    Buy $XPL Token Now

    This is your last call to move early, think long-term, and be part of a smarter wave of DeFi. In 72 hours, this chapter closes—and the next one belongs to those who made the leap.

    Join the $XPL Presale While You Still Can: https://sale.xploradex.io

    Stay connected and Join the XploraDEX AI Revolution

    Website | $XPL Token Presale | X | Telegram

    Contact:
    Oliver Muller
    oliver@xploradex.io
    contact@xploradex.io

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the XploraDEX. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

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