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Category: MIL-OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Capgemini SE: Neutralization of the 2024 ESOP dilutive impact

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Media relations:
    Victoire Grux
    Tel.: +33 6 04 52 16 55
    victoire.grux@capgemini.com

    Investor relations:
    Vincent Biraud
    Tel.: +33 1 47 54 50 87
    vincent.biraud@capgemini.com

    Capgemini’s eleventh Employee Share Ownership Plan:
    share buyback to neutralize dilution

    Paris, October 8, 2024 – As part of its eleventh Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP), Capgemini is announcing the launch of a share buyback to neutralize the shareholder dilution associated with this plan.

    Capgemini will allocate in advance the proceeds of this eleventh ESOP plan – which takes the form of a capital increase reserved for employees – to the repurchase of existing shares. This share buyback operation is designed to neutralize the shareholder dilution resulting from the capital increase and will take place before December 19, 2024, the date on which the capital increase will become effective. On this date, employee shareholding will be increased by a maximum of 2.7 million shares (representing 1.56% of existing share capital), with no material impact on the Group’s cash position and no significant dilution of existing shareholders.

    On October 8, 2024, Capgemini SE entered into a share buyback agreement with an investment services provider, which is also the institution structuring the employee share ownership plan. Capgemini has thus undertaken to buy back its own shares, up to a limit of 2.7 million shares and 675 million euros, for the purpose of cancellation. The main terms and conditions of the share buyback agreement are detailed in the appendix to this press release.

    As a reminder, this share buyback transaction follows the announcement on September 11, 2024 of the launch of the eleventh ESOP plan and the decision by Capgemini SE’s Board of Directors to authorize a dedicated share buyback program. The terms of these two transactions fall within the scope of authorizations granted by the Shareholders’ Meeting of May 16, 2024.

    DISCLAIMER
    This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements may include projections, estimates, assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and/or expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations and services and product development, as well as statements, regarding future performance or events. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans”, “projects”, “may”, “would”, “should” or the negatives of these terms and similar expressions. Although Capgemini’s management currently believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties (including, without limitation, risks identified in Capgemini’s Universal Registration Document available on Capgemini’s website), because they relate to future events and depend on future circumstances that may or may not occur and may be different from those anticipated, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Capgemini. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those expressed in, implied by or projected by forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not intended to and do not give any assurances or comfort as to future events or results. Other than as required by applicable law, Capgemini does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

    This press release does not contain or constitute an offer of securities for sale or an invitation or inducement to invest in securities in France, the United States or any other jurisdiction.

    ABOUT CAPGEMINI
    Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2023 global revenues of €22.5 billion.

    Get the Future You Want | http://www.capgemini.com

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    APPENDIX

    Main terms and conditions of the share buyback agreement

    Capgemini SE undertakes to buy back its own shares up to a limit of 2,700,000 shares and 675 000 000 euros, with a view to cancelling them. The price per share to be paid will be calculated based on the volume-weighted average daily share prices over a maximum period of 20 trading days starting on October 10, 2024, and corresponding to the period for setting the reference price of the shares to be issued under the new ESOP plan.

    Share buyback transactions by the investment services provider under this agreement will cease no later than November 6, 2024.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trad wives hearken back to an imagined past of white Christian womanhood

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Brandi Estey-Burtt, Fellow with the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Narrative; part-time lecturer in English Literature, St. Thomas University (Canada)

    As with many social media trends, trad wives have sparked debate and criticism about their content and who it is meant for. (Flickr/SportSuburban), CC BY

    If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram recently, you’ve likely come across trad wives. The trend features videos of young women influencers showcasing their domestic lives as trad or “traditional” wives.

    The clips see them performing domestic activities that have traditionally been seen as the role of wives and mothers: taking care of the home, raising children, baking from scratch and even homesteading.

    As with many social media trends, #tradwife has sparked debate and criticism about the content and who it is meant for. There have been attempts to chart the origins and history of the trad wives, their nostalgia for the past and their highly estheticized content.

    There are connections to “momfluencers,” the “girl bosses” of the early 2010s and a general backlash against capitalism and the demands for feminized labour. However, there is an equally strong link to fundamentalist Christianity and concerns about white womanhood.

    As scrutiny grows, especially given the uproar caused by the recent profile of trad wife Hannah Neeleman, also known as Ballerina Farm, one other connection bears consideration: Christian romance fiction.

    Many of the characters of this genre of fiction display key qualities of trad wives.

    In recent decades, Christian evangelicals have used cultural tools such as fiction and now social media to romanticize the lifestyle of white, westernized femininity. The stories often contain an emphasis on restricted public and domestic roles for women based on narrow ideas of biblical womanhood. In this way, such characters can be viewed as cultural predecessors to the trad wives.

    Christian romance and purity

    Mostly marketed to women, the genre gained ground with the publication of Canadian author Janette Oke’s first historical romance novel in 1979. The market for such fiction rapidly expanded, and the genre developed as consumer appetite grew. For example, Amish and Mennonite sub-genres have become very popular since American novelist Beverly Lewis began publishing in the late 1990s.

    Though the genre of Christian romance fiction (or inspiration fiction as it is sometimes called) spans many different sub-genres and historical periods, it contains repeated themes about personal faith, sexual purity and heterosexual marriage. These themes encode gender and racial overtones within stories that focus predominantly on white women characters.

    The sexual norms of these stories are not surprising, given longstanding Christian evangelical interest in how religious and sexual purity are meshed together.

    Purity culture sets out highly prescriptive notions of sex, sexuality and gender roles. Scholars of religion such as Sara Moslener tie these norms directly to white Christian nationalist ideas of femininity. Religious notions of sexual purity become linked to racial purity through a concern for maintaining the integrity of the body of the white woman as well as the body of the nation against the threat of racialized others.

    It’s no surprise that both Christian romance fiction and trad wives are overwhelmingly white, and that a number of trad wives have been documented as possessing links to the far right.

    Romanticizing a mythical past

    Theology professor Emily McGowin has noted how the “tradwife trend looks to a mythic past where everyone knew their role.” Writer Kathryn Jezer-Morton points out that trad wives uphold a romanticized notion of the past that is actually a fantasy. They often wear outfits that look like they are from the 1950s or a previous colonial era, and there is no clear definition of what the “trad wife” label is.

    What and whose tradition are these fantasies representing? Certainly not all women, including many racialized and poor women who have never had the option of staying home. This nostalgic re-imagining of a very complex past whitewashes history and ignores how women had few legal or reproductive rights over their own bodies, finances or domestic lives.

    So, too, have Christian romances fantasized about different historical moments, often in American history. There is a decidedly white Christian supremacist undertone to many of these stories. They often reiterate the goodness of westward expansionism in North America and erase (or use as a plot device) the physical and cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples across the continent. This is also true of Oke’s work, which features “pioneer” (settler) narratives and romanticizes the RCMP, a problem that continues in television adaptations of her books.

    The Amish and Mennonite sub-genre further romanticizes what non-Amish and non-Mennonite authors portray as pre-modern (or even anti-modern) lifestyles. In these novels, there is little technology, an emphasis on agrarianism and homesteading, and hardly any physical contact among potential couples.

    As one reviewer who grew up Amish puts it, at times it feels like romance writers and readers “superimpose their values on the Amish.” In other words, many Christian romance novels offer feel-good fantasies about an imagined past. This fantasy has little basis in how women — especially women of colour and Indigenous women — experienced those historical periods.

    Like the social media accounts of trad wives, the sub-genre focuses on the aesthetics of a lifestyle rather than the very real legal, domestic, financial and racial implications of that life for women.

    Marketing romance — and tradition

    Romance fiction is often mocked as not being “serious” literature, but romance writers or readers are not necessarily passive or ignorant. Readers consume romances for a vast array of complex reasons, their faith or their relationships to romantic partners being only part of the mix.

    However, the Christian romance genre is a publishing and marketing phenomenon, one that has sold millions upon millions of copies across North America alone. These romance novels are sold not just in niche Christian bookstores but in big box stores — even grocery store check-outs.

    As Historian Daniel Silliman notes, the romance fiction genre was part of a larger Christian publishing boom that began in the 1950s in the United States. Fiction became an integral part of evangelical identity and an imagined community. It also played a crucial role in how evangelicals engaged with broader theological, cultural and political currents, though scholars question whether fiction shaped or reflected this engagement.

    Their concerns about cultural change — be it sexual, demographic, or otherwise — influence their fiction. Literature and religion professor Christopher Douglas makes the crucial point that evangelical Christians don’t just “get their knowledge primarily through fact sheets or decontextualized data, but rather through the power of narrative.”

    Christian romance fiction may not have caused the current iteration of trad wives, but its highly visible place in popular culture deserves greater scrutiny. These romance stories have contributed to ideas of westernized femininity that are notably white and decidedly constraining. They also provide romanticized visions of the past that lay a fictional groundwork for the appeal, and wide acceptance, that trad wives now enjoy on social media.

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

    – ref. Trad wives hearken back to an imagined past of white Christian womanhood – https://theconversation.com/trad-wives-hearken-back-to-an-imagined-past-of-white-christian-womanhood-239999

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: General Vice President Gary Allen Visits Boeing Strike Line: A Stand for Justice, Solidarity, and Against Corporate Greed

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    In a powerful show of support for workers’ rights, IAM General Vice Presidents Gary R. Allen, Sam Cicinelli, and David Sullivan made a significant visit to the Boeing strike line. Their visit underscored key themes central to labor movements: the fight for justice, solidarity among workers, and a stand against corporate greed. As the workers continued their strike, calling for fair wages, better working conditions, and improved benefits, their presence was a rallying cry—a reminder that their struggle is part of a broader movement against the exploitation of labor by massive corporations.

    At the heart of the strike is a profound sense of injustice. Boeing workers have contributed immeasurably to the success of one of the largest aerospace companies in the world. Yet, while Boeing has seen soaring profits and a booming order book, the employees who have made this success possible are being shortchanged. Workers are demanding equitable compensation, fair benefits, and a voice in shaping the terms of their employment—core rights in any just society.

    Their presence on the strike line was not only symbolic of the union’s commitment to justice but also a reminder of the deep history of labor movements fighting for workers’ rights.

    “Brothers Jon Holden and Brandon Bryant along with their staff are doing a tremendous job keeping these workers united,” said Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “This strike is not just about Boeing. It’s about workers everywhere standing up and saying, ‘No more!’ It’s about justice for the working class, solidarity in the face of division, and an unwavering stance against the greed of corporate America.”

    One of the most profound aspects of the labor movement has always been solidarity, and this visit was a testament to that principle. The workers on the Boeing strike line, though facing a daunting challenge, were far from alone. Their fight is the fight of all workers, and this collective spirit was palpable when they arrived. As they joined the line, shaking hands with picketers and listening to their concerns, it was clear that the bond between union leadership and the rank-and-file workers was strong.

    The workers on the line echoed that sentiment, sharing their pride in standing shoulder to shoulder with their colleagues. Their message was clear: an injury to one is an injury to all. They understand that their strike is part of a much larger struggle for fairness, not just for themselves, but for workers everywhere who are being squeezed by corporate greed.

    Corporate greed remains a defining theme of the strike. Boeing, like many corporations, has placed profit above people, continually seeking ways to maximize earnings at the expense of those who fuel its success. Despite the massive profits and executive bonuses, workers were being asked to accept inadequate pay raises, while executives pocketed millions. This glaring disparity was at the core of the workers’ grievances.

    The stark contrast between the wealth of Boeing’s leadership and the day-to-day struggles of its workers only fueled the resolve on the strike line. As corporate executives grow richer, the workers who build the planes, who work in the factories, who make Boeing’s success possible, are fighting just to receive fair treatment. For them, this strike is not just a dispute over wages and benefits—it is a battle against the larger trend of corporations squeezing the middle class in pursuit of ever-growing profits.

    As the workers continue their fight, buoyed by the support of their union and leaders like GVP Allen Cicinelli, and Sullivan, they carry with them the knowledge that they are on the right side of history. The Boeing strike is not just a moment in time—it’s a movement for justice and fairness that will continue to inspire workers across the nation.

    GVP Allen was also presented with a plaque from IAM Local 63 for his unwavering support for workers’ and human rights.

    “I am truly humbled to be recognized by Local 63,” said General Vice President Allen. “I am grateful for their gesture and words can’t truly describe what it means to me.”

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  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM is Here to Help Members Impacted by Hurricane Milton

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    As Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the IAM is committed to providing immediate assistance and resources to its affected members.

    If you’re an IAM member and suffer property damage from the storm, you can apply for assistance from the IAM Disaster Relief Fund here.

    To address urgent needs, the IAM encourages its members impacted by the hurricane to apply for support through the IAM Disaster Relief Fund. This fund is specifically designed to provide assistance in times of natural disasters, helping members and their families navigate through hardships.

    Apply for assistance here.

    The IAM is ready to help!

    1. Contact your Local 
    2. A Territory Representative will contact you with more information
    3. Funds will be distributed to you based on a damage assessment 

    Click here for more information.

    Additionally, all IAM members can obtain confidential help through the IAM Employee/Member Assistance Program. Services include, but are not limited to, addictions, mental health, stress, depression, and financial hardship. You can reach the confidential IAM Assistance Helpline by calling 301-335-0735 or emailing iameap@iamaw.org.

    DONATE

    The IAM Disaster Relief Fund provides assistance in situations where our members and their families endure hardships due to natural disasters. 

    The IAM reacts quickly to these needs before other sources of assistance are available. This is not possible without the support of those who have committed to keeping the IAM Disaster Relief Fund vibrant and healthy.

    Make a contribution today through the IAM Disaster Relief Fund.

    The Disaster Relief Fund is able to provide immediate financial assistance to IAM members impacted by natural disasters. The IAM is often there before most monetary relief efforts can react.

    Donate Today! 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Ageas and BNP Paribas: Transparency notification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Ageas and BNP Paribas: Transparency notification

    In accordance with the rules on financial transparency*, BNP Paribas has notified Ageas on 3 October 2024 that, on 3 October 2024, its interest has exceeded the legal threshold of 10% of the shares issued by Ageas. BNP Paribas’ current shareholding stands at 10,91%.

    Reason for the notification
    Acquisition or disposal of voting securities or voting rights

    Notification by
    A parent undertaking or a controlling person

    Persons subject to the notification requirement
    See annex 1a

    Date on which the threshold is crossed
    3 October 2024

    Threshold that is crossed (in %)
    10%

    Denominator
    187,971,187

    Notified details
    See annex 1 b

    Chain of controlled undertakings through which the holding is effectively held, if applicable
    The full chain of command can be found on https://www.ageas.com/investors/shareholders

    Additional information
    This transparency notification is intended to declare that BNP Paribas S.A. has crossed, on a consolidated basis, the 10% threshold upwards. This transparency notification is made in connection with the transaction announced by BNP Paribas S.A. and Fosun Group on April 14, 2024. The 3,473,271 shares (1.85%) in the capital of Ageas held by BNP Paribas Fortis SA/NV are pledged to the benefit of holders of the “CASHES” (bonds exchangeable for Ageas shares) as security for BNP Paribas Fortis SA/NV’s obligation to deliver such shares to holders of CASHES upon the exercise of their right of exchange against Ageas shares pursuant to the terms and conditions of such instruments. The voting rights associated with these Ageas shares are suspended. In accordance with Article 10, §4 of the Law of May 2, 2007 on the disclosure of major shareholdings in issuers whose shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market, voting rights held in trading books are not taken into account in this transparency notification.

    This press release and the notifications received by Ageas are available on the website.

    * article 14, paragraph 1 of the law of 2 May 2007 on disclosure of major holdings us provisions.

    Ageas is a listed international insurance Group with a heritage spanning 200 years. It offers Retail and Business customers Life and Non-Life insurance products designed to suit their specific needs, today and tomorrow, and is also engaged in reinsurance activities. As one of Europe’s larger insurance companies, Ageas concentrates its activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the major part of the global insurance market. It operates successful insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Portugal, Türkiye, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long term partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors. Ageas ranks among the market leaders in the countries in which it operates. It represents a staff force of about 50,000 people and reported annual inflows of EUR 17.1 billion in 2023.

     Annexes can be found in pdf version.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Applauds Final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today applauded the Biden Administration’s final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI).

    “Clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right, and the science is clear – no amount of lead in drinking water is safe. There are millions of people across the country that don’t even know if they are drinking lead, and I’ve had parents come up to me with tears in their eyes, worried for the wellbeing of their children because of the lead in school water,” Dingell said. “I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued commitment to replacing every lead service line in our country to guarantee access to safe water for every community and finally give peace of mind to families.”

    The final rule requires drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements also require more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold for communities to take action on lead in drinking water to protect people from lead exposure. In addition, the final rule improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes, and plans for replacing them. This final rule delivers on President Biden’s clear vision to replace every lead pipe in the country within a decade, making sure that all communities can turn on the tap and drink clean water.  

    Earlier this year, Dingell joined colleagues in writing to the Biden-Harris Administration urging them to strengthen their initial Lead and Copper Rule proposal, and to promptly issue a final rule. Dingell championed the inclusion of $15 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to replace lead service lines and provide cleaner drinking water. She also led the Water Access Act that would direct $500 million to the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) for Fiscal Year 2024. LIHWAP provides critical funding for low-income households with their water and wastewater bills. 

    Alongside the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, EPA is announcing $2.6 billion in newly available drinking water infrastructure funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding will flow through the drinking water state revolving funds (SRFs) and is available to support lead-related activities, including lead pipe replacement projects. Additionally, 49% of the funding must be provided to disadvantaged communities as grants or other investments that do not have to be repaid. EPA is also announcing the availability of $35 million in competitive grant funding for reducing lead in drinking water. Communities are invited to apply directly for grant funding through this program.

    Lead in drinking water irreparably harms the health of children and adults and disproportionately impacts lower-income communities and communities of color. Legacy lead pipes, which have delivered drinking water to homes for decades, have exposed generations of Americans to toxic lead and will continue to do so until they are removed. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and funding programs like the Drinking Water State Revolving fund (DWSRF) and Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) have made historic federal investment available to remove lead pipes. To complement this historic opportunity, EPA’s technical assistance programs are helping disadvantaged communities access funding.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Recognizes 350 Employees at Secretary’s Award Ceremony in Washington D.C.

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Recognizes 350 Employees at Secretary’s Award Ceremony in Washington D.C.

    ASHINGTON – On October 7, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held an awards ceremony hosted at DHS headquarters located at St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast Washington, D.C. where 350 employees received a Secretary’s Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Department’s mission.

    “Every single day, with great determination, integrity, and skill, the 268,000 men and women of the Department of Homeland Security ensure the safety and security of the American people,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Thanks to these extraordinary public servants, our shores, harbors, skies, cyberspace, and borders are protected; fentanyl and other deadly drugs are prevented from entering our country; communities are able to recover and rebuild after a natural disaster; the scourges of human trafficking, forced labor, and online exploitation are mitigated; and so much more. The individuals we recognize today with our Department’s highest honor, the Secretary’s Award, reflect the very best of DHS – and in their selfless dedication to mission, the very best of public service.”

    The DHS Secretary’s Awards are an annual program that recognizes the extraordinary individual and collective achievements of the workforce. The 350 awardees recognized in today’s ceremony represent the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

    “In recognizing these outstanding DHS personnel with a Secretary’s Award, we recognize all our talented personnel; the achievements of one are not possible without the contributions of others,” added Secretary Mayorkas. “We also express our appreciation to their families and loved ones; when one serves, the family serves too.”

    This year’s award recipients developed and issued policy and procedures associated with a whole-scale transition to a new pay system for TSA; launched a series of coordinated and collaborative initiatives, operations and investigations targeting Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and national security threats operating and transiting through the Darien Gap region; arrested over 8,000 human smugglers, produced over 5,000 intelligence reports, and seized over $38M USD in real property; ensured over 2,300 vital alerts and warnings were provided to owners and operators of critical infrastructure to protect against cyberattacks; among many other achievements.

    This year, DHS is holding nine Secretary’s Awards ceremonies across the country, honoring over 1,700 employees, the most annual awardees ever.

    Last year, Secretary Mayorkas unveiled 12 priorities for the Department, including a commitment to champion the workforce and transform the employee experience. DHS has the third largest workforce of any federal department, behind the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department is home to more than 92,000 sworn law enforcement officers, the greatest number of law enforcement officers of any department in the federal government. DHS has committed to increasing the representation of women in law enforcement or related occupations at DHS to 30% by 2030. Over 54,000 veterans, or nearly 21% of the workforce, continue serving their country by working at DHS.

    DHS operational components interact more frequently on a daily basis with the American public than any other federal department, from travelers moving through air, land, and sea ports of entry, to businesses importing goods into the country, to immigrants applying for services. To learn more about the impact DHS makes every day, visit: DHS.gov/TodayDHSWill.

    Last year, DHS improved the efficiency of processing noncitizens at the Southwest Border, deployed across the country to respond to natural disasters, investigated cybercrimes, created a new streamlined process for adjudicating asylum applications, safely and securely resettled nearly 90,000 evacuated Afghans in the United States, provided resources for organizations to enhance their cybersecurity resilience, established a process for Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge, secured the 2022 midterm elections, and demonstrated heroism by acting quickly and courageously to save lives in harrowing circumstances.

    For the full list of awardees, visit 2024 Secretary’s Awards | Homeland Security (dhs.gov).  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Order.co Recognized in Spend Matters ‘50 Providers to Watch’ List

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Order.co, a leading procurement and accounts payable automation software, today announced that it has been selected for Spend Matters ‘50 Providers to Watch’ list for the fifth consecutive year.

    Since its founding in 2016, Order.co’s commitment to streamlining procurement processes and enhancing efficiency has earned it consistent recognition from Spend Matters as a top innovator in the space.

    Spend Matters tracks some 1,500+ procurement and supply chain technology and services providers. Each year, its analysts evaluate market data to build an exclusive list recognizing fast-rising companies that develop innovative products in the market. While reviewing providers, Spend Matters was particularly impressed by Order.co’s ability to transform businesses’ purchasing and payment experiences through cutting-edge features.

    “Order.co integrates external purchasing content from any website or marketplace into a master catalog without requiring an API, helping SMEs manage and control spend centrally,” said Xavier Olivera, Lead Analyst at Spend Matters. “It also consolidates multiple invoices into one, streamlining accounts payable processes and reducing workload. This makes it an interesting solution for enhancing procurement and financial management.”

    Receiving this acknowledgment underscores Order.co’s ongoing commitment to saving businesses time and money through a revolutionary approach to procurement. “We are incredibly proud to be selected for Spend Matters ‘50 to Watch’ list for the fifth year in a row,” said Zach Garippa, CEO & Co-Founder of Order.co. “This continued acknowledgment is a reflection of our commitment to simplify buying for businesses and our unique approach to solving this problem. Through a combination of our single ecommerce storefront, AI, and powerful network effects, hundreds of companies are able to rely on us to predict and solve problems along their entire purchasing journey, while saving them time and money every step of the way.”

    About Order.co

    Order.co is a procurement and accounts payable automation software that helps businesses cut costs and complexity with every order. Hundreds of companies, like WeWork and Hugo Boss, leverage Order.co to centralize purchase-to-pay workflows, scale operations efficiently, gain total control over spending, and save an average of 5% on products.

    Founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York City, Order.co has raised $50M in funding from industry-leading investors like MIT, Stage 2 Capital, Rally Ventures, 645 Ventures, and more. To learn more, please visit https://www.order.co

    About Spend Matters

    Spend Matters is the leading solution intelligence source for procurement and supply chain professionals. Combining deep technology analysis and tailored advisory services with daily news coverage and subscription research, Spend Matters is trusted by CPOs, consultants, investors and solution providers alike as their procurement technology intelligence partner. Learn more at https://spendmatters.com/

    View the full “50 Providers to Watch” list here: https://spendmatters.com/procurement-tech-recognition/ 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Urges HHS to Strengthen IV Supply Chain to Prevent Shortages

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) on Friday sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra urging the administration to take action to ensure health care providers have access to necessary medical supplies to prevent a shortage of intravenous (IV) fluid.

    “I am thankful for the coordination of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response (ASPR), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the wake of Hurricane Helene,” Dingell wrote. “This includes the work of ASPR in deploying approximately 200 personnel to North Carolina, including health care situational assessment teams, who are assessing the storm’s impacts on hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers and other health care facilities. Baxter’s International’s North Cove manufacturing site, which primarily makes IV and peritoneal dialysis solutions, in Marion, North Carolina, has been one of the hardest hit by Hurricane Helene. The rapid rain and storm surge resulted in water permeating the facility.”

    “Baxter International produces 60% of the national supply of IV solutions, and the hurricane’s impact on accessing the site’s supply has sounded alarms for a potential shortage. Baxter is actively working with local, state, and federal officials on plans to access the inventory in the facility and begin transfers of salvageable product out of the facility,” Dingell continued. “However, due to their constrained inventory, Baxter has begun implementing allocation limits on certain products to hospitals and other medical facilities based on their historical ordering from March through August of this year. Hospitals remain very concerned this situation will spiral into a nationwide shortage of critical IV products.”

    “Natural disasters often have effects beyond the horrific destruction and loss of life throughout the southeastern part of our country,” Dingell concluded. “This supply chain disruption is a grave reminder of the interconnection of our government and society – maintaining communication and cooperating through these adversities is the best solution to care for our communities.”

    Specifically, Dingell requested answers to the following questions:

    1. Baxter has begun implementing allocation limits on their products to ration IV products for the hospitals. What is being done to oversee the allocation process to ensure fairness throughout the country?
    2. We understand that HHS, FDA, and Baxter and working with manufacturers to ensure their operating at maximum capacity. Do you anticipate that this is enough to maintain the current need of hospitals and other medical facilities?
    3. In Baxter’s North Cove site in Marion, North Carolina, there are tens of thousands of pallets of product waiting to be distributed. Has any of this product been damaged? If so, what are you doing to ensure damaged products are not sent to hospitals and other medical facilities?
    4. If the Baxter site in North Carolina is unable to help provide the necessary IV solution to hospitals, what will HHS, ASPR, and FDA do to help meet demand?
    5. Do you expect this situation to result in an official shortage of IV fluids?
    6. Have you heard from hospitals canceling or postponing surgeries due to a lack of available IV fluids?
    7. Are you considering invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA) Title I authorities?
    8. How can Congress help in assisting the diversification and risk management of this supply chain?
    9. How can the agency best to diversify this supply chain and what funding is needed to help mitigate risk?
    10. How can the Center for Industrial Based Management & Supply Chain engage with stakeholders to optimize our IV solution supply chain to withstand severe weather events? If one company’s plant is shut down and causes such a shortage, what steps can be taken to alleviate this stressor?

    View the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lakeland Man Charged with 10 Counts of Bank Fraud

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

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Abraham Othman Yacoub (26, Lakeland) with 10 counts of bank fraud. Yacoub faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Yacoub that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $181,540.51, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

    According to the indictment, from at least January 2021 until approximately February 2023, Yacoub made dozens of fraudulent deposits and withdrawals on behalf of his companies, Visionary Auto Body LLC, and Visionary Auto Care LLC, at financial institutions throughout the Middle District of Florida. Yacoub opened and maintained business bank accounts in the name of his companies and executed two primary fraud schemes.

    In the first scheme, Yacoub deposited the same previously deposited checks into various business banking accounts that he controlled at different financial institutions, knowing that the checks had previously been deposited and paid, causing the victim banks to credit his accounts for the amount of the check.

    In the second scheme, Yacoub drafted fraudulent business checks from closed business bank accounts and then deposit these checks into other active business banking accounts that he controlled, causing the banks to credit him with the amount of the fraudulent business check.

    Under both schemes Yacoub attempted to withdraw, transfer, or otherwise spend the funds credited to his accounts before the financial institution realized that the checks were fraudulent.

    Yacoub is currently in federal custody. On July 31, 2024, he was sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison for violating airport security requirements and attempted possession of a dangerous weapon on an aircraft after bringing a Glock 19 and assorted ammunition into Tampa International Airport.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lakeland Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years

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

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Donnell Leeman Moore, Jr. (37, Lakeland) to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and distributing methamphetamine and cocaine. The court also ordered Moore to forfeit a firearm, which was used in the conspiracy. Moore entered a guilty plea on July 17, 2024.

    According to court documents, between June 2021 and September 2023, Moore conspired with several co-conspirators to distribute narcotics from Moore’s industrial garage in Lakeland. Moore distributed cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other narcotics. As part of the investigation, agents identified the co-conspirators and seized hundreds of grams of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Agents also recovered a firearm and packaging materials in Moore’s garage. 

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Charges During January 6 Capitol Breach

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

               WASHINGTON— A New Jersey man was sentenced to prison today after he was previously convicted of felony and misdemeanor charges, including for assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

               Michael Oliveras, 51, of Lindenwold, New Jersey, was sentenced to five years – or 60 months – in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell.

               A federal jury convicted Oliveras of three felonies in November of 2023, including civil disorder; obstruction of an official proceeding; and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. In addition to the felonies, Oliveras was convicted of misdemeanor offenses of entering or remaining in a restricted building; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

               Judge Howell sentenced Oliveras on two felonies, including civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, and the misdemeanor offenses.

               According to the government’s evidence, Oliveras traveled to Washington, D.C. prepared for “war on January 6” because he wanted to stop the certification of the Presidential election. At the Capitol, he swarmed and helped attack a unit of police officers on the West front, engaged in a brawl with officers on the West Terrace, and entered the U.S. Capitol twice—and attempted to enter a third time—during the riot, all while repeatedly calling for the execution of “traitors,” i.e., lawmakers, and encouraging rioters to drag members of Congress out “by their hair.” Oliveras documented many of his actions videos he took himself.

               Oliveras posted to his Parler social media account that he booked a hotel room close to the Capitol building to scope out the area ahead of time. On Jan. 6, 2021, Oliveras posted to his Parler social media account, “Nothing can stop [wh]at is coming.”

               After attending the ‘Stop the Steal” rally, Oliveras marched to the Capitol at 1:00 p.m. where he spent more than five hours on the grounds and inside the building. Carrying a flagpole with an American flag, he began on the West front, where he joined rioters swarming and attacking police officers. At about 2:22 p.m. – less than 10 minutes after the Senate Wing Door initially was breached – Oliveras entered the Capitol building and marched towards the Crypt. While marching through the Capitol building, he recorded himself in video footage in several areas of the building repeatedly yelling things like, “WHERE ARE THEY? WHERE ARE THE F—-ING TRAITORS? DRAG THEM OUT BY THEIR F—-ING HAIR!”

               At 2:24 p.m., Oliveras boasted on Parler “I am inside the capital.”

               Officers temporarily drove Oliveras out of the Capitol, but he reentered the building minutes later through the Senate Wing Door. Once inside the second time, Oliveras encouraged the other rioters who were pouring into the building.

               After police ejected him a second time, Oliveras attempted a third entry, during which he stood in a doorway and shouted to rioters to “PUSH” and exclaimed, “WE WANT THOSE F—ING TRAITORS!” Oliveras, still wielding his flagpole, then joined a group resisting the officers who were trying to clear the upper Northwest terrace. As Oliveras shot video, an altercation broke out between the mob and police. Oliveras refused repeated commands from officers to “back up!” Instead, Oliveras stepped forward and forcefully pushed into officers. The fighting continued as rioters pulled officers to the ground.

               Only after officers deployed chemical irritant did Oliveras turn and move away. Still, Oliveras was not done. He stood nearby as police forced additional rioters North, shouting, “EVERYTHING AROUND HERE CHANGES FROM THIS DAY F—ING FORWARD!”

               Officers eventually cleared the area, but Oliveras did not leave the Capitol grounds. Instead, he marched to the opposite side of the building and encouraged other rioters as they destroyed media equipment. Oliveras remained at the Capitol until into the evening hours, and only left when officers finally gained control of the area and pushed the last remaining rioters, Oliveras included, off the grounds.

               After returning to New Jersey, Oliveras posted on social media about his trip to Washington, D.C.: “Did we want to get our bare hands on the flesh of those who have committed treason? Yes. Would I, as one of those red blooded americans, if the opportunity presented itself, grasped and removed one of those traitors? Yes.”

               On Jan. 8, 2021, Oliveras posted, “Patriots. Are any of you discouraged. What you saw in the senate. Was precisely what we want. Insurrection acts in motion.”

               The FBI arrested Oliveras on Dec. 9, 2021, in New Jersey.

               Since his arrest, Oliveras has repeatedly joined YouTube airings and exclaimed that he is not sorry for his actions and he would “do it again.”

               This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

                This case was investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security.

               In the 44 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,504 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 560 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

               Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Charges Filed Against Alleged Stalker Who Distributed Revenge Porn, Threatened, and Fired Shots at Ex-Girlfriend

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

                WASHINGTON – A U.S. District Court grand jury returned a 27-count superseding indictment today charging Nahvarj Mills, 31, of Brandywine, MD, with stalking, disseminating non-consensual pornography, and numerous firearms charges related to three shootings. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Mills is charged with cyberstalking in violation of a protective order; cyberstalking; interstate stalking in violation of a protection order; interstate stalking in violation of a protection order – emotional distress, use of a dangerous weapon; two counts of interstate stalking in violation of a protection order – bodily injury, emotional distress, use of a dangerous weapon; interstate violation of a protection order; three counts of interstate violation of a protection, use of a dangerous weapon; three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; interstate communications with intent to extort; assault with intent to kill while armed; three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon; three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence; and four counts of first degree unlawful publication.

                Mills has been detained since February 2024.

                According to court documents, Mills and the alleged victim, his former significant other, began dating in approximately December 2022. Mills physically abused the victim on multiple occasions. In approximately the summer of 2023, the victim ended the relationship with Mills. Angry about the breakup, Mills began contacting the victim by phone. He appeared uninvited at her workplace in Maryland and at her home in the District. Mills threatened to distribute sexually explicit images of the victim and then he made good on his threat.

                On November 23, 2023, the victim received text messages stating in part, “Got no job, got no kids, got no family. I have nothing to do. But what I do have, is the money to keep bothering you.”

                Around December 31, 2023, the victim received 30 phone calls from “No Caller ID.” The calls followed an attempt by the victim to meet up with Mills in an effort to make amends. Those efforts ended when Mills pulled out a gun and pointed it at the victim’s head.

                On January 2, 2024, the victim reported Mills’ conduct to the MPD and filed a petition for a Civil Protection Order (CPO). The victim’s mother subsequently electronically served Mills with a Temporary Protection Order at his known phone number. In the same conversation, Mills sent the mother numerous sexually explicit photos and videos of the victim. Mills also wrote, “I can easily pull this .40 trigger,” followed by photos of a firearm and ammunition that appear consistent with the .40 caliber firearm and ammunition later recovered from Mills’ home pursuant to a residential search warrant.

                Also in early January, Mills allegedly created a fake Instagram account in the victim’s name. The victim then received several messages from the account threatening to disseminate sexually explicit images and videos of her. Mills later made good on his threat and sent out the images and videos to several individuals who knew the victim. On January 6, 2024, Ring camera footage captured footage of a man believed to be Mills outside the victim’s home. The man spread typed-out paragraphs containing threatening messages along with explicit images. A few days later, on January 11, 2024, the victim found more sexually explicit photos on her lawn.

                On January 19, 2024, a D.C. Superior Court Judge granted a CPO, which ordered Mills to stay away from the victim, her home, her workplace, her vehicle, and her family.

                On January 20, 2024, Mills again spread sexually explicit images outside the victim’s home. On this occasion, the victim personally observed Mills in her front yard and saw him return to a vehicle along with another individual.

                Also on January 20, 2024, Mills allegedly spread sexually explicit images outside another victim’s home. He also reportedly sent numerous unwanted and threatening text messages and made unwanted calls to this victim. Mills is now charged with one count of cyberstalking in connection with this victim.

                The campaign of stalking and violence against the first victim escalated further in late January 2024. Three separate shootings targeted the victim’s bedroom on January 21, 22, and 23. The third shooting occurred after Mills called the victim and threatened to kill her.

                On January 26, 2024, Mills returned to the victim’s home where police arrested him and charged him with violating the protection order. Once again, the court ordered Mills to stay away from the victim and not contact her. Nonetheless, Mills made continued efforts to contact the victim.

                On February 7, 2024, Mills was arrested pursuant to a warrant issued by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Mills has been detained since his arrest on February 7, 2024.On July 18, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned an initial seven-count indictment, and Mills was transferred to federal custody.

                This case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Washington D.C., the FBI’s Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Metropolitan Police Department. 

               This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Houck, Marco Crocetti and Caroline Burrell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

    ##

    24cr332

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Scheme to Defraud Distressed Homeowners Out of $15 Million Nets Virginia Man 60 Months

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

                WASHINGTON –Terrylle Blackstone, 37, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in federal prison for participating in a conspiracy that fraudulently promised thousands of homeowners across the U.S. legal help in avoiding foreclosure. The scheme generated at least $15 million for the conspirators but never provided any legal services to the client-victims.

                The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office.

                Blackstone pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024, to a count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud before U.S District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss. In addition to the prison term, Judge Moss ordered Blackstone to serve three years of supervised release and pay $159,145.35 in restitution.

                According to court documents, from January 2018 until February 2021, Blackstone worked with attorneys David Maresca of Virginia, Scott Marinelli of New Jersey, and Sam Babbs of Florida. The co-conspirators told homeowners that they operated a “national law firm” based in Washington, D.C.; that attorneys would review the homeowner’s file and provide legal representation to the homeowners; that an attorney in the homeowner’s local area would be assigned to assist them; that the homeowner could meet and consult with those attorneys about the case; and that attorneys in their law firm could help the homeowner, if necessary, file for bankruptcy.

                From 2016 until 2019, the conspirators marketed Synergy Law with telephone, television, and internet advertising which told homeowners that attorneys at Maresca and Marinelli’s Synergy Law (Synergy) in Manassas could help them avoid foreclosure. During 2018 and 2019, bankruptcy judges, Synergy clients, and the U.S. Trustee’s Program raised concerns about Synergy’s practices in bankruptcy matters. Blackstone attended court hearings on behalf of Synergy where he made false statements to the court about the firm’s operations. In early 2019, Marinelli was incarcerated in Pennsylvania. Yet Blackstone, Maresca, Marinelli, and others continued to operate Synergy and collect monthly payments purportedly for legal services. During this time, there was no attorney who was a member of Synergy who could practice law. Synergy never had attorneys review all homeowner files and Synergy never had attorneys contact a client’s lender to discuss a mortgage resolution. They also continued to use the interstate wires to operate their “law firm” in ways that were essential to the scheme, such as soliciting clients by telephone.

                From 2019 until at least 2022, the conspirators marketed another firm, Themis Law, with television and website advertising which told homeowners that attorneys with Themis could help them avoid foreclosure. Themis operated a call center at an office in Manassas, Virginia. Call center workers used scripts during their phone calls with homeowners in which Themis falsely promised that an attorney would review the homeowner’s case file; that this attorney knew their lender’s “internal guidelines” for a “mortgage resolution”; and that an assigned “legal team” would contact the homeowner’s lender to negotiate a resolution. Themis required homeowner-clients to pay an initial retainer amount followed by a monthly recurring amount for as long as the firm represented the homeowner. When Themis clients faced imminent foreclosure, Themis advised those clients to consider filing for bankruptcy to save their home and referred the clients to Babbs at the Babbs Law Firm. Those clients then signed a new retainer agreement and paid additional fees to Babbs.

                During his dates of employment at Synergy Law and Themis Law, Blackstone received no less than $159,145.35 in direct payments from the companies. Judge Moss ordered that Blackstone pay a forfeiture money judgment in that amount.

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Washington, D.C. Field Office of IRS-CI.

                It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Borchert.

                23cr123

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Defendants Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Illegal Weapons Possession Charges

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

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Three co-defendants, Martin Cervantes Vasquez, 49, of Stockton; Alberto Gonzalez Salgado, 45, of Sacramento; and Isaiah Alberto Salgado, 25, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to various drug trafficking and illegal weapons possession charges, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    Cervantes and Alberto Salgado pleaded guilty to a fentanyl pill trafficking conspiracy. Cervantes also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and Alberto Salgado also pleaded guilty to two counts of heroin distribution, to cultivating more than 100 marijuana plants, and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Isaiah Salgado pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.

    According to court documents, Alberto Salgado sold heroin and fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to a confidential source on multiple occasions in 2019 and 2020. Cervantes supplied fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to Alberto Salgado and also possessed more than a kilogram of heroin and 500 grams of methamphetamine on the day of his arrest on Oct. 8, 2020. Alberto and Isaiah Salgado sold an illegal short-barreled rifle to the same confidential source in August 2020. Alberto Salgado also maintained a stash house in Sacramento where he grew more than 100 marijuana plants and also kept a firearm to protect his drug trafficking operation.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; the Sacramento Area Intelligence/Narcotics Task Force; and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.

    Cervantes is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2025, Alberto Salgado on Feb. 13, 2025, and Isaiah Salgado on Jan. 9, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Cervantes and Alberto Salgado face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. Isaiah Salgado faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Treasurer of Kern County Political Organization Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud

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

    FRESNO, Calif. — Bryan M. Williams, 41, of Atascadero, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, between 2013 and 2019, Williams served as the treasurer of a Kern County political organization. During that time period, he stole between $230,000 and $435,000 from the organization, and used those funds for his personal use.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.

    Williams is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Jan. 27, 2025. Williams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Long Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling with 14-Year-Old Girl Across State Lines While Intending to Engage in Sexual Activity

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

    LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for traveling with a 14-year-old runaway from Arizona – whom he met in a Reddit internet forum – across state lines to his apartment, where he engaged in criminal sexual activity with her.

    Trevon Nathaniel Langstaff, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

    “Every day, sexual predators use the internet’s relative anonymity to prey on vulnerable youth,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Would-be predators should be aware that my office will use all of its tools to bring them to justice, and, as today’s sentence shows, the consequences will be severe.” 

    According to his plea agreement, in late March 2024, Langstaff drove from his Long Beach home to Peoria, Arizona, to pick up the victim, a 14-year-old girl. Langstaff knew the victim was 14 and instructed her to pretend to be 18 years old. 

    Intending to have sexual intercourse with the victim, Langstaff transported her from Arizona to his home in Long Beach, where he engaged in sexual intercourse with her.

    On Langstaff’s cellphone, which was seized on March 26, law enforcement found an image that appeared to portray two children engaged in sexually explicit activity.

    United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled a March 7, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Langstaff will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Langstaff has been in federal custody since March 27.

    The FBI and the Long Beach Police Department investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy That Corrupted City Real Estate Projects

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

    LOS ANGELES – A former deputy mayor and long-time Los Angeles city official was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for soliciting and accepting more than $750,000 in bribe money for himself and facilitating over $1 million in bribes from property developers to then-Los Angeles City Councilmember José Huizar as part of a long-running pay-to-play racketeering conspiracy at the highest levels of government in Los Angeles.

    Raymond She Wah Chan, 68, of Monterey Park, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered him to pay $752,457 in restitution to the City of Los Angeles. 

    At the conclusion of a 12-day trial, a jury on March 27 found Chan guilty of all 12 felony counts for which he was charged: one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, seven counts of honest services wire fraud, three counts of federal program bribery, and one count of making false statements to a federal government agency.

    “Chan abused his public office and sought to deepen the corruption of city politics for the benefit of his own business interests,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Today’s sentence sends a message to the public and City Hall alike that our government should not be for sale and those that undermine our democracy through pay-to-play schemes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “Today’s sentence serves as a reminder that there are consequences for robbing communities of the honest government services they deserve” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “The harm of public corruption manifests itself not only in financial loss, but also the loss of faith in government and public officials. The FBI will remain laser focused on those who seek to use their personal wealth and influence to facilitate relationships between those willing to pay or accept bribes.”

    Chan served for years as the General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) and, later, as the Deputy Mayor of Economic Development from 2016 to 2017. Chan abused both of these high offices and the influence they carried to enrich himself, Huizar, and other public officials within the city.

    Huizar, 56, of Boyle Heights, represented Council District 14 (CD-14) on the Los Angeles City Council from 2005 until his resignation in October 2020. CD-14 encompassed downtown Los Angeles and some of its surrounding areas. When downtown Los Angeles was experiencing a huge real estate development boom, Huizar chaired the Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee, which oversaw all major commercial and residential development projects in the city.

    Along with Huizar, Chan helped conceive, lead, and operate the “CD-14 Enterprise,” a criminal racketeering enterprise that exploited the city approval process for large real estate development projects to exact bribes from developers. Chan played a critical role in guiding and ensuring the CD-14 Enterprise’s success, managing the conspiracy through both the powerful public offices he occupied and the private relationships he held with wealthy foreign developers seeking to build in the city.  Capitalizing on this unique position, Chan steered nearly $2 million in financial benefits to himself, Huizar, and other public officials as part of the pay-to-play bribery scheme.

    In furtherance of the conspiracy, while he was General Manager of LADBS and then Deputy Mayor, Chan established and directed a secret business partnership with real estate development consultant George Chiang, securing a lucrative real estate consulting agreement with Chinese real estate developer Shenzhen Hazens. As part of that agreement, Chan solicited and accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to advise and pressure other city officials, including Huizar, in favor of Hazens’ Luxe Hotel redevelopment project in downtown Los Angeles. When he left city employment, Chan used the consulting business that he had secretly built to direct bribes to other public officials for the benefit of his private consulting clients. 

    To help prolong the pay-to-play bribery scheme, Chan also facilitated a $100,000 campaign contribution commitment from Hazens for Huizar’s wife’s candidacy to succeed Huizar as CD-14 Councilmember in exchange for Huizar’s votes to approve the Luxe Hotel project. Chan also helped facilitate numerous other bribes from Hazens to Huizar, including tens of thousands of dollars in sham real estate consulting fees, concert tickets, China travel expenses, and contributions to Huizar’s 2015 campaign debt and alma mater high school. 

    Chan also facilitated payment of nearly $1 million in bribes to Huizar from billionaire developer Wei Huang, 58, of Shenzhen, China, including $600,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit, nearly $200,000 in casino chips, and luxury-laden gambling trips to Las Vegas. Chan similarly facilitated bribes from Huang to George Esparza, Huizar’s special assistant and key associate in the pay-to-play bribery scheme, through casino chips and lavish Las Vegas trips. When Huang provided these bribes, his company, Shen Zhen New World I LLC, was planning to redevelop the downtown L.A. Grand Hotel into the tallest tower west of the Mississippi, which would require city approvals and Huizar’s official assistance.

    Chan played a crucial role in facilitating Huang’s payment of $600,000 for Huizar to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former CD-14 staffer, which threatened Huizar’s 2015 re-election campaign and the continued operation of the CD-14 Enterprise. Chan conceived of and helped carry out an elaborate plan involving a foreign shell company, intermediaries, and fraudulent corporate documents to arrange a sham private loan that shielded the fact of Huang’s involvement in the payment. Chan later lied to FBI agents that he was not involved in the settlement, that Huang had no projects in Huizar’s district needing Huizar’s support, and that Huang had never asked Huizar for help with anything – all of which Chan knew to be false.

    Huizar was sentenced on January 26 to 13 years in federal prison and also was ordered to pay $443,905 in restitution to the City of Los Angeles and $38,792 in restitution to the IRS. He pleaded guilty in January 2023 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of tax evasion. Huizar has been ordered to begin serving his prison sentence no later than October 7.

    Hazens’ U.S. subsidiary, Jia Yuan USA Co. Inc., which was seeking to redevelop the Luxe Hotel, has paid $1.05 million to resolve the government’s investigation into its conduct related to this case, which included bribery and illegal campaign contributions.

    Huang, who is charged with several felonies for his bribes to Huizar with Chan’s assistance, fled the United States shortly after the execution of numerous federal search warrants in this case and is considered a fugitive from justice. Huang’s downtown Los Angeles-based company Shen Zhen New World I LLC was convicted in 2022 of eight felonies for – through Huang’s actions as its owner – paying more than $1 million in bribes to Huizar for his critical support for the L.A. Grand Hotel redevelopment project. The company was sentenced to five years of probation, fined $4 million, and ordered to pay the costs of prosecution.

    Relatedly, real estate developer Dae Yong Lee, a.k.a. “David Lee,” 60, of Bel Air, and one of his companies, 940 Hill LLC, were convicted in 2022 of providing $500,000 in cash to Huizar and Esparza in exchange for their help in resolving a labor organization’s appeal of a downtown Los Angeles development project. Lee is serving a six-year federal prison sentence and was fined $750,000. 940 Hill LLC was sentenced to five years’ probation, fined over $1 million, and ordered to pay the costs of prosecution.

    Prosecutors also have secured guilty pleas from Chiang; Esparza; lobbyist Morrie Goldman; and political fundraiser Justin Jangwoo Kim. Each of these defendants cooperated with the government and testified during at least one trial in this case and will be sentenced at upcoming hearings in November.

    The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant United States Attorneys Cassie D. Palmer, Susan S. Har, and Brian R. Faerstein of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.

    Any member of the public who has information related to this or any other public corruption matter in the City of Los Angeles is encouraged to send information to the FBI’s email tip line at https://tips.fbi.gov or to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Company fined for workplace fatality

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    HTK Iron Works Ltd. pleaded guilty to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker. The company was sentenced on Oct. 2 in the Medicine Hat Court of Justice. The Crown withdrew four other charges under OHS legislation.

    The charges stem from an incident at a metal fabrication shop near Burdett on Feb. 1, 2023. A worker died after being struck by a fabricated windbreak panel that fell from a moving forklift.

    HTK Iron Works Ltd. has been fined $360,000 inclusive of the 20 per cent victim fine surcharge.

    Both the company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalties.

    Alberta’s OHS laws set basic health and safety rules for workplaces across the province. They provide guidance for employers to help them ensure their workplaces are as healthy and safe as possible while providing rights and protections for workers. Charges under OHS laws may be laid when failing to follow the rules results in a workplace fatality or serious injury.

    Quick facts

    • Jobs, Economy and Trade does not provide sentence documents. These are available through the Medicine Hat Court of Justice.

    Related information

    • Convictions under OHS legislation
    • Charges under OHS legislation
    • OHS incident investigations

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Expanded opt-out testing begins at Leeds hospitals as part of Fast-Track City commitment to end HIV, TB and viral hepatitis epidemics

    Source: City of Leeds

    An expanded programme of opt-out testing has begun at emergency departments at two Leeds hospitals as part of the city’s commitment to ending new HIV, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis infections by the end of the decade.

    Beginning last month, the new programme sees anyone aged 16 and over who has blood tests taken as part of their emergency care at Leeds General Infirmary or St James’s University Hospital also being tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C unless they opt out and decline.

    The testing at the two Leeds hospitals, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care to run for at least a year, is part of a national programme aiming to identify undiagnosed patients and providing support to treatments and care in order to prevent new transmissions and helping people live long and healthy lives.

    The improved testing in Leeds was one of the aims when the city last year became the first in the Yorkshire and Humber region to become a ‘Fast-Track City’ as part of a global initiative to end the HIV, TB and viral hepatitis epidemics by 2030.

    A report on progress achieved since making the declaration in Leeds will be discussed by senior councillors at the council’s executive board meeting at Civic Hall next week (Wednesday 16 October).

    Figures for Leeds show through improving links between stakeholders and communities the city has achieved the international ’95-95-95’ target set down by the United Nations, with 95 per cent of people living with HIV being diagnosed, 99 per cent of those on HIV treatment and 98 per cent virally suppressed meaning they cannot pass the virus on.

    The report also gives an update on a community grants programme launched in Leeds in February marking one year on since becoming a Fast-Track City.

    Overseen by Leeds City Council, BHA Leeds Skyline and MESMAC, the programme awards grants of up to £700 to groups in Leeds to express their lived experiences especially around stigma and discrimination, and its impacts on people living with HIV, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

    So far six projects have been supported in the city, ranging from an informative and engaging podcast on the experiences of those living with HIV; a refugee community choir writing a song to release on World Aids Day (December 1st) to fight stigma with music; A new poster campaign to be displayed in places of worship; An LGBT+ youth group making a new quilt to be displayed in local museums; and a knitting group making 40 bears to promote national HIV testing week in February.

    All of these projects will be showcased at a celebration event hosted by BHA Leeds Skyline in the city next month. For more information contact BHA Leeds Skyline via Free Counselling, Disability Support & HIV Testing in Leeds | BHA (thebha.org.uk) 

    Leeds City Council executive member for equality, health and wellbeing Councillor Fiona Venner said:

    “This report highlights the significant progress achieved in Leeds since becoming a Fast-Track City, with all skakeholders, partners and communities working closer together in this vital area. Much has been achieved but we know much more needs to be done achieve the target of zero infections, deaths and stigma around HIV, TB and viral hepatitis by 2030.

    “The recently-begun enhanced testing at the LGI and St James’s has a vital role to play in helping identify anyone undiagnosed so all the available support they need can be provided to help people live long and healthy lives. If everyone in the city and beyond works together on this, I am confident the zero target can and will be reached.”

    Dr Sarah Schoeman, Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) Consultant Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and Leeds Fast-Track City Leadership Group Chair said:

    “Normalising blood-borne virus testing is essential – it saves lives and helps tackle the stigma associated with these infections. We are so pleased and proud that we are able to offer routine testing for these important infections within our Leeds emergency departments again. This initiative is another significant step towards Leeds reaching our Fast-Track City goals of zero new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, zero new viral hepatitis infections, zero new TB infections and zero stigma related to all of these infections in Leeds by 2030.”

    Programme Lead at BHA Skyline (and Fast-Track City Leeds group member) Pesha Thornton said:

    “The community grants have provided individuals and groups with lived experience a platform and opportunity to explore how they would challenge stigma, connect with peers and elevate their voices and experiences and to feel empowered to explore their creativity.  This programme has been beneficial for those with lived experience, as most of the people BHA Skyline supports have experienced HIV related discrimination and/or feel a sense of self stigma. 

    “It is so much more than the finished products, it is the journeys and the bravery of the individuals who have been awarded the grants to share their difficulties and triumphs encapsulating them into a piece of work to challenge the stigma that is still very much present. The community grants projects will be launched at the Fast-Track City event hosted by BHA Skyline, in addition to celebrating and sharing the work from partners across Leeds and West Yorkshire.”

    To see the report being considered by the executive board, visit Council and democracy (leeds.gov.uk) (agenda item seven).

    For more information on the community grants programme in Leeds visit Fast Track Cities Leeds Community Grants – BHA for Equality (thebha.org.uk)

    To find out more about the Fast-Track Cities visit: Welcome to Fast-Track Cities | Fast-Track Cities

    Notes to editors:

    ENDS

    For media enquiries please contact:

    Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

    Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk

    Tel: 0113 378 6007

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Improving Access to Small Business Funding: OEDIT Announces Partner Outreach Program

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Governor Polis and the Business Support division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced the Partner Outreach Program (POP) to connect Colorado entrepreneurs and small business owners to OEDIT programs. A network of partners with expertise in serving rural, minority-owned, and immigrant-owned businesses has been established to work with businesses across the state to access loans and funding that can help them take steps to grow their businesses.

    “Helping small businesses across the state with access to funding and technical assistance will help small businesses thrive and strengthen Colorado’s economy. Small businesses drive our economy and with access to these experienced partners and their resources, Colorado will continue to be the best place in the country for anyone to start and grow a business,” said Governor Polis.

    Several OEDIT programs specialize in serving businesses that have had trouble securing a loan, need a smaller-than-average loan to get up and running, or have not borrowed money before.

    “Small businesses make up 99.5% of Colorado’s economy. When small businesses have access to financing that meets their needs, they can take important steps to grow their revenues and create new jobs. The Partner Outreach Program is an innovative program that responds to community needs and will expand our outreach efforts across the vast majority of the state. That means new opportunities for Colorado’s small businesses, including those that have historically encountered barriers to funding and support,” said Eve Lieberman, OEDIT Executive Director.

    To establish the POP network, six partners have been selected for their ability to serve diverse Colorado businesses, with a special emphasis on serving business owners who have historically encountered barriers to business capital and loans. All partners have a demonstrated history as a trusted community organization committed to community outreach, community development, and/or experience with supporting small businesses to access capital.

    Collectively, these partners offer support for a wide range of demographic groups and reach at least 90% of the state, from the Western Slope to the rural Eastern Plains and southern Colorado.

    • Black Business Initiative – Specializes in serving indigenous and Black communities in the Denver Metro area and San Luis Valley.
    • Community Enterprise Development Services – Serves business owners in the Denver Metro, Fort Collins, Weld County and Morgan County. Experienced working with Ethiopian, Islamic, Korean, Somali and underserved communities with an additional focus on communities speaking a language other than English.
    • Overwrite – Specializes in serving immigrant, migrant, Hispanic, Asian and Southeast Asian, African and Black communities in the Denver Metro area and Colorado Springs.
    • Prairie Rose – Has a demonstrated history of serving Spanish speaking communities in the Western Slope, Eastern Plains, and Durango communities.
    • Startup Colorado – Serves the Eastern Plains and the San Luis Valley, with experience serving business owners in all rural communities.
    • Wezesha Dada Center – Active in the Denver, Pueblo, Eastern Plains, Aurora, and Colorado Springs, with experience serving immigrant, migrant, diaspora, refugee and Black communities.

    About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

    The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works with partners to create a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth. Under the leadership of Governor Jared Polis, we strive to advance the State’s economy through financial and technical assistance that fosters local and regional economic development activities throughout Colorado. OEDIT offers a host of programs and services tailored to support business development at every level including business retention services, business relocation services, and business funding and incentives. Our office includes the Global Business Development division; Colorado Tourism Office; Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office; Colorado Creative Industries; Business Financing & Incentives division; the Colorado Small Business Development Network; Cannabis Business Office; Colorado Office of Film, TV & Media; the Minority Business Office; Employee Ownership Office; and Rural Opportunity Office. Learn more at oedit.colorado.gov

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Seeks Innovative Artemis Lunar Logistics, Mobility Solutions

    Source: NASA

    NASA is asking U.S. industry to submit innovative architecture solutions that could help the agency land and move cargo on the lunar surfaced during future Artemis missions. Released in September, the agency’s request for proposal also supports NASA’s broader Moon to Mars Objectives.
    Previously, NASA published two white papers outlining lunar logistics and mobility gaps as part of its Moon to Mars architecture development effort that augmented an earlier white paper on logistics considerations. The current ask, Lunar Logistics and Mobility Studies, expects proposing companies to consider these publications, which describe NASA’s future needs for logistics and mobility.
    “NASA relies on collaborations from diverse partners to develop its exploration architecture,” said Nujoud Merancy, deputy associate administrator, strategy and architecture in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Studies like this allow the agency to leverage the incredible expertise in the commercial aerospace community.”
    Lunar Logistics Drivers, Needs
    Logistics items, including food, water, air, and spare parts, comprise a relatively large portion of the cargo NASA expects to need to move around on the Moon, including at the lunar South Pole where the agency plans to send crew in the future.
    The Lunar Logistics Drivers and Needs white paper outlines the importance of accurately predicting logistics resupply needs, as they can heavily influence the overall architecture and design of exploration missions.
    As the agency progresses into more complex lunar missions, NASA will require more and more lunar logistics as the agency increases mission frequency and duration. This current proposal seeks industry studies that could help inform NASA’s approach to this growing need.
    Lunar Mobility Drivers, Needs
    The white paper discusses the transportation of landed cargo and exploration assets from where they are delivered to where they are used, such as to locations with ideal lighting, away from ascent vehicle landing sites, or near other assets. These distances can range from yards to miles away from landing locations, and the ability to move around landing sites easily and quickly are key to exploring the lunar surface efficiently.
    NASA’s current planned lunar mobility elements, such as the Lunar Terrain Vehicle and Pressurized Rover, have a capability limit of about 1,760 pounds (800 kilograms) and will primarily be used to transport astronauts around the lunar surface. However, future missions could include a need to move cargo totaling around 4,400 to 13,000 pounds (2,000 to 6,000 kg). To meet this demand, NASA must develop new mobility capabilities with its partners.
    Lunar Surface Cargo
    The Lunar Surface Cargo white paper characterizes lunar surface cargo delivery needs, compares those needs with current cargo lander capabilities, and outlines considerations for fulfilling this capability gap. While cargo delivery capabilities currently included in the Moon to Mars architecture — like CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) and human-class delivery landers — can meet near-term needs, there are substantial gaps for future needs.
    Access to a diverse fleet of cargo landers would empower a larger lunar exploration footprint. A combination of international partnerships and U.S. industry-provided landers could supply the concepts and capabilities to meet this need. The request for proposals doesn’t explicitly seek new lander concepts but does ask for integrated assessments of logistics that can include transportation elements.
    “We’re looking for industry to offer creative insights that can inform our logistics and mobility strategy,” said Brooke Thornton, industry engagement lead for NASA’s Strategy and Architecture Office. “Ultimately, we’re hoping to grow our awareness of the unique capabilities that are or could become a part of the commercial lunar marketplace.”
    This is the latest appendix to NASA’s Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-2). Solicitations under NextSTEP seek commercial development of capabilities that empower crewed exploration in deep space. NASA published the latest NextSTEP omnibus, NextSTEP-3, on Sept. 27.

    Request for Proposals
    https://sam.gov/opp/2291c465203240388302bb1f126c3db9/view

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 4711, Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment Act of 2024

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 4711 would prevent agencies from using a person’s past use of marijuana as the sole basis for taking certain personnel actions, such as excluding them from federal employment, disqualifying them from receiving security clearances, or denying them credentials to access federal facilities and systems. The bill also would require the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to help federal agencies implement the bill’s provisions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WSJ: The DCCC’s Abortion Distortion Campaign

    Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    October 8, 2024

    The DCCC is lying about Republicans’ position on abortion. It’s so egregious that the Wall Street Journal editorial board took aim at their “variations of this Handmaid’s Tale fiction.”

    In case you missed it…

    The Abortion Distortion Campaign
    Wall Street Journal
    The Editorial Board
    October 7, 2024 
    https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-abortion-distortion-campaign-election-politics-ca91ec2e?st=uj2LpZ&reflink=article_copyURL_share

    The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is running variations of this Handmaid’s Tale fiction, with ads accusing House Republican candidates of wanting to “allow state governments to track pregnant women to prosecute them if they get an abortion.”
     
    The alleged source for this claim is the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy paper, which hasn’t been adopted by the GOP as a party and Mr. Trump has disavowed many times. But even Project 2025 doesn’t propose such a registry. Its hardly radical idea is for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand its collection of anonymous state statistics about abortions and miscarriages.
     
    The idea is to better understand the scope and complications of certain procedures. There is no call for personal or pregnancy information at a federal or a state level. And by the way, the pro-abortion rights Guttmacher Institute collects data on the incidence of abortion and related issues without controversy.
     
    The abortion distortion playbook has spread far and wide in Democratic campaigns. In California’s 22nd House district, GOP Rep. David Valadao has said he opposes a national abortion ban and supports abortion exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
     
    Yet challenger Rudy Salas is running an ad implying that Mr. Valadao supports no exception for rape. “Washington Republicans want to criminalize abortion, even when a woman has been raped or is facing a medical emergency,” the ad says, ending with “David Valadao, what if that was your daughter, or your sister?” The answer is that Mr. Valadao supports her right to an abortion.
     
    In New York’s 17th district, Democrat Mondaire Jones is running an ad with a banner that says Rep. Mike Lawler “would ban abortions in New York.” Mr. Jones says in the ad that the Republican platform “would ban abortions even here in New York.”
     
    Except that the GOP platform doesn’t include a ban and Mr. Lawler doesn’t support one. While Mr. Lawler personally opposes abortion with exceptions for rape, etc., he has said he does “respect the will of the state’s voters whom the Supreme Court have given exclusive jurisdiction over the abortion issue.” Albany Democrats are as likely to pass an abortion restriction as Iran is to approve same-sex marriage.

    Read the full editorial here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DeLauro Leads Letters to Boar’s Head, USDA Questioning Listeria Outbreak

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03)

    Today, U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro led her colleagues in sending two bicameral letters to Boar’s Head and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) questioning how the Boar’s Head plant at the center of a nationwide Listeria outbreak was allowed to keep operating despite over 60 citations for noncompliance and U.S. inspectors warning “that conditions at [the] Boar’s Head plant posed an ‘imminent threat’ to public health” two years prior to the outbreak.  

    In the letter to Boar’s Head, DeLauro and lawmakers demanded answers to better understand how the outbreak was allowed to occur and how the company has committed to preventing outbreaks in the future.

    “These conditions show a complete disregard for food safety and for the public health of the American people,” the lawmakers wrote. “As a company that operates within the United States and sells to American consumers, you have an obligation to protect public health and prepare and sell food that meets safety standards. With the science we have available, there is no excuse for the tragic loss of life that has occurred as a result of this outbreak.”

    In the letter to USDA’s FSIS, the lawmakers slammed the agency’s lax oversight that led to the outbreak and subsequent plant closure. They demanded answers as to how the plant was allowed to continue operations despite repeated infractions that created ripe conditions that led to product contamination and the outbreak of dangerous pathogens like Listeria. 

    “This outbreak could have and should have been prevented,” the lawmakers wrote. “What is especially troubling is how egregious sanitation problems occurred despite supposed regular oversight; oversight which typically includes at least one inspection per shift… It is appalling that seemingly no enforcement actions have been taken against Boar’s Head despite the reported repeated records of major noncompliance” 

    You can read the full letter to Boar’s Head here. You can read the full letter to USDA here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSMAN BISHOP COMMEMORATES THE 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE OCT. 7 HAMAS ATTACK ON ISRAEL

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr (GA-02)

    SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) delivered the following remarks at an event at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center commemorating the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel:

    “Good evening!

    “To my friends of the Jewish faith, L’shana tovah!

    “It is my prayer that all across the world – the descendants of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob – may find peace and prosperity in the new year ahead.

    “And as we approach the holiest day in Judaism, I also wish everyone a meaningful Yom Kippur and a good fast.

    “One year ago today, the world watched in horror as the terrorist group Hamas launched a surprise and widespread attack on Israel. Nearly 1,200 Israeli’s were killed in the attack, including civilians and security forces. It was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

    “Thousands more were injured, and over 100 Israelis were taken hostage, some of whom remain in captivity to this day.

    “America has been and remains Israel’s staunchest ally. Our country is steadfast in its support for Israel’s right to exist and we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel in the protection of its people. But please know, that whether in war or peace, all nations must demonstrate in all their conduct the highest value and respect for innocent human life.

    “In launching its attack on October 7th, Hamas not only took the lives of innocent men, women, and children, it also undermined the very aspirations that we all shared for peaceful coexistence in what we, in the Judeo-Christian culture, call the Holy Land.

    “In memory of those who were murdered in the heinous attack by Hamas on October 7th, we must never allow those who pose an existential threat to Israel to succeed.

    “We pray every day for the safe return of all hostages and hope for a day when there will be peace in the region so that all can live with mutual respect and harmony.

    “I will always be committed to supporting Israel’s right to safely exist, and I will continue my work in Congress to ensure that the United States stands firm in this commitment.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Governments investing in initiatives to attract and retain agri-food labour

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    The governments of Canada and Ontario are creating the Labour Force Management Strategies Initiative to attract and retain Ontario agri-food workers. Funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), this $4 million investment will strengthen Ontario’s agri-food workforce for years to come.

    $4 million in funding will support innovative strategies for recruiting and retaining skilled agri-food workers

    October 8, 2024 – Toronto, Ontario  –  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    The governments of Canada and Ontario are creating the Labour Force Management Strategies Initiative to attract and retain Ontario agri-food workers. Funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), this $4 million investment will strengthen Ontario’s agri-food workforce for years to come.

    The initiative will help fund job training and new recruitment marketing campaigns, introduce new worker supports such as ridesharing programs and language training and support the planning of on-site amenities and recreational facilities.

    Successful producers and processors can receive up to 50% in cost-share support per project, up to a maximum of $40,000. Eligible industry organizations and collaborations between or among businesses can receive up to 50% of their eligible costs, up to a maximum of $100,000 per project. The Initiative will start accepting applications from eligible primary producers, processors and industry organizations on October 22, 2024. Applications will be accepted no later than September 2, 2025.

    The initiative builds on the Canadian Agricultural Partnership–funded Ontario Agri-Careers Support Initiative (OACSI) to address agri-food labour challenges. It also supports the Grow Ontario Strategy goals of increasing total agri-food sector employment by 10% by 2032 and making Ontario the destination of choice for International Agri-Food Workers (IAWs).

    The Sustainable CAP is a 5-year (2023-2028), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs designed and delivered by the provinces and territories.

    Annie Cullinan
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
    annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Patrushev opened the new exhibition complex “Timiryazev Center”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Dmitry Patrushev opened the new exhibition complex “Timiryazev Center”. With Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin

    October 8, 2024

    New exhibition complex “Timiryazev Center”

    October 8, 2024

    Dmitry Patrushev opened the new exhibition complex “Timiryazev Center”

    October 8, 2024

    Dmitry Patrushev opened the new exhibition complex “Timiryazev Center”. With Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin

    October 8, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Dmitry Patrushev opened the new exhibition complex “Timiryazev Center”. With Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev, together with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, opened the new Timiryazev Center exhibition complex at the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy.

    As Dmitry Patrushev noted, the Timiryazev Center is not only a modern equipped space that will unite all the best in agricultural education and science, but also an excellent platform for popularizing the agricultural sector, demonstrating its achievements and high level of development.

    One of the main tasks that the agro-industrial complex currently faces is staffing, including attracting young specialists with the necessary knowledge and competencies. For this purpose, the personnel training system is actively developing, approaches to educational activities are changing, and the infrastructure of universities is being comprehensively updated.

    “The training and exhibition center allows both to hold exhibitions and, most importantly, to gain practical skills in work. This has never happened before within the Timiryazev Academy, it was possible to do so thanks to the support of Moscow and the company “PhosAgro”. I hope that the guys will be comfortable studying here, they will undergo practical training and gain important experience that they will need in working in agriculture,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

    Dmitry Patrushev and Sergei Sobyanin inspected the educational and exhibition complex, equipped with modern specialized equipment.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://government.ru/nevs/52940/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: EIA expects average U.S. heating costs this winter to be consistent with last winter

    Source: US Energy Information Administration – EIA

    Headline: EIA expects average U.S. heating costs this winter to be consistent with last winter

    U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
    WASHINGTON DC 20585

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 8, 2024

    The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects most U.S. households, on average, will pay about the same to heat their homes as they did last winter. A notable exception is that EIA expects Midwestern homes heated by natural gas will pay about 11% more on average for heat than last winter.

    In its 2024 Winter Fuels Outlook, EIA forecasts a colder winter, leading to more energy consumption for heat. With energy prices similar to or slightly lower than last winter, EIA expects spending for many households will be about the same as last winter.

    “There’s a lot of uncertainty about the weather over an entire season—not to mention uncertainty over commodity prices,” said EIA Administrator Joe DeCarolis.

    Comparing this winter’s forecast for the average U.S. household with last winter’s results, EIA expects a 1% increase in fuel bills for homes heated by natural gas, a 5% decrease for homes heated by heating oil, a 2% increase for homes heated by electricity, and a negligible change in costs for homes heated by propane. Because weather is a key source of uncertainty in the forecast, the report also includes a warmer and colder case to produce a range of possible expenditures by fuel type.

    The Winter Fuels Outlook is a supplement to EIA’s October Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), and EIA will update it every month through February to reflect changes in commodity prices and temperatures. This year is the first year that EIA’s forecast distinguishes between primary heating fuels consumed for space heating and other end uses.

    EIA will host a webinar on Wednesday, October 9, at 11:00 a.m. ET to discuss its forecasts. The webinar is open to the public, but registration is required.

    Other highlights from the October STEO include:

    • Brent crude oil spot price: EIA expects the Brent crude oil spot price will average about $76 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2024 and about $78 per barrel in 2025, both lower than EIA’s September forecast. EIA revised its forecasts because the September Brent spot price was lower than expected and because the agency expects demand for petroleum products will be lower than it previously forecast. The impact of military action in the Middle East is a key source of uncertainty in the crude oil price forecast.

      EIA’s revised forecast for crude oil prices also contributed to revisions in the agency’s price forecasts for distillate fuels, gasoline, and other petroleum products, which are reflected in the STEO table of notable revisions.

    • U.S. oil production: EIA expects U.S. crude oil production will average 13.5 million barrels per day in 2025, a record high. EIA had previously expected domestic crude oil production would average 13.7 million barrels per day next year but revised its production forecast lower largely due to its expectation of lower crude oil prices.
    • Electricity consumption: EIA expects 2% more U.S. electricity consumption this year than in 2023 and expects a further 2% growth in 2025. Summer temperatures in 2024 were warmer than last summer, especially in the upper Midwest and Northeast regions, which helped to push up U.S. electricity demand this year. Increased electricity consumption through 2025 is led by the industrial sector, as planned battery and semiconductor chip manufacturing comes online. In the commercial sector, electricity demand from data centers in some regions contributes to the forecast for greater electricity demand.

    The full October 2024 Short-Term Energy Outlook is available on the EIA website.

    The product described in this press release was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA’s data, analysis, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the U.S. government. The views in the product and this press release therefore should not be construed as representing those of the U.S. Department of Energy or other federal agencies.

    EIA Program Contact: Tim Hess, STEO@eia.gov
    EIA Press Contact: Chris Higginbotham, EIAMedia@eia.gov

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Moody’s Wins Top Ranking in ChartisRiskTech100 for Third Consecutive Year

    Source: Moody’s

    Headline: Moody’s Wins Top Ranking in ChartisRiskTech100 for Third Consecutive Year

    NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Moody’s Corporation (NYSE:MCO) has been awarded the number-one overall ranking in the Chartis RiskTech100® 2025 report, marking Moody’s third consecutive year in the top position.

    The Chartis RiskTech100 is the most comprehensive study of the world’s leading providers of risk and compliance technology. The top ranking recognizes Moody’s unmatched ability to provide its customers with a holistic view of their risks through research, data, and analytics.

    “Winning the top award from Chartis for a third year in a row is a strong testament to how Moody’s stays on the cutting edge of developments in risk management technology,” said Rob Fauber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Moody’s. “We seek to constantly innovate across our suite of products and solutions and put new technologies and insights into the hands of our customers as quickly as possible.”

    In addition to earning the highest overall position, Moody’s won in 12 individual categories:

    • Market Presence (new)
    • Strategy
    • Functionality
    • Banking
    • Insurance
    • Climate Risk
    • Credit Portfolio Management (new)
    • Financial Crime – Data
    • Credit Data – Wholesale
    • Credit Data – Collateralized Loan Obligation (CLO)
    • Credit Risk for the Banking Book
    • Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL)

    “In maintaining its position at the top of the RiskTech100, Moody’s has demonstrated its effective and strategic use of the latest technology to enable its data and analytics to be efficiently accessed, distributed, and consumed,” said Sid Dash, Chief Researcher at Chartis. “Moreover, Moody’s continues to expand and develop its analytical tools and functionality across a variety of business lines, from banking to insurance and securitization to compliance.”

    The 2025 winners of RiskTech100 were selected through a nearly year-long process involving vendor briefings and discussions with risk technology buyers and end-users. The research directors and lead analysts at Chartis Research then made the final decisions.

    Chartis Research is the leading provider of research and analysis on the global market for risk technology. Their goal is to support enterprises that drive business performance through improved risk management, corporate governance, and compliance. Chartis strives to help clients make informed technology and business decisions by providing in-depth analysis and actionable advice on virtually all aspects of risk technology.

    For more information on Moody’s innovation and technology, visit Moodys.com/Innovation.

    ABOUT MOODY’S CORPORATION

    In a world shaped by increasingly interconnected risks, Moody’s (NYSE: MCO) data, insights, and innovative technologies help customers develop a holistic view of their world and unlock opportunities. With a rich history of experience in global markets and a diverse workforce of approximately 15,000 across more than 40 countries, Moody’s gives customers the comprehensive perspective needed to act with confidence and thrive. Learn more at moodys.com.

    Source: Moody’s Corporation Investor Relations

    MIL OSI Economics –