NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Contractor team selected for the final stage of the SR 167 Completion Project in Pierce County

    Source: Washington State News 2

    PIERCE COUNTY – The finish line for the State Route 167 Completion Project in Pierce County is getting closer with the selection of a contractor for the fourth and final stage of design and construction.

    On Thursday, May 22, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced that Kraemer-Scarsella Joint Venture is the highest scoring proposer for a progressive design-build contract for the remaining 2.6 miles of the SR 167 Expressway between I-5 in Fife and SR 161/North Meridian Avenue in Puyallup.

    The selection of Kraemer-Scarsella Joint Venture means that all seven Puget Sound Gateway Program projects to finish SR 167 in Pierce County and SR 509 in south King County are either complete, under construction or final design and construction is imminent.

    Joining forces

    General contractors Kraemer North America and Kent-based Scarsella Bros., Inc. joined forces to submit a proposal for the last stage of the SR 167 Completion Project. WSDOT evaluated five different teams and invited two of them to submit proposals.

    “The quality of both proposing teams was outstanding,” said SR 167 Project Manager Steve Fuchs. “In the end, Kraemer-Scarsella Joint Venture stood out for its extensive experience successfully delivering progressive design-build projects, including its current project building Confluence Parkway in Wenatchee.”

    About progressive design-build

    WSDOT is using a contracting method called progressive design-build on a major highway construction project for the first time. It is the same contracting method being used to correct 58 fish barrier locations in western Washington.

    Progressive design-build divides the contract into two phases. During the first phase, Kraemer-Scarsella Joint Venture will collaboratively review and confirm the initial designs with WSDOT. WSDOT and the contracting team will identify and mitigate project risks and incorporate design and construction innovations. A final construction cost for the project will be developed and agreed upon. The second phase of the contract includes completing the final design and construction.

    “This progressive design-build contract provides us with multiple advantages in our current economic climate,” said Puget Sound Gateway Program Administrator John White. “It allows us to work collaboratively with the contractor to make sure that we all agree in advance on construction strategies, innovations, risks and together we develop the costs associated with those elements.”

    The contract is worth up to $475 million.

    Design work will continue for approximately a year with construction slated to begin in mid-2026.

    In addition to completing the four-lane expressway, the project also includes:

    • Multimodal elements, including connections to regional trails.
    • Local road and intersection improvements.
    • Eight new bridges.
    • Restoration of approximately 90 acres of stream and wetland habitat.

    A 3D project video highlighting the expressway, multimodal features and other improvements is available on WSDOT’s YouTube site with translations in five languages.

    SR 167 Completion Project information

    The SR 167 Completion Project builds 6 miles of new tolled highway between Puyallup and the Port of Tacoma. The first stage of work completed the new Wapato Way East bridge and SR 99 roundabout in Fife. The second stage builds the expressway between I-5 and the Port of Tacoma. It’s scheduled to open in 2026. Work on the third stage between SR 161/North Meridian Avenue and SR 410 began in 2025. The entire project is planned for completion by 2030.  
    Photos of construction work are available on the project’s Flickr page.

    Puget Sound Gateway Program overview

    The Puget Sound Gateway Program also includes the SR 509 Completion Project in south King County. Together, the two completion projects finish critical missing links in Washington’s highway and freight network.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Man Sentenced for 20-Year Scheme to Evade Employment Taxes

    Source: US State of California

    Defendant Caused Approximately $60M in Loss to United States Which He Used to Fund a Lavish Lifestyle

    A California man was sentenced today to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay $38 million in restitution for a decades-long scheme to evade employment taxes.

    The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: for more than 20 years, Luis E. Perez was the owner and primary decision-maker for more than a dozen labor staffing companies including Check Mate Inc., BaronHR LLC, BaronHR West Inc., and Fortress Holding Group LLC. Typically, a labor staffing company helps connect job candidates with client-companies looking for temporary employees. The staffing company also usually remains responsible for paying the temporary employees’ wages and complying with associated reporting and tax obligations. Specifically, the companies were responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter. They were also responsible for paying their own Social Security and Medicare taxes. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.

    For nearly as long as Perez was in business, he was noncompliant with his tax obligations. Starting as early as 2001, Perez began not paying over the full amount of taxes withheld from employees’ wages or the full amount of Social Security and Medicare taxes his companies owed. In June 2007, Perez personally owed the IRS taxes related to Check Mate Inc., which the IRS was attempting to collect. By 2017, Perez’s outstanding tax liability had ballooned to nearly $30 million. Between 2007 and 2017, Perez tried to hinder IRS collection efforts in a number of ways. He used BaronHR and Fortress Holding Group’s bank accounts to make personal purchases, such as several luxury items, including automobiles and a boat. He titled the items in the names of several nominees to conceal his ownership from the IRS and to prevent the IRS from seizing them. In addition, he opened a credit card in the name of a nominee and used the card to make personal purchases. He then paid the bills for that credit card from those same business bank accounts. Perez also funneled money from BaronHR and Fortress Holding Group to a nominee, but then used the funds for himself. To further impede IRS collection efforts, Perez lied to IRS revenue officers and submitted false forms to the IRS about his income.

    Perez’s misconduct continued even after he was charged for tax offenses in February 2018. From January 2018 through June 2019, he reported that BaronHR West had paid total wages of approximately $54 million and paid approximately $7 million in total taxes on these wages to the IRS. In fact, BaronHR West paid approximately $185 million in total wages and was required but did not pay approximately $37 million in total taxes to the IRS. Similarly, during the first quarter of 2022, BaronHR West paid about $30 million in wages and was obligated to pay nearly $6 million in taxes. The company paid only $76,000.

    In total, Perez caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $60 million.

    Instead of paying his tax obligations, Perez used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself, including multiple large residences, courtside seats to the Los Angeles Lakers, a private jet, a yacht, and dozens of luxury automobiles, including Bentleys and Lamborghinis.

    In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Kenly Kiya Kato for the Central District of California ordered Perez to serve three years of supervised release and pay $38,052,767 in restitution to the IRS.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Robert Kemins of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett A. Sagel and James C. Hughes for the Central District of California prosecuted the case

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Sentenced for 20-Year Scheme to Evade Employment Taxes

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Defendant Caused Approximately $60M in Loss to United States Which He Used to Fund a Lavish Lifestyle

    A California man was sentenced today to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay $38 million in restitution for a decades-long scheme to evade employment taxes.

    The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: for more than 20 years, Luis E. Perez was the owner and primary decision-maker for more than a dozen labor staffing companies including Check Mate Inc., BaronHR LLC, BaronHR West Inc., and Fortress Holding Group LLC. Typically, a labor staffing company helps connect job candidates with client-companies looking for temporary employees. The staffing company also usually remains responsible for paying the temporary employees’ wages and complying with associated reporting and tax obligations. Specifically, the companies were responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter. They were also responsible for paying their own Social Security and Medicare taxes. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.

    For nearly as long as Perez was in business, he was noncompliant with his tax obligations. Starting as early as 2001, Perez began not paying over the full amount of taxes withheld from employees’ wages or the full amount of Social Security and Medicare taxes his companies owed. In June 2007, Perez personally owed the IRS taxes related to Check Mate Inc., which the IRS was attempting to collect. By 2017, Perez’s outstanding tax liability had ballooned to nearly $30 million. Between 2007 and 2017, Perez tried to hinder IRS collection efforts in a number of ways. He used BaronHR and Fortress Holding Group’s bank accounts to make personal purchases, such as several luxury items, including automobiles and a boat. He titled the items in the names of several nominees to conceal his ownership from the IRS and to prevent the IRS from seizing them. In addition, he opened a credit card in the name of a nominee and used the card to make personal purchases. He then paid the bills for that credit card from those same business bank accounts. Perez also funneled money from BaronHR and Fortress Holding Group to a nominee, but then used the funds for himself. To further impede IRS collection efforts, Perez lied to IRS revenue officers and submitted false forms to the IRS about his income.

    Perez’s misconduct continued even after he was charged for tax offenses in February 2018. From January 2018 through June 2019, he reported that BaronHR West had paid total wages of approximately $54 million and paid approximately $7 million in total taxes on these wages to the IRS. In fact, BaronHR West paid approximately $185 million in total wages and was required but did not pay approximately $37 million in total taxes to the IRS. Similarly, during the first quarter of 2022, BaronHR West paid about $30 million in wages and was obligated to pay nearly $6 million in taxes. The company paid only $76,000.

    In total, Perez caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $60 million.

    Instead of paying his tax obligations, Perez used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself, including multiple large residences, courtside seats to the Los Angeles Lakers, a private jet, a yacht, and dozens of luxury automobiles, including Bentleys and Lamborghinis.

    In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Kenly Kiya Kato for the Central District of California ordered Perez to serve three years of supervised release and pay $38,052,767 in restitution to the IRS.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Robert Kemins of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett A. Sagel and James C. Hughes for the Central District of California prosecuted the case

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Acceleware Ltd. Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial and Operating Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), an advanced electromagnetic (“EM”) heating company with highly scalable solutions for large industrial applications, today announced its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2025 (all figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted). The Company’s products are branded EM Powered Heat and provide a pathway to economically electrify and decarbonize industrial heating processes previously considered difficult to abate. EM Powered Heat technology is powered by the Company’s proprietary Clean Tech Inverter (“CTI”) for applications including enhanced oil recovery (“RF XL”), mining and mineral processing, carbon capture, cement and concrete, and agri-food. In addition to EM Powered Heat, the Company also provides specialized scientific high-performance (“HPC”) software. This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s unaudited interim condensed financial statements and the accompanying notes for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and management’s discussion and analysis (“MD&A”) thereto, together with the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, notes and MD&A thereto, all of which are available on Acceleware’s website at www.acceleware.com or on www.sedarplus.ca.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    Financial highlights:

      Three Months Ended
        March 31, 2025     March 31, 2024  
    Revenue $ 431,226   $ 43,594  
    Comprehensive loss $ (382,195 ) $ (969,971 )
    R&D expenditures $ 420,829   $ 501,115  
                 

    Acceleware is piloting RF XL at its commercial-scale RF XL pilot project at Marwayne, Alberta (the “RF XL Pilot”). The RF XL Pilot successfully demonstrated the potential of the technology in an operational environment. RF XL is the first application of the Company’s patent-protected CTI. Functionality of the CTI has been proven through scaled field tests conducted in 2019 and 2020, and over six months of operation at the RF XL Pilot. Please refer to the RF XL PILOT UPDATE section below for more information, and to the MD&A for a complete RF XL Pilot update.

    Based on positive results to date, Acceleware remains confident that RF XL will become viable as a critical technology in the effort to reduce production costs and decarbonize heavy oil and oil sands production. In 2024, the Company’s operations team continued data analysis, “history-matching” simulations and other analyses of operational data from tests in 2022. The analysis provides evidence that the operation of the RF XL Pilot resulted in sustained heating of the formation around the heating well prior to the pause in operations for maintenance and inspection. In particular, the Company successfully injected RF power into the heating well for over 200 days — a significant milestone and something that has never been achieved before. Also of note is that the CTI successfully operated for seven consecutive months at a variety of power levels and operating conditions during this time.

    In the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company continued to work on the next iteration of the RF XL subsurface system to more concretely address technical issues that were illuminated during the first phase of heating at the RF XL Pilot. These iterations are also expected to significantly reduce the complexity of the subsurface structure, while reducing manufacturing and deployment costs once commercialized. This redesign work is now complete and ready for manufacturing and deployment. The Company is seeking funding for a second phase of heating at the RF XL Pilot incorporating the new subsurface design and existing surface facilities including the CTI. During 2024 the Company confirmed that the expected cost to redeploy the upgraded design at Marwayne would be approximately $5 million including contingency. Also in 2024, the Company announced that it had secured a total of up to $1.3 million in non-dilutive funding from the Clean Resource Innovation Network (“CRIN”) for the next phase of the RF XL Pilot, contingent on the Company sourcing the remaining $3.7 million. The Company has identified several industry and government potential funders and has discussed the project with them. The purpose of the second phase of heating at the RF XL Pilot is to enable higher power to be distributed into the reservoir for a sustained period, resulting in higher reservoir temperatures and oil production, to advance the potential commercial viability of RF XL technology.

    In addition to development work, and with results gained from RF XL deployment in Marwayne to date, Management has also initiated a strategic review of the commercialization plan for RF XL. The process involved analyzing various heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs in western Canada, with the goal of identifying the optimal resources for the demonstration of commercial viability of RF XL. These reservoirs included not only the vast McMurray oil sands, but also heavy oil plays including the Clearwater in north-central Alberta, the Bluesky in west-central Alberta, and the Mannville Stack in eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan. The review process has led Management to conclude that heavy oil plays offer the greatest near-term potential for commercializing RF XL, due to lower initial capital per well, ability to scale from one heating well to many, lower operating cost to effectively decrease viscosity, and the potential for significant incremental production and ultimate recovery to make uneconomic resources economic. Once proven in heavy oil, Management believes the oil sands will offer significant market expansion potential.

    In Q1 2025 Acceleware’s board of directors approved an initiative proposed by Management to investigate (in parallel with continued effort to progress a second phase of heating at Marwayne) the opportunity for Acceleware, as an operator, to acquire rights to a suitable heavy oil property, and thereafter apply RF XL as a secondary recovery method to improve the property’s production, cashflow, ultimate recovery and asset valuation. Under this scenario, Acceleware would benefit from the valuation enhancement brought about by RF XL. Management has commenced its investigation pursuant to this initiative as of the date of this news release. In the three months ended March 31, 2025 the Company’s subsurface team refined its reservoir selection criteria and identified several promising locations for a commercial demonstration of RF XL.

    As of the date of this news release, the Company completed additional IMII-funded testing of a 100kg per hour prototype potash dryer with further promising results. IMII and its participating members had requested additional testing under various scenarios before considering the Company’s Phase 3 proposal for the design, construction and testing of a new, larger-scale prototype. Acceleware expects to learn if IMII and its members will sanction a Phase 3 project later this year. IMII’s minerals industry members include BHP, Cameco Corporation, Fission Uranium Corp., The Mosaic Company and Nutrien Ltd.

    During the three months ended March 31, 2025, Acceleware continued to invest in developing and protecting new intellectual property with the number of patents issued, allowed, applied for, or in development totalling 62. The Company has 28 patents granted or allowed to protect various proprietary technologies and 34 patent applications pending or under development. The Company uses an integrated strategy for IP protection involving a combination of patenting and trade secrets, working closely with the patent offices and intellectual property advisors.

    RF XL PILOT UPDATE
    Acceleware plans to initiate a second phase of heating after completing a proposed significant subsurface design upgrade to address the moisture ingress issue. Prior to the next phase of heating, all RF XL subsurface components will be removed, and substantially upgraded, and then redeployed. This plan was developed in consultation with industry partners and service providers and among the alternatives examined, it is expected to have the highest probability of achieving higher power injected into the reservoir for a sustained period. The subsurface design was further refined in Q1 2025 to more completely address the moisture ingress issue, to increase simplicity and to reduce costs for the commercial product. The refined design is not expected to materially impact the estimated cost for the second phase of heating at the RF XL Pilot. An estimated additional $5 million of funding is required to complete the redeployment including contingency, and Acceleware is actively working to raise these funds. Acceleware has secured $1.3 million partial funding for the redeployment conditional on securing the balance of the funds from industry partners or other sources. The final timing and cost of the redeployment and subsequent heating is uncertain and remains primarily dependent on financing, partner investment, the time required to source the remaining financing, and the successful deployment of repairs and components.

    Total direct funding received for the first phase of the RF XL Pilot was $24.4 million and included $5.9 million from Alberta Innovates, $5.5 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (“SDTC”), $5.0 million from Emissions Reduction Alberta (“ERA”), $3.0 million from CRIN and $5.0 million in aggregate from three oil sands operators. See discussion below in Financial Summary. In exchange for funding, the oil sands operators received exclusive access to detailed technical data and test results, prioritized rights to host a subsequent test, preferred pricing on pre-commercial products and preferred access to RF XL products. These major oil sands producers represent well over one million barrels of oil sands and heavy oil production per day.

    QUARTER IN REVIEW
    Revenue of $431 thousand was recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2025 (“Q1 2025”) compared to $44 thousand in the three months ended March 31, 2024 (“Q1 2024”) and $1.9 million in the previous quarter ended December 31, 2024 (“Q4 2024”). Revenue in Q4 2024 was substantially associated with deferred revenue recognized relating to a contract with one oil sands producer for the RF XL Pilot.

    Total comprehensive loss for Q1 2025 was $383 thousand compared to a comprehensive loss of $1.0 million for Q1 2024 and comprehensive income of $0.9 million for Q4 2024. The reduction in comprehensive loss in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024 was due to higher revenue and a significant reduction in R&D and G&A expenses. Comprehensive income in Q4 2024 was higher due to revenue related to the RF XL Pilot. Finance expense includes interest expense on convertible debentures and notes payable which are funding the Company’s working capital. Comprehensive income in all periods was impacted by changes in value of the derivative financial instruments embedded within the convertible debenture. The changes in derivative value are driven primarily by the fluctuation in the Company’s share price.

    R&D expenses incurred in Q1 2025 were $421 thousand compared to $501 thousand in Q1 2024 and $581 thousand in Q4 2024. R&D spending in Q1 2025 and Q4 2024 was related to the IMII dryer for potash ore and included lab engineering, designing and testing, data analysis, and partner consultations, and to further engineering on the next iteration of the RF XL Pilot. R&D spending in Q1 2024 was related to the RF XL Pilot. There was $nil government assistance received in Q1 2025, Q4 2024 and Q1 2024.

    G&A expenses incurred in Q1 2025 were $253 thousand compared to $452 thousand in Q1 2024 and $315 thousand in Q4 2024. There were lower non-cash payroll related costs incurred in Q1 2025 due to the timing of option grants and lower professional fees as the Company continues to prioritize cost control given uncertain economic conditions.

    As at December 31, 2024, Acceleware had negative working capital of $3.6 million (December 31, 2024 – negative working capital of $3.4 million) including cash and cash equivalents of $211 thousand (December 31, 2024 – $272 thousand). The increase in negative working capital is attributable to the decrease in cash as well as an increase in short term notes payable, and an increase in deferred management compensation.

    In the interests of matching cash requirements with a combination of cash generated from operations, external funding, and capital raising activities, the Company actively manages its cash flow and investments in new products. Acceleware intends to maximize cash generated from operations through several initiatives which include continuing to focus on higher gross margin software products that are marketed through a combination of direct and reseller models; minimizing operating expenses where possible; and limiting capital expenditures. As the Company continues to develop its RF Heating technology, new R&D investments will be financed through a combination of internal cash flow from the HPC business, project funding agreements, government assistance and external financing, when available.

    ABOUT ACCELEWARE:
    Acceleware is an innovator of clean-tech decarbonization technologies comprised of two business units: Radio Frequency Heating Technology and Seismic Imaging Software.  

    Acceleware is piloting RF XL, its patented low-cost, low-carbon production technology for heavy oil and oil sands that is materially different from any heavy oil recovery technique used today. Acceleware’s vision is that electrification of heavy oil and oil sands production can be made possible through RF XL, supporting a transition to much cleaner energy production that can quickly bend the emissions curve downward. With clean electricity, Acceleware’s RF XL technology could eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with heavy oil and oil sands production. RF XL uses no water, requires no solvent, has a small physical footprint, can be redeployed from site to site, and can be applied to a multitude of reservoir types. Acceleware is also actively developing partnerships for RF heating of other industrial applications using the Company’s proprietary CTI.

    Acceleware and Saa Dene Group (co-founded by Jim Boucher) have created Acceleware | Kisâstwêw to raise the profile, adoption, and value of Acceleware technologies. The shared vision of the partnership is to improve the environmental and economic performance of the energy sector by supporting ideals that are important to Indigenous peoples, including respect for land, water, and clean air.

    The Company’s seismic imaging software solutions are state-of-the-art for high fidelity imaging, providing the most accurate and advanced imaging available for oil exploration in complex geologies. Acceleware is a public company listed on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “AXE”.

    NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND OTHER ADVISORIES
    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information generally means information about an issuer’s business, capital, or operations that are prospective in nature, and includes disclosure about the issuer’s prospective financial performance or financial position. 

    The forward-looking information in this press release can be identified by terms such as “believes”, “estimates”, “plans”, “potential”, and “will”, and includes information about, the expected commercialization of RF XL, the expected cost of the RF XL Pilot, the timing of the execution of the RF XL Pilot and the redeployment, expected financing required for the RF XL Pilot redeployment, the anticipated economic and societal benefits of the RF XL technology, and the future development plans related to potash ore drying prototypes. Acceleware assumes that current cost estimates are accurate, current timelines will not be delayed by either internal or external causes, that research and development effort including the commercial-scale test plans will result in commercial-ready products, and that future capital raising efforts will be successful.  

    Actual results may vary from the forward-looking information in this press release due to certain material risk factors. These risk factors are described in detail in Acceleware’s continuous disclosure documents, which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 

    Acceleware assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information in this press release, unless it is required to do so under Canadian securities legislation. 

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this release in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. 

    DISCLAIMER

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For more information:
    Geoff Clark
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099
    geoff.clark@acceleware.com

    Acceleware Ltd.
    435 10th Avenue SE
    Calgary, AB, T2G 0W3
    Canada
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099
    www.acceleware.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Appointed as Co-Chair of Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Established in 1959, the Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group is tasked with promoting better understanding and cooperation between Canadian parliamentarians and U.S. members of Congress. The association is comprised of nearly 90 members and serves as a forum to discuss key bilateral and multilateral issues impacting both countries.

    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) is the newest member of the group. Cramer’sappointment as co-chair of the Senate delegation is a continuation of his efforts to support the American-Canadian relationship. In June 2023, Cramer joined U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) in launching and co-chairing the bipartisan, bicameral American-Canadian Economy and Security Caucus to strengthen ties with Canada. Cramer was previously a member of the Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group from 2013 to 2019 when he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and served as co-chair of the House Northern Border Caucus.

    “The Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group is a strategic venue for legislators in Washington and Ottawa to engage on the shared issues our nations face,” said Cramer. “Just like iron sharpens iron, the alliance between Canada and the United States is dependent on open, honest dialogue on what binds us together and where improvements are needed. I’m honored to be appointed as co-chair of the Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group and look forward to strengthening our alliance and working on resolving mutual concerns.”

    The association holds a meeting each year, alternating between Canada and the United States to address priorities and policy differences on issues such as trade, energy, infrastructure, and defense. During the event, attendees seek to identify shared values and find possible solutions to a variety of concerns to both countries. As a newly appointed member of the association, Cramer will travel to Canada today to meet with Canadian leadership.   

    In March 2024, on behalf of North Dakota, Cramer received the Embassy of Canada’s Maple Leaf Award from Ambassador Kirsten Hillman and Consul General Beth Richardson. North Dakota sells more exports to Canada than to all other nations in the world combined, and this award recognizes the incredible volume of trade between the two countries.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Huffman Statement on Capital Jewish Museum Shooting and Antisemitism

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    May 22, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) released the following statement in response to the deadly act of violence at the Capital Jewish Museum: 

    “The deadly display of antisemitic violence that transpired outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. last night is appalling. In what the FBI believes may be a targeted attack, two young members of the Jewish community were senselessly murdered. As we await additional details, one thing remains clear: antisemitism has no place in our country, and we need to take action to put an end to this vile hate as violence worsens both at home and around the globe. 

    “In the days since the October 7th attack, we’ve seen an undeniable rise in antisemitism and hate crimes. Antisemitism, along with Islamophobia and other forms of ethno-religious hatred, have festered far too long in the United States. We cannot allow violent extremists – or their enablers – to sow hatred and threaten our communities. I condemn these tragic murders and all other antisemitic hate crimes unequivocally and unconditionally. We must also reaffirm our commitment to confronting and eliminating all ethno-religious hatred and political violence once and for all. 

    “I send my deepest condolences to the loved ones of the Israeli embassy staff who were murdered last night, and my thoughts and sympathies are with the victims and all those affected by this tragic attack. I will continue fighting back unequivocally against ethno-religious hate and political violence in all its forms and locations.”

    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton Introduces Bill to Incentivize Domestic Production of Lifesaving Medicines

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    May 22, 2025

    Cotton Introduces Bill to Incentivize Domestic Production of Lifesaving Medicines

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Producing Incentives for Long-term production of Lifesaving Supply of medicine (PILLS) Act, legislation that would incentivize domestic manufacturing of lifesaving medicines.

    “America’s overreliance on foreign-made medicines is a national security issue with the potential to impact nearly every household in our country. This bill will ensure that our supply chains for lifesaving drugs remains stable while promoting President Trump’s made in America agenda,” said Senator Cotton.

    Full text of the bill may be found here.

    The PILLS Act would establish the following:

    • A production-based tax credit (PBTC) of 35% for final manufacturers of APIs and finished drug products and 30% for all other components.
    • A proportional domestic content bonus tax credit of up to 20% for 100% domestic content in the drug’s constituent materials.
    • Optional election of an investment tax credit equal to 25% of the qualified investment to offset costs of creating new production capacity (in lieu of PBTC).
    • Disallowance of tax credits to any entity which, at any time during the taxable year, was a foreign entity of concern.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sheboygan Man Indicted for Child Pornography Production and Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 13, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Nolan M. Pitsch (age: 31) of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on five counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a) & (e) & 2252A (a)(5)(B) &)(b)(2).

    The indictment alleges that between approximately March 1, 2024, and continuing until at least September 30, 2024, Pitsch knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced multiple minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, knowing and having reason to know that such visual depiction was and would be produced and transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce by any means, including by computer. 

    The indictment also alleges that on September 26, 2024, Pitsch knowingly possessed images of child pornography, including images of minors who were under the age of twelve years old.

    If convicted of any of the production charges, Pitsch faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment.

     If convicted of the possession charge, Pitsch faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.   He also faces up to a $250,000 fine on all of the counts.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    This case was investigated by multiply offices of the DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offices in Albany, NY, and HSI Milwaukee, HSI Chicago and Indianapolis offices, as well as the Sheboygan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan J. Paulson and Trial Attorney William Clayman from the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.     

    # # #

    For Additional Information Contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of O.C. Staffing Companies Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Tax Crimes, Admits to Cheating IRS Out of Nearly $60 Million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RIVERSIDE, California – The owner of Orange County-based temporary staffing companies was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison for willfully evading the payment of nearly $30 million in taxes, penalties and interest, assessed against him to the IRS as well as causing a false tax return to be filed with the IRS as part of defendant’s efforts to conceal nearly $30 million in additional tax liabilities incurred by his staffing companies.

    Luis E. Perez, 56, who has maintained residences in Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda, and Dove Canyon, was sentenced by United States District Judge Kenly Kiya Kato, who also ordered him to pay $38,052,767 in restitution. At today’s hearing, Judge Kato emphasized the “astonishing” period of time defendant engaged in his criminal conduct and the “staggering” amount of money he caused in loss to the government.

    Perez pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of tax evasion and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return.

    According to his plea agreement, Perez’s companies – which include Checkmates Staffing Inc.; Staffaide Inc.; BaronHR, LLC; BaronHR West Inc.; and Fortress Holding Group LLC – were required to withhold taxes from employee wages and to pay the withheld amounts to the IRS on a periodic basis. These withheld taxes, sometimes known as “trust fund taxes,” include income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare.

    From May 2009 to January 2017, Perez’s companies failed to pay the IRS the payroll taxes for the tax years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010, including trust fund taxes that Perez’s companies withheld from employees’ paychecks. Beginning in June 2007, the IRS attempted to collect Perez’s outstanding tax liability, including penalties and interest. By February 2017, the outstanding balance had grown to $29,593,378, which included the unpaid taxes, interest and the “Trust Fund Recovery Penalty.”

    Perez attempted to thwart the IRS’s collection efforts by purchasing luxury items from his business bank accounts – including numerous cars and a boat – and concealing his ownership by placing the titles of these items in the names of his businesses and other individuals. Those luxury items included a Ferrari 360 Spider F, a Rolls Royce Phantom, a Duffy D 22 Bay Island boat, a Mercedes-Benz SLS, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and a Lamborghini Aventador. Perez also evaded the IRS’s collection efforts by obtaining a Visa Black credit card in the name of another person (now his wife) to make personal purchases and paid off the credit card using funds from his business bank accounts.

    As part of his efforts to impede the IRS, Perez lied to IRS revenue officers during interviews and failed to include material information in documents submitted to the IRS. For example, Perez falsely claimed that he received a salary of only $1,000 per week from BaronHR and he did not receive any other funds from the company, when in fact, Perez distributed money to himself from his businesses by making payments to his now wife for his own benefit.

    While on pretrial release for the abovementioned criminal conduct, Perez engaged in additional criminal tax violations. From October 2018 to August 2019, Perez willfully aided and assisted in the preparation of false tax returns that substantially understated the wages paid to the employees of Anaheim-based temporary staffing company BaronHR West from January 2018 through June 2019.  Specifically, Perez admitted in his plea agreement that he caused BaronHR West to underreport employee wages and other compensation paid by the company by approximately $130,879,521, which resulted in the company’s failure to pay approximately $29,633,516 in federal employment taxes.

    Perez has been in federal custody since August 2024, when a federal magistrate judge revoked his bond after a two-day evidentiary hearing finding probable cause to believe that Perez had violated the terms of his pretrial release by committing still more criminal tax violations between 2021 and 2023. In a motion to revoke Perez’s bond filed with the court in August 2024, the government alleged that Perez had willfully caused his staffing companies to fail to pay over $25 million in federal payroll taxes (including over $13 million in federal trust fund taxes withheld from employee wages) since March 2021. 

    “[Perez] is a prolific employment tax cheat who engaged in a decades long pattern of willful non-payment, false statements, and outright evasion,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Perez] has been unrepentant and unwavering in his violations of the internal revenue laws; he continued his pattern of tax fraud despite extensive efforts to halt his behavior.”

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Brett A. Sagel of the Orange County Office, James C. Hughes of the Major Frauds Section, and Robert A. Kemins of the Department of Justice Tax Division prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wolf Point man pleads guilty to sexual abuse charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man accused of sexually abusing two victims admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Jason Wise Spirit, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse. Wise Spirit faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a $250,000 fine, and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 2, 2025. Wise Spirit was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that on November 15, 2023, a victim referred to here as Jane Doe 1 started crying in class. She alleged Wise Spirit had sexually abused her older sister, referred to as Jane Doe 2. The FBI opened an investigation and both Jane Does 1 and 2 were interviewed on November 20, 2023. Jane Doe 1 said Wise Spirit sexually assaulted her more than 20 times on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation when she was between the ages of 6 and 9. She disclosed vaginal, anal, and oral sex while her mom was at work. Jane Doe 1 disclosed that Jane Doe 2 had also been abused.

    Jane Doe 2 corroborated some of the information from Jane Doe 1’s interview but denied any abuse.

    Jane Doe 2 was interviewed again on April 10, 2024, and disclosed she was afraid of Wise Spirit because he said he would kill her if she told anyone about the abuse. Jane Doe 2 described being forced to have anal and oral sex with Wise Spirit at their residence and in a car in a Walmart parking lot in Williston while their mom was at work.

    Wise Spirit was interviewed and made partial admissions. He said both Jane Does 1 and 2 touched his penis at different times.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Celebrates Removal of Destructive Amodei Lands Proposal From Extreme House Budget Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement applauding the news that Congressman Mark Amodei’s (R-NV-02) hastily-drafted and misguided proposal to sell off public lands in Nevada was removed from the House Republicans’ extreme budget reconciliation package that they passed this morning. 
    “It’s great news for Nevada that Congressman Amodei’s flawed, hastily-drafted proposal to sell our state’s public lands has been removed from the extreme House Republican budget that passed today. This proposal would have led to Nevada losing out on the opportunity for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding so that it could instead pay for more tax cuts for billionaires,” said Senator Rosen. “I’ll keep working in the Senate to make sure my Washoe and Pershing County Lands Bills, which have been endorsed by a wide range of stakeholders in Nevada, are passed.”
    The flawed amendment proposed by Congressman Amodei would have sold off nearly 16,000 acres of public lands in Washoe County and hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in Pershing County to pay for Congressional Republicans’ budget reconciliation proposal. It would have abandoned key provisions in the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, also known as the Washoe County Lands Bill, and directed funds from public land sales in Nevada to the U.S. Treasury, instead of keeping the funding in Nevada. It also ignored the balance struck in the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act.
    Senator Rosen’s Washoe County Lands Bill would: 
    Permanently protect a million acres of public lands, which Congressman Amodei cut in his proposal.
    Promote sustainable growth and economic development by directing over 15,200 acres of public lands to be made eligible for sale, all of which must be assessed for its suitability for new affordable housing. An additional 33 acres are set aside to only be sold for affordable housing. Any land sold for affordable housing would have to be sold at less than fair market value.
    Support local Tribal communities by expanding land held in trust by more than 8,400 acres for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, 11,300 acres for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, and over 1,000 acres for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, none of which was in the Amodei proposal.
    Provide local governments over 3,700 acres for public purposes such as parks, water treatment facilities, fire stations, and schools, all of which was excluded from the Amodei proposal. Land is specifically conveyed to Washoe County, the City of Reno, the City of Sparks, the Incline Village General Improvement District, the Gerlach General Improvement District, the State of Nevada, the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, the Washoe County School District, and the University of Nevada, Reno.
    Keep proceeds from land sales in Nevada for priorities like education and restoration around the Truckee River.
    For years, Senator Rosen has worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders across Washoe County to develop this comprehensive legislation. In 2023, she unveiled a working draft of the bill and collected feedback from hundreds of Nevadans during a public comment period, which she then incorporated into this legislation, which was previously introduced last year with the support of local government officials, conservation advocates, and business leaders.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: “We Will Not Forget:” Padilla Sends Strong Warning as Republicans Go Nuclear to Revoke California Clean Air Waivers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    “We Will Not Forget:” Padilla Sends Strong Warning as Republicans Go Nuclear to Revoke California Clean Air Waivers

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, blasted Republicans for their shortsighted revocation of California’s clean air waivers by overruling the nonpartisan Senate Parliamentarian’s decision and going nuclear on the Senate rulebook. Republicans defied their own promises and broke 30 years of precedent by moving forward with their cynical repeal of California’s Clean Air Act waivers with a 50-vote threshold under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), bypassing the filibuster and its 60-vote requirement by overruling the Senate Parliamentarian.
    Over the last few weeks, Padilla has spoken on the Senate floor repeatedly to sound the alarm on Senate Republicans’ revocations of these critical waivers.
    “Over the last 24 hours, Trump and radical Republicans have gone nuclear on the Senate rulebook, stopping at nothing to attack California for protecting the health of my constituents, for having the audacity to lead the clean energy economy. California became the fourth-largest economy in the world by leaning in to the clean energy transition, and we’ve proved that what’s good for the planet and our air is good for business. By denying California the ability to control our own toxic air and greenhouse gas emissions, Republicans are threatening the public health, environment, and economy for millions of my constituents and people around the country. And let me be clear: California has not and cannot force our emission standards on any other state in the nation.
    “It’s not just why Republicans are undermining California’s climate leadership. It’s how they did it. Republicans are effectively saying that whenever the Parliamentarian rules against them, they can simply disregard her to bypass the filibuster and pass legislation on a simple majority vote. So no, this isn’t some one-off change to the rules — this is throwing out the rulebook entirely — all to please Donald Trump and the Big Oil lobby. If they can ignore the Parliamentarian here, then why not on an upcoming tax bill, or to gut health care, or to revoke lifesaving vaccine approvals?
    “Republicans have crossed the red line and gone nuclear. As the saying goes, ‘what goes around comes around.’ And it won’t be long before Democrats are back in the driver’s seat again. When that happens, all bets will be off. Every agency action that Democrats don’t like — whether it’s a rule or not — will be fair game, from mining permits and fossil fuel projects to foreign affairs and tax policies.
    “We will not forget what happened here. History won’t forget. And California will not forget.”
    Senator Padilla has been a leading voice in pushing back against Republican attacks on California’s Clean Air Act waivers. Earlier this week, Padilla placed a hold on the four pending Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nominees until Republicans stop their reckless attempts to overturn California’s clean air waivers. Padilla, along with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also led Democratic Ranking Members in strongly warning Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) of the dangerous and irreparable consequences if Senate Republicans overrule the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision on California’s waivers.
    Last month, Padilla, Whitehouse, and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) welcomed the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision that the waivers are not subject to the CRA. Padilla also joined Whitehouse and Schiff in blasting Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s weaponization of the EPA after the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) similar finding. Padilla and Schiff previously slammed the Trump Administration’s intent to roll back dozens of the EPA’s regulations that protect California’s air and water.
    Throughout the past several weeks, Padilla has made clear that these reckless revocations of California’s clean air waivers will lead to disastrous public health, environmental, and economic impacts for millions of Californians and people across the country. Inaction against the climate crisis costs Americans an average of $2,500 a year in medical bills and over $820 billion in total, according to estimates by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
    Padilla has consistently stressed the extreme consequences of Republicans ignoring the Parliamentarian, effectively blowing up the filibuster. While he and other Democrats supported lowering the threshold to pass a bill in 2022, Republicans defended the filibuster relentlessly — a dramatic contrast from their revocation of California’s waivers under a simple majority vote.
    Now that they’ve taken the nuclear option, the Trump Administration could make a series of dangerous moves in bogging down Congress with reviews from the past 30 years on items including vaccine approvals, broadcast licenses, merger approvals, and more, enabling President Trump’s political retribution. Padilla has warned multiple times that a future Democratic administration could come after Republican oil and gas priorities, including mining permits, fossil fuel projects, foreign policy, tax policies, and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) disruptions.
    In case you missed it, Senators Schumer, Whitehouse, Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Schiff, and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) also all came out strongly against Republicans’ reckless effort and warned of the consequences of setting this new precedent.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: $1 billion of Māori funding gone

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The Government should hang its head in shame after a budget that takes a knife to more Māori programmes.

    “In Budget 2024 more than $300 million was cut from Māori specific initiatives – Te Arawhiti, The Māori Health Authority, and Māori TV. Budget 2025 cuts even deeper with around $750 million cut from Māori Housing, Māori economic funds, Māori Education and programmes like Māori trades training,” Māori Development spokesperson, Willie Jackson said.

    “Over the two budgets, Tama Potaka has now slashed more than $1 billion of Māori specific funding and that is shameful.

    “Louise Upston has also made the shameful choice to stop funding Māori trade training when Māori unemployment has risen to 10.5 percent, with no plan to support Māori into meaningful jobs.

    “The biggest hit is in Māori housing. Whai Kainga Whai Oranga and the whole Māori housing programme has been scrapped. In total $624 million has been wiped from the books.

    “Tama Potaka is ignoring the housing data showing Māori are in the most need and has chosen to wash his hands of Māori housing.

    “This government is providing a mere $3 million per year worth of new funding for Māori Wardens and the Māori Women’s Welfare League – yet has increased its ministerial budget for international travel by $2 million per year.

    “At the same time, David Seymour is introducing his Regulatory Standards Bill under urgency that extinguishes more Māori rights, cementing this government’s lack of care towards Māori.

    “This government has proven once again that it has turned its back on the Māori-Crown relationship,” Willie Jackson said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Leads Entire WA Delegation in Letter Urging President Trump to Reconsider Denial of WA State’s Request for a Disaster Declaration for November “Bomb Cyclone”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Severe storms resulted in extensive damage to critical infrastructure, parks, cultural sites, schools, public buildings, and more, resulting in over $34 million dollars in damages across six counties

    Letter comes following denial of initial request, WA delegation urges President Trump to reconsider and approve WA state’s pending appeal

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, led Washington state’s entire Congressional delegation—U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA-03), Dan Newhouse, (R, WA-04), Michael Baumgartner (R, WA-05), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Pramila Jayapal (D, WA-07), Kim Schrier (D, WA-08), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), and Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10)—in sending a letter last night to President Donald Trump urging him to reconsider the denial of Washington state’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration as a result of the devastating windstorms, heavy rainfall, flooding, and mudslides caused by a bomb cyclone that struck Washington state in November 2024.

    “As representatives of Washington state, we earnestly request that you carefully reconsider this decision and approve the state’s pending appeal without further delay,” the bipartisan, bicameral group of Members wrote.

    “From Grays Harbor, Pacific and Wahkiakum to King, Snohomish, and Walla Walla Counties, the storm’s impact was severe, far-reaching and well-documented. One of the most destructive storms in recent history, it overwhelmed public infrastructure, endangered lives, and left residents across the state grappling with long-term consequences. This is precisely the kind of catastrophic event for which the federal declaration process was designed. The state’s request outlines over $34 million in damages across these six counties—costs that local governments cannot and should not be expected to shoulder alone,” the Members wrote.

    “Disaster declarations are not symbolic, they are critical lifelines for communities in crisis. Washington state’s first responders, local governments, and emergency management professionals have done everything within their means to begin recovery, but the scale of the damage requires federal support through the Public Assistance Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Anything less unnecessarily places our communities, infrastructure and long-term stability at an unacceptable risk.”

    “We remain committed to working with you to secure the support our constituents urgently need,” the Members concluded.

    Previously, the full group of Members—led by Senator Murray—urged President Biden to grant the request for a Major Disaster Declaration in January.

    The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.

    Dear Mr. President:

    We are writing to express our serious disappointment and growing concern regarding the denial of Washington state’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration following the devastating bomb cyclone that struck between November 17 and November 25, 2024. As representatives of Washington state, we earnestly request that you carefully reconsider this decision and approve the state’s pending appeal without further delay.

    From Grays Harbor, Pacific and Wahkiakum to King, Snohomish, and Walla Walla Counties, the storm’s impact was severe, far-reaching and well-documented. One of the most destructive storms in recent history, it overwhelmed public infrastructure, endangered lives, and left residents across the state grappling with long-term consequences. This is precisely the kind of catastrophic event for which the federal declaration process was designed. The state’s request outlines over $34 million in damages across these six counties—costs that local governments cannot and should not be expected to shoulder alone.

    Disaster declarations are not symbolic, they are critical lifelines for communities in crisis. Washington state’s first responders, local governments, and emergency management professionals have done everything within their means to begin recovery, but the scale of the damage requires federal support through the Public Assistance Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Anything less unnecessarily places our communities, infrastructure and long-term stability at an unacceptable risk.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We remain committed to working with you to secure the support our constituents urgently need.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Votes to Overturn Biden EV Mandate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today issued the following statement after voting to overturn the Biden administration’s approval of California’s Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation, which mandates 100% electric vehicle (EV) sales by 2035 and effectively bans traditional gas-powered vehicles.
    “Forcing anybody buying a new car to buy an electric vehicle by 2035 is stupid. Nobody wants government telling them what car to drive. This rule is dead—good riddance,” said Dr. Cassidy. 
    In the final days of the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved California’s request to mandate zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035, setting a national precedent. Under the Clean Air Act, California’s EV mandate has been adopted by over a dozen states, affecting more than 30% of the national auto market.
    In March, Cassidy introduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act to reverse the Biden administration’s aggressive emissions standards and protect consumers’ rights to affordable, reliable vehicles. Additionally, Cassidy co-sponsored the Eliminating Lavish Incentives to Electric (ELITE) Vehicles Act to repeal costly federal subsidies for electric vehicles and related infrastructure. He also introduced legislation under the Congressional Review Act to block other Biden administration EV mandates imposed on American families last year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: City centre opens up for more homes and jobs

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    Taller buildings and increased development capacity are on the way for Auckland’s city centre, following Auckland Council’s decision to accept recommendations that will help deliver more homes, more businesses, and better access to the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau.  

    The decision was made by Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning Committee, which accepted in full a set of recommendations from the Independent Hearings Panel (IHP), an expert body established to hear public submissions and evidence on Plan Change 78. The IHP recommendations were based on extensive public input, expert evidence, and hearings.

    “As a city resident, I’m pleased plans to increase density to allow more growth in the central city under Plan Change 78 are now done and dusted. When I look at the swathes of people coming in and out of the city to work every day, this makes a lot of sense. It is also one of three growth areas highlighted in my manifesto”, says Mayor Wayne Brown.  

    Unlocking long-term capacity

    Chair of the committee, Councillor Richard Hills, says unlocking this amount of development capacity in the city centre makes room for well over four times the number of homes and businesses we have today. This enables around a 300 per cent increase in floor space. 

    “This is a positive step forward giving more people the chance to live, work, and study close to major transport, shops, and services, future-proofing our city for the people who live here now and the ones still to come. 

    “Our city centre is already one of Auckland’s fastest-growing residential areas and our largest employment hub. It supports around 159,000 workers and 15,500 businesses, contributing approximately 20 per cent of Auckland’s total GDP and around 8 per cent of New Zealand’s. 

    “Our decision today, will help create a more vibrant, bustling and lively city centre — one that’s alive with people, jobs, culture, and opportunity — like you see in successful cities around the world.” 

    “It also supports our investment in the City Rail Link and other city centre upgrades which is also helping to attract $6 billion of private-sector investment. This further strengthens the city centre’s role as a hub for jobs, housing, retail, hospitality, culture and community.” 

    What the changes involve

    Most of the changes the council publicly notified in Plan Change 78 were backed by the IHP with only a few minor differences, which advances the council’s overall growth strategy for the area. 

    Key changes include increasing building heights across much of the city centre and removing limits on floor areas to allow for a wider variety of building sizes and types. These changes are central to the council’s plan for more quality homes, businesses and services in the heart of Auckland and supporting a liveable, dynamic and attractive city centre. 

    18 midtown developments – recent, underway and planned – within 5 minutes’ walk of 3 Te Waihorotiu Station entrances. Station entrances shown in blue on map.

    What’s next for Auckland’s growth plan? 

    With the council’s decisions now made, they will be notified by 30 May 2025. Once notified they will be included in the Auckland Unitary Plan and are expected to become operative in June 2025. 

    Outside of the city centre, Auckland Council is working on a new plan change that will deal with two of the biggest challenges we face in our region – strengthening rules to better protect people from natural hazards such as flooding and enabling more housing in the right places, especially near large centres and transport hubs. On its own the legislation that underpins Plan Change 78 does not let us tackle the challenges that floods pose or consider the government’s proposal to opt out of the MDRS. 

    For this work to proceed, a change in legislation is required to allow the council to withdraw the remainder of Plan Change 78, except for the city centre decisions made today, which is being considered as part of the government’s RMA reforms. The council is currently working on an approach while we wait for central government to give the go ahead. 

    Key Changes

    • Maximum building heights have significantly increased within the City Centre Zone. In many areas, including along the western edge, height limits will increase from 30 metres to 72.5 metres, roughly 20+ storeys. In the core of the city centre there will be unlimited height (subject controls to protect sunlight access to key parks and open space, significant views of the harbour and maunga, and historic heritage). 

    • The council’s changes in the publicly notified Plan Change 78 allowed for four times more development capacity in the city centre over what currently exists. The IHP has made further changes to allow for even more capacity. 

    • Modelling is underway to calculate the differences between the notified capacity and the further increases made by the council’s decision today. 

    • Floor Area Ratios — planning rules that limit how much total floor space can be built on a site — have been removed. This will allow far more flexible building designs for commercial and residential use and allows for more efficient land use, as long as buildings meet other adaptable urban design rules.

    • The western edge of Karangahape Road will increase heights from 15 metres to between 35 and 72.5 metres, depending on the building type, allowing more development in a walkable, well-connected area near rapid transit. This does not affect historic heritage protections for Karangahape Road currently in place.

    • The council accepted IHP recommendations to slightly reduce the Karangahape Road Precinct by removing a small block that includes 538 and 582 Karangahape Road. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 05/20/2025 Blackburn, Moolenaar Call for Investigation Into Chinese EV Charging Startup

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Representative. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Chairman of the House Select Committee on China, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urging an investigation into Autel Energy, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) charging startup, and its connections to the Chinese Communist Party. Autel Energy represents a national security risk to the United States given its access to consumer data and critical grid infrastructure.
    Autel Energy Shares a Parent Company with Autel Robotics, a Company U.S. Government Recently Listed as National Security Concern
    “Autel Energy manufactures electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Autel Intelligent Transportation Corp.—the same parent company to Chinese drone maker Autel Robotics, which the U.S. government recently added to the Department of Commerce’s Entity List and the Chinese military companies list. We are concerned that Autel Energy’s products pose many of the same risks to U.S. economic and national security as those manufactured by Autel Robotics and its parent company, both of which are openly affiliated with the CCP and People’s Liberation Army.”
    Autel Energy Has Taken Steps to Hide Ties to Chinese-Controlled Parent Company
    “Autel Energy styles itself as Autel Intelligent Technology Corp. on its website but has otherwise taken steps to hide the company’s ties to its Chinese controlled parent corporation through new investments in the U.S., where affiliation with a strategic ally of the PRC is deliberately deemphasized. The company recently opened a new assembly facility in the United States and claims that it manufactures Build America, Buy America compliant products that are eligible for the federal government’s EV infrastructure support program. This follows the same playbook deployed by Autel Robotics, which previously advertised a ‘Made in USA’ drone for sale in American markets, targeted towards state and local governments, even though the drone utilized prohibited technology from ZTE and HiSilicon.”
    Blackburn, Moolenaar Push for Investigation into Autel Energy to Protect Consumer Data and National Security
    “And much like Autel Robotics, Autel Energy products have the capacity to access and collect significant sensitive consumer data that could be used for nefarious purposes. The company operates with few—if any—restrictions, even though the EV charging stations they manufacture, sell, and deploy in the U.S. can collect and transmit sensitive driver data generated by electric vehicles during a charging session. These products are also connected to critical electrical infrastructure, enhancing the risks posed to American economic and national security. For these reasons, we request that your agencies investigate whether Autel Energy meets the requirements for designation on the aforementioned lists.”
    Click here to read the full letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Charges Filed After Deadly Shooting of Israeli Diplomats in D.C.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, has been charged with federal and local murder offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Jewish National Museum in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2025.

                Rodriguez is charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with the murder of foreign officials, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He is also charged with two counts of first-degree murder under the D.C. criminal code.

                The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen, and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith.

                “This brutal, anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country or anywhere in civilization,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will follow the facts and secure the most severe possible punishment for the perpetrator of this heinous crime, which robbed two wonderful young people of a bright future together.”

                “Our community is reeling. Because of one person’s actions, two families are left to grieve for dreams that will never be realized,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Violence of any kind is unacceptable. Senseless acts that take innocent lives are intolerable. We will hold accountable anyone who inflicts harm on our families, our neighbors, the citizens of our nation, or the visitors to our great capital city. We are united in that purpose, and we hold strong against those whose reckless actions claim as victim any part of our community.”

                “This Civil Rights Division is aggressively pursuing every avenue to investigate this crime,” said Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon.” Let me be clear: hateful violence against Jewish Americans will be met with the full force of the Justice Department. We are expanding enforcement, increasing our outreach, and holding perpetrators accountable wherever they act.”

                “Make no mistake: This attack was targeted, antisemitic violence,” said Assistant Director in Charge Jensen. “The FBI will continue to pursue all leads and use all available resources to investigate this heinous murder.”

                “We continue to work closely with our federal partners and want to assure our community that the safety of all residents and visitors remains our top priority,” said Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith. “Out of an abundance of caution we are increasing our presence at religious institutions citywide.”

                According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Rodriguez allegedly opened fire on the victims as they were leaving an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee, which brought together Jewish professionals and members of the diplomatic community. Both victims were employed by the Israeli Embassy. One was an Israeli citizen and an official guest of the U.S. government.

                Surveillance footage reportedly shows Rodriguez walking past the victims before turning and firing multiple rounds. After the victims fell, he allegedly continued firing at close range, including as one attempted to crawl away. Investigators recovered a 9mm handgun and 21 spent shell casings at the scene.

                Rodriguez entered the Museum after he committed the murders. Witnesses and surveillance video reportedly confirmed his involvement. He had flown from Chicago to Washington the day prior with the firearm declared in his checked luggage.

                The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

                A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas City Woman Sentenced for COVID-19 Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for filing a false claim as part of a scheme to fraudulently receive approximately $62,811.75 in COVID-19 relief funds from the government.

    Robin Brooks, 55, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 15 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $62,811.75 in restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to Jackson County, Missouri.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  As a part of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was created to provided forgivable loans to small businesses that were administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through corresponding financial institutions. The purpose of PPP was to provide support to small businesses and assist their payroll to their employees during the coronavirus pandemic.

    In her guilty plea, Brooks admitted that, in 2021, she two submitted fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration for the loans using fake businesses. In fact, Brooks’ business never actually existed and did not have any employees.  In a related scheme, Brooks submitted approximately $30,345 in false invoices to Jackson County, Missouri, to receive CARES Act Funds for a non-profit organization she created to provide food to people negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    Based on these false claims, the SBA issued payments totaling $32,466 to Brooks and Jackson County issued payments totaling $30,345. 

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by United States Secret Service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Solon-based Manufacturer to Pay $6M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program

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

    CLEVELAND – The Justice Department has announced that Cosmax USA, a corporation having previously done business as two separate entities, Cosmax USA and Nu-World Corporation, has agreed to pay $6 million, of which $3 million is restitution, to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act (FCA) that they knowingly provided false information to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and loan forgiveness. The companies are part of a global conglomerate that supplies cosmetics and nutritional supplements. Nu-World was merged into Cosmax USA in 2023.

    Cosmax USA operated a manufacturing facility in Solon, Ohio up until 2023. This settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by a former employee who worked at that location. Under the whistleblower provisions of the FCA, an individual, known in legal terms as the “relator,” may file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The relator in this case, Alexander Novik, served as Cosmax USA’s controller and also in its human resources department.

    The PPP was launched through the Small Business Administration (SBA), with the enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020. The program provided eligible companies with financial support as businesses faced unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This resolution addresses two alleged violations in which the United States contended that Cosmax USA and Nu-World submitted false information to be eligible to receive PPP funds.

    First, the resolution addresses allegations that Nu-World submitted an application in April 2020 for a First-Draw PPP loan, and an application for forgiveness of that loan in 2021, based on a calculated loan amount that was partially based on payments to temporary employees who were not employees of Nu-World.

    Second, the resolution addresses allegations that Cosmax USA falsely certified that it was a small business with fewer than 300 employees (including employees at affiliated companies) when it submitted its Second-Draw PPP loan application. In reality, the number of Cosmax USA’s employees, when combined with the number of employees working at its affiliate Nu-World, exceeded the PPP program’s 300-employee limit.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel (SBA-OGC) and Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG).

    Trial Attorney Graham D. Welch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Jackson Froliklong for the Northern District of Ohio handled the matter, with assistance from Thomas W. Rigby and Arlene P. Messinger Lerner of the SBA.

    Anyone with information about allegations of CARES Act fraud may submit a report with the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or online at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Eastern Panhandle

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Juan Manuel De La Rosa-Tejeda, also known as “Little Papi,” age 39, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for cocaine distribution.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, De La Rosa-Tejeda was one of the leaders of the drug trafficking conspiracy, selling large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Berkeley County and using a business in Hagerstown, Top 3 Sources Appliances, as a central hub for the drug sales. De La Rosa-Tejeda’s home was searched, and officers found $121,670. A search of Top 3 Sources yielded nearly nine kilograms of cocaine and more than one kilogram of heroin.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The FBI; the U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative (agencies included are the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Ranson Police Department, Charles Town Police Department, and Martinsburg City Police Department); West Virginia State Police; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Hagerstown Police Department; the National Resources Police Department; FBI-New York Safe Streets Task Force; the New York Police Department; the New Jersey State Police; the Washington County (Maryland) Drug Task Force; the Maryland State Police; the  U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland;  and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania investigated.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Member Sentenced to 16.5 Years After Conviction at Trial for Leadership Role in Memphis Mob Drug Conspiracy

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced a Memphis man to more than 16 years in federal prison for his involvement in an armed drug trafficking operation.  Jeffery “Bud B” Sevier, 48, of Memphis, was sentenced to 198 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine.  U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris also ordered Sevier to serve four years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Interim United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. announced the sentence today.

    According to information presented at trial and the sentencing hearing, while looking into drug trafficking activity by members of the Memphis Mob, investigators identified a North Memphis home from which narcotics were being sold.  On March 4, 2019, someone allegedly stole narcotics from the house which led to shots being fired.  A Memphis police officer responded and witnessed someone with a gunshot wound to the head running away from the house.  Surveillance video from the house showed Sevier at the location, with co-conspirators firing into a vehicle occupied by five people including a minor child. One person was injured from the shooting but survived. Sevier was arrested on the scene and provided false information to the police. 

    In addition, the surveillance video showed Memphis Mob members distributing narcotics from the North Memphis house daily until the shooting, after which the group relocated operations.

    In July 2022, Sevier was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.  At sentencing, the Court held Sevier responsible for 4.5 kilograms of cocaine, holding a leadership role in the Memphis Mob directing others to sell narcotics on the gang’s behalf, and maintaining control over the gang’s drug distribution house.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz stated, “The ATF will continue to use its resources to combat illegal firearm possession, drug distribution, and violent acts of crime. We will continue to work closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure public safety in the communities that we serve.”

    This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations and organized criminal enterprises, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Memphis Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Allen and Michelle Kimbril-Parks prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.   

    ###

    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Prairie Provident Reports on AGM Voting Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Prairie Provident Resources Inc. (“Prairie Provident” or the “Company”) (TSX:PPR) announces voting results from its annual and special shareholders’ meeting held today (the “Meeting”). A total of 1,216,965,050 common shares, representing approximately 86.8% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common shares, were represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting.

    All of the matters put forward to the shareholders, as set out in the Company’s notice of meeting and information circular dated April 15, 2025 (the “Information Circular”), a copy of which is available from the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca or the Prairie Provident website at www.ppr.ca, were approved by the requisite majority of votes cast at the Meeting.

    Election of Directors

    At the Meeting, each of Glenn Hamilton, Dale Miller, Matthew Shyba and Kathy Turgeon was elected, by ordinary resolution, as a director of Prairie Provident for the ensuing year, to hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders.

    Following are details as to the number of votes cast ‘for’ the election of each director nominee at the Meeting, and the percentage that figure represented of the total shares voted or withheld from voting in respect of that nominee.

    Director Number of votes FOR election % of total votes FOR
    Glenn Hamilton 1,207,754,472 99.9%
    Dale Miller 1,207,856,769 99.9%
    Matthew Shyba 1,207,691,265 99.9%
    Kathy Turgeon 1,207,736,113 99.9%


    Other Matters

    Shareholders also passed at the Meeting a series of resolutions approving, in each case by a majority of over 99% of votes cast, all other items of business set out in the Information Circular These other items of business consisted of: (i) appointing Ernst & Young LLP as the auditor of the Company for the ensuing year; (ii) approving unallocated entitlements under the Prairie Provident stock option plan and incentive security plan, as well as certain amendments to such plans; (iii) approving a consolidation of the outstanding common shares, and authorizing the Company’s board of directors to determine a consolidation ratio between 20-to-1 and 30-to-1; and (iv) approving amendments to the Company’s authorized share capital to create a new class of non-voting common shares.

    No further determinations have been made with respect to the proposed share consolidation, which remains subject to acceptance by the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Upon the Prairie Provident board of directors determining to proceed with the consolidation, the Company will issue a news release to announce the consolidation ratio, the timing for implementation and the commencement of TSX trading on a post-consolidation basis, and the process for registered shareholders to exchange certificates evidencing pre-consolidation shares for new certificates or direct registration system (DRS) advice statements evidencing post-consolidation shares.

    ABOUT PRAIRIE PROVIDENT

    Prairie Provident is a Calgary-based company engaged in the development of oil and natural gas properties in Alberta. The Company’s strategy is to optimize cash flow from our existing assets to fund low risk development, maintain stable cash flow, while limiting its production decline.

    For further information, please contact:

    Dale Miller, Executive Chairman
    Phone: (403) 292-8150
    Email: investor@ppr.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More Teachers to benefit from flexible working

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    More Teachers to benefit from flexible working

    Government extend successful programme that supports teachers to plan lessons from home, job-share or work flexible hours.

    More teachers are expected to benefit from flexible working thanks to a successful initiative that will help improve teacher retention and deliver high standards for pupils. 

    The Government’s Flexible Working Ambassadors Programme has been extended for a further year to support more schools across the country, enabling teachers to plan lessons from home, job-share or work flexible hours – so they have the time and energy to be at the front of the classroom, delivering high and rising standards for children.

    As part of its Plan for Change, the Government is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers over the course of this Parliament, so every young person has access to an excellent education. The quality of teaching is the single biggest driver of higher standards in schools.

    Hundreds of millions of pounds are also being invested by Government to offer tax free financial incentives and professional development to attract and keep the best and brightest teachers across the country, alongside targeted action to improve teachers’ workload and wellbeing.

    This action is working, with two thousand more secondary school teachers training this year than last, a 25% increase in the number of people accepting teacher training places in STEM subjects, and more teachers forecasted to stay in the profession.

    The announcement today follows the Government accepting the schoolteachers’ pay body recommendation which will give teachers a pay boost of 4% from this September, taking a major step towards re-establish teaching as an attractive, expert profession. 

    This builds on the work already underway to drive high and rising standards for all schools, including a stronger accountability system through reforms to Ofsted inspection, new regional improvement teams to tackle poorly performing schools, and a new, rich and broad curriculum so pupils are set up for life, work and the future.

    Schools Minister, Catherine McKinnell said:

    My number one priority is making sure every child has an expert teacher at the front of their classroom, as we know high-quality teaching makes the biggest difference to education outcomes.

    We highly value our brilliant teachers, and they deserve working conditions that recognise their professionalism and support their wellbeing. 

    I’ve seen first-hand how working flexibly can transform teachers’ lives for the better and drive high and rising high standards for their pupils. Our Flexible Working Ambassadors Programme will help make sure we deliver on our pledge to recruit and retain more teachers.

    The latest figures show that 46 per cent of teachers had a flexible working arrangement in place in 2024, up by 6 percentage points since 2022. But with 47 per cent of teaching staff who said they were considered leaving state education citing a lack of flexible working opportunities as one of the reasons, the Government is going further and faster to ensure every school supports their staff’s working lives in modern, practical ways – delivering the best possible education for children and young people.

    Evidence shows a high-quality teacher can make around half a GCSE grade difference per pupil per subject, showing the importance of allowing teachers to work flexibly, to retain the best teachers and help children achieve and thrive. 

    Research also found 82 per cent of school leaders offering flexible working agreed that it had helped to retain teachers who might otherwise leave. 62 per cent of parents said children being taught by two teachers in a job-share arrangement had no impact, or a positive impact, on their child

    CEO of Reach Schools, Rebecca Cramer said:

    Flexible Working is imperative to keep great teachers in the classroom.  Through the FWAMS programme we have supported schools to employ a culture of openness and communication around how teachers work.

    Schools that think innovatively and embrace change around teachers’ work arrangements enhance teacher well-being and productivity and ultimately have a positive impact on the young people in our classrooms.

    Director of Humanities and Social Sciences at Reach Academy Feltham, Sarah Corrigan said:

    Flexible working has allowed me to stay in the classroom doing something that I love. Without the option of part-time work and some full-time flex, I would have struggled with my work life balance and would have left the teaching profession. 

    Reach has supported me to return from maternity leave on a part-time basis. Also, like all other teachers in our school, I have been encouraged to take advantage of flex to ensure that I don’t miss the big events in my and my family’s lives by using term time annual leave and compressed hours.

    The programme is free to all schools and helps to drive the culture change needed, by offering a range of practical support and resources for schools and teachers.

    The extension means more schools can get involved in every region of the country, with a focus on supporting schools in disadvantaged areas, as well as special and alternative provision schools where there can be additional challenges. 

    The Government is also leading the way in modernising the education sector by harnessing the power of AI to free up teachers’ time and unlock more pupil interactions.

    Using AI can reduce time spent on admin by several hours a week which is critical to retaining good teachers and bringing more people into the profession – so that teaching can once again be a profession that sparks joy, not burnout.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thousands of young people set to benefit from new support into work and training

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Thousands of young people set to benefit from new support into work and training

    Thousands of young people across England will receive targeted support into work, under a new £45 million scheme launched by the Work and Pensions Secretary.

    • Landmark programme to support thousands of 18 to 21 year olds into education, work and training officially launches in Liverpool.
    • Marks major win in the Government’s Youth Guarantee to ensure all young people have the chance to upskill, earn or learn.
    • Comes as part of the Government’s Plan for Change to drive growth and break down barriers to opportunity by helping people into work.

    Thousands of young people across England will receive targeted support into work, under a new £45 million scheme launched by the Work and Pensions Secretary.

    The Youth Guarantee trailblazers will match young people to job or training opportunities and will provide all-important foundations for the national roll-out of the programme, ensuring all 18 to 21 year olds in England can access help to find work – breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.

    The trailblazers will play a key role in helping the government understand which local structures are most effective and in identifying the organisations best placed to deliver targeted support.

    They will also develop innovative ways to identify, engage and sustain contact with young people most at risk of falling out of education, employment or training.

    It comes as new ONS figures published today (Friday 23 May 2025) will reveal the number of young people not in education, employment or training, with the current figure standing at 987,000.

    Liverpool City Region is one of eight areas across England set to receive a £5 million investment into work with 18 to 21 year olds most at risk of falling out of education or employment.

    In its first year, the City Region aims to support tens of thousands of young people. Within this, the trailblazer will focus on vulnerable young people often facing the most complex barriers, including care leavers, nearly 40% of whom are not in employment, education or training.

    They will receive a range of support including work and training opportunities, free travel passes, mental health support and money advice.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    Young people are our future – and yet for too long they have been denied access to the opportunities and support they need.

    At Liverpool FC, the home of champions, we are championing young people to get the skills, education and jobs they require to achieve their ambitions.

    We are investing £45 million – including almost £5m here in Liverpool – to deliver our Youth Guarantee, so every young person across England gets the chance to earn or learn, as we boost living standards and get Britain working under the Plan for Change.

    Further to this, Liverpool will work with over 600 employers to develop tailored roles and placements, and through the region’s BeMore portal which brings career and skills advice straight into your pocket. A panel made up of young people to ensure they are at the heart of decision making will also be set up.

    The city has already had success in tailoring support to meet the needs of young people, including:

    • Ethan who has cerebral palsy and had just finished university with no work experience. With the help of Liverpool, including support with housing, mental health and navigating familial challenges, Ethan gained part-time experience as a youth support worker and has since been offered a job with the Civil Service.
    • Luke who felt he was in a black hole searching for jobs but not being successful. He has since received an apprenticeship levy from Liverpool which meant he was able to do his Level 4 Marketing apprenticeship and now works in Product & Operations Market at Liverpool Football Club.
    • Ellie who decided to explore new career paths following mental health challenges. Through engaging with Liverpool, she was provided with a laptop in order to join the Movement to Work programme and has since been offered a job at the DWP.

    Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said:

    When I travel across our region, I feel fortunate to meet some of the best and brightest young people in the country. But for too long, too many of them have been held back from getting on in life, not because of a lack of talent, but by a lack of opportunity – and I have made it my mission to put that right.

    It’s because of the investments we’ve made, through initiatives like my Young Person’s Guarantee and BeMore, that we’ve been able to connect tens of thousands of people in our area with jobs and training opportunities. Now, backed by the government’s Plan for Change, we can go even further, giving even more young people the best possible start in life.

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

    Through our Plan for Change we are breaking down barriers to opportunity so every young person can get on in life, regardless of their background.

    The Youth Guarantee is a genuine game changer for young people in England. I’m delighted Liverpool is leading the way as one of our trailblazers – ensuring every young person has support to develop essential skills for work and life at the critical early stage of their careers.

    Every young person deserves the best life chances — and we won’t stop until everyone has a level playing field to succeed.

    Liz Kendall and Mayor Steve Rotheram unveiled the landmark programme at a careers fair in partnership with key Youth Guarantee partner, the Premier League.

    Hosted at the iconic Anfield Stadium, three days before the champions lift the Premier League Trophy, around one thousand 18 to 21 year olds attended with opportunities on offer from around 40 employers – including Liverpool FC Foundation, Everton in the Community, John Lewis, and Google.

    Clare Sumner, Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer at the Premier League, said:

    The Premier League and our clubs continue to support young people across the country with a range of positive opportunities that help them build self-confidence and fulfil their potential.

    The jobs fair at Anfield is the latest initiative supporting those who need it most in clubs’ local communities, and we will continue to work with Government to deliver similar events as part of the Youth Guarantee.

    The programme comes alongside an unprecedented £1 billion investment to support disabled people and those with long-term health conditions back into work, as well as major reforms to Jobcentres to better align their services with the needs of employers.

    Two youth trailblazers have already launched in London with more beginning to start work in the West of England, Tees Valley, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, West Midlands, and East Midlands

    As well as this, nine inactivity trailblazers backed by £125 million have been rolled out across England and Wales. These programmes will help areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity by connecting work, health and skills offers.

    Richard Rigby, Head of UK Government Affairs at The King’s Trust said:

    With almost one million young people across the UK waking up today with no job, no training, and no education to go to, the prominence being given to developing a Youth Guarantee is not only very welcome, but absolutely vital.

    Young people’s futures are worth fighting for. By getting behind them, we can all help to make the UK a healthier, wealthier, more positive, more cohesive place. The King’s Trust looks forward to working with local areas, including Liverpool City Region, to understand how we can help to deliver the Guarantee.

    Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE, Founder and CEO of Youth Employment UK, said:

    It is great to see the Youth Guarantee launch in Liverpool. The focus on providing young people with the tools that they need to transition into education, employment or training is critical.

    Young people, particularly those who are care experienced or care leavers face multiple barriers to accessing employment so I am pleased to see those barriers be recognised and tailored support put in place.

    Young people when in good quality employment not only add huge value to an employer but they are also much more like to feel fulfilled and happier.

    Susannah Hardyman MBE, CEO of Impetus, said:

    The Youth Guarantee Trailblazers are a vital step toward ensuring every young person – regardless of background – has the opportunity to thrive in employment. Targeted interventions are critical to reaching the young people furthest from the labour market.

    Our research shows that factors like socioeconomic disadvantage, lower educational qualifications, and geographic location can combine to make a young person nearly three times more likely to be not in education, employment, or training than average – but this is not inevitable.

    By connecting these young people with the right support and resources, we can spur economic growth, deliver on the Government’s opportunity mission, and transform lives.

    Sarah Yong, Director of Policy and External Affairs at the Youth Futures Foundation said:

    The launch of the eight trailblazers represents a positive first step in Government’s plans for its Youth Guarantee; we will await the learnings from these place-based approaches from this pilot year with interest.

    The voices and experiences of young people alongside high-quality evidence of what works will be crucial for the Government in further developing the Guarantee for national rollout.

    This comes as the government has, for the first time, linked immigration policy to our plan to deliver a higher skilled economy that backs British workers.

    Alongside boosting the National Living Wage, we are also creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill and overhauling Jobcentres as we Get Britain Working as part of the Plan for Change.

    Additional information:

    • The latest ONS young people not in education, employment or training statistics will be published on Friday 23 May at 9.30 here: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK: May 2025 – Office for National Statistics
    • The eight youth trailblazers will be in: Liverpool, West Midlands, Tees Valley, East Midlands, West of England, and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and two in London
    • Employment support measures are fully transferred to Northern Ireland. Jobcentre Plus services is reserved in both Scotland and Wales, but the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government also deliver other forms of employment support. The funding announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper is UK wide, the share of funding for devolved Governments will be calculated in the usual way.
    • The Youth Guarantee is an England only initiative, and trailblazer locations will reflect this since Skills, Education and Employment support are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
    • We will work closely with the devolved governments to share experiences and lessons learned.
    • Additionally, Wales have developed their own Young Persons Guarantee and Scotland also had one until recently (now a comprehensive offer for all age-groups)
    • The UK Government also plans to establish new governance arrangements with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to help frame discussions around the reform of Jobcentres and agree how best to work in partnership on shared employment ambition across devolved and reserved provision.
    • Movement to Work is a voluntary collaboration of leading employers in the UK, including the Department for Work and Pensions to help support young people into employment by providing vocational employment and work placement opportunities.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CWA Statement on eBay’s Syracuse Closure Announcement

    Source: Communications Workers of America

    eBay’s first union, TCGunion-CWA Local 1123, condemns the company for illegal action to avoid union contract bargaining; CWA files unfair labor practice charge in response to abrupt closure

    Syracuse, N.Y. – This morning, eBay subsidiary TCGplayer abruptly announced plans to shut down its authentication center in Syracuse, N.Y., eliminating the jobs of hundreds of union workers who have been bargaining their first contract with the company. In response, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleging that the company has terminated its union employees to evade its bargaining obligations and to keep the company union-free.

    “We are outraged. Since we launched our union, eBay has waged a relentless campaign to silence us and stop our efforts to make TCGplayer better for everyone, including card enthusiasts and sellers,” said Eric Tillotson, a member of TCGunion-CWA Local 1123. “Like other tech giants and oligarchs, eBay and TCGplayer think that they can disregard workers’ rights under the current administration by deploying illegal tactics to silence us and put an end to contract negotiations. They should realize by now that we will never stop fighting.”

    TCGplayer CEO Rob Bigler called a meeting to announce the news at 8:30 a.m. ET this morning, and workers were then ordered by security to vacate the building until Saturday. Bigler did not take any questions.

    The news comes just days after eBay and TCGplayer cancelled this week’s meeting with members of the bargaining committee to finalize a fair, first contract. The collective bargaining agreement would cover authentication center workers who are responsible for ensuring that every shipment in and out of TCGplayer matches quality standards. The workers, who are the first group from eBay to form a union, have been fighting for a contract for over 600 days.

    “Many of us decided to organize because we wanted to do something about the unlivable wages and economic hardship we’ve experienced while working at TCGplayer. Now, in just a few months, we will be without jobs and will have to scramble to find employment,” said 

    Matthew Schlicht, a member of TCGunion-CWA Local 1123. “I love working at TCGplayer. Instead of respecting our union efforts, TCGplayer is upending our livelihoods.”

    Last year, TCGunion-CWA Local 1123 released a “Tapped Out at TCGplayer” report, providing shocking evidence that eBay workers are struggling to make ends meet financially. The majority of authentication center workers earn less than a living wage in Syracuse, and a majority of survey respondents have to rely on friends, family, and the government to make ends meet. TCGplayer is one of the largest online marketplaces for verification services, card games, and collectible trading cards.

    “This decision is blatant retaliation against the union organizing and a slap in the face to those who built TCGplayer from the ground up,” said Douglas Johnson, former TCGplayer seller and owner of Cardgarden. “It’s clear that they value profits over people. Sellers should think hard about whether or not they should continue using TCGplayer’s services.”

    According to eBay’s most recent proxy statement, eBay CEO Jamie Iannone’s total compensation was $21 million in 2024, which is 536 times the median annual wage for a TCGunion-CWA member in Syracuse earning $18.25 an hour. Iannone’s compensation has also increased 48% since 2022, the year that TCGplayer workers formed their union. The growing disparity between the backbone of the workplace and the oligarchs who take advantage of their labor was further emphasized in a recent Economic Policy Institute report showing that Americans’ sentiment toward unions continues to become more positive, while sympathy for large corporations is at a record low.

    “For a company that makes billions of dollars off the backs of hard-working employees, it is a shame that eBay has decided to close the sole authentication center in Syracuse. This extreme action is the result of the company’s single-minded obsession with preventing workers from having a voice on the job,” said CWA Local 1123 President James A. Leone Jr. “I am proud of the Local 1123 members at TCGplayer who are continuing to fight for a seat at the table. They deserve a voice at work and in their future.”

    “eBay and TCGplayer have spent years resisting our members’ good faith efforts to reach an agreement on a fair contract. Rather than engaging in a transparent process to find solutions that meet the needs of their employees and customers, eBay’s leaders gathered behind closed doors and decided to fire their entire workforce in Syracuse. It’s abominable,” said CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor.

    ###

    About CODE-CWA

    The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a network of worker-organizers and their staff working every single day to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers throughout tech, media, telecom, and other industries who stand together to fight for justice on the job and in our communities.

    About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

    cwa-union.org @cwaunion

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Industrial Manufacturer Will Create More Than 325 Jobs in Charlotte

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Industrial Manufacturer Will Create More Than 325 Jobs in Charlotte

    Governor Stein Announces Industrial Manufacturer Will Create More Than 325 Jobs in Charlotte
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Josh Stein announced that AVL Manufacturing (AVL USA, Inc.) will establish a new production facility in Charlotte to build enclosures for industrial power generators, creating more than 325 jobs. The company will invest $56 million in Mecklenburg County.

    “North Carolina’s reputation for advanced manufacturing continues to attract great companies like AVL Manufacturing to our state,” said Governor Josh Stein. “With the largest manufacturing workforce in the southeast and excellent community colleges, North Carolina is home to the resources that world-class companies depend on.” 

    AVL USA, Inc. is a new company established by AVL Manufacturing, a Canadian company with headquarters in Hamilton, Ontario. AVL specializes in the manufacture of custom industrial enclosures for large format standby power generators. The company’s products find use in a wide variety of applications, such as supplying backup power to large and hyper-scale data centers. The company’s project in Charlotte will establish a manufacturing operation in the United States to produce and assemble generator enclosures for power redundancy. The large metal casings include electric inputs, switchgear, and enclosures required for data center servers and equipment. In addition to data center power generation, AVL’s products find use in several other industries, such as the automotive, automation, construction, and emergency management sectors.

    “After considering many markets, we are thrilled that AVL’s entrance into the U.S. market is in Charlotte, a vibrant, tech-forward city perfect for us to lay down roots,” said Vince Dicristofaro, president, AVL. “We didn’t just choose a location; we chose a community. Charlotte’s spirit of collaboration and its talented workforce made it the clear choice for our American-based home. We are excited to tap into this talent pool as we establish our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and create meaningful careers for the residents of this city and deliver unparalleled products to our customers.” 

    “Investments from international companies are an important part of the state’s economy,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “It’s great to see the confidence AVL and its parent company have placed in North Carolina by establishing their first U.S.-based location in Charlotte. Our team will work hard to help them succeed in our state.”

    A performance-based grant of $100,000 from the One North Carolina Fund to AVL USA, Inc. will help facilitate the company’s project into Mecklenburg County, based on the creation of 122 jobs tied to the grant. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require a matching grant from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

    Although wages for the 122 grant-tied jobs will vary depending on the position, the average salary for those new jobs will be $90,088. The current average wage in Mecklenburg County is $86,830.                      

    “We welcome AVL to Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, where they will join a growing list of businesses moving to the area that have found the key ingredients to reach the next level of growth and success for their companies,” said Representative Terry Brown, Jr. “These new jobs and the company’s capital investment will also bring greater economic success to our community. AVL’s decision only highlights the fact that Steele Creek is becoming the economic engine for our region.” 

    “Economic development takes a collaborative effort from state, regional, and local partners,” said Senator DeAndrea Salvador. “I applaud the behind-the-scenes work from the many groups that supported AVL during its search for a U.S. location. Companies recognize and reward North Carolina’s collaborative approach, as today’s news demonstrates.”

    Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, Mecklenburg County, and the City of Charlotte. 

    May 22, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Job Scam Fusion Cell disrupts fake job networks targeting Australians

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The National Anti-Scam Centre’s Job Scam Fusion Cell removed more than 29,000 scam social media accounts and 1850 fake job advertisements in a crackdown on employment scams targeting vulnerable Australians looking to ease cost of living pressures.

    The fusion cell, which ran from September 2024 to March 2025, has published its report highlighting the combined efforts of government, law enforcement, academics, and the private sector in a coordinated effort to tackle the sharp rise in job and employment scams.

    From 2022 to 2023, financial losses due to job scams increased by 151 per cent. In 2024, Scamwatch received more than 3000 reports of job scams, with reported losses totalling $13.7 million. Average losses to these scams were 5.1 per cent higher than the average for all other scam types.

    “Job scams have been one of the fastest growing scam types, as scammers are increasingly preying on people seeking relief from cost-of-living pressures,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

    “These scams disproportionately impact people on low incomes, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, international students, non-resident visa holders, people with caring responsibilities, and others with limited employment options.”

    “Job scams result in significant financial losses and put people at risk of identity theft through loss of personal information. That’s why we’ve worked collaboratively to disrupt these scams through intelligence-sharing, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions,” Ms Lowe said.

    Key initiatives undertaken and implemented by the Job Scam Fusion Cell include:

    • Working with Meta to remove 29,000 accounts sharing job scam content
    • Referring 836 scammer cryptocurrency wallets to digital currency exchanges for analysis and investigation, leading to blocking and blacklisting of wallets
    • Referring 1850 scam enablers such as websites and scam job advertisements for removal
    • Disrupting scammers’ impersonation of Australian Government entities, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Home Affairs, and APSJobs
    • Holding awareness and prevention forums with organisations across the tertiary education sector to enable them to deliver scams awareness messaging
    • Coordinating a social media campaign, tailored for at-risk groups
    • Creating guides for businesses, including about how to protect themselves and the community from impersonation of their business and regarding identification and disruption of Job Scam Payments
    • Establishing data sharing arrangements with cryptocurrency platforms

    The fusion cell identified key risks with the impersonation of healthcare providers in scam job advertisements being used to harvest personal information and extract money from job seekers.

    The National Anti-Scam Centre provided tailored advice to more than 40 organisations in the sector, including major state and territory hospitals, and small healthcare services, to help better protect job seekers. These efforts contributed to a near elimination of Scamwatch reports involving impersonation of healthcare organisations by March 2025.

    In addition to these specific initiatives, the fusion cell provides a great sandbox environment – participants can move beyond saying to doing, to try different techniques and see what works.  A number of Job Scam Fusion Cell initiatives are now being examined for their application to other scam types.  Others have become part of business-as-usual activity past the life of the fusion cell.

    “The work of the job scam fusion cell has been strategically targeted, drawing on data from victims’ experiences, Scamwatch and ReportCyber reports, stakeholder insights, and intelligence from participants. This approach has helped prevent and disrupt scams and has achieved significant and encouraging results,” Ms Lowe said.

    The National Anti-Scam Centre continues to work with partners across sectors to analyse emerging threats, raise awareness, and implement targeted interventions that disrupt scams before they reach consumers.

    Job and employment scams

    • Scammers advertise job opportunities so they can steal money and personal information. Stop and check any job ad that requires payment of money to make money. It could be a scam.
    • Scammers offer jobs that claim to pay well with low effort. But it’s only the scammer that will make money in the end. Often the job doesn’t exist at all.
    • Scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies and online shopping platforms. They also impersonate well-known recruitment agencies.
    • Scammers may make contact unexpectedly through text message or encrypted message platforms like WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram.
    • Scammers often ask for payment claiming it is required so you can start the role and get the income they’ve promised. Don’t enter any arrangement that asks for up-front payment via bank transfer, PayID or cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or USDT. It’s rare to get money back that is sent this way.
    • Don’t trust a job ad is real just because it appears on a trusted platform or website – scammers post fake ads too. If you come across a scammer, report it to the platform or agency and to scamwatch.gov.au.
    • Never send passport, identity documents, or bank account details to an employer or recruitment firm unless certain they are genuine.

    How to spot and avoid scams

    STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if you’re unsure. Scammers will create a sense of urgency. Don’t rush to act. Say ‘no’, hang up, delete.

    CHECK – Ask yourself could the call or text be fake? Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust. Contact the organisation using information you source independently, so that you can verify if the call is real or not.

    PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank immediately if you lose money. If you have provided personal information call IDCARE on 1800 595 160. The more we talk the less power they have. Report scams to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch service at scamwatch.gov.au when you see them. If you’re contacted on a messaging platform like WhatsApp or iMessage, please also report the scam in the app.

    Background

    Fusion cells are time-limited taskforces designed to bring together expertise from government and the private sector to take timely action to address specific, urgent scam issues. The National Anti-Scam Centre is coordinating a series of fusion cells with different participants to address significant scam issues.

    The second fusion cell was announced in July 2024, following the first fusion cell on combatting investment scams.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China calls for int’l solidarity, mutual support for healthy world on WHA

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

    GENEVA, May 22 — Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has called for international solidarity and mutual support to forge a healthy world.

    Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the call on Tuesday when delivering a speech at a high-level welcome ceremony of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland.

    Five years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on all countries to join hands in building a global community of health for all at the 73rd World Health Assembly, Liu said. China has firmly honored this commitment with concrete actions as the international community widely recognizes China’s role in and contributions to combating the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

    Noting that global public health security is now facing significant challenges under the impact of unilateralism and power politics, Liu emphasized that China has always put people and their lives first, implemented a health-first strategy, actively participated in global health governance, and promoted the building of a global community of health for all.

    The international community should uphold multilateralism, firmly support the World Health Organization (WHO) in playing its leading and coordinating role in global public health governance, uphold fairness and equity, and firmly support the legitimate demands of developing countries in areas such as public health arrangements, vaccine distribution and technology transfer, he said.

    The international community should also uphold openness and innovation and seize the historic opportunities brought by the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation to deepen cooperation in health innovation, Liu added.

    As the WHO’s highest decision-making body, the WHA is attended by heads of state or government, high-profile representatives from over 100 countries, and leaders of international organizations.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Belarus ties in high-level development: vice premier

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

    MINSK, May 22 — The China-Belarus all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership has seen high-level development and fruitful cooperation in various fields, said Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong.

    Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while visiting Belarus from Wednesday to Thursday.

    During the visit, Liu met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, held talks with First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov, and co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Chinese-Belarusian Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation.

    Conveying Chinese President Xi Jinping’s warm greetings to Lukashenko, Liu said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Belarus has maintained high-level development and yielded abundant fruits of cooperation in various fields.

    China stands ready to work with Belarus to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state, firmly support each other on issues concerning core interests, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and deliver greater benefits to the peoples of both countries, Liu said.

    Lukashenko asked Liu to extend his sincere greetings to Xi and praised the Belarus-China relationship as a model of mutually beneficial cooperation.

    Belarus firmly upholds the one-China principle, opposes the political maneuvering of the COVID-19 origin tracing, looks to work with China to implement major Belt and Road projects, develop new quality productive forces, and support each other’s development and revitalization, Lukashenko said.

    The two sides reaffirmed their commitments to firmly safeguarding the outcomes of World War II and international fairness and justice, opposing hegemonic bullying and unilateral sanctions, jointly implementing the three global initiatives, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

    China and Belarus held the sixth meeting of the Chinese-Belarusian Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation on Wednesday to exchange views and make arrangements for cooperation in key areas such as economy and trade, science and technology, security, education, culture, customs inspection and quarantine, and industry.

    The two sides signed a memorandum of the meeting and cooperation documents on the digital economy and science and technology, and agreed to establish a subcommittee on industrial cooperation.

    Liu also inspected bilateral cooperation projects, including the China-Belarus Industrial Park.

    MIL OSI China News –