NewzIntel.com

Category: Trade

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 116 Border-Related Cases This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 116 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, receipt of bribes by public official, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

    In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

    A sample of border-related arrests this week, includes:

    • On April 10, six Mexican nationals were arrested and charged with various immigration crimes. According to complaints, they were apprehended by Border Patrol agents while attempting to illegally enter the U.S. about three miles east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. While an agent turned his attention to two other suspected illegal border crossers, the six defendants absconded after being placed in handcuffs. Jose Lastra Palafox, Pedro Orlando Aguilar-Vazquez, Javier Eduardo Jimenez Gonzalez, Jose Javier Solis Jardon, Joel Alonso Soria-Garcia, and Lazaro Velazquez Morales were later recaptured.
    • On April 6, Jose Manuel Guzman, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, he was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers when a drug detection dog alerted to his vehicle as he attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Officers found 115 packages of methamphetamine weighing 125 pounds, concealed in the quarter panels, gas tank and doors of the vehicle, the complaint said.
    • On April 7, Raul Vallejo-Isordia, Victor Manuel Quintero Sanez, Noe Avila, Jose Juan Cisneros-Cisneros and Valentin Gonzalez-Elizalde – all Mexican nationals – were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain and Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, the defendants were taken into custody in connection with the smuggling of 17 undocumented immigrants who were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard 12 miles west of Point Loma.
    • Also on April 7, Dennis Geovanny Marquez-Cordova of Honduras was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, the defendant had been previously deported.

    Federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

    The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Key West Man Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Smuggling Firearms from Florida to Haiti

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

               WASHINGTON – Jean Wiltene Eugene, 57, of Key West, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of smuggling for his role in a gun running operation that illegally exported firearms to Haiti.

               The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Fleck of the Miami Field Office. Sentencing is scheduled for July 22.

               According to court documents, Eugene is a U.S. citizen who was born in Haiti and resides in Key West, Florida. On or about September 23, 2021, Eugene knowingly exported more than two firearms from the United States to Haiti without having first obtained the required license from the Bureau of Industry and Security, located in the District of Columbia. Any person who exports a firearm without proper authorization may be fined up to $1 million and imprisoned for up to 20 years.

               According to court records, Eugene arranged to ship vehicles to Haiti through a Florida-based export company. Eugene signed the company’s terms and conditions of shipments, which required the shipper to affirm that the vehicles did not contain any firearms or ammunition. In a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Eugene admitted that, in 2020 and 2021, he shipped two vehicles to Haiti with firearms hidden inside. Eugene stated that he placed food and other items around the bins holding the firearms so border authorities would not find the weapons.

               In a later interview with federal agents Eugene stated that nine firearms he purchased in Key West under his name were currently located at his gas station in Haiti and that none of those firearms remained in the United States. He admitted that he knew it was illegal to ship weapons to Haiti when confronted by the federal agents.

               Pursuant to an active arrest warrant, Eugene was arrested at a traffic stop on May 4, 2024, in Key West.

               This case is being investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Surpasses $12 Billion in Compensation to Crime Victims Since 2000

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    To commemorate the 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Department of Justice reaffirms its steadfast commitment to compensate crime victims with federally forfeited assets. The Justice Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program has surpassed $12 billion in compensation to crime victims.

    In fiscal year 2024 and the beginning of fiscal year 2025 alone, more than $735.3 million has been returned to victims of human trafficking; romance, investment, and healthcare fraud; business email compromise and government imposter schemes; drug diversion; and cryptocurrency-related thefts and frauds.

    “This extraordinary milestone demonstrates the effectiveness of the Asset Forfeiture Program in taking the profit out of crime and compensating victims,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “While the Criminal Division is deeply proud of these efforts, we recognize that crime victims often lose much more than money. We hope that victims, from exploited children to older Americans targeted by sophisticated criminal schemes, can move forward in their recovery through this compensation. This milestone was made possible by the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, which manages the Asset Forfeiture Program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and the many federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies that have dedicated their time and resources to these investigations.”  

    Recent cases in which victims were compensated for their losses with forfeited assets in 2024 or 2025 include:

    $4.3 Billion to Victims of Bernie Madoff

    United States v. Bernard L. Madoff (Southern District of New York)

    In December 2024, the Justice Department announced that the Madoff Victim Fund (MVF) would make its 10th and final distribution of over $131.4 million to victims of the Bernard L. Madoff fraud scheme. These funds were forfeited by the U.S. government in connection with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS) fraud scheme. Through its 10 distributions, MVF paid over $4.3 billion from forfeited funds to 40,930 victims in 127 countries for losses they suffered from the collapse of BLMIS, bringing recovery for victims to nearly 94% of their fraud loss. According to court documents and information presented in related proceedings, for decades, Madoff used his position as chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, the investment advisory business he founded in 1960, to steal billions from his clients. On March 12, 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle.

    $420 Million to Victims of Fraud Schemes Facilitated by Western Union

    United States v. The Western Union Company (Middle District of Pennsylvania)

    In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the United States. Pursuant to the DPA, Western Union acknowledged responsibility for its criminal conduct, which included violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and aiding and abetting wire fraud.  Western Union agreed to forfeit $586 million, which has been made available to compensate victims of the international consumer fraud scheme through the remission process. Western Union simultaneously resolved a parallel civil investigation with the Federal Trade Commission. To date, the Criminal Division has disbursed more than $420 million to approximately 175,000 victims.

    $8 Million Returned to Victims of Email Business Compromise Scams

    United States v. Olalekan Jacob Ponle (Northern District of Illinois)

    Olalekan Jacob Ponle worked with co-schemers to engage in numerous business email compromise schemes. The co-schemers used phishing links to gain unauthorized access to email accounts and then created false instructions directing employees of the victim companies to wire money to bank accounts opened by money mules at Ponle’s direction. After unwitting employees wired money, in some cases millions of dollars, to the bank accounts, Ponle instructed the money mules to convert the proceeds to Bitcoin and send them to him. As a result of Ponle’s scheme, victim companies suffered more than $8.03 million in actual losses. The government seized the Bitcoin, obtained a final order of forfeiture, liquidated the cryptocurrency, and used the proceeds to compensate the victims of Ponle’s fraud.

    $5.6 Million to the Small Business Administration

    United States v. Aydin Kalantarov, et al. (Northern District of Ohio)

    According to court documents, from May 2020 through October 2020, Aydin Kalantarov, along with his two brothers, Zaur Kalantarli and Ali Kalantarli, conspired to defraud the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) of nearly $7 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). As part of the scheme the brothers created 70 fictious Ohio corporations with agriculture sounding names. Once the fictitious corporations were created, the brothers submitted fraudulent EIDL loan applications to the SBA claiming that their business was adversely affected by the pandemic. The SBA funded 47 of the applications for a total of approximately $7 million. $5.6 million in forfeited funds was transferred to the clerk of the court for payment to the SBA.

    $2.28 Million Returned to Victims of Two Business Email Compromise Schemes

    United States v. Contents of TD Bank Account, Account Ending 7684, Held in the Name of O’Shane K. Malcolm, et al. (District of Connecticut)

    United States v. Contents of Truist Bank Account Ending 5792, Held in The Name of Quest Freight LLC (District of Connecticut)

    In the first scam, criminal actors compromised an email account associated with a member of the management team of a city’s Board of Education.  In June 2023, these actors created a fake email account that mimicked the email of a bus company that held a contract with the Board of Education for bussing. Using the fake bus company email address, the criminal actors then were able to change the bus company’s payment information from the real bus company to an account held by the criminal actors, and the city sent approximately $5.9 million dollars to the account.  The government successfully seized and forfeited approximately $1,187,691 of the stolen money, which was returned to the city through remission.

    The second forfeiture action involved a healthcare company that was a victim of a business email compromise (BEC) attack.  In April 2023, the company’s yearly medical malpractice insurance payment was set to be paid.  Shortly before the due date, the company received a fraudulent email, purportedly from its malpractice insurance company, with new wire instructions.  The company sent approximately $1,652,254 via a wire transfer using the newly provided instructions. The government successfully seized and forfeited approximately $1,100,694 remaining in the account, which was returned to the healthcare company through remissions.

    $328,500 to an Elderly Victim of a Computer Support Scam

    United States v. Discovery Bank Account Ending in 2237 (District of Connecticut)

    According to court documents, in February 2024, an elderly woman who was tricked by a computer support scheme that mimicked Microsoft customer support transferred approximately $550,000 to the scammers in two wire transfers. Within two days of the transfers, the victim and a family member reported the incident to a local police department, who then partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to investigate the crime. Fortunately, one of the wire transfers, in the amount of $221,000, was reversed by the bank and returned to the victim. HSI traced the remaining money, totaling approximately $328,573, and seized it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI then worked with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to return the money to the victim.

    $6.4 Million to the Internal Revenue Service

    United States v. Michael Little (Middle District of Florida)

    From 2019 to 2021, Michael Little filed a series of false tax returns claiming massive, bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and in the names of co-conspirators and identity theft victims. As a result of this scheme, Little and his co-conspirators obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators also conspired to launder their ill-gotten gains and used significant portions of the fraudulent tax refunds to purchase real estate and other assets.  Over $6.4 million in forfeited funds were transferred to the clerk of court for payment to the IRS.

    $52,000 to a Survivor of Human Trafficking

    United States v. Thuy Tien Luong (Western District of North Carolina)

    Thuy Tien Luong was convicted of forced labor and ordered to serve 15 years in prison for compelling the labor of one of her nail technicians at a salon she owned and operated. From October 2016 to June 2018, Luong forced the survivor’s labor by, among other things, physically assaulting the survivor, threatening to ruin the survivor’s reputation with her family, and falsely claiming that the survivor owed Luong a fictitious debt. In addition to resulting in the return of funds seized from Luong to the Clerk of Court to pay the survivor, the case also resulted in the return to the survivor of a seized bracelet that Luong had held as “payment” towards the survivor’s fictitious debt.

    $6.3 Million Returned to Estate Victims of an Embezzlement Scheme

    United States v. Richard J. Sherwood, et al. (Northern District of New York)

    Starting in 2006, Richard J. Sherwood and Thomas K. Lagan provided estate planning and related legal services to Capital Region philanthropists Warren and Pauline Bruggeman, and to Pauline’s sister, Anne Urban, all of Niskayuna, New York.  They were advising the Bruggemans when, in 2006, the Bruggemans signed wills directing that all their assets go to churches, civic organizations, a local hospital, and a local university scholarship fund, aside from bequests to Urban and Julia Rentz, Pauline’s sisters.

    Warren Bruggeman died in April 2009, and Pauline died in August 2011. In each pleading guilty, Sherwood and Lagan admitted that they conspired to steal, and did steal, millions of dollars from Pauline Bruggeman’s estate as well as from the estate of Urban, who died in 2013. The co-conspirators admitted that they stole $11,831,563 and Sherwood also admitted that he transferred to himself the Bruggeman family camp located on Galway Lake, in Saratoga County.

    For additional information about the Department of Justice’s victim compensation program, please visit: Criminal Division | Victims.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Justice Department Surpasses $12 Billion in Compensation to Crime Victims Since 2000

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    To commemorate the 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Department of Justice reaffirms its steadfast commitment to compensate crime victims with federally forfeited assets. The Justice Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program has surpassed $12 billion in compensation to crime victims.

    In fiscal year 2024 and the beginning of fiscal year 2025 alone, more than $735.3 million has been returned to victims of human trafficking; romance, investment, and healthcare fraud; business email compromise and government imposter schemes; drug diversion; and cryptocurrency-related thefts and frauds.

    “This extraordinary milestone demonstrates the effectiveness of the Asset Forfeiture Program in taking the profit out of crime and compensating victims,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “While the Criminal Division is deeply proud of these efforts, we recognize that crime victims often lose much more than money. We hope that victims, from exploited children to older Americans targeted by sophisticated criminal schemes, can move forward in their recovery through this compensation. This milestone was made possible by the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, which manages the Asset Forfeiture Program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and the many federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies that have dedicated their time and resources to these investigations.”  

    Recent cases in which victims were compensated for their losses with forfeited assets in 2024 or 2025 include:

    $4.3 Billion to Victims of Bernie Madoff

    United States v. Bernard L. Madoff (Southern District of New York)

    In December 2024, the Justice Department announced that the Madoff Victim Fund (MVF) would make its 10th and final distribution of over $131.4 million to victims of the Bernard L. Madoff fraud scheme. These funds were forfeited by the U.S. government in connection with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS) fraud scheme. Through its 10 distributions, MVF paid over $4.3 billion from forfeited funds to 40,930 victims in 127 countries for losses they suffered from the collapse of BLMIS, bringing recovery for victims to nearly 94% of their fraud loss. According to court documents and information presented in related proceedings, for decades, Madoff used his position as chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, the investment advisory business he founded in 1960, to steal billions from his clients. On March 12, 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle.

    $420 Million to Victims of Fraud Schemes Facilitated by Western Union

    United States v. The Western Union Company (Middle District of Pennsylvania)

    In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the United States. Pursuant to the DPA, Western Union acknowledged responsibility for its criminal conduct, which included violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and aiding and abetting wire fraud.  Western Union agreed to forfeit $586 million, which has been made available to compensate victims of the international consumer fraud scheme through the remission process. Western Union simultaneously resolved a parallel civil investigation with the Federal Trade Commission. To date, the Criminal Division has disbursed more than $420 million to approximately 175,000 victims.

    $8 Million Returned to Victims of Email Business Compromise Scams

    United States v. Olalekan Jacob Ponle (Northern District of Illinois)

    Olalekan Jacob Ponle worked with co-schemers to engage in numerous business email compromise schemes. The co-schemers used phishing links to gain unauthorized access to email accounts and then created false instructions directing employees of the victim companies to wire money to bank accounts opened by money mules at Ponle’s direction. After unwitting employees wired money, in some cases millions of dollars, to the bank accounts, Ponle instructed the money mules to convert the proceeds to Bitcoin and send them to him. As a result of Ponle’s scheme, victim companies suffered more than $8.03 million in actual losses. The government seized the Bitcoin, obtained a final order of forfeiture, liquidated the cryptocurrency, and used the proceeds to compensate the victims of Ponle’s fraud.

    $5.6 Million to the Small Business Administration

    United States v. Aydin Kalantarov, et al. (Northern District of Ohio)

    According to court documents, from May 2020 through October 2020, Aydin Kalantarov, along with his two brothers, Zaur Kalantarli and Ali Kalantarli, conspired to defraud the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) of nearly $7 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). As part of the scheme the brothers created 70 fictious Ohio corporations with agriculture sounding names. Once the fictitious corporations were created, the brothers submitted fraudulent EIDL loan applications to the SBA claiming that their business was adversely affected by the pandemic. The SBA funded 47 of the applications for a total of approximately $7 million. $5.6 million in forfeited funds was transferred to the clerk of the court for payment to the SBA.

    $2.28 Million Returned to Victims of Two Business Email Compromise Schemes

    United States v. Contents of TD Bank Account, Account Ending 7684, Held in the Name of O’Shane K. Malcolm, et al. (District of Connecticut)

    United States v. Contents of Truist Bank Account Ending 5792, Held in The Name of Quest Freight LLC (District of Connecticut)

    In the first scam, criminal actors compromised an email account associated with a member of the management team of a city’s Board of Education.  In June 2023, these actors created a fake email account that mimicked the email of a bus company that held a contract with the Board of Education for bussing. Using the fake bus company email address, the criminal actors then were able to change the bus company’s payment information from the real bus company to an account held by the criminal actors, and the city sent approximately $5.9 million dollars to the account.  The government successfully seized and forfeited approximately $1,187,691 of the stolen money, which was returned to the city through remission.

    The second forfeiture action involved a healthcare company that was a victim of a business email compromise (BEC) attack.  In April 2023, the company’s yearly medical malpractice insurance payment was set to be paid.  Shortly before the due date, the company received a fraudulent email, purportedly from its malpractice insurance company, with new wire instructions.  The company sent approximately $1,652,254 via a wire transfer using the newly provided instructions. The government successfully seized and forfeited approximately $1,100,694 remaining in the account, which was returned to the healthcare company through remissions.

    $328,500 to an Elderly Victim of a Computer Support Scam

    United States v. Discovery Bank Account Ending in 2237 (District of Connecticut)

    According to court documents, in February 2024, an elderly woman who was tricked by a computer support scheme that mimicked Microsoft customer support transferred approximately $550,000 to the scammers in two wire transfers. Within two days of the transfers, the victim and a family member reported the incident to a local police department, who then partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to investigate the crime. Fortunately, one of the wire transfers, in the amount of $221,000, was reversed by the bank and returned to the victim. HSI traced the remaining money, totaling approximately $328,573, and seized it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI then worked with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to return the money to the victim.

    $6.4 Million to the Internal Revenue Service

    United States v. Michael Little (Middle District of Florida)

    From 2019 to 2021, Michael Little filed a series of false tax returns claiming massive, bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and in the names of co-conspirators and identity theft victims. As a result of this scheme, Little and his co-conspirators obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators also conspired to launder their ill-gotten gains and used significant portions of the fraudulent tax refunds to purchase real estate and other assets.  Over $6.4 million in forfeited funds were transferred to the clerk of court for payment to the IRS.

    $52,000 to a Survivor of Human Trafficking

    United States v. Thuy Tien Luong (Western District of North Carolina)

    Thuy Tien Luong was convicted of forced labor and ordered to serve 15 years in prison for compelling the labor of one of her nail technicians at a salon she owned and operated. From October 2016 to June 2018, Luong forced the survivor’s labor by, among other things, physically assaulting the survivor, threatening to ruin the survivor’s reputation with her family, and falsely claiming that the survivor owed Luong a fictitious debt. In addition to resulting in the return of funds seized from Luong to the Clerk of Court to pay the survivor, the case also resulted in the return to the survivor of a seized bracelet that Luong had held as “payment” towards the survivor’s fictitious debt.

    $6.3 Million Returned to Estate Victims of an Embezzlement Scheme

    United States v. Richard J. Sherwood, et al. (Northern District of New York)

    Starting in 2006, Richard J. Sherwood and Thomas K. Lagan provided estate planning and related legal services to Capital Region philanthropists Warren and Pauline Bruggeman, and to Pauline’s sister, Anne Urban, all of Niskayuna, New York.  They were advising the Bruggemans when, in 2006, the Bruggemans signed wills directing that all their assets go to churches, civic organizations, a local hospital, and a local university scholarship fund, aside from bequests to Urban and Julia Rentz, Pauline’s sisters.

    Warren Bruggeman died in April 2009, and Pauline died in August 2011. In each pleading guilty, Sherwood and Lagan admitted that they conspired to steal, and did steal, millions of dollars from Pauline Bruggeman’s estate as well as from the estate of Urban, who died in 2013. The co-conspirators admitted that they stole $11,831,563 and Sherwood also admitted that he transferred to himself the Bruggeman family camp located on Galway Lake, in Saratoga County.

    For additional information about the Department of Justice’s victim compensation program, please visit: Criminal Division | Victims.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Carter, Harshbarger Are Holding Ticket Scalpers Accountable

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) introduced the bipartisan Mitigating Automated Internet Networks (MAIN) Event Ticketing Act, which will protect consumers from online scammers and bots in the online ticket marketplace. The MAIN Event Ticketing Act boosts enforcement of the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act of 2016, a law prohibiting ticket scalpers from using software to purchase high volumes of tickets.

     

    “I am proud to lead this bill, which is a crucial step toward restoring fairness and transparency in the online ticket marketplace,” said Rep. Carter. “In Louisiana, the birthplace of American Music, this is especially important. By cracking down on bots and improving the enforcement of existing laws, this bipartisan legislation prioritizes fans, ensuring they have a fair chance to experience the live events they love without being priced out or misled by deceitful actors. I am honored to stand with Rep. Harshbarger, along with many artists, venues, and industry leaders, to protect consumers and uphold the integrity of live entertainment.”

     

    “If there’s one thing that can bring us all together, it’s music and entertainment,” said Rep. Harshbarger.“This is especially true for East Tennessee, as we’re home to music legends like Dolly Parton and Morgan Wallen. Whether it’s attending a concert or a stand-up show, we all love spending time with friends and family to enjoy live entertainment. What no one loves is trying to buy a ticket to see your favorite performer—only to find that scalpers have scooped up most of the tickets and are reselling them at exorbitant prices.”

     

    The companion MAIN Event Ticketing Act was introduced by Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in February 2025.

     

    Background

     

    The MAIN Event Ticketing Act:

     

    • Establishes reporting requirements for online ticket sellers to notify of successful bot attacks to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC);
    • Creates a complaint database so consumers can share their experiences with the FTC, which must then share that information with state attorneys general;
    • Enacts data security requirements for online ticket sellers and mandates information sharing between the FTC and law enforcement; and
    • Requires a report to Congress on BOTs enforcement.

     

    This legislation is endorsed by the Recording Academy, Recording Industry Association of America, Live Nation Entertainment, and the National Independent Venue Association.

     

    Full bill text can be found here.

     

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Hidden explosives continue to threaten communities

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    This story was written by the UN Mine Action Service’s South Sudan team. In close cooperation with South Sudan’s National Mine Action Authority and other partners, the team coordinates demining efforts and reaches out to communities to raise awareness on the dangers of explosive hazards and how to avoid them.
     

    After a conflict, after the guns fall silent, the legacy of war often remains hidden beneath the soil, lying on roadsides and scattered across farmland. Landmines and explosive remnants of war are left behind, threatening communities that are already reeling from the effects of violence.  

    This is the reality for many communities in South Sudan, a country that has faced decades of armed conflict and humanitarian crises. A farmer preparing their land, a child walking to school, a cattle herder guiding livestock, or a woman collecting firewood – all are put at risk by these hidden threats. So, too, are the humanitarians trying to reach communities that are in dire need of food, water, and medical assistance.  

    Since 2004, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), an integral part of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, has been working with South Sudan’s National Mine Action Authority and other partners to remove these hidden killers. Important progress has been made, but large areas remain contaminated, and renewed fighting risks reversing the progress made in clearing land.
     

     

    Together, UNMAS and its partners have cleared explosive remnants of war from thousands of kilometers of roads and land, letting life return to normal where demining has taken place. Farmers like Daniel Kong, from Malakal, who once feared tilling his land, can now cultivate their crops without fear. When his village was declared safe from mines, Mr. Kong was able to return to farming, letting him provide food for his family and earn a livelihood in the market. Pastoralists and women collecting firewood can now move freely without the fear of stepping on a hidden threat. Schools that were once contaminated with abandoned explosive weapons are now filled with students. This is a critical step forward in protecting children, who, over the last five years, have made up 80% of South Sudan’s victims of explosive remnants. Families can be reconnected, traders can resume their work, and humanitarians can deliver aid more safely. 

     

    However, South Sudan and some other conflict-affected areas around the world are facing renewed instability and the mass displacement of populations, reversing hard-won gains and posing new threats. This has made the need for mine action more urgent than ever.  

    Member State support will be critical to enabling UNMAS, UN peacekeeping missions, and our partners to continue to clear explosive threats and educate communities on how to identify and avoid them. At the upcoming Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, they will have the opportunity to contribute specialized personnel, weapons and ammunitions management training, and other critical resources that will help demining efforts across the globe. By working together, we can make places like South Sudan safer for communities and the people living in them. Every explosive item removed is a future restored and a step closer to peace.
     

     

    This story is part of the “Peacekeeping Impact” story series, which reports on the impact peacekeeping has for the people and communities it serves. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Adopting Fifth Committee Resolutions, General Assembly Also Decides to Hold Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Turkmenistan in August

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    The General Assembly today decided to hold the third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Awaza, Turkmenistan, from 5 to 8 August, as the 193-member organ adopted several drafts, including those recommended by its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

    Adopting the draft resolution titled “Further modalities of the third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries” (document A/79/L.71) without a vote, the Assembly welcomed and accepted “with appreciation the generous offer of the Government of Turkmenistan to host” the Conference under the theme “Driving progress through partnerships”.

    The Assembly also decided to rename the Conference outcome document the “Awaza Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2024–2034”.

    A representative of the Secretariat explained that to service the event, the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management and the Department of Global Communications would require a total estimated cost of $254,700 in 2025 for additional meetings and documentation workload.

    “Every effort will be made to meet the requirements within their capacity, and there would be no programme budget implications for 2025,” he said, adding however:  “Its ability to implement the mandate will depend on the availability of adequate liquidity resources.”  He further noted that the Government of Turkmenistan will need to defray the additional costs directly or indirectly involved.

    Intergovernmental Organizations Invited to Participate in UN Ocean Conference

    Also acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted a draft decision (document A/79/L.73), by which it invited the intergovernmental organizations identified in the Secretariat note (document A/79/850) — namely the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation and the North Pacific Marine Science Organization — to participate as observers in the work of the 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14.

    Recommendations by Fifth Committee

    The Assembly then adopted five drafts recommended by its Fifth Committee without a vote.  (See document A/C.5/79/INF/3 and Press Release GA/AB/4495 for background.)

    Funding Approved for Measures to Combat Islamophobia

    By the draft resolution titled “Special subjects relating to the programme budget for 2025” (document A/79/652/Add.1), the Assembly approved additional appropriations of $774,200 to implement its resolution 78/264 on measures to combat Islamophobia, $479,900 to implement decisions by the Human Rights Council and $95.39 million for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).  The Assembly also requested the Secretary-General to provide an analysis on the impact of the rapid development of emerging technologies, increase transparency and clarity of information and communications technology (ICT) expenditure, and submit a proposal on the presentation of the costs of such technology.

    The draft resolution “Human resources management” (document A/79/839) has the Assembly note rule 3.3 of the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations regarding appointment and promotion and stress that paragraph 66 of its resolution 79/257 of 24 December 2024 does not relate to cases of “promotions”. It also stressed that any changes to the “Guidelines for determination of level and step on recruitment to the Professional category and above” by the Secretary-General shall be fully in line with Assembly resolutions and decisions.

    Importance of Joint Inspection Unit

    By the draft resolution “Joint Inspection Unit” (document A/79/840), the Assembly took note of the Unit’s report for 2024, its programme of work for 2025 and the Secretary-General’s note on Unit’s 2024 report.  By other terms, it stressed the importance of the Unit’s oversight functions in identifying concrete managerial, administrative and programming questions within the participating organizations and providing the General Assembly and other legislative organs action-oriented recommendations.  Underscoring the unique role of the Unit as an external and independent system-wide inspection, evaluation and investigation body, the Assembly reaffirmed the Unit’s independence and stressed that budget estimates are to be prepared in a transparent consistent manner for submission to the Assembly.

    The draft resolution “Review of the implementation of General Assembly resolutions 48/218 B, 54/244, 59/272, 64/263, 69/253 and 74/257” (document A/79/649) has the Assembly reiterate the five-year non-renewable term of the Under-Secretary General for Internal Oversight Services, and requested the Secretary-General to continue to ensure the full implementation of resolution 48/218 in future appointments.  It also decided to evaluate and review at its eighty-fourth session the functions and reporting procedures of the Office of Internal Oversight Services and to that end to include in the provisional agenda of that session an item entitled “Review of the implementation of General Assembly resolutions 48/218, 54/244, 59/272, 64/263, 69/253, 74/257 and 79/___”.

    Assembly Defers Consideration of Fifth Committee Agenda Items 

    By the draft decision titled “Questions deferred for future consideration” (document A/79/653/Add.1), the Assembly decided to defer until the second part of its resumed seventy-ninth session consideration of the Secretary-General’s report on improving the United Nations financial situation, as well as the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).  Further, the Assembly decided to defer until its eightieth session consideration of Secretary-General’s report on standards of accommodation for air travel and the related ACABQ report, and to the first part of its resumed eightieth session consideration of the Secretary-General’s report on the review of the UN Secretariat internship programme, as well as the related ACABQ report.

    Additionally, the Assembly took note of the Fifth Committee’s report concerning agenda items 141 “Improving the financial situation of the United Nations” (document A/79/838), 137 “Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations” and 150 “Report on the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (document A/79/648/Add.1).

    Filling Vacancies on Contribution, Audit Committees

    Acting on the Fifth Committee’s recommendations without a vote, the Assembly appointed Denis Piminov (Russian Federation), Benjamin Sieberns (Germany) and Fu Liheng (China) as members of the Committee on Contributions, and Eric Oduro Osae (Ghana) as a member of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee, for terms of office from today to 31 December 2026.

    Application of Article 19 of UN Charter:  Congo Reduces Its Arrears

    In other business, the Assembly took note of Congo’s payment necessary to reduce the arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the United Nations Charter (document A/79/720/Add.4).

    Tribute to Former Assembly President

    It also observed a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of the President of the forty-nineth session of the Assembly, Amara Essy (Côte d’Ivoire), who passed away on 8 April.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Aether Holdings Announces Closing of Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aether Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHR) (“we,” “us,” “our,” “Aether,” or the “Company”), an emerging financial technology holding company offering software, data, and artificial intelligence technology to institutional and self-directed investors, is pleased to announce the closing of its initial public offering of 1,800,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $4.30 per share on April 11, 2025.

    The gross proceeds to Aether from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses, were $7,740,000, and net proceeds were approximately $6,520,000. The shares sold in the offering began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “ATHR” on April 10, 2025.

    Aether intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to further the design and development of its products, hire additional employees, including in the areas of finance, accounting, sales, marketing, securities research, and copy editing, sales and marketing expenses, and general corporate purposes and working capital.

    The Benchmark Company, LLC and Axiom Capital Management, Inc. acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP acted as counsel to Aether. Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP acted as counsel to the underwriters. ZH CPA LLC are Aether’s registered independent auditors.

    A registration statement relating to Aether’s initial public offering has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and was declared effective on April 9, 2025. Final prospectuses for the offering and related resale by selling stockholders were filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11, 2025. This registration statement and final prospectuses can be obtained by visiting the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Please see such registration statement and final prospectuses for additional information regarding Aether.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Aether Holdings, Inc.

    Aether Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATHR) is an emerging financial technology holding company focused on transforming the way investors navigate the markets. Leveraging decades of market expertise and cutting-edge technology, Aether delivers proprietary tools, data, and research to empower traders with actionable insights and enhanced decision-making capabilities.

    Aether’s flagship platform, SentimenTrader.com, is designed to serve both retail and institutional investors by offering advanced sentiment analysis through the use of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. With over 20 years of sentiment data integrated into its systems, Aether aims to provide its users with a powerful combination of technology and expertise, enabling them to make informed decisions to level-up their trading in the markets.

    Aether is committed to building an ecosystem that supports smarter, data-driven trading strategies, reinforcing its mission to empower the investing community and redefine excellence in fintech.

    Find out more about Aether Holdings at https://helloaether.com/

    By integrating advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence tools with the critical thinking and analytical abilities of its team of evidenced-based trading veterans, Aether aims to provide its users with a powerful combination of technology and expertise, enabling them to make informed decisions to level-up their trading in the markets.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of Aether’s management in connection with this news release or related events contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expected”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements (which includes statements regarding the commencement of trading in our common stock and the closing of the offering described herein) are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For Aether, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following which are, and will be, exacerbated by any worsening of global business and economic environment: the impact of governmental laws and regulations, including the regulation of artificial intelligence; our failure to maintain and protect our reputation for trustworthiness and independence; our ability to develop new products or effectively market our products and services; our ability to continue to evolve and adapt our technology, including further adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques; our ability to attract new users and to persuade existing users to renew their subscriptions with us and to purchase higher subscription tiers from us; our ability to expand the coverage of our products to include foreign markets and additional types of financial instruments; our future capital needs; our ability to expand our revenue streams beyond the subscriber model; difficulties with third-party services we rely on or will rely on; and similar risks and uncertainties associated with the business of a start-up business operating a in a regulated industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Company Contact
    Frank Cid
    (347)-363-0886
    ir@helloaether.com

    Investor Relations Contact
    Matthew Abenante, IRC
    President
    Strategic Investor Relations, LLC
    (347)-947-2093
    Email: matthew@strategic-ir.com

    Media Contact
    Jessica Starman, MBA
    media@helloaether.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Goods Council addresses trade concerns and future work, elects new Chair

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Goods Council addresses trade concerns and future work, elects new Chair

    Trade concerns
    The CTG reviewed 35 specific trade concerns (STCs), four of which were raised at the Council for the first time. The new trade concerns were (in alphabetical order):
    European Union – Proposal for a Regulation on Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (F-gas), Amending Directive
    India – Measures That May Have Unintended Results Equivalent to Quantitative Restrictions
    Philippines – Export Restrictions on Minerals in Their Raw Form
    United States – Reciprocal Tariffs and Other Tariff Measures
    On the first item, the United States and Japan raised concerns regarding the development and implementation of the EU regulation in question.
    On the second item, Thailand expressed concern regarding delays in the issuance of standard marks and import licenses in India for certain products, including wood-based boards and viscosity fibres.
    On the third item, Japan and the United Kingdom raised concerns regarding a bill in the Senate of the Philippines which they said would impose export restrictions on raw minerals.
    On the fourth item, China raised concerns regarding the recent tariff measures announced by the United States. China said that the tariffs ran counter to WTO rules and undermined the multilateral trading system, and it called upon all WTO members to stand together in safeguarding the rules-based system. Twenty members took the floor to comment. Many expressed concerns about the negative economic impact of the tariffs and their compatibility with WTO rules. Many also stressed the importance of resolving trade disputes through dialogue and cooperation within the WTO framework.
    The United States delivered a separate statement on its tariff duties announcements of 2 and 9 April under “other business”. It said that, on 2 April, US President Donald Trump had declared a national emergency under domestic law due to the extraordinary threat to US national and economic security arising from conditions reflected in large and persistent annual US goods trade deficits. The United States said it was not altering or abrogating its WTO tariff bindings or commitments, but rather was taking action it considered necessary for the protection of its essential security interests, and was maintaining the measure pursuant to the essential security exception in the WTO Agreement.
    China replied that it regretted that the US measures had introduced uncertainty into the global economy; there were no winners in the trade war, China said, adding that it was essential to resolve this issue within a cooperative framework. No other member took the floor.
    Trade concerns previously raised in the CTG have covered a wide range of measures relating to trade in goods across the WTO membership, including non-tariff barriers, environmental policies, import taxes, import/export restrictions, national security, halal certification, subsidy schemes, export controls, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, discriminatory domestic taxes, administrative procedures, and trade-disruptive and -restrictive measures.
    They have also encompassed a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, semi-conductors and semi-conductor-manufacturing equipment, and food products, as well as specific products, such as critical minerals, electric vehicles, electric batteries, liquors, air conditioners, apples and pears, cheese, pulses, cosmetics and tyres.
    The full agenda of the meeting is available here.
    Appointment of officers to the subsidiary bodies of the Council for Trade in Goods
    Regarding the election of chairs for the CTG’s 14 subsidiary bodies, the outgoing CTG Chair, Ambassador Clare Kelly of New Zealand, reported on the process and informed members that consultations would continue with a view to finding consensus. Once this was reached, the new Chair would reconvene the meeting to address this agenda item only.
    Future work of the Goods Council
    The Chair reported on the 25 February informal dedicated session on managing trade concern discussions, at which members further discussed ideas and proposals that had been put forward by delegations, as well as on the second informal session on digital tools used in the CTG and its subsidiary bodies, which was held on 7 April.
    The CTG then considered a draft Decision on the recording of the resolution of trade concerns. The Decision would allow for the recording of positive resolutions, based on the existing practices of the Committees on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Discussions will continue.
    Secretariat report on status of notifications
    The WTO Secretariat presented a new report on the status of regular/periodic and one-time only notifications in the goods area by members to the CTG. Transparency is a fundamental WTO principle, requiring members to notify various elements of their trade-related measures and policies to the WTO.
    The report reveals an overall submission rate of 77.2 per cent for covered notification requirements, with a higher compliance rate of 82.3 per cent for one-time notifications, and a lower rate of 68.9 per cent for regular/periodic notifications. Detailed submission rates for least-developed country (LDC) members were also provided.
    Several members took the floor to thank the Secretariat for the report and the analysis contained therein.
    Other issues
    The United States raised what it considered to be systemic concerns that the WTO Secretariat was not properly informing and consulting with members prior to undertaking certain activities that are relevant to members’ work in the CTG and its subsidiary bodies. The United States called for a collaborative effort among members to create formal guidance and ensure that the Secretariat remained member-driven, including seeking approval, where appropriate, before engaging in such activities.
    Nineteen members took the floor to comment. In the exchanges, many members reflected the value that they placed on the technical work of the Secretariat, with a shared concern for improving its transparency and communication with WTO members, while balancing the need for efficient Secretariat operations. Several members expressed concerns about any requirement that the Secretariat obtain member approval before undertaking knowledge activities.
    Replying on behalf of the WTO Secretariat, Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard highlighted the launch of a comprehensive transparency portal for members and ongoing efforts to keep them informed about Secretariat activities and to seek their views. The Secretariat remains committed to serving all members impartially and transparently, while continuously improving its services, based on member feedback, DDG Ellard added.
    Election of the Chair
    At the conclusion of the meeting, members elected Mr. Gustavo Nerio Lunazzi of Argentina as Chair of the Goods Council for the upcoming work year.
    The outgoing Chair, Ambassador Clare Kelly of New Zealand, noted that the Goods Council meeting had, as usual, taken place in room W of the WTO, the same room in which General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiators forged the multilateral trading system that members know today, and in which the first important GATT meetings took place. Whenever delegates walk into this room, she said, they should remember that they are walking through history, and have a responsibility not only to preserve, but also to enhance and adapt the legacy of our predecessors to new challenges.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: WTO members elect new chair for services negotiations

    Source: World Trade Organization

    At the meeting, following the prior endorsement of his nomination by the General Council on 18 February 2025, Ambassador Abdulhamid was formally elected Chair of the CTS SS. Members took the floor to express their commitment to working with the new Chair to reinvigorate the work of the Special Session. 

    Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill congratulated Ambassador Abdulhamid on his new role, saying: “With his significant experience in diplomacy and trade policy, as well as his leadership in different WTO bodies, I am confident that Ambassador Abdulhamid will guide the work of the Special Session with great skill and efficiency.”

    Ambassador Abdulhamid succeeds Ambassador Zhanar Aitzhan of Kazakhstan. He paid tribute to his predecessor’s leadership and contributions during her tenure from 2018 until the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), held in February/March 2024.

    In his first statement as Chair, Ambassador Abdulhamid emphasized the critical role of services in driving economic growth and addressing global challenges. “From my personal experience, I have come to appreciate that services are fundamental for economic development. The current international environment is challenging, but I think it is important to consider that services are the bigger part of our economies and a growing share of world trade. For many reasons, services – and services trade – will be a bigger part of our future”, he said. “Despite current challenges, it is important to maintain a long-term perspective, and to think about what we want to achieve in this organization, and of its usefulness.”

    The new Chair emphasized both the built-in mandate under the GATS to further open up trade in services and the guidance provided by ministers at MC13. In the Ministerial Declaration adopted in Abu Dhabi, ministers noted the sector’s critical role in the global economy, acknowledged the importance of discussions in both the regular and special sessions of the Council, and committed to reinvigorate work.

    Ambassador Abdulhamid noted that MC14 is fast approaching. “As ministers will meet at MC14 in less than a year, now is the time to reflect and exchange on the path forward,” he said. He announced his intention to begin consultations with delegations in the coming weeks to hear their suggestions how on to reinvigorate work in the special session and move forward under the built-in agenda under Article XIX, including with a view to preparing for MC14.

    More information on services negotiations is available here.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: China gives USD 500,000 to support WTO-led training programmes for developing economies

    Source: WTO

    Headline: China gives USD 500,000 to support WTO-led training programmes for developing economies

    Channelled through the WTO Global Trust Fund, China’s contribution will help support developing economies in deepening their expertise on WTO issues and enhance their skillset to effectively negotiate and implement trade rules.
    Over the past 10 years, the Global Trust Fund has covered on average 50 per cent of the costs of WTO trade-related technical assistance and training activities, covering areas such as agriculture, services and trade facilitation.
    MOFCOM DG Han said: “China firmly upholds the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. Recognizing the important role technical assistance plays in helping developing economies, especially LDCs, better integrate into the multilateral trading system, China has been supporting these activities for many years. China will continue to deepen cooperation with the WTO Secretariat to make the WTO more inclusive.”
    Dr Bright said: “Trade plays a key role in furthering the development objectives of economies around the world. I thank China for its generous support, which will help ensure that government officials from developing economies and LDCs can gain the skillsets needed to harness international market opportunities to drive job creation and economic growth for their people.”
    Over the past 15 years, China has contributed close to CHF 9 million (close to USD 10.5 million) to assist developing members and observers – including LDCs – in integrating into the multilateral trade system.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: In a world of trade tensions, what do tariffs really do?

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Trade policy tensions are escalating fast. In recent months, several large economies have announced or implemented sweeping new tariffs, reviving a policy tool that many thought to have been largely relegated to the past. These developments have sparked a flurry of political commentary – but behind the headlines, there exists a body of economic research that helps to make sense of what tariffs actually do.

    At their core, tariffs are simple: they raise the domestic price of imported goods. But their effects ripple through the economy in complex ways – altering prices, wages, exchange rates and trade patterns. As governments revisit this powerful lever, understanding the economic mechanisms at play has never been more important.

    At the most basic level, a tariff is a tax on imported products. It drives a wedge between the world price and the domestic price. For instance, if a 10 per cent tariff is imposed on a product with a world price of US$ 100, the domestic price becomes US$ 110. The difference – US$ 10 – is collected as tariff revenue, which the government can use to finance its expenditures.

    Tariffs can also affect the world price of a product, particularly when they are imposed by a large economy. The logic is that higher domestic prices reduce domestic demand, which in turn lowers world demand, and thus world prices. In our example, the world price might fall to $95 after the tariff is imposed, resulting in a domestic price of $104.50. In this case, part of the tariff is effectively paid by foreign producers.

    This cost-shifting creates incentives for large economies to unilaterally impose tariffs. However, this so-called optimal tariff argument overlooks the possibility of retaliation. If country A imposes tariffs on country B, country B has an incentive to respond in kind. The end result is a trade war that leaves both sides worse off.

    This logic underpins the leading theory of trade negotiations. If all economies attempt to benefit at each other’s expense, everyone ends up worse off – and this creates incentives for cooperative trade policymaking. The economics literature on trade policy has shown that the core WTO principles of reciprocity and non-discrimination are effective tools for escaping the logic of mutually harmful tariffs (Bagwell and Staiger, 2002).

    The extent to which tariffs pass through to consumer prices is ultimately an empirical question. Evidence from the initial wave of US tariffs on China suggests full pass-through to US consumers (Amiti et al. 2019; Fajgelbaum et al. 2019). However, these studies focus on short-term effects and use methodologies that cannot fully account for broader macroeconomic adjustments. Standard quantitative trade models typically predict at least some cost-shifting to foreign producers.

    A broader question is how tariffs affect inflation. When a country imposes a tariff, it causes a one-off increase in the domestic price level, but this does not necessarily translate into sustained inflation. One channel through which a tariff could lead to persistent inflation is a wage–price spiral, which is similar to what can happen with other supply shocks.

    Tariffs do not just affect imports – they also affect exports. One direct channel is through higher prices for intermediate goods, which undermine the competitiveness of exporting firms; but broader general equilibrium effects are also important. Tariffs allow import-competing sectors to expand, which draws resources – such as labour, capital and land – away from other sectors, including exporting sectors.

    This process operates through changes in the real exchange rate, which measures domestic prices relative to foreign prices, adjusted for the nominal exchange rate. As import-competing sectors expand, they demand more workers, which pushes up wages across the economy. Higher wages raise production costs for exporting firms, making them less competitive in international markets. The result is an appreciation of the real exchange rate, which makes exports relatively more expensive abroad.

    A related question is what happens to the nominal exchange rate. One channel is direct: tariffs reduce import demand, and hence the demand for foreign currency, leading to an appreciation of the domestic currency. Another channel is indirect: tariffs may lead markets to anticipate tighter monetary policy to counter inflation, which can also cause the domestic currency to appreciate. For trade effects, what ultimately matters is the change in the real exchange rate; whether this occurs through adjustments in wages, domestic prices, or the nominal exchange rate is of secondary importance.

    There is, thus, a trade-off between the inflationary and competitiveness effects of tariffs. If the exchange rate appreciates strongly, domestic prices rise little, but competitiveness suffers significantly. If it appreciates only slightly, domestic prices rise more, but competitiveness is less affected. Either way, tariffs impose economic costs.

    A topical question is whether tariffs affect trade imbalances. The answer depends on whether one considers aggregate, bilateral or sectoral imbalances. Aggregate trade imbalances reflect the gap between national saving and national investment – a basic accounting identity. The logic is analogous to household finance: if a household (country) saves, it must earn (export) more than it spends (imports).

    To improve the aggregate trade balance, tariffs would need to increase national saving or reduce investment, which is a possibility. For instance, households might delay consumption if they expect tariffs to be temporary, thereby raising saving. Alternatively, tariffs could reduce investment by increasing the cost of capital goods, or by creating policy uncertainty, leading firms to postpone spending.

    However, most economists expect tariffs to have only limited effects on aggregate imbalances. Macroeconomic fundamentals – such as fiscal policy or the household savings rate – play a more dominant role. This view is supported by empirical studies that have found little impact of tariffs on aggregate trade balances so far (Furceri et al. 2022).

    Tariffs can, however, affect bilateral trade balances by altering relative prices. It is entirely possible for country A to run a deficit with country B, B with C, and C with A – without any of them having an aggregate trade imbalance.

    Tariffs can also affect sectoral trade balances. For example, higher tariffs on goods imports tend to improve the goods trade balance by discouraging imports through higher domestic prices, while worsening the services trade balance by reducing services exports through an appreciation of the real exchange rate.

    As tariffs return to the trade policy agenda, it is worth recalling what economics has long understood: tariffs are not just a tool for raising revenue or protecting domestic industries – they are a policy lever with wide-ranging, and often unintended, consequences. Their appeal in the short term can obscure longer-term costs to inflation, competitiveness and international cooperation. In a world of growing trade tensions, a clear-eyed view of those trade-offs is more important than ever.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Levin Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Lagoons, Estuaries, and Enhance Coastal Communities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

    April 11, 2025

    Washington, D.C.- Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Levin (CA-49), Brian Mast (FL-21), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), and Jen Kiggans (VA-2) reintroduced the bipartisan Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act, which would revitalize federal efforts to strengthen and protect lagoons and estuaries. This bill would reauthorize and enhance the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) and require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to work toward designating five new National Estuarine Research Reserves and to enhance the Reserve System.

    Congress established the CELCP to provide grants to state and local governments to protect coastal and estuarine areas deemed to have conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or aesthetic value. This program supports locally driven efforts to protect coastal and estuarine lands for conservation, research, and recreation. CELCP’s authorization expired in fiscal year 2013 and other federal funding mechanisms ran out in 2017.

    The Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act would revive funding for CELCP at $60 million per year and expand the eligibility for program to include nongovernmental organizations. The bill would prioritize funding for projects in communities that lack resources for coastal hazards, areas threatened by climate change, and areas that might help mitigate the effects of environmental changes through blue carbon storage.

    The Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act would also support and expand the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS), which the Tijuana River Estuarine Research Reserve is a part of. The NERRS is a network of 30 coastal sites covering 1.4 million acres designated to protect and study estuarine systems. The Reserves specialize in research and data monitoring to support conservation and management efforts locally and around the country.

    “As the proud representative of a coastal community, I know the critical role lagoons and estuaries play in safeguarding against environmental hazards and enhancing our local economy,” said Rep. Levin. “This bill restores a common-sense measure to protect coastal and estuary habitats. As we continue to find creative solutions to combat coastal erosion and rising sea levels, and protect our environment, I’m eager to work with my colleagues on this bipartisan bill to advance this priority for our communities.”

    “Healthy estuaries are important to thriving coastal communities and a robust economy,” said Rep. Bonamici. “This bipartisan effort to conserve and rehabilitate these vital ecosystems will improve resilience along our country’s waterways and coasts, and I thank my co-sponsors for their support.”

    “Coastal Virginia is blessed to be home to a large network of estuaries and other wetlands that act as critical barriers against hurricanes, tropical storms, and other natural disasters,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “Through this important legislation, we can provide state and local governments the resources they need ensure these lands in southeast Virginia and around the country are protected. I’m proud to join my colleagues on this bipartisan effort to preserve our wetlands and support our coastal communities!”

    “Estuaries are an essential part of our community. The problems facing the Indian River Lagoon, Caloosahatchee, St. Lucie, and Lake Worth Lagoon have shown repeatedly that our work to protect and restore our waterways is not over,” said Rep. Brian Mast. “I’m proud to support the bipartisan Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act to reauthorize a successful program that allows us to better safeguard our coastal environments for future generations to come.”

    “With over 80 percent of America’s population living in coastal states, millions of hunters and anglers rely on coastal habitats to support recreational passions and economies. The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System have provided vital state and local stewardship for these habitats, safeguarding at-risk ecosystems and promoting public access for all. The TRCP is proud to support the bipartisan Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act, and we commend Reps. Levin, Mast, Bonamici, and Kiggans for working to reauthorize common-sense conservation funding,” said Joel Pedersen, President and CEO, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

    “Surfrider applauds Representative Levin and the introduction of this bill to establish a Coastal and Estuarine Resilience and Restoration Program. For too long our shorelines and coastal wetlands have been overlooked as critical natural defenses against climate change. This bill will help bolster the resilience of vulnerable coastal ecosystems and communities from the impacts of sea level rise and climate change while protecting the rich habitats and wildlife that they support,” said Zach Plopper, Sr, Environmental Director, Surfrider Foundation

    “We welcome the reintroduction of the Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act which reauthorizes critical programs that will increase conservation of coastal land, improve estuarine data and research, and provide more public access and recreational opportunities in an era of massive coastal change. By balancing the protection, conservation, responsible use, and sustainable economic development of America’s coasts and ensuring every state can manage its own coastal zone, coastal communities and habitats can thrive into the future.” said Derek Brockbank, Executive Director of Coastal States Organization.

    “Thank you to Representatives Levin, Mast, Bonamici and Kiggans for their leadership; they know that as the challenges facing our coasts intensify, we need strong, effective programs that protect people, places, and economies,” said Rebecca Roth, director of the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association (NERRA). “The National Estuarine Research Reserve System and the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program are time tested initiatives that consistently meet coastal community needs with training, science, data, education, land protection and more. Reauthorization of these programs will ensure they remain a cornerstone of our national policy, a value added for states, and a direct benefit to local communities and economies for generations to come.”

    “Healthy estuaries support our coastal communities and serve as nurseries and feeding grounds for birds, fish, and other wildlife,” said Romaric Moncrieffe, marine conservation policy manager at the National Audubon Society. “The Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act will fund the essential federal programs that protect coastal habitats from threats like sea-level rise, flooding, and erosion.”

    The bill would provide support for several estuary habitats in the 49th District and Southern California, including the San Mateo Lagoon, San Luis Rey River, and San Elijo Lagoon. Additionally, the bill would provide support to the Tijuana River Estuarine Research Reserve, which supports ecosystem management and the cleanup of the Tijuana River Valley.

    The Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act is endorsed by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Coastal States Organization, National Estuarine Research Reserve Association, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Surfrider Foundation, Oceana, National Audubon Society, American Sportsfishing Association, National Wildlife Federation, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA), American Shore & Beach Preservation Association, Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), American Fisheries Society, North American Falconers Association, International Game Fish Association, Land Trust Alliance, Wild Salmon Center, and Angler Action Foundation.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: In trade war with the US, China holds a lot more cards than Trump may think − in fact, it might have a winning hand

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Linggong Kong, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science, Auburn University

    When Donald Trump pulled back on his plan to impose eye-watering tariffs on trading partners across the world, there was one key exception: China.

    While the rest of the world would be given a 90-day reprieve on additional duties beyond the new 10% tariffs on all U.S. trade partners, China would feel the squeeze even more. On April 9, 2025, Trump raised the tariff on Chinese goods to 125%.

    The move, in Trump’s telling, was prompted by Beijing’s “lack of respect for global markets.” But the U.S. president may well have been smarting from Beijing’s apparent willingness to confront U.S. tariffs head on.

    While many countries opted not to retaliate against Trump’s now-delayed reciprocal tariff hikes, instead favoring negotiation and dialogue, Beijing took a different tack. It responded with swift and firm countermeasures. On April 11, China dismissed Trump’s moves as a “joke” and raised its own tariff against the U.S. to 125%.

    The two economies are now locked in an all-out, high-intensity trade standoff. And China is showing no signs of backing down.

    And as an expert on U.S.-China relations, I wouldn’t expect China to. Unlike the first U.S.-China trade war during Trump’s initial term, when Beijing eagerly sought to negotiate with the U.S., China now holds far more leverage.

    Indeed, Beijing believes it can inflict at least as much damage on the U.S. as vice versa, while at the same time expanding its global position.

    A changed calculus for China

    There’s no doubt that the consequences of tariffs are severe for China’s export-oriented manufacturers – especially those in the coastal regions producing furniture, clothing, toys and home appliances for American consumers.

    Amid tariffs, China’s President Xi Jinping senses a historic opportunity.
    Carlos Barria/AFP via Getty Images

    But since Trump first launched a tariff increase on China in 2018, a number of underlying economic factors have significantly shifted Beijing’s calculus.

    Crucially, the importance of the U.S. market to China’s export-driven economy has declined significantly. In 2018, at the start of the first trade war, U.S.-bound exports accounted for 19.8% of China’s total exports. In 2023, that figure had fallen to 12.8%. The tariffs may further prompt China to accelerate its “domestic demand expansion” strategy, unleashing the spending power of its consumers and strengthening its domestic economy.

    And while China entered the 2018 trade war in a phase of strong economic growth, the current situation is quite different. Sluggish real estate markets, capital flight and Western “decoupling” have pushed the Chinese economy into a period of persistent slowdown.

    Perhaps counterintuitively, this prolonged downturn may have made the Chinese economy more resilient to shocks. It has pushed businesses and policymakers to come to factor in the existing harsh economic realities, even before the impact of Trump’s tariffs.

    Trump’s tariff policy against China may also allow Beijing a useful external scapegoat, allowing it to rally public sentiment and shift blame for the economic slowdown onto U.S. aggression.

    China also understands that the U.S. cannot easily replace its dependency on Chinese goods, particularly through its supply chains. While direct U.S. imports from China have decreased, many goods now imported from third countries still rely on Chinese-made components or raw materials.

    By 2022, the U.S. relied on China for 532 key product categories – nearly four times the level in 2000 – while China’s reliance on U.S. products was cut by half in the same period.

    There’s a related public opinion calculation: Rising tariffs are expected to drive up prices, something that could stir discontent among American consumers, particularly blue-collar voters. Indeed, Beijing believes Trump’s tariffs risk pushing the previously strong U.S. economy toward a recession.

    U.S. President Donald Trump looks at Chinese President Xi Jinping during the plenary session at the G20 Summit on July 7, 2017, in Hamburg, Germany.
    Photo by Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

    Potent tools for retaliation

    Alongside the changed economic environments, China also holds a number of strategic tools for retaliation against the U.S.

    It dominates the global rare earth supply chain – critical to military and high-tech industries – supplying roughly 72% of U.S. rare earth imports, by some estimates. On March 4, China placed 15 American entities on its export control list, followed by another 12 on April 9. Many were U.S. defense contractors or high-tech firms reliant on rare earth elements for their products.

    China also retains the ability to target key U.S. agricultural export sectors such as poultry and soybeans – industries heavily dependent on Chinese demand and concentrated in Republican-leaning states. China accounts for about half of U.S. soybean exports and nearly 10% of American poultry exports. On March 4, Beijing revoked import approvals for three major U.S. soybean exporters.

    And on the tech side, many U.S. companies – such as Apple and Tesla – remain deeply tied to Chinese manufacturing. Tariffs threaten to shrink their profit margins significantly, something Beijing believes can be used as a source of leverage against the Trump administration. Already, Beijing is reportedly planning to strike back through regulatory pressure on U.S. companies operating in China.

    Meanwhile, the fact that Elon Musk, a senior Trump insider who has clashed with U.S. trade adviser Peter Navarro against tariffs, has major business interests in China is a particularly strong wedge that Beijing could yet exploit in an attempt to divide the Trump administration.

    Chinese and U.S. flags fly at a booth during the first China International Import Expo on Nov. 6, 2018, in Shanghai.
    Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images

    A strategic opening for China?

    While Beijing thinks it can weather Trump’s sweeping tariffs on a bilateral basis, it also believes the U.S. broadside against its own trading partners has created a generational strategic opportunity to displace American hegemony.

    Close to home, this shift could significantly reshape the geopolitical landscape of East Asia. Already on March 30 – after Trump had first raised tariffs on Beijing – China, Japan and South Korea hosted their first economic dialogue in five years and pledged to advance a trilateral free trade agreement. The move was particularly remarkable given how carefully the U.S. had worked to cultivate its Japanese and South Korean allies during the Biden administration as part of its strategy to counter Chinese regional influence. From Beijing’s perspective, Trump’s actions offer an opportunity to directly erode U.S. sway in the Indo-Pacific.

    Could China’s dragon economy slay Trump’s tariffs?
    Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images

    Similarly, Trump’s steep tariffs on Southeast Asian countries, which were also a major strategic regional priority during the Biden administration, may push those nations closer to China. Chinese state media announced on April 11 that President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia from April 14-18, aiming to deepen “all-round cooperation” with neighboring countries. Notably, all three Southeast Asian nations were targeted with now-paused reciprocal tariffs by the Trump administration – 49% on Cambodian goods, 46% on Vietnamese exports and 24% on products from Malaysia.

    Farther away from China lies an even more promising strategic opportunity. Trump’s tariff strategy has already prompted China and officials from the European Union to contemplate strengthening their own previously strained trade ties, something that could weaken the transatlantic alliance that had sought to decouple from China.

    On April 8, the president of the European Commission held a call with China’s premier, during which both sides jointly condemned U.S. trade protectionism and advocated for free and open trade. Coincidentally, on April 9, the day China raised tariffs on U.S. goods to 84%, the EU also announced its first wave of retaliatory measures – imposing a 25% tariff on selected U.S. imports worth over €20 billion – but delayed implementation following Trump’s 90-day pause.

    Now, EU and Chinese officials are holding talks over existing trade barriers and considering a full-fledged summit in China in July.

    Finally, China sees in Trump’s tariff policy a potential weakening of the international standing of the U.S. dollar. Widespread tariffs imposed on multiple countries have shaken investor confidence in the U.S. economy, contributing to a decline in the dollar’s value.

    Traditionally, the dollar and U.S. Treasury bonds have been viewed as haven assets, but recent market turmoil has cast doubt on that status. At the same time, steep tariffs have raised concerns about the health of the U.S. economy and the sustainability of its debt, undermining trust in both the dollar and U.S. Treasurys.

    While Trump’s tariffs will inevitably hurt parts of the Chinese economy, Beijing appears to have far more cards to play this time around. It has the tools to inflict meaningful damage on U.S. interests – and perhaps more importantly, Trump’s all-out tariff war is providing China with a rare and unprecedented strategic opportunity.

    Linggong Kong does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. In trade war with the US, China holds a lot more cards than Trump may think − in fact, it might have a winning hand – https://theconversation.com/in-trade-war-with-the-us-china-holds-a-lot-more-cards-than-trump-may-think-in-fact-it-might-have-a-winning-hand-254173

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Salazar Introduces the NO FAKES Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    strong>WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Rep. Maria Salazar (FL-27) introduced the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act along with Reps. Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Nathaniel Moran (TX-01), Becca Balint (VT-At Large), and Joe Morelle (NY-25). The legislation protects the voice and likeness of all individuals from unauthorized, computer-generated recreations from generative artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies.

    The Senate version of the bill is being introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

    “In this new era of AI, we need real laws to protect real people,” said Rep. Salazar. “The NO FAKES Act is simple and sacred: you own your identity—not Big Tech, not scammers, not algorithms. Deepfakes are digital lies that ruin real lives, and it’s time to fight back.”

    “The NO FAKES Act works to tackle the risk that AI poses to artists, content creators, and the victims of deep fakes. The realities of new AI technology breakthroughs mean we must establish a clear right to control digital replicas of one’s own voice and image. And this is a common sense, bipartisan proposal. I’m grateful to work with Representatives Dean and Salazar to safeguard America’s artists and creators, ensuring that AI’s potential is harnessed for good,” saidRep. Balint.

    “A.I. deepfakes are a serious threat to privacy and intellectual property—and if we don’t act, the damage will only grow,” said Rep. Morelle. “That’s why I’m backing the bipartisan NO FAKES Act to modernize our laws, promote innovation, and keep people safe.”

    From the biggest entertainers to everyday Americans, non-consensual voice and image clones can ruin careers, deceive families and friends, and traumatize victims. The American people need clear rules that empower individuals to control their own faces and voices while encouraging innovation and ensuring that the United States remains the world leader on artificial intelligence.

    “While AI has opened the door to countless innovations, it has also exposed creators and other vulnerable individuals to online harms,” said Senator Blackburn. “Tennessee’s creative community is recognized around the globe, and the NO FAKES Act would help protect these individuals from the misuse and abuse of generative AI by holding those responsible for deepfake content to account.”

    “Nobody—whether they’re Tom Hanks or an 8th grader just trying to be a kid—should worry about someone stealing their voice and likeness,” said Senator Coons. “Incredible technology like AI can help us push the limits of human creativity, but only if we protect Americans from those who would use it to harm our communities. I am grateful for the bipartisan partnership of Senators Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis, the support of colleagues in the House, and the endorsements of leaders in the entertainment industry, the labor community, and firms at the cutting edge of AI technology.”

    “While AI presents extraordinary opportunities for technological advancement, it also poses some new problems, including the unauthorized replication of the voice and visual likeness of individuals, such as artists,” said Senator Tillis. “We must protect against such misuse, and I’m proud to co-introduce this bipartisan legislation to create safeguards from AI, which will result in greater protections for individuals and that which defines them.”

    “Americans from all walks of life are increasingly seeing AI being used to create deepfakes in ads, images, music, and videos without their consent,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We need our laws to be as sophisticated as this quickly advancing technology. The bipartisan NO FAKES Act will establish rules of the road to protect people from having their voice and likeness replicated through AI without their permission.”

    “As AI’s prevalence grows, federal law must catch up—we must support technological innovation while preserving the privacy, safety, and dignity of all Americans,” said Representative Dean. “By granting everyone a clear, federal right to control digital replicas of their own voice and likeness, the NO FAKES Act will empower victims of deep fakes; safeguard human creativity and artistic expression; and defend against sexually explicit deepfakes. I’m grateful to work with a bipartisan group of colleagues on common sense, common ground regulations of this new frontier of AI.”

    The NO FAKES Act will:

    • Recognize that every individual has a federal intellectual property right to their own voice and likeness—including an extension of that right for the families of individuals after they pass away;

    • Empower individuals to take action against bad actors who knowingly create, post, or profit from unauthorized digital copies of them;

    • Protect responsible media platforms from liability if they take down offending materials when they discover them;

    • Ensure innovation and free speech are protected; and

    • Provide a nationwide solution to a patchwork of state laws and regulations by January 2, 2025.

     

    ENDORSEMENTS

    This legislation is endorsed by the Recording Industry Association of America; Motion Picture Association; SAG-AFTRA; YouTube; Recording Academy; OpenAI; Warner Music Group; Universal Music Group; Sony Music; The Walt Disney Company; IBM; Vermillio; Hive; Independent Film & Television Alliance; WME; Creative Artists Agency; Human Artistry Campaign; National Association of Broadcasters; the Model Alliance; ASCAP; Nashville Songwriters Association International; the Authors Guild; the National Center on Sexual Exploitation; Television Academy; Enough is Enough; American Association of Independent Music; and more.

    “This bill proves that we can prioritize the growth of AI and protecting American creativity at the same time. We applaud the Senate and House sponsors driving this legislation that provides balanced and effective protections for all individuals against exploitative uses of their voice and likeness while supporting free speech, reducing litigation and achieving the promise of AI technology,” said Mitch Glazier, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman & CEO.

    “The NO FAKES Act thoughtfully establishes federal protections for performers from generative AI abuse while also respecting creators’ First Amendment rights and freedoms,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). “The MPA thanks Senators Blackburn, Coons, Klobuchar, and Tillis for re-introducing this bill. Specifically, we appreciate the inclusion of safeguards intended to prevent the chilling of constitutionally protected speech such as biopics, docudramas, parody, and satire. This is necessary for any new law to be durable. The MPA will continue to work closely with the bill’s sponsors as the NO FAKES Act makes its way into law.”

    “In the age of digital clones, deepfakes can be devastating,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, SAG-AFTRA. “We all deserve the right to demand platforms remove illegal voice and image clones, and to seek damages from those who intentionally cause harm. Thank you Senators Blackburn, Coons, Klobuchar, and Tillis for reintroducing the NO FAKES Act. As innovation continues to rapidly evolve, it’s time for commonsense legislation that defends individual rights.”

    “For nearly two decades, YouTube has been at the forefront of handling rights management at scale, and we understand the importance of collaborating with partners to tackle these issues proactively. Now, we’re applying that expertise and dedication to partnership to ensure the responsible deployment of innovative AI tools. We thank Senators Coons and Blackburn, and Representatives Salazar and Dean, for their leadership on the NO FAKES Act, which is consistent with our ongoing efforts to protect creators and viewers, and reflects our commitment to shaping a future where AI is used responsibly,” said Leslie Miller, VP of Public Policy, YouTube. 

    “The Academy is proud to represent and serve creators, and for decades, GRAMMYs on the Hill has brought music makers to our nation’s capital to elevate the policy issues affecting our industry. Today’s reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act underscores our members’ commitment to advocating for the music community, and as we enter a new era of technology, we must create guardrails around AI and ensure it enhances – not replaces – human creativity. We thank Senators Blackburn and Coons, and Representatives Dean and Salazar for their unwavering support on this issue, and we look forward to working alongside them to pass the NO FAKES Act this Congress,” said Harvey Mason jr., CEO, Recording Academy. 

    “OpenAI is happy to once again support the NO FAKES Act, which supports creators and artists. We applaud Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership, and we look forward to working with the sponsors and fellow supporters as this legislation moves forward,” said OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane.  

    “I applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar and Dean for their leadership in introducing the NO FAKES Act. This bill reflects what can happen when tech and creative industries come together – foster cutting edge innovation while protecting human identity and artistry. We look forward to working with key members of the US Senate and House to help pass the NO FAKES Act this year,” said Robert Kyncl, Warner Music Group CEO.

    “Universal Music Group applauds the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act – landmark, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to address ‘deepfakes’ and other threats to individuals’ rights to control their own voice and visual likeness,” said Universal Music Group. “At once, this legislation secures First Amendment protections and takes a critical step to ensure all Americans can protect and control their own persona. We are grateful to the bill’s sponsors for their thoughtful leadership on this important issue.”

    “Sony Music is proud to support the No FAKES Act to promote the ethical use of AI and give artists more control over their identity and creative expression,” said Sony Music. “Thank you to the Senate and House sponsors for continuing to champion this bipartisan legislation, which will provide meaningful protections against the unauthorized use of an artist’s voice and image. We look forward to working towards passage of this legislation allowing AI innovation and creativity to flourish.” 

    “Disney is pleased to support the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act. We look forward to working with the sponsors to see this legislation enacted to ensure important and meaningful protections for individuals against misuse of their image and voice through AI while maintaining critical speech protections for legitimate storytelling rooted in the First Amendment,” said the Walt Disney Company.

    “AI is now widely used across sectors, and as advancements continue, it’s vital to protect creators and individuals from potential deepfake risks,” said Mike Harney, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs, IBM. “IBM supports the NO FAKES Act, which safeguards individuals from unauthorized AI replication of their images, voices, or likenesses. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership on this important bipartisan legislation.”

    “The NO FAKES Act makes a critical stride towards establishing NIL protections that deliver consent, credit, compensation, and control to all Americans,” said Dan Neely, Co-Founder and CEO, Vermillio. “With deepfakes representing only one piece of a much larger battle against unauthorized content, the entertainment industry must implement robust AI safeguards to protect American creativity, one of our most valuable assets. We appreciate the leadership Senators Coons, Blackburn, Tillis, and Klobuchar, who recognize the essential role of cutting-edge technologies in delivering national security, protecting all citizens, and closing vulnerabilities that allow bad actors to misuse AI.”

    “The development of AI-generated media and AI detection technologies must evolve in parallel,” said Kevin Guo, CEO and cofounder of Hive. “We envision a future where AI-generated media is created with permission, clearly identified, and appropriately credited. We stand firmly behind the NO FAKES Act as a fundamental step in establishing oversight while keeping pace with advancements in artificial intelligence to protect public trust and creative industries alike.”

    “The Independent Film & Television Alliance® supports the NO FAKES Act and thanks lead sponsors Senators Coons and Blackburn, and sponsors Senators Klobuchar and Tillis, for their ongoing efforts to enact this bill,” said Jean Prewitt, President and CEO, IFTA. “This essential legislation establishes a standardized federal solution to prevent the unauthorized exploitation of an individual’s voice, image and likeness, upholds crucial First Amendment safeguards to protect free speech, and includes an important preemption clause.”

    “We view technology as a complement, not a substitute, for human artistry,” said Christian Muirhead, Co-Chairman, WME. “Guardrails must be put into place that ensure continued innovation while protecting our clients’ name, image, likeness, and voice. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Tillis, and Klobuchar for recognizing the urgency of this issue, and will continue to work with them to ensure all artists and our clients remain at the center of this vital legislation.”

    “As advancements in AI continue to move at an unprecedented pace, so too must our legal frameworks. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for creating this legislation that ensures artists maintain control over how their name, image, likenesses, voice, and IP are used. These forward-thinking policies are an essential first step to navigating this new digital era, striking a critical balance between innovation and strong protections,” said Bryan Lourd, CEO and Co-Chairman, Creative Artists Agency (CAA).

    “The Human Artistry Campaign stands for preserving essential qualities of all individuals – beginning with a right to your own voice and image. The NO FAKES Act is an important step towards necessary protections that also support free speech and AI development. The Human Artistry Campaign commends Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar, Dean, Moran, and Balint for shepherding bipartisan support for this landmark legislation, a necessity for every American to have a right to their own identity as highly realistic voice clones and deepfakes become more pervasive,” said Dr. Moiya McTier, Human Artistry Campaign Senior Advisor.

    “NAB applauds Senators Blackburn and Coons for reintroducing the NO FAKES Act, which takes an important step toward protecting trusted broadcast journalists, local radio hosts and other on-air personalities from the unauthorized use of their voice, image or likeness. Broadcasters play a vital role in keeping communities informed, and the spread of deceptive deepfakes undermines both individual rights and public trust. This bipartisan bill offers meaningful safeguards while respecting First Amendment protections, and we look forward to working with Congress to advance it,” said the National Association of Broadcasters. 

    “As AI adoption grows, workers whose livelihoods depend on their image face a new frontier of exploitation: their digital replica being used without consent. That’s why the Model Alliance is proud to endorse the NO FAKES Act, which will empower individuals to control their digital likeness,” said Sara Ziff, Founding Director of Model Alliance. “As image-based workers who lack union protection, models are the canary in the coal mine. Federal standards for AI use are urgently needed to protect all individuals, particularly those whose image is their livelihood.”

    “American songwriters and other music creators need Congress to put human beings first and pass laws that ensure transparency, consent, compensation, credit, and global consistency when it comes to generative AI. ASCAP commends this bipartisan group of leaders for introducing legislation that recognizes the value of human creativity to AI development,” said Elizabeth Matthews, CEO of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

    “NMPA is proud to support the reintroduction of the No Fakes Act. In an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the creative landscape, it is critical that we protect the rights of creators from exploitation, fraud, and misuse. We commend Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership in protecting songwriters and artists from illicit theft of their work. By establishing new protections against the harmful use of digital replicas, the No Fakes Act will provide the necessary framework to ensure that AI serves as a tool to enhance creativity rather than undermine the rights of those who create it. We urge the Senate to move swiftly in passing this critical legislation and securing the protections the creative community deserves,” said David Israelite, President and CEO, The National Music Publishers Association. 

    “The NO FAKES Act is an extremely important part of the puzzle in protecting human creators in the age of generative Artificial Intelligence. We applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons for introducing this bill in recognition that it should be a person’s right to protect their own voice and likeness and use it in only the ways they see fit. The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) strongly supports the NO FAKES Act and urges Congress to pass and enact this legislation expeditiously in the interest of protecting our creators,” said Jennifer Purdon Turnbow, COO of Nashville Songwriters Association International. 

    “The Authors Guild thanks Senators Chris Coons, Marsha Blackburn, Thom Tillis, and Amy Klobuchar for introducing the NO FAKES Act,” said Mary Rasenberger, CEO, Authors Guild. “It marks a significant step in protecting creators’ rights to their own persona. By prohibiting the unauthorized use of AI-generated replicas in audiovisual and sound recordings and establishing clear legal guidelines and liability for misuse, this bill helps safeguard creators from unauthorized and unpaid uses of their images and voices.”

    “Imagine waking up one morning to find your face or the face of someone you love manipulated into sexually explicit imagery—distributed online for the world to see. This is now the reality we face. The proliferation of nonconsensual digital depictions has exploded online: 98% of deepfake videos online today are pornographic, and 99% of these deepfakes explicitly target women. The NO FAKES Act offers vital relief for victims by providing a path to seek justice through civil remedies,” said Haley McNamara, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Programs, National Center on Sexual Exploitation.

    “Representing nearly 30,000 members across all disciplines of the television industry, the Television Academy supports the NO FAKES Act and applauds Senators Coons and Blackburn for working on this important bill. Television is built on the talent, creativity, and hard work of real people – writers, producers, and TV executives to camera operators and cinematographers who bring stories to life. As artificial intelligence and digital replication technologies evolve, it is essential to put in place meaningful protections that prevent the unauthorized and exploitative use of performers’ voices, likenesses, and creative expressions. The Television Academy supports the NO FAKES Act to establish clear federal protections that uphold the rights of television professionals and the creative foundation of the television industry,” said the Television Academy.

    “Senator Blackburn (R) has long been a champion of protecting children and families from the harms of online exploitation and abuse and we proudly support her efforts, as well as her co-sponsor Senator Coons (D) in introducing the bi-partisan NO FAKES Act. As technology evolves exponentially, so do those who exploit these technologies at the expense of others. While artificial intelligence is increasingly relied upon to educate, inform, and create, it can also be used by bad actors to harm through the growing problem of ‘deepfakes’ and fraudulent unauthorized computer generated recreations of an individual’s voice or visual likeness. The NO FAKES Act would protect against such nonconsensual digital replications by providing harmed individuals with the ability to hold civilly liable those responsible for producing and distributing such content as well as the platforms who knowingly host such unauthorized content. AI can be a wonderful tool with vast benefits, but we must guard against its misuse to produce nonconsensual voice or visual replicas! No one is immune and we encourage Congress to move thoughtfully and aggressively forward to pass bi-partisan laws that prioritize the safety of both children and adults in the digital world,” said Donna Rice Hughes, CEO/President of Enough Is Enough.

    “GenerativeAI development is moving at lightning speed, without the guardrails needed to make sure that artists who spend lifetimes developing their art don’t see their livelihoods eaten along with untold harm to America’s creative culture. The NO FAKES Act would arm our community of over 550 independent labels with a new tool to combat the egregious theft of artists’ professional identities by big tech behemoths intent on winning at all costs. We are so thankful to our champions in the House and Senate for introducing the NO FAKES Act today,” said Dr. Richard James Burgess, President and CEO of the American Association of Independent Music. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal delivers Keynote Address at 9th Global Technology Summit

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal delivers Keynote Address at 9th Global Technology Summit

    India offers unparalleled trade and investment opportunities: Shri Goyal

    India’s decision not to join RCEP has been vindicated by recent developments: Shri Goyal

    India will always work within the WTO framework, but WTO reforms are essential: Shri Goyal

    Posted On: 11 APR 2025 7:52PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal delivered the Keynote Address at the 9th Global Technology Summit today in New Delhi, where he highlighted the opportunities that lie ahead for India in reshaping global trade, especially with trusted partners such as the United States.

    Calling India the fastest-growing large economy in the world, Shri Goyal said, “There is a delta of opportunity that India offers. In the next two to two-and-a-half decades, India will grow eight times, supported by the aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. This creates a massive domestic demand and offers the benefits of scale that are being recognised globally.”

    Shri Goyal shared that in the last two years alone, at least eight high-level delegations have visited India, signalling the world’s growing interest in forging stronger trade relationships with the country.

    The Minister underscored that India’s current tariff protection measures are directed mainly at non-market economies that engage in unfair trade practices. “India is well-positioned to engage in bilateral partnerships with countries that value reciprocity, trust, and fair play,” he stated.

    Refuting concerns about external pressure on India’s trade decisions, Shri Goyal said, “There is no pressure. India being in a position of such opportunity is in itself very exciting. While our exports today form a relatively small share of our GDP, our strong domestic market and aspirational youth are ready to take Indian industry global.”

    On China, Shri Goyal affirmed, “India will always put its interests first. As of now, there is little FDI from China, and historically too, Chinese investments have been minimal. Our efforts are focused on integrating with developed economies that adhere to honest business practices.” He reiterated that India’s decision not to join the RCEP in 2019 has been vindicated by current global trends.

    Speaking on India’s talent base, he noted, “India has a vast pool of STEM graduates, with 43% being women. If undue pressure is exerted, Indian innovators will rise to the occasion with R&D-driven solutions better suited to our needs than what others can offer.”

    On the global trading order, Shri Goyal stated, “The world cannot be viewed through a single lens. While developed nations enjoy prosperity, developing and least-developed countries must be given time and support to catch up. The WTO must recognise this and evolve accordingly.”

    India remains committed to multilateralism, he added. However, reforms at the WTO are essential. Shri Goyal cited the need to reassess the definition of “developing countries” and called for clarity on e-commerce rules, agriculture decisions, and fisheries negotiations. “Unless those who have caused overfishing are willing to scale down, emerging economies will never get a fair chance,” he noted.

    Reiterating India’s support for WTO principles, he said, “India will always work within the WTO framework. Our bilateral agreements, including with the US and EU, operate within its scope.”

    On FTAs, Shri Goyal emphasised that while timelines are aspirational, national interest cannot be compromised to meet deadlines. “Every action must be equitable, fair, and mutually beneficial,” he said.

    Regarding the EU FTA, the Minister acknowledged progress but pointed out challenges, especially around non-trade issues being linked with climate regulations. “Europe must reconsider the non-tariff barriers it has created. These are becoming trade hurdles not just for India but for the global economy,” he warned.

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    Abhishek Dayal/ Nihi Sharma/ Ishita Biswas

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Better Infrastructure, Better Technology, Better Trains– Indian Railways Set to boost better services in Mumbai suburban network

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 11 APR 2025 6:18PM by PIB Mumbai

     

    : Mumbai, April 11, 2025

     In a media interaction on the theme Themed “Better Infrastructure, Better Technology, Better Trains” held today in Mumbai, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis and the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics and IT, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw jointly addressed the press to highlight the transformative progress in railway infrastructure across Maharashtra. Indian Railways’ commitment to modernization, improved commuter experience, and enhanced regional connectivity, with a special focus on the Mumbai Suburban Railway Network.

    Better Infrastructure:

    Union Minister Shri Vaishnaw emphasized that infrastructure development is the cornerstone for increasing suburban services. Projects worth nearly ₹17,000 crore, covering more than 300 kilometers of new lines, are currently underway at a rapid pace. These initiatives aim to decongest existing lines, improve service frequency, and cater to the ever-growing demand of Mumbai’s suburban commuters.

    Better Technology:

    Shri Vaishnaw announced the upcoming launch of Kavach 5.0, a state-of-the-art safety and signaling system tailored for the suburban section. Kavach 5.0 is expected to significantly reduce the inter-train headway, enabling more trains to run safely and efficiently.

    Better Trains:

    In a major upgrade to passenger comfort, the Union Minister revealed that 238 new Air-Conditioned suburban rakes will soon be introduced. These rakes have been uniquely designed keeping in mind the needs of Mumbai’s commuters, promising a more comfortable and reliable travel experience.

    Maharashtra CM Shri Fadnavis also elaborated that Mumbai One Card, will soon be launched, which is a single and all integrated card set to transform public transport across MMR region for passengers traveling in suburban trains, metro rails, mono-rail, BEST buses, etc.

    Together this infrastructure, technology, and rolling stock advancements are expected to increase the number of suburban services, dramatically improving daily transit for millions of Mumbaikars.

    First Indian Institute of Creative Technology, an institute of National Importance in creative sphere will come up at Mumbai and this will be transformative for Indian Creative industry to make it a world class infrastructure hub.

    Strategic Rail Projects in Maharashtra:

    A major announcement during the interaction was the doubling of the Gondia–Ballarshah railway line, a 240 km strategic corridor with an investment of ₹4,819 crore. This key project connects Vidarbha and Marathwada, easing congestion and enabling faster passenger and freight movement. It will also strengthen Maharashtra’s rail links with Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, boosting regional trade and integration.
    This major infrastructure push was announced on April 7, 2025, when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, had approved four projects of Ministry of Railways with total cost of Rs. 18,658 crore (approx.).

    Shri Vaishnaw stated today that this transformative project is set to play a pivotal role in enhancing passenger and freight connectivity between northern and southern India. The approved project encompasses comprehensive upgrades along the 240 km of existing track, including modernization of 29 railway stations, construction of 36 major bridges, 338 minor bridges, and 67 Road under-bridges (RUBs) to streamline operations and enhance safety.  

    “With this doubling, connectivity between North and South India will be vastly improved. Aspirational districts in the region will witness rapid development”, stated Shri Vaishnaw. The Union Minister further stated that this will be a game-changer for both passenger commuters and industries dependent on rail logistics. He also said that this upgradation will boost regional economy and tourism.-

    Other notable railway projects include:

    In addition, 132 stations across Maharashtra are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Of the 1,300 stations nationwide under this initiative, many are nearing completion, with significant progress reported at many others.

    A Vision for the Future:

    These ambitious undertakings—alongside the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train, Dedicated Freight Corridors, and large-scale station redevelopment works—are set to revolutionize transportation in Maharashtra.

    The Indian Railways has committed an unprecedented ₹1,73,804 crore of investment in the state, underscoring Maharashtra’s strategic importance in the national rail network and its future growth trajectory.

    Maharashtra CM underlined the importance of WAVES (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) preparations in view of inauguration by Hon’ble PM in the month of May this year, importance of a record budget allocation by Indian Railways to Maharashtra, benefits to the region by doubling of railway line between Gondia – Ballarshah stations. He also announced running of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Glorious Maratha Tour train by IRCTC soon. A special curated tour to showcase the glorious history and the grand heritage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj along with other cultural and pilgrimage destinations of Maharashtra in 10 days journey by Bharat Gaurav Tourist train was also stated by the Maharashtra CM.

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    SR/SC/PK

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Centre operationalises dedicated ‘Global Tariff and Trade Helpdesk’ to assist stakeholders in navigating emerging trade issues

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 11 APR 2025 7:18PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Commerce and DGFT are actively tracking developments in global trade, particularly in relation to tariff changes, import surges, and export-related challenges. Given the evolving trade landscape and the introduction of various tariff and counter-tariff measures, there may be both new export opportunities and heightened

    import pressures from specific countries or product sectors. Exporters and importers experiencing such shifts are encouraged to share their inputs and suggest potential support measures. In this context, DGFT has operationalised a dedicated ‘Global Tariff and Trade Helpdesk’ to assist stakeholders in navigating emerging trade issues.

    The ‘Global Tariff Challenges Helpdesk’ would look into issues relating to Import and Export Challenges, Import Surges or Dumping, EXIM Clearance, Logistics or Supply Chain Challenges, Financial or Banking issues, Regulatory or Compliance Issues, and Other Issues or Suggestions. The Help desk would also collect and collate trade-related

    issues concerning other Ministries/Departments/Agencies of Central Government and State Governments and will co-ordinate to seek their support and provide possible resolution(s).

    Export-Import community may submit information on the DGFT website and submit information relating to their issues on which support is required using the following steps—

    1. Navigate to the DGFT Website (https://dgft.gov.in) — > Services — > DGFT Helpdesk Service
    2. ‘Create New Request’ and select the Category as ‘Global Tariff and Trade and Issues’
    3. Select the suitable sub-category (Import Challenges, Export Challenges, Import Surges or Dumping, EXIM Clearance, Logistics or Supply Chain Challenges, Regulatory & Compliance Issues, and Other Issues and Suggestions), enter the other relevant details and submit.

    Alternatively, issues may be sent to email id: dgftedi[at]nic[dot]in with the subject header: ‘Global Tariff and Trade Helpdesk’, or call the Toll-Free No at 1800-111-550

    The status of resolutions and feedback may be tracked using the status tracker under the DGFT Helpdesk Services. Email and SMS would also be sent as and when the status of these tickets are updated. Trade stakeholders are encouraged to make appropriate use of these support facilities.

     

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    Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

    (Release ID: 2121040) Visitor Counter : 106

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India hosts 8th Meeting of Joint Committee on ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA)

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 11 APR 2025 6:38PM by PIB Delhi

    India hosted the 8th meeting of the AITIGA Joint Committee to review the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, from April 07 to 11, 2025. The event was conducted in a hybrid format. The meeting was co-chaired by Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India and Deputy Co-Chair Dr. Sugumari S. Shanmugam Senior Director Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Malaysia. The meeting saw participation from delegates representing ASEAN countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

    The committee’s primary objective was to advance the ongoing review of the AITIGA, aiming to modernize the agreement to be more effective, user-friendly, and conducive to trade. Five out of eight Sub-Committees (SCs) under the AITIGA JC also conducted hybrid meetings on the margins of the 8th AITIGA JC. Out of which, four SCs, namely Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation (SC-CPTF); Sub-Committee on Economic & Technical cooperation (SC-ETC); Sub-Committee on National Treatment and Market Access (SC-NTMA); and Sub-Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SC-SPS) met in New Delhi, India, while the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin (SC-ROO) met in Jakarta, Indonesia, facilitating progress in textual discussions and progressing in groundwork for tariff negotiations.

    ASEAN remains a pivotal trade partner for India, accounting for approximately 11% of India’s global trade. In the fiscal year 2023-24, bilateral trade between India and ASEAN reached USD 121 billion.

    The next AITIGA JC meeting is scheduled for June 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, continuing the collaborative efforts to enhance ASEAN-India economic integration.

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    Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

    (Release ID: 2121030) Visitor Counter : 123

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – 14-16 April: INTA delegation to Indonesia – Committee on International Trade

    Source: European Parliament

    A delegation of six Members of the Committee on International Trade (INTA) and the DASE Chair will travel to Indonesia from 14 to 16 April 2025 to discuss political, economic, trade and investment relations with the EU.

    The mission aims to build upon recent progress in negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the EU and Indonesia and demonstrate the Parliament’s commitment to reaching a comprehensive agreement within the expected timeframe. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to address the EU’s trade and economic relations with the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the implementation of the trade aspects of the relevant EU legislation, such as the Deforestation Regulation or the Renewable energy Directive. The delegation, led by the INTA Chair, Bernd Lange (S&D, DE), will engage with representatives of the government of Indonesia, as well as with Members of Parliament and other relevant partners and stakeholders.

    The composition of the delegation:

    LANGE Bernd, INTA Chair (S&D)

    WINKLER Iuliu, INTA Standing Rapporteur for Indonesia, (EPP)

    WARBORN Jörgen (EPP)

    VAN BREMPT Kathleen (S&D)

    BAY Christophe (PfE)

    BEKE Wouter, DASE Chair (EPP)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Missions – 14-16 April: INTA delegation to Indonesia – 14-04-2025 – Committee on International Trade

    Source: European Parliament

    A delegation of six Members of the Committee on International Trade (INTA) and the DASE Chair will travel to Indonesia from 14 to 16 April 2025 to discuss political, economic, trade and investment relations with the EU.

    The mission aims to build upon recent progress in negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the EU and Indonesia and demonstrate the Parliament’s commitment to reaching a comprehensive agreement within the expected timeframe. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to address the EU’s trade and economic relations with the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the implementation of the trade aspects of the relevant EU legislation, such as the Deforestation Regulation or the Renewable energy Directive. The delegation, led by the INTA Chair, Bernd Lange (S&D, DE), will engage with representatives of the government of Indonesia, as well as with Members of Parliament and other relevant partners and stakeholders.

    The composition of the delegation:

    LANGE Bernd, INTA Chair (S&D)

    WINKLER Iuliu, INTA Standing Rapporteur for Indonesia, (EPP)

    WARBORN Jörgen (EPP)

    VAN BREMPT Kathleen (S&D)

    BAY Christophe (PfE)

    BEKE Wouter, DASE Chair (EPP)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Impact studies on measures taken under the Green Deal – E-000625/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Under the Commission’s Better Regulation Guidelines[1], an impact assessment is required for initiatives that are likely to have significant economic, environmental or social impacts or which entail significant spending, and where the Commission has a choice of policy options. Policy communications, action plans or strategies do not usually require impact assessments.

    Most legislative proposals under the European Green Deal[2] were subject to comprehensive impact assessments, and public consultations, in accordance with the Commission’s Better Regulation Guidelines.

    The impact assessments were published together with the proposals they accompany and are available on Commission webpages[3] as well as on the Have Your Say portal[4].

    When, due to political imperatives, the timing did not allow for the preparation of an impact assessment, the reasons and available evidence were set out in the explanatory memoranda of the proposals. This was the case for the emergency energy measures presented against the backdrop of the energy crisis[5].

    • [1] https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-making-process/better-regulation_en
    • [2] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en
    • [3] https://commission.europa.eu/publications/proposals-delivering-european-green-deal_en
    • [4] https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say_en
      All impact assessments of policy proposals by the Commission are published together with the results of the associated public consultations and the policy proposals themselves on the Have Your Say portal. The European Green Deal included the review of the Effort Sharing Regulation (impact assessment SWD(2021)611), updating the Emissions Trading System Directive (SWD(2021)601), the revision of the CO2 standards for cars and vans (SWD(2021)613), review of EU rules on Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) (SWD(2021)609), the review of the Renewable Energy Directive (SWD(2021)621), review of the Energy Efficiency Directive (SWD(2021)623), the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (SWD(2021)453), revision of the Energy Taxation Directive (SWD(2021)641) or the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (SWD(2021)643).
    • [5] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_5489
    Last updated: 11 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NITI Aayog launches a Report on “Automotive Industry: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains”

    Source: Government of India

    NITI Aayog launches a Report on “Automotive Industry: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains”

    Factory Floors to Global Headlines — India’s Auto Industry to shift gears and make a mark on the Global Value Chain

    India’s Automotive ambition: USD 145 Billion auto component production by 2030

    GVC share from 3% to 8% by 2030 — India’s Auto Sector is in the Fast Lane

    Focus on competitive manufacturing, infrastructure development, R&D and Skilling to make India global manufacturing hub

    Posted On: 11 APR 2025 5:14PM by PIB Delhi

    NITI Aayog has released an insightful report titled “Automotive Industry: Powering India’s Participation in Global Value Chains”. The report was launched by Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog in presence of Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, Dr. Arvind Virmani, Member, NITI Aayog and Shri BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog. This report offers an extensive analysis of India’s automotive sector, highlighting both opportunities and challenges, and outlining a pathway for positioning India as a key player in global automotive markets.

    Global and Indian Automotive Landscape

    In 2023, global automobile production reached approximately 94 million units. The global automotive components market was valued at USD 2 trillion, with the export share reaching approximately USD 700 billion. India has emerged as the fourth-largest global producer after China, USA and Japan, with an annual production of nearly 6 million vehicles. The Indian automotive sector has gained a strong domestic and export market presence, particularly in the small car and utility vehicle segments. Supported by initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and its cost-competitive workforce, India is positioning itself as a hub for automotive manufacturing and exports.

    Emerging Trends in the Automotive Sector

    The automotive industry is undergoing a transformative shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), driven by rising consumer demand for sustainable mobility, regulatory pressures to reduce carbon emissions, and advancements in battery technology. EV sales have surged globally, reshaping the automotive manufacturing landscape.

    Battery manufacturing hubs are emerging in regions like Europe and the U.S., spurring investments in industries related to lithium and cobalt mining, essential for EV production. These developments are altering traditional supply chains and creating new opportunities for collaboration and competition.

    In parallel, the rise of Industry 4.0 is transforming automotive manufacturing. Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics are enhancing production processes, improving productivity, reducing costs, and enabling greater flexibility. These digital advancements are not only optimizing manufacturing but also fostering new business models centered around smart factories and connected vehicles.

    Challenges Facing India’s Automotive Sector

    Despite being the fourth-largest automobile producer globally, India has a modest share (around 3%) in the global automotive component trade, which amounts to approximately $20 billion. The bulk of global trade in automotive components is driven by engine components, drive transmission, and steering systems, but India’s share in these high-precision segments remains low at just 2-4%. India’s automotive sector faces challenges on account of operational cost, infrastructural gaps, moderate GVC integration, inadequate R&D expenditure etc. that hinder its competitiveness in the global value chain (GVC).

    Proposed Interventions for Growth

    NITI Aayog’s report outlines several strategic fiscal and non-fiscal interventions aimed at enhancing India’s global competitiveness in the automotive sector. The interventions are structured across four categories of automotive components based on their complexity and manufacturing maturity i.e. Emerging & Complex, Conventional & Complex, Conventional & Simple and Emerging & Simple.

    Fiscal Interventions

    1. Operational Expenditure (Opex) Support: To scale up manufacturing capabilities, with a focus on capital expenditure (Capex) for tooling, dies, and infrastructure.
    2. Skill Development: Initiatives to build a talent pipeline critical for sustaining growth.
    3. R&D, Government facilitated IP transfer and Branding: Providing incentives for research, development, international branding to improve product differentiation and empowering MSMEs through IP transfers.
    4. Cluster Development: Fostering collaboration between firms through common facilities such as R&D and testing centers to strengthen the supply chain.

    Non-Fiscal Interventions

    1. Industry 4.0 Adoption: Encouraging the integration of digital technologies and enhanced manufacturing standards to improve efficiency.
    2. International Collaboration: Promoting joint ventures (JVs), foreign collaborations, and free trade agreements (FTAs) to expand global market access.
    3. Ease of Doing Business: Simplifying regulatory processes, worker hour flexibility, supplier discovery & development and improving business conditions for automotive firms.

    Vision for 2030

    NITI Aayog’s vision for India’s automotive sector by 2030 is ambitious yet achievable. The report envisions the country’s automotive component production growing to $145 billion, with exports tripling from $20 billion to $60 billion. This growth would lead to a trade surplus of approximately $25 billion and a significant increase in India’s share of the global automotive value chain, from 3% to 8%.

    Additionally, this growth is expected to generate 2-2.5 million new employment opportunities, bringing the total direct employment in the sector to 3-4 million

    Conclusion

    India has significant potential to become a global leader in the automotive industry. Achieving this goal requires focused efforts from the central and state governments, as well as industry stakeholders. By addressing the existing challenges and leveraging the proposed interventions, India can enhance its competitiveness, attract investments, and build a robust automotive sector capable of leading the global value chain.

    The report can be accessed at this link: https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-04/Automotive-Industry-Powering-India-participation-in-GVC_Non-Confidential.pdf

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Shri Piyush Goyal meets with H.E Mr Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation of Italy to India

    Source: Government of India

    Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Shri Piyush Goyal meets with H.E Mr Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation of Italy to India

    Strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties discussed

    Posted On: 11 APR 2025 5:11PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal met with H.E. Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy here today to discuss strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties. The meeting reinforced the longstanding relationship between India and Italy, built on shared values of democracy and fair play. The two leaders discussed ways to expand economic cooperation, and explored new avenues to advance this partnership.

    This high-level engagement marks a significant step to advance the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, agreed at the level of the two Prime Ministers in November 2024, with purposeful momentum, promoting smoother trade flows, nurturing investment opportunities, and achieving tangible outcomes, to pave the way for a prosperous, mutually beneficial partnership that benefits both our nations. It may be noted that India-Italy trade is estimated at about US$ 15 billion in 2023-2024 while Foreign Direct Investments from Italy into India are estimated at about US$ 4 billion since the year 2000.

    During discussions, both leaders acknowledged the relevance of India’s dynamic and fast-growing economy while emphasizing the significance of diversifying trade relations and deepening economic ties to achieve growth and prosperity.

    The leaders also discussed the progress of the EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and emphasized the importance of prioritizing trade issues to streamline negotiations and deliver a commercially meaningful package to build resilient value chains to provide stability to business against emerging risks.

    Sectors like pharma, textiles, industry 4.0 & technological collaboration, gems & jewellery, ship building, energy transition and agri-tech and food processing were highlighted as key areas of collaboration. Italy recognized the necessity of engaging with India as a strategic partner to diversify its trade relationships. The trade barriers faced by exporters and investors were also discussed, with both sides agreeing to resolve such issues through continuous dialogue. Both Ministers earlier attended the plenary session of the India-Italy Business, Science and Technology Forum and also interacted with Indian and Italian business leaders.

    It was agreed that the next meeting of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation would be held in Italy at a mutually convenient time, accompanied by a high-level business delegation to advance bilateral trade, enhance market access, and promote investments.

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    Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma/Ishita Biswas

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Hirono, Norcross Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), and U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (D, NJ-01) to reintroduce the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections.

    “Unions give workers a powerful voice to demand better pay, working conditions, and benefits,” said Senator Murray. “I have always fought to protect the right to unionize—and as Trump and Elon wage an unprecedented attack on workers’ ability to bargain collectively, and indiscriminately fire tens of thousands of hardworking public servants, it is critical that we do everything we can to fight back and protect workers’ rights across the country. I’m proud to cosponsor Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, to establish baseline protections for public sector workers to be able to join together and demand the fair treatment and pay they deserve.”

    “Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will help ensure that that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, it should be common sense that public sector workers are afforded those same rights. As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross to help ensure that every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace.”

    “I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a former union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families—fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have that same right to a voice on the job and a seat at the table.” 

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions.

    Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to:

    • Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees; 
    • Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment; 
    • Access dispute resolution mechanisms; 
    • Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues; 
    • Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid; 
    • Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and 
    • File suit in court to enforce their labor rights. 

    “Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for.  This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.”

    “When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve. But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government,” said AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler. “We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”

    “For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.”

    “As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day. But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”

    This legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).

    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: XploraDEX AI Trading Platform Nears Launch – $XPL Presale Heats Up as Investors Race to Get In Early

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A trading revolution is brewing on the XRP Ledger, and early investors are already making their moves. XploraDEX, the first AI-powered decentralized exchange built natively on XRPL, is nearing its highly anticipated platform launch—and its presale is quickly becoming one of the hottest opportunities of the year.

    The native token $XPL is the key to accessing XploraDEX’s cutting-edge AI trading features, and with the presale already surpassing its soft cap, interest is accelerating by the hour. Crypto investors, whale wallets, and forward-looking DeFi users are flooding in—knowing that once the platform goes live, the entry price will never be this low again.

    [Join $XPL Presale]

    Why All Eyes Are on XploraDEX

    Unlike traditional DEXs, XploraDEX is powered by artificial intelligence built to support smarter, more profitable trading. The platform will offer predictive market analytics, automated trading strategies, intelligent portfolio rebalancing, and on-chain AI alerts that guide users through volatile market conditions—all while operating on the ultra-fast and low-cost XRP Ledger.

    Traders will be able to:

    • Execute AI-assisted buy/sell decisions in real-time
    • Receive adaptive market forecasts and volatility signals
    • Automate strategies based on risk tolerance and trade history
    • Access personalized dashboards that evolve with market behavior

    XploraDex is not just a DEX. It’s an intelligent trading assistant, engineered to remove emotional trading and improve results with data-driven execution.

    $XPL Token: Your Gateway to Smarter DeFi

    The $XPL token powers the entire ecosystem. It unlocks:

    • Premium access to AI trading tools
    • Trading fee discounts and staking rewards
    • Early access to future platform features
    • Governance rights to vote on upgrades and AI model evolution

    With over 43% of the presale allocation already claimed and the hard cap closing in, $XPL is quickly transforming from an early-stage token to one of the most talked-about opportunities in the XRP DeFi space.

    [Participate in $XPL Presale]

    What’s Coming Next

    The XploraDEX AI trading engine is set to go live shortly after the presale concludes. Early participants will be the first to access beta tools, claim staking bonuses, and benefit from increased exposure once the platform lists on XRPL DEXs.

    If you missed early entries into tokens like UNI, GMX, or DYDX—this could be your second chance. XploraDEX is building infrastructure that rivals the top DEXs in crypto, with the unique twist of AI-powered intelligence at its core.

    Final Call: The Clock Is Ticking

    With $XPL Presale demand exploding and limited tokens left before the hard cap is reached, this is your final window to join XploraDEX before the AI-powered trading platform launches. The opportunity to get in early—to trade smarter, and to own a piece of the infrastructure before the rest of the world catches on—is now.

    Join the $XPL Presale Today: https://sale.xploradex.io

    Stay connected and Join the XploraDEX AI Revolution

    Website | $XPL Token Presale | X | Telegram

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

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

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

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

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/79ae359d-d4e1-472b-b4d9-64f570b57b7e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Alpine Banks of Colorado announces shareholder approval of forward stock split of Class A common stock and amended and restated Articles of Incorporation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo., April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alpine Banks of Colorado (OTCQX: ALPIB) (“Alpine” or the “Company”), the holding company for Alpine Bank (the “Bank”), announced yesterday its shareholders voted to approve amended and restated Articles of Incorporation to affect the following actions, among other things:

    • Increase the total authorized shares of common stock that the Company is authorized to issue from 15,100,000 to 30,000,000.
    • Increase the authorized shares of the Class A common stock from 100,000 to 15,000,000.
    • Effect a forward stock split of the outstanding shares of the Class A common stock by a ratio of 150-for-1.
    • Provide that holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock shall be entitled to share equally in dividends and other distributions on a per share basis based upon the number of shares issued and outstanding.
    • Provide that each one share of Class B common stock shall be entitled to one vote.
    • Provide that each one share of Class A common stock shall be entitled to 20 votes.
    • Provide that unless otherwise required by law, the Class A common stock and Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters, including the election of directors.
    • Provide that a majority of the total voting power of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of shareholders.
    • Provide that the approval of certain corporate actions requires the approval of more than 66 2/3% of the voting power of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote.

    The amended and restated Articles of Incorporation and the related stock split of the Class A common stock will become effective upon the effective date specified in the filing with the Colorado Secretary of State which Alpine anticipates will occur on May 1, 2025.

    The 150-for-1 stock split of Alpine’s Class A common stock will be executed in the form of a stock dividend of 149 additional shares of Class A shares for every one Class A share issued and outstanding to shareholders as of the close of business on the record date of April 22, 2025. After the close of business on May 1, 2025, Alpine’s transfer agent, Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, will distribute to shareholders of record on the record date a book entry statement in lieu of a share certificate, which will represent the additional number of Class A shares to be received as a result of the stock split. Holders of Class A shares do not need to exchange their existing stock certificates if they hold shares in certificate form.

    Alpine currently has approximately 52,150 Class A shares outstanding. After the stock split, the number of Class A shares outstanding will increase to approximately 7,822,500 shares. Alpine’s Class B common stock will not be affected by the stock split but will be affected by the amended and restated Articles of Incorporation as described above.

    Answers to frequently asked questions about the stock split are available in the Investor Relations section of our website at https://www.alpinebank.com/who-we-are/investor-relations.html.

    About Alpine Banks of Colorado
    Alpine Banks of Colorado, through its wholly owned subsidiary Alpine Bank, is a $6.5 billion, independent, employee-owned organization founded in 1973 with headquarters in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Alpine Bank employs 890 people and serves 170,000 customers with personal, business, wealth management*, mortgage, and electronic banking services across Colorado’s Western Slope, mountains, and Front Range. Alpine Bank has a five-star rating – meaning it has earned a superior performance classification – from BauerFinancial, an independent organization that analyzes and rates the performance of financial institutions in the United States. Shares of the Class B nonvoting common stock of Alpine Banks of Colorado trade under the symbol “ALPIB” on the OTCQX® Best Market. Learn more at www.alpinebank.com.

    *Alpine Bank Wealth Management services are not FDIC insured, may lose value, and are not guaranteed by the Bank.

    Contacts:   Glen Jammaron   Eric A. Gardey
        President and Vice Chairman   Chief Financial Officer
        Alpine Banks of Colorado   Alpine Banks of Colorado
        2200 Grand Avenue    2200 Grand Avenue
        Glenwood Springs, CO 81601   Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
        (970) 384-3266    (970) 384-3257
             

    A note about forward-looking statements
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “reflects,” “believes,” “can,” “would,” “should,” “will,” “estimates,” “looks forward to,” “continues,” “expects” and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding our evaluation of macro-environment risks, Federal Reserve rate management, and trends reflecting things such as regulatory capital standards and adequacy. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. We caution you therefore against relying on any of these forward- looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to:

    • The ability to attract new deposits and loans;
    • Demand for financial services in our market areas;
    • Competitive market-pricing factors;
    • Changes in assumptions underlying the establishment of allowances for loan losses and other estimates;
    • Effects of future economic, business and market conditions, including higher inflation;
    • Adverse effects of public health events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, including governmental and societal responses;
    • Deterioration in economic conditions that could result in increased loan losses;
    • Actions by competitors and other market participants that could have an adverse impact on expected performance;
    • Risks associated with concentrations in real estate-related loans;
    • Risks inherent in making loans, such as repayment risks and fluctuating collateral values;
    • Market interest rate volatility, including changes to the federal funds rate;
    • Stability of funding sources and continued availability of borrowings;
    • Geopolitical events, including acts of war, international hostilities and terrorist activities;
    • Assumptions and estimates used in applying critical accounting policies and modeling, including under the CECL model, which may prove unreliable, inaccurate, or not predictive of actual results;
    • Actions of government regulators, including potential future changes in the target range for the federal funds rate by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve;
    • Sale of investment securities in a loss position before their value recovers, including as a result of asset liability management strategies or in response to liquidity needs;
    • Any increases in FDIC assessments;
    • Risks associated with potential cybersecurity incidents, data breaches or failures of key information technology systems;
    • The ability to maintain adequate liquidity and regulatory capital, and comply with evolving federal and state banking regulations;
    • Changes in legal or regulatory requirements or the results of regulatory examinations that could restrict growth;
    • The ability to recruit and retain key management and staff;
    • The ability to raise capital or incur debt on reasonable terms; and
    • Effectiveness of legislation and regulatory efforts to help the U.S. and global financial markets.

    There are many factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release or in any subsequent written or oral statements attributable to the Company are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    Contact:   Eric Gardey, Chief Financial Officer
        Alpine Banks of Colorado
        (970) 384-3257
        ericgardey@alpinebank.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Presses Treasury Tax Policy Nominee on Commitment to Address Conflicts of Interests

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 11, 2025
    Kies refused to recuse himself from potential conflicts of interest throughout his time in office 
    Warren: “If confirmed as the top tax official at the Treasury Department, you will play a big role in handing out more tax cuts, including tax cuts to your former clients.”
    Video of Exchange (YouTube)
    Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Mr. Kenneth Kies, nominee for Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the Department of the Treasury, on his background as a tax lobbyist for large corporations and pushed him to commit to recusing himself from any matters that would impact the financial interests of his former clients while he is in office. 
    As Treasury’s top tax official, Kies would be responsible for developing and implementing tax policy and programs, negotiating tax treaties, and providing analysis for domestic and international tax policy decisions. However, as Senator Warren highlighted during the hearing, Kies’ former clients stand to gain billions under the upcoming Republican tax bill. If confirmed, Kies’ office at the Treasury Department would oversee the implementation of these tax laws and could potentially include tax loopholes that benefit these large corporations he once lobbied for. 
    So far, Kies has only committed to not working on matters that involve his former clients for one year. When asked if he would commit to recusing himself from matters that would affect the financial interests of his former clients for the duration of his employment, Kies refused to provide a straight answer. 
    This week, Senator Warren sent a letter to Kies urging him to mitigate the glaring conflicts of interest created by his background as a tax lobbyist for large corporations and his extensive investments in corporations that lobby the Treasury on tax policy.
    “Donald Trump cares about one group of people and one group of people only: himself and his billionaire friends, so it’s no surprise that he has nominated a highly paid corporate tax lobbyist to run tax policy for the American people,” said the senator. “We need a government that works for working people, not just massive corporations, their CEOs, and their lobbyists, and that’s what’s going to happen under Mr. Kies’ watch.”
    Transcript: Hearing to examine the nominations of William Kimmitt, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, and Kenneth Kies, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.Senate Finance CommitteeApril 10, 2025
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In 2017, Donald Trump gave $2 trillion in tax cuts, mostly to billionaires and billionaire corporations, and now he’s back for round two, this time a whopping $7 trillion in tax breaks for his rich donors. 
    Now, Mr. Kies, you’ve been a corporate lobbyist for nearly 30 years, successfully arranging tax breaks for Wall Street, Big Tech, Big Oil, and Big Pharma—you’ve helped them all. And if confirmed as the top tax official at the Treasury Department, you will play a big role in handing out more tax cuts, including tax cuts to your former clients. So, I just want to run through how this would work. Mr. Kies, you’ve lobbied for Microsoft for years. Microsoft and other big tech companies are now demanding tax breaks to incentivize research that they would do anyway, but the real kicker is they want those tax breaks, called R&D expensing, to be retroactive, incentivizing them to make research decisions they made years ago. And Republicans have said, ‘Sure, why not.’ 
    Mr. Kies, do you know how much your client, Microsoft, stands to gain from just this one tax break? 
    Mr. Kenneth Kies: No, Senator Warren. 
    Senator Warren: Well, if the Trump administration delivers what tech lobbyists are clamoring for, Microsoft would get $11 billion to incentivize investments it made years ago. That’s from Microsoft’s own annual reports. By the way, that is nearly as much as the federal government spends an entire year on child care for all of our babies. One company, your client, $11 billion. So, let’s try another one, Mr. Kies. 
    You’ve also lobbied on behalf of Pfizer, one of the biggest drug companies out there. President Trump has proposed slashing the tax rate for corporations even further, from 21% to 15% Mr. Kies, do you know how much your client Pfizer stands to gain from cutting the corporate tax rate to 15%?
    Mr. Kies: Okay, Senator Warren, Pfizer is not my client. I closed my business on March 14. None of those companies are my clients. My client—
    Senator Warren: I’m sorry, your former client. 
    Mr. Kies: Okay, former client. 
    Senator Warren: Pfizer, the one you lobbied for. 
    Mr. Kies: And Pfizer was a client over 10 years ago. 
    Senator Warren: Do you know how much they stand to make? 
    Mr. Kies: No. 
    Senator Warren: $4 billion from the Trump corporate tax cut. But there is more. The Republicans in Congress will set out the general rules for this tax giveaway, but your office at the Treasury Department will write the rules to implement those laws. When that happens, lobbyists will line up around the block to ask you for even more tax loopholes, which you know about firsthand, because you did exactly that after the first Trump tax giveaway. Now, you’ve committed not to work on matters involving your clients, or your former clients, for only one year. That means on day 366, while you are still in your job, you can go right back to handing out loopholes that could boost the bottom lines of Microsoft or Pfizer or any other of your former and future clients. 
    Mr. Kies, the American people would like to know that when you draw a government paycheck, you will be working just for them, not for your past and future clients. So, will you commit to recusing yourself from matters that would affect the financial interests of your former clients for the entire time that you are in office?
    Mr. Kies: So, Senator Warren, you and I had a very polite discussion about this when we met, and I advised you at that time, which is what I will tell you in public. I will comply with the terms of the ethics letter, which was written by career experts on ethics. And I would also reference you to the Bloomberg article, today, in which Scott Amey, the general counsel of the Project on Government Oversight, said the following: This is someone, me, who is taking government ethics very seriously— 
    Senator Warren: Very seriously—
    Mr. Kies: And was making attempts—
    Senator Warren: I appreciate that, but I’m running out of time here. 
    Mr. Kies: Well, I would encourage you to read the article.
    Senator Warren: I will take this as a no, and the fact that you say it’s okay with the Trump administration that on day 366, you will be handing out tax loopholes to clients that you took in millions of dollars from. And that you’ve made no pledge not to go back and make them your clients again in the future. That may be okay with the Trump administration. I don’t think it’s okay with the American people. 
    Donald Trump cares about one group of people and one group of people only: himself and his billionaire friends, so it’s no surprise that he has nominated a highly paid corporate tax lobbyist to run tax policy for the American people. We need a government that works for working people, not just massive corporations, their CEOs, and their lobbyists, and that’s what’s going to happen under Mr. Kies’ watch. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Votes to Confirm Major General J. Daniel Caine as Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    04.11.25

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after joining a bipartisan Senate majority in voting to confirm Major General J. Daniel Caine as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

    “General Caine has a long record of serving our nation, with more than two decades of experience as a member of the Air National Guard, including time as an F-16 pilot and important assignments related to intelligence and special operations. Given his prior combat and leadership experience, he is a strong choice to serve as chairman. Importantly, during his confirmation process, he emphasized the importance of developing and deploying new technologies to extend our nation’s strategic advantage. This aligns closely with our efforts to modernize the dual-nuclear mission in Minot and maintain an effective nuclear deterrent, as well as advance the unmanned, space and hypersonic missile testing operations in the Red River Valley. I look forward to working with him to advance these key defense priorities.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Valadao Introduces Legislation to Combat Organized Supply Chain Theft and Retail Crime

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) introduced the Combatting Organized Retail Crime (CORCA) Act alongside Reps. Dave Joyce (OH-14), Susie Lee (NV-03), Dina Titus (NV-01), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Laurel Lee (Fl-15), Lou Correa (CA-46), and Michael Baumgartner (WA-05). This bipartisan, bicameral bill takes important steps to strengthen legal tools for law enforcement and crack down on interstate and transnational crime. The Senate companion bill is led by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).

    The CORCA Act builds off initiatives in the Safeguarding our Supply Chains Act, which was introduced by Congressman David Valadao and Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) in the 118th Congress.

    “Organized retail crime and supply chain theft are hitting families and small businesses hard in the Central Valley and beyond,” said Congressman Valadao. “These crimes are largely run by sophisticated criminal networks that endanger public safety and drive-up costs for consumers. In the 118th Congress, I introduced the Safeguarding our Supply Chains Act to fight back against cargo theft, and I’m happy to see some of that language included in this bill. The CORCA Act gives law enforcement the tools they need to hold criminals accountable, and I’m proud to work with my colleagues to get this across the finish line.”

    “Businesses throughout my district are facing the burdens of a rise in organized retail crimes and fraud schemes that are sweeping the nation,” said Rep. Joyce. “These criminal organizations are not only harming small businesses and retailers in our communities, but are also putting American consumers at risk of violence and fraud. These crimes also have more widespread consequences for public safety, as these organized groups often resell stolen goods to finance other illicit activities, including drug and human trafficking operations. Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation will give law enforcement the tools they need to put a stop to these rampant crimes. I want to thank Senator Grassley for his steadfast leadership on this effort and all our House and Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their partnership in addressing this critical issue.” 

    “Organized retail crime puts all of us in danger, while hurting consumers, taxpayers, and businesses of all sizes. And the stolen goods fund human trafficking and terrorism,” said Rep. Susie Lee. “Our local and state law enforcement are doing incredible work, but we need coordination at the federal level to investigate and prosecute these crimes. Our bipartisan legislation will support law enforcement with the tools they need to crack down on these criminal operations.”

    “By establishing a coordinated federal response, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act would target the criminals who endanger consumers, local businesses, and transportation networks, along with the nefarious transnational groups that fund their operations,” said Rep. Titus. “This legislation will help law enforcement better pursue and prosecute these bad actors, while protecting businesses and saving consumer dollars.”

    “Organized cargo and retail theft are a real and growing problem in Illinois and across the country – it’s time Congress step in to counteract it,” said Rep. Schneider. “Cargo and retail theft are not just local issues — organized groups are stealing goods at all points in the supply chain, oftentimes well before products make it to shelves, and resell stolen items across state lines. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to safeguard commerce, consumer confidence, and national security.”

    “The rise in sophisticated criminal activities targeting retail stores and the broader supply chain has become a critical threat to our national economy, consumer safety, and public security,” said Rep. Laurel Lee. “With retail theft surging by 93 percent over the last four years, the time to act is now. We must equip law enforcement with the necessary resources and tools to combat these criminals on a federal level, as they operate across state lines and international borders. I am proud to co-sponsor the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act to protect our businesses and keep our communities safe.”

    “The damage of organized retail crime is real, and it hurts hard-working American taxpayers and businesses here in Orange County across the country,” Rep. Correa said. “Our state and local public safety officers work tirelessly to keep our communities safe from this crime, and they deserve the best possible tools to take down these criminal syndicates. Retail crime affects everyone—so I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act today to help stop this threat dead in its tracks.”

    “Every time these criminals loot a store, fleece a supplier, highjack a trucker, shakedown a warehouse, honest Americans pay more. Prices go up, shelves go empty, and the working families in places like Spokane and Walla Walla get hit with a hidden tax — all because prosecutors are unable to prosecute, and thieves think they can get away with it,” said Rep. Baumgartner. “This bill hits back. It takes on the crime rings behind the theft, shuts down the online black market for stolen goods, and backs the blue with real support. Do you want to lower prices? Start by locking up the people who are robbing us blind.”

    “The Home Depot applauds Congressman Valadao for committing to the safety of our associates and customers by introducing the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act,” said Scott Glenn, VP of Asset Protection, The Home Depot. “This legislation will help stop dangerous criminals from stealing from our stores.”

    “The Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) strongly supports efforts to combat organized retail crime, and we appreciate the strong bipartisan support behind the reintroduction of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act,” said Megan Noland, MCSA Executive Director. “With provisions to strengthen penalties and the creation of a dedicated center for coordination and information sharing, this legislation is a vital step toward supporting law enforcement in our fight against organized crime. We look forward to working together to advance this important legislation during this Congress.”

    “Organized cargo theft and fraud disrupt intermodal freight supply chains, risk the safety of our workforce, and harm the U.S. economy,” said Anne Reinke, President & CEO of the Intermodal Association of North America. “The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) applauds Senator Grassley (R-IA), Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Reps. Joyce (R-OH), Lee (D-NV), Valadao (R-CA), Titus (D-NV), Baumgartner (R-WA), Schneider (D-IL), Lee (R-FL), and Correa (D-CA) for their leadership in championing critical legislation to address this urgent threat. The bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act will provide important resources to detect and fight organized crime throughout the supply chain, ensuring that our industry can continue delivering goods to American consumers safely and efficiently.”

    “Organized criminal operations continue to evolve and escalate their targeted attacks against our nation’s supply chain and retailers,” said Association of American Railroads President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “This alarming trend affects every industry — including the nation’s largest railroads, which experienced a 40% spike in cargo theft last year. Rep. Valadao’s long-term leadership on developing a unified, federal response has been pivotal in shaping the legislation introduced today. CORCA’s economy-wide strategic framework will go a long way in disrupting these criminal networks and safeguarding our supply chain.”

    “UPS supports the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act as it provides the necessary resources and coordination to protect the movement of American goods throughout our country while safeguarding the integrity of our national supply chain from rail to road, to retail,” said President of UPS Global Public Affairs Michael Kiely.

    “Across the United States, communities small and large are facing an unprecedented number of Organized Retail Crime (ORC) incidents. The Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act would provide the necessary resources to bring the people and organizations behind this nationwide problem to justice by establishing formal coordination between law enforcement and the private sector,” said ICSC President and CEO, Tom McGee. “We applaud Reps. Joyce, Lee, Titus, and Valadao for reintroducing the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act. We believe the bill represents a huge step in the right direction towards addressing this growing issue.”

    “The trucking industry takes great pride in delivering America’s freight safely and on time; however, the billions of tons of goods transported by trucks from coast to coast have increasingly become a prime target for organized crime rings, including transnational organizations, putting truck drivers at risk and raising costs for consumers,” said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear.  “ATA commends this bipartisan group of leaders for addressing this alarming trend and safeguarding our supply chain.  By empowering federal agencies to improve cooperation across jurisdictions and ramp up enforcement actions, this bill would strike an effective blow against organized crime.”

    “Sophisticated criminal gangs are targeting retailers through brazen organized retail crime schemes, defrauding customers via gift card scams and attacking our supply chains by hijacking our rails and truck shipments. These criminal activities put retail employees, customers and supply chain partners in danger and allow criminal gangs to use ill-gotten profits to fund nefarious activities such as drug smuggling and human trafficking. Dismantling these organized criminal rings requires cooperation and collaboration. RILA thanks Reps. Joyce (R-OH), Lee (D-NV), Valadao (R-CA), Titus (D-NV), Baumgartner (R-WA), Schneider (D-IL), Lee (R-FL), and Correa (D-CA) for their leadership and commitment to enacting the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), which brings federal, state, and local law enforcement together to intercept and prosecute these criminal enterprises. RILA looks forward to working with them to get this critical piece of legislation signed into law,” said Michael Hanson, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Senior Executive Vice President, Public Affairs. 

    “NRF applauds Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH-14) for his continued leadership to address one of retail’s biggest challenges, the rise of organized retail crime. ORC is a multibillion-dollar crisis impacting retailers, their associates and the customers they serve. ORC is occurring across the retail enterprise – supply chains, bricks-and-mortar stores, warehouses and online – with stolen product sold for a profit, oftentimes to fund other crimes. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 will align efforts within a new Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center to ensure that resources and information-sharing will be available across local, state, federal and private-sector partners to bring cases and prosecutions against organized theft groups. This legislation is an important step to help prevent ORC from infiltrating local communities across the country,” said NRF Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French.

    Background:

    Sophisticated criminal organizations have been increasingly involved in theft, fraud, and other property crimes against retail stores and various components of the supply chain. These crimes have escalated in scope and impact, threatening the national economy, consumer safety, and public security. According to the National Retail Federation, retail larceny incidents increased by 93% from 2019 to 2023, and stores lost $121.6 billion to retail theft in 2023. This surge in retail crime is often orchestrated by organized groups to resell stolen goods through physical and online marketplaces, further fueling illicit profits and financing additional criminal enterprises.

    At the same time, product manufacturers and supply chains are experiencing a rise in organized cargo theft across rails, roads, and the various distribution points across the United States. CargoNet reported a 27% increase in cargo theft incidents in 2024 over 2023. These thefts range from large-scale physical theft of goods from containers and storage to sophisticated cybercriminal methods that divert shipments to illicit receivers. This causes significant financial losses and operational supply chain disruptions.

    The CORCA Act would:

    • Strengthen legal tools for law enforcement by allowing criminal forfeitures for interstate shipment, transportation of stolen goods, or sale of stolen goods convictions.
    • Expand money laundering statutes.
    • Enable prosecution of organized retail and supply chain groups using interstate or foreign commerce to facilitate crimes.
    • Mandate the creation of the Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) and the Department of Homeland Security.

    The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act is also supported by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Reusable Packaging Association, DHL, the U.S. Dairy Export Council, the National Milk Producers Foundation, the Transportation Intermediaries Association, the PASS (Protect America’s Small Sellers) Coalition, the International Downtown Association, Amazon, the World Shipping Council, Pirate Ship, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Walgreens Co., CVS Health, Kroger, Walmart, and Target.

    Read the full bill here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –