Latest news with #AlanWilson
Scotsman
7 hours ago
- Business
- Scotsman
UK Government's immigration plans could be ‘ticking time bomb' for Scottish construction
Trade association warns that potential exodus of industry professionals to England will leave nation 'bereft of skills' and damage transition to net zero Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The UK Government's tough new immigration proposals are 'a ticking time bomb' for Scottish construction which could cause an exodus of skilled workers and leave the sector with a massive skills gap, Scotland's largest trade association has warned. SELECT says the proposals to raise the qualification standards for foreign workers is likely to see a significant number abandoning the UK and returning home, with Scottish construction workers flooding south to fill the resulting shortage south of the Border. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The electrotechnical body also echoed a shock new report issued this week by insisting that leaving the country 'bereft of skills' would also impact Scotland's transition to net zero, with fewer qualified professionals left to install and maintain renewable technology. Alan Wilson, Managing Director at SELECT SELECT Managing Director Alan Wilson raised the concerns with First Minister John Swinney during a meeting of Scottish business leaders last week, during which he relayed apprehensions from across the construction sector. Mr Wilsonsaid: 'Raising the thresholds for skilled workers may seem on the face of it to be a laudable aim, but it is likely to be detrimental to recruitment in the major UK population areas and that means workers will be sucked in from places like Scotland. 'In areas such as London, it's estimated that 50% of the workforce are from abroad, so if they leave, Scottish workers are likely to flood south to take up highly-paid jobs, leaving the domestic construction sector in crisis Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'This could leave Scotland bereft of skills, with no opportunity to top up from abroad, and could lead to the worst of all possible worlds just as we need these skills to fulfil our transition to a net zero economy. 'This ticking time bomb could leave Scotland without enough skilled workers to build the country we need, which is why we had to bring it to the attention of government at the highest level.' The UK Government published its white paper policy document, Restoring control over the immigration system, on 12 May, proposing changes to make it harder to move to and settle in the UK, with a view to reducing immigration Under the proposals, Labour is proposing to raise the threshold for skilled workers from Regulated Qualifications Framework 3 (RQF3) – equivalent to Scottish Highers – to RQF6, which is degree level. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Wilson says many existing qualified tradespeople will be outwith the new threshold and insists the move will also be detrimental to recruitment, with firms less willing to recruit apprentices, creating a long-term impact on the sector. He said: 'We are facing a crisis in recruitment in almost all trades which will not be helped by the uncertainty caused by these proposals. 'The construction sector is a vital pillar of the Scottish economy, supporting infrastructure development, housing delivery and the green transition, yet it is experiencing a persistent and growing skills shortage already. 'According to the Construction Industry Training Board, an additional 26,100 workers will be needed across Scotland between 2024 and 2028 to meet demand, yet apprenticeship starts across construction have remained flat, with only around 6,500 new entrants per year.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Wilson's warning comes after a new report by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce shows the UK is losing the skills and supply chain needed to deliver net zero, with a growing share of energy sector jobs, investment and innovation shifting abroad. The 41st Energy Transition Survey of more than 100 firms shows that two-thirds expect to increase their headcount overseas in the next five years, with almost half saying staff were already leaving the UK to work in other energy regions. Mr Wilson – who chairs the Construction Industry Collective Voice – also pointed out that architecture schools in Scotland, who often rely on fees from abroad, may have to shut down if students choose not to study there as a result of post-qualification uncertainty. He added: 'The uncertainty the proposals contain will be particularly acute for both graduate visa holders completing their training and employers, who may see no reward in investing in graduates from abroad qualifying in Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Similarly, students may not choose to study architecture in Scotland because of the uncertainties post-qualification employment. This could have significant knock-on effects for architecture schools who rely on foreign students fees to make the courses viable.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
American Eagle's 30,000 metre Drill Campaign at NAK is Underway
Highlights: 2025 Drill Program Objectives: Expand high-grade, near-surface copper-gold in the south of the Main Zone Identify new high-grade copper mineralization in the north of the Main Zone and at depth Drill newly identified targets via large step-outs in untested areas on the property Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 22, 2025) - American Eagle Gold Corp. (TSXV: AE) (OTCQB: AMEGF) ("American Eagle" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a fully funded 30,000-metre drill program at its NAK copper-gold porphyry project ("NAK") in British Columbia is now underway. Watch VP Exploration Neil Prowse Discuss the NAK Drill Program The 2025 program builds on past success coupled with an intensive offseason initiative, during which American Eagle developed a robust interpretive model. The initiative included relogging core, constructing drill sections and level plans, and integrating 3D geophysical interpretations. The model was reviewed with input from South32's technical team and renowned porphyry experts Dr. Alan Wilson and Dr. Steve Garwin (watch video here). This season's objectives are to expand the high-grade, near-surface copper-gold zone in the south section of the Main Zone, identify new high-grade zones north and at depth of the north section of the Main Zone, and drill newly identified targets in untested areas on the property through strategic step-outs defined through integrated geophysical, geological, and geochemical data. Main Zone - Expand Scale and Target High Grade:Initial drilling in the Main Zone will target untested segments of mineralized trends and dyke phases where they intersect the property's preferred stratigraphic host rocks. Priority will be placed on near-surface, higher-grade areas, especially those adjacent to and along trend from the gold enriched south section of the Main Zone. In parallel, significant effort will be dedicated to testing mineralized dykes with higher-tenor sulfide content, which are increasingly prevalent within and to the north and east of the copper enriched north section of the Main Zone. New Untested Targets: Several high-priority targets surround the entirety of the Babine porphyry stock. These include the largely untested "IP Embayment" south of drill hole NAK23-09, which features localized outcropping mineralization and some of the highest Cu- and Au-in-soil geochemistry on the mainly till-covered NAK property. Exploration efforts will also be directed to the eastern margin of the stock, where drilling will follow up on shallow, strongly anomalous historical intercepts. The planned collars will step significantly east of previous drilling and target a compelling geophysical anomaly-a coincident chargeability, resistivity, and magnetic high-mirroring geophysical signatures encountered successfully west of the stock Additional drilling with support from strategic partners South32 is planned for the far southeast of the property, testing the prominent structural fabric visible in the magnetic surveys, coinciding with a broad IP resistivity anomaly that bears considerable resemblance to the well mineralized main zone. South32 has also highlighted several zones of interest within the stock, and through the encompassing IP chargeability anomaly to the north of the stock that will also be tested in 2025. See NAK Planned Drill Locations NAK presents a rare combination of compelling geology and favorable logistics. The project benefits from road access, low elevation, gentle terrain, and nearby infrastructure. High-grade copper and gold mineralization has already been identified at surface and at depth, with significant potential to expand known zones and discover new ones across the broader property. This drill program is expected to exceed the total metres drilled across American Eagle's previous three exploration seasons at NAK. "American Eagle offers investors exposure to a fully funded drill program with no additional capital required over the next few drill seasons. Building on the significant work of American Eagle's technical team over the past seven months, South32 have lent significant resources to help design a robust drill plan to prove that the near-surface copper-gold zone is economically viable in this cycle, while also drilling newly identified targets with potential to support a multi-decade copper-gold-porphyry project. With drilling to commence in the coming days, news flow will extend well into 2026, providing numerous catalysts for investors," said CEO Anthony Moreau. About American Eagle's NAK Project The NAK Project lies within the Babine copper-gold porphyry district of central British Columbia. It has excellent infrastructure through all-season roads and is close to the towns of Smithers, Houston, and Burns Lake, B.C., which lie along a major rail line and Provincial Highway 16. Historical drilling and geophysical, geological, and geochemical work at NAK, which began in the 1960's, tested only to shallow depths. Still, the work revealed a very large near-surface copper-gold system that measures over 1.5 km x 1.5 km. Drilling completed by American Eagle in 2022, 2023, and 2024 returned significant intervals of high-grade copper-gold mineralization that reached beyond and much deeper than the historical drilling, indicating that zones of near-surface and deeper mineralization, locally with considerably higher grades, exist within the broader NAK property mineralizing system. For the latest videos from American Eagle, Ore Group, and all things mining, subscribe to our YouTube Channel: About American Eagle Gold Corp. American Eagle is dedicated to advancing its NAK copper-gold porphyry project in west-central British Columbia, Canada. The Company benefits from over $37 million in cash, bolstered by two strategic investors formed in the past two years with Teck Resources and South32. With substantial financial and technical resources, American Eagle Gold is well-positioned to drill, de-risk, and define the full potential of the NAK Copper-Gold porphyry project. Anthony Moreau, Chief Executive Officer416.644.1567amoreau@ Q.P. Statement Mark Bradley, a Certified Professional Geologist and 'qualified person' for the purposes of Canada's National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Properties, has verified and approved the information contained in this news release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the closing of the repurchase of Consideration Shares, the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in the exemptive relief order from the Ontario Securities Commission, its anticipated results at the Company's NAK project, and other matters ancillary or incidental to the foregoing. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results might differ materially from those suggested in forward-looking statements. American Eagle Gold Corp. assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to American Eagle Gold Corp. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by American Eagle Gold Corp. with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available under American Eagle Gold Corp. profile at Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the TSX Venture Exchange policies) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
44 more people charged with trafficking drugs in SC fentanyl overdose investigation
State Attorney General Alan Wilson, surrounded by prosecutors and law enforcement officers, announces charges in an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking on Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA — More than 40 additional people have been charged with trafficking and selling drugs as part of an ongoing statewide investigation into fentanyl overdoses, bringing the total number indicted to more than 100, the South Carolina Attorney General's Office announced Monday. As of Monday, 108 people across five counties were facing charges in connection with trafficking and selling fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, said Attorney General Alan Wilson. He announced charges for an initial 64 people in January 2024. Three people have pleaded guilty. The remaining charges are pending, and the investigation dubbed Operation Devil in Disguise is ongoing, according to his office. Where people have been charged Anderson County Greenville County Jasper County Lexington County Pickens County Source: Attorney General's Office At least six people have died from drug overdoses traced back to the operation, Wilson said. Among the more than 380 charges defendants face are murder, accessory to murder, and conspiracy to commit murder brought against people suspected of selling drugs laced with fentanyl that led to overdoses. Those charges require prosecutors to prove the sellers knew their product was strong enough to be lethal. Such proof wouldn't be needed for future charges under a soon-to-be law. Under a bill passed this year that the governor is expected to sign, the Attorney General's Office will be able to pursue charges of fentanyl-induced homicide, an offense created by the bill that carries a sentence of up to 30 years for anyone who knowingly 'delivers, dispenses or otherwise provides' any amount of fentanyl that kills a person. 'That's going to be a wonderful tool for law enforcement and prosecutors to use, and that is why we so vigorously advocated for it,' Wilson said. Most of the fentanyl, which is both potent and cheap, was mixed with cocaine and methamphetamine to either bulk up the amount of the drug sold or increase its strength, Wilson said. Bill makes anyone who provides a fatal dose of fentanyl in SC a killer That can be dangerous, since fentanyl carries a higher risk of overdose, said Creighton Waters, the lead prosecutor in the case. Fentanyl overdoses killed 1,660 people in the state in 2022, according to the Department of Public Health's most recent data available. That accounted for more than 70% of the total 2,296 overdoses statewide that year, according to department data. Two milligrams of the opioid can be enough to kill a person, depending on someone's size, tolerance and past usage, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. That means every kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people, Wilson said. Investigators believe traffickers have brought 540 kilograms of fentanyl into the state. Officers have confiscated 4 kilograms of fentanyl while investigating the operation, according to the Attorney General's Office. 'Fentanyl is obviously the biggest narcotics trafficking problem that we face because it is so deadly,' Waters said. The operation is also believed to have trafficked 850 kilograms of cocaine and 500 kilograms of methamphetamine, Wilson said. Law enforcement officers have confiscated more than 44 kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, $1 million in cash suspected of being exchanged for drugs and multiple guns, including assault rifles, according to the office. In one case, police caught three defendants after watching them exchange 3 kilograms of cocaine outside a house in Greenville, prosecuting attorney Jennifer McKellar said as 11 of the accused appeared in Richland County bond court Monday. Others were discovered through traffic stops or search warrants. In several cases, defendants were charged with seemingly unrelated drug crimes that investigators later connected to the larger operation, causing prosecutors to add charges. At least one man continued trafficking drugs from jail, relaying coded instructions to his wife over the jail phone. Others were caught on surveillance cameras and through their phone communications smuggling drugs over state lines, McKellar said. Legislators in 2023 passed a law creating penalties specific to people caught trafficking fentanyl. Under that law, a person caught trafficking 28 grams of fentanyl or more could be sentenced up to 40 years in prison. A first conviction of trafficking less than 14 grams comes with a sentence of up to 25 years, and a second conviction carries a mandatory 25 years in prison. As law enforcement more vigorously pursues fentanyl trafficking, they have begun to see the supply drop, Waters said. 'Anecdotally, we're starting to see some effects of the supply being squeezed a bit by greater efforts at enforcement,' Waters said. Investigators have traced many of the drugs back to Mexican cartels bringing them in over the country's southernmost border, Wilson said. People then bring the drugs through Atlanta and up to Greenville, which Wilson called the 'front porch' of the state when it comes to drug trafficking. 'This is just a fraction of the army that's coming for you,' Wilson said his message would be to people continuing to bring drugs into the state. 'We will come for you, we will get you and we will put you in prison if you continue to do this.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
State unveils new indictments in years-long drug trafficking investigation in Upstate
(WSPA) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced on Monday a new round of indictments connected to a multi-jurisdictional investigation into drug trafficking in Upstate counties. On Monday, Wilson announced the state's 'Devil in Disguise' investigation, a multi-jurisdictional investigation into drug trafficking across the Upstate, had charges for more than 108 defendants spread across multiple Upstate Counties on more than 380 charges related to drug trafficking and similar crimes. 'These new State Grand Jury indictments are the result of the hard work of law enforcement, prosecutors, and staff from many jurisdictions,' Wilson said. 'We will continue to aggressively fight drug traffickers with every resource we have.' According to the Greenville County Coroner's Office, Greenville County had 278 drug-related overdose deaths in 2022, most of which were related to fentanyl trafficking. In response to the growing number of overdose deaths, the Greenville County Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) began what eventually became the 'Devil in Disguise' investigation. Previous story: 64 charged with fentanyl trafficking, related overdose deaths in the Upstate, AG says The investigation involved cooperation with the Attorney General's State Grand Jury Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins' Office, the United States Attorney's Office, the United States Department of Homeland Security, the Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, South Carolina National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, Greenville County Sheriff's Office, Pickens County Sheriff's Office, Anderson County Sheriff's Office, Greenville County Coroner's Office, Pickens County Coroner's Office, Easley Police Department, Pickens Police Department, Greenville Police Department, Travelers Rest Police Department, Greer Police Department, Mauldin Police Department, and the Fountain Inn Police Department. The Attorney General's Office said the investigation has seized or recovered more than 97 pounds of cocaine, 8 pounds of fentanyl and 22 pounds of meth. Investigators have also seized more than $1 million in cash and multiple firearms. Many of those drugs, Wilson's office claims, are tied to Mexican cartel organizations. His office claimed cartels would have members of their organization already within the United States fly to different locations to distribute shipments of cocaine, ultimately resulting in hundreds of kilograms being trafficked into South Carolina. They also said Mexican cartels would coordinate with members of their organization who are in prison in the United States to have large loads of fentanyl smuggled into the country, then have other members of the organization transport the drugs to South Carolina. Bond hearings for some of the newer defendants will occur on at the Richland County Courthouse. We will update this story as new details become 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AGs in six states, including NH, target Chinese app linked to international fentanyl trade
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson speaks at a news conference on Monday, May 12, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C., about an effort to hold WeChat, a Chinese messaging app, accountable for its role in the fentanyl trade. He's accompanied by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Lt. Robert Sprague. (Photo courtesy of Attorney General Alan Wilson's Office) Attorneys general from six states, including New Hampshire, say they're demanding accountability from WeChat, a Chinese messaging and payment platform being used by fentanyl traffickers. The bipartisan group is giving WeChat, what's become known as a super app, a month to detail what steps it's taking, if any, to combat its use as a money launderer for the international drug trade. Colorado, New Jersey, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina attorneys general also signed the letter. 'We need answers; we need them now,' Republican Alan Wilson, South Carolina's attorney general since 2011, said at a news conference Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Standing beside him was North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, a Democrat. A letter dated Monday instructs WeChat to send answers by June 11 to the attorneys general in North Carolina and New Jersey, two states where 'knowingly facilitating, or aiding and abetting, money laundering' is a crime. 'WeChat's contribution to the devastating fentanyl crisis endangers the life and health of our people,' they wrote in the letter. If WeChat fails to respond, lawsuits from the states' chief prosecutors could follow, as well as advocacy for laws and regulations, Wilson and Jackson said. WeChat is one of the world's most popular messaging apps with more than a billion users globally, including a million-plus in the United States. The app created by the company Tencent allows encrypted messaging and payments to be made within it — two features that have made it incredibly popular for criminal activity, according to prosecutors. The app has been linked to major drug operations. In October 2023, the Drug Enforcement Agency announced indictments against eight Chinese companies and 12 people in a bust dubbed Operation Chem Capture. They were accused of importing the chemicals used to make fentanyl — called fentanyl precursors — as well as other drugs such as xylazine that are mixed with fentanyl to increase cartels' profits. The multi-agency operation seized enough synthetic chemicals to make more than 48 million potentially lethal doses, the agency's administrator, Anne Milgram, said in a statement submitted to the U.S. House last May. 'Operation Chem Capture once again showed that these synthetic chemicals are cheap — a deadly dose costs mere cents — and sold online on public websites and through encrypted applications like WhatsApp, WeChat, and Wickr,' the statement read. Jackson illustrated a three-step process for how Chinese brokers and drug cartels use WeChat to partner for fentanyl dealing. Chinese companies sell the chemical ingredients to the cartels, who make the fentanyl. The drug is then smuggled into the country and sold for cash. In the final step, the cash is given to Chinese brokers who use WeChat to give the money back to the cartel, he said. 'We estimate that we are talking about billions of dollars per year,' Jackson said. The joint letter, which uses Jackson's letterhead, is addressed to 'whom it may concern' at WeChat's registered agent in Delaware. People 'are using the internet to evolve how they launder money, to evolve how they evade detection by law enforcement, to evolve how they promote this type of illicit activity,' Wilson said. 'So, we have to evolve with them.' Wilson told reporters the fentanyl epidemic is the top issue that keeps him up at night. 'WeChat has become a digital safe haven for fentanyl traffickers and money launderers, and they know it,' said Wilson. This story was originally published by SC Daily Gazette, which like the New Hampshire Bulletin is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
