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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis and Office of Just Transition Announce New Coal Transition Community Grants to Support Economic Transition in Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER — Today, Governor Jared Polis, the Office of Just Transition (OJT) within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced two new Coal Transition Community Assistance grants aimed at supporting local economic diversification efforts in Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties. These grants are part of the state’s broader initiative to support communities impacted by the decline of coal-powered electricity production in Colorado.

    “Colorado is helping communities succeed in new ways, which will create more jobs for local workers and save people money. We are committed to helping communities in Western Colorado plan for the future,” said Governor Polis.

    “Communities in Northwest Colorado are working hard to diversify their economies, and we are pleased to support those efforts. When economic development plans are based on local strengths and opportunities, we see greater impacts for Coloradans,” said Eve Lieberman, OEDIT Executive Director.

    City of Craig Awarded $1,051,000 for Business and Industrial Park
    In Moffat County, the City of Craig has been awarded $1,051,000 to purchase property for the development of a new business and industrial park. The park will be strategically located with access to both the Union Pacific rail line and 1st Street in Craig, offering excellent opportunities for growth and investment.

    “The Office of Just Transition plays a critical role in promoting stability, recovery, and sustainability for regions like NW Colorado, as we all anticipate the impacts from coal mine and power plant closures,” said Craig City Manager Peter Brixius. “In the face of these impacts, we are very pleased that OJT is a partner in our vision for the future growth and development of new and expanding opportunities for our region. The acquisition of this property in Craig will establish a business park in an area that will provide a skilled and ready workforce with a quality of life that includes world class recreational opportunities right in our backyard. We are planning a business park for those looking for flexibility and services, as they make fiscally responsible decisions, and at the same time realize their dreams.”

    The City of Craig will collaborate with a private developer to begin the master planning process for the park. In addition to the Coal Transition Community grant, the project has been awarded $2.5 million in Congressionally Designated Spending to cover horizontal infrastructure costs.

    Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District Awarded $100,000 for Wolf Creek Reservoir Study
    The Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District has been awarded $100,000 to conduct a comprehensive survey and report on the potential impacts of a new reservoir in Rio Blanco County. The study will evaluate the impact of the proposed new reservoir on agricultural production, flatwater recreation, and a countywide water augmentation plan designed to increase the supply of water available for beneficial use. This award will not bias various state and federal permitting processes required for this project.

    “Our economy is transitioning away from fossil fuel electric generation, and a reliable water supply is a key component of this critical economic transition,”  said Alden Vanden Brink with the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District.  

    “This study will provide important information that will guide the future of the Wolf Creek Reservoir and help ensure that we understand the economic potential of the project,” said OJT Director Wade Buchanan. “By investing in such efforts, we continue to support the long-term prosperity of communities in the Yampa Valley.”

    About the Office of Just Transition:
    Colorado created the Office of Just Transition within Colorado’s Department of Labor and Employment in 2019 to assist workers and communities that will be adversely affected by the loss of jobs and revenues due to the closure of coal mines and coal-fired power plants. Its purpose is to help workers transition to new, high-quality, jobs, to help communities continue to thrive by expanding and attracting diverse businesses, and to replace lost revenues. To learn more about the Office of Just Transition, its action plan and the corresponding legislation, please visit cdle.colorado.gov/offices/the-office-of-just-transition.

    About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade:
    The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works with partners to create a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth. OEDIT partners with businesses and communities to offer financial, technical, and advisory assistance. From business retention services to incentives and funding, OEDIT supports economic growth across Colorado through its diverse programs and services. To learn more, visit oedit.colorado.gov.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lexington County man arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material* chargesRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Shaquezius Leevontae Dennis, 19, of Batesburg-Leesville, S.C., on one charge connected to the sexual exploitation of minors. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department made the arrest. Investigators with the Attorney General’s Office, also a member of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with the investigation.

     

    Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to Dennis.  Investigators state Dennis distributed files of child sexual abuse material.  

     

    Dennis was arrested on January 31, 2025. He is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

     

     

    This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

     

    Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

     

     

     

    * Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. “Pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant.  Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health Celebrates 20 Years

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

    It was founded thanks to the generous philanthropic support of the Calhoun family in 2004.

    Dr. Bruce T. Liang, cardiovascular physician-scientist at the Calhoun Cardiology Center (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)

    “As founding director of the Calhoun Cardiology Center, the last two decades have been quite an exciting ride. It’s been a wonderful and gratifying experience seeing the comprehensive center triple its growth in both patient volumes and providers and adding new specialties such as electrophysiology, vascular surgery, and cardiovascular surgery,” says Dean Dr. Bruce T. Liang, the Ray Neag Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine.

    Coach Jim Calhoun and his wife Pat visited the Center on May 8 to applaud the cardiology faculty and staff for their longstanding contributions advancing cardiovascular care, research breakthroughs, and education of the next generation of heart specialists.

    The Center is also on the forefront of cardiovascular research thanks to the endowment of the Calhoun family, and NIH funding to the Center has grown to millions of dollars annually for cutting-edge research. One of those innovative NIH-funded researchers is Dr. Travis Hinson, cardiovascular physician-scientist at UConn Health/JAX who serves as the Pat and Jim Calhoun Endowed Professor.

    His Cardiovascular Genetics Program is translating innovative laboratory findings for the next generation of patient treatments.

    UConn Health/JAX”s Dr. Travis J. Hinson leads the successful Cardiovascular Genetics Program of the Calhoun Cardiology Center.

    “Our translational cardiovascular medicine makes UConn very unique. Thanks to the Calhouns we have exponentially expanded genetic precision medicine and have tested over 1,000 heart patients and their families to help them get the best, personalized treatments possible. It’s really exciting. Coach Calhoun, Pat, and their family’s recognition of UConn’s excellence have helped us grow. The Calhouns have made a huge impact.”

    Liang concludes, “Coach Calhoun is larger than life and is an inspiring figure on and off the court at UConn. He believes in the power of the Calhoun Cardiology Center and has put his heart and soul into it. We are extremely thankful to Coach. Thank you.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bookkeeper Sentenced To Prison For Stealing More Than $1.6 Million From Two Small Businesses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Marc Weiss, 50, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling approximately $1.6 million from two small businesses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Weiss was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,644,235.77.

    Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, from 2016 to 2022, Weiss engaged in a scheme to defraud two Mooresville, N.C. small businesses that employed him as a bookkeeper. Over the course of the scheme, Weiss, who was a trusted employee, abused his position and access to the companies’ financial accounts to make more than 100 fraudulent transfers totaling $1.6 million from the companies’ accounts into bank accounts under Weiss’s control. Court documents show that Weiss began to embezzle from the second company while he was already stealing from the first one. To disguise the fraud, Weiss created fake entries in the victim companies’ books and records, categorizing the fraudulent transfers as payments to existing vendors for software development, and advertising and marketing expenses.

    According to court records, Weiss used the embezzled funds, in part, to pay for his personal lifestyle, including rent payments for a luxury apartment uptown; payments for high-end vehicles, including an Audi and a Mercedes-Benz; purchases at luxury retail stores, including Luis Vuitton, Gucci, Neiman Marcus, and Tiffany, among others; and luxury vacations, including multiple stays in The Ritz Carlton hotel.

    In October 2023, Weiss pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the U.S. Secret Service and the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hartford Substance Abuse Counselor Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud Schemes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on January 31, 2025, THELMA “WENDY” EPPS, 60, of Hartford, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for health care fraud.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Epps was a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADC) with an office located at 330 Main Street in Hartford.  In April 2013, she enrolled as a participating provider in the Connecticut Medicaid  program along with an entity affiliated with Epps called Miracles to Destiny LLC.  In July 2018, the Medicaid program suspended Epps from participating as a provider in the program based on a finding of a credible allegation of fraud.  Medicaid told Epps that any attempt to circumvent her suspension by submitting claims for services performed by Epps or Miracles to Destiny LLC through other agencies or other billing numbers would result in termination of her provider agreement.

    In 2019, Epps entered into an agreement with Dennis Tomczak, a Connecticut LADC who was a participating provider in Medicaid.  Epps and Tomczak agreed that Tomczak would bill Medicaid using his Medicaid provider number for psychotherapy counseling services purportedly provided by Epps.  These claims falsely represented that Tomczak had personally provided the services.  In return for Tomczak billing the services, Epps agreed to pay Tomczak 25 percent of the amount Medicaid paid Tomczak.  Between approximately April 2019 and November 2022, Medicaid paid Tomczak $330,547.71 for fraudulent claims for services purportedly provided by Epps that were billed under Tomczak’s provider number.

    At some point during their scheme, Tomczak expressed concerns to Epps about the number and frequency of services that Epps told Tomczak she was providing.  At about this time, Epps entered into a similar agreement with Shawn Tyson, a LADC in Connecticut, whereby Tyson would use his Medicaid provider number to submit claims to Medicaid for services Epps purportedly provided to Medicaid clients.

    In November 2019, Epps assisted Tyson with the process of enrolling Tyson as a participating provider in Medicaid.  Tyson’s provider application listed the location at which Tyson would provide services as 330 Main Street, Third Floor, in Hartford, the location of Epps’s and Miracles to Destiny LLC’s office.  Once Tyson was enrolled as a Medicaid provider, Tyson provided Epps with his login information to the online portal for submitting claims to Medicaid, which Epps then used to submit claims.  For a brief period before Tyson was enrolled as a Medicaid provider, unbeknownst to Tomczak, Epps submitted claims through Tomczak’s provider number for services purportedly provided by Tyson, by representing to Tomczak that she had performed these services.  Medicaid paid Tomczak a total of $7,879.40 for these services.

    During the scheme involving Epps and Tyson, Tyson would provide Epps the names of Medicaid patients and dates that Tyson purportedly provided psychotherapy counseling services to the patients, and Epps would then bill Medicaid for these services using Tyson’s provider number.  Epps would also submit claims using Tyson’s provider number for services she purportedly provided to Medicaid patients.  These claims falsely represented that Tyson had personally provided the services to the patients.

    Epps and Tyson submitted and caused to be submitted claims for hundreds of thousands of dollars of psychotherapy services that neither Epps nor Tyson had actually provided to Medicaid clients.  When Epps warned Tyson that he should not bill Medicaid for having provided psychotherapy to patients on holidays, such as July 4 and Thanksgiving, Tyson would typically change the dates of services and resubmit the list of services to Epps.

    Medicaid paid Tyson $663,081.32 for claims that falsely represented that Tyson had personally provided services, or falsely represented that services had been provided when, in fact, they were not provided at all.

    Judge Dooley ordered Epps to pay $1,001,058.43 in restitution to the Connecticut Medicaid program.

    On November 8, 2024, Epps pleaded guilty to health care fraud.  Epps, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prion on March 3.

    Tomczak and Tyson pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.

    This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Social Services.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon and Auditor Susan Spiegel.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and Connecticut Attorney General’s Office meet regularly as part of The Medicaid Fraud Working Group.  The Working Group also includes representatives from the Connecticut Department of Social Services; the Connecticut Department of Public Health; the Drug Control Division of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection; the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the FBI.  The Working Group reviews pending issues and cases, identifies trends that might indicate fraudulent activity, and coordinates efforts for maximum results.

    People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Fraudster Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Nearly $3 Million and Five Indianapolis Homes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EVANSVILLE— James Henley, 35, of Greenwood, Indiana, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, two counts of money laundering, and eight counts of wire fraud. Henley has also been ordered to pay $1,887,426.63 in restitution.

    According to court documents, over the course of three years, Henley orchestrated multiple large and complex fraud schemes, resulting in a total loss of $2,927,758.95 to individual homeowners, an Indiana attorney, a bank, and ten state governments. As part of his fraud schemes, Henley registered five fake businesses (OnTrack Real Estate Solutions, LDI Investments Corp, Lucario Investments, 317 Traffic, and Henley Real Estate Solutions) with the states of Indiana and Kentucky, claiming to serve as the Chief Executive Officer for most of them. None of the businesses were legitimate. Instead, Henley used the businesses to mask his identity, make his schemes appear more credible, and launder the stolen money.

    Henley’s schemes are broken down as follows:

    COVID-19 Fraud:

    Between May 2020 and March 2021, James Henley, his wife Jameka Henley, and his associate Jimmie Bickers used the stolen personally identifiable information of 76 real individuals to submit 120 unemployment insurance applications to ten states during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the applications were approved, the trio used 65 unemployment insurance debit cards to make purchases at retailers and withdraw cash at ATMs in the Evansville and Indianapolis areas. The states paid a total of $1,119,426.63 in unemployment benefits in connection with the group’s fraudulent applications.  In July 2020, Henley used funds withdrawn from ATMs to buy a Chevrolet Camaro for $22,801.

    Bickers and Jameka Henley have been formally charged for their roles in this scheme but have not pleaded guilty.

    Home Title Fraud:

    Between December 2021 and May 2023, Henley stole five homes in Indianapolis by filing fraudulent deeds with the Marion County Recorder’s Office. Through the filings, Henley claimed that the homeowners had sold their homes to his fake businesses, but, in reality, he had never even spoken with the homeowners.  Unbeknownst to the victims, Henley filed these fraudulent deeds and then sold the homes for significantly less than their market value, pocketing more than $260,000 in profits.

    Henley also attempted to steal and sell an additional 14 homes in Indianapolis and Evansville.  With one exception, the individuals who bought the homes from Henley took possession and ultimately kept the homes.

    For one homeowner, the property Henley stole was her childhood home. She purchased the home while her mother was in the hospital with the hope that, when her mother’s condition improved, her mother would be able to live out her remaining years in the house.

    Mortgage Fraud:

    In November 2021, an associate of Henley’s purchased a home in Indianapolis, using a mortgage loan from a bank.  In April 2022, Henley filed a fraudulent document with the Marion County Recorder’s Office to make it seem as if the mortgage loan had been paid off, when it had not been paid. Henley then filed a deed naming himself a joint owner of the home. Henley and his associate subsequently sold the property for $255,000, pocketing all the proceeds, even though the bank should have received the majority of the funds.

    Auto Loan Fraud:

    In March 2023, Henley purchased a Dodge Durango in Indianapolis for $71,479, using an auto loan from Everwise Credit Union. A few months later, in June 2023, Henley purchased a Chevrolet Silverado in Plainfield for $54,270, using a second loan from Everwise Credit Union.

    In October 2023, Henley connected a JPMorgan Chase bank account to his auto loans, via Everwise’s online payment portal.  Henley falsely represented that the Chase account belonged to Jimmie Bickers, and that he had authority to make payments on his loans using funds from the Chase account.

    The Chase account was actually an Indiana attorney’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA), which is a highly regulated bank account used by lawyers to hold client funds.  The interest earned on IOLTA accounts is used to fund grants for nonprofit groups that promote pro bono and access to justice programs. Henley did not have the attorney’s permission to access or withdraw funds from the IOLTA account.

    Between October and November 2023, Henley used the IOLTA account to make two payments, totaling $98,000, toward his auto loans.

    Henley has prior felony convictions for financial crimes, including theft, forgery, and fraud.

    “James Henley went to great lengths to coordinate exceptionally greedy, complex schemes that exploited hard-working families and state government programs,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Undeterred by prior felony convictions for the same conduct, this defendant stole over a million dollars, wreaking financial and logistical havoc on hundreds of victims. The Department of Justice will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud and seek prosecution as appropriate.”

    “James Henley filed fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims in order to receive UI benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself by defrauding a program that was intended to assist struggling American workers during an unprecedented global pandemic,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the integrity of the UI system from those who seek to exploit this critical benefit program.”

    “This lengthy prison sentence sends a clear message: individuals who attempt to exploit and commit financial crime and identity theft will be brought to justice,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation and our fellow law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the integrity of our financial institutions and will continue to hold criminals like James Henley accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “This case should serve as a powerful reminder that individuals with a history of financial crimes will face significant consequences when they demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and continue to exploit and deceive others for personal gain,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those who perpetuate such offenses accountable and protect the public from those who manipulate the system for their own benefit.”

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General, and the Indiana Attorney General’s Office Homeowner Protection Unit investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew B. Brookman.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Miller, who prosecuted this case.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID‑19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID‑19  can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VA announces return to in-person work policy

    Source: US Department of Veterans Affairs

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    WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced its return to in-person work policy, which states eligible employees must work full-time at their respective duty stations (agency worksites) unless excused due to a disability, qualifying medical condition or other compelling reason.

    The announcement follows President Trump’s Jan. 20, presidential memorandum on return to in-person work.

    More than 20% of VA’s more than 479,000 employees currently have telework or remote work arrangements. As part of the new policy:

    • Political appointees, senior executive service members, SES equivalents, senior level and scientific and professional employees will no longer be eligible for remote work arrangements. By Feb. 24, 2025, their telework agreements will be terminated, except for ad hoc or situational telework.
    • Also, by Feb. 24, 2025, remote work and telework arrangements for supervisors with current official duty stations within 50 miles of an agency facility will be terminated, except for ad hoc or situational telework.
    • By April 28, 2025, remote work and telework arrangements for non-bargaining unit employees with current official duty stations within 50 miles of an agency facility will be terminated, except for ad hoc or situational telework.
    • Remote work and telework arrangements for supervisors and non-bargaining unit employees with current official duty stations outside 50 miles of an agency facility will not be terminated at this time. Further guidance will be forthcoming regarding these arrangements.
    • Return to in person work requirements for bargaining unit employees will be announced at a later date.
    • VA’s policy allows exceptions for arrangements approved for employees as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability or a qualifying medical condition. Exceptions may also be allowed for military spouses with permanent change of station orders.

    “This is a commonsense step toward treating all VA employees equally,” said Acting VA Secretary Todd Hunter. “Most VA clinical staff don’t have the luxury of working remotely, and we believe the performance, collaboration and productivity of the department will improve if all VA employees are held to the same standard.”

    Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov

    Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.

    Contact us online through Ask VA

    Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.

    Learn about our chatbot and ask a question

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Flood-Risk Classifications Can Drive Risky Development

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Flood-Risk Classifications Can Drive Risky Development

    A new study by Southeast CASC researchers highlights the “safe development paradox,” where areas adjacent to regulatory “high risk” zones are less expensive to develop and viewed as safe for home buyers, driving up risky development in potentially vulnerable areas. 

    The “safe development paradox” highlights how classifying land areas as “high risk” for flooding can unintentionally encourage high levels of risky development just outside of these zones. Though the risk continues beyond the high-risk label, the implication is that if an area is not listed as “high risk,” then it must be “safe.” This misconception arises from how flood risk is communicated and used to guide regulations, such as mandatory flood insurance and structural requirements. Because developers are able to avoid these regulations, building just outside of these “high risk” zones is more affordable, leading to clustering of development in areas that are still vulnerable to flooding from rivers, lakes, and coastlines.  

    A new study, titled “The Safe Development Paradox of the United States Regulatory Floodplain,” analyzed national development trends and 100-year floodplain maps from more than 2,300 U.S. counties. Supported by the Southeast CASC, the researchers found that 24% of development occurs within 250 meters of high-risk flood zones. That distance is less than the length of three football fields, or, in a dense urban grid like Manhattan, about 1-3 city blocks. The researchers also looked at future projections, and assuming current policies remain the same, they predicted that 22% of new development by 2060 will also occur within the 250-meter zone next to the “high risk” area, likely increasing the number of people who live in risky areas just outside of the regulatory zone. 

    By linking historical and future development trends to 100-year floodplain (1% annual flood risk) classifications that guide safety regulations, this national assessment reveals some unintended consequences of these designations and emphasizes the need to align actual and perceived flood risks. This information can aid regulatory agencies making flood risk designations and communications to support effective planning.  

    This research was supported by the Southeast CASC Project: “Improving Scenarios of Future Patterns of Urbanization, Climate Adaptation, and Landscape Change in the Southeast.” 

    Related

    link

    Improving Scenarios of Future Patterns of Urbanization, Climate Adaptation, and Landscape Change in the Southeast

    Arguably the most direct, intense, and long-lasting modification that humans can make to a landscape is converting rural lands to urbanized areas. As human populations grow, the demand for urbanized areas will increase, and scientists can help natural resource managers plan for these changes by creating models that predict potential patterns of future urbanization. The Southeast U.S. is experienci

    Learn More

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NC CASC Tackles Climate Threats to Sagebrush Ecosystems

    Source: US Geological Survey

    NC CASC Tackles Climate Threats to Sagebrush Ecosystems

    The North Central CASC leads initiative, holds workshop, to address threats to the “Sagebrush Sea,” one of the most expansive ecosystems in the United States. 

    The eastern sagebrush ecosystem, sometimes called the “Sagebrush Sea” for its vast expanse and rolling waves of silvery-green plants, is the largest continuous ecosystem in the continental United States. It provides essential habitat for wildlife like mule deer, pronghorn antelope, and greater sage-grouse, while also supporting livestock grazing, recreation, and cultural traditions. Despite its vast size, nearly half of this ecosystem has been lost under the pressures of land conversions and development, overgrazing, and invasive species – and now, these threats are compounded by changing climate conditions, like rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and more frequent extreme events. 

    To address these challenges, the North Central CASC (NC CASC) gathered 24 experts at a workshop at the University of Colorado Boulder. Their goal: to identify the most pressing research needs and practical solutions for adapting sagebrush ecosystems to a changing climate. Discussions focused on evaluating management practices, clarifying how ecosystems respond to environmental changes, strengthening connections with stakeholders and local communities, and understanding community values of sagebrush landscapes, as well as developing tools and datasets to support conservation efforts.

    Building on the momentum of the workshop, the NC CASC is launching a two-year Science Synthesis Working Group. This collaborative effort will address the research gaps identified at the workshop and provide actionable climate-informed guidance to safeguard the Sagebrush Sea for future generations.

    Read the workshop report here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Notes From the Field: Black-bellied Whistling Duck movement ecology and survival study

    Source: US Geological Survey

    “Notes From the Field” news articles highlight the continued importance of bird banding. This article was contributed by Paul Link with Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries who began researching Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in 2011, and Pam Garrettson and Joshua Dooley with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who are assisting with the band-recovery data analyses. 

    Today, banding allows scientists to investigate bird behavior, migration, lifespans, populations, diseases and levels of environmental contaminants. Information gathered through the North American Bird Banding Program helps inform management and conservation decisions for game and non-game species, such as protecting or restoring habitat, setting hunting regulations and determining plans for human-led development. The North American Bird Banding Program depends on a network of over 10,000 permitted bird banders working in the United States, Canada and Trust Territories. Each year these banders help us add up to 1.2 million new banding records to our century-long dataset. 

    Holding banded Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are band resight extraordinaire Alvin Attenhofer on the left and on the right Paul Link, Research Program Manager of LA Department of Wildlife & Fisheries. Photo courtesy of Michael Slazer. 
    How do you use bird banding in your research?  

    We initiated our research in 2011 to answer questions related to the movement ecology and survival of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in south Louisiana. We started out opportunistically banding this species with standard aluminum butt-end bands for a couple years, but upon realizing encounter rates were much lower than expected, we greatly increased our banding effort. We plan to utilize both live recaptures and dead recoveries to estimate annual survival. Our banding season is February through May, which is an ideal period for captures as the ducks are still gregarious prior to dispersing for nesting. At the onset of our research, we hypothesized that they migrated south to Texas or Mexico during winter, but we hope to use recovery data to better describe movements and habitat use throughout the annual cycle. 

    Why is your study species so interesting?  

    Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are found only in the Western Hemisphere. They are more arboreal than other whistling-ducks; they nest primarily in natural tree cavities and readily utilize artificial nest boxes, but also commonly nest on the ground. Unlike most ducks, both the male and female take part in incubation and brood rearing. In North America, this species historically nested mainly along Mexico and south Texas coasts. However, their range began expanding northward mid-20th century, with sightings in Arizona, Louisiana, and Florida by the 1960s. They are a game species with liberal regulations; however, they are only lightly harvested because of their nocturnal nature. Furthermore, traditional waterfowl surveys are inadequate for this species due to low detection probabilities. Many Black-bellied Whistling Ducks congregate in or under trees in urban, suburban, or industrial areas during fall and winter where they are difficult to harvest and/or survey, which makes estimating vital rates such as survival and harvest probabilities more challenging than for most other waterfowl species.   

     What have you found so far?   

    Since 2011, we have banded over 40,000 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and have recaptured >4,200. Interestingly, we have similar numbers of resights versus shot or found dead. The vast majority of those resights are by a single citizen scientist that devotes most evenings for several months each year observing and documenting the ducks’ movements, pair associations, and family status. Roughly 80% of the banded Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are subsequently encountered in Louisiana, with 10% encountered in Mississippi (where we band ~150/year and the previously mentioned citizen scientist resights and reports individuals once per calendar year), 8% in Texas, and 1% or less in Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and North Carolina. We’ve had just one report of a band recovered in Mexico, from a duck found dead in a grain cargo ship that set sail from the Port of New Orleans days earlier. Thus, most Black-bellied Whistling Ducks appear to be transient residents that concentrate in safe places during the fall and winter and disperse throughout Louisiana during spring and summer to breed. Their apparent survival rates (calculated using only live recapture data) were lower than expected; we are currently incorporating both live and dead recoveries to calculate actual annual survival. We’ve documented multiple large die-offs of up to 3,000 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks due to unintentional poisoning at water treatment and grain handling facilities. Avian cholera outbreaks are also common among this species. An unknown number are also killed via shooting or avicide under agricultural depredation and aircraft bird strike prevention orders. Due to their highly gregarious behavior, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are particularly susceptible to communicable diseases. Thus, their population seems to self-regulate under conditions of minimal recreational harvest.   

    Why do you think projects like yours are so important?  

    This banding project will help us understand the movements and vital rates for a poorly understood, yet very common, waterfowl species along the Gulf Coast, improving population management options. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks are considered a nuisance by many (such as agriculture producers, golf course managers, and aircraft strike prevention personnel); however, amidst long-term declining trends in most resident and migratory waterfowl in Louisiana, waterfowl hunters welcome the sight of this relative newcomer on the landscape. 

    What are the next steps for your project?  

    We’ll continue to band a maintenance number of approximately 3,000 individuals per year to explore changes in vital rates amidst a rapidly changing landscape. We are also currently analyzing results from a pilot study utilizing satellite transmitters, as well as working with a transmitter manufacturer to design a miniaturized GPS/GSM device to collect higher quality and greater quantity movement data to better understand their local and long-range movements, use of habitats, nesting and non-breeding ecology, and seasonal survival rates. 

    Adult and juvenile Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in flight. Photo courtesy of John K. Flores. 

    The “Notes From the Field” series highlights current banding projects and the continued importance of bird banding and the Bird Banding Lab. Want to see your project featured in a future “Notes From the Field” article? Email Kyra Harvey kharvey@usgs.gov for submission details. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Honduran national sentenced for illegal reentry into the US

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 3, 2025Tampa, FL, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    TAMPA, Fla. – An investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has led to Jonathan Javier Godoy-Pivaral, 29, an illegal alien from Honduras who was previously deported from the United States, being sentenced to more than five months in prison for illegally reentering the U.S. Godoy-Pivaral pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2024.

    According to court documents, Godoy-Pivaral was removed from the U.S on Feb. 26, 2018. He later unlawfully reentered the U.S. and was arrested for burglary on June 19, 2024, in Hillsborough County, Fla.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Schmidt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests 32 illegal aliens in Palm Beach County enforcement action

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 3, 2025Tampa, FL, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    ICE Miami, Stuart Sub-office @HSI_Miami @CBPHQ & the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission conducted a multi-agency immigration enforcement operation spanning several counties in Southern Florida, netting 32 arrests of criminal illegal aliens. The illegal aliens were from Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Cuba, Nicaragua with criminal convictions including prostitution, robbery, fraud, larceny, DUI, & narcotics possession.

    STUART, Fla. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities in Palm Beach County, Fla., recently netted 32 illegal aliens from various counties with criminal convictions which included drug possession, prostitution, illegal re-entry, resisting an officer, robbery, probation violation, fraud (illegal use of a credit card), larceny, cocaine possession, driving under the influence and possession of stolen property.

    ICE officers and agents in Miami, in coordination with the U. S. Border Patrol, conducted targeted immigration enforcement operations in Palm Beach County from January 27 to 28. The operation netted 32 illegal aliens from Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Cuba, and Nicaragua.

    All illegal aliens arrested during this operation will be detained pending their removal from the United States or a hearing before an immigration judge.

    Some highlights from the arrests include:

    • A 30-year-old Venezuelan male with criminal convictions for resisting officer, drug possession, and robbery who is being detained pending his removal from the United States.
    • A 44-year-old Haitian female with criminal convictions for battery, drug possession, prostitution, and narcotic equipment possession who is awaiting a removal hearing by an immigration judge.
    • A 24-year-old Cuban male with criminal convictions for fraud, failure to appear, larceny, and probation violation who is in custody pending removal from the U.S.
    • A 25-year-old Guatemalan male with criminal convictions for illegal re-entry, cocaine possession, and driving under the influence who is being detained pending removal from the U.S.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Orders Flags to Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of West Central Missouri Fire Protection District of Saline and Pettis Counties Captain Christopher Mykel Clevenger

    Source: US State of Missouri

    FEBRUARY 3, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Pettis and Saline counties, the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City, and firehouses statewide on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, from sunrise to sunset in honor of West Central Missouri Fire Protection District of Saline and Pettis Counties Captain Christopher Mykel Clevenger.

    “Christopher Clevenger felt a calling to public service early in life, joining the West Central Missouri Fire Protection District of Saline and Pettis Counties as a volunteer firefighter when he was just 18 years old,” Governor Mike Kehoe said. “As he established a career, raised a family, and coached youth sports, volunteering in the fire service and protecting the public remained an essential part of his life. Claudia and I are deeply saddened by his passing at just 33 years of age. Captain Clevenger’s commitment to serving others will be a lasting part of his legacy.”

    Captain Clevenger died of a medical emergency on January 26, 2025, after responding to an emergency call as a member of the West Central Missouri Fire Protection District of Saline and Pettis Counties the previous afternoon.

    The flags will be held at half-staff on the day of Clevenger’s interment. To view the Governor’s proclamation, click here.
     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lake County Man Indicted For Attempting To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

     Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jared Menendez (25, Fruitland Park) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. If convicted of the attempted enticement offense, Menendez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The attempted transfer of obscene material offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Menendez is currently detained pending the resolution of the case. 

    According to the indictment, between November 14 and December 20, 2024, Menendez attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity.

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

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Methamphetamine With The Intent To Distribute

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jessie Wooden (36, Miami) has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Wooden faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court records, on March 10, 2024, Wooden was an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County. During a visitation session, surveillance footage captured Wooden being thrown a bag containing contraband that had been smuggled into the prison. Correctional officers confiscated the bag, which contained 78 grams of methamphetamine. When interviewed by law enforcement, Wooden admitted to having visitors bring contraband into the prison for him. He also confirmed that he was going to distribute the methamphetamine inside FCC Coleman.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of a United States Department of Justice task force aimed at rooting out contraband and misconduct in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The task force was led by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New campaign puts the focus on food waste

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Home  »  Latest News   »   New campaign puts the focus on food waste

    A campaign gets underway today (Monday 3 February) to try and boost the uptake of food waste collections across the district.

    Our officers have been working with counterparts at Kent County Council on the project.

    Over the next few weeks, ‘no food waste stickers’ will be placed on the black bins of properties that are suitable for food waste collections, encouraging residents to use their food caddies instead.

    And in recognition of the fact that not everybody has an outdoor food caddy, these are being offered to residents at the discounted price of just £10.

    These can be ordered on the website at that price for a limited period.

    This project does not mean that people who continue to use their black bin for food waste will not get it emptied. Black bin collections will continue unchanged.

    But we are hoping it will result in residents thinking about how they dispose of their food waste and changing their behaviour to improve recycling rates.

    Food caddies are emptied weekly using a separate vehicle and are easy to rinse out and keep clean.

    Residents can place any raw or cooked food in their caddy to be recycled, but not anything that is not solid food, such as oils, liquids or packaging of any sort.

    The project has been funded jointly by us and KCC, and because recycling food uses less energy and is less costly than burning food waste mixed with general rubbish, the money spent on it should be recovered by lower disposal costs in the future. 

    Published: 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Program Celebrates 25 Years of Promoting Healthy Smiles for Young Children

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Program Celebrates 25 Years of Promoting Healthy Smiles for Young Children

    NCDHHS Program Celebrates 25 Years of Promoting Healthy Smiles for Young Children
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    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Into the Mouths of Babes program, a partnership that delivers preventive oral health services to young children insured by NC Medicaid. Since 2000, this program has helped medical providers across the state give infants and toddlers early dental evaluations, preventive oral health care and other dental services that lay the foundation for good health.

    “Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in children,” said Dr. Patrick Roberson, DDS, North Carolina State Dental Director. “This program provides vital oral health services for children who need it most and connects medical and dental care to improve outcomes.”

    Into the Mouths of Babes was originally piloted in nine western North Carolina counties as the “Smart Smiles” program in the mid-1990’s. In 2001, the program expanded statewide and established a reimbursement package through NC Medicaid.

    “Since Into the Mouths of Babes began, more than 2.8 million claims have been submitted for preventive oral health services,” said Dr. Mark Casey, DDS, MPH, Dental Officer for NC Medicaid. “This is the finest example of a cost-effective preventive oral health care program at work.”

    Early oral health evaluations provided through Into the Mouths of Babes allow medical providers to identify issues before they become serious, ensuring families can get help early. Additionally, caregiver education provided by the program gives families the tools they need to support healthy habits for life.

    “Our rural pediatric practice has provided fluoride treatments to infants and toddlers for over 15 years,” said Dr. Marston Crawford, MD, FAAP, pediatrician for Coastal Children’s Clinic. “These treatments, combined with caregiver discussion about early oral health, have sharply reduced cavities and preventable dental surgery. The majority of our children enter kindergarten cavity-free.”

    Training and community outreach are key to the program’s long-term success. NCDHHS employs 20 public health dental hygienists in 10 regions across the state who provide training for Into the Mouths of Babes. The American Academy of Family Physicians also provides continuing medical education hours to physicians who attend an NCDHHS training session.

    Key program partners include NC Medicaid, the NCDHHS Division of Public Health’s Oral Health Section, UNC Adams School of Dentistry, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, the North Carolina Pediatric Society and the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians among others. 

    “The NC Academy of Family Physicians is proud to support this program,” said Gregory Griggs, Executive Vice President of the Academy. “It has made a huge difference in reducing tooth decay for children across North Carolina.”

    For more information on the program, including partnerships and the online toolkit, visit the Into the Mouths of Babes webpage. 

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte celebra el 25 aniversario del programa Into the Mouth of Babes, una colaboración que brinda servicios preventivos de salud oral a niños pequeños asegurados por NC Medicaid. Desde el año 2000, este programa ha ayudado a los proveedores médicos de todo el estado a brindar evaluaciones dentales tempranas a bebés y niños pequeños, atención preventiva de la salud oral y otros servicios dentales que sientan las bases para una buena salud.

    “La caries dental es la enfermedad crónica más común en los niños”, dijo Dr. Patrick Roberson, DDS, Director Dental del Estado de Carolina del Norte. “Este programa proporciona servicios vitales de salud oral para los niños que más lo necesitan y conecta la atención médica y dental para mejorar los objetivos”.

    Into the Mouths of Babes se había iniciado originalmente en nueve condados del oeste de Carolina del Norte como el programa “Smart Smiles” a mediados de la década de 1990. En 2001, el programa se expandió por todo el estado y estableció un paquete de reembolso a través de NC Medicaid.

    “Desde que comenzó Into the Mouth of Babes, se han presentado más de 2,8 millones de solicitudes de servicios preventivos de salud oral”, dijo la Dra. Mark Casey, DDS, MPH, Oficial Dental de NC Medicaid. “Este es el mejor ejemplo de un programa de costo económico de atención preventiva de la salud oral que funciona”.

    Las evaluaciones tempranas de salud oral proporcionadas a través de Into the Mouth of Babes permiten a los proveedores médicos identificar los problemas antes de que se agraven, asegurando que las familias puedan obtener ayuda temprano. Además, la educación para los cuidadores proporcionada por el programa brinda a las familias las herramientas que necesitan para mantener hábitos saludables de por vida.

    “Nuestra práctica pediátrica rural ha proporcionado tratamientos con flúor a bebés y niños pequeños durante más de 15 años”, dijo el Dr. Marston Crawford, MD, FAAP, pediatra de Coastal Children’s Clinic. “Estos tratamientos, combinados con la charla con los cuidadores sobre la salud oral en los primeros años de edad, han reducido drásticamente las caries e intervenciones quirúrgicas dentales menores. La mayoría de nuestros niños entran al jardín de infantes sin caries”.

    La capacitación y el alcance comunitario son clave para el éxito a largo plazo del programa. El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés), emplea a 20 higienistas dentales de salud pública en diez regiones de todo el estado quienes proporcionan formación para Into the Mouth of Babes. La Academia Estadounidense de Médicos de Familia también ofrece horas de educación médica continua a los médicos que asisten a una sesión de capacitación del NCDHHS.

    Los socios clave del programa incluyen NC Medicaid, la Sección de Salud Oral de la División de Salud Pública de NCDHHS, la Escuela de Odontología UNC Adams, la Escuela de Salud Pública Global UNC Gillings, la Sociedad Pediátrica de Carolina del Norte y la Academia de Médicos de Familia de Carolina del Norte, entre otros.

    “La Academia de Médicos de Familia de Carolina del Norte se enorgullece de apoyar este programa”, dijo Gregory Griggs, Vicepresidente Ejecutivo de la Academia. “Ha marcado una gran diferencia en la reducción de la caries dental en los niños de Carolina del Norte”.

    Para obtener más información sobre el programa, incluidas las colaboraciones y el kit de herramientas en línea, visite la página web de Into the Mouths of Babes.

    Feb 3, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Blue Ridge Natural Mix Dog Food Recalled

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising consumers that Blue Ridge Beef is recalling 5,700 pounds of their two-pound log Natural Mix dog food due to a contamination of Salmonella.

    The recalled products have the Lot number N25/12/31. (Lot numbers are stamped in the clips on the end of the chubs/bags.) The products have UPC# 854298001054.

    Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

    Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

    Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

    Samples of the product were collected on 01/08/25 by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and tested by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Food and Drug Protection Laboratory. The product tested positive for Salmonella.

    On 01/27/2025 the firm was notified by the FDA that the product tested positive for Salmonella.

    These products were distributed between January 3, 2025 and January 24, 2025. The product is packaged in clear plastic and was sold primarily in retail stores located in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York State, Tennessee, and Rhode Island.

    Consumers who have purchased this product are urged to return to place of purchase or destroy the food in a way that children, pets, and wildlife cannot access it.

    For more information contact blueridgebeefnc@yahoo.com or 704-873-2072.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shakopee Woman Pleads Guilty in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A Shakopee woman pleaded guilty for her role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, at times between October 2020 and January 2022, Mekfira Hussein knowingly and willfully conspired with others to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misappropriate millions in federal child nutrition funds. Specifically, Hussein and her husband, Abduljabar Hussein, fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds by falsely claiming to have served meals to thousands of children per day.

    According to court documents, in October 2020, the defendant enrolled her non-profit, Shamsia Hopes, in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future, at the direction of one of its employees, Abdikerm Eidleh. The defendant submitted her application to Aimee Bock, Feeding Our Future’s executive director. In December 2020, and also at the direction of Abdikerm Eidleh, the defendant’s husband registered his company, Oromia Feeds LLC, with the State of Minnesota as a food vendor. Abduljabar Hussein’s company, Oromia Feeds, had a contract to prepare meals to be served by Shamsia Hopes sites run by Mekfira Hussein.

    According to the plea agreement entered today, Hussein submitted fraudulently inflated invoices for reimbursement—including inflated meal counts and false attendance rosters. As part of their scheme, the defendant and her husband paid at least $140,000 in kickbacks to Eidleh and least $12,000 in kickbacks to Aimee Bock.  In some instances, these kickback payments were disguised as “consulting fees,” when, in fact, neither Eidleh nor Aimee Bock provided any service to justify these payments.  In other instances, Feeding Our Future billed hundreds of thousands of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program claims under the name of the defendant’s organization, Shamsia Hopes, without the defendant’s knowledge or authorization, and Feeding Our Future siphoned those funds to others involved in the conspiracy.

    Throughout the fraudulent conspiracy, the Husseins obtained up to $8.8 million in federal child nutrition program funds some of which they used to pay for personal expenditures unrelated to feeing children. For instance, the defendant and her husband used $173,438 of their proceeds to pay off the mortgage on their home in Shakopee, Minnesota, and also purchased a 2021 Porsche for $93,250, a 2022 GMC truck for $61,722.

    Hussein pleaded guilty last Friday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Her sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

    The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lackawanna County Woman Sentenced To 27 Years’ Imprisonment For Production Of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, sentenced Mykayliah Hevener, age 26, of Carbondale, Pennsylvania, on January 30, 2025, to 27 years in prison for her production of child pornography.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, for an approximate nine-month period in 2023, Hevener engaged in sexual contact with a toddler and used the toddler to create images and videos of child pornography which were either viewed live or sent over the internet to a co-conspirator, Benjamin Egli, of Iowa. Mr. Egli is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa. He has entered a guilty plea and awaits sentencing in that matter. 

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) and the Tipton, Iowa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Arrested For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Antonio Candia-Bautista (45, Mexico) with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Candia-Bautista faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.

    According to the complaint, Candia-Bautista was deported from the United States on October 4, 2016. At some time thereafter, he unlawfully reentered the United States. He was recently arrested during a state investigation into an automobile accident in Sumter County on January 28, 2025. A records check confirmed that Candia-Bautista was a citizen of Mexico with no lawful permission to be present in the United States.

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

    This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Palm Beach County drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – On Jan. 30, a federal district judge in West Palm Beach, Florida sentenced Anthony Raul Del Valle, 29, of Lake Worth Beach, Florida, to 120 months in federal prison. The sentence comes after a federal jury found Del Valle guilty of distributing acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in November 2024.

    On April 8, 2024, Del Valle distributed pills that appeared to be oxycodone, but in fact were fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, to three family members in Lantana, Florida. All three family members immediately ingested the pills after the distribution. Two of the family members died less than two hours after the distribution.

    On April 10, 2024, law enforcement agents identified and arrested Del Valle as the source of the pills after conducting a controlled purchase from Del Valle. Law enforcement agents recovered a loaded firearm from Del Valle during the arrest.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announced the sentence.

    The DEA, Miami Field Division investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, Lantana Police Department, Boynton Beach Police Department and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon O’Shea Darsch and Alexandra Chase prosecuted it.

    According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning our nation. Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate. Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida.

    For more information visit: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html#; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80062.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Charged With False Statement To Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Eugenio Gonzalez-Paredes (53, Dominican Republic) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. If convicted, Gonzalez-Paredes faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, Gonzalez-Paredes made a false statement on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473 stating that he had not previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison. At the time Gonzalez-Paredes made the statement, he had previously been convicted twice in the United States District Court in the District of Puerto Rico for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.

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

    This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To 7 Years For Possession Of Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Sherron Gary (41, Tampa) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Gary pleaded guilty in October 2024.

    According to court documents, on April 9, 2023, officers with the Tampa Police Department (TPD) attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Gary after observing the vehicle had a broken taillight. Gary failed to pull over and instead fled from the officers at a high rate of speed. A police helicopter followed Gary. After Gary’s vehicle was boxed in by law enforcement, Gary fled from the officers on foot, which the helicopter was also able to capture.

    As Gary fled, the helicopter crew observed Gary discard an item as he was running that resembled a firearm. TPD officers apprehended Gary. After the arrest, the helicopter crew directed officers back to the location where they had observed Gary discard the firearm. Officers located a 9mm Walther Creed semiautomatic pistol at the location.

    At the time, Gary had four prior felony convictions, including aggravated battery and armed burglary of a dwelling, trafficking of cocaine, delivery of cocaine, and delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of church. As a convicted felon, Gary is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lakeland Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Trafficking Fentanyl And Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jermaine Jerome Campbell (35, Lakeland) to 12 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Campbell pleaded guilty on June 25, 2024.

    According to court documents, on September 15, 2023, Campbell distributed fentanyl pills to another individual from his mother’s residence. Upon searching Campbell’s home on September 21, 2023, law enforcement recovered bulk quantities of methamphetamine hidden inside of a tool bag.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Indicted For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alex Rafael Gonzalez-Morales (35, Honduras) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Gonzalez-Morales faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His trial is set for March 3, 2025.   

    According to the indictment, Gonzalez-Morales was previously convicted of of unlawful reentry of a removed alien and was subsequently removed from the United States in November 2019. Following his removal, Gonzalez-Morales did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On or about January 14, 2025, Gonzalez-Morales was found to be voluntarily in the United States.

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

    This case is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami – Jacksonville sub-office It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: GL Communications Advances Ethernet Testing with the Latest PacketExpert™ 10GX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GL Communications Inc., a global leader in telecom testing solutions, addressed the press regarding their latest release of the PacketExpert™ 10GX, used for testing Ethernet and IP networks and individual network infrastructure.

    [For illustration, refer to https://www.gl.com/images/Newsletter/packetexpert-10gx-newsletter.jpg]

    Vijay Kulkarni, CEO of GL Communications, states, “The PacketExpert™ is a multi-functional Ethernet tester that supports both electrical and optical interfaces. It can conduct a wide range of tests, including Bit Error Rate Testing, Smart Loopback Testing, RFC 2544, ITU-T Y.1564 testing to verify service level agreements, Wide Area Network Emulation, Packet Recording and Playback, Multi-stream UDP/TCP Traffic Generation, Wirespeed Ethernet Tap, and TCP Throughput Testing (RFC 6349). It supports speeds up to 10 Gbps across electrical and single-mode and multi-mode optical interfaces. GL also offers compatible SFPs and fiber-optic cables, providing a ready-to-use testing solution.”

    A single PacketExpert™ 10GX device features two 10/2.5/1 Gbps ports and two 10/100/1000 Mbps ports, all of which support both electrical and optical connections. The device is fully compatible with all SFP and SFP+ modules available on the market.

    Controlled via a Windows® PC through a USB connection, the PacketExpert™ offers an intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) for configuring test parameters, starting and stopping tests, viewing real-time graphs and statistics, and exporting results.

    For larger testing environments, rack-mount variants of the PacketExpert™ 10GX are available. These enclosures can house up to six devices, delivering a total of 24 GigE ports. Additionally, the solution includes optional licensing for Python and C# Scripting, enabling automation and repetitive testing workflows.

    Other key features include:

    • 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps (Base-T and Base-FX), 1G, 2.5G, 10G speeds
    • Electrical and Optical (SFP and SFP+) interfaces
    • Wirespeed Bit Error Rate Testing
    • RFC 2544 – Throughput, latency, frame loss, and back-to-back performance tests
    • Aggregated Ethernet network tap and filter. Can include 12 TTL triggers based on user defined packet detection
    • ITU-T Y.1564 – Test service level agreements
    • Wirespeed packet capture and playback
    • Layer wise Testing – Ethernet, Stacked VLAN (Q-in-Q), Stacked MPLS, IP, UDP
    • Smart loopback (auto layer detection) and layer-wise loopback testing
    • TCP Throughput Testing – according to the RFC 6349 standard
    • Multi stream traffic generation and analysis – send and receive multiple UDP streams and measure throughput, packet loss, delay, jitter, and packet reordering at full wirespeed
    • Generate frame sizes from 64 bytes to 16000 bytes
    • Emulate impairments such as congestion, latency, loss, jitter, and packet reordering
    • Playback previously recorded traffic with precise time stamping to emulate real world traffic

    About GL Communications Inc.,

    GL Communications is a global provider of telecom test and measurement solutions. GL’s solutions are used to verify the quality and reliability of Wireless, Fiber Optic, TDM and Analog networks.

    Warm Regards,

    Vikram Kulkarni, PhD

    Phone: 301-670-4784 x114

    Email: info@gl.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: RUBIS: Transactions carried out within the framework of the share buyback programme (excluding transactions within the liquidity agreement) – 27 to 31 January 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris, 3 February 2025, 06:00pm

    Issuer Name: Rubis (LEI: 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742)
    Category of securities: Ordinary shares (ISIN: FR0013269123)
    Period: From 27 to 31 January 2025

    Upon the authorisation granted by the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting held on 11 June 2024 to implement a share buyback program, the Company carried out, between 27 to 31 January 2025, the repurchases of its own shares in order to transfer them to employees and/or corporate officers of the Company and/or companies related to it in the context of a shareholding plan.

    Aggregate presentation per day and per market:

    Name of issuer Identification code of issuer (Legal Entity Identifier) Day of transaction Identification code of financial instrument Aggregated daily volume (in number of shares) Daily weighted average price of the purchased shares * Market
    (MIC Code)
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 27/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,668 24.7824 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 27/01/2025 FR0013269123 12,385 24.7926 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 27/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,311 24.7927 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 27/01/2025 FR0013269123 24,115 24.7972 XPAR
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 28/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,533 24.9753 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 28/01/2025 FR0013269123 12,207 24.9777 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 28/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,402 24.9745 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 28/01/2025 FR0013269123 24,017 24.9735 XPAR
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 29/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,516 24.8467 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 29/01/2025 FR0013269123 11,979 24.8569 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 29/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,440 24.8613 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 29/01/2025 FR0013269123 23,712 24.8586 XPAR
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 30/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,691 25.1200 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 30/01/2025 FR0013269123 12,580 25.1201 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 30/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,629 25.1160 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 30/01/2025 FR0013269123 24,419 25.1217 XPAR
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 31/01/2025 FR0013269123 2,000 25.2381 AQEU
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 31/01/2025 FR0013269123 10,000 25.2418 CEUX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 31/01/2025 FR0013269123 3,000 25.2404 TQEX
    RUBIS 969500MGFIKUGLTC9742 31/01/2025 FR0013269123 20,800 25.2464 XPAR
    * Four-digit rounding after the decimal TOTAL 205,404 24.9915  

    Detailed presentation per transaction:

    Detailed information on the transactions carried out from 27 to 31 January 2025 is available on the Company’s website (www.rubis.fr) in the section “Investors – Regulated information – Share buyback programme”.

      Contact
      RUBIS – Legal Department
      Tel. : + 33 (0)1 44 17 95 95

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Skyward Specialty to Host Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Call Wednesday, February 26, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.™ (NASDAQ: SKWD) (“Skyward Specialty” or “the Company”) expects to issue its fourth quarter 2024 earnings results after the market closes on Tuesday, February 25th which will be available on the Company website at investors.skywardinsurance.com/ under Quarterly Results.

    Skyward Specialty will host its earnings call to review the fourth quarter 2024 financial results on Wednesday, February 26 at 9:30 a.m. EDT.

    Investors may access the live audio webcast via the link on the Company’s investor site at investors.skywardinsurance.com/ under Events & Presentations. Additionally, investors can access the earnings call via conference call by registering via the conference link. Users will receive dial-in information and a unique PIN to join the call upon registering.

    A webcast replay will be available two hours following the call in the same location on the Company’s investor website.

    About Skyward Specialty

    Skyward Specialty (NASDAQ: SKWD) is a rapidly growing and innovative specialty insurance company, delivering commercial property and casualty products and solutions on a non-admitted and admitted basis. The Company operates through eight underwriting divisions — Accident & Health, Captives, Global Property & Agriculture, Industry Solutions, Professional Lines, Programs, Surety and Transactional E&S.

    Skyward Specialty’s subsidiary insurance companies consist of Houston Specialty Insurance Company, Imperium Insurance Company, Great Midwest Insurance Company, and Oklahoma Specialty Insurance Company. These insurance companies are rated A (Excellent) with a stable outlook by A.M. Best Company. For more information about Skyward Specialty, its people, and its products, please visit skywardinsurance.com.

    For investor relations information contact:

    Natalie Schoolcraft
    nschoolcraft@skywardinsurance.com
    614-494-4988

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister’s remarks in Brussels: 3 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s remarks in Brussels.

    Thank you, Mark – it’s very good to be here.

    I should say it’s very good to be back here.

    And as you know, the UK’s commitment to NATO is stronger than ever –

    Because the need for NATO is clearer than ever.

    We’ve had a very good and productive discussion today…

    On how we can meet the rising threats that Russia poses across our continent…

    Including the situation, of course, in Ukraine.

    A couple of weeks ago, as you know, I was in Kyiv…

    I saw residential buildings, destroyed just days before.

    I met soldiers in the ICU…

    Recovering from really terrible burns.

    And I met children, whose parents are out there now…

    On the frontline.

    And, it’s yet another reminder…

    That this is a not a war not just in Ukraine…

    It’s a war on Ukraine…

    Against those children and their future.

    That’s why – together –

    We stand with them.

    We are all working to end this war…

    But let’s be absolutely clear –

    Peace will come through strength.

    And we must do all we can now to support Ukraine’s defence…

    And that means stabilising the front line…

    Providing the kit and the training they need.

    And that’s why, this year…

    The UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever

    before.

    We need to see all allies stepping up – particularly in Europe.

    President Trump has threatened more sanctions on Russia…

    And it’s clear that that’s got Putin rattled.

    We know that he’s worried about the state of the Russian economy.

    So I’m here to work with our European partners on keeping up the

    pressure…

    Targeting the energy revenues and the companies supplying his

    missile factories…

    To crush Putin’s war machine.

    Because ultimately –

    Alongside our military support…

    That is what will bring peace closer.

    And we must keep working together to bolster NATO.

    And as you say, things that would have provoked utter outrage, just a few years

    ago…

    Have now become almost commonplace:

    Russian spy ships loitering off the British coast…

    A campaign of sabotage across Europe…

    Cyber-attacks, election interference, and attempted assassinations.

    Russia is seeking to destabilise our continent – target our values.

    So we should still be outraged.

    And we must harden European’s defence.

    In the UK we are proud to be a leading NATO ally…

    Part of the Forward Land Forces…            

    Helping to police our skies and patrol our seas.

    Our defence spending is of course 2.3% of GDP now…

    And we are working hard work to set the path to 2.5%…

    And NATO plans and requirements…

    As well as the principle of “NATO First”…

    Will be at the heart of our Strategic Defence Review this year.

    Across Europe, we must shoulder more of the burden now –

    Because it is our burden to carry.

    Now that’s what I’ll be discussing at the EU Council this evening.

    We want to deliver an ambitious UK-EU Security partnership…

    To bolster NATO…

    Covering military technology and R&D…

    Improving the mobility of forces across Europe…

    Protecting our critical infrastructure…

    And deepening our industrial collaboration to increase defence production.

    We can’t be commentators when it comes to matters of peace on

    our continent.

    We must lead. 

    And that is what I’m determined to do.

    Thank you so much Mark.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –