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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jennings Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Brandon James Willridge, 41, of Jennings, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 84 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    According to information presented in court, in January 2023, law enforcement officers were familiar with Willridge and aware of his drug trafficking activities in the area and had an active arrest warrant for him. On January 30, 2023, officers with the Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and Gueydan Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Willridge as the result of the active arrest warrant for him.

    During the traffic stop, officers found Willridge to be in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun underneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle. In addition, Willridge had a bottle containing several orange pills in the driver door console of the vehicle, which were confirmed to be Alprazolam, a controlled substance. Other evidence indicated Willridge had been trafficking in narcotics during this time in the Gueydan and Lake Arthur areas. Willridge pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information on October 18, 2024, charging him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Willridge has prior felony convictions for false representation of a controlled substance in 2003 and possession with intent to distribute marijuana in 2010. 

    The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and Gueydan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Myers P. Namie.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects More than $4M in Civil and Criminal Actions Plus Nearly $2M in Forfeited Assets in Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Oklahoma (NDOK) collected $4,029,804.93 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $2,572,450.48 was collected in criminal actions, and $1,457,354.45 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the NDOK worked with partner agencies and divisions to collect $1,726,442 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024.

    “The Asset Recovery Unit and Asset Forfeiture teams consist of federal prosecutors, investigators, and professional support staff. In 2024, they collected more than $4 million on behalf of victims and collected nearly $2 million in assets, said U.S. Attorney, Clint Johnson. “Both teams diligently work to recover court ordered restitution to victims and process court ordered forfeiture. This funding not only impacts the Crime Victims Fund, but also goes towards law enforcement programs.”   

    Examples of Asset Recovery…
    In March 2024, the Northern District recovered $106,994.94 in U.S. v. Shane Hannaford, 21-CR-111. A veteran of the U.S. Marines, Hannaford devised a fraudulent investment scheme, defrauding fellow veterans he had served with in Iraq. Hannaford pled guilty to Bank Fraud, and the Court ordered him to pay $806,607.14 in restitution to his victims. The Northern District captured a significant payment towards restitution by intercepting proceeds from Hannaford’s sale of his home.

    In September 2024, the Northern District recovered $287,521.53 in U.S. v. Keven Ellis Partin, 19-CR-121. Partin pled guilty to Offering or Paying Healthcare Kickbacks. The Court ordered him to pay $338,805 in restitution to Department of Labor, TRICARE, Department of Veteran Affairs, and Medicare. Through liens and other enforcement tools, the Northern District recovered full restitution for these federal agencies.

    In May 2024, the Northern District of Oklahoma recovered $62,000 in U.S. v. Leslie Ellen Mansfield, 23-CR-170. Mansfield, an attorney, oversaw special needs trust accounts for intellectually challenged adults. Mansfield pled guilty to Bank Fraud, and the Court ordered her to pay $137,240.95 in restitution. The Northern District recovered full restitution for the living victims.

    Examples of Asset Forfeiture…
    In March 2024, the Northern District recovered $35,000 in U.S. v. Jesus Salazar-Lares, et al., 22-CR-339. In Aug. 2024, Salazar-Lares and others, traveled from Chicago to Tulsa and delivered more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine.  Salazar-Lares pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. The court authorized the seizure of $35,000 in cash.

    In April 2024, the Northern District recovered $84,788.42 in U.S. v. Melvin Brown, 22-CR-419. From July 2020 through May 2021, Brown conspired with others to distribute cocaine. Romero pled guilty to drug conspiracy. The court authorized the seizure of Romero’s bank account that had approximately $84,788.42.

    In June 2024, the Northern District recovered $620,000 in U.S. v. Jose Romero, et al., 22-CR-339. From Oct. 2019 through Oct. 2022, Romero conducted financial transactions with funds received through drug trafficking. Romero pled guilty to 18 counts of money laundering. The court authorized the forfeiture of $20,297 in cash, 18 vehicles, one firearm, approximately $50,076.31 from seized bank accounts, and four real estate properties.

    The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: BATON ROUGE MAN SENTENCED TO 211 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING AND FIREARMS VIOLATIONS

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Demarlo Brown, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 211 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Brown to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the proceeds from his drug trafficking crimes, as well as firearms and ammunition seized by law enforcement, be forfeited.

    This case was the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in East Baton Rouge Parish and surrounding areas.

    According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea,from March through September 2019, Brown operated a drug distribution organization in the Baton Rouge area where he and others distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. When law enforcement raided his home and other locations associated with Brown, they seized over 27 ounces of methamphetamine, 2.7 ounces of heroin, and 1.6 ounces of fentanyl.  Two firearms and 38 rounds of ammunition were also seized from Brown that he illegally possessed to protect himself, his drugs, and his cash proceeds from drug sales. In total, six firearms and 168 rounds of ammunition were seized in the raids.

    Brown was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition. In April 2024, prior to possessing the two firearms and ammunition, he was convicted in the 19th Judicial District Court of armed robbery and was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor.   

    This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge City Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton, III and Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former University Professor Charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mohammad Ebrahim Torki Harchegani, 38, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity.

    During a contested bond hearing, an FBI special agent testified that on Dec. 3-4, 2024, multiple agencies participated in an online chat operation targeting child sex offenders where an officer posed as a 14-year-old female. Torki, a legal permanent resident of the United States and Iranian citizenship, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the alleged 14-year-old girl. Toriki ultimately traveled to the residence where he believed the girl was home alone to engage in sexual activities with her. He was arrested thereafter.

    Testimony was also presented that Torki was previously a professor at the University of South Carolina. Upon his arrest, his employment was suspended and his contract with the university was not renewed.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department participated in the online chat operation and investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.

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

    Torki was ordered detained at the hearing. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Thomaston Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Machinegun and Possessing Controlled Substances

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Chandler Breen possessed a firearm augmented with a machinegun conversion device, equipped with a 50-round magazine

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Thomaston man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to unlawful possessing a machinegun and possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.

    According to court records, in April 2024, the Thomaston Police Department received a tip that Chandler Breen, 34, was selling drugs behind a local business. A search of Breen’s vehicle revealed a firearm modified with a machinegun conversion device, 9mm ammunition, a large amount of cash, approximately 62 grams of cocaine, approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine, and at least 6 grams of fentanyl.

    Breen faces up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release on the firearms charge; and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million and a minimum of three years of supervised release on the drug charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Thomaston Police Department.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fairbanks man sentenced to 12 years for attempted production of child pornography, enticement of minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and will serve 25 years on supervised release for attempting to produce child pornography and entice a minor.

    According to court documents, on July 7, 2023, a law enforcement official, acting in an undercover capacity and posing online as a 12-year-old girl, posted an ad in an Alaskan chat group on a social media application known to law enforcement to be utilized by individuals seeking sexual encounters with minors.

    A short time after the posting, Dahkota Mitchell, 32, messaged the undercover official. Between July 7 and Nov. 28, 2023, Mitchell and the undercover official discussed multiple things, including Mitchell’s requests that the undercover official send him explicit content, plans to meet in-person, and sexual interactions if an in-person meeting occurred.

    Mitchell decided to meet with the undercover official for sex and requested she bring an 11-year-old friend for the sexual encounter. Mitchell made plans with the undercover official to meet in Anchorage on Nov. 17, 2023, but the defendant abruptly stopped communicating with the official and the meeting did not occur.

    On Nov. 25, 2023, Mitchell resumed communicating with the undercover official and explained that his mother had found out about their communications. Mitchell made another plan to meet with the undercover official and the alleged minor friend on Nov. 28, 2023, and provided the address of his hotel and his room number.

    Mitchell was arrested at an Anchorage hotel on Nov. 28, 2023. He pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor on Oct. 25, 2024.

    “Child predators target Alaska’s most vulnerable, leaving lasting harm in their wake. Mr. Mitchell attempted to meet with an individual he thought was a 12-year-old girl and encouraged her to bring a minor friend for an in-person sexual encounter,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “His actions were both dangerous and reprehensible. This sentence ensures that he will be closely monitored for many years, safeguarding our communities. Our office remains committed to working with law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable and protect Alaska’s children.”

    “Protecting children from online predators is a priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners across Alaska,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “As demonstrated in this case, predators using the Internet for sexual exploitation of children will be identified and held accountable for their reprehensible crimes.”

    The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former NYCHA Superintendent Sentenced To 48 Months In Prison For Accepting More Than $300,000 In Bribes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JUAN MERCADO, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”), was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for soliciting and accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from contractors in exchange for awarding those contractors no-bid contracts or approving payment on previously awarded contracts at NYCHA developments. MERCADO’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who also presided over his guilty plea. 

    U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “As a public housing superintendent, Juan Mercado held a position of public trust.  For years, Mercado abused his position by demanding and accepting more than $300,000 in bribes in connection with repair work at NYCHA developments – money that should have gone to improving the lives of NYCHA residents. As today’s sentence shows, corruption will not be tolerated at any level of government.”

    According to the Information and Complaint, the plea agreement, and evidence presented during a multi-day evidentiary hearing:

    NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the country, providing housing to New Yorkers across the City and receiving over $1.5 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) every year. When repairs or construction work at NYCHA housing require the use of outside contractors, services must typically be purchased via a bidding process. However, when the value of a contract was under a certain threshold, designated staff at NYCHA developments, including superintendents, could hire a contractor of their choosing without soliciting multiple bids.  With either type of contract, a NYCHA employee needed to certify that the work was satisfactorily completed in order for the contractor to receive payment from NYCHA.

    From at least 2014 through at least July 2023, MERCADO served as a superintendent at multiple NYCHA housing developments in Queens.  For approximately nine years, MERCADO demanded and received hundreds of thousands of dollars from multiple contractors in exchange for arranging for those contractors to receive contract work at developments where MERCADO was employed or in order for MERCADO to sign off on work that had been completed.  Although MERCADO initially demanded that contractors pay him 10% of the contract value in order to receive the work, MERCADO eventually doubled the amount that contractors had to pay from 10% to 20% of the value of the contract.  The contractors typically paid MERCADO between $500 and $2,000 for each contract on hundreds of occasions.  In total, MERCADO accepted approximately $329,300 in bribes in connection with at least $1,886,000 in contract work at NYCHA developments.

    Of the 70 individual NYCHA employees charged with bribery and extortion offenses in February 2024, 60 have pled guilty, and three have been convicted after trial.

    If you believe you have information related to bribery, extortion, or any other illegal conduct by NYCHA employees, please contact OIGNYCHA@doi.nyc.gov or (212) 306-3356. If you were involved in such conduct, please consider self-disclosing through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at USANYS.WBP@usdoj.gov.

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    In addition to the prison term, MERCADO, 50, of West Babylon, New York, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $329,300 and forfeit $329,300. 

    Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Department of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the HUD Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, which work together collaboratively as part of the HSI Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, as well as the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry J. Fang, Jacob R. Fiddelman, Catherine Ghosh, and Meredith C. Foster are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Nandita Vasantha.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Touts School Choice Legislation at Invest in Education Coalition Event

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    WASHINGTON — At today’s Invest in Education Coalition event in support of National School Choice Week, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), co-chair of the Congressional School Choice Caucus and member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, championed the rights of parents to choose the school that best fits their child’s individual talents and needs. Specifically, he pointed to the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), which he and HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) introduced today. The ECCA would expand education freedom and opportunity for students by providing a charitable donation incentive for individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students to cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education.

    Watch Senator Scott’s full remarks here. 
    “Let us [now] do our part as citizens of this great nation, to make available to some of the brightest kids that grew up in neighborhoods like I did…Let’s not let those kids down. They can’t afford a lobbyist, but they have you. And that’s enough,” concluded Senator Scott.
    Click here to learn more about the ECCA. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Philadelphia arrests 7 in worksite enforcement operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    January 31, 2025Philadelphia , PA, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted a worksite enforcement operation Jan. 28 at Complete Autowash in Philadelphia based on allegations employees were being subjected to labor exploitation. ICE encountered, interviewed and arrested seven illegal aliens for immigration violations, who were subsequently detained pending removal. Of those, six were from Mexico and one was from the Dominican Republic.

    “The successful execution of this worksite enforcement operation underscores our determined commitment to national security and public safety,” said Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Brian McShane. “We were able to apprehend individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States. These operations highlight the dedication and diligence of our officers and agents in protecting our communities from potential threats by enforcing immigration laws in accordance with U.S. laws and Department of Homeland Security policies.”

    Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE Philadelphia’s mission to increase public safety in our Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia communities on X at @EROPhiladelphia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Slams Trump Policy That Would Gut Social Security Administration, Make It Harder For Seniors To Receive Benefits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, is leading 11 of her Senate colleagues in a letter warning that President Trump’s plan to “buy out” federal workers would make it harder for older Americans to get their Social Security benefits. Earlier this week, Trump offered federal workers the option to resign and continue to receive full pay and benefits until September 30th, 2025, even though many federal agencies – including the Social Security Administration, which processes Social Security applications – are facing staffing shortages. Further reducing staffing through the buyout programs could force seniors to wait longer to receive assistance and benefits.
    “Trump’s buyout offer would have devastating consequences for the tens of millions of Americans who rely on Social Security,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Since the first Trump administration, the Social Security Administration has struggled to retain staff, and the agency is in desperate need of more personnel to process applications and serve beneficiaries. This policy would only exacerbate staffing shortages and long service wait times. Forcing seniors to wait indefinitely to get their benefits is unacceptable, and I am demanding answers from the administration about its plan to keep SSA functioning.”
    Gillibrand’s letter to the United States Office of Personnel Management, which sent the email earlier this week offering the buyout, was cosigned by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Jack Reed (D-RI).
    The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter is available here or below:
    Dear Mr. Ezell,  
    We are writing today to express concern regarding the consequences of an email sent to federal employees from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on January 28, 2025.i As you are aware, the email offered two million federal employeesii a “deferred resignation program” allowing employees to resign and continue to receive pay and benefits until September 30, 2025. It is clear that the Administration is seeking to undermine federal programs by eliminating career public servants. We have grave concerns for how these personnel decisions will affect the programs that serve the American people, especially those served by the Social Security Administration (SSA).  
    Social Security is the nation’s most effective anti-poverty program, without which, four in 10 older adults would have incomes below the poverty line.iii In 2025, SSA will serve approximately 72.5 million beneficiaries, including retirees and their families, individuals with disabilities, and low-income older adults.iv As our Nation’s population continues to age, the number of beneficiaries served by Social Security, and the demand placed on SSA field offices, will increase.v While the agency should be prepared to meet this surge in beneficiaries, with limited resources and personnel, SSA has historically struggled to provide essential services in a timely manner. In 2024, the average wait time for service via phone was 45 minutes;vi in 2023 the average wait time for disability determinations was 230 days,vii and SSA staffing was at a 25-year low.viii  
    The origin of these challenges can be traced back to the previous Trump Administration; under the leadership of then-SSA Commissioner Andrew Saul, SSA imposed harsh union contracts and undermined employees’ workplace rights, failed to prioritize training and retention of SSA staff, and failed to deploy modernization efforts to improve delivery of benefits to eligible Americans, resulting in a notable decline in employee morale and an increase in staff departures. Surveys have shown that more than half of SSA employees considered leaving the agency due to burnout and poor compensation.ix Under the Biden Administration, SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley worked to invest in the workforce, improve morale, and reverse failing policies imposed by President Trump— in six months, he successfully lowered the average phone wait time to under 13 minutesx and succeeded in reducing the number of pending disability determination hearings to the lowest number in 30 years.xi  
    But—years of decline cannot be fixed overnight, and challenges remain at SSA. Recent Executive Orders issued by President Trump, including the return-to-work mandate, the hiring freeze, and others, threaten to reverse improvements in SSA staff morale and staff retention. On top of these Executive Orders, your January 28th email could result in a staffing crisis at SSA. Workers who were already burned out and underpaid will likely be tempted by the resignation program, as will the one in four SSA employees who are eligible for retirement.xii This will have a tangible impact on beneficiaries, who will experience longer wait times and declining service quality. Given the significant impacts this proposal could have on one the Nation’s most valuable programs and the Nation’s most vulnerable individuals, we ask that you respond to the following questions: 
    Is the Administration planning to calculate the impact that these resignations could have on SSA’s ability to process applications and pay out benefits?  
    Further, P.L. 118-273, the Social Security Fairness Act, which would provide an estimated three million retired first responders, teachers, and other public servantsxiii with an average boost of $360xiv in their monthly benefits, was signed into law by President Biden at the end of last year. The law’s effective date was January 2024, and as a result, SSA will not only need to adjust current monthly benefits for these retirees, but also past benefits to ensure they are provided their entitled backpay. How does the Administration plan to ensure that resignations will not interfere with implementation of this law?   
    Should it become apparent that the number of “resignations” at SSA endanger the agency’s ability to serve Americans, does OPM plan to reject resignations from any employees?  
    Given that the Administration plans to afford benefits and pay through September 30, 2025 to employees who agree to resign, how does the Administration plan to attract, hire, and pay new SSA employees between now and September 30th to continue to meet service demands? Does the Administration plan to work with Congress to request supplemental funds for SSA’s operational budget?  
    The Administration has stated that it “insist[s] on excellence at every level.” How does the Administration plan to evaluate whether this rash deferred resignation policy is not resulting in the loss of well-qualified, federal employees who exhibit excellence in serving the American people and harm access to Social Security for the millions of Americans served by the program? 
    Will OPM instruct SSA to monitor changes in key metrics for customer satisfaction and benefit delivery after February 6th? If not, please explain why. If OPM does instruct SSA to monitor the impact of the deferred resignation program on customer satisfaction and benefit delivery processes, please describe the metrics that will be used.  For example, will SAA monitor for an increase in call times to SSA, an increase in wait time at SSA field offices, and an increase in wait time for processing Social Security applications? Please also describe how OPM will instruct SSA to publicize any changes in customer satisfaction and benefit delivery to the public and Congress. 
    Has the Administration worked with labor unions representing SSA employees, like the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), as well as organization representing beneficiaries, like AARP, in developing the deferred resignation policy? 
    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We ask that you reply no later than Friday, February 7, 2025. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fighting Recidivism and Holding Perpetrators Accountable

    Source: US State of New York

    January 31, 2025

    Albany, NY

    Governor Kathy Hochul today, joined by District Attorneys from across New York State, announced a series of improvements and essential changes to streamline New York’s Discovery Laws. Governor Hochul proposed these common sense reforms as part of her 2025 State of the State and are intended to end procedural delays and prevent automatic dismissals of cases. The District Attorneys Association of the State of New York or DAASNY overwhelmingly voted yesterday to endorse the Governor’s plan during their annual winter conference as it would give their offices the tools and resources needed to protect the rights of victims and hold perpetrators accountable, while safeguarding the right to a fair and speedy trial. This proposal aligns with the Governor’s record investments in recent years in proven crime prevention initiatives as efforts continue to see lowering crime rates across the State.

    “Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority, and working together with our District Attorneys from across the State we are taking steps to fight crime and hold perpetrators accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Governor Hochul said. “My common sense proposal to streamline New York’s discovery laws will close fatal loopholes that have delayed trials and led to cases being thrown out on minor technicalities, which will ultimately help crack down on recidivism and provide justice for victims. I am honored to have the full support of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York as we go about making these changes.”

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    Taking effect in 2020, New York’s discovery reform introduced essential changes to enhance fairness in criminal cases, but led to unintended consequences. Currently, if a prosecutor’s discovery compliance is later challenged successfully, the time between certification and challenge is retroactively counted against the prosecution, often resulting in dismissals unrelated to the merits of the case or the legality of the investigation.

    This loophole inadvertently incentivizes delaying discovery challenges, in order to have cases easily thrown out on technicalities. To address this, Governor Hochul proposes changes to eliminate the incentive to delay discovery challenges and to ensure that a discovery error is addressed in a manner proportional to the discovery error itself rather than as a technical mechanism to have an entire case dismissed.

    These changes will promote timely review that will improve case processing times, reduce delays that keep individuals incarcerated pre-trial, and prevent dismissals based on technicalities that can prohibit justice to victims and the people of the State of New York.

    My common sense proposal to streamline New York’s discovery laws will close fatal loopholes that have delayed trials and led to cases being thrown out on minor technicalities, which will ultimately help crack down on recidivism and provide justice for victims.”

    Governor Kathy Hochul

    Staten Island District Attorney and President of DAASNY Michael E. McMahon said, “From Richmond County to Chautauqua County and everywhere in between, the unintended consequences of the 2020 Discovery Statute have led to the dismissal of thousands of felony and misdemeanor cases or the dramatic reduction of charges across our State. This reality robs the victims of crime from ever receiving justice and is the direct cause of the rampant recidivism we all know and loathe today as dangerous criminals escape accountability and consequence for their criminal action. If New Yorkers want to know why there is a perpetual and revolving door of recidivism plaguing our State then look no further — our current discovery statutes are to blame. Now is the time to amend New York’s broken Discovery laws and we thank Governor Hochul for recognizing this fact and for working with our fellow district attorneys and legislators to draft a proposal which restores common sense and accountability to our criminal justice system.”

    Rensselaer County District Attorney and President-Elect of DAASNY Mary Pat Donnelly said, “Governor Hochul has acknowledged that New York State’s discovery statute has unintentionally resulted in an increase in case processing times and case delays, and actually keeps people incarcerated for longer periods of time. The current system continues to result in cases being dismissed on technicalities. The discovery proposal in the Governor’s proposed Budget would improve the discovery process and streamline case processing time while also ensuring that defendants are provided with the information they need in order to defend themselves. I support Governor Hochul in her efforts to improve the discovery process.”

    Embedded Flickr Album

    Governor Hochul also proposed a series of improvements to streamline the State’s discovery process. First, the Governor proposes clarifying that information requiring subpoenas in order to obtain is not necessary for certifying discovery compliance and that prosecutors may certify once they have disclosed all relevant materials in their actual possession. Next, Governor Hochul proposes expanding the scope of automatic redaction to include sensitive details such as witnesses’ physical addresses and personal data unrelated to the case, eliminating the need to engage in lengthy litigation to redact such material.

    Governor Hochul also proposes reducing the requirement for providing 48-hour notice before a defendant’s statements can be presented to a grand jury to 24 hours. This will help relieve the burden of counties that lack five-day grand juries and which, during extended weekends, do not have 48 hours before a case needs to be presented to a grand jury. These changes will ensure procedural fairness, streamline case processing and safeguard sensitive information.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hazard Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

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

    LONDON, Ky. – A Hazard, Ky., man, Herbert Allen, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 126 months, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

    According to his plea agreement, on May 30, 2023, Allen knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute a kilogram of methamphetamine.  Specifically, based on an investigation, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Allen’s residence.  Upon their arrival, Allen was in his vehicle.  When approached, Allen admitted to police that a backpack containing a large amount of methamphetamine was in the vehicle.  A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 1,084 grams of methamphetamine, plastic baggies, and a large quantity of cash.

    Under federal law, Allen must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon Allen’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. 

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Middle School Teacher and Basketball Coach Sentenced for Online Enticement of a Minor

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

    LONDON, Ky. – An Antioch, Tennessee, man, and former South Laurel Middle School teacher and basketball coach, William Goodson, 32, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 246 months, for online enticement of a minor. 

    According to his plea agreement, from August 2023 through February 23, 2024, while he was a teacher at the Middle School, Goodson persuaded a minor to engage in sexual activity. Specifically, Goodson communicated many sexually explicit messages with the victim, through text messages and Snapchat. When questioned, Goodson told police that his relationship with the minor was like that of a boyfriend, and he further admitted to buying the victim gifts and communicating daily, via Snapchat.  Ultimately, Goodson convinced the minor victim to engage in sexual contact, on multiple occasions, within his classroom.

    Under federal law, Goodson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon Goodson’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years. 

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Jerry Hollon, London Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and London Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

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

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced to 45 Months for Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts Violations

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LOUIS HANDY (“HANDY”), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon after previously  pleading guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm, violations of the Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

    According to court records, the FBI’s New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force, in conjunction with the New Orleans Police Department, observed HANDY carrying a concealed handgun.  When uniformed officers approached him to conduct an investigatory stop, HANDY discarded the gun under a nearby vehicle, ran but was caught after a brief chase.  After seizing the handgun HANDY discarded, officers searched HANDY’s person and vehicle, finding fentanyl, marijuana, oxycodone, suboxone films, a digital scale, latex gloves, and several hundred dollars in cash.  HANDY had several prior felony convictions, that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

    Judge Fallon sentenced HANDY to 45 months imprisonment on both the drug trafficking count and the felon in possession of a firearm count, to run concurrently, and ordered that HANDY be placed on supervised release for three years after his release from prison.  The Court also ordered HANDY to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.

    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.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Capital Southwest Announces U.S. Federal Income Tax Treatment of 2024 Dividends

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Capital Southwest Corporation (“Capital Southwest” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: CSWC), an internally managed business development company focused on providing flexible financing solutions to support the acquisition and growth of middle market businesses, announced today the U.S. federal income tax treatment of its 2024 dividends.

    U.S. Federal Income Tax Treatment of 2024 Dividends

    Capital Southwest paid dividends totaling $2.53 per share that are attributable to the tax year ended December 31, 2024, with 100.00% of those dividends comprised of ordinary income, including net short-term capital gains. The Company has posted information regarding the U.S. federal income tax characteristics of its dividends that are attributable to 2024 on its website (http://www.capitalsouthwest.com/tax-information).

    The amounts shown in the table below represent the final classification of the Company’s 2024 dividends. This information supersedes any estimated information you may have received during the year. Calendar-year 2024 dividends are classified as follows:

    Form 1099-DIV Reporting Box 1a Box 1a and Box 1b Box 2a Non-U.S. Shareholder Non-U.S. Shareholder
    Record Date Payment Date Distribution per Share Ordinary Dividend Per Share (i) Qualified Dividends Per Share (i), (ii) Long-Term Capital Gain Per Share (iii) % of Interest-Related and Short-Term Capital Gain (iv) % of Distributions Exempt from U.S. Withholding Tax (v)
    03/15/24 03/29/24 $ 0.6300   $ 0.6300   $ –   $ –   92.89 % 92.89 %
    06/14/24 03/28/24 $ 0.6300   $ 0.6300   $ –   $ –   92.89 % 92.89 %
    09/13/24 09/30/24 $ 0.6400   $ 0.6400   $ –   $ –   92.89 % 92.89 %
    12/13/24 12/31/24 $ 0.6300   $ 0.6300   $ –   $ –   92.89 % 92.89 %
        $ 2.5300   $ 2.5300   $ –   $ –      
                   
      % of Total Dividend            
      Paid Per Share   100.00 %   100.00 %   0.00 %   0.00 % 92.89 % 92.89 %
                                       

    (i) Form 1099-DIV Box 1a includes the combined amounts of the columns “Ordinary Dividend Per Share” and “Qualified Dividends Per Share,” contained within table above.

    (ii) The portion of the dividend reported in Box 1a treated as Qualified Dividend is reported on Form 1099-DIV in Box 1b.

    (iii) Net Capital Gain Dividend is reported on Form 1099-DIV in Box 2a.

    (iv) The Company designates the above percentages of each of the total dividends by payment date as Interest-Related Dividend and Short-Term Capital Gain Dividend in accordance with Sections 871(k) and 881(e) under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”).

    (v) The percentages designate the portion of Capital Southwest’s dividends received by Non-U.S. Residents and Foreign Corporation Shareholders that constitute Interest-Related Dividends, Short-Term Capital Gains Dividends, and Net Capital Gain Dividends to total amount of the dividends derived which generally are exempt from U.S. withholding tax for these periods for Non-U.S. Residents and Foreign Corporation Shareholders.

    Non-U.S. residents and foreign corporation shareholders (“Non-U.S. Shareholders”) in a regulated investment company (“RIC”), such as Capital Southwest, are exempt from U.S. withholding tax on both “interest-related” dividends and short-term capital gains in accordance with Sections 871(k) and 881(e) of the Code. In addition, Non-U.S. Shareholders in a RIC are also exempt from U.S. withholding tax on long-term capital gains. Approximately 92.89% of Capital Southwest’s 2024 dividends relate to interest and short-term capital gains.  See the “Tax Treatment of 2024 Dividends for Non-U.S. Shareholders” posted on the Company’s website for more details (http://www.capitalsouthwest.com/tax-information).

    Dividends distributed to Non-U.S. Shareholders may have been withheld to pay U.S. federal income tax. Non-U.S. Shareholders should contact their tax advisor with any questions regarding this information, and its application to any claim for refund of taxes paid to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

    About Capital Southwest

    Capital Southwest Corporation (Nasdaq: CSWC) is a Dallas, Texas-based, internally managed business development company with approximately $1.5 billion in investments at fair value as of September 30, 2024. Capital Southwest is a middle market lending firm focused on supporting the acquisition and growth of middle market businesses with $5 million to $50 million investments across the capital structure, including first lien, second lien, and non-control equity co-investments. As a public company with a permanent capital base, Capital Southwest has the flexibility to be creative in its financing solutions and to invest to support the growth of its portfolio companies over long periods of time.

    Investor Relations Contact:

    Michael S. Sarner, Chief Financial Officer
    214-884-3829

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Bernadette McIntyre Installed as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on January 31, 2025

    Her Honour the Honourable Bernadette McIntyre was installed as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan during a ceremony at the Legislative Building today.

    “Past Lieutenant Governors have exemplified volunteerism and service to Saskatchewan people, and I am confident with a highly distinguished career, spanning over areas such as tourism, sports, and business, that Her Honour is no different,” Premier Scott Moe said. “I offer my congratulations to Ms. McIntyre, and look forward to seeing the outstanding service she will provide to the province.”

    Following the installation ceremony, Lieutenant Governor McIntyre inspected an honour guard in the Legislative Assembly Rotunda.

    The Lieutenant Governor is the personal representative of the Sovereign in Saskatchewan and is responsible for granting Royal Assent to provincial laws, as well as summoning and dissolving the provincial legislature.

    Under the Canadian Constitution, Lieutenant Governors are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister for a minimum of five years; however, there is no fixed term of office.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Paraguay President: Any multilateralism crisis can only be solved with more multilateralism

    Source: World Trade Organization

    President Peña noted that Paraguay is one of the most open economies in the world, firmly anchored in the belief that “free commerce is a bedrock of civilized peoples.” In fact, Paraguay is the second most open economy in Latin America, with no significant restrictions on trade, a simple tax system and a markedly pro-business stance, he said. As a landlocked country and primarily an agricultural exporter, producing food for ten times its population, Paraguay has no other alternative, he added.

    “We understand both the opportunities and vulnerabilities of global trade. Our experience has shown us that the path to development requires not isolation but deeper integration into global markets – guided by clear, fair and enforceable rules. For middle-sized economies like Paraguay, the multilateral trading system is not just one option among many, it is simply essential for our development and prosperity. This is why I believe that any crisis of multilateralism can only be solved by one thing: more multilateralism,” he declared.

    President Peña stressed that Paraguay’s commitment to the WTO stems from its experience as a country which has constructed a stable democracy with consistent economic policies and its unique perspective as a bridge between countries with different levels of development. It also comes from the deep conviction that multilateralism remains the most effective path to sustainable development, he added.

    Referring to the historic decision to establish multilateral institutions after the Second World War, President Peña noted that it is precisely during difficult times that organizations like the WTO have the unique opportunity not only to show the world their crucial importance but to justify their existence. “The creation of an international organization which seeks to put order into chaos in the world of commerce was not only a sound decision but a brilliant and endurable insight. … The WTO has been, is and will be a great idea,” he added.

    In his address to WTO ambassadors, heads of intergovernmental organizations, representatives of non-governmental organizations, business and academia, President Peña also underscored that WTO members must be proactive in order to overcome the challenges faced by the system.

    He pointed to the need to make meaningful progress on agricultural reform to achieve less distorted markets and enhance food security, and to the importance of restoring a fully functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all members. He also called on members to ensure that environmental measures enhance, rather than hinder, international trade, and to secure justice, fairness and equality, the most fundamental principles of international commerce.

    The lecture – titled “Sustaining Multilateralism in Uncertain Times: The Role of Middle Powers” – was preceded by opening remarks by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who stressed that under President Peña Paraguay registered South America’s strongest rates of GDP growth in 2023 and 2024, according to IMF data, with a positive outlook for 2025 as well.

    DG Okonjo-Iweala noted that as a landlocked developing country, Paraguay faces challenges familiar to many WTO members. In the case of Paraguay, these challenges have to do with diversifying its exports beyond meat, soybeans and electricity, and the vulnerability to climate change of the Paraguay-Parana River waterway that connects the country to world markets for goods.

    DG Okonjo-Iweala referred to the fifth WTO Trade Policy Review (TPR) of Paraguay undertaken in November 2024 and the recognition by other members of Paraguay’s active and constructive engagement at the WTO, particularly in agriculture negotiations. She noted that at the TPR meeting, members praised Paraguay’s broadly open trade and investment environment and noted its reliance on regional and global trade to drive development and poverty reduction.

    DG Okonjo-Iweala also drew attention to the current challenging environment and the potential for the world to become more fragmented. “We have lived in that world before in the 1930s. It was poorer and more violent. So we owe it to our children and grandchildren,” she said, to preserving the benefits of multilateralism whilst fixing its shortcomings. “This would help us build them a better future,” she added.

    A recording of the event can be viewed here.

    About the WTO’s Presidential Lecture Series

    The WTO’s Presidential Lecture Series provides a platform for distinguished speakers from around the world to deliver lectures on various aspects of multilateral cooperation and global governance. Several events are held each year.

    More information on the lecture series is available here.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Extradition Hearing for Alleged Exxon Linked Hacker Underscores Big Oil’s War to Avoid Accountability

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    WASHINGTON, DC (January 31, 2025) — In response to ongoing legal developments regarding the Department of Justice’s effort to extradite an alleged hacker linked to cyberattacks against climate organizations including Greenpeace USA, Greenpeace USA Deputy Climate Program Director, John Noël said:

    “The latest bombshell revelations in the hack-for-hire case expose a brazen attack on democracy. Defense documents submitted to the court now allegedly link the DCI Group—a lobbying firm hired by Exxon—to a covert hacking operation aimed at undermining climate advocacy organizations, campaigners, journalists and derailing momentum for climate liability lawsuits by stealing private communications.

    “This apparent corporate espionage scandal is staggering—millions of dollars, international intelligence firms, shadowy hackers, and apparently Big Oil at its center. As one of the key suspects faces extradition to the U.S., even more revelations could still emerge. Those responsible must be fully pursued to expose the depths of this scheme and deliver justice.

    “Big Oil is escalating its playbook of manipulation and intimidation—deploying hacking schemes, SLAPP lawsuits, and a tidal wave of disinformation—to silence demands for accountability and climate justice. The fossil fuel industry’s relentless attempts to suppress the truth and crush legal efforts to hold them responsible must not be allowed to stall or derail the urgent fight for a livable future for working families everywhere.”

    Contact: Gigi Singh, Communications Manager at Greenpeace USA
    (+1)  631-404-9977, [email protected]  

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Senators Rosen & Lankford Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Holocaust Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – Following the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz and International Holocaust Remembrance Day, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK), co-founders and co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Antisemitism, introduced the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act to strengthen Holocaust education at public schools and increase awareness of Holocaust educational resources available to local communities. This bipartisan legislation would direct the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to conduct a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive study on Holocaust education. This study would help identify the resources and methods available to public schools to improve the ways in which educators teach students across the country about the Holocaust and antisemitism.
    “As our nation continues to face an alarming rise of antisemitism, and with Holocaust denial and distortion spiking worldwide, it’s critical that we identify and improve the resources available to our nation’s educators so they can accurately inform students about the horrors of the Holocaust and the dangers of anti-Jewish bigotry,” said Senator Rosen. “Our bipartisan legislation will help ensure the lessons of this dark chapter in history are never forgotten. I’ll keep working to combat antisemitism and make certain that Never Again means never again.”
    “Antisemitism and anti-Jewish crimes remain sadly on the rise in our nation and around the world,” said Senator Lankford. “Senator Rosen and I continue to work together to call out antisemitism no matter who or where it comes from. I will continue to do what I can to ensure future generations never forget the Holocaust and understand the fact that everyone should be able to freely live their faith without fear or persecution.”
    “Holocaust education is not just about preserving history—it fosters empathy, underscores the fragility of democracy, teaches about the role of antisemitism as Nazi ideology and the importance of bearing witness. ADL’s Center for Antisemitism Research (CAR) survey results reveal alarming gaps in Holocaust knowledge, with nearly 6 in 10 Americans under 30 unable to identify how many Jews were murdered, and 1 in 4 adults saying they ‘don’t know.’ ADL applauds Senators Rosen and Lankford, Co-Chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, for reintroducing the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act and urges swift passage of this important bill to ensure every student has access to comprehensive Holocaust education,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of ADL.
    “American Jewish Committee (AJC) surveyed adults in the United States and found that only 53% of Americans over the age of 18 knew that approximately six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Knowing about the Holocaust contributes to understanding and confronting antisemitism in the United States. We applaud Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK), co-chairs of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, for introducing the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act. We also appreciate their commitment to supporting educators throughout the country and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in its mission to ensure the Holocaust is taught accurately and comprehensively,” said Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee.
    “With rising antisemitism around the world, the HEAL Act is more critical than ever. Jewish Federations across the United States have long worked to encourage requiring Holocaust education in schools. We are grateful that the Senate is reintroducing this bill, which will teach students about the Holocaust and its lessons to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again.” said Karen Paikin Barall, Vice President of Government Relations at Jewish Federations of North America.
    “Hadassah is proud to support the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act. One of the most important ways to demonstrate our collective responsibility to fight antisemitism, hatred and bigotry is to ensure that future generations learn about the Holocaust. Yet, as antisemitism continues to alarmingly rise, schools are becoming hotbeds of hatred toward Jewish students. Passing the HEAL Act will help identify gaps in Holocaust education and review best practices from expert historic and Jewish studies perspectives to provide resources that help educators teach students about this horrific period in history and the evils to which intolerance can lead,” said Carol Ann Schwartz, Hadassah National President, and Ellen Finkelstein, Hadassah Chief Executive Officer.
    As co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, Senators Rosen and Lankford have been leading the fight against antisemitism. They pushed to create the first-ever national strategy to counter antisemitism. Last year, Senator Rosen’s bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Never Again Education Act became law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Joins Bipartisan Bill to Lower Child Care Costs and Address Shortage of Affordable Child Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is joining bipartisan legislation to lower child care costs and address the nationwide shortage of affordable child care. The Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act would provide competitive grants for states to train child care workers and build or renovate child care facilities.

    Families across the country are struggling to access available child care, with rural communities increasingly becoming “child care deserts” due to the noticeable decline in the number of child care providers. According to the Governor’s office, Maine has seen a 39% drop in the number of family childcare providers since 2013, significantly affecting the most rural communities.

    “Affordable and accessible child care is one of the most pressing needs for working families in Maine and across the nation,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act would provide important grant funding to states like Maine to train additional child care workers and build or renovate new child care facilities. When families have access to care, they are able to succeed both at home and in their professional careers. Child care is more than a household priority; child care means business!”

    The Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act would:

    • Address the shortage of affordable child care and qualified child care professionals, particularly in rural areas; 
    • Provide competitive grants to states to support the education, training, or retention of the child care workforce;
    • Provide competitive grants to states to build, renovate, and expand child care facilities in areas experiencing shortages; 
    • Require grant applicants to demonstrate how their projects would increase the availability and affordability of quality child care, and help child care workers continue advance their careers; and 
    • Enhance retention and compensation of quality child care professionals.

    The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Whitehouse (D-RI).

    Senator King has long worked to expand access to child care. He secured millions to improve child care services in the 2022 and 2023 omnibus appropriations bills, and worked to authorize the planning and development of a new child development center at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He is also the cosponsor of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act, which would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit that helps households offset their child care costs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Underscores Urgent Need for Uninterrupted, Strategically Critical, Life-Saving Foreign Aid

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON — At yesterday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the “Malign Influence of the People’s Republic of China at Home and Abroad: Recommendations for Policy Makers,” U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) underscored the importance of U.S. leadership and global engagement in advancing American interests. Using the Philippines and Papua New Guinea as examples, Schatz asked witnesses to lay out the dire consequences of U.S. disengagement, as well as the opportunities it would create for the PRC.

    Prior to his questioning, Schatz, who also serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, addressed the chaos caused by the Trump Administration’s recent foreign aid funding freeze, stating, “We really just, on a nonpartisan basis, have to keep the pressure on the State Department to effectuate the Secretary’s policy because right now there’s a ton of confusion, and these are faraway places, and the original stop work orders are still being observed in some places and not in others. The furloughs are in some places being undone and not in others, and this is not some policy question anymore. It’s a question of executing what the Secretary has asked. So I just ask that we continue to put pressure on a bipartisan basis and just to understand the urgency of the moment. Four days ago, I asked now how bad is this, and they said ‘babies dying by the weekend’ and so this is not the kind of thing that we can get back to on Monday. We all have to exert pressure and make sure that the State Department gets this right, and I’m talking about in the next 24 hours.”

    Having recently discussed strengthening security and economic ties with the Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, Schatz asked, “I want to just start with the Philippines. As you know, they’re one of our closest allies. We have economic assistance arrangements, we have life-saving support that we provide, and of course we have a security partnership that’s lasted generations. If you were a senior CCP official, how would you view this freeze in foreign aid coming from the United States?”

    Peter Mattis, President of the Jamestown Foundation, replied, “I would be looking to exploit the opportunity that is there. And over the years the political fluctuations in the Philippines have offered those opportunities. They’ve disrupted the relationship. They’ve disrupted partnership, and anything from Beijing’s perspective, or if I were… a senior official in the United Front Work Department, I would be doing everything I can to exploit whatever chaos is there in the U.S.-Philippine relationship.”

    Schatz then pivoted to the subject of Papua New Guinea (PNG), a country rich in natural resources, saying, “It’s at risk of becoming a foothold for PRC military expansion. But right now it has the highest HIV incidence in the Pacific, and it’s rising. It also has a lot of unexploded ordinance, and last year the Department of Defense signed an $864 million defense bill deal with Port Morrisby, so it seems to me that the Philippines is one question: we have a bilateral relationship that spans generations and is sturdy, like under Duterte less sturdy, but still solid even when we have a president who is an unreliable partner, but in places like PNG where to use… the domestic equivalent they’re sort of swing states they’re open for business… to being aligned with China, to being aligned with the United States, to playing both sides against the middle. I’m particularly concerned about smaller countries for whom a withholding of economic or military or life-saving support is not something they can sort of weather, and so I’m wondering if you can talk about PNG in particular.”

    Dr. Melanie Hart, Senior Director of Global China Hub at Atlantic Council, answered, “Basically we’ve given Beijing a blank check and kneecapped the United States and the entire global pro-democracy movement. If you want to talk about PNG and their need for medicine, there is very clear pattern that, during the COVID crisis, Beijing forced nations around the world… to carry out its political edicts in exchange for COVID vaccines. I have no doubt that Beijing is already showing up in capitals where the United States is pulling back and saying here is your HIV medicine and guess what: here’s the three things you need to do for me today to get it.”

    Schatz was recently named the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, which appropriates billions of dollars in funding for the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other critical agencies and programs that provide humanitarian aid, global health support, and economic and security assistance, among other things to those in need around the world.

    Video of Senator Schatz’s full exchange at today’s hearing is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Amid global uncertainty, minister meets with economic forecast council

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The impacts of potential U.S. tariffs are adding uncertainty to the global and domestic outlook, but private-sector forecasters indicate British Columbia is well positioned to take on whatever comes next.

    At their annual meeting with the finance minister on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, the 13 independent private sector forecasters from across Canada that make up B.C.’s Economic Forecast Council (EFC) noted that, like all provinces, B.C.’s economic outlook is affected by global and domestic forces, including federal immigration targets. Forecasters reaffirmed that in the absence of tariffs, they had expected steady economic growth for B.C.

    Members said a diverse export network and a resource-rich environment give B.C. an advantage over other provinces, while some were encouraged by B.C.’s work to date to address housing supply, skills training and affordability challenges.

    “We are in times of significant global uncertainty, and we can expect this instability to continue through the next four years,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance. “Our approach is to stand up for British Columbians by strengthening our economy, and continuing to diversify our trading network, while supporting the people that need it most. Our Economic Forecast Council has noted that while the uncertainty of threats from the south can make the planning and budgeting process more challenging than typical, with a diverse economy, B.C. remains well-positioned to attract new investment, skilled workers, and development opportunities. While there are challenges ahead, we have everything we need here to thrive.”

    The Economic Forecast Council estimates that real GDP in B.C. grew by 1.2% in 2024, higher than the Province’s projection in the Fall 2024 Economic and Fiscal Update. In early January, the council forecast B.C. real GDP growth of 1.9% in 2025, in line with the ministry’s outlook, and steady economic growth of 2.0% annually on average through 2029. These projections do not fully include the impact of potential U.S. tariffs.

    Economic Forecast Council members will have an opportunity to revise their forecasts before the budget.

    B.C.’s finance minister meets each year with the Economic Forecast Council, whose forecasts and feedback help inform the Province as it prepares the next provincial budget. The budget will be released on March 4, 2025.

    Learn More:

    To access the Fall 2024 Economic and Fiscal Update, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/finances/reports/quarterly-reports

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Body found on Bethells Beach believed to be missing swimmer

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police were notified about 8:10pm yesterday that a body had washed up on Bethells Beach.

    Although formal identification is ongoing, Police believe it is likely the body of the man who got into difficulty in the water at Piha on Tuesday evening.

    The man’s family has been advised and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

    The death will be referred to the Coroner.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Staff Issues Supplemental Letter Regarding No-Action Position on Reporting, Recordkeeping Requirements

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    CFTC Staff Issues Supplemental Letter Regarding No-Action Position on Reporting, Recordkeeping Requirements | CFTC

    /PressRoom/PressReleases/9042-25
    Skip to main content

    January 31, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Market Oversight and the Division of Clearing and Risk today announced they have taken a no-action position regarding swap data reporting and recordkeeping regulations. This position is in response to a request from KalshiEX LLC, a designated contract market, and Kalshi Klear LLC, a derivatives clearing organization, to modify CFTC Letter No. 24-15 to remove the condition prohibiting third-party clearing by participants and to cover fully-collateralized variable payout contracts. 
    The Divisions will not recommend the Commission initiate an enforcement action against KalshiEX LLC, Kalshi Klear LLC, or their participants for failure to comply with certain swap-related recordkeeping requirements and for failure to report to swap data repositories data associated with binary option transactions and variable payout contract transactions executed on or subject to the rules of KalshiEX LLC and cleared through Kalshi Klear LLC, subject to the terms of the no-action letter. The supplemental letter also removes the condition in CFTC Letter No. 24-15 that prohibits Kalshi participants from clearing contracts through a third-party clearing member.

    -CFTC-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Blue Ridge Beef Issues a Recall of Blue Ridge Beef Natural Mix Due to Salmonella Contamination

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    FDA Publish Date:
    Product Type:
    Animal & Veterinary
    Food & Beverages
    Pet Food
    Foodborne Illness
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description

    Salmonella contamination

    Company Name:
    Blue Ridge Beef
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)

    Blue Ridge Beef

    Product Description:

    Product Description

    Natural Mix

    Company Announcement

    STATESVILLE, NC – January 31, 2025– Blue Ridge Beef is recalling 5,700 lbs. of their 2 lb log Natural Mix due to a contamination of Salmonella. Lot # N25/12/31 (Lot numbers are stamped in the clips on the end of the chubs/bags) 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 was 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.

    The products were distributed between January 3/2025 to January 24/2025. The product is packaged in clear plastic and sold primarily in retail stores located in the States of: [Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York State, Tennessee, Rhode Island. Image of product below:

    Products affected are:

    Product 

    Size 

    UPC 

    Lot Numbers 

    Natural Mix

    2 lb

    854298001054

    N26/12/31 (lot)

    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. Do not sell or donate the recalled products. Do not feed the recalled product to pets or any other animals. Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups, and storage containers. Always ensure you wash and sanitize your hands after handling recalled food or any utensils that come in contact with recalled food. For more information contact blueridgebeefnc@yahoo.com or 704-873-2072

    This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.

    Company Contact Information

    Product Photos

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alvogen Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall for One Lot of Fentanyl Transdermal System 25 mcg/h Due to a Defective Delivery System

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    FDA Publish Date:
    Product Type:
    Drugs
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description

    There is potential that patches could be multi-stacked, adhered one on top of the other, in a single product pouch

    Company Name:
    Alvogen, Inc.
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)

    Alvogen

    Product Description:

    Product Description

    Fentanyl Transdermal System 25 mcg/h transdermal patches

    Company Announcement

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 31, 2025 – Morristown, NJ

    Alvogen, Inc. is voluntarily recalling one lot of Fentanyl Transdermal System 25 mcg/h transdermal patches to the consumer level. The reason for the recall is that there is a potential that patches could be multi-stacked, adhered one on top of the other, in a single product pouch. This transdermal system is manufactured by Kindeva Drug Delivery L.P., Northridge, CA and is distributed by Alvogen, Inc. as a private label distributor.

    There is a possibility that the application of a multi-stacked 25 mcg/h patch could result in serious, life threatening, or fatal respiratory depression. Groups at potential increased risk could include first-time recipients of such patches, children, and the elderly. To date, Alvogen has received one serious adverse event related to this recall.

    The product is indicated for the management of severe and persistent pain in opioid-tolerant patients, that requires an extended treatment period with a daily opioid analgesic in opioid-tolerant patients, and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate, and is packaged in primary cartons of five individually wrapped and labeled pouches. The affected Fentanyl Transdermal System lot is:

    Lot 108319 of Fentanyl Transdermal System, 25 mcg/h, expiration date 04/2027.

    This lot of Fentanyl Transdermal System was distributed nationwide to the pharmacy and patient level. See image examples for lot 108319 and a multi-stacked patch.

    Alvogen, Inc. is notifying its distributors and direct customers by certified letter and is arranging for return and replacement of all recalled products. Pharmacies are requested not to dispense any product subject to this recall.

    Patients that have product subject to this recall should immediately remove any patch currently in use and contact their health care provider. Patients with unused product should return it to point of purchase for replacement. Consumers should contact their physician or health care provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using this drug product.

    Questions regarding this recall should be directed to Alvogen Customer Complaints by calling 866-770-3024 or sending an e-mail to alvogensmb@continuumindia.com, Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.

    Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.

    This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Company Contact Information

    Product Photos

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What’s Up: February 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA

    Source: NASA

    [embedded content]

    Venus blazes at its brightest for the year after sunset, then Mars and Jupiter to rule the night amid the menagerie of bright winter stars.

    All Month – Planet Visibility:

    Mercury: Pops up just above the horizon in late February, looking relatively bright as sunset fades
    Venus: Looking brilliant in the west after sunset all month
    Mars: Bright and amber-orange colored, high in the east each evening. It’s the last planet to set in the west a couple of hours before sunrise
    Jupiter: Find the giant planet high overhead in the evening, looking very bright
    Saturn: Somewhat faint, but visible low in the west for the first hour after sunset; increasingly lower as the month goes on

    Daily Highlights:
    February 1 – Venus & Moon: The crescent Moon cozies up to brilliant Venus tonight in the west after sunset. Saturn hangs below them.
    February 5 – Moon & Pleiades: Look for the Moon only a finger’s width west of the Pleiades at nightfall, then crossing in front of the star cluster before setting
    February 6 – Moon & Jupiter: The Moon is high overhead at nightfall, forming a line with bright Jupiter and reddish star Aldebaran in Taurus
    February 9 – Moon & Mars: Find the nearly full Moon in the east tonight after dark, about three finger widths below reddish Mars. Bright stars Pollux and Castor in Gemini are just to its north.
    February 12 – Full Moon

    What’s Up for February? The Moon’s many engagements, what’s the right term for a planetary rendezvous, and the goddess of love draws near.
    Moon & Planets
    Starting with the Moon’s journey across the sky this month, you’ll find the slim crescent of Earth’s natural satellite cozied up to the planet Venus on the 1st. It then visits the Pleiades on the 5th, and hops over Jupiter on the 6th, looking increasingly fuller, before arriving right next to Mars on February 9th.

    Jupiter and Mars rule the sky on February nights. You’ll find them high overhead in the evening, together with the winter constellations of Orion, Taurus, and Gemini.
    Appulses
    Astronomers sometimes get picky about their terminology. For instance, the apparent close approaches of objects on the sky, like two planets, or the Moon and a planet, are commonly called “conjunctions,” and we often use that term in this video series.
    However, most of the time, the technically correct term is an “appulse.” Conjunctions technically occur when two objects have the same right ascension, and they don’t have to appear close together in the sky. (Right ascension is a way of indicating where an object is along the sky from east to west, similar to how we measure longitude on Earth’s surface.)
    Appulses are simply the times when two objects appear at their closest in the sky, regardless of whether they have to have the same “space coordinates.” The term comes from a Latin word meaning “brought near” or “driven toward.” And now that you know the distinction, you can choose to keep it casual or impress others with some next-level astronomy knowledge. Either way, it’s all about enjoying the view.
    Venus Draws Near
    February is a month for love, so what better time to spotlight Venus, which is associated with the Roman goddess of love? This month, Venus shines at its brightest for the year. It’ll remain dazzling through the start of March as it slowly descends from its late-January high point in the sky. By mid-March, it will disappear into the glare of sunset, only to reappear as a morning object in April.

    Now, you may have heard that Venus goes through phases, just like the Moon. You can see these phases with a modest telescope. But there’s a surprising twist: unlike the Moon, Venus isn’t at its brightest when it’s “full.” Instead, it shines most brilliantly in our skies when it’s a thinner crescent! It all comes down to distance. See, Venus only appears fuller when it’s on the far side of the Sun, and much farther from Earth. As it comes closer to us, its phase becomes a crescent, but the planet also looks much larger in the sky. Even as a crescent, the light from its closer position more than makes up for the smaller phase.
    So, remember this Valentine’s proverb: “The goddess of love is at her most radiant when nearby!”
    Moon Phases

    Above are the phases of the Moon for February. Stay up to date on all of NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov. I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Radar Imagery Reveals Details About Los Angeles-Area Landslides

    Source: NASA

    Analysis of data from NASA radar aboard an airplane shows that the decades-old active landslide area on the Palos Verdes Peninsula has expanded.
    Researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California used data from an airborne radar to measure the movement of the slow-moving landslides on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County. The analysis determined that, during a four-week period in the fall of 2024, land in the residential area slid toward the ocean by as much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) per week.
    Portions of the peninsula, which juts into the Pacific Ocean just south of the city of Los Angeles, are part of an ancient complex of landslides and has been moving for at least the past six decades, affecting hundreds of buildings in local communities. The motion accelerated, and the active area expanded following record-breaking rainfall in Southern California in 2023 and heavy precipitation in early 2024.
    To create this visualization, the Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) team used data from four flights of NASA’s Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) that took place between Sept. 18 and Oct. 17. The UAVSAR instrument was mounted to a Gulfstream III jet flown out of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and the four flights were planned to estimate the speed and direction of the landslides in three dimensions.
    In the image above, colors indicate how fast parts of the landslide complex were moving in late September and October, with the darkest reds indicating the highest speeds. The arrows represent the direction of horizontal motion. The white solid lines are the boundaries of the active landslide area as defined in 2007 by the California Geological Survey.
    “In effect, we’re seeing that the footprint of land experiencing significant impacts has expanded, and the speed is more than enough to put human life and infrastructure at risk,” said Alexander Handwerger, the JPL landslide scientist who performed the analysis.
    The insights from the UAVSAR flights were part of a package of analyses by the ARIA team that also used data from ESA’s (the European Space Agency’s) Copernicus Sentinel-1A/B satellites. The analyses were provided to California officials to support the state’s response to the landslides and made available to the public at NASA’s Disaster Mapping Portal.
    Handwerger is also the principal investigator for NASA’s upcoming Landslide Climate Change Experiment, which will use airborne radar to study how extreme wet or dry precipitation patterns influence landslides. The investigation will include flights over coastal slopes spanning the California coastline.
    More About ARIA, UAVSAR
    The ARIA mission is a collaboration between JPL and Caltech, which manages JPL for NASA, to leverage radar and optical remote-sensing, GPS, and seismic observations for science as well as to aid in disaster response. The project investigates the processes and impacts of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, fires, subsurface fluid movement, and other natural hazards.
    UAVSAR has flown thousands of radar missions around the world since 2007, studying phenomena such as glaciers and ice sheets, vegetation in ecosystems, and natural hazards like earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides.
    News Media Contacts
    Andrew Wang / Jane J. LeeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 818-354-0307andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov
    2025-012

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Building an Antenna

    Source: NASA

    A crane lowers the 112-foot-wide (34-meter-wide) steel framework for the Deep Space Station 23 (DSS-23) reflector dish into position on Dec. 18, 2024, at the Deep Space Network’s (DSN) Goldstone Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California. Once online in 2026, DSS-23 will be the fifth of six new beam waveguide antennas to be added to the network; DSS-23 will boost the DSN’s capacity and enhance NASA’s deep space communications capabilities for decades to come.
    The DSN allows missions to track, send commands to, and receive scientific data from faraway spacecraft. More than 100 NASA and non-NASA missions rely on the DSN and Near Space Network, including supporting astronauts aboard the International Space Station and future Artemis missions, supporting lunar exploration, and uncovering the solar system and beyond.
    Watch a time-lapse video of construction activities on Dec. 18.
    Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Flight Tests Wildland Fire Tech Ahead of Demo

    Source: NASA

    NASA is collaborating with the wildfire community to provide tools for some of the most challenging aspects of firefighting – particularly aerial nighttime operations.  
    In the future, agencies could more efficiently use drones, both remotely piloted and fully autonomous, to help fight wildfires. NASA recently tested technologies with teams across the country that will enable aircraft – including small drones and helicopters outfitted with autonomous technology for remote piloting – to monitor and fight wildfires 24 hours a day, even during low-visibility conditions. 
    Current aerial firefighting operations are limited to times when aircraft have clear visibility – otherwise, pilots run the risk of flying into terrain or colliding with other aircraft. NASA-developed airspace management technology will enable drones and remotely piloted aircraft to operate at night, expanding the window of time responders have to aerially suppress fires.
    “We’re aiming to provide new tools – including airspace management technologies – for 24-hour drone operations for wildfire response,” said Min Xue, project manager of the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project within NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. “This testing will provide valuable data to inform how we mature this technology for eventual use in the field.” 
    Over the past year, ACERO researchers developed a portable airspace management system (PAMS) drone pilots can use to safely send aircraft into wildfire response operations when operating drones from remote control systems or ground control stations.  
    Each PAMS, roughly the size of a carry-on suitcase, is outfitted with a computer for airspace management, a radio for sharing information among PAMS units, and an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast receiver for picking up nearby air traffic – all encased in a durable and portable container. 
    NASA software on the PAMS allows drone pilots to avoid airborne collisions while remotely operating aircraft by monitoring and sharing flight plans with other aircraft in the network. The system also provides basic fire location and weather information. A drone equipped with a communication device acts as an airborne communication relay for the ground-based PAMS units, enabling them to communicate with each other without relying on the internet.  

    To test the PAMS units’ ability to share and display vital information, NASA researchers placed three units in different locations outside each other’s line of sight at a hangar at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Researchers stationed at each unit entered a flight plan into their system and observed that each unit successfully shared flight plans with the others through a mesh radio network. 
    Next, researchers worked with team members in Virginia to test an aerial communications radio relay capability. 
    Researchers outfitted a long-range vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with a camera, computer, a mesh radio, and an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast receiver for air traffic information. The team flew the aircraft and two smaller drones at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, purposely operating them outside each other’s line of sight.  
    The mesh radio network aboard the larger drone successfully connected with the small drones and multiple radio units on the ground. 

    NASA researchers then tested the PAMS units’ ability to coordinate through an aerial communications relay to simulate what it could be like in the field.  
    At Monterey Bay Academy Airport in Watsonville, California, engineers flew a winged drone with vertical takeoff and landing capability by Overwatch Aero, establishing a communications relay to three different PAMS units. Next, the team flew two smaller drones nearby.  
    Researchers tested the PAMS units’ ability to receive communications from the Overwatch aircraft and share information with other PAMS units. Pilots purposely submitted flight plans that would conflict with each other and intentionally flew the drones outside preapproved flight plans. 
    The PAMS units successfully alerted pilots to conflicting flight plans and operations outside preapproved zones. They also shared aircraft location with each other and displayed weather updates and simulated fire location data. 
    The test demonstrated the potential for using PAM units in wildfire operations.  
    “This testing is a significant step towards improving aerial coordination during a wildfire,” Xue said. “These technologies will improve wildfire operations, reduce the impacts of large wildfires, and save more lives,” Xue said.  
    This year, the team will perform a flight evaluation to further mature these wildfire technologies. Ultimately, the project aims to transfer this technology to the firefighting community community. 
    This work is led by the ACERO project under NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and supports the agency’s Advanced Air Mobility mission.  

    MIL OSI USA News –