NewzIntel.com

Blog

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Marshall joins Varney & Co. on The Migrant Surge at The Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Kansas City, Kansas. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined Fox Business’ Varney & Co. to discuss the migrant surge at the southern border leading up to a potential Trump presidency, and his new op-ed, Farmers and Ranchers Turn to Trump to Deliver, that contrasts President Trump’s Farmers First agenda with the past four years of the Biden-Harris anti-agriculture agenda.
    Highlights from the interview include:
    On Migrant Surge at The Border:
    “That’s why we’re seeing a massive increase of people headed to the border right now trying to beat President Trump. Look, we have two administrations here. President Trump secured the border, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris made the situation worse. This is why over 90% of Kansans don’t feel safe in their own homes right now, in their own communities. We’re losing a young Kansan every day to fentanyl poisoning across the country, 300 deaths to fentanyl poisoning every day.”
    On President Trump Delivering for Rural America: 
    “Well, they’re going to get more trade markets, they are going to get less regulations. What Joe Biden and Kamala Harris gave us is a record drop in net farm income, a record drop in net farm income with increased regulations. They buried us in their regulations. Biden then Harris’s fuel prices, fertilizer prices and interest rates have just killed American farmers.”
    “President Trump rolled back regulations, but he gave us these trade markets as well. He gave us USMCA. He gave us Japan and South Korea as well. And all of that has been increased trade for American farmers. I think dairy is a great example. You think of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin – dairy states. We’ve increased dairy exports from 6 billion to $9 billion thanks to President Trump’s trade agreements. And of course, the answer to how many trade agreements did Kamala Harris get done? And the answer is zero.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall, Lee, and Tuberville Demand Accountability from Secretary Mayorkas on Border-Caused Tuberculosis Surge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. and Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, holding him accountable for a surge in Tuberculosis (TB) cases across the United States due to lax enforcement of border laws under the Biden-Harris administration. The senators make clear that this administration’s policies are jeopardizing public health, risking a re-emergence of TB along with violent crime, human trafficking, and drug smuggling as a direct result of an unsecured border.
     “When Secretary Mayorkas became the Homeland Security Secretary, he solemnly vowed to protect the United States. He has failed. Millions of illegal aliens have crossed our southern border, spreading not only crime but also deadly diseases like tuberculosis that can threaten the lives of American citizens,” said. Sen. Marshall. “We cannot allow Secretary Mayorkas to continue to put the American people at risk. Secretary Mayorkas, along with President Biden and Vice President Harris, must take immediate action to close the southern border to protect Americans.” 
    “The Biden-Harris administration’s destruction of America’s southern border has resulted in violent crime, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and now a surge in a disease that was declining for nearly three decades before they took power,” said Sen. Lee. “Secretary Mayorkas must answer for his part in this disaster.”
    “For the past 4 years, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have willfully opened our borders, allowing millions of criminals, murderers, drug dealers, and terrorists to flood into our country unchecked,” said Sen. Tuberville. “As a result, innocent Americans like Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray have been brutally murdered by illegal aliens. But it doesn’t stop there – there have been no health screenings of these populations. Since the creation of the administration’s illegal parole programs, we have seen a 16% rise in Tuberculosis cases between 2022 and 2023 alone. How many more Americans have to needlessly lose their lives before the Biden-Harris administration will take the open border seriously? I join my Republican colleagues in calling on Secretary Mayorkas, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris to secure the border and save American lives.”  For a PDF version of the letter, click HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USDA Awards Nearly $500,000 to Dakota Angus, LLC

    US Senate News:

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

    BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an award of nearly $500,000 to Dakota Angus, LLC. This funding, awarded through the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), will add up to five new routes for farm to consumer beef distributions and expand wholesale business through grocery stores, food hubs, convenient stores, and schools in underserved markets. The award will expand market opportunities for livestock producers, create additional local jobs, and diversify consumers’ options.

    Dakota Angus, located in Drake, which represents two, third-generation livestock farms, has incorporated a value-added farm to its consumer beef program. 

    The LFPP, implemented under the Local Agriculture Market Program, supports projects to develop, coordinate, and expand local and regional food business enterprises and increase access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ciscomani, Hinson Host Roundtable on the Fentanyl Epidemic

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    TUCSON, AZ – U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) and Ashley Hinson (IA-02) hosted a roundtable with those impacted by the fentanyl epidemic to hear their stories and discuss how Congress can continue to work to make a lasting impact combating this crisis.  

    “In my district, and across the United States, fentanyl has infiltrated our communities, affecting people from all walks of life,” said Ciscomani. “Too many lives have been forever changed and countless families have had to endure the pain of losing a loved one. Amid the ongoing border crisis, the amount of fentanyl entering our country has spiked to record levels. The stakes could not be clearer, Congress must come together to secure the border, implement stronger prevention efforts, and expand access to care and resources for those battling addiction. I am grateful to Rep. Hinson for joining this roundtable with me and sharing her perspective from Iowa.” 

    “Deadly fentanyl is pouring in through the Southern Border because of Kamala Harris’ open border policies,” said Hinson. “Congressman Ciscomani is doing incredible work to combat the scourge of fentanyl in Arizona and across the country, and I’m grateful he included me in this crucial conversation as we continue working to secure the border, combat the drug cartels, and save American lives.” 

    Background 

    • Ciscomani co-introduced the Combating Cartels on Social Media Act (H.R. 2393) to crack down on cartels using social media and online platforms to recruit Americans for smuggling operations along the southern border.   
    • Ciscomani introduced the End the Border Catastrophe Act (H.R. 3602) to address the border crisis by:  

      • Restarting construction of the border wall   

      • Hiring new Border Patrol agents   

      • Reinstating Remain in Mexico and ending catch-and-release   

      • Streamlining the asylum process and raising the credible fear standard   

      • Ending abuse of parole   

      • Reimbursing states for local law enforcement activities related to the border.  

      • Providing grants for border states to construct and repair border barriers.  

    • In September 2024, Ciscomani delivered a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives about the impact of the fentanyl epidemic and the need to hold drug cartels and traffickers accountable.   
    • In May 2024, Ciscomani hosted a field hearing with the House Judiciary Committee in Sahuarita, Arizona to hear from parents and individuals impacted by the fentanyl epidemic.  

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Lee, Marshall, Slam DHS for Tuberculosis Surge in U.S. as a Result of Open Southern Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    “There are many laws on the books to combat illegal immigration and its harmful effects, and it is past time for this administration to use them.”
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) in demanding answers from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as to how the department plans to address the surge in tuberculosis (TB) from illegal aliens being released into the U.S.
    In a letter to Secretary Mayorkas, the senators admonished his management of the worst border crisis in U.S. history, which has put the lives and property of Americans at risk of harm. They also demand answers, by November 13, 2024,  on whether the department is releasing aliens with TB, and what measures are being taken to prevent TB from spreading.
    “For the past 4 years, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have willfully opened our borders, allowing millions of criminals, murderers, drug dealers, and terrorists to flood into our country unchecked,” said Senator Tuberville. “As a result, innocent Americans like Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray have been brutally murdered by illegal aliens. But it doesn’t stop there – there have been no health screenings of these populations. Since the creation of the administration’s illegal parole programs, we have seen a 16% rise in Tuberculosis cases between 2022 and 2023 alone. How many more Americans have to needlessly lose their lives before the Biden-Harris administration will take the open border seriously? I join my Republican colleagues in calling on Secretary Mayorkas, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris to secure the border and save American lives.”
    Full text of the letter can be found here and below.
    October 30th, 2024
    The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas
    Secretary
    U.S. Department of Homeland Security
    Washington, D.C. 20528
    Secretary Mayorkas,
    Your mismanagement of the border continues to jeopardize the health and safety of American citizens. Due to your negligence and refusal to enforce our current laws, tuberculosis (TB) is rapidly spreading through the millions of unscreened illegal immigrants released into the interior of the United States putting American lives and health at severe risk.
    While the United States previously had one of the lowest TB rates globally, steadily declining for 27 years, your appointment as the Secretary of Homeland Security in February 2021 ushered in a new era. Since then, TB case counts have continuously increased each year with a 16% increase from 2022 to 2023 alone. It is well-documented by academics and government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) that foreign-born persons represent the greatest threat for the spread of TB, some of whom come from countries with TB rates as high as 60 times the U.S. rates.
    Despite this increasing human health risk, you have turned what was once border security into a rubber-stamp for any individual seeking access to the interior. Since the start of Fiscal Year 2021, Customs and Border Protection recorded nearly 11 million inadmissible encounters and roughly two million known “gotaways” who evaded Border Patrol agents with unknown numbers of illegal aliens evading detection altogether. Rather than requiring immigrants to apply for status prior to arriving at the border, and undergo health screenings, your policies encourage immigrants to unlawfully enter the interior with no meaningful processing, screening, or security analysis. As reported by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the top seven nationalities encountered by CBP—Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, Cuba, Colombia, and Haiti—all have significantly higher TB case rates than the U.S. There can be no doubt that your administration’s failure to enforce the law is the cause for the dramatic and dangerous rise of TB in the U.S.
    While unscreened illegal immigrants are bringing TB into the U.S., they are not the only ones suffering from it. As the CDC noted on March 24, 2024, “National [TB] case counts increased among all age groups and among both U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born persons” [emphasis added]. Given TB’s status as one of the world’s leading airborne infectious diseases, it is no wonder that a frightening number of Americans are contracting it. While FAIR correctly details in its report how border counties are bearing the brunt of the TB influx, it is abundantly clear that Americans across the U.S. are feeling the harmful effects of open border policies. The Biden Harris Administration’s border crisis has made every town in America a border town.  Just this month, an illegal Chinese immigrant in Louisiana exposed hundreds of individuals in the U.S. to a rare and aggressive form of TB with high mortality rates.
    There are many laws on the books to combat illegal immigration and its harmful effects, and it is past time for this administration to use them. In addition to closing the border, detaining and deporting inadmissible aliens, and working with the administration to re-instate the Remain-in-Mexico policy, we request that you reinstate Title 42 expulsion authority for this dangerous communicable disease. It is your duty to protect the health and safety of the American people.  
    Given the severity and time-sensitive nature of this crisis, please provide detailed responses to the following inquiries no later than November 13, 2024:
    Does DHS recognize the correlation between increased illegal immigration to the U.S. from countries with high TB rates and the increase in TB cases in the U.S., including among U.S.-born persons?
    Has DHS taken any meaningful steps to mitigate the spread of TB from illegal immigrants entering the country from high-rate countries?  If yes, please explain.
    Does DHS recognize the increase in tuberculosis cases as a public health crisis?
    Has any DHS employee consulted with the White House on this issue?

    Since January 20th, 2021, how many illegal immigrants has DHS screened for TB or referred to HHS for screening?
    Are illegal immigrants screened for active and latent TB upon transfer to a detention facility?
    If an illegal immigrant tests positive for either form of TB, what are the quarantine/removal protocols to protect border patrol agents and other detainees from infection?

    Has DHS knowingly released or paroled illegal immigrants into the U.S. with an active or latent TB infection?
    Does DHS have a contingency plan to address the rising number of TB-positive illegal immigrants entering the U.S. and prevent the spread to Americans? 
     If so, please explain.
    Does this plan include coordination with the CDC and HHS to strengthen screening and testing protocols for TB-positive illegal immigrants?
     Does this plan include using Title 42 expulsion authority under 8 U.S.C. §1182 to render immigrants with TB inadmissible?

    Have you discussed this issue with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra?
    If so, did the discussion include using Title 42 authority to declare TB a communicable disease of public health significance, thereby rendering immigrants with TB inadmissible?
    If not, why not?

    Have you discussed this issue with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy?
    If so, did the discussion include using Title 42 expulsion authority to suspend entry for immigrants with TB?
    If not, why not?

    Sincerely,
    MORE:
    ICYMI: Tuberville Reacts to Kamala Harris’ Failure to Answer for Failed Border Policies
    ICYMI: Tuberville Joins Fox Business to Discuss Biden’s Border Crisis
    Tuberville Forces Vote on Border Safety and Security Act
    Tuberville Honors Border Crisis Victims
    Tuberville: “Our Priority Should Be Securing Our Border, Not A War In Eastern Europe”
    Tuberville Stands With Texas on Border Security
    Tuberville: Not One Dime For Ukraine Until The Border is Secure
    U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville, Bill Hagerty Hold DOJ Accountable for Failure to Prosecute Wrongful Voter Registration by Illegal Border Crossers
    Tuberville Questions Pentagon Nominees On Defense Spending, Border Wall Sales
    Tuberville Introduces Amendment to Secure the Border and Stop the Flow of Deadly Fentanyl
    Tuberville Demands Biden Admin Protect Unaccompanied Children at the Border From Traffickers, Criminals
    Tuberville Continues Fight to Secure Southern Border
    Tuberville Demands Answers from DHS Regarding Chinese Nationals and Suspected Terrorists Exploiting the Open Southern Border
    Tuberville, Colleagues Introduce Secure the Border Act of 2023
    Tuberville, Armed Services Republicans Call for Halt to Border Wall Materials Auctions
    Tuberville, Colleagues Introduce Resolution to Strike Down Dangerous Biden Border Policy
    Tuberville, Carter Reintroduce Empowering Law Enforcement Act as Border Crisis Intensifies
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 11.01.2024 Sen. Cruz Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Amicus Brief Defending Texas Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to rehear or rehear en banc City of Port Isabel v. FERC. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) joined Sen. Cruz’s brief. Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas-02) co-led the amicus brief in the House of Representatives and was joined by Representatives Steve Scalise (R-La.-01), Brian Babin (R-Texas-36), Michael C. Burgess (R-Texas-26), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas-28), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas-34), Wesley Hunt (R-Texas-38), August Pfluger (R-Texas-11), and Randy K. Weber (R-Texas-14).
    Sen. Cruz stated, “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan, bicameral effort. My number one priority in the U.S. Senate is jobs. There are 7,000 jobs and billions in investment in the Rio Grande Valley at stake. This decision and the current environmental process threaten the economic and energy security of Texas and America, and would cede America’s energy dominance to adversaries and rivals such as Russia, which advance their own interests through gas exports. The D.C. Circuit should rehear and reverse this erroneous decision.”
    Rep. Crenshaw said, “Texas has the resources to supply the world with clean, affordable LNG. Unprecedented decisions that inject massive uncertainty into future investments aren’t just short-sighted—they’re morally indefensible. We cannot afford to hand the global energy market to adversaries like Russia, who produce dirtier, high-emission fuels.”
    BACKGROUND:
    In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated reauthorizations for the Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG projects, threatening 7,000 jobs and undermining $24 billion in investments in the Rio Grande Valley. Sen. Cruz is leading this amicus brief to overturn that disastrous decision and defend high-paying Texas jobs and investments in the Rio Grande Valley.
    In addition to his amicus brief, Sen. Cruz sent a letter urging the Biden-Harris administration to appeal the decision. Additionally, he was joined by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in introducing the Protect LNG Act to ensure that a court cannot vacate a previously authorized LNG permit, clarify the venue for LNG lawsuits before federal courts, and mandate that courts grant expedited decisions in these cases.
    Sen. Cruz’s amicus brief is available here and here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Firearms

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

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

    Keyshawn Savory, 24, pleaded guilty to six counts before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about April 11, May 28, July 15, and August 1, 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Savory acted as a straw purchaser when purchasing firearms from several federally licensed firearms dealers by stating that the firearms were being purchased for himself, when he actually was purchasing the firearms on behalf of another person.

    Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Savory.

    This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Offenders Plead Guilty in Separate Drug Trafficking Investigations

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

    ALBANY, Ga. – Two Albany residents, both with lengthy criminal histories in the community, pleaded guilty to federal charges resulting from separate drug trafficking investigations in Southwest Georgia.

    Roderick Terrell Ferrell, 37, and Kerry Lamont Davis, 42, each pleaded guilty in separate cases to one count of distribution of cocaine before U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Oct. 30. Due to their criminal histories, both Ferrell and Davis qualify as federal career offenders and each face a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release and a maximum $2,000,000 fine. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Both defendants have lengthy criminal records and have repeatedly disregarded the law,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “These cases demonstrate how federal, state and local law enforcement are working together to make our communities safer and hold career offenders accountable.”

    “The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole,” said Rich Bilson, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of the FBI Atlanta’s Albany office.

    “Our communities remain under attack by career criminals with no regard for the destruction they cause,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This investigation demonstrates the DEA’s commitment to protecting our community.”

    “Our message is clear: individuals with histories of criminal behavior who continue to engage in illegal activities will be met with the full force of the justice system. We are dedicated to working alongside our partners to ensure that those who choose this path face serious consequences,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Atlanta Field Division.

    “Eliminating drug trafficking in our communities requires a united front,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The successful convictions of these repeat offenders are a demonstration of the effectiveness of our collaboration across federal, state and local agencies to hold individuals accountable and ensure safer neighborhoods.”

    According to court documents and statements made public in court in the Ferrell case, federal, state and local law enforcement received information from various confidential sources that Terrell was distributing cocaine and was supplied by a metro-Atlanta unnamed co-conspirator. Due to COVID-19’s impact on drug supply at the time, Ferrell was charging $1,400 an ounce for powder cocaine. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at another dealer’s residence, seized cocaine, and discovered that Ferrell had sold at least 18 ounces of powder cocaine. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) then conducted a controlled buy from Ferrell on Nov. 8, 2021, where Ferrell sold two ounces of powder cocaine for $2,150. In addition, Ferrell reported that he had been pulled over by local law enforcement on Oct. 13, 2022, and was in possession at the time of $30,000 from a recent drug transaction. On Nov. 30, 2023, a patrol officer pulled Ferrell over and found ten pounds of marijuana in ten plastic vacuum-sealed bags in the rear cargo area. Ferrell said he was transporting the drugs to Camilla, Georgia. During the investigation, agents discovered that Ferrell filed only one tax return between tax years 2019 and 2023, in which he claimed a negative income in 2022. DEA conducted a concealment money laundering investigation to look at how Ferrell was dispersing his drug trafficking money. Agents found that between Aug. 2021 and Dec. 2023, Terrell received and moved $383,057 through his and his co-conspirators’ CashApp accounts and bank accounts, despite having no employment or declaring any income on his taxes. Credit card and bank statements also showed that Terrell and his girlfriend used drug proceeds to purchase luxury goods from Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Saks, Gucci and Balenciaga, as well as took luxury vacations and invested in a business that was never operational. Terrell also has several prior felony convictions including robbery by force, terroristic threats and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court.

    According to court documents and statements made public in court in the Davis case, Albany Police Department (APD) officers responded to Ridgemont Road in Albany on March 26, 2023, about a suspicious auto parked in the middle of the road. Officers found Davis asleep in the driver’s seat. After Davis handed the officers his driver’s license, he fled at a high rate of speed and crashed his car. He then attempted to run away, but he was quickly apprehended. Inside the car, APD officers found a semiautomatic pistol, a semiautomatic rifle, a revolver, nearly four kilograms of vacuumed sealed marijuana, a distributable quantity of ecstasy and cocaine, a digital scale, plastic baggies and $25,039. Davis has two prior felony convictions for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court.

    The Ferrell case was investigated by the DEA, FBI and GBI.

    The Davis case was investigated by the ATF and APD.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Redavid prosecuted the cases for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Madison Pacific Properties Inc. announces the results for the year ended August 31, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Madison Pacific Properties Inc. (the Company) (TSX: MPC and MPC.C), a Vancouver-based real estate company announces the results of operations for the year ended August 31, 2024.

    The results reported are pursuant to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for public companies.

    For the year ended August 31, 2024, the Company is reporting a net loss of $44.2 million (2023: net income of $19.0 million); cash flows generated from operating activities before changes in non-cash operating balances of $11.4 million (2023: $9.5 million); and loss per share of $0.74 (2023: income per share of $0.31). Included in net loss is a provision of $51.5 million (2023: $nil) for uncertain tax positions recognizing a tax liability for unpaid taxes, estimated interest expense and awarded legal costs and provisions against the carrying value of the Company’s tax deposits and deferred tax assets related to unused carryforward amounts. Also included in net loss are equity earnings of associate and joint ventures of $0.4 million (2023: $7.4 million), net loss on the fair value adjustment on investment properties of approximately $0.2 million (2023: net gain of $5.7 million), losses on fair value adjustment on interest rate swaps of $4.2 million (2023: $0.1 million) , property revenues of $44.5 million (2023: $40.5 million) and interest expense of $12.7 million (2023: $10.7 million).

    As at August 31, 2024, the Company owns approximately $708 million in investment properties (August 31, 2023: $695 million).

    As at the date of this Press Release, the Company’s investment portfolio comprises 55 properties with approximately 1.9 million rentable sq. ft. of industrial and commercial space and a 50% interest in seven multi-family rental properties with a total of 219 units. Approximately 91.25% of available space within the industrial and commercial investment properties is currently leased and within the multi-family residential properties, 98.2% is currently leased. The Company’s development properties include a 50% interest in the Silverdale Hills Limited Partnership which currently owns approximately 1,405 acres of primarily residential designated development lands in Mission, British Columbia.

    For a review of the risks and uncertainties to which the Company is subject, see its most recently filed annual and interim MD&A.

    Contact: Mr. John Delucchi   Ms. Bernice Yip
      President & CEO   Chief Financial Officer
    Telephone: (604) 732-6540   (604) 732-6540
           
    Address:  389 West 6th Avenue    
      Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1L1    

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Following Months of Advocacy, Peters Applauds DHS Decision to Designate Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 11.01.2024

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, applauds the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to designate Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 11,000 Lebanese individuals currently in the United States. This decision follows months of advocacy by Peters calling on DHS to take this action that will allow Lebanese nationals who are approved to remain safely in the United States due to the ongoing armed conflict in the region.
    “The concerning and rapidly changing situation in Lebanon presents a serious safety risk for the many Lebanese nationals who are currently in the United States,” said Senator Peters. “This announcement is very welcomed news. I pressed the Administration to designate Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status to ensure that the nearly 11,000 workers, students and tourists will be able to remain safely in the United States and work legally to support themselves and their families during the ongoing conflict in the region.”  
    Peters previously sent a letter in June and in early October urging the Administration to make the TPS designation. Following Peters’ first letter, the Administration authorized Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Lebanese nationals in the United States. DHS then issued guidance outlining the application process for eligible individuals to apply for DED-based employment authorization. The recent TPS designation for Lebanon will allow eligible individuals to remain safely in the United States for 18 months and give them the ability to work legally to support themselves.
    Below are statements in support of Peters’ calls for Lebanon to be designated for TPS.
    “NNAAC welcomes the decision to extend TPS for Lebanon designation that we have pursued along with Senator Peters while we grieve the loss of so many loved ones in Lebanon. Our priority remains an immediate ceasefire however we will continue pursuing all pathways to protect the safety of our community members,” said Rima Meroueh, Director, National Network for Arab American Communities.
    “These are important protections extended by the Biden-Harris Administration, and a welcomed reprieve for the thousands of Lebanese nationals currently in the country because of the ongoing war on Lebanon. Ensuring that Lebanese nationals in the U.S. are not forced back into harm’s way is an important step,” said Abed Ayoub, National Executive Director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). “ADC thanks Senator Peters for his commitment to providing these protections.”
    “It is a great relief that the Biden Administration has provided protection to Lebanese nationals here in the United States through TPS, DED, and special student relief. Using the Secretary of Homeland Security’s immigration authority to protect individuals is a positive step that will undoubtedly save lives and keep families together,” said American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Executive Director Ben Johnson. 
      

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Representative Lawler Issues Statement on House Education and Workforce Committee’s Damning Report on Campus Antisemitism

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Representative Lawler Issues Statement on House Education and Workforce Committee’s Damning Report on Campus Antisemitism

    Washington, DC, November 1, 2024

    Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) issued the following statement in response to a damning new report by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce detailing the extant of campus antisemitism on college campuses and how administrators have enabled the abusers.

    “Yesterday’s report from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce shows that campus antisemitism is even worse than many thought,” said Congressman Lawler. “College administrators have an obligation to ensure the safety of the students at their universities. Unfortunately, through a long list of actions and inactions, these campus leaders have shown more sympathy to the antisemitic Hamas sympathizers than to the Jewish students being terrorized by them. This is exactly why I introduced the Antisemitism Awareness Act and why this common sense bipartisan bill is so necessary.”

    “The Antisemitism Awareness Act will provide the tools we need to do what colleges have failed to do– ensure the safety of every student,” Congressman Lawler concluded. “It’s outrageous this bill has stalled in the Senate for five months after passing the House of Representatives in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote. Shame on the college administrators who fail to stand up to evil, and shame on Senator Schumer for stonewalling the Antisemitism Awareness Act.” 

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey Announces Thousands of Grocery Store Workers’ Pensions Saved by the American Rescue Plan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey

    Almost 11,000 Pennsylvania workers and retirees’ pensions will be protected

    Pension plan secures retirement for food and commercial workers

    President Biden credited Casey’s work to protect pensions

    American Rescue Plan has saved the pensions of more than 65,000 workers and retirees in PA-based plans

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the pensions of almost 11,000 Pennsylvania grocery store workers and retirees from United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 152 will be protected, thanks to the American Rescue Plan. Casey voted to pass the American Rescue Plan, which has saved the pensions of more than 65,000 Pennsylvanians to date. The UFCW Employers Tri-State Pension Plan (UFCW Tri-State Plan) will receive approximately $684.4 million from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBCC) to save 10,934 Pennsylvania workers and retirees’ pensions. Without this fix, workers and retirees’ pension plans would have run out of money by 2028 and their benefits would have been subject to a 15 percent cut and a federal takeover at taxpayer expense.

    “Workers are the backbone of our Commonwealth and thanks to the American Rescue Plan, tens of thousands of families can continue relying on their pensions without worrying that their plans may be cut,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for this fix because I know how critical pensions are to the futures of thousands of Pennsylvania families, and how scary it was for those families to face the possibility of the rug being pulled out from underneath them. I will always fight to ensure workers and retirees’ hard-earned benefits are theirs to keep.”

    The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) announced approximately $684.4 million in relief to the UFCW Tri-State Plan, which is based in Plymouth Meeting, PA. Workers in this plan include employees and retirees of Acme Markets and other stores. In total, 29,233 workers and retirees’ pensions will be saved. This is the eighth Pennsylvania-based pension plan that has received relief; others include the Western Pennsylvania Teamsters and Employers Pension Fund, the Carpenters Industrial Council Eastern PA Pension Plan, the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia Pension Plan, IUE-CWA Pension Plan, the National Integrated Group Pension Plan, which includes United Steelworkers and United Auto Workers, and the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union.

    The funding comes from the PBGC’s Special Financial Assistance program, which was created by the American Rescue Plan. The American Rescue Plan passed the Senate by a vote of 50-49, and the House of Representatives by a vote of 220-211. No Republican Member of Congress voted in support of the law. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Blinken remarks at a Diwali reception

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken remarks at a Diwali reception at the Department of State, on November 1, 2024.

    Transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-at-a-diwali-reception/
    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
    Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/

    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
    Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csS8BgGDguk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Inslee activates some Washington National Guard members to support public safety activities related to the 2024 elections

    Source: Washington State News

    Today, Gov. Jay Inslee activated some Washington National Guard members to be on stand-by in the event they are asked to support local law enforcement and the Washington State Patrol during election week. The governor has given The Adjutant General the authority to determine how many members of the Guard will be activated. 

    This is a purely precautionary measure taken in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s nationwide warnings regarding threats to election infrastructure and other recent activities that have occurred in southwestern Washington.

    The Guard will be on stand-by for four days, beginning Monday, November 4, and ending just after midnight on Thursday, November 7, 2024. 

    Read the governor’s letter to Major General Gent Welsh activating the National Guard. Full text is also below. 

    November 1, 2024

    Major General Gent Welsh
    The Adjutant General
    Washington Military Department
    Building 1
    Camp Murray, WA 98430-5000

    Re: Activation of Washington National Guard assets to support public safety activities related to the 2024 Elections.

    Dear Major General Welsh:

    Based upon general and specific information and concerns regarding the potential for violence or other unlawful activity related to the 2024 general election, I want to ensure we are fully prepared to respond to any potential additional civil unrest of the type described in RCW 38.08.040 occurring within Washington State leading up to, on, and potentially extending beyond November 5, 2024, the date of the 2024 general election.

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has warned that threats to election infrastructure during the 2024 election cycle remains high. The southwest region of Washington state has already experienced specific instances of election-related unrest. On October 28, 2024, an incendiary device was set off in a drop box in Vancouver, Washington, damaging or destroying hundreds of ballots, and a similar device targeted a ballot box in Portland, Oregon.

    In response to the situation described above and the potential for further violence and illegal activity, I am directing the Washington National Guard (WANG) to prepare to provide critical public safety support by activating necessary Washington National Guard personnel in a standby status. In this role, the WANG will support local law enforcement and the Washington State Patrol as needed. Our state depends on these skilled individuals for critical support to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, to include support necessary to protect vital infrastructure related to carrying out free and fair elections and to respond to any unrest related to the 2024 general election.

    Preparation to respond to civil unrest of the type already experienced will also require state level coordination and the activation of additional support functions within Washington’s Emergency Management System.

    Under RCW 38.08.040, I am authorized to order the Washington National Guard, or any part thereof, into active service of the State to perform such duty as I deem proper when required for the public health, safety, or welfare and to prepare for events described in RCW 38.08.040. I find that such preparation, and this activation of the Washington National Guard, is required now for the protection of the public health, safety, or welfare of Washington State agencies and the people they serve.

    Therefore, I, Jay Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington, pursuant to RCW 38.08.040 and in response to the above-referenced request, and believing such action is necessary for preserving public health, safety and welfare, order into temporary active state service for up to four days, beginning Monday, November 4, 2024, as many members of the Washington National Guard as may be necessary and deemed appropriate for the circumstances described above in the opinion of The Adjutant General of the Washington State Military Department to support public safety efforts related to the 2024 elections, as well as activation of support functions within Washington’s Emergency Management System.

    This order of activation expires at 12:01 a.m. on November 8, 2024.

    Very truly yours,

    Jay Inslee
    Governor

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in South Carolina

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — United States Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in South Carolina for the Nov. 5 general election.

    The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

    On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.

    Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

    Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

    More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Florida Labor-Staffing Companies Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud and Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Caused a Tax Loss to the United States of more than $9.5M

    MIAMI – A Ukrainian national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    According to the court documents and statements made in court, between April 2008 and July 2021, Oleksandr Yurchyk and others owned and operated a series of labor-staffing companies in southern Florida, including Paradise Choice LLC, Paradise Choice Cleaning LLC, Tropical City Services LLC and Tropical City Group LLC. Through these staffing companies, Yurchyk and others facilitated the employment of non-resident aliens in the hospitality industry who were not authorized to work in the United States and helped evade the assessment and collection of federal income and employment taxes. Yurchyk and his co-defendants also laundered more than $11 million of proceeds from their scheme.

    Yurchyk is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit money laundering and five years in prison for the conspiracy to defraud the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.

    Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Clark for the Southern District of Florida and Sean Beaty and Trial Attorneys Matthew B. Hicks and Wilson R. Stamm of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in Dallas, Palo Pinto

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Leigha Simonton announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Dallas County and Palo Pinto County for the Nov. 5 general election.

    The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. 

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day. 

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion. 

    On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. 

    Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

    Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

    More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting.

    Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Christmas Day Robbery Gets Woman Prison Term

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Derricka Burton, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for a Christmas Day robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                The Honorable Robert Salerno sentenced Burton to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Burton was found guilty on June 20, 2024 of two counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

                According to the government’s evidence, at around 2:38 p.m. on December 25, 2023, Burton and three co-conspirators saw the victims, a couple spending time together at the Alethia Tanner Park, located at 227 Harry Thomas Way Northeast. Video footage showed Burton and her co-conspirators huddle together before two of her co-conspirators walked up to the victims and robbed them. Burton’s co-conspirators pointed a gun at the victims and demanded the victims’ Canada Goose brand jacket, cellphone, and other items. The co-conspirators then walked back to Burton and the other co-conspirators. The group conferred with each other and left together. As they did so, one of the co-conspirators dropped some of the stolen property, which Burton picked up before she left with the group.  Police arrested Burton on February 12, 2024.

               In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Katrenia Shelly, who prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DONELL LEBANKS (“LEBANKS”), a/k/a “Shorty,” age 39, of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 170 months incarceration, five (5) years of supervised release, and payment of a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of a  superseding bill of information.

    Count 1 charged LEBANKS with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B) and, 846.  Count 2 charged LEBANKS with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D).  Count 3 charged LEBANKS with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).  Count 4 charged LEBANKS with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

    According to court records, during 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) New Orleans Gang Task Force (“NOGTF”) investigated suspected drug sales on Touro Street, in New Orleans.  Using surveillance, FBI agents observed LEBANKS conducting possible hand-to-hand drug sales.  To confirm such drug sales, NOGTF agents made controlled purchases of fentanyl from LEBANKS.  On October 25, 2022, NOGTF obtained a search warrant for a residence as well as for LEBANKS’ vehicle. NOGTF members executed the search warrants and detained LEBANKS and detained him so they could effectuate the search warrant.  Inside the vehicle, agents recovered a nine-millimeter Glock handgun, with an extended magazine, tucked between the driver’s seat and the center console.  Additionally, agents recovered 180.7 grams of marijuana from the front passenger side of the vehicle.

    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 track 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.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Drug Trafficking Biddeford Couple Sentenced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man and woman were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for their roles in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy in southern Maine.

    U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Michael Bolster, 49, to a total of 72 months in prison on one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distributing fentanyl, followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Bolster pleaded guilty on January 18, 2024.

    Jessica Bolster, 42, was sentenced to a total of 60 months in prison on one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and one count of distributing fentanyl, followed by four years of supervised release. Jessica Bolster pleaded guilty on February 21, 2024.

    According to court records, the Bolsters conspired together and with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. In July 2023, the Bolsters sold fentanyl to a confidential source on three separate occasions. The sales were for approximately 9 grams, 30 grams and 29 grams of fentanyl, respectively. In August 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at the Bolsters’ residence and seized two large bundles of suspected fentanyl made up of small baggies wrapped for individual sale totaling approximately 542 grams. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab tested a sample of the substance and confirmed the presence of fentanyl. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose.

    Coconspirator Darwin Mateo, 25, is currently serving a 36-month sentence.

    The DEA investigated the case. 

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department to monitor compliance in Alaska

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – United States Attorney S. Lane Tucker announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in five Alaska jurisdictions for the Nov. 5 general election.

    The jurisdictions to be monitored are:

    • Bethel Census Area
    • Dillingham Census Area
    • Kusilvak Census Area
    • North Slope Borough
    • Northwest Arctic Borough

    The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

    On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.

    Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

    Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

    More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Charged with Drug and Firearm Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nekie Ricks, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, was ordered detained today following his indictment and arrest for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and his possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

    United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

    According to the indictment, on August 24, 2022, Ricks possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it, possessed a pistol in furtherance of that crime, and possessed that firearm even though he was a previously convicted felon. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The charges filed against Ricks carry a prison term of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

    Ricks was arraigned yesterday in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel. Following a detention hearing today, Ricks was ordered detained pending trial.

    ATF is investigating the case with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in San Juan County, Utah

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in San Juan County for the Nov. 5 general election.

    The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

    On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be available to receive complaints on Election Day at 801-325-3311.

    Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

    Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

    More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cook Islands PM calls for easing of tensions in New Caledonia

    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has returned from New Caledonia saying it is not a simple “black and white situation”.

    Brown returned from a three-day Pacific fact-finding mission in the French Pacific territory alongside the Prime Ministers of Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji.

    New Caledonia has been going through a period of turmoil with violence and arson since May, resulting in 13 deaths and the destruction of many businesses.

    “There’s no doubt there is a call and a need for the easing of tensions in the country,” Brown said.

    “This would enable more dialogue to take place between the various vested groups to find a pathway forward for New Caledonia.”

    Brown said Kanaky New Caledonia’s population was diverse, made up of indigenous Kanak, French, and Pacific diaspora.

    Almost all of these groups want greater autonomy from France with some also wanting full independence or to remain a French territory, he said.

    “But you have quite a large group between those two extremes that want a way forward that enables New Caledonians, all of them, to be able to determine their own future.”

    Pacific policing France ‘may wish to consider’
     Brown said Australia’s newly proposed regional policing initiative is “an option that New Caledonians may wish to consider”.

    “At the moment that’s being done by the state government through France through its gendarmes and police force.”

    The last time regional policing was used was in Solomon Islands after ethnic unrest in the 2000s, he said.

    When asked whether France had “militarised” New Caledonia, Brown said France sent a lot of support “to help maintain law and order” but the focus now was on the reduction of tensions and dialogue.

    France’s Ambassador to the Pacific Véronique told the ABC she doubted French authorities would see the need for Pacific police to be deployed to New Caledonia.

    Brown said the other issue was the need for an urgent financial package.

    “Unlike most other Pacific countries in cases of disaster whether they be natural disaster or other sorts, Pacific countries have the likes of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, development partners that would support and assist.

    Relying solely on France
    “In the case of New Caledonia, it doesn’t have the association with any of those financial institutions and would rely solely on France for its support.”

    There needed to first be a reduction of tensions so that any rebuild would not be under threat from more civil unrest, he said.

    Brown said Pacific nations had taken different decolonisation paths — with the exception of Tonga which had never been colonised.

    Fiji became a republic after a number of coups and Cook Islands is self-governing in free association with New Zealand.

    “Each of us took a different path to where we are today to gain our autonomy and our sovereignty and it’s something that we were able to share with New Caledonia.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Growing Gaelic in the Highlands

    Source: Scottish Government

    Funding for cultural centre project.

    A new centre to promote Gaelic language and culture in Inverness is to receive a significant funding boost from the Scottish Government.

    Cultarlann Inbhir Nis will receive £370,000 to develop a space for Gaelic gatherings, ceilidhs and exhibitions in the centre of the city.

    The Cultarlann is based in what was the East Church building. The new funding is a crucial step in developing the property, which will also feature meeting rooms for language courses, a café and shop. 

    The investment forms part of a £4 million package to promote Gaelic initiatives across Scotland.

    The centre will be the first dedicated Gaelic cultural centre in the Highlands and is also intended to be a tourist attraction where visitors can meet Gaelic-speaking staff and learn more about the language and its history.

    Cultarlann Inbhir Nis’s expansion will meet a growing demand for a dedicated space for Gaelic speakers in Inverness. Census figures published earlier this year show a 12% increase in the number of people with some Gaelic skills in Inverness compared to 2011.

    Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes said:

    “To strengthen Gaelic, we are supporting projects like Cultarlann which will enable more people to use the language in their day-to-day life.

    “Gaelic is a unique selling point for Scotland, which is why promoting the language goes hand-in-hand with attracting visitors and growing the economy.

    “The Scottish Government is also supporting the language’s continued growth in the Highlands by working collaboratively to progress the Scottish Languages Bill. The Bill will create a system to enable all parents to apply for Gaelic early learning and childcare services and introduce measures to strengthen Gaelic education in secondary school.”

    Margaret Mulholland, Chair of Cultarlann, Inbhir Nis, said:

    “We are hugely grateful for this fantastic funding offer.  It will enable our plans for a Gaelic Cultural Centre to take a major step forward.  This is a wonderful, iconic building and this funding will enable us to ensure it is properly watertight and to deal with all external essential repairs.

    “We are delighted to welcome Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, to the Cultarlann. Kate is a great enthusiast for Gaelic and she can see the exciting future the Cultarlann will have in promoting and building Gaelic culture in Inverness and the wider Highlands.”

    Background

    Census statistics show that 3,411 people in Inverness had some Gaelic skills 2022, an increase of 369 people from 2011.

    A’ Toirt Piseach air Cor na Gàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd

    Maoineachadh airson ionad cultarach.

    Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba air taic-airgid nach beag a thoirt seachad airson ionad ùr ann an Inbhir Nis gus Gàidhlig agus cultar na Gàidhlig a chur air adhart.

    Gheibh Cultarlann Inbhir Nis £370,000 gus goireas a chruthachadh ann am meadhan a’ bhaile airson chruinneachaidhean, cèilidhean agus taisbeanaidhean Gàidhlig.

    Tha an Cultarlann stèidhichte anns togalach far an robh an Eaglais an Ear. Leis a’ mhaoineachadh ùr seo, ’s urrainnear ceum cudromach a ghabhail ann a bhith a’ toirt leasachadh air an togalach, far am bi seòmraichean-coinneachaidh airson chùrsaichean cànain, cafaidh agus bùth.

    Tha an t-airgead mar phàirt de mhaoineachadh luach £4m airson iomairtean Gàidhlig a chur air adhart air feadh na h-Alba.

    Leis an ionad ùr seo, bithear a’ stèidheachadh a’ chiad ionaid chultaraich Ghàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus thathar an dùil cuideachd gum bi e a’ tarraing luchd-turais a gheibh cothrom coinneachadh ri luchd-obrach le Gàidhlig agus ionnsachadh mun chànan agus eachdraidh nan Gàidheal.

    Leis an leasachadh seo airson Cultarlann Inbhir Nis, bithear a’ frithealadh air an iarrtas a th’ ann airson àite cruinneachaidh sònraichte do luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig sa bhaile. Sheall àireamhan bhon chunntas-shluaigh a chaidh fhoillseachadh am-bliadhna gun deach an àireamh de dhaoine le sgilean Gàidhlig ann an Inbhir Nis an àird 12% an coimeas ri àireamhan 2011.

    Thuirt an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear is Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson na h-Eaconamaidh is Gàidhlig, Ceit Fhoirbeis:

    “Airson cor na Gàidhlig a neartachadh, tha sinn a’ cur taic ri pròiseactan leithid Cultarlann Inbhir Nis far am faigh barrachd dhaoine cothrom gus an cànan a chleachdadh nam beatha làitheil.

    “Tha a’ Ghàidhlig mar phàirt prìseil is sònraichte de chultar na h-Alba, agus sin carson tha adhartachadh a’ chànain cuideachd a’ cuideachadh le bhith a’ tàladh luchd-turais agus a’ cur ris an eaconamaidh.

    “Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba cuideachd a’ cur taic ri adhartas leantainneach dhan chànan air a’ Ghàidhealtachd le bhith ag obair còmhla ri càch gus Bile nan Cànan Albannach a thoirt air adhart. Bidh am Bile a’ stèidheachadh siostam tron urrainn do gach pàrant cur a-staigh airson tràth-ionnsachadh Gàidhlig agus seirbheisean cùraim-chloinne dhan chloinn aca agus tha cumhachan sa Bhile cuideachd gus foghlam Gàidhlig ann an àrd-sgoiltean a neartachadh.”

    Thuirt Mairead Mulholland, Cathraiche Cultarlann Inbhir Nis:

    “Tha sinn air leth taingeil airson a’ mhaoineachaidh fhialaidh seo. Tha e a’ ciallachadh gun urrainn dhuinn adhartas mòr a dhèanamh leis na planaichean againn airson Ionad Cultarach Gàidhlig. ’S e togalach iongantach is ainmeil a tha seo agus leis a’ mhaoineachadh seo ’s urrainn dhuinn dèanamh cinnteach gum bi e gu tur dìonach agus ’s urrainn dhuinn an obair chàraidh a tha a dhìth air an taobh a-muigh dheth a dhèanamh.

    “Tha e a’ toirt toileachas mòr dhuinn fàilte a chur air an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear, Ceit Fhoirbeis, chun a’ Chultarlainn. Tha Ceit air leth taiceil dhan Ghàidhlig agus tha i a’ tuigsinn mar as urrainn dhan Chultarlann feum mòr a dhèanamh ann a bhith a’ cur cultar na Gàidhlig air adhart, agus ann a bhith a’ neartachadh a’ chultair, ann an Inbhir Nis agus air a’ Ghàidhealtachd air fad.”

    Bun-fhiosrachadh

    Tha àireamhan a’ Chunntais-shluaigh a’ sealltainn gun robh sgilean Gàidhlig aig 3,411 daoine ann an Inbhir Nis ann an 2022, sin àrdachadh de 369 bho 2011.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Shenzhou-18 astronauts complete handover, returning to Earth on Monday

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

    BEIJING, Nov. 1 — The crew of China’s Shenzhou-18 spacecraft held a handover ceremony with the Shenzhou-19 crew and transferred the keys of the country’s space station to the latter on Friday.

    The Shenzhou-18 crew has now completed all planned tasks. The three astronauts will take the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft and return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Nov. 4, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

    At present, the landing site and all participating systems are making final preparations to welcome the trio back.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Laos railway increases cross-border passenger services to drive tourism

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

    VIENTIANE, Nov. 1 — The Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. (LCRC) has increased the number of passenger train services between Xishuangbanna of China and Luang Prabang of Laos, starting on Oct. 29, with the aim of boosting tourism.

    The company now operated six days a week compared to the previous four days a week, according to the LCRC.

    The expanded schedule will enable more passengers to travel between the two popular destinations.

    The railway started cross-border passenger services on April 13, 2023. Since then, the railway has become the preferred mode of transport for a growing number of international travelers due to its affordability, convenience and comfort.

    On April 13 this year, Chinese and Lao railway authorities launched one more pair of trains for the railway’s international passenger services, running between Xishuangbanna and Luang Prabang, two popular tourist destinations.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China revises rules to ease foreign strategic investment in listed firms

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

    BEIJING, Nov. 1 — Chinese authorities on Friday released revised rules on foreign investors’ strategic investment in listed companies in a move to encourage foreign investors to make long-term and value investment in the country.

    The revised rules, jointly released by six government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce and the China Securities Regulatory Commission, allow foreign natural persons to make strategic investment in listed companies, a change from the old rules that only allowed foreign legal persons or organizations to make such investment.

    Capital requirement is also lowered under the new rules for foreign investors that do not become the controlling shareholders in listed firms. The latest capital requirement for them will be no less than 50 million U.S. dollars in total actual assets or no less than 300 million U.S. dollars in total managed actual assets.

    The new rules add tender offers as an extra option to make strategic investment. In the past, the only available options were private placements and share transfer agreements.

    For foreign investors intending to invest through the options of private placements or tender offers, they will be allowed to use shares of non-listed overseas companies as consideration shares for acquisition payment.

    The new rules also eased requirements on the shareholding ratio and the lock-up period. The shareholding ratio requirement is scrapped for foreign investors making investment through private placements, while the ratio requirements for the options of tender offers and share transfer agreements are lowered to 5 percent from the previous 10 percent.

    In order to encourage medium- and long-term investment, the requirement on lock-up period for acquired shares should be no shorter than a 12-month period under the new rules. This is reduced from no shorter than three years previously.

    A press briefing posted on the MOC’s website said that the revised measures seek to reduce the investment threshold for foreign investors, broaden the channels for foreign investment in the country’s securities market and encourage foreign investors to carry out long-term and value investment.

    It said that the scale of China’s securities market has further expanded in recent years with the sustained and healthy development of China’s economy and the nation’s deepened reform and opening up, adding that welcoming more high-quality foreign investment in listed companies will help promote China’s industrial upgrading as well as the healthy and stable development of China’s capital market.

    The revised rules are in line with the reform measures adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held in July this year, which vowed to open China’s commodity, services, capital, and labor markets wider to the outside world in an orderly manner, and facilitate foreign equity investment and venture capital investment in China.

    China issued rules for foreign investors to make strategic investments in listed companies back in 2005. Since then, foreign investors have made strategic investments in more than 600 listed companies.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2024 China Robot Competition kicks off in Xi’an, China’s Shaanxi

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

    2024 China Robot Competition kicks off in Xi’an, China’s Shaanxi

    Updated: November 2, 2024 07:32 Xinhua
    People watch robots competing during China Robot Competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 1, 2024. The 2024 China Robot Competition kicked off here on Friday. More than 1,700 teams from over 200 universities participated in this competition. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Participants work on their robots during China Robot Competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An irrigation robot competes during China Robot Competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A robot competes during China Robot Competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A robot competes during China Robot Competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Participants make preparation for China Robot Competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Participants work on their robot during China Robot Competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Participants work on their robot during China Robot Competition in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Marine Board Urges Boat Owners to Check Email for Motorboat Registration Renewal Notices

    Source: US State of Oregon

    he Oregon State Marine Board will be emailing motorboat registration renewal notices to boaters who have email addresses on file whose registration expires on December 31, 2024. Each renewal notice is unique to the owner and their boat. Owners are encouraged to take advantage of the online renewal option, and the email has detailed instructions for using the Boat Oregon Store. For boaters who do not have an email address on file, renewal notices will be sent via US Mail and will arrive by mid-November.

    Renewing online using the Marine Board’s Boat Oregon Store is the fastest method, offering a printable temporary permit to be in compliance to go boating right away. Owners can renew multiple boats or purchase Waterway Access Permits in one transaction for a $1.50 portal provider fee. The registration decals are mailed within 2-5 days from online sales and within 7-10 business days from the date of receipt by US mail with payment and the remittance coupon. Owners can then expect an additional 2-4 weeks for their decals to arrive by US Mail. The timelines may vary since printing and mailing are handled outside the agency.

    Any watercraft with a motor or sailboats 12 feet or longer are required to title and register with the Marine Board. Motorboat registration fees are $5 plus $5.95 per foot and are issued on a 2-year calendar basis.

    Renewing in the fall and winter is recommended to avoid long delays during the peak summer season. The renewal cycle begins on November 1st of the expiration year.

    Nonmotorized boaters with paddlecraft 10 feet and longer can also purchase waterway access permits through the Boat Oregon Store. A 7-day permit costs $5, an annual permit is $17, and a two-year permit is $30. Annual and two-year permits are also valid for the calendar year(s). Paddlers are encouraged to purchase permits early in the year to get the most out of permits. And because these permits can be saved or printed immediately, these make great stocking stuffers for the holidays! Especially when gifting paddlecraft.

    Visit the Boat Oregon Store help page with videos and written instructions on how to navigate the system to renew your motorboat registrations or purchase Waterway Access Permits.

    MIL OSI USA News –