NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Large load impacts travel in northwest Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIST Finalizes Guidelines for Evaluating ‘Differential Privacy’ Guarantees to De-Identify Data

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Credit: NicoElNino/Shutterstock

    How can we glean useful insights from databases containing confidential information while protecting the privacy of the individuals whose data is contained within? Differential privacy, a way of defining privacy in a mathematically rigorous manner, can help strike this balance. Newly updated guidelines from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are intended to assist organizations with making the most of differential privacy’s capabilities.

    Differential privacy, or DP, is a privacy-enhancing technology used in data analytics. In recent years, it has been successfully deployed by large technology corporations and the U.S. Census Bureau. While it is a relatively mature technology, a lack of standards can create challenges for its effective use and adoption. For example, a DP software vendor may offer guarantees that if its software is used, it will be impossible to re-identify an individual whose data appears in the database. NIST’s new guidelines aim to help organizations understand and think more consistently about such claims.

    The newly finalized publication, Guidelines for Evaluating Differential Privacy Guarantees (NIST Special Publication 800-226), was originally released in draft form in December 2023. Based in part on comments received, the authors updated the guidelines with the goal of making them clearer and easier to use. 

    “The changes we made improve the precision in the draft’s language to make the guidelines less ambiguous,” said Gary Howarth, a NIST scientist and an author of the publication. “The guidelines can help leaders more clearly understand the trade-offs inherent in DP and can help understand what DP claims mean.”

    Differential privacy works by adding random “noise” to the data in a way that obscures the identity of the individuals but keeps the database useful overall as a source of statistical information. However, noise applied in the wrong way can jeopardize privacy or render the data less useful. 

    To help users avoid these pitfalls, the document includes interactive tools, flow charts, and even sample computer code that can aid in decision-making and show how varying noise levels can affect privacy and data usability. 

    “Small groups in the data of any sort tend to stand out more, so you may need to add more noise to protect their privacy,” Howarth said. 

    While the document is not intended to be a complete primer on differential privacy, Howarth said that it provides a robust reading list of other publications that can help practitioners get up to speed on the topic. The guidelines also cover the sorts of problems that the technology could work with and how to implement it in those situations. 

    “With DP there are many gray areas,” he said. “There is no simple answer for how to balance privacy with usefulness. You must answer that every time you apply DP to data. This publication can help you navigate that space.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Should We Pick Up the Slack?: Remarks before the Investor Advisory Committee

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Thank you, Brian [Schorr], and good morning to you all at this first Investor Advisory Committee meeting of 2025. Thank you to all the panelists joining us today. Although the Commission’s make-up has changed and we are seeing Commission priorities shift, our shared desire to ensure vibrant capital markets and informed investors will continue to unite and guide us.

    Today’s first panel is set to discuss how public companies disclose the risks and opportunities associated with artificial intelligence. I hope that one theme in the conversation will be the value of principles-based disclosure and the value of affording companies the discretion to make disclosures based on what is material to their particular circumstances. Principles-based disclosure rules do not prescribe corporate disclosure, but instead provide the framework within which companies make material disclosures to investors. Attempts to fill disclosure rulebooks with requirements specific to climate, artificial intelligence, or any other hot topic disserve investors in several ways. First, companies that do not have material things to say about these topics can be forced to spend company resources saying them. Second, even mere disclosure requirements can end up being an indirect way for a securities regulator to micromanage substantive company operations. Third, these disclosure requirements can distract corporate boards and managers from doing more important things. Fourth, corporate disclosures filled with answers to prescriptive disclosure frameworks drown out material information. Clear and comprehensive disclosure should be our goal, not homogenization for its own sake. I anticipate that the panel of experts Alvin has gathered will provide us with much to think about. 

    Today’s second panel will discuss retail investor fraud. Artificial intelligence will be part of the conversation here also. This technology, like any other, can improve lives, but in the hands of bad actors it can devastate lives. Our response to the now higher tech fraud menace will require creative thinking and a commitment to pursuing cross-agency coordination at all levels of government. The Commission has taken an important step in facilitating this effort through its Interagency Securities Council (“ISC”), led by Adam Anicich and Manuel Vazquez.[1] The ISC brings together financial regulators and law enforcement to discuss “emerging threats, hear from investigators conducting and supervising investigations, and explore case study examples of agencies employing innovative approaches to combat financial fraud.”[2] I look forward to hearing from Andrea and the other experts she has assembled.

    The Committee also will consider a Draft Recommendation aimed at ensuring “that investors retain their ability to bring claims under Section 11 following an initial offering by establishing a required lockup period.”[3] In other words, the Committee may be asking us—pardon the pun—to pick up the slack after the Supreme Court affirmed the tracing requirement in Section 11 of the Securities Act.[4] The Draft Recommendation notes that recent changes to the IPO process have diminished plaintiffs’ ability to pursue claims under Section 11 by “taint[ing] the pool of registered shares” and thus impeding traceability.[5] How widespread are these changes? For example, although the problem may be broader than direct listings, only 11 direct listings took place from 2021 through 2023.[6] Given that many companies going public want to raise capital, why should we expect that direct listings will increase in the future? Additionally, while early lock-up releases may be on the rise, they are often bespoke and in at least some instances might accord with the Draft Recommendation.[7] Would the Draft Recommendation, if implemented, even change behavior? Shouldn’t we protect underwriters’ ability to waive a lock-up in appropriate circumstances? How large of a problem would this recommendation solve, and should the Commission expend its limited resources to solve it? Does the availability of private rights of action under Section 10(b) mitigate this problem? Given the strict liability standard of Section 11, might attempts to expand its reach do more harm than good for investors given the costs and distraction companies will bear in Section 11 litigation?

    Let me conclude by thanking Brian Schorr and the other members of the Committee and today’s panelists for their dedication, as well as Cristina Martin Firvida, Marc Sharma, Andrew Sporkin, and Adam Moore for their hard work in putting together today’s meeting.

    [5] Draft Recommendation at 6.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Multistate coalition secures court order blocking Trump administration from freezing federal funds

    Source: Washington State News

    PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal judge today blocked the Trump administration from abruptly freezing trillions of dollars in federal funds to the states, a move he said had resulted in “catastrophic consequences” across the country, hitting particularly hard on vulnerable populations.

    The order came in a lawsuit filed by 23 states’ attorneys general, including Washington Attorney General Nick Brown.

    Judge John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted the preliminary injunction, concluding the states had demonstrated a high likelihood of success on their claims that the funding freeze policy is unlawful, explaining that the president cannot put himself above Congress.
     
    “This is an important victory,” Brown said today. “The judge made clear this was a ham-handed, arbitrary, capricious, and fact-free attempt to circumvent the U.S. Constitution.”
     
    The judge rejected the administration’s argument that the funding freeze was needed because of unspecified claims of widespread fraud.
     
    “It is difficult to perceive any rationality in this decision — let alone thoughtful consideration of practical consequences — when these funding pauses endanger the States’ ability to provide vital services, including but not limited to public safety, health care, education, childcare, and transportation infrastructure,” the judge wrote.
     
    The states submitted a myriad of examples to show how their residents were impacted when federal funds were abruptly cut off. The Trump administration, the judge wrote, “presented no answer, no evidence, and no counter to the States’ extensive evidence.”
     
    The administration’s funding freeze policy came through an array of actions, including a Jan. 27 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget, that illegally withheld trillions of dollars in federal funds for states and community-based organizations, creating immediate chaos and uncertainty for millions in urban and rural areas who rely on state programs that receive these federal funds.
     
    The court also required the administration to provide evidence of their compliance with regard to unfreezing Federal Emergency Management Agency funds by March 14 and to alert all agencies about the court’s order.
     
    The lawsuit is led by the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Olympian Wanted for Running Transnational Drug Enterprise and Ordering Several Murders Added to FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives

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

    At present, Wedding is wanted for allegedly running a transnational drug trafficking network that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada and other locations in the United States, and for orchestrating multiple murders and an attempted murder in furtherance of these drug crimes.

    Wedding’s placement on the top ten list marks the 535th addition to the FBI’s list of notorious fugitives. Wedding will replace Alexis Flores who is wanted by FBI Philadelphia. Although Flores is being removed from the list today, he will remain on the FBI’s website on its Most Wanted page.

    “Wedding went from shredding powder on the slopes at the Olympics to distributing powder cocaine on the streets of U.S. cities and in his native Canada,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The alleged murders of his competitors make Wedding a very dangerous man, and his addition to the list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, coupled with a major reward offer by the State Department, will make the public our partner so that we can catch up with him before he puts anyone else in danger.”

    Additionally, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced that it is offering a $10-million-reward for information leading to Wedding’s arrest and/or conviction. The reward was authorized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio under the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP), which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice. This reward offering supplements the FBI’s current offering of $50,000 for information leading to Wedding’s apprehension, arrest, and extradition, and further, is jointly being offered with assistance from the Canadian and Mexican governments as part of a unified effort to bring Wedding to justice.

    In June 2024, Wedding and his second-in-command Andrew Clark, 34, also Canadian, were charged in an indictment out of the Central District of California with running a continuing criminal enterprise; committing murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and assorted drug crimes; and conspiring to possess, distribute, and export cocaine. Clark, who was arrested last October by Mexican authorities, was among the 29 fugitives whom Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced had arrived in the United States from Mexico last week.

    In September 2024, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles returned a superseding indictment naming 14 additional defendants and including, among other counts, an attempted murder charge against Wedding and Clark. The superseding indictment alleges that Wedding, Clark, and others conspired to ship bulk quantities of cocaine – weighing hundreds of kilograms – from Southern California to Canada through a Canada-based drug transportation network run by Hardeep Ratte, 46, of Ontario, Canada, and Gurpreet Singh, 31, of Ontario, Canada, from approximately January 2024 to August 2024. The cocaine shipments were transported from Mexico to the Los Angeles area, where the cocaine trafficking organization’s operatives stored the cocaine in stash houses, before delivering it to the transportation network couriers for delivery to Canada using long-haul semi-trucks.

    “As alleged in the superseding indictment, defendant Ryan Wedding – a former Olympian – led a transnational criminal organization that murdered innocent people and put thousands of kilograms of narcotics on our streets,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “The reward offered today will help bring this defendant to justice in the United States. We urge anyone with information about Wedding to contact law enforcement and help us get Mr. Wedding into custody.”

    The superseding indictment also alleges that Wedding and Clark’s organization resorted to violence – including multiple murders – to achieve its aims. Wedding and Clark allegedly directed the November 20, 2023, murders of two members of a family in Ontario, Canada, in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that passed through Southern California. Another member of that family survived the shooting but was left with serious physical injuries. Wedding and Clark allegedly also ordered the murder of another victim on May 18, 2024, over a drug debt. In addition, Clark and Malik Damion Cunningham, 23, a dual Canadian-American citizen, are charged with the April 1, 2024, murder of another victim in Ontario, Canada.

    “The RCMP is committed to working with our international partners in the fight against transnational criminals,” said Liam Price, Director General, Royal Canadian Mounted Police International program. “It’s imperative that Ryan Wedding faces justice for the charges against him. We will continue to stand with and support our US and Mexican partners in this and other investigations to protect the public.”

    If convicted, Wedding and Clark would face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison on their respective continuing criminal enterprise charge. The murder and attempted murder charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The drug trafficking charges carry mandatory minimum penalties of 10 to 15 years in prison.

    “The former Canadian snowboarder unleashed an avalanche of death and destruction, here and abroad,” said Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division. “He earned the name ‘El Jefe’, becoming boss of a violent transnational drug trafficking organization. Now, his face will be on ‘The Top 10 Most Wanted’ posters. He’s unremitting, callous and greed-driven. Today’s announcement beams an even brighter searchlight on him. We ask that you help us find him.”

    The FBI urges anyone with information as to Wedding’s whereabouts to call the FBI via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram at +1-424 495-0614. These are neither government-operated nor government-controlled platforms. Callers may also contact their local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Confidentiality will be granted to anyone who calls with information.

    Investigators believe that Wedding is residing in Mexico but have not ruled out his presence in the United States, Canada, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, or elsewhere. Wedding is further described as follows:

    Aliases: James Conrad King, Jesse King
    DOB: September 14, 1981
    Hair: Brown, may wear a beard and/or mustache
    Eyes: Blue
    Height: 6’3”
    Weight: 240 lbs. (may vary)
    Nationality: Canadian
    Place of Birth: Thunder Bay, Canada
    Monikers: “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” “El Jefe”

    Photographs and reward information about Wedding will be posted on digital billboards in key locations, as well as on fbi.gov, and on the FBI’s social media platforms. Additional information about Wedding and other Top Ten Fugitives is available at this link: Top Ten Fugitives.

    The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list was established in March 1950. Since its inception, 535 fugitives have been placed on the list of “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives,” 496 of whom were apprehended or located; 163 were due to citizen cooperation.

    The FBI is investigating Wedding and Clark’s drug trafficking enterprise with the Los Angeles Police Department, DEA Los Angeles, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Federal Policing. In addition, significant assistance has been provided by U.S. law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations – Detroit, and United States Customs and Border Protection – Buffalo; Canadian law enforcement partners, including Niagara Regional Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Service, and Peel Regional Police; Mexican law enforcement partners; and Colombian law enforcement partners, including Colombian National Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, Special Interagency Investigation Group (Policía Nacional de Colombia – Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, Grupo Especial de Investigación Interagenciales).

    Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Maria Jhai of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.

    This case 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.

    An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: INTERPOL General Assembly provides roadmap for Organization’s future

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    24 October 2013

    CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, Colombia – The 82nd session of the INTERPOL General Assembly closed today with strong foundations in place for the Organization’s future to better support all 190 member countries in tackling transnational crime and terrorism.

    Mick O’Connell, INTERPOL’s Director of Operational Support, gives an update on the activities of the Organization’s Integrated Border Management Task Force.

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    Ralph Market, INTERPOL’s Assistant Director for Strategic Partnerships and Development, briefs the General Assembly on plans for new public-private initiatives.

    A number of Resolutions were passed, along with cooperation agreements with other organizations.

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of Kasperky Lab, addresses delegates on the subject of international police and private companies in the age of cybercrime.

    Igor Shunevich, Belarus’s Minister of Internal Affairs (left) and INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble sign an agreement for an INTERPOL team to support security for the 2014 Ice Hockey World Championship.

    Minister Shunevich (right) and Mr Noble discuss how the INTERPOL team can detect potential threats of terrorism, hooliganism and serious crime, and secure Belarus’s borders during the Ice Hockey Championship.

    The General Assembly endorsed INTERPOL’s new e-extradition initiative which will significantly speed up and facilitate extradition requests through the Organization’s secure communications channels.

    Rwanda was chosen as the host country for the 84th session of the INTERPOL General Assembly in 2015.

    Every year, a technology exhibition allows private sector companies to showcase their latest innovations to the global police community. This year’s participants were recognized in a special ceremony.

    Colombia became the 64th member country to recognize the INTERPOL Travel Document.

    Colombia hands over the INTERPOL flag to Monaco, the hosts of next year’s General Assembly meeting.

    INTERPOL President Mireille Ballestrazzi delivers her closing remarks.

    Monaco will host the 83rd General Assembly exactly 100 years after it held the first International Criminal Police Congress in 1914, where the idea of INTERPOL was born.

    Secretary General Noble thanks Giuliano Zaccardelli, INTERPOL’s Director of Strategic Planning.

    ‘Dios y Patria’ was written by Dutch police officers as a testimony to Erazo’s dedication to the police and as an inspiration to all those around the world who fight against crime and terrorism.

    Colombian police officer Sergeant Luis Erazo Maya (left) was held hostage by the FARC for almost 12 years. A book launched at the 82nd session of the INTERPOL General Assembly tells his story.

    Luiz Fernando Corrêa, Rio 2016 Security Director (left) and INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble sign an agreement for the world police body to provide additional support to Brazilian authorities for the upcoming Games.

    The General Assembly is INTERPOL’s supreme governing body. It meets once a year and takes all major decisions affecting policy, resources, working methods, finances and activities.

    INTERPOL President, Mireille Ballestrazzi, speaking at the press conference.

    Some 630 police chiefs and senior law enforcement officials attended the event in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

    A total of 144 countries were represented at the conference. 

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    Among the topics discussed were illicit goods, counterfeiting and pharmaceutical crime.

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    With the four-day (21-24 October) conference coming just one month after the Westgate shopping centre attacks in Nairobi, Kenya, senior police officials discussed the Organization’s priorities and strategic roadmap for the next three years, focusing on policing needs in the field addressing threats ranging from terrorism to cybercrime.

    INTERPOL’s new e-extradition initiative, a technical platform which will significantly speed up and facilitate extradition requests through the world police body’s secure communications channels, was strongly endorsed as a ground-breaking initiative by delegates.

    “The resolutions adopted by this General Assembly will develop and further strengthen the partnerships between INTERPOL and other international organizations,” said INTERPOL President Mireille Ballestrazzi.

    “The various discussions and debates during the past four days reflect the collective experience of member countries and the INTERPOL General Secretariat, and will enable us all to continue to develop initiatives to enhance the safety of all citizens throughout the world,” concluded the President.

    A key decision by delegates was the endorsement of a resolution for extrabudgetary resources to be identified in order to provide long-term financial assistance towards INTERPOL’s activities and operational support to all member countries in combating transnational crime and terrorism.

    INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said the decisions taken by the General Assembly paved the way for the Organization to plan for its future and provide additional assistance to member countries.

    “As the world’s largest police organization we must ensure that all of our 190 member countries can count on our support whenever and wherever needed,” said Secretary General Noble.

    “Many of the decisions taken during this General Assembly will provide us with an even stronger framework to address the various transnational crime challenges facing the global law enforcement community,” concluded the INTERPOL Chief.

    Strengthening relationships between police and prosecutorial authorities was also an important element during the conference, with the approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between INTERPOL and Eurojust.

    At the conclusion of the conference Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno, Minister of National Defence, announced Colombia’s recognition of the INTERPOL Travel Document (ITD) thereby significantly speeding up the ability for INTERPOL officials to respond to any calls for assistance or support. To date, 64 INTERPOL member countries have officially recognized the ITD.

    The 83rd INTERPOL General Assembly will be held in Monaco, 100 years after the country hosted the first International Criminal Police Congress in 1914, where the idea of INTERPOL was born.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: First INTERPOL iARMS ‘hit’ on stolen firearm links previously unrelated cases in Costa Rica and Panama

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    20 November 2013

    LYON, France – The INTERPOL illicit Arms Records and Tracing Management System (iARMS) has recorded its first ‘hit’, matching a firearm seized by police in Panama to one stolen in Costa Rica 18 months earlier.

    Launched at the start of 2013, iARMS which currently contains more than 288,000 records provided by nearly 100 countries, provides a centralized system for the reporting and querying of lost, stolen, trafficked and smuggled firearms by all 190 INTERPOL member countries.

    In January 2012, a cache of 216 firearms were reported stolen by the Costa Rican authorities. To alert other countries of the possible threat posed by the missing firearms, INTERPOL issued an Orange Notice warning that the weapons could potentially be smuggled into other countries in the region.

    When Costa Rica joined iARMS in April 2013, its authorities recorded details of the missing firearms for inclusion in the database. It was one of the first countries from the region to add its records into the iARMS system.

    In a separate case, in August 2013 police in Panama seized a handgun during a raid on a residence in relation to suspected drug crimes. A check against the iARMS database revealed that the weapon recovered in the raid was a match to one of those stolen in Costa Rica in 2012.

    “This first hit in iARMS demonstrates the importance of this tool for uncovering links between cases which at first appear unrelated,” said Jeffrey Stirling, Head of INTERPOL’s Firearms Programme.

    “We hope this example of the success of iARMS encourages more member countries to add their records of stolen, lost, trafficked, smuggled and crime-related firearms to the database, making it an even stronger tool for law enforcement,” concluded Mr Stirling.

    Authorities in Costa Rica and Panama are now working closely to share information, identify potential firearm trafficking and smuggling routes between the two countries, and the organizations which could be involved.

    In addition to assisting countries match illicit firearms, iARMS also enables law enforcement to check when and where a weapon was manufactured which can assist in tracing its movements from initial circulation to seizure.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Countries unite to identify illegal fishing vessel via INTERPOL

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    LYON, France – A joint effort by New Zealand, Australia and Norway to find a vessel suspected of illegal fishing has led to the publication of an INTERPOL Purple Notice to assist in identifying its location.

    An INTERPOL Purple Notice has been issued to find a vessel suspected of illegal fishing. Pictured is ‘Thunder’ as Wuhan N 4 in Singapore, October 2012.

    Thunder as Wuhan N 4 – bow view – Singapore October 2012

    Circulated to all 190 INTERPOL member countries the Notice, requested by New Zealand supported by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, also seeks information about the individuals and networks which own, operate and profit from the suspected illegal activities of the vessel, currently believed to be called ‘Thunder’.

    During the past two years, the vessel has operated under at least three different names and under several flags, in order to avoid detection of illegal fishing activities.

    In July 2012, Mongolian registration papers for a vessel called ‘Wuhan 4’ were issued; however in August 2012 the vessel was sighted in the North Indian Ocean under the name ‘Kuko’. In October 2012, the vessel was spotted at a Singapore shipyard under the name ‘Wuhan N 4’ and under a Mongolian flag.

    In April 2013, the same vessel requested access to a port in Malaysia under the name ‘Wuhan 4’ but when inspected a few days later in Indonesia, it was using the name ‘Thunder’ and with the Nigerian flag.

    “Thunder has been operating under a number of names and flags over several years and we believe this is being done to avoid been caught violating international laws and conventions,” said Gary Orr, Manager, Operational Coordination with New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries.

    “Fisheries crime is not constrained by borders and is commonly carried out by transnational organized networks. Norway is deeply concerned about its global effects. We need an international, coordinated response to effectively tackle these networks, and I welcome the good cooperation we have established with Australia and New Zealand via INTERPOL,” said Norway’s Minister of Fisheries, Elisabeth Aspaker.

    AFMA’s Fisheries Operations General Manager Peter Venslovas said illegal fishing activities seriously undermine the sustainability of fisheries: “Ongoing cooperation between countries across the globe to combat illegal fishing is having a real impact and making it harder for these operators to make a profit.”

    It is possible that the owners of ‘Thunder’ have earned more than USD 60 million from its illegal fishing activities since it was blacklisted by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in February 2006.

    The vessel is currently believed to be operating in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica where it may be fishing illegally for Patagonian toothfish, also known as Chilean Sea Bass, a highly sought after protected species.

    This is the third INTERPOL Purple Notice issued in connection with illegal fishing activities, with the first published in September this year at the request of Norwegian authorities for a vessel named ‘Snake’.

    INTERPOL’s Purple Notices are used to seek or provide information on modi operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Customs and police operation targets cocaine trafficking routes into Europe

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    5 December 2013

    An operation targeting cocaine trafficking routes from South America and Africa into Europe has led to the seizure of more than 1.7 tonnes of drugs, some EUR 1.4 million in cash and 91 arrests.

    Secret panels had been created inside the suitcase to smuggle drugs.

    Customs officers in Nigeria found 2.5 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden in a suitcase.

    Counterfeit medicines seized from an air freight container in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In total more than 10 tonnes of fake medicines were recovered during Operation Cocair IV.

    More than five kilogrammes of cocaine were discovered hidden inside motor cylinders at Niamey airport in Niger.

    Operation COCAIR IV, led by the World Customs Organization (WCO), and supported by INTERPOL and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), also resulted in the recovery of more than 10 tonnes of counterfeit medical products and around 35 kilogrammes of illicit wildlife products, including rough and worked ivory.

    During the nine-day operation (26 October – 3 November) nearly 100 seizures were made at 30 international airports across Africa with 181 kg of cocaine 1,700 kg of cannabis and 40 kg of methamphetamine recovered.

    In addition to intelligence-led controls, including profiling passenger lists, law enforcement officers also carried out additional checks on postal items, freight, aircraft and crew members.

    The operation comes under the umbrella of Project AIRCOP, an European Commission and Canada funded initiative to improve controls at international airports by enhancing cooperation between drug enforcement services through communication via WCO’s CENcomm and INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure systems.

    Prior to the operational phase, a training session was held in Libreville, Gabon where INTERPOL and WCO provided specialist training to nearly 50 officers from the participating countries on a range of issues including risk analysis and product identification.

    Countries which took part in Operation COCAIR IV: Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Jamaica, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 25 Metropolitan Detention Center Inmates, Their Associates and a Former Correctional Officer — Charged in a Dozen Criminal Cases at the Federal Jail in Brooklyn

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Charges Include a Range of Violent Assaults and Contraband Smuggling in Continued Effort by Law Enforcement to Combat Crime Inside the Prison

    Today the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced criminal charges against 25 defendants in 12 separate cases relating to violence and contraband smuggling at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC-Brooklyn) in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. These include charges against 15 inmates for violent assaults against other inmates from May 2024 to the present; a former correctional officer for attempting to smuggle contraband into the facility on January 21, 2025; an inmate for orchestrating a contraband smuggling operation between April and June 2024; an inmate for smuggling ceramic scalpels into the facility on October 12, 2024; an inmate for possession of contraband and continuing to commit fraud while detained at MDC-Brooklyn; and an MS-13 gang associate for attempting to smuggle a large package of contraband, including 18 cellphones and marijuana, to other MS-13 gang members incarcerated at MDC-Brooklyn.

    Previously, nine inmates at MDC-Brooklyn were charged by the Office in September 2024 for violence and contraband smuggling.  In addition, the Office, in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (USAO-SDNY) and more than a dozen law enforcement partners, assisted in October 2024 with a week-long multi-agency operation aimed at detecting and seizing contraband from MDC-Brooklyn.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Kathleen Toomey, Associate Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, announced the charges.

    “The safety and security of our federal detention facilities is paramount,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “As alleged, in several separate charging instruments, inmates viciously attacked fellow detainees, a correctional officer betrayed his duty by attempting to smuggle drugs into the facility, several inmates orchestrated elaborate contraband smuggling operations and yet another inmate continued to engage in fraud schemes while detained.  These actions undermine the order and security of MDC-Brooklyn and endanger everyone within its walls.  My Office is working tirelessly to hold accountable those who commit violent acts or introduce contraband into the prison, whether they are inmates or staff.  These charges serve as a warning to those who would engage in criminal conduct behind bars, and anyone else who facilitates those crimes: your conduct will be uncovered, and you will be held accountable.”

    Mr. Durham thanked the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and the FBI New York Field Office for their investigative work in these cases, as well as the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General for their assistance.

    “These 25 defendants, an array of inmates and a former correctional officer, allegedly committed numerous violent attacks against fellow inmates and orchestrated various schemes to smuggle contraband into the prison,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “These cases reflect the alleged extreme disregard for adhering to the rules designed to protect the other inmates and correctional staff within the institution. The FBI will never tolerate any individual, regardless of their incarceration status, who engages in deviant behavior that threatens the safety and stability of our federal facilities.

    “The Federal Bureau of Prisons would like to thank the FBI and the EDNY for their partnership and support to further prevent and prosecute violence and contraband in our facilities, through our unified efforts we are making our facilities safer for our employees and those in our custody,” stated Federal Bureau of Prisons Associate Deputy Director Toomey.   

    A summary of the cases follows:

    U.S. v. Mike Josie

    Mike Josie has been charged by indictment with assault in a federal detention facility in connection with his participation in an assault of another inmate at MDC-Brooklyn on May 26, 2024.  As alleged, Josie brutally attacked another inmate in his housing unit who was sitting at a table in a common area of the unit.  Josie approached the victim from behind and made several slashing motions towards the victim’s face.  After the assault, the victim was taken to a nearby hospital to treat lacerations to his neck and face. If convicted, Josie faces up to10 years in prison.  Josie is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. Assistant United States Attorney Sean Fern is in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Daryl Campbell, Ian Diez, Jonathan Guerrero, Abel Mora and Mayovanex Rodriguez

    Daryl Campbell, Ian Diez, Jonathan Guerrero, Abel Mora and Mayovanex Rodriguez are charged by complaint with conspiracy to smuggle contraband into MDC-Brooklyn.  As alleged, between April and June 2024, Campbell used a contraband cell phone to conspire with others to smuggle contraband into MDC-Brooklyn.  In several voice recordings found on the phone, Campbell explained his method of throwing a “line” out of a window of MDC-Brooklyn for a co-conspirator on the outside to “hook” or attach contraband, which could then be pulled back inside.  On June 30, 2024, Diez, Guerrero, Mora, and Rodriguez attempted to execute Campbell’s scheme by pulling a rope through the window of the recreation room in their housing area.  At the other end of that rope, correctional officers found what appeared to be suboxone, marijuana, a scalpel, a phone charger, lighters, and cigarettes.  If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Noble and Elizabeth D’Antonio are in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Sean Smith, Rasheed Chapman and Antwan Mosley

    Sean Smith, Rasheed Chapman and Antwan Mosley have been indicted by a grand jury for the June 2, 2024 assault of another inmate at MDC-Brooklyn.  The defendants violently assaulted the victim, slashing him across the face and neck and causing serious lacerations.  The victim was then chased through the housing unit and struck repeatedly by his assailants. If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorney Kamil Ammari is in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Adil Duran

    Adil Duran has been charged in an indictment with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and possessing contraband in prison.  As captured on video surveillance footage, on July 11, 2024, Duran slashed another inmate in the face and neck with a sharpened weapon, causing serious lacerations that required sutures.  If convicted, Duran faces up to 20 years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorney Kate Mathews is in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Erik Steadman and Javaughn Horton

    Erik Steadman and Javaughn Horton have been charged by complaint with assault in a federal detention facility for the September 5, 2024 assault of another inmate at MDC-Brooklyn.  As alleged, Horton and Steadman approached another inmate in their unit and began punching him repeatedly in the face until he fell to the ground.  The defendants continued punching and kicking the victim in the face, causing a significant laceration to his face.  If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorney Molly Delaney is in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Angel Villafane

    Angel Villafane, a member of the gang Valentine Avenue Crew, has been indicted for possession of 21 ceramic scalpels smuggled into MDC-Brooklyn on October 12, 2024.  As alleged, while sitting in the visiting room at MDC-Brooklyn, Villafane removed a ball full of ceramic scalpels from a bag of Doritos chips and placed them in his shirt.  Correctional officers later discovered the scalpels during a search.  If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Margaret P. Mortimer is in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Juan Lopez and Jose Rivera

    Juan Lopez and Jose Rivera have been indicted for assaulting another inmate and possessing contraband weapons.  As alleged, on November 11, 2024, Lopez and Rivera slashed and stabbed another inmate in their housing unit.  The victim was seated at a table when Rivera snuck up behind him and slashed him multiple times in the head and neck with a sharp object. As the victim ran to seek help, Lopez tried to prevent him from reaching the correctional officers’ station by swinging his own weapon, stabbing the victim in the arm.  The victim suffered three lacerations to the back of his head, one laceration to his neck and a puncture wound to his forearm.  If convicted, the defendants face up to 15 years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorney Russell Noble is in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Tyquan Robinson

    Tyquan Robinson has been charged in a five-count superseding indictment with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and possession of contraband in prison.  Robinson was originally detained at MDC-Brooklyn for his alleged role in defrauding a court-appointed criminal defense attorney by obtaining a stolen $125,000 Treasury check issued to the attorney as payment for representing indigent defendants and stealing his identity.  In October 2024, officers at the MDC performed a search of Robinson’s cell. Inside his locker, the officers discovered that Robinson had hidden a contraband cellphone inside of a box of Raisin Bran cereal. An examination of this contraband cellphone revealed that even while incarcerated at the MDC, Robinson was participating in a separate fraud scheme from his original charges by discussing stealing checks issued to others, opening multiple bank accounts, and exchanging third parties’ personally identifiable information.  If convicted, Robinson faces up to 30 years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorney James R. Simmons is in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Special Agent Anthony Cunder.

    U.S. v. Jairon Ortega-Corea

    Jairon Ortega-Corea, an MS-13 gang associate, was charged by indictment with attempting to provide contraband to inmates at MDC-Brooklyn.  He was arrested on March 3, 2025 in Minnesota.  The charges stem from the December 2, 2024 discovery, by MDC-Brooklyn employees, of a package on the fourth-floor roof of the jail containing 18 cellular telephones, approximately 345 grams of marijuana and one liter of drinking alcohol, among other items.  The prior evening, a witness had observed the attempted smuggling of the package into MDC-Brooklyn, when it was pulled up by a rope dangled out of the window of an empty cell within the unit that houses MS-13 members.  An investigation subsequently revealed that the defendant, who is related to a high-ranking MS-13 member housed at MDC-Brooklyn, purchased several of the contraband items at a local Walmart the day prior to the discovery.  At the time of the purchase, Ortega-Corea was communicating with MS-13 inmates at MDC-Brooklyn who were using a different contraband phone.  If convicted, Ortega-Corea faces up to 20 years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorneys Megan E. Farrell, Paul G. Scotti and Justina L. Geraci are in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Najee Jackson

    Najee Jackson, a former correctional officer at MDC-Brooklyn, has been indicted by a grand jury for attempting to smuggle contraband into the facility.  On January 21, 2025, Jackson, who was employed as a correctional officer, arrived at MDC-Brooklyn to begin working a night shift. After making several failed attempts to clear the metal detector in the staff screening area, Jackson removed his Bureau of Prisons-issued protective vest, which was found to contain vacuum‑sealed bags of marijuana and cigarettes. Jackson resigned from the Bureau of Prisons two days later.  If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorneys Turner Buford and Russell Noble are in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Devone Thomas

    Devone Thomas, who was previously charged with the June 7, 2024 killing of Uriel Whyte inside of the MDC Brooklyn, is now additionally charged by complaint with possession of a contraband weapon.  On February 28, 2025, Thomas was transported to federal court in Brooklyn for a status conference in connection with his murder case. Upon his return to MDC-Brooklyn after the court appearance, a blade was found in Thomas’s groin area.  If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth D’Antonio is in charge of the prosecution.

    U.S. v. Brian Castro, Franklin Gillespie, Juan Lopez, Jowenky Nunez Jr., Hugo Rodriguez and Elvis Trejo

    Brian Castro, Franklin Gillespie, Juan Lopez, Jowenky Nunez Jr., Hugo Rodriguez, and Elvis Trejo have been charged by complaint with assault in a federal detention facility for their roles in what became a unit-wide fight between inmates at MDC-Brooklyn. As alleged, on February 22, 2025, Castro, Lopez, Nunez, Rodriguez and Trejo, along with other as-yet uncharged individuals, approached another inmate in their unit, armed with weapons, and began chasing and stabbing him.  The victim was stabbed 18 times and required hospitalization for his injuries. The brawl ultimately resulted in at least five inmates, including the victim, requiring transportation to a local hospital for further treatment.  Gillespie, who was not a part of the initial group attacking the victim, joined the brawl after it began, and, also armed with a weapon, assaulted a fellow inmate in the course of the fight.  The fight resulted in more than 20 inmates requiring medical assessments, and at least 10 inmates appeared to have wounds consistent with being stabbed or slashed.  If convicted, each defendant faces up to 10 years in prison.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Petraeus is in charge of the prosecution.

    *          *          *

    The Office’s General Crimes Section is principally responsible for handling these cases, with substantial contributions from the Public Integrity Section, the Organized Crime and Gangs Section and the Office’s Long Island Criminal Section.  In addition to the Assistant United States Attorneys and Special Agent listed above, Special Agent Danielle Williams, Law Enforcement Coordinator Specialist Herbert Martin and Paralegal Specialists Matias Burdman and Erin Payne have provided substantial support on these cases.

    The charges in the indictments and complaints described above are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The Defendants:

    MIKE JOSIE
    Age: 25

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-76 (FB)

    ————–

    DARYL CAMPBELL
    Age: 39

    IAN DIEZ
    Age: 20

    JONATHAN GUERRERO
    Age: 34

    ABEL MORA
    Age: 23

    MAYOVANEX RODRIGUEZ
    Age: 30

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-72

    ————–

    SEAN SMITH
    Age: 34

    RASHEED CHAPMAN
    Age: 21

    ANTWAN MOSLEY
    Age: 23

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-58

    ————–

    ADIL DURAN
    Age: 23

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-9 (ARR)

    ————–

    ERIK STEADMAN
    Age: 24

    JAVAUGHN HORTON
    Age: 30

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-70

    ————–

    ANGEL VILLAFANE
    Age: 40

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-71 (HG)

    ————–

    JUAN LOPEZ
    Age: 26

    JOSE RIVERA
    Age: 20

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-72 (CBA)

    ————–

    TYQUAN ROBINSON
    Age: 30

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-51 (AMD)

    ————–

    JAIRON ORTEGA-COREA
    Age: 23

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-83

    ————–

    NAJEE JACKSON
    Age: 32

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-67 (OEM)

    ————–

    DEVONE THOMAS
    Age: 25

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-360 (EK)

    ————–

    BRIAN CASTRO
    Age: 24

    FRANKLIN GILLESPIE
    Age: 34

    JUAN LOPEZ
    Age: 68

    JOWENKY NUNEZ JR.
    Age: 22

    HUGO RODRIGUEZ
    Age: 29

    ELVIS TREJO
    Age: 24

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-73

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Pleads Guilty, Faces 10 Years to Life in Federal Prison for Attempting to Smuggle Fentanyl and Cocaine into U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in Del Rio to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    According to court documents, Federico De Los Rios Rios, of Durango, Mexico, attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico through the Eagle Pass port of entry on Oct. 26, 2024. Accompanied by his wife and child, De Los Rios Rios presented a U.S. Visa to Customs and Border Protection officers and was referred to secondary inspection. A scan of the vehicle revealed anomalies, and a canine inspection resulted in a positive alert.

    CBP officers inspected the rear of the vehicle and located a trap door under a seat, which contained multiple bundles wrapped in electrical tape. One set of bundles weighed 2.14 kgs and was consistent with the properties of fentanyl. A second set of bundles weighed a total of 11.16 kgs and was consistent with the properties of cocaine. A Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory test confirmed the substances to be fentanyl and cocaine.

    De Los Rios Rios admitted that he had been instructed to drive the vehicle from his home in Durango to Orlando, Florida, had been given $700 up front, and anticipated he would be paid an additional $10,000 once he arrived at the destination.

    De Los Rios Rios pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He faces 10 years to life in prison with a maximum $10 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Kass is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentencing in Alien Smuggling Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Florida man was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, following a dramatic high-speed pursuit and arrest in southern New Mexico.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on the night of July 15, 2024, Border Patrol agents observed Omar Ozuna-Berneda, 49, a Cuban national and lawful permanent resident, driving a white tractor-trailer on New Mexico State Road 26 near Deming. The vehicle had been previously observed traveling in tandem with other tractor-trailers caught in failed smuggling attempts. When agents attempted to initiate a stop, Ozuna-Berneda led them on a dangerous high-speed pursuit, including swerving into oncoming traffic to avoid a controlled tire deflation device and driving on the shoulder of the highway.

    After 22 miles, Ozuna-Berneda left the vehicle on New Mexico State Road 26 near the city limits of Hatch, New Mexico, and fled on foot. The abandoned tractor-trailer was blocking both lanes traffic and Border Patrol agents discovered 31 illegal aliens locked inside the trailer, including an unaccompanied 8-year-old child. Ozuna-Berneda was later apprehended by Border Patrol agents hiding in brush several miles from the abandoned tractor-trailer.

    During questioning, Ozuna-Berneda admitted to knowingly transporting illegal aliens from Las Cruces to Albuquerque in exchange for payment.

    “Those who violate our immigration laws by engaging in human smuggling endanger both the public and law enforcement through their reckless actions.,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin. “We are resolute in our mission to enforce our immigration laws, dismantle smuggling networks, and prosecute those who put so many lives at risk for their own financial gain.”

    “If you aid in violating U.S. immigration laws by attempting to smuggle individuals into the United States, we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent possible,” said U.S. Border Patrol Interim Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar. “Strengthening border security means enforcing strict consequences for those who break the law. With the support of our partners, we will ensure you face prosecution and serve jail time.”

    Upon his release from prison, Ozuna-Berneda will be subject to three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, made the announcement today.

    U.S. Border Patrol investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Land Management. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Merkley introduce bipartisan bill to curb the practice of legacy admissions at colleges

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in introducing the bipartisan Fair College Admissions for Students Act. The bill would prohibit higher education institutions from participating in federal student assistance programs if the institution practices legacy admissions. 
    “Louisiana’s students work hard for an opportunity to get into their dream college. However, the practice of legacy admissions undermines good academic performance. The Fair College Admissions for Students Act would make sure that higher education institutions make decisions about who can attend their schools based on merit,” said Kennedy.  
    “As the first in my family to go to college, I know the struggles facing students whose parents have never been through the process before or don’t have the money for expensive test prep or advisors to help them craft the perfect essay. Children of donors and alumni may be excellent, well-qualified students, but the fact is they are the last people who should get an additional leg up in the complicated and competitive college admissions process. To counter the unfair advantage of money and connections in accessing higher education, Senator Kennedy and I are teaming up to put an end to taxpayer dollars propping up this system that only serves the rich and powerful,” said Merkley. 
    According to the National Center for Education Services, during the 2022-2023 academic year, more than 570 institutions admitted to considering legacy status when making admissions decisions.
    The Fair College Admissions for Students Act would prevent higher education institutions from participating in federal assistance programs if they use preferential treatment in the admission process to applicants on the basis of their relationships to donors to the institution or alumni of the institution.
    Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) also cosponsored the bill.
    Full text of the Fair College Admissions for Students Act is available here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy on taxpayer-funded NPR, PBS: “The audience for public radio and public television is declining”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    Watch Kennedy’s comments here.
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) explained why taxpayer-funded news services, including National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), have declining audiences. Kennedy argued that the federal government should stop funding these programs through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in a speech on the Senate floor.
    Key excerpts of the speech are below: 
    “The audience for public radio and public television is declining. Let me say that again. The audience for public radio and public television, which your tax dollars pay for, is declining.
    “Why is that? There are a lot of reasons for it, but I will tell you one. People used to tune into PBS and NPR and Corporation for Public bias—Public Broadcasting, Freudian slip there—because those stations played it right straight down the middle, but they don’t anymore. They are very, very biased in their reporting. We all know that. I mean, all you have to do is listen to them.”
    . . .
    “I support the First Amendment, but they don’t have an inalienable right to report these things using opinion journalism that no fair-minded American can construe as anything but representing one point of view with your tax dollars.
    “I am going to try to stop subsidizing media—not just PBS and not just NPR—but any form of media that somehow is getting federal taxpayer dollars. It is just not right. It is not fair. I have a bill to do that. . . . I think President Trump and Mr. [Elon] Musk are going to pursue it on their own, and I think that is a very good thing.”
    Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Trilateral Maritime Exercise Supports Allied Interoperability

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    CARIBBEAN SEA  –  

    Showing the benefits of maritime presence in the Caribbean, three warships and one aircraft from three allies conducted a passing exercise (PASSEX) on Mar. 3 designed to increase interoperability and enhance capability.

    The U.S. Navy Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60) and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) joined the United Kingdom (U.K.) Royal Navy River-class offshore patrol vessel HMS Medway (P223) and a NH90 Neptune helicopter assigned to the Royal Netherlands Navy Holland-class offshore patrol vessel HNLMS Groningen (P843) for the PASSEX.

    The trilateral maritime PASSEX is part of U.S. and allied collaboration in the Western Hemisphere. Adopted in 2023, allies and partners from the U.K., Canada, France, the Netherlands, and the United States committed to more frequently share information and work more closely together on aligned strategic interests, specifically in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility (AOR). The collaboration includes maritime operations and exercises at sea and Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) port visits designed to meet that commitment.

    “One of the best ways to address today’s security challenges is with shared maritime presence in our region, operating at sea with our allies and partners,” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, the operational commander of the trilateral maritime exercise. “We know that through operations and exercises like this one in coordination with committed allies, we strengthen U.S. and regional security.”

    A PASSEX is an exercise conducted between two or more navies to ensure best practices for communicate and cooperation and normally include communication and maneuvering drills. This trilateral maritime PASSEX also included an air defense event, a low-slow flyer event, and Sailor crossdecks among the four warships.

    “We always look forward to any opportunity to operate alongside partners and allies like the Royal Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy,” said Capt. Nathan Diaz, USS Normandy Commanding Officer. “Maritime exercises such as these provide a great opportunity for Normandy Sailors to improve their skills and work closely with their counterparts from partnered and allied naval forces.”

    “We relish at sea exercises as they allow us to build our team as we operate with allies and partners,” said Cmdr. Cameron Ingram, USS Thomas Hudner Commanding Officer. “It was an honor to meet, operate and collaborate with the other commands’ leadership and teams, and a reassurance of our collaborative capabilities and resolve.”

    U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet serves as a trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South American maritime forces, promoting unity, security, and stability in the region.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Marshall Joins Fox Business to Discuss Tariffs, President Trump’s Joint Address Before Congress, and DOGE

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Charles Payne with Fox Business today to discuss President Donald Trump’s tariffs strategy, the President’s address before Congress, and the actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    [embedded content]
    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full Fox Business interview.
    On President Trump’s Tariffs Strategy
    “First and foremost, my farmers and ranchers are patriots. There’s not a county in Kansas that has not been impacted by fentanyl poisoning, and that’s why they’re willing to stand beside President Trump and secure our borders, and that Canada and Mexico can do more than just that.
    “Beyond that, though, there are so many more levers that President Trump can pull. We’ve been through this with him before. In Trump 1.0, he did these tariffs on China, and like he just said, he went out and gave us $28 billion of those tariffs. But then he gave us China phase one – record sales in the commodities as well.
    “And then he went on in that Presidency, and he gave us trade agreements, really good trade agreements for agriculture, with Mexico, with Canada, with South Korea, and Japan. There are opportunities out there.
    “And lastly, the other two levers he can pull if he gives us year-round E15, that could replace two-thirds of our export market for corn. And lastly, he can give us the certainty of a 5-year Farm Bill. So, there’s other things he can do besides just the tariffs. Don’t look at the tariffs in them in and of themselves.”
    On the President’s Address Before a Joint Session of Congress
    “I think the President has given us hope. For the first time in five years, since I found out what COVID was and Joe Biden became President, for the first time, America has hope again. We’re bullish on America, that we can leave this world better than we found it, that we can go to places that we never thought we could go to, not just going to Mars. There are so many more things, instead of our country contracting…
    “I think we walked out of there excited, [I’m] disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle couldn’t stand. They couldn’t stand for the First Lady. They couldn’t stand for a young boy that had survived brain cancer and was deputized into the Secret Service, and the other families as well.”
    On DOGE’s Impact So Far
    “I told Elon today he’s not going fast enough. And I think I got a little laugh out of him. I’ve gotten to know Elon a little bit better over the last four or five years. I think the first thing I want to let Americans know is he’s a patriot now too. That’s kind of my theme of the day. He’s a patriot, that he’s all in, he’s doing a great job.
    “The big misconception I think people see out there is that Elon is not in there doing the work. He’s an advisor. There are DOGE employees who went through the federal government employment process like everybody else, and they’re just in there, shining a flashlight on the fraud, waste, abuse, and incompetence…
    “He’s had a great success in the past. I think there’s an opportunity to curb 10, 15, 20% of this federal government. And you know what would really help our farmers, is if the federal government to stop borrowing money and get our interest rates down. That’s what would really help my farmers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Modern workplaces were never designed for mothers, and it’s time for that to change

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Erica Pimentel, Assistant Professor, Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, Ontario

    Close to 80 per cent of mothers work outside the home, yet they are are consistently paid less for their work and passed up for job opportunities.

    A recent survey from the United States found that two-thirds of mothers considered leaving the workforce in 2024 due to the stress and cost of child care — an issue most pronounced among Gen Z mothers, with 82 per cent reporting these concerns.

    Our recent research study calls for recognition of the physical and emotional toll of motherhood on women at work. The essay draws on a combination of personal experience and academic research to examine situations where mothers are pulled between work and family obligations.

    We found that many working mothers are faced with the impossible trade-off of balancing full-time work with full-time mothering. It’s no wonder that many mothers feel like they don’t belong in the workplace.

    An impossible trade-off

    The demands of the modern workplace are at odds with contemporary expectations of motherhood. Today, mothers spend twice as much time with their children as they did in the 1970s.

    Contemporary mothers are expected to practise “intensive mothering,” a parenting style that requires them to be intimately involved in the minutiae of their children’s lives, like attending multiple after-school activities.

    On the other hand, professional workplaces are becoming increasingly demanding of all workers. American sociologist Alison Wynn coined the term “everwork” to refer to the “combination of overwork, face time, constant availability, and unpredictability” that have become the norm in professional workplaces.

    The demands of the modern workplace are at odds with contemporary expectations of motherhood.
    (Vitolda Klein/Unsplash)

    Wynn refers to mothers as “tightrope walkers” trying to balance personal and professional responsibilities under the conditions of everwork, with the potential to fall at any time. Worse still, mothers who try to reconcile their personal and professional obligations by leveraging flexible working options are often penalized with more intense workloads and lost opportunities for professional development.

    The simultaneously increasing demands of motherhood and professional life are untenable. Women are expected to work in spaces where performance expectations are simply inconsistent with the reality of family life. Naturally, this is taking a toll: almost half of Canadian mothers report they’ve reached their “breaking point,” meaning they feel overworked, overwhelmed and undervalued.

    Struggling to fit into workplaces

    Not only do many women believe workplaces are hostile to motherhood, but many also feel that their bodies are not welcome there. Societal norms dictate how women should look and dress at work.

    This stress only intensifies during pregnancy. Sociologist David J. Hutson explains how pregnant women oscillate between concealing their bodies in early pregnancy to learning how to deal with unwanted comments and uninvited touching in later maternity.

    Many pregnant women are expected to endure this uncomfortable behaviour as a form of emotional labour, a term coined by U.S. sociologist Arlie Hochschild to describe the way women are taught to manage their emotions to make others feel better.

    Many mothers feel like their bodies are not welcome in the workplace.
    (Shutterstock)

    Although laws exist to protect pregnant women from discrimination, this doesn’t prevent colleagues from engaging in practices that make pregnant women feel like they do not belong.

    Many mothers also struggle with the physical realities of having a postpartum body in the workplace, such as dealing with leaky breast milk overflows from engorged breasts, unpredictable menstrual cycles and other postpartum changes. While some workplaces provide breastfeeding spaces, this is far from the norm, leaving women to adapt to the rhythms and spaces of the office on their own.

    Even long after giving birth, women must remain attentive of their appearance at work. Researchers shows that women who look too “mothering” risk being taken less seriously at work. Dressing like a mom is sometimes used as an insult to describe women who choose an easy to manage hairstyle, don’t wear makeup or prioritize comfort over fashion when choosing their clothes.

    Women are expected to control and manage their bodies to conform to workplace norms before, during and after pregnancy — expectations that are at odds with their biology.

    Making workplaces work for mothers

    As experts in motherhood and mothers ourselves, we are adamant that things need to change. Our recent research outlined a three-pillar call to action to make workplaces more inclusive and equitable toward mothers.

    1. Enlist allies and resist negative attitudes about motherhood. Much of modern motherhood has become a logistical battle. Workplaces should implement institutional policies that recognize these logistical challenges, such as a four-day work week or flexible hours. Mothers must also build strong support networks, especially in places like the workplace where positions of power are often occupied by those who aren’t mothers.

    2. Recognize the physical toll of mothering and normalize maternal bodies. Workplaces must break down taboos surrounding maternal bodies by creating dedicated spaces for breastfeeding and breast pumping, and running awareness campaigns to normalize these needs. Workplaces should also hire more women — particularly mothers — into leadership roles. When maternal bodies become a common and accepted presence at work, they will no longer be a subject of scrutiny.

    3. Recognize the emotional cost of mothering. The emotional burden of parenting, like imbuing children with good values and guiding their decision-making, is the most taxing part about being a parent. Workplaces should acknowledge this by redesigning performance evaluations to account for the time and energy needed for caregiving. This could also mean considering parental and caregiving roles in annual performance evaluation criteria.

    Mothers and those who care about them must come together to demand better workplace conditions, not just for mothers, but for others as well. Only through collective action can we create lasting change.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Modern workplaces were never designed for mothers, and it’s time for that to change – https://theconversation.com/modern-workplaces-were-never-designed-for-mothers-and-its-time-for-that-to-change-250584

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House passes Kennedy resolution to repeal Biden admin rule targeting offshore oil and gas production

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives today passed Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval to reverse the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) rule that targeted oil and gas production in the outer continental shelf. The resolution passed with bipartisan support, and it now moves to the president’s desk for signing.
    “In waging war on oil and gas producers, the Biden administration drove up prices for families and jeopardized our energy security. I am proud to see that the House passed my resolution to help bring back America’s energy dominance, and I look forward to President Trump signing it into law,” said Kennedy.
    Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) introduced the companion resolution in the House of Representatives. 
    “Congress has taken a decisive step to protect American energy independence and support our workers. By overturning Biden’s BOEM’s overreaching rule, we are unleashing our nation’s vast resources, they tried to handcuff with red tape, driving up costs, stifling innovation, and making us more dependent on foreign energy. I look forward to President Trump taking swift action to sign this resolution into law. Together, we are reaffirming our commitment to an energy policy that prioritizes American jobs, economic growth, and national security,” said Ezell.
    Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) helped introduce the resolution in the Senate.
    “House passage of our resolution of disapproval moves us another step forward in overturning Biden’s regulatory assault on oil and gas production in the Gulf.  I look forward to President Trump signing this resolution while we look for other policies we can repeal,” said Hyde-Smith.
    Background:
    On Sept. 3, 2024, the Biden administration published a rule requiring all new oil and gas leaseholders on the outer continental shelf to submit an archaeological report to the BOEM before drilling or laying pipelines. The rule burdens lessees with conducting costly surveys for marine archaeological resources, such as shipwrecks or “cultural resources.”  
    This rule replaces BOEM’s long-standing policy of requiring oil and gas operators to conduct archaeological surveys only when there was a “reason to believe” that an archaeological resource may be present.
    The Biden administration admitted that this rule would harm small oil and gas producers most, writing, “100 percent of the increased Gulf of [America] compliance cost . . . would be borne by operators that are small entities.” Small and independent operators account for one-third of all oil production in the Gulf of America.
    On Feb. 4, 2025, Kennedy introduced his CRA joint resolution of disapproval to repeal the rule. This is one of more than 225 harmful regulations that the Biden administration levied against the oil and natural gas industry.
    The full resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Women’s Rugby World Cup coming to Sunderland AFC fan zone this Saturday

    Source: City of Sunderland

    The Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy is taking pride of place at Sunderland AFC’s pre-match fan zone this Saturday.

    Its star appearance on International Women’s Day is just one of the attractions lined up for the free rugby themed event at the Beacon of Light on Saturday 8 March.

    Families visiting the fan zone ahead of the Sunderland v Cardiff City match can have a go at a whole range of exciting rugby inspired activities on the day.

    Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re really excited to have the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy at our fan zone takeover on International Women’s Day.

    “The fan zone event is all about showcasing everything rugby has to offer as we count down to England’s Red Roses in the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup at the Stadium of Light on Friday 22 August.

    “It’s a fantastic opportunity to find out about the sport and about how you can get involved, even if you’ve never picked up a rugby ball in your life.

    “There’ll be something for everyone no matter what your age or ability, including walking rugby, fun fitness sessions with a rugby twist, children’s activities, tag rugby, and rugby skills on show from local rugby clubs.

    “So this is a brilliant chance to come along and find out all about what new community rugby activities are on offer in Sunderland and learn more about our fantastic local rugby clubs. You’ll also be able to find out how to get tickets for the England v USA opening match. And, you can even have your photo taken with the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy.”

    The Beacon of Light will be hosting the fan zone take over from 12:30 -2.30pm on Saturday 8 March, with both match goers and non match goers alike welcome to come along and join the fun. All activities are free. There will also be the opportunity to win family tickets to the England v USA opening match.

    Match-goers will also be able to see girls from Houghton Rugby Club’s under 14’s team demonstrating their rugby skills when they take to the pitch at the Stadium of Light at half time during the Cardiff City game.

    The fan zone takeover is being organised by Sunderland City Council’s Active Sunderland, the RFU, University of Sunderland, local rugby clubs, the Foundation of Light, SAFC, Sunderland BID, Newcastle Falcons and Newcastle Rugby Foundation.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sugary drinks are a killer: a 20% tax would save lives and rands in South Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Susan Goldstein, Associate Professor in the SAMRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science – PRICELESS SA (Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Strengthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand

    Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular conditions account for over 70% of global deaths annually.

    In South Africa, non-communicable diseases cause more than half of all deaths. Diabetes ranks as the second leading cause after tuberculosis.

    A major contributor to rising diabetes rates is the high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, including cooldrinks.

    The World Health Organization recommends a tax of at least 20% on sugary drinks as an effective tool to help reduce consumption and curb related health risks.

    South Africa introduced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, officially known as the Health Promotion Levy, in 2018.

    The tax applies at R0.0221 ($0.0012) per gram of sugar beyond a 4g/100ml threshold, amounting to an 8% of final selling price. The tax has increased slightly since it was introduced, but not in line with inflation. The Health Promotion Levy therefore falls short of the original 20% target as industry pressure led to a watered-down version of it.

    I lead the South African Medical Research Council/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science – PRICELESS SA, which has been studying various aspects of the levy for over 10 years.

    PRICELESS SA is still in the process of measuring the health and financial impact of not implementing the Health Promotion Levy at the recommended 20%. A lack of recent data adds to this challenge. But it is worth noting that the World Obesity Report shows that obesity is still a severe problem in South Africa.

    Without interventions, obesity in South Africa is projected to affect 30 million adults and 10 million children by 2035. In 2019 there were 55,238 deaths in South Africa from non-communicable diseases attributable to obesity, and with an annual increase of 2.3% in obesity, deaths are going to increase.

    Taxing sugary beverages is effective

    Despite the sugar industry’s claims that the Health Promotion Levy is ineffective, global evidence strongly suggests otherwise. Countries that have implemented such taxes have seen significant declines in sugar consumption.

    Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes have been implemented in 103 countries and territories globally and have been shown to be effective in many countries.

    In Ireland there was a 30.2% reduction in sugar intake through these beverages.

    In California a study showed a decrease in overweight and obesity among young people living in cities where there was a sugary beverage tax.

    In Mexico, a sugar-sweetened beverages tax at 1 peso ($0.05) per litre was introduced in 2014, and by 2016, sugary drinks sales had dropped by 37%.

    Similarly, in the UK, a tax introduced in 2018 led to a 35.4% reduction in sugar consumption from taxed beverages.

    The levy has had a positive impact in South Africa. Studies show decreased purchasing of these beverages. There were greater reductions in sales among lower socioeconomic groups and in sub-populations with higher sugary drink consumption.

    Mean sugar from taxable beverage purchases fell from 16.25 g/capita per day from the pre-health promotion levy announcement to 10.63 g/capita per day in the year after implementation.

    Lower-income households, which initially purchased more taxable sugary beverages than wealthier households, showed the most significant reductions in consumption after the tax was enforced.

    This is particularly important as non-communicable diseases disproportionately affect poor and vulnerable populations.

    Stronger taxation on sugary beverages not only decreases consumption but also encourages reformulation by manufacturers, leading to healthier products.

    The levy does not cause job losses

    Sugar-related industries often argue that the tax has led to massive job losses.

    Our research contradicts these claims.

    A recent study carried out by PRICELESS SA, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies through the University of North Carolina and the South African Medical Research Council, showed no significant association between the levy and employment levels. It showed that the levy had not been associated with job creation or job losses in sugar-related industries. These include agriculture, beverage manufacturing and commercial enterprises that sell food and beverages.

    The study suggests several factors that may explain this:

    Firstly, firms may reallocate labour within their operations rather than cut jobs.

    Secondly, many beverage producers have responded to the tax by reformulating their products, reducing the sugar content and using non-nutritive sweeteners rather than reducing production.

    Thirdly, demand for taxed sugary drinks has not declined enough to affect employment.

    Finally, consumers often switch to untaxed alternatives produced by the same companies, preventing financial losses to the industry.

    Increasing the levy is beneficial to the public purse

    The recent delay of South Africa’s budget speech, due to disagreements within the government over the proposed value added tax increase of two percentage points, highlights the urgent need for additional and alternative revenue sources.

    South Africa’s health system is experiencing a massive financial burden due to overweight and obesity, costing R33 billion (US$1.78 billion) annually. This expense accounts for 15.38% of the government’s health expenditure and 0.67% of the country’s GDP. On a per-person basis, the annual cost of overweight and obesity is R2,769 (US$150).

    On the other hand, the levy generated R5.8 billion (US$313m) in revenue over its first two fiscal years.

    Beyond raising funds, a higher tax rate would provide public health benefits and savings for health services.

    Based on our research, increasing the levy to 20% in South Africa could reduce obesity rates by 2.4 to 3.8 percentage points, prevent 85,000 strokes, and save 72,000 lives over two decades.

    These improvements potentially save over R5 billion (US$270m) in medical costs.

    Unlike other taxation measures, which affect all consumers equally, the levy primarily targets discretionary purchases, making it a fairer fiscal tool.

    Therefore, government must act – raise the Health Promotion Levy to 20% and cut the sugar-fuelled health crisis at its root.

    Raising the levy to 20% would be a smarter tax for a healthier nation.

    Darshen Naidoo, Legal Researcher and Associate Lecturer at PRICELESS SA, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg contributed to the article.

    – Sugary drinks are a killer: a 20% tax would save lives and rands in South Africa
    – https://theconversation.com/sugary-drinks-are-a-killer-a-20-tax-would-save-lives-and-rands-in-south-africa-251393

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Leads Colleagues in Demanding Answers on National Security Impacts of Trump’s Tariffs on Canadian Goods

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led five of her Senate colleagues in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent demanding answers on the national security impacts on President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods. On Tuesday, the Trump Administration implemented a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from Canada, taxing working families for their food, energy, and car purchases.
    “By targeting a partner that is critical to U.S. mineral, food, and energy security, these measures threaten to undermine American national security,” wrote the Senators. “Canada provides essential minerals that power our weapons systems, nourish our crops, and heat our homes. Blanket tariffs that restrict our ability to source these minerals and make us more reliant on adversarial partners like Venezuela, China, and Russia raise fundamental national security questions.”
    Specifically, the Senators demanded answers to the following questions:
    How will the administration ensure that the additional 10 percent tariff on Canadian critical minerals does not increase costs and lead to shortages or reduced supply?
    How will the administration ensure that the additional 25 percent tariff on Canadian minerals such as potash [common in agricultural fertilizer] does not increase the cost of food production and impair the ability of American farmers to fill our dinner tables with affordable and abundant food?
    How will the administration ensure that new tariffs on Canadian minerals and energy products do not lead the United States to increase our sourcing from China, Russia, Belarus, and Venezuela?
    Are there any precautionary or preemptive actions that the administration has taken or plans to take to ensure that potential Canadian restrictions or bans on the export of critical minerals do not impair U.S. national security?
    How will the administration ensure that the additional 10 percent tariff on nickel imports from Canada does not lead additional Western miners to shutter and increase U.S. reliance on Chinese companies?
    How will the administration ensure that new tariffs on Canada do not work counter to delivering affordable, reliable energy to U.S. consumers?
    In 2023, the United States imported $47 billion in minerals from Canada, like the nickel alloys necessary for the production of military equipment and weapons. Canadian minerals help reduce America’s reliance on trade with China.
    Canada is also the world’s largest producer and exporter of potash, a critical component for fertilizer. More than 90 percent of the potash imported for use by American farmers comes from Canada, and a decrease in trade with Canada likely results in increased trade with Russia, Belarus, and China – the world’s next three largest potash producers.
    Additionally, the United States relies on Canadian crude oil imports to supplement its own energy production. Reducing the importation of Canadian crude oil increases America’s reliance on less friendly foreign oil sources, such as Venezuela.
    Additional signatories to the letter include Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
    Read the full letter here.
    Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to strengthen our national security and supply chains. She has consistently blocked burdensome taxes on mining and wrote important provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bolster Nevada’s critical mineral supply chain. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets, which are critical components of cell phones, computers, defense systems, and electric vehicles, but are almost exclusively made in China.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE ATM/EBT fraud operation yields 15 arrests in Orange County

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LOS ANGELES – From March 1-2, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Orange County and its Los Angeles El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, along with multiple law enforcement partners, conducted county wide operations targeting Romanian organized theft rings and other criminals responsible for conducting numerous unauthorized ATM transactions utilizing counterfeit/cloned EBT cards at various financial institutions in Orange County. During this operation, ICE and local police identified and arrested 15 individuals for the violation of federal law involving the use/manufacturing of an access device with the intent to defraud. In addition to the federal arrests, two state arrests were also made for subjects involved in EBT fraud. Approximately 42 counterfeit/cloned EBT cards and bulk U.S. currency was seized pursuant to the operation. The cases were presented to the United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California and District Attorney’s Office for both federal and state prosecution.

    “This type of fraud that is occurring in our communities cannot be combatted alone,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco. “Our El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force and HSI Orange County’s collaboration with our federal, state and local partners is paramount to effectively stopping ATM and EBT fraud.”

    Operational partners included the Diplomatic Security Service, Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General, Los Angeles, District Attorney’s Office, California Department of Social Services, Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Westminster Police Department, Inglewood Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Garden Grove Police Department, El Monte Police Department, Orange Police Department, Huntington Beach Police Department, La Habra Police Department, Cypress Police Department and the Brea Police Department.

    Indictments contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Anyone with information on ATM/EBT fraud are encouraged to call the ICE Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

    Learn more about ICE HSI’s mission to protect the U.S. economy in your community on X at @HSILosAngeles.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to West Virginia Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by April Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in West Virginia of the April 3, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides occurring on April 11-12, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Boone, Brooke, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Nicholas, Ohio, Pleasants, Putnam, Raleigh, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood and Wyoming in West Virginia, as well as Athens, Belmont, Columbiana, Jefferson, Meigs, Monroe and Washington in Ohio, and Beaver, Greene and Washington in Pennsylvania.  

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises. 

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. 

     “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and PNPs cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 3, 2025. 

    ### 

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Administrator Loeffler Announces SBA Reforms to Put American Citizens First

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced a series of reforms to put American citizens first by ending taxpayer benefits for illegal aliens and moving SBA offices out of sanctuary cities. These actions support President Trump’s agenda to secure our borders – which has already resulted in the lowest rates of illegal border crossings in history.

    In the coming days, the SBA will promulgate a new policy requiring SBA loan applications to include a citizenship verification provision to ensure only legal, eligible applicants can access SBA programs. Lenders will be required to confirm that applicant businesses are not owned in whole or in part by an illegal alien, consistent with President Trump’s executive order ending the taxpayer subsidization of open borders.

    Additionally, the SBA will relocate six of its regional offices currently in municipalities that do not comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Over the coming months, the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Seattle regional offices will be moved to less costly, more accessible locations that better serve the small business community and comply with federal immigration law.

    “Over the last four years, the record invasion of illegal aliens has jeopardized both the lives of American citizens and the livelihoods of American small business owners, who have each become victims of Joe Biden’s migrant crime spree. Under President Trump, the SBA is committed to putting American citizens first again – starting by ensuring that zero taxpayer dollars go to fund illegal aliens,” Administrator Loeffler said.

    “Today, I am pleased to announce that this agency will cut off access to loans for illegal aliens and relocate our regional offices out of sanctuary cities that reward criminal behavior. We will return our focus to empowering legal, eligible business owners across the United States – in partnership with the municipalities who share this Administration’s commitment to secure borders and safe communities.”

    Under the last Administration, lax guardrails allowed illegal aliens to both apply for and get approved for SBA assistance. In June 2024, the agency approved a $783,000 loan application for a small business that was 49% owned by an illegal alien. Last month, under the leadership of this Administration, an internal SBA audit identified the illegal status of the individual and halted the loan from being disbursed – ensuring that $0 was distributed to the business.

    # # #

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration
    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Enhancing Safety and Reducing Fatalities on Roadways

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that $90 million is now available to help local governments enhance safety and reduce fatalities on their roads, part of a comprehensive “Safe System” approach toward zero deaths being deployed by the State Department of Transportation to reduce fatalities on all highway systems across New York. The funding will support projects intended to prevent vehicles from inadvertently straying from their lanes and to lessen the severity of crashes that result from those instances. In New York State, about 40 percent of crash fatalities occur when a vehicle departs from its lane. The initiative is part of a multi-year, multi-agency action plan released last year by the New York State Department of Transportation to reduce such incidents and minimize the injuries and fatalities that result from them.

    “Safe highways save lives and through the adoption of a ‘Safe System’ approach, we are holistically looking at our highway systems to see where our safety investments can make the biggest difference in reducing fatalities,” Governor Hochul said. “The funding we are making available today will help local governments design and implement projects that will enhance the safety of their roadways and make it more likely that drivers reach their destination unharmed.”

    Striving to achieve a Safe System Approach toward Zero Deaths, the New York State Department of Transportation in the summer of 2024 released the Roadway Departure Safety Action Plan, which calls for comprehensive approach to be undertaken by NYSDOT and its partner agencies to reduce fatalities and serious injuries that result when vehicles inadvertently depart their lanes or the roadway. Under the plan, NYSDOT is focusing on engineering improvements, public education and awareness campaigns, and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is coordinating law enforcement activities.

    State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “From day one, Governor Hochul has been laser focused on improving public safety, and that’s what our ‘Safe System’ approach toward zero deaths on highways is all about — reducing and preventing fatalities and serious injuries on our highways. Highway safety is a shared responsibility and the funding we are making available for local governments, combined with complementary enhancements to the state highway system, will hopefully have a major impact in reducing fatalities and serious injuries on New York’s highways.”

    Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said, “Investing in innovative and effective programs like New York’s ‘Safe System’ will save lives and lower costs related to crashes. I was proud to lead the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law to passage, which boosted funding for this critical road-safety program. Today Governor Hochul is ensuring local governments have the resources they need to lay the foundation for a safer future on our roads.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “Millions of New Yorkers rely on our highway system every day to get from point A to point B. It’s only right that we do everything we can to keep these drivers safe. I’m grateful for the partnership of Governor Hochul and Commissioner Dominguez in keeping our roads safe and for their commitment towards pursuing zero highway fatalities in New York.”

    Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, “Safety on our local roads and highways is of paramount importance. This funding made available from Governor Hochul and the New York State Department of Transportation will help local governments prioritize safety and give motorists and the public more peace of mind when they travel on their local roads and highways in New York State.”

    New York State Association of Counties President Benjamin Boykin II said, “Counties are responsible for maintaining thousands of miles of roads and highways across New York State, and ensuring the safety of our residents is a top priority. This funding from Governor Hochul and the New York State Department of Transportation will help local governments make roadway improvements designed to reduce accidents and fatalities and make our roads safer for everyone.”

    New York State Association of Towns Executive Director Chris Koetzle said, “Safe roads are essential to thriving communities and a priority for towns. We deeply appreciate every dollar the State invests in helping local governments build and maintain safer roadways, ensuring the well-being of all who travel them.”

    New York State Conference of Mayors Executive Director Barbara Van Epps said, “Safer roads lead to safer communities. NYCOM thanks Governor Hochul for advancing this grant funding opportunity for our cities and villages. We look forward to partnering with her and the State Legislature to further enhance critical transportation funding for our local roads.”

    Funding for these projects is available through the Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Safety Improvement Program and may be used to support the design and construction of countermeasures intended to reduce roadway/lane departures and lessen the likelihood that departure-related crashes cause death or serious injury. Such countermeasures include, but are not limited to, enhanced striping, curve warning signs, rumble strips and median barriers. The funding compliments an additional $90 million that has also been set aside for NYSDOT to make safety enhancements on roads in the state highway system.

    A portion of the funds — about $10 million — has been set aside to support local municipalities in developing Local Road Safety Plans, which identify and analyze problem areas and prioritize potential safety improvements.

    Minimum available funds per local project is $250,000 and additional information about the funding and how local governments can propose projects is available here. The following entities are eligible to sponsor a project:

    • Counties, towns, villages and Native Nations
    • Metropolitan Planning Organizations
    • Counties interested in sponsoring a project on behalf of one or more municipalities within their county are also eligible to apply.

    About the Department of Transportation

    It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to provide a safe, reliable, equitable and resilient transportation system that connects communities, enhances quality of life, protects the environment and supports the economic well-being of New York State.
    Lives are on the line; slow down and move over for highway workers!

    For more information, find us on Facebook, follow us on X or Instagram, or visit our website. For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $54 Million Renovation Creates 108 Affordable Homes

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of “62 Main” in the village of Tarrytown, Westchester County — a $54 million development that transformed the former YMCA of Tarrytown into 108 affordable and energy-efficient apartments. In the past five years, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has financed more than 5,000 affordable homes in Westchester. 62 Main continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

    “My approach to tackling the housing crisis is simple: we need all types of housing options, especially in places like Westchester County,” Governor Hochul said. “Transforming this former YMCA into affordable housing will not only revitalize the building but also provide more than 100 much-needed homes. This project ensures that seniors can remain in the community they cherish, or move to this vibrant village with an essential public transit hub.”

    The development is available to households earning up to 70 percent of the Area Median Income. Eighty-eight of the apartments are reserved for seniors aged 55 and older.

    The project included a rehabilitation of the interior of the original YMCA facility, transforming it into modern apartments. Extensions to the facility in the rear of the property were demolished and replaced. The historic Main Street façade of the YMCA is intact, in accordance with a Memorandum of Agreement between the developer and the New York State Historic Preservation Office. The façade of the newly constructed portion of the building utilizes classic architectural themes prevalent throughout Tarrytown.

    62 Main is fully-electric with energy-efficient features including geothermal heat and air conditioning, ENERGY STAR® appliances, a rooftop solar array, a green roof courtyard and electric car charging stations. The transit-oriented development is three blocks from the Metro North train station and is within walking distance to retail stores, schools, green spaces and medical facilities.

    The project is supported by HCR’s Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program that generated $19 million in equity, as well as its Housing Finance Agency, which provided $10.4 million in subsidy from its Senior Housing Program and $8.4 million in tax exempt bonds. Eight of the units will receive rental assistance through Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers issued by HCR. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s New Construction – Housing Program provided $218,000.

    The project is also supported by $10.1 million in loans from the Tarrytown Housing Fund – a fund of the Housing Action Council, $5 million from Westchester County’s New Homes Land Acquisition program, a $3 million permanent loan from Community Preservation Corporation Climate Capital to help finance energy efficiency improvements in the project, and $1.5 million in geothermal and solar federal tax credits. The project obtained a 30-year Payment In Lieu of Taxes Agreement with the town of Greenburgh and village of Tarrytown.

    All 23 tenants who lived in the Single Room Occupancy units at the facility prior to the construction remained in the development and will continue to pay no greater than 30 percent of their household income towards their rent. The project’s developer is WBP Development, LLC. Tax credit equity was syndicated by Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments.

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “This $54 million project is transforming the historic YMCA of Tarrytown site into safe, modern homes that seniors, individuals, and families can all afford. Thanks to our partners, this development epitomizes many of our top priorities and shows New Yorkers the different ways in which the State is boosting the supply of housing.”

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Providing Westchester residents with the opportunity to live and enjoy clean, modern, and affordable living spaces like we see at 62 Main in Tarrytown will ensure more New Yorkers are benefitting from the State’s energy transition. NYSERDA is proud to support the development of all-electric housing that will help move communities across the state towards a healthier future.”

    New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said, “We are grateful to HCR for working with our office to preserve key historic features of the former YMCA of Tarrytown. The project is another great example of how the adaptive reuse of historic buildings can expand options for affordable housing, lift local economies, promote sustainability and preserve the heritage of our cities and towns.”

    U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said, “Every family in Westchester deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. I’m proud that the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit that I worked hard to protect and expand has delivered $19 million to transform the former YMCA into 108 new homes at 62 Main in Tarrytown. These brand new homes will be fully-electric and offer the community a green roof courtyard and electric car charging. High housing costs are a key driver of inflation so we must build more housing for working people to bring down those high prices. I applaud Governor Hochul’s work increasing access to affordable housing in Westchester and across New York, and I will continue working to deliver federal resources to ensure that every New Yorker has a roof over their heads.”

    State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “The completion of 62 Main in Tarrytown provides safe, affordable, and sustainable housing for seniors and families, including the 23 former residents of the Single Room Occupancy units. I commend Wilder Balter Partners Development for their commitment to ensuring that these residents were not displaced, and can now enjoy modern, energy-efficient homes that they can afford. This project required the dedication and collaboration of numerous partners, from Wilder Balter Partners to Westchester County to HCR and NYSERDA, with nearly $53 million in critical funding secured through our State Legislature’s budget allocations. As Senate Majority Leader, it remains my priority to support housing solutions that serve residents of diverse economic backgrounds while enhancing both Westchester County and New York State.”

    Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said, “Westchester County was proud to allocate $5 million in New Homes Land Acquisition funds for 62 Main in Tarrytown, a $54 million project that has led to the creation of 108 affordable, sustainable homes for our residents. 62 Main repurposed the former YMCA of Tarrytown into modern, transit-oriented apartments, and is the kind of investment our communities need to ensure access to high quality, affordable housing. I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for her leadership in bringing 62 Main to fruition.”

    Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky said, “When we talk about building inclusive communities, that includes the creation of residential options for older residents who seek to stay in the area after raising their families and winding down their careers. 62 Main offers the kind of affordable housing solution our seniors need — with cost-saving energy efficiencies, amenities that include social and fitness spaces, adaptive units for hearing and vision impairment, and walkable access to public transportation and a lively downtown. I am proud that New York State has been a partner in funding this worthy project and welcome 62 Main’s new residents to the neighborhood!”

    Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said, “Our community and the entire region has a severe shortage of affordable housing. I am very pleased that 108 families will be able to benefit from a beautiful, new affordable housing complex. The families will be able to enjoy living in a great village—and can walk to the theater, great restaurants, shops, the train station, supermarkets.”

    Housing Action Council Executive Director Rose Noonan said, “We are pleased to serve as the non-profit partner in partnership with WB Development and to contribute to the capital stack to make this much needed housing feasible. We are particularly excited about the opportunity it afforded the individuals who lived at the YMCA residence to remain and access quality affordable housing.”

    Tarrytown Mayor Karen Brown said, “This development honors Tarrytown’s past while securing its future—providing high-quality, affordable housing for seniors, incorporating cutting-edge sustainability features, and seamlessly blending into the fabric of our historic downtown. The partnership between the Village, Wilder Balter Partners, LLC, and the many agencies that made this possible is a shining example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision. We are thrilled to welcome the new residents of 62 Main and celebrate this incredible milestone for Tarrytown.”

    Wilder Balter Partners Development President William Balter said, “This development was born out of a collaboration among community members, the local merchants association, Village, Town, County and State stakeholders and several financial partners. We could not be happier with the results. In addition to providing new, energy-efficient affordable housing for seniors, Tarrytown’s vibrant downtown business district has a new municipal parking garage, the original 1912 YMCA building in Tarrytown’s historic district has been repurposed and has a restored façade, and the prior SRO tenants are now living in brand new apartments. It’s a true win-win.”

    The Community Preservation Corporation CEO Rafael E. Cestero said, “The work to revitalize 62 Main has breathed new life into this former YMCA building, returning it to the community once again as a hub of activity and as a vital resource of new affordable housing. We are proud to help finance the electrification and energy efficient upgrades to the property that will provide a host of benefits for both the owner and tenants. My thanks to our partners at WBP Development, to HCR, the Town of Greenburgh and Village of Tarrytown, and to NYSERDA for their dedication and collaboration.”

    Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments Director of Acquisitions Darryl Seavey said,“Raymond James is very proud to have partnered with Wilder Balter Partners, Inc. as the equity investor in the 62 Main Apartments senior housing development. The newly completed 62 Main Apartments is an extraordinarily well-designed project that helps bring high quality affordable housing opportunities to residents of Tarrytown, while at the same time preserving critical components of the historic former Tarrytown YMCA structure. Accordingly, the historic facade of the YMCA building continues to adorn the streetscape of this busy commercial corridor. Raymond James would like to congratulate the team at Wilder Balter Partners, Inc. on the successful completion of this remarkable new housing community.”

    Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda
    Governor Hochul is committed to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives for Upstate communities, new incentives and relief from certain state-imposed restrictions to create more housing in New York City, a $500 million capital fund to build up to 15,000 new homes on state-owned property, an additional $600 million in funding to support a variety of housing developments statewide and new protections for renters and homeowners. In addition, as part of the FY23 Enacted Budget, the Governor announced a five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 55,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

    The FY25 Enacted Budget also strengthened the Pro-Housing Community Program which the Governor launched in 2023. Pro Housing Certification is now a requirement for localities to access up to $650 million in discretionary funding. Currently, 285 communities have been certified.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Manchester Man Pleads Guilty for His Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine to New Hampshire through the United States Postal Service

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord for his role in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine to New Hampshire through the United States Postal Service (USPS), Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    David Orme, age 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, namely, cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2025. The defendant was indicted on December 20, 2023, along with five other defendants. To date, Orme is the fourth defendant convicted in the conspiracy. 

    According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, the defendant was involved in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that shipped cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire. A coconspirator in Puerto Rico sent a package that contained approximately 500 grams of cocaine to an address in Manchester and the defendant signed for it using a fictitious name in a controlled delivery. Ultimately, law enforcement seized the package. Between September 2020 and December 2021, the DTO shipped over 5.6 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester for redistribution. 

    The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case. 

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sugary drinks are a killer: a 20% tax would save lives and rands in South Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Susan Goldstein, Associate Professor in the SAMRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science – PRICELESS SA (Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Strengthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand

    Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular conditions account for over 70% of global deaths annually.

    In South Africa, non-communicable diseases cause more than half of all deaths. Diabetes ranks as the second leading cause after tuberculosis.

    A major contributor to rising diabetes rates is the high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, including cooldrinks.

    The World Health Organization recommends a tax of at least 20% on sugary drinks as an effective tool to help reduce consumption and curb related health risks.

    South Africa introduced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, officially known as the Health Promotion Levy, in 2018.

    The tax applies at R0.0221 ($0.0012) per gram of sugar beyond a 4g/100ml threshold, amounting to an 8% of final selling price. The tax has increased slightly since it was introduced, but not in line with inflation. The Health Promotion Levy therefore falls short of the original 20% target as industry pressure led to a watered-down version of it.

    I lead the South African Medical Research Council/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science – PRICELESS SA, which has been studying various aspects of the levy for over 10 years.

    PRICELESS SA is still in the process of measuring the health and financial impact of not implementing the Health Promotion Levy at the recommended 20%. A lack of recent data adds to this challenge. But it is worth noting that the World Obesity Report shows that obesity is still a severe problem in South Africa.

    Without interventions, obesity in South Africa is projected to affect 30 million adults and 10 million children by 2035. In 2019 there were 55,238 deaths in South Africa from non-communicable diseases attributable to obesity, and with an annual increase of 2.3% in obesity, deaths are going to increase.

    Taxing sugary beverages is effective

    Despite the sugar industry’s claims that the Health Promotion Levy is ineffective, global evidence strongly suggests otherwise. Countries that have implemented such taxes have seen significant declines in sugar consumption.

    Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes have been implemented in 103 countries and territories globally and have been shown to be effective in many countries.

    In Ireland there was a 30.2% reduction in sugar intake through these beverages.

    In California a study showed a decrease in overweight and obesity among young people living in cities where there was a sugary beverage tax.

    In Mexico, a sugar-sweetened beverages tax at 1 peso ($0.05) per litre was introduced in 2014, and by 2016, sugary drinks sales had dropped by 37%.

    Similarly, in the UK, a tax introduced in 2018 led to a 35.4% reduction in sugar consumption from taxed beverages.

    The levy has had a positive impact in South Africa. Studies show decreased purchasing of these beverages. There were greater reductions in sales among lower socioeconomic groups and in sub-populations with higher sugary drink consumption.

    Mean sugar from taxable beverage purchases fell from 16.25 g/capita per day from the pre-health promotion levy announcement to 10.63 g/capita per day in the year after implementation.

    Lower-income households, which initially purchased more taxable sugary beverages than wealthier households, showed the most significant reductions in consumption after the tax was enforced.

    This is particularly important as non-communicable diseases disproportionately affect poor and vulnerable populations.

    Stronger taxation on sugary beverages not only decreases consumption but also encourages reformulation by manufacturers, leading to healthier products.

    The levy does not cause job losses

    Sugar-related industries often argue that the tax has led to massive job losses.

    Our research contradicts these claims.

    A recent study carried out by PRICELESS SA, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies through the University of North Carolina and the South African Medical Research Council, showed no significant association between the levy and employment levels. It showed that the levy had not been associated with job creation or job losses in sugar-related industries. These include agriculture, beverage manufacturing and commercial enterprises that sell food and beverages.

    The study suggests several factors that may explain this:

    Firstly, firms may reallocate labour within their operations rather than
    cut jobs.

    Secondly, many beverage producers have responded to the tax by reformulating their products, reducing the sugar content and using non-nutritive sweeteners rather than reducing production.

    Thirdly, demand for taxed sugary drinks has not declined enough to affect employment.

    Finally, consumers often switch to untaxed alternatives produced by the same companies, preventing financial losses to the industry.

    Increasing the levy is beneficial to the public purse

    The recent delay of South Africa’s budget speech, due to disagreements within the government over the proposed value added tax increase of two percentage points, highlights the urgent need for additional and alternative revenue sources.

    South Africa’s health system is experiencing a massive financial burden due to overweight and obesity, costing R33 billion (US$1.78 billion) annually. This expense accounts for 15.38% of the government’s health expenditure and 0.67% of the country’s GDP. On a per-person basis, the annual cost of overweight and obesity is R2,769 (US$150).

    On the other hand, the levy generated R5.8 billion (US$313m) in revenue over its first two fiscal years.

    Beyond raising funds, a higher tax rate would provide public health benefits and savings for health services.

    Based on our research, increasing the levy to 20% in South Africa could reduce obesity rates by 2.4 to 3.8 percentage points, prevent 85,000 strokes, and save 72,000 lives over two decades.

    These improvements potentially save over R5 billion (US$270m) in medical costs.

    Unlike other taxation measures, which affect all consumers equally, the levy primarily targets discretionary purchases, making it a fairer fiscal tool.

    Therefore, government must act – raise the Health Promotion Levy to 20% and cut the sugar-fuelled health crisis at its root.

    Raising the levy to 20% would be a smarter tax for a healthier nation.

    Darshen Naidoo, Legal Researcher and Associate Lecturer at PRICELESS SA, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg contributed to the article.

    Susan Goldstein on behalf of PRICELESS receives funding from the Bloomberg Foundation, the SAMRC and the National Institutes for Health Research

    – ref. Sugary drinks are a killer: a 20% tax would save lives and rands in South Africa – https://theconversation.com/sugary-drinks-are-a-killer-a-20-tax-would-save-lives-and-rands-in-south-africa-251393

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Calls for Committee Investigation into DOGE, Subpoena for Musk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, March 6 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today called for a formal committee investigation into the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and a subpoena of Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, to testify about his plans for running the federal government.
    Sanders’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, are available below:
    Mr. Chairman, for a wide variety of reasons, I am strongly opposed to President Trump’s Deputy Secretary of Labor nominee, Keith Sonderling. But more importantly than my views on Mr. Sonderling is the reality that it really does not matter who becomes Deputy Labor Secretary.
    In a few moments, we will be hearing from President Trump’s nominee to be the next Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Martin Makary. Truthfully, and with respect to Dr. Makary, it does not matter who the next FDA commissioner is.
    I think everybody on this committee and the people of America understand who is running the government, and it’s not going to be the Secretary of Labor. It’s not going to be the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. With all due respect to President Trump’s nominees, the person who is running the government right now is Elon Musk.
    Mr. Musk has taken it upon himself, with the support of President Trump, to virtually dismantle the United States government. Yesterday, shockingly – and I speak as the former chairman of the Veterans Committee – it is outrageous and beyond belief that while veterans put their lives on the line to defend our country, yesterday, we heard that 80,000 employees at the V.A. are going to be terminated.
    Virtually all Americans understand how important Social Security is to the well-being of our seniors. Yesterday, we learned they are on their way to get rid of half of Social Security employees, at a time when Social Security is now grossly understaffed. Mr. Musk has ordered HHS, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Education to fire employees, hand over confidential and sensitive data and defy judicial orders.
    Mr. Chairman, if we are serious about exercising our constitutional responsibilities, which I hope all of us are, it is critical for our committee to hear from the person who is in fact in charge of the federal government.
    Yesterday, it was reported that Mr. Musk met with Republican senators, at a private meeting for 90 minutes, and plans to do the same with Republican members of the House. That’s fine.
    The Washington Post reported Mr. Musk gave his cell phone number to Republican senators and promised to communicate more effectively with congressional Republicans. That’s fine.
    But you know what? My constituents in Vermont and constituents all over this country want to know what the hell is going on with the federal government right now. And it’s not going to be the next Deputy Secretary of Labor who is going to tell them.
    So if we are serious, Mr. Chairman, about our oversight responsibilities, we must find out what is going on in the federal government. And the way we do that is bringing Mr. Musk before this committee.
    Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a motion.
    I move that pursuant to its authority under Rules 25 and 26 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, and Rule 17 of the Rules of Procedure of the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hereby authorizes an investigation into the actions of the United States DOGE Service at agencies within the committee’s jurisdiction, and pursuant to the same authority, authorizes the chairman to subpoena Mr. Elon Musk for testimony regarding those actions.
    I ask for the yeas and nays.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts on Trump Message to Congress: “America is Back”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), reacted to President Trump’s speech to a Joint Session of Congress. He made the following comments while on a conference call with Nebraska media:
    “Last night, America heard from a President who got right to the point with the first line of his address: America is back,” said Ricketts. “President Trump is committed to ushering in a new Golden Age for the United States. I am excited about the newfound opportunities presented to all Americans because we have President Trump back in office. Americans elected President Trump to secure the border, unleash American energy, and restore American strength. Last night, the President laid out a grand vision for how we can accomplish those goals.”
    [embedded content]
    TRANSCRIPT:
    Senator Ricketts: “Last night, America heard from a President who got right to the point with the first line of his address: America is back.
    “President Trump is committed to ushering in a new Golden Age for the United States.
    “I am excited about the newfound opportunities presented to all Americans because we have President Trump back in office.
    “Americans elected President Trump to secure the border, unleash American energy, and restore American strength.
    “Last night, the President laid out a grand vision for how we can accomplish those goals.  
    “The days of open borders, overregulation, and appeasement are over. And not a moment too soon. 
    “I will do all I can to help President Trump deliver prosperity and keep Americans safe. 
    “Our Border Patrol agents need more tools to stop drugs, crime, and illegal border crossings. 
    “The President made clear he will stand strong with them. 
    “His policies are already working. Last month, we saw the lowest number of illegal border crossings in recorded history. 
    “I support dozens of Senate solutions to codify his policies in federal law.  
    “Another key part of President Trump’s vision is unleashing American energy. 
    “We’re blessed with incredible natural resources here at home. 
    “By cutting red tape and streamlining processes, we can unleash those resources. 
    “We can make America energy dominant. 
    “That’s how we can lower energy prices and deliver prosperity for our families across the country. 
    “Those are my priorities as a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. 
    “The President also highlighted the work of DOGE and what it is doing to attack wasteful, fraudulent, and abusive federal spending. 
    “As a former Governor and businessman who did similar work at the state level, it was refreshing to hear what they’re doing. 
    “So for example, one agency had 13,000 employees and had 37,000 software licenses. 
    “Many of those licenses had never even been used or opened. 
    “Additionally, DOGE has found 22 million individuals on our Social Security rolls who are too hold to be alive.
    “This is government waste in its most obvious form. 
    “We need to bring both business sense and common sense to cut red tape and streamline the federal bureaucracy. 
    “Last week, I introduced the Improper Payments Transparency Act to help identify wasteful spending. 
    “I’ll keep fighting for transparency and accountability with our spending. 
    “Lastly, we heard President Trump talk about extending his historic tax cuts. 
    “The Trump tax cuts brought prosperity to American families. 
    “I will work with the President to extend and make permanent the Trump tax cuts so that all Americans can get ahead once again. 
    “We can restore the American dream. 
    “President Trump spoke about restoring American strength on the world stage. 
    “Biden’s appeasement-first policy led to new conflicts.  
    “Now, President Trump’s strong leadership is bringing the world closer to peace. 
    “Our enemies will no longer doubt our resolve. 
    “I’m working to support those priorities on the Foreign Relations Committee. 
    “President Trump’s address last night was about renewing the American Dream. 
    “That means restoring a strong border, a strong military, and a strong energy policy. 
    “I will continue doing all I can to support President Trump as he works toward those goals.”

    MIL OSI USA News –