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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The NFB at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. An opening-night film, three shorts in official competition, activities at the film market and more.

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    May 28, 2025 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is back at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (June 8–14), with a strong presence throughout the event. Three NFB short films have been selected for the official competition, including the eagerly awaited The Girl Who Cried Pearls (La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles) by the Oscar-nominated duo of Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (Madame Tutli-Putli). It will screen as a world premiere on the festival’s opening night.

    The NFB will also be taking part in the Annecy International Animation Film Market (MIFA).

    The NFB at the 2025 Annecy festival

    • The Girl Who Cried Pearls (La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles) by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (opening-night film, official competition, world premiere)
    • Two other films in official competition: Bread Will Walk (Le pain se lève) by Alex Boya and Hairy Legs (Poil aux jambes) by Andrea Dorfman
    • MIFA: Telefilm Canada / NFB networking event and panel on Canadian animation, with Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the NFB, in attendance

    SHORT FILMS – OFFICIAL COMPETITION

    The Girl Who Cried Pearls (La jeune fille qui pleurait des perles) by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski (NFB, 16 min) – OPENING-NIGHT FILM AND WORLD PREMIERE
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/the-girl-who-cried-pearls
    First screening: Sunday, June 8, 8:30 p.m. (Short Films Official 1)

    • A haunting fable about a girl overwhelmed by sorrow, the boy who loves her, and how greed leads good hearts to wicked deeds. The film was presented at a Work in Progress at Annecy in 2023. With the voice of: Colm Feore. Original Music: Patrick Watson. Sound Designer: Olivier Calvert. Artistic Director: Brigitte Henry.

    Bread Will Walk by Alex Boya (NFB, 11 min 18 s)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/bread-will-walk
    First screening: Friday, June 13, 3:30 p.m. (Short Films Official 6)

    • A devoted sister flees with her brother, a benevolent, bread-turned zombie. A mob pursues, mouths agape. Streets twist into mazes, reason dissolves, hunger reigns. Can love defy appetite? The film was just featured as part of the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. Actor Jay Baruchel voices all the characters in the original English version.

    Hairy Legs (Poil aux jambes) by Andrea Dorfman (NFB, 17 min)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/hairy-legs
    First screening: Wednesday, June 11, 3:30 p.m. (Short Films Official 4)

    • Deciding not to shave her legs at 13 led a young Andrea Dorfman to question and ultimately defy society’s expectations. The film received an Honourable Mention for the DGC Award for Best Canadian Animation at the Ottawa International Animation Festival (2024).

    MIFA

    Telefilm Canada / NFB networking event: Canada, Your Next Animation Partner
    Tuesday, June 10, 7 to 9 p.m.

    This soirée will underscore the presence of Canadian animation at Annecy and provide opportunities to develop new partnerships. With Suzanne Guèvremont, NFB Chairperson, and Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada, in attendance. By invitation only.

    Panel – Investing in the Future: Canadian Animation at the Forefront
    Wednesday, June 11, 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.

    This panel will bring together leaders from the Canadian animation industry as well as filmmakers presenting their projects. With Suzanne Guèvremont of the NFB and filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, among others, in attendance.

    WOMEN AND ANIMATION, 10 YEARS
    Thursday, June 12, 5:30 p.m.

    • Affairs of the Art (L’art dans le sang) by Joanna Quinn (Beryl Productions International Ltd/NFB, 2021, 16 min 23 s)
    • How to Be at Home (À la maison) by Andrea Dorfman (NFB, 2021, 4 min 51 s)

    HONORARY CRISTAL RECIPIENT JOANNA QUINN

    The NFB congratulates filmmaker Joanna Quinn, who this year is a recipient of the Annecy Festival’s prestigious Honorary Cristal. She will also lead a captivating masterclass during the festival, talking about her passion for drawing and animation, and sharing secrets of how she brings her characters to life.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: NFB.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB X | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Hoyer Opening Remarks at FSGG Hearing on the Federal Communications Commission

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the FSGG hearing on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:

    Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.

    “Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. Carr, for being with us. We had a good conversation in my office. This probably won’t be as cordial as we were, but I’m very concerned. When Donald Trump spoke before the Congress in March, he said this: ‘I’ve stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America – it’s back,’ he said. Now, he also said during the campaign, to his supporters, ‘I am your retribution.’ You may remember that quote. That rang in my ears and gave me great concern.

    “The FCC’s actions the past few months make it clear just how relevant those comments were. What was once an independent, impartial agency – not always – devoted to keeping Americans connected has become, in my view, to some degree ‘the speech police,’ another cudgel in the President’s culture war. Since Trump took office, the FCC has gone after private corporations over their DEI practices. Very frankly, in my view is, that may be a practice that he can impose on the federal government, but it is not a practice that he can impose, nor should he impose on the private sector whatever the views we may hold. The agency, in my opinion, has also targeted NPR, PBS, NBC, ABC, and CBS, and other networks, apparently, who are perceived unfavorably to the President and to his policies.

    “The First Amendment, of course, is not intended to protect the president from the press. It is intended to protect the president – excuse me – the press against the government. Nor was the FCC established to act in the president’s interest, but rather in the public’s interest. Now more than ever, the American people are counting on the FCC to focus on its mission under law. Something we discussed in my office, however, was when he removed FTC commissioners, he did it because, quoting – or trying to quote – that the actions of those commissioners were incompatible with the priorities of the administration. Communications technologies that fall under the FCC’s purview are fundamental to everything in modern life. They shape our commerce, our education, our national security, our health care, and our elections.

    “In an increasingly digital world, the FCC needs to ensure that we don’t leave that behind. That means expanding – [referring to dais microphone] oh this is inconvenient – that means expanding affordable, reliable access to the internet and other crucial technology in both rural and urban areas. I represent urban and rural areas. We made a lot of progress toward closing the digital divide when the Affordable Connectivity Program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – legislation I was proud to put on the Floor as Majority Leader. I heard directly from my constituents, Republicans and Democrats and Republican officials. I live in a county with five Republican county commissioners. They all urged me to continue that [program] because of the very positive impact it had on my district and in that rural county in which I live. Regrettably, my colleagues across the aisle allowed that program to expire last year, raising interest costs for the 23 million households that enrolled. I still haven’t seen any plan on how we fill that void. Worse, I’ve heard rumors that the FCC spectrum policy involves auctioning off or reducing bands, including the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, which could make it even harder for Americans to get connected.

    “The FCC has a responsibility not only to help Americans access these opportunities, but also to protect them from potential perils. Every day, Americans experience robocalls and internet scam attempts that become more and more sophisticated. Their personal data falls prey to hackers and scammers. Americans need strong and savvy cops on the beat committed to cybersecurity and privacy. In my view, that is the role of the FCC.

    “Chairman Carr, I thank you for coming in today, as I’ve said, but I want to be clear that I’m worried that the FCC, and so many other elements of government that ought to be independent, are, in the President’s words – not referring to anything that I’ve referred to – but weaponizing government. The FCC’s attacks on the press and the First Amendment are troubling. So, I look forward to hearing your testimony. I will honor the Chairman’s gavel, but it requires a lot of time to make sure the FCC is doing what the American people expect it to do. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Statement on the Passing of Congressman Gerry Connolly

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today on the passing of U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly (VA-11):

    “A principled institutionalist, fierce advocate for Virginians, and my dear friend from across the Potomac, Rep. Gerry Connolly was taken from us far too early. I am praying for his family as they grieve this terrible loss – America’s loss.

    “It was an honor to serve alongside Gerry in the Congress the past 16 years. He and I worked together closely to stand up for our region and our people, including our many federal workers. Never has that work been more important than the past few months amid the Trump Administration’s unprecedented purge of the federal civil service. Gerry met the moment.

    “Many politicians today say they want to make government function more efficiently, transparently, and effectively. Gerry actually did it – from championing the historic Federal Information Technology Reform Act to holding Democratic and Republican administrations alike accountable as an influential leader on the House Oversight Committee.

    “Gerry’s legacy as a pragmatic, intelligent, and honest leader and legislator is interwoven with our region but extends far beyond. Drawing on his past experience as a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he was an important voice on foreign affairs and a staunch advocate for human rights, foreign aid, and America’s alliances with democracies around the world. As President of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly, he reaffirmed America’s commitment to the alliance and to our mutual security obligations under Article V. In the face of Vladimir Putin’s criminal, unprovoked invasion, Gerry helped ensure that NATO moved in lockstep to support Ukraine in its fight against fascism.

    “Gerry lived a remarkable life of service. That it was cut short after his courageous battle with cancer ought to sadden every American. I grieve for him, as will so many others across the country and around the world. I wish strength to his wife, Smitty, and the rest of their family. May they take comfort in knowing that Gerry lives on in all that he accomplished to improve the lives of our people.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer: This Bill is One Big Backbreaking Burden on Working Americans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement this morning after voting against House Republicans’ budget proposal, which passed out of the House of Representatives early Thursday morning:

    “Yesterday, the Trump Administration put out a statement that said that voting against his ‘one big, beautiful bill’ would be the ‘ultimate betrayal’ of the president. Republicans obeyed, committing the ultimate betrayal of the American people instead.
     
    “Indeed, this bill betrays 13.7 million Americans who will lose their health insurance because of its cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. It abandons 11 million people – including 4 million children – who will go hungry because of Republicans’ assault on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And, crucially, this disastrous piece of legislation sells out future generations of Americans, saddling them with trillions of dollars in debt. 
     
    “Today, Republicans have voted to make the most vulnerable Americans even poorer so that the wealthiest among us can get even further ahead. I hope my colleagues in the Senate vote against this abhorrent legislation, just as I did today. This is not ‘one big beautiful bill.’ This is one big backbreaking burden on working Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Statement on the Trump Administration’s Acceptance of a Luxury Jet from Qatar

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after reports that the Trump Administration has formally accepted a Boeing 747 airliner from the government of Qatar:

    “It’s a sad day in America when, reportedly at the President’s request, a small but very rich Middle Eastern nation gives him a $400 million jet. Experts say that it will take two years and cost the government more than the value of the plane to bring the jet up to the standard necessary for Trump to use it.
     
    “This ‘gift’ is among the most flagrant abuses of power in American history – an act that violates our Constitution, defies our laws, and undermines our national security. The Founding Fathers are turning over in their graves.
     
    “Once again, Donald Trump shows us how he views the Office of the President of the United States of America. He sees it merely as a tool to enrich himself, his family, and his friends.
     
    “Nothing is ever free. This plane may not come with a price tag, but the person receiving it is making America and its reputation pay a deep cost. This is a sad day.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Statement on Memorial Day

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today in recognition of Memorial Day:

    “Across the country and around the world, American military cemeteries serve as reminders of the tremendous price paid for the lives and liberties we enjoy today. This Memorial Day, I join in honoring the courageous service members who gave their lives to protect their fellow Americans and preserve the Republic.

    “Their sacrifice was ultimate; we must ensure that it was not in vain. Although we can never repay our fallen heroes in full, we must try by working to uphold the democracy and principles of freedom, justice, and equality for which they fought. We must also tend to those veterans who made it home – especially those who bear the physical and mental scars of war. I was pleased to bring Democrats and Republicans together to that end in the 117th Congress, helping pass the Honoring Our PACT Act to secure enhances VA benefits for millions of Veterans exposed to harmful toxins over the course of their service.

    “Our work is never finished. We must continue to stand up for our democracy, our veterans, and our military families with the same devotion displayed by the heroes we honor today. May God watch over them as they rest, and over us as we care for the country to which they gave everything.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions, 2024

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    This report highlights notable trends in energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States in 2024, based on preliminary data.

    U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions declined overall by less than 1%, or 23 million metric tons (MMmt), in 2024. Among end-use sectors, the most notable decreases occurred in the residential and industrial sectors. Lower residential sector emissions were mostly due to decreases in consumption of natural gas and petroleum products primarily associated with space heating—mainly propane and distillate fuel oil. Decreases in industrial-sector emissions were associated with reduced manufacturing.

    Emissions from the commercial, transportation, and electric power sectors remained relatively unchanged but are discussed in greater detail in later sections.

    Table 1. Total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions by sector, 2020–2024
    million metric tons of carbon dioxide
    Sector 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
    Residential 303 313 340 325 319
    Commercial 247 249 260 245 233
    Industrial 947 962 960 977 953
    Transportation 1,848 1,851 1,842 1,807 1,630
    Electric power 1,427 1,421 1,539 1,553 1,450
    Total 4,772 4,795 4,940 4,906 4,585
    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review, March 2025, Tables 11.1–11.6
    Note: Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.

    Figure data

    Electric power emissions remained flat as decreasing CO2 from coal generation offset increasing CO2 from natural gas

    CO2 emissions from the electric power sector remained mostly flat in 2024, increasing by less than 1% (6 MMmt). Although overall electricity generation increased by 3%, or 122 terawatthours (TWh), in 2024, changes in generation sources resulted in sectoral CO2 emissions remaining near 2023 levels. Specifically:

    • CO2 emissions from coal-fired generation decreased by 3% (24 MMmt), but:
      • CO2 emissions from natural gas-fired generation increased by 4% (31 MMmt)
    • Coal-fired electricity generation fell by 3% (22 TWh), but:
      • Natural gas generation increased by 3% (59 TWh)
      • Solar generation increased by 32% (53 TWh)
      • Wind generation increased by 8% (32 TWh)

    Although growth in natural gas-fired generation exceeded reductions in coal-fired generation, CO2 emissions did not increase as much because natural gas emits less CO2 per kilowatthour than coal when combusted.

    Figure data

    Warmer late-winter and early-spring weather led to lower residential sector emissions

    Residential sector CO2 emissions declined 3% (10 MMmt) in 2024, as demand for heating decreased with relatively warm weather during late-winter and early-spring months. U.S. population-weighted heating degree days (HDDs), a measure of how cold a location is, decreased by 3% last year. Consequently, consumption of natural gas, propane, and distillate fuel oil declined, which are all key fuels in residential space heating.

    Warmer weather also led to increased demand for space cooling during warmer months. Cooling degree days (CDDs), a measure of how hot a location is, increased by 10% in 2024. However, unlike space heating, space cooling relies on electricity rather than direct use of fuels. As summer temperatures increased relative to 2023, residential sector electricity use rose. Annual purchases of electricity increased by 3%, and emissions associated with residential electricity consumption increased by 1% (5 MMmt). Overall, total residential sector emissions were lower because the decline in CO2 emissions from lower heating fuel consumption outweighed increases associated with cooling demand.

    Weather-related impacts on energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the commercial sector mirrored the residential sector but to a lesser extent. Commercial sector emissions remained effectively flat in 2024, decreasing by only 2 MMmt, as a result of lower natural gas and petroleum consumption.

    Figure data

    Industrial CO2 emissions decreased in 2024 as industrial production growth slowed

    CO2 emissions from the U.S. industrial sector decreased by 1% (14 MMmt) in 2024. Decreased emissions were mostly related to a 15% (7 MMmt) decrease in petroleum coke consumption and a 6% (5 MMmt) decrease in coal consumption. Declining emissions from these fuels is associated with minor declines in industrial activity, such as manufacturing of primary metals.

    Figure data

    Transportation sector emissions remain unchanged as increased consumption of some petroleum products offset decreases in others

    U.S. transportation sector emissions remained virtually unchanged in 2024. CO2 emissions from motor gasoline and jet fuel increased slightly, following the trend from 2023, but were more than offset by decreases in CO2 emissions from distillate fuel oil.

    CO2 emissions from motor gasoline increased by less than 1% (3 MMmt) in 2024. Despite steady increases in vehicle miles traveled, motor gasoline emissions have generally declined modestly over the last 20 years (Figure 5). These decreases in motor gasoline emissions are mostly due to higher vehicle fuel economy standards and, to a lesser extent, increased deployment of electric vehicles. Jet fuel emissions increased by 3% (7 MMmt) in 2024, mostly associated with increased air travel.

    Higher motor gasoline and jet fuel emissions were more than offset by declining emissions from distillate fuel oil, which fell by 3% (15 MMmt) in 2024. Distillate consumption declined because on-road diesel vehicles consumed less and, to a lesser extent, conventional diesel fuel was substituted for renewable diesel.

    Figure data

    We based our analysis of U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions in this report on data published in our Monthly Energy Review (MER). This initial analysis is based on preliminary 2024 data first published in the March 2025 edition of the MER. These values are subject to change as final data are published from underlying sources, according to source data revision policies and publication schedules. We expect relatively minor differences between the preliminary and revised estimates based on past years (Table 2). Supplemental analysis, figures from past reports, and a discussion of the methodology and terminology used in this report are available in the Appendix.

    Table 2. Preliminary and revised U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions estimates, 2018–2023
    Year Preliminary CO2 estimates
    (million metric tons)    		 Revised CO2 estimates
    (million metric tons)    		 Difference
    (million metric tons)    		 Percentage difference
    2018 5,274 5,269 -5 -0.1%
    2019 5,138 5,149 11 0.2%
    2020 4,571 4,575 4 0.1%
    2021 4,870 4,904 34 0.7%
    2022 4,970 4,941 -29 -0.6%
    2023 4,807 4,791 -16 -0.3%
    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review, Tables 11.1–11.6, March and September editions, 2019–2024

    Emissions values and analysis presented in this report pertain only to U.S. CO2 emissions associated with fossil-fuel combustion and non-combustion applications of energy products (for example, as industrial feedstocks). We do not include estimates of CO2 emissions outside this scope or other greenhouse gas emissions burned or released in production, extraction, or distribution of energy products. Our approach may result in discrepancies between our emissions estimates and those of other organizations, including other U.S. government agencies.

    In addition to historical estimates, we also offer short-term forecasts and long-term projections of U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions in several other data products. You can find a short-term forecast of U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions and key drivers in our monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook, which includes monthly forecasts by fuel source currently through the end of 2026 and the latest estimates of the effects of recent events on energy markets and energy-related CO2 emissions. We publish long-term U.S. emissions projections in our Annual Energy Outlook, which provides annual projections of energy-related CO2 emissions by fuel source, sector, and end use through 2050. Projections of international energy-related CO2 emissions through 2050 are available in our International Energy Outlook.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Adds 43 Unregistered Foreign Entities to RED List

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s ongoing efforts to help protect Americans from fraud, today the CFTC added 43 unregistered foreign entities to its Red List, a tool that provides information to U.S. market participants about foreign entities that are acting in an unregistered capacity and to help them make more informed decisions about trading. The Red List, which stands for Registration Deficient List, launched in 2015 [See CFTC Press Release No. 7224-15], and now contains almost 300 entities.
    A firm is added to the RED List when the CFTC determines, from investigative leads and questions from the public, that it is not registered with the Commission and appears to be acting in a capacity that requires registration, such as trading binary options, foreign currency (forex), or other products. The Commodity Exchange Act generally requires intermediaries in the derivatives industry to register with the CFTC. An “intermediary” is a person or firm that acts on behalf of another person in connection with trading futures, swaps, or options. Depending on the nature of its activities, an intermediary may also be subject to various financial, disclosure, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. There are some exceptions or exemptions where an intermediary does not require registration.
    The RED List is circulated to financial industry partners, including other regulators, consumer groups, industry participants, self-regulatory organizations, exchanges, and industry associations. It complements registration information provided by the National Futures Association. 

    Abnas Global Corp.
    Abnas Global Securities Co. Ltd. 
    Abnas Global PLC
    abnasglobal.cc
     

    OX Securities Pty LtdOX Securities Limited (SV) 
    oxsecurities.com
     

    Apex Number 
    apexnumber.com

    PO Trade Ltd
    m.po.life
     

    BF Traders
    G-P Ltd.
    bftraders.com
     
     

    Prowins Binary
    www.prowins.live

    Binary Golden Options 
    bnrygoldenopts.com
     

    Smart Magnetic Ltd.
    smartmagnetic.net [email protected]
     

    Blueberry Markets 
    blueberrymarkets.com
     

    Stealth Finex
    stealthfinex.com [email protected]
     

    ElixirVest Ltd. 
    elixirvest.com

    StocktrademarketX
    Stocktrademarketx.com
     

    Equity Price Ltd. 
    equityprice.live
     

    SublimeFX
    sublimefx.comsublimefx.ca
     

    Firephoenix.com 
    [email protected]
     

    SunFX Investment Company 
    sunfx.org

    Forex4Money Trading Ltd.Forex International Gain
    forex4money.com
     

    Sway Markets
    swaymarkets.com

    ForexcellForexcellsForeXcells MKT LimitedForexcells M Group LLCForexcells Markets Ltd.AbileXAG
    forcexcells.com
     

    SwipeCoin
    swipecoin.live

    Global Buck Invest 
    globalbuckinvest.com
     

    Trade Xtix Coins Ltd. 
    tradextixcoins.com

    Global Official Trade 
    Globalofficialtrade.com

    TradeplugxTradeplugx Capital Group 
    trustplusfx.com
     

    Hotbglobal Finance Limited
    www.hotbgl.io
     

    TruBlueFX
    TruBlue FX
    Ares Global Ltd.  
    trubluefx.biz
     

    NASDAQK Limited
    nasdaqkfx.com
     

    trustplusfx.net  
    trustplusfx.net

    Optimaltradeinfo
    optimaltradeinfo

    UltimateStock
    ultimatestock.org

    See the complete list at https://www.cftc.gov/LearnAndProtect.
    The following CFTC staff members are responsible for the RED List: the Office of Customer Education and Outreach staff, and Division of Enforcement staff Michelle Bougas, and Rick Glaser, as well as former staff Erica Bodin.
    *  *  * *  *  *  *
    See CFTC’s Binary Options Customer Fraud Advisory
    The CFTC has issued a Consumer Alert to warn about fraudulent schemes involving binary options and their trading platforms.  The Alert warns customers that the perpetrators of these unlawful schemes typically refuse to credit customer accounts, deny fund reimbursement, commit identity theft, and manipulate software to generate losing trades.
    Customers can report suspicious activities or information, such as possible violations of commodity trading laws, to the CFTC Division of Enforcement via a Toll-Free Hotline 866-FON-CFTC (866-366-2382) or file a tip or complaint online.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025 Dickson Prize in Medicine Goes to Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin of UConn

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The Dickson Prize in Medicine is awarded annually to a leading American investigator engaged in innovative and paradigm-shifting biomedical research. It is an esteemed annual award presented by the University of Pittsburgh. Many recipients of the Dickson Prize have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize. Dr. Cato T. Laurencin is the founder and pioneer of the field of regenerative engineering.

    His lecture, “Regenerative Engineering: Breakthroughs in Medicine,” will be given at 2:30 p.m. on July 11 at the University of Pittsburgh, Alan Magee Scaife Hall West Wing Auditorium. It will be followed by a panel discussion and reception at 5 p.m.

    Laurencin is a University Professor (one of two at UConn) and professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering. He is the chief executive officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university Institute created in his honor. At UConn School of Medicine he is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery.

    He is the leading international figure in polymer science and engineering as applied to musculoskeletal biology. Renowned for his work in areas including biomaterials science and materials chemistry, his broad background and insight have allowed him to move research from fundamental science to applied research, to research translation and clinical treatment.

    Laurencin earned his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, his M.D., Magna Cum Laude, from the Harvard Medical School, and earned his Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He completed an orthopaedic surgery residency at Harvard, where he was named Chief Resident at the Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School. A specialist in shoulder surgery and sports medicine, he completed fellowship training at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

    Laurencin is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, an elected member of the American Surgical Association and an elected member of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. In orthopaedic surgery, he received the Nicolas Andry Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, the Kappa Delta Award, the highest research honor from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Marshall R. Urist Award, honoring an investigator who has a sustained ongoing body of research in tissue regeneration as it relates to the musculoskeletal system, from the Orthopaedic Research Society, and the American Orthopaedic Association’s (AOA) Distinguished Contributions to Orthopaedics Award with induction into the AOA Awards Hall of Fame. He is the first individual to receive these four awards.

    He is the first surgeon in history elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Inventors.

    In 2025, he received Knighthood under the auspices of King Charles III of England by the Governor General of St. Lucia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Oklahoma City Men Plead Guilty to Firearms Offenses as Part of Partnership Between Oklahoma City and the U.S. Attorney’s Office

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

    OKLAHOMA CITY – Two defendants have pled guilty to firearms charges in unrelated cases prosecuted, in part, through a partnership between the City of Oklahoma City and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma to enhance efforts to address violent crime in Oklahoma City.

    On March 4, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged DAVY EUGENE KING, 52, of Oklahoma City, with illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction. King pled guilty on April 19, 2025, and admitted he possessed a firearm despite his previous felony convictions. Public record reflects that King has numerous previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court, including, second-degree murder in case number CF-1990-5376, possession of a stolen vehicle in case number CF-2014-4630, attempted grand larceny in case number CF-2014-5432, and domestic abuse (assault and battery) in case number CF-2014-2946. King faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 at sentencing.

    On February 20, 2025, a separate federal Grand Jury charged ROBERT DEWAYNE MAYFIELD, 23, of Oklahoma City, with unlawful possession of a machinegun. Mayfield pled guilty on April 19, 2025, and admitted he possessed a firearm which had been modified with a machinegun conversion device (MCD). When attached, MCDs convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns, and possession of the devices violates federal law. Mayfield faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 at sentencing.

    These cases are the result of investigations by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They are being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laney Ellis (SAUSA).  SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime.

    “This collaboration with Oklahoma City will strengthen public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Our close partnership with the Oklahoma City Police Department is further strengthened with an additional prosecutor to hold accountable those who commit violent crimes under federal law in Oklahoma City.”

    “These prosecutions demonstrate the power of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to disrupt violent offenders and take dangerous weapons off our streets,” said Oklahoma City Police Chief Ron Bacy. “Together, we’re sending a clear message that we will not tolerate gun crime in our city.”

    These cases are also part of “Shots Fired” and “Project Switch Off,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. “Project Switch Off” targets illegal MCDs to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Intoxicated driver guilty of being alien illegally in possession of firearm

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

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 20-year-old Honduran national who illegally resided in Corpus Christi has been convicted of being an alien who unlawfully possessed a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18. 

    Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found Ulloa-Pavon pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. No other cars were in the vicinity. Ulloa-Pavon had red bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of alcohol and appeared unsteady on his feet, swaying as he stood. They removed him from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. 

    A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket. Ulloa-Pavon admitted he had a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car which law enforcement located and seized.

    Ulloa-Pavon had admitted during a previous interaction with law enforcement to being from Honduras and not lawfully in the United States.

    U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Aug. 27. At that time, Ulloa-Pavon faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bird prosecuted the case. 

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien and Prolific Drug Trafficker Convicted Following Thwarted Robbery of Rival Cocaine Supplier

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

    ATLANTA – Adan Macedo-Rios, 52, of Mexico, who is an alien unlawfully present in the United States, has been convicted of charges related to trafficking in illegal drugs, money laundering, robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms.

    “Macedo-Rios, an illegal alien, distributed large amounts of dangerous drugs and laundered his ill-gotten gains through the purchase of a Georgia horse ranch. His callous and dangerous behavior—highlighted by his involvement in a plot to rob a rival cocaine supplier—was disrupted by the tireless work of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Through our combined efforts, we foiled the robbery plan and dismantled the drug trafficking and money laundering organization that Macedo-Rios supplied, thereby eliminating a significant threat of violent crime in our community.”

    “DEA strives every day to keep the American public safe from transnational criminal organizations,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This investigation demonstrates DEA’s commitment to destroying these drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.”

    “For all the innocent residents who are trying to raise families in safe communities, the FBI wants you to know that we are here for you through arrests like this,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Macedo-Rios repeatedly disregarded the law to enrich himself. The FBI and our partners are firmly committed to ensuring that our communities are protected from the extreme violence and lawlessness displayed by individuals like him.”

    “The conviction of Adan Macedo-Rios, an illegal alien from Mexico and prolific drug trafficker, highlights our unwavering commitment to dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the hard work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we’ve turned his ‘stable’ of crime into a one-way ticket to accountability!”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, public record, and other information presented in court: Macedo-Rios, a large-scale drug trafficker, supplied other Atlanta-based drug distributors with at least 123 kilograms of cocaine destined for distribution throughout multiple states. In 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agents obtained federal court authorization to intercept communications over cellphones used by Macedo-Rios and others. These intercepts led to the seizure of multiple kilograms of cocaine and other narcotics, and drug proceeds, from drug transporters working for Macedo-Rios and his conspirators. 

    Macedo-Rios remitted drug payments to his narcotics suppliers in Mexico and used proceeds of his criminal activity to fraudulently purchase an eight-acre ranch with a 24-horse stable and farmhouse in Loganville, Georgia. With his conspirators, Macedo-Rios planned the robbery of another drug supplier who was storing 65 kilograms of cocaine in his residence. Macedo-Rios and his conspirators even conducted their own surveillance of the target, including by placing a tracker on the rival’s car, and plotted to use firearms to facilitate the robbery. But their plan was timely thwarted by DEA agents, who intercepted communications about the robbery.

    When agents arrested Macedo-Rios at the horse ranch, they discovered a loaded Colt .38 pistol and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun in his bedroom, even though he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his unlawful presence in the United States and status as a convicted felon. Macedo-Rios, a Mexican citizen, has a history of multiple deportations from the United States.

    Adan Macedo-Rios appeared before United States District Judge J. P. Boulee on May 28, 2025, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien illegally present in the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    As to his drug trafficking conviction, Macedo-Rios faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a maximum $10,000,000 fine, and a minimum of five years of supervised release. For the Hobbs Act Robbery conviction, he faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. For the firearm conviction, Macedo-Rios faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. The money laundering conviction carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a $500,000 fine, and forfeiture of property involved in the offense. 

    In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2025, at 1 pm before Judge Boulee.

    This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from Georgia State Patrol and the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Rebeca M. Ojeda are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi¬ jurisdictional operations to eliminate the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

    The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (Atlanta Strike Force) is to eliminate transnational organized crime syndicates and major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Atlanta Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, Regional Priority Organization Targets, and their associates.  The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies; and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Crop Report for the Period May 20 to May 26, 2025

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 29, 2025

    Producers made significant progress again this week, with seeding now 88 per cent complete in Saskatchewan. This is ahead of the five-year average of 82 per cent and the 10-year average of 85 per cent. Topsoil moisture is showing some slight decline due to warm windy conditions.

    The southwest is the furthest advanced in seeding progress at 95 per cent complete. This is followed closely by the west-central region at 94 per cent, the northwest region at 93 per cent and the northeast region at 92 per cent. The east-central and southeast regions are the furthest behind at 81 per cent and 80 per cent respectively. 

    Provincially, seeding progress is the furthest ahead for field peas and lentils at 98 per cent and 95 per cent complete, respectively. Chickpeas are reported at 91 per cent, while soybeans are only at 48 per cent. For cereal crops, triticale is the furthest ahead at 94 per cent. Durum and spring wheat are both 93 per cent. Barley is at 89 per cent followed by oats at 79 per cent and canary seed is at 75 per cent. For oilseeds, mustard is 92 per cent followed by canola at 83 per cent and flax at 73 per cent. Perennial forages are at 55 per cent complete.

    Rainfall was variable across the province with some producers in the southeast regions experiencing increased amounts. The highest reported rainfall was in the Weyburn area at 66 millimetres (mm). The Griffin and Indian Head areas received 20 mm, and the Browning area received 18 mm.

    Overall, topsoil moisture is showing some slight reductions over the past week due to dry and windy conditions. Cropland topsoil moisture is four per cent surplus, 65 per cent adequate and 27 per cent short. Hayland topsoil moisture is two per cent surplus, 59 per cent adequate and 31 per cent short. Pasture topsoil moisture is very similar with one per cent surplus, 56 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and two per cent very short.

    Most producers are reporting normal crop development across the province. Fall cereals are currently rated at 89 per cent normal crop development for this time of year with seven per cent ahead and four per cent behind normal. Spring cereals are estimated to be 73 per cent normal with 13 per cent ahead and 14 per cent behind. Pulse crops are rated at 76 per cent normal crop development with 10 per cent ahead and 14 per cent behind. Oilseeds are at 73 per cent normal with seven per cent ahead and 20 per cent behind normal development. Perennial forage is 79 per cent normal crop development with six per cent ahead and 15 per cent behind. Annual forage is indicated at 77 per cent normal crop development while 10 per cent is ahead and 13 per cent is behind.

    Crop damage was minor with a few producers reporting some damage due to heat, wind and dry conditions. Flooding and frost were also noted as causing minor damage in some areas of the province. Flea beetle, wireworm and cutworm activity has been noted, with some producers taking control measures. Some regions have observed grasshoppers hatching but current reports of crop damage are few.

    Most producers anticipate that seeding will wrap up within the next week if weather permits. Producers are also busy moving cattle to pasture, spraying and land rolling.

    As producers continue with seeding and field work operations, they are encouraged to take safety precautions in all the work that they do. The Farm Stress Line can help by providing support for producers toll free at 1-800-667-4442.

    A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online – Download Crop Report.

    Follow the 2025 Crop Report on Twitter at @SKAgriculture.

    For more information, contact:

    Kim Stonehouse
    Agriculture
    Tisdale
    Phone: 306-878-8807
    Email: kim.stonehouse@gov.sk.ca

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Innovation Saskatchewan Unveils New Research Strategy and Unified Brand

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 29, 2025

    Today, Innovation Saskatchewan released Accelerating Innovation, Advancing Industry: Saskatchewan’s Research Strategy. A new plan to position the province as a global leader in research and innovation. The strategy includes enhancements to two Innovation Saskatchewan programs, the Innovation & Science Fund (ISF) and the Saskatchewan Technology Startup Incentive (STSI), to promote economic growth through research and innovation.  

    The announcement also introduced Innovation Saskatchewan’s unified brand, which brings the agency’s programs and supports under one identity and includes the renaming of Innovation Place to Innovation Saskatchewan Research and Technology (R+T) Parks in Regina and Saskatoon.  

    Together, these efforts reinforce the province’s commitment to research, innovation and economic advancement for key sectors in support of Saskatchewan’s 2030 Growth Plan Goals. 

    “Saskatchewan has a world-class research community that continues to build upon our reputation as a global innovation hub,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Warren Kaeding said. “This new research strategy and unified brand align provincial supports and programs to unlock future opportunities, enhance creative impacts and excel Saskatchewan’s ambitious growth plan target to triple the technology sector by 2030.” 

    Saskatchewan’s research strategy is built on three pillars of the innovation life cycle: Invent, Commercialize and Connect. By focusing support on these stages, the province aims to maximize impact through stronger access to talent, infrastructure, funding and global networks, while reducing barriers and risks. 

    The strategy targets sectors where Saskatchewan has established strengths or high growth potential, ensuring public investment delivers strong returns and tangible benefits for citizens. The four Research Priority Areas are Agriculture, Life Sciences, Energy and Mining and Critical Minerals. 

    “Saskatchewan’s innovation ecosystem has provided unparalleled opportunities critical to LiORA’s growth from training at top research universities to collaborations with unique research institutions to access to funding and global networks and partnerships,” LiORA Co-Founder and CEO Steven Siciliano said. “Deepening this support will have a profound impact on our province and the world, pushing Saskatchewan even further to the forefront of innovation.” 

    As part of the research strategy, Innovation Saskatchewan announced upcoming enhancements to Innovation and Science Fund (ISF) and Saskatchewan Technology Startup Incentive (STSI). 

    ISF will receive a $2.4 million annual increase, nearly doubling total funding to $5.2 million and will expand to support four key streams: research infrastructure, research projects, the broader research ecosystem and international collaboration.  

    STSI will extend eligibility status to life sciences startups, broadening investor access to the program’s non-refundable 45 per cent tax credit for more Saskatchewan ventures. 

    “These joint, milestone announcements are a signal to the world that Saskatchewan is ready to lead in research, innovation and industry collaboration,” Innovation Saskatchewan CEO Kari Harvey said. “By expanding key programs in a government-wide strategy and uniting our supports under a clear, cohesive brand, we are making it easier for researchers, entrepreneurs and investors to work together and deliver solutions with real impact – right here in Saskatchewan.”  

    Saskatchewan’s Research Strategy was announced during an event at the newly renamed Innovation Saskatchewan R+T Park Saskatoon, a symbolic backdrop for the province’s renewed focus on collaboration, commercialization and global research leadership.  

    Explore the full strategy at researchSK.ca and discover Innovation Saskatchewan’s new brand and digital experience at www.innovationsask.ca. 

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Investing in New York’s Canal System

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced New York State is continuing to invest in the New York State Canal system through a $50 million allocation in the FY 2026 Enacted Budget as the Erie Canal’s Bicentennial navigation season begins. The capital funding secured through the state, the second in two years, builds upon the annual investment into the waterway’s core operation and maintenance by the New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation, and supports the vision put forth by the Canal Recreationway Commission in the recently published Canal Recreationway 2050 Plan.

    “Governor DeWitt Clinton may have been the one to take credit for bringing the Erie Canal to life, but I’d like to take credit for keeping it thriving 200 years later by providing unprecedented funding to ensure the Canal system remains safe, operable, and a driver of tourism and economic activity,” Governor Hochul said. “By supporting the Canal system’s essential infrastructure, some of which dates back to the 19th century, we’re ensuring this network of waterways and trails will continue to positively support those who come to recreate and do business here, and the more than 200 upstate New York communities that thrive within the Canal corridor.”

    The $50 million appropriation in the FY 2026 Enacted Budget includes funding to support the rehabilitation of 19th century reservoir dams, a high-hazard earthen embankment dam that retains water above an adjacent community, and aging steel gates and other water control structures along the Canal system that are designed to protect downstream life and property. This investment in the canal’s principal infrastructure ensures the waterway is resilient, supports the diverse needs of the communities it passes through, and continues to be a driver of economic development as it begins its third century of operation.

    New York Power Authority Board of Trustees Chairman John Koelmel said, “We have been making historic investments in the Canal system to ensure its infrastructure is resilient; its programming is innovative and engaging; and that all of our efforts allow this waterway to remain in continuous operation for the next two centuries. We are working toward having a Canal System that is a vibrant, sustainable resource for New Yorkers and beyond.”

    New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “We are committed to transforming the Erie Canal into a model of sustainable infrastructure that honors its rich history and secures its place in a thriving, resilient, and inclusive future for its next two centuries of use.”

    2025 marks the 201st consecutive season of navigation along the Canal system and the bicentennial of the opening of the original Erie Canal on October 26, 1825. Supported by the Erie Canal Bicentennial Commission, the canal corridor from Albany to Buffalo will be bustling with events this year ranging from concerts to festivals to theater performances and more. As communities and organizations come together to commemorate this milestone, information on all of these happenings can be found on an interactive calendar hosted by the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. The link to the calendar can be found here.

    Erie Canal Bicentennial Commission Co-Chair and First Gentleman William J. Hochul Jr. said, “I have spent countless hours traversing the New York State Canal system and have enjoyed every minute. It has been a high honor to work on commemorative activities celebrating the remarkable history of the Canals, while also preparing the way for the future. As we kick off the 2025 navigation season, I can’t wait to see all our efforts, which have been many months in the making, come to life across the many cities and towns that share access to the Canals.”

    New York State Canal Corporation Director and Erie Canal Bicentennial Commission Co-Chair Brian U. Stratton said, “We have been hard at work since 2017, the beginning of this bicentennial period, to ensure we honor this occasion appropriately. Our efforts have ranged from event support to creating a robust blueprint for the next 25 years of Canal operations to putting herculean effort into ensuring our infrastructure is in good, safe working order. The end goal is a thriving Erie Canal that is open for through-navigation, for all of the communities it passes through, and for all of the people who come to recreate here.”

    This July, the two-time GRAMMY award-winning Albany Symphony, in partnership with the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation, will perform a free five-part concert series along the Canal system. This musical experience, entitled “Water Music NY,” will be offered in Medina, Seneca Falls, Utica, Fort Plain, and Schuylerville with each concert composed specifically for the host canalside communities. The music series will explore themes of nature, the environment and contemporary communities on the Erie Canal; the food and stories of people from around the world who now call Utica, a premier Erie Canal community, home; music that honors the multi-layered stories of women on the Waterways; Indigenous heritage; and the experience of enslaved people who fought for freedom on the Underground Railroad. This year’s concerts build upon the “Water Music NY: More Voices” program offered last year that focused on exploring underrepresented voices, including those of women, immigrants, people of color and Indigenous peoples.

    Albany Symphony Music Director David Alan Miller said, “As the Erie Canal nears its third century of operation, we are so excited to embark on a grand new adventure with our wonderful partners at the New York State Canal Corporation. In anticipation of the Erie Canal’s momentous bicentennial season, we have engaged five brilliant composers who have immersed themselves in five gorgeous canalside communities and have created visionary new works for our orchestra and community collaborators exploring the vibrant history and culture of our great state. We cannot wait to celebrate with thousands of residents and visitors at free daylong festivals that include delicious food, fun outdoor activities, historical explorations, and family-friendly arts, culminating in fabulous orchestra concerts featuring these dazzling new works. It is our hope that our music will spark dialogue, expand perspectives, and inspire everyone to experience and cherish the beautiful canal system that flows through our state and is so much a part of New York State’s past, present and future.”

    In September, the 2025 World Canals Conference will occur in Buffalo as part of the bicentennial commemoration. This yearly event, held in locations around the world, brings together an international audience of hundreds of canal and inland waterway enthusiasts, professionals and scholars to learn about a variety of topics related to canals. The New York Power Authority, New York State Canal Corporation, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, in partnership with the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation and Visit Buffalo Niagara, are the joint sponsors this year and are coordinating all aspects of the conference.

    As the World Canals Conference concludes, the Seneca Chief, a replica of the original Erie Canal boat New York State Governor DeWitt Clinton sailed from Buffalo to New York Harbor in 1825, will begin its journey to recreate that inaugural voyage. The Seneca Chief is scheduled to arrive in New York Harbor on October 26, the official anniversary of the completion of the Erie Canal. Created and built by the Buffalo Maritime Center, the project has been heralded as one of the largest community-based boatbuilding endeavors in the world. The Seneca Chief will make stops in communities across the Erie Canal and Hudson River, with commemorative events at each stop.

    To ensure a more complete narrative on the Erie Canal’s history and its enduring legacy is told this bicentennial year, the New York Power Authority, New York State Canal Corporation, and WMHT Public Media partnered to create a multi-platform, multi-media initiative, called “Reflections on the Erie Canal,” which launched this spring with the airing of a 10-part weekly documentary series. The series will conclude with an hourlong original documentary, to premier this September at the World Canals Conference in Buffalo. In addition to the documentary series, new content was created for classrooms across New York.

    Last, in honor of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial, the New York State Canal Corporation commissioned artist Dr. Tyler Nordgren to create a poster that captures 200 years of this remarkable waterway, and its future. The image can be found here. Information on how to obtain copies of the full-sized poster will be made available to the public in the coming weeks.

    In addition to the abovementioned efforts, several New York State agencies and businesses are offering Erie Canal Bicentennial themed products, including:

    • New York State Department of Motor Vehicles – Erie Canal Bicentennial License Plate
    • New York State Office of General Services – An Erie Canal themed photo exhibit at the Empire State Plaza in Albany
    • New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets – Erie Canal themed displays at the 2025 Great New York State Fair
    • New York State Division of the Lottery – Plans are in the works for something special, to be announced this summer
    • Saratoga Springs based Stewart’s Shops – “Minted in 1825” ice cream available at participating locations throughout the Capital Region, Mohawk Valley and Syracuse area
    • Buffalo based Big Ditch Brewing Company – An Erie Canal themed beer will be available soon at select locations in Western NY where Big Ditch is sold

    New York State Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said, “Throughout its history, the Erie Canal generated and grew canal-based cities, and opened our state and nation to endless economic possibilities. As we mark the 201st consecutive navigation season of the Erie Canal and prepare for bicentennial celebrations coming this fall, I’m excited to see how our Canal communities will continue to use their unique heritage and history as a catalyst for future growth and redevelopment.”

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Two hundred years after its opening, the Erie Canal is still a driver of tourism and economic activity. As we commemorate the Bicentennial this summer, there are many opportunities for visitors to learn about the canal, whether experiencing the exciting ‘Waterway of Change’ exhibit at Canalside in Buffalo, following the Seneca Chief’s journey across New York State or listening to community concerts set to historically inspired scores. Thanks to Governor Hochul and to investments in the Erie Canal’s infrastructure, this iconic waterway will be celebrated for the next 200 years.”

    Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said, “As we celebrate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, we honor a legacy that transformed New York State and the nation. Exploring the Canal offers a unique journey through America’s early history and innovation as the Canal continues to connect people through its scenic trails, vibrant waterways, and historic towns. The 200th anniversary serves as a reminder of the enduring value of preserving our heritage while embracing the recreational, cultural, and historic destination the Canal provides for future generations to come.”

    New York State Historian Devin Lander said, “The building of the Erie Canal was a complex and momentous undertaking. It involved thousands of laborers and dozens of engineers and resulted in a public works project beyond anything the nation had seen at the time. It opened New York State to the west and opened the west to America. When it was all said and done, it can be said that the Empire State was born on the back of a canal boat.”

    Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Executive Director Bob Radliff said, “The Erie Canal transformed New York State and had a profound impact on the nation. We hope this auspicious anniversary year invites everyone to explore New York’s extraordinary canal heritage and enjoy all that the waterway has to offer today.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “200 years on the Erie Canal! This bicentennial celebration is an opportunity to reflect on the history of the canal, the role it played in the building of our community, and the impact it still has every day on tourism and navigation. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment towards promoting the canal’s history and recreation throughout canal communities.”

    Assemblymember Bill Magnarelli said, “The Erie Canal is an iconic historical feature of the Central New York region. The Governor’s investment in the Erie Canal will help it continue to be a factor in our state’s tourism, economic development and future history.”

    The New York State Canal system will operate daily this navigation season through Monday, November 3, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Third Amicus Brief in Support of Challenge to Refugee Ban and Refugee Funding Suspension

    Source: US State of California

    Tuesday, May 27, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, as part of a multistate coalition, filed an amicus brief in Pacito v. Trump in support of a challenge to the Trump Administration’s unlawful suspension of refugee admissions and funding under the United States Refugee Assistance Program. In the brief, the coalition urges the U.S. Court of Appeals to affirm the preliminary injunctions issued by the District Court in Washington. This is the States’ third amicus brief in the case. 

    A copy of the brief is available here. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, MA Delegation Sound Alarm on Trump Admin Attacks on International Students at Harvard and Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    May 29, 2025
    Letter follows recent DHS attempts to terminate Harvard’s ability to enroll international students on F-1 and J-1 visas
    Massachusetts hosts over 80,000 international students, who contribute almost $4 billion to state economy and support over 35,000 jobs in the state
    “The Administration’s apparent hostility to international students contributes to an overall climate of fear on campuses. This trend creates a chilling effect that discourages the best and brightest students from around the world from coming to study in the United States…” 
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led Massachusetts’ Congressional delegation in pressing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons on the Trump Administration’s attacks on international students, particularly last week’s attempt to terminate Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students on F-1 and J-1 visas. 
    The letter was signed by U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), and Bill Keating (D-Mass.).
    “As members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, we are gravely concerned about the Trump Administration’s attacks on international students,” wrote the lawmakers. “This trend has been particularly damaging for Massachusetts, which is home to one of largest concentrations of higher education institutions and hosts over 80,000 international students, who contribute almost $4 billion to the state’s economy and support over 35,000 jobs in the state.”
    Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the system that allows the university to admit international students — not only blocking Harvard’s ability to enroll new international students, but also interfering with current international students’ ability to legally remain. In effect, this action would allow DHS to arrest, detain, and deport international students who remain at Harvard. Shortly thereafter, a federal judge temporarily enjoined DHS from enforcing the revocation.
    “This attack on Harvard and its international students appears to be an attempt to punish the university for not agreeing to the Trump Administration’s April 2025 demands,” wrote the lawmakers.
    This is the latest in the Trump Administration’s long pattern of attacks on international students nationwide. Starting in March, the Administration effectively terminated the legal status of over 4,700 international students across at least 48 states and 160 colleges. Often without notice to students or their universities, ICE terminated students’ records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) — records that are “functionally equivalent to having lawful student status” — which exposed students to the “risk of arrest, detention, or removal.” The State Department also revoked many visas, adding to widespread confusion about students’ legal status.
    “While DHS and the State Department claimed to target those with a criminal history or history of engaging in campus protests,  some of the impacted students had neither, and in many cases, there was ‘no obvious cause for the revocations,’” wrote the lawmakers.
    International students in Massachusetts and nationwide continue to face serious threats, even beyond Harvard’s campus, including: ICE expanding its authority for terminating SEVIS records; not restoring — or re-terminating — students’ legal status; and leaving problematic gaps in records of students’ legal status. Some students who left the country after their visas or records were suspended face significant hurdles to returning. This week, the State Department reportedly ordered its overseas embassies and consulates to stop scheduling any international student visa interviews, causing serious delays.
    “The Administration’s apparent hostility to international students contributes to an overall climate of fear on campuses. This trend creates a chilling effect that discourages the best and brightest students from around the world from coming to study in the United States — which harms not only current and prospective international students, but also American universities, U.S. citizen students on campuses, and, in the long term, the nation’s prosperity and economic growth,” concluded the lawmakers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Warren Presses Trump Trade Officials’ Prioritizing Big Tech-Friendly Trade Deals at Expense of Everyday Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    May 29, 2025
    “The White House’s negotiations so far appear to be focused on securing advantages for Trump and his tech billionaire friends, rather than for American families.”
    “I am gravely concerned renegotiated trade deals will be used to advance Big Tech’s anti-consumer agenda while doing nothing to promote U.S. manufacturing or help American workers.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, raising concerns that the Trump Administration is using bilateral trade negotiations to advance the interests of Big Tech monopolists at the expense of everyday Americans.
    “Big Tech firms have long sought to use trade deals to undermine pro-consumer, pro-competition policies,” wrote Senator Warren. “And now, given their massive donations to President Trump’s inauguration committee, the prime seats given to their CEOs at his inaugural address, and their success in lobbying for exemptions from the Administration’s chaotic tariff policy, I am gravely concerned renegotiated trade deals will be used to advance Big Tech’s anti-consumer agenda while doing nothing to promote U.S. manufacturing or help American workers.
    Last month, the Trump Administration announced indiscriminate “reciprocal” tariffs on most countries, causing consumer confidence to plummet and the U.S. economy to shrink for the first time in three years. To deflect from this economic chaos, President Trump temporarily reduced the tariff rates and claimed that the unprecedented tariffs were a bargaining chip to bring other nations to the negotiating table — where the United States could renegotiate deals to eliminate “tariff rates and non-tariff barriers.” As a result, the Administration is engaged in new trade negotiations with dozens of countries around the world.
    Big Tech appears to be continuing its years-long campaign to use trade negotiations to advance its own interests — now with a boost from the Trump Administration. During his announcement of the reciprocal tariff regime, President Trump held up the 2025 National Trade Estimates report as his “special book” on non-tariff trade barriers. The 2025 report included as targets — potentially at Big Tech’s behest — several tech-related pro-consumer and pro-competition policies. Last month, USTR tweeted a list of “10 unfair digital trade practices” to target for elimination, including the European Union’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act and other policies that Big Tech had urged USTR to target. The State Department is also pressing the European Union to roll back tech regulations.
    “The White House’s negotiations so far appear to be focused on securing advantages for Trump and his tech billionaire friends, rather than for American families,” wrote Senator Warren. 
    Big Tech has long tried to shape international trade agreements to include provisions that could threaten American laws and regulations that protect workers, consumers, and small businesses. Sen. Warren previously pressed the issue with the Biden administration.
    “Big Tech companies have already successfully used their influence to secure special exemptions from tariffs and hide the true cost of President Trump’s chaotic trade policies,” wrote Senator Warren. “Now, these same companies are poised to exploit trade negotiations to thwart much-needed regulations at home and abroad. While small businesses and households continue to bear the brunt of the Administration’s punishing trade policy, the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations stand to benefit.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sherrill Attends Ribbon Cutting for Green Affordable Housing Development, After Securing Millions In Federal Funding for the Project

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

    LIVINGSTON, NJ — Yesterday, Representative Mikie Sherrill attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for The Forum at Madison, a first-of-its-kind energy-efficient affordable housing project in New Jersey—which received over $2 million in Community Project Funding in FY2023.

    These 44 rental apartments are not only affordable, they are also a landmark for clean energy in the Garden State. This is the first multi-family affordable housing development in New Jersey to meet Passive House and Net Zero Energy standards. That means lower utility bills for families, reduced carbon emissions, and a healthier, more resilient community.

    “Projects like this don’t happen in a vacuum. They happen because of strong local leadership, deep collaboration, and a shared commitment to ensure families in our community have a place to call home,” said Rep. Sherrill. “’I’m proud that we were able to bring back New Jerseyans’ hard-earned tax dollars to secure funding for this Community Project. Housing that is affordable plays a crucial role in easing the financial burden on middle-class families, making it possible for them to keep more of what they’ve earned and invest in their futures.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Isabelle’s Kitchen Inc. Recalls Refrigerated Deli Salads Containing Fresh Cucumbers Because of Possible Health Risk

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    May 28, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    May 29, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & BeveragesFoodborne Illness
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella

    Company Name:
    Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc.
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Kings, Isabelle’s Kitchen Inc., Maple Avenue Foods

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Salads containing fresh cucumbers.

    Company Announcement
    Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc., Harleysville, PA, is recalling 946 cases of refrigerated deli salads containing fresh cucumbers recalled by Bedner Grower’s, Inc. because they have potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.
    The recalled refrigerated deli salads were sold to foodservice distributors in the following states: New Hampshire, Florida, Maryland, South Carolina, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia and local supermarkets. Any repacked items sold at the supermarket level may not carry the same sell by date as identified on the original package, but would not exceed the original manufacture sell by date.
    The product is packed in a white plastic container inside a white or brown corrugated box under the brand names “Isabelle’s Kitchen,” “Maple Avenue Foods,” or “Kings.” Recalled product is identified by the Item Number located on the top right of the white product label, and by the Julian code date located on the right side of the “Use-By” sticker.
    Example of a Use By sticker: (See Image Below)
    The following table identifies the item name, manufacture date and use by date:

    Item #4605 Kings

    Kings Greek Pasta Salad

    Mfg date Julian code 134

    Use by: June 1, 2025

    Item #5002B

    IKI Greek Pasta Salad

    Mfg date Julian code 134

    Use by: June 1, 2025

    Item #5002B

    IKI Greek Pasta Salad

    Mfg date Julian code 135

    Use by: June 2, 2025

    Item #5007B

    MAF Mediterranean Pasta Salad

    Mfg date Julian code 134

    Use by: May 30, 2025

    Item #5007B

    MAF Mediterranean Pasta Salad

    Mfg date Julian code 134

    Use by: May 31, 2025

    Item #8015B

    MAF Crunchy Wheatberry Salad

    Mfg date Julian code 134

    Use by: June 1, 2025

    Item #8031

    MAF Quinoa Tabouli

    Mfg date Julian code 134

    Use by: May 30, 2025

    Item #8031

    MAF Quinoa Tabouli

    Mfg date Julian code 135

    Use by: May 31, 2025

    Item #8103KT

    Powerhouse Wheatberry Salad Kit

    Mfg date Julian code 134

    Use by: May 27, 2025

    Item #8103KT

    Powerhouse Wheatberry Salad Kit

    Mfg date Julian code 135

    Use by: May 28, 2025

    Item #8103KT

    Powerhouse Wheatberry Salad Kit

    Mfg date Julian code 136

    Use by: May 29, 2025

    Only products listed above with the indicated Julian codes dates are being recalled. No other items manufactured by Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc. are impacted by this recall.
    No known illnesses have been associated with the recalled products to date. All raw cucumbers are washed & treated as a processing step.
    Our firm was notified by our produce supplier that seven (7) cases of raw whole cucumbers received by Isabelle’s Kitchen are being recalled by Bedner Growers, Inc. (https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/bedner-growers-inc-recalls-cucumbers-because-possible-health-risk) and have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. These recalled cucumbers were processed and used in production on May 14 and May 15, 2025.
    All distributors and customers have been notified of the recall. They have been instructed to cease sale/distribution of the recalled products, to remove recalled products from store shelves and/or warehouse locations, to destroy recalled products, and to notify consumers that were sold/may have been sold these recalled products.
    Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the products and to immediately discard any uneaten recalled product or return to the store for a refund. Consumers who have purchased the recalled products may obtain additional information by contacting Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc. at 800-355-7252 (8AM to 5PM EST). Consumers with health concerns should consult directly with their health care providers.
    Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc. is conducting this recall in coordination with the FDA.
    Link to FDA Outbreak Advisory

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    Isabelle’s Kitchen, Inc.
    800-355-7252

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    05/29/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Topic(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Learning occurs quicker than thought, according to brain imaging

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Researchers supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation have provided a new understanding of how and where learning occurs in the brain. The two-part finding has implications for understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and other dementias, which impact more than 7 million people in the United States and account for $384 billion in health and long-term care costs, as well as for enhancing neural networks.

    “Identifying how the brain actually forms new connections and learns is a question at the frontier of neuroscience,” said Paul Forlano, program officer in the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences. “Knowing that influences our understanding of how we interact with our environment and pick up on and respond to cues, which opens the door to a range of new fundamental and applied research.”

    The researchers, led by Kishore Kuchibhotla, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University, used brain imaging to determine when mice learned a new skill. The imaging reinforced previous work, showing that mice learned quickly and that those that continued to make errors weren’t still learning; they were experimenting. The difference between mistakes and testing the rules was evident in changes in the neural activity that the researchers saw in the mice.

    Kuchibhotla said the distinction between the brain dynamics in learning and the dynamics involved in using that skill could be mimicked in having a memory and being able to retrieve it. If a similar paradigm exists in humans, it could alter how scientists approach questions about neurodegenerative diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as how those conditions are treated.

    The other surprising outcome of the research was that learning occurs in the sensory cortex, a region of the brain generally associated with interpreting (for example, “this stove is hot”) but not having input on behavior (like removing one’s hand from the stove). The team argues that the cortex is better described as a sensory-enriched associative cortex, wherein sensory and associative learning functions are intrinsically intermingled. The parallel functions and how the brain accomplishes them could lead to advances in how neural networks, which are modelled on the brain, process information.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Previously Convicted and Deported for Drug Trafficking Pleads Guilty to a Charge of Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Guatemalan national deported in 2015 after having been convicted for drug trafficking in Connecticut today pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to a charge of illegal re-entry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    According to court records, Pedro Andony Alvarado Aguilar, 46, was convicted in federal court in Connecticut in November 2014 on charges of conspiracy to import 5,000 grams or more of cocaine and conspiracy to import 1,000 grams or more of heroin. He was deported on July 1, 2015.

    On April 10, 2025, Immigration Officers learned through an automated biometric fingerprint match of fingerprints entered into the National Crime Information Center that the defendant was arrested in Rhode Island for driving on a suspended license and on an obstruction charge. Alvarado admitted to a federal judge today that he illegally reentered the United States.

    Alvarado is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan.

    The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Immigration and Custom Enforcement.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The American mass exodus to Canada amid Trump 2.0 has yet to materialize

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Lori Wilkinson, Professor of Sociology, University of Manitoba

    In February 2025, the New Republic, reported there were a growing number of Americans who wanted to leave the country following the election of Donald Trump.

    Canadian reports backed up the assertion, particularly the news that three high-profile Yale professors would be joining the faculty of the University of Toronto in the fall of 2025.



    Read more:
    Yale scholars’ move to Canada can prompt us to reflect on the rule of law

    For some Canadian observers, it may feel like a case of déjà vu. After Trump’s first election in 2016, some media predicted a sharp increase in Americans seeking to escape their country’s harsh social and political climate for Canada’s “sunny ways.”

    According to Google Analytics, web searches originating in the United States involving “how to move to Canada” increased by 350 per cent on election night in 2016. A few months earlier, they’d increased by 1,500 per cent over normal search rates for the same phrase in March 2016, when Trump clinched the Republican nomination for president.

    More Canadians head south

    Despite such post-election musings nine years ago, the pending American mass exit didn’t materialize. According to migration data (a download is required) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the number of Americans applying for permanent residency from January through March 2017 rose only slightly. There were 1,882 applications, just 66 more than from the same period in 2016.

    As for visas and authorizations issued to people from the U.S. during the same time period, they barely increased — from 2,497 in 2016 to just 2,523 in 2017.

    Americans taking up permanent residency in Canada jumped from about 8,400 in 2016 to 10,800 in 2019. However, that increase in the modest number of moves from the U.S. to Canada can hardly be construed as an exodus. Over those same two years, the number of Canadians becoming permanent residents of the U.S. continued to exceed the number of Americans who headed north.

    There has been, however, a decline in the number of Canadians moving to the U.S. In 2016, the year Trump was first elected, just over 19,300 Canadians moved to the U.S. In 2019, the year before Trump lost to Joe Biden, 14,700 Canadians took up residence in the U.S.

    That trend didn’t last as the gap in cross-border permanent residency widened once more during the Biden era. In 2023, while 10,600 Americans moved to Canada, 18,600 Canadians moved to the U.S.

    Looking at the data from 2016 to 2023 suggests politics isn’t the primary reason why Americans head to Canada. It’s more likely driven by economic considerations, better job offers or family ties.

    In terms of the apparent uptick in migrants from the U.S. heading to Canada during Trumps’s second term, it’s too early to draw definitive conclusions. But numbers for the first quarter of 2025, according to the same IRCC datasets, show no signs of any significant uptake, with a drop from 2,485 Americans headed Canada’s way between January to March 2024 to 955 over the same period in 2025.

    Moving to Canada isn’t easy

    Despite the surge in American internet searches on moving to Canada in 2016, when Trump won the Republican nomination and then the presidency, acting on impulse in a moment of political turmoil is complicated.

    Moving to Canada is not as simple as it may seem; it can be long and arduous. There’s a process and a waiting line with requirements that include an offer of employment in Canada, liquid assets and language proficiency in English, or French if Québec is the ultimate destination.

    It’s easier to immigrate to Canada if there’s a close family member already living there, but still not guaranteed. Canada’s tax rate is a migration deterrent for some, even though these higher tax rates come with more services.

    Although Canada’s health-care system is more inclusive and affordable, the wait times for procedures, along with the perception that Canadian services are not as robust as American health services, could also be a deterrent to migration.

    In short, even for Americans, it’s not easy to migrate to Canada.

    There is, however, one group of people living in the U.S. who may consider relocating to Canada: asylum-seekers.

    The second Trump administration has ended Temporary Protection Status for Afghan, Venezuelan, Nicaraguan, Cuban and Haitian residents.

    This means that people from these strife-torn countries must apply for permanent residency or “self-deport” — otherwise, they will become undocumented.

    Haiti is currently unsafe. Gangs control the country’s cities and neighbourhoods and have staged a successful coup. The country is also still rebuilding after the devastating 2010 earthquake.



    Read more:
    With Haiti in chaos, Canada buries its head in the sand

    Afghanistan remains in the throes of a decades-long war where women have have no rights. Venezuela is in a state of civil unrest; about 19 million citizens do not have enough food or sanitation. Nearly 7.7 million people have fled the country.

    The plight of asylum-seekers

    The crackdown on other undocumented residents and the recent issuing of large “civil penalties” in the form of fines for failing to self-deport may force others to leave the U.S. Where might they go?

    Many will return to their country of residence, but others may be unable to do so and could consider Canada a convenient and safe destination. In 2016, 23,919 people made asylum claims in Canada. That number slowly rose throughout the first Trump administration to 64,020 in 2019, the last full year of the president’s first term.

    Those seeking asylum in Canada declined to 23,680 in 2020 — the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic — but had increased to 171,850 by the end of 2024.

    The geographic distribution of these asylum-seekers was uneven. In 2017, 50 per cent of all asylum-seekers to Canada made their claim in Québec; in 2022, 64 per cent of asylum claims were made there.

    So rather than seeing a large influx of American citizens migrating to Canada during Trump’s second administration, there will likely be a larger number of asylum-seekers, many of whom have legitimate fears of persecution. How Canada chooses to handle these claims remains to be seen — but it’s urgently important for Canadian elected officials to figure it out immediately.

    Jack Jedwab, CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies and the Metropolis Institute, co-authored this article

    Lori Wilkinson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The American mass exodus to Canada amid Trump 2.0 has yet to materialize – https://theconversation.com/the-american-mass-exodus-to-canada-amid-trump-2-0-has-yet-to-materialize-256853

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A 16th-century Chinese writer spoke of workplace burnout, leaving a blueprint for radical acts of rest

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jason Wang, Postdoctoral Fellow, Modern Literature and Culture Research Centre, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion by Qian Gu, 1560 (Chinese, 1508–ca. 1578), Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Handscroll, ink C. C. Wang Family, Gift of Douglas Dillon, 1980/ MET open collection, CC BY

    We are in the middle of a global workplace burnout epidemic — aptly named the “burnout society” by Korean-German philosopher Byung-Chul Han.

    Four centuries ago, late Ming Dynasty scholar-official Yuan Hongdao (1568–1610) shifted from state administrative work to xiaopin — brief, personal essays celebrating everyday pleasures like gardening, leisurely excursions and long vigils beside a rare blossom.

    The cover of ‘Burnout Society’ by Byung-Chul Han.
    (Stanford U Press)

    Today, his Ming Dynasty-era practice resonates with uncanny urgency within our burnout epidemic.

    Amid the Wanli Emperor’s neglect and escalating bureaucratic infighting in Beijing, Yuan turned away from what today we call a “toxic workplace.”

    Instead, he found refuge in Jiangnan’s landscapes and literary circles. There he exchanged hierarchical pressures, administrative tedium and cut-throat careerism for moments of unhurried attention.

    Yuan’s xiaopin, alongside those of his contemporaries, transformed fleeting sensory moments into radical acts of resilience, suggesting that beauty, not institutions, could outlast empires.

    The Ming Dynasty: A literary rebellion

    The late Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) was an era of contradictions.

    While Europe hurtled toward colonialism and scientific rationalism, China’s Jiangnan region — the fertile Yangtze Delta in today’s Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces — flourished via merchant wealth, global silver trade and a thriving print culture.

    Bookshops lined city streets like modern cafés. They peddled plays, poetry and xiaopin volumes like Meiyou Pavilion of Arts and Leisure (1630) and Sixteen Xiaopin Masters of the Imperial Ming (1633).

    The imperial examination system, a civil service written exam — once a path to prestige — had become a bottleneck. Thousands of scholars languished in bureaucratic limbo, channelling their frustrations and exhaustion into xiaopin’s intimate vignettes.

    Chinese imperial examination candidates gathering around the wall where the results are posted (painting by Qiu Ying, c. 1540)
    (National Palace Museum)

    In his preface to Meiyou Pavilion, editor Zheng Yuanxun (1603–1644) praised the genre’s “flavour beyond flavour, rhythm beyond rhythm” — a poetic nod to its rich sensory detail and subtle musicality — rejecting moralizing orthodox prose by embracing immersive aesthetics.

    Against neo-Confucianism’s rigid hierarchies, xiaopin elevated the private, the ephemeral and the esthetically oblique: a well-brewed pot of tea, the texture of moss on a garden rock and incense wafting through a study.

    Wei Shang, professor of Chinese culture at Columbia University, has noted such playful text flourished among late Ming literati disillusioned with the era’s constraints. The texts reframed idleness and sensory pleasure as subtle dissent within a status-obsessed society.

    When doing less becomes radical

    Long before French poet Charles Baudelaire’s flâneur used dandyism and idle promenades to resist the alienating pace of western modernity, Ming literati like Chen Jiru (1558–1639) and Gao Lian (1573–1620) framed idleness as defiance.

    Drawing on Daoist wu wei (non-action), Gao praised the “crystal clear retreat” that scrubbed the heart of “worldly grime” and cultivated “a tranquil heart and joyful spirit.” For him, human worth lay not in bureaucratic promotions but in savouring tea, listening to crickets or resting against a well-fluffed pillow.

    A hanging scroll, ink on paper of a plum blossom branch by Chen Jiu (1558–1639).
    (Yale University Art Gallery/S. Sidney Kahn, 1959/Christie’s, lot 677, 1983/Bones of Jade, Soul of Ice, 1985), CC BY

    Hung-tai Wang, a cultural historian at Academia Sinica in Taipei, identifies xiaopin as a “leisurely and elegant” esthetic rooted in nature’s rhythms.

    Chen Jiru, a Ming Dynasty-era painter and essayist, embodied this framework by disallowing transactional logic. In one essay, Chen lauds those who possess “poetry without words, serenity without sutras, joy without wine.” In other words, he admired those whose lives resonated through prioritizing lived gestures over abstract ideals.

    The art of living in a disconnected age

    In the late Ming’s burgeoning urban and commercial milieu, xiaopin turned everyday objects into remedies for social isolation.

    In the Jiangnan gardens, late Ming essayists saw landscapes infused with emotion. At the time, essayist Wu Congxian called it “lodging meaning among mountains and rivers:” moonlight turned into icy jade, oar splashes to cosmic echoes.

    Chen Jiru had study rituals — fingering a bronze cauldron, tapping an inkstone — curated what he termed “incense for solitude, tea for clarity, stone for refinement.”

    This cultivation of object-as-presence anticipates American academic Bill Brown’s “thing theory,” where everyday items invite embodied contemplation and challenge the subject-object binary that enables commodification.

    The Ming Dynasty-era scholar-connoisseur, Wen Zhenheng (1585–1645), turned domestic minutiae into philosophical resistance.

    His xiaopin framed everyday choices — snowmelt for tea, rooms facing narrow water, a skiff “like a study adrift” — as rejections of abstraction. Through details like cherries on porcelain or tangerines pickled before ripening, he asserted that value lies in presence, not utility.

    Wen suggests that exhaustion stems not from labour but from disconnection.

    The Garden of the Inept Administrator (Zhuozheng Yuan) by Wen Zhengming, 1551. Wen painted 31 views of the site, each accompanied by a poem and a descriptive note.
    (Gift of Douglas Dillon, 1979/MET open source collection), CC BY

    The burnout rebellions: ‘Tang ping,’ ‘quiet quitting’

    Just as xiaopin turned domestic rituals into resistance, today’s movements recast the mundane as a mode of defiance.

    In April 2021, China’s tang ping (“lying flat”) movement surfaced with a post by former factory worker Luo Huazhong: “Lying flat is justice.” The message was simple and subversive: work had become intolerable, and opting out was not laziness but resistance.

    In a backlash against China’s “996” work model extolled by tech moguls like Jack Ma, tang ping rejects the sacrifice of dignity and mental health for productivity and casts idleness as a quiet revolt against exploitative norms.

    In the West, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked similar reckonings. The “Great Resignation” saw millions leave unfulfilling jobs. And “quiet quitting” rejected unpaid overtime and emotional labour. These movements emerged as a soft refusal of hustle culture.

    As anthropologist David Graeber argues in Bullshit Jobs (2018), the “moral and spiritual damage” inflicted by meaningless work reflects a profound political failure.

    Just like the late Ming literati who poured their lives into a state that repaid them with hollow titles and bureaucratic decay, today’s workers withdraw from institutions that exploit their labour yet treat them as disposable.

    Unlike French philosopher Michel de Montaigne’s introspective self-examination in his Renaissance-era Essays, xiaopin refuses utility. In doing so, it inverts the contemporary self-help trend critiqued by Byung-Chul Han, which co-opts personal “healing” as a form of productivity through neoliberal logic.

    Xiaopin proposes resistance as an existential shift beyond (self-)optimization. Its most radical gesture is not to demand change, but to live as if the system’s demands are irrelevant.

    The revolution of pause

    Xiaopin asks: What is progress without presence? Its fragments — on lotus ponds, summer naps, a cat’s shadow — prove that resistance need not be loud.

    Like Japanese writer Haruki Murakami’s vision of contemporary literature as “space of individual recovery,” the genre shelters us from “hierarchy and efficiency.”

    Here, time is not spent but reclaimed.

    To pause in an age of weaponized ambition is in fact revolt. Tracing a petal’s vein, sipping tea until bitterness fades, lying flat as the machinery of productivity grinds on — these are not acts of shirking reality, but defiant gestures against the systems that feed on our exhaustion. They are affirmations of agency: microcosms where we rehearse what it means to belong to ourselves, and thus, to the world.

    Xiaopin’s revolution awakens in a flicker of attention: a reminder that presence, too, is a language — one that hums beneath the buzz of progress, waiting to be heard.

    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. A 16th-century Chinese writer spoke of workplace burnout, leaving a blueprint for radical acts of rest – https://theconversation.com/a-16th-century-chinese-writer-spoke-of-workplace-burnout-leaving-a-blueprint-for-radical-acts-of-rest-256651

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio meets with North Macedonia Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski

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

    Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets with North Macedonia Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski at the Department of State, on May 29, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

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

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
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    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vladimir Stroyev joined the presidium of the International Movement for Financial Security

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 27, 2025, within the framework of the 42nd Plenary Week of the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG), the 22nd meeting of the Council of the International Network Institute in the field of AML/CFT and the conference of the International Movement for Financial Security were held with the participation of the management, teachers and students of the State University of Management, headed by Vice-Rector Dmitry Bryukhanov.

    In 2025, GUU officially joined the International Movement for Financial Security, created on the initiative of a student from Brazil, Augusto Lemmertz, during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the finalists of the III International Financial Security Olympiad in 2023. And on May 27, as part of the next conference of the International Movement for Financial Security, GUU Rector Vladimir Stroyev joined the Presidium of the movement. The Chairman of the Presidium of the movement is Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Chernyshenko, and the Deputy Chairman is Director of Rosfinmonitoring Yuri Chikhanchin.

    Let us recall that the State University of Management has been a member of the ISI in the field of AML/CFT since 2014, and has been actively participating in the Olympiad movement since the selection events of the 1st International Financial Security Olympiad in 2021. Since 2023, it has been actively working in the field of promoting the financial security Olympiad movement in historical territories, in particular, in 2023 it organized the selection of participants in the Olympiad finals among students and schoolchildren from the DPR, LPR, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, in the same year it organized a summer school for finalists from historical territories and annually participates in the training of teachers of historical territories to conduct a thematic lesson on financial security.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Provides New Funding for Autism Summer Programming

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 29, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan is increasing funding to the Autism Resource Centre (ARC) of Regina by providing $235,000 to support the expansion of a summer program for children and youth.

    “Summer programs are a key and enriching part of the lives of many children and families,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “Great memories and life lessons are often a part of these experiences, and I am pleased we can offer this support to the Autism Resource Centre to enable more summer programming options.”

    The Autism Resource Centre provides the Therapeutic Summer Program for children and youth ages seven and up who are returning to school in fall. The summer camp program emphasizes individualized goals and life skill development. 

    “ARC’s summer program is a lifeline for many families – providing individualized, one-to-one support that helps autistic children maintain and develop critical skills, routines and social confidence,” Autism Resource Centre Executive Director Angela Ricci said. “Families consistently tell us how essential this program is, not just for their child’s development, but for their overall peace of mind.” 

    Ricci added that one parent shared: “As a mom of a very high-needs autistic child, I would not have survived the last 15 years without this summer program. It has given our family peace of mind and essential continuity.”

    More information about the Autism Resource Centre and its camps can be found at: https://www.autismresourcecentre.com/

    In 2025-26, the Saskatchewan Health Authority provided annual funding of $1.5 million to the Autism Resource Centre for a range of services and programs to individuals and their families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Dina Titus Introduces LIFT Act to Raise Hourly Federal Minimum Wage to $17

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

    Congresswoman Dina Titus today introduced the Labor Income Fairness and Transparency Act (LIFT Act) to raise the minimum wage and all Fair Labor Standards Act subminimum wages to $17 per hour over the next three years with annual increases after that, provide income protections for tipped workers, and expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to cover more workers.

    “This legislation is a fair way to increase the take-home pay of both tipped employees and employees who do not receive tips, giving all hospitality and other workers a needed boost in meeting an increasing cost of living. It also will protect tipped workers from unjustified employer deductions from their tips,” Congresswoman Titus said. “These measures are necessary to help employees afford their rent, support their children, and pay their medical bills.”

    The LIFT Act would protect the incomes of tipped workers by requiring employers to provide a notice of tips received by an employee each day they work. It would prohibit managers from withholding tips to cover the cost of processing a tip. It would increase civil penalties for tip violations to equal those for other violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

    The LIFT Act also prohibits Wage and Hour investigators at the Department of Labor from being subjected to reductions in force, establishes a grant program for states and localities to improve enforcement and compliance with wage laws, and creates a Department of Labor National Advisory Committee on the Hospitality Industry.

    Further, benefiting all families, the LIFT Act would permanently extend changes to the Earned Income Tax Credit made by Congress during the COVID pandemic. These include increasing the maximum credit amount for workers without children, increasing the income threshold for earning the credit, and expanding the age range for eligible workers for those without children to include those 19-24 and over 65. It would also raise the maximum EITC for workers without children from $530 to $1,500, and the income cap for these adults to qualify from about $16,000 to at least $21,000.

    “The Earned Income Tax Credit was changed to provide needed relief for workers who have not benefitted as much as they should have from the credit,” Congresswoman Titus said. “Making these changes permanent will make a big difference in the lives of millions of lower-paid American workers.”

    The LIFT Act has been endorsed by One Fair Wage.

    “Cutting taxes on tips might make for a good soundbite, but on its own, it’s a hollow fix that ignores the real crisis: wages so low that two-thirds of restaurant workers don’t even earn enough to pay federal income taxes,” said Saru Jayaraman, Cofounder and President of One Fair Wage. “In a time of skyrocketing costs, workers are drowning and need more than political gimmicks—they need a raise. Tips should be a bonus, not a substitute for a living wage. By ending all subminimum wages and requiring that all workers be paid a full livable wage with tips on top, the LIFT Act addresses what working people need most: a fair wage, a level playing field, and the dignity that comes with being able to provide for their families.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter introduces bill to investigate the Biden cover-up

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter introduces bill to investigate the Biden cover-up

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today introduced a bill creating a Select Committee to investigate the White House cover-up of former President Biden’s cognitive and physical health decline.

    The bipartisan Select Committee will be responsible for issuing a report to Congress detailing President Biden’s cognitive and physical health decline and the potential concealment of information from the American public.  

    “This is potentially the biggest political scandal of our lifetime, and the American people deserve to know the truth about who was really running the White House under Biden’s tenure as president. From using the autopen to pardon his own family members to likely concealing a cancer diagnosis, our government must restore trust with the public by fully investigating the former administration’s lies and getting to the bottom of one of the most consequential coverups in history,” said Rep. Carter.

    Original Cosponsors include: Reps. Mark Alford (R-MO), John Rose (R-TN), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), and Barry Moore (R-AL). 

    Read the full bill text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber Continue Challenge to Huntington Beach Voter ID Law

    Source: US State of California

    Wednesday, May 28, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. today announced filing a notice of appeal in their lawsuit challenging Measure A, Huntington Beach’s voter identification (voter ID) law. Without citing any evidence that fraudulent voting occurs with any regularity in the city or has ever compromised the outcome of a municipal election, Measure A amended Huntington Beach’s charter to purportedly allow the city to impose voter ID requirements at the polls for all municipal elections starting in 2026. In their lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber argue that state law prohibits and overrides Measure A, and in their appeal, ask the California Fourth District Court of Appeal to reverse a lower court decision issued on April 7, 2025, denying the state’s petition for a writ of mandate. 

    “California’s elections are fair, safe, and secure,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We respectfully ask the California Fourth District Court of Appeal to reverse the lower court’s decision and overturn Huntington Beach’s unlawful voter ID policy. State law supersedes local law when it comes to constitutional matters like the right to vote – and we will continue to fight to safeguard this fundamental right in court.” 

    “Municipalities should not be allowed to defy state laws in the name of solving nonexistent problems. I stand with Attorney General Bonta in fighting to reverse the lower court’s decision as we seek to overturn an unlawful voter ID policy,” said Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D.

    In their lawsuit filed in April 2024, Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber argued that Measure A is preempted by state law and invalid. Under the California Constitution, charter cities have the right to govern “municipal affairs,” but local law cannot conflict with state law governing a “statewide concern.” Both the integrity of California’s elections and the protection of the constitutional right to vote are matters of statewide concern. The lawsuit argues that California already maintains a uniform and robust legal scheme for safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process and protecting the rights of eligible voters. Unlawfully departing from this legal framework, Huntington Beach’s voter ID law purportedly allows the city to require additional identification from voters before they can exercise their right to vote. By authorizing this requirement, Huntington Beach’s voter ID law conflicts with state law and threatens to unlawfully disenfranchise voters at the polls.

    A copy of the notice of appeal can be found here. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –