NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Media Advisory – Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center To Host First Resource Fair For Incarcerated Men and Women

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    Media Advisory – Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center To Host First Resource Fair For Incarcerated Men and Women

    Posted on May 8, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION

    KA ‘OIHANA HOʻOMALU KALAIMA A HOʻOPONOPONO OLA

     

    TOMMY JOHNSON

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

     

     

    HAWAIʻI COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL CENTER TO HOST FIRST RESOURCE FAIR FOR INCARCERATED MEN AND WOMEN

     

    MEDIA ADVISORY

     

    What: The Hawai’i Community Correctional Center is hosting its first reintegration resource fair for men and women housed at the Hale Nani Facility on Hawaiʻi island.

    Several organizations will be available to provide information offering support services to inmates to help them transition back into the community.

    Participating vendors include Goodwill Hawaiʻi, Kumukahi Health and Wellness, Going Home Hawaiʻi, Big Island Substance Abuse Council, Hawaiʻi County Vehicle Registration & Licensing, American Job Center Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Community College of Hilo and Hope Services Hawaiʻi.

    When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 15, 2025

    Where: Hale Nani Correctional Facility, 3900 Kanoelehua Ave., Hilo

    Who:

    • Director Tommy Johnson of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
    • DCR Deputy Director Sanna Muñoz of the Rehabilitation Services and Programs Division
    • Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center Warden Cramer Mahoe
    • Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda
    • Men and women housed at Hale Nani Correctional Facility

     

    If your news organization plans to attend the event, please RSVP with the full names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers of the reporter and photographer to [email protected] by noon Monday, May 12, 2025.

    RSVPs and background information are required and must be submitted by noon May 12, 2025, to conduct background checks and security clearances.

    Those who do not RSVP and submit the required information will not be granted access to HCCC.

    Thank you.

     

     

    # # #

     

     

     

     

    Media Contact:

    Rosemarie Bernardo

    Public Information Officer

    Hawai‘i Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

    Office: 808-587-1358

    Cell: 808-683-5507

    Email: [email protected]

    Website: https://dcr.hawaii.gov

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Governor Lombardo on Democrats Rejecting Charter School Teacher Pay Raises

    Source: US State of Nevada

    CARSON CITY, NV – May 08, 2025

    Yesterday, legislative Democrats removed Governor Lombardo’s charter school teacher pay raises from the education budget. Please see the statement from Governor Lombardo below:

    “I’ve been clear and consistent on this. I will not sign an education budget that does not include equal pay for public charter school teachers and make teacher pay raises, including those for charter school teachers, permanent. Further, I will veto any education budget bill that falls short of addressing a serious need for accountability, transparency, and real parental choice. All 63 legislators have been aware of my position for months, and it is my expectation that they will pass a bill that improves education for all Nevada children.” -Governor Joe Lombardo

    Governor Lombardo recently introduced his Nevada Accountability in Education Act, which will implement accountability in K-12 education, empower and reward educators, expand opportunities for students, and ensure that families have a voice and choice in their child’s education.

    A fact sheet on the Nevada Accountability in Education Act is attached, and you can watch the Governor’s recent press conference on the legislation here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Closes One Hundred and Fifteenth Session, Issues Concluding Observations on Reports of Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Republic of Korea and Ukraine

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon closed its one hundred and fifteenth session, during which it reviewed the reports of Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Republic of Korea and Ukraine.

    Chinsung Chung, Committee Rapporteur, said that the Committee’s concluding observations for the five country reviews conducted during the session were available on the session’s webpage.  The Committee thanked the State party delegations that participated in dialogues; the national human rights institutions of Ukraine and the Republic of Korea for submitting written reports and providing updates during the session; and the various civil society representatives who contributed essential information to the reviews.

    Ms. Chung said that this year was the sixtieth anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.  During the yearlong campaign, the Committee would highlight the achievements made in the last 60 years and identify effective and concrete ways to overcome structural and emerging challenges in making the Convention’s goal – a world free of racial discrimination – a reality.  Information on the anniversary was available on the webpage for the campaign.

    At the opening meeting of the session, Ms. Chung reported, Antti Korkeakivi, Representative of the Secretary-General and Chief of the Human Rights Treaties Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, gave a speech highlighting the Committee’s important work and its contributions to promoting and protecting the human rights of all people without discrimination.  He underlined that the sixtieth anniversary of the Convention was an opportunity to explore avenues to generate greater political will and concrete action to fight against racial discrimination.

    Mr. Korkeakivi recognised the negative impact of the United Nations’ liquidity crisis on the planning and implementation of the work of all Committees, as the holding of the next sessions for this year was still uncertain.  He confirmed that the Office of the High Commissioner was doing its utmost to ensure that the treaty bodies could implement their mandates.  Nevertheless, all indications pointed to a continuation of the difficult liquidity situation for the foreseeable future. 

    During the one hundred and fifteenth session, Ms. Chung said, the Committee reviewed follow-up reports for Croatia, Germany, Morocco, Uruguay and Tajikistan.  The Committee thanked these States parties for their reports and invited them to duly consider its recommendations and include the steps taken to implement them in their next periodic reports.

    The Committee pursued its work toward the elaboration of its joint general recommendations 38 and 39 with the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families on eradicating xenophobia towards migrants and others perceived as such.

    Ms. Chung said the Committee also discussed the development of a general recommendation on reparations for the injustices of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, their treatment as chattel, and the ongoing harms to people of African descent, holding a half-day of general discussion on 25 April 2025 as part of this process.  Two expert panels examined legal frameworks for reparations and the lasting effects of slavery, including systemic racism and institutional responsibility. Drawing on these discussions and over 60 written submissions, the Committee would now begin drafting the general recommendation, which would be shared for public input before adoption. Further information was available on the Committee’s webpage.

    Further, Ms. Chung reported, the Committee considered 16 submissions under its early warning and urgent action procedure and endorsed 13 letters to States parties assessed in this procedure.  It also considered four cases under the individual complaints procedure. It declared admissible one case against Germany and discontinued three other cases.

    Ms. Chung also provided an update on the follow-up procedure to the Ad-Hoc Conciliation Commission report published in August 2024 on the inter-State communication submitted by the State of Palestine against Israel under article 11 of the Convention.  Today, 9 May, the Committee issued a statement on the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory, acting under its follow-up and early warning and urgent action procedure.

    On 24 April, Ms. Chung said, the Committee held a meeting with States parties.  The Committee thanked all States parties’ representatives who contributed to this event and appreciated that it was well attended.  Earlier today, the Committee also held a meeting with civil society organizations.  In addition, during the session, the Committee heard a report on follow-up to article 13 of the Convention and adopted an updated version of its Rules of Procedure, which would be made available shortly.

    In closing remarks, Michal Balcerzak, Committee Chairperson, said this had been a very productive session.  He thanked the Committee Experts, who had all contributed significantly to the Committee’s work throughout the session, and to working towards the Committee’s mandate of the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination wherever it occurred.  He also thanked all other persons who had contributed to the smooth execution of the Committee’s work.

    Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.  Other documents related to the session can be found here.

    Due to the current financial situation, the dates of the second sessions of some treaty bodies are not yet confirmed. The next session of the Committee is scheduled take place between 11 and 29 August 2025, with the reports of Burundi, Guatemala, Maldives, New Zealand, Sweden and Tunisia scheduled for review. All information, including the proposed programme of work, will be available on the session webpage.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CERD25.009E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: ICE Acting Director Lyons discusses threats to ICE law enforcement officers’ safety

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    ICE Acting Director Lyons discussed threats to ICE law enforcement officers’ safety live on OAN.

    See how ICE is keeping YOUR neighborhood safe at https://www.ice.gov/newsroom

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySCBg_iy3hY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: The Future of Health in America

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    The Future of Health in America

    HHS Secretary Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz joined Bret Baier on Fox News for a powerful conversation about transforming the future of American health care and restoring trust in public health.

    —

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | http://www.hhs.gov

    http://www.Twitter.com/HHSGov | http://www.Facebook.com/HHS http://www.Instagram.com/HHSGov
    http://www.LinkedIn.com/company/us-department-of-health-and-human-services

    HHS Privacy Policy: http://www.hhs.gov/Privacy.html

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOJN3FzxsBo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Suspected MS-13 gang member wanted in El Salvador for double homicide arrested by ICE special agents

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    DANA POINT, Calif. — ICE special agents arrested an unlawfully present criminal alien and alleged MS-13 gang member May 6.
    Salvadoran national
    Accused of a double homicide in El Salvador
    Pending U.S. criminal charges | Illegal reentry after removal
    Arrested by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Orange County special agents

    Follow our YouTube channel for news updates, operational videos & more.

    #ice #shortvideo #shortsvideo #shorts

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Keeping Pests Out of Your Mother’s Day Flowers | CBP

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agriculture Specialist shake out imported flowers to prevent foreign pests from entering the country. Every day our Agriculture Specialist search through produce, flowers, and more, to make sure things are clean, safe and pest free.

    Instagram ➤ https://instagram.com/CBPgov
    Facebook ➤ https://facebook.com/CBPgov
    Twitter ➤ https://twitter.com/CBP
    Official Website ➤ https://www.cbp.gov

    #cbp
    #mothersday
    #pestcontrol
    #lawenforcement

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU-wL2ese10

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Pope Leo XIV, Gaza & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:

    – Secretary-General
    – Pope Leo XIV
    – Occupied Palestinian Territory
    – Syria
    – Sudan
    – Democratic Republic of Congo
    – West and Central Africa
    – Haiti
    – Colombia
    – Costa Rica
    – Central Emergency Response Fund
    – International Days
    – Financial Contributions

    SECRETARY-GENERAL
    The Secretary-General just concluded chairing the bi-annual meeting of the Chief Executives Board and is now on his way back to New York.
    At this meeting of the UN leadership in Denmark, the gathered heads of the UN system committed to a stronger, more effective and efficient UN as the organization faces greater challenges and fewer resources. This is the aim of the UN80 initiative.
    On that note, on Monday at 11 am, the Secretary-General will deliver remarks to the General Assembly, updating them on his vision for UN80 and the work done so far. We will try to share these remarks with you early on Monday.

    POPE LEO XIV
    In a statement we issued yesterday, the Secretary-General extended his heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and Catholics around the world. 
    The election of a new Pope is a moment of profound spiritual significance for millions of faithful around the world, and it comes at a time of great global challenges. 
    Our world is in need of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity and compassion.
    The Secretary-General looks forward to building on the long legacy of cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See – nurtured most recently by Pope Francis – to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation, and build a just and sustainable world for all.
    It is rooted in the first words of Pope Leo.  Despite the rich diversity of backgrounds and beliefs, people everywhere share a common goal: May peace be with all the world.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=09%20May%202025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxXprRt4c8I

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Brand New Air Traffic Control System

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re2WDkj2Hh4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: There’s some fowls on this fast food play… #airport #shorts

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    There’s some fowls on this fast food play…

    Looks like this passenger has his super (snack) bowl and music secured for this weekend. Do you need to jog your own memory on what can or can’t go? Stay on track with our #1 draft picks at AskTSA. You can run your questions by them through FB Messenger, TW and now SMS!

    So there’s no need to throw up a hail mary, just text the word “TRAVEL” to AskTSA (275-872). They’ll help you put your game plan in action with tips you can nibble on all weekend long.

    @heath_slates

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFWTtOl3D3Q

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: ICE Houston arrest Honduran alien Michael Alvarado Cerrato — sex offender with a child victim

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    ICE Houston arrested Honduran criminal alien Michael Alvarado-Cerrato — a 23-year-old sex offender with a child victim.

    Harris County, Texas, convicted him of indecency with child sexual contact & sentenced him to two years in jail.

    We don’t know when or where he entered the United States because he was never admitted nor inspected by an immigration official.

    We will keep him in ICE custody & out of the community pending immigration proceedings.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IBYgJ34a70

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Wright Joins Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo – May 9, 2025

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA9i5RqFYzo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: This Week at Interior May 9, 2025

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    This Week: U.S. Geological Survey finds major oil and gas formations; Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited National Grid’s Greenpoint Facility this week and Floyd Bennett Field, where a new energy infrastructure project replaces the former migrant encampment; Interior secured 18 new conservation agreements to protect the Colorado River’s future; Secretary Doug Burgum appeared on Fox Business with Larry Kudlow to talk energy; the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise participates in Bells Across America to honor fallen heroes; and our Picture of the Week takes us to one of America’s oldest mountain ranges.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzot5QCoP6E

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 25 Years of NASA Student Launch

    Source: NASA

    Students from the University of Massachusetts Amherst team carry their high-powered rocket toward the launch pad at NASA’s 2025 Student Launch launch day competition in Toney, Alabama, on April 4, 2025. More than 980 middle school, high school, and college students from across the nation launched more than 40 high-powered amateur rockets just north of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the competition.
    To compete, students follow the NASA engineering design lifecycle by going through a series of reviews for nine months leading up to launch day. Each year, a payload challenge is issued to the university teams, and this year’s task focused on communication. Teams were required to have “reports” from STEMnauts, non-living objects inside their rocket, that had to relay real-time data to the student team’s mission control. This Artemis Student Challenge took inspiration from the agency’s Artemis missions, where NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefit, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
    See highlights from the 2025 Student Launch.
    Text credit: NASA/Janet Sudnik
    Image credit: NASA/Charles Beason

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What NASA Is Learning from the Biggest Geomagnetic Storm in 20 Years

    Source: NASA

    One year on, NASA scientists are still making huge discoveries about the largest geomagnetic storm to hit Earth in two decades, the Gannon storm. The findings are helping us better understand and prepare for the ways in which the Sun’s activity can affect us.

    [embedded content]
    On May 10, 2024, the first G5 or “severe” geomagnetic storm in over two decades hit Earth. The event did not cause any catastrophic damages, but it did produce surprising effects on Earth. The storm, which has been called the best-documented geomagnetic storm in history, spread auroras to unusually low latitudes and produced effects spanning from the ground to near-Earth space. Data captured during this historic event will be analyzed for years to come, revealing new lessons about the nature of geomagnetic storms and how best to weather them. Credit: NASA/Joy Ng

    One year ago today, representatives from NASA and about 30 other U.S. government agencies gathered for a special meeting to simulate and address a threat looming in space. The threat was not an asteroid or aliens, but our very own life-giving Sun.
    The inaugural Space Weather Tabletop Exercise was supposed to be a training event, where experts could work through the real-time ramifications of a geomagnetic storm, a global disruption to Earth’s magnetic field. Driven by solar eruptions, geomagnetic storms can decimate satellites, overload electrical grids, and expose astronauts to dangerous radiation. Minimizing the impacts of such storms requires close coordination, and this meeting was their chance to practice.
    Then, their simulation turned into reality.
    “The plan was to run through a hypothetical scenario, finding where our existing processes worked and where they needed improvement,” said Jamie Favors, director of NASA’s Space Weather Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “But then our hypothetical scenario was interrupted by a very real one.”
    On May 10, 2024, the first G5 or “severe” geomagnetic storm in over two decades hit Earth. The event, named the Gannon storm in memory of leading space weather physicist Jennifer Gannon, did not cause any catastrophic damages. But a year on, key insights from the Gannon storm are helping us understand and prepare for future geomagnetic storms.

    The Gannon storm had effects on and off our planet.
    On the ground, some high-voltage lines tripped, transformers overheated, and GPS-guided tractors veered off-course in the Midwestern U.S., further disrupting planting that had already been delayed by heavy rains that spring.

    “Not all farms were affected, but those that were lost on average about $17,000 per farm,” said Terry Griffin, a professor of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. “It’s not catastrophic, but they’ll miss it.”
    In the air, the threat of higher radiation exposure, as well as communication and navigation losses, forced trans-Atlantic flights to change course.

    During the storm, Earth’s upper atmospheric layer called the thermosphere heated to unusually high temperatures. At 100 miles altitude, the temperature typically peaks at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, but during the storm it surpassed 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA’s GOLD (Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk) mission observed the atmosphere expanding from the heat to create a strong wind that lofted heavy nitrogen particles higher.

    In orbit, the expanded atmosphere increased drag on thousands of satellites. NASA’s ICESat-2 lost altitude and entered safe mode while NASA’s Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) CubeSat deorbited prematurely five months after the storm. Others, such as the European Space Agency’s Sentinel mission, required more power to maintain their orbits and perform maneuvers to avoid collisions with space debris.
    The storm also dramatically changed the structure of an atmospheric layer called the ionosphere. A dense zone of the ionosphere that normally covers the equator at night dipped toward the South Pole in a check mark shape, causing a temporary gap near the equator.
    The Gannon storm also rocked Earth’s magnetosphere, the magnetic bubble surrounding the planet. Data from NASA missions MMS (Magnetospheric Multiscale) and THEMIS-ARTEMIS — short for Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions-Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun — saw giant, curling waves of particles and rolled-up magnetic fields along the edge of the CMEs. These waves were perfectly sized to periodically dump extra magnetic energy and mass into the magnetosphere upon impact, creating the largest electrical current seen in the magnetosphere in 20 years.
    Incoming energy and particles from the Sun also created two new temporary belts of energetic particles within the magnetosphere. Discovered by CIRBE, these belts formed between the Van Allen radiation belts that permanently surround Earth. The belt’s discovery is important to spacecraft and astronauts that can be imperiled by high-energy electrons and protons in the belts.

    The storm also ignited auroras around the globe, including places where these celestial light shows are rare. NASA’s Aurorasaurus project was flooded with more than 6,000 observer reports from over 55 countries and all seven continents.
    Photographers helped scientists understand why auroras observed throughout Japan were magenta rather than the typical red. Researchers studied hundreds of photos and found the auroras were surprisingly high — around 600 miles above the ground (200 miles higher than red auroras typically appear).

    In a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, the research team says the peculiar color likely resulted from a mix of red and blue auroras, produced by oxygen and nitrogen molecules lofted higher than usual as the Gannon storm heated and expanded the upper atmosphere.
    “It typically needs some special circumstances, like we saw last May,” co-author Josh Pettit of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center said of Japan’s magenta auroras. “A very unique event indeed.”

    Impacts of the Sun’s amped-up solar activity didn’t end at Earth. The solar active region that sparked the Gannon storm eventually rotated away from our planet and redirected its outbursts toward Mars.
    As energetic particles from the Sun struck the Martian atmosphere, NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) orbiter watched auroras engulf the Red Planet from May 14 to 20.

    Solar particles overwhelmed the star camera on NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter (which uses stars to orient the spacecraft), causing the camera to cut out for almost an hour.
    On the Martian surface, images from the navigation cameras on NASA’s Curiosity rover were freckled with “snow” — streaks and specks caused by charged particles. Meanwhile, Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector recorded the biggest surge of radiation since the rover landed in 2012. If astronauts had been there, they would have received a radiation dose of 8,100 micrograys — equivalent to 30 chest X-rays.

    The Gannon storm spread auroras to unusually low latitudes and has been called the best-documented geomagnetic storm in history. A year on, we have just begun unraveling its story. Data captured during this historic event will be analyzed for years to come, revealing new lessons about the nature of geomagnetic storms and how best to weather them.

    By Mara Johnson-Groh, Miles Hatfield, and Vanessa ThomasNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4534-4535: Last Call for the Layered Sulfates? (West of Texoli Butte, Headed West)

    Source: NASA

    Written by Lucy Lim, Planetary Scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
    Earth planning date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
    The drive from the Monday plan brought Curiosity up next to a geomorphic contact visible in the orbital data (from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE imager). To the east of the contact are the layered sulfates that Curiosity has been driving through ever since climbing out of the Gediz Vallis channel, with a relatively rough surface texture; to the west this rougher texture gives way to a smoother-appearing surface cross-cut at a large scale with the rectilinear “boxwork” features. We are looking forward to seeing what this change looks like from a rover’s-eye view in the drives to come!
    For today’s science plan, the contact is not quite in reach of most of the rover’s instruments, so in the workspace we are focusing on collecting our last observations of the previous unit of layered sulfates. As we saw in the Sol 4532 workspace, many nearby blocks are honeycombed with polygonal fractures. However, this time the geochemical measurements from the APXS and ChemCam LIBS were co-targeted on a smooth brushable target, “Chumash,” which will also be documented in high-resolution imaging by MAHLI. The DRT brush will ensure that measurements of lighter elements such as sodium and magnesium by APXS are representative of the underlying bedrock, rather than the dusty layer on top. The brush will also give MAHLI a better view of the block and a chance to characterize the grain size of these sedimentary rocks.
    The long-distance ChemCam remote-imaging mosaic in this plan is targeting a scour feature on the Texoli butte behind us, likely representing ancient wind events that took place near the time these layers were being deposited.
    The sulfate/boxwork unit contact ahead of us will be imaged in a stereo mosaic by Mastcam. Smaller mosaics will cover some of the polygonal “honeycomb” features in nearby bedrock blocks and troughs in the regolith.
    After making all these observations, the rover will drive across the contact. The second, post-drive sol will include several untargeted and automatically targeted observations. The AEGIS algorithm will provide a LIBS geochemical observation by ChemCam and the modern Martian environment will be monitored with camera measurements of cloud altitudes and atmospheric opacity, as well as the usual passive sensing from REMS and DAN.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Members of Congress Break into Delaney Hall Detention Center

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Members of Congress Break into Delaney Hall Detention Center

    lass=”text-align-center”>Delaney Hall Currently Holds Murderers, Rapists, Suspected Terrorists, and Gang Members
    NEWARK, NJ –Today, as a bus of detainees was entering the security gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a group of protestors, including two members of the U

    S

    House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility

    Representatives Robert Menendez, Jr

    and Bonnie Watson Coleman and multiple protestors are holed up in a guard shack, the first security check point

     
    “Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk

    Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities

    Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility

    This is an evolving situation,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

     
    The allegations made by Newark politicians that Delaney does not have the proper permitting are false

    We have valid permits, and inspections for plumbing and electricity, and fire codes have been cleared

     
    Delaney Hall Detainees Include: 

    On April 29, 2025, ERO Newark with the assistance of FBI Newark, arrested CHINCHILLA CABALLERO (A209 391 276) in Bloomfield, NJ pursuant to a Warrant for Arrest of Alien, Form I-200, served him with a NTA, From I-862 pursuant to section 212(a)(7)(A)(i)(I) of the INA and detained him in ICE custody pending removal proceedings

    CHINCHILLA CABALLERO is a positive match to numerous TECS lookouts and is a known active member of MS13

    On April 3, 2025, INTERPOL published a Red Notice (A-4687/4-2025) for RAMOS MARIN indicating that he is wanted in Brazil for the offense of Homicide, in violation of Art

    121, paragraph 2, III and IV of the Brazilian Penal Code

      On April 09, 2025, United States Border Patrol – Intel Collection Team sent a referral to ERO Newark identifying RAMOS MARIN as the subject of an active INTERPOL Red Notice and a fugitive from justice in Brazil

      On April 29, 2025, ERO Newark with the assistance of HSI SAC Newark and CBP Newark arrested RAMOS MARIN (A234 578 034) in Newark, NJ pursuant to a Warrant for Arrest of Alien, Form I-200, served him with a Notice to Appear, Form I-862, and detained him in ICE custody without bond

    On May 1, 2025, ICE ERO officers together with HSI and ATF special agents arrested SARAVIA SANTAMARIA, A205 874 217, without incident outside his residence located at 1128 72nd Street, North Bergen, NJ

     
    SARAVIA-SANTAMARIA is

    SARAVIA-SANTAMARIA was served with Form I-200 Warrant of Arrest and I-286 Notice of Custody Redetermination

      The ICE/ERO Newark Fugitive Operations Unit, NJ encountered SARAVIA SANTAMARIA, Dennis Josue, a citizen and national of El Salvador, pursuant to Raven operation and known and verified MS-13 gang affiliation

    On May 5, 2025, ICE Newark arrested Adonis ESTEVEZ Bello, A060 956 960, a 23-year-old citizen of Dominican Republic

    ESTEVEZ has multiple felony convictions for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, drug trafficking, resisting arrest, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes

    ESTEVEZ has active gang affiliation with street gang “Dominicans don’t play”

    ERO Newark issued ESTEVEZ a Notice to Appear, and he will remain in ICE custody pending a removal hearing

    5

    On May 5, 2025, ICE Newark arrested Maximo NUNEZ, A038 929 243, a 58-year-old citizen of Dominican Republic

    NUNEZ has felony arrests for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, obstruct administration of law, aggravated unlicensed driving, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, interfere with custody of children ERO Newark issued NUNEZ a Notice to Appear, and he will remain in ICE custody pending a removal hearing

    ERO Newark – Top 5 Egregious Arrests:

    RED NOTICE Arrest:  On February 11, 2025, ERO Newark along with FBI SAC Newark and HSI SAC Newark arrested Hugo DE LA TORRE-TOMAILLA, (A235 245 217), a citizen and national of Peru after he exited his residence in Guttenberg, NJ

    DE LA TORRE-TOMAILLA is the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice and is wanted for prosecution in Peru for the crime of Violation of Sexual Freedom – Sexual Rape of a Minor, for which the penalty is a maximum of thirty years in prison

      Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, SAC Newark, and Homeland Security Investigations, SAC Newark arrested DE LA TORRE-TOMAILLA, a 62-year-old citizen of Peru, on February 11, 2025

     DE LA TORRE-TOMAILLA is the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice related to his pending criminal charges in Mexico for the Rape of a Minor

    On May 1, 2025, ERO Newark with the assistance of DEA SAC Newark arrested Jaime Benjamin SORTO AMAYA, (A208 157 964), a citizen and national of El Salvador outside of his residence in Linden, NJ

    SORTO AMAYA is a confirmed member of the transnational gang MS13

    Additionally, three “B10” TECS records identify SORTO AMAYA as a “suspected terrorist”

      SORTO AMAYA was served a Notice of Intent/Decision to Reinstate Prior Order and was detained at the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility pending transfer to another facility

    Subject is currently detained at Delaney Hall

    On February 5, 2025, ERO Newark arrested SANCHEZ-LUNA, Jorge Luis, (A207 414 620), a citizen and national of Mexico and a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States, in Neptune, New Jersey

    SANCHEZ-LUNA has a conviction for Endangering-Sexual Conduct with Child by Caretaker

    ERO Newark issued SANCHEZ-LUNA a Notice to Appear, and he will remain in ICE custody pending a removal hearing

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations – Newark arrested Jorge Luis SANCHEZ-LUNA, a 45-year-old citizen of Mexico, on February 4, 2025

     On April 29, 2019, the New Jersey State Police arrested SANCHEZ-LUNA for the offenses of Aggravated Assault-Victim under 13, Aggravated Sexual Assault-Victim under 13 and Defendant over 16 and Victim Related, and Endangering-Sexual Conduct with Child by Caretaker

    On July 12, 2024, the Monmouth County Superior Court found SANCHEZ-LUNA guilty of Endangering-Sexual Conduct with Child by Caretaker and sentenced him to Parole Supervision for Life and requirement to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law

    SANCHEZ-LUNA committed the act of aggravated sexual assault by performing vaginal, anal, and oral penetration against the victim, his daughter, under the age of 13, from 2013 to 2019

    RED NOTICE Arrest:  On January 27, 2025, ERO Newark along with FBI SAC Newark arrested JULCA-TANGOA, A241 948 372) a citizen and national of Peru and a Lawful Permanent Resident of Argentina, after he exited his residence in Paterson, NJ

      JULCA-TANGOA is the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice and is wanted for prosecution in Argentina for Aggravated Simple Sexual Abuse, Abuse Aggravated by a Guardian and a Minor Under the Age of Eighteen Years of Age Taking Advantage of the Pre-existing Cohabitation (Two Facts) and Aggravated Repeated Simple Sexual Abuse by Ascending Relationship in Real Contest, for which the penalty is a maximum of ten years in prison

    RED NOTICE Arrest:  On February 4, 2025, ERO Newark along with FBI SAC Newark and HSI SAC Newark arrested LOPEZ-REYES (A240 164 508) in Montclair, NJ, pursuant to a Warrant for Arrest of Alien, Form I-200, served him with a Notice to Appear, Form I-862, and detained him in ICE custody pending removal proceedings

    On November 13, 2024, INTERPOL published a Red Notice, A13234/11-2024 for LOPEZ-REYES indicating that he is wanted in Mexico as a fugitive sought for Criminal Prosecution for the offense of Rape of a Child, in violation of Article 247 of the penal code of the state of Oaxaca, for which the maximum sentence is 27 years in prison

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tianeptine Products Linked to Serious Harm, Overdoses, Death

    Source: US Food and Drug Administration

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    People seeking to treat their ailments sometimes mistake a product as being safe because it’s easily available, whether online or even at gas stations. But availability is no indication of effectiveness or safety. This is especially true of tianeptine products, which have been associated with serious health risks and even death.
    Tianeptine, a drug, is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for any medical use. Despite that, some companies are distributing and selling unlawful products containing tianeptine to consumers, including products with high doses. They are also making dangerous and unproven claims that tianeptine can improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder, and other conditions.
    Although the FDA has warned consumers about tianeptine, vendors continue to market and sell tianeptine for medical uses. The FDA is aware that tianeptine has been sold online – in pill, liquid and  powder forms.
    Tianeptine Isn’t FDA Approved for Any Medical Use
    Tianeptine is not approved as a drug in the U.S. Although other countries have approved tianeptine to treat depression and anxiety, some have restricted how tianeptine is prescribed or dispensed, or warned of possible addiction.
    In the U.S., reports of bad reactions and unwanted effects involving tianeptine are increasing. Annual poison control center cases involving tianeptine exposure, as reported by the National Poison Data System, have increased nationwide, from 4 cases in 2013 to about 350 cases in 2024.
    Tianeptine Has Safety Risks and Can Be Abused
    Cases described in medical journals, in calls to U.S. poison control centers and in reports to the FDA suggest that tianeptine has a potential for abuse. People with a history of opioid use disorder or dependence may be at particular risk of abusing tianeptine.
    Some people have turned to tianeptine as an opioid alternative, or to self-treat anxiety or depression. Medical journals and reports to the FDA suggest that bad effects may occur when tianeptine is taken at doses higher than those prescribed in the countries where the drug has been approved. These reports describe U.S. consumers taking daily doses between 1.3 and 250 times the daily tianeptine dose typically recommended in products approved in other countries.
    Some people may have difficulty stopping using tianeptine and may experience withdrawal symptoms. The clinical effects of tianeptine abuse and withdrawal can mimic opioid toxicity and withdrawal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    The FDA has identified cases in which people experienced other serious harmful effects from abusing or misusing tianeptine by itself or with other drugs, including antidepressants and antianxiety medicines. These effects included agitation, drowsiness, confusion, sweating, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, slowed or stopped breathing, coma and death.
    The FDA has taken steps to protect people from tianeptine products, including warning consumers that tianeptine is an unsafe food additive. In addition, tianeptine is not a dietary ingredient.
    The FDA has issued warning letters to companies distributing and selling unlawful tianeptine products as dietary supplements and unapproved drugs. We also have issued import alerts to help detain tianeptine shipments at our borders.
    How to Protect Yourself and Your Family
    Consumers should avoid all products containing tianeptine, including those claiming to treat an ailment or disorder. Talk to your health care provider if you need help with opioid dependence, depression, anxiety, pain, or other ailments. There are approved treatments for those and related conditions. Help is available to treat opioid or other substance use disorders. Find state-licensed providers who specialize in treating substance use disorders and addiction at www.findtreatment.gov. Or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
    The FDA will continue to take regulatory action to address the importation, distribution and sale of unlawful tianeptine products. In the meantime, you can report an adverse event involving tianeptine by using the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

    Complete and submit the report online.
    Download the form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form sent to you in the mail, then complete and return to the address on the form, or submit it by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.

    If you have a question about a medication, call your pharmacist or the FDA. The FDA’s Division of Drug Information (DDI) will answer almost any drug question. DDI pharmacists are available by email at druginfo@fda.hhs.gov, and by phone, at 1-855-543-DRUG (3784) and 301-796-3400.
    Call the poison help line at 1-800-222-1222 if you suspect poisoning from tianeptine. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Study Reveals Venus Crust Surprise

    Source: NASA

    New details about the crust on Venus include some surprises about the geology of Earth’s hotter twin.

    New details about the crust on Venus include some surprises about the geology of Earth’s hotter twin, according to new NASA-funded research that describes movements of the planet’s crust.
    Scientists expected the outermost layer of Venus’ crust would grow thicker and thicker over time given its apparent lack of forces that would drive the crust back into the planet’s interior. But the paper, published in Nature Communications, proposes a crust metamorphism process based on rock density and melting cycles.
    Earth’s rocky crust is made up of massive plates that slowly move, forming folds and faults in a process known as plate tectonics. For example, when two plates collide, the lighter plate slides on top of the denser one, forcing it downward into the layer beneath it, the mantle. This process, known as subduction, helps control the thickness of Earth’s crust. The rocks making up the bottom plate experience changes caused by increasing temperature and pressure as it sinks deeper into the interior of the planet. Those changes are known as metamorphism, which is one cause of volcanic activity.
    In contrast, Venus has a crust that is all one piece, with no evidence for subduction caused by plate tectonics like on Earth, explained Justin Filiberto, deputy chief of NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and a co-author on the paper. The paper used modeling to determine that its crust is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) thick on average and at most 40 miles (65 kilometers) thick.
    “That is surprisingly thin, given conditions on the planet,” said Filiberto. “It turns out that, according to our models, as the crust grows thicker, the bottom of it becomes so dense that it either breaks off and becomes part of the mantle or gets hot enough to melt.” So, while Venus has no moving plates, its crust does experience metamorphism. This finding is an important step toward understanding geological processes and evolution of the planet.
    “This breaking off or melting can put water and elements back into the planet’s interior and help drive volcanic activity,” added Filiberto. “This gives us a new model for how material returns to the interior of the planet and another way to make lava and spur volcanic eruptions. It resets the playing field for how the geology, crust, and atmosphere on Venus work together.”
    The next step, he added, is to gather direct data about Venus’ crust to test and refine these models. Several upcoming missions, including NASA’s DAVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) and VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy) and, in partnership with ESA (European Space Agency), Envision, aim to study the planet’s surface and atmosphere in greater detail. These efforts could help confirm whether processes like metamorphism and recycling are actively shaping the Venusian crust today—and reveal how such activity may be tied to volcanic and atmospheric evolution.
    “We don’t actually know how much volcanic activity is on Venus,” Filiberto said. “We assume there is a lot, and research says there should be, but we’d need more data to know for sure.”
    Melissa GaskillNASA Johnson Space Center
    Media Contacts:
    Karen Fox / Molly WasserHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
    Victoria SegoviaNASA’s Johnson Space Center281-483-5111victoria.segovia@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Using Our Facilities

    Source: NASA

    If you are considering testing in one of our facilities or would like further information about a specific facility or capability, please let us know.

    NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland provides ground test facilities to industry, government, and academia specializing in the following: 

    Acoustics 

    Engine Components Testing 

    Full-Scale Engine Testing 

    Flight Research 

    Icing Research 

    Materials and Structures 

    Microgravity 

    Space Power and Propulsion 

    Wind Tunnels 

    Electromagnetic Interference Laboratory 

    Our unique facilities offer superior customer service, flexible scheduling, and state-of-the-art testing capabilities. 
    Facility Request Process 

    Customer contacts the facility manager and/or submits a test request form. See below for the Facility Request Form. 

    The facility manager will contact the customer to discuss the request and obtain detailed test requirements. 

    After test requirements and schedule are finalized, the facility manager will provide a high-fidelity cost estimate for review and prepare a formal agreement for signature. 

    Once the agreement is signed by both NASA Glenn and the customer, and the work is funded, the test execution may begin per the agreement. 

    If you need further information about our facility capabilities or the general testing process, please complete the form below to have your inquiry answered or contact Michael McVetta at 216-433-2832. 

    If you are considering testing in one of our facilities or would like further information about a specific facility or capability, please let us know:

    * indicates a required field

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hubble Comes Face-to-Face with Spiral’s Arms

    Source: NASA

    The spiral galaxy NGC 3596 is on display in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image that incorporates six different wavelengths of light. NGC 3596 is situated 90 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo, the Lion. British astronomer Sir William Herschel first documented the galaxy in 1784.
    NGC 3596 appears almost perfectly face-on when viewed from Earth, showcasing the galaxy’s neatly wound spiral arms. These bright arms hold concentrations of stars, gas, and dust that mark the area where star formation is most active, illustrated by the brilliant pink star-forming regions and young blue stars tracing NGC 3596’s arms.
    What causes these spiral arms to form? It’s a surprisingly difficult question to answer, partly because spiral galaxies are so diverse. Some have clear spiral arms, while others have patchy, feathery arms. Some have prominent bars across their centers, while others have compact, circular nuclei. Some have close neighbors, while others are isolated.
    Early ideas of how spiral arms formed stumped astronomers with the ‘winding problem’. If a galaxy’s spiral arms are coherent structures, its arms would wind tighter and tighter as the galaxy spins, until the arms are no longer visible. Now, researchers believe that spiral arms represent a pattern of high-density and low-density areas rather than a physical structure. As stars, gas, and dust orbit within a galaxy’s disk, they pass in and out of the spiral arms. Much like cars moving through a traffic jam, these materials slow down and bunch up as they enter a spiral arm, before emerging and continuing their journey through the galaxy.

    Media Contact:
    Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Committee marks 30th anniversary of Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures

    Source: World Trade Organization

    To mark the anniversary, the WTO Secretariat made a presentation on the history of import licensing in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the WTO, as well as the Committee’s role in overseeing implementation of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures. Several former Chairpersons also shared their reflections and experiences from their time in office in video remarks presented to the meeting.

    Import licensing refers to administrative procedures requiring the submission of an application or other documentation to relevant authorities as a prior condition for importing goods into a country. These procedures can be either automatic or non-automatic.

    The Agreement aims to ensure that import licensing systems are transparent, predictable and do not create unnecessary barriers to trade. Members are required to publish all rules and information concerning import licensing procedures to enable traders to understand them and ensure that these remain neutral and no more administratively burdensome than necessary. 

    In its presentation, the Secretariat noted that, over the past 30 years, WTO members have submitted nearly 2,500 notifications related to import licensing measures. The Committee had held 60 formal meetings, during which more than 350 questions and replies were exchanged and a total of 176 new and recurring trade concerns were raised.

    The Committee has also worked to enhance transparency and compliance, including by clarifying notification requirements and developing improved notification templates for import licensing legislation. It has also overseen the creation of a public website and database on licensing procedures notified by members as well as an online Notification Portal and Database for all notification requirements under the Agreement.

    Notifications

    The Chair of the Committee, Tyesha Turner of Jamaica, informed members that since the last Committee meeting in November 2024, a total of 38 notifications had been received under various provisions of the Agreement. The Chair emphasized that members have to notify their import licensing regulations and changes to these regulations within 60 days of publication.

    In addition, 19 notifications were submitted under Article 7.3 of the Agreement (which mandates members to complete the annual questionnaire on import licensing procedures promptly and in full) since the last Committee meeting, the Chair said.

    The Chair noted that 21 WTO members have yet to submit a single reply to the annual questionnaire since joining the WTO, and 13 members have never submitted any notification under the Agreement. While these figures have seen only marginal changes in recent years, she encouraged members to consider engaging with their notification obligations and to seek support from the Secretariat where needed.

    Specific trade concerns

    The Committee addressed a record 12 trade concerns at the 8 May meeting, covering the import licensing regimes of various products:

    • Egypt’s import licensing requirements for certain agricultural and processed products, raised by the European Union;
    • India’s quality control for plywood and wooden flush door shutters, raised by Indonesia;
    • India’s importation of pneumatic tyres, raised by Indonesia, Chinese Taipei and Thailand;
    • India’s import of viscose staple fibre, raised by Indonesia;
    • India’s import licensing measures on personal computers, tablets and other electronic products, raised by Japan;
    • Indonesia’s commodity balancing mechanism, raised by the European Union and Japan;
    • Indonesia’s import licensing regime for certain textile products, raised by the European Union and Japan;
    • Indonesia’s compulsory registration by importers of steel products, raised by Japan;
    • Indonesia’s import restriction on air conditioners, raised by Japan;
    • Indonesia’s importer registration requests for agricultural, food and drink products, raised by the United Kingdom;
    • Mongolia’s new import licensing requirements for alcoholic beverages, raised by the United Kingdom;
    • Türkiye’s import restrictions on two wheelers, raised by India.

    Next meeting

    The Chair said the next Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for 10 October 2025.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Ramirez & Lieu, Senator Durbin Meet with Business Owners, Call to Protect Diverse Small Businesses’ Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Delia Ramirez – Illinois (3rd District)

    CHICAGO, IL — Today,  Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) hosted Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), House Democrats Vice-Chair Congressman Ted Lieu (CA-36), and Cook County Commissioner Jessica Vásquez for a business crawl of the Milwaukee Avenue’s business corridor to commemorate National Small Business Week. During the crawl, the members of Congress heard directly from business owners about the impact that the Trump Administration’s funding cuts and service reductions will have on diverse small businesses and local economies. 

    After the announcement of Trump’s record-breaking proposed defunding of federal services and programs, the Members of Congress held a press conference to demand that the Administration restore the funding for diversity and equity programs and reopen the Small Business Administration (SBA) offices in jurisdictions that protect immigrants’ rights, and end the trade war. 

    “The Milwaukee Ave Business Corridor is not only a reminder of how our communities’ small businesses grow our local and national economies, but also of how interconnected they are to global markets. From Poland to Puerto Rico, from China to Colombia, countless immigrant families have chosen Milwaukee Avenue to set up shop and share their culture, cuisine, and craft,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “While the Trump Administration turns its back on small business owners, I’m standing in coalition with Senator Durbin, Congressman Ted Lieu, Commissioner Jessica Vasquez, and local leaders and business owners to fight back for our local, diverse, equitable, and inclusive economies.”

    “Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and economies,” said Senator Durbin. “Illinois is home to more than 1.2 million small businesses, which should be something to celebrate this National Small Business Week. Instead, our local store owners, like the ones I was fortunate to visit today, find themselves facing worker shortages and chaos caused by Trump’s trade war. I’ll continue to do all I can, alongside members of the House like Representatives Ramirez and Lieu, to fight for our local businesses at the federal level and lower costs for the American people.”

    “Trump’s indiscriminate tariffs make no sense. Now, small businesses and consumers are paying more for food and products. We had a growing economy at the end of 2024. Unfortunately, Trump’s policies have led us to negative GDP growth,” said Congressman Lieu. “Today, we are here to highlight the difficulties small businesses are facing and to tell the Trump administration they need to stop the indiscriminate tariffs. They are hurting our economies, American consumers, and businesses. Thank you, Congresswoman Ramirez, for your representation.”

    During the crawl, the public officials visited multiple businesses, including Magnífico Coffee Roasters & Coffee Shop  (Colombian-owned family business), Friendship Chinese (Asian-American owned restaurant, Michelin-recommended), the RCM Studios (Black-owned recording studio), and Kurowski’s Sausage Shop (staple Polish market).

    For photos and videos of the event, CLICK HERE.

    For a live stream of the press conference, CLICK HERE.

    BACKGROUND:

    The Trump Administration’s 30% cuts to SBA are expected to negatively impact local communities’ access to Small Business Development Centers, reducing resources for local business owners. Under the Trump Administration, 15 SBA Entrepreneurial Development programs have been eliminated, including the Veterans’ Business Outreach Program, the National Women’s Business Council, and Women’s Business Centers. 

    More than 90% of small businesses rely on imported goods for everything from products to construction materials. Trump’s tariffs will raise prices for businesses and are expected to cost families an extra $3,800 a year. In a recent poll, 70% of small business owners said they believe the country is headed towards a recession.

    The Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant agenda is also affecting business. Beyond the persecution of immigrant workers, 1 in 5 businesses are started by immigrant families, including undocumented immigrants and mixed-status families. The Trump Administration’s decision to close the offices in sanctuary jurisdictions and limit the funding for immigrant businesses will hurt local economies. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Salazar, Soto, and Wasserman Schultz Introduce Legislation to Designate TPS for Venezuelans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    strong>WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Maria Salazar (FL-27), Darren Soto (FL-09),  and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) introduced the bipartisan Venezuela TPS Act of 2025, with Salazar serving as the Republican co-lead on the legislation. The bill provides Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans currently in the United States. Specifically, this act automatically designates TPS for Venezuelans for 18 months after enactment of this bill, with the option of renewal. This will protect approximately 600,000 Venezuelans in the United States from deportation. 

    “The oppression of the Maduro regime and the total failure of socialism of the 21st century has created dangerous conditions in Venezuela and a constant threat of political persecution,” said Congresswoman Salazar.  “That’s why I am proud to co-lead the Venezuela TPS Act of 2025 – to ensure law-abiding Venezuelans currently in the United States can stay here until conditions improve and they are not forcibly returned to a brutal dictatorship. I will continue fighting for a free and prosperous Venezuela, led by its legitimate President Edmundo Gonzalez and the Iron Lady Maria Corina Machado.”

    “We are concerned by the Trump Administration’s actions to strip Venezuelans of Temporary Protected Status, parole, and other critical protections during a time of major instability in their country. In Central Florida, thousands of Venezuelans have fled political violence and joined family members already living in the United States, contributing to our economy, and working hard to help our community grow,” said Congressman Darren Soto. “It is insulting to turn our backs on this group. Now more than ever, we need to come together to protect our community from unjust treatment and unconstitutional deportations.”  

    “It is simply wrong to subject law-abiding Venezuelan families to a criminal, murderous regime that openly and flagrantly violates human rights,” said Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. “TPS recipients are not criminals—they are here legally and nobody with a criminal record is eligible for protection. I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to prevent Venezuelan families in my district from being unjustly torn apart while we continue to fight for a free and prosperous Venezuela under democratic leadership.” 

    BACKGROUND:

    Political instability caused by Nicolas Maduro’s authoritarian regime in Venezuela has led to massive food and medicine shortages, half of the population living in poverty, many suffering from food insecurity, and a crippled economy. Venezuela’s economy has contracted by more than 80% since 2014 which is more than twice the magnitude of the Great Depression in the United States. Venezuela has also experienced some of the highest homicide and crime victimization rates in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

    Congresswoman Salazar represents approximately 40,000 Americans of Venezuelan descent in Florida’s 27th congressional district. Salazar has been at the forefront of the push to protect Venezuelans from deportation until the Maduro regime falls.  

    The legislation automatically designates eligible Venezuelans for TPS for an initial period of 18 months, with the option of renewal. Under TPS, Venezuelans would be shielded from deportation and granted work authorization, allowing individuals to pay taxes and contribute to their communities. This bill would not protect any criminals, and all eligible individuals must pass a stringent background check. The Venezuela TPS Act of 2025 also provides for individuals to travel abroad for emergencies and extenuating circumstances. 

    Venezuelan nationals will be eligible for TPS if they are: 

    • Physically present in the United States on the date of enactment;
       
    • Do not have a criminal record and, 
       
    • Properly register for TPS with the Secretary of Homeland Security. 

    You can read the full bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 05/9/2025 Blackburn, Cortez Masto Introduce Bill to Reduce Unwarranted Medical Imaging and Save Taxpayers Billions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the bipartisan Radiology Outpatient Ordering Transmission (ROOT) Act to modernize Medicare’s imaging oversight process. This legislation would remove a key barrier that has delayed implementation of Medicare’s Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) program, an evidence-based tool that helps ensure only necessary advanced imaging services are ordered for patients. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has projected full implementation of AUC will save American taxpayers $700 million in savings each year.

    “For years, a flawed reporting mandate has kept a commonsense Medicare cost-saving program from being fully implemented,” said Senator Blackburn. “The ROOT Act would remove that roadblock by eliminating the real-time claims reporting requirement, instead requiring providers to attest to reviewing AUC at point of care. Getting this legislation across the finish line is projected to save American taxpayers millions of dollars each year while realizing the full benefits of the AUC program.”

    “When the right imaging is used at the right time, it can lead to better health outcomes and reduce costs for patients and the health care system,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation supports evidence-based care and reduces unnecessary scans, saving Medicare billions of dollars while ensuring safer, more personalized care.”

    BACKGROUND

    • The Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) established the AUC program to ensure appropriate ordering of advancing diagnostic imaging.
    • The AUC program was designed to guide clinicians in real-time selection of diagnostic imaging services and reduce unnecessary imaging costs.
    • Full implementation of AUC was supposed to have happened on January 1, 2017, but CMS has been unable to fully launch the program due to challenges incorporating AUC with existing systems.
    • Evidence shows the AUC program improves imaging decisions, reduces unnecessary utilization, and cuts costs for both Medicare and its beneficiaries.
    • Data from CareSelect Imaging revealed $178 million in inappropriate allowed charges in 2023 could have been avoided with AUC consultation.

    RADIOLOGY OUTPATIENT ORDERING TRANSMISSION (ROOT) ACT

    • The ROOT Act would remove real-time claims reporting, the primary barrier to the implementation of the AUC program. Instead, this legislation would require providers to attest that they reviewed AUC at the point of care. CMS would conduct retrospective audits based on this data to ensure compliance and inform provider education. An additional carveout reduces administrative burden, exempting those participating in clinical trials and those in small rural practices. 
    • The ROOT Act could save American taxpayers billions of dollars:
      • $2.2 billion reduction in federal spending from Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 – FY 2034.
      • $1.6 billion in savings for Medicare beneficiaries from reduced cost-sharing over the same period.

    ENDORSEMENTS

    This legislation is supported by the Tennessee Radiological Society, American College of Radiology, and the American Society of Emergency Radiology.

    “The real-time AUC program provides enhanced diagnostic accuracy, reduces delays in access and improves outcomes by guiding medical providers to choose the best imaging exam for a patient’s condition or when no scan may be necessary,” said Tennessee Radiological Society President Wesley A. Angel, MD.

    “Without taking decisions out of doctor’s hands or delaying care, AUC-based clinical decision support reduces unwarranted imaging, radiation exposure and costs – up to $700 million annually – while ensuring that patients get the right scan for their condition. We look forward to working with Sen. Blackburn and other members of Congress to move the ROOT Act forward,” said American College of Radiology Board of Chancellors Chair Alan Matsumoto, MD, FACR.

    “The quality-based AUC ordering approach is good for patients, providers, and taxpayers. The ACR urges health systems, hospitals and practices to build on their CDS investment, and for Congress and CMS to continue to work with medical associations, providers groups and other stakeholders to implement the federal AUC program,” said America College of Radiology CEO Dana Smetherman, MD, FACR.

    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week, Calls in to Congratulate 2025 California Teachers of the Year

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week, Calls in to Congratulate 2025 California Teachers of the Year

    Padilla expresses gratitude for teachers’ hard work to educate and inspire the next generationWASHINGTON, D.C. — To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) called in to the classrooms of some of the 2025 Teachers of the Year in California. Padilla dropped in to thank teachers from San Diego County, Los Angeles County, and Marin County for their inspiring service and dedication toward ensuring their students’ success.
    Kristen LoPrell, San Diego County

    WATCH: Senator Padilla congratulates Kristen LoPrellKristen LoPrell is a 2025 California Teacher of the Year for the California Department of Education and a high school Mathematics and AP Calculus teacher at Grossmont High School. LoPrell supports the Gender and Sexuality Alliance and Academic League at her school. She also serves as the freshman orientation coordinator, training older students to mentor incoming freshmen. She works to ensure that all students feel safe in her classroom so they feel comfortable taking risks in their thinking as they practice arithmetic using real-life examples.
    “Through it all, you’re hanging in there and doing great. You know, I can see by the biographical information I’ve read and by the look of the kids behind you, you’re truly inspiring, and that’s not a coincidence. It’s a reflection of who you are and your commitment and your service. So just thank you, thank you so much,” said Senator Padilla. “Some of the mentorship that you provide to a lot of the kids, especially in the times that we’re living in, it’s above and beyond, but much, much appreciated and very impactful. … Your joy and your commitment is shining through, and it’s not a surprise to everybody who knows you that you’re getting this recognition. So enjoy it.”
    Matthew Winheim, Los Angeles County

    WATCH: Senator Padilla congratulates Matthew WinheimMatthew Winheim is a 2025 California Teacher of the Year for the California Department of Education. He is a middle school STEM Aviation and Mathematics teacher at Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Academy in the Palmdale Unified School District.
    “My background is in engineering if you weren’t aware, so to hear that you’re teaching STEM and inspiring students in STEM makes me even more excited to be here. … A big thank you, because obviously these recognitions come about for teachers that go above and beyond. Every teacher I know does it out of the goodness of their heart. It’s all about how are we teaching kids and molding kids because they are the next generation,” said Senator Padilla. “A message to the students here: what your teacher is saying is absolutely right. If you’re inspired to go into the field, you can work in the private sector, you can be an innovator, an inventor, very successful on the business side of things, but I could tell you as an engineer who’s now in government and in the public policy space, a lot of the biggest challenges that we have as a country right now are rooted in technology solutions.”
    Susan Wilkinson, Marin County
    WATCH: Senator Padilla congratulates Susan WilkinsonSusan Wilkinson is Marin County’s Teacher of the Year and a Finalist for 2025 California Teacher of the Year for the California Department of Education. She is an Early Intervention Special Education teacher at Marindale School in the Marin County Office of Education.
    A San Rafael resident, Wilkinson has been an early intervention specialist for children three to five years old at Marindale School in San Rafael since 2006. Wilkinson teaches a day class for students with autistic-like behaviors or severe language delays. She has been part of the special education team at the county education office since 1985.
    “Just seeing the kids brings a smile to my face. But just want to thank you for allowing me to join you for a few minutes today to say, not just congratulations, but more importantly, just thank you. It’s beyond an honorable profession you have,” said Senator Padilla. “The next generation is in your hands. I just admire your service, your commitment, your heart for your kids. Being a teacher, in and of itself, is not easy. I know that — my sister has been an educator her entire career. But tackling special needs, and in the times that we’re living in, between COVID to the elimination of the Department of Education, all sorts of other things going on, I’m sure it doesn’t make the job easier, but appreciate your commitment.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fitzgerald Co-Leads Legislation to Protect Wisconsinites and the Most Vulnerable from Obamacare’s Medicaid Discrimination

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) co-introduced the Ending Medicaid Discrimination Against the Most Vulnerable Act, to allow Medicaid to work best for those who need it most by:

    • Stopping Obamacare’s discrimination of the most vulnerable by phasing out enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for able-bodied adults.
    • Making it easier for states to adopt a healthcare model like Wisconsin’s BadgerCare Plus by reducing Medicaid expansion eligibility from 138% to 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
    • Protecting taxpayers from footing the bill for a program they do not use.
    • Ending the additional 5-percentage-point FMAP bonus for late expansion states.

    “For too long, taxpayers in Wisconsin and other states that made a conservative choice to not fully expand Medicaid under Obamacare have been forced to subsidize a program they do not use. It’s time to address this unfair funding structure,” said Congressman Scott Fitzgerald. “We must also address waste, fraud, and abuse within the program and ensure its long-term sustainability for those who need it most.”

    “Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion perpetuates a scam in which states get seven times as much money from the federal government for able-bodied adults than the traditional Medicaid population including, pregnant women, children, disabled people, and the elderly,” said Congressman Chip Roy.

    BACKGROUND: In 2010, Obamacare mandated states expand Medicaid coverage to childless, able-bodied adults with incomes up to 133% of the FPL. Following a 2012 Supreme Court decision, states were rightfully allowed to choose whether to expand Medicaid. Wisconsin, along with nine other states, made a principled choice not to expand, curbing welfare dependency, preventing government overreach, and saving taxpayer money. Despite this, hardworking taxpayers in Wisconsin and other non-expansion states are being taken advantage of by being forced to subsidize a program they do not use while other states reap in billions of federal funding.

    Wisconsin uniquely uses BadgerCare Plus to provide health insurance to certain populations below 100% of the FPL. BadgerCare Plus is a highly regarded state-level program that saves federal tax dollars and provides low-income individuals with a safety net.

    Obamacare’s Federal Medicaid expansion is also harming the most vulnerable among us. Traditional Medicaid populations – the disabled, children, pregnant women, and seniors – are being kicked to the back of the line for care because states are incentivized to prioritize able-bodied adults compared to the traditional populations. This occurs because Obamacare’s enhanced FMAP results in states needing to pay 10% of care for able-bodied adults compared to 23-50% for the most vulnerable. The FMAP disparity has come at the expense of those who rely on critical Medicaid benefits, specifically disabled individuals and children.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Judge Blocks Unconstitutional Reorganization of Federal Government

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    Case Reflects Largest and Most Significant Challenge to President’s Authority to Remake Government without Congressional Approval

    Washington, D.C. – The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California San Francisco Division today issued a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization of the federal government. The coalition bringing the motion includes nationwide labor unions, non-profit organizations, and cities and counties in California, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington, and is represented by lead co-counsel Democracy Forward and Altshuler Berzon LLP, Protect Democracy, Public Rights Project, and Democracy Defenders Fund.

    AFGE v. Trump argues that the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization of the federal government, which is already underway without legislative authority, violates the Constitution’s fundamental separation of powers principles.

    The coalition includes the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and four AFGE locals; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and SEIU Local 1000; Alliance for Retired Americans; American Geophysical Union; American Public Health Association; Center for Taxpayer Rights; Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks; Common Defense; Main Street Alliance; NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council); Northeast Organic Farming Association Inc.; VoteVets; Western Watersheds Project; City and County of San Francisco, California; County of Santa Clara, California; City of Chicago, Illinois; City of Baltimore, Maryland; Harris County, Texas; and King County, Washington.

    “The Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation. Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government – laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that. We are gratified by the court’s decision today to pause these harmful actions while our case proceeds.”

    Read the complaint here and the temporary restraining order here.

    “Billionaires and anti-union extremists have launched a hostile takeover of government – unlawfully bypassing Congress to shut down and restructure agencies. These actions threaten the public services that AFSCME members provide at every level of government. We are pleased that the court issued a decision today to pause these devastating attacks and bring relief to public service workers and our communities as our case moves forward,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Celebrates 30 Years of Niterra’s Sissonville Campus and Expansion

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    SISSONVILLE, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) traveled to Sissonville, W.Va. where she delivered remarks celebrating the 30th anniversary of Niterra North America’s Sissonville campus, as well as the grand opening of the company’s new state-of-the art distribution center. The expansion will grow the Sissonville campus by 75,000 square feet and create around 30 new jobs, allowing Niterra to serve customers and support continued growth.

    “I was proud to visit Niterra’s facility in Sissonville as they celebrate 30 years of investment, innovation, and job creation in West Virginia,” Senator Capito said. “Their continued growth, including this latest expansion, is a testament to the strength of our workforce and the opportunities we’re creating to build a stronger economy right here at home.”

    “We are incredibly proud to reach this 30-year milestone,” Michael Schwab, President & CEO of Niterra North America, Inc., said. “Our success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, the loyalty of our customers, and the support of the Sissonville community. The opening of our new distribution center is a significant step forward in our journey, expanding operational capacity and improving logistics efficiency. We look forward to many more years of success.”

    Photos from today’s visit are below:

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits Niterra North America in Sissonville, W.Va. on Friday, May 9, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) pictured with Niterra North America Chairman and CEO Shinichi Odo at Niterra’s Sissonville, W.Va. facility on Friday, May 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Statement on Arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    Newark, N.J. –– Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement:

    “As mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka has a responsibility to ensure that facilities operating in the city are adhering to laws that protect the safety and wellbeing of occupants and residents. This incident is disturbing, unnecessary and indicative of tactics that are undermining the safety and security of our communities, not adding to it. Law enforcement officers should have deescalated this situation. Mayor Baraka should be immediately released.

    “Moreover, the Trump administration’s decision to reopen Delaney Hall, a private, for-profit prison in our community, should have never gone forward. New Jersey deserves better and the Trump administration continues to take actions to undermine the wellbeing of our residents.”

    MIL OSI USA News –