NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican man arrested for illegal re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alejandro Mendez Flores, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Flores was encountered by Customs and Border Protection officers on April 30, 2025, at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. Flores was driving a vehicle with a State of Kentucky registration and inadvertently entered onto the bridge toward Canada, where he was refused admission. Flores then encountered CBP officers. A records check determined that Flores was previously arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas in July 2019 after having illegally entered the United States. He was physically removed from the United States.

    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.

    Flores made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.     

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock Hosts Crowd of Over 800 at South Fulton Town Hall

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
    Senator Reverend Warnock hosted an in-person town hall at Zion Hill Baptist Church in South Fulton, Georgia, taking questions from a crowd of over 800 constituents
    Senator Reverend Warnock heard from Georgians concerned about threats to social security, federal workers, non-profit funding, and more
    In March of this year, the Senator hosted a virtual town hall
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “That’s why we are here today, to talk about what keeps you up at night, what I’m going to do to fix it, and what we can do together, because you can’t outsource democracy – it’s a group project”

    Watch Senator Warnock’s town hall HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) hosted his first in-person town hall of 2025 to answer questions directly from constituents about how he is fighting for all Georgians amid an unprecedented first 100 days of the Trump Administration.
    “Seriously, this is a scary time, and I want you to know I’m sober-minded about it and focused,” said Senator Warnock during the town hall. “Today, I won’t have all the answers to your questions, I’ll tell you that in advance, but let me just state that during this unprecedented time we must come together to fight back against the dangerous actions of this administration, this is no ordinary time.”
    The conversation between Senator Warnock and some of his constituents went on for well over two hours and addressed a range of topics, including non-profit funding, the administration’s tariff policies, fired federal workers, Georgia’s failure to adopt Medicaid expansion, international conflicts, eliminating poverty, and so much more.
    In answering the first question of the evening on protecting the nation’s democracy, Senator Warnock addressed some of his previous work to bolster voting rights and protect election integrity.
    “What we are seeing in real time is that our democracy depends on our charter documents […] I was fighting hard to pass the John Lewis Voting Right Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act,” said Senator Warnock. “You have my commitment that as a member of the Senate, I’m holding this administration accountable, I’m dragging Trump officials in front of my committees and asking the tough questions, I’m voting down legislation that I think runs roughshod over the American people and their rights.”

    Senator Warnock also hosted a virtual town hall in early March. Both events highlighted his urging not to give in to despair during these difficult times and his commitment to standing up on behalf of ordinary people in Washington, D.C. 
    “We have to stand together on these issues, we have to stand up for the rule of law and for due process,” said Senator Warnock during his closing remarks.
    Missed the town hall? It can still be viewed in full HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 141-2025: List of registered treatment providers update: treatment provider under review – SGS Canada Inc (AEI: CA4003SB)

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    6 May 2025

    Who does this notice affect?

    Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including vessel masters, freight forwarders, offshore treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers, principal agents and master consolidators.

    What has changed?

    Following the identification of biosecurity concerns, we have listed SGS Canada Inc (AEI: CA4003SB) as ‘under review’ on the…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Hill Fights to Turn Vacant Federal Building into Community Space in Perry County

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman French Hill (AR-02) has introduced legislation to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a vacant U.S. Forest Service building and its surrounding land in Perryville, Arkansas, to Perry County.

    Rep. Hill said, “For years, this building has sat empty when the people of Perry County could have put it to good use. My bill will change that. By transferring it to the county, it will give the community the space it needs for youth programs, agricultural education, and conservation efforts that strengthen families and support our local economy. This is a smart use of public resources and a clear win for the community. I’m proud to lead this effort and look forward to seeing this legislation become law so Perry County can finally put this building to work for its people.”

    The 0.81-acre parcel, located at 1069 Fourche Avenue, includes a federal building operated by the U.S. Forest Service. The building is vacant, and the U.S. Forest Service has no plans to use it going forward. While the building will require repairs and updates, Perry County has the funds to make the necessary improvements. Once conveyed and repaired, the property will support permanent operations of the University of Arkansas Extension Program and the Perry County Conservation District, and serve as the meeting space for the 4-H Youth Development Program.

    Several local leaders and Perry County residents have voiced their support for the building to be conveyed to Perry County.

    Perry County Judge Larry Blackmon said, “The prospect of being able to use this building means a lot to the citizens of Perry County. It will let us turn a vacant space into something useful for our kids, local farmers, and conservation work without putting extra strain on the county’s budget. Having control of the building will help us serve our community for years to come, and I’m truly grateful to Congressman Hill and his team for their help in making it possible.”

    Donnie Crain, president of the Perry County Chamber of Commerce, said, “We pride ourselves in Perry County as being ‘Rural Arkansas at its best’ — and our Extension Service and the resources that they provide are a big component of our community. The transfer of this facility will not only bolster the efforts of the University of Arkansas Extension Service but also foster a stronger, more resilient Perry County.”

    Amy Branch, chair of the board of the Perry County Conservation District, said, “This transfer would provide significant benefits to our community and support several county agencies. Consolidating resources in one location will improve coordination, communication, and efficiency, ultimately enhancing the services we provide to the residents of Perry County. Having a suitable facility to house these efforts is essential to continue environmental stewardship and support for landowners, farmers, and residents.”

    Kallem Hill, president of the Perry County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, said, “This facility holds significant potential to serve as a vital resource for our community. By securing a dedicated space for their operations, we believe the Extension Service will be able to enhance its outreach and impact, thereby benefiting the entire Perry County population. Its transfer to Perry County will ensure that the building is maintained and utilized effectively, contributing to the continued growth and development of our agricultural community.”

    Jacob Farnam, board president of the Perryville School District, said, “This facility has the potential to become a vital hub for the Perry County Extension Service and 4-H Youth Development Programs, delivering significant benefits to our community — particularly its young people. This transfer would empower the Extension Service and 4-H to strengthen Perry County for years to come.”

    Rose Gunther, a local resident, said, “As a 4-H member, I witnessed firsthand the dedication of our extension staff, who often faced challenges in securing enough space to conduct vital programming. Whether it was for cooking classes, public speaking exercises, or hands-on projects like the Kids Chef Challenge, our staff frequently had to scramble to find suitable venues, stretching resources thin. Securing the U.S. Forest Service facility would offer a much-needed solution to these challenges.”

    Ettamarie Belden, a local resident, said, “I have been a 4-H leader and volunteer for over 50 years, and our county has always been short of space for 4-H activities as well as adult activities and training. It would be a blessing to be able to put this area to use.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Washington, Klobuchar, Smith and Minnesota Small Business Owner Beth Benike Highlight Impact of Trump Administration Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined small business owners from Minnesota and across the country to speak out against the rising costs of President Trump’s trade war.

    Minnesota Small Business Person of the Year, Beth Benike, CEO and founder of Busy Baby based in Zumbrota, MN, spoke at the event about how tariffs are crushing her business. Klobuchar and Smith highlighted Benike’s story and emphasized the broader impact these tariffs are having on thousands of small business owners and farmers across Minnesota who can’t keep up with rising costs caused by President Trump’s tariffs.

    “The small business owners that are standing here with us today, they do not have a direct dial number for the White House. They do not have the President’s cell phone. They are not like a major, major CEO of a Fortune 500 company that can call and get a meeting with the White House and then get their products exempted,” said Klobuchar. “The unfairness and the destruction of the competitive marketplace for small businesses will have longer-term effects than anyone can even imagine.” 

    “For American entrepreneurs, this is not a political issue. This is about the survival of their businesses and the survival of their dreams. Beth Benike’s story shows us so clearly that President Trump’s chaotic approach to tariffs is putting small businesses like hers at risk. It’s hurting people’s capacity to make payroll, it’s hurting our economy and it’s hurting American consumers,” said Smith. 

    “I currently have three months’ worth of inventory sitting at my factory that I cannot bring to the US. I have maybe two months’ worth left in my warehouse in Minnesota, and when that’s gone, I have no more revenue. I cannot pay my employees. I cannot pay my bills. I cannot pay the loans which I have leveraged my house against, so we could lose our house. I do not have the $230,000 that were just immediately dropped in front of me to get my products into the US,” said Benike. 

    Klobuchar’s bipartisan bill with Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) to undo President Trump’s across-the-board tariffs on Canadian goods passed the Senate last month. Recently, Klobuchar and Smith voted for a bipartisan bill to overturn Trump’s across-the-board global tariffs. Klobuchar also co-sponsors the Trade Review Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to restore congressional oversight over President Trump’s tariff taxes.

    Download Klobuchar’s full remarks here.

    Download Smith’s full remarks here.

    Download Benike’s full remarks here. 

    Download photo here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mechanical malfunction closes SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge

    Source: Washington State News 2

    SHINE – Due to mechanical issues, the State Route 104 Hood Canal Bridge is closed to vehicle traffic until further notice.

    During a routine closure for a marine vessel at 1:02 p.m. on Monday, May 5, the bridge experienced a mechanical malfunction. Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews are working to identify the cause of the malfunction.

    There is no estimate for reopening at this time, but WSDOT is making every effort to reopen the bridge to vehicular traffic as soon as possible and apologizes for the inconvenience this delay poses to travelers.

    No convenient route around the bridge

    The alternative route is through Shelton via SR 3 and US 101, but the detour adds about three hours to the normal travel time.

    Traveler resources

    Realtime information about the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge is available via the WSDOT app and the WSDOT Travel Map. Advance notifications about the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge are available at Hoodcanalbridge.com. Travelers are encouraged to sign up for Hood Canal Bridge email updates.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alberta Next: Albertans to choose path forward

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amodei Hosts Commemorative Tree Dedication Ceremony Honoring People of Nevada

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Rep. Mark Amodei hosted a commemorative tree dedication ceremony on the United States Capitol Grounds to honor the people of Nevada. 

    In 1983, a Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi) was planted near the Cannon House Office Building to represent Nevada. It was sponsored by then-Representative Harry Reid and has since been removed. 

    To continue this tradition, Rep. Mark Amodei has selected a Jefferson American Elm, a tree well-suited to a wide range of growing conditions. The tree was planted near the south side of the lower West Terrace of the West Front of the United States Capitol facing the National Mall. 

    “This project has been years in the making, and I’m grateful to see it finally come to fruition,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “Today, the people of Nevada are honored with the planting of a Jefferson American Elm that will flourish in our nation’s capital for generations to come. If you find yourself in Washington, D.C., I encourage you to visit this tribute symbolizing the people who make the Silver State so great.”

    Rep. Mark Amodei was accompanied by members of the Nevada Delegation: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Request Biden White House and NARA Records on Politically-Motivated Investigations into President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are calling on the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to release all government records demonstrating the Biden administration’s role in advancing investigations into then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. The senators are also opening an inquiry into NARA and its Inspector General’s role in those investigations.  
    The chairmen requested:
    All records between or among Department of Justice (DOJ), FBI and Biden White House officials referring or relating to President Trump’s election interference case, that began as the Arctic Frost investigation and ultimately became part of Jack Smith’s elector case. 
    All records between or among DOJ, FBI and Biden White House officials referring or relating to the investigation into President Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified information.
    All NARA records, including the NARA Office of Inspector General, referring, or relating to the Arctic Frost and the classified document investigation. 
    Read their full letter to NARA here. 
    Previous Arctic Frost oversight:
    April 9, 2025: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Release Additional Arctic Frost Records Detailing Sweeping Anti-Trump Investigation
    March 14, 2025: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Release Records Showing FBI Obtained Trump, Pence Cell Phones, Conducted Sweeping Interviews to Advance Anti-Trump Arctic Frost Investigation
    February 25, 2025: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Call for Investigation into Potential Criminal Leaks, Violations of FBI Information Sharing Policies
    January 30, 2025: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Make Public Whistleblower Records Revealing DOJ and FBI Plot to Pin Trump in Jack Smith Elector Case  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Searching for Spherules to Sample

    Source: NASA

    Written by Denise Buckner, Postdoctoral Fellow at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center 

    Over the past few weeks, Perseverance has been investigating some curious spherules peppered across the “Witch Hazel Hill” region along the rim of Jezero crater. A striking cluster of the small bubble-shaped stones were first spotted by the Mastcam-Z instrument on Sol 1442 (March 11, 2025) at “Broom Point,” in a rock named “St. Pauls Bay.” A few sols later, a similar assemblage was discovered by the SuperCam instrument at the “Mattie Mitchell” outcrop near “Puncheon Rock.” As the rover continued along its traverse, spherules continued to appear. At the targets St. Pauls Bay and Mattie Mitchell, the spherules are densely packed and almost look like bunches of grapes. Elsewhere, similar smaller spherules were found intermixed with other grains within the rock. At a target called “Wreck Apple” at the “Sally’s Cove” outcrop, individual spherules were set in a matrix of coarse, dark grains. Even more of these circular features are embedded in finer-grained, layered bedrock at a nearby area called “Dennis Pond.”

    Although the team was intrigued by the spherule-rich layers at Sally’s Cove and Dennis Pond, these outcrops were challenging for the rover arm to access. After some searching to find an accessible target, the team decided to perform an abrasion at a neighboring outcrop, called “Pine Pond,” which contained an extension of the Dennis Pond layers. The team picked the target “Hare Bay” in hopes of finding spherules within a rock interior, and conducting proximity science observations with PIXL and SHERLOC to investigate their composition and internal structure. Images of the abrasion patch taken by WATSON show that Hare Bay contains light-toned medium-sized grains, with millimeter-sized spherules dotted throughout the rock! Leading hypotheses for the origin of these spherules include formation by volcanic activity or impact-related processes.
    Having found an accessible spherule-bearing rock, the team is currently hard at work collecting a spherule-filled sample! Combined with the information already gathered by Mastcam-Z, SuperCam, PIXL, SHERLOC, and WATSON, future laboratory analyses could help solve the mystery of when, where, and how these spherules formed, which can in turn detangle the geological events that formed and transformed the surface of Mars over billions of years!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Data Helps Map Tiny Plankton That Feed Giant Right Whales

    Source: NASA

    In the waters off New England, one of Earth’s rarest mammals swims slowly, mouth agape. The North Atlantic right whale filters clouds of tiny reddish zooplankton — called Calanus finmarchicus — from the sea. These zooplankton, no bigger than grains of rice, are the whale’s lifeline. Only about 370 of these massive creatures remain.
    For decades, tracking the tiny plankton meant sending research vessels out in the ocean, towing nets and counting samples by hand. Now, scientists are looking from above instead.
    Using NASA satellite data, researchers found a way to detect Calanus swarms at the ocean surface in the Gulf of Maine, picking up on the animals’ natural red pigment. This early-stage approach, described in a new study, may help researchers better estimate where the copepods gather, and where whales might follow.
    Tracking the zooplankton from space could aid both the whales and maritime industries. By predicting where these mammals are likely to feed, researchers and marine resource managers hope to reduce deadly vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements — two major threats to the species. Knowing the feeding patterns could also help shipping and fishing industries operate more efficiently.

    “NASA invests in this kind of research because it connects space-based observation with real-world challenges,” said Cynthia Hall, a support scientist at NASA headquarters in Washington. She works with the Early Career Research Program, which partly funded the work. “It’s yet another a way to put NASA satellite data to work for science, communities, and ecosystems.”
    Revealing the Ocean’s Hidden Patterns
    The new approach uses data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite. The MODIS instrument doesn’t directly see the copepods themselves. Instead, it reads how the spectrum of sunlight reflected from the ocean surface changes in response to what’s in the water.
    When large numbers of the zooplankton rise to the surface, their reddish pigment — astaxanthin, the same compound that gives salmon its pink color — subtly alters how photons, or particles of light, from the sun are absorbed or scattered in the water. The fate of these photons in the ocean depends on the mix of living and non-living matter in seawater, creating a slight shift in color that MODIS can detect.
    “We didn’t know to look for Calanus before in this way,” said Catherine Mitchell, a satellite oceanographer at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, Maine. “Remote sensing has typically focused on smaller things like phytoplankton. But recent research suggested that larger, millimeter-sized organisms like zooplankton can also influence ocean color.”
    A few years ago, researchers piloted a satellite method for detecting copepods in Norwegian waters. Now, some of those same scientists — along with Mitchell’s team — have refined the approach and applied it to the Gulf of Maine, a crucial feeding ground for right whales during their northern migration. By combining satellite data, a model, and field measurements, they produced enhanced images that revealed Calanus swarms at the sea surface, and were able to estimate numbers of the tiny animals.
    “We know the right whales are using habitats we don’t fully understand,” said Rebekah Shunmugapandi, also a satellite oceanographer at Bigelow and the study’s lead author. “This satellite-based Calanus information could eventually help identify unknown feeding grounds or better anticipate where whales might travel.”
    Tracking Elusive Giants
    Despite decades of study, North Atlantic right whales remain remarkably enigmatic to scientists. Once fairly predictable in their movements along the Eastern Seaboard of North America, these massive mammals began abandoning some traditional feeding grounds in 2010-2011. Their sudden shift to unexpected areas like the Gulf of Saint Lawrence caught people off guard, with deadly consequences.
    “We’ve had whales getting hit by ships and whales getting stuck in fishing gear,” said Laura Ganley, a research scientist in the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium in Boston, which conducts aerial and boat surveys of the whales.  
    In 2017, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designated the situation as an “unusual mortality event” in an effort to address the whales’ decline. Since then, 80 North Atlantic right whales have been killed or sustained serious injuries, according to NOAA.

    In the Gulf of Maine, there’s less shipping activity, but there can be a complex patchwork of lobster fishing gear, said Sarah Leiter, a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. “Each fisherman has 800 traps or so,” Leiter explained. “If a larger number of whales shows up suddenly, like they just did in January 2025, it is challenging. Fishermen need time and good weather to adjust that gear.”
    What excites Leiter the most about the satellite data is the potential to use it in a forecasting tool to help predict where the whales could go. “That would be incredibly useful in giving us that crucial lead time,” she said.
    PACE: The Next Generation of Ocean Observer
    For now, the Calanus-tracking method has limitations. Because MODIS detects the copepods’ red pigment, not the animals themselves, that means other small, reddish organisms can be mistaken for the zooplankton. And cloud cover, rough seas, or deeper swarms all limit what satellites can spot.
    MODIS is also nearing the end of its operational life. But NASA’s next-generation PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite — launched in 2024 — is poised to make dramatic improvements in the detection of zooplankton and phytoplankton.

    “The PACE satellite will definitely be able to do this, and maybe even something better,” said Bridget Seegers, an oceanographer and mission scientist with the PACE team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
    The PACE mission includes the Ocean Color Instrument, which detects more than 280 wavelengths of light. That’s a big jump from the 10 wavelengths seen by MODIS. More wavelengths mean finer detail and better insights into ocean color and the type of plankton that the satellite can spot.
    Local knowledge of seasonal plankton patterns will still be essential to interpret the data correctly. But the goal isn’t perfect detection, the scientists say, but rather to provide another tool to inform decision-making, especially when time or resources are limited.
    By Emily DeMarcoNASA Headquarters

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Late-Autumn Storm Lashes New Zealand

    Source: NASA

    Severe weather battered New Zealand’s east coast in late April and early May, bringing damaging winds and heavy rain to low-lying areas and late-autumn snowfall to the mountains. A state of emergency was declared for parts of the South Island, including its largest city, Christchurch, after a low-pressure system caused flooding, landslides, power outages, and travel disruptions, according to news reports.
    The image above (right) shows the central portion of New Zealand’s South Island on May 5, several days after the storm moved through. Higher elevations are blanketed in snow, and coastal waters are brightened by suspended sediment, likely from a combination of river discharge and material stirred up from the seafloor. In comparison, the mountains are mostly snow-free and coastal waters are clearer in an image from March 6 (left). Both were acquired with the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite.
    Ground stations recorded 52.4 millimeters (2.1 inches) of rainfall in Christchurch on April 30, followed by 62.4 millimeters (2.5 inches) on May 1, according to New Zealand’s MetService. Both days exceeded the average monthly rain totals for their respective months, and even higher totals were reported elsewhere in the region. Some Christchurch residents evacuated as rivers rose and water inundated homes, submerged roads, and triggered landslides, The New Zealand Herald reported.
    Snowfall was significant in some mountainous regions. The Mount Hutt ski area west of Christchurch saw estimated accumulations of up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) from the storm. Over 10 centimeters (4 inches) fell along the shore of Lake Tekapo, according to news reports, and ski areas farther south received a dusting.
    Strong southerly winds amplified the storm’s effects on the North Island, with speeds exceeding 150 kilometers (93 miles) per hour in Wellington. The gales ripped roofs off of homes, caused power outages, and led to canceled flights in and out of the city on May 1. Meteorologists warned of coastal flooding at high tide due to strong swells.
    NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Langley Participates in Air Power Over Hampton Roads

    Source: NASA

    NASA Langley Research Center’s integral role in the past, present, and future of flight was on full display April 25-27 during the Air Power Over Hampton Roads air show.
    The air show, held at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE), which neighbors NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia, attracted thousands of spectators throughout the weekend.
    The weekend kicked off with a STEM Day on April 25. Langley’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offered educational and engaging activities, exhibits, and displays to share NASA missions and encourage K-12 students from local schools to explore the possibilities that science, technology, engineering, and math offer.
    “Participation in the air show allows us to share NASA’s work in aeronautics with the public and provides an opportunity for Langley researchers and engineers to work directly with students and families to share the exciting work they do,” said Bonnie Murray, Langley OSTEM Student Services manager.

    Langley OSTEM’s participation continued throughout the weekend as a part of the air show’s STEM Expo, where visitors to the NASA booths tested a paper helicopter in a small-scale wind tunnel to explore flight dynamics, learned how NASA uses X-planes for research and designed their own X-plane, and tested experimental paper airplanes of various designs. By observing flight of the plane designs and making improvements to each one, students participated in the engineering design process. NASA subject matter experts in attendance guided students through these activities, inspired young minds by sharing some of their innovations, and promoted a variety of STEM career paths.
    “Through engagement in the NASA STEM Zone activities, students had an opportunity to see themselves in the role of a NASA researcher,” Murray said. “Authentic learning experiences such as these help build children’s STEM identity, increasing the likelihood of them pursuing STEM careers in the future.”

    The air show’s static aircraft displays included NASA Langley’s Cirrus Design SR22, a research aircraft used to support NASA’s airborne science program, the science community, and aeronautics research.
    “Reflective of our strong, long-standing partnership with JBLE, NASA Langley was proud to participate in this year’s Air Power Over Hampton Roads air show,” said Glenn Jamison, director of Langley’s Research Services Directorate. “Our relationship spans back to 1917 when NACA and Langley Field evolved together over formative years in aerodynamic research, sharing the airspace and facilities here in Hampton. Today, we continue our collaboration with JBLE in pursuing shared interests and finding innovative solutions to complex problems.”
    The displays also featured several small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and NASA’s P-3 Orion, a research aircraft based at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia.
    Air show visitors could explore a picture display that highlighted NASA Langley’s rich aviation legacy, from its founding in 1917 to Langley’s work today to accelerate advancements in aeronautics, science, and space technology and exploration. Spacey Casey, a crowd favorite, greeted and took pictures with educators, students, and guests throughout the weekend, bringing out-of-this-world smiles to their faces. Members of Langley’s Office of the Director also represented the center at the event.
    Brittny McGrawNASA Langley Research Center

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Kennedy Breathes Life into Moon Soil Testing

    Source: NASA

    As NASA works to establish a long-term presence on the Moon, researchers have reached a breakthrough by extracting oxygen at a commercial scale from simulated lunar soil at Swamp Works at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The achievement moves NASA one step closer to its goal of utilizing resources on the Moon and beyond instead of relying only on supplies shipped from Earth.
    NASA Kennedy researchers in the Exploration Research and Technology programs teamed up with Lunar Resources Inc. (LUNAR), a space industrial company in Houston, Texas, to perform molten regolith electrolysis. Researchers used the company’s resource extraction reactor, called LR-1, along with NASA Kennedy’s vacuum chamber. During the recent vacuum chamber testing, molecular oxygen was measured in its pure form along with the production of metals from a batch of dust and rock that simulates lunar soil, often referred to as “regolith,” in the industry.
    “This is the first time NASA has produced molecular oxygen using this process,” said Dr. Annie Meier, molten regolith electrolysis project manager at NASA Kennedy. “The process of heating up the reactor is like using an elaborate cooking pot. Once the lid is on, we are essentially watching the gas products come out.”
    During testing, the vacuum environment chamber replicated the vacuum pressure of the lunar surface. The extraction reactor heated about 55 pounds (25 kilograms) of simulated regolith up to a temperature of 3100°F (1700°C) until it melted. Researchers then passed an electric current through the molten regolith until oxygen in a gas form was separated from the metals of the soil. They measured and collected the molecular oxygen for further study.
    In addition to air for breathing, astronauts could use oxygen from the Moon as a propellant for NASA’s lunar landers and for building essential infrastructure. This practice of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) also decreases the costs of deep space exploration by reducing the number of resupply missions needed from Earth.
    Once the process is perfected on Earth, the reactor and its subsystems can be delivered on future missions to the Moon. Lunar rovers, similar to NASA’s ISRU Pilot Excavator, could autonomously gather the regolith to bring back to the reactor system to separate the metals and oxygen.
    “Using this unique chemical process can produce the oxidizer, which is half of the propellant mix, and it can create vital metals used in the production of solar panels that in turn could power entire lunar base stations,” said Evan Bell, mechanical structures and mechatronics lead at NASA Kennedy.
    Post-test data analysis will help the NASA and LUNAR teams better understand the thermal and chemical function of full-scale molten regolith electrolysis reactors for the lunar surface. The vacuum chamber and reactor also can be upgraded to represent other locations of the lunar environment as well as conditions on Mars for further testing.
    Researchers at NASA Kennedy began developing and testing molten regolith electrolysis reactors in the early 1990s. Swamp Works is a hands-on learning environment facility at NASA Kennedy that takes ideas through development and into application to benefit space exploration and everyone living on Earth. From 2019 to 2023, Swamp Works developed an early concept reactor under vacuum conditions named Gaseous Lunar Oxygen from Regolith Electrolysis (GaLORE). Scientists at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston conducted similar testing in 2023, removing carbon monoxide from simulated lunar regolith in a vacuum chamber.
    “We always say that Kennedy Space Center is Earth’s premier spaceport, and this breakthrough in molten regolith electrolysis is just another aspect of us being the pioneers in providing spaceport capabilities on the Moon, Mars, and beyond,” Bell said.
    NASA’s Exploration Research and Technology programs, related laboratories, and research facilities develop technologies that will enable human deep space exploration. NASA’s Game Changing Development program, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate funded the project.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Preservation Teams Return To Kentucky To Show April Storm Survivors How To Salvage Family Treasures

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Preservation Teams Return To Kentucky To Show April Storm Survivors How To Salvage Family Treasures

    Preservation Teams Return To Kentucky To Show April Storm Survivors How To Salvage Family Treasures

    FRANKFORT, Ky

    – As Kentucky households recover from the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides, FEMA’s preservation teams will return to Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in the Commonwealth to demonstrate how to safely handle and salvage your damaged items

    These specialists will show you how to salvage storm-damaged family photos, artwork, textiles, media and other family treasures

    Save Your Treasures Program SchedulePreservation Teams will be in Kentucky Disaster Recovery Centers May 5-17

    You can find the teams at the following:FRANKLIN COUNTY Frankfort Plaza, 827 Louisville Road, Frankfort, KY 40601 Hours: 9 a

    m

    to 7 p

    m

    May 5-10 and 12-17

    ANDERSON COUNTY Anderson County Community Center, 1026 County Park Road, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342Hours: 9 a

    m

    to 7 p

    m

    May 5-6 and 9-10

    Watch for additional locations for the week of May 12-17

    The Save Your Family Treasures program is a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and FEMA

    Specialists visit DRCs and provide advice to disaster survivors on how to salvage their personal keepsakes, including photographs, books, documents, textiles and other commonly damaged items

    They provide demonstrations, hand out informational resources, and give technical assistance to visitors

    If you are unable to attend an in-person demonstration, you can learn more about salvaging family treasures by visiting www

    fema

    gov/disaster/recover/save-family-treasures or culturalrescue

    si

    edu/who-we-are/hentf

    For safety reasons, and to ensure the items don’t suffer further damage in transit, survivors should not bring items to the DRC

    Survivors are encouraged to show a photo or describe the items they want to salvage

    The FEMA specialists will have example items to demonstrate the salvage techniques that are applicable to their items

     Survivors can also visit a recovery center to apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to other assistance that may be available and much more

    To find the nearest center, visit www

    fema

    gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362You do not need to visit a center to apply for FEMA assistance

    There are other ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance

    gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call 800-621-3362

    If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service

    For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4860 and www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4864

    Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x

    com/femaregion4

    martyce

    allenjr
    Mon, 05/05/2025 – 15:26

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 3 Weeks Left To Apply for FEMA Assistance Following February Severe Storms and Flooding

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: 3 Weeks Left To Apply for FEMA Assistance Following February Severe Storms and Flooding

    3 Weeks Left To Apply for FEMA Assistance Following February Severe Storms and Flooding

    FRANKFORT, Ky

    –Homeowners and renters in Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Simpson and Woodford counties who experienced damage or losses caused by the February severe storms and floods have three weeks to apply for federal disaster assistance

    The deadline to apply for federal assistance is May 25

     How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceThere are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance:Online at DisasterAssistance

    gov

    Visit any Disaster Recovery Center

    To find a center close to you, visit fema

    gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”)

    Use the FEMA mobile app

    Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    It is open 7 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    Eastern Time

    Help is available in many languages

    If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service

    FEMA works with every household on a case-by-case basis

    FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA, and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs

    When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted

    Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying

    Your Social Security Number

    A general list of damage and losses

    Banking information if you choose direct deposit

    If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

    Survivors should keep their contact information updated with FEMA as the agency may need to call to schedule a home inspection or get additional information

     Disaster assistance is not a substitute for insurance and is not intended to compensate for all losses caused by a disaster

    The assistance is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts

     Homeowners and renters in Woodford County may be eligible for federal assistance under DR-4860-KY or/and DR-4864-KY

    If you had property damage or loss in Woodford County from the February severe incident, and then again from the April severe incident, you will need to complete two separate disaster assistance applications

    For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube

    com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw

     For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4860

    Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x

    com/femaregion4

     
    martyce

    allenjr
    Mon, 05/05/2025 – 15:08

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Announces Historic Travel Assistance and Stipend for Voluntary Self-Deportation

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Announces Historic Travel Assistance and Stipend for Voluntary Self-Deportation

    lass=”text-align-center”>The First Illegal Alien to Utilize Travel Assistance has Already Returned to Honduras
    WASHINGTON, D

    C

    —Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a historic opportunity for illegal aliens to receive both financial and travel assistance to facilitate travel back to their home country through the CBP Home App

    Any illegal alien who uses the CBP Home App to self-deport will also receive a stipend of $1,000 dollars, paid after their return to their home country has been confirmed through the app

    Self-deportation is a dignified way to leave the U

    S

    and will allow illegal aliens to avoid being encountered by U

    S

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

    Even with the cost of the stipend, it is projected that the use of CBP Home will decrease the costs of a deportation by around 70 percent

    Currently the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an illegal alien is $17,121

    The first use of travel assistance has already proven successful

    An illegal alien that the Biden Administration allowed into our country recently utilized the program to receive a ticket for a flight from Chicago to Honduras

    Additional tickets have already been booked for this week and the following week

    “If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to avoid arrest

    DHS is now offering illegal aliens financial travel assistance and a stipend to return to their home country through the CBP Home App,” said Secretary Kristi Noem

    “This is the safest option for our law enforcement, aliens and is a 70% savings for US taxpayers

    Download the CBP Home App TODAY and self-deport

    ”
    Illegal aliens submitting their intent to voluntarily self-deport in CBP Home will also be deprioritized for detention and removal ahead of their departure as long as they demonstrate they are making meaningful strides in completing that departure

    Participation in CBP Home Self-Deportation may help preserve the option for an illegal alien to re-enter the United States legally in the future

    Qualifying aliens need to submit their “Intent to Depart” via the CBP Home app

    For further information, visit DHS

    gov/CBPhome

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Webb Lifts Veil on Common but Mysterious Type of Exoplanet

    Source: NASA

    Though they don’t orbit around our Sun, sub-Neptunes are the most common type of exoplanet, or planet outside our solar system, that have been observed in our galaxy. These small, gassy planets are shrouded in mystery…and often, a lot of haze. Now, by observing exoplanet TOI-421 b, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is helping scientists understand sub-Neptunes in a way that was not possible prior to the telescope’s launch.
    “I had been waiting my entire career for Webb so that we could meaningfully characterize the atmospheres of these smaller planets,” said principal investigator Eliza Kempton of the University of Maryland, College Park. “By studying their atmospheres, we’re getting a better understanding of how sub-Neptunes formed and evolved, and part of that is understanding why they don’t exist in our solar system.”

    The existence of sub-Neptunes was unexpected before they were discovered by NASA’s retired Kepler space telescope in the last decade. Now, astronomers are trying to understand where these planets came from and why are they so common.
    Before Webb, scientists had very little information on them. While sub-Neptunes are a few times larger than Earth, they are still much smaller than gas-giant planets and typically cooler than hot Jupiters, making them much more challenging to observe than their gas-giant counterparts.
    A key finding prior to Webb was that most sub-Neptune atmospheres had flat or featureless transmission spectra. This means that when scientists observed the spectrum of the planet as it passed in front of its host star, instead of seeing spectral features – the chemical fingerprints that would reveal the composition of the atmosphere – they saw only a flat-line spectrum. Astronomers concluded from all of those flat-line spectra that at least certain sub-Neptunes were probably very highly obscured by either clouds or hazes.

    “Why did we observe this planet, TOI-421 b? It’s because we thought that maybe it wouldn’t have hazes,” said Kempton. “And the reason is that there were some previous data that implied that maybe planets over a certain temperature range were less enshrouded by haze or clouds than others.”
    That temperature threshold is about 1,070 degrees Fahrenheit. Below that, scientists hypothesized that a complex set of photochemical reactions would occur between sunlight and methane gas, and that would trigger the haze. But hotter planets shouldn’t have methane and therefore perhaps shouldn’t have haze.
    The temperature of TOI-421 b is about 1,340 degrees Fahrenheit, well above the presumed threshold. Without haze or clouds, researchers expected to see a clear atmosphere – and they did!

    “We saw spectral features that we attribute to various gases, and that allowed us to determine the composition of the atmosphere,” said the University of Maryland’s Brian Davenport, a third-year Ph.D. student who conducted the primary data analysis. “Whereas with many of the other sub-Neptunes that had been previously observed, we know their atmospheres are made of something, but they’re being blocked by haze.”
    The team found water vapor in the planet’s atmosphere, as well as tentative signatures of carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Then there are molecules they didn’t detect, such as methane and carbon dioxide. From the data, they can also infer that a large amount of hydrogen is in TOI-421 b’s atmosphere.
    The lightweight hydrogen atmosphere was the big surprise to the researchers. “We had recently wrapped our mind around the idea that those first few sub-Neptunes observed by Webb had heavy-molecule atmospheres, so that had become our expectation, and then we found the opposite,” said Kempton. This suggests TOI-421 b may have formed and evolved differently from the cooler sub-Neptunes observed previously.

    The hydrogen-dominated atmosphere is also interesting because it mimics the composition of TOI-421 b’s host star. “If you just took the same gas that made the host star, plopped it on top of a planet’s atmosphere, and put it at the much cooler temperature of this planet, you would get the same combination of gases. That process is more in line with the giant planets in our solar system, and it is different from other sub-Neptunes that have been observed with Webb so far,” said Kempton.
    Aside from being hotter than other sub-Neptunes previously observed with Webb, TOI-421 b orbits a Sun-like star. Most of the other sub-Neptunes that have been observed so far orbit smaller, cooler stars called red dwarfs.
    Is TOI-421b emblematic of hot sub-Neptunes orbiting Sun-like stars, or is it just that exoplanets are very diverse? To find out, the researchers would like to observe more hot sub-Neptunes to determine if this is a unique case or a broader trend. They hope to gain insights into the formation and evolution of these common exoplanets.
    “We’ve unlocked a new way to look at these sub-Neptunes,” said Davenport. “These high-temperature planets are amenable to characterization. So by looking at sub-Neptunes of this temperature, we’re perhaps more likely to accelerate our ability to learn about these planets.”
    The team’s findings appear on May 5 in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
    The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
    To learn more about Webb, visit:
    https://science.nasa.gov/webb
    Downloads
    Click any image to open a larger version.
    View/Download all image products at all resolutions for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute.

    Laura Betz – laura.e.betz@nasa.govNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
    Ann Jenkins – jenkins@stsci.eduSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
    Hannah Braun – hbraun@stsci.eduSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.

    Webb Blog: Reconnaissance of Potentially Habitable Worlds with NASA’s Webb
    Video: How to Study Exoplanets
    Article: Webb’s Impact on Exoplanet Research
    Video: How do we learn about a planet’s Atmosphere?
    Learn more about exoplanets
    More Webb News
    More Webb Images
    Webb Science Themes
    Webb Mission Page

    What is the Webb Telescope?
    SpacePlace for Kids
    En Español
    Ciencia de la NASA
    NASA en español 
    Space Place para niños

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: GSFC Office of the Chief Knowledge Officer – Case Studies

    Source: NASA

    The Goddard OCKO has a large collection of case studies covering a wide range of missions and technical topics, including launch decision making, project management, procurement, instrument development, risk management, systems engineering and more. These case studies can be used to facilitate learning of critical knowledge and lessons that enable mission success.
    Click Here to Access the Case Studies (Internal NASA Only).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 100 Days of Secretary Noem: Making America Safe Again

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: 100 Days of Secretary Noem: Making America Safe Again

    lass=”text-align-center”>“I will continue fighting every day alongside President Donald Trump to secure our border and keep American communities safe

    This is just the beginning of the Golden Age of America

    ” – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem 
    WASHINGTON – In her first 100 days on the job, Secretary Kristi Noem returned the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to its core mission of securing the homeland

     
    Under Secretary Noem’s strong leadership, DHS is hard at work securing our borders, arresting and removing criminal aliens, safeguarding the U

    S

    cyber infrastructure, protecting America’s leaders, deterring terrorism, and keeping America safe

      
    Below are just some of Secretary Noem’s accomplishments from her 100 Days:
    Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, we have the most secure border in American history

    Daily border encounters have plunged 95% since President Trump and Secretary Noem took office

    Migrants are turning BACK before they even reach our border— migration through Panama’s Darien Gap is down 99

    99%

    Secretary Noem launched a multimillion-dollar nationwide and international ad campaign, urging illegal aliens to leave the U

    S

    voluntarily or face deportation with no chance of return and warning criminals to stay out

    The data shows the world is hearing our message

    Secretary Noem and Secretary Kennedy have reunited nearly 5,000 unaccompanied children with a safe relative or guardian

    Secretary Noem is finishing the border wall

    DHS already has 85 miles of new construction either planned or under construction

    United States (U

    S

    ) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U

    S

    Coast Guard (USCG) have seized nearly 232,000 pounds of fentanyl and other illicit drugs—stopping them from ever reaching American communities

    Secretary Noem is fulfilling President Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations—starting with the worst of the worst

    Secretary Noem unleashed the U

    S

    Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) to target the worst of the worst, 75% of their arrests are criminal illegal aliens with convictions or pending charges

    Secretary Noem rode with ICE agents on an operation in New York City that resulted in the arrest of a Tren de Aragua ringleader

    The Secretary went on a successful operation in Northern Virginia that got MS-13 gang members, 18th Street gang members, and perpetrators of sexual crimes off our streets

    Additionally, Secretary Noem went on an ICE operation in Phoenix that resulted in the arrest of human traffickers, drug smugglers, and 18th Street gang members

    DHS has secured 598 signed agreements with state and local partnerships under 287(g)

    Last week, the first 287(g) enforcement operation coordinated with state and federal law enforcement—Operation Tidal Wave—resulted in 1,120 arrests across Florida

    Secretary Noem deputized the Texas National Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Prisons, U

    S

    Marshals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, members of the State Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to help with immigration operations

       
    Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS has arrested over 168,000 illegal aliens in 2025 alone, including more than 600 members of Tren de Aragua

    To fulfill President Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations, DHS and Department of  Defense (DOD) are detaining some of the most dangerous illegal aliens, including violent criminals and members of terrorist gangs, at Guantanamo Bay

     Secretary Noem was the first Cabinet Secretary to visit Guantanamo Bay and see the facilities where the worst of the worst are being held

    At President Trump’s direction, DHS deported nearly 300 Tren de Aragua and MS-13 terrorists to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) Prison in El Salvador, where they no longer pose a threat to the American people

    While in El Salvador, Secretary Noem signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to update the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) between the U

    S

    and El Salvador

    This agreement ensures fugitives’ criminal records are shared between America and El Salvador, so that criminals are not inadvertently released into American communities

    While in Colombia, Secretary Noem signed a Statement of Intent for Biometric Cooperation

    This agreement facilitates the sharing of biometric data between our nations to better identify and prevent criminals and terrorists from our crossing borders

    Biometric data sharing has already led to over 1,700 deportations and 1,000 arrests

    President Trump ended the CBP One app that allowed more than one million aliens to illegally enter the U

    S

    Secretary Noem replaced this disastrous program with the CBP Home app, which has a new self-deportation reporting feature for aliens illegally in the country

    So far, thousands of illegal aliens have used the app to self-deport

    The Trump Administration is enforcing the Alien Registration Act which requires aliens to register with the federal government

    If illegal aliens fail to comply, they face fines and imprisonment

     
    Deportations have already exceeded 152,000—this is just the beginning

    Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS partnered with the Government of Uzbekistan to successfully deport over 100 illegal aliens from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan

    This operation, in which Uzbekistan fully funded the deportation of their own nationals, underscores the deep security cooperation between our nations and sets a standard for U

    S

    alliances

    President Trump and Secretary Noem are putting the safety of Americans first and delivering justice for victims of illegal aliens and drug cartels

    Under the Secretary’s leadership, DHS is enforcing President Trump’s first major piece of legislation, the Laken Riley Act

    This law mandates the federal detention of illegal aliens who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, or any crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury

    President Trump designated international drug cartels and other criminal gangs, such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

    This enables a whole-of-government approach to dismantle their drug and human trafficking operations

    The days of unchecked cartel and gang violence are over

       
    Following the Secretary’s meeting with the Honduran Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Trump Administration extradited Eswin Mejia, an illegal alien arrested for killing 21-year-old Sarah Root in a drunk driving crash, from Honduras

    President Trump and Secretary Noem reopened the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office, which was shuttered by the Biden Administration

    President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for the victims of illegal alien crime and ensuring they have access to much needed resources and support they deserve

    Secretary Noem has met with Angel families—including Alexis Nungaray, Sabine Durden-Coulter, Tammy Nobles, Maureen Maloney, and Agnes Gibboney—to hear their tragic stories and offer support from the Trump Administration

    President Trump and Secretary Noem are restoring integrity and common sense to our legal immigration system

    DHS has returned the Temporary Protected Status immigration program to its original status: temporary

    No longer will this program be abused and exploited by illegal aliens

     Secretary Noem rescinded the previous administration’s extension of Venezuelan, Haitian, and Afghan TPS

         
    President Trump is returning common sense to our legal immigration system and national security by revoking visas of terrorist sympathizers

    Those who glorify and support terrorists who kill Americans are not welcome in the U

    S

    Some examples include:

    ICE arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student who led activities aligned with Hamas and passed out pro-Hamas propaganda flyers

    Dr

    Rasha Alawieh was deported after she admitted to attending the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah and was responsible for killing hundreds of Americans

    ICE arrested Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown foreign exchange student whose father-in-law is a senior advisor to Hamas

    To keep America safe, DHS is now conducting enhanced vetting of visa applicants, including monitoring foreign aliens’ social media accounts to identify any support for terrorist organizations

    Under President Trump, Secretary Noem refocused DHS to its core mission of protecting the American homeland and eliminating government waste

    Secretary Noem has empowered our brave men and women in ICE, Border Patrol, and the Coast Guard to use common sense to do their jobs effectively

    DHS ensured a safe and secure Super Bowl for the more than 100,000 fans celebrating in New Orleans

    Secretary Noem is embracing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts to make sweeping cuts that eliminate government waste, return DHS to its core mission of protecting the homeland, and fulfill the Founders vision of returning power to the states

    The USCG eliminated an ineffective information technology (IT) program, saving nearly $33 million, and is now focusing resources where they’re most needed to protect our homeland

    The Trump Administration stopped aliens on the Terror Watchlist from receiving Medicaid benefits

    Secretary Noem stopped the construction of a new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency headquarters building that was going to cost American taxpayers more than half a billion dollars

    Secretary Noem ended the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) FEMA grant program that was wasteful and ineffective

    This resulted in nearly a billion dollars being directed to the Disaster Relief Fund

       
    To stop policies that were magnets for illegal immigration, DHS froze all funding to non-governmental organizations that facilitate illegal immigration and announced a partnership with the U

    S

    Department of Housing and Urban Development to ensure taxpayer dollars do not go to housing illegal aliens

    Secretary Noem ended collective bargaining for the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Transportation Security Officers, which constrained TSA’s chief mission to safeguard our transportation systems and keep Americans safe

    Bottom Line: Secretary Noem will continue fighting alongside President Trump every day to secure our border and keep American communities safe

    This is just the beginning of a new Golden Age of America

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Department of Justice Announces Civil Rights Investigation into the Consideration of Race in Prosecutorial Decision making by Minnesota’s Hennepin County

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: U.S. Department of Justice Announces Civil Rights Investigation into the Consideration of Race in Prosecutorial Decision making by Minnesota’s Hennepin County

    Under our Constitution, no government may distribute different burdens or benefits on the basis of race without facing strict judicial scrutiny. This is especially true in the criminal justice system. Any attempt to subject Americans to different punishments or penalties based on race violates the Constitution and a number of federal civil rights laws.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mayor Johnston, Governor Polis, Attorney General Weiser, Senator Bennet, Congressman Neguse & Congresswoman Pettersen Release Letter to Colorado General Assembly on A.I.

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Mayor Johnston, Governor Polis, Attorney General Weiser, Senator Bennet, Congressman Neguse and Congresswoman Pettersen released the following letter to the Colorado General Assembly on A.I. 

    “For decades, Colorado has served as a national leader in the technology innovation sector. Our state is proud to be home to cutting-edge companies and national laboratories that drive our economy and jobs, while also championing groundbreaking consumer protection laws like the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. 

    Over the past year, stakeholders and legislators together have worked to find the right path forward on Colorado’s first-in-the-nation artificial intelligence regulatory law created by SB24-205. This bill established a regulatory framework that seeks to lower the risk of algorithmic discrimination in AI-based decision-making technology. 

    The stakeholder collaboration that took place over many months leading up to and during the 2025 legislative session brought many ideas, concerns, and priorities to the table from a wide range of communities. However, with just hours remaining in the 2025 legislative session, it is clear that more time is needed to continue important stakeholder work to ensure that Colorado’s artificial intelligence regulatory law is effective and implementable. 

    Together, we implore leadership and members of the Colorado General Assembly to take action now to delay implementation of SB 24-205 until January 2027. Colorado communities in every corner of our state deserve the benefit of well-crafted artificial intelligence consumer protection law that more time for stakeholder engagement and policy development work will bring. 

    This pause will allow consumer advocates, Colorado’s business community, and other states to collaborate on a balanced, future-ready framework – one that protects privacy and fairness without stifling innovation or driving business away from our state.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom honors fallen California peace officer heroes

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 5, 2025

    What you need to know: The Governor honored the contributions of fallen California law enforcement officers at the annual California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony. 

    Sacramento, California – Honoring the contributions of fallen California peace officers, Governor Gavin Newsom today joined hundreds of law enforcement officers, state and local leaders, and community members at the annual California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony. 

    We honor the lives and legacy these officers leave behind. They bravely served our communities, putting the needs of others before all. We thank them today and every day for their everlasting courage.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The memorial ceremony included a “Walk of Honor” for surviving family members from the west steps of the Capitol to the memorial monument for the Enrollment Ceremony, where the names of newly enrolled officers were formally added to the Memorial Monument. 

    The following fallen officers were recognized: 

    Distant Past

    • Officer Terry D. Long, El Monte Police Department, EOW: August 22, 2004

    Recent Past and Current Year

    • Deputy Alfredo M. Flores, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, EOW: April 20, 2024
    • Officer Matthew Bowen, Vacaville Police Department, EOW: July 11, 2024
    • Officer Austin Christopher Machitar, San Diego Police Department, EOW: August 26, 2024
    • Officer Chad E. Swanson, Manhattan Beach Police Department, EOW: October 4, 2023

    This solemn ceremony incorporates many law enforcement traditions, including a riderless horse presentation, the folding of the flag of the United States, releasing of doves, and concludes with a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps.

    In memorial, Governor Newsom ordered flags to be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space.

    Recent news

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California applies to expand essential health benefits to include IVF, hearing exams

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 5, 2025

    What you need to know: California applied to the federal government today to update the state’s benchmark plan, which would expand coverage requirements for essential health benefits (EHBs) like hearing aids and wheelchairs in the individual and small group markets starting in 2027.

    Sacramento, California – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom, through the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), submitted an application to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to update California’s benchmark plan. The new benchmark plan would expand coverage requirements for essential health benefits (EHBs) in the individual and small group markets starting in 2027, following CMS approval. That expanded coverage would include services to such fertility treatments, annual hearing exams and hearing aids, and mobility devices such as walkers, manual and power wheelchairs, and scooters.

    “Quality health care should be available for all Californians, and one way we are working to achieve this goal is by updating the state’s benchmark plan for required health benefits. My administration has been working over the last year, in collaboration with the state Legislature, to expand coverage for important and needed health care services, including fertility services, hearing aids and wheelchairs. These new coverage requirements will have life-changing impacts for millions of Californians.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Support from California’s leaders 

    Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley), MSW, Chair of the Senate Health Committee: “Moving towards expanding California’s Essential Health Benefits marks a huge step forward for people with hearing loss, disabilities, and those struggling with infertility. The new proposed benchmark plan means children who are hard of hearing or deaf will have coverage for the hearing aids that make a significant difference in their development and well-being. Folks who are currently cut off from family-building because of financial barriers will be able to make this important reproductive decision for themselves. And those whose mobility relies on access to durable medical equipment will have increased coverage for their means of independence. This additional coverage would be life-altering and I am thankful to the Administration, experts, and community stakeholders who came together to craft a benchmark plan that serves Californians.”

    Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), Chair of the Assembly Health Committee: “Expanding coverage to in vitro fertilization, annual hearing exams, hearing aids, and durable medical equipment in our state’s benchmark plan shows our statewide commitment to prioritizing meaningful access to care. I was proud to invest the time needed in a thorough, collaborative, and thoughtful process that is yielding real results for our constituents, who see the future of their coverage as more uncertain than ever. For the young couple who will finally be able to start their family, a child who will be able to hear their teacher, and someone with mobility limitations looking to remain independent, these changes will have impacts they feel every day. I’m thankful to everyone who made this possible.”

    California Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Kim Johnson: “The updates to California’s benchmark plan and essential health benefits will close coverage gaps for millions while enhancing access to fertility services, hearing aids, and wheelchairs, easing the burden on families seeking these vital health care services.”

    DMHC Director Mary Watanabe: “Selecting a new benchmark plan sets a new standard for commercial health coverage in California. I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to the state Legislature, health plans, providers, advocates and members of the public who participated in the process and provided thoughtful feedback and comments. This input has been essential, and was carefully considered, as we examined new opportunities to improve and expand health care coverage requirements under a new benchmark plan.”

    How we got here

    The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires health plans in the individual and small group markets to offer a comprehensive package of services, known as EHBs. EHBs must cover 10 broad categories of services including primary care, hospital services, prescription drugs, and emergency and urgent care services. Within these broad categories, a state can decide what specific services plans must cover by selecting its benchmark plan, which sets forth the EHB coverage requirements.

    The DMHC has been working over the last year with the Newsom administration and Legislature to update California’s benchmark plan, including holding public meetings to share information on expanding the EHBs and the process to update the state’s benchmark plan. These public meetings provided opportunities for the public to comment about the benefits that should be considered for inclusion in the new benchmark plan. In addition to the public meetings, the DMHC issued public notices on California’s work to update the benchmark plan and accepted public comments on the state’s draft benchmark plan summary. If approved by CMS, the new benchmark plan requirements would take effect January 1, 2027.

    Health care, Press Releases

    Recent news

    May 5, 2025

    News What you need to know: California remains the #1 state for tourism, with record-high tourism spending reaching $157.3 billion in 2024. However, the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric are driving away tourists, killing tourism and hospitality jobs, and…

    May 2, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today after the University of California Board of Regents named James Milliken the new president of the University of California: “California’s future depends on the strength of our institutions,…

    May 2, 2025

    News What you need to know: As part of the California Jobs First initiative, the state is awarding $30.5 million in tax credits to seven companies committed to creating new jobs and investing over $2.1 billion across key industries like clean energy, advanced…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kim, Connolly Bill to Support Taiwan Passes House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, the House passed the Taiwan International Solidarity Act (H.R. 2416), a bipartisan bill led by Reps. Young Kim (CA-40) and Gerry Connolly (VA-11) to counter Beijing’s attempts to exclude Taiwan from participating in international organizations. 

    “Beijing continues to do all it can to isolate Taiwan from the outside world and silence Taiwan’s voice on the world stage. Taiwan has a track record of success in democracy and global health security, and its perspective deserves to be heard,” said Kim, who serves as chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee. “The Taiwan International Solidarity Act helps the United States demonstrate through meaningful action our support for Taiwan’s status in international organizations. I’m glad the House could show our bipartisan support for Taiwan today. Taiwan’s participation in global conversation is the world’s gain.”  

    “For too long, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has distorted policies and procedures at international organizations to assert its sovereignty claims over Taiwan, often to the detriment of global health, governance, and security efforts,” said Connolly. “This bipartisan legislation ensures that we stand against Beijing’s weaponization of international organizations and in solidarity with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan. I am thrilled it has passed the House today.” 

    The Taiwan International Solidarity Act builds on the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act, which was signed into law in March 2020, to further counter the People Republic of China’s attempts to weaponize international organizations to claim that Taiwan is part of China by distorting the language, policies, and procedures of international organizations by: 

    • Clarifying that U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 does not preclude the United States from using its vote, voice, and influence to resist the reckless campaign against Taiwan’s place on the world stage. 
    • Encouraging the U.S. to work with allies and partners to oppose the People’s Republic of China’s efforts to undermine Taiwan’s diplomatic relationships and partnerships globally.  
    • Expanding reporting requirements to include information relating to any prior or ongoing attempts by the People’s Republic of China to undermine Taiwan’s participation in international organizations as well as its ties and relationships with other countries.  

    Read the bill here.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of projected “Trump Slump,” Governor Newsom announces record-high tourism — again

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 5, 2025

    What you need to know: California remains the #1 state for tourism, with record-high tourism spending reaching $157.3 billion in 2024. However, the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric are driving away tourists, killing tourism and hospitality jobs, and already leading to decreased tourism projections.

    SACRAMENTO — Governor Newsom and Visit California today announced that California’s tourism spending continued to grow in 2024, reaching a record-high of $157.3 billion in tourism spending throughout the state — an increase of 3% from 2023, another record-spending year.  This comes after recent news that California’s economy is now the fourth-largest economy in the world and experienced a population increase for the second year in a row.

    “California dominates as a premier destination for travelers throughout the nation, and around the globe. With diverse landscapes, top-rate attractions, and welcoming communities, California welcomes millions of visitors every year. We also recognize that our state’s progress is threatened by the economic impacts of this federal administration, and are committed to working to protect jobs and ensure all Californians benefit from a thriving tourism industry.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The announcement comes with the release of Visit California’s 2024 Economic Impact Report and revised 2025 forecast released today. According to Visit California’s report, in 2024:

    • Visitors spent $157.3 billion at businesses across the state.
    • Tourism spending supported 1.2 million jobs and created 24,000 new jobs.
    • $12.6 billion in state and local tax revenues was generated from tourism.

    Economic progress at risk of Trump Slump

    However, the forecast also anticipates a 1% dip in overall visitation and a 9.2% decline in international visitation in 2025, in direct response to federal economic policy and an impending “Trump Slump.” Looking ahead, 2025 is projected to be more challenging, particularly due to global economic pressures and a slowdown in international tourism, the direct result of declining global sentiment about travel to the United States. California is already seeing the impact, with a sharp year-over-year decline in March of this year.

    In anticipation of the slump caused by the Trump administration, Governor Newsom and Visit California are encouraging Californians to continue to travel within the state to help support the booming tourism industry. The Governor has also launched a new campaign encouraging Canadian consumers to continue to travel to the Golden State.

    More people moving to California 

    In addition to record-breaking tourism, California is welcoming more new residents. Governor Newsom recently announced California’s population increased for the second year in a row. The announcement also noted that previous reports that California’s population had declined by hundreds of thousands of people in 2021 and 2023 were found inaccurate, and since 2021, California’s population has increased by nearly 275,000 people. 

    California’s economic leadership

    With a nation-leading GDP and more Fortune 500 companies than any other state, California’s economy remains a global powerhouse driven by diversity, creativity, and opportunity.

    • 4th largest economy in the world: California’s $4.1 trillion GDP recently surpassed Japan.
    • #1 in the nation: Leads the U.S. in Fortune 500 companies, new business starts, venture capital access, manufacturing output, high-tech industries and agriculture.
    • Major trade powerhouse: Over $675 billion in two-way trade, making California the largest importer among U.S. states and a key driver of job creation.
    • Manufacturing hub: Home to 36,000+ manufacturing firms, employing over 1.1 million workers, with strengths in aerospace, electronics, and zero-emission vehicles.
    • AI & innovation leader: California hosts 32 of the world’s top 50 AI companies and produces 25% of global AI patents and conference papers.

    Recent news

    May 2, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today after the University of California Board of Regents named James Milliken the new president of the University of California: “California’s future depends on the strength of our institutions,…

    May 2, 2025

    News What you need to know: As part of the California Jobs First initiative, the state is awarding $30.5 million in tax credits to seven companies committed to creating new jobs and investing over $2.1 billion across key industries like clean energy, advanced…

    May 1, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES — California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom today joined students, mental health professionals, and athletes at two schools in Pasadena and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula’s East Palo Alto Clubhouse to celebrate Move Your Body, Calm…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Trade agreements and respect of social and environmental standards – E-001653/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001653/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Benoit Cassart (Renew)

    The European Union is the most important trading power in the world. It accounts for 16.5 % of world trade and 48 % of global gross domestic product, thanks to its vast network of trade agreements.

    While the free trade agreement with New Zealand makes free trade conditional on the respect of social and environmental standards, this new approach is not reflected in the EU’s trade agreements with Chile and Kenya, which do not include a sanction mechanism in the sustainable development chapter.

    • 1.This tailored approach risks creating legal uncertainty. Would it not be more consistent for the Commission to adopt a systematic approach to imposing such standards, including a sanction mechanism?
    • 2.Rather than serving the Sustainable Development Goals, are agreements that do not incorporate this new approach not a barrier to development?

    Submitted: 24.4.2025

    Last updated: 5 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transparency remains a central focus at subsidies committee discussions

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Transparency remains a central focus at subsidies committee discussions

    The Chair referred to the most recent WTO Secretariat update, noting that 82 members have yet to submit their 2023 and 2021 subsidy notifications, and that  72 members have still not submitted their 2019 notifications. He reiterated his call for members to submit their notifications promptly, emphasizing that all members benefit from the collective effort of timely and complete notifications. Eight members echoed these calls and commended the Secretariat’s continued efforts to support members in preparing and submitting their notifications, including through targeted technical assistance.
    Review of members’ subsidy notifications
    During the special meeting, the Committee examined 2023 new and full subsidy notifications submitted by Albania, Bahrain, Ecuador, India, Kazakhstan and Montenegro. Additionally, it reviewed outstanding notifications from earlier cycles, notably from Madagascar (2019). The Committee also continued its review of 2023 subsidy notifications from Australia, Brazil, China, Eswatini, Nepal, Norway, Türkiye, the United States and Vanuatu. It also continued its review of a 2019 notification from the Russian Federation.
    National legislation
    The Committee reviewed legislative notifications submitted by Armenia, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States. It also continued its review of the legislative notifications of the European Union, Ghana, the Kyrgyz Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the Solomon Islands.
    Reports of members on countervailing duty actions
    Members reviewed semi-annual reports on countervailing duty actions submitted by Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, the European Union, India, Mexico, Peru, Chinese Taipei, Türkiye,  the United States and Viet Nam for the period July to December 2024.
    The Committee also considered notifications on preliminary and final countervailing duty actions from members including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.
    The Chair emphasized the need for regular and timely submissions of these reports to ensure ongoing transparency and effective oversight by the Committee.
    Other matters
    The Chair recalled the 31 December 2015 deadline for the elimination of export subsidies by members that received “fast track” extensions under Article 27.4 of the SCM Agreement. He noted that only 15 of the 19 members that had received extensions have provided the final required notifications. He called on the remaining members to comply without delay.
    The Committee reviewed the updated GNI per capita calculations for members listed in Annex VII(b) of the SCM Agreement. According to the latest figures, Senegal graduated from Annex VII(b) while the following members did not: Congo, Ghana, Honduras, Kenya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. They therefore remain on the list until their GNP per capita exceeds US$ 1,000 (in constant 1990 dollars) for three consecutive years.
    The Committee also discussed, and members exchanged views on, a range of issues under the following separate agenda items: “discriminatory subsidies policies and measures of the United States” (item sponsored by China); “France’s electric vehicle subsidies programme” (sponsored by the Republic of Korea); and “subsidies and overcapacity” (sponsored by the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States).
    The Committee elected Mr Kazumochi Kometani from Japan as the new member of the Permanent Group of Experts replacing Ms Tomoko Ota, also from Japan. 
    The Committee conducted a scheduled review of its trial use of the e-Agenda platform, originally agreed in October 2023, to streamline meeting procedures by enabling the upload of delegations’ statements. The Committee agreed to extend the current trial arrangement for an additional two years. A formal review will take place at the Committee’s spring 2027 meeting.
    Next meeting
    The Chair reminded members that the autumn 2025 meetings of the SCM Committee are scheduled to take place in the week of 27 October 2025.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – US influencing of media in the EU through USAID – E-001047/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU has taken several measures to safeguard media independence and prevent undue influence from third countries. The provisions of European Media Freedom Act[1], generally applicable from 8 August 2025, establish transparency requirements for media ownership and state advertising revenues, including those received from third-country public authorities or entities.

    They also mandate that public funds for state advertising in media or supply or service contracts with media be allocated through transparent, proportionate, and non-discriminatory criteria.

    The Commission also co-finances the Media Pluralism Monitor and a media ownership monitoring project. However, these measures do not include monitoring of external donations or measures to prevent external donations.

    The Commission does not have an overview of the media outlets that have received funds from USAID.

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32024R1083
    Last updated: 5 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Omar’s Statement on Visiting Detained University of Minnesota Student

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

    MINNEAPOLIS—Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released the following statement after visiting Doğukan Günaydın, an MBA candidate at the University of Minnesota, who has been held in an immigration detention at the Sherburne County Jail for nearly a month:

    “Yesterday, I drove to the Sherburne County Jail to meet with Doğukan Günaydın, an MBA candidate at the University of Minnesota, who has been in immigration detention for nearly a month.

    “When Mr. Günaydın was arrested by immigration agents in March, he had valid student status and had not violated this status. Seven hours after he was detained, his student status was terminated without notice or legal basis. Officials later said that his visa was revoked because of a years-old DWI charge – a charge for which Mr. Günaydın had already completed what was required of him under the law. His attorney and others have emphasized that this charge alone does not provide legal basis for the termination of his status. A federal judge granted Mr. Günaydın bond last week, saying that the government was “substantially unlikely” to win their case to deport him. Officials responded by claiming he is a danger to public safety and filing an appeal in order to keep him in detention.

    “I would never condone drinking and driving, and at the same time, I can recognize that people make mistakes, and that our criminal justice system exists for the purpose of addressing harms such as this. Notably, our immigration laws also contain provisions designed to hold immigrants accountable for certain serious crimes, of which a single low-level DWI conviction is not included.

    “Across the country, the Trump administration has revoked or terminated thousands of student visas due to minor infractions – some as minor as speeding tickets – and in some case cases, for no identifiable reason at all. It is clear to me that these initial cases are the Trump administration testing the waters to see how far we will allow them to go. Already, we are hearing that the Trump administration is planning to target any and all other visa holders who have anything on their record at all. It is easy for them to attack students first, because they are young and they are usually studying here temporarily. It is easy to muddy the waters by calling students criminals. But if we stay silent while this happens, they will undoubtedly come for law-abiding visa holders and permanent residents. In fact, they are already proceeding on those fronts.

    “The way these detentions are taking place is reminiscent not of a nation of laws, but of authoritarian regimes. The Trump administration does not apply the law fairly, using the label of ‘criminals’ as a pretext to achieve its anti-immigration agenda. To suggest Mr. Günaydın must be held in detention because he is a danger to public safety shows that to the Trump administration, the presence of any immigrant at all is a danger to public safety. This is not about law and order – it is about purging our country of people from specific countries or with specific points of view.

    “We must all stand in solidarity with Mr. Günaydın and international students across the country facing these undemocratic and unlawful tactics. If due process does not exist for one of us, it does not exist for any of us.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –