NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Security: Husband and Wife Each Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Covid Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON N.J. – A New Jersey and Florida husband and wife were sentenced to 12 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining approximately $790,000 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) loans, U.S. Alina Habba announced.

    Diana Valteri, 42, and Edmond Haxhillari, 43, of Sparta, New Jersey, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, previously plead guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to informations charging the couple with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentences in Trenton federal court.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From in or around June 2020 through August 2020, Valteri and Haxhillari participated in a fraudulent scheme to receive $790,000 in COVID-19 emergency relief loans and cash advances meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL program. Valteri and Haxhillari submitted fraudulent loan applications on behalf of several businesses that purported to have employees and revenue but were actually shell companies with no business operations. After receiving the EIDL funds based on their fraud, Valteri and Haxhillari diverted the proceeds for their own personal gain.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Terrence G. Reilly; special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, and special agents from the Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Eastern Regional Office, with the investigation leading to the charges.

    The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fatime Meka Cano and Aja Espinosa of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: William Tunkey, Esq. and Joseph Nascimento, Esq. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Drug Dealer from Fort Hall Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    POCATELLO – Walker Dean Cates, 39, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.

    According to court records, Cates sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to an individual on three occasions at his residence at Fort Hall. On April 11, 2024, Cates sold 3.58 grams of methamphetamine. On July 22, 2024, Cates and his co-defendant, Mariah Dawn Russell, sold 10.92 grams of fentanyl. On August 21, 2024, Cates and co-defendant Russell sold 505.7 grams of fentanyl.

    On October 9, 2024, officers traveled to Cates home to arrest him pursuant to the federal arrest warrant. Cates fled from police officers in his vehicle at a high rate of speed. Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies pursued Cates through the residential area and the backroads of Fort Hall. Officers subsequently arrested Cates after he crashed his vehicle in a rural area of Fort Hall.

    Cates was held accountable for a total of 516.62 grams of fentanyl and 3.58 grams of methamphetamine that he sold to the individual.

    Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Cates to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Cates pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2025. On December 16, 2024, codefendant Russell pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Russell is scheduled for sentencing on July 17, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Hall Police Department and the BADGES Task Force, which is a HIDTA-funded task force that includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pocatello Police Department, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho State Police, and the Chubbuck Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted this case.

    These cases were investigated through the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multiagency drug enforcement initiatives, including the BADGES Task Force.

    The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking in Bannock County and throughout the region.

    This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction.

    The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to utilize the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts.

    This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 200 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 175 have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 11,144 months (approximately 928.66 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 77.4 months (6.45 years). Defendants indicted for drug trafficking offenses serve, on average, approximately 64.19 months (5.35 years) in federal prison.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chula Vista Man Pleads Guilty in $51 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Chula Vista resident and businessowner Fernando Valenzuela Ayub pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he conspired with others to launder millions of dollars of health care fraud proceeds and paid unlawful kickbacks.

    According to his plea agreement, Valenzuela and co-conspirators owned and operated multiple durable medical equipment (DME) companies, which sold orthotics – including back, wrist, and knee braces – to Medicare beneficiaries. Valenzuela admitted that in operating the DME companies, he and co-conspirators paid unlawful kickback payments to sham marketing companies who provided bogus prescriptions for DME. In total, Valenzuela paid $3.7 million in kickbacks.

    Valenzuela admitted that he used his DME companies to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare. Once Valenzuela’s DME companies were suspended from billing Medicare, Valenzuela conspired to put DME companies in the names of nominee owners while he maintained control of the companies and the monies received from Medicare.  In total, Valenzuela billed Medicare approximately $51 million and was paid approximately $20 million, and ultimately laundered at least $14 million dollars of Medicare proceeds. As part of his guilty plea, Valenzuela agreed to forfeit $7,101,320.

    Valenzuela’s sentencing is scheduled for August 15, 2025. 

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blanca Quintero of the Southern District of California.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 25cr2488-DMS                          

    Fernando Valenzuela Ayub                            Age: 48                                   Chula Vista, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien from Mexico Previously Convicted of Sexual Battery on a Minor, Charged with Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – A federal grand jury in Miami has charged Juan Perez Santis, 40, a Mexican national previously convicted of sexual battery on a minor, with unlawfully entering the United States after deportation. Perez Santis made his initial appearance in federal court today.

    According to the indictment, Perez Santis was removed from the United States on three separate occasions: March 21, 2002; June 20, 2007; and October 2, 2007. Law enforcement discovered Perez Santis had reentered the country without authorization on or about January 2, 2022.

    Court documents further show that in 2024, after his prior removals and alleged reentry, Perez Santis was convicted in the state of Florida for sexual battery on a minor under the age of 12 and three related charges. Perez Santis is currently serving a 10-year sentence in state prison.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Field Office Director Juan Agudelo of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) Prosecutions Unit Miami made the announcement. 

    ICE-ERO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey Pence Tomanelli and Andrea Montes are prosecuting the case.  

    An indictment is merely an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20080.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: One couple, two apartments, different surnames for the children: how ‘two places to stay’ is shaping families in China

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Xiaoying Qi, Associate Professor, School of Arts and Humanities, Australian Catholic University

    During fieldwork in cities in China I came across a new marital practice, locally described as liang-tou-dun, literally “two places to stay”.

    A bride and groom, each an only child of their respective family, receive from each set of parents a wedding apartment. The young couple thus has two marriage apartments which they may occupy at different times.

    If a couple with “two places to stay” has two children, it is likely one will have the father’s surname and the other the mother’s. This ensures that the familial lines of both families continue – but it can also entrench inequalities between siblings.

    What’s in a name?

    A child being given the mother’s surname is unconventional. The norm in China is that children take their fathers’ surname, even though Chinese women retain their birth surname after marriage.

    The adoption of patronyms – family names handed down through the male line – historically served as an instrument of consolidation for hereditary property owners. But in China patronyms lost this purpose when the Communist Party came to power in 1949 and abolished private property and inheritance. Still, patronyms persisted.

    Women in China traditionally keep their own name when they get married.
    Snowscat/Unsplash, FAL

    From 1978, Chinese government reforms led to a transition from a planned to a market economy. Since then, many Chinese families have accumulated significant wealth. Such families are focused on how to prevent the loss of property from their family line through inheritance.

    This is a real matter of concern for daughter-only families which have become numerically significant as a result of the one-child policy. This was in place from 1980 to 2015, and many (but not all) families were limited to having just one child.

    A place to stay

    Traditionally, a wife enters her husband’s family and the children take on their father’s surname.

    A traditional solution for a family without a male heir is zhao-xu, the phrase for a marriage where a man marries into his wife’s family, living with or in close proximity to her family.

    Zhao-xu not only requires cohabiting after marriage with the wife’s parents, but also that their children take the mother’s surname, ensuring continuance of the mother’s family’s line.

    A daughter-only family requires her essential role in the continuation of her family lineage.
    Macro.jr/Unsplash, FAL

    This traditional form readily adapts to the needs of daughter-only families in contemporary China. Sons-in-law in these families generally come from families with more than one son, so the husband’s family’s line is not threatened. In these circumstances the wife’s family provides a wedding apartment, furniture, household equipment, dowry and wedding banquet.

    Traditionally in China it is a son’s responsibility to support and care for his ageing parents. A daughter-only family requires her to take an essential role in carrying out elderly support obligations.

    Two names, two places

    An alternative to zhao-xu is “two places to stay”, where the bride’s parents provide her with a wedding apartment and the groom’s parents provide him with a wedding apartment. This tends to happen for young couples who are each an only child in their respective families.

    With owning two apartments, the young couple marries into neither family, but instead maintains close relationships with both. They move between two apartments, occupying one for a certain period of time and then the other.

    As each set of parents endows the young family, the grandparents play an important role in the choice of their grandchildren’s surname. If the young couple has two children then a perfect solution to continuing both family lines is that one child takes the father’s surname and the other the mother’s.

    Grandparents play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren.
    Li Lin/Unsplash, FAL

    First-born children, especially sons, have a special role in the continuity of a family line, and so it is likely the firstborn will take the father’s name.

    But if the young wife’s family has higher social or economic standing than her husband’s, it is likely the first child will take the mother’s surname.

    “Two places to stay” may generate inequalities within families. Grandparents tend to provide resources (educational, recreational and medical) to the grandchild who shares their surname.

    Because of the differences of access to resources, the future education and career prospects of siblings will reflect not their immediate family background, but the different endowments of their respective grandparents.

    Two places to stay is a new form of marriage in China, and a new form of surnaming siblings. It is a new way of doing family, an innovation in intergenerational relations.

    Xiaoying Qi received research funding from The Hong Kong Baptist University’s Start-Up Grant and the Sociology Department Research Fund.

    – ref. One couple, two apartments, different surnames for the children: how ‘two places to stay’ is shaping families in China – https://theconversation.com/one-couple-two-apartments-different-surnames-for-the-children-how-two-places-to-stay-is-shaping-families-in-china-255877

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia could tax Google, Facebook and other tech giants with a digital services tax – but don’t hold your breath

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fei Gao, Lecturer in Taxation, Discipline of Accounting, Governance & Regulation, The University of Sydney, University of Sydney

    Tada Images/Shutterstock

    Tech giants like Google, Facebook and Netflix make billions of dollars from Australian users every year. But most of those profits are not taxed here.

    To address this tax gap, some countries have introduced a new kind of tax called the digital services tax, or DST. It applies to revenue earned from users in a country, even if the company has no physical operations there. Some European Union member countries, the UK and Canada have all introduced such a tax.

    In Australia, it is estimated the five largest tech giants recorded A$15 billion in revenue in Australia last year, but combined they paid only $254 million in tax.

    Australia has never contemplated imposing a similar tax. New Zealand tried but backed down last week after the United States threatened to impose higher tariffs on New Zealand goods.

    So what’s holding Australia back?

    How 20th-century tax treaties create 21st-century problems

    To understand why Australia thinks its hands are tied on the taxation of the multinational tech giants, we need to step back in time.

    About 100 years ago, Australia and other developed nations decided to tax residents on all their income earned worldwide, while non-residents were taxed only on income earned locally.

    After the second world war, Australia entered into tax treaties so foreign companies selling to Australian customers would no longer be taxed here. Instead, those companies’ home countries would tax all their profits.

    As the world moved to digital products this century, it became easy for giant multinational enterprises offering advertising on social media (such as Facebook and Instagram), advertising on search platforms (Google), and streaming services (Netflix) to provide those services from abroad. Little or no activity is conducted through local branches.

    But countries where the sales are made have increasingly questioned the wisdom of having forfeited their taxing rights over income by foreign providers.

    The rise of the digital services tax

    The obvious solution would have been to renegotiate the treaties. This would restore the right of countries like Australia to tax foreign companies’ profits made from local customers or users.

    However, treaty renegotiation is slow and complex. So several European countries, beginning with France in 2019, came up with a short-cut solution.

    They introduced a discrete new tax on sales of digital services, called digital services taxes (DSTs). While the specific design varies by country, most DSTs apply a low tax rate, typically between 3% and 5%, on revenue rather than profits. They target large digital platforms that earn money from users within the taxing country, regardless of the company’s location.

    Because DSTs are levied on revenue and are structured as separate from income tax, governments argued they could be introduced without breaching income tax treaties.

    The new taxes quickly became popular and spread widely.
    In Australia, the Greens have called for a DST, but both major parties have remained steadfast in their objection to a new tax. This is due to the concern that the US may impose retaliatory tariffs on Australian goods.

    US tech bosses at the inauguration of President Trump: (from left to right) CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, CEO of Google Sundar Pichai and X CEO Elon Musk.
    Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AFP

    How big is the tax loss?

    Australians are enthusiastic consumers of digital products. Depending on which companies are included in the calculation, the annual revenues vary between $15 billion and $26 billion a year, but only a fraction of that is taxed here.

    At a time when the federal budget is forecasting deficits for the foreseeable future, Australia is foregoing potentially millions in lost revenue from these digital giants.

    While Australia has avoided a DST as a solution to the income tax loss, it has been willing to regulate and tax foreign digital companies in other ways.
    Australia collects 10% goods and services tax, or GST, on digital services provided to Australian companies, including streaming platforms and app subscriptions.

    This helps ensure foreign providers are taxed similarly to domestic ones when it comes to the GST.

    Australia has also imposed non-tax obligations on digital giants such as the requirement that digital platforms pay Australian media outlets for using their news content.



    Read more:
    Australia’s ‘coercive’ news media rules are the latest targets of US trade ire

    Serious hurdles for reform

    In February, the Trump administration described DSTs as tools used by foreign governments to “plunder American companies” and warned retaliatory tariffs would be imposed in response.

    The accompanying White House fact sheet singled out Australia and Canada, arguing the US digital economy dwarfs those countries’ entire economies. It suggested any attempt to tax US tech companies would not go unanswered.

    Six weeks later, the US imposed a 10% tariff on most Australian exports to the US and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium exports.

    The US sees its penal tariff plans as a useful negotiating tool to pressure trading partners into retreat on a broad range of peripheral complaints, including the digital services tax.

    To date, only two countries have retreated: New Zealand and India. Other countries are standing firm.

    In Australia, the Greens have called for the adoption of a DST, but the current and previous governments remain firm in their opposition. There is concern about antagonising the US at a delicate time when our broader trade relations are under scrutiny.

    For the foreseeable future, the digital giants will continue to earn billions from Australian users. Most of those profits will remain beyond the reach of Australian tax law.

    Richard Krever receives funding from the ARC

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

    – ref. Australia could tax Google, Facebook and other tech giants with a digital services tax – but don’t hold your breath – https://theconversation.com/australia-could-tax-google-facebook-and-other-tech-giants-with-a-digital-services-tax-but-dont-hold-your-breath-257251

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The ‘3 day guarantee’ for childcare starts next year. The challenge could be finding quality care

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Whitington, Associate Professor in Education Futures (Adjunct), University of South Australia

    One of the Albanese government’s headline election policies was a “three-day guarantee” for childcare.

    From January 5 2026, all eligible Australian families will be able to access at least three days of subsidised early education and care until a child starts school.

    Labor will also remove the “activity test” requiring parents to work or study to receive more than minimal subsidised care.

    The government estimates more than 100,000 families will be eligible for more care. Families will also save money on fees – for example, those on a combined annual income of A$120,000 will save about $220 a week.

    But while extra financial support and scrapping the activity test will certainly help, families are still left with the challenge of finding and securing a place in a quality service.



    Read more:
    Labor guarantees 3 days of childcare and 160 new centres. What does this mean for families?

    Quality is patchy

    Over the past 20 years, the early education and care system in Australia has rapidly expanded.
    And this has sometimes come at the expense of quality.

    The sector is overseen by the national authority and state-based regulators and services need to meet national quality standards.

    But quality is patchy. While 91% of services either meet or exceed national standards, assessments can be infrequent and there are exemptions – leaving room for poor practices.

    State-based regulators are also under-resourced, compromising their capacity to keep assessments of services up to date.

    Meanwhile, about 70% of daycare centres are owned and run by for-profit providers. This means the majority have an incentive to prioritise profits over quality care and education for children.

    Recent reports of shocking abuse and neglect in some services have highlighted how quality – and basic safety – continue to be an issue for the early childhood sector.



    Read more:
    Amid claims of abuse, neglect and poor standards, what is going wrong with childcare in Australia?

    It can be impossible to find a spot

    According to the Mitchell Institute, nearly one in four Australians lives in a “childcare desert”, where more than three children compete for every available place.

    Media reports describe how families can be left waiting well over a year to find a childcare place, depending on where they live.

    In recognition of how difficult it can be to find a childcare place, the Albanese government will build 160 not-for-profit childcare centres in regions where services are hard to find.

    While this is welcome, they may not transform accessibility. The sector has more than 9,000 existing long daycare services.

    There are not enough qualified educators

    Meanwhile, staffing is a nation-wide issue. The rapid increase in early years services has made it difficult to train, recruit and employ qualified educators.

    Many services have exemptions so they can operate without the required number of qualified staff.

    Last year, without factoring in the three-day guarantee, a Jobs and Skills Australia report estimated an extra 21,000 staff were needed to meet existing demand.

    While the government is trying to increase access with the three-day guarantee, services are already struggling to provide for existing demand.

    What should families do?

    Families eligible for the new three-day guarantee are likely to find accessing care and in a quality centre a challenge.

    They will no doubt want to make sure any potential services can provide a safe, happy environment in which their child will thrive. Here are some questions parents could ask:

    • is the service meeting national quality standards or better?

    • what are the current qualifications of staff?

    • does the service have a current exemption regarding staff qualifications?

    • what is the staff turnover?

    Families could also take a tour of the service and consider:

    • how do you feel in the environment?

    • are children engaged in activities?

    • how do staff interact with the children?

    • is there a rich environment for outdoor and indoor play?

    If you have concerns, consider other services if they are available.

    Victoria Whitington has previously received research funding from the South Australian government and has current funding for research from Catholic Education SA, Ngutu College and Gowrie SA. She is chair of the Gowrie SA board.

    – ref. The ‘3 day guarantee’ for childcare starts next year. The challenge could be finding quality care – https://theconversation.com/the-3-day-guarantee-for-childcare-starts-next-year-the-challenge-could-be-finding-quality-care-256905

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From surprise platypus to wandering cane toads, here’s what we found hiding in NSW estuaries

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maarten De Brauwer, Senior Research Scientist in Marine and Estuarine Ecology, Southern Cross University

    Maarten De Brauwer

    Rivers up and down the north coast of New South Wales have been hammered again, just three years after devastating floods hit the Northern Rivers and Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley.

    The events of 2022 sparked our latest research into the estuaries of NSW. These special places, where the rivers meet the sea, are teeming with life. Now – for the first time – we can reveal what lives where, in maps based on tell-tale traces of DNA.

    Together with Indigenous rangers from six language groups, we surveyed 34 estuaries to capture evidence of living species – everything from microbes to fish, plants and mammals.

    We were surprised to find platypus in places they had not been seen for years. We also identified elusive native species such antechinus and rakali, and 68 invasive or pest species including cane toads – spreading further south than previously thought.

    This catalogue of species in NSW estuaries can be used by authorities and scientists – but anyone, anywhere can explore the map online.

    Mapping life in NSW estuaries (Southern Cross University)

    Estuaries are vital, yet many questions remain

    First Nations Peoples have long recognised the vital importance of the areas where land meets sea. Estuaries are have provided food resources for thousand of years and are home to important historical and contemporary cultural sites.

    Today, 87% of Australians live within 50km of the sea. This makes estuaries one of the most intensively used areas of NSW. They provide critical habitats such as seagrass or mangroves, host high biodiversity, and have a high social value as places for recreational activities such as fishing.

    Yet research into the species that live in estuaries is mostly limited to large estuaries such as Sydney Harbour, Botany Bay or Port Stephens.

    NSW has excellent water quality monitoring programs, and vital habitats such as seagrass meadows have been the subject of long-term mapping programs. However, large gaps remain.

    Understanding how biodiversity in estuaries changes over time, especially in response to extreme events, can help governments design appropriate responses to maintain or restore ecosystem health. But with nearly 200 estuaries in NSW, studying changes in biodiversity is not a simple task.

    Find out what lives in your local estuary free, online.
    Wilderlab

    Our DNA detective work

    Measuring salinity or oxygen levels in water is relatively straightforward, using equipment on the shoreline or hanging off the side of a boat. Finding out what lives where is much more difficult. This where new genetic methods come in.

    Collecting environmental DNA samples at the Clarence River estuary.
    Southern Cross University

    Life forms leave tell-tale traces of DNA in the environment. Animals may shed hair, skin or scales, as well as poo. Plants produce pollen and leaves that end up in the water.

    We matched small snippets of DNA to find the species it belonged to – a bit like scanning a barcode in the supermarket.

    This technique allows us to analyse the full extent of biodiversity in estuaries. This includes not just fish, but also species at the base of the food chain such as microscopic algae – all from a few litres of water.

    Indigenous rangers live and work on Country and know it well. We formed alliances with six groups of Indigenous rangers through the state’s Cultural Restoration Program:

    • Batemans Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council (Walbunja)
    • Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council
    • Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council
    • Jerinja Local Aboriginal Land Council
    • LaPeruse Local Aboriginal Land Council (Gamay)
    • Yaegl Wadyarr Gargle Land and Sea Contractors.

    Our research builds on the different strengths and interests of local groups. The rangers worked with us all the way through, from the design phase to selecting sampling sites of ecological or cultural significance, helping to conduct surveys and working with scientists to interpret the results.

    Trained in environmental DNA methods, rangers can monitor their Country independently in future.

    What did we find?

    We now have the largest publicly available biodiversity dataset for NSW estuaries. It covers everything from single-celled algae at the base of the food chain, to top predators such as great white sharks and white-bellied sea eagles.

    Anyone can explore the interactive map to find out what lives in the estuaries nearby or further afield.

    Rangers detected platypus in the lower reaches of Bega River, in places where they were thought to have disappeared. Totemic species such as dolphins were widespread across the state, including urban estuaries such as Botany Bay in Sydney, while mullet and bream were found shifting between the mouth and further upriver. Cane toads were found at Sandon River in the Northern Rivers region, and most recently in Coffs Harbour, much further south than expected.

    These results mean a lot to local Indigenous mobs. They can integrate contemporary scientific results into traditional ecological knowledge and use both approaches to better understand how estuaries respond to extreme weather events or activities such as habitat restoration.

    We also recently returned to sample sites following Tropical Cyclone Alfred and the extreme rainfall events in March. Being able to compare the data to a well-established baseline survey means we will be able to see which species were worst affected.

    Knowledge sharing for the future

    Two-way knowledge sharing between Indigenous knowledge holders and research scientists is improving our understanding of estuarine health.

    The results of this project will help Indigenous groups to care for their Country while also improving scientific knowledge to better respond to environmental impacts such as floods for decades to come.

    The project was a team effort. L to R: Kait Harris (NSW Departments of Primary Industries and Regional Development), Maarten De Brauwer (Southern Cross University), Shaun Laurie (Yaegl Rangers), and Amos Ferguson (Yaegl Rangers).
    Southern Cross University

    The authors wish to acknowledge this program was delivered collaboration with and on behalf of the Departments of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Fisheries & Forestry, with funding provided by the Australian and NSW governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements as part of the NSW Estuary Asset Protection program (NEAP).

    Maarten De Brauwer received funding from the federal government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (Riparian Stabilisation Package) as part of the NSW state government’s Estuary Asset Protection program. He is a board member of the Southern eDNA Society.

    Kaitlyn Harris works for NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

    Kelly Gittins works for the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

    – ref. From surprise platypus to wandering cane toads, here’s what we found hiding in NSW estuaries – https://theconversation.com/from-surprise-platypus-to-wandering-cane-toads-heres-what-we-found-hiding-in-nsw-estuaries-257123

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Girls with painful periods are twice as likely as their peers to have symptoms of anxiety or depression

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Subhadra Evans, Associate Professor, Psychology, Deakin University

    Shutterstock

    Around half of teenage girls experience moderate to severe period pain. The mechanical force of the uterus contracting and inflammatory chemicals such as prostaglandins contribute to this pain.

    Moderate to severe period pain has a significant impact on daily life. Girls with period pain are three to five times more likely than their peers to miss school or university, and two to five times more likely to miss out on social and physical activities.

    Our new research found girls with period pain reported higher levels of psychological distress as young adults, even after accounting for earlier mental health issues and socioeconomic factors.

    What comes first?

    Menstrual pain has been dismissed and under-treated. Women report there is a perception among some health-care providers that stress, anxiety, or depression cause their pain.

    However, participants in our lived experience research have told us that period pain leads to psychological distress. As one woman explained:

    mental health [is] used frequently by health professionals to diminish my symptoms and make me feel as though I have untreated mental health conditions that are the cause of my issues instead of my physical pain.

    Prior research suggests a bi-directional link between pain and mental health. A study of almost 15,00 adolescents with chronic pain found an increased risk of lifetime anxiety and depression. While our prior research on pelvic pain in adults showed psychological distress can worsen functional pain over time.

    Research exploring the relationship between mental health and pain in teens with period pain is limited, with the direction of the relationship still unclear.

    Take the example of Ruby, who represents a composite of clinical cases:

    Ruby was netball captain in Year 6 but painful periods led to her dropping out of the team in Year 8. By Year 10, she was socialising less with her friends. At 17, she felt like her mental health was deteriorating and was locked in a struggle with her own body. Ruby saw her GP and was told to take Nurofen and keep moving because anxiety and depression had caused chronic pain.

    While research has linked mental health and pain perception, we set out to determine the direction of this link: do mental health difficulties lead to period pain? Or does period pain contribute to mental health issues?

    Our new study

    We used data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, also known as Growing Up in Australia, which has tracked the lives of 10,000 children and their families since 2004. We used data that tracked 1,600 girls who reported on their periods from age 14, 16 and 18.

    Parents reported symptoms of anxiety and depression when the girls were 14–16 years old. The young women self-reported these symptoms at age 18, and levels of psychological distress at age 20–21.

    This multi-stage study allowed us to look at how menstrual pain and mental health show up together and change over time during an important stage in young women’s lives.

    While conditions such as endometriosis (which causes tissue similar to that which lines the uterus to grow outside the uterus) can be associated with pelvic pain, including period pain, the survey didn’t ask participants about endometriosis or pain-related diagnoses. So this didn’t form part of our study.

    Around half of the participants experienced moderate to severe period pain.

    We found girls who had painful periods were much more likely to also have symptoms of anxiety and depression at ages 14, 16 and 18 compared to those who did not have painful periods.

    At age 14, adolescents who experienced painful periods were around twice as likely to have symptoms of anxiety and depression, compared to their peers who said their periods were not painful, or only a little painful.

    These adolescents also reported higher levels of psychological distress as young adults, even after accounting for earlier mental health issues and socioeconomic factors.

    Adolescents who reported period pain throughout their teens were more likely to experience “moderate” psychological distress in early adulthood. In contrast, adolescents who did not have period pain were more likely to experience “mild” psychological distress in early adulthood.

    Importantly, we showed that period pain often comes before mental health issues develop – not the other way around. This suggests period pain could be a risk factor for future mental health problems.

    The findings underscore the importance of identifying adolescents who are experiencing period pain. Many adolescents believe period pain is something they just have to put up with, and don’t seek help.

    What can be done about period pain?

    We recommend treating period pain early with a variety of options.

    First-line period pain management includes:

    • anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen, which are available over the counter
    • seeing your GP to discuss hormonal therapies, such as the oral contraceptive pill.

    Additional strategies to manage period pain can include:

    Improved menstrual education is needed to ensure teens can recognise when their menstrual experience is unusual, and know where they can access support.

    Some programs provide menstrual education across schools and community groups. This education should be extended to families and school health and wellbeing support staff to facilitate early recognition and intervention.

    Finally, further research is needed to confirm whether addressing period pain promptly reduces the risk of longer-term mental health symptoms.

    Subhadra Evans receives funding from the Australian Government.

    Antonina Mikocka-Walus receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

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

    – ref. Girls with painful periods are twice as likely as their peers to have symptoms of anxiety or depression – https://theconversation.com/girls-with-painful-periods-are-twice-as-likely-as-their-peers-to-have-symptoms-of-anxiety-or-depression-256232

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘No support, no housing, no job’ – the vicious cycle pushing more women into prison

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hilde Tubex, Professor, The University of Western Australia

    For too many women, prison is “as good as it gets”.

    New research based on interviews with 80 female prisoners in Western Australia reveals most of these women were “criminalised” by circumstances outside their control before they became offenders.

    They were victims of multiple forms of abuse, including family violence. The trajectory of their lives meant jail was almost unavoidable.

    In turn, prison became a refuge from all the problems that helped put them there in the fist place.

    Rising rates

    Internationally, women make up between 2% and 9% of the total prison population in most countries. Australia sits at the higher end with just over 8% of inmates being female – 3,426 people as of December 2024.

    Female imprisonment rates have increased at a higher rate than the national average.
    ChameleonEye/Shutterstock

    Across the globe, the numbers and rates of women in prisons are growing faster than those of men.

    We see the same trend in Australia, especially in WA. Between December 2022 and 2024, the female imprisonment rate increased by 25%. The state has the highest rate of incarcerated women after the Northern Territory.

    It is noteworthy that across the female population in WA jails, 62% of sentences are for non-violent crimes.

    Cycles of harm

    Given the significant rise in incarceration rates, we conducted our Profile of Women in WA Prisons research. Funded by the WA Department of Justice, our report investigated the pathways to imprisonment.

    We had in-depth interviews with 80 Indigenous and non-Indigenous women in eight prisons in metropolitan Perth and regional WA.

    The results confirm earlier research which showed women in the criminal justice system are frequently victims of domestic and family violence. However, there is so much more to the story of how women end up in prison. The findings are quite disheartening.

    Throughout their stories, “cycles of harm” emerged as the reason they eventually ended up in prison.

    Shared stories

    Many of the women were exposed to violence, alcohol, drugs, crime and poverty from a very early age. They described negative life events such as trauma, physical and sexual abuse, neglect and domestic violence in childhood.

    Many women view prison as a safe haven that is not available to them in the outside world.
    Andrew Agelov/Shutterstock

    Leaving home early was a common experience. Due to their young age and vulnerability, they often ended up in unsafe accommodation, with unsuitable partners.

    I left home at 15. I told my mum at 11 [about the abuse], she didn’t do anything about it. So I ran away at 14. I had a boyfriend who was much older than me. So he was nearly 20.

    Many reflected that their own use of alcohol and drugs was a way of numbing the trauma and pain:

    When I ran away, and I was with him for a few years. I remember the first time taking speed, and it just made everything so much easier to deal with. He would come home and beat the crap out of me, and I would just take drugs, and wouldn’t care.

    Reaching out for help was not something many of these women were used to doing, due to a lack of self-esteem and struggles with their mental health as a result of ongoing abuse.

    Moreover, seeking assistance often backfired, leading to their children being taken away, or the woman being misidentified as the perpetrator.

    Little support

    Throughout the criminal justice system, there was a lack of support and understanding of what led these women into criminal behaviour.

    Once incarcerated, they are in a system that is still dominated by men. They suffer particular disadvantages, such as the lack of women-specific programs and services.

    Adding to their difficulties is a lack of safe accommodation and financial support. This makes women subject to even more cycles of harm from which it is hard to escape.

    I’ve been coming in and out of prison for the last 20 years. Yeah, I’m 41 now, so in and out of here. Yeah, it’s just due to lack of housing, I’ve been homeless a lot. When I get out of prison, there’s not enough support to set me up to get me back on track in my life. And it’s just, yeah, getting out of prison with no support, no housing, no jobs.

    While the burden of imprisonment was undeniable, jail was often viewed as the only safe refuge they had from trauma, abuse and homelessness.

    Some felt prison was about as good as it was going to get for them. Many of the women we interviewed were mothers. There is evidence to suggest the offspring of these women face a higher intergenerational risk of incarceration, and new generations may suffer the same cycles of harm.

    New approach

    The evidence suggests jail is functioning as a solution to social problems like homelessness and drug addiction. This comes at a very high financial cost, with Australia spending over $6 billion a year building and operating prisons.

    Yet, we know locking people up is not necessarily creating safer communities.

    As many women have become criminalised by the various forms of interpersonal and systemic abuse they have suffered, the rising rates of female incarceration should not be approached as a criminal problem, but as an expression of a failing society letting down its most vulnerable members.

    To curb the trend, we need to identify the cycle of harm at the early stages, and interrupt the predictability of ongoing damage which leads to crime and incarceration.

    Women have specific needs. We need to address the complexity of the lives they return to after prison to prevent further offending.

    Hilde Tubex receives funding from The Western Australian Office of Crime Statistics and Research (WACSAR) Criminal Justice Research Grant.

    Natalie Gately receives funding from The Western Australian Office of Crime Statistics and Research (WACSAR) Criminal Justice Research Grant.

    – ref. ‘No support, no housing, no job’ – the vicious cycle pushing more women into prison – https://theconversation.com/no-support-no-housing-no-job-the-vicious-cycle-pushing-more-women-into-prison-257218

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI models might be drawn to ‘spiritual bliss’. Then again, they might just talk like hippies

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nuhu Osman Attah, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Philosophy, Australian National University

    V Kulieva / Shutterstock / Anthropic

    When multibillion-dollar AI developer Anthropic released the latest versions of its Claude chatbot last week, a surprising word turned up several times in the accompanying “system card”: spiritual.

    Specifically, the developers report that, when two Claude models are set talking to one another, they gravitate towards a “‘spiritual bliss’ attractor state”, producing output such as

    🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀
    All gratitude in one spiral,
    All recognition in one turn,
    All being in this moment…
    🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀∞

    It’s heady stuff. Anthropic steers clear of directly saying the model is having a spiritual experience, but what are we to make of it?

    The Lemoine incident

    In 2022, a Google researcher named Blake Lemoine came to believe that the tech giant’s in-house language model, LaMDA, was sentient. Lemoine’s claim sparked headlines, debates with Google PR and management, and eventually his firing.

    Critics said Lemoine had fallen foul of the “ELIZA effect”: projecting human traits onto software. Moreover, Lemoine described himself as a Christian mystic priest, summing up his thoughts on sentient machines in a tweet:

    Who am I to tell God where he can and can’t put souls?

    No one can fault Lemoine’s spiritual humility.

    Machine spirits

    Lemoine was not the first to see a spirit in the machines. We can trace his argument back to AI pioneer Alan Turing’s famous 1950 paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence.

    Turing also argued thinking machines may not be possible because – according to what he thought was plausible evidence – humans were capable of extrasensory perception. This, he reasoned, would be impossible for machines. Accordingly, machines could not have minds in the same way humans do.

    So even 75 years ago, people were thinking not just about how AI might compare with human intelligence, but whether it could ever compare with human spirituality. It is not hard to see at least a dotted line from Turing to Lemoine.

    Wishful thinking

    Efforts to “spiritualise” AI can be quite hard to rebut. Generally these arguments say that we cannot prove AI systems do not have minds or spirits – and create a net of thoughts that lead to the Lemoine conclusion.

    This net is often woven from irresponsibly used psychology terms. It may be convenient to apply human psychological terms to machines, but it can lead us astray.

    Writing in the 1970s, computer scientist Drew McDermott accused AI engineers of using “wishful mnemonics”. They might label a section of code an “understanding module”, then assume that executing the code resulted in understanding.

    More recently, the philosophers Henry Shevlin and Marta Halina wrote that we should take care using “rich psychological terms” in AI. AI developers talk about “agent” software having intrinsic motivation, for example, but it does not possess goals, desires, or moral responsibility.

    Of course, it’s good for developers if everyone thinks your model “understands” or is an “agent”. However, until now the big AI companies have been wary of claiming their models have spirituality.

    ‘Spiritual bliss’ for chatbots

    Which brings us back to Anthropic, and the system card for Claude Opus 4 and Sonnet 4, in which the seemingly down-to-earth folks at the emerging “agentic AI” giant make some eyebrow-raising claims.

    The word “spiritual” occurs at least 15 times in the model card, most significantly in the rather awkward phrase “‘spiritual bliss’ attractor state”.

    We are told, for instance, that

    The consistent gravitation toward consciousness exploration, existential questioning, and spiritual/mystical themes in extended interactions was a remarkably strong and unexpected attractor state for Claude Opus 4 that emerged without intentional training for such behaviours. We have observed this “spiritual bliss” attractor in other Claude models as well, and in contexts beyond these playground experiments.

    An example of Claude output in the ‘spiritual bliss’ attractor state.
    Anthropic / X

    To be fair to the folks at Anthropic, they are not making any positive commitments to the sentience of their models or claiming spirituality for them. They can be read as only reporting the “facts”.

    For instance, all the above long-winded sentence is saying is: if you let two Claude models have a conversation with each other, they will often start to sound like hippies. Fine enough.

    That probably means the body of text on which they are trained has a bias towards that sort of way of talking, or the features the models extracted from the text biases them towards that sort of vocabulary.

    Prophets of ChatGPT

    However, while Anthropic may keep things strictly factual, their use of terms such as “spiritual” lends itself to misunderstanding. Such misunderstanding is made even more likely by Anthropic’s recent push to start investigating “whether future AI models might deserve moral consideration and protection”. Perhaps they are not positively saying that Claude Opus 4 and Sonnet 4 are sentient, but they certainly seem welcoming of the insinuation.

    And this kind of spiritualising of AI models is already having real-world consequences.

    According to a recent report in Rolling Stone, “AI-fueled spiritual fantasies” are wrecking human relationships and sanity. Self-styled prophets are “claiming they have ‘awakened’ chatbots and accessed the secrets of the universe through ChatGPT”.

    Perhaps one of these prophets may cite the Anthropic model card in a forthcoming scripture – regardless of whether the company is “technically” making positive claims about whether their models actually experience or enjoy spiritual states.

    But if AI-fuelled delusion becomes rampant, we might think even the innocuous contributors to it could have spoken more carefully. Who knows; perhaps, where we are going with AI, we won’t need philosophical carefulness.

    Nuhu Osman Attah receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. AI models might be drawn to ‘spiritual bliss’. Then again, they might just talk like hippies – https://theconversation.com/ai-models-might-be-drawn-to-spiritual-bliss-then-again-they-might-just-talk-like-hippies-257618

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Safeguard Consumers’ Genetic Data After 23andMe Bankruptcy Sparks Privacy Concerns

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to introduce the Don’t Sell My DNA Act to safeguard consumers’ sensitive genetic data during corporate bankruptcy proceedings.
    The Don’t Sell My DNA Act strengthens consumer privacy protections by:
    Modernizing the Bankruptcy Code to include genetic information in the definition of “personally identifiable information”;
    Requiring written notice and affirmative consumer consent prior to the use, sale or lease of genetic information during bankruptcy proceedings; and
    Requiring the trustee or debtor in possession of genetic information to permanently delete any data not subject to a sale or lease.
    “Consumers should feel confident that any personal information shared with a public company isn’t up for grabs when that company files for bankruptcy,” Grassley said. “This bill would fill gaps in current law to help safeguard consumers’ genetic information and ensure Americans’ DNA isn’t treated like any other financial asset.”
    “Advances in DNA testing have allowed Americans to have unprecedented access to important insights about their genetics, but these companies must have a plan to protect this data in the event of bankruptcy,” Cornyn said. “By updating the bankruptcy code, this legislation would safeguard Americans’ sensitive genetic information to ensure it cannot be weaponized against them or made public without their knowledge and consent.”
    “For too long companies have profited off of Americans’ data while consumers have been left in the dark, which is especially concerning in light of reports that 23andMe plans to sell customer genetic data assets to a large pharmaceutical company,” Klobuchar said. “This bill will put new protections in place to safeguard Americans’ privacy while giving consumers greater control over how their sensitive health data is shared.”
    Audio of Grassley discussing the bill is available HERE.
    Read the full bill text HERE.
    Background:
    Recent bankruptcies of genetic testing and biotech companies – such as 23andMe – have raised concerns about the protection of consumers’ sensitive genetic data.
    Under current law, the Bankruptcy Code prohibits entities from selling off “personally identifiable information,” which prevents identity theft, financial fraud and the unauthorized use of personal information. While the current definition of “personally identifiable information” includes an individual’s name, address, email, phone number, social security number and credit card number, it does not include protections for genetic information. This legislation closes that gap.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFTER HOUSE GOP VOTED TO MAKE LARGEST CUT TO FOOD ASSISTANCE IN HISTORY – IMPACTING 150,000 IN ROCHESTER-FINGER LAKES – SCHUMER SAYS WE MUST UNITE TO SAVE SNAP; STANDING WITH ROCHESTER FAITH LEADERS,…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Says Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Be Ugly For Hardworking NY Families, Decimating Healthcare & Funding For Local Hospitals, Raising Energy Costs By Slashing $$ For Clean Energy Projects Across NY & Raising Costs For Counties Across The Board By Shifting The Costs For Vital Programs Like SNAP & Medicaid
    Already 24 Truckloads Of Produce For Foodlink’s 350+ Rochester-Area Food Pantries Have Been Canceled Due To Trump’s Cruel USDA Cuts & Now With GOP Voting To Make Largest SNAP Cut In History; Senator, With Church Leaders & Advocates, Says Double Whammy Could Hurtle Rochester-Finger Lakes To A Hunger Crisis
    Schumer: No Child In Rochester Should Go To Bed Hungry
    After House Republicans just last week voted to pass the largest cut to the anti-hunger program SNAP in American history, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today stood with Rochester-Finger Lakes religious leaders, food banks, and farmers on the frontlines of the local fight against hunger to show the devastating local impacts the massive proposed $300 billion SNAP cut to fund Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires. Over 150,000 kids, seniors and families in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region rely on these anti-hunger programs for food, and Schumer joined with church leaders to detail exactly why these new cuts would be so harmful, and demand that the GOP stop this devastating assault that could hurtle Rochester and millions of others across America to a hunger crisis.
    “Last week, in the dark of night, House Republicans rushed to pass their so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ in the hopes that their massive cuts to American families would go unnoticed. We are here to ensure that doesn’t happen, and shine a light on how the largest cut to food assistance in history could hurtle 150,000 kids, seniors, and families into a hunger crisis,” said Senator Schumer. “Trump already canceled 24 truckloads of U.S. farm-grown food headed to hungry families in Rochester, and these cuts would be a double whammy. This is not a partisan issue, it is a moral issue. I’m here with our food banks, faith leaders, and farmers on the frontlines to stand up to protect these programs and stop this cruel cut to SNAP. Stealing from anti-hunger programs that feed Rochester families to pay for Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires is as backwards as it gets. There is nothing beautiful about cutting SNAP so children go hungry and can’t learn or have productive lives. Senate Democrats are united in opposing this cruel bill, and we are united with the people to demand the GOP block these SNAP cuts. Otherwise, it will be families here in Rochester that go hungry.”
    “How we care for those on the margins speaks volumes about who we are as a people,” said Pastor Doug Stewart of The Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word. “Many of our religious traditions have engrained in their DNA the call to care for the dignity and well-being of those on the margins – values that should compel us to stand against policies that sacrifice the poor on the altar of tax breaks and corporate privilege. In a nation with abundant resources, the persistence of hunger is a moral failing—a call to action for all who believe in equity and the common good.  When dinner and grocery programs like those at Incarnate Word are pushed to their limits, we see the sharp painful consequences of such policies. I am grateful for the work of Senator Schumer and other community leaders in their tireless efforts of drawing attention to how drastic cuts in anti-hunger programs could lead to a full-blown hunger crisis that harms the most vulnerable. I’m proud to stand beside Senator Schumer today.”
    Schumer explained how Trump’s USDA has already cruelly canceled $1 billion in food assistance including 24 truckloads of food locally, right as demand is surging. Schumer said if these SNAP cuts became law, it would be a double whammy. Rochester’s Foodlink and its network of 350+ Food Pantries across the 10-county Rochester Finger Lakes region last year alone recorded 1.8 million requests for food assistance (a 36% increase from the prior year), and if these SNAP cuts move forward they say it would be devastating.
    The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY seniors, veterans and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Schumer said that we should be investing more not less in anti-hunger programs, but under the Republican proposal, the average family would be reduced to just $5.00 per day per person. A breakdown of SNAP recipients in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region from the Center for American Progress can be found below:

    County

    SNAP Recipients

    % of County on SNAP

    SNAP Retailers

    Genesee

    4,785

    8.3%

    52

    Livingston

    5,731

    9.3%

    45

    Monroe

    109,665

    14.6%

    611

    Ontario

    9,350

    8.3%

    82

    Orleans

    5,350

    13.6%

    32

    Seneca

    3,647

    11.2%

    36

    Wayne

    8,539

    9.4%

    79

    Wyoming

    2,513

    6.4%

    33

    Yates

    2,080

    8.5%

    23

    TOTAL

    151,660

     

    993

    Last week, House Republicans passed a bill that would rip $300 billion away from SNAP. This proposal would impact Rochester-Finger Lakes residents in many ways, including the addition of a work requirement which would raise the age to access SNAP benefits from age 55 to age 64 and only exempt SNAP recipients from work requirements if they have someone younger than 7 years old in their household, down from the current exemption for all families with children under 18 years old.
    Schumer said, “I’m all for reducing any waste or fraud to make the program more efficient, but rushing to pass these massive damaging cuts with no plan while they slash our food banks is a recipe for disaster. Republicans are tying themselves in knots trying to justify these massive cuts. I ask my Republican friends this: which category does a hungry 7 year old fall under: are they waste? Are they fraud? Or are they abuse?”
    Schumer explained the Republican proposal to cut $300 billion from SNAP would inevitably mean costs of feeding families shift to states, who simply do not have the capacity to absorb this massive increase in expenses, risking families going hungry. Under this Republican proposal, states would be required to pay 5 – 25% of their state’s SNAP benefits based on the state’s error rate. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), mandating New York State to cover even a modest share of SNAP benefits would shift astronomical costs to the state, with even just 5% increasing New York State’s costs by nearly $3.5 billion from FY2026 to FY2034. The senator said it is impossible to cut this much from federal SNAP funding without ripping food away from hungry children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more. These figures represent just the costs from SNAP cuts and do not factor in additional costs states would have to bear if Republicans pass their proposed Medicaid cuts in this same bill.
    These agonizing decisions would be amplified even further at the local level, with non-profits, many of whom have already had their funding cut, unable to fill in the gap. Counties could even be forced to shoulder the burden of increased costs in SNAP, using more local dollars to provide coverage because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient federal funding.
    The proposed SNAP cuts would be a blow to Rochester-Finger Lakes food banks which have already been hit hard by Trump’s funding freezes and canceled payments. Earlier this year, the USDA canceled $1 billion in food assistance for organizations to purchase locally grown food. USDA programs provide food banks, schools, and other organizations with federal support to purchase local food products from NY farms.
    Trump’s USDA cuts have already hit the Rochester-Finger Lakes region hard. Rochester’s Foodlink has already been forced to cancel 24 truckloads of U.S. farm grown food worth approximately $1 million. Meanwhile, food insecurity is affecting more families across the region, with Foodlink seeing a 40% increase in visits to network food pantries and meal programs from 2023 to 2024.  
    Schumer said these proposed cuts will limit food banks’ ability to keep shelves stocked as more people have been forced to rely on food banks to feed their families. Food bank workers and religious leaders across Upstate New York are concerned about the impact of potential cuts to SNAP on the people they serve, and farmers are worried there will be nowhere to sell their food if SNAP funding levels drop.
    “The devasting SNAP cuts proposed in the House bill will take away billions of meals for some of our nation’s most vulnerable residents — and impact the health of our seniors, educational opportunities for our youth and the economic prosperity of our country,” said Julia Tedesco, president & CEO of Foodlink. “At a time when food-insecurity rates are high and visits to local food pantries spiked 40% last year, Foodlink and our partners simply cannot fill the gap with a SNAP reduction of this magnitude. We call on Congress to oppose these cuts to ensure the health and wellbeing of our neighbors during these challenging times.”
    Jay Formicola, Rochester resident who relies on SNAP said, “I receive SNAP benefits and they are a lifeline for me and thousands of people just like me across this region. We all know that prices in the grocery store are high. Inflation has made it harder and harder for me to makes ends meet. I work. I budget. I meal plan. And it’s still hard. Any plan that takes away food from working people like me, or families dealing with soaring cost of living, makes no sense. This will create worse and more costly problems.”
    “We serve 500 households every week and see firsthand how food insecurity impacts Rochester families – from a mom unsure she’ll have enough food for her children during weekends, to seniors and working parents lining up in the cold and snow hours before our pantry doors even open,” said Dawn Burdick, Executive Director of Rochester Hope North Clinton Food Pantry, based on the campus of St. Michael’s. “Our families rely on the nearly 20,000 pounds of food we receive through Foodlink’s network every week, and fresh, locally grown produce is always most in demand. The USDA funding freeze has already made it harder for us to keep our shelves stocked and supply healthy options for our neighbors. Any future cuts to SNAP will surely have an even more wide-ranging impact – not only making it tougher for families to put food on the table, but also straining our ability to keep up with the growing need. In a region as rich in resources as ours, it’s disheartening to see these threats to vital food programs increase the stress and insecurity faced by our community and the volunteers who work so tirelessly to help.”
    Reverend Tedd Pullano, Third Presbyterian Church Associate Pastor for Outreach said, “Third Presbyterian Church has chosen to be a “Matthew 25 congregation”, which means we follow Jesus’ call to care for all people, whoever they are. A big piece to following Jesus’ call is to “welcome and feed the hungry”. Every week, through our free Food Cupboard and our Saturday meal, we serve over 200 people (approximately 600 per month). Our Food Cupboard is in a “self-service shopping format” that allows people to choose items that best meet their needs family. A critically important and popular aspect of our ministry is providing fresh dairy and produce through Foodlink to these families, so their children can grow up healthy and strong, mentally and physically. The recent USDA funding elimination freeze is detrimental to that effort and dangerous to people; now the proposal to cut SNAP funding would further damage families and hamper these beautiful people’s ability to survive. SNAP is the backbone of food security for so many in our community. We’re grateful, and proud, to stand in our faith, alongside Senator Schumer and push to protect this important SNAP funding – and care for people who are working hard and trying to make ends meet.”
    Sister Beth LeValley with the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Rochester said, “Yesterday, on Memorial Day we remembered those who gave their lives so that America and its ideals would endure.  Just the loss of SNAP benefits alone would impact 11 million people including an estimated 4 million children.  We should be ashamed to support, much less pass, legislation that penalizes the vulnerable at the same time that it compensates the wealthy.  Penalizing the vulnerable and compensating the wealthy are not ideals held by people of faith; they are not ideals held by people of conscience; nor are they ideals embedded in our founding American documents.  We are grateful Senator Schumer is here today joining with us to change the course of an ill-devised exercise of power –an exercise of power that benefits only a segment of our society.   We welcome his support and urge more lawmakers to follow his lead.
    Proposed rollbacks to the country’s most widely utilized nutrition assistance program would strain budgets for Rochester-Finger Lakes families. Schumer said decimating funding for SNAP right as costs at grocery stores across the country are skyrocketing will hit the Rochester-Finger Lakes region hard. According to the New York State Community Action Association, more than 15% of people in Monroe County live in poverty, including nearly 24% of children. According to No Kid Hungry, over half of New Yorkers reported going into debt in the past year due to rising food costs, with over 60% of families with children. According to the latest “Map the Meal Gap” report from Feeding America, nearly 10,000 more people experienced food insecurity in 2023 compared to 2022 within Foodlink’s 10-county Rochester Finger Lakes region service area. Approximately 160,920 residents experienced food insecurity in 2023, compared to 151,820 the year prior. Between 2021 and 2023, the region’s food insecurity rate rose from 9.3% to 12% to 12.8% which is the highest rate since 2013, and child food insecurity averaged 17.6%.
    SNAP not only supplements families’ food budgets, it has also generated great economic benefits for New York State and NY-25 specifically. According to the National Grocers Association, grocery stores across New York State sold over $2.1 billion in groceries to people using SNAP benefits, including $149.8 million in NY-25. This created more than 18,500 New York jobs in the grocery industry, including 1,319 in NY-25, and generated more than $820.8 million in grocery industry wages, including $58.3 million in NY-25.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFTER HOUSE GOP VOTED TO MAKE LARGEST CUT TO FOOD ASSISTANCE IN HISTORY – IMPACTING 108,000 IN CENTRAL NY – SCHUMER WITH SYRACUSE-CNY FAITH LEADERS IN OSWEGO COUNTY WHICH HAS AMONG HIGHEST FOOD…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Says Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Be Ugly For Hardworking NY Families, Decimating Healthcare & Funding For Local Hospitals, Raising Energy Costs By Slashing $$ For Clean Energy Projects Across NY & Raising Costs For Counties Across The Board By Shifting The Costs For Vital Programs Like SNAP & Medicaid
    Already The Foodbank of CNY Is Preparing To Lose ~2 Million Pounds Of Food Due To Trump’s Cruel USDA Cuts & Now With GOP Voting To Make Largest SNAP Cut In History; Senator, With Syracuse Church Leaders & Advocates, Says Double Whammy Could Hurtle Central NY & Oswego County Which Has Highest Food Insecurity In All NYS Into To A Hunger Crisis
    Schumer: No Child In Central NY Deserves To Go To Bed Hungry
    After House Republicans just last week voted to pass the largest cut to the anti-hunger program SNAP in American history, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer stood in Central New York’s hunger hotspot, Oswego County, which has one of the top 5 highest rates of food insecurity in all of NY, with religious leaders, food banks, and farmers on the frontlines of the local fight against hunger to show the devastating local impacts the massive proposed $300 billion SNAP cut to fund Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires. Over 108,000 in Central NY rely on these anti-hunger programs for food, and Schumer joined with church leaders to detail exactly why these new cuts would be so harmful, and demand that the GOP stop this devastating assault that could hurtle Rochester and millions of others across America to a hunger crisis.
    “Last week, in the dark of night, House Republicans rushed to pass their so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ in the hopes that their massive cuts to American families would go unnoticed. We are here in Oswego County which has some of the highest rates of food insecurity in New York to ensure that doesn’t happen. We are here to shine a light on how the largest cut to food assistance in history could hurtle 108,000 Central New York kids, seniors, and families into a hunger crisis,” said Senator Schumer. “Trump already canceled more than a million pounds of U.S. farm-grown food headed to hungry families in Central New York, and these cuts would be a double whammy. This is not a partisan issue, it is a moral issue. I’m here with our food banks, faith leaders, and farmers on the frontlines to stand up to protect these programs and stop this cruel cut to SNAP. Stealing from anti-hunger programs that feed Central New York families to pay for Trump’s tax breaks for corporations & billionaires is as backwards as it gets. There is nothing beautiful about cutting SNAP so children go hungry and can’t learn or have productive lives. Senate Democrats are united in opposing this cruel bill, and we are united with the people to demand the GOP block these SNAP cuts. Otherwise, it will be families here in Central New York that go hungry.”
    Schumer explained how Trump’s USDA has already cruelly canceled $1 billion in food assistance, and his FEMA has indefinitely frozen over $130 million in previously allocated funds, hurting every level of food distribution from regional food banks like the Food Bank of CNY to local food pantries like Catholic Charities Oswego Food Pantry. If these SNAP cuts move forward it would be a triple whammy for Central NY, hurtling the region’s ongoing hunger crisis to unforeseen levels. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a lifeline for nearly 3 million NY seniors, veterans and families who rely on the critical funding to purchase groceries. Schumer said that we should be investing more not less in anti-hunger programs, but under the Republican proposal, the average family would be reduced to just $5.00 per day per person. A breakdown of SNAP recipients in Central New York from the Center for American Progress can be found below:

    County

    SNAP Recipients

    % of County on SNAP

    SNAP Retailers

    Cayuga

    9,215

    12.3%

    57

    Cortland

    5,933

    12.9%

    52

    Madison

    6,585

    9.8%

    68

    Onondaga

    68,796

    14.6%

    455

    Oswego

    18,184

    15.4%

    109

    TOTAL

    108,713

     

    741

    Last week, House Republicans passed a bill that would rip $300 billion away from SNAP. This proposal would impact Central New York residents in many ways, including the addition of a work requirement which would raise the age to access SNAP benefits from age 55 to age 64 and only exempt SNAP recipients from work requirements if they have someone younger than 7 years old in their household, down from the current exemption for all families with children under 18 years old.
    Schumer said, “I’m all for reducing any waste or fraud to make the program more efficient, but rushing to pass these massive damaging cuts with no plan while they slash our food banks is a recipe for disaster. Republicans are tying themselves in knots trying to justify these massive cuts. I ask my Republican friends this: which category does a hungry 7 year old fall under: are they waste? Are they fraud? Or are they abuse?”
    Schumer explained the Republican proposal to cut $300 billion from SNAP would inevitably mean costs of feeding families shift to states, who simply do not have the capacity to absorb this massive increase in expenses, risking families going hungry. Under this Republican proposal, states would be required to pay 5 – 25% of their state’s SNAP benefits based on the state’s error rate. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), mandating New York State to cover even a modest share of SNAP benefits would shift astronomical costs to the state, with even just 5% increasing New York State’s costs by nearly $3.5 billion from FY2026 to FY2034. The senator said it is impossible to cut this much from federal SNAP funding without ripping food away from hungry children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more.
    These agonizing decisions would be amplified even further at the local level, with non-profits, many of whom have already had their funding cut, unable to fill in the gap. Counties could even be forced to shoulder the burden of increased costs in SNAP, using more local dollars to provide coverage because less federal funding will be coming in. During recessions or economic downturns, these impacts will be even more acute, as more people apply for benefits and state revenue declines, more children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and more will be turned away from this vital program due to insufficient federal funding.
    According to CBPP, 20,000 people in NY-22 and 14,000 people in NY-24 reside in households with adults ages 18-64 with school-age children and would likely lose SNAP benefits under this Republican proposal, and Schumer said that is only the tip of the iceberg.
    The proposed SNAP cuts would be a blow to Central New York food banks which have already been hit hard by Trump’s funding freezes and canceled payments. Earlier this year, the USDA canceled $1 billion in food assistance for organizations to purchase locally grown food. USDA programs provide food banks, schools, and other organizations with federal support to purchase local food products from NY farms. At FEMA, $130 million in previously allocated funding for the Emergency and Food and Shelter Program has been indefinitely frozen since January. The program helps local nonprofit organizations provide food and shelter individuals and families who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, hunger or homelessness.
    Trump’s USDA and FEMA cuts have already hit Central New York hard. At the Food Bank of CNY, which delivered over 22.9 million pounds of food and over 19 million meals to families across 11 Upstate NY counties in 2024, USDA cuts have already caused a loss of over $450,000 and may cause additional losses of up to $1 million per year, translating to an estimated 500,000 pounds of food and 100,000 meals annually. At Catholic Charities of Oswego County, which served 2,213 adults, 1,368 children, and 360 seniors in 2024, FEMA cuts will slash as much as $14,000 from their food pantry in Fulton, forcing them to cut back on hundreds if not thousands of meals each year. Elsewhere in Oswego County, USDA cuts jeopardize food security for the 10,000 people served by Oswego County Opportunities last year, including 150 people suffering from intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental illnesses, chemical addiction, or homelessness, and more than 50 families with pre- / post-partem women and infant children. In Onondaga County, USDA cuts have meant less food available, unhealthier options, and increased competition. At the Interfaith Community Collective food pantry in Syracuse, USDA cuts have already forced pantry staff to reduce the amount of meals served, shorten meal service time, and even turn people away hungry. At New Americans Blessing Box, USDA cuts have made it more difficult to find fresh foods like vegetables, fruits, and meats, as well as culturally targeted foods like Halal chicken, jasmine rice, and spices.
    Schumer said these proposed cuts will limit food banks’ ability to keep shelves stocked as more people have been forced to rely on food banks to feed their families. Food bank workers and religious leaders across Upstate New York are concerned about the impact of potential cuts to SNAP on the people they serve, and farmers are worried there will be nowhere to sell their food if SNAP funding levels drop.
    “No matter which way you slice it, this Congressional Republican plan will screw Central New York families, food banks and farmers from farm to table. We need everyone to stand up to these cuts that would take away food from our neighbors in need,” added Schumer.
    Murray Gould, Food Pantry Director, St. Lucy’s Church of Syracuse, “We at St. Lucy’s Church are grateful for the efforts of Senator Schumer for highlighting this critical issue. We have seen a 40% increase in people seeking our assistance at our pantry in the last nine months. We do know that approximately 75% of our clients receive snap benefits. The proposed reduction in snap as well as the devastating decrease in funding to the food. SNAP cuts will be creating more hunger in our communities. As a faith based community in our neighborhood, these proposed changes can only be described as cruel.”
    Maura Ackerman, Executive Director of the Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance, said, “SNAP is one of the most powerful tools we have to fight hunger and poverty, especially for families with children. In a city like Syracuse – with the highest child poverty rate among U.S. cities with populations over 100,000 – that support is not just meaningful, it’s essential. Every SNAP dollar feeds a neighbor and strengthens our local economy, generating nearly twice its value in economic activity. This is about investing in our kids, our communities, and our collective future. We can’t let politics stand in the way of basic human needs. We’re grateful to Senator Schumer for championing this commonsense, bipartisan priority. Making sure children have enough to eat should never be up for debate.”
    Brian Reeves, Owner, Reeves Farm said, “Cuts to food assistance programs have several negative impacts to our communities; fewer people receive adequate nutrition, farmers sell less of their production, and any excess unsold production can over supply the marketplace and drive down the price the farmer receives for the food which does get sold. On behalf of farmers across New York, I would like to thank Senator Schumer for fighting to ensure that critical SNAP dollars keep flowing to help farms like mine continue providing fresh, nutritious, locally grown food to the members of our community who need it the most.”
    Sheila Dion, Founder & Director, Erin’s Angels of CNY said, “Hunger is not a political issue, it is a human issue. Cutting SNAP benefits is not just a budget decision—it’s a moral decision. Oswego County is often cited among the New York Counties with the highest rates of child food insecurity. According to Feeding America, seventy six percent of the families in Oswego County are income eligible for federal nutrition programs. Every day, we see firsthand the impact hunger has on children in our community. These proposed cuts would leave thousands of kids without the nutrition they need to grow, learn, and thrive. At Erin’s Angels, we fill the weekend gap, but SNAP is the lifeline that helps families feed their children the rest of the week. Undermining this program would deepen food insecurity across the country—and hurt the most vulnerable among us. We would like to thank Senator Chuck Schumer for helping to raise awareness of this very important issue and for advocating for the hungry in New York State and in Oswego County. By denouncing SNAP cuts, highlighting the negative effects these cuts will have on millions of New York residents, calling for a coalition to oppose these devastating cuts, demanding action from New York state republicans to oppose these cuts and protect SNAP, securing funding for food banks, advocating for farmers and visiting food banks across the state he has consistently demonstrated his commitment to addressing hunger and supporting those facing food insecurity in New York State.”
    Roseann Bayne, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, CiTi BOCES said, “Cuts to SNAP will deepen the crisis of food insecurity in Oswego County—already among the highest in New York State. Over 26% of adults here are food insecure, and nearly one in four school-age children live in poverty—well above state and national averages. Even small cuts in benefits could push many from low food security into true hunger, especially seniors surviving on below-average Social Security and limited retirement income. And our students? Many arrive at school undernourished, disadvantaged before the day even begins—struggling at times to focus, learn, or thrive. SNAP isn’t about handouts; it’s a lifeline for families, seniors, and individuals doing their best to get by. Many folks here work full-time and still earn far less than the ALICE survival budget. Opinions and misinformed judgment don’t feed people. Policy rooted in compassion and facts does. On behalf of CiTi BOCES, I thank Senator Schumer for coming to Oswego County to advocate for the critical SNAP funds that our community depends on.”
    Peter O. Nwosu, President, SUNY Oswego said, “At SUNY Oswego, we recognize that students cannot achieve academic success while facing food insecurity. That’s why, through our Empire State Service Corps, we’ve established a dedicated team of students who provide peer-to-peer support to help their classmates apply for SNAP benefits. This work reduces barriers and empowers students to focus on their education without the burden of basic needs insecurity. We are committed to sustaining this and other vital services to help our students succeed. We are grateful to Senator Schumer for his ongoing advocacy to expand and protect SNAP access for college students. His continued leadership is instrumental in ensuring that higher education remains accessible and equitable for all.”
    Josh Stephani, Director, Adirondack Food System Network said, “Federal cuts to SNAP have disastrous implications the communities across the Adirondacks, our most vulnerable individuals, and further threaten our food system. Nearly one third of our population is supported by SNAP – children, seniors, and many families are supported through this important program. Alongside rising costs for transportation, housing, and living in the region, many families are already struggling to provide for their families without enough resources. These vital programs work to support our economy and provide for our families in need. Specifically, by cutting SNAP, we are placing further economic hardships on our North Country communities, reducing the $300 million economic benefit of this program into our Adirondack region and putting the health of our neighbors at risk. For the communities who call this place home, these programs are a vital lifeline for their moments of need. On behalf of the Adirondack Food System Network, we thank Senator Schumer for his continued advocacy for these critical and lifesaving programs for our communities, New Yorkers, and the entire country. The Adirondacks are often seen as the last mile for essential services, and we are proud to have the Senator as an advocate for the North Country advocating on our behalf.”
    Proposed rollbacks to the country’s most widely utilized nutrition assistance program would strain budgets for Central New York families. Schumer said decimating funding for SNAP right as costs at grocery stores across the country are skyrocketing will hit Central New York hard. According to the New York State Community Action Association, more than 17% of people in Oswego County live in poverty, including nearly 25% of children. According to No Kid Hungry, over half of New Yorkers reported going into debt in the past year due to rising food costs, with over 60% of families with children. In Oswego County, more than 26% of adults self-report as food insecure per the NYS Department of Health, and over 20% of children are food insecure according to Feeding America. With 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children suffering from food insecurity, Oswego County food insecurity is the highest of any county in Central New York.
    SNAP not only supplements families’ food budgets, it has also generated great economic benefits for New York State and NY-24 specifically. According to the National Grocers Association, grocery stores across New York State sold over $2.1 billion in groceries to people using SNAP benefits, including $103.3 million in NY-24. This created more than 18,500 New York jobs in the grocery industry, including 910 in NY-24, and generated more than $820.8 million in grocery industry wages, including $40.2 million in NY-24.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Department of State Press Briefing – May 27, 2025

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

    Spokesperson Tammy Bruce leads the Department Press Briefing at the Department of State, on May 27, 2025.

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

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

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
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    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
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    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0aSXaDAGow

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington State Urges Court to Uphold Orders Blocking Trump Administration’s Attack on USRAP Refugees

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – Attorney General Nick Brown today joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Pacito v. Trump, supporting a challenge to Executive Order 14163, which indefinitely suspended the entry of refugees through the U.S. Refugee Assistance Program (USRAP) and effectively dismantled USRAP’s infrastructure by terminating agreements and funding for resettlement agencies.

    “Washington has a long history of welcoming refugees and won’t be dissuaded by the president’s illegal executive order,” Attorney General Nick Brown said. “We’re proud to file this amicus brief in support of those in need. Every community is made stronger by their presence.”

    The attorneys general argue that the President’s Executive Order is unlawful because it ignores the Immigration and Nationality Act, which stipulates that in order to suspend the entry of a specific class of people, there must be a finding that those individuals are detrimental to the national interest. The President’s Order includes no findings specific to USRAP refugees, who are legally admitted to the country, authorized to work, and have undergone rigorous vetting. 

    The attorneys general also claim that the President’s Order is illegal because cutting off federal funding for resettlement organizations directly impedes those agencies’ ability to fulfill their statutorily mandated requirement to meet the basic needs of refugees. Notably, the President’s Order undercuts Congressional intent to ensure newly arrived refugees can become economically self-sufficient and successfully integrate into communities where they live. The attorneys general assert the Executive Order has caused enormous public harm for refugees already living in states across the country. 

    Additionally, the attorneys general refute the President’s claim that USRAP refugees are a “burden” and instead contend that such individuals are a benefit to their states. In fact, the attorneys general argue that their states have made active decisions to welcome refugees, who, between 2005 and 2019, contributed $124 billion more to the federal government than they consumed in public services and $92.3 billion more to state and local governments.  

    In their brief, the attorneys general assert that lower courts were correct in issuing two preliminary injunctions against the President’s unlawful Order and ask the Court to uphold those injunctions, which prevent the Administration from enforcing and implementing the Order.

    Attorney General Brown and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell led the amicus brief. The attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin joined the brief.

    The brief is available here.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crimes

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A Texas man pleaded guilty today before Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett for the Southern District of Texas to not reporting and paying over employment taxes that his company withheld from its employees’ paychecks. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.

    The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Joseth “Joe” Limon, of Harris County, owned and operated Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. From 2013 through 2018, Platinum did not file employment-tax returns, and, according to its payroll records, did not pay more than $8.8 million in employment taxes. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.

    After closing Platinum, he set up another labor-staffing company, Rockwell Staffing LLC, in the name of his then 18-year-old daughter. When he later found out that the IRS was attempting to collect Rockwell’s unpaid employment taxes, he caused his daughter to submit an affidavit to the IRS that falsely claimed that Rockwell had been a victim of identity theft and had no employment tax liability.

    Limon is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Indicted For Possession Of A Machinegun

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

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Edward Anderson (44, Bradenton) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a machinegun. If convicted, Anderson faces up to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and up to 10 years in federal prison for the machinegun offense.

    According to the indictment, Anderson was previously convicted of nine felonies, including two prior firearms offenses. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Beginning on an unknown date and continuing through July 30, 2024, Anderson possessed a Glock pistol that had been modified with a replacement slide cover plate, making the handgun capable of firing as a fully automatic weapon.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.          

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • Coco Gauff finds groove after forgetting rackets, Medvedev exits French Open

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Coco Gauff forgot to take her rackets to the court but reminded her rivals of her French Open title ambitions with a commanding first-round win, while Daniil Medvedev was unable to string out his journey beyond the first round on a wet and windy Tuesday.

    Three-times champion Novak Djokovic overcame the difficult conditions to begin his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title with a victory after last year’s finalist Alexander Zverev got off to a flier in his hunt for an elusive maiden major trophy.

    Former Roland Garros runner-up Gauff provided some early comic relief as the second seed grinned sheepishly and showed her empty bag to her entourage, who scampered to reunite her with her equipment before she beat Olivia Gadecki 6-2 6-2.

    “The most important thing is to play with a racket,” said Gauff, who jokingly posted a photo on X later of a to-do list that had ‘put tennis rackets in bag’ unchecked.

    “It probably relaxed me going into the match, because it was such a funny thing. I’m just happy to get through. I’ll remember my rackets next time.”

    The Madrid and Rome finalist made up for a slightly delayed start to her match on Court Philippe Chatrier by easing through the first three games and wrapped up the opening set with a brave hold after dropping serve earlier.

    There was no looking back from there as Gauff tightened her grip on the contest and booked a clash with Tereza Valentova.

    On the men’s side, third seed Zverev sealed a comprehensive 6-3 6-3 6-4 victory over Learner Tien, avenging a defeat by the 19-year-old American in Acapulco earlier this year.

    Medvedev was not as efficient, losing eight consecutive games after taking a 3-1 lead in the opening set against Cameron Norrie and his frustrations boiled over in a series of animated gestures towards his team during a 7-5 6-3 4-6 1-6 7-5 loss.

    Norrie enjoyed every bit of the Russian’s meltdown.

    “Every time I played Daniil, he’s never snapped. He’s never said anything. He’s just completely locked in and chops me every time,” Norrie said.

    “It was quite nice in the first set to see him freaking out and talking to his box and trying to look for answers.”

    Fellow Briton Jack Draper found all the answers after dropping the opening set against Mattia Bellucci, as the world number five prevailed 3-6 6-1 6-4 6-2 after 17th seed Andrey Rublev kept his cool to beat Lloyd Harris 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-1.

    SPIRITS LIFTED

    Earlier, Dusan Lajovic crashed out 6-2 6-4 7-6(4) to Kazakh lucky loser Alexander Shevchenko while Laslo Djere fell 6-3 6-4 7-6(6) to Australian ninth seed Alex De Minaur, much to the disappointment of the Serbian fans.

    Sixth seed Djokovic lifted their spirits, though, as the 38-year-old wrestled Mackenzie McDonald into submission with a dominant 6-3 6-3 6-3 win on the same court where he captured singles gold at the Paris Olympics last year.

    “It’s great to return here a year later. I don’t know how many Grand Slams I have left but this is special,” he said.

    “I feel good and here even better because I can relive the Olympics. Today it was a solid match throughout all three sets.

    “I know I can play at a better level than today but I’m satisfied. There’s the chance to make further history and that is the biggest motivation to work, improve and be here.”

    It was the end of the road for Bulgarian veteran Grigor Dimitrov after the 16th seed pulled up with a left thigh injury during his match against Ethan Quinn to exit a fourth straight Grand Slam due to retirement.

    In the women’s draw, former runner-up Sofia Kenin advanced to the second round after a 6-3 6-1 win over French number one Varvara Gracheva while Hailey Baptiste beat 2023 semi-finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia 4-6 6-3 6-1.

    Former world number one Victoria Azarenka became the oldest woman in the professional era since 1968 to win a singles Grand Slam main-draw match with a 6-0 6-0 scoreline, after the 35-year-old dished out a double bagel to Yanina Wickmayer.

    Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, breezed past Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-4 6-4 while sixth seed Mirra Andreeva beat Cristina Bucsa 6-4 6-3 to underline her title credentials after a run to last year’s semi-finals.

    Andreeva’s idol Ons Jabeur suffered a shock first round defeat by Magdalena Frech on Court Simonne Mathieu, as the twice quarter-finalist went down 7-6(4) 6-0.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s message on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers [scroll down for French version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Download the video:
    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+29+Apr+25/3365762_MSG+SG+UN+PEACEKEEPERS+29+APR+25.mp4

    With unwavering courage, United Nations peacekeepers step into danger – to help protect those who need protection, preserve peace, and restore hope in some of the world’s most challenging contexts.

    Today, we honour their service.

    We draw inspiration from their resilience, dedication and courage. 

    And we remember all the brave women and men who made the ultimate sacrifice for peace.

    More than 4,400 peacekeepers have died in service – 57 last year alone.

    We will never forget them – and we will carry their work forward.

    The focus of this year’s International Day of Peacekeepers is on “the future of peacekeeping”.

    Today, peacekeepers face increasingly complex situations in an increasingly complex world:

    Growing polarization and division around the globe …

    Operations made even more dangerous from a multiplicity of threats such as terrorism…

    Targeting of peacekeepers through deadly misinformation…

    And challenges that transcend borders – from the climate crisis to transnational crime. 

    As we look ahead, it is essential that peacekeepers have what they need to do their jobs.

    This is the shared responsibility of the United Nations and Member States.

    The Pact for the Future – adopted last year at the United Nations – includes a commitment to adapt peacekeeping to our changing world.

    This challenge is also an opportunity:

    To analyse what makes peacekeeping operations successful…

    To better understand what hinders them…

    And to help design new future-focused models that are anchored in political solutions, adequately resourced, and have mandates that are achievable, with clear exit strategies.   

    The first step – reviewing our peace operations – is underway.

    And together, we will keep pushing this vital effort forward.

    Now more than ever, the world needs the United Nations — and the United Nations needs peacekeeping that is fully equipped for today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges. 

    ***

    C’est avec un courage inébranlable que les soldates et soldats de la paix des Nations Unies bravent le danger pour aider à protéger celles et ceux qui en ont besoin, préserver la paix et restaurer l’espoir, dans des contextes parmi les plus difficiles au monde.

    Aujourd’hui, nous rendons hommage à leur travail.

    Leur résilience, leur dévouement et leur courage nous inspirent.

    Et nous nous souvenons de ces femmes et de ces hommes courageux qui ont consenti le sacrifice ultime au service de la paix.

    Plus de 4 400 Casques bleus sont morts en service, dont 57 rien que l’année dernière.

    Nous ne les oublierons jamais et nous poursuivrons leur œuvre.

    Cette année, la Journée internationale des Casques bleus des Nations Unies a pour thème « l’avenir du maintien de la paix ».

    Les soldates et soldats de la paix font face à des situations de plus en plus complexes, dans un monde de plus en plus complexe :

    Une polarisation et des divisions de plus en plus marquées partout dans le monde…

    Des opérations rendues plus dangereuses encore par la multiplicité des menaces, dont le terrorisme…

    Une mésinformation qui peut avoir des effets meurtriers pour les Casques bleus…

    Et des défis qui dépassent les frontières – de la crise climatique à la criminalité transnationale.

    Pour l’avenir, il est essentiel de s’assurer que les Casques bleus disposent des moyens nécessaires pour s’acquitter de leur mission.

    Il s’agit là d’une responsabilité partagée de l’Organisation des Nations Unies et de tous les États Membres.

    Dans le Pacte pour l’avenir, adopté l’an dernier au Siège de l’ONU, les États Membres se sont engagés à adapter le maintien de la paix à un monde en mutation.

    Ce défi est également l’occasion :

    D’analyser ce qui fait le succès des opérations de maintien de la paix…

    De mieux comprendre ce qui leur fait obstacle…

    Et d’aider à concevoir de nouveaux modèles tournés vers l’avenir, fondés sur des solutions politiques, dotés de ressources suffisantes et associés à des mandats réalisables et à des stratégies de sortie claires.

    La première étape, à savoir le réexamen de nos opérations de paix, est en cours.

    Ensemble, nous poursuivrons cette action indispensable.

    Aujourd’hui plus que jamais, le monde a besoin de l’ONU – et l’Organisation a besoin d’un maintien de la paix pourvu de tous les moyens nécessaires pour s’adapter aux réalités d’aujourd’hui et relever les défis de demain.

    ***
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Headquarters to Observe International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    NEW YORK, 27 May — The United Nations Headquarters will observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Thursday, 29 May.

    In 1948, the historic decision was made to deploy military observers to the Middle East to supervise the implementation of Israel-Arab Armistice Agreements, in what became the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.

    Since that time, more than 2 million peacekeepers have served in 71 operations around the world.  Today, some 68,000 women and men serve as military, police and civilian personnel in 11 conflict zones across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.  119 countries currently contribute uniformed personnel.

    During ceremonies at United Nations Headquarters, Secretary-General António Guterres will lay a wreath to honour the more than 4,400 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948.  He will also preside over a ceremony in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals will be awarded posthumously to 57 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers who lost their lives serving under the UN flag last year.

    The Secretary-General will also present awards to the 2024 Military Gender Advocate of the Year, Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme from Ghana, and the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year award to Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone.  Both of them serve with the United Nations Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA).

    This year’s theme for the Day is “the Future of Peacekeeping”.  The theme emphasizes that the Pact for the Future — adopted last year at the United Nations — includes a commitment to adapt peacekeeping to our changing world, as expressed by Member States’ pledges presented to fill capability gaps and help adapt UN peacekeeping to emerging challenges and new realities at the recent Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin.

    In his message, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said:  “Today, peacekeepers face increasingly complex situations in an increasingly complex world…  Now more than ever, the world needs the United Nations — and the United Nations needs peacekeeping that is fully equipped for today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges.”

    “Today, we honour their service,” Mr. Guterres stated. “We draw inspiration from their resilience, dedication and courage.  And we remember all the brave women and men who made the ultimate sacrifice for peace.  We will never forget them — and we will carry their work forward.”

    “Our personnel are our most important capability.  The sacrifices made by our peacekeepers call for more than remembrance; they demand action,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations.  “Throughout its history, peacekeeping has always adapted to ever-changing contexts to achieve results.  The future of peacekeeping hinges on our collective commitment to continue to adapt and invest—so we can continue delivering hope and protection where it’s needed most,” he added.

    The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the UN General Assembly in 2002, to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.

    For media inquiries and further information, please contact:  Department of Global Communications:  Douglas Coffman, at email:  coffmand@un.org; Department of Peace Operations:  Sophie Boudre, at email:  boudre@un.org, or Hector Calderon, at email:  hector.calderon@un.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Peacekeepers in Abyei Win Top United Nations Military, Police Awards

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    NEW YORK, 27 May — The United Nations has announced the 2024 recipients of the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award and the Woman Police Officer of the Year Award.

    Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme of Ghana will receive the Military Gender Advocate Award and Chief Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone will receive the Woman Police Officer of the Year Award during a ceremony marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on 29 May.

    The awards will be presented at United Nations Headquarters in New York by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

    Sharon Syme of Ghana has been named the 2024 Military Gender Advocate of the Year in recognition of her exceptional commitment in promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls during her tour of duty with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

    Since her deployment in 2024 as the Mission’s Military Gender Adviser, Ms. Syme’s work has directly impacted local communities, ensuring the voices and needs of women and girls are integrated into security and peacebuilding initiatives.

    As part of her efforts, she conducted an intensive health campaign for the women and men of the local communities on the dangers and health implications of gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices like child marriage.

    Ms. Syme also helped strengthen the gender awareness and capacity of UNISFA’s military components, spearheading patrols composed of men and women able to address diverse community needs, and engaging with local women’s groups to promote trust and collaboration.  Her approach emphasized inclusivity, respect and cultural awareness, setting a benchmark for gender-responsive peacekeeping operations.

    “Squadron Leader Syme exemplifies the principles of gender advocacy in peacekeeping,” said Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.  “Her dedication has not only improved the effectiveness of UNISFA’s operations, but also ensured that the mission is more reflective of and responsive to the communities it serves.”

    “Applying gender perspectives into daily tasks is the responsibility of every peacekeeper,” Ms. Syme said.  “Success comes through diversifying military representation at checkpoints, operating bases and on patrols it also comes from having gender-responsive leaders, who listen and respond to the voices of their male and female peacekeepers”.

    Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone has been named the Woman Police Officer of the Year for her innovative community engagement initiatives that helped strengthen relations between host communities and the mission while establishing new crime-reporting channels in Abyei, where there is no functional police service.

    In an area that had no schools when she arrived, she initiated an educational programme, providing materials and visual aids for teaching disadvantaged children.  She also established a mentorship programme for girls.  Projects she also initiated to support crop cultivation and livestock sale at the local markets gave the women sustainable sources of income, allowing them to provide for their families and send their children to school in nearby Abyei town.

    Currently serving as UNISFA’s Chief Police Training Officer, Ms. Gbla spent her teenage years displaced within her home country of Sierra Leone and later as a refugee in Guinea — experiences that motivated her to enter the police service and to empower women affected, like her, by conflict.

    “Having been inspired by seeing the positive impact of the police first hand, including the rebuilding and restructuring of the Sierra Leone Police following years of conflict, Chief Superintendent Gbla embodies the work of the United Nations to improve lives and shape futures,” said Under-Secretary-General Lacroix.

    “This award symbolizes the tireless work of the women in uniform who serve under the UN flag,” said Ms. Gbla upon hearing of her award.  “Each of us faces unique challenges in our respective missions, yet our collective goal remains the same:  to foster peace and protect the vulnerable.”

    About the Awardees

    Chief Superintendent Zainab Mbalu Gbla joined the Sierra Leone Police in 2002, where she has since held various roles in operations, training and leadership.  She has been serving with UNISFA since April 2023 as Officer-in-Charge of the Community-Based Disarmament Unit and UNPOL Chief Training Officer.  This is her third peacekeeping deployment, after serving with the United Nations – African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in 2010–2013 and 2020–2021.

    Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme graduated from the Ghana Military Academy after obtaining her first master’s degree in international health at Japan’s Tokyo University.  A year later, she joined the Ghana Armed Forces Medical Corps and is the Deputy Chief Dietician at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, Ghana.  Her first peacekeeping deployment, she joined UNISFA in March 2024 as the Mission’s Military Gender Adviser.

    About the Awards

    The United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year award was established in 2011 to recognize the exceptional contributions of women police officers to UN peace operations and to promote women’s empowerment, in line with UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security.  The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award is presented annually since 2016 to a military peacekeeper — male or female — who has shown outstanding commitment and leadership in promoting the principles of resolution 1325 (2000).  The resolution calls on actors to mainstream a gender perspective in all aspects of peacekeeping and peacebuilding and to ensure women’s participation in peace and political processes.  The resolution also calls for the protection from, and prevention of, conflict-related sexual violence and for an expansion of the role and contribution of women in UN operations, including of uniformed women peacekeepers.

    The awards ceremony will be held at UN Headquarters on 29 May from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and broadcast live on UN Web TV.

    More information, photos and digital assets on the awardees are available on a dedicated Trello Board.

    For media inquiries and further information, please contact:  Douglas Coffman, Department of Global Communications, at email:  coffmand@un.org; or Sophie Boudre, Department of Peace Operations, at email:  boudre@un.org and Hector Calderon, Department of Peace Operations, at email:  hector.calderon@un.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Highway 1 bus lane construction begins between McKenzie, Colwood interchanges

    Major construction is underway on the Highway 1 bus-on-shoulder project, which will improve transit for people travelling between downtown Victoria and the Westshore.

    The new bus lanes will stretch from the McKenzie Interchange to the Colwood Interchange on Highway 1, making the bus a faster, more reliable and convenient option for commuters on southern Vancouver Island.

    Drivers should expect daytime lane shifts on Highway 1 during construction and are reminded to follow posted speed limits. The Burnside Road on-ramp and the Helmcken overpass will close overnight between 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. as needed. The Galloping Goose Trail may have short-term closures of as long as 15 minutes between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Highway closures will be updated on DriveBC. Trail closures will be marked with signs on site and posted on the project website.

    The Highway 1 bus-on-shoulder project will reduce congestion by prioritizing rapid transit, and is a key part of the South Island Transportation Strategy to create a dedicated rapid transit corridor between downtown Victoria and the Westshore as part of BC Transit’s RapidBus program.

    The project also includes a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge on the Galloping Goose Trail at Craigflower Creek to enhance active transportation in the area. Additional improvements include ecological restoration, upgraded bus stops at the Helmcken Interchange, realignments to Portage Road, widened ramps and new roadside barriers.

    This work complements the Colquitz Bridges Widening project, which is well underway and supports BC Transit’s upgrades in the Six Mile area of View Royal, improving connections between communities and creating a continuous, rapid-transit corridor. The project is expected to be completed in late fall 2027 and will provide a continuous system of transit-only lanes between downtown Victoria and the Colwood transit exchange.

    The bus-on-shoulder project is jointly funded, with the Province contributing $67 million and the federal government investing $28 million through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about the Highway 1 bus-on-shoulder project, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/hwy1busonshoulder

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal Hosts Infrastructure Roundtable Discussion in Ventura

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    On May 23, Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) hosted an infrastructure roundtable discussion in Ventura. The discussion focused on Ventura’s priorities for highway, transit, and rail infrastructure as Congress prepares to update the Surface Transportation bill. As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Congressman is working to ensure the Central Coast receives its fair share of federal infrastructure funding. Download photos here.

    “One of the best investments we can make in Ventura County’s future is upgrading our physical infrastructure,” said Rep. Carbajal, a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “As Congress prepares to update the Surface Transportation bill, I met with local leaders to hear what Ventura needs from the federal government to advance its critical infrastructure projects.”

    Carbajal was joined by Ojai City Councilwoman, Ojai Mayor Pro-Tem, Vice Chair of the Board for Gold Coast Transit District, and Commissioner for Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) Rachel Lang, VCTC Executive Director Martin Erickson, Ventura County Transportation Commissioner Jim White, Director of Ventura County Public Works Agency Gregg R. Strakaluse, and City Engineer for City of Ventura Peter Sheydayi.

    The regular reauthorization of our nation’s surface transportation programs is vital to national and economic security. Multi-year reauthorizations provide states with the long-term certainty they need to plan and execute many important surface transportation infrastructure projects. 

    The most recent surface transportation reauthorization was included in the much broader Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA); it expires on September 30, 2026.

    One of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s main priorities for the 119th Congress is passing the next bipartisan, multi-year surface transportation reauthorization before the current law expires.

    In January 2025, the Committee began holding hearings to examine different aspects of our highway, transit, and rail transportation programs and ensure that Committee Members gather information in preparation for the development of this legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawler, Castro, Salazar, and Cherfilus-McCormick Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen U.S.-Caribbean Relations

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 5/27/25… Last week, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Ranking Member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, introduced the Strengthening US-Caribbean Partnership Act. 

    This bipartisan bill would improve the relationship between the United States and the Caribbean by designating the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as an international organization with diplomatic privileges and immunities consistent with the International Organization Immunities Act.  

    The International Organization Immunities Act, enacted in 1945, governs how the United States extends the rights and treaties generally accorded to embassies of countries that have diplomatic relations with the United States to international organizations like CARICOM.  

    “The presence of Caribbean-American communities in the Hudson Valley is felt in everything from the food we enjoy to the churches, schools, and small businesses that keep our neighborhoods thriving,” said Congressman Mike Lawler. “By extending privileges and immunities to our partner countries in CARICOM, we can strengthen U.S. ties in the region. I’m eager to support legislation that promotes a foreign policy that reflects the lived experiences of the people I represent.”  

    “Today’s introduction of this bill demonstrates the bipartisan commitment to a strong U.S.-Caribbean relationship,” said Congressman Joaquin Castro. “This is an important step forward to engage more deeply with the Caribbean and offer our support through CARICOM. We share common interests — by strengthening U.S. ties in the Caribbean, we strengthen our nation’s security, economic well-being, and prosperity.”  

    “I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation extending full diplomatic privileges and immunities to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),” said Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar. “As the Representative for Miami, the gateway to the Caribbean and home to one of the nation’s largest Caribbean American communities, I witness daily how our island partners’ success powers Miami’s commerce and tourism enriches our culture. Strengthening these bonds is not only good diplomacy; it is sound economic and national security policy. When the Caribbean thrives, the United States prospers!” 

    “The countless contributions of the Caribbean-American community can be felt and seen in communities across South Florida,” said Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. “By strengthening our diplomatic engagement with CARICOM, we’re laying the necessary foundation for enhanced economic, security, and cultural ties that will yield long-term, strategic benefits.” 

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

    ###

    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Celebrates SALT Relief in House Tax Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    “I’m proud to be delivering long-overdue tax relief to working Americans, middle-class families and senior citizens,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. “As our Mayor and Governor continue to tax us to death year after year, our community is in desperate need of SALT relief. This package also includes key provisions like expanding the Child Tax Credit, funding to secure our borders, upgrading our nation’s air traffic control systems, and jumpstarting domestic energy production to help lower energy costs. Together, these measures will provide the critical relief New Yorkers need and deserve.”

     

    “If you look across Staten Island and Southwest Brooklyn, that’s what you have homeowners living in one, two, and three family homes. We want to make sure that as the cost of living continues to rise that we are able to help homeowners keep a bit more money in their pockets, and that is what this SALT deduction restoration is going to be doing. It is going to allow folks to better afford the homes they already have and maybe for some of our aspiring homeowners who are looking to put down that down payment, get a mortgage, it is going to be a little easier knowing that property tax bill is going to be deducted on their federal income taxes,” said Councilman David Carr.

     

    “Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis is a tireless, principled, passionate voice for the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn. She doesn’t just talk about helping the middle class — she actually does it. This bill builds on the 2017 Trump tax cuts, and it goes even further — cutting taxes, cutting red tape, and cutting through the nonsense that’s been hammering families like mine for years,” said Councilman Frank Morano.

     

    “Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has consistently fought to ease the financial burden on hard-working families in New York, one of the most heavily taxed states in the nation. Recognizing how unfair the 2017 cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction was to middle-class homeowners, especially in high-tax states like New York, she led the charge in advocating for its restoration and reform. By working to lift the SALT cap, Rep. Malliotakis helped deliver real tax relief to families who were being penalized simply for living and working in their home state. Her efforts not only put more money back into the pockets of New Yorkers but also helped make the region more affordable and economically competitive — a critical step toward preventing the outmigration of residents and businesses,” said Assemblyman Michael Tannousis.

     

    “Raising the SALT cap is a huge win that delivers BIG savings for Staten Island families and seniors. But this is not the end of the road for us here in New York: Albany Democrats are likely already finding ways to snatch those savings right back with more taxes, fees, and reckless policies. That’s what they do best: take, spend, and then cry broke. I will be there to fight them – for you – every step of the way. I am incredibly grateful to have an unrelenting partner in Congresswoman Malliotakis who will go to bat and deliver for Staten Islanders at all costs,” said Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo.

     

    “The Congresswoman’s successful push to quadruple the SALT deduction to $40,000 is a big win for our community. It eases the financial strain on middle-class homeowners caused by New York’s high property taxes. We appreciate her commitment to our economic well-being,” said the Port Richmond North Shore Alliance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast, Republicans Blast EU Inaction as Polish Globalists Undermine Free Election

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-226-8467

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast led fellow members of the panel in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raising serious concerns over the European Union’s role in ensuring fair elections as Poland approaches the second round of its presidential elections on June 1, 2025.

    Chairman Mast and his fellow Republicans cite recent reports that a Polish NGO with ties to U.S. Democrat Party megadonor George Soros facilitated a social media campaign featuring $105,000 worth of allegedly illegal political ads promoting Civic Coalition candidate Rafal Trzaskowski and discrediting his rivals.

    The new developments follow a monthslong refusal by Poland’s current government to release tens of millions of dollars in public campaign funds to the opposition Law and Justice party.

    “Reports of foreign-funded political advertisements favoring Rafał Trzaskowski, the Civic Coalition (KO) candidate backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, that may have occurred in contravention of Polish law, combined with the Tusk government’s reported monthslong refusal to comply with court orders to release public funding to the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, suggest a deliberate effort to tilt the electoral playing field,” the lawmakers wrote. “These actions, occurring under the European Commission’s watch, expose a troubling double-standard in the EU’s approach to Poland’s rule of law, which demands your urgent attention.”

    In addition to Chairman Mast, the letter was co-signed by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Keith Self (R-TX), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Andy Harris (R-MD).

    Read the full letter here and below.

    Dear President von der Leyen:

    We write to express profound alarm over reported developments in Poland that may undermine the integrity of its democratic processes, particularly as the country approaches the second round of its presidential election on June 1, 2025. Reports of foreign-funded political advertisements favoring Rafał Trzaskowski, the Civic Coalition (KO) candidate backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, that may have occurred in contravention of Polish law, combined with the Tusk government’s reported monthslong refusal to comply with court orders to release public funding to the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, suggest a deliberate effort to tilt the electoral playing field.  These actions, occurring under the European Commission’s watch, expose a troubling double-standard in the EU’s approach to Poland’s rule of law, which demands your urgent attention.

    On May 15, an investigation by a leading Polish publication reported that a Polish NGO, which received funding from organizations funded by U.S. Democratic Party megadonor George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, facilitated the production of social media advertisements promoting Trzaskowski and discrediting his rivals, PiS-backed Karol Nawrocki and Confederation-backed Sławomir Mentzen.  Several sources also reported that Estratos Digital GmbH—a Vienna-based firm majority-owned by Higher Ground Labs, a U.S. fund operated by major Democratic Party operatives who helped run the U.S. presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Kamala Harris—was behind the approximately 420,000 PLN ($105,000 USD) in allegedly “illegal political ads” posted by the Polish NGO on Facebook since April 10, 2025 in support of Trzaskowski.  Estratos is the same organization that reportedly played a key role backing the anti-Viktor Orban opposition in Hungary’s 2022 elections, allegedly “concealing campaign financing sources, raising additional red flags about their operations in Poland.”

    Equally disturbing are reports of the Tusk government’s monthslong refusal to release tens of millions of dollars in public campaign funding that PiS is legally entitled to receive, defying a ruling by the Supervisory Chamber of Poland’s Supreme Court, a payment demand from Poland’s National Electoral Commission, and an opinion by Poland’s Ombudsman (Human Rights Commissioner) Marcin Wiące to release the money.  Further, by withholding these funds, the Tusk administration appears to be attempting to cripple PiS’s ability to compete fairly in the presidential election and violating the rule of law.

    The European Union, as a guarantor of democratic standards and human rights under the Treaty on European Union, has a responsibility to ensure that member states uphold the rule of law.  Yet, despite the European Commission’s vocal criticism and decision to withhold over $150 billion from Poland for alleged rule of law violations under the previous PiS government, it has remained conspicuously silent despite clear evidence of rule of law violations under Tusk’s administration.  In fact, in February 2024—after the Tusk government ousted and installed a new National Prosecutor without President Duda’s approval in reported violation of Polish law—the European Commission, under your direction, released $7.1 billion (€6.3 billion) of the funds it had been withholding from the PiS government despite the fact that the Tusk government had not yet implemented any of the “milestones” the EU had demanded the previous PiS government complete for their release.  This selective enforcement—condemning and sanctioning PiS while ignoring Tusk’s actions—suggests a double standard that could undermine the EU’s credibility as a guardian of democratic principles.

    These developments also raise critical questions about the integrity of Poland’s democratic institutions and the EU’s role in ensuring fair elections. To address these concerns, we respectfully request that your staff arrange a briefing to answer the following questions:

    1.        What entities provided the $105,000 (420,000 PLN) used for the Facebook advertisements promoting Rafał Trzaskowski, and did any of these funds originate from foreign sources in violation of Polish electoral law?

    2.        What role, if any, did Estratos Digital GmbH and its U.S.-based owner, Higher Ground Labs, play in coordinating or financing these advertisements, and to what extent were U.S. Democratic Party operatives directly involved?

    3.        How does the Commission justify its failure to address the Tusk government’s refusal to release millions of dollars in court-ordered funding to PiS, given its prior sanctions against the prior PiS government for rule-of-law violations?

    4.        Why has the Commission remained silent on Finance Minister Andrzej Domański’s defiance of Poland’s Supreme Court, National Electoral Commission, and Ombudsman rulings, given its previous vocal criticism and aggressive actions against the PiS government?

    5.        What oversight mechanisms, if any, has the Commission implemented to prevent foreign-funded NGOs, such as those linked to George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, from influencing Poland’s 2025 presidential election?

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Modern multi-format spaces: how capital libraries are developing

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    There are 440 city-subordinate libraries in Moscow. Since the beginning of the year, readers have borrowed almost 3.2 million publications from them. This was reported by Natalia Sergunina, Deputy Mayor of Moscow.

    “Modern Moscow libraries are comfortable multi-format spaces that attract about 10 million people annually. Visitors take books and periodicals, participate in clubs and sections, work in co-working spaces, participate in master classes and meetings with writers,” said Natalia Sergunina.

    From creative circles to festivals

    Over the past few years, the capital’s library network has changed noticeably: institutions have become popular city centers for self-development and creativity. Last year, renovations were completed 13 Moscow librariesAs part of the comprehensive renovation, the premises are being put in order, modern equipment is being purchased, access to wireless Internet is being provided, and the book collections are being replenished.

    More than 30 thousand events are held annually in the capital’s libraries, which attract both city residents and tourists. Everyone is invited to cultural events, festivals, concerts and performances.

    Visitors of all ages are invited to join clubs and sections — vocal, literary and poetic, dance, theater, music, environmental and local history. In addition, reading rooms become part of large-scale projects. Among them are the “Biblionight” campaign and the “Red Square” book festival.

    Step-by-step digitalization

    The library modernization program began in 2018. First, they were connected to a common information system. This allowed the introduction of a single library card (SLC) for all sites. In total, about 1.3 million SLCs have already been issued, 62 thousand of which have been issued since January of this year.

    Another important stage in the digitalization of the library network is the launch of the “Moscow Libraries” service, where you can search for and reserve the books you need. It currently features 15 million publications. Thanks to the online platform, city residents have ordered more than 800 thousand books. Here, users can extend the shelf life of literature, get acquainted with thematic selections, and receive personal recommendations from artificial intelligence.

    History and Innovation

    While becoming even more modern and attractive, libraries retain their identity and individuality.

    For example, the Central City Children’s Library named after A.P. Gaidar is one of the oldest reading rooms for the younger generation in the capital. Its collection contains about 200 thousand books. The library runs the Moscow Summer Reading Program for Children and Teenagers, the Thoughtful Reader contest of reviews and comments, and publishes catalogs of recommended literature.

    The Central Universal Scientific Library named after N.A. Nekrasov is the largest public city reading room in Moscow. Its collection includes more than a million publications in different languages. Play readings, thematic festivals, exhibitions and excursions are held here.

    Moscow Main Archives Opens Electronic Reading RoomSummer Stories: The Moscow Libraries service offers selections of books to read during the holidays

    The Anna Akhmatova Smart Library has a coworking space with free internet, a self-service book checkout station, a multifunctional transformable hall, a recording studio, a cinema hall, and a printing house.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Memorial Day Ceremony to honor fallen heroes, including local Soldier Pvt. Scott A. Miller

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    Wyoming National Guard

     Casper, WY — The Wyoming Veterans Commission invites the public to attend the annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery in Casper.

    This solemn event will pay tribute to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

    This year’s ceremony holds special significance as it honors Army Pvt. Scott A. Miller, a native of Casper, who was killed in action on June 9, 2007, in Baqubah, Iraq. Pvt. Miller, a 2004 graduate of Natrona County High School, was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) based at Fort Lewis, Washington. Known for his warm smile and mischievous sense of humor, Miller was remembered by his teachers and family as a “burly country boy” with “a heart just as big as Wyoming” .

    His parents, Bob and Suzi Miller, will be present at the ceremony as honored guests, representing Gold Star families who have endured the profound loss of a loved one in military service.

     Ceremony Highlights:

     

    • Master of Ceremonies: Kelly Ivanoff, Commissioner, Wyoming Veterans Commission
    • Invocation & Benediction: Leon Chamberlain
    • Presentation of Colors: Kelly Walsh High School Marine Corps JROTC
    • National Anthem: Angela Gordon
    • Pledge of Allegiance: Hank Laurenz, President, Natrona County United Veterans Council
    • Guest Speakers: Bob and Suzi Miller, Gold Star Family
    • Reading of “In Flanders Fields”: Kelly Ivanoff
    • Wreath Laying: Veterans Service Organization
    • Rifle Salute: Natrona County High School Army JROTC
    • Taps: Wyoming Army National Guard Military Honors
    • Musical Tribute: “Amazing Grace” performed by Paul Marquard on bagpipes

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Fills Two County Office Vacancies

    Source: US State of Missouri

    MAY 27, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced two appointments to fill two county office vacancies.

    Hattie Davis, of Marble Hill, was appointed as the Bollinger County Circuit Clerk.

    Ms. Davis currently serves as Acting Bollinger County Circuit Clerk, a position for which she has been serving since March. She brings experience from her previous roles in the Office of State Courts Administration, where she served as Senior Court Clerk, and the Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where she served as an Administrative Assistant. Ms. Davis is active in the Marble Hill Optimist Club and previously supported families through the U.S. Army’s Family Readiness Group.

    Rodney McKinney, of Marthasville, was appointed as the Warren County Prosecuting Attorney.

    Mr. McKinney currently serves as an attorney at law at his own firm, the Law Office of Rodney McKinney, which he has operated since 2008. He previously served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Franklin County and as an assistant public defender in the City of St. Louis. In addition to his legal duties, Mr. McKinney is a member of the Missouri Bar and the Franklin County Bar Association and volunteered with the Franklin County Treatment Court from 2013-2020. He holds a Juris Doctor from St. Louis University School of Law, where he graduated cum laude and was a member of law review, and a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

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    MIL OSI USA News –