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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: A competition has been announced for the concept of a monument dedicated to the victory of the Red Army in the last battle of World War II on Shumshu

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On behalf of Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev, an open creative competition has been announced for the best architectural and artistic concept for a monument dedicated to the victory of the Red Army in the final battle of World War II. The monument will be erected on the Kuril Island of Shumshu. The organizers are the Russian Military Historical Society and the Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    “This year our country celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. We honor the feat of our fathers and grandfathers who shed their blood for the freedom of the Motherland and a peaceful sky above their heads, the feat of workers who forged Victory in the rear. One of the most important tasks facing us is not just to remember the heroism of our people, but to pass on the memory of this to our descendants. World War II ended in the Far East. Here, on the Kuril island of Shumshu, the Kuril landing operation was carried out. During the war, Shumshu was an almost impregnable fortress. According to the laws of military art, in order to take fortified positions, the attackers must have at least a threefold superiority in forces. But here it was exactly the opposite: the Japanese troops were many times superior to the Soviet landing force. But we won, and our country put an end to World War II. Now, on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, a military-historical memorial complex dedicated to the Kuril landing operation is being created on Shumshu. A decision has been made to erect a monument dedicated to the victory of the Red Army in this battle on the top of Mount Severnaya on Shumshu Island – in close proximity to the historical battlefield of Soviet paratroopers with Japanese tanks. A competition has been announced for this purpose. I am sure that there will be a great response from sculptors, artists and other creative people,” said Yuri Trutnev.

    The competition will be held until August 29, 2025 inclusive. Concepts will be accepted until 18:00 Moscow time on August 8, 2025. The expert committee will sum up the competition and announce its results on August 29, 2025.

    There are several requirements for the concept of the monument. The main artistic idea of the monument being created is the image of the rapid advance of the Red Army, breaking through the line of defense of the Japanese troops in the final battle of World War II. The composition must be visually readable from all directions and become a key point of the space of the memorial ensemble.

    The location of the monument was not chosen by chance. The most difficult moment of the Kuril operation was the landing of Soviet troops on the northernmost island of the ridge – Shumshu – with numerous defensive fortifications, underground tunnels and pillboxes.

    The liberation of the Kuril Islands put an end to the Soviet-Japanese War and became one of the bloodiest operations of August-September 1945. The 2nd Far Eastern Front and the Pacific Fleet participated in the Kuril landing operation. The Soviet landing force landed on the islands without tanks and artillery, and had only light weapons.

    The bloody battles for the capture of Shumshu Island lasted for several days. After the capitulation of the Japanese garrison of Shumshu on August 23, 1945, the islands of the northern and central part of the ridge were liberated, and a successful operation was carried out to capture the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai.

    The operation to liberate the Kuril Islands ended on September 1, 1945, one day before the end of World War II. Many soldiers distinguished themselves in valiant battles, 52 people were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

    The regulations for holding an open creative competition for the best architectural and artistic concept of a monument dedicated to the victory of the Red Army in the last battle of World War II are posted at the link.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Future rules on the IPO market: results of the discussion of the Bank of Russia report

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Bank of Russia defined prospects for regulating the IPO market after publicly discussing their initiatives. The proposed measures will contribute to the formation of best practices and improving the quality of IPOs.

    The first part of the changes is aimed at adapting the information disclosed by issuers to the needs of investors. The summary of the securities prospectus will be transformed into a short and clear document, which reflects financial indicators in comparison with previous periods, a description of the company’s development strategy, information on dividend policy and other key information. And the securities prospectus itself will need to include forecast indicators for the coming year.

    Companies are also required to disclose information on the planned and actual distribution of shares among buyers, the existence of restrictions on the sale of securities by the issuer and current shareholders, as well as the mechanisms used to stabilize the price of shares to reduce their volatility after the IPO.

    The regulator plans to establish a new listing condition. When entering an IPO, the issuer must submit at least two independent analytical reports with an assessment of the fair value of the company. They can be prepared by professional participants or audit organizations in the financial market. In their reports, they must reflect all the essential information about the company: the current position on the market and the results of activities, prospects and forecasts for development, possible risks. At the same time, they must justify the methodology of their assessment. As a result, retail investors will have access to high-quality analytics for making informed decisions.

    For third-tier companies, additional guarantees of the reliability of information and the quality of the preparation of issue documentation will be attracted organizations providing services for the preparation of a securities prospectus and (or) the organization of placement. All changes are planned to be prepared by the end of 2025.

    Preview photo: Vink Fan / Shutterstock / Fotodom

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the conclusion of the Open-ended working group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General welcomes the consensus adoption of the final report of the Open-ended working group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) 2021-2025, marking the conclusion of four years of steady efforts to safeguard the peace and security of the ICT domain.
     
    The Secretary-General expresses his sincere appreciation to Ambassador Burhan Gafoor (Singapore), Chair of the Open-ended working group, for his tireless efforts and leadership.
     
    He congratulates the Open-ended working group on its many concrete achievements, which demonstrate that even in the most challenging international security environment, collective action is still possible.
     
    He welcomes, in particular, the agreement to establish a new ‘Global Mechanism on developments in the field of ICTs in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs.’
     
    The Secretary-General now calls upon all States to work together through the Global Mechanism to tackle digital risks and ensure these technologies are leveraged for good.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Dr. Rae Yeung appointed Scientific Director of CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 14, 2025 — Ottawa, Ontario — Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    Today, Dr. Paul Hébert, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), announced that Dr. Rae Yeung has been appointed Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (CIHR-IMHA) for a term of four years, starting October 1, 2025.

    Dr. Yeung is one of the world’s leading experts on childhood inflammatory diseases. She is a Professor of Paediatrics, Immunology and Medical Science at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at The Hospital For Sick Children (SickKids). Her research focuses on precision medicine in childhood arthritis and rheumatic diseases, tailoring treatments to each patient based on presentation and biology.

    By pairing phenotype with molecular insights, Dr. Yeung is uncovering the mechanisms that drive autoimmunity, with the goal of improving diagnosis, treatment, outcomes and prevention. With this innovative approach, Dr. Yeung has become internationally recognized for translational research that has transformed the clinical care of Kawasaki Disease and other inflammatory conditions.

    Dr. Yeung also leads national and international efforts to develop guidance for the diagnosis and management of disease and to understand the underlying causes and progression of childhood arthritis and vasculitis. She is the driving force behind the Understanding Childhood Arthritis Network (UCAN), an international federation of research networks that involves over 50 countries with translational research hubs on three continents. UCAN has become a scalable model to improve health in many inflammatory conditions — from those affecting bones, joints and muscles to diseases associated with COVID-19.

    During Dr. Yeung’s term, CIHR-IMHA will be located at SickKids in Toronto.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Curtis Island compliance

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 14 Jul 2025

    Open larger image

    The people constructed an illegal hut and used that as a base for other illegal activity.

    Targeted patrols conducted in the Curtis Island National Park in August 2024 led to the discovery of an illegal hut and evidence of significant illegal activity.

    Rangers from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) identified the people who built the hut in a remote area of the park.

    Regional Director Great Barrier Reef and Marine Parks Region Tina Alderson said it is illegal to build any structure in a protected area and rangers will have the hut removed.

    “Building an illegal structure in a protected area essentially excludes others from the area and causes damage to the environment. This hut was also used as a base for other illegal activities,” Ms Alderson said.

    “People who want to build a hut for their own personal use for activities such as fishing, hunting and vehicle-based activities can do so on private land but not in a national park.

    “Multiple fines and warnings have been issued for illegal activity within the protected areas of Curtis Island, and eighteen offenders have been identified.

    “QPWS is serious about compliance and anyone who builds an illegal structure in a protected area will be caught.

    “So far we have issued 22 penalty infringement notices totalling $7606, which includes two people receiving fines of more than $1000 each for their role in the offending.”

    The illegal activities include:

    • Illegal fires in a protected area putting rangers, neighbours and other park users at risk
    • Bringing domestic dogs into a protected area impacting the environment and native wildlife
    • Hunting, including the use of firearms and other weapons putting rangers, neighbours and other park users at risk.
    • Multiple driving offences including driving in restricted access areas, use of unregistered vehicles and traveling with unrestrained people.
    • Illegal clearing and harvest of trees to construct the hut.

    Anyone with information about illegal activities in Queensland’s protected areas is encouraged to call 1300 130 372. Information can be provided anonymously.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Record MTA Ridership and Performance for 2025

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is on track to deliver a record-breaking year, following the success of the first six months of 2025. New York City Transit (NYCT), Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad ridership and on-time performance have all improved in the first half of the year, while customer satisfaction rates are up across all agencies. This comes while the MTA executes a historic capital plan, investing in state-of-good-repair work that will ensure the system continues to run reliably and safely for generations to come. Safety in the subway system continues to improve with overall major crimes dropping by 3.2 percent from the same period last year and by almost 10 percent when compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

    “MTA ridership, performance and safety are all improving dramatically in 2025, serving nearly six million New Yorkers every day and keeping New York moving,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to the investments we’re making in safer, more reliable and more frequent service, riders are benefitting every day. When transit is thriving, New York is thriving.”

    MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “The new MTA is a business-like organization that delivers for customers, and the proof is in the data – soaring ridership, historic levels of on-time performance and major improvements in customer satisfaction.”

    In the past several years, Governor Hochul and the MTA have increased service across the MTA network. In 2023 and 2024, weekend and off-peak weekday service was increased on 12 subway lines, reducing wait times for millions of customers. The opening of Grand Central Madison in 2023 enabled a 41 percent increase in service on the Long Island Rail Road. Bus service has improved across the city: service was increased on 8 express and 15 local routes with high-ridership earlier this year, following the launch of congestion pricing. The Queens Bus Network Redesign, which began its first phase June 29, expands 24-hour service to hundreds of thousands of Queens bus riders and includes a $35 million annual investment in more service for the borough.

    New York City Transit
    In the first half of 2025, performance across New York City Transit was at historic highs. Weekday subway on-time performance in the first six months of 2025 was 83.7 percent, 2.4 percentage points higher than the same time last year and on track for the best non-pandemic year in recorded history. Weekday subway delays are down 11 percent in 2025 compared to 2024, while weekend delays were down 14 percent. Bus service delivery was above 95 percent each month of 2025, and bus speeds have improved over the first half of the year, thanks in part to reduced gridlock following the start of congestion pricing. Across the board, customers are happier. In the biannual customer survey completed this spring, satisfaction for subways rose 8 percent, satisfaction for local buses rose 11 percent, and satisfaction for express buses rose 9 percent compared to the Fall of 2024.

    Ridership has also surged in 2025. The first half of the year has seen record post-pandemic ridership for subways, buses and paratransit. In June, NYCT surpassed 106 million rides, up 10 percent from 2024. 2025 subway ridership is up 8 percent compared to 2024 and 31 percent compared to 2022. Ridership gains have continued, with the first post-pandemic July days to exceed four million subway riders reached on July 9 and 10. Bus ridership has also grown in 2025, with ridership up 12 percent compared to 2024. Bus paid ridership has grown in part following the MTA’s efforts to improve fare compliance through targeted deployments of fare enforcement teams. Combined, buses and subways have carried over 850 million customers in the first half of 2025.

    Paratransit has also continued to see huge ridership and performance gains. In June, Paratransit served 1.3 million Paratransit riders on 904,000 completed trips, both above previous pre-Covid peaks, and delivered an on-time performance rate of 92 percent for the month. Customer satisfaction has remained high with rates staying above 78 percent every month of 2025.

    Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad
    In June, LIRR hit a new post-pandemic high for weekday riders by averaging 266,047 weekday riders. On June 18, LIRR set a new single day post-pandemic ridership record, carrying 287,437 customers. LIRR carried 6.9 million customers in June, representing 89 percent of pre-pandemic ridership — the best June since 2019. Year-to-date ridership on LIRR is up 9 percent compared to 2024 and up 64 percent from 2022. LIRR also achieved the best June non-pandemic On-Time Performance in its history at 95.9 percent, up 1.4 percentage points from 2024.

    On June 18, Metro-North carried nearly 259,000 riders and average weekday ridership for the month of June was 235,450, both new post-pandemic highs. Year-to-date Metro-North ridership is up 6 percent compared to 2024 and up 63 percent compared to 2022. Metro-North delivered an On-Time Performance rate of 98 percent in June, continuing its outstanding start to 2025. In the customer survey completed this spring, Metro-North received a satisfaction rating of 89 percent from customers, an increase of 4 percent from the Fall 2024 survey, while satisfaction among LIRR customers surged 11 percentage points from this time last year.

    New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said, “NYC Transit is working hard to deliver fast, reliable and safe service for riders and that determination is reflected in these historic on-time performance and ridership numbers. We’ll keep up the momentum and build on this success across Subways, Buses and Paratransit as we head into the rest of the year.”

    Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free said, “Not only do riders have more service options than ever before, but we’re getting them where they need to go more reliably with record levels of on-time performance. The big gains we’ve made in customer satisfaction prove that riders are noticing our commitment to great service and we will work even harder to improve the customer experience.”

    Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek said, “Riders are responding to the great service Metro-North is providing by choosing to take the train in record numbers. And we’ll continue to deliver safe and reliable service that they can count on.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong, agency leaders meet with Turtle Mountain officials in Belcourt to strengthen partnerships

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong and representatives from more than a dozen state agencies visited the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) today in Belcourt to strengthen state-tribal partnerships and identify shared priorities for further collaboration.

    The visit was part of Armstrong’s commitment to visit all five tribal nations in North Dakota during his first year in office. The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission is facilitating the visits to the tribal nations introduce the new administration and build stronger relationships and effective partnerships.

    “We want to build on our relationships, partnerships and conversations that began at the Government to Government seminar and bring these conversations to you,” Armstrong said.  “These visits serve as listening sessions, opportunities to hear directly from tribal leaders and community members, gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities each nation faces and foster mutual respect rooted in history, culture and sovereignty.”

    The governor and Cabinet agency leaders met with TMBCI Chairman Jamie Azure and Tribal Council members and agency representatives, District 9 state legislators and other stakeholders at Sky Dancer Event Center. Discussion covered a wide range topics including health care and behavioral health, education, economic and workforce development, public safety and law enforcement, corrections, emergency management, transportation, gaming, natural resources, hunting access, and the need to extend natural gas service to the reservation.

    State agencies and offices represented in today’s discussions included the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, Department of Commerce, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Health and Human Services including the Commissioner of Recovery and Reentry, Department of Public Instruction, State Fire Marshal, Governor’s Office, Game and Fish Department, and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Job Service ND, Insurance & Securities Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the state-tribal Northland Narcotics Task Force. Other participating partners included the North Dakota Tribal College System, First Nation Women’s Alliance (MMIP), Broadband Association of North Dakota, Spirit Lake Nation, and United and Turtle Mountain Communications, Tribal Nations Research Group, USDA Rural Development, Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

    Before breakout sessions, Armstrong challenged participants to move the dialogue forward into actionable solutions and address problems before they become crises. He emphasized the importance of open lines of communication, citing as an example the state’s role in helping Turtle Mountain battle wildfires that burned thousands of acres in early May.

    Azure, the TMBCI chairman, said he’s hoping the dialogue and “hard discussions” can lead to more substantive action, and he thanked Armstrong for bringing his administration and other state agencies to Belcourt.

    “We appreciate people coming to our lands,” he said. “You can see with your own eyes … a lot of the issues, a lot of the infrastructure needs. While you’re here, you are guests, you are friends.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong, agency leaders meet with Turtle Mountain officials in Belcourt to strengthen partnerships

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong and representatives from more than a dozen state agencies visited the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (TMBCI) today in Belcourt to strengthen state-tribal partnerships and identify shared priorities for further collaboration.

    The visit was part of Armstrong’s commitment to visit all five tribal nations in North Dakota during his first year in office. The North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission is facilitating the visits to the tribal nations introduce the new administration and build stronger relationships and effective partnerships.

    “We want to build on our relationships, partnerships and conversations that began at the Government to Government seminar and bring these conversations to you,” Armstrong said.  “These visits serve as listening sessions, opportunities to hear directly from tribal leaders and community members, gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities each nation faces and foster mutual respect rooted in history, culture and sovereignty.”

    The governor and Cabinet agency leaders met with TMBCI Chairman Jamie Azure and Tribal Council members and agency representatives, District 9 state legislators and other stakeholders at Sky Dancer Event Center. Discussion covered a wide range topics including health care and behavioral health, education, economic and workforce development, public safety and law enforcement, corrections, emergency management, transportation, gaming, natural resources, hunting access, and the need to extend natural gas service to the reservation.

    State agencies and offices represented in today’s discussions included the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Highway Patrol, Department of Commerce, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Health and Human Services including the Commissioner of Recovery and Reentry, Department of Public Instruction, State Fire Marshal, Governor’s Office, Game and Fish Department, and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Job Service ND, Insurance & Securities Department, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the state-tribal Northland Narcotics Task Force. Other participating partners included the North Dakota Tribal College System, First Nation Women’s Alliance (MMIP), Broadband Association of North Dakota, Spirit Lake Nation, and United and Turtle Mountain Communications, Tribal Nations Research Group, USDA Rural Development, Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.

    Before breakout sessions, Armstrong challenged participants to move the dialogue forward into actionable solutions and address problems before they become crises. He emphasized the importance of open lines of communication, citing as an example the state’s role in helping Turtle Mountain battle wildfires that burned thousands of acres in early May.

    Azure, the TMBCI chairman, said he’s hoping the dialogue and “hard discussions” can lead to more substantive action, and he thanked Armstrong for bringing his administration and other state agencies to Belcourt.

    “We appreciate people coming to our lands,” he said. “You can see with your own eyes … a lot of the issues, a lot of the infrastructure needs. While you’re here, you are guests, you are friends.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong statement on passing of Dr. Tom Strinden, husband of Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Dr. Tom Strinden, husband of Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden. Tom Strinden passed peacefully Sunday, July 13, at their family lake home, surrounded by his loving family following a 17-month battle against brain cancer.

    “Tom valiantly fought cancer the same way he lived his life – with an unshakable faith in his savior Jesus Christ and an unwavering commitment to his family,” Armstrong said. “Tom was Michelle’s biggest fan, encouraging her to enter public service and supporting her journey to the Legislature and lieutenant governor’s office. Even after his cancer diagnosis and initial surgery, he returned to his work as a gifted eye surgeon who cared deeply about his patients and improving their quality of life. From coaching and supporting hockey programs to hunting and fishing with his kids, to making regular medical mission trips around the globe, Tom lived life to the fullest – with the happiness of others always his top priority. Our hearts go out to Michelle, Jacob, Joe, Ben, Sarah, and the entire Strinden and Strecker families. We ask all North Dakotans to pray for them as they grieve this enormous loss.”

    Funeral arrangements are pending. The Strinden family asks for privacy during this difficult time.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California’s Seasonally Rotating Pocket Beaches

    Source: US Geological Survey

    “This study shows that there is a seasonal predictability to these pocket beaches, which are a fundamental landform type along California’s rocky shore,” said USGS Research Geologist Jon Warrick, lead author of the study.

    Because the dataset used primarily captured medium and large beaches, researchers believe many more pocket beaches exhibit similar rotational behavior but went undetected due to their small size. That means the number of seasonally rotating beaches may be significantly undercounted.

    Understanding how these pocket beaches behave over time is important not only for managing erosion and habitat change, but also for improving models that forecast coastal response to climate-driven shifts in wave energy and sea level. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests 1,361 criminal aliens in Houston area in June

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    July 14, 2025Houston, TX, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    Among the aliens arrested were 32 child predators, 9 murderers, 16 gang or cartel members, and one alien convicted for hijacking an airplane

    HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 1,361 illegal aliens in the Houston area during the month of June who are currently charged with, or have been convicted of, a criminal offense after illegally entering the United States. Among the criminal aliens arrested were 32 aliens convicted of child sex offenses, nine aliens convicted for homicide-related offenses, 16 documented members of a transnational gang or drug cartel, and one alien convicted for hijacking an airplane on its way to Key West from Cuba.

    “Despite attempts by some to undermine our mission by spreading false and malicious rumors, the brave men and women of ICE continue to work tirelessly around the clock targeting dangerous criminal aliens to restore integrity to our nation’s immigration system and bolster public safety in our communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. “The number of dangerous criminal aliens that they removed from local communities across Southeast Texas last month is just another example of their selfless and unyielding efforts to return our local communities to places where we can all raise our families without having to worry about child predators, gang members, or other violent criminal aliens preying on our loved ones.”

    Among the criminal aliens arrested in June by the ICE ERO Houston field office were: 

    • Adermis Wilson-Gonzalez, a 56-year-old criminal alien from Cuba, arrested by ICE June 29 who was convicted in 2003 of hijacking an airplane traveling from Cuba to Key West, Florida.
    • Arnulfo Olivares Cervantes, a 47-year-old criminal alien from Mexico and former Mexicles gang member, arrested by ICE June 13 who has illegally entered the U.S. six times and been convicted twice for trafficking cocaine, and once for attempted murder, evading arrest, illegal entry, and drug possession.
    • Luis Pablo Vasquez-Estolano, a 29-year-old, six-time deported criminal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE June 10 who has been convicted of homicide, aggravated robbery, burglary of a vehicle, and drug possession.
    • Jose Meza, a 40-year-old criminal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE June 24 who has illegally entered the U.S. four times and been convicted of sexual assault of a minor and theft.
    • Javier Escobar Gonzalez, a 51-year-old criminal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE June 23 who has been convicted of sexual indecency with a minor, criminal trespass with a deadly weapon, driving while intoxicated, and unauthorized use of a firearm.

    The arrests were part of the ERO Houston field office’s routine immigration enforcement activities being conducted alongside federal, state and local law enforcement agencies daily throughout Southeast Texas to enhance public safety, national security and border security.

    To learn more about ICE’s mission to combat illegal immigration in Southeast Texas follow us on X at @EROHouston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SECAF, CSAF recognize Airmen who supported Operation Midnight Hammer

    Source: United States Air Force

    Headline: SECAF, CSAF recognize Airmen who supported Operation Midnight Hammer

    Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen David Allvin visited US Transportation Command, Air Mobility Command and Scott Air Force Base to engage with service members and highlight contributions to Operation Midnight Hammer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SECAF, CSAF recognize Airmen who supported Operation Midnight Hammer

    Source: United States Air Force

    Headline: SECAF, CSAF recognize Airmen who supported Operation Midnight Hammer

    Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen David Allvin visited US Transportation Command, Air Mobility Command and Scott Air Force Base to engage with service members and highlight contributions to Operation Midnight Hammer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lieutenant General Baltrėnas starts his tenure as the new Director General of the NATO International Military Staff

    Source: NATO

    On Monday, 14 July 2025, the NATO Military Committee welcomed the new Director General of the NATO International Military Staff (DGIMS), Lieutenant General Remigijus Baltrėnas (LTU Army).

    During his welcome remarks, the Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Andrew M. Rohling, acknowledged General Baltrėnas’s extensive military career, which combines various postings: “A proud Lithuanian and dedicated soldier, General Baltrėnas brings with him over three decades of distinguished service to his nation and to the wider Euro-Atlantic community. Your background, therefore, bridges the tactical and strategic, the national and the multinational, as an invaluable asset in today’s complex security environment.”

    Taking the floor, Lieutenant General Baltrėnas thanked the Committee for the warm welcome and pledged to the Nations and Chiefs of Defence who entrusted him with DGIMS responsibility:  “As the new Director in this well-structured organism, I will do my utmost to maintain its agility, adaptability, speed and effectiveness. The greatest strength, treasure and success of the International Military Staff are its military and civilian personnel. I have no doubt that they will all continue contributing to the Alliance with the greatest dedication,” Lieutenant General Baltrėnas said.

    Lieutenant General Remigijus Baltrėnas took over the DGIMS position from the outgoing Director General, Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak, on 10 July 2025. He is a three-star General in the Lithuanian Army, elected by the NATO Chiefs of Defence in September 2024, and will serve a three-year term.

    The Director General of the International Military Staff (DGIMS) is responsible for the coordination between the decision-making bodies of the Alliance, the two Strategic Commanders, national military personnel from NATO and Partner countries working in Brussels, and the civilian International Staff, that support the Secretary General and the North Atlantic Council, so that the IMS can provide the best possible policy advice to the Military Committee.

    The Director General heads the International Military Staff, the executive body of the NATO Military Committee, which prepares assessments and studies on NATO military issues, identifying areas of strategic and operational interest and, most importantly, proposes courses of action. The IMS enables the National Military Representatives to address military issues rapidly and effectively, ensuring that the Military Committee provides the North Atlantic Council with consensus-based advice on all military aspects of policy, operations, and transformation within the Alliance.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: University graduates in Ghana must serve society for a year – study suggests it’s good for national unity

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Arnim Langer, Professor, KU Leuven

    Almost 70 years after independence was gained across the continent, many African countries continue to face the complex task of managing ethnic diversity and building national cohesion. National cohesion is a broad and often abstract concept. It refers to the extent to which people within a country share a sense of common purpose and belonging. It is often reflected in the strength of national identities and the degree of pride individuals feel in being part of the nation.

    The fact that borders in colonial Africa were drawn in the late 19th century to the early 20th century by European powers without regard for ethnic and cultural realities and histories meant that post-colonial African governments had to develop a sense of national consciousness and belonging.

    To address this task, many African countries have made efforts to promote a shared national identity which could bridge ethnic and regional divides. Governments have experimented with a diverse range of policies: promoting national languages, establishing civic education, celebrating national holidays, and reforming state institutions. Other measures have included abolishing traditional kingdoms, redistributing land, renaming capital cities, compulsory military service, and national youth service programmes.

    Research into the effectiveness of these African initiatives has been limited and inconclusive. In recently published research, researchers at the Centre for Research on Peace and Development at KU Leuven addressed this gap by analysing the impact of Ghana’s National Service Scheme. Our research shows that, under certain conditions, participation in this programme can meaningfully enhance feelings of national belonging.

    Ghana’s experience with national service

    Established in 1973, Ghana’s National Service Scheme requires university graduates to spend one year serving in diverse roles throughout the country. This sometimes takes them to regions far from their homes.

    While Ghana is widely regarded as a model for the peaceful management of ethnic diversity, the establishment of the National Service Scheme in 1973 was necessary. It was partly a response to the deep regional and ethnic divisions that marked the country’s early postcolonial period. Notably, in the years leading up to the scheme’s introduction, political rivalry between Ashanti and Ewe elites played a significant role in the country’s political instability.

    Initially designed to counteract such ethnic divisions, the scheme continues to engage very large numbers of graduates each year. Over 100,000 were deployed in 2025. The programme aims not only to strengthen national cohesion, but also to promote manpower development and address key social challenges. These include unemployment, illiteracy and poverty.

    Participants are deployed across a range of sectors, including education, healthcare, agriculture and public administration. While the vast majority of participants are assigned to teaching roles in primary or secondary schools or to positions in healthcare institutions, others take on administrative roles within government agencies or the private sector. These deployments are meant to expose them to different communities and foster intergroup contact under conditions that promote social bonding and reduce prejudice.

    But can national service also contribute towards fostering stronger feelings of national belonging?

    To answer this question, we conducted a large-scale panel survey among almost 3,000 service personnel. They had participated in the scheme between August 2014 and September 2016. The participants were surveyed three times: before their deployment and again within weeks after completing their national service.

    The survey was aimed at examining their feelings of national pride before, during, and after their year of national service. Our study provides compelling evidence that national service significantly boosts participants’ feelings of national pride and belonging.

    Change in national pride items over time – per cohort. This graph displays the average national pride per cohort and time point (with 95% confidence bars). Authors

    We found that the mechanism behind this impact lies in intergroup contact. This is described as positive, meaningful interactions between individuals from diverse ethnic and regional backgrounds. Participants who reported frequent and meaningful interactions, including developing new friendships and gaining deeper knowledge of other cultural groups, showed the most significant increases in their sense of national pride.

    Importantly, the greatest improvements were observed among participants who initially identified less strongly with the nation.

    We further found that the positive effects of participation were not short-lived. It persisted well beyond the year of service.

    Key takeaways for policymakers

    Governments aiming to strengthen national identity through youth service programmes should consider four key lessons from Ghana’s experience.

    Mandatory participation is crucial. Voluntary schemes tend to attract individuals who are already inclined towards inter-ethnic harmony. This limits their broader societal impact. Ghana’s mandatory approach ensures that a wide and diverse range of participants are included. This enhances the programme’s reach and effectiveness.

    Structured interactions must be actively promoted. Simply placing people from different backgrounds together is not enough. Successful programmes, such as Ghana’s, intentionally create opportunities for meaningful engagement. These structured interactions help participants develop lasting relationships and deepen their understanding of other cultures.

    Youth should be engaged during formative years. Recent graduates are at a stage in life when attitudes and identities are still forming. National service programmes that target this age group can have a lasting influence. Especially on how young people perceive national unity and their role within it.

    Diverse placements are essential. National service programmes should deploy participants in settings that are diverse. The geographical location is of secondary importance. Exposure to diverse settings will challenge assumptions and broaden perspectives. It will also foster stronger national bonds across ethnic and regional lines.

    Why national service pays off in the long run

    National youth service programmes, when well-designed and properly managed, are a promising yet underused tool for promoting national unity in Africa’s ethnically diverse societies. These initiatives can create meaningful opportunities for young people to engage across regional and ethnic lines. This helps to build trust, civic responsibility, and a shared sense of national identity.

    Yet, in recent decades, many of these programmes have been scaled back or discontinued across the continent. Examples are Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The main reason? Cost. Governments have often viewed the logistical and financial demands of deploying tens of thousands of graduates each year as unsustainable. But this short-term budget logic misses the bigger picture.

    Ghana’s scheme shows what’s possible. In recent years, the scheme’s deployment figures have reached record highs. It is now common for around 100,000 national service personnel to be mobilised in a single service year. The positive outcomes observed in Ghana offer clear, evidence-based lessons for policymakers across the continent. Investing in national service is not just a cost – it’s a commitment to a more united future.

    – University graduates in Ghana must serve society for a year – study suggests it’s good for national unity
    – https://theconversation.com/university-graduates-in-ghana-must-serve-society-for-a-year-study-suggests-its-good-for-national-unity-258743

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: READOUT: Heinrich, Luján Meet with New Mexicans Affected by Severe Flooding in Ruidoso

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    PHOTOS & VIDEO
    RUIDOSO, N.M. – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) met with New Mexicans affected by severe flash flooding in Ruidoso, received an update on the disaster and future recovery efforts, and delivered supplies to flood victims.
    PHOTO: U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) meet with local leaders in Ruidoso, July 11, 2025. 
    “What we saw yesterday was devastation – to businesses, properties, and families whose lives changed overnight. But we also saw enormous community strength. It will take time, resources, and work to rebuild, and this community is ready. Talking with the local leaders and impacted residents, it’s clear that we can all support their work, and we must,” said Heinrich. “I am grateful to all those, on the ground and from afar, who are working to support Ruidoso in this critical time. My thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones in this tragedy. And I will keep urging President Trump to approve a full Major Disaster Declaration to unlock all the federal support needed to rebuild.”
    “Seeing the devastation from the flooding in Ruidoso firsthand is heartbreaking and tragic,” said Luján. “My prayers are with the families who lost loved ones, and with those who were injured or forced from their homes. I’m deeply grateful to the first responders whose quick action saved lives, and to the local leaders whose tireless work is guiding the community through this crisis. With more rain projected this weekend, I encourage residents to stay vigilant. The road to recovery is just getting underway, but the approval of an emergency declaration is a critical first step. I’ll keep working with our Congressional Delegation to push for a Major Disaster Declaration and to deliver the federal support that Ruidoso families need to rebuild.”
    Earlier this week, Heinrich, Luján, and the rest of the N.M. Congressional Delegation welcomed the President’s granting of an emergency declaration for Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, and Valencia Counties, while renewing their call for President Trump to grant a Major Disaster Declaration in the wake of severe flooding that took the lives of three people and damaged homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure.
    The emergency declaration opens up access to specific FEMA funds for immediate disaster response, including support for search and rescue and incident management efforts. An emergency declaration does not preclude a subsequent Major Disaster Declaration. Therefore, the N.M. Delegation will continue to push President Trump to approve a Major Disaster Declaration request from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
    Through a Major Disaster Declaration request, the State of New Mexico has requested Public Assistance, Category A through G, including Direct Federal Assistance for Lincoln County, Chaves County, Otero County, and Valencia County, as well as Individual Assistance, including Housing Assistance, Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance, Disaster Case Management, Transitional Sheltering Assistance, Serious Needs Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Disaster Legal Services, Disaster Unemployment, and Displacement Assistance for Lincoln County and Valencia County. The State also requested Hazard Mitigation statewide, as facilitated by New Mexico’s Natural Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Paramount’s $16 Million Settlement with President Trump, Luján, Markey Urge FCC to Hold Full Commission Vote on Paramount Merger

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Senators Send Letter to Commissioner Olivia Trusty Urging Her to Support a Full Commission Vote on the Merger
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee, and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Olivia Trusty, urging the FCC to hold a full Commission vote on the pending Paramount Global and Skydance Media merger. On July 2, Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, agreed to pay $16 million to settle a frivolous lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump. In May 2025, as Paramount was reportedly pushing for the settlement to help facilitate approval of its merger, Senators Luján and Markey wrote to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr requesting that the FCC hold a full Committee vote on the Paramount-Skydance merger.
    In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “As we explained in a letter to Chairman Brendan Carr in May, the Paramount-Skydance merger is unique in the FCC’s storied history, with the sitting President actively litigating against a news organization whose parent is seeking FCC approval of a major media merger. In that baseless lawsuit, Trump falsely alleged that CBS had violated state consumer protection laws through its editorial decisions around an interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Although the transcript of the interview indisputably showed that Trump’s claims were a flagrant attempt to intimate the media, Paramount has nevertheless agreed to settle that lawsuit for $16 million. This settlement casts a shadow over the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger and raises serious questions about the editorial independence of one of the nation’s largest media organizations. The Commission cannot turn a blind eye to this context.”
    The lawmakers conclude, “For that reason, in our May letter, we urged Chairman Carr to hold a vote on the merger by the full Commission, instead of unilaterally directing the Media Bureau to approve it on its delegated authority. Commissioner Anna Gomez has similarly called for a full Commission vote on the merger. We respectfully request you to join her and encourage Chairman Carr to schedule a full Commission vote. The FCC owes the public a transparent, deliberative process on such a high-profile and controversial issue.”
    As Ranking Member of the Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee, Senator Luján has pushed back against attacks on news organizations. In February, Senators Luján, Markey, and Peters wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington condemning actions taken by the FCC under the Trump administration demonstrating that the FCC is weaponizing its authority over broadcasters and public media for political purposes. In March, Senators Luján, Markey, and Rosen introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast. In May, Senators Luján and Markey wrote to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr requesting that the FCC hold a full Committee vote on the Paramount-Skydance merger.
    Read the full letter here or below:
    Dear Commissioner Trusty,
    Congratulations on your recent confirmation to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). We write today regarding the proposed merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media now pending before the FCC. Paramount’s recent agreement to settle for $16 million a frivolous lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump against CBS — a Paramount subsidiary — over its editorial decision-making raises serious questions about Paramount’s rationale for the settlement and its implications for media independence. For that reason, we urge you to insist that the FCC conduct its merger review with the utmost transparency, including holding a full Commission vote on any order to approve the merger.
    As we explained in a letter to Chairman Brendan Carr in May, the Paramount-Skydance merger is unique in the FCC’s storied history, with the sitting President actively litigating against a news organization whose parent is seeking FCC approval of a major media merger. In that baseless lawsuit, Trump falsely alleged that CBS had violated state consumer protection laws through its editorial decisions around an interview of then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Although the transcript of the interview indisputably showed that Trump’s claims were a flagrant attempt to intimate the media, Paramount has nevertheless agreed to settle that lawsuit for $16 million. This settlement casts a shadow over the proposed Paramount-Skydance merger and raises serious questions about the editorial independence of one of the nation’s largest media organizations. The Commission cannot turn a blind eye to this context.
    For that reason, in our May letter, we urged Chairman Carr to hold a vote on the merger by the full Commission, instead of unilaterally directing the Media Bureau to approve it on its delegated authority. Commissioner Anna Gomez has similarly called for a full Commission vote on the merger. We respectfully request you to join her and encourage Chairman Carr to schedule a full Commission vote. The FCC owes the public a transparent, deliberative process on such a high-profile and controversial issue.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you to ensure that our media and communications systems serve the public interest, uphold democratic values, and reflect the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking: US tariff threat to EU ‘totally unacceptable’ – Danish FM

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BRUSSELS, July 14 (Xinhua) — Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Monday denounced the U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration’s threat to impose 30 percent tariffs on European Union exports as “totally unacceptable” at a joint press conference with European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Brussels. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and India should adhere to the course of good-neighborliness and friendship – Chinese Foreign Minister

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) — China and India should adhere to the policy of good-neighborliness and friendship and find a path of mutual respect and trust, peaceful coexistence, common pursuit of development and win-win cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.

    Wang Yi made the announcement during talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Beijing. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN rights body rules Guatemala failed displaced Mayan Peoples

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The landmark decision, announced on Thursday, also considered the harm caused to succeeding generations.

    “Forced displacement is permanent in nature until the victims benefit from a safe and dignified return to their place of habitual residence or are voluntarily resettled elsewhere,” said Committee member Hélène Tigroudja.

    Conflict, displacement and violations

    The Committee found that the 269 members of the K’iche’, Ixil and Kaqchikel Mayan Indigenous Peoples were violently uprooted from their traditional lands and forced to seek refuge in the capital, Guatemala City, in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

    They were forcibly displaced during “scorched earth” operations amid internal armed conflict in the 1980s.

    Mayan leaders approached the Committee in 2021, claiming their rights under the UN treaty were violated.

    Although they had reached a settlement with the Government and agreed on several reparation measures under the 2011 National Compensation Programme – which foresaw, in particular, the resettlement and construction of alternative housing – it was never implemented.

    ‘Stripped of cultural identity’

    The UN Committee’s decision noted that while in the capital city, Mayans were also forced to conceal and ultimately change their identities, representing another violation.

    “The uprooting of the victims from their natural environment and lands had a deep, devastating, and lasting impact as they were irremediably stripped of their cultural identity,” Ms. Tigroudja said. 

    “They had to abandon their cultural practices, stop wearing their traditional clothing and stop speaking their language, which also constitutes an irreparable loss for their children and grandchildren,” she added.

    Transgenerational trauma

    In a new approach, the Committee considered that the State violated not only the rights of those who were forcibly displaced but also the rights of third-generation children born in displacement, thus transmitting the trauma of being uprooted. 

    “Indigenous Peoples’ rights are, by definition, intergenerational.  Transmission is a key condition for the continuity of Indigenous Peoples’ existence and cultures,” Ms. Tigroudja said.

    The Committee also highlighted that the forced displacement and accompanying violence resulted in the victims having to leave behind the buried bodies of their relatives. 

    Burial rites disrupted

    Moreover, they were unable to perform funeral rituals for family members who died or were executed or forcibly disappeared during the conflict, in violation of their right not to be subjected to torture and inhumane treatment. 

    “In Mayan culture, not performing funeral rites is considered a moral transgression which can lead to spiritually caused illnesses that can manifest as physical diseases and can affect the entire lineage,” Ms. Tigroudja explained. 

    “These are not only performative ceremonies and rituals but an integral part of the physical, moral and spiritual integrity of members of the communities as well as of the communities as a whole,” she added.

    Action by authorities

    The Committee requested Guatemala to search for and hand over the remains of the disappeared family members so that funeral rituals can be carried out in accordance with cultural requirements. 

    The Government is also urged to undertake other measures, including providing victims, their children and grandchildren with the necessary medical, psychological and/or psychiatric treatment; and publicly acknowledging responsibility.

    About the Committee

    The Human Rights Committee comprises 18 independent experts who monitor implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

    More than 170 States are party to the UN treaty. Committee members are elected by States parties and serve in their personal capacity. They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: 4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Philipp Kastner, Senior Lecturer in International Law, The University of Western Australia

    The governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda concluded a peace treaty in June 2025, aimed at ending a decades-long war in eastern DRC. The United Nations welcomed the agreement as “a significant step towards de-escalation, peace and stability” in the region.

    I have analysed several different peace negotiations and agreements. It’s important to distinguish between what’s needed to get warring parties to the table, and what’s eventually agreed on. In this article, I examine whether the DRC-Rwanda deal has got the four essential components that usually signal that an agreement will hold.

    Two broad points about peace agreements, first – and one particular complication in the DRC-Rwanda case.

    Firstly, one agreement is rarely enough to resolve a complex conflict. Most deals are part of a series of agreements, sometimes between different actors. They often mention previously concluded ones, and will be referred to by subsequent ones.

    Secondly, peace is a process, and requires broad and sustained commitment. It is essential that other actors, like armed groups, are brought on board. Importantly, this also includes civil society actors. An agreement will be more legitimate and effective if different voices are heard during negotiations.

    One major complication in relation to the DRC-Rwanda deal is that the United States has been the prime broker. But rather than acting as a neutral mediator trying to bring about peace, Washington seems to be pursuing its own economic interests. This does not bode well.

    There is no simple recipe for a good peace agreement, but research shows that four elements are important: a serious commitment from the parties, precise wording, clear timelines and strong implementation provisions.

    What underpins a good agreement

    First, the parties need to be serious about the agreement and able to commit to its terms. It must not be used as a cover to buy time, re-arm or pursue fighting. Moreover, lasting peace cannot be made exclusively at the highest political level. Agreements that are the result of more inclusive processes, with input by and support from the communities concerned, have a higher success rate.

    Second, the agreement must address the issues it aims to resolve, and its provisions must be drafted carefully and unambiguously. When agreements are vague or silent on key aspects, they are often short-lived. Previous experiences can guide peace negotiators and mediators in the drafting process. Peace agreement databases established by the United Nations and academic institutions are a useful tool for this.

    Third, clear and realistic timelines are essential. These can concern the withdrawal of armed forces from specified territories, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and the establishment of mechanisms providing reparations or other forms of transitional justice.

    Fourth, an agreement should include provisions on its implementation. External support is usually helpful here. Third states or international organisations, liked the United Nations and the African Union, can be mandated to oversee this phase. They can also provide security guarantees or even deploy a peacekeeping operation. What is crucial is that these actors are committed to the process and don’t pursue their own interests.



    Read more:
    DRC and Rwanda sign a US-brokered peace deal: what are the chances of its success?

    To know what to realistically expect from a specific peace agreement, it’s important to understand that such agreements can take very different forms. These range from pre-negotiation arrangements and ceasefires to comprehensive peace accords and implementation agreements.

    A lasting resolution of the conflict should not be expected when only a few conflict parties have concluded a temporary ceasefire.

    The DRC-Rwanda agreement: an important step with lots of shortcomings

    It’s difficult to tell at this point how serious the DRC and Rwanda are about peace, and if their commitment will be enough.

    Their assertion that they will respect each other’s territory and refrain from acts of aggression is certainly important.

    But Rwanda has a history of direct military activities in the DRC since the 1990s. And the treaty only includes rather vague references to the “disengagement of forces/lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda”. It doesn’t specifically mention the withdrawal of the reportedly thousands of Rwandan troops deployed to eastern DRC.

    The Paul Kagame-led Rwandan government has also supported Tutsi-dominated armed groups in the DRC since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. The Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) is the current primary military actor in eastern DRC. But the agreement between the governments of DRC and Rwanda didn’t include the M23 or other groups. The two governments only commit themselves to supporting the ongoing negotiations between the DRC and the M23 facilitated by Qatar.

    The agreement also foresees the “neutralisation” of another armed group, the Hutu-dominated Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR). This group claims to protect Rwandan Hutu refugees in the DRC, but is considered “genocidal” by the Rwandan government. The group has reacted to this plan by calling for a political solution and a more inclusive peace process.

    What’s needed

    The DRC-Rwanda agreement includes provisions that are vital to the people most affected by the conflict, such as the return of the millions of people displaced because of the fighting in eastern DRC. But it does not address other key issues.

    For instance, aside from a general commitment to promote human rights and international humanitarian law, there is no reference to the widespread violations of human rights and war crimes reportedly committed by all sides. These include summary executions, and sexual and gender-based violence, including violence against children.

    Some form of justice and reconciliation mechanism to deal with such large-scale violence should be considered in this situation, as for instance in the fairly successful 2016 agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC). This could contribute to preventing further violations as it sends a clear signal that committing crimes will not be rewarded. It also helps the population heal and gives peace a better chance.

    There is no single model for this, and so-called transitional justice (defined as the “range of processes and mechanisms associated with a society’s attempts to come to terms with a legacy of large-scale past abuses, in order to ensure accountability, serve justice and achieve reconciliation”) remains highly controversial. For instance, insisting on war crimes trials can be seen as endangering a fragile peace process.

    But peace agreements across the world, from Libya to the Central African Republic, have over past decades moved away from blanket amnesties. They have increasingly included provisions to ensure accountability, especially for serious crimes. The DRC-Rwanda deal is silent on these questions.

    A twist in the tale

    The DRC-Rwanda deal is complicated by Washington’s role and pursuit of economic interests.

    The two states agreed to establish a joint oversight committee, with members of the African Union, Qatar and the United States. It foresees a “regional economic integration framework”, which has been criticised as opening the door for foreign influence in the DRC’s rich mineral resources. The country is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, for instance, which is essential for the renewable energy sector.

    Such a neocolonial “peace for exploitation bargain” does not send a positive signal. And it will probably not contribute to ending an armed conflict that has been fuelled by the exploitation of natural resources.

    Philipp Kastner 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. 4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up – https://theconversation.com/4-things-every-peace-agreement-needs-and-how-the-drc-rwanda-deal-measures-up-260944

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Bullying, violence and vandalism in primary school: study explores a growing crisis in South Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Julie Shantone Rubbi Nunan, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Early Childhood Education and Development, University of South Africa

    South African primary schools are facing a crisis. Every day, learners fight, bully, destroy property, and intimidate other learners and teachers, turning what should be safe spaces into places of fear and mistrust.

    Research shows that learner behaviour frequently involves violence, bullying and vandalism (damage to school property) that threatens the safety of both learners and staff.

    The media usually report only serious cases of violence, but schools and teachers face challenging and dangerous behaviour every day that often goes unreported. This underreporting is not unique to South Africa; it’s a challenge seen in other countries too.

    Research shows that this kind of behaviour disrupts teaching and learning, leading to poor learner performance and school dropouts.

    Teachers frequently face aggression and intimidation from learners, which undermines their ability to teach effectively. They feel unsafe and frustrated when learners act aggressively, and this problem worsens when parents protect their children’s bad behaviour instead of addressing it.

    Violence, bullying, and damage to school property don’t just cause harm to learners and teachers. They also cost schools money to repair the damage and cause emotional trauma and suffering for victims and their families.

    Given these realities, it is important to carefully explore the lived experiences of teachers, school leaders and caretakers to fully understand the severity and complexity of challenging learner behaviour. This understanding is essential for developing effective policies and interventions aimed at restoring safety and improving learning environments in South African primary schools.

    As part of a wider study of challenging learner behaviour, I interviewed 21 participants from three primary schools in Durban, South Africa. It was a qualitative case study, in which the small sample size was well-suited and provided relevant and credible information on challenging learner behaviour. Thematic analysis was appropriate for identifying patterns and themes for further exploration.

    The aim was to probe the participants’ perspectives to understand how learners’ challenging behaviour is experienced in primary schools. I wanted to know more about how behaviour stemming from children’s homes and environments, playing out at school, was affecting teachers and the overall school climate.

    The interviews indicated that teachers were unhappy and wanting to quit the profession, learner victims faced constant fear and distress, and caretakers felt degraded. If this is a sign of how teachers, children and caretakers are feeling around South Africa, it points to the need for ways to reduce their stress.

    Voices from schools

    The schools in my study are located in semi-urban areas within the same district and serve learners from grade R (about age 5) to grade 7 (about age 12). The surrounding communities face high levels of unemployment, domestic violence, and various social challenges.

    Fifteen teachers, three governors, and three caretakers shared their experiences through interviews, enabling open discussion and deeper insights. Consistency across school sites supported the trustworthiness of the findings. Ethical guidelines were followed throughout.

    Across the three schools, participants described an environment where serious learner misconduct was a common, everyday problem.

    Teachers, governors, and caretakers reported daily disruptions that affected teaching, learning and emotional wellbeing. Aggression and violence were constant. Learners engaged in physical fights – punching, kicking, and using sharp objects like pencils and knives. These were not minor scuffles but incidents that caused serious injuries. Teachers were also threatened, shouted at, and occasionally physically harmed.

    Bullying was widespread, both verbal and physical. Learners harassed peers through name-calling, exclusion, extortion and intimidation, often in unsupervised spaces like toilets and tuckshops. Victims lived in fear, while teachers struggled to maintain discipline and protect vulnerable learners.

    Vandalism and property damage were routine. Learners tore up textbooks, damaged desks and windows, defaced walls with vulgar graffiti, and clogged toilets with rubbish. Caretakers faced degrading tasks like cleaning and scrubbing faeces and graffiti off the walls. The costs of repairing damage strained already limited school budgets.

    Adding to the tension, gang-like behaviour emerged. Small groups banded together to provoke fights, intimidate others, and sometimes fuel unrest rooted in xenophobia or local politics, creating fear, uncertainty and division among learners.

    Some incidents had gendered and criminal implications, including the reporting of boys violating the privacy and rights of other boys in the school toilets, and girls being inappropriately touched and harassed. This contributed to emotional trauma and, in some cases, learner dropout – especially among girls. The United Nations Children’s Fund posits that school violence contributes to girls dropping out of school. The dropout rate is a concern in South Africa.

    Stealing and lying were common. Learners stole from classmates, teachers, and school offices, often without remorse, and frequently lied or blamed others when confronted, further eroding trust and accountability.



    Read more:
    Dealing with unruly behaviour among schoolchildren in a tumultuous world

    Many participants believed learners expressed unspoken pain or mirrored violence and instability seen at home and in their communities. According to social cognitive theory, such behaviours are learned. Children exposed to violence, neglect, or chaos often replicate these actions in school. Without consistent guidance, role models, or consequences, the cycle intensifies.

    Moving forward

    In short, these schools are no longer safe havens for learning – they are in crisis. Without urgent and effective intervention, the very mission of basic education – and the wellbeing of children – is at risk.

    Primary schools depend on governing authorities and communities for their safety and success. Stakeholders must take collective action to reclaim schools as safe learning spaces.

    Governing authorities should address the issues raised by reviewing policies and implementing support programmes, including counselling, family-school partnerships, and teacher training to handle challenging behaviour in positive and sustainable ways.

    Julie Shantone Rubbi Nunan 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. Bullying, violence and vandalism in primary school: study explores a growing crisis in South Africa – https://theconversation.com/bullying-violence-and-vandalism-in-primary-school-study-explores-a-growing-crisis-in-south-africa-260111

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu Attends the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 OCAC Overseas Mandarin Teachers Training Program in Sydney

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    The OCAC held the Sydney session of its 2025 Overseas Mandarin Teachers Training Program, providing a valuable opportunity for local teachers to recharge and reconnect. Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu attended the opening ceremony alongside Director Chia-Hui Chiang of the Sydney Education Division and Principal Min-Huei Chien of the Australian Oriental Culture School.
    DG Wu praised the teachers for contributing to the impressive Mandarin skills of second- and third-generation students in the community. He also expressed confidence that the lectures by Professor Shih-Wen Chyu (NTNU) and Professor Tzu-Ching Lin (Providence University) would provide participants with the latest insights and practical tools.
    The two-day workshop, hosted by the Australian Oriental Culture School, featured classroom management, curriculum design, AI-assisted teaching, and Mandarin assessment system. Through these efforts, we aim to strengthen the connection between Taiwan and new generations of overseas Taiwanese, and elevate Taiwan’s brand in global Mandarin education.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: OmegaPro founder, promoter charged for running global $650 million foreign exchange and crypto investment scam following ICE New York investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NEW YORK — An investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations New York, alongside several partners, has resulted in an indictment charging two men for their alleged roles in operating and promoting OmegaPro, an international investment scheme that defrauded victim investors of over $650 million.

    According to court documents, Michael Shannon Sims, 48, of Georgia and Florida, was a founder, strategic consultant, and promoter of OmegaPro, and Juan Carlos Reynoso, 57, of New Jersey and Florida, led OmegaPro’s operations in Latin America and parts of the United States, including Puerto Rico.

    “This case highlights the critical role international partnerships play in dismantling transnational financial fraud schemes that exploit global markets and victimize unsuspecting investors,” said ICE HSI International Operations Assistant Director Ricardo Mayoral. “HSI remains committed to working with our partners worldwide to disrupt criminal networks that weaponize emerging technologies to conceal illicit profits and defraud the public.”

    Mayoral; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico; Assistant Director Joe Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division; and Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS Criminal Investigation announced the charges on July 8.

    HSI New York, the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case, with assistance from HSI Bangkok; HSI Bogota; HSI Frankfurt; HSI Istanbul; HSI London; HSI Miami; HSI New Delhi; HSI The Hague; the FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit; the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia; and the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement, an alliance between the Australian Taxation Office, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Dutch Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs from the U.K., and IRS-CI.

    According to the investigation and as outlined in court documents:

    Sims and co-conspirators established OmegaPro in or about January 2019, and Reynoso joined a few months later, in or about April 2019. As alleged, the defendants and others operated and promoted OmegaPro as a multi-level marketing scheme for investors to purchase “investment packages,” which the defendants and others falsely promised would generate 300% returns over 16 months through foreign exchange trading by elite traders. Investors were instructed to purchase these investment packages using virtual currency.

    Sims allegedly misled victims by vouching for OmegaPro’s trading performance and the skills of the hired traders and by falsely advertising the safety of investment in OmegaPro. Reynoso allegedly falsely and misleadingly represented that OmegaPro was operating pursuant to a legitimate license and, at other times, that OmegaPro was not subject to any country’s legal rules. The indictment alleges that Sims and Reynoso, together with co-conspirators, hosted lavish OmegaPro promotional events and trainings all over the world including, for example, projecting the OmegaPro logo onto the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, at an event in Dubai. The objective of these promotional events allegedly was to convince existing and prospective investors that OmegaPro was a legitimate enterprise that offered a path to wealth and a luxurious lifestyle.

    Further, Sims, Reynoso, and their co-conspirators used social media to display their expensive vacations and cars, as well as their designer clothes and watches. The indictment alleges that through the defendants’ and others’ misrepresentations, OmegaPro raised over $650 million in virtual currency from thousands of investors. After OmegaPro announced that it had suffered a network hack, Reynoso and others told victims in or about January 2023 that their investments were secure and that OmegaPro was transferring their investments to another platform called Broker Group. Despite these representations, victims were unable to withdraw money from either their OmegaPro accounts or their accounts at Broker Group, resulting in millions in victim losses.

    The more than $650 million in funds raised from victims allegedly was first sent to virtual currency wallet addresses controlled by OmegaPro executives and then allegedly transferred to OmegaPro insiders and high-ranking promoters to disperse the funds and obscure their origins. As alleged, Sims and Reynoso both profited millions from this scheme.

    “As alleged, the defendants preyed upon vulnerable individuals in the U.S. and abroad, defrauding them of over $650 million by making false promises of substantial returns and that their money was safe,” said Galeotti. “The Criminal Division is committed to prosecuting these bad actors and pursuing justice for their many victims. Thanks to the dedicated work of our multiagency and international law enforcement partners, we are leading efforts to combat these complex and insidious digital asset investor scams.”

    “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants operated a global fraud scheme through OmegaPro that deceived investors with false promises of extraordinary returns, only to misappropriate hundreds of millions of victim funds,” said Muldrow. “We remain committed to dismantling international financial schemes that target U.S. victims — including here in Puerto Rico — and to recovering illicit proceeds through criminal prosecution and asset forfeiture.”

    “The FBI will not stand by while the American public is defrauded,” said Perez. “Through coordination with our partners, these individuals will have to defend their actions in a court of law.”

    “This case exposes the ruthless reality of modern financial crime,” said Ficco. “OmegaPro promised financial freedom but delivered financial ruin — stealing over $650 million from everyday people and vanishing it into virtual currency. These weren’t just scams; they were precision-engineered betrayals. Our job is to stand up for those who’ve been exploited and continue our cross-agency collaboration until those responsible are brought to justice.”

    Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Sims and Reynoso each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ivey Marks the Calendar for Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, Encourages Alabama Families to Stock Up on School Supplies

    Source: US State of Alabama

    MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Monday encouraged Alabamians to begin preparing for the upcoming academic year by participating in Alabama’s annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. The tax-free period will run from Friday, July 18 through Sunday, July 20, 2025.

    “A new school year brings new opportunities, and we want every Alabama student to step into the classroom ready to learn and succeed,” said Governor Ivey. “This tax holiday is one more way we’re supporting our Alabama families and reinforcing the importance of education across our state. When we invest in our students and equip them for success, we’re building a stronger future for all of Alabama.”

    During the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, items like pencils, paper, binders, calculators and rulers are free from state sales tax. The holiday also covers school uniforms, books and computers. For the full list of back-to-school items that qualify for the sales tax holiday, please visit this link.

    “ALDOR is pleased we can offer this tax-free opportunity to parents and caregivers across Alabama who are getting their children ready for the upcoming school year,” said Alabama Department of Revenue Commissioner Vernon Barnett. “Many counties, cities and towns are also participating in the tax-free holiday, so we encourage everyone in Alabama to take advantage, and we wish students all the best this year.”

    Counties and municipalities may also choose to participate in the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday by removing local sales and use taxes from the same selected items during the same weekend.

    You can see if your city, town or county is participating in the 2025 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday at this link.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Piero Cipollone: The digital euro: legal tender in the digital age

    Source: European Central Bank

    Introductory statement by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament

    Brussels, 14 July 2025

    Thank you for inviting me to take part in this exchange of views. I would like to talk about why we need the digital euro – and the cost of not pursuing it.

    My message is simple. The main reason for issuing a digital euro is to preserve the benefits of cash in the digital era. To do so, we need to complement physical cash with a digital form of cash.

    The inability to use physical cash in online transactions or for digital payments at the point of sale deprives us of a key payment option, reducing resilience, competition, sovereignty and, ultimately, consumers’ freedom to choose how to pay.

    This increases the risks that European consumers, merchants and policymakers face. For a growing number of their transactions, Europeans lack access to central bank money – the money that is backed by the sovereign and has legal tender status, underpinning our monetary union because it is accepted everywhere in the euro area.

    Monetary sovereignty and people’s freedom to pay with legal tender: two sides of the same coin

    The Eurosystem is committed to cash and will continue to issue it.[1] But people’s habits are shifting towards digital payments.

    As the role of online payments has grown, the role of cash in day-to-day transactions has been declining at pace: between 2019 and 2024 its share fell from 68% to 40% in volume terms and from 40% to 24% in value terms.[2]

    This has two important implications.

    First, the role of cash will be significantly reduced if we do not provide a digital equivalent. If we fail to act, we will fail to fulfil our responsibility as a central bank towards the people we serve.

    Second, our monetary sovereignty is eroding. People’s ability to pay across the euro area with sovereign money – cash – and frequently choosing to do so, is a key pillar of monetary sovereignty. A digital form of cash would protect our sovereignty and ensure our monetary union is also a digital monetary union.

    What’s particularly concerning in Europe is that the gap left by declining cash use is being filled by non-European payment solutions. For card payments, only seven out of the 20 euro area countries have a national card scheme. These card schemes cannot be used in other euro area countries and are also losing market share domestically. For e-commerce, European-owned solutions are prevalent in only three euro area countries.[3]

    Strengthening our legal tender to stop the erosion of our monetary sovereignty

    To address this situation, the Single Currency Package protects the rights of those who want to continue to pay with cash, while complementing physical cash with a digital form of the legal tender: the digital euro.

    I believe we are being presented with a false choice: a private pan-euro area payment solution or a public one. First, it is not just about payments; it is about the evolution of the money. And second, it is a historical fact that state-issued money and money issued by private parties have typically coexisted, reinforcing each other.[4]

    The cost of inaction

    Since the start of the euro, we have recognised the need for an integrated retail payments market. This prompted the development of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) to harmonise bank transfers. However, SEPA does not cover key use cases such as payments at the point of sale.

    Over the years, private firms have made several attempts to create a pan-European payment solution, but difficulties in coordinating among market participants prevented those firms from delivering a scalable and unified system.[5] Some 25 years after the launch of the euro, we still have no European payment solution that allows people to pay digitally throughout the euro area in stores, for e‑commerce goods and services and from person to person.

    Let us take a leap of faith. Imagine things would be different this time and that banks would manage to work together to rapidly provide a pan-European private payment solution. Would it still make sense to have the digital euro? The answer is yes.

    First, the digital euro would help preserve money as a public good that is easily accessible to everyone and universally accepted across the euro area. By contrast, private money belongs to the competitive space, so we cannot guarantee its acceptance by all merchants.

    Second, the digital euro would enhance resilience. We would have a reliable fallback in times of crisis, complementing cash. An especially important feature is that the digital euro would also function offline, providing a secure payment method even without an internet connection.[6] Moreover, as is the case with cash, we would be sure that all components of the digital euro remain in European hands.

    Third, the digital euro would prevent market concentration. The availability of legal tender and its wide adoption would put merchants in a stronger position to negotiate fees. In addition, the digital euro would create open standards with a wide acceptance network, making it easier for payment service providers to scale up their solutions. This would result in greater competition and innovation at European level.[7]

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union entrusts you, the co-legislators, to “lay down the measures necessary for the use of the euro as the single currency.”

    We can together ensure that our currency is fit for the digital age by complementing physical cash and private payment initiatives with digital cash. Indeed, the digital euro is key to preserving the benefits of cash in the digital era.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Twelfth Individual Charged in Alvarado Police Officer Shooting at Prairieland Detention Center

    Source: US FBI

    A twelfth individual has been charged for his role in the shooting of an Alvarado police officer at the Prairieland Detention Center, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.  

    According to a criminal complaint filed today, Benjamin Hanil Song, a former United States Marine Corps reservist, joined ten others in an organized attack against officers at the Prairieland Detention Center just after 10:30 p.m., Friday, July 4.

    The complaint alleges that group was dressed in black military style clothing.  The group began shooting fireworks towards the detention center.  Some then sprayed graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot at the facility.  Correctional officers called 911 to report suspicious activity.  An Alvarado police officer responded to the scene and, upon exiting his vehicle, the officer was shot in the neck by a defendant positioned in nearby woods. Another alleged assailant across the street fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility.

    As alleged in the complaint, Song purchased four of the guns that were found in connection with the shooting.  Two AR-style rifles were found at the scene, which records show were purchased by Song.  One of the abandoned rifles at the scene had a binary trigger, used to “double” a regular rate of fire, allowing a shooter to fire more rapidly than a standard semiautomatic gun.  Police also recovered additional firearms in searches of residences and vehicles, including another AR-15 style rifle in the back of a van driven that night by Bradford Morris, who was charged in a separate complaint on Monday.  Song also purchased that rifle, according to court documents.  Joy Gibson—also charged in Monday’s complaint—had a pistol in her backpack when apprehended.  Records show that Song purchased this firearm in October 2024.

    Ten assailants charged in Monday’s complaint fled from the detention center but were apprehended by additional responding law enforcement officers.  Song, however, was not located by law enforcement officers that night.  As alleged, the location data associated with Song’s cellular telephone indicates that his phone was located within several hundred meters of the Prairieland Detention Center from late in the evening of July 4, 2025, until after dark on July 5, the day after the shooting.  Additionally, the complaint alleges that on July 6, a white Mercedes Benz registered to a relative of Song was found on the same block of Bradford Morris’s residence.  A DFW Airport camera captured an individual—believed to be Song—driving the Mercedes on May 23, 2025.

    Song has been charged by federal complaint with three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  The ten others charged with these offenses in Monday’s complaint include Cameron Arnold, Savanna Batten, Nathan Baumann, Zachary Evetts, Joy Gibson, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Seth Sikes, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto.  The FBI has deemed Song a wanted individual and advises that he should be considered armed and dangerous.  As described in the attached notice, the FBI is seeking the public’s assistance in Song’s apprehension.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson praised the tireless efforts of all federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved in this case to date. “The swift response of nearly 70 law enforcement officers to the site of the shooting hemmed in several of the attackers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “The quick action and professionalism of our state and local law enforcement officers in the immediate aftermath of the shooting resulted in the prompt capture of ten of the assailants. Though Song escaped the scene by hiding overnight, he will be relentlessly pursued until he is in custody.”

    “Benjamin Hanil Song is wanted by the FBI for his connection to the violent assault that occurred at the Prairieland Detention Center. He is considered armed and dangerous, and we ask that the public contact law enforcement immediately if he is seen,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We are committed to apprehending Song and are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.  If you have any information, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI or you can submit a digital tip to fbi.govprairieland.”

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  Like all defendants, Song is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI—Dallas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE ERO), ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. Links are below to the FBI Wanted Notice for Song, and the Criminal Complaint filed.
     

    https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/additional/benjamin-hanil-song

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Huntsville Resident Arrested on Arson and Fraud Charges After Deaths of Two

    Source: US FBI

    HOUSTON – A 52-year-old year-old resident of Kansas City, Missouri, has been charged with multiple counts related to a conspiracy to commit arson against a property used in interstate or foreign commerce resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Authorities arrested Mario Raynard Roberson in the Houston area. He is now making his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray.

    A federal grand jury in Houston returned the 12-count indictment July 1. It alleges Roberson was responsible for a Huntsville house fire June 14, 2023, which killed two people.

    According to the charges, Roberson held a State Farm Insurance policy on the home and recruited others to set it on fire to file a fraudulent insurance claim. The indictment alleges the two individuals died while igniting the blaze at Roberson’s residence.

    “The defendant is alleged to have orchestrated a scheme to collect an insurance payout through a purported racially-motivated arson, which led to two deaths,” said Ganjei. “Now that he is in federal custody he will answer these charges, and, if found guilty, be held accountable for the death of these two men.”

    Roberson is charged with conspiracy to commit arson against a property used in interstate or foreign commerce resulting in death which carries a possible life sentence, if convicted.

    He is also facing nine counts of wire fraud for attempting to defraud the insurance company; conspiracy to violate the Travel Act related to the use of an interstate facility, the telephone, to commit arson; and with conspiracy to commit arson in connection with a federal felony offense. Each of those charges have varying possible prison terms up to a maximum of 20 years. He could also be ordered to pay a $250,000 fine.   

    FBI – Bryan Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Zenón-Matos, Byron Black and Alexander Alum are prosecuting this case.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Man Sentenced to Prison for Traveling to Washington for Sex with Fictitious Minor

    Source: US FBI

    Communicated with undercover law enforcement officer; Phone contained evidence of illegal communication with other children

    Seattle – A 73-year-old Tucson, Arizona man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four years in prison for travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Steven J. Migdon, was arrested in August 2024 following an online investigation by Seattle Police and the FBI. In the investigation, the undercover agent posed as a 13-year-old boy. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead noted that Migdon lived a crime free life for 73 years, but added, “Today we are here to confront the ugliness of what you did over ten days. The images you had on your phone represented real children and real abuse. These are among the most serious crimes we see in federal court, the crimes that exploit children.”

    In July 2024, an undercover agent posted on a teen chatroom platform. Migdon replied to the 13-year-old persona and made the communication become more sexually explicit.  Migdon requested, but did not receive, sexually explicit images from the “teen.” Migdon sent pictures of his face and penis to the undercover agent.

    On August 5th Migdon flew from Tucson to Everett, Washington, believing he would meet the “teen” at an Everett hotel room. Instead Migdon was arrested. A search of his phone revealed that he had sent sexually explicit images to other children, and that he had images of child sexual abuse on his phone.

    In asking for a four-year sentence and ten years of supervised release to follow, Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson wrote to the court, “Despite age and experience, Migdon spent ten days communicating with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old boy. Worse, the content of his phone confirmed his chatting and travel conduct were not stand alone. Migdon had been sexually communicating with unidentified minors in the days leading up to his travel to Washington for sex with a fictitious child.”

    Migdon was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to a fund for the known victims in the child sex abuse images he possessed. Migdon is required to register as a sex offender and will be on ten years of supervised release following prison.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and the Seattle Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: 4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Philipp Kastner, Senior Lecturer in International Law, The University of Western Australia

    The governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda concluded a peace treaty in June 2025, aimed at ending a decades-long war in eastern DRC. The United Nations welcomed the agreement as “a significant step towards de-escalation, peace and stability” in the region.

    I have analysed several different peace negotiations and agreements. It’s important to distinguish between what’s needed to get warring parties to the table, and what’s eventually agreed on. In this article, I examine whether the DRC-Rwanda deal has got the four essential components that usually signal that an agreement will hold.

    Two broad points about peace agreements, first – and one particular complication in the DRC-Rwanda case.

    Firstly, one agreement is rarely enough to resolve a complex conflict. Most deals are part of a series of agreements, sometimes between different actors. They often mention previously concluded ones, and will be referred to by subsequent ones.

    Secondly, peace is a process, and requires broad and sustained commitment. It is essential that other actors, like armed groups, are brought on board. Importantly, this also includes civil society actors. An agreement will be more legitimate and effective if different voices are heard during negotiations.

    One major complication in relation to the DRC-Rwanda deal is that the United States has been the prime broker. But rather than acting as a neutral mediator trying to bring about peace, Washington seems to be pursuing its own economic interests. This does not bode well.

    There is no simple recipe for a good peace agreement, but research shows that four elements are important: a serious commitment from the parties, precise wording, clear timelines and strong implementation provisions.

    What underpins a good agreement

    First, the parties need to be serious about the agreement and able to commit to its terms. It must not be used as a cover to buy time, re-arm or pursue fighting. Moreover, lasting peace cannot be made exclusively at the highest political level. Agreements that are the result of more inclusive processes, with input by and support from the communities concerned, have a higher success rate.

    Second, the agreement must address the issues it aims to resolve, and its provisions must be drafted carefully and unambiguously. When agreements are vague or silent on key aspects, they are often short-lived. Previous experiences can guide peace negotiators and mediators in the drafting process. Peace agreement databases established by the United Nations and academic institutions are a useful tool for this.

    Third, clear and realistic timelines are essential. These can concern the withdrawal of armed forces from specified territories, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and the establishment of mechanisms providing reparations or other forms of transitional justice.

    Fourth, an agreement should include provisions on its implementation. External support is usually helpful here. Third states or international organisations, liked the United Nations and the African Union, can be mandated to oversee this phase. They can also provide security guarantees or even deploy a peacekeeping operation. What is crucial is that these actors are committed to the process and don’t pursue their own interests.

    Read more: DRC and Rwanda sign a US-brokered peace deal: what are the chances of its success?

    To know what to realistically expect from a specific peace agreement, it’s important to understand that such agreements can take very different forms. These range from pre-negotiation arrangements and ceasefires to comprehensive peace accords and implementation agreements.

    A lasting resolution of the conflict should not be expected when only a few conflict parties have concluded a temporary ceasefire.

    The DRC-Rwanda agreement: an important step with lots of shortcomings

    It’s difficult to tell at this point how serious the DRC and Rwanda are about peace, and if their commitment will be enough.

    Their assertion that they will respect each other’s territory and refrain from acts of aggression is certainly important.

    But Rwanda has a history of direct military activities in the DRC since the 1990s. And the treaty only includes rather vague references to the “disengagement of forces/lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda”. It doesn’t specifically mention the withdrawal of the reportedly thousands of Rwandan troops deployed to eastern DRC.

    The Paul Kagame-led Rwandan government has also supported Tutsi-dominated armed groups in the DRC since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. The Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) is the current primary military actor in eastern DRC. But the agreement between the governments of DRC and Rwanda didn’t include the M23 or other groups. The two governments only commit themselves to supporting the ongoing negotiations between the DRC and the M23 facilitated by Qatar.

    The agreement also foresees the “neutralisation” of another armed group, the Hutu-dominated Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR). This group claims to protect Rwandan Hutu refugees in the DRC, but is considered “genocidal” by the Rwandan government. The group has reacted to this plan by calling for a political solution and a more inclusive peace process.

    What’s needed

    The DRC-Rwanda agreement includes provisions that are vital to the people most affected by the conflict, such as the return of the millions of people displaced because of the fighting in eastern DRC. But it does not address other key issues.

    For instance, aside from a general commitment to promote human rights and international humanitarian law, there is no reference to the widespread violations of human rights and war crimes reportedly committed by all sides. These include summary executions, and sexual and gender-based violence, including violence against children.

    Some form of justice and reconciliation mechanism to deal with such large-scale violence should be considered in this situation, as for instance in the fairly successful 2016 agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC). This could contribute to preventing further violations as it sends a clear signal that committing crimes will not be rewarded. It also helps the population heal and gives peace a better chance.

    There is no single model for this, and so-called transitional justice (defined as the “range of processes and mechanisms associated with a society’s attempts to come to terms with a legacy of large-scale past abuses, in order to ensure accountability, serve justice and achieve reconciliation”) remains highly controversial. For instance, insisting on war crimes trials can be seen as endangering a fragile peace process.

    But peace agreements across the world, from Libya to the Central African Republic, have over past decades moved away from blanket amnesties. They have increasingly included provisions to ensure accountability, especially for serious crimes. The DRC-Rwanda deal is silent on these questions.

    A twist in the tale

    The DRC-Rwanda deal is complicated by Washington’s role and pursuit of economic interests.

    The two states agreed to establish a joint oversight committee, with members of the African Union, Qatar and the United States. It foresees a “regional economic integration framework”, which has been criticised as opening the door for foreign influence in the DRC’s rich mineral resources. The country is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, for instance, which is essential for the renewable energy sector.

    Such a neocolonial “peace for exploitation bargain” does not send a positive signal. And it will probably not contribute to ending an armed conflict that has been fuelled by the exploitation of natural resources.

    – 4 things every peace agreement needs – and how the DRC-Rwanda deal measures up
    – https://theconversation.com/4-things-every-peace-agreement-needs-and-how-the-drc-rwanda-deal-measures-up-260944

    MIL OSI Africa –