NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Wet and wild weather, Nelson Bays

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are advising motorists to avoid all unnecessary travel in the Nelson Bays area this morning.

    The area is being hit by adverse weather conditions with flooding across the area and road closures likely.

    Especially avoid: Belgrove, Wakefield, Brightwater, Richmond, Whakatu Drive, Appleby, Redwood, Riwaka.

    In extreme conditions, please limit yourself to essential travel only, ensure you have had your brakes and windscreen wipers checked. Reducing speed, using headlights and watching your visibility will also ensure a safe trip.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Less Than a Month Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance for South Texas Severe Storms and Flooding

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Less Than a Month Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance for South Texas Severe Storms and Flooding

    Less Than a Month Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance for South Texas Severe Storms and Flooding

    AUSTIN, Texas – Texas residents who have been affected by the March severe storms and flooding have less than a month left to apply for FEMA assistance

    Homeowners and renters in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties who were displaced or have property damage from the March 26-28 storms have until Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to submit an application for FEMA assistance

    After the deadline, survivors can still upload information and submit paperwork to their FEMA account

    To date, FEMA has approved more than $59

    2 million in federal and state assistance for Texas survivors

    There are many types of assistance available for survivors who need help covering costs for things like rental expenses, home repairs, vehicle damage, medical expenses, moving and storage, and reimbursement for temporary housing

    There are three ways to apply:Visit a Disaster Recovery Center

    To find a center close to you, go online to: DRC Locator, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Ex: DRC 78552)

    Go online to DisasterAssistance

    govDownload the FEMA App for mobile devices Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a

    m

    and 10 p

    m

    CT

    Help is available in most languages

     To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTubeResidents and businesses in the four eligible counties can also apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U

    S

    Small Business Administration (SBA) to help recover

    Texas residents can apply for a disaster loan online at SBA

    gov/disaster or by calling 800-659-2955

     To find a Texas location for in-person assistance, visit appointment

    sba

    gov/schedule/

    No appointment is necessary

    For more information about the loans available and how to apply, visit: SBA Loans Are a Meaningful Option for Texas Storm Survivors

    For the latest information about Texas’ recovery, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4871

    Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x

    com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook

    com/FEMARegion6/
    toan

    nguyen
    Thu, 06/26/2025 – 18:38

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sparkling Andromeda

    Source: NASA

    The Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31 (M31), is a glittering beacon in this image released on June 25, 2025, in tribute to the groundbreaking legacy of astronomer Dr. Vera Rubin, whose observations transformed our understanding of the universe. In the 1960s, Rubin and her colleagues studied M31 and determined that there was some unseen matter in the galaxy that was affecting how the galaxy and its spiral arms rotated. This unknown material was named “dark matter.”
    M31 is the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way at a distance of about 2.5 million light-years. Astronomers use Andromeda to understand the structure and evolution of our own spiral, which is much harder to do since Earth is embedded inside the Milky Way.
    Learn more about this image and experience in sound, too.
    Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXO/UMass/Z. Li & Q.D. Wang, ESA/XMM-Newton; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE, Spitzer, NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Gordon (U. Az), ESA/Herschel, ESA/Planck, NASA/IRAS, NASA/COBE; Radio: NSF/GBT/WSRT/IRAM/C. Clark (STScI); Ultraviolet: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GALEX; Optical: Andromeda, Unexpected © Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner, Yann Sainty & J. Sahner, T. Kottary. Composite image processing: L. Frattare, K. Arcand, J.Major

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Temporary Housing Units to Be Moved onto Private and Secondary Sites

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Temporary Housing Units to Be Moved onto Private and Secondary Sites

    FEMA Temporary Housing Units to Be Moved onto Private and Secondary Sites

    LAHAINA, MAUI – FEMA will begin moving temporary housing units from the staging site in Lahaina to private and secondary sites on June 26, 2025

    Movement will take place over the next several weeks and will provide further available housing for wildfire survivors in West Maui

    The first unit will be moved to a private site on June 26, 2025, with additional units to follow

     Six temporary housing units will be placed onto private sites in Lahaina

    Additionally, 40 temporary housing units will be placed on three secondary sites in Lahaina in the weeks to come

     The movement of units supports FEMA’s mission to return wildfire survivors to West Maui who indicated that temporary housing closer to their original home is their preference

    Unit movement will result in minimal traffic disruptions as the units travel the approximately 2-mile distance to their final destinations

    Movement will take place periodically over several weeks and is targeted to finish before the new school year starts to accommodate families with school-aged children

     FEMA housing is temporary and will remain available for eligible participants while they continue to seek permanent housing solutions

     For the latest information on the Maui wildfire recovery efforts, visit mauicounty

    gov, mauirecovers

    org, fema

    gov/disaster/4724 and Hawaii Wildfires – YouTube

    Follow FEMA on social media: @FEMARegion9 and facebook

    com/fema

    You may also get disaster assistance information and download applications at sba

    gov/hawaii-wildfires

      # # #                                         FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters

    shannon

    carley
    Thu, 06/26/2025 – 17:25

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary Noem Terminates Wasteful DHS Program that Encouraged DEI in K-12 Schools

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Secretary Noem Terminates Wasteful DHS Program that Encouraged DEI in K-12 Schools

    lass=”text-align-center”>The “Invent2Prevent” program funneled millions of dollars to a highly politicized organization and targeted school children with radical ideology
    WASHINGTON – Today, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that she terminated the DHS “Invent2Prevent” program – a wasteful and highly politicized initiative that cost the American taxpayer over $1

    5 million dollars

    Despite its high cost, the program accomplished very little towards its apparent mission: preventing terrorism

    Instead, it funneled taxpayer money into a highly politicized organization called “The Eradicate Hate Global Summit,” which promoted DEI and LGBTQ ideology at K-12 schools

    “President Trump was given a mandate by the American people to eliminate wasteful government spending, and that is exactly what we are doing,” said Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary

    “This program was not only wasteful, it was also using public money to support an openly partisan and political organization

    Politicized NGOs like Eradicate Hate have been siphoning away taxpayer dollars for far too long

    We are ending the grift

    ”
    Under the guise of counter terrorism, this program used tax money on initiatives to foster “inclusive environments in schools,” promote DEI, and expose grade school children to sexualized topics like LGBTQ issues

    By canceling Invent2Prevent, Secretary Noem is saving the taxpayer $1,523,146

    24

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: By Air and by Sea: Validating NASA’s PACE Ocean Color Instrument

    Source: NASA

    In autumn 2024, California’s Monterey Bay experienced an outsized phytoplankton bloom that attracted fish, dolphins, whales, seabirds, and – for a few weeks in October – scientists. A team from NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, with partners at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), and the Naval Postgraduate School, spent two weeks on the California coast gathering data on the atmosphere and the ocean to verify what satellites see from above. In spring 2025, the team returned to gather data under different environmental conditions.
    Scientists call this process validation.

    The PACE mission, which stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem, was launched in February  2024 and designed to transform our understanding of ocean and atmospheric environments. Specifically, the satellite will give scientists a finely detailed look at life near the ocean surface and the composition and abundance of aerosol particles in the atmosphere.
    Whenever NASA launches a new satellite, it sends validation science teams around the world to confirm that the data from instruments in space match what traditional instruments can see at the surface. AirSHARP (Airborne aSsessment of Hyperspectral Aerosol optical depth and water-leaving Reflectance Product Performance for PACE) is one of these teams, specifically deployed to validate products from the satellite’s Ocean Color Instrument (OCI).
    The OCI spectrometer works by measuring reflected sunlight. As sunlight bounces off of the ocean’s surface, it creates specific shades of color that researchers use to determine what is in the water column below. To validate the OCI data, research teams need to confirm that measurements directly at the surface match those from the satellite. They also need to understand how the atmosphere is changing the color of the ocean as the reflected light is traveling back to the satellite.
    In October 2024 and May 2025, the AirSHARP team ran simultaneous airborne and seaborne campaigns. Going into the field during different seasons allows the team to collect data under different environmental conditions, validating as much of the instrument’s range as possible.
    Over 13 days of flights on a Twin Otter aircraft, the NASA-led team used instruments called 4STAR-B (Spectrometer for sky-scanning sun Tracking Atmospheric Research B), and the C-AIR (Coastal Airborne In-situ Radiometer) to gather data from the air. At the same time, partners from UCSC used a host of matching instruments onboard the research vessel R/V Shana Rae to gather data from the water’s surface.

    The Ocean Color Instrument measures something called water leaving reflectance, which provides information on the microscopic composition of the water column, including water molecules, phytoplankton, and particulates like sand, inorganic materials, and even bubbles. Ocean color varies based on how these materials absorb and scatter sunlight. This is especially useful for determining the abundance and types of phytoplankton.

    The AirSHARP team used radiometers with matching technology – C-AIR from the air and C-OPS (Compact Optical Profiling System) from the water – to gather water leaving reflectance data.
    “The C-AIR instrument is modified from an instrument that goes on research vessels and takes measurements of the water’s surface from very close range,” said NASA Ames research scientist Samuel LeBlanc. “The issue there is that you’re very local to one area at a time. What our team has done successfully is put it on an aircraft, which enables us to span the entire Monterey Bay.”
    The larger PACE validation team will compare OCI measurements with observations made by the sensors much closer to the ocean to ensure that they match, and make adjustments when they don’t. 

    One factor that can impact OCI data is the presence of manmade and natural aerosols, which interact with sunlight as it moves through the atmosphere. An aerosol refers to any solid or liquid suspended in the air, such as smoke from fires, salt from sea spray, particulates from fossil fuel emissions, desert dust, and pollen.
    Imagine a 420 mile-long tube, with the PACE satellite at one end and the ocean at the other. Everything inside the tube is what scientists refer to as the atmospheric column, and it is full of tiny particulates that interact with sunlight. Scientists quantify this aerosol interaction with a measurement called aerosol optical depth.
    “During AirSHARP, we were essentially measuring, at different wavelengths, how light is changed by the particles present in the atmosphere,” said NASA Ames research scientist Kristina Pistone. “The aerosol optical depth is a measure of light extinction, or how much light is either scattered away or absorbed by aerosol particulates.” 
    The team measured aerosol optical depth using the 4STAR-B spectrometer, which was engineered at NASA Ames and  enables scientists to identify which aerosols are present and how they interact with sunlight.

    Flying these instruments required use of a Twin Otter plane, operated by the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). The Twin Otter is unique for its ability to perform extremely low-altitude flights, making passes down to 100 feet above the water in clear conditions.
    “It’s an intense way to fly. At that low height, the pilots continually watch for and avoid birds, tall ships, and even wildlife like breaching whales,” said Anthony Bucholtz, director of the Airborne Research Facility at NPS.
    With the phytoplankton bloom attracting so much wildlife in a bay already full of ships, this is no small feat. “The pilots keep a close eye on the radar, and fly by hand,” Bucholtz said, “all while following careful flight plans crisscrossing Monterey Bay and performing tight spirals over the Research Vessel Shana Rae.”

    Data gathered from the 2024 phase of this campaign is available on two data archive systems. Data from the 4STAR instrument is available in the PACE data archive  and data from C-AIR is housed in the SeaBASS data archive.
    Other data from the NASA PACE Validation Science Team is available through the PACE website: https://pace.oceansciences.org/pvstdoi.htm#
    Samuel LeBlanc and Kristina Pistone are funded via the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI), which  is a scientist-founded nonprofit focused on supporting Earth and space sciences.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Mars Orbiter Learns New Moves After Nearly 20 Years in Space

    Source: NASA

    The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is testing a series of large spacecraft rolls that will help it hunt for water.
    After nearly 20 years of operations, NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is on a roll, performing a new maneuver to squeeze even more science out of the busy spacecraft as it circles the Red Planet. Engineers have essentially taught the probe to roll over so that it’s nearly upside down. Doing so enables MRO to look deeper underground as it searches for liquid and frozen water, among other things.
    The new capability is detailed in a paper recently published in the Planetary Science Journal documenting three “very large rolls,” as the mission calls them, that were performed between 2023 and 2024.
    “Not only can you teach an old spacecraft new tricks, you can open up entirely new regions of the subsurface to explore by doing so,” said one of the paper’s authors, Gareth Morgan of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona.

    The orbiter was originally designed to roll up to 30 degrees in any direction so that it can point its instruments at surface targets, including potential landing sites, impact craters, and more.
    “We’re unique in that the entire spacecraft and its software are designed to let us roll all the time,” said Reid Thomas, MRO’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
    The process for rolling isn’t simple. The spacecraft carries five operating science instruments that have different pointing requirements. To target a precise spot on the surface with one instrument, the orbiter has to roll a particular way, which means the other instruments may have a less-favorable view of Mars during the maneuver.
    That’s why each regular roll is planned weeks in advance, with instrument teams negotiating who conducts science and when. Then, an algorithm checks MRO’s position above Mars and automatically commands the orbiter to roll so the appropriate instrument points at the correct spot on the surface. At the same time, the algorithm commands the spacecraft’s solar arrays to rotate and track the Sun and its high-gain antenna to track Earth to maintain power and communications.
    Very large rolls, which are 120 degrees, require even more planning to maintain the safety of the spacecraft. The payoff is that the new maneuver enables one particular instrument, called the Shallow Radar (SHARAD), to have a deeper view of Mars than ever before.

    Bigger Rolls, Better Science
    Designed to peer from about half a mile to a little over a mile (1 to 2 kilometers) belowground, SHARAD allows scientists to distinguish between materials like rock, sand, and ice. The radar was especially useful in determining where ice could be found close enough to the surface that future astronauts might one day be able to access it. Ice will be key for producing rocket propellant for the trip home and is important for learning more about the climate, geology, and potential for life at Mars.
    But as great as SHARAD is, the team knew it could be even better.
    To give cameras like the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) prime viewing at the front of MRO, SHARAD’s two antenna segments were mounted at the back of the orbiter. While this setup helps the cameras, it also means that radio signals SHARAD pings onto the surface below encounter parts of the spacecraft, interfering with the signals and resulting in images that are less clear.
    “The SHARAD instrument was designed for the near-subsurface, and there are select regions of Mars that are just out of reach for us,” said Morgan, a co-investigator on the SHARAD team. “There is a lot to be gained by taking a closer look at those regions.”
    In 2023, the team decided to try developing 120-degree very large rolls to provide the radio waves an unobstructed path to the surface. What they found is that the maneuver can strengthen the radar signal by 10 times or more, offering a much clearer picture of the Martian underground.
    But the roll is so large that the spacecraft’s communications antenna is not pointed at Earth, and its solar arrays aren’t able to track the Sun.
    “The very large rolls require a special analysis to make sure we’ll have enough power in our batteries to safely do the roll,” Thomas said.
    Given the time involved, the mission limits itself to one or two very large rolls a year. But engineers hope to use them more often by streamlining the process.
    Learning to Roll With It
    While SHARAD scientists are benefiting from these new moves, the team working with another MRO instrument, the Mars Climate Sounder, is making the most of MRO’s standard roll capability. 
    The JPL-built instrument is a radiometer that serves as one of the most detailed sources available of information on Mars’ atmosphere. Measuring subtle changes in temperature over the course of many seasons, Mars Climate Sounder reveals the inner workings of dust storms and cloud formation. Dust and wind are important to understand: They are constantly reshaping the Martian surface, with wind-borne dust blanketing solar panels and posing a health risk for future astronauts.
    Mars Climate Sounder was designed to pivot on a gimbal so that it can get views of the Martian horizon and surface. It also provides views of space, which scientists use to calibrate the instrument. But in 2024, the aging gimbal became unreliable. Now Mars Climate Sounder relies on MRO’s standard rolls.
    “Rolling used to restrict our science,” said Mars Climate Sounder’s interim principal investigator, Armin Kleinboehl of JPL, “but we’ve incorporated it into our routine planning, both for surface views and calibration.”
    More About MRO
    NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California manages MRO for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington as part of its Mars Exploration Program portfolio. The SHARAD instrument was provided by the Italian Space Agency. Its operations are led by Sapienza University of Rome, and its data is analyzed by a joint U.S.-Italian science team. The Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, leads U.S. involvement in SHARAD. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built MRO and supports its operations.
    For more information, visit:
    science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-reconnaissance-orbiter
    News Media Contacts
    Andrew GoodJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-393-2433andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov
    Karen Fox / Molly WasserNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
    2025-084

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Citizen Scientists Find New Eclipsing Binary Stars

    Source: NASA

    When two stars orbit one another in such a way that one blocks the other’s light each time it swings around, that’s an eclipsing binary. A new paper from NASA’s Eclipsing Binary Patrol citizen science project presents more than 10,000 of these rare pairs – 10,001 to be precise. These objects will help future researchers study the physics and formation of stars and search for new exoplanets.
    “Together, humans and computers excel at investigating hundreds of thousands of eclipsing binaries,” said Dr. Veselin Kostov, research scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the SETI Institute and lead author of the paper. “I can’t wait to search them for exoplanets!”
    To make their catalog, the team examined data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which surveyed nearly the entire sky looking for objects with varying brightness. They used a two-tiered approach, combining the scalability of artificial intelligence with the nuanced judgment of human expertise. First, advanced machine learning methods efficiently sifted through hundreds of millions of targets observed by TESS, identifying hundreds of thousands of promising candidates. Then, humans scrutinized the most interesting systems. 
    Of the 10,001 objects they listed in their paper, 7,936 are new eclipsing binaries they discovered. The rest were already known, but the team made new measurements of the timing of their eclipses.You can join the Eclipsing Binary Patrol team too! Just go to the project’s website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Meet the Space Ops Team: Derrick Bailey

    Source: NASA

    Since childhood, Derrick Bailey always had an early fascination with aeronautics. Military fighter jet pilots were his childhood heroes, and he dreamed of joining the aerospace industry. This passion was a springboard into his 17-year career at NASA, where Bailey plays an important role in enabling successful rocket launches.
    Bailey is the Launch Vehicle Certification Manager in the Launch Services Program (LSP) within the Space Operations Mission Directorate. In this role, he helps NASA outline the agency’s risk classifications of new rockets from emerging and established space companies.
    “Within my role, I formulate a series of technical and process assessments for NASA LSP’s technical team to understand how companies operate, how vehicles are designed and qualified, and how they perform in flight,” Bailey said.
    Beyond technical proficiency and readiness, a successful rocket launch relies on establishing a strong foundational relationship between NASA and the commercial companies involved. Bailey and his team ensure effective communication with these companies to provide the guidance, data, and analysis necessary to support them in overcoming challenges.
    “We work diligently to build trusting relationships with commercial companies and demonstrate the value in partnering with our team,” Bailey said.
    Bailey credits a stroke of fate that landed him at the agency. During his senior year at Georgia Tech, where he was pursuing a degree in aerospace engineering, Bailey almost walked past the NASA tent at a career fair. However, he decided to grab a NASA sticker and strike up a conversation, which quickly turned into an impromptu interview. He walked away that day with a job offer to work on the now-retired Space Shuttle Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    “I never imagined working at NASA,” Bailey said. “Looking back, it’s unbelievable that a chance encounter resulted in securing a job that has turned into an incredible career.”
    Thinking about the future, Bailey is excited about new opportunities in the commercial space industry. Bailey sees NASA as a crucial advisor and mentor for commercial sector while using industry capabilities to provide more cost-effective access to space.

    “We are the enablers,” Bailey said of his role in the directorate. “It is our responsibility to provide the best opportunity for future explorers to begin their journey of discovery in deep space and beyond.”
    Outside of work, Bailey enjoys spending time with his family, especially his two sons, who keep him busy with trips to the baseball diamond and homework sessions. Bailey also enjoys hands-on activities, like working on cars, off-road vehicles, and house projects – hobbies he picked up from his mechanically inclined father. Additionally, at the beginning of 2025, his wife accepted a program specialist position with LSP, an exciting development for the entire Bailey family.
    “One of my wife’s major observations early on in my career was how much my colleagues genuinely care about one another and empower people to make decisions,” Bailey explained. “These are the things that make NASA the number one place to work in the government.”
    NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate maintains a continuous human presence in space for the benefit of people on Earth. The programs within the directorate are the hub of NASA’s space exploration efforts, enabling Artemis, commercial space, science, and other agency missions through communication, launch services, research capabilities, and crew support.
    To learn more about NASA’s Space Operation Mission Directorate, visit: 
    https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/space-operations

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Be Alert to Fraud After Tennessee’s Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes and Flooding

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Be Alert to Fraud After Tennessee’s Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes and Flooding

    Be Alert to Fraud After Tennessee’s Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes and Flooding

    Tennesseans should be aware that con artists and criminals may try to obtain money or steal personal information through fraud or identity theft after the April 2-24 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding

    In some cases, thieves try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses and Social Security numbers they have stolen from people affected by the disaster

    If a FEMA inspector comes to your home and you did not submit a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge to apply for assistance

    If this happens, please inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance so they can submit a request to stop further processing of the application

     If you did not apply for assistance but you received a letter from FEMA, please call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 6 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    CT daily

    Helpline specialists will submit a request to stop further processing of that application

    If you want to apply for FEMA assistance after stopping an application made in your name without your knowledge, helpline specialists will assist you in creating a new application

    ScamsFEMA housing inspectors and other officials will be working in areas impacted by April’s severe weather

    They carry official photo identification badges

    FEMA representatives never charge for disaster assistance, inspections or help filling out applications — their services are free

    Don’t believe anyone who promises a disaster grant in return for payment

     Don’t give your banking information to a person claiming to be a FEMA housing inspector

    FEMA inspectors are never authorized to collect your personal financial information

     If you believe you are the victim of a scam or price gouging, or you want to report a person or company for disaster relief scams or price gouging, contact your local police or sheriff’s department

    You may also report it to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs by calling 615-741-4737 or go online and file a fraud complaint at TN Division of Consumer Affairs

     If you have knowledge of fraud, waste or abuse, you can report these tips – 24 hours a day, seven days a week – to the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721

    You can also email StopFEMAFraud@fema

    dhs

    gov to report a tip

    kwei

    nwaogu
    Thu, 06/26/2025 – 12:58

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deadline Approaching to Apply for FEMA Assistance for April Severe Weather and May Tornadoes

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>FRANKFORT, Ky. – The deadlines are approaching for homeowners and renters to apply for FEMA assistance for damage and losses caused by the April storms and the May tornadoes. 
    July 25 is the deadline for survivors in the 37 Kentucky counties designated under the major federal disaster for April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides.
    The eligible counties are Anderson, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Calloway, Carroll, Christian, Clark, Daviess, Franklin, Garrard, Grayson, Hancock, Hardin, Hart, Henderson, Henry, Hopkins, Jefferson, Jessamine, Larue, Lincoln, McCracken, McLean, Meade, Mercer, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Oldham, Owen, Pendleton, Powell, Trimble, Warren, Webster and Woodford.
    July 23 is the deadline to apply for FEMA assistance to help recover from tornadoes that occurred May 16 and 17.  Eligible counties are Caldwell, Laurel, Pulaski, Russell, Trigg and Union.
    Make Sure You Apply for the Right Disaster
    Your application needs to include the correct disaster number for your location.
    If you were affected by the April severe weather disaster and you lived in one of the 37 designated counties, you should apply for the disaster number DR-4864.If you were affected by the May tornadoes and lived in one of the six designated counties, the correct disaster number on your application should be DR-4875.
    If you already applied and the disaster number was incorrect, you may receive a letter from FEMA stating you were not approved because your home is not located in the declared disaster area. Don’t give up. You may still be eligible for assistance. Contact FEMA immediately or submit another application by the deadline with the correct disaster number. Whether it is by phone or a visit to a Disaster Recovery Center, FEMA representatives can help you. 
    How To Apply for FEMA Assistance and Get Help With Your Application
    There are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance or get help with your existing application:

    Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
    Visit any Disaster Recovery Center. To find a center close to you, visit fema.gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”).
    Use the FEMA mobile app.
    Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
    FEMA works with every household on a case-by-case basis.

    FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA, and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs.
    When you apply, you will need to provide:

    A current phone number where you can be contacted.
    Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
    Your Social Security Number.
    A general list of damage and losses.
    Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
    If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.

    Survivors should keep their contact information updated with FEMA as the agency may need to call to schedule a home inspection or get additional information.
     
    Disaster assistance is not a substitute for insurance and is not intended to compensate for all losses caused by a 
    disaster. The assistance is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts.
     
    For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4864 and www.fema.gov/disaster/4875 Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x.com/femaregion4. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA, Australia Team Up for Artemis II Lunar Laser Communications Test

    Source: NASA

    As NASA prepares for its Artemis II mission, researchers at the agency’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland are collaborating with The Australian National University (ANU) to prove inventive, cost-saving laser communications technologies in the lunar environment.
    Communicating in space usually relies on radio waves, but NASA is exploring laser, or optical, communications, which can send data 10 to 100 times faster to the ground. Instead of radio signals, these systems use infrared light to transmit high-definition video, picture, voice, and science data across vast distances in less time. NASA has proven laser communications during previous technology demonstrations, but Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to attempt using lasers to transmit data from deep space.
    To support this effort, researchers working on the agency’s Real Time Optical Receiver (RealTOR) project have developed a cost-effective laser transceiver using commercial-off-the-shelf parts. Earlier this year, NASA Glenn engineers built and tested a replica of the system at the center’s Aerospace Communications Facility, and they are now working with ANU to build a system with the same hardware models to prepare for the university’s Artemis II laser communications demo.
    “Australia’s upcoming lunar experiment could showcase the capability, affordability, and reproducibility of the deep space receiver engineered by Glenn,” said Jennifer Downey, co-principal investigator for the RealTOR project at NASA Glenn. “It’s an important step in proving the feasibility of using commercial parts to develop accessible technologies for sustainable exploration beyond Earth.”
    During Artemis II, which is scheduled for early 2026, NASA will fly an optical communications system aboard the Orion spacecraft, which will test using lasers to send data across the cosmos. During the mission, NASA will attempt to transmit recorded 4K ultra-high-definition video, flight procedures, pictures, science data, and voice communications from the Moon to Earth.

    Nearly 10,000 miles from Cleveland, ANU researchers working at the Mount Stromlo Observatory ground station hope to receive data during Orion’s journey around the Moon using the Glenn-developed transceiver model. This ground station will serve as a test location for the new transceiver design and will not be one of the mission’s primary ground stations. If the test is successful, it will prove that commercial parts can be used to build affordable, scalable space communication systems for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
    “Engaging with The Australian National University to expand commercial laser communications offerings across the world will further demonstrate how this advanced satellite communications capability is ready to support the agency’s networks and missions as we set our sights on deep space exploration,” said Marie Piasecki, technology portfolio manager for NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program.
    As NASA continues to investigate the feasibility of using commercial parts to engineer ground stations, Glenn researchers will continue to provide critical support in preparation for Australia’s demonstration.
    Strong global partnerships advance technology breakthroughs and are instrumental as NASA expands humanity’s reach from the Moon to Mars, while fueling innovations that improve life on Earth. Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

    The RealTOR project is one aspect of the optical communications portfolio within NASA’s SCaN Program, which includes demonstrations and in-space experiment platforms to test the viability of infrared light for sending data to and from space. These include the LCOT (Low-Cost Optical Terminal) project, the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration, and more. NASA Glenn manages the project under the direction of agency’s SCaN Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
    The Australian National University’s demonstration is supported by the Australian Space Agency Moon to Mars Demonstrator Mission Grant program, which has facilitated operational capability for the Australian Deep Space Optical Ground Station Network.
    To learn how space communications and navigation capabilities support every agency mission, visit:
    https://www.nasa.gov/communicating-with-missions

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Takes Action on 10 Bills

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Takes Action on 10 Bills

    Governor Stein Takes Action on 10 Bills
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Stein signed 10 bills into law.

    Governor Stein made the following statement on his signing of House Bill 612: Fostering Care in NC Act: 

    “This bill protects our most vulnerable children and strengthens our child welfare system. I applaud the provisions of this bill that better protect children from abuse and neglect, empower a rapid response team to support those receiving mental health treatment, and help more kids stay with their family members. I thank the bill sponsors, Representatives Chesser, Bell, Loftis and Alston, for their work, as well as Senator Sydney Batch for her years of dedication to this issue.”

    Governor Stein made the following statement on his signing of House Bill 373: UNC Tuition Discount for Certain Students: 

    “This bill will help military students afford tuition at our state’s top-tier university system. This way, we can both support those who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms and strengthen our workforce of tomorrow. I appreciate Representatives Campbell, Pickett, Chesser, and Willis for their sponsorship of this legislation.” 

    Governor Stein made the following statement on his signing of House Bill 251: Various Disaster Recovery Reforms:

    “North Carolina does not discriminate based on political affiliation or political speech, including when providing disaster recovery assistance. This bill ensures that will remain the case.”

    Governor Stein made the following statement on his signing of Senate Bill 400: Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Teams:

    “This bill will help counties improve their adult protective services for older and disabled North Carolinians by creating teams that can share information and collaborate, making vulnerable people safer.” 

    Governor Stein also signed the following into law: 

    • House Bill 40: Various GSC Recommendations
    • House Bill 91: Define Armed Forces / Religious Prop. Tax Excl.
    • House Bill 247: Underground Safety Revisions
    • House Bill 421: Motor Vehicle Dealers
    • House Bill 476: DST Technical Corrections/Admin. Changes 2025
    • Senate Bill 344: Pooled Trust Transfers / Public Benefits Elig 
    Jun 26, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nigerian national arrested in multimillion-dollar email and money laundering scam

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston man has been taken into custody for his role in a large-scale business email compromise and money laundering scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Authorities have arrested Edikan Adiakpan who is expected to make his initial appearance at 2 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray.

    A federal grand jury in Houston returned a three-count indictment June 11 charging Adiakpan with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and illegal money transmission. The indictment alleges that in 2021, Adiakpan and co-conspirators carried out a business email compromise scheme targeting companies in at least eight states, including a California research group focused on developing treatments for U.S. veterans. 

    Victims received “spoofed” emails that appeared to come from known suppliers and creditors, according to the charges. They were allegedly tricked into sending payments to bank accounts the fraudsters controlled instead of the actual suppliers.

    The charges further allege the conspirators laundered the funds by quickly transferring the money between multiple bank accounts they controlled. They then allegedly converted the funds into cashier’s’ checks. Adiakpan allegedly cashed the checks and kept a percentage as a fee.

    Another Nigerian citizen, Ayobami Omoniyi, 26, was previously charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of the same scheme and is awaiting sentencing before U.S District Judge Andrew S. Hanen. 

    If convicted, Adiakpan faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges and up to five years for the illegal money transmitting. Each conviction carries a possible $250,000 maximum fine. 

    FBI – Houston and its Bryan Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Christine Lu are prosecuting the 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: Mexican National Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Laundering $5.4 million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – Today, a Mexican national was sentenced to 100 months in prison for his role in arranging for the collection of drug proceeds in the United States and the repatriation of the proceeds, or their equivalent value, to Mexico as part of a money laundering conspiracy.

    According to court documents, Jose Manuel Martinez Gomez, a/k/a Meño, served as a “money broker” in an organization that aided the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) by collecting, laundering, and repatriating drug proceeds generated in the United States to the cartel in Mexico. Martinez personally arranged for the laundering of $5,462,289 that was proceeds of drug trafficking crimes. Martinez used a network of co-conspirators to pick up those drug proceeds all over the United States. After money was delivered in the United States, Mr. Martinez provided instructions for the transfer of those funds via cryptocurrency, including providing a cryptocurrency wallet address, or a bank account.   Martinez worked for “commissions,” or a percentage of the money laundered successfully.

    As a direct result of the money laundering contracts brokered by Martinez, DEA Lexington and its domestic partners seized a staggering quantity of drugs, including approximately 3 kilograms of fentanyl, 52.77 kilograms of cocaine, 7,078.63 kilograms of unconverted methamphetamine in the form of charcoal lumps, 170 gallons of unconverted methamphetamine in the form of coconut oil, 140 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 15 gallons of liquid methamphetamine.  DEA also seized $1,352,160 in bulk U.S. currency.

    “The successful prosecution of Martinez disrupted the flow of vital drug proceeds back to CJNG, and removed substantial quantities of dangerous drugs from American communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Paul McCaffrey.  “While the fight against cartel-sourced drug trafficking is far from over, today’s result is a step in the right direction, and is a testament to our law enforcement partners’ collaboration and constant commitment to justice.”

    “Jose Manuel Martinez Gomez helped Mexican drug traffickers to wash their ill-gotten gains from the sale of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in U.S. neighborhoods and communities,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

    “This prosecution should serve as a warning of the Department of Justice’s focus on holding to account anyone who seeks to help launder cartel’s money and underpins a system that delivers dangerous drugs that destroy our neighborhoods and communities.”

    “The Drug Enforcement Administration will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt the flow of drugs across our borders and the flow of money back to Mexico by cartel operatives and bring these individuals to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division.  “I want to thank all of our law enforcement partners in this case and commend them for their dedication to public safety.”

    On March 7, Martinez pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and concealment money laundering.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Lexington Resident Office investigated the case, working closely with the Detroit Field Division and Rocky Mountain Field Division, and assisted by DEA offices in Mexico, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Birmingham, Chicago, Cincinnati, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Baltimore, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Portland, Columbia, and Rapid City, as well as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Division.

    Deputy Criminal Chief Todd Bradbury of the Eastern District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Elizabeth R. Rabe of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section prosecuted this case.

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

    – END –

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Haven Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that CARLOS INESTI, 29, of West Haven, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with child exploitation offenses.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in April 2025, the FBI arrested an individual in Utah for possession of child pornography.  Analysis of a cell phone seized during the investigation revealed videos involving an adult male, subsequently determined to be Inesti, engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a toddler-aged girl.  The investigation revealed that Inesti had recorded the videos and shared them through the Telegram application.

    Inesti appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and was released on a $100,000 bond into home detention with location monitoring.  He is prohibited from accessing the internet and having any contact with minors.

    The complaint charges Inesti with sexual exploitation of children, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 year, and with distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

    U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s New Haven and Salt Lake City Field Offices, with the assistance of the West Haven Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.

    This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Canadian National Extradited for Mailing Fraudulent Prize Notices

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    WASHINGTON — A Canadian national accused of operating fraudulent prize notice schemes was extradited to the United States and made his initial appearance in Las Vegas federal court on June 18, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

    Patrick Fraser, 44, of Alberta, Canada, will face federal charges of conspiracy and mail fraud. Fraser was arrested on June 15, 2023, by Canadian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request and was surrendered to the United States this month. A detention hearing was held on June 23, and Fraser was ordered detained pending trial.

    According to the indictment, the defendant conspired with others to operate fraud schemes through which he mailed fraudulent prize notifications to individuals in the United States and in other countries. The prize notifications falsely represented that the victims had been specifically chosen to receive a large cash prize, typically over $1 million, and would receive the prize upon payment of a small free. Many of the victims were elderly and vulnerable.

    “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting and pursuing those who perpetrate fraud schemes targeting America’s seniors,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank Canada for assisting in extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States. The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement partners will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the Consumer Protection Branch and our law enforcement partners in the United States and the world to identify and pursue transnational criminals who prey on older Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Through our Elder Justice Initiative, Assistant U.S. Attorneys and professional staff are combating elder financial exploitation and fraud. This extradition is another example of the outstanding collaboration between federal law enforcement and international partners.”

    “Postal inspectors protect the vulnerable. If you use fake prize offers to scam others, we’ll find you—and you will be held accountable,” said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen.

    Fraser is charged in a nine-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Las Vegas. If convicted, Fraser faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Senior Trial Attorney Ann Entwistle and Trial Attorney Charles B. Dunn of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department is grateful to the Vancouver Police Department, who provided assistance through official requests. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division accomplished the extradition of Fraser from Canada.

    The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of Minor

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man pleaded guilty to the federal charge of sexual abuse of a minor.

    According to court records, on February 15, 2025, John Albert Carrillo, Jr., 36, a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, used force to commit a sexual act with a minor victim.

    Carrillo pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and faces up to 15 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Carrillo will be required to register as a sex offender and must serve a term of supervised release not less than five years and up to life.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson K. Dering V is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New Zealand contributes NZ$ 150,000 to WTO Fish Fund

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Ambassador Clare Kelly of New Zealand said: “New Zealand is delighted to be able to support the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism with this recent contribution.  It is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting sustainable fisheries, ocean health, fishers and their communities. Through this contribution, we aim to assist developing and least-developed countries in implementing the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, ensuring that they have the tools and capacity to join global efforts to protect marine ecosystems.”

    Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: “I am grateful for the contribution from New Zealand, a leader in global efforts to rein in harmful fisheries subsidies. As I highlighted at the UN Ocean Conference 2025, the Agreement, once it enters into force, will provide developing and least-developed countries with technical and financial support to build the capacity needed to upgrade fisheries management and integrate sustainability considerations into their fisheries policies.

    New Zealand’s contribution to the WTO Fish Fund will help ensure we get off to a running start in providing this essential support.”

    The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies will enter into force upon its acceptance by two-thirds of WTO members. One hundred and two WTO members have formally accepted the Agreement. Nine more formal acceptances are needed for the Agreement to come into effect.

    Because the new Agreement will involve adjustments and enhancements to WTO members’ legislative and administrative frameworks, their transparency and notification obligations, and their fisheries management policies and practices, Article 7 of the Agreement provides for the creation of a voluntary funding mechanism to finance targeted technical assistance and capacity building to help developing and LDC members with implementation.

    On 6 June, the WTO Fish Fund opened a Call for Proposals, inviting developing and LDC members that have ratified the Agreement to submit requests for project grants aimed at helping them implement the Agreement. WTO members can access the application portal here.

    The Fund is operated by the WTO, with the support of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank Group. These core partners bring together relevant expertise to support members seeking assistance to implement the Agreement.

    More information on the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism is available here.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Goods barometer rises as imports surge in first quarter ahead of expected tariff hikes

    Source: World Trade Organization

    The Goods Trade Barometer is a composite leading indicator for world trade, providing real-time information on the trajectory of merchandise trade relative to recent trends. Barometer values greater than 100 are associated with above-trend trade volumes, while barometer values less than 100 suggest that goods trade has either fallen below trend or will do so in the near future.

    While the current barometer reading of 103.5 (represented by the blue line in the chart) exceeds both the baseline value of 100 and the quarterly trade volume index (represented by the black line), the decline in export orders and the temporary nature of frontloading suggest that trade growth may slow in the months ahead as enterprises import less and start to draw down accumulated inventories.

    The most predictive barometer component, the new export orders index (97.9), has dipped below its baseline value of 100 into contraction territory, signalling weaker trade growth later in the year. On the other hand, most other barometer components have risen above trend. Transport-related indices, including air freight (104.3) and container shipping (107.1), reflect increased movement of goods. The automotive products index (105.3) also is above trend due to resilient vehicle production and sales. The electronic components index (102.0) has climbed above trend after underperforming in 2023 and 2024. Finally, the raw materials index (100.8) shows only modest growth, just above baseline.

    World merchandise trade volume growth moderated in the fourth quarter of 2024 but it is likely to rebound in the first quarter of 2025 based on the goods barometer and preliminary trade data. The WTO Secretariat’s Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report of 16 April 2025 projected stable trade growth of 2.7% for 2025 under a low-tariff scenario reflecting policy conditions at  the start of the  year, and a ­‑0.2% contraction under actual policies in place as of mid-April. Subsequent developments, including US-China and US-UK trade agreements as well as higher tariffs on steel and aluminium, have nudged the forecast up and down slightly leaving the overall outlook basically flat at 0.1%.  However, trade contraction is possible, for example if US reciprocal tariffs are reinstated, or if trade policy uncertainty spreads globally.

    The full Goods Trade Barometer is available here.

    Further details on the methodology can be found in the technical note here.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The European Space Agency awards Thales Alenia Space the study of the SIRIUS mission to monitor Urban Heat Islands from space

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: The European Space Agency awards Thales Alenia Space the study of the SIRIUS mission to monitor Urban Heat Islands from space

    Madrid, June 26, 2025 – The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract to Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), to perform the mission consolidation study of the SIRIUS mission (Space Based Infra-Red Imager for…

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd Bill Would Prevent Key Aviation Safety Technology from Being Improperly Used to Charge, Punish Pilots

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
    Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act limits the use of ADS-B data
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), joined by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Representative Bob Onder (R-Mo.-3), recently introduced the bicameral Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act to limit the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and require greater transparency in how airports impose fees on general aviation aircraft.
    “ADS-B is a critical safety technology mandated by the FAA and is more accurate than radar. Abusing this technology to levy unfair, sometimes duplicative fees and threatening pilots with legal action will keep some general aviation pilots grounded, which is a loss for America’s economy, emergency response, and the aviation community at large,”said Senator Budd.
    “Misusing vital safety technology like ADS-B for non-safety purposes, such as generating unwarranted fees or initiating inappropriate actions, jeopardizes pilot privacy and undermines the very foundation of this critical airspace system. Prioritizing the trust and participation of pilots is essential by ensuring ADS-B remains dedicated solely to its intended safety function,” said Senator Sullivan.
    “Flight safety technologies like ADS-B are vital for pilots to ensure safety on the ground and in the skies, but penalizing pilots for using this technology with arbitrary fees jeopardizes both pilot privacy and flight safety by incentivizing operators to avoid using this critical technology. As we enact reforms to keep American aviation the safest in the world, I’m proud to join my colleagues on this commonsense legislation to increase transparency and make certain pilots across the country can focus solely on the safety of their aircraft and their passengers,” said Senator Sheehy.
    “As a pilot with years of experience using ADS-B technology, I understand the game-changing impact it has had on aviation safety. By communicating an aircraft’s identification, airspeed, heading and altitude, ADS-B has dramatically improved situational awareness for pilots, as well as the real-time data air traffic controllers need to keep pilots and passengers safe. Unfortunately, some third parties have taken advantage of this data to impose and collect exorbitant third-party landing fees and frivolous lawsuits targeted at general aviation pilots and travelers. These uses of data for purposes other than air traffic safety act as a deterrent for pilots to equip their aircraft with this potentially life-saving technology,” said Representative Onder.
    Background:
    While ADS-B is designed to be used as a safety technology, some airports have begun improperly using these systems to track aircraft for the purposes of assessing landing fees and collecting revenue from pilots. To avoid duplicative and unfairly assessed fees, aircraft owners, operators, and pilots may feel compelled to fly without ADS-B installed or active on their aircraft, increasing the risk of close calls and collisions. In addition, these fees are often assessed without justification or transparency, placing unreasonable financial burdens on pilots, flight students, charitable organizations, and small aviation businesses that rely on access to the national airspace.
    General aviation plays a critical role in U.S. transportation, economic development, and emergency response. The Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act protects the privacy and economic viability of the aviation community, ensuring the freedom to fly without undue surveillance or cost.
    Specifically, this bill:
    Prohibits government agencies and private actors from using ADS-B data to identify aircraft for the purpose of imposing fees or charges.
    Clarifies that ADS-B data may only be used by air traffic controllers for air traffic safety, efficiency, or for other purposes approved by the Secretary of Transportation following public comment.
    Ensures that investigations cannot be initiated on the basis of ADS-B data.
    Requires public-use airports to disclose financial information and the projected impact before imposing new fees on general aviation, and requires that any such fees must be used exclusively for airside safety improvements.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UK: ‘Clock is ticking’ to stop discriminatory welfare cuts

    Source: Amnesty International –

    In response to news that the UK government is considering making concessions on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, Jen Clark, Amnesty International UK’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Lead, said:

    “It’s not too late for the Government to change course, but the clock is ticking.

    “The alarm has been sounded: the social security system is broken, and these harmful plans would shatter too much of what’s left of it.

    “Nearly a quarter of people in the UK are living in poverty – not because of personal choices, but because of political ones. This is not reform, it’s austerity in disguise, and it’s being pushed through at the expense of disabled people’s rights.

    “Excluding disabled people’s voices and avoiding proper consultation is not reform, it’s discrimination. The UK government may have hoped to silence opposition, but disabled people have spoken, and many MPs are now listening.

    “Parliament must now make a choice: to roll back rights, or stand up for justice, dignity and equality.”

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    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Cambodia: Government allows slavery and torture to flourish inside hellish scamming compounds – new report

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Apparent police collusion is allowing trafficking and enslavement of huge numbers of people

    More than two-thirds of the scamming compounds identified continue to operate after police raids

    First-hand testimony exposes massive and extremely violent criminal operation

    ‘They just keep beating [the Vietnamese person] until their body was…purple…then [using] the electric baton beat the Vietnamese until he can’t scream, can’t get up’ – Survivor Siti*

    ‘The Government could put a stop to these abuses, but it has chosen not to’ – Montse Ferrer

    The Cambodian government is deliberately ignoring human rights abuses including slavery, human trafficking, child labour and torture that are being carried out by criminal gangs on a vast scale in more than 50 scamming compounds located across the country, Amnesty International said in a new report published today.

    Survivors interviewed for the 240-page report, I Was Someone Else’s Property, believed they were applying for genuine jobs but were instead trafficked to Cambodia, where they were held in prison-like compounds and forced to conduct online scams in a billion-dollar shadow economy defrauding people around the world.

    Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said.

    “Deceived, trafficked and enslaved, the survivors of these scamming compounds describe being trapped in a living nightmare enlisted in criminal enterprises that are operating with the apparent consent of the Cambodian government.

    “Jobseekers from Asia and beyond are lured by the promise of well-paid work into hellish labour camps run by well-organised gangs, where they are forced to scam under the very real threat of violence.

    “Amnesty’s research reveals the horrifying magnitude of a crisis the Cambodian authorities are not doing enough to stop. Their failures have emboldened a criminal network whose tentacles extend internationally, with millions of people impacted by the scams.” 

    Amnesty’s findings suggest there has been coordination and possibly collusion between Chinese compound bosses and the Cambodian police, who have failed to shut down compounds despite the slew of human rights abuses taking place inside.

    Held by force

    In the most comprehensive documentation yet of the issue, Amnesty’s report identified at least 53 scamming compounds in Cambodia and interviewed 58 survivors of eight different nationalities, including nine children. Amnesty also reviewed the records of 336 other victims of Cambodian compounds. Those interviewed had either escaped from compounds, been rescued or had a ransom paid by their families. 

    The interviewees’ testimony gives a detailed insight into a sprawling, violent criminal operation that is taking place often with the full knowledge of the Cambodian authorities, whose woefully ineffective – and at times corrupt – response to the scamming crisis demonstrates its acquiescence and points towards state complicity in the human rights abuses taking place.

    One survivor, Lisa*, who was 18 and looking for work during a break from school in Thailand when she was trafficked, said:

    “[The recruiters] said I would work in administration… they sent pictures of a hotel with a swimming pool… the salary was high.”

    Instead, Lisa was taken across a river at night into Cambodia, where she was held for 11 months against her will by armed security guards and forced to work on scams. When she tried to escape, she was severely beaten. She said:

    “There were four men… three of them held me down while the boss hit me on the soles of my feet with a metal pole… They told me that if I don’t stop screaming, they’re going to keep hitting [me] until I stop.” 

    Sold into slavery

    As part of its 18-month-long research, Amnesty visited all but one of the 53 scamming compounds located in 16 towns and cities across Cambodia, as well as 45 similar sites also strongly suspected to be scamming compounds. Many of the buildings were formerly casinos and hotels repurposed by criminal gangs – mostly from China – after Cambodia banned online gambling in 2019.

    Compounds appeared designed to keep people inside, with features such as surveillance cameras, barbed wire around perimeter walls and large numbers of security personnel, often carrying electric shock batons and in some cases firearms. Survivors reported that “escape was impossible”.

    Most victims had been lured to Cambodia by deceptive job advertisements posted on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. After being trafficked, survivors said they were forced to contact people using social media platforms and begin conversations aimed at defrauding them. These included fake romances or investment opportunities, selling products that would never be delivered, or building trust with victims before financially exploiting them – known as “pig-butchering”. 

    All but one of the survivors interviewed were victims of human trafficking, while everyone had been subjected to forced labour under the threat of violence. In 32 cases, Amnesty concluded the survivors were victims of slavery as defined under international law, with compound managers exerting a level of control over them that amounted to de facto ownership. Survivors also reported being sold into compounds or witnessing the sale of other people. Many others were told they owed a debt to the compound which they had to work to repay.

    Forty of the 58 survivors interviewed had suffered torture or other ill-treatment – almost always carried out by compound managers. Some compounds had specific rooms – often known as “dark rooms” – which were designated places for torture of people who did not or could not work or meet work targets, or who contacted the authorities.

    Survivors frequently mentioned deaths inside the compounds or nearby; one survivor described hearing a body hitting the roof of a building. Amnesty also confirmed the death of a Chinese child inside a compound.

    Survivor Siti* described seeing a Vietnamese person beaten by compound bosses for around 25 minutes. He said:

    “They just keep beating [the Vietnamese person] until their body was…purple…then [using] the electric baton beat the Vietnamese until he can’t scream, can’t get up…then the boss tell me that they wait until another compound want to buy him.”

    Of the nine children interviewed, five were subjected to torture or other ill-treatment. Sawat*, a 17-year-old Thai boy, was beaten by several managers before being told he would be stripped and forced to jump off the building. 

    Police in league with compound bosses

    Amnesty’s report found that the Cambodian government has failed to adequately investigate widespread human rights abuses at scamming compounds despite being repeatedly made aware of them.

    The Government has claimed to be addressing the scamming crisis through its National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking and a number of ministerial task forces, which have overseen a series of police “rescues” of victims from compounds. However, more than two-thirds of the scamming compounds identified in the report continued to operate even after police raids and “rescues”. At one compound in Botum Sakor, human trafficking has been widely reported by media and police have intervened multiple times to rescue victims, yet the site remains open.

    Police failings stem from their collaboration or coordination with compound bosses. For example, in many of the “rescues”, instead of entering the compounds and investigating, police would simply meet a manager or security guard at the gate, where they would be handed the individual(s) who had called in for help. Business then continued as usual.

    In other instances, several survivors said they were beaten after their secretive efforts to contact police for help were somehow uncovered by bosses. One Vietnamese survivor told Amnesty that police “work for the compound and will report requests for help back to the compound bosses”.

    Those “rescued” from compounds were often subsequently detained in immigration detention centres in poor conditions for months at a time – the Cambodian authorities having failed to recognise them as victims of human trafficking and provide them with the support required under international law.

    Meanwhile, the authorities have targeted others speaking out about scamming compounds. Several human rights defenders and journalists working on the issue have been arrested, while the news outlet Voice of Democracy was closed in 2023, apparently in retaliation for its reporting on the scamming crisis.

    Amnesty sent its findings to the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, which responded by sharing vague data on interventions at compounds, none of which clarified whether the Government has identified, investigated or prosecuted individuals for human rights abuses other than deprivation of liberty. It also did not respond to Amnesty’s list of scamming compounds or suspicious locations.

    Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director, said.

    “The Cambodian authorities know what is going on inside scamming compounds, yet they allow it to continue.

    “Our findings reveal a pattern of state failures that have allowed criminality to flourish and raises questions about the Government’s motivations.

    “The Government could put a stop to these abuses, but it has chosen not to. The police interventions documented appear to be merely ‘for show’.

    “Cambodia’s authorities must ensure no more jobseekers are trafficked into the country to face torture, slavery or any other human rights abuse. They must urgently investigate and shut down all scamming compounds and properly identify, assist and protect victims. Slavery thrives when governments look away.”

    Survivors interviewed for Amnesty’s report were from China, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan and Ethiopia, but Amnesty also had access to records of hundreds of others from India, Kenya, Nepal and the Philippines and many more.

    Press conference

    Amnesty will be presenting the findings of the report in a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand in Bangkok on Thursday 26 June. For further information or to register for the event, visit https://forms.office.com/e/tZivUqtUv4

    *All survivors using pseudonyms for security reasons

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Cambodia: Government allows slavery and torture to flourish inside hellish scamming compounds – new report

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Apparent police collusion is allowing trafficking and enslavement of huge numbers of people

    More than two-thirds of the scamming compounds identified continue to operate after police raids

    First-hand testimony exposes massive and extremely violent criminal operation

    ‘They just keep beating [the Vietnamese person] until their body was…purple…then [using] the electric baton beat the Vietnamese until he can’t scream, can’t get up’ – Survivor Siti*

    ‘The Government could put a stop to these abuses, but it has chosen not to’ – Montse Ferrer

    The Cambodian government is deliberately ignoring human rights abuses including slavery, human trafficking, child labour and torture that are being carried out by criminal gangs on a vast scale in more than 50 scamming compounds located across the country, Amnesty International said in a new report published today.

    Survivors interviewed for the 240-page report, I Was Someone Else’s Property, believed they were applying for genuine jobs but were instead trafficked to Cambodia, where they were held in prison-like compounds and forced to conduct online scams in a billion-dollar shadow economy defrauding people around the world.

    Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said.

    “Deceived, trafficked and enslaved, the survivors of these scamming compounds describe being trapped in a living nightmare enlisted in criminal enterprises that are operating with the apparent consent of the Cambodian government.

    “Jobseekers from Asia and beyond are lured by the promise of well-paid work into hellish labour camps run by well-organised gangs, where they are forced to scam under the very real threat of violence.

    “Amnesty’s research reveals the horrifying magnitude of a crisis the Cambodian authorities are not doing enough to stop. Their failures have emboldened a criminal network whose tentacles extend internationally, with millions of people impacted by the scams.” 

    Amnesty’s findings suggest there has been coordination and possibly collusion between Chinese compound bosses and the Cambodian police, who have failed to shut down compounds despite the slew of human rights abuses taking place inside.

    Held by force

    In the most comprehensive documentation yet of the issue, Amnesty’s report identified at least 53 scamming compounds in Cambodia and interviewed 58 survivors of eight different nationalities, including nine children. Amnesty also reviewed the records of 336 other victims of Cambodian compounds. Those interviewed had either escaped from compounds, been rescued or had a ransom paid by their families. 

    The interviewees’ testimony gives a detailed insight into a sprawling, violent criminal operation that is taking place often with the full knowledge of the Cambodian authorities, whose woefully ineffective – and at times corrupt – response to the scamming crisis demonstrates its acquiescence and points towards state complicity in the human rights abuses taking place.

    One survivor, Lisa*, who was 18 and looking for work during a break from school in Thailand when she was trafficked, said:

    “[The recruiters] said I would work in administration… they sent pictures of a hotel with a swimming pool… the salary was high.”

    Instead, Lisa was taken across a river at night into Cambodia, where she was held for 11 months against her will by armed security guards and forced to work on scams. When she tried to escape, she was severely beaten. She said:

    “There were four men… three of them held me down while the boss hit me on the soles of my feet with a metal pole… They told me that if I don’t stop screaming, they’re going to keep hitting [me] until I stop.” 

    Sold into slavery

    As part of its 18-month-long research, Amnesty visited all but one of the 53 scamming compounds located in 16 towns and cities across Cambodia, as well as 45 similar sites also strongly suspected to be scamming compounds. Many of the buildings were formerly casinos and hotels repurposed by criminal gangs – mostly from China – after Cambodia banned online gambling in 2019.

    Compounds appeared designed to keep people inside, with features such as surveillance cameras, barbed wire around perimeter walls and large numbers of security personnel, often carrying electric shock batons and in some cases firearms. Survivors reported that “escape was impossible”.

    Most victims had been lured to Cambodia by deceptive job advertisements posted on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. After being trafficked, survivors said they were forced to contact people using social media platforms and begin conversations aimed at defrauding them. These included fake romances or investment opportunities, selling products that would never be delivered, or building trust with victims before financially exploiting them – known as “pig-butchering”. 

    All but one of the survivors interviewed were victims of human trafficking, while everyone had been subjected to forced labour under the threat of violence. In 32 cases, Amnesty concluded the survivors were victims of slavery as defined under international law, with compound managers exerting a level of control over them that amounted to de facto ownership. Survivors also reported being sold into compounds or witnessing the sale of other people. Many others were told they owed a debt to the compound which they had to work to repay.

    Forty of the 58 survivors interviewed had suffered torture or other ill-treatment – almost always carried out by compound managers. Some compounds had specific rooms – often known as “dark rooms” – which were designated places for torture of people who did not or could not work or meet work targets, or who contacted the authorities.

    Survivors frequently mentioned deaths inside the compounds or nearby; one survivor described hearing a body hitting the roof of a building. Amnesty also confirmed the death of a Chinese child inside a compound.

    Survivor Siti* described seeing a Vietnamese person beaten by compound bosses for around 25 minutes. He said:

    “They just keep beating [the Vietnamese person] until their body was…purple…then [using] the electric baton beat the Vietnamese until he can’t scream, can’t get up…then the boss tell me that they wait until another compound want to buy him.”

    Of the nine children interviewed, five were subjected to torture or other ill-treatment. Sawat*, a 17-year-old Thai boy, was beaten by several managers before being told he would be stripped and forced to jump off the building. 

    Police in league with compound bosses

    Amnesty’s report found that the Cambodian government has failed to adequately investigate widespread human rights abuses at scamming compounds despite being repeatedly made aware of them.

    The Government has claimed to be addressing the scamming crisis through its National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking and a number of ministerial task forces, which have overseen a series of police “rescues” of victims from compounds. However, more than two-thirds of the scamming compounds identified in the report continued to operate even after police raids and “rescues”. At one compound in Botum Sakor, human trafficking has been widely reported by media and police have intervened multiple times to rescue victims, yet the site remains open.

    Police failings stem from their collaboration or coordination with compound bosses. For example, in many of the “rescues”, instead of entering the compounds and investigating, police would simply meet a manager or security guard at the gate, where they would be handed the individual(s) who had called in for help. Business then continued as usual.

    In other instances, several survivors said they were beaten after their secretive efforts to contact police for help were somehow uncovered by bosses. One Vietnamese survivor told Amnesty that police “work for the compound and will report requests for help back to the compound bosses”.

    Those “rescued” from compounds were often subsequently detained in immigration detention centres in poor conditions for months at a time – the Cambodian authorities having failed to recognise them as victims of human trafficking and provide them with the support required under international law.

    Meanwhile, the authorities have targeted others speaking out about scamming compounds. Several human rights defenders and journalists working on the issue have been arrested, while the news outlet Voice of Democracy was closed in 2023, apparently in retaliation for its reporting on the scamming crisis.

    Amnesty sent its findings to the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, which responded by sharing vague data on interventions at compounds, none of which clarified whether the Government has identified, investigated or prosecuted individuals for human rights abuses other than deprivation of liberty. It also did not respond to Amnesty’s list of scamming compounds or suspicious locations.

    Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director, said.

    “The Cambodian authorities know what is going on inside scamming compounds, yet they allow it to continue.

    “Our findings reveal a pattern of state failures that have allowed criminality to flourish and raises questions about the Government’s motivations.

    “The Government could put a stop to these abuses, but it has chosen not to. The police interventions documented appear to be merely ‘for show’.

    “Cambodia’s authorities must ensure no more jobseekers are trafficked into the country to face torture, slavery or any other human rights abuse. They must urgently investigate and shut down all scamming compounds and properly identify, assist and protect victims. Slavery thrives when governments look away.”

    Survivors interviewed for Amnesty’s report were from China, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan and Ethiopia, but Amnesty also had access to records of hundreds of others from India, Kenya, Nepal and the Philippines and many more.

    Press conference

    Amnesty will be presenting the findings of the report in a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand in Bangkok on Thursday 26 June. For further information or to register for the event, visit https://forms.office.com/e/tZivUqtUv4

    *All survivors using pseudonyms for security reasons

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Air Force Leaders Testify on Expanding Air, Space Dominance

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    During a hearing in Washington, Air Force senior leaders told a Senate defense subcommittee that the department’s fiscal year 2026 budget request prioritizes defending the homeland and bolstering defenses in the Indo-Pacific region, where China is the pacing threat. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Barry Moore introduces Define to Defeat Act of 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Barry Moore

    Washington D.C. – Today, Rep. Barry Moore (AL-01) introduced the Define to Defeat Act of 2025, which would apply the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism to the enforcement of civil rights laws.

    “From the halls of our college campuses to the halls of our government, hatred toward the Jewish people has no place in America,” said Moore. “My bill ensures that federal agencies adopt a clear and consistent definition of antisemitism so we can identify it, confront it, and prosecute criminal behavior when necessary. Our judicial system needs this clarity now more than ever to properly confront the record-breaking levels of disturbing antisemitic attacks in our nation.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Barry Moore votes to support President Trump’s Rescissions Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Barry Moore

    Washington D.C. – Today, Rep. Barry Moore (AL-01) issued the following statement in strong support of President Donald J. Trump’s rescissions package, which would cut $9.4 billion in wasteful, unnecessary, or unspent federal funding:

    “President Trump understands what too many in Washington have forgotten: this is the people’s money. The rescissions package that House Republicans just passed is a direct strike to the bloated bureaucracy and out-of-control spending habits that we have seen in our federal government for too long,” said Moore. “My constituents sent me here to be a responsible steward of their taxpayer dollars, not to rubber-stamp wasteful projects that do not help the American people. I thank President Trump for leading the charge to restore fiscal sanity and putting America first.”

    President Trump’s rescissions package includes targeted cuts to unobligated funds from duplicative programs, NPR, PBS, and foreign aid that fails to serve America’s interests.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Barry Moore introduces bipartisan legislation to protect children online

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Barry Moore

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Barry Moore (AL-01) and Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) introduced the Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment (STOP CSAM) Act. This legislation expands protections for child victims and witnesses in federal court proceedings to help facilitate restitution for victims of child exploitation, human trafficking, sexual assault, and violent crimes.

    This bill also empowers victims by making it easier for them to ask tech companies to remove child sexual abuse material and related imagery from their platforms and by creating an administrative penalty for the failure to comply with a removal request. It also requires big tech companies to submit annual reports describing their efforts to protect children going forward.

    “The rise of new technologies has created dangerous loopholes that predators exploit to traffic in child sexual abuse material,” said Moore. “In the last 15 years, the number of American victims has skyrocketed by over 400 percent. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Garcia on this bipartisan effort to ensure Big Tech is no longer allowed to look the other way. Our children deserve protection, and survivors deserve justice.”

    “Tech executives keep showing up to Congress, saying the right things while doing nothing as children are harmed and targeted on their platforms. If these companies are comfortable making billions as they ignore rampant child abuse, we must hold them accountable for their failure. As technology evolves, the law must evolve too. The bipartisan and bicameral STOP CSAM Act would finally give families a path to justice and make sure that children are protected,” said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Barry Moore supports military construction and VA funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Barry Moore

    Washington, D.C.– Today, Rep. Barry Moore (AL-01) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act:

    “Today, House Republicans stood up for America’s heroes – our veterans and warfighters – by passing a responsible and America-first appropriations bill that prioritizes their needs,” said Moore. “This legislation delivers key investments that will strengthen Alabama’s military infrastructure and our veteran community. It helps ensure our bases remain ready, our VA facilities remain strong, and our state continues to play a leading role in defending the nation.”

    The FY26 MILCON-VA bill provides full funding for VA medical care, benefits, and electronic health record modernization, while including strong oversight provisions to protect taxpayer dollars. The bill also invests in military construction projects vital to readiness and national security, including upgrades for Guard and Reserve facilities, housing for servicemembers and their families, and critical infrastructure supporting U.S. strategic deterrence.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –