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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights Council Concludes Fifty-Ninth Regular Session after Adopting 25 Resolutions and One Decision, Extending Six Country-Specific and Thematic Mandates

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Human Rights Council today concluded its fifty-ninth regular session after adopting 25 resolutions and one decision. In these texts, among other things, the Council voted to extend six country-specific and thematic mandates.

    The Council extended one country mandate during the session, that of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, whose mandate was extended for one year.

    The Council decided to extend, for a period of three years, the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls.

    In a decision on the Implementation of activities mandated by the Human Rights Council in the context of the United Nations liquidity and financial crisis, the Council expressed its concern about the letter from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights addressed to the President of the Human Rights Council, which indicated that certain activities mandated by the Council had been assessed by the Office of the High Commissioner as not deliverable in 2025 or 2026, owing to the liquidity and financial crisis affecting the United Nations.

    Further resolutions adopted concerned the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar, the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights, access to medicines, vaccines and other health products in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, human rights and international solidarity, the right to education, civil society space, new and emerging digital technologies and human rights, the impact of arms transfers on human rights, the safety of journalists, the elimination of female genital mutilation, empowering women and girls in and through sport, the contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights, accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, human rights and climate change, cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights, enhancing international cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity-building to strengthen national frameworks for the protection and empowerment of children in the digital space, and enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights in Colombia to implement the recommendations of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition.

    The Council appointed Hee-Seok Shin (Republic of Korea) as a member of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and Juana María Ibáñez Rivas (Peru) to the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, as the member from Latin American and Caribbean States.

    The Council also adopted, ad referendum, the draft report of the fifth-ninth session.

    Paul Empole Efambe, Rapporteur and Vice President of the Human Rights Council, presenting the session report, said during the fifty-ninth session, the Council had held 32 interactive dialogues; adopted 25 resolutions and one decision; had reviewed and adopted the results of the Universal Periodic Review of 14 countries; and had appointed two Special Procedures mandate holders.

    Jürg Lauber, President of the Human Rights Council, said the transparent sharing of figures ahead of the adoption of resolutions had allowed States to make well-informed decisions. Delegations in Geneva were therefore encouraged to follow up with counterparts in New York to ensure the Council’s decisions received the full budget for their implementation. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was also invited to continue to keep the Council updated on the status of its activities. The President and the Council were committed to finding solutions to the budget issues. In closing remarks, Mr. Lauber thanked all those who had made the session possible, including the members of the Bureau, the Secretariat, Conference Services and the Member States.

    The sixtieth regular session of the Human Rights Council is scheduled to be held from 8 September to 3 October 2025.

    Action on Resolutions

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item One on Organizational and Procedural Matters 

    In a decision (A/HRC/59/L.37) on the Implementation of activities mandated by the Human Rights Council in the context of the United Nations liquidity and financial crisis , adopted without a vote, the Council expresses its concern about the letter dated 16 June 2025 from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights addressed to the President of the Human Rights Council, indicating that certain activities mandated by the Council have currently been assessed by the Office of the High Commissioner as not deliverable in 2025 or 2026, owing to the liquidity and financial crisis affecting the United Nations; and invites the Office of the High Commissioner to provide, at the Organizational Meeting of the sixtieth session of the Council on 25 August 2025 and at the Organizational Session of the Council, on 8 December 2025, an updated and comprehensive assessment of the feasibility of implementing the above-mentioned activities, as well as any other activities mandated by the Council in the 2025-2026 period that might be affected by the liquidity and financial crisis.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Two on the Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General 

    A resolution (A/HRC/59/L.1/Rev.1) on the Discontinuation of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea , was rejected by a vote of 4 in favour, 25 against and 18 abstentions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.7) on the Situation of human rights in Eritrea, adopted by a vote of 23 in favour, 4 against and 20 abstentions, the Council decides to extend the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea for a further period of one year; and requests the Special Rapporteur to submit and present a report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-second session to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue on the situation of human rights in Eritrea with the participation of, inter alia, the Special Rapporteur, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, victims and survivors and other relevant stakeholders, and to the General Assembly at its eightieth session.

    An oral amendment to L.7 presented on the floor was rejected by a vote of 1 in favour, 24 against, and 19 abstentions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.21) on the Situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar (as orally revised), adopted without a vote, the Council requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to present a report at its sixty-third session, to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar; requests the High Commissioner to monitor and follow up on the implementation of the recommendations made by the independent international fact-finding mission on Myanmar, and to present an oral update to the Council at its sixty-fourth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, and a report at its sixty-sixth session, to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, and a report to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Three on the Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, including the Right to Development. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.4) on Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights , adopted by a vote of 30 in favour, 16 against and 1 abstention, the Council reiterates its request to the High Commissioner to organize a series of regional seminars, one for each of the five geographical regions, on the contribution of North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation to the enjoyment of all human rights, including the right to development, in order to allow States, relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, international and regional organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to augment their activities in identifying challenges and gaps and sharing good practices and experiences in this regard before the sixty-fifth session of the Council; requests the High Commissioner to prepare a summary report on the discussions held at the seminars and to present the report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-fifth session; and requests the High Commissioner to prepare a new report on the work of the Office of the High Commissioner in the implementation and enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, proposing possible ways to face the challenges to the promotion and protection of human rights, including the right to development, and to submit the report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-second session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.5) on The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association , adopted without a vote, the Council decides to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association for a period of three years; and requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to report annually to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.2) on theMandate of Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, adopted by a vote of 29 in favour, 15 against and 3 abstentions, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for a period of three years to enable the mandate holder to continue to work in accordance with the mandate established by the Human Rights Council; and requests the Independent Expert to continue to report annually on the implementation of the mandate to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly in accordance with their respective programmes of work.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.6) on The negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights , adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council to prepare a comprehensive study that develops concrete guidelines on implementing the existing procedural and substantive human rights obligations of States in the context of preventing and combatting corruption, and to present it to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-fourth session; requests that the above-mentioned study be developed in close cooperation and coordination with the Office of the High Commissioner, with a view to building on its existing work, supporting technical assistance, capacity building efforts and providing a strong foundation for policy development, information sharing and awareness raising at national, regional and international levels; and requests OHCHR to share the study with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.8) on Access to medicines, vaccines and other health products in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health , adopted by a vote of 32 in favour, 0 against and 15 abstentions, the Council requests the Office of the High Commissioner to continue its work, within its mandate, to provide technical assistance to States throughout the next three years on the human rights dimension of access to medicines and vaccines in the context of the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, and to present an analytical study on protection gaps of vulnerable segments of the population to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-second session, with a view to presenting to the Council, at its sixty-eighth session, a comprehensive report, including on the measures necessary to bridge protection gaps to ensure the accessibility and availability of medicines, vaccines and other health products.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.9) on Human rights and international solidarity, adopted by a vote of 27 in favour, 16 against and 4 abstentions, the Council requests the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity to continue to participate in relevant international forums and major events with a view to promoting the importance of international solidarity in the realization of all human rights, including the right to development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially those goals relating to economic, social and climate issues; and further requests the Independent Expert to hold two hybrid consultations between September and December 2025 and two in-person consultations between January and April 2026, in Geneva on the revised draft declaration on the right to international solidarity.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.11) on The right to education, adopted without a vote, the Council urges all States to give full effect to the right to education for all, including children, in all contexts, including in humanitarian emergencies and post-disaster phases, as well as in conflict situations and situations of occupation, by, inter alia, complying with their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the right to education, and recognizing the right of every individual to be safe in education, understood as the right to be protected from any violation of their integrity, and to expand quality educational opportunities for all, by all appropriate means and without discrimination of any kind; recognizing the significant importance of investment in free, inclusive and equitable quality public education, at all levels; increasing and improving financing for education, including in humanitarian emergencies and conflict situations; ensuring that education policies and measures are consistent with human rights obligations, including those laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international human rights instruments; and strengthening engagement with all relevant stakeholders.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.13) on Civil society space, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a thematic report in follow-up to the report containing practical recommendations for the creation and maintenance of a safe and enabling environment for civil society, based on good practices and lessons learned, submitted to the Council at its thirty-second session, and to review progress against the recommendations contained therein, identify new and emerging trends concerning civil society space, and provide an updated set of recommendations in the light of those trends, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-third session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.14) on New and emerging digital technologies and human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare an analytical study, building on its previous report mapping the existing work of the Human Rights Council and the treaty bodies, outlining and clarifying States’ obligations under international human rights law, as well as relevant norms and commitments, and the human rights responsibilities of business enterprises in line with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, across the life cycle of new and emerging digital technologies, identifying developments, gaps and recommendations on application and implementation, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-second session; and further requests the Office of the High Commissioner to convene a multi-stakeholder intersessional meeting, ahead of the sixty-fourth session of the Human Rights Council, and to submit a summary report thereon to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-fourth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.15) on the Mandate of Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons , adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons for a period of three years, to work towards strengthening the international response to the complex problem of internal displacement; and requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to submit an annual report on the implementation of the mandate to the Council and to the General Assembly.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.16) on the Impact of arms transfers on human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a study on the role of States and the private sector in preventing, addressing and mitigating the negative human rights impact of arms transfers, and to present the study to the Council at its sixty-sixth session; also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to organise a full-day intersessional workshop to inform the preparation of the aforementioned study, to be held before the sixty-fourth session of the Council and open to the participation of relevant stakeholders.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.18/Rev.1) on the Mandate of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls , adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls for a period of three years, and requests the Working Group to mainstream, across all its work, age and disability perspectives in the fulfilment of its mandate, and to examine the specific forms of discrimination that girls face; requests the Working Group to continue to present an oral report annually to the Commission on the Status of Women and the General Assembly; and decides to continue its consideration of the issue of the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls as a matter of high priority, in conformity with its programme of work, at its sixty-second session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.20) on The safety of journalists, adopted without a vote, the Council invites States and all other relevant stakeholders to follow up on the recommendations and outcomes from the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity; requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct a comprehensive study to assess the effectiveness of national frameworks for the protection of journalists, identify lessons learned, and make recommendations on how they should be adapted to respond to new threats, and to present the outcomes of the study in a report to be presented to the Council at its sixty-fifth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.22) on the Elimination of female genital mutilation, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to convene a high-level panel discussion, fully accessible for persons with disabilities, during the high-level segment of its sixty-first session on the role of new and emerging digital technologies in preventing and eliminating female genital mutilation, inviting relevant stakeholders to share good practices and lessons learned for the continuous improvement of digital approaches to end female genital mutilation, and invites the President of the Council to propose that the above-mentioned panel discussion be the high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming to be held at the sixty-first session; and requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a summary report on the panel discussion, and to submit the report to the Council at its sixty-fourth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.23/Rev.1) on Empowering women and girls in and through sport, adopted without a vote, the Council encourages States and national, regional and international sport organizations and federations to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of women and girls and to promote their empowerment in and through sport; decides to convene at its sixty-second session a panel discussion on the intensification of efforts to empower women and girls in and through sport; and requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on empowering women and girls in and through sport, based on the contributions of relevant stakeholders and taking into account the outcome of the above-mentioned panel discussion, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-fifth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.25/Rev.1) on Accelerating efforts to achieving women’s economic empowerment , adopted without a vote, the Council calls upon States to accelerate efforts to achieve women’s economic empowerment; requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on trade agreements, including their gender equality provisions, and their impact on women’s economic empowerment, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including women’s and children’s rights organizations, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-fifth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.12) on The contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights , adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council calls upon all States to promote inclusive and sustainable development; requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a comprehensive report on the impact of economic policy conditionalities by international financial institutions on human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, and to submit the report to the Council at its sixty-fourth session; and also requests the Office of the High Commissioner, when preparing the above-mentioned report, to seek input from experts from diverse geographic regions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.24/Rev.1) on Accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls: prevention through the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights , adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequence, as set out by the Council in its resolution 50/7, for a period of three years; requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a summary report, in accessible formats, including easy-to-read and plain language formats, on the annual discussions held at the present and sixty-second sessions, to present each report to the Council at its sixty-second and sixty-fifth sessions, respectively, and to make the annual discussion on the human rights of women fully accessible to persons with disabilities; and decides to continue its consideration of the issue as a matter of high priority at its sixty-second session.

    The following proposed amendments to L.24/Rev.1 were rejected: Amendment L.27, following a vote of 13 in favour, 27 against and 6 abstentions; Amendment L.28, following a vote of 13 in favour, 27 against and 5 abstentions, and Amendment L.29, following a vote of 13 in favour, 26 against and 7 abstentions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.17) on Human rights and climate change, adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council decides that the annual panel discussion to be held at the sixty-second session shall be focused on facilitating actionable pathways for gaining momentum in climate financing in the context of addressing the adverse impacts of climate change on the full realisation of human rights for all people, and also decides that the panel discussion will have International Sign interpretation and captioning; requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit a summary report on the panel discussion held at the sixty-second session to the Council at its sixty-fourth session; and requests the Secretary-General to prepare a synthesis report on actionable pathways in mobilising sufficient climate financing and associated challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of the full realisation of human rights for all people, and to submit the report to the Council at its sixty-third session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Five on Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.10) on The Social Forum, adopted without a vote, the Council decides that the Social Forum will meet for two working days in 2026, in Geneva, and should be focused on the contribution of international cooperation and solidarity to the realisation of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; requests the President of the Council to appoint, as early as possible, from candidates nominated by regional groups, the Chair-Rapporteur for the 2026 Social Forum, bearing in mind the principle of regional rotation; requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to facilitate the participation in the 2026 Social Forum of no fewer than 10 experts; and requests the 2026 Social Forum to submit a report containing its conclusions and recommendations to the Council at its sixty-fifth session.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item 10 on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.3) on Cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights , adopted by a vote of 28 in favour, 2 against and 17 abstentions, the Council welcomes the oral presentations by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the States members and non-members of the Human Rights Council and observers of the findings of the reports of the Office of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Ukraine, held in accordance with Council resolutions 29/23, 32/29, 35/31, 41/25, 47/22 and 53/30; and requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to present an oral update on the findings of each of the reports of the Office of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Ukraine to the Human Rights Council at each of its sessions, until its sixty-fifth session, and before the end of 2025 and 2026, each to be followed by an interactive dialogue.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.19/Rev.1) on Enhancing international cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity-building to strengthen national frameworks for the protection and empowerment of children in the digital space , adopted without a vote, the Council encourages States members and observers of the Council to use the general debate under agenda item 10 as a platform to share experiences, achievements and good practices in the area of international cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity-building for the protection of children in the digital space; and encourages the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide technical assistance, capacity-building and support to develop and implement national measures to protect children in digital settings, and requests the Office to mobilise resources, including private sector funding, to that end.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.26) on Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights in Colombia to implement the recommendations of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition , adopted without a vote, the Council requests, for a renewable period of two years, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to enhance its technical assistance and capacity building for national and local authorities and other relevant actors, to assist Colombia in the implementation of the recommendations made by the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition; and requests the High Commissioner to provide an oral update to the Council at its sixty-second session, and to submit a report to the Council at its sixty-fifth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue

    Other Matters

    The Council appointed Hee-Seok Shin (Republic of Korea) as a member of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

    The Council also appointed Juana María Ibáñez Rivas (Peru) to the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, as the member from Latin American and Caribbean States.

    The Council also adopted its draft report ad referendum for the fifty-ninth session.

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    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information media; not an official record.

    English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

    HRC.25.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Permanent Representative of Australia Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    Clare Monica Walsh, the new Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented her credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    Prior to her appointment to Geneva, Ms. Walsh held the position of Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary, Enabling Services Group, at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, since 2022.  Earlier in her career, she held multiple other posts at the Department and posted abroad, including as Chief Operating Officer, Finance (2020–2022); Deputy Secretary, Global Cooperation, Development and Partnerships Group (2018–2020); Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy in Japan (2016–2018); and as First Assistant Secretary, International Policy and Partnerships Division (AusAID) and Multilateral Development and Policy Division (2012–2015).  Ms. Walsh also held several positions in the Department of Climate Change and Energy between 2007 and 2012.

    Ms. Walsh holds degrees from three Australian universities, including a Master of Management from the Australian National University (2006); a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sciences from Murdoch University (1992); and a Bachelor of Arts from Curtin University (1989).

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

    CR.25.024E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Permanent Representative of Australia Presents Credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    Clare Monica Walsh, the new Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented her credentials to Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    Prior to her appointment to Geneva, Ms. Walsh held the position of Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary, Enabling Services Group, at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, since 2022.  Earlier in her career, she held multiple other posts at the Department and posted abroad, including as Chief Operating Officer, Finance (2020–2022); Deputy Secretary, Global Cooperation, Development and Partnerships Group (2018–2020); Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy in Japan (2016–2018); and as First Assistant Secretary, International Policy and Partnerships Division (AusAID) and Multilateral Development and Policy Division (2012–2015).  Ms. Walsh also held several positions in the Department of Climate Change and Energy between 2007 and 2012.

    Ms. Walsh holds degrees from three Australian universities, including a Master of Management from the Australian National University (2006); a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Sciences from Murdoch University (1992); and a Bachelor of Arts from Curtin University (1989).

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

    CR.25.024E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Champagne to attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome

    Source: Government of Canada News

    July 8, 2025

    The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, will participate in the fourth edition of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, on July 10 and 11.

    The Conference will bring together governments, international organizations, financial institutions and other stakeholders with a shared commitment to strengthen the resilience of Ukraine for as long as needed. Through various sessions and panel discussions, the participants will discuss topics such as Ukraine reconstruction, economic growth, social recovery and EU accession.

    The Minister will also take this opportunity to meet with several international partners to underscore Canada’s steadfast support for Ukraine, including fellow G7 Finance Ministers, Sergii Marchenko, Ukraine’s Finance Minister, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Italy’s Minister of Finance and Economy, and Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

    Following the Conference, the Minister will hold a media callback to discuss the outcome of the Conference. Media representatives who wish to participate are asked to pre-register by emailing mediare@fin.gc.ca. Details on how to participate will be provided upon registration.

    Date: July 11, 2025
    Time: 11:30 a.m. ET

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rutledge, Tennessee, Man Sentenced to Over 24 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On July 1, 2025, Patrick E. McAneny Jr, 28, of Rutledge, Tennessee, was sentenced to 292 months imprisonment by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.  Upon his release from prison, McAneny will be on supervised release for 20 years.  He will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.

    As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, McAneny plead guilty to count one of an indictment charging him with use of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a).

    According to the written plea agreement filed with the court, McAneny began an online relationship with a 12-year-old girl.  On February 4, 2024, McAneny traveled from his home in Grainger County, Tennessee to pick up the minor from her home in Hamblen County, Tennessee. She did not have permission to leave her home.  Her family reported her missing the same day. From February 4 to February 6, 2024, while at McAneny’s home he took photos, and video recorded the minor and himself engaged in sexual acts.  McAneny sent a video of the minor victim engaged in sexual acts with him to a third party online.  The person contacted law enforcement upon receipt of the video.  Based on the call law enforcement was able to locate the 12-year-old girl at McAneny’s home.

    U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico, of the FBI Nashville Field Office, made the announcement.

    The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Hamblen and Grainger County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan L. Gomez represented the United States at the sentencing.                

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

    For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “resources.”

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rutledge, Tennessee, Man Sentenced to Over 24 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On July 1, 2025, Patrick E. McAneny Jr, 28, of Rutledge, Tennessee, was sentenced to 292 months imprisonment by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.  Upon his release from prison, McAneny will be on supervised release for 20 years.  He will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.

    As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, McAneny plead guilty to count one of an indictment charging him with use of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a).

    According to the written plea agreement filed with the court, McAneny began an online relationship with a 12-year-old girl.  On February 4, 2024, McAneny traveled from his home in Grainger County, Tennessee to pick up the minor from her home in Hamblen County, Tennessee. She did not have permission to leave her home.  Her family reported her missing the same day. From February 4 to February 6, 2024, while at McAneny’s home he took photos, and video recorded the minor and himself engaged in sexual acts.  McAneny sent a video of the minor victim engaged in sexual acts with him to a third party online.  The person contacted law enforcement upon receipt of the video.  Based on the call law enforcement was able to locate the 12-year-old girl at McAneny’s home.

    U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico, of the FBI Nashville Field Office, made the announcement.

    The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Hamblen and Grainger County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan L. Gomez represented the United States at the sentencing.                

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

    For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “resources.”

                                                                                                                   ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP Boom 2025: Daily Cloud Mining Contracts Now Live with DRML Miner

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DRML Miner has officially launched a new wave of XRP cloud mining contracts — and it’s never been easier to join the action. Whether you’re new to crypto or a longtime XRP holder, this AI-powered platform gives you a simple, smart way to earn daily XRP rewards automatically.

    Traditionally seen as a token for cross-border payments and institutional use, XRP is now entering a new phase with DRML Miner’s latest innovation: user-friendly cloud mining. Participants can mine XRP directly or rely on DRML Miner’s intelligent AI engine to switch between high-yield cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDC, etc. to optimize returns. All earnings are paid daily in your preferred cryptocurrency, ensuring stable returns regardless of market fluctuations.

    Ripple’s (XRP) price action has always been difficult to predict. Although legal pressure eased somewhat by mid-2024, and Ripple Labs even launched an XRP-backed stablecoin, the market’s reaction was unexpectedly bearish. However, by 2025, XRP prices had recovered significantly. In early July, XRP’s 5-year ROI finally matched that of Bitcoin (BTC), reigniting the interest of long-term holders. In response to this new momentum, DRML Miner has launched a new 5-day XRP cloud mining contract, giving users a reliable way to earn XRP on a daily basis while they wait for future price breakouts. First-time users receive a $10 sign-up bonus, making it easy to start earning money without any upfront investment.

    Explore the new 2-day XRP mining contract now: https://drmlminers.com/

    2-Day Contracts, Instant Daily Rewards.

    Traditional mining is often costly and technically complex. But DRML Miner’s cloud mining system changes that — it offers 100% remote access, AI-optimized performance, and daily earnings. The newly released 2-day mining contracts are perfect for cautious investors and experienced holders. By using the $10 sign-up bonus, users can immediately activate the plan and receive daily $0.60 in XRP rewards — all without spending their own funds. This approach makes it easier than ever to stay active in the XRP ecosystem while the long-term outlook continues to develop.

    Key features of DRML Miner’s XRP cloud mining contracts:

    – No hardware required: Mine from anywhere with just a browser or app — no equipment or technical skills required

    – Daily payouts: Receive predictable daily rewards based on the contract you choose

    – Secure asset management: Enterprise-grade custody ensures your crypto is safe

    – Multiple contract terms: Tailored to your goals — short-term or long-term

    Mining Options for Every Type of XRP Investor

    Whether you are a first-time user or an experienced holder, DRML Miner has designed a wide range of XRP mining contracts for all experience levels:

    $10 contract – 1 day – earn $0.6 per day

    $100 contract – 2 days – earn $3.50 per day

    $500 contract – 5 days – earn $6.50 per day

    $5,000 contract – 30 days – earn $77.50 per day

    $50,000 contract – 50 days – earn $975 per day

    For those who believe in XRP’s five-year growth but want to make progress every day, these plans offer a smart, low-risk way to participate and passively grow your holdings.

    Explore more contracts, all of which support XRP mining.

    What makes DRML Miner’s XRP mining contracts different?

    – 100% remote mining

    Mining contracts are instantly activated, with no physical equipment or technical setup required. DRML Miner’s fully remote system ensures seamless access from anywhere in the world for a worry-free experience.

    – Principal Guarantee

    All invested funds are fully protected. Initial investment is fully returned at the end of each contract period, giving you peace of mind and financial security.

    – AI Optimization

    Proprietary AI-driven engine optimizes mining operations in real-time, maintaining stable returns even during periods of low market activity and high volatility.

    – Stable Daily Returns

    Contracts are structured to provide a reliable daily income, helping to minimize the risk of long-term market volatility and support the generation of stable passive returns.

    How to start making money with DRML Miner?

    1. Sign up for an account – get an instant $10 bonus and daily login rewards.
    2. Choose a contract – start with a 5-day plan or explore other tiers.
    3. Start mining – sit back and the system will mine XRP and pay you every 24 hours.

    As XRP matures, mining becomes smarter.

    Since its founding in September 2018, DRML Miner has been committed to helping users around the world earn passive cryptocurrency income through remote, secure, and AI-based cloud mining services. The platform supports multiple currencies such as XRP, BTC, SOL, DOGE, and is designed for novices and professionals who want to increase their assets without complex setup or large capital requirements.

    A spokesperson for DRML Miner, which has been around since 2018, said: “We believe that cryptocurrency participation should not come at the expense of the environment. By leveraging renewable energy and AI optimization, we are committed to providing our users with efficient and sustainable mining services.

    The next five years may be uncertain, but your next five days are not. Visit https://drmlminers.com to start mining XRP today

    Disclaimer: This press release is for reference only and does not constitute investment advice, financial guidance or trading recommendations. Activities such as staking involve market volatility, regulatory uncertainty and technical risks. Investors are strongly advised to conduct comprehensive due diligence and consult independent financial or legal experts before making any decision.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP Boom 2025: Daily Cloud Mining Contracts Now Live with DRML Miner

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, NY, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DRML Miner has officially launched a new wave of XRP cloud mining contracts — and it’s never been easier to join the action. Whether you’re new to crypto or a longtime XRP holder, this AI-powered platform gives you a simple, smart way to earn daily XRP rewards automatically.

    Traditionally seen as a token for cross-border payments and institutional use, XRP is now entering a new phase with DRML Miner’s latest innovation: user-friendly cloud mining. Participants can mine XRP directly or rely on DRML Miner’s intelligent AI engine to switch between high-yield cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDC, etc. to optimize returns. All earnings are paid daily in your preferred cryptocurrency, ensuring stable returns regardless of market fluctuations.

    Ripple’s (XRP) price action has always been difficult to predict. Although legal pressure eased somewhat by mid-2024, and Ripple Labs even launched an XRP-backed stablecoin, the market’s reaction was unexpectedly bearish. However, by 2025, XRP prices had recovered significantly. In early July, XRP’s 5-year ROI finally matched that of Bitcoin (BTC), reigniting the interest of long-term holders. In response to this new momentum, DRML Miner has launched a new 5-day XRP cloud mining contract, giving users a reliable way to earn XRP on a daily basis while they wait for future price breakouts. First-time users receive a $10 sign-up bonus, making it easy to start earning money without any upfront investment.

    Explore the new 2-day XRP mining contract now: https://drmlminers.com/

    2-Day Contracts, Instant Daily Rewards.

    Traditional mining is often costly and technically complex. But DRML Miner’s cloud mining system changes that — it offers 100% remote access, AI-optimized performance, and daily earnings. The newly released 2-day mining contracts are perfect for cautious investors and experienced holders. By using the $10 sign-up bonus, users can immediately activate the plan and receive daily $0.60 in XRP rewards — all without spending their own funds. This approach makes it easier than ever to stay active in the XRP ecosystem while the long-term outlook continues to develop.

    Key features of DRML Miner’s XRP cloud mining contracts:

    – No hardware required: Mine from anywhere with just a browser or app — no equipment or technical skills required

    – Daily payouts: Receive predictable daily rewards based on the contract you choose

    – Secure asset management: Enterprise-grade custody ensures your crypto is safe

    – Multiple contract terms: Tailored to your goals — short-term or long-term

    Mining Options for Every Type of XRP Investor

    Whether you are a first-time user or an experienced holder, DRML Miner has designed a wide range of XRP mining contracts for all experience levels:

    $10 contract – 1 day – earn $0.6 per day

    $100 contract – 2 days – earn $3.50 per day

    $500 contract – 5 days – earn $6.50 per day

    $5,000 contract – 30 days – earn $77.50 per day

    $50,000 contract – 50 days – earn $975 per day

    For those who believe in XRP’s five-year growth but want to make progress every day, these plans offer a smart, low-risk way to participate and passively grow your holdings.

    Explore more contracts, all of which support XRP mining.

    What makes DRML Miner’s XRP mining contracts different?

    – 100% remote mining

    Mining contracts are instantly activated, with no physical equipment or technical setup required. DRML Miner’s fully remote system ensures seamless access from anywhere in the world for a worry-free experience.

    – Principal Guarantee

    All invested funds are fully protected. Initial investment is fully returned at the end of each contract period, giving you peace of mind and financial security.

    – AI Optimization

    Proprietary AI-driven engine optimizes mining operations in real-time, maintaining stable returns even during periods of low market activity and high volatility.

    – Stable Daily Returns

    Contracts are structured to provide a reliable daily income, helping to minimize the risk of long-term market volatility and support the generation of stable passive returns.

    How to start making money with DRML Miner?

    1. Sign up for an account – get an instant $10 bonus and daily login rewards.
    2. Choose a contract – start with a 5-day plan or explore other tiers.
    3. Start mining – sit back and the system will mine XRP and pay you every 24 hours.

    As XRP matures, mining becomes smarter.

    Since its founding in September 2018, DRML Miner has been committed to helping users around the world earn passive cryptocurrency income through remote, secure, and AI-based cloud mining services. The platform supports multiple currencies such as XRP, BTC, SOL, DOGE, and is designed for novices and professionals who want to increase their assets without complex setup or large capital requirements.

    A spokesperson for DRML Miner, which has been around since 2018, said: “We believe that cryptocurrency participation should not come at the expense of the environment. By leveraging renewable energy and AI optimization, we are committed to providing our users with efficient and sustainable mining services.

    The next five years may be uncertain, but your next five days are not. Visit https://drmlminers.com to start mining XRP today

    Disclaimer: This press release is for reference only and does not constitute investment advice, financial guidance or trading recommendations. Activities such as staking involve market volatility, regulatory uncertainty and technical risks. Investors are strongly advised to conduct comprehensive due diligence and consult independent financial or legal experts before making any decision.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FS begins visit to Seoul, Korea (with photos/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, arrived in Seoul, Korea,this afternoon (July 8) to begin his visit.
     
    After his arrival, he visited the Bank of Korea, the country’s central bank, and met with its Governor, Mr Rhee Chang-yong, to exchange views on developments in finance, trade and economic landscapes of the two places, in the region and around the globe, as well as monetary and interest rate policies and investment trends. During the meeting, Mr Chan shared the latest developments in Hong Kong, particularly the continuous capital inflow to Hong Kong’s financial system, reflecting international investors’ confidence in Hong Kong in the current international environment. He stated that Hong Kong maintains a free and open economic and financial system and the Linked Exchange Rate System under the “one country, two systems” principle. Hong Kong’s unique advantage of being connected to the Mainland and the world, as well as its highly internationalised characteristics, is further attracting more international participants and capital to enjoy opportunities brought by developments in China. Hong Kong’s international ties are continuously deepening.
     
    Thereafter, he visited the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) and met with its President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Park Il-young. The KIC was established by the Korean government in 2005, responsible for managing part of the country’s foreign exchange reserves and other public funds for overseas investments. Currently, over US$200 billion of assets are under its management. During the meeting, both sides had an in-depth exchange of opinions on various issues of mutual concern, such as trends of investment markets, asset allocation strategies and digital asset developments.
     
    Mr Chan shared recent developments in Hong Kong’s economic and financial markets and its important role in connecting capital and investors from China and around the globe. He said that Hong Kong’s capital market is closely connected to the Mainland’s innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem. The recent stock market is vibrant, with many leading Mainland I&T enterprises having listed or planning to list in Hong Kong. To international investors, Hong Kong serves as a highly effective gateway to tap into I&T opportunities in Greater China. He welcomed Korean capital to better use the Hong Kong market to allocate international investments and jointly seize the vast business opportunities of I&T developments.
     
    In the evening, Mr Chan had dinner with leaders in Korea’s digital asset industry, where he shared Hong Kong’s developments and opportunities in digital assets. He also encouraged the local industry to actively participate in the Hong Kong market and jointly explore and expand more applications and developments in digital assets.
     
    Mr Chan will continue his visit to Seoul tomorrow (July 9), including attending a seminar on the capital markets of Hong Kong and Korea, as well as a business luncheon jointly organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where he will introduce Hong Kong’s new advantages and opportunities to the Korean financial and business sectors.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Vicor Corporation to Hold Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call and Webcast on July 22, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANDOVER, Mass., July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vicor Corporation (NASDAQ: VICR) announced today it will hold its second quarter 2025 earnings conference call and webcast on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern). Prepared remarks regarding the company’s financial and operational results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 will be followed by a question and answer period with Patrizio Vinciarelli, Chief Executive Officer, Jim Schmidt, Chief Financial Officer, and Phil Davies, Corporate Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing.

    Results for the second quarter will be released over GlobeNewswire at the close of the NASDAQ Market Session on July 22, 2025, and the press release and a summary of the company’s financial statements will be available shortly thereafter on the Investor Relations page of Vicor’s website.

    Vicor encourages investors and analysts who intend to ask questions via the conference call to register with Notified, the service provider hosting the conference call. Those registering on Notified’s website will receive dial-in info and a unique PIN to join the call as well as an email confirmation with the details. Registration may be completed at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. on July 22, 2025.

    For those parties interested in listen-only mode, the conference call will be webcast via a link that will be posted on the Investor Relations page of Vicor’s website prior to the conference call. Please access the website at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call to register and, if necessary, download and install any required software.

    For those who cannot participate in the live conference call, a webcast replay of the conference call will also be available on the Investor Relations page of Vicor’s website.

    About Vicor

    Vicor Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets modular power components and complete power systems based upon a portfolio of patented technologies. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, Vicor sells its products to the power systems market, including enterprise and high performance computing, industrial equipment and automation, telecommunications and network infrastructure, vehicles and transportation, and aerospace and defense electronics.

    www.vicorpower.com

    For further information contact:
    Vicor Corporation
    James F. Schmidt
    Chief Financial Officer
    Office: (978) 470-2900
    Email: invrel@vicorpower.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bacon Reintroduces Landmark Legislation to Strengthen America’s Agricultural Security and Support Beginning Farmers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

    Bacon Reintroduces Landmark Legislation to Strengthen America’s Agricultural Security and Support Beginning Farmers

    Washington – Recently, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) reintroduced two groundbreaking bills aimed at modernizing and securing America’s agricultural sector. H.R. 4155, the American Agricultural Security Act will bolster cyber defenses for our nation’s food supply chain, while H.R. 4156 the Support for Ownership and Investment in Land (SOIL) Act will remove barriers for the next generation of farmers seeking to establish their operations.

    With the U.S. agri-food sector reporting forty cyberattack incidents in the first quarter of 2024 alone, the American Agricultural Security Act addresses an urgent national security concern. The legislation will establish Centers of Excellence at higher education institutions and create a competitive USDA grant program to strengthen our agricultural cybersecurity infrastructure.

    “Our national security and our agricultural industry are inextricably linked,” said Rep. Bacon. “There are only nine meals between civilization and total anarchy. For this reason, I introduced the American Agricultural Security Act of 2024 to ensure we stay ahead of emerging threats to our food supply chain.”

    While new technologies have enabled food production to become one of the most automated industries in the world, adversaries have increasingly looked to undermine our nation’s most vital industry through increased cyberattacks. The American Agricultural Security Act addresses these challenges by:

    • Enabling the Secretary of Agriculture to establish Centers of Excellence at institutions of higher education to research and engage in extension on topics related to cybersecurity, biosecurity, and agricultural production.
    • Establishing a competitive grant program within USDA to support research, extension, and education activities that improve the capability of the United States to protect the food and agricultural system from attack or other global catastrophic threats.

    The full text of H.R. 4155 the American Agricultural Security Act can be found here.

    The SOIL Act modernizes the farm loan process for America’s next generation of agricultural leaders. The legislation allows the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to create a farm loan pre-approval process to allow farmers to make better decisions and not miss opportunities to expand their business operations, which will be especially useful for beginning farmers who often miss opportunities to expand their operations.

    “The SOIL Act will finally open the door for beginning farmers and ranchers to obtain financing by allowing producers to be preapproved for FSA Loans,” said Rep. Bacon. “Far too often, beginning farmers and ranchers are unable to be competitive when purchasing land. Purchasing farmland is seasonal and there is no reason young producers should be forced to wait months on end before receiving permission to purchase land.” 

    The full text of H.R. 4156 the SOIL Act can be found here.

    Last Congress, both bills were successfully included in the Farm Bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee. Rep. Bacon looks forward to working with the Committee this Congress to advance these critical initiatives.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) Secretary General to Speak at the African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 as Africa Energy Bank Prepares for Launch

    Source: APO

    In a significant step toward bolstering financing for Africa’s energy sector, the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) are advancing plans to launch the African Energy Bank (AEB). In April this year, APPO hired consulting firm PWC as project management consultants for the $5 billion development finance institution, which will be headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria and is set to commence operations this year.

    The bank will provide tailored financing solutions for African oil and gas projects, addressing long-standing funding gaps and enabling project developers to advance exploration, production and monetization initiatives. In the wake of this major milestone for energy financing on the continent, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, APPO will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 – taking place from September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town.

    AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit http://www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

    The AEB will feature a three-tiered shareholder structure, including APPO member states, other African nations and their national oil companies, as well as individual and corporate investors from outside the continent. So far, Nigeria, Angola and Ghana have fulfilled their capital commitments to the bank, representing 44% of the required minimum contributions and laying the groundwork for its launch. Additional pledges have been made by Algeria, Benin, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast.

    The launch of the AEB comes amid a broader shift in African energy cooperation, with APPO, the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa and the Central Africa Business & Energy Forum signing a MoU in April 2025 to develop the Central African Pipeline System. The system, spanning up to 11 countries, envisions thousands of kilometers of oil, gas and LPG pipelines and associated infrastructure aimed at improving regional energy access and security.

    APPO has also established a strong partnership with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The collaboration between the two organizations aims to advance African oil and gas projects through shared expertise, coordinated efforts in market stabilization and investment opportunities. This partnership demonstrates APPO’s commitment to engaging in collaborative action to address Africa’s energy needs as well as advancing sustainable development on the continent.

    “Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim’s leadership in establishing the African Energy Bank represents a bold step toward a self-sustained African energy sector. His participation at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 will spotlight the future of energy financing on the continent and inspire confidence in Africa’s ability to fund its own growth,” states Tomás Gerbasio, VP of Commercial and Strategic Engagement, African Energy Chamber.

    With major oil and gas projects underway in Africa – such as the cross-border Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG development, Mozambique LNG, Uganda’s Lake Albert development, Senegal’s Sangomar field development and others – APPO stands ready to support these initiatives by ensuring access to necessary funding. As such, AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 serves as the premier platform for stakeholders and policymakers to engage with international and domestic investors to make deals and form partnerships that align with the continent’s energy goals.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force Completes Operation ‘Apex Hammer’ with 264 Arrests

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Newark, NJ – The U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, in coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, has concluded Operation Apex Hammer, a high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative resulting in the arrest of 264 violent offenders, including murder suspects, sex offenders, and known gang members.

    Launched in early June 2025, Operation Apex Hammer targeted the nation’s most dangerous fugitives and individuals wanted for crimes including homicide, armed robbery, assault, weapons trafficking, and sexual offenses involving children. The month-long operation spanned throughout the state of New Jersey focusing on areas with high rates of violent crime and outstanding felony warrants with most arrests taking place in Camden and Newark.

    “Operation Apex Hammer sent a clear message,” said U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey Juan Mattos Jr. “The U.S. Marshals and our partner agencies will never stop pursuing those who threaten the safety of our communities. This operation reflects our unwavering commitment to protect communities by targeting and removing the most dangerous individuals from our streets.”

    Among the notable arrests:

    • Lorenzo Benitez, 54, an illegal alien from Guatemala, wanted out of Keansburg for multiple counts of sexual assault, arrested June 4 in Plainfield.
    • Darlin Franco-Guzman, 25, an illegal alien from Honduras, wanted out of Baltimore County for burglary and attempted sexual assault of a 12-year-old female, arrested June 10 in Trenton.
    • Stephen Bullock, 32, wanted for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a 76-year-old woman in Camden County, arrested June 13 in Hi-Nella.
    • Shawn Davis, 38, wanted for a 2024 homicide in Trenton, arrested June 13 in Brooklyn, New York.
    • Luis Duval-Jimenez, 31, wanted for attempted murder after he ran over a South Brunswick police officer with his vehicle in May 2025, arrested June 18 in North Arlington.
    • Trasuf Bennett, 20, and a juvenile accomplice, wanted for the drive-by shooting murder of a 20-year-old male victim in Milleville, arrested June 19 in Trenton.
    • Francisco Ruiz, 67, wanted for sexual assault by contact, terroristic threats, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal restraint, arrested June 20 in Bayonne.

    In addition to the arrests of 17 homicide suspects and 95 gang members, a total of 14 illegal firearms were seized. Of the 264 arrested, 31 were captured out-of-state and 2 overseas. Emphasizing the seriousness of the criminality of these 264 fugitives, they combined for an astounding total of 2,625 prior arrests.

    “This was a unified effort,” said Mattos. “Our task force, federal agencies, local, and state partners worked side-by-side to ensure this mission’s success. The results speak for themselves.”

    “I have seen firsthand the unwavering dedication of our law enforcement partners, and I proudly stand with them in this fight,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba. “Operation Apex Hammer is proof of what we can accomplish when we come together to drive violent crime out of our communities. I especially commend the U.S. Marshals Service for their relentless pursuit of dangerous fugitives and their commitment to bringing those who terrorize our neighborhoods to justice.” 

    Operation Apex Hammer was focused on identifying and apprehending high-threat fugitives using intelligence-led policing, community engagement, and interagency collaboration. The U.S. Marshals Service remains committed to pursuing justice and ensuring that the nation’s most dangerous fugitives are brought to justice.

    The U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force is comprised of individuals from the following agencies:

    New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Parole, New Jersey Department of Corrections, Port Authority Police Department, Passaic County Sheriff, Essex County Sheriff, Union County Sheriff, Mercer County Sheriff, Monmouth County Sheriff, Ocean County Sheriff, Burlington County Sheriff, Camden County Sheriff, Hudson County Sheriff, Gloucester County Sheriff, Salem County Sheriff, Atlantic County Sheriff, Somerset County Sheriff, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Newark PD, Jersey City PD, Trenton PD, Camden Metro PD, Atlantic City PD, Asbury Park PD, Vineland PD, Pennsauken PD, Flemington PD, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection,  and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Unsealed Indictment Charges Three Men with Stealing Dozens of High-End and Luxury Vehicles Worth Over $5 Million

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three Charlotte men are facing federal charges for conspiring to steal and transport across state lines dozens of luxury and high-end vehicles worth well over $5 million, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A criminal indictment was filed in June and unsealed today in federal court.

    Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    Aquanzae Jamal Switzer, 24, Da’Quante Antwone Banks, 24, and Trajan Dakiel Mack, 26, all of Charlotte, are charged with conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce, possession of a stolen vehicle, and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.

    “This multi-state automobile theft ring was organized and sophisticated,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Organized crime has no place in the Western District of North Carolina, and I am grateful to our law enforcement partners for disrupting this operation.”

    The indictment alleges that, between 2022 and April 2024, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to steal dozens of high-end motor vehicles worth millions of dollars from individuals, car dealerships, and other businesses located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee. To maximize their profits, Switzer, Banks, and Mack allegedly targeted luxury models by BMW, Land Rover, and Mercedez-Benz, as well trucks, sports utility vehicles, and high-end horsepower models manufactured by Chevrolet, Ford and Jeep.

    The defendants allegedly stole multiple vehicles at once, generally at night, using key fob programmers, and conspired with other individuals who served as drivers of the stolen vehicles. For example, the indictment alleges that the defendants, aided and abetted by others, stole 12 vehicles from a car dealership located in Lillington, North Carolina. To avoid detection, the co-conspirators used temporary and fictitious vehicles tags on the stolen vehicles, removed the GPS navigation and tracking systems from the vehicles, and changed the appearance of the stolen vehicles soon after the thefts.

    According to allegations in the indictment, the co-defendants and their co-conspirators often sold the stolen vehicles at prices significantly below their retail value and kept some of the vehicles for personal use and to further facilitate the scheme.

    The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    This is the sixth indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Charlotte for federal offenses involving the interstate theft of vehicles since 2023. Previously, federal charges were filed against three Charlotte men for conspiring to steal luxury vehicles and transporting them across state lines. A Charlotte man was indicted for stealing high-end vehicles, including several vehicles from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Two individuals were charged for a scheme that involved buying and selling stolen vehicles from across the country. Five individuals were indicted for stealing luxury vehicles from dealerships throughout the United States, and two additional individuals were indicted for orchestrating high-end auto thefts from businesses in South Carolina.

    The charges against the defendants are allegations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the Secret Service and CMPD for their investigation of this case and thanked the FBI and the National Insurance Crime Bureau and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance with the prior prosecutions. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the cases.

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Renasant Announces 2025 Second Quarter Webcast and Conference Call Information

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TUPELO, Miss., July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Renasant Corporation (NYSE: RNST) (the “Company”) will announce 2025 second quarter results following the NYSE’s closing on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. The Company will hold executive management’s quarterly webcast and conference call with analysts on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time (9:00 AM Central Time).

    The webcast is accessible through Renasant’s investor relations website at www.renasant.com or https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=gtM01rRl. To access the conference via telephone, dial 1-877-513-1143 in the United States and request the Renasant Corporation 2025 Second Quarter Earnings Webcast and Conference Call. International participants should dial 1-412-902-4145 to access the conference call.

    The webcast will be archived on www.renasant.com and will remain accessible for one year. A replay can be accessed via telephone by dialing 1-877-344-7529 in the United States and entering conference number 6698526 or by dialing 1-412-317-0088 internationally and entering the same conference number. Telephone replay access is available until August 6, 2025.

    ABOUT RENASANT CORPORATION:

    Renasant Corporation is the parent of Renasant Bank, a 121-year-old financial services institution. Renasant has assets of approximately $26.0 billion and operates more than 280 banking, lending, mortgage, and wealth management offices throughout the Southeast as well as factoring and asset-based lending on a nationwide basis.

    NOTE TO INVESTORS:

    This news release may contain, or incorporate by reference, statements which may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements usually include words such as “expects,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates,” “strategy,” “plan,” “potential,” “possible” and other similar expressions.

    Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees for future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Important factors currently known to management that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include significant fluctuations in interest rates, inflation, economic recession, significant changes in the federal and state legal and regulatory environment, significant underperformance in our portfolio of outstanding loans, and competition in our markets. Management believes that the assumptions underlying the Company’s forward-looking statements are reasonable, but any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Investors are urged to carefully consider the risks described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) from time to time, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are available at www.renasant.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time.

    Contacts For Media: For Financials:
      John S. Oxford James C. Mabry IV
      Senior Vice President Executive Vice President
      Chief Marketing Officer Chief Financial Officer
      (662) 680-1219 (662) 680-1281
      joxford@renasant.com jim.mabry@renasant.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leah McLaughlin, Research Fellow in Health Services, Bangor University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Every week, thousands of people with kidney disease in the UK spend long hours in hospital receiving life-saving dialysis. For many, this means travelling to a kidney unit three times a week and sitting through sessions that last four hours or more. It’s a huge commitment that affects people’s ability to work, travel and maintain a normal social life.

    But for many with kidney failure, there’s another option: dialysis at home. It’s more flexible, often less disruptive and, in the long run, more cost-effective for the NHS. So why do most people still choose hospital dialysis?

    A parliamentary summit in May reflected on how to make dialysis more accessible to patients at home. My colleagues and I published research on this topic in 2019. Working in partnership with people who have kidney disease, their families, NHS staff, dialysis providers and kidney charities, we explored the barriers to home dialysis, and how to overcome them.

    People with kidney failure need either a transplant or regular dialysis to filter waste from their blood. Despite NHS guidance that at least 20% of people on dialysis should be supported to have this treatment at home, this target isn’t being met in many parts of the UK.

    A kidney dialysis machine.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Our research team, which included people who had experienced dialysis, held discussions with 50 people from across Wales. Many told us that hospital dialysis was presented by healthcare staff as the default option. For those who had not yet come to terms with needing dialysis, or who had delayed planning due to the unpredictable nature of kidney disease, hospital treatment felt like the path of least resistance.

    Some were concerned about the disruption home dialysis might bring. This included changes to their living space or worries that partners or family members might become their carers. Others valued the routine and regular social contact of hospital dialysis.

    Healthcare professionals may unintentionally reinforce this choice. Some feel more comfortable monitoring patients in clinical settings or are unsure about how to support home dialysis effectively. In some cases, home dialysis isn’t an option because local services don’t have the infrastructure to support it.

    Rather than simply identifying problems, we worked together to develop practical solutions. In 2021, working with patients, healthcare professionals, charities, commissioners and industry, we devised a new service plan that outlines how kidney services could be redesigned to support more people to choose home dialysis.

    One important finding was the power of talking to others already doing it. It’s not just about practical advice, but reassurance that it can work.

    We also identified the need for better training for both professionals and patients. People told us they wanted to understand their options earlier, ideally a year before dialysis starts. That means tackling difficult topics, such as advance care planning, sooner and with the right support.

    Social care also has an important role to play. People with complex needs – like living alone, having mobility challenges, or experiencing financial hardship – may need home support, welfare advice or help navigating the system.

    The cost of choice

    In a linked study, published in 2022, we analysed the costs of different dialysis options. Home dialysis was found to cost between £16,000 and £23,000 per person per year.

    Hospital dialysis costs more, between £20,000 and £24,000, rising to over £30,000 when ambulance transport is needed. This suggests that encouraging more people to have dialysis at home could deliver savings for the NHS.

    In Wales, where all kidney services are coordinated through a single clinical network, home dialysis is more widely available. But in England, services are more fragmented, so access can depend on where you live.

    Even if these changes were implemented, fundamental issues may still prevent progress. Beneath the surface of patient satisfaction lies a deeper problem – the NHS dialysis service is no longer working as intended.

    Transport is one of the most frequently cited concerns among people receiving hospital dialysis, and no one seems satisfied with current arrangements. But satisfaction surveys fail to capture the complexity of the situation.

    People often begin dialysis in a unit that isn’t closest to home due to availability. Later, when given the option to move closer or switch to home dialysis, they may decline. These dialysis units begin to function as surrogate families, offering comfort, routine and social interaction, especially for people who live alone or are isolated.

    This emotional connection can obscure the bigger picture. Patients may focus on transport as the issue, rather than recognising that their own decisions – shaped by understandable human needs and system design – are part of the wider challenge.

    shutterstock.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Staff are caught in the same dynamic. They worry about losing patients they’ve built relationships with or fear someone may not cope alone. But as a result, the service ends up operating not to help people live well for longer but to preserve a sense of satisfaction with a suboptimal status quo.

    By focusing too heavily on keeping people content with the status quo, we risk obscuring what’s truly working, or not. Worse, we may end up wasting already limited resources trying to fix problems that are byproducts of a system shaped more by sentiment than strategy.

    Meanwhile, staff are caught in the middle, trying to deliver care under mounting pressure, with increasingly blurred expectations.

    What needs to change

    To break out of this cycle, different questions should be asked, and not just whether people are satisfied, but whether they are living well, maintaining independence and receiving care that truly reflects their needs and values.

    Our research shows that people already on home dialysis are a valuable and underused resource. They can offer support and insight to others who are starting their treatment.

    The collaborative approach we used could be a model for other parts of the NHS. By designing services with people, not just for them, we can move closer to a future where more people live comfortably with kidney disease, and care that truly fits around their lives and not the other way round.

    Leah McLaughlin receives funding from Health and Care Research Wales. She is affiliated with the Wales Kidney Research Unit.

    We would like to acknowledge Dr Gareth Roberts Chief Investigator of the Dialysis Options and Choices study. Dr Gareth Roberts is a Consultant Nephrologist and Associate Medical Director at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and is clinical lead of the Welsh Renal Clinical Network.

    – ref. Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home – https://theconversation.com/why-many-kidney-patients-are-still-choosing-hospital-dialysis-and-how-the-nhs-can-help-more-people-access-care-at-home-254747

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leah McLaughlin, Research Fellow in Health Services, Bangor University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Every week, thousands of people with kidney disease in the UK spend long hours in hospital receiving life-saving dialysis. For many, this means travelling to a kidney unit three times a week and sitting through sessions that last four hours or more. It’s a huge commitment that affects people’s ability to work, travel and maintain a normal social life.

    But for many with kidney failure, there’s another option: dialysis at home. It’s more flexible, often less disruptive and, in the long run, more cost-effective for the NHS. So why do most people still choose hospital dialysis?

    A parliamentary summit in May reflected on how to make dialysis more accessible to patients at home. My colleagues and I published research on this topic in 2019. Working in partnership with people who have kidney disease, their families, NHS staff, dialysis providers and kidney charities, we explored the barriers to home dialysis, and how to overcome them.

    People with kidney failure need either a transplant or regular dialysis to filter waste from their blood. Despite NHS guidance that at least 20% of people on dialysis should be supported to have this treatment at home, this target isn’t being met in many parts of the UK.

    A kidney dialysis machine.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Our research team, which included people who had experienced dialysis, held discussions with 50 people from across Wales. Many told us that hospital dialysis was presented by healthcare staff as the default option. For those who had not yet come to terms with needing dialysis, or who had delayed planning due to the unpredictable nature of kidney disease, hospital treatment felt like the path of least resistance.

    Some were concerned about the disruption home dialysis might bring. This included changes to their living space or worries that partners or family members might become their carers. Others valued the routine and regular social contact of hospital dialysis.

    Healthcare professionals may unintentionally reinforce this choice. Some feel more comfortable monitoring patients in clinical settings or are unsure about how to support home dialysis effectively. In some cases, home dialysis isn’t an option because local services don’t have the infrastructure to support it.

    Rather than simply identifying problems, we worked together to develop practical solutions. In 2021, working with patients, healthcare professionals, charities, commissioners and industry, we devised a new service plan that outlines how kidney services could be redesigned to support more people to choose home dialysis.

    One important finding was the power of talking to others already doing it. It’s not just about practical advice, but reassurance that it can work.

    We also identified the need for better training for both professionals and patients. People told us they wanted to understand their options earlier, ideally a year before dialysis starts. That means tackling difficult topics, such as advance care planning, sooner and with the right support.

    Social care also has an important role to play. People with complex needs – like living alone, having mobility challenges, or experiencing financial hardship – may need home support, welfare advice or help navigating the system.

    The cost of choice

    In a linked study, published in 2022, we analysed the costs of different dialysis options. Home dialysis was found to cost between £16,000 and £23,000 per person per year.

    Hospital dialysis costs more, between £20,000 and £24,000, rising to over £30,000 when ambulance transport is needed. This suggests that encouraging more people to have dialysis at home could deliver savings for the NHS.

    In Wales, where all kidney services are coordinated through a single clinical network, home dialysis is more widely available. But in England, services are more fragmented, so access can depend on where you live.

    Even if these changes were implemented, fundamental issues may still prevent progress. Beneath the surface of patient satisfaction lies a deeper problem – the NHS dialysis service is no longer working as intended.

    Transport is one of the most frequently cited concerns among people receiving hospital dialysis, and no one seems satisfied with current arrangements. But satisfaction surveys fail to capture the complexity of the situation.

    People often begin dialysis in a unit that isn’t closest to home due to availability. Later, when given the option to move closer or switch to home dialysis, they may decline. These dialysis units begin to function as surrogate families, offering comfort, routine and social interaction, especially for people who live alone or are isolated.

    This emotional connection can obscure the bigger picture. Patients may focus on transport as the issue, rather than recognising that their own decisions – shaped by understandable human needs and system design – are part of the wider challenge.

    shutterstock.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Staff are caught in the same dynamic. They worry about losing patients they’ve built relationships with or fear someone may not cope alone. But as a result, the service ends up operating not to help people live well for longer but to preserve a sense of satisfaction with a suboptimal status quo.

    By focusing too heavily on keeping people content with the status quo, we risk obscuring what’s truly working, or not. Worse, we may end up wasting already limited resources trying to fix problems that are byproducts of a system shaped more by sentiment than strategy.

    Meanwhile, staff are caught in the middle, trying to deliver care under mounting pressure, with increasingly blurred expectations.

    What needs to change

    To break out of this cycle, different questions should be asked, and not just whether people are satisfied, but whether they are living well, maintaining independence and receiving care that truly reflects their needs and values.

    Our research shows that people already on home dialysis are a valuable and underused resource. They can offer support and insight to others who are starting their treatment.

    The collaborative approach we used could be a model for other parts of the NHS. By designing services with people, not just for them, we can move closer to a future where more people live comfortably with kidney disease, and care that truly fits around their lives and not the other way round.

    Leah McLaughlin receives funding from Health and Care Research Wales. She is affiliated with the Wales Kidney Research Unit.

    We would like to acknowledge Dr Gareth Roberts Chief Investigator of the Dialysis Options and Choices study. Dr Gareth Roberts is a Consultant Nephrologist and Associate Medical Director at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and is clinical lead of the Welsh Renal Clinical Network.

    – ref. Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home – https://theconversation.com/why-many-kidney-patients-are-still-choosing-hospital-dialysis-and-how-the-nhs-can-help-more-people-access-care-at-home-254747

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Blue Navy Recovery Celebrates 40 5-Star Reviews on Google, Reinforcing Role as a Top-Rated Unclaimed Property Recovery Service in California and Georgia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Irvine, CA, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Navy Recovery, a recognized leader in the field, has announced the achievement of 40 five-star ratings on Google for its unclaimed property recovery work in California and Georgia. This growing public recognition, including recent coverage in Business Insider and Yahoo! Finance, solidifies Blue Navy’s standing as one of the best unclaimed property recovery service providers for individuals seeking to reclaim state-held funds.

    Blue Navy Recovery’s official site, guiding users in California and Georgia through the unclaimed property process.

    Built on a full-service, results-first model, Blue Navy Recovery handles the entire process—from locating unclaimed assets to preparing paperwork and communicating directly with state agencies. Its team-based, no-upfront-cost approach is a key reason why the firm is widely regarded as a trusted and top-rated service for clients who want simplicity, security, and results. This milestone on Google highlights how real individuals have benefited from the firm’s commitment to accuracy, transparency, and efficiency.

    “Our model is built around delivering results, not promises,” said David Dorfman, Managing Partner at Blue Navy Recovery. “Being recognized as a top-rated recovery service by the people we’ve helped means we’re living up to our mission—reconnecting individuals with money they didn’t even know was missing.”

    The firm’s growing presence in California and Georgia has been powered by a secure, detail-driven process that protects claimant information and eliminates common pain points in the verification and filing stages. A wide range of real-world case outcomes—ranging from insurance refunds and uncashed checks to dormant savings accounts—are documented in client-submitted reviews on public platforms that show why so many trust Blue Navy to handle their recovery. For prospective clients looking for credible, firsthand examples of the firm’s impact, this collection provides insight into why many consider Blue Navy the best unclaimed property recovery service in the state.

    Blue Navy’s highly rated Google Place page further reinforces its industry reputation. These public ratings reflect how the company’s experienced specialists, rather than generic call center agents, offer expert support tailored to each claim. The firm’s FAQ page breaks down the unclaimed property recovery process by state, while its blog offers deeper education on how forgotten assets are transferred and how individuals can act before funds are lost for good.

    What Is Unclaimed Property Recovery?

    Unclaimed property recovery refers to the process of locating and reclaiming financial assets that have been handed over to a state government after a period of inactivity or lost contact with the rightful owner. This typically includes dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, stock dividends, and more. In unclaimed funds cases in California and unclaimed property cases in Georgia, these unclaimed assets are held by the state until a valid claim is submitted by the rightful owner or their heir.

    How to Recover Unclaimed Property in CA or Georgia

    To initiate unclaimed property recovery in California or Georgia, individuals must submit a formal claim through the respective state’s unclaimed property division. While the process can vary slightly between states, both require proper documentation and identity verification.

    Blue Navy Recovery specializes in streamlining this process for claimants in CA and Georgia by:

    – Preparing and filing all required paperwork

    – Assisting with verification and notarization

    – Handling all communication with the state agencies

    Is Blue Navy Recovery a Legitimate Service?

    Absolutely. Blue Navy Recovery is a reputable business with a strong track record with a successful history of helping clients recover unclaimed property in California and Georgia. The company operates on a contingency basis, with no upfront fees, and only collects a small percentage after your claim has been paid. Blue Navy’s transparent approach and proven results make the firm a trusted partner in the unclaimed property recovery space. The company recently celebrated their 200th successful unclaimed property recovery cases, a story that was picked up by media outlets like Yahoo! Finance, Business Insider, and Globe Newswire.

    To get started or to understand why Blue Navy is frequently cited as the best unclaimed property recovery service, visit the official Blue Navy Recovery website or log in via the firm’s client portal.

    Blue Navy Recovery provides trusted, expert-led support as a leading unclaimed property recovery service in California and Georgia.

    About Blue Navy Recovery

    Blue Navy Recovery is a professional unclaimed property recovery firm that helps individuals and families recover lost or forgotten funds held by the state. With deep experience navigating the claims process in California and Georgia, we’ve helped return millions of dollars to rightful owners. We handle the paperwork, follow-ups, and filing — so you don’t have to. Our team only collects a percentage of the recovered amount, with no upfront cost. 

    Press inquiries

    Blue Navy Recovery
    https://www.bluenavy.org
    David Dorfman
    david@bluenavy.org
    (619) 215-1972

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Phoenix Return Preparer Indicted for Filing False Tax Returns for Himself and Others

    Source: US State of California

    A Phoenix man made his initial appearance in federal court recently after a grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment charging him with filing false tax returns for himself and for clients of his tax preparation business.

    The following is according to the indictment: from 2021 to 2023, Pacifique Kashosi allegedly prepared and filed false tax returns for clients of Africa Union Tax Services LLC, his return preparation business.  On those returns, Kashosi claimed false or inflated sick and family leave and fuel credits that created or increased refunds to which he knew the clients were not entitled. The indictment further alleges that Kashosi earned income through the operation of his tax preparation business for the years 2022 and 2023 that he did not report on the tax returns he filed for himself for those two years.

    If convicted, Kashosi faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rapp for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Financial Services Firm AssetMark Will Create 252 Jobs in Charlotte

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Financial Services Firm AssetMark Will Create 252 Jobs in Charlotte

    Governor Stein Announces Financial Services Firm AssetMark Will Create 252 Jobs in Charlotte
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein announced today that AssetMark, a leading wealth management platform for financial advisors, will create 252 jobs in Charlotte. The company will invest $10 million in Mecklenburg County.

    “AssetMark’s decision to grow its business in Charlotte proves once again that business leaders recognize North Carolina as one of the country’s best places to do business,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Charlotte’s status as a fintech hub combined with our state’s education and workforce training programs and our top-notch business climate provides companies with the competitive advantages they need to be successful.”

    AssetMark, headquartered in Concord, California, provides innovative solutions, insightful guidance, and excellent service to financial advisors at every stage of their journey. The company, together with its affiliates AssetMark Trust Company, Voyant, and Adhesion Wealth Advisor Solutions, has more than 1,000 employees and serves more than 10,700 financial advisors and more than 317,000 investor households. AssetMark’s expansion in Charlotte will establish the location as the company’s East Coast Hub, supporting nearly 4,300 advisors in the region. 

    “We are excited about our partnership with Charlotte and the State of North Carolina, which will allow us to establish our East Coast Hub,” said Lou Maiuri, Chairman and Group CEO for AssetMark. “The committed investment from North Carolina allows us to grow our cross-functional presence in Charlotte so that we can better serve a significant portion of our clients. Exceptional service is at the center of everything we do at AssetMark. This partnership means we can continue to enhance our support for our advisors and their clients, while allowing us to tap into the exceptional talent pool available in Charlotte.” 

    “Charlotte’s place as one of the nation’s top financial centers grows stronger today with the addition of an innovative company like AssetMark,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Fintech companies are especially drawn to North Carolina’s deep pool of IT talent and tailored training programs, which provide an ideal foundation for accelerating their growth in the state.”

    Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be $110,518, compared with an average wage in Mecklenburg County of $86,830. The new positions will bring an annual payroll impact to the community of more than $27 million per year.

    The company’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today and formally awarded to AssetMark Financial Holdings, Inc. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by more than $1.2 billion. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $1,941,750, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation targets.

    The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 303 per cent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state receives $4.03 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company. 

    Because AssetMark chose a location in Mecklenburg County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $647,250 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 3 county such as Mecklenburg, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps more economically challenged communities elsewhere in the state.

    “Charlotte continues to be an attractive destination for financial services companies, and I’m pleased to welcome AssetMark as they expand their operations here,” said Senator DeAndrea Salvador. “With a strong talent pool and a track record of innovation, our region offers the tools and talent they need to thrive.” 

    “We welcome these new jobs for Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and for our state as a whole,” said Representative Mary Belk. “Everyone in our community will offer AssetMark a warm welcome and we will connect this company with the many resources in our region that will power their company’s growth here in North Carolina.”

    Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, Mecklenburg County, and the City of Charlotte. 

    Jul 8, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces 510 New Jobs as Citigroup Selects Charlotte for Expansion

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces 510 New Jobs as Citigroup Selects Charlotte for Expansion

    Governor Stein Announces 510 New Jobs as Citigroup Selects Charlotte for Expansion
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced that Citigroup, Inc. will create 510 additional jobs in Charlotte. The global financial services company will invest $16.1 million for this major office facility in Mecklenburg County. The company’s physical presence in Charlotte will enable it to expand its local headcount in areas like personal banking, finance, and marketing.

    “Citi’s decision makes clear once again that Charlotte is one of the nation’s top financial centers,” said Governor Josh Stein. “North Carolina offers a specialized and highly skilled workforce along with a friendly business climate. Our state will continue to invest in the education and workforce programs that keep North Carolina one of the best places to do business.”  

    “As we reviewed our real estate footprint in the United States, Charlotte stood out as a location where we had a unique opportunity to invest by establishing a formal presence,” said Edward Skyler, Citi’s Head of Enterprise Services & Public Affairs. “This will create a better working environment for our existing colleagues as well as allow us to further tap into the deep pool of talent in this market. We appreciate the work Governor Stein and other public officials have done to make this area so attractive to businesses, and we look forward to playing a larger role in Charlotte’s growth over the coming years.”  

    Citi is one of the world’s leading banking institutions, partnering with organizations with cross-border needs, serving as a global leader in wealth management, and becoming known as a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in more than 180 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions, and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.  

    “There’s a reason North Carolina’s financial services industry has grown an impressive 30 percent since 2018,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Our concentration of finance-focused workers and IT professionals has created an environment that attracts companies seeking the specialized skills we can offer. Today’s decision by Citi continues to build North Carolina’s momentum with this important industry.”  

    Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be $131,832, compared with an average wage of $86,830 in Mecklenburg County. The new positions will bring to the community an annual payroll impact of more than $65 million per year.

    The company’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) awarded to Citigroup Technology, Inc. and approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 10-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by more than $2.7 billion. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs and the capital investment, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $8,938,500, spread over 10 years. State payments occur only after performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets.

    The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 255 percent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state receives $3.55 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.  

    Because Citi chose a location in Mecklenburg County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $2,979,500 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 3 county such as Mecklenburg, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps more economically challenged communities elsewhere in the state.

    “Citi’s expansion is a major win for Mecklenburg County and a vote of confidence in Charlotte’s place as a global financial hub,” said Senator Woodson Bradley. “We’re proud to welcome this growth in our community and will do everything we can to help them be successful in our region.”  

    Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, Mecklenburg County, and the City of Charlotte. 

    Jul 8, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ransomville Man Going to Prison on Child Pornography Charge

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John Stuart, 37, of Ransomville, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison and 25 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Stuart must also register as a sex offender.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who handled the case, stated that in August 2019, the FBI received a lead indicating that in May 2019, an online user accessed child sexual abuse and exploitation material via a website on the Tor network. Subsequent investigation traced the IP address to Stuart. In October 2020, a search warrant was executed at Stuart’s residence, during which law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices, including two laptop computers, a cell phone, a hard drive, and a desktop computer tower. A forensic review recovered approximately 8,000 videos and approximately 2,000 images of child pornography on one of the laptops, and approximately 150 images and one video of child pornography on the second laptop. Approximately 90 images and 150 videos of child pornography were recovered from the cell phone and approximately 90 images and two videos on the hard drive. Some of the images included depictions of violence against children.

    Stuart also admitted that during the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement recovered live marijuana plants, more than a pound of dried marijuana ready for consumption, and that he was a chronic user of marijuana. Stuart was also found to be in possession of three firearms. Because he was a user of controlled substances, Stuart was legally prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.

    The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tonawanda Doctor Pleads Guilty for His Role in Prescription Scam

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that William Stephan, 65, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of misprision of felony, was sentenced to one year probation and 100 hours community service by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that Stephan is a medical doctor with a family practice located in Tonawanda, NY. In April 2015, Stephan was asked by Erik Berg to sign prescriptions for compounded medications. Over a several-month period, he signed compounded prescriptions for 19 patients. When Berg presented these prescriptions to Stephan, they had already been filled out, as well as the number of refills. Stephan then typically signed these prescriptions based on Berg’s representation that the patient had a medical need for the prescription(s). When signing the prescriptions, Stephan did not take note of any refills he was authorizing. Prescriptions signed by Stephan for these patients were refilled more than 500 times. None of the 19 patients were Stephan’s patients.

    The compounded medications prescribed by Stephan carried substantial reimbursement rates, which averaged more than $16,000 per prescription. Health care benefit programs paid $8,750,315 in reimbursement for the prescriptions, including refills. Pharmacy benefit managers providing the prescriptions signed by Stephan, would not have approved the prescriptions for reimbursement if they had known that Berg had presented the prescriptions to Stephan already filled out, the compound formula did not address the particular medical needs of a particular patient, but rather to obtain the highest reimbursement from the insurance companies, and that Berg knew that Stephan did not have a doctor-patient relationship with the individual for whom the prescription was written.

    In addition, Stephan signed compounded prescriptions for other individuals, including Scott Trapp and Michael Luehrsen.

    In June 2016, Express Scripts, Inc. performed an audit of certain prescriptions written by Stephan. During the audit, he and Berg completed audit forms on which Stephan stated that he had written and signed certain prescriptions for compounded medications, concealing the fact that he had not, in fact, written out the prescriptions, and that he did not have a doctor-patient relationship with the patients.

    Berg and Luehrsen were previously convicted and awaiting sentencing. Trapp was previously convicted and sentenced.

    The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 Gang Leader Sentenced to 68 Years in Prison for Eight Murders, Multiple Attempted Murders, Arson, Narcotics Trafficking, and Firearms Offenses

    Source: US FBI

    Alexi Saenz Led a Brutal Crime Wave that Terrorized the Communities of Brentwood and Central Islip in 2016 and 2017

    Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Alexi Saenz, also known as “Blasty” and “Plaky,” the leader of the Brentwood/Central Islip chapter of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 68 years’ imprisonment.  On July 10, 2024, Saenz pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with his participation in eight murders, namely, the January 28, 2016 murder of Michael Johnson; the April 29, 2016 murder of Oscar Acosta; the September 5, 2016 murder of Marcus Bohannon; the September 13, 2016 murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens; the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo; the October 13, 2016 murder of Dewann Stacks; and the January 30, 2017 murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla, in addition to his participation in three attempted murders, and arson, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses.   

    Joseph Nocella, Jr, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI New York); and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence.

    “Alexi Saenz led an unspeakable reign of terror, killing, and crime that damaged his community and cost several people their lives,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “My Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to hold the MS-13 and its members accountable for their horrific acts, including the pain they’ve caused victims and their loved ones.  This sentencing is one of many in our relentless pursuit to dismantle the MS-13 and other violent criminal organizations.” 

    “For years, Alexi Saenz wielded his role as a local MS-13 leader to facilitate and participate in eight brutal murders of perceived rivals. Saenz terrorized Long Island as he indiscriminately targeted and hunted a wide range of victims, with careless regard to innocent bystanders harmed by his actions. May today’s sentencing emphasize the FBI’s relentless determination to crush all gang violence plaguing our communities,” stated FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Raia.

    “Alexi Saenz is a violent career criminal whose path of destruction ripped apart families and terrorized Suffolk County with his MS-13 cohorts,” stated SCPD Commissioner Catalina.  “I commend the efforts of the SCPD officers and our law enforcement partners who are dedicated to bringing violent gang criminals to justice and offering closure to the victims’ families.”

    As set forth in the government’s sentencing memorandum, prior court filings, and statements during the sentencing, Alexi Saenz was the local leader of the Brentwood/Central Islip chapter of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 – one of the more powerful, violent, and well-established cliques on the East Coast of the United States.  He committed the following crimes in order to maintain and increase his membership and status within the gang and to further the mission of the MS-13:

    January 28, 2016 Murder of Michael Johnson

    On January 28, 2016, Alexi Saenz and other MS-13 members and associates were at the Jocorena Deli in Brentwood, where they saw 29-year-old Michael Johnson, and claimed to recognize him as a member of the rival Bloods street gang.  At that point, Johnson was marked as their “food” – a reference to their intention to kill him. 

    After receiving the requisite approval from the New York leader of the Sailors clique to commit this murder, Alexi Saenz contacted several other MS-13 members, informed them of the plan to kill Johnson, and instructed them to bring weapons, including a machete and a baseball bat, to a wooded area in Brentwood.  Alexi Saenz then lured Johnson to that secluded meeting location under the guise of smoking marijuana.  The MS-13 members and associates ambushed Johnson from behind – striking Johnson with the baseball bat, stabbing him with a knife, and taking turns hacking him with the machete.  They fled after hearing police sirens in the area.   

    Johnson was reported missing by family members. Less than one week after his murder, on February 2, 2016, members of the SCPD responded to a 911 call about a body found in the woods by a passerby, and recovered Johnson’s body.  An autopsy determined Johnson’s cause of death to be sharp and blunt force injuries.   

    April 29, 2016 Murder of Oscar Acosta

    In early 2016, Alexi Saenz and his fellow Sailors clique members decided to “green light,” or approve, the murder of 19-year-old Oscar Acosta because they suspected that he was associating with the rival 18th Street gang after previously aligning himself with the MS-13. The New York Sailors clique leader assigned roles as to which members would take the lead in planning and carrying out the murder. 

    On April 29, 2016, MS-13 members met Acosta in a wooded area near an elementary school in Brentwood where he had been lured under the guise of smoking marijuana.  They brutally beat Acosta with tree limbs, knocking him unconscious. They bound Acosta’s hands and feet, wrapped an article of clothing around his mouth to prevent him from making noise, and summoned other MS-13 members, including Alexi Saenz.  The MS-13 members loaded Acosta into the trunk of Alexi Saenz’s car, and drove to a more secluded area in Brentwood near the abandoned Pilgrim State Psychiatric Hospital.  At the direction of Alexi Saenz, the MS-13 members removed Acosta, who was still alive, from the trunk and carried him deeper into the woods where they took turns hacking him to death with a machete.  The murder was supervised by Alexi Saenz, as his role as the local clique leader.  The MS-13 members then buried Acosta’s body in a shallow grave.   

    Acosta’s body was discovered by law enforcement nearly five months later, on September 16, 2016, during a search for another MS-13 victim.  His cause of death was homicidal violence, including sharp and blunt force injuries to his head and torso.

    July 18, 2016 Attempted Murders of John Doe #1 and John Doe #2

    On July 18, 2016, during a Sailors clique meeting at Alexi Saenz’s house in Central Islip, the defendant instructed the group to hunt for rival gang members who had been disrespectful to the MS-13, in order to attack and kill them.

    Later that evening, other members of the MS-13, who were driving around Brentwood armed with firearms and a machete, spotted a group of men on Apple Street. Believing these men to be members of a rival gang, three MS-13 members got out of the car and attacked the group, firing rounds from two different guns, and then using a machete to hack at one of the men who had fallen to the ground.  After the attack, the group drove back to Alexi Saenz’s house, where they hid the weapons.

    Two individuals were injured as a result of this attack.  John Doe #1 was struck with a bullet, but survived.  John Doe #2 was attacked with a machete, and was permanently disfigured.

    August 10, 2016 Attempted Murders of Suspected Rival Gang Members

    In 2016, members of the MS-13 were engaged in a series of disputes with members of the Goon Squad, a rival gang in Brentwood. 

    On August 10, 2016, Alexi Saenz and another MS-13 member drove through the neighborhood around Lukens Avenue in Brentwood, and spotted several men who they believed were members of the Goon Squad. They then rallied other members of the Sailors clique to come kill the rivals. 

    The MS-13 members divided into two vehicles, and drove towards the house where the suspected Goon Squad members had been spotted. Alexi Saenz’s car kept watch for the police, while two other MS-13 members, each bearing a gun, approached the group of suspected rivals and fired numerous shots in their direction.  No one was hit, although a stray bullet entered a neighbor’s house and struck the headboard of a bed in which the neighbor was sleeping.

    September 5, 2016 Murder of Marcus Bohannon

    On September 4, 2016, during a Sailors clique meeting at Alexi Saenz’s house in Central Islip, the defendant and other MS-13 members went out hunting for rival gang members to kill.

    The MS-13 members separated into several cars and drove around Central Islip and Brentwood, until Alexi Saenz’s group spotted 27-year old Marcus Bohannon walking along Lowell Avenue in Central Islip in the early morning hours of September 5.  Suspecting that Bohannon was a member of the rival Bloods gang, two MS-13 members, carrying firearms, got out of the vehicle, approached him, and started shooting.  Alexi Saenz then drove them away.  Bohannon was struck nine times, including in his head, neck, and chest, and died from his wounds.

    September 12, 2016 Arson

    During the summer of 2016, Sailors clique members of the MS-13 engaged in regular altercations with local gang members based in a neighborhood on Freeman Avenue in Brentwood.

    On September 12, 2016, MS-13 members retaliated by setting fire to a car parked in the driveway of one of the houses in that rival gang neighborhood.  Alexi Saenz directed other gang members to purchase gasoline and carry out the arson, while he drove around watching for police presence.  The other MS-13 gang members drove to that house, where they poured gasoline on a car parked in the driveway, and set it on fire.  The car exploded, and set another parked car on fire.   

    September 13, 2016 Murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens

    On September 13, 2016, Sailors clique members brutally murdered 15-year-old Nisa Mickens and 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas, both students at Brentwood High School.

    In the months leading up to the murders, Cuevas was involved in a series of disputes with members and associates of the MS-13.  Approximately one week before the murders, these disputes escalated when Cuevas and several friends were involved in an altercation with MS-13 members at Brentwood High School.  After that incident, the MS-13 members vowed to seek revenge against Cuevas.

    On the evening of September 13, 2016, Alexi Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 were driving in separate cars around Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill.  One group of MS-13 members spotted Cuevas and Mickens walking down residential Stahley Street.  Recognizing Cuevas, they called Alexi Saenz and were granted permission to kill the girls. Several MS-13 members then chased down and attacked both Cuevas and Mickens, wielding baseball bats and a machete, striking each of the girls numerous times in their heads and bodies, while Alexi Saenz’s car drove around watching for police.  After the murders, the group retreated to Alexi Saenz’s home in Central Islip, where they changed clothes and hid the weapons.   

    Mickens, whose body was discovered later that evening on Stahley Street, not far from Cuevas’s home, sustained significant sharp force trauma to her face and blunt force trauma to her head.  Cuevas, whose body was discovered the following day behind a house adjacent to where Mickens’s body was found, sustained significant blunt force trauma to her head and body and multiple lacerations.

    October 10, 2016 Murder of Javier Castillo

    In October 2016, the MS-13 targeted 15-year-old Javier Castillo because he was believed to be a member of the 18th Street gang, one of MS-13’s principal rivals. 

    On October 10, 2016, several members of the Sailors clique convinced Castillo, who lived in Central Islip, to drive with them to Freeport – approximately 30 miles away – to smoke marijuana.  Once there, they met Alexi Saenz and other Sailors clique members.  The group then lured Castillo to an isolated marsh area in Cow Meadow Park, where they attacked him, taking turns hacking him to death with a machete. 

    Afterwards, the MS-13 members dug a hole and buried Castillo’s body, which was not recovered until one year later, in late October 2017.  Castillo was determined to have suffered multiple sharp force injuries to his head, neck, torso, and extremities.

    October 13, 2016 Murder of Dewann Stacks

    On the evening of October 13, 2016, Alexi Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 were driving around Central Islip and Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill.

    That night, they spotted 34-year-old Dewann Stacks and, believing him to be a rival gang member, Alexi Saenz authorized his murder.  While Alexi Saenz drove around watching for police presence, another group of MS-13 members, armed with two machetes and a baseball bat, drove over to attack Stacks.  Three armed MS-13 members got out of the car, and beat and hacked Stacks to death on American Boulevard, a residential street in Brentwood.  Stacks sustained severe sharp and blunt force trauma to his face and head, leaving his body nearly unrecognizable.

    January 30, 2017 Murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla

    On the morning of January 30, 2017, Alexi Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 spotted 29-year-old Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla inside El Campesino Deli in Central Islip.  Since Alvarado-Bonilla was wearing a football jersey bearing the number “18,” the MS-13 concluded that he was a member of a rival gang and plotted to kill him.

    Several other MS-13 members obtained a mask and another vehicle that would be used to commit the murder.  Alexi Saenz provided the clique’s 9-millimeter handgun for use in the murder.

    At approximately 10:30 a.m., a masked MS-13 member entered the deli, approached Alvarado-Bonilla from behind, and shot him multiple times, killing him.  One of the bullets pierced through Alvarado-Bonilla’s head and struck the chest of a female employee of the deli, who was standing directly in front of him.  The deli employee survived the gunshot wound.   

    Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy

    For a year and a half, from approximately April 2016 through March 2017, in order to finance the illegal operations of the Sailors clique, Alexi Saenz obtained wholesale quantities of cocaine and marijuana, which he distributed to other Sailors clique members and associates for street-level sales in Brentwood and its surrounding areas.  After the sales, the profits were turned over to Alexi Saenz, for use in, among other things, purchasing firearms for use by clique members, wiring money to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador, and buying additional narcotics for further distribution.     

                                       *          *          *          *

    Today’s sentencing is the latest achievement in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization.  The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults.  Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 75 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders.  These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

    The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at eradicating transnational criminal organizations, combating violent crime, and restoring the rule of law.

    This prosecution is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Durham, Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci, and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kerryanne Ucci and Automated Litigation Specialist Michael Compitello.

    The Defendant:

    ALEXI SAENZ (also known as “Blasty” and “Plaky”)
    Age: 30
    El Divisadero, Morazán, El Salvador; and Central Islip, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-403 (S-8) (GRB)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Sentenced to Half a Century in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND – Christopher M. Callaway, 41, of West Farmington, Ohio, has been sentenced to 50 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan, after he pleaded guilty in March to six counts of sexually exploiting children, receipt and distribution of minors engaged in sexually explicit content, and possession of child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse material (CSAM).  He was also ordered pay $40,000 to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Judge Gaughan imposed the sentence July 1.

    According to court documents, Callaway groomed victims from 2015 to 2022 and targeted vulnerable girls who ranged in age from 10 to 17 years old. He targeted his victims on social media and initiated contact with them through messaging apps such as KIK, Snapchat, or Facebook. Specifically, he sought out so called “daddy-daughter” online groups where older men communicated with underage girls.

    Callaway groomed his victims by telling them that he loved them and by sending them food, clothing, money, and gift cards. Once victims trusted him, he manipulated them into sending nude images or videos of themselves performing sexual acts. Callaway also sent victims sex toys, lingerie, and other items which he directed them to use so he could produce pornography to distribute online. Additionally, the defendant sent his victims sexually explicit photos and videos of himself.

    In total, federal investigators found that Callaway produced CSAM of more than 40 minors with 21 identified in the case. Most of the victims were from outside the state of Ohio and one from New Zealand. Callaway traveled to Virginia and Florida to rape victims and record the crimes as he committed them. He also traveled to the minors and brought a few to live with him in Ohio.

    During a search warrant execution of Callaway’s residence, federal agents seized electronic devices containing more than 20,000 images and videos of CSAM.

    The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division in conjunction with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King for the Northern District of Ohio.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information, about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.

    To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Faces Federal Charges for Traveling to Washington to Sexually Abuse a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    EUGENE, Ore.—A suspected child abuser is facing federal charges today for enticing and sexually abusing a minor in Oregon and Washington.

    Leonias Juber Ramos-Garcia, 25, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Culver, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

    According to court documents, in 2024, Ramos-Garcia met the minor at a business in Jefferson County, Oregon. In February 2025, undeterred by the minor’s age, Ramos-Garcia gave the minor a note which contained cash and professed his affection for the minor.

    In March 2025, Ramos-Garcia is alleged to have engaged in sexually explicit communication with the minor and, despite the victim’s reluctance, Ramos-Garcia persuaded the minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct at a hotel in Central Oregon. In April 2025, Ramos-Garcia traveled from Oregon to Washington and took the victim to a second hotel where he again sexually abused the minor.

    Ramos-Garcia was arrested Tuesday in Culver, Oregon, and made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Madras Police Department. It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

    Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Versailles Felon Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm

    Source: US FBI

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of North Versailles, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 121 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Keion Washington, 25.

    According to information presented to the Court, on February 7, 2024, Washington was driving a vehicle associated with an incident that occurred a few days prior. When law enforcement officers tried to stop the car, Washington initially drove off, then exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Law enforcement officers found a stolen rifle in the car, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.

    Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Wiegand stated that the sentence took into account the nature of the offense and Washington’s criminal history, including the fact that Washington had been convicted of two prior controlled substances felony offenses.

    Assistant United States Attorneys DeMarr W. Moulton and Jacqueline C. Brown prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Washington.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illinois Man Pleads Guilty and Pennsylvania Man is Sentenced in Separate Schemes to Transport Contraband into FCI McDowell with Drones

    Source: US FBI

    BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Today, Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez, 24, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison and Gamalier Rivera, 33, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to three years of federal probation, including two months on home detention, for aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison. Gonzalez and Rivera each admitted to their roles in separate schemes to deliver contraband into Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell using drones.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2024, Gonzalez traveled on foot with co-defendant Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno to the fence surrounding FCI McDowell. Gonzalez and Aleman-Piceno possessed a backpack and a duffle bag containing a drone and two camouflaged packages containing four cell phones, chargers, phone cards, marijuana, and tobacco. As part of his guilty plea, Gonzalez admitted that they intended to fly the packages onto the grounds of FCI McDowell using the drone, and were stopped by law enforcement as they prepared to launch the drone.

    Gonzalez further admitted to traveling to McDowell County, West Virginia, from Chicago with Aleman-Piceno and co-defendant Arturo Joel Gallegos. Gonzalez also admitted that he and his two co-defendants stayed an area motel where law enforcement seized marijuana, tobacco and materials used to make the camouflaged packages.

    Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

    Aleman-Piceno, 22, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025, to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2025. The indictment against Gallegos, 26, of Chicago, remains pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    On February 9, 2024, correctional officers at FCI McDowell detected a drone flying over the prison facility. The flight path of the drone took it from the fence securing the prison facility to a cell in one of the housing units. Officers searched the cell and found a broken exterior window, numerous cell phones, tobacco, and marijuana within the cell.

    Officers traced the flight path back to the drone’s launch site, where they found and apprehended Rivera and co-defendants Hector Luis Gomez DeJesus and Raymond Luis Saez Aviles. Officer seized the drone, the drone’s remote controller, and contraband consistent with what was found in the cell.

    As part of his guilty plea, Rivera admitted that he, DeJesus, and Aviles participated in the introduction of the contraband into FCI McDowell by using the drone to transport marijuana, tobacco, and cell phones into the prison facility. Rivera further admitted that he expected to be paid for his participation in the contraband introduction.

    DeJesus, 32, of Sanford, North Carolina, and Aviles, 37, of Poinciana, Florida, each pleaded guilty on April 29, 2025, to aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison and are scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2025.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office.

    Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the cases.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-126 (Gonzalez) and 1:24-cr-127 (Rivera).

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: In Just Four Days, the Southern District of Texas Charges Nearly 100 Individuals in Border Security and Transnational Gang-Related Matters

    Source: US FBI

    HOUSTON – A total of 95 cases have been filed from June 27-July 2 on immigration matters and related efforts to secure the southern border in support of Operation Take Back America, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    A total of 62 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 26 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to human smuggling and other immigration crimes, drug trafficking and firearms.

    Among the notable cases are charges against 16 foreign nationals illegally residing in Houston for drug trafficking and weapons allegations following an operation targeting Venezuelan nationals linked to the Anti-Tren criminal organization. Similar to the criminal activities members of Tren de Aragua have committed, Anti-Tren affiliates allegedly engaged in attempted murder, other acts of violence and threats of such. Some members have been charged with conspiring to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and various weapons crimes, with one allegedly being an alien in possession of ammunition.  

    “The Southern District’s twin priorities are securing our border and the eradication of violent crime. This case implicates both,” said Ganjei. “Operation Take Back America means going on the offensive against transnational criminal organizations to ensure that they cannot take root in our community and endanger public safety. SDTX is going to be unapologetic in carrying out that mission.”

    New criminal complaints filed this week include the illegal reentry of several Mexican nationals after recent removals, including Cesar Alejandro Tovar-Guillen, a convicted felon for cocaine distribution. He had just been removed in March, but authorities discovered him unlawfully in the United States near Alton, according to the allegations. Charges allege Osvaldo Aguilar-Aguilar and Jose Alejandro Dominguez-Guzman had last been removed in October and November 2024, respectively. They both have previous convictions of illegal reentry and had served time in federal prison, according to their criminal complaints. While Juan Esquivel-Garcia allegedly has a previous conviction for trafficking methamphetamine and was previously sentenced to 75 months before his removal. They all face up to 20 years in federal prison, upon conviction.  

    In McAllen, Margarito Llanes was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison for alien smuggling. He led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit ending when Llanes crashed into a tree seriously injuring all eight passengers. The pursuit lasted 1.5 miles with speeds reaching up to 70 mph. At the hearing, the court heard about his violent criminal conduct, which includes indecency with a child, robbery and alien smuggling.

    Two Mexican nationals received multi-year sentences for illegally reentering the United States. Luis Ernesto Hernandez-Doria was ordered to serve 51 months, while Jose Angel Lopez-Herrera received a 46-month-term of imprisonment. At the Lopez-Herrera hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding his criminal history, which included not only having reentered the country in 2022 but a human smuggling case in which one had drowned. In handing down Hernandez-Doria’s sentence, the court noted he needed a substantial sentence to deter him from illegally reentering again. He had three prior felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as a felony conviction for taking a weapon from an officer. His most recent removal was in July 2024. 

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 Neighborhood.

    Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.  

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. 

    An indictment or criminal complaint 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: Western District of Texas U.S Attorney’s Office Adds 208 Immigration Cases in Six Days Going Into July

    Source: US FBI

    SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 208 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 27 through July 2.

    Among the new cases, Mexican national Erik Garcia-Rodriguez aka Eduardo Soto-Garcia aka Gerardo Reyes, was encountered by Texas Department of Public Safety in San Antonio on June 26. According to a criminal complaint, TX DPS requested immigration determination assistance from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) officer, who determined Garcia-Rodriguez to be an alien illegally present within the United States who had previously been removed from the United States, and who was residing at an address in San Antonio. On May 26, 2011, Garcia-Rodriguez was convicted for trafficking cocaine and heroin in Dallas County. He was removed from the U.S. on Dec. 7, 2011.

    Mexican national Ismael Nieto Balverde was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin in Austin. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation led to two controlled purchases of heroin from Balverde, totaling approximately 2,034 grams of the narcotic.

    In Ector County, Roberto Adan Gandara-Ramirez, a Mexican national, was arrested on a warrant for alleged sexual assault of a child, according to a criminal complaint, and was released to ICE/ERO custody by Ector County Sherriff’s Department deputies. Gandara-Ramirez was previously removed from the U.S. through Del Rio in 2015.

    Daniel Hernandez, of Asherton, was arrested near Carrizo Springs on June 29 for conspiring to transport an illegal alien further into the United States. Hernandez was stopped by the Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office, who requested U.S. Border Patrol assistance. USBP agents conducted an immigration inspection and allegedly discovered that the vehicle contained two U.S. citizens and one Mexican national without proper documentation to enter or remain in the U.S. Hernandez allegedly stated that he was in contact with a facilitator who had instructed him to pick up the illegal alien and take the alien to Asherton. In 2014, Hernandez was convicted for bringing in and harboring aliens in Del Rio, for which he was sentenced to 27 months confinement.

    A convicted felon on U.S. probation was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry after he was found approximately a mile east of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. Mexican national Eduardo Lopez-Castillo has been removed from the U.S. to Mexico three times, the last one being May 28, 2024. In April 2024, he was convicted of illegal re-entry and in 2021, Lopez-Castillo was convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member.

    Alfonso Lopez-Castro, a Mexican national, attempted to gain entry into the U.S. at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry by presenting a New Mexico driver’s license that allegedly contained the name, date of birth, and photograph of another individual. Lopez-Castro allegedly told the Customs and Border Protection officer that he was a U.S. citizen and that he was going home to New Mexico. He allegedly admitted later that the driver’s license was not his and was given to him by a coworker. Lopez-Castro has been previously removed from the U.S. six times, five of which were between August and November 2014. He is charged with one count of knowingly personating another and attempting to evade immigration laws by appearing under an assumed or fictitious name when applying for admission to the United States.

    An alleged foot guide was arrested in El Paso and charged with bringing illegal aliens into the United States. Mexican national Isaac Nolasco-Ramirez allegedly crossed into the U.S. and attempted to conceal himself with three other illegal aliens inside a canal and under some brush approximately six miles east of the Tornillo Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that Nolasco-Ramirez stated his friend used a rope ladder to get the group over the fence and that he was told to take the aliens to be picked up along the railroad tracks.

    Two U.S. citizens were also arrested for bringing in illegal aliens after two aliens were observed scaling over the International Border Fence. The aliens were apprehended north of the Rio Grande River and consented that U.S. Border Patrol agents could view and search the contents of their phone. An agent, posing as one of the aliens, allegedly replied to a WhatsApp message with his location and was advised that two Jeeps would soon arrive to pick him up. When the Jeeps arrived, one driver, identified as Diego Mota, was arrested. The other vehicle departed at a high rate of speed before the driver stopped and led an Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tribal Police Officer on a foot chase. That driver, Isaac Steven Hernandez, was soon apprehended and allegedly admitted that he had been involved in alien smuggling schemes approximately eight times.

    A Salvadoran national, Hector Antonio Ostorga Hernandez, was arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Ostorga Hernandez has been previously deported twice, the last time being to El Salvador on Dec. 20, 2024, through Alexandria, Louisiana. That removal occurred two months after he was convicted in Houston for assault causing bodily harm injuring a family member and was sentenced to 179 days confinement.

    Jose Ignacio Lopez-Ortiz, a Mexican national, was also arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Lopez-Ortiz was last removed to Mexico in January 2013 through Laredo and has since been twice-convicted for driving while intoxicated in April 2023 and April 2025.

    Mexican national Juan Enrique Landeros-Gonzalez was arrested in Del Rio on June 30 for being illegally present in the U.S. after being removed for the sixth time on June 13. Landeros-Gonzalez is a felon with multiple convictions including criminal mischief and probation revocation, illegal re-entry, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

    U.S. Border Patrol in Eagle Pass also arrested Mexican national Joel Escobar-Chavez, who has six prior removals, the last being on March 7, and Donaldo Robles-Zarate, who also has been removed six times, the last one being July 12, 2019. Guatemalan national Byron Antonio Almazan has been removed from the U.S. five times, the last being on Jan. 27 through Alexandria, Louisiana. He was convicted for an illegal re-entry felony in December 2024 and sentenced to 189 days confinement. 

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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    MIL Security OSI –