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Category: Gun Control

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Thomson Reuters SYNERGY Conference

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Jeremy Hirschhorn, Second Commissioner, Client Engagement Group
    Panel discussion at the Thomson Reuters SYNERGY Conference
    Sydney, 13 March 2025
    (Check against delivery)

    Macro trends in taxation of large corporations

    Thank you for the opportunity to speak on today’s panel on the topic of preparing for tax change, particularly in the context of large corporations, whether domestic or multinational.

    I would like to start with 2 very important provisos: firstly, I’m reminded of the old adage, to be very cautious before making predictions, especially about the future. And secondly, that these are the observations of an administrator – the bricklayer, not the architect – and certainly not with the intention to be suggestions on policy or the merits of future policy directions.

    Today I will touch on the following 5 topics:

    • context as to the status quo in Australia
    • which country gets to tax a multinational’s profits?
    • increased focus on the uncertain topic of ‘tax certainty’
    • transparency giving confidence to other participants
    • the ‘fifth pillar’ of third-party data.

    Some context as to the status quo in Australia

    The Australian setting is, in some ways, an ideal one for a tax administrator. We have a general population with financial and economic literacy and a keen eye for where something is fair, or it isn’t, particularly when it comes to paying tax. Because most Australians honestly pay the tax that is due (perhaps not always enthusiastically or exuberantly, but recognising the benefits of our social compact), they are very focused on making sure that other participants, particularly the rich and powerful, are also making their contribution. This is reflected in our ‘tax gap‘ analysis, which estimates that the Australian system is collecting about 93% of the tax legally due and payable. Australians also demand fiscal responsibility from their Governments.

    The Australian social compact is based on an expectation Government will play a significant role in social matters, especially in health, disability services, aged care, and social security. Political differences mainly go to the level of this role, rather than its existence. There is also an expectation that Governments will show discipline and strive for balanced budgets over the economic cycle – to sustainably pay for the above!

    In the last 2 years, the Government has achieved a surplus, supported by historically high employment and commodity prices (and the tax that flows from these), and our largest taxpayers have contributed significant levels of corporate tax to Federal Government revenues (even after taking into account franking benefits). This revenue goes a long way to support the priorities for spending by the Government of the day.

    Taking a longer-term perspective, the nature of the Australian economy is that the level of corporate tax collections has been relatively high as a percentage of GDP compared with many other developed countries, perhaps due to the relative immobility of much of the corporate activity in Australia (such as mining). This means that any reduction in corporate tax rate would require a very significant increase in overall corporate investment to be revenue neutral. As such, Australian Governments, given the community’s expectation of fiscal discipline, have historically found it challenging to dramatically pivot away from the existing corporate tax base.

    Which country gets to tax a multinational’s profits?

    One current area of flux is the question global tax policy makers have been collectively thinking about for a number of years: in a global economy, who gets to tax corporate profits?

    We’ve seen a macro trend over the decades to reduce taxes in market jurisdictions (unless there was a physical presence), with reductions or elimination of withholding taxes, custom duties and tariffs. (And as an aside, the flip side of this macro trend is the focus of companies on optimising supply chains and transfer pricing, and tax administrations on challenging transfer mis-pricing). This trend has arguably been partially offset with the conversion of sales taxes to value-added taxes (VATs) which implicitly tax some value generated offshore. More recently, VATs have been bolstered to apply to imported ‘business to consumer’ (B2C) services and B2C low value goods (rarely captured under the superseded sales tax and customs duties regimes).

    In the global economy of 2025, the model of economic participation with limited physical presence in a jurisdiction is increasingly prevalent, and this puts strain on market jurisdictions’ tax collections. From a tax administration perspective, this has been exacerbated by the international tax system effectively allowing significant profits to be booked in neither the market jurisdiction nor the ownership jurisdiction (where the underlying intellectual property driving value was developed), in combination with corporate tax rate competition (often by previously comparably taxed, but now lowly taxed, jurisdictions).

    Until very recently, the focus of much international tax discussion was on providing additional (but carefully limited) taxing rights to market jurisdictions (and limiting incentives to book profits in intermediate untaxed or low taxed jurisdictions). Possible solutions being discussed included extending the coverage of VATs, the implementation of Digital Services Tax (DSTs), and the OECD’s pillars work. However, there is now a new countervailing argument that taxation by the market jurisdiction should be severely limited and taxation (or not!) of corporate profits should be reserved to the ownership jurisdiction.

    This debate is fundamentally driven not just by economic concepts, but by national interests and cultural views as to the role of taxation and what is fair. Multilateral consensus may be increasingly difficult, but bilateral arrangements are also challenging in an interconnected world, making this a delicate dance for governments from a policy perspective, as well as administrators.

    I note that the increased capability and use of AI if anything exacerbates this trend and tension, and also raises new tax technical, policy, practical and economic questions. For example, can a market country tax the value generated by (mobile) robots (even if it wants to) or is the value in the data and the physical data centres, and can a country tax that?

    Increased focus on tax certainty – but is the concept of tax certainty itself uncertain?

    Often there is a (simplistic) proposition that we need increased tax certainty. It is beyond today’s scope to explore in detail, but I wanted to briefly reflect on what ‘tax certainty’ means from different perspectives. My proposition is that there is a balance to be struck between the ‘certainty’ meant and desired by each stakeholder, and that the ‘certainty’ of one stakeholder group (including the tax administrator!) cannot be excessively privileged over others.

    For Governments, tax certainty at the very least means broad predictability of the tax base for the country to pay for recurrent programs the community expects the Government to adequately fund, like healthcare, law enforcement and education. As well, governments require certainty that new tax policy settings won’t create unintended market distortions or taxpayers seeking out arrangements for the purposes of tax (usually avoidance) that they otherwise wouldn’t. Putting it another way, tax policy should not be inadvertently defined by unintended loopholes. The retention of ‘tax sovereignty’ is also critical to any Government.

    For taxpayers, there is a desire for ‘tax legislative certainty’ and ‘tax administration certainty’ (often blurred together). A well-designed system will ideally provide as much technical certainty as possible as well as certainty in the administrator’s view of the law, allowing taxpayers to correctly anticipate their obligations, and take informed positions consistent with their risk posture where their analysis of the law might differ from the administrator’s. It includes some sense of a ‘statute of limitations’, that (most) matters will be finalised within a reasonable time. It also means that, in the event of a dispute, there is confidence that there is access to an independent legal system. Often there is an element of ensuring that there is not double taxation of the same profits in different jurisdictions. As an aside, I would suggest that ‘double inclusion’ (where the profits are taxed, but only at nominal rates, in one of the jurisdictions) is not the same as ‘double taxation’. I would also add that, in my experience, there remains significantly more ‘double non-taxation’ in the international tax system than ‘true’ double taxation.

    Another (often overlooked or discounted) element of tax certainty for taxpayers is ‘tax setting certainty’, i.e. that longer-term settings are relatively stable (although noting the need for every Government to retain tax sovereignty). Over the last decades, we have seen ‘favourable instability’ in the sense of a macro trend towards reductions (sometimes dramatic reductions) in corporate tax rates globally (and even in Australia, where it is sometimes forgotten that the top corporate tax rate was almost 50% 40 years ago). Arguably this has provided windfall gains to already deployed capital on long term projects.

    The corollary is that a company should be cautious in assuming ‘setting stability’ in modelling possible investment in a country that has an attractively low corporate tax rate (or has other incentives), but is running unsustainable deficits. At some stage that country is likely to be forced to change either its spending or its taxation. Therefore, in making capital deployment decisions, investors should consider more than the current fiscal settings, but also how a country may seek (or be forced) to change those settings in future: and even if the changes do not directly change the taxation of the enterprise, they may affect its employees or customers, resulting in other pressures on the enterprise’s profitability.

    A revenue authority or administrator needs the ability to check and, if need be, challenge affairs of taxpayers to ensure tax law is complied with. On the other hand, a tax administrator will be acutely sensitive to any concept of tax certainty (or measures to provide ‘tax certainty’) which can be used as a practical shield for aggressive tax planning.

    Transparency giving confidence to other participants

    Another element of ‘tax certainty’ is that the broader citizenry has confidence that all taxpayers, especially the largest ones, are meeting their obligations and do not have unfair access to concessions or loopholes. Transparency is critical in providing this certainty and confidence.

    I’ve spoken before about how important transparency is, and I might expand on it now, particularly how it touches each segment of taxpayers. Australia has had a significant focus in recent years in increasing transparency across the tax system.

    The first increase we’ve seen is in transparency to the public by companies around their specific tax affairs. This is seen in several avenues, both through the ATO’s reporting (such as the corporate tax transparency report), and by companies themselves publishing information on their websites (for example under the Board of Taxation Voluntary Tax Transparency CodeExternal Link).

    Secondly, we’ve seen an increase in transparency to the public by tax administrators as to the health of the system overall. Through the ATO’s tax gap program, we publish reports on the estimated difference between what we expect to collect and the estimated full amount that would have been collected if every taxpayer was fully compliant with the law. In 2023–24 we released 8 different reports on our observations for income tax and GST, especially regarding larger taxpayers, including settlement statistics for public and multinational businesses. We also publish information on our super guarantee compliance results, our resolved objections from taxpayers, and figures regarding help given to individuals and small businesses experiencing vulnerability.

    Thirdly, the ATO has increased transparency to taxpayers on our administrative view on key circumstances and tax settings. We do this because it’s important taxpayers across all segments can have confidence in how the ATO will view their arrangements and won’t be pursuing them for compliance issues in the future. Although challenged by some as somehow ‘extra-legal’, we consider that taxpayers are unambiguously better off if they know the ATO’s risk parameters – although taxpayers might not agree with our parameters, they must be better off being able to make an informed risk-based decision than operating in the dark!

    Fourthly, we are providing tax assurance reports to large taxpayers so that they know how they are viewed by the ATO, for example through our justified trust program. This is supplemented by ‘population level’ statistics as to tax behaviours of the ‘peer group’. This means that large taxpayers have much more knowledge of where they stand with the ATO, as well as relative to others.

    As the community expectation of transparency increases, and more taxpayers place importance on showing their compliance to internal and external stakeholders, I would posit that we are likely to see not only an increase in the volume of transparency across all of the aspects above, but also a standardisation and integration of currently disparate measures.

    Third-party data – the ‘fifth pillar’

    Under traditional analysis, there are 4 pillars of tax compliance: registration, lodgment, payment and correct reporting. Increasingly at the ATO we are ‘splitting out’ third-party reporting (i.e. reporting on the tax affairs of others) as a ‘fifth pillar’ in its own right.

    What has become increasingly critical in a modern tax system is reliance of the system on third-party data provided by large corporations (ideally the ones now showing high levels of compliance!) which fuels how taxpayers of all size interact with their tax obligations.

    Third-party data gives administrators the ability to feed information into the system that makes complying easier, and importantly, not complying harder. More and more information like interest and dividend income, standardised investment trust data, salary, health insurance data and information about contractors, are all going directly into tax systems. This trend will continue, and we’ll see the classic concept of ‘self-assessment’ (at least for those with simpler affairs) being gradually replaced with ‘assisted assessment’ where taxpayers are provided a comprehensive picture of their own data which they then largely simply confirm.

    Modern tax administrators, therefore, will be asking for new data sources from companies holding relevant information, and tax systems will increasingly be defined around the fifth pillar of third-party data, rather than vice versa.

    Conclusion

    All this speaks to the relative health of Australia’s tax system, and while the ATO will always primarily focus on its purpose, which is to collect the taxes due so that Government can provide the services that the Australian community requires, the questions and challenges that stem from further abroad are important to ponder in ensuring our resilience and effectiveness in an uncertain world.

    Thank you once again for the opportunity to appear on this panel and for your attention, and I look forward to responding to your questions and observations.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Speech to UNSW 16th ATAX International Conference

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Jeremy Hirschhorn, Second Commissioner, Client Engagement Group
    Speech delivered at the UNSW 16th ATAX International Conference
    on Tax Administration
    Sydney, 8 April 2025
    (Check against delivery)

    Thank you for having me today.

    In reflecting on this topic and preparing for today, I have realised the real topic I would like to discuss is trust:

    • The trust given to tax administrators to perform a vital function: to fairly collect tax so that Governments can provide services to citizens.
    • As part of this trust, the powers given to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to access sensitive financial information about people, as well as powers of enforcement.
    • The fact that this sensitive information is not only shared but compulsorily shared.
    • Given the trust placed in the tax administrator, the need for the tax administrator (and I would argue any Government agency and even systemically important private firm) to be worthy of that trust (and I emphasise here the subtle difference between aiming to be trusted versus striving always to be trustworthy).

    So today, I will only touch on some of the actual uses of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation by the ATO. The focus will be on how a tax administrator should approach its duty to be trustworthy in the area of data, automation and AI.

    If you are going to use automation and AI, make sure your data settings are right

    Good use of AI starts with a strong culture of ethical stewardship of all data use and sharing. This includes an ethical approach to transparency about how you are storing the data and the safeguards in place to protect it, and crucially, the ethical administration of systems.

    The ATO has a range of formal governance arrangements in place for use of data in the organisation, as well as a number of APS-wide ones we align our practices to. We’ve developed further guidelines including Chief executive instructions for our staff, and the ATO data ethics principles which are published on our website as our public commitment to Australian taxpayers. They lay out the protocols that govern how we collect and store data, what it’s used for, and who the data is shared with. The 6 data ethics principles are worth briefly highlighting for you here:

    1. Act in the public interest, be mindful of the individual which ensures we recognise our actions impact the community and individuals.
    2. Uphold privacy, security and legality which respects the privacy of every individual and the wider community and ensures we prioritise keeping their information safe protected and only securely shared within the law.
    3. Explain clearly and be transparent which acknowledges the need for us to be open and communicate how we use data in a way that is universally accessible and easy to understand.
    4. Engage in purposeful data activities which keeps us accountable to using data in a way which aligns with our purpose, and where it’s necessary to perform the functions we are responsible for.
    5. Exercise human supervision which highlights the importance we place on human oversight and accountability for our data activities and the decisions we make.
    6. Maintain data stewardship ensures we protect the data we hold and that when we acquire or share data, we will agree with other agencies and departments on how the data will be used and kept securely.

    Underpinning good decision making (whether by carbon or silicon!) is high quality data. The ATO has some of Australia’s largest data holdings, and we invest heavily in the quality of that data and work hard to make sure it’s usable.

    Without good data, you won’t get too far, in fact, you’ll probably go far in the wrong direction.

    We don’t ‘own’ taxpayer data, we hold it ‘on trust’

    Everyday Australians trust us to acquire and hold their private financial information. Importantly, this sharing is not freely chosen by individuals, but is compulsory.

    Further, in the context of information obtained under compulsory powers, taxpayers must provide us information even if that information would be self-incriminating. This particular exception to the general rule in a liberal democracy is justified on the basis that some financial information is uniquely in the possession of the taxpayer, and the job of a tax administrator could be easily frustrated without this exception.

    These factors emphasise the sensitivity and care with which we must treat taxpayer data. On-sharing of this data, even with other parts of Government, must be strictly in accordance with law. But perhaps more importantly, and a lesson from Robodebt, is that the tax administrator must continue to act as a steward of that data even after it has been legally shared.

    Beware ‘data hubris’

    It is very important to make sure your use of data takes into account its quality and reliability.

    We now tend to think of data as on a curve:

    • Level 1 is taxpayer provided data, where there is no bulk data set available, such as work-related expense claims where taxpayers keep their receipts.
    • Level 2 is where we can obtain data after the event to check that data, but maybe not at scale.
    • Level 3 is where the data can be sourced to be used as a risk indicator pre or post lodgment but it is not of a quality or type that would be productive to expose to taxpayers.
    • Level 4 is where the data is of a high enough quality that it can be used to assist taxpayers to comply as they lodge.
    • Level 5 is where the data is very high quality and can be used to pre-fill returns as presumptively correct.
    • Level 6 is where the data is so reliable that the tax system is actually designed around the data.

    Importantly, before making any decision based on data, it is critical to understand the potential impact on the taxpayer of the tax administrator making a mistake, and to ensure that you have the procedural and cultural safeguards to protect against ‘high impact actions’ made in error.

    This focus on potential errors is very hard. It forces you to understand the other person’s world (and how your actions may affect it). Thinking about errors requires a discipline as classic measures such as complaint levels or error rates do not get to the heart of whether your errors are impactful or not. Being a data-driven organisation arguably exacerbates (rather than improves) this challenge – it is all too easy to fall in the trap of ‘data hubris’.

    Ideally these potential errors are identified while they are still ‘potential’. However, a tax administrator must remain hyper-vigilant. Noting that most people are fundamentally honest, a high ‘hit rate’ should be viewed with great caution. It is more likely to be a sign of ‘data hubris’ than widespread non-compliance, and should be treated as such until proven otherwise. The UK Post Office scandal is a prime example of an institution having excessive trust in the computer systems and insufficient trust in ordinary people.

    AI may be a helper. It can move things around, it can link, synthesise and analyse information, and it can do some things much faster and more consistently than we as humans can. But AI cannot determine what constitutes fairness and reasonableness, having considered unique taxpayer circumstances with compassion and empathy. (And, in my experience, perhaps most dangerously, AI doesn’t know when to say it doesn’t know). AI should be thought of as a bionic arm. It’s an extension of our thinking and our actions; a tool – but not a replacement.

    What this means is that any decision which adversely affects the rights of taxpayers should be made by a human.

    But further, I would posit that, even in some future where AI passes some form of advanced Turing’s test for compassion and empathy, part of the social compact with citizens is that they want a human to make decisions with important impacts on their life.

    This does not mean that the use of automation and AI is limited to ‘service’, but ‘service’ enabled by automation and AI, such as pre-fill, is of extraordinary value to citizens in making their lives easier. Automation and AI can be very useful for risk analysis and case selection: for analysing documents for key information to support auditors getting to the heart of a matter quickly, and for nudging taxpayers in real time when they may be taking unwise actions.

    I would further posit that another element of the trust equation (at least for a tax administrator, if not every Government and large organisation) is that actions or decisions should be explicable by a human to the affected person in a way that the affected person can understand (even if automated or performed by AI). If you do not know why your organisation is doing things (‘the computer said so’), you are breaching your responsibility to be accountable to both the individual taxpayer, but also the broader system.

    Automation and AI will amplify your biases

    Building on the ‘data hubris’ point, automation and AI will reflect and possibly amplify previous hidden biases (whether you are a public or private sector organisation). An example of this was the Dutch child care scandal, where the risk rules underpinning an anti-fraud compliance program were found to be biased against non-citizens.

    Again, bias is a very tricky thing for individuals and institutions to self-identify, so it is important to be vigilant about possible implicit biases leading to systemic issues.

    Of course, the biases can be hiding in the original training set, but importantly can also arise from how you ‘train’ the AI on an on-going basis. I remember reading an article, probably 25 years ago, entitled “Is your spreadsheet a tax evader?”. The article was based on 2 premises:

    1. that pretty much every complicated spreadsheet has bugs and
    2. although the bugs might be evenly distributed at first (so the spreadsheet is equally likely to over or under calculate the tax bill), over time they become skewed due to how people using the spreadsheet respond to surprises.

    Where there is an unpleasant surprise, people will dig into it and find and fix the underlying bug. But where there is a pleasant surprise, people will be much less diligent in working out why (which means ‘pleasant’ bugs remain, but ‘unpleasant’ bugs are weeded out, so over time the tax spreadsheet will systemically understate tax payable).

    Similar risks apply to training an AI model. If your users/trainers only query ‘unpleasant’ results (from their perspective), the model will gradually skew, even if it started off unbiased. A tax administrator must be careful that their AI does not get progressively more defensive of the revenue, but similarly that a private sector tax AI model does not evolve into an aggressive tax planner!

    Data is uranium

    There is a strong temptation for a tax administrator to take on more and more data, a temptation strengthened in the era of AI, which can feed off sprawling data sets.

    It has often been said that ‘data is gold’ or ‘data is the new oil’. But I would say that ‘data is uranium’ (I wish I had coined this, but I have taken it from others). Before you get it you better know how you’re going to use and store it and there needs to be very good reasons to take the risk!

    I would also say that, as a tax administrator in a liberal democracy, and as part of the trust equation, the usefulness of the data must be measured against the intrusiveness of the request. Taking on data ‘just in case’, or because it might be handy for AI analysis will not pass the test.

    In fact, I would argue the opposite – that AI and digitalisation can enable tax administration with less intrusive data collection. In other words, as taxpayers are increasingly digitalised, a tax administrator should explore moving their administration (risk engines, etc.) to the taxpayer’s natural systems (and data), rather than needing to acquire and hold all that data. The further advantage of this philosophy is that it helps taxpayers to minimise their chance of making a mistake and coming to our attention.

    Automation and AI is now part of the job

    In my earlier points I urged caution about automation and AI. But this is in the context that it is now part of the core function of a tax administrator, from both service and compliance perspectives, as well as the efficient use of the resources provided to a tax administrator to acquit its duties.

    Do not focus so much on the risk of doing things, that you ignore the risk of not doing things!

    I have emphasised above that, before embracing automation and AI, it is necessary to get your data settings in order. For a period, you can rely on your governance around data and IT systems. At some point (probably now or soon), automation and AI become so critical that you can no longer rely on those governance frameworks, but need specific governance.

    And finally, just in case, be nice to Siri, she may have a long memory …

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Get your key SMSF audit guidance in one handy place

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    We’ve made it easier to access the information you need as an approved SMSF auditor.

    Key guidance for SMSF auditors is now available in one convenient location: the refreshed Auditing an SMSF webpage in the Tax and super professional section of ato.gov.

    This page provides most of the guidance you need for understanding your auditor obligations, including the requirements for conducting the annual SMSF audit.

    Here you’ll find all the information and guidance you need on key topics including:

    • verifying asset values
    • financial and compliance audits
    • auditor Independence
    • reporting contraventions
    • dealing with rollovers and downsizer contributions
    • auditing an SMSF that’s winding up.

    We’ve also made the layout easier to scan, so you can find the right guidance fast.

    Whether you’re a seasoned auditor or reviewing a fund for the first time, this page helps you stay on track.

    Visit Auditing an SMSF, save it to your bookmarks, and share it with your colleagues.

    Looking for the latest news for SMSFs? – You can stay up to date by visiting our SMSF newsroom  and subscribingExternal Link to our monthly SMSF newsletter.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Taskforce Raven lays 482 charges in three months

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Taskforce Raven lays 482 charges in three months

    Wednesday, 7 May 2025 – 2:45 pm.

    Taskforce Raven members arrested 61 offenders, and charged them with 482 individual offences during their first three months of operation.
    The taskforce has cleared 142 offence reports through its work focusing on recidivist offenders and youth crime.
    Members have recovered $48,000 worth of stolen property including power tools, jewellery and groceries and seized 8 illegal firearms.
    Northern District Commander Marco Ghedini said since the taskforce was established on 3 February this year, the district had observed a downward trend in crime.  
    “Tasmania remains a safe place to live, and we know that a small number of people are responsible for the majority of crime in Tasmania,” he said.
    “Taskforce Raven will continue to focus on recidivist offenders, and in just three months, members have delivered strong results, with a significant number of arrests and prosecutions. We have concurrently observed general reduction in crime across the district”.
    “While the taskforce is just one of a range of strategies, we have certainly seen positive indications since its inception.”
    Taskforce Raven will continue indefinitely, working in conjunction with Northern CIB, Launceston Uniform and the Northern Drugs and Firearms Unit.
    “Through a combination of high visibility foot patrols and proactive investigations, members of the community can expect to continue to see taskforce members out on the streets,” Commander Ghedini said.
    “We know concerns about youth crime, and anti-social and unlawful behaviour, particularly within the CBD remain. I can re-assure the communities of Northern Tasmania that our strong focus will continue and ask for your ongoing support.   
    “We continue to encourage anyone with information that may assist Taskforce Raven to contact police.”
    Anyone with information can contact the taskforce on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Man Sentenced To Over 17 Years In Prison For Possessing A Firearm And Committing Armed Robbery While On Federal Supervised Release

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jutaurio Preshae Clemons (39, Tampa) to 17 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for violating supervised release. The court also ordered Clemons to forfeit a Glock model 30, 45 Auto semi-automatic pistol and assorted ammunition. Clemons pleaded guilty to the felon in possession charge on October 15, 2024, and, following a hearing on April 29, 2025, the court found Clemons in violation of his supervised release. 

    According to court documents and evidence presented at the violation hearing, Clemons was sentenced to federal prison in 2009 for conspiracy to possess five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. After he served his prison sentence, and while he was on federal supervised release, the State of Florida issued an arrest warrant for Clemons for an attempted murder and robbery alleged to have occurred on August 14, 2022. When a United States Marshals Service fugitive task force found Clemons to arrest him on August 29, 2022, he was carrying a firearm inside a holster. The firearm, a Glock semi-automatic pistol, was loaded with four rounds of ammunition.

    Evidence presented during the violation of supervised release hearing proved that on August 14, 2022, Clemons, while brandishing a firearm, sneaked up on a man as he was about to enter the front door of his residence and shot him eight times. Clemons then dragged the victim from the front of his residence, took his cellphone, and fled the scene. The victim, who had gunshot wounds to his left hand, left arm, right clavicle, right ear, chest, and upper torso, survived but required several surgeries to repair the gunshot wounds and a broken arm. The shooting was captured on home security cameras, and the victim identified Clemons as the shooter.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Temple Terrace Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman and Michael Sinacore. 

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rex, Georgia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm Offenses

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

                Montgomery, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that a Rex, Georgia man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. On May 6, 2025, a federal judge sentenced 40-year-old Johnques Wyndell Lupoe to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

                According to court records, in late 2022, the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) received information about a suspicious individual near the grounds of one of their facilities in Barbour County during the early morning hours. When officers arrived to investigate, they discovered a duffle bag containing multiple items classified as prison contraband, including a substance later confirmed to be methamphetamine. No individuals were located in the immediate vicinity at the time.

                Later that morning, law enforcement officers encountered a man matching the suspect’s description at a nearby location. The individual, identified as Johnques Lupoe, admitted to being on the prison property earlier. Officers also discovered a handgun in his possession. Due to a prior felony conviction, Lupoe is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

                On January 30, 2025, Lupoe pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

                The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Alabama Department of Corrections (ALDOC) Law Enforcement Services Division, and the Barbour County, Alabama Sheriff’s Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dixmont Woman Sentenced for Role in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug Trafficking Ring

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

    BANGOR, Maine: A Dixmont woman was sentenced on Monday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for her role in a northern Maine drug trafficking ring.

    U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Sarah McBreairty, 36, to 60 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. On March 24, 2023, McBreairty pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and conspiring to make false statements to a federal firearms licensee.

    According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, McBreairty and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. McBreairty regularly arranged to obtain quantities of the two drugs from an out-of-state supplier  through phone calls and texts using coded language and then distributed those drugs through a network of dealers she supplied in Penobscot and Aroostook Counties. McBreairty used the proceeds of her distribution to purchase more drugs from her supplier. In addition, during the conspiracy, McBreairty and a co-defendant made false statements to an area federal firearms licensee in an attempt to obtain several firearms. 

    Twenty-two defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 19 of the defendants have been sentenced while three await sentencing:

    Sentenced:

    • Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
    • Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
    • Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
    • Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – 48 months
    • Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
    • Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
    • Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served (approx. 5 months)
    • Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 31 months) plus 6 months of community confinement
    • Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
    • Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – Time served (approx. 36 months)
    • James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months
    • Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 32 months)
    • Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
    • John Miller (24, Caribou) – 54 months
    • Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 33 months)
    • Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
    • Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – Time served (approx. 2 months) plus 24 months home detention
    • Tamara Davis (29, Fall River, MA) – Time Served (approx. 14 months)
    • Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – 60 months

    Awaiting sentencing:

    • Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.) – sentencing to be scheduled
    • Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.) – sentencing to be scheduled
    • James Valiante (42, Linneus) – sentencing scheduled for May 27, 2025

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.

    Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is 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.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

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

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeremiah Clinton Gray, 42, of Blue Ridge, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 22, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of a man inside a Jackson County, Ohio, business with a firearm, body armor and a badge. The individual, later identified as Gray, left the business in a vehicle without a license plate and fled from an attempted traffic stop by law enforcement. The resulting pursuit led law enforcement into West Virginia, where the vehicle was stopped in Charleston with the assistance of spike strips. Gray was arrested and officers found a loaded Taurus model 1911 Officer 9mm pistol on his person and a loaded Mossberg model 590 Shockwave .410-gauge shotgun in the vehicle.

    Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Gray knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of cocaine in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on October 20, 2023.

    Gray is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office

    Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    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. 2:25-cr-35.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 5.6.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 6, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Paul Henderson, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California African American Museum Board of Directors. Henderson has been the Executive Director at the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability since 2017. He was a Senior Policy Advisor with Biden for President in 2020. Henderson was the Deputy Chief of Staff in the San Francisco Mayor’s Office from 2011 to 2017. He held multiple positions at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office from 1995 to 2011, including Chief of Administration, Co-Manager of the Trial Division, and Trial Attorney. Henderson is a Founding Board Member of the Warner Music Group Social Justice Fund and Art Like Me, and a member of the San Francisco Bar Association. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Tulane University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Henderson is a Democrat.

    Sinar Lomeli, of San Marcos, has been appointed to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Lomeli has been Counseling Faculty at MiraCosta College since 2016. She was an Adjunct Counselor and Instructor at Rio Honda College from 2014 to 2016. Lomeli was an Adjunct Counselor and Instructor at Norco College from 2014 to 2016. She earned a Master of Science degree in Guidance and Counseling from California State University, San Bernardino and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Lomeli is a member of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality. This position requires Senate confirmation. and the compensation is $100 per diem. Lomeli is a Democrat.

    Desirea Haggard, of Pinon Hills, has been appointed to the Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Haggard has been the Vice President of Sustainability and Environmental at Unacem North America since 2024. She was the Vice President of Environmental at the CalPortland Company from 2009 to 2024. Haggard was an Environmental Engineer at TXI Riverside Cement from 2004 to 2009. She earned a Master of Science degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Riverside and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Irvine. Haggard is a member of the Women in Mining California Chapter. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Haggard is registered without party preference.

    Christina Wong, of Chico, has been reappointed to the Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, where she has served since 2021. Wong has been a Self-Employed Psychotherapist since 2024. Wong was the Senior Program Coordinator at the Glenn County Health and Human Services Agency from 2002 to 2024. She was a Mental Health Therapist at the Butte County Probation Department from 2008 to 2020. Wong was the Master of Social Work Coordinator at the University of Alabama School of Social Work from 1993 to 1997. She was the Dean of Student Affairs at Hong Kong Shue Yan University from 1993 to 1997. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from University of Hull and a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Hong Kong Shue Yan University. Wong is a member of the National Association of Social Workers. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wong is a Democrat.

    David Rabbitt, of Petaluma, has been reappointed to the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission, where he has served since 2013. Rabbitt has been the District Two County Supervisor on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors since 2011 and an Independent Architect since 1997. He was a Member of the Petaluma City Council from 2006 to 2011. Rabbit was a Project Architect at Donald K. Olsen, AIA & Associates from 1985 to 1997. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Rabbitt is a Democrat.

    Vincent Wells, of Elk Grove, has been reappointed to the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission, where he has served since 2021. Wells has been the President of the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County Local 1230 since 2008. He was a Fire Captain and Paramedic at Contra Costa Fire Protection District from 1997 to 2020. Wells was a Firefighter and Paramedic at the Fairfield Fire Department from 1995 to 1997. He served in the United States Air Force from 1985 to 1992. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wells is a Democrat.

    Debra Garnes, of Rio Dell, has been reappointed to the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission, where she has served since 2021. Garnes has been Mayor of the City of Rio Dell since 2019. Garnes was an Operational and Certified First Response Instructor from 2001 to 2003. She held several positions at the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generation Station in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District from 1990 to 2002, including Hazardous Materials Technician and Specialist, Hazardous Materials First Responder, Asbestos and Lead Decommissioning Technician, and Senior Utility Clerk. Garnes was Fleet Payroll Supervisor at KLLM Trucking from 1989 to 1990. She was an Associate at the Ranco Seco Nuclear Generation Station in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District from 1988 to 1989. Garnes was a United States Navy Petty Officer Second Class, Gunnersmate Guns for the United States Navy from 1981 to 1985. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Garnes is a Democrat.

    Cindy Silva, of Walnut Creek, has been reappointed to the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission, where she has served since 2017. Silva has served as a Councilmember for the City of Walnut Creek since 2006. She was Mayor of the City of Walnut Creek from 2022 to 2023, 2018 to 2019, 2012 to 2013, and 2010 to 2011. She was the Owner of Eisley Silva Communications from 1987 to 2016. Silva was Sales Communication Manager at PeopleSoft from 2001 to 2004. She was Manager of International Proposals and Start-up Training at AirTouch Communications from 1993 to 1995. Silva was Senior Vice President of Product Development at Alamo Learning Systems from 1985 to 1987. She was the Owner of Eisley Communications Inc. from 1979 to 1985. Silva was a Management Newsletter Editor at the Southern California Gas Company from 1979 to 1980. She was a Project Associate at Systema Corporation from 1978 to 1979. Silva was Managing Editor at the California Dental Association from 1976 to 1978. She is the President of the League of California Cities, Statewide Board Member of the League of California Cities, and member of the Hospice East Bay Board of Directors. Silva earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Southern California. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Silva is registered without party preference.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    May 6, 2025

    News What you need to know: The Governor attended the annual ceremony, honoring the 232 fallen CHP officers since the Department’s establishment in 1929. Sacramento, California – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom attended the California Highway Patrol Memorial Ceremony,…

    May 6, 2025

    News What you need to know: From October 2023 to December 2024, participants collected data on arrests, referrals, charges, convictions, and sentencing related to organized retail crime. Sacramento, California – Last month, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the results…

    May 6, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 4-10, 2025 as “Wildfire Preparedness Week.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONJanuary’s fires in Los Angeles underscored the scale and…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Researcher Craig Turchi Brings Small Business Experience to Big Concentrating Solar Projects

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Turchi’s Years at a Tech Startup Gave Him a Savvy Outlook on Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Systems Analysis and Innovation

    NREL researcher Craig Turchi soaks up the sunshine along the banks of the Gunnison River in Colorado. Turchi is the manager of the Thermal Energy Science and Technologies group in NREL’s Center for Energy Conversion and Storage Systems. His love for nature led him to work in solar technologies after completing his Ph.D. in chemical engineering at North Carolina State University. At NREL, his work has focused on a range of issues in concentrating solar technologies, from systems analysis to reducing water use at concentrating solar power plants in desert environments. Photo from Craig Turchi

    Honesty is the best policy, and from his early days at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Craig Turchi embraced that policy in his work as a chemical engineer in concentrating solar power (CSP).

    In fact, fresh out of his Ph.D. program and working at his first job, he was not afraid to tell the U.S. Department of Energy the truth about a solar detoxification reactor his team was working on: Based on the reaction rates he had modeled, it was not going to work—at least, not as currently planned.

    It was his first CSP project at the laboratory in the early 1990s, when NREL was called the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). The reactors used sunlight concentrated from parabolic mirrors into fluid-filled tubes to break down contaminants in water, using titanium dioxide as a catalyst. Concentrating the sunlight sped up reaction rates, but for this chemistry, it also reduced the reaction efficiency. Turchi knew the efficiency results meant the cost would not add up. The team pivoted.

    “We followed the science,” he said. “You’re initially pursuing things based on hope in many cases, but when the data come in, you have to follow the science.”

    This first research result at SERI earned him a reputation as a straight shooter that stayed with him for 35 years as he built a career in CSP and thermal energy science.

    “That scientific integrity is something everyone looks up to,” said Guangdong Zhu, CSP subprogram lead at NREL and Thermal and Hybrid Energy Systems group manager. “As researchers, we should focus on simply assessing the results based on scientific justification. For Craig, this comes naturally. His evaluation is never going to be influenced by any other factors.”

    Turchi now serves as the Thermal Energy Science and Technologies group manager in NREL’s Energy Conversion and Storage Systems (ECaSS) Center, and he led NREL’s CSP subprogram from 2022 until 2024, when he passed the baton to Zhu. He also serves as the partnership director for the Heliostat Consortium, a U.S. Department of Energy consortium led by NREL and Sandia National Laboratories in partnership with the Australian Solar Thermal Research Institute.

    His leadership extends beyond his work at the laboratory. An avid outdoorsman, Turchi is known around NREL for leading paddling trips on Colorado’s and Utah’s scenic rivers. He and his wife, Jeannette, along with their daughter also help run a food bank at their church through Food Bank of the Rockies, where they serve 150–200 people once a month.

    “I find that very fulfilling, and it’s a nice counterpoint to writing reports at a computer to go out and physically do something and see the immediate benefit happening in your community,” he said. “I think it’s very important to give back.”

    Bringing Small Business Experience to Systems Analysis Research

    Turchi returned to NREL in 2008 after working at two small technology companies. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL

    Turchi started working at SERI in 1990 but left in 1996 for a position with a startup that did not fully launch. He then joined a small company called ADA Technologies, where he served as a principal investigator and program leader for 10 years.

    At ADA, Turchi obtained his first patents. He was particularly proud of a product he created to separate amalgam for dental offices. At the time, when dentists placed or removed silver fillings, which are nominally 50% mercury, tiny bits of the filling would get suctioned out and end up in city sewer systems—where the mercury could eventually be released. His system trapped the amalgam bits at the dental office for recycling, keeping mercury from accumulating to harmful levels in bays and estuaries.

    Upon his return to NREL in 2008, he found that his time in the startup world translated well at the laboratory. He had honed his proposal-writing skills when working at ADA. He also brought new experiences when he returned, including an eye for innovation and a keen business sensibility. That outlook, paired with his truth-seeking ethos as an engineer, helped him build a robust research program in CSP systems analysis. The program allowed NREL to fill a niche that had been missing in the industry.

    “NREL started doing a lot of systems analysis,” said Mark Mehos, an emeritus NREL researcher who hired Turchi back to NREL in 2008. “And the U.S. Department of Energy really appreciated the robustness of Craig’s analysis. He was very thorough, he was very honest, and he didn’t hold back. If the analysis seemed to show that this was the right path or the wrong path, Craig didn’t have any qualms about sharing that.”

    CSP is a flexible technology. It can be used to generate electricity, create thermal energy for long-duration energy storage, or create thermal energy for a range of industrial processes that require heat, such as those used in food processing or desalination. That flexibility means there are a lot of factors to consider when analyzing costs, and making an honest assessment is crucial. As early-career researchers joined Turchi’s team, they learned from his rigorous approach to research and analysis.

    “He’s the real CSP guru—Craig keeps things grounded with his practical mindset,” said Judith Vidal, Building Thermal Energy Science group manager. Vidal got her start at NREL as a postdoc for Turchi in CSP. “His advice stuck with me: Always approach things with economic sensibility.”

    Vidal’s research emphasis is no longer in CSP, but those lessons still apply.

    “Since many of our projects are applied research, you always have to keep cost-effectiveness in mind,” she said. “But I also learned from him that sometimes, simply saying ‘This is too expensive’ pushes you to think differently in the lab—to optimize, to explore new directions. It challenges you. This is how Craig shaped me as a young researcher.”

    Craig Turchi received the NREL Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Performance on April 2, 2015. Turchi has won other awards at NREL as well, including one for his strategic guidance on advancing thermal systems research and development in 2015 and one for bringing $10 million in funding to NREL for Generation 3 CSP research in 2018. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL

    Applying a New Power Cycle to CSP

    In addition to his main body of work in systems analysis and related topics, Turchi was looking for brand-new areas of research when he returned to NREL. A power cycle that was becoming popular in nuclear energy circles, but not solar, caught his attention: the supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) power cycle.

    “There was a renaissance in this power cycle development after a study came out that showed it could be valuable at nuclear power plants,” Turchi said. “It’s a type of power cycle development that had been looked at decades ago, and it kind of got stuck on a back shelf. No one really looked at it.”

    Turchi saw potential for supercritical CO2 power cycles to replace the steam turbines in traditional CSP systems, potentially unlocking greater efficiencies.

    This initial curiosity about supercritical CO2 for CSP has grown into a major path forward for the CSP industry—Generation 3 CSP. In Gen 3 CSP, arrays of mirrors called heliostats concentrate sunlight onto a central receiver to collect and store heat at high temperature (over 700°C). This heat is transferred to supercritical CO2 to generate power in a closed-loop Brayton cycle. Sandia National Laboratories now has a Gen 3 Particle Pilot Plant at its National Solar Thermal Test Facility to study supercritical CO2 as the working fluid in a plant with particle energy storage.

    Turchi won two NREL awards for his work on the supercritical CO2 power cycle for CSP. But nowadays, he is more focused on elevating other researchers’ work.

    “As you progress in your career, you either remain an expert in some area, or in my experience, you broaden out into what the interesting areas are in your field, and you help others develop,” Turchi said. “I think as a group manager, that’s your role. It’s very rewarding when you see those people succeed.”

    Learn more about NREL’s concentrating solar power research.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Largest Fentanyl Bust in DEA History: Authorities Seize Over 400 Kilograms of Fentanyl in Record-Shattering Operation

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Federal authorities have arrested 16 individuals and seized record-breaking quantities of fentanyl, cash, firearms, and vehicles across multiple states, dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous drug trafficking organizations in U.S. history.

    “This historic drug seizure, led by the DEA, is a significant blow against the Sinaloa Cartel that removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle every cartel network operating illegally in the United States.”

    As part of this operation, law enforcement executed coordinated search warrants across five states, resulting in the following seizures:

    Albuquerque, NM:

    • Approximately $610,000 in U.S. currency
    • 49 firearms, some with switches, and some ghost guns
    • 396 kilograms of fentanyl pills
    • 11.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder
    • 1.5 kilograms of cocaine
    • 3.5 kilograms of heroin
    • 7 pounds of methamphetamine
    • A Ford Raptor and GMC Denali Two vehicles valued at approximately $140,000
    Guns seized in Albuquerque, New Mexico

    Salem, OR:

    • More than $2.8 million in U.S. currency
    • Jewelry valued at approximately $50,000
    • A Mercedes AMG and Ford F-150 Shelby valued at approximately $150,000
    Cash seized in Salem, Oregon

    Layton, UT:

    • Approximately $780,000 in U.S. currency
    • A Dodge TRX Mammoth valued at approximately $150,000

    Phoenix, AZ:

    • Approximately $390,000 in U.S. currency
    • 72 pounds of methamphetamine
    • 13 kilograms of fentanyl pills
    • 2.4 pounds of heroin
    • 5 kilograms of cocaine.

    Las Vegas, NV:

    • Illegal alien apprehended and removed
    • More than $93,000 in U.S. currency
    • 2.7 kilograms of cocaine
    • 1 pound of methamphetamine

    “Our communities are safer today because of the tireless dedication and coordination among federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “By dismantling one of the largest and most dangerous fentanyl trafficking organizations in U.S. history, we have removed millions of lethal doses from our streets and sent a clear message: those who profit from poisoning our citizens will be held accountable. The fight continues, but this operation marks a decisive step in protecting families across the western United States.”

    “Behind the three million fentanyl pills we seized are destructive criminal acts thwarted and American lives saved. This wasn’t just a bust—it was a battlefield victory against a terrorist-backed network pumping death into our cities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “This case represents DEA’s largest single seizure of fentanyl pills to date. I commend the men and women of DEA for their extraordinary work, day in and day out, and I remind the cartels that DEA is relentlessly in pursuit and will not stop until we destroy your networks.”

    Heriberto Salazar Amaya, 36, is the leader of the drug trafficking organization. He, along with Cesar Acuna-Moreno, 27, Bruce Sedillo, 26, Vincent Montoya, 35, Francisco Garcia, 27, David Anesi, 42, George Navarette-Ramirez, 25, Alex Anthony Martinez, Jose Luis Marquez, Nicholas Tanner, Brian Sanchez, Kaitlyn Young, Alan Singer, and David Altamirano Lopez are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

    Seven defendants face additional charges of distributing fentanyl: Cesar Acuna-Moreno, Brian Sanchez, Kaitlyn Young, Alan Singer, Bruce Sedillo, Francisco Garcia, and Nicholas Tanner.

    Jose Luis Marquez and Bruce Sedillo are each charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    Bruce Sedillo is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    Heriberto Salazar Amaya faces three additional immigration-related charges: illegal reentry after deportation, hiring an unauthorized alien, and conspiracy to harbor unauthorized aliens.

    During the operation, three additional individuals were arrested and charged by criminal complaint:

    • Phillip Lovato, 39: On April 29, agents seized approximately 110,000 fentanyl pills from Lovato’s stash house in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lovato is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
    Cash and Drugs seized in Santa Fe, New Mexico
    • Roberta Herrera, 31; On April 28, agents seized approximately 365,000 pills fentanyl pills, 1,543.5 grams of heroin, 569.9 grams of cocaine, and 24 firearms from Herrera’s apartment. Agents also encountered a minor child at the location. Herrera is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
    • Misael Lopez Rubio, 25; on April 28, agents seized approximately 165.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills from a storage unit rented by Lopez Rubio. He is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking.
    Drugs seized in Albuquerque, NM

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico and Special Agent in Charge Omar Arellano of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, made the announcement today.

    The DEA’s El Paso Division investigated this case with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation. The following law enforcement agencies participated in the law enforcement operation: Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Lea County Drug Task Force, United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, Isleta Police Department, Laguna Pueblo Police Department, Pojoaque Police Department and Sandoval County Sheriff’s Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew McGinley, Blake Nichols and Raquel Ruiz-Velez for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.

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

    View the Indictment

    View the Motion to Detain

    View Lovato’s Criminal Complaint

    View Herrera’s Criminal Complaint

    View Lopez Rubio’s Criminal Complaint

    An indictment or criminal complaint 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 Russia: On the eve of the Victory anniversary, the Zvezda shipyard named its ships after Heroes of the Soviet Union Mikhail Egorov and Meliton Kantaria

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Zvezda shipbuilding complex held a keel-laying ceremony for two bulk carriers. In honor of the anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, they were named Mikhail Egorov and Meliton Kantaria, Heroes of the Soviet Union who raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag. Their names are inscribed on the commemorative keel-laying plates of the future bulk carriers.

    Mikhail Egorov and Meliton Kantaria were scouts of the 756th Rifle Regiment of the 150th Rifle Division of the 3rd Shock Army of the 1st Belorussian Front. On May 1, 1945, they raised the red banner of the Military Council of the 3rd Shock Army over the Reichstag, which became the Victory Banner. For this feat, the scouts were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

    In honor of the anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, Rosneft organizes and actively participates in patriotic events that help strengthen historical memory, foster civic responsibility, and preserve cultural heritage.

    The bulk carriers are designed to transport bulk cargo. Cutting of parts for two vessels started in February this year. Mikhail Egorov and Meliton Kantaria will be the first in a series of five coal carriers being built at Zvezda Shipyard. The bulk carrier is 229 m long, 34.5 m wide, and has a deadweight of about 86,400 t. The main engine has a capacity of over 6.8 thousand kW.

    The construction of ships at the Zvezda Shipyard helps to increase the efficiency of coal transportation through the use of water transport.

    Reference:

    The Zvezda shipbuilding complex is being created in the city of Bolshoy Kamen in Primorsky Krai on the instructions of the President of Russia. The project operator is PAO NK Rosneft.

    Today, Zvezda Shipyard is the most modern shipyard in Russia, specializing in the construction of all types of large-tonnage civil vessels, icebreakers and marine equipment. In total, the shipyard has already launched 12 vessels. The shipyard’s portfolio includes more than 60 orders.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft May 7, 2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Statement on 2017 Congressional Baseball Shooting Report

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) issued a statement after the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released their report on the FBI’s Conclusions on the 2017 Congressional Baseball Shooting. This follows FBI Director Kash Patel providing a review of the FBI case file to the Committee, after years of previous FBI leadership dodging transparency and accountability. “This report definitively shows the FBI completely mishandled the investigation into the Congressional baseball shooting of 2017 – ignoring crucial and obvious facts in order to sell a false narrative that the shooting was not politically motivated. I want to thank FBI Director Kash Patel, Chairman Rick Crawford, and the staff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for finally getting to the truth of the matter: this was a deliberate and planned act of domestic terrorism toward Republican Members of Congress.“I encourage Director Patel to adopt the recommendations of the Committee to ensure the intelligence community is rid of bias and to identify who was responsible for the misleading and incorrect conclusions and why, and ensure the FBI gets back to its mission of following the facts, wherever they may lead.” Click here to view the report. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson defends Second Amendment, urges Supreme Court to hear key gun rights caseRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson today joined 26 states and the Arizona Legislature in filing a friend-of-the-court brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Wolford v. Lopez, a major Second Amendment case out of Hawaii. The brief, led by Montana and Idaho, asks the Court to overturn a Ninth Circuit ruling that severely limits law-abiding citizens’ right to carry firearms in public spaces. 

    “This case is about ensuring the Second Amendment is not treated as a second-class right,” said Attorney General Wilson. “If left in place, Hawaii’s law sets a dangerous precedent by flipping the burden, presuming carrying a firearm in public is unlawful unless expressly allowed. That directly contradicts our Constitution and threatens to eliminate the public’s right to self-defense in everyday places.” 

    At issue is Hawaii’s Act 52, which broadly prohibits public carry of firearms in so-called “sensitive places,” including parks, beaches, and restaurants serving alcohol. It also bans carrying on private property that is open to the public unless the property owner gives explicit permission. 

    The amicus brief argues that: 

    • The Ninth Circuit’s decision creates a direct split with the Second Circuit, which struck down a nearly identical New York law as unconstitutional.
    • Hawaii’s law is not supported by a historical tradition of firearms regulation as required under Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen (2022).
    • The state’s sweeping restrictions go far beyond what the Founders would have recognized and attempt to sidestep the constitutional right to carry by redefining vast public areas as “sensitive places.”

    “The Constitution guarantees that law-abiding Americans have the right to protect themselves,” Attorney General Wilson continued. “We cannot allow activist courts or overreaching legislatures to strip away those rights through creative legal maneuvers. This case is an opportunity for the Supreme Court to set the record straight.” 

    The coalition urges the Court to grant certiorari and reverse the Ninth Circuit, reinforcing the principle that the Second Amendment protects the right to carry a firearm in public for lawful self-defense. 

    A copy of the amicus brief is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Palestinian Nationals Charged With Unlawful Possession Of Firearms And Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  unsealing of indictments charging Mohammed Aburidi (24, Palestinian) and Tareq Aburidi (19, Palestinian) with possessing firearms and ammunition as aliens admitted to the United States on nonimmigrant visas. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictments, on November 26, 2024, Mohammed Aburidi and Tareq Aburidi possessed firearms and ammunition after being admitted to the United States on nonimmigrant visas.

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

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with valuable assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.

    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 Global: Alzheimer’s: certain combinations of prescription drugs may slow progression of the disease, says mice study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Silvia Maioli, Associate professor and Principal Researcher, Neurobiology, Karolinska Institutet

    Certain prescription drugs combinations had different effects on the mice. roger ashford/ Shutterstock

    Millions of older adults take five or more prescription drugs every day to manage chronic illnesses. While polypharmacy is often necessary, this practice has also been linked to many negative health outcomes in older adults – including memory problems, increased risk of falls and greater frailty.

    The most common prescription drugs involved in polypharmacy are those used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and depression. Importantly, these same conditions are also known risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

    This raises an important question: could polypharmacy have any influence on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease?

    Our recent research in mice suggests that certain prescription drugs combinations might actually have a positive effect on memory and signs of Alzheimer’s disease. However, these effects appeared to differ depending on whether the mouse was male or female.

    To better understand how polypharmacy may affect Alzheimer’s disease, we designed an experiment using mice that were genetically altered to develop Alzheimer’s-like brain changes. These mice had amyloid plaques – clumps of protein in the brain that, with time, are linked with memory loss and considered a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease .

    We tested two different combinations of five commonly prescribed drugs, including: analgesics (painkillers), antithrombotics (to prevent blood clots), lipid-modifying agents (such as statins, which lower cholestrol), beta-blockers (which help controlling arrythmias and hypertension) and Ace inhibitors (used to treat cardiovascular conditions), as well as antidepressants.

    Both groups of mice were given paracetamol, aspirin, an antidepressant, a statin and a blood pressure drug. The only differences between the two groups were the specific types of statin and cardiovascular drugs used. The first group were given simvastatin and metoprolol, while the second group was given atorvastatin and enalapril.

    We gave these prescription drug combinations to both male and female mice. We then tested their memory, examined their brains for signs of disease and analysed blood samples for disease-related markers.

    Our findings showed that polypharmacy has both positive and negative effects on Alzheimer’s disease progression. The effects largely depended on which specific drug combinations were used as well as the sex of the mice.

    The first drug combination had beneficial effects in male mice. These mice showed better memory, reduced signs of Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain (such as the number and size of amyloid plaques) and fewer signs of the disease in their blood. This suggested that polypharmacy delayed the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

    In females, however, the same combination had very little to no effect on signs and symptoms of the disease.

    But for the mice in the second combination group, the results were different. The benefits previously seen in males disappeared. In female mice, their memory worsened.

    Certain drug combinations reduced signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the male mice’s brains, such as the size and number of amyloid plaques.
    nobeastsofierce/ Shutterstock

    We also looked at what happened when some of the drugs were taken on their own. In some cases, they had beneficial effects for the female mice – improving memory and signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain. For instance, the statin simvastatin improved memory and reduced signs of brain inflammation in female mice when the drug was taken on its own.

    Polypharmacy and brain health

    These results show how complex the effects of polypharmacy can be, especially in the context of a brain disease such as Alzheimer’s. They also suggest that men and women may respond differently to certain drug combinations.

    This is not surprising. Biological sex is known to influence how drugs are absorbed and metabolised and their effect on the body. When it comes to polypharmacy, these differences can become more pronounced, having an even stronger effect on drug safety and efficacy.

    This could partly help explain why the same drug combinations had very different effects in the male and female mice in our study. Other possible explanations for why certain drug combinations only improved signs and symptoms of the disease in male mice include sex differences in hormone levels and differences in immune responses that may influence how drugs work in the brain. Understanding these mechanisms will be key to tailoring safer and more effective treatments for the disease.

    Our study confirms that current, universal prescribing approaches for older adults may not be ideal.

    It’s also worth noting that older women are more likely to be polypharmacy users compared to men. This highlights the importance of understanding the effects of polypharmacy that are specific to men and women, and developing more personalised prescribing approaches.

    Future translational studies (from mice to humans) looking at how drug combinations affect Alzheimer’s in males and females are also warranted to help reduce risks and improve healthcare in the ageing population.

    The global population is continuing to age, which means that an even greater number of people are going to be at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is why it’s so important we understand all of the causes of the disease and how it can be prevented.

    Silvia Maioli receives funding from The Swedish Research Council, Alzheimerfonden, King Gustaf V:s and Queen Victorias Foundation, The private initiative “Innovative ways to fight Alzheimer´s disease – Leif Lundblad Family and others”, Margaretha af Ugglas Foundation, The regional agreement on medical training and clinical research (ALF) between Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet, Gun och Bertil Stohnes Stiftelse, Stiftelsen Gamla Tjänarinnor

    Francesca Eroli received funding from Stiftelsen För Gamla Tjänarinnor and Gun och Bertil Stohnes Stiftelse.

    – ref. Alzheimer’s: certain combinations of prescription drugs may slow progression of the disease, says mice study – https://theconversation.com/alzheimers-certain-combinations-of-prescription-drugs-may-slow-progression-of-the-disease-says-mice-study-254243

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Felon Guilty of Illegal Firearms and Machinegun Possession

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted Clenest Demon Wells, Jr. of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon and unlawful possession of a machinegun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Clenest Demon Wells, 28, was repeatedly caught illegally carrying firearms. Because Wells has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    On April 6, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to reports in Minneapolis of a passenger wearing a black vest and greyish winter hat on a Metro Transit bus threatening another passenger with a firearm. Law enforcement officers located and boarded the Metro Transit bus at the intersection of Penn and Lowry Avenue North, identified a passenger who closely fit the description, and conducted a pat-down search. The passenger was later identified as Wells, who was found in possession of a black HiPoint 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.

    On May 23, 2022, Minneapolis Police Department officers on patrol observed a Pontiac G6 speeding through a residential area and conducted a traffic stop. Wells was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Officers smelled and observed marijuana in the car, initiated a search, and found Wells in possession of a black Springfield Model XD9 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol.

    On July 30, 2023, law enforcement responded to calls reporting a fight and an individual with a gun in a parking lot at Hennepin Avenue and 5th Street in downtown Minneapolis. Upon arrival, bystanders reported that one of the involved individuals—later identified as Wells—had a gun. As officers approached, Wells turned to walk away, ignoring orders to stop. Wells was subsequently found to be in possession of a Glock model 17 9-millimeter handgun equipped with an auto-sear, commonly called a “switch,” which enabled the Glock pistol to operate as a fully automatic machinegun. Test firing conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation showed that the Glock pistol equipped with a switch possessed by Wells could fire ten rounds in less than one second.  

    “Today’s conviction holds Wells accountable for the fear and violence he has inflicted on the community for far too long,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to prevent violent crime.”

    “Possession of a firearm modified to function as a machine gun in a public space could have had tragic consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis. “Protecting our communities from violence is a top priority, and we are committed to working with our partners to stop those who put innocent lives at risk.”

    After a three-day trial before Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court, Wells was convicted on three counts of illegal possession of firearms as a felon and one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Metro Transit Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Green and Syngen Kanassatega tried the case.
     

    Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Felon Guilty of Illegal Firearms and Machinegun Possession

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Lodging a general purpose financial statement

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Lodging a general purpose financial statement (GPFS) is a crucial step for various entities in Australia. Under section 3CA of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 , you’re required to submit a GPFS if you are:

    • a corporate tax entity (that is, a company, corporate limited partnership, or public trading trust) for the income year
    • a country-by-country reporting entity for the income year
    • an Australian resident or a foreign resident operating an Australian permanent establishment (PE), at the end of the income year.

    If you’re a subsidiary member of an accounting group, but not a member of a tax consolidated or multiple entry consolidated (MEC) group, you may still have an obligation to lodge a GPFS even where your parent entity may have already lodged.

    However, if you lodge a trust or partnership tax return, there’s no obligation under section 3CA to lodge a GPFS.

    To ensure your GPFS meets the necessary standards, your entity must prepare it in accordance with applicable accounting standards. It’s important to note that we don’t accept special purpose financial statements (SPFS) as GPFS.

    Entities must lodge their GPFS by the company tax return due date, unless they’ve already lodged with ASIC. To avoid penalties, lodge your statements on time, and in the approved form. Penalties are considerably higher for significant global entities.

    For more information, see Guidance on providing general purpose financial statements.

    Keep up to date

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    Read more articles in our online Business bulletins newsroom.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $20,000 instant asset write-off for 2024–25

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Have you purchased or are you purchasing a business asset this financial year? The instant asset write-off limit is $20,000 for the 2024-25 income year.

    If your business has an aggregated annual turnover of less than $10 million and uses the
    simplified depreciation rules, you may be able to use the instant asset write-off to immediately deduct the business part of the cost of eligible assets:

    • The full cost of eligible depreciating assets costing less than $20,000 that are first used or installed ready for use for a taxable purpose between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025.
    • New and second-hand assets can qualify; although some exclusions and limits apply.
    • If you claimed an immediate deduction for an asset’s cost under the simplified depreciation rules in an earlier income year, you can also immediately deduct the first improvement cost for that asset if it is incurred between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 and less than $20,000.
    • The $20,000 limit applies on a per-asset basis, so you can instantly write off multiple assets as long as the cost of each asset is less than the limit.

    The usual rules for claiming deductions still apply. You can only claim the business part of the expense, and you must have records to prove it.

    Remember, it’s important to keep good records to help you or your tax professional work out your claim. For more information, see Record keeping for small business.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New SES features: Team accounts and ATO-initiated requests

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    We’ve introduced two new features in the Super Enquiry System (SES) to improve how you manage fund requests.

    Team Accounts

    You can now create a team account in SES, linked to a shared mailbox. This allows multiple employees within your fund to receive and view request notifications.

    An individual user will have to login as per the current process to lodge a request. SES users can then share the request with the Team account and a notification email will be sent to the mailbox linked to Team account notifying all members.

    ATO-initiated requests

    For certain issues, we will send ATO-initiated requests through the SES instead of via email.

    If we send you a request:

    • You’ll receive a notification email in your Team account’s mailbox.
    • Log in to SES, locate the request under ‘ATO-initiated’, and respond before the due date.

    If we don’t receive a response, we’ll follow up with your nominated contact person.

    For more information on how lodge an enquiry via SES, see Accessing and using the Superannuation enquiry service.

    Looking for the latest news for Super funds? – You can stay up to date by visiting our Super funds newsroom and subscribingExternal Link to our monthly Super funds newsletter and CRT alerts.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: SDTX Continues Efforts to Protect the Border with 259 More Charged in Immigration-Related Crimes

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    HOUSTON – A total of 256 cases have been filed from April 25-May 1 in matters aimed at securing the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    As part of the cases, 83 face allegations of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, firearms, sexual or violent offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 160 people face charges of illegally entering the country, while 13 cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration-related crimes.  

    Those charged by criminal complaint include three Mexican nationals found in the McAllen area who are alleged to be here illegally. The charges allege Luciano Ojeda had been sentenced to two years for robbery before his removal, while Sergio Salazar-Gonzalez and Maria Del Carmen Gutierrez-Perez have convictions for driving while intoxicated (3rd offense) and injury to child/elderly/disabled persons with intent of causing bodily injury, respectively, before they were removed from the United States.

    In addition to the new cases filed, two adult Guatemalan citizens were indicted for making false statements about their age in their juvenile immigration cases. Tadeo Pedro Torres and Marvin Ixcoy-Ajqui claimed they were unaccompanied minors after they entered the United States illegally. As a result, they were allegedly transferred to juvenile shelters contracted to provide care for children in the United States for whom there is no parent or legal guardian with the ability to provide custody. However, the charges allege they were adults and had provided a false date of birth and age.

    A Houston federal jury also convicted a conspirator involved in transporting aliens shot en route. Mailon Almendares-Martinez recruited conspirators who picked up the aliens near the border. On the way to Houston, individuals believed to be a part of a rival alien smuggling organization had shot at them, resulting in gunshot wounds to the arm and leg. After the shooting, Almendares-Martinez told the co-conspirators to return to Houston and not seek medical attention for the two wounded aliens. He now faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

    “This case demonstrates—like so many cases before it—that human smuggling is an inhumane, dangerous, and sometimes fatal business,” said Ganjei. “Those that smuggle human beings for profit deserve prosecution, and those that would willingly place themselves in a situation to be smuggled need to think twice. Stay home, stay safe.”

    In Corpus Christi, Louis Dante Anthony received a 30-month sentence for smuggling three dozen illegal aliens in an 8 by 4.25-foot false compartment. The illegal aliens had no access to air, could not be heard from the outside and were unable to get themselves out of the compartment. All were from the countries of Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico.

    In Laredo federal court, an illegal alien pleaded guilty to assault of an officer, admitting he struck the agent’s body and face repeatedly while attempting to flee. A Border Patrol (BP) agent had transported Marco Cupil-Hernandez to a local hospital for emergency care after he had waded across the Rio Grande River. Once cleared, the agent attempted to assist him into the vehicle. Cupil-Hernandez then forcefully pushed him away and attempted to flee, resulting in a struggle on the concrete during which Cupil-Hernandez elbowed the agent’s face. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

    Also announced this week was the sentencing of two felons in McAllen for illegally reentering the United States. Porfirio Martinez-Santos, Mexico, was ordered to serve 42 months, while Juan Esteban Zelaya-Hernandez, Honduras, received 21 months. The investigation revealed Zelaya-Hernandez had been ordered removed in August 2024 after serving a federal prison sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon and illegal reentry. Martinez-Santos was removed in 2023 and had previously served a 37-month sentence for illegal reentry.

    Another Mexican citizen with a felony criminal history was sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after eight previous removals. Julio Cesar Corona-Corona will now serve 37 months in federal prison. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that despite prior court warnings not to do so, Corona-Corona was determined to unlawfully reenter the United States, as evidenced by his repeated encounters with immigration authorities. He was first removed from the United States in January 2014 and returned illegally eight times between 2014 and April 2020. In fact, authorities had removed him six times alone between 2017-2018.

    In Brownsville, a 42-year-old man from Aldamas, Tamaulipas, Mexico, was also sentenced for illegal reentry into the United States. Alfredo Balderas-Rivera was first removed in 2016 with a subsequent removal in 2018 and 2023. However, authorities found Balderas-Rivera in Cameron County March 30, 2024. He had been in custody for allegedly committing fraud and assault and bodily injury. He received a 50-month sentence in Brownsville federal court.

    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, BP, 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 the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). 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 SDTX 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: Wetaskiwin — Wetaskiwin RCMP traffic stop leads to seizure of drugs and firearm

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On March 25, 2025, Wetaskiwin RCMP received a report of an impaired driver. Wetaskiwin General Duty Officers and Wetaskiwin Crime Reduction Unit responded to the call. Upon arriving on scene, two occupants were identified departing from the vehicle. Occupants were arrested, and a further investigation led to a search of the vehicle resulting in the seizure of:

    • A sawed-off rifle;

    • 60 grams of methamphetamine;

    • 14 grams of fentanyl;

    • unstamped cigarettes.

    A 33-year-old individual, a resident of Wetaskiwin, was charged with:

    • Possession for the purpose of Trafficking (x2);

    • Drive while prohibited;

    • Breach Firearms prohibition order;

    • Firearms offences (x5).

    A 27-years-old individual, a resident of Maskwacis, was charged with:

    • Breach of Conditional Sentence Order;

    • Breach Firearms prohibition order (x2);

    • Firearms offences (x5).

    Both were brought before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody and are set to appear back in court March 27, 2025 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Wetaskiwin.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Member Sentenced for Obstructing Justice

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

    JAMES GRAHAM, also known as “Little Cuz,” 25, formerly of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for an offense stemming from his participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.

    Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang.  On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Graham and 15 other 960 gang members with various offenses, including racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.

    On November 22, 2017, 960 members Zaekwon McDaniel, Tahjay Love, and Malik Bayon shot at Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos who were in a car at a restaurant in Waterbury.  Lewis sped from the scene at a high-rate of speed and crashed into a house at the intersection of Wolcott Street and Dallas Avenue in Waterbury.  Lewis, 22, and Santos, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene.  On October 19, 2019, Graham and Love, who were incarcerated in state custody, assaulted another inmate who they believed had reported to law enforcement Love’s role in the shooting.

    On February 14, 2024, a jury found Graham guilty of obstruction of justice, and Love, McDaniel, Bayon guilty of offenses related to their participation in 960 and the deaths of Lewis and Santos.

    Graham is currently serving a 52-year state sentence for murder, robbery, and firearm offenses related to his role in the murder of an 18-year-old victim in Hamden on November 13, 2017.  Judge Dooley ordered Graham’s federal sentence to run concurrently with his state sentence.

    Love, McDaniel, and Bayon await sentencing.

    This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, who were cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.

    This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

    PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Career Criminal Sentenced to 17 Years After Federal Adoption from Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man with nine prior felony convictions was sentenced to 204 months in federal prison after robbing a local Whataburger at gunpoint and firing a shot inside the restaurant to effectuate the robbery.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court records, on June 10, 2023, Jonas Brandon Sanchez, 40, entered the Whataburger in the South Valley, brandished a 9mm “ghost gun” equipped with a high-capacity magazine, and stole approximately $60. During the robbery, Sanchez fired a round into a wall when an employee walked away, endangering everyone present. The incident was captured on multiple high-resolution surveillance cameras.

    Sanchez firing gun inside restaurant
    Sanchez removing cash from drawer
    Sanchez pointing gun at employee

    On July 7, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sanchez’s residence, recovering the firearm used in the robbery and the clothing he wore during the crime. Ballistics analysis from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) matched the shell casing found at the scene to Sanchez’s pistol. At the time of the offense, Sanchez was a nine-time convicted felon.

    Upon his release from prison, Sanchez will be subject to five years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman made the announcement today.

    The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes is prosecuting this case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

    Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens felony criminal complaints filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged more than 300 criminal cases pursuant to this program.

    The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Building the best future for Scotland

    Source: Scottish Government

    Programme for Government 2025-26.

    The NHS will deliver 100,000 additional GP appointments and Scotland will have a ‘best in UK’ cost-of-living guarantee, including the permanent abolition of peak rail fares, First Minister John Swinney announced as he set out a Programme for Government against a backdrop of global economic challenges. 

    Speaking one year since he was elected First Minister and one year before the end of this Parliament, Mr Swinney committed to a package of cost-of-living initiatives for households and businesses and a new Six Point Export Plan to unlock target markets. He set out plans to strengthen the NHS with the delivery of extra GP appointments for key health risks such as high blood pressure, and 150,000 more NHS appointments and procedures, including a 50% increase in surgical procedures such as hip and knee replacements.  

    Key announcements include:   

    • 100,000 enhanced service GP appointments by March 2026 for key risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, obesity and smoking as well as more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures, including surgeries and diagnostic tests, and target cancer pathways to tackle backlogs against the 62-day referral to treatment standard 
    • The cost-of-living guarantee which includes ongoing free prescriptions, eye exams, bus travel for 2.3 million people, free tuition for students and more than £6,000 in early learning and childcare support for each eligible child 
    • ScotRail peak rail fares abolished and the general alcohol ban on ScotRail trains removed and replaced with time and location restrictions 
    • Winter fuel payments for pensioners restored 
    • A new Six Point Export Plan, with a focus on actions to unlock target markets, and showcase Scotland to global buyers 
    • A national regeneration fund that will support at least 26 projects to renew and restore communities, with a focus on delivering more local jobs 
    • More rights and stronger protections for tenants, helping deliver more than 8,000 affordable homes, including for social and mid-market rent, and removing barriers on stalled building sites with the potential to deliver up to 20,000 new homes 

    The First Minister said:  

     “This Programme for Government is focused on providing the best cost-of-living support across the UK, as well as delivering a renewed and stronger NHS.   

     “When I became First Minister a year ago, I heard loud and clear people’s concerns about the NHS which is why I am taking serious action to ensure the NHS meets the needs of the public.  

    “This PfG also shows decisive action to protect Scotland’s economy and maximise our economic potential in the face of global challenges.   

     “It is being published earlier than usual, in part because it allows a clear year of delivery on the NHS and other public services, but also due to the scale of the looming economic challenge.    

     “It is a programme for a better Scotland, for a stronger NHS and a more resilient and wealthier Scotland. It is a Programme for Government that gets our nation on track for success.”  

     Background  

    Read the Programme for Government 2025-26

    Read the First Minister’s statement to the Scottish Parliament, 6 May 2025

    The First Minister also confirmed Scottish Government plans to introduce six Bills over the course of the 2025-26 parliamentary year – alongside 2 Bills due to be introduced before summer recess and 14 Bills already before the Scottish Parliament – including:  

    Bills for introduction:  

    • Budget (No. 5)   
    • Children and Young People (Care)   
    • Contract (Formation and Remedies)   
    • Digital Assets    
    • Heat in Buildings   
    • Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures   

     Bills from Year 4 programme which will be introduced before summer recess:  

    • Building Safety Levy   
    • Crofting and Scottish Land Court   

    Scottish Government Bills currently proceeding through Parliament:   

    • Care Reform   
    • Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty)   
    • Community Wealth Building   
    • Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews   
    • Education   
    • Housing   
    • Land Reform   
    • Leases (Automatic Continuation etc.)   
    • Natural Environment   
    • Regulation of Legal Services   
    • Scottish Languages   
    • Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance)   
    • UEFA European Championship   
    • Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform 

    A’ togail an ama ri teachd as fheàrr do dh’Alba

    Am Prògram airson Riaghaltas 2025-26.

    Bheir an NHS seachad 100,000 coinneamh a bharrachd le dotairean-teaghlaich. Gheibh Alba cuideachd gealladh gur i an dùthaich san Rìoghachd Aonaichte far am faigh daoine an dòigh-bheatha as fheàrr a dh’aindeoin staing nan cosgaisean bith-beò – mar eisimpleir, le bhith a’ cur às do na faraidhean rèile as daoire aig Rèile na h-Alba. Mhìnich am Prìomh Mhinistear Iain Swinney seo is e a’ cur an cèill Prògram airson Riaghaltas mu choinneamh dhùbhlain eaconamach na cruinne.

    ’S e a’ bruidhinn aon bhliadhna bhon a chaidh a thaghadh mar Phrìomh Mhinistear is aon bhliadhna gun crìochnaich a’ Phàrlamaid seo, thug Mgr Swinney seachad gealladh gun cuireadh an Riaghaltas an sàs iomairtean a thaobh chosgaisean bith-beò às leth dhachaighean is ghnothachasan. Gheall e gun dèigheadh Plana ùr fhoillseachadh anns a bheil Sia Puingean a thaobh Às-mhalairt, gus fosgladh margaidhean air a bheil Alba ag amas. Mhìnich e cuideachd planaichean gus an NHS a neartachadh le bhith a’ toirt seachad barrachd choinneamhan le dotairean-teaghlaich airson prìomh chunnartan slàinte leithid brùthadh-fala àrd. A thuilleadh air an sin, thèid 150,000 coinneamh is obair-mheadaigeach a bharrachd a thoirt seachad fon NHS, agus nam measg bidh àrdachadh de 50% ann an obraichean-lannsa leithid a bhith a’ toirt chruaichnean is ghlùinean ùra do dhaoine.

    Mar phàirt de na prìomh rudan a thèid a chur an cèill tha:

    • 100,000 coinneamhan le dotairean-teaghlaich tron tèid seirbheis aig ìre nas àirde a thoirt seachad. Bidh seo air a choileanadh ron Mhàrt 2026 is dèiligidh iad ris na prìomh rudan a chomharras cunnartan slàinte, mar eisimpleir: brùthadh-fala àrd, coileastarail àrd, àrd-ìre de shiùcar-fala, reamhrachd agus smocadh. Thèid cuideachd 150,000 coinneamh is obair-mheadaigeach a bharrachd a thoirt seachad. Am measg iad seo bidh obraichean-lannsa is deuchainnean diagnosach, is slighean leigheis airson aillse gus an tèid dèiligeadh ri cùisean air an deach maill a chur. Bidh seo a’ coileanadh na bun-inbhe a chanas nach bi neach a’ feitheamh barrachd air 62 latha eadar iad a bhith a’ faighinn iomradh airson leigheas agus an leigheas fhèin.
    • Gealladh a thaobh chosgaisean bith-beò far an lean daoine orra a bhith a’ faighinn òrduighean-chungaidhean saor an-asgaidh, deuchainnean sùla, siubhal air bus do 2.3 millean neach, oideachadh saor an-asgaidh do dh’oileanaich agus còrr air £6000 as fhiach de thaic airson tràth-ionnsachadh is cùram-cloinne do gach leanabh aig a bheil cothrom air.
    • Gun tèid cur às do na faraidhean as àirde aig Rèile na h-Alba. Bidh cuideachd an casg a tha ann an-dràsta a thaobh a bhith ag òl deoch-làidir air a thoirt air falbh is bacaidhean sònraichte a rèir àm agus àite air an cur ann.
    • Gun tèid pàigheadh connaidh a’ Gheamhraidh do pheinnseanairean a thoirt air ais.
    • Plana ùr anns a bheil Sia Puingean a thaobh Às-mhalairt, a chuireas fòcas air gnìomhan gus fosgladh margaidhean air a bheil Alba ag amas, agus gus an dùthaich a thaisbeanadh do cheannaichean na cruinne.
    • Maoin ath-bheòthachaidh nàiseanta a chuireas taic ri co-dhiù 26 pròiseactan gus ath-nuadhachadh is ath-thogail a thoirt air coimhearsnachdan, is far am bi fòcas air barrachd obraichean ionadail ùra a thoirt seachad.
    • Barrachd chòraichean is ceumannan dìona nas treasa do luchd-gabhail, a chuidicheas ann a bhith a’ toirt seachad còrr air 8,000 dachaigh aig prìs reusanta, is cuid dhiubh sin air an cur a-mach air màl sòisealta no meadhan na margaidh. Thèid cuideachd cur às do chnapan-starra a tha a’ fàgail gu bheil cuid a làraichean togail nan tàmh – rud aig a bheil an comas a bhith a’ toirt seachad suas ri 20,000 dachaigh ùr.

    Thuirt am Prìomh Mhinistear:

    “Tha am Prògram airson Riaghaltas seo a’ cur fòcas air a bhith a’ toirt seachad na taice as fheàrr anns an Rìoghachd Aonaichte a thaobh chosgaisean bith-beò, a thuilleadh air a bhith a’ toirt seachad NHS a tha nas làidire agus air ùrachadh.

    “Nuair a chaidh mo thaghadh mar Phrìomh Mhinistear o chionn bliadhna, chaidh na draghan a tha aig daoine mun NHS a dhèanamh soilleir dhomh is ’s ann air sgàth sin a tha mi a’ cur an sàs ghnìomhan cudromach a nì cinnteach gu bheil an NHS a’ coileanadh feumalachdan a’ phobaill.

    “Anns a’ Phrògram seo chithear cuideachd gu bheil sinn a’ leantainn ghnìomhan le cinnt gus eaconamaidh na h-Alba a dhìon is làn-chomas na h-eaconamaidh againn a thoirt gu buil an aghaidh dhùbhlain aig ìre na cruinne.

     “Tha am Prògram air fhoillseachadh nas tràithe na ’s àbhaist, gu ìre seach gu bheil seo a’ toirt bliadhna shlàn far an urrainn do gheallaidhean a bhith air an coileanadh a thaobh an NHS is seirbheisean poblach eile, ach cuideachd air sgàth meud an dùbhlain eaconamaich a tha romhainn.

    “’S e prògram a tha ann airson Alba nas fheàrr, NHS nas làidire agus Alba a tha nas seasmhaiche agus nas beartaiche. ’S e seo Prògram airson Riaghaltas tron tèid an dùthaich againn a thilleadh don rathad as soirbheachaile.”

     Cùl-fhiosrachadh

    Dhearbh am Prìomh Mhinistear cuideachd na planaichean aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba gus sia Bilean a thoirt a-steach don phàrlamaid thairis air bliadhna na pàrlamaid 2025-26. Tha iad seo a thuilleadh air dà Bhile a tha san amharc tighinn do Phàrlamaid na h-Alba ro fhosadh an t-samhraidh agus 14 Bile a tha mu thràth mu choinneamh na Pàrlamaid. Nam measg, tha:

    Bilean rin toirt a-steach: 

    • Buidseat (Àir. 5)  
    • Clann agus Daoine Òga (Cùram)  
    • Cùmhnant (Cruthachadh agus Leasachadh)  
    • Maoinean Didseatach
    • Teas ann an Togalaichean
    • Obraichean-maise air nach fheum Obair-lannsa

    Bilean bho phrògram Bliadhna 4 a thèid a chur don phàrlamaid ro fhosadh an t-samhraidh: 

    • Bile na Cìse airson Sàbhailteachd Thogalaichean
    • Bile na Croitearachd agus Cùirt Fearainn na h-Alba

    Bilean le Riaghaltas na h-Alba a tha sa Phàrlamaid:  

    • Bile airson Ath-leasachadh Cùraim  
    • Bile na Cloinne (A bhith a’ tighinn a-mach à Foghlam Creidimh agus Atharrachadh air Dleastanas Co-fhreagarrachd an UNCRC)
    • Bile airson Togail Beartas Choimhearsnachdan
    • Bile airson Ùrachadh Ceartas Eucorach is Sgrùdaidhean air Giùlan Mì-ghnàthach san Dachaigh
    • Bile an Fhoghlaim  
    • Bile an Taigheadais
    • Bile airson Ath-leasachadh Fearainn
    • Bile na Gabhalach (Fèin-leantainn msaa.)
    • Bile na h-Àrainneachd Nàdarra
    • Bile airson Riaghladh Sheirbheisean Lagha
    • Bile nan Cànan Albannach
    • Bile airson Foghlam agus Trèanadh Iar-sgoile (Maoineachadh agus Riaghladh)
    • Bile airson Co-fharpais Eòrpach UEFA
    • Bile airson Ath-leasachadh a thaobh Luchd-fulaing, Luchd-fianais agus Ceartas

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marathon County Woman Sentenced to Two ½ Years for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jessica L. Colby, 29, Stratford, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 30 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Colby pleaded guilty to this charge on January 31, 2025.

    In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Marathon County area. Colby was identified as a facilitator for the group.

    Following a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine involving other co-defendants in March and April 2024, task force officers executed a search warrant a residence that Colby shared with co-defendant Joshua Lake. Officers found approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, 2 rifles, over $24,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search.

    Further investigation revealed that between January 22, 2024, and April 15, 2024, Colby assisted in the distribution of approximately 23 kilograms of methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine. Colby assisted by picking up and delivering bulk shipments of drugs – at times on her own, as well as making payments to the cartel-connected sources of supply. In addition, Colby admitted to having her own drug customers.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley weighed the severity of Colby’s conduct, including the large quantities of drugs involved and her active role in the conspiracy, against her lack of a prior criminal record and her extraordinary conduct while on pretrial release.

    Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Mercadys Perkins was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 6 years in federal prison on April 17, 2025. Dustin Brunker was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 7 years in federal prison on April 24, 2025. Joshua Lake has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2025.

    The charge against Colby was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Suburban infrastructure for a growing city

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    New sections of the Garden City Cycleway are set to open in February.

    In Brief:

    • The ACT Government is rolling out infrastructure upgrades across Canberra suburbs.
    • This story outlines some of the projects that are currently underway.

    The ACT Government is continuing to roll out suburban infrastructure upgrades across Canberra.

    The suburban infrastructure program improves infrastructure across the city including at:

    • local shops
    • playgrounds
    • other community facilities including dog parks.

    Here are some of the projects that are currently underway:

    Central Canberra

    The section of the Garden City Cycleway from Cooyong Street in Braddon to Limestone Avenue is set to open in mid-February.

    The section between Wakefield Avenue and Angas Street in Ainslie is expected to open in late February.

    Once completed, the cycleway will make walking, cycling and scooting around the centre of Canberra easier. It will provide a safe cycle route connecting the city with:

    • Watson
    • Downer
    • Hackett
    • Dickson
    • Ainslie
    • Braddon.

    Work started on the cycleway last year and as sections of the path are completed, they will be progressively opened to the community.

    Work to improve the public spaces around Narrabundah shops are nearly finished. This will make the area safer and more accessible. A refresh of the public spaces surrounding the shops includes:

    • new murals
    • outdoor seating areas
    • landscaping.

    Nearby in Watson, work is on track to open the new inner north destination-style playground in mid-2025. The toilet block, shade structure and some play equipment have already been installed. The space will give Canberrans of all ages another place to meet and play.

    Tuggeranong

    Local shops in Tuggeranong are getting a facelift. Lanyon Marketplace improvements are well underway and are expected to be finished in April 2025. This follows the addition of a roundabout at the Norman Lindsay Street/Tharwa Drive intersection. This has made access to the shops safer.

    Upgrades at Calwell Shopping Centre are expected to be finished in the next month. These upgrades will make the space more accessible and improve the look and feel of the area. The work includes:

    • path improvements
    • new seating
    • additional landscaping
    • more lighting
    • playground upgrades with new nature play and accessible play elements.

    Fur-parents and their fur-babies haven’t missed out. The new Lanyon dog park, on the corner of Woodcock Drive and Jim Pike Avenue, is taking shape. The ACT Government expects the dog park to open in winter 2025.

    Belconnen

    The alignment and design of the new path at Palmerville Heritage Park will be finalised in March 2025. The design will soon be shared with the community.

    Public space upgrades are underway at the Evatt local shops on the corner of Clancy Street and Heydon Crescent. This includes:

    • a playground
    • a small amphitheatre
    • a unisex accessible toilet
    • accessible parking bays
    • safer crossings and paths for pedestrians.

    Woden/Weston Creek/Molonglo

    New toilets are being built in Mawson and Coombs. The Mawson shops toilet upgrade has begun with demolition of the old toilets. Once complete there will be a new female, male and unisex accessible toilet.

    Work will start soon  on the new toilet at Ruth Park Playground in Coombs. The toilets are expected to open in mid-2025 and will feature artwork on the building’s exterior.

    Gungahlin

    Parking improvements are underway near the commercial precinct at Yerrabi Pond. New picnic settings, furniture and paving refurbishments are now complete on Strayleaf Crescent.

    At the Yerrabi Pond District Park on Wunderlich Street, upgrades of the existing picnic facilities on the playground side are underway. This includes:

    • a refurbished shelter
    • new BBQ facilities.

    At Bizant Street, a new path has been built, leading to the playground. New picnic tables have been added and new shelters and a toilet will be installed soon.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The timeless appeal of We’ll Meet Again underscores people’s need for sentimentality

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Clare V. Church, Fellow of the Institute of Historical Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London

    It begins with just a few gentle flourishes from the orchestra before the honey-voiced singer launches into the chorus. Her words are instantly familiar to listeners, who sing along without having to search for the lyrics on their smartphones or strain their voices to remain in key. The song’s simplicity is its boon and its enduring message of softness and sentimentality its raison d’être.

    More than 85 years after its release, We’ll Meet Again – made famous by singer Vera Lynn – continues to resonate with listeners, whether they experienced the second world war or not. In fact, as we head into the 80th anniversary of the war’s end, it is one song that is sure to be at the top of all British commemorative playlists.

    While embarking on this next year of remembrance, it is important to question why this song echoes so resoundingly across time and space. Why is it that, after all these years, we continue to meet We’ll Meet Again again, and again and again?

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Written by Ross Parker and Hughie Charles, We’ll Meet Again was first recoded by Lynn in 1939. Its chorus is as follows:

    We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when, but I’ll know we’ll meet again some sunny day.

    Keep smiling through, just like you, always do, ‘til the blue skies chase those dark clouds far away.

    In the early war, Lynn performed the song – as well as other wistful tunes – at palladiums across the country and over the radio. She gained a reputation as a “sweet singer of sweet songs” and was soon after bestowed the moniker “the Forces’ sweetheart”.

    By 1941, Lynn hosted her own BBC radio show named Sincerely Yours, described by Radio Times as a “letter in words and music” to fighting men. After reading messages from munitions girls to their husbands and congratulations to new fathers in the military, Lynn signed off the show crooning We’ll Meet Again, authenticating the song as her signature.

    Throughout the remainder of the war, she performed the song over the radio and in film (including in the fittingly titled We’ll Meet Again in 1943) as well as in concerts as far afield as Myanmar.

    Vera Lynn performing We’ll Meet Again in 1943.

    However, the song was not met with universal acceptance. Some, including parliamentarian Earl Winterton, believed that Lynn’s song harmed soldier morale, arguing that its emotional message deflated appetite for the war. Diarists for Mass Observation – a social research project launched in 1937 that collected journal entries from volunteer citizens – repeated this idea. One diarist claimed that Lynn’s songs were “too intimate for broadcasting” and another called her catalogue “carefully written sob stuff”.

    But just as some criticised, others came to her defence. Gunner A. E. Buckeridge, for example, scorned Winterton in Union Jack magazine for taking it “upon himself to decide what the men should like”. Frank Owen of the South East Asia Command similarly wrote that Lynn’s crooning “really hits the heart” and thanked her for ameliorating “the abiding home sickness” of soldiers.

    The debate did not centre on whether We’ll Meet Again was sentimental. Rather, it questioned if such sentimentality helped or hindered fighting men.

    By 1945, many listeners sat in the former camp, contending that We’ll Meet Again eased war’s hardships by reminding listeners of their home and humanity. In fact, it would be the song’s ability to do this that would propel its popularity to new heights in the following decades.

    Post-war resonance

    Following the end of hostilities, the ballad proliferated across media, genres and audiences. It was referenced in a wide range of films and television series, including Dr Strangelove (1964), Muppets Go to the Movies (1981) and even Stranger Things (2016).

    Other musicians covered the song too, including Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash. Pink Floyd’s song Vera (1979) even contained the lyrics: “Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn? / Remember how she said that we would meet again some sunny day?”

    The song was also used in war-related commemorative events and political addresses. This includes Queen Elizabeth II’s April 2020 broadcast that discussed the burgeoning COVID crisis and asserted: “We will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”

    So, what is it about this song that has maintained such longevity in the national consciousness?

    In many post-war recollections, veterans especially praised the song’s emotionality. In a 1996 oral history interview, for instance, veteran George William Ledger remembered how grown men were brought to tears after listening to Lynn. He recalled that “when Vera Lynn got up and sang on that stage … it was quiet, you could hear a pin drop”. He added that her songs were especially powerful because they “dwelt on the emotions of people”.

    In select accounts within the BBC’s WW2 People’s War Project, this theme was reiterated. One contributor wrote that Lynn was so popular because she “entertained us … with her very emotional songs”. Another writer claimed that We’ll Meet Again raised the morale of the troops “who knew how near was a terrifying death”.

    Even comments made on the song’s YouTube page reference its emotional resonance, with one user writing: “Played this song for my dad over skype (81) years old with Alzheimer’s. He knew word for word with tears streaming. Bless him.”

    These recollections serve as a poignant reminder of the power of sentimentality and giving people the permission to emote during times of struggle. The song – both during the war and after – provided safely contained moments to embrace softness.

    Typically, when you think of a “war song”, you might be tempted to think of a military march, full of brazen boasts of strength and stoicism – both of which are characteristics commonly tied to narratives of war and heroism.

    But the enduring resonance of We’ll Meet Again underlines the timeless testament of another set of heroic virtues: softness and sentimentality. The song demonstrates that in times of incredible hardship and trauma, all people require spaces to ache, mourn and feel.

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

    – ref. The timeless appeal of We’ll Meet Again underscores people’s need for sentimentality – https://theconversation.com/the-timeless-appeal-of-well-meet-again-underscores-peoples-need-for-sentimentality-253505

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Apollo Funds to Acquire Hav Energy from HitecVision

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK and STAVANGER, Norway, May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) and HitecVision, a leading investor in the European energy industry, today announced that Apollo-managed funds (the “Apollo Funds”) have agreed to acquire maritime liquefied natural gas carrier (“LNGC”) infrastructure platform Hav Energy LNG Holding AS (“Hav Energy”) from HitecVision. Financial terms were not disclosed.

    Established by HitecVision in 2022, Hav Energy invests in LNGC infrastructure projects in partnership with Knutsen LNG, a large owner-operator of LNGCs globally, and jointly owns a portfolio of 10 newbuild LNGCs which are 100% contracted on long-term charters with investment grade counterparties. The portfolio includes two modern operating vessels and eight under construction at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Korea due to be delivered in 2025 and 2026.

    Global LNG imports are forecast to reach over 600 million metric tons annually by 2040, driven by growth in Asia and Europe as well as efforts to cut emissions in heavy industries and transportation, and expectations for robust new liquification capacity coupled with limited newbuild LNG vessel supply also provide strong tailwinds supporting Hav Energy’s future growth trajectory.

    Apollo Partner Joseph Romeo said, “Hav Energy has quickly scaled into a top platform facilitating the global transport of LNG, which we view as a bridge fuel capable of reducing emissions for rapidly growing power demand. We are excited to work with the Hav Energy team and their aligned, well-regarded partners in Knutsen to accelerate growth of the platform, which we believe can serve as a vital infrastructure link supporting enhanced energy resiliency for customers around the world.”

    Hav Energy CEO Randi Vestbø said, “This transaction represents a critical juncture for Hav Energy as we continue to build a next-generation fleet of LNG infrastructure carriers and pursue attractive growth opportunities to expand our capabilities alongside our new partners at Apollo. We are grateful for the guidance, backing and strategic support from HitecVision, which has been instrumental in our development and positions us for our next phase of growth as industry tailwinds continue to drive long-term LNG demand globally.”

    HitecVision Senior Partner Jan H. Solstad said, “We are proud that we in partnership with Knutsen LNG and the Hav management team have been able to develop Hav LNG into a differentiated, highly scalable platform, leveraging HitecVision’s significant expertise in building companies within the energy space. With a leading management team, strong institutional partners and clear strategy, we believe Hav Energy is well positioned for future success.”

    Thommessen, Stephenson Harwood LLP and Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal counsel to the Apollo Funds. HitecVision has been advised by DNB Markets and law firm BAHR.

    About Apollo

    Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of March 31, 2025, Apollo had approximately $785 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

    About Hav Energy

    Hav Energy is a Norway-based energy infrastructure company established by HitecVision in 2022. The current asset portfolio has 10 state-of-the-art newbuild LNG vessels co-owned and operated by Knutsen LNG. 

    About HitecVision

    HitecVision is a Norwegian private equity firm and a leading provider of institutional capital to Europe’s energy industry. For almost four decades, we have been investing in the energy sector, starting out in the oil and gas industry before turning to the current focus on decarbonisation and energy transition. We have about EUR 9 billion in assets under management, and is headquartered in Stavanger, with offices and investment professionals in Oslo, London and Milan. Our 65-person team focuses on developing profitable and sustainable companies, working closely with our management teams and boards.

    Contacts

    For Apollo:

    Noah Gunn
    Global Head of Investor Relations
    Apollo Global Management, Inc.
    212-822-0540
    IR@apollo.com.

    Joanna Rose
    Global Head of Corporate Communications
    Apollo Global Management, Inc.
    212-822-0491
    Communications@apollo.com.

    For HitecVision:

    Birgitte Kolstad
    Director Investor Relations
    Birgitte.Kolstad@hitecvision.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Charges – Firearm offences – Gunn Point

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 51-year-old male for firearm offences in Gunn Point on Sunday.

    About 4:20pm, police received reports of a male allegedly pointing a rifle towards persons and threatening harm within a camping area in Gunn Point.  It is alleged there was an altercation between a group of people and the man prior to the incident.

    Humpty Doo members and specialist command coordinated an arrest plan and the 51-year-old male was taken into custody without incident. Police seized a rifle and ammunition from the camping area.

    Police later conducted a search warrant at the male’s residence in Marlow Lagoon and seized 7 registered firearms and 1 unregistered firearm. The man’s NT firearms licence was revoked and he has since been charged with:

    • Threats to Kill
    • Aggravated assault
    • Fail to meet storage requirements
    • Possess unregistered firearm
    • Possess firearm while intoxicated

    He was remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court on 6 May 2025.

    MIL OSI News –