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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis and Colorado Parks and Wildlife Acquire Michigan Creek Property in Conservation Victory

    Source: US State of Colorado

    PARK COUNTY, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife has acquired 120 acres in Park County, including a quarter-mile along Michigan Creek, for wildlife conservation and increased opportunities for hunters and anglers in a contract finalized today. Located about six miles southeast of Jefferson and abutted by Michigan Creek and County Road 77, the property will become Michigan Creek State Wildlife Area managed by CPW. The land contributes to critical wildlife habitat continuity with neighboring Bureau of Land Management and National Forest Service lands in Park Co. 

    “Protecting our iconic great outdoors for future generations to enjoy is one of my administration’s top priorities. Colorado is home to some of the best outdoor recreation in the nation, and I am thrilled to continue our state’s legacy to preserve land and protect our great outdoors. This new State Wildlife Area protects our natural resources while offering Colorado hunters and anglers more recreational opportunities,” said Governor Polis. 

    In 2023, a private landowner approached Western Rivers Conservancy to donate the land towards conservation efforts. Working with Colorado Open Lands, WRC placed a conservation easement on the property in late 2024 and held title to the land until conveying the land as a donation to CPW. 

    Michigan Creek is a tributary of the South Platte River and Tarryall Creek. The stream sustains a naturally-reproducing population of brook and brown trout, and the land offers increased hunting access for deer and elk in Game Management Unit 50. 

    “The donation of Michigan Creek State Wildlife Area is a win for conservation,” said Mark Lamb, Area Wildlife Manager for CPW. “We are grateful for partners like Western Rivers Conservancy and Colorado Open Lands in the continued effort to preserve habitat and increase public lands for hunting and fishing. We will work to try to have Michigan Creek SWA open to the public by the end of the year.” 

    “We are looking forward to the increased angling opportunities along Michigan Creek that come as a result of this partnership,” said CPW Senior Aquatic Biologist Kyle Battige. 

    This is the second land acquisition partnership in Park County between CPW and WRC, in addition to nearby Collard Ranch State Wildlife Area last spring, totaling 1,980 acres of scenic habitat conserved. Collaboration between stewardship partners and private landowners remains a high priority for CPW in the effort to preserve wildlife and land access for future generations. 

    “Conserving such a scenic and healthy stretch of Michigan Creek in an area so many Coloradans treasure is something to celebrate,” said Allen Law, WRC Interior West Project Manager. “Western Rivers Conservancy is thrilled we could expand our efforts in the South Platte Basin to help fish and wildlife thrive and to create better access to South Park’s rivers and open spaces.” 

    “Protecting this land means that Coloradans will be able to access excellent fishing for generations into the future, helping them connect to the outdoors and enjoy Colorado’s natural beauty,” said Kelsey Kirkwood, Colorado Open Lands Conservation Project Associate. “We are grateful for our partnerships with Western Rivers Conservancy and Colorado Parks and Wildlife which allow us to create robust and meaningful conservation outcomes for the good of all Coloradans.” 

    State Wildlife Areas offer hunting, angling and wildlife viewing opportunities with the purchase of an SWA pass. Revenue from pass purchases fund hunting and fishing conservation efforts and continued habitat health. Funding for this project was provided by the Park County Land and Water Trust Fund. 

    Photo courtesies: Christi Bode/Western Rivers Conservancy 

    Western Rivers Conservancy Media Contact: Danny Palmerlee, (503)-241-0151, dpalmerlee@westernrivers.org

     Western Rivers Conservancy 

    Western Rivers Conservancy’s motto is “Sometimes to save a river, you have to buy it.” WRC purchases land along the West’s finest rivers and streams to conserve habitat for fish and wildlife, protect key sources of cold water and create public access for all to enjoy. 

    To ensure the lands it acquires are protected in perpetuity, WRC transfers them to long-term stewards including the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state parks and Tribal nations. WRC has created sanctuaries for fish and wildlife and secured recreational access along 250 rivers and streams around the West. It has protected more than 440 river miles and over 220,000 acres of land in nine western states. Its approach to river conservation is effective, tangible and permanent. More information at Western Rivers.org. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Felons Indicted for Roles in Brockton Shootout

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A federal grand jury returned an indictment against four Brockton men in connection with their alleged participation in a shootout that left a female victim with a gunshot wound to her chest. The following individuals have been charged in U.S. District Court in Boston:

    1.    Natalio Miranda, 33, charged with one count each of possession of a machinegun and being a felon in possession of ammunition; 
    2.    Jonathan Alves, 28, charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition; 
    3.    Romeo Miller, 26, charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and; 
    4.    Jahleil Monteiro, 25, charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to Miller’s felon in possession charge.

    Alves and Monteiro were arrested this morning and will make initial appearances in federal court in Boston later today. Miranda was previously convicted in February 2023 of federal fentanyl distribution conspiracy charges as a member of “Head Shot Mafia,” a violent drug crew operating in Brockton and elsewhere in southeastern Massachusetts. He was arrested in November 2024 for violating his federal supervised release conditions in relation to the Brockton shootout and is in federal custody. Miller remains at large.

    According to court filings, on June 2, 2024, at approximately 1:45 a.m., law enforcement responded to a “shots fired” call at a home in Brockton. Upon arrival, officers observed a large crowd outside the home and a 31-year-old female victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and survived.

    It is alleged that numerous bullet casings were found scattered throughout the front yard and driveway of the residence. Video footage obtained from the home’s surveillance system determined that a house party led to a physical altercation in the driveway and, allegedly, an exchange of gunfire between the victim and Miranda, Miller and Alves.

    Specifically, surveillance video allegedly captured Miranda as he discharged several bursts of ammunition from an automatic weapon in the front yard of the residence before leaving the scene. Miller and Alves are also allegedly shown firing towards the victim from the driveway. According to court documents, Miller is later seen on the footage crossing the street to hide behind a parked car, where he allegedly shot the victim in the chest. Surveillance video then allegedly captured Miller returning to the driveway, where he passed his firearm off to Monteiro, before the two drove away in separate parked cars.

    According to court records, at the time of the shooting, Miranda was on federal supervised release for a fentanyl distribution conspiracy conviction and has a prior state conviction for cocaine distribution. Additionally, at the time of the shooting, Miller and Monteiro were on probation for prior state convictions for unlawfully possessing a firearm, possessing a high capacity feeding device, assault and battery on a police officer and fentanyl distribution. Alves has a prior state conviction of possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

    The charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being an accessory after the fact to a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to half the maximum punishment for the underlying offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Division; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda I. Perez made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Georgia Poll Worker Pleads Guilty to Bomb Threat of Voting Location

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Wrote Threatening Letter Following Altercation with Voter; Posed as Voter in Letter

    MACON, Ga. – A former Georgia poll worker pleaded guilty to mailing a letter that threatened to bomb a Jones County precinct and harm poll workers and admitted to lying to the FBI during the investigation.

    Nicholas Wimbish, 25, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to conveying false information about a bomb threat and making hoaxes before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Feb. 14. Wimbish faces a maximum of five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 13. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Bomb hoaxes and similar threats create grave and unnecessary disruptions in our communities, pulling vital law enforcement resources and terrifying people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office and law enforcement partners take these types of threats seriously and will pursue federal prosecution when warranted.”

    “The FBI takes all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Robert Gibbs of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to intimidate a public official or interfere with the elections process.”

    According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Wimbish was employed as a poll worker at the Jones County Elections Office in Gray, Georgia, on Oct. 16, 2024, when he had a verbal altercation with a voter. Later that evening and into the early hours of Oct. 17, 2024, Wimbish conducted relevant online research and then drafted a letter posing as the voter threatening to bomb the polling place. Wimbish mailed the threatening letter to the Jones County Elections Superintendent from a “Jones County Voter” on Oct. 17, 2024. It arrived at the election office on Oct. 22, 2024.

    Wimbish admitted he intended the letter to appear as if it came from the voter and added details to make it seem like the voter was targeting Wimbish and other poll workers. For example, it said, “Yesterday I had your young liberal woke idiot Nicholas Wimbish give me hell,” that “he tries to influence peoples votes in line,” and that “I researched a newspaper article about Nicholas Wimbish and other woke liberal fraudsters impostering to be patriots.” The letter threatened that Wimbish and others “should look over their shoulder,” that “I know where they all go,” that “I know where they all live because I found home voting addresses for all them,” that “the liberal young men will get beatdown if they fight me,” that “they will get the treason punishment by firing squad if they fight back,” and that “they should watch every move they make looking over their shoulder.” Further, the letter threatened to “rage rape” the “ladies” and warned them to “watch every move they make and look over their shoulder.” Below the typewritten letter, Wimbish wrote a note by hand, “PS boom toy in early vote place, cigar burning, be safe.” Wimbish admitted he knew that a “boom toy” was a term for an explosive device. Wimbish also acknowledged that he lied to FBI agents investigating the mailed threat and falsely stated that he believed the Jones County voter sent the letter and that he had not conducted online research on himself. The letter was found on Wimbish’s computer.

    The FBI Atlanta Field Office investigated the case.

    Deputy Criminal Chief William R. “Will” Keyes and Trial Attorney Madison Mumma of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) are prosecuting the case for the Government with assistance from Senior Counsel Ryan Dickey of the DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Introduces Bill to Raise Minimum Age to Buy Assault Weapons

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the seventh anniversary of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21, the same age requirement that already applies to purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. Individuals under 21 have used assault weapons in some of the most devastating school shootings in U.S. history, including the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

    Gun violence is a national crisis, claiming over 46,000 lives in 2023 — the third-largest number of gun-related deaths in American history. Assault weapons, originally engineered for military combat to maximize damage, are frequently used in mass shootings because of their ability to inflict catastrophic harm in mere seconds. More than 85 percent of deaths in public mass shootings involving four or more fatalities were caused by assault rifles. Furthermore, shootings involving assault weapons or large-capacity magazines result in more than 2.5 times as many people being shot compared to incidents involving other firearms.

    “Seven years after a 19-year-old gunman tragically took the lives of 17 students and faculty in Parkland, we’re still seeing far too many preventable mass shootings at the hands of deadly assault rifles,” said Senator Padilla. “If you can’t legally buy a handgun, there’s no reason you should be able to buy a military-grade weapon. This commonsense legislation would raise the minimum age to purchase or carry an assault weapon or high-capacity ammunition from 18 to 21 — the same standard already in place for purchasing handguns — helping to curb the gun violence epidemic that continues to devastate communities in California and across the nation.”

    The bill’s restrictions on the sale of assault weapons, handguns, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and related ammunition to individuals under the age of 21 would apply to both federally licensed and private sellers. Additionally, the legislation would bar most individuals under 21 from possessing these items, with limited exceptions for specific circumstances such as service in law enforcement or the armed forces.

    The Age 21 Act is cosponsored by 18 Senators, including Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    “Too many innocent lives lost, too many individuals facing relentless grief—we must take action to stop the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our nation. By raising the minimum age requirement for purchasing assault weapons, the Age 21 Act keeps guns out of the hands of young people, combatting gun violence hurting our communities. This legislation takes meaningful action to prevent senseless, unnecessary tragedies,” said Senator Blumenthal.

    “Congress cannot sit by and do nothing while gun violence remains the number one killer of children in America,” said Senator Duckworth. “As we remember the 17 lives cut short at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, we must honor their memory with action. The Age 21 Act is commonsense gun safety legislation that would help prevent mass shootings and do more to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of those who would seek to harm themselves or others. If Republicans were truly ‘pro-life,’ they would support our bill and help us save lives.”

    “Gun violence continues to shatter families and communities throughout America. Our existing laws allow far too many guns to fall into the wrong hands. That is why I’m signing onto the Age 21 Act, which prohibits the sale of assault weapons, handguns, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and related ammunition to individuals under the age of 21,” said Senator Durbin. “This legislation is one of many steps we must take to address the gun violence epidemic across the United States.”

    “Guns are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in America today. Year after year, deadly assault weapons inflict devastating and avoidable harm on our families, schools, and communities, causing children, parents, and teachers to live with the fear that the next school shooting may happen in their community,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Age 21 Act offers a critical safeguard to prevent such tragedies, decreasing the threat of gun violence against our kids. I am proud to support this legislation, and I will fight hard for its passage this Congress.”

    “The gun violence epidemic in our country is rampant, devastating communities and taking innocent lives,” said Senator Hirono. “This commonsense legislation is a step in the right direction and will help to keep our communities safer by keeping these deadly weapons out of the hands of those under the age of 21. As we continue working to prevent gun violence across the country, our introduction of this bill will move us closer to putting an end to the thousands of preventable gun-violence related deaths every year.”

    “Everyone in America should be able to live free from the fear of injury or death caused by a firearm,” said Senator Kaine. “One of many commonsense steps we can take to reduce that risk is limiting young people’s access to assault weapons—just like we already limit their access to handguns. I’m proud to help introduce this bill to raise the legal purchasing age for assault weapons to 21, and will keep pushing for additional legislation to make our communities safer from gun violence.”

    “Our children deserve safe environments to grow and learn in, and that means taking on gun violence—the leading cause of death for children and teens,” said Senator Klobuchar. “It’s common sense that young people who cannot buy a handgun should not be able to buy an assault weapon.”

    “From Uvalde to Parkland, it’s just a fact the profile of these shooters are often teenagers who were able to legally get their hands on a deadly weapon like an AR-15. A majority of Americans support raising the age to purchase assault weapons or handguns to 21. Congress should do it,” said Senator Murphy.

    “It’s really simple: Teenagers and assault rifles don’t mix. This bill would make it harder for anyone under 21 to get their hands on the types of military-style assault weapons and ammunition that have been repeatedly used in school shootings and other mass-casualty attacks,” said Senator Reed.

    “This bill helps address the epidemic of gun violence by restricting access to weapons capable of inflicting the most grievous loss of life to those of appropriate age,” said Senator Schiff. “It is not too much to ask that someone wait until the age of 21 to purchase a military style assault weapon for civilian use. Gun violence takes the lives of too many people each year, including many children, and we must do everything in our power to find solutions that keep our communities and our children safe.”

    “No good comes from an unsupervised teenager having an assault rifle,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Our commonsense legislation would help keep kids and communities safe by preventing young people who are not even of legal drinking age from being able to buy weapons of war.”

    “If you’re not old enough to purchase alcohol, you shouldn’t be allowed to buy a gun either,” said Senator Wyden. “We need to be doing everything we can to stop America’s gun violence epidemic, including raising the legal age of purchase to 21. I am proud to support this bill that will help keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of teenagers.”

    The Age 21 Act is endorsed by organizations including Brady: United Against Gun Violence, March for Our Lives, Giffords, Newtown Action Alliance, and Everytown for Gun Safety.

    “Six of the deadliest mass shootings since 2018 were committed by individuals 21 and under. The Age 21 Act could have saved lives then, and will continue to do so if passed into law,” said Alexa Browning, Policy Manager at March For Our Lives. “Firearms are still the leading cause of death for young people, yet we continue to allow access to deadly weapons while restricting substances like alcohol and tobacco. We are deeply grateful to Senator Padilla for taking decisive action in this fight to prevent further tragedies and protect our future.” 

    “People ages 18 to 20 are responsible for perpetrating a disproportionate share of school shootings, public mass shootings, and gun homicides overall. Raising the minimum age of purchase not only protects communities, but kids as well, as states with minimum age laws have seen significant declines in firearm suicides and other types of gun violence among young adults and children. Senator Padilla’s bill sets a national standard for something that has already proven effective at the state level, and we urge Congress to implement this common sense legislation,” said Vanessa Gonzalez, Vice President of Government & Political Affairs at GIFFORDS.

    Senator Padilla is a strong advocate for commonsense, life-saving gun safety reforms. In June 2022, Padilla voted to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun safety legislation in almost 30 years. Last year, Padilla introduced bicameral legislation to prevent the federal government from contracting with federally licensed firearms dealers that have a documented history of selling a disproportionate number of guns that end up being used to commit violent crimes. In 2023, Padilla joined 27 of his Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Keep Americans Safe Act, renewing efforts to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. He also joined Senator Blumenthal in introducing Ethan’s Law, which would require gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms, and he cosponsored Senator Edward J. Markey’s (D-Mass.) Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act, which would direct the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe rules that prohibit the marketing of firearms to children.

    A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Moran, Hirono, Lankford Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Promote Wildfire Mitigation Through Wildlife Grazing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Moran, Hirono, Lankford Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Promote Wildfire Mitigation Through Wildlife Grazing

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced bipartisan legislation to promote research on how grazing can support wildfire mitigation, fuels reduction, and post-fire recovery.
    Several states have implemented pilot programs in which animals like goats and cattle, called “ungulates,” have grazed on prescribed areas of land containing highly flammable grasses and shrubs to mitigate fire risk. These pilot efforts have successfully reduced vegetation that can fuel rapid fire growth. However, limited scientific research has been conducted on optimal grazing land management techniques that also protect against other environmental harms.
    To address this critical research gap, the Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act would add the “Grazing for Wildfire Mitigation Initiative” to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s High-Priority Research List.
    “As devastating wildfires pose increasingly severe threats to our communities, we need to explore out-of-the-box approaches to blunt these disasters,” said Senator Padilla. “Grazing animals like goats and cattle have been successfully used to reduce the hazardous brush that fuels wildfires. Expanding our understanding of novel grazing strategies can make it a cost-effective tool to save lives and protect homes.”
    “Using grazing as a way to reduce wildfires is both beneficial to our ranchers and important to eliminating the grasses that accelerate fires on the prairie,” said Senator Moran. “Kansans have faced devastating wildfires in recent years and understand the importance of proactively working to keep our land healthy and free of undergrowth that can make these fires worse.”
    “As the people of Lahaina continue to recover from the devastating wildfires in 2023, we recognize just how necessary it is to pre-emptively reduce wildfire risk,” said Senator Hirono. “As wildfires occur with increasing frequency across the country, this legislation is a crucial step to help strengthen community resilience by studying the implementation of grazing as a strategy for reducing vegetation that can fuel wildfires. I’m glad to join my colleagues in introducing this important bill to help prevent wildfires and protect our communities.”
    “The Nature Conservancy welcomes this bill as a jump start for the utilization of grazing as a tool for wildfire risk reduction,” said Whitney Forman-Cook, Senior Policy Advisor for Forests and Fire at The Nature Conservancy. “In our Roadmap for Wildfire Resilience, we recommend federal land management agencies research and implement new strategies for forest and rangeland fuels reduction treatments at landscape scales. Targeted grazing satisfies that call for a new, cost-effective approach to promoting both drought and wildfire resilience while maintaining rangeland health.”
    “Wildfires are growing more intense, destructive and frequent—demanding bold, science-driven solutions. The Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act invests in the critical research needed to unlock the full potential of sustainable grazing as a wildfire mitigation tool. By equipping land managers, farmers and foresters with data-backed strategies, Congress can ensure grazing reduces fire risk while enhancing soil health, biodiversity and long-term ecosystem resilience,” said Eric Holst, AVP, Wildfire Resilience at Environmental Defense Fund.
    Specifically, the Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act would:
    Support research and development of grazing land management techniques for wildfire mitigation and recovery by driving research at land-grant colleges and universities like the University of California system, Kansas State University, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and Oklahoma State University.
    Promote the dissemination of information on these wildlife grazing land management techniques to public and private landowners, land managers, and livestock owners, including land management activities that protect against negative environmental impacts and improve soil health.
    The bill is endorsed by the Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy.
    Senator Padilla has long been a leader in strengthening the federal and state response to wildfires. Last week, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. Additionally, Padilla’s legislation to strengthen FEMA’s wildfire preparedness and response efforts, the FIRE Act, became law in 2022.
    A one-pager on the bill is available here.
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Belarus: Violations remain ‘widespread and systematic’, says independent expert group

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Human Rights

    A new report from UN Human Rights Council-mandated experts monitoring Belarus on Friday said that authorities have been committing widespread human rights violations, some amounting to crimes against humanity, as part of a systematic campaign to silence political opposition.

    The Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus established in 2024, was tasked with investigating alleged violations since 2020 – when a disputed election saw President Alexander Lukashenko returned to power for a sixth term – and recommending steps toward accountability.

    The group was established last year for a renewable period of a year. Like all independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council, they serve on a voluntary basis, are not UN staff, receive no salary and are are independent of any government.

    In their latest findings presented to the Council, the experts documented arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence and the persecution of political opponents.

    The report details targeted abuses against LGBTQIA+ individuals, political activists and journalists, alongside sweeping legal changes aimed at eradicating all dissent.

    The violations, the experts concluded, are part of a widespread and systematic attack against civilians critical of the Government.

    Campaign of fear and repression

    The experts’ findings state that Belarusian authorities systematically detain critics on politically motivated charges, often subjecting them to repeated imprisonment under inhumane conditions.

    Arrests are frequently carried out using excessive force, together with threats and intimidation.

    Detainees report being beaten, subjected to electric shocks, and even threatened with rape – not only against themselves but also against their family members.

    The regime’s actions go beyond repression, with reasonable grounds to believe that some violations amount to “imprisonment and persecution on political grounds”, the report said.

    Torture and sexual violence

    Widespread torture and ill-treatment are documented, particularly within temporary detention facilities and penal colonies.

    Men and women detained on political charges are routinely subjected to extreme conditions: some deprived of sleep, packed into overcrowded cells without basic hygiene and denied medical care.

    Many detainees describe being forced to make “repentance videos” after suffering physical and psychological abuse.

    The targeting of LGBTQIA+ individuals is particularly brutal, with security forces using homophobic slurs, beatings and sexual humiliation.

    In one instance, a transgender woman was severely beaten, threatened with rape and forced to confess to crimes she did not commit, the experts report.

    A crackdown beyond borders

    Hundreds of opposition figures, activists and journalists have been charged in absentia for alleged crimes such as “discrediting” the State. Their properties have been seized and their families in Belarus have faced harassment and intimidation.

    “The orchestrated campaign of violence and mistreatment was directed against Belarusians perceived as being critical of, or opposed to, the Government,” the experts noted.

    Conclusions show that such persecution extends beyond Belarus’s borders, leaving those in exile vulnerable and their families at home under pressure.

    Systematic persecution

    The experts determined that Belarus’s actions amount to crimes against humanity, citing imprisonment, torture and persecution on political grounds as part of a widespread and systematic attack on civilians.

    They stressed that accountability is critical, emphasising that “identifying and prosecuting perpetrators of human rights violations and crimes against humanity is key to ending Belarus’s culture of impunity and integral for the victims to receive justice.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Hawaii Private Nonprofits Affected by April Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Hawaii of the March 17, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms, flooding and landslides that occurred April 11-14, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers Kauai County.

    Under the declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs that provide non-critical services of a governmental nature and suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. Examples of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than March 17.

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    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Leader Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine Pills and Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Cambodian man living in Lowell, Mass. was sentenced yesterday for trafficking large quantities of deadly substances, methamphetamine pills and fentanyl.

    Sary Rath, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 135 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Rath is subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In October 2024, Rath pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine, and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl.

    The investigation of Rath and the criminal street gang, the Asian Boyz, was intended to disrupt the manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine pills, branded as the pharmaceutical product, Adderall, that was impacting Greater Lowell communities. The Asian Boyz were supplying a sprawling drug distribution network with these homemade counterfeit “Adderall” pills.  

    On Nov. 11, 2021, Rath was recorded selling over 2,000 counterfeit “Adderall” pills for the price of $2.00 per pill, or $4,000 total. The pills were seized by investigators, who confirmed that the pills were pressed with methamphetamine and caffeine, and were nearly identical to genuine Adderall pills in shape, size, color and markings.      

    Rath also brokered a half-kilogram fentanyl deal with Asian Boyz gang associate and co-defendant, Anel Reyes. In early December 2021, Rath was introduced to undercover agents posing as music industry insiders. Rath used the brand “Money Affiliated” to publish music and sell apparel that promoted his allegiance to the Asian Boyz. The undercover agents expressed interest in helping Rath produce rap music and the need for a source of wholesale quantities of cocaine and fentanyl. On Dec. 20, 2021, Rath coordinated a meeting at his music studio in Chelmsford, Mass., between the undercover agent, Reyes, and himself, for the sale of 500 grams of fentanyl for $10,000. Reyes was only able to obtain approximately 400 grams of fentanyl, so the undercover agent paid $8,000. For brokering the deal, Rath received $800 of the cash proceeds of the illicit sale. Approximately three weeks later, on Jan. 14, 2022, Reyes conducted a second transaction with the same undercover agent, this time for a half kilogram of fentanyl for $10,000.

    In May 2024, Reyes pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 27, 2025.  

    U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division and Superintendent Greg Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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.

    This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
    of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Charting A Renewed Course for Avery Point

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    This is an exciting time for Avery Point. UConn’s Strategic Plan 2024-2034 calls for developing seven world-class campuses as part of one flagship university. UConn is investing in each unique campus to best promote student success and power thriving regional communities around Connecticut. 

    Here at Avery Point, we aim to: 

    • Expand the number of four-year majors offered in in-demand career fields, such as engineering, business, and psychological sciences.   
    • Develop partnerships to build the workforces that small, medium and large area businesses need.  
    • Utilize Avery Point’s unique geography to fulfill our mission as a Land and Sea Grant institution and lead critical new research in climate resiliency.  
    • Engage in ongoing productive discussions with tribal nations in our state focused on building innovative new collaborations centered on the Avery Point campus. 

    As part of this process, we’ve explored many different ideas — some of which we are advancing, and others we are not. Below are answers to some recent common questions.  While we’ve devoted considerable time exploring different possibilities for Avery Point, please know we are early in the process of hammering out details. We will continue to share updates as they are available.  
     
    If you have a question or suggestion, please let us know by emailing us at: averypointadministration@uconn.edu 

    ENROLLMENT 

    UConn Avery Point previously served over 700 undergraduate students and currently has 450 enrolled today. Our vision will re-build Avery Point’s enrollment in order to more fully and sustainably serve southeastern Connecticut and the state’s higher education needs into the future. 

     
    STUDENT HOUSING 

    With no on-site housing, all students (including first year) must independently find their own housing and compete for limited rental housing in the area, live at home, or commute from afar.  

    UConn aims to construct a residential hall on the Avery Point campus. The proposed location is across from the existing athletic building (also referred to as Site A in the June 2024 RFEI), which is currently used as a baseball field. The residential hall would house approximately 250 students and include expanded dining, healthcare, and other support services so students’ day-to-day living needs can be fulfilled. Construction would be funded by UConn, and the residence hall would be owned and operated by UConn. The baseball field will be relocated and funding has been set aside to accomplish this. 

    We will work closely with town officials to plan ahead for infrastructure needs, including police, fire, emergency preparedness, traffic, etc.  

    We will also actively listen to and work together with the community to address areas of local concern or impact.  

    NO HOTEL 

    There are no plans to construct a hotel on UConn Avery Point (this includes the parcels referred to as Sites B and C in the June 2024 RFEI, and Sites A and B in the RFO.) In 2024, UConn did issue a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) and Request for Offers (RFO) to gauge market interest/ideas for a hotel in response to parents/guests’ requests for accommodations, desire for event space and management, and as a potential revenue source. No proposals were received for a hotel, and UConn is not pursuing this concept. 

    EXPANDING ACADEMIC OFFERINGS & SPACE NEEDS 

    Avery Point’s existing educational buildings/spaces will be able to accommodate the space needs for expanded academic offerings for the foreseeable future.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nearly 50K Tickets Issued During Super Bowl Crackdown

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced law enforcement agencies throughout the state issued 49,948 tickets for various vehicle and traffic law violations, including 1,021 tickets for impaired driving, during a statewide mobilization surrounding Super Bowl celebrations. The campaign ran from Monday, February 3, 2025 through Sunday, February 9, 2025.

    “New York has zero tolerance for impaired or reckless drivers who put themselves and others sharing the road in danger,” Governor Hochul said. “I thank our law enforcement officers for their vigilance in removing these individuals from our roadways.”

    Sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols to deter, identify and arrest impaired drivers were conducted throughout the campaign by State and local law enforcement officers.

    As part of the enforcement, law enforcement officers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state. Below is a breakdown of the total tickets that were issued.  

    Violation  Number of Tickets 
    Impaired Driving 1,021
    Distracted Driving  1,914
    Move Over 227
    Speeding 8,536
    Seatbelt 1,083
    Other Violations  37,167
    Grand Total  49,948

    Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “The results of this campaign show the need for these enforcement campaigns that encourage safe celebrations. Making the right decision is an easy decision. Plan for a sober ride home. It’s not worth the risk of an arrest, injury or death.”

    New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The injuries and deaths caused by impaired and drunk drivers are completely preventable. Through continued education and enforcement, the New York State Police remains committed to keeping New York’s roads safe, by discouraging, detecting, and arresting impaired motorists. I thank our law enforcement partners at the Department of Motor Vehicles for their partnership in combating drunk and impaired driving.”

    During the 2024 Super Bowl weekend campaign, law enforcement officers arrested 262 people for impaired driving and issued 8,388 total tickets.

    Chautauqua County Sheriff and NYS Sheriffs’ Association President James Quattrone said, “Hopefully everyone enjoyed the Super Bowl weekend. Millions of people watched the big game and made the smart decision to not drive impaired. Unfortunately, some people put themselves, their passengers, and other road users in danger by driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Law enforcement ticketed and arrested many of these dangerous drivers. The Sheriffs of New York State want you to enjoy the off season and thank all of you that chose to not drive impaired.” 

    This impaired driving enforcement campaign is one of the several coordinated initiatives sponsored by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. These targeted mobilizations provide resources to law enforcement statewide to target underage drinking and increase DWI patrols and sobriety check points during the campaign period. Other impaired driving campaigns occur around St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and periods of time from August to September and December to January.

    New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). 

    Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website. 

    For more information about GTSC, visit trafficsafety.ny.gov/, or follow the GTSC conversation at Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Darknet Drug Trafficking Couple From Las Vegas Sentenced in D.C. to Federal Prison Terms

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

    WASHINGTON—Rushan Lavar Reed, 47, and Celeste Nicole Reed, 28, both of Las Vegas, Nevada, were sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 51 months and 37 months in federal prison, respectively, for participating in a long-term sophisticated drug trafficking conspiracy that illegally distributed “pharmacy grade- not homemade pressed pills” nationwide across seven online darknet markets.

    The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Phoenix Division, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Schwartz of the Las Vegas Field Office, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

    Rushan Reed, aka “Double R,” and Celeste Reed, aka “Calileone,” each pleaded guilty October 22, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, hydrocodone, and amphetamine. In addition to the prison terms, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered the couple to serve three years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, for six years the married couple operated an online storefront called “MrsFeelGood” to illegally distribute a variety of narcotics across the United States, including the District of Columbia. They used darknet markets that included Monopoly, Versus, ASAP, AlphaBay, Wall Street, Archetyp, Bohemia, Empire, Dream, and White House. In addition to oxycodone, hydrocodone, and amphetamines, they also sold and distributed MDMA, codeine, Vyvanse, Dilaudid, and marijuana. Operating on the darkweb made it possible for the Reeds to hide their identities, hide the location of their computers, and hide their illegal sales. In addition, they used cryptocurrency to launder their money so that the illegal proceeds of their drug trafficking would be difficult to trace.

    On October 11, 2023, law enforcement executed arrest warrants at the couple’s Las Vegas home and arrested them both. Officers recovered, among other things: multiple pills in prescription bottles, packaging materials; gloves; black Ziploc bags; and empty prescription pill bottles with the names of the defendants and other uncharged coconspirators. Officers also recovered an assortment of electronic devices and an AR-15 firearm. The laptop was set up to use an operating system designed to access the darknet and protect against surveillance.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the FBI Las Vegas Field Office, the USPIS Washington Division, and USPIS Phoenix Division.

    The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter V. Roman with valuable assistance provided by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Isabelle Sun, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Crosby, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Wang.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal to find missing man not seen for three weeks

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are appealing for assistance to trace a missing man from Uxbridge, who has not been seen for three weeks.

    Douglas Mills, 44, was last seen at his home address on Saturday 25 January.

    While the investigation to locate Douglas continues, the Met is appealing to the public to help locate him.

    Douglas is slim build with a shaved head, and was last seen wearing dark clothing and black combat bottoms.

    If you have seen Douglas or have any information about his whereabouts, please call 101 and quote the reference 4109/27JAN.

    For an immediate sighting dial 999 or to remain anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Commission on Limits of Continental Shelf to Hold Sixty-Third Session at Headquarters, 17 February to 21 March

    Source: United Nations 4

    NEW YORK, 14 February (United Nations, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs) — The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf will hold its sixty-third session from 17 February to 21 March 2025 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.  During the session, plenary meetings will be held from 24 to 28 February and from 10 to 14 March.  The remainder of the session will be devoted to the technical examination of submissions by subcommissions on the Division premises, including geographic information systems laboratories and other facilities.

    The upcoming session of the Commission will be the first for Ahmed Er Raji (nominated by Morocco) following his election as a member of the Commission at the resumed thirty‑fourth Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on 27 November 2024.  Also, given the recent resignation of Harald Brekke (nominated by Norway) due to health reasons, the Commission will elect a Vice-Chairperson to fill the resulting vacancy.

    During the session, nine subcommissions will continue to consider submissions made by Mauritius in respect of the region of Rodrigues Island (partial submission); Palau in respect of the North Area (partial amended submission); Portugal; Spain in respect of the area of Galicia (partial submission); Namibia; Mozambique; and Madagascar; as well as revised submissions made by Brazil in respect of the Brazilian Oriental and Meridional Margin (partial revised submission); and Cook Islands concerning the Manihiki Plateau (revised submission).

    Coastal States that had not yet presented their submissions to the Commission were invited to present them at the plenary part of the session. To date, the following submitting States accepted the invitation: Brazil in respect of the Brazilian Oriental and Meridional Margin (partial revised submission); and Viet Nam in respect of the Central Area (VNM-C).

    The plenary of the Commission will commence its consideration of the recommendations prepared by the subcommissions established to consider the submissions made by Brazil in respect of the Brazilian Equatorial Margin (partial revised submission); Cuba in respect the eastern polygon in the Gulf of Mexico; and Iceland in respect of the western, southern and south-eastern parts of the Reykjanes Ridge (partial revised submission), which were transmitted to the Commission during the sixty‑second session.

    This session will be the first under the revised pattern of annual meetings in New York, whereby the Commission meets for three sessions of five weeks each, including four weeks of plenary meetings, complemented by increased intersessional work.

    Background

    Established pursuant to article 2 of annex II to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Commission makes recommendations to coastal States on matters related to the establishment of the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, based on information submitted by those coastal States. The recommendations are based on the scientific data and other material provided by coastal States in relation to the implementation of article 76 of the Convention and do not prejudice matters relating to the delimitation of boundaries between States with opposite or adjacent coasts or prejudice the position of States that are parties to a land or maritime dispute, or application of other parts of the Convention or any other treaties.  The limits of the continental shelf established by a coastal State on the basis of the recommendations are final and binding.  In the case of disagreement by a coastal State with the recommendations of the Commission, the coastal State shall, within a reasonable time, make a revised or new submission to the Commission.

    Under rule 23 of its rules of procedure (Public and private meetings), the meetings of the Commission, its subcommissions and subsidiary bodies are held in private, unless the Commission decides otherwise.

    As required under the rules of procedure of the Commission, the executive summaries of all the submissions, including all charts and coordinates, have been made public by the Secretary‑General through continental shelf notifications circulated to Member States of the United Nations, as well as States parties to the Convention.  The executive summaries are available on the Division’s website at: www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/clcs_home.htm.  The summaries of recommendations adopted by the Commission are also available on the above-referenced website.

    The Commission is a body of 21 experts in the field of geology, geophysics or hydrography serving in their personal capacities.  Members of the Commission are elected for a term of five years by the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention having due regard to the need to ensure equitable geographical representation.  Not fewer than three members shall be elected from each geographical region.

    A by-election to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of Mr. Brekke will be held at the thirty-fifth Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, scheduled to be convened from 23 to 27 June 2025.  An election for another seat allocated to members from the Group of Eastern European States which has remained vacant would also be held on that occasion.

    The Convention provides that the State party which submitted the nomination of a member of the Commission shall defray the expenses of that member while in performance of Commission duties.  A voluntary trust fund for the purpose of defraying the cost of participation of the members of the Commission from developing countries has been established.  It has facilitated the participation of several members of the Commission from developing countries in the sessions of the Commission.

    The convening by the Secretary-General of the sessions of the Commission, with full conference services, including documentation, for the plenary parts of these sessions, is subject to approval by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The Assembly does so in its annual resolutions on oceans and the law of the sea, which also address other matters relevant to the work of the Commission and the conditions of service of its members.

    For additional information on the work of the Commission see the website of the Division at:  www.un.org/depts/los/index.htm.  In particular, the most recent Statements by the Chair on the progress in the work of the Commission are available at: /www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/commission_documents.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Oklahoma Private Nonprofits Affected by May Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Oklahoma of the March 14, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms, straight-line‑winds, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 19-28, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Blaine, Caddo, Custer, Delaware, Jackson, Mayes, Roger Mills, Rogers and Woods.

    Under the declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs that provide non-critical services of a governmental nature and suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. Examples of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs cause by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

    Interest rates can be as low as 3.25% with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    Submit completed loan applications no later than March 14.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Starr County felon sentenced for illegally possessing multiple firearms

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

    McALLEN, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been ordered to prison following his conviction of being a felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Rosvel Gonzalez pleaded guilty Nov. 21, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Gonzalez to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

    On Sept. 5, 2024, an undercover law enforcement officer engaged in a controlled sale of a firearm to Gonzalez, a convicted felon. Authorities arrested him following the sale. A subsequent search of Gonzalez’s home revealed eight additional firearms and several amounts of ammunition.

    The investigation revealed Gonzalez was previously convicted of felony possession of marijuana. He also had a prior felony conviction for manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law. 

    Gonzalez has been and will remain in custody pending his transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: ITC bars importation of power modules and unlicensed computing systems that infringe Vicor patents

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANDOVER, Mass., Feb. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vicor Corporation (NASDAQ: VICR) today announced that, on February 13, the International Trade Commission (“ITC”) issued a Notice of Final Determination in its Investigation No. 337-TA-1370 (“In the Matter of Certain Power Converter Modules and Computing Systems Containing the Same”), confirming that Vicor U.S. Patent Nos. 9,516,761 (“’761 patent”) and 9,166,481 (“’481 patent”) are valid and infringed, and that unlicensed computing systems containing infringing power modules should be barred from importation into the United States.

    The ITC issued a Limited Exclusion Order against all Respondents and Cease and Desist Orders against Respondents Delta Electronics (Americas) Ltd., Quanta Computer USA Inc. and Quanta Computer Inc., FII USA Inc., and Ingrasys Technology USA Inc.

    Following the determination, for a mandatory 60-day presidential review period, Respondents may import infringing power modules and computing systems upon posting a bond. The ITC set the bond amount for the computing systems at 100% of the system’s value. Following the expiration of the presidential review period, Respondents would be prohibited from importing infringing power modules and computing systems.

    The Final Determination reversed a prior finding that Foxconn Respondents did not have a license to Vicor patents and instead found that two Foxconn affiliates—FII USA, Inc. and Ingrasys Technology, Inc.—have a license to the ’761 patent, based on boilerplate clauses in these entities’ purchase orders for Vicor components. Vicor intends to appeal this finding to the Federal Circuit.

    “As expected, Respondents are now subject to exclusion and cease and desist orders, exposing their unlicensed customers to severe consequences,” stated Chief Executive Officer Dr. Patrizio Vinciarelli. “Mindful of the risk of AI and computing systems being barred from importation into the U.S., certain OEM and non-OEM customers of infringing contract manufacturers have taken licenses. We look forward to additional steps to protect Vicor IP, including a trial in the Eastern District of Texas, where Vicor seeks monetary damages for willful infringement.”

    For more information on Vicor and its products, please visit the Company’s website at www.vicorpower.com.

    About Vicor

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

    Vicor is a registered trademark of Vicor Corporation.

    Contact

    James F. Schmidt
    Chief Financial Officer
    Office: (978) 470-2900
    Email: invrel@vicorpower.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Tax Season Ramps Up, Warren, Cassidy Renew Effort to Simplify IRS Error Notices for Taxpayers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 14, 2025

    Bill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) reintroduced the Internal Revenue Service Math and Taxpayer Help (IRS MATH) Act, a bill to improve math error notices — an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) authority used to quickly adjust taxpayers’ returns. 

    Representatives Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) recently reintroduced the bill in the House, and the bill passed unanimously out of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee during markup on February 12, 2025.

    Each year, the IRS sends millions of Americans math error notices, expedited adjustments to tax returns that contain simple math or clerical errors. These “vague and confusing” notices often list several potential errors that may have been made rather than specifying the exact issue leading to a refund being reduced. The notices also fail to explain that taxpayers have only 60 days to challenge the IRS’s position and fail to explain how taxpayers can contest these notices, causing many taxpayers to forfeit their right to challenge the adjustments.

    The lawmakers hope to improve this unworkable system to help taxpayers, especially low-income and non-English speaking Americans, who cannot afford lawyers to help them navigate the complicated correspondence process. The Math ACT was included in the Senate Finance Committee’s discussion draft of bipartisan legislation that aims to reform IRS administration and procedure. 

    “IRS communications to taxpayers should be clear and easy to understand,” said Senator Warren. “This bipartisan bill will reform notoriously confusing error notices so that hardworking Americans can get the money they’re entitled to quickly and fairly.”

    “Taxes are already complicated, and the last thing Americans need is more confusion,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We’re making sure the IRS does its part to inform taxpayers when they correct inevitable errors made on tax returns.”

    “If the IRS finds a mistake on a tax return, this agency should be required to clearly communicate that error to the taxpayer and explain why a tax refund is higher or lower than expected. That’s why I’m glad to introduce legislation to ensure that the IRS clearly spells out errors on tax forms and helps taxpayers not only understand the mistake but also challenge it if they see fit,” said Representative Feenstra. “Filing taxes is already burdensome and time-consuming. We can improve customer service by instituting open and transparent communication between the IRS and the taxpayer when a tax error is identified.”

    Senators Warren and Cassidy initially introduced the bill in 118th Congress. 

    The IRS MATH Act reforms the math error process by:

    • Directing the IRS to improve notices of math or clerical errors, requiring that notices:  
      • Identify the line item the IRS is changing; 
      • Explain the reason for the change, and; 
      • Clearly list the taxpayer’s required response date.
    • Requiring that the IRS notify the taxpayer of abatement determinations.
    • Requiring the Treasury Secretary to provide additional procedures for requesting an abatement of a math or clerical error adjustment, including by telephone or in person.
    • Creating a pilot program coordinated by the IRS and National Taxpayer Advocate to determine the benefit of sending math or clerical error notices by certified or registered mail.

    Senator Warren has, throughout her career, advocated for low-income taxpayers and for improved IRS procedures: 

    • In January 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led over 135 members of Congress in writing to Treasury Secretary-Designate Scott Bessent and Internal Revenue Services’ (IRS) Commissioner-Designate Billy Long, urging them to maintain and expand the IRS’ Direct File program. 
    • In October 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representative Katie Porter (D-Calif.) wrote to the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service urging the agencies to make the Direct File tax filing program more secure and accessible by ending reliance on ID.me, which uses a flawed facial recognition software.
    • In April 2024, following the 2024 tax filing deadline, at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned IRS Commissioner Daniel I. Werfel, on the IRS’s use of Inflation Reduction Act funds to successfully pilot a Direct File program, a first-of-its-kind option for Americans in twelve states to be able to file their taxes online directly with the IRS, easily and for free.
    • In April 2024, Senator Warren and colleagues applauded the success of Direct File’s Pilot during the 2024 tax filing season, highlighting rave reviews, millions of dollars in refunds claimed and filing fees saved.
    • In April 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to Chair Lina M. Khan of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), blasting Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, for continuing to relentlessly upsell TurboTax users despite numerous FTC and state lawsuits and settlements. Senator Warren applauded the FTC’s oversight of Intuit, and urged the Commission to continue to take action to protect taxpayers from tax preparation companies that pile junk fees onto users.
    • In March 2024, Senator Warren celebrated the successful launch of the IRS’s Direct File pilot.
    • In March 2024, Senator Warren highlighted the positive feedback that the IRS’s Direct File pilot in 12 states has received from taxpayers and asked Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen to commit to expanding and extending the program in 2025 if positive feedback continues, which Yellen agreed to. 
    • In February 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal, Sanders, and Representative Porter sent a response to Intuit, blasting the company for its failure to answer basic questions the lawmakers asked in their January 2, 2024 letter seeking an accounting of the expenses underlying the company’s massive federal research tax breaks.
    • In January 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Representative Katie Porter (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Intuit requesting a full accounting of the expenses underlying the company’s massive federal research tax breaks by January 16, 2024. Intuit disclosed that it received $94 million in federal research tax credits in 2022, while simultaneously spending millions lobbying against the establishment of a free program for Americans to file their taxes online. 
    • In October 2023, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Representative Porter sent letters to five tax preparation companies—H&R Block, TaxAct, TaxSlayer, Ramsey Solutions, and Intuit—that recently received notices of penalty offenses from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding the misuse of taxpayer’s sensitive and confidential information. 
    • In October 2023, Senators Warren and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Representatives Porter, Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), and Don Beyer (D-Va.) released a statement supporting the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) joint announcement of their 2024 pilot of Direct File, a program that allows Americans to file tax returns digitally and free of charge. The lawmakers acknowledged the Inflation Reduction Act’s role in the program’s development, and stated their intention to support the IRS’s efforts to develop and expand the Direct File pilot. 
    • In August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Porter sent a letter to the Free File Alliance, the American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights, Intuit, and H&R Block admonishing the companies’ relentless lobbying against the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) direct free filing tool. 
    • In July 2023, Senators Warren, Wyden, Blumenthal, Duckworth, Sanders, and Whitehouse and Representative Porter released a report revealing the outrageous, extensive, and potentially illegal sharing of taxpayers’ sensitive personal and financial information with Meta by online tax preparation companies. The lawmakers also sent a letter to the IRS, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice highlighting their key findings and calling on these departments to fully investigate this matter and prosecute any company or individuals who violated the law.
    • In June 2023, Senators Warren and Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Representatives Sherman, Porter, and Beyer, led a coalition of 99 Democratic lawmakers in a letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel and Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo, applauding the IRS’s announcement of a pilot of a free tax filing tool next year.
    • In May 2023, Senator Warren’s call for a Free E-File Program was finally answered by the IRS through the Inflation Reduction Act .
    • In April 2023, Senators Warren and Carper led 29 other senators in a letter to the IRS Commissioner, urging the agency to simplify the tax process and broaden access to free e-filing options.
    • In April 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren questioned the IRS Commissioner about the agency’s failed Free-File partnership with private tax preparation software companies and called on the agency to implement a direct E-File program. 
    • In December 2022, Senators Warren and Wyden and Representatives Porter and Sherman sent letters to tax preparation companies H&R Block, TaxAct, and TaxSlayer, plus big tech firms Meta and Google, amid reports that the tax preparation companies have been secretly transmitting individual taxpayers’ sensitive financial information to Meta and Google
    • In August 2022, Senator Warren highlighted key priorities she secured in the Senate’s Inflation Reduction Act, including establishing an IRS task force to look into developing and running an IRS-run free direct E-File tax return system, based on Senator Warren’s Tax Filing Simplification Act. 
    • In July 2022, Senator Warren led 22 lawmakers to introduce the Tax Filing Simplification Act of 2022, legislation that would direct the IRS to develop its own free online tax preparation and filing service that would simplify the tax filing process for millions of Americans. 
    • In June 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen agreed with Senator Warren on the need to create a free tax filing system that actually works for Americans. 
    • In June 2022, Senator Warren and Representatives Porter and Sherman sent a letter to Richard K. Delmar, Acting Treasury Department Inspector, General, J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Andrew Katsaros, Acting Inspector General at the Federal Trade Commission, regarding troubling reports of Intuit’s abuse of the revolving door and the company’s hiring of former federal regulators and influence-peddlers to defend its shady business practices. In the letter, which is a follow up to the prior April 2022 letter, the lawmakers call out Intuit for forcing American taxpayers into paying for services that should be free, and request an in-depth investigation into the company and its use of the revolving door to influence policy decisions at those agencies. 
    • In April 2022, Senator Warren and Representatives Sherman and Porter sent a letter to Intuit regarding the company’s unethical use of the revolving door to hire former regulators to defend their shady business practices that scam taxpayers out of billions of dollars. In June 2022, the lawmakers sent a follow-up.
    • In February 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent a letter to the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Treasury and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, calling on them to open an investigation into the unethical revolving door between the world’s largest accounting firms and the Treasury Department and IRS. 
    • In February 2022, Senator Warren made the case for increased funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) through the Build Back Better Act and called on the administration to create the simplified filing tools proposed in her Tax Filing Simplification Act. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Remarks made by Technology Secretary Peter Kyle at the Munich Security Conference

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle spoke about the the UK’s approach to the responsible development of artificial intelligence at the Munich Security Conference.

    Innovation is defined by its ability to surprise.

    Only a few years ago, GPT-2 meant nothing to the public.

    For many of us, AI felt like a distant possibility at best.

    Something that would never – could never – live up to the hype.

    And yet, overnight, ChatGPT became a household name.

    It unleashed an unprecedented wave of technological change. 

    And the pace of progress shows no signs of slowing down.

    With DeepSeek, we’ve just seen once again just how sudden, how unpredictable, innovation can be.

    The AI revolution is happening.

    Ignoring it is simply not an option.

    In the UK, we reject the doomsayers and the pessimists.

    Because we are optimistic about the extraordinary potential of this technology.

    And hopeful for the radical, far-reaching change it will bring.

    We launched the AI Opportunities Action Plan to put us on the front foot.

    Working in collaboration with our international partners, we’re going to create one of the biggest clusters of AI innovation in the world and deliver a new era of prosperity and wealth creation for our country.

    This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

    If we can seize it, we will close the door on a decade of slow growth and stagnant productivity.

    Of taxes that are just too high.

    We will deliver new jobs that put more money in working people’s pockets.

    And we will drive forward a digital revolution inside government to make our state smaller, smarter, and more efficient.

    But none of that is possible unless we can mitigate its risks that AI presents.

    After all, businesses will only use these technologies if they can trust them.

    Security and innovation go hand in hand.

    AI is a powerful tool and powerful tools can be misused.

    State-sponsored hackers are using AI to write malicious code and identify system vulnerabilities, increasing the sophistication and efficiency of their attacks.

    Criminals are using AI deepfakes to assist in fraud, breaching security by impersonating officials.

    Last year, attackers used live deepfake technology during a video call to mimic bank officials.  

    They stole $25 million. 

    And now we are seeing instances of people using AI to assist them in planning violent and harmful acts.

    These aren’t distant possibilities.

    They are real, tangible harms, happening right now.

    The implications for our people could be pervasive and profound.

    In the UK, we have built the largest team in a government dedicated to understanding AI capabilities and risks in the world.

    That work is rooted in the strength of our partnerships with the companies who are right at the frontier of AI.

    Working with those companies, the government can conduct scientifically informed tests to understand new AI capabilities and the risks they pose.

    Make no mistake, I’m talking about risks to our people, their way of life, and the sovereignty and stability which underpins it.

    That is why today, I am renaming our AI Safety Institute as the AI Security Institute.

    This change brings us into line with what most people would expect an Institute like this to be doing.

    They are not looking into freedom of speech.

    They are not deciding what counts as bias or discrimination.

    They are not politicians – nor should they be.

    They are scientists – scientists who are squarely focused on rigorous research into the most serious emerging risks.

    They are researching AI’s potential to assist with the development of chemical and biological weapons.

    They are building on the expertise of our National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to understand how this technology could be used to help malicious actors commit cyber-attacks.

    They want to understand how AI could undermine human control.

    Our research shows that those risks are clear:

    There has been a clear upward trend in AI system capabilities most relevant to national security in the past 18 months.

    • For the first time last year, AI models demonstrated PhD-level performance on chemistry and biology question sets.

    • The safeguards designed to prevent these models doing harm are not currently sufficient.

    • Every model tested by the Institute is vulnerable to safeguard evasion attacks. 

    • And it is almost certain that these capabilities will continue to improve, while novel risks will emerge from systems acting as autonomous agents to complete tasks with only limited human instruction. 

    The more we understand these risks, the better we can work with companies to address them.

    And the faster we can keep our nation safe, the faster our people can embrace the potential of AI to create wealth and improve their lives.

    There are certain security risks which require immediate action.

    That is why the Security Institute will collaborate with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the Ministry of Defence’s science and technology organisation, to assess the dual-use scientific capabilities of frontier AI.

    Today, we are also launching a criminal misuse team in the Security Institute, who will partner directly with the Home Office to conduct research on a range of crime and security issues which threaten to harm our citizens.

    Earlier this month, the UK set out plans to make it illegal to own AI tools optimised to make images of child sexual abuse.

    Reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material found online by the Internet Watch Foundation have quadrupled in a single year.

    The Security Institute will work with the Home Office to explore what more we can do to prevent abusers using AI to commit their sickening crimes.

    A security risk is a security risk, no matter where it comes from.

    US companies have shown the lead in taking security risks seriously.

    But we need to scrutinise all models regardless of their jurisdiction of origin.

    So I’ve instructed the Security Institute to take a leading role in testing AI models wherever they come from, open or closed.

    While we can’t discuss these results publicly, we will share them with our allies.

    We are alive to the security risks of today.

    But we need to focus on tomorrow, too, and the day after that.

    We are now seeing the glimmers of AI agents that can act autonomously, of their own accord.

    The 2025 International AI Safety Report, led by Yoshua Bengio, warns us that – without the checks and balances of people directing them – we must consider the possibility that risks won’t just come from malicious actors misusing AI models, but from the models themselves.

    We don’t yet know the full extent of these risks.

    However, as we deploy AI across our economy, our society, and the critical infrastructure that keeps our nation secure, we cannot afford to ignore them.

    Because losing oversight and control of advanced AI systems, particularly Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), would be catastrophic.

    It must be avoided at all costs.

    I want to be clear exactly what this testing is, and what it’s not.

    It’s not a barrier to market access. Not a blocker to innovation.

    It is urgent scientific work to understand serious risks to our country.

    Governments are not passive bystanders in the AI revolution.

    We have agency in how AI shapes our society.

    And we have a responsibility to use that agency to defend our democratic way of life.

    Only countries with a deep and knowing understanding of this technology will be able to build the capacity they need to deliver for their citizens in the twenty-first century.

    But success is not a given.

    It depends on the democratic world rallying together to maintain our leadership in AI.

    Together, we can protect our fundamental values – freedom, openness, and opportunity.

    If we do that, we won’t just keep our people safe.

    We will ensure that they are first to benefit from the new era of wealth and prosperity which AI will bring.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eskasoni First Nation — Eskasoni RCMP Detachment charge man for drug trafficking

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Eskasoni RCMP Detachment has charged a man with drug trafficking after executing a search warrant in Eskasoni.

    On February 12, at approximately 9 a.m., RCMP officers executed a search warrant at a home on Logan Dr. in relation to an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.

    During the search, investigators seized cocaine, cash, cell phones, scales and other items used in the production and distribution of cocaine.

    Stephen John Sylliboy, 71, of Eskasoni, has been charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking. He was released from custody and is due to appear in Eskasoni Provincial Court on May 6.

    Nova Scotians are encouraged to contact their nearest RCMP detachment or local police to report crime in their communities. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or using the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Spokane Valley Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – On February 13, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Nicholas James Thieschafer, age 31, of Spokane Valley, Washington, to 25 years in federal prison on charges of production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material. Judge Rice also imposed a life term of supervised release and restitution of over $63,000, to be paid to Thieschafer’s victims.

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, a minor disclosed in February 2023 that Thieschafer had been sexually abusing the minor and had at times used his phone to take pictures.  When law enforcement executed a search warrant at Theieschafer’s home and seized several electronic devices, investigators located 3,300 image and video files of child sexual abuse material, including 877 files depicting the child who made the initial disclosure. Investigators located several videos in which Theischafer was readily identifiable as the person sexually abusing the child.

    “Those who prey on innocent children will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker.  “Protecting Eastern Washington communities—especially our most vulnerable among us—is a top priority. Our incredible team of prosecutors and support staff will continue to work tirelessly with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served.”

    “Thanks to the relentless efforts of our special agents, criminal analysts, and law enforcement partners, Mr. Thieschafer will be held accountable for his heinous crimes,” said ICE HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy. “This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for HSI to stay vigilant in our mission to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Our commitment to the victims of these crimes is resolute, and we will continue to collaborate closely with our partners to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security, Washington State Patrol, and the Spokane Police Department, which make up the Eastern Washington Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF), a Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) affiliate. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.

    2:23-cr-00129-TOR

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alberta welcomes the best of women’s hockey

    Since its debut over a year ago, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has seen tremendous success, breaking attendance records and selling out arenas across North America. The next stop of the PWHL’s neutral-ground Takeover Tour will be in Edmonton, where two Canadian teams will battle at Rogers Place, the heart of Edmonton’s world-renowned Ice District.

    The hype around the PWHL proves the growing demand for women’s hockey and increasing support for professional women’s sport. Alberta’s government staunchly supports women’s sports, working to remove barriers women face and increase participation in sport and recreation. Each year, Alberta’s government commits $18 million to increase access to sport and recreation through the Every Kid Can Play program and Active Communities Initiative, as well as more than $50,000 to support women in sport leadership – helping Albertan women thrive, both on and off the ice.

    “Alberta’s government is thrilled to welcome the PWHL to our capital city. Hockey runs deep in Alberta, and we couldn’t be more proud to have the world’s best women’s hockey players compete here. Sunday’s game is about more than hockey – it’s about showing girls across the province that there is not only space for them in sport, but that their dreams are within reach, and the entire province is rooting for them.”

    Joseph Schow, Minister of Tourism and Sport

    Sunday’s much-anticipated game is the direct result of conversations had during Minister Schow’s mission to New York this past fall, and will draw a sold-out crowd, injecting millions into the local economy as visitors book accommodations, eat at restaurants and shop at local businesses. As the PWHL continues to build its audience and consider expansion, Sunday’s game will highlight Alberta as a premier destination, with world-class sport infrastructure and the world’s best hockey fans.

    “The support from Edmonton and the Alberta hockey community leading up to our PWHL Takeover Tour game has been incredible. We’re thankful for the partnership with local leaders, who have been instrumental in bringing our world-class players to Edmonton, and we look forward to an unforgettable weekend, capped by our Feb. 16 game.”

    Amy Scheer, executive vice-president of Business Operations, PWHL

    Sunday’s game will give four Albertan players the opportunity to play in front of a hometown crowd. This includes Ottawa Charge forward Danielle Serdachny, the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, along with her teammates: defender Stephanie Markowski from Edmonton and goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer from Bruderheim. Also featured in the game are Ottawa head coach Carla McLeod, from Spruce Grove, and Calgary’s Jessica Kondas, a defender for the Toronto Sceptres.

    “Explore Edmonton is proud to celebrate women’s hockey with the first ever PWHL game in Edmonton, where hockey culture thrives and is supported by the best fans. There is strength in partnership, and we are glad to work alongside the event partners and funders to bring the community together to continue our hockey legacy and support women-in-sport.”

    Traci Bednard, president and CEO, Explore Edmonton

    Related information

    • PWHL Takeover Tour

    Related news

    • Promoting Alberta tourism in New York City (Sept. 20, 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister’s, California Building Industry Association’s statement on softwood duties, tariffs

    Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests, and Dan Dunmoyer, CEO, California Building Industry Association, have released the following statement on B.C. lumber and softwood duties:

    “B.C. and California have a strong relationship and a history of co-operation that has benefited so many people up and down the coast.

    “Together, we are working to make sure that our desire for fair, mutually beneficial trade policies is fully understood by U.S. industry leaders and policymakers, and to show that unjustified tariffs on Canadian imports on top of the already challenging softwood issue will only hurt people on both sides of the border.

    “There’s no doubt that our American partners need B.C.’s quality softwood products, and any tariff will simply increase the costs to build much-needed housing. This is particularly true following the recent fires in Los Angeles. More than 16,000 homes and buildings were lost, an almost unimaginable tragedy. There are now predictions that housing and rental units will now become even more unaffordable.

    “B.C. can play a positive role in helping California rebuild after the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. Rebuilding is only possible using B.C. wood, and unjustified tariffs and duties will only make recovery more expensive and take longer. B.C. can help in this housing crisis and we have a role in shaping the future of trade between our two countries.

    “The message we are bringing to Californians is this: B.C. is here to help. Our relationship creates reliable jobs and predictable, stable markets at a time when they can be hard to find. The best way forward is together.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Colleagues Demand: Hands Off Medicare and Medicaid 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Dismantling Medicaid is a Direct Attack on New Mexicans;
    New Mexico has the Most Medicaid Recipients Per Capita Than Any Other State
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M) joined U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in writing a letter to President Trump demanding the Trump administration, Elon Musk, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to not dismantle Medicare and Medicaid to pay for the Republican Tax Scam that gives a handout to the country’s most wealthy. This follows reporting that Elon Musk and DOGE officials gained access to key payment and contracting systems at the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS). CMS administers Medicare and Medicaid.
    In 2024, 68 million seniors and people with disabilities seniors relied on Medicare coverage for essential health care, including hospital visits, screenings for cancer, diabetes, and depression, and prescription drugs. Nearly 80 million Americans relied on Medicaid, making it the largest public health insurance program in the United States. In New Mexico, one in three New Mexicans rely on Medicare and over 780,000 individuals rely on Medicaid to access health care.
    In the letter the lawmakers wrote, “We write to say no to Elon Musk and DOGE, and demand hands off Medicare or Medicaid. We strongly oppose any efforts by Musk – or anyone else in your administration – cutting or damaging these vital programs. Medicare and Medicaid must not be raided to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Every cut risks Americans paying more, waiting longer, and wading through more insurance red tape for care. Every cut risks hospitals and community health centers struggling harder to keep their doors open and forcing health providers and workers out of their jobs.  
    The lawmakers continued, “We continue to fight for a health care system that works better for all Americans, so they experience lower costs, shorter wait times, and receive better care. But your Administration, Elon Musk, and DOGE have already made that harder. Your Administration is already responsible for the shut-down of Medicaid portals across all 50 states, disruptions to vital health care communication, closures of community health centers, and significant delays in funding for life-saving health research. Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid will only serve to deepen the harm.” 
    The lawmakers urged, “It is dangerously unacceptable that an unelected Musk and his unqualified acolytes have access to sensitive CMS systems and are ready to bypass Congress to make life and death decisions affecting millions of Americans. No one asked for this lawless approach to our critical government health care systems. We urge you to stop this threat to Americans’ health care, now.” 
    Senator Luján has long supported protecting Medicare and Medicaid from attacks during his career in Congress. In the nomination hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, Senator Luján questioned Mr. Kennedy on his understanding of the importance of Medicaid and pressed Mr. Kennedy for his commitment to protect Medicaid from cuts. Additionally, Senator Luján pressed Mr. Kennedy regarding his views on Medicare drug price negotiation and confirm he will not pause negotiations, as CEOs representing the largest pharmaceutical companies have requested.
    In addition to Senators Luján, Markey, and Warren, the letter is signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).  
    The full text of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: JD Vance accused of spreading shameless misinformation about buffer zones

    Source: Scottish Greens

    14 Feb 2025 Health Buffer Zones

    Abortion rights are human rights.

    More in Health

    US Vice President JD Vance has been accused of spreading shocking and shameless misinformation about safe access zones in Scotland by Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay.

    In a speech this morning, VP Vance claimed that people in Scotland were told that private prayer in their own homes would be against the law within a safe access zone and that people were encouraged to report anyone they thought guilty of “thought crime.” This has never been true.

    Ms Mackay introduced the bill that secured 200 metre wide safe access zones, or buffer zones, around abortion service providers to stop the intimidating anti-choice protests that were taking place across Scotland. Private prayer at home has never been impacted by this Act.

    Ms Mackay said:

    “This is shocking and shameless misinformation from VP Vance, who is either very badly informed about what my Act has done or he is knowingly misrepresenting it. 

    “He is one of the most powerful people in the world but he is peddling total nonsense and dangerous scare mongering.

    “Nobody should be intimidated or harassed when accessing healthcare, and I am proud that my Act has put a stop to the graphic banners and the protests that far too many people were being forced to pass in order to access healthcare.

    “I was proud that our Parliament voted to back safe access zones so overwhelmingly, and that they stood against the cynical lies and misrepresentation of the kind that Mr Vance is promoting.”

    Ms Mackay added:

    “The government that Mr Vance represents is a clear threat to reproductive rights. He has a shocking record on abortion and many other issues. He has supported calls to reduce access to healthcare and has even argued for a national ban on abortion rights across the US.

    “Abortion rights are human rights and they are healthcare. Today and every day I will stand with the millions of people across the US who oppose the misogynistic and anti-choice agenda of Donald Trump and JD Vance.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World must not turn its back on Sudan’s deepening crisis: Guterres

    Source: United Nations 2

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Peace and Security

    The UN Secretary-General on Friday called on the international community to urgently scale up funding and diplomatic action to ease the suffering of millions of Sudanese facing hunger and displacement as rival militaries continue battling each other for control.

    Speaking at a high-level humanitarian conference in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, António Guterres described the situation in Sudan as a catastrophe of “staggering scale and brutality”.

    He warned that it is increasing spilling into the wider region.

    “It is a crisis that demands sustained and urgent attention,” he said, underscoring the need to ensure protection of civilians and humanitarians, as well as unhindered access to all those in need.

    Mr. Guterres also stressed the need to stop the flow of arms and ammunition into the country.

    “This flow is enabling the continuation of tremendous civilian destruction and bloodshed,” he added.

    Nearly 22 months of conflict between Government forces and their former allied militia, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has left more than 30 million people across Sudan in need of assistance and protection.

    That figure includes over 12 million displaced from their homes, of whom 3.3 million have sought refuge outside the country’s borders.

    Food security and health situations are equally worrying, with less than a quarter of Sudan’s health facilities functioning in areas worst hit by fighting. Nearly 25 million people are suffering from “acute” levels of hunger.

    Coordinated response

    To respond to the staggering needs, the UN alongside humanitarian partners, is preparing to launch two major response plans for Sudan and its neighbouring countries, requiring a combined $6 billion to assist nearly 26 million people most in need.

    “These UN-coordinated appeals far exceed any we have launched for Sudan and for the region. And indeed, it represents the unprecedented dimensions of the needs we are facing,” Mr. Guterres said, underlining the scale of the crisis.

    He also applauded local responders and civil society organizations – including women-led organizations – who continue to work bravely and tirelessly to provide assistance and services in their communities, often at great personal risk.

    UNECA/Daniel Getachew

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at the humanitarian conference.

    Call for a ceasefire

    Mr. Guterres also highlighted the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and protection of civilians.

    “My Personal Envoy [Ramtane Lamamra] is engaging with the warring parties on concrete ways to advance these aims, including through the full implementation of the Jeddah Declaration,” he said.

    Signed by the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – facilitated by Saudi Arabia and the United States – the Jeddah Declaration outlined key steps, including respect for international humanitarian law, protecting civilians from harm, facilitating humanitarian aid, and dialogue to reach a ceasefire.

    Call for global solidarity

    As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, Mr. Guterres called on world leaders to use their influence to support peace and humanitarian aid efforts.

    “At this blessed time for peace, compassion, giving and solidarity, I urge all of you to use your tremendous leverage for good,” he said.

    “We must do more – and do more now – to help the people of Sudan out of this nightmare,” he concluded.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: More addiction treatment capacity for Albertans

    Opportunity Home Treatment and Recovery Centre – Exterior (Credit: Opportunity Home Treatment and Recovery Centre)

    Since 2019, Alberta’s government has worked to establish a system of care that supports treatment and recovery for those suffering from the disease of addiction. The Alberta Recovery Model is removing barriers to ensure every person has an opportunity to pursue recovery. This has included the addition of more than 10,000 new publicly funded treatment spaces, expanding the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program, and building 11 world-class recovery communities across the province, three of which are open and supporting clients. In the Alberta Recovery Model, no person is expected to pay for life-saving addiction treatment services.

    Alberta’s government has further expanded addiction treatment capacity by partnering with Opportunity Home Treatment and Recovery Centre in Drayton Valley with a funding agreement of $331,000. Opportunity Home is a 10-bed addiction treatment facility that can support men over the age of 18 with residential addiction treatment services. It has the capacity to support up to 40 clients each year in their pursuit of recovery. 

    “Our government is proud to invest in treatment and recovery as it is the most compassionate, dignified approach in supporting Albertans suffering from addiction. We are pleased to support ongoing expansion of recovery programs that give Albertans an opportunity to live meaningful, hopeful lives.”

    Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction

    “As the MLA for Drayton Valley, I am grateful for this support from Alberta’s government. Families in Alberta want to see their loved ones recover from addiction, and Opportunity Home makes that possible. I was pleased to advocate for this funding on behalf of this constituency and I am glad to see the government is supporting our community.”

    Andrew Boitchenko, MLA for Drayton Valley

    Opportunity Home first opened its doors in 2023. Treatment programs typically last about 90 days, offering a recovery program built on faith and community. The program supports clients with the necessary skills for success and reintegration into society as a person living in recovery. 

    “I want to thank Alberta’s government for its leadership and commitment to recovery in Alberta and in Drayton Valley. My council and I recognize the vital role that centers like Opportunity Home play in helping individuals overcome addiction and rebuild their lives. Opportunity Home’s passion and commitment has been instrumental in bringing this project to life, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact this funding will have in our community.”

    Nancy Dodds, mayor, Town of Drayton Valley

    “This support from Alberta’s government alongside the local community members ensures our clients can participate in our programs, free of charge. We are passionate about bringing people out of addiction, into recovery, and helping them rebuild their lives. The support from Alberta’s current government, alongside our local community, has allowed us to remove barriers people face when taking the step forward to access treatment and recovery services. We work together to support people in building long-term success in their recovery from addiction and living healthy lives.” 

    Danna Thiel-Cropley, executive director, Opportunity Home Treatment and Recovery Centre 

    Opportunity Home is actively expanding its operations and services including cultural programming, as well as increasing services, staffing, training, and clinical hours of operation.

    Alberta’s government is committed to making addiction treatment accessible for Albertans in need. The Alberta Recovery Model is based on the fact that recovery is possible and there is hope for those facing mental health and addiction challenges. Alberta’s government believes everyone deserves an opportunity to rebuild their life and reunite with their family, community and culture.  

    Quick facts

    • Albertans struggling with opioid addiction can contact the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program (VODP) by calling 1-844-383-7688, seven days a week, from from 6 a.m. to midnight. VODP provides same-day access to addiction medicine specialists. There is no waitlist.
    • Albertans can call 211 Alberta for information on services and supports in their community.

    Related information

    • Alberta Recovery Model
    • Residential addiction treatment service providers

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Congress, not the president, decides on government spending − a constitutional law professor explains how the ‘power of the purse’ works

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Zachary Price, Associate Professor of Law, University of California College of the Law, San Francisco

    Congress has the authority to spend the nation’s money. Presidents try to get around that limitation. ATU Images-The Image Bank/Getty Images

    Because of the Trump administration’s efforts to cut staff and spending, Congress’ “power of the purse” has been in the news lately. Many of these actions have been challenged in court.

    I’m a law professor who has written about Congress’ power of the purse and some of the legal and constitutional issues that surround it. Here’s a brief explanation of the concept – and of why you should care about it.

    How it works

    Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress holds what’s commonly called the “power of the purse.” Congress, in other words, holds the authority to control government expenditures.

    Concretely, Congress may enact laws that raise revenue through taxes and import duties, and it may also spend money for “the common Defence and general Welfare,” terms in the Constitution that are understood to cover almost any spending that Congress thinks is a good idea.

    The Constitution, however, provides that “[n]o Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” Because of this clause, officials may not spend any government money unless a statute “appropriates,” or makes available, specific funds for the relevant purpose.

    Although the Constitution forbids any appropriation for the Army that lasts longer than two years, Congress can choose in other contexts whether to provide an appropriation permanently or only for a prescribed length of time. Some benefits programs such as Social Security today have permanent appropriations, but most government agencies receive funds for their operations for just a year at a time.

    James Madison, who wrote much of the U.S. Constitution, said Congress’ power of the purse was ‘the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people.’
    wynnter-iStock/Getty Images Plus

    Leverage over policy and presidents

    Why does all of this matter?

    Historically, the British Parliament’s control over government funds created a powerful check on the crown, and Parliament developed the practice of annual appropriations to ensure that it would always have leverage over royal policy.

    Reflecting this history, James Madison, the fourth president and a leading figure in the Constitutional Convention, wrote in the Federalist Papers that the power of the purse was “the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people, for obtaining a redress of every grievance, and for carrying into effect every just and salutary measure.”

    This sort of leverage over policy still matters. American presidents today exercise vast powers. Over time, Congress has conferred extensive regulatory authorities on administrative agencies that operate under the president’s supervision.

    Congress has also established a large Army, Navy, and Air Force over which the president is commander in chief. Presidents, moreover, have claimed the power to employ these armed forces in significant ways even without a declaration of war or other specific authorization from Congress.

    Congress’ power of the purse gives it a say in how these powers are exercised. If Congress doesn’t like what an administrative agency is doing, it can cut its budget or deny funds for enforcing certain regulations – something it does regularly.

    Likewise, Congress can deny funds for certain military operations or impose constraints on military activities – something it also does with some regularity. In the 1970s, Congress helped end the Vietnam War in part by withholding appropriations for military activities in Indochina.

    Who’s in charge here?

    Annual appropriations also give rise to the frustrating phenomenon of government “shutdowns”: If annual funding runs out before Congress enacts new appropriations, government agencies generally must halt operations.

    On the whole, however, annual appropriations continue to serve much the same purpose in the United States that they did in Britain: They provide a potent check on the executive branch.

    Given how strong this check is, it may not be surprising that presidents have sought ways to get around it.

    President Donald Trump, right, and Elon Musk, left, are cutting congressionally approved government programs and staff – an effort that may be unconstitutional.
    Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

    Based on debatable legal claims, President Barack Obama continued certain health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act even after Congress denied appropriations for them. President Joe Biden attempted massive student debt relief without clear authority from Congress. Courts blocked both those actions, but now the new Trump administration has adopted several controversial policies that implicate Congress’ power of the purse.

    On the one hand, the administration has apparently offered many federal employees nine months of paid leave if they agree to resign from federal service. But the legal basis for these offers is unclear, and it may be that no current appropriation by Congress provides funds for them.

    On the other hand, the administration has attempted to “pause” certain government spending, even though existing appropriations made by Congress may require at least some of this spending.

    These actions could violate not only Congress’ constitutional power of the purse but also specific statutes that Congress has enacted to reinforce its constitutional power.

    The buyout offers could violate a law called the Anti-Deficiency Act that makes it unlawful, and sometimes criminal, for government officials to commit to spending money without an appropriation providing the necessary funds.

    For their part, the pauses could violate a 1974 law called the Impoundment Control Act that generally forbids the government from delaying or withholding spending that Congress has mandated. Courts are now considering challenges to these actions based on these laws and other issues.

    Trump may be hoping that Congress will cure any legal problems by ratifying these actions after the fact in its next round of appropriations legislation. But if Trump is indeed defying Congress’ spending laws and yet faces no consequences, his actions could chip away at Congress’ authority to check presidential policies in the future through its spending choices.

    James Madison would not have been pleased.

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

    – ref. Congress, not the president, decides on government spending − a constitutional law professor explains how the ‘power of the purse’ works – https://theconversation.com/congress-not-the-president-decides-on-government-spending-a-constitutional-law-professor-explains-how-the-power-of-the-purse-works-248644

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Most of the world has long feared US power. Now its allies do too.

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Gawthorpe, Lecturer in History and International Studies, Leiden University

    When a new US president takes office, his first order of business is usually to reassure America’s allies and warn its enemies. However, Donald Trump is doing things differently. It seems his goal is to strike fear into the heart not of America’s foes, but rather its friends.

    American presidents have traditionally seen the country’s network of allies as a “force multiplier” – something that magnifies American power and applies it more effectively. A broad range of allies means trading partners, military bases and diplomatic support in international institutions. According to this line of reasoning, it is in America’s own interests to defend and support its allies – the benefits outweigh the cost.

    Trump, by contrast, views allies both as competitors and burdens. He thinks they are too reliant on American military power to defend themselves, and that their economic relationship with the US makes them rich at the expense of American workers. He wants US allies, particularly in Europe, to spend more of their own money on defence and to buy more goods from the US.

    He also seems even more willing than in his first term to deploy America’s formidable tools of coercion to make this happen. His widespread threats of tariffs, for instance, are designed to force countries to go along with his wishes, including in non-economic aspects of the relationship. He is also threatening to use economic and military force in alarming ways, such as to seize control of Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal.

    The result is a world in which American allies can no longer rely on the US to be a reliable partner. They may increasingly have to fend for themselves against not just their traditional foes, but also a predatory Washington.

    Although all US allies are concerned about this turn of events, some are more surprised than others. The biggest shock has come in Europe, which has long occupied a privileged place in America’s strategic thinking.

    Europeans knew that a second Trump term was going to be rough. On the campaign trail, for example, he vowed across-the-board tariffs of up to 20%. But they didn’t expect Trump to threaten the territory of Nato members Canada and Denmark, which owns Greenland.

    As a result, Europeans’ view of the US has shifted since Trump returned to the White House. According to the results of a recent survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations, the majority of people in Europe no longer see the US as an ally that shares the same interests and values, instead agreeing that it is only a “necessary partner”.

    For other US allies and partners, particularly in the global south, this shift is less surprising. Panama owes its existence to an act of US imperialism. The US sent military forces to assist the country in seceding from Colombia in 1903, with the ultimate goal of working with the country’s new government to build the canal.

    But Panama has since witnessed numerous American military interventions. Most recently, in December 1989, the then US president, George H.W. Bush, ordered 20,000 US troops to Panama where they toppled the government and arrested the country’s president, Manuel Noriega, on charges of drug trafficking, racketeering and money laundering.

    Non-western countries have long been used to the idea that the US will disregard their interests and take advantage of their weakness if policymakers in Washington deem it necessary. What we are witnessing now is the extension of this precariousness to all.

    Weakness for flattery

    For world leaders looking to navigate this turbulent time, there is an additional problem. Trump has a habit of personalising diplomacy, deciding whom he likes and whom he doesn’t like based on their perceived friendliness to him rather than a more detached calculation of their interests.

    He is also a sucker for big, splashy acts of diplomacy. He often gives the impression that his main goal is to be able to sign a deal – any deal – which he can declare to be a victory, rather than giving too much thought to the underlying interests at stake.

    This means that smart leaders can flatter and deceive him. In early February, Trump postponed tariffs on Mexico after the country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, promised to send troops to the US-Mexico border to tackle the cartels trafficking the drug fentanyl in the US.

    The only problem is that almost all fentanyl is trafficked by US citizens at legal border crossings, who bring in very small quantities of the drug in their vehicles. According to Raúl Benítez, a military expert at Mexico’s National Autonomous University, the “ant-like traffic of fentanyl” makes control of the trade “almost impossible”.

    So, sending additional troops to the border will probably do very little to stem the flow of fentanyl. Trump declared victory anyway – and now other world leaders are studying Sheinbaum’s approach.

    But the occasional weakness for flattery hardly makes Trump reliable.
    Instead, Trump presents US allies with a dangerous and unpredictable force. Like the leaders of Russia and China, Trump seems to view the world as split into spheres of influence in which powerful countries are free to bully their neighbours.

    Many countries will conclude that America is just another aggressive great power to be managed, rather than a country that at least pays lip service to international law. Some might even decide they have no choice other than to develop closer relations with Russia and China, and drift out of the US orbit.

    One thing is clear: US allies must do more to ensure they can defend their interests independently. Unlike a country such as Panama, European countries have the resources to do this, if only they can summon the will. They should count themselves lucky – and get to work.

    Andrew Gawthorpe 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. Most of the world has long feared US power. Now its allies do too. – https://theconversation.com/most-of-the-world-has-long-feared-us-power-now-its-allies-do-too-249826

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: White Lotus does Thailand dirty

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Russell, Lecturer, Faculty of Creative & Cultural Industries, University of Portsmouth

    Did you hear? There’s been another murder at a White Lotus hotel, this time the one in Thailand.

    Back for its third season, Mike White’s critically acclaimed and Emmy award-winning tragi-comedy series follows the terrible exploits of the White Lotus’s rich, primarily white holidaymakers, alongside the local employees.

    There is social satire, a lot of drama and always a death in paradise. In the first season there was death in Hawaii; the second in Sicily, Italy, and now, in the third, there’s death in Koh Samui.

    As someone who has researched on screen representations of Thailand I was intrigued to see how the show handled this locale. Disappointingly, the exoticness and beauty of Thailand is foregrounded, as is the mysticism of Buddhism.

    The series follows four groups of people, the majority of whom the audience are made to feel repulsed by in some way.

    The first is the Ratliff family. There’s father, Timothy (Jason Isaacs) who works in finance and mother, Victoria (Parker Posey), whose anxiety means she is heavily medicated and constantly falling asleep. Then the kids: daughter, Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) who is studying Buddhism; son Lochlan (Sam Nivola) who has poor posture from being glued to his computer; and Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), the eldest of the three, whose primary focus is having sex.

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    The second group is three middle-aged women who are on a “girls’ holiday” who abandon their inhibitions as the series progresses. They are routinely referred to as cougars by Saxon. Then there is odd couple Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and her older partner Rick (Walton Goggins), who seem to be going through a rocky patch.

    The one likeable person, Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), is a character previously seen working in the spa in the first season’s Hawaiian resort. She’s in Thailand on a research trip for her own wellbeing business.

    Terrible people

    As with previous series, the ignorance of the holidaymakers is clear. Thailand is referred to as Taiwan. Piper is told by her mother that she can’t possibly be a Buddhist because she isn’t Chinese. The stereotype of the older, rich, bald white male – referred to here as LBHs (losers back home) – who retires to Thailand with a much younger wife is hammered home in various episodes.

    Through these guests’ continued cultural ignorance and insensitivity, the few Thai characters we are introduced to are subservient and constantly smiling, always there to please. There’s never a sense of disgust at the exploits of the rich white customers. They are voiceless and for the most part, absent.

    Belinda, the only black character, is also the only one who converses in any meaningful way with a Thai person. The only sort of story that gives any space to Thai characters is about a blossoming love between the security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) and health expert Mook (Lalisa Manoban), but this is sidelined.

    There is a clear cultural, economic and racial split presented, one that fails to allow any Thai character the ability to air their criticisms of the guests or to be developed in a meaningful way. In the main, the focus is on whiteness – a criticism previous series have also garnered.

    An imaginary Thailand

    All these facets together create a version of Thailand that is seen through the lens of orientalism. This is a western way of looking at non-western places as full of mysticism, eroticism and exoticness, where nothing normal occurs.

    This lens is foregrounded by characters constantly saying things like: “Thailand is full of people either looking for something or hiding from something”, and “Whatever happens in Thailand, stays in Thailand”.

    There is a constant flow of alcohol, and drugs can be procured away from the resort. Incest is even hinted at in the first few episodes as the audience are shown Lochlan gazing upon the naked body of his brother. The country is portrayed as a playground for white debauchery, where anything goes – much like in The Hangover part II (2011), a trope I have written about in my research.

    The link to orientalism is further enhanced by the way in which Thai religion is shown as being mystical. Anytime a character engages in a spiritual practice it is accompanied by a tinkling score indicating something otherworldly is occurring. This isn’t limited to Western characters. When Gaitok, makes an offering at a shrine the visuals are presented in slow motion as candlelight flickers with a mythical aura pervading.

    The previous seasons have seen a boom in travel to filming locations in Sicily and Hawaii, driven by their onscreen depictions), and this season’s Thailand setting will likely lead to the same.

    The landscape is a constant focal point, exemplifying the British sociologist John Urry’s theory of the “tourist gaze”. Exotic portions of the landscape are lingered upon, from the jungle and palm trees to ocean vistas. Monkeys are continuously seen, alongside other “exotic” creatures.

    This is a recurring trait seen in Hollywood films set in Thailand, from Anna and the King of Siam (1946) to The Impossible (2012), situating it purely as an exotic locale.

    This series uses iconic tourist locations, such as the Buddhist temple Wat Pho which forms the background for a conversation in one scene. Also, what appears to be the Phi Phi Islands, known for their pristine beaches and clear waters, drift past during a luxury yacht trip. Sadly, Thailand in this series is reduced to a digestible set of iconic images for the audience.

    White Lotus engages in a double game. The series is clearly critical of the characters, presenting lifestyle and holidays as desirable and aspirational, all the while reinforcing antiquated orientalist stereotypes itself. You would hope a show trying to show the evils of a certain kind of tourism wouldn’t also be guilty of the thing it’s attempting to lampoon.

    Andrew Russell 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. White Lotus does Thailand dirty – https://theconversation.com/white-lotus-does-thailand-dirty-249812

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: North East man jailed for running illegal waste site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A County Durham man has been jailed for operating an illegal waste site in a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency.

    Image shows waste on the site in Rowlands Gill.

    Christopher Williams, 66, of Acton Dene in Stanley, appeared at Newton Aycliffe magistrates’ court on Thursday 13 February for sentencing.

    He had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of operating a waste site without an environmental permit at Whinfield Industrial Estate in Rowlands Gill, Gateshead.

    He was sentenced to 44 weeks in prison, comprising 26 weeks and a further 18 weeks because the conviction placed him in breach of a suspended sentence imposed for previous environmental offences.

    Waste posed ‘obvious’ fire risk

    Gary Wallace, area environment manager for the Environment Agency in the North East, said:

    Not only was the waste on site illegal, but there was a very obvious fire-risk. Williams was given ample opportunity to clear the waste and was advised how he could operate within the law.

    But instead he continued to breach the law with no consideration for the environment or community.

    Environmental permits are in place to protect the public and environment, and I hope this sentence sends out the message to others that we will take action against those involved in illegal waste activity.

    Image shows mixed waste stored inside one of the sheds at the site in Rowlands Gill.

    The court heard that Williams runs an organisation called the LCA Community Charity, which is not a registered charity, from an industrial unit at the site. It advertises as offering help with clothing, furniture and household donations.

    The organisation and the defendant both hold waste carrier licences, which is a legal requirement to be able to transport waste.

    EA officers saw large amount of waste at site

    On 17 November 2022, Environment Agency officers attended the unit. Outside, they saw a large amount of household waste, including more than 50 fridges and fridge freezers, dismantled furniture, mattresses, sink units and toilet bowls, baths and doors, amongst other general waste.

    Most of the waste was mixed together, with some looking like it had been there for a long time. Inside the unit was an office area with some household items for sale.

    Inside one of the two sheds on site, waste was piled 12 feet high. Across the site, the illegally stored waste posed a fire-risk, with no separation between piles, meaning if a fire broke out it would spread quickly.

    Officers spoke to Williams, and he was requested to remove the waste by 16 January 2023, and in a follow-up letter, he was advised about waste exemptions, which allows for low level waste activity without the need for a permit that could allow him to sort recyclable waste for recovery and operate within the law.

    On 17 January, officers returned, only to find there was more waste present, with a noticeable increase in broken wooden furniture. Officers expressed concerns about the fire risk.

    In the following months, through March and into the summer, Environment Agency officers made numerous visits where they saw waste still on site. At one point, Williams said half of the fridges had ‘gone to Africa.’

    Fridges contain refrigerant gasses and blown foam insulation, with old fridges classed as hazardous waste, and should be disposed of at an suitably-licensed facility.

    He also told officers he had no waste transfer notes, which are a legal requirement to trace the movement of waste between one place and another.

    Officers explained to Williams that the deadline for clearing the site passed in January 2023.

    During a visit in September 2024, officers inspected the site and found it was still operating as an illegal waste facility. Williams claimed to still be busy clearing the site.

    Illegal waste activity can be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.

    Background

    Christopher Williams’ previous court case where the suspended prison sentence was imposed

    Full charges

    Between 16 November 2022 and 12 July 2023 at unit 13, Whinfield Industrial Estate, Rowlands Gill, Williams operated a regulated facility, namely a waste operation for the storage and treatment of waste pending recovery or disposal, otherwise than in accordance with an environmental permit

    Contrary to regulations 12(1)(a) and 38(1) Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016.

    On 24 September 2024 at unit 13, Whinfield Industrial Estate, Rowlands Gill, you operated a regulated facility, namely a waste operation for the storage and treatment of waste pending recovery or disposal, otherwise than in accordance with an environmental permit.

    Contrary to regulations 12(1)(a) and 38(1) Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –