NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 30 secondary students to depart for Mainland to join Young Astronaut Training Camp (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         A send-off ceremony for the Young Astronaut Training Camp 2025 was held at the Hong Kong Science Museum today (July 22). Thirty selected secondary students will set off for Beijing, Jiuquan, and Xi’an from July 25 to August 2 for a nine-day training programme.
     
         Addressing the send-off ceremony, the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, encouraged the Young Astronauts to seize this precious training opportunity to immerse themselves in the country’s remarkable aerospace endeavours, look up to aerospace heroes as their role model, and become a valuable new force in promoting the nation’s space development.
     
         Other officiating guests included the First-level Inspector of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Liu Maozhou; the Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Dr Jonathan Choi; the Convenor of the Working Group on Patriotic Education under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, Legislative Council Member, Dr Starry Lee; the Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan; the President of the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre, Mr Hsu Hoi-shan; the Vice-Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Ms Jennifer Yeung; and the Museum Director of the Hong Kong Science Museum, Mr Patrick Lau.
     
         Launched in 2009, the Young Astronaut Training Camp has entered its 14th edition, with a total of 400 students participating over the years. The recruitment of this year’s training camp started in May and received an overwhelming response. After three rounds of the selection process, which included a quiz on astronomy and space science, a three-day training camp and an interview, 30 students from Secondary Two to Secondary Six were selected as Young Astronauts out of around 120 applicants from more than 80 secondary schools.
     
         The students participating in the nine-day training camp will visit various key astronomy and aerospace facilities, including Beijing Aerospace City and the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. This year’s programme also marks the first visit to the Wuqing Station of the National Astronomical Observatories, where they will learn about data reception and deep space communication systems of the Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission. At the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, they will experience the aerospace medicine project and astronaut training activities, including the donning and doffing of spacesuits and savouring space food.
     
         The training camp is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, in association with the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre. It is organised by the Hong Kong Space Museum and sponsored by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce. For details of the training camp, please visit the website of the Hong Kong Space Museum at hk.space.museum/en/web/spm/activities/yatc.html.
     
         The training camp is one of the programmes under the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. For more information, please visit www.ccpo.gov.hk.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Western Territory Staff Conference Highlights People, Power and Change

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    The IAM Western Territory joined together in a powerful show of solidarity, strategy, and celebration at the territory’s 2025 staff conference. Held under the theme, “People, Power, Change,” the conference brought IAM leadership, staff, and allies together to sharpen their organizing focus, reflect on recent victories, and recommit to building a stronger labor movement.

    Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez opened the conference with a message of unity and urgency, reminding attendees that organizing is the foundation of the IAM’s mission.

    “This conference isn’t just about celebrating what we’ve done—it’s about preparing for what’s next,” said Martinez. “The power to organize, to fight back, and to lift each other up lives in every one of us.”

    View photos from the Western Territory Staff Conference here.

    IAM International President Brian Bryant delivered a keynote address focused on transformation within the union. He spoke about returning organizing operations to IAM Headquarters to create a consistent, strategic, and coordinated approach across all territories.

    “Workers are looking for allies at a moment like this – and the IAM Union is going to be that ally,” said Bryant. “We must unite like never before to meet the moment and bring more workers into our union.”

    General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes addressed the IAM’s financial health and growing resources for members, while Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett spoke about the importance of supporting staff and ensuring they have the tools they need to win in today’s labor environment.

    The conference also included a heartfelt tribute to retired Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen, who was honored for his remarkable 45 years of service to the IAM—including 15 years leading the Western Territory on the IAM Executive Council. His legacy of justice, compassion, and fierce dedication to working people was celebrated by all in attendance.

    Other speakers included:

    • Marshall Ganz, Harvard University Professor and Organizer
    • Randy Parraz, Organizing Institute for Democracy
    • Lorena Gonzalez, California Federation of Labor President
    • Carla Siegel, IAM General Counsel
    • Richard Evans, IAM Veterans Services Coordinator, and Bryan Stymacks, IAM Assistant Veterans Services Coordinator
    • Yvette Sheehan, Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines
    • Jon Holden, IAM District 751 President, and Shana Peschek, Machinists Institute
    • Galen Bullock, Employee Benefit Systems, Inc.

    The conference also featured a powerful question and answer session, facilitated by Western Territory International Representatives Richard Suarez and Melissa Morgan.

    The Western Territory gave out awards to recognize districts, locals, members and staff who have gone above and beyond to call of duty.

    • Top Organizing District: District 725
    • Organizer of the Year: Bob Simoni, Local SC 711
    • Joe Reilly IAM Veterans Remembrance Award: Local 1005 member Franklin Wilson Jr. for his work to support unhoused military veterans.
    • Gary R. Allen Heart of Justice Award – Local 695 President Richard Howard for his leadership supporting a wrongfully detained member.

    The  Western Territory also presented the Hawk Awards, which are nominated by peers and given in recognition of individuals who display exceptional leadership in servicing, organizing, community service and/or political activism.

    • Gary R. Allen, Retired General Vice President
    • Jeff Baird, District 725 Business Representative
    • Larry Bickett, District W24 Business Representative/Organizer
    • Brandon Bryant, District W24 President and Directing Business Representative
    • Zac Collins, District 160 Business Representative
    • Billy Corona, District 947 Business Representative/Organizer
    • Joelle Depue, Western Territory Special Representative
    • John Dyrcz, Local 794 Vice President
    • Jennifer Friesen, District 947 Business Representative/Organizer
    • Cindy Gagliardi, District 190 Business Representative
    • Bailey Hardiman-Borsos, Western Territory Associate Organizer
    • Jason Hardwick, Western Territory International Representative
    • Michael Higley, Local 568 Member
    • Jon Holden, District 751 President and Directing Business Representative
    • Richard Jackson, District 751 Secretary-Treasurer
    • Beth Lacey, District W24 Secretary-Treasurer
    • Scott Lacey, District W24 President
    • Justin Mauldin, District 725 Assistant Directing Business Representative
    • Pedro Mendez, District 190 Area Director
    • Ramon Martinez, Local 2515 President and Directing Business Representative
    • Brandon Nottingham, District 947 Business Representative/Organizer
    • Carla Pulido-Jordan, Local 1930 Recording Secretary
    • Joe Ruth, Local 751C Health and Benefits Representative
    • Cornelius Scott, Local 1125 Secretary-Treasurer
    • Bob Simoni, Local SC 711 Business Representative
    • Christian White, Local 2006 President
    • Doug White, Local 1998 Recording Secretary
    • Darrin Williamson, District 725 Business Representative
    • Steve Van Wie, Western Territory International Representative

    The post Western Territory Staff Conference Highlights People, Power and Change appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: OZ Studio, a Global Firm with Texas Roots, Showcases Ethical AI Governance Model at the United Nations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VIENNA, AUSTRIA , July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OZ Studio, a global technology firm with offices in Austin, Texas; Geneva, Switzerland; and Monterrey, Mexico, presented a groundbreaking model for municipal governance and ethical artificial intelligence at the United Nations headquarters in Vienna. The presentation marks a significant milestone for the company, which, after 22 years of serving multinational corporations, has pivoted its focus since 2020 toward empowering governments, entrepreneurs, and small businesses with integrated digital platforms.

    Osuna attends sessions at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime that focus on data security and sovereignty.

    The firm, represented by its CEO Daniel Osuna, who also serves on the UN’s AI Council ethics committee, detailed its successful public-private partnerships in the municipalities of Escobedo and Santiago, Mexico. These collaborations showcase a new standard for applying AI ethically at the local government level, a core mission of OZ Studio’s government services division.

    For over two decades, OZ Studio built a reputation for providing high-level services to large multinational companies. However, recognizing a critical gap in the market, the company strategically shifted its focus in 2020. The new mission: to channel its extensive expertise into creating comprehensive digital ecosystems for those who form the backbone of local economies—small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the public institutions that serve them.

    This new direction is embodied by two of its flagship platforms: LINK360 and the OZZY AI system. LINK360 is a digital empowerment platform that provides local businesses with e-commerce tools and AI-powered marketing, ensuring economic value and data sovereignty remain within the community. OZZY AI is an open-source framework trained for municipal processes, designed with ethical principles like transparency, algorithmic fairness, and cultural adaptation at its core.

    The results of this approach are transformative. Under the leadership of Mayor Andrés Mijes, the city of Escobedo has become a 100% digitized municipality, a remarkable achievement that has streamlined public services and eliminated bureaucratic red tape. In Santiago, Mayor David de la Peña is leveraging the LINK360 program to foster a vibrant local entrepreneurial scene.

    The international community has taken notice. Following the conclusion of the UN activities on Monday, July 22, OZ Studio (https://www.oz.studio) has entered into strategic alliances to explore pilot programs with several nations, including: Spain, Egypt, Georgia, Austria, and Australia. This global interest validates OZ Studio’s model as a scalable solution for governments worldwide seeking to innovate responsibly.

    From its strategic locations in Austin, Geneva, and Monterrey, OZ Studio is now positioned to lead the charge in ethical AI for public service. The company’s evolution from a corporate service provider to a champion for local development demonstrates a powerful vision: leveraging top-tier technology to build self-sustaining, equitable, and prosperous communities from the ground up.

    Presenting the OZZI AI framework and the Public Private Partnership for ethical AI

    About OZ Studio

    At OZ Studio, we are your premier destination for transformative digital solutions, anchored in over two decades of innovation and expertise. We are proud to say that we’ve evolved from pioneering basic email marketing to mastering complex digital strategies and immersive creative experiences. Our comprehensive suite of services spans from state-of-the-art website development to advanced SEO strategies, engaging interactive videos, and cutting-edge AI tools. As true digital architects, we empower our clients by merging top-tier technology with unmatched creative prowess, ensuring every digital interaction is compelling and results-oriented. We revolutionized the traditional digital service model through our productized Creative-as-a-Service (CaaS), which guarantees transparency, efficiency, and scalability. Our subscription-based approach simplifies access to a holistic digital strategy, incorporating a full spectrum of expertly managed creative and technical services. Partner with us at OZ Studio, and let us help elevate your brand to new heights, optimizing every touchpoint in your digital journey for growth and transformation. 

    Press inquiries

    OZ Studio
    https://oz.studio
    Daniel Osuna
    oz@oz.studio
    +12123811969
    5900 Balcones Drive
    Austin, TX 78731

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: What was the Battle of Orgreave, and why has the government launched an inquiry into it?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Steven Daniels, Lecturer in Politics, Edge Hill University

    The UK’s home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has announced a full inquiry into the Battle of Orgreave, a large, violent clash between the National Union of Mineworkers and South Yorkshire police that took place over 40 years ago.

    The clash was a flashpoint of the 1984-85 miners’ strike, in which mining communities fought to protect jobs and industry from closure. It descended into a violent confrontation between miners and police, with injuries and accusations of misconduct on both sides.

    The announcement of an inquiry has been a long time coming for miners’ groups. Comparisons have been made to the Hillsborough tragedy and inquiry – another incident involving accusations of mistreatment by South Yorkshire Police.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The Battle of Orgreave took place on June 18 1984, outside Orgreave coking plant in Rotherham. The miners’ strike had been raging since March 1984, with both sides looking for opportunities to turn the tide in their favour.

    Before ascending to the presidency of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1982, British trade unionist Arthur Scargill had gained notoriety during the 1972 miners’ strike. He developed the “flying pickets” tactic. This approach saw large numbers of strikers from around the country descend on an industrially sensitive target, to pressure it into closing. These tactics successfully closed Saltley Gate gasworks in Birmingham, forcing the taxpayer-owned National Coal Board and Edward Heath’s government to concede the 1972 strike to the NUM.

    In 1984, realising that British Steel’s furnaces would be vulnerable without coking coal, Scargill planned to repeat the 1972 victory at Orgreave.

    On June 18, around 8,000 miners began assembling as early as 4am. They were met by 6,000 police in full riot gear. As lorries began arriving to collect coking coal, the conflict began around 8am. This unfolded in waves: mounted police would cavalry charge miners, splitting their lines, with “snatch squads” then swarming miners who had failed to retreat in time, arresting them.

    This continued until the afternoon, when miners retreated into Orgreave village. Police continued trying to disperse miners, even cavalry-charging the village.

    Miners’ groups allege that the police charged their lines despite their picket being peaceful in nature, and there was no trigger for violence. They claim only once police started charging did they retaliate in defence, throwing rocks and other missiles. Controversially, footage of these incidents was allegedly shown in reverse order by the BBC, painting the strikers as the aggressors.

    Orgreave is considered a turning point, both in the strike, and in policing of protest. With the “flying pickets” strategy in tatters, the NUM struggled to maintain pressure and lost momentum as the months dragged on. The strike ended in March 1985 with a full, unconditional return to work.

    The aftermath

    Ninety-five miners were arrested that day, with 55 subsequently charged with riot. This was a serious charge, carrying the maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Many more reported injuries and accused South Yorkshire Police of being unnecessarily violent and heavy handed.

    One of the most famous images from the day shows Lesley Boulton, a woman there to document the strike with her camera, with a mounted policeman swinging his truncheon at her head. This photo sums up the brutality of the day. Accusations also emerged of police removing their collar numbers, so as not to be identified.

    Sensationally, the 1985 trial for riot collapsed after evidence from South Yorkshire Police was found to be unreliable. It was later revealed through archival material that officers were given direction or guidance in their statements.

    It was also revealed that Margaret Thatcher herself attended a drinks reception for police chiefs involved in the strike, thanking them personally for “all they did and their forces did to maintain public order”. Even though the 55 miners were cleared of the charges, many were financially ruined, and unable to return to the coal industry.

    Thirty-nine of those involved subsequently took legal action against South Yorkshire Police for unlawful arrest and malicious prosecution, settling for a payment of £425,000 and no admission of liability. Not a single police officer was prosecuted or punished for their role in Orgreave.



    Read more:
    New files add weight to calls for Battle of Orgreave inquiry

    Calls for inquiry

    Calls for an inquiry into the Battle of Orgreave, as well as the general standard of policing during the strike, have been ongoing for decades. As early as January 1985 (with the strike ongoing), the then home secretary, Leon Brittan, was resistant to any public inquiry into the conduct of police officers during the strike, fearing it would descend into a “witch-hunt”. John Major’s government similarly resisted such calls in 1991, believing them unnecessary.

    In 2015, the Independent Police Complaints Commission declined to mount a formal investigation, despite finding evidence to suggest officers had indeed assaulted miners at Orgreave and other forms of misconduct. The commission argued that too much time had passed for the investigation to have any meaning.

    Theresa May’s government rejected calls for an inquiry in 2016. The then home secretary Amber Rudd claimed an inquiry was not in the public interest, arguing policing standards had changed substantially since the 1980s and that the event had simply occurred too long ago. Rudd also said that many involved in the strike would have died, and most officers involved would no longer be employed by South Yorkshire Police.

    The volunteer-run Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign has long campaigned for a public inquiry, arguing that Orgreave was a serious miscarriage of justice that needs to be adequately addressed. They believe that a full inquiry will provide accountability and clarity regarding the role of the police and the state in such a tumultuous time period.

    The Hillsborough inquiry shows what successful (and persistent) community action can achieve. Accusations made against South Yorkshire Police then were eventually proven correct. While there has yet to be any significantly successful legal action taken against officers involved in Hillsborough, the inquiry itself brought closure (and, crucially, the truth) to families involved. Mining communities will be hoping for similar closure with the Orgreave inquiry.

    Steven Daniels consulted the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign on archival findings from his wider research in 2017.

    – ref. What was the Battle of Orgreave, and why has the government launched an inquiry into it? – https://theconversation.com/what-was-the-battle-of-orgreave-and-why-has-the-government-launched-an-inquiry-into-it-261596

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deep dive into the International Seabed Authority: Why it matters now

    Source: United Nations 2

    At a time when the international community seeks to regulate the rich tapestry of the planet’s ocean floors while countries and corporations speed towards deep-sea mining opportunities, here’s what you need to know about ISA and why it matters now:

    What does it do?

    ISA manages the mineral resources of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction, which covers 54 per cent of the world’s oceans, for “the shared benefit of all humankind”.

    Created by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1994, ISA is aims to ensure that all economic activities in the deep seabed, including mining, are regulated and responsibly managed.

    Mandated to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed-related activities, its work also contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    Seabeds contain rich fauna and an array of rare earth minerals.

    Why it matters now?

    As the world’s only international body that focuses on the deep-sea area beyond national borders, ISA aims to address pressing concerns, from plastic waste littering oceans to the race to secure rare earth minerals to quench the world’s insatiable thirst for lithium batteries and a range of tech items.

    What kind of rare earth minerals are on the ocean floor? Copper, cobalt, gold, lanthanum, neodymium, nickel, silver, yttrium and zinc to name a few.

    Right now, countries can pursue deep-sea mining within their own territorial waters or “exclusive economic zones”. But, under international law, the deep seabed belongs to no single country or corporation, ISA Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho wrote in a recent op-ed.

    “It is our common heritage,” she said.

    An active volcano on the ocean floor.

    What’s the draft mining code?

    Right now, nations are looking for ever more sources of rare earth minerals to meet demand for renewable energy technologies and such items as mobile phones and computers. The deep-sea contains a plethora of supplies. That’s where the draft mining code comes in.

    During its 30th session, ISA members are working on a draft code that would protect the marine environment and build a foundation for ensuring that any activities in the deep-sea area are conducted responsibly and in line with environmental sustainability principles as well as benefitting all of humanity.

    A food container seen resting at 4,947m on the slopes of an underwater canyon near the North Marianas Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

    Tackling the ‘missing plastics paradox’

    Plastic pollution is another part of the problem. To address this and other pressing issues, ISA members adopted a global research agenda in July 2020, serving as an action plan for marine scientific research with six strategic priorities that include advancing knowledge of deep-sea ecosystems, promoting data sharing and providing insights into the scientific landscape of plastics in the deep-sea.

    This latter growing global challenge has potential consequences for the sustainable use of oceans. In 2019, the plastics industry produced over 450 million tonnes of plastic, a figure expected to rise in the coming decades and is likely to increase pressure on marine environments and species. Yet, a portion of plastics entering the oceans remains unaccounted for, a phenomenon known as the “missing plastics paradox”.

    Some researchers suggest that the deep sea may act as a sink for plastic debris, where their prolonged persistence could pose risks to these environments.

    Acorn worms were one of the many types of fauna observed in the deep-sea around the North Marianas Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

    The world’s new deep-sea biobank

    ISA has also just begun filling its new biobank, launched in June on the margins of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France. The Deep-Sea Biobank Initiative (DBI) aims to enhance access to deep-sea biological samples and genetic data collected from the international seabed area.

    Designed to promote deep-sea research and inclusive scientific collaboration, particularly for developing States, the initiative will establish a global repository of biological samples and develop standard operating procedures to enhance data quality, sharing and use by stakeholders.

    “The DBI is ISA’s response to a growing need to advance research, share data, build capacity and facilitate access to deep-sea knowledge, particularly for developing States,” said the authority’s chief Carvalho. “We aim to create standardised and equitable pathways for scientific collaboration, empowering countries and institutions to explore, understand and protect the ocean’s most remote ecosystems.”

    The International Seabed Authority has emerged as a central institution of global ocean architecture, charting a course towards responsible and sustainable use.

    ‘DeepData’ diving

    The wealth of data and information ISA has collected has been critical to shaping environmental management plans. Every data byte collected through deep-sea exploration adds critical new information about life in the ocean and assists with decision making.

    In launching the DeepData database in 2019, ISA made publicly available for the first time the biggest and most complete global repository of environmental data and information on the deep-sea area.

    Exactly how much data has been collected? As of May 2023, DeepData contained over 10 terabytes, roughly equivalent to 6.9 million Instagram uploads. Widely used around the world, it had about 2.4 million hits from visitors in 2022 alone and more than 160 citations in scientific publications.

    Learn more about ISA here.

    • The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has 170 members
    • ISA is an autonomous intergovernmental organization established by the UN
    • Members meet annually to address pressing issues
    • The 30th session concludes with the ISA assembly meeting from 21 to 25 July in Kingston, Jamaica

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: ASIRT concludes investigations on three files

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bapchule Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Stabbing Death

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Daryl Patrick Johns, 46, of Bapchule, Arizona, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced on July 17 by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

    On February 15, 2023, Johns stabbed and killed the victim on the Gila River Indian Community. Johns pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, to Second Degree Murder.     

    The Gila River Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Indian Country squad conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-1639-PHX-DLR
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-122_Johns

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bapchule Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Stabbing Death

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Daryl Patrick Johns, 46, of Bapchule, Arizona, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced on July 17 by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

    On February 15, 2023, Johns stabbed and killed the victim on the Gila River Indian Community. Johns pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, to Second Degree Murder.     

    The Gila River Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Indian Country squad conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-1639-PHX-DLR
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-122_Johns

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredo man sentenced to 63 months for smuggling over 100 illegal aliens in locked trailer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old resident of Laredo has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Juan Manuel Aguirre pleaded guilty Feb. 6.

    U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Aguirre to serve 63 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered Aguirre’s history of smuggling aliens on multiple occasions and the danger he posed by transporting them in a sealed, locked, dark and unventilated trailer that required authorities to open with a bolt cutter. 

    “Human smuggling is an incredibly dangerous enterprise, and it requires the trafficker to care absolutely nothing about the lives and safety of those they transport,” said Ganjei. “Fortunately, there were no deaths in this case, but the underlying facts indicate that several of those transported had difficulty breathing and feared for their life. The Southern District of Texas will make sure that all human smugglers pay a serious price for their callousness.”

    On Dec. 2, 2024, law enforcement observed several individuals being loading into a white trailer in a warehouse parking lot. Aguirre was the driver of the truck hauling it. After he departed the location, authorities conducted a traffic stop which resulted in the discovery of 101 aliens locked inside the trailer, 13 of whom were children as young as 13 years old.

    Multiple illegal aliens reported they had difficulty breathing and feared for their life due to the conditions in the trailer. They were from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba and Honduras.

    Aguirre will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Secures Nearly $17 Million in Federal Investments for New Mexico in Committee-Passed Appropriations Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) announced funding secured for New Mexico communities through the Appropriations Committee’s bipartisan passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Bill and Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Bill.

    From both appropriations bills, Senator Luján secured $16,820,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for key local projects that will strengthen our national security, boost violence intervention programs, and equip law enforcement with the resources needed to keep New Mexico communities safe.  

    “Across New Mexico, these vital investments will deliver resources to enhance public safety in our communities and upgrade infrastructure at our military bases to boost our military’s readiness and safety,” said Senator Luján. “This funding will equip our brave law enforcement officers with the tools they need to protect New Mexicans, support programs aimed at reducing youth violence and violence in Tribal communities, and reinforce critical infrastructure at our military bases. I’m proud to have fought to secure these investments for our communities, and I’ll continue working to deliver the federal support our families and communities need and deserve.”

    The Committee process is the first step, and the appropriations bills will next be considered by the full U.S. Senate.

    Senator Luján Secured Nearly $17 Million for the Following Local Projects:

    Strengthening New Mexico’s Air Force Bases:

    • $8,100,000 for infrastructure upgrades at Cannon Air Force Base, specifically for ADAL Security Forces Facility. Secured by Senator Luján and Senator Heinrich.
    • $2,000,000 for infrastructure upgrades at Kirtland Air Force Base, specifically for the design for the Wyoming Gate Project. Secured by Senator Luján and Senator Heinrich.
    • $700,000 for infrastructure upgrades at Holloman Air Force Base, specifically for the design for the Holloman High Speed Test Track. Secured by Senator Luján and Senator Heinrich.

    Boosting Public Safety Throughout New Mexico:

    • $1,069,000 for the City of Albuquerque’s Real Time Crime Center for the purchase of law enforcement technology.
    • $1,042,000 for Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office to purchase a new fleet of vehicles.
    • $1,031,000 for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Police to provide 5G technology in fleet vehicles. Secured by Senator Luján, Senator Heinrich, and Representative Stansbury in the House-companion bill.
    • $1,000,000 for UNM Office of the Medical Investigator DNA processing laboratory to allow for the purchase of equipment for DNA identification. Secured by Senator Luján and Senator Heinrich.
    • $500,000 for Bernalillo Country public safety technology upgrades to address high rates of crime in the Albuquerque metro area. Secured by Senator Luján, Senator Heinrich, and Representative Vasquez in the House-companion bill.
    • $250,000 for the San Juan County Partnership’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program to assist in mitigating individuals with substance use disorder or mental/behavioral health challenges from continuously interacting with law enforcement.

    Funding Violence Intervention and Prevention Programs:

    • $1,0350,000 for the City of Albuquerque’s expansion of school-based violence intervention program to assist at risk students by improving grades and reducing youth violence.
    • $93,000 for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native women to address challenges in domestic violence and sexual violence in Tribal communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amid GOP Assault on Healthcare, Pressley, Duckworth, DeGette, Schakowsky, Frost, Colleagues Unveil EACH Act, Keep Up Fight for Reproductive Justice

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Lawmakers File EACH Act to End Hyde Amendment, Lift Unjust Abortion Coverage Restrictions on Medicaid, Other Government Sponsored Plans

    Follows Passage of Big, Ugly Bill that Guts Medicaid, Defunds Planned Parenthood, Further Restricts Healthcare

    Bill Text (PDF) | Floor Speech (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, as Republicans continue their assault on healthcare, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01), Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Congressman Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), led their colleagues in reintroducing the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Healthcare (EACH) Act, bold legislation to guarantee abortion coverage—regardless of how a patient gets their health insurance. The lawmakers’ bill follows the enactment of Trump and Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill, which will gut Medicaid, defund Planned Parenthood health centers, and push essential reproductive care further out of reach for millions of people.

    The EACH Act ends the discriminatory Hyde Amendment and lifts unjust abortion coverage restrictions for those who depend on Medicaid and other government-sponsored plans. The bill affirms the fundamental right to abortion care and helps ensure everyone can get the reproductive healthcare they need, regardless of income, insurance, or zip code.

    Rep. Pressley unveiled the bill in a floor speech last night. Full video of that speech is available here.

    “Abortion care is health care, and health care is a human right. With Trump and Republicans advancing a cruel, coordinated assault on our bodily autonomy—gutting Medicaid, defunding Planned Parenthood, and decimating access to care—we must use every tool available to protect and expand reproductive healthcare,” said Congresswoman Pressley, Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus. “The EACH Act would help us do just that. By repealing the racist and discriminatory Hyde Amendment, which has denied necessary care for vulnerable communities for nearly half a century, our bill would help ensure everyone in America can get the reproductive healthcare they need, regardless of income, insurance, or zip code. I’m grateful to Senator Duckworth and our colleagues for their partnership on this critical priority.”

    “Ever since Trump’s far-right Supreme Court majority struck down Roe, Republicans have made it their mission to strip away a woman’s right to reproductive health care—a right they have no place to stand in the way of,” said Senator Duckworth. “As Republicans’ Big, Beautiful Betrayal kicks millions off their health care, we must act to help strengthen access to abortion coverage for low-income Americans, servicemembers and millions more—no matter their zip code. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation alongside my colleagues so we can do just that.”

    “For nearly 50 years, the Hyde Amendment has been Republicans’ go-to tool for chipping away at abortion rights, denying coverage to the most vulnerable communities,” said Rep. DeGette, Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus. “Now, they’re doubling down with the Big Bad Bill, blocking Medicaid patients from accessing any kind of care, not only abortion care, but also birth control and cancer screenings, at Planned Parenthood. The EACH Act is how we fight back, guaranteeing access to abortion care—no matter your income, your insurance, or your ZIP code”

    “The Hyde Amendment is a racist, discriminatory policy designed to put reproductive and economic freedom out of reach for women of color and low-income women who need an abortion. By restricting Medicaid coverage of abortion, the Hyde Amendment robs those working to make ends meet of the freedom to control their lives and decisions about what is best for their families,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “Keeping the Hyde Amendment in place is yet another way for Trump and the extremists in the GOP to limit peoples’ reproductive freedom. Every person should have the freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions regardless of their income, race, where they work, what zip code they live in, or how they get their insurance. That is why our bill, the EACH Act, will finally repeal the harmful Hyde Amendment. Abortion is health care and health care is a human right.”

    “Women should be able to get the abortion care they need no matter where they live or how much money they have. But for decades, the Hyde Amendment and similar abortion restrictions have blocked low-income women from getting the health care they need and wrongfully divided abortion care from health care for no other reason than Republican politicians’ extreme anti-choice views,” said Senator Murray. “The EACH Act would get rid of the Hyde Amendment and related abortion coverage bans that endanger the health and lives of women who rely on Medicaid or other government-sponsored health coverage. I will always fight to end Hyde and other unjust policies that allow politicians to interfere with women’s ability to make decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures.”

    “As Republicans gut Medicaid, defund Planned Parenthoods nationwide, and continue their onslaught of attacks on our bodily autonomy, the Hyde Amendment and other federal coverage restrictions are discriminatory barriers that continue to prevent access to safe and legal abortion care,” said Senator Hirono. “Everyone deserves access to reproductive health care. By ending the Hyde Amendment and expanding coverage for abortion services, the EACH Act would help guarantee abortion access for all, protecting our reproductive rights and our ability to make decisions about our own bodies.”

    “Everyone should have the freedom to control their own lives and bodies, no matter their income, race, or zip code,” said Nourbese Flint, President of All* Above All. “For too long, restrictions like the Hyde Amendment have robbed people working to make ends meet of their ability to make personal decisions about their health, families, and futures. In a time of escalating attacks on reproductive freedom – and efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, shut down clinics, and restrict care – the EACH act sets a powerful standard and helps to end racist and classist health care restrictions. We are proud to support this visionary bill to expand abortion access and ensure coverage for all.”

    Trump and Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill, which passed Congress earlier this year, will dismantle access to reproductive health care in every state. It will defund Planned Parenthood, block Medicaid reimbursements to health centers, and slash care for millions of people. It would also gut Medicaid, ripping coverage from at least 10 million Americans and cutting off access to essential maternity care, birth control, cancer screenings, and more.

    Text of the EACH Act is available here.

    Joining the lawmakers in introducing the EACH Act are Representatives Alma Adams, Pete Aguilar, Gabe Amo, Yassamin Ansari, Jake Auchincloss, Becca Balint, Nanette Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Wesley Bell, Ami Bera, Don Beyer, Suzanne Bonamici, Shontel Brown, Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Janelle Bynum, Salud Carbajal, André Carson, Troy Carter, Greg Casar, Ed Case, Sean Casten, Kathy Castor, Joaquin Castro, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Judy Chu, Gil Cisneros, Katherine Clark, Yvette Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver II, Steve Cohen, J. Luis Correa, Angie Craig, Jasmine Crockett, Jason Crow, Sharice Davids, Danny K. Davis, Madeleine Dean, Diana DeGette, Rosa DeLauro, Suzan DelBene, Chris Deluzio, Mark DeSaulnier, Maxine Dexter, Lloyd Doggett, Sarah Elfreth, Veronica Escobar, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Shomari Figures, Lizzie Fletcher, Bill Foster, Valerie Foushee, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Frost, John Garamendi, Robert Garcia, Sylvia Garcia, Jesús “Chuy” García, Jared Golden, Dan Goldman, Maggie Goodlander, Josh Gottheimer, Al Green, Jahana Hayes, Jim Himes, Steven Horsford, Val Hoyle, Jared Huffman, Glenn Ivey, Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, Hank Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, William R. Keating, Robin Kelly, Tim Kennedy, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Greg Landsman, Rick Larsen, John B. Larson, George Latimer, Susie Lee, Summer L. Lee, Teresa Leger Fernández, Mike Levin, Ted Lieu, Seth Magaziner, John Mannion, Doris Matsui, Lucy McBath, Sarah McBride, April McClain Delaney, Jennifer McClellan, Betty McCollum, Morgan McGarvey, Jim McGovern, Gregory Meeks, Rob Menendez, Grace Meng, Kweisi Mfume, Dave Min, Gwen Moore, Joseph Morelle, Kelly Morrison, Jared Moskowitz, Seth Moulton, Kevin Mullin, Jerry Nadler, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Frank Pallone Jr., Jimmy Panetta, Chris Pappas, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, Emily Randall, Jamie Raskin, Luz Rivas, Deborah Ross, Raul Ruiz, Patrick Ryan, Andrea Salinas, Linda T. Sánchez, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jan Schakowsky, Bradley Scott Schneider, Hillary Scholten, Kim Schrier, David Scott, Brad Sherman, Mikie Sherrill, Lateefah Simon, Adam Smith, Eric Sorensen, Darren Soto, Melanie Stansbury, Greg Stanton, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, Suhas Subramanyam, Eric Swalwell, Emilia Sykes, Mark Takano, Shri Thanedar, Mike Thompson, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Paul Tonko, Norma Torres, Ritchie Torres, Lori Trahan, Derek T. Tran, Lauren Underwood, Juan Vargas, Gabe Vasquez, Marc Veasey, Nydia M. Velázquez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, George Whitesides, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson, along with Senators Klobuchar, Warren, Padilla, Merkley, Blumenthal, Rosen, Shaheen, Schiff, Heinrich, Gillibrand, Coons, Cantwell, Van Hollen, Blunt Rochester, Sanders, Gallego, Booker, Smith, Baldwin, Wyden, Welch, Markey, Murphy, Kim, Whitehouse, Fetterman, Cortez Masto, Kelly, and Lujan.

    The EACH Act is endorsed by the following organizations: All* Above All, National Women’s Law Center, Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Center for American Progress, Guttmacher Institute, Power to Decide, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Brigid Alliance, National Network of Abortion Funds, Midwest Access Coalition, Equality California, Silver State Equality, OutCenter Southwest Michigan, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, National Abortion Federation, Cobalt, Health Not Prisons Collective, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, Families USA, UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Center for Biological Diversity, Reproductive Freedom for All, CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Justice and Joy National Collaborative, End Rape On Campus, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Council of Jewish Women, Silver State Hope Fund of Nevada, Above!, The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH), National Council of Jewish Women, American Humanist Association, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Chicago Abortion Fund, Ibis Reproductive Health, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, American Atheists, National Health Law Program, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Advocates for Youth, Courage California, ProgressNow New Mexico, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, EMAA Project, Black Women for Wellness Action Project, Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), Keystone Progress Education Fund, Wyoming Right To Choose, Safe Abortions For Everyone Maine, REPRO Rising Virginia, National Abortion Federation, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA), National Partnership for Women & Families, Catholics for Choice, Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), Families USA, American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible, Women’s Foundation of Florida, People Power United, Equality California, Abortion Forward, Black Women’s Health Imperative, SiX Action, Population Institute, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Pregnancy Justice, Just Solutions, UltraViolet Action, National Women’s Political Caucus, Equal Rights Advocates, Feminist Majority Foundation, Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues, American Association of University Women (AAUW), Interfaith Alliance, and Community Catalyst.

    Last month, in the wake of the third anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Congresswoman Pressley spent the week convening leaders and impacted families, renewing her calls for comprehensive legislation to protect abortion care, and uplifting the experiences of people impacted by cruel abortion bans and denials of essential medical care.

    Congresswoman Pressley has been outspoken in demanding justice for Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old pregnant mother who was declared brain dead in February and was forced to remain on life support due to Georgia’s abortion ban. Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech in which she underscored that Adriana’s case is far too common in the unjust history of denying Black women their dignity, humanity, and right to bodily autonomy – and that GOP abortion bans such as Georgia’s deepen this pain and bar critical healthcare freedom. Last week, Rep. Pressley issued a statement after Adriana’s infant son Chance was delivered via emergency Cesarean section and Adriana was taken off life support.

    Throughout her time in Congress, Rep. Pressley has fought persistently to protect fundamental reproductive and sexual healthcare rights. 

    • On the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Rep. Pressley introduced the Abortion Justice Act, sweeping, intersectional legislation to address access to abortion care and put forth a comprehensive vision of a just America where abortion care is readily available—without stigma, shame or systemic barriers—for all who seek it, regardless of zip code, immigration status, income, or background.
    • Rep. Pressley is a lead co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), bicameral federal legislation to guarantee equal access to abortion care, everywhere. 
    • Rep. Pressley is also a lead co-sponsor of the EACH Act, bold legislation to repeal the Hyde Amendment and help guarantee abortion coverage—regardless of how a patient gets their health insurance.
    • Shortly before the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Rep. Pressley led a group of her Black women colleagues in writing to President Biden urging him to declare a public health emergency amid the unprecedented threats to abortion rights nationwide. 
    • Rep. Pressley condemned the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade., and implored the Senate to protect abortion rights and slammed the white supremacist roots of anti-abortion efforts.
    • In October 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on Josseli Barnica, who died on Sept. 3, 2021 after being denied emergency abortion care in Texas as she suffered a miscarriage.
    • In September 2024, in a House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Hearing, Rep. Pressley highlighted the harmful and deadly impact of abortion bans in America to date, and outlined in detail the shameful circumstances under which Amber Nicole Thurman died after being denied necessary abortion care in Georgia.
    • In June 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Idaho v. United States; Moyle v. United States – the case about whether emergency abortion care is included under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). 
    • In May 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on a Louisiana bill that would classify medication abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled substances. 
    • In April 2024, at a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley played “Fact or Fiction” with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf to emphasize the safety and efficacy of medication abortion drug mifepristone.
    • In August 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Fifth Circuit Court decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA.
    • In July 2023, Rep. Pressley, alongside Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01), and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), reintroduced the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation to help people with disabilities—who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care—get better access to reproductive healthcare and the informed care they need to control their own reproductive lives.
    • In July 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of over-the-counter birth control.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the FDA Advisory Committee’s unanimous, 17-0 vote to recommend the approval of the first-ever application for over-the-counter birth control. She and Senator Murray also held a press conference applauding the decision and urging the FDA to approval over-the-counter birth control without delay.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Ami Bera, MD (CA-06) and Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), reintroduced their bicameral Affordability is Access Act to ensure that once the FDA determines an over-the-counter birth control option to be safe, insurers fully cover over-the-counter birth control without any fees or out-of-pocket costs.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Texas court ruling on mifepristone, and discussed the Texas case in a recent floor speech in which she affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care and access to mifepristone as essential. She later joined Governor Maura Healey, Senator Elizabth Warren (D-MA), and local leaders in announcing action to protect Mifepristone in Massachusetts.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Schakowsky, Lee, DeGette, Torres and Strickland, reintroduced the Abortion is Healthcare Everywhere Act harmful and discriminatory Helms Amendment and expand abortion access globally.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Hirono led their colleagues in reintroducing a bicameral congressional resolution honoring abortion providers and clinic staff. 
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley delivered a speech in which she discussed the pending court case in Texas, which aims to restrict access to medication abortion across the entire nation. In her remarks, Rep. Pressley affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care, and accessibility to the abortion pill mifepristone as essential.
    • In September 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Supreme Court’s inaction on SB-8, Texas’ restrictive abortion law. Later that month, she participated in a House Oversight Committee hearing to examine the threat posed by abortion bans and underscored the urgency of the Senate passing the Women’s Health Protection Act. 
    • In April 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Congresswomen Barbara Lee (CA-13), Diana DeGette (CO-01) and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), led a group of 131 Democratic members in reintroducing the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act or the EACH Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment and ensure that all people, regardless of income, insurance or zip code, can make personal reproductive healthcare decisions without interference from politicians. She re-Introduced the legislation In January 2023.
    • Rep. Pressley has led calls in Congress for the FDA to remove medically unnecessary restrictions on the medication abortion drug mifepristone, and applauded the FDA’s action in January 2023 to allow retail pharmacies to dispense abortion medication pills.
    • As Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus’s Abortion Rights and Access Task Force, Congresswoman Pressley has led the fight to repeal the Hyde Amendments from annual Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bills and in July 2020 published a Medium post on the importance of doing so. She applauded the removal of the Hyde Amendment in President Biden’s FY2022 budget.
    • In May 2020, she led more than 155 Members of Congress in calling on House Democratic leadership to ensure that any future COVID-19 relief packages rejected Republican efforts to use the public health crisis to diminish abortion access.
    • In August 2021, Rep. Pressley, Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, and Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Diana DeGette and Barbara Lee led more than 70 of their House Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of equitable, science-based policies governing access to medication abortion care. 
    • In January 2023, Rep. Pressley introduced a resolution to condemn all forms of political violence in the U.S., regardless of its target or intent. That same day, she delivered a powerful speech on the House floor slamming Republicans’ harmful, misleading anti-abortion resolution.
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley hosted U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at the Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester for a convening on their work to address the Black maternal health crisis and the criminalization of abortion care in states across the nation following the harmful U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. 
    • In May 2019, she led more than 100 colleagues in introducing H.Con.Res.40, a resolution reaffirming the House of Representative’s support for Roe v. Wade.
    • In June 2019, Rep. Pressley introduced H.R. 3296, the Affordability is Access Act, to make oral contraception available without a prescription. 
    • In September 2016, as a member of the Boston City Council, Pressley championed a resolution calling on Congress and President Obama to repeal the Hyde Amendment and reinstate insurance coverage for abortion services.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Additional Funding Available for Zero-Emission School Buses

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that an additional $200 million is now available for zero-emission school buses through the third installment of funding from the historic $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022. The funding, distributed through the New York School Bus Incentive Program (NYSBIP), supports the purchase of electric buses, charging infrastructure, and fleet electrification planning as public schools transition to zero-emission technologies that improve air quality and reduce pollution in communities. This investment helps ensure that schoolchildren, drivers, and the communities where they live across New York benefit from clean, quiet, and healthy buses.

    “New York State is leaning into our Environmental Bond Act commitment to provide public schools with the funding and resources to make electric school buses more affordable,” Governor Hochul said. “We are leaving no school behind as we reduce pollution from vehicles so every student can benefit from clean air while building healthier, more sustainable communities for New Yorkers across the state.”

    Administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), NYSBIP provides incentives to eligible school bus fleet operators, including school districts and school bus operators, that purchase zero-emission buses. It also offers charging infrastructure vouchers to help support the installation of Level 2 or DC fast chargers and provides funding to develop fleet electrification plans. This support helps ensure safer, more reliable transportation for students while giving schools the tools they need to make smart, cost-effective upgrades.

    The funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis with incentive amounts covering up to 100 percent of the incremental cost of a new or repowered electric school bus. This helps offset some or all of the difference in purchase price between zero-emission buses and comparable diesel or gasoline buses. All school bus fleet operators in New York State can also qualify for funding for fleet electrification plans, which provide a customized roadmap for electric bus adoption.

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Today is the latest in a series of support that NYSERDA has offered to help make it easier for fleet operators to plan, navigate incentives for bus purchases and install vehicle charging infrastructure. We are excited to help more adopt zero-emission school buses through this additional Environmental Bond Act funding.”

    Program eligibility and rules for charging infrastructure funding are available online through the NYSBIP Implementation Manual. School bus fleet operators do not apply directly for school bus funding. Vehicle dealers apply the funding to the price of buses on their behalf after fleet operators have issued purchase orders. Fleet operators apply directly to NYSERDA for charging vouchers, which support adding charging infrastructure to their depots.

    Larger funding amounts are available for high-need school districts and school districts with significant portions of their population living in disadvantaged communities, as determined by the New York State Climate Justice Working Group criteria. While these districts are defined as priority districts through this program, all school districts can earn increased incentives by removing a gas or diesel bus from operation, purchasing wheelchair accessible buses, or purchasing buses with vehicle to grid capability. All school districts that complete fleet electrification plans also become eligible for higher funding amounts.

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “The continued rollout of zero-emission school buses is critical to improving air quality and protecting the health of students and drivers in communities across the State. Investments through the Bond Act are making the transition to these greener vehicles more affordable for school districts. Under the leadership of Governor Hochul and in coordination with our state agency partners, DEC remains focused on administering Bond Act funding to support this important program and continue momentum to help address climate impacts, reduce harmful emissions, and improve quality of life for New York families.”

    New York State Department of Public Service CEO Rory M. Christian said, “Kudos to Governor Hochul and her team for encouraging further adoption and deployment of zero-emission school buses. This program will help continue our move toward a cleaner environment, which benefits all of us.”

    New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “I thank Governor Hochul for her continued investment in the health of our children and commitment to building healthier communities across the state. Cleaner air means healthier kids, and reducing pollution around schools helps protect them from asthma and other respiratory problems.”

    Modernizing public school transportation with zero-emission buses is a priority for Governor Hochul to ensure the health of New York students. The FY25-26 New York State Budget continued to build momentum for school districts to put electric school buses on the road this year while providing districts with additional flexibility and time to complete their electrification plans and get hands-on experience with this new technology. The new independent range estimate requirement for bus manufacturers will also give school districts greater confidence that the buses will meet specific mileage and route conditions.

    Since NYSBIP’s launch, 88 school districts have applied for funds to purchase 529 buses, which includes 50 priority school districts accounting for 406 buses, and 400 districts are now working with NYSERDA to create Fleet Electrification Plans.

    The Bond Act requires that disadvantaged communities receive no less than 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefit of total Bond Act funds. In line with this goal, NYSERDA aims to ensure that at least 40 percent of the New York School Bus Incentive Program benefits disadvantaged communities. Buses domiciled in priority districts are eligible for higher incentive amounts in support of new zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure.

    New York State provides many resources for school bus fleet operators to transition their fleets to zero-emission buses, including an Electric School Bus Guidebook, a collection of practical user guides that highlight the benefits of electric school buses to make each part of transitioning a bus fleet easy to understand. This is a resource that can inform discussions with schools, New York State agencies, legislators, communities, manufacturers, bus dealers, and utilities to raise awareness on the Bond Act funding available to school districts and to help more communities understand the health and climate benefits that electric buses provide. Fleet operators seeking assistance should contact NYSERDA at [email protected].

    State Senator Kevin Parker said, “The additional $200 million in funding for zero-emission school buses is a bold investment in our children’s health, our environment, and the future of clean energy in New York. By accelerating the transition to electric school buses, we’re not only reducing harmful emissions but also improving air quality and public health in our communities, especially in neighborhoods that have long suffered from high pollution levels. This is a win for clean energy, for equity, and for every New Yorker.”

    State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I am pleased that an additional $200 million is now available to school districts to support the transition to zero-emission school buses. New York has been a leader in the fight against climate change, and this funding, provided through the historic Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act approved by New Yorkers, will further our efforts to reduce carbon emissions while alleviating financial burdens for New York schools. I would like to thank Governor Hochul and NYSERDA for their dedication to making New York a cleaner place, and I also extend my gratitude to the voters who approved this Bond Act.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, New York must remain committed to our environmental goals for a brighter future for New Yorkers, but we also realize that the state has a role to play in making this clean energy transition a reality. Today’s announcement is an important step in the right direction, and proof that we’ll continue to help our public schools, bolster charging infrastructure, and create a cleaner, healthier New York.”

    Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, “The Governor’s investment in zero-emission school buses shows the state’s continued commitment to climate leadership and advancing equitable access to clean transportation. The investment allows for a smooth transition to clean transportation and alleviates the anxiety of how districts will pay for the buses.”

    Assemblymember Michael R. Benedetto said, “I applaud Governor Hochul for making this a priority. This $200 million will help many school districts as they work to make the transition to electric buses. It’s a meaningful step toward cleaner air and healthier communities for our children.”

    Assemblymember Didi Barrett said, “The upfront cost of zero emission school buses has been a significant concern for all of the schools in my Assembly District, and the vast majority of districts across the State. This newly released funding from the 2022 Environmental Bond Act offers welcome financial support for our schools to electrify their bus fleets, bringing us closer to creating cleaner, safer and quieter commutes for our school children while helping us get closer to our ambitious climate goals.”

    Association of School Business Officials Executive Director Brian Cechnicki said, “Continued investments, including this funding, are critical for school districts to meet the state’s zero-emission bus mandate, and we are appreciative of NYSERDA for partnering with districts in this work.”

    New York School Bus Contractors Association President Tommy Smith said, “The New York School Bus Contractors Association is grateful that New York State continues to lead in financing the transition to electric school buses. We are excited about the advancements in battery technology that will further accelerate this initiative and help deliver cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable transportation for our students.”

    Mothers Out Front Distributed Senior Organizer Sarah Smiley said, “It is great news for students, parents, and school districts that more funding is now available for electric school buses, charging infrastructure, and fleet transition planning. We hope more districts leverage the New York School Bus Incentive Program funding so that our children have clean rides to school and we can reduce emissions for a healthier planet.”

    For more than fifty years, NYSERDA has been a trusted and objective resource for New Yorkers, taking on the critical role of energy planning and policy analysis, along with making investments that drive New York toward a more sustainable future. New York State is investing nearly $3 billion in electrifying its transportation sector and rapidly advancing measures that all new passenger cars and trucks sold be zero-emission. There are a range of initiatives to grow access to EVs and improve clean transit for all New Yorkers including EV Make Ready, EVolve NY, Charge Ready NY 2.0, the Drive Clean Rebate, the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program, and the New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The Legacy of Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Lives on Through Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency’s (TİKA) Turkish Language Class in Somalia

    Source: APO


    .

    Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) established the “Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Turkish Language Class” at an orphanage in Somalia that houses the children of martyred police officers.

    TİKA launched this meaningful educational project in honor of the children of Somalia’s fallen police officers. Named after July 15 Martyr Ömer Halisdemir, the Turkish language class was inaugurated during a ceremony at an orphanage in the capital, Mogadishu.

    The opening was held as part of the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day commemoration program, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Mogadishu.

    The ceremony was attended by Somali Minister of Internal Security, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismael (Fartaag); Minister of Defense, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi; Army Commander Brigadier General Sahal Abdullahi Omar; Somali Police Force Commander, Major General Asad Osman Abdullahi; and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Mogadishu, Alper Aktaş. Also in attendance were the ambassadors of Qatar, Sudan, and Kenya, along with the Permanent Representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to Somalia, Ambassador Mohamed Bamba.

    The “Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Turkish Language Class” aims to honor the national spirit of July 15, preserve the memory of a heroic martyr through education, and provide Somali students with the opportunity to learn Turkish. Turkish language instruction in the classroom will be provided by Yunus Emre Institute, enabling students to become more familiar with the Turkish language and culture and gain an advantage when pursuing educational opportunities in Türkiye.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tonko, Huizenga Introduce Legislation to Expand Mental Health Care for Seniors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

    WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY-20) and Bill Huizenga (R-MI-4) today reintroduced the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, bipartisan legislation that would improve care for millions of America’s seniors by permanently repealing the Medicare 190-day lifetime limit for inpatient psychiatric care. No such limit exists for any other Medicare inpatient health care service.

    “Mental illness should be treated like any other illness, but stigma continues to limit equal, quality care — too often with dire consequences,” Congressman Tonko said. “Currently, Medicare feeds into this longstanding prejudice, setting an arbitrary cap unique to mental health care that limits treatment and provides gaps in care for seniors. We’re reintroducing our Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act to remove this unjust 190-day limit. I urge my colleagues to join us in standing up for seniors and ensuring they are supported with the quality care they need and deserve.”

    “Mental health policies must be modernized to answer the growing needs of the 21st century,” Congressman Huizenga said. “I am proud to help lead on this issue with bipartisan legislation to modernize Medicare policies and bring them in line with the higher standards used by the State of Michigan and private sector. Hopefully this bipartisan bill can help provide a roadmap for additional mental health reforms and challenges Congress must address.”

    Today, despite the enactment of the landmark Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, Medicare continues to discriminate against seniors with mental illnesses. The 190-day limit in care disproportionately harms individuals who receive Medicare coverage earlier in life due to disability. The vast majority of private health insurance has already removed this antiquated limit. MedPac, an independent congressional agency that advises on Medicare, released a March 2025 report recommending that Congress eliminate this limit.

    This legislation is supported by more than three dozen organizations, including: AARP, Acadia Healthcare, Addiction Policy Forum, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, The American Group Psychotherapy Association, American Hospital Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association Services, Community Catalyst, The Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy, & Action, The Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice, IC&RC, Inseparable, The Kennedy Forum, Legal Action Center, Mental Health America, MHANYS, NAMI, National Association for Behavioral Healthcare, The National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH), the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD), The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Agency Directors (NASADAD), National Behavioral Health Association of Providers, National Black Harm Reduction Network (NBHRN), National Board for Certified Counselors & Affiliates, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, The National League for Nursing, Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, Treatment Communities of America, Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, California Consortium of Addiction Programs & Professionals

    A fact-sheet of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Unseals Civil Action Filed Against Approximately $2M in Digital Currency Involved in Hamas Fundraising

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: United States Unseals Civil Action Filed Against Approximately $2M in Digital Currency Involved in Hamas Fundraising

    The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today announced the unsealing of a civil forfeiture action against approximately $2 million dollars in digital currency held by Tether Limited (Tether) and Binance Holdings LTD (Binance) accounts connected with Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company (BuyCash), a Gaza-based money transfer business that was involved in financially supporting Hamas – a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) – as well as its agents and collaborators.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Unseals Civil Action Filed Against Approximately $2M in Digital Currency Involved in Hamas Fundraising

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today announced the unsealing of a civil forfeiture action against approximately $2 million dollars in digital currency held by Tether Limited (Tether) and Binance Holdings LTD (Binance) accounts connected with Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company (BuyCash), a Gaza-based money transfer business that was involved in financially supporting Hamas – a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) – as well as its agents and collaborators.

    “Terrorist organizations like Hamas and their affiliates rely on shadowy financial networks to fund their deadly operations,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “By seizing millions in cryptocurrency, the Justice Department is aggressively dismantling the financial infrastructure of terrorism and refusing to allow our digital currency platforms to become safe havens for terrorist financing.”

    “The forfeiture action executed today is an example of how diligently our office works to prevent any actions from taking place that support foreign terrorist organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Colombia. “Our partnership with other law enforcement agencies strengthens us to uphold the safety of the American people from entities that threaten the security of our citizens.”

    “The forfeiture action unsealed today demonstrates that no matter what lengths terrorism financers take to obscure their illegal transactions, the FBI will aggressively disrupt the transmission of illicit proceeds intended to support designated terrorist organizations like Hamas,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office.

    BuyCash, and one of its owners, Ahmed M. M. Alaqad, have been suspected of supporting various terrorist organizations including Hamas, ISIS, Al-Qaida affiliates and others. After the October 2023 attacks on Israel, BuyCash and Alaqad were designated as having materially supported Hamas under Executive Order 13224 by the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). Since 2017, BuyCash and Alaqad have supported several foreign terrorist organizations. In 2017, BuyCash was used for the procurement of large quantities of online infrastructure on behalf of ISIS. In September 2019, BuyCash was used to receive funds from a known Al-Qaida affiliate. In 2019, law enforcement identified various instances where BuyCash, with the direct support of Alaqad, directly aided in the transfer of fiat currency to known individuals and entities in support of Hamas. In June 2021, Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terrorist Financing seized various digital currency accounts connected to Hamas and the Izz-al-Din Qassam Brigades, including one involving BuyCash.

    The complaint describes a detailed scheme whereby users utilized BuyCash to fund accounts held by Tether and Binance to obfuscate their financial support of international terrorist organizations, including Hamas. Before and after the October 2023 attacks, one account was reported to have received at least $4 million to support Hamas.

    The government’s forfeiture action targets multiple accounts previously seized from Tether and Binance connected to BuyCash and removed approximately $2 million dollars from streams of funds supporting international terrorism.

    A civil forfeiture complaint contains mere allegations. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

    The FBI Washington D.C. Field Office is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rajbir S. Datta and Thomas Saunders for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Allison Ickovic of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Deputy Chief Alicia Cook of the National Security Division. Critical assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers, Gina Torres, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL and Google Host Artificial Intelligence Hackathon To Tackle Data Center Energy Challenges

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Experts Explore Potential of Google AI Tools To Mitigate Potential Energy Limits for Quick Growth of US Data Centers

    NREL and Google teamed up to host a hackathon, bringing together leading researchers from nine U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories to explore and leverage Google’s generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language model tools to address an array of critical challenges related to energy limitations for U.S. data centers.

    Overcoming these challenges is critical to enable scaling for future technologies while ensuring energy reliability and affordability.

    According to Google’s AI definition, fittingly, a hackathon is a collaborative event where people with diverse skills, often programmers and designers, come together to work intensively on a specific project, typically within a short time frame.

    The original idea for the hackathon emerged out of discussions with Google’s public sector team and NREL’s computational science team.

    “Both groups were interested in exposing scientists to some of the latest and greatest AI models to test out what they’re really capable of, but both groups also wanted a targeted application,” said Ray Grout, director of the computational science center at NREL. “Exploring data center energy challenges was a natural fit given the growing demand of energy for AI, and the interest in the topic for the labs and Google.”

    Roughly 50 top minds, including six NREL computational and data scientists, participated in the two-day event, which took place June 17–18 in Washington, D.C. Participants engaged in hands-on experimentation, applying cutting-edge AI capabilities to real-world problems in geospatial analytics, energy systems, data center optimization, and digital-twin development. The hackathon provided a unique platform for participants to directly engage with Google’s AI tools, particularly Gemini, and explore their applicability to a diverse range of scientific and engineering problems.

    The hackathon brought together leading researchers from across DOE’s national laboratories to explore and leverage Google’s generative AI tools. Photo from Beth Hartman, Google

    Google’s AI platform includes several tools that enable researchers to accelerate and expand their work overall. Among the tools are Agentspace and its included agents like Idea Generation and Deep Research. Idea Generation, an agent premade by Google, has the goal of helping with innovation and problem-solving for enterprise users by combining advanced AI with a unique tournament-style competition framework to generate and rank ideas. Deep Research enables researchers to gather, analyze, and understand internal and external information.

    Other tools help improve operational efficiency, allowing researchers to inform their work by more quickly finding resources across labs and agencies. Finally, many tools address specific use cases like geospatial reasoning, population dynamics, and weather forecasting. For example, one demonstration that the Google geospatial team showed at the hackathon used geospatial reasoning and weather forecasting for predicting grid outages. Google teams represented at the hackathon included Google Public Sector, DeepMind, Google Research, and Climate Ops.

    Google’s geospatial reasoning team developed a demo for the hackathon showing outage predictions based on weather forecasting models. Image from Beth Hartman, Google

    “Google was honored to partner with NREL and work with so many DOE labs at this collaborative event,” said Regiuel Days, account executive for federal science and research at Google. “These critical research institutions provide our country with essential insights into key issues such as grid resilience, energy security, and data center optimization. Combined with Google’s data and cutting-edge AI models, we can work together to more quickly find solutions to the big challenges we face.”

    Hackathon Experience and Outcomes

    The hackathon successfully demonstrated the potential of generative AI in accelerating research, automating complex tasks, and generating novel insights.

    During the two-day event, experts teamed up to collaborate and explore the various identified challenges. Some participants focused on geospatial analytics, leveraging Gemini to process and interpret spatial data. Other researchers utilized Gemini’s code-generation and debugging capabilities, while others found Gemini valuable for in-depth research and brainstorming.

    Hackathon participants engaged in collaborative, hands-on experimentation, applying cutting-edge AI capabilities to real-world problems. Photo from Beth Hartman, Google

    NREL’s Gabriel Steenberg was one of several researchers to explore specialized problems. Steenberg explored the Population Dynamics Foundation model to predict power grid behavior, feeding it county-level data to see if it could predict interconnections in other counties. Other laboratories with staff in person at the event included Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Jefferson Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, National Energy Technology Laboratory, Oakridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories.

    The labs explored solutions such as using Vertex AI and Google Earth Engine to better understand data-center load balancing, real-time water data, and cybersecurity. Through these topic explorations, Google gained insights into how national laboratories envision using their AI tools, especially concerning specialized applications like geospatial reasoning, digital twins, and autonomous engineering.

    The hackathon served as a valuable collaborative step, fostering innovation and providing crucial insights into the evolving landscape of generative AI for scientific research. The event generated robust discussion, shared learning, and discoveries and identified opportunities for future follow-on events.

    “We have so many experts across the national labs working on energy challenges, and Google has so many experts developing and deploying AI solutions. This was a great way to get everyone in the same room to figure out what we can do already and where there is more work to be done,” Grout said.

    “Throughout this interactive, guided exploration of Google’s AI models and tools, we learned a tremendous amount about what types of challenges the labs are focused on solving,” said Beth Hartman, Google’s industry executive for federal science and research. “This helps us to better understand how we can help more specifically. Going forward, we are focused on providing the labs with increased access to the models that best support their work. We are also planning to host more hackathons in partnership with the labs and will continue to invite all 17 DOE labs to participate. Stay tuned!”

    Learn more about NREL’s computational science and AI research.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Missouri Small Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by April Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses, private nonprofits, and residents in Missouri of the Aug. 22 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset physical damage caused by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, heavy rains, large hail, flooding and flash flooding occurring April 29.

    The disaster declaration covers the Missouri counties of Barry, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Polk, Stone and Webster as well as the Kansas county of Cherokee, and the Oklahoma county of Ottawa.

    Small businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s physical damage loans.”

    SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for nonprofits, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and 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.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is Aug. 22.

    ###

    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 USA: H.R. 589, FACE Act Repeal Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 589 would repeal a section of federal law that prohibits actions that interfere with a person’s ability to access or provide reproductive health services or to engage in religious worship. Under the bill, individuals and states attorneys general would no longer be able to file civil lawsuits in federal court for violations of the law and the government could not impose civil or criminal penalties related to those actions.

    As a result, CBO expects that enacting H.R. 589 would reduce revenues and direct spending. Criminal and civil fines are recorded in the budget as revenues. Criminal fines are deposited in the Crime Victims Fund and later spent without further appropriation. Generally, civil fines are returned to the Treasury and are not available for spending without further appropriation. CBO estimates that any reduction in the collection of civil and criminal penalties would be insignificant.

    Additionally, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 589 would reduce the number of civil cases filed in federal court. Under current law, the federal judiciary charges fees to file suits in district courts. Those fees are recorded in the budget as revenues and the courts can spend those fees without further appropriation. CBO estimates that any reduction in the collections of those fees would be insignificant. In total, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 589 would reduce revenues and the associated direct spending by less than $500,000 in every year and over the 2025-2035 period.

    H.R. 589 would impose an intergovernmental and private-sector mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by removing the ability of individuals and state attorneys general to pursue civil remedies for conduct that interfered with the receipt or provision of reproductive health services or participation in religious activities.

    The cost of this mandate would be the lost financial awards from successful litigation. CBO cannot anticipate the number of cases that would be prohibited under this bill, the outcome of such cases, or the financial awards from successful litigation. Therefore, CBO cannot determine whether the cost of the mandate would exceed the UMRA intergovernmental and private-sector thresholds ($103 million and $206 million respectfully, in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Jeremy Crimm (for federal costs) and Erich Dvorak (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 1595, Improving Police CARE Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 1595 would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop and publish standards for trauma kits and the best practices for law enforcement agencies on the maintenance and use of those kits. The bill would require DOJ to consult with the private sector and state and local law enforcement agencies in developing the standards. S. 1595 also would prohibit grantees under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program from using grant funds to purchase trauma kits that do not meet DOJ’s standards. Under that program, DOJ awards grants to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to support a variety of criminal justice and law enforcement activities, including the purchase of trauma kits.

    Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing S. 1595 would cost DOJ less than $500,000 to develop and publish the standards and best practices. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeremy Crimm. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Court Upholds Bureau of Reclamation’s Conversion of Water Service Contracts in Central Valley of California

    Source: US State of California

    Last week, a judgment entered by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California confirmed the ability of the Bureau of Reclamation to convert water service contracts to long term repayment contracts pursuant to the Water Infrastructure and Improvements for the Nation Act. The converted contracts eliminate the need for future renewals and associated costs and allow contractors to lower their overall costs by prepaying their share of project construction costs. The converted contracts also benefit the government by facilitating faster repayment of construction costs which can provide funding for future water storage projects.

    The Court agreed with Reclamation’s interpretation of the WIIN Act, that

    • the WIIN Act requires contract conversion upon request, and
    • WIIN Act § 4011(a)(4)(c) strips Reclamation of discretion to modify any “water service … contractual rights” other than those related to the financial terms specifically addressed by the WIIN Act.

    Because those provisions removed Reclamation’s discretion, Reclamation was not required to conduct an analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act, or consult under the Endangered Species Act, as part of the contract conversions.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement.

    Trial Attorneys David Gehlert and Jeff Candrian of ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled the case. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington Hunting Guide and Outfitting Company Enter Guilty Pleas to Lacey Act Crime

    Source: US State of California

    Branden Trager of Brush Prairie, Washington, and his guiding company Mayhem Services LLC pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Tacoma to violating the Lacey Act.

    In pleading guilty, Trager admitted he and Mayhem Services violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) during a January 2023 hunting trip in western Washington and then transported the taken birds in violation of the Lacey Act. Enacted 125 years ago, the Lacey Act protects the nations wildlife resources by prohibiting wildlife violations that cross state or international borders. Trager also acknowledged that in 2022 he brought hunters into British Columbia, Canada, where he guided waterfowl hunting trips targeting the harlequin duck. He could not operate as a hunting guide under Canadian law.

    The harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is a small sea duck with a habitat ranging from Alaska to California. Hunters prize the harlequin as a trophy and as part of a challenge to hunt 41 North American waterfowl species. Washington closed harlequin hunting for the 2022-2023 season, but limited hunting remained open in British Columbia.

    According to plea agreements filed in court, the recommended fines are $100,000 for Trager and $75,000 for Mayhem Services. The parties also agreed to recommend that the court order the defendants to make a public statement expressing contrition and emphasizing the importance of hunting, guiding, and wildlife regulations. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16.

    According to a Joint Factual Statement filed in court, the MBTA prohibits, among other things, taking migratory birds using a motor vehicle; taking migratory birds by using a vehicle to concentrate, drive, or rally them; taking migratory birds in excess of daily bag limits; taking or crippling a migratory bird and not make reasonable efforts to retrieve it; and transporting taken migratory birds belonging to another individual without tagging them. Taking includes pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.

    The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking law. It prohibits, among other things, transporting wildlife that had been illegally taken under federal, state, tribal or foreign law. The MBTA is a U.S. law that implemented treaties with Canada and other nations to ensure sustainable populations of migratory birds.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division made the announcement.

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement led the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, British Columbia Conservation Officer Service, and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

    Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cedar Rapids Man Who Conspired to Distribute Thousands of Fentanyl Pills Sentenced to Federal Prison

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

    A man who conspired to distribute fentanyl pills was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison.  Jaylon William Throgmartin, age 22, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

    In a plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing, evidence showed that Throgmartin distributed thousands of fentanyl pills between December 2023 and October 2024.  Throgmartin also facilitated the sale of a firearm in exchange for fentanyl pills.  In January 2025, he distributed at least one fentanyl pill to someone who overdosed.  The victim recovered after receiving Narcan.  

    Throgmartin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Throgmartin was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    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.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.  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.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Throgmartin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 25-CR-5.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Court Upholds Bureau of Reclamation’s Conversion of Water Service Contracts in Central Valley of California

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Last week, a judgment entered by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California confirmed the ability of the Bureau of Reclamation to convert water service contracts to long term repayment contracts pursuant to the Water Infrastructure and Improvements for the Nation Act. The converted contracts eliminate the need for future renewals and associated costs and allow contractors to lower their overall costs by prepaying their share of project construction costs. The converted contracts also benefit the government by facilitating faster repayment of construction costs which can provide funding for future water storage projects.

    The Court agreed with Reclamation’s interpretation of the WIIN Act, that

    • the WIIN Act requires contract conversion upon request, and
    • WIIN Act § 4011(a)(4)(c) strips Reclamation of discretion to modify any “water service … contractual rights” other than those related to the financial terms specifically addressed by the WIIN Act.

    Because those provisions removed Reclamation’s discretion, Reclamation was not required to conduct an analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act, or consult under the Endangered Species Act, as part of the contract conversions.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement.

    Trial Attorneys David Gehlert and Jeff Candrian of ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Hunting Guide and Outfitting Company Enter Guilty Pleas to Lacey Act Crime

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Branden Trager of Brush Prairie, Washington, and his guiding company Mayhem Services LLC pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Tacoma to violating the Lacey Act.

    In pleading guilty, Trager admitted he and Mayhem Services violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) during a January 2023 hunting trip in western Washington and then transported the taken birds in violation of the Lacey Act. Enacted 125 years ago, the Lacey Act protects the nations wildlife resources by prohibiting wildlife violations that cross state or international borders. Trager also acknowledged that in 2022 he brought hunters into British Columbia, Canada, where he guided waterfowl hunting trips targeting the harlequin duck. He could not operate as a hunting guide under Canadian law.

    The harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is a small sea duck with a habitat ranging from Alaska to California. Hunters prize the harlequin as a trophy and as part of a challenge to hunt 41 North American waterfowl species. Washington closed harlequin hunting for the 2022-2023 season, but limited hunting remained open in British Columbia.

    According to plea agreements filed in court, the recommended fines are $100,000 for Trager and $75,000 for Mayhem Services. The parties also agreed to recommend that the court order the defendants to make a public statement expressing contrition and emphasizing the importance of hunting, guiding, and wildlife regulations. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16.

    According to a Joint Factual Statement filed in court, the MBTA prohibits, among other things, taking migratory birds using a motor vehicle; taking migratory birds by using a vehicle to concentrate, drive, or rally them; taking migratory birds in excess of daily bag limits; taking or crippling a migratory bird and not make reasonable efforts to retrieve it; and transporting taken migratory birds belonging to another individual without tagging them. Taking includes pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.

    The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking law. It prohibits, among other things, transporting wildlife that had been illegally taken under federal, state, tribal or foreign law. The MBTA is a U.S. law that implemented treaties with Canada and other nations to ensure sustainable populations of migratory birds.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division made the announcement.

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement led the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, British Columbia Conservation Officer Service, and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.

    Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NPCC celebrates role of women in policing

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    The NPCC Chair, Gavin Stephens, responds to MP’s comments made yesterday (21 July), about the role of women in policing.

    Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the NPCC, said: “All of our officers come to work every day with passion, determination and courage to serve their communities.

    “There are an increasing number of women who choose a career in policing, bringing with them vital skills and experience that are critical to the progress of policing, our role in society, and keeping the public safe. Over a third of our officers and around 40% of our chief constables are women, and we must not jeopardise our progress by diminishing the value and role women play in our workforce.

    “There are no roles in policing which women cannot do, and the same exacting standards to qualify are met by all men and women who undertake some of the most challenging tasks of any profession.

    “We celebrate that women have an essential and irreplaceable role in every aspect of policing across the United Kingdom; policing is at its best when it represents the communities it serves, and our priority continues to be making policing a career where anyone can thrive and make a difference.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NPCC celebrates role of women in policing

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    The NPCC Chair, Gavin Stephens, responds to MP’s comments made yesterday (21 July), about the role of women in policing.

    Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the NPCC, said: “All of our officers come to work every day with passion, determination and courage to serve their communities.

    “There are an increasing number of women who choose a career in policing, bringing with them vital skills and experience that are critical to the progress of policing, our role in society, and keeping the public safe. Over a third of our officers and around 40% of our chief constables are women, and we must not jeopardise our progress by diminishing the value and role women play in our workforce.

    “There are no roles in policing which women cannot do, and the same exacting standards to qualify are met by all men and women who undertake some of the most challenging tasks of any profession.

    “We celebrate that women have an essential and irreplaceable role in every aspect of policing across the United Kingdom; policing is at its best when it represents the communities it serves, and our priority continues to be making policing a career where anyone can thrive and make a difference.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dublin City University

    Ghana stands out in west Africa as a nation that has not experienced terrorist attacks, even though it’s geographically close to countries that have. In Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) have wreaked havoc.

    This resilience is not accidental. It is the result of deliberate counter-terrorism strategies employed by Ghana’s security institutions.

    Ghana’s counter-terrorism framework was set out in 2020. It has four pillars: prevent, pre-empt, protect, and respond. The idea is to coordinate multiple agencies, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Armed Forces and the National Intelligence Bureau.

    These pillars guide strategies to address both immediate threats and underlying vulnerabilities. Poverty, religious radicalism and porous borders are common drivers of terrorism in west Africa.

    I am an international security and global governance researcher. My co-author is a government and international studies scholar.

    Four years ago we wrote a paper examining Ghana’s resilience against terrorist attacks. Our findings are still relevant given the increasing activities of terror groups in the west African region.

    Read more: West Africa terror: why attacks on military bases are rising – and four ways to respond

    We wanted to identify what works as a potential model for other countries.

    Using a qualitative methodology, we interviewed stakeholders — including police officers, members of the armed forces, Muslim community leaders, and immigration officials. We also analysed the national framework for preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism.

    Our findings showed that Ghana’s success is traceable to an approach that integrates community engagement with advanced border technology, inter-agency training, media collaboration and intelligence operations. And it addresses both immediate and underlying threats.

    We argue that Ghana’s ability to balance prevention with security offers solutions for stability in a geopolitically volatile region.

    Read more: Ghana’s new president faces tough regional security problems: why he’s well-placed to tackle them

    Community engagement

    One of the standout strategies is community engagement. This serves multiple purposes, from guiding people away from extremism to gathering intelligence.

    The Ghana Police Service, for instance, engages Muslim-dominated communities, known as “Zongos”, to counter radical Islamic ideologies that could be exploited by terrorist groups.

    By collaborating with local religious leaders, police make communities aware of the dangers of radicalisation. They foster trust and encourage residents to report suspicious activities. This approach also works in tackling illegal arms circulation.

    Ghana has an estimated 2.3 million small arms in circulation – 1.1 million of them illegally possessed. The availability of so many weapons fuels terrorist activities across west Africa.

    Community based de-radicalisation aligns with global best practices. In Norway, for instance, it was used to disengage youth from extremist groups.

    Technology at borders

    Ghana’s border control management is another part of its counter-terrorism strategy. Ghana Immigration Service uses advanced security software and integrated systems like the “Immigration 360” system, designed to fully automate passenger processing and data management.

    The system manages records of fingerprints and other data to improve reporting and intelligence sharing between Ghana Immigration and other security agencies.

    The technology makes it possible to quickly identity individuals on terrorist watchlists and detects concealed goods. This helps prevent illegal cross-border movements.

    There are gaps in Ghana’s defences, however. The influx of migrants fleeing extremist violence in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in 2024 highlights the urgency of scaling up investments in the technology.

    Read more: West Africa could soon have a jihadist state – here’s why

    Training for preparedness

    Ghana combats new and varying forms of terrorism by uncovering trends and training personnel to deal with them.

    A notable example was the six-day joint training in 2022 involving the Ghana Immigration Service, Police Service, Customs, Economic and Organised Crime Office, and the National Intelligence Bureau.

    The country also works with regional neighbours like Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin, and partners such as the United States, through initiatives like “Operation Epic Guardian”.

    Media as a strategic partner

    Terrorists rely on media to amplify fear and publicise their causes. Ghana’s security agencies counter this tactic by actively engaging media houses to report accurately.

    The Ghana Armed Forces, for instance, works with media to debunk false reports, which can cause public panic and inadvertently aid terrorists.

    The Ghana Police Service emphasises regular dialogue with media to ensure sensitive information is verified before publication, reducing the risk of tipping off suspects. However, media competition for viewers poses a challenge.

    Surveillance and intelligence gathering

    Surveillance and intelligence gathering is critical. Plainclothes armed forces and immigration personnel blend into communities to monitor potential threats. The approach has worked but is constrained by resources.

    It can also risk human rights violations, such as wrongful profiling, and is less effective against multiple targets compared to technological solutions like facial recognition or CCTV.

    Read more: Funding terror: how west Africa’s deadly jihadists get the money they need to survive

    Challenges and regional implications

    Despite its successes, Ghana’s counter-terrorism framework faces challenges that could undermine its long-term efficacy:

    • logistical and financial constraints

    • the influx of migrants fleeing regional violence

    • a lack of harmonised security cultures within the regional body, Ecowas.

    In all, Ghana’s strategies offer lessons for west Africa, where terrorism is a growing threat.

    Its community engagement model could be followed in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to counter radicalisation and arms proliferation, provided it avoids religious stereotyping.

    – Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach
    – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-security-strategy-has-kept-terror-attacks-at-bay-what-other-countries-can-learn-from-its-approach-260333

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force Commemorates 20 Years Investigating, Apprehending West Texas Fugitives

    Source: US Marshals Service

    San Antonio, TX – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) is commemorating the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force’s 20 years of service as part of the Western District of Texas.

    The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force (LSFTF) is a multi-agency task force focused on the reduction of violence within the Western District of Texas through the identification, investigation, and apprehension of fugitives wanted for egregious crimes against the community. Since its inception in March 2005, the task force has investigated and apprehended over 58,991 fugitives, including 1,795 wanted for murder.  

    The Western District of Texas consists of 93,000 square miles, 68 counties, 809 miles of border with Mexico, with eight divisions located in Austin, Alpine, Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Pecos, San Antonio and Waco.

    Notable historical cases, arrests, and awards in the Western District of Texas include: 

    In April 2017, the Austin division was presented the Outstanding Team Award at the 34th Annual 100 Club of Central Texas Awards Banquet. 

    June 2022, the Austin division conducted a fugitive investigation that led to the arrest of Kaitlin Armstrong, sought for the May 2022 murder of professional cyclist Moriah “Mo” Wilson. Armstrong was apprehended at a hostel in Costa Rica following a 43-day fugitive investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Office of International Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.

    February 2024, the Alpine division investigated the whereabouts of Ivan Ramos-Hernandez, who fled from Presidio Police, engaging them in a high-speed pursuit and firing gunshots. Ramos-Hernandez fled to Ojinaga, Mexico, where he was apprehended by Mexican authorities following a multi-agency collaboration with assistance provided from Homeland Security Investigations, Custom Border Protection, U.S. Probation, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division, Presidio Police and Mexican officials. Ramos-Hernandez attempted a violent escape one last time during transport that was halted by authorities. 

    January 2022, the Del Rio division was contacted by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force to locate and apprehend Oscar Rosales, who was wanted for capital murder, when he shot and killed Corporal Charles Galloway with the Harris County Constables Office during a traffic stop. Rosales fired multiple rounds from an assault rifle and fled from the scene. Rosales was added to the Texas10 Most Wanted Fugitive list and was believed to have fled to Mexico. Investigators in the Del Rio division worked directly with Mexican authorities and coordinated his apprehension in Acuna, Mexico. 

    August 2017, the El Paso division initiated a fugitive investigation to apprehend Javier Gonzalez and Manual Gallegos, members of the Kinfolk Outlaw Motorcycle Gang sought for multiple counts of engaging in organized criminal activity and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Gonzales and Gallegos were arrested in two separate incidents within a 10-day span with additional assistance from El Paso Police Department’s SWAT team.

    April 2025, the Midland division adopted the apprehension of Noah Gilbert Olgin, who was wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, injury to a child, deadly conduct and a federal supervised release violation for possession of a firearm, following an incident where he was involved in a drive-by-shooting in Odessa, that resulted in a serious injury to a child.  Olgin was arrested in Midland with assistance from the Midland SWAT team. 

    November 2022, the Pecos division arrested Jose Hernandez, a Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive apprehended in Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, through a coordinated effort with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force and Mexican authorities. Hernandez was sought on a bond violation for two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. 

    January 2024, the San Antonio division joined efforts to apprehend Romeo Nance, who was wanted in connection with a mass shooting in Joliet, Illinois, that killed eight people and wounded one other person. The Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, Joliet Police Department, and the Will County Sheriff’s Department requested immediate assistance from the LSFTF who located and observed Nance at a gas station in Natalia, Texas. As members of the LSFTF attempted to contain Nance in his vehicle, he fled on foot, taking his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

    June 2020, the Waco division was contacted by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division to locate 20-year-old Pfc. Class Vanessa Guillen, a Fort Hood soldier who had been reported missing under unusual circumstances in April 2020. Joining CID’s investigation, task force members determined Guillen had been murdered by another soldier. Less than 24 hours after Guillen’s remains were located in a shallow grave near a river, the LSFTF identified Spc. Aaron David Robinson and his girlfriend Cecily Aguilar as primary suspects in her murder. As task force members attempted to take Robinson into custody, he fatally shot himself. Aguilar pleaded guilty in federal court and was sentenced to 30 years of incarceration. In 2021, the Waco Division received the Distinguished Group Award for District Task Forces at the 40th United States Marshals Service Director’s Honorary Awards in recognition of locating Guillen’s remains and identifying those responsible for her death. In July of 2022, personnel in the Waco Division were recognized for their outstanding service, selfless pursuit of justice, and assisting in bringing closure for Guillen’s family and friends by being granted the 69th Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service.   

    On June 2, the Waco Division received the Distinguished Group Award for the District Task Forces at the 43rd United States Marshals Service Director’s Honorary Awards for a two-year-old cold case from Leon County, involving a missing child, and possible homicide of the child’s mother. The division conducted an intensive investigation that resulted in the recovery of the mother’s decomposed remains found buried in a field and completed a multifaceted arrest operation that resulted in the arrest of the suspect and safe recovery of the missing child. During the conclusion of the arrest, multiple firearms, ammunition, body armor, and narcotics were seized, and the suspect was indicted on capital murder.

    “I am immensely proud of the Deputy U.S. Marshals and the numerous task force officers of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, men and women who are fully devoted to making their communities safer for their fellow citizens by apprehending offenders wanted for the most serious crimes such as murder and child abuse, while ensuring the equal application of justice for all,” said Marshal Susan Pamerleau, U.S. Marshal of the Western District of Texas.  

    U.S. Marshals task forces combine the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest the most dangerous fugitives. Fifty-eight local task forces are dedicated to reducing violent crime by locating and apprehending wanted criminals. They also serve as the central point for agencies to share information on fugitive matters.  Task force officers are state and local police officers who receive special deputations with the U.S. Marshals. While on a task force, these officers can exercise U.S. Marshals authorities, such as crossing jurisdictional lines.

    Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force across the Western District of TexasSAN ANTONIO – The U.S. Marshals Service is commemorating the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force’s 20 years of service as part of the Western District of Texas.

    The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force (LSFTF) is a multi-agency task force focused on the reduction of violence within the Western District of Texas through the identification, investigation, and apprehension of fugitives wanted for egregious crimes against the community. Since its inception in March 2005, the task force has investigated and apprehended over 58,991 fugitives, including 1,795 wanted for murder.  

    The Western District of Texas consists of 93,000 square miles, 68 counties, 809 miles of border with Mexico, with eight divisions located in Austin, Alpine, Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Pecos, San Antonio and Waco.

    Notable historical cases, arrests, and awards in the Western District of Texas include: 
    In April 2017, the Austin division was presented the Outstanding Team Award at the 34th Annual 100 Club of Central Texas Awards Banquet. 
    June 2022, the Austin division conducted a fugitive investigation that led to the arrest of Kaitlin Armstrong, sought for the May 2022 murder of professional cyclist Moriah “Mo” Wilson. Armstrong was apprehended at a hostel in Costa Rica following a 43-day fugitive investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Office of International Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.
    February 2024, the Alpine division investigated the whereabouts of Ivan Ramos-Hernandez, who fled from Presidio Police, engaging them in a high-speed pursuit and firing gunshots. Ramos-Hernandez fled to Ojinaga, Mexico, where he was apprehended by Mexican authorities following a multi-agency collaboration with assistance provided from Homeland Security Investigations, Custom Border Protection, U.S. Probation, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division, Presidio Police and Mexican officials. Ramos-Hernandez attempted a violent escape one last time during transport that was halted by authorities. 
    January 2022, the Del Rio division was contacted by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force to locate and apprehend Oscar Rosales, who was wanted for capital murder, when he shot and killed Corporal Charles Galloway with the Harris County Constables Office during a traffic stop. Rosales fired multiple rounds from an assault rifle and fled from the scene. Rosales was added to the Texas10 Most Wanted Fugitive list and was believed to have fled to Mexico. Investigators in the Del Rio division worked directly with Mexican authorities and coordinated his apprehension in Acuna, Mexico. 
    August 2017, the El Paso division initiated a fugitive investigation to apprehend Javier Gonzalez and Manual Gallegos, members of the Kinfolk Outlaw Motorcycle Gang sought for multiple counts of engaging in organized criminal activity and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Gonzales and Gallegos were arrested in two separate incidents within a 10-day span with additional assistance from El Paso Police Department’s SWAT team.
    April 2025, the Midland division adopted the apprehension of Noah Gilbert Olgin, who was wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, injury to a child, deadly conduct and a federal supervised release violation for possession of a firearm, following an incident where he was involved in a drive-by-shooting in Odessa, that resulted in a serious injury to a child.  Olgin was arrested in Midland with assistance from the Midland SWAT team. 
    November 2022, the Pecos division arrested Jose Hernandez, a Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive apprehended in Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, through a coordinated effort with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force and Mexican authorities. Hernandez was sought on a bond violation for two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. 
    January 2024, the San Antonio division joined efforts to apprehend Romeo Nance, who was wanted in connection with a mass shooting in Joliet, Illinois, that killed eight people and wounded one other person. The Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, Joliet Police Department, and the Will County Sheriff’s Department requested immediate assistance from the LSFTF who located and observed Nance at a gas station in Natalia, Texas. As members of the LSFTF attempted to contain Nance in his vehicle, he fled on foot, taking his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 
    June 2020, the Waco division was contacted by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division to locate 20-year-old Pfc. Class Vanessa Guillen, a Fort Hood soldier who had been reported missing under unusual circumstances in April 2020. Joining CID’s investigation, task force members determined Guillen had been murdered by another soldier. Less than 24 hours after Guillen’s remains were located in a shallow grave near a river, the LSFTF identified Spc. Aaron David Robinson and his girlfriend Cecily Aguilar as primary suspects in her murder. As task force members attempted to take Robinson into custody, he fatally shot himself. Aguilar pleaded guilty in federal court and was sentenced to 30 years of incarceration. In 2021, the Waco Division received the Distinguished Group Award for District Task Forces at the 40th United States Marshals Service Director’s Honorary Awards in recognition of locating Guillen’s remains and identifying those responsible for her death. In July of 2022, personnel in the Waco Division were recognized for their outstanding service, selfless pursuit of justice, and assisting in bringing closure for Guillen’s family and friends by being granted the 69th Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service.   
    On June 2, the Waco Division received the Distinguished Group Award for the District Task Forces at the 43rd United States Marshals Service Director’s Honorary Awards for a two-year-old cold case from Leon County, involving a missing child, and possible homicide of the child’s mother. The division conducted an intensive investigation that resulted in the recovery of the mother’s decomposed remains found buried in a field and completed a multifaceted arrest operation that resulted in the arrest of the suspect and safe recovery of the missing child. During the conclusion of the arrest, multiple firearms, ammunition, body armor, and narcotics were seized, and the suspect was indicted on capital murder.

    “I am immensely proud of the Deputy U.S. Marshals and the numerous task force officers of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, men and women who are fully devoted to making their communities safer for their fellow citizens by apprehending offenders wanted for the most serious crimes such as murder and child abuse, while ensuring the equal application of justice for all,” said Marshal Susan Pamerleau, U.S. Marshal of the Western District of Texas.  

    U.S. Marshals task forces combine the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest the most dangerous fugitives. Fifty-eight local task forces are dedicated to reducing violent crime by locating and apprehending wanted criminals. They also serve as the central point for agencies to share information on fugitive matters.  Task force officers are state and local police officers who receive special deputations with the U.S. Marshals. While on a task force, these officers can exercise U.S. Marshals authorities, such as crossing jurisdictional lines.

    Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force across the Western District of Texas:

    • Austin Police Department-Tactical Intelligence Unit
    • Police Departments:  Anthony, Buffalo, Crystal City, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, El Paso, Georgetown, Killeen, New Braunfels, Nolanville, Round Rock, San Marcos, Uvalde, and Waco, Texas.
    • Sheriff’s Offices:  Bexar County, Coryell County, Dimmett County, Ector County, Hays County, McLennan County, Maverick County, Midland County, New Braunfels, Real County, Travis County, Val Verde County, Williamson County, and Zavala County.
    • District Attorney’s Offices: Bexar County, and Val Verde County.
    • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
    • Midland Fire Marshals Office
    • Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)
    • Texas Attorney General’s Office
    • Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) – Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
    • Texas Department of Public Safety
    • Texas Parks and Wildlife Division
    • Texas National Guard Joint Counterdrug Task Force
    • U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
    • U.S. DHS/Homeland Security Investigations

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dublin City University

    Ghana stands out in west Africa as a nation that has not experienced terrorist attacks, even though it’s geographically close to countries that have. In Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) have wreaked havoc.

    This resilience is not accidental. It is the result of deliberate counter-terrorism strategies employed by Ghana’s security institutions.

    Ghana’s counter-terrorism framework was set out in 2020. It has four pillars: prevent, pre-empt, protect, and respond. The idea is to coordinate multiple agencies, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Armed Forces and the National Intelligence Bureau.

    These pillars guide strategies to address both immediate threats and underlying vulnerabilities. Poverty, religious radicalism and porous borders are common drivers of terrorism in west Africa.

    I am an international security and global governance researcher. My co-author is a government and international studies scholar.

    Four years ago we wrote a paper examining Ghana’s resilience against terrorist attacks. Our findings are still relevant given the increasing activities of terror groups in the west African region.



    Read more:
    West Africa terror: why attacks on military bases are rising – and four ways to respond

    We wanted to identify what works as a potential model for other countries.

    Using a qualitative methodology, we interviewed stakeholders — including police officers, members of the armed forces, Muslim community leaders, and immigration officials. We also analysed the national framework for preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism.

    Our findings showed that Ghana’s success is traceable to an approach that integrates community engagement with advanced border technology, inter-agency training, media collaboration and intelligence operations. And it addresses both immediate and underlying threats.

    We argue that Ghana’s ability to balance prevention with security offers solutions for stability in a geopolitically volatile region.



    Read more:
    Ghana’s new president faces tough regional security problems: why he’s well-placed to tackle them

    Community engagement

    One of the standout strategies is community engagement. This serves multiple purposes, from guiding people away from extremism to gathering intelligence.

    The Ghana Police Service, for instance, engages Muslim-dominated communities, known as “Zongos”, to counter radical Islamic ideologies that could be exploited by terrorist groups.

    By collaborating with local religious leaders, police make communities aware of the dangers of radicalisation. They foster trust and encourage residents to report suspicious activities. This approach also works in tackling illegal arms circulation.

    Ghana has an estimated 2.3 million small arms in circulation – 1.1 million of them illegally possessed. The availability of so many weapons fuels terrorist activities across west Africa.

    Community based de-radicalisation aligns with global best practices. In Norway, for instance, it was used to disengage youth from extremist groups.

    Technology at borders

    Ghana’s border control management is another part of its counter-terrorism strategy. Ghana Immigration Service uses advanced security software and integrated systems like the “Immigration 360” system, designed to fully automate passenger processing and data management.

    The system manages records of fingerprints and other data to improve reporting and intelligence sharing between Ghana Immigration and other security agencies.

    The technology makes it possible to quickly identity individuals on terrorist watchlists and detects concealed goods. This helps prevent illegal cross-border movements.

    There are gaps in Ghana’s defences, however. The influx of migrants fleeing extremist violence in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in 2024 highlights the urgency of scaling up investments in the technology.



    Read more:
    West Africa could soon have a jihadist state – here’s why

    Training for preparedness

    Ghana combats new and varying forms of terrorism by uncovering trends and training personnel to deal with them.

    A notable example was the six-day joint training in 2022 involving the Ghana Immigration Service, Police Service, Customs, Economic and Organised Crime Office, and the National Intelligence Bureau.

    The country also works with regional neighbours like Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin, and partners such as the United States, through initiatives like “Operation Epic Guardian”.

    Media as a strategic partner

    Terrorists rely on media to amplify fear and publicise their causes. Ghana’s security agencies counter this tactic by actively engaging media houses to report accurately.

    The Ghana Armed Forces, for instance, works with media to debunk false reports, which can cause public panic and inadvertently aid terrorists.

    The Ghana Police Service emphasises regular dialogue with media to ensure sensitive information is verified before publication, reducing the risk of tipping off suspects. However, media competition for viewers poses a challenge.

    Surveillance and intelligence gathering

    Surveillance and intelligence gathering is critical. Plainclothes armed forces and immigration personnel blend into communities to monitor potential threats. The approach has worked but is constrained by resources.

    It can also risk human rights violations, such as wrongful profiling, and is less effective against multiple targets compared to technological solutions like facial recognition or CCTV.



    Read more:
    Funding terror: how west Africa’s deadly jihadists get the money they need to survive

    Challenges and regional implications

    Despite its successes, Ghana’s counter-terrorism framework faces challenges that could undermine its long-term efficacy:

    • logistical and financial constraints

    • the influx of migrants fleeing regional violence

    • a lack of harmonised security cultures within the regional body, Ecowas.

    In all, Ghana’s strategies offer lessons for west Africa, where terrorism is a growing threat.

    Its community engagement model could be followed in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to counter radicalisation and arms proliferation, provided it avoids religious stereotyping.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-security-strategy-has-kept-terror-attacks-at-bay-what-other-countries-can-learn-from-its-approach-260333

    MIL OSI Analysis –