NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Announces Extradition of Fugitive Miguel Angel Urbano-Vazquez

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Special Agent in Charge (SAC) W. Mike Herrington of the Seattle Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today that Miguel Angel Urbano-Vazquez was extradited to the United States. He had been arrested without incident in Chimalhuacan, Estado de Mexico, Mexico, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

    Urbano-Vazquez was wanted for his alleged involvement in the homicide and rape of Sharon Van Gilder in Pierce County, Washington, in 2002. Additionally, he has been charged for the rapes of three other individuals in 2002. Between 2002 and 2012, the rape cases and the murder case were unsolved, but in 2012 the cases were linked by DNA evidence to Urbano-Vazquez, who was identified as the suspect in all four. 

    Urbano-Vazquez was charged with murder and three separate rapes in the Superior Court of Washington for Pierce County, Washington, and a local arrest warrant was issued for him in October 2012.

    In 2018, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the FBI in locating and apprehending Urbano-Vazquez, as the investigation determined he had been deported to Mexico. 

    “This extradition should send a message to those who commit violence in our communities: you can run, but you can’t hide. Thanks to strong international partnerships, Mr. Urbano-Vazquez has learned that lesson first-hand and now will face justice here in the State of Washington for his horrific actions threatening our community,” said SAC Herrington.

    The FBI Seattle Field Office credits the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Mexico City, Mexico, Unidad Especializada de Combate al Secuestro (UECS), Fiscalia General de Justicia del Estado de México, Agencia de Investigación Criminal (AIC) Fiscalía General de la República, and the Western District of Washington’s U.S. Attorney’s Office in coordinating the arrest of Urbano-Vazquez, who was deported to the U.S. where he will be tried in the Pierce County, Washington, Superior Court.

    The public is reminded that indictments contain only allegations of criminal misconduct and that defendants are presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

    FBI Seattle is one of the 55 FBI field offices located in the United States. The mission of the FBI is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. For more information, visit www.fbi.gov or www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/seattle.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister ‘seeks to cause alarm’ over online abuse

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, speaking at the IPPPRI25 conference on 19 May. Photograph by Richard Cranefield

    The Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, says she “seeks to cause alarm” to ensure the public understand the damage to society being caused by increasing levels of online child sexual abuse.

    Speaking today [19 May] at the annual conference of Anglia Ruskin University’s International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI), Phillips said that political change often reflects public opinion.

    Referencing the young average age of perpetrators of child-on-child abuse, Phillips said: “I don’t think we’ve scared people about this enough. What I know as a politician is that politics reacts to what the public genuinely ask it to. On child sexual abuse, we need to do quite a lot of work to take the public on a journey with this. Getting the public onside is a really important thing.

    “I want to cause alarm. I seek to cause alarm on this subject. It is dangerous and it is frightening. We have a lot to do.”

    Phillips also stressed that domestic legislation will “never be enough” to tackle a global issue, but believes the UK’s new online safety act “will improve the global conversations more than anything else”.

    Phillips added: “The online safety act is not the end of the conversation, it is the foundation. We will not hesitate to strengthen the law further to ensure the safety our children and the British public. Tech companies should hear, loud and clear, that if their technology hides child abuse, that is on them and it has to change.

    “I think [technology companies] can manage to find child abuse that is being shared secretly, and should put as much investment into that as into the algorithms that pop up on my children’s phone.”

    Phillips also said work needs to be done to improve the systems in place to protect victims: “I have worked for years with adults who were abused as children and children who were being directly abused themselves. I have seen how systems failed them, I have seen how systems continue to fail them and are not designed with them at the heart.

    “Abuse of power against those who are most vulnerable leaves lifelong trauma and scars at huge cost both to the exchequer and society. Almost all of the most problematic cases I have ever handled stem from somebody being abused as a child and having nowhere to turn.”

    The three-day Anglia Ruskin University conference features an array of international speakers covering areas such as deepfakes, the dark web, gaming platforms, and threats posed by artificial intelligence.

    This year’s event, the largest of its kind in the UK, places particular emphasis on prevention, early intervention and the vital role of education in safeguarding, and brings together academics, law enforcement, policymakers and advocates united by the common goal of protecting children online.

    “As our world becomes ever more connected, the digital landscape presents new risks for children – risks that require urgent attention, innovative thinking and sustained collaboration. At IPPPRI, we are proud to be at the forefront of research and action in this critical space.”

    Professor Samantha Lundrigan, Director of IPPPRI at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Help FBI Find One-Hit Wonders Bank Robbers

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

    The FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, along with the Denver and Greenwood Village Police Departments, need the public’s help identifying three individuals who independently robbed three banks earlier this year. Although the images of these suspects are clear, none of these individuals have been positively identified.

    The FBI Denver Division has referred to them as the “One-hit Wonders” because we have linked each suspect to one bank robbery, and we are wondering who these individuals are. Hence, we are requesting assistance publicizing the subjects’ photographs with the goal of generating information that results in identifying the subjects.

    “We know that mobilizing the general public is a powerful crime-fighting tool,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “In fact, we have a recent federal sentencing in which we identified the so-called Penguin Bandit after a tip came in from the public. Someone out there will recognize these suspects if we can get the images in front of enough eyes.”

    The suspects are believed to be responsible for the following bank robberies:

    • Suspect 1: January 2 at approx. 3:15 p.m. CrossFirst Bank Denver, 4582 South Ulster St., Denver
    • Suspect 2: January 3 at approx. 5:35 p.m., ENT Credit Union, 1499 Wyncoop St., Denver
    • Suspect 3: January 14 at approx. 11:25 a.m., Bank of America, 5117 S. Yosemite St., Greenwood Village

    A photograph of Suspect 1 is included in the CrimeStoppers poster. No written description was provided.

    Suspect 2 is described as a white male, 50 to 60 years old, with a large build, who wore glasses during the bank robbery.

    Suspect 3 is described as a white female, approximately 5’5” tall, 40-50 years old, wearing a camouflage trapper hat, prescription glasses, a blue coat, and black gloves. The suspect walked with a limp.

    Please be on the lookout for anyone matching the above descriptions. Be aware of anyone similar who might have recently changed their spending habits or discussed coming into money suddenly.

    Bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison for each federal offense, and sentences can increase if a dangerous weapon is used in the commission of the crime.

    Anyone with information about one of these robberies or the identity of a One-hit Wonder suspect is asked to contact the Denver Police, Greenwood Village Police, FBI, or Metro Denver CrimeStoppers.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: National security update

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Oral statement to Parliament

    National security update

    The Home Secretary updated on government action to counter state threats following the charging of three Iranian nationals under the National Security Act 2023.

    Thank you, Mr Speaker. With permission I will make a statement on the charging of 3 individuals under the National Security Act that took place on 17 May, and the further action the government is taking to counter national security threats.

    Mr Speaker I want to thank the police, security and intelligence agencies, not just for their work on vital operations and investigations that are currently underway but for the dedication they show each day to defend our national security and keep our communities safe.

    Their tireless work – often in the shadows, often in secret, often in great personal danger – is indispensable. I hope the whole House will join me in paying tribute to their service.

    On Saturday 17 May, 3 Iranian nationals were charged with offences under the National Security Act 2023.

    All 3 have been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service. Additional charges were brought in relation to engaging in conduct, including surveillance, reconnaissance and open research, with the intention to commit acts of serious violence against a person in the United Kingdom. The foreign state to which these charges relate is Iran, and these individuals are the first Iranian nationals to be charged under the National Security Act.

    The criminal and national security investigations in these cases are ongoing, and the police and security services have my support in this vital work. These cases must now also progress through the criminal justice system and that means that until the trial there are limits on what we can discuss so as not to prejudice that process.

    However, there are a series of grave, wider issues where I want to update the house on the stronger action the government is taking to strengthen our national security including new powers on state threats, further action on Iran and strengthening our border security to keep the public safe.

    This is the first time there have been charges under the National Security Act linked to Iran, although the House will be aware that this comes against a backdrop of rising numbers of Iran-linked operations on UK soil where there have been repeated warnings by ministers, the police and our security and intelligence agencies. The Director General of MI5 said in October last year that the police and MI5 had responded to 20 Iran backed plots presenting potentially lethal threats.

    So let me be clear, we will not tolerate any state backed threats on UK soil. The Iranian regime poses an unacceptable threat to our domestic security which cannot continue.

    Following this charging decision, I can confirm that the Iranian Ambassador has been summoned.

    And my Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary is raising with the Iranian Foreign Minister in the strongest terms, that the UK will not accept any Iranian state threat activity in the UK.

    As the Security Minister set out in March, we have placed the whole of the Iranian state on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme  which is due to come into effect on 1 July.

    The government has also introduced sanctions as part of efforts to systematically dismantle criminal networks and enablers that Iran uses to carry out its work – including the Foxtrot network, sanctioned last month.

    International co-operation is critical in challenging Iranian transnational threats. That is why we will be convening ministerial counterparts from allied nations facing similar threats to discuss coordinated action.

    But we need to go further in strengthening our powers to address national security threats.

    The Security Minister and I have both warned of the increasing complexity of the threats we face. Threats from extremist and terrorist groups and individuals – including Islamist extremism and far right extremism – continue. And vigilance and action against those remains crucial.

    But malign activities against us by or on behalf of foreign states have grown and the threats we face are more complex and intertwined.

    MI5 state threats investigations have increased by nearly 50% in a year. Policing investigations into state threats – led by counter terrorism policing – are up fivefold since 2018.

    As well as growing, those threats are also evolving – they are becoming more interconnected and more intertwined. The old boundaries between state threats, terrorists and organised criminals, are being eroded. And we have seen malign foreign state organisations seek to exploit any vulnerability from criminal networks to our cyber security to our borders to do us harm.

    In our manifesto, we committed to stronger action on state based security threats.

    And before entering government, the Foreign Secretary and I set out plans for the establishment of a joint unit to pursue and coordinate action.

    I can announce that the new state threats joint unit is in place, with staff from across Whitehall, driving a broader approach across government, building new partnerships with industry and academia.

    Last week, the Security Minister set out the conclusions of a review by the defending democracy taskforce into transnational repression – where foreign states attempt intimidation, surveillance and harassment of UK-based individuals including stronger support for those who are being targeted. This is criminal activity and will be treated as such because everyone in this country should be able to go about their daily lives freely and without fear.

    We are clear that this is criminal activity and will be treated as such.  Everyone in this country should be able to go about their daily lives freely and without fear. Threats will not be tolerated and we will support anyone at risk of such activity.

    We have of course supported the National Security Act, rightly brought in by the previous government. But we need to go further.

    That is why I commissioned Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, to examine further gaps in the national security legislation where counter terrorism powers could be emulated and particularly looking at proscribing powers where I have long raised concern that it was too difficult to apply existing powers for state and state-backed bodies

    Today Mr Hall has published his review. I would like to thank him for working so swiftly and comprehensively.

    He has concluded there are gaps in a series of areas – including on proscribing legislation where he identifies a series of legal difficulties in using powers that were designed to deal with terrorist groups for state and state-backed organisations such as the IRGC.

    I can tell the House that we are committed to taking forward Mr Hall’s recommendations and we will draw up new powers modelled on counter terrorism powers in a series of areas to tackle these state threats.

    And crucially I can tell the House we will create a new power of proscription to cover state threats – a power that is stronger than current national security act powers in allowing us to restrict the activity and operations of foreign state backed organisations in the UK, including new criminal offences for individuals who invite support for or promote the group in question and we will not hesitate to use it against organisations that pose a threat to UK residents because we will not stand for foreign state organisations seeking to escalate threats on UK soil.

    Mr Speaker as confirmed at the weekend, the 3 individuals who have been charged came to the UK between 2016 and 2022 by lorry and small boat.

    This government has made clear – border security is national security. That is why we are introducing new counter terrorism powers at the border. But let me also be clear that our border security needs to be strengthened.

    Organised crime, malign state actors and extremists can all exploit any vulnerabilities.

    So the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is introducing a wide range of counter terrorism style powers to pursue organised immigration crime and strengthen border investigations. We have introduced the Border Security Command which is drawing together security operations around our border, which have not been taken seriously enough before,  modelled on the approach successive governments have taken to counter terrorism.

    As part of our existing CT capabilities, security identity and criminal record checks are carried out on everyone who applies for a visa through our immigration system, on identified clandestine entries and on those who arrive by small boat – so that immigration and counter terrorism powers can then be used to address threats – including refusals, restrictions, tagging, heightened monitoring and immigration bail. But I have instructed officials to review those capabilities against the state threats as well as terrorism related risks we face so we can strengthen our security response alongside the new counter terrorism style border powers we are introducing.

    We are also already reviewing our current response to criminality or threats in the asylum system, including the potential for greater use of a range of techniques and technology, and as well as the existing ability to revoke or effuse asylum.

    Finally, Mr Speaker, in the face of this increasing range of hybrid threats to our national security, the Prime Minister has committed to publish a new national security strategy. That strategy is in development and will set out not just how our world leading police and security and intelligence agencies, but also how the whole of government and society, including businesses and communities; need to respond to these changing and complex threats.

    National security is the first duty of government. It is the foundation of our Plan for Change. The threats we face are more intertwined than ever and our response needs to adapt. So together with our international allies, we need to face down the security threats and strengthen the powers and capabilities of the police and security services who work around the clock to investigate and disrupt those who mean us harm. Our agencies have the wholehearted support of this government because, Mr Speaker, in a volatile and uncertain world, their efforts could not matter more. I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: The Inaugural Address

    Source: The White House

    U.S. Capitol
    Washington, D.C.

    12:10 P.M. EST

    THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you very much, everybody.  (Applause.)  Wow.  Thank you very, very much.

    Vice President Vance, Speaker Johnson, Senator Thune, Chief Justice Roberts, justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and my fellow citizens, the golden age of America begins right now.  (Applause.)  
     
    From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world.  We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer.  During every single day of the Trump administration, I will, very simply, put America first.  (Applause.) 
     
    Our sovereignty will be reclaimed.  Our safety will be restored.  The scales of justice will be rebalanced.  The vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end.  (Applause.)  
     
    And our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous, and free.  (Applause.)

    America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than ever before.  (Applause.) 
     
    I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success.  A tide of change is sweeping the country, sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before.  
     
    But first, we must be honest about the challenges we face.  While they are plentiful, they will be annihilated by this great momentum that the world is now witnessing in the United States of America. 
     
    As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust.  For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair.  
     
    We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home while, at the same time, stumbling into a continuing catalogue of catastrophic events abroad. 
     
    It fails to protect our magnificent, law-abiding American citizens but provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions, that have illegally entered our country from all over the world.  
     
    We have a government that has given unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders or, more importantly, its own people. 
     
    Our country can no longer deliver basic services in times of emergency, as recently shown by the wonderful people of North Carolina — who have been treated so badly — (applause) — and other states who are still suffering from a hurricane that took place many months ago or, more recently, Los Angeles, where we are watching fires still tragically burn from weeks ago without even a token of defense.  They’re raging through the houses and communities, even affecting some of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in our country — some of whom are sitting here right now.  They don’t have a home any longer.  That’s interesting.  But we can’t let this happen.  Everyone is unable to do anything about it.  That’s going to change. 
     
    We have a public health system that does not deliver in times of disaster, yet more money is spent on it than any country anywhere in the world.  

    And we have an education system that teaches our children to be ashamed of themselves — in many cases, to hate our country despite the love that we try so desperately to provide to them.  All of this will change starting today, and it will change very quickly.  (Applause.)
     
    My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy, and, indeed, their freedom.  From this moment on, America’s decline is over.  (Applause.)
     
    Our liberties and our nation’s glorious destiny will no longer be denied.  And we will immediately restore the integrity, competency, and loyalty of America’s government. 
     
    Over the past eight years, I have been tested and challenged more than any president in our 250-year history, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. 
     
    The journey to reclaim our republic has not been an easy one — that, I can tell you.  Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom and, indeed, to take my life. 
     
    Just a few months ago, in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear.  But I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason.  I was saved by God to make America great again.  (Applause.)
     
    Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

    Thank you very much.  (Applause.)
     
    That is why each day under our administration of American patriots, we will be working to meet every crisis with dignity and power and strength.  We will move with purpose and speed to bring back hope, prosperity, safety, and peace for citizens of every race, religion, color, and creed. 
     
    For American citizens, January 20th, 2025, is Liberation Day.  (Applause.)  It is my hope that our recent presidential election will be remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the history of our country.  
     
    As our victory showed, the entire nation is rapidly unifying behind our agenda with dramatic increases in support from virtually every element of our society: young and old, men and women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, urban, suburban, rural.  And very importantly, we had a powerful win in all seven swing states — (applause) — and the popular vote, we won by millions of people.  (Applause.) 

    To the Black and Hispanic communities, I want to thank you for the tremendous outpouring of love and trust that you have shown me with your vote.  We set records, and I will not forget it.  I’ve heard your voices in the campaign, and I look forward to working with you in the years to come. 
     
    Today is Martin Luther King Day.  And his honor — this will be a great honor.  But in his honor, we will strive together to make his dream a reality.  We will make his dream come true.  (Applause.)
     
    Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)
     
    National unity is now returning to America, and confidence and pride is soaring like never before.  In everything we do, my administration will be inspired by a strong pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success.  We will not forget our country, we will not forget our Constitution, and we will not forget our God.  Can’t do that.  (Applause.)
     
    Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders.  With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.  It’s all about common sense.  (Applause.)
     
    First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border.  (Applause.)
     
    All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.  We will reinstate my Remain in Mexico policy.  (Applause.)
     
    I will end the practice of catch and release.  (Applause.)
     
    And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country.  (Applause.)
     
    Under the orders I sign today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.  (Applause.)
     
    And by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our government to use the full and immense power of federal and state law enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil, including our cities and inner cities.  (Applause.) 
     
    As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am going to do.  We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before.
     
    Next, I will direct all members of my cabinet to marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices.  (Applause.) 
     
    The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and escalating energy prices, and that is why today I will also declare a national energy emergency.  We will drill, baby, drill.  (Applause.)
     
    America will be a manufacturing nation once again, and we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have — the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on earth — and we are going to use it.  We’ll use it.  (Applause.)
     
    We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again right to the top, and export American energy all over the world.  (Applause.) 
     
    We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it. 
     
    With my actions today, we will end the Green New Deal, and we will revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry and keeping my sacred pledge to our great American autoworkers.  (Applause.)
     
    In other words, you’ll be able to buy the car of your choice.
     
    We will build automobiles in America again at a rate that nobody could have dreamt possible just a few years ago.  And thank you to the autoworkers of our nation for your inspiring vote of confidence.  We did tremendously with their vote.  (Applause.)  
     
    I will immediately begin the overhaul of our trade system to protect American workers and families.  Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.  (Applause.)
     
    For this purpose, we are establishing the External Revenue Service to collect all tariffs, duties, and revenues.  It will be massive amounts of money pouring into our Treasury, coming from foreign sources. 
     
    The American dream will soon be back and thriving like never before.  

    To restore competence and effectiveness to our federal government, my administration will establish the brand-new Department of Government Efficiency.  (Applause.)
     
    After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I also will sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.  (Applause.)
     
    Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents — something I know something about.  (Laughter.)  We will not allow that to happen.  It will not happen again.
     
    Under my leadership, we will restore fair, equal, and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law.  (Applause.)
     
    And we are going to bring law and order back to our cities.  (Applause.) 
     
    This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.  (Applause.)  We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based.  (Applause.)  
     
    As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female.  (Applause.)
     
    This week, I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate with full back pay.  (Applause.)
     
    And I will sign an order to stop our warriors from being subjected to radical political theories and social experiments while on duty.  It’s going to end immediately.  (Applause.)  Our armed forces will be freed to focus on their sole mission: defeating America’s enemies.  (Applause.)
     
    Like in 2017, we will again build the strongest military the world has ever seen.  We will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end — and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.  (Applause.)  
     
    My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.  That’s what I want to be: a peacemaker and a unifier.
     
    I’m pleased to say that as of yesterday, one day before I assumed office, the hostages in the Middle East are coming back home to their families.  (Applause.)
     
    Thank you.
     
    America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world. 
     
    A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America — (applause) — and we will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs.  (Applause.)
     
    President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent — he was a natural businessman — and gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, including the Panama Canal, which has foolishly been given to the country of Panama after the United Spates — the United States — I mean, think of this — spent more money than ever spent on a project before and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal. 
     
    We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should have never been made, and Panama’s promise to us has been broken. 
     
    The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated.  American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape, or form.  And that includes the United States Navy.
     
    And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal.  And we didn’t give it to China.  We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.  (Applause.)
     
    Above all, my message to Americans today is that it is time for us to once again act with courage, vigor, and the vitality of history’s greatest civilization. 
     
    So, as we liberate our nation, we will lead it to new heights of victory and success.  We will not be deterred.  Together, we will end the chronic disease epidemic and keep our children safe, healthy, and disease-free.  
     
    The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation — one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations, and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons.  
     
    And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.  (Applause.)
     
    Ambition is the lifeblood of a great nation, and, right now, our nation is more ambitious than any other.  There’s no nation like our nation.
     
    Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and pioneers.  The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts.  The call of the next great adventure resounds from within our souls. 
     
    Our American ancestors turned a small group of colonies on the edge of a vast continent into a mighty republic of the most extraordinary citizens on Earth.  No one comes close.
     
    Americans pushed thousands of miles through a rugged land of untamed wilderness.  They crossed deserts, scaled mountains, braved untold dangers, won the Wild West, ended slavery, rescued millions from tyranny, lifted billions from poverty, harnessed electricity, split the atom, launched mankind into the heavens, and put the universe of human knowledge into the palm of the human hand.  If we work together, there is nothing we cannot do and no dream we cannot achieve.  
     
    Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback.  But as you see today, here I am.  The American people have spoken.  (Applause.)
     
    I stand before you now as proof that you should never believe that something is impossible to do.  In America, the impossible is what we do best.  (Applause.)
     
    From New York to Los Angeles, from Philadelphia to Phoenix, from Chicago to Miami, from Houston to right here in Washington, D.C., our country was forged and built by the generations of patriots who gave everything they had for our rights and for our freedom.  
     
    They were farmers and soldiers, cowboys and factory workers, steelworkers and coal miners, police officers and pioneers who pushed onward, marched forward, and let no obstacle defeat their spirit or their pride.  
     
    Together, they laid down the railroads, raised up the skyscrapers, built great highways, won two world wars, defeated fascism and communism, and triumphed over every single challenge that they faced. 
     
    After all we have been through together, we stand on the verge of the four greatest years in American history.  With your help, we will restore America promise and we will rebuild the nation that we love — and we love it so much.  
     
    We are one people, one family, and one glorious nation under God.  So, to every parent who dreams for their child and every child who dreams for their future, I am with you, I will fight for you, and I will win for you.  We’re going to win like never before.  (Applause.)
     
    Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

    Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

    In recent years, our nation has suffered greatly. But we are going to bring it back and make it great again, greater than ever before. 
     
    We will be a nation like no other, full of compassion, courage, and exceptionalism.  Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity to a world that has been angry, violent, and totally unpredictable. 
     
    America will be respected again and admired again, including by people of religion, faith, and goodwill.  We will be prosperous, we will be proud, we will be strong, and we will win like never before. 
     
    We will not be conquered, we will not be intimidated, we will not be broken, and we will not fail.  From this day on, the United States of America will be a free, sovereign, and independent nation. 
     
    We will stand bravely, we will live proudly, we will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans.  The future is ours, and our golden age has just begun. 
     
    Thank you.  God bless America.  Thank you all.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  

    Thank you.  (Applause.)

    END  12:40 P.M. EST

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE RGV, federal partner investigation results in the sentencing of a Mexican illegal alien for possession of sexually explicit images and videos of children

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A Mexican illegal alien was sentenced May 14 for possession of child sexual abuse material following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with the assistance of U.S. Border Patrol.

    Felix Raymundo Mora-Gonzalez, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera to 70 months in federal prison. He was further ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution to the known victims and will serve 25 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Mora-Gonzalez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Mora-Gonzalez pleaded guilty Feb. 20.

    “Crimes against children are among the most disturbing we investigate,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mark Lippa. “This sentencing sends a clear message that those who exploit the most vulnerable will face serious consequences. HSI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect children and bring predators to justice.”

    According to court documents, Mora-Gonzalez was arrested Feb. 21, 2023, in connection with his involvement in an alien smuggling investigation. Mora-Gonzalez was originally arrested for harboring illegal aliens. However, the investigation uncovered a cell phone at the stash house that belonged to him. A forensic examination of the cell phone revealed Mora-Gonzalez knowingly possessed 29 videos and nine images of CSAM. He also pleaded guilty to the alien smuggling charges and was previously sentenced to 15 months.

    Mora-Gonzalez remains in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano, Israel Cano and Joe Esquivel from the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

    Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing the online tip form.

    For more information about HSI San Antonio and its public safety efforts in Central and South Texas, follow HSI San Antonio on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bergman Reintroduces School Resource Officer Funding Protection Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

    Today, in recognition of National Police Week 2025, Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) reintroduced the School Resource Officer (SRO) Funding Protection Act—legislation designed to shield school safety programs from sudden state budget cuts and ensure continued support for law enforcement officers serving in schools.

    The bill was originally prompted by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s FY 2025 budget, which slashed nearly $302 million—or 92 percent—of funding for statewide school safety and mental health programs. While $125 million was later restored following strong pushback from lawmakers, law enforcement, and school officials, the incident revealed just how vulnerable SRO programs are to sudden, politically driven budget swings.

    The SRO Funding Protection Act would require states to maintain SRO program funding at either the previous year’s funding level or their five-year average—whichever is greater—in order to receive full federal education funding. This safeguard would help ensure stable support for school safety programs even during volatile state budget cycles.

    “The necessity of school safety demands more than just meaningless political rhetoric—it demands real action,” said Rep. Jack Bergman. “We cannot leave our children vulnerable. This bill ensures that states uphold their commitment to funding SRO programs. Every child deserves to learn in an environment where they are safe and protected, and this legislation will help guarantee the unnecessary state cuts to the SRO program that were proposed last year don’t happen again.”

    Bergman emphasized that, particularly during National Police Week, it’s important to honor the role of law enforcement in keeping communities safe—especially within schools. “School resource officers are more than just a line of defense—they’re trusted mentors, community leaders, and first responders. Protecting their presence in our schools is not optional—it’s essential,” he added.

    “The Harbor Springs Police Department strongly supports the School Resource Officer Funding Protection Act. By ensuring that funding for our School Resource Officer is maintained, this legislation provides a vital safeguard for the safety and well-being of our students, educators, and school staff. Our School Resource Officer plays an essential role in fostering safe learning environments, building relationships between youth and law enforcement, and responding to threats at our schools. In addition to this, our School Resource Officer poses as a deterrent to future acts of violence,” said Chief Kyle Knight of the Harbor Springs Police Department, and Immediate Past President of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.

    Knight continued, “This bill reinforces the importance of those efforts by helping states prioritize and sustain School Resource Officer programs without imposing new financial burdens. I commend Representative Bergman for his leadership in advancing policies that protect our schools and support public safety.” 

    Speaking on the bill, Kenneth Grabowski, Legislative Director of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, said, “Everyone wants to talk about school safety, but far too often politicians fail to put their money where their mouth is. Last year, the state changed budget priorities and cut millions of dollars in dedicated school safety funding, putting our students and teachers at risk. We commend Rep. Bergman for stepping up and introducing the School Resource Officer Funding Protection Act to ensure our kids are safe at school and our SRO’s are properly funded.”

    “The Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police strongly supports the School Resource Officer Funding Protection Act. By ensuring that funding for school resource officer programs is maintained, this legislation provides a vital safeguard for the safety and well-being of our students, educators, and school staff. School resource officers play an essential role in fostering safe learning environments, building trust between youth and law enforcement, and responding to threats on campus. This bill reinforces the importance of those efforts by helping states prioritize and sustain SRO programs without imposing new financial burdens. We commend Representative Bergman for his leadership in advancing policies that protect our schools and support public safety,” said Chief Ron Wiles, Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.

    State Rep. Cam Cavitt stated, “Representative Bergman’s School Resource Officer Funding Protection Act is exactly the kind of leadership our students, teachers, and communities need. Ensuring stable, dedicated funding for SROs means safer schools, stronger relationships between law enforcement and youth, and peace of mind for parents. I’m proud to stand with Rep. Bergman in this important effort to prioritize real school safety over political gamesmanship.”

    State Rep. Parker Fairbairn who has complementary legislation moving through the State House of Representatives expressed his full support for Congressman Bergman’s efforts, “Congressman Bergman’s focus on the safety and well-being of students is exactly on point, and I truly believe that his push to ensure funding of school resource officers, and my state level legislation to have each ISD designate an Emergency and Safety Manager and a Mental Health Coordinator, will combine to make our schools better, safer places for our students to grow and learn.”

    State Senator John Damoose noted, “Anyone with kids in school knows how important the School Resource Officer program is to keep our children safe from obvious threats. Just as critical, the officers build meaningful relationships with our children in a way that allows them to notice subtle changes that could signal bigger issues in the future. This is the ultimate preventative measure that helps build character and trust amongst our students and stops tragedies before they occur. I am so proud to see Congressman Jack Bergman again taking the lead on this critical matter.”

    “Resource officers are on the frontline keeping our schools and students safe,” said State Rep. Ken Borton. “Many kids don’t interact with law enforcement until meeting their local resource officer. These interactions help students grow up with a positive relationship with police officers. Ensuring the long-term viability of SRO funding ensures these foundational relationships continue to positively impact our kids.”

    “The decision to go after this funding in the first place was a clear example of how Democrats’ priorities are doing real harm to our northern Michigan communities,” said Senator Michelle Hoitenga. “I fully support Rep. Bergman’s bill because parents deserve to know their kids are safe at school, and that starts with keeping trained officers in the building.”

    “Funding for School Resource Officers and mental health are a critical part of keeping our children safe. Cuts in these areas make it difficult for police departments and school districts to keep this lifesaving service available in our state.  In rural communities, where police response if often delayed due to a limited amount of law enforcement, these cuts make it next to impossible to provide adequate security for our students and faculty,” Gaylord City Police Chief Frank Claeys stated.

    “As Sheriff, one of the most important jobs I have is protecting our children at our schools. I’m grateful that Representative Bergman introduced this legislation to protect our School Resource Officers following massive cuts at the State level,” said Otsego County Sheriff Matthew Nowicki.

    “Our students represent the future of our communities and our country. Ensuring their safety is not just a priority—it is one of our most fundamental responsibilities. At a time when threats to schools are more frequent and complex than ever, restoring full funding for our School Resource Officers is both urgent and necessary. I applaud Representative Bergman for introducing this much-needed legislation to help protect our children, educators, and school staff,” said Emmet County Sheriff Matt Leirstein.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Border security: agreement on gradual roll-out of Entry-Exit System

    Source: European Parliament 3

    Parliament and Council have reached an agreement on gradually rolling out the Entry-Exit System (EES) at the EU’s external borders.

    Negotiating teams from the European Parliament and the Polish presidency of the Council have reached an agreement on how to introduce the Entry-Exit System (EES) at the EU’s external borders.

    Once operational, the system will register data, including biometric data such as facial images and fingerprints, of third‑country nationals entering and leaving the Schengen area on short‑stay visas. The aim is to improve security, speed up the border check process, and reduce queues.


    Roll-out over 180 days

    The idea behind gradual implementation over 180 days is to prevent a simultaneous launch in all countries from compromising the system. During the roll-out period, the launch could be temporarily suspended if waiting times become too long or there are technical issues.

    The co-legislators adjusted the Commission’s original proposal for the plan’s timeline: 10% of crossings must be recorded in the system by the 30th day (as opposed to the 1st day) and 35% by the 90th day (as opposed to 50%). The idea is to ramp up implementation exponentially, making up for a slow start with faster progress later.

    MEPs succeeded in negotiating contingency measures in case of problems with the system’s central roll-out, and improved coordination between the central and national plans. It was also agreed that the gradual roll-out should remain voluntary, meaning that EU countries can roll the system out all at once if they prefer. Finally, MEPs ensured that missing entries in the EES cannot be the only justification for a decision adversely affecting a traveller.


    Quote

    Rapporteur Assita Kanko (ECR, Belgium) said: “This agreement on the Entry-Exit System marks an important step towards making the EU’s external borders more secure and ensuring that legitimate travellers don’t face unnecessary hurdles. We worked on the new law at top speed and secured a more realistic launch timetable to allow the system to be put in place as soon as possible. Now we call on the remaining member states to finish their preparations and issue declarations of readiness, so that the roll-out can begin in earnest.”


    Next steps


    The result still needs to be adopted formally by both co-legislators. On the Parliament side, this means a Civil Liberties Committee vote followed by a plenary vote.

    Once the legislation has entered into force, the Commission will decide when to launch the 180-day roll-out period.


    Background

    The Entry-Exit System (EES) is one of the EU’s interoperable databases for border management and security. Once it is fully operational, physical stamping of passports will be replaced by entries in the EES, to be accessible for real-time consultation by other Schengen area member states, in line with their security needs. The EES has been developed by the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA), which will also develop the central roll-out plan.

    This is first time that biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images, will be collected systematically at EU external borders. The system is expected to reduce violations of entry rules.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Area Man Accused of Fentanyl, Methamphetamine Dealing

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

    ST. LOUIS – A man accused of involvement in methamphetamine and fentanyl dealing was arrested by the FBI in Richmond Heights, Missouri Friday.

    Albert James, 47, was indicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on one count of conspiracy with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded not guilty Friday.

    The indictment accuses James of agreeing with others in 2021 to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of meth and 400 grams of fentanyl. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $18,920 in cash.

    In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards said the charges related to a traffic stop in Oklahoma, when James was caught with pounds of meth and fentanyl.

    “This is part of a larger on-going investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Perpetrators should not underestimate the FBI’s expertise, resources, and tenacity to dismantle criminal networks.”

    Each charge carries a potential prison sentence of at least 10 years, with a maximum term of life.

    Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The FBI and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Manchester Man Sentenced for Defrauding State and Federal Taxpayers of Nearly $300K in Pandemic Relief Funds

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds from the United States government and the State of New York, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Kyereem Sackey, age 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 18 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.  Sackey was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $295,167.  In January 2025, Sackey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of bank fraud.

    “The defendant exploited a national crisis for personal gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “He stole nearly $300k in pandemic relief funds that were meant to support struggling families and small businesses. This office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who stole from the government during the pandemic and intentionally depleted the public fisc for personal profit.”

    “While the entire world was focused on dealing with a pandemic, Kyereem Sackey was selfishly focused on exploiting programs designed to help people struggling financially to instead enrich himself,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Sackey has been held accountable for cheating taxpayers, and the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who have committed similar crimes.”

    “Kyereem Sackey and his co-defendants engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain New York Department of Labor pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and Small Business Administration Payroll Protection Program loans. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to exploit these critical benefit programs,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

    According to the court documents and statements made in court, Sackey used social media to conspire with others to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Sackey filed unemployment insurance claims in the State of New York on behalf of a co-defendant, which he was not entitled to.  When the money was deposited into the co-defendant’s bank account, a portion of the money was sent to Sackey and another co-defendant.  Sackey and his co-defendants filed approximately $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.  In addition to the claim made on behalf of his co-defendant, Sackey filed claims on behalf of a dozen individuals as well as himself resulting in more than $250,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits to be paid by the State of New York.

    Sackey also used a co-defendant’s information to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using a false and fraudulent business that did not exist.  Sackey provided the bank with false documents, including fabricated tax documents.  Court records show that Sackey fraudulently applied for and obtained more than $30,000 in PPP loans.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General led the investigation.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: East St. Louis woman sentenced to 11 years in prison for federal gun charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. district judge sentenced an East St. Louis woman to 11 years’ imprisonment after she used a stolen firearm to threaten a victim.

    Cierra S. Whitley, 36, pleaded guilty in January to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Following her term of imprisonment, she will serve three years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, the Illinois State Police Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) investigated a double homicide that occurred in East St. Louis between Aug. 11-12, 2023. During that investigation, they seized a 9mm firearm that was used to kill both victims. During police interviews, Whitley admitted to possessing the firearm as a convicted felon and brandishing it to threaten one of the victims.

    “PSEG’s double homicide investigation led to Cierra Whitley’s conviction for possessing the stolen firearm that was used to murder two people,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Her 11-year sentence rightly punishes her for this violent crime and demonstrates our ongoing battle against criminals who endanger our communities.”

    “This 11-year sentence of a convicted felon found guilty once again of breaking the law is evidence of ISP’s commitment to making communities safer,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.  “ISP Public Safety Enforcement Group special agents will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to reduce and prevent crime, while holding those who break the law accountable.”

    “A convicted felon in possession of a stolen firearm- and brazenly brandishing it- are a danger to the community. Such individuals and acts need to be dealt with swiftly,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Amon.” Through great partnerships with ISP and the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Illinois, Cierra Whitley and others like her who challenge the rule of law, will be held accountable for their actions.”

    Whitley was previously convicted of a felony and therefore unable to legally possess firearms.

    Illinois State Police led the investigation, with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Laura Reppert prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests illegally present Guatemalan national for assaulting a federal agent

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PROVIDENCE, R.I. – U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a previously deported Guatemalan national illegally present in the United States on a charge of assault, resisting, and impeding a law enforcement officer in the performance of official duties.

    It is alleged that on April 30, Miguel Tamup-Tamup, aka Miguel Us-Tamup, 28, struggled with an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer and ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents as they attempted to apprehend him for being illegally present in the United States as authorized by a warrant for arrest of alien and an HSI special agent suffered serious injury.

    “This individual’s aggressive actions during a lawful arrest led to serious injury to our special agents. The safety of our special agents and officers is paramount and those who resist and commit assault will find themselves facing serious criminal consequences,” said ICE HSI Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol.

    According to the criminal complaint, an ICE ERO officer and HSI special agents stopped a car that Tamup was operating. After he refused to exit, law enforcement guided him out of the vehicle. While the agents attempted to place Tamup in handcuffs, he resisted, threw his upper body and shoulders against the agents, flailed his arms, and broke an agent’s hold. During the encounter, one of the HSI special agents fell to the ground and suffered a serious leg injury. Tamup fled as the injured agent was attended to by the other agents. The special agent received medical treatment and is expected to fully recover.

    Charging documents show that Tamup came to ICE’s attention after his arrest on April 19 by the Providence Police Department on a charge of driving under the influence after his car allegedly collided with another vehicle. He was subsequently arraigned and released. Tamup’s fingerprints matched ICE fingerprint records associated with a person flagged as being in the United States illegally.

    On May 15, ICE located Tamup at a Providence residence and took him into custody. He made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and has been ordered detained.

    A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russian President V. Putin called for global governance institutions to be adjusted so that they meet the demands of the times

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    St. Petersburg, May 19 /Xinhua/ — In the context of the actively emerging multipolar world order, one of the priority tasks is to adjust global governance institutions and mechanisms for ensuring collective security so that they meet the demands of the times and serve the benefit of progress and prosperity. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his greeting to participants of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum.

    According to him, only through joint efforts can we create a space of trust and cooperation based on the principles of equality of state sovereignty and respect for the cultural characteristics and traditions of all peoples.

    The 13th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum is being held from May 19 to 21 under the motto “Law: Lessons of the Past for the World of the Future.” According to Anton Kobyakov, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation and Executive Secretary of the Forum’s Organizing Committee, the event has brought together ministers of justice, prosecutors general, chairmen of supreme and constitutional courts, as well as leading lawyers, scholars, and experts from different regions of the world. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 1 in 5 Gazans face starvation. Can the law force Israel to act?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University

    As Israel continues to pound Gaza with airstrikes, killing scores of people a day, the two-month ceasefire that brought a halt to the violence earlier this year feels like a distant memory.

    Israel’s overall military and political objective in Gaza hasn’t changed after 19 months of war: it is still seeking the absolute defeat of Hamas and return of the remaining Israeli hostages.

    But it is unclear how Hamas will ever be militarily defeated unless there is a complete and unconditional surrender and the laying down of all arms. This appears unlikely, despite the success of Israel’s so-called “decapitation strategy” targeting the Hamas leadership.

    And Hamas continues to hold an estimated 57 Israeli hostages in Gaza, of which up to 24 are believed to still be alive. The group is insisting on guarantees that Israel will end the war before releasing any more hostages.

    An ongoing blockade for 18 years

    Israel announced Sunday it will allow a “basic” amount of food to enter Gaza after a nearly three-month blockade of the strip. It was not clear when or how the aid would resume amid “extensive” new ground operations the military said Sunday it had also just begun.

    Israel first imposed a land, sea and air blockade of Gaza in 2007 after Hamas came to power. These restrictions have severely limited the movement of people and vehicles across the border, as well as the amount of food, medicine and other goods that have been permitted to go into and out of Gaza.

    These controls increased significantly after Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. They’ve been maintained at heightened levels ever since.

    The January ceasefire temporarily increased the flow of food, medical aid and other support into Gaza. However, this came to an end in early March when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut off aid again to pressure Hamas to extend the ceasefire and release more hostages. Hostilities resumed soon after.

    The United Nations’ humanitarian efforts in Gaza have now come to a “near-standstill”. On May 13, Tom Fletcher, the UN emergency relief coordinator, addressed the UN Security Council, stating:

    For more than 10 weeks, nothing has entered Gaza – no food, medicine, water or tents. […] Every single one of the 2.1 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face the risk of famine. One in five faces starvation.

    Israel denies there are food shortages in Gaza. It has said it wouldn’t permit any trucks to enter the strip until a new system is in place to prevent Hamas from siphoning supplies.

    International law is clear

    Both the 1949 Geneva Conventions and customary international law make clear:

    The use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare is prohibited.

    In addition, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) makes starvation of civilians a war crime.

    Under international humanitarian law, Fletcher noted, Israel has the responsibility to ensure aid reaches people in territory it occupies. However, Israel’s method of distributing aid, he said, “makes aid conditional on political and military aims” and “makes starvation a bargaining chip”.

    What have the courts found?

    International courts have not ignored Israel’s obligations on this front.

    In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif (one of the masterminds of the October 7 attack), in addition to Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

    In relation Netanyahu and Gallant, the ICC’s pre-trial chamber found:

    there are reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies.

    As Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute, there is no obligation on the government to act on the arrest warrants. Both men remain free to travel as long as they do not enter the territory of a Rome Statute party. (Even then, their arrest is not guaranteed.)

    The ICC warrants will remain in effect unless withdrawn by the court. The arrest in March of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte highlighted that while ICC investigations may take time, those accused of crimes can eventually be brought before the court to face justice.

    This is especially so if there is a change in political leadership in a country that allows an arrest to go ahead.

    Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing another case in which South Africa alleges Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinian population in Gaza.

    The case began with high-profile hearings last year when the court issued provisional measures, or orders, requiring Israel to refrain from engaging in any genocidal acts.

    The most recent of those orders, issued last May, called on Israel to immediately halt its offensive in Rafah (in southern Gaza) and maintain the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt to allow “unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance”.

    These orders remain in effect. Yet, Rafah today is a “no-go zone” that Gazans have been ordered to evacuate. And Israel’s blockade of the strip and restrictions on aid and food entering the territory have clearly been in defiance of the court.

    Late last month, the ICJ began hearings to form an opinion on Israel’s duties to allow aid to enter Gaza. Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, criticised the ICJ’s hearings as “another attempt to politicise and abuse the legal process in order to persecute Israel”.

    The court’s advisory opinion on this issue is not expected for several months. A final decision on South Africa’s broader case may take years.

    So, what can be done?

    Reflecting on the situation in Gaza, Fletcher observed at the UN:

    This degradation of international law is corrosive and infectious. It is undermining decades of progress on rules to protect civilians from inhumanity and the violent and lawless among us who act with impunity. Humanity, the law and reason must prevail.

    Yet, while the Security Council continues to have the situation in Gaza under review, it has proven incapable of acting decisively because of US support for Israel.

    The Biden Administration was prepared to use its veto power to block binding Security Council resolutions forcing Israel to respond to the humanitarian crisis. The Trump Administration would no doubt do the same.

    However, as Duterte’s arrest shows, international law sometimes does result in action. The finding by another UN body last week that Russia was responsible for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014 is another case in point.

    As the Dutch foreign minister pointed out in that case, the finding sends a message that “states cannot violate international law with impunity”.

    Donald Rothwell receives funding from Australian Research Council

    – ref. 1 in 5 Gazans face starvation. Can the law force Israel to act? – https://theconversation.com/1-in-5-gazans-face-starvation-can-the-law-force-israel-to-act-256695

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s lifting of Syria sanctions is a win for Turkey, too – pointing to outsized role middle powers can play in regional affairs

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Hyeran Jo, Associate Professor of Political Science, Texas A&M University

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa meet in Turkey on April 11, 2025. TUR Presidency/ Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images

    President Donald Trump announced while in Saudi Arabia on May 14, 2025, that the United States would lift sanctions on Syria. The turnaround was a huge victory for the government of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa as he attempts to consolidate power nearly six months on from his movement’s stunning toppling of the longtime regime of Bashar al Assad.

    But it wasn’t all down to Syria lobbying on its own behalf. In announcing the policy shift, Trump largely attributed the shift to his Saudi hosts as well as Turkey. Both nations are longtime Assad foes who quickly championed al-Sharaa and have been pushing the U.S. to normalize ties with Syria’s new government.

    Turkey, whose resources and land have been heavily affected by instability in neighboring Syria, was particularly instrumental in pushing Trump to accept the post-Assad government, even over objections from Israel.

    As experts in international relations and Turkish law and politics, we believe the developments in Syria point to the outsized role a small-to-middle power like Turkey can have in regional and international matters. That is particularly true in the Middle East, where world powers such as the U.S. are perceived to have a declining and at times unpredictable influence.

    An opening in Syria

    After 13 years of devastating civil war, Syria faces a slew of large challenges, including the immediate task of state building. Not only is violence still readily apparent in Syria itself – as the recent killing of Alawites, allegedly by government forces, or fighters aligned with them, showed – but neighboring Israel has also repeatedly attacked positions in Syria in an attempt to weaken the new government. To Israel’s government, a strong, militarized Syria would pose a threat, particularly in regard to the unstable border at the Golan Heights.

    Despite the issues that confront Syria’s new government, it has nonetheless demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for gaining international acceptance – a notable fact given al-Sharaa’s leadership ties to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a formerly al-Qaeda linked group listed as one of the U.S. foreign terrorist organizations since 2014.

    Turkey presses its influence

    In this context, Turkey’s hand has been especially important.

    Since Trump took office, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has pressed the American president to lift sanctions. The two men had struck up a strong relationship during the first Trump administration, with the U.S. president declaring himself to be a “big fan” of the Turkish leader.

    Turkey’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy can be seen as part of its broader effort to fill the vacuum left by Assad’s fall. Doing so not only bolsters Erdogan’s position as a regional player, but it also advances his domestic agenda.

    Turkey has moved quickly on numerous fronts in charting the future course of Syria by pursuing economic and security projects in the country. First and foremost, Turkey has upped its investment in Syria.

    Also, as it did in Libya and Somalia, Turkey has contributed to the training and equipping of new Syrian security forces.

    In the northeast Syrian province of Idlib, Turkey is funding education, health care and electricity, and the Turkish lira is the de facto currency across northwestern Syria.

    The roots of these engagements lie in Turkey’s interest in managing its own security situation.

    Since 1984, Turkey has been fighting Kurdish separatist groups, most notably the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which is aligned with the Kurdish YPG militia in northeast Syria – one of the groups that fought Assad’s forces during Syria’s civil war.

    A Syrian Kurd waves the flag of YPG near Qamishli’s airport in northeastern Syria on Dec. 8, 2024.
    Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images

    Assad’s fall led to Russia’s retreat from Syria. Meanwhile, Iranian influence, too, has waned as a result of not only Assad’s departure, but also the military downgrading of Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. And the U.S. no longer actively supports the Kurdish YPG militia in northeast Syria.

    Into this void of external influence, Turkey quickly seized an opportunity to reshape the security landscape.

    Ankara, which still controls large chunks of territory in Syria’s northeast from the fight against Assad and Syrian Kurdish groups, agreed to a Syrian plan to incorporate the YPG, the armed wing of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, into the new Syrian army.

    The Turkish perspective has long been that the fight against the PKK can succeed in the long run only with stability on Syrian soil. Now, the PKK is trying to reach peace with the Turkish government, but whether the SDF in Syria will disarm and disband is far from certain. As such, having a strong, stable Syrian government in which a Kurdish majority is accommodated may be in Ankara’s best interests.

    Meanwhile, al-Sharaa’s success in rebuilding Syria after the civil war would also help Turkey on another front: the issue of Syrian refugees.

    Turkey currently hosts around 3.2 million refugees from Syria – the most of any country. The sheer number and length of stay of these displaced people have put a strain on Turkey’s economy and social relations, leading to clashes between Turks and Syrian refugees.

    There is also a broad consensus in Turkey that the Syrian refugee problem in Turkey can be solved only through a comprehensive return strategy.

    Although naturalized Syrians in Turkey make up an important constituency within the voter base of Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, the only solution currently envisaged by the Turkish president and his allies is repatriation. For this, rapid and stable development of infrastructure and the housing stock in Syria is considered essential.

    Donald Trump looks on as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greets Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on May 14, 2025. The confab also had Turkish fingerprints all over it.
    Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP

    Prospects for small-to-middle powers

    Turkey’s strategic opportunity in Syria is not without clear risks, however. The incursions by the Israeli military illustrates the challenge Turkey faces in advancing its own interests in Syria. It is notable that Trump’s announcement on sanctions was seemingly made without the knowledge – and against the wishes – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Additionally, Turkey is looking to finesse a growing role in the region into strengthening its position over the long-running dispute in Cyprus. The island, which lies a couple of hundred miles off Syria’s coast, is divided into two regions, with Greek Cypriots in the south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north – with only Turkey recognizing the self-declared state in the north. Turkey is trying to regulate maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean through an agreement with Syria, but the plan is stalled since the European Union supports Greece’s position in Cyprus.

    The Turkish moves in Syria are nonetheless being broadly felt elsewhere. Arab nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar support the post-Assad arrangement in Syria and see their own interests being served alongside Turkey’s, although the rivalry of the Sunni world is at stake.

    The lifting of sanctions by the U.S. will have long-term political impacts beyond short-term economic impacts. Syria has little direct trade with the U.S., only exporting its agricultural products and antiques. But the appearance of political legitimacy and recognition is a diplomatic win for Turkey, as well as for Syria. The political opening brings with it the promise of future investment in Syria.

    Turkey’s dealing with Syria showcases how small-to-middle powers can chart the waters of statecraft in their own way. The days of international affairs being dominated by superpowers appear to be over – as many have long predicted. And in Syria, Turkey is providing a blueprint for how small-to-middle powers can work that to their advantage.

    Hyeran Jo receives funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY). The article was made possible in part by the CCNY grant (G-PS-24-62004, Small State Statecraft and Realignment). She is also a senior fellow at the Center on Armed Groups and a member of an expert advisory group at the Institute for Integrated Transitions. The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the author.

    Ece Göztepe Çelebi receives funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY). The article was made possible in part by the CCNY grant (G-PS-24-62004, Small State Statecraft and Realignment). She is a Turkish and Comparative Constitutional Law professor at the Law Faculty of Bilkent University (Ankara/Turkey). The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the author.

    – ref. Trump’s lifting of Syria sanctions is a win for Turkey, too – pointing to outsized role middle powers can play in regional affairs – https://theconversation.com/trumps-lifting-of-syria-sanctions-is-a-win-for-turkey-too-pointing-to-outsized-role-middle-powers-can-play-in-regional-affairs-254162

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Buffalo removes 2 criminal illegal aliens and foreign fugitives wanted for felonies in home country to Guatemala

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Buffalo removed two illegally present Guatemalan fugitives wanted in their home country for felony offenses May 12.

    Cesar Germain Lopez-Chacon, 28, entered the United States on an unknown date and at an unknown location without admission by an immigration official. The Asbury Park Police Department in New Jersey arrested Lopez-Chacon Jan. 13, 2023, for domestic assault, possession of a controlled substance and possess/intent to use drug paraphernalia. A week later, ICE Newark learned Lopez-Chacon had an outstanding warrant in Guatemala for assaulting a government official. The Neptune Township Police Department arrested Lopez-Chacon for theft July 19, 2024. Lopez-Chacon was released from local custody on each occasion before ICE could lodge and immigration detainer.

    ICE Newark arrested Lopez-Chacon for violating the Immigration and Nationality Act during a targeted enforcement operation March 7, and subsequently transferred him to ICE Buffalo. ICE Buffalo detained him in Buffalo Federal Detention Facility for the duration of his removal proceedings. An immigration judge order Lopez-Chacon removed from the U.S. April 23.

    Francisco Manuel Lopez, 32, also entered the United States on and unknown date and at an unknown location without admission by an immigration official. ICE New York City encountered Lopez, Feb. 19, 2014, at the Rikers Island Correctional Facility in the Bronx, initiated removal proceedings and lodged an immigration detainer against his release. Officers arrested him a week later pursuant to a warrant. An immigration judge ordered him removed on April 1, 2014, and he was subsequently removed from the U.S. May 12 that same year.

    Lopez illegally reentered the U.S. without inspection. On Dec. 11, 2017, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested him near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, served him a notice of intent/decision to reinstate prior order, and turned him over to the U.S Marshals Service for criminal prosecution for illegal reentry. The U.S. District Court of New Mexico convicted Lopez of illegal reentry of a removed alien. Following this conviction, the U.S. Marshals Service transferred Lopez to the New York City Police Department in Manhattan due to an outstanding warrant. The Kings County Criminal Court convicted Lopez of criminal possession of a weapon and assault with a weapon July 2, 2024. ICE New York City lodged an immigration detainer with the Ulster Correctional Facility Sept. 3, 2024. ICE Buffalo arrested Lopez April 21 upon his release from the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision pursuant to his warrant of removal.

    On April 23, 2025, ICE Buffalo confirmed that Lopez is an international fugitive wanted in his home country for gender-based violence.

    Both aliens were turned over to the legal authorities upon arrival in Guatemala.

    Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by completing ICE’s online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Buffalo’s mission to increase public safety on X at @EROBuffalo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests Honduran alien charged with multiple child abuse crimes in Connecticut

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HARTFORD, Conn. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Jorge Martinez Duenas, a 44-year-old illegal alien from Honduras charged with multiple crimes related to child endangerment and abuse, on March 3.

    “Jorge. Martinez has already been removed from the U.S. twice, and now he faces charges of victimizing a child in Connecticut,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde, who oversees ERO’s efforts in New England. “Children are among the most vulnerable members of our society, and we have zero tolerance for people who hurt them. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize the safety of our public and relentlessly pursue illegal alien child abusers in order to protect our communities.”

    Officers from ICE Boston’s Hartford field office encountered Martinez following his arrest by the Wethersfield Police Department in February 2008.

    ICE officers served Martinez with a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge.

    On Feb. 20, 2008, the DOJ immigration judge ordered Martinez removed from the United States. ICE Boston removed Martinez from the United States to Honduras March 28, 2008. On April 23, 2008, the Connecticut Superior Court in New Britain declined to prosecute any of the charges.

    U.S. Border Patrol arrested Martinez Sept. 5, 2008, after he illegally re-entered the United States, and on Sept. 13, 2008, ICE again removed Martinez from the United States to Honduras.

    Martinez illegally reentered the country sometime between then and Sept. 12, 2024, when the Connecticut State Police arrested and charged him with risk of injury to a child, intent to commit cruelty on a child under the age of 19, and unlawful restraint in the first degree. All the charges are currently pending with the Connecticut Superior Court in New Britain.

    The police released Martinez from custody before ICE could lodge an immigration detainer against him. Officers with ICE Boston’s Hartford field office arrested Martinez March 3, while he was at-large in the community. He remains in ICE custody.

    Report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Third man arrested as part of investigation into suspected arsons

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A third man has been arrested in connection with a series of arson attacks in north London.

    A 34-year-old [C] was arrested this morning, Monday, 19 May, in the Chelsea area, SW3, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.

    He has been taken into custody.

    On Saturday, 17 May, a 26-year-old man [B] was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life.

    He is currently still in police custody after a warrant of further detention was obtained at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

    The arrests relate to three incidents – a vehicle fire in NW5 on 8 May, a fire at the entrance of a property in N7 on 11 May and a fire at a residential address in NW5 in the early hours of 12 May.

    All have connections with a high-profile public figure, and therefore officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command have led the investigation into the fires.

    Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should call police on 101 quoting CAD 441/12 May.

    We would ask the public to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that doesn’t look or feel right, then to report it to police – either by calling police, in confidence, on 0800 789 321 or via www.gov.uk/ACT

    + A 21-year-old man [A] has already been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life and appeared in court.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Ukrainian demining personnel trained with OSCE and EU support

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: Ukrainian demining personnel trained with OSCE and EU support

    Ukrainian specialists are practicing their skills in the disposal of explosive objects during a mine action training course supported by the OSCE and the EU. (Fabian Kaluza / OSCE) Photo details

    Seventeen representatives from Ukraine’s demining agencies underwent a two-and-a-half month training to obtain an international qualification in explosive ordnance disposal. Organized by the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine with support from the European Union, the training programme concluded on 18 May and included a combination of theoretical and practical exercises in line with the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS).
    Experienced demining practitioners from the Ministry of Defense, the State Emergency Service, and the National Police participated in the training, enhancing their skills in safely disposing of explosive remnants of war such as mines, shells and unexploded or abandoned ordnance.
    “These experts already have significant and diverse professional experience obtained on the ground here in Ukraine. This blend of local expertise and international standards will contribute to improving the work of Ukrainian agencies in clearing lands from explosive remnants of war. It will help make the process more efficient and safer – both for deminers and people in the affected areas,” said Ambassador Petr Mares, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship – Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
    The training provided in-depth knowledge of safe demining protocols, and hands-on exercises with a variety of explosive objects such as booby-traps. Trainees also learned how to properly organize and monitor the disposal process to ensure safety, prevent damage to third-party property and minimize environmental impact. As most of participants are team leaders or trainers themselves, they will also share the knowledge with colleagues.
    “We recognize that the most important asset in mine action is the people who will carry out the work of demining in the field. This training is essential for state mine action operators to carry out their vital role in Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery,” said Arturo Rodriguez Tonelli, Regional Programme Manager EU Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI).    
    “This course is an important step forward for me and my colleagues. We not only got in-depth knowledge, but also expanded our horizons on how to plan and conduct operations at a higher and more complex level. Special attention to issues of safety gave us a new professional set of tools to act effectively and responsibly,” said Oleksandr Kyseliov, an instructor from Vinnytsia Professional Training School of Lviv University of Life Safety who participated in the course.
    Since the start of full-scale war in 2022, demining operators had to discover and destroy over 920,000 explosive objects in a country with 139,000 square kilometers with suspected contamination according to the National Mine Action Authority of Ukraine.  
    The training is part of the project “Support to Environmental Rehabilitation with Focus on Building National Humanitarian Mine Action Capacities of Ukraine”, implemented with primary financial support of the European Union and contributions from the OSCE participating States and partners. See full list of the Programme’s donors.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met Police foil drug gang who supplied half a ton of cocaine across London

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A group of drug dealers involved in the supply of nearly half a ton of cocaine worth up to £17 million have been jailed for a combined 47 years.

    The four, who brought in cocaine from the Netherlands to distribute throughout London, were caught in the act by Metropolitan Police Service officers.

    Bert De Jong, 59, (03.09.1965), of the Netherlands, Hussain Sakhi, 22, (13.03.2003), of Laughton Road, Northolt and Zaibaa Zahur, 21, (04.06.2003), of Harlington Road, Uxbridge were sentenced on Monday, 19 May at Kingston Crown Court.

    They were found guilty of conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine, following a four-week trial at Kingston Crown Court on Monday, 7 April.

    Sakhi and Zahur were also found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine.

    A fourth drug dealer, Justyn Morris, 23, (21.07.2001), of Upper Lees Road, Slough, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, 11 March to conspiracy to evade the prohibition on the importation of cocaine and conspiracy to supply cocaine.

    Detective Constable Leon Ure, of the Met’s Specialist Crime South team who led the investigation, said:

    “This has been a complex and lengthy investigation to dismantle a group supplying drugs across London. It has been part of a wider, proactive drug operation led by the Specialist Crime South team.

    “This investigation shows the breadth of work the specialist crime unit deals with and I’d like to thank every officer who was involved in the case.

    “Drug dealing has a huge impact on Londoners. It fuels further crime and impacts the heart of our communities.

    “Their sentences are fully deserved and I hope this acts as a deterrent to those thinking about bringing in illegal drugs to the country.”

    The investigation found that millions of pounds of cocaine were distributed by lorries across London. Lorries would stop outside the capital, and the drugs would be collected and then be sent to ‘retail suppliers’ on a weekly basis.

    On Tuesday, 16 July 2024, Marsham booked a holiday home near Norwich. Morris drove a van, which has been seen outside the home, to an industrial estate in Norwich, where Morris met De Jong in a lorry. De Jong gave Morris, three cardboard boxes.

    Morris was then intercepted by Met officers who had seen the suspected handover.

    The Met officers searched the van and the three boxes were found hidden behind black cladding containing a total of 70kg worth of cocaine – worth between £1.75million and £2.45million.

    Sakhi and Zahur went to the holiday let later that day, to ‘view’ the property which raised suspicion, leading to the officers arriving and searching the pair.

    A phone was found and showed messages between Sakhi and an unidentified contact, who Morris had also been in contact with.

    All three were arrested by the Met that day.

    They were charged on Thursday, 18 July 2024.

    What followed was an extensive investigation, which proved the defendants had all been involved in the supply of millions of pounds worth of cocaine. Drug ledgers kept by the gang showed they moved nearly 500kg worth.

    De Jong would bring the drugs into the country from the Netherlands and Morris would pick them up and pass them to Sakhi and Zahur, who would then distribute them.

    On Wednesday, 23 July 2024 De Jong, when entering the country again, was arrested. He claimed he had no knowledge of what he was bringing into the country, but evidence suggested on his phone that he would send ‘tokens’ to his counterparts, implying the drugs had been delivered.

    He was charged on the same day.

    De Jong was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.

    Zahur was sentenced to six years and 10 months’ imprisonment

    Sakhi was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.

    Morris was sentenced to 12 years and six months’ imprisonment.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Latham Sex Offender Indicted for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nathaniel Drescher, age 41, of Latham, New York, was arraigned last Thursday on an indictment charging him with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and the commission of a felony offense against a minor by a registered sex offender.  Drescher was ordered detained pending trial. 

    United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. 

    According to the indictment, Drescher knowingly attempted to persuade, induce, and entice a child whom he believed to be 11 years old to engage in sexual activity.  This conduct follows Drescher’s 2012 convictions in Johnson County, Texas, for online solicitation of a minor. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “This conduct, as alleged, was especially egregious because the defendant had committed a similar offense before in Texas.  With our state and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to ensure that sex offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent to the law when they commit new crimes.”

    FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “This indictment proves crimes against our most vulnerable will be met with swift and decisive action. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, is committed to protecting children and bringing predators like Mr. Drescher to justice.”

    If convicted on all counts, Drescher faces at least 20 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. In addition, Drescher would have to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

    The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Allen J. Vickey is prosecuting the case as Part of Project Safe Childhood. 

    Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A Dunbarton man was sentenced in federal court for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Scott Currier, age 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 144 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release. Currier was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $38,000. In May 2024, Currier pleaded guilty to one count of possession of CSAM.

    “The defendant is a convicted sex offender who repeatedly exploited children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “Thanks to the vigilant efforts and critical leads from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, law enforcement was able to identify the defendant and swiftly investigate his conduct. This office will relentlessly pursue and hold predators accountable, and we will use every tool at our disposal to protect children from exploitation and revictimization.”

    “Currier’s criminal history of aggravated felonious sexual assault makes his possession of hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material all the more troubling. Friday’s significant sentence takes a repeat sex offender off the streets and puts him into federal prison for over a decade while also offering restitution to identified victims of child sexual exploitation found in the materials he possessed,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England.

    The defendant was identified through a CyberTip reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children based on internet activity that was traced to his residence.  Based on that tip, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s home that resulted in the seizure of a computer that was found to contain over 700 files of suspected CSAM.  The defendant faced enhanced penalties in this matter due to a prior state conviction for aggravated felonious sexual assault.

    Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Dunbarton Police Department and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland is prosecuting the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two More Defendants Plead Guilty in Bank Fraud and Identity Theft Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kani Bassie, age 36, of Brooklyn, New York, and Jermon Brooks, age 20, of Richmond, Virginia, pled guilty last week to their roles in a multi-million-dollar bank fraud conspiracy led by Oluwaseun Adekoya, age 39, a Nigerian citizen.  United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    Bassie and Brooks admitted that they were members of a conspiracy to defraud financial institutions all over the country by obtaining the personal identifying information (“PII”) of individuals and using lower-level “workers” to impersonate the identity-theft victims to conduct fraudulent banking transactions in their names.  Bassie and Brooks supervised and oversaw lower-level coconspirators who withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars from identity-theft victims in the Northern District of New York and all over the country.  Bassie admitted to conspiring with alleged ringleader Adekoya to launder bank fraud proceeds in transactions designed to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds and to use bank fraud proceeds to reinvest in the ongoing conspiracy. 

    Adekoya, the alleged ringleader of the conspiracy, faces trial beginning June 9, 2025 before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on a second superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft. The charges against Adekoya in the second superseding indictment are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    “And then there was one,” United States Attorney Sarcone said.  “We look forward to trial. We appreciate the efforts of the FBI, and many other law enforcement partners across the country, in uncovering this scheme.”

    FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “The FBI takes very seriously our responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use illegal means and criminal behavior to take advantage of others.”

    The prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Albany Field Office, which began after the May 2022 arrest of David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Africa,” age 60, of Brooklyn, New York, Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, and Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, New York, by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud.  According to documents previously filed in the case, the investigation has uncovered over $2 million in fraudulent transactions to date.  Thirteen defendants have pled guilty and forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds, luxury apparel, and jewelry.

    At sentencing later this year, Bassie and Brooks face a maximum term of 30 years’ incarceration for the bank fraud conspiracy, Bassie faces a maximum term of 20 years’ incarceration for the money laundering conspiracy, and Bassie and Brooks face a mandatory consecutive term of 2 years’ incarceration for their convictions of aggravated identity theft.  The defendants will be ordered to pay restitution and will also face a term of post-incarceration supervised release of up to 5 years. 

    FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark, Mathew M. Paulbeck, and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK child sexual abuse survivors lack support – report

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Over 640 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation in the UK have shared their stories in a global effort to raise awareness about the realities of sexual violence against children, the challenges of disclosure and recovery, and its enduring impact on their lives.

    Their voices are amplified through a powerful report published by the Finnish child-rights organisation Protect Children in collaboration with the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI), part of Anglia Ruskin University.

    At IPPPRI25, the research institute’s annual conference dedicated to tackling online harms, Protect Children is publishing insights from 643 victims and survivors of childhood sexual violence perpetrated in the UK. The responses have been analysed by researchers from IPPPRI.

    The groundbreaking report reveals unprecedented information about crimes of sexual violence against children in the UK, shedding light on the critical gaps in the local systems for preventing child sexual abuse and exploitation, and for supporting those affected.

    The evidence was collected through an innovative Global Our Voice Survivor Survey that aims to hear and amplify the long-silenced voices and wisdom of those who endured sexual violence in childhood. Utilising a novel methodology, the survey has successfully reached out to over 23,000 victims and survivors worldwide.

    “Today at IPPPRI25, we are presenting, together with Protect Children, important findings focused on how research can inform real-world practice in responding to child sexual abuse and exploitation globally. We must understand the systemic factors that enable sexual violence against children so that we can act.”

    Professor Samantha Lundrigan, Director of IPPPRI at Anglia Ruskin University

    Despite the severe and long-lasting impacts of child sexual abuse and exploitation, more than half of victims and survivors in the UK reported not receiving any support.

    “Much of the abuse described by the UK respondents happened decades ago and we know that the nature of child sexual abuse has changed, with so many young people now being victimised online. We must recognise the harm suffered by victims and survivors and ensure access to long-term support services.”

    Lea Kamitz, Dawes Postdoctoral Research Fellow at IPPPRI, Anglia Ruskin University

    The presenting researchers unveil a concerning lack of response to child sexual abuse in the UK. Despite severe and long-lasting emotional, physical, and psychological impacts, more than half of survivors have not received any support to cope with these. The results were compared between the Five Eyes countries*, revealing that survivors in the UK were the least likely to receive support.

    Another distressing insight highlights that over a half of the surveyed victims and survivors were first subject to sexual violence when they were 3 to 9 years old. Furthermore, victims and survivors reported suffering multiple forms of sexual abuse during their childhood ranging from inappropriate touching while clothed to the most severe forms of sexual abuse and exploitation.

    Nine out of 10 survivors said that the perpetrator was someone they knew from before, with almost half reporting the perpetrator lived in the same household.

    “The voices of survivors are a resounding call to action.

    “I have learned from my patients that disclosure and healing from child sexual abuse is an ongoing and often invisible struggle and for many, simply surviving is an act of immense strength – and that truth demands our support, our compassion, and sustained change.”

    Executive Director of Protect Children, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, who has a lifetime of experience working as a psychotherapist with survivors of childhood sexual violence

    The researchers emphasised that 21% of survivors have never disclosed the abuse. Childhood sexual violence is already a very hidden form of criminality and it is further complicated by the challenges of disclosure. The disclosure may take up years or even decades – the striking proportion of two in five victims and survivors in the UK shared that it took them more than 21 years.

    The insights from survivors form a call to action, urging communities, policymakers, and societies worldwide to recognise their pain and resilience and to come together in the mission to end child sexual abuse and exploitation.

    One survivor of childhood sexual violence in the UK, who took part in the Global Our Voice Survivor Survey, said: “I feel a bit sad for the child I was, but I am very glad to be able to give evidence of my experience to help inform others and build knowledge internationally about sexual abuse of children.”

    “We cannot continue to fail victims and survivors seeking justice and support; we must ensure they receive the recognition, reparation, and support they deserve. We cannot undo the damage that has already been done, but we must ensure that no more children have to suffer further violence. All children should live a childhood free from any form of abuse.”

    Eva Díaz Bethencourt, Specialist and Human Rights Lawyer at Protect Children

    The powerful report presented by Protect Children and IPPPRI underscores the urgent need for stronger trauma-informed prevention and response systems in the UK. The full report is available here: https://www.suojellaanlapsia.fi/en/post/our-voice-survivors-in-the-uk-1

    * The Global Our Voice Survivor Survey was developed by Protect Children, and the data analysis of the report “Our Voice Survivors in the UK: Experiences of Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation”, was conducted in collaboration with IPPPRI. The report analyses the data collected from 643 respondents who suffered childhood sexual abuse in the UK and 624 in other Five Eyes countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, US). The Five Eyes alliance is an intelligence-sharing partnership among these nations, which also collaborates closely in law enforcement and child protection efforts.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Voluntary agencies open day19 May 2025 The States of Jersey Ambulance Service and associated voluntary agencies are holding an Open Day between 12pm-4pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 26 May 2025. We are inviting Islanders to the Weighbridge to… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    19 May 2025

    The States of Jersey Ambulance Service and associated voluntary agencies are holding an Open Day between 12pm-4pm on Bank Holiday Monday, 26 May 2025.

    We are inviting Islanders to the Weighbridge to learn what happens when we attend a major incident, or a public event. 

    Alongside the frontline Ambulance and Patient Transport Services, the voluntary agencies in attendance will include St John Ambulance, Normandy Rescue, the Ambulance Support Unit, the Aquatic Rescue Team, Jersey Honorary Police and the Community First Responders. 

    Our partner agencies are invaluable to our emergency responses and provide first aid support to our community – attending events and assisting with the nighttime economy, at peak times. 

    This open day is an opportunity to showcase what each organisation does, how we work together and some of our lifesaving equipment. On the day, Islanders can also learn about volunteering opportunities and how they could use life-saving skills at public events and supporting SoJAS in a major incident.​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Recruitment consultant sentenced after fraudulently using Covid loans for personal purposes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Recruitment consultant sentenced after fraudulently using Covid loans for personal purposes

    Suspended sentence for Bounce Back Loan fraudster

    • Rico Iheagwara fraudulently applied for two £20,000 Bounce Back Loans during the summer of 2020  

    • Iheagwara’s SJR Recruitment Limited company was not trading at the time of the applications 

    • SJR Recruitment was placed into liquidation in 2021 with liabilities of more than £67,000

    A recruitment consultant who fraudulently spent Covid support funds for personal purposes has been handed a suspended sentence. 

    Rico Iheagwara secured two Bounce Back Loans worth £20,000 each from different banks for his Essex-based SJR Recruitment Limited company when businesses were only entitled to a single loan under the scheme. 

    Iheagwara, 36, of River Meads, Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, for fraud when he appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Friday 16 May. 

    He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity. 

    David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 

    Rico Iheagwara blatantly abused a taxpayer-backed scheme designed to support genuine small businesses through the pandemic. He knew he was not entitled to support yet continued with his fraudulent applications nonetheless. 

    Iheagwara’s business was not trading at the time of his application so he was not entitled to a single penny from the scheme, let alone the £40,000 he fraudulently secured. 

    Tackling Covid support scheme abuse remains a key priority for the Insolvency Service and we will not hesitate to prosecute fraudsters such as Iheagwara who stole from the public purse during a national emergency.

    SJR Recruitment was incorporated in January 2017 with Iheagwara as its sole director. The company’s registered office address was on High Road in Loughton. 

    Iheagwara was also the sole signatory on both company bank accounts which were opened in May 2020, just one month before his first fraudulent application. 

    For both applications, made in June and July 2020, Iheagwara claimed the company’s turnover was £82,000. 

    Iheagwara transferred the first £20,000 loan into his personal account on the same day he received the funds. For the second loan, he moved all £20,000 into his personal account the following day. 

    None of the £40,000 was used for the economic benefit of his business. Insolvency Service analysis of bank statements suggested that the funds were used for everyday expenses and paid to various family members. 

    In interviews, Iheagwara said he spent the funds on rent, paying off personal finance and supporting his children. 

    SJR Recruitment went into liquidation in April 2021. No repayments were made on the loans. 

    The Insolvency Service is seeking to recover the fraudulently obtained funds under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

    Further information

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: No Tax On Overtime: “Huge Advantage to Law Enforcement Across the Country”

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    Last week, during National Police Week, law enforcement officers visited the White House and voiced their support for No Tax on Overtime—a key part of President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill.

    One officer called it “a huge advantage to law enforcement across the country.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-z6SCXlZF8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: For a Canadian in London, King Charles’ Royal Garden Party inspires sustainability education

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Janice Denoncourt, Associate Professor in Intellectual Property and Innovation Law, Nottingham Trent University

    On a glorious afternoon recently, I had the good fortune to attend a specially themed Education and Skills Garden Party hosted at Buckingham Palace in London to celebrate the contributions of educators in the United Kingdom and beyond.

    As a Canadian citizen living and working in education in the United Kingdom, I was invited to attend by the High Commission of Canada in London.

    The occasion provided a relaxing yet exciting opportunity to reflect on my involvement embedding sustainability into education related to innovation and intellectual property (IP) rights law.

    Royal Gardens as oasis

    King Charles has been a lifelong supporter of sustainability education, which is a new addition to the curricula. For me, the Royal garden and lake beautifully highlighted concerns with sustainability.

    The King’s Royal garden at the Palace is an oasis in the city of London, alive with foliage and wildlife that guests may stroll around and explore. According to the event leaflet: “A survey of the Garden by the London Natural History Society revealed a wealth of flora and fauna, some quite rare species.”

    Garden parties are a special way for members of the Royal Family to speak to a broad range of people, all of whom have made a positive impact on their community. Today these events are a way to recognize and reward public service.

    A network of sponsors is used to invite guests, including lord-lieutenants, societies and associations, government departments and local government, as well as representatives of various churches and other faiths.

    Charles first marked the issue of pollution in 1970 when he was a 21-year-old student. The King continues to champion his lifelong passion regarding the importance of the health of the environment and living sustainably.

    ‘The garden party at Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee,’ painting by Frederick Sargent, 1887.
    (Royal Collection (U.K.) 407255/Wikipedia)

    Why intellectual property and sustainability?

    Since 2004, I have been an innovation, intellectual property rights and business law educator. My research group contributed to a publication called The Guide to The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), developed to explore the connections between the United Nation’s 17 SDGs, sustainable development and IP.

    Intellectual property is of concern because we need to envision and build a common future with innovation and creativity. How sustainability challenges are overcome depends on the commercialization of new green technology catalysts.

    However, this process is complex. Choosing between solar versus wind, or hydro, geothermal or tidal energy technologies involves making difficult choices. IP rights, such as patents, provide practical scientific information about new green technologies. This information helps society to prioritize public, private and alternative financing to support climate change mitigation and adaptation.

    Canadian firms have patented numerous climate change mitigation technologies.

    For example, the Toronto-based WhalePower has significantly advanced fluid dynamics and has filed Canadian, European Union, United States, Chinese and Indian patents to protect its new technology. Their award-winning invention, inspired by the bumpy flippers of humpback whales, results in more efficient and reliable wind turbine blades.



    Read more:
    Here’s why UK tides are soon going to play a much bigger part in powering your home

    This “tubercle” technology, named for a rounded point of a bone, also has applications for hydroelectric turbines and for revolutionizing fan design. These blades, featuring tubercles (bumps) on the leading edge, reduce aerodynamic drag and improve performance. WhalePower also generates revenue by licensing its patented technology to other companies to use in wind turbines.

    Patents encourage knowledge sharing

    Patents encourage knowledge sharing, because the way the invention works must be disclosed, rather than kept secret.

    For example, new tidal energy inventors can read Whalepower’s patents and be inspired to further advance the new technology with additional incremental innovations.

    A granted patent is published for free online and digitally tagged using globally recognized classification codes to facilitate easy searching by scientists, investors and financiers. The data collected on the patent register is also used to design new climate innovation research studies and inform policy-making.

    In this manner, IP often stimulates investment by providing the legal rights needed to justify longer-term investment in a changing landscape of innovation.

    Long-term investment into green technology is a form of environmental stewardship that I discuss in more detail in my article “Companies and UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.” IP rights support firms like Whalepower by enabling knowledge tools that can bring sustainable development goals closer to fruition.

    Patent attorneys and Earthshot Prize

    The significant role of IP rights in promoting sustainability gained a higher profile when the United Kingdom’s Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) became an Official Nominator for the annual Earthshot Prize launched by Prince William’s Royal Foundation in 2020.

    CIPA helps to identify and nominate solutions for the environmental challenges that the prize aims to address. One nominated solution that uses DNA sequencing and nature’s own colours to create sustainable dyes to reduce the use of water and harmful chemicals in the fashion industry, Colorifix, was a runner-up in the 2023 edition.



    Read more:
    Can marketing classes teach sustainability? 4 key insights

    CIPA provides crucial IP rights checks to finalists, ensuring that their innovations have no outstanding IP issues. This partnership is an example of how the Royal Family works together with CIPA to use the power of IP to help solve sustainability challenges.

    As the King stated when he was Prince of Wales in 2017: “Mine is not a new commitment, but perhaps you will allow me to restate my determination to join you in continuing to do whatever I can, for as long as I can, to maintain not only the health and vitality of the ocean and all that depends upon it, but also the viability of that greatest and most unique of living organisms — nature herself.”

    Janice Denoncourt is affiliated with the British Association for Canadian Studies (BACS)..

    – ref. For a Canadian in London, King Charles’ Royal Garden Party inspires sustainability education – https://theconversation.com/for-a-canadian-in-london-king-charles-royal-garden-party-inspires-sustainability-education-256869

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The rise of psychedelic capitalism: Work harder and be happy about it?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kevin Walby, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, University of Winnipeg

    Once stigmatized and outlawed, psychedelics are moving from the counterculture to the mainstream. From Prince Harry’s use of psilocybin to National Football League quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ adventures with ayahuasca, our media is awash with accounts of their professed benefits.

    Hundreds of universities around the world are now engaging in psychedelic research. And psychedelic legalization initiatives are taking hold.

    Psychedelics are becoming big business. Just as private capital flooded the cannabis sector years ago, a psychedelic gold rush is underway.

    Wealthy entrepreneurs are investing in the psychedelic industry while biotechnology start-ups are raising capital and running clinical trials on novel psychedelic molecules. Venture capitalists are eyeing the prospects of a new lucrative mass market.

    The authors of this article have a new book out: ‘Psychedelic Capitalism’ published by Fernwood.
    (Fernwood)

    Three causes for concern

    To date, most debates about psychedelics have offered little critical analysis of their relationship to the political economy of modern capitalism and broader power structures. In our new book Psychedelic Capitalism, we make three central claims about the so-called psychedelic renaissance.

    First, the medicalization of psychedelics is likely to restrict access and reinforce existing health and social inequalities.

    Second, the corporatization of psychedelics will enable economic elites to dominate the market while appropriating the vast reservoir of knowledge built up by Indigenous communities, public institutions and underground researchers.

    And third, rather than representing progressive drug reform, the limited legalization of select psychedelics for medical use will help to entrench and sustain the drug war and the criminalization of most drug use.

    Ignoring community knowledge

    Across North America, we’re seeing a medicalization of psychedelics, where a range of problems are presented as treatable by these substances. This is happening in a way that boosts corporate control of the process and pushes aside community and Indigenous knowledge.

    We have seen this scenario play out in Australia. Substances such as psilocybin and MDMA are legally available, but only through a doctor’s prescription and at great financial cost — raising questions about equity, access and who these therapies are for.

    Framing psychedelics as pharmaceutical commodities and individualized health-care solutions reinforces the prohibitionist narrative that these substances are unsuitable for use outside of the medical context. This narrative shifts attention away from how medicalized use might perpetuate a neoliberal ideology — locating mental “disorder” within an individual, rather than addressing more systemic causes such as poverty, inequality and social exclusion.

    It also disregards centuries of traditions created by Indigenous community use, as well as the values of the psychedelic underground.

    A system built on expensive individual therapy, medically trained gatekeepers and hyper-controlled clinical access is not the model that most advocates have envisioned.

    A pill-only model for productivity and happiness

    The foundations of psychedelic capitalism were largely created by public innovation at the public’s expense and are now in the process of being taken over by private capital.

    Psychedelic conferences increasingly resemble corporate trade shows. The psychedelic tourism industry continues to expand and cater to elite clients. For-profit companies like Mind Medicine and Compass Pathways are eliminating psychotherapy from their treatment protocols and embracing a “pill-only” model favoured by Big Pharma.

    Psychedelics, including microdosing and psychedelic-assisted therapy, are marketed as a way for the general population to extract more work out of their already overworked lives, and to be happy about it in the process.

    Companies are competing to capture intellectual property to harness profits from existing compounds and erect legal barriers around new chemicals and their applications.

    The for-profit ketamine industry already offers a glimpse into the future of corporatized psychedelic therapy. This includes a lack of attention to risks, deceitful marketing and little consideration to therapeutic care.

    There has been a surge of new patent applications (and granted patents) in the U.S. on substances such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT, 5-MeO DMT and mescaline that seek to secure exclusivity, monopolize supply chains and privatize knowledge that already exists in the public domain.

    Psychedelics have been swept up into the well-rehearsed capitalist playbook where private players are fabricating exclusionary rights over what are ultimately the products of collective human struggle and intellectual achievement.

    Medical legalization of psychedelics

    The medicalized approach to psychedelic mainstreaming also connects to drug law and policy.

    Across North America, the biomedical approach is the main influence on drug law and the primary avenue for psychedelic access in most jurisdictions. This approach is widely supported by psychedelic capitalists who have a financial stake in medical legalization and want to limit legal access to anything outside of the medical-pharma frame.

    In the United States, places like Oregon and Colorado have more holistic legal models that include elements of community control to prevent corporate capture. But most state initiatives remain limited in scope and are centred around medicalized therapy, particularly for military veterans. Even in Oregon, which has been lauded for its progressive drug policies, there has been an unmistakable drift toward medicalization.

    Canada’s cannabis industry exemplifies how processes of legalization can become intertwined with the interests of corporate-dominated industries.

    As Michael Devillaer, professor of psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences and author of Buzz Kill (2024), has explained, the cannabis industry has prioritized profit maximization, product promotion and increased consumption at the expense of public health concerns.

    What is best for public interest?

    As the medical legalization of psychedelics deepens, we are likely to see the intensification of criminal penalties for recreational and other uses.

    In fact, police seizures of psychedelics like psilocybin in the U.S. have increased in recent years. Global arrests for the transportation of compounds such as ayahuasca, iboga and peyote have also increased.

    These problems are likely to be exacerbated by systems of bifurcated scheduling, where a drug product is placed in a different class from the active ingredient or substance.

    For example, if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were to approve psilocybin for depression or MDMA for PTSD, it is likely that only FDA-approved medicinal psilocybin and MDMA products would be rescheduled, while the substances themselves would continue to be prosecuted as restricted narcotics.

    It is in the public interest to move beyond a myopic focus on medical legalization to a more open, decriminalized model of public access. An approach like this would not only mitigate the threats associated with corporate capture, it would also reduce the harms associated with criminalization and the war on drugs.

    Community-controlled decriminalization is a better path to mainstreaming psychedelics than relinquishing power to the medical industry and pharmaceutical cartels that provide monopolized services to primarily affluent customers.

    And treating drug use and dependence as a public health issue and incentivizing harm reduction and support services for at-risk populations would go a long way to mitigating the tragedies of the drug war.

    Kevin Walby receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

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

    – ref. The rise of psychedelic capitalism: Work harder and be happy about it? – https://theconversation.com/the-rise-of-psychedelic-capitalism-work-harder-and-be-happy-about-it-253003

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Believe it or not, there was a time when the US government built beautiful homes for working-class Americans to deal with a housing crisis

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Eran Ben-Joseph, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

    The U.S. Housing Corporation built nearly 300 homes in Bremerton, Wash., during World War I. National Archives

    In 1918, as World War I intensified overseas, the U.S. government embarked on a radical experiment: It quietly became the nation’s largest housing developer, designing and constructing more than 80 new communities across 26 states in just two years.

    These weren’t hastily erected barracks or rows of identical homes. They were thoughtfully designed neighborhoods, complete with parks, schools, shops and sewer systems.

    In just two years, this federal initiative provided housing for almost 100,000 people.

    Few Americans are aware that such an ambitious and comprehensive public housing effort ever took place. Many of the homes are still standing today.

    But as an urban planning scholar, I believe that this brief historic moment – spearheaded by a shuttered agency called the United States Housing Corporation – offers a revealing lesson on what government-led planning can achieve during a time of national need.

    Government mobilization

    When the U.S. declared war against Germany in April 1917, federal authorities immediately realized that ship, vehicle and arms manufacturing would be at the heart of the war effort. To meet demand, there needed to be sufficient worker housing near shipyards, munitions plants and steel factories.

    So on May 16, 1918, Congress authorized President Woodrow Wilson to provide housing and infrastructure for industrial workers vital to national defense. By July, it had appropriated US$100 million – approximately $2.3 billion today – for the effort, with Secretary of Labor William B. Wilson tasked with overseeing it via the U.S. Housing Corporation.

    Over the course of two years, the agency designed and planned over 80 housing projects. Some developments were small, consisting of a few dozen dwellings. Others approached the size of entire new towns.

    For example, Cradock, near Norfolk, Virginia, was planned on a 310-acre site, with more than 800 detached homes developed on just 100 of those acres. In Dayton, Ohio, the agency created a 107-acre community that included 175 detached homes and a mix of over 600 semidetached homes and row houses, along with schools, shops, a community center and a park.

    Designing ideal communities

    Notably, the Housing Corporation was not simply committed to offering shelter.

    Its architects, planners and engineers aimed to create communities that were not only functional but also livable and beautiful. They drew heavily from Britain’s late-19th century Garden City movement, a planning philosophy that emphasized low-density housing, the integration of open spaces and a balance between built and natural environments.

    Milton Hill, a neighborhood designed and developed by the United States Housing Corporation in Alton, Ill.
    National Archives

    Importantly, instead of simply creating complexes of apartment units, akin to the public housing projects that most Americans associate with government-funded housing, the agency focused on the construction of single-family and small multifamily residential buildings that workers and their families could eventually own.

    This approach reflected a belief by the policymakers that property ownership could strengthen community responsibility and social stability. During the war, the federal government rented these homes to workers at regulated rates designed to be fair, while covering maintenance costs. After the war, the government began selling the homes – often to the tenants living in them – through affordable installment plans that provided a practical path to ownership.

    A single-family home in Davenport, Iowa, built by the U.S. Housing Corporation.
    National Archives

    Though the scope of the Housing Corporation’s work was national, each planned community took into account regional growth and local architectural styles. Engineers often built streets that adapted to the natural landscape. They spaced houses apart to maximize light, air and privacy, with landscaped yards. No resident lived far from greenery.

    In Quincy, Massachusetts, for example, the agency built a 22-acre neighborhood with 236 homes designed mostly in a Colonial Revival style to serve the nearby Fore River Shipyard. The development was laid out to maximize views, green space and access to the waterfront, while maintaining density through compact street and lot design.

    At Mare Island, California, developers located the housing site on a steep hillside near a naval base. Rather than flatten the land, designers worked with the slope, creating winding roads and terraced lots that preserved views and minimized erosion. The result was a 52-acre community with over 200 homes, many of which were designed in the Craftsman style. There was also a school, stores, parks and community centers.

    Infrastructure and innovation

    Alongside housing construction, the Housing Corporation invested in critical infrastructure. Engineers installed over 649,000 feet of modern sewer and water systems, ensuring that these new communities set a high standard for sanitation and public health.

    Attention to detail extended inside the homes. Architects experimented with efficient interior layouts and space-saving furnishings, including foldaway beds and built-in kitchenettes. Some of these innovations came from private companies that saw the program as a platform to demonstrate new housing technologies.

    One company, for example, designed fully furnished studio apartments with furniture that could be rotated or hidden, transforming a space from living room to bedroom to dining room throughout the day.

    To manage the large scale of this effort, the agency developed and published a set of planning and design standards − the first of their kind in the United States. These manuals covered everything from block configurations and road widths to lighting fixtures and tree-planting guidelines.

    A single-family home in Bremerton, Wash., built by the U.S. Housing Corporation.
    National Archives

    The standards emphasized functionality, aesthetics and long-term livability.

    Architects and planners who worked for the Housing Corporation carried these ideas into private practice, academia and housing initiatives. Many of the planning norms still used today, such as street hierarchies, lot setbacks and mixed-use zoning, were first tested in these wartime communities.

    And many of the planners involved in experimental New Deal community projects, such as Greenbelt, Maryland, had worked for or alongside Housing Corporation designers and planners. Their influence is apparent in the layout and design of these communities.

    A brief but lasting legacy

    With the end of World War I, the political support for federal housing initiatives quickly waned. The Housing Corporation was dissolved by Congress, and many planned projects were never completed. Others were incorporated into existing towns and cities.

    Yet, many of the neighborhoods built during this period still exist today, integrated in the fabric of the country’s cities and suburbs. Residents in places such as Aberdeen, Maryland; Bremerton, Washington; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Watertown, New York; and New Orleans may not even realize that many of the homes in their communities originated from a bold federal housing experiment.

    These homes on Lawn Avenue in Quincy, Mass., in 2019 were built by the U.S. Housing Corporation.
    Google Street View

    The Housing Corporation’s efforts, though brief, showed that large-scale public housing could be thoughtfully designed, community oriented and quickly executed. For a short time, in response to extraordinary circumstances, the U.S. government succeeded in building more than just houses. It constructed entire communities, demonstrating that government has a major role and can lead in finding appropriate, innovative solutions to complex challenges.

    At a moment when the U.S. once again faces a housing crisis, the legacy of the U.S. Housing Corporation serves as a reminder that bold public action can meet urgent needs.

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

    – ref. Believe it or not, there was a time when the US government built beautiful homes for working-class Americans to deal with a housing crisis – https://theconversation.com/believe-it-or-not-there-was-a-time-when-the-us-government-built-beautiful-homes-for-working-class-americans-to-deal-with-a-housing-crisis-253512

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –