Category: Justice

MIL-OSI USA: Huizenga Named Most Effective Member of the Michigan Congressional Delegation in the U.S. House

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02)

Recently, the Center for Effective Lawmaking released its analysis of the 118^th Congress and found Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) to be the most effective member of the Michigan Congressional Delegation in the U.S. House. The analysis also found during divided government in the last Congress, Huizenga exceeded expectations by outperforming the established benchmark by more than 60%. Overall, Congressman Huizenga scored in the top 8% of all House Members for the 118^th Congress. Upon reviewing the report, Congressman Huizenga released the following statement.

“It is an honor to be named the most effective member of the Michigan Delegation in the U.S. House,” said Congressman Bill Huizenga. “My top priority continues to be serving the residents of Southwest Michigan in the most efficient and effective way possible. While there is still much work to be done, I look forward to continuing to deliver on legislative solutions that make Southwest Michigan an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.”

Background:

The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is a joint partnership between the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University. Each Congress, CEL ranks lawmakers according to their effectiveness using a combination of 15 metrics on the bills they sponsor, how far they move through the legislative process, and how substantial their policy proposals are. Lawmakers are then assigned a Legislative Effectiveness Score (LES). The study provides evidence on how effective lawmaking continued to occur despite divided government and internal struggles within closely divided chambers of Congress.

The average score in both the House and the Senate was normalized to 1.0. Additionally, CEL establishes a benchmark for each member which is their expected LES based on their party, seniority, and committee position. Congressman Huizenga was given a benchmark of 1.481 but earned a score of 2.383 and was labeled as “exceed expectations.” Lawmakers “exceed expectations” when they outperform the benchmark by 50% or more. More information and scores for the entire Michigan Delegation can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 4, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Davis, Bonamici, Moore, Plaskett, Horsford Champion Bill to Increase Guaranteed Child Care Funding while GOP Plans to Cut Federal Child Care Dollars

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

Building Child Care for a Better Future Act expands guaranteed child care funding and creates grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access.

In contrast, Republican-proposed funding cuts to pay for tax giveaways to the wealthiest individuals and corporations would eliminate child care for 40,000 children.

Washington, D.C.- Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI), Representative Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI), and Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV) announced the introduction of the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act (H.R. 2595) to dramatically increase guaranteed child care funding to address child care needs and create grants to enhance child care workforce, supply, quality, and access. Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren will introduce companion legislation in the Senate.

The need to rebuild a stronger, more robust and more equitable child care system is more important than ever as working families across America struggle to access affordable, quality child care. Alarmingly, Republicans are threatening to eliminate child care for 40,000 children to pay for their massive tax giveaways for the wealthiest individuals and corporations. Additionally, the mass layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the offices at the Administration for Children and Families that administer child care and Head Start programs, will make child care even less accessible and affordable, as well as less safe. The long-term solutions in this bill complement the other Democratic bills that address the immediate child care cliff created by Republican inaction.

High-quality, affordable child care is essential to the economic well-being of families, businesses, and our country. Yet, child care places a major financial burden on American families. The price of child care can range from $5,357 to $17,171 per year depending on location and type of care. Astoundingly, the cost of center-based care for two children is more than the average mortgage in 45 states and more than the average annual rent in all 50 states plus DC. Households under the poverty line spend nearly one third of their income on child care, and increases in median childcare prices are connected to lower maternal employment rates. Further, the child care crisis hits families of color disproportionately hard. For a single parent who has never been married who is Black, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaska Native, child care can cost 36%, 41%, or 49% of the median income, respectively, compared to only 31% for single White parents. Further, Latino and American Indian and Alaska Native parents disproportionately live in child care deserts.

The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act addresses the child care needs of families and long-term stability of the child care system. Specifically, the bill:

Helps working families with their child care needs by expanding guaranteed child care funding by increasing the Child Care Entitlement to States to $20 billion per year, over a five-fold increase in funding from the current $3.55 billion per year. Further, the bill increases funding for tribes, tribal organizations, and territories. The bill builds on the Democrats’ permanent increase in guaranteed child care funding to states in 2021, which also provided the first-ever guaranteed funding allotments for the U.S. territories in the Child Care Entitlement to States.
Creates new grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access in communities experiencing child care shortages. Funds could be used for any purpose under the Child Care Development Block Grant to address local needs, including: increasing child care slots; supporting workforce training and expansion; expanding operations of community or neighborhood-based family child care networks; and recruiting providers and staff.

“High-quality, affordable child care is essential to the economic well-being of families, businesses, and our country,” said Rep. Davis. “The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act would provide $20 billion in guaranteed grants to states, tribes, and territories to make child care affordable. Further, the bill would create $5 billion in new grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access in communities experiencing child care shortages. It is critical that Congress acts now to help working families by stabilizing our nation’s child care system and to reject the dangerous Republican cuts to child care.”

“Too many families in Oregon and across the country struggle to find affordable child care, and child care providers often do not make a living wage,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will strengthen our child care system by investing in families, child care providers, and early childhood educators. The investments in this bill will open up opportunities for children, families, childcare providers, and the economy.”

“The cost of childcare continues to squeeze families and is even more burdensome for low-income families. At the same time, too many childcare workers don’t earn a living wage and are struggling to get by. Our legislation would help make high-quality childcare more accessible and affordable and invest in its workforce,” said Rep. Moore.

“As part of the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, Congress expanded the Child Care Entitlement to States program to include U.S. territories like my district for the first time,” said Rep. Plaskett. “The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act significantly increases investments in childcare for American families living in U.S. territories and enhances our commitment to equity. The annual average cost of childcare ranges from $4,000 to as high as $25,000, depending on location. I am proud to partner with my colleagues and respond to the critical need nationwide for available, accessible, and affordable childcare.”

“Across Nevada and the nation, working families are caught in a tough balancing act – juggling skyrocketing costs of child care while trying to earn a living,” said Rep. Horsford. “For the poorest households, child care isn’t just expensive: it’s a crushing burden, often costing more than rent or a mortgage. If we truly believe in the American dream, we must eliminate the barriers holding families back from opportunities of economic mobility and progress. This bill strengthens our child care infrastructure by providing grants to lower costs for working families, enhance the child care workforce, and improve the quality of care in our communities.”

“At a time when families are struggling to find affordable child care so they can work and pay their bills, Republicans in Congress are making their priorities clear with 40,000 kids about to lose their child care to pay for another handout to billionaires. Taken together with the absolute gutting of HHS and the offices responsible for Head Start and child care, America’s child care crisis is on track to only grow worse,” Wyden said. “It doesn’t have to be this way, our bill invests in working families by making sure more families can get child care, and that new child care centers can be built to increase slots while also guaranteeing a living wage for the essential workers who staff them. That is where priorities should lie.”

“Parents shouldn’t have to choose between breaking the budget, cutting back their work hours, or settling for lower-quality care to make sure their kids have child care,” Warren said. “I am grateful for Senator Wyden’s and Representative Davis’ partnership and commitment to investing in child care so working parents have a fighting chance in our economy.”

The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act is supported by 50 organizations, including: American Academy of Pediatrics; American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy; Caring Across Generations; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Child Care Aware of America; Child Care for Every Family Network; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Community Change Action; Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC); Family Forward Oregon; Family Values at Work; First Children’s Finance; First Five Years Fund; First Focus Campaign for Children; Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children; KinderCare; Little Miracles Early Development Center; Maine Association for the Education of Young Children; Maine People’s Alliance; Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children (MDAEYC); Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children (MAAEYC); MomsRising; Montana Family Childcare Network; National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC); National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); National Education Association (NEA); National Indian Child Care Association (NICCA); National Women’s Law Center; New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children; NJ Communities United; OAEYC, Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children; ORAEYC Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children; Our Children Oregon; Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children; Pennsylvania Child Care Association; Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children; Prevent Child Abuse America; Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children; Save the Children; SEIU; South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children (SCAEYC); Southwest Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children; Small Business Majority; Trying Together; Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children; Virginia Organizing; Wisconsin Early Childhood Association; and ZERO TO THREE.

A copy of the legislation is available HERE.

A summary of the bill is available HERE.

Organizational Quotations:

Center for Law and Social Policy

“The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will make child care more affordable for families and invest in the workforce that makes it all possible. By ensuring sustainable and reliable funding and bolstering the supply of child care, we can build a stronger, more equitable child care sector. This legislation is an essential step toward a much-needed child care system that meets the diverse needs of all children and families.” Stephanie Schmit, Director of Child Care and Early Education, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)

Child Care for Every Family Network

“Right now, this country is facing a serious child care crisis–parents are struggling to find or afford child care, child care workers are making poverty wages, and child care providers are struggling to keep their doors open and make ends meet. Republicans’ only proposal is to make this crisis even worse by cutting child care funding and putting more wealth in the hands of billionaires over supporting our families,” said Andrea Paluso and Erica Gallegos, Executive Directors of the Child Care for Every Family Network. “But there is another way. Senator Wyden and Warren’s Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will boost child care funding, instead of taking a hatchet to it. We are proud to endorse this critical bill that will invest in our child care supply, support the child care workforce, and help make child care easier to find and afford. The contrast couldn’t be clearer: support for care or support for cuts. Instead of non-stop Republican threats to cut child care, Congress must pass the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act.”

Early Care & Education Consortium

“As a national coalition of child care providers, education service providers, and state child care associations, ECEC is pleased to endorse the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act. This legislation recognizes that the child care workforce is the workforce behind the workforce—without well-qualified and compensated child care educators and staff, many parents cannot go to work with the comfort that their children are being educated and cared for in safe and healthy environments. Furthermore, the legislation takes needed steps to help provide support to providers that serve communities that are most in need of high-quality early education. The long-term investments proposed in the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will better equip our nation’s child care system to serve all who rely on it every day, and support the continued growth of the American economy.” – Radha Mohan, Executive Director, Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC)

Family Forward Oregon

“Child care is the workforce behind our workforce. It is essential infrastructure in our communities, and is an essential industry. We must fund child care just like libraries, schools, and other public services. When we invest in child care through the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, we invest in our families, our economy and our future.” – Candice Vickers, Executive Director, Family Forward Oregon

National Women’s Law Center

“At a time when President Trump and congressional Republicans are proposing dramatic cuts to child care, the Building Child Care for A Better Future Act provides meaningful investments that would make a real dent in addressing the child care crisis,” said Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center. “With families at a breaking point with the soaring costs of child care, we need real, sustained investment to make care more affordable and to invest in the early learning workforce. If Congress is serious about lowering child care costs, they’ll pass this bill instead of pretending that small tax credits—which provide only a fraction of relief that families need—are a real solution.”

Prevent Child Abuse America

“Access to quality childcare alleviates parental stress, enabling parents to create positive home environments for their children,” saidMelissa Merrick, President and CEO of Chicago-based Prevent Child Abuse America. “This legislation, Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, addresses both the immediate needs of families, supporting working parents while strengthening the childcare workforce, and the broader goal of improving childcare access. When parents have the resources and supports they need to care for their children, we help parents foster positive home environments where their young children can thrive.”

ZERO TO THREE

“Child care is essential for parents who are continuing to struggle with long waitlists and skyrocketing costs. Providers are barely scraping by due to the ever-rising costs of providing safe and quality care,” said Samantha Cadet, Legislative Director for ZERO TO THREE. “ZERO TO THREE is proud to support the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, which addresses the root issue of chronic underinvestment by increasing mandatory funding for child care so that states, tribes, and territories have the resources they need to build a child care infrastructure that works for everyone.”

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MIL OSI USA News –

April 4, 2025

MIL-OSI Global: As Israel begins another assault in Gaza, Netanyahu is fighting his own war against the country’s legal system

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leonie Fleischmann, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, City St George’s, University of London

The Israel Defense Forces has launched a further major ground assault in Gaza – this time with the intention of taking and holding significant amounts of territory as a “security buffer”. This appears unlikely to endear the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to many of the families of the remaining 59 Hamas hostages, who may well fear the worst for their loved ones.

It’s a high-risk strategy on Netanyahu’s part. But the prime minister is already walking a political tightrope as he simultaneously attempts to bend his country’s legal system to his will.

Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to protest the prime minister’s recent attempts to bring the country’s supreme court under government control. The saga started when he sacked the country’s most important spy chief, the head of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, in mid-March.

This was the first time a government had dismissed a serving head of Shin Bet, and the supreme court stepped in to freeze the order until it had the chance to hear opposition objections.

The attorney-general, Gali Baharav-Miara, a vocal critic of Netanyahu, accused the prime minister of ignoring the law. This led the government to pass a no-confidence motion in her as well.

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, subsequently passed a law which would give the government the power to appoint new members of the supreme court.

The move was criticised by the Israel Democracy Institute, which described the new law as a “broader shift toward subordinating legal and security institutions to political authority” in Israel. It certainly has the potential to undermine the country’s system of checks and balances which – as in many western democracies – rests largely on the separation of powers.

Israel does not have a single written constitution. What it has is a set of “Basic Laws” which provide the rules of governance. Within these are checks and balances, which aim to prevent any one institution or individual from exercising untrammelled control. Putting the make-up of the supreme court into the hands of the government would threaten this basic democratic principle on which Israel has always operated.

On March 19, Netanyahu posted on X from the prime ministerial account: “In America and Israel, when a strong right-wing leader wins, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people’s will. They won’t win in either place!” He later removed the post and reposted the same thing from his personal account.

The post linked his efforts to control the judiciary with the Trump administration’s loudly voiced campaign against state barriers to its power.

But anyone who has followed Netanyahu’s decision-making in recent years will discern a pattern. Since being charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in 2019 (which he denies) he has done anything he can to try to gain control of the country’s judiciary – for his own political preservation.

Netanyahu’s motivations

At the same time, many critics believe Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza had been with one eye to prolonging hostilities to delay proceedings in his own trials. Now it appears that the Israeli prime minister is attempting a frontal assault on Israel’s judiciary.

His decision to sack Bar came as the Shin Bet chief was supervising an investigation into allegations concerning, as he put it in a letter to the cabinet before his sacking: “Qatar’s involvement at the highest levels of Israeli decision-making, including the Prime Minister’s Office.”

Equally questionable is the attempted ousting of Attorney-General Baharav-Miara, who is overseeing the criminal case against him. Replacing them with more compliant and loyal individuals would help ensure that Netanyahu and the policies of his government are protected.

All of this drew a strong response from the former consul general of Israel in New York, Alon Pinkas. Writing in the opposition paper Haaretz on March 21, Pinkas argued that Israeli “democracy’s guardrails” are being brought “crashing down fast and furious by Netanyahu’s design”.

He concluded that the only two remaining checks on Netanyahu’s power are “the supreme court and the Israeli public” – adding that the court can only act when it is permitted. “So the Israeli public becomes the only potentially effective check.”

An active civil society is an important marker of democracy and my research shows that Israel has a strong history of protest and extra-parliamentary action across a range of social, economic and political issues.

There has been a continuous stream of anti-Netanyahu protests in Israel since the “black flag protests” in 2020 in opposition to Netanyahu’s continuing in power despite facing serious criminal charges. The protests grew ever stronger, despite COVID safeguarding regulations.

When the government attempted wide-ranging reforms which many critics feared would fundamentally weaken the independence of the judiciary, hundreds of thousands took to the streets weekend after weekend, forcing the government eventually to shelve its plans.

Read more:
Israel protests: Netanyahu delays judicial reforms over fears of ‘civil war’ – but deep fault-lines threaten future of democracy

Since the start of the war in Gaza, the political focus of protests shifted to broad consensus in calling the government to do everything in its power to ensure the release of the October 7 hostages. Now the protests will focus more centrally back on the considerable public discontent with the prime minister himself.

It remains to be seen, now, whether Alon Pinkas is right and whether the Israeli public can be an effective check against a leader who appears now to be governing solely in his own interests.

Leonie Fleischmann 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. As Israel begins another assault in Gaza, Netanyahu is fighting his own war against the country’s legal system – https://theconversation.com/as-israel-begins-another-assault-in-gaza-netanyahu-is-fighting-his-own-war-against-the-countrys-legal-system-253568

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Industrial chicken farms are trashing Britain’s rivers – and planning reforms could make things worse

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rosalind Malcolm, Professor of Environmental Law, Director of Environmental Regulatory Research Group (ERRG), University of Surrey

Once voted the UK’s favourite river, the River Wye flows from the Welsh mountains to the Severn estuary – 150 miles through an officially recognised “national landscape”. But this idyllic picture is changing, as the river is gradually choked by waste from industrial chicken farming.

The Wye is perhaps the most extreme example, but the nearby River Severn, the UK’s longest river, is also at risk, along with rivers in places such as Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Yorkshire.

In the land that feeds into these rivers, millions of chickens are being reared in intensive units to supply supermarkets with cheap meat and eggs. But all those chickens produce vast amounts of manure which can end up in the rivers.

This floods the river with excess nutrients causing algal blooms to flourish. The algae blocks out sunlight and consumes oxygen, which kills other creatures in the water. For instance the number of Atlantic salmon passing through the River Wye each year has plummeted from 50,000 in the 1960s to less than 3,000.

The problems caused by chicken farming have led to legal action against US food company Cargill and its subsidiary Avara Foods (both firms deny the allegations). Meanwhile food outlets including Nando’s have denied sourcing their products from polluting farms.

Described as a “dying river” in a Channel 4 News report, in 2023 the Wye’s conservation status was downgraded by Natural England to “unfavourable – declining”.

Measures to deal with excess nutrients have led to so-called nutrient neutrality policies. These prevent new developments that would cause a net increase in nutrients. But the knock-on effect is that development (including housebuilding) may be blocked.

Much of the River Wye flows through the English county of Herefordshire. There, the council, exasperated by the failure of these plans to reverse the decline, took the unusual step of controlling the pollution through planning laws.

Its Minerals and Waste Local Plan declared that any new chicken farms must demonstrate that the manure would be properly managed and the project would overall be nutrient neutral. That would form part of an environmental impact assessment during the planning process.

This was unusual because agricultural activities are not usually subject to planning control and what you do on your farm is generally regulated by non-planning statutory regimes. So, the step taken by Herefordshire Council was unusual and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) challenged it in court.

What was also new, was the categorisation of manure as “waste”.

Is manure ‘waste’?

Agriculture mainly gets a pass on waste controls. Faecal matter (including chicken manure) is not treated as waste in law as long as it does not harm the environment or endanger human health, even though it is not the farmers’ primary product. A farmer breeds chickens for meat and eggs but chickens also produce manure. But that manure can still be useful as a fertiliser, for energy or as compost. So far so good. The problem comes when that by-product is not managed carefully and it ends up polluting rivers.

So should it be defined as waste – and therefore subject to strict controls – or treated as a valuable byproduct and managed as a commodity just like the eggs?

The answer is: it depends. Case law indicates that the test for whether the manure would be waste is whether it can harm the environment.

In the High Court case, the NFU argued that agricultural activities should not be subject to planning controls and that manure should not be treated as “waste”. In effect its argument was that the economic endeavours of farmers should outweigh the additional environmental protections introduced by the council.

The judge did not agree with the NFU. She said that chicken manure could indeed be waste and the council could control it through the planning regime.

Symbolic slurry

This is a symbolic battle between those tricky pillars of sustainable development: economy, society and environment.

In any planning case, the elements need to be balanced and one will dominate over the others. Housing for people? Industrial development for economic growth? Industrial farming for (cheap) food? Protecting the river and its ecosystem from pollution? Every decision made represents a trade-off.

As the courts move to prioritise protecting the environment, the UK government is favouring economic growth. Its Planning and Infrastructure Bill plans to replace individual environmental impact assessments with broad based “environmental delivery plans” produced by a government body (not the developer) but funded by developers.

These delivery plans will set out conservation measures addressing environmental impacts of development. They might focus on protected species or habitats or on issues like nutrient neutrality.

But there is no shortage of plans already in the government armoury. Environmental Improvement Plans were set up by a previous government. Among these, the Wyescapes landscape recovery project is aimed at developing “sustainable, future-proof business models working with nature along the floodplain”. The River Wye nutrient management plan aims to halt nutrient pollution. The River Wye action plan aims to stop the decline of the river system by making the catchment a pilot for transforming how manure is managed.

However, as the judge in the NFU v Herefordshire Council case said, all the evidence demonstrates that these plans have so far failed to stop the decline. This left the council to implement drastic and immediate action.

The NFU is considering an appeal. But the council’s win at the high court may be in vain when government proposals outlaw the requirement for individual environmental impact assessments.

It remains to be seen how effective the new government ideas on protecting the environment will be. For now, it appears that anything that blocks development is not a government priority.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Rosalind Malcolm 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. Industrial chicken farms are trashing Britain’s rivers – and planning reforms could make things worse – https://theconversation.com/industrial-chicken-farms-are-trashing-britains-rivers-and-planning-reforms-could-make-things-worse-253463

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Expansion of early resolution process will help resolve family law matters
Source: Government of Canada regional news
Families in Abbotsford, Chilliwack and New Westminster are able to resolve family law matters quicker while saving money on court costs with the expansion of the early resolution process.

As of Tuesday, April 1, 2025, the early resolution process is available in Provincial Court family registries in Abbotsford, Chilliwack and New Westminster, in addition to existing sites in Victoria, Surrey and Port Coquitlam. By November 2025, the process will expand to North Vancouver, Pemberton, Richmond, Sechelt and Vancouver (Robson Square).

The process is a free service that applies to family law matters, such as parenting arrangements, contact, child support and spousal support, and companion animals. It is designed to reduce conflict and build skills to prevent future conflict through services that are customized to a family’s needs. It provides early preparation for families, many of which are without legal representation, through screening for family violence, identification of legal and non-legal needs, referrals to community organizations, assistance resolving disputes out of court through consensual dispute resolution, and support preparing for next steps, including court processes.

The early resolution process is already leading to positive results for families. An evaluation of the process in Surrey showed that 57% of families resolved their family law issues through the process without going to court and those who did proceed to court had fewer issues.

The process is improving court efficiency as the Surrey Provincial Family Court registry has seen a 61% decline in new family law cases and a 45% decrease in total court time. Similar progress has been seen at the Victoria Provincial Court registry.

This expansion increases the courts’ capacity to deal with other matters and ensures timely access to justice for more people in the province.

Quick Facts:
- Building on existing family justice services, the early resolution process aims to build knowledge, support problem solving and help families prepare for the next steps in their family law matters.
- Family law matters, such as protection, enforcement or priority parenting matters, are not resolved through the early resolution process and will continue to proceed directly to court.
Learn More:

To learn more about the early resolution process, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/EarlyResolution

To learn more about family justice centres and justice access centres and where to find them, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/FamilyJusticeCentres

To access the evaluation of the service in Surrey, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content?id=18BF9554B34A4DACAA317B1B56B50318
MIL OSI Canada News –
April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: New Education Pathway for People in Custody
Source: Government of Canada regional news

A new opportunity for people in custody in Nova Scotia will give them a chance to further their education and improve their future.

The Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) is now available in provincial correctional facilities in Nova Scotia, replacing the old General Educational Development (GED) testing program, which was discontinued last year.

“Making the CAEC available in Nova Scotia’s correctional facilities marks a significant step forward in helping people in custody use their time productively,” said Becky Druhan, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. “Education can be a powerful tool in reducing recidivism, providing individuals with the skills and qualifications they need to build a better future after release. This isn’t just about earning a certificate – it’s about transforming how people in custody see themselves and their potential.”

The CAEC is designed to help adults demonstrate high-school-level competencies in key subject areas. Some high school credits may be recognized, as well as tests passed from the most recent Canadian GED series.

Teachers working in corrections facilities will provide instruction and support to help people prepare for the exams, ensuring they have the knowledge and confidence to succeed. Correctional program officers and education liaison officers will be fully trained to administer the tests, ensuring the initiative is accessible and well supported.

Quotes:

“The value of education at any age or stage of life is so important. We are proud to offer this important next step to people in custody who want to build a better future.”
— Nolan Young, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration

Quick Facts:
- the CAEC is a free, high-quality, made-in-Canada education credential that meets industry standards
- test-takers who successfully complete the CAEC will be eligible to receive a Nova Scotia high school equivalency certificate
- the CAEC is tailored to the needs of Canadian adults and reflects diverse cultures and perspectives; it is available in English and French and consists of tests on reading, writing, mathematics, social studies and science
- correctional program officers and education liaison officers are trained and certified by the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, which manages the CAEC testing program in Nova Scotia
Additional Resources:

The Canadian Adult Education Credential: https://novascotia.ca/programs/canadian-adult-education-credential/

MIL OSI Canada News –
April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Two Fiji Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Carrying Out Multimillion-Dollar Real Estate Short Sale Fraud

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Jyoteshna Karan, 52, and Praveen Singh, 45, both of Modesto, were sentenced for leading a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Karan received three years and four months in prison, and Singh received two years.

According to court records, from 2006 through 2015, Karan and Singh conspired to make straw purchases and short sales of approximately 15 homes from Modesto to Sacramento. A straw purchase is where one person buys a home on behalf of another person to get around certain restrictions. Straw purchases are generally illegal in the real estate industry because they compromise lenders’ risk management practices. A short sale is where a homeowner sells their home for less than the amount they owe on their mortgage, with lender approval, to avoid foreclosure. Short sales must generally be arm’s length transactions in the real estate industry because that helps protect buyers and sellers from undervaluation, overpayment, and bias.

After Karan and Singh acquired the homes, they allowed them to go into foreclosure and arranged for short sales with the lenders. They then quickly resold, or flipped, the homes to other people at market rates and therefore reaped significant profits. In doing so, they caused the lenders to suffer over $3,000,000 in losses.

Karan and Singh were experienced real estate professionals who used unwitting participants, fabricated documents, and shell companies to carry out their fraud. For example, they used Singh’s mother as one of the straw purchasers, fabricated documents to make it appear as though the straw purchasers worked for their shell companies making six figure salaries, and fabricated documents to make it appear as though the transactions were arm’s length. This was all done to convince the lenders to go through with the deals.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, FDIC OIG, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Oxycodone Conspiracy and Structuring Cash Transactions

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BOSTON – A Texas man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for a drug conspiracy involving the distribution of oxycodone pills across Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond.

Christan Russell, 33, of Tomball, Texas was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 70 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Russell has also been ordered to pay a fine of $30,000. In October 2024, Russell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills and structuring cash transactions. Russell was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023 along with five co-conspirators.

Between approximately February 2023 and July 2023, Russell supplied oxycodone pills to co-conspirator Kenneth Veiga, who then redistributed those oxycodone pills to Austin Gonsalves and John Campbell. Russell obtained these pills from a variety of sources in the Houston, Texas area. On March 13, 2023 Russell traveled from Houston to Boston to meet with Veiga where they met in a hotel room in Rhode Island that Russell rented. During that meeting, Russell supplied oxycodone pills to Veiga and Veiga provided cash in exchange. On March 14, 2023, Russell engaged in four structured cash deposits at ATMs in the Boston area. For each of these deposits, Russell orchestrated the deposit to be less than $10,000 in an attempt to evade the bank from reporting the deposit to the Internal Revenue Service.

Veiga pleaded guilty and in July 2024, was sentenced to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gonsalves pleaded guilty and in May 2024 was sentenced to 41 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Campbell was sentenced to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Mashpee, Yarmouth, Sandwich and Falmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Samuel R. Feldman of the Criminal Division and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Mexican national sentenced for illegal reentry in Eastern District of Texas

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

Valentin Hernandez-Yanez, 38, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by a deported alien and was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on April 2, 2025. Hernandez-Yanez has been imprisoned since July of 2024. He is currently being held on an immigration detainer and will be processed by Homeland Security before being deported to Mexico.

According to information presented in court, on April 30, 2024, Hernandez-Yanez was observed by federal immigration agents in Vidor, Texas. Agents were familiar with Hernandez-Yanez from past dealings. An immigration database check revealed Hernandez-Yanez to be a national of Mexico having been previously deported to Mexico in June of 2011. Hernandez-Yanez has not since applied for permission to reenter the United States since he was last removed.

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

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.

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MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: San Francisco Resident Who Shot and Killed Victim in the Presidio Found Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter

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

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today found Leion Butler, aka Leniyah Butler, 21, of San Francisco, guilty of voluntary manslaughter. The verdict followed a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Susan Illston.

The jury found that Butler, a sex worker, killed a man in the Crissy Field East Beach area of the Presidio of San Francisco on Nov. 12, 2023, after performing a sex act on the victim. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Butler shot the victim once in the eye after he asked for a refund and asked Butler to get out of the car. After killing him, Butler stole the victim’s vehicle, drove it to Hunters Point, and tried to wipe away the fingerprints and DNA. Butler spent the rest of that morning scattering the physical evidence, including the murder weapon.

“We extend our sincere condolences to the victim’s family, whose son and brother was taken from them prematurely, and hope today’s verdict brings some measure of justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “We commend the swift actions of the FBI agents, who promptly and thoroughly investigated this case from the moment the victim’s body was found in the Presidio.”

“This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to seeking justice for victims of violent crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Through tireless investigative work and collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we ensured that the defendant was held accountable for this senseless act. The FBI will continue to pursue those who commit violent offenses and threaten the safety of our communities.”

The jury acquitted Butler of murder in the second degree.

Butler, who is currently being held in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2025. The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1112 is 15 years and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Davidson and George Hageman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Helen Yee, Jessie Chelsea, Marina Ponomarchuk, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of a monthslong investigation by the FBI.

MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: April is Second Chance Month: Exploring North Dakota’s Collaborative Approach to Reentry Success for Justice-Involved Individuals

Source: US State of North Dakota

Reentering society after incarceration presents a host of challenges, from securing stable housing and employment to accessing health care and recovery resources. In North Dakota, a robust partnership between multiple state agencies and community organizations is making a tangible difference in the lives of justice-involved individuals. Through collaboration between the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR), North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS), Job Service North Dakota (JSND), the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), and various community partners, providers, nonprofits and faith-based organizations, reentry efforts are more coordinated and effective than ever before.

“Reentry isn’t just about leaving incarceration—it’s about having the right support in place to build a stable future,” said Reentry and Recovery Commissioner Jonathan Holth. “By working together, we’re creating stronger pathways for people to succeed.”

In recognition of Second Chance Month this April, here’s a deeper look into the collaborative network supporting reentry success and an effort to reduce new victims of crime in North Dakota.

Breaking Down Barriers

DOCR’s reentry initiatives are built on the principle that successful reintegration requires a network of support. Affordable housing, overcoming the stigma of a criminal record, and maintaining engagement with support services post-release are ongoing hurdles this public-private network collaborates on together to address. By bridging gaps in housing, employment, healthcare, and recovery services, these initiatives aim to reduce recidivism and promote long-term success. The commitment of these agencies and organizations ensures that justice-involved individuals have the tools they need to rebuild their lives.

According to DOCR Reentry Manager Robyn Schmalenberger there’s both an evidence-based approach and personalized aspect to support reentry success for each individual.

“Every person has a different pathway into the choices they make, and every person is going to have somewhat of a different pathway out of it,” said Schmalenberger. “This underscores the need for flexible, personalized services and support systems.”

The Power of Partnerships

DOCR Community Resource Manager Travis Collins joins Schmalenberger in supporting DOCR and the state’s reentry efforts. Collins underscores the importance of early intervention as a key factor in reentry success for justice-involved individuals.
“By bringing services into the facilities, we’re not just preparing people for release—we’re helping them build relationships and access the resources they need to succeed from day one,” said Collins.

Collins’ work includes numerous initiatives to connect with external businesses and organizations. For example, he regularly hosts resource fairs held inside correctional facilities. These events connect individuals with service providers before release, easing their transition back into the community.

HHS is one agency that plays a significant role in a variety of initiatives by sending team members into correctional facilities to establish these early connections with individuals, increasing the likelihood of post-release follow-through with programs that support housing, job training and medical care.

NDDOT plays a crucial role in ensuring individuals leaving incarceration have proper identification. Without a state-issued ID, securing employment, housing, and other essential services becomes significantly more difficult. NDDOT staff visit correctional facilities to process ID applications before release, reducing barriers and helping individuals transition more smoothly into society.

Healthcare

Ensuring access to healthcare upon release is a critical component of successful reentry. Through a collaborative effort between DOCR and HHS, incarcerated individuals can apply for Medicaid before their release. For eligible participants, this ensures uninterrupted access to essential medical and behavioral health services. This proactive approach helps individuals secure necessary medications, continue treatment for chronic conditions, and access mental health or substance use support as they transition back into the community. By eliminating gaps in coverage, this initiative reduces the risk of health-related setbacks that could contribute to recidivism, promoting stability and long-term success.

Employment Support

JSND plays a vital role in supporting both justice-involved individuals and the employer community. Through career readiness classes, JSND support reentry by providing essential job search skills, including resume building, interview techniques, and strategies for addressing justice involvement. Within 90 days of release, participants can attend job fairs to connect with potential employers. Those who complete the Career Readiness class and meet specific criteria may be referred by DOCR to the Job Placement Pilot Program (JP3). Launched in July 2023, JP3 helps individuals secure and retain employment by providing assessments, goal planning, and support services to remove barriers to work. Additional programs, such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), offer training for in-demand jobs in North Dakota.

JSND’s efforts are yielding strong results, with program participants achieving employment rates of 75-80%. Data through September 2024 shows that individuals who complete the program earn an average of $9,480 per quarter—significantly higher than those who did not complete it ($2,928) or those who never enrolled ($3,902).

“The positive impact of this program is evident, not just for individuals but for North Dakota’s workforce as a whole,” said Amy Arenz, JSND Bismarck workforce center manager.

To further support employers, JSND offers resources such as Federal Bonding, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, and funding for on-the-job training. Additionally, JSND provides education on hiring justice-involved individuals, recently hosting the webinar, “Breaking Barriers: Hiring Justice-Involved Individuals,” where experts and employers shared insights on creating second-chance employment opportunities for a stronger workforce and community.

The HHS Vocational Rehabilitation program partners with DOCR to support individuals preparing for release by offering vocational assessments, job search training, and career counseling. Services begin three to six months before release to ensure a smooth transition into employment.

Additionally, DOCR’s Rough Rider Industries (RRI) program provides incarcerated individuals with employment and skill-building opportunities. Those who engage in RRI for at least six months have a significantly lower recidivism rate of 7.9%, compared to the overall DOCR recidivism rate of 37.2%.

Child Support

North Dakota Child Support, administered through HHS, recognizes the financial challenges that can arise when a parent is incarcerated and unable to earn income. To support successful re-entry and reduce long-term barriers, HHS pursued a law change that ensures that a parent’s child support obligation is automatically terminated if they are sentenced to 180 days or more. This change helps parents reintegrate and regain financial stability upon release, ultimately benefiting their children in the long run.

Additionally, an HHS agency rule provides a six-month adjustment period after release before child support obligations are reinstated, allowing time for parents to secure employment and establish financial stability. These updates aim to create a fair and supportive path forward for families while balancing the needs of both parents and children.

JSND administers the Parental Responsibility Initiative for the Development of Employment (PRIDE) working with individuals referred from child support who are non-custodial parents. This program helps individuals obtain employment or better paying jobs to meet child support obligations.

Housing, Basic Needs and Recovery Support

Helping individuals secure stable housing to prevent homelessness upon reentry is another critical dimension of wellness that supports success.

The Recovery Housing Assistance Program (RHAP) is an HHS state-funded program that provides up to 12 weeks of housing expenses for individuals in recovery, paid directly to participating providers, to help them access safe and stable living environments. Working with a network of approved RHAP providers, the program aims to increase the number of supportive recovery housing environments available in North Dakota, establish and reinforce evidence-based best practices in recovery housing, reduce homelessness, expand individual options for recovery experiences, and provide housing stability, which indirectly impacts employment.

Recovery housing aims to provide a safe, structured, and supportive environment with peer support, access to community resources, and opportunities for personal growth and recovery.

Launched in 2018, Free Through Recovery (FTR) is a partnership between HHS and DOCR. The program is designed to increase access to recovery support services for individuals engaged with the criminal justice system who have behavioral health concerns. Participants engage with a Care Coordinator and Peer Support Specialist who help them identify their needs and find creative, effective ways to meet them. Peer support specialists—many of whom have lived experience—serve as mentors, offering guidance and motivation as individuals rebuild their lives.

Heather Brandt, HHS manager behavioral health community supports, emphasizes the role of recovery services in successful reintegration.

“Having stable housing and recovery support in place can be the difference between success and returning to the system,” noted Brandt. “Our goal is to create a bridge that helps people find the services and supports.”

Faith-based organizations and nonprofits also play a vital role in this ecosystem, offering support services, mentorship, and community-based reentry meals at places like Trinity Lutheran Church. DOCR also hosts reentry simulations to give policymakers and community members a firsthand look at the challenges faced by individuals upon release, highlighting the need for structured support systems.

“Collaboratively, all of these programs are foundational to supporting basic needs, critical dimensions of wellness and overall success,” said Schmalenberger. “Through collaboration, we’re not just reducing recidivism—we’re giving people real opportunities to rebuild their lives.”

DOCR Director Colby Braun echoed this sentiment.

“When people return to our communities with the right resources in place, it benefits everyone as it leads to stronger families, safer communities, and better outcomes for all. Successful reentry is more than the success of an individual, it is the success of a community. This is public safety,” said Braun.

For more information on North Dakota’s reentry initiatives, visit docr.nd.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: “Thank you to everyone who defends our country”: HSE Academic Council meeting held at the Victory Museum

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

Before the meeting, university veterans and members Academic Council laid wreaths and flowers at the sculpture group “Sorrow” in the Hall of Memory and Sorrow. In addition, they took part in the ceremony of transferring 185 stories of students and employees of the Higher School of Economics about their loved ones during the Great Patriotic War to the All-People’s Historical Project “Faces of Victory“.

In memory of the defenders of the Fatherland

The official ceremony of handing over the stories was opened by the General Director of the Victory Museum, Alexander Shkolnik. He recalled that the museum and the university had recently signed an agreement on partnership and cooperation. “After all, we are doing one big thing – raising new generations of real citizens of our country. And they can only be real when they know the history of their country, honor and remember its heroes,” he emphasized.

Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Nikita Anisimov noted that those who have no past cannot be responsible for the future, and the university is responsible for the future. The transfer of stories of students and employees of the HSE about their heroic ancestors to the Faces of Victory project is the university’s contribution to perpetuating the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland.

“We are grateful to the Victory Museum for the opportunity to pay tribute to the memory and say words of gratitude to the heroes who defended our country in difficult years, and also to hold the Academic Council of the Higher School of Economics here. And we are happy to hand over to the museum 185 stories collected by our students and staff as part of the Faces of Victory project. We are a young university, but many of the HSE students have something in their families that is connected with the Great Patriotic War, they have a story of their heroes. And I also want to say thank you to everyone who is defending our country now. Among them are students and staff of the Higher School of Economics. And their names, I am sure, will be on the next pages of the memorial materials that we are compiling today,” said Nikita Anisimov.

The hero of one of these stories is the first rector of the Moscow Institute of Electronic Engineering (now Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics Yevgeny Armensky, who volunteered for the front after receiving his high school diploma and ended the war in Prague, was a member of the HSE. Nikita Anisimov noted that he created the glory of Russian engineering education and that it is important to remember this now, when it is being revived in Russia.

Preservation of historical memory

After the ceremonial meeting, the Academic Council met. The names of 11,695 Heroes of the Soviet Union are immortalized on the marble pylons of the Hall of Fame, where it was held, and a 10-meter figure of a victorious soldier is installed in the center.

At the beginning of the meeting, Nikita Anisimov awarded honorary certificates to university veterans: Boris Gerenrot, professor Faculty of Law, and Vladimir Gavrilov, head of the rector’s secretariat from 1998 to 2000. Boris Gerenrot was 15 years old in 1941, he was called up to the front in 1944, and Vladimir Gavrilov survived the war as a child – he was driven away with his family to Germany, and his mother was shot before his eyes.

The honorary guest of the Academic Council was the scientific director of the Russian Military Historical Society (RMHS) Mikhail Myagkov. He gave a report on the topic “Memory of the Liberators of Europe in the 21st Century”, emphasizing the role of the Soviet Union in the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Mikhail Myagkov, in particular, said that in Prague, Marshal Konev lost control of the advanced units of the 1st Ukrainian Front for some time because the Praguers surrounded the soldiers and rocked them in their arms. More than 4 thousand monuments and memorials were erected in Europe, and, for example, 90% of the French considered the USSR’s role in the victory decisive, although France was liberated by the armies of the allies.

Today, in Europe and the USA, the winners are considered to be primarily the British and Americans, history is falsified to suit politics, and American textbooks devote two lines to the Battle of Stalingrad. At the same time, Mikhail Myagkov emphasized, the decisive contribution of the USSR to the victory in the war is confirmed by indisputable facts and figures. On the Soviet-German front, 607 enemy divisions were destroyed, and on the Western front, only 176.

The speaker answered questions from members of the Academic Council.

Focus on technology leadership

The second issue on the agenda of the Academic Council meeting was the participation of HSE in major federal projects and programs.

Recently, the HSE team successfully defended the university development program before the Council for Support of Development Programs for Higher Education Organizations, taking second place among the participants of the Priority 2030 program. Vice-Rector Elena Odoevskaya presented a new model for implementing this program at the university, emphasizing that the emphasis in it is on technological leadership. In the near future, it is necessary to develop a KPI model for university departments to ensure their contribution to achieving the program’s target indicators.

First Vice-Rector Leonid Gokhberg reported on the results of the work Center for Artificial Intelligence HSE University, created in 2021 following a large-scale competition. The most significant results: 31 publications at A* conferences and 23 articles in Q1 journals, 31 projects for industrial partners, 45 registered RIAs. More than 1,000 students have completed 34 AI courses created by the center. This year, the university applied for a new competition, the results of which will be announced soon.

Vice-Rector Sergey Roshchin presented the main findings of the analytical report “The Position of HSE Graduates in the Russian Labor Market”. It notes HSE’s leading positions in terms of graduates’ salaries in most areas of training: IT, business informatics, economics, management, etc. Key employers for HSE graduates are leading bigtech and fintech companies.

After the meeting, members of the Academic Council, accompanied by tour guides, visited the Victory Museum exhibitions “The Feat of the People” and “The Battle for Moscow. The First Victory.”

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Rosanna Law visits culture ministry

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law today visited the National Museum of China and called on the Ministry of Culture & Tourism as well as the China Film Administration in Beijing.

In the morning, Miss Law toured the Ancient China exhibition at the National Museum of China, followed by a meeting with Vice Minister of Culture & Tourism Gao Zheng.

Miss Law briefed Mr Gao on the preparations for the Asia Cultural Co-Operation Forum 2025 due to held on April 22 and 23 in Hong Kong.

She thanked Mr Gao for taking the time to lead a delegation to join the forum and expressed her wish for it to become an important platform for promoting cultural co-operation in the Asian regions.

Miss Law also said the National Museum of China showed an example of how to enrich the content of Hong Kong’s museums and enhance the museum experience for citizens and visitors to Hong Kong.

In the afternoon, the culture chief met China Film Administration Executive Deputy Director-General Mao Yu.

Miss Law sincerely thanked the central government for expanding the liberalisation measures to Hong Kong’s film industry under the framework of the Agreement on Trade in Services of Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, which has facilitated the Hong Kong film industry in entering the Mainland market.

She also hoped to work with the China Film Administration in the future to promote in-depth exchanges between the film industries of the two places.

Miss Law then met Director of the Training Center of the General Administration of Sport of China Yang Xinli, at the training centre’s Hall of Honor.

She was briefed by Mr Yang on the stories behind the photos and exhibits, learning about the spirit of resilience and perseverance of the national athletes as well as their struggles to win honours for the country.

Miss Law will return to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 4, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: South Dakota and Colorado Men Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Across the State of South Dakota Including the Crow Creek Reservation

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Christopher Spider, a/k/a “House”, age 45 of South Dakota and Lance Brunsting, age 56, of Colorado, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on March 27, 2025.

The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Christopher Spider was also convicted of Tampering with a Witness. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, a possibility of up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Spider and Brunsting were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.

Brunsting and Spider, along with numerous other individuals, conspired to distribute hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine throughout the state of South Dakota.

Spider, a resident of Crow Creek, was responsible for distributing approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Crow Creek Indian Reservation during his involvement in the conspiracy. While under Indictment for the offense, Spider sent a letter to another witness attempting to intimidate the witness into changing her testimony at trial. The letter was reported to law enforcement and Spider was subsequently indicted for Witness Tampering.

Brunsting, a resident of Denver, Colorado, was responsible for assisting in the weighing, packaging, and ultimate distribution of approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine. Brunsting made a trip to South Dakota alongside another co-conspirator where he assisted in selling approximately 41 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the state of South Dakota and into Minnesota.

“Christopher Spider and Lance Brunsting were involved in one of the largest methamphetamine conspiracies in South Dakota history,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Our office was able to successfully prosecute the large-scale drug conspiracy thanks to the exceptional collaborative and investigative efforts of our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners. Last week’s convictions represent a crucial step toward bringing these individuals to justice for the roles they played in bringing hundreds of pounds of illegal narcotics into our South Dakota communities.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration provided the following statement: “The two individuals convicted last week are responsible for inflicting immeasurable harm on members of our South Dakota communities,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “Their arrest and conviction should serve as a warning to drug traffickers that the combined efforts of state, local and federal law enforcement will bring those pushing these dangerous substances to justice.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (including the Rocky Mountain Field Division, Omaha Field Division, Mexico City Country Office, Los Angeles Field Division, Special Operations Division), as well as South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, FBI, South Dakota Highway Patrol, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation team, El Paso Intelligence Center, and collaboration received from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Marshals Service, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux Falls Police Department, Mitchell Police Department, Denver Police Department, Las Vegas Metro Police Department, Worthington Police Department, Brookings Police Department, Brookings Sherriff’s Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force, Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, and the Colorado Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for June 16, 2025. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Carjackings

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of announced today that James Poole (age 19) was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for his role in armed carjackings in Milwaukee.

According to court records, Poole participated in two armed carjackings in late January 2024. In each of the carjackings, Poole brandished a firearm. On January 29, 2024, at approximately 7:45 pm, Poole committed a carjacking on the 2400 block of N. Farwell Avenue on the East Side of Milwaukee. The following day, at approximately 5:00 pm, Poole engaged in a carjacking in a parking lot in downtown Milwaukee, near 2nd Street and Plankinton Avenue. Shortly after the second carjacking, while driving the stolen vehicle, Poole led members of the Milwaukee Police Department on a high-speed chase through residential neighborhoods and reaching speeds of 90 mph. Poole ultimately crashed the stolen car into a tree near 82nd and Burleigh Streets, causing life-threatening injuries to all passengers inside the stolen vehicle. Following his term of imprisonment, Poole also will spend three years on supervised release. He also was ordered to pay restitution.

Poole’s co-defendant, Jabari Griffin (age 21), was sentenced on February 27, 2025, for his role in aiding and abetting Poole in the January 30, 2024, carjacking. Griffin was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release.

“Individuals who engage in violent crimes – like these armed carjackings – not only endanger the lives and well-being of their victims but also can shatter the confidence of all residents that our cities are safe places in which to live and work,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with all of its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold these individuals accountable for their actions and to pursue justice for all impacted victims.”

“Armed carjackings and the dangerous actions of those who committed the offenses in this case endangered the public and impacted the victims of this crime. This sentencing reflects the severity of the crimes committed by James Poole,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle. “The FBI remains steadfastly committed to working with our partners to investigate violent crime matters—to include armed carjackings—in our ongoing efforts to positively impact public safety within our community.”

“The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) is proud of the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in holding violent individuals accountable for their actions. Armed carjackings are violent acts that cause great harm to our community. Those that bring harm to our community must be held accountable.” said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. “MPD values our collaboration with the community, federal, state and local law enforcement partners to build a safer city for everyone to live, work and play.”

This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force, including the Milwaukee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abbey M. Marzick and Michael C. Schindhelm.

# # #

For Additional Information Contact:

Public Information Officer

Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

414-297-1700

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MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Sentences Imposed in Northeast Kingdom Drug Distribution Conspiracy

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on March 31, 2025, Nathaniel “JJ” Jones, 39, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 135 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Jones previously pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and cocaine.

Three codefendants had previously been sentenced in the case. Jermaine “Bear” Douchette, 44, of Springfield, Massachusetts also received a sentence of 135 months’ imprisonment on December 16, 2024. Michelle Provencher, 26, of Irasburg, Vermont received a sentence of 37 months’ imprisonment on February 10, 2025. Daniel Peters, 29, of Newport, Vermont received a sentence of 45 months’ imprisonment on February 24, 2025. Three additional codefendants—Tyler Norris, Erica Desormeaux, and Jeremy Young—are awaiting sentencing.

According to court records, “JJ” Jones and co-defendant “Bear” Douchette stayed at multiple short-term rental units and residences in Orleans County in 2022 while distributing fentanyl and cocaine they periodically acquired in Massachusetts. Between August and October 2022, they used the residence of Desormeaux and Young in Barton, Vermont, to prepare, store, and distribute the drugs to customers in the Northeast Kingdom. Provencher assisted Jones and Douchette in finding customers and willing hosts. Many of the conspirators carried firearms as part of their activities, and the group took firearms from some customers in exchange for drugs. Some of the group, including Jones and Douchette, made threats and engaged in acts of violence in furtherance of the conspiracy.

Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Northern Vermont Drug Task Force (NVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in this case. He also noted the assistance NVDTF and ATF received from the Vermont State Police, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Newport Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, and Homeland Security Investigations throughout the investigation and prosecution.

“This case underscores the relentless commitment of ATF and our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities through the distribution of deadly narcotics and illegal firearms,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “The sentences handed down as a result of this investigation send a clear message: we will not tolerate violent criminal activity in the Northeast Kingdom or anywhere else in Vermont.”

“Our commitment to community safety remains unwavering”, said Sheriff Jennifer L. Harlow of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department. “We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking organizations that distribute deadly narcotics and illegal firearms. We thank our federal partners for their dedication to ensuring these individuals are held responsible.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Jones was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.; Douchette was represented by Gregory Mertz, Esq; Provencher was represented by Robert Sussman, Esq.; and Peters was represented by Heather Ross, Esq. Tyler Norris is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.; Erica Desormeaux is represented by Natasha Sen, Esq.; and Jeremy Young is represented by Allan Sullivan, Esq.

MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Actions to Boost Outdoor Dining in New York City

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that, effective immediately, the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) will accept Conditional Approvals issued by the New York City Department of Transportation as proof of municipal authorization for the use of public space under the Dining Out New York program. This change streamlines the approval process for restaurants and bars seeking to expand their licensed premises to include outdoor municipal space.

“Outdoor dining has become an essential part of New York City’s vibrant hospitality industry, and my administration is committed to ensuring businesses have the support they need to thrive,” Governor Hochul said. “By recognizing NYC DOT’s Conditional Approvals, we are making it easier for restaurants and bars to offer al fresco options while ensuring compliance with the law and consideration of local input.”

Under the new policy, licensees seeking to add municipal public spaces for the sale or service of alcohol must comply with all applicable laws, including SLA Advisory 2024-1. Licensees must submit a complete alteration application to the SLA within 60 days of receiving a municipal permit or written authorization, including an NYC DOT Conditional Approval. These applications, which require proof of workers’ compensation and general liability insurance for the municipal space, can be submitted at [email protected] and will be processed without a fee.

For licensees who have already received municipal authorization as of April 2, 2025, the 60-day compliance period begins today. If a municipal permit or written authorization — including an NYC DOT Conditional Approval — is revoked, canceled, suspended or denied, the licensee must immediately cease alcohol service in the affected space and follow the removal procedures outlined in SLA Advisory 2024-1. This policy applies to both roadway and sidewalk dining areas under the Dining Out New York program.

New York State Liquor Authority Chair Lily Fan said, “The SLA is committed to delivering licensing decisions efficiently to support small businesses while protecting public safety. We appreciate the hard work and collaboration of our partners at the NYC DOT and the guidance of the Executive Chamber. Our shared goal is to make NYC’s Dining Out program a success, and I thank our staff for their diligence in processing these alteration applications.”

New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, “New Yorkers came to enjoy outdoor dining during the pandemic, and we are proud that it is now a permanent part of our city’s streetscape. The New York City Department of Transportation took action to cut red tape and grant conditional approvals so that thousands of restaurants can serve customers as spring gets underway. We are pleased that the State Liquor Authority worked closely with us to make outdoor dining a success. We applaud their decision, which benefits restaurants and all New Yorkers who love outdoor dining.”

New York City Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu said, “Cheers New York! Today’s decision is a huge win for New York City’s vibrant outdoor dining scene, and will enable our restaurants, bars, and small businesses to bring the full experience of their restaurants to their outdoor dining setups. I applaud the State Liquor Authority’s decision for recognizing the importance of outdoor dining to our public realm.”

For additional details, businesses can refer to Alcoholic Beverage Control Law § 111-a and SLA Advisory 2024-1 or contact the SLA.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: SIA welcomes news that Martyn’s Law has received Royal Assent
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

SIA welcomes news that Martyn’s Law has received Royal Assent

The SIA welcomes the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – Martyn’s Law – receiving Royal Assent.
Today (Thursday 3 April 2025) the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – Martyn’s Law – has received Royal Assent.

In welcoming the news, Heather Baily, Chair of the SIA, said:

This is a watershed moment for public safety in the UK. Martyn’s Law will improve protective security and security standards at venues across the UK. The SIA has been confirmed as the new Martyn’s Law regulator. We have been entrusted with this important role, alongside our existing role regulating private security, which we will discharge with due care, proportion and diligence. We are working closely with the Home Office to prepare for this and look forward to reporting on progress to Home Office ministers.

Our thoughts are with all the families who lost loved ones in the Manchester Arena terror attack as well as all those whose lives have been affected by other acts of terrorism.

We would like to pay tribute to Figen Murray, and the rest of the campaign team, who have worked tirelessly to make the new duty a reality; we know they will be watching closely to ensure it is having the change intended.

Michelle Russell, Chief Executive of the SIA, said:

As the new independent regulator, our role will be to educate, support, and guide those covered by the new duty into compliance. This is to empower them to strengthen the protection and preparedness of premises and events across the UK and reduce the risk of harm from acts of terrorism.

We will ensure in a robust and proportionate way premises and events in scope of this duty comply with the requirements.

We are working with the Home Office on the preparation work for this new role and we will be setting up a new programme of work in due course.

There will be a period of time prior to the legislation being commenced. We expect this to be at least 24 months to allow for the set-up of the regulator. This will also ensure sufficient time for those responsible for premises and events in scope to understand their new obligations before they come into force, being able to plan and prepare accordingly. We look forward to engaging with those in scope and other stakeholders during this period as the preparation work progresses.

In the meantime, premises and events seeking advice on preparing for Martyn’s Law should continue to look for Home Office updates. They can also access free technical guidance and operational advice on protective security on the government partner websites of the National Protective Security Authority and ProtectUK.

Read the Home Office press release: Landmark anti-terror legislation gains Royal Assent.

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Published 3 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tenant evicted today after officers tackle drug-related activity with neighbours’ support

Source: City of York

A police officer supports the eviction

Published Thursday, 3 April 2025

Following a ruling by a District Judge, a Council tenant has been evicted this morning (Thursday 3 April) after drug-related activities and anti-social behaviour caused misery for her neighbours.

The Council was granted a possession order by York County Court to end the tenancy of Mandy Livesey, of 20 St Stephen’s Square, Acomb, York. This follows reports from neighbours to the Council and police about drug-taking and dealing, loud noise and arguments at the apartment, and an endless succession of visitors. The anti-social behaviour in the home and area was a continual source of disruption and concern for local people who were worried about its impact on their families.

City of York Council officers served a legal warning of eviction (a Notice of Intention to Seek Possession) on Ms Livesey, which she breached.

Following complaints from neighbours and evidence of loud noise, drink and drug-taking and numerous anti-social visitors, the Council returned the case to York County Court. After considering evidence, the judge granted the Council permission to apply for a warrant of eviction.

Council officers then evicted Ms Livesey today, advising her where she could get information on her housing options, should she need it.

Cllr Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing at City of York Council, said: “Thank you to all the neighbours and officers involved in ending this anti-social behaviour. This much-needed home will be re-let as quickly as possible.

“This case proves that together, we can tackle this kind of disruption and so improve the quality of life of those affected. Please report your concerns and work with us so we can take appropriate and effective action.”

Acting Sergeant Ben Ambler of North Yorkshire Police, added: “Drug use and antisocial behaviour has a detrimental impact on the quality of life for local people. It’s unacceptable and we’ll use all the powers and resources available to us to take action against those who make other people’s lives a misery.

“This result is evidence of our joint working with City of York Council and my thanks go to them for their work that has culminated in this eviction. I hope local residents are reassured that we will take action to tackle issues relating to drugs and anti-social behaviour and the impact these have on our communities.”

Please report anti-social behaviour here, or report it to the police on 101 if a non-emergency.

Anti-social noise levels can be reported here or by calling 01904 551525 Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm, or by calling the Noise Patrol 01904 551555 from 9pm Friday to 3am Saturday and between 9pm Saturday to 3am Sunday.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: By 2030, it is planned to build more than 100 bridges with a total length of over 40 km on the federal road network

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

April 3, 2025

Bridge across the Volga on the M-12 Vostok highway, Republic of Tatarstan.

On April 3, 1760, a decree was issued on the construction of the first bridges in St. Petersburg, and now they are one of the main attractions of the Northern capital. Many bridges in Russia are outstanding monuments of architecture, engineering art, and also an example of the use of the latest technology.

“The construction of bridges and artificial structures in the regions of Russia is of colossal importance for millions of people. They connect dispersed territories and significantly reduce travel time. This is especially important for regions with seasonal features, when some roads become impassable due to weather conditions. But thanks to artificial structures, people can be sure that they will be able to get to the right place at any time of the year. Bridge construction in the country is noticeably gaining momentum, becoming a platform for the use of innovative technologies that increase the service life of some of the most complex elements of road construction. In recent years alone, the country’s road and transport framework has been replenished with such outstanding structures as the cable-stayed bridge across the Oka on the M-12 “Vostok” highway with a unique architectural appearance and a system developed and certified in Russia, the Vysokogorsky Bridge across the Yenisei in Krasnoyarsk Krai, the bridge across the Svir River in Leningrad Oblast, the railway bridge across the Areda River on the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Crimean Bridge, the bridge across the Ob in Surgut, the bridge across the Volga on the bypass of Tver, the Arkhangelsky Bridge across the Sheksna. By 2030, it is planned to build more than 100 bridges with a total length of more than 40 km on the federal network alone,” said Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

The Deputy Prime Minister added that promising artificial structures include a 12-kilometer bridge across the Volga on the southern bypass of Saratov, which will be the second longest after the Krymsky. Also, as part of the extension of the M-12 “Vostok” highway, bridges across the Belaya River in the Republic of Bashkortostan with a length of 813 m and a unique bridge across the Bolshaya Sarana River in the Sverdlovsk Region with supports over 50 m high will open this year.

There are over 250 artificial structures under construction or reconstruction on the federal road network under the jurisdiction of Rosavtodor. For example, the longest overpass in the Southern Urals and the Urals is being built across the Sim River in the Chelyabinsk Region. The complex natural landscape requires road workers to put in the utmost effort and come up with unique engineering solutions. The artificial steel-reinforced concrete structure, over 1 km long and over 40 m high, is being erected as part of a large-scale reconstruction of the M-5 Ural highway and the construction of a bypass around the city of Sim. In total, four bridges, two interchanges and five overpasses are planned to be built here.

Among the regional projects under construction are bridges across the Ob in Surgut and Novosibirsk, a bridge across the Lena in Yakutsk, which is being built in permafrost conditions, as well as a new bridge across the Volga in Yaroslavl and across the Oka in Ryazan.

The state-owned company Avtodor is currently constructing 162 artificial structures, including 38 bridges as part of the reconstruction projects of the M-1 Belarus and M-3 Ukraine highways, the new Dyurtyuli-Achit highway, which will be part of the M-12 Vostok highway, and the Adler bypass.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Three men sentenced for brutal attack on teenager

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A Met investigation into a savage attack where a man suffered life-changing injuries after he was shot and stabbed in broad daylight has led to three men being handed lengthy prison sentences.

Caleb Wallace, 18 (05.01.07), of Beam Avenue, Barking and Dagenham, Hayat Umar, 18 (13.03.07) of Stern Close, Barking and Dagenham and Joshua Amoaka, 18 (03.08.2006), of Cornflower Road, Chelmsford were sentenced at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 3 April.

Wallace and Umar, who were both convicted of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of a knife following a trial earlier this year were sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment each.

Amoaka, who was previously found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of a knife, was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment.

All three were subject to between a third to a half reduction to their sentence due to being aged under 18 at the time the offence was committed.

The court heard that on Thursday, 2 May 2024 the victim, who was 18 at the time of the incident, was cycling along Whalebone Lane South in Dagenham when Wallace, Umar and Amoaka jumped out of a vehicle and chased him.

While attempting to escape from his attackers, the victim briefly collided with a member of the public and fell off his bike. In CCTV footage seen by the jury in court, Umar can be seen firing a sawn-off shotgun into the back of the victim at point-blank range before Wallace stabs him with a machete. Amoaka is also seen in the footage standing nearby, all during the day and in full-view of passers-by.

Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and treated the victim at the scene before he was taken to hospital. His injuries were life-changing and he required a number of significant surgeries and extensive time spent in hospital recovering.

Detective Inspector Iain Wallace from the Specalist Crime Command, who led the investigation, said: “The brutality displayed by Wallace and Umar, while Amoaka stood menacingly by, all in broad daylight and in full view of passers-by is shocking.

“This has been an incredibly distressing time for the victim and his family. Equally, many of those who witnessed such a vicious attack will still be deeply traumatised and concerned about safety in the community.

“I hope these lengthy sentences will give the victim some small sense of closure, and allow those in the community to feel safer knowing that Wallace, Umar and Amoaka are no longer on the streets.”

A determined manhunt began immediately following the attack, with officers speaking to witnesses at the scene as well as painstakingly combing through hours of CCTV footage to understand what took place and to track the movements of the attackers after they fled the scene.

Umar and Wallace were arrested at an address in Kent on 10 May 2024. During a search of the address, officers found the distinct red trainers that Umar wore during the incident, as well as the multi-coloured trainers Wallace could be seen wearing on CCTV as he attacked the victim. A large black machete matching the one seen on CCTV was also discovered hidden under a bed at the property.

Amoaka was arrested at an address in Birmingham on 17 May 2024, where officers found a quantity of class A drugs as well as a hunting knife.

Wallace and Amoaka’s hats were both discarded at the scene after each came off while they chased the victim. They were sent for forensic testing. DNA found on the hats provided a match to both – further proof they had been at the scene.

Officers also discovered a series of TikTok videos by a gang affiliated with the three men, where those in the videos brazenly claim responsibility for the attack while mocking the victim.

This helped to further establish a watertight case against Wallace, Umar and Amoaka.

MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Canmore — RCMP Southern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit recover e-bikes after rash of thefts
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On March 25, 2025, Canmore RCMP received multiple reports regarding the theft of e-bikes and mountain bikes which were stolen from locked bike racks near the 1200 block of Bow Valley Trail in Canmore.

RCMP Southern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit (SAD CRU) was requested to assist Canmore RCMP with the investigation. Through the investigation, a suspect was identified on CCTV footage.

On March 27, 2025, SAD CRU located and arrested a 38-year-old individual, a resident of Calgary, and recovered all four stolen bikes. The individual has been charged with the following:
- Trafficking of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000 (x2)
- Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000
- Theft of Bicycle Under $5000 (x2)
- Fail to Comply with Release Order (x2)
After a judicial interim release hearing, the individual was remanded into custody to appear in Alberta Court of Justice in Calgary on April 3, 2025.

RCMP would like to thank the victims for their speedy reporting of the thefts, which aided in a quick and successful investigation.

MIL Security OSI –
April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Importer and Distributer of Wholesale Quantities of Fentanyl Pleads Guilty

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

WASHINGTON – Ronnie Rogers, 69, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that imported and redistributed wholesale quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in the District of Columbia.

The plea agreement was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, FBI Special Agent Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Rogers pleaded guilty to a three-count Information charging him with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and 100 grams or more of heroin; conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and cocaine base; and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 21, 2025. Rogers is eligible for a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison to a maximum of life.

According to the plea agreement, between July 2021 and November 2023, Rogers coordinated with his co-conspirators to traffic fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base in the District of Columbia and elsewhere. This included over 12 kilograms of fentanyl (including carfentanil, which is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl), over 1967 grams of fentanyl analog (p-Fluorofentanyl, which is also more lethal than fentanyl), over 236 grams of heroin, over 500 grams of cocaine, and less than 28 grams of cocaine base.

On November 29, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at Rogers’ various residences.

At his apartment on the 1200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, NW, law enforcement recovered an array of narcotics that included a large baggie containing 494.8 grams of mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil; another baggie with 704.8 grams of carfentanil, an envelope containing 115.91 grams of fentanyl; another baggie containing 201 grams of fentanyl; and baggies containing 1,785 grams acetaminophen and 18 grams of fentanyl. In addition, officers recovered a Smith & Wesson SD-40 firearm, a Glock 43 pistol, a Rugar LCP pistol, $23,000 in cash, and an assortment of drug packaging materials and scales.

At Roger’s residence on the 6500 block of Gateway Boulevard, in District Heights, Maryland, law enforcement recovered more narcotics and weapons including two baggies containing 151 grams of fentanyl; plastic bags containing 2.4 grams of xylazine and 1.8 grams of heroin; baggies containing bundles of smaller bags containing 7.7 grams of fentanyl, heroin, xylazine, 1.4 grams of carfentanil, and 2.8 grams of acetaminophen, 20 small baggies containing 5.1 grams of fentanyl, heroin and xylazine; and bags containing 97.3 grams of heroin and fentanyl, 45.4 grams of cocaine base, and 14.2 grams of fentanyl with xylazine. Officers also recovered a Smith &Wesson .357 revolver, a Springfield XD 9mm firearm, a Canik TP9 pistol, assorted ammunition and magazines and $1,524 in cash.

At another residence utilized by Rogers located on the 2100 block of Pineview Court, Waldorf, Maryland, law enforcement recovered a FedEx parcel containing 1,013 grams of fentanyl.

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

This case is being investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Arlington County Police, Montgomery County Department of Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sherriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Section.

23cr394

MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Vermilion — Vermillion RCMP lay trafficking charges

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On March 17, 2025, Vermillion RCMP responded to a report from the Alberta Sheriff’s at the Vermillion Provincial Courthouse, of possible drugs found on someone at the location.

Vermillion RCMP attended and located a 35-year-old individual, of no fixed address, and after investigation, was found to have a quantity of suspected fentanyl in individual baggies.

The individual was charged with Possession of CDSA for the purpose of trafficking, and failure to comply with Undertaking.

The individual was brought before a justice of the peace, where she was remanded with a court date of April 7, 2025 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Vermillion.

The Vermillion RCMP is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the location of, or sightings of any drug related crimes in the area. Anyone with information in relation to drug or organized crimes is asked to please contact the Vermillion RCMP at 780-835-4441 or your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8377 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.

MIL Security OSI –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Canberra’s best Easter treats

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Traditional fruit or chocolate chip? This local list caters to all tastes.

We put the call out on the WeAreCBR Instagram page for Canberrans to vote for their favourite local Easter treat.

Remember that opening hours vary over Easter, so if you’re hoping to snap up a treat this weekend, be sure to check opening hours ahead of time.

From Easter eggs to hot cross buns, these are the best treats as voted by you:

Le Bon Melange’s hot cross buns are just as delicious as their standard offerings of pastries and cakes.

Southsiders can get their Easter fix at L’épi Artisan Baker, with gluten-free hot cross buns, traditional hot cross buns, and chocolate hot cross buns.

In addition to their usual Filipino fare, Lola and Lola are offering bright purple ube-langka hot cross buns.

The local chocolatier have Easter bunny lollipop packs, chocolate easter bunnies and chocolate Easter eggs, each available in dark, milk and white chocolate.

Studio Cocoa, online and at various stores throughout Canberra

Studio Cocoa stock a range of handmade chocolate Easter treats. Choose from cute bonbons, mini eggs, praline bunnies, smash eggs, crème eggs, funfetti truffles and hampers.

Wildflour, Townsville Street Fyshwick, Brierly Street Weston and Eyre Street Kingston

Check your local Wildflour café for chocolate and traditional hot cross buns or buy a hot cross bun pack from their online store.

Sweet Bones, Scullin Place Scullin and Lonsdale Street Braddon

In addition to their usual line-up of vegan treats, Sweet Bones have a special limited Easter menu on Saturday 30 March from 9am to 1pm. You can buy individual hot cross buns or pre-order a pack of their bake-at-home cinnamon scrolls from their online shop.

Locals flock to this Scandinavian-inspired bakery for their deliciously spiced Easter fruit buns.

Danny’s hot cross buns are a Canberra classic. If you happen to miss out this year, don’t fret: they’re available year-round on Saturdays as fruit buns (without their cross).

Although it’s not strictly a Canberra bakery, Clementine Bakery’s hot cross buns are available at all Two Before Ten locations.

Pop Canberra, Lonsdale Street Braddon

Consider Pop Canberra your one-stop local Easter chocolate shop. This Easter you’ll find hot chocolate bombs, smash eggs, chocolate bars and more.

Three Mills Bakery, Leeton Street Fyshwick, Newcastle Street Fyshwick, Cooyong Street City and Market Street Belconnen
Three Mills’ hot cross buns are available at their bakeries, stockists across Canberra and online. You can also order their Easter bundle, which includes hot cross buns and a selection of bake-at-home goodies to get you through the long weekend.

Spilt Milk’s Easter egg smash features gelato with smashed chocolate Easter eggs and caramel sauce.

If your Easter travels take you beyond Canberra’s border, stop in at Little Sutton Bakehouse for their freshly baked hot cross buns.

Another regional favourite, Murrumbateman Chocolate offers chocolate tasting experiences as well as easter treats including chocolate hens, hot cross bun chocolates, mini eggs, chocolate bars, cocktail-inspired chocolates and more. Visit their café or order online for Canberra delivery.

While Kate specialises in hot chocolate bombs, her Easter range includes sham bunnies and eggs filled with lollies and treats, cracked eggs, an extreme gift box and more.

Sonoma, Lonsdale Street Braddon

Sonoma’s ‘not cross buns’ feature their signature ‘s’ in place of a cross, but otherwise carry all the delicious hallmarks of a traditional hot cross bun.

The Knox are offering traditional fruit and chocolate hot cross buns this Easter.

Did we miss your favourite? Send us an email at ourcanberra@act.gov.au.

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

MIL OSI News –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Keeping kids safe online
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Canberra students benefit from learning protective behaviours to use online.
From TikTok to Discord and beyond, Canberra kids are logging into a whole lot of online platforms.

But how much do teachers and parents know about them?

ACT school leaders gathered recently to discuss the topic at an online safety education leadership summit.

Principals and deputy principals from across Canberra engaged with a panel of experts on keeping students safe online.

Working together on online safety

Kellie Britnell from the eSafety Commissioner says there has been a recent increase in reporting online safety incidents such as cyberbullying and sexual extortion.

“Cyberbullying has now been around for quite a while … but you couple that with some of the new technologies like we’re seeing with artificial intelligence and it’s all new, it’s not regulated and it’s not just in Australia,” Kellie said.

Kellie recommends a whole-of-school and whole-of-community approach to education, with consistent messaging.

“We have to be working with children and young people, staff and teachers, but also with families. We need to keep talking,” she said.

A principal’s perspective

Ainslie Primary School Principal Wendy Cave says schools must work with students to help them draw on protective behaviours, skills and strategies.

Educators – many of whom may not have grown up with such technology – need to be on the front foot.

“There’s such a lot that’s hidden in the online world and it’s important for us all to explore it, unpack it and work together to understand the risks and challenges and opportunities,” Wendy said.

^{Kellie Britnell, Manager, Awareness and Capability, eSafety Commissioner (left) and Wendy Cave, Principal of Ainslie Primary}

What can parents do?

Parents unsure of their role in all this can access a wealth of resources on the eSafety Commissioner website.

It provides tips on helping children safely navigate the digital world and educating them to avoid harmful online experiences.

Core to this are three key strategies:

1. Be engaged, open and supportive
- Share online time as part of family life. Play games together. Talk about favourite apps, games or websites.
- Keep communication open.
- Reassure your child they can always come to you.
- Let them know you will not cut off internet access if they report feeling uncomfortable or unsafe when online – this is a real concern that may stop your child from communicating with you openly.
- If you notice a change in behaviour or mood, talk to your child about it. If you are concerned, consider seeking professional help – from your GP, a psychologist or school counsellor.
2. Set some rules
- Set age-appropriate rules for devices and online access, with consequences for breaking them.
- Get your child’s input.
- Consider creating a family tech agreement
- Model behaviour you would like to see.
3. Use technology and get information
- Take advantage of parental controls, based on your child’s age and experience.
- Choose apps and games carefully and visit the App Store or Google Play for age ratings and consumer advice.
Further resources

Learn more about online safety via the ACT Education Directorate.

Register to attend the directorate’s free online safety webinar series.

Learn about the latest platforms in the eSafety Commissioner’s eSafety guide.

Students can contact the ACT Children and Young People Commissioner.

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:
MIL OSI News –
April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Your guide to plant-based eats in Canberra

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.

You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.

MIL OSI News –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: 2023 a record year for Canberra tourism
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The city’s diverse, accessible visitor experience is growing Canberra’s reputation as a go-to holiday destination.
Figures released by Tourism Research Australia show that 2023 was a record-breaking year for Canberra tourism.

During 2023 the ACT welcomed 5.8 million visitors who spent $3.8 billion in Canberra. This is the highest ever visitor expenditure in a 12-month period over the past 25 years. It surpassed 2022’s expenditure by $770 million.

Total visitor numbers have recovered to 95 per cent from pre-COVID levels. Expenditure has also surpassed pre-COVID levels, at 135 per cent compared to 2019.

Last year the ACT welcomed 5.63 million domestic visitors who spent a total of $3.33 billion. In the last 25 years, this is:
the highest ever number of visitor nights

the highest ever expenditure

the third highest number of domestic visitors.
Across all states and territories, the ACT experienced the biggest growth in domestic overnight visitation, and second highest expenditure growth, when compared to 2022. NSW remains the main source of domestic visitors to the ACT, accounting for two thirds of overnight visitors, and three quarters of day trip visitors.

International markets continue to rebound strongly with the USA, UK, China and India delivering 40 per cent of international visitors.

The city’s diverse, accessible visitor experience, led by its major attractions and events, are growing Canberra’s reputation as a go-to holiday destination. Major exhibitions at national attractions have been significant drawcards and new investment in a range of tourism products is providing more reasons to visit and return.

The ACT’s expanding aviation connectivity is making it cheaper and easier for visitors to get to Canberra. Canberra Airport connects to 12 domestic destinations, three North American hubs with Fiji Airways, and a host of destinations through Asia with Batik Airways.

Canberra’s Tourism industry is thriving on a national stage, receiving a record seven awards at the 2023 Qantas Australian National Awards including three gold awards.

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MIL OSI News –
April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Yarralumla Nursery banks seeds for the future

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Yarralumla Nursery’s staff carefully monitor the conditions of the seed bank.

When bushfire swept through Yarramundi Reach in 2003, it took with it Roman Cypress trees first planted in 1916.

While that exact type of Cyprus could well have disappeared from the ACT, Yarralumla Nursery’s seed bank came to the rescue.

“Yarralumla Nursery’s seed bank is a wonderful resource that has been used to create Canberra’s urban forest,” the nursery’s Senior Director Matt Parker said.

“We were able to propagate the same genetic Cyprus from our seed bank.”

The seed bank is a living record of every seed collected, purchased and stored at the Yarralumla Nursery since 1913.

The latest to be added are the seeds of the Bunya Pine tree.

Native to Queensland, these large conifers hold sacred values for First Nations peoples and come from a plant family dating back to the Jurassic period.

Bunya Pines can be found throughout Canberra – from the National Arboretum to Lanyon Homestead.

The seed bank is a valuable historical asset for the nursery and the role it has played in establishing Canberra’s green spaces.

It now contains over 200 genus of seeds, with relevant information painstakingly recorded.

Seeds are stored in alphabetical order, in old glass ‘lolly’ jars of all shapes and sizes.

They are hand-labelled with the species weight and seed registration number and consistently maintained at 20–22°C.

“If seeds are dried and stored correctly, there are minimal issues,” Yarralumla Nursery Production Operations Manager Belinda Ryan said.

“Our propagation staff specialise in monitoring the conditions of the seed bank and storing the seeds. For example, jars need to be at least two-thirds full of seed to maintain temperature and reduce air moisture and you can’t put seed into warm jars as this may break seed dormancy, meaning they could start to grow.”

Around 15,000 plant cards – which staff refer to as birth certificates – feature seed information dating back to 1913.

While these were once housed in wooden draws at the nursery they have since been digitised and are available on the Archives ACT website.

“Some Eucalyptus species from the ’60s are still viable and germinating,” Belinda said.

“The seed bank at Yarralumla Nursery is an amazing space full of nostalgia; I like searching through and finding the oldest seeds,” Matt said.

And now the newest are safely stored under B for Bunya Pine.

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MIL OSI News –

April 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Easy ways for Canberrans to reduce waste
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Getting involved in neighbourhood initiatives like community gardens can help make a positive difference.
If you avidly use your household recycling bin, upcycled old furniture, or received something from a “buy nothing” group in your community, you’ve been a part of the circular economy.

It’s a system that’s designed to minimise waste and maximise the use of resources. It promotes the repurposing, recycling and reuse of materials so nothing goes to waste.

The circular economy reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, but it’s also a pretty useful way to save money.

There are lots of ways that Canberrans can get involved in the circular economy.

Recycle correctly

If you can’t reduce or reuse, then recycling is the best choice.

Not everything that can be recycled can go in your yellow recycling bin.

Recycle these in your recycling bin:
- aluminium and steel cans
- glass bottles and jars
- paper and flat cardboard
- plastic bottles and containers
For other items, the Recyclopaedia is your go-to guide for recycling.

For example, batteries aren’t accepted in household bins. However, there are over 60 local collection points for the safe disposal of batteries.

Choose alternatives to single-use plastics

Choose reusable alternatives to single-use items such as water bottles, shopping bags and food containers to reduce waste.

Support local sustainable businesses

Look for local businesses that prioritise sustainability by offering products made from recycled materials or following eco-friendly production practices.

Some examples of sustainable businesses in Canberra include:
- Thor’s Hammer
- Soft Landing
- repair businesses
- local charity shops.
Get things repaired

Instead of automatically replacing broken or damaged items, consider repairing them.

Explore local repair cafes, workshops, or DIY repair tutorials to extend the lifespan of products and minimise waste.

A great place to start is the Tuggeranong Repair Café or the Hawker Community Repair Café.

The handy team of volunteers can help fix a range of items including household electrical items, clothing, laptops, tablets and mobile phones and more.

Find out more about the Tuggeranong Repair Café or learn more about the Hawker Community Repair Café.

Connect with your community

Get involved in local community initiatives focused on waste reduction and circular economy practices. These might include:
- neighbourhood clean-up events
- clothing swaps
- community gardens
- composting and food waste reduction.
By working together, Canberrans can create positive change on a larger scale.

Live in an apartment building? Consider working with a local collection and composting service.

Do your research

Make informed choices about what to buy and where to buy it. Prioritise products that are:
- durable
- energy-efficient
- made from recycled or renewable materials.
Shop second-hand

Buying your items second-hand helps reduce waste to landfill and is typically more affordable.

Ways to buy second-hand goods include:
- local charity shops
- vintage stores or boutiques
- markets, such as the Old Bus Depot Markets
- Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace.
Make your own

Your Libraries ACT card comes with access to Creativebug, an online platform with art and craft video classes. There are classes on making and repairing clothes, knitting, and crocheting. There are also courses on how to make home décor or craft projects that make brilliant gifts for friends and family.

Keep an eye on the Tuggeranong Repair Café and Hawker Community Repair Café who sometimes offer repair workshops where you can learn skills from local volunteers.

Growing your own produce is another way to prevent food wastage and resources. New to gardening? Learn how to grow veggies at home in Canberra.

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MIL OSI News –
April 4, 2025

Category: Justice

Building Child Care for a Better Future Act expands guaranteed child care funding and creates grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access.

In contrast, Republican-proposed funding cuts to pay for tax giveaways to the wealthiest individuals and corporations would eliminate child care for 40,000 children.

Netanyahu’s motivations

Is manure ‘waste’?

Symbolic slurry

Quotes:

Quick Facts:

Additional Resources:

Breaking Down Barriers

The Power of Partnerships

Healthcare

Employment Support

Child Support

Housing, Basic Needs and Recovery Support

In memory of the defenders of the Fatherland

Preservation of historical memory

Focus on technology leadership

SIA welcomes news that Martyn’s Law has received Royal Assent

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