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Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney announces immigration case updates for the Eastern District of Virginia

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today significant case updates on six immigration cases in the district.

    On Jan. 20 the President signed executive orders addressing the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Protecting the American People Against Invasion recognized that enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States, and that it is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people. The order tasked the Department of Justice with prioritizing the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the unauthorized entry or continued unauthorized presence of aliens in the United States. Securing Our Borders prioritizes the pursuit of criminal charges against illegal aliens who violate immigration laws and against those who facilitate their unlawful presence in the United States.

    Carlos Alberto Sosa Horellana, a Honduran national, was removed from the United States in 2004. On Nov. 13, 2009, Sosa Horellana was removed again after reentering the United States and being convicted for an aggravated criminal felony in 2007 on two counts of rape with a child under age 13 as the victim. On Feb. 4, Sosa Horellana was arrested in Stafford, and a federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 4 charging him with illegally reentering the United States after removal for an aggravated felony conviction and failing to register as a sex offender. (Case No. 1:25-cr-48)

    On Oct. 2, 2023, Mario Ernesto Ortiz Escobar, a Salvadoran national, was convicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction and on Oct. 27, 2023, he was removed. Ortiz Escobar returned, however, and on Feb, 24 pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5. (Case No. 3:25-cr-31)

    Mayron De Jesus Salazar-De La Rosa, a Guatemalan national, was removed on April 3, 2014.  Salazar-De La Rosa subsequently returned and was found in Alexandria. On Feb. 27, he pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States. Salazar-De La Rosa is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29. (Case No. 1:25-cr-11)

    Jose Charles Medrano, a Mexican national, first entered the United States illegally in 2008. After voluntarily departing the country, Medrano illegally reentered the United States and on July 2, 2014, was convicted of driving under the influence (DUI). He was removed to Mexico on July 31, 2014. After illegally reentering the United States in January 2015, Medrano was convicted on March 21, 2016, of making terroristic threats in Houston, Texas. Medrano was removed to Mexico on March 29, 2016. When Medrano reentered the United States again, immigration officials located him and immediately removed him to Mexico on May 31, 2016. On April 22, 2023, Medrano was arrested in Henrico County for DUI and felony child abuse/neglect. On June 28, 2023, Medrano pled guilty to DUI and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and on Oct. 10, 2023, was removed again to Mexico. On August 17, 2024, Medrano again was arrested in Henrico County, this time charged with assault and battery of a family member and abduction. On Jan. 24, 2025, he was convicted of assault and battery of a family member. On March 5, Medrano pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20. (Case No. 3:24-cr-175)

    On July 8, 2019, Brayan Josue Flores-Torres, a Salvadoran national and MS-13 member, was arrested in Prince William County and charged with aggravated malicious wounding. On April 23, 2020, Flores-Torres pled guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of illegal alcohol, and assault and battery by mob. On Aug. 14, 2020, Flores-Torres was removed to El Salvador. On Dec. 13, 2022, Chesapeake Police responded to a report of a stabbing in which the victim, who was dating Flores-Torres’ ex-girlfriend, identified Flores-Torres as the person who stabbed him. Flores-Torres was arrested following a high-speed chase. On March 21, 2024, Flores-Torres pled guilty to eluding police and failing to identify himself. On Nov. 7, 2024, Flores-Torres pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States. He was sentenced on March 11 and is subject to removal. (Case No. 2:23-CR-59)

    Melvin Mauricio Valencia Gil, a Salvadoran national, first illegally entered the United States before 2017. On Aug. 20, 2018, Valencia Gil was convicted in Nassau County, New York, of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment. On Nov. 26, 2021, Valencia Gil, a member of the Latin Kings gang, was removed to El Salvador. Less than a week after his removal, Valencia Gil left El Salvador and illegally reentered the United States. After being involved in a car accident in Virginia, Valencia Gil was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 2, 2023, for illegal reentry. He pled guilty on Sept. 23, 2024, and was sentenced on March 18 to three years in prison. (Case No. 3:23-CR-54)

    Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for the case number provided above.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Actions to Combat Cost-of-Living Crisis, Including Rescinding 11 Pieces of Guidance

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    The Justice Department today announced that it is taking action in response to President Trump’s Presidential Memorandum “Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis.” First, the Department is withdrawing 11 pieces of guidance to streamline Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance resources for American businesses. Next, the Department is raising awareness about tax incentives for businesses related to their compliance with the ADA.

    The Jan. 20 Presidential Memorandum described the regulatory demands put in place by the prior administration and called on the heads of all executive departments and agencies to take appropriate actions to lower the cost of living throughout the country. Today’s withdrawal of 11 pieces of unnecessary and outdated guidance will aid businesses in complying with the ADA by eliminating unnecessary review and focusing only on current ADA guidance. Avoiding confusion and reducing the time spent understanding compliance may allow businesses to deliver price relief to consumers.

    In addition, to further the goals of the Presidential Memorandum and to aid businesses during tax season, the Department is highlighting tax incentives available for businesses to help cover the costs of making access improvements for customers or employees with disabilities. The Department expects that small businesses will find this reminder helpful in reducing costs, especially as they prepare their tax filings. An explanation of these tax incentives is featured prominently on the ADA.gov website.

    “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that businesses and members of the public can easily understand their rights and obligations, including the tax incentives that are available to help businesses comply with the ADA,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Putting money back into the pockets of business owners helps everyone by allowing those businesses to pass on cost savings to consumers and bolster the economy.”

    The Department has identified the following 11 pieces of guidance for withdrawal:

    1. COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act: Can a business stop me from bringing in my service animal because of the COVID-19 pandemic? (2021)
    2. COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act: Does the Department of Justice issue exemptions from mask requirements? (2021)
    3. COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act: Are there resources available that help explain my rights as an employee with a disability during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2021)
    4. COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act: Can a hospital or medical facility exclude all “visitors” even where, due to a patient’s disability, the patient needs help from a family member, companion, or aide in order to equally access care? (2021)
    5. COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act: Does the ADA apply to outdoor restaurants (sometimes called “streateries”) or other outdoor retail spaces that have popped up since COVID-19? (2021)
    6. Expanding Your Market: Maintaining Accessible Features in Retail Establishments (2009)
    7. Expanding Your Market: Gathering Input from Customers with Disabilities (2007)
    8. Expanding Your Market: Accessible Customer Service Practices for Hotel and Lodging Guests with Disabilities (2006)
    9. Reaching out to Customers with Disabilities (2005)
    10. Americans with Disabilities Act: Assistance at Self-Serve Gas Stations (1999)
    11. Five Steps to Make New Lodging Facilities Comply with the ADA (1999)

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Joins Ecobank and Soto Gallery for 2nd edition of the +234Art Fair to elevate African art and empower artists

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    LAGOS, Nigeria, March 19, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the leading infrastructure solutions provider in Africa, has announced its support for the +234Art Fair, coming on as partners for the second year in a row. This aligns with the Corporation’s commitment to empowering and elevating the continent’s youth, with more than 260 young artists expressing interest in exhibiting their works at the second edition of the international art fair, organized by Soto Gallery in collaboration with Ecobank Nigeria Limited, AFC and Craneburg Construction Company.

    This meticulously curated five-day event, titled “Championing Patronage in Nigerian Art,” will feature the works of emerging and un-galleried artists. The fair will run from March 27th to March 31st at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, located at 270B1, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, starting daily at 10:00 AM.

    Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, stated, “The +234Art Fair aligns with AFC’s advocacy strategy of empowering and elevating Africa’s youthful population, thereby fostering job creation, skills development, value retention and rapid economic growth. We are proud to continue our collaboration with Ecobank to help drive Africa’s creative industry forward by creating a catalyst for promoting African art and artists locally and on the global stage.”

    Bolaji Lawal, Managing Director and Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, shared, “As a Pan-African bank, this fair is an important initiative in our commitment to economic growth and investing in Africa’s next generation of talent. It offers emerging artists a unique opportunity to showcase their works to key decision-makers, influencers, and a global audience.”

    Mrs. Tola Akerele, Founder of +234 Art Fair and Soto Gallery Foundation, emphasized, “Patronage in the art world goes beyond financial support; it’s about building relationships that allow artists to grow and sustain their creative practices. The 2025 edition of the +234 Art Fair aims to show how meaningful support can impact an artist’s journey and the broader art ecosystem, fostering essential connections along the way.”

    The +234 Art Fair celebrates the dynamic talents of Nigeria’s emerging artists, offering them a vital platform to share their work with a broader audience. Visitors will experience a wide range of artistic expressions, including painting, sculpture, visual and digital art, installations, and more. The fair will also feature interactive workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for artists, art enthusiasts, and key stakeholders in the creative sector.

    The event is expected to draw a diverse group of attendees, including Nigerians, Africans, international residents, government officials, policymakers, diplomats, and global art lovers.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Colombian Navy Personnel Extradited To The United States For Their Role In Selling Locations Of Colombian Navy Drug Interdiction Vessels To International Drug Traffickers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announced the extraditions of Jair Alberto Alvarez Valenzuela (54) and Luis Carlos Diaz Martinez (32), both from Colombia, to stand trial on an indictment for conspiracy to distribute cocaine having reasonable cause to believe it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Alvarez Valenzuela and Diaz Martinez were extradited to the United States on March 13, 2025, from Colombia. If convicted, both defendants face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, Alvarez Valenzuela and Diaz Martinez were former employees of the Colombian Navy. In exchange for money from drug traffickers they recruited active-duty members of the Colombian Navy to secretly plant global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices in Colombian Navy vessels. Transnational Criminal Organizations used the location data derived from these tracking devices to direct vessels filled with cocaine bound for the United States around Colombian Navy ships and patrols. 

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

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

    The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigation. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of these defendants. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stoia.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Reserve Township Bank Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to a charge of bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Mark Laughner, 38, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 16, 2024, Laughner entered a Reserve Township bank wearing a baseball cap and neck gaiter that covered his mouth and nose and instructed the teller to give him all of her large bills. After the teller handed over the $100 and $50 bills from her cash drawer, the defendant demanded the teller provide more cash quickly or he would shoot her in her face. Laughner left the bank with $1,370 in U.S. currency and was ultimately identified through the utilization of surveillance recordings as well as witness interviews.

    Allegheny County Police Department (ACPD) detectives obtained a warrant for Laughner’s arrest, and, on May 20, 2024, attempted to apprehend the defendant when detectives observed Laughner in the passenger seat of a vehicle outside of a Pittsburgh fire station. As detectives converged on the vehicle with their emergency lights activated, the driver exited the vehicle and Laughner jumped from the passenger side of the vehicle into the driver’s seat, where he began fleeing detectives by driving in reverse at a high rate of speed. Ignoring multiple verbal commands to stop, Laughner came within inches of striking two ACPD detectives before stopping and exiting the vehicle in the middle of the street and fleeing on foot. Using a police K-9 unit, law enforcement apprehended Laughner after finding him hiding in thick brush.

    Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Allegheny County Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Laughner.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Aliquippa Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to a federal firearm charge, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Tyland Witherspoon, 28, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV to one count of felony possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on June 19, 2024, Witherspoon—who was previously convicted of a felony—was found to be in possession of a firearm and ammunition while the sole occupant of a vehicle in the Northview Heights area of Pittsburgh. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

    Judge Stickman scheduled Witherspoon’s sentencing for July 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

    Witherspoon remains detained pending sentencing.

    Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Witherspoon.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

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

    WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 188 months in prison after federal law enforcement officers discovered child sexual abuse materials at his home.

    According to court documents, Scott Warren Vass, 57, of Arkansas City pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. 

    In April 2023, while executing a search warrant at Vass’ home, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents seized multiple devices belonging to Vass containing child sexual abuse materials.  Further investigation revealed several of Vass’ Google accounts also contained sexually explicit depictions of minors under 12 years of age.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon prosecuted the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement by Jim Allister KC MP in Response to the Third Parcels Border Implementation Date

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by Jim Allister KC MP in Response to the Third Parcels Border Implementation Date

    Jim Allister said:

    “Today we received yet another reminder of the fact that we are still being shielded from the destructive consequences of the Irish Sea border as it disinherits us from our wider home economy, on account of the fact that it has not yet been fully implemented and has indeed had its commencement postponed to a third date.

    “First the Irish Sea Parcels Border was to have been implemented on 30 September 2024, with seminars provided to help people get ready from April 2024.

    “Then on 19 September, in the context if growing concerns, and less than two weeks before implementation day, it was suddenly announced that it was being delayed until 31 March 2025.

    “Unbelievably today the Government has announced that it has been put back yet again until 1 May and now they are saying implementation will only begin on that date.

    “Trying to impose a customs border on parcels movements within a national economy is completely absurd, just as has been the attempt to frustrate the flow of other goods within what was the UK single market for goods through the imposition of other aspects of the customs border.

    “The costly and destructive implications of doing so are plainly demonstrated in the fact that we are now on our third commencement date and in the concerns eloquently presented by businesses to the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee last week.

    “The introduction of the parcels border would seal the demise of the UK single market for goods for many purposes and its replacement with what is effectively a GB single market for goods, and an island of Ireland single market for goods, subject to all island laws, imposed on us.

    “This is a deliberate attempt by the Republic of Ireland and wider EU to undermine the UK and is contrary to international law, including the Declaration on Principles of International Law, Friendly Relations and Co-operation among states in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations which states:

    ‘Every State shall refrain from any action aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and territorial integrity of any other State or country.’

    “Lest anyone should be in any doubt about the importance of these principles, the Declaration also affirms:

    ‘The principles of the Charter which are embodied in this Declaration constitute basic principles of international law, and consequently appeals to all States to be guided by these principles in their international conduct and to develop their mutual relations on the basis of the strict observance of these principles.’

    And

    ‘Where obligations arising under international agreements are in conflict with the obligations of Members of the United Nations under the Charter of the United Nations, the obligations under the Charter shall prevail.’

    The introduction of the Parcels border would also place further pressure on the Windsor Framework itself by means of generating further trade diversion in violation of Article 16.

    “The Windsor Framework is now failing not only in the sense that it is causing real difficulty but in its own terms, generating trade diversion in violation of Article 16.

    “In this context it must be replaced with the viable alternative Mutual Enforcement.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: A ‘golden age’ of global free trade is over. Smaller alliances can meet the moment

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Armin Steinbach, Professor of Law and Economics, HEC Paris Business School

    The global trade landscape is shifting, and not in the way free traders had hoped. For decades, the belief that economic openness could foster peace and stability reigned supreme. Trade, it was argued, could transform authoritarian regimes into more peaceful players. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered this way of thinking. Rather than mourning the end of a multilateralism based on states’ commitments to jointly agreed trade rules, we should see it as a necessary adjustment to a world where economic security takes precedence over market efficiency, and resilience over cost minimization.

    The World Trade Organization (WTO), which has constrained protectionism since its inception in 1995, is no longer the linchpin of global trade it once was. Multilateral trade talks have stagnated, and the WTO’s dispute settlement system is in paralysis. The US, once a champion of rules-based trade, now finds strategic advantage in a world where power dynamics outweigh legal frameworks. Years of negotiations on agriculture and fisheries subsidies have yielded little progress, underscoring the difficulty of reaching consensus among increasingly divergent national interests.


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    Consider the Uruguay Round negotiations in the 1990s that led to the establishment of the WTO – a rare moment when 123 countries found common ground on liberalizing trade in goods, services and intellectual property. That success stemmed from a broad agenda that offered enough variety to create win-win scenarios for all. Today, narrow negotiation agendas make compromise far harder to achieve.

    Free trade agreements are emerging less frequently: the average number of new trade agreements per year since 2020 is less than half the average of the previous decade. Meanwhile, protectionist measures have proliferated: there were about five times as many in 2023 as in 2015. Regardless of US President Donald Trump’s tariff frenzy, governments are erecting trade barriers and adopting policies that favour domestic industries, driven by the need to secure critical supply chains.

    The trend is clear: trade liberalization is no longer the top priority for most countries. Instead, security concerns are reshaping trade policy, echoing the arguments of the 18th-century philosopher Adam Smith. In The Wealth of Nations, Smith argued that national defence is more valuable than economic wealth. (“Defence,” he wrote, “is of much more importance than opulence”). This idea feels particularly relevant today. In a world of geopolitical conflict, trade is often yielding to strategic concerns.

    The United Nations, despite its mission to maintain peace, has struggled to prevent conflict. If international law cannot deter aggression, economic policy must step in.

    Security-driven trade

    For the EU, this translates into using its trade policy instruments, especially vis-à-vis China, on the basis of a careful dependency analysis that identifies strategic commodities and products. As the European Commission sets self-sufficiency benchmarks for green technologies following the bloc’s Net-Zero Industry Act, it errs if it sees the substitution of domestic products for imports as the right way to reduce dependencies. In most cases, reducing import concentration will require diversifying suppliers rather than European self-production.

    Security-driven trade requires shifting away from fragile multilateralism toward more selective, regional alliances. These “trade clubs” would align economic interests with shared security priorities. The EU’s strengthening ties with the South American Mercosur states, a group of non-hegemonic countries reliant on open trade, exemplify this approach. Intensifying trade with targeted countries could be the best response to Trump’s tariffs, avoiding the lose-lose outcome of tit-for-tat tariff wars. The goal of autonomy from an unpredictable US offers a good framework for crafting new bilateral relationships.

    Another example is the idea of a “climate club”, which policy-makers have discussed for some time. Climate clubs would consist of countries that agree on joint strategies to reduce carbon emissions while fostering energy security and protecting their economies from competitors without adequate carbon pricing.



    À lire aussi :
    Trump protectionism and tariffs: a threat to globalisation, or to democracy itself?

    The challenge is to distinguish between “legitimate” and “illegitimate” security claims. The latter refer to countries’ growing abuse of the national security card to justify trade policies. WTO dispute settlement panels ruled against the “self-judging” character of national security claims, hence subjecting them to legal scrutiny, but this “rule of law” approach has only heightened rejection of the WTO system on the US side. To limit abuse, the EU should seek alignment with the US on issues of common concern, such as responding to industrial overcapacity or preventing technology leaks. A joint approach could avert nationalist unilateralism.

    A new focus for the WTO

    Some worry this shift away from multilateralism could disadvantage poorer nations, leaving them vulnerable to the whims of powerful ones. However, regional trade alliances can empower smaller states. For example, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gives African nations collective bargaining power they might lack individually. Since its inception with 22 signatories, AfCFTA has grown to include 48 countries, enhancing the continent’s influence in global trade.

    Abandoning multilateralism doesn’t mean sidelining the WTO entirely. Instead, the WTO can refocus on smaller, “plurilateral” agreements among like-minded countries. This “coalition of the willing” approach has already proven effective in areas like e-commerce and investment facilitation. The WTO can remain a forum for building consensus, but its future lies in fostering flexible partnerships rather than pursuing grand, all-encompassing trade deals. In a fragmented world, these smaller agreements could yield the most meaningful progress. Nascent but promising plurilateral efforts are under way to tackle fossil fuel subsidies and environmentally sustainable plastics trade.

    The golden age of global free trade may be over, but that doesn’t spell disaster. As nations grapple with security challenges, trade policy must evolve to reflect new priorities. Strategic alliances, diversified supply chains and targeted trade agreements will shape the future of global commerce. Rather than lament the decline of multilateralism, we should embrace this shift as a necessary response to a more volatile world. In doing so, we can craft a trade policy that prioritizes resilience and security, safeguarding both economic stability and national interests.

    Armin Steinbach ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

    – ref. A ‘golden age’ of global free trade is over. Smaller alliances can meet the moment – https://theconversation.com/a-golden-age-of-global-free-trade-is-over-smaller-alliances-can-meet-the-moment-251438

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Duckworth Join Colleagues To Push Back On Proposed Cuts To Disaster Recovery Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    March 18, 2025
    In a new letter, the lawmakers pushed back against U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner’s proposed cuts to critical disaster recovery programs
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), along with 40 of their Senate colleagues, in pushing back on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner’s proposed cuts to crucial disaster recovery programs that are under the umbrella of HUD.
    The cuts would reduce employees at HUD’s office of Community Planning and Development, which administers the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program, a crucial pot of funding that helps impacted communities with disaster recovery following extreme weather events including tornadoes and severe flooding. Under this program, Illinois is scheduled to receive more than $856.3 million for disaster recovery, which would likely be in jeopardy due to the cuts.
    This disaster relief work includes rebuilding houses and small businesses, repairing roads and bridges, restoring water services, and investing in workforce development for Illinoisans who’ve lost jobs.
    “Communities across the country experienced significant natural disasters in 2023 and 2024… Alaska, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Illinois experienced severe storms,” the Senators wrote to Secretary Turner. “CDBG-DR provides states, cities, counties, and Tribes with funding to support recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters.  In December 2024, Congress appropriated $12 billion in emergency supplemental CDBG-DR funding. During your confirmation process, you made clear that, if confirmed, you would prioritize getting our constituents CDBG-DR funding as quickly as possible.”
      
    “Specifically, you [Secretary Turner] stated that ‘one of [your] top priorities’ as HUD Secretary would ‘be to ensure that the disaster recovery funding passed by Congress gets out to communities swiftly’ and ‘into the hands of Americans who have been impacted by recent disasters.’  Your statements indicated a strong commitment to providing our disaster-impacted communities with the resources they need, but we are concerned that recent actions at the Department have not matched that verbal commitment,” the Senators continued.
    “We urge you to immediately stop any additional cuts to the workforce and contracts involved in disaster recovery oversight, and reinstate any recently terminated probationary staff,” the lawmakers concluded.
    A copy of the letter is available here and below:
    March 17, 2025
    Dear Secretary Turner:
    We write today regarding our concerns that recent actions taken by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are hampering our states’ ability to access (CDBG-DR) funds. The CDBG-DR program is critical to our states’ ability to recover from natural disasters, and it is essential that HUD distributes funding as quickly and efficiently as possible. We request additional information on your plans to ensure that communities continue to receive the resources they need to rebuild.
    Communities across the country experienced significant natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. States across the South—including Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia—were devastated by Hurricanes Milton and Helene, while Alaska, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Illinois experienced severe storms.  States in the Northeast—including, Vermont, and Massachusetts —faced life-threatening floods, while states in the West – including California, Washington State, and Hawaii – saw catastrophic wildfires in Maui. 
    CDBG-DR provides states, cities, counties, and Tribes with funding to support recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters.  In December 2024, Congress appropriated $12 billion in emergency supplemental CDBG-DR funding. During your confirmation process, you made clear that, if confirmed, you would prioritize getting our constituents CDBG-DR funding as quickly as possible. Specifically, you stated that “one of [your] top priorities” as HUD Secretary would “be to ensure that the disaster recovery funding passed by Congress gets out to communities swiftly” and “into the hands of Americans who have been impacted by recent disasters.”  Your statements indicated a strong commitment to providing our disaster-impacted communities with the resources they need, but we are concerned that recent actions at the Department have not matched that verbal commitment.
    For years, the HUD Office of Inspector General listed disaster recovery oversight as a top management challenge at HUD, noting the need for systems and staff to keep pace with increases in CDBG-DR funding, as well as the need to build the capacity of CDBG-DR grantees.  The latest Top Management Challenges report highlighted multiple ways in which HUD has made “meaningful progress,” largely due to the investment Congress has made over the years to support staff, systems, and capacity building. Over the last week, however more than one thousand HUD employees (13% of HUD’s workforce) were fired or accepted the Administration’s deferred resignation offer – including staff supporting the CDBG-DR program. Furthermore, according to recent reports, HUD “plans to discharge 50% of its overall workforce”, and the Office of Community Planning and Development, which is responsible for supporting disaster recovery efforts, is targeted for a staggering 84% cut.  Should such cuts move forward, it is unclear how the Department will continue to ensure the efficient delivery of CDBG-DR funds so our states and communities can continue to rebuild after devastating disasters. 
    HUD has also postponed previously scheduled trainings designed to help grantees understand CDBG-DR program requirements, and it is not clear when those trainings will resume.  Moreover, continued uncertainty on whether and the extent to which HUD may change the current Universal Notice governing the latest allocations from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025 (Public Law 118-158) could cause additional delays. At least one grantee has already started accepting public comments on their draft action plan. Any major deviations from current requirements could be a huge setback forcommunities, adding months to recovery efforts. 
    We urge you to immediately stop any additional cuts to the workforce and contracts involved in disaster recovery oversight, and reinstate any recently terminated probationary staff.
    To help us better understand the current status of the CDBG-DR program and your plans to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of CDBG-DR funds for our states and others across the country, we request information to the following questions no later than Monday, March 24, 2025:
    All grantees who received allocations from Public Law 118-158 have been using the CDBG-DR Universal Notice to develop their action plans.
    Do you intend to make changes to the Universal Notice?
    If so, how will HUD do that in a way that is minimally disruptive to the grantees whose actions plans are underway and to avoid delaying assistance?
    What is HUD’s timeline for reissuing the second allocation notice for Public Law 118-158 funding that was posted to the Federal Register for public inspection on January 21, 2025 but withdrawn on January 22, 2025?

    How many HUD employees were responsible for supporting the implementation of the CDBG-DR program, including the delivery of recently appropriated supplemental funding, on January 20, 2025? Please delineate by field versus headquarters and employee status (e.g., career, conditional, term, etc.).
    How many HUD employees are responsible for supporting the implementation of the CDBG-DR program, including the delivery of recently appropriated supplemental funding, on[March 17, 2025]? Please delineate by field versus headquarters and employee status (e.g., career, conditional, term, etc.).
    What additional plans, if any, does the Department have to further reduce the number of HUD employees responsible for implementing the CDBG-DR program?
    What analyses, if any, has HUD conducted to assess the impact of any proposed or implemented workforce reductions on the Department’s ability to implement CDBG-DR funding? Please provide copies of any written communications, analyses, and other documentation on how workforce reductions could impact the CDBG-DR program produced between January 21, 2025, and [March 17, 2025].
    What services, such as trainings and the provision of technical assistance, was HUD providing to CDBG-DR grantees on January 20, 2025?
    What services, if any, is HUD currently providing to CDBG-DR grantees? What changes, if any, have occurred to the services provided to CDBG-DR grantees since January 20, 2025?
    What additional plans, if any, does the Department have to alter the available services provided to CDBG-DR grantees? 
    Have any contracts related to the CDBG-DR program been terminated since January 20, 2025, as a result of the ongoing review of the ongoing reviews of HUD programs?  If so, please detail which contracts, the reason for termination, and the plan for addressing the contracted work, if applicable.
    Sincerely,
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bible Hill — Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit charge man with Murder

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit (NEN MCU) has charged a man with Murder associated to a death that occurred in September 2023.

    On September 17, 2023, Colchester County District RCMP responded to a report of a sudden death at a home on Wild Chance Drive in Bible Hill. The victim was identified as a 32-year-old woman of Bible Hill, and her death was believed to be suspicious.

    That morning, a Bible Hill man who was known to the victim was safely arrested at the Bible Hill RCMP Detachment and later released without charges.

    On March 17, 2025, the same man, 31-year-old Richard Craig Barrett, was charged with Murder (first degree) and investigators can confirm the homicide was an incident of intimate partner violence.

    “Over the course of this complex investigation, officers collected a significant amount of forensic evidence and spoke with many witnesses who shared valuable information,” says Cpl. Sandy Matharu of the Northeast Nova Major Crime Unit. “We appreciated the patience of the victim’s loved ones as investigators conducted a thorough examination and evaluation of the evidence, enabling us to put together a comprehensive investigation that supports this murder charge.”

    Barrett appeared in Truro Provincial Court on March 18 and was remanded in custody pending future court appearances.

    The investigation is ongoing and is being led by the NEN MCU with assistance from the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service and RCMP Forensic Identification Section.

    Nova Scotia RCMP encourages anyone experiencing, or at risk of, intimate partner violence to reach out. Support is available across Nova Scotia and can be accessed by dialing 211, calling the provincial toll-free line at 1-855-225-0220, or visiting Nova Scotia 211 online. You can access support anonymously.

    Our thoughts continue to be with the victim’s loved ones, and the community, at this difficult time.

    File # 2023-1382910

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Van Zandt Electrical Contractor Sentenced in Wire Fraud Conspiracy

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

    TYLER, Texas – A Canton man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a wire fraud conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    James Derr, 55, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle on March 18, 2025.  Derr was also ordered to pay $2,615,585.93 in restitution.

    According to information presented in court, Derr, an electrical contractor with J&D Electric, was involved in a conspiracy with Rebekah Mitchell and Brittany Burton to divert equipment for their own financial gain.  Between March of 2017 and May of 2021, Mitchell used her position at Schneider Electric in Athens to steal Schneider Electric circuit breakers from their inventory and direct the shipment of the stolen circuit breakers to locations where Derr could take possession of them.  Mitchell paid Burton to use her position at J&K Storage in Flint to receive shipments of stolen Schneider Electric circuit breakers at J&K Storage.  Mitchell created fraudulent documentation in the purchase order and/or bill of lading logistics systems depicting fictional customers that resulted in the shipment of Schneider Electric circuit breakers to locations that she and Derr agreed upon, which included, on approximately 11 occasions in 2017 and 2018, J&K Storage. Derr took possession of the Schneider Electric products at various locations and sold them to various buyers. Derr shared the proceeds of these sales with Mitchell in consideration for her role in the conspiracy.  As a result, Derr, Mitchell and Burton caused Schneider Electric to suffer a financial loss of approximately $2,615,585.93.

    On February 18, 2025, Mitchell was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison and was also ordered to pay $2.6 million in restitution to Schneider Electric. Burton pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy and is currently awaiting sentencing.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Tyler Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Noble.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Denny H Kalyalya: Think before you follow, safeguard your money  

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Permanent Secretary, Southern Province, Dr Namani Monze
    The District Commissioner, Mazabuka District, Mr Oliver C. Mulomba
    All Senior Governmental officials
    Chief Executive Officers of Financial Sector Regulators – PIA and SEC
    All Chief Executive Officers of Financial Services Providers
    All Cooperating partners
    Invited Guests
    Ladies and Gentlemen

    Good morning

    I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to all of you joining us for the launch of this year’s public awareness campaign for the Financial Literacy Week. This launch event was pre-ceded by the broadcasted message from the Minister of Finance and National Planning, on 16 March 2025. The FLW activities will take place from March 17 to 23, 2025, in all the 10 provinces of the Republic of Zambia. For the first time since we started to commemorate Financial Literacy Week, the event is being launched away from Lusaka, in Mazabuka, Southern Province. I commend the organizers for this change and I hope that future launch events will be held in different provinces every year.

    The theme for this year, “Think before you follow, safeguard your money,” aligns with the official theme of the 2025 Global Money Week and has been adopted for the Financial Literacy Week in Zambia.

    This year’s theme underscores the importance of adopting an informed, responsible, security-conscious approach to managing personal finances. Therefore, individuals are encouraged to be mindful of potential risks in the financial sector and take steps to protect their hard-earned money. These risks include financial scams, fraud, theft, pyramid schemes, cyber-attacks, and other threats related to data privacy. In line with this year’s theme, I urge consumers of financial services and products to actively safeguard their money by engaging only with licensed financial service providers. I also encourage you to be cautious about sharing financial information as well as diligently protect your personal data. Avoid sharing sensitive financial information, such as account numbers or passwords, with unknown individuals or over unsecured platforms. Additionally, be vigilant for phishing schemes, and be sceptical of unsolicited emails, messages, or phone calls requesting personal or financial information.

    Finally, I encourage you to report any suspicious financial requests or digital invitations to the authorities, such as financial service providers (FSPs), ZICTA, or the Police.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, financial literacy initiatives continue to focus on young people in primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions as well as adults, with the aim of equipping future generations with the essential knowledge needed to make informed financial decisions for their financial well-being.

    In this regard, financial education has been incorporated in the national school curriculum and financial literacy initiatives continue to be undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

    Esteemed Guests, we firmly believe that the development and execution of national strategies concerning financial education and inclusion have established a robust framework that facilitates effective engagement among various stakeholders, including the Government, financial sector regulators, financial service providers, and the general public. This collaborative effort has led to heightened awareness campaigns among the public regarding the availability and safe usage of financial products and services nationwide. Strengthening financial literacy among consumers would enable them to identify financial scams, fraudulent activities and avoid biased advice, thus helping them to make better financial decisions to safeguard their future well-being. In this regard with the conclusion of the National Strategy on Financial Education II (2019-2024), the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, along with the Bank and other financial sector regulators, have begun the process of conducting a comprehensive review of the strategy. The review will assess the progress, successes, and challenges of NSFE II, and guide the development of phase III of the N S F E.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, in order to measure the strides that have been made in advancing financial education and financial inclusion in the country, I would like to inform you that a multisectoral project team has been established to conduct the 2025 FinScope Survey and disseminate topline findings by the end of this year.

    FinScope surveys are invaluable tools for understanding the financial landscape of a country and developing targeted financial education and financial inclusion strategies. The survey provides information on access and usage of financial services (formal/informal), barriers encountered, financial literacy and overall financial inclusion. Enumerators will conduct interviews across all ten provinces, so we appeal to you, the public, to provide them with the necessary support.

    Distinguished Guests, before I conclude, let me take this opportunity to remind you that the Bank of Zambia announced the introduction of a new family of Zambian Currency on Monday, 10 February 2025 (pursuant to section 17(1) of the Bank of Zambia Act, 2022).

    The initiative reflects the Bank’s commitment to providing currency that is secure, efficient, user friendly and well suited for everyday transactions. The new notes also offer advanced security features to protect against counterfeiting and other threats to the integrity of the currency. A nationwide awareness campaign is currently being conducted to sensitize the public about the new currency. Further, the Minister of Finance and National Planning will soon issue an SI to provide details for the process of exchanging the old currency for the new series, scheduled to commence on 31 March 2025.

    As we carry out the 2025 Financial Literacy Week provincial activities, I encourage the campaign teams and financial service providers to continue to educate the public about the new family of Zambian Currency to prevent people being defrauded by unscrupulous people who may take advantage of this change. The Bank of Zambia team will also be available to provide information and distribute awareness materials that highlight the key features of the new currency.

    Dear Invited Guests, in conclusion, it is important to acknowledge that as part of the implementation of the National Strategy for Financial Education, Financial Literacy Awards are held annually in October. These awards aim to recognize the efforts of individuals and institutions in conducting financial literacy awareness initiatives. Therefore, I urge you to submit your financial literacy activities and initiatives to the Financial Literacy Working Group for consideration in this year’s awards.

    Once again, I extend my gratitude to the Working Group under the National Strategy on Financial Education Phase II for organizing the Financial Literacy Week activities. I particularly commend the Ministry of Finance and National Planning Financial Education Team, along with other financial sector regulators such as the Pensions and Insurance Authority and the Securities and Exchange Commission. I also wish to applaud the Bankers Association of Zambia, and our collaborating partners DSIK (the German Sparkassenstiftung) Zambia, as well as all other stakeholders who have consistently supported the Financial Literacy Week commemorations each year.

    The Bank of Zambia remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting this national event, and we encourage all financial institutions and stakeholders to actively participate in the Financial Literacy Week activities nationwide.

    THANK YOU FOR LISTENING MAY GOD BLESS US ALL.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Israel’s war on Gaza is deliberately targeting children – new UN report

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rachel Rosen, Associate Professor of Childhood, UCL

    A fresh round of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza which has killed more than 400 Palestinians has destroyed any hope that the ceasefire negotiated in January would hold. A statement from the child rights group Defence for Children Palestine claimed that 174 children had been killed in the bombing, claiming: “Today is one of the deadliest days for Palestinian Children in history.”

    The renewed bombing follows repeated violations of the ceasefire terms by Israel and comes days after a report commissioned by the United Nations said Israel is “deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians as a group”. The March 13 report from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory examines what it calls Israel’s “systematic use of
    sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence
    since 7 October 2023”.

    The report alleges deliberate acts have been aimed against mothers and children, including the destruction of Gaza’s main fertility clinic, Basma IVF clinic, which it said amounted to “a genocidal act under the Rome Statute and Genocide Convention”. It concluded that “this was done with the intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza as a group, in whole or in part, and that this is the only inference that could reasonably be drawn from the acts in question”.

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has yet to rule on a case brought by South Africa in December 2023 accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. In January 2024 it issued a ruling saying that Palestinians in Gaza had “plausible rights to protection from genocide” and set out provisional measures that Israel should follow to prevent genocide. There is no evidence that Israel has heeded this advice.

    Addressing the UN human rights committee in October 2024, special rapporteur Francesca Albanese said she believed it is important to “call a genocide as a genocide”. While noting the legal position according to the ICJ, we agree with her on the grounds that a post-hoc judgement of genocide does nothing to prevent it from occurring.

    Francesca Albanese addresses the United Nations, October 2024.

    The commission’s report is not the first time that international organisations and lawmakers have called attention to Israel’s violence against Palestinian mothers and children. In March 2024, Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the UN agency Unrwa, wrote on X: “This is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future.” The numbers are “staggering” he said. More children had been killed in Gaza in four months than in all global conflicts in the previous four years.

    This has continued throughout Israel’s assault on Gaza. Between October 7 2023 and January 15 2025, children made up at least 18,000 of the 46,707 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to data collected by the Gaza health ministry. Both figures are likely to be underestimates, as so many bodies remain buried under the rubble.

    Most children have been killed by direct military strikes. Israel has dropped an estimated 85,000 tonnes of explosives on Gaza, killing Palestinians through direct hits, biolding collapses, fires and inhalation of toxic substances. Doctors have also reported evidence of children being killed in drone attacks and by snipers, including by shots to the head and chest.

    On March 2 Israel blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, using starvation and dehydration as military strategy. On March 15 a Unicef report claimed that 31% of children under two years of age in the north of the Strip were acutely malnourished. There has also been a “dramatic increase in child deaths due to acute malnutrition”.

    Israel’s destruction of medical and other infrastructure in the strip has resulted in “indirect deaths” by communicable illness and noncommunicable conditions. In April 2024, a report published in science journal Frontiers found that more than 90% of children in Gaza were affected by infectious diseases. There have also been multiple infant deaths from hypothermia as displaced families attempt to survive winter conditions.

    Killing the future

    The abnormally high child death rate is partly down to demographics. About 47% of Gaza’s population was under 18 years of age at the end of 2022. Children are generally more “susceptible to dehydration, diarrhoea, disease, and malnutrition” according to Unicef which says the nutritional needs for infants under 23 months “are greater per kilogram of bodyweight than at any other time of life”.

    But the problem with these arguments is that they make child mortality rates in Gaza appear as a simple reflection of natural factors. They are not. They are a direct consequence of Israel’s military aggression in Gaza.

    Israel has systematically used powerful explosives in densely populated areas and, through AI tracking systems such as “Where’s Daddy?”, deliberately targeted Palestinians in their family homes. Given the deep evidence base about childhood health, the logical outcome of using starvation as a method of war, actively denying aid, and destroying infrastructures that enable life is that children will die disproportionately.

    Palestinian children are being killed by design. This has been explicitly articulated by the Israeli state.

    Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was this week reappointed to the Netanyahu government as police minister, has publicly defended the army’s “open-fire” directive declaring: “We cannot have women and children getting close to the border … anyone who gets near must get a bullet in the head.” In January, MP and deputy speaker of the Knesset, Nissim Vaturi, said every child born in Gaza is “already a terrorist, from the moment of his birth”.

    But children represent their community’s dreams for their futures. Killing large number of children in Gaza is not simply forcible depopulation. It is an effort to destabilise communities and crush their hopes for liberation and the right of return as mandated by the UN.

    Palestinian children in Gaza have been telling their stories to a global audience. The killing, injury and starvation they are testifying to has proved a powerful counternarrative to the idea that Israel is simply “defending itself”. International humanitarian law states that: “Children affected by armed conflict are entitled to special respect and protection.”

    But in Gaza, children are being killed in their thousands.

    Rachel Rosen receives funding from Independent Social Research Foundation. She is affiliated with BDS @ UCL.

    Mai Abu Moghli is a policy member at Al- Shabaka: the Palestinian Policy Network.

    – ref. Israel’s war on Gaza is deliberately targeting children – new UN report – https://theconversation.com/israels-war-on-gaza-is-deliberately-targeting-children-new-un-report-252398

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Continued Progress Driving Down Gun Violence

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that gun violence in communities participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative declined during the first two months of the year after reaching its lowest level on record in 2024. Shooting incidents with injury decreased 18 percent in January and February, compared to those two months in 2024, and 18 fewer individuals were harmed by gunfire. The Governor’s Fiscal Year 26 Executive Budget Proposal continues record-level funding to further improve public safety and invests $370 million to support local and state law enforcement initiatives, youth employment programs and community-based organizations that increase opportunity for individuals and families and strengthen neighborhoods.

    “Reducing gun violence and implementing programs to make our streets safer is critical to ensuring that all New Yorkers feel safe and are protected from harm,” Governor Hochul said. “The initiatives we’ve implemented to eliminate gun crimes are working, and we will continue to invest in law enforcement and community based programs until each and every New Yorker is free from gun violence.”

    The 18 percent decline reflects 61 shooting incidents with injury reported in January and February 2025, compared to 74 during those two months last year, and the number of shooting victims decreased by 21 percent (68 vs. 86). The 28 police departments participating in GIVE report roughly 90 percent of violent crimes involving firearms and 85 percent of violent crime reported outside New York City.

    The Rochester and Buffalo police departments each reported 10 fewer individuals injured by gun violence, the most significant decreases reported. Shooting incidents with injury, shooting victims and shooting homicide data for each of the 28 GIVE agencies are available on the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) website. In addition to the collective decrease in gun violence in GIVE communities, the New York City Police Department reported a 27 percent (111 vs. 151) decrease in shooting incidents through March 16, 2025.

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Governor Hochul’s commitment to our law enforcement and community partners is unmatched. She has provided record-level funding for GIVE, our SNUG Street Outreach program, alternatives to incarceration programs and re-entry services, among others, allowing our local partners to address not only the consequences of crime, but its causes. I thank the Governor for her ongoing support and our partners across the State for their tireless efforts to improve public safety and strengthen communities.”

    New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “I appreciate Governor Hochul’s leadership on this issue and for providing the necessary resources to reduce gun violence and build safer communities. By working together, addressing the causes, providing education and support services, we are taking action to avert the senseless tragedies that result from gun violence. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners on this integral mission to keep New York State safe.”

    Preliminary index crime reported by police departments and sheriffs’ offices outside of New York City showed an 8 percent decrease from January through September 2024 vs. 2023, the most current data available. There are seven index crime categories that are used to gauge overall crime trends: four violent (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and three property (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft). Violent crime declined by three percent and property, eight percent. In the five boroughs, data reported by the NYPD showed a 2 percent reduction in 2024 compared to 2023.

    To date, State Police have seized 318 guns in 2025. In 2024 and 2023 respectively, State Police seized 1,706 and 1,463 guns.

    Governor Hochul’s $370 million investment to reduce and prevent gun violence and strengthen communities disproportionately impacted by crime includes, but is not limited to, the following programs and initiatives administered by DCJS:

    • $50 million through the Law Enforcement Technology grant program, which provides funding so police departments and sheriffs’ offices can purchase new equipment and technology to modernize their operations and more effectively solve and prevent crime.
    • $36 million for GIVE, which funds the 28 police departments and district attorneys’ offices, probation departments and sheriffs’ offices in 21 counties outside of New York City.
    • $21 million for the SNUG Street Outreach Program, which operates in 14 communities across the State: Albany, the Bronx, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, Wyandanch and Yonkers. The program uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting transmission and treating individuals, families and communities affected by the violence.
    • $18 million in continued support for the State’s unique, nationally recognized Crime Analysis Center Network, and $13 million in new funding to establish the New York State Crime Analysis and Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters, a strategic information, technical assistance and training hub for 11 Centers in the State’s network, and enhance existing partnerships and expand information sharing with the New York State Intelligence Center operated by the State Police, the locally run Nassau County Lead Development Center, and the State’s Joint Security Operations Center, which focuses on protecting the State from cyber threats.
    • $20 million for Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower) in 10 communities to support mentoring, mental health services, restorative practices, trust building, employment and education support and youth development activities, among other programs and services that address trauma resulting from long-term exposure to violence, build resilience and strengthen youth, families and neighborhoods.

    The New York State Police, the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and the State Office of Victim Services also will receive funding through that $370 million allocation.

    In the Fiscal Year 26 Executive Budget Proposal, Governor Hochul allocated an additional $35 million for the next round of the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grants to increase safety and security of organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission; nearly $41 million to improve the public safety response to intimate partner violence and improve services for victims and survivors; and doubling funding for rape crisis centers to $12.8 million.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Roanoke Man Sentenced to Over 17 Years on Child Pornography Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who agents found in possession of more than 3,800 images of child pornography, was sentenced this week to 210 months in federal prison.

    Joshua Jennings, 43, pled guilty in September 2024, to one count of knowingly receiving child pornography. In addition to prison time, Jennings was also sentenced to 20 years of supervised release following his release from prison.

    According to court documents, in February 2024 agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) determined that Jennings’s IP address was sharing child pornography on the Internet. Agents subsequently learned that Jennings was a registered sex offender with two prior state convictions for possessing child pornography.

    On February 26, 2024, agents with HSI executed a search warrant at the home address associated with Jennings’ IP address and seized a HP laptop computer belonging to Jennings. A forensic review of the laptop revealed more than 3,800 images and video files of identified child victims of abuse from more than 300 known child pornography series.

    Search history on the laptop showed Jennings conducted multiple searches related to his sexual interest in children, including “CP,” “PTHC,” and “CP dog.”

    Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and  ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck made the announcement.

    The Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Valuable investigative assistance was provided by the Albemarle County Police Department, the Virginia State Police, Virginia Probation & Parole, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Parkersburg (West Virginia) Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.

    The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: East Liberty Man Sentenced to Over Nine Years in Prison for Series of Bank Robberies

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

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 110 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Rashon Coleman, 31, of the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

    According to information presented to the Court, on April 10, 2023, a subject later identified as Coleman walked into a bank, shoved a white plastic grocery bag appearing to contain a gun at the teller, and demanded $50,000 in cash. Coleman left the bank with approximately $904 given to him by the teller. The following day, Coleman entered a different bank nearby the first and shouted at the tellers to give him all of the money. Upon receiving money from one of the tellers, Coleman ordered everyone to the ground, threatening to shoot them all if they did not comply. He examined the cash he’d received from the teller and then demanded more, threatening to shoot one of the tellers in the head if they didn’t follow his instructions. A teller went to the vault and returned with additional cash, which she gave to Coleman, who then fled through the bank’s front door, this time, with approximately $4,344.

    Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers responding to the alarm noticed Coleman, who matched the description of the robbery suspect, walking down the street from the bank. The officers stopped Coleman and found him in possession of a bag containing a toy gun and a large amount of cash. Coleman later confessed to robbing both banks, and subsequently was charged with the two robberies in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, where he was granted alternative housing at a community detention facility.

    On May 20, 2023, Coleman was granted permission to leave that facility for a short period but failed to return at the designated time. The same day, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers responded to a bank robbery in progress at the same bank that Coleman had robbed on April 10, 2023, where the subject, again later determined to be Coleman, had walked in yelling that he was robbing the bank and instructing everyone to get down. He demanded $20,000 in cash and threatened to start “popping” people if he didn’t get the money, also forcing one of the bank’s employees to open a security door leading to the vault that Coleman had been unable to breach during his first robbery of the bank. Coleman fled with more than $25,000 and a short time later was found by police inside a nearby store, where he was positively identified and had a bag containing the cash.

    Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Coleman.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Attorney Sentenced to 102 Months for an Attempted Bombing Near the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

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

               WASHINGTON – Christopher Rodriguez, 45, of Panama City, Fla., was sentenced today to 102 months in federal prison for the September 2023 attempted bombing near the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Washington, D.C., and for the November 2022 bombing of a satirical sculpture depicting communist leaders Vladimir Lenin and Mao Zedong in San Antonio, Texas.

               The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. 

               Rodriguez, a licensed Florida attorney and a U.S. Army veteran, pleaded guilty August 2, 2024, to damaging property occupied by a foreign government, explosive materials—malicious damage to federal property, and receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm (destructive device). 

               In addition to the 102-month prison term, U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg ordered Rodriguez to serve three years of supervised release.

               According to court documents, on September 23-24, 2023, Rodriguez drove from his home in Panama City, Fla., to Northern Virginia with a rifle and 15 pounds of explosive material. On the way, he stopped in Harrisonburg and Charlottesville, Va., to buy a black backpack, nitrile gloves, and a burner cell phone. On September 24, he parked his car in Arlington, Va., and used the burner phone to arrange for a taxi to drive him to within a few blocks of the Chinese Embassy. Between midnight and 3 a.m. near the back wall of the Embassy in Northwest Washington, Rodriguez placed the explosives-filled backpack next to a streetlight. Rodriguez then attempted to detonate the explosives by shooting at the backpack with a rifle. Rodriguez missed his target, and the device failed to detonate. Law enforcement officers later recovered the backpack containing explosive material, three shell casings, and bullet fragments from the ground along the outer perimeter wall of the Chinese Embassy. Impact marks were found on the Embassy wall near the bullet fragments behind the backpack.

               According to court documents, DNA obtained from the black backpack was found to be consistent with DNA evidence obtained from a previous arrest of Rodriguez in June 2021 in California. During the California incident, Rodriguez possessed three firearms and apparent explosive material consistent with the explosives used during the Chinese Embassy attack. DNA evidence obtained from Rodriguez pursuant to a buccal swab warrant later confirmed this DNA match.

             Between November 5 and 7, 2022, according to court documents, Rodriguez rented a vehicle in Pensacola, Fla., and drove to San Antonio, Texas. At about 2:25 a.m. on November 7, Rodriguez scaled an eight-foot fence to enter a courtyard on the 300 block of West Commerce Street, San Antonio. Inside the courtyard, he placed two canisters of explosive materials at the base of a satirical steel sculpture titled “Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head.” At 2:30 a.m., Rodriguez used a rifle to shoot at the canisters at the base of the statue, causing an explosion that caused damages of at least $325,000 to the Miss Mao sculpture.

    Law enforcement arrested Rodriguez on November 4, 2023, in Lafayette, Louisiana. He has been held since that date. 

               This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Washington Field Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Florida, the Western District of Louisiana, and the Western District of Texas; the ATF’s Tampa, New Orleans, and Houston Field Divisions; the FBI’s Washington and San Antonio Field Offices; the San Antonio Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Secret Service, Uniformed Division and Foreign Missions Detective Unit; the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security; and the Metropolitan Police Department. 

                The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jolie F. Zimmerman and Stuart D. Allen. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maeghan Mikorski and Kelly Stephenson and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McCarthy.

    23cr392

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Providence Man Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl-Laced Counterfeit Pills

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

    PROVIDENCE – A Providence man admitted to a federal judge today that he trafficked more than 2,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Michael Sellers, 64, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    In pleading guilty, Sellers admitted that on at least two occasions in November 2023, he sold more than 1,000 counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills to an individual while under surveillance by FBI agents.

    On November 16, 2023, Sellers provided an individual with 1,027 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills in exchange for $2,500 in cash. On November 24, 2023, he provided the same individual with 1,024  fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills in exchange for $2,500. In each instance, the pills were quickly seized by law enforcement.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter I. Roklan and Stacey A. Erickson.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Real Estate CEO Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Manipulating WeWork Stock with Fraudulent Tender Offer Scheme

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

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JONATHAN MOYNAHAN LARMORE was sentenced today to five years in prison for manipulating the stock price of WeWork, Inc. (“WeWork”) with a fake tender offer designed to fraudulently inflate the value of LARMORE’s own WeWork securities. LARMORE’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who also presided over a one-week trial after which LARMORE was convicted of one count of tender offer fraud and one count of securities fraud.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Jonathan Larmore treated the stock market like a game he could rig to obtain instant riches at the expense of innocent investors. As today’s sentence shows, this Office will continue to advocate for significant penalties against those who manipulate our markets and defraud investors.”

    According to the evidence presented in court during the trial:

    LARMORE is the former CEO of Arciterra Companies LLC, a real estate investment and management firm. In the fall of 2023, LARMORE perpetrated a scheme to use a false and fraudulent tender offer to manipulate the stock price of WeWork, a co-working space company that was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

    To execute his scheme, LARMORE created a sham real estate investment firm called Cole Capital Funds LLC (“Cole Capital”). LARMORE then spent more than $775,000 buying tens of thousands of cheap, short-dated, out-of-the-money WeWork call options and hundreds of thousands of shares of WeWork common stock. On November 3, 2023, LARMORE published a fake press release announcing that Cole Capital proposed to acquire 51% of all outstanding shares owned by minority shareholders of WeWork at a more-than-700% premium in an all-cash offer worth more than $77 million. At the time, WeWork was on the verge of bankruptcy. The press release itself contained a number of false and misleading claims about LARMORE and Cole Capital, and their ability to carry through with the purported tender offer.

    In fact, neither LARMORE nor Cole Capital had the intent or ability to execute the announced tender offer. Instead, LARMORE intended for news of the tender offer to fraudulently inflate WeWork’s share price and, thereby, to increase the value of LARMORE’s newly acquired WeWork call options and shares.

    Approximately one minute after LARMORE’s press release about his fraudulent tender offer was published, WeWork’s share price quickly increased during after-hours trading by more than 70% and continued to rise to a high of more than 150% over the stock price prior to the publication of the press release. The WeWork call options LARMORE purchased could have made him tens of millions of dollars with a big enough spike to WeWork’s stock price, but the vast majority of the options expired before LARMORE could publish his manipulative press release. The following Monday, November 6, 2023, WeWork filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. LARMORE never followed through on his fraudulent tender offer.

    *               *                *

    In addition to the prison term, LARMORE, 51, of Syracuse, Indiana, was sentenced to three years of supervised release during which the defendant must perform 500 hours of community service.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil action against LARMORE, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson, Sarah Mortazavi, and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: The Terrorist Screening Center Changes Name to the Threat Screening Center

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

    The FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) has been renamed the Threat Screening Center to reflect an expanded mission. For more than 20 years, the Terrorist Screening Center has been the U.S. government’s lead terrorist watchlisting entity. As national security threats continue to evolve, the TSC has expanded beyond terrorism watchlisting and screening to address other national security threats, like transnational organized crime (TOC).

    With the recent designation of eight drug cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs), the TSC is well positioned to significantly increase its available identity information on transnational organized crime actors. To reflect this broader mission and increased focus on watchlisting FTO-designated TOC members, the TSC has changed its name to the Threat Screening Center.

    “Border security is essential to protecting our country and providing safer communities for our citizens,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’re expanding the watchlist to include cartel and gang members from newly designated foreign terrorist organizations. This change will assist our law enforcement and Intelligence Community partners as we all work together toward the goal of crushing violent crime within our borders.”

    “With expanding and growing threats, we are reflecting that in our name,” added TSC Director Michael Glasheen. “Transnational organized crime watchlisting plays an important role in U.S. security interests while we continue to prevent terrorist attacks. The name change is a signal to the American people that the TSC is a powerful tool that can be used to fight all national security threats.”

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamaican National Charged With Illegal Reentry By A Previously Deported Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Garville Gary Gayle (36, Jamaica) with illegal reentry by a previously deported or removed alien. If convicted, Gayle faces up to ten years in federal prison. 

    According to the complaint, Gayle is a Jamaican citizen and national who was previously removed from the United States on November 19, 2009, and again on May 26, 2016. Prior to being removed from the United States, he was convicted of felony offenses, including illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to re-enter the United States. On April 29, 2024, Gayle was found voluntarily back in the United States.

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

    This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), the Orlando Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Del Mastro.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Santech Holdings Announces Completion of Issuance of Ordinary Shares

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HONG KONG, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On March 17, 2025, Santech Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: STEC) (the “Company”), entered into a share subscription agreement and raised additional capital to fund its current operations. Pursuant to the share subscription agreement, the Company will issue to Carmel Holdings Limited 112,000,000 restricted ordinary shares of the Company (the “Subscription Shares”) for a total consideration of approximately US$1.0 million.

    With the approval of all independent directors of the Board of Directors, issuance of the Subscription Shares has been completed on March 19, 2025. The total proceeds to the Company are approximately US$1.0 million, which will be used to support the Company’s liquidity and working capital needs.

    Carmel Holdings Limited is a company duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, controlled by Lawrence Wai Lok, Chief Executive Officer. This issuance of ordinary shares marks the completion of another key step in the Company’s ongoing efforts in restructuring and business reorganization.

    About Santech Holdings Limited

    Santech Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: STEC) is a consumer-focused technology company. The Company historically served a large number of high net-worth clients in China in financial services and health management, and accumulated a large customer base. The Company has exited or disposed of its historical businesses in financial services and is actively exploring innovative new opportunities in technology, including but not limited to new retail, social e-commerce and metaverse. For more information, please visit https://ir.santechholdings.com.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “plan,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” “expect,” “aim,” “believe,” “intend,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “is/are likely to,” “could” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

    Investor Contact:

    Santech Holdings Limited
    Email: ir@santechholdings.com

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: CBSA prevents over $11 million worth of cocaine from entering Canada leading to criminal charges by the RCMP

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    March 19, 2025      

    Point Edward, Ontario  

    Canada Border Services Agency / Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are committed to intercepting and investigating smuggling attempts at our border and disrupting organized crime. 

    Today, the CBSA and the RCMP announce the seizure of approximately 419 kg of suspected cocaine from two recent enforcement actions at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry in Point Edward, Ontario, with an estimated street value of $11 million. 

    Working with law enforcement partners, the CBSA’s National Targeting Centre identified two commercial shipments potentially containing narcotics bound for Canada from the United States. 

    Based on this intelligence, on February 27, 2025, a commercial truck coming from the United States was referred for a secondary examination. During the inspection of the trailer, border services officers seized four duffle bags containing approximately 86 kg of suspected cocaine, with an estimated value of $2.3 million. The RCMP have charged Pawandeep Dhillon, 34, of Innisfil, Ontario, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act with importation of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

    A week later on March 6, 2025, the CBSA referred another tractor-trailer coming from the United States for a secondary examination. Border services officers seized 333 kg of suspected cocaine from the trailer of the commercial load, with an estimated value of $9 million. The RCMP have charged Ravinderbir Singh, 23, of Brampton, Ontario, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act with importation of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

    The drivers and the suspected narcotics were transferred to the custody of the RCMP. Both matters are currently before the Ontario Court of Justice, in Sarnia, Ontario.

    The success of these significant seizures is due to the collective contributions of law enforcement partners working together to ensure the security and safety of the country by exposing and dismantling dangerous criminal networks and holding those responsible accountable for their actions.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Acting Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti Delivers Remarks Following Verdict in San Antonio Human Smuggling Case

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Thank you U.S. Attorney Leachman for the Western District of Texas, Craig Laraby, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s San Antonio Field Office, and everyone for being here. My name is Matthew Galeotti, and I am the Acting Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

    Today is a momentous day in the Department’s relentless fight against the leaders, organizers, and key facilitators of human smuggling networks – thanks to the work of our partners in the Western District of Texas and at ICE-HSI.

    As Attorney General Pamela Bondi has announced, the Department is committed to the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations. To help meet this goal, the Department is laser-focused on dismantling human smuggling networks. Working with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and law enforcement partners, the Criminal Division is on the front lines of that fight.

    You have already heard from U.S. Attorney Leachman on the extraordinary work in this case, but let me take a moment to recognize the victims and the extraordinary efforts of the prosecution team that bring us all here today.

    As you heard, in June 2022, 64 aliens, from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico were loaded into a tractor-trailer without functioning air conditioning by members of an alien smuggling organization for the three-hour drive from Laredo to San Antonio, ultimately leading to the deaths of 53 people, including children and one pregnant woman. Eleven others were hospitalized.

    Today, two of the people responsible, Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, were held accountable for this tragedy by a United States jury. In total, eight members of this alien smuggling organization have now been convicted for their roles in this horrific event. This investigation and prosecution are the direct result of the hard work of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas and the dedicated special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, in close coordination with Joint Task Force Alpha and the Criminal Division.

    The crimes committed — and the tragedy caused — by this type of pernicious alien smuggling organization epitomize why the Attorney General is elevating Joint Task Force Alpha to be run directly out of her Office. The goal is to eliminate the scourge of human smuggling.

    Joint Task Force Alpha’s mission is to target and prosecute the leaders and organizers of transnational criminal organizations engaged in human smuggling and human trafficking throughout the Americas.

    Since its creation, Joint Task Force Alpha has tirelessly pursued significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts across the country. In just the past seven weeks, the Department has charged more than 760 defendants involved in human smuggling.

    And we’re not done – not even by a long shot.

    In fact, we are continuing to prosecute those responsible for this mass casualty alien smuggling event.

    Just yesterday, Rigoberto Miranda-Orozco made his first court appearance here in the Western District of Texas after his extradition from Guatemala. His detention hearing is on Thursday. This Joint Task Force Alpha case will be prosecuted by trial attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant United States Attorneys from the Western District of Texas.

    Miranda-Orozco was indicted and has been charged for allegedly conspiring with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of four aliens from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, to the United States. He allegedly charged the aliens, or their families and friends, approximately $12,000 to $15,000 for the journey. The indictment alleges that three of these aliens passed away in the tractor-trailer in June 2022, and the fourth suffered serious bodily injury. For his actions, Miranda-Orozco is charged with six counts related to migrant smuggling resulting in death or serious bodily injury and he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    This extradition sends the message that the Department of Justice will pursue human smugglers who violate U.S. law no matter where they are.

    I want to express my deep appreciation to our key law enforcement partners who built this investigation: HSI San Antonio and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Border Patrol; ATF; the San Antonio Police Department; and the Palestine Police Department. I would also like to thank our Criminal Division trial attorneys from the Office of International Affairs and resident legal advisors from the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) who provided significant assistance in coordinating with our foreign partners.

    I also want to thank our foreign law enforcement partners, especially Guatemalan law enforcement, for their assistance with this investigation and extradition.

    As I mentioned, the Department is vigorously prosecuting human smugglers to the fullest extent of the law.

    The Department of Justice has been working with members of Congress to advance a proposal to increase the sentencing guidelines in such cases to accurately account for the full scope of harm that can result from human smuggling.

    People around the country may not be familiar with the prevalence and seriousness of human smuggling cases. This case exemplifies why we all must pay attention. Human smuggling is dehumanizing, dangerous and it can be deadly. Smuggling victims are often subject to rape, kidnapping, extortion, exploitation and more. It will not stand.

    Our resolve in tackling these crimes will not waver. Joint Task Force Alpha, along with our partners, will continue to pursue the leaders and organizers of human smuggling and trafficking networks wherever they operate, with an enhanced focus on alien smuggling and trafficking by cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Changes to cost limits for Child Abduction and Wardship

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Changes to cost limits for Child Abduction and Wardship

    We are making changes to the default cost limit for Child Abduction and Wardship for new applications submitted to the LAA from Monday 17th March 2025.

    Cost Update for Child Abduction and Wardship

    When reviewing current costs limitation for Child Abduction and Wardship it has been agreed following consultation and feedback that the cost limit for the substantive certificate will increase from £5000 to £25000. Our review of the data shows the costs incurred on these cases far exceed the current default cost limitation of £5000. Child Abduction and Wardship commonly involve a foreign element and costs on these cases can quicker escalate, meaning that costs incurred can frequently exceed the standard £5000 cost limit. These certificates are regularly granted to include representation at the final hearing, and this change will allow providers to focus on the case rather seeking to amend the costs limit of the certificate.

    What changes will you see?

    When granting an initial application, CCMS will grant a cost limit of £25,000 for the cases listed in the table below.

    It will apply to the following proceedings only:

    Proceedings
    CH001 – Child Abd/Custody – free – High Court
    CH003 – App for wardship – High Court
    CH002- App – Child Abduction/Custody Act 1985 – High Court

    Existing Scope and Proceeding limitations will continue to apply.

    Implementation Date

    This will be effective from Monday 17th March 2025. New applications started and submitted from Monday 17th March 2025 will have the new standard cost limit of £25,000.

    What’s Next?

    This is part of a continuous journey towards creating a more accessible Legal Aid system and reducing the administrative burden on provider and ourselves. Currently under consideration are ideas such as:

    • Including reviewing how we could make greater use of our backdating facilities
    • Reviewing the current cost limits in non-Family proceedings

    We’d be happy to hear from you with any ideas you have as well, so please do let us know.

    FAQs

    Why are we doing this? To ease access to the Justice system by applying modern, reflective limitations to certificates and to free up caseworker time by reducing time spent on lower risk, repetitive amendments. This will allow us to focus more on higher risk applications and claims. It is also about evolving our relationship with our providers where we seek to explore how we can give them more responsibility for decisions taken on the cases they work on.
    What will it look like? Applications will be submitted as normal, but the default costs limit will be £25,000 on application started and submitted from Monday 17th March 2025.
    How will Delegated Functions work? There will be no change on applications under Delegated Functions, the new limitations only apply from the issuing of the Substantive amendment.
    How will it be brought in? Communication and guidance will go out to both caseworkers and providers in advance of the changes going live.
    How will current cases for child abduction and wardship be affected? Existing certificates for child abduction and wardship will remain at their current cost limit. Once that limit has been met and there is further work to undertake, then a fresh amendment to increase costs should be submitted. The further work that needs to be undertaken should justify the cost limit that is being sought, as per standard practice.
    Does this apply to enforcement and appeal proceedings for child abduction and wardship? No, the standard cost limit for enforcement and appeal for child abduction and wardship will remain the same. This change to £25,000.00 is only applicable to the three specific proceedings mentioned above.
    Why doesn’t this apply to enforcement and appeal proceedings? The evidence based on average claim costs for the specific standalone proceedings for enforcement and appeal proceedings, didn’t justify the cost limit being increased to £25,000.00.
    Does this affect solicitor bills? Yes.  The change allows solicitors more freedom to undertake work that their case load requires, rather than having to spend their time seeking upfront permission for costs on applications submitted from the 17th March 2025.  Please note that all costs will still be subject to an assessment of reasonableness at the point of assessment. Providers will still be responsible for checking the public funding certificate to ensure that they are covered for the work they are undertaking.
    Is this for paper and CCMS? Yes, this process will be applied to paper applications.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Pandemic Relief Loan Fraud and Commercial Loan Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Defendant admitted to spending portions of fraudulent-loan proceeds on a Lamborghini and home renovations.

    Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Andra Shirone Thompson, 48, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to a year and a day for two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    Thompson pled guilty to conspiring to defraud Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loan programs and his role in a years-long scheme to defraud commercial equipment financing companies. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised released and ordered to forfeit $847,280, and pay $813,363.01 in restitution to the victims of his schemes.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, made the announcement with Supervisory Official Matthew Galeotti, Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C., Field Office; Jeffrey D. Pittano, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region; Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Eastern Region; and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to his guilty plea, Thompson admitted to participating in a conspiracy to submit fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of companies he controlled. The companies included Alpha Bravo Tango LLC., Senergy Consulting Group Inc., and Novus Ordo Seclorum LLC. Through the scheme, Thompson fraudulently obtained $716,375. He spent a portion of the proceeds on vehicles, including a 2014 Lamborghini Aventador, and on renovating a home in North Carolina.

    Thompson also joined a conspiracy to defraud equipment financing companies by submitting fraudulent invoices that falsely showed the sale of substantial quantities of computer servers and related equipment. Thompson and his co-conspirators caused borrowers to submit fraudulent invoices to lenders to support their loan applications to purchase items. After approval, lenders deposited loan proceeds into accounts controlled by Thompson and his co-conspirators. The lenders were unaware that the sales on the invoices never occurred. Thompson and his co-conspirators typically “kicked back” a portion of the proceeds to the borrower who submitted the application and kept the rest for themselves. Thompson personally participated in three executions of this scheme, causing approximately $813,362 in fraudulently induced lending.

    Additionally, the co-conspirators caused more than $60 million of fraudulently induced lending across more than 350 separate loans through this scheme. Thompson’s principal co-conspirator, Craig David Davis, 49, of Venice, California, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and was sentenced earlier this month to 93 months incarceration.

    Financial assistance offered through the CARES Act included forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses, through the PPP, administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA).  The SBA also offered an EIDL and/or an EIDL advance to help businesses meet their financial obligations.

    The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

    For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.  Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the IRS-CI, FDIC-OIG, SBA-OIG, and the FBI who investigated the case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wenner, along with Trial Attorney David A. Peters from the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, who prosecuted the federal case.

    For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Authority sets out AML/CFT/CFP supervisory priorities

    Source: Isle of Man

    Published on: 19 March 2025

    The Isle of Man Financial Services Authority has set out a two-year programme of supervisory engagement aimed at countering financial crime.

    A document published on the Authority’s website highlights the supervisory priorities for 2025 to 2027 in relation to anti-money laundering (AML), countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) and countering the financing of proliferation (CFP).

    The AML/CFT Supervision Division is leading on a number of risk-based workstreams to support the drive for continued improvement in standards of compliance with the Island’s   AML/CFT framework. The ongoing and upcoming projects form part of the wider approach being delivered across the Authority’s four dedicated supervisory divisions over the next two years under the broad themes of:

    • Countering Financial Crime
    • Culture, Governance and Risk Management
    • Financial and Operational Resilience
    • Quality of Supervisory Data

    The AML/CFT/CFP work will be carried out in line with the engagement model published in the Authority’s Supervisory Methodology Framework. Resources will be focused on the firms and sectors perceived as posing the most significant risk of money laundering, terrorist financing or proliferation financing. For lower risk firms there will be a greater emphasis on thematic work and outreach.

    The AML/CFT/CFP supervisory programme includes a continuation of projects that have already started, alongside topical TF and PF thematic reviews and new areas of focus designed to complement the Authority’s Strategic Approach to Countering Financial Crime. Work will be delivered through a suite of supervisory activities including inspections, data requests and compliance meetings.

    Topics and approximate timelines will be included as part of the At-A-Glance calendar, which provides advance notice of the Authority’s future activities and key milestones.

    Ashley Whyte, Head of AML/CFT Supervision, said: ‘We are rolling out our supervisory plans for the next two fiscal years with a view to strengthening efforts to reduce financial crime. This work builds evidence to demonstrate the long-term effectiveness of the Island’s AML/CFT/CFP frameworks and identifies areas where remediation or further outreach and guidance may be required to enhance overall standards of compliance.’

    She added: ‘Publishing our AML/CFT/CFP supervisory priorities is intended to assist Island firms with their forward planning, particularly in relation to anticipated demands on compliance functions. I would encourage people to read the document and work with us to protect the Island from the harms caused by financial crime.’

    MIL OSI Economics –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Standard Lithium Appoints Karen G. Narwold to the Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE American:SLI), a leading near-commercial lithium company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen G. Narwold, NACD.DC as an independent member of its board of directors.

    Robert Cross, Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, commented, “The Standard Lithium Board is excited to welcome Karen as an independent director. Karen brings over 30 years of executive leadership experience within the manufacturing and chemicals space, including most recently as Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Albemarle Corporation. Her significant experience in legal, governance, regulatory and government affairs and operational matters will be invaluable as Standard Lithium seeks to develop its world class projects across the Smackover.”

    “Karen is an accomplished senior executive with an impressive breadth of experience that will be a significant addition to Standard’s board,” said David Park, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Standard Lithium. “Her leadership at Albemarle was critical as they transformed into a global leader in lithium production, and we expect her experience will be crucial as Standard Lithium seeks to do the same.”

    Ms. Narwold brings over 30 years of experience leading legal, compliance, external affairs, governance, human resources and corporate development functions for multinational companies. Prior to her service at Albemarle, from which she retired in 2023, Ms. Narwold served as Vice President and Strategic Counsel of Barzel Industries, and as Vice President, General Counsel, Human Resources and Corporate Secretary for GrafTech International. Ms. Narwold currently serves on the Board of Directors for Ingevity Corporation, where she is a member of the Audit Committee and the Chair of the Sustainability & Safety Committee.

    Ms. Narwold is NACD Directorship Certified® and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Connecticut and a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

    About Standard Lithium Ltd.

    Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by the highest quality resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) and purification process. The Company’s flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor, Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively exploring promising lithium brine prospects in East Texas. Additionally, the Company is advancing the Phase 1A project in partnership with LANXESS Corporation, a brownfield development project located in southern Arkansas. Standard Lithium also holds an interest in certain mineral leases in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California.

    Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”) and the NYSE American under the symbol “SLI”. For more information on Standard Lithium, please visit the Company’s website at www.standardlithium.com.

    Investor and Media Inquiries

    Chris Lang
    Standard Lithium Ltd.
    +1 604 409 8154
    investors@standardlithium.com

    Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and “forward looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “will”, “schedule” and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to intended development timelines, future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, outcomes of commercialization, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued production of lithium chloride solutions, consistent ongoing lithium recovery quantities, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Over £4,900 a year for student carers

    Source: Scottish Government

    Extra money available to many in education.

    Carers in full and part-time education could be entitled to over £4,900 a year in financial support from Social Security Scotland.  

    It is estimated that there are over 30,000 students at college or university in Scotland providing unpaid care for a family member, friend or neighbour. Research from Carers Trust Scotland shows student carers are four times more likely to drop out of their studies with a key reason being financial struggles.  

    Together, Carer Support Payment and Carer’s Allowance Supplement could provide over £4,900 a year to unpaid carers. 

    Carer Support Payment replaces Carer’s Allowance in Scotland, which was delivered by the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Unlike its predecessor, Carer Support Payment is available to many student carers in full-time education.   

    Carer’s Allowance Supplement, only available in Scotland, is paid twice a year to people receiving Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance. 
     
    Students aged 16, 17 or 18 may be able to get Young Carer Grant if they aren’t eligible for Carer Support Payment. 

    Speaking to student carers and staff at Edinburgh College today (Wednesday 19 March), Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said:  

    “We worked with carers and support organisations in designing Carer Support Payment to ensure it worked better for the people who receive it. Extending Carer Support Payment to more carers in education is an example of doing just that. 

    “I recognise the challenges many students face juggling their studies with caring responsibilities and hope the increased support available provides additional financial security and helps them to complete their course.”  

    Anna Vogt, Assistant Principal Student Experience at Edinburgh College said:  

    “We are committed to supporting our student carers to be able to come to Edinburgh College and achieve their educational ambitions. We do this by individualising support for carers, engaging with carer organisations in our region and by designing systems that acknowledge our students have responsibilities and communities outside of college. 

    “Colleges change lives and we are pleased that this new benefit will support more carers to think about becoming a student at any institution across Scotland.” 

    Josh, a student at Edinburgh College, added: “The support from Edinburgh College has made a real difference to me and is very different from the support I received at school. It has been particularly helpful to be linked up with my local carer’s association – I didn’t know about them. Now I know about this new benefit, I’m going to explore a bit more about it.”

    Background 

    The £4,900 a year calculation is based on a carer receiving a full year entitlement for Carer Support Payment (52 weeks) and Carer’s Allowance Supplement (a payment in June and then in December) at the 2025-26 rates coming into effect from 1 April 2025.   

    Carers Trust Scotland works to transform the lives of unpaid carers. They estimate there are more than 30,000 students with caring responsibilities in Scotland. Student research report https://carers.org/downloads/resources-pdfs/young-adult-carers-at-college-and-university.pdf  

     Carer Support Payment is a payment of £81.90 a week (increasing to £83.30 from 1 April 2025) and is available to carers who are aged 16 or over and who provide unpaid care for 35 hours or more a week to someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit.  Carers need to earn £151 a week (increasing to £196 a week from 1 April 2025) or less after tax, National Insurance and certain expenses.  
    Carers in education who may be eligible include:      

    • Part time students – those who spend less than 21 hours a week in class or doing coursework for any course     
    • Students aged 20 and over and who study full time for any course     
    • Students aged 16-19, who study full time in advanced education at university or for a college course such as a Higher National Certificate or Higher National Diploma    
    • There are also some circumstances where students aged 16-19 studying over 21 hours a week in non-advanced education, such as studying for National Certificates and Scottish Highers, may also be eligible if they meet certain criteria. Find out more at   If you study – mygov.scot  

     Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment for eligible unpaid carers who are getting Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on two qualifying dates. The payment is made twice a year and is unique to Scotland. Each payment of Carer’s Allowance Supplement is £288.60 (increasing to £293.50 from 1 April 2025). It is paid automatically without the need to apply.    

     Young Carer Grant  is available for carers aged 16, 17 or 18 who provide support for an average of 16 hours a week to someone receiving a qualifying disability benefit. It is a yearly payment of £383.75 (increasing to £390.25 from 1 April 2025) and the money can be spent on whatever the young person wants.    

    Information on other support for carers, such as financial support, wellbeing support and short breaks from caring, can be found at Help if you’re a carer – mygov.scot   

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 20, 2025
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