NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Continues His Support for Federal Workers: Trump Administration’s Termination of Probationary Employees is Simply Unlawful

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    Files Lawsuit Against Federal Government to Stop Mass Firing of Probationary Employees 

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a lawsuit challenging numerous federal agencies for conducting an illegal mass firing of federal probationary employees. In today’s lawsuit, 20 attorneys general argue that the Trump Administration’s Office of Personnel Management’s directive to agencies to terminate probationary employees en masse to reduce the size of the federal workforce exceeds any statutory authority granted by Congress. The lawsuit seeks to immediately halt further firings and reinstate unlawfully terminated federal employees while litigation proceeds.

    “The Trump Administration’s sweeping mass firing of probationary federal employees is simply unlawful,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Not only is the administration breaking the law, while they claim these actions are necessary to ‘curb waste and inefficiency,’ the reality is that abrupt and indiscriminate terminations will lead to increased operation disruptions, higher rehiring costs, and long-term financial burdens on taxpayers. This reckless directive has inflicted chaos and harmed federal workers who are key contributors to our economy and provide critical services that affect the everyday lives of Californians, from offering support for veterans and farmers, to protection of our cherished national parks and lands. I won’t stand idly by as the President attempts yet another unlawful power grab. I am proud to file this lawsuit with my fellow attorneys general across the nation to reinstate unlawfully terminated federal employees and halt further firings.”

    Nationally, there are more than 5.1 million federal workers. Nearly all federal employees serve a one-or two-year probationary period, and more than 200,000 are on probationary status across the federal government. In California, numerous federal employees serve in critical roles across key agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service, among others.

    The abrupt, pretextual termination of federal employees is not only unlawful but also disrupts essential government services and has far reaching economic effects. Specifically, in California, federal employees heavily contribute to our economy by paying state income taxes and generating substantial local revenue. This unlawful reduction in workforce has already caused a 149% increase in state unemployment benefit claims by federal workers and will inevitably impact small businesses through decreased consumer spending and decline in demand. This callous decision not only fuels broader economic uncertainty but directly contradicts yet another of the President’s empty promises to “immediately bring prices down, starting on day one” of his presidency. 

    In the complaint, the attorneys general allege that the Trump Administration’s failure to comply with Reduction in Force (RIF) procedures was arbitrary and capricious, not in accordance with law, and in violation of the federal Administrative Procedures Act. These critical protections ensure that workers and impacted communities receive advance notice of mass layoffs to blunt the disruptions they cause for the affected personnel and their communities and also ensure that personnel such as military veterans are given preference in retaining their jobs.

    When a RIF results in a layoff of 50 or more employees, the agency must generally give at least 60 days’ advance notice to state governments, so they can provide vital “rapid response” information, resources, and services to affected workers. The federal agencies named in the lawsuit failed to provide any advance notice to California, causing significant expense and burden on the state as it scrambles to respond to the sudden mass layoffs of its residents. In the month of February 2025, there was a 149% uptick in unemployment insurance claims filed by individuals recently terminated from federal service. 

    The attorneys general are seeking declaratory relief, a temporary restraining order to pause further mass firings, and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief that would reinstate unlawfully terminated federal employees and enjoin further terminations that do not follow required legal procedures.

    Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia in filing this lawsuit. 

    A copy of the complaint can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Appoints Kleine as County Court Judge in the Fourth Judicial District

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Appoints Kleine as County Court Judge in the Fourth Judicial District

    LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Philip K. Kleine of Elkhorn as the county court judge in the Fourth Judicial District. That district consists of Douglas County.

    Kleine is currently an assistant city prosecutor in Omaha. From 2011 to 2021, he was the lead deputy county attorney for Sarpy County. Kleine has also held roles in the Lancaster County Attorney’s office, Douglas County Attorney’s office and in the Nebraska Attorney General’s office. 

    Kleine has been a volunteer with Legal Aid, as well as a volunteer judge for Creighton University in the National Trial Competition. He has taught at Bellevue University and is a presenter at the Sarpy/Douglas County Law Enforcement Academy. 

    This judicial vacancy is due to the retirement of Judge Jeffrey L. Marcuzzo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police call for witnesses of Devonport structure fire

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Police call for witnesses of Devonport structure fire

    Friday, 7 March 2025 – 3:04 pm.

    Police are calling for witnesses as they investigate a deliberately lit structure fire in Devonport.
    Police, firefighters and other emergency services were called to the scene on the corner of William and Madden Streets about 12:30pm yesterday.
    The unit was fully destroyed by the fire, and fire investigators have determined it was deliberately lit.
    A 39-year-old Devonport woman is currently assisting police with their enquiries, and investigators would like to hear from anyone with information about the incident.
    Information can be provided to Western Criminal Investigation Division on 131 444 – quote ESCAD 184-06032025.
    Information can also be provided to Crime Stoppers Tasmania anonymously at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Charges – Firearms offences – Palmerston

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has issued a Notice to Appear to a 77-year-old man in relation to firearms offences in Palmerston.

    On 10 December 2024, police responded to reports of an unsecured firearm at the man’s residence in Driver. A subsequent search of the residence located a further 3 unsecured firearms along with an imitation firearm. The man’s four registered firearms were seized by police.

    The matter was referred to the Northern Territory Police Firearms Audit and Enforcement Unit who, after further investigation, issued the man with a Notice to Appear in the Darwin Local Court on 17 April 2025 for the offences of:

    • Fail to Meet Storage Requirements x 4
    • Breach of Firearms Licence Conditions
    • Possess Prohibited Weapon

    The man’s NT firearms licence has also been revoked for 5 years.

    Acting Senior Sergeant Aaron Chapman said “Firearms ownership is not a right, it is a responsibility.  Licence holders that at found to have blatantly failed to comply with the conditions of their licence or provisions of the Firearms Act 1997 should expect to have their licence revoked.”

    Anyone with information on illegal or misuse of firearms is encouraged to report it on 131 444. You can also report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through https://crimestoppersnt.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Unexplained death in Northcote Point

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are making enquiries into an unexplained death in Northcote Point this afternoon.

    At around 1.29pm, a Police unit was flagged down by a member of the public on Stafford Road.

    A man was unconscious at the entrance to the walkway through to Alfred Street.

    Medical assistance was immediately provided to the man but sadly he died at the scene.

    Enquiries are now underway to establish what has occurred and how the man ended up at the location.

    The Stafford Road off-ramp is currently closed while a scene examination is carried out.

    Police would like to hear from anyone in the area who saw anything in the lead up to Police arriving at the scene.

    Please contact 105 using the reference number P061837652.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Peters Relaunch Bipartisan Effort to Root Out Foreign Influence in U.S. Policy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) reintroduced two bipartisan bills to prevent foreign governments, including adversaries like China and Russia, from shadow influencing U.S. policy. The legislation would help close loopholes that foreign governments exploit to conceal their roles in lobbying efforts.

    “Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and the public has a right to know if a foreign government is trying to sway American policy. Our bipartisan bills would close a loophole that allows individuals to conceal their lobbying efforts and ensure that all foreign actors are disclosed to the American people. The Senate passed our bipartisan legislation last Congress, and I’m going to continue to work diligently with my colleagues to get these vital reforms to the president’s desk,” Grassley said.

    “The American people deserve complete transparency about who is trying to influence our political process. These bipartisan bills will help ensure foreign actors can’t exploit loopholes to hide their activities while attempting to shape policy in the United States. It’s a commonsense step to protect our national security and ensure our government is working in the best interests of the American people,” Peters said.

    Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act

    Congress created the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) in 1995 to delineate between those lobbying on behalf of foreign governments versus those lobbying for foreign private entities.  The LDA exempts foreign private entity lobbyists from the Foreign Agents Registration Act’s (FARA) more burdensome restrictions. However, the Justice Department currently has no way of knowing which foreign lobbyists claim this exemption.

    The Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act would make public which foreign lobbyists receive the LDA exemption, ensuring no foreign government actors can fraudulently and secretly represent themselves as non-government actors. This would help the Justice Department narrow the pool of registrants they are examining for potential FARA violations, without imposing any meaningful additional burden on non-government registrants representing foreign private entities.

    Additional cosponsors include Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).

    Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act

    Law enforcement agencies have identified instances in which foreign adversaries exploit an additional loophole in the Lobbying Disclosure Act by using closely connected private organizations and businesses to push their government interests.

    The Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act makes clear that lobbying organizations must disclose when foreign governments and political parties participate in their lobbying efforts, regardless of any financial contribution to the lobbying effort

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What They Are Saying: Over One Million Law Enforcement Officers Call for Immediate, Clean Senate Passage of HALT Fentanyl Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Major law enforcement organizations representing over 1,000,000 officers nationwide, are calling on the Senate to pass the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act immediately and without amendments. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is leading the push to permanently classify illicit fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I, alongside Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

    The White House today reaffirmed the administration’s support for the legislation in its current form. The bill will likely receive a final Senate vote next week.

    Law enforcement organizations backing the HALT Fentanyl Act’s swift and clean passage include the National Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Major Counties Chiefs Association, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies, the National District Attorneys Association, the National HIDTA Directors Association, the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, the National Sheriffs’ Association and the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association.

    The above organizations represent law enforcement agencies across all 50 states, including the major metropolitan areas of New York City, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston.

    Here’s what they’re saying:

    The National Association of Police Organizations: 
    “Time is of the essence. The DEA’s temporary authority to schedule all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act ends on March 31… We supported the technical changes that had to be made when the Judiciary Committee approved the manager’s amendment last week, but otherwise urged the Committee to advance this critical legislation without further modification, which it did… We are now urging the Senate to swiftly pass S. 331 without amendment”

    The National Fraternal Order of Police:
    “[The Halt Fentanyl Act], which permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, would save lives and make our communities safer. We thank Leader Thune for putting the bill on the floor and strongly urge the Senate to pass it without amendment.”

    The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association:
    “FLEOA thanks @LeaderJohnThune for advancing S. 331/HALT Fentanyl Act. We urge all Senators to quickly pass this measure as-is, without further amendment, and give @DEAHQ permanent scheduling authority for fentanyl-related substances.”

    The Major County Sheriffs of America: 
    “The opioid crisis is devastating our nation. The Senate must pass the HALT Fentanyl Act without delay or changes to give law enforcement the tools to combat this deadly epidemic. We can’t afford further delay – let’s act now for public safety.”

    The NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association: 
    “Last month, the Sergeants Benevolent Association joined its partner law enforcement organizations in calling on the Judiciary Committee to advance this critical legislation without delay or modification. We now respectfully request that all senators support passage of S. 331 as approved by the Judiciary Committee and without further amendment.”

    A coalition of 11 national, state and local law enforcement organizations: 
    “The opioid epidemic continues to claim the lives of hundreds of Americans every day. As this crisis escalates, every delay in addressing it only increases the toll on our communities. For the sake of public safety, it is imperative that the Senate pass the HALT Fentanyl Act as it stands, without changes, and move it forward to law.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Advisory: Schedules for China’s ‘two sessions’ on March 7

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The following are the schedules for the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on Friday.
    In the morning, NPC deputies will examine reports and drafts on budgets and economic and social development plans.
    In the afternoon, they will deliberate a draft amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and to the Local People’s Congresses at Various Levels.
    In the morning, the NPC Financial and Economic Affairs Committee will review reports and drafts on budgets and economic and social development plans.
    In the afternoon, the NPC Constitution and Law Committee will review the draft amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and to the Local People’s Congresses at Various Levels.
    In the morning, the CPPCC National Committee members will hold their second plenary meeting.
    In the afternoon, some sectors of the CPPCC National Committee will conduct consultations, while other sectors will hold group meetings.
    At 10 a.m., Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will meet the press. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Members Padilla, Morelle Continue to Press Trump Administration on Firings of Election Security Workers, Pause of Critical Election Security Efforts

    US Senate News:

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

    Ranking Members Padilla, Morelle Continue to Press Trump Administration on Firings of Election Security Workers, Pause of Critical Election Security Efforts

    Lawmakers’ letter follows lack of response to letter about the firings of CISA employees who worked on election security

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (N.Y.-25), Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, continued pressing senior officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for answers on the status of their election-related work. This comes after not receiving a response to their letter last month on the firings of CISA employees who previously worked on election security, including misinformation and disinformation issues.

    “As Ranking Members of the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over federal elections, we have a right to understand the changes occurring at CISA given its critical election security mission,” wrote the lawmakers. “Failure to respond to these questions is deeply disturbing given so many high-ranking administration officials’ refusals to accept the outcome of legitimate elections and involvement in spreading election-related mis- and disinformation.”

    Since their original letter, more CISA employees have been put on administrative leave, and CISA has paused election security efforts as they rush through an internal assessment behind closed doors without consulting Congress or state and local election officials. Meanwhile, employees of President Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), including a 19-year-old staffer tied to interactions with cybercriminals, have infiltrated CISA’s systems. 

    “Election infrastructure is critical infrastructure. Changes at CISA could have dramatic impacts on future elections — the cornerstone of our democracy,” continued the lawmakers. “Without a reasonable, transparent process that consults with Congress and Chief Election Officials on a bipartisan basis, we are alarmed that political leadership at DHS and DOGE is directing CISA to undercut the security of our elections, making us more vulnerable to malign foreign actors and risking the safety of election officials.”

    The lawmakers also condemned the permanent termination without notice of federal funds for the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC). EI-ISAC is an essential resource for threat monitoring and coordination between state officials on election security matters.

    Additionally, the lawmakers highlighted a February 21, 2025, letter from the bipartisan National Association of Secretaries of State to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and pushed CISA to consult with election officials while conducting their assessment. The Secretaries’ letter underscores the need for CISA’s services to ensure the successful administration of elections.

    Last week, Padilla and Morelle expressed serious concerns about the dangerous implications for elections following President Trump’s executive order purporting to bring independent regulatory agencies under total control of the White House. Padilla previously denounced the illegal firing of FEC Chair Weintraub and led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind this decision. 

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Ms. Bean and Ms. Harrington:

    We are concerned by the lack of timely written response to our February 13, 2025, letter on the status of the election-related work and the treatment of employees at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Since the sending of that letter, several additional, disturbing reports have come to light, including (1) more CISA employees have been put on administrative leave, (2) election security efforts have been paused during a secretive review that is being rushed through without consultation with Congress or state and local election officials, and (3) employees of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), including at least one who is a known cybersecurity risk, are reworking CISA without any transparency.

    We expect a thorough and substantive response to both letters, and a briefing on the results of the assessment following its anticipated conclusion on March 6, 2025, with a discussion of any anticipated changes to the agency prior to any being finalized. While we recognize that CISA and DOGE is declining to communicate with Congress on individual personnel decisions, Congress has a right to understand the overall personnel numbers and structural changes occurring at CISA. We reiterate our request for information on the numbers of CISA employees whose work, in whole or in part, covered election-related matters that have either been placed on administrative leave or fired. Our committees have received information that the number of election security officials put on leave is greater than initially reported and public reports indicate that 130 CISA employees have been fired already.

    We understand that CISA launched a review of its election security work soon after receiving our February 13 letter. While we understand the assessment of the agency’s work remains ongoing—with a reported March 6 deadline—we urge your continued commitment to maintaining elections as a key component of CISA’s core mission. Additionally, we call your attention to the February 21, 2025, letter from the bipartisan National Association of Secretaries of State and urge you to consult with key Congressional committees and Chief Election Officials before the conclusion of the assessment. In their letter, the Secretaries noted the importance of CISA’s services, including cybersecurity services, physical security assessments, planning resources, and briefings on the foreign threats facing our election systems at the state and local level. While we encourage CISA to ensure these services remain intact, decisions to upend these programs after a three-week review without seriously considering the input of Members of Congress or the individuals running elections in the states would be irresponsible and shortsighted.

    We are also gravely concerned about the permanent termination of federal funds for the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC). The EI-ISAC played a critical role in threat monitoring and coordination between state officials, and the lack of notice prior to the termination of federal funding has left states unable to accept the services of the Center for Internet Security. We recommend restoring federal funding for the EI-ISAC as soon as possible. If CISA or DOGE refuse to do so, they owe Congress a substantive explanation for this decision and details of how CISA will be providing these services to states in the absence of the EI-ISAC.

    Furthermore, we are shocked by public reporting that an inexperienced DOGE staffer with a history of engagement with hacking groups, and who was fired for leaking sensitive information from a previous job, is now working at CISA. We demand an immediate answer as to how many DOGE employees are currently housed at CISA, as well as the level of access they have been given to sensitive information. Senior Advisor to the President Elon Musk has publicly committed the Administration and DOGE to the highest levels of transparency, and we expect a full accounting for DOGE’s activities at an agency with a mission as sensitive as CISA’s.

    As Ranking Members of the House and Senate Committees with jurisdiction over federal elections, we have a right to understand the changes occurring at CISA given its critical election security mission. Failure to respond to these questions is deeply disturbing given so many high-ranking administration officials’ refusals to accept the outcome of legitimate elections and involvement in spreading election-related mis- and disinformation. Election infrastructure is critical infrastructure. Changes at CISA could have dramatic impacts on future elections – the cornerstone of our democracy. Without a reasonable, transparent process that consults with Congress and Chief Election Officials on a bipartisan basis, we are alarmed that political leadership at DHS and DOGE is directing CISA to undercut the security of our elections, making us more vulnerable to malign foreign actors and risking the safety of election officials.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter and we look forward to your prompt response, no later than Monday, March 17.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road closures following fire, Awarua

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    People are being asked to steer clear of a fire in Awarua in the Far North as emergency services work at the scene.

    A section of Mangakahia Road has been closed as the fire continues.

    Police are in attendance supporting Fire and Emergency New Zealand with traffic management, after receiving a report of a bush fire in the area just after 12.30pm.

    The road has been closed either side of Takawhero Road and people are being asked to avoid the area.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTO: Cornyn Meets Houstonian & Honorary Secret Service Agent DJ Daniel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today met Houstonian and 13-year-old cancer survivor DJ Daniel, whom President Trump named an honorary Secret Service Agent during his Joint Address to Congress on Tuesday. See photo below.

    “I know I’m not alone in saying that 13-year-old Texan DJ Daniel, who proudly wore a Houston Police Department uniform… was one of the highlights of POTUS’ address to Congress. DJ is an inspiration and a great example of resilience. DJ, you are amazing, and I know you will be a fantastic Secret Service agent.” 

    This image is in the public domain, but those wishing to do so may credit the Office of U.S. Senator John Cornyn.

    Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Judiciary, Intelligence, Foreign Relations, and Budget Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Warren, Senators Raise Alarm About Reports of X Officials Leveraging Elon Musk’s Government Position to Drive Ad Revenue & Enrich the Billionaire

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) led Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in sending a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, raising concerns about reports that Elon Musk’s social media company “X” (formerly Twitter) is leveraging his influential position in the Trump Administration to extract revenue from advertisers and enrich himself. If Musk uses his government position to interfere with federal antitrust enforcement, allegedly threatening to stall or block an advertiser’s merger if they do not pay up, then he risks running afoul of criminal ethics laws.
    In 2023, a wave of advertisers withdrew ads from X after Musk “endorsed an antisemitic post” and loosened content moderation rules in ways that increased inflammatory content on the platform, reportedly costing the company as much as $75 million in ad revenue that year.
    In 2024, as Musk prepared to begin his new role in the federal government, an attorney at X allegedly demanded that the advertising conglomerate Interpublic Group “get its clients to spend more on Elon Musk’s social-media platform, or else.” 
    Interpublic has reportedly interpreted these communications to mean that Musk will leverage his influence over President Trump to stall or block Interpublic’s $13 billion deal to merge with advertising competitor Omnicom Group,” weaponizing federal antitrust enforcers, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
    In the first letter, the Senators raise concerns that “X officials could … be attempting to strike a quid-pro-quo deal, pressuring Interpublic to get its clients to spend a certain amount on advertising on X in exchange for directing President Trump to use his antitrust enforcement agencies to allow Interpublic’s merger with Omnicom to proceed.”
    “The fear that the FTC and DOJ could be used in such a way is not unfounded. There is precedent for the Trump Administration weaponizing federal antitrust enforcers to punish his perceived opponents. During his first term, President Trump allegedly interfered with the AT&T-Time Warner merger, in which the DOJ sued to block the merger, to punish CNN for the news agency’s reporting on the President,” wrote the Senators.
    The Senators request that the FTC and DOJ inform the undersigned of any attempts made by Elon Musk or his associates to interfere with federal antitrust enforcement writing, “The federal government’s antitrust enforcers should be prioritizing lowering costs for American consumers, empowering workers, and supporting small businesses. They should not be weaponized by wealthy business owners to put more money in the hands of billionaires or retaliate against American businesses.”
    Additionally, in a related letter sent today, the senators urge Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Special Government Employee Elon Musk if he uses his government position to protect those who engage in business with him as he would risk violating criminal ethics laws.  
    “Musk is not above the law by virtue of being the world’s richest man,” continued the senators. “If evidence emerges that Musk is, in fact, using his official role to coerce advertisers or is participating in particular matters in which he has a financial interest, we ask that DOJ investigate the potential violation of federal ethics laws, as the Department should for any other federal employee who appears to be breaking the law.”
    To read the full text of the letter, click here and here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth and Fellow Veterans’ Affairs Committee Democrats Demand Immediate Answers on VA Secretary Collins’ Disastrous Plan to Cut 83,000 VA Jobs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    March 06, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC)—joined SVAC Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), all other SVAC Democrats and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA-39) in demanding immediate answers from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins regarding the disastrous impact of the Trump Administration’s plans to cut more than 80,000 VA employees this year—including at least 20,000 Veterans. The lawmakers’ bicameral letter comes after an internal memo leaked earlier this week detailed a plan to slash VA’s workforce to fiscal year 2019 levels.

    The lawmakers expressed their extreme concern with the impact this massive reduction in force plan will have on Veterans—despite Collins’ unsupported claims that scaling back VA’s workforce by at least 15% will have no impact on VA care or benefits: “This planned [Reduction in Force] and [Reorganization Plan], coupled with the ongoing hiring freeze and illegal terminations of probationary employees, will be catastrophic for the agency; its workforce; and for the veterans, caregivers, and survivors it serves… You have promised on several occasions that any reductions in the VA workforce will not impact delivery of care and benefits to veterans. It defies logic and reason that the agency could cut an additional  83,000 employees, beyond the 2,400 or more you have already terminated, without healthcare and benefits being interrupted.”

    The lawmakers emphasized the harm in reducing VA’s workforce back to pre-PACT Act levels: “Congress passed the Honoring Our PACT Act in 2022, which authorized the largest expansion of veterans’ benefits in decades. Millions of veterans either became newly eligible for VA benefits or saw their benefits increase due to authorities in the PACT Act. To meet the growth in demand and to deliver the care and benefits veterans earned, Congress included provisions in the legislation that allowed VA to grow its workforce across the system…These new hires made the Department more efficient and productive, and the reduction in claims processing turnaround can be directly attributed to the growth in the workforce. Returning to pre-PACT levels explicitly goes against Congressional intent.”

    The lawmakers concluded their letter by demanding immediate answers to a series of questions and requests for documentation, including:

    • A full and unredacted copy of the memo leaked this week including attachments referenced;
    • Full and unredacted copies of the information gathered and submitted by Administrations and Staff Offices that is due by March 10, 2025, as referenced in the memo;
    • The names, jobs titles, job duties and onboarding dates of the “DOGE leads” and “VA liaisons to DOGE” referenced in the memo;
    • A detailed list of VA Administration and Staff Office personnel who will be detailed to support the Reduction in Force and Reorganization Plan efforts referenced in the memo;
    • A detailed timeline of the proposed Reduction in Force and Reorganization Plan;
    • A list of the designated senior leaders who will serve as central points of contact for time sensitive issues designated by Administration and Staff Offices as referenced in the memo;
    • What future objectives related to any RIFs or adjustments to VA staffing levels are being contemplated or planned; and
    • To confirm the exact data and goals the Secretary is referencing to implement these plans. 

    Along with Duckworth, the letter was co-signed in the Senate by SVAC Ranking Member Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

    In the House, the letter is also co-signed by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) and numerous House Democratic Committee members.

    The full text of the letter is available on the Committee Democrats’ website and below.

    Dear Secretary Collins:

    We write to express our extreme concern regarding reports that through Agency Reductions in Force (RIF) and Reorganization Plan (ARRP), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plans to cut its staff by an estimated 83,000 employees by the end of this fiscal year. VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek stated in a March 4, 2025, memorandum to key VA officials that the “initial objective” at the agency will be to reduce the VA workforce to end of fiscal year 2019 levels. This planned RIF and ARRP, coupled with the ongoing hiring freeze and illegal terminations of probationary employees, will be catastrophic for the agency; its workforce; and for the veterans, caregivers, and survivors it serves.

    Congress passed the Honoring Our PACT Act in 2022, which authorized the largest expansion of veterans’ benefits in decades. Millions of veterans either became newly eligible for VA benefits or saw their benefits increase due to authorities in the PACT Act. To meet the growth in demand and to deliver the care and benefits veterans earned, Congress included provisions in the legislation that allowed VA to grow its workforce across the system. Those new hires were not limited to clinicians who provide direct care. Claims processors, benefits counselors, IT professionals, and essential support staff were also onboarded to ensure veterans could access their earned disability compensation and programs like the G.I. Bill and Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E). These new hires made the Department more efficient and productive, and the reduction in claims processing turnaround can be directly attributed to the growth in the workforce. Returning to pre-PACT levels explicitly goes against Congressional intent.

    You have promised on several occasions that any reductions in the VA workforce will not impact delivery of care and benefits to veterans. It defies logic and reason that the agency could cut an additional 83,000 employees, beyond the 2,400 or more you have already terminated, without healthcare and benefits being interrupted. To that end and due to the urgency of this matter, we request answers to the following questions by March 14, 2025. We also request our staff be briefed on these RIF and ARRP plans by March 12, 2025.

    1. Please provide a full and unredacted copy of the March 4, 2025, memorandum from the VA Chief of Staff to key Administration officials, “Department of Veterans Affairs Agency Reduction in Force (RIF) and Reorganization Plan (ARRP)” including “Attachment 1”. 
    2. Please provide full and unredacted copies of the information gathered and submitted by Administrations and Staff Offices that is due by March 10, 2025, as referenced in the March 4, 2025 memorandum related to the proposed RIF and ARRP. 
    3. Please provide the names, jobs titles, job duties, and onboarding dates of the “DOGE leads” and “VA liaisons to DOGE” referenced in the March 4, 2025 memorandum. 
    4. Please provide a detailed list of VA Administration and Staff Office personnel who will be detailed to support the RIF and ARRP efforts, as referenced in the March 4, 2025, memorandum. Please include the following data: name, occupation, job description, work experience, job location, and other relevant information. 
    5. Please provide a detailed timeline of the proposed RIF and ARRP plans, including all due dates for information from VA Administrations and Staff Offices and dates on which each step in the RIF and ARRP plan will be executed. 
    6. Please provide a list of the designated senior leaders who will serve as central points of contact for time sensitive issues designated by Administration and Staff Offices as referenced in the March 4, 2025 memorandum. 
    7. Please provide a list of Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, other Key Officials, Senior Advisors, DOGE liaisons, and any other personnel who will serve on the Executive Review Group (ERG) referenced in the March 4, 2025 memorandum. 
    8. Please provide a list of participants and a detailed summary of the initial senior level meeting chaired by the Secretary that is planned for March 5, 2025 as referenced in the March 4, 2025 memorandum. 
    9. In the March 4, 2025 memorandum, the VA Chief of Staff states, “…the Department’s initial objective is to return to 2019 end-strength numbers of 399, 957 employees.” What future objectives related to any RIFs or adjustments to VA staffing levels are being contemplated or planned? 
    10. In the March 4, 2025 memorandum, the Chief of Staff refers to 2019 numbers as 399,957 employees, but according to data reported as required by Section 505 of Public Law 115-82, the MISSION Act, the Department’s numbers were below that level until 2020. Please confirm the exact data and goals you’ll be referencing as you implement these plans.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash: Bush Road, Pipiroa

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash involving a car and motorcycle, at Pipiroa in the Hauraki district.

    Police were alerted to the crash about 2.20pm, at the intersection of Shellbank and Bush roads. One person is in a critical condition.

    The road is likely to be closed for some time and diversions are being put in place at the intersections of Bush Road and State Highway 25, and Bush Road and Orchard East Road.

    Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Charges – Property offences – Greater Darwin Region

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has charged three male youths in relation to a crime series that commenced on Monday in the Greater Darwin Region.

    Strike Force Trident detectives have conducted extensive investigations to identify the perpetrators of multiple thefts and unlawful entries whilst using a stolen motor vehicle.

    About 1:40pm on Monday, police allege a male youth and a female youth attended a shopping centre in Yarrawonga and stole small items from a business.

    The following day at about 3:15pm, the same male youth involved in the incident the day before allegedly returned to the same shopping centre and stole further items from a separate business whilst in the company of other male youths.

    Three male youths then attended a recreational on The Boulevard where they stole car keys to a blue Nissan X-trail from a worker.

    The group of three subsequently met up with the male youth who was involved in both shopping centre thefts, located the vehicle and drove off from the location.

    The group of four males went on to unlawfully enter four separate businesses in Winnellie, Berrimah and Holtze before attempting to unlawfully enter a fifth business.

    About 1am the following morning on Wednesday, the same group allegedly attempted to unlawfully enter a further two businesses within the Bellamack Business Precinct before being disturbed by police in the area.

    The stolen vehicle was recovered at 5am that morning and has been seized for forensic analysis.

    Yesterday morning, Strike Force Trident detectives arrested and charged three male youths, aged 13, 14 and 16 with:

    • Drive/Ride/Use MV without consent
    • 4 x Aggravated Burglary
    • 3 x Attempted Burglary
    • 7 x Damage to Property
    • 3 x Theft
    • Trespass

    The 13 and 14-year-old males received an extra charge of Breach Bail.

    Further charges were laid on the 13-year-old in relation to the incidents, including two extra counts of shoplifting and Drive Unlicenced.

    Investigations remain ongoing with Strike Force Trident working to arrest the remaining offenders.

    Anyone with information is urged to make contact on 131 444 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australian women are diverse, so the approach to women’s safety should be as well

    Source: Australian Human Rights Commission

    This International Women’s Day, the Commissioners at the Australian Human Rights Commission stand together to call for urgent action to ensure that all women and girls—of every background, age or disability—can live free from violence, discrimination, and inequality.

    This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” is a reminder that gender equality can only be achieved when every woman and girl has their rights upheld, their safety guaranteed, and their voices heard. Gender equality benefits all of us.

    For too many women, this vision remains out of reach. Women in Australia continue to face gender-based violence at devastating rates, economic insecurity that puts them at risk, and structural barriers that leave them without access to support or justice. These issues are not separate—they are interconnected. That is why we must take a prevention-first approach that reflects the diversity of Australian women and girls.

    We also urge governments to commit to sustainable funding for community-led, trauma-informed, and person-centred solutions, ensuring that the women and communities most affected by violence and discrimination lead the responses. This cannot be achieved without real accountability.

    This International Women’s Day, we ask Australia to move beyond rhetoric and commit to genuine systemic change. Women’s safety must be a guarantee – it cannot be an afterthought.

    “International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate progress, but it is also a call to action. We cannot achieve gender equality while women continue to live in fear of violence and discrimination. We know what works in communities, workplaces, and homes, let’s listen to women and girls and be led by them.”
    Dr Anna Cody, Sex Discrimination Commissioner

    “For migrant, refugee, and First Nations women and girls, safety is often undermined by racism, visa insecurity, and systemic barriers to justice. True empowerment means ensuring negatively racialised women and girls have equal protection under the law and that their perspectives are built into policy and practice.”
    Giridharan Sivaraman, Race Discrimination Commissioner

    “While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are the bedrock of our communities, we also face challenges like domestic and family violence at disproportionate rates – a crisis further compounded by the ongoing issue of misidentification as perpetrators. Too often, these women remain invisible within the statistics that should be driving our reforms. We must have targeted, culturally informed strategies that acknowledge and address these systemic shortcomings.”
    Katie Kiss, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner

    “Housing insecurity has become increasingly widespread among older women. The rate of homelessness among older women has grown by almost 40% in the last ten years. We cannot talk about women’s safety without addressing economic inequality and the structural barriers that put them at risk.”
    Robert Fitzgerald AM, Age Discrimination Commissioner

    Women and girls with disability experience higher rates of violence, yet their specific and unique experiences are often not recognised or addressed in gender-based violence responses. We need accessible, and rights-based solutions to ensure no woman or girl is excluded.”
    Rosemary Kayess, Disability Discrimination Commissioner

    “All children should be safe, and their wellbeing should be made a national priority for Australia. 1 in 3 girls experience child sexual abuse. If we are serious about ending gender-based violence, we must stop the violence experienced by children in their homes and ensure that children with trauma get the help they need. For too long we have neglected the wellbeing of children – this International Women’s Day I call for child wellbeing to be made a priority for National Cabinet.”
    Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Commissioner

    “Australian women and girls are diverse, but one thing that should be shared by us all is being able to live free from violence and fear. International Women’s Day is a day to reaffirm the importance of ensuring that these shared rights are upheld for all women and girls.”
    Lorraine Finlay, Human Rights Commissioner

    This International Women’s Day, we call on governments, policymakers, and communities to act. For ALL women and girls—Rights, Equality, Empowerment.

    ENDS | Media contact: media@humanrights.gov.au or 0457 281 897 (only calls, no texts please) 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious Crash, SH3, Egmont Village

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    State Highway 3 is blocked following a two-vehicle crash involving a car towing a trailer, near Egmont Road, Egmont Village.

    Emergency services were alerted to the crash around 1:50pm.

    Initial indications suggest two people are in a critical condition.

    The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

    SH3 is blocked at it’s intersections with Upland Road and Egmont Road and motorists are advised to take an alternate route.

    ENDS 

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Active-Duty and Former U.S. Army Soldiers Arrested for Theft of Government Property and Bribery Scheme

    Source: US State of California

    One Soldier Charged with Conspiring to Transmit National Defense Information to Individuals Located in China

    View the indictment for Jian Zhao.

    Jian Zhao, and Li Tian, active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier, were arrested today following indictments by federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington. Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao was charged in the Western District of Washington for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it, and also for bribery and theft of government property.

    “The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” said Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”

    “While bribery and corruption have thrived under China’s Communist Party, this behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners will continue to work to uncover attempts by those in China to steal sensitive U.S. military information and hold all accountable who play a role in betraying our national defense. The FBI would like to thank U.S. Army Counterintelligence for their close partnership during this investigation.”

    “We thank the FBI and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command for their hard work on this investigation and commitment to protecting our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney William M. Narus for the District of Oregon.

    “These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General, Army Counterintelligence Command. “Along with the Department of Justice and FBI, Army Counterintelligence Command will continue to work tirelessly to hold those accountable who irresponsibly and selfishly abandon the Army values and choose personal gain over duty to our nation. We remind all members of the Army team to increase their vigilance and protect our Army by reporting suspicious activity.”

    The indictment in the District of Oregon alleges that beginning on or about Nov. 28, 2021, and continuing to at least on or about Dec. 19, 2024, Duan and Tian along with others, known and unknown to the grand jury conspired with each other to surreptitiously gather sensitive military information related to the United States Army’s operational capabilities, including technical manuals and other sensitive information, and that Tian transmitted this information to Duan in return for money, in violation of his official duties as an active-duty U.S. Army officer. Specifically, Tian was tasked with gathering information related U.S. military weapon systems, including information related to the Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles, and transmitting them to Duan.

    The indictment in the Western District of Washington alleges that beginning in or about July 2024, and continuing to the date of the arrest, Jian Zhao, an active-duty U.S. Army Supply Sergeant, conspired with others known and unknown to the grand jury to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals based in China. Zhao is further alleged to have committed bribery and theft of government property.

    Specifically, Zhao was charged for his conspiracy to collect and transmit several classified hard drives, including hard drives marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET”, negotiating with individuals based in China for their sale, and agreeing to send the classified hard drives to the individuals in China. In exchange for the sale of the classified hard drives, Zhao received at least $10,000. Zhao is further alleged to have conspired to sell an encryption capable computer that was stolen from the U.S. Government, and sensitive U.S. military documents and information, including information related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and information related to U.S. military readiness in the event of a conflict with the People’s Republic of China. Zhao is alleged to have violated his duties as a U.S. Army Soldier and public official to protect sensitive military information in exchange for money. In total, Zhao is alleged to have corruptly received and accepted payments totaling at least $15,000.

    The FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey Barrow and Katherine Rykken for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorneys Christopher Cook and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Advances Bipartisan Bill to Permanently Classify Illicit Fentanyl Knockoffs as Schedule I Drugs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    03.06.25
    Senate Advances Bipartisan Bill to Permanently Classify Illicit Fentanyl Knockoffs as Schedule I Drugs
    Legislation would also enable research into fentanyl-related substances
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States Senate voted 82-12 to advance the bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, voted in favor of the bill.
    “The HALT Fentanyl Act maintains strong penalties for trafficking fentanyl, while allowing for important scientific research and medical applications to continue,” said Sen. Cantwell. “We still have more work to do on other bills to address the fentanyl scourge, from providing more treatment options, to additional resources for first responders, to more tools for law enforcement to stop traffickers and dealers.”
    The bill now awaits final passage by the Senate.
    The legislation would:
    Permanently schedule illicit fentanyl-related substances:
    Amends the Controlled Substances Act to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I.
    Ends the game of whack-a-mole Congress has played since 2018; Congress has repeatedly extended the first Trump administration’s temporary Schedule I classification of fentanyl-related substances.
    Locks in permanent classification of fentanyl-related substances before its temporary Schedule I status expires on March 31, 2025.
    Protect patients’ access to legitimate, FDA-approved fentanyl:
    Preserves the Schedule II status and FDA-approved use of fentanyl for legitimate medical purposes:
    Nine major medical associations affirmed the HALT Fentanyl Act’s distinction between illicit, fentanyl-related substances and FDA-approved fentanyl, citing the bill’s ability to, “effectively combat the illicit fentanyl epidemic while preserving access to legitimate, physician-directed pain management.”
    Support law enforcement and codify existing penalties:
    Maintains existing criminal penalties for fentanyl trafficking to ensure illicit manufacturers and traffickers can be fully prosecuted and victims and their families receive justice.
    Penalties under the HALT Fentanyl Act are identical to what current law dictates under the temporary scheduling of fentanyl-related substances.
    Utilizes the same class-scheduling rubric enacted seven years ago. This rubric has only ever been used to target lethal fentanyl-related substances and arrest defendants convicted of illicit drug trafficking and manufacturing.
    Advance scientific and medical research:
    Streamlines the registration process for Schedule I researchers, allowing more scientists to study fentanyl-related substances.
    Includes provisions to permit a single registration for related research sites, allowing researchers with ongoing studies to examine newly added fentanyl-related substances and authorize registered researchers to manufacture small quantities of fentanyl-related substances without a separate registration.
    In 2023 and 2024, Sen. Cantwell traveled across the State of Washington to 10 communities — Tacoma, Everett, Tri-Cities, Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver, Port Angeles, Walla Walla, Yakima, and Longview – hearing from people on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis, including first responders, law enforcement, health care providers, and people with firsthand experience of fentanyl addiction.  She also participated in the National Tribal Opioid Summit, a gathering of approximately 900 tribal leaders, health care workers, and first responders from across the country hosted by the Tulalip Tribes following the first-ever statewide summit hosted by the Lummi Nation.  Sen. Cantwell has since used what she heard in those roundtables and related events to craft and champion specific legislative solutions, including:
    The Stop Smuggling Illicit Synthetic Drugs on U.S. Transportation Networks Act, which would crack down on the trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, like fentanyl, using the U.S. transportation network;
    The Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act, which would expand the use of tools that record fatal and nonfatal overdoses in near-real time and help first responders deploy resources faster;
    The FEND Off Fentanyl Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden, which will help U.S. government agencies disrupt opioid supply chains by imposing sanctions on traffickers and fighting money laundering;
    The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act, which would require that all pill presses be engraved with a serial number and impose penalties for the removal or alteration of the number.;
    The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, which would list xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance while protecting the drug’s legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers, enable the Drug Enforcement Administration to track xylazine’s manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market;
    The TRANQ Research Act of 2023, signed into law by President Biden, which will spur more research into xylazine (also called “tranq”) and other novel synthetic drugs by directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology to tackle these issues; and
    The Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act, which would bolster Tribal law enforcement agencies by helping them hire and retain tribal law enforcement officers by raising their retirement, pension, death, and injury benefits to be on part with those of federal law enforcement officers.
    In addition, Sen. Cantwell voted for a series of federal funding bills allocating $1.69 billion to combat fentanyl and other illicit drugs coming into the United States, including an additional $385.2 million to increase security at U.S. ports of entry, with the goal of catching more illegal drugs like fentanyl before they make it across the border.  Critical funding will go toward Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology at land and sea ports of entries. NII technologies—like large-scale X-ray and Gamma ray imaging systems, as well as a variety of portable and handheld technologies—allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help detect and prevent contraband from being smuggled into the country without disrupting flow at the border.
    A full timeline of Sen. Cantwell’s actions to combat the fentanyl crisis is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Operation Fielder: Name release

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Superintendent Shanan Gray, Counties Manukau District Commander:

    Police are formally releasing the name of the man who died at Ōrere Point on 2 March.

    Today, he can be named as Faasala Samu Matue, aged 45.

    A blessing was conducted at the scene with family and iwi present on Thursday morning.

    Police extend our condolences to his family at this difficult time.

    A post-mortem was completed on Wednesday, however Mr Matue’s cause of death has not been determined as yet.

    Police will await further findings from a pathologist.

    Meanwhile, the critical incident investigation remains ongoing into the wider events that unfolded on Sunday afternoon.

    Police are continuing to ask any witnesses with information or footage to come forward.

    Please make contact with Police online or by calling 105.

    A member of the investigation team will be in contact about the next steps.

    Please use the reference number 250302/2478 or cite ‘Operation Fielder’.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Active-Duty and Former U.S. Army Soldiers Arrested for Theft of Government Property and Bribery Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    One Soldier Charged with Conspiring to Transmit National Defense Information to Individuals Located in China

    View the indictment for Jian Zhao.

    Jian Zhao, and Li Tian, active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier, were arrested today following indictments by federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington. Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao was charged in the Western District of Washington for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it, and also for bribery and theft of government property.

    “The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” said Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”

    “While bribery and corruption have thrived under China’s Communist Party, this behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners will continue to work to uncover attempts by those in China to steal sensitive U.S. military information and hold all accountable who play a role in betraying our national defense. The FBI would like to thank U.S. Army Counterintelligence for their close partnership during this investigation.”

    “We thank the FBI and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command for their hard work on this investigation and commitment to protecting our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney William M. Narus for the District of Oregon.

    “These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General, Army Counterintelligence Command. “Along with the Department of Justice and FBI, Army Counterintelligence Command will continue to work tirelessly to hold those accountable who irresponsibly and selfishly abandon the Army values and choose personal gain over duty to our nation. We remind all members of the Army team to increase their vigilance and protect our Army by reporting suspicious activity.”

    The indictment in the District of Oregon alleges that beginning on or about Nov. 28, 2021, and continuing to at least on or about Dec. 19, 2024, Duan and Tian along with others, known and unknown to the grand jury conspired with each other to surreptitiously gather sensitive military information related to the United States Army’s operational capabilities, including technical manuals and other sensitive information, and that Tian transmitted this information to Duan in return for money, in violation of his official duties as an active-duty U.S. Army officer. Specifically, Tian was tasked with gathering information related U.S. military weapon systems, including information related to the Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles, and transmitting them to Duan.

    The indictment in the Western District of Washington alleges that beginning in or about July 2024, and continuing to the date of the arrest, Jian Zhao, an active-duty U.S. Army Supply Sergeant, conspired with others known and unknown to the grand jury to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals based in China. Zhao is further alleged to have committed bribery and theft of government property.

    Specifically, Zhao was charged for his conspiracy to collect and transmit several classified hard drives, including hard drives marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET”, negotiating with individuals based in China for their sale, and agreeing to send the classified hard drives to the individuals in China. In exchange for the sale of the classified hard drives, Zhao received at least $10,000. Zhao is further alleged to have conspired to sell an encryption capable computer that was stolen from the U.S. Government, and sensitive U.S. military documents and information, including information related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and information related to U.S. military readiness in the event of a conflict with the People’s Republic of China. Zhao is alleged to have violated his duties as a U.S. Army Soldier and public official to protect sensitive military information in exchange for money. In total, Zhao is alleged to have corruptly received and accepted payments totaling at least $15,000.

    The FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey Barrow and Katherine Rykken for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorneys Christopher Cook and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia Man Convicted of Hate Crime for Attempted Church Shooting

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    After a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict today for Rui Jiang, of Falls Church, Virginia, who was charged with attempting to obstruct the congregants of a church in Haymarket, Virginia, in the free exercise of their religious beliefs. The charge included that the defendant’s attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and an attempt to kill. Jiang also faced charges for transmitting online threats and a firearms violation. The jury found Jiang guilty on all counts.

    According to evidence presented at trial, Jiang began posting online threats against the church on the evening of Sept. 23, 2023, which made clear his intention to kill congregants.

    On the morning of Sept. 24, 2023, police began searching for Jiang in response to a concerned citizen’s call about his posts. Police officers located Jiang inside the front entrance to the church while Sunday services were underway. Church volunteers, independently concerned about Jiang’s behavior, had just approached Jiang when police arrived. Jiang was armed with a semiautomatic handgun and two full magazines of ammunition. He had an additional 34 rounds of ammunition in his nearby car.

    During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed by Jiang in ink, which read in part, “To the families of those men about to be slain – I am sorry for what I have done and about to do (sic).”

    Jiang was arrested by Prince William County Police on Sept. 24, 2023, and has been in custody since that time.

    Jiang faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 18. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Assistant Director in Charge Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. 

    The FBI investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Prince William County and Fairfax County Police Departments. The Anne Arundel County Police Department also provided assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas A. Durham and Troy A. Edwards Jr. for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Proposal to Make Child Care More Affordable

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. The bill was co-led by U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). U.S. Representatives Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Salud Carbajal (CA-24) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill includes language from Shaheen’s Right Start Child Care and Education Act legislation.
    “I hear time and again from parents in New Hampshire who are desperate for reliable, affordable child care options, but for too many families, their options are limited at best and nonexistent at worst,” said Senator Shaheen. “For an issue that impacts so many families in every corner of every state, it’s time we find a bipartisan path forward, which is why I’m proud to join my colleagues on this commonsense, bipartisan proposal to lower child care costs, increase wages for the workforce and ensure providers can keep their doors open.”
    Additional cosponsors of the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act include U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT), Angus King (I-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Susan Collins (R-ME). The bill text can be viewed here.
    The Child Care Workforce Act is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators King and Gillibrand. The proposal contains two bills because one proposes changes to existing tax credits, falling under the jurisdiction of the Senate Finance Committee, and the other authorizes a new pilot program, falling under the jurisdiction of the Senate HELP Committee. The bill text can be viewed here.
    The worsening child care crisis is holding families, child care workers, businesses and our entire economy back. Across the country, too many families cannot find—or afford—the high-quality child care they need so parents can go to work and children can thrive. Over the last few decades, the cost of child care has increased by 263%, forcing families—and mothers, in particular—to make impossible choices.
    More than half of all families live in child care deserts. Meanwhile, child care workers are struggling to make ends meet on their poverty-level wages and child care providers are struggling to simply stay afloat. The crisis—which was exacerbated by the pandemic—is costing our economy approximately $122 billion in economic losses each year.
    New national polling in conjunction with First Five Years Fund (FFYF) reflects overwhelming bipartisan support for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), with 86% of voters in support of increasing the CDCTC. Additionally, 79% of Republican voters say they want President Trump and Republicans in Congress to do more to help hardworking families afford child care with 72% saying investing in child care is a good use of tax dollars. According to polling from Fabrizio Ward, 63% of all voters say helping working class families is their top priority when it comes to changes in tax policy.
    Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care, including by delivering more than $77 million to New Hampshire through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief laws to the Granite State. Since then, Shaheen had urged state and local officials to distribute those federal funds, especially in communities that lack access to child care. In August, Shaheen visited Colebrook Community Child Care Center to discuss challenges and solutions to the child care crisis in rural communities, and in October Shaheen hosted Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su for a discussion on child care and workforce challenges in Brentwood. 
    Last year, Shaheen introduced the Right Start Child Care and Education Act, which would make child care more affordable and accessible for working families by reforming the federal tax code. She also introduced the bipartisan Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act. Additionally, she helped introduce the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act to permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, which helps households offset their child care costs.
    Last April, Shaheen convened a hearing as former Chair of the U.S. Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee to hear testimony from expert witnesses on the child care industry’s broken business model and what Congress can do to support small business child care providers, employees and families. A subsequent U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy issue brief, in response to data challenges raised at the hearing, details the role of small businesses in the child care industry and fills data gaps in child care industry research.
    Last Congress, Shaheen helped introduce the Child Care Stabilization Act, which would provide additional federal child care stabilization funding—which was provided in the American Rescue Plan—and ensure that child care providers can keep their doors open and continue serving children and families in every part of the country. Shaheen joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to introduce the Child Care for Working Families Act, which would provide affordable child care for all working families, expand access to preschool programs and increase wages for early childhood workers. She also joined U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) in reintroducing the bipartisan Childcare Workforce and Facilities Act to address the national shortage of affordable, quality child care, especially in rural communities. In the government funding bill for fiscal year (FY) 2024, Senator Shaheen worked to include a $1 billion increase for early education, including a $725 million increase to $8.75 billion for Child Care and Development Block Grants to states and a $275 million increase to Head Start4. The law additionally included $315 million for Preschool Development Grants.
    The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act is endorsed by A+ Education Partnership, Alabama Arise, Alabama School Readiness Alliance, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPCA), Business Council of Alabama, Care.com, Chamber of Progress, Chamber RVA, Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA), Child Care Aware of Virginia, Children’s Institute, Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC), Educare Learning Network, FFYF, Gingerbread Kids Academy, Hampton Roads Chamber, Healthy Kids AL, KinderCare Learning Companies, Manufacture Alabama, Metrix IQ, Mobile Area Education Foundation, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), National Child Care Association (NCCA), Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (NVC), Save the Children, Small Business Majority, Start Early, Third Way, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF), VOICES for Alabama’s Children and Voices for Virginia’s Kids. In addition to those groups, the Child Care Workforce Act is endorsed by the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and ZERO TO THREE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Virginia Man Convicted of Hate Crime for Attempted Church Shooting

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    After a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict today for Rui Jiang, of Falls Church, Virginia, who was charged with attempting to obstruct the congregants of a church in Haymarket, Virginia, in the free exercise of their religious beliefs. The charge included that the defendant’s attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and an attempt to kill. Jiang also faced charges for transmitting online threats and a firearms violation. The jury found Jiang guilty on all counts.

    According to evidence presented at trial, Jiang began posting online threats against the church on the evening of Sept. 23, 2023, which made clear his intention to kill congregants.

    On the morning of Sept. 24, 2023, police began searching for Jiang in response to a concerned citizen’s call about his posts. Police officers located Jiang inside the front entrance to the church while Sunday services were underway. Church volunteers, independently concerned about Jiang’s behavior, had just approached Jiang when police arrived. Jiang was armed with a semiautomatic handgun and two full magazines of ammunition. He had an additional 34 rounds of ammunition in his nearby car.

    During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed by Jiang in ink, which read in part, “To the families of those men about to be slain – I am sorry for what I have done and about to do (sic).”

    Jiang was arrested by Prince William County Police on Sept. 24, 2023, and has been in custody since that time.

    Jiang faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 18. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Assistant Director in Charge Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. 

    The FBI investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Prince William County and Fairfax County Police Departments. The Anne Arundel County Police Department also provided assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas A. Durham and Troy A. Edwards Jr. for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Falls Church man convicted of hate crime for attempted church shooting

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – After a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict today for Rui Jiang, of Falls Church, who was charged with attempting to obstruct the congregants of a church in Haymarket in the free exercise of their religious beliefs. The charge included that the defendant’s attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and an attempt to kill. Jiang also faced charges for transmitting online threats and a firearms violation. The jury found Jiang guilty on all counts.

    According to evidence presented at trial, Jiang began posting online threats against the church on the evening of Sept. 23, 2023, which made clear his intention to kill congregants.

    On the morning of Sept. 24, 2023, police began searching for Jiang in response to a concerned citizen’s call about his posts. Police officers located Jiang inside the front entrance to the church while Sunday services were underway. Church volunteers, independently concerned about Jiang’s behavior, had just approached Jiang when police arrived. Jiang was armed with a semiautomatic handgun and two full magazines of ammunition. He had an additional 34 rounds of ammunition in his nearby car.

    During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed by Jiang in ink, which read in part, “To the families of those men about to be slain – I am sorry for what I have done and about to do (sic).”

    Jiang was arrested by Prince William County Police on Sept. 24, 2023, and has been in custody since that time.

    Jiang faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on June 18. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mac Warner, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Roman Rozhavsky, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the verdict.

    The FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Prince William County and Fairfax County Police Departments. The Anne Arundel County Police Department also provided assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas A. Durham and Troy A. Edwards Jr. for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

    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 Case No. 1:24-cr-65.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Over £48 million worth of drugs seized in crackdown on cannabis cultivation

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    More nationwide police action has removed cannabis with the street value of £48,328,000, disrupting organised criminal gangs. 

    Forces across the country have once again focused their efforts on targeting major cannabis grows to disrupt violence, exploitation and organised crime across England and Wales.  

    Operation Mille stems from years of investigations and information focused on organised crime groups (OCGs) who are directly involved in the growing and selling of large quantities of so-called commercial cannabis on an industrial scale.

    It is the third time police forces across the country have focused their efforts on the criminal networks involved in largescale cannabis production and sale, as part of a long term commitment to tackle this illicit activity.

    This significant action by police forces, regional organised crime units (ROCUs) and partner organisations has aimed to disrupt these criminal networks’ revenue streams and wider activity linked to issues like illegal migration, violent crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people.  

     
    Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Adam Ball, who led the operation, said: “This week of action has seen police carry out hundreds of warrants, seize dozens of weapons and take millions of pounds worth of illegal drugs off the streets. 

    “Cannabis may seem harmless but its production and subsequent selling has long fuelled other serious acts of criminality, which in turn blight our communities. It’s links to the importation of class A drugs, county lines and gang violence is prevalent, as well as the alarming levels of exploitation people fall victim to.  

    “The week also demonstrates what can be achieved when working together. For months we have coordinated with colleagues from the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement, the Home Office, the ROCU network and other partners to ensure this operation has been a success. What we have found will help inform all of us for future investigations. 

    “Although this latest phase of Operation Mille focused on a week of action, I want to make it clear that our work does not stop. We are already analysing results and working on information received to work out where we focus our efforts next. This is a long term commitment and there is much more police activity to come.

    “We all remain committed to disrupting cannabis cultivation and the terrible crimes associated with it, to make sure our communities are safeguarded against serious organised crime.”  

    As well as the cannabis plants, cocaine and ketamine were also seized in properties alongside 65 weapons, including 14 firearms, 12 machetes and 11 knives.  

    242 people have been arrested and 19 individuals suspected of being victims of modern slavery and human trafficking and have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism to receive appropriate support.  

    Almost half of the addresses raided by police did not have people in the premises, which matches a pattern noticed by police of an increase in empty cannabis farms. 

    Where people were living, officers often found squalid living conditions and numerous hazards at the address, such as dangerous wiring into the property from mains electricity, as well as damage from things like fumes and watering. 

    Police investigations at properties also highlighted the role of ‘professional enablers’ in these criminal networks.

    Those supporting this kind of activity includes landlords renting out spaces as well as tradespeople such as electricians, who help gangs set up and power their grows.


    ACC Ball continues:     “We remain concerned about the often vulnerable people manipulated into illegal migration to work for these organised criminal gangs.  
    “There is a heavy risk of exploitation for those who are coerced and manipulated into the cannabis trade. Where we spot this exploitation, we do all we can make sure that people are given the support they need to get help.” 

    Charles Yates, NCA deputy director, said: “The NCA was proud to have supported policing in this very important work combating the threat of cannabis, which is a gateway drug to other very harmful substances.

    “The agency deployed officers alongside policing colleagues in executing warrants, assisting with arrests, searches and interviews.

    “We also supported with a range of niche capabilities including the Joint International Crime Centre and NCA’s international network in our mission to combat the supply of illicit drugs into our communities.”

    Current results from Operation Mille include: 

    • 368 warrants and searches
    • 48,328  plants seized, worth an estimated street value of £48,328,000 (based on an average of £1,000 per plant).
    • 242 individuals have been arrested 
    • 65 weapons have been seized, including 14 firearms
    • £183,590 in cash seized

    +

    Cannabis farms also present a very real local threat.

    The size of criminal cannabis ‘farms’ means that damage is often caused to the properties themselves; the buildings can become dangerous as a result of fire risks, unlawful abstraction of electricity, fumes and water damage.

    Anyone with information about a potential cannabis factory or drug dealing can contact their local force online or via 101.

    People can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or crimestoppers-uk.org

    There are some key signs to spot a property could be being used as a cannabis factory:

    • Frequent visitors to a property at unsocial hours throughout the day and night.
    • Blacked out windows or condensation on the windows, even when it is not cold outside.
    • Bright lights in rooms throughout the night.
    • Electricity meters being tampered with/altered and new cabling, sometimes leading to street lighting. High electricity bills could also be an indicator.
    • A powerful, distinctive, sweet, sickly aroma and noise from fans.
    • Lots of work or deliveries of equipment to an address, particularly those associated with growing plants indoors without soil such as heaters and lighting.
    • An excessive amount of plant pots, chemicals, fertilisers, and compost.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Marshall Delivers Opening Statement as Chairman of Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology Subcommittee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Chairman of the Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology Subcommittee, today delivered opening remarks for the hearing regarding the Fix Our Forests Act.
    This legislation is especially important in the wake of several catastrophic fires in Southern California and the Hawaiian island of Maui. Senator Marshall also highlighted the importance of grassland management and the need to address wildfires in Kansas. The Fix Our Forests Act will provide common-sense deregulation that streamlines fire prevention – both reactively and proactively.
    Agriculture Committee Hearings to examine options to reduce catastrophic wildfire, including H.R.471, to expedite under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and improve forest management activities on National Forest System lands, on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, and on Tribal lands to return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands, in Washington, DC on March 6, 2025. (Official U.S. Senate photo by Renee Bouchard)
    Click here or on the image above to watch the opening statement, or read Senator Marshall’s full remarks below:
    “Good morning and welcome everybody.
    “It is my privilege to call this hearing to order. I would like to thank our witnesses for taking time out of your busy schedules to come share your expertise and perspectives on the Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471), which the House passed – for the second time – by an overwhelming vote of 279-141 in January 2025. Just a month or so ago.
    “We know wildfires are indifferent to federal, state, tribal, and private property jurisdictions, and we have all seen the destruction catastrophic wildfire can cause on our rural and urban communities. 
    “Just this week we are witnessing fires threatening lives and property in the Carolinas, and unfortunately, recent history is replete with incidents illustrating the devastating impacts fires have on our communities from the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California to the 2023 Lahaina fires in Maui, Hawaii, to the 2025 Southern California fires as well.
    “In order to treat an issue, first we must identify the symptoms, diagnose the root cause of the problem, and implement scientifically sound treatments. The loss of human life and property from these fires is an acute and painful symptom of a system that is not working. The causes come from misguided policies one could argue goes all the way back to the Forest Service’s 1930’s so-called “10 AM Policy,” which required all fires to be extinguished by 10 AM the day after they were discovered. 
    “These causes have been compounded by the federal government’s inability or unwillingness to treat the right acres at the right time at the right scale over numerous administrations. Treating this problem comes in the form of an all-of-the-above approach to modernizing the federal technological toolbox for assessing and identifying wildfire risk, facilitating early response and suppression, and updating the public-private partnership model for federal, state, tribal, county, and private landowners to address fire risk rather than jurisdictional or political subdivision boundaries.
    “Every fire is unique – my dad was chief of a fire department for years before becoming Chief of Police, and indeed, he would tell me that every fire was very unique. But the most catastrophic fires all have similarities. Proper management of our nation’s forest lands can help prevent a small spark from turning into a raging fire with devastating consequences.
    “My own state of Kansas is not immune to wildfire. In 2021, strong winds and dry air combined to create ideal conditions for wildfires in the grasslands of Western and Central Kansas in the Four Counties Fire. That fire was clocked at over 180 miles per hour on the wind turbines as it sailed through those prairies.
    “Not all management methods for the grasslands of Kansas mirror what the science tells us should be conducted on forested acres, but the important role of proper management on our landscapes rings true for both.
    “The Fix our Forests Act (FOFA) is a rare bipartisan opportunity for Congress to provide the United States Forest Service, the Department of the Interior, states, tribes, counties, and private partners with a modernized and streamlined toolbox to fight fire. 
    Regardless of our respective views on the appropriate use of federal lands and resources, we all need to help mitigate the frequency and intensity of catastrophic wildfires while ensuring the scientifically sound and sustainable stewardship of our federal lands.
    “The Fix our Forest Act provides agencies with critically needed and appropriately calibrated increases in the acreage limitations for Categorial Exclusions available to forest managers and increases which agency analysis has shown will help provide the flexibility to better address forest management.
    “To be clear, Categorical Exclusions are not a free pass for an agency to go in and clear-cut forests as some are lead to believe. They are one way for federal agencies to comply with NEPA based upon extensive uses of prior Environmental Assessments that show no significant effect and are still subject to scoping before moving forward.
    “FOFA instructs the federal government to identify at the fireshed scale, the top 20 percent of firesheds that are at risk of fire exposure over the next five years in order to better focus limited resources. FOFA permanently fixes, in statute, the disastrous Ninth Circuit’s “Cottonwood” decision, which the Obama administration petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn, has led to delays in management projects through unnecessary and duplicative scoping in an attempt to avoid frivolous litigation. 
    “FOFA also adopts litigation reforms used by past Republican and Democratic administrations in statute to limit litigation delays to essential projects, and FOFA strengthens Good Neighbor Authority, a critical and overwhelmingly successful program that has allowed local and state partners the ability to supplement the work the Forest Service is not able to do on their lands.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd Hosts Bipartisan Meeting with Keith Siegel and Recently Released Hostages

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
    Washington, D.C. — A day after President Donald Trump met with eight hostages released from Gaza, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) met privately in his office with North Carolina native Keith Siegel and his wife, Aviva. Following their private meeting, Senator Budd hosted a bipartisan group of Senators who met with recently released hostages and family members who are still awaiting the return of their loved ones.
    Joining Budd for the bipartisan meeting were Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Jackie Rosen (D-NV).
    Former hostages Keith and Aviva Siegel, Iair Horn, Doron Steinbrecher, and Naama Levy as well as Moshe Lavi, the brother-in-law of Omri Miran, who is still being held in Gaza, told their stories and advocated for the release of the remaining 59 hostages.
    In a statement, Senator Budd said:
    “We rejoice in Keith’s return, but we also weep for what he and his fellow hostages endured and for what the 59 remaining hostages and their families are still enduring. For 484 days, Keith’s family, particularly his wife Aviva, his children, siblings, family and friends, worked tirelessly to secure his release.
    “Our work is not over. We must continue pressuring Hamas to release the remaining hostages in Gaza, especially the five Americans. I will continue working alongside my colleagues on a bipartisan basis, with President Trump, and with world leaders until all of the hostages are home and Hamas is destroyed.”
    Click here to download full resolution photos
    Senator Budd has been working for the release of American hostages since October 2023:
    On October 25, 2023, Senator Budd first spoke about the hostage situation in Gaza on the Senate floor, where he announced his intention “to hold all humanitarian aid to Gaza until each and every American hostage is home and is safe.”
    On November 6, 2023, Senator Budd met with Qatari Ambassador Meshal Al Thani in Senator Budd’s Washington, D.C. office. In that meeting, he strongly urged the Qatari government to use their leverage on Hamas leaders currently residing in Doha to immediately release all hostages, and hold those same Hamas leaders accountable once the hostage situation is fully resolved.
    On November 26, 2023, Senator Budd reacted to the release of Keith Siegel’s wife, Aviva, saying, “While we are encouraged by the government of Qatar’s efforts to mediate the release of some of the hostages, we renew our call to their government to exert pressure on Hamas leadership to release each and every hostage immediately and unconditionally.”
    On November 28, 2023, Senator Budd spoke on the Senate floor and called out Qatar for its continued hosting of Hamas terrorist leaders, saying, “We need to tell our friends in Doha loudly and clearly: Qatar is accepting a significant liability with its pro-Hamas policy.”
    On December 13, 2023, Senator Budd sent a holiday message of support to the hostages and their families in a speech on the Senate floor, saying, “I want every one of these family members to know that our country is behind them, we support them, and we are praying for them.”
    On January 10, 2024, Senator Budd returned from a congressional delegation (CODEL) to the Middle East, which included stops in Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and Bahrain. The focus of the delegation’s meetings across the region was on securing the release of hostages.
    On the trip, Senator Budd and his colleagues toured one of the communities devastated by the October 7th massacre by Hamas terrorists. He personally spoke with former hostage Aviva Siegel, and met with top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Director David Barnea.
    Senator Budd then met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Prime Minister of Qatar, to whom Senator Budd sent a strong message that Qatar must do more to secure the immediate and safe release of all of the hostages.
    On January 15, 2024, Senators Budd and Joni Ernst (R-IA) published an op-ed marking the 100th day of captivity for the hostages, writing, “As long as Americans remain captive to these barbaric thugs, the latter is the victor. Allowing Americans to suffer under the yoke of terrorists is a win for evil around the world and a boon for Iran’s proxies.”
    On January 25, 2024, Senator Budd spoke on the Senate floor and delivered a sharp message to the government of Qatar: “Our patience has run out. Time is up. Either pressure Hamas leaders to release the hostages now, or expel them from your land. It’s that simple. The United States of America will be watching.”
    On March 7, 2024, Senators Budd and Tillis invited the family of Keith Siegel to be their guests at the president’s State of the Union Address. Keith’s sister Lucy and niece Hanna have accepted the Senators’ invitation.
    On March 15, 2024, Senator Budd joined a joint statement from Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Jim Risch (R-ID), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as five other Senators stating, “If Hamas refuses reasonable negotiations, there is no reason for Qatar to continue hosting Hamas’ political office or any of its members in Doha.”
    On March 26, 2024, Senator Budd and Senator Ernst issued a joint statement calling on the State of Qatar to immediately expel all members of Hamas’ political office currently residing in Doha.
    On April 9, 2024, Senator Budd introduced the ‘Reviewing Qatar’s Major Non- NATO Ally Status Act’, which would require the Secretary of State to formally certify that Qatar has expelled or agreed to extradite to the United States any individuals bearing responsibility for the terror attack on October 7, 2023. If the Secretary of State cannot make this certification in good faith, then the President is required to immediately terminate the designation of the State of Qatar as a major non-NATO ally.
    On April 10, 2024, Senator Budd attempted to invoke unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass the ‘Reviewing Qatar’s Major Non- NATO Ally Status Act’, but was blocked. He said, “The time for talking is over, and the time for action is now. If we don’t see action, then Qatar must face consequences. At the end of the day, this bill represents another step towards securing the freedom of our fellow Americans.”
    On May 7, 2024, Senators Budd and Ernst returned from a congressional delegation (CODEL) to the Middle East, which included stops in Israel, Iraq, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
    On the trip, Senators Budd and Ernst received first-hand updates on the state of the hostage negotiations from top U.S. and Israeli officials including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They also hosted the families of American hostages, including the family of North Carolina native, Keith Siegel.
    On July 31, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement after Hamas’s political leader was killed, saying that it “sends a clear and resounding message to terrorists that those who kill and kidnap Americans will ultimately face justice.”
    On September 1, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement condemning the Hamas murder of American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin along with five other Israeli hostages, saying, “This is yet another act of cold-blooded barbarism from Hamas terrorists. It must not be excused or downplayed. The U.S. government must leave no stone unturned until all those responsible for Hersh’s kidnapping and murder are brought to justice, and until we bring every American hostage home.”
    On October 7, 2024, Senator Budd disclosed that the Biden administration had ignored a bipartisan request from Senator Budd and 11 other Senators to authorize a reward of up to $25 million for information that brings Hamas leaders to justice.
    On October 17, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement after Israeli Defense Forces killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 attacks, saying, “[Sinwar] was a terrorist leader who had American blood on his hands. To the remaining Hamas leaders: release the hostages, renounce terrorism, and recognize Israel’s right to exist. There is no future for Hamas or its ideology.”
    On November 8, 2024, Senator Budd joined a letter to the Department of Justice and Department of State requesting an immediate freeze on the assets of Hamas officials living in Qatar, the extradition of several senior Hamas officials currently residing in Qatar, and that Qatar end its hospitality of Hamas’ senior leadership.
    On November 8, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement after the State of Qatar decided to expel the remaining Hamas terrorist leadership from Doha, calling the move, “welcome, but long overdue.”
    On November 22, 2024, Senator Budd, along with Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Roger Wicker and Senator Joni Ernst, released a statement calling on Turkey to extradite the Hamas terrorist leaders who fled there after being expelled from Qatar.
    On December 2, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement after the Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that U.S.-Israeli citizen Omer Neutra was killed by Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023 attacks. His body remains in Gaza, saying in-part, “this news is further proof of the true evil of Hamas terrorists. The U.S. government must not relent until all those responsible for Omer’s murder are brought to justice, and until we bring every American hostage home.”
    On February 1, 2025, Senator Budd issued a statement following the release of North Carolina Native Keith Siegel from Gaza.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Delays expected after three car crash, Silverdale

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Emergency services are responding to a multi-vehicle crash on the Northern Motorway, Silverdale.

    The crash, near the Silverdale off-ramp, was reported to Police at 11.55am.

    Three vehicles have collided and one person has been transported to hospital.

    One southbound lane is blocked and motorists are advised to expect delays or seek an alternative route.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI Charge Four Illegal Aliens with Firearms Offenses in New Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – Federal authorities announced charges against four illegal aliens for unlawful possession of firearms and related offenses following a series of state-wide law enforcement operations.

    On February 25, 2025, HSI executed a search warrant at an apartment in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In one bedroom, agents recovered a loaded pistol with an extended magazine containing 19rounds of ammunition. A witness stated that the firearm belonged to Maikol Ramos and had previously seen it in his possession.

    Ramos, a citizen of Venezuela, was confirmed to be present in the United States unlawfully. Ramos is charged by criminal complaint with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm or ammunition.

    In another bedroom, agents recovered another loaded pistol and ammunition from under a bed. Antoni Herrera, confirmed to be a Venezuelan national unlawfully present in the U.S., admitted the firearm was his and that he had received it two weeks prior as payment for a debt.

    Herrera is charged by criminal complaint with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm or ammunition.

    On February 19, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant at a residence of Raul Esparza-Gonzalez in Espanola, New Mexico. Agents discovered 11 firearms, including pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and rifles. Esparza-Gonzalez admitted to purchasing the firearms privately, knowing it was illegal for him to possess them. He stated he had been deported to Mexico previously and re-entered the United States illegally about six years ago. Esparza-Gonzalez is charged by criminal complaint with being an alien in possession of a firearm.

    In a separate investigation, HSI initiated an inquiry into Cristhian Ortega-Lopez in January 2025, following an anonymous tip. Ortega-Lopez, an illegal alien from Venezuela suspected of being affiliated with Tren de Aragua, was allegedly residing with other illegal aliens in Las Cruces and had been in possession of firearms. The investigators determined Ortega-Lopez had entered the U.S. illegally on December 15, 2023, and was released pending removal proceedings. Social media evidence showed Ortega-Lopez in possession of multiple firearms at a shooting range in Las Cruces.

    Ortega-Lopez is charged by criminal complaint with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm or ammunition.

    All four men will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, they each face 15 years in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.

    Homeland Security Investigations investigated these cases with enforcement assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department, the

    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Trembley, Patrick Cordova, Maria Armijo, and Ry Ellison are prosecuting these cases.

    MIL Security OSI –