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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Bridging the divide: General Assembly President on UN reforms and Africa’s digital future

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Conor Lennon

    UN Affairs

    This landmark year in the life of the UN has prompted introspection and a fresh impetus for change. How can the organization remain relevant in a world that is almost unrecognizable from the post-World War Two consensus into which it was born? 

    In an interview with UN News, Philémon Yang, President of the General Assembly expressed particular concern for the challenges faced by African countries, and the need to bridge the development divide between the Global South and the developed world.

    The interview took place shortly after a Security Council meeting on combating terrorism in Africa, at which Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, described the continent – which accounts for 59 per cent of all terrorism-related deaths worldwide – as “the epicentre of global terrorism.” Mr. Yang, the former Prime Minister of Cameroon, has suggested that one answer could be the deployment of peace operations run by the African Union, a regional organization, and funded by the United Nations. UN News began by asking him why he favours this model.

    This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

    Philémon Yang: The Charter of the United Nations foresees that regional organizations or subregional organizations may be given a specific mission, and one of these regional organizations is the African Union, which is capable of leading peace missions.

    I am convinced that, where there are complicated issues of peace in Africa, the African Union, which understands a lot of the issues very well, could be given the authority, the authorization and the United Nations funding to carry out such a mission.

    These missions are not yet well established, but I’m convinced that if the UN Security Council gives confidence to the African Union, many, many things could be done the right way in future.

    UN News: How do you think Africa can close what we’ve called the digital divide [the relative lack of digital technology in Africa]?

    UN Photo/Laura Jarriel

    General Assembly Philémon Yang Yang addresses the opening of the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 79th session.

    Philémon Yang: The possession of a computer, a smartphone or access to the internet is linked to development. The Pact for the Future [a blueprint for a better future adopted by UN Member States in 2024] makes a specific reference to Africa.

    The “Timbuktoo” Initiative from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) is meant to reduce the gap, by helping African countries develop the digital processes faster than they have done in the past. We need this to work because if we don’t reduce the divide, then a lot of young people in Africa won’t have the opportunity to develop.

    UN News: You’ve called the General Assembly “the great baobab tree under which nations harmonize their views”. You’re planning to organize “palaver tree dialogues”. How will they work?

    Philémon Yang: The idea is not completely new. My predecessors convened informal, unscripted dialogues, simple conversations without written speeches, without written remarks. In Africa, palaver trees are where people sit and talk freely. They raise questions which concern them and, very often, they are under no obligation to find a solution immediately.

    The discussions are relaxed, which helps to bring about productive discourse. Through this approach we could build a sense of trust and confidence between countries.

    UN News: Many African countries are dealing with huge financial problems, such as debt repayments and high interest rates, which are hampering development. You’re organizing a meeting with the Inter-Parliamentary Union on reform of the international financial architecture. What do you want to achieve?

    Philémon Yang: We need to adapt the behaviour and practices of international financial institutions to the modern world.

    After the Second World War, the United States Government created the Marshall Plan, which brought a lot of financial aid to Western Europe. That worked very well. If you had to bring back the Marshall Plan today, you would have to adapt it to changing circumstances.

    Reforming the international financial architecture is key to us, and we look forward to an opportunity to discuss this with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, but also at the Financing for Development Conference in June. Reform will make it easier for the world to keep developing and traveling forwards into the future.

    UN News: To what extent is the UN, this 80-year-old institution, still relevant?

    Philémon Yang: If the UN didn’t exist, we would create it today because there are so many problems, so many challenges no one country can handle.

    Eighty years is a long time in the life of a human being, but not in the life of a country or an organization. The UN is not perfect, but we can’t create an organization which is perfect.

    The UN remains relevant and very important, but there is a need for reforms. When it was created in 1945, most of the countries which are now members of the General Assembly didn’t exist. It would be unfair to continue to use all the rules put in place in 1945, because they no longer apply easily.

    I can take an easy example. The veto power of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Everybody accepts the need for reform, and there are calls for two permanent seats in the Council to be created for African countries.

    Reforms are not dangerous. They don’t kill anybody. And they would only make the UN better equipped to deal with all the world issues we are dealing with, whether in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan or elsewhere. It’s in everybody’s interest to make the UN perform better.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Making the digital and physical world safer: Why the Convention against Cybercrime matters

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Law and Crime Prevention

    Billions of people worldwide are set to benefit from enhanced safety online and in the physical world following the adoption of a legally binding treaty on cybercrime by the UN General Assembly.

    The 193 UN Member States adopted, by consensus, the historic Convention against Cybercrime – the first of its kind following five years of negotiations.  

    Here are five key reasons why this landmark agreement matters for people everywhere:

    A critical tool for a growing threat

    In 2023, 67.4 per cent of the world’s population accessed the Internet, according to the World Bank. People rely on connectivity for tasks ranging from communication and shopping to advanced research and innovation.

    However, this connectivity also exposes more than two-thirds of the global population to the dangers of cybercrime. For those on the wrong side of the digital divide, the lack of resilience further increases vulnerability once they get online.

    Cybercriminals exploit digital systems using malware, ransomware, and hacking to steal money, data, and other valuable information. Information and communications technology (ICT) are also used to facilitate crimes such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering and fraud.

    Regions like Southeast Asia have been described as “ground zero” for organized cybercrime operations, which are often highly sophisticated and coordinated. The threat is escalating, undermining economies, disrupting critical infrastructure, and eroding trust in digital systems.

    Until now, there has been no globally negotiated convention on cybercrime. The new Convention against Cybercrime will enable faster, better-coordinated, and more effective responses, making both digital and physical worlds safer.

    Unsplash/Jefferson Santos

    Cybercrime poses a growing threat to global security, targeting individuals, businesses, and governments alike.

    Around-the-clock cooperation

    Investigating transnational crimes, whether online or offline, depends heavily on electronic evidence, which poses unique challenges for law enforcement.

    One major challenge is the decentralized nature of data, networks, and service providers, with potential evidence often scattered across multiple jurisdictions. Additionally, electronic evidence must frequently be accessed quickly to prevent tampering or deletion through normal processes.

    The Convention focuses on frameworks for accessing and exchanging electronic evidence, facilitating investigations and prosecutions.

    States Parties will also benefit from a 24/7 network to boost international cooperation, enabling assistance with investigations, prosecutions, crime proceeds recovery, mutual legal assistance, and extradition.

    Protecting children

    Online platforms such as social media, chat apps and games offer anonymity that predators can exploit to groom, manipulate, or harm children.

    The Convention is the first global treaty to specifically address sexual violence against children committed with information and communication technologies (ICT).

    By criminalising these offenses, the Convention equips governments with stronger tools to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice.

    © UNICEF/Pablo Schverdfinger

    Children are especially vulnerable to online exploitation, making it crucial to protect them in the digital world.

    Responding to victims’ needs

    Cybercrime affects people everywhere, and every victim deserves adequate support.

    The Convention encourages States to provide victims with access to recovery services, compensation, restitution, and the removal of illicit content.

    This support will be delivered according to each country’s domestic laws.

    Improved prevention

    Responding to cybercrime after it occurs is not enough. Preventing cybercrime requires robust investments in proactive measures, which the Convention against Cybercrime strongly emphasizes.

    It urges States to develop comprehensive prevention strategies, including training for public and private sectors, offender rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, and support for victims.

    With these measures, the Convention aims to reduce risks and manage threats effectively, fostering a safer digital environment for all.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Rights experts call for immediate release of Abu Zubaydah from Guantánamo

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    UN independent human rights experts have called for the immediate release of Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn, known as Abu Zubaydah, who has been detained without charge by US authorities at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility for almost 20 years.

    On Monday the United States military sent 11 long-term detainees from the facility to Oman after reaching agreement with the Government there on relocation and resettlement. 

    Only 15 detainees now remain, according to news reports. The prison opened in 2002 and at its peak it held more than 600 prisoners overseen by over 2,000 military and civilian personnel.

    Captured in Pakistan

    Captured in March 2002 in Faisalabad, Pakistan, following the 11 September 2001 attacks, Abu Zubaydah was transferred to CIA custody and held at multiple secret locations, where he was reportedly tortured, the experts reminded in a press release issued on Wednesday.

    Despite being imprisoned for nearly two decades, he remains in Guantánamo Bay without any formal charges having been made.

    Release ‘long overdue’

    “We are exceptionally requesting a Presidential pardon for Mr. Abu Zubaydah, owing to his treatment while in detention and the lack of due process since he was first detained,” the experts stated. “His immediate release and relocation to a third safe country are long overdue.”

    The Human Rights Council-appointed experts highlighted Abu Zubaydah’s serious health conditions, which include injuries sustained during torture that have allegedly been exacerbated by the denial of medical attention.

    They also noted significant impediments to lawyer-client communication.

    Various international and regional human rights mechanisms have examined Abu Zubaydah’s case, establishing that he has suffered multiple human rights violations within the context of the US rendition and secret detention programme, the experts noted.

    “In addition to his liberation, we request that Mr. Abu Zubaydah is accorded an enforceable right to compensation and other measures of reparation, in accordance with international law,” the working group members and Special Rapporteurs said.

    The experts emphasised the profound psychological and physical trauma he has endured due to torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and enforced disappearance. They reiterated their call for the US Government to immediately release and relocate him to a safe third country.

    “We recall the principle of joint responsibility that applies to States when more than one of them was involved in the perpetration of a human rights violation,” the experts said. “Accordingly, we call on States to proactively offer their territory for the prompt relocation of Mr. Abu Zubaydah.”

    The experts also expressed concerns about the continued detention of 14 other individuals at Guantánamo Bay, who are in varying stages of legal proceedings and face allegations of ongoing human rights abuses.

    Independent rights experts are not UN staff, receive no salary for their work and are independent of any organisation or government.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Will those responsible for atrocities in Syria finally face justice?

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Conor Lennon

    Law and Crime Prevention

    Hopes are rising that, with the support of the United Nations, the architects of the brutal former regime of Bashar al Assad in Syria will eventually be held accountable for their crimes.

    For years, UN human rights bodies have been documenting, monitoring and publishing reports on abuses, and bringing Syria’s dire human rights record to the world’s attention.

    The fall of Bashar al Assad in December 2024 was largely greeted with euphoria by the Syrian people, but images of hundreds of people pouring into the notorious Sednaya Prison, desperately searching for friends or relatives, and testimony from former prisoners, recounting the sadism and torture they endured, was a vivid reminder of the atrocities committed under the former regime.

    Since 2016, the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), has been amassing a vast collection of evidence, aiming to ensure that those responsible are eventually held accountable.

    In the eight years since, consistently denied access to Syria, they have had to work from outside the country.

    However, everything changed after the rapid collapse of the regime. Just days later the head of the IIIM, Robert Petit, was able to travel to Syria where he met members of the de facto authorities. During this historic visit, he made a point of emphasizing the importance of preserving evidence before it’s lost forever.

    UN News interviewed Mr. Petit from his offices in Geneva and began by asking him to describe the reactions of the Syrians he met during his visit.

    This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

    Robert Petit: It was a sobering and emotional time. I experienced a mix of hope and joy, as well as fear and anxiety, and a lot of sadness from the families of prisoners who had been killed.

    But there was definitely a sense of change across the board. It’s my personal hope that the aspirations of Syrians will be fully realized with the help of the international community.

    UN News: What was the purpose of your visit, and was it successful?

    Robert Petit: As with most of the world, we were shocked at the speed with which the regime crumbled, although in hindsight we should have realized that the foundations were completely eroding for years.

    We had to quickly start thinking about how to address this new situation: for the first time in eight years, we have the chance to really fulfill our mandate.

    The main purpose of the visit was to start engaging diplomatically and explain to the new authorities what our role is and what we would like to do and get permission to do so. We found them to be receptive.

    We formally requested permission to send teams to work and discharge our mandate in Syria. That was back on December 21. We’re still waiting for the answer. I have no reason to believe that we will not be granted permission. I think it’s a matter of processes rather than willingness, and we’re hoping that within days we will get that permission and then we will deploy as soon as we can.

    © IIIM Syria

    Documents are piled up at a court house in Damascus, Syria, which was visited by the head of the IIIM, Robert Petit.

    UN News: How hard was it to collect evidence during the years that you were denied access to the country?

    Robert Petit: Syrian civil society and Syrians in general have, since March 2011, been the best documenters of their own victimization. They accumulated an enormous quantity of evidence of crimes, often at great risk the cost of their own lives.

    Every year since we were created, we tried to access Syria. We could not get permission, but we developed close relationships with some of these civil society actors, media stakeholders and individuals who collected credible evidence, as did other institutions.

    We accumulated over 284 terabytes of data over the years to build cases and support 16 different jurisdictions in prosecuting, investigating and prosecuting their own cases.

    Now we potentially have access to a wealth of fresh evidence of crimes, and we’re hoping to be able to exploit that opportunity very soon.

    UN News: During the Assad years, though, you had no guarantee that anyone would be brought to justice.

    Robert Petit: Our mandate has been very clear from the beginning: prepare cases to support current and future jurisdiction. And that’s what we’ve been doing. There was always a hope that there was going to be some kind of tribunal, or comprehensive justice for the crimes in Syria. In anticipation of that, we have been building cases and we hope to build a wealth of understanding of the situation and the evidence that could support these cases.

    At the same time, we’ve been supporting 16 jurisdictions all over the world prosecuting these cases, and I’m very happy to say that we have been able to support over almost 250 of those investigations and prosecutions and will continue to do so.

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    UN News: During your trip you said there’s a small window of opportunity to secure sites and the material they hold. Why?

    Robert Petit: Syria’s state apparatus functioned for years, so there will be a lot of evidence, but things go missing, they get destroyed and disappear. So, there is a time issue.

    UN News: Are the de facto authorities in Syria helping you to secure evidence?

    Robert Petit: We had messaging from the caretaker authorities that they were conscious of the importance of preserving all this evidence. The fact is that they have been in control for barely six weeks, so there are obviously a lot of competing priorities.

    I think the situation in Damascus is relatively good in that a lot of the sites, the main ones at least, are secured. Outside of Damascus, I think the situation is a lot more fluid and probably worse.

    UN News: When Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, visited Syria in January he called for fair, impartial justice in the wake of the end of the Assad regime. But he also said that the extent of atrocity crimes “beggars belief”. Do you personally think that justice rather than revenge, in a place where people have been so badly brutalized, is possible or likely?

    Robert Petit: That’s for the Syrians to answer themselves and hopefully be heard and supported in what they will define as justice for them and for what they’ve suffered.

    If people are given the hope that there will be in place a system that will deal fairly and transparently with at least those most responsible for the atrocities, it will give them hope and patience.

    I think it is possible. I have worked in enough of these situations to know that a variety of things can be done to address these very complex situations, but it must be Syria-led, and they must have the support of the international community.

    UN News: Do you envisage that criminal trials would take place in Syria at a national level or at an international level, for example at the International Criminal Court?

    Robert Petit: Again, it will depend on what Syrians want. You’re talking about literally thousands of perpetrators, and a whole state apparatus dedicated to the commission of mass atrocities. It’s an incredible challenge to define what accountability means.

    In my opinion, those most responsible, the architects of the system, must be held criminally accountability. For everyone else, the ways a post-conflict society tackles the issue varies.

    Rwanda, for example, tried to use traditional forms of dispute resolution to try 1.2 million perpetrators over a decade. Others, like Cambodia, simply try to bury the past, and pretend it never happened.

    The best solution is the one that Syrians will decide for themselves. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Syria: Assad’s armed forces must face accountability, says rights probe

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    Widespread pillaging and the destruction of property in Syria by all parties to the conflict have largely gone unpunished and likely amount to war crimes, top independent rights investigators reporting to the Human Rights Council maintained on Thursday.

    The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria’s latest report follows the lightning operation led by mainly Hayat-Tahrir al-Sham fighters that toppled President Bashar al-Assad last December, ending the 13-year war that decimated the country and destabilised the entire region.

    The violence is believed to have killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians and uprooted 15 million, the report’s authors said.

    They noted that various armed groups – including former government troops and opposition fighters – carried out widescale damage to and pillaged Syrian property, particularly in areas that changed hands repeatedly during the fighting.

    The Assad regime’s security forces targeted those perceived as political opponents, including demonstrators, activists, deserters and defectors, their families and communities, the report’s authors continued.

    Persistent and repeated crimes

    Vast areas of land where refugees and internally displaced people had relocated to were also pillaged and ransacked to the point of rendering entire neighbourhoods uninhabitable.

    Forces stole household items, furniture and valuables, which they would sometimes sell at markets including some created specifically for this purpose.

    They also dismantled roofs, doors, windows, iron rods, electrical wires and plumbing fixtures.

    ‘Systematic pillage’

    “Systematic pillage was coordinated by members of the former Syrian army, such as the Fourth Division, and affiliated security forces and militias, who concluded business agreements with private contractors or merchants interested in acquiring looted items, including raw materials,” the Commissioners explained.

    The wrongdoings could “amount to war crimes” if “carried out for private or personal gain”, they added.

    Near-total impunity

    To date, accountability for these crimes has not happened and the overwhelming majority of perpetrators have escaped any accountability. “The impunity for the war crime of pillage has been near total in Syria” except for a few convictions in areas held by the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA).

    “The only known convictions that relate to pillage or property offenses concern female former members of ISIL [or Da’esh, the terrorist group]”, the report said, adding that none of the forces perpetrating pillage on a massive scale had been prosecuted.

    Accountability and reform

    Among their recommendations, the Commissioners urged renewed efforts to protect housing, land and property rights as paramount to the country’s efforts to rebuild after a decade of crippling conflict.

    If the violations remain unaddressed, grievances and social tensions will be exacerbated, fuelling cycles of violence and displacement, the commission warned.

    The investigators write that following the fall of the regime, on 8 December, the “devastating patterns” of pillage “must not be repeated”.

    The report urges all military commanders and newly empowered leaders to prevent and punish any instances where property is stolen that was left behind by those newly displaced.

    Independent experts

    The Commissioners representing the top rights panel are appointed and mandated by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff, do not draw a salary, and serve in their individual capacity, independent of the UN Secretariat.

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    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: International Criminal Court condemns US sanctions move

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Law and Crime Prevention

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday condemned an executive order signed by United States President Donald Trump imposing punitive sanctions, countering that the order sought to “harm its independent and impartial judicial work.”

    The court was established by the Rome Statute, negotiated within the UN – but it is a fully independent court set up to try the gravest crimes, including crimes against humanity. Read our explainer here.

    Thursday’s executive order said the US government would “impose tangible and significant consequences” on ICC officials who work on investigations that threaten national security of the US and allies – including Israel.

    Arrest warrants

    The directive follows the decision by ICC judges to issue arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, which accuses them of alleged war crimes in relation to the conduct of the war with Hamas on Gaza.

    The ICC also issued a warrant for a former Hamas commander, Mohammed Deif.

    Neither the US nor Israel recognise the ICC’s jurisdiction; there are 125 states parties to the Rome Statute, which came into effect in 2002.

    The US executive order says that the ICC actions against Israel and preliminary investigations against the US “set a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former” personnel.

    The order details possible sanctions including the blocking of property and assets of ICC officials and barring them and their families from entering the US.

    A bid to impose sanctions on the ICC by the US Congress in January prior to the change in administration, failed to garner enough support in the Senate.

    ICC ‘stands firmly by its personnel’

    “The ICC condemns the issuance by the US of an Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on its officials and harm its independent and impartial judicial work,” said the court in a press release.

    “The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all Situations before it.”

    The court also called on all parties to the ICC together with civil society and other nations to “stand united for justice and fundamental human rights.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Hold fast to our common humanity’: UN marks 80 years since death camps were liberated

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Ana Carmo

    Human Rights

    Hate continues to grow at an alarming speed, and the world must do more to fight growing antisemitism the UN Secretary-General said on Monday, honouring the victims of the Holocaust and those who survived the Nazi death camps.

    More than 15 months on from the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas in Israel, António Guterres said the UN will continue doing its “utmost to ensure it leads to the release of all hostages – since the beginning we have asked for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages – and to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza”.

    Every year on the day the concentration camps were liberated in 1945, the world unites to honor the memory of the six million Jews who perished at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators, a commemoration that also extends to the Roma and Sinti communities, people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and all others who suffered from the systemic violence, torture, and genocide of the Nazi regime.

    Lessons must never be forgotten

    In the presence of Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in the General Assembly Hall, the Secretary-General underscored the need for remembrance and emphasized that the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.

    This year’s commemoration marks a milestone: 80 years since the Holocaust’s end, and 80 years of efforts to preserve the memory of its victims.

    Underlying the courage of survivors in sharing their stories to ensuring that the horrors of Auschwitz-Birkenau and other concentration camps are never erased from history, Mr. Guterres added that the responsibility to ensure this history is never forgotten “belongs to every one of us”. “Remembrance is not only a moral act – remembrance is a call to action”, he said.

    Combat hatred

    As part of the United Nations’ ongoing efforts to combat hate speech, the commemoration highlighted the importance of educating future generations about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.

    Highlighting the acclaimed writer Primo Levi’s words – an Auschwitz survivor, who urged humanity to “carve the knowledge into our hearts” – Mr. Guterres called on everyone to “speak-up against hate”, stand-up for the human rights of all, and “make those rights a reality”.

    Defend human rights

    The UN is committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was established in the wake of the Holocaust. In 1948, nations around the world united to affirm the inherent dignity and equality of all people, a direct response to the horrors of Nazi ideology.

    Reminding that the document is a “pure expression of our shared humanity”, the UN chief said that “in dark times it remains a shining light”.

    “Today, our world is fractured and dangerous”, Mr. Guterres warned once more – “80 years since the Holocaust’s end, antisemitism is still with us – fuelled by the same lies and loathing that made the Nazi genocide possible. And it is rising.”

    Efforts to combat the growing tide of Holocaust denial, discrimination, and hate are also central to the United Nations, which has recently launched an Action Plan on Antisemitism to enhance its efforts to educate, promote truth, and resist efforts to distort historical facts.

    Calling for widespread condemnation of antisemitism “wherever and whenever it appears”, Mr. Guterres said that promoting education, combating lies and speaking the truth are key – and that in days of division, all must “hold fast to our common humanity”.

    “We will never forget. And we will never waver in that fight”, the UN chief concluded, leaving the podium to the survivors who were there to share their memories.

    Prayer for peace

    Israel’s President Isaac Herzog told the commemoration that “it is time to acknowledge challenging our right to exist is not diplomacy, it is plain antisemitism.”

    He said 80 years after the Holocaust, he stood in the General Assembly “with deep faith and hope. Our nation rose from the flames of the crematorium not to live forever by the sword, but to build, to repair, to add light, to heal.”

    He added that he hoped peace agreements could be reached between Israel and its neighbours across the region “with all peoples of the Middle East, Israelis, Palestinians and all others”, living peacefully side by side.

    On this historic day, we must commit to joining hands to defeat darkness and hatred and work together to ensure building of a shared future. This is the vow we must share. All of us. The family of nations – that what happened once will never happen again.”

    Roma survivor

    Dumitru Miclescu, Roma survivor of the Holocaust, flew from Budapest to participate at the ceremony in General Assembly Hall on Monday.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Dumitru Miclescu addresses the Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights ceremony in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

    Supported by his niece Izabela Tiberiade, he told his story: “I am here not just for myself, but for all the Roma who suffered during the Holocaust and did not have the chance to be heard.”

    A survivor of the terror camps in Transnistria, he was forced into trains and deported when he was just an eight-year-old boy in Romania, along with his family.

    Building a world without racism

    “I will never forget those moments when we were gathered into the trains. Many people died on the trains before we even arrived. Those who reached the concentration camps suffered even more: forced labor, starvation, disease, and constant terror. Death was a daily presence,” he said.

    Acknowledging the lack of support for the few Roma who survived and returned home, Mr. Miclescu said that being at the UN was “an important step toward recognizing history” but there was still much to be done.

    “Allow me to say to all the young people listening to my story: I ask you to learn about your history. I hope you will build a world without racism,” he concluded.

    Never forget

    Marianne Muller who was just a baby during the Holocaust, also took the podium to share her family’s story. Accompanied by her four children and grandchildren, she said: “they are my personal answer to Hitler”.

    Stressing that antisemitism is rising all over the world, Ms. Muller called on the world to remember that the Holocaust and its horrors “all happened only 80 years ago.”

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Marianne Muller addresses the Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights ceremony in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

    ‘Don’t be neutral towards human suffering’

    At a ceremony in Geneva, Nazi death camp survivor Ivan Lefkovits shared harrowing testimony of his experiences on Monday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a timeless message for present and future generations: “Don’t be neutral, especially not towards human suffering.”

    Recalling the murder of his father and brother, both victims of Hitler’s mission to wipe out Jews, 88-year-old Mr. Lefkovits noted that many European countries subscribed to the Nazi leader’s views.

    Mr. Lefkovits was seven years old when he was sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp in November 1944; he spent the last months of the war in Bergen-Belsen camp, where he almost died from starvation and thirst.

    Today he urges younger generations to study history “not necessarily to learn, but to understand” why the Holocaust happened.

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    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Stories from the UN Archive: Marian Anderson broke barriers with music and diplomacy

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Eileen Travers

    Human Rights

    Marian Anderson, one of the most celebrated singers of the 20th century, once performed in the UN’s gilded General Assembly Hall in New York and also represented her country, the United States, as a delegate.

    Battling extensive racial prejudice, she broke many barriers, including as the first African American to perform with the Metropolitan Opera.

    UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld hailed her contributions to art and diplomacy, which live on in her legacy as an inspiration for generations to come.

    Watch UN Video’s latest Stories from the UN Archive episode below:

    Operatic hommage to human rights

    A distinguished alto, Ms. Andersen was a major presence on the diplomatic scene, including the 1950 commemoration held at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House for the second anniversary of the landmark UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    Following her epic performance, she shared an A-list table, as shown in the archive photo below, with (from right to left) head of International Business Machines (IBM) Thomas Watson, former UN first lady and chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights Eleanor Roosevelt, General Assembly President Nasrollah Entezam, UN Secretary-General Trygve Lie and Jeannette Kittredge Watson.

    UN Photo

    Marian Anderson (far right) at an intermission on Human Rights Day at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House in 1950. (file)

    Cold war collaboration

    A staple in the UN conference rooms and at commemorations, Ms. Anderson joined Ezio Pinza, Danny Kaye and other stars in 1953 during UN Day celebrations. Watch that performance here.

    Again in 1976, the US ambassador took the stage in the iconic General Assembly Hall at the UN’s 31st birthday celebration, appearing alongside the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington DC, under the direction of Antal Dorati.

    Ms. Anderson was one of two soloists. She was the narrator in Aaron Copland’s composition Lincoln Portrait, and Lazar Berman, the Soviet pianist, performed Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto.

    UN Photo

    US Ambassador Marian Anderson addresses the Fourth Committee during a discussion in on the Cameroons in 1958. (file)

    Stories from the UN Archive

    UN News is showcasing epic moments across UN history, cultivated from the UN Audiovisual Library’s 49,400 hours of video and 18,000 hours of audio recordings.

    Catch up on UN Video’s Stories from the UN Archive playlist here and our accompanying series here.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Two mass graves of migrants uncovered in Libya

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Migrants and Refugees

    Two mass graves likely containing the bodies of migrants have been discovered in Libya, highlighting the ongoing, deadly dangers facing vulnerable people fleeing conflict and poverty, the UN migration agency, IOM said on Monday.

    Nineteen bodies were discovered in Jakharrah, around 400 km south of the coastal city of Benghazi, while at least 30 more were found in a mass grave in the Alkufra desert in the southeast. It is believed the second grave may contain as many as 70 bodies.

    It is not yet known how the people died nor their nationalities, although IOM confirmed that some had been found with gunshot wounds.

    “The loss of these lives is yet another tragic reminder of the dangers faced by migrants embarking on perilous journeys,” said Nicoletta Giordano, IOM Libya Chief of Mission.

    “Far too many migrants along these journeys endure severe exploitation, violence and abuse, underscoring the need to prioritize human rights and protect those at risk.”

    The graves were both discovered following a police raid reportedly on a human trafficking site, during which hundreds of migrants were rescued from traffickers.

    The route across the Libyan desert to the shores of the Mediterranean is often used by traffickers to smuggle people to Europe.

    © SOS Mediterranee/ Anthony Jean

    A boat transporting migrants 34 nautic miles far from Libyan coasts. (file).

    Libyan security forces continue operations to capture the people responsible for the deaths of the migrants and according to news reports one Libyan and two foreign nationals have been arrested.

    IOM urged the Libyan authorities “to ensure a dignified recovery, identification, and transfer of the remains of the deceased migrants, while notifying and assisting their families”.

    It is not the first time a mass grave has been uncovered in Libya.  In March 2024, the bodies of 65 migrants were found in the southwest of the country.

    According to IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, out of the 965 recorded deaths and disappearances in Libya in 2024, more than 22 per cent occurred on land routes.

    IOM said: “This highlights the often-overlooked risks migrants face on land routes, where fatalities frequently go underreported,” adding that “strengthening data collection, search and rescue efforts, and migrant protection mechanisms along these routes is crucial to preventing further loss of life”.

    The migration agency has urged all governments and authorities along migrant smuggling routes to strengthen regional collaboration to safeguard and protect migrants, irrespective of their status.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘We all have someone missing’: Families of the thousands of Syrians ‘disappeared’ by Assad regime share stories of loss

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    It has been two months since Bashar al-Assad, the former president of Syria, was forced to flee the country, as rebel forces – now installed as the interim government – advanced on Damascus, putting an end to 50 years of autocratic rule and nearly14 years of civil war. The country’s de facto rulers face monumental political and economic challenges, as well as a chronic humanitarian crisis (see below), and a legacy of human rights abuses committed by the former regime.

    Acknowledging the atrocities, identifying the missing and finding justice for those affected has been identified as an important element in Syria’s recovery, and preventing a return to war. On 10 February, a team from the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria (IIMP), a body set up by the UN, completed its first visit to the country, in cooperation with the de facto rulers.

    As well as meeting representatives of the authorities and partner groups, including NGOs, the team spoke to dozens of families in Derayya and Tadamon, places marked by devastation, destruction, and profound suffering, as well as the infamous Sednaya prison, and heard about their struggles to find their loved ones. Throughout the visit, the team was repeatedly told: “Everyone in Syria knows someone who is missing. We all have someone missing.”

    In the coming weeks, the IIMP will present a project to the authorities for discussion with both officials and families, to help in the collective efforts to discover the fate and whereabouts of the missing and to help open a path to truth.

    Millions of Syrians remain reliant on aid

    Before the fall of Assad, the UN estimated that over 16 million Syrians needed humanitarian aid, citing “rapid economic deterioration” and a lack of livelihood. On Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that, during the previous week, 19 trucks crossed into northwest Syria carrying nearly 300 tonnes of food for 90,000 people, as well as medical supplies and education kits to reach 450,000 people.

    The UN children’s agency, UNICEF has been drawing attention to the effect that conflict, displacement and economic instability continue to have on many families in Syria, as well as the harsh winter conditions. The agency is active in the country and is currently distributing winter clothing to children in rural areas.

    How the UN supports justice for Syria’s disappeared

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN rights office urges humane treatment of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    The UN human rights office, OHCHR, called on Monday for Israel and Hamas to ensure that all people they are holding are treated humanely. 

    “Images of emaciated Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees released as part of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement have been deeply distressing,” Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement. 

    He added that the pictures of Israeli hostages released this past weekend show signs of ill-treatment and severe malnourishment, reflecting the dire conditions they were subjected to in Gaza.

    “We are also deeply concerned by the public parading of hostages released by Hamas in Gaza, including statements apparently made under duress during release,” continued Mr. Al-Kheetan.

    Release all hostages and detainees

    Meanwhile, Palestinians released from Israeli detention have revealed similar treatment under severe conditions, described by OHCHR as distressing and cause for serious concern. 

    “Israel and Hamas must ensure humane treatment, including freedom from any form of torture or abuse, for all those held under their power,” declared Mr. Al-Kheetan.

    The spokesperson reminded all parties to the conflict that torture and other forms of ill-treatment of protected persons are war crimes. and those found guilty must receive sentences commensurate to the severity of their conduct. 

     “We reiterate that the taking of hostages is a war crime,” he said. 

    “Hamas must immediately and unconditionally release all hostages, and Israel must immediately and unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Palestinians’ rights matter, says UNRWA chief

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    The head of UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA underscored its commitment to assist a population whose rights “continue to be violated”. 

    In a social media post on Friday, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that “people in Gaza have undergone systematic dehumanization” since the war there began.

    He emphasized that “Palestinians do matter, including those in Gaza. Their rights, lives and futures matter,” noting that “human rights cannot be applied selectively.”

    His comments come in the wake of United States President Donald Trump’s proposal made earlier this week that the US should seize control of Gaza and permanently displace the entire Palestinian population – a move which the UN Secretary-General said would be an act of “ethnic cleansing.”

    Two-State solution

    In his statement, Mr. Lazzarini quoted UN chief António Guterres who has stressed that “peace requires ending the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part; a viable and sovereign Palestinian State side-by-side with Israel”. 

    The UNRWA chief said his agency’s teams “are committed to continue providing critical assistance to Palestine refugees who need us most until empowered Palestinian institutions become a lasting and viable alternative.”

    UNRWA continues to face huge challenges in carrying out its work.  Last month, two Israeli laws came into effect which ban UNRWA operations within its borders and forbid Israeli authorities from having any contact with the agency.

    UNRWA was ordered to vacate its premises in East Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, and visas for international staff were not renewed.  

    Teams are still providing aid to communities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in Gaza, where a ceasefire continues to hold following 15 months of war.

    © UNOCHA/Olga Cherevko

    UN Relief Chief Tom Fletcher talks to a child at an UNRWA shelter in Gaza.

    ‘Relief chief’ meets displaced families

    In other developments, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher continued his week-long visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    On Friday he visited an UNRWA-run shelter in the city of Deir Al-Balah in Gaza before heading to Jerusalem via the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

    Mr. Fletcher met with displaced families who spoke of the hardships they have endured over the past 16 months. He also heard from staff managing the shelter about the ongoing response and challenges they face in providing critical support. 

    The UNRWA site is one of the many schools in Gaza that were turned into shelters. The UN relief chief met children who are missing out on their education, stressing the need to re-open schools in Gaza as soon as possible.    

    In Jerusalem, Mr. Fletcher met heads of UN aid agencies and other humanitarians, where he discussed how to sustain aid flows to Gaza and support West Bank operations.

    Medical evacuations and food assistance

    UN agencies continue to provide updates on their work in the Gaza Strip.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) said on social media that its team has supported the medical evacuation of 178 patients this month, including 115 children, to Egypt. However, between 12,000 and 14,000 more still need to be evacuated.

    For its part, the World Food Programme (WFP) has sent more than 15,000 tonnes of food into Gaza since the start of the ceasefire, reaching more than 525,000 people with food parcels, hot meals and cash.

    UN child rights agency UNICEF added that since the ceasefire took effect, it has reached more than 10,000 infants across Gaza with ready to use complementary foods.   

    UN News

    A family sits outside a makeshift shelter in Gaza.

    Insufficient shelter 

    This week, UN partners have been assessing the impact of a winter storm on shelters in different locations in the enclave. Partners in the north are also preparing to distribute 1,500 tents to returnees in the Gaza and North Gaza governorates.

    Humanitarians note even though shelter support is scaling up, nearly one million displaced people are living in substandard tents or makeshift dwellings – some families resorting to sewing old rice sacks together for basic cover.

    West Bank crackdown continues

    The UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, also updated on the situation in the West Bank.

    Ongoing operations by Israeli forces in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas continue to displace Palestinians, severely restricting their access to essential services and causing widespread destruction.

    Humanitarians estimate that 82 per cent of displaced families in the northern West Bank are currently living in rented accommodations.   

    Significant increase in child fatalities in the West Bank

    Meanwhile, nearly half of all Palestinian child fatalities in the West Bank over the past two decades occurred within the last two years, UN aid coordination office OCHA said in a humanitarian update published on Thursday.

    Since January 2023, 224 children (218 boys and six girls) have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers, representing nearly half of the 468 child fatalities the agency has documented since the beginning of 2005.

    They include 11 children killed since January of this year, all by Israeli forces, including six killed in airstrikes, and 10 killed in the northern governorates of the West Bank. 

    “This is generally consistent with trends observed over the past two years,” OCHA said.

    Concern over use of force

    The agency noted that in 2023 and 2024, 64 per cent of Palestinian child fatalities in the West Bank were in the northern governorates. Most, 82 per cent, were shot by live ammunition, and 18 per cent were killed by airstrikes. 

    Furthermore, more than 2,500 Palestinian children were injured during the same period, 28 per cent of them by live ammunition. 

    So far this year, 89 Palestinian children were reported injured by Israeli forces or settlers, 48 per cent by live ammunition. 

    “The significant number of children killed and injured with live ammunition fired by Israeli forces or in airstrikes raises concerns over unnecessary and excessive uses of force against children by Israeli forces during operations in the West Bank,” said OCHA.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Young Venezuelan refugees get a fresh start in Trinidad’s schools

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    When 11-year-old Venezuelan refugee Astrid Saavedra walked into her fourth-grade classroom in Trinidad and Tobago for her first day of school in September, she was eager to begin lessons in her favourite subject, mathematics. But the prospect of teaching fellow students about her homeland Venezuela was equally exciting.

    Astrid is one of the first refugee and migrant children from Venezuela to be allowed to enter the Trinidadian national public education system, following a change in the country’s immigration rules.

    IOM/Gema Cortés

    Thousands of Venezuelans have fled their country (file)

    She was part of the first cohort of 60 children to meet the admission criteria, which included possession of a certified, translated birth certificate and immunization record, and be assigned a school, marking an important milestone in fulfilling Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to fully meeting its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international UN human rights treaty.

    “These young people, should they stay in Trinidad and Tobago, would be adequately prepared to enter the workforce of this country, filling gaps in the labour market and contributing to innovation and sustainability,” said senior UN migration agency (IOM) official, Desery Jordan-Whiskey. 

    “It’s also an opportunity for these children, who are mostly Spanish speaking, to contribute just as much as they would gain, by helping their peers learn a second language.”

    An investment in the future

    The changes in legislation that allowed children like Astrid to go to school came about in July 2023, during a meeting of UN officials and politicians, at which Trinidad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs officially announced the Government’s decision.

    UN agencies agree that the right to receive an education is an example of the way human rights overlaps with sustainable development.

    “Advocating for access to education is key to bridging the gap between immediate humanitarian needs and long-term development goals,” said Amanda Solano, head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Trinidad and Tobago. “By providing education to refugee and migrant children, we’re not just meeting their immediate needs, we’re investing in their future and the future of Trinidad and Tobago.”

    UNHCR Trinidad and Tobago

    Over 2,000 refugee and migrant children remain excluded from the school system. The UN has made efforts to provide them with alternative learning opportunities, or to place them in private schools but has expressed a preference for wider admission to the state school system.

    A committee of UN agencies and partners, the Education Working Group (EWG), is working with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to better understand the training and logistical support that would be required to accommodate larger numbers of refugee and migrant children into local schools.

    The hope is that many more students like Astrid will be able to walk into the nation’s classrooms to start the 2025-2026 academic year.

    UN support for education in Trinidad & Tobago

    • The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UNHCR work with partners to offer informal Child-Friendly Spaces, where children can access learning while they wait for places in the national school system.
    • The Education Working Group (EWG) is assisting with initial English language proficiency testing, facilitated by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) in collaboration with the University of the West Indies (UWI).
    • EWG members have coordinated efforts to reduce economic strain and enable students’ focus on learning and thriving. UNHCR provided school supplies and backpacks, PADF offered access to textbooks and other school supplies, and UNICEF disbursed grants to support any unmet needs, including uniforms, textbooks, and transportation.
    • Through the Heroes Development Program, PADF and its partner the Heroes Foundation also provide complementary life skills development and alternative education support for children and youth who are unable to access formal schools in Trinidad and Tobago.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: More than 5,600 killed in Haiti gang violence in 2024

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    At least 5,601 people were killed in gang violence in Haiti last year, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, appealing for greater efforts by the authorities and the international community to address the root causes. 

    These deaths represent an increase of over 1,000 on the total killings for 2023, according to figures verified by OHCHR.  A further 2,212 people were injured and 1,494 kidnapped.

    “These figures alone cannot capture the absolute horrors being perpetrated in Haiti but they show the unremitting violence to which people are being subjected,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.

    Shocking massacre

    OHCHR recalled that in one of the most deadly and shocking incidents, at least 207 people were killed in a massacre in early December orchestrated by the leader of the Wharf Jérémie gang in the Cité Soleil area of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

    Many of the victims were older people accused of causing the death of the leader’s son through alleged voodoo practices. To erase evidence, gang members mutilated and burned most of the bodies, while others were thrown into the sea.

    OHCHR also documented 315 lynchings of gang members and people allegedly associated with gangs, which on some occasions were reportedly facilitated by Haitian police officers.

    Additionally, 281 cases of alleged summary executions involving specialized police units occurred during 2024.

    Impunity still prevalent

    “It has long been clear that impunity for human rights violations and abuses, as well as corruption, remain prevalent in Haiti, constituting some of the main drivers of the multi-dimensional crisis the country faces, along with entrenched economic and social inequalities,” said Mr. Türk. 

    “Additional efforts from the authorities, with the support of the international community, are needed to address these root causes.”

    The human rights chief stressed that restoring the rule of law must be a priority. He added that to this end, the UN-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti needs the logistical and financial support it requires to successfully implement its mandate.

    Furthermore, the Haitian National Police, with the support of the international community, should also strengthen its oversight mechanism to hold accountable police officers reportedly involved in human rights violations.

    Implement sanctions and arms embargo

    Mr. Türk restated his call for the full implementation of the UN Security Council‘s sanctions regime on Haiti, as well as the arms embargo, which are crucial to preventing the supply of firearms and ammunition to the country.  

    “Weapons flowing into Haiti often end up in the hands of the criminal gangs, with tragic results: thousands killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, essential infrastructure and services, such as schools and hospitals, disrupted and destroyed,” he said. 

    He further noted that deportations of Haitians continue even though the acute insecurity and resulting human rights crisis in their homeland do not allow for safe and dignified return.

    The High Commissioner reiterated his call to all States not to forcibly return anyone to Haiti. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN chief offers condolences amid devastating wildfires in California

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Climate and Environment

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed sorrow over the fast-moving wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area, claiming lives and displacing thousands.

    The fires, described as some of the worst in the city’s history, have burned thousands of acres, destroyed homes and left firefighters battling to contain multiple blasts in unprecedented conditions.

    “The Secretary-General is shocked and saddened by the widespread devastation caused by the fast-moving wildfires,” said his Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement released on Thursday.

    Mr. Guterres extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expressed solidarity with those displaced, many of whom have lost their homes.

    The fires have claimed at least five lives, displaced more than 100,000 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings. Damages are estimated to exceed $50 billion, according to US private forecaster AccuWeather.

    Commending first responders

    The Secretary-General commended the courage and dedication of first responders working in “extremely difficult conditions” to protect lives and contain the fires.

    More than 7,500 firefighters are battling the blazes, with officials describing the conditions as historic and dangerous.

    Local fire chiefs reported that dry vegetation and winds with the force of hurricanes have fuelled the fires, leaving four out of six major ones completely uncontained.

    Efforts are being further delayed by resource shortages and the challenging landscape.

    Prevention and preparedness

    Rainfall levels from late 2024 until now have been below average. This has created dry conditions that, combined with the Santana Winds – a well-known weather pattern in the region – have exacerbated fire risks, according to experts.

    The Santana Winds, which typically sweep through the mountains, raise temperatures and drastically lower humidity, rapidly drying out vegetation and creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the importance of prevention strategies to mitigate the impact of wildfires, including regular clearing of underbrush in forests, available water for firefighters and testing firefighting capacities.

    Evacuation planning is another critical priority, with experts stressing the importance of avoiding blocked evacuation routes.

    “Wildfires move rapidly, and any evacuation system needs to account for all people, especially those who are elderly and unable to move quickly,” said James Douris of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), an expert in early warning systems.

    Health risks and climate factors

    Beyond the immediate destruction, wildfires also pose significant public health risks.

    According to WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris, wildfire smoke, a toxic mixture of pollutants, can cause premature deaths and long-term damage to the lungs, heart and brain.

    Vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, face heightened risks.

    Soundcloud

    UN readiness to assist

    Reiterating the United Nations’ commitment to global solidarity, Mr. Guterres stated that “the United Nations stands ready to provide assistance if needed.”

    While no formal request for aid has been made, his statement emphasised the organization’s willingness to support affected communities.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: US: Rights experts urge Senate to reject bill sanctioning the International Criminal Court

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    Three experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council on Friday urged the United States Senate to oppose a bill seeking to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), and cut funding to the UN-backed tribunal, in response to its arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. 

    The ICC issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

    Go here to read our analysis of the decision and the likely next steps, and here for our ICC explainer. 

    Asked by reporters at the regular noon briefing if the UN chief had a view on the Congressional bill, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that although he would not comment on individual laws, “we do have a principled position…And that is, while it is independent from the Secretariat, the Secretary-General has great respect for the Court and for the work of the International Criminal Court, which is in itself a very important pillar of international justice.”

    The experts – Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order – outlined their concerns in a statement.

    A ‘shocking’ move

    They are dismayed by the passage of an Act in the US House of Representatives on Thursday which sanctions the ICC for its decision. The Court also issued an arrest warrant for a former Hamas commander alongside the others.

    “It is shocking to see a country that considers itself a champion of the rule of law trying to stymie the actions of an independent and impartial tribunal set up by the international community, to thwart accountability,” the experts said.

    “Threats against the ICC promote a culture of impunity. They make a mockery of the decades-long quest to place law above force and atrocity,” they warned.

    The experts have written to the US authorities about their concerns.

    ​ICC promotes accountability 

    The ICC was established under a 1998 treaty known as the Rome Statute. The US is not a party to the statute, along with dozens of other nations, but 125 countries are members of the Court.

    It has the mandate to investigate and prosecute individuals for the grave international crimes of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It is based in the Hague, in the Netherlands.

    The experts recalled that the ICC is the legacy of the Nuremberg trials which brought Nazi leaders to account ​and the commitment ​to never allow ​heinous ​crimes, such as those committed during the Second World War, to go ​​unpunished. 

    “The tireless work of brave legal professionals at the ICC is the main driver for accountability. The work of its prosecutors becomes the foundation upon which our efforts to uphold the integrity of the system of international law is resting,” they said.

    ICC

    ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan visits the landfill site in Tarhunah, Libya, where over 250 have been identified across a number of mass graves. (file)

    Respect for legal professionals

    They called upon all State Parties to the ICC, and all UN Member States in General, to observe and respect international standards as it relates to legal professionals working towards accountability for the most grave international crimes.

    “International standards provide that lawyers and justice personnel should be able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference; and should not suffer, or be threatened with, prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions ​​for any action taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics,” they explained.

    ‘A blind spot for justice’

    They said the bill, titled the ‘Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act’, would take effect 60 days after enactment.

    It would sanction any individual working to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute American citizens or an official from an allied US country, including Israel. Any US funds designated for the ICC would also be rescinded, and any future money for the Court would be prohibited. 

    The experts said imposing sanctions on justice personnel for fulfilling their professional responsibilities is “a blatant violation of human rights” that strikes at the core of judicial independence and the rule of law.

    “The passage of a bill that creates a blind spot for justice regarding certain countries not only legalises double standards and impunity but irreparably undermines the spirit of universality that the international justice system is built upon,” they said. 

    “Such actions erode public trust in the impartiality and integrity of justice and set a dangerous precedent, politicising judicial functions and weakening the global commitment to accountability and fairness,” they added. 

    Uphold judicial independence

    They warned that if carried out, the sanctions would appear to amount to offences against the administration of justice under Article 70 of the Rome Statute, which punishes efforts to impede or intimidate an official of the Court or to retaliate against them on account of their official duties.  

    “We urge US lawmakers to uphold the rule of law and the independence of judges and lawyers, and we call on States to respect the Court’s independence as a judicial institution and protect the independence and impartiality of those who work within the Court,” they said.

    About UN experts

    Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council, which is based in Geneva.

    They work on a voluntary basis, are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.

    The experts are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Relentless crisis in Haiti: One in eight children internally displaced

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    The humanitarian crisis in Haiti has reached a critical point, with one in eight children now internally displaced due to escalating violence fuelled by armed groups who continue to control most of the capital, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).  

    The latest data reveals that over 500,000 children have been forced from their homes – a shocking 48 per cent increase since September.

    In total, more than one million Haitians are internally displaced, half of whom are children urgently requiring humanitarian aid.

    “It is a horrific time to be a child in Haiti, with violence upending lives and forcing more children and families from their homes,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

    “Children desperately need safety, protection and access to essential services. We cannot look away,” she emphasised. 

    Children caught in crossfire 

    Decades of political instability, poverty and inequality have enabled the rise of armed groups and the impact on children has been devastating. 

    Reports indicate a 70 per cent surge in child recruitment over the past year, with minors making up as much as 50 per cent of their ranks. This recruitment violates international law and constitutes a grave violation of children’s rights.

    Meanwhile, the displacement crisis has left children especially vulnerable to violence, including sexual violence, exploitation and abuse. 

    Incidents of sexual violence against children have increased by 1,000 per cent in the last year, the agency said.

    Access to basic services such as education, healthcare, clean water and sanitation has been severely disrupted, leaving children at heightened risk of malnutrition and disease.

    Nearly 6,000 people are enduring famine-like conditions, and unsanitary displacement sites have created fertile ground for cholera outbreaks. The country has recorded nearly 88,000 suspected cases of the disease, which disproportionately affects children.

    © OHCHR/Marion Mondain

    A young child whose family fled violence sits in a makeshift shelter in Port-au-Prince.

    Worsening urban crisis

    The crisis is particularly acute in the metropolitan area of the capital Port-au-Prince, where violence and instability are rampant. 

    By December, attempted sieges of residential neighbourhoods forced approximately 40,000 people to flee their homes in just two weeks. 

    UNICEF estimates that three million children nationwide need humanitarian assistance, with 1.2 million children in immediate danger across the city. 

    Call for action

    UNICEF is urging all parties to immediately cease hostilities and end violations of children’s rights, including recruitment by armed groups and all forms of sexual violence. 

    The agency has also called for unimpeded access for humanitarian workers to reach those in need, including displaced populations.

    “Children in Haiti are bearing the brunt of a crisis they did not create,” Ms. Russell said. “They rely on the Haitian Government and international community to take urgent action to protect their lives and safeguard their futures,” she emphasised.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Planned overnight maintenance closures coming for State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    The first planned night closures of State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill for 2025 are coming up.

    The route is set to be closed to traffic for five nights, 9 pm to 4 am, from Sunday, 23 February to Friday morning 28 February, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

    Mark Owen, Regional Manager Maintenance & Operations Wellington / Top of the South for NZTA, says the route has been kept open since last December to cater for the extra traffic from KiwiRail’s closure of the Wairarapa Line for upgrades and maintenance.

    “Now the rail line is open, it’s crucial we make sure the road remains in good shape for the wetter winter months ahead.

    “Our road crews will be hard at work carrying out resurfacing, sign replacement, clearing drainage, maintaining barriers and line marking as well as the remedial work to the slip on the Featherston side of the hill, where the Slow Vehicle Lane is currently closed,” Mr Owen says.

    He says it is essential drivers are aware of the closures and are ready for them. As well as the closures in February, more are planned overnight in March, April, May and June.

    Pahiatua Track, Saddle Road alternative, longer routes, or book to be escorted

    “We do not want people to be caught out by these overnight closures, as the only alternative detours are via the Pahiatua Track or Saddle Road to the north – a much longer trip.

    “Escorted crossings for drivers of light vehicles are available during closure nights but must be booked in advance and can be made on the NZTA website,” Mr Owen says.

    “During this closure we are only able to accommodate one escorted crossing per direction each night due to significant resurfacing works.” 

    Mr Owen says full closures mean maintenance works can be finished faster and they are safer for road crews.

    “A critical factor is far fewer vehicles use the route at night. Around 7,000 vehicles on average travel over the hill daily, but of this 300 or fewer travel at night.

    “Night closures have a far lower impact on drivers than if the work was done under stop/go during the day. They really are the best option for this work,” he says.

    Important information for Remutaka Hill closures

    • Escorted crossings for light vehicles are available during closure nights but must be booked in advance. We always communicate well before planned closures and provide contact details so bookings can be made.
    • Bookings can be made online on the NZTA website – Remutaka Hill Closure Escort Booking Form(external link)
    • Bookings are essential – drivers who turn up without one risk being turned away. If you have a genuine emergency on the night, the hill manager will decide how best to help you.
    • The escorted crossings are for light vehicles only. To keep our contractors safe, heavy vehicles cannot be accommodated.
    • Full access is always available for emergency services.

    More information about planned maintenance closures for Remutaka Hill can be found here:

    State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill, planned night closures. February – June 2025:

    Nights Closed

    Start 9 pm

    Finish 4 am

    5

    23 February

    28 February

    1

    9 March

    10 March

    5

    6 April

    11 April

    1

    18 May

    19 May

    1

    15 June

    16 June

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Hanmer Springs, Waiau River bridge night closure coming up, SH7A

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    |

    People travelling in and out of Hanmer Springs village next Monday night, 17 February, through to Tuesday morning, 18 February, will need to plan around a full night closure over the Waiau River bridge.

    The bridge, at the start of SH7A off the Lewis Pass highway, will close at 9 pm and reopen at 5.30 am Tuesday morning.

    Midnight opening

    There will be an hour’s opening midnight to 1 am to let traffic through in both directions, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

    Crews will be repairing the bridge deck. NZTA thanks all night-time drivers for working around this closure. Emergency vehicles will be allowed across at short notice.

    Tags

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on February 7, 2025.

    Len Homelvig, age 55, was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024 for three counts of Production of Child Pornography. As part of a plea agreement with the United States, he pleaded guilty to one count of Production of Child Pornography on October 25, 2024. On February 7, 2025 he was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100, and restitution in the amount of $8,000. Homelvig must register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison.

    The conviction stemmed from an investigation that started in December 2023 when photographs of naked minor females were found on Homelvig’s phone. Upon closer inspection, the photographs and videos were that of the female foster children living in his home. To create the pornography, Homelvig slid his phone under the bathroom door while the minor females were getting dressed or would put his phone over the top of the shower curtain while the girls were showering. Homelvig was able to capture images and videos of the minor females’ private parts. Ultimately, the investigation discovered Homelvig perpetrated on five females living in the home, four of which were minors.

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

    This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

    Homelvig was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

     

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on February 7, 2025.

    Len Homelvig, age 55, was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024 for three counts of Production of Child Pornography. As part of a plea agreement with the United States, he pleaded guilty to one count of Production of Child Pornography on October 25, 2024. On February 7, 2025 he was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100, and restitution in the amount of $8,000. Homelvig must register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison.

    The conviction stemmed from an investigation that started in December 2023 when photographs of naked minor females were found on Homelvig’s phone. Upon closer inspection, the photographs and videos were that of the female foster children living in his home. To create the pornography, Homelvig slid his phone under the bathroom door while the minor females were getting dressed or would put his phone over the top of the shower curtain while the girls were showering. Homelvig was able to capture images and videos of the minor females’ private parts. Ultimately, the investigation discovered Homelvig perpetrated on five females living in the home, four of which were minors.

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

    This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

    Homelvig was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Houston resident pleads guilty to laundering proceeds from $40M fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 43-year-old man has admitted to laundering proceeds from a large-scale bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Bun Khath admitted that from 2016 to 2021, he conspired with others in a bank fraud scheme involving dozens of loans totaling at least $40 million in fraudulent loan proceeds.  

    As part of the plea, Khath acknowledged opening and maintaining shell companies and bank accounts to collect money from the scheme and then laundering the fraud proceeds by wiring them to bank accounts other co-conspirators controlled.

    Khath and others accomplished the bank fraud by preparing loan applications that contained false and fraudulent information and documents, including fake equipment sales invoices, income tax returns and financial and bank statements.

    U.S. District Keith Ellison will impose sentencing April 29. At that time, Khath faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 possible fine or twice the amount involved in the transaction.  

    He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

    Another Houston resident charged in the case – Hugo Villanueva, 70, – is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.

    The Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Over Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon and Distribution of Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Distribution of a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 10, 2025.

    Rickey Eugene Johnson, Jr., 34, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Johnson was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Distribution of a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty in November 2024.

    On May 13, 2024, Johnson was driving a vehicle in Sioux Falls and was stopped by law enforcement and arrested. The officers found a 9 mm handgun in his vehicle. Johnson is prohibited from having firearms based on prior felony convictions. While on pre-trial release in the firearm case, Johnson sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement on January 17, 2024.

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

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

    Johnson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Camela C. Theeler, U.S. District Judge, has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of one count of Bank Fraud and six counts of Theft by a Credit Union Employee. The sentencing took place on February 10, 2025.

    Ashley Viken, 41, was sentenced to 11 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $700 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $50,000 in restitution to Black Hills Federal Credit Union and $69,085.95 in restitution to CUMIS Insurance Society, Inc.

    Viken was indicted on one count of Bank Fraud and 28 counts of Theft by a Credit Union Employee by a federal grand jury in August 2024. She pleaded guilty on November 26, 2024.

    Between July 2022 and March 2024, Viken, while employed as an accountant with Black Hills Federal Credit Union (BHFCU), devised a scheme to defraud BHFCU for her own personal gain. As part of the scheme, Viken wrote 29 cashier’s checks totaling $119,085.95 on an account owned and controlled by BHFCU and fraudulently documented that she was reissuing cashier’s checks or refunding money to BHFCU members, when she instead was depositing the cashier’s checks into accounts she owned or controlled. After fraudulently taking the money, Viken then falsified bank documents to cover her theft and used the funds for her own personal benefit. 

    This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

    Viken was ordered to self-surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service at a future date.   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for $3 Million Pandemic Fraud, Witness Tampering, Clean Air Act Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a Farmington, Missouri business owner who committed bank fraud, Clean Air Act violations and witness tampering to 108 months in prison.

    Judge Pitlyk also ordered Christopher Lee Carroll, 55, to pay restitution of $3 million.

    Carroll was convicted by a jury in August of three counts of bank fraud, three counts of making false statements to a financial institution, one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, 13 violations of the Clean Air Act and two counts of threatening a witness.

    Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Carroll and his business partner, George Reed, were owners of a time share exit company called Square One Group LLC. In April of 2020, they submitted a false and fraudulent application for a $1.2 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The loan application falsely stated that the spouses of Reed and Carroll owned the company in order to conceal Carroll’s status as a paroled felon, which would have precluded his company from receiving PPP funds. Carroll also used his wife’s name to avoid any potential liability for the fraud, a sentencing memo filed by prosecutors says.

    The PPP loan was supposed to help save businesses and jobs, but Carroll did not use the money to pay dozens of employees who were out of work or keep paying for health insurance for 17 of those employees. Instead, he used it to start a trucking company, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair LLC. Carroll and Reed then applied for loan forgiveness, falsely claiming that they’d spent the money on payroll and other permitted expenses.

    Reed and Carroll later sought a second loan of more than $1.6 million, taking a total of $660,000 in “owner draws” from the company after the loan was approved, the evidence showed.

    The Clean Air Act violations relate to emissions control equipment designed to reduce pollutants. Carroll had that equipment taken off Whiskey Dix’s fleet of diesel trucks. Carroll asked one employee to “take the fall” for his crimes and told another that he would stop paying for the employee’s lawyer if he talked to federal agents, evidence and testimony showed. Carroll did stop paying for the lawyer.

    Carroll is a “consummate fraudster,” the government sentencing memo says, who ran a company that preyed on elderly victims before committing the pandemic loan fraud and other crimes. Carroll is also “a dangerous, violent person,” the memo says, citing prior convictions including felonious restraint and forcible sodomy and evidence of Carroll’s participation in a murder-for-hire scheme.

    “This prosecution reinforces our office’s priority of going after the worst pandemic fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “People like Christopher Carroll took advantage of a once-in-a-generation crisis to enrich themselves at the expense of struggling Americans.  This office will continue to make sure that defendants like Carroll are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “This latest conviction is the tip of the iceberg for this career criminal,” said FBI St. Louis Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson. “In addition to defrauding the taxpayer-funded loan program in this latest case, Chris Carroll bailed on customers to line his own pockets with the millions of dollars they paid him to help exit timeshares. Furthermore, Carroll’s violent criminal history includes being a convicted sex offender for forcible sodomy.”

    Whiskey Dix was also found guilty of 16 Clean Air Act violations. Judge Pitlyk sentenced the company to three years of probation.

    Reed, now 70, pleaded guilty to bank fraud in September of 2022 and admitted fraudulently applying for, obtaining and using the two PPP loans. Reed admitted as part of his guilty plea that the company failed to pay a “significant number” of employees, despite the PPP loans, and that Carroll terminated the health insurance benefits of at least 17 employees. Reed was sentenced last month to time served and ordered to pay $3 million in restitution.

    The FBI and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwendolyn Carroll and Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Joaquin County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Aaron Michael Correia, 38, of San Joaquin County, was sentenced today to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, during a traffic stop, Correia was found to be in possession of a loaded .22 Ruger revolver and a box of .22 caliber ammunition. Correia is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple state felony convictions, including 2017 and 2021 convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm in San Joaquin County.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Manteca Police Department, the Stockton Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Northfield Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal Prison for Attempting to Receive 2 Pounds of Methamphetamine through the United States Postal Service

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A Northfield man was sentenced today in federal court for his attempt to receive two packages of methamphetamine in New Hampshire through the United States Postal Service (USPS), Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Joseph Crawford, of Northfield, age 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 72 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.  On October 30, 2024, Crawford pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    “Joseph Crawford used the United States Postal Service in an attempt to smuggle dangerous drugs across state lines into the Granite State,” said Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack. “Individuals using the mail as an avenue to traffic illegal narcotics to New Hampshire will be prosecuted and significantly punished.”

    “Joseph Crawford has repeatedly demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law and yesterday’s sentence puts him out of business and behind bars for receiving significant quantities of meth through the mail while on parole for two prior state drug convictions,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.  “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent illegal drugs from hitting the streets in order to make our cities safer.”

    “As methamphetamine seizures are on the rise, DEA stands committed to keeping this highly addictive drug out of New Hampshire,” said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, New England Field Division.  “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Crawford accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those who attempt to bring this poison to the Granite State.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners will continue to dedicate the resources necessary to keep methamphetamine producers and traffickers out of our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Today’s sentencing is a result of a coordinated effort of our local and state law enforcement partners to keep methamphetamine and other drugs out of our communities.”

    On July 5 and July 19, 2023, the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”) flagged suspicious packages addressed to Joseph Crawford at an address in Northfield, New Hampshire, sent from California. USPIS obtained search warrants for both packages, which contained over two pounds of methamphetamine in total. 

    The United States Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The New Hampshire State Police, Claremont Police Department, and the Lebanon Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Heather A. Cherniske prosecuted the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The Evolution of the World’s First WindFree™ Air Conditioner: A Legacy of Continuous Innovation

    Source: Samsung

    Cooling without direct wind has become a new standard in air conditioning. This transformation began nine years ago when Samsung Electronics introduced the world’s first WindFree air conditioner, redefining home cooling with an innovative approach that avoided the discomfort of direct cold air. Now in 2025, the company has further advanced this breakthrough by enhancing its dehumidification capabilities — addressing one of the key challenges in conventional air conditioning.
     
    Samsung Newsroom explores the evolution of the WindFree air conditioners and how their user-centric technology has reshaped the market.
     
    ▲ The WindFree Experience Zone at the AHR Expo, North America’s largest air-conditioning and HVAC industry trade show, in 2024
     
     
    2016–2018: Introducing the World’s First WindFree Cooling
    In January 2016, Samsung launched the world’s first WindFree air conditioner. Powered by patented technology, the first-generation WindFree air conditioner rapidly lowered indoor temperatures using three powerful air outlets and evenly dispersed the cool air through thousands of micro air holes when the air outlets closed to maintain a consistent and comfortable indoor temperature. This breakthrough cooling method was made possible through Samsung’s extensive R&D efforts and 11 global patents.
     
    In 2017, Samsung expanded its WindFree lineup by introducing the first-ever wall-mounted WindFree air conditioner — building on the successful launch of the floor-standing model.
     
    By 2018, Samsung integrated AI technology into WindFree cooling. AI Auto Cooling mode analyzed indoor and outdoor conditions along with user preferences to automatically adjust cooling, dehumidification and air purification settings for personalized comfort. Meanwhile, AI Purification mode activated air purification based on the concentration of fine dust. Furthermore, Bixby voice control enabled seamless operation of air conditioners as well as other SmartThings-connected appliances.
     
     
    2019–2022: Elevating Comfort With Wide WindFree Cooling
    The year 2019 marked the introduction of the second-generation WindFree air conditioner, boasting enhanced cooling performance and design. The air outlets were concealed within the front panel, creating a minimalist design that blended seamlessly with any interior. Samsung’s upgraded Wide WindFree technology delivered a richer, more powerful and evenly distributed cooling experience by improving airflow through a widened WindFree panel and over 270,000 micro air holes — more than double the previous model.
     
    In 2020, Samsung introduced Easy Care to allow effortless cleaning and maintenance. The Easy Open Panel enabled quick disassembly without tools, while the Wash Clean feature facilitated heat exchanger cleaning for better hygiene and maintenance convenience.
     
    By 2022, Samsung’s WindFree technology evolved beyond cooling to introduce Warm Breeze. By gently emitting air at 86-104°F (30-40°C), the feature ensured a cozy indoor environment while simultaneously purifying the air to significantly increase the versatility of WindFree air conditioners for year-round use.
     
     
    2023–2024: Redefining Cooling With 3D Wide WindFree
    The third-generation WindFree air conditioner, launched in 2023, represented another leap forward in design and performance. Samsung introduced a premium 3D silhouette design, crafted using advanced 3D metal press technology. This element added a new level of sophistication and texture to the exterior. Compared to the previous model, the air conditioner featured 1,500 additional micro air holes for an improved WindFree cooling experience.
     
    In 2024, Samsung upgraded user convenience by integrating Bixby voice control into many more functions — from simple mode and temperature adjustments to complex multi-step commands and scheduling.
     
     
    2025: Unlocking the Future of Air Conditioning With the WindFree Combo
    ▲ The WindFree Combo
     
    This year, Samsung has once again taken its air conditioner innovation to the next level with the launch of the WindFree Combo. The new Dry Comfort feature uses a temperature and humidity sensor to calculate the temperature of the heat exchanger, precisely adjusting refrigerant flow and moderating humidity levels. What’s more, the dehumidification feature reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to the previous model.
     
    The AI-driven smart features have evolved to offer personalized climate control optimized for users’ living spaces. AI algorithms learn users’ movement patterns and analyze weather conditions, indoor and outdoor temperatures and humidity to ensure ideal comfort. Moreover, the WindFree Air Conditioner now connects with Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring, automatically activating WindFree Wearable Good Sleep mode when it detects the user falling asleep and turning off the cooling when they wake up.1
     
    From enhanced cooling performance and innovative design to greater user convenience, WindFree air conditioners continue to set new standards in home climate control. As Samsung’s air-conditioning technology advances, more paradigm-shifting breakthroughs will emerge to further improve comfort in everyday living.
     
     
    1 Feature applicable from 2022 models onwards

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Praises President Trump for Making Tariffs Great Again

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) delivered a floor speech praising President Donald Trump’s recent implementation of reciprocal tariffs to ensure fairness and bolster our national security.
    Read the speech below or watch the full speech here.

    “I come to the floor today to talk to you about President Trump’s tariffs. The media is in full meltdown. They’re in a full meltdown mode after President Trump imposed duties and retaliatory tariffs this week on countries that have basically been ripping the United States of America off, and they’ve been doing it for decades. Apparently, globalists and Democrats are just fine with other countries imposing tariffs on the United States. But when it comes to President Trump trying to equalize it up, establish a level playing field for domestic producers, well, that’s a bridge too far.
    If they have been paying attention to President Trump, they should [not be] remotely surprised. He campaigned on this platform three times and has been crystal clear on his intentions. Now, he is following through on his campaign promises. But in the corporate media, it seems to still be confused about all these tariffs. So, let me spell it out.
    President Trump’s view on tariffs [are both] a negotiating tool to get other countries to do a few things that we ask them to do, a way to boost American manufacturing, and put American workers and businesses first, not last. President Trump has his work cut out for him after the disastrous four years for our small businesses and our corporations under the Biden administration. The Biden administration made it clear to our friends and foes alike that the globalist agenda would take precedent over the safety and well-being [of] the American people. It’s mind boggling. Thankfully, those days are over.
    [The] American people gave President Donald J. Trump a clear mandate to restore our country’s superpower status and [to] put all Americans first, all businesses first. Everybody that does something in this country. And that starts, number one, with securing our borders. Like I’ve said many times, if you don’t have a border, you don’t have a country. And we have really struggled in the last four years. That is changing.
    That’s why the Master Negotiator in Chief, President Donald Trump, threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada [in] just the last couple of weeks. Over the last four years, the Mexican government just basically turned a blind eye while caravans of illegal aliens overrun our borders—coming from Mexico, coming from Central America, all over the world—just overrunning our country. Thousands of women and children were trafficked, raped along the way. Drug cartels made an absolute fortune—absolute fortune. Not just with drugs, by the way, but for the payments of these illegals coming all the way through either Central America or South America to United States with a big, basically, tariff of their own, charging these people to come to the United States. Lawlessness had become the status quo under President Biden. Nobody cared. Democrats in this room, they didn’t care. They didn’t care what was going on. Let’s just let them all come in. Let’s let the drugs come in. We lose 300 people pretty much every few days to illegal drugs in this country with overdoses. But let’s [not] worry about that. Let’s just worry about controlling our country the way they wanted to. Well, it’s been a disaster.
    Mexico showed zero signs of willingness to negotiate when President Trump took office. When he did take office [on] January 20th, they woke up real quick. President Trump correctly understands that Mexico’s economy is heavily dependent on the United States of America and the citizens of this country. In fact, more than 80% of Mexico’s exports come to the United States. 80% come here. And the American citizens buy those products […] Mexico’s economy would almost instantly feel the effects of a 25% tariff, leaving Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum no choice—no choice—but to come to the negotiating table under the master negotiator Donald Trump.
    So that’s why he uses tariffs: to get his point across because people across the world take us for granted. As a result, within hours of President Trump’s announcement of the tariffs, Mexico caved. They saw real quick. Obviously, they’re not stupid. They agreed to help the United States secure the border and crack down on the cartels and the illegal drugs coming in—almost immediately. […] Our neighbor to the North also caved to President Trump after a 25% tariff was threatened on Canada. Not only are illicit drugs like fentanyl coming into our country from Mexico, but there are also about [a] 2000% increase in drugs coming across the border in 2023 and 2024 from Canada. A 2000% increase. In the last fiscal year alone, enough fentanyl was seized at the northern border to kill 9.8 million Americans. And to me, that would be a very serious problem. But do you think that Democrats cared? Nope. There was no action at all by the Biden administration on Canada. No action on Mexico. But thanks [to] President Trump’s leadership, our North American neighbors, from the North and South, are making changes now daily that will protect American citizens from deadly drugs, criminals, and human traffickers. The number one job of the President of the United States to protect the people in this country first, and that’s what President Trump’s doing.
    In addition to using tariffs as a negotiating tool, President Trump also views tariffs as a way to write the wrongs of past, ineffective trade deals. That’s why this week he’s imposing a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, including those of Canada and Mexico. Contrary to what the media is telling you, this isn’t unprecedented. It’s not unusual. In fact, President Trump has helped shine a light on the fact that US exporters face higher tariffs [….] more than two-thirds of the time. We pay more tariffs than anybody. For example, among our major trading partners, [China applies higher tariffs on 85% of U.S. products and India on 90% of U.S. products]. Just think about that. We are paying tariffs on things coming in[to] this country, but when we send things out, we get the heck tariffed out of us from other countries. It’s not fair trade.
    These exports, imbalances, don’t just impact bottom lines, they also discourage domestic production. We have got to produce more in this country. We have got to build more things in this country, and that’s what President Trump’s trying to do. If we don’t cut back on spending and start producing more in this country, this will not be the United States of America much longer because we will be bankrupt. And we’ll be reporting to somebody like China who is buying our treasury bills right and left…or they were. 
    One report conducted by the Department of Commerce in the first Trump administration found that excess production capacity, particularly China, has been a major factor in the decline of domestic aluminum production. Basically, we’re getting overwhelmed by aluminum from China that’s not near as good as what we make in this country.
    President Trump built one of the strongest economies in modern history in his first term. Modern history. But the democrats failed to know that. So, they wanted to change it. And did they ever. [They] almost destroyed our economy. Jobs and wages were up when President Trump was in, inflation was down. Americans had more money in their pocket. And thanks to President Trump’s strategic tariffs, along with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, companies were reshoring businesses back in the United States right and left. They were coming back because they could make profit. And that’s what it’s all about when you have a corporation. You gotta make a profit. And President Trump was able to, because of tariffs, make more money for manufacturing. […]
    You had companies like Ford canceling plans to build in Mexico, back in President Trump’s first term, and instead opening one in Michigan. This turned out to be extremely important when COVID hit and we were forced to rely on goods manufactured right here in the United States. We found out pretty quick, just in [pharmaceutical] drugs alone, we make very little drugs in the United States. They’re made in India and China. They’ve got to come back here. We have to be self-sustaining.
    Whether it’s our healthcare technologies, agriculture products, or steel, and aluminum, there’s no reason for us to depend on other countries. We are the number one country in this world, have been, and will be in the future in manufacturing production. America has some of the best and brightest manufacturers. Best and brightest producers, farmers, and businesses. We take second to none. And from a national security perspective, it is dangerous to be reliant on other countries who may not have the best interests of the United States in mind. You can’t blame them. They’re looking out for themselves first. Well, we need to do the same thing.
    Not to mention the fact that US produces the cleanest steel in the world. You’d think the Democrats and the Climate Cult would at least be happy about that. Think about that. You know, President Trump just put tariffs on steel and aluminum. A lot of the steel and aluminum come in and, because of how they make it, is some of the dirtiest in the world. We make the cleanest, and why in the world would we want to import something that is going to be detrimental to our country? […]
    The tariffs being imposed this week are an important step in President Trump’s plan to restore fairness to trade, boost domestic manufacturing, and put consumers and producers first. It’s about time. Three weeks into his presidency, President Trump is keeping his promises. President Trump’s strategic tariffs will strengthen and revitalize our nation’s economy, stop the flow of illicit drugs and illegal immigration, and make sure our trade deals are fair to both taxpayers and American manufacturers. America first! President Trump is utilizing every tool at his disposal as we speak, including tariffs, to usher in the Golden Age of the American Economy. We have to make that change. If we don’t, we will not survive as the number one country in the world. We will not regain that status and we will be losing our national security.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Tuberville in OutKick: Defending and Protecting Women and Girls’ Sports

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    “Congress needs to act on this to make sure the next Democrat administration can’t take the same steps to destroy Title IX that the Biden administration took”
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned an op-ed in OutKick urging the Senate to pass his legislation to make President Trump’s Executive Order protecting women’s sports permanent.
    Sen. Tuberville has introduced two pieces of legislation this Congress that would preserve Title IX protections for female athletes: the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act and the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. He attended the signing of the Executive Order at the White House, where President Trump shouted out Sen. Tuberville for the work he’s done to champion women’s sports both in Congress and throughout his coaching career.
    Read excerpts from the piece below or here.
    “Nov. 5, 2024, is the day the American people sent shockwaves to the swamp in D.C. when they overwhelmingly reelected Donald J. Trump as President of the United States. Seventy-seven million Americans voted for President Trump and his ‘America First’ agenda. A critical part of the agenda includes prioritizing the safety of women and girls in sports and protecting their privacy in bathrooms and locker rooms.
    Since the beginning of time, people have agreed that sex is assigned at birth and determined by God. But under the Biden administration, people were claiming that men can get pregnant. Pure insanity. Democrats weren’t content to just erase gender norms, they wanted to allow transgender men to participate in women’s and girls’ sports.
    As a result, young women have been forced to compete against men – and even to share locker rooms with them. On top of that, American taxpayer dollars are paying for it. Under Joe Biden, 900 women’s medals went to men. That’s just wrong.
    This one is personal for me. My first coaching job was in women’s basketball. Title IX was just starting to be implemented when I took that job. I saw firsthand the immediate difference it made. Back then, there were more than 10 times as many male athletes in college as female athletes. After Title IX that quickly changed. […]
    Recently, President Trump signed an Executive Order ending Democrats’ intentional destruction of Title IX. He is 100% committed to saving women’s sports. I’m very thankful for his leadership on this. The Executive Order makes sure women’s sports are protected for at least the next 4 years.
    But unfortunately, Executive Orders can be reversed. Congress needs to act on this to make sure the next Democrat administration can’t take the same steps to destroy Title IX that the Biden administration took. I introduced a bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, that would make President Trump’s Executive Order permanent. My bill prevents a school from receiving federal funding if it lets boys compete in women’s sports. It also defines gender as male and female for this purpose.
    My bill already passed the House on a bipartisan basis. I’m grateful that 38 of my colleagues, along with every member of Senate Republican Leadership, have cosponsored this important legislation.
    We have a lot to accomplish in the first 100 days of the Trump administration, and my bill should be a part of it. Leader John Thune has assured me he will bring it up for a vote in the Senate soon.”
    MORE:
    Tuberville Thanks President Trump for Signing Executive Order Protecting Women’s Sports, Urges Senate to Bring Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to the Floor for a Vote
    Tuberville Takes Action to Protect Women’s Olympic Sports in Honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day
    ICYMI: Tuberville Joins “The Megyn Kelly Show” to Advocate for Senate Leadership to Schedule Title IX Legislation for a Vote
    ICYMI: Tuberville in OutKick: Senate to Consider My Bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act
    Tuberville Introduces Hallmark Legislation to Preserve Title IX, Protect Women’s Sports
    ICYMI: Tuberville Joins Harris Faulkner on Fox News to Discuss Title IX, Save Women’s Sports
    Tuberville Leads Colleagues in Fight to Save Title IX, Women’s Sports
    Tuberville, Blackburn Urge NCAA President to Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports
    The Globalist-Left’s Assault on Female Athletics
    Tuberville Sponsors Resolution to Overturn Biden’s Attack on Title IX, Save Women’s Sports
    Tuberville Takes Action to Recognize October 10th as ‘American Girls in Sports Day’
    Tuberville Demands Answers on Biden Administration’s Radical Rewrite of Title IX
    ICYMI: Tuberville Joins Lou Holtz: There’s an Attack on Title IX
    ICYMI: Tuberville on Newsmax: Democrats are Trying to Destroy Women’s Sports, Title IX
    Tuberville Leads Roundtable on Protecting Title IX and Saving Women’s Sports
    ICYMI: Tuberville Hosts Roundtable About Saving Women’s Sports
    What Democrats’ Vote Against Women Reveals About the Future of Sports
    Tuberville Forces Senate Vote to Protect Women’s Sports
    Tuberville Demands Answers from NCAA, Dept of Ed on Title IX
    Tuberville Introduces Legislation to Prohibit Men from Competing in Women’s Olympic Sports
    Senator Tuberville joins Fox and Friends to discuss the 50th Anniversary of Inflation and Title IX
    Tuberville Calls for Fairness in Women’s Sports
    Ahead of 50th Anniversary of Title IX, Senator Tuberville Warns Biden Admin is Hacking Away at Women’s Progress
    Senator Tuberville: Biden Title IX Modifications Will Destroy ‘Opportunities For Generations Of Women And Girls’
    Biden executive order will ruin women’s sports and erode Title IX
    Dr. Ben Carson, Sen. Tuberville Break Down Why They Think Trans Athletes Shouldn’t Compete In Women’s Sports
    U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville says Biden administration pushing women to the sidelines
    Tuberville on Biden Administration’s Upcoming Title IX Proposed Rule: ‘It would take a wrecking ball to the five decades of Title IX success and tilt what was a level playing field to the far left’
    Tuberville Presses Under Secretary of Education Nominee on Title IX, Free Speech on Campus
    Tuberville: The Real March Madness
    Tuberville Warns Secretary Cardona Against Weakening Title IX Protections 
    Tuberville Emphasizes Importance of Title IX Protections
    Tuberville Offers Amendment Protecting Women’s Title IX Rights
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Chief of Naval Operations Visits NSWC Crane, Purdue University

    Source: United States Navy

    Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti traveled to Indiana to visit Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division, located on Naval Support Activity (NSA) Crane to speak with Sailors, civilians, and elementary school students, and then visited Purdue University for a series of engagements with university leadership, research lab professors, and midshipmen, Feb. 10.

    The visit enabled CNO to see and discuss key efforts that support her Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy to include the project 33 targets to operationally integrate robotic and autonomous systems, restore critical infrastructure, and recruit and retain talent, as well as elements of the NAVPLAN’s 5+4 related to building long-term warfighting advantage.

    “Our Navy is the most powerful Navy in the world, but it doesn’t do anything without cutting-edge technology and the people who develop and operate it. For well over 80 years Crane, Indiana has been making a difference for the warfighter, and that was evident in everything I saw today,” said Franchetti. “You provide critical warfighting capability from readiness and modernization to the kinetic and non-kinetic effects we need to deter – and defeat – any adversary.”

    At NSWC Crane, Franchetti recognized top performing Sailors and civilians, visited NSWC Crane’s Electromagnetic Warfare Center of Excellence, and received updates on the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile Program, hypersonic programs, and microelectronics investments. 

    NSWC Crane has a STEM partnership with over 40 area schools, providing education opportunities to over 10,000 students annually, and CNO had the opportunity to engage with a group of elementary school students participating in the program.

    “Being in the Navy is really fun, you can operate ships, submarines, and planes – from seabed to space, and work alongside Allies and partners to defend our nation,” Franchetti told the 4th grade students. “I joined the Navy for free college and to see the world, but I stayed for the mission and the teams we get to be a part of. With over 150 job specialties, there’s something for everyone. I hope you will think about joining our Navy team.”

    At Purdue University, Franchetti met with academic leadership including Dr. Mung Chiang, Purdue University president and toured their Applied Research Institute laboratories where she learned about their research with hypersonics and reviewed their rapidly evolving additive manufacturing capabilities, toured their infrastructure and innovation laboratory, and observed simulated flight operations at Purdue’s UAS Research and Test Facility.

    “I’m grateful for our research partnership and its focus on battlefield innovation,” said Franchetti. “The importance of our initiatives on advanced technology development such as hypersonics, microelectronics and energetics are critical to the future of our nation’s defense and directly contribute to my priorities of warfighting, warfighters and the foundation that supports them.”

    CNO also met with Purdue University’s Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps unit, which hosts 102 midshipmen and 11 staff members, and she commended their decision to serve in America’s Warfighting Navy.    

    “Thank you for being part of NROTC, and for wanting to serve something greater than yourselves. You have an amazing opportunity in front of you,” Franchetti told the midshipmen. “Our Navy – Marine Corps team provides options to our Nation’s decision makers every day. From the Red Sea where we’ve been defending the free flow of commerce, protecting innocent mariners and our Allies and partners in the region – to the Indo-Pacific where we deter the PRC, your Navy is in high demand.”

    For over eight decades, NSWC Crane has delivered innovative solutions and readiness to the Nation, with a focus on Electromagnetic warfare, Expeditionary warfare and Strategic Missions.

    MIL Security OSI –