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  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott, Colleagues Seek to Enhance Accountability for SBA Disaster Loan Account

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Committee on Small Business, along with Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), re-introduced the SBA Disaster Transparency Act, which requires the Small Business Administration to make its monthly reporting requirements for the Disaster Loan Account available to the public. As of 2015, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has followed this transparent reporting model for its Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).  

    Senators Scott and Schiff are joined on the legislation by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Ted Budd (R-N.C.).

    “When I surveyed the devastation from Hurricane Helene, I knew the road to recovery would be long and difficult, but that South Carolinians are resilient,” said Senator Tim Scott. “The SBA Disaster Transparency Act makes simple but necessary reforms to the Disaster Loan Account that will provide increased transparency and ensure Congress is able to act before it’s too late. I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me on this commonsense, bipartisan legislation. I remain committed to working on lasting solutions with President Trump and Congress to ensure we have effective, top-of-the-line disaster response efforts in place.”

    “In the aftermath of the fires in Los Angeles that have devastated our communities, we are introducing this bipartisan bill to hold the SBA accountable and improve transparency of available disaster funds. With this oversight, we can help ensure those impacted receive the support and funding they deserve in order to swiftly recover and rebuild,” said Senator Schiff.

    “Recent natural disasters exposed the need for greater oversight and reform of the SBA’s Disaster Loan Account. The people of Western North Carolina should not be put in a position where the SBA’s account is depleted due to inadequate planning. These loans should follow the same reporting requirements as other agencies, like FEMA, so that funds are available when needed. I’m proud to join Senator Tim Scott to bring accountability to SBA’s disaster loans,” said Senator Budd.

    “Communities in Tennessee and across the country that are rebuilding from natural disasters deserve full transparency on how federal dollars are being spent towards recovery. The SBA Disaster Transparency Act would require monthly reporting for the Disaster Loan Account to be open to the public,” said Senator Blackburn.

    Senator Rick Scott said, “The American people have every right to know where their tax dollars are being spent and hold their government accountable. I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce the SBA Disaster Transparency Act to bring more transparency to the federal government.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Scott, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Enhance Accountability for SBA Disaster Loan Account

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the SBA Disaster Transparency Act.

    The bill requires the Small Business Administration to make its monthly reporting requirements for the Disaster Loan Account available to the public. As of 2015, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has followed this transparent reporting model for its Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).

    Senator Budd said in a statement:

    “Recent natural disasters exposed the need for greater oversight and reform of the SBA’s Disaster Loan Account. The people of Western North Carolina should not be put in a position where the SBA’s account is depleted due to inadequate planning. These loans should follow the same reporting requirements as other agencies, like FEMA, so that funds are available when needed. I’m proud to join Senator Tim Scott to bring accountability to SBA’s disaster loans.”

    Senator Tim Scott said:

    “When I surveyed the devastation from Hurricane Helene, I knew the road to recovery would be long and difficult, but that South Carolinians are resilient. The SBA Disaster Transparency Act makes simple but necessary reforms to the Disaster Loan Account that will provide increased transparency and ensure Congress is able to act before it’s too late. I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me on this commonsense, bipartisan legislation. I remain committed to working on lasting solutions with President Trump and Congress to ensure we have effective, top-of-the-line disaster response efforts in place.”

    Senator Schiff said:

    “In the aftermath of the fires in Los Angeles that have devastated our communities, we are introducing this bipartisan bill to hold the SBA accountable and improve transparency of available disaster funds. With this oversight, we can help ensure those impacted receive the support and funding they deserve in order to swiftly recover and rebuild.”

    Senator Rick Scott said:

    “The American people have every right to know where their tax dollars are being spent and hold their government accountable. I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce the SBA Disaster Transparency Act to bring more transparency to the federal government.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Empowering Albertans with disabilities

    [. Albertans with disabilities and the organizations that support them have said loud and clear they want supports that meet their unique needs and abilities, rather than the current one-size-fits-all solution.

    In response to that request, Alberta’s government is creating a new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP), which will launch in July 2026. This new benefit program for people with disabilities will empower Albertans with disabilities to pursue fulfilling job opportunities while continuing to receive the benefits they need.

    “People with disabilities should not be punished for getting a job. Every dollar they earn on a paycheque should be helping make them better off, not threatening their access to the medication they need. That’s why I am excited to announce the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact that it will have on Albertans with disabilities.”

    Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services

    ADAP was thoughtfully designed based on input from Albertans with disabilities, who stressed the importance of providing pathways to employment for individuals who are able to work but still need supports. Albertans on ADAP will be able to earn more from working while continuing to receive their financial benefits, with higher earning exemptions than any other program. Those on ADAP will also be able to receive the health benefits they need, regardless of their employment income. This new program will ensure more Albertans with disabilities can enjoy the benefits of working like earning a paycheque, developing skills and building relationships, while still receiving supports that meet their unique needs and abilities.

    “I strongly believe in empowering persons with disabilities to reach their full potential, and I also strongly believe that all people deserve to pursue their goals and aspirations without barriers. By creating this program, the province is making it easier for Albertans to find success. ADAP will truly help to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this new program.”

    Greg McMeekin, Alberta’s advocate for persons with disabilities

    Through ADAP, Albertans with disabilities will not only receive the financial and health benefits they rely on, but they will also have access to the resources and tools they need to gain new skills and work to their full potential. To support this, Alberta’s government will be investing more to expand employment supports and encourage private sector employers to break down barriers to employment for people with disabilities. By providing pathways to employment for individuals who are able to work but still need supports, Alberta’s government is empowering people with disabilities to pursue their passions, leading to a greater sense of purpose and improved quality of life.

    “At Prospect Human Services, we’ve been helping individuals with disabilities build sustainable, well-paying careers for more than 60 years – and we know it’s possible. With ADAP, Alberta is breaking down the barriers that have long separated support from opportunity, creating a pathway for people to realize their full potential while maintaining essential benefits. We applaud the Alberta government for designing a flexible initiative that offers stability and empowers Albertans with disabilities to embrace the transformative power of employment.”

    Kevin McNichol, CEO of Prospect Human Services

    Alberta provides some of the most comprehensive supports in the country for people with disabilities, and the long-standing Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program will still be there for those with permanent and severe disabilities who are unable to work. Those currently on AISH will continue to receive their benefits, and applications will continue to be processed to ensure eligible applicants receive benefits as soon as possible. Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring that the province continues to have the best disability programs in Canada.

    “Today is a tremendous day that has been a long time coming. ADAP means faster access to more appropriate support and will be a significant step toward making Alberta the most accessible province in Canada. This will encourage participation and connection in our communities, while maintaining predictable, vital supports for every Albertan who needs them. We look forward to helping shape this groundbreaking program.”

    Jacob McGregor, chair of Premier’s Council for the Status of Persons with Disabilities

    Starting in July 2026, disability income assistance applicants will be assessed for both the new program and AISH, ensuring eligible applicants are placed in the program best suited to their unique situation. To make the medical assessment process quicker and more accessible, applicants will be connected with a roster of pre-qualified medical professionals who are able to complete their comprehensive medical assessment. Additionally, application approvals will be streamlined by establishing a new review panel made up of medical professionals with the expertise required to better understand the needs of applicants. These improvements will ensure Albertans with disabilities are able to get the supports they need sooner.

    “For many people with disabilities, employment isn’t just about earning a paycheck – it’s about purpose, independence and inclusion. This program can allow for new opportunities for individuals to contribute to their communities in ways that work for them.”

    Katherine Such, CEO of Easter Seals Alberta Society

    Quick facts

    • In 2024, the province invested more than $3.5 billion to support Albertans with disabilities, the highest amount ever.
    • The new Alberta Disability Assistance Program will become operational in July 2026.
    • Those currently on AISH will continue to receive their benefits.
      • All existing AISH clients will receive more information about the new program in March.
      • Clients can also contact their worker or Alberta Supports if they have questions or want additional information. 

    Related information

    • Alberta Disability Assistance Program
    • Fact sheet

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New prefabricated classrooms open in B.C., more on the way

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Prefabricated classrooms have opened in four schools over the past month, with more underway, adding more than 1,000 new student spaces in growing communities throughout B.C.

    “We are committed to providing students with the best possible learning environments,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care. “These prefabricated additions will provide students with the spaces they need to succeed, and will benefit these communities for years to come.”

    The use of prefabricated construction means students will be learning in modern classrooms that are just like regular classrooms. With sustainable and energy-efficient designs, the additions also align with the Province’s CleanBC targets and meet B.C.’s enhanced energy requirements. Due to their unique build, prefabricated classrooms are more cost effective and can be built twice as fast as traditional schools. Since 2017, the Province has approved more than 42,000 new student spaces, with more than 2,400 open in just the past month.

    “These rapidly built additions are one way we are quickly getting new classroom spaces ready for students now, and we know the solution is working,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “These additions get students into new classrooms faster, while still providing the same lifespan and comforts of a traditional school environment.”

    Newly opened prefabricated additions:

    • a 10-classroom, two-storey addition to Scott Creek Middle school in Coquitlam, adding 250 new student seats;
    • an eight-classroom addition at Lena Shaw Elementary school in Surrey, adding 200 new student seats;
    • a five-classroom addition at North Glenmore Elementary in Kelowna, adding 120 new student seats; and
    • a new five-room school and gymnasium at École La Grande-ourse in Smithers, which replaced the leased facility that École La Grande-ourse has been operating in since 2019; adding 70 new student seats.

    Prefabricated additions starting construction soon:

    • Dr. Charles Best Secondary in Coquitlam will get a 12-classroom addition, adding 300 new seats.
    • R.C. Talmey Elementary in Richmond will get a six-classroom addition, adding 150 new seats.

    The new Ministry of Infrastructure is mandated to reduce costs and expedite construction of projects such as schools and health-care facilities. Prefabricated additions to schools are one approach to deliver on the commitment. Since fall 2023, the Province has invested more than $475 million for 37 prefabricated additions, which will create almost 7,900 new student seats. This investment has been delivered in 17 school districts throughout B.C., including high-growth districts such as Langley, Surrey, Sooke and Burnaby.

    Quotes:

    Jen Renard, teacher, Scott Creek Middle school –

    “This space has been designed to be bright and welcoming, and it’s filled with natural light and equipped with brand-new furniture. It has modern learning areas that are perfect for fostering creativity and collaboration. This new environment is a much-needed addition to our school, providing an ideal setting for innovative learning, growth and community.”

    Michael Thomas, board chair, Coquitlam School District (SD43) –

    “SD43 employs cutting-edge research to develop projects like this addition at Scott Creek Middle. These prefabricated additions can be assembled quickly and efficiently to address our urgent need for more spaces to serve students.”

    Rick Glumac, MLA for Port Moody-Burquitlam –

    “As more families move to Coquitlam, our government is investing in infrastructure to support a growing community. We are making important upgrades and expansions to our schools, ensuring students have the spaces they need to learn and thrive.”

    Jennifer Blatherwick, MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville –

    “As we welcome more families to Coquitlam, the new addition at Dr. Charles Best Secondary will ensure students have the learning environments they need to succeed. I am thrilled to see a project like this in our community.”

    Gary Begg, MLA for Surrey-Guilford –

    “The prefabricated addition at Lena Shaw Elementary is already making a difference to the Surrey community. As more people make Surrey their home, it’s crucial to develop and expand schools that will benefit children and families for years to come.”

    Learn More:

    For more information about K-12 School Capital Projects in B.C., visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/capital

    For more information about Health Capital Projects in B.C., visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/capital-projects

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Support for Māori economic development projects

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A major infrastructure upgrade at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, supported by $10.2 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund, is progressing well with some new facilities opening in time for the 185th Waitangi Day commemorations this week, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say.

    The Ministers also today announced $7.1m funding for Māori economic development projects in Northland and Taranaki.

    “The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are a nationally significant site for all New Zealanders and it is important they are maintained at the highest level,” Mr Potaka says.

    “The grounds are also the No.1 tourism destination in Northland and each year the number of visitors increases, boosting the local economy. More than 160,000 people visited last year, including about 50,000 on Waitangi Day 2024. The infrastructure improvements will ensure the grounds are fit for purpose year-round.”

    Mr Jones says it was clear the facilities and buildings at the Waitangi grounds were reaching the end of their shelf life and needed upgrading.

    “I am pleased that work has cracked on in time for this year’s events, and that all-important bathroom facilities and carparking is in place.”

    The remaining upgrades at Waitangi are expected to be finished by November 2026. The total cost of the upgrades is $10.65m.

    The Ministers announced the funding in November last year, along with $10.1m for infrastructure improvements at Rātana Pā near Whanganui.

    Today the Ministers also announced $7.1m in grants from the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) for enabling infrastructure in three Māori economic development projects in Northland and Taranaki.

    “We understand access to capital is a particular barrier for Māori entities and businesses, and the RIF aims to be a potential source of investment in Māori-led regional infrastructure projects that have merit, and it is proven funding cannot be found elsewhere,” Mr Jones says.

    “It is often difficult for Māori to borrow against collectively owned whenua (land) and some Māori entities have lower levels of assets that can be used by lenders as security collateral. Investing in the Māori economy is important for lifting the New Zealand economy as a whole.”

    Research from Business and Economic Research Limited and the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment shows the Māori economic contribution to the New Zealand economy grew from $17 billion (6.5 per cent of GDP) in 2018 to $30b (8.4 per cent) in 2023.

    “These three grants from the RIF will provide these communities with the funds needed to unlock potential Māori economic development opportunities while supporting growth and resilience in these regions,” Mr Potaka says.

    The three projects are:

    • Te Kao Community Microgrid (Te Tai Tokerau) project will receive a $3m grant to construct a solar- and wind-powered microgrid connected to a community battery in Te Kao village to provide a consistent low-cost energy supply to the community and local businesses.
    • Ngā Wāhi Tapu o Pukerangiora (Taranaki) will receive $2.8m to build tourism infrastructure at Pukerangiora Pā, a site of significance to increase cultural tourism opportunities. 
    • Waimamaku Community Solar Resilience Programme (Te Tai Tokerau) will receive $1.3m to install solar power and batteries to multiple businesses and community facilities to provide consistent and reliable power.

    In September the Government provided a $5.8m grant to improve water infrastructure at Parihaka in Taranaki, a place of passive resistance, peace, and shelter during the New Zealand Land Wars.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Urges Stronger Airline Worker Protections After Latest Serious On-Job Incident

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    CHICAGO, Feb. 3, 2025 — Following a weekend incident at O’Hare International Airport in which an International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Union ramp worker at United Airlines was seriously injured in a collision between a plane and a tug vehicle, the IAM Union is continuing to demand stronger safety measures for all airline workers.

    “We are thinking of our member who suffered serious injuries, and our union hopes for a speedy recovery,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “The IAM Union will coordinate with authorities on the ground to ensure we have a full investigation of what went wrong. The IAM safety committee and EAP representatives are on the ground to assist and support our affected members.”

    “At least five airline workers have been killed and countless more injured on airport tarmacs in the last two years. Now, it is time for the FAA to complete and implement its congressionally-mandated study on ramp worker safety to help our industry improve the safety of airline ramp workers,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “The IAM Union is urging legislators to prioritize FAA reauthorization provisions that include ramp safety improvements before another incident occurs at one of our U.S. airports.”

    The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mexican woman charged with illegal reentry, faces 2 years in prison

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 3, 2025Tampa, FL, United StatesEnforcement and Removal, National Security

    OCALA, Fla. – An investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Miami has led to the unsealing of an indictment in the Middle District of Florida charging an illegal alien from Mexico with illegal reentry after previously being deported.

    Elizabeth Ramirez-Medina, 39, faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison if convicted. She was arraigned on Jan. 28, 2025, and is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case.

    Ramirez-Medina was previously deported from the United States on one prior occasion, according to the indictment and, after her removal, did not receive the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. Ramirez-Medina was found to be voluntarily in the United States on Oct. 3, 2024.

    The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta, Coalition of 20 Attorneys General Urge Senate to Demand Answers from FBI Director Nominee Kash Patel Amid Alarming Retaliation Efforts

    Source: US State of California

    SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general today in sending a letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and Ranking Member Dick Durbin, urging the Senate to require Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee for Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director, to return for further questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee in advance of a confirmation vote. The request follows alarming reports of politically motivated firings at the FBI and efforts to compile a list of agents involved in investigating the January 6th Capitol insurrection.

    “The Federal Bureau of Investigation plays a critical role in protecting public safety, and they are a crucial partner to state Departments of Justice as we work to tackle fentanyl, organized crime, white collar crime, and security threats to our communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The disturbing reports of the Trump administration’s politically motivated firings and retaliation against FBI agents and staff who worked investigations and prosecutions related to the January 6th Capitol riots emphasize the need for answers, and for an objective, nonpartisan FBI Director. President Trump may say that he cares about law and order, but his recent pardon of 1,500 individuals who stormed the U.S. Capitol tells a very different story. Not only did those individuals try to stop the peaceful transfer of power, many of them violently assaulted law enforcement officers. Retaliating against FBI agents and staff who did their duty is nothing short of an attack on our law enforcement and public safety. We urge the Senate to demand answers about the pending FBI purge before voting on Mr. Patel’s nomination.”

    In the letter, the attorneys general note how critical it is for Patel to address recent reports of politically motivated firings at the FBI. “Shortly after his confirmation hearing, we learned that more than a dozen high-ranking FBI officials were fired and that the FBI is developing a list of all agents and staff who worked investigations and prosecutions related to the January 6th Capitol insurrection. It is critical for Mr. Patel to answer questions about this unprecedented attack on the FBI before Senators vote on his confirmation.”

    The letter raises additional concerns over reports that “the Administration plans to fire at least six high-ranking career FBI officials if they do not retire” and that “acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove directed FBI staff to compile a list of all staff who were ‘assigned at any time to investigations and/or prosecutions’ relating to the January 6th insurrection.” The attorneys general state, “If true, this is a purge of FBI employees.”

    The attorneys general stress that before any confirmation vote, “the United States Senate should know what Mr. Patel plans to do with the list of FBI agents and staff that is currently being compiled.”

    “Purging over 6,000 FBI agents and staff will have disastrous effects on public safety across the country and will make our communities more dangerous. FBI employees and staff protect America from the public safety harms that President Trump listed in his executive orders—fentanyl, the Mexican Cartels, foreign terrorist organizations, and harms to Americans’ pocket books.”

    Beyond the FBI purge, the letter condemns additional attacks on law enforcement by the Trump administration, stating, “The President’s efforts to undermine the FBI follow unprecedented attacks on our country’s public safety. In just two weeks, the President has fired United States Attorneys, pardoned insurrectionists who killed and injured Capitol Police Officers, and attempted to defund law enforcement across the country.”

    The Administration’s pardoning of over 1,500 Capitol insurrectionists, including those with serious criminal records, as well as its attempts to dismiss pending cases against January 6th insurrectionists, emphasize the need for an objective, nonpartisan FBI Director. At least one judge has already found that the pardons and dismissals will harm public safety and are unjustified.

    Now is the time for Congress to act. Over the past two weeks, President Trump has taken actions that make our country less safe. The attorney general believes that Congress must act to protect Americans and hold the Administration accountable. The first step is requiring Mr. Patel to answer questions about the pending FBI purge before a confirmation vote.

    Joining Arizona in sending the letter are the attorneys general from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

    A copy of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Manvel resident admits to series of frauds totaling $2 million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 39-year-old man has entered a guilty plea to wire fraud for a Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) scheme involving the submission of a series of false applications under the name of a business that did not exist, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Antonio Jackson submitted false documents on four separate applications for PPP funds during the COVID-19 epidemic. Jackson claimed to have multiple employees at a business that was later found to have been entirely fictitious.   

    To further the fraud, Jackson submitted false tax documents, bank statements and employee forms to the Small Business Administration (SBA), ultimately resulting in a loss of $491,711 to the SBA.  

    As part of his plea, Jackson also admitted to several other frauds he had committed during this timeframe. One included a scheme to defraud a Washington D.C.-based federal credit union through a series of false home improvement loan applications. He also acknowledged a mortgage fraud by claiming honorable discharge for a Veteran’s Affairs Department backed loan, a scheme to avoid paying taxes on a residence in Brazoria County by claiming to be an fully disabled veteran and to committing credit card abuse in December 2024.

    In total, losses associated with Jackson’s various frauds have exceeded $2 million.

    “Going after fraudsters who take money meant for hard-working Americans is a priority for this office. Doing so both upholds the public trust and protects the taxpayer,” said Ganjei.

    As part of his plea, Jackson has agreed to pay full restitution for his crimes.

    U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing April 16. At that time, Jackson faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    The SBA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduras Resident Charged with Illegal Re-entry into U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Honduras has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The one-count Indictment named Luis Fernando Diaz-Garcia, 27, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment, in August 2024, Diaz-Garcia was found in western Pennsylvania after having been removed from the United States on or about November 13, 2019. Public records show that Diaz-Garcia was charged by criminal complaint in Allegheny County by the Pennsylvania State Police for conduct allegedly occurring on or about August 19, 2024.

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: QCI Heatmap: A Modern Evolution of Classic Data Visualization with Cutting-Edge Technology

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) is revolutionizing data exploration and visualization with the launch of QCI Heatmap, an advanced contour heatmapping tool that transforms the way casinos interact with slot performance data. This release represents a unique modernization of classic data visualization techniques, reimagined using state-of-the-art graphics processing, machine learning, and QCI’s proprietary intellectual property.

    A Modern Take on a Proven Approach

    Heatmapping has long been a valuable tool for understanding gaming floor performance, but traditional implementations were often limited by static visualizations, sluggish responsiveness, and an inability to scale dynamically. With QCI Heatmap, we have re-engineered these foundational techniques using modern high-performance rendering technology, GPU acceleration, and AI-driven insights, enabling real-time, interactive exploration at a level never seen before.

    According to Andrew Cardno, QCI’s CTO and a two-time Smithsonian Laureate for Heroism in Information Technology: “The fundamental principles of heatmapping have remained relevant for decades, but previous implementations lacked the speed, depth, and interactive flexibility needed for modern, data-driven decision-making. With today’s powerful graphics processing engines, we can now dynamically render images at over 60 frames per second, making QCI Heatmap the most responsive and flexible data exploration tool I’ve ever built. This new approach seamlessly integrates with the QCI Enterprise Platform, offering unparalleled real-time insights.”

    Patented IP Meets High-Speed Data Exploration

    QCI Heatmap is built on a unique combination of proprietary intellectual property (IP) and modern visualization technology, setting it apart from legacy heatmapping tools by:

    • Leveraging GPU Acceleration for real-time heatmap rendering, eliminating lag and increasing user engagement.
    • Integrating Machine Learning Algorithms to enhance pattern detection and predictive slot performance analysis.
    • Enhancing Customization & Flexibility, allowing casino operators to interactively explore multiple data layers and adjust visual perspectives instantly.

    Replacing QCI Slots View & Expanding Capabilities

    With the introduction of QCI Heatmap, QCI is retiring the legacy QCI Slots View module and elevating data visualization to the next level. This tool provides:

    – Full Gaming Floor Visibility – Real-time interactive overlays of slot performance, customer behavior, and revenue patterns.
    – Seamless Multi-Platform Use – Optimized for both desktop and iPad, ensuring a fluid experience across devices.
    – Advanced Metric-Driven Exploration – Deep integration with the QCI Enterprise Platform, unlocking multi-dimensional analysis for decision-makers.

    To ensure customers can fully leverage this next-generation tool, QCI College will offer specialized training courses on QCI Heatmaps, covering both desktop and iPad applications.

    Industry Leaders Praise QCI Heatmap’s Unprecedented Performance

    The impact of QCI Heatmap is already being felt across the industry. Tony Toohey, CEO of Gaming Dynamics, shared his experience: “The ability to see and interact with an entire gaming floor through a dynamic heatmapping tool is game-changing. Our Australian deployments have seen an overwhelmingly positive reception, and working alongside the QCI development team has ensured this tool delivers maximum impact upon release.”

    Pioneering the Future of Casino Data Visualization

    QCI Heatmap is more than just an update—it’s a paradigm shift in how casinos leverage visualization technology. By combining time-tested heatmapping concepts with modern rendering engines, AI, and proprietary QCI innovations, Quick Custom Intelligence has redefined what’s possible in gaming data exploration.

    The future of casino intelligence is visual, interactive, and powered by QCI Heatmap.

    ABOUT Gaming Dynamics
    Gaming Dynamics is a premier Australian distributor of gaming technology, offering advanced gaming solutions to businesses across the country. Through strategic partnerships with global leaders in the gaming industry, Gaming Dynamics is committed to staying at the forefront of technology and ensuring their clients have access to the best tools and insights to drive growth and success.

    ABOUT QCI
    Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI Enterprise Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 250 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and The Bahamas. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $35 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI’s data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas, and Denver. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at www.quickcustomintelligence.com.

    ABOUT Andrew Cardno
    Andrew Cardno is a distinguished figure in the realm of artificial intelligence and data plumbing. With over two decades spearheading private Ph.D. and master’s level research teams, his expertise has made significant waves in data tooling. Andrew’s innate ability to innovate has led him to devise numerous pioneering visualization methods. Of these, the most notable is the deep zoom image format, a groundbreaking innovation that has since become a cornerstone in the majority of today’s mapping tools. His leadership acumen has earned him two coveted Smithsonian Laureates, and teams under his mentorship have clinched 40 industry awards, including three pivotal gaming industry transformation awards. Together with Dr. Ralph Thomas, the duo co-founded Quick Custom Intelligence, amplifying their collaborative innovative capacities. A testament to his inventive prowess, Andrew boasts over 150 patent applications. Across various industries—be it telecommunications with Telstra Australia, retail with giants like Walmart and Best Buy, or the medical sector with esteemed institutions like City Of Hope and UCSD—Andrew’s impact is deeply felt. He has enriched the literature with insights, co-authoring eight influential books with Dr. Thomas and contributing to over 100 industry publications. An advocate for community and diversity, Andrew’s work has touched over 100 Native American Tribal Resorts, underscoring his expansive and inclusive professional endeavors.

    Contact:
    Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intelligence
    Phone: 858-349-8354

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Māori communities lead innovative ways of financing housing on ancestral lands

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Barrett, Lecturer in Business, Auckland University of Technology

    New Zealand’s housing crisis disproportionately affects Māori in rural areas where healthy homes are in short supply and collective land ownership presents a challenge to banks.

    Governments have been grappling with this issue. The previous Labour-led government committed more than NZ$730 million to Māori-led housing solutions, and an announcement this week by the current coalition government saw a $200 million investment into affordable rentals.

    But Whare Ora, a community-run housing initiative in Te Tairāwhiti (East Coast), shows that innovative approaches to home ownership can be found within communities.

    Since 2020, Whare Ora has developed a social enterprise model, focused on producing healthy, affordable and transportable whare (houses) for local communities. Run by the charitable company Hikurangi Enterprises, Whare Ora has now supplied more than 80 homes for local whānau.

    This project is directly addressing regional housing deprivation and the finance barriers for building on Māori land under multiple ownership.

    This holds particular potential for Indigenous housing.

    Financial barriers

    Despite Whare Ora producing high-quality houses at affordable prices, access to finance remains a significant barrier for whānau placing homes on ancestral lands.

    This is mainly due to the perceived risk of lending against Māori freehold land, which is inalienable and often collectively owned. This creates issues for mainstream retail lenders that require land to be alienable to a single owner to secure a mortgage.

    In exceptional circumstances, such as Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei’s recent agreement with BNZ, this can be mitigated if a trust can provide a guarantee over lending. This usually requires a large asset base or financial holdings.

    However, the majority of Māori who want to build homes on ancestral lands are individual or collective whānau who don’t have access to such resources. The perceived risk excludes many who could service a loan but are unable to because the financial services don’t exist or aren’t designed for collectively-owned land.

    For a region such as Te Tairāwhiti where about 25% of land is under Māori governance, this creates a lost opportunity for whānau to utilise ancestral lands for housing.

    This is a systemic issue, documented by the National Housing Commission in 1983 and the Auditor General’s reports in 2011 and 2014.

    Affordable portable houses provide an opportunity to build on ancestral lands.
    Hikurangi Enterprises, CC BY-SA

    Community partnerships

    Seeking a solution to this finance barrier, Hikurangi Enterprises collaborated with Community Finance, a community-to-community lender, to investigate possible ways to administer lending for housing on collectively-owned land.

    Supported by philanthropic organisations, this collaboration has given way to Kaenga Hou, a new trust set up to provide a range of progressive home-ownership options in Te Tairāwhiti.

    Significantly, one option facilitates lending on ancestral land through a license-to-occupy agreement, based on an ethical finance model funded by impact investors.

    Impact investors provide finance capital at below-market interest rates, while producing a social or environmental benefit (in this case addressing regional housing issues and strengthening Māori wellbeing through connections to ancestral lands).

    This allows for more compassionate and innovative forms of investment, where complex issues can be worked through rather than written off as too risky or not profitable enough.

    An ethical finance model

    In designing a model to attract impact investment, Kaenga Hou and Community Finance sought innovative ways to mitigate investor risk while placing whānau at the centre of decisions, protecting them from exploitative lending and ensuring fair outcomes.

    This was achieved through a creative rent-to-buy programme using whānau rental payments to reduce risk and build resilience into the model.

    In short, whānau make rental payments to the trust. A portion of these payments repays the trust’s interest payments to investors funding the model. Another part builds a savings account, allowing the whānau to buy the home outright over time.

    A final portion will be directed toward a support mechanism for all whānau in the programme. Known as the aroha fund, this aspires to support others if they face unexpected financial difficulty.

    Innovation lies in the subtle details that reduce risk for both whānau and the investors. For example, the aroha fund increases the chance of programme completion, setting whānau up to succeed, while ensuring financial and social returns for the ethical investor.

    Similarly, in the unlikely event whānau have to exit the programme, a proportion of the money accrued through the savings account can be returned and they would have paid an affordable rent while in the programme.

    In this worst-case scenario, the programme aims to leave whānau in a better-off position than when they entered, uplifting whānau and safeguarding the reputation of investors. Collectively, these aspects ensure that positive whānau outcomes are just as important as creating a financial return.

    Lessons for Te Tiriti-led futures

    At its heart, housing on ancestral lands is a Te Tiriti issue. The Waitangi Tribunal recently concluded the Crown has a duty to provide housing because of the guarantee of tino rangatiratanga over kāinga (homes and settlements).

    The government currently provides a loan scheme for housing on whenua Māori, but since its inception in 2010 it has been constantly scrutinised for low uptake and accessibility, with similar pitfalls to retail lending.

    This highlights the importance of taking lessons from community-led innovations and their approaches. In this case, more compassionate investment and a whānau-centred finance model created new possibilities for managing risk associated with lending to ancestral Māori lands.

    Genuine partnerships, seeking to protect whānau while participating in finance systems, were key. This provides a road map for how Aotearoa might face such pressing issues, now and into the future.

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

    – ref. Māori communities lead innovative ways of financing housing on ancestral lands – https://theconversation.com/maori-communities-lead-innovative-ways-of-financing-housing-on-ancestral-lands-247179

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Barrasso Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Make National Parks Safer for Visitors

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), the Ranking Member of the Senate National Parks subcommittee, and John Barrasso (R-WY), introduced legislation to update 911 emergency call centers inside the National Park System (NPS). The Making National Parks Safer Act directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to upgrade NPS 911 call centers with Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology. This technology will enable call centers to receive text messages, images, and video submissions in addition to traditional phone calls and will improve the speed and accuracy of emergency responders in locating and assisting callers in need of emergency aid.

    Additionally, in the event of any natural disaster or technical issue, the updated call centers would be equipped to forward 911 calls and messages to any working call center until they become operational again.

    “People travel from every corner of the world to connect with America’s incredible natural beauty and to make memories that last a lifetime,” said Senator King. “However, when natural disaster strikes or an unexpected emergency occurs, we need to make sure that our visitors to the parks are safe. The bipartisan Making National Parks Safer Act would improve emergency reporting and responding by upgrading the technology at National Park Service-operated emergency call centers. This legislation is an important step forward in improving the visitor experience at our public lands and serves as a proud reminder that stewardship of these lands is not a partisan issue.”

    “Our country’s national parks receive hundreds of millions of visitors every year. Our public safety technology needs improvements and resources to ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy our national parks without worry,” said Senator Barrasso. “This bipartisan bill updates and modernizes 911 call centers and ensures visitors who may need assistance can be reached in an accurate and timely manner. These much-needed updates will improve our national parks and protect the safety of visitors.”

    The Making National Parks Safer Act will direct the Department of Interior to:

    • Complete an assessment of current call centers at national parks and the estimated cost of implementing NG911 technology across the National Park System.
    • Develop a plan based on the assessment to install NG911 systems at identified points in the National Park System. This plan must include consultation with state and local emergency operations and stakeholders, as well as relevant federal agencies to ensure its successful implementation.

    In addition to King and Barrasso, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS).

    The legislation is supported by the Public Safety Next Generation 911 Coalition, National Emergency Number Association (NENA), and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO).

    As a lifelong advocate for conservation and Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Senator King is among the Senate’s most prominent voices advocating for conservation. Senator King helped lead the passage the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) into law; the legislation that included the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF). Because of his work, in 2020, Senator King was awarded the inaugural National Park Foundation (NPF) “Hero” Award. Since the creation of the LRF, Senator King has pushed park leaders to discuss funding maintenance efforts, maintaining a sufficient NPS workforce, and managing growing park visitation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sir Chris Bryant speech at TMT World Congress 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms, Sir Chris Bryant, gave a speech at TMT World Congress 2025 on 30 January 2025.

    Without vision, the people perish. Without a plan, the vision perishes. And without investment, financial, social and personal, the plan perishes.

    So let me start with a vision of a nation:

    A government that has economic growth as a constant obsession permeating everything it does.

    An economy that enjoys some of the strongest inward investment in Europe.

    A country with fierce ambitions: connectivity for all; inclusion wherever you live; science and innovation unshackled; AI unleashing greater productivity across the economy and public services.

    There’s no route to growth without digital infrastructure.

    The fibres, the subsea cables, the telegraph poles, the ducts, the data centres, the satellite connections, they are the central nervous system of a modern economy.

    • Without reliable ultrafast or gigabit capable broadband, businesses will be stuck on calls repeating ‘can you hear me now?’ into the void.
    • Without 5G standalone, public services will lag behind.
    • Without enough data centres, AI will run out of juice.

    We’ve come a long way in investing in our digital infrastructure in the UK, thanks to the efforts of many of you in this room.

    I’m here to tell you about how the government will help you seize the investment opportunities around the corner.

    Looking back, we’ve already come a long way.

    • More than 85% of homes and businesses in the UK can now access gigabit-capable broadband. It was just 10% in 2019.
    • Telcos are investing £40 billion to hit 100% by 2030.
    • And earlier this month, we signed four new Project Gigabit contracts with Openreach to get gigabit-capable broadband to over 130,000 new homes.

    Likewise on mobile connectivity:

    • According to Ofcom, 5G is now available outside of 95% of homes and businesses across the country.
    • Customers across the UK are feeling the benefits of standalone 5G, thanks to Vodafone, VMO2 and BT/EE – we want that everywhere by 2030.

    On data centres:

    • We have just over 500, putting us third globally.
    • And in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we committed to upping public computing power twentyfold by 2030.

    But I don’t only measure growth in terawatt-hours of computing power, or billions of pounds.

    I measure it in individual lives changed by connection.

    Connectivity can deliver the world-class public services British people deserve:

    • Standalone 5G in hospitals could transmit high-res scans to diagnose disease faster
    • Or stream bodycam videos from police on the street to back-up waiting at HQ.

    If the digital revolution is to deliver a fairer, more prosperous future for Britain, we’ve also got to make sure everyone in the UK sees the benefit. 5% of homes still aren’t connected to the internet and the figure for poorer homes is even worse – 19%.

    I’m grateful for the work the sector has done on digital inclusion, including social tariffs.

    But we have to do better than that:

    a) because every household lost to the digital economy loses out on phenomenal opportunities and
    b) because they are also lost as workers, as citizens and as customers.

    So: huge amounts of progress on connecting us all to growth.

    But we’ve got much further to go.

    To make our vision a reality, we need investment.

    Today, the UK is Europe’s number one destination for new investment in projects and new jobs.

    The International Investment Summit in October broke records, creating 38,000 new jobs and bringing £63 billion into the UK – with much of that pouring into tech and data centres.

    And another £14 billion was secured when we launched the AI Opportunities Action Plan. But that’s just the start.

    Our ambition is to make Britain the best place to invest in the world.

    Here’s how:

    1. Partnering with you for growth.

    Within days of taking office, we set up the National Wealth Fund to the tune of £27.8 billion.

    It shows how serious we are about partnering with private capital to invest in the jobs, industries and infrastructure of the future.

    Six months in, that’s unlocked £1.6 billion – including supporting faster broadband connections for thousands of businesses and homes in Cornwall, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Cumbria.

    2. Making sure regulation and planning don’t tie us all in knots.

    The PM and Chancellor have both been clear about the need for pro-growth regulation across the economy, as an essential part of our growth mission.

    We’ll give you the stable regulatory framework that gives investors confidence.

    And more planning reform to help you build equipment quickly and cost-effectively – including the last telecoms provisions from the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act.

    3. Backing competition:

    Competition is the only way to drive innovation and growth, and a better experience for customers.

    The Vodafone and Three merger is a great example, with a £11 billion investment commitment for standalone 5G, bringing better connections to 99% of the population.

    Underpinning all of this is a determination to tear down the barriers to growth.

    If you want to create wealth and jobs for British people, we will not stand in your way.

    This is a vision of a country that’s as ambitious about investment as it is about connecting people.

    You can’t do one without the other.

    I can almost hear the whisper of deals in the air today.

    So here’s one more for you to think about over coffee:

    Help us make the things digital infrastructure connects us to – family, friends, a job offer, a business deal, growth – available to all.

    In return, we’ll make this the best place in the world for you to invest to make that happen.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: DR Congo: UN call to reopen Goma airport ‘lifeline’, as crisis deepens

    Source: United Nations 4

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Peace and Security

    The UN’s top humanitarian official in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday called for Goma airport to be urgently reopened, warning its continued closure is paralyzing relief operations.

    “Goma airport is a lifeline,” said Bruno Lemarquis. “Without it, the evacuation of the seriously injured, the delivery of medical supplies and the reception of humanitarian reinforcements are paralyzed.”

    Growing casualties

    The M23 armed group, supported by Rwandan troops, seized the airport last week as its fighters swept through Goma – the regional capital of North Kivu. Several hundred people have reportedly been killed in the hostilities, with tens of thousands more forced to flee their homes.

    Rebels have seized control of large areas of Goma, setting up checkpoints and severely restricting humanitarian access, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). This has disrupted the delivery of food, water, and medical aid for up to two million people.

    Humanitarian workers also face restricted access to displacement camps, limiting the provision of essential services, including emergency obstetric care.

    An absolute emergency

    Mr. Lemarquis urged all parties to “shoulder their responsibilities” and facilitate the immediate reopening of the airport.

    “Every hour lost puts more lives at risk. This is an absolute emergency. All those involved must act without delay to enable humanitarian flights to resume operations and guarantee access to relief supplies,” he stressed.

    “The survival of thousands of people depends on it.”

    Sexual violence ‘tragically routine’

    Meanwhile, UN Women, the Organization’s lead agency for protection of women and girls, warned that reports of sexual violence and exploitation have become “tragically routine.”

    “As the clashes unfold in a country that has endured prolonged instability, women and girls are bearing the brunt of both direct and indirect consequences, with their rights, safety, and dignity increasingly under threat,” said the agency’s Sofia Calltorp, Chief of Humanitarian Action, briefing journalists in Geneva.

    Local women’s organizations have reported widespread sexual violence, forced displacement, and severe gaps in basic social as well as protection services.

    With the situation worsening, UN Women called for immediate action by State and non-state actors in DRC as well as the wider international community to combat sexual and gender-based violence and end impunity for perpetrators.

    Aftermath in Goma

    In Goma, displacement sites around the city have been abandoned and destroyed, with water, sanitation, and health facilities severely damaged, according to UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

    The city has also seen a surge in crime, including vehicle hijackings and looting of humanitarian warehouses belonging to UN agencies and partner organizations.

    Although some businesses have resumed operations, schools remain closed, internet services are down, and hospitals are overwhelmed. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) is warning of potential disease outbreaks, including mpox, cholera and measles.

    South Kivu

    In South Kivu’s Kalehe territory, clashes since 25 January between the Congolese army and M23 rebels have displaced thousands. Some 6,900 people have fled to Bukavu, while others are seeking refuge in host communities.

    The situation remains dire, with a worsening cholera outbreak due to disrupted health services.

    Adding to the crisis, the 90-day suspension of US humanitarian funding is severely impacting food security, sanitation and relief efforts in both North and South Kivu, humanitarian partners warned. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Threatening Jewish Synagogue in Albany

    Source: US State of California

    A New York man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Albany, New York, to civil rights and firearm charges related to his threatening conduct targeted at a Jewish synagogue.

    According to court documents, Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, pleaded guilty to an information charging one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of this offense, and one count of conspiring to purchase a firearm unlawfully. Alkhader was arrested on Dec. 7, 2023, and has been in federal custody since that date.

    “The defendant’s violent, antisemitic and terrifying act targeted the Temple Israel congregation, the larger Jewish community, and the right of every person to practice their religion without fear of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York. “I commend law enforcement for acting swiftly to arrest Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, to investigate his motives and his illegal acquisition of the shotgun, and to bring about today’s guilty plea to a crime carrying a minimum term of seven years in prison.”

    “Mr. Alkhader’s plea confirms his deliberate and premeditated intentions to illegally acquire a gun and use it to bring terror to the Temple Israel community as they were preparing to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli of the FBI Albany Field Office. “Thanks to the swift actions of the Temple Israel community and our law enforcement partners, justice has been served. The FBI remains steadfast in our mission to ensure all our communities can live without fear of hateful violence.”

    “This guilty plea shows accountability for unlawfully obtaining a firearm and using it to instill fear. By stopping those who seek to use firearms to threaten and intimidate others, we are sending a message that gun violence will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “This case demonstrates the dangerous consequences of unlawful gun possession. The cooperation between federal, state and local agencies remains critical in dismantling illegal gun trafficking. The successful resolution of this case was made possible due to collaboration between ATF NY Albany, FBI Albany, Albany PD, NYSP, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

    On the afternoon of Dec. 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber from his home in Schenectady to Temple Israel Synagogue in Albany. Upon arriving, he walked up the front steps of the synagogue, removed a shotgun from a duffel bag he had been carrying, and discharged two rounds into the air, shouting, “Free Palestine!” Still holding the shotgun, he then attempted to remove an Israeli flag from a flagpole outside of the synagogue before walking away. He was apprehended shortly after by Albany Police Department officers.

    Alkhader’s threatening actions forced the daycare operating inside of Temple Israel at the time of his actions to go into lockdown. Alkhader also significantly disrupted activities that the Temple Israel community had planned to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and made congregants afraid to return to their place of worship.

    For obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, Alkhader faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years for brandishing a firearm during the commission of his crime. Alkhader faces a maximum of five years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to unlawfully purchase a firearm. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Alkhader is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Albany Field Office investigated the case with assistance from ATF and the Albany Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York and Trial Attorney Trevor Kempner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Consent Judgment Entered Against Philadelphia Drone Flyer For Violations of FAA Regulations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Jacqueline C. Romero, announced today that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has entered a consent judgment against Michael DiCiurcio of Philadelphia, PA. In its complaint against DiCiurcio, the United States alleges that DiCiurcio operated small unmanned aircraft systems (“sUAS”) – commonly known as drones – unlawfully and unsafely in the Philadelphia area between at least December 2019 to the present, in violation of Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) requirements.

    The United States alleges that DiCiurcio operated flights at night, in close proximity to the William Penn Statue, PSFS Building, and Liberty One Building, resulting in the sUAS almost striking a church steeple during one flight. The United States alleges that during certain flights DiCiurcio improperly operated the sUAS inside of controlled airspace near the Philadelphia airport, over people and cars, and, in at least one instance, lost control of the sUAS, causing it to fly uncontrolled over Philadelphia.

    The FAA warned DiCiurcio in writing and provided him with counseling and education regarding requirements for safe operations of a sUAS under the Federal Aviation Regulations. The United States alleges that DiCiurcio nonetheless has continued to operate sUASs illegally and in a careless or reckless manner that endangers others.

    Terms of the Consent Judgment

    On January 23, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Jose Arteaga, DiCiurcio agreed to the terms of the consent judgment, including that: DiCiurcio (1) admits that all allegations of his conduct set forth in the Verified Complaint are true and accurate; (2) admits that the conduct as alleged in the Verified Complaint violated FAA regulations and safety guidance as alleged; and (3) accepts the administrative findings of violations and further acknowledges that the FAA will deem those matters as findings of violations that may be considered aggravating factors in any future enforcement proceedings against him.

    In addition, DiCiurcio agrees that he will: (1) never operate in any manner any sUAS of any type, size, model, of any kind within the United States, nor will he ever seek any type of certification or license to operate any type or form of sUAS; (2) take down the YouTube channel known as “Philly Drone Life” and no longer operate or resurrect its content or any part in any form; (3) abandon those sUAS and other items he surrendered to the FAA on May 23, 2024, pursuant to the Court’s Order sanctioning DiCiurcio for contempt of the preliminary injunction entered by the Court on February 29, 2024.     

    On January 29, 2025, Chief Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg signed the consent judgment.

    “We work hard to educate people about safely flying their drones, and we don’t hesitate to take strong enforcement action when pilots deliberately flout the rules,” said Deputy FAA Administrator Katie Thomson.

    “Failing to adhere to the safety requirements for flying small unmanned aircraft systems endangers people and property,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “All drone flyers have a responsibility to ensure that they observe all applicable regulations and guidance. Our Office is committed to ensuring total compliance with the FAA regulations and we will vigorously enforce violations wherever we find them.”

    The allegations regarding unsafe sUAS flights in violation of FAA regulations are described in detail in the complaint. The case is captioned United States of America v. Michael DiCiurcio, Case No. 24-0612 (E.D. Pa.).

    The case has been investigated by the FAA’s Flight Standards Division, and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Viveca D. Parker.

    All civil claims are allegations only.  There has been no determination of civil liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Man with Seven Previous Removals from U.S. Indicted for Illegal Re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Mexico has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The one-count Indictment named Dario Fortunato-Torres, 37, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment, in October 2024, Fortunato-Torres was found in this District after having been removed from the United States on seven prior occasions between September 2013 and October 2017. Public records show that Fortunato-Torres was charged by the Moon Township Police Department on October 8, 2024, for conduct allegedly occurring on October 1, 2024. He was arrested on November 19, 2024, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement related to this charge.

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Pieridae to Hold Conference Call and Webcast to Discuss Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN UNITED STATES

    CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pieridae Energy Limited (“Pieridae” or the “Company”) (TSX: PEA) will release its financial and operating results for the 2024 fourth quarter and year-end, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, after markets close.

    President & Chief Executive Officer Darcy Reding and Chief Financial Officer Adam Gray will discuss the financial results and company developments on an investor conference call and webcast on Thursday March 20, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. MDT / 10:30 a.m. EDT.

    To register to participate via webcast please follow this link:    

    https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/4gnbdki4

    Alternatively, to register to participate by telephone please follow this link:

    https://register.vevent.com/register/BI2b233016526f4daea915722f8796db53

    A replay of the webcast will be available two hours after the conclusion of the event and may be accessed using the webcast link above.

    ABOUT PIERIDAE

    Pieridae is a Canadian energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. The Company is a significant upstream producer and midstream custom processor of natural gas, NGLs, condensate, and sulphur from the Canadian Foothills and adjacent areas in Alberta and in northeast British Columbia. Pieridae’s vision is to provide responsible, affordable natural gas and derived products to meet society’s energy security needs. Pieridae’s common shares trade on the TSX under the symbol “PEA”.

    For further information, visit www.pieridaeenergy.com, or please contact:

    Darcy Reding, President & Chief Executive Officer
    Telephone: (403) 261-5900

    Adam Gray, Chief Financial Officer
    Telephone: (403) 261-5900

    Investor Relations
    investors@pieridaeenergy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” publishes its factsheet for the fourth quarter of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” (the Company) publishes its factsheet, providing information about the Company’s investment portfolio, key events, business strategy, operating segments, and financial indicators as of 31 December 2024.

    2024 Q4 KEY EVENTS

    • Total aggregated FY 2024 Revenue and YTD EBITDA amounted to 6,420 kEUR and 4,155 kEUR, respectively. Wind parks managed under UAB “Žaliosios investicijos” produced 14% less than envisioned with a captured price 32% less than projected. This is driven by low winds during 2024 and lower than estimated electricity prices.
    • In December 2024, Investment Company divested 65.5 MW operating Solar PV portfolio in Poland (Energy Solar Projekty sp.z o.o).
    • The decline in Fund’s NAV was driven by a drop in the valuation of two remaining solar PV portfolios in Poland. This reduction is attributed to a 30% decrease in electricity price forecasts and a higher WACC, driven by incomplete construction. Conversely, value gains were recorded from UAB “Žaliosios investicijos “ and Zala Elektriba SIA, due to secured construction permits. Remaining projects are valued using the asset method, with real value gains expected upon obtaining building permits.

    Solar development in Poland:

    • The construction of 67.8 MW total capacity PV Energy Projects sp.z o.o portfolio nears completion.  As of reporting period, 44.8 MW are operational. 5 projects (1 MW each) are planned to be energized in Q1 2025. The anticipated COD for the entire park is set for September 2025.
    • The PL SUN sp.z o.o. portfolio, with a total capacity of 114.7 MW, is divided into two phases. The construction works of the first phase (66.6 MW) were largely finalized in 2024 Q2. 26.4 MW were energized in Q4. The remaining 40.2 MW are scheduled to be energized by 2025 Q2. The second phase (48.1 MW) commenced construction in October 2024. Module and inverter supply agreements as well as Balance of System and technical advisory contracts are signed. Modules were delivered to 5 sites (total capacity of 31 MW). Mounting structure construction and modules mounting works have been started in 4 sites (total capacity of 25.42 MW).

    Wind Projects:

    • Energy Production license for the Anykščiai wind farm was obtained in August 2024, for Jonava and Rokiškis wind farms the license obtainal is schduled for Q2 2025.
    • The 112 MW wind farm developed under Zala Elektriba SIA is scheduled to reach RtB in Q1 2025.

    Hybrid Projects:

    • Design works of a hybrid project managed by UAB “KNT Holding” and hybrid project managed by UAB “Ekoelektra” is underway to develop detailed equipment and technology specifications. Finalizing necessary agreements for project infrastructure.

    Contact person for further information:

    Grėtė Bukauskaitė

    Manager of the Investment Company

    grete.bukauskaite@lordslb.lt

    www.lordslb.lt/AEI_green_bonds

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Statement on Voting “NO” on RFK Jr.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement after voting no during a Senate Finance Committee mark-up on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services:

    There are a few issues that Mr. Kennedy and I agree on.

    We agree on the need to stop the ultra-processed food industry from getting our kids addicted to unhealthy and dangerous products that cause obesity, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.  

    We agree on the need to lower the outrageous prices we pay for prescription drugs in this country.

    We agree that we should stop Big Pharma from being allowed to flood the airwaves with advertising.

    But, despite those agreements, I cannot in good conscience vote for someone who denies and will dilute our public health protections, sow distrust in science and oversee massive cuts to health care programs for low-income people, nursing home care for seniors and long-term care for people with disabilities.

    Despite what Mr. Kennedy believes, the overwhelming consensus within the scientific community is clear: Vaccines are safe and effective. Over the past 50 years, vaccines have saved the lives of over 150 million people throughout the world and reduced the infant mortality rate by 40%. Vaccines have not, as Mr. Kennedy has claimed, “poisoned an entire generation of American children.”

    Vaccines do not, as Mr. Kennedy has claimed, cause autism. More than a dozen rigorous scientific studies from around the world involving hundreds of thousands of children have proven that.

    The polio vaccine has not killed, as Mr. Kennedy has claimed, more people than polio ever did.  The scientific community has found that the polio vaccine has saved 1.5 million lives and has prevented more than 20 million people from becoming paralyzed since 1988.

    The COVID vaccine was not, as Mr. Kennedy has claimed, “the deadliest vaccine ever made.” The scientific community has found that the COVID vaccine saved over three million lives and prevented over 18 million hospitalizations in the United States alone.

    In my view, we should listen to nearly 20,000 doctors who have told us that Mr. Kennedy has “a well-documented history of spreading dangerous disinformation on vaccines and public health interventions, leaving vulnerable communities unprotected and placing millions of lives at risk. His appointment is a direct threat to the safety of our patients and the public at large.”

    We should listen to over 900 public health officials in 41 states who have urged us to prioritize science and reject Mr. Kennedy’s “dangerous” nomination.

    We should listen to 77 Nobel Laureates who have told us that putting Mr. Kennedy in charge of HHS would “put the public’s health in jeopardy and undermine America’s global leadership in the health sciences, in both the public and commercial sectors.”

    We must reject Mr. Kennedy’s nomination.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Saddened by Death of Former German President, Secretary-General Calls Horst Köhler ‘Champion of United Nations, Deeply Committed to Global Partnerships’

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Press Release

    SG/SM/22543

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    The Secretary-General was saddened to learn of the death of Horst Köhler, the former President of Germany.  Former President Köhler was a champion of the United Nations, deeply committed to global partnerships, sustainable development and creating new perspectives for youth in Africa.  He served as the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Western Sahara from 2017 to 2019, during which he sought to help resolve the long-standing conflict there.

    The Secretary-General extends his sincere condolences to the family of former President Köhler, as well as the Government and people of Germany.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Arrest Sexually Violent Predator in Western Washington

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Poulsbo, WA – Deputy U.S. Marshals and members of the agency’s Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force apprehended at the Poulsbo Marina a man wanted for nearly a year on an outstanding federal warrant for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements.

    Rick Monroe was arrested on an outstanding federal warrant issued in the Eastern District of Washington for failure to register as a sex offender and failure to comply with international travel reporting requirements under the International Megan’s Law.

    Monroe, who has multiple prior convictions, including rape of a child in the first degree, was previously civilly committed at McNeil Island Corrections Center after being classified as a “Sexually Violent Predator” by the courts. In 2024, he traveled to multiple states and is alleged to have attempted to leave the country numerous times without following mandatory sex offender registration and international travel notification requirements. Investigators discovered he had lived unregistered on a sailboat in Poulsbo Bay for the past year, allegedly to evade law enforcement.

    Through extensive investigative efforts, Deputy U.S. Marshals in Eastern Washington secured a federal arrest warrant, leading to Monroe’s ultimate apprehension. This arrest was the result of a coordinated effort between multiple agencies, including the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service Western District of Washington, Washington State Department of Corrections, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the USMS National Sex Offender Targeting Center, USMS Sex Offender Investigations Branch, and the Eastern District of Washington U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    Monroe is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Feb. 4 at the Western District of Washington- Seattle Courthouse.

    The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives.

    Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or USMS Tips.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Threatening Jewish Synagogue in Albany

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    A New York man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Albany, New York, to civil rights and firearm charges related to his threatening conduct targeted at a Jewish synagogue.

    According to court documents, Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, pleaded guilty to an information charging one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of this offense, and one count of conspiring to purchase a firearm unlawfully. Alkhader was arrested on Dec. 7, 2023, and has been in federal custody since that date.

    “The defendant’s violent, antisemitic and terrifying act targeted the Temple Israel congregation, the larger Jewish community, and the right of every person to practice their religion without fear of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York. “I commend law enforcement for acting swiftly to arrest Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, to investigate his motives and his illegal acquisition of the shotgun, and to bring about today’s guilty plea to a crime carrying a minimum term of seven years in prison.”

    “Mr. Alkhader’s plea confirms his deliberate and premeditated intentions to illegally acquire a gun and use it to bring terror to the Temple Israel community as they were preparing to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli of the FBI Albany Field Office. “Thanks to the swift actions of the Temple Israel community and our law enforcement partners, justice has been served. The FBI remains steadfast in our mission to ensure all our communities can live without fear of hateful violence.”

    “This guilty plea shows accountability for unlawfully obtaining a firearm and using it to instill fear. By stopping those who seek to use firearms to threaten and intimidate others, we are sending a message that gun violence will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “This case demonstrates the dangerous consequences of unlawful gun possession. The cooperation between federal, state and local agencies remains critical in dismantling illegal gun trafficking. The successful resolution of this case was made possible due to collaboration between ATF NY Albany, FBI Albany, Albany PD, NYSP, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

    On the afternoon of Dec. 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber from his home in Schenectady to Temple Israel Synagogue in Albany. Upon arriving, he walked up the front steps of the synagogue, removed a shotgun from a duffel bag he had been carrying, and discharged two rounds into the air, shouting, “Free Palestine!” Still holding the shotgun, he then attempted to remove an Israeli flag from a flagpole outside of the synagogue before walking away. He was apprehended shortly after by Albany Police Department officers.

    Alkhader’s threatening actions forced the daycare operating inside of Temple Israel at the time of his actions to go into lockdown. Alkhader also significantly disrupted activities that the Temple Israel community had planned to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and made congregants afraid to return to their place of worship.

    For obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, Alkhader faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years for brandishing a firearm during the commission of his crime. Alkhader faces a maximum of five years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to unlawfully purchase a firearm. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Alkhader is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Albany Field Office investigated the case with assistance from ATF and the Albany Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York and Trial Attorney Trevor Kempner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Camrose, Wetaskiwin, and Leduc County — Wetaskiwin RCMP Crime Reduction Unit and Camrose Police Service conduct a two-day project focusing on repeat offenders

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Wetaskiwin RCMP Crime Reduction Unit has concluded a two-day project focusing on active property crime offenders in the surrounding rural areas. During the project, Wetaskiwin RCMP officers worked in collaboration with RCMP officers from the Leduc Crime Reduction Unit, RCMP Air Services, and Camrose Police Service.

    On Nov. 27, 2024, Wetaskiwin RCMP Crime Reduction Unit officers located a stolen truck in Camrose. A tire deflation device was utilized to disable the vehicle, and the lone occupant was arrested.

    The vehicle had been stolen in Devon, Alta. on Oct. 26, 2024.

    RCMP charged a 39-year-old individual, a resident of Camrose County, with:

    • Fraudulent concealment;
    • Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000;
    • Offences under the Traffic Safety Act (x2).

    The 39-year-old individual was taken before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody with his next court date set for Dec. 11, 2024, at the Albert Court of Justice in Camrose.

    On Nov. 27, 2024 Camrose Police officers arrested repeat offender, a 57-year-old individual, a resident of Bawlf, Alta., for breaching a conditional sentence order. The 39-year-old individual was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and unstamped cigarettes.

    She has been additionally charged with:

    • Possession of a controlled substance;
    • Charge under the Tobacco Ta Act.

    The 39-year-old individual was taken before justice of the peace and remanded into custody with her next court date set for Dec. 11, 2024.

    On Nov. 28, 2024 officers from the Camrose Police Service located a stolen vehicle. Officers were able to safely stop the vehicle and arrest the driver.

    A 26-year-old individual, a resident of Camrose, has been charged with:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000;
    • Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000;
    • Mischief over $5000;
    • Possession of a controlled substance;
    • Charges under the Traffic Safety Act (x5).

    The 26-year-old individual was taken before a justice of the peace and released with her next court date set for Jan. 8, 2025, at the Albert Court of Justice in Camrose.

    On Nov. 28, 2024, officers from the Wetaskiwin Crime Reduction Unit were monitoring a property in Leduc County, Alta., known for prolific offenders and stolen property. Officers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle, and the driver fled. The vehicle was disabled from a tire deflation device. The vehicle fled onto the property and the driver was arrested.

    A 28-year-old individual, a resident of Leduc County resident, has been charged with:

    • Flight from Peace Officer
    • Fraudulent concealment

    Additionally, the 28-year-old individual was arrested for outstanding warrants out of Edmonton which including breaking and entering.

    While on the property, police observed a stolen truck from Calmar, Alta. on Nov. 12, 2024. Officers obtained a search warrant for the property and seized the stolen truck.

    RCMP charged two individuals from the home a 58-year-old individual and a 32-year-old individual, they were charged with:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000;
    • Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000 (x2).

    Additionally, the 32-year-old individual had warrants for breaching a probation order.

    The 58-year-old individual was released from custody with her net court date set for Jan. 23, 2025, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Leduc.

    The 32-year-old individual was taken before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody with his next court date set in the future.

    “Coordinated enforcement efforts focusing on repeat offenders can be very effective,” says Cpl. John Learn, “having these kinds of successes working closely with our Camrose Police Services partners will no doubt foster more similar projects in the future.”

    Sgt. Scott Sveinbjornson of the Camrose Police Services emphasizes the importance of targeting prolific offenders and breaking down judicial boundaries to achieve successful outcomes. He notes that integrated efforts and close collaboration with the R.C.M.P. will remain key strategies for producing positive results in future projects.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prince Albert — Prince Albert RCMP: woman charged in relation to fatal rollover

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On August 4, 2024, Prince Albert RCMP received a report of a single vehicle rollover on Whitfield Road, in the RM of Buckland.

    Officers immediately responded. One adult female passenger was declared deceased by EMS at the scene. The adult female driver and an adult male passenger were taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening in nature.

    Prince Albert RCMP continued to investigate with the assistance of a Saskatchewan RCMP collision reconstructionist.

    As a result of continued investigation, an adult female was arrested in Prince Albert on January 22.

    33-year-old Destiny Michel from Prince Albert is charged with:

    – one count, operate a conveyance causing death, Section 320.13(3), Criminal Code;

    – one count, operate a conveyance with a blood alcohol concentration equal or greater than 80 mg/100 ml of blood, Section 320.14(3), Criminal Code; and

    – one count, operate a conveyance in a manner that was dangerous to the public, Section 320.13(3), Criminal Code.

    She is scheduled to appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on February 13, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Joins Letter to HHS Officials Demanding Answers and Action on Disruption to Head Start Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and a group of their colleagues in issuing a letter to Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Dorothy A. Fink, M.D. and Acting Director of the Office of Head Start Captain Tala Hooban expressing concern about the acute financial impacts and lingering uncertainty faced by Head Start programs across the country as a result of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memo that imposed a government-wide hiring freeze. Senator Luján is a Head Start alumnus and has long advocated to fund and protect Head Start programs.
    While the White House later clarified that Head Start would not be targeted by the funding freeze and the OMB later rescinded memo, Head Start programs were temporarily unable to access the Payment Management System (PMS) to use their allocated federal funds. As a result, Head Start programs nationwide have not had funding disbursed in a timely manner – imperiling their ability to pay staff and keep educational and child care programs up and running.
    “Head Start programs cannot pay their teachers and staff and continue normal operations without the assurances of payment processing and notices of grant renewals and awards,” wrote the Senators. “This will impact children, families, and communities across the country, particularly the rural communities where these programs represent a large share of the child care options.”
    “Even if this issue extends beyond the Office of Head Start, we urge you to do everything in your power to ensure these programs receive transparent and frequent communication on the progress of their funds being released. Head Start programs operate on razor-thin margins and cannot survive without timely intervention. Children, families, employees, and educators all depend on these critical federal funds,” the Senators continued.
    In addition to Luján and Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).
    The full text of the letter is available here and below.
    Dear Acting Secretary Dr. Fink and Acting Director Captain Hooban:
    We are writing today to raise ongoing, urgent concerns experienced by Head Start programs in our states and across the country. These concerns include (1) a lack of clarity on the status of renewals and notice of awards in the February 1st grant cycle, (2) delays in processing reimbursements through the Payment Management System (PMS), and (3) a lack of clear communication with grantees throughout this confusing time.
    We request your immediate action and assurance on the following:
    All requests for disbursements of funds submitted through PMS to be promptly processed to allow all Head Start programs to draw down federal funds;
    Programs on the February 1st grant cycle will be notified of their renewal or notice of award before the deadline to ensure no lapse in funding or program operations; and
    Transparent and consistent communication with Head Start programs to address the ongoing challenges.
    Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has provided critical early childhood education and comprehensive services to nearly 40 million low-income young children and their families in communities across the nation. Today, Head Start programs are supported by 250,000 staff to serve nearly 800,000 children across the nation. Head Start’s comprehensive services ensure children receive age-appropriate health care, dental care, immunizations, and health insurance, and they provide referrals to other critical services for parents, such as job training, adult education, nutrition services, and housing support. For the last several years, Congress has worked in a bipartisan manner to recognize this longstanding federal program’s important work by providing increased appropriations.
    Since the morning of Tuesday, January 28th, the Head Start community has faced immense uncertainty and disruptions by the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) memo (M-25-13), directing federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance.” While the Trump Administration later clarified that Head Start would not be the target of the funding freeze, many Head Start programs across the country were unable to access the PMS to draw down federal funds. PMS was reinstated, but programs across the country have not had funding disbursed in a timely manner.
    Head Start programs cannot pay their teachers and staff and continue normal operations without the assurances of payment processing and notices of grant renewals and awards. This will impact children, families, and communities across the country, particularly the rural communities where these programs represent a large share of the child care options.
    Even if this issue extends beyond the Office of Head Start, we urge you to do everything in your power to ensure these programs receive transparent and frequent communication on the progress of their funds being released. Head Start programs operate on razor-thin margins and cannot survive without timely intervention. Children, families, employees, and educators all depend on these critical federal funds.
    Once these issues are resolved, we request you provide responses to the following questions:
    What factors contributed to delayed disbursements to Head Start programs through the Payment Management System? What steps will be taken to ensure such delays will not occur in the future?
    How many Head Start programs were impacted by this delay and what were the immediate consequences on operations and services for children and families?
    What factors led to the lack of communication about grant renewals and awards for the February 1st cycle? What steps will be taken to ensure timely notices in the future?
    We thank you for your quick attention to this matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister for EU Relations – Article on UK-EU Reset

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Opinion-editorial authored by Nick Thomas-Symonds, Minister for European Union Relations. This was originally published in The Telegraph on Tuesday 4 February 2025.

    Like many people, I remember the night of the Brexit referendum vividly. I was in my constituency of Torfaen: my home, where I grew up and where I have always lived. The majority of people in my constituency, and across the UK, voted to leave the EU.

    I believe my constituents – like millions across the country – voted to leave because they wanted a change that would improve their lives. They hoped Brexit would mean better public services, more jobs, less migration, more security.

    What they got instead was years of chaos and a botched deal. [Redacted political content].

    People deserve better. They want the Government to respect their vote on Brexit – which we do – and they’re also pragmatic. This Government was elected to reset relations with the EU to help boost growth, improve the cost of living crisis and make our borders more secure. People, rightly, demand delivery.

    My role as the UK minister for European Union relations is to take expectations and make them a reality.

    What does that mean? For this Government, our reset with the EU means the UK being safer, more secure and increasingly prosperous. It does not mean hitting rewind. We are not undoing Brexit. There is no opacity over the outcome of the referendum in 2016. Yet, five years on, we can see some of the negative impacts of the current deal emerging here at home, as well as in Europe.

    Trade is a clear example. Despite the EU being our largest trading partner, with trade in 2023 worth over £800 billion, we are trading less. Between 2021 and 2023, exports to the EU were down 27 per cent and imported goods down 32 per cent.

    The problems are not just economic. Our borders are less secure. The asylum system has been pushed into crisis, with backlogs reaching record levels and costs hitting £5.4 billion in the last financial year, up over a billion pounds on the year before.

    We are not cooperating closely enough with the EU on law enforcement to smash the gangs behind the small boats. To make people safer, we must do all we can to strengthen our collective ability to tackle organised crime and work together on illegal migration.

    The Brexit deal did not address issues around security and defence cooperation, more vital than ever after Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. To keep the UK secure, we need to work with allies such as Ukraine and European partners, with NATO as our bedrock. The Prime Minister met with all 27 EU leaders and the secretary-general of NATO for this very reason: to discuss common threats and the value that closer EU-UK co-operation on defence could bring.

    To raise living standards, we need to build export and investment opportunities, reducing barriers to trade. This is of mutual benefit: the chancellor and the president of the European Commission are both pressing the need for cooperation to drive innovation, boost growth and reduce consumer costs.

    This is not about a choice between our allies. Some people make the false argument that we need to choose either America or Europe. For this Government, the UK’s national interest is paramount and demands we work with both.

    We will do so with a ruthless pragmatism, leaving ideologically driven division in the past in search of mutually beneficial areas of interest for both sides, within our red lines of no return to the single market, customs union, or freedom of movement.

    The Prime Minister and I will look at issues in a hard-headed way, guided by what works for the people and businesses of the UK. It’s as simple as that.

    The UK standing tall on the international stage, delivering for people by working with one of our key partners, matters. This is making Brexit work for my constituency and for the country.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road closure, SH39, Ngāhinapōuri

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    State Highway 39 is closed following a crash near Ngāhinapōuri.

    Emergency services attended the crash involving three vehicles, reported at around 2.20am. Critical injuries are reported.

    Serious Crash Unit are conducting a scene examination.

    The road is closed and diversions are in place, motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests Salvadorian illegal alien after kidnapping and robbery conviction

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NEW ORLEANS— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an unlawfully present Salvadorian national that was convicted of a robbery and kidnapping when officers arrested Juan Misael Canales-Garcia, 52, Jan. 23 after he was released by the Alabama Department of Corrections prison system, where he was serving time.

    Canales-Garcia illegally entered the United States at an unknown time and place and an immigration judge ordered him removed on March 30, 1992. He has reentered and been removed three additional times since then. The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama arrested Canales Jan. 13, 2005, for first-degree kidnapping and first-degree robbery. He was sentenced to serve five years for kidnapping and 21 years for robbery June 15, 2007.

    ICE filed an immigration detainer with the Alabama Department of Corrections on Dec. 10, 2024. Following his arrest, ICE issued him a reinstatement of a prior order of removal, and he will remain in ICE custody pending removal to El Salvador.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing theonline tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in Louisiana on X, formerly known as Twitter, at@ERONewOrleans

    MIL OSI USA News –