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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Economics: o3-mini is here and ships today on Azure AI Foundry and GitHub Copilot and Models… can’t wait to see what you build!

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: o3-mini is here and ships today on Azure AI Foundry and GitHub Copilot and Models… can’t wait to see what you build!

    Excellent and timely offer Satya Nadella. The O3 mini reasoning model in Azure OpenAI Service opens the door for enterprises to experiment with modular AI architectures, where task-specific models complement larger foundation models. Instead of relying solely on massive, compute-heavy LLMs, organizations can deploy lightweight, domain-optimized AI agents for real-time decision-making, edge AI, or hybrid cloud inference. This shift aligns with the growing demand for AI efficiency at scale, especially as businesses seek cost-conscious, high-performance solutions in an increasingly competitive landscape.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: o3-mini reasoning model now available in Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: o3-mini reasoning model now available in Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service

    We are pleased to announce that OpenAI’s new o3-mini model is now available in Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. Building on the foundation of the o1 model, o3-mini delivers a new level of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reasoning capabilities.

    We are pleased to announce that OpenAI o3-mini is now available in Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. o3-mini adds significant cost efficiencies compared with o1-mini with enhanced reasoning, with new features like reasoning effort control and tools, while providing comparable or better responsiveness.

    o3-mini’s advanced capabilities, combined with its efficiency gains, make it a powerful tool for developers and enterprises looking to optimize their AI applications.

    With faster performance and lower latency, o3-mini is designed to handle complex reasoning workloads while maintaining efficiency.

    Get started with Azure OpenAI Service

    New features of o3-mini

    As the evolution of OpenAI o1-mini, o3-mini introduces several key features that enhance AI reasoning and customization:

    • Reasoning effort parameter: Allows users to adjust the model’s cognitive load with low, medium, and high reasoning levels, providing greater control over the response and latency. 
    • Structured outputs: The model now supports JSON Schema constraints, making it easier to generate well-defined, structured outputs for automated workflows.
    • Functions and Tools support: Like previous models, o3-mini seamlessly integrates with functions and external tools, making it ideal for AI-powered automation. 
    • Developer messages: The “role”: “developer” attribute replaces the system message in previous models, offering more flexible and structured instruction handling.
    • System message compatibility: Azure OpenAI Service maps the legacy system message to developer message to ensure seamless backward compatibility.
    • Continued strength on coding, math, and scientific reasoning: o3-mini further enhances its capabilities in coding, mathematics, and scientific reasoning, ensuring high performance in these critical areas. 

    With these improvements in speed, control, and cost-efficiency, o3-mini is optimized for enterprise AI solutions, enabling businesses to scale their AI applications efficiently while maintaining precision and reliability. 

    From o1-mini to o3-mini: What’s changed? 

    o3-mini is the latest reasoning model released, with notable differences compared with the o1 model released last September. While both models share strengths in reasoning, o3-mini adds new capabilities like structured outputs and functions and tools, resulting in a production-ready model with significant improvements in cost efficiencies. 

    Feature comparison: o3-mini versus o1-mini

    Feature o1-mini o3-mini
    Reasoning Effort Control No Yes (low, medium, high)
    Developer Messages No Yes
    Structured Outputs No Yes
    Functions/Tools Support No Yes
    Vision Support No No

    Join us on this journey

    We invite you to explore the capabilities of o3-mini and see how it can transform your AI applications. With Azure OpenAI Service, you get access to the latest AI innovations, enterprise-grade security, and global compliance, and data remains private and secure.

    Learn more about OpenAI o3-mini in GitHub Copilot and GitHub Models here.

    Get started today! Sign up in Azure AI Foundry to access o3-mini and other advanced AI models.

    Build with Azure AI Foundry

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Announces $1 Million Investment to Help Address Gun Violence in Communities Across Michigan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced a $1 million investment from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help address gun violence in communities across Michigan. The funding is being awarded to the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI) and will be used to assess the impact of community intervention programs that aim to reduce cyclical and retaliatory gun violence in targeted urban cities.    

    “Michiganders continue to feel the impacts of gun violence in their own communities, and we must do more to promote safety in our neighborhoods,” said Senator Peters. “This innovative program will help inform best strategies to address gun violence while helping to curb the cycle of gun-related offenses.”     

    As part of the project, MPHI will engage at least 100 individuals in three urban areas across Michigan who have active firearm offenses. Once identified, MPHI will provide them with evidence-based programming aimed at reducing gun violence – including street outreach, mentoring, life skills training and opportunities for employment. During the 18-month program, participants will be compared against a control group from the same three urban areas to determine the effectiveness of programming aimed at reducing gun violence.  

    The funding for this project comes from the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance program, which supports new and innovative strategies for preventing and reducing crime, improving community safety, and strengthening criminal justice system outcomes. You can read more about the program here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Announces $2 Million Federal Investment to Expand the City of Grand Rapids’ “Cure Violence” Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced a $2 million federal investment from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help the City of Grand Rapids to build on the success of its “Cure Violence” program, which has helped to significantly reduce gun violence in initial focus areas in the city. 

    “As gun violence continues to impact Michiganders, it’s essential that we support innovative programs that have proven successful at making a difference in our communities,” said Senator Peters. “The ‘Cure Violence’ program has made important progress to reduce gun violence, and I’m thrilled that this funding will help bring it to every corner of Grand Rapids.”     

    Through street-level outreach and community engagement, the “Cure Violence” program has been successful in addressing gun violence in the City’s Third Ward. This grant award will allow the City of Grand Rapids to expand the “Cure Violence” model city-wide, helping to support other locations where gun violence has continued to rise. Funding will also assist the City of Grand Rapids to build a comprehensive and unified approach to reducing gun violence across the city. 

    The funding for this project comes from the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance program, which supports new and innovative strategies for preventing and reducing crime, improving community safety, and strengthening criminal justice system outcomes. You can read more about the program here.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National with Pending Federal Indictment Charged with Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant previously released and deported following arrest for federal drug and firearm charges

    BOSTON – A Dominican national, residing in Lawrence with pending federal fentanyl trafficking and firearm charges, has been arrested and charged with unlawfully reentering the United States. After the defendant was arrested and charged in 2023 with alleged federal drug and firearm offenses, he was released on conditions and later deported.

    Santo Alberto Baez Baez, 36, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Baez Baez was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023 with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (fentanyl). He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023 with one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

    In 2022, law enforcement began investigations into multiple drug trafficking organizations (“DTOs”) that distributed large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in the Lawrence area. According to court documents, on June 21, 2023, search warrants were executed at 13 locations in Massachusetts, including three locations in Lawrence, allegedly used by the DTOs. It is alleged that, during a search of one of the Lawrence-based residences, Baez Baez was found in the bedroom where a Rossi model M971 .357 caliber revolver loaded with .38 special ammunition and a silencer, a box of .38 special ammunition, a container of controlled substances – some of which were packaged in clear plastic bags for sale – and a brick that weighed approximately 200 grams – later analyzed and determined to contain fentanyl – was recovered. According to the criminal complaint, fraudulent identification documents, including social security cards and Baez Baez’s Dominican passport, where also discovered.

    At the time of his arrest, it was determined that Baez Baez had an outstanding state warrant for distribution of fentanyl, and it was determined that he was not legally present in the United States.

    Following a detention hearing on federal charges, Baez Baez was released by the Court on conditions on July 11, 2023. According to court documents, he was later brought into the custody of immigration authorities and placed into removal proceedings and, on Aug 28, 2023, he was ordered removed from the United States to the Dominican Republic. Baez Baez was removed on Sept. 19, 2023, at which time his fingerprint, photograph and signature were obtained.

    It is alleged that on an unknown date and location, Baez Baez reentered the United States without being inspected. Authorities learned that Baez Baez was living in Lawrence, Mass.

    According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 18, 2024, an individual was stopped for a traffic violation in Andover, Mass. The operator produced a New York driver’s license identifying himself as Jose Villar Baez. It was determined that there was a warrant for “Villar Baez” in Concord District Court for leaving the scene of an accident, causing property damage and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The operator of the vehicle was arrested and later fingerprinted. Fingerprint analysis allegedly determined that “Villar Baez,” the operator of the vehicle, was in fact Baez Baez. According to the criminal complaint, Baez Baez was released by a state clerk magistrate on personal recognizance.

    On Jan. 27, 2025, a federal arrest was issued for Baez Baez for violating his pre-trial release. On Jan. 31, 2025 Baez Baez was arrested in Lawrence at a location that had been previously searched in June 2023 at the time Baez Baez originally was arrested.

    The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of no less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, no less than four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense provides for a sentence of no less than five years in prison to run consecutively with any sentence imposed on the drug offense. Baez Baez will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police and made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Massachusetts and the Natick Police Department. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and Christopher Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Utqiagvik man sentenced to 15 years for producing child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FAIRBANKS, Alaska – An Utqiagvik man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and will serve 10 years on supervised release for producing child pornography.

    According to court documents, a detective with a local law enforcement agency, acting in an undercover capacity and posing online as a 13-year-old girl, operated an account with a social media application known to law enforcement to be utilized by individuals seeking sexual encounters with minors. On Nov 6, 2023, the undercover detective received a message from Billy Ray Okpeaha Jr., 25.

    Between Nov. 6, 2023, and Jan. 18, 2024, Okpeaha and the undercover detective engaged in online exchanges that included Okpeaha’s requests that the undercover detective send him explicit content, the defendant sending a photo of his genitals to the undercover detective, and discussions about meeting each other in person and sexual interactions if an in-person meet occurred. Okpeaha sent the address of the hotel he was staying at and requested the undercover detective meet him at his hotel room.

    Okpeaha made plans to meet the undercover detective for a sexual encounter on Jan. 22, 2024. He was arrested that day at an apartment in Utqiagvik. Investigators seized and searched his electronic devices, which contained child sexual abuse materials, including visuals of a known minor victim. The known minor victim was interviewed and confirmed sending images of child sexual abuse material at Okpeaha’s request.

    Okpeaha was initially released on pre-trial supervision following his arrest but fled his transitional living facility. He was re-arrested in Coldfoot, Alaska, allegedly attempting to evade supervision and capture.

    On Sept. 4, 2024, Okpeaha pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography.

    “Crimes against children are among the most heinous offenses, inflicting lasting harm on vulnerable victims. Mr. Okpeaha deliberately targeted innocent children in a rural village for his own sexual gratification, exposing a clear and present danger to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Our office will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners to identify, apprehend and vigorously prosecute anyone who attempts to exploit or target the children of Alaska.” 

    “The defendant used the Internet to commit child exploitation crimes in Alaska and was found to be in possession of CSAM on his devices,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This investigation and sentencing demonstrate the severity of the defendant’s crimes, and our commitment to prevent further victimization and ensure online predators are brought to justice.”

    The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the North Slope Borough Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Baltimore Man of First-Degree Felony Murder While Armed and Related Charges for Killing Unarmed Man in Southeast, D.C.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Ethan Cunningham, 22, of Baltimore, MD was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of two counts of felony murder while armed, and related charges stemming from a May 2022 shooting of James Lee Curtis, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                The jury also found Cunningham guilty of one count of first-degree burglary while armed, one count of attempted robbery while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of PFCOV, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and one count of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman scheduled sentencing for March 28, 2025.

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on May 10, 2022, the victim, James Lee Curtis, was coming home from getting dinner and picking up his roommate.  As he was entering his building, the defendant, Ethan Cunningham, and an associate followed Curtis into his apartment building.  The defendant brandished a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine and repeatedly assaulted Curtis, demanding he open his apartment door where a child and woman were inside.  When Curtis refused to open the door, the defendant continued assaulting him throughout basement area of the apartment building until Curtis’s roommate tried to intervene.  The defendant then began shooting, striking Curtis once, and striking his roommate’s backpack. The defendant then stood over the roommate who had fallen to the ground and threatened to shoot him before fleeing the building. Curtis died from his injuries shortly thereafter.

                The defendant was arrested on May 30, 2022 and has remained detained since that date.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Natalie Hynum.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Dividend Growth Split Corp. Renews At-The-Market Equity Program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.

    TORONTO, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (TSX: DGS, DGS.PR.A) Dividend Growth Split Corp. (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce it has renewed its at-the-market equity program (“ATM Program”) so that the Fund can issue class A and preferred shares (the “Class A Shares” and “Preferred Shares”, respectively) to the public from time to time, at the Fund’s discretion. This ATM Program replaces the prior program established in August 2024 that has terminated. Any Class A Shares or Preferred Shares sold under the ATM Program will be sold through the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) or any other marketplace in Canada on which the Class A Shares and Preferred Shares are listed, quoted or otherwise traded at the prevailing market price at the time of sale. Sales of Class A Shares and Preferred Shares through the ATM Program will be made pursuant to the terms of an equity distribution agreement dated January 31, 2025 (the “Equity Distribution Agreement”) with RBC Capital Markets (the “Agent”).

    Sales of Class A Shares and Preferred Shares will be made by way of “at-the-market distributions” as defined in National Instrument 44-102 Shelf Distributions on the TSX or on any marketplace for the Class A Shares and Preferred Shares in Canada. Since the Class A Shares and Preferred Shares will be distributed at the prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, prices may vary among purchasers during the period of distribution. The ATM Program is being offered pursuant to a prospectus supplement dated January 31, 2025 to the Fund’s short form base shelf prospectus dated August 1, 2024. The maximum gross proceeds from the issuance of the shares will be $100 million for each of the Class A and Preferred Shares. Copies of the prospectus supplement and the short form base shelf prospectus may be obtained from your registered financial advisor or from representatives of the Agent and are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    The volume and timing of distributions under the ATM Program, if any, will be determined at the Fund’s sole discretion. The ATM Program will be effective until September 1, 2026, unless terminated prior to such date by the Fund. The Fund intends to use the proceeds from the ATM Program in accordance with the investment objectives and investment strategies of the Fund, subject to the investment restrictions of the Fund.

    The Fund invests in a portfolio (the “Portfolio”) consisting primarily of equity securities of Canadian dividend growth companies. In addition, the Fund may hold up to 20% of the total assets of the Portfolio in global dividend growth companies for diversification and improved return potential, at the discretion of Brompton Funds Limited (the “Manager”). In order to qualify for inclusion in the Portfolio, at the time of investment, each dividend growth company included in the Portfolio must have (i) a market capitalization of at least $2.0 billion; and (ii) a history of dividend growth or, in the Manager’s view, have high potential for future dividend growth.

    The investment objectives for the Class A Shares are to provide holders with regular monthly cash distributions targeted to be at least $0.10 per Class A Share and to provide the opportunity for growth in the net asset value per Class A Share.

    The investment objectives for the Preferred Shares are to provide holders with fixed cumulative preferential quarterly cash distributions in the amount of $0.16875 per Preferred Share (6.75% per annum on the original $10.00 issue price) until August 30, 2029, and to return the original issue price to holders of Preferred Shares on August 30, 2029.

    Over the last 10 years, the Class A Shares have delivered a 12.8% per annum total return based on NAV, outperforming the S&P/TSX Composite Total Return Index by 4.1% per annum.(1) The Preferred Shares have returned 5.5% per annum over the last 10 years, outperforming the S&P/TSX Preferred Share Total Return Index by 2.5% per annum.(1)

    About Brompton Funds

    Founded in 2000, Brompton is an experienced investment fund manager with income and growth focused investment solutions including exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other TSX traded investment funds. For further information, please contact your investment advisor, call Brompton’s investor relations line at 416-642-6000 (toll-free at 1-866-642-6001), email info@bromptongroup.com or visit our website at www.bromptongroup.com.

    (1) See Performance table below.

      Dividend Growth Split Corp.
    Compound Annual Returns to December 31, 2024    		 1-Yr 3-Yr 5-Yr 10-Yr Since
    Inception
      Class A Shares (TSX: DGS) 54.6% 15.9% 19.0% 12.8% 11.1%
      S&P/TSX Composite Total Return Index 15.7% 7.8% 10.5% 7.4% 6.4%
      Preferred Shares (TSX: DGS.PR.A) 5.6% 5.6% 5.6% 5.5% 5.4%
      S&P/TSX Preferred Share Total Return Index 21.6% 1.6% 5.8% 2.5% 3.2%
     

    Returns are for the periods ended December 31, 2024, and are unaudited. Inception date December 3, 2007. The table shows the compound return on a Class A Share and Preferred Share for each period indicated compared to the S&P/TSX Composite Total Return Index (“Composite Index”), and the S&P/TSX Preferred Share Total Return Index (“Preferred Share Index”) (together the “Indices”). The Composite Index tracks the performance, on a market weight basis and total return basis, of a broad index of large-capitalization issuers listed on the TSX. The Preferred Share Index tracks the performance, on a market‑weight basis and total return basis, of a broad index of preferred shares trading on the TSX that meet the criteria relating to size, liquidity and issuer rating. The Fund is actively managed; therefore, its performance is not expected to mirror that of the Indices, which have more diversified portfolios and include a substantially larger number of companies. Furthermore, the Indices’ performance is calculated without the deduction of management fees, fund expenses and trading commissions, whereas the performance of the Fund is calculated after deducting such fees and expenses. Additionally, the performance of the Class A Shares is impacted by the leverage provided by the Preferred Shares. The performance information shown is based on the net asset value per Class A Share and the redemption price per Preferred Share and assumes that cash distributions made by the Fund during the periods shown were reinvested at net asset value per Class A Share and redemption price per Preferred Share in additional Class A Shares or Preferred Shares of the Fund. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

    You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the TSX or other alternative Canadian trading system (an “exchange”). If the shares are purchased or sold on an exchange, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying shares of the Fund and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them.

    There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning shares of an investment fund. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the Fund. You can find more detailed information about the Fund in its public filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns including changes in share value and reinvestment of all distributions and does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution or optional charges or income tax payable by any securityholder that would have reduced returns. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

    Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to matters disclosed in this document and to other matters identified in public filings relating to the Fund, to the future outlook of the Fund and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding the future financial performance of the Fund. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terms such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “intend”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue” or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Actual results may vary from such forward-looking information. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

    The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities nor will there be any sale of such securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Condemn DoD Decision To End Policy Allowing U.S. Service Members To Access Non-Covered Reproductive Health Care Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    January 31, 2025

    HARTFORD—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 17 of their Senate colleagues in releasing the following statement on the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) rescission of a policy that allowed service members to get reimbursed for travel and transportation for non-covered reproductive care. A memo that updates the Joint Travel Regulations to rescind this policy was issued earlier this week.
    “This decision strips away service members’ ability to access the reproductive care they need, which is nothing short of abhorrent. It runs contrary to a core goal of the Department of Defense – to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our service members so that our force remains ready at all times to protect Americans and keep this nation safe.
    “U.S. service members have no control over where they are stationed and what state laws may govern their bodies. The policy that the Department of Defense took away from our servicewomen and military families provided them the ability to travel to another state to seek out the care they need. Rescinding that does nothing to enhance military readiness.
    “At a time when we are already facing military recruitment and retention challenges, we should do all we can to assure those who answer the call to serve America that we will do everything in our power to support them and their families. Instead, this extreme action does the opposite and sends a message to servicewomen—who make up more than 17 percent of our military’s active duty—that they are not as valuable as their male counterparts.
    “We will do everything in our power to mitigate the impact that this extreme decision will have on members of our military and ensure their health and safety comes first.”
    The statement was led by U.S. Senator Shaheen (D-NH) and also joined by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Denver officers arrest illegal Mexican national charged with assault and kidnapping

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    DENVER — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Juan Benitez-Ortega, 48, an illegally present Mexican national in Adams County, Colorado, Jan. 30.

    “The arrest and eventual removal of this individual reaffirms our commitment to enforcing the laws of our nation and protecting our communities.” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Denver Field Office Director Robert Guadian. “This subject will no longer be allowed to continue to terrorize the citizens of Colorado.”

    Ramirez unlawfully entered the United States in Nov. 1998, at an unknown location.

    Officials in Adams County, charged Benitez with felony assault, kidnapping or false imprisonment on Dec. 28. Benitez also has a prior conviction for driving while ability impaired.

    ICE officers issued Ramirez an intent to reinstate a prior order of removal, and he will remain in ICE custody until his removal from the U.S.

    Members of the public with information regarding child sex offenders can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Denver’s mission to increase public safety throughout Colorado and Wyoming on X at @ERODenver.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: EPW Democrats to Zeldin: Provide Valid Legal Basis for EPA Funding Freeze that is Threatening Jobs and Jeopardizing Infrastructure Projects

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    During his first days on the job, EPA Administrator Zeldin rubber stamps Trump’s crippling funding freeze and violates federal law
    Washington (January 31, 2025) – Today, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and all Democratic members of the Committee in demanding answers from newly-confirmed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin about the agency’s freezing of Congressionally appropriated funds, including those that have already been obligated.  According to public reporting, the EPA sent letters to grant recipients explaining it was pausing “all funding actions related to” the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  Not only are these funding cuts already having devastating effects on communities, with reports of jobs in jeopardy and essential infrastructure projects on the chopping block, but failing to allow grant recipients to access funds that have already been obligated violates federal law.
    “We write concerning troubling reports that the Environmental Protection Agency is attempting to claw back funds that have already been obligated to grant recipients. We believe that this is contrary to federal law,” wrote Senators Whitehouse, Markey, Sanders, Merkley, Kelly, Padilla, Schiff, Blunt Rochester, and Alsobrooks. “Many of us have also been contacted by grantees in our states reporting that they no longer have access to the grant money that has been obligated to them.”
    The Senators further pressed Administrator Zeldin on his failure to abide by the commitments he made to Members of the Committee during his confirmation hearing. When asked if he believed the president or executive branch could ignore congressional appropriation decisions and instructions, then-nominee Zeldin responded, “If confirmed, I pledge to respect all of Congress’s duly enacted statutes.” When asked if he pledged to respect congressional appropriation decisions and instructions and resist any efforts within the executive branch to circumvent them, he reaffirmed his commitment to executing on EPA’s mission and recognized Congress’s power of the purse, stating “Particularly as a former Member of Congress, I appreciate and respect the Congressional funding process. I commit to fully following the law.” 
    But it appears that in his first days as EPA Administrator, Zeldin is already allowing President Trump to pull the strings at EPA by failing swiftly to address these funding freezes that undermine EPA’s core mission and run contrary to federal law. 
    “Federal law and regulations require that obligated funds be provided to grantees absent proof of misuse of funds,” wrote the Senators.  “We further note that the Solar for All program furthers several goals, all of which are part of EPA’s core mission, which you support. It is designed to help reduce carbon pollution, air pollutants, and household energy costs by financing community and rooftop solar in low-income communities. It will further help drive American manufacturing, boosting the economy and creating jobs.” 
    Accordingly, the Senators demanded that Administrator Zeldin provide a valid legal justification for the funding freezes and explain when he plans restore the availability of the funds to grant recipients.
    The text of the letter is below, and a full version (with footnotes) is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Tillis, Padilla, Schiff Introduce Legislation to Give Tax Relief to Disaster Victims

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025, legislation that allows Americans to exclude any qualified catastrophe mitigation payment made under a state-based catastrophe loss mitigation program from their income tax. The bill would provide needed relief to homeowners after a major flood or hurricane.
    “Louisianans understand the impact of devastating storms, but with the help of state and local programs, we have tools to rebuild and return to wholeness,” said Dr. Cassidy. “If communities need tax relief, let’s give it to them!”
    “This commonsense legislation takes a critical step toward empowering individuals and communities to better protect themselves from the devastating effects of natural disasters like Hurricane Helene,” said Senator Tillis. “By excluding qualified catastrophe mitigation payments from income tax, we are incentivizing property owners to make the necessary improvements that reduce damage and save lives. This proactive approach to disaster preparedness not only helps families rebuild faster but strengthens our resilience in the face of future disasters.”
    “The devastating fires in Southern California underscored the urgent need to empower homeowners to take proactive steps to keep their families and homes safe,” said Senator Padilla. “As these disasters become more frequent and more extreme due to the climate crisis, we should incentivize — not penalize — taxpayers for protecting their homes. That’s why the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act would provide a tax exemption on payments from state-based programs for homeowner investments in critical disaster-related improvements.”
    “We have seen how natural disasters have devastated communities around the country, and we must ensure we have the resources and programs in place to respond,” said Senator Schiff. “Homeowners should not face additional taxes for wanting to protect their homes and our bipartisan legislation will provide the needed tax relief to help affected Americans recover from these disasters.”
    The bill defines a qualified catastrophe mitigation payment as any amount received for making improvements to an individual’s property for the sole purpose of reducing the damage that would be done to such property by a flood, windstorm, earthquake, or wildfire.
    Cassidy, Tillis, Padilla, and Schiff were joined by U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Katie Britt (R-AL), Michael Bennett (D-CO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Kennedy (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ted Budd (R-NC) in cosponsoring the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Padilla, Cassidy, Schiff Introduce Legislation to Exclude Catastrophe Mitigation Payments from Income Taxes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025, legislation that excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any qualified catastrophe mitigation payment made under a state-based catastrophe loss mitigation program. 
    “This commonsense legislation takes a critical step toward empowering individuals and communities to better protect themselves from the devastating effects of natural disasters like Hurricane Helene,” said Senator Tillis. “By excluding qualified catastrophe mitigation payments from income tax, we are incentivizing property owners to make the necessary improvements that reduce damage and save lives. This proactive approach to disaster preparedness not only helps families rebuild faster but strengthens our resilience in the face of future disasters.”
    “The devastating fires in Southern California underscored the urgent need to empower homeowners to take proactive steps to keep their families and homes safe,” said Senator Padilla. “As these disasters become more frequent and more extreme due to the climate crisis, we should incentivize — not penalize — taxpayers for protecting their homes. That’s why the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act would provide a tax exemption on payments from state-based programs for homeowner investments in critical disaster-related improvements.”
    “Louisianans understand the impact of devastating storms, but with the help of state and local programs, we have tools to rebuild and return to wholeness,” said Dr. Cassidy. “If communities need tax relief, let’s give it to them!”
    “We have seen how natural disasters have devastated communities around the country, and we must ensure we have the resources and programs in place to respond,” said Senator Schiff. “Homeowners should not face additional taxes for wanting to protect their homes and our bipartisan legislation will provide the needed tax relief to help affected Americans recover from these disasters.”
    Background:
    The bill defines a “qualified catastrophe mitigation payment” as any amount received for making improvements to an individual’s property for the sole purpose of reducing the damage that would be done to such property by a windstorm, earthquake, flood, or wildfire.
    The Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025 is co-sponsored by Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Michael Bennett (D-CO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Kennedy (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ted Budd (R-NC).
    The Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025 is endorsed by North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey and the North Carolina Insurance Association.
    “Passing federal legislation that would ensure all state-funded, pre-disaster mitigation grants are tax-free would allow these grants to have the maximum impact,” said Mike Causey, Insurance Commissioner, State of North Carolina. “These mitigation grants protect homes and have a direct impact on insurers and the claims they pay for such disasters, which is critical for ensuring an insurance market that is stable and available and affordable for homeowners.  Because North Carolina has been a leader in windstorm mitigation through our Strengthen Your Roof and Strengthen Your Coastal Roof grant programs, and because working to maintain a healthy market is one of my goals as Insurance Commissioner, I am in total support of this bill. I thank Senator Tillis for proposing it.” 
    “North Carolina Insurance Association (NCIUA) has made grants of more than $100 million so that our policyholders can invest in resilient construction and fortified roofs,” said Gina Hardy, CEO, North Carolina Insurance Association. “Given the possibility of more frequent catastrophic events, we believe all of the grant money we invest should be free of federal taxation and remain with our policyholders so they can continue to strengthen and improve their homes.” 
    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Coons warns about Russian efforts against Romania and Moldova in interview with The Counteroffensive

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) sat down with The Counteroffensive’s Tim Mak to encourage continued western support for Romania and Moldova, both of which are victims of intensive Russian coercion campaigns in eastern Europe amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
    Last month, Senator Coons led a congressional delegation to Moldova and Romania, where he saw firsthand Russia’s attempts to undermine the independence and democracy of both countries. Romania, a crucial NATO ally, faced widespread Russian interference in their November presidential election that propelled pro-Russia NATO-skeptic candidate Calin Georgescu to first place before the election was annulled. Meanwhile, Moldova also faced intensive Russian interference, including disinformation and vote-buying campaigns, in its October presidential election and a referendum on joining the European Union, which ultimately passed despite Russia’s efforts. The country is also dealing with an energy crisis, as Russia started off the year by cutting off gas supplies to Moldova’s only power plant, with devastating consequences for Moldovan civilians now struggling through the winter. 
    In the interview, Senator Coons also encouraged President Trump and Republicans not to abandon Ukraine nearly three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
    The Counteroffensive: TOP DEM SENATOR: DON’T TAKE EYES OFF MOLDOVA, ROMANIA 
    As violent as the war in Ukraine is, there are broader Russian threats that the United States needs to pay attention to, said Sen. Chris Coons, a senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
    Coons recently returned from a Congressional delegation to Moldova and Romania, and gave an exclusive interview with The Counteroffensive to share lessons learned.
    “Russia has a playbook, and it has a set of plays that it’s running,” and not just in Ukraine, he said, referring to hybrid warfare techniques that include threats to Moldova’s energy security and influence operations in Romania.
    “Their sabotage operations are continuing right now across Central and Western Europe: fires and attacks and assassinations; and that their influence operations using social media; cyber attacks; good old fashioned bribery – are actually having an influence on politics,” he warned. “These are not isolated.”
    Read the full article here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of expected Trump tariffs, Senators Coons and Kaine introduce legislation to require congressional approval of new tariffs on U.S. allies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) yesterday introduced the Stopping Tariffs on Allies and Bolstering Legislative Exercise of (STABLE) Trade Policy Act, which would rein in chaos that President Trump could create by unilaterally imposing tariffs on trading partners like the ones expected to go into effect this weekend on Canada and Mexico.
    The STABLE Trade Policy Act would institute a requirement of congressional approval before a president could impose new tariffs on U.S. allies and free trade agreement (FTA) partners. Currently, the president can impose tariffs on any nation using authorities that Congress created to combat national security risks and address international emergencies. The bill reclaims congressional authority over trade policy and limits the president’s ability to treat allies as enemies.
    “Congress gave the president the authority to impose tariffs so that he could combat our enemies in the event of a national security crisis, not so that he could pursue grudges against our allies and neighbors. If the president is going abuse this power to bully and coerce our allies, Congress should take this authority back,” said Senator Coons. “If this weekend’s tariffs go into effect, they’ll do catastrophic damage to our relationships with our allies and raise costs for working families by hundreds of dollars a year. Congress needs to stop this from happening again.”
    “Virginians want costs to go down, not up. But President Trump’s plans to impose broad-based tariffs would raise the price of everyday goods and hurt our economy,” said Senator Kaine. “It’s time for Congress to make it clear that no president should abuse existing tariff authorities designed to protect America’s national security from threats posed by our adversaries to slap tariffs on our allies and closest trading partners. I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Coons to take that step to protect Americans’ pocketbooks from sharp price hikes and safeguard our relationships with our allies.”
    The introduction of STABLE Trade Policy Act comes shortly before President Trump’s across-the-board tariffs on Canada and Mexico are expected to go into effect. On his first day in office, President Trump pledged 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada to go into effect February 1. The two nations, both members of the U.S.M.C.A. trade agreement that President Trump negotiated, accounted for almost one-third of all U.S. goods imports last year. Additionally, President Trump has promised 10% tariffs on China. President Trump has already threatened and then rescinded tariffs on Colombia.
    Specifically, the STABLE Trade Policy Act would:
    Require the president to explain to Congress any proposal to impose tariffs on allies and FTA partners.
    The president must explain why challenges with allies cannot be better addressed through diplomacy or other mechanisms.
    The president must assess of how tariffs will impact the U.S. economy and U.S. foreign policy interests. 
    Require congressional approval for new or additional tariffs on imports from allies and FTA partners.
    The bill constrains tariff authorities created by Congress to combat national security risks and address international economic emergencies. 
    The executive branch retains full authority to impose safeguard tariffs to combat unfair trade practices.
    The full bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Welcomes Spring 2025 Interns

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.–Six interns joined U.S. Senator Mike Crapo’s (R-Idaho) Washington, D.C., Boise and Pocatello offices for the winter and spring 2025 terms.
    “The young individuals joining my office for the spring term will get to experience firsthand historic moments with President Trump’s return to office,” said Crapo.  “They will actively engage with Idaho’s constituents, expand their knowledge of the federal policymaking process and grow hard and soft skills important for their next career step.  I am delighted to have them on board for this spring and look forward to their success.”
    Three interns will serve in the Washington, D.C., office:
    Kennedy Cummins is a Murtaugh, Idaho, native and a senior at Boise State University.  She is studying political science.  Kennedy interned in Senator Crapo’s Boise office in the fall.
    Samuel Jardine is an Idaho Falls, Idaho, native a junior at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.  He is studying political science with a professional emphasis in political strategy and a minor in business.
    Madison Schmidt is a senior at Boise State University, pursuing a degree in political science and a certificate in business.  Madison attended high school in Meridian, Idaho.
    Two interns will serve in the Boise office:
    Ellison Winger is a sophomore at Boise State University.  She is majoring in political science and minoring in business.
    Jack Marmor moved to Idaho when he was three-years-old.  He is a senior at Boise State University, pursuing a degree in criminal justice.
    One intern served in the Pocatello office during the month of January:
    Giovanni DeLaRosa is a Pocatello, Idaho, native.  Giovanni is studying political science and business management at Columbia University in New York City.
    Crapo hosts interns in his Washington, D.C., office as well as in the various regional offices throughout Idaho.  The applications for the summer and fall 2025 terms close on March 1.  Students interested in positions for the spring, summer or fall semesters can find more information about the application process, internship expectations, and deadlines for applying on the Senator’s official website at: https://www.crapo.senate.gov/services/for-students/internships 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Temporary closure of Tuen Mun Swimming Pool

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Temporary closure of Tuen Mun Swimming Pool
    Temporary closure of Tuen Mun Swimming Pool
    *******************************************

    Attention TV/radio announcers:Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (February 1) that due to urgent maintenance works, Tuen Mun Swimming Pool in Tuen Mun District has been temporarily closed until further notice.

     
    Ends/Saturday, February 1, 2025Issued at HKT 7:03

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Murder of Shoe Reseller Results in 32 Year Sentence

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Killer Convicted of First-Degree Murder and Related Offense for Killing a Shoe Reseller at East River Park Shopping Mall

                WASHINGTON – Darius Anderson, 23, of Washington, DC, was sentenced today to 32 years of in prison for first-degree murder while armed and related offenses in the June 2022 killing of 30-year old Israel Mattocks, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Anderson was found guilty by a jury on September 18, 2024, following a one-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The murder occurred in the 3900 block of Minnesota Ave, NE.  Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo handed down the sentence.

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11:00 a.m. on June 15, 2022, the victim, Mr. Mattocks, a shoe reseller, asked the defendant for help purchasing shoes from Shoe City located at the East River Park Shopping Mall. After the defendant failed to purchase the shoes for Mr. Mattocks, the two had a brief conversation and parted ways. A short time later, the two met again in another nearby local shoe store, DownTown Locker Room. Mr. Mattocks and the defendant had a brief argument. Afterwards, Mr. Mattocks left the store with another individual to return to Shoe City to buy the shoes the defendant failed to purchase. In the meantime, defendant Anderson walked home, dropped off his purchase from the DownTown Locker Room, and returned to the Shoe City. When the victim and the other individual walked out of the Shoe City, Anderson, was waiting, standing to the right entrance of the store, and fired numerous shots at Mr. Mattocks. Mr. Mattocks was shot at least six times – sustaining injuries to his left and right arms, his right chest, and his neck. He was pronounced dead a short time later.

                In announcing this verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.  They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Dean and Stephanie Dinan. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: More Chinese people driving home in NEVs for Spring Festival reunions

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Jan. 31 — More and more Chinese people are choosing to drive home for Spring Festival family reunions using new-energy vehicles (NEVs), aided by better charging and insurance services, according to experts.

    Hua Lei, an official with the Ministry of Transport, said that NEVs are joining the Spring Festival travel rush, the world’s largest annual human migration in China around the Spring Festival, in growing numbers.

    Noting that NEVs accounted for 15.9 percent of road trips during the National Day holiday in October last year, experts expected their share to rise further during the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, or chunyun, which officially kicked off on Jan. 14.

    To meet the rising demand for NEV charging, the country has accelerated the construction of charging infrastructure. By the end of 2024, 98 percent of highway service areas had charging facilities, with 35,000 charging stations in place. “Aside from a few remote, high-altitude areas, nearly all (highway) service areas now offer charging options,” said Hua.

    Lots of supercharging piles have been put in place. For instance, in China’s southwestern megacity of Chongqing, 83 highway service areas had completed the construction of supercharging piles before the arrival of the Spring Festival travel rush.

    The new supercharging piles have a significant charging capacity, with a maximum output of 480 kilowatts per charging gun. They can charge NEVs faster than conventional fast-charging piles, enabling NEVs to run for 400 kilometers after charging for just 10 minutes.

    In 2024, China added more than 4.22 million electric vehicle charging poles, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. By the end of last year, the total number of electric vehicle charging poles in the country reached 12.82 million, marking a 49.1 percent year-on-year increase. Of these, public charging poles accounted for approximately 3.58 million, while private charging poles neared 9.24 million.

    The expansion of charging facilities comes amid surging demand for NEVs in China, with both production and sales surpassing 12 million units in 2024, industrial data shows. China has maintained its position as the world’s leading NEV market for 10 consecutive years.

    The number of NEVs in use in China has continued to increase at a faster pace, reaching 31.4 million by the end of 2024, the Ministry of Public Security said earlier this month. It added that the figure marks a 260-fold surge over the past decade, which is attributed to the country’s technological progress in the NEV industry, the improvement of charging infrastructure and the growing eco-friendly awareness of Chinese people.

    The ministry added that in 2024, NEVs accounted for 8.9 percent of the country’s total vehicle ownership, while the number of newly registered NEVs rose by 51.49 percent compared to 2023, reaching 11.25 million.

    To further spur the NEV sector, China unveiled last Friday its first-ever guidelines for the insurance of NEVs, introducing measures aimed at addressing key challenges currently facing the sector, such as high insurance premiums and the risk of being denied coverage.

    The guidelines, jointly issued by the National Financial Regulatory Administration and three other government departments, aim to reduce maintenance costs for NEVs.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Xizang completes transitional housing for quake-affected residents

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    LHASA, Jan. 31 — Over 7,000 makeshift houses have been set up since an earthquake jolted Dingri County in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region in early January, wrapping up construction of transitional housing for the affected people, local authorities said Friday.

    According to the local disaster relief headquarters, the county has set up 7,733 makeshift houses and 9,941 tents, providing shelters for 47,787 affected residents.

    Additionally, there are 10,772 residents in the county whose homes were slightly damaged. These houses have passed risk assessments and safety inspections, allowing residents to continue living in them without the need for temporary shelters.

    A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri County in the city of Xigaze on Jan. 7, claiming 126 lives and leveling thousands of houses.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Works to Expand Child Care Access for Families and Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – As Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is introducing bipartisan legislation with Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) to increase the availability of affordable, high-quality child care for working families. This bill would allow non-profit child care providers to participate in Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs.
    “When traveling river to river across Iowa, I consistently hear about the difficulties families face in finding affordable, high-quality child care,” said Chair Ernst. “As chair of the Small Business Committee, I’m bringing Iowans’ concerns to Washington. In many of our state’s rural communities, religious organizations often offer the only child care options but for too long have been denied access to federal funding. To drive down prices, I’m dedicated to real solutions like this that expand options and kick down regulatory hurdles on behalf of hardworking families.” 
    “There is a significant need for additional child care in Decatur County, and oftentimes, for-profit business isn’t able to completely meet that need. If a program like the SBA loan program was available to help fund small, rural, non-profit child care centers, this would help reduce the upfront financial cost of construction and expedite the process of expanding services and adding additional child care slots,” said Shannon Erb, President of Decatur County Development Corporation. “The team at Decatur County Development Corporation wholeheartedly supports this bill and would like to thank Senator Ernst for leading the way to support rural child care. We are excited about the direct impact this could have on the future of our community and other rural communities across the country.”
    “The Iowa Women’s Foundation proudly supports the bipartisan Small Business Child Care Investment Act being introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Joni Ernst (R) and Jacky Rosen (D). This bill will expand access to quality affordable child care by allowing non-profit child care providers to utilize programs offered by the Small Business Administration,” said Iowa Women’s Foundation. “This bill will help meet a critical need for affordable quality child care in Iowa communities across the state, a major focus of the Iowa Women’s Foundation. We applaud the bipartisan work of Senators Ernst and Rosen in addressing this critical need in our state.” 
    “As a director of a non-profit child care center in a rural community, we would greatly appreciate the opportunity to apply for the SBA Loans. There continues to be a need for child care that offers families the same quality found in larger communities,” said Tiffany Finch, Director of Cambridge Little Achievers Center. “Allowing non-profit child care centers the same access to SBA Loans would allow us to apply for funding that can focus on the quality and culture of the programs without adding more expense to rural families. The SBA loans can help and invest in our staff and families!”
    The bipartisan Small Business Child Care Investment Act would:
    Ensure that qualified non-profit providers have equal access to key SBA loan options that allow providers to invest in and expand their operations;
    Create local jobs and give working families more options for affordable and quality child care; and
    Protect religiously-affiliated non-profit providers access to the larger and more flexible loan programs like 7(a) and 504 that can be used for real estate, construction, remodeling, and other expenses critical to maintaining and expanding high-quality child care operations.
    Background:
    Ernst has been a strong advocate for increasing access to affordable, high-quality child care in Iowa. 
    On her annual River to River Tour, Ernst routinely visits child care centers to understand the needs of Iowans and bring their voices to Washington.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: AMG to Announce Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year Results on February 6, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Conference Call Scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time

    WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AMG (NYSE: AMG) will report financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2024 on Thursday, February 6, 2025. A conference call will be held at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on the same day.

    In addition to quarterly results, the conference call may include discussion of management’s expectations of future financial and operating results. Jay C. Horgen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Thomas M. Wojcik, Chief Operating Officer, and Dava E. Ritchea, Chief Financial Officer, will host the session.

    Parties interested in listening to the conference call should dial 1-877-407-8291 (U.S. calls) or 1-201-689-8345 (non-U.S. calls) shortly before the call begins.

    The conference call will also be available for replay beginning approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call. To hear a replay of the call, please dial 1-877-660-6853 (U.S. calls) or 1-201-612-7415 (non-U.S. calls) and provide conference ID 13750674. The live call and replay of the session, and a presentation highlighting the Company’s performance, can also be accessed via AMG’s website at https://ir.amg.com/.

    For more information on AMG, please visit www.amg.com.

    © 2025 Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

    Investor & Media Relations:
    Patricia Figueroa
    +1 (617) 747-3300
    ir@amg.com
    pr@amg.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bay area opportunities abound

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    There are a multitude of insole products on the market, but those designed specifically for foot shapes that cater to locals are rare. This is why Hong Kong youngster Mike Lo launched his own brand, aiming to create insoles that meet the precise needs of users.

    Mike’s vision extends beyond local development and he aspires to penetrate the vast market of Mainland cities within the Greater Bay Area.

    Encouraging entrepreneurship

    Establishing a company and developing products necessitates substantial funding.

    The Government is committed to encouraging and supporting Hong Kong youth in pursuing innovation and entrepreneurship. Recognising the needs of aspiring entrepreneurs like Mike, it launched the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area a few years ago.

    The scheme subsidises non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to implement youth entrepreneurship projects, providing seed funding for youth startups and assisting them in setting up business in both Hong Kong and cities within the bay area.

    The “StarAgent” programme launched by Po Leung Kuk is one of these subsidised projects. Through it, Mike’s company successfully secured a grant of $600,000.

    With the funding, he collaborated with a local university to conduct product development and trials, creating more suitable products for seniors suffering from conditions like plantar fasciitis, flat feet and diabetic foot.

    “We also used part of the funds to develop moulds and products in factories in the Mainland,” Mike said.

    After two years of trial and error, Mike ultimately launched his own version of pain-relieving insoles which help improve users’ walking and standing posture, alleviating discomfort in the feet, knees, and lower back.

    Community impact

    Having achieved success in product development, Mike remains committed to giving back to the community.

    He recently visited a public housing estate in Tuen Mun to measure the foot sizes of elderly residents, providing them with pain-relief insoles produced by his company.

    He also attended a foot health awareness event organised by Po Leung Kuk to share foot care knowledge with the elderly.

    Talking about his company’s development, Mike said he is currently planning to expand its business in the bay area.

    Field tour

    Po Leung Kuk Youth Affairs Department Supervisor Catherine Liu noted that young people venturing into other cities in the Mainland inevitably face numerous concerns, including networking issues, startup costs, and local rules and regulations.

    “Our aim is to help them overcome one hurdle after another.”

    In addition to providing up to $600,000 in funding, Po Leung Kuk offers a range of business incubation services, such as one-on-one professional consultations.

    Before young entrepreneurs enter the Mainland market in the bay area, the programme also organises various business seminars.

    Additionally, Po Leung Kuk takes them on visits to cities like Dongguan, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. This helps them to familiarise themselves with startup hubs in Mainland cities of the bay area, allowing them to choose the most suitable place for their development.

    Multi-benefit case

    Tony Fung’s extended reality technology company also benefited from the programme and received funding to set up offices in both Guangzhou and Hong Kong. His Hong Kong office focuses on game development, while the one in Guangzhou handles cloud and web development, with the two complementing each other’s strengths.

    Specialised in combining various technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality to create interactive experiences for entertainment and practical use, the content developed by the company involves community education, including themes such as mental health and drug abuse prevention, as well as e-sports.

    With the help of the entrepreneurship programme, Tony is moving forward to expand the firm’s client base throughout Guangzhou and other bay area cities, and engaging with local institutions to introduce services.

    Mutually reinforcing

    The Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a three-year programme. Under Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Clarence Leung highlighted that the first round was extremely well-received.

    The authorities partnered with 16 NGOs to fund a total of 217 teams, with about 70 of them successfully establishing themselves in various innovation and entrepreneurial bases in Mainland cities. As a result, the Government has launched a second round of the scheme.

    Mr Leung said they saw a lot of young teams with a lot of ideas.

    “They put the ideas into practice. We felt that the funding scheme was very successful. That is why we have the second cohort that started last year.”

    In addition to this programme, Mr Leung added that the bureau also supports youth entrepreneurship through three other initiatives.

    These include the Funding Scheme for Experiential Programmes at Innovation & Entrepreneurial Bases, which allows young people to explore startup base operations and policies.

    Another strategy involves the Youth Start-up Internship Programme working in collaboration with the Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport to provide internships at startup companies.

    One more avenue of support is led by the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovation & Entrepreneurial Bases in the Greater Bay Area, which organises diverse activities in co-operation with institutions from Guangdong and Hong Kong.

    Collectively, the various initiatives backed by the bureau offer significant support to young entrepreneurs.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Appoints Joshua J. Williford to the 18th Judicial District

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Governor Polis appointed Joshua J. Williford to the 18th Judicial District Court. The appointment is effective immediately and fills a new judgeship created by House Bill 20-1026, which changed the boundaries of the existing 18th Judicial District and established the new 23rd Judicial District. 

    Mr. Williford is an Arapahoe County Court Judge in the 18th Judicial District, a position he has held since 2017. His docket consists primarily of criminal matters. Previously, Mr. Williford was Chief Deputy District Attorney (2014-2017), Senior Deputy District Attorney (2011-2014), and Deputy District Attorney (2007-2011) in the 18th Judicial District; and Deputy District Attorney in the 17th Judicial District (2003-2007). Mr. Williford earned his B.A. from Wheaton College in 2000 and his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2003. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Arizona Couple Pleads Guilty to $1.2B Health Care Fraud

    Source: US State of California

    An Arizona couple pleaded guilty for causing over $1.2 billion of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare and other health insurance programs for expensive, medically unnecessary wound grafts that were applied to elderly and terminally ill patients.

    According to court documents, Alexandra Gehrke, 39, and her husband, Jeffrey King, 46, both of Phoenix, conspired with others to orchestrate the massive scheme. Gehrke ran two companies, Apex Medical LLC and Viking Medical Consultants LLC, that contracted with medically untrained “sales representatives” to locate elderly patients, including hospice patients, who had wounds at any stage and order amniotic wound grafts from a specific graft distributor. Gehrke instructed and financially incentivized the sales representatives to order grafts only in sizes 4×6 centimeters or larger, even if the wound was much smaller, to maximize health insurance reimbursement. Gehrke, through companies she owned and controlled, received over $279 million in illegal kickbacks from the distributor of the grafts in exchange for the orders. Gehrke in turn paid the sales representatives tens of millions of dollars in unlawful kickbacks. Gehrke then referred the patients to a company co-owned by King, which contracted with nurse practitioners to apply the grafts. King’s company fraudulently billed Medicare, TRICARE (the health care program for U.S. service members and their families), CHAMPVA (the health care program for spouses and children of permanently disabled veterans), and commercial insurance plans for the grafts. Gehrke and King, who had no medical training, directed the nurse practitioners to suspend their own medical judgment and apply all grafts ordered by the sales representatives, even when medically unreasonable and unnecessary, which resulted in the application of grafts to infected wounds, wounds that had already healed, and wounds that were not responding to the grafts.

    From November 2022 through May 2024, Gehrke, King, and others, through companies they owned, operated, and controlled, submitted $1,212,005,778 in false and fraudulent claims to health insurance plans. This included over $960 million in false and fraudulent claims to the federal health care programs — Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA. The federal and private health care insurers paid $614,990,420 based on the false and fraudulent claims.

    In their plea agreements, Gehrke and King agreed to pay restitution in the amounts of $614,990,420 and $605,690,110, respectively. They also agreed collectively to forfeit over $410 million in funds that they obtained from the fraud. To date, the government has seized nearly $100 million in assets that Gehrke and King accumulated from the scheme, including bank account balances exceeding $68 million, four luxury vehicles valued over $980,000, $22 million of life insurance annuities, and jewelry and precious metals.

    Gehrke pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2024, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. King pleaded guilty on Jan. 31 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona; Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke of the FBI Atlanta Field Office; Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Director Kelly Mayo of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI, HHS-OIG, DCIS, and VA-OIG investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Departs Thailand

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    GULF OF THAILAND  –  

    The U.S. relationship with Thailand is one of the oldest in the Indo-Pacific region. The countries have shared friendly and diplomatic relations for over 190 years. Thailand is one of five treaty allies of the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific Region and continues to be a longstanding security partner and leader in Southeast Asia.

    “We are incredibly grateful to Thailand for hosting the Carrier Strike Group ONE team,” said Rear Adm. Michael Wosje, commander, Carrier Strike Group ONE. “Port visits like this are a testament to the vital importance of the U.S.-Thailand Alliance and Partnership that contributes to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. We have shared history, shared interests, and common values that will continue to unite us for the good of both of our countries.”

    The U.S. remains committed to the Kingdom of Thailand, promoting military-to-military relations, as well as advancing interoperability and coordination with the Royal Thai Armed Forces, to promote regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

    “Thank you, Rear Admiral Michael Wosje and the captains and crew of the USS Carl Vinson and other ships of Carrier Strike Group ONE, for your visit to Thailand! Your time here reinforced the excellent relations between Thailand and the United States and our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. We look forward to future visits,” said U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, Robert F. Godec.

    During their stay in Thailand, the nearly 7,500 Sailors from Carrier Strike Group ONE participated in cultural exchanges, community relations events, and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sponsored tours to enhance cultural understanding and cooperation between the two countries.

    “I know I can speak for all of the Carl Vinson crew when I say how grateful we are to the people of Laem Chabang and Pattaya City for welcoming our Sailors with such kindness and hospitality,” said Capt. Matthew Thomas, commanding officer, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). “This port visit allowed our Sailors the opportunity to recharge and prepare to approach the next stretch of our time at sea maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. We are committed to the U.S.-Thai friendship and look forward to future opportunities that strengthen this bond.”

    The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group consists of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked staffs of Carrier Strike Group ONE and Destroyer Squadron one, Carrier Air Wing Two, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110). Carrier Air Wing Two is composed of nine squadrons flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey and MH-60R/S Seahawks.

    The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    For more news from Carrier Strike Group ONE and Carl Vinson visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CSG1, https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN70

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fentanyl and Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for More Than Three Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – ABEL JOSE FARIAS, 21, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 46 months in federal prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and illegal possession of two firearms after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On July 18, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a four-count Indictment against Farias, charging him with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. According to public record, in December 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents received information regarding a subject selling fentanyl pills. The agents arranged to meet with the subject to buy fentanyl at a gas station in Moore, Oklahoma, where they encountered and ultimately arrested Farias. In his vehicle, agents discovered a bag of fentanyl pills, as well as a firearm. After executing a federal search warrant, law enforcement found another firearm at Farias’s residence.

    On November 13, 2024, Farias pleaded guilty to counts 1, 2, and 4 of the Indictment, and admitted he possessed fentanyl which he intended to distribute, as well as two firearms, which he could not possess because of his felony convictions.

    At the sentencing hearing on January 28, 2024, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Farias to serve 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the dangerous nature of fentanyl, and that firearms were involved in Farias’s previous convictions, leading Judge Heaton to the conclusion that the sentence needed to promote respect for the rule of law.

    Public record further reflects that Farias has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court, including those for first-degree burglary in case number CF-2022-2403 and being a felon in possession of a firearm in case number CF-2022-1866.

    This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the 21st District Attorney Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan J. West prosecuted the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Hospital Administrator Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison in Identity Theft Scheme that Spanned Three Decades

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Victim Falsely Prosecuted, Jailed, and Forcibly Medicated with Psychotropic Drugs

    An Iowa hospital administrator who lived under a false identity for more than 30 years and caused the false imprisonment, involuntary hospitalization, and forced medication of his victim was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison.

    Matthew David Keirans, age 59, from Hartland, Wisconsin, received the prison term after an April 1, 2024, guilty plea to one count of false statement to a national credit union administration insured institution and one count of aggravated identity theft.

    Evidence presented at hearings in the case established that Keirans and his identity theft victim worked together at a hotdog cart in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the late 1980s.  Keirans assumed the victim’s identity and, for the next three decades, used that identity in every aspect of his life.  Keirans obtained several false documents in the victim’s name, including a Kentucky birth certificate.

    In 2013, Keirans obtained employment as a high-level administrator in an Iowa City hospital.  Keirans provided the hospital with false identification documents during the hiring process, including a fictitious I-9 form, social security number, date of birth, and other identification documents in his victim’s name.  After getting hired, Keirans worked for the hospital remotely from his residence in Wisconsin.  Keirans’ access to, and roles in, the system architecture of the hospital’s computer infrastructure were “the highest it could be,” and Keirans “was the key administrator of critical systems.”

    Between March 2014 and May 2022, Keirans repeatedly obtained vehicle and personal loans from two credit unions in the Northern District of Iowa using the victim’s name, social security number, and date of birth.  Keirans obtained nine loans with a total value of over $250,000 from the credit unions.  Keirans also obtained various lines of credit from other lenders in the victim’s name and with his personal identifiers.

    Keirans also maintained deposits at a national bank in the victim’s name.  In August 2019, the victim, who was homeless at the time, entered the branch of the national bank in Los Angeles, California, and told a branch manager that he had recently discovered that someone was using his credit and had accumulated large amounts of debt.  The victim stated that he did not want to pay the debt and wished to close his accounts at the bank.  The victim presented the bank with his true social security card, as well as an authentic State of California identification card.  Due to the large amount of currency in the accounts, the branch manager asked the victim a series of security questions, which the victim was unable to answer.  The national bank then called the Los Angeles Police Department (“LAPD”).

    LAPD officers spoke with Keirans on the telephone, who stated he lived in Wisconsin and did not give anyone in California permission to access his bank accounts.  After faxing the LAPD a series of phony identification documents, the LAPD arrested Keirans’ victim on two felony charges.  After Keirans requested his victim’s prosecution, the victim was charged in Keirans’ name and held without bail at the Los Angeles County Jail.

    In the ensuing months, Keirans contacted the LAPD and Los Angeles District Attorney (LADA) numerous times requesting updates on the victim’s prosecution.  Meanwhile, Keirans’ victim continued to assert throughout the California criminal proceedings that he was not Keirans.  A California state court judge ultimately found Keirans’ victim was not mentally competent to stand trial and ordered Keirans’ victim to a California mental hospital.  The California state court also ordered Keirans’ victim to receive psychotropic medication. 

    In March 2021, Keirans’ victim pled “no contest” to the two felony charges in exchange for a “time-served” sentence, a $400 fine, and immediate release from custody.  In total, Keirans’ victim spent 428 days in county jail and 147 days in the mental hospital as a result of Keirans’ false reports to the LAPD and LADA.  The state court also ordered Keirans’ victim to “use only their true name, Matthew Keirans” in the future.

    After his release from jail and hospital, Keirans’ victim made numerous attempts to regain his identity.  For his part, Keirans continued to make false reports and statements to law enforcement officials in Wisconsin and California.  The State of California billed the victim over $118,000 for the costs of his “care” in the mental hospital between October 20, 2021, and March 15, 2021.

    In January 2023, after learning where Keirans was employed, the victim contacted the Iowa City hospital’s security department about Keirans.  The hospital referred Keirans’ complaint to a local law enforcement agency, which assigned an experienced detective, Ian Mallory, to investigate the victim’s complaint.  The detective conducted an investigation and, over the course of the ensuing months, unraveled Keirans’ identity theft scheme.  Among other things, the detective obtained DNA evidence that conclusively proved that Keirans was not the son of an elderly man in Kentucky, as Keirans had claimed, but that Keirans’ victim was the man’s son. 

    During an interview with the detective in July 2023, Keirans initially insisted that the victim was “crazy” and “needed help and should be locked up.”  After the detective presented Keirans with the results of the DNA testing, however, Keirans confessed to the three-decade identity theft scheme.  Keirans also admitted to providing fraudulent documents to authorities in Los Angeles from his residence in Wisconsin to aid in the arrest, prosecution, and incarceration of the victim.  A California court ultimately exonerated the victim after Keirans pled guilty in federal court.

    Keirans was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Keirans was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and fined $10,000.  He was ordered to make $6,191 in restitution the victim and ordered to repay $10,000 in court-appointed attorney fees.  Keirans must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    At the sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Williams said Keirans’ crime was “egregious,” “callous,” and “Kafkaesque.”  Chief Judge Williams stated Keirans “weaponized the criminal justice system to achieve his goals.”  Chief Judge Williams praised the “remarkable and exceptional work” of the Iowa detective.

    “Matthew Keirans spent decades pretending to be someone he was not, all the while knowing that his victim was suffering,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax.  “Keirans used his victim’s identity to live his life, obtain loans, and lines of credit.  When the victim tried to clear his name of Keirans’ debts, Keirans deliberately and calculatedly lied to police officers and prosecutors in California in order to keep his victim locked up, unable to live his life, and to keep his own secret safe.  Today, Keirans has been held responsible for his actions and will spend years in prison.” 

    “I would like to thank Detective Mallory for his tenacious work on this case,” said University of Iowa Police Chief Lucy Wiederholt.  “His persistence in finding the facts highlights our commitment to helping victims of crime.”

    “The FBI is committed to working with our local law enforcement partners wherever we can to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution,” said Eugene Kowel, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge. “The FBI commends the University of Iowa Police Department’s tenacity in bringing Keirans’ fraudulent crimes to an end, and we remain dedicated to holding individuals like Keirans accountable when they break the laws of our country and impose harm on victims.”

    Keirans is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.  

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Iowa Police Department.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 23-CR-1020.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MILHORN PLEADS GUILTY IN DUI DEATH ON NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Oxford, Mississippi – Connor Milhorn, 20, entered guilty pleas to two counts relating to an alcohol related crash on the Natchez Trace Parkway in May of 2024. Milhorn, who appeared before Judge Sharion Aycock, pled guilty to Aggravated DUI for causing death to another and to Aggravated DUI for causing serious bodily injury to a minor child. His sentencing will be scheduled for a later date.

    On May 11, 2024, shortly after 4:45 in the morning, law enforcement Rangers were dispatched to a collision involving a Hummer H3 and a Toyota Tundra. Upon arriving on the scene, they found the driver of the Tundra deceased and his minor child severely injured in the backseat. The child was transported by helicopter to Memphis, Tennessee for life saving medical care.

    The investigation by the Rangers resulted in them learning that Milhorn was operating his Hummer at a high rate of speed and under the influence of alcohol while driving on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Milhorn’s vehicle collided head on with the Tundra resulting in the death and serious injury at issue in the case.

    This case was investigated by the Natchez Trace Parkway Law Enforcement Rangers. The case was prosecuted by AUSA John Herzog Jr.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Republicans Block Resolution Condemning Pardons of Violent J6 Offenders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – During the presidential campaign last year, President Trump pledged to pardon non-violent offenders who participated in the January 6 (J6), 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.  And just days before taking the oath of Office, Vice President -elect JD Vance stated: “obviously people that committed violence against police officers that day should not get a pardon.”
    However, on the first day of President Trump’s second term he commuted the prison sentences for 14 of the most notorious J6 offenders, including leaders of the paramilitary groups the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Simultaneously, he granted a “full, complete and unconditional pardon” to the rest of the approximately 1,560 defendants, including those convicted of violently assaulting police officers. 
    Many of the people Trump called “patriots” had extensive rap sheets.  Some had prior convictions or pending charges for crimes ranging from rape to sexual abuse of a minor to manslaughter.  While Trump’s pardons did not absolve offenders from every crime they committed in the past, his actions helped every one of them escape justice for their actions on January 6.  Some of the J6ers who got a pardon from Trump have already been arrested for other crimes or involved in deadly altercations with police officers.
    Among those pardoned by Trump were 169 people who pled guilty to assaulting police officers on January 6th.  During the siege of the Capitol that day, over 80 U.S. Capitol Police Officers were assaulted, as well as over 60 officers from the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department.
    This week, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse joined every member of the Democratic caucus in introducing a resolution condemning the pardons of individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers.  The resolution simply states: “Resolved, That the Senate disapproves of any pardons for individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police officers.”
    But when U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) requested unanimous consent for the resolution on the floor, Republicans blocked the measure, with opposition from Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) objecting on behalf of his colleagues in the majority.
    Unanimous consent is a common route senators take for simple resolutions, military nominations and other actions, but adoption can be blocked if one single senator objects, sometimes on behalf of others.
    “These pardons were a slap in the face of the Capitol Police who stand up every day to protect members of Congress.  They have our back; we should have theirs.  Choosing subservience to President Trump rather than condemning the pardons of the criminals who attacked the Capitol is a shameful betrayal of these dedicated officers,” said Senator Reed.
    Senator Whitehouse stated: “These pardons are an insult to the men and women of the Capitol Police and the DC Police who protected democracy from the brutal rioters on January 6.  Less than two weeks from their pardons, they’re already back committing crimes, and now provide a personal army with demonstrated willingness to commit acts of political violence at the behest of Donald Trump.”
    The senators urged Senate Republicans to work with Democrats to pass the resolution, ensure accountability, and respect for law enforcement officers across the country.
    Among the individuals granted a full, complete, and unconditional pardon by President Trump was a Florida man who attacked a police officer with an explosive device during the J6 assault and was deemed by a federal judge to pose a serious ongoing danger to the general public, particularly to members of law enforcement, if released.
    Another J6 offender who was pardoned was the so-called QAnon Shaman, who, according to press reports declared soon after his pardon: “Now I’m gonna buy some (expletive) guns.”
    And a Missouri woman convicted in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and seen holding the broken nameplate of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), was given a pardon by President Trump, only to be sentenced for another crime: killing a mother of two in a drunken-driving crash.

    MIL OSI USA News –