NewzIntel.com

Category: Latin America

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston removes Colombian alien charged with assault during home invasion, violating protective order

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HARTFORD, Conn. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed an illegally present Colombian alien charged with assault, assault during a home invasion, breach of peace, violation of a protective order and risk of injury to a child. Officers with ICE Boston removed Kevin Esneider Garcia-Rojas, 26, from the United States to Colombia April 24.

    “Kevin Esneider Garcia-Rojas apparently ignored a protective order and assaulted a Connecticut resident during a home invasion,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “He illegally entered the United States in 2023 and was arrested by local authorities less than nine months later for purportedly assaulting a member of our New England community. ICE Boston will not tolerate such threats to our neighbors. We will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing alien offenders from our streets.”

    U.S. Border Patrol arrested Garcia-Rojas Jan. 28, 2023, after he illegally entered the United States near El Paso, Texas. Hartford Police arrested Garcia-Rojas Oct. 13, 2023, for disorderly conduct and assault. He posted a $5,000 bond and was released from custody. Hartford Police again arrested him Nov. 8, 2023, for assault, assault on home invasion, breach of peace, violation of protective order and risk injury to child. He posted a $100,000 bond and was released from custody.

    On Jan. 2, 2024, ICE Boston served Garcia-Rojas a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge. Officers with ICE Boston arrested Garcia-Rojas Jan. 28 and served him with a warrant for arrest of an alien and a notice of custody determination.

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

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Luisa B Hernandez: From Radiation Protection to Nuclear Security

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Over the years, Luisa climbed the ranks in regulatory control. By 2002, she was appointed Director of the National Centre for Nuclear Safety, Cuba’s nuclear regulatory body. A year later, when Cuba signed the IAEA Nuclear Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, she played a key role, including coordination with the IAEA about inspections and information exchange . Her leadership extended beyond Cuba, contributing to regional projects in Latin America aimed at developing regulatory frameworks for medical and industrial nuclear technology applications. 

    While Luisa had dedicated most of her career to nuclear and radiation safety, her transition into nuclear security came unexpectedly. In 2007, she was chosen to complete a master’s degree in national security and defense — an assignment she initially resisted. However, the programme broadened her understanding of security issues and, in hindsight, proved essential to her later career. 

    In 2014, she was appointed President of Cuba’s Nuclear Energy and Advanced Technologies Agency, overseeing all the country’s nuclear applications, from medicine to industrial use. Yet, life had another challenge in store. When her husband, a nuclear physicist, was offered a position at the IAEA, they decided to relocate to Vienna. 

    “I arrived in Vienna in 2016 without a job, which was hard for someone as active as me, but I wanted to keep our family together.” 

    However, this move ultimately led her in 2019 to a full-time position with the IAEA, working on the Regulatory Infrastructure Development Project with a focus on nuclear security. 

    “For me, regulation is in my blood,” she says. “Safety and security in nuclear applications are crucial, and I’ve dedicated my life to ensuring they are upheld.” 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nation’s largest public service unions launch national campaign to stop federal budget cuts to public services

    Source: US National Education Union

    WASHINGTON—The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) are launching “Put Families First”—a new campaign aimed at fighting billionaires’ plans to gut public services and give massive tax breaks to the ultra-rich. With over 8.3 million members, including nurses, care providers, educators, school bus drivers, and sanitation workers, the unions’ campaign will center the stories of the workers who keep our communities running and know firsthand the devastating impact reckless cuts will have on working families.

    Anti-union extremists are pushing a federal budget that would make devastating cuts to public services and vital programs like Medicaid—all to pay for billionaire tax cuts. On average, one-third of all states’ budgets rely on federal dollars. Without this funding, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and vital community centers could shutter, leaving millions of working families behind.

    Public service workers across the country have spent the past four months sounding the alarm, talking to their co-workers, organizing town halls, and calling members of Congress to demand they put working families before billionaires. Now, they are turning up the heat, targeting 17 key congressional districts around the country with a $2 million media campaign and mobilization effort detailing the human impacts these cuts would have on our communities.

    “Congress’ proposed budget plan will spell disaster for working families and hurt our economy,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “These budget cuts don’t just threaten Medicaid or food assistance; they put all of us at risk. From overcrowded hospitals to underfunded schools to short-staffed prisons, our communities will pay the price—all so billionaires can get richer. We’re fighting back to protect public services and the essential work we do. Congress must stop the cuts.”

    “Our unions represent the people who make a difference in the lives of others—and the public services they provide are in grave danger because of the reckless and chaotic cuts of Elon Musk and the Trump administration,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Their goal is the gutting of the schools and hospitals that help working Americans have a shot at a better life. And for what? To pay for tax cuts for billionaires. These ads send a message to Congress about the human toll of the administration’s attacks and make the convincing case that it’s time to put families, not ultra-wealthy donors, first.”

    “Across the country, educators do everything in their power to support every student, ensuring each student feels safe, seen, and is prepared for the future. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their MAGA allies are working to cut Head Start for over 800,000 kids, closing local hospitals so rural families will have to travel long distances to get care, and ballooning class sizes in public schools across America—all so they can enrich themselves,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “We refuse to be silent. Over 8.3 million workers who have dedicated their lives to educating our students and building stronger communities are standing together to sound the alarm on these reckless cuts Trump is pushing so he can pay for tax giveaways to billionaires. Educators will continue organizing, mobilizing, and growing the movement to put families first.”

    “Medicaid is a lifeline for working people,” said April Verrett, president of SEIU. “Congress is trying to rip that lifeline away to fund billions in tax breaks to the ultra-rich. Slashing Medicaid means seniors losing home care and kids missing out on the care they need. Let’s call this what it is: stealing from everyday people and giving handouts to billionaires. That’s why SEIU members and our allies are calling a Code Blue on Medicaid, because lives are on the line.”

    Ads will feature front-line members of AFSCME, AFT, SEIU and NEA—educators, nurses, care providers and more—whose jobs will be directly impacted by federal funding cuts. The four unions will share their stories within targeted congressional districts via television, streaming, social media and more.

    # # #

    AFSCME’s 1.4 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in communities across the nation, serving in hundreds of different occupations—from nurses to corrections officers, childcare providers to sanitation workers—AFSCME advocates for fairness in the workplace, excellence in public services and freedom and opportunity for all working families.

    The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.

    The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org

    The Service Workers International Union (SEIU) unites 2 million diverse members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. SEIU members working in the healthcare industry, public sector and property services believe in the power of joining together on the job to win higher wages and benefits and to create better communities while fighting for a more just society and an economy that works for all of us, not just corporations and the wealthy. Learn more at www.seiu.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Announces 39 Appointments to Boards, Authorities and Commissions

    Source: US State of Georgia

    Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced 39 appointments and reappointments to various state boards, authorities and commissions.

    Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission

    Donald Dowless currently serves as President of Shorter University in Rome, Georgia, a role he has held for over a decade. He holds a Ph.D. in religion from Baylor University, a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to his presidency, Dowless teaches Christian studies and has instructed more than 10 different courses. His academic experience includes teaching at North Carolina State University, Campbell University, Southeastern Seminary, and Emmanuel University of Oradea. He has also completed missionary work in Romania and West Virginia. Dowless and his wife are active members of Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church in Silver Creek, Georgia.

    Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers

    Yusuf Jamal Ali was reappointed.

    Jeffrey Hopp serves as Director of Sports Medicine at Marietta City Schools and has led the Blue Devils’ athletic training program for over 20 years. He oversees student athletic trainers and has organized international trips for them to countries including Costa Rica, Ireland, and France. Prior to this, Hopp provided athletic training to Cobb and Cherokee County schools through Resurgens Orthopedics and was head athletic trainer for the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe. He has worked with the Minnesota Vikings, the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, and the 2007 U.S. National Paralympic Track and Field Championships. He was a founding member and chairman of the Georgia Concussion Coalition, contributing to the passage of the GA Return to Play Act. Hopp holds a B.S. in athletic training from Minnesota State University and resides in Dallas, Georgia, with his wife, Julie.

    Georgia Board of Landscape Architects

    Chad Baker, Jon Calabria, and Rebecca Kirk were reappointed.

    Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council

    Stan Stalnaker is a member of the Tift County Board of Commissioners, currently serving his third term.  He is a certified county commissioner through the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government and holds a specialty track certification in public safety. Stalnaker is a 29-year veteran of the Georgia State Patrol, holds the rank of Captain, and currently serves as the Director of GSP’s Aviation Division.  He holds a master’s in public administration from Columbus State University, is a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College, and a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session #261, in Quantico, Virginia. Stalnaker and his wife Keisha reside in Tifton, where they attend Liberty Baptist Church. They have one son who attends Georgia Southern University.

    Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior Designers

    Melissa Cantrell and Anne K. Smith were reappointed.

    Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council

    Mary McCartin Wearn is the President of Georgia Humanities. She formerly served as founding dean of the School of Arts and Letters at Middle Georgia State University, where she led regional partnerships and public-facing arts and culture programs. She holds a Ph.D. in english from UGA, a B.A. in english from the University of Maryland Global Campus, and a B.S. in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University.

    Georgia Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

    Ibrahim Dabo, Paula Harmon, Anne McQuade, and Allison Morrison were reappointed.

    State Board of Workers Compensation

    Benjamin Vinson was reappointed as Chairman.

    Frank McKay was reappointed.

    State Charter School Commission

    Scott Sweeney is a Senior Business Advisor at InPrime Legal, a business law firm recognized as a 2019 Small Business ROCK STAR by the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Georgia Economic Developers Association. He has served on numerous national, state, and local boards, including as past president of the Georgia Education Committee, a legislative affairs committee member for the Georgia School Boards Association, and a member of both the CTAE Business & Advisory Committee and the Cobb Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee. Sweeney spent eight years on the Cobb County Board of Education, holding leadership roles including chair, vice-chair, budget liaison, and Facilities and Technology Committee liaison. He later served on the Georgia State Board of Education from 2019 to 2025, representing the 6th and later the 11th Congressional Districts. During his tenure, he served as chairman and chaired the District Flexibility and Charter Schools Committee. Sweeney holds a B.A. in economics from UCLA and resides in East Cobb with his wife, Sandy, and their two sons.

    State Board of Certification of Librarians

    Kathryn R. Epps was reappointed.

    Catherine M. Lewis serves as Associate Vice Provost of Museums, Archives, and Rare Books at the University Libraries and as Professor of History at Kennesaw State University. She manages a multimillion-dollar budget and leads a staff of nearly 100 professionals. Lewis holds a Bachelor of Arts in english and history from Emory University, as well as a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in american studies from the University of Iowa. She has curated more than 40 exhibits for institutions across the country, including the Atlanta History Center, the Brennan Museum, Delta Airlines, Augusta National Golf Club, and United Way. She has co-authored and co-edited over 15 books, regularly presents at national and international conferences, and has helped secure major grants for Kennesaw State from organizations such as the U.S. State Department, the American Association of Museums, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

    Bona Fide Coin Operated Amusement Machine Operator Advisory Board

    Shawn Fellows, Mills Flemming, Natalie Jones and Chandra B. Yadav were reappointed.

    Georgia Child Support Commission

    Chuck Efstration, Houston Gaines, Emanuel Jones and Brian Strickland were reappointed.

    Georgia Real Estate Appraisers Board

    Marlon L. Day is a Senior Director at Quest Valuation & Advisors, where he performs appraisals across a wide range of property types and markets. He is an accomplished research and financial analyst and a certified general appraiser with more than 22 years of experience in preparing and presenting valuation analyses. His project experience includes multi-family residential, office, retail, warehouse, industrial, mixed-use, infrastructure, special-use properties, expert witness testimony, and diminution in value. His practical business expertise is supported by a Master of Business Administration in finance. Day and his wife have three children.

    Board of Natural Resources

    Steven Hufstetler and Brent Layton were reappointed.

    State Board of Registration for Foresters

    James Harley Langdale was reappointed.

    Georgia Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Advisory Board

    Robert Balkcom serves as the South Adjutant of the Georgia State Patrol, overseeing the operations of Troops F, G, H, I, J, and K, as well as the South Nighthawks DUI Task Force, the Recruiting Unit, the Implied Consent Unit (ICU), the Criminal Interdiction Unit (CIU), the Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT), the State of Georgia SWAT Team, and four Communication Centers. Prior to assuming this role in 2020, Balkcom served as Troop F Commander. He began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the Savannah Police Department in 1992 and joined the Georgia State Patrol as a Trooper Cadet at Post 42 – Savannah in 1994. After graduating from the 71st Georgia State Patrol Trooper School in 1995, he was assigned to Post 42 – Savannah. Balkcom was promoted to Corporal at Post 45 – Statesboro in 2006. In 2009, he was selected as Commander of the newly formed Nighthawks South DUI Task Force and promoted to Sergeant in 2011. He advanced to Sergeant First Class at Post 11 – Hinesville in 2013, Lieutenant in Troop I in 2018, and Captain in Troop F in March 2020. Balkcom graduated from Reidsville High School in 1987 and earned a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Georgia Southern University in 1991. He is also a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College and holds a master’s degree in public safety administration from Columbus State University. He and his wife, Nicole, have lived in Reidsville for the past 40 years.

    North Georgia Mountains Authority

    Jeff Andrews currently serves as the Fourth Congressional District Representative on the Board of Natural Resources. He began his career in the long-term care industry in 1981 as marketing director for a continuing care retirement community in Birmingham, Alabama. He was later promoted to executive director and then southeast regional vice president. In 1988, Andrews became senior vice president of corporate development, where he led the addition of 17 properties to the management portfolio, helping establish the company as the largest for-profit, third-party manager of retirement housing in the United States. By 1990, Andrews co-founded Retirement Management Corporation and served as its president until its acquisition by Sun Healthcare in 1998. In 1999, he founded Wellington HealthCare Services, LLC, which grew to 11 owned facilities before being sold in 2007. He retained a significant ownership stake and helped the company meet key operational goals. He continues to lead Wellington, which currently manages 17 facilities.

    North Georgia Mountains Authority- Chair

    Patrick Denney is a graduate of West Georgia College with a BBA in marketing and a lifelong resident of Carroll County. He owns and operates SLM Recycling, SLM Steel and Fabrication, and Heavy Equipment Repair. An avid outdoorsman, Denney manages farm, timber, and hunting land in both Carroll and Heard Counties. He was appointed to the Board of Natural Resources in 2020 and has served on the North Georgia Mountains Authority since 2021. He and his wife, Lynne, have four children and reside in Bowdon.

    State Properties Commission

    Yi Jeng “Jay” Lin was reappointed.

    Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists

    Gregory Keith Moffatt was reappointed.

    State Board of Registration for Professional Geologists

    Jack L. Kittle, Jr. is a retired water and environmental resource manager with Aqua Terra Consultants. With over 40 years of experience, Kittle worked with major clients such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Geological Survey. He earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1975. An active member of the Decatur community, Kittle helped charter and establish the Decatur Parks and Recreation Pedestrian Committee in 2013 and served on the committee for over 10 years.

    Veterans Service Board

    Darius “Pete” Peterson was reappointed.

    Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies  

    Timothy Williams was reappointed.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mexican National and Alleged Alien Smuggler Indicted on First Material Support of Terrorism Charges Against CJNG Member

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    An indictment unsealed today in the Western District of Texas is the first in the nation to charge a Mexican national with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization based on her involvement with the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), including providing the cartel with grenades and engaging in alien smuggling, firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking on its behalf.

    “Cartels like CJNG are terrorist groups that wreak havoc in American communities and are responsible for countless lives lost in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere.” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This announcement demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to securing our borders and protecting Americans through effective prosecution.”

    According to court documents, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 39, of Mexico, conspired with others to provide and did attempt to provide grenades to CJNG, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Additionally, Navarro-Sanchez, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and trafficking in firearms, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Co-defendant Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 27, of Mexico, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens into and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. Co-defendant Gustavo Castro-Medina, 28, of Mexico, is charged with straw purchasing and firearms trafficking, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

    On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State announced the designation of eight international cartels, including CJNG, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and specially designated global terrorists. This designation makes available much stronger criminal charges in the fight to secure our nation’s borders. CJNG is a transnational criminal organization that controls a significant portion of the narcotics trafficking trade and has a presence in nearly every part of Mexico and dozens of other countries, including the United States. In addition to trafficking fentanyl, CJNG engages in money laundering, bribery, extortion of migrants, taxing of migrant smugglers, and other criminal activities, including acts of violence and intimidation. According to the State Department, CJNG has conducted attacks on Mexican military and police with military grade weaponry, the use of drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinations or attempted assassinations of Mexican officials.

    On Jan. 20, President Trump directed the Justice Department and other agencies to pursue total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations because they pose extremely serious threats to the United States, including by jeopardizing a stable and secure border. These and other criminal organizations commit brutal and intolerable violent crimes related to narcotics and firearms trafficking, money laundering, extortion, and other criminal acts. They also are responsible for huge flows of illegal immigration into the United States. They organize and facilitate all manners of illicit travel and immigration into the United States through the southern and northern borders and rely on co-conspirators and organization members operating in various countries throughout North and South America. This situation is untenable and threatens our national security. The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the United States against invasion, working urgently toward the goal of total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, aggressively enforcing our immigration laws, and maximizing the impact and effectiveness of all available law enforcement tools.

    “We will never allow criminal gangs and cartels to terrorize American communities,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. “The days of unchecked gang and cartel violence are over.”

    “As alleged, the defendant engaged in multiple of the most insidious kinds of criminal activity: firearms trafficking, narcotics trafficking, human and bulk cash smuggling, and even providing grenades to CJNG,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s hard work and commitment to eliminate cartels and foreign terrorist organizations like CJNG.”

    “The slew of federal charges we have brought against Navarro-Sanchez sends a monumental message through the ranks of cartels like CJNG—now designated as a terrorist organization—along with those who support them in various capacities, that U.S. law enforcement is turning up the pressure to crack down on unlawful immigration practices and to dismantle the smuggling of illicit drugs and firearms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “These crimes, all included as allegations in the indictment, do nothing but place human lives on both sides of the border in grave danger, while loading the pockets of criminals who profit off of them.”

    “The arrest of Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez should send a clear message to people who wish to align themselves with terrorist groups that they will be sought out and held to the highest extent of the law,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “I’m extremely proud of the dedicated men and women of the FBI and its law enforcement partners who work tirelessly every day to protect Americans and keep our communities safe.”

    “The brutality and destruction inflicted by cartels and terrorist organizations is devastating communities across the United States and around the world,” said Bureau of Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “The capture and arrest of Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez demonstrates what international law enforcement cooperation can achieve when united against the threat posed by these violent networks. ATF and our partners will use every tool at our disposal to relentlessly hunt down, dismantle, and bring to justice every trafficker, every cartel operative, and every individual who dares to threaten the safety and sovereignty of our communities.”

    “This case lays bare the true nature of the threat we face,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “A cartel associate providing support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is not just a criminal threat—it is a national security threat. DEA will use every tool of law enforcement to dismantle CJNG and its network that floods our streets with poison, traffics in human lives, and wages violence against law and order. We are not just keeping our communities safe from dangerous, illegal drugs—we are fighting a national security crisis.”

    “Supplying grenades to a designated terrorist organization—while trafficking firearms, narcotics, and human beings—is not just criminal; it’s a direct assault on the security of the United States,” said Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd M. Lyons. “Sanchez acted as a key enabler of violence who empowered cartels and terrorist organizations. Her crimes extended beyond smuggling; she was involved in firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Her actions endangered countless lives and undermined our efforts to protect the nation’s borders and communities. Confronting this level of criminality demands more than resolve—it requires a unified, all-of-government response, and that’s exactly what we demonstrated today: a coordinated effort to identify, disrupt, and bring to justice those who profit from violence and human suffering.”

    Photo of 20 AK-47 type firearms and two .50 caliber rifles seized on August 21, 2023, in the Western District of Texas.

    Photo of man-made tunnel used to smuggle aliens from Mexico to the United States.

    Photo of three packages of meth and multiple packages of blue fentanyl pills seized in March 2023.

    AM-15, multi-caliber AR-15 variant aka “El Dorado” recovered from Navarro-Sanchez’s possession during her arrest in Mexico on May 4, 2025.

    Since its establishment, Joint Task Force Alpha’s (JTFA) work has resulted in increased coordination and collaboration between both domestic and foreign law enforcement; precedent setting indictments, extraditions and prosecutions; more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of these crimes; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 defendants sentenced, including significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial seizures and forfeitures of assets and contraband including millions of dollars in cash, real property, vehicles, firearms and ammunition, and drugs.

    The FBI, ATF, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso, assisted by the U.S. Border Patrol, investigated the case. ATF Legal Attachés in Mexico City and the Mexico Attorney General’s Office also known as Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) Firearms Trafficking Unit provided substantial assistance. The CBP’s National Targeting Center, and ICE HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. also provided assistance with the investigation.

    The case announced today is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers and JTFA Associate Director Ian Hanna of the Western District of Texas, and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attachés in Mexico provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who arrested Navarro-Sanchez on May 4, during an enforcement operation.

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

    This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi­ jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The OCDETF El Paso / Las Cruces Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from CBP, HSI,  DEA, FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO), and the El Paso Police Department (EPPD).

    The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National and Alleged Alien Smuggler Indicted on First Material Support of Terrorism Charges Against CJNG Member

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    An indictment unsealed today in the Western District of Texas is the first in the nation to charge a Mexican national with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization based on her involvement with the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), including providing the cartel with grenades and engaging in alien smuggling, firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking on its behalf.

    “Cartels like CJNG are terrorist groups that wreak havoc in American communities and are responsible for countless lives lost in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere.” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This announcement demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to securing our borders and protecting Americans through effective prosecution.”

    According to court documents, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 39, of Mexico, conspired with others to provide and did attempt to provide grenades to CJNG, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Additionally, Navarro-Sanchez, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and trafficking in firearms, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Co-defendant Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 27, of Mexico, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens into and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. Co-defendant Gustavo Castro-Medina, 28, of Mexico, is charged with straw purchasing and firearms trafficking, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

    On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State announced the designation of eight international cartels, including CJNG, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and specially designated global terrorists. This designation makes available much stronger criminal charges in the fight to secure our nation’s borders. CJNG is a transnational criminal organization that controls a significant portion of the narcotics trafficking trade and has a presence in nearly every part of Mexico and dozens of other countries, including the United States. In addition to trafficking fentanyl, CJNG engages in money laundering, bribery, extortion of migrants, taxing of migrant smugglers, and other criminal activities, including acts of violence and intimidation. According to the State Department, CJNG has conducted attacks on Mexican military and police with military grade weaponry, the use of drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinations or attempted assassinations of Mexican officials.

    On Jan. 20, President Trump directed the Justice Department and other agencies to pursue total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations because they pose extremely serious threats to the United States, including by jeopardizing a stable and secure border. These and other criminal organizations commit brutal and intolerable violent crimes related to narcotics and firearms trafficking, money laundering, extortion, and other criminal acts. They also are responsible for huge flows of illegal immigration into the United States. They organize and facilitate all manners of illicit travel and immigration into the United States through the southern and northern borders and rely on co-conspirators and organization members operating in various countries throughout North and South America. This situation is untenable and threatens our national security. The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the United States against invasion, working urgently toward the goal of total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, aggressively enforcing our immigration laws, and maximizing the impact and effectiveness of all available law enforcement tools.

    “We will never allow criminal gangs and cartels to terrorize American communities,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. “The days of unchecked gang and cartel violence are over.”

    “As alleged, the defendant engaged in multiple of the most insidious kinds of criminal activity: firearms trafficking, narcotics trafficking, human and bulk cash smuggling, and even providing grenades to CJNG,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s hard work and commitment to eliminate cartels and foreign terrorist organizations like CJNG.”

    “The slew of federal charges we have brought against Navarro-Sanchez sends a monumental message through the ranks of cartels like CJNG—now designated as a terrorist organization—along with those who support them in various capacities, that U.S. law enforcement is turning up the pressure to crack down on unlawful immigration practices and to dismantle the smuggling of illicit drugs and firearms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “These crimes, all included as allegations in the indictment, do nothing but place human lives on both sides of the border in grave danger, while loading the pockets of criminals who profit off of them.”

    “The arrest of Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez should send a clear message to people who wish to align themselves with terrorist groups that they will be sought out and held to the highest extent of the law,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “I’m extremely proud of the dedicated men and women of the FBI and its law enforcement partners who work tirelessly every day to protect Americans and keep our communities safe.”

    “The brutality and destruction inflicted by cartels and terrorist organizations is devastating communities across the United States and around the world,” said Bureau of Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “The capture and arrest of Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez demonstrates what international law enforcement cooperation can achieve when united against the threat posed by these violent networks. ATF and our partners will use every tool at our disposal to relentlessly hunt down, dismantle, and bring to justice every trafficker, every cartel operative, and every individual who dares to threaten the safety and sovereignty of our communities.”

    “This case lays bare the true nature of the threat we face,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “A cartel associate providing support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is not just a criminal threat—it is a national security threat. DEA will use every tool of law enforcement to dismantle CJNG and its network that floods our streets with poison, traffics in human lives, and wages violence against law and order. We are not just keeping our communities safe from dangerous, illegal drugs—we are fighting a national security crisis.”

    “Supplying grenades to a designated terrorist organization—while trafficking firearms, narcotics, and human beings—is not just criminal; it’s a direct assault on the security of the United States,” said Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd M. Lyons. “Sanchez acted as a key enabler of violence who empowered cartels and terrorist organizations. Her crimes extended beyond smuggling; she was involved in firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Her actions endangered countless lives and undermined our efforts to protect the nation’s borders and communities. Confronting this level of criminality demands more than resolve—it requires a unified, all-of-government response, and that’s exactly what we demonstrated today: a coordinated effort to identify, disrupt, and bring to justice those who profit from violence and human suffering.”

    Photo of 20 AK-47 type firearms and two .50 caliber rifles seized on August 21, 2023, in the Western District of Texas.

    Photo of man-made tunnel used to smuggle aliens from Mexico to the United States.

    Photo of three packages of meth and multiple packages of blue fentanyl pills seized in March 2023.

    AM-15, multi-caliber AR-15 variant aka “El Dorado” recovered from Navarro-Sanchez’s possession during her arrest in Mexico on May 4, 2025.

    Since its establishment, Joint Task Force Alpha’s (JTFA) work has resulted in increased coordination and collaboration between both domestic and foreign law enforcement; precedent setting indictments, extraditions and prosecutions; more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of these crimes; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 defendants sentenced, including significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial seizures and forfeitures of assets and contraband including millions of dollars in cash, real property, vehicles, firearms and ammunition, and drugs.

    The FBI, ATF, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso, assisted by the U.S. Border Patrol, investigated the case. ATF Legal Attachés in Mexico City and the Mexico Attorney General’s Office also known as Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) Firearms Trafficking Unit provided substantial assistance. The CBP’s National Targeting Center, and ICE HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. also provided assistance with the investigation.

    The case announced today is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers and JTFA Associate Director Ian Hanna of the Western District of Texas, and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attachés in Mexico provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who arrested Navarro-Sanchez on May 4, during an enforcement operation.

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

    This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi­ jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The OCDETF El Paso / Las Cruces Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from CBP, HSI,  DEA, FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO), and the El Paso Police Department (EPPD).

    The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: TikTok influencer’s killing on camera highlights the femicide crisis in Latin America

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Amalendu Misra, Professor of International Politics, Lancaster University

    Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Marquez was shot dead during a TikTok livestream. @V___marquez / Instagram

    Valeria Marquez, a beauty influencer, was shot dead by a man on May 14 while live streaming on TikTok at her beauty salon in the Mexican city of Guadalajara. The authorities are investigating the case as a suspected femicide, where women or girls are killed on account of their gender.

    The killing of Marquez is part of a gender-based violence epidemic that has gripped Latin America for decades. The threat of such violence there is so severe that in 2020, as the world battled COVID, the UN secretary-general, António Guterres, called it a “shadow pandemic”.

    The situation in Mexico is especially alarming. A 2021 report by Amnesty International found that at least ten women or girls are murdered in the country every day. The report added that the authorities have largely proved unwilling to take action to stop the killing.

    On the surface, Mexico has made significant strides in improving gender equality. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo became the first woman to be elected as Mexico’s president in 2024. There are also several female governors heading powerful Mexican provinces, and female political leadership can be found in great numbers in regional and municipal bodies.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    But despite the visible presence of women in public life, parts of Mexican society remain deeply sexist. Researchers see the prevalence of machismo, a culture that encourages an extreme sense of masculine pride, as having facilitated male dominance over women.

    Femicide in Mexico became particularly rife in the 1990s. The introduction of the North American free trade agreement saw many factories producing goods for export set up near Mexico’s border with the US. These factories are known as maquiladoras.

    The emergence of maquiladoras created low-skilled job opportunities. And a generation of women sought economic freedom by working in the factories. By 2006, more than half of the workers at maquiladoras were women, largely the result of their comparatively low wage demands.

    While this culture shift allowed women greater economic autonomy, it also created deep resentment from some men. A spate of murders were carried out in the Mexican border city Ciudad Juárez in the 1990s, which claimed the lives of roughly 400 women.

    Research has established a connection between female employment in the maquiladoras and the consequent rise in femicide in Mexican border towns. Many of the women killed in Ciudad Juárez worked in the maquiladoras.

    Some people also point to the fact that the culture of male chauvinism in Mexico – and throughout Latin America more broadly – is pervasive.

    When the Mexican government in 2020 established a hotline to report issues of domestic abuse and violence against women in the country, it was flooded by tens of thousands of reports. But when journalists asked the then president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, about this figure he brushed it aside: “90% of those calls that you’re referring to are fake.”

    Culture of impunity

    Gender-based violence in Mexico and in large parts of Latin America does not exist solely because of the culture of extreme masculinity. It also thrives because of institutional failure to bring the perpetrators to justice.

    There are robust laws and regulations to protect women against abuse in Latin America. The inter-American convention on the prevention, punishment and eradication of violence against women, signed in the Brazilian city of Belém in 1994, is a good example.

    It was adopted by all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, formalising violence against women as a violation of their human rights. However, despite the presence of this legal framework, there has not been a corresponding decline in rates of femicide.

    Criminal impunity is one of the greatest hindrances to addressing the issue of femicide throughout the region. In Mexico, for example, more than 90% of all crimes go unsolved. And in Brazil, many cases of violence against women go unreported.

    When they are reported, the victims and their families often face obstacles in the judicial system. Despite a 39% increase in the number of femicide cases in Brazil from 2019 to 2020, the sentencing for this crime only increased by 24%.

    According to a World Bank report from 2023, there is an institutional complicity in perpetrating violence against women in Honduras. The report alleges that the country’s national police force “turn a blind eye to the soaring number of femicides”.

    Similarly, according to Diana Portal, of the ombudsman’s office in Peru, femicide in the country is spiralling out of control because the negligent state machinery is incapable of addressing the issue. Consequently, criminals feel they can “rape, disappear or kill a woman without consequence”.

    Latin America and the Caribbean has never had a dearth of female public figures. The region has had more than a dozen female leaders as of 2025. Argentina, Brazil and Chile have recently had female heads of state, while Peru, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico currently have female presidents. Mexico’s patron saint, Virgen de Guadalupe, is also a woman.

    However, the presence of these high-profile figures in public life has not deterred sections of society from targeting women with violence.

    Incensed by the culture of impunity and male chauvinism that perpetuates femicide in Latin America, the late Pope Francis denounced the practice. In a visit to Peru in 2018, he said violence against women cannot be treated as “normal”. “It is not right for us to look the other way and let the dignity of so many women, especially young women, be trampled upon.”

    Unfortunately, despite the moral homily contained in his message, Latin America has been utterly incapable of addressing this subculture of gender violence.

    Amalendu Misra is a recipient of Nuffield Foundation and British Academy fellowships.

    – ref. TikTok influencer’s killing on camera highlights the femicide crisis in Latin America – https://theconversation.com/tiktok-influencers-killing-on-camera-highlights-the-femicide-crisis-in-latin-america-256821

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 450 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Four Female Minors

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 14, 2025, United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll sentenced Efraín Pablo Cruz-González to 450 months (37 years and six months) in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for child exploitation charges against four female minor victims. Cruz-González, 36, from Toa Baja, PR, was indicted on February 15, 2024, and plead guilty on February 6, 2025.

    According to court documents, from August 2019 to May 2022, Efraín Pablo Cruz-González knowingly used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a female minor between the ages of seven and 10-years-old, and another female minor between the ages of four and seven years of age to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The defendant used a cellular phone to record the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

    On December 24, 2019, and August 19, 2021, the defendant used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced two other female minors of prepubescent ages to produce images of them engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

    “The defendant engaged in acts of sexual exploitation against defenseless children and produced videos of his sexual abuse for his personal gratification,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Our dedicated team of prosecutors, victim witness coordinators, and support personnel will continue to work with our equally-dedicated law enforcement partners to combat child exploitation and to bring these offenders to justice.”

    “Let this sentence serve as a clear warning—there is no safe haven in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands for predators who exploit children,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of FBI San Juan Field Office. “This outcome is a direct result of the swift, relentless efforts of our agents and partners, who acted with precision and resolve. We are committed to defending the most vulnerable among us, and we will continue to pursue justice with urgency and focus wherever these crimes occur.”

    The FBI investigated the case and Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Emelina Agrait Barreto of the United States Attorney’s Office Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit prosecuted the case.

    Tips and information assist the FBI and its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute crimes. Citizens with information about child exploitation crimes or any other federal crime are asked to contact the FBI San Juan Field Office at 787-987-6500, or to submit tips through the FBI’s internet complaint portal at Tips.FBI.gov.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Charged with Reentry of Deported Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ROSSEL GEOVANNY RECINOS ARITA (“RECINOS ARITA”), age 30, a native of Honduras, was charged in a bill of information on May 12, 2025, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

    According to court documents, RECINOS ARITA, a Honduran national, was found in St. Tammany Parish on or around February 24, 2025. He had previously been deported to Honduras on June 19, 2018.

    If convicted, RECINOS ARITA faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline),  a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Juries in Bowling Green and Paducah, Kentucky Indict 5 Foreign Nationals from China, Guatemala, and Mexico for Immigration and Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Bowling Green and Paducah, KY – Federal grand juries in Bowling Green and Paducah, Kentucky, returned indictments on May 13 and 14, 2025, charging 5 individuals with immigration and firearms offenses.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement made the announcement.

    According to the indictments:

    Artemio Ruiz-Medina, age 45, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about April 13, 2025, Ruiz-Medina was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about July 3, 2003, September 29, 2006, April 2, 2010, June 28, 2018, and July 28, 2023. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE ERO.

    Santos Pastor-Juarez, age 52, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged in Paducah with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about April 28, 2025, Pastor-Juarez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about on March 6, 1998. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE ERO.

    Zhouchen Yan, age 29, a citizen of China, was charged in Bowling Green with 3 counts of making false written statements intended to deceive a licensed firearms dealer, on a Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record. On the form, Yan falsely stated he was not an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States, when in fact, as the defendant then knew, he was an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. These crimes occurred between October 23, 2023, and December13, 2024 in Warren County. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. This case is being investigated by ATF.

    Ulises Macario Gonzaga-Guillen, age 32, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Paducah with 4 counts of making false written statements intended to deceive a licensed firearms dealer, on a Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record. On the form, Gonzaga-Guillen falsely stated he was not an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States, when in fact, as the defendant then knew, he was an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. He was also charged with falsely claiming to be a United Sates citizen while being an illegal alien in possession of firearms on 2 occasions. These crimes occurred between January 1, 2025, and April 21, 2025, in McCracken and Marshall counties. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 73 years in prison. This case is being investigated by ATF, HSI, and ICE ERO.

    Rodrigo Waldemarr Caal-Caal, age 22, a citizen of Guatemala, and Rodolfo Ruiz-Hernandez, age 27, a citizen of Mexico, were both charged in Paducah with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Caal-Caal and Ruiz-Hernandez admitted to possessing a firearm to Mayfield Police Department investigators during a death investigation. If convicted, both face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. This case is being investigated by ATF, HSI, ICE ERO, and the Mayfield Police Department.

    A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Nicholas Rabold and Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, and Seth Hancock and Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, are prosecuting the cases.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Blasts Partisan SNAP Cuts After GOP Advances House Agriculture Reconciliation Bill

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.–  Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) voted against the House Republicans’ bill that slashes food assistance for working families, veterans, and seniors, and steals revenue from rural grocers and producers. Vasquez condemned it as a cruel and irresponsible attack on working families, small farmers, and rural New Mexico.

     

    “This bill is a direct attack on Americans,” said Vasquez. “It takes food off the plates of New Mexican families while handing tax breaks to billionaires like Elon Musk. We should be working to ensure that no child goes hungry, standing up for American farmers and ranchers, and not pulling the rug out from under hard-working families. This bill fails rural America.”

     

    WATCH: Rep. Gabe Vasquez’s Remarks During House Agriculture Committee

     

    Vasquez condemned the bill’s sweeping cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which are being used to fund massive tax breaks for the wealthy. If enacted, this legislation would cost New Mexican taxpayers over $250 million in 2026 alone and more than $2.4 billion over the next decade, forcing families to choose between groceries, medicine, and rent.

     

    “If you can’t feed a child on $6 a day, don’t you dare pass a law that expects them to,” said Vasquez. “Hungry kids can’t learn. Hungry families can’t thrive. And a hungry nation cannot prosper.”

     

    The reconciliation bill now moves forward solely on party lines. Vasquez vowed to continue fighting for working families, small farmers, and rural New Mexicans who Washington was leaving behind.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Responds to New World Screwworm Crisis

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to growing concern over the spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico and its impact on cross-border livestock trade, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) issued a statement today outlining his leadership on the issue and calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take immediate steps to protect New Mexico’s ranchers and while balancing the interests of New Mexico’s small businesses.

     

    New World Screwworm, a parasitic fly that can cause fatal infestations in livestock, has recently led the USDA to restrict cattle, bison, and horse imports from Mexico. This has shuttered multiple U.S. ports of entry and stalled cattle crossings that border economies rely on. The three agriculture ports in New Mexico are among those affected, including Santa Teresa Port of Entry which is the largest cattle crossing in the U.S., and tens of thousands of cattle that would normally cross into the U.S. remain stranded.

     

    Rep. Gabe Vasquez has proactively recognized the threat the screwworm poses to the agricultural economy:

    • Earlier this year, Vasquez sent a letter to the USDA urging them to address the issue before it escalated further. 

     

    • Vasquez signed onto an appropriations letter supporting funding for a sterile fly facility within the U.S. to strengthen biosecurity and prevent future outbreaks. 
    • Most recently, Vasquez introduced bipartisan legislation with Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) and Senators Cornyn and Cruz to combat the NWS outbreak and begin production on a sterile fly facility in the US.

     

    “I’ve been raising the alarm about the New World Screwworm threat because I know what it means for our ranchers, ports, and rural economies,” said Vasquez. “That’s why I introduced this bipartisan bill to fight this outbreak and protect our livestock industry. I was one of the first lawmakers to urge the USDA to take this seriously. Livestock auctions in New Mexico are already feeling the squeeze, and ranchers who depend on cross-border cattle trade are being left in limbo. USDA must be transparent about the timeline for reopening ports of entry, and they need to address the staffing and operational issues that are slowing things down. Our border economies can’t wait.”

     

    Rep. Vasquez continues to work with border community stakeholders, producers, and the USDA to ensure ports of entry can reopen as safely as possible, while supporting long-term investments to keep U.S. livestock herds protected.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Honors Fallen New Mexico Officers and Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story During National Police Week

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – During National Police Week, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02)delivered remarks on the House floor honoring three New Mexico law enforcement officers who are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall and recognizing the leadership of Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story.

     

    WATCH: VASQUEZ FLOOR REMARKS

     

    “Every day, across our country and in my home state, law enforcement officers wake up, put on the badge, and commit themselves to protecting our neighbors,” said Vasquez. “It is a calling that demands bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication. This week, we remember those who answered that call and never returned home.”

    This year, three fallen New Mexico officers are being recognized on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington:

    • Corrections Officer Roberto Rodriguez, Doña Ana County
    • Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez, Las Cruces Police Department
    • Patrolman Justin C. Hare, New Mexico State Police

    Vasquez also recognized the following fallen officers: 

    • Police officer J.R. Stewart, Las Cruces Police Department
    • Police Officer Bianca Quintana, Albuquerque Police Department
    • Police officer Anthony “Tony” Ferguson, Alamogordo Police Department
    • Patrolman James M Sides, Alamogordo Police Department
    • State Police Officer Darian Jarrott, New Mexico State Police Department
    • Sheriff Michael Reeves, Curry County 

    Rep. Vasquez also called for stronger federal support for active law enforcement officers, emphasizing the need to invest in officer safety, mental health, and family well-being.

    In addition, Vasquez recognized Chief Jeremy Story of the Las Cruces Police Department for his exemplary leadership in times of crisis and ongoing dedication to public service.

    “Earlier this year, our community faced a horrific mass shooting—an act of senseless violence that shook Las Cruces to its core,” said Vasquez. “Chief Story responded swiftly and with compassion. His leadership was grounded in facts and empathy. He showed up—not just to lead, but to help us begin to heal.”

    Chief Story, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and New Mexico State University graduate, was named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce this May.

    “On behalf of all New Mexicans, I thank Chief Jeremy Story for his continued leadership and unwavering commitment to the people of Las Cruces,” said Vasquez.

    National Police Week honors law enforcement officers nationwide who have died in the line of duty and recognizes those who continue to serve their communities with bravery and professionalism.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Shift in EU+ asylum landscape continued in March 2025

    Source: European Asylum Support Office

    The EUAA has published updated figures on asylum applications lodged in the EU+. In March, the 29 EU+ countries received around 67 000 asylum applications. These latest data suggest an ongoing shift to a new asylum landscape in the EU+, one in which Syrians are no longer the top nationality seeking international protection, and Germany is no longer the main destination of asylum seekers.

    The fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria on 8 December 2024 may be the beginning of a sea change in the asylum landscape of the EU+, according to newly released analysis from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). In March 2025, the EU+ received around 67 000 asylum applications, which is part of an ongoing decreasing trend that began in October 2024.

    Shifting to a new asylum landscape in the EU+

    After a decade during which they were almost always the top citizenship seeking protection in the EU+; in March, Syrians (3 300) lodged the fewest monthly applications on record outside of the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, decreasing by almost 80 % compared to October 2024. Venezuelans (8 900), however, continued to lodge increasing numbers of asylum applications in the EU+; this is likely owed both to economic and political instability in Venezuela, as well as restrictive asylum policies in the United States of America.

    Applications from Afghans (7 400) remained stable, though the figure was much decreased from a previous peak in October 2023. Though eligible for temporary protection in the EU, Ukrainians (3 400) continued to lodge increasing numbers of asylum applications, up by 77 % compared to March 2024. Another notable shift saw Bangladeshis (3 300) lodging slightly more applications than Syrians in March 2025.

    The above trends directly impacted which EU+ countries received the most asylum applications. In March, Spain (14 000) received the most applications in the EU+, with three fifths of applications there being lodged by Venezuelans. Italy (13 000) received the second most applications, though these are still down by 16 %, year-over-year. In fact, Bangladeshis lodged around 85% of their applications in Italy. France (13 000) received about three quarters of applications lodged by Congolese nationals and nearly all applications from Haitian nationals. A significant share of Ukrainians also  applied there. Greece (4 600) continued to receive increasing asylum applications from Afghan nationals.

     

    Pending cases and recognition rates

    The changing asylum landscape is increasingly reflected in the number of applications that are pending a decision at first instance in the EU+. As of the end of March 2025, the number of such cases stood at a stable, but high, level of 955 000. Syrians (113 000), Venezuelans (105 000) and Colombians (88 000) were awaiting the most first instance decisions. Among the citizenships with the most cases awaiting decisions, the biggest year-on-year increases occurred for Ukrainians (+ 66 %), Venezuelans (+ 58 %), Peruvians (+ 33 %) as well as Bangladeshis (+ 25 %). When accounting for asylum applications that are pending at higher administrative or judicial instances, based on data provided by Eurostat, the EUAA estimates that there were approximately 1.3 million asylum cases pending across the EU+ at the end of February 2025.

    In the first quarter of 2025, the EU+ recognition rate – which is the proportion of decisions granting refugee status or subsidiary protection – stood at 25 %, down by about 15 percentage points from previous monthly levels in 2024. This decline was mainly driven by a sharp drop in decisions issued to Syrian applicants, as most EU+ countries have paused processing their applications until the situation in Syria is clearer.

    Under the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which was agreed one year ago, EU countries may subject certain categories of applicants to a border procedure, and must accelerate the examination of their applications (with initial decisions to be taken within 12 weeks). One indicator is if the applicant comes from a country of origin with a low recognition rate (≤ 20 %) in the previous year. In March 2025, some 53 % of applications were lodged by such citizenships,consistent with previous months, suggesting that a large share of asylum applications lodged in the EU+ may be unfounded or inadmissible.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Laredo, federal partners arrest 31 illegal aliens during a 1-day targeted worksite enforcement operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, conducted a targeted worksite enforcement operation at a business and two construction sites in South Texas. The one-day operation, aimed at bolstering public safety, resulted in the arrest of 31 individuals for immigration-related violations.

    During the operation, ICE Homeland Security Investigations conducted records checks and found that several of those arrested had prior criminal convictions. Offenses included aggravated criminal sexual assault, bodily harm, possession of a controlled substance, probation violations, evading arrest, transporting noncitizens, domestic violence/strangulation, terroristic threats against family or household members, possession of prohibited weapons in a weapons-free zone, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and evading arrest or detention in the United States.

    The individuals arrested were citizens of Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador, and illegally present in the United States. All have been transferred to ICE custody and are pending removal proceedings.

    Federal law requires employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals they hire, using the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. ICE uses the I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with these requirements, as part of a broader strategy to address and deter the employment of unauthorized workers. These inspections are among the federal government’s most effective tools to enforce U.S. employment laws.

    HSI’s worksite enforcement strategy includes leveraging the agency’s full range of investigative capabilities. Worksite investigations often uncover additional criminal activity such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation, and substandard wages or working conditions.

    This investigation was conducted by HSI with support from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations; CBP Air and Marine Operations; the Webb County Sheriff’s Office; the Zapata County Sheriff’s Office; and the Laredo Police Department.

    Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing the online tip form.

    For more information about HSI San Antonio and its public safety efforts in Central and South Texas, follow HSI San Antonio on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: GlobalData highlights potential impact of US tariffs on medical tourism

    Source: GlobalData

    GlobalData highlights potential impact of US tariffs on medical tourism

    Posted in Medical Devices

    US trade policy has seen notable changes recently, particularly with regard to import tariffs on countries such as China. Though these policies are usually justified by economic and geopolitical considerations, they also impact other areas, including the medical device industry and, more specifically, medical tourism. One growing outcome is how these tariffs are affecting medical tourism—the practice of traveling to another country to receive healthcare services. As medical expenses continue to climb in the US, a growing number of patients are looking overseas for more cost-effective treatment options, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    The US has imposed steep tariffs on a range of medical products imported from China, including syringes and needles, rubber medical and surgical gloves, and facemasks. These items are integral to a wide variety of medical procedures and daily healthcare operations. The imposition of tariffs on such goods has disrupted supply chains, constrained hospital procurement strategies, and driven up the cost of healthcare delivery across the US.

    In response to these rising costs, a growing number of Americans are turning to medical tourism. Popular destinations include Mexico, India, Thailand, and Costa Rica, which offer competitive pricing and internationally accredited healthcare facilities. For example, the average cost of a knee replacement surgery in the US can exceed $50,000, but the same procedure in India or Mexico can be performed for $8000-$12,000. As US healthcare providers face increased operational costs due to tariffs – especially on imported surgical instruments, diagnostic equipment, and protective gear – the price gap between domestic and international care continues to widen, creating a financial incentive for patients to consider treatment overseas.

    Alexandra Murdoch, Senior Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “While the intended impact of tariffs may not have been to effect healthcare, they do shape patient behavior. The rise in the cost of medical devices ultimately leads to more out-of-pocket expenses for patients.”

    US tariffs on medical imports are reshaping not only international trade relationships but also domestic healthcare economics. The direct result is an increase in the cost of medical care, which disproportionately affects uninsured and underinsured populations. One of the most notable responses to these price pressures has been a rise in outbound medical tourism. Patients are seeking high-quality, affordable care in countries that are not impacted by these tariffs — a trend that is likely to continue if current trade and healthcare cost trajectories remain unchanged.

    Murdoch concludes: “This dynamic highlights a deeper connection between global trade policy and patient access to care. As the US continues to adjust its economic strategy, it will be important for policymakers and healthcare leaders to consider the downstream impacts on medical accessibility, affordability, and patient behavior.”

    For further information on trade and tariff developments, GlobalData’s Strategic Intelligence platform offers comprehensive insights.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Reintroduces Humane Accountability Act with Support from New Mexico Advocates

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On May 15, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) announced the re-introduction of the Humane Accountability Act alongside key New Mexican groups including El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos, NM Comunidades en Acción y de Fe, Center for Civic Policy, and New Mexico Immigration Law Center. 

    WATCH: VASQUEZ UNVEILS BILL TO HOLD DHS ACCOUNTABLE

    “Today, I’m proud to announce the updated Humane Accountability Act because due process, transparency, and accountability are not optional in a democracy,” said Vasquez. “This bill is about making sure that every person is treated humanely, that Congress is informed, and that our constitutional values are upheld no matter who’s in power.”

    The bill, which was previously introduced in the 118th Congress, has been updated to address new immigration enforcement concerns. U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) and Juan Vargas (D-CA-52) have co-sponsored the legislation. 

    “Every single person in this country has the right to due process and should be treated with dignity and humanity. That includes migrants in detention centers. As Trump continues to ramp up his attacks on immigrants and the rule of law, it’s on all of us to stand up for our constitutional rights and this nation’s values,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “We need the Humane Accountability Act to help increase oversight, hold immigration detention centers accountable, and protect due process for all.”

    “Reforming our broken immigration system while securing our borders has long been one of my top priorities,” said Rep. Nikki Budzinski. “But the Trump administration’s recent actions, including the unlawful detention of U.S. Citizens, has proven that Congress must strengthen oversight and demand greater transparency from ICE. The Humane Accountability Act seek to do just that—establishing clear accountability measures to ensure detainees are treated fairly and humanely, and that the administration is following the rule of law.”

    The legislation includes three key provisions:

    • Transparency on Detention and Removal: DHS would be required to provide Congress with specific data on all encounters, detentions, and removals that have occurred since January, including the legal authority for removals and any transfers to detention centers located outside the territorial U.S.
    • Oversight of Detention Conditions: The bill mandates comprehensive reporting on abuses, deaths, injuries, lack of legal access, enforcement in sensitive locations, and the whereabouts of individuals in custody.
    • Notification for Non-Traditional Detention Sites: DHS would be required to notify Congress before using any non-traditional site, such as military installations, Tribal lands, or locations outside the territorial lands, for immigrant detention. 

    Multiple key organizations in New Mexico have endorsed the bill. 

    “My parents fled a war-torn nation to the United States, knowing that they would be guaranteed freedom and constitutional rights. Now, our community is facing dire threats as they are being detained without due process, not receiving proper notification or information in their own languages, and potentially being sent to countries they have never lived in. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, the Humane Accountability Act speaks to the needs of transparency and language access as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Representative Gabe Vasquez’s leadership on this issue is crucial, as it shines a light on the darkest corners of our immigration system and demands accountability from those in power.” Lan Sena, MHA Policy Director, Center for Civic Policy

    “As the Trump administration pursues its terrifying vision of mass deportation—including the removal of essential workers who haven’t been convicted of any crime, sometimes to countries where they aren’t even citizens—and even considers suspending habeas corpus, the constitutional right to challenge unlawful detention, it is more urgent than ever to pass the Humane Accountability Act,” said Fabiola Landeros, immigrants’ rights organizer with El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos. “This legislation would strengthen oversight, ensure due process, and mandate humane conditions in detention centers. These are New Mexico values—values our country should aspire and fight to uphold, no matter our political affiliation.”

    “The Humane Accountability Act is a bold step toward shining a light on unchecked abuses and bringing transparency and oversight to the Department of Homeland Security — whose agencies ICE and CBP have blatantly violated the due process and human rights of immigrants, asylum seekers and even U.S. citizens — including a citizen from New Mexico,” said NM Comunidades en Acción y de Fe. “We applaud Rep. Vasquez for defending the civil liberties of our people and for demanding that our federal government follows the Constitution and the rule of law. This bill, if passed, would expose the deplorable conditions in New Mexico’s private immigrant detention centers and help prevent unlawful deportations of immigrants like Kilmar Obrego Garcia. It’s not just necessary — it’s the moral imperative.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The Ombudsman attends Board Meeting of International Ombudsman Institute (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Ombudsman attends Board Meeting of International Ombudsman Institute  
    The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, led a delegation on a visit to Morocco early this week, and the visit concluded today (May 16).
          
    During his stay in Morocco, Mr Chan attended the annual Board Meeting of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) as Chairman of the IOI’s Standing By-laws Committee and member of the United Nations and International Cooperation Working Group and exchanged views and ideas with representatives of other countries and regions. The Board Meeting of IOI involved participation from around 20 countries and regions among which were the United States of America, Canada, the Netherlands, Mexico, South Africa, Korea and Thailand.
          
    The Office’s delegation also met with the Mediator of the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr Hassan Tariq, and the President of the National Authority for Integrity, Prevention and Fight Against Corruption, Mr Mohamed Benalilou, and visited the Mediator’s regional office.
          
    Throughout the visit, Mr Chan also shared with IOI Board Members and his many international counterparts the latest developments and opportunities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as presenting Hong Kong’s important position of having strong support from the motherland and close connections to the world.
    Issued at HKT 21:47

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cultivating obedience: Using the Justice Department to attack former officials consolidates power and deters dissent

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joe Wright, Professor of Political Science, Penn State

    Miles Taylor, center, a Homeland Security official during the first Trump administration, wrote an op-ed in September 2018 that criticized Trump. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    During President Donald Trump’s first three months in office, his administration has targeted dozens of former officials who criticized him or opposed his agenda.

    In April 2025, Trump directed the Department of Justice to investigate two men who served in his first administration, Miles Taylor and Chris Krebs, because they spoke out against his policies and corrected his false claims about the 2020 election that he lost.

    Further, Trump revoked the security clearances for advisers and retired generals who publicly criticized him during the 2024 election campaign.

    On their face, such moves appear to be a coordinated campaign of personal retribution. But as political science scholars who study the origins of elected strongmen, we believe Trump’s use of the Justice Department to attack former officials who stood up to him isn’t just about revenge. It also deters current officials from defying Trump.

    More than revenge

    Like all presidents, Trump needs allies who will faithfully implement his policy agenda. For most presidents, this means surrounding themselves with longtime friends.

    For example, Don Evans, George W. Bush’s commerce secretary and close confidant, worked with Bush for decades before becoming a fixture in his White House.

    But to carry out a power grab, incumbent leaders also need allies who will stay silent or, better yet, endorse their attempts to consolidate control.

    In El Salvador, for example, President Nayib Bukele’s legislative allies gave him free rein in 2023 to run for president a second time despite constitutional provisions banning reelection.

    Recall that Trump only left office in January 2021 because key Republican officials defied his attempts to overturn an election he lost.

    Former Vice President Mike Pence, facing violent threats from a Trump-fueled mob, refused Trump’s request to overturn the election he lost. And Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger refused Trump’s entreaties to stuff the ballot boxes in Georgia with another 11,000 votes for Trump.

    An audio recording of President Donald Trump talking to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is played in Washington, D.C., on Oct, 13, 2022.
    Alex Wong/Getty Images

    Notably, both men first won political office on their own, without an endorsement from Trump. This means they were less reliant on Trump for access to political power. Therefore, they were more likely to prioritize their loyalty to the Constitution over their loyalty to Trump.

    Attacks enforce loyalty

    In authoritarian contexts, loyalty is not an intrinsic quality. Authoritarian leaders do not necessarily select those with whom they have long work experience that leads to mutual trust.

    For instance, during Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, the head of intelligence, Johnny Abbes, was plucked from obscurity in Mexico and in 1958 began to lead the dictator’s repression machine.

    Instead, the challenge for authoritarian leaders is finding people to do their bidding. And the best people for this job are those who never would have earned their position in politics without the leader’s influence.

    Unqualified appointees who can’t ascend to political power based on their merits have little choice but to stick with the leader. These people appear loyal, but only because their careers are tied to the leader staying in power.

    A litany of failed politicians

    This logic, where people with few career prospects outside of the leader express the most loyalty, explains why Trump has appointed a number of political candidates who have lost elections.

    The head of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler, though briefly appointed as a U.S. senator from Georgia, lost her first Senate election to Raphael Warnock in 2021.

    Doug Collins, Trump’s secretary of Veterans Affairs, lost to Loeffler in a Georgia Senate primary during the same election cycle.

    Dan Bongino, the deputy director of the FBI, lost a 2016 primary contest for a congressional seat in a heavily Republican district in Florida.

    And don’t forget Jeanine Pirro, Trump’s nominee to head a politically crucial federal judicial office. Her political career derailed 20 years ago when she came under federal investigation for “scheming to catch a cheating spouse in the act.” She lost an attorney general race in New York in 2006 to Andrew Cuomo.

    Jeanine Pirro lost the 2006 New York attorney general race.
    AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh

    Trump also picked two politicians who had failed presidential runs as Democrats – Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – to act as director of national intelligence and secretary of Health and Human Services.

    For appointees who can’t win elections, the only shot at power is steadfast alignment with the leader. This dynamic, in turn, provides a strong incentive for these officials to remain loyal, even when the leader breaks the law or orders them to do the same.

    When leaders place loyalists in charge of federal law enforcement, attempts to conjure votes for the president out of thin air or to seize ballot boxes in opposition districts are more likely to succeed.

    The Trump administration’s attacks on former Republican officials who criticized him, such as Taylor and Krebs, reinforces this dynamic. It sends a signal of future punishment to current Justice Department officials should they speak out against Trump or refuse to carry out illegal orders.

    Attacks also target opposition power

    Of course, the Trump administration’s political attacks haven’t stopped with officials in his previous administration who have fallen out of favor.

    They have expanded to include independent institutions such as universities, not-for-profit media and law firms.

    As research on authoritarian regimes shows, the goal of attacking independent institutions this way is to sap their capacity to resist the incumbent government’s attempts to cheat in future elections.

    After Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orban, had rewritten his country’s Constitution and reined in the courts, he changed the electoral rules to ensure he won reelection in 2022. Along the way, Orban forced an entire university into exile after failing to subdue it.

    In these ways, incumbents’ acts of retribution toward people and organizations that oppose their agenda reinforce loyalty among their allies. They also undermine and weaken their opponents and ultimately facilitate incumbents’ efforts to consolidate power.

    Joe Wright has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, and private foundations.

    Erica Frantz has received funding from the US Agency for International Development and private foundations.

    – ref. Cultivating obedience: Using the Justice Department to attack former officials consolidates power and deters dissent – https://theconversation.com/cultivating-obedience-using-the-justice-department-to-attack-former-officials-consolidates-power-and-deters-dissent-256397

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Life sciences consultancy picks Birmingham for new Research Centre of Excellence

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Life sciences consultancy Cambridge Healthcare Research has chosen Birmingham as the location for its new Research Centre of Excellence, where it plans to create up to 40 research analyst roles.

    • Life sciences consultancy Cambridge Healthcare Research picks Birmingham as the location for its new Research Centre of Excellence, where it plans to create up to 40 research analyst roles by the end of 2025.
    • New facility at The Lewis Building in Birmingham’s city centre officially opened by Councillor John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council.
    • Investment reinforces region’s rise as a dynamic investment alternative to traditional life sciences ‘golden triangle’ of London, Oxford and Cambridge.

    The new facility at The Lewis Building in Birmingham’s City Centre was officially opened by Councillor John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council.

    Cambridge Healthcare Research’s new Research Centre of Excellence will focus on delivering strategic research projects for a range of UK and international clients operating within the life sciences sector. The facility represents the consultancy’s first office outside of Cambridge and London, reinforcing the West Midlands’ growing reputation as a diverse and dynamic life sciences investment hub. The region’s thriving life sciences sector incorporates a diverse, static population of 4.7 million, four medical schools and the West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator [WMTHIA], which recently received £4 million additional funding for 2025/26.

    The region will seek to capitalise on the growth potential of its life sciences cluster through its flagship Investment Zone. In particular, the 210-hectare Birmingham Knowledge Quarter [B-KQ] will build on the region’s globally recognised strengths in diagnostics, digital and data-driven healthcare, providing a centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing aligned to health and life sciences.

    Matteo Perucchini, CEO at Cambridge Healthcare Research, said:

    “Combining a deep STEM talent pool, unrivalled connectivity and affordable office space, Birmingham ticked all our boxes when it came to selecting a location for our first office outside of the traditional life sciences ‘golden triangle’.

    “We’re looking forward to contributing to the rise of the West Midlands’ life sciences ecosystem while delivering exceptional research projects for our clients from our new Birmingham base.”

    The West Midlands Growth Company [WMGC] – the region’s official investment promotion agency – supported the investment.

    Councillor John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:

    “From companies advancing pioneering drug development to manufacturers of next-generation medical devices, Birmingham has established a reputation as an attractive destination for life sciences focused occupiers.

    “As the region’s vision for Birmingham Knowledge Quarter gathers pace, its offer to healthcare innovators will strengthen even further, with companies like Cambridge Healthcare Research exemplifying the innovation taking place here.

    “It’s brilliant to be welcoming another new and enterprising company to our city, which will help boost the economy and create jobs for local people.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “In the next 20 years we will stop aging”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Jose Luis Cordeiro

    © Higher School of Economics

    Leading Russian and Western scientists gathered at the anniversary XXV Yasin (April) International Scientific Conference. One of the guests at the special foresight session was Doctor of Philosophy Jose Luis Cordeiro, member of the World Academy of Art and Science, chairman of the Venezuelan node of the Millennium Project, former professor at MIPT and HSE, author of the book Death Must Die.

    — Dear Jose Luis, we are glad that you accepted our invitation to participate in the foresight session dedicated to the future of AI. This is not your first visit to HSE. How would you rate your experience of cooperation with our university?

    — I am always happy to return to HSE, which, by the way, many call the Russian Harvard, because I sincerely believe that it is one of the best universities in Russia, in Europe and in the world. All research and all academic work here is conducted at the highest level. And so I am inspired and happy to collaborate in any way possible.

    — Which areas of research and topics covered during the foresight session seem most relevant today?

    — I am interested in following the path from narrow AI to general AI and going even further, looking into the area of artificial superintelligence. Because this will be a level of AI that surpasses human in everything. I think this is inevitable and we need to be prepared for it.

    — Artificial intelligence causes both fear and excitement in society. What does this new technology generate more — threats or opportunities?

    — Every technology can be used for good and for bad, starting with one of the first human technologies, fire, which was probably developed by humans about half a million years ago. Obviously, it could be used for many good things, like cooking, heating, and so on. But it could also be used to kill, destroy, and burn cities. Same with nuclear energy. It can be used to make electricity or to make nuclear weapons. So all technologies can be used for good or for bad. But again, in general, technologies are used for good purposes. They are developed by people for people in cooperation with other people. So I am actually very inspired by the incredible capabilities of artificial intelligence.

    Maybe I’m not so afraid of AI because I’m more worried about human stupidity. Human stupidity is really my main concern! And so if we can become smarter with AI, I’ll be very happy about it.

    — Each person draws a certain image of the future, preferable, possible or undesirable, clear or vague, a certain picture where he places himself. What place does artificial intelligence occupy in your image of the future?

    — AI will be everywhere, it will assist us in everything constantly and continuously. It will be as natural as mobile phones are now, or earlier — the Internet, and even earlier — just ordinary landline phones.

    So AI will be everywhere. It is a general purpose technology, like electricity, which is everywhere today.

    — What, in your opinion, are the most important challenges facing humanity today? Have they changed much in recent years?

    — Look, there are different challenges in different historical periods. This is reasonable. Once, you know, fire was a big challenge. And a few thousand years later, nuclear weapons became a challenge. For a long time after World War II, humanity lived in fear of the constant threat of nuclear destruction. Until biochemical weapons were added to it. And now there are two challenges. But today, it seems to me, in terms of the greatest threat, environmental challenges are in the foreground. I believe that they are the main modern problem for humanity.

    But AI, like all technology, is actually more of a help than a problem. So I’m very optimistic about AI and I’m looking forward to AI finally helping us solve previous problems and challenges before it becomes a problem itself.

    — During the foresight session, some speakers criticized foresight, claiming that it is experiencing a decline in public interest because it is too old-fashioned. Do you agree with this statement?

    — I think that foresight and future studies in general, on the contrary, are becoming more and more relevant, because the world is changing faster and faster. When things, ways of life and technologies had not changed for centuries, when everything happened very slowly, then foresight was not so important. But now, when everything happens almost instantly, we need more, not less foresight.

    So no, I don’t think it’s old-fashioned. In fact, I think foresight is coming into fashion and it should become even more common in the future. Well, look, it’s like saying that mathematics is old-fashioned or physics is outdated. Well, they’re not, they’re not old-fashioned. We need mathematics, we need physics, and we need foresight. And I repeat: we need it more than ever.

    — You were one of the founders of the Millennium Project, which unites futurologists from all over the world. HSE Foresight Center is also active in futures research. In what areas do you see the greatest synergy from collaboration?

    — In many. If you remember, I already mentioned that HSE, ISSEK, Institute for Statistical Research and Economics of Knowledge. — Ed.) and the Foresight Center are at the forefront of modern scientific forecasting. They have achieved incredible success in the field of technological and scientific foresight. I like their forecasting tool for processing big data (iFORA. — Ed.). By the way, iFORA is something we could collaborate on, we could help promote it on the market, already at the international level. iFORA is just one example.

    Now, as part of the Millennium Project, we are working on developing State of the Future Indexes. We are creating indices of the future states of companies, cities, countries, industrial sectors and the world as a whole. So, since HSE is very strong in statistics, we could collaborate on state of the future indices. Choose a direction and create an index.

    Or a third example: we are assembling a navigator for Futures Research Methodologies. And a Foresight Center that develops such methodologies and has most of the foresight methods in its arsenal would be indispensable in our work.

    And finally, we conduct international Delphi surveys annually, now online surveys. And of course, we want to involve Russian scientists in our expert circle. Russia is one of those countries in the world where a lot of expertise has been collected in various technological areas, and we will be very happy to include it in our Delphi surveys.

    So, a lot, a lot of things. The future is open, and foresight and future research are the future.

    — Could you tell us about your current research interests?

    — Right now I am mainly interested in three areas. The first is space. Space is an important part of the history and future of humanity. And in the next decade we will have space colonies on the Moon and Mars. Life on other planets will radically change the attitude and view of our own tiny planet Earth. So space is very important. And of course, Russia, remaining one of the leading countries in space research, will participate in this space expansion.

    The second area that interests me is artificial intelligence and the transition to superintelligence. As soon as we create a new machine-human civilization, the world around us will change radically. For this, we will need a lot of intelligence, both natural and artificial. I really want to look into the future, in which superintelligence operates.

    And the third area of my interest is biotechnology, health and longevity. Now with new medical technologies we have the ability to increase the life expectancy of people, and soon we will be able to rejuvenate people. It seems incredible, but the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2012 was awarded to Shinyo Yamanaka, who discovered a way to reprogram cells to change their biological age. After that, other scientists began to do this at the organ level, in 12 years we moved from cells to organs. And now many people are working on the transition from organs to whole organisms, to animals. Of course, they usually start with simpler and smaller animals, and then move on to more complex and larger ones, so that eventually we can try it on people. I believe that in the next 20 years we will stop aging. We will take control of the aging process and begin to rejuvenate people. This was the first dream of mankind – immortality. And now we are very close to making it come true thanks to biotechnology. And so I’m very excited about this. So, three areas: space, artificial intelligence and longevity.

    The interview was prepared by Sergey Sychev, leading expert of the Department of Science Statistics ISSEK HSE

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet First to Integrate Believe Launch Platform For Early Token Trading

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has become the first wallet to integrate direct trading support for all tokens launched on Believe, a fast-growing token launch platform. Currently, Bitget Wallet is the only platform offering a dedicated view of Believe’s pre-bonded token list, making it the most accessible gateway for early-stage token trading from the protocol. This update enables users to discover, track, and trade new tokens from Believe seamlessly within the Bitget Wallet interface.

    The integration introduces a dedicated token list organized by launch stage — New, Finalizing, or Launched — providing real-time updates and project metadata. Users can review token descriptions, verify linked social accounts, and monitor progression through early life cycle stages. Previously, users needed to rely on fragmented information from reply threads on token-launch bots, manually navigating to third-party trackers like Dexscreener. This process was inefficient and error-prone. Bitget Wallet now eliminates this friction by aggregating token data and enabling instant trading in one interface.

    Bitget Wallet is currently the only wallet to offer native, cross-chain trading support for the full set of tokens issued through Believe. Unlike many other discovery tools that are accessible externally, this token list is almost exclusive to Bitget Wallet, positioning the platform as a key infrastructure layer for accessing new assets on Believe.

    This enhancement also expands Bitget Wallet’s onchain discovery capabilities, with AI-driven insights highlighting trending and high-potential tokens. The integration supports growing user demand for faster access to early-stage assets, particularly those emerging through decentralized launch protocols like Believe, which has gained notable traction among Web3-native projects.

    “Our goal is to make on-chain discovery and access as seamless as possible,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “By becoming the first and only wallet to provide a complete and real-time list of Believe tokens, we’re giving users an unmatched experience, removing the need for external trackers or fragmented sources to catch the next opportunity.”

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.

    For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook

    For media inquiries, please contact media.web3@bitget.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/448e2fde-d3f9-4888-a5a2-eda0f68b1631

    The MIL Network –

  • Brazil confirms first outbreak of avian influenza on commercial farm

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Brazil, the world’s largest poultry exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of avian influenza on a commercial farm in a statement from the Agriculture Ministry on Friday, raising the prospect of restrictions from trade partners.
     
    The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the ministry said.
     
    Brazil exported $10 billion of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35% of global trade, much of it sold by BRF and JBS SA, which ship to some 150 countries.
     
    “All necessary measures to control the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and being monitored by government agencies,” said national pork and poultry group ABPA in a statement.
     
    The ministry said it was taking the necessary measures to contain and eradicate the outbreak, officially notifying the World Organization for Animal Health, Brazil’s trade partners and other interested parties.
     
    The country, which exported more than 5 million metric tons of chicken products last year, first confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian flu among wild birds in May 2023 in at least seven states.
     
    In June of that year, Japan suspended purchases of poultry from the state of Espirito Santo, following an outbreak there on a non-commercial farm.
     
    The disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs, the farm ministry said, noting that the risk of human infection is low and mostly occurs among professionals who have contact with infected birds.
     
    “The Brazilian and world population can rest assured about the safety of inspected products, and there are no restrictions on their consumption,” the statement said.
     
    According to the ministry, the Brazilian veterinary service has been trained and equipped to deal with this disease since the first decade of the 2000s.
     
    Actions include monitoring wild birds, epidemiological surveillance in commercial and subsistence poultry farming, and constant training of technicians, it said.
     
    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Acute food insecurity and malnutrition rose for sixth consecutive year in world’s most fragile regions

    Source: World Food Programme

    In 2024, over 295 million people across 53 countries and territories faced acute hunger—an increase of almost 14 million people compared to 2023— while the number of people facing catastrophic levels of hunger reached a record high

    Geneva/New York/Rome/Washington – Acute food insecurity and child malnutrition rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2024, pushing millions of people to the brink, in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions, according to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), released today. 

    The report shows conflict, economic shocks, climate extremes, and forced displacement continued to drive food insecurity and malnutrition around the world, with catastrophic impacts on many already fragile regions.

    In 2024, more than 295 million people across 53 countries and territories experienced acute levels of hunger– an increase of 13.7 million from 2023. Of great concern is the worsening prevalence of acute food insecurity, which now stands at 22.6 percent of the population assessed. This marks the fifth consecutive year in which this figure has remained above 20 percent. 

    The number of people facing catastrophic hunger (IPC/CH Phase 5) more than doubled over the same period to reach 1.9 million – the highest on record since the GRFC began tracking in 2016. 

    Malnutrition, particularly among children, reached extremely high levels, including in the Gaza Strip, Mali, Sudan, and Yemen. Nearly 38 million children under five were acutely malnourished across 26 nutrition crises.

    The report also highlights a sharp increase in hunger driven by forced displacement, with nearly 95 million forcibly displaced people—including internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers and refugees—living in countries facing food crises such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Sudan, and Syria, out of a global total of 128 million forcibly displaced people.

    “This Global Report on Food Crises is another unflinching indictment of a world dangerously off course,”said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. “Long-standing crises are now being compounded by another, more recent one: the dramatic reduction in lifesaving humanitarian funding to respond to these needs. This is more than a failure of systems – it is a failure of humanity. Hunger in the 21st century is indefensible. We cannot respond to empty stomachs with empty hands and turned backs.”   

    Key drivers of acute food insecurity and malnutrition: 

    • Conflict remained the top driver of acute food insecurity, affecting around 140 million people in 20 countries and territories. Famine has been confirmed in Sudan, while other hotspots with people experiencing Catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity include the Gaza Strip, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali.
    • Economic shocks including inflation and currency devaluation, drove hunger in 15 countries affecting 59.4 million people – still nearly double pre-COVID 19 levels despite a modest decline from 2023. Some of the largest and most protracted food crises were primarily driven by economic shocks, including in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen.
    • Weather extremes particularly El Niño-induced droughts and floods, pushed 18 countries into food crises affecting over 96 million people, with significant impacts in Southern Africa, Southern Asia and the Horn of Africa.

    According to the GRFC outlook, hunger shocks will likely persist into 2025, as the Global Network anticipates the most significant reduction in humanitarian funding for food and nutrition crises in the report’s history. 

    Call for bold reset to break cycle of food crises  

    Acute food insecurity and malnutrition have increased to record levels, yet global funding is experiencing its fastest decline in years, and political momentum is weakening. 

    Breaking the cycle of rising hunger and malnutrition requires a bold reset – one that prioritizes evidence-driven and impact-focused action. This means pooling resources, scaling what works, and putting the needs and voices of affected communities at the heart of every response.

    Beyond emergency aid, the Global Network Against Food Crises recommends investing in local food systems and integrated nutrition services to address long-term vulnerabilities and build resilience to shocks – especially in crisis-prone regions where 70 percent of rural households rely on agriculture for sustenance and livelihood.

    # # #

    Leadership quotes: 

    Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management:

    “This year’s Global Report on Food Crises paints yet another stark and unacceptable picture of rising hunger. This is not merely a call to action — it is a moral imperative. At a time when funding cuts are straining the humanitarian system, we reaffirm our commitment to fight global hunger. We will not abandon the most vulnerable, especially in fragile and conflict-affected countries. We will continue to champion and defend International Humanitarian Law. Today’s challenges are greater than ever — but so is our solidarity. Now is the time to act with unity and resolve, and to prove that even in the hardest times, humanity can and will rise to the challenge.”

    QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO: “As we launch the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, we are cognizant that acute food insecurity is not just a crisis – it is a constant reality for millions of people, most of whom live in rural areas. The path forward is clear: investment in emergency agriculture is critical, not just as a response, but as the most cost-effective solution to deliver significant long-lasting impact.”

    Alvaro Lario, President, IFAD: “The report makes clear that humanitarian responses must go hand-in hand with investments in rural development and resilience building to create long-term stability that lasts beyond emergency interventions. Rural communities – especially smallholder farmers – are central to food security, resilience, and growth. This is even more true in fragile settings.”

    Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR: “People who have been displaced show remarkable strength, but resilience alone can’t end hunger. As food insecurity worsens and humanitarian crises become more prolonged, we need to shift from emergency aid to sustainable responses. That means creating real opportunities—access to land, livelihoods, markets and services—so people can feed themselves and their families, not just today, but well into the future.”

    Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF:  “In a world of plenty, there is no excuse for children to go hungry or die of malnutrition. Hunger gnaws at the stomach of a child. It gnaws, too, at their dignity, their sense of safety, and their future. How can we continue to stand by when there is more than enough food to feed every hungry child in the world? How can we ignore what is happening in front of our eyes?  Millions of children’s lives hang in the balance as funding is slashed to critical nutrition services.”

    Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank: “The global hunger crisis threatens not just lives, but the stability and potential of entire societies. What is needed now is collective action so we can build a future free of hunger.” 

    Cindy McCain, Executive Director, WFP: “Like every other humanitarian organization, WFP is facing deep budget shortfalls which have forced drastic cuts to our food assistance programs. Millions of hungry people have lost, or will soon lose, the critical lifeline we provide. We have tried and tested solutions to hunger and food insecurity. But we need the support of our donors and partners to implement them.”

    Note to Editor

    Download the GFRC here  

    Broadcast quality B-Roll here 

    The Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) is published  annually by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) with analysis from the Food Security Information Network (FSIN).

    About the GNAFC

    The Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) is an international alliance of the United Nations, the European Union, governmental and non-governmental agencies working together to address food crises. a unique platform of key operational agencies, international financial institutions, member states and organisations jointly seeking to reduce and end hunger with evidence-based actions proven to deliver impact. 

    For more information please contact: 

    European Union  

    Eva Hrncirova 

    Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations 

    eva.hrncirova@ec.europa.eu

    FAO 

    Irina Utkina 

    News and Media 

    irina.utkina@fao.org

     

    IFAD

    Caroline Chaumont

    c.chaumont@ifad.org 

    UNHCR

    William Spindler 

    Senior Communications Officer 

    spindler@unhcr.org 

     

    UNICEF

    Nadia Samie-Jacobs

    Communication Specialist (Media) 

    nsamie@unicef.org

    Tel: +1 845 760 2615

     

    World Bank

    Nicolas Douillet

    Communications Lead, Food & Agriculture 

    ndouillet@worldbankgroup.org 

    Tel: +1 202 378 7468 

    WFP

    Machrine Birungi

    Media Relations Specialist 

    machrine.birungi@wfp.org

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi extends condolences to Uruguayan President Orsi over death of former president

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

    Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday extended condolences to Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi over the death of former Uruguayan President Jose Mujica.

    In his message, Xi expressed deep condolences on behalf of the Chinese government and people, and extended sincere sympathies to Mujica’s family and the people of Uruguay. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: XenDex Almost Sells Out Presale Before DEX Launch As XRP Price Keeps Going Up, Buy $XDX Now And Make Profits When Listed On Exchange

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYDNEY, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As XRP gains major traction in global markets, XenDex is cementing its place as the most promising decentralized exchange on the XRP Ledger, and time is quickly running out to join early.

    The $XDX presale has already surpassed its soft cap, and with the hard cap now nearly filled, investor demand has pushed XenDex into the final phase of its presale. With token prices set to rise significantly upon listing, this is the last opportunity to secure $XDX at launch pricing.

    Buy $XDX Now Before Listing On Binance

    This surge in interest comes as XRP’s momentum explodes following a string of historic developments: the SEC’s lawsuit withdrawal, Judge Torres’ favorable rulings, and the approval of ProShares’ XRP Futures ETF. Combined with Brazil’s first XRP Spot ETF, market confidence is soaring and many now believe XRP could hit $1,000 in the long run.

    What Is XenDex?

    XenDex is building the first all-in-one DEX for XRPL, with Version 1 currently in development. A full platform mockup will be revealed soon, showcasing:

    • AI Copy Trading
    • Non-Custodial Lending & Borrowing
    • Cross-Chain Trading (BNB, Solana, Ethereum)

    Join XenDex Presale

    Only $XDX presale buyers will get early access to the XenDex platform upon launch.

    $XDX Presale Details

    • Price: 1.25 XRP = 10 XDX
    • Minimum Buy: 150 XRP

    Buy Now Before It’s Too Late: https://xendex.net/presale

    Exchange Listings Confirmed

    Post-presale, $XDX will be listed on:

    • Binance
    • Gate.io
    • MEXC
    • BitMart
    • FirstLedger
    • MagneticX

    Thousands have already joined the XenDex community across Telegram and X (Twitter), locking in their $XDX tokens before exchange listings go live. With the soft cap filled, token supply shrinking, and momentum building by the hour, this is your last best opportunity to buy before price pressure explodes.

    Buy XDX Token Now on XenDex

    With the XRP market booming as a result of the SEC’s lawsuit withdrawal, Judge Torres’ favorable rulings, and the approval of ProShares’ XRP Futures ETF, combined with Brazil’s first XRP Spot ETF, market confidence is soaring and many now believe XRP could hit $1,000 in the long run, XenDex is set to launch soon, this is your last chance to buy low before listings go live.

    Be among the first to use the platform. Join the DeFi revolution on XRP.

    Join the XenDex Movement

    Website: https://xendex.net
    Presale: https://xendex.net/presale
    Telegram: https://t.me/xendexcommunity
    Twitter/X: https://x.com/xendex_xrp
    Docs: https://xdxdocs.gitbook.io

    Contact:
    Frank Richards
    Frank@xendex.net

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post provided by XenDex. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61ed758c-715d-4a82-9315-f1de9597bb74

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Codere Online Reports Financial Results for the First Quarter 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Total revenue was €54.3 mm in Q1 2025, while net gaming revenue1 was €57.0 mm in the period, 8% above Q1 2024 (17% in constant currency terms).
    • Mexico revenue was €27.6 mm in Q1 2025, while net gaming revenue was €30.5 mm in the period, 15% above Q1 2024 (34% in constant currency terms).
    • Net loss was €0.7 mm in Q1 2025 versus a net income of €3.4 mm in Q1 2024.
    • Total cash position of €41.8 mm as of March 31, 2025.
    • Reiterating 2025 net gaming revenue outlook of €220-230 million and Adj. EBITDA2 outlook of €10-15 million.
    • Repurchased $0.5 million of the Company’s shares under the Company’s $5.0 million share buyback plan through May 15, 2025.

    Madrid, Spain and Tel Aviv, Israel, May 16, 2025 – (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Codere Online (Nasdaq: CDRO / CDROW, the “Company”), a leading online gaming operator in Spain and Latin America, has released its preliminary unaudited3 financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    Below are the main financial and operating metrics of the period.

      Quarter ended March 31
      2024 2025 Chg. %
           
    Net Gaming Revenue (EUR mm)1      
    Spain 22.3 21.9 (2%)
    Mexico 26.6 30.5 15%
    Other 4.1 4.5 10%
    Total 53.0 57.0 8%
           
    Avg. Monthly Active Players (000s)4      
    Spain 50.0 52.0 4%
    Mexico 62.5 82.0 31%
    Other 30.6 27.2 (11%)
    Total 143.2 161.3 13%

    Aviv Sher, CEO of Codere Online, stated, “We are off to a good start in 2025, with net gaming revenue reaching €57.0 million in the first quarter, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. In Mexico, net gaming revenue grew 15% to €30.5 million, despite the 16% devaluation of the Mexican peso. Meanwhile, net gaming revenue in Spain was slightly below last year’s at €21.9 million.”

    Oscar Iglesias, CFO of Codere Online, commented, “We are very pleased with our performance in Mexico and the underlying trends in local currency. Also, our portfolio of active customers grew by an impressive 31% versus the prior year quarter which is quite encouraging”.

    Mr. Iglesias added, “Based on these results, we believe that we are on track to meet our net gaming revenue outlook of €220-230 million and Adj. EBITDA outlook of €10-15 million that we provided to investors earlier this year.”

    Recent Events

    Compliance with Nasdaq Listing Requirements

    • On May 1, 2025, the Company filed its 2023 annual report (ahead of the May 12th deadline) and on May 15th, Nasdaq informed the Company that it had regained compliance with applicable listing requirements.
    • The Company is actively working to complete the audit of its 2024 financial accounts and expects to file the 2024 annual report by the end of this month. However, as we did not file by May 15th (i.e. within the 15-day grace period provided for), we expect that a delisting notice from Nasdaq is forthcoming.
    • Upon receipt of said delisting notice, the Company will promptly request a hearing with the Nasdaq Hearings Panel and seek a stay of any trading suspension; however, the Company expects to file the 2024 annual report and regain compliance with Nasdaq requirements ahead of any hearing.

    Repurchases under the Share Buyback Plan

    • At a general meeting held on March 3, 2025, Codere Online shareholders authorized the repurchase of up to 1 million of the Company’s ordinary shares over a one-year period (for a total investment of up to $5.0 million, as approved by the Company’s Board of Directors).
    • The Company repurchased 68,384 shares at an average price of $6.63 under the authorized share buyback plan through May 15, 2025.

    Conference Call Information

    Codere Online’s management will host a conference call to discuss the results and provide a business update at 8:30 am US Eastern Time today, May 16, 2025. Dial-in details as well as the audio webcast and presentation will be accessible on Codere Online’s website at www.codereonline.com. A recording of the webcast will also be available following the conference call.

    Reconciliation of Revenue (IFRS) to Net Gaming Revenue (non-IFRS)

      Quarter ended March 31
    Figures in EUR mm 2024 2025 Chg. %
           
    Total      
           
    Revenue 50.4 54.3 4%
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 2.6 2.6 69%
    Net Gaming Revenue 53.0 57.0 8%
           
    Spain      
           
    Revenue 22.3 21.9 (2%)
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 – – n.m.
    Net Gaming Revenue 22.3 21.9 (2%)
           
    Mexico      
           
    Revenue 23.8 27.6 16%
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 2.7 2.9 7%
    Net Gaming Revenue 26.6 30.5 15%
           
    Other      
           
    Revenue 4.3 4.8 (30%)
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 (0.2) (0.3) n.m.
    Net Gaming Revenue 4.1 4.5 10%

    Reconciliation of Net Income (IFRS) to Adj. EBITDA (non-IFRS)6

      Quarter ended March 31
    Figures in EUR mm 2024 2025 Chg.
           
    Net Income (Loss) 3.4 (0.7) (3.4)
    (+/-) Provision for Corporate Income Tax 0.5 0.2 (0.1)
    (+/-) Interest Expense / (Income) (4.8) 1.1 5.8
    (+/-) Var. In Fair Value of Public Warrants 1.9 0.5 (1.4)
    (+) D&A 0.0 0.2 0.2
    EBITDA 0.9 1.3 1.1
    (+) Employee LTIP Expense 0.6 0.5 (0.6)
    (+/-) Other Accounting Adjustments 0.2 0.0 (0.4)
    Adj. EBITDA (Pre Non-Recurring Items) 1.7 1.8 0.1
    (+) Non-Recurring Items 0.0 0.0 0.0
    Adj. EBITDA 1.7 1.8 0.1

    About Codere Online

    Codere Online refers, collectively, to Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries. Codere Online, launched in 2014 as part of the renowned casino operator Codere Group, offers online sports betting and online casino through its state-of-the art website and mobile applications. Codere Online currently operates in its core markets of Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Argentina; this online business is complemented by Codere Group’s physical presence in Spain and throughout Latin America, forming the foundation of the leading omnichannel gaming and casino presence.

    About Codere Group
    Codere Group is a multinational group devoted to entertainment and leisure. It is a leading player in the private gaming industry, with four decades of experience and with presence in seven countries in Europe (Spain and Italy) and Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay).

    Note on Rounding. Due to decimal rounding, numbers presented throughout this report may not add up precisely to the totals and subtotals provided, and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Codere Online”) or Codere Online’s or its management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this document may include, for example, statements about Codere Online’s financial performance and, in particular, the potential evolution and distribution of its net gaming revenue; any prospective and illustrative financial information; and changes in Codere Online’s strategy, future operations and target addressable market, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans as well as he Company’s expectations about the timing of completion and filing of the Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (the “2024 Annual Report”), and statements related to the Company’s plan, timing and actions taken to regain compliance with the Listing Rule 5250(c)(1).

    These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this document and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Codere Online’s or its management team’s views as of any subsequent date, and Codere Online does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

    As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, Codere Online’s actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Codere Online does not presently know or that Codere Online currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include (i) changes in applicable laws or regulations, including online gaming, privacy, data use and data protection rules and regulations as well as consumers’ heightened expectations regarding proper safeguarding of their personal information, (ii) the impacts and ongoing uncertainties created by regulatory restrictions, changes in perceptions of the gaming industry, changes in policies and increased competition, and geopolitical events such as war, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations and identify and realize additional opportunities, (iv) the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which Codere Online operates, (v) the risk that Codere Online and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize Codere Online’s services, or experience significant delays in doing so, (vi) the risk that Codere Online may never achieve or sustain profitability, (vii) the risk that Codere Online will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all, (viii) the risk that Codere Online experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations, (ix) the risk that third-party providers, including the Codere Group, are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations, (x) the risk that the online gaming operations will not provide the expected benefits due to, among other things, the inability to obtain or maintain online gaming licenses in the anticipated time frame or at all, (xi) the risk that Codere Online is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property, (xii) the risk that Codere Online’s securities may be delisted from Nasdaq and (xiii) the possibility that Codere Online may be adversely affected by other political, economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Additional information concerning certain of these and other risk factors is contained in Codere Online’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Codere Online or other matters and attributable to Codere Online or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.

    Financial Information and Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    Codere Online’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), which can differ in certain significant respects from generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

    This document includes certain financial measures not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP or IFRS (“non-GAAP”), such as, without limitation, net gaming revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and constant currency information. These non-GAAP financial measures are not measures of financial performance in accordance with U.S. GAAP or IFRS and may exclude items that are significant in understanding and assessing Codere Online’s financial results. Therefore, these measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to revenue, net income, cash flows from operations or other measures of profitability, liquidity or performance under U.S. GAAP or IFRS. You should be aware that Codere Online’s presentation of these measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures used by other companies. In addition, the audit of Codere Online’s financial statements in accordance with PCAOB standards, may impact how Codere Online currently calculates its non-GAAP financial measures, and we cannot assure you that there would not be differences, and such differences could be material.

    Codere Online believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends in comparing Codere Online’s financial measures with other similar companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. These non-GAAP financial measures are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expense and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable measure under IFRS are included herein.

    This document may include certain projections of non-GAAP financial measures. Codere Online is unable to quantify certain amounts that would be required to be included in the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP or IFRS financial measures without unreasonable effort, due to the inherent difficulty and variability of accurately forecasting the occurrence and financial impact of the various adjusting items necessary for such comparable measures or such reconciliation that have not yet occurred, are out of our control, or cannot be reasonably predicted, ascertained or assessed, which could have a material impact on its future IFRS financial results. Consequently, no disclosure of estimated comparable U.S. GAAP or IFRS measures is included and no reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures is included.

    Use of Projections
    This document contains financial forecasts with respect to Codere Online’s business and projected financial results, including net gaming revenue and adjusted EBITDA. Codere Online’s independent auditors have not audited, reviewed, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to the projections for the purpose of their inclusion in this document, and accordingly, they did not express an opinion or provide any other form of assurance with respect thereto for the purpose of this document. These projections should not be relied upon as being necessarily indicative of future results. The assumptions and estimates underlying the prospective financial information are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the prospective financial information. See “Forward-Looking Statements” above. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the prospective results are indicative of the future performance of Codere Online or that actual results will not differ materially from those presented in the prospective financial information. Inclusion of the prospective financial information in this document should not be regarded as a representation by any person that the results contained in the prospective financial information will be achieved.

    For further information on the limitations and assumptions underlying these projections, please refer to Codere Online’s filings with the SEC.

    Preliminary Information
    This document contains figures, financial metrics, statistics and other information that is preliminary and subject to change (the “Preliminary Information”). The Preliminary Information has not been audited, reviewed, or compiled by any independent registered public accounting firm. This Preliminary Information is subject to ongoing review including, where applicable, by Codere Online’s independent auditors. Accordingly, no independent registered public accounting firm has expressed an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect to the Preliminary Information. During the course of finalizing such Preliminary Information, adjustments to such Preliminary Information presented herein may be identified, which may be material. Codere Online undertakes no obligation to update or revise the Preliminary Information set forth in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. The Preliminary Information may differ from actual results. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance upon this Preliminary Information. The Preliminary Information is not a comprehensive statement of financial results, and should not be viewed as a substitute for full financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. In addition, the Preliminary Information is not necessarily indicative of the results to be achieved in any future period.

    No Offer or Solicitation
    This document does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities will be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.

    Trademarks
    This document may contain trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights of Codere Online or other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, some of the trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights referred to in this document may be listed without the TM, SM, © or ® symbols, but Codere Online will assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, the rights of the applicable owners, if any, to these trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights.

    Industry and Market Data
    In this document, Codere Online relies on and refers to certain information and statistics obtained from publicly available information and third-party sources, which it believes to be reliable. Codere Online has not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of any such publicly-available and third-party information, does not make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of such data and does not undertake any obligation to update such data after the date of this document. You are cautioned not to give undue weight to such industry and market data.

    Contacts:

    Investors and Media
    Guillermo Lancha
    Director, Investor Relations and Communications
    Guillermo.Lancha@codere.com
    (+34) 628.928.152

    1 Net Gaming Revenue is a non-IFRS measure; please see reconciliation of Net Gaming Revenue to Revenue at the end of the report.

    2 Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure; please see reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income at the end of the report. Net gaming revenue and Adjusted EBITDA outlooks are forward-looking non-IFRS measures; please see important disclaimers at the end of the report.
    3 See “Preliminary Information” below.        

    4 Average Monthly Active Players include real money (i.e. exclude free bets) sports betting and casino actives.

    5 Figures primarily reflect differences in recognition of revenue related to certain partner and affiliate agreements in place in Colombia, VAT impact from entry fees in Mexico and the impact from the application of inflation accounting (IAS 29) in Argentina.

    6 Please refer to page 26 of our Q1 2025 Earnings Presentation for further details regarding this reconciliation.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China calls on international community to work to resolve issue of missing persons in armed conflicts

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    UNITED NATIONS, May 16 (Xinhua) — China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Geng Shuang on Thursday called on the international community to step up efforts to resolve the issue of persons missing in armed conflicts and fully implement relevant Security Council resolutions.

    Speaking at a Security Council briefing, the diplomat said that searching for missing persons is an important aspect of protecting civilians during armed conflict. Although the Security Council adopted Resolution 2474 in 2019, progress in its implementation remains insufficient, he added.

    Citing data from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Geng Shuang noted that more than 56,000 new cases of missing people were registered worldwide in 2024, the highest annual increase in the past 20 years.

    He drew attention to several conflict zones. In the Gaza Strip, more than 50,000 people have died in 19 months of fighting, with mass graves discovered and many still missing. In Sudan, more than 11.6 million people have been displaced, and the ICRC has registered more than 7,700 missing. In South Sudan, almost 100 aid workers have been killed and many more are missing. In Haiti, where gang violence is widespread, people often go missing, especially women and children.

    “The international community must support the affected countries in resolving the issue of missing persons and help each affected family find answers and solace,” the diplomat said, calling on the conflicting parties to comply with international humanitarian law. He also stressed the need to focus on conflict prevention and resolution and the importance of international support for the affected countries.

    China supports the ICRC and other international organizations that operate in accordance with the principles of neutrality and independence, Geng Shuang stressed.

    “China remains committed to working with the international community to advance the implementation of Resolution 2474 and make unremitting efforts to resolve the issue of persons missing in armed conflicts,” he assured. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Gains Market Share in April 2025 Monthly Report Highlights

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, released its April 2025 Transparency Report, highlighting a month of growth, regulatory milestones, and continued momentum despite broader market uncertainties through consistent innovation and strong execution.

    In a month marked by market correction and investor caution, Bitget recorded a futures trading volume of $757.6 billion, representing 17.3% growth month-on-month. Spot trading volume also rose to $68.6 billion, defying the broader industry downturn. These gains contributed to Bitget’s rise as the 3rd largest crypto exchange by trading volume, with a market share of 7.2%, reflecting strong performance and continued momentum in a competitive market environment. According to Coingecko and WuBlockchain, Bitget defied broader exchange trends, gaining market share while others contracted. Bitget also surpassed 120 million users, signaling strong platform engagement and trust in its products and services.

    In April, Bitget made a major regulatory leap by securing both DASP and BSP licenses in El Salvador, allowing it to offer full crypto services—spot, derivatives, staking, and yield—under one of the world’s most forward-thinking digital asset frameworks.

    The month also marked the launch of Bitget Onchain, a feature that lets users trade on-chain assets directly through the Bitget app using USDT or USDC. This bridges the gap between centralized UX and decentralized access, making Web3 more approachable.

    To support institutional growth, Bitget upgraded its Liquidity Incentive Program with better maker-taker rates and faster onboarding, boosting liquidity across spot and derivatives markets.

    On the marketing front, Bitget teamed up with FC Barcelona star Raphinha in a global campaign spotlighting smart trading tools like Copy Trading, Launchpool, and Pre-market. This was paired with the “Your Team, Your Skin” initiative with LALIGA, letting users personalize their trading interface with team branding.

    Bitget Research Employment Report estimates blockchain could create 500,000 jobs by 2028, echoing the growth path of the AI sector and highlighting blockchain’s expanding impact.

    Finally, Bitget reinforced its global presence with immersive activations at TOKEN2049 Dubai and Paris Blockchain Week, including side events like Cryptoverse Dream Night, underscoring its commitment to community and innovation.

    Between regulatory wins, rapid user growth, and focus on accessibility and security, Bitget leads as one of the top players in the crypto industry’s evolution. As market sentiment begins to shift, Bitget is geared up to lead the next phase of crypto adoption and WEB3 integration.

    For the full transparency report, visit here.

    About Bitget

    Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more.

    Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet

    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

    Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5bf1a171-5c5d-4536-b7ba-529f3be725b6

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Acute food insecurity and malnutrition rise for sixth consecutive year in world’s most fragile regions

    Source: World Food Programme

    In 2024, over 295 million people across 53 countries and territories faced acute hunger—an increase of almost 14 million people compared to 2023— while the number of people facing catastrophic levels of hunger reached a record high

    Geneva/New York/Rome/Washington – Acute food insecurity and child malnutrition rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2024, pushing millions of people to the brink, in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions, according to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), released today. 

    The report shows conflict, economic shocks, climate extremes, and forced displacement continued to drive food insecurity and malnutrition around the world, with catastrophic impacts on many already fragile regions.

    In 2024, more than 295 million people across 53 countries and territories experienced acute levels of hunger– an increase of 13.7 million from 2023. Of great concern is the worsening prevalence of acute food insecurity, which now stands at 22.6 percent of the population assessed. This marks the fifth consecutive year in which this figure has remained above 20 percent. 

    The number of people facing catastrophic hunger (IPC/CH Phase 5) more than doubled over the same period to reach 1.9 million – the highest on record since the GRFC began tracking in 2016. 

    Malnutrition, particularly among children, reached extremely high levels, including in the Gaza Strip, Mali, Sudan, and Yemen. Nearly 38 million children under five were acutely malnourished across 26 nutrition crises.

    The report also highlights a sharp increase in hunger driven by forced displacement, with nearly 95 million forcibly displaced people—including internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers and refugees—living in countries facing food crises such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Sudan, and Syria, out of a global total of 128 million forcibly displaced people.

    “This Global Report on Food Crises is another unflinching indictment of a world dangerously off course,”said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. “Long-standing crises are now being compounded by another, more recent one: the dramatic reduction in lifesaving humanitarian funding to respond to these needs. This is more than a failure of systems – it is a failure of humanity. Hunger in the 21st century is indefensible. We cannot respond to empty stomachs with empty hands and turned backs.”   

    Key drivers of acute food insecurity and malnutrition: 

    • Conflict remained the top driver of acute food insecurity, affecting around 140 million people in 20 countries and territories. Famine has been confirmed in Sudan, while other hotspots with people experiencing Catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity include the Gaza Strip, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali.
    • Economic shocks including inflation and currency devaluation, drove hunger in 15 countries affecting 59.4 million people – still nearly double pre-COVID 19 levels despite a modest decline from 2023. Some of the largest and most protracted food crises were primarily driven by economic shocks, including in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen.
    • Weather extremes particularly El Niño-induced droughts and floods, pushed 18 countries into food crises affecting over 96 million people, with significant impacts in Southern Africa, Southern Asia and the Horn of Africa.

    According to the GRFC outlook, hunger shocks will likely persist into 2025, as the Global Network anticipates the most significant reduction in humanitarian funding for food and nutrition crises in the report’s history. 

    Call for bold reset to break cycle of food crises  

    Acute food insecurity and malnutrition have increased to record levels, yet global funding is experiencing its fastest decline in years, and political momentum is weakening. 

    Breaking the cycle of rising hunger and malnutrition requires a bold reset – one that prioritizes evidence-driven and impact-focused action. This means pooling resources, scaling what works, and putting the needs and voices of affected communities at the heart of every response.

    Beyond emergency aid, the Global Network Against Food Crises recommends investing in local food systems and integrated nutrition services to address long-term vulnerabilities and build resilience to shocks – especially in crisis-prone regions where 70 percent of rural households rely on agriculture for sustenance and livelihood.

    # # #

    Leadership quotes: 

    Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management:

    “This year’s Global Report on Food Crises paints yet another stark and unacceptable picture of rising hunger. This is not merely a call to action — it is a moral imperative. At a time when funding cuts are straining the humanitarian system, we reaffirm our commitment to fight global hunger. We will not abandon the most vulnerable, especially in fragile and conflict-affected countries. We will continue to champion and defend International Humanitarian Law. Today’s challenges are greater than ever — but so is our solidarity. Now is the time to act with unity and resolve, and to prove that even in the hardest times, humanity can and will rise to the challenge.”

    QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO: “As we launch the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, we are cognizant that acute food insecurity is not just a crisis – it is a constant reality for millions of people, most of whom live in rural areas. The path forward is clear: investment in emergency agriculture is critical, not just as a response, but as the most cost-effective solution to deliver significant long-lasting impact.”

    Alvaro Lario, President, IFAD: “The report makes clear that humanitarian responses must go hand-in hand with investments in rural development and resilience building to create long-term stability that lasts beyond emergency interventions. Rural communities – especially smallholder farmers – are central to food security, resilience, and growth. This is even more true in fragile settings.”

    Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, UNHCR: “People who have been displaced show remarkable strength, but resilience alone can’t end hunger. As food insecurity worsens and humanitarian crises become more prolonged, we need to shift from emergency aid to sustainable responses. That means creating real opportunities—access to land, livelihoods, markets and services—so people can feed themselves and their families, not just today, but well into the future.”

    Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF:  “In a world of plenty, there is no excuse for children to go hungry or die of malnutrition. Hunger gnaws at the stomach of a child. It gnaws, too, at their dignity, their sense of safety, and their future. How can we continue to stand by when there is more than enough food to feed every hungry child in the world? How can we ignore what is happening in front of our eyes?  Millions of children’s lives hang in the balance as funding is slashed to critical nutrition services.”

    Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank: “The global hunger crisis threatens not just lives, but the stability and potential of entire societies. What is needed now is collective action so we can build a future free of hunger.” 

    Cindy McCain, Executive Director, WFP: “Like every other humanitarian organization, WFP is facing deep budget shortfalls which have forced drastic cuts to our food assistance programs. Millions of hungry people have lost, or will soon lose, the critical lifeline we provide. We have tried and tested solutions to hunger and food insecurity. But we need the support of our donors and partners to implement them.”

    Note to Editor

    Download the GFRC here  

    Broadcast quality B-Roll here 

    The Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) is published  annually by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) with analysis from the Food Security Information Network (FSIN).

    About the GNAFC

    The Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) is an international alliance of the United Nations, the European Union, governmental and non-governmental agencies working together to address food crises. a unique platform of key operational agencies, international financial institutions, member states and organisations jointly seeking to reduce and end hunger with evidence-based actions proven to deliver impact. 

    For more information please contact: 

    European Union  

    Eva Hrncirova 

    Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations 

    eva.hrncirova@ec.europa.eu

    FAO 

    Irina Utkina 

    News and Media 

    irina.utkina@fao.org

     

    IFAD

    Caroline Chaumont

    c.chaumont@ifad.org 

    UNHCR

    William Spindler 

    Senior Communications Officer 

    spindler@unhcr.org 

     

    UNICEF

    Nadia Samie-Jacobs

    Communication Specialist (Media) 

    nsamie@unicef.org

    Tel: +1 845 760 2615

     

    World Bank

    Nicolas Douillet

    Communications Lead, Food & Agriculture 

    ndouillet@worldbankgroup.org 

    Tel: +1 202 378 7468 

    WFP

    Machrine Birungi

    Media Relations Specialist 

    machrine.birungi@wfp.org

    MIL OSI United Nations News –