Category: Latin America

MIL-OSI Banking: Samsung Electronics’ Water Conservation Efforts for World Water Day

Source: Samsung

March 22 marks World Water Day, designated by the United Nations (UN) to underscore the vital importance of water and promote global collaboration in addressing water-related challenges. In observance of this day, Samsung Electronics carried out a variety of water conservation initiatives across 26 domestic and international worksites, engaging approximately 36,200 participants, including employees, local governments, NGOs and members of the community. Beyond these activities, Samsung Electronics remains dedicated to responsible water stewardship by enhancing its initiatives focused on water reuse and replenishment, strengthening worksite management systems, and deepening partnerships with key stakeholders.

Global Participation by Samsung Electronics Employees in Water Conservation Efforts
Each year, Samsung Electronics collaborates with employees and local communities on a variety of initiatives, including stream clean-ups near its facilities and water-saving campaigns across its operations. This year, the company aligned these activities with its environmental strategies, including water replenishment projects. These efforts included upgrading reservoirs and pumping facilities in drought-affected regions near its worksites, as well as supporting clean drinking water initiatives for neighboring villages.

▲ Employees at Samsung Electronics Vietnam participated in a cleanup at Cau River

To raise awareness about the importance of clean water, Samsung Electronics employees around the world participated in a variety of initiatives. Here are some highlights of their efforts, captured in photos.

① River Cleanup Activities With Employees, Local Governments, NGOs and Community Members
* Regions of participation: Korea, Vietnam, U.S, Mexico, Brazil, Hungary, Indonesia, South Africa
▲ Employees at Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America took part in cleanup activities along nearby rivers and streams.

▲ At the Cheonan and Onyang worksites in Korea, employees visited streams such as Jangjaecheon, Cheonancheon and Gokgyocheon as part of the One Company, One Stream initiative, contributing to local ecological preservation efforts. In addition, the Hwaseong worksite in Korea is planning stream cleanup activities along Woncheonricheon stream in collaboration with local civic groups and residents, in celebration of World Water Day.

② Returning Clean Water – Water Replenishment Projects
* Regions of participation: Samsung Electronics is currently implementing water replenishment projects in Korea, Vietnam, India, Mexico, the United States and Indonesia. The company also plans to launch water replenishment projects in Malaysia, Brazil, China, Thailand, Hungary, Türkiye, Slovakia, Poland and Egypt, starting this year.
▲ Samsung Electronics Malaysia held an opening ceremony to launch its water replenishment project.

③ ‘Join Us in Saving Water!’ – Water Conservation Campaign
* Regions of participation: Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, Thailand
▲ Samsung Electronics Thailand aired a water-saving campaign video in the company cafeteria.

④ Protecting Aquatic Ecosystems Near Worksites
* Regions of participation: Korea and Vietnam
▲ As part of efforts to protect aquatic ecosystems, employees at Samsung Electronics Vietnam monitored water quality in nearby streams and carried out environmental awareness surveys in collaboration with local government offices, residents and NGOs.

Partnering With Stakeholders To Drive Water Conservation and Reduce Usage
Samsung Electronics recognizes water as a vital resource for a sustainable future and is committed to reducing water intake and promoting water reuse across its operations.

The DX Division has set a goal of achieving 100% water replenishment by 2030, returning to local communities an amount of water equivalent to what is used in its production processes, thereby helping to prevent the depletion of water resources. To achieve this, Samsung is actively implementing water replenishment projects across multiple regions worldwide.

In 2023, Samsung Electronics partnered with the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC) to support the construction of water redistribution facilities, enabling the reuse of agricultural water by channeling it from downstream to upstream areas in farmland regions. In collaboration with the Korea Ecological & Environmental Institute (KEEI), Samsung also carried out reservoir dredging in the Haman region in Korea to expand aquatic ecosystems and secure agricultural water supplies, contributing to water reuse and mitigating the risks of drought and water scarcity.
* Regions where agricultural water reuse facilities have been established (Five locations in Korea): Wando, Shinan, Pyeongtaek, Andong, Changnyeong

▲ Samsung Electronics, in collaboration with the KRC Andong held a completion ceremony in July 2024 to mark the construction of an agricultural water redistribution facility in Andong, Korea. In April 2024, Samsung Electronics Vietnam signed an agreement with the local People’s Committee to support water replenishment projects.

Building on these efforts, Samsung implemented 23 water replenishment projects across six countries in 2024, returning a total of 1.35 million tonnes of water annually to local communities and achieving 100% water replenishment by Korean facilities’ water usage standards. The company is committed to expanding this achievement globally by 2030, helping to mitigate local water risks and advance water resource conservation across all its international operations.

Meanwhile, the DS Division is promoting various initiatives to protect water resources through partnerships with public, private and governmental organizations.

In March 2024, Samsung signed a public-private-governmental memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Environment, K-water and other stakeholders to advance water-related initiatives. This collaboration was further strengthened in November 2024 through an additional MOU for the Jangheung Dam Artificial Wetland Creation Project, jointly developed with the Ministry of Environment and K-water. This marks the first project in Korea jointly led by public, private and governmental partners. The project aims to enhance riparian ecological belts and artificial wetlands through forest restoration, planting and waterway rehabilitation. In addition, it will create cultural and recreational spaces, including an ecological art museum and walking trails, contributing to the well-being of local communities.

The DS Division has also set a target to keep water intake to 2021 levels by 2030. To that end, Samsung signed another MOU in December 2024 with the Ministry of Environment, Gyeonggi Province, the cities of Hwaseong and Osan, K-water and the Korea Environment Corporation for the Gyeonggido Region Semiconductor Site Reclaimed Water Project (Phase 1). This project will recycle treated wastewater from Hwaseong and Osan to supply 120,000 tonnes of reclaimed water per day to Samsung’s Giheung and Hwaseong semiconductor facilities. The project will proceed with feasibility studies for private investment, basic and detailed phases, and then installation and operation of reuse facilities, with water supply to the DS Division’s Giheung and Hwaseong worksites scheduled to begin in 2029.

Expanding Platinum Certifications From the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)
In March 2023, Samsung Electronics’ Hwaseong worksite became the first facility in Korea to achieve the Platinum certification, the highest level from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS).* Since then, Samsung has continued to expand the number of AWS-certified worksites across its global operations. AWS is a global water stewardship initiative jointly established by international organizations to assess companies’ comprehensive water management systems.
* The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) is a global water management initiative jointly established by organizations such as the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). AWS evaluates a company’s water stewardship performance across 100 criteria, including ▲ sustainable water management, ▲ pollution control, ▲ water sanitation, ▲impact on aquatic ecosystems within the watershed, and ▲ governance. Based on these assessments, certifications are awarded at three levels, including ‘Platinum,’ ‘Gold,’ and ‘Core.’

The DS Division has achieved Platinum certification for its Giheung/Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek worksites in Korea, followed by its Xi’an worksite in China and most recently its Cheonan/Onyang worksites in Korea in November 2024. The DX Division has also expanded its certifications, securing Platinum certifications for its Suwon, Gumi and Gwangju worksites in 2023, as well as for its Vietnam worksites in 2024. Samsung Electronics also plans to extend AWS certifications to its India operations by 2025.

Water is a vital resource, and ensuring the availability of clean and safe water for future generations is a critical responsibility. Samsung Electronics is fully committed to this mission and will continue to promote water stewardship and the importance of sustainable water management among its employees. The company will also actively collaborate with stakeholders to advance water-related initiatives and take a leading role in the conservation of global water resources.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Peru

Source:

We continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution in Peru overall due to the threat of violent crime. Higher levels apply in some areas.

Peru is currently experiencing a major dengue outbreak. Consult your doctor before travel for advice on prevention and get medical advice if you become unwell (see ‘Health’).

MIL OSI News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Venezuela

Source:

We continue to advise do not travel to Venezuela. The political and economic situation remains unstable. There’s an increased risk of demonstrations and civil unrest following recent political developments. Avoid protests and large gatherings as they may turn violent. Demonstrations may disrupt travel plans, affect flights, traffic, and public transportation. Monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities. There are high levels of violent crime and an ongoing risk of shortages of food, water, medicine and petrol. Foreigners in Venezuela, including dual nationals are at a high risk of arbitrary detention or arrest. Foreign and dual nationals have been detained without due process of law (see ‘Safety’).

MIL OSI News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Peru and UK expand their collaboration on high-complexity hospital infrastructure
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
World news story

Peru and UK expand their collaboration on high-complexity hospital infrastructure

English

Español de América Latina

The Guillermo Díaz de la Vega Regional Hospital in Apurímac is incorporated into the Government-to-Government Agreement, benefiting more than 3 million citizens.
Lima, March 20, 2025.- The Government of Peru and the Government of the United Kingdom expanded their collaboration on high complexity hospital infrastructure to incorporate the Guillermo Díaz de la Vega Regional Hospital in Apurímac into their Government-to-Government Agreement. This project joins the “Trujillo Regional Teaching Hospital” and the “Piura High Complexity Hospital”, which are already under development.

The signing took place at the Presidential Palace in Lima on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, with the presence of President Dina Boluarte, the British Ambassador to Peru, Gavin Cook, and the Minister of Health, Dr. César Vásquez Sánchez.

This milestone allows the United Kingdom Healthcare Alliance (UKHA) Consortium, comprised of Aecom, Currie & Brown, and Gleeds, to continue and expand its technical assistance to the National Health Investment Program (PRONIS) of the Peruvian Ministry of Health.

Likewise, the “UK-Peru Healthcare Partnership” forum between Peru and the United Kingdom, included within the framework of the Government-to-Government Agreement, will be strengthened to promote knowledge exchange and innovation in healthcare infrastructure.

The British Ambassador to Peru, Gavin Cook, stated:

We are excited to strengthen our collaboration with the Peruvian government in driving the development of social, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure that delivers for the population around the country – and driving wider improvements in healthcare.

These projects don’t just close a physical infrastructure gap. They will improve people’s lives. The chance to do this in Abancay is a privilege.

For his part, the General Coordinator of the National Health Investment Program (PRONIS) emphasized:

We are democratizing access to healthcare, reaching more regions with quality infrastructure to improve the well-being of citizens.

The Guillermo Díaz de la Vega Regional Hospital is in Apurímac, a region in southern Peru that faces various challenges in access to healthcare. The development of this modern hospital will significantly improve the quality of care for citizens. Furthermore, during the construction period, a Contingency Hospital will be available to ensure the continuity of healthcare services.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 20 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján Reintroduces Legislation to Crack Down on Robocalls, Protect Americans From Scams

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, announced the reintroduction of the FCC Legal Enforcement Act, legislation that would provide the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with litigation enforcement authority for violations contained in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) regarding robocalls. Specifically, the legislation would provide the FCC with the authority to commence court proceedings to recover penalties and fines against those in violation of the TCPA.
“Every American with a phone knows how annoying it is to be bombarded by robocalls that only offer unwanted scams and threats to personal privacy. Robocalls aren’t just a nuisance, they also scam Americans out of millions of dollars every year,” said Senator Luján. “Congress passed much-needed legislation to protect Americans through the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, but this legislation failed to provide the FCC with the legal authority to enforce the law. That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce the FCC Legal Enforcement Act to empower the Commission to hold telecom companies accountable for robocalls that disrupt Americans’ lives.”
In 1991, in an effort to address a growing number of telephone marketing calls, Congress enacted the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The TCPA restricts the making of telemarketing calls and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems (robocallers) and artificial or prerecorded voice messages. The rules apply to common carriers as well as to other marketers. Although the FCC has the authority to conduct investigations and issue fines or penalties for violations of the TCPA, the Commission lacks the authority to go into court to collect the fines. That authority lies with the Department of Justice. Unfortunately, the Department of Justice may take up to five years to decide whether to pursue a case related to a violation of the TCPA. In that time, violators have hidden assets or disappeared altogether.
The FCC Legal Enforcement Act provides the FCC with the authority to commence court proceedings to recover penalties or fines against those in violation of the TCPA. Violations of the TCPA are still referred to the Department of Justice first, but if after 120 days, the DOJ refuses to pursue the case, the FCC can commence its own action.
The FCC Legal Enforcement Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
Full bill text is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE Buffalo arrests Paisas gang member from Mexico

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mexican national and criminal alien Gilberto Guadalupe Guevara-Barboza, 26, upon his release from the Federal Correctional Institution in Ray Brook, New York, March 14. The self-admitted member of the Paisas gang has convictions for drug possession, resisting an officer and two counts of illegal reentry.

Guevara illegally entered the United States on an unknown date and location without admission by an immigration official. He was granted voluntary departure July 15, 2015, and departed via the McCallen, Texas, port of entry on Aug. 28, 2015. Guevara later illegally reentered the U.S. without admission or parole. An immigration judge in Arlington, Virginia, ordered him removed to Mexico Jan. 6, 2016, and he was removed the following month. Guevara entered the U.S. without inspection on two additional occasions, was convicted of illegal reentry and subsequently removed from the U.S.

Guevara admitted to reentering the U.S. without admission or parole by an immigration official in 2022.

Hidalgo County Court in Edinburg, Texas, convicted Guevara of possession of marijuana and resisting arrest May 28, 2024, and sentenced him to probation. ICE encountered Guevara June 14, 2024, and issued him a notice of intent to reinstate the prior order of removal. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas convicted Guerra of illegal reentry and sentenced him to nine months in prison Nov. 19, 2024.

Guevara is in ICE custody pending removal to Mexico.

Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives, transnational gang members or other criminal aliens who are in the U.S. illegally are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE Tip Line at 1 (866) 347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Stands Up for U.S. Army Veterans Denied Education Benefits Under the G.I. Bill

Source: US State of California

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed an amicus brief in the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims supporting the right of U.S. veterans and their children to access educational benefits under the G.I. Bill. The brief, filed in Yoon v. Collins, argues that veterans whose single unbroken period of military service made them eligible for both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill) should receive the educational benefits they earned under both programs.

“Veterans earn educational benefits when they serve our country. This is part of the deal. Military families rely on the promised educational benefits to support their families and rejoin the civilian life that they have helped protect,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In denying veterans the education entitlements that they have earned, the VA breaks the promises made to veterans when they agreed to serve. California is home to 1.3 million veterans and has a responsibility to protect those who have protected us — I will continue to use the full force of my office to advocate for veterans in California and nationwide.”

The United States has promised to provide veterans with education benefits since the Second World War. The G.I. Bill — first passed as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act in 1944 for 16 million service members returning from World War II — helped to facilitate reentry for veterans by providing them with transformative education benefits. The G.I. Bill gave veterans the right to apply to the education and training programs of their choice, and covered tuition, books, supplies, counseling, and living allowances for education expenses. Congress has extended the G.I. Bill’s benefits several times since World War II, including in 1984 through the Montgomery G.I. Bill providing 36 months of education benefits, and again in 2008 through the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill also providing 36 months of education benefits. Overall, qualifying veterans can use up to 48 months of G.I. Bill benefits.

In the brief, the attorneys general argue that the G.I. Bills reflect Congress’s intent to provide expansive education benefits to veterans and their families; as such, veterans should also be able to avail themselves of the benefits that they earned under both programs, regardless of whether their entitlement to those benefits came from multiple periods of military service, or a single unbroken period of service. Further, the decision interferes with states’ roles in helping veterans within their respective borders access critical educational benefits, which harms states’ veterans. The states work with the federal government to ensure that their veterans are able to transition successfully back to civilian life.

California is home to approximately 1.3 million veterans who may also receive support through state programs, including various programs offered by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet). In 2023, 517,000 veterans in California, or 39 percent, held a bachelor’s degree or higher, including 292,100 with a bachelor’s degree, 158,200 with a master’s, 40,200 with a doctorate (Ph.D.), and 26,500 with a professional degree (M.D., D.D.S).

In filing the brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Virginia, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Attorney General Bonta is committed to protecting service members, veterans, and their families. In 2023, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a U.S. veteran’s attempt to access educational benefits under the G.I. Bill. The brief urged the court to review an erroneous lower court decision denying a U.S. Army veteran’s challenge of a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ruling that limited the veteran’s benefits. The veteran, James R. Rudisill, despite having served multiple tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq and being awarded a Bronze Star Medal, was at risk of losing a year of education benefits due to incorrect interpretation by the federal government of his entitlement to benefits under the G.I. Bill. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Rudisill’s favor, holding that service members who, through separate periods of service, accrue educational benefits under both the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills may use either one, in any order, up to the 48 month cap.

A copy of the brief is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Maryland MS-13 Gang Members Indicted For Murder In Aid Of Racketeering

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has charged Manuel Erazo Alvarado, a/k/a “Castigo,” 46, and Erick Guillen Pleitez, a/k/a “Kilo,” both of Annapolis, Maryland, with Murder in Aid of Racketeering. The indictment was returned on February 13, 2025. Erazo Alvarado made his initial appearance yesterday in the United States District Court in Baltimore, Maryland and Guillen Pleitez made his initial appearance on March 6, 2025 in the same courthouse.

According to court documents, La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in the State of Maryland and throughout the United States.

It is alleged that in 2017, the defendants were members or associates of MS-13 in Maryland. During that time, the defendants engaged in narcotics distribution, collected extortion payments, or “rent,” and engaged in acts of violence. On or about August 29, 2017, the defendants participated in the murder of an individual to maintain and increase their positions in the gang. If convicted, the defendants face either a mandatory life sentence or death.

Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Kelly O. Hayes, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Chief Edward Jackson of the Annapolis Police Department; and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent of the Maryland State Police made the announcement today.

The FBI, HSI and Anne Arundel County Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) are investigating the case.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and James Hammond, along with Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Matthew Hoff and Amanda Kotula of the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.

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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This case is also part of an OCDETF investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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

Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

# # #

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – The detrimental impact of housing market regulation on supply and prices – E-001072/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001072/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Nora Junco García (ECR), Diego Solier (ECR)

Recent experience in Argentina shows how the removal of regulations in the housing market has led to a significant increase in supply. In contrast, Spain’s Housing Law has had the opposite effect: a 3 % contraction in supply and a 24 % increase in short-term rental prices, making access to housing more difficult for citizens.

This evidence suggests that a policy based on price controls and overregulation produces negative effects, discouraging investment and reducing available supply. State intervention in rental markets – far from solving the problem – seems to aggravate the housing crisis. Moreover, legal uncertainty for landlords, coupled with the proliferation of ‘inquiokupas’ (squatters), further discourages renting, worsening the shortage of supply and driving up prices.

Given the Commission’s role in promoting best practices and removing barriers that hinder competitiveness within the EU, it is crucial to assess these policies from a perspective based on economic efficiency and market freedom.

In the light of the above:

1.Does the Commission plan to produce a report on the impact of national regulations on housing availability in the Member States?

2.What measures is the Commission taking to foster a more dynamic housing market that attracts private investment within the EU?

3.Does the Commission consider that rent controls may lead to a contraction in supply, as shown by the data from Spain?

Submitted: 12.3.2025
Last updated: 20 March 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
March 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Antarctic bases are hotbeds of stress and violence. Space stations could face the same challenges

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Kaiser, PhD Candidate, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania

The South African National Antarctic Expedition research base, SANAE IV, at Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica.
Dr Ross Hofmeyr/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

Earlier this week, reports emerged that a scientist at South Africa’s SANAE IV Antarctic research base had accused a colleague of physical assault.

We research Antarctic governance and crime in isolated, confined and extreme environments such as Antarctic and space stations. Rebecca specifically investigates how station cultures evolve in isolation and what factors significantly influence conflict – and what can be done to improve safety in these environments.

What happened on SANAE IV?

SANAE IV is located on the edge of a steep cliff in Vesleskarvet in east Antarctica. The alleged assault stemmed from a dispute over a task the team leader wanted the team to do. In an email published by the South African Sunday Times, the alleged victim said the alleged attacker had also:

threatened to kill [name withheld], creating an environment of fear and intimidation. I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim.

Psychologists are now in touch with the research team. They aren’t due to leave the extremely isolated and remote base until December.

This latest incident fits within a broader pattern of crime and misconduct in Antarctica. Research stations on the icy continent are often portrayed as hubs of scientific cooperation. But history has shown they can also become pressure cookers of psychological strain and violence.

Multiple cases of misconduct

There have been multiple cases of misconduct in Antarctica over the years.

In 1959, a scientist at Russia’s Vostok Station allegedly attacked his colleague with an ice axe after losing a game of chess. In 2018, another Russian research station became the site of a stabbing. The alleged cause? Spoiled book endings.

In 1984, the leader of Argentina’s Almirante Brown Station set fire to the facility after being ordered to stay through the winter. This resulted in the station’s evacuation.

The 2000 death of an astrophysicist at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was a suspected murder.

And recent investigations into sexual harassment at multiple Antarctic stations highlight ongoing safety concerns.

Drivers of conflict

Research suggests several psychological and social factors contribute to conflict in remote locations such as Antarctica. These include prolonged isolation, extreme environmental conditions, and the necessity of constant close contact.

In combination, these factors can amplify even minor frustrations. And over time, the lack of external social support, the monotony of daily routines, and the psychological weight of confinement can lead to heightened emotional responses and conflict.

Without structured outlets for stress relief and effective de-escalation mechanisms (such as gyms, libraries, or quiet spaces where mediation between people can happen), tensions can reach breaking points.

Power dynamics also play a crucial role. With limited external oversight, leadership structures and informal hierarchies take on an outsized influence. Those in positions of authority have significant control over how disputes are resolved. This has the potential to exacerbate tensions rather than reducing them.

The process for reporting and responding to incidents in these kinds of environments also remains inconsistent. There’s a lack of policing, and traditional justice systems are also largely absent. Many stations rely on administrative action and internal conflict resolution mechanisms, rather than legal enforcement.

But these mechanisms can be biased or inadequate. In turn, this can leave victims of harassment or violence with few options. It can also lead to more conflict.

Read more:
Antarctic stations are plagued by sexual harassment – it’s time for things to change

From Antarctica to space

As Antarctica and space become more accessible for research and commercial ventures, proactive approaches to crime and conflict prevention in these remote and extreme environments is vital.

The psychological and social challenges observed in Antarctic stations provide a valuable model for understanding potential conflicts in long-duration space missions. Lessons learned from incidents in Antarctica can inform astronaut selection, training, and onboard conflict resolution strategies.

A key area requiring refinement is psychological screening for personnel.

Current screening methods may not fully account for how individuals will react to the social shift that takes place in a remote environment. This includes the altering of attitudes, personal priorities and tolerances.

More advanced stress tolerance assessments and social adaptability training could improve candidate selection. It could also reduce the likelihood of conflicts escalating to violence.

It’s also vital that we gain a better understanding of the unique conflict dynamics that evolve in these equally unique environments.

Research can help. So too can thorough investigations of incidents, such as the one that allegedly occurred at SANAE IV.

This knowledge can be used to recognise early signs of potential conflicts. It can also be integrated into case study-based training modules for expeditioners prior to their deployment. These training modules should include role-playing scenarios, crisis intervention techniques, and integrating the lived experiences of past expeditioners.

This would better equip personnel to navigate interpersonal challenges.

Going to extremes

The recent alleged events at SANAE IV are indicative of a broader pattern of human behaviour in extreme environments.

If we are to successfully expand scientific exploration and habitation in these settings, we must acknowledge the realities of human conflict and develop strategies to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those who live and work in these challenging conditions.

Studying crime and conflict in environments such as Antarctica is not just about understanding the past. It’s about safeguarding the future of exploration – whether on Earth’s harshest frontier or in the depths of space.

Hanne E F Nielsen receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Dutch Research Council.

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

– ref. Antarctic bases are hotbeds of stress and violence. Space stations could face the same challenges – https://theconversation.com/antarctic-bases-are-hotbeds-of-stress-and-violence-space-stations-could-face-the-same-challenges-252720

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: India-Based Chemical Manufacturing Company and Top Employees Indicted for Unlawful Importation of Fentanyl Precursor Chemicals

Source: US State of North Dakota

WASHINGTON — An India-based chemical manufacturing company and three high-level employees were charged in federal court in Washington, D.C., today related to illegally importing precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl.

According to the indictment, Vasudha Pharma Chem Limited (VPC), VPC Chief Global Business Officer Tanweer Ahmed Mohamed Hussain Parkar, 63, of India and the United Kingdom; VPC Marketing Director Venkata Naga Madhusudhan Raju Manthena, 48, of India; and VPC Marketing Representative Krishna Vericharla, 40, of India, were charged with multiple counts of manufacturing and distributing a List I fentanyl precursor chemical for unlawful importation into the United States, and attempting and conspiring to do the same.

It is alleged VPC advertised fentanyl precursor chemicals for sale worldwide on its website, in marketing materials, and at international trade shows. From March through November 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute a fentanyl precursor chemical knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States and used to make fentanyl that would be unlawfully imported into the United States, according to the indictment. On two occasions, in March 2024 and August 2024, the defendants sold an undercover agent 25 kilograms of the fentanyl precursor chemical 1-(tert-Butoxycarbonyl)-4-piperidone, also called N-BOC-4-piperidone, (N-BOC-4P), a List I chemical.

It is further alleged that between August and September 2024, defendants and the undercover agent negotiated a four-metric-ton (4,000 kilogram) purchase of N-BOC-4P – two metric tons of N-BOC-4P to be shipped to Sinaloa, Mexico, and another two metric tons of N-BOC-4P to be shipped to the United States – for a total price of approximately $380,000, knowing that the N-BOC-4P would be unlawfully imported into the United States and used to manufacture fentanyl that would be unlawfully imported into the United States.

The four-count indictment charges all defendants with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States and for the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance for unlawful importation into the United States; manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States; and attempted manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States and for the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance for unlawful importation into the United States. Additionally, defendants VPC, Vericharla, and Manthena are charged with a second count of manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States. If convicted, the individual defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. VPC faces a fine of $500,000 on each count.

Federal agents arrested Parkar and Manthena in New York City this morning.

Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Field Division made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division’s Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force, a DEA-led multi-agency task force with members from Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and state and local agencies from south Florida, are investigating the case. The Special Operations Unit of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section provided support.

Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Colombian National Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Conspiring To Transport Hundreds Of Kilograms Of Cocaine Into The United States

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

NEWARK, N.J. – A Colombian citizen was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiring to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.

Edgar Ruiz-Gomez, a/k/a “Gono,” 57, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to Count One of an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2016 through January 2020, Ruiz-Gomez and others conspired to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. Ruiz-Gomez acknowledged holding a managerial role in this conspiracy, which involved more than five individuals.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Ruiz-Gomez to five years of supervised release.

“My office is fully committed to employing its considerable resources to prosecuting dangerous drug organizations,” said U.S. Attorney John Giordano.

U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, New Jersey, as well as special agents and task force officers with the DEA operating in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia; Colombian law enforcement authorities; and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance.

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

This case is also 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).

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: CEO Of Georgia HVAC Company Charged With Illegally Importing Harmful Greenhouse Gases Into The United States

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

TRENTON, N.J. – The chief executive officer of a Georgia-based HVAC company has been charged with illegally importing 500 cylinders of potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Peru, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today. This case is the second prosecution in the United States under the AIM Act, and the first prosecution of a corporate executive.

William Randolph Hires a/k/a “Randy Hires,” 57, of Woodstock, Georgia and Lima, Peru, is charged by complaint with violating the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) by unlawfully importing 500 cylinders of HFCs. Hires appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.

HFCs include refrigerants used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems commonly known as “Freon.” The global warming impact of an HFC can be hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. Because of this, in 2020 Congress enacted the AIM Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent over time.

“The defendant’s actions in this case not only violated the AIM Act and created a threat to the environment they also unfairly disadvantaged other law-abiding U.S. businesses,” said Dan Meyers, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. “Today’s charges send a clear message: Enforcement of the law protects our air, land, and water, ensuring a brighter future for our citizens and a level playing field for American businesses and workers.”

“Hires disregarded our nation’s environmental laws and put our country at risk with shipments containing potent greenhouse gases,” said ICE HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “HSI Newark successfully conducts investigations into violations of U.S. import and export laws to ensure national security and protect the public’s health and safety. We will hold individuals and corporations accountable for violating global trade regulations.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In April 2022, on behalf of his company, Hires purchased 500 cylinders of HFCs in Peru. Over the next several months, EPA officials explained to Hires’s employees that, under the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, Hires’s company could not lawfully import the HFCs to the United States because it did not have the required EPA-issued allowances. In a July 22, 2022 email to one of Hires’s employees, an EPA official stated, in substance, “it is not possible to import bulk HFCs without consumption allowances.”

Hires’s employees conveyed this information from the EPA to Hires on several occasions. On one occasion, an employee forwarded to Hires an email that the employee had received from an EPA official which stated, “[t]he HFC you listed (R-410A) is a regulated substance. So if you do not have allowances, you cannot import those bulk HFC refrigerants.” In another email exchange between Hires and an employee, the employee informed Hires that, based on a video conference the employee had with EPA officials, shipping without the necessary allowances would violate import laws so “[i]t is out of our hands.”

Hires nevertheless instructed his employees to illegally import the HFCs into the United States. In a July 28, 2022 email, Hires stated to his employees: “[y]eah you have to be careful what agencies you’re reaching out to because the EPA . . . can create a hassle and they can hold our stuff up in customs there[.]” In a subsequent email, Hires instructed his employees to “get [the HFCs] on the ship and get it out to sea . . . don’t care what it takes[.]” Hires later instructed his employees via email: “Do not call the EPA please do not.”

The violation of the AIM Act with which Hires is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Divisions, under the direction of Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dan Meyers; special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Francis J. Russo, Director of Field Operations, New York Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s charge.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Bernard J. Cooney of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit, in Newark, and Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division.

The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Federal Law Enforcement Officer Charged With Falsifying Military Records To Take Hundreds Of Free Flights

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Dior Jay-Jarrett Allegedly Falsified Military Orders to Take Trips to the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, and Elsewhere

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging DIOR JAY-JARRETT with a scheme to defraud a major airline carrier of nearly $70,000 in free or discounted flights by claiming to be on military leave for years after he retired from the U.S. Marine Corps. JAY-JARRETT was arrested this morning and was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Jay-Jarrett—a federal law enforcement officer who currently serves as a Federal Air Marshal for the Department of Homeland Security—racked up thousands of dollars in free or discounted flights while pretending to be deployed on military missions around the world. He did so while simultaneously swearing an oath to protect and serve the public. Federal law enforcement officers are responsible for upholding our laws, and they will be held responsible when they break them.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint:^[^[1]^]

JAY-JARRETT served on active-duty in the U.S. Marine Corps from on or about December 9, 2013, until on or about November 29, 2022. While still on active-duty, on or about October 20, 2021, JAY-JARRETT also began employment as a baggage handler for a major airline carrier (“Airline-1”). After completing approximately one week of training, JAY-JARRETT requested and received from Airline-1 an approximately eight-month period of military leave by submitting falsified documents purporting to be Marine Corps orders for deployment that he in fact had never been issued.

In or about June 2023, JAY-JARRETT again submitted falsified documents to Airline-1 in order to receive another extended, approximately two-and-a-half-year long period of further military leave. In those documents, JAY-JARRETT claimed to still be in active-duty military service, when in fact he had already retired from the military in or about November 2022. On or about July 17, 2024, JAY-JARRETT again submitted falsified military orders to Airline-1, forwarding the same orders he provided the previous year.

JAY-JARRETT remained on military leave at Airline-1 even when he became a Federal Air Marshal with the Department of Homeland Security in or about October 2022, shortly before he retired from the Marine Corps. By remaining on supposed long-term military leave at Airline-1, JAY-JARRETT remained entitled to travel benefits including the ability to take unlimited, free flights on Airline-1, alongside ticketed family members or travel companions. From in or about November 2021 through September 2024, JAY-JARRETT took at least 130 such flights at a value of nearly $70,000.

Over the course of the scheme, from at least in or about December 2021 through in or about September 2024, JAY-JARRETT took free first-class flights to Los Angeles, London, San Diego, St. George’s, Las Vegas, and Dublin, and dozens more standard class flights to destinations including Antigua (five times), Aruba (three times), Bermuda (three times), Curaçao (twice), Barbados (twice), Belize (twice), the Grand Caymans (twice), Grenada (twice), Guatemala (twice), and a variety of other destinations including Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, and St. Maarten.

On or about September 29, 2024, during an interview with law enforcement officials, JAY-JARRETT admitted, in sum and substance, that he had retired from the Marine Corps in November 2022 without notifying Airline-1 that he had done so, and that he had submitted falsified military orders to Airline-1 stating that he was on military leave even after he had retired from the Marine Corps.

* * *

JAY-JARRETT, 29, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office, the Transportation Security Administration – Investigations, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection – New York Field Office, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan T. Nees is in charge of the prosecution.

The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: India-Based Chemical Manufacturing Company and Top Employees Indicted for Unlawful Importation of Fentanyl Precursor Chemicals

Source: United States Attorneys General

WASHINGTON — An India-based chemical manufacturing company and three high-level employees were charged in federal court in Washington, D.C., today related to illegally importing precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl.

According to the indictment, Vasudha Pharma Chem Limited (VPC), VPC Chief Global Business Officer Tanweer Ahmed Mohamed Hussain Parkar, 63, of India and the United Kingdom; VPC Marketing Director Venkata Naga Madhusudhan Raju Manthena, 48, of India; and VPC Marketing Representative Krishna Vericharla, 40, of India, were charged with multiple counts of manufacturing and distributing a List I fentanyl precursor chemical for unlawful importation into the United States, and attempting and conspiring to do the same.

It is alleged VPC advertised fentanyl precursor chemicals for sale worldwide on its website, in marketing materials, and at international trade shows. From March through November 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute a fentanyl precursor chemical knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States and used to make fentanyl that would be unlawfully imported into the United States, according to the indictment. On two occasions, in March 2024 and August 2024, the defendants sold an undercover agent 25 kilograms of the fentanyl precursor chemical 1-(tert-Butoxycarbonyl)-4-piperidone, also called N-BOC-4-piperidone, (N-BOC-4P), a List I chemical.

It is further alleged that between August and September 2024, defendants and the undercover agent negotiated a four-metric-ton (4,000 kilogram) purchase of N-BOC-4P – two metric tons of N-BOC-4P to be shipped to Sinaloa, Mexico, and another two metric tons of N-BOC-4P to be shipped to the United States – for a total price of approximately $380,000, knowing that the N-BOC-4P would be unlawfully imported into the United States and used to manufacture fentanyl that would be unlawfully imported into the United States.

The four-count indictment charges all defendants with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States and for the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance for unlawful importation into the United States; manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States; and attempted manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States and for the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance for unlawful importation into the United States. Additionally, defendants VPC, Vericharla, and Manthena are charged with a second count of manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States. If convicted, the individual defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. VPC faces a fine of $500,000 on each count.

Federal agents arrested Parkar and Manthena in New York City this morning.

Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Field Division made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division’s Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force, a DEA-led multi-agency task force with members from Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and state and local agencies from south Florida, are investigating the case. The Special Operations Unit of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section provided support.

Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Department of Defense Civilian Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified Documents

Source: US State of California

A civilian electrical engineer for the Department of Defense pleaded guilty in federal court today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.

According to court documents, Gokhan Gun, 51, of Falls Church, Virginia, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States. Through his employment, Gun possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and received training on the proper handling and storage of classified information.

Beginning in May 2024, Gun, without permission, removed at least five classified documents from his Department of Defense workspace with the intent to retain them at his primary residence, which was not an approved facility for the storage of classified information.

On Aug. 9, 2024, Gun was scheduled to depart the United States on a morning flight to Mexico. However, FBI agents observed a ride share service arrive at the defendant’s residence and approached Gun. Agents observed inside Gun’s residence a backpack inside which they located a Top Secret document and a notebook with handwritten notes that mirrored a Top Secret report. In the dining room, agents located additional classified documents, one of which Gun printed on Aug. 7, 2024, just two days before his scheduled departure.

Gun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Director in Charge Phillip E. Bates of the FBI Washington Field Office and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects (AFOSI) made the announcement.

The FBI and AFOSI Office of Special Projects are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Five Defendants Charged in Connection With Alien in Possession Offenses

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictments of five individuals on charges related to illegal aliens in possession of firearms and ammunition and firearms trafficking.

Vielman Cabrera Arevalo, 20, of Guatemala; Erick Lozano Colindrez, 23, of Honduras; and Ludwin Fuentes Lopez, 22, of El Salvador, were indicted on Alien in Possession of a Firearm and/or Ammunition charges. Lester Araely Ramos Perez, 28, and Milton Leon-Morales, 27 — both from Guatemala — are charged with Firearms Trafficking and Aliens in Possession of a Firearm offenses.

The indictments announced today 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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes made the announcement with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division (ATF); Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD); and Chief Jason Lando, Frederick Police Department (FPD).

According to the indictments, Ramos Perez, Leon-Morales, Arevalo, Lopez, and Colindrez are all illegal aliens unlawfully in the United States. Ramos Perez and Leon-Morales are charged with conspiring with others to ship, transport, cause to be transported, and otherwise dispose of more than 35 firearms on January 22, 2025. They are also charged with dealing firearms without a license, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and possessing firearms as illegal aliens unlawfully in the United States.

Law enforcement found Arevalo in possession of two rounds of CBC 9mm Luger ammunition on December 14, 2023. Similarly, authorities found Lopez in possession of a black Polymer 80 firearm and ammunition on July 20, 2024. On November 15, 2024, authorities found Colindrez in possession of a Johnson Arms & Cycle Works .32 caliber revolver and one black 9mm polymer pistol along with approximately 23 rounds of ammunition. As a result, each of these defendants is charged in separate indictments for Alien in Possession of a Firearm and/or Ammunition.

Upon a conviction, Ramos Perez and Leon-Morales face up to 15 years in prison on firearms trafficking charges, five years on dealing firearms without a license, 15 years in prison on the alien in possession charges, and 20 years on drug conspiracy charges. If Arevalo, Colindrez, and/or Lopez are convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison.

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

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

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI Baltimore; the FBI; ATF; DPSCS; BCoPD; and FPD for their work in connection with these investigations. Ms. Hayes also thanked Kenneth Clark, Chief, Violent and Organized Crime, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Beim, Kim Hagan, and Jamie O’Donohue, who are prosecuting the federal cases.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Department of Defense Civilian Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified Documents

Source: United States Attorneys General 7

A civilian electrical engineer for the Department of Defense pleaded guilty in federal court today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.

According to court documents, Gokhan Gun, 51, of Falls Church, Virginia, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States. Through his employment, Gun possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and received training on the proper handling and storage of classified information.

Beginning in May 2024, Gun, without permission, removed at least five classified documents from his Department of Defense workspace with the intent to retain them at his primary residence, which was not an approved facility for the storage of classified information.

On Aug. 9, 2024, Gun was scheduled to depart the United States on a morning flight to Mexico. However, FBI agents observed a ride share service arrive at the defendant’s residence and approached Gun. Agents observed inside Gun’s residence a backpack inside which they located a Top Secret document and a notebook with handwritten notes that mirrored a Top Secret report. In the dining room, agents located additional classified documents, one of which Gun printed on Aug. 7, 2024, just two days before his scheduled departure.

Gun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Director in Charge Phillip E. Bates of the FBI Washington Field Office and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects (AFOSI) made the announcement.

The FBI and AFOSI Office of Special Projects are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: WHO give clean bill of health to cities taking action on preventable diseases

Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

20 March 2025 Climate and Environment

Three cities that share a healthy vision for their residents won UN World Health Organization awards on Thursday for their smoke-free parks, clean air initiatives and obesity-busting school lunch initiatives.

Córdoba in Argentina, Fortaleza in Brazil and Manchester in the UK picked up accolades at a healthy cities summit, co-hosted by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), Bloomberg Philanthropies and Vital Strategies.

The Argentinian city won recognition for its policy to eliminate sugary and artificially sweetened drinks – along with ultra-processed foods – from all schools by 2026. So far, 15,000 primary schoolchildren in 26 schools have benefited.

“We’re seeing a lot of progress in local leadership and mayors from across the world taking on the fight and trying to lower rates of the world’s biggest killers, heart disease, diabetes, cancers and respiratory diseases,” said Jaimie Guerra, Communications Officer at WHO.

The Summit in Paris brought togethers mayors and officials from 61 cities around the world to discuss how to build healthier local communities.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated the three winners, who he said were a model for other cities to follow, at the forefront of the fight against non-communicable diseases and injuries.

Non-communicable illnesses include heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease. They are responsible for the vast majority of fatalities, said UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, Michael Bloomberg, who was also at the summit in France.

The diseases “are responsible for more than 80 percent of all deaths globally, but the good news is, they are preventable”, said Mr. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and the three-time former mayor of New York City.

Breathing more easily

Winner Fortaleza established its first legal framework for air quality surveillance in a bid to curb air pollution and help people breathe more easily.

The Brazilian city authorities in 2023 adopted a decree ensuring local monitoring of air pollutants and the installation of low-cost sensors for better data collection.

Greater Manchester meanwhile has continued its efforts to curb tobacco use, introducing its first smoke-free 6.5-acre park.

The northern English city also launched a smoke-free toolkit for hospitals and is developing a broader toolkit to support organizations to create tobacco-free spaces.

Soundcloud

Tackling the world’s biggest killers

Participants in the healthy cities summit included representatives from Dhaka in Bangladesh, Helsinki in Finland, the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, Lusaka in Zambia and Quito in Ecuador.

The participating urban centres are part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of 74 cities launched in 2017 to prevent non-communicable diseases and injuries through policy and programmes.

“These programmes are really making a difference,” said WHO’s Ms. Guerra. “And in the partnership, most of the cities are one million-plus people. In total, it covers more than 300 million people.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 03.20.2025 ICYMI: Sen. Cruz, USDA Secretary Rollins, Rep. De La Cruz Address Agricultural Challenges in the Rio Grande Valley

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

McAllen, Texas – Today, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), joined by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas-15), hosted a roundtable and press conference in San Juan, Texas, to address challenges producers are facing in the Rio Grande Valley.

Sen. Cruz said, “I was proud to lead the effort in the U.S. Senate to secure this $280 million block grant, which is critical for Texas producers in the Rio Grande Valley, and to work with Secretary Rollins and President Trump in getting it across the finish line. Secretary Rollins is a champion of agriculture, and we are working together on the crisis facing Texas agriculture across the board, including holding Mexico accountable for its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty.”
USDA Secretary Rollins said, “Farmers and ranchers in the Rio Grande Valley have worked for generations to feed communities across Texas, the U.S., and beyond. A lack of water has already ended sugarcane production in the Valley and is putting the future of citrus, cotton, and other crops at risk. Through this grant, USDA is expediting much-needed economic relief while we continue working with state leadership to push for long-term solutions that protect Texas producers.”
Sen. Cornyn said, “The Texas agriculture community helps feed, clothe, and fuel our entire country, and it is critical that they have the help and resources they need to keep their industry thriving. Today’s announcement of more than $280 million in emergency assistance is great news for South Texans, many of whom have been greatly impacted by Mexico’s failure to deliver water under the 1944 Water Treaty. I was proud to help lead the fight to secure this important funding alongside Senator Cruz, Congresswoman De La Cruz, and Senate Ag Committee Chairman Boozman, who joined me in the Rio Grande Valley last year to hear firsthand from farmers about the challenges they are facing. I will continue advocating for the needs of Texas farmers and ranchers in Washington, and with the help of the Trump administration, I look forward to seeing this industry continue to grow.”
Rep. De La Cruz said, “Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our South Texas communities and economy. The funding deployment announced by Secretary Rollins today will provide critical relief for the South Texas agricultural industry after suffering tremendous losses due to drought conditions and the Government of Mexico’s refusal to comply with the 1944 Water Treaty. I am proud to work alongside the Administration to deploy this critical aid and deliver solutions for the families, businesses, and communities across the nation that rely on Texas agriculture to thrive.”
BACKGROUND
Sen. Cruz is a key defender of Texan producers:

Sen. Cruz championed a provision providing support for South Texas agricultural producers suffering from Mexico’s blatant failure to meet its obligations under the 1944 Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado, Tijuana, and Rio Grande Rivers. This funding will provide immediate relief for hardworking Texans.
Sen. Cruz introduced the Livestock Indemnity Program Enhancement Act to help Texas livestock producers recover from wildfires in the Texas Panhandle.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee,spearheaded the passage of legislation to streamline the permitting process for new and expanded bridges across the Rio Grande in Brownsville, Laredo, and Eagle Pass, Texas, into law. This victory was made possible by a bipartisan and bicameral coalition of Texas legislators dedicated to expanding Texas’s economy and enhancing our bilateral relationship with Mexico, including Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), and Monica de la Cruz (R-Texas).

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Arrested for Role in Money Laundering Conspiracy

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Boston has been arrested for his involvement in a money laundering conspiracy.

Jose Miguel Pena de la Cruz, 32, was charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. He appeared in federal court on March 18, 2025.

According to the charging documents, between April 17, 2020, and May 14, 2020, Pena de la Cruz delivered $340,080 on behalf of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in Massachusetts so that the money could be laundered on behalf of a DTO based in Mexico.

During the course of the conspiracy it is alleged that Pena de la Cruz laundered $340,080 by delivering bulk cash drug proceeds packaged in bundles to undercover law enforcement after DTO members communicated with the undercover officers to set up the transaction. Throughout the investigation more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl from the DTO for which Pena de la Cruz delivered the drug proceeds were seized.

The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting this case.

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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Felon extradited from Mexico pleads guilty to illegally acquiring multiple firearms

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Laredo has entered a guilty plea for his role in a scheme to straw purchase multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Between the February 2021 and July 2021, Jesus Guadalupe Covarrubias aided and abetted the straw purchasing of multiple rifles.

In July 2021, authorities discovered the theft of approximately 10 AK-style and 20 AR-style rifles at a ranch Covarrubias owned. As a convicted felon, Covarrubias is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.

Further investigation led law enforcement to his residence in Laredo where they observed Covarrubias and others placing items into nearby vehicles. Covarrubias left the house with two others and went to a second home.

At that location, authorities observed the movement of three rifles from a truck into the house and took Covarrubias and others into custody.

Covarrubias admitted to knowing he was a convicted felon and unable to possess firearms and ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, he acknowledged sending others to stores to purchase firearms on his behalf.

After his arrest in August 2021, Covarrubias was permitted release upon posting bond but fled to Mexico. Law enforcement eventually took him into custody. He was returned to U.S. authorities Feb. 21.

“This case is an important reminder to criminals that they may run from justice, but they can’t hide,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas is appreciative of the efforts of all those, both in the United States and in Mexico, that made Mr. Corvarrubias’ extradition happen, so he could face justice.”

“Straw purchasing is not only a direct violation of the law, but it also endangers our communities by enabling prohibited incidentals to gain access to firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “These dangerous actions jeopardize public safety and undermine the trust that we place in our justice system. It is imperative that we hold accountable those who engage in straw purchasing, ensuring that our laws are enforced, and that justice is served to prevent the illegal flow of firearms into the wrong hands.”

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Covarrubias faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum find.

Covarrubias will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Covarrubias. U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Covarrubias from Mexico to the Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day prosecuted the case.

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Violent Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Third Illegal Reentry into United States from Mexico

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

INDIANAPOLIS— Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, 35, of Mexico, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of an alien after deportation.

According to court documents, on September 19, 2024, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officers were notified by the Indiana Department of Corrections that Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, an illegal alien, was in custody following a conviction for domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman and scheduled to be released on October 22, 2024.

Zuniga-Lopez had previously been deported to Mexico several times, including once in 2018 and twice in 2020. He was prohibited from entering the United States at any time because he had been convicted of at least one aggravated felony. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, aliens found guilty of certain crimes may be excluded from legal reentry to the country.

Zuniga-Lopez has a lengthy criminal history, including two previous federal convictions for illegal reentry, as well as two convictions for breaking and entering, and domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman.

Most recently, in 2024, while in the United States unlawfully, Zuniga-Lopez viciously assaulted his own girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, after she stated she did not want his drugs in her home. He swung at her face with closed fists and continued to punch her after she fell to the ground. The victim’s three young children witnessed the attack and screamed “hey mommy, stop!” The day after the victim made this report to police, Zuniga-Lopez broke a window to her home and forced himself inside. He then fled from police before he was arrested. Zuniga-Lopez was convicted and sentenced in Marion County for this offense.

“While in the United States unlawfully, this defendant has repeatedly broken the law, demonstrating time and time again a fundamental lack of respect for this country” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Additionally, this defendant is a proven menace to society, including toward some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community—women and children. Our office is committed to working with our ICE partners to charge and convict aliens that illegally re-enter the country, especially if they are a risk to public safety.”

“Our ICE Officers work tirelessly to protect the homeland through our efforts with border security, national security and our drive to keep the public safe,” said ERO Chicago’s Assistant Field Office Director Douglas Thompson. “Criminal aliens that continue to cross into our country need to face consequences to discourage them committing crimes that endanger our communities. We will continue to work with our federal partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute violent felons like Zuniga-Lopez, who has multiple convictions and removals from the U.S.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.

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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

###

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján Joins Push to Save Task Force Combating Threats to Election Officials

US Senate News:

Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
Senators to Attorney General: “In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on [DOJ] to uphold the law”
Santa Fe, N.M. — U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and more than two dozenDemocratic Senators in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to continue the essential work of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Election Threats Task Force, which directs the Department’s efforts to protect election officials from rising threats and acts of violence.
The Senators’ letter comes as the Trump Administration has significantly rolled back the federal government’s capacity to fight against foreign and domestic election security threats. On Attorney General Bondi’s first day in office, she disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Foreign Influence Task Force, hindering efforts to address secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries. Additionally, the Administration has fired or put on leave dozens of officials responsible for combating foreign election interference at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and has reportedly frozen all of CISA’s ongoing election security work. The Administration has also defunded CISA’s nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
“Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections,” wrote the Senators.
“Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law,” continued the Senators.
In addition to Senators Luján, Padilla, and Durbin, the letter was also signed by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Attorney General Bondi:
We write to strongly urge you to continue the critical law enforcement work of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from ongoing threats and acts of violence. Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections.
The Task Force was established in the wake of the 2020 election cycle when election officials across the political spectrum began facing unprecedented threats of violence intended to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. In close collaboration with state and local law enforcement, the Task Force has assessed thousands of complaints of suspected threats of violence and investigated and prosecuted violent offenders. Over the years, these threats have not only continued but escalated. The Task Force has investigated fentanyl-laced letters, bomb threats, and swatting incidents—serving as a legacy of the 2020 election and impacting the ways election officials interact with voters in their communities.
Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law.
Moreover, the federal government’s ability to fight election interference has been greatly hampered in the early weeks of this Administration. Dozens of officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are responsible for combatting foreign election interference, have been fired or put on leave. CISA has also reportedly frozen all of its ongoing election security work, including defunding its nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the “Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.” Additionally, on your first day in office, you signed a directive disbanding the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was aimed at responding to secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries.
We request a response on the status and future plans of the Election Threats Task Force, the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to its work, and how it plans to incorporate related work previously led by CISA and the Foreign Influence Task Force by March 31, 2025.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s Africa strategy is a landmark moment for Canada-Africa relations, but still needs work

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By David J Hornsby, Professor of International Affairs and the Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic), Carleton University

For the first time in its history, Canada has unveiled a comprehensive Africa strategy, marking a significant milestone in the Canadian approach to engaging with the African continent.

Launched on March 6 by Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to the foreign affairs minister, the strategy represents a crucial step towards a more coherent and intentional relationship with Africa.

This development is worthy of praise for several reasons.

The strategy’s strengths

First, it demonstrates Canada’s recognition of Africa’s growing importance on the global stage. It acknowledges the need for Canada to work closely with African states and organizations in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the G20 and the Francophonie.

It also positions Canada not only as a partner in enhancing Africa’s voice in global affairs, but also as an ally in advancing the Canadian government’s strategic interests abroad.

The strategy’s development process was remarkably inclusive, with more than 600 stakeholder submissions. This consultative approach not only ensured a diverse range of perspectives, but also promotes accountability in the strategy’s implementation.

Finally, the initiative’s broad scope is commendable. By intentionally crafting the strategy to encompass a wide array of African partners — from the African Union to diaspora groups in Canada — the government has created a framework that allows various African nations and organizations to see themselves reflected in the partnership.

Remaining questions

However, as with any significant policy development, there are areas for improvement and questions to be addressed. These include:

Resource allocation: While the strategy sets ambitious goals, it’s unclear how these will be achieved without new funding.

Although the argument can be made that the government has the option to reconfigure existing funding to align with broader policy shifts, that would leave major gaps in current development programming. The government must provide more specific details about funding and, just as importantly, metrics for implementation.

Competitive landscape: The strategy doesn’t fully acknowledge Canada’s current position in Africa. While it identifies increased competition from familiar players like China, the European Union and Russia, as well as a growing array of competitors like Brazil, Turkey and the Gulf states, it doesn’t confront the degree to which, relatively speaking, Canada has lost ground.

This needs to be acknowledged alongside Canada’s residual reputational strength, rooted in a history of supporting democratic transitions for African nations — particularly during the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, but also during numerous peacekeeping engagements.

Read more:
Brian Mulroney’s tough stand against apartheid is one of his most important legacies

Investments in developmental projects related to education and health in Africa have led to Canada garnering a reputation as a constructive and responsive collaborator on African issues. That said, Canada’s reputation in terms of mining and other extractive activities on the continent is an unhelpful counterpoint.

Canada must strongly position itself as a state that can be trusted to champion African issues while forging partnerships based on mutual interest and respect in the fast-changing global competitive environment.

Innovation and education: Despite the strategy’s mention of engaging youth and diaspora communities, it’s unclear on how to do this. A crucial way to connect with youth in particular is to enhance education connections and expand the links between universities and science and technological innovation institutions in Canada and African states.

Dual degrees, funded collaborative research projects, student exchanges and scholarships are all tried-and-tested mechanisms to foster cross-cultural understandings that bind societies together.

A sustainable Canada-Africa strategy must see educational and scientific partnerships, training and knowledge circulation as cornerstones for success.

It would be a missed opportunity if the government fails to use this blueprint to leverage Canada’s extensive educational and scientific assets to generate innovative ideas that support the strategy’s implementation. This approach could also create opportunities for Canadian and African youth to build a strong foundation for a lasting and meaningful Canada-Africa relationship in the future.

Read more:
Why international students could be a critical factor in bolstering Canada’s economic resilience

Ethical considerations: The strategy doesn’t adequately address issues related to the mining sector and the need for more ethical practices.

Given Canada is touted as a mining superpower in Africa, a clear commitment to supporting human rights-centred and community development-oriented mining practices would go a long way to sustaining Canada’s interest in the extractive sector in Africa. This would also enhance its overall reputation on the continent.

Furthermore, the ethics of Canada’s immigration regime and the often punitive approach to giving out temporary visas to African travellers is starkly missing from the strategy.

It’s critical in terms of Canada’s future engagements and relations with African nations to recognize the current system is broken and considered overly intrusive by Africans. If Canada is serious about learning from Africa and forming equitable partnerships based on mutual respect, it cannot mete out indignities at the border.

High-level commitment: The launch of the strategy by a parliamentary secretary, rather than the foreign affairs minister or the prime minister, raises questions about the perceived importance of this strategy at the highest levels of government.

The launch was diplomatically underwhelming, with no invitations extended to the Canadian media or the African diplomatic community in Canada. This created the impression that the government was either already distancing itself from the strategy, or was anxious to manage expectations.

Given that the launch of the strategy coincided with the Independence day of Ghana, one of the first African countries that Canada established official diplomatic relations with, the Canadian government should have seized on this historic moment to send a strong diplomatic message to the African continent.

Substantial starting point

Despite these concerns, the Africa strategy represents a significant and promising starting point.

It provides a coherent, multidimensional and multi-purpose framework for Canada’s engagement with Africa. It synthesizes ongoing initiatives, sets intentions for future collaborations and seeks to move beyond paternalistic motivations to build an enhanced Canada-Africa relationship based on trust and respect.

The strategy is realistic not only about Canada’s own limitations and needs, but also about the complexities of building partnerships with a large and diverse continent. It highlights humanitarian and security priorities while also emphasizing economic and political opportunities in Africa. The combination of humanitarian concerns with strategic interests signals a shift toward a more balanced and consistent approach towards the continent.

Read more:
Why Canada must seize the moment and launch its long-awaited Africa strategy

As we move forward, the Canadian government must address the strategy’s shortcomings and provide more concrete plans for its implementation.

Nonetheless, this moment deserves recognition. Canada has taken an important first step towards a more strategic, intentional and mutually beneficial relationship with Africa. It’s now up to policymakers, businesses, the academic community and civil society to build upon this foundation and turn this strategy into tangible, positive outcomes for both Canada and its African partners.

David Black receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Thomas Kwasi Tieku receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

David J Hornsby and Edward Akuffo do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Canada’s Africa strategy is a landmark moment for Canada-Africa relations, but still needs work – https://theconversation.com/canadas-africa-strategy-is-a-landmark-moment-for-canada-africa-relations-but-still-needs-work-252367

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI: Correction: Equinor presents 2024 Annual report

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Correction: The below stock market announcement (SMA) is a correction of the SMA published on 20 March 2025 message ID 641734. The reason for the correction is that information related to the balance sheet of Equinor ASA was inadequately presented in the attachment “Equinor Annual Report 2024.pdf”. The presentation is now complete in the attached reporting.

* * *

Equinor ASA (OSE: EQNR, NYSE: EQNR) publishes annual report for 2024, including financial and sustainability reporting.

“2024 was marked by continued unpredictability in energy markets, with growing energy demand, political uncertainty and uneven progress in the energy transition. Our focus is on producing the energy the world needs today, and at the same time developing the energy systems needed for the future,” says Anders Opedal, President and CEO of Equinor ASA.

Safety

“A systematic approach to safety over time is paying off with the best safety results to date in 2024. However, the year was marked by the fatal search and rescue (SAR) helicopter accident where we lost a dear colleague. We believe close collaboration with suppliers and shared learning in the industry is important for our continued safety improvement effort”, says Opedal.

The twelve-month average Serious Incident Frequency (SIF) for 2024 was 0.3, down from 0.4 in 2023.

Strong operational and financial performance

Equinor delivered adjusted operating income* of USD 29.8 billion, and adjusted net income* of USD 9.18. Net operating income was reported at USD 30.9 billion and net income at USD 8.83 billion.

“Our operational performance was strong, built on the dedicated efforts from employees across the company. Our role as a major supplier of energy to Europe is important and I am proud of the work we have done to provide energy security”, says Opedal.

Strong operational performance across the portfolio contributed to an equity production of liquids and gas of 2,067 mboe per day in 2024, on par with the year before. Equity production of renewable power increased by 51% to 2,935 GWh.

Strong financial result contributed to a return on average capital employed (RoACE)* at 21% for 2024. Capital discipline remained firm with organic capital expenditures* ending at USD 12.1 billion for the year. Equinor maintained a strong balance sheet with net debt to capital employed adjusted* of 11.9% at the end of 2024.

The strong financial results of 2024 also led to strong contributions to society through taxes. In 2024, Equinor paid USD 20.6 billion in corporate income taxes of which USD 19.7 billion was paid in Norway, where Equinor has the largest share of its operations and earnings.

Firm strategy and progressing industrial development

“We have a consistent growth strategy, and our strategic direction remains firm. By adapting to market situation and opportunities, we are positioned for stronger free cash flow and growth, and set to create shareholder value for decades to come”, Opedal continues.

Through progressing projects and portfolio shaping transactions Equinor spent 2024 high-grading the portfolio and positioning for stronger growth and cash flow.

On the Norwegian continental shelf, the development of the portfolio continued with 39 new licences and approvals of the PDOs of Eirin, Irpa, Verdande and Andvare projects. The Johan Castberg FPSO arrived at the field and started preparations for startup.

The international upstream portfolio was focused with the exits from our long-standing positions in Nigeria and Azerbaijan and deepened in core areas with the acquisitions of US Onshore gas assets close to premium markets. In the UK an agreement was signed to establish an incorporated joint venture with Shell UK Ltd., which will become the largest independent oil and gas company on the UK continental shelf.

Through 2024 Equinor high-graded the renewables portfolio to ensure profitable growth, in a market challenged by cost inflation and regulatory delays. In the UK the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank, continued to progress towards commercial start-up. Production was commenced at the Mendubim solar plants in Brazil.

The long-term view on the importance of offshore wind remains firm. Through an acquisition of a 10% stake in Ørsted, Equinor got exposure to a premium portfolio of offshore wind projects and assets in operation.

Value chains for carbon transport and storage progressed notably. In Norway, Northern Lights, the first commercial CO2 transport and storage infrastructure was completed and is expected to receive and store CO2 in 2025. In the UK, execution started for two of UK’s first carbon capture and storage infrastructure projects where Equinor is a partner.

Progress on the Energy transition plan

In 2024, Equinor achieved a year-on-year reduction of 5% in operated scope 1+2 greenhouse gas emissions, bringing the total down to 11.0 million tonnes CO2 equivalents. This is a 34% reduction from 2015, which is the reference year for Equinor’s ambition to reduce group-wide operated emissions by 50% on a net basis by 2030. Throughout 2024, actions were taken for further emission reductions with the partial electrification of the Sleipner field center, the Gudrun platform, as well as the Troll B and C fields.

The average upstream CO2 intensity of Equinor’s operated portfolio was 6.2 kg of CO2 per boe in 2024 (100% basis), an improvement from 6.7kg of CO2/boe in 2023 and well below the industry average. The scope 3 GHG emissions from use of our products were 251 million tonnes in 2024, on par with the level in 2023.

Equinor improved in the net carbon intensity of energy produced (including scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions) in 2024, which is now 2% below the 2019 baseline. The reduction was mainly driven by increased renewable energy production and lower scope 1+2 emissions.

Equinor ambition is to to be a leading company in the energy transition. The updated Energy Transition Plan, published on March 20 2025, outlines the approach to deliver on Equinor’s strategy of creating value in the transition, while adjusting to changing external context and market realities.

***

The previously announced decision of the French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), includes a requirement for Equinor to publish the following summary language:

“Les sociétés Danske Commodities A/S et Equinor ASA ont été condamnées, par une décision n° 08-40-23 de la Commission de régulation de l’énergie (CRE) du 20 janvier 2025, au titre de la méconnaissance de l’article 5 du règlement REMIT qui prohibe les manipulations de marché, au paiement de sanctions pécuniaires, dont les montants s’élèvent à huit millions d’euros (8.000.000 €) pour la société Danske Commodities A/S et quatre millions d’euros (4.000.000 €) pour la société Equinor ASA, pour des manipulations commises sur le marché de gros en 2019 et en 2020, en ce qui concerne les capacités de transport de gaz naturel entre la France et l’Espagne.

Danske Commodities A/S and Equinor ASA were ordered by decision no. 08-40-23 of Commission de régulation de l’énergie (CRE) of 20 January 2025 to pay – for infringement of Article 5 of REMIT Regulation prohibiting market manipulations – financial penalties in the amount of eight million euros (€8,000,000) as regards Danske Commodities A/S and four million euros (€4,000,000) as regards Equinor ASA, for manipulations committed on the wholesale market in 2019 and 2020, with regard to natural gas transmission capacity between France and Spain.”

The full decision is included in the attached appendix “Full decision text”. Equinor does not agree with the decision from CRE and will appeal the case to the Higher Administrative Court in France.

* * *

Our annual report and the subsidiary reports published separately can be downloaded from equinor.com/reports.

* * *

In accordance with Section 203.01 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, Equinor ASA announces that on 20 March 2025 it filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission its 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F that includes audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024.

The Equinor 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F may be downloaded from Equinor’s website at www.equinor.com. References to this document or other documents on Equinor’s website are included as an aid to their location and are not incorporated by reference into this document. All SEC filings made available electronically by Equinor may be obtained from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Shareholders may also request a hard copy of the annual report free of charge at www.equinor.com.

* * *

(*) These are non-GAAP figures. See Use and reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures in the annual report for more details.

Further information:

Investor relations
Bård Glad Pedersen, senior vice president Investor Relations,
+47 51 99 00 00

Press
Rikke Høistad Sjøberg, media spokesperson financial communication,
+47 901 01 451(mobile)

* * *

Cautionary Note regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect current views with respect to future events, are based on the management’s current expectations and assumptions, and are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those discussed under “Risk Factors” in the 2024 Annual report and elsewhere in Equinor’s publications. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and, except as required by applicable law, Equinor undertakes no obligation to update any of these statements, whether to make them conform to actual results, changes in expectations or otherwise.

* * *

This information is subject to disclosure obligations pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation, ref. section 3-1 in the Norwegian Securities Trading Act, and section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Attachments

The MIL Network –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Oracle Database@Azure adds support for Base Database Service, Exadata Exascale and more
Source: Microsoft

Headline: Oracle Database@Azure adds support for Base Database Service, Exadata Exascale and more

Oracle customers of all sizes rely on Oracle databases to run their mission-critical workloads, from financial systems to global supply chains. As they navigate digital transformation, they want to modernize their databases and applications in the cloud while enabling advanced AI, real-time analytics, and automation. That’s why Microsoft and Oracle partnered to create Oracle Database@Azure – and now we’re adding more options to serve customers of all sizes with Oracle Base Database Service coming soon and Exadata Exascale now generally available. Additionally, we’re expanding our regional availability for Oracle Database@Azure to the East US 2 region and adding important networking enhancements.

Oracle Base Database Service – coming soon!

Not every database workload requires extreme performance. Some businesses need a simple, cost-effective way to run Oracle databases in Azure—without the overhead of managing infrastructure.

We are pleased to announce that Oracle Base Database Service will soon be available on Oracle Database@Azure. Base Database Service will run Oracle Database Enterprise Edition and Standard Edition 2 versions of 19c and 23ai on virtual machines. It offers automated database lifecycle management for reduced administration, low-code application development for faster deployment, and independently scalable compute and storage with pay-as-you-go pricing for flexible workload demands.

Base Database Service provides a low-friction, cost-effective entry point to Oracle Database@Azure so Oracle database customers can scale effortlessly and unlock agility in the cloud.

Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure is now generally available

Now workloads of any size can benefit from the performance, reliability, and availability benefits of high performance Exadata infrastructure with Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure running in Azure datacenters.

By leveraging Exascale’s intelligent data architecture, businesses can reduce infrastructure costs, making high-performance Oracle databases more accessible. Its highly elastic, cost-efficient solution enables organizations of any size to balance automation with control, and optimize AI, analytics, and transactional workloads.

Azure customers can purchase Oracle Exadata Database Service on Exascale Infrastructure through the Azure Marketplace via a custom private offer or pay-as-you-go model, with the option of using Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC). Existing Oracle Database customers can also bring their own license (BYOL) or use Unlimited License Agreements (ULAs).

With Exascale infrastructure, organizations only pay for the compute and storage resources used starting with a highly affordable minimum size—all within Azure’s trusted cloud ecosystem.

Other announcements

In addition to the support for new Oracle database services, we’re proud to announce more capabilities and choice for our customers.

Bringing Oracle Database@Azure to East US 2

We’re pleased to announce the expansion of Oracle Database@Azure availability to the East US 2 region of Azure. With this addition,

Oracle Database@Azure is now available in 14 regions globally which is the highest amongst all hyperscalers – Australia East, Brazil South, Canada Central, East US, East US 2, Central US, France Central, Germany West Central, Italy North, Japan East, Southeast Asia, UK South, UK West and West US. 

By the end of 2025, the service will expand to 18 additional regions, enhancing scalability and resilience worldwide. Eight multi-zone regions will include Central India, North Europe, South Central US, Spain Central, Sweden Central, UAE North, West US 2, and West US 3. 10 single-zone regions will include Australia Southeast, Brazil Southeast, Canada East, France South, Germany North, Japan West, North Central US, South India, West Europe, and UAE Central.

Microsoft is the only cloud provider offering a unique combination of multi- and single-zone regions to offer Oracle Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) at Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers for the highest levels of availability, disaster recovery, failover, and operational continuity. The global expansion of Oracle Database@Azure will continue to support alignment with Microsoft’s best practices for Disaster Recovery. For more details, please refer to Microsoft’s cross-region replication guidelines. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/reliability/regions-paired

Supercharging Performance with Oracle Exadata X11M

To help customers get even more from their Oracle databases in Azure, we’re excited to announce that Oracle Exadata Database Service on Dedicated Infrastructure on Oracle Database@Azure now supports Oracle Exadata X11M. This next-generation architecture delivers significantly increased performance for your AI, analytics, and mission-critical workloads compared to the previous generation — all without increasing infrastructure or consumption costs.

Enhanced networking capabilities for enterprise workloads

We’re continuing to enhance Oracle Database@Azure for enterprise workloads with new networking capabilities. With the addition of Network Security Groups (NSG), Private Link, Global Peering, and ExpressRoute FastPath, customers now benefit from enhanced security, higher performance, and improved connectivity to effortlessly integrate their Oracle databases with Azure services and infrastructure.
- Network Security Groups (NSG): Enforce fine-grained security policies, allowing customers to control access to their Oracle databases with ease.
- Private Link: Enable private, secure connections between Azure services and Oracle Database@Azure, reducing exposure to the public internet and enhancing compliance.
- Global Peering: Provide quick, high-speed interconnectivity across multiple Azure regions, improving disaster recovery and cross-region data replication.
- ExpressRoute FastPath:
  
  Optimize networking performance with direct, ultra-low-latency connections between apps hosted on Azure VMware Solution (AVS) and databases on Oracle Database@Azure.
  
  Accelerate migrations from on-premises environments to Oracle Database@Azure, ensuring fast, easy data transfer for mission-critical workloads like real-time analytics and financial transactions.
With Oracle Database@Azure running on OCI in Azure datacenters, customers benefit from:
- Analytics and insights – Combine Oracle and non-Oracle data with Microsoft Fabric for unified analytics, including AI-driven insights via Copilot and visualization using PowerBI.
- Comprehensive Data Governance & Compliance – Leverage Microsoft Purview to ensure robust data governance, security, and compliance across Oracle databases and Azure services, enabling unified data discovery, classification, and policy enforcement.
- AI-Powered Innovation – Build scalable, intelligent applications using Azure App Service, AKS, Azure DevOps, and AI services like Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI Service, and Azure Machine Learning.
- Enterprise-Grade Security– Strengthen enterprise security with Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM) for proactive threat detection and response, combined with Entra ID for robust identity protection and access management
- Seamless Cloud Migration & Integration – Simplify and accelerate Oracle database transitions to the cloud with Oracle Zero-Downtime Migration and Azure Migrate, ensuring seamless integration with native Azure services.
- Flexible & Cost-Effective Deployment – Benefit from OCI pricing parity, hybrid cloud connectivity, streamlined licensing, and enterprise agreements, ensuring predictable costs and procurement flexibility.
- Unified Support & High Availability – Enjoy joint Microsoft-Oracle enterprise-grade support, validated Maximum Availability Architecture (MAA) at Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers, and built-in disaster recovery and failover protections.
- Future-Proof Cloud Architecture – Run Oracle workloads natively on Azure with a fully tested, validated, and supported cloud service from two of the most trusted names in enterprise computing.
Get Started Today

Now is the time to unlock new possibilities. Get started today and take your enterprise workloads to the next level with Oracle Database@Azure.

Contact your Microsoft sales team.

Visit https://aka.ms/oracle to learn more.

Learn how to migrate and manage your Oracle databases in Azure.
MIL OSI Economics –
March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Our new study indicates maternal exposure to relatively low fluoride levels may affect intelligence in children

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Maria Kippler, Associate Professor, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet

Alena Matrosova/Shutterstock

Fluoride occurs naturally in drinking water, especially well water, but the concentrations are generally low in public water supplies. In some countries, such as the US, Canada, UK, Australia and Ireland, fluoride is commonly added to the public water supply at around 0.7mg per litre to prevent tooth decay. The World Health Organization guideline for fluoride in drinking water is 1.5mg per litre.

Given the concern that fluoride in drinking water might affect children’s intelligence, the addition of this mineral to drinking water has become controversial. Consensus among researchers about the precise nature of the link between fluoridation and intelligence is lacking and the existing evidence is widely debated.

The US National Toxicology Program’s, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, most recent evaluation states with moderate confidence that higher fluoride exposure (above the World Health Organization guideline) is consistently associated with decreased child intelligence, while they conclude that more research is needed to understand the effects at lower fluoride exposure levels.

Read more:
Fluoride: very high levels in water associated with cognitive impairment in children

A new study my colleagues and I conducted found that relatively low exposure to fluoride during the foetal stage (as a result of the mother’s exposure to fluoride) or in the child’s early years may affect their intelligence.

For the study, which was published in Environmental Health Perspectives, we followed 500 mothers and their children in rural Bangladesh, where fluoride occurs naturally in the drinking water, to investigate the link between early life exposure to fluoride and children’s intelligence.

Psychologists evaluated the children’s cognitive abilities at five and ten years of age, using standard IQ tests. The exposure to fluoride in the mothers during pregnancy and children at five and ten years of age was determined by measuring the concentrations in urine samples. Urine samples reflect the continuing exposure from all sources, such as drinking water, food and dental products (such as toothpaste and mouthwash). Urine samples are the most accurate way of determining fluoride exposure in people.

Increasing urinary concentrations of fluoride in pregnant women were linked to decreasing intelligence in their children at five and ten. Even the lowest fluoride concentrations were associated with decreases in the children’s cognition. The average maternal urinary fluoride concentration was 0.63mg per litre, with the vast majority of concentrations falling between 0.26 and 1.4mg per litre.

The children’s average urinary fluoride concentrations at five and ten years of age (0.62 and 0.66mg per litre, respectively) were similar to those of their mothers during pregnancy.

Among children who had more than 0.72mg per litre of fluoride in their urine by age ten, increasing urinary fluoride concentrations were associated with lower intelligence. In children with less fluoride in their urine, there were no consistent associations with their intelligence. So childhood exposure seemed to be less detrimental than the exposure during early foetal development.

Out of the cognitive abilities measured, associations of both maternal and child urinary fluoride concentrations were most pronounced with nonverbal reasoning and verbal abilities. There were no consistent differences between boys and girls.

We didn’t find a link between fluoride concentrations in the urine of the five-year-olds and their intelligence. This could be due to the shorter exposure time or that urinary fluoride concentrations aren’t as reliable in younger children owing to greater variations in how much fluoride is taken up and stored in the body, particularly in the bones.

As well as the children’s urinary fluoride concentration, the fluoride concentrations in drinking water were measured at the age of ten for a random subset of the studied children. The average was 0.20mg per litre, which is well below the WHO guideline value for fluoride in drinking water.

The concentrations in drinking water tracked with the concentrations in urine, confirming that water is a main source of exposure. Still, we couldn’t exclude the possibility that there were contributions from other sources. Fluoride in toothpaste is important for preventing tooth decay, but it’s important to encourage small children not to swallow the toothpaste during brushing.

Limitations

A limitation of our study is that we measured fluoride only in one urine sample at each time point. As a large fraction of the absorbed fluoride is excreted in some hours, one measurement may give uncertain levels for the individual. However, as the exposure largely comes from water it can be assumed that the intake is rather constant over time.

Another limitation is that the intelligence tests that were used have not been standardised for the Bangladeshi population. As a result, we did not convert the results to IQ scores (with an average of 100) that can be compared across populations.

Our findings support previous well-designed studies from Canada and Mexico, where exposure levels obtained below the existing WHO guideline for fluoride in drinking water were associated with impaired cognitive development.

Similar findings were recently provided when combining multiple studies from several countries. It was noted that at low exposure levels, findings with cognitive development were more conclusive among studies estimating fluoride exposure via urine than among studies that relied on concentrations in drinking water only. This highlights that imprecise estimation of the exposure can lead to difficulties in assessing the true impact on cognitive development.

Taken together, the concern about the effect of fluoride on children’s intelligence at low exposure levels is further strengthened by our study. In particular exposure during foetal development, but also prolonged childhood exposure seems to be of concern.

Still, as this is an observational study, no firm conclusions can be drawn about causalities. There is still a need for more well-designed research studies on low-level fluoride exposure and cognitive development, in combination with experimental studies to determine the possible molecular mechanisms driving it. Collectively, this will create a robust basis for reviewing fluoride health risks and thresholds for drinking water, foods, and dental care products, especially for children.

Maria Kippler receives funding from Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning.

– ref. Our new study indicates maternal exposure to relatively low fluoride levels may affect intelligence in children – https://theconversation.com/our-new-study-indicates-maternal-exposure-to-relatively-low-fluoride-levels-may-affect-intelligence-in-children-251193

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: U.S. ethane production, consumption, and exports set new records in 2024

Source: US Energy Information Administration

In-brief analysis

March 20, 2025

U.S. ethane production, consumption, and exports reached record highs in 2024, according to recent data from our Petroleum Supply Monthly. Increasing ethane recovery associated with natural gas production and continued growth in the domestic and global petrochemical sectors drove these increases.

U.S. ethane production rose 7% to average a record 2.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2024, driven by increased ethane recovery in the Permian Basin. In the United States, almost all ethane is recovered at natural gas processing plants, which remove ethane and other natural gas plant liquids (NGPL) from raw natural gas. The Texas Inland and New Mexico refining districts, which span the Permian Basin, accounted for 63% of all U.S. ethane production in 2024, up from 61% in 2023. Production in those districts averaged 1.8 million b/d, up 9% from 2023. The Appalachian No. 1 Refining District, which straddles most of the Appalachian Basin in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, produced a record 327,000 b/d in 2024, up 13% from 2023. It accounted for 12% of the U.S. total, up from 11% the previous year.

Domestic ethane consumption, measured as product supplied, rose 8% in 2024 to a record 2.3 million b/d. In the United States, ethane is consumed almost exclusively in the petrochemical industry as a feedstock for steam crackers to produce ethylene. The rise in consumption came from higher cracker operating rates in 2024 compared with 2023, as no new crackers came online in the United States in 2024. Ethane consumption on the U.S. Gulf Coast rose 5% to 2.1 million b/d in 2024. On the East Coast, consumption nearly tripled to 103,000 b/d in 2024 as Shell’s cracker in Monaca, Pennsylvania, continued to ramp up its production after starting up in late 2022.

U.S. ethane exports averaged a record 492,000 b/d in 2024, a 21,000-b/d increase from the previous record set in 2023. Growth in global petrochemical sector demand and rising tanker capacity have driven the increases in U.S. ethane exports. Ethane exports increased almost every year since 2014 except in 2020 when muted global demand related to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a slight decrease in exports. Low prices for U.S. ethane compared with other feedstocks globally contributed to the record exports last year. China imported 46% of U.S. ethane exports, followed by Canada (15%), India (13%), and Norway (9%).

Data source: Bloomberg, L.P., and Natural Gas Intelligence
Note: The Houston Ship Channel is the closest natural gas pricing hub to the Mont Belvieu natural gas plant liquids pricing hub. Natural gas prices rose to $8.78 per million British thermal units on January 12, 2024, during Winter Storm Heather. Fractionation is the process by which saturated hydrocarbons are removed from natural gas and separated into distinct products, or fractions, such as propane, butane, and ethane.

U.S. ethane prices at Mont Belvieu, Texas, the main pricing hub for NGPLs, were volatile through 2024. Ethane prices averaged under 20 cents per gallon (gal) for the year (approximately $3 per million British thermal units [MMBtu]) but averaged 25 cents/gal ($3.70/MMBtu) in December as natural gas prices rose to 2024 highs. In comparison, the natural gas price at the Houston Ship Channel averaged $1.86/MMBtu in 2024 but averaged $2.66/MMBtu during the month of December, the highest monthly average of the year. When ethane prices are high relative to natural gas prices, plant operators can recover more ethane from the natural gas stream. However, when ethane prices and natural gas prices are closer, more ethane can be left in the natural gas stream and sold for its heat value.

In our March 2025 Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast that average U.S. ethane production will remain flat at 2.8 million b/d in 2025 and rise to 3.0 million b/d in 2026. Average U.S. ethane consumption will remain flat at 2.3 million b/d in 2025 and 2026, and exports will increase to 530,000 b/d in 2025 and 630,000 b/d in 2026.

Principal contributor: Jordan Young

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What causes the powerful winds that fuel dust storms, wildfires and blizzards? A weather scientist explains

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris Nowotarski, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science, Texas A&M University

When huge dust storms like this one in the Phoenix suburbs in 2022 hit, it’s easy to see the power of the wind. Christopher Harris/iStock Images via Getty Plus

Windstorms can seem like they come out of nowhere, hitting with a sudden blast. They might be hundreds of miles long, stretching over several states, or just in your neighborhood.

But they all have one thing in common: a change in air pressure.

Just like air rushing out of your car tire when the valve is open, air in the atmosphere is forced from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

The stronger the difference in pressure, the stronger the winds that will ultimately result.

On this forecast for March 18, 2025, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ‘L’ represents low-pressure systems. The shaded area over New Mexico and west Texas represents strong winds and low humidity that combine to raise the risk of wildfires.
NOAA Weather Prediction Center

Other forces related to the Earth’s rotation, friction and gravity can also alter the speed and direction of winds. But it all starts with this change in pressure over a distance – what meteorologists like me call a pressure gradient.

So how do we get pressure gradients?

Strong pressure gradients ultimately owe their existence to the simple fact that the Earth is round and rotates.

Because the Earth is round, the sun is more directly overhead during the day at the equator than at the poles. This means more energy reaches the surface of the Earth near the equator. And that causes the lower part of the atmosphere, where weather occurs, to be both warmer and have higher pressure on average than the poles.

Nature doesn’t like imbalances. As a result of this temperature difference, strong winds develop at high altitudes over midlatitude locations, like the continental U.S. This is the jet stream, and even though it’s several miles up in the atmosphere, it has a big impact on the winds we feel at the surface.

Wind speed and direction in the upper atmosphere on March 14, 2025, show waves in the jet stream. Downstream of a trough in this wave, winds diverge and low pressure can form near the surface.
NCAR

Because Earth rotates, these upper-altitude winds blow from west to east. Waves in the jet stream – a consequence of Earth’s rotation and variations in the surface land, terrain and oceans – can cause air to diverge, or spread out, at certain points. As the air spreads out, the number of air molecules in a column decreases, ultimately reducing the air pressure at Earth’s surface.

The pressure can drop quite dramatically over a few days or even just a few hours, leading to the birth of a low-pressure system – what meteorologists call an extratropical cyclone.

The opposite chain of events, with air converging at other locations, can form high pressure at the surface.

In between these low-pressure and high-pressure systems is a strong change in pressure over a distance – a pressure gradient. And that pressure gradient leads to strong winds. Earth’s rotation causes these winds to spiral around areas of high and low pressure. These highs and lows are like large circular mixers, with air blowing clockwise around high pressure and counterclockwise around low pressure. This flow pattern blows warm air northward toward the poles east of lows and cool air southward toward the equator west of lows.

A map illustrates lines of surface pressure, called isobars, with areas of high and low pressure marked for March 14, 2025. Winds are strongest when isobars are packed most closely together.
Plymouth State University, CC BY-NC-SA

As the waves in the jet stream migrate from west to east, so do the surface lows and highs, and with them, the corridors of strong winds.

That’s what the U.S. experienced when a strong extratropical cyclone caused winds stretching thousands of miles that whipped up dust storms and spread wildfires, and even caused tornadoes and blizzards in the central and southern U.S. in March 2025.

Whipping up dust storms and spreading fires

The jet stream over the U.S. is strongest and often the most “wavy” in the springtime, when the south-to-north difference in temperature is often the strongest.

Winds associated with large-scale pressure systems can become quite strong in areas where there is limited friction at the ground, like the flat, less forested terrain of the Great Plains. One of the biggest risks is dust storms in arid regions of west Texas or eastern New Mexico, exacerbated by drought in these areas.

A dust storm hit Albuquerque, N.M., on March 18, 2025. Another dust storm a few dats earlier in Kansas caused a deadly pileup involving dozens of vehices on I-70.
AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales

When the ground and vegetation are dry and the air has low relative humidity, high winds can also spread wildfires out of control.

Even more intense winds can occur when the pressure gradient interacts with terrain. Winds can sometimes rush faster downslope, as happens in the Rockies or with the Santa Ana winds that fueled devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area in January.

Violent tornadoes and storms

Of course, winds can become even stronger and more violent on local scales associated with thunderstorms.

When thunderstorms form, hail and precipitation in them can cause the air to rapidly fall in a downdraft, causing very high pressure under these storms. That pressure forces the air to spread out horizontally when it reaches the ground. Meteorologists call these straight line winds, and the process that forms them is a downburst. Large thunderstorms or chains of them moving across a region can cause large swaths of strong wind over 60 mph, called a derecho.

Finally, some of nature’s strongest winds occur inside tornadoes. They form when the winds surrounding a thunderstorm change speed and direction with height. This can cause part of the storm to rotate, setting off a chain of events that may lead to a tornado and winds as strong as 300 mph in the most violent tornadoes.

How a tornado forms. Source: NOAA.

Tornado winds are also associated with an intense pressure gradient. The pressure inside the center of a tornado is often very low and varies considerably over a very small distance.

It’s no coincidence that localized violent winds from thunderstorm downbursts and tornadoes often occur amid large-scale windstorms. Extratropical cyclones often draw warm, moist air northward on strong winds from the south, which is a key ingredient for thunderstorms. Storms also become more severe and may produce tornadoes when the jet stream is in close proximity to these low-pressure centers. In the winter and early spring, cold air funneling south on the northwest side of strong extratropical cyclones can even lead to blizzards.

So, the same wave in the jet stream can lead to strong winds, blowing dust and fire danger in one region, while simultaneously triggering a tornado outbreak and a blizzard in other regions.

Chris Nowotarski receives funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and theDepartment of Energy (DOE).

– ref. What causes the powerful winds that fuel dust storms, wildfires and blizzards? A weather scientist explains – https://theconversation.com/what-causes-the-powerful-winds-that-fuel-dust-storms-wildfires-and-blizzards-a-weather-scientist-explains-252639

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 21, 2025