Category: Latin America

MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Op-Ed: Congress Must Reimburse Texas for President Biden’s Border Security Malpractice

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) authored the following op-ed on FoxNews.com calling out former President Biden’s failure to secure the southern border and detailing his top reconciliation priority: ensuring the federal government reimburses Texas for the billions it spent on Operation Lone Star when Joe Biden refused to do so.

Congress Must Reimburse Texas for President Biden’s Border Security Malpractice

Senator Cornyn

FoxNews.com

June 5, 2025

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/sen-john-cornyn-congress-must-reimburse-texas-for-bidens-border-security-malpractice

The government’s most basic duty is to keep its citizens safe. President Biden woefully neglected to fulfill this obligation, allowing our borders to be overrun by millions of unvetted illegal immigrants, criminal aliens, and cartels smuggling deadly synthetic opioids. Far from Washington, border states like Texas were left to suffer the consequences. Texas spent billions of dollars on Operation Lone Star in attempt to abate this catastrophe. We all owe Governor Abbott a debt of gratitude for doing what the Biden administration wouldn’t, but we also owe Texas a monetary debt. Now the bill is due: it’s time for the federal government to pay Texas taxpayers back.

From the moment he arrived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, President Biden reversed the previous administration’s successful immigration policies: he ended President Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy; directed DHS to halt construction of the border wall, instead using federal funds to store wall materials; and ended Title 42, the COVID-era policy that was our last line of defense against the incoming migrant surge.

President Biden oversaw a crisis on our southern border that far surpassed illegal migration numbers from prior decades. In Biden’s four years, CBP encountered over 10 million illegal immigrants. More than 1.7 million known gotaways evaded Border Patrol entirely and are freely roaming somewhere in the interior of our country. Hundreds of thousands of Americans died from overdose of synthetic opioids including fentanyl, a drug manufactured with Chinese precursor chemicals and smuggled through our open border by drug cartels. Innocent Americans such as Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray died at the hands of illegal migrant criminals.

Despite the immigration authorities that were already available to President Biden, he threw up his hands, claiming that there was nothing more he could do – all while his designated Secretary for Homeland Security reassured the public that the border was “secure.” But facts don’t lie. The whole world knew America’s borders were wide open.

This tragic crisis was felt most acutely in Texas. My state shares the longest border with Mexico, and with the President missing in action in the midst of a disaster, Governor Abbott had to intervene. Under Operation Lone Star, Texas law enforcement apprehended over half a million illegal immigrants, including more than 50,000 criminal arrests. They built more than 240 miles of border barriers, seized over half a billion deadly doses of fentanyl, and reduced illegal immigration into Texas by 87%, according to the Governor. However, these efforts cost upwards of $11 billion, a pretty penny for Texans to pay for the basic safety and security that the federal government owes its people.

If there is any lingering question that President Biden’s policies are to blame for the mess we saw at our southern border, consider President Trump’s swift success in reversing the damage. As soon he was elected and even before he took office, the migrant flows began to subside. In the first two weeks of 2025, CBP encounters were nearly 50% lower than they were at the same point in 2021, at the start of the Biden administration. In President Trump’s first 100 days in office, daily border encounters decreased by 95%.

This dramatic sea change resulted from President Trump and U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem’s commonsense policies. On day one, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border. He ended President Biden’s “catch and release” policy and reinstated his own tried-and-tested “Remain in Mexico” policy. ICE arrests have increased by more than 600%, while arrests of criminal migrants have doubled.

The Trump administration’s policies are a welcome change from the past four years of disaster under the Biden administration. But the damage Texas experienced and the financial sacrifice we made for the good of the country must be fully repaid.

The federal government under President Biden created this crisis, and Congress must rectify it. Texans have had to bear the brunt of open borders, rampant crime, and deadly fentanyl for four years, costing the state billions of dollars to fill in for our absentee commander in chief.

In late January, Governor Abbott asked Congress to reimburse Texas for the $11.1 billion dollars that Texas taxpayer spent. I immediately began working in partnership with President Trump, Senate Majority Leader Thune, Speaker Johnson, and Texas Republicans in the House, to ensure Congress fulfills this request through the reconciliation bill, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

Texas Republicans make up the largest Republican delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives; thus the Speaker could not pass a bill without support from this key voting bloc. It was unacceptable that the initial text of the legislation released by the House did not reimburse Texas. But thanks to coordinating efforts with Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21), language to reimburse states like Texas was added to the legislation during the amendment process, and the House passed these provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

The next hurdle is to shepherd our reimbursement provisions through the Senate. I will continue working with Leader Thune, Governor Abbott, and President Trump to ensure the Senate includes even stronger language in the One Big Beautiful Bill and that Texas specifically will be rightfully repaid for Operation Lone Star. I will continue fighting to ensure this language remains in the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill that will go to the President’s desk.

The road to victory is long, but if there’s one thing us Texans know how to do it’s to stay the course and defy the odds. President Biden abdicated his responsibility as commander in chief at the southern border. It’s now up to Congress to reverse the damage and make Texas taxpayers whole.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Lawler Urges Immediate Reversal of Trump Administration’s Travel Ban on Haiti

Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

Washington, D.C. – 6/5/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) released a statement strongly urging the Trump Administration to reconsider the full suspension of entry for Haitian nationals that was announced yesterday.

The situation in Haiti has deteriorated, spiraling into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that demands global attention and support. Armed gangs control large swaths of the capital, Port-au-Prince, with their influence spreading to other regions. Violence, including gang-related atrocities, has surged, with over 1,600 people killed in the first three months of 2025 alone, and more than 1 million Haitians internally displaced. Famine conditions have emerged, with many surviving on just one meal a day. This disaster, exacerbated by corruption, poor governance, and a continuous flow of illicit weapons, has only grown worse, leaving the Haitian people in desperate need of assistance.

While vetting and screening processes in Haiti may be substandard due to the country’s instability, there is no evidence that Haiti is a breeding ground for terrorism that threatens national security. The ban’s inclusion of Haiti is a misguided overreach that ignores the root causes of the crisis. The United States has led three interventions in Haiti that have ultimately failed to create long-term stability, and the United States has a unique responsibility to act.

“Haiti’s disaster has been growing, and given our proximity to the nation and our historical interventions. We have a moral duty to help. Haitians cannot do it alone,” Congressman Lawler stated. “This travel ban will only deepen the suffering of Haitians, many of whom have strong ties to the U.S., including the vibrant Haitian diaspora in the Hudson Valley that I represent in Congress, and risks isolating Haiti further at a time when they need our support most.

I strongly urge the Trump administration to immediately remove Haiti from this list—or at the very least, reduce it to a partial ban as was done for countries like Cuba and Venezuela. Last month, Secretary Rubio testified that the Trump Administration is “prepared to play a leading role” in the Organization of American States (OAS) and asserted that the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support Mission “alone will not solve this problem.” I urge the Administration to move forward with such a leading role, including a potential security mission led by OAS to end the crisis and lead Haiti on a path to stability,” concluded Congressman Lawler.

Congressman Lawler has been a steadfast advocate for the Haitian community, previously urging the administration in a February 19, 2025, letter to President Trump to maintain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian citizens in the U.S. He highlighted the “critical situation ongoing in Haiti” and the importance of TPS for Hudson Valley families, noting the country’s “unstable and dangerous” conditions following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the subsequent rise in gang violence. Congressman Lawler also led a resolution calling for the United States and its international partners to redouble their diplomatic efforts to help achieve a negotiated, Haitian-led solution to the current impasse.

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI: IDT Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2025 Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Gross Profit +15% Year-over-Year to $112 MM; Record Gross Profit Margin of 37.1%
Income from Operations +133% to $27 MM; Adjusted EBITDA +57% to $32 MM
GAAP EPS Increased to $0.86 from $0.22; Non-GAAP EPS Increased to $0.90 from $0.38

NEWARK, NJ, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT), a global provider of fintech, cloud communications, and traditional communications solutions, today reported results for its third quarter fiscal year 2025, the three months ended April 30, 2025.

THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

(Throughout this release, unless otherwise noted, results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 (3Q25) are compared to the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 (3Q24). All earnings per share (EPS) and other ‘per share’ results are per diluted share.)

●

Key Businesses / Segments

○

NRS

■

Recurring revenue: +23% to $29.4 million;

■

Income from operations: +29% to $6.2 million;

■

Adjusted EBITDA: +29% to $7.2 million;

■

‘Rule of 40’ score: 49;

○

BOSS Money / Fintech segment

■

BOSS Money transactions: +27% to 6.0 million;

■

BOSS Money revenue: +25% to $34.4 million;

■

Fintech segment gross profit: +31% to $22.6 million;

■

Fintech segment income from operations: +$4.9 million, to $4.3 million;

■

Fintech segment Adjusted EBITDA: +$4.8 million, to $5.0 million;

○

net2phone

■

Subscription revenue: +7% to $21.5 million (+11% on a constant currency basis);

■

Income from operations: +188% to $1.4 million;

■

Adjusted EBITDA: +50% to $3.2 million;

○

Traditional Communications

■

Gross profit: +5% to $43.4 million;

■

Income from operations: +39% to $17.3 million;

■

Adjusted EBITDA: +30% to $19.3 million;

●

IDT Consolidated

○

Revenue: +1% to $302.0 million;

○

Gross profit (GP) / margin: GP +15% to $112.0 million; GP margin +470 bps to 37.1%;

○

Income from operations: +133% to $26.6 million;

○

GAAP EPS: Increased to $0.86 from $0.22;

○

Non-GAAP EPS: Increased to $0.90 from $0.38;

○

Adjusted EBITDA: +57% to $32.2 million;

○

CapEx: +14% to $5.4 million.

REMARKS BY SHMUEL JONAS, CEO

IDT’s third quarter was solid, with strong year-over-year gains, while slightly softer than our second quarter in part because of expected seasonal factors. Year-over-year revenue growth, and continued expansion of each of our business segments’ bottom-line results, drove a 133% year-over-year increase in consolidated income from operations, a 57% increase in consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, and a 290% increase in EPS.

At NRS, recurring revenue increased 23% year-over-year, powered by a 37% revenue increase from NRS’ largest vertical, Merchant Services, and a 33% increase in SaaS Fees, which more than offset a 12% decrease in Advertising & Data revenue. Income from operations and Adjusted EBITDA were both up by 29% year-over-year, and the business has generated a record $32 million in Adjusted EBITDA over the past twelve months.

Looking ahead, we continue to focus on developing new offerings that leverage the NRS platform to enable retailers to compete more effectively with large retail chains. For instance, independent neighborhood retailers have not yet meaningfully benefitted from the consumer shift to online ordering and delivery. We are working to change that by integrating our network with online ordering and delivery platforms, enabling retailers on the NRS network to provide hyper-fast local delivery of sundries and prepared foods. The 100 or so retailers we have signed up so far are already receiving, in aggregate, over 2000 delivery orders a week.

BOSS Money, our remittance platform, increased transactions by 27% and revenue by 25%. The growth rates have been impacted by the deliberate shift we made last summer to prioritize gross profit per transaction in our retail channel rather than market share, and by a recent shift in customer preferences toward larger send amounts per remittance through fewer transactions. The Fintech segment, which includes BOSS Money and early stage fintech initiatives, generated over $5 million in Adjusted EBITDA – compared to $244 thousand in the year ago quarter. Looking ahead, Boss Money is working on initiatives to drive sustained long-term growth and innovations that reduce cross border friction and increase profitability.

net2phone continued its steady progress with balanced growth in the U.S., Brazil, and Mexico. The team has done a great job growing its business while holding the line on overhead. net2phone’s Adjusted EBITDA margin reached 15% in 3Q25. net2phone began to offer its AI Agents this quarter and customers are already seeing the benefits, including enhanced efficiency. Even as we deploy AI Agents refined for specific market verticals, we are preparing to launch another AI-powered service which internally we refer to as ‘Coach.’ We think that it will be very successful.

In our Traditional Communications segment, income from operations and Adjusted EBITDA both jumped by over 30% year-over-year to $17.3 million and $19.3 million, respectively, underscoring that this segment continues to be a long-term cash generator.

I want to wrap up by thanking the millions of customers who put some of their hard-earned wages to work through our BOSS offerings, and the business customers around the world who rely on us to enhance their businesses and communications. Our ability to provide these services depends on the dedication of our employees who have been executing and innovating on so many fronts, and on our stockholders who entrust us with their capital. I am grateful for your continued patronage and support.

(This release discloses certain Non-GAAP financial measures (Adjusted EBITDA, Non-GAAP EPS and NRS ‘Rule of 40’) as well as certain Key Performance Metrics (net2phone subscription revenue, netphone constant currency subscription revenue growth rate, net2phone operating margin, net2phone Adjusted EBITDA margin, NRS Monthly Average Recurring Revenue, and BOSS Money transactions and digital send volume). Please see the explanations of those measures and metrics, the reasons for their inclusion and reconciliations at the end of this release.)

3Q25 RESULTS BY SEGMENT

National Retail Solutions (NRS)

National Retail Solutions (NRS)
(Terminals and accounts at end of period. $ in millions, except for average revenue per terminal)

	3Q25			2Q25			3Q24			3Q25-3Q24 (% Δ)
Terminals and payment processing accounts
Active POS terminals		35,600			34,800			30,300			+17.6	%
Payment processing accounts		25,500			23,900			19,500			+31.1	%

Recurring revenue
Merchant Services & Other	$	19.7		$	18.1		$	14.4			+37.3	%
Advertising & Data	$	5.9		$	10.0		$	6.7			(12.3		)%
SaaS Fees	$	3.9		$	3.5		$	2.9			+32.8		%
Total recurring revenue	$	29.4		$	31.6		$	24.0			+22.9	%
POS terminal sales	$	1.7		$	1.3		$	1.8			(2.9		)%
Total revenue	$	31.1		$	33.0		$	25.7			+21.1	%

Monthly average recurring revenue per terminal	$	279		$	310		$	271			+3.0		%

Gross profit	$	28.4		$	30.3		$	22.1			+28.4		%
Gross profit margin		91.3	%		91.8	%		86.1	%		+520		bps
Technology & development	$	2.3		$	2.2		$	1.7			+32.5		%
SG&A	$	20.0		$	19.0		$	15.7			+27.8		%
Income from operations	$	6.2		$	9.1		$	4.8			+29.3		%
Adjusted EBITDA	$	7.2		$	10.1		$	5.6			+28.6		%
CapEx	$	1.9		$	0.9		$	0.9			+115.2		%

NRS Take-Aways / Updates:

●

NRS added approximately 900 net active terminals and approximately 1,600 net payment processing accounts during 3Q25. As mentioned in the prior quarter’s earnings release, net active terminal additions for 3Q25 included churn of approximately 300 terminals operating in seasonal stores.

●

The 37% year-over-year increase in Merchant Services & Other revenue was driven by the increase in payment processing accounts, and by higher merchant services revenue per account, reflecting in part the ongoing, gradual migration of customer payment preference from cash to credit and debit cards.

●

NRS Advertising & Data revenue declined 12.3% year-over-year due to NRS’ decision to slow sales to one large programmatic partner in order to limit potential bad debt risk exposure. NRS’ direct channel advertising sales, as well as sales to other programmatic partners, remained robust.

●

NRS has begun rolling out the first of several planned integrations of its POS platform with leading online ordering and delivery services. The first integration, with DoorDash, went live this quarter.

Fintech

Fintech
(Transactions and $s in millions, except for average revenue per transaction)

	3Q25			2Q25			3Q24			3Q25-3Q24 (% Δ, $)
BOSS Money transactions		6.0			5.7			4.7				+27.0	%

Fintech Revenue
BOSS Money	$	34.4		$	33.5		$	27.6				+24.7	%
Other	$	4.2		$	3.3		$	3.9				+7.0	%
Total Revenue	$	38.6		$	36.8		$	31.5				+22.5	%

Gross profit	$	22.6		$	21.7		$	17.3				+30.6	%
Gross profit margin		58.5	%		58.9	%		54.9	%			+360	bps
Technology & development	$	2.2		$	2.3		$	2.5				(11.9	)%
SG&A	$	16.0		$	16.3		$	15.3				+5.2	%
Income (loss) from operations	$	4.3		$	3.1		$	(0.6	)		+$	4.9
Adjusted EBITDA	$	5.0		$	3.9		$	0.2			+$	4.8
CapEx	$	0.8		$	0.8		$	1.0				(19.8	)%

Fintech Take-Aways:

●	The 27% increase in BOSS Money transactions comprised a 32% year-over-year increase in digital channel transactions and an 8% increase in retail channel transactions.

●	BOSS Money revenue increased 25% year-over-year driven by a 31% increase in digital channel revenue.

●

Digital channel send volume, or the amount of principal transferred by BOSS Money customers using the BOSS Money and BOSS Revolution apps, grew 40% year-over-year as customers increased their amount sent per transaction while reducing the frequency of transactions. BOSS Money is testing strategies to optimize pricing given this recent dynamic.

●	The robust increases in the Fintech segment’s income from operations and Adjusted EBITDA were driven primarily by BOSS Money revenue and gross margin growth, coupled with improved operating leverage as BOSS Money continues to scale.

net2phone

net2phone
(Seats in thousands at end of period. $ in millions)

	3Q25			2Q25			3Q24			3Q25-3Q24 (% Δ)
Seats		415			410			384			+7.9	%

Revenue
Subscription revenue	$	21.5		$	21.0		$	20.0			+7.4	%
Other revenue	$	0.5		$	0.5		$	0.6			(25.9	)%
Total Revenue	$	22.0		$	21.5		$	20.7			+6.4	%

Gross profit	$	17.5		$	17.0		$	16.4			+6.9	%
Gross profit margin		79.6	%		79.2	%		79.2	%		+40	bps
Technology & development	$	2.9		$	2.8		$	2.8			+4.8	%
SG&A	$	13.0		$	13.0		$	13.0			(0.3	)%
Income from operations	$	1.4		$	1.1		$	0.5			+188	%
Adjusted EBITDA	$	3.2		$	2.9		$	2.1			+50.2	%
CapEx	$	1.4		$	1.8		$	1.6			(12.5	)%

net2phone Take-Aways:

●

The 8% year over year increase in total seats served was powered by continued expansion in key markets led by the U.S., Brazil, and Mexico. CCaaS seats served, which generate significantly higher revenue and margin per seat, increased by 9% year-over year.

●

Subscription revenue increased by 7% year-over-year. The increase was tempered by the FX impact of a strengthened U.S. dollar versus local currencies in Latin America. On a constant currency basis, subscription revenue increased by 11% year over year, significantly higher than its rate of seat growth, as net2phone focuses on increasing ARPU.

●

Income from operations increased 188% and Adjusted EBITDA increased 50% year-over-year, as operating margin increased to 6% from 2%, and Adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 15% from 10% in 3Q24.

●

In 3Q25, net2phone began to deploy AI Agents, scalable virtual assistants providing exceptional customer experiences across sales, support, and administrative tasks. AI Agents have the potential to become significant revenue growth drivers in the coming quarters.

●

net2phone is also preparing to launch an AI-powered offering that analyzes interactions to deliver real-time insights and personalized coaching for optimized performance.

Traditional Communications

Traditional Communications
($ in millions)

	3Q25			2Q25			3Q24			3Q25-3Q24 (% Δ)
Revenue
IDT Digital Payments	$	102.6		$	101.6		$	101.6			+1.0	%
BOSS Revolution	$	51.7		$	53.3		$	63.2			(18.1	)%
IDT Global	$	50.0		$	51.3		$	50.1			(0.0	)%
Other	$	5.9		$	5.8		$	6.9			(14.9	)%
Total Revenue	$	210.2		$	212.0		$	221.7			(5.2	)%

Gross profit	$	43.4		$	43.1		$	41.2			+5.3	%
Gross profit margin		20.7	%		20.3	%		18.6	%		+210	bps
Technology & development	$	5.4		$	5.4		$	5.6			(4.3	)%
SG&A	$	20.5		$	19.4		$	22.7			(9.5	)%
Income from operations	$	17.3		$	18.1		$	12.5			39.2	%
Adjusted EBITDA	$	19.3		$	20.2		$	14.9			30.1	%
CapEx	$	1.3		$	1.2		$	1.2			+5.6	%

Traditional Communications Take-Aways:

●	Even as revenue decreased continuing an expected trend, gross profit increased year over year and sequentially.

●	Income from operations and Adjusted EBITDA benefitted from the growth in gross profit and the reduction in SG&A expense.

OTHER FINANCIAL RESULTS

Consolidated results for all periods presented include corporate overhead. In 3Q25, Corporate G&A expense increased to $2.7 million from $2.3 million in 3Q24.

As of April 30, 2025, IDT held $223.8 million in cash, cash equivalents, debt securities, and current equity investments. Also at April 30, 2025, current assets totaled $498.3 million and current liabilities totaled $287.2 million. The Company had no outstanding debt at the quarter end.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $75.7 million in 3Q25 compared to $9.5 million in 3Q24. Exclusive of changes in customer funds deposits at IDT’s Fintech segment, net cash provided by operating activities was $66.1 million in 3Q25 compared to $8.2 million in 3Q24. The large, year-over-year increase in cash reflects, for the most part, the timing of disbursement prefunding payments made by IDT to cover anticipated BOSS Money weekly remittance activity.

Capital expenditures increased to $5.4 million in 3Q25 from $4.7 million in 3Q24.

DIVIDEND

The Board of Directors of IDT Corporation has approved payment of a quarterly dividend of $0.06 on IDT’s Class A and Class B Common stock. Payment will be made on June 18, 2025 to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 9^th.

IDT EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENT INFORMATION

This release is available for download in the “Investors & Media” section of the IDT Corporation website (https://www.idt.net/investors-and-media) and has been filed on a current report (Form 8-K) with the SEC.

IDT will host an earnings conference call beginning at 5:00 PM Eastern today with management’s discussion of results followed by Q&A with investors. To listen to the call and participate in the Q&A, dial 1-888-506-0062 (toll-free from the U.S.) or 1-973-528-0011 (international) and provide the following access code: 491722.

A replay of the conference call will be available approximately three hours after the call concludes through June 19, 2025. To access the call replay, dial 1-877-481-4010 (toll-free from the U.S.) or 1-919-882-2331 (international) and provide this replay passcode: 52353. The replay will also be accessible via streaming audio at the IDT investor relations website.

ABOUT IDT CORPORATION

IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT) is a global provider of fintech and communications solutions through a portfolio of synergistic businesses: National Retail Solutions (NRS), through its point-of-sale (POS) platform, enables independent retailers to operate more effectively while providing advertisers and marketers with unprecedented reach into underserved consumer markets; BOSS Money facilitates innovative international remittances and fintech payments solutions; net2phone provides enterprises and organizations with intelligently integrated cloud communications and contact center services across channels and devices; IDT Digital Payments and the BOSS Revolution calling service make sharing prepaid products and services and speaking with friends and family around the world convenient and reliable; and, IDT Global and IDT Express enable communications services to provision and manage international voice and SMS messaging.

All statements above that are not purely about historical facts, including, but not limited to, those in which we use the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “target” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment of what may happen in the future, actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these statements due to numerous important factors. Our filings with the SEC provide detailed information on such statements and risks and should be consulted along with this release. To the extent permitted under applicable law, IDT assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

CONTACT

IDT Corporation Investor Relations
Bill Ulrey
william.ulrey@idt.net
973-438-3838

IDT CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

	April 30, 2025			July 31, 2024
	(Unaudited)
	(in thousands, except per share data)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	199,948		$	164,557
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		123,129			90,899
Debt securities		18,683			23,438
Equity investments		5,187			5,009
Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $8,416 at April 30, 2025 and $6,352 at July 31, 2024		43,084			42,215
Settlement assets, net of reserve of $1,869 at April 30, 2025 and $1,866 at July 31, 2024		25,160			22,186
Disbursement prefunding		43,381			30,736
Prepaid expenses		13,837			17,558
Other current assets		25,865			25,927
Total current assets		498,274			422,525
Property, plant, and equipment, net		38,980			38,652
Goodwill		26,454			26,288
Other intangibles, net		5,372			6,285
Equity investments		6,904			6,518
Operating lease right-of-use assets		2,013			3,273
Deferred income tax assets, net		16,106			35,008
Other assets		6,805			11,546
Total assets	$	600,908		$	550,095

Liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest, and equity
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	$	17,250		$	24,773
Accrued expenses		91,408			103,176
Deferred revenue		27,513			30,364
Customer funds deposits		121,765			91,893
Settlement liabilities		14,105			12,764
Other current liabilities		15,121			16,374
Total current liabilities		287,162			279,344
Operating lease liabilities		1,213			1,533
Other liabilities		1,682			2,662
Total liabilities		290,057			283,539
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest		11,357			10,901
Equity:
IDT Corporation stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $.01 par value; authorized shares—10,000; no shares issued		—			—
Class A common stock, $.01 par value; authorized shares—35,000; 3,272 shares issued and 1,574 shares outstanding at April 30, 2025 and July 31, 2024		33			33
Class B common stock, $.01 par value; authorized shares—200,000; 28,528 and 28,177 shares issued and 23,656 and 23,684 shares outstanding at April 30, 2025 and July 31, 2024, respectively		285			282
Additional paid-in capital		307,757			303,510
Treasury stock, at cost, consisting of 1,698 and 1,698 shares of Class A common stock and 4,872 and 4,493 shares of Class B common stock at April 30, 2025 and July 31, 2024, respectively		(143,853	)		(126,080	)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(19,812	)		(18,142	)
Retained earnings		141,753			86,580
Total IDT Corporation stockholders’ equity		286,163			246,183
Noncontrolling interests		13,331			9,472
Total equity		299,494			255,655
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest, and equity	$	600,908		$	550,095

IDT CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended April 30,						Nine Months Ended April 30,
	2025			2024			2025			2024
	(in thousands, except per share data)

Revenues	$	301,985		$	299,643		$	914,901		$	896,946
Direct cost of revenues		190,023			202,599			583,201			608,982
Gross profit		111,962			97,044			331,700			287,964
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative (i)		72,267			68,962			214,039			200,685
Technology and development (i)		12,744			12,640			38,115			37,975
Severance		190			779			600			1,648
Other operating expense, net		175			3,231			403			3,041
Total operating expenses		85,376			85,612			253,157			243,349
Income from operations		26,586			11,432			78,543			44,615
Interest income, net		1,566			1,162			4,347			3,201
Other income (expense), net		2,608			(3,273	)		2,533			(6,326	)
Income before income taxes		30,760			9,321			85,423			41,490
Provision for income taxes		(7,798	)		(2,979	)		(21,766	)		(10,918	)
Net income		22,962			6,342			63,657			30,572
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(1,270	)		(791	)		(4,448	)		(2,937	)
Net income attributable to IDT Corporation	$	21,692		$	5,551		$	59,209		$	27,635
Earnings per share attributable to IDT Corporation common stockholders:
Basic	$	0.86		$	0.22		$	2.35		$	1.10
Diluted	$	0.86		$	0.22		$	2.34		$	1.09
Weighted-average number of shares used in calculation of earnings per share:
Basic		25,165			25,345			25,177			25,233
Diluted		25,249			25,516			25,312			25,380

(i) Stock-based compensation included in total operating expenses	$	946		$	2,118		$	2,720		$	5,375

IDT CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)

	Nine Months Ended April 30,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Operating activities
Net income	$	63,657		$	30,572
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		15,702			15,256
Deferred income taxes		18,902			8,830
Provision for credit losses, doubtful accounts receivable, and reserve for settlement assets		4,465			3,010
Stock-based compensation		2,720			5,375
Other		1,735			4,065
Change in assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable		(4,649	)		(9,000	)
Settlement assets, disbursement prefunding, prepaid expenses, other current assets, and other assets		(8,932	)		6,797
Trade accounts payable, accrued expenses, settlement liabilities, other current liabilities, and other liabilities		(19,486	)		(10,467	)
Customer funds deposits		25,327			1,243
Deferred revenue		(3,382	)		(2,903	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		96,059			52,778
Investing activities
Capital expenditures		(15,507	)		(13,621	)
Purchase of convertible preferred stock in equity method investment		(926	)		(1,513	)
Purchases of debt securities and equity investments		(29,083	)		(27,593	)
Proceeds from maturities and sales of debt securities and redemptions of equity investments		35,005			41,527
Net cash used in investing activities		(10,511	)		(1,200	)
Financing activities
Dividends paid		(4,036	)		(1,269	)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		(100	)		(62	)
Proceeds from borrowings under revolving credit facility		24,551			32,864
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility.		(24,551	)		(32,864	)
Purchase of restricted shares of net2phone common stock		—			(3,558	)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		—			172
Repurchases of Class B common stock		(17,773	)		(7,207	)
Net cash used in financing activities		(21,909	)		(11,924	)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents		3,982			(5,632	)
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents		67,621			34,022
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		255,456			198,823
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$	323,077		$	232,845

Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities
Shares of the Company’s Class B common stock issued to executive officers for bonus payments	$	1,824		$	1,495
Value of the Company’s Class B common stock exchanged for National Retail Solutions shares	$	442		$	6,254
Shares of the Company’s Class B common stock issued for business acquisition	$	—		$	100

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures for the Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 and 2024

In addition to disclosing financial results that are determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP), IDT also disclosed (a) Adjusted EBITDA for 3Q25, 2Q25, and 3Q24, (b) non-GAAP earnings per diluted share (Non-GAAP EPS) for 3Q25 and 3Q24, and (c) NRS’ and Fintech segment’s ‘Rule of 40’ score for 3Q25. These are non-GAAP financial measures intended to provide useful information that supplements IDT’s or the relevant segment’s results in accordance with GAAP. The following explains these terms and their respective reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.

Generally, a non-GAAP measure is a numerical measure of a company’s performance, financial position, or cash flows that either excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.

IDT’s measure of Non-GAAP EPS is calculated by dividing non-GAAP net income by the diluted weighted-average shares. IDT’s measure of non-GAAP net income starts with net income attributable to IDT in accordance with GAAP and adds severance expense, stock-based compensation, and other operating expenses, and deducts other operating gains. These additions and subtractions are non-cash and/or non-routine items in the relevant fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024 periods.

Management believes that IDT’s Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS are measures which provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain expenses and non-routine gains and losses that may not be indicative of IDT’s or the relevant segment’s core operating results. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA, among other measures, as a relevant indicator of core operational strengths in its financial and operational decision making. In addition, management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS to evaluate operating performance in relation to IDT’s competitors. Disclosure of these financial measures may be useful to investors in evaluating performance and allow for greater transparency of the underlying supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision-making. In addition, IDT has historically reported similar financial measures and believes such measures are commonly used by readers of financial information in assessing performance, therefore the inclusion of comparative numbers provides consistency in financial reporting.

Management refers to Adjusted EBITDA, as well as the GAAP measures income (loss) from operations and net income, on a segment and/or consolidated level to facilitate internal and external comparisons to the segments’ and IDT’s historical operating results, in making operating decisions, for budget and planning purposes, and to form the basis upon which management is compensated.

While depreciation and amortization are considered operating costs under GAAP, these expenses primarily represent the non-cash current period allocation of costs associated with long-lived assets acquired or capitalized in prior periods. IDT’s Adjusted EBITDA, which is exclusive of depreciation and amortization, is a useful indicator of its current performance.

Severance expense is excluded from the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS. Severance expense is reflective of decisions made by management in each period regarding the aspects of IDT’s and its segments’ businesses to be focused on in light of changing market realities and other factors. While there may be similar charges in other periods, the nature and magnitude of these charges can fluctuate markedly and do not reflect the performance of IDT’s core and continuing operations.

Other operating expense, net, which is a component of income (loss) from operations, is excluded from the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS. Other operating expense, net in 3Q25, 2Q25, and 3Q24 primarily includes legal fees related to Straight Path Communications Inc.’s stockholders’ class action and equipment write-offs. From time-to-time, IDT may have gains or incur costs related to non-routine legal, tax, and other matters, however, these various items generally do not occur each quarter. IDT believes the gain and losses from these non-routine matters are not components of IDT’s or the relevant segment’s core operating results.

Stock-based compensation recognized by IDT and other companies may not be comparable because of the variety of types of awards as well as the various valuation methodologies and subjective assumptions that are permitted under GAAP. Stock-based compensation is excluded from IDT’s calculation of Non-GAAP EPS because management believes this allows investors to make more meaningful comparisons of the operating results per share of IDT’s core business with the results of other companies. However, stock-based compensation will continue to be a significant expense for IDT for the foreseeable future and an important part of employees’ compensation that impacts their performance.

Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or superior to, income (loss) from operations, cash flow from operating activities, net income, basic and diluted earnings per share or other measures of liquidity and financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, IDT’s measurements of Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

The ‘Rule of 40’ score is a metric used to evaluate the performance of SaaS providers. It postulates that a SaaS provider’s revenue growth rate plus its EBITDA margin should equal or exceed 40 percent. The ‘Rule of 40’ is typically used to assess a company’s balance between growth and profitability. A total of over 40 is thought to indicate a healthy combination of expansion and financial stability, making it a useful tool for management and investors to gauge the potential for long-term success and make informed decisions about resource allocation and business strategy.

NRS’ ‘Rule of 40’ score is computed by adding (a) the growth rate of NRS’ recurring revenue for the relevant period compared to the corresponding year ago period to (b) NRS’ Adjusted EBITDA margin for the twelve month period through the end of the current period. NRS’ recurring revenue is calculated by subtracting NRS’ revenue from POS terminal sales from its total GAAP revenue. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure as discussed above. Adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated by dividing Adjusted EBITDA by GAAP revenue for the relevant period.

Following are reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP EPS to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, which are, (a) for Adjusted EBITDA, (i) income (loss) from operations for IDT’s reportable segments and (ii) net income for IDT on a consolidated basis, and (b) for Non-GAAP EPS, diluted earnings per share. Also following is NRS’ ‘Rule of 40’ score computation including the reconciliation of NRS’ Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, NRS’ income from operations.

IDT Corporation
Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA
(unaudited) in millions. Figures may not foot or cross-foot due to rounding to millions

	Total IDT Corporation			Traditional Communica-tions		net2phone		NRS		Fintech		Corporate
Three Months Ended April 30, 2025 (3Q25)
Net income attributable to IDT Corporation	$	21.7
Adjustments:
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		1.3
Net income		23.0
Provision for income taxes		7.8
Income before income taxes		30.8
Interest income, net		(1.6	)
Other income, net		(2.6	)
Income (loss) from operations		26.6		$	17.3	$	1.4	$	6.2	$	4.3	$	(2.6	)
Depreciation and amortization		5.2			1.9		1.6		1.0		0.7		–
Other operating expense, net		0.2			–		0.2		–		–		–
Severance expense		0.2			0.2		–		–		–		–
Adjusted EBITDA	$	32.2		$	19.3	$	3.2	$	7.2	$	5.0	$	(2.6	)

	Total IDT Corporation			Traditional Communica-tions		net2phone		NRS		Fintech		Corporate
Three Months Ended January 31, 2025 (2Q25)
Net income attributable to IDT Corporation	$	20.3
Adjustments:
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		1.9
Net income		22.2
Provision for income taxes		7.7
Income before income taxes		29.9
Interest income, net		(1.4	)
Other income, net		(0.2	)
Income (loss) from operations		28.3		$	18.1	$	1.1	$	9.1	$	3.1	$	(3.1	)
Depreciation and amortization		5.2			1.9		1.6		1.0		0.8		–
Other operating expense, net		0.2			–		0.2		–		–		–
Severance expense		0.2			0.2		–		–		–		–
Adjusted EBITDA	$	34.0		$	20.2	$	2.9	$	10.1	$	3.9	$	(3.1	)

IDT Corporation
Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA
(unaudited) in millions. Figures may not foot or cross-foot due to rounding to millions

	Total IDT Corporation			Traditional Communica-tions		net2phone		NRS		Fintech			Corporate
Three Months Ended April 30, 2024 (3Q24)
Net income attributable to IDT Corporation	$	5.6
Adjustments:
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		0.8
Net income		6.3
Provision for income taxes		3.0
Income before income taxes		9.3
Interest income, net		(1.2	)
Other expense, net		3.3
Income (loss) from operations		11.4		$	12.5	$	0.5	$	4.8	$	(0.6	)	$	(5.7	)
Depreciation and amortization		5.1			2.0		1.6		0.8		0.7			–
Severance expense		0.8			0.4		0.1		–		–			0.3
Other operating expense, net		3.2			–		–		–		0.1			3.2
Adjusted EBITDA	$	20.6		$	14.9	$	2.1	$	5.6	$	0.2		$	(2.3	)

IDT Corporation
Reconciliation of Earnings per share to Non-GAAP EPS
(unaudited) in millions, except per share data. Figures may not foot due to rounding to millions.

	3Q25			3Q24

Net income attributable to IDT Corporation	$	21.7		$	5.6
Adjustments (add) subtract:
Stock-based compensation		(0.9	)		(2.1	)
Severance expense		(0.2	)		(0.8	)
Other operating expense, net		(0.2	)		(3.2	)
Total adjustments		(1.3	)		(6.1	)
Income tax effect of total adjustments		(0.3	)		(2.0	)
		1.0			4.1
Non-GAAP net income	$	22.7		$	9.7

Earnings per share:
Basic	$	0.86		$	0.22
Total adjustments		0.04			0.16
Non-GAAP – basic	$	0.90		$	0.38

Weighted-average number of shares used in calculation of basic earnings per share		25.2			25.3

Diluted	$	0.86		$	0.22
Total adjustments		0.04			0.16
Non-GAAP – diluted	$	0.90		$	0.38

Weighted-average number of shares used in calculation of diluted earnings per share		25.2			25.5

IDT Corporation
NRS’ ‘Rule of 40’ Score
For 3Q25
(unaudited) in millions. Figures may not foot due to rounding to millions.

	4Q24		1Q25		2Q25		3Q25		Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) 3Q25

Reconciliation of NRS’ Income from Operations to Adjusted EBITDA

Income from operations	$	6.0	$	6.6	$	9.1	$	6.2	$	28.0
Depreciation and amortization		0.9		1.0		1.0		1.0		3.9
Other operating expense, net		0.2		–		–		–		0.2
Adjusted EBITDA	$	7.1	$	7.6	$	10.1	$	7.2	$	32.0

	3Q25			3Q24

NRS’ ‘Rule of 40’ Score

NRS recurring revenue	$	29.4		$	24.0
NRS other revenue		1.7			1.8
NRS total revenue	$	31.1		$	25.7

NRS recurring revenue growth rate		23	%

NRS TTM Adjusted EBITDA from above	$	32.0
NRS TTM total revenue		122.7
NRS TTM Adjusted EBITDA margin		26	%

Rule of 40		49	%

Explanation of Key Performance Metrics

net2phone’s subscription revenue is calculated by subtracting net2phone’s equipment revenue and revenue generated by a legacy SIP trunking offering in Brazil from its revenue in accordance with GAAP. net2phone’s cloud communications and contact center offerings are priced on a per-seat basis, with customers paying based on the number of users in their organization. The number of seats served and subscription revenue trends and comparisons between periods are used in the analysis of net2phone’s revenues and direct cost of revenues and are strong indications of the top-line growth and performance of the business.

Constant currency as it relates to revenue provides a framework for assessing net2phone’s performance that excludes the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations. To determine net2phone’s subscription revenue growth on a constant currency basis, current period revenues from entities reporting in currencies other than U.S. Dollars (USD) were converted to USD at the average monthly exchange rates in effect during the prior fiscal year’s comparative period instead of the average monthly exchange rates in effect during the current period.

net2phone’s operating margin is calculated by dividing GAAP income from operations by GAAP revenue for the period indicated. Operating margin measures the percentage that each dollar of revenue contributes to profitability. Operating margin is useful for evaluating current period profitability relative to sales, for comparisons to prior period performance, for forecasting future income from operations levels based on projected levels of sales, and for comparing net2phone’s relative profitability to its competitors and peers.

net2phone’s Adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated by dividing net2phone’s Adjusted EBITDA, a Non-GAAP measure, by net2phone’s GAAP revenue for the comparable quarter or period. Adjusted EBITDA margin measures the percentage that each dollar of revenue contributes to profitability before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and other adjustments as described in the Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures. net2phone’s Adjusted EBITDA margin is useful for evaluating current period profitability relative to sales, for comparisons to prior period performance, for forecasting future Adjusted EBITDA levels based on projected levels of sales, and for comparing net2phone’s relative profitability to its competitors and peers.

NRS’ Monthly Average Recurring Revenue per Terminal is calculated by dividing NRS’ recurring revenue as defined above by the average number of active POS terminals during the period. The average number of active POS terminals is calculated by adding the beginning and ending number of active POS terminals during the period and dividing by two. NRS’ recurring revenue divided by the average number of active POS terminals is divided by three when the period is a fiscal quarter. Recurring revenue and Monthly Average Recurring Revenue per Terminal are useful for comparisons of NRS’ revenue and revenue per customer to prior periods and to competitors and others in the market, as well as for forecasting future revenue from the customer base.

BOSS Money transactions are a nonfinancial metric that measures customer usage during a reporting period. BOSS Money’s digital send volume is the aggregate amount of principal remitted by BOSS Money’s digital customers – those using the BOSS Money and BOSS Revolutions apps to originate remittances. Digital send volume is a key metric for evaluating the operational performance of the digital channel of the remittance business, and for comparing the performance of BOSS Money’s digital channel to competitors in the remittance business as well as to performance to other temporal periods.

# # #

The MIL Network –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Demands Restoration of Mail Service to Mule Creek
Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) called on Acting Postmaster Doug Tulino for the restoration of timely and reliable mail services to Mule Creek, New Mexico where residents have been without consistent postal service for nearly a year.

“For far too long, Mule Creek residents have been forced to live without basic, reliable mail service,” said Vasquez. “Rural communities in my district rely on the USPS to deliver life saving medications, Social Security checks, and a way to pay bills in places where internet access may be limited. The total neglect of rural areas and the communities that inhabit them is unacceptable.”

Since the Mule Creek post office was damaged in 2024, USPS has failed to complete necessary repairs and fully restore service. A temporary mobile unit operates for only four hours each weekday, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., offering limited services. Residents cannot send outgoing packages, purchase stamps, or access the full range of postal operations most Americans rely on without driving over an hour round-trip to the nearest operational post office.

In his letter, Vasquez called on Acting Postmaster Tulino to provide information on the following:
- The current status of repairs to the permanent USPS building in Mule Creek, New Mexico
- Whether and when full mail services will be restored to the community
- Why USPS has failed to respond to residents’ concerns and what steps will be taken to improve communication moving forward
“We, Mule Creek residents, are very frustrated with the postal service,” said Jonathan Diener, President of the Mule Creek Community Association. “For almost a year, USPS has not responded to the community’s requests to fix the ongoing issues at Mule Creek Post Office or even been willing to communicate with the community. No response has been made to several letters. Residents have been forced to travel long distances just to access basic mail service. We are grateful to Rep. Vasquez for fighting to fix this issue.”

Rep. Vasquez continues to press for fairness, accessibility, and investment in postal services to ensure rural New Mexicans are not left behind.

Full text of the letter can be found below:

Dear Acting Postmaster Tulino,

I am writing to express my deep concern about the current state of the Mule Creek, New Mexico Post Office. This post office, which serves a rural community, was damaged almost a year ago and is unable to provide usual services or hours. Rural communities like Mule Creek depend on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to provide timely and reliable mail services, and I urge you to respond to the communities’ requests and prioritize restoring full service to the Mule Creek Post Office.

The USPS is vital to rural communities across New Mexico. Rural residents, especially seniors and veterans, depend on USPS to receive medications and Social Security checks, pay bills, and receive medications. Businesses in rural areas are also dependent upon postal services to receive supplies and send items to customers, especially when private shipping companies simply refuse to provide service due to the distance and cost.

I was extremely alarmed by former Postmaster DeJoy’s letter to Congress earlier this year, in which he repeatedly described serving rural areas as “burdensome.” I hope under your leadership USPS will recommit to serving rural Americans. This is not an option, I will not let USPS leave rural communities like Mule Creek behind.

I am extremely concerned that USPS has failed to restore full service to Mule Creek residents for almost a year. Currently, only a mobile unit operates in Mule Creek. Where residents were previously able to pick up mail 24 hours per day, they can now only pick up from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM – a mere four hour pick up window each week day. Additionally this mobile unit does not provide full services–such as selling stamps or allowing people to send packages–forcing residents to drive over an hour round-trip for these essential services. This is a significant burden for those who rely on these services, especially elderly and disabled members of the community and working families.

In addition to failing to fully repair the damaged building, USPS has also failed to adequately communicate with local residents. Local residents report that USPS has repeatedly failed to respond to the building owner, even when they secured a contractor to make repairs. The community has also reached out to USPS supervisors about the timeline of the project and have not received a response. This is unacceptable.

Please respond by July 3, 2025 with the following information:

What is the current status of repairs on the permanent USPS building in Mule Creek, NM?
1. Will USPS restore full services to Mule Creek? If so, please provide additional information about when residents can expect service to be restored.
2. Why has USPS failed to respond to residents’ concerns about the Mule Creek Post Office and how does USPS plan to improve communication with the community moving forward?
3. Restoring full mail service to Mule Creek is vital to ensuring that USPS is fulfilling its mandate to serve our rural communities. I look forward to your timely response to this issue.
Sincerely,

Gabe Vasquez

Member of Congress

###

MIL OSI USA News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s justifications for the latest travel ban aren’t supported by the data on immigration and terrorism

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Charles Kurzman, Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Taliban fighters guard the former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on June 5, 2025. AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi

The Trump administration on June 4, 2025, announced travel restrictions targeting 19 countries in Africa and Asia, including many of the world’s poorest nations. All travel is banned from 12 of these countries, with partial restrictions on travel from the rest.

The presidential proclamation, entitled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” is aimed at “countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full or partial suspension on the entry or admission of nationals from those countries.”

In a video that accompanied the proclamation, President Donald Trump said: “The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted.”

The latest travel ban reimposes restrictions on many of the countries that were included on travel bans in Trump’s first term, along with several new countries.

But this travel ban, like the earlier ones, will not significantly improve national security and public safety in the United States. That’s because migrants account for a minuscule portion of violence in the U.S. And migrants from the latest travel ban countries account for an even smaller portion, according to data that I have collected. The suspect in Colorado, for example, is from Egypt, which is not on the travel ban list.

As a scholar of political sociology, I don’t believe Trump’s latest travel ban is about national security. Rather, I’d argue, it’s primarily about using national security as an excuse to deny visas to nonwhite applicants.

Terrorism and public safety

In the past five years, the U.S. has witnessed more than 100,000 homicides. Political violence by militias and other ideological movements accounted for 354 fatalities, according to an initiative known as the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, which tracks armed conflict around the world. That’s less than 1% of the country’s homicide victims. And foreign terrorism accounted for less than 1% of this 1%, according to my data.

The Trump administration says the U.S. cannot appropriately vet visa applicants in countries with uncooperative governments or underdeveloped security systems. That claim is false.

The State Department and other government agencies do a thorough job of vetting visa applicants, even in countries where there is no U.S. embassy, according to an analysis by the CATO Institute.

The U.S. government has sophisticated methods for identifying potential threats. They include detailed documentation requirements, interviews with consular officers and clearance by national security agencies. And it rejects more than 1 in 6 visa applications, with ever-increasing procedures for detecting fraud.

Members of the Yemeni community and others wave American and Yemeni flags as they gather on the steps of Brooklyn’s Borough Hall to protest President Donald Trump’s first travel ban on Feb. 2, 2017, in New York.
AP Photo/Kathy Willens

The thoroughness of the visa review process is evident in the numbers.

Authorized foreign-born residents of the U.S. are far less likely than U.S.-born residents to engage in criminal activity. And unauthorized migrants are even less likely to commit crimes. Communities with more migrants – authorized and unauthorized – have similar or slightly lower crime rates than communities with fewer migrants.

If vetting were as deficient as Trump’s executive order claims, we would expect to see a significant number of terrorist plots from countries on the travel ban list. But we don’t.

Of the 4 million U.S. residents from the 2017 travel ban countries, I have documented only four who were involved in violent extremism in the past five years.

Two of them were arrested after plotting with undercover law enforcement agents. One was found to have lied on his asylum application. One was an Afghan man who killed three Pakistani Shiite Muslim immigrants in New Mexico in 2022.

Such a handful of zealots with rifles or homemade explosives can be life-altering for victims and their families, but they do not represent a threat to U.S. national security.

Degrading the concept of national security

Trump has been trying for years to turn immigration into a national security issue.

In his first major speech on national security in 2016, Trump focused on the “dysfunctional immigration system which does not permit us to know who we let into our country.”

His primary example was an act of terrorism by a man who was born in the U.S.

The first Trump administration’s national security strategy, issued in December 2017, prioritized jihadist terrorist organizations that “radicalize isolated individuals” as “the most dangerous threat to the Nation” – not armies, not another 9/11, but isolated individuals.

If the travel ban is not really going to improve national security or public safety, then what is it about?

Protesters wave signs during a demonstration against President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban on May 15, 2017, in Seattle.
AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

Linking immigration to national security seems to serve two long-standing Trump priorities. First is his effort to make American more white, in keeping with widespread bias among his supporters against nonwhite immigrants.

Remember Trump’s insults to Mexicans and Muslims in his escalator speech announcing his presidential campaign in 2015. He has also expressed a preference for white immigrants from Norway in 2018 and South Africa in 2025.

Trump has repeatedly associated himself with nationalists who view immigration by nonwhites as a danger to white supremacy.

Second, invoking national security allows Trump to pursue this goal without the need for accountability, since Congress and the courts have traditionally deferred to the executive branch on national security issues.

Trump also claims national security justifications for tariffs and other policies that he has declared national emergencies, in a bid to avoid criticism by the public and oversight by the other branches of government.

But this oversight is necessary in a democratic system to ensure that immigration policy is based on facts.

Charles Kurzman has received funding for research on terrorism from the National Institute of Justice and the National Science Foundation.

– ref. Trump’s justifications for the latest travel ban aren’t supported by the data on immigration and terrorism – https://theconversation.com/trumps-justifications-for-the-latest-travel-ban-arent-supported-by-the-data-on-immigration-and-terrorism-255471

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Final of 14 Individuals Sentenced for Dog Fighting
Source: US State of California

Following a final sentencing hearing today, all 14 defendants convicted in a large-scale federal dog fighting case in Albany, Georgia, have been sentenced to a total of 343 months in prison for dog fighting and other charges.

“Dog fighting is an odious form of organized crime, and it’s a magnet for other criminal activity,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department and its local partners, such as the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, will not tolerate this callous criminal activity.”

“The brutality of dog fighting, combined with armed drug distribution, negatively affects our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker for the Middle District of Georgia. “The collaboration among law enforcement agencies at every level during this investigation and prosecution was essential in bringing these defendants to justice and rescuing abused animals.”

“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG).

Details of the total sentencings is below:
- Donnametric Miller, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 100 months in prison;
- Fredricus White, of Panama City, Florida – 35 months in prison
- Christopher Travis Beaumont, of Panama City, Florida – 30 months in prison;
- Marvin Pulley, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 30 months in prison;
- Cornelious Johnson, of Panama City, Florida – 27 months in prison;
- Terelle Ganzy, of Panama City, Florida – 24 months in prison;
- Willie Russell, of Blakely, Georgia – 24 months in prison;
- Brandon Baker, of Panama City, Florida – 20 months in prison;
- Terrance Davis, of Pansey, Alabama – 20 months in prison;
- Tamichael Elijah, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 18 months in prison;
- Timothy Freeman, of Bainbridge, Georgia – time served (15 months in prison);
- Herman Buggs Jr., of Donalsonville, Georgia – time served (two weeks in prison);
- Rodrecus Kimble, of Donalsonville, Georgia – one year home confinement; and
- Gary Hopkins, of Donalsonville, Georgia – six months home confinement.
In addition to prison sentences, the court also imposed restitution for the costs of care of dogs rescued in this investigation. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.

According to court documents filed in this case, defendants from three states all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. Law enforcement disrupted the event after a 911 call and rescued 27 dogs that night, including one found in the blood-soaked fighting pit with severe injuries who soon died. The participants used their cars to store injured dogs who had already been fought, as well as those whose handlers were awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Law enforcement personnel also seized a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.

Seized cell phones in this case contained evidence of some of the participants’ extensive participation in the dog fighting “industry,” including large group dog fighting text message chains, fight reports, and dog fighting videos and photos, including one of a dog who had been hung to death in a garage. Authorities seized and rescued 78 pit bull-type dogs altogether in this investigation, including 51 recovered during search warrants executed with arrest warrants this spring, sparing them from similar fates.

The USDA-OIG and detectives with the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Detectives with the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.

Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendants. The Seized Canine Program of the U.S. Marshals Service cared for the rescued dogs pending legal process.

MIL OSI USA News –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Final of 14 Individuals Sentenced for Dog Fighting
Source: United States Attorneys General 7

Following a final sentencing hearing today, all 14 defendants convicted in a large-scale federal dog fighting case in Albany, Georgia, have been sentenced to a total of 343 months in prison for dog fighting and other charges.

“Dog fighting is an odious form of organized crime, and it’s a magnet for other criminal activity,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department and its local partners, such as the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, will not tolerate this callous criminal activity.”

“The brutality of dog fighting, combined with armed drug distribution, negatively affects our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker for the Middle District of Georgia. “The collaboration among law enforcement agencies at every level during this investigation and prosecution was essential in bringing these defendants to justice and rescuing abused animals.”

“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG).

Details of the total sentencings is below:
- Donnametric Miller, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 100 months in prison;
- Fredricus White, of Panama City, Florida – 35 months in prison
- Christopher Travis Beaumont, of Panama City, Florida – 30 months in prison;
- Marvin Pulley, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 30 months in prison;
- Cornelious Johnson, of Panama City, Florida – 27 months in prison;
- Terelle Ganzy, of Panama City, Florida – 24 months in prison;
- Willie Russell, of Blakely, Georgia – 24 months in prison;
- Brandon Baker, of Panama City, Florida – 20 months in prison;
- Terrance Davis, of Pansey, Alabama – 20 months in prison;
- Tamichael Elijah, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 18 months in prison;
- Timothy Freeman, of Bainbridge, Georgia – time served (15 months in prison);
- Herman Buggs Jr., of Donalsonville, Georgia – time served (two weeks in prison);
- Rodrecus Kimble, of Donalsonville, Georgia – one year home confinement; and
- Gary Hopkins, of Donalsonville, Georgia – six months home confinement.
In addition to prison sentences, the court also imposed restitution for the costs of care of dogs rescued in this investigation. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.

According to court documents filed in this case, defendants from three states all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. Law enforcement disrupted the event after a 911 call and rescued 27 dogs that night, including one found in the blood-soaked fighting pit with severe injuries who soon died. The participants used their cars to store injured dogs who had already been fought, as well as those whose handlers were awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Law enforcement personnel also seized a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.

Seized cell phones in this case contained evidence of some of the participants’ extensive participation in the dog fighting “industry,” including large group dog fighting text message chains, fight reports, and dog fighting videos and photos, including one of a dog who had been hung to death in a garage. Authorities seized and rescued 78 pit bull-type dogs altogether in this investigation, including 51 recovered during search warrants executed with arrest warrants this spring, sparing them from similar fates.

The USDA-OIG and detectives with the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Detectives with the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.

Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendants. The Seized Canine Program of the U.S. Marshals Service cared for the rescued dogs pending legal process.

MIL Security OSI –
June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Luján Responds to Latest CBO Estimates Showing 16 Million People Will Become Uninsured from Republican Health Agenda

US Senate News:

Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the following statement on a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) showing 16 million people will lose coverage from the Republican reconciliation plan, including their failure to extend premium tax credits that Americans use to buy affordable health insurance:
“Millions of Americans will lose coverage, health care costs will rise, and people will get sick and lose their lives – that’s the sad reality of the Republican agenda. Congressional Republicans keep peddling lies about their plan, but the facts are the facts. This bill would dismantle the Affordable Care Act, gut Medicaid, take food away from kids, families, and seniors, and make life harder for New Mexicans.
“We should be expanding access to care – not ripping it away. I’ll keep fighting to protect New Mexicans’ health care, lower costs, and build a healthier America. The American people need to see this for what it is: an attack on their health and livelihoods. I won’t stop sounding the alarm — and I won’t stop fighting for New Mexicans.”
The letter from CBO can be found here.
CBO’s score can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: June 5th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Introduce Legislation to Combat Obesity Epidemic

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act to combat the obesity crisis in the United States by providing regular screenings. The bill would also prevent diseases associated with obesity through expanded coverage of new health care specialists and chronic weight management medications for Medicare recipients.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer are the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act would work to directly prevent these comorbidities.

The legislation is led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.).

The following organizations have endorsed the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pas, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Group Association, American Psychological Association, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, American Society for Nutrition, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, Black Woman’s Health Imperative, Boehringer-Ingelheim, ConscienHealth, Currax, Diabetes Leadership Council, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Eli Lilly and Company, Endocrine Society, Gerontological Society of America, Global Liver Institute, Healthcare Leadership Council, HealthyWomen, Intuitive Surgical, MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Consumers League, National Council on Aging, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Medicine Association, Ro, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, The Obesity Society, Trust for America’s Health, WW Weight Watchers International, and YMCA of the USA.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Five countries elected to serve on UN Security Council

Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia were elected on Tuesday to serve as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, with two-year terms beginning in January 2026.

They will serve through the end of 2027 on the UN body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

They will join the five non-permanent members elected last year – Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia – who will serve through 2026. The incoming members will succeed Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, whose terms end in December 2025.

The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States – who hold veto power, and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for staggered two-year terms.

Elections are held annually by secret ballot, with seats allocated by regional group. Candidates must secure a two-thirds majority in the 193-member General Assembly to be elected.

Vote tally

A total of 188 Member States participated in the election, which required only one round of balloting.

In the African and Asia-Pacific group, Bahrain received 186 votes, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) garnered 183 votes, and Liberia received 181 votes, with one country abstaining.

In the Eastern European group, Latvia received 178 votes while 10 countries abstained.

In the Latin America and the Caribbean group, Colombia received 180 votes, with eight countries abstaining.

Debut for Latvia

Latvia will take a seat on the Council for the first time in its history.

With the exception of Latvia, all the elected countries have previously served: Colombia seven times, the DRC twice, and Bahrain and Liberia once each.

Regional groups

The non-permanent seats on the Security Council are distributed according to four regional groupings: Africa and Asia; Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; and the Western European and other States group.

This year’s election filled five seats: two allocated to Africa, one to Asia-Pacific, one to Eastern Europe, and one to Latin America and the Caribbean.

[embedded content]

By Vibhu Mishra

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: USA: Trump’s travel ban will harm people seeking safety, spread hate and discrimination

Source: Amnesty International –

In response to President Trump imposing a new discriminatory travel ban on visitors from Afghanistan, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, and a partial ban on people from another seven countries, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said:

“President Trump’s new travel ban is discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel. By targeting people based on their race, religion, or nationality, from countries with predominantly Black, Brown and Muslim-majority populations, this blanket ban constitutes racial discrimination under international human rights law. It also spreads hate and disinformation, reinforcing the notion that these populations are more likely to pose security risks or engage in acts of violence.

“This arbitrary travel ban also violates the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution and the US obligation to protect them under international and national refugee law. With the right to seek asylum already non-existent at US borders, it will further inflict terrible suffering on people who are fleeing war-torn regions, massive human rights violations and other dangerous situations and seeking safety in the United States.

This travel ban is yet another iteration of the Trump administration’s persistent trampling on the rights of immigrants and those seeking safety.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

“This travel ban is no different than the ones that President Trump put into place in his first term. It is based on racism and xenophobia and has nothing to do with national security or keeping anyone safe.

“Through targeting and detaining immigrants for exercising practicing their right to free speech, separating families, mass deportations and more, President Trump’s actions have already put tens of millions of people in the United States at risk. And now, this travel ban is yet another iteration of the Trump administration’s persistent trampling on the rights of immigrants and those seeking safety.

“Communities thrive when governments prioritize the safety of all people, regardless of nationality, religion, or race. Amnesty International will never stop fighting for a world in which everybody is treated with dignity, immigrants and people seeking safety are welcomed and recognized for their contributions to society, and communities are united.”

MIL OSI NGO –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – Updating the EU’s Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement – 05-06-2025

Source: European Parliament

The EU needs to update its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement by September 2025. This extended deadline allows the United Nations climate secretariat enough time to assess the collective effect of all national climate plans, relative to the targets under the Paris Agreement, before the start of the COP30 climate change conference in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. The EU’s NDC is formally adopted by the Council of the EU. The third NDC will have a time horizon of 2035, and is therefore linked with the EU climate target for 2040, which is to be adopted as an amendment to the European Climate Law under the Ordinary Legislative Procedure.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Laredo area alien smuggling ring taken down

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been ordered to federal prison for their roles in an extensive human smuggling conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Manuel Capetillo, 27, Poteet, and Michael Diaz, 31, Laredo, pleaded guilty Feb. 4 and March 4, respectively.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed an 85-month-term of imprisonment for Capetillo, while Diaz received 70 months. Both men were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. Diaz was further ordered to pay a $10,000 special assessment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the inhumane conditions in which the aliens were transported and that Capetillo and Diaz had made a business out of smuggling aliens. “You thought of these people as cattle,” he said. Judge Kazen also commented on Capetillo’s leadership role and that he was one of the highest-level players in the region he had seen.

Capetillo and Diaz are attributed with smuggling over 65 aliens, including adults and children as young as six, who came from multiple countries as far south as Guatemala and as close as Mexico. Both had received cash payments in excess of $50,000 during their operations.

The investigation revealed both men operated stash houses in Laredo and that Capetillo also operated one in Poteet. Over several months, Capetillo recruited drivers, scouts and caretakers to bring aliens in from countries in Central America and transport them throughout the southern and central areas of Texas.

Capetillo negotiated prices with Mexican smugglers on how much and to whom would be paid for aliens illegally crossing into the United States. He also negotiated with Mexican nationals to provide weapons for the wars taking place in Monterrey, Mexico, and importing drugs into the United States.

Diaz worked in close connection with Capetillo to rent a yard in Laredo and load aliens into inoperable vehicles, place them on top of tow trucks and smuggle them to Capetillo’s Poteet stash house in the Southern Texas heat. Capetillo paid Diaz for his role in the conspiracy.

Previously released on bond, Capetillo was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Diaz has been and will remain in custody.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of police departments in Laredo and Poteet. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory Sailer prosecuted 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.

MIL Security OSI –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Sentenced for Assaulting Law Enforcement

Source: US FBI

McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old El Salvadorian national has been sentenced for assaulting a Border Patrol (BP) agent, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Oscar Adilio Sanchez-Rivera pleaded guilty March 4.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Sanchez-Rivera to serve 36 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

“The defendant here managed to turn a simple removal case to a multi-year federal sentence,” said Ganjei. “Let this case be an example to others who may wish harm on police or federal agents; assaulting law enforcement will not be tolerated.”

On Nov. 1, 2024, authorities conducted a traffic stop in Rio Grande City when Sanchez-Rivera notified them of his alien status. As the BP agent attempted to place him in a vehicle, Sanchez-Rivera attempted to evade arrest. He punched the agent in the face and grabbed the agent’s finger, causing a fracture that required surgery.

Sanchez-Rivera fled on foot but was soon apprehended.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

BP and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.

MIL Security OSI –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: World Oceans Day, Palestine, Ukraine & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (5 June 2025)

Source: United Nations (Video News)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
Trip Announcement/Secretary-General
World Oceans Day
Secretary-General/Fallen Staff
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Ukraine
Syria/Security Council
International Days

TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT/SECRETARY-GENERAL
On Sunday, June 8, the Secretary-General will arrive in Nice, in France, to take part in the third UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.
On Monday, the Secretary-General will deliver remarks during the conference’s opening session. He will recall the progress achieved since the last Ocean Conference in Lisbon and call for investments to fully realize the sustainable development goal number 14, which is, as you know, life below water.
The Secretary-General will also use this opportunity to urge all countries to ratify the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), and also to call on member states to agree this year on an ambitious and legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.
The BBNJ will enter into force 120 days after its 60th ratification, and to facilitate this process, our colleagues at the department of Legal Affairs are organizing a Treaty event during the Ocean conference. At that event, all Member States who have not yet done so will be able to formally deposit their ratification.
While in Nice, the Secretary-General will have bilateral meetings with both co-hosts of the conference, President Emmanuel Macron, of France, as well as President Rodrigo Chaves Robles, of Costa Rica. He will also have a number of bilateral meetings with other delegation leaders and members of the civil society who will be at the conference.
On Tuesday morning, the Secretary-General will conclude his programme in Nice with a press encounter, which will be shown live on UN WebTV.

WORLD OCEANS DAY
A day ahead of the UN Ocean Conference, the UN will mark World Oceans Day. In his message, the Secretary-General calls for the protection of marine biodiversity, the rejection of practices that inflict irreversible damage, and he calls for the delivery on the promises of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement. &nbs

SECRETARY-GENERAL/FALLEN STAFF
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the annual memorial service for UN staff who have lost their lives in the line of duty over the past year, and he paid tribute to the 168 men and women who lost their lives in 2024.
He told journalists this morning that the past year has been especially devastating in Gaza, with 126 of our colleagues killed there — 125 of those were serving with UNRWA.
Mr. Guterres said that the sacrifice of all 168 of our fallen colleagues everywhere is a tragedy, adding that it is also a reminder of the responsibility carried by every United Nations staff member, every single day.
He said that as we mourn those lost, we must also recognize the living — the thousands of UN personnel who serve around the world today, carrying out the missions entrusted to them by the countries that make up these United Nations.

Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=05%20June%202025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80xGuK-Ku8Y

MIL OSI Video –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Opening of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference | United Nations (Nice, France)

Source: United Nations (Video News)

Our Ocean, Our Future, Our Responsibility

– Cultural Event
– Opening segment
– Beginning of the general debate

The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025.

The overarching theme of the Conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”. The Conference aims to support further and urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and identify further ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14. It will build on existing instruments to form successful partnerships towards the swift conclusion and effective implementation of ongoing processes that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean.

The Conference will involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together Governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities and other actors to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as actions taken towards, the implementation of Goal 14.

The Conference will build on the previous UN Ocean Conferences, hosted by Sweden and Fiji in 2017 in New York and by Portugal and Kenya in 2022 in Lisbon.

2025 UN Ocean Conference website: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025

—

Watch the opening of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in other languages (AR, CH, EN, FR, RU, SP) on the UN Web TV website: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1k/k1kj0sjklh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWcCtCy8gDM

MIL OSI Video –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Maxwell Frost Statement on President Donald Trump’s Travel Ban

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)

June 05, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) slammed Donald Trump and his Administration’s latest cruel move to issue a sweeping travel ban targeting 12 countries and restricting travel from seven more.

In a statement, Rep. Frost says:

“Trump’s travel ban is cruel, inhumane, and rooted in bigotry. It does nothing to make our communities safer, but it does vilify immigrants. It will devastate our immigrant families across this country–especially the thousands of Cuban, Venezuelan, and Haitian families who call Florida home.

“Trump and MAGA Republicans have no actual plan for immigration, they simply want to use cruelty as a political weapon to instill fear and distract the American people from their reckless agenda to hand over tax cuts to billionaires and rip away healthcare and food assistance from working families. It’s no coincidence that this announcement is coming out as Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is proving to be wildly unpopular.

“We won’t give in to this political fear-mongering. Just like during Trump’s first term, this ban will be met with legal challenges and fierce public outrage. I’ll continue to stand with our immigrant families and demand fairness, humanity, and dignity for every immigrant, asylum seeker, or refugee. That is what every person deserves—no matter where they are from.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Fischer Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Secure America’s Satellite Systems

US Senate News:

Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, introduced the bipartisan Secure Space Act of 2025 to protect America’s satellite systems from foreign threats and strengthen national security.
Companion legislation – sponsored by House Energy & Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) – passed the U.S. House on April 28, 2025.
“As satellite technology continues to advance, so do the threats to our national security. The Secure Space Act blocks satellite licenses for untrusted entities and protects our skies from foreign adversaries,” said Senator Luján. “This bill would help protect U.S. innovation and defend our communications networks from foreign entities that seek to hijack our future.”
“Americans rely on crucial communications services provided by our satellite systems now more than ever. That’s why we must prevent foreign adversaries like Communist China and Russia from undermining our ability to utilize these services safely and reliably,” said Senator Fischer. “My bill strengthens our communications infrastructure against these vulnerabilities to make Americans’ network access more secure.”
Background:
The Secure Space Act of 2025 prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from granting satellite licenses or U.S. market access for foreign-licensed satellite systems to any entity or its affiliates that produce or provide communications equipment or services deemed a national security risk.
The legislation amends the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to extend this prohibition to both geostationary and non-geostationary orbit satellite systems, including gateway stations. It applies to new licenses and authorizations issued after the bill’s enactment and requires the FCC to establish implementing regulations within one year.
Click here to read text of the bill.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Wasserman Schultz Leads Over Fifty House Democrats in Legal Defense of TPS for Venezuelans

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

“The Executive Branch advances an interpretation of the TPS statute that, in essence, rewrites the statute to claim a power that Congress did not delegate,” said the Members in the brief’s introduction and summary. “Further, the Executive Branch asserts an interpretation of the TPS statute that leaves no role for the judiciary.”

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) led 54 Democratic Members of Congress to support and defend Venezuelans from the Trump Administration’s baseless termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by filing an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in National TPS Alliance v. Noem.

This filing follows the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to proceed with rapidly revoking the lawful status of Venezuelans while the case moves forward. Before its ruling, Wasserman Schultz led 48 Democrats in a similar brief to the Supreme Court.

“The Executive Branch advances an interpretation of the TPS statute that, in essence, rewrites the statute to claim a power that Congress did not delegate,” said the Members in the brief’s introduction and summary. “Further, the Executive Branch asserts an interpretation of the TPS statute that leaves no role for the judiciary.”

The brief continues, “Amici, drawing on their experience and expertise as members of Congress, explain how these offered interpretations are incorrect and further explain that the TPS statute does not allow for vacatur…noting the long history of bipartisan Congressional support for temporary protected status for Venezuelans who fled dangerous conditions in their country, conditions that persist today.”

Wasserman Schultz was joined by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8), House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS-2), House Rules Committee Ranking Member Rep. James McGovern (MA-2), House Committee on Small Business Ranking Member Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-7), House Committee on Agriculture Ranking Member Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and House Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), as well as all Democratic Members of the Florida Congressional Delegation.

Additional signers include Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), John Larson(CT-01), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Henry C. (“Hank”) Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Dina Titus (NV-01), Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Darren Soto (FL-09), Robin L. Kelly(IL-02), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-27), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Troy Carter (LA-02), Nikema Williams(GA-05), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Dave Min (CA-47), and Luz Rivas(CA-29).

Wasserman Schultz, who co-chairs the Venezuela Democracy Caucus, also recently partnered with Reps. Darren Soto(FL-9) and María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) to sponsor bipartisan legislation to reverse Trump’s termination of TPS for Venezuelans and redesignate protections.

The full amicus brief can be found here.

####

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE Rio Grande Valley conducts worksite enforcement operation resulting in 25 arrests

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

HARLINGEN, Texas – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the support of Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Marshals Service, arrested 25 illegal aliens June 4 during a targeted worksite enforcement operation that took place at two construction sites, South Padre Island and Brownsville, Texas.

“Today’s arrests reflect ICE’s unwavering commitment to upholding the integrity of our immigration system and protecting our nation’s workforce. Individuals who violate federal immigration and employment laws not only undermine fair labor standards but also pose potential security and safety risks. ICE will continue to work with our partners to identify and investigate those who disregard the law and exploit our country’s systems for personal or commercial gain,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee.

The individuals arrested are citizens of Mexico and Honduras and are pending removal back to their home country.

Under federal law, employers are required to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals they hire, and to document that information using the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. ICE uses the I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with the law, part of a comprehensive strategy to address and deter illegal employment. Inspections are one of the most powerful tools the federal government uses to ensure that businesses are complying with U.S. employment laws.

ICE’s worksite enforcement strategy includes leveraging the agency’s other investigative disciplines, since worksite investigations can often involve additional criminal activity, such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation and/or substandard wage and working conditions.

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

For more information about ICE HSI San Antonio and its efforts to enhance public safety in south and central Texas, follow us on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.

Learn more about worksite enforcement by visiting ICE’s Worksite Enforcement Investigations

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Inside Ukraine’s remarkable drone attack

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

You can generally tell when Vladimir Putin appears rattled by an adverse event in his war on Ukraine. He (or one of his proxies) ramps up the bloodcurdling rhetoric. And so it is with Ukraine’s “Spiderweb” drone attack on four airbases inside Russia, which reportedly destroyed or damaged as many as 40 warplanes, a good chunk of Russia’s fleet of strategic nuclear-capable bombers.

These aircraft have been used during the war to deliver cruise missiles at targets within Ukraine and have been kept on airbases far enough from Ukraine to be well out of range of anything Kyiv could fire at them. So Ukraine’s secret intelligence service, the SBU, hatched a plot to send truckloads of home-grown drones in vans to locations close to airbases as far away as Irkutsk in Siberia and Murmansk close to the top of Finland.

Technological savvy aside, perhaps the most remarkable thing about the plan was that it was 18 months in the making and yet the SBU managed to keep it a secret shared by only a few, including Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. Significantly, the plan was reportedly kept from the US government.

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An angry Putin is reported to have accused Ukraine of “organising terrorist attacks”, saying to aides: “How can we have meetings like this under these conditions? What is there to talk about? Who has negotiations with … terrorists?”

Nothing much has been revealed as to what was actually said about the drone attack when delegates for the two sides met on Monday, apparently for barely an hour, to continue their peace talks. But as Stefan Wolff and Tetyana Malyarenko suggest, the fact that both sides have continued to land blows against each other is hardly a sign of a sincere commitment to serious negotiations.

As it is, both sides restated their maximalist positions. For Kyiv this means that any concessions over territory or sovereignty are out of the question. For Moscow this means Ukrainian and international recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea as well as four provinces it has partially occupied since 2014, no Ukrainian membership of Nato and limits to Ukraine’s armed forces.

Wolff and Malyarenko, experts in international security and politics at the University of Birmingham and National University Odesa Law Academy, respectively, believe that little will change on the battlefield in the foreseeable future. A lot will now depend on Washington. And it should be noted that the US president had a lengthy chat with Putin on June 4, after which Trump delivered the Kremlin’s message that: “President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”

We’ve already seen a blitz on the southern city of Kherson, where Russia launched glide bombs and attacked with drones and artillery this morning. But Trump’s envoy to Russia, Keith Kellog, among other senior officials have talked about the drone strike being an attack on part of Russia’s [nuclear] triad, impying the threat level is actually far greater.

Read more:
Ukraine ‘spiderweb’ drone strike fails to register at peace talks as both sides dig in for the long haul

Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal in 1994 in return for an undertaking, signed by Russia, the US, UK and France, to guarantee the inviolability of Ukraine’s borders. So as Matthew Sussex of the Australian National University in Canberra writes, the drone attack was very much a case of a David striking a clever blow against a Goliath.

Sussex says this and other missions, such as the targeting of the Kerch bridge – Putin’s pride and joy – and the relentless attacks on Russia’s power infrastructure, are an effective counter to Russia’s attritional style of warfare. This involves throwing as many men as possible at its objectives, something Ukraine cannot hope to compete directly with. The truth is, writes Sussex, that Kyiv “has focused on winning the war they are in, rather than those of the past”.

Read more:
The secret to Ukraine’s battlefield successes against Russia – it knows wars are never won in the past

“This isn’t just asymmetric warfare, it’s a different kind of offensive capability,” concludes Michael A Lewis, an expert in autonomous vehicles at the University of Bath. Lewis notes that both sides have been using drones almost continuously on the frontlines of the war and each has developed their own strategy for countering the threat.

But this operation combined the use of drones with smart intelligence planning. The key was getting the drones to where they could exploit vulnerabilities in Russia’s air defence systems. “In low-level airspace, visibility drops, responsibility fragments, and detection tools lose their edge,” he writes. “Drones arrive unannounced, response times lag, coordination breaks.”

The attack will have defence planners around the world scratching their heads as to how to cope with this emerging threat. Lewis believes the operation exposed the problems with centralised airspace management which will require new and better detection systems and faster responses to counter. “Operation Spiderweb didn’t just reveal how Ukraine could strike deep into Russian territory,” he writes. “It showed how little margin for error there is in a world where cheap systems can be used quietly and precisely.”

Read more:
Ukraine drone strikes on Russian airbase reveal any country is vulnerable to the same kind of attack

Not that Russia has exactly been standing still when it comes to drone warfare. As Marcel Plichta of the University of St Andrews writes, having initially relied on Iran for the supply of its Shahed drones, Russia has been quick to establish its own sizeable drone manufacturing industry. Plichta, a drone specialist and former US government intelligence analyst, walks us through some of the innovations that Russian-made drones are now employing, including Sim cards which can transmit data back to Russia via mobile networks, carbon coating to avoid radar detection, and enhanced incendiary and fragmentation warheads that can start fires or spread large volumes of shrapnel to make them more deadly.

But also notable is the sheer volume of drones that Russia is deploying – 472 against Ukrainian cities on June 1, as well as large numbers of decoys – with the aim of simply exhausting Ukrainian air defences. Even if Ukraine manages to shoot down 80% as it claims, that still leaves enough to wreak utter havoc for the defenders.

Read more:
Russia has been working on creating drones that ‘call home’, go undercover and start fires. Here’s how they work

From the Oval Office

The latest controversial measure announced by the White House is the planned travel ban on people from 12 countries thought by the Trump administration to pose a threat. The ban is scheduled to come into effect on June 9.

Less than a week later, the US will host – jointly with Mexico and Canada – the Fifa Club World Cup, which will feature players from some of these countries. Next year the US hosts the Men’s World Cup and in 2028 the Olympics are scheduled to be held in Los Angeles.

The announcement of the ban said that “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives travelling for the World Cup, the Olympics, or other major sporting events as defined by the Secretary of State” will be exempted.

But, as Eric Storm from Leiden University points out, this does not include fans who might have been planning to travel to these major sporting carnivals. Storm, a historian who has researched the intersection of politics and tourism, says that the way geopolitical tensions manifested themselves at big sporting events was a feature of the cold war, but that these sorts of tensions largely dissipated after 1991. Now we may see politics being played out on the pitch, once again.

Read more:
Trump’s travel ban casts shadow over the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup and other US-hosted sporting events

South Korea’s new president

Voters in South Korea backed the liberal candidate, Lee Jae-myung for the Democratic Party, by nearly 50% in the June 3 election. This gave the man who led the campaign to topple former president Yoon Suk Yeol a clear mandate in what is reported to have been the election with the highest turnout since 1997.

But while women had been very prominent in the campaign to oust Yoon, there were no female presidential candidates and very little discussion of some of the massive gender issues besetting Korea, including structural inequality, harassment and domestic violence, write Ming Gao of Lund University and Joanna Elfving-Hwang of Curtin University, both experts in South Korean politics and society. In fact, some candidates actively campaigned in a manner they clearly hoped would engage with disenchanted young men who feel their position may be under threat from women.

Read more:
South Korea election: Lee Jae-myung takes over a country split by gender politics

The new South Korean president will bring with him what he calls a “pragmatic” approach to foreign affairs. He has restated his commitment to the longstanding alliance with the US, but has also stressed the need for his country to improve relations with China and North Korea, believing that South Korea should not be wholly dependent on Washington.

This, writes Christoph Bluth, could become a point of tension between Seoul and Washington. “The Trump administration has taken a hawkish approach towards China and wants its allies to do the same,” he says.

Lee has made it quite clear that while Seoul’s relationship with Washington is the “basic axis of [South Korea’s] diplomacy,” the country “should not put all [its] eggs in one basket”. He has already signalled that he would resist any attempts by the US to draw South Korea into a conflict with China over Taiwan.

Read more:
Why South Korea’s new leader may be on a collision course with Trump

Gaza: when aid is politicised

There was yet more tragedy in Gaza this week as the new aid distribution scheme backed by Israel and the US got underway and quickly descended into chaos, with Israeli troops shooting at people it claimed were Hamas militants, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people.

The new plan handed control of aid distribution to a private company called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which established four depots, three in the very south of the Strip and one in the centre, close to Israeli checkpoints. As a result many people had to travel considerable distances to get desperately needed supplies.

As Irit Katz of the University of Cambridge writes here, the GHF plan is similar in character to a scheme put forward last December by an Israeli veterans group that prioritises control over humanitarianism. She says the resulting chaos and violence should come as no surprise.

Read more:
Lethal humanitarianism: why violence at Gaza aid centres should not come as a surprise

World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get updates directly in your inbox.

– ref. Inside Ukraine’s remarkable drone attack – https://theconversation.com/inside-ukraines-remarkable-drone-attack-258326

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why Dippy the dinosaur remains beloved, 120 years after arriving at the Natural History Museum

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael J. Benton, Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of Bristol

Shutterstock/I Wei Huang

Dippy – a complete cast of a diplodocus skeleton – is Britain’s most famous dinosaur. It has resided at the Natural History Museum in London since 1905 and is now on show in Coventry where it is “dinosaur-in-residence” at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum.

Dippy, the star attraction in the huge entrance hall of the Natural History Museum from 1979 to 2018, is now on tour around the UK, with Coventry as its latest stop. It had previously been shown in Dorchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Glasgow, Newcastle, Cardiff, Rochdale, Norwich and London.

So what is it that makes Dippy so popular? I got a sense of the dino’s appeal in August 2021 when I gave a lecture under the Dippy skeleton in Norwich Cathedral.

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The lecture was about dinosaur feathers and colours. It highlighted new research that identified traces of pigment in the fossilised feathers of birds and dinosaurs. I wanted to highlight the enormous advances in the ways we can study dinosaurs that had taken place in just a century.

Before arriving, I thought that Dippy would fill the cathedral – after all the skeleton is 26 metres long and it had filled the length of the gallery at the Natural History Museum. However, Dippy was dwarfed by the gothic cathedral’s scale. In fact, the building is so large that five Dippys could line up, nose to tail, from the great west door to the high altar at the east end.

This sense of awe is one of the key reasons to study palaeontology – to understand how such extraordinary animals ever existed.

I asked the Norwich cathedral canon why they had agreed to host the dinosaur, and he gave three answers. First, the dinosaur would attract lots of visitors. Second, Dippy is from the Jurassic period, as are the rocks used to construct the cathedral. Finally, for visitors it shared with the cathedral a sense of awe because of its huge size. Far from being diminished by its temporary home, visitors still walked around and under Dippy sensing its grandeur.

Dippy at the unveiling ceremony at the Reptile Gallery of the Natural History Museum in 1905.
WikiMedia

Dippy arrived in London in 1905 as part of a campaign for public education by the Scottish-American millionaire Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919). At the time, there was a debate in academic circles about the function of museums and how far professionals should go in seeking to educate the public.

There was considerable reticence about going too far. Many professors felt that showing dinosaurs to the public would be unprofessional in instances where they moved from description of facts into the realm of speculation. They also did not want to risk ridicule by conveying unsupported information about the appearance and lifestyle of the great beasts. Finally, many professors simply did not see such populism as any part of their jobs.

Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1916.
Wiki Commons

But, at that time, the American Museum of Natural History was well established in New York and its new president, Henry Fairfield Osborn (1857-1935) was distinctly a populist. He sponsored the palaeo artist Charles Knight (1874-1953), whose vivid colour paintings of dinosaurs were the glory of the museum and influential worldwide. Osborn was as hated by palaeontology professors as he was feted by the public.

Carnegie pumped his steel dollars into many philanthropic works in his native Scotland and all over America, including the Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. When he heard that a new and complete skeleton of a diplodocus had been dug up in Wyoming, he bought it and brought it to his new museum. It was named as a new species, Diplodocus carnegiei.

On a visit to Carnegie’s Scottish residence, Skibo Castle, King Edward VII saw a sketch of the bones and Carnegie agreed to donate a complete cast of the skeleton to Britain’s Natural History Museum.

The skeleton was copied by first making rubber moulds of each bone in several parts, then filling the moulds with plaster to make casts and colouring the bones to make them look real. The 292 pieces were shipped to London in 36 crates and opened to the public in May 1905. Carnegie’s original Dippy skeleton only went on show in Pittsburgh in 1907, after the new museum building had been constructed.

Illustration of the Brontosaurus by Charles Knight (1897).
Wiki Commons

Carnegie had got the royal bug and donated further complete Dippy casts to the great natural history museums in Berlin, Paris, Vienna, Bologna, St Petersburg, Madrid, Munich, Mexico City and La Plata in Argentina. Each of these nations, except France, had a king or tsar at the time. The skeletons went on show in all these locations, except Munich, and Dippy has been seen by many millions of people in the past 120 years.

Dippy’s appeal

Dippy’s appeal is manifold. It’s huge – we like our dinosaurs big. It has been seen up close by more people around the world than any other dinosaur. It also opens the world of science to many people. Evolution, deep time, climate change, origins, extinction and biodiversity are all big themes that link biology, geology, physics, chemistry and mathematics.

Also, since 1905, palaeontology has moved from being a largely speculative subject to the realms of testable science. Calculations of jaw functions and limb movements of dinosaurs can be tested and challenged. Hypotheses about physiology, reproduction, growth and colour can be based on evidence from microscopic study of bones and exceptionally preserved tissues, and these analyses can be repeated and refuted.

Dippy has witnessed over a century of rapid change and its appeal is sure to continue for the next.

Dippy is on display at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry until February 21 2026.

Michael J. Benton 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. Why Dippy the dinosaur remains beloved, 120 years after arriving at the Natural History Museum – https://theconversation.com/why-dippy-the-dinosaur-remains-beloved-120-years-after-arriving-at-the-natural-history-museum-209945

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Brief in Support of Private Enforcement of the Voting Rights Act

Source: US State of California

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a coalition of 19 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians v. Howe, in support of a challenge to North Dakota’s 2021 redistricting plan. In the lawsuit, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Spirit Lake Tribe, and three individual Native American voters argue that North Dakota’s redistricting plan unlawfully diluted Native American voting strength in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits voting practices or procedures that discriminate on the basis of race, among other characteristics, and § 1983 allows individuals to file suit against state actors who violate federal constitutional or statutory rights. A panel of judges on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that private parties cannot sue under Section 2 and § 1983. In their brief, the attorneys general support the tribes’ argument that Section 2 is enforceable through private suits and urge the Eighth Circuit to grant the tribes’ petition for the whole court to reconsider the question.

“The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In a time when we can no longer rely on the federal government to enforce the Voting Rights Act, private action is essential to preserve the spirit and intent of one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. For 60 years, private parties have challenged discriminatory voting practices under the Voting Rights Act. I urge the court to rehear this case.”

In the brief, the attorneys general argue that private enforcement of the Voting Rights Act is essential, having served as the primary method of enforcing the Act since its enactment. The attorneys general note that approximately 400 private Voting Rights Act cases have been filed nationwide, compared to only about 40 brought by the U.S. Attorney General. Without a private right of action, voters will lack recourse if the U.S. Attorney General does not address their concerns. Additionally, the attorneys general emphasize that the public’s ability to enforce voting laws has a deterrent effect. Eliminating the private right of action could lessen the likelihood that the Voting Rights Act will be enforced, thereby reducing the incentives for certain state and local officials to comply with the Act’s mandates.

Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia in filing the amicus brief.

A copy of the brief can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Introduces Energy Choice Act to End Blue-State Wars on American Energy

Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) and Senator Jim Justice (R-WV) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral H.R. 3699, the Energy Choice Acttoprohibit states or local governments from banning an energy service’s connection, reconnection, modification, installation, or expansion based on the type or source of energy to be delivered. Congressman Langworthy, who serves as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and as a member of the Energy and Environment subcommittees, has made protecting Americans’ energy choices a top priority.

“Governor Hochul and Democrats in Albany have waged an extremist crusade against natural gas that’s sent home energy costs through the roof, crippled our energy supply, and left New York teetering on the edge of an energy crisis—all to satisfy the radical fantasies of the far-left climate cult. New York has been ground zero for the Green New Deal, where common sense goes to die and working families get stuck with the bill,”said Congressman Langworthy.“That’s why I’ve introduced the Energy Choice Act—to slam the brakes on these reckless, ideological mandates and restore sanity to America’s energy policy. People deserve the freedom to choose energy that is affordable, reliable, and proven—not be forced into rolling blackouts to please eco-activists who don’t live in the real world. I thank Senator Justice for introducing this bill in the Senate and urge its swift action.”

“I am an energy guy from an energy-rich state. I know how important freedom of energy production is – which is why I’m proud to introduce Energy Choice Act of 2025. President Trump has stated the need to unleash American energy, and this bill helps facilitate just that. We have too great an energy crisis in this country, and we don’t have the luxury of picking the winners and losers when it comes to energy production. Americans ought to have the right to choose what is best for their energy needs,” said Senator Jim Justice.

The full text of the bill can be found here. Original cosponsors of this legislation include Representatives Michael Baumgartner (R-WA), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Mike Bost (R-IL), Robert Bresnahan Jr. (R-MI), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Mike Carey (R-OH), Jeff Crank (R-CO), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Pat Harrigan (R-NC), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Jeff Hurd (R-CO), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Michael Lawler (R-NY), Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Addison McDowell (R-NC), Mark Messmer (R-IN), Dan Meuser (R-PA), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Tim Moore (R-NC), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), August Pfluger (R-TX), John Rose (R-TX), Michael Rulli (R-OH), Jefferson Shreve (R-IN), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), GT Thompson (R-PA), David Valadao (R-CA), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Tony Wied (R-WI), Roger Williams (R-TX), Ryan Zinke (R-MT).

Original cosponsors in the Senate include Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).

“Democratic-controlled states like New York are waging an all-out attack on domestic energy production, undermining Americans’ right to choose their preferred energy source. The Energy Choice Act combats these authoritarian regulations by preventing state and local governments from banning specific energy sources. To achieve true energy independence, we must ensure Americans have access to a full range of options, including natural gas,”said Congresswoman Tenney.

“Montanans know the value of reliable, affordable energy, especially during winters when access to natural gas, coal, and other traditional fuels isn’t just a convenience, it’s a necessity,” said Congressman Zinke. “Heavy handed policies from places like Albany and Sacramento don’t reflect the realities of rural America, where energy diversity is vital. The Energy Choice Act is common sense legislation that defends our right to choose the energy sources that work best for our homes and businesses, and I am happy to co-sponsor it again.”

“In order to achieve American energy dominance, we must utilize an all-of-the-above energy strategy that prioritizes affordability and reliability. By prohibiting states and local governments from banning a service based on the source of the energy, we can ensure that families and small businesses are not being forced to utilize more costly energy sources. I thank Rep. Langworthy for his leadership as we work to make energy more affordable and reliable for our constituents,” said Congressman Newhouse.

“Energy freedom is essential to both our economy and national security,” said Congressman Mike Rulli. “Efforts by state governments to ban natural gas and other traditional energy sources not only hurt working families through higher costs but also jeopardize grid reliability – especially in regions with harsh winters like ours. I’m proud to support the Energy Choice Act and thank Congressman Langworthy for putting consumers first and ensuring that no American is forced into an energy system that doesn’t work for them or their community.”

“Strengthening America’s energy independence requires an all-of-the-above energy strategy that ensures consumer demand and industry experts, not bureaucrats and extreme environmentalists, lead the expansion and delivery of energy services. Banning certain types of energy, like California and New York have tried to do, only raises prices for Americans,” said Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11). “The Energy Choice Act will safeguard the diversification of energy sources in our nation and make sure that Americans have access to reliable and affordable energy.”

The Energy Choice Act has received wide support from federal organizations, including American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC), American Gas Association (AGA), American Public Gas Association (APGA), Americans for Prosperity (AFP), Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), Energy Marketers of America (EMA) , GPA Midstream Association, GPSA Midstream Suppliers, Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), National Association of Oil and Energy Service Professionals (OESP), National Energy and Fuels Institute (NEFI), National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors – National Association (PHCC), Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), LIBRE Initiative, Concerned Veterans for America (CVA).

This legislation has also received support from state organizations, including Alabama Propane Gas Association, Arizona Propane Gas Association, Arkansas Propane Gas Association, Colorado Propane Gas Association, Connecticut Energy Marketers Association, Florida Propane Gas Association, Illinois Propane Gas Association, Indiana Food and Fuel Association, Iowa Propane Gas Association, Propane Gas Marketers of Kansas, Kentucky Petroleum Marketers Association, Kentucky Propane Gas Association, Louisiana Propane Gas Association, Maine Energy Marketers Association, Massachusetts Energy Marketers Association, Michigan Petroleum Association, Michigan Propane Gas Association, Mid-Atlantic Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Distributors Association, Mid-Atlantic Propane Gas Association, MidStates Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Midwest Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Mississippi Propane Gas Association, Missouri Propane Gas Association, Nebraska Propane Gas Association, Energy and Convenience Marketers of Nevada, Nevada Propane Gas Association, New Mexico Propane Gas Association, North Central Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Northeast Heart, Patio & Barbecue Association, Northwest Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Energy Marketers Association of New Hampshire, Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey, New Jersey Propane Gas Association, Association of Contracting Plumbers of the City of New York Inc., New York Propane Gas Association, Empire State Energy Association (ESEA), Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York (IOGANY), New York State Association of Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors, New York State Energy Coalition (NYSEC), New York State Oil Producers Association (NYSOPA), North Carolina Petroleum and Convenience Marketers, North Dakota Propane Gas Association, Ohio Energy and Convenience Association, Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Ohio Propane Gas Association, Oklahoma Propane Gas Association, Oregon Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Pacific Propane Gas Association, Hearth Patio & Barbecue Association Pacific, Eastern Pennsylvania Energy Association, North Eastern Pennsylvania Energy Marketers Association, Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association, Pennsylvania Petroleum Association, Southeast Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, South Central Pennsylvania Energy Association, South Central Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Propane Gas Association of New England, Energy Marketers Association of Rhode Island, Rhode Island Business Leaders Alliance, Rocky Mountain Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, Rocky Mountain Propane Association, South Carolina Convenience & Petroleum Marketers Association, South Dakota Petroleum and Propane Marketers Association, Southeast Propane Alliance, Tennessee Propane Gas Association, Texas Propane Gas Association, Vermont Fuel Dealers Association, Virginia Petroleum & Convenience Marketers Association, Virginia Propane Gas Association, West Virginia Propane Gas Association, Western Propane Gas Association, Washington Independent Energy Distributors, Wisconsin Fuel and Retail Association, Wisconsin Propane Gas Association, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC).

“NEFI proudly supports the Energy Choice Act, which represents a critical step toward protecting American consumers and small businesses from government overreach in the home energy market,”said Jim Collura, President & CEO of the National Energy & Fuels Institute (NEFI), which represents wholesale and retail distributors of liquid heating fuels, primarily in the Northeast.“This bipartisan legislation ensures that decisions about home heating and cooling remain where they belong – in the hands of American families, not government bureaucrats. At a time when families are recovering from record high inflation, the last thing we need are misguided state and local policies that eliminate affordable heating options. The Energy Choice Act protects market competition, preserves consumer choice, and promotes energy affordability and reliability. We urge Congress to pass this common-sense legislation without delay.”

“NAHB commends Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) for championing the Energy Choice Act, legislation that prohibits state and local governments from banning or limiting access to natural gas, electricity, and other energy sources. A gas ban would exacerbate the housing affordability crisis by increasing costs on new homes and placing added stress on the nation’s electrical grid. With more than 40 million U.S. households relying on natural gas for heating, cooking, and hot water, preserving access to this affordable and reliable energy source is vital for American families,”said Buddy Hughes, Chairman, National Association of Home Builders.

“On behalf of millions of AFP’s grassroots activists across the country, we applaud Rep. Nick Langworthy for introducing the Energy Choice Act to ensure energy freedom throughout the United States. Regardless of where Americans live, they shouldn’t be forced to endure energy poverty. The Energy Choice Act will provide certainty, security, and assurance for much-needed permitting reform and energy infrastructure development. Rep. Langworthy’s legislation will ensure American dominance in energy and lower costs for consumers while embracing an “all-of-the-above” approach on the federal level,” said Brent Gardner, Chief Government Affairs Officer, Americans for Prosperity.

“The Energy Choice Act represents a critical step in protecting consumer access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy sources like propane,”said Stephen Kaminski, President and CEO of the National Propane Gas Association. “NPGA commends Rep. Langworthy and Sen. Justice for their leadership in introducing this legislation to defend energy diversity and empowering Americans to choose the energy solutions that best meet their needs. This bill safeguards consumers from rising energy costs driven by overreaching government mandates.”

“The American Public Gas Association (APGA) strongly supports Representative Langworthy’s Energy Choice Act. This important legislation will safeguard American consumers’ right to choose the energy that best meets their household and budget needs. Access to affordable, reliable, and efficient natural gas is essential to the success of American families, businesses, and communities. APGA applauds the bill’s sponsors for their leadership in protecting consumer choice and promoting energy affordability,” said Dave Schryver, President & CEO, APGA.

“The refusal of certain state and local governments to consider policies that provide a more sustainable transition to a less carbon-intensive future, coupled with the economic burdens placed on the American people through restrictions or bans on fossil fuel heating sources, necessitates federal preemption to ensure homeowners can continue to afford living in their homes while having robust options for maintaining home comfort. The Energy Choice Act provides that recourse and PHCC supports its immediate passage,” said Dan Callies, President, Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors, National Association.

“Passage of this important legislation is a no brainer. We encourage House lawmakers to pass the bill immediately to restore consumer choice and support small business energy marketers across the country,”said Rob Underwood, Energy Marketers of America President.

“At a time when no New Yorker is immune to statewide affordability challenges, having the freedom to choose energy solutions that work best for their homes, businesses, and communities is critical to keeping costs manageable for everyday people. The Energy Choice Act ensures we are taking an all-of-the-above approach to meeting energy needs — opening opportunities to tap into existing solutions like biofuels that advance clean energy goals, while also fostering continued innovation to build a more secure, affordable energy future. We support this commonsense legislation, thank Congressman Langworthy for his leadership, and urge House lawmakers to pass the Energy Choice Act to deliver real energy solutions for all Americans and support the small business energy marketers who help power our communities,”said Kris DeLair, Executive Director of the Empire State Energy Association.

“GPA Midstream appreciates Representative Langworthy taking action to introduce legislation to protect consumer choice. New Yorkers and all Americans deserve the right to choose the energy source, such as natural gas or propane, that is reliable and best fits their budget needs,”said Stuart Saulters, VP of Federal Affairs, GPA Midstream Association.

“Americans deserve reliable, affordable energy without bureaucratic roadblocks or special interests getting in the way. This bill protects consumer choice and energy innovation by ensuring that no state or local government can block access to energy sources based on political agendas or bad politics. This bipartisan bill is a common-sense step toward securing our energy future, protecting American energy jobs, and most importantly protecting the pockets of working class Americans who should not have to pay more for energy. The LIBRE Initiative is grateful for Rep. Langworthy’s leadership on this important issue,” said Helder Toste, Government Affairs Liaison, The LIBRE Initiative

“Concerned Veterans for America wholeheartedly endorses Rep. Nick Langworthy’s Energy Choice Act on behalf of the members of our country’s largest veteran-led grassroots advocacy organization. This bill will ensure energy freedom in every state and protect hardworking citizens from high energy costs created by special interests at the state level. Veterans served so that Americans are free to benefit from our nation’s ingenuity and natural abundance, and are free to live their unique American Dreams.
The Energy Choice Act limits states’ permitting requirements and promotes a more resilient energy infrastructure. Rep. Langworthy’s legislation will ensure continued American domestic energy availability and lower costs for consumers while embracing a free market approach to energy development across the country,” said John Vick, Executive Director, Concerned Veterans for America.

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI: Ormat Technologies Announces Strategic Leadership Changes

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ORMAT EXPANDS MANAGEMENT TEAM TO SUPPORT ELECTRICITY SEGMENT GROWTH AND EGS INITIATIVES
ARON WILLIS APPOINTED EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, ELECTRICITY SEGMENT
DANIEL MOELK APPOINTED SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, RESOURCES, DRILLING, & EGS

RENO, Nev., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ORA) (the “Company” or “Ormat”), a leading geothermal and renewable energy company, is pleased to announce the appointment of two distinguished executives to its senior management team. These strategic appointments are poised to propel the next phase of the Company’s growth and enhance its operational excellence within the renewable energy sector.

Aron Willis Appointed Executive Vice President, Electricity Segment

Effective June 4, 2025, Aron Willis will assume the role of Executive Vice President, Electricity Segment at Ormat Technologies. In this capacity Aron will oversee the operations of the Electricity Segment, ensuring alignment with the Company’s strategic goals and financial targets. Aron will also be responsible for optimizing plant performance, implementing advanced AI tools, ensuring compliance with safety and environmental regulations, and driving continuous improvement initiatives to foster future growth.

Aron brings over 25 years of extensive experience in the power generation industry, with a proven track record of leadership and financial and operational expertise. His career includes significant roles at TransAlta Corporation and Northwest Digital Power, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership in managing large-scale operations and driving substantial growth initiatives. At TransAlta Corporation, Aron held several senior leadership positions, including Executive Vice President of Project Delivery & Construction, Executive Vice President of Growth and Senior Vice President of Operations & Commercial Management. He also managed TransAlta’s Australian operations for 10 years, comprising approximately 500MW of generating capacity. Aron holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Finance from the University of Calgary.

Daniel Moelk Appointed Senior Vice President, Resources, Drilling & EGS

In July 2025, Daniel Moelk will join Ormat as Senior Vice President, Resources, Drilling & EGS. Daniel will lead our Resources, Drilling, and EGS teams with a focus on implementing sophisticated processes and innovative technologies. His work will focus in part on creating efficiencies through the use and advanced AI tools and developing Ormat’s ongoing drilling and exploration global roadmap.

Daniel brings nearly 18 years of valuable operations and drilling management experience within the geothermal industry. Most recently, Daniel served as the EVP of European Operations for Eavor Technologies Inc, a company focused on EGS development where he successfully executed some of the industry’s most challenging and complex drilling campaigns. Daniel has played pivotal roles in expanding geothermal drilling operations across his career, in particular at Steag GMBH, PT Sejahtera Alam Energy while he was located in Indonesia, Daldrup & Sohne AG, Mannvit Engineering Consultants, and Iceland Drilling Inc. Daniel holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Iceland.

“We are thrilled to welcome Aron Willis and Daniel Moelk to Ormat’s leadership team, where their valued backgrounds and experience will help drive the next phase of development and growth for our leading geothermal operations,” said Doron Blachar, Chief Executive Officer of Ormat Technologies. “Their extensive experience and proven track records in the power generation and geothermal industries will be invaluable as we continue to support our growth through continued innovation. These appointments reflect our commitment to strengthening our leadership team, advancing our strategic objectives for generation growth, expanding our profitability, and focusing efforts on EGS development. I am confident that Aron and Daniel, both of whom will report directly to me, will play pivotal roles in our ongoing success.”

Blachar continued, “I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to Shimon Hatzir for his long-standing service to the Company and his exceptional leadership and dedication over the past 36 years. Shimon has made significant contributions to Ormat in various capacities, including leading our R&D and engineering division, leading wide range of technology developments, and managing the design of numerous power plants. He also led our energy storage segment, and most recently, heading the Electricity Segment including the Resource and Drilling operations I wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

ABOUT ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES

With six decades of experience, Ormat Technologies, Inc. is a leading geothermal company, and the only vertically integrated company engaged in geothermal and recovered energy generation (“REG”), with robust plans to accelerate long-term growth in the energy storage market and to establish a leading position in the U.S. energy storage market. The Company owns, operates, designs, manufactures and sells geothermal and REG power plants primarily based on the Ormat Energy Converter – a power generation unit that converts low-, medium- and high-temperature heat into electricity. The Company has engineered, manufactured and constructed power plants, which it currently owns or has installed for utilities and developers worldwide, totaling approximately 3,400MW of gross capacity. Ormat leveraged its core capabilities in the geothermal and REG industries and its global presence to expand the Company’s activity into energy storage services, solar Photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage plus Solar PV. Ormat’s current total generating portfolio is 1,538MW with a 1,248MW geothermal and solar generation portfolio that is spread globally in the U.S., Kenya, Guatemala, Indonesia, Honduras, and Guadeloupe, and a 290MW energy storage portfolio that is located in the U.S.

ORMAT’S SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

Information provided in this press release may contain statements relating to current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events that are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including such matters as our projections of annual revenues, expenses and debt service coverage with respect to our debt securities, future capital expenditures, business strategy, competitive strengths, goals, development or operation of generation assets, market and industry developments and the growth of our business and operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words “may”, “will”, “could”, “should”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “projects”, “potential”, or “contemplate” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such words or expressions. These forward-looking statements generally relate to Ormat’s plans, objectives and expectations for future operations and are based upon its management’s current estimates and projections of future results or trends. Although we believe that our plans and objectives reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we may not achieve these plans or objectives. Actual future results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties and other risks described under “Risk Factors” as described in Ormat’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 27, 2025, and in Ormat’s subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q that are filed from time to time with the SEC.

These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and, except as legally required, we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Ormat Technologies Contact:
Smadar Lavi
VP Head of IR and ESG Planning & Reporting
775-356-9029 (ext. 65726)
slavi@ormat.com

Investor Relations Agency Contact:
Joseph Caminiti or Josh Carroll
Alpha IR Group
312-445-2870
ORA@alpha-ir.com

The MIL Network –

June 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadorian National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PORTLAND, Maine: An Ecuadorian national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced William Ariel Tamay Guaman, 23, to time served (approximately seven months in prison). Tamay Guaman pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025.

According to court records, on February 4, 2025, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the FBI conducted surveillance at a South Portland residence. After observing Tamay Guaman get into a van, agents followed him and conducted a traffic stop. An ERO agent familiar with Tamay Guaman approached the driver and asked for their name. Tamay Guaman provided a false name and was directed to step out of the vehicle. After briefly fleeing on foot and resisting arrest, Tamay Guaman was taken into custody. He had previously been removed from the U.S. in September 2023.

ICE-ERO investigated the case with assistance from the FBI.

Operation Take Back America: 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

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MIL Security OSI –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Statement on Trump Travel Ban 2.0

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s newly announced travel ban:

“There are a myriad of reasons that people come to the United States, from travel and tourism to fleeing violent and dangerous situations. This ban, expanded from Trump’s Muslim ban in his first term, will only further isolate us on the world stage.

“This discriminatory policy, which limits legal immigration, not only flies in the face of what our country is supposed to stand for, it will be harmful to our economy and our communities that rely on the contributions of people who come to America from this wide range of countries. Banning a whole group of people because you disagree with the structure or function of their government not only lays blame in the wrong place, it creates a dangerous precedent. Further, banning people fleeing dangerous countries like Afghanistan — a country where many people are in danger due to their work assisting the U.S. military — the Congo, Haiti, and Sudan will only further destabilize global security.

“Trump is indiscriminately taking a chainsaw to our government — destroying federal agencies that keep us safe, indiscriminately cutting jobs, and hindering our progress across research fields. This will only further hurt our country and cannot be allowed to stand.”

This travel ban fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

The Travel Ban partially restricts entry of people from seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Jayapal is a cosponsor of the NO BAN Act, legislation to prevent this exact type of discriminatory travel ban, as well as the lead sponsor of the Access to Counsel Act, to ensure that U.S. citizens, green card holders, and other individuals with legal status can consult with an attorney, relative, or other interested parties to seek assistance if they are detained for over an hour by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). She originally wrote this legislation following the first Muslim Ban in 2017, as legal residents were held at points of entry.

Issues: Immigration

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 3 illegal aliens arrested in Southeast Texas following execution of search warrant for suspected child sexual abuse materials

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

June 5, 2025Houston, TX, United StatesChild Exploitation

GALVESTON, Texas — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Houston, the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested three illegal aliens June 3 while executing a search warrant for suspected child sexual abuse materials at a residence in Galveston.

Following the search, Edgar Javier Escobedo Castillo, an 18-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, was criminally arrested for possession of child sexual abuse material. Javier Escobedo Rangel and Nieves Castillo Guzman, both 49-year-old illegal aliens from Mexico, were taken into custody for administrative immigration violations.

The search is part of an ongoing joint child exploitation investigation between HSI Houston’s Galveston office and the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office that began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities to suspicious online activity involving social media accounts linked to Escobedo Javier.

For more news and information on ICE HSI’s efforts to investigation child exploitation in Southeast Texas, follow us on X at @HSIHouston.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 5 June 2025 Donors making a difference: cholera

Source: World Health Organisation

Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal disease that can be fatal within hours if not treated. Quick access to treatment is therefore crucial. Researchers estimate that there are 1.3 to 4 million cases and 21 000 to 143 000 deaths from cholera worldwide each year, with cases surging since 2021. Over 40 countries reported cases last year, and WHO estimates that 1 billion people are directly at risk.

Cholera remains a global public health threat closely linked to inequality and inadequate social and economic development. Access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene are essential to prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases.

WHO works to improve prevention and control of cholera globally, as well as increase awareness. WHO and partners also support research for the development of innovative strategies to prevent and control cholera.

Below are some examples of how WHO is collaborating with governments and partners across the world, with critical financial support from donors, to prevent and control cholera.

WHO and the French Development Agency strengthen emergency community responses to cholera in Democratic Republic of Congo

^{WHO and the French Development Agency launch a cholera response project in Haut-Katanga to strengthen emergency community responses.
Photo by: WHO/Joel Lumbala}

WHO, in partnership with the French Development Agency, has launched a catalytic US$ 392 000 project, working closely with the health authorities of Haut-Katanga and the National Program for the elimination of cholera and the fight against other diarrheal diseases.

This project aims to drastically reduce the risk of cholera epidemics in this southeastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project will provide medical supplies, improve infection prevention and control, install 40 oral rehydration points and build two semi-durable isolation treatment centres in the Kafubu and Kipushi health zones.

Over six months, the project will train 50 registered nurses and 140 community health workers in integrated disease surveillance and response, while raising awareness amongst the population on good hygiene practices. The health zones will also be empowered to locally produce liquid chlorine (bleach) to facilitate the decontamination of households affected by suspected cases of cholera, the treatment of drinking water and medical needs in health facilities. Solar kits and reagents will be available for 6 months.

Read the full story (in French)

Angola reinforces actions to end cholera with WHO support

^{Deploying rapid response teams, training health personnel, establishing cholera treatment centres and units, providing safe drinking water, intensive community engagement, and the rollout of targeted vaccination campaigns}^{is part of the urgent response measures against cholera. Photo by: WHO/Angola}

Since the onset of a cholera outbreak in Angola in January 2025, more than 14 000 cases and 505 associated deaths have been reported. Around 50% of the cases affected people under 20 years.

The Ministry of Health, in close coordination with WHO and other development partners, carried out a series of urgent response measures. These included deploying rapid response teams, training health personnel, establishing cholera treatment centres and units, providing safe drinking water, intensive community engagement, and the rollout of targeted vaccination campaigns.

In addition, health authorities, with support from WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), mapped and treated the country’s main water access points. In early 2025, 28 public health officials from 15 municipalities in five of the most affected provinces were trained in mapping water sources. Nearly 320 water sources were mapped, improving access to treated water for people, particularly in Luanda and Icolo e Bengo provinces, which account for around 94% of cholera cases and 15% of related deaths in the country.

Read the full stories here and here

How WHO is supporting cholera outbreak response in Sudan

^{A child receives oral cholera vaccine in Baqa’a shelter for internally displaced people in Gedaref, October 2024. Photo by: WHO/Omer Tarig}

The Federal Ministry of Health of Sudan declared a cholera outbreak on 12 August 2024, following the confirmation of cases in Kassala State. Heavy rains, flooding, overcrowding, and limited access to clean water in displacement sites and within communities contributed to the rapid spread of the disease. As of 18 January 2025, the outbreak had affected 84 localities across 11 states, with more than 51 300 cases and 1 359 deaths reported.

As part of the response, the Federal Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and UNICEF, has conducted oral cholera vaccination campaigns in 8 states, reaching 7.4 million people.

WHO is supporting the outbreak response through comprehensive health interventions that include strengthening surveillance, deployment of rapid response teams for swift investigation of alerts, case management and improving water quality, sanitation and hygiene services in displacement sites and other at-risk communities.

WHO is able to deliver on its cholera commitment through the financial contribution of donors: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the European Union Commission, United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF), and the Governments of France and Germany.

Read the full story

WHO and partners launch second cholera vaccine dose to protect young refugees in Cox’s Bazar

^{A young girl receives the 2nd dose of the OCV Vaccine in the Rohingya Camps. Photo by: WHO/Terence Ngwabe Che}

In April 2025, WHO, in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and health sector partners, launched the second round of a targeted Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) campaign in Cox’s Bazar. This initiative aims to administer a second dose of the vaccine to Rohingya refugee children aged 1 to 5 years.

This builds on the success of the initial mass vaccination campaign conducted in January 2025, across the Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban districts, and on Bhasan Char Island. A total of 1.4 million doses were administered from the 1.6 million doses supplied by the International Coordinating Group on Oral Cholera Vaccine Provision for Cholera Control.

The vaccine deployment followed an approved request by the Directorate General of Health Services, Communicable Disease Control, with operational support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Read the full story

WHO and King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre expand life-saving health interventions

^{KSRelief Supervisor-General, Abdullah Al Rabeeah, and Dr Tedros, signing funding agreements in response to humanitarian crises at the Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum on 24-25 February 2025, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Photo by: WHO/Karim Yassmineh.}

WHO and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) agreed on a series of new pledges to deliver life-saving health measures for people threatened by cholera and malaria in Yemen. The pledges also support health services for Sudanese who have fled conflict to neighbouring Egypt, and to support polio eradication efforts in countries where the virus continues to circulate. The agreements were signed during the fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, being held on 24-25 February.

WHO’s Country Office in Yemen and KSrelief finalized a donation of US$ 2.1 million to support an existing agreement to expand cholera response and control measures, and improve access to treatment in affected and high-risk areas.

Read the full story

Purified water, lives saved: the fight against cholera in Haiti continues

^{OPS/WHO delivering materials to the Ministry of Public Health and Population to respond against cholera. Photo by: OPS/WHO}

PAHO/WHO continued to support the Ministry of Public Health and Population in its fight against cholera since its resurgence in October 2022. Access to clean and safe water remains a major challenge in Haiti and is a key factor in the decline of the disease across the country.

With support from the UNCERF and in partnership with the health authorities, PAHO/WHO implemented a project to improve access to drinking water for Acute Diarrhea Treatment Centres, facilities established to treat cholera patients.

Installing a water treatment unit made it possible to supply drinking water, on demand, by tanker trucks to a network of 15 distribution points, consisting of tankers installed in as many health facilities throughout the department. In the second phase, 218 departmental health officers were trained on methods for accessing drinking water, effective sanitation techniques, and essential hygiene practices to prevent water-related diseases.

Read the full story (in French)

Malawi declares end of cholera outbreak

^{Case management at Area 25 cholera treatment centre. Photo by: WHO/Ovixlexla Kamenyagwaza-Bunya}

The Government of Malawi, through its Public Health Institute, declared the end of a protracted cholera outbreak that started in March 2022 and lasted over two years. WHO and partners supported the set-up of cholera treatment centres and units and oral rehydration points, provided clinical mentorship, and supported the development of referral guidelines and standardized patient records from the initial stages of the outbreak.

The surveillance team supported the roll out of the One Health Surveillance Data Platform, intensified case investigations, and strengthened laboratory testing and event-based surveillance. WHO also provided support for oral cholera vaccination campaigns, where over four million doses were administered with a utilization rate of almost 100%.

To strengthen resilience and bolster global health security, in June 2023, WHO conducted a Scoping Mission which led to the development of a 2-year roadmap. WHO continues to work with multi-sectoral partners and the donor community to support implementation of these priorities. In 2024, USAID and FCDO UK provided funds towards preparedness activities.

Read the full story

South Sudan steps up vaccination, response measures to curb cholera

^{A vaccinator administering oral cholera vaccine in Renk, Upper Nile State, during December 2024’s campaign after the September outbreak declaration.
Photo by: WHO/Atem John Ajang}

The Government of South Sudan declared a cholera outbreak in October 2024. In January 2025, the Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and partners, rolled out several oral cholera vaccination campaigns in four high-risk countries: Malakal, Juba, Renk, and Rubkona.

With support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, around four million doses of the vaccine were approved and around 910 000 doses administered (as of January 2025) in the four counties, which is above 90% coverage.

WHO continues to distribute essential medical supplies for cholera response to local and national health authorities and partners, which can treat 4 700 cholera cases. WHO has also facilitated the establishment of a 50-bed cholera treatment centre at Juba Teaching Hospital and is supporting the deployment of nine rapid response teams from national level to 11 priority counties to support implementing partners on the ground to provide critical case management.

Read the full story

Scaling up cholera testing in Zimbabwe

^{WHO staff build cholera treatment centres with support of communities. Photo by: WHO/Vivian Mugarisi}

To ramp up testing for cholera in Zimbabwe, WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) with training of 986 nurses in antigen Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) testing, addressing critical staff shortages at rural health centres. Additionally, 44 laboratory personnel at provincial and district levels were trained in cholera culture, further strengthening diagnostic capacity.

Prior to the training programme, testing capabilities were limited. Between the outbreak’s onset in February 2023 and 18 January 2024, only 2 090 antigen RDTs and 2 250 culture tests were conducted across 10 health centres. Following the training, the number of antigen RFT tests increased to 9 853, a staggering 371% increase. The success of the programme is attributed to the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders including UNICEF, Higher Life Foundation, JHPIEGO, World Vision International and WHO, with MoHCC leading the efforts.

Funding for the training activities came from the Health Resilience Fund (HRF), UNCERF and the United States Department of the State (USDOS). HRF is a pool of funding from the European Union, the Government of Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Additionally, in a significant boost to Zimbabwe’s healthcare infrastructure, WHO donated a wide range of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). The equipment, valued close to USD$1.8 million, was funded by various donors and partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (UNCERF), USAID, and the Government of Japan.

Read the full stories here and here

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Read more about WHO’s work on cholera

The donors and partners acknowledged in this story are (in alphabetical order)

African Development Bank, European Union, French Development Agency, Germany, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Health Resilience Fund, Higher Life Foundation, International Coordinating Group on Oral Cholera Vaccine Provision for Cholera Control, Ireland, Japan, JHPIEGO, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, UNICEF, UN Central Emergency Response Fund, UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF), United States Department of the State, USAID, World Vision International.

WHO’s work is made possible through all contributions of our Member States and partners. WHO thanks all donor countries, governments, organizations and individuals who are contributing to the Organization’s work, with special appreciation for those who provide fully flexible contributions to maintain a strong, independent WHO.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: 433rd Airlift Wing Citizen Airmen provide crucial airlift support to Marine Raiders

Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

Citizen Airmen from the 433rd Airlift Wing from Joint base San Antonio-Lackland provided crucial airlift support to Marine Raiders assigned to the Marine Special Operations Reserve Detachment and Chilean Special Forces personnel as part of Exercise Southern Star ‘25.

MIL Security OSI –

June 6, 2025

Category: Latin America

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WHO and King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre expand life-saving health interventions

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Malawi declares end of cholera outbreak

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