NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Christchurch Police renew call for help in search for Elisabeth Nicholls

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Attribute to Detective Sergeant Lucy Aldridge of Christchurch Police:

    Today marks a week since Elisabeth “Lis” Nicholls was last seen, and we are making a further appeal to the people of Christchurch for help. 

    Lis is 79 and has dementia and the last confirmed sighting of her was at the Chateau on the Park in Riccarton, at 7.54pm on Wednesday 4 June.

    Searchers and Police have gone door to door, reviewed CCTV footage and made extensive enquiries, but we have not been able to find Lis.

    We do not know where she travelled to after the Chateau and have not been able to locate any items that would lead us closer to her.

    Police have grave concerns for Lis’s welfare and need the help of the Christchurch community to bring her home.

    At the time she disappeared, Lis was wearing a black and grey checked long-sleeved shirt, a maroon long-sleeved top underneath, navy blue jeans and black leather shoes.

    She also has distinctive grey shoulder-length hair.

    Police are asking members of the public to please search your backyards, sheds and sleepouts, and look under anything where a person could seek shelter.

    For anyone with CCTV, Police would like you to review any footage you have from 6.40pm on Wednesday 4 June to 8am on Thursday 5 June. While Lis went missing in the Riccarton area, she is physically strong, and may have walked some distance.

    Finally, this past week has been extremely difficult on Lis’s family.

    While they have requested privacy, Gary Nicholls, Lis’s husband of nearly 60 years, has provided this statement on behalf of their family:

    “Lis is an adored wife, mother, grandmother, friend and colleague, who has always put other people first.

    “Her life has been about helping people, through nursing, Plunket and social work. She has been there for people when they needed help, and her influence has touched all our lives for the better.

    “We are deeply concerned and have been living with painful uncertainty for a week, but we have been grateful for the love and support that has been shown for Lis.

    “On behalf of Lis, our family and friends, I would like to sincerely thank the people of Christchurch for their help and concern, and for the information they have been providing.

    “We are also grateful to Police, the Search and Rescue teams, Canterbury University students and the Victoria Neighbourhood Association, who have been dedicating so much time and resource to help us find Lis.

    “You have been working in the cold, the rain, and the darkness to bring Lis home to us, and we are incredibly grateful.”

    • Anyone who sees Lis should ring 111 immediately and use the reference number 250604/5465. Non-urgent information can be provided online at 105.police.govt.nz, using “Update Report”, quoting the same reference number.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WICKER, HYDE-SMITH DEMAND AN END TO BIDEN-ERA FLOOD INSURANCE PREMIUMS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) have joined colleagues in demanding the Federal Emergency Management Agency end Risk Rating 2.0, the Biden-era flood insurance policy that has caused premiums to skyrocket and thousands of homeowners to abandon their policies.

    Wicker and Hyde-Smith signed a letter, led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), that calls for halting further Risk Rating 2.0 premium increases and demanding greater transparency from FEMA.  The lawmakers have long questioned the pricing methodology used by FEMA in setting Risk Rating 2.0 premiums, which have increased for an estimated 84 percent of Mississippi flood insurance policyholders.

    “Since the Biden Administration’s rollout of Risk Rating 2.0, premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) increased in every state.  By FEMA’s own estimates, 77 percent of all NFIP policies now pay more than under the old system,” the Senators wrote.

    “The lack of transparency surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 is beyond troubling.  FEMA has never allowed for meaningful public comment nor has it published the underlying data or assumptions used to justify the steep premium increases and refuses to disclose its actuarial model.  Without transparency, communities cannot plan mitigation projects, lenders cannot accurately underwrite mortgages, and citizens cannot appeal punitive rate increases.  Worse still, rising costs encourage policy lapses—shifting risk back to taxpayers when disasters strike,” the Senators continued.

    “Time is of the essence.  Each month that Risk Rating 2.0 continues unchecked, more families are forced to abandon their insurance coverage, neighborhoods face economic strain, and entire communities risk collapse after the next disaster.  We respectfully urge you to act now—before further harm is done—to protect vulnerable Americans, preserve homeownership, and ensure the NFIP fulfills its mission as Congress intended,” the Senators concluded.

    The letter sent to FEMA Acting Administrator David Richardson was also signed by U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-La.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas).

    Read the full letter here or below.

    Dear Acting Administrator Richardson,

     

    We write to draw your urgent attention to the increasingly untenable flood insurance premiums paid by American homeowners as a result of the Biden-era policy, Risk Rating 2.0, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  We respectfully ask for your leadership to halt further premium increases under Risk Rating 2.0 and implement much needed transparency from FEMA.

     

    On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 13990, directing every federal agency to target and modify Trump-era regulations under the auspice of combating climate change.  A few months later, Biden signed EO 14030, requiring agencies to integrate up-to-date flood risk considerations into federal actions.  Collectively, both of these EOs laid the groundwork for FEMA’s implementation of a new rating system known as Risk Rating 2.0, which was enacted on October 1, 2021.

     

    Since the Biden Administration’s rollout of Risk Rating 2.0, premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) increased in every state.  By FEMA’s own estimates, 77 percent of all NFIP policies now pay more than under the old system.  According to a 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, premiums on primary residences under Risk Rating 2.0 are subject to a maximum 18 percent increase each year until such premiums reflect “the full risk loss of the insured property,” as determined by FEMA.

     

    Families in the following Republican states are especially hard-hit.

     

    Louisiana:

    • It is estimated that 80% of Louisiana NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • In 2023 alone, the average flood insurance premium in our state jumped by 234%, forcing more than 52,000 Louisianans—many of them seniors on fixed incomes—out of the program.
    • Coastal parishes, which depend on flood insurance to secure mortgages and rebuild after storms, are now facing premiums that exceed 2% of median household income—a threshold that federal guidance deems “cost prohibitive.”

     

    West Virginia:

    • It is estimated that 83% of West Virginia NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • As of August 2023 (the latest available FEMA data), Risk Rating 2.0 would increase annual NFIP premiums for homeowners in West Virginia by ~176%
    • Over the last 12 months, ~600 West Virginians have left the NFIP as a result of premium increases.

     

    Texas:

    • It is estimated that 86% of Texas NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • As of August 2023 (the latest available FEMA data), Risk Rating 2.0 would increase annual NFIP premiums for homeowners in Texas by ~53%.
    • Over the last 12 months, ~26,300 Texans have left the NFIP as a result of premium increases.

     

    Alabama:

    • It is estimated that 79% of Alabama NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • As of August 2023 (the latest available FEMA data), Risk Rating 2.0 would increase annual NFIP premiums for homeowners in Alabama by ~106%.
    • Over the last 12 months, ~1,200 Alabamians have left the NFIP as a result of premium increases.

     

    Mississippi:

    • It is estimated that 84% of Mississippi NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • As of August 2023 (the latest available FEMA data), Risk Rating 2.0 would increase annual NFIP premiums for homeowners in Mississippi by ~103%.
    • Over the last 12 months, ~2,200 Mississippians have left the NFIP as a result of premium increases.

     

    Rural and low-income homeowners, along with high-risk coastal areas, are being priced out at far higher rates than urban or wealthier communities.  In ten states, full risk NFIP premiums today exceed 2 percent of median household income.  This undermines home values, depresses property tax revenues, and ultimately inflates federal disaster assistance costs when uninsured homeowners cannot rebuild.

     

    The lack of transparency surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 is beyond troubling. FEMA has never allowed for meaningful public comment nor has it published the underlying data or assumptions used to justify the steep premium increases and refuses to disclose its actuarial model.  Without transparency, communities cannot plan mitigation projects, lenders cannot accurately underwrite mortgages, and citizens cannot appeal punitive rate increases.  Worse still, rising costs encourage policy lapses—shifting risk back to taxpayers when disasters strike.

     

    The President has long championed policies that reduce federal overreach and protect everyday Americans from burdensome costs.  To limit the damage caused by this harmful Biden era policy, we urge you to:

     

    1. Direct FEMA to terminate the Risk Rating 2.0 pricing methodology.
    2. Require FEMA to publish all actuarial inputs and outputs of future flood insurance premium increases exceeding the 5% statutory minimum so stakeholders can verify fairness and accuracy.
    3. Restore targeted affordability measures for coastal, low income, and historically underinsured communities—ensuring NFIP remains accessible to those who need it most.

     

    Time is of the essence.  Each month that Risk Rating 2.0 continues unchecked, more families are forced to abandon their insurance coverage, neighborhoods face economic strain, and entire communities risk collapse after the next disaster.  We respectfully urge you to act now—before further harm is done—to protect vulnerable Americans, preserve homeownership, and ensure the NFIP fulfills its mission as Congress intended.

     

    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Public consultation begins on legal aid review

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Public consultation begins today aimed at improving the legal aid scheme for those who cannot afford advice and representation, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
    “We have a duty to ensure all New Zealanders have access to justice by means of a fair and open process. 
    “To do so, we need a scheme that is efficient and sustainable. However, we know it’s no longer fit for purpose. 
    “We’ve heard from the judiciary, lawyers, and others that changes are needed to address difficulties facing providers and those who need assistance.
    “The scheme was last reviewed in 2018 and a lot has changed since then. This will provide an opportunity to ensure the scheme is efficient, is of good quality, and promotes access to justice in a way that is sustainable and cost-effective.
    “I encourage everyone to make a submission and ensure their voice is heard. This feedback will help frame the advice on options for the future of the scheme.”
    Submissions close with the Ministry on 23 July and can be made at: https://consultations.justice.govt.nz/policy/triennial-review-of-legal-aid
    Further information about the review, including the discussion document, can be found here: Legal aid scheme review | New Zealand Ministry of Justice 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom’s Address to California: Democracy at a Crossroads

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 10, 2025

    What you need to know: In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President’s actions mark a dangerous inflection point for the nation.

    LOS ANGELES — In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President’s actions mark a dangerous inflection point for the nation.

    “What we’re witnessing is not law enforcement — it’s authoritarianism,” Governor Newsom said to Californians. “What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty. Your silence. To be complicit in this moment. Do not give in to him.”

    Governor Newsom recounted recent federal raids in Latino neighborhoods, the unlawful commandeering of 4,000 California National Guard members, and the deployment of over 700 active-duty Marines to the streets of an American city — all done without consultation with state or local officials. “Trump is pulling a military dragnet across Los Angeles,” Newsom said. “It’s weakness masquerading as strength.”

    Calling this a moment of national reckoning, the Governor urged Americans to take peaceful action. “The most important office in a democracy is not President or Governor — it’s citizen.”

    Watch and read the entire speech here:

    Governor Newsom’s Address to California: Democracy at a Crossroads

    I want to say a few words about the events of the last few days. 

    This past weekend, federal agents conducted large-scale workplace raids in and around Los Angeles. 

    Those raids continue as I speak.

    California is no stranger to immigration enforcement. 

    But instead of focusing on undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records and people with final deportation orders – a strategy both parties have long supported – this administration is pushing mass deportations.

    Indiscriminately targeting hardworking immigrant families, regardless of their roots or risk.

    What’s happening right now is very different than anything we’ve seen before. 

    On Saturday morning, when federal agents jumped out of an unmarked van near a Home Depot parking lot, they began grabbing people. 

    A deliberate targeting of a heavily Latino suburb.

    A similar scene also played out when a clothing company was raided downtown.

    In other actions: a US citizen, 9 months pregnant – arrested. A four-year-old girl – taken.

    Families separated. Friends disappearing.  

    In response, everyday Angelinos came out to exercise their Constitutional right to free speech and assembly

    To protest their government’s actions. 

    In turn, the State of California and the City and County of Los Angeles sent our police officers to help keep the peace, and with some exceptions, they were successful.

    Like many states, California is no stranger to this sort of civil unrest. We manage it regularly … and with our own law enforcement.

    But this, again, was different. 

    What then ensued was the use of tear gas. Flash-bang grenades. Rubber bullets. 

    Federal agents, detaining people and undermining their due process rights.

    Donald Trump, without consulting with California’s law enforcement leaders, commandeered 2,000 of our state’s National Guard members to deploy on our streets. 

    Illegally, and for no reason.

    This brazen abuse of power by a sitting President inflamed a combustible situation … putting our people, our officers, and the National Guard at risk. 

    That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder.

    And the President did it on purpose.

    As the news spread throughout LA, anxiety for family and friends ramped up. Protests started again. 

    By night, several dozen lawbreakers became violent and destructive. They vandalized property. They tried to assault police officers. 

    Many of you have seen video clips of cars burning on cable news.  

    If you incite violence or destroy our communities, you are going to be held accountable. 

    That kind of criminal behavior will not be tolerated. Full stop. 

    Already, more than 370 people have been arrested. And we’re reviewing tapes to build additional cases, and people will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

    Again, thanks to our law enforcement officers and the majority of Angelenos who protested peacefully, this situation was winding down and was concentrated in just a few square blocks downtown.

    But that’s not what Donald Trump wanted. 

    He again chose escalation; he chose more force.

    He chose theatrics over public safety – he federalized another 2,000 Guard members. 

    He deployed more than 700 active U.S. Marines. 

    These are men and women trained in foreign combat, not domestic law enforcement. 

    We honor their service. We honor their bravery. But we do not want our streets militarized by our own Armed Forces. Not in L.A. Not in California. Not anywhere.

    We’re seeing unmarked cars in school parking lots. Kids, afraid to attend their own graduation. 

    Trump is pulling a military dragnet across LA, well beyond his stated intent to just go after violent and serious criminals.

    His agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers and seamstresses – That’s just weakness. Weakness, masquerading as strength.

    Donald Trump’s government isn’t protecting our communities – they are traumatizing our communities. And that seems to be the point. 

    California will keep fighting on behalf of our people – all of our people – including in the courts. 

    Yesterday, we filed a legal challenge to President Trump’s reckless deployment of American troops to a major American city.

    Today, we sought an emergency court order to stop the use of the American military to engage in law enforcement activities across Los Angeles.

    If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe. 

    Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.

    Trump and his loyalists thrive on division because it allows them to take more power and exert even more control. 

    By the way, Trump – he’s not opposed to lawlessness and violence, as long as it serves HIM. 

    What more evidence do we need than January 6th?

    I ask everyone to take the time to reflect on this perilous moment.

    A president who wants to be bound by no law or constitution.

    Perpetrating a unified assault on American traditions.

    This is a President who, in just over 140 days, has fired government watchdogs that could hold him accountable for corruption and fraud.

    He’s declared a war on culture, on history, on science – on knowledge itself. Databases, quite literally vanishing.

    He’s delegitimizing news organizations and assaulting the First Amendment.

    At the threat of defunding them, he’s dictating what universities can teach.

    Targeting law firms and the judicial branch that are the foundation of an orderly, civil society.

    Calling for a sitting Governor to be arrested for no other reason than – to use his words – “for getting elected.”

    And we all know, this Saturday, he’s ordering our American heroes – the United States military – forcing them to put on a vulgar display to celebrate his birthday, just as other failed dictators have done in the past.

    Look, this isn’t just about protests in LA. 

    When Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commandeer the National Guard, he made that order apply to every state in this nation.

    This is about all of us. This is about you.

    California may be first – but it clearly won’t end here. Other states are next.

    Democracy is next.

    Democracy is under assault right before our eyes – the moment we’ve feared has arrived. 

    He’s taking a wrecking ball to our founding fathers’ historic project.

    Three independent, coequal branches of government. 

    There are no longer any checks and balances. Congress is nowhere to be found. Speaker Johnson has completely abdicated that responsibility.

    The rule of law has increasingly given way to the rule of Don.

    The founding fathers did not live and die to see this moment.

    It’s time for all of us to stand up. 

    Justice Brandeis said it best: in a democracy, the most important office is not president, it’s certainly not governor. The most important office is office of citizen.

    At this moment, we must all stand up and be held to a higher level of accountability. 

    If you exercise your First Amendment rights, please do so peacefully. 

    I know many of you are feeling deep anxiety, stress, and fear.

    But I want you to know that YOU are the antidote to that fear and anxiety.

    What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty. Your silence. To be complicit in this moment.

    Do NOT give in to him.

    Press releases

    Recent news

    Jun 10, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES – Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta are standing up all states by filing a lawsuit and request to block President Trump and the Department of Defense’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles and the takeover of a California National Guard (Cal…

    Jun 10, 2025

    News “Turning the military against American citizens” What you need to know:  Standing up for American citizens and the Nation’s foundational ban on martial law in peacetime, California Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta are requesting the court step in to…

    Jun 9, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is surging mutual aid resources to support law enforcement as they clean up the actions caused by President Trump. LOS ANGELES – Moving quickly to support local response to federal actions that have caused unrest in Los Angeles,…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. Announces Pricing of Secondary Offering of American Depositary Shares by HSBC Bank plc

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BUENOS AIRES, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. (Nasdaq: GGAL; Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos S.A./A3 Mercados S.A.: GGAL, the “Company”), one of Argentina’s largest financial services groups, announced today the pricing of the previously announced underwritten secondary offering (the “Offering”) by HSBC Bank plc (the “Selling Shareholder”) of 11,721,449 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) representing 117,214,490 Class B ordinary shares of the Company, par value Ps.1.00 per share (“Class B ordinary shares”) at a public offering price of $54.25 per ADS. The ADSs are not authorized for public offering in Argentina by the Argentine National Securities Exchange Commision (Comisión Nacional de Valores – “CNV”) and are not being offered or sold publicly under the Argentine Capital Markets Law No. 26,831, as amended and complemented.  The documents related to the Offering have not been filed with, reviewed or authorized by the CNV, and therefore the CNV has not made any determination as to the truthfulness or completeness of those documents.

    All of the ADSs were offered by the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder will receive all of the proceeds from the Offering. The Company is not selling any ADSs in the Offering and will not receive any proceeds from the Offering.

    Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are acting as the representatives of the underwriters of the Offering.  The Offering is expected to close on June 12, 2025 subject to customary closing conditions.

    The Offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (including a prospectus) filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the Offering will be filed with the SEC, copies of which may be obtained, when available, from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014, and from Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, by telephone at (866) 471-2526, or by email at prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com. These documents may also be obtained free of charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    Cautionary Note Concerning Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those regarding the expected closing of the Offering. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of such words as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue” or other similar terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from current expectations and beliefs, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could impact the expected timing, completion or other terms of the Offering; the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally, as well as the other risk factors set forth under the caption  Item 3.D. “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, and from time to time in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. The information contained in this press release is as of the date indicated above.  The Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

    About Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A.:

    Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. (Nasdaq: GGAL; Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos S.A./A3 Mercados S.A.: GGAL) is the main financial services holding company in Argentina, which seeks to create long-term value through its companies, providing savings, credit, investment, insurance, advice and digital solutions opportunities to people, companies and organizations, prioritizing customer experience and sustainable development.

    With more than 110 years of experience, Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. is a group of financial services companies in Argentina, integrated by Banco de Galicia y Buenos Aires S.A.U. (Banco Galicia), GGAL Holdings S.A. (Galicia Más Holdings), Tarjetas Regionales S.A. (Naranja X), Sudamericana Holdings S.A. (Galicia Seguros), Galicia Asset Management S.A.U. (Fondos Fima), IGAM LLC (Inviu), Galicia Securities S.A.U. (Galicia Securities), Agri Tech Investment LLC (Nera), Galicia Ventures LP and Galicia Investments LLC (collectively referred to as Galicia Ventures), and Galicia Warrants S.A. (Warrants).

    Investor Contact:

    Mr. Pablo Firvida
    Investor Relations Officer
    www.gfgsa.com 
    +5411 6329 4881
    inversores@gfgsa.com 

    THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERING WILL BE NOTIFIED IN ARGENTINA PURSUANT TO AN HECHO RELEVANTE, SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES, BUT SUCH NOTICE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN ARGENTINA.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: 10 killed in Austria school shooting

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

    Pedestrians walk past the site of the school shooting in Graz, Austria, June 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    At least 10 people were killed in a school shooting in Austria’s second-largest city of Graz, local media reported on Tuesday.

    The incident also caused a double-digit number of serious injuries, including students and teachers, local media cited the police as saying.

    According to Austria’s largest newspaper, the Kronen Zeitung, the shooting occurred at the school of BORG in Dreierschutzengasse in the Lend district shortly before 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) on Tuesday. Police confirmed the suspected perpetrator as a 22-year-old shooter, who used to be a student at BORG, but he is reported to have shot himself.

    The school shooting on Tuesday is considered one of the most serious shootings in the history of Austria, the Kronen Zeitung added.

    Police have been mobilized in the region, with a helicopter deployed. The school has been evacuated, and further danger is excluded, local police stated on the social media platform X.

    As the capital city of the southern Austrian province of Styria, Graz is known as a college and university city, with four colleges and four universities. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: California officials seek court order to immediately block Trump’s military deployment in LA

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

    Police officers try to disperse protesters in front of the Los Angeles Federal Detention Center in Los Angeles, California, the United States, June 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Top legal officials in the U.S. state of California moved to halt President Donald Trump’s deployment of military forces in their communities, filing an emergency court motion on Tuesday that challenged the federal government’s authority to use troops for local law enforcement.

    California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom requested in the 28-page document that the federal court take immediate action to block Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the U.S. Department of Defense from using military personnel and federalized California National Guard units to patrol communities and conduct law enforcement activities.

    The officials argued the military deployment violated federal law, threatened state sovereignty, and escalated rather than reduces civil tensions.

    “The President is looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate and quiet those who disagree with him,” Bonta said in a statement released by the California Attorney General’s office. “It’s not just immoral – It’s illegal and dangerous.”

    The emergency motion follows a lawsuit filed Monday by the same officials challenging Trump’s order to federalize the California National Guard for 60 days under federal statute 10 U.S.C. § 12406.

    Early Sunday morning, the U.S. Department of Defense redirected hundreds of National Guard troops from San Diego to Los Angeles without gubernatorial authorization and against the wishes of local law enforcement, according to the Attorney General’s office.

    As of Tuesday, the federal government has order to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops across California, plus an additional 700 Marines, to the second-largest city of the country.

    “The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens,” Newsom said, according to the Attorney General’s statement. “Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy.”

    The Californian officials contended that local law enforcement, not military forces, should handle civilian policing within state borders. They claimed the deployment deprives California of its own National Guard resources and creates “imminent harm” to state operations.

    “Local law enforcement, not the military, enforce the law within our borders,” Bonta said. “The President continues to inflame tensions and antagonize communities.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Media advisory: Search for missing Christchurch woman

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Media are advised that Police will hold a stand-up this afternoon regarding the ongoing search for missing Christchurch woman Elisabeth Nicholls.

    Detective Sergeant Lucy Aldridge will speak to media at 2.30pm in central Christchurch.

    We ask those media interested in attending to RSVP to media@police.govt.nz. Further details will be provided to registered media. 

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Māori tamariki and rangatahi in the Oranga Tamariki System are still being failed

    Source: State Care survivor and advocate, Ihorangi Reweti Peters

    The outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau in the Oranga Tamariki system report, found that tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau are still over-represented and drastically let down within the system.

    The first report on the performance of the Oranga Tamariki system for Māori was published today by Aroturuki Tamariki the Independent Children’s Monitor. State Care survivor and advocate, Ihorangi Reweti Peters, who grew up in the Oranga Tamariki system, says this report shines a light on the performance of the Oranga Tamariki system and that Māori tamariki and rangatahi are still being failed by the very system that is supposed to be caring for them.

    “The Independent Children’s Monitor found that Oranga Tamariki and NZ Police have strategies in place to address inequality and over-representation but there are barriers to making progress. It is crucial that both Oranga Tamariki and the New Zealand Police invest in adequate partnerships with Iwi, Māori and community initiatives that support tamariki and rangatahi Māori that are in care of Oranga Tamariki and with care experience,” Mr Reweti Peters says.

    “These partnerships need to be increased so that our whānau, tamariki and rangatahi Māori have a safe and reliable organisation to raise concerns with. Oranga Tamariki is known to have multiple partnerships, sometimes these partnerships are not the best.

    “The report also found that Oranga Tamariki is not always taking action to respond to reports of concern at the earliest opportunity. They found that almost half of the reports of concerns, resulted in a decision to take no further action. The reporting period 2023/24 showed that 52% of the reports of concerns received by Oranga Tamariki were for tamariki and rangatahi who identified as Māori.

    “Early intervention is key to responding to reports of concern and supporting these whānau and making sure that our tamariki and rangatahi Māori remain out of Oranga Tamariki care. Ngā Maata Waka and Oranga Tamariki were working in partnership to provide community-led initiatives that responds to reports of concern. This successful initiative no longer operates due to a lack of funding and the roll-out of a new National Contact Centre localised response.

    “This initiative was crucial for Māori whānau as it was a by Māori for Māori approach – where tamariki, rangatahi and whānau can engage in the ways that they want to respond to the report of concern. If this service is not reinstated our whānau will continue to fall through the cracks and not receive the right support that they are entitled too.“I welcome the report today by the Independent Children’s Monitor and I hope that Oranga Tamariki, in the interim, will improve the outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori. However, Oranga Tamariki is still in no place to care for some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most vulnerable children and young people. I echo the calls from survivors, academics and whānau, that Oranga Tamariki needs to be dismantled and Iwi, Hāpū and Whānau need to take over the provisions of caring for our tamariki and rangatahi,” says Mr Reweti Peters.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Report on outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori in the oranga tamariki system – a story of consequence

    Source: Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children’s Monitor

    In the first of a new annual report series – Outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau in the oranga tamariki system – Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children’s Monitor found tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) Māori and their whānau are over-represented in the oranga tamariki system and the system is letting them down. While Oranga Tamariki has a pivotal role, the system includes NZ Police and the Ministries of Health, Education and Social Development.

    Most tamariki and rangatahi Māori have no involvement in the oranga tamariki system. But when they do, there are increasing levels of over-representation – almost 50 percent of reports of concern made to Oranga Tamariki are about tamariki and rangatahi Māori, they make up two-thirds of those in care, and more than three quarters of those in youth justice custody.

    Aroturuki Tamariki Chief Executive Arran Jones says the report is a story of consequence – of needs not addressed by a system that is not always able to work together to get the right support in place at the right time. “The needs of tamariki and rangatahi then multiply as they escalate through the system,” Mr Jones said.

    Data shows 92 percent of rangatahi referred to a youth justice family group conference in 2023/24 had concerns raised about their safety and wellbeing when they were younger.

    “Tamariki and rangatahi come to the attention of Oranga Tamariki because someone has raised concerns about alleged abuse, or their wellbeing. This is the moment to get the right services and supports in place so tamariki and rangatahi don’t escalate through the system,” says Mr Jones

    Escalation through the system can eventually mean involvement with the Police – and Police data shows a difference in the severity of proceedings against tamariki and rangatahi Māori in 2023/24:

    tamariki Māori aged 10–13 are less likely to be referred to alternative action or given a warning and more likely to be prosecuted or referred to a youth justice FGC than others
    rangatahi Māori aged 14–17 are less likely to get a warning or be referred to alternative action and more likely to be prosecuted than others.

     

    The outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori currently involved with the oranga tamariki system are less positive than those for Māori with no involvement. In 2022, tamariki and rangatahi Māori:

    in care or custody, achieved education qualifications at almost half the rate of Māori with no involvement
    in the oranga tamariki system, were significantly more likely to be hospitalised for self-harm than those with no involvement
    in care, used mental health and addiction services at nearly five times the rate of Māori with no involvement. Rangatahi Māori in youth justice custody used these at 15 times the rate – 60 percent of rangatahi Māori in youth justice custody used mental health and addiction services. Considering 92 percent of these rangatahi had reports of concern made about their safety and wellbeing when they were younger, this is no surprise.

     

    “The outcomes for young Māori adults, aged 27–30, who were involved in the oranga tamariki system as children are sobering. The data paints a stark picture of the consequence of the oranga tamariki system not doing more to help. Māori adults who had been in the system as children are less likely to be employed, less likely to have a driver licence, more likely to be on a benefit, more likely to be in emergency housing, and more likely to be hospitalised for self-harm than Māori who had no involvement. Mortality rates are double or triple those of Māori with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system for vehicle accidents and for self-harm (including suicide),” says Mr Jones.

    The report also identifies the importance of breaking the cycle. For Māori parents (aged 27–30 years) who had previously been in care themselves, 68 percent have children involved with Oranga Tamariki in some way and one in eight have had one or more children in care at some point.

    “This report highlights initiatives and ways of working that provide a pathway ahead for all government agencies. Working with tamariki and rangatahi alongside their whānau, building trusted long-term relationships, looking outside of organisational silos to understand their wider needs and providing services across government and community agencies. To paraphrase one of the providers we heard from, this is where the magic happens,” says Mr Jones.

    The initiatives highlighted in the report include a statutory youth justice delegation from Oranga Tamariki to Whakapai Hauora by Rangitāne o Manawatū. Whakapai Hauora provides wraparound support to rangatahi Māori who have offended, reporting only one referral proceeding to a court order. Some rangatahi who have completed programmes have returned as mentors and one rangatahi is now employed by the retailer he offended against.

    In Auckland, Kotahi te Whakaaro, brings together government and non-government organisations. It works alongside whānau to support tamariki and rangatahi who have offended, to prevent further offending. They look across housing, schooling, health and financial challenges and put supports in place. We heard about significant reductions in reoffending, with one rangatahi telling us “I think stealing is just an idiot move now”.

    In Porirua, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira has built a strong relationship with Oranga Tamariki. They reported that a combination of early intervention initiatives for whānau who come to the attention of Oranga Tamariki has resulted in a 21 percent reduction in renotifications (reports of concern) – to the lowest rate in Porirua in four years.

    “Before tamariki and rangatahi come to the attention of Oranga Tamariki they will have been seen by education and health staff and the parents may be known to social housing and welfare. It should not take offending, or an incident of abuse or neglect to get the support that was always needed,” says Mr Jones.

    For this report, we looked at the performance under the Oranga Tamariki Act – this Act places specific obligations on Police and Oranga Tamariki. It is clear there are opportunities to do better and this report highlights some of those.

    “Data shows that tamariki and rangatahi Māori in the system today have similar hopes and aspirations for their future as those not in system. As one rangatahi we met with told us they’d ‘just like to grow up successful and, if I find the right person, to give my kids what I couldn’t have’,” Mr Jones said.

    Read the report on our website https://aroturuki.govt.nz/reports/outcomes-23-24

    Aroturuki Tamariki – the Independent Children’s Monitor checks that organisations supporting and working with tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau, are meeting their needs, delivering services effectively, and improving outcomes. We monitor compliance with the Oranga Tamariki Act and the associated regulations, including the National Care Standards. We also look at how the wider system (such as early intervention) is supporting tamariki and rangatahi under the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act. Aroturuki Tamariki works closely with its partners in the oversight system, Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People’s Commission, and the Office of the Ombudsman.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: First arrest, charges made in connection to MMIWP cold case work

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – The Attorney General’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIWP) Cold Case Unit today announced it has charged its first case since the unit was established in 2023.

    On May 21, 2025, Attorney General Nick Brown filed second-degree murder charges against Tina Marie Alcorn for the 2016 death of George David, a resident of Neah Bay and a member of the Clayoquot Indian Band of Vancouver Island, B.C. The Clallam County Superior Court issued a warrant for Alcorn’s arrest based on the charge.

    On June 3, Alcorn was arrested on the warrant in West Helena, Ark., with the assistance of the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office. On Monday, Alcorn arrived in Washington to face charges and appeared in Clallam County Superior Court on Tuesday.

    “I want to commend our cold case team for their work on behalf of victims and families,” Brown said. “This is a milestone on a long path toward accountability. The Legislature funded this work because so many people would not give up the pursuit of justice for their loved ones.”

    The case was initially investigated by the Port Angeles Police Department. David, 65, was found deceased on March 28, 2016, in a Port Angeles apartment where he had been staying temporarily. He had traveled from Neah Bay just days earlier, intending to visit family in British Columbia and attend a funeral.

    Alcorn, who has ties to Clallam County, was identified early in the investigation as the primary suspect. On April 19, 2016, Port Angeles detectives arrested her in Mount Vernon on an outstanding warrant issued by Arkansas authorities. Charges in the David homicide were not filed, and Alcorn was extradited to Arkansas and incarcerated for violating probation on an unrelated felony theft conviction.

    In 2024, Port Angeles police requested the assistance of the new cold case team. Supported by the MMIWP Cold Case Team, the department conducted additional investigation into evidence collected in 2016, including additional DNA analysis performed by the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.

    At the request of the Port Angeles Police Department and with the support of the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office will be prosecuting the case.

    Alcorn made her first appearance in Clallam County Superior Court this afternoon. The charge in this case is an allegation only and Alcorn is presumed innocent unless proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties.

    Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Exotic Bird Smuggler Busted at the Border

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Juandaniel Medina, the third individual in the past several weeks to have been charged with illegal trafficking of protected exotic birds through Ports of Entry in the Southern District of California, appeared in court today. Federal agents detained Medina at the San Ysidro Port of Entry after discovering seven live Amazon parrots in a cardboard box on the passenger floorboard. According to a federal complaint, Medina was the driver and registered owner of a vehicle in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials found the birds; he admitted paying $700 cash for the parrots with the intention of breeding and or reselling them in the United States in the future.

     

     

     

    Cardboard box on the passenger floorboard; one of the captive birds peering out from inside the box

    USFWS has identified six of the birds as Red-Lored Amazon Parrots. Fortunately, all seven of the parrots are alive and thriving at a quarantine facility managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

         

    The seven Amazon parrots seized from GARCIA’s truck

     

    The arrest follows the recent prosecution of another individual caught smuggling Amazon parrots through the same port of entry, highlighting a troubling pattern of illegal wildlife trade through Southern California.

    “The illicit parrot trade reflects a broader crisis in wildlife protection—where profit outweighs preservation.” aid U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Bird smuggling is not a victimless crime. These animals suffer, and the consequences to public health and the environment can be catastrophic. I thank U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their extraordinary coordination and vigilance in protecting both public safety and animal welfare.

    According to U.S.  Fish and Wildlife Services, Amazon parrots are native to Mexico, the West Indies, and northern South America.  There are approximately thirty species of Amazon parrots, and all Amazon parrot species are listed on either Appendix I or Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (“CITES”).

    Illegally imported birds bypass health screening and quarantine, which are required to protect the nation from infectious diseases. Avian influenza (bird flu), for instance, can spread through feathers, droppings, or even airborne particles and has previously caused massive culls of farm birds in the U.S. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including birds in United States poultry farms.  Many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and can have disastrous effects, that is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Evangeline Dech.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 25-mj-3169                            

    Juandaniel Medina                                          Age: 24                                   Lindsay, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Importation Contrary to Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545

    Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    Homeland Security Investigations

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Boost to search operation at Cradle Mountain

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Boost to search operation at Cradle Mountain

    Wednesday, 11 June 2025 – 9:42 am.

    The search for a Victorian man believed to be in the Cradle Mountain area will resume this morning.
    Members of the Tasmania Police Search and Rescue unit, State Emergency Service volunteers and Parks and Wildlife Service rangers will be involved in ground patrols, while helicopter resources will conduct aerial searches.
    Concerns for the welfare of 52-year-old Christopher Inwood were raised on Tuesday morning, after his white Toyota HiAce van was found at the car park of a ranger station on Cradle Mountain Road.
    A backpack believed to belong to Mr Inwood was found alongside the road about 500m from the station, heading in the direction of Dove Lake.
    Mr Inwood was last seen at Kindred, in Tasmania’s north, about 8.30pm on Monday and police believe he drove to Cradle Mountain later that night.
    Preliminary searches of the Cradle Mountain area on Tuesday by PWS rangers, with the assistance of a police drone, did not locate Mr Inwood.
    Temperatures were below freezing in the Cradle Mountain area overnight.
    Anyone who has information that could assist police locate Mr Inwood, pictured, is urged to call 131 444.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Sweet Police work aids Auckland driver

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Quick thinking and a priority transport of chocolate has aided the recovery of an Auckland motorist. 

    Police in central Auckland received information about a man who appeared intoxicated, getting into a vehicle on Tuesday afternoon.

    Auckland Central Area Commander, Inspector Grant Tetzlaff says frontline staff attended just after 3pm on Union Street.

    “On arrival, staff found a middle-aged man slumped over the car’s steering wheel and losing consciousness,” he says.

    “The officers acted quickly on their feet, taking the initiative and checked for a medical alert on the man’s phone.”

    It revealed he was a Type One diabetic.

    “Wasting no time and with time of the essence,  the staff called for an ambulance and for another patrol to bring some chocolate, pronto!”

    “The chocolate arrived on scene quickly and the man began to regain some consciousness.”

    Ambulance staff arrived on scene and he was transported to hospital.

    “I commend the actions of the frontline staff in what was a medical emergency and ended up being a sweet result,” Inspector Tetzlaff says.

    ENDS. 

    Nicole Bremner/NZ Police 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Michael Hill, MyHouse, and Hairhouse Online pay penalties over alleged misleading Black Friday ‘sitewide’ sales

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    Three major retailers have paid penalties for allegedly making false and misleading representations about their Black Friday sales. Each retailer paid a penalty of $19,800 after the ACCC issued them with one infringement notice each.

    This follows an ACCC sweep of dozens of sales advertisements for last year’s Black Friday and post-Christmas sales events which identified concerns that the ads misrepresented the size and scope of discounts being offered to consumers.

    The ACCC issued one infringement notice each to Michael Hill Jeweller (Australia) Pty Ltd (Michael Hill), Global Retail Brands Australia Pty Ltd (GRBA) in relation to its homewares business MyHouse, and Hairhouse Warehouse Online Pty Ltd (Hairhouse Online) which operates the Hairhouse hair and beauty website, because the ACCC alleged that the businesses were misrepresenting the nature of their sales, including by falsely describing discounts as applying ‘sitewide’.

    “We allege these claims misled consumers that all goods in the physical or online store were discounted, or that the discounts were greater than was actually the case,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

    “Advertisements that talk about ‘sitewide’ or ‘storewide’ sales or promise discounts ‘off everything’ should deliver what customers expect, and not be used by retailers to hook consumers under false pretences.”

    “Businesses are legally obliged to accurately describe their sale offers and should not use small point disclaimers to terms and conditions to disguise the real extent of their offers,” Ms Lowe said.

    “During the EOFY sales, retailers should be aware that we will continue to keep an eye on sales promotions to ensure consumers are not being misled, and retailers may face enforcement action if they make sales representations that contravene the Australian Consumer Law.”

    Michael Hill pays penalty for “25% off Sitewide” sale ad

    Jewellery business Michael Hill, a subsidiary of Michael Hill International Limited (ASX: MHJ), has paid one infringement notice issued by the ACCC, totalling $19,800 in relation to an alleged misleading representation about its Black Friday sale.

    Its online advertisement promoted the sale with the words ‘Member Event 25% off Sitewide’.

    “Michael Hill’s statement may have misled consumers, and contravened the Australian Consumer Law, because some of the products in its online store were not part of the sale and were not discounted,” Ms Lowe said.

    MyHouse pays penalty amid ACCC concern its ad was misleading

    Homewares retailer GRBA paid its $19,800 penalty after the ACCC issued it with one infringement notice in relation to its MyHouse store’s online Black Friday sale ad which the ACCC alleges was misleading.

    The ad displayed on the MyHouse website during the sale included:

    • a ribbon banner stating ‘Black Friday Up to 60% Off Sitewide + EXTRA 20% off’; and
    • a large headline graphic stating ‘Up to 60% OFF RRP EVERYTHING ON SALE’ followed by the text ‘+EXTRA 20% OFF’

    “We say this was misleading because the extra 20 per cent discount was not available on all of its products,” Ms Lowe said.

    “Retailers need to ensure that their advertising makes it clear to consumers which products are discounted, and by how much.”

    Hairhouse Online allegedly misleads consumers with ‘Save 20% to 50% sitewide’ ads

    Hairhouse Online paid one infringement notice of $19,800, in relation to its online ad for its Black Friday sale with the statement: ‘SAVE 20% to 50% SITEWIDE’.

    The ACCC considered the statement misled consumers that all items on its website would be discounted by between 20 and 50 per cent for the duration of the Black Friday sale, when in fact more than a quarter of the products on its website were not included in the sale offer.

    “Businesses that make false discount claims not only risk misleading consumers, they also compete unfairly against other businesses which correctly state the nature of their sales,” Ms Lowe said.

    Notes to editors

    The ACCC can issue an infringement notice when it has reasonable grounds to believe a person or business has contravened certain consumer protection provisions in the Australian Consumer Law.

    The payment of a penalty specified in an infringement notice is not an admission of a contravention of the Australian Consumer Law. The Australian Consumer Law sets the penalty amount.

    Background

    Michael Hill Jeweller (Australia) Pty Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Michael Hill International Limited which has its headquarters in Brisbane. The Michael Hill retail group is a specialty retailer of jewellery which operates about 170 bricks-and-mortar stores in Australia and also operates in New Zealand and Canada.

    Homewares business MyHouse is operated by homewares and kitchen goods retailer GRBA as an online business and in 28 physical stores in Australia. GRBA also operates a range of similar businesses such as House, Robins Kitchen, House Bed & Bath and Baccarat.

    Hairhouse Online is a related entity of The Hairhouse Warehouse Pty Ltd, a private company based in Melbourne with 125 stores across Australia, offering haircuts, hair extensions spray tans, manicures, waxing, make-up and other hair and beauty services.

    In December 2024, following a sweep of advertisements, the ACCC raised concerns about a range of concerning practices in Black Friday sales promotions, from ‘sitewide’ discounts that were not in fact sitewide, potentially misleading ‘was/now’ pricing, as well as dubious claims about the value of discounts on offer.

    One of the ACCC’s Compliance and Enforcement Priorities for 2025-26 is ‘consumer and fair trading concerns in the supermarket and retail sectors, with a focus on misleading pricing practices’.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Garbarino Bill to Support D.C. Police and Restore Public Safety

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 2096, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act, by a bipartisan vote of 235–178–1. The bill, sponsored by Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02), restores due process rights for Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers and addresses crime in Washington, D.C.

    Officer recruitment and retention remain at historic lows. MPD currently employs just over 3,100 sworn officers, down from 3,650 in 2020 and nearly 900 short of Mayor Bowser’s stated goal of expanding the force to 4,000 officers. Hundreds of fewer officers on the streets have emboldened criminals, eroding public safety as well as officer morale. The District of Columbia was rated the fifth deadliest city in America in recent years. Last month alone, 20 people were shot and killed in D.C. 

    “The House’s passage of my bill, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act, is a critical step toward restoring law and order in Washington, D.C. The Metropolitan Police Department is facing a public safety crisis brought on by reckless policies that have stripped officers of basic protections and left the force dangerously understaffed,” said Rep. Garbarino. “This legislation helps right that wrong by giving MPD the tools and support they need to recruit, retain, and protect. Congress has a duty to ensure our nation’s capital is safe, and today’s vote sends a clear message: we back the badge, and we refuse to let violent crime take over D.C.”

    “The 3,000 members of the DC Police Union wholeheartedly endorse H.R. 2096, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act of 2025. This critical legislation restores essential collective bargaining rights and fair disciplinary protocols for our brave Metropolitan Police Department officers. By empowering our law enforcement professionals, H.R. 2096 strengthens their ability to combat rising violent crime in Washington, D.C., ensuring the safety of our residents, visitors, and workers. We urge Congress to pass this bill swiftly to support our officers and secure our nation’s capital,” said Gregg Pemberton, Chairman of the DC Police Union.

    Cosponsors of the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act include RepresentativesPete Stauber (R-MN-08), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), and John Rutherford (R-FL-05). The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. 

    The full bill text can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Leads Legislation to Protect Idahoans from Payment Scams

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.–Citing more than $63 million in reported losses in Idaho to payment scams in 2024, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) introduced the bipartisan Task Force for Recognizing and Averting Payments Scams (TRAPS) Act, which would create a task force to combat the growing issue of payment scams.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported losses to fraud have soared 25 percent over the last year to $12.5 billion nationwide.
    U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) and Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) are co-sponsors of the legislation.
    “Criminals continue to target vulnerable Americans through creative ways to trick them out of their hard-earned money,” said Senator Crapo.  “We can–and should–better equip law enforcement and regulators with the tools to go after scammers and prevent scams before they happen.”
    “The evolving sophistication of financial scams emphasizes the urgent need for unified and proactive defense,” said Senator Warner.  “The TRAPS Act will bridge the gap between law enforcement, regulators and the financial industry in order to better protect Americans’ financial welfare and hold those who prey on hard-working individuals accountable.”
    “Combatting the global rise in fraud starts with making certain federal regulators and law enforcement agencies are coordinating effectively to address these threats,” said Senator Moran.  “Establishing a task force to promote inter-agency cooperation on preventing payment scams and other fraud is yet another step in protecting the financial security of Kansans.”
    “Scams and financial schemes continue to debilitate Americans’ pocketbooks and funds, especially our seniors who work hard their entire lives to build savings,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.  “The Task Force for Recognizing and Averting Payments Scams (TRAPS) Act better equips law enforcement and regulators to fight back and provide much-needed protection for fraud victims, and helps prevent scams before they happen.”
    “Fighting cyber and financial crime is a priority for the Idaho Department of Finance, and Sen. Crapo’s TRAPS Act is an important step for creating strategies to address the growing threat electronic payment scams pose to Idahoans and Americans,” said Idaho Department of Finance Director Patti Perkins.
    Payment scams occur when a scammer induces a victim, usually under false pretenses of romance or investments, to voluntarily send them money.  Crapo’s legislation would bring together industry, law enforcement, financial regulators and telecommunication regulators to decide best practices for identifying and preventing future scams.
    Specifically, the TRAPS Act would:
    Create a task force, chaired by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and composed of the prudential regulators, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Justice and representatives from industry. 
    Direct the task force to examine the payments landscape and compile a report to recommend legislative and regulatory changes, including best practices to coordinate state, local and federal efforts.
    Require the task force to update the report annually for three years.
    The TRAPS Act is supported by AARP, Early Warning Services, Electronic Transactions Association, GoWest Credit Union Association, American Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, National Bankers Association, the Defense Credit Union Council and America’s Credit Unions.
    “Scams don’t originate on payment platforms, and this legislation is a critical step in protecting consumers and preventing scams by bringing together regulators, law enforcement, industry leaders and consumer advocates to help strengthen our nation’s scam prevention infrastructure,” said Cameron Fowler, CEO, Early Warning Services, the company behind Zelle.  “Protecting consumers, small businesses and community financial institutions is essential to preserving trust in our financial system.  Early Warning thanks Senators Mike Crapo, Mark Warner, Jerry Moran and Raphael Warnock for their leadership in introducing and sponsoring this proposal.  Criminals are constantly evolving how they scam American consumers, small businesses and financial institutions.  Combating these criminals demands a united front from government, law enforcement and the private sector.”
    “Consumer Bankers Association deeply appreciates Sen. Crapo’s leadership to address the growing fraud and scams crisis.  A whole-of-government approach is critically important to make a meaningful difference toward protecting the hardworking Americans we’re all working to serve,” said Consumer Bankers Association President and CEO Lindsey Johnson.  “This legislation would convene a comprehensive group of financial regulators along with multiple industry sectors to get the root of the problem and propose solutions.”
    “We thank Senator Crapo and the bill’s co-sponsors for their leadership and commitment, not just to credit union members, but to all consumers and the long-term integrity of our financial system,” said Troy Stang, President and CEO, GoWest Credit Union Association.  “The TRAPS Act reflects the credit union movement’s deep-rooted priority: protecting the safety and security of our members and communities.  This legislation is a smart, holistic approach to identifying and seeking solutions to actively combat and put a stop to the fraud that is eroding the financial security of Americans.”
    “Fighting fraud and scams is a priority shared by the payments industry, policymakers and law enforcement,” said Jodie Kelley, CEO, Electronic Transactions Association.  “We applaud Sen. Crapo’s TRAPS Act as it brings together the key players needed to help address this common goal.”
    Bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Court Appointments Announced

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced 17 appointments to the New York State Court of Claims, 5 appointments to the Supreme Court and 2 appointments to Family Court.

    “Our judicial system works best when we have talented, qualified jurists on the bench,” Governor Hochul said. “These 24 individuals have the experience and knowledge to serve as members of the judiciary, and will play a critical role in the fair and impartial dispensation of justice across New York.”

    As Judges of the Court of Claims:

    Monica Wallace

    Monica Piga Wallace was first elected to the Assembly in 2016. Wallace worked her way through college and law school, earning her undergraduate degree with honors from SUNY Binghamton, and her J.D., cum laude, from SUNY Buffalo Law School. Before her election to the Assembly, Monica spent much of her legal career as a law clerk in federal court, where she helped ensure that justice was served and that laws were applied equally to all parties appearing before the court. Monica also served on the faculty at her alma mater, SUNY Buffalo Law School, teaching students how the law can be used as a vehicle for positive social change.

    Gregory McCaffrey

    Gregory McCaffrey served as the District Attorney of Livingston County, New York; a position he held from May 2012 until December 2024. McCaffrey oversaw a team of legal professionals prosecuting serious criminal cases including homicides, violent felonies, and child sex offenses. Prior to this role, he practiced at Jones and Skivington Law Firm, focusing on litigation, municipal law, and criminal defense, and served as Town Attorney for Conesus, New York.

    Earlier in his career, he was an Assistant District Attorney in Monroe County, where he handled a progression of increasingly complex felony cases. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Nazareth College of Rochester. McCaffrey was born and raised in Livingston County where he resides with his family.

    John Bringewatt

    John Bringewatt currently serves as the Monroe County Attorney. In that role, he oversees a team of attorneys responsible for all of the County’s civil legal work. He previously maintained a wide-ranging litigation practice at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP. Early in his career, he served as a Law Clerk to Judge Susan L. Carney of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

    He holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from Colgate University.

    Abby Perer

    Abby Perer has served as in-house counsel for Syracuse University for nearly 10 years. In that role, she oversees all litigation and regulatory compliance matters. Before joining the University, Perer was a litigation associate for DLA Piper LLP, where she represented corporate and individual clients in commercial litigation, as well as civil and criminal investigations.

    Perer was once a Legal Intern for the Office of NYS Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. She attended Brooklyn Law School for her JD, and Hamilton College for her BA. She is a resident of Fayetteville, New York.

    Noel Mendez

    A native New Yorker, Noel Mendez was born and raised in the Bronx. He attended Lehman College and graduated with a degree in theater. Before attending the University at Buffalo School of Law, Noel worked as a police officer in the NYPD. Since graduating from law school, Noel obtained a Master of Laws in securities regulation from Georgetown University Law Center and subsequently moved to the Capital Region, where he worked as a court attorney for the New York State Court of Appeals. He later became a law clerk to the Honorable Jenny Rivera.

    Noel has held a variety of legal positions in the Capital Region since then. Most notably, he worked as a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York and briefly as a prosecutor at the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. Most recently, Noel served as counsel to New York State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey.

    Noel lives in Albany County with his wife, Marlene and daughter, Annabelle.

    Natacha Carbajal-Evangelista

    Natacha Carbajal-Evangelista serves as the General Counsel for the NYS Department of State. In this role, Natacha oversees the Office of General Counsel, which provides legal advice and support to the New York Secretary of State and the diverse programs, divisions, boards, and commissions housed within the Department.

    Previously, Natacha served as Assistant Secretary for Labor & Workforce for New York State, leading the Statewide implementation of groundbreaking initiatives, including New York’s Paid Family Leave. Natacha also served as Senior Deputy Counsel and the Executive Deputy Superintendent for Operations at the NYS Department of Financial Services and Deputy Director at the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board.

    Prior to joining State government, Natacha was a senior associate at BakerHostetler, serving as counsel to the SIPA Trustee for the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS). Natacha served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Hon. Elizabeth S. Stong of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, E.D.N.Y. and the Hon. Arthur J. Gonzalez, former Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, S.D.N.Y.

    Natacha is a graduate of Fordham Law School and Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

    Mary Lynn Nicolas-Brewster

    Mary Lynn Nicolas-Brewster is the Executive Director of the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, a permanent statewide commission dedicated to promoting racial and ethnic fairness in the court system. The Williams Commission, chaired by Hon. Shirley Troutman, Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, and Hon. Troy K. Webber, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, strives to make the court system more responsive to the concerns of people of color and works to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession and the court system. The Commission’s namesake, Ambassador Franklin H. Williams, a distinguished attorney and civil rights leader, was a visionary and trailblazer who devoted his life to the pursuit of equal justice. The Commission stands as a testament to his life and legacy as the Commission pursues its mission to ensure justice and equity for all in the courts.

    Prior to this position, Nicolas-Brewster, a former Village Judge with the Village of Spring Valley, served as Court Attorney-Referee for the New York State Supreme Court, Ninth Judicial District, and as a Hearing Officer for the Office of Court Administration. Nicolas-Brewster also held multiple positions at the Office of the Westchester County Attorney, including Associate County Attorney, Senior Assistant County Attorney, and Assistant County Attorney. She has also served as Assistant Solicitor General for the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Senior Appellate Court Attorney for the New York State Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, and Pro Se Law Clerk with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She has also been a member of the adjunct faculty at SUNY-Rockland Community College in the Legal Studies Department.

    Ms. Nicolas-Brewster obtained a J.D. from the New York University School of Law in 1992 and a B.A. in Literature and Rhetoric at Binghamton University, SUNY, in 1989.

    Erin Guven

    Erin Guven brings over 20 years of experience as an attorney dedicated to public interest to her new role as Court of Claims judge. In her most recent role as Westchester Family Court Support Magistrate, she conducted child support, spousal support and paternity hearings in a high-volume court. Erin has also held many other vital positions during her tenure including Court Attorney-Referee in the Supreme Court, 9th JD, Pro Bono Director & Staff Attorney at Legal Services of the Hudson Valley and Small Claims Assessment Review Hearing Officers. She is an active member of her legal and local communities and holds and undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and a JD from Brooklyn Law School.

    Menachem Mirocznik

    Menachem “Mendy” Mirocznik has served as a Court Attorney to the Hon. Orlando Marrazzo, Jr. in various Civil Courts since 2009. Since 2020, he has supported Justice Marrazzo in presiding over Richmond County’s Supreme Court, Civil Term. He conducts legal research and analysis, reviews cases, and drafts decisions. Between 2001 and 2008, he supported various Housing Court Judges for New York City’s Civil Court. He began his career in 1997 as a Legal Intern for Main Street Legal Services, representing indigent clients in cases regarding public assistance benefits and benefit termination.

    Mirocznik is a graduate of Touro College, from which he obtained a Political Science B.A. He received his J.D. from CUNY School of Law and was the President of the Jewish Law Students Association. He has been an active member of Community Board 2 since 2010, a board member of the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island since 2014, and President of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island since 2012.

    Jay Kim

    Jay Kim is currently the Principal Law Clerk to the Hon. Dena E. Douglas, a New York State Supreme Court Justice in Kings County, Criminal Term. He started his career in public service in 2008 as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the Tort Division of the New York City Law Department. He subsequently served as a Principal Law Clerk to the Hon. Theodore T. Jones (Dec.) and the Hon. Jenny Rivera, Associate Judges of the New York State Court of Appeals, from 2010 to 2013. After his Court of Appeals clerkship, he served as a Senior Counsel in the Labor & Employment Division of the New York City Law Department from 2013 to 2015 and as an attorney within the Office of Legal Services of the New York City Department of Education from 2015 to 2018. Kim obtained his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and his B.A. in Sociology from New York University.  He is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of New York and the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York.

    Denis Reo

    Denis Reo began his career in the Unified Court System in 2004, working as a Secretary to the Honorable Carol Edmead. He then went to work for the Honorable George J. Silver in January 2005 and served as Judge Silver’s Court Attorney, Senior Court Attorney, Principal Court Attorney and Principal Law Clerk from 2005 through 2017. During this time, he was assigned to Civil Court, Kings County; Family Court, Bronx County; and Supreme Court, Civil Term, New York County. In July 2017 Judge Silver was appointed Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts and Denis was named a Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge. He was promoted to Chief of Staff to the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge in January 2019. In August 2019 he was appointed Chief Clerk of the Supreme Court, Civil Term, New York County where he assisted the Administrative Judge overseeing daily court operations as well as managing 350 non-judicial personnel within the court. Since December 2024 he has served as Chief of Staff to Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Adam Silvera, assisting Judge Silvera in overseeing the trial courts within New York City.

    Denis is a graduate of Sacred Heart University and St. John’s University School of Law. He resides in Farmingdale, NY with his wife and two children.

    Ilene Fern

    Ilene P. Fern is the Principal Law Clerk to the Honorable Lee A. Mayersohn of the 11th Judicial District of the New York State Supreme Court, a position she has held since 2021. Prior to that, Fern was the Principal Law Clerk to the Honorable Martin J. Schulman of the 11th Judicial District of the New York State Supreme Court from 1995-2020. From 1992 to 1994, Fern was the Senior Court Attorney to the Honorable Robert J. McDonald of the 11th Judicial District in the New York City Criminal Court. From 1989 to 1991, Fern was the Court Attorney to the Honorable Arnold N. Price in the New York City Civil Court. Fern was the President of the Queens County Women’s Bar Association from 1998-1999. She is currently a member of the Executive Board of the Brandeis Association. Fern obtained a J.D., from Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center at Touro University in 1985, where she was a Senior Editor of the Law Review, and a B.A., from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1981.

    Darlene Goldberg

    Darlene Goldberg is a Principal Law Clerk for Hon. Caryn R. Fink with the NYS Unified Court System. Alongside Judge Fink, Goldberg researches and analyzes legal issues, advises on court proceedings and sentencing matters, drafts opinions, conducts discovery and pre-trial conferences, and leases with the Office of Court Administration. She previously operated her own criminal defense law firm for 13 years, specializing in major felonies through Nassau County’s indigent defense panel. She covered criminal cases ranging from misdemeanors to violent felonies and led counsel in both jury ad non-jury trials. She was also a Trial Attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County. She managed criminal cases from inception through disposition.

    Goldberg volunteered with the Moreland Shelter and Birthday Wishes of Long Island, which she coordinated tutoring services for the homeless children residing at the shelter as well as temporary to permanent housing transitioning. Goldberg is a graduate of Fordham University’s School of Law and Boston University for her undergraduate degree. She resides in Melville with her family. Her husband is also a lawyer.

    Gordon Cuffy

    Gordon Cuffy was appointed by Governor Hochul in June 2025 to serve as an Acting Supreme Court Justice. Cuffy previously served as a Court of Claims Judge in Onondaga County Court, where he presided over felony criminal cases. He was appointed to the bench in 2017 by Governor Andrew Cuomo, becoming the first African-American judge to oversee felony matters in Onondaga County. Prior to his appointment, he served as Onondaga County Attorney under County Executive Joanie Mahoney and also worked as a prosecutor and as General Counsel to New York State Thruway Authority. He previously ran for County Court Judge in 2012.

    James Ferreira

    James H. Ferreria was appointed to the Court of Claims by Governor George E. Pataki on June 16, 2006 and confirmed by the Senate on June 21, 2006. Judge Ferreira was reappointed to the Court of Claims for a full nine year term by Governor Eliot Spitzer on April 30, 2007 and confirmed again by the Senate on June 19, 2007. One June 10, 2016 Judge Ferreira was reappointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Senate confirmed Judge Ferreira to an additional nine year term on June 15, 2016. Judge Ferreira was additionally designated as an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court in 2014 in the Third Judicial District. Judge Ferreira presides over civil actions pending in the Court of Claims, Albany County Supreme Court and Schoharie County Supreme Court.

    Judge Ferreira graduated from Cornell University in 1984, Syracuse University College of Law in 1989, cum laude, and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in 1989.

    In 1989, Judge Ferreira began his legal career as a law clerk at the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department. He then went on to work at the law firm of Harris Beach LLP as an associate in 1991. In 1995, he joined the New York State Attorney General’s office as a Deputy Bureau Chief in the Environmental Protection Bureau. He then worked between 1999 and 2006 at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in various capacities, including as Assistant Commissioner in the Office of Hearing and Meditation Services and as Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel.

    Rhonda Tomlinson

    Judge Rhonda Ziomaida Tomlinson, a Brooklyn native raised by her Panamanian mother, was appointed to the New York State Court of Claims in June 2021. She earned her B.S. from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law. Prior to her appointment, she served as Chief Administrative Law Judge for the NYS Board of Parole, overseeing statewide adjudications and participating in the Harlem Reentry Court.

    Her legal career includes roles as a principal court attorney, administrative law judge, Legal Aid defense attorney, and private practitioner in criminal and family law. She has been active in bar association committees and initiatives related to parole, sex trafficking, and the effects of incarceration on families. Judge Tomlinson has also taught legal and multicultural studies at CUNY School of Law, John Jay College, and St. John’s University. She is an engaged member of St. Gregory the Great R.C. Church, serving as a scout leader, lector, and school board member.

    Cheryl Joseph

    Judge Cheryl Joseph serves as Supervising Judge of the Matrimonial Parts in the Suffolk County Supreme Court and has been a Judge of the New York State Court of Claims since 2015. Appointed as an Acting Supreme Court Justice, she previously served for nine years as a Support Magistrate in Bronx and Suffolk County Family Courts.

    Judge Joseph earned her J.D. from NYU School of Law and her B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from NYU, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She has also taught family law and civil litigation as an adjunct professor at Touro Law Center, where she was named Adjunct Professor of the Year twice.

    As Interim Supreme Court Justices:

    J. David Sampson

    Judge John David Sampson was appointed to the New York State Court of Claims in 2015 by Governor Andrew Cuomo and serves as a Court of Claims Judge and as an Acting Supreme Court Justice. He previously served as Executive Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (2011–2015) and as Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs in the New York Attorney General’s Office (2008–2010). Earlier in his career, he spent over 25 years in private practice, including as a partner at Underberg Kessler LLP.

    Judge Sampson earned his J.D. from Albany Law School (1982) and his B.A. in Economics from Canisius University (1977). He is based in the Buffalo/Niagara area.

    Denise Hartman

    Hon. Denise Hartman was first appointed to the Court of Claims in 2015, and has served as an Acting Supreme Court Justice in Albany County for the last 10 years. She handles a full civil docket, including proceedings against governmental agencies, personal injury and contract actions, matrimonial cases, commercial litigation, and more. She also presides over the statewide Litigation Coordinating Panel.

    Prior to her judicial appointment, she was an Assistant Solicitor General in the New York State Attorney General’s Office from 1985 to 2015. There she briefed and argued many, many appeals in the New York State Appellate Divisions, Court of Appeals, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court. She was formerly a Confidential Law Clerk at the Appellate Division, 4th Department, and was once a Law Assistant at Langan, Grossman, Kinney & Dwyer, PC.

    She obtained a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University, and her JD from Syracuse University School of Law.

    Walter Rivera

    Judge Walter Rivera was appointed to the New York State Court of Claims by Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2017 and served one term as an Acting Supreme Court Justice in the 9th Judicial District. A native of Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan, he is a graduate of Columbia College (1976) and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (1979).

    He began his legal career as a law clerk at the New York State Court of Appeals and later served as an Assistant Attorney General before entering private practice. Rivera was elected Town Justice in Greenburgh, NY, serving from 2011 until his Court of Claims appointment. He was an adjunct professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University for six years, past president of the Latino Judges Association, and a co-founder of the Hudson Valley Hispanic Bar Association.

    Michael Kitsis

    Michael Kitsis is an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, serving since 2021. He has also served as a Judge in the Criminal Court of the City of New York since 2016. Prior to his judicial appointments, he spent over three decades as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office from 1983 to 2016.

    He holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

    Jonathan Svetkey

    Jonathan Svetkey is currently an Acting Supreme Court Justice sitting in Manhattan, Criminal Term. His first appointment was to the New York City Civil Court in 2019 and a year later he was re-appointed to serve as a New York City Criminal Court Judge. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Svetkey was the Court Attorney for the Honorable Joanne B. Watters from 2017 to 2019. Before that he spent twenty years in private practice as a criminal defense attorney with the law firm of Watters & Svetkey, LLP. He also served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office Appeals Bureau from 1990 to 1995. His first job out of law school was with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. Judge Svetkey received his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester and graduated from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in 1984.

    As Interim Family Court Judges:

    Tonia Ettinger

    Tonia M. Ettinger was appointed by Governor Hochul in June 2025 to serve as a Family Court Attorney for Monroe County. Ettinger most recently served as the Principal Court Attorney for Honorable Fatimat O. Reid in the 7 th Judicial District (Monroe County Family Court), a position she has held since 2019. A dedicated and experienced family law attorney, Ettinger has spent her career advocating for children and families throughout Monroe County. She served for nearly a decade as an Attorney for the Child at the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, representing children in Monroe County Family Court (2009-2018).

    A graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Law (magna cum laude) and SUNY Geneseo (cum laude), Ettinger has been recognized as one of the Top Women in Law by the Daily Record. Ettinger is equally dedicated to embracing and uplifting the Rochester community, actively participating in events under the 7th Judicial District’s “Embracing Our Community” initiative. With 21 years of legal experience—16 years dedicated exclusively to Monroe County Family Court—she has demonstrated a deep and consistent commitment to justice, particularly for vulnerable youth and families navigating the family court system.

    Jessica Wilcox

    Jessica R. Wilcox serves as a Principal Law Clerk for the Honorable James H. Ferreira of the New York State Court of Claims, and previously served under Honorable Glen T. Bruening of the New York State Court of Claims from 2011-2022. Before that, she was the Principal Law Clerk for the Honorable John C. Egan Jr. of the Appellate Division of the Third Department for the New York State Supreme Court from 2007 to 2011. Wilcox was a Senior Associate at Barclay Damon f/k/a Bouck, Holloway, Kiernan, and Casey from 2000 to 2007 and an Associate Attorney at Rowley Forrest, O’Donnell & Beaumont from 1999 to 2000. From 1998 to 1999, Wilcox was an Associate at Brennan, Rehfuss, and Ligouri P.C.

    Wilcox obtained a J.D. from Albany Law School in 1997 and a B.A., cum laude, in Philosophy and German from Wells College in 1993.  She was found HQ by the Statewide Judicial Department Screening Committee on March 28, 2022.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Urges Trump to Stop Plan to Eliminate Funds that Target Fentanyl Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    June 10, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today urged Donald Trump to stop his administration’s plans to eliminate funds used by law enforcement to crack down on fentanyl trafficking and dismantle major criminal organizations in Oregon and across America. 

    For more than three decades, the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) has been a vital law enforcement entity to counter organized crime and major drug trafficking by coordinating among dozens of agencies. Despite the critical role the OCDETF plays in providing investigatory and prosecutorial support, coordination, and information sharing  to local, state, and federal law enforcement to stop transnational criminal organizations, including those using the Interstate 5 corridor in Oregon and the West Coast to smuggle fentanyl into U.S. communities, Trump has proposed zeroing out funding for OCDETF in his fiscal year 2026 budget request. 

    In a letter to Trump, Wyden said, “Defunding law enforcement in this manner will make it easier for major drug trafficking organizations to continue to transit fentanyl, methamphetamine, counterfeit prescription medication, and other illicit drugs into Oregon communities.”

    Earlier this month, a drug trafficking leader in Lane County, Ore., was sentenced to federal prison for possessing 384 pounds of methamphetamine in a case the OCDETF successfully investigated. This follows the 2020 success of a OCDETF investigation that led to the dismantling of a major transnational drug trafficking and money laundering organization active in the Portland metropolitan area, as well as significant arrests and drug seizures as transnational criminal organizations use the Interstate 5 corridor as a primary route to traffic drugs like fentanyl into communities.

    “OCDETF-led interagency coordination is critical to unite federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to effectively disrupt the operations of major transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels that have expanded operations across the country in recent years. Given this record of success, it is astonishing that you have proposed zeroing out funding for this crucial law enforcement entity,” Wyden said in the letter. “

    “OCDETF provides critical support to our public safety mission by bringing together agencies and resources to help protect our communities from cartel-driven drug dealing organizations,” said Stephen Gunnels, Deschutes County District Attorney. “It is extremely important that we keep the pressure on these deadly criminal enterprises.”

    “OCDETF is a critical funding mechanism for large multi-agency, multi-state cases and allows for collaboration with local law enforcement that would otherwise not be possible,” said Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler. “Losing this funding would severely hamper many drug teams, including ours at the Bend Police Department, and prevent us from doing large scale investigations necessary to protect the public.” 

    The text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadoran smugglers plead guilty to trafficking nearly 400 kilograms of cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – Two Ecuadoran nationals pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine on board a vessel.

    According to court documents, on Jan. 16, a helicopter from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Waesche located a go-fast vessel (GFV) that appeared to be dead in the water with two people on board in international waters approximately 544 nautical miles south of Mexico. The GFV displayed no indicia of nationality.

    A small boat from the USCG Cutter Waesche approached the GFV and the crew observed Adan Bolivar Arcentales Anchundia, 57, and Frowen Antonio Alcivar Muentes, 56, cutting lines connecting the GFV to bundles of bails in the water. USCG personnel boarded the vessel and conducted tests of the contents of one package taken from the water. The contents tested positive for cocaine. USCG personnel gathered additional contraband from the water around the GFV. In total, ten bales containing approximately 397.9 kilograms of cocaine were recovered.

    Arcentales Anchundia pled guilty on May 28 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 30. Alcivar Muentes plead guilty today and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9. Both defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and Eric M. Hurt are prosecuting the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-59 (Arcentales Anchundia) and  2:25-cr-69 (Alcivar Muentes).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Havre man sentenced to 14 years in prison on drug charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Havre man who possessed fentanyl was sentenced today to 168 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Isaiah Starr Standingrock, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that on August 26, 2023, Standingrock attempted to evade law enforcement, leading to a high-speed pursuit on and off the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. During the pursuit, Standingrock called 911 several times, threatening to shoot officers and/or himself. Officers watched Standingrock throw various items out of his car window throughout the pursuit, including what appeared to be a gun (which was never recovered) and a blue Nike backpack (which was recovered and later searched). Standingrock later threw a pistol holster at officers during a brief standoff. Ultimately, Standingrock was taken into custody without incident.

    In a search incident to arrest, officers seized $430 in various denominations of cash, as well as various empty syringes and a plastic bag. Officers observed what appeared to be fentanyl pills in plain view in the vehicle.

    Officers then located a .40 caliber S&W round and a .38 caliber SPL +P round, as well as a syringe and tin foil in the blue Nike backpack. They recovered suspected fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder, a tube containing powder residence, a digital scale containing white powder, a flip phone and a gold iPhone from the vehicle search.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services, and the Hill County Sheriff’s Office.

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

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairwoman McClain Backs Law Enforcement Officers, Votes to Reverse Biden-era ‘Defund the Police’ Policies

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    WASHINGTON—House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) voted in favor of Rep. Andrew Garbarino’s (R-N.Y.) bill—H.R. 2096, Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act—to reverse Biden-era ‘defund the police’ policies and equip law enforcement officers with the resources they need to do their jobs.

    Chairwoman McClain and Rep. Garbarino issued the following statements after the U.S. House passed H.R. 2096:

    “The violence we are seeing in Los Angeles and around our country is a clear example of why we need to support our law enforcement in all capacities. They are putting their lives on the line to protect us,” Chairwoman McClain said. “The Biden administration’s, efforts to defund the police have led to more violence and rising crime rates in places like Washington, D.C. In contrast, House Republicans are committed to supporting our brave law enforcement officers and addressing workforce and retention challenges. I thank Rep. Garbarino for leading this crucial effort to reverse harmful ‘defund the police’ policies.”

    “The House’s passage of my bill, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act, is a critical step toward restoring law and order in Washington, D.C. The Metropolitan Police Department is facing a public safety crisis brought on by reckless policies that have stripped officers of basic protections and left the force dangerously understaffed,” Rep. Garbarino said. “This legislation helps right that wrong by giving MPD the tools and support they need to recruit, retain, and protect. Congress has a duty to ensure our nation’s capital is safe, and today’s vote sends a clear message: we back the badge, and we refuse to let violent crime take over D.C.”

    H.R. 2096 reverses provisions of D.C.’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. Specifically, it restores the Metro Police Department officer union’s ability to bargain on disciplinary matters and re-establish clear timelines for carrying out discipline for alleged officer misconduct.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waco Man Federally Indicted After Allegedly Shooting Police K9 with Machine Gun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WACO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Waco returned an indictment today charging a Waco man with one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.

    According to court documents, Darrin King allegedly fled from Waco Police officers, who were dispatched to a civil disturbance involving a firearm on May 28. A police K9 was deployed in pursuit of King, who allegedly produced a firearm and fired multiple shots at the dog, striking the K9 twice in the neck and once in the chest. King was subsequently taken into custody and the firearm was recovered. The firearm was allegedly equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), also known as a “Glock switch,” allowing the firearm to fire as a fully automatic weapon. MCDs are defined as machineguns under the National Firearms Act, even when not installed.

    The injured K9 survived his life-threatening injuries but, due to the extent of the injuries, will be medically retired.

    King faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waco Police Department are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Blanton is prosecuting the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. Announces Commencement of Secondary Offering of American Depositary Shares by HSBC Bank plc

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BUENOS AIRES, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. (Nasdaq: GGAL; Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos S.A./A3 Mercados S.A.: GGAL, the “Company”), one of Argentina’s largest financial services groups, announced today the launch of an underwritten secondary offering (the “Offering”) by HSBC Bank plc (the “Selling Shareholder”) of 11,721,449 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) representing 117,214,490 Class B ordinary shares of the Company, par value Ps.1.00 per share (“Class B ordinary shares”). The ADSs are not authorized for public offering in Argentina by the Argentine National Securities Exchange Commision (Comisión Nacional de Valores – “CNV”) and they may not be offered or sold publicly under the Argentine Capital Markets Law No. 26,831, as amended and complemented.  The documents related to the Offering have not been filed with, reviewed or authorized by the CNV, and therefore the CNV has not made any determination as to the truthfulness or completeness of those documents.

    All of the ADSs are being offered by the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder will receive all of the proceeds from the Offering. The Company is not selling any ADSs in the Offering and will not receive any proceeds from the Offering.

    Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are acting as the representatives of the underwriters of the Offering.

    The Offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (including a prospectus) filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in the shelf registration statement and the related prospectus supplement and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the Offering. The Offering will be made only by means of a prospectus and a related prospectus supplement relating to the Offering, copies of which may be obtained from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014, and from Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, by telephone at (866) 471-2526, or by email at prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com. A copy of the prospectus and the related prospectus supplement relating to the Offering may also be obtained free of charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    Cautionary Note Concerning Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those regarding the expected number of ADSs to be sold in the Offering . Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of such words as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue” or other similar terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from current expectations and beliefs, including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could impact the expected timing, completion or other terms of the Offering; the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally, as well as the other risk factors set forth under the caption  Item 3.D. “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, and from time to time in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. The information contained in this press release is as of the date indicated above.  The Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

    About Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A.:

    Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. (Nasdaq: GGAL; Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos S.A./A3 Mercados S.A.: GGAL) is the main financial services holding company in Argentina, which seeks to create long-term value through its companies, providing savings, credit, investment, insurance, advice and digital solutions opportunities to people, companies and organizations, prioritizing customer experience and sustainable development.

    With more than 110 years of experience, Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. is a group of financial services companies in Argentina, integrated by Banco de Galicia y Buenos Aires S.A.U. (Banco Galicia), GGAL Holdings S.A. (Galicia Más Holdings), Tarjetas Regionales S.A. (Naranja X), Sudamericana Holdings S.A. (Galicia Seguros), Galicia Asset Management S.A.U. (Fondos Fima), IGAM LLC (Inviu), Galicia Securities S.A.U. (Galicia Securities), Agri Tech Investment LLC (Nera), Galicia Ventures LP and Galicia Investments LLC (collectively referred to as Galicia Ventures), and Galicia Warrants S.A. (Warrants).

    Investor Contact:

    Mr. Pablo Firvida
    Investor Relations Officer
    www.gfgsa.com 
    +5411 6329 4881
    inversores@gfgsa.com 

    THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERING WILL BE NOTIFIED IN ARGENTINA PURSUANT TO AN HECHO RELEVANTE, SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES, BUT SUCH NOTICE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN ARGENTINA.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Budget to address domestic, family and sexual violence

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.

    You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alabama Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion and Obstruction

    Source: US State of California

    Shortly after trial began, an Alabama chiropractor pleaded guilty yesterday to tax evasion and obstructing the IRS.

    The following is according to court documents and evidence admitted at trial: Gary Forrest Edwards, of Shelby County, Alabama, owned and operated the chiropractic practice Hoover Health & Wellness Center. After not filing income tax returns for many years, in 2015, Edwards filed tax returns for 2009 through 2013. He later filed a tax return for 2017. On these returns, Edwards admitted that he owed more than $2.5 million in taxes. Nevertheless, he did not pay the taxes he reported due and did not pay the interest and penalties assessed against him.

    Edwards took steps to thwart the IRS’s efforts to assess and collect taxes against him, including concealing financial accounts he owned from the IRS, transferring funds from accounts he owned to accounts in only his spouse’s name, filing false court documents to terminate federal tax liens against his property, and lying to IRS criminal investigators.

    Edwards will be sentenced later this year. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the evasion charge and a maximum sentence of three years in prison on the obstruction charge. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco for the Northern District of Alabama will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Isaiah Boyd of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Garnett for the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pakistani National Extradited to Face Charges in Connection with Plot to Carry Out ISIS-Inspired Mass Shooting at Jewish Center in New York City

    Source: US State of California

    A Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was extradited to the United States on June 10, in connection with an indictment filed in the Southern District of New York. Khan was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO), the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Khan is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court on June 11.

    “The foreign terrorist organization ISIS remains a clear and present danger to the American people, and our Jewish citizens are especially targeted by evil groups like these,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice is proud to help secure this extradition, and we will prosecute this man to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “Khan allegedly tried to enter the United States to commit an attack on the Jewish community in New York City, planning an ISIS-inspired mass shooting around the one-year anniversary of the attack on Gaza by Hamas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thankfully, the great work of the FBI and our partners shut that down, and Khan has now been extradited to New York to face American justice. I want to thank our teams and partners for their diligent work in this case and executing the mission.”

    “As alleged, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan attempted to enter the United States to carry out a deadly terrorist attack on a Jewish center in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “He planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many members of our Jewish community as possible, all in support of ISIS. Khan’s deadly, antisemitic plan was thwarted by the diligent work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors in this Office who are committed to rooting out antisemitism and stopping terror. Thanks to their efforts, Khan will now face justice in New York.”

    Khan was provisionally arrested in Canada on Sept. 4, 2024 based on a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York. As alleged in the complaint, Khan, who resided in Canada, attempted to travel from Canada to New York City, where he intended to use automatic and semi-automatic weapons to carry out a mass shooting in support of ISIS at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan began posting on social media and communicating with others on an encrypted messaging application about his support for ISIS in or about November 2023, when, among other things, Khan distributed ISIS propaganda videos and literature. Subsequently, Khan began communicating with two undercover law enforcement officers (collectively, the UCs).

    During those conversations, Khan confirmed that he and a U.S.-based ISIS supporter (Associate-1) had been planning to carry out an attack in a particular U.S. city (City-1). Among other things, Khan said that he had been actively attempting to create “a real offline cell” of ISIS supporters to carry out a “coordinated assault” in City-1 using AR-style rifles to “target[] Israeli Jewish chabads . . . scattered all around [City-1].” During subsequent conversations, Khan repeatedly instructed the UCs to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified the specific locations in City-1 where the attacks would take place. Khan also provided details about how he would cross the border from Canada into the United States to conduct the attacks. During these conversations with the UCs, Khan emphasized that “Oct 7th and oct 11th are the best days for targeting the jews” because “oct 7 they will surely have some protests and oct 11 is yom.kippur.”

    On or about Aug. 20, Khan changed his target location from City-1 to New York City. After initially suggesting certain neighborhoods in New York City to the UCs, Khan decided to target Location-1, a Jewish center located in Brooklyn, New York. Khan told the UCs that he planned to carry out this attack on or around Oct. 7, 2024 — which Khan recognized as the one-year anniversary of the brutal terrorist attacks in Israel by Hamas, a designated FTO, which, on Oct. 7, 2023, launched a wave of violent, large-scale terrorist attacks in Israel. In support of his choice of New York City as his target location, Khan boasted that “New york is perfect to target jews” because it has the “largest Jewish population In america” and therefore, “even if we dont attack a[n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of jews.” Khan proclaimed that “we are going to nyc to slaughter them,” and sent a photograph of the specific area inside of Location-1 where he planned to carry out the attack.

    Thereafter, Khan continued to urge the UCs to acquire AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other equipment for his attack, including “some good hunting [knives] so we can slit their throats.” Khan repeatedly reiterated his desire to carry out the attack in support of ISIS, and discussed planning for the attack, including by identifying rental properties close to Location-1 and paying for a human smuggler to help him reach and cross the border from Canada into the United States. During one communication, Khan noted that “if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11.”

    On or about Sept. 4, as Khan said he planned to do in connection with his attack, Khan attempted to reach the U.S-Canada border. To do so, Khan used three separate cars to travel across Canada towards the United States, before he was stopped by Canadian authorities in or around Ormstown, Canada, approximately 12 miles from the U.S.-Canada border.

    Khan is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization and one count of attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI’s New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles Field Offices are investigating the case. The Justice Department is grateful to Canadian law enforcement for their actions in this matter. The Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division accomplished the extradition of Khan from Canada.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky and David J. Robles for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    A complaint or an indictment merely contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Fighting Discrimination Against U.S. Workers

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Justice Department Fighting Discrimination Against U.S. Workers

    The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Epik Solutions, a California technology recruiting company, to resolve Epik Solutions’ violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by preferring to recruit foreign H-1B visa holders over U.S. workers. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Depleted uranium in Sardinia – E-000741/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. Maximum levels (MLs) for lead and cadmium in food were established by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915[1] and for feed by Directive 2002/32/EC[2]. Only food and feed compliant with the MLs can be placed on the market guaranteeing a high level of human and animal health protection.

    Without information on the levels of thorium in feed and food in the concerned area, no assessment of the possible risk for animal or public health can be done.

    2. The Commission is aware of the potential health implications arising from environmental pollution and emphasises the importance of ensuring compliance with EU legislation that aims to protect public health. However, safeguarding public health is primarily the responsibility of Member States including the investigation of potential disease clusters.

    3. If the pollution is the result of a serious breach of EU environmental law, then the conduct might be framed as an environmental crime under the Environmental Crime Directive[3]. If the liable operator is identified and the contamination fulfils the criteria of environmental damage under the Environmental Liability Directive[4], the operator shall be required to remedy the damage to the environment.

    Salto di Quirra is located in air quality zone IT2010 Zona Rurale according to Ambient Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC[5], with the closest sampling point in Nuraminis. The latest data for this zone for 2022 and 2023 does not indicate the exceedance of any air quality standard[6].

    Based on the information from the European Industrial Emissions Portal[7], no industrial installation covered by the industrial emissions directive was identified in the area.

    • [1] Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 OJ L 119, 5.5.2023, p. 103-157
      ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/915/oj.
    • [2] Directive 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 May 2002 on undesirable substances in animal feed OJ L 140, 30.5.2002, p. 10-22 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2002/32/oj.
    • [3] Directive 2008/99/EC on the protection of the environment through criminal law OJ L 328, 6.12.2008, p. 28-37, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2008/99/oj, replaced by Directive (EU) 2024/1203 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on the protection of the environment through criminal law and replacing Directives 2008/99/EC and 2009/123/EC, OJ L, 2024/1203, 30.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1203/oj, in force and to be transposed by Member States by 21 May 2026.
    • [4] Directive 2004/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage, OJ L 143, 30.4.2004, p. 56-75. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2004/35/oj.
    • [5] Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe OJ L 152, 11.6.2008, p. 1-44 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2008/50/oj.
    • [6] The Italian authorities are reporting information of the following pollutants in this zone: arsenic, benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, cadmium, carbon monoxide, lead, nickel, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide, https://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/it/eu/aqd/g/.
    • [7] https://industry.eea.europa.eu/.
    Last updated: 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Circumscribing Treaty rights of non-national workers to equal treatment over the course of their careers by invoking domestic statute of limitations legislation – E-001324/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission has been following the case of former lettori in Italian Universities very closely with the aim that Italy complies with the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union in cases C-212/99[1] and C-119/04[2].

    In July 2023, the Commission decided to refer Italy to the Court of Justice of the European Union for maintaining discrimination of foreign lecturers[3]. Case C-519/23[4] is currently pending at the Court of Justice.

    The aim of the infringement procedure is to ensure that Italy puts appropriate measures in place to accommodate the requirements of the Court judgments.

    It is, however, for Italy to decide how to best accommodate the requirements of the Court judgments. Member States have a primary responsibility to monitor the application of the relevant legal provisions and to take the necessary steps for enforcement.

    In October 2024, the Italian authorities indicated to the Commission that the implementation of the procedure laid down in Ministerial Decree No 688/2023 of 24 May 2023 has ensured that former lettori had the right to reconstruct their career, in compliance with the obligations arising from EU and national legislation and the procedure has concluded with the payment of the sums due to former lettori.

    In March 2025, the Italian trade unions provided the Commission with recent information regarding the case, which the Commission has transmitted to the Italian authorities for their reaction.

    The Commission is following the developments of the case.

    • [1] Judgment of the Court of Justice of 26 June 2001, Commission of the European Communities v Italian Republic, Case C-212/99, ECLI:EU:C:2001:357 eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=oj:JOC_2001_227_R_0002_02.
    • [2] Judgment of the Court of Justice of 18 July 2006, Commission of the European Communities v Italian Republic, Case C-119/04, ECLI:EU:C:2006:489 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:62004CJ0119.
    • [3] https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-519/23.
    • [4] Case C-519/23: Action brought on 10 August 2023, European Commission v Italian Republic, OJ C 338, 25.9.2023, p. 15 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:62023CN0519.
    Last updated: 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –