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Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Washington Field Office Statement on 11th Anniversary of the Disappearance of Paul Edwin Overby Jr.

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    This month marks the 11th anniversary of the disappearance of Paul Edwin Overby Jr. from Afghanistan. In May 2014, Overby, an American writer, disappeared in Khost Province, Afghanistan, where he was conducting research for a self-authored book. Prior to his disappearance, Overby indicated that he planned to visit Pakistan to further his research. 

    “The dedicated men and women of the FBI remain relentless in our pursuit for answers about Paul’s disappearance,” Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen said. “As we mark yet another year without him, we are committed and will not rest until we return him to his family where he belongs. We renew our public call for information that could help bring him home.”

    In May 2018, the FBI Washington Field Office announced a reward of up to $1 million for information that leads to the location, recovery, and return of Overby. Additionally, the U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Overby’s location, recovery, and return. Both rewards remain unclaimed. 

    If you have information to share, call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov. You can also contact the nearest American embassy or consulate. Tips can remain anonymous. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mission, Texas, Real Estate Agent Indicted for Fraud Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old Mission man has made an appearance in McAllen federal court on wire fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    According to the four-count indictment, Sergio Efrain Zamora Jr. sold multiple homes by forging signatures on the documents and transferring titles to his business.

    The charges allege, beginning in June 2021, Zamora orchestrated a real estate fraud scheme by selling multiple homes without the homeowners’ authorization. He allegedly forged signatures on documents and transferred property titles to his business.

    The victims-some of whom were his own family and friends-were unaware their homes were being sold, according to the charges. Zamora allegedly created fraudulent documents, including warranty deeds and contracts of sale, to make the transactions appear legitimate.

    According to the indictment, he forged paperwork as part of the scheme. He allegedly profited illegally by using the proceeds to pay off debts and, in some cases, by receiving funds directly from the fraudulent closings.

    The charges allege the scheme caused a total loss of $655,000 to the victims and the title company.

    If convicted, Zamora faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Princedale — Annapolis District RCMP charges man with drug trafficking and weapons offences after responding to report of impaired driver

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Annapolis District RCMP has charged a man with several offences, including drug trafficking, after receiving a report of an impaired driver.

    On May 9, at approximately 9:30 a.m., Annapolis District RCMP responded to a report of a possible impaired driver. Officers learned the driver had been travelling on Fraser Rd. then parked the car in the middle of the road before pulling over and appearing to fall asleep.

    Officers located the vehicle, a Hyundai Elantra, and observed a man slumped over in the driver’s seat. When an officer approached the vehicle, the man became responsive and safely exited the vehicle. Officers then conducted a Standard Field Sobriety Test, which the man failed.

    During a search of the suspect and vehicle, officers located multiple knives and a quantity of cocaine.

    The man was arrested and transported to the Digby RCMP Detachment where a Drug Recognition Expert Examination was completed.

    Daniel Brandon Thibodeau, 37, of Annapolis, has been charged with Operation While Impaired by Drug, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose, and Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon.

    He was released from custody by police on May 10 and is scheduled to appear in Annapolis Royal Provincial Court on August 11.

    The Nova Scotia RCMP would like to thank all those who report suspected impaired drivers. If you believe someone is driving impaired or is otherwise an immediate threat to public safety, call 911.

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON POLICE WEEK

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Know Your Immigration Rights

    If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

    Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

    Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

    Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

    The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

    Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: During National Police Week, Reps. Pettersen, Valadao Introduce Bipartisan ‘They’re Fast, We’re Furious’ Bill to Curb Illegal Street Racing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brittany Pettersen (Colorado 7th District)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) and David Valadao (R-CA) introduced the They’re Fast, We’re Furious Act of 2025 to address reckless speeding and illegal street racing impacting communities across the country. This bipartisan bill would establish a Street Racing Prevention and Intervention Task Force under the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to coordinate local, state, and federal strategic responses to street racing and unlawful organized street shows. The task force would address the impacts of street racing and develop best practices to combat the problem, creating safer communities and potentially saving lives.

    “I’ve heard from constituents across Broomfield and Jefferson Counties who are concerned by the illegal street racing on the rise in our communities, including the death of a college student in Westminster caused by a street racing incident” said Pettersen. “As a mom, I’m committed to making sure our communities are a safe place for our kids and neighbors. That’s why I’m working with Congressman Valadao during National Police Week to ensure law enforcement has the tools they need to crack down on reckless driving and save lives.”

    “In the Central Valley, street racing is an epidemic that puts our communities in danger,” said Valadao. “Kern County’s fatal hit-and-run accident rate is over 151% higher than the national average, and deadly crashes are a direct result of reckless driving at high speeds. Illegal street racing in our neighborhoods puts the lives of other drivers, first responders, and innocent bystanders at risk, and I’m proud to join Congresswoman Pettersen to give law enforcement the tools they need to combat this dangerous trend.”

    Rep. Pettersen first introduced this bill following concerns from communities across her district, including those voiced at a town hall she hosted in Westminster. In 2021, a street racing incident in Westminster caused the death of a 21-year-old student at the University of Colorado Boulder. This incident rocked the community and is unfortunately a common occurrence in the United States, as speeding and street racing continue to rise in prevalence since the global pandemic.

    Between 2021 and 2023, Colorado lost 751 lives due to speeding, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. In 2023 alone, speeding was the leading cause of traffic fatalities in the state—contributing to 258 deaths, surpassing fatalities caused by impaired driving and unrestrained passengers.

    Click HERE for the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Calls for the Department of Justice to Investigate New York State’s Unconstitutional Gun Laws

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today penned a letter to the U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi urging the Department of Justice to investigate New York State’s infringement of New Yorker’s Second Amendment rights. 

    This letter was also signed by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21).

    Rep Tenney’s letter comes in response to New York’s restrictions that violate the Supreme Court precedents set in DC v. Heller, McDonald v. City of Chicago, and NYSRPA v. Bruen. These restrictions include a categorical ban on commonly owned semi-automatic rifles, licensing and registration of constitutionally protected arms, and an arbitrary cap on magazine capacity.

    “The Second Amendment is not a suggestion; it is a Constitutional guarantee. Yet Albany Democrats have orchestrated an all-out assault on our Second Amendment rights by enacting and enforcing a sweeping regime of laws that strip law-abiding citizens of their firearms. Today, I am calling on the Department of Justice to swiftly investigate New York’s unconstitutional gun laws and uphold New Yorkers’ Second Amendment rights. I will continue working with the Trump administration to defend this Constitutional Right for all law-abiding citizens,” said Congresswoman Tenney. 

    Read the full text of the letter here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE and partners train Moldovan and Ukrainian border officers to combat vehicle document fraud

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE and partners train Moldovan and Ukrainian border officers to combat vehicle document fraud

    OSCE training helps Moldova and Ukraine strengthen document fraud detection as well as cross-border efforts to prevent vehicle theft, smuggling and trafficking. (Denis Livitchi) Photo details

    The OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with Beruku Identity, an expert group on digital identity, personal data and cybersecurity and forensic experts from Greece, trained 40 officers from the Border Police of Moldova and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on detecting and preventing vehicle document fraud at land border crossing points during an online training course from 12 to 15 May.
    Strengthening cross-border co-operation between the two countries through joint training is of particular importance given that both Ukraine and Moldova face shared threats stemming from the war in Ukraine, namely, illicit trafficking, illegal migration and other transnational crimes, among others. A key aspect of this co-operation is detecting forged vehicle documents and Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) to prevent vehicle theft, smuggling and trafficking.
    Led by experts from Greece and Beruku Identity, the participants discussed various topics, including international vehicle document standards, VIN falsification techniques and the use of biometric technology at borders. The training featured real-world case studies and virtual exercises to enhance the officers’ ability to identify forged vehicle registration plates, counterfeit driving licenses and fraudulent identity documents.
    The participants also explored the role of open-source intelligence in combating transnational crime such as the sale of forged documents via social media or the dark web, focusing on strategies for information gathering and sharing at jointly controlled border control posts.
    “We are proud to work with the OSCE to strengthen institutional capacities, improve border and identity management systems, and promote secure and inclusive governance across its participating States. Specialized training courses like this one on examining vehicle documents and gathering intelligence from open sources and social media platforms are increasingly vital, as they enable frontline personnel and investigators to detect fraudulent activity, identify trafficking networks and respond more effectively to transnational threats,” says Alastair Treharne, expert advisor on digital identity and co-founder of Beruku Identity.
    This training course is part of an ongoing OSCE project supporting the Organization’s participating States and Partners for Co-operation in reducing the illegal crossing of borders with a fake or stolen identity, funded by the United States.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Appoints Long as District Court Judge in the 7th Judicial District

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Appoints Long as District Court Judge in the 7th Judicial District

     

    LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Michael L. Long of Norfolk as district court judge in the 7th Judicial District. The district consists of Antelope, Cuming, Knox. Madison, Pierce, Stanton and Wayne counties.

     

    Long has been a county court judge in the 7th Judicial District since 2013. Prior to that, he served as county attorney in Antelope County and was a deputy county attorney in both Madison and Scotts Bluff counties. Long was previously a criminal justice instructor at Northeast Community College and provides regular training to law enforcement officers with the city of Norfolk and Madison County on a variety of legal topics. 

     

    Long attended Kearney State College and earned his juris doctor at Creighton University School of Law.

     

    This vacancy is due to the retirement of Judge Mark A. Johnson.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video and Photos: Rep. Dan Goldman Joins Rep. Kennedy and Gun Violence Advocates to Observe Third Anniversary of Buffalo Tops Supermarket Mass Shooting With Introduction of Body Armor Ban

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Goldman Co-Sponsors Aaron Salter Jr. Responsible Body Armor Possession Act of 2025, Which Bans Sale of Military Body Armor to Civilians 

     

    Legislation Named in Honor of Retired Police Lieutenant Salter Jr., Security Guard Whose Bravery Saved Countless Lives During the Shooting 

     

    See Videos and Photos from the Press Conference Here 

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today joined Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) to mark the third anniversary of the racially motivated mass shooting at the Tops Supermarket on May 14, 2022, and to announce the introduction of the Aaron Salter Jr. Responsible Body Armor Possession Act of 2025, which would ban the sale of body armor to civilians. 

    The Buffalo Tops shooter deliberately targeted the supermarket because of its location in a historically Black neighborhood. Wearing body armor, he was able to shoot 13 people and kill 10—all of whom were black. When the shooter began firing on the store, retired police lieutenant and supermarket security guard Aaron Salter Jr. rapidly responded and returned fire in an attempt to stop the attack. The shooters’ body armor deflected Lt. Salter’s shots, and Salter Jr. was killed. 

    “Three years ago today, 10 New Yorkers were tragically killed in the Buffalo Tops supermarket by a bigoted individual who was motivated by racism, antisemitism, and white supremacy,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “This tragedy could have been avoided if civilians were not permitted to use weapons of war, including an assault weapon and military-grade body armor. I am proud to support Congressman Kennedy’s Aaron Salter Jr. Responsible Body Armor Possession Act, which would block civilians from obtaining military-grade bulletproof vests. While we mourn the victims of this senseless act of bigoted violence, we must continue pushing Republicans across the country to protect our communities and pass commonsense gun safety legislation. Our constituents deserve nothing less.” 

    Enhanced body armor, generally designed to withstand rifle ammunition, is specifically defined as armor meeting or exceeding the National Institute of Justice’s RFI ballistic resistance standard. Currently, this kind of body armor is legal for civilians in most states to purchase online without federal restrictions. This legislation seeks to change this by prohibiting its sale, transfer, or possession by civilians, while exempting law enforcement and military personnel.  

    In addition to Buffalo, shootings by gunmen wearing body armor have taken place in Sutherland Springs, Texas; Aurora, Colorado; Boulder, Colorado; San Bernardino, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and many other communities.  

    Last Congress, Goldman cosponsored a package of legislation that both establishes a federal “red flag” program and strengthens state and local efforts to support the implementation of extreme risk protection order laws and the ‘End Gun Violence Act’ to prohibit individuals convicted of a violent misdemeanor from purchasing handguns or ammunition for five years after conviction. 
    Additionally, Goldman supports the ‘Gun Trafficker Detection Act’ which would require gun owners to report if their privately-owned gun is lost or stolen within 48 hours and help law enforcement identify potential gun traffickers.  

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newhouse, Republican Colleagues Issue Joint Statement on Clean Energy Tax Credits

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: Newhouse, Republican Colleagues Issue Joint Statement on Clean Energy Tax Credits

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) joined Reps. Jen Kiggans (VA-02), Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), Mark Amodei (NV-02), Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Dave Joyce (OH-14), Nick LaLota (NY-01), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Young Kim (CA-40), Don Bacon (NE-02), and David Valadao (CA-22) in issuing a joint statement regarding the clean energy tax provisions in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.

    “We commend the Ways and Means Committee for including reasonable phase-out schedules for certain clean energy tax credits. While many of these provisions reflect a commitment to American energy dominance through an all-of-the-above energy strategy, we must ensure certainty for current and future energy investments to meet the nation’s growing power demand and protect our constituents from higher energy costs. 

    To fully realize the intent of these phase-out schedules, we ask House leadership to consider three thoughtful changes to the energy tax credits section. 

    First, the Foreign Entity of Concern provisions are overly prescriptive and risk undermining U.S. competitiveness—particularly against China—by restricting domestic energy production. These provisions should be revised to allow companies additional time to reorganize their supply chains, ensuring a strategic and successful transition.  

    Second, the current “placed in service” standard does not align with the Committee’s thoughtful phase-out schedule. Replacing it with a “start construction” standard is essential to supporting the energy development needed to meet the growing power demand and protect thousands of high-quality American jobs in communities across the country.  

    Finally, the transferability of energy tax credits should remain available throughout the entire phase-out period established by the Committee, providing businesses with the flexibility necessary to make long-term investments in American energy. 

    We appreciate the Ways and Means Committee putting America first by investing in American energy dominance, but the last thing any of us want is to provoke an energy crisis or cause higher energy bills for working families. We urge the Committee to consider these important changes in this critical part of our One Big Beautiful Bill.” 

    This was first reported today as an exclusive by POLITICO.  

    ###  

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Philippine elections leaves the Marcos-Duterte family feud still dominating politics

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By John Sidel, Professor of International and Comparative Politics, London School of Economics and Political Science

    With 317 congressional seats and nearly 18,000 local positions at stake, the May 12 midterm election results in the Philippines mean different things to people across the archipelago. But even a few hours after the unofficial results came in, the brute facts had already become clear.

    Local elections for municipal and city mayorships, provincial governorships and congressional seats predictably produced victories for entrenched local “dynasties”. The advantages of incumbency – control over the patronage resources and regulatory powers of the state – ensured reelection for many sitting mayors, governors and congress members.

    Midterm elections in the Philippines also include half of the seats in the nationally elected 24-member Senate. They thus serve simultaneously as tests for presidents halfway through their single six-year terms and previews of the next presidential election, in this case in 2028.

    The latest mid-terms have been notable for their – ultimately ambiguous – implications for a major family feud at the top of the country’s politics. This feud pits the family of current president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against that of his vice-president, Sara Duterte.

    The elections have failed to strengthen either family decisively, so their bitter rivalry is likely to continue throughout the remainder of Marcos’s term.

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

    This family feud dates back to late 2021. At that time, Duterte agreed to run as Marcos’s running mate for presidential elections the following year despite her clear lead in nationwide voter preference surveys.

    The Marcos-Duterte ticket won a landslide victory. They benefited from the endorsement and assistance of the incumbent president, Rodrigo Duterte, whose enduring popularity extended to his daughter Sara.

    But following Marcos’s inauguration in late June 2022, a rift between the two families began to open up. Marcos settled into his presidential role and began to distance himself from the signature policies of his predecessor.

    Instead of cultivating close ties with China, Marcos strengthened relations with the US. And instead of continuing Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs”, Marcos publicly spotlighted corruption in the Philippine National Police (PNP).

    By 2024, Marcos began to signal his government’s willingness to cooperate with the International Criminal Court in its investigation of Duterte’s role in the thousands of extrajudicial killings undertaken in the war on drugs. Then, in March 2025, Duterte was arrested and transferred to The Hague. He is due to stand trial in the coming months.



    Read more:
    Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte arrested for crimes against humanity – a blow against impunity

    Relations between the president and his vice-president have also broken down. Sara Duterte resigned from her cabinet post in 2024 amid corruption allegations, with subsequent months seeing escalating public hostilities between Marcos and herself. These included claims of death threats and assassination plots.

    The House of Representatives voted by a clear majority to impeach Duterte in February 2025, setting the stage for a Senate trial later in the year. Against this backdrop, the midterms served as a kind of pre-trial proxy war between the two families.

    The Dutertes fielded ten candidates for Senate, the so-called “Duterten”. They also endorsed two of the 12 candidates in the Marcos-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas (Alliance for a New Philippines). The campaign was dominated by mudslinging between the two camps in the media and on social media. And the final results have proved decidedly mixed.

    On the one hand, pro-Duterte voters came out in a show of force to support candidates in the slate backed by the former president. This was foreshadowed by Marcos’s declining popularity following the arrest of his predecessor and the impeachment of his vice-president.

    Longtime Duterte lieutenant, Christopher “Bong” Go, won reelection and the most votes of all candidates. Duterte’s former police chief, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, also secured another term with a third-place showing.

    The sixth-placed winner was Rodante Marcoleta, another Duterte-backed candidate. He is a television broadcaster and member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, an independent church whose nearly 3 million members have long been viewed as a single solid voting bloc.

    Two Alyansa candidates, Imee Marcos, the president’s estranged sister, and Camille Villar, daughter of wealthy real-estate mogul and former senator Manuel “Manny” Villar, also won seats with the explicit blessings of the Dutertes.

    On the other hand, the Marcos camp won more seats and some added strength in its battle with the Dutertes for control of the Senate ahead of Sara Duterte’s trial. Erwin Tulfo, a popular television news anchor and Marcos’s former secretary of social welfare and development, won the fourth-place seat.

    He was accompanied by four former senators also affiliated with Alyansa. These included ex-PNP chief Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, longtime television personality Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Pia Cayetano with her base in wealthy Taguig City, and former action film star Lito Lapid.

    But, overall, the mid-terms do not seem to have improved the prospects for the successful conviction of Sara Duterte. Alongside the winning Alyansa candidates, voters also returned two prominent opposition candidates, Paolo “Bam” Aquino and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, to the Senate. They oppose both the Marcos administration and the Duterte camp.

    At the same time, there are questions about the allegiances of several of the 12 senators already seated. This adds an additional challenge in the search for the 16 senators required to secure impeachment.

    Duterte – and her father, just reelected as Davao’s mayor while awaiting trial in The Hague – also still enjoy support among many voters, especially in their southern home base in Mindanao.

    The 24 elected members of the Senate are sensitive to public opinion and their own reelection prospects in 2028 and beyond. So, many of them will probably choose to hedge their bets and see where the winds are blowing as the trial unfolds.

    The family feud dominating the national political scene looks set to remain unresolved over the months and years ahead.

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

    – ref. Philippine elections leaves the Marcos-Duterte family feud still dominating politics – https://theconversation.com/philippine-elections-leaves-the-marcos-duterte-family-feud-still-dominating-politics-256383

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding report

    Source: Australian Green Party

    ​The delivery of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Healthcare Funding report follows almost 70 hearing days and an extensive consultation with health policy experts, patients, consumers, and NSW Health staff involved in the delivery of care at every level.​
    The rep​or​t ​has made 41 recommendations across 12 key areas including workforce, education and training, funding and procurement processes. Over the coming months, the NSW Government will carefully consider and develop a response to these findings.
    NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM has today thanked every one of the people working in our healthcare system throughout NSW. Their dedication, skill, and commitment to providing the very best patient care have been recognised by the Inquiry throughout the pages of the report.
    “The Honourable Justice Beasley acknowledges the strength of the NSW Health system, its openness in its contribution to the Inquiry, and the commitment of our people to improving the public health system for the benefit of the people of NSW,” Ms Pearce said.
    While the focus will understandably be on recommendations made and areas for improvement, it is very important to note the comments of the Honourable Justice Beasley, who said:
    “…the NSW public health system is a very good one. It comprises doctors, nurses, other clinicians, and workers who are well trained, highly skilled, and dedicated. It is well managed.
    “It is not, and is unlikely to be in the near future, entirely mistake or incident free, but any person experiencing an illness or injury who attends a NSW public hospital, facility or service, is very likely to receive treatment and care comparable to the best that is provided in any other developed country.”
    On the central issue of healthcare funding, the Honourable Justice Beasley said:
    “The money allocated to the NSW public health system by a combination of the NSW and Commonwealth Governments is generally not wasted. Likewise, the local health districts and specialty health networks do not waste their budgetary allocation.”
    Ms Pearce said this is not to say that there are not areas for improvement across the public health system.
    “We work in a huge and complex public health system and there always has been and always will be room for improvement and innovation, as we strive continuously to enhance patient experiences and outcomes,” she said.
    “A crucial part of this ongoing effort is providing the support and creating the conditions to allow our staff to do what they do best – care for patients. I agree with the Honourable Justice Beasley, who said: “The health workforce is NSW Health’s greatest asset. It is the key to a strong and sustainable system into the future.”
    “We have longstanding recruitment issues, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas, which are challenging for staff and communities in these areas, as well as in some clinical areas and practice disciplines. This continues to be an area of focus.”
    “So, while I am the first to acknowledge that we have significant challenges to address, it is also true that we are addressing all these challenges from a position of strength, with one of the best healthcare systems in the world, staffed by the best workforce in the world.”
    “For those who may try to portray the Inquiry, or NSW Health, as something it is not, it should be noted the opening paragraph of the Inquiry Report says:
    “This Special Commission of Inquiry should at least be welcomed as a refreshing change to other Commissions conducted in Australia and NSW in recent years. Rather than being an inquiry into the failure of government and its agencies, or into their poor conduct, misconduct or unlawful conduct, it has been an inquiry into how a government service might be improved.”
    “More than that, I was heartened to see the Honourable Justice Beasley not only noted NSW Health’s cooperation with the Inquiry, but that this… “cooperation extended to facilitating evidence from witnesses, who on many occasions expressed a form of disagreement or criticism about how things were done, or offered a different viewpoint to that of the NSW Ministry of Health or management.”
    “Disagreement and criticism of the way things are done are not unwelcome. Every day in NSW Health, as the Inquiry noted, a genuine exchange of ideas about the ways in which the delivery of healthcare can be improved is critical.”
    “This includes supporting staff who raise concerns or make complaints to pursue these matters. I want everyone who works in NSW Health to know they can speak up if they feel they need to. I strongly encourage them to do so constructively. It is vital to ensuring we continue to provide the world class health service the Special Commission of Inquiry has recognised in its report,” Ms Pearce said.

    MIL OSI News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Nat’l security laws vetting completed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    A Legislative Council subcommittee today completed the negative vetting of two pieces of subsidiary legislation under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

    Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung met the media after attending a meeting of the Subcommittee on Two Items of Subsidiary Legislation Made under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance this afternoon.

    Mr Lam said that in relation to the subsidiary legislation concerning the power of the Office for Safeguarding National Security, there are only 15 provisions. As to the declaration concerning prohibited places, it only refers to six premises.

    He also noted that more than five hours were spent on the vetting, with the number of questions and opinions expressed by lawmakers exceeding 150.

    “So I think any reasonable person would have agreed that the whole process is extremely serious and a thorough discussion had been given to all relevant provisions.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Celebrating 20 years of the Europol Information System

    Source: Europol

    Its origin goes back to the foundation of the European Police Office by the Europol Convention, which set the legal basis for the establishment of a “computerized information system” (Title II, Article 7), into which EU Member States could directly input data in compliance with their national procedures, and into which Europol could directly input data supplied by third parties…

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council closes Strathfoyle Play Park temporarily following suspected arson attack on equipment

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Council closes Strathfoyle Play Park temporarily following suspected arson attack on equipment

    15 May 2025

    Derry City and Strabane District Council had to close Strathfoyle Play Park this morning after an arson attack resulted in significant damage to its play equipment. The incident occurred overnight on Wednesday 14th May and is being treated as a deliberate act of vandalism.

    The arson attack has left the slide area of the play park unsafe for public use, prompting the Council to close off the Tower area and slide, until necessary repairs can be carried out. The damage is estimated to be substantial, and the Council is working closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to investigate the incident.

    Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr expressed deep concern over the attack.

    “I am appalled by this senseless act of vandalism. Strathfoyle Play Park is a vital community asset that provides children and families with a safe and enjoyable environment. The Council is committed to restoring the park as quickly as possible and will keep the public informed of progress.

    “I would encourage anyone with information surrounding the incident, to report it to the relevant authorities. We cannot put up with such reckless behaviour in our communities. This play park is such a valuable asset for the children and young people of Strathfoyle and the wider community, and it is such a shame that it will have to be closed over this spell of beautiful weather.” 

    Strathfoyle Play Park is a popular destination for local families and children. The closure has caused disappointment among residents who rely on the park for recreational activities. The Council has urged the community to report any information related to the incident to assist in the investigation.

    The Northern Ireland Fire Service (NIFRS) said they were called to reports of a slide on fire at the park in the Beechwood Park area of Strathfoyle. They also confirmed it had been started deliberately.

    The public are reminded to report any relevant information regarding the incident. You can contact Derry City and Strabane District Council at 028 71 253 253 or the Police Service of Northern Ireland directly.

    The Council appreciates the public’s understanding and cooperation during this challenging time.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Hosts 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Today, the Justice Department hosted the 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance program. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon delivered remarks, followed by a discussion with Eugene Bergman, a Holocaust survivor, that was moderated by Ellen Germain, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues at the Department of State.

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Monsters of the Deep come ashore at Aberdeen Art Gallery

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    As Aberdeen gets ready to welcome the Tall Ships fleet to the city from 19 to 22 July, a major new special exhibition opens to the public at the Art Gallery this weekend (Saturday 17 May). 

    Monsters of the Deep: Science Fact or Fiction? invites visitors on a journey from medieval imaginings to modern-day discoveries through a fascinating and sometimes terrifying combination of legend, folklore and science. 

    From a frightening Feegee mermaid, to the spindly legs of a a Japanese spider crab, there are lots of strange and wonderful things to see in Monsters of the Deep. Visitors will come face to face with the skull of the world’s largest warm-blooded predator, the killer whale, and marvel at the tooth of an extinct megalodon and the double-tusked skull of a narwhal. Eerie deep-sea specimens from across the globe are on display, as well as some of the technological tools scientists use today to explore the ocean floor.  

    The exhibition is based on one originated by the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and has been re-imagined for Aberdeen by Helen Fothergill – Service Manager, Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums, and her team of curators and exhibition officers. The many lenders to the exhibition include the University of Aberdeen, Loch Ness Centre, Viktor Wynd’s Museum of UnNatural History, Natural History Museum, National Museums Scotland, National Maritime Museum Cornwall and the University of Southampton.

    There’s a raft of activities to enjoy at the Art Gallery and Maritime Museum, inspired by Monsters of the Deep. From a BSL exhibition tour, talks by intrepid explorers, eminent scientists and the curator of the UnNatural History Museum, to creative sessions, hands-on family fun with Macduff Marine Aquarium and classic monsters-inspired film screenings with the Belmont Cinema, there’s something for all ages to enjoy. Full programme details are on the Art Gallery website at www.aagm.co.uk

    Helen Fothergill, curator of the Aberdeen exhibition, said: “When Aberdeen was confirmed as a destination for the Tall Ships Races, the Archives, Gallery & Museums team immediately set about bringing this amazing exhibition originated by the National Maritime Museum Cornwall to the city. With a fascinating combination of medieval maps, preserved sea creatures and artworks, Monsters of the Deep sets the scene for the city’s summer of maritime celebrations. We have been able to work with some wonderful and supportive people during the development of this project and could not have done without the help of our partners and willing lenders. So when you feel the need to come face-to-face with a mermaid or discover what really lurks beneath the waves, head for Aberdeen Art Gallery!“  

    Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokesman, said: ”With the opening of Monsters of the Deep we’re just weeks away from welcoming the Tall Ships to Aberdeen. There’s a tremendous sense of organisations pulling together to showcase the best of Aberdeen and we’re grateful to the many partners who have supported the exhibition, including the University of Aberdeen Collections for important objects loans and the Friends of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums for supporting talks by Darren Naish and Viktor Wynd as part of the public programme of events. The summer in Aberdeen is set to be full of exciting maritime-related things to do, including the second year of Festival of the Sea. I hope that as many people as possible will enjoy the celebrations.”

    Monsters of the Deep: Science Fact or Fiction
    17 May – 26 October
    Aberdeen Art Gallery, Schoolhill, Aberdeen, AB10 1FQ 
    Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 11am-4pm (special extended opening to 8pm on Friday 19, Saturday 20, Sunday 21 July during the Tall Ships weekend)
    Adults £10
    Concessions and Friends of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums £7
    Exhibition pass £14
    Children aged 12 and under free

    https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/AAGM/whats-aberdeen-art-galleries-and-museums/monsters-deep-science-fact-or-fiction

    The programme of associated events begins on Wednesday 21 May at 12.30 with a free lunchtime talk – Can The Law Save the Ocean? – at the Maritime Museum by Dr Mitchell Lennan, Lecturer in Environmental Law, University of Aberdeen.

    Trudi Collier will give a BSL tour of Monsters of the Deep on Thursday 19 June at 2pm – free with exhibition entry,

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Advancing Science and Technology Research

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul celebrated the groundbreaking of Farmingdale State College’s new state-of-the-art Computer Sciences Center, a part of the Governor’s efforts to advance science and technology research and economic opportunities for New Yorkers. The project is made possible by a $30 million investment through Empire State Development’s Long Island Investment Fund and $45 million in Capital funding from SUNY.

    “In New York, we are shaping our students to be the next generation of leaders,” Governor Hochul said. “Our SUNYs and CUNYs provide an exceptional and well-rounded education for New Yorkers to explore science and technology research — the groundbreaking of the Computer Sciences Center at Farmingdale will uncover technological advancements and advance economic opportunities in our state; that’s how we build a better New York.”

    SUNY Chancellor John B. King said, “Our SUNY campuses play an integral role in preparing the next generation of skilled professionals for New York’s advancing STEM sector. We applaud Governor Hochul’s vision and commitment, and we are thankful for our partnership with Empire State Development, which has made the Computer Sciences Center at Farmingdale a reality.”

    The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Congratulations to Farmingdale State College on the groundbreaking of their Computer Sciences Center. Today’s event marks a monumental milestone in SUNY’s work, alongside Governor Hochul and state leaders, to ensure students passionate about research and technological advancements have the resources they need to achieve their goals.”

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Today’s groundbreaking at Farmingdale State College represents a transformative step forward for Long Island’s technology sector. This project will catalyze economic growth across the region by connecting talented students directly with industry partners who need their skills. As businesses and academia collaborate in innovative ways, we’ll see accelerated technological advancement, a more robust talent pipeline, and a stronger, more competitive New York economy ready to lead in tomorrow’s technology landscape.”

    Empire State Development Board Chairman Kevin Law said, “Today we’re breaking ground on more than just a building—we’re establishing a cornerstone for Long Island’s technological advancement. This center represents a critical investment in our regional economy, creating both immediate construction jobs and long-term opportunities in high-growth sectors. The ripple effects will benefit communities across Long Island as graduates fill skilled positions, businesses find innovative solutions to their challenges, and our region strengthens its competitive position in the global marketplace.”

    The Computer Sciences Center will include new classrooms, computer labs, seminar spaces and a collaborative space for industry-related vendors. It will support Farmingdale’s rapidly growing computer and information science programs, which have experienced a 40 percent increase in enrollment over the last five years. The Computer Sciences Center will be the campus’ first Zero Net Carbon Ready building with an approximate total square footage of 52,000.

    President of Farmingdale State College Robert S. Prezant said, “We are beyond grateful to Governor Hochul, the Empire State Development Corporation, the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, and the State University of New York for their support in the development of the Computer Sciences Center building on the Farmingdale State College campus. So much more than a building, the center will provide a hub of advanced technology education and programming, enabling interdisciplinary and collaborative innovation, research, and learning. It will also allow us to support increasing enrollment in our technology programs with a focus on workforce development.”

    State Senator Monica R. Martinez said, “Technological advancements continue to move the world and our region forward, and Farmingdale State College’s Center for Computer Science and Information Technology will prepare students for success in these dynamic fields. It is here where a hub for the development of Long Island’s next generation of digital pioneers will soon flourish, and it will be here where the highly skilled workforce essential to fueling this region’s high-tech economy will begin their academic journeys. We are excited for this groundbreaking and for the future, when those who come through this center help shape the breakthroughs that move our world forward.”

    Assemblymember Kwani O’Pharrow said, “This week, we broke ground on a new facility that is envisioned as a dynamic center for collaboration and innovation, bringing together diverse stakeholders like students, educators, and local businesses to foster the development of future technologies, creative ideas, and positive community impact. It emphasizes that this building is not just a physical structure but a symbol of a forward-thinking approach to education, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.”

    Suffolk County Minority Leader Jason Richberg said, “The groundbreaking at Farmingdale State College is more than the start of a new building — it’s the foundation for Long Island’s future. The Center for Computer Science and Information Technology represents a critical investment in education, workforce development, and regional innovation. By bringing together students, local businesses, and community organizations under one roof, we’re not just preparing the next generation of tech leaders — we’re creating pathways to opportunity for all. This is a smart win for taxpayers, leveraging $45 million in SUNY Construction Fund dollars and money from the State’s Long Island Investment Fund to build a cutting-edge facility that will return real value to our region. It exemplifies how public-private partnerships and forward-thinking use of government resources can shape a stronger, more equitable future for Long Island.”

    Town of Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer said, “This state-of-the-art facility will not only enhance educational opportunities but also serve as a catalyst for economic growth, ensuring that Long Island remains at the forefront of technological innovation. We are proud to support initiatives that invest in our community’s future and provide our residents with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”

    About The State University of New York
    The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Force used to detain man reasonable

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has determined that force used by two officers during an incident in Fulham was reasonable.

    The officers, who are both attached to the Met’s Specialist Firearms Command, will not face any disciplinary action following the mistaken arrest of a man in Fulham Palace Road, SW6 on 4 September 2024.

    The man was later de-arrested as soon as officers were able to confirm that he was not involved in the matter they were dealing with.

    The incident was investigated by the IOPC following a voluntary referral by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards and a public complaint.

    Having carefully examined all the available evidence, the IOPC found no case to answer for any officer for misconduct.

    They also found no evidence the officers treated the man differently due to his race.

    Commander Owain Richards said: “We are pleased the IOPC was able to determine the officers acted in good faith and appropriately. This was a fast-moving incident during which they were trying to detain three men who had fled from police during a pursuit. Their use of force was reasonable in the circumstances.

    “Mr Richards was swiftly de-arrested as soon as officers confirmed he was not a suspect, but we absolutely acknowledge how distressing it must have been to be caught up in such an incident.

    “We would be happy to meet him to discuss what happened should he wish to do so.”

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: US safety net helps protect children from abuse and neglect, and some of those programs are threatened by proposed budget cuts

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Todd Herrenkohl, Professor of Social Work, University of Michigan

    Safety net programs protect children in many ways. Energy/E+ via Getty Images

    President Donald Trump and Republicans in the House of Representatives have put forward budget proposals that would slash spending by hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade on several programs that support low-income U.S. families with children.

    If those cuts are in the version of the 2026 budget that clears Congress, and Trump signs it into law, funding for early childhood education, support for grocery purchases and an array of programs that help keep children fed, housed and cared for would decline sharply.

    As professors who conduct research about child welfare, we are alarmed by these proposed cuts and concerned about their potential impact on children and families. We are particularly concerned that steps taken to reduce costs will make children less safe and more susceptible to the consequences of abuse and neglect.

    Help for low-income families

    Our research has shown that increasing access to programs that support low-income families decreases child abuse and neglect while improving parents’ well-being. Examples of these programs include subsidies for child care and the earned-income tax credit, which supplements the earnings of many low- and moderate-income Americans.

    Other researchers have found further evidence that policies that help low-income families put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads and obtain health care also provide for children’s basic needs, such as food and education, and keep children safe.

    The proposed budget cuts could cost all taxpayers down the line because child abuse and neglect is costly for not only the people who are mistreated as kids but also for society.

    What’s more, a series of cost-benefit studies have found that providing a safety net for families not only helps the families who receive assistance but also society as a whole.

    Child abuse and neglect

    In 2023, child protection agencies received 4.4 million reports for suspected abuse and neglect, and 546,159 cases were confirmed. As high as these numbers are, they drastically underestimate the number of abused and neglected children in the U.S. because many acts of abuse and neglect are never reported.

    Research documenting the consequences and costs of child abuse and neglect has led many experts, including us, to recommend programs and policies that can reduce risks.

    Without attempts to reduce these risks, more children would suffer or die. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services found that 2,000 children died from abuse and neglect in 2023. Nearly half of these fatalities were among children under the age of 1.

    Parents experiencing high levels of stress can be more prone to abusing their kids.
    salim hanzaz/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Risks tied to poverty

    Some of the most helpful programs to prevent child abuse and neglect focus on reducing poverty.

    Poverty can place children at risk of abuse and neglect. When families can’t afford the bare necessities, it can add to the stress that makes parenting more difficult.

    Poverty isn’t the only cause of child abuse and neglect, but it is high on the list of risk factors. And its harms can be hard to reverse.

    A recent campaign by Prevent Child Abuse America, a nonprofit, posits that child abuse and neglect are not a “bad parent problem” but rather “a lack of resource problem.” Researchers have found that child abuse and neglect often come from the social and economic issues that lead families into crises.

    For example, parenting stress rises and children’s basic needs can go unmet when parents don’t have jobs, lack high-quality child care and generally struggle to make ends meet.

    When families’ basic needs are met, children are safer.
    Jackyenjoyphotography/Moment via Getty Images

    Government programs that help everyone

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that improving public health requires government programs that can reduce harm to children and promote childhood development and well-being.

    These programs include efforts to improve parenting skills, expand access to high-quality child care and early education, and strengthen the financial resilience of families.

    And yet the Trump administration initially sought to eliminate Head Start, a successful federally funded preschool program for low-income children, and dismantle many essential services. Evidence indicates that children who participate in Head Start are more likely to finish high school and college, which is important for employment and financial security.

    The CDC and our own review of the research point to big improvements in children’s health and fewer cases of child abuse and neglect with economic policies such as the earned-income tax credit, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

    We believe these programs are worth investing in because children’s lives are at stake. Especially when the economy appears to be in trouble, the consequences of weakening the safety net are dire.

    Todd I. Herrenkohl has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Justice, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He is affiliated with the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and serves as an editor for Child Abuse & Neglect and the Journal for the Society for Social Work and Research.

    Kathryn Maguire-Jack receives funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, Triple P America, and Wisconsin Children’s Hospital.

    Rebeccah Sokol receives funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

    – ref. US safety net helps protect children from abuse and neglect, and some of those programs are threatened by proposed budget cuts – https://theconversation.com/us-safety-net-helps-protect-children-from-abuse-and-neglect-and-some-of-those-programs-are-threatened-by-proposed-budget-cuts-255763

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Congress began losing power decades ago − and now it’s giving away what remains to Trump

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Charlie Hunt, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Boise State University

    Where did Congress go? Julia Nikhinson/Bloomberg Creative via Getty Images

    Republicans in Congress have been making behind-the-scenes efforts to pass major domestic legislation via the federal budget process. They include potential cuts to Medicaid and extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts.

    But even though it’s Congress’ job to pass a budget and set tax policy, most media outlets have been content to frame key elements of the legislation as being driven not by Congress but by the president.

    So the news media say that the purpose of the bill is to “deliver Trump’s agenda” or to pass the “Trump tax cuts.” Many have even adopted President Donald Trump’s trademark name for the legislation: his “big, beautiful bill.”

    Along with Casey Burgat and SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, I am co-author of a textbook titled “Congress Explained: Representation and Lawmaking in the First Branch.” In that book, it was important to us to highlight Congress’ clear role as the preeminent lawmaking body in the federal government.

    But since Trump’s inauguration, Congress has ceded huge swaths of its policymaking responsibility to the president. That makes the media’s focus on Trump unsurprising. And there’s no denying that Trump has had enormous impact during his first 100 days in office.

    During that time, Congress has been unwilling to assert itself as an equal branch of government. Beyond policymaking, Congress has been content to hand over many of its core constitutional powers to the executive branch. As a Congress expert who loves the institution and profoundly respects its constitutionally mandated role, this renunciation of responsibility has been difficult to watch.

    And yet, Congress’ path to irrelevance as a body of government did not begin in January 2025.

    It is the result of decades of erosion that created a political culture in which Congress, the first branch of government listed in the Constitution, is relegated to second-class status.

    President Donald Trump holds one of the many executive orders he has signed during his second term.
    Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images

    The Constitution puts Congress first

    The 18th-century framers of the Constitution viewed Congress as the foundation of republican governance, deliberately placing it first in Article 1 to underscore its primacy. Congress was assigned the pivotal tasks of lawmaking and budgeting because controlling government finances was seen as essential to limiting executive power and preventing abuses that the framers associated with monarchy.

    Alternatively, a weak legislature and an imperial executive were precisely what many of the founders feared. With legislative authority in the hands of Congress, power would at least be decentralized among a wide variety of elected leaders from different parts of the country, each of whom would jealously guard their own local interests.

    But Trump’s first 100 days turned the founders’ original vision on its head, leaving the “first branch” to play second fiddle.

    Like most recent presidents, Trump came in with his party in control of the presidency, the House and the Senate. Yet despite the lawmaking power that this governing trifecta can bring, the Republican majorities in Congress have mostly been irrelevant to Trump’s agenda.

    Instead, Congress has relied on Trump and the executive branch to make changes to federal policy and in many cases to reshape the federal government completely.

    Trump has signed more than 140 executive orders, a pace faster than any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Republican Congress has shown little interest in pushing back on any of them. Trump has also aggressively reorganized, defunded or simply deleted entire agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

    These actions have been carried out even though Congress has a clear constitutional authority over the executive branch’s budget. Again, Congress has shown little to no interest in reasserting its power, even during recent budget talks.

    Many causes, no easy solutions

    Even so, Congress’ weakening did not begin with Trump. There’s no one culprit but instead a collection of factors that have provided the ineffectual Congress of today.

    One overriding factor is a process that has unfolded over the past 50 or more years called political nationalization. American politics have become increasingly centered on national issues, parties and figures rather than more local concerns or individuals.

    This shift has elevated the importance of the president as the symbolic and practical leader of a national party agenda. Simultaneously, it weakens the role of individual members of Congress, who are now more likely to toe the party line than represent local interests.

    A participant holds a sign during a GOP town hall meeting with U.S. Reps. Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy on March 20, 2025, in Salt Lake City.
    AP Photo/Rick Egan

    As a result, voters focus more on presidential elections and less on congressional ones, granting the president greater influence and diminishing Congress’ independent authority.

    The more Congress polarizes among its members on a party-line basis, the less the public is likely to trust the legitimacy of their opposition to a president. Instead, congressional pushback − sometimes as extreme as impeachment − can thus be written off not as principled or substantive but as partisan or politically motivated to a greater extent than ever before.

    Congress has also been been complicit in giving away its own power. Especially when dealing with a polarized Congress, presidents increasingly steer the ship in budget negotiations, which can lead to more local priorities – the ones Congress is supposed to represent – being ignored.

    But rather than Congress staking out positions for itself, as it often did through the turn of the 21st century, political science research has shown that presidential positions on domestic policy increasingly dictate – and polarize – Congress’ own positions on policy that hasn’t traditionally been divisive, such as funding support for NASA. Congress’ positions on procedural issues, such as raising the debt ceiling or eliminating the filibuster, also increasingly depend not on bedrock principles but on who occupies the White House.

    In the realm of foreign policy, Congress has all but abandoned its constitutional power to declare war, settling instead for “authorizations” of military force that the president wants to assert. These give the commander in chief wide latitude over war powers, and both Democratic and Republican presidents have been happy to retain that power. They have used these congressional approvals to engage in extended conflicts such as the Gulf War in the early 1990s and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan a decade later.

    What’s lost with a weak Congress

    Americans lose a lot when Congress hands over such drastic power to the executive branch.

    When individual members of Congress from across the country take a back seat, their districts’ distinctly local problems are less likely to be addressed with the power and resources that Congress can bring to an issue. Important local perspectives on national issues fail to be represented in Congress.

    Even members of the same political party represent districts with vastly different economies, demographics and geography. Members are supposed to keep this in mind when legislating on these issues, but presidential control over the process makes that difficult or even impossible.

    Maybe more importantly, a weak Congress paired with what historian Arthur Schlesinger called the “Imperial Presidency” is a recipe for an unaccountable president, running wild without the constitutionally provided oversight and checks on power that the founders provided to the people through their representation by the first branch of government.

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

    – ref. Congress began losing power decades ago − and now it’s giving away what remains to Trump – https://theconversation.com/congress-began-losing-power-decades-ago-and-now-its-giving-away-what-remains-to-trump-254984

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Seminar held for nat’l security tutors

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Home Affairs Department today held a seminar for National Security Education District Tutors to further support them to effectively promote national security education in the community and enhance public awareness of safeguarding national security.

    Around 700 district tutors from the 18 Districts attended the seminar held at the Central Government Offices to mark the fifth anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the National Security Law (NSL).

    Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan, Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak, and Under Secretary for Security Michael Cheuk spoke at the seminar.

    In her address, Miss Mak said the Government officially launched the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme in November last year and that as of early April this year, over 3,000 district tutors have completed the training and disseminated messages on national security to over 120,000 individuals in the community. 

    Delivering a keynote speech, Mr Cheung elaborated on the situation in Hong Kong since the NSL’s implementation, the current national security risks faced by the city and the importance of enhancing national security education.

    Mr Cheuk’s keynote speech outlined the current security risks in Hong Kong and the Government’s response strategies. He encouraged district tutors to learn more about the Constitution, the Basic Law, and Hong Kong’s laws on safeguarding national security, and actively integrate into the country to recognise the close ties of the cultures of Hong Kong and the Mainland which share the same origin.

    Additionally, Li Ka-ying and Chu Wai-lam shared their valuable experiences as district tutors.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: East Preston — RCMP responds to vehicle-pedestrian collision

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment responded to a vehicle-pedestrian collision that occurred in East Preston.

    On May 13, at approximately 3:30 p.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment, fire services, and EHS, responded to a report of a collision near the 2280 block of Hwy. 7. RCMP officers learned that a Honda Civic was travelling on the roadway when it struck a youth pedestrian that suddenly attempted to cross the roadway. The youth had been walking on the side of the road with a second youth moments prior to the impact.

    The youth pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital by EHS.

    The driver of the Civic, a 48-year-old Lake Echo man, did not suffer physical injuries.

    File #: 25-67025

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statistics Jersey launches new website15 May 2025 ​​​​A new website, launched by Statistics Jersey, will make it easier for Islanders to access accurate and up-to-date statistical information online. www. stats. je​ offers user-friendly statistical data… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    15 May 2025

    ​​​​A new website, launched by Statistics Jersey, will make it easier for Islanders to access accurate and up-to-date statistical information online. 

    www.stats.je​ offers user-friendly statistical data compiled by Statistics Jersey, as well as improved interactivity for policy makers, businesses and the general public.  Users can now see Jersey’s key indicators, such as the RPI and the House Price Index, at a glance, as well as being able to explore interactive charts and download reports. The new website also includes an email notification service that users can sign up to and be told when new publications are released.

    The launch of the website follows amendments to the Statistics and Census (Jersey) Law, that came into force earlier this year. The changes reinforce the independence of Jersey’s Chief Statistician as well as increasing the accountability of the Island’s statistical system.

    A new independent Statistics Council has also been created. It replaces the former Statistics User Group and is responsible for gathering and presenting the views of statistics users, and advising public authorities on statistics. 

    Chief Statistician, Ian Cope said: “I’m delighted that as an independent body, Statistics Jersey has been able to develop a new website that makes it easier for Islanders to navigate and find statistical data.

    “The recent changes to the Statistics Law, which were unanimously supported by the States Assembly, increase both my independence and accountability as Chief Statistician, and that of Statistics Jersey.”​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement by IOM Spokesperson on Escalating Violence and Risk of Displacement of Civilians in Tripoli

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Geneva/ Tripoli, 15 May 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is alarmed by the recent escalation of violence in Tripoli. We are also concerned by the mobilization of armed groups in surrounding regions. There is a severe risk of mass displacement and danger to civilians.

    IOM joins other UN partners in calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of civilians in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. We welcome reports of a ceasefire and urge that it be fully and unconditionally respected to safeguard the rights and dignity of all those in the affected areas.

    IOM continues working with partners to support humanitarian access to all vulnerable groups, including migrants. We are monitoring possible displacement trends and stand ready to support should needs arise.

     

    For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Police are appealing for information following the death of two kittens

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police issue CCTV footage of two teenagers they would like to speak with after kittens killed

    The Met is appealing for the public’s help as they release CCTV of two teenagers they want to speak to after two kittens were tortured and killed in Ruislip.

    On Saturday, 3 May police received a report from a member of the public stating that two teenagers had allegedly dismembered two kittens in Ickenham Road, Ruislip.

    Police immediately launched an investigation into the circumstances and urgent enquiries have been carried out since the first report, but unfortunately, no arrests have been possible so far.

    Police Sergeant Babs Rock from the Met has turned to the public to ask for assistance. She said: “This is an incredibly distressing incident which I know has caused concern in the local community.

    “We are currently looking to speak with a young boy, described to be 5ft6 with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark jacket with long sleeves, with blue jeans on the day of the incident. He was also seen carrying a black duffel bag, which sadly is thought to have contained the kittens.

    “We would also like to speak with the young girl, who accompanied the boy, described to be 5ft6 with long red hair. She was wearing a white top with black shorts. She was also carrying a purple jumper, which she later puts on to wear.

    “If you know these two individuals then please come forward to us, we would like to speak with them as soon as possible.”

    If you have any concerns about this incident, then you can speak with your local neighbourhood officers who will be happy to support you.

    If you have any information then please come forward to police by calling 101 stating CAD3355/03MAY. You can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to remain anonymous.

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: First Nations historical artefacts: improving provenance accuracy and efficiency

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 15 May 2025

    Innovative Queensland-based organisations with a bright idea to improve how First Nations artefacts are identified are being encouraged to apply for a new challenge.

    The Queensland Government and Queensland Museum have partnered to deliver the Private Sector Pathways (PSP) Challenge – Charting provenance with First Nations artefacts.

    The initiative aims to improve the digital storing, processing, analysis and digitisation of First Nations archival materials like hunting and gathering tools, traditional baskets, boomerangs and rock engravings.

    Streamlining the process ensures the original creator has their work correctly attributed by the Queensland Museum.

    Participants are encouraged to develop a user-friendly system which makes cataloguing, identifying, processing and managing First Nations artefacts easier for the Queensland Museum by reducing the lengthy and labour-intensive identification process.

    The successful Queensland business will receive grant funding up to $100,000 to help them develop their proposed solution with the Museum.

    Queensland Museum is custodian to more than 22,000 objects in the Queensland Aboriginal collection, as well as more than 28,000 items from outside of Queensland and more than 12,000 historic photographs.

    Acting Deputy Director-General of Innovation Tony King said it’s important to recognise, honour and embrace the rich and ancient cultural history of First Nations peoples, as the first custodians of Australia.

    “This challenge will help support the Museum’s archiving and streamline repatriation efforts with Indigenous communities, to uphold the integrity and respect of cultural artefacts,” he said.

    “I look forward to seeing what ideas Queensland innovators come up with, to store and showcase First Nations material.”

    Queensland Museum CEO Dr Jim Thompson said this is a great opportunity for Queensland innovators to help improve how the museum cares for and connects with First Nations cultural items.

    “By making the identification process easier and more accurate, we can better support communities and ensure these important objects are properly recognised, and if possible, returned,” he said.

    Queensland Museum First Nations Director Dr Bianca Beetson said this opportunity is groundbreaking and will assist with First Nations artefact collection and recordkeeping.

    “It could really improve our processes and make them quicker, transforming how the Museum works to repatriate items back to Indigenous communities,” she said.

    “We’re hoping this tool will be able to pull up records of specific markings on cultural items like styles, patterns or timbers – to more effectively and efficiently identify its origin.

    “We’re seeing an increasing number of First Nations items coming in from general surrenders and international returns and if this tool is successful, there’s also potential for other museums and even institutions like universities to use it as well.”

    Applications close: 2pm Thursday 19 June 2025

    View more information about the Private Sector Pathways (PSP) Challenge – Charting provenance with First Nations artefacts.

    Media contact:                 DETSI Media Unit on (07) 3339 5831 or media@des.qld.gov.au

    MIL OSI News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Report by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan: UK Statement, May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Report by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan: UK Statement, May 2025

    Ambassador Holland welcomes the work of the OSCE Office amid a challenging financial backdrop.

    Thank you Mr Chair.    

    First, I would like to welcome Ambassador Karttunen to the Permanent Council. Thank you to you and your team for your report, and for your informative presentation.    

    Chair, the United Kingdom has continued to build our relationship with Uzbekistan and is committed to supporting the government in carrying out its wide-ranging reforms. Last year our governments signed a joint declaration covering all aspects of the bilateral relationship, and this year we have signed an agreement on expanding our cooperation on Critical Minerals. We look forward to further cooperation in the coming years.   

    We welcome the close cooperation between the Government of Uzbekistan and the Project Coordinator and commend the Project Coordinator’s work across the three dimensions.     

    In the first dimension, we welcome the work the Project Coordinator is doing on border security. We were pleased to be able to support this effort by facilitating training for the Customs Committee of Uzbekistan last year by Surrey Police aimed at strengthening the capacity of Uzbek instructors to effectively use dogs in detecting drugs, cash, and firearms.    

    In the second dimension, we commend the work of the Project Coordinator on climate change and water management, and we are proud donors to the OSCE project on “strengthening responses to security risks from climate change in Central Asia”. We recognise the particular vulnerabilities Central Asian states have to climate change and its consequences. That is why we are funding a regional programme to improve Central Asia’s resilience and sovereignty by strengthening regional cooperation on water and energy to deliver low carbon and climate resilient growth.    

    And in the third dimension, we note the positive steps taken – as identified by ODIHR and the RFoM – in the draft information code.  These include a ban on censorship and media monopolisation, and the requirement for free access to and use of information for everyone without discrimination. We encourage the Government of Uzbekistan to address concerns raised about concentrating media regulation under the government rather than an independent regulatory body, and the broad grounds for restricting content and suspending media activities.    

    In closing, let me thank you Ambassador Karttunen and your dedicated team in Uzbekistan for their efforts in upholding the principles of the OSCE and ensuring your important work continues – particularly in light of the considerable challenges caused by the continued non-agreement of the Unified Budget.     

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Germany: Bundesbank proposes debt brake reform for sound public finances and increased investment

    Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English

    The Bundesbank is expanding its reform proposals for central government’s debt brake, laying out a stability-oriented path towards increased government investment. It is thus presenting a concept that supports the necessary measures to strengthen infrastructure and defence whilst ensuring sustainable public finances over the long term, in line with European rules. At the same time, it maintains its position that debt brakes enshrined in Germany’s Basic Law make an indispensable contribution to sustainable public finances over the long term. “With regard to the debt ratio, Germany is doing well by international standards. Our reform proposal for the debt brake preserves sound public finances whilst at the same time facilitating urgently needed investment,” Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said. 
    The Bundesbank’s latest Monthly Report outlines the detailed concept, which builds on proposals it presented back in 2022. Advising the Federal Government on issues of monetary policy importance is part of the Bundesbank’s statutory mandate.
    Its reform proposal is centred on the 60% reference value enshrined in the EU Treaties becoming the touchstone of the debt brake. Under this proposal, central and state governments (the latter by means of investment grants) would be able to invest up to an additional debt-financed €220 billion in total up to 2030, provided that the debt ratio is below 60%. Should the debt ratio exceed 60%, this amount would be capped at around €100 billion up to 2030. The reform proposals do not replace the need to rethink consumption expenditure, though. “A stability-oriented reform of the debt brake would create additional scope for major investment, such as in infrastructure and defence,” Mr Nagel continued.
    In concrete terms, the proposal envisages increasing central government’s scope for borrowing from 0.35% to a maximum of 1.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) if the debt ratio is below the 60% mark. This scope would comprise 0.5% of GDP as a “low-debt base” that would not be earmarked for any particular purpose, and a further 0.9% of GDP for the sole purpose of additional investment. Part of this investment component would be intended for grants to state and local governments, which account for the majority of fixed asset formation. 
    If the debt ratio were to exceed the 60% mark, the 0.9% investment component would remain, but the 0.5% “base” would no longer be available. “This would reward a debt ratio of below 60% whilst at the same time creating planning certainty for investment,” Mr Nagel explained.
    Similar scope for borrowing and investment protection could also be provided by a special fund that could be temporary or limited in terms of volume. “We would prefer a fundamental reform of the debt brake that affords better predictability, but a special fund with comparable financial parameters would also be an option,” Mr Nagel continued.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI German News –

    May 16, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Home Affairs Department holds seminar on 5th anniversary of promulgation and implementation of Hong Kong National Security Law for National Security Education District Tutors

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Home Affairs Department holds seminar on 5th anniversary of promulgation and implementation of Hong Kong National Security Law for National Security Education District Tutors 
    The seminar was held in the Central Government Offices. Guests attending the event included the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; and the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk. Around 700 district tutors from the 18 Districts attended the seminar.
     
    Addressing the seminar, Miss Mak said that as national security is closely related to everyone and is inseparable, the Government and all sectors in society need to safeguard national security together. Since the Government officially launched the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme in November last year, as of early April 2025, over 3 000 district tutors have completed the training and have disseminated messages on national security to over 120 000 individuals in the community. As important partners of the Government, district tutors have actively engaged with communities, schools, and people of all ages through a diverse range of activities and, by using vivid, accessible and innovative approaches, have disseminated important messages on national security. This helps the public understand more about and attach importance to national security.
     
    Miss Mak hopes that through the seminar, all district tutors can further enhance their awareness of safeguarding national security and help disseminate related messages across various groups. Together, they will cultivate a strong foundation for national security education and patriotic values throughout the community.
     
    In delivering a keynote speech titled “Hong Kong National Security Law Builds Fort for National Security and the Safety of Hong Kong”, Dr Cheung elaborated on the situation in Hong Kong since the implementation of the NSL, as well as the current national security risks faced by the city and the importance of enhancing national security education.
     
    He stressed that “to forget war is to court disaster”, and pointed out that although the NSL, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and other local laws have worked in concert to improve the legal framework for safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the actual risks of national security for both the country and the HKSAR are still there. Citing various examples from local and overseas, he reminded participants to continuously assess national security risks, enhance national security education, and strengthen national security awareness across all sectors of the community.
     
    Mr Cheuk delivered a keynote speech on the current security risks in Hong Kong and elaborated on the Government’s response strategies, including adhering to the principle of “laws are observed and strictly enforced, so as to bring offenders to account”, strengthening intelligence gathering and law enforcement, promptly rebutting smears, optimising legal tools, and enhancing interdepartmental collaboration, as well as publicity and education. He encouraged district tutors to learn more about the Constitution, the Basic Law, and Hong Kong’s laws on safeguarding national security, and actively integrate into the country to recognise the close ties of the cultures of Hong Kong and the Mainland which share the same origin, distinguish right from wrong to debunk allegations and actions of “soft resistance” in the community, and promptly report suspected acts endangering national security to protect our home.
     
    In addition, district tutors Miss Li Ka-ying and Mr Chu Wai-lam shared their valuable experiences in promoting national security education and raising public awareness of national security in the community. The two of them expressed that they will continue to serve as a connection between the Government and the community. By using their network, they can reach people from all walks of life and convey national security messages in a lively manner, thereby cultivating people’s sense of patriotism and jointly protecting their beautiful home – Hong Kong.
     
    The Chief Executive proposed in the 2023 Policy Address to train tutors at the district level for promoting national security education in the community. The Government launched the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme in November 2024, aiming to strengthen community participation through the scheme, hoping that the scheme can actively encourage all citizens to understand a holistic approach to national security and the significance of safeguarding national security, thereby fostering a collective commitment to uphold it and ultimately building a safe and stable social environment.
    Issued at HKT 19:06

    NNNN

    CategoriesMIL-OSI

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    May 15, 2025
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