NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI China: Former US treasury secretary warns of likely recession, 2M layoffs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Tuesday that the United States is likely heading into a recession, with the possibility of 2 million Americans losing their jobs, as a result of the ongoing tariff increases.

    “It’s more likely than not that we’re going to have a recession – and in the context of a recession, we’ll see an extra 2 million people be unemployed,” Summers said on Bloomberg Television’s Wall Street Week.

    “We’ll see losses in household income” of 5,000 dollars per family or more, said Summers, who is Harvard University professor and paid contributor to Bloomberg TV.

    Summers argued that the tariff plans by the Trump administration exceed even those of 1930 that “made the depression great,” noting that it would be wise to be “backing off the policies that have been announced.”

    Despite warnings from Summers and other economists, the White House indicated on Tuesday that the policies will go into effect as previously planned.

    “The president was asked and answered this yesterday. He said he’s not considering an extension or delay. I spoke to him before this briefing. That was not his mindset. He expects that these tariffs are going to go into effect,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing.

    On April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order regarding the so-called “reciprocal tariffs,” announcing that the United States will impose a 10 percent “baseline tariff” on trade partners and higher tariffs on certain partners, with some facing tariffs exceeding 30 percent, and even 40 percent.

    The 10 percent “baseline tariff” went into effect on April 5, and the higher tariffs on certain trading partners are set to go into effect on Wednesday, April 9.

    Although Trump has repeatedly claimed that the tariff increases will help generate revenue for the U.S. government, reduce the trade deficit, and revitalize American manufacturing, economists and business leaders warn that these tariff measures will drive up prices, harm American consumers and businesses, disrupt global trade, and be detrimental to global economic growth.

    Several U.S. trade partners have already announced countermeasures. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER DEMANDS FEMA IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DEVASTATING $300+ MILLION CUT FOR DISASTER PREPARDNESS, FLOOD MITIGATION & INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES ACROSS NEW YORK TO ENSURE CONSTRUCTION CAN CONTINUE & TO…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Week FEMA Announced It Will Eliminate The Building Resilient Infrastructure And Communities (BRIC), Cutting Projects Across NY; BRIC Was Set To Provide $325M For NYS Projects And Has Distributed $5B In Fed Grants Nationally Since It Started In 2020

    BRIC Program – Created By Schumer And Signed Into Law By Trump – Helps State And Local Government Improve Infrastructure By Raising Roads, Improving Drainage, Creating Power Sources, And More With Projects In Capital Region, NYC, Buffalo, And More Set To Lose Funding

    Schumer: FEMA Is Putting New Yorkers At Risk During Next Disaster By Cutting Off Funding

    After Trump abruptly canceled FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program, including over $300 million in federal funding headed to New York, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today demanded FEMA reverse this harmful decision which will rip resources away from New York State’s disaster preparedness efforts. The senator said as New York has faced more extreme weather than ever, FEMA has played a critical role in helping communities rebuild and cutting off this lifeline with hurt New York families, businesses, and more in every corner of the state.

    “New Yorkers are no strangers to natural disasters and FEMA’s BRIC program was one of the best tools for helping communities big and small rebuild to keep communities safe in the face of flooding, snowstorms and more. By ripping away over $300 million in funding for projects with no warning or explanation, imperiling them from moving forward, FEMA is going against its mission and putting the lives & safety of New Yorkers during the next emergency at risk,” said Senator Schumer. “When communities are hit by disaster, when roads are flooded, downtowns destroyed, or worse – it is FEMA that is supposed to come to help them rebuild. We cannot leave New York’s families, businesses, and neighborhoods fending for themselves by cutting off this vital lifeline. I’m demanding FEMA immediately reverse these cuts and restore BRIC to keep New Yorkers safe.”

    FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) in 2020 and was previously signed into law by President Trump during his first administration. BRIC allocates resources to state and local governments to help mitigate damage from natural disasters, such as raising roads or building underground storage which will help make communities more resilient to extreme weather such as hurricanes or floods. When announcing that it would end the program, FEMA labeled BRIC as an “ineffective FEMA program” and said eliminating it was part of the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate “waste, fraud and abuse.”

    Schumer added, “I created BRIC to provide support for critical projects including rebuilding roads, improving drainage, creating emergency power sources, and more in every corner of the state – and Trump signed it into law. ‘DOGE’ claims to eliminate government waste, so why is Trump canceling a program that he signed into law? This newest announcement will only create more waste when houses, roads, and more are ruined with no resources to rebuild.”

    In a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Schumer explained that BRIC provides a lifeline for New York and other states that have been facing more extreme weather as they prepare for the next storm. For example, last year New York State set a record for most tornadoes in a year since they were first recorded in 1950 and experienced an earthquake that was felt throughout the state. Schumer said BRIC has and should continue to play a critical role in supporting New York’s infrastructure improvements and mitigating damage caused by extreme weather and natural disasters and called on the Trump administration to reverse these cuts and maintain BRIC.

    Schumer said canceled projects are in every corner of New York State, including New York City, Westchester, the Capital Region, and Buffalo. For example, according to Governor Hochul, $100 million was cut off for two flood mitigation projects in Central Harlem and East Elmhurst, $24 million was cut off for the New York Power Authority to reduce the formation of ice jams in the Capital Region, and over $700,000 was cut off for the removal of a dangerous dam in Westchester.

    Schumer explained that BRIC is one of several FEMA preparedness and resilience programs that help communities reduce the impacts of future disasters. The Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program (FMA) and State Hazard Mitigation Revolving Loan Program, established by the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act of 2020, or the STORM Act, provide critical support to communities that have been hit by disasters to help them prepare for the next major storm. Secretary Noem’s previous comments asserting that the Trump administration will “eliminate FEMA” put not just the BRIC and preparedness programs at risk, but also programs and funds that allow the federal government to respond to major disasters and help communities rebuild in the immediate and long-term aftermath.

    Schumer’s letter to Secretary Noem can be found HERE or below:

    Dear Secretary Noem:

    I write to urge you to reverse your recent decision to cancel the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. By cancelling this program, New York State will lose over $325 million for projects that have not yet begun construction that would help mitigate or prevent flooding in local communities, helping to save lives and reduce the damages and costs of extreme weather. $56 million in funding has already helped begin some resilience projects, although this decision now puts those dollars at risk. Funding to help states invest in preparedness and resilience not only saves lives and property, but also saves money for local, state, and the federal government in the long term. I implore you to revisit your decision to end the BRIC funding for states and restore the $325 million investments in New York’s resilience to extreme weather.

    The BRIC program provides local, state, territorial and Tribal governments resources to reduce their hazard risk when extreme weather strikes. In recent years, New York has seen its fair share of disasters, including 23 federally declared disasters with New Yorkers receiving $1,385 in federal aid per capita from disasters that occurred 2011 – 2024, the third highest cost per capita in the country. Just last year, New York saw tornadoes and flooding that left communities devastated. Hurricane Ida brought record-shattering rainfall and devastated New York City in 2021, drowning 11 people in their basement apartments, demonstrating the dire need for improved wastewater infrastructure to ensure no more lives are lost at the hand of extreme rainfall. Programs like BRIC that invest in resilience will help mitigate the impacts of these storms, preventing some or all of the most severe damages that these weather systems bring. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has stated that every $1 invested in disaster preparedness saves communities $13 in damages, cleanup, and recovery costs. The BRIC investments are not only a smart choice to save lives and property, but they also make economic sense.

    Across New York City, 10 projects totaling over $280 million were slated to help improve flooding resiliency. The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has several projects to mitigate flooding impacts by reducing storm-related runoff and flooding from high intensity rainfall. These projects would improve and strengthen stormwater infrastructure across the city, including in the Historic South Street Seaport, Central Harlem, East Elmhurst, Corona East, at the NYCHA Polo Grounds Tower Development, and other areas of the city. In Upstate New York, three projects totaling over $1 million are at risk because of this reckless decision to cancel the BRIC program. In Westchester, the Upper Minkel Dam Decommissioning and Riparian Corridor Restoration project would restore a stream and surrounding land to reduce flood hazards, potentially eliminating any future flooding event at this site. The New York Power Authority was slated to address ice jams in Vischer Ferry along the NYS canal system, flushing ice from the Vischer Ferry impoundment to avoid jam flooding and the potential for ice dam formations. Lastly, the City of Buffalo was slated to utilize BRIC funds to improve building codes and invest in local workforce training and development, helping to improve energy use and the utilization of emerging technologies. All these projects, and more across the state, detailed today by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, would help improve community safety and invest in local workforce development, but are unfortunately now at risk thanks to the administration’s decision to cancel the BRIC program.

     The BRIC program, along with FEMA’s other disaster preparedness and resilience programs such as the Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program (FMA) and State Hazard Mitigation Revolving Loan Program, established by the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act of 2020, or the STORM Act, provide critical support to communities that have been hit by disasters to help them prepare for the next major storm. I urge you to swiftly restore the BRIC program to ensure these dollars can continue doing this important work to create safer communities and save costs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Reintroduces Bill to Protect the Ruby Mountains from Oil and Gas Drilling Pushed by the Trump Administration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) reintroduced her legislation to expand protections for and prohibit oil and gas development in Nevada’s beautiful and pristine Ruby Mountains. Her reintroduction of the Ruby Mountains Protection Act follows the Trump administration’s decision to reopen the Rubies to speculative oil and gas drilling. Last Congress, this bill passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) is a cosponsor of the legislation.

    “The natural beauty of the Ruby Mountains, Nevada’s Swiss Alps, is beloved by locals and draws tourists from across the country,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Unproductive oil and gas drilling would only harm Northern Nevada’s tourism economy and keep this natural treasure from generations of future Nevadans. There’s bipartisan support for my legislation, and there is no reason not to pass it into law.”

    “Instead of taking meaningful action to bolster American energy independence, the Trump administration is taking reckless and unproductive steps that endanger Nevada lands with low likelihood of oil and gas production,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m introducing this bill with Senator Cortez Masto to fight back against President Trump’s efforts and protect the Ruby Mountains from drilling. I’ll keep pushing back against this wrongheaded approach that threatens the Ruby Mountains and other beautiful parts of our state.”

    The Ruby Mountains Protection Act would withdraw approximately 450,000 acres of National Forest land, comprising the Ruby Mountain Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, from any eligibility for oil and gas leasing. The bill will also expand protection to the 39,926-acre Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, which is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The Ruby Mountains Protection Act would not affect any recreational use of these pristine lands, including for hunting, hiking, and fishing. Last Congress, the Ruby Mountains Protection Act passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on a bipartisan basis.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen have been champions for Nevada’s great outdoor spaces and public lands. They passed critical legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which protects public lands in Nevada and across the U.S. Cortez Masto’s bipartisan, bicameral legislation to restore Lake Tahoe was recently passed into law, and she delivered critical funding to protect Lake Tahoe in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Cortez Masto and Rosen also helped pass the historic Great American Outdoors Act, which was signed into law and provides robust funding to preserve and maintain public lands across the country. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Overdue bushwalker rescued from state’s west coast

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Overdue bushwalker rescued from state’s west coast

    Wednesday, 9 April 2025 – 10:40 am.

    An overdue 81 year old Victorian bushwalker has been rescued from Mount Murchison on the state’s west coast early this morning.Police were notified about 8.30pm last night, with Search and Rescue ground crews safely locating the man about 2am.Inspector Andrew Hanson said that the man was an experienced bushwalker and had taken appropriate steps to prepare, including notifying his family of his expected return.“It’s pleasing that the man took steps to prepare, which enabled his family to raise the alarm when he became overdue,” he said.“It’s a timely reminder for everyone of the dangers of the Tasmanian wilderness.”Police advise bushwalkers against walking alone, and to ensure they carry sufficient warm clothing and food, and emergency communication devices. A two-way messaging emergency device is preferred.• Ensure you’re prepared with appropriate equipment – take a map and torch, clothing and footwear to suit any conditions, regardless of the season take a waterproof jacket; adequate food and water, first aid kit.• Research your intended trip – ensure the trip is within your abilities and fitness level, and you have a route plan, map and check the expected weather forecast.• Let someone know before you go – ensure someone knows your route and expected return time.• Always carry a fully charged mobile phone and consider a portable charger to extend battery life. Batteries do not last as long when cold and mobile navigation apps deplete batteries quicker than other apps.• Carry a Personal Locator Beacon but be aware that they are a one-way communication device.• Be flexible. Be prepared to turn back or change plans if severe weather is forecast or eventuates during the walk. Making the decision to push on when you should turn back can put you in danger.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Underquoting taskforce launches legal action

    Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

    Real estate agents are being reminded of their responsibilities under Victoria’s underquoting laws – and the potential consequences of not meeting them – as our taskforce launched legal action this week against a Yarraville estate agency and its director.

    The action comes as the taskforce continues to monitor sales campaigns and auctions around Melbourne, on Saturday visiting suburbs in the city’s north-east.

    Nicholas Skapoulas and his agency, Nicholas Scott Real Estate, will face a VCAT hearing after our Underquoting taskforce initiated its first disciplinary proceeding.

    Disciplinary proceedings can lead to the suspension or permanent cancellation of an estate agent’s licence.

    The taskforce reviewed multiple sales campaigns managed by Nicholas Scott. We allege that Skapoulas and his agency committed several breaches of underquoting laws for 11 separate properties they were engaged to sell, including:

    • repeatedly supplying Statements of Information that did not comply with the law. Examples included advertising an indicative selling price lower than the estimated selling price they’d given the seller, or not listing the median selling price or comparable properties in the area
    • failing to provide information as required under a statutory notice issued by our taskforce officers.

    Skapoulos has almost 30 years’ experience as an agent. Nicholas Scott employs 3 other licensed estate agents, along with agents’ representatives.

    Under Victoria’s underquoting laws, Statements of Information are important documents that must be provided for all properties for sale. They contain guidance for buyers who are assessing whether a property is likely to be one they can afford, including:

    • the indicative selling price
    • the median selling price for properties in the same suburb, and
    • the details of 3 comparable properties recently sold, when available.

    The matter has been filed at VCAT and will be heard at a date to be determined.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, Newbury Line, Bunnythorpe

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash in Bunnythorpe, near Palmerston North.

    The crash involves a truck and van and happened at the intersection of Newbury Line and Te Ngaio Road, about 10.10am.

    One person has serious injuries.

    The Serious Crash Unit will be conducting a scene examination and diversions are in place.

    The road is expected to remain closed for some time.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and the Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime (“OVC”) joins communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025, and in celebrating victims’ rights, protections, and services. This year’s theme, “Kinship – Connecting & Healing,” is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. KINSHIP is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins.

    Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2023, there were approximately 20 million crime victimizations in the United States. More than 6.4 million were the result of violent crimes, including rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. Of that 6.4 million, only about 45% were reported to police.

    The United States Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and right of victims of crime.

    Here, in the Western District of Tennessee, we have a dedicated Victim Witness Coordinator who supports federal crime victims by providing victims with essential services, including referrals to counseling, securing temporary housing, assisting with access to victim’s compensation funds, and accompanying victims to court proceedings to provide support and guidance. These services provide victims with tools to reshape their futures.

    The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems by disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge and practices across the United States and by providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter partnerships with these officers.

    Further National Crime Victims’ Rights Week resources can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/ncvrw2025/overview.

    ###

    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gladstone Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Federal Prison for Abducting and Sexually Abusing a Canadian Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Ore.— A Gladstone, Oregon man was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison today for abducting and sexually abusing a Canadian child he met through a music creation social media platform.

    Noah Madrano, 43, was sentenced to 600 months in federal prison, a $5,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release. The sum of restitution he must pay to his victim will be determined at a later date.

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the FBI special agents and Oregon City police officers who rescued the victim in Oregon and brought the defendant to justice,” said William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “This sentence is a result of the extraordinary efforts of the victim, the victim’s family, their community, and law enforcement here and in Canada.”

    “The persistence with which Madrano pursued his heinous crimes – traveling internationally on multiple occasions to victimize a child he met online, and ultimately smuggling that victim across an international border, speaks to how predatory his actions genuinely were,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Olson. “Madrano will be in his mid-nineties when he is eligible for supervised release. His removal from our communities benefits everyone.”

    According to court documents, Madrano met a child online whom he sexually exploited for more than a year. In May 2022, he traveled to Canada to meet the child in person, took the child to a hotel room, sexually abused the victim, and recorded his abuse. A few weeks later, on June 24, 2022, Madrano returned to Canada, where he abducted the child from outside a school and took the victim to another hotel room. At the hotel, Madrano sexually abused the child for several days and recorded videos of his abuse. On July 1, 2022, Madrano hid the child in the trunk of his vehicle and drove back to the United States. Once in Oregon, Madrano brought the victim to a hotel room, where he continued to sexually abuse the child.

    In the early morning of July 2, 2022, FBI special agents and Oregon City police officers entered Madrano’s hotel room and found him inside with the victim. Madrano was arrested and the child was taken into protective custody, reunited with her parents, and returned to Canada.

    On September 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Madrano with sexually exploiting a child, traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, transporting a child with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and possessing child pornography.

    On January 13, 2025, Madrano pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child and transporting a child with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) with assistance from the Oregon City Police Department, the Gladstone Police Department, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the Edmonton Police Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It was prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

    The FBI Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.

    Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Republicans Attack Public Education, Pressley Reintroduces Bills to Invest in Safe, Nurturing Learning Environments for All Students

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Pair of Bills Would Address Pushout of Black Girls, Invest in Counselors and End Over-Policing of Public K-12 Schools

    Ending PUSHOUT Act | Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act

    WASHINGTON – Today, as Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Republicans attack public education, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) is leading her colleagues in reintroducing a pair of bills, the Ending PUSHOUT Act and Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act, which would collectively end the discriminatory treatment of Black and brown students, LGBTQIA+ students, and students with disabilities in schools, and invest in safe, nurturing learning environments for all students.

    “Classrooms should be a place for students to learn, grow, and thrive – not be overpoliced and criminalized. With Republicans gutting public education and attacking vulnerable students, our bills would help protect our students by promoting trauma-informed policies and investing in counselors, nurses, social workers, and other trained professionals who actually make our schools safer,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “I’m grateful to my House and Senate colleagues for their ongoing partnership and for the coalition of individuals and organizations from across the country who joined us in support of these bills. We must affirm the right for every student to learn in a setting free from fear.”

    Rep. Pressley is joined by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in reintroducing the Ending PUSHOUT Act, which would end the punitive pushout of girls of color from schools. 

    “Over the last 25 years, more than $1 billion in federal funds have been used to put police officers in our nation’s schools without any evidence that this funding has improved school safety or student outcomes,” said Senator Booker. “Additionally, research shows that students of color, particularly girls, are often subjected to harsher and more frequent disciplinary action compared to their white counterparts. The Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act and Ending PUSHOUT Act are critical bills that invest federal dollars in counselors, social workers, and other trauma-informed personnel to support students so we can keep create safer academic environments for all students to thrive.”

    “I want my granddaughter to learn, grow, and receive an education in an environment where she is loved and valued,” said Rep. Watson Coleman. “But we know, both from the data and our own experience, that this is not always the case for Black girls. They are disproportionately likely to face severe punishment for similar behaviors compared to their white peers and we must take action to dismantle this systemic discrimination. The school-to-prison pipeline is real, and it has specifically harmed and targeted Black girls. I’m proud to support Rep. Pressley’s End PUSHOUT Act to put an end to this injustice, and foster a learning environment where every student, regardless of race, gender, or ZIP code, has the opportunity to thrive.”

    “It’s heartbreaking but not surprising that across the country, Black girls and Indigenous girls are still being pushed out of classrooms at staggering rates. Black students in Minnesota are eight times more likely to be suspended than white students. For Indigenous students, it’s ten times,” said Rep. Omar. “The Ending PUSHOUT Act is about creating school environments where girls of color feel safe, supported, and free to learn. I’m proud to stand with Congresswoman Pressley and Congresswoman Watson Coleman to say our girls deserve better and we’re going to fight for them.”

    Rep. Pressley is joined by Congresswoman Omar (MN-05), Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12), and Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) in introducing the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act, which would invest in safe and nurturing school climates that support all students and end over-policing in our nation’s public K-12 schools.

    “Every kid deserves to feel secure and supported in their classroom. But too often students, especially kids of color and students with disabilities, are arrested at school instead of getting the help that would actually address the root causes of their behavioral issues. While a number of school districts across the country have made progress by taking police out of classrooms and giving our kids the kind of support that we know leads to better results, other schools have gone back to old rules that just punish kids but don’t help them get back on track. This legislation would put more counselors and social workers in schools and make sure school districts have the resources they need to make classrooms safe for all students,” said Senator Murphy.

    “Our children deserve to feel safe, supported, and seen in their schools, not criminalized for simply being kids. Schools have increasingly relied on policing to manage behavior in our classrooms, a practice that has disproportionately harmed Black, brown, LGBTQ+, and disabled students,” said Rep. Omar. “This bill moves us toward justice by directing resources toward counselors, social workers, and the support systems our students actually need to thrive. I’m proud to join my colleagues in fighting for a future where every child has the freedom to learn in an environment that uplifts their potential instead of policing their existence.”

    “Schools should be a place our students feel safe and supported without fear of surveillance or punishment,” said Rep. Summer Lee. “Rather than increasing police presence in schools, the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act would invest in trauma-informed counselors and social workers to create more positive learning environments. We should be bringing students in, not pushing them out—especially marginalized students disproportionately criminalized for normal childhood and adolescent behavior.”

    Across the country, the education of Black and brown students is often disrupted as a result of discriminatory and punitive discipline policies that criminalize and push them out of school. In particular, Black girls are suspended, expelled, referred to law enforcement, and arrested on school campuses at disproportionately higher rates than white girls due to unfair dress code and hair policies and a lack of understanding of the historical, social, and economic inequities such as poverty, trauma, hunger, and violence that often impact student behavior. Overall, Black girls, girls of color, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities are disproportionately subjected to exclusionary school discipline policies such as suspension and expulsion, which can have long-term effects on the safety, wellbeing, and academic success of all students.

    Additionally, research shows that the presence of mental and behavioral health personnel in schools, like counselors, social workers, and psychologists, improves educational outcomes for kids, specifically by improving attendance and graduation rates while lowering the rates of suspension, expulsion and other disciplinary incidents. Meanwhile, the presence of police in schools leads to an increase in arrests of students — disproportionately students of color, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities — often for common misbehavior that a school could address without the involvement of law enforcement. 

    The Ending PUSHOUT Act will work to disrupt the school-to-confinement pathway by investing in safe and nurturing school environments for all students, especially girls of color.  Specifically, the bill would:

    • Establish new federal grants to support states and schools that commit to ban unfair and discriminatory school discipline practices and improve school climate.
    • Protect Civil Rights Data Collection and strengthen the Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
    • Establish a federal interagency taskforce to end school pushout and examine its disproportionate impact on girls of color.

    The Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act would:

    • Prohibit the use of federal funds for maintaining police in schools: Since 1999, the federal government has spent more than $1 billion to increase the number of police in schools. However, evidence does not show this funding has improved student outcomes and school safety. This legislation would prohibit federal funds from being used to hire or maintain police in K-12 schools, diverting that funding toward other uses related to school safety within applicable grant programs.
    • Invest billions to help schools hire counselors, social workers, and other trauma-informed support personnel necessary to create safe, supportive learning environments for all students: This legislation helps schools build safe and positive learning cultures by establishing a new $5 billion grant program to support the hiring of counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and other personnel. The grant would also help schools implement programs to improve school climate, such as school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports, as well as invest in trauma-informed services and professional development. As more schools move away from policies that criminalize students and push them out of school, this historic investment will ensure districts have the resources to provide students with the support they need to feel safe in school and thrive.

    Last year, Congresswoman Pressley, along with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro released a groundbreaking report they requested from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found that across the United States, Black girls face disproportionately severe discipline compared to other girls and receive harsher punishments than their white peers for similar behaviors. These disparities are further exacerbated for Black girls with disabilities and Black girls that are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

    Both bills are informed by Rep. Pressley’s People’s Justice Guarantee and is a continuation of her longstanding history of working to address issues of disparate school discipline and education inequities during her tenure on the Boston City Council.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Dina Titus Reintroducing Legislation Banning Bump Stocks

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

    Congresswoman Dina Titus will reintroduce her Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick this week. This bill would permanently ban the use of bump stocks that convert rifles into machine guns and allow mass shootings like the 2017 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas that claimed 60 lives.

    “Nearly eight years after the Harvest Festival massacre we still do not have a federal law banning these deadly devices,” said Congresswoman Titus. “Bump stocks continue to pose a threat to innocent lives and Congress must act. Without a federal law firmly banning them, federal regulations and court rulings could allow bump stocks on our streets and in our neighborhoods, raising the risk of more mass shootings.”

    It is important to act now because the Trump administration has already begun to roll back gun safety measures. Attorney General Bondi said Monday that the Department of Justice “believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right.” They are examining a requirement that people purchasing stabilizing braces, which convert pistols into rifles, undergo background checks, as well as another requirement that more gun sellers get federal licenses and undergo background checks.

    “The work to close the bump stock loophole and keep these dangerous devices out of the hands of criminals is critical to our mission of protecting communities from gun violence,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick, a former federal gun crimes prosecutor and FBI agent. “This bipartisan legislation strengthens law enforcement and reinforces our commitment to safety without compromising constitutional rights. I will continue working across the aisle to advance commonsense solutions that keep our neighborhoods safe while upholding the rights of responsible gun owners. Congress can and must do both.”

    The U.S. Supreme Court in June 2024 struck down a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives regulation that classified rifles equipped with bump stocks as machine guns which are illegal. Congresswoman Titus’s Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act would prohibit the sale and possession of bump stocks and other devices or modifications that convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic weapons. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) has companion legislation in the U.S. Senate to ban bump stocks.

    “For too long, Congress has failed to stem the onslaught of mass shootings. Our work in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was critically important, but more must be done,” said Heinrich. “I’m introducing my BUMP Act to deliver on that unfinished work to save lives and make our communities safer. As a sportsman and gun owner, I’m committed to upholding the laws that protect responsible gun ownership, but we must do more to prevent deadly weapons from reaching those who are all too ready to turn them against our communities.”

    Congresswoman Titus’ legislation is endorsed by national gun safety organizations:

    “Guns outfitted with bump stocks fire like machine guns, and they kill like machine guns — and now Congress needs to take action and regulate these devices, just like we do with machine guns,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We applaud Senator Heinrich and Congresswoman Titus for championing this lifesaving legislation, which would prevent potential mass shooters from being able to wreak havoc by firing up to 800 rounds per minute.”

    “As a grassroots group formed after the Sandy Hook shooting, we are committed to turning our community’s tragedy into meaningful change,” said Po Murray, Chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance “That’s why we strongly support the bipartisan Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act led by Representatives Titus and Fitzpatrick. Bump stocks serve only one purpose — to make guns fire like machine guns and cause mass destruction. We saw this in Las Vegas, where a shooter used a bump stock to fire over 1,000 rounds in minutes, killing 60 people and injuring hundreds more. If the Sandy Hook shooter had used a bump stock to convert his AR-15, even more lives might have been lost. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the federal ban puts more communities in danger. Congress must act now to pass this life-saving bill and help prevent more tragedies.”

    “Devices that transform semiautomatic firearms into automatic machine guns, like bump stocks, have no place on our streets and communities,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy, Brady United. “We have seen how they have been used to destroy communities, including in the October 2017 Las Vegas shooting, where 60 people were killed and almost 500 more were shot. It is past time we take concrete action to prevent the proliferation of these dangerous tools of mass violence. Brady is grateful to Rep. Titus and Rep. Fitzpatrick for their bipartisan leadership and proud to endorse the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act.”

    “Bump stocks turn semi-automatics into essentially machine guns— the kind that can shoot hundreds of people in minutes. These devices have already enabled unimaginable tragedy in Las Vegas, and more lives will be lost if we continue to do nothing about them,” said Emma Brown, Executive Director of GIFFORDS & GIFFORDS Law Center. “This legislation sends a clear message that our communities deserve safety. We’re grateful to Representatives Titus and Fitzpatrick, and Senators Heinrich, Collins, and Cortez Masto for taking action to keep families safe from gun crime and senseless violence.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Shenandoah Highway (SH65) closed following serious crash

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

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    Drivers travelling between Murchison and Springs Junction on State Highway 65 can expect delays and detours following a serious crash near Maruia earlier this morning.

    The incident was reported shortly before  eight o’clock this morning. Police confirm one person has been seriously hurt and indicate the highway will be closed for some time while emergency services attend the crash scene.

    There are no available local road detours available at the crash site, and State Highway 65 is now closed between the SH6/65 O’Sullivan’s Bridge junction near Murchison and the SH65/SH7 intersection at Springs Junction.

    Drivers should avoid the area, delay their travel or use an alternative route.

    Southbound drivers can detour via SH6 Upper Buller Gorge to Inangahua,  SH69 Inangahua to Reefton, and SH7 Reefton to Springs Junction. The reverse applies for northbound traffic.

    This route adds around 45 minutes to travel times.

    Drivers are urged to check the highway’s status before they travel. Updates can be found on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website.

    Tags

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Shenandoah Highway Tasman District – closed due to crash

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Shenandoah Highway between Creighton Road and SH65 is currently closed following a vehicle crash this morning.

    Police are in attendance where one person is being treated with serious injuries.

    Detours are in place and the road is expected to be closed for sometime.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Vehicle collision in Waipa Waikato – one injured

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Ohaupo Road, Waipa in the Waikato is closed due to a vehicle crash this morning.

    A pedestrian is being treated for serious injuries.

    Diversion are in place and the road is expected to be closed while emergency services are at the scene.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Team.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Arrest made in Northland homicide investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attribute to Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard:

    Police investigating the death of a man in Northland, Wellington, have charged a 23-year-old man with murder.

    The victim, 65-year-old Simon Bird, was found deceased at his Albemarle Road property on Tuesday, 1 April. Mr Bird had not been heard from for several days, prompting a concerned friend to carry out a welfare check – leading to the discovery of his body.

    Police charged the suspect this morning and he is due to appear in the Wellington District Court today. At this time, we are unable to elaborate on the accused’s relationship with Mr Bird.

    This is a positive development for his family and friends, but there are still many unanswered questions that we are working hard to answer.

    A scene examination is ongoing at Mr Bird’s Albemarle Road home, and we are still want to hear from anyone who might be able to help.

    Mr Bird was last seen alive on Thursday 27 March, and we need to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity in the vicinity of Albemarle Road that day.

    We also want to speak to anybody who knew Mr Bird, as well as those who saw him, or his vehicle in the last week. This includes any CCTV or dashcam footage you may have of him or his silver Honda Odyssey.

    If you have any information that could assist Police, please update us online or call 105. Please use the reference number 250401/4530 or referencing Operation North.

    You can also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Southern Nevada Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Coercion And Enticement Of A Child And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A Henderson, Nev., resident was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 10 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for engaging in a sexually explicit conversation with who he believed to be a child and possessing child sexual abuse material on his phone.

    According to court documents, on April 5, 2023, Nathan Thomas Foreman (43) engaged in a sexually explicit conversation via text messaging with someone who he believed to be an 11-year-old girl in an attempt to meet her and engage in sexual intercourse. Throughout the course of the conversation, he inquired about her sexual preferences, requested photos, described what he wanted to do with her, and sent pornography depicting the sexual conduct he described in words. The conversation concluded with Foreman coordinating a time for the two to meet in person to engage in sexual intercourse. On April 6, 2023, Foreman was arrested at the predetermined meet up location. A forensic analysis of his cellphone revealed approximately 10 images and 12 videos of child sexual abuse material.

    “The defendant not only attempted to coerce and entice who he believed to be an 11-year-old girl to engage in sexual intercourse with him, but he also possessed child sexual abuse material of infants and toddlers,” said United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Through the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and our law enforcement partners are continuously working to combat child sexual exploitation in Nevada.”

    “When children are victimized, the FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will exert every effort to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “Today’s sentencing reflects our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for our most vulnerable victims.”

    On October 1, 2024, Foreman pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement and one count of possession of child pornography.

    In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Foreman must register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin prosecuted the case.

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

    Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or online at https://report.cybertip.org.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican national previously deported multiple times pleads guilty to illegal re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Juan Vera-Cervantes, 45, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. He was then turned over to U.S. Border Patrol.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who handled the case, stated that on February 25, 2025, Border Patrol agents observed a white cargo van with a Tennessee license plate traveling on the I 490. A check of the license plate revealed that Vera-Cervantes was the registered owner of the vehicle, and he had been previously deported multiple times from the United States and had his final order of removal reinstated on three different occasions. During a traffic stop of the vehicle, Vera-Cervantes stated that he is a citizen and national of Mexico without immigration documents to be in the United States legally. He was then administratively detained.

    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.

    The plea and sentence are a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prior felon going to prison for 10 years on multiple drug and gun charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Nader Ngoopos a/k/a Nike, 26, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison pleaded guilty by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that between 2016, and late 2018, Ngoopos agreed with others to obtain cocaine and heroin in the Buffalo area and travel to Olean, NY, to distribute the cocaine and heroin. Ngoopos personally traveled to Olean on at least a weekly basis, selling cocaine and heroin out of various locations in Olean, including North 8th Street and South 11th Street. Co-conspirators also sold cocaine and heroin as part of the conspiracy on a weekly basis.

    On October 15, 2018, Ngoopos participated in an armed robbery at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, with two others. The three gained entry to a dormitory at St. Bonaventure, and broke into a dorm room where Ngoopos, who possessed a firearm, believed he and his co-conspirators would find marijuana and money. Once they gained entry, Ngoopos and his co-conspirators pointed their firearms at the heads of the two occupants of the dorm room, threatened them, and then stole about an ounce of marijuana and approximately $300 – $400.

    On September 2, 2021, law enforcement officers observed Ngoopos get into a vehicle in Buffalo. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it sped away leading officers on a high-speed chase. Eventually, the car came to a stop on East Amherst Street. As the car came to a stop, Ngoopos got out of the car and ran away, dropping a pistol. In June 2020, Ngoopos was convicted in Cattaraugus County Court of a felony and legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonse Wright, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Access Canberra is speaking your language

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Concierge Tejas estimates he speaks with customers in Hindi or Gujarati at least 25–30 times a week.

    Many frontline service staff at Access Canberra speak multiple languages.

    This not only reflects the diversity of the Canberra community but allows them to assist customers who may not be comfortable communicating in English.

    Across Access Canberra’s five service centres, staff speak 12 languages, in addition to English.

    These are:

    • Hindi
    • Punjabi
    • French
    • Japanese
    • Vietnamese
    • French
    • Thai
    • Greek
    • Gujarati
    • Croatian
    • Tibetan
    • Indian.

    Staff wear badges, allowing customers to identify them easily to see which languages they speak.

    Woden Service Centre Concierge Tejas is often the first friendly face customers see when they enter the Centre and speaks Gujarati, Hindi and English.

    “Being a Concierge I think I speak in Hindi and Gujarati at least 25–30 times a week to help members of community,” he said.

    He finds the badge helps Canberrans with little English feel more at ease.

    “Wearing the badge gives members of the community an idea that I speak different languages. It invites members of the community who may be anxious of walking into a service centre because they can’t correctly interpret or understand English. I have also seen people who can understand English very well, but speaking it is the problem. Thus, whenever I can, I assist the Customer Service Officer and customer complete a transaction by translating for both,” Tejas said.

    “As soon as a customer finds out that I can speak their language, they are delighted and relaxed that they can communicate in a much clearer and better way. Customers are more at ease because I can translate government policies and legislation for them, making comprehending them easier.”

    Tejas has worked at Access Canberra since 2021.

    “My vision every day is to help members of community who visit the service centre in every possible way,” he said.

    “I am proud of wearing this badge because I know I can make a difference and put a smile on someone’s face.”

    Many Access Canberra transactions can be carried out online. Visit accesscanberra.act.gov.au to find a translation option on the homepage.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: DA for Gungahlin Tennis Facility approved

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Gungahlin Tennis Facility will be built off Horse Park Drive in Amaroo.

    The Development Application has been approved for the new Gungahlin Tennis Facility.

    This brings the sporting venue another step closer for tennis-lovers.

    Gungahlin Tennis Facility will be built off Horse Park Drive in Amaroo.

    It will include:

    • 10 full-size tennis courts
    • two hot shot courts
    • a hitting wall
    • a pavilion
    • LED lighting
    • carparking
    • landscaping.

    Gungahlin is one of the country’s fastest growing regions. Tennis is also a growing sport, and the new venue will help attract even more players.

    The Gungahlin Tennis Facility is being built by the ACT Government in partnership with Tennis Australia and Tennis ACT.

    “Tennis ACT is looking forward to the construction phase of the Amaroo Tennis Centre and a wonderful tennis facility for the community of Gungahlin and the greater ACT and region,” CEO of Tennis ACT Mark La Brooy said.

    “After a number of years of planning, community consultation, Estate Development Planning and now the approval of the development application, this sees the realisation of a vital piece of infrastructure that will bring tennis to one of the important growth corridors in the ACT.”

    The Gungahlin Tennis Facility will offer a range of programs for all ages.

    These will include:

    • Hot Shots Tennis and school programs
    • Book A Court
    • Cardio Tennis
    • Adult Social Tennis
    • Junior and Senior Canberra Tennis League
    • all-abilities programs.

    Tennis Australia’s established tennis pathways will also help develop young players.

    As well as keeping more young people in the sport, it will support many to realise their sporting dreams.

    The new facility will also have capacity to host major tennis events, bringing more people to Canberra.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Stepping up for First Nations health

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The classes encourage positive partnerships, body acceptance and social and community connection.

    Stellar Step UP! Step Together is a new program of dance and movement classes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

    The program is the result of a partnership between:

    • local community group, The Stellar Company
    • Canberra First Nations dance group, Project Dust.

    The program received funding from the ACT Government’s Healthy Canberra Grants program. It aims to improve health education, intergenerational support, and connection to Country and culture.

    The classes encourage positive partnerships, body acceptance and social and community connection. There will be 280 classes over the next year, divided into seven series. Each class is led by an experienced teacher.

    “Stellar Step UP! is proving to be a deeply powerful and empowering program,” Liz Lea, Artistic Director of The Stellar Company said.

    This program helps address some of the barriers First Nations people face to live a healthy life. It is led by First Nations people to maintain connection to Country, culture and community.

    “As a proud Darug woman, I have a strong interest in Aboriginal contemporary dance, language, and history,” Emma Laverty, founder of Project Dust, said.

    “This ACT Health grant is helping to remove barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to spaces they don’t normally have access to and is getting them active and involved in the community.”

    The Stellar Company also offers classes for multicultural and LGBTIQ+ young people and those with physical or intellectual disability.

    “The Stellar Company is thrilled to be offering classes across five ACT suburbs for people of all abilities, backgrounds and identities,” Liz said.

    “Alongside Project Dust, we are proud to be partnering with a range of local dance and fitness businesses for the Stellar Step UP! Program, including Dance4Fitness, Mudra and Moves, and Subsdance.”

    The Yerrabi Yurwang Child and Family Aboriginal Corporation also received funding from the Healthy Canberra Grants program for its Yawarj Mara, Strong Pathways program. The program brings together Aboriginal young people from across the ACT. It engages people in culture and increases empowerment and wellbeing through:

    • song
    • dance
    • sports
    • mentoring
    • skills
    • health education.

    Find out more about the Stellar Step UP! program.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police investigating Bridgewater firearms incident

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Police investigating Bridgewater firearms incident

    Wednesday, 9 April 2025 – 9:18 am.

    Police are investigating an isolated incident on Finlay Street, Bridgewater around 8pm last night where a firearm was discharged into a residence.
    Two people were home at the time but were not injured as a result of the incident.
    If you were in the area around the time and witnessed suspicious activity or have dash cam or CCTV footage, please phone 131 444 or contact Crime Stoppers Tasmania on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au.
    Information can be provided anonymously. Please quote OR771722.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Hatch sought in McLaren Vale business break-in

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police are investigating a break-in at a McLaren Vale business in the early hours of Tuesday 1 April.

    Just before 5.30am on Tuesday 1 April, a shed on Main Road, McLaren Vale was broken into and a number of surfboards, 20 wetsuits, and power tools, including a Makita sander, lawnmower and whipper snipper were stolen.

    CCTV captured a small blue hatchback towing a caged trailer travelling east along Main Road, McLaren Vale before turning onto Tatachilla Road and entering the rear of the property via a laneway.

    Anyone who recognises the vehicle or has any dashcam or CCTV footage from the area that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    Quote reference 25-39M

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Seek Answers & Return of Maryland Father Wrongfully Deported to El Salvador

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Justice admitted the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a father who was living legally in the United States under protected status — was an “administrative error.”  Mr. Garcia, 29, who fled El Salavador in 2006 and migrated to the U.S. in 2011, is married with a five-year old child and two step children who are all U.S. citizens.  According to USA Today: After finishing a shift working as a sheet metal apprentice and picking up his son from his grandmother’s house, Mr. Garcia was pulled over by ICE officers in several vehicles and erroneously told that his status had changed.  He was handcuffed and placed in an ICE vehicle and eventually sent to an out of state detention facility before being flown out of the country to a notorious prison in El Salvador known as the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT).
    In 2019, an immigration judge granted Mr. Garcia protection from deportation on the grounds that he might be at risk of persecution from local gangs in his home country.  ICE officials under the Trump Administration in 2019 did not object to the judge’s ruling.
    Last week, Justice Department lawyer Erez Reuveni told a federal judge that Mr. Garcia “should not have been removed.”  The judge agreed and wrote a scathing opinion finding that the Trump Administration’s actions “shocks the conscience” and that the government had acted “without any lawful authority” and was holding Mr. Garcia in “direct contravention” of U.S. law.  The judge ordered the U.S. to return Mr. Garcia to the United States.  However, the Trump Administration contended Mr. Garcia could not be returned to the U.S. because he is in Salvadoran custody and U.S. courts have no jurisdiction there, even though the U.S. is reportedly paying the El Salvadoran government $6 million to house deportees from the United States.  Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration’s request to temporarily block a lower court order.
    Today, 25 U.S. Senators, including Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) wrote to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Tedd Lyons urging them to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States. 
    In their letter, the Senators call on the Trump Administration to comply with the lower court order requiring that they facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return and ask for responses to a series of questions regarding ICE’s enforcement policies that may have led to this grave error – and what measures they will take to ensure such an incident does not occur again.
    “We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the Administration admitted in a recent court filing was an “administrative error.” It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately,” the 25 U.S. Senators wrote.
    “Per court filings, Mr. Abrego Garcia came to the United States in 2011 as a teenager fleeing gang threats in his home country of El Salvador. In 2019, ICE arrested Mr. Abrego Garcia over an unfounded and anonymous allegation that he was involved with MS-13, which placed him in deportation proceedings. The U.S. immigration judge in the case ultimately found that it was in fact Mr. Abrego Garcia who was at risk of being the victim of gang violence,” the Senators continued. “This ruling was made under the Trump Administration in 2019 and was in fact required by law under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act once the immigration judge made the factual determination that Mr. Abrego Garcia faced a likelihood of torture in El Salvador. At the time, the Trump Administration made no effort to appeal the judge’s ruling or pursue Mr. Abrego Garcia’s deportation further. Court filings attest that Mr. Abrego Garcia has complied with regular ICE check-ins, has no criminal charges, and has had no contact with any other law-enforcement agency since his release in 2019.
    “Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible,” they noted. “And when the Administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens.
    “On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in the District of Maryland ordered the government to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States, and on Monday the Fourth Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the order. The Administration should promptly comply with the district court’s order,” the Senators urged.
    In addition to Van Hollen, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators: Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The Senators closed the letter with a series of questions to Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:
    The standard and legal course for the government to take to deport someone with protected status would be to reopen the case, introduce evidence that grounds for terminating the protected status exist, and then allow an immigration judge to make a determination as to their status. Why was that course of action not taken in this case?  
    In the past, DHS and ICE worked to quickly return people to the U.S. who were erroneously deported. Why is DHS and ICE no longer following these well-established procedures and practices?   
    Vice President J.D. Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have both claimed that Mr. Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, but the government was unable or unwilling to provide any evidence to substantiate that claim to the court. Please provide any evidence of Mr. Abrego Garcia’s membership in MS-13.
    Given that the Administration is reportedly paying $6 million to El Salvador to detain deported immigrants at CECOT, why does it believe that there is nothing it can do to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to his family in the United States? Please provide a copy of the agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador on the detention of people deported from the U.S. in CECOT.
    Are there any other cases that the Administration is aware of in which an immigrant with protected status was illegally deported without due process? If so, identify those cases and explain what, if anything the government is doing to rectify those errors. 
    Will the Administration commit to reviewing all of the cases of its deportees to ensure that it has appropriately identified all of the errors? 
    What actions will the Administration take in the future to ensure that immigrants with protected status are afforded their appropriate due process? 
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons,?? 
    We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the Administration admitted in a recent court filing was an “administrative error.” It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately.  
    According to court filings, on March 12, 2025, shortly after Mr. Abrego Garcia had picked up his son from the boy’s grandmother’s house, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped Mr. Abrego Garcia, inaccurately telling him that his protected status had changed. After giving his wife a few minutes to arrive to take custody of his son, ICE arrested and detained him without any further explanation as to the reason for his arrest. ICE then transferred Mr. Abrego Garcia and other detainees to Texas, where on March 15, 2025, they were loaded onto planes and deported to El Salvador. Mr. Abrego Garcia was reportedly on the only plane that was not sent under the authority of the Alien Enemies Act but instead was transporting migrants with formal removal orders signed by a judge. This occurred despite the fact that ICE knew, as the Administration conceded in court, that his protected legal status specifically prohibited his removal to El Salvador.  
    Per court filings, Mr. Abrego Garcia came to the United States in 2011 as a teenager fleeing gang threats in his home country of El Salvador. In 2019, ICE arrested Mr. Abrego Garcia over an unfounded and anonymous allegation that he was involved with MS-13, which placed him in deportation proceedings. The U.S. immigration judge in the case ultimately found that it was in fact Mr. Abrego Garcia who was at risk of being the victim of gang violence. The judge found that Mr. Abrego Garcia and his relatives credibly testified that gang members had been trying to extort his family and recruit him and his brother to join the gang, forcing his family to move multiple times, ultimately compelling both him and his brother to flee to the United States out of fear.  
    The immigration judge agreed that Mr. Abrego Garcia would likely face persecution if deported back to El Salvador and thus granted him a form of legally mandated protection known as “withholding of removal.” Withholding of removal, which may only be granted by an immigration judge, provided Mr. Abrego Garcia the ability to stay and work in the United States despite being the subject of a deportation order. This ruling was made under the Trump Administration in 2019 and was in fact required by law under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act once the immigration judge made the factual determination that Mr. Abrego Garcia faced a likelihood of torture in El Salvador. At the time, the Trump Administration made no effort to appeal the judge’s ruling or pursue Mr. Abrego Garcia’s deportation further. Court filings attest that Mr. Abrego Garcia has complied with regular ICE check-ins, has no criminal charges, and has had no contact with any other law-enforcement agency since his release in 2019.  
    Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible. Though the Administration has admitted in court that his deportation was a mistake, it alleges that there is nothing it can do to address this injustice, given that Mr. Abrego Garcia is now in the jurisdiction of the government of El Salvador as part of an agreement to imprison U.S. deportees in exchange for financial compensation.  
    Your unwillingness to immediately rectify this “administrative error” is unacceptable. Under multiple Democratic and Republican administrations, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE followed the rule of law and worked to quickly return people who were wrongfully deported, in the rare instances where such “administrative errors” occurred. The Administration’s mass deportation agenda does not transcend immigration law or the need for due process. And when the Administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens. On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in the District of Maryland ordered the government to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States, and on Monday the Fourth Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the order. The Administration should promptly comply with the district court’s order.
    To address our concerns about this matter and to provide clarity on the Department of Homeland Security and ICE’s policy regarding the immigration enforcement actions against immigrants with protected status, we ask that your Administration answer the following questions by April 22, 2025: 
    The standard and legal course for the government to take to deport someone with protected status would be to reopen the case, introduce evidence that grounds for terminating the protected status exist, and then allow an immigration judge to make a determination as to their status. Why was that course of action not taken in this case?  
    In the past, DHS and ICE worked to quickly return people to the U.S. who were erroneously deported. Why is DHS and ICE no longer following these well-established procedures and practices?   
    Vice President J.D. Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have both claimed that Mr. Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, but the government was unable or unwilling to provide any evidence to substantiate that claim to the court. Please provide any evidence of Mr. Abrego Garcia’s membership in MS-13.
    Given that the Administration is reportedly paying $6 million to El Salvador to detain deported immigrants at CECOT, why does it believe that there is nothing it can do to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to his family in the United States? Please provide a copy of the agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador on the detention of people deported from the U.S. in CECOT.
    Are there any other cases that the Administration is aware of in which an immigrant with protected status was illegally deported without due process? If so, identify those cases and explain what, if anything the government is doing to rectify those errors. 
    Will the Administration commit to reviewing all of the cases of its deportees to ensure that it has appropriately identified all of the errors? 
    What actions will the Administration take in the future to ensure that immigrants with protected status are afforded their appropriate due process? 
    We appreciate your prompt attention to this vital matter and look forward to reviewing your fulsome, timely response. 
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Whitehouse Seek to Raise Federal Minimum Wage to $17 by 2030

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – The last time the federal minimum wage was raised it was July of 2009 – Barack Obama had just been elected president, iPads hadn’t come out yet, and the world was experiencing a global recession.  Since then, corporate profits have risen as has the costs of goods, but the federal minimum wage — which is supposed to ensure workers can afford the basic necessities — remains stuck at $7.25 an hour.
    U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are looking to ensure American workers can earn a living wage, drive economic growth, and reduce income inequality by raising the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 for all workers and gradually raise the minimum wage for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and youth workers.
    Today, Reed and Whitehouse teamed up with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), to introduce the Raise the Wage Act.  This bill would incrementally raise the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour by 2030, benefiting an estimated 64,000 Rhode Islanders.  
    Rhode Island is among 30 states and the District of Columbia that have enacted higher wage floors.  Currently, the minimum wage in Rhode Island is $15 an hour.  Servers in the restaurant industry and other hospitality workers who derive a large portion of income from tips have had their hourly wages capped at $3.89 since 2017.
    Last year, nearly one in four workers in the U.S. made less than $17 per hour. The Raise the Wage will raise the federal minimum wage to $17 over five years, eliminate the tipped subminimum wage over seven years, eliminate the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities over five years, and eliminate the subminimum wage for youth workers over seven years. According to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), passing the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 would provide raises to over 22.2 million workers across the country by 2030.
    If the federal minimum wage had increased with worker productivity over the last 57 years, it would be over $23 an hour today, not $7.25 an hour, which translates to a full-time salary of about $15,000 per year.
    “The $7.25 an hour minimum wage is a starvation wage. It must be raised to a living wage – at least $17 an hour,” Senator Sanders said. “In the year 2025, a job should lift you out of poverty, not keep you in it. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, we can no longer tolerate millions of workers trying to survive on just $10 or $12 an hour. Congress can no longer ignore the needs of the working class of this country. The time to act is now.”
    “The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 for too long.  No one in today’s economy can make ends meet working for such meager pay.  Rhode Islanders deserve a raise and workers deserve to be fairly compensated.  Right now, those making minimum wage can’t afford housing, food, and transportation so taxpayers end up subsidizing employers that pay so little.  When all businesses have to operate on a level playing field with fair pay it helps prevent costly turnover and re-training of workers.  The Raise the Wage Act would help strengthen families, businesses, and our economy,” said Senator Reed.
    “As rising costs squeeze families across Rhode Island, it’s well past time to increase the federal minimum wage,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “Our legislation will help more Americans get a foothold in the middle class by paying them a livable wage.”
    Today, the value of the current federal minimum wage – $7.25 per hour – is the lowest it has been since 1956 and has declined by over 32 percent since it was last increased in 2009. While approximately four million tipped workers in the U.S. depend on tips for as much as half of their income or more, the tipped sub-minimum wage has remained stagnant at just $2.13 per hour since 1991. The current median wage for at least 37,000 workers with disabilities is just $3.50 per hour.
    Meanwhile, across every state in the country, a living wage for a worker in a family with two working adults and one child is greater than $17 per hour, according to the Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) Family Budget Calculator. Many of these low-wage workers face persistent economic insecurity, struggling to put food on the table and afford basic necessities, including housing, health care, and childcare. Black and Hispanic workers disproportionately feel the burden of these low wages as compared to their white counterparts, and that disparity is even worse for women of color. Nearly 40 percent of Hispanic women and 35 percent of Black women make less than $17 per hour.
    Joining Sanders, Reed, and Whitehouse on this legislation are U.S. Senators: Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-A), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    More than 85 organizations endorsed the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, including: Service Employees International Union (SEIU), AFL-CIO, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Equal Pay Today, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), National Education Association (NEA), National Employment Law Project (NELP), The National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), One Fair Wage, Oxfam America, Patriotic Millionaires, UNITE HERE, United Autoworkers (UAW), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), United for Respect, and United Steelworkers (USW).
    Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Services moving to new Canberra Hospital building

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Emergency Department will be located at street level.

    When Canberra Hospital’s Critical Services Building opens in August, it will house a range of hospital services.

    While services will stay where they are until August, many critical care services will move to the new building, to be known as Building 5.

    This will transform the hospital campus. So, it’s important to have an idea of what is moving and where, so you’ll know where to find things next time you visit.

    The Critical Services Building will include Canberra Hospital’s main reception.

    You will also find the following services there.

    Emergency Department (ED) with dedicated children’s emergency area

    The Emergency Department will be located on street level.

    Its dedicated entrance will have improved features to make pick-up and drop-off safer and easier.

    The ED will have room to grow in the years to come.

    Its location will allow for better connections between acute services, as well as direct lift access to the new Helipad.

    The dedicated children’s emergency area will have its own triage and waiting area, enabling paediatric patients, carers and families to stay together, separate to the rest of the ED.

    Operating theatres
    The building’s new operating theatres will be located on Level 3.

    These will include state-of-the-art hybrid and interventional radiology suites to allow use of the latest advances in medical technology.

    Sterilising Services Unit
    Located on Level 4, the centralised Sterilising Services Unit will have the latest equipment and machinery.

    It will also have direct lift access from the building’s operating theatres to improve efficiency.

    Intensive Care Unit (ICU) The Intensive Care Unit will be located on Level 5.

    Bed capacity in the ICU will increase over time, ensuring it can grow with the community’s health needs.

    Two outdoor terraces connected to the ICU will enable patients to go outside as part of their healing and recovery.

    One of these terraces will also have a dedicated visitor courtyard that can be accessed through a visitor’s lounge.

    This will help support families and carers at a vulnerable and stressful time.

    Inpatient cardiology services
    Cardiology services will be located on Level 6.

    These will comprise the Acute Cardiac Care Unit, the Cardiac Catheter Lab, and the Cardiac Day Unit.

    Locating these services together will help patients transfer smoothly between them.

    The Acute Cardiac Care Unit will expand. The number of Cardiac Catheter labs and Cardiac Day beds will also increase.

    There will also be a dedicated lab for cardiac electrophysiology procedures, which evaluate the electrical activity of the heart and diagnose arrhythmias. Another larger lab will be able to accommodate more complex procedures such as TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation).

    Inpatient wards
    Inpatient wards will be located on levels 6 and 7.

    There will be five inpatient wards throughout, including the Acute Cardiac Care Unit, providing both surgical and medical inpatient beds.

    The wards will include the Acute Medical Unit, Emergency General Surgery and Trauma, Neurosurgery and Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, and Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery.

    Medical imaging
    While the hospital’s main medical imaging suites will remain in Building 12, there will be additional medical imaging facilities in the Critical Services Building.

    This will include X-ray, CT, ultrasound and MRI.

    This state-of-the-art new building will create a better-connected hospital.

    It has been built to future-proof acute care services. As the Canberra community grows over time and into the future, so too will hospital services.

    Find out more on the Built for CBR website.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The bookworm’s guide to Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Support a small Canberra business by shopping at your local bookstore.

    Is it just us, or is reading having a moment? Whether it’s more book chats at work, Booktok taking over your social feed or simply walking past a new book shop or cafe, all signs are pointing to yes.

    If you’re looking for a way to get into reading, from reading on a budget to joining a book community, there is something for everyone in Canberra.

    Shop at Canberra local bookshops:

    Wanting to support a small Canberra business? Check out the bookshops in your region:

    North Canberra:
    South Canberra:

    Head to your local library:

    Canberra is home to many libraries with one in every region.

    Libraries are a great way to read without over-consuming and enjoy books for free.  There are also home library services to deliver books to your door and multicultural services available in select libraries.

    Check out the Lifeline Bookfair: 

    The Lifeline Bookfair is a book-lovers dream event. Not only are you getting second-hand books, but you are also donating to Lifeline.

    There are multiple events throughout the year at EPIC and at Tuggeranong, but if you can’t wait you can always check out Lifeline’s permanent store, Book Lovers Lane at the Fyshwick Markets. Lifeline also accepts book donations at their warehouse in Mitchell. Just make sure you read the checklist to ensure your books are resalable.

    Join or create a book club:

    Canberra has some amazing book clubs to join, you can find them through Facebook, or you can join and create one through ACT Libraries.

    Café Stepping Stone host a monthly silent book club at its Strathnairn cafe. This isn’t your ordinary book club. It is silent, and there is also no assigned reading. Participants simply bring along whatever they like and read along quietly with fellow readers. Hours of uninterrupted reading time? Yes please! Find out when the next event is.

    Tough Guy Book Club is a network of men’s book clubs in local pubs. They are scattered all over Australia, with Canberra home to a few different meet ups. They get together, read, chat and have a good meal at a pub. See when and where they are meeting next.

    Canberra Fantasy Book Club is all about reading fantasy! If you love dragons, witches, fairies and all things mythical, then this might be the group for you. Join the Facebook page here.

    ACT Libraries allows you to register and create a book club at your preferred branch. You can access 12 copies of the same book from their collection of 375 titles, create an online account and membership card, and get discussion guides. Sign up for a book club or learn more.

    Follow and find a street library:

    Did you know you can find libraries on several Canberra streets? Street libraries allow you to bring a book and swap it with one already in the library.

    If a street library is missing from your suburb, you can create your own!

    Read from Canberra authors:

    Civic Library regularly showcases Canberra authors and their books. You can find copies of recent books, and all can be borrowed from the library. Books from local authors are held for two years in the showcase before getting added to the ACT Heritage library or placed in the general lending collection within libraries ACT.

    Book cafes: 

    Wanting to sip on a delicious drink or enjoy a tasty treat while indulging in a new book? Pulp Book Café is a cosy coffee shop with an added focus on books!

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Belco skatepark half-pipe now open

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The new skate park is an exciting new space for Canberrans to be active.

    A new competition half-pipe at the Belconnen skatepark is now open.

    The original Belconnen skatepark was built more than 30 years ago.

    The new half-pipe – or vert ramp – is seven metres tall and adds to the parks appeal. It will be an exciting new space for Canberrans to be active and learn new skills including:

    • skateboarding
    • freestyle BMX.

    The half-pipe was built in sections, which were transported to site and then craned into place and put together.

    The project also includes lighting, minor landscaping and two murals.

    The first mural was painted by James Houlcroft. The pigeon-headed figures represent the range of skaters who are part of the Canberra skateboarding community. James was exploring the common environments of skaters and pigeons, such as public areas with concrete and corners.

    The second mural was painted by Eddie Mo in collaboration with Paul Licayan, known as ‘PAW’ in the street art world. Eddie’s mural replicates the shape and style of the underside of a skateboard. It reflects the culture and history of the Belconnen skatepark, where the practice of decorating the underside of a board is popular.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Age lowered to 45 for free bowel cancer screening

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The kit contains everything you need to do the test in the privacy of your home.

    Canberrans aged 45 to 49 can now order a free bowel cancer screening test.

    Previously available to those aged 50 to 74, the free kit is a simple test that can save your life.

    Early detection

    While checking your poo sounds a bit uncomfortable, it really is serious business.

    Bowel cancer ranks as the second-deadliest cancer in Australia. It can also develop without obvious symptoms.

    But here’s the good news – more than 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated when detected early.

    Free kits for those aged 45+

    As of 1 July 2024, the eligible age for a free bowel cancer screening kit has been lowered to 45.

    This means if you’re aged 45 to 49, you too can request a free kit .

    People aged 50 to 74 will continue to get their free kit in the mail every two years.

    Quick, easy and private

    The kit contains everything you need to do the test in the privacy of your own home.

    People who have done it have mentioned how pleasantly surprised they are by how quick and easy it is to do.

    You can order your kit here.

    Next steps

    If your kit hasn’t arrived as expected or it’s damaged, misplaced or expired, call the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program on 1800 627 701 or fill out the form online.

    You can also ask your doctor for a kit.

    You will automatically receive your next test kit in the mail every two years after your last screening test is completed.

    People with signs, symptoms, or a family history of bowel cancer, should talk with a doctor before screening with the program.

    More information

    Order your free bowel test kit today.

    Learn more about the National Bowel Cancer Screening program on the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Northbourne Avenue road safety camera to be moved

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The camera will monitor for speed and red-light offences.

    From Wednesday 10 July, there will be a fixed road safety camera in place at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Bunda Street.

    This camera will monitor for speed and red-light offences.

    The camera is not an additional one in the fixed camera network. It is a relocation of an existing camera previously installed at the intersection of London Circuit and Northbourne Avenue.

    The new location was chosen for several reasons including its proximity to the bus interchange and light rail stop and high level of pedestrian movement in that area.

    Road safety cameras detect and deter unsafe driving behaviours and improve pedestrian safety in town centres throughout Canberra.

    “Road safety cameras play an important role in supporting road safety in the ACT by reducing speeding on our roads and supporting the ACT Government’s Vision Zero strategy,” Access Canberra’s Executive Branch Manager of Service Delivery and Engagement Emily Springett said.

    “Speed limits are set to balance the need for safe and expedient travel as numerous studies have shown that ‘low level’ speeding contributes to a significant percentage of road casualties and fatalities in the ACT.”

    For more information on the ACT Road Safety Camera program visit the Access Canberra website.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: A day in the life of a DAS Ranger

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    “It’s amazing to be an advocate for the voiceless while also connecting with community members,” says Ranger Elly.

    Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a Domestic Animal Services (DAS) ranger looks like? For Ranger Elly, every day is different.

    The work DAS rangers do is fast-paced and challenging. Rangers like Elly often work on an 11-hour four-day roster, working on-call which means no day is the same. Rangers tend to perform several different duties, spending some time in the office. Most of the time, however, they are out in the field completing hands-on work. Some day-to-day duties may involve responding to dog attacks, animal nuisance complaints or assisting with lost and impounded dogs.

    Elly has been working as a ranger for a couple of months. What you might not expect is that she has a Communications and Media degree.

    “I applied for the role after uni and went through the competitive online application process. I wanted to do something that was challenging and rewarding. I believe they look for a diverse skillset in the role. I also decided that I didn’t want to be working in an office all day. The work I do as a Domestic Animal Services ranger has a positive impact on the community. The role is so diverse, and I know I’m making a tangible difference,” Elly said.

    “The field work is often dynamic and compassionate. I love working with animals. It’s amazing to be an advocate for the voiceless while also connecting with community members,” Elly said.

    Elly enjoys being a ranger. Like any job, it does have its difficulties.

    “Being a Domestic Animal Services ranger can have its challenges as well. We deal with confronting situations, like dog attacks. A small percentage of the community don’t always work with rangers in a safe or appropriate way. We work daily with members of the community who don’t meet key elements of compliance in pet ownership. An important reminder to the community is, all cats and dogs need to be registered,” Elly said.

    Many Canberrans understand the work the rangers do. However, there are certain myths about her work that Elly hopes to bust.

    “I think some people think we go out of our way to infringe people or take their dog away, but we don’t. This is only done when necessary. We spend a lot of time working with the community. One of our priorities is to educate the community first and foremost,” she said.

    Besides Rangers, there are a lot of other people working behind the scenes at DAS too. There is a kennel team who care for the dogs at the shelter. There are also team members who manage adoptions, work with the community and run educational programs.

    “I sometimes think people misunderstand our work. We’re a big team which involves lots of different people doing great things. We’re fortunate to have a lot of dedicated volunteers. They help walk the dogs and enrich their lives while they are with us,” Elly said.

    The next intake of Domestic Animal Services volunteers will be in August. It will bring fresh faces and new energy to the volunteer team.

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    MIL OSI News –