NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fewer than half of U.S. jails provide life-saving medications for opioid use disorder

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release

    Tuesday, September 24, 2024

    NIH findings highlight critical gaps in treatment access in correctional facilities, where almost two-thirds of people have a substance use disorder.

    A new look into addiction treatment availability in the U.S. criminal justice system reveals that fewer than half (43.8%) of 1,028 jails surveyed across the nation offered any form of medication for opioid use disorder, and only 12.8% made these available to anyone with the disorder. With two-thirds of people who are incarcerated in U.S. jails experiencing a substance use disorder — in many cases, an opioid use disorder — the failure to make these medications widely available in criminal justice settings represents a significant missed opportunity to provide life-saving treatments in an environment where people in need of care can be easily reached.

    The study, published in JAMA Network Open and supported by NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), also found that most jails did offer some type of substance use disorder treatment or recovery support (70.1%). The most common reason jails cited for not offering medications for opioid use disorder was lack of adequate licensed staff (indicated by 49.8% of jails). In general, larger jails, those in counties with lower “social vulnerability” (lower levels of poverty and unemployment, and greater education, housing, and transportation access), and those with greater proximity to community-based providers of medications for opioid use disorder were more likely to offer these treatments.

    “Offering substance use disorder treatment in justice settings helps to break the debilitating — and often fatal — cycle of addiction and incarceration,” said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. “Though someone may be in jail for only a short time, connecting them to addiction treatment while they are there is critical to reduce risk of relapse and overdose, and to help them achieve long-term recovery.”

    The criminal justice system is a crucial point of intervention in the overdose crisis. Overdose is the leading cause of death among people returning to their communities after incarceration. A recent county-level study found that 21% of individuals who died of a fatal overdose had been in jail, a facility for short-term stays, where most people are awaiting trial, sentencing, or serving a short sentence.

    Research shows that medications for opioid use disorder — buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone — reduce opioid use, prevent overdose deaths, and support long-term recovery. Among people who were formerly incarcerated, access to these medications during incarceration or at release has been shown to reduce overdose deaths, increase use of community-based treatment, and decrease rates of reincarceration. However, access to medications for opioid use disorder in jails remains limited due to various barriers, including cost, staffing, and regulatory challenges.

    To update current knowledge of addiction treatment gaps in jails across the country, researchers at NORC at the University of Chicago invited a random sample of 2,791 jails to take a survey on availability of medications for opioid use disorder. These jails were selected to be representative of the over 3,500 jails in the U.S. The researchers collected data between June 2022 and April 2023 and received responses from 1,028 jails, 927 of which were included in analysis. More than half of the participating jails (55.6%) were located in non-metropolitan areas, and many jails offered contracted health care services (59.8%).

    The researchers found that more than half of the surveyed jails did not offer medications for opioid use disorder, and that those with direct or hybrid health care services were more likely to provide these medications than those relying on external facilities or with no onsite health care services. For those jails that did offer these medications, buprenorphine was the most commonly provided — available in 69.9% of jails that offered these medications — followed by naltrexone (54.5%) and methadone (46.6%).

    The researchers note that even within the jails that offer medications for opioid use disorder, most often these medications are only made available to people who are pregnant, or to those who were already receiving any of these medications at the time of their arrest. The research team is conducting additional analyses to better understand the barriers to universal medication availability within jails.

    “Data on health care gaps for people who are incarcerated provides a necessary knowledge base to help policymakers, public health officials, researchers, and communities assess where to allocate resources to improve care for opioid use disorder for this population,” said Elizabeth Flanagan Balawajder, senior research associate at NORC at the University of Chicago and the study’s corresponding author. “Our findings suggest that supporting areas such as staff training, infrastructure improvements, and partnerships with community treatment providers are key areas to improve substance use disorder treatment for people in jail.”

    While this study provides the most comprehensive overview to date of the availability of these medications in U.S. jails, its limitations include low rates of jail responses, reliance on self-reported data, and a lack of assessment of the quality or outcomes of addiction treatment programs. Future research will include evaluating the impact of providing these medications on health outcomes for the people in jail, as well as exploring sex, gender, race and ethnicity-related disparities in access to medications for opioid use disorder within the criminal justice system.

    This study was conducted by researchers in the NIDA-funded Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), which is supported through the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative. The study included contributions from experts at the University of Illinois Chicago, Baystate Health, the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate, the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice, the Department of Medicine and Public Health Sciences at the University of Chicago, and NIDA.

    Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services has taken several steps that expand access to medications for opioid use disorder and addiction care to people who are incarcerated. For examples, see new guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, new funding opportunities through the Health Resources and Services Administration, and SAMHSA’s Adult Reentry Program Grants.

    The NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term® and NIH HEAL Initiative® are registered service marks of the Department of Health and Human Services.

    If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).

    About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit www.nida.nih.gov.

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rochester Woman Arrested, Charged with Bilking Elderly Landlord Out of Tens of Thousands of Dollars

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

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nahtahna Castner, 45, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, between July 2020, and February 2023, Castner gained the trust of an elderly Victim in her mid-90’s who allowed her into her home. The Victim owned a duplex and lived on one side, while Castner lived on the other side. Using her position of trust, Castner gained access to the Victim’s personal identifying information and banking information. She then withdrew large sums of cash from ATM’s, often close to the daily ATM limit, conducted wire transfer peer-to-peer payments to her own personal bank account, and made unauthorized purchases using the Victim’s debit card. The complaint states that Castner defrauded the Victim out of approximately $252,672.97 from two different banking institutions. In addition, Castner also used the Victim’s personal identifying information to complete at least three unauthorized credit card applications, which were approved with  credit limits of $2,000, $600, and $500. Castner then used the credit cards and defrauded the three financial institutions out of approximately $3,668.11. Castner used the money she stole from the Victim on a variety of purchases, such as travel, which included a trip to Hawaii, hotels, car repairs, insurance, and car payments.

    On January 6, 2022, the Victim was hospitalized, but her family was not notified and only became aware a few days later. When family arrived, Castner was already there, referring to herself as the Victim’s granddaughter, and making the healthcare decisions on behalf of the Victim. Still unsure of Castner’s full involvement with Victim A and under the impression that she had helped Victim A with various tasks, family members offered to provide some money to Castner for helping the Victim when hospitalized. Castner was adamant that she did not want any money and told them she helped “out of the kindness of her heart.” However, the Victim’s son decided to go to the bank anyway to get money, at which time he became aware that the bank accounts were empty. Castner immediately moved out of the duplex without notice and did not contact any of the Victim’s family again. In speaking with his mother about the missing money, the Victim stated it must have been “Tana.” The Victim passed away on February 23, 2023. Just two months prior, her accounts at the two banking institutions had only approximately $99.59.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Nine Years for Transporting Minor Across State Lines to Engage in Sex Trafficking

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

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Adrian Petty, 29, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of interstate travel for purposes of prostitution, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the case, stated that in September 2020, Petty transported a Minor Victim that he met on Facebook from the State of New York to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, so that the Minor Victim could engage in commercial sex acts in Pennsylvania. Petty admits that he posted online commercial sex advertisements relating to the Minor Victim.

    The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Pittsburgh Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin P. Rojek, with the assistance of the Buffalo Office of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Monroeville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kenneth Cole, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons, and the Erie Crime Analysis Center, under the direction of Director Dennis Richards. Special assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Pennsylvania and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Silinski.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Southern Tier Man and Woman Charged with Production of Child Pornography

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

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that David A. Johnston, 55, of Allegany, NY, and Kayla R. Kio, 26, of Olean, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to produce child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 2, 2024, the New York State were called to Wal-Mart in Olean, for a report of a domestic dispute. Kio reported that she was being stalked and harassed by her ex-boyfriend, Johnston. The two worked together at Wal-Mart. Kio stated that in February 2024, while she was in the process of breaking up with Johnston, he requested that she produce and send to him sexually explicit videos of a 5-year-old child. Troopers seized Kio’s cell phone and recovered multiple videos and images of child pornography.

    On March 13, 2024, the NYSP executed a search warrant at Johnston’s Allegany residence, during which they seized four cell phones and a tablet. Investigators recovered videos of child pornography and sexually explicit communications exchanged between Kio and Johnston. Johnston was charged with Possessing a Sexual Performance of a Child and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, while Kio was charged with Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. In 2007, Johnston was convicted of Indecent Assault and Corruption of Minors in McKean, PA, County Court.

    Johnston and Kio made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. Kio was released on conditions. Johnston is being held pending a detention hearing on September 17, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Stanley Edwards, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID Fraud

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

    BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nina M. Williams, 56, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William, M. Skretny to wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  

    According to court documents, Williams transmitted two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications on behalf of Nimiche Inc. and Nimiche Interiors Inc., a Maryland-based business, along with fraudulent supporting documentation, to a federally insured bank in Buffalo, NY, and a mortgage lending business, which  participated as lenders in the PPP loan program. In May 2020, Williams electronically submitted a PPP loan application to the bank for $97,500, and in April 2021, she electronically submitted a PPP loan application to the mortgage lending business for $432,960.

    Williams falsely claimed that Nimiche Inc. and Nimiche Interiors Inc. had between four and 25 employees and average monthly payrolls of, respectively, $39,000 to $173,185. Williams falsely stated that the loan funds would be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or other proscribed uses under the PPP loan rules. This resulted in the bank issuing $97,500 into Nimiche Inc.’s business account controlled by Williams. However, the funds were not used for business-related expenses. Instead, Williams used some of the funds towards the purchase of real property in Maryland. In addition, the mortgage lending business issued loan proceeds totaling $432,960, into Nimiche Inc.’s business account controlled Williams. Once again, the funds were not used for business-related expenses.

    During the May 2020, through May 2021 time period, Williams worked with others to submit at least five additional fraudulent PPP and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loan applications to the mortgage lending business and another bank. In total, based on the materially false and fraudulent representations contained in the application materials, Williams intended to fraudulently obtain a total of approximately $2.6 million in PPP and EIDL funds, and in fact fraudulently obtained approximately $1.5 million in PPP and EIDL funds.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Corwin Rattler. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly and Trial Attorney Jennifer Bilinkas of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

    Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2024, before Judge Skretny.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Judge Sentences Lexington Man to 15 Years for Engaging in Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country

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

    ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Rogelia Vega Evans, 26, of Lexington, N.C. was sentenced today to 180 months in prison for engaging in sexual contact with a minor by force in Indian Country, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Upon his release from prison, Evans will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, and Chief Carla Neadeau of the Cherokee Indian Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on or about June 18, 2022, Evans sexually abused a child under the age of 12. The minor victim is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band Cherokee Indians (EBCI), and the crime occurred in Indian country, within the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

    On December 18, 2023, Evans pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12 by force.

    Evans remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and the Cherokee Indian Police Department for their investigation of the case, and the High Point Police Department for its assistance with Evans’s arrest.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Child Predator Sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Child Under 12

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

    TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Bryan Stanley Monholland, 59, of Tulsa, for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Monholland to a term of life imprisonment, followed by lifetime term of supervised release. Upon his release, Monholland will also be required to register as a sex offender.

    According to Monhalland’s Petition to Enter Guilty Plea, and subsequent plea of guilty between July 2012 and March 2018, Monholland attempted to and knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a minor child victim who had not attained age 12.

    According to court records, Monholland previously pleaded guilty to Lewd Molestation in 2004 and was required to register as a sex offender. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI, Catoosa Police Department, and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster, Stephanie Ihler, and Christian Harris prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ‘We Knocked Her Out with Some Gummies:’ Coordinator in Unaccompanied Child Smuggling Ring Admits to Conspiring to Smuggle Toddler From Mexico

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

    LAREDO, Texas – A 23-year-old Laredo woman has pleaded guilty to smuggling a young child into the United States for financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

    From August to September 2023, Vanessa Valadez and other family members operated a child smuggling ring working to bring young non-citizen children from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, into the United States. All the children were under the age of five. 

    On the night of Sept. 19, 2023, members of the smuggling ring retrieved a young girl from a stash house which the organization members operated. The co-conspirators smuggled the girl across the border and delivered her to Valadez in downtown Laredo. Co-conspirators then took the child further into the United States and delivered her to unknown people.

    On Sept. 21, 2023, members of the smuggling ring attempted to transport another young girl. However, law enforcement intercepted them following a routine border inspection at the Juarez Lincoln Bridge in Laredo. To carry out their scheme, co-conspirators had sedated the girl with melatonin gummies and used an unlawfully obtained birth certificate to deceive authorities into believing the girl was a family member. 

    According to one of the conspirators, the smuggling ring had attempted to similarly transport at least four girls into the United States, three of whom remain unidentified, and their whereabouts are unknown. Members of the smuggling ring obtained birth certificates of U.S. citizen children to pose as a family unit at ports of entry to the United States. At times, members of the smuggling ring used melatonin gummies to sedate at least one child to ensure a successful smuggling attempt. 

    The investigation revealed one of the co-conspirators sent a text message and an image depicting an unconscious child and a caption, “La noquiamos con unas gomitas,” translated in English as “we knocked her out with some gummies.”

    “This smuggling case ranks among the most chilling we’ve ever seen – involving the systematic trade of transporting young children to unknown final destinations,” said Hamdani. “Let this prosecution serve as a stark warning to all those parents who might consider entrusting a precious child to the care of a criminal organization bent on making money by smuggling vulnerable children – your child could be sedated or drugged . . . or worse.”

    Co-conspirators Ana Laura Bryand, 47, Dallas; her niece Kayla Marie Bryand, 20, Laredo, Jose Eduardo Bryand, 43, Laredo; Nancy Guadalupe Bryand, 44, all of Laredo; and Lizeth Esmeralda Bryand Arredondo, 32, Mexico, previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy. 

    U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentence Jan. 8, 2025. At that time, Valadez faces up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General and FBI. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Terence A. Check Jr. is prosecuting the case with the assistance of AUSA Michael Makens.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cooks Cove — Man wanted on province-wide arrest warrant

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Antigonish County District RCMP is seeking information on the whereabouts of a man currently wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant.

    Clifton Curtis Jordan, 47, from Cooks Cove, is wanted and facing charges of:

    • Sexual Assault
    • Assault by Choking
    • Administering a Noxious Substance
    • Failure to Comply with Conditions

    Jordan is described as 5-foot-10, 260 lbs. He is bald and has brown eyes.

    Investigators have made several attempts to locate Jordan, and are requesting assistance from the public.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Clifton Jordan is asked to refrain from approaching him and to call Antigonish County District RCMP at 902-863-6500. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud a Growing Problem in Maryland

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

    FBI highlights tips to identify investment fraud, prevent losses, and report these crimes

    Cryptocurrency investment fraud, commonly described as “pig butchering,” is one of the most prevalent and damaging fraud schemes today, impacting hundreds of Marylanders each year.

    Scammers, through various means of manipulation, convince victims to deposit more and more money into financial “investments” using cryptocurrency. In truth, these investments are fake; all victim money is under the control of – and ultimately stolen by – criminal actors, usually overseas. As a result, victims typically lose all money they invested.

    According to the FBI’s latest Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) data, there have been almost $54.5 million in losses to cryptocurrency investment scams in Maryland from January to August 2024 with 482 Marylanders reporting these crimes.

    In 2023, 668 Marylanders reported losing $69.1 million dollars to IC3.

    “Bottom line: never trust someone you haven’t met who claims to be an expert and can help you make money through a can’t-miss investment opportunity,” says FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. “We are seeing victims in their 20s and 30s all the way up to our senior citizens who are absolutely devastated by these schemes.”

    Tips to recognize and avoid this scam:

    • If an unknown individual contacts you, do not release any financial or personal identifying information and do not send any money.
    • Do not invest per the advice of someone you meet solely online.
    • Verify the validity of any investment opportunity from strangers or long-lost contacts on social media websites.
    • Be on the lookout for domain names that impersonate legitimate financial institutions, especially cryptocurrency exchanges.
    • Misspelled URLs, often with a slight deviation from the actual financial institutions’ website, may be fake.
    • Do not download or use suspicious looking apps as a tool for investing unless you can verify the legitimacy of the app.
    • If an investment opportunity sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Be cautious of get rich quick schemes.
    • Confirm the validity of any investment opportunity or cryptocurrency investment website or app.
    • If you already invested funds and believe you are a victim of a scheme, do not pay any additional fees or taxes to withdraw your money.
    • Do not pay for services that claim to be able to recover lost funds.

    If you or someone you know may be a victim of a cryptocurrency investment scam, immediately submit a report to ic3.gov or contact the FBI Baltimore field office and provide as much transaction information as possible. Transaction details include cryptocurrency addresses, amount and type of cryptocurrency, date and time, and transaction ID (hash)

    For more information, visit https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/cryptocurrency-investment-fraud.

    To view the latest cryptocurrency fraud stats and trends, read the 2023 IC3 Cryptocurrency Fraud Report.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ERO Boston arrests Guatemalan national charged with sex crime against Massachusetts resident

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NANTUCKET, Mass — Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston apprehended an unlawfully present 41-year-old Guatemalan noncitizen charged with a sex crime against a Nantucket resident. Officers with ERO Boston arrested Felix Alberto Perez-Gomez Sept. 11 in Nantucket.

    “Felix Alberto Perez-Gomez was previously removed from the United States following convictions for reckless driving and reckless endangerment,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. “He then unlawfully reentered the country and made his way to our Nantucket community to apparently commit a sex crime against a resident here. Perez represents a threat to our New England residents that we cannot tolerate. ERO Boston will continue our mission to prioritize public safety by apprehending and removing egregious noncitizen offenders.”

    Perez unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location and without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    ERO arrested Perez June 8, 2011, following his arrest for reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person in Pennsylvania. ERO served Perez with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

    The Upper Makefield District Court convicted Perez July 11, 2011, of reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person and sentenced him to one year of probation.

    On July 29, 2011, a Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Perez removed from the United States to Guatemala.

    ERO removed Perez from the United States to Guatemala Aug. 11, 2011.

    Perez unlawfully reentered the United States at an unknown location on an unknown date and without being admitted, inspected or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    The Nantucket District Court arraigned Perez Aug. 19, 2024, for indecent assault and battery on a person 14 years or older.

    Officers with ERO Boston arrested Perez Sept. 11 in Nantucket. He remains in ERO custody.

    Detainers are critical public safety tools because they focus enforcement resources on removable noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity. Detainers increase the safety of all parties involved — ERO personnel, law enforcement officials, removable noncitizens and the public — by allowing an arrest to be made in a secure and controlled custodial setting as opposed to at-large within the community. Because detainers result in the direct transfer of a noncitizen from state or local custody to ERO custody, they also minimize the potential that an individual will reoffend. Additionally, detainers conserve scarce government resources by allowing ERO to take criminal noncitizens into custody directly rather than expending resources locating these individuals at-large.

    ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Executive Office for Immigration Review is a separate entity from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

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

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Drones provide vital support at Victorious Festival

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Trials continuing in drone as first responder initiative

    August saw the latest trial in drone as first responder (DFR) technology with a team from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police Joint Operations Unit demonstrating its capabilities against challenging weather conditions at the Victorious Music Festival in Portsmouth.

    Operating under visual line of sight (VLOS) and coordinating with a second safety pilot, the team ensured high safety standards to mitigate air and ground risk while navigating through Class G airspace alongside other air assets including the coastguard helicopter and aeroplane and the event security drone team.

    NPCC BVLOS lead for Hampshire & IOW Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, Chris Stagg, said:

    “Following on from our initial testing at the Isle of Wight Festival in June, our efforts in Portsmouth at the Victorious Music Festival have brought us one step closer to realising our shared vision of using DFR in support of policing operations. The festival provided a dynamic setting to assess a temporary DFR site setups for large scale events as well as operations within an urban environment.

    “The exposed seafront location also gave us the benefit of understanding how strong winds affected the drone when landing autonomously. Whilst the drone remained safe and dry in the box during some extremely strong winds and heavy rain, it did highlight the potential need for a bespoke purpose made drone that has both the capability and redundancy to stand up to harsh environments. Policing needs to be able to operate safely in adverse weather conditions across the country.

    “As we move forward, our focus remains on safety and adaptability in adverse weather especially as we move towards the winter months, ensuring that our emergency response capabilities are not just effective but also safe and reliable when it matters most.”

    DFR promises to transform the response to 999 calls. By getting to the scene of any incident in an urban or rural fringe environment within minutes and providing a bird’s eye view directly into a force’s incident room, the emergency response can be much better tailored. Not only will this support in delivering a faster and more efficient emergency response but the real-time view it provides will enhance both public and officer safety.

    The Victorious Festival trial is one of four DFR trials taking place this year as part of the National Police Chief’s Council’s Drone Programme. This programme investigates how to get the most out of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and autonomous drone flight for policing purposes, leveraging resources to best effect and helping to protect the public across England and Wales.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Saskatchewan Rejects Federal Oil and Gas Emissions Cap and Methane 75 Regulations

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on September 24, 2024

    Province Would Face Royalty and Tax Revenue Losses up to $7 Billion, Lost Government Revenues of $43 Billion, and up to 34,000 Job Losses by 2050, According to Independent Report

    In its new independent report, the Saskatchewan Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal has found that the federal oil and gas emissions cap and federal Methane 75 regulations would cause substantial economic damage to Saskatchewan.

    By 2050, with production caps and methane mandates in place, Saskatchewan’s oil production would fall by between 38 and 52 per cent, the province would face cumulative royalty and tax revenue losses of between $4.8 and $7.1 billion, and total lost government revenues would be up to $43.3 billion, according to the independent Report.

    “The Tribunal has, in several cases, relied on the same experts as the federal government and presented undeniable, quantitative data that these two federal mandates would be economically devastating to Saskatchewan,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre said. “These mandates will lead to industrial winners and losers across the country and represent a sweeping constitutional overreach into the province’s exclusive jurisdiction over natural resources. This report arms us with additional, independent evidence to constitutionally challenge the two mandates.”

    The Report also found that, with these federal mandates in place, Saskatchewan’s economy would contract by 4.3 per cent by 2030, by 6.4 per cent by 2050, and that there would be a cumulative GDP impact by 2050 of $230 billion. Employment losses by 2050, relative to the status quo, would range from between 12,800 and 34,000 people.

    “The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada (EPAC) remains fundamentally opposed to the imposition of a federal emissions cap on Canadian oil and gas production,” EPAC President and CEO Tristan Goodman said. “This is unnecessary and unacceptable given Canadian producers’ ongoing efforts to reduce emissions. A federal emissions cap will introduce further investment uncertainty and has a likelihood of being found unconstitutional as seen in recent Supreme Court decisions. EPAC supports the goal of reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and we believe this is strictly provincial jurisdiction. We look forward to working with the province of Saskatchewan to achieve their methane emissions reduction target. Federal intervention is not required.”

    These two mandates will also not reduce any global emissions, according to the Report, and production cuts in Canada will simply be back-filled by jurisdictions with weaker environmental standards. Between 2015 and 2023, provincially-regulated methane emissions in Saskatchewan fell by two-thirds.

    The Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal conducted its analysis and developed this report under the authority of The Saskatchewan First Act, which came into force in September 15, 2023. The Report was released yesterday and can be accessed within the background documents at the bottom of this page.

    Additional information about the Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal can be found at:

    https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2023/november/28/government-announces-first-impact-assessment-tribunal.

    https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2024/april/08/media-advisory.

    The Government of Saskatchewan would like to thank the Economic Assessment Tribunal for its independent, in-depth report. Members of the Tribunal are as follows:

    • Michael W. Milani (Chair);
    • Dr. Janice MacKinnon (Vice-Chair);
    • Kenneth From;
    • Dr. Stuart Smyth; and 
    • Estella Petersen.

    • Michael Milani, KC (Chair) is a senior partner (commercial and insolvency) at McDougall Gauley in Regina. Mr. Milani has previously served as Estey Chair in Business Law at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law, as President of the Law Society and Federation of Law Societies of Canada, and is the current Chair of the Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan. In a legal capacity, he has undertaken various green energy projects for SaskPower, including negotiating power purchase agreements for wind and solar energy, as well as agreements for the engineering, procurement and construction of combined cycle gas plants.
    • Dr. Janice MacKinnon (Vice-Chair) is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, member of the Order of Canada, and former Saskatchewan Finance Minister. In 2017, she was appointed to the federal advisory panel on NAFTA and the Environment and, in 2019, was appointed by former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to chair the Blue Ribbon panel on Alberta’s finances. She is a Professor of fiscal policy at the School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan and a senior fellow and member of the National Council at the C.D Howe Institute.
    • Kenneth From is the former President and CEO of SaskEnergy. He is also a former CEO of the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) and the Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan (TSASK). Mr. From also previously served as an officer and director of Raven Oil Corporation from 2012-2016 and as President of Prairie Hunter Energy Corporation. A professional engineer, he was President (2003-2004) of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS).
    • Dr. Stuart Smyth is a professor at the University of Saskatchewan in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. His research focuses on sustainability, agriculture and innovation. As U of S Agri-Food Innovation and Sustainability Enhancement Chair, Dr. Smyth has published over 100 academic articles and is recognized as a leading expert on barriers to innovation and regulatory efficiency.
    • Estella Peterson is an oil sands heavy equipment operator in Fort McMurray, AB. Originally from Saskatchewan and Treaty 4 Cowesess First Nation, Estella is part of Suncor Energy’s Aboriginal Ambassador program and is a freelance contributor, including to The Globe and Mail, on the economic importance of the natural resources sector to Indigenous communities.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Huffman, Obernolte Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Wildfire Resiliency

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    September 24, 2024

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act to help local communities defend themselves from the growing danger of wildfires. This bill will empower communities to implement science-based methods for mitigating wildfire damage and provide funding to design and implement new Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Plans with community members, first responders, and relevant state agencies.

    “As our country grapples with the climate crisis, catastrophic wildfires have become an existential threat to the safety of our communities. California has been on the frontlines – with five of the six largest fires in the state’s history occurring in 2020 alone. The government should treat these natural disasters the same way as any other, providing resources and empowering communities to build resiliency,” said Representative Huffman. “My legislation builds on the investments we made last Congress so we can prepare our communities for worst-case scenarios while working to address the build-up of issues that make wildfires so much more destructive than ever before.”

    “Wildfires are becoming increasingly frequent and have devastated millions of acres across the West, endangering lives, property, and critical infrastructure,” said Representative Jay Obernolte. “Our local communities are best positioned to understand their own needs and challenges, and the Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act empowers them to take a proactive and coordinated approach to wildfire protection.”

    Provisions from Rep. Huffman’s bill, formerly known as the Wildfire Defense Act, were included in President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This included the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program, which helps communities, tribes, non-profit organizations, state forestry agencies, and Alaska Native corporations plan for and mitigate wildfire risks as the nation faces an ongoing wildfire crisis. USDA’s Forest Service worked with states and tribes through an interagency workgroup to develop the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program, originally announced in June of 2022. Grant proposals underwent a competitive selection process that included review panels made up of state forestry agencies and tribal representatives.

    Today’s bill builds on this success and goes even further by designating a targeted, specific grant program for home hardening within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and adds home hardening as an allowable project under the USFS program.

    “The Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act will promote community resilience in the places most at-risk from wildfire. We are pleased to see Representative Huffman and Senator Harris take decisive action to address the challenges posed by climate change and fire management. We hope other members of Congress will follow their lead,” said Ryan Henson, Policy Director for the CalWild.

    “Climate change is exacerbating wildfires, and we need to protect homes, families, and communities across the country,” said Earthjustice Senior Legislative Representative, Blaine Miller-McFeeley. “This legislation understands that mitigating wildfire risks must be grounded in the soundest science-based methods available while providing impacted communities with the resources they need to prepare for wildfire threats. In the face of worsening wildfires, we thank Rep. Huffman for making investments in community resiliency efforts.” 

    “The Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act is common sense legislation that encourages communities to work together to reduce wildfire risk near homes and communities.  In particular, prioritizing wildfire risk reduction that utilizes local workers and contractors will ensure that the economic benefits of resilience treatments flow to local communities, resulting in a win-win for people and the forest.”  Susan Jane Brown, Principal, Silvix Resources.

    Anna Medema, Associate Director of Legislative and Administrative Advocacy, Forests and Public Lands at Sierra Club said, “With the effects of the climate crisis only becoming more serious, it’s vital that we create and support fire-smart communities. From education and funding to community-scale planning, we need to make sure that the most at-risk places have the resources to help. The Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act will go a long way towards making our communities safer and protecting first responders.”

    “This bill would help communities adapt to extreme wildfire, a crisis supercharged by climate change,” said Bart Johnsen-Harris, Director of Federal Climate Change Policy at Trust for Public Land. “We applaud Congressman Huffman’s focus on bolstering resilience, which is critical to protecting people’s lives, their homes, businesses and communities.”

    “We thank Representative Huffman for this science-based bill that far surpasses others relying on the simplistic and false notion that logging our nation’s forests is the answer to managing wildfire,” said Robert Dewey, Vice President of Government Relations at Defenders of Wildlife. “Supporting healthy biodiverse ecosystems is the best way to increase our nation’s resiliency against the climate crisis and uncharacteristic wildfires.” 

    “The Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act embodies the crucial shift our agencies must take—moving from broad, misguided forest management strategies deep in the wildlands to a focus on defending communities and safeguarding lives. True wildfire preparedness starts with protecting homes, infrastructure, and the people who live there, not with logging far-off forests. This is the science-backed approach that saves lives and homes by emphasizing defensible space, home hardening, early detection, and community-driven planning,” said Jennifer Mamola, Advocacy and Policy Director for John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute 

    Specifically, the bipartisan Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act will invest $1 billion per year to:

    • Establish guidelines for communities to conceptualize new Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Plans (CPWRP) that are developed in coordination with community members, first responders, and relevant state agencies. CPWRPs will focus on implementing strategies and activities relating to:
      • Improving early detection technology, public outreach and education, alerts and warnings, evacuation planning, evacuation execution, and access for first responders
      • Addressing vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with disabilities
      • Hardening critical infrastructure and homes
      • Applying community-scale defensible space across contiguous areas
      • Building local capacity to implement and oversee the plan
      • Deploying distributed energy resources like microgrids with battery storage
      • Implementing strategic land use planning
      • Educating community members
      • Coordinating with existing wildfire plans like a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
    • Provide grants of up to $250,000 to develop a CPWRP and grants of up to $10 million to implement a CPWRP
      • Grants will be prioritized for low-income communities that are at high risk for fire or wildfire and communities recently impacted by a major wildfire.
    • Complete a report on all federal authorities and programs to protect communities from wildfires. 
    • Study how a CPWRP could be used as certification for insurance companies assessing community resilience.
    • Continuously update wildfire hazard maps.
    • Assess impediments to emergency radio communications across departments and agencies.
    • Allow for structure hardening to be covered under existing community wildfire protection programs.

    The bill is endorsed by Earthjustice, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Silvix Resources, Defenders of Wildlife, Trust for Public Land, Natural Resources Defense Council, John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute, Wild Heritage, Unite the Parks, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Feather River Action!, Forests Forever, Climate Communications Coalition, Heartwood, Tahoe Forests Matter, Eco-Integrity Alliance, Friends of the Clearwater, and Sonoma County Climate Activist Network (SoCoCAN!, a network of 50+ Sonoma County climate groups and over 300 individuals).

    Additional Resources

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Read More (Maryland Congressional Delegation Members Press NASA for Answers on OSAM-1 Mission)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Trone

    September 19, 2024

    WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) wrote to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Bill Nelson, pressing the agency for answers on its decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) robotic satellite maintenance mission, even after the lawmakers provided $227 million through fiscal year 2024 appropriations legislation to ensure its launch in 2026. The lawmakers also have been working to secure continued funding in the next fiscal year. The OSAM-1 mission, developed at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, was expected to offer operators new ways to maintain their satellite fleets more efficiently and help mitigate space debris. In their letter, the Maryland Congressional Delegation members ask Administrator Nelson for a detailed accounting of the review process that led to the cancellation as well as the plan to utilize the nearly complete OSAM-1 satellite.

    “As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024. OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space,” the lawmakers began. “This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. […] There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions.”

    “On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” they continued, citing their work to preserve the mission and keep it on track for launch in 2026.

    “It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan,” pointing to further progress in resolving these issues.

    The Delegation members conclude their letter noting, however, “On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission.” Following this they underscore, “we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process,” and go on to ask for answers to a series of questions surrounding the decision, to be received no later than Monday, September 23.

    Full text of the letter is below and here.

    Dear Administrator Nelson:

    As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024.

    OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space. Capabilities that OSAM-1 seeks to demonstrate include rendezvous, autonomous capture, servicing and refueling in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with spacecraft not built for these purposes, as well as relocation of spacecraft and on-orbit assembly and manufacturing. This technology will grant satellite operators new ways to manage their fleets more efficiently and will help mitigate growing concerns about space debris. This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. We are currently witnessing a commercial boom in space launches, and it is critical that NASA commits to the priority of controlling the growth of orbital debris, especially during a time when private actors may not feel incentivized to do so. Furthermore, defense stakeholders have expressed growing interest in space servicing, mobility, and logistics competencies to conduct dynamic space operations in support of national security interests. There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within U.S. public or commercial missions.

    On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42):

    On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing-] (OSAM-1).-ln lieu of the Senate report language, the agreement provides $227,000,000 for OSAM-1 to adjust the mission to ensure a 2026 launch within the cost profile assumed in the fiscal year 2024 budget request. Consistent with recommendations by the OSAM-1 Standing Review Board, NASA is directed to reduce testing requirements and make the necessary technical decisions, including potential de-scoping of some non-essential capabilities, to meet these launch and budget requirements. If this is not possible, NASA should initiate another Continuation Review in September 2024. Further, NASA is directed to work with the Department of Defense on a plan for a potential use, as practicable, of OSAM-1 for space mobility capability, and to provide the Committees with the plan not later than 180 days after enactment of this act.

    It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan.

    On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission. NASA officials cited feasibility of the 2026 launch plan, risk tolerance, lack of interest from potential partners per verbal communication, return on investment, and interest in expanding other Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) priorities. The Delegation wishes to note that return on investment and other STMD priorities are extraneous factors that Congress did not include in its direction. Furthermore, we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process.

    In order to assesses the Agency’s cancelation decision, we request the following information by September 23, 2024.

    1. A copy of the 2026 launch plan.
    2. A copy of the close-out plan.
    3. The execution status of the mission as of the September 4th cancelation announcement.
    4. The number of NASA civil servants and number of contractors associated with OSAM-1 as of the September 4th cancelation announcement.
    5. The remaining cost-to-go if the mission were to proceed with the 2026 launch plan.
    6. The estimated close-out and shutdown costs if the mission were canceled.
    7. An explanation of the risk criteria in assessing the 2026 plan and a comparison to the standard risk criteria for a technology demonstration.
    8. An explanation of where the project team and NASA disagreed in terms of executability and credibility of the 2026 launch plan.
    9. A description of the review process conducted of the 2026 launch plan after the February 2024 Standing Review Board report and minutes from internal reviews and external independent reviews including, but not limited to, the May 2024 Space Technology Mission Directorate Program Management Council Review. If there was no external independent review conducted, please explain why that was the case.
    10. The timeline of the Continuation Review process, including dates of relevant meetings. If the Continuation Review process was initiated before September, in contradiction of Congressional direction, please provide an explanation as to why the Agency expedited the timeline.
    11. A description of the Agency’s efforts to work with the Department of Defense on potential use or partnership for OSAM-1 spaceflight hardware, test facilities, and personnel; not to include the existing Inter-Agency Agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for work on a partnership with the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) project.
    12. An explanation of the Agency’s decision to delay issuing a Request for Interest to potential partners until after the September 4th cancelation announcement.
    13. A description of the Agency’s plan to retain as much of the OSAM-1 workforce as possible should the cancelation proceed.
    14. A description of the Agency’s commitment to the success of current and future missions at NASA Goddard.

    We thank you for your diligence and timely response to our request.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Emergency Physician Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

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

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former medical director at an Ohio health care system pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to possessing child pornography.

    Garrett Norvell, 44, of Westerville, was charged by a bill of information and appeared in federal court this morning to enter his guilty plea.

    According to court documents, in June 2020, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted an international investigation targeting offenders who used dark web sites and forums dedicated to the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

    HSI Boston and the FBI obtained information from Norvell’s IP address that showed that, in April 2019, Norvell had an account username and password for a website that offered child pornography of girls 4 to 14 years old.

    At the time of the investigation, Norvell served as the medical director of OhioHealth in Ashland, Ohio. He previously worked as an emergency medicine physician at OhioHealth.

    In February 2022, agents with HSI and the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force executed a search warrant on Norvell’s person at the Emergency Care Center at OhioHealth in Ashland and seized his phone, laptop, tablet and a thumb drive. Less than a week later, Norvell was removed from all OhioHealth services and facilities and a State Medical Board of Ohio investigation was initiated. In March 2022, Norvell permanently surrendered his license to practice medicine in Ohio.

    Forensic analysis of Norvell’s electronics revealed at least 18 files of child pornography, including “Pre-Teen Hard Core” content.

    Norvell admitted had an addiction to child pornography and had been watching child pornography since he was approximately 21 years old. He said in interviews that the youngest victim he had viewed in a pornographic setting was an infant.

    Norvell pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography of prepubescent minors, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

    Congress sets the maximum statutory sentences, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Detroit; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Cincinnati; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; Stephanie Loucka, Executive Director of the Ohio State Medical Board; and other members of the Franklin County ICAC Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill are representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Announce Nearly A Million Dollars in Federal Funding for Nevada Law Enforcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    This Funding Will Be Used By Law Enforcement Agencies To Hire More Officers, Purchase Essential Equipment, And Invest In Officer Mental Health
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) announced nearly one million dollars in federal funding for law enforcement agencies across Nevada to help them hire more officers, purchase essential equipment, and invest in officer mental health. The funding for these awards is made through the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, Tribal Resources Grant Program, and Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA), all of which offer various grant programs to support state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies. Earlier this year, Rosen-backed bipartisan legislation to expand the COPS Hiring Program was signed into law.
    “Nevada law enforcement works around the clock to fight crime, respond to emergencies, and keep our communities safe. That’s why I’ve been working across the aisle in the Senate to support them with the federal resources they need to do their jobs effectively and maintain their well-being,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to announce this federal funding is coming to law enforcement agencies across our state to help hire more officers, purchase equipment, and improve officer mental health and wellness.”
    “From hiring more police officers and purchasing new equipment to funding mental health programs, I’ll always fight to support our law enforcement,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The COPS Office has a long history of helping keep our communities safe, and I’m proud of my work to bring as many of these resources as possible into the Silver State.”
    “I would like to thank Senator Rosen and our entire congressional delegation for their continued support in protecting the citizens and businesses of Sparks,” said Sparks Police Chief Chris Crawford. “This will allow the Sparks Police Department to build a team of officers to improve upon our crime reduction strategies.”
    “This grant will enhance the City’s ongoing commitment to providing vital mental health and wellness services to the men and women of the Henderson Police Department. We are grateful to Senator Rosen and the other members of Nevada’s congressional delegation for their support of our grant application and for this funding which will be used to assist officers and their families as they approach retirement and prepare to successfully transition from their law enforcement careers,” said Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero. “Studies have shown that police officers may be at a greater risk of experiencing challenges related to their mental well-being as they get ready to retire and this grant will help ensure we are offering those who serve and protect our community the full assistance they and their families need.”
    “The Lovelock Paiute Tribal Police Department is excited to announce that we have been selected and awarded the US DOJ COPS grant,” said Lovelock Colony Chief of Police Jeff G. Perry. “With the collaborative effort of our Tribal Police Department, Lovelock Paiute Tribal Council, Tribal Administrator, the grant award will be utilized to sufficiently staff 24-hour service to the Lovelock Indian Colony. This will increase safety efforts along with our proposed Lovelock Indian Colony Camera Program (LICCP). Our camera program will significantly reduce criminal activity and trespassing on the colony along with better staffing support towards future community policing services. These interactions will be positive and proactive in ways that build trust and cooperation among the residents and all who visit the Lovelock Indian Colony. Our proposal is to re-establish all components of the neighborhood watch program. Officers will again utilize teams, zones, area captains and area officers. In addition, this program will help to reduce the non-tribal criminal activity on the colony. Without this funding, we could not have achieved to operate at this capacity and continue our community-oriented policing efforts to greatly reduce criminal activity.”
    The awards are being distributed as follows:
    $500,000 from the COPS Hiring Program for the Sparks Police Department to hire more officers.
    $353,063 from the Tribal Resources Grant Program for the Lovelock Paiute Tribe to hire officers and invest in equipment.
    $43,308 from the LEMHWA Program for the City of Henderson’s mental health and wellness projects for law enforcement officers.
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have been advocating to ensure Nevada’s law enforcement community has the resources it needs. Last year, they announced more than $1 million in COPS funding for Nevada law enforcement and public safety. Last month, they also highlighted nearly $1 million in federal community project funding they secured to provide mental health training and support to thousands of firefighters, law enforcement officers, and first responders. Earlier this month, bipartisan legislation that Senator Rosen co-sponsored to fund family support and mental health services for law enforcement officers passed the Senate. Senator Cortez Masto’s bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide mental health resources to police officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Van Hollen Urge Federal Housing Finance Agency to Implement Energy-Efficient Building Codes for New Federally-Backed Homes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in sending a letter to Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Sandra Thompson urging the Agency to require that new homes with mortgages backed by government-sponsored enterprises, such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae, meet up-to-date building codes for energy efficiency. In their letter, the Senators ask Director Thompson for an updated timeline for a decision, while calling on FHFA to act swiftly in order to improve home energy efficiency and ultimately save Granite State homeowners and renters money.

    The Senators wrote, in part: “Aligning new home energy standards with updated model codes will save money for homeowners and renters across the country. HUD and USDA found that the increased initial costs of construction are more than made up for by lower monthly energy costs. […] Beyond these financial benefits, updated codes help save lives by protecting families from the impacts of extreme weather events, particularly utility outages during heat waves and cold snaps. Updated energy codes can also yield better indoor air quality and reduce exposure to pollutants that can have negative health impacts including asthma, heart disease and lung cancer.”

    They continued: “This year is an ideal time for FHFA to make these changes. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act provided over $1.2 billion of federal funding to help states and localities update their building codes. Already, multiple state and local governments, as well as HUD and USDA have adopted the updated building codes.”

    The Senators concluded: “We urge you to move quickly to adopt modern energy standards for new homes utilizing Enterprise-backed mortgages to align with other federally backed housing construction, and ask you for an update on your timeline for taking this action. These standards will support a stable, efficient housing market by reducing wasted energy, improving health outcomes, and lowering costs for both renters and homeowners across the country.”

    The letter was cosigned by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Peter Welch (D-VT). This letter is supported by Americans for Financial Reform, Rocky Mountain Institute, and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

    The full letter text can be found here.

    Shaheen has championed work to secure federal investments in clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives and to lower energy costs across New Hampshire, especially by fighting for updated building energy codes standards. Earlier this year, Shaheen sent a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) urging it to require that new homes with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac meet up-to-date building codes for energy efficiency. The Senator also recently applauded action by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to adopt updated Minimum Energy Standards for new single and multifamily federally-backed homes.

    Shaheen was a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made huge investments in clean energy, including $225 million to support the adoption and implementation of updated building energy codes based upon her longstanding bipartisan legislation with Senator Rob Portman. Shaheen also helped secure $1 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act, of which New Hampshire is eligible for nearly $2.5 million to support modern code adoption, implementation, enforcement, training and workforce development. Shaheen recently wrote an op-ed in the Union Leader urging the State of New Hampshire to adopt the latest building energy codes and use this federal funding.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Bipartisan Group Of Senators Urge Supreme Court To Maintain Strength Of Landmark Criminal Justice Reform Provision in HEWITT V. U.S.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    09.23.24

    In an amicus brief, the Senators encourage the justices to reject a Fifth Circuit interpretation that narrows the scope of a First Step Act provision reducing the length of mandatory minimums and modifying minimum sentencing enhancements

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led fellow Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Mike Lee (R-UT) in submitting an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in Hewitt v. United States. The brief deals with the Senators’ landmark 2018 bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation—the First Step Act (FSA)—and provisions reducing the length of mandatory minimums and modifying minimum sentencing enhancements.

    The Supreme Court granted certiorari in Hewitt and Duffey on July 2, 2024, and consolidated the two cases, both of which arise out of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In the brief, the Senators encourage the Court to clarify Section 403 applies to defendants who were sentenced before the Act was passed but whose cases were vacated and remanded for resentencing after the Act was enacted. Federal circuit courts are split on this question, which could lead to radically different sentences for similarly-situated defendants.

    The Senators said: “The answer, unequivocally, is yes.”

    The Senators continued, writing: “In designing the First Step Act, Congress sought to ensure that individuals who committed an offense before the Act was enacted, but who were not yet subject to a sentence for that offense, would benefit from Section 403. That group, as Congress conceived of it, includes both individuals facing an initial sentencing proceeding as well as individuals facing resentencing following vacatur of a prior sentence.”

    The Senators urged the Supreme Court to reject the Fifth Circuit’s faulty interpretation, writing: “There is no principled basis, much less a textual basis, on which to differentiate between defendants whose prior sentences were vacated and those being sentenced for the first time. The interpretation adopted by the Fifth Circuit, which the Executive Branch itself rejects, is flatly inconsistent with the concept of vacatur, finds no support in the First Step Act’s text, contradicts the purpose of the Act, and produces outcomes that undermine the fairness and legitimacy of the criminal justice system. This reading of Section 403 is inconsistent with Congress’ intent as reflected in its chosen text.”

    Click here for the Senators’ full amicus brief.

    Championed by Durbin, Grassley, Booker, and Lee, the First Step Act was signed into law in 2018 and serves as a beacon for “smart on crime” policies. The law makes the Fair Sentencing Act’s reforms retroactive, as well as:

    • Requires the Department of Justice to develop a risk and needs assessment system to assess the recidivism risk of all prisoners, place them in programs and activities to reduce risk, and permit early transition into prerelease custody based on earned time credits;
    • Reduces mandatory minimum sentences for some drug trafficking offenses;
    • Expands the safety valve to allow judges to sentence low-level, nonviolent drug offenders with minor criminal histories to less than the required mandatory minimums; and
    • Authorizes incarcerated individuals to file compassionate release motions in federal court.

    As noted at a hearing earlier this year, these reforms have been tremendously successful. Of the 44,671 incarcerated adults released under First Step Act reforms through January 2024, only 9.7 percent have been arrested for new crimes. By comparison, the overall Bureau of Prisons recidivism rate currently stands at around 43 percent. To date, there have been 4,146 retroactive sentence reductions and 4,756 compassionate release motions granted.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta’s Sponsored Bill to Solve More Crime Through Forensics Services Signed into Law

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    Tuesday, September 24, 2024

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

     

    AB 3042 extends the sunset on Proposition 69, the “DNA Fingerprint, Unsolved Crime and Innocence Protection Act” which directs funding from criminal fines to bolster essential crime-solving DNA services

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement after Assembly Bill 3042 (AB 3042) was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. Authored by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D – Elk Grove), AB 3042 ensures DOJ will be able to continue to provide important forensic DNA services with funding through updates to Proposition 69, the “DNA Fingerprint, Unsolved Crime and Innocence Protection Act.” The bill also extends the sunset date for Proposition 69 and directs funding from criminal fines to support essential crime-solving DNA programs both at DOJ and local law enforcement agencies. 

    “I am very proud of the important work that is done in our Bureau of Forensic Services and will continue to be done thanks to this new law,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The Bureau receives crucial funding through Proposition 69, and AB 3024 will ensure that Proposition 69 remains in place to support our efforts to solve crime through forensic services. I want to thank Assemblymember Nguyen, our legislative partners and Governor Newsom for their work toward this important goal.”

    “I would never feel safe knowing someone who has harmed me or my loved ones are still out there,” said Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen. “I am proud to author AB 3042 in collaboration with Attorney General Bonta to continue key funding to better support public safety in our communities as well as exonerating the innocent.”

    Voters approved Proposition 69 in November 2004. Proposition 69 specifically directs money from criminal fines to be allocated towards funding the CAL-DNA Data Bank program which helps to solve violent crimes both at local public crime laboratories and within DOJ itself using the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). In another provision of Proposition 69, the CAL-DNA Data Bank also assists with the identification of missing and unidentified persons, including abducted children, using separate Missing Person CODIS databases. Historically, DOJ has received more than $74 million through Prop. 69 over a span of two decades. However, this proposition included a sunset date that would terminate funding collection after twenty years. AB 3042 sought to extend the sunset date to establish a steady source of revenue outside of the General Fund that will support DNA testing programs at both state and local levels. 

    AB 3042 was supported by California Association of Crime Laboratory Directors, California District Attorneys Association, California State Sheriffs’ Association, County of Kern County Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

    The text of the legislation is available here. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Providing Sustainable Power for 123,000 More Homes

    Source: US State of New York

    In celebration of Climate Week, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission has issued final siting permits for the Rich Road Solar Energy Center and Prattsburgh Wind LLC projects. The solar farm and the wind farm, located in St. Lawrence County and Steuben County, respectively, will bring a combined 387 megawatts of clean, renewable energy to New York’s electric grid, powering more than 123,000 average-sized homes. Both facilities will contribute significantly to the State’s ambitious climate goals while providing economic benefits to local communities.

    “These two massive renewable energy projects are prime examples of our progress in transitioning to a clean energy economy,” Governor Hochul said. “With the issuance of these siting permits, we are creating good-paying jobs in the North Country and the Southern Tier, while providing clean sustainable energy for our families and businesses.”

    The Rich Road Solar project developers estimate that the 240 MW solar farm—which will be supplemented with an additional 20 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) located in the Town of Canton, St. Lawrence County—will generate clean energy capable of powering more than 61,000 average-sized homes. The Prattsburgh wind farm, a 147 MW wind project spanning the Towns of Prattsburgh, Avoca, Cohocton, Howard, and Wheeler in Steuben County, will produce enough power for an estimated 62,000 homes according to its developers.

    Today’s announcement marks the second and third major renewable energy facility permits issued by ORES this month. Together, the projects bring the total number of ORES-approved large-scale renewable energy projects to 18 since 2021, representing over 2.7 gigawatts of clean energy. The approvals come during New York’s Climate Week, highlighting the State’s continued leadership in advancing clean energy initiatives and reinforcing its commitment to working toward the State’s climate goals.

    Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission Interim Executive Director Jessica Waldorf said, “Today’s announcement demonstrates the State’s continued commitment to a clean energy transition and the responsible siting and development of renewable energy resources. ORES’ issuance of the permits of the Rich Road Solar Energy Center and Prattsburgh Wind LLC projects will support the delivery of significant amounts of clean energy to the electric grid and local community benefits, while mitigating significant adverse environmental impacts.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “The implementation of wind and solar developments like the projects announced today in St. Lawrence and Steuben counties is a critical part of Governor Hochul’s commitment to advancing a clean energy economy and achieving the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. DEC commends the Governor and ORES for their efforts to accelerate green energy deployment and address the challenges of climate change to ensure a greener future for all New Yorkers.”

    Alliance for Clean Energy New York Executive Director Marguerite Wells said, “Every megawatt of clean energy that comes online is a win for New Yorkers in the fight against climate change, and brings lasting economic benefits to our state. We thank the state and ORES for granting these siting permits and we look forward to the day the switch is flipped and power flows from these important projects.”

    New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe said, “With the impacts of climate change growing more dire by the day, we can no longer afford to just talk about renewable energy, we need to deliver real projects on the ground, and that’s why we’re thrilled to see Governor Hochul and the team at ORES approve the Rich Road Solar Energy Center and Prattsburgh Wind projects. Together, their promise of 387 megawatts of clean energy mark another important step on New York’s path to meeting our CLCPA obligations and transitioning to the clean energy economy we need.”

    The application for the Rich Road solar farm was deemed complete on January 3 and a draft permit was issued by ORES on March 4. A thorough, timely, and transparent review process followed that included a public comment period and hearing. The facility will feature three ground-mounted solar PV arrays on single-axis tracker racking systems, a 34.5 kilovolt (kV) to 345 kV collection substation, and a point of interconnection switchyard. Construction of the facility will create more than 300 full-time jobs, with four permanent positions during operation. The project is expected to provide $24 million in direct payments to the Town of Canton, St. Lawrence County, and local school districts over the next 35 years.

    The application for the Prattsburgh wind farm was deemed complete on October 30, 2023, with a draft permit issued by ORES on December 29, 2023. The project will encompass 36 wind turbines and related infrastructure across approximately 53 acres of primarily rural land. The project will generate more than $1.2 million annually in tax revenue for local municipalities and over $500,000 in direct lease and neighbor agreement payments to landowners. Additionally, it will create 81 on-site jobs during construction and eight full-time positions during operation.

    Both projects are integral to New York’s broader strategy to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s targets, which mandate 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and a zero-emissions electricity sector by 2040. Additionally, both projects were approved in less than the one-year timeframe required under the law.

    For more information about the Rich Road Solar and Prattsburgh Wind projects, as well as other ORES-permitted facilities, visit the ORES website.

    New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan

    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that a minimum of 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path toward a zero emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $28 billion in 61 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 400 registered and more than 130 certified Climate Smart Communities, over 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada launches Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    OTTAWA, September 24, 2024

    Canada, like elsewhere around the world, has seen a rise in hate both on the streets and online in recent years. The federal government is committed to doing whatever it takes to protect everyone living in Canada as well as the resilient and diverse communities across the country to ensure that all can thrive while being their authentic self.

    The rise in hate incidents has disproportionately affected Indigenous Peoples; Black, racialized, religious minorities, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities; women; and persons with disabilities. Hate not only harms those directly targeted but also impacts the broader Canadian society, undermining social cohesion and posing a threat to national security.

    That’s why today, the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, unveiled Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The Action Plan represents Canada’s first-ever comprehensive cross-government effort to combat hate. It brings together 20 key federal initiatives grounded on three pillars:

    • Empower communities to identify and prevent hate;
    • Support victims and survivors, and protect communities; and
    • Build community trust, partnerships and institutional readiness.

    The Action Plan invests $273.6 million over six years, and $29.3 million ongoing, to tackle hatred from multiple angles. It includes increasing support to victims and survivors, helping communities prevent, address and protect people from hate; enhancing research and data collection; providing greater resources for law enforcement; and raising public awareness.

    Everyone has a right to be safe and treated with dignity. We will collaborate with provincial, territorial and international governments, as well as First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, and cities and communities across Canada to make this happen. Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate will help us continue building a safer and more inclusive Canada where everyone can succeed, regardless of who they are, who they love or what they believe in.

    Quotes

    “Everyone has the right to feel safe, regardless of who they are, what they look like or what they believe in. We have all been alarmed to witness the tragic consequences of hate, both at home and abroad. Hate has no place in Canada – whether in person or online, in our schools, or in our places of worship. Our government is committed to keeping communities across the country safe. Because when someone becomes a victim of hate, it affects all of us. Canada’s first-ever Action Plan on Combatting Hate represents an unprecedented cross-government effort to combat hate while providing more support to victims of hate and at-risk communities. As we face difficult and challenging times, we must stand up for who are as a country – a country where diversity is our strength and where everyone can be who they are and achieve their dreams without fear.”

    —The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

    “Hate, in all its forms, has no place in Canada – everyone has a right to feel and be safe in their homes and in their communities. We all have a role to play in fighting discrimination and fostering a fairer, safer and more inclusive Canada. The Changing Narratives Fund, as part of Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, will break down systemic barriers and empower diverse voices in the arts, culture and media. The fund ensures their experiences and perspectives are better represented, and advances anti-racism, equity, and diversity and inclusion within the cultural and media sectors.”

    —The Honourable Pascale St‑Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

    “In the face of an increase in hate crimes, our government is stepping up to ensure at-risk communities can access financial support to protect their institutions. The new Canada Community Security Program is designed to be simpler, more flexible and more generous, in direct response to what we’ve heard from community organizations across the country.”

    —The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

    “No one should live in fear of being who they are, but we know that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression continues to be a reality in Canada. This is wrong and must be eliminated. Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate complements actions we have taken to protect and support Canadians since 2015, including the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, all of which were developed by listening to the voices and lived experiences of individuals and communities across Canada. As always, we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with all communities experiencing hate and we will not hesitate to use all federal tools to protect and support them.”

    —The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

    “We all expect to be safe in our homes, in our neighbourhoods and in our communities. This is why we introduced Bill C-63, a key component of Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. We know that online harms can have real world impacts with tragic and sometimes fatal consequences. This legislation is about keeping everyone safer in an online world that can feel more dangerous and unfortunately more toxic each and every day so that women, racialized persons, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and people of diverse faiths and backgrounds can go to their places of worship, community centres, schools or work without fearing that online threats might turn into real world danger.”

    —The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

    “Canada is as innovative as it is diverse, and it is far more successful when everyone is given a fair chance to develop their full potential, free from hate and discrimination. With Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, we are standing up to confront hate and protect Canadians, and Statistics Canada will be key in researching and gathering the data needed to build a safer and more resilient society.”

    —The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

    “Canada is a country rich in diversity, where every person deserves to feel safe and be respected. This is why today we’re launching Canada’s first-ever Action Plan on Combatting Hate, a commitment of $273 million to help build a safe Canada for everyone.”

    —Sameer Zuberi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

    Quick facts

    • Budget 2022 provided $85 million over four years, starting in 2022–23, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to launch and implement the new Anti-Racism Strategy and a national action plan on combatting hate. Budget 2024 provides an additional $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024–25, and $29.3 million ongoing to support Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The Action Plan brings together key initiatives led by federal departments and organizations, including Canadian Heritage, Public Safety Canada, Justice Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Women and Gender Equality Canada, Statistics Canada and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. 

    • According to the July 2024 Statistics Canada data release, the number of police-reported hate crimes increased from 3,612 incidents in 2022 to 4,777 in 2023 (+32%), even though some victims might not report a hate crime they experienced. This followed an 8-percent increase in 2022 and a 72-percent increase from 2019 to 2021. Overall, the number of police-reported hate crimes (+145%) has more than doubled since 2019.

    • Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate is complemented by the work of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.

    • Public Safety Canada’s enhanced Canada Community Security Program (CCSP) (previously the Security Infrastructure Program) is also part of Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The CCSP is making it easier and more efficient for organizations and communities at risk of hate-motivated crime to access security support when they need it.

    • The Action Plan aligns with ongoing efforts to further mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content online through Bill C-63, which proposes to create a new Online Harms Act to create stronger protections for the most vulnerable groups online. The Government of Canada has tabled Bill C-63, An Act to enact the Online Harms Act, to amend the Criminal Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act and An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide an Internet service and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts, in the House of Commons.

    • Canada is signatory to the Christchurch Call to Eliminate Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content Online, which is a global pledge by 56 governments, including Canada, as well as online service providers and civil society organizations to coordinate and collaborate on efforts to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The Government of Canada reiterates its engagement to advance the Christchurch Call to Action in Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate.

    • Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate complements Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028. Both initiatives take a comprehensive and intersectional approach to confronting hate, racism and discrimination.

    Related products

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information (media only), please contact:

    Waleed Saleem
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities
     waleed.saleem@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Canadian Heritage
    819-994-9101
    1-866-569-6155
    media@pch.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: CBSA Pacific Region investigation leads to seizure of firearms and prohibited devices in Vancouver

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    September 24, 2024                 Vancouver, British Columbia            Canada Border Services Agency

    The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to protecting Canadians by intercepting and investigating smuggling attempts at our borders.

    Between August 2023 and January 2024, Border Services Officers at Vancouver International Airport Air Cargo Operations and Mail Center intercepted two firearm suppressors and two replica firearms in two related incidents. As these are prohibited devices, the Pacific Region Criminal Investigations Section launched an investigation into the importer of these devices. On August 28, 2024, CBSA criminal investigators, with assistance from the Vancouver Police Department, executed search warrants on the suspect’s residence in Vancouver. A number of items were seized, including:

    • two firearms;
    • two completed 3D printed firearms;
    • two 3D printed lower receivers;
    • eighteen replica firearms;
    • various other firearm parts and accessories;
    • suspected drugs.

    The suspect was arrested and the investigation is ongoing.

    Quotes

    “The safety and security of Canadians is our top priority. By stopping the smuggling of illegal firearms and drugs, we’re keeping communities safe. This seizure is a great example of the ongoing cooperation between the CBSA and local law enforcement agencies.”

    – The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety

    “The Canada Border Services Agency works hard to intercept undeclared firearms and firearm parts at our borders and investigates those who break Canada’s laws. The efforts of our officers and investigators, with support from the Vancouver Police Department, have removed dangerous firearms and prohibited devices from this community.”

    – Nina Patel, Regional Director General, Canada Border Services Agency, Pacific Region

    “Violent offenders, organized criminals, and crime groups have no respect for local or international boundaries. Law enforcement and national security agencies must work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons and drugs that threaten public safety within our communities. We are grateful to have assisted Canada Border Services Agency during this important investigation.”

    – Don Chapman, Superintendent, Operations Support Command, Vancouver Police Department

    Quick facts

    • Smuggling and other Customs Act and Criminal Code contraventions may lead to arrest, criminal charges and prosecution in a court of law.

    • The CBSA screens goods, including international mail and courier items, coming into Canada and examines more closely those that may pose a threat to the safety of Canadians.

    • For the latest enforcement statistics, visit Canada Border Services Agency seizures.

    • If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity, please contact the CBSA Border Watch Line toll-free at 1-888-502-9060.

    Contacts

    Media Relations

    Canada Border Services Agency

    media@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

    1-877-761-5945

    @CanBorderPAC

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Backgrounder: Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Far too many people’s lives are impacted by hate and its devastating consequences. Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate is informed by individuals and communities with lived experience of hate.

    OTTAWA, September 24, 2024

    Far too many people’s lives are impacted by hate and its devastating consequences. Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate is informed by individuals and communities with lived experience of hate. It is grounded in consultation activities organized by the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, which included:

    • 15 town halls
    • 2 national summits on antisemitism and Islamophobia;
    • 1 national youth forum on anti-Black racism;
    • 21 roundtables; and
    • an online questionnaire open to everyone in Canada.

    Additionally, the Action Plan builds on community engagement conducted by the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat for the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, three roundtables led by Public Safety Canada on the Security Infrastructure Program (now known as the Canada Community Security Program), and research and recommendations from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. 

    The Action Plan lays the foundation for the Government of Canada’s robust response to the growing threat of hate while ensuring every person’s right to be safe and treated with dignity. To achieve this goal, priority areas for action are organized under three pillars:

    • Empower communities to identify and prevent hate;
    • Support victims and survivors, and protect communities; and
    • Build community trust, partnerships and institutional readiness.

    To drive real change across the country, the Action Plan brings new and existing initiatives together to foster greater coordination and collaboration among federal organizations. Working in collaboration with their provincial, territorial, international, Indigenous and municipal counterparts, it includes federal initiatives led by:

    • Canadian Heritage;
    • Canadian Race Relations Foundation;
    • Justice Canada;
    • Public Safety Canada;
    • Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
    • Statistics Canada; and
    • Women and Gender Equality Canada.

    Everyone has multiple and diverse factors of identity that intersect. This impacts how individuals understand and experience hate and the government’s response to hate crimes and hate incidents. This Action Plan was developed using Gender-Based Analysis Plus in an effort to develop responsive measures that take into account the diversity of needs and realities.

    For more information, consult the Action Plan web page at https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/combatting-hate.html.

    Related Products

    Waleed Saleem
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities
    waleed.saleem@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: M2 Compliance Proudly Sponsors the 18th Annual Jewish Law Symposium

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fort Lauderdale, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — M2 Compliance (“M2”), a global leader in regulatory compliance and SEC filing solutions, is honored to sponsor the prestigious 18th Annual Jewish Law Symposium, scheduled for September 26, 2024, at Birchwood Manor in Whippany, NJ.

    This year’s symposium will explore “The Ethics of War and Peace”, delving into pressing legal and ethical challenges drawn from both modern and ancient texts. The event will feature Alyza D. Lewin, Esq., President of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, as the keynote speaker. Additionally, a compelling panel discussion will be hosted, featuring esteemed figures such as Dov Ben-Shimon, Executive Vice President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, Russell G. Pearce, Professor of Legal Ethics, Morality, & Religion at Fordham University School of Law, and Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe, Internationally Acclaimed Scholar, Author & Lecturer.

    As a corporate sponsor, M2 Compliance is committed to supporting initiatives that align with our core values of integrity and community engagement. M2 Compliance’s sponsorship is a reflection of our ongoing dedication to fostering thought leadership and collaboration within the legal industry.

    M2 Compliance’s UNLIMITED SEC Filings Program

    M2’s UNLIMITED SEC FILINGS program has reshaped the landscape of SEC compliance by providing unlimited, full-service EDGAR & iXBRL filing solutions for one annual fixed rate. Our program gives clients complete freedom and flexibility, ensuring their filing needs are met efficiently without the burden of unpredictable costs. What truly sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to providing unparalleled service at the most competitive rates in the industry, making us a trusted partner in your compliance journey. Clients that join M2 stay because the service is outstanding, and the pricing/product offered is unbeatable.

    About M2 Compliance:

    M2 Compliance has been serving the financial and legal industries for over 14 years and is recognized as the 4th largest SEC filing agency worldwide. Our innovative UNLIMITED SEC FILINGS program has revolutionized the industry by offering fixed-rate pricing, allowing clients to eliminate overage fees. As the fourth largest filing agency globally, we are proud to maintain a 99% client retention rate, driven by our ability to provide cost-effective solutions with faster turnaround times. Our clients trust M2 to meet their compliance needs 24/7, and our commitment to excellence keeps them with us year after year.

    For more information about M2 Compliance, please visit www.m2compliance.com or contact:

    David McGuire, CEO
    M2 Compliance, LLC
    501 East Las Olas Blvd., Suite 300
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
    T: (754) 243-5120
    F: (754) 243-5135
    W: www.m2compliance.com

    Operated by McGuire Services, LLC, a Puerto Rico Organization

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy introduces bill to protect taxpayer privacy, strengthen penalties for leaking personal data

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, has introduced the Taxpayer Data Protection Act to safeguard Americans’ sensitive data and increase penalties for those who steal and leak Americans’ tax information.
    “American taxpayers deserve to know that their financial data is safe from criminals and bad actors. My bill would discourage would-be crooks and vigilantes from exposing anyone’s personal tax information by increasing the punishment for those abuses,” said Kennedy. 
    Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) introduced the Taxpayer Data Protection Act in the House, which passed the legislation earlier this month.
    “Americans rightfully expect their personal tax information is safe and protected when they file their tax returns with the IRS. Unfortunately, that expectation was shattered when IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn was discovered to have stolen the private tax data of thousands of individuals, including President Trump, and leaked that information to the New York Times and ProPublica for publishing. Mr. Littlejohn was aware of the legal consequences before committing his theft, but was unfazed and undeterred. He even went as far as to destroy evidence and conceal his actions from law enforcement. The Taxpayer Data Protection Act scales up the punishment to fit the crime and sends a clear message to would-be criminals that Congress will not tolerate the theft of Americans’ personal and private tax information,” said Smith.
    Under current law, disclosing tax information without that authority is a felony that is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, by a sentence of up to five years in prison or both. The legislation would increase the maximum fine to as much as $250,000, lengthen potential prison sentences to as many as 10 years and subject criminals to either or both punishments.
    Kennedy’s bill would also clarify that a person who exposes personal data is subject to prosecution for every taxpayer whose data he or she leaked. The Biden Justice Department recently employed a political maneuver by charging Charles Littlejohn with one count of improperly disclosing tax return information even though he stole tax return information for thousands of Americans. Under this bill, criminals who share data from multiple Americans would not be able to avoid prosecution for multiple counts.
    Background:
    In 2019, Internal Revenue Service contractor Charles Littlejohn illegally leaked the tax returns of President Donald Trump to the New York Times. 
    In 2020, Littlejohn also illegally disclosed the tax information of roughly 7,600 individuals and 600 entities to ProPublica for political purposes.
    In 2023, the Department of Justice announced it was charging Littlejohn with just one count of disclosing tax return information without authorization despite his distributing the information of thousands of Americans.
    The judge overseeing the case ultimately sentenced Littlejohn to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine because the law did not allow a more appropriate punishment. 
    The full bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ludwig: in this comic BBC detective drama, puzzles are key to solving a murder – and understanding other people

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Deborah Klika/Klikova, Academic Portfolio Lead in Film & Television Production, University of Greenwich

    “It makes no sense. It’s impossible to solve” – so decries John “Ludwig” Taylor (David Mitchell) when trying to solve a murder using puzzle techniques in the new six-part BBC detective series, Ludwig.

    Each week puzzle designer John uses his skill to solve a crime. The show, also starring Anna Maxwell Martin, is guided by the thematic question: “how do we solve life’s puzzles?”

    John’s twin brother James (also portrayed by Mitchell) has suddenly gone missing. Enlisted by his sister-in-law Lucy (Maxwell Martin) to help find James, John reluctantly moves in with her and her son, leaving behind his ordered and self-contained (but lonely) world. Lucy wants John to pose as his brother to get some information from James’ office about a case that he was working on, which she suspects is related to his disappearance.

    What begins as a benign task very quickly escalates into John taking on James’ role as DCI James Taylor with Cambridge’s Major Crime Squad. John is swept along to crime scenes wherein he proceeds to solve murders using various puzzle techniques: logic puzzles, spot the difference, coincidences (three to be statistically relevant) and even reverse chess (where maths, probability and reason are used to determine prior moves in the middle of a chess game).

    The situation creates a bind plot. John wants the love of a family – specifically James’ family – but if he finds James, he will lose the “family” he has found. He is caught between his want (to have a family and Lucy) and his flaw (to learn to engage with people and the world).

    In my research, I posit that the bind plot is more prevalent in comedy than in drama. The tension between the want and the flaw is what underpins the comedy.

    John is navigating life on two levels: as an imposter detective and as a lonely man with signs of neurodiversity, such as an inability to understand and express feelings, and the need to follow certain rules. This results in misunderstanding and confusion for some of those around John, but not for John himself.

    The trailer for Ludwig.

    This duality is a common technique in comedy writing. As comic writer Steve Kaplan notes in The Hidden Tools of Comedy (2013), comedy emerges in the gap between the wavy-line character (the confused one) and the straight-line character (with a fixed view on life).

    What is interesting in Ludwig is John’s character arc. He begins as a straight-liner, but both his interactions with Lucy and her determination to find her husband force him to question his own life. His increasing confusion about, and interaction with, other people result in him becoming a wavy-line character.

    In my book Situation Comedy, Character, and Psychoanalysis (2019) I label the straight-liner as “echo characters”. That’s because they echo the unconscious fear of the main character, while maintaining their own fixed view of the world. It is because the main character is unconscious of this behaviour in themselves that such characters become “trapped” in their dynamic.

    These kinds of relationships define the sitcom. Think Phoebe in Friends, who echoes Rachel’s fear of commitment. In the first episode of Friends, Rachel is a runaway bride and Ross is recovering from a failed marriage, setting both these characters up as commitment-phobic. Phoebe, however, embraces life and all its alternatives, no matter how kooky or off-beat.

    Moss in The IT Crowd, echoes in a different way. His attention to detail and focus are the antithesis of Roy’s approach to work and Jen’s lack of knowledge of anything to do with IT. Roy fears work and Jen fears being exposed as ignorant, making Moss their perfect echo character.

    Maintaining the pretence

    The challenge for Ludwig’s head writer and creator, Mark Brotherhood, is to ensure that John can keep up the pretence of being his twin brother, while at the same time ensuring the pretence is believable.

    Brotherhood’s previous credits (Father Brown, Death in Paradise, Benidorm and Mount Pleasant) have shown his ability to merge genres such as crime and drama with comic moments.

    Set-ups such as characters having recently joined the crimes unit (who did not know James), and fleeting interactions with other characters (who do know James), save John from exposure. But they also distract the audience from the central question – “why don’t other people see that John is a different person?”. Instead we are drawn into the world of puzzles and how they can help solve crimes – and maybe help us solve problems in our own lives.

    Dramatic irony enables the audience to be in on the conceit. We know John is not James, but we also know that John is a puzzle master, and we revel in his ability to solve crimes. However, being in on the deception prompts the question: what will happen when John is exposed?

    In the vein of Poirot or Miss Marple, John is dedicated to solving murder through reasoned logic as well as increasingly astute observations of human behaviour – something he has avoided until now.

    Ludwig is an engaging (and at times puzzling) drama with comic moments, governed by a thematic premise – to understand puzzles is to understand life.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

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

    – ref. Ludwig: in this comic BBC detective drama, puzzles are key to solving a murder – and understanding other people – https://theconversation.com/ludwig-in-this-comic-bbc-detective-drama-puzzles-are-key-to-solving-a-murder-and-understanding-other-people-239626

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Russians at War’ documentary: From the Crimean to the Iraq War, soldier images pose questions about propaganda

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Martin Danahay, Professor, English Language and Literature, Brock University

    A British publisher commissioned photographs of the army in the Crimean War to be used as the basis for oil paintings. Cornet Wilkin, 11th Hussars, by Roger Fenton. (Roger Fenton/Library of Congress)

    Questions surrounding the film Russians at War linger following controversy surrounding it at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

    TIFF faced protesters at a Sept. 17 screening of the “first person” documentary by Russian Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova. The festival had “paused” public screenings following an earlier media and industry screening, as festival staff reported receiving “significant threats” to festival operations and safety. Protesters said the film was pro-Russian propaganda.

    Trofimova told CBC her film was an attempt to humanize Russian soldiers as a way to combat further anger and violence.

    I have not seen the film, but as a researcher who has long examined the ambiguous meanings of soldier images, I’m not surprised the film has been criticized as propaganda. In my book War without Bodies: Framing Death from the Crimean to the Iraq War, I examined how images that omit their political context can be viewed as implicitly supporting the war effort.

    First photographs: Crimean War

    This ambiguity can be found in the first photographs of the British army at war. These were taken by photographer Roger Fenton during the 1853-56 Crimean War, in which British, French and Ottoman military attacked Russia and besieged Russian forces on the Crimean Peninsula.

    Fenton was commissioned by a Manchester, U.K. publisher, Thomas Agnew and Sons, to photograph the British army in Crimea, focusing on officers and any other participants he found interesting.

    His photographs were to be used as the basis for oil paintings by the artist Thomas Barker. The publisher didn’t reproduce photographs, but made them into woodcuts or as source material for paintings.

    Fenton also photographed the landscape and foreign fighters like French Zouaves — French military units originally formed from the Zouaoua Berber tribe from the coastal mountain Djurdjura region of North Africa after the French invaded and conquered Algeria — but the majority of his subjects were British officers.

    Shared social class

    Fenton wasn’t commissioned by the government, but he had a letter of introduction from Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. He was of the same social class as the officers he photographed, and dined with high-ranking officers such as Lord Raglan.

    Fenton’s photographs gave the appearance of a competent and functioning military led by skilled officers. Photographs such as one taken of Cornet Wilkin looking smart and capable on his horse suggest the traditional posed style of military portraiture seen in commissioned tribute paintings.

    The photograph His Days’ Work Over: Lieut.-Colonel Hallewell and Servant shows a reclining officer being waited on by his manservant. The image indicates the class status of the officer and depicts leisure rather than war.

    ‘His Days’ Work Over: Lieut.-Colonel Hallewell and Servant,’ photograph by Roger Fenton.
    (Library of Congress)

    The Cookhouse of the 8th Hussars similarly shows a group of cavalry with one reclining and others grouped around a man serving food.

    ‘The Cookhouse of the 8th Hussars,’ photograph by Roger Fenton.
    (Library of Congress)

    The photograph omits any visual evidence that would acknowledge that these are the survivors of an infamous British military blunder, the Charge of the Light Brigade, where cavalry were mistakenly ordered to charge directly at Russian artillery and suffered disastrous casualties.

    Long exposure, composed photographs

    Fenton could not photograph combat given the amount of time needed to capture an image using the wet collodion process, which required a long exposure.

    He could, however, have documented other aspects of the situation in Crimea which were covered by reporter William Howard Russell, who Fenton also photographed in 1855.

    Russell’s dispatches on the terrible conditions suffered by British troops and the ravages diseases like cholera combined with letters published by the soldiers caused a scandal in Britain. These reports led to the downfall of a government and to Florence Nightingale organizing a cohort of nurses to tend to the sick and wounded.

    Russell’s reporting revealed what was omitted from Fenton’s photographs of the war. The photographs served as the first demonstration of how such images could present positive images of war that belied the reality of death and suffering.

    Fenton’s photographs indirectly supported the war effort by showing only positive images of individual soldiers.

    Vietnam, Iraq War

    Media coverage of the American war in Vietnam, often referred to as the “first television war,” is often credited with turning public opinion against the conflict.

    Images of dead soldiers and civilians were transmitted to the viewing public. The “Saigon execution” photograph of a man being shot in the head was particularly shocking.

    To avoid mages such as this, according to Jessica M. Fishman, a behavioural scientist who has examined how media censors and displays the dead, major networks like CNN, Fox News and NBC largely followed an informal agreement to avoid showing graphic images of dead American soldiers during the Iraq War. In addition, reporters were embedded in military units and formed close relationships with the troops who were the subject of their reports.



    Read more:
    Three images that show wartime photographs can have greater impact than the written word

    The result was sanitized coverage of the war which, at least initially, helped maintain public support for the conflict. Images of drone strikes in particular suggested that the military was using precision weapons and “surgical” strikes that did not include civilian casualties.

    Just as reporting by Russell contradicted Fenton’s images of a competent military, photographs of the torture of prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison by American solders in 2004 helped change public perception of it as a “just war.”

    Trust with soldiers, personal ties

    Trofimova, in an interview with CBC, said she does not support the war and wanted to break stereotypes of Russian soldiers as motivated by hate.

    She pointed out that Russia has conscription and that many soldiers may have been drafted and are not supportive of the war. She also stated that she had no support from the Russian government and gained access to soldiers because she built up trust with them.

    The parallels with Fenton are instructive because he did not have support from the British government, and relied on personal connections to obtain his portraits.

    Excluding crucial information

    As with Fenton, the image of the Russian army conveyed by the interviews with soldiers may be as significant for what it leaves out about the war as much as what it tells us about them as individuals.

    When the CBC interviewer asked Trofimova about a statement made by a Russian soldier that they were incapable of committing war crimes, which Tromifova did not correct,
    she replied that “once you start trying to make this an analytical documentary that is going to provide you with stories that you have not documented yourself, then this becomes something else.” In March 2024, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine announced it had new evidence Russian authorities have committed violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, and corresponding war crimes.



    Read more:
    Putin’s war on history is another form of domestic repression

    Both Fenton’s photographs and a documentary that focuses on Russian soldiers’ perspectives exclude crucial information that would help lead the viewer to question the conduct of the war or how it is being justified.

    Martin Danahay receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

    – ref. ‘Russians at War’ documentary: From the Crimean to the Iraq War, soldier images pose questions about propaganda – https://theconversation.com/russians-at-war-documentary-from-the-crimean-to-the-iraq-war-soldier-images-pose-questions-about-propaganda-239340

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DURING NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN DELIVERS $1.25 MILLION TO COMBAT YOUTH DRUG USE, CRACKDOWN ON FENTANYL IN HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITIES

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pat Ryan (New York 18th)

    During National Recovery Month, Congressman Pat Ryan Delivers $1.25 Million to Combat Youth Drug Use, Crackdown on Fentanyl in Hudson Valley Communities

    Ryan secured $625,000 for the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Council of Orange County’s Tri-County Prevention Coalition and $625,000 for The Council on Addiction, Prevention, and Education of Dutchess County, Inc. to implement comprehensive strategies and programming to combat youth drug use over the next five years, including keeping out deadly fentanyl 

    WASHINGTON DC –  Today, Congressman Pat Ryan secured $1.25 million in federal Drug Free Community (DFC) funding to combat youth drug use in Orange and Dutchess County communities. Ryan delivered $625,000 for the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Council (ADAC) of Orange County’s Tri-County Prevention Coalition (TCPC) and $625,000 for The Council on Addiction, Prevention, and Education of Dutchess County, Inc. to implement comprehensive strategies and programming to combat youth drug use over the next five years. Each coalition will receive $125,000 per year for the next five years. The funding comes during this month’s National Recovery Month that promotes awareness of drug addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery. Last year, Ryan secured $125,000 in DFC funding for the Warwick Valley Prevention Coalition to combat youth addiction in the Warwick Valley Central School District. 

    “Addiction is tearing Hudson Valley families apart and stealing the bright futures of our kids with gut-wrenching frequency. I’m pushing to end that vicious cycle,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “During National Recovery Month, I’m proud to deliver this crucial funding that will help prevent Hudson Valley youth from ever falling into the spiral of addiction and keep deadly fentanyl out of our communities. I look forward to continuing to work with community partners and local officials as we fight to end youth drug use.” 

    “The Northern Dutchess Community Coalition (NDCC), and its fiscal agent the Council on Addiction Prevention and Education (CAPE) of Dutchess County, are eager to enhance our work after securing a five-year continuation of the federal Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant,” said Dana Nalbandian, Interim Agency Director and Staff Accountant for the Council on Addiction Prevention and Education of Dutchess County, Inc. “The new funding will help the coalition expand its use of evidence-based prevention practices, increase public awareness of substance use trends, and continue efforts to prevent and reduce underage drinking, vaping, and the use of marijuana and other drugs. The coalition also aims to enhance the well-being of local youth and families through strong community bonds, collective action, and advocacy for policy change.”

    “Research shows that PREVENTION is the most effective tool we have to reduce the consequences associated with underage drinking and drug use among young people,” said Alayne Eisloeffel, Program Director and Project Coordinator for TCPC. “This funding will allow the Tri-County Prevention Coalition to better engage and involve the community to steer more young people toward success and enable them to live healthier and safer lives.”

    Congressman Ryan secured the $1.25 million in funding from the Fiscal Year 2024 White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Drug-Free Communities Support Program grants, in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2023, Ryan secured $125,000 for the Warwick Valley Prevention Coalition from the same program.

    With the funding, the Council on Addiction, Prevention, and Education of Dutchess County, Inc.’s Northern Dutchess Community Coalition looks to establish and strengthen community collaboration in support of local efforts to prevent youth substance use. The coalition will achieve its goals by implementing strategies that focus on youth alcohol use, tobacco and marijuana use, the opioid epidemic, increased community awareness, greater access to information, and infrastructural and policy reforms promoting a drug-free lifestyle. The Coalition serves Amenia, Rhinebeck, Red Hook, Barrytown, Millerton, Hyde Park, Millbrook,  Annandale-on-Hudson, Pleasant Valley and Pine Plains, New York. This area encompasses a

    population of 65,282 residents. 

    The Alcohol and Drug Awareness Council (ADAC) of Orange County’s Tri-County Prevention Coalition plans to use the $625,000 in funding to establish and strengthen community collaboration in support of local efforts to prevent youth substance use. The coalition will achieve its goals by implementing these strategies: 

    • Mobilizing key adult and youth stakeholders to challenge and address risk factors of community norms around substance use, low perception of risk, and easy access to substances by promoting and rewarding healthy choices and lifestyles
    • Increasing protective factors of opportunities and rewards for prosocial involvement and social skills by supporting and expanding inclusive prevention programs and clubs in and out of schools
    • Enhancing skills to identify and address local conditions contributing to youth substance use
    • Supporting policies/laws that reduce access to alcohol and marijuana by minors, and increasing opportunities for youth to engage in needs assessment and strategic planning  activities, act as role models, and provide leadership around substance abuse prevention.

    The Tri-County Prevention Coalition will specifically work to address underage drinking and marijuana use among youth through environmental strategies. The coalition includes diverse representation from all sectors of the community, including the Pine Bush Central School District, Town of Wallkill and Town of Crawford Police Departments, the Towns of Wallkill and Crawford, the Pine Bush Chamber of Commerce, The Alcohol and Drug Awareness Council (ADAC) of Orange County, Wallkill East Rotary, Mid-Hudson Prevention Resource Center, STOP-DWI of Orange County, POW’R Against Tobacco, Orange County Department of Mental Health, local hospitals, parents, business owners, and students. Its mission is to engage collaborative partners in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of strategies that prevent youth substance use. 

    Congressman Pat Ryan has delivered major investments to combat drug trafficking and use in Hudson Valley communities, including $400,000 for the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office crisis intervention ORACLE team that tackles drug trafficking, addiction, and the overdose epidemic in Ulster County. Ryan has repeatedly called for increased funding to address drug trafficking and use, in particular the opioid and fentanyl crisis currently gripping Hudson Valley communities. He cosponsors the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act and the END FENTANYL Act and has demanded that any comprehensive border security legislation must include funding and provisions to stop the flow of fentanyl across the southern border. Congressman Ryan introduced the Public Safety and Community Support Act to use Byrne-JAG funds for deflection and pre-arrest diversion programs to help local law enforcement combat drug addiction

    A key component of Congressman Ryan’s recently introduced Youth Agenda is preventing youth drug use and addiction. Ryan is a member of both the Congressional Dads Caucus and the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force. Ryan cosponsors the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act and the Mental Health Services for Students Act to make mental healthcare more accessible for youth, as well as the Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act to bolster the mental healthcare workforce to treat drug addiction. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: CBSA investigation in Pacific Region leads to seizure of firearms and prohibited devices in Vancouver

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Press release

    September 24, 2024 Vancouver, BC Canada Border Services Agency

    The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to protecting Canadians by intercepting and investigating smuggling attempts at our borders.

    Between August 2023 and January 2024, border services officers from the Air Cargo Operations Centre and the Customs Mail Centre at Vancouver International Airport intercepted two firearm silencers and two replica firearms in two related incidents. As these are prohibited devices, the Pacific Region Criminal Investigation Section launched an investigation into the importer of these devices. On August 28, 2024, CBSA criminal investigators, with assistance from the Vancouver Police Department, executed search warrants at the suspect’s residence in Vancouver. A number of items were seized, including:

    two firearms; two 3D printed firearms; two 3D printed lower receivers; eighteen replica firearms; various other firearm parts and accessories; suspected drugs.

    The suspect has been arrested and the investigation is continuing.

    Quotes

    “The safety and security of Canadians is our top priority. By stopping the smuggling of firearms and illegal drugs, we are keeping communities safe. This seizure is a great example of the continued cooperation between the CBSA and local law enforcement agencies.”

    – The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety

    “The Canada Border Services Agency works hard to intercept undeclared firearms and firearm parts at our borders and to investigate those who break Canada’s laws. The efforts of our officers and investigators, with the support of the Vancouver Police Department, have resulted in the removal of dangerous firearms and prohibited devices from this community.”

    – Nina Patel, Regional Director General, Canada Border Services Agency, Pacific Region

    “Violent offenders, criminal organizations and criminal groups do not respect local or international borders. Law enforcement and national security agencies must work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons and drugs that threaten public safety in our communities. We are grateful for the assistance of the Canada Border Services Agency during this important investigation.”

    – Don Chapman, Superintendent, Enforcement Services, Vancouver Police Department

    Quick Facts

    Smuggling and other offences under the Customs Act and the Criminal Code may result in arrest, criminal charges and prosecution in court.

    The CBSA screens goods, including international mail and courier items, entering Canada and takes a closer look at those that may pose a threat to the safety and security of Canadians.

    For the latest enforcement statistics, visit Canada Border Services Agency Seizures.

    If you have any information about suspicious cross-border activities, please contact the border surveillance line CBSA toll-free at 1-888-502-9060.

    Contact persons

    Media Relations

    Canada Border Services Agency

    media@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

    1-877-761-5945

    @CanPACBorder

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI