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Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Slams Attempt To Loosen Rail Safety Requirements, Calls On Federal Railroad Administration To Maintain Strong Safety Standards

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Proposed Loosened Requirements Could Increase Risk Of Derailments, Spillage Of Dangerous Materials Like Crude Oil

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, is expressing concern about an attempt to reduce track inspections and otherwise loosen rail safety requirements. She is calling on the Federal Railroad Administration to maintain its commitment to strong safety standards.

    If approved, the waiver would reduce the frequency of visual track inspections that railroads are required to conduct from twice a week to twice a month. They would also extend the time allowed to address identified track defects from immediately to a delay of up to three days. This means that passenger trains and trains carrying hazardous materials could be permitted to travel over tracks with known safety issues for as long as three days before repairs are made.

    “Throughout New York and across the country, frequent inspections are vital to rail safety and efficiency. Although new safety technologies should be utilized whenever possible, we must ensure that we do not become overly reliant on new technologies and compromise existing, necessary safety practices,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am very concerned that this proposal would reduce the quality of track inspections and slow the repair of track defects. I urge the administration to deny this request, and I will continue to fight to increase the safety, efficiency, and reliability of rail systems across the country.”

    A full copy of the letter can be found here or below.

    Dear Mr. Feeley: 

    We write to express our concerns with a proposal from the Association of American Railroads to reduce track inspections and lessen requirements to repair track safety defects. The Biden Administration made rail safety a priority, and last year the freight railroad derailment rate decreased by 18 percent, the greatest reduction in the derailment rate in 40 years. We look forward to working with you to continue this downward trend.

    We are supportive of the deployment of advanced safety technologies; but the Federal Railroad Administration should take care not to allow railroads to become overly reliant on technology. AAR on behalf of the Class I railroads, is seeking a waiver to loosen track safety inspection and repair requirements in exchange for deploying automated track inspection (ATI) technology. We know automated track inspection technology works; it has been around since the 1970s. Last year, the Biden Administration proposed requiring railroads to use this important safety technology. However, we are concerned that the exemptions from safety requirements the railroads are seeking could increase risks.

    The waiver requests a decrease in the visual track inspections that railroads are required to conduct, from twice a week to twice a month. While automated track inspection technology is more effective at identifying track geometry defects, there are other safety issues that visual inspections may identify that automated track inspections may not. In fact, track inspectors are trained to look for 17 other kinds of track safety issues, other than track geometry issues, that could cause derailments, including broken rail ties, missing track spikes, and obstructions in the right of way that a train could hit. The waiver does not explain how reducing railroads’ obligation to check for the track issues that ATI technology cannot detect by up to 75 percent will reduce derailments.

    Additionally, the waiver requests railroads that use ATI machines be allowed to take up to 72 hours to address a track safety defect once it is identified. Currently, if a human inspector finds a track defect, the track must be fixed immediately, or other remedial action must be taken, such as slowing the speed of trains on the track. If approved, this waiver would allow passenger trains and trains carrying crude oil, vinyl chloride, benzene, and other hazardous materials to travel over track with a known safety issue for up to three days. The waiver does not explain how slowing remediation response times for track safety defects will improve safety.

    The National Transportation Safety Board has also expressed concerns with over relying on this technology. In its investigation of a September 2021 Amtrak Empire Train derailment on BNSF track in Joplin, Montana, the independent investigators at the National Transportation Safety Board stated that automated track inspections “do not capture the diverse array of unique track hazards detectable to human inspectors.” The report went further and said they “should not be used to supplant an inspector physically examining a track.[2]” We are concerned that the AAR’s proposal would do just that, reducing the inspections for all track safety issues that are currently inspected by humans in exchange for potentially improving the inspection of track geometry issues. 

    For these reasons, we request that you deny the Association of American Railroads’ request to waive track safety requirements and rather finalize the Biden Administration’s proposal to require railroads to use automated track inspection technology.

     Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Slams Attempt To Loosen Rail Safety Requirements, Calls On Federal Railroad Administration To Maintain Strong Safety Standards

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Proposed Loosened Requirements Could Increase Risk Of Derailments, Spillage Of Dangerous Materials Like Crude Oil

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, is expressing concern about an attempt to reduce track inspections and otherwise loosen rail safety requirements. She is calling on the Federal Railroad Administration to maintain its commitment to strong safety standards.

    If approved, the waiver would reduce the frequency of visual track inspections that railroads are required to conduct from twice a week to twice a month. They would also extend the time allowed to address identified track defects from immediately to a delay of up to three days. This means that passenger trains and trains carrying hazardous materials could be permitted to travel over tracks with known safety issues for as long as three days before repairs are made.

    “Throughout New York and across the country, frequent inspections are vital to rail safety and efficiency. Although new safety technologies should be utilized whenever possible, we must ensure that we do not become overly reliant on new technologies and compromise existing, necessary safety practices,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am very concerned that this proposal would reduce the quality of track inspections and slow the repair of track defects. I urge the administration to deny this request, and I will continue to fight to increase the safety, efficiency, and reliability of rail systems across the country.”

    A full copy of the letter can be found here or below.

    Dear Mr. Feeley: 

    We write to express our concerns with a proposal from the Association of American Railroads to reduce track inspections and lessen requirements to repair track safety defects. The Biden Administration made rail safety a priority, and last year the freight railroad derailment rate decreased by 18 percent, the greatest reduction in the derailment rate in 40 years. We look forward to working with you to continue this downward trend.

    We are supportive of the deployment of advanced safety technologies; but the Federal Railroad Administration should take care not to allow railroads to become overly reliant on technology. AAR on behalf of the Class I railroads, is seeking a waiver to loosen track safety inspection and repair requirements in exchange for deploying automated track inspection (ATI) technology. We know automated track inspection technology works; it has been around since the 1970s. Last year, the Biden Administration proposed requiring railroads to use this important safety technology. However, we are concerned that the exemptions from safety requirements the railroads are seeking could increase risks.

    The waiver requests a decrease in the visual track inspections that railroads are required to conduct, from twice a week to twice a month. While automated track inspection technology is more effective at identifying track geometry defects, there are other safety issues that visual inspections may identify that automated track inspections may not. In fact, track inspectors are trained to look for 17 other kinds of track safety issues, other than track geometry issues, that could cause derailments, including broken rail ties, missing track spikes, and obstructions in the right of way that a train could hit. The waiver does not explain how reducing railroads’ obligation to check for the track issues that ATI technology cannot detect by up to 75 percent will reduce derailments.

    Additionally, the waiver requests railroads that use ATI machines be allowed to take up to 72 hours to address a track safety defect once it is identified. Currently, if a human inspector finds a track defect, the track must be fixed immediately, or other remedial action must be taken, such as slowing the speed of trains on the track. If approved, this waiver would allow passenger trains and trains carrying crude oil, vinyl chloride, benzene, and other hazardous materials to travel over track with a known safety issue for up to three days. The waiver does not explain how slowing remediation response times for track safety defects will improve safety.

    The National Transportation Safety Board has also expressed concerns with over relying on this technology. In its investigation of a September 2021 Amtrak Empire Train derailment on BNSF track in Joplin, Montana, the independent investigators at the National Transportation Safety Board stated that automated track inspections “do not capture the diverse array of unique track hazards detectable to human inspectors.” The report went further and said they “should not be used to supplant an inspector physically examining a track.[2]” We are concerned that the AAR’s proposal would do just that, reducing the inspections for all track safety issues that are currently inspected by humans in exchange for potentially improving the inspection of track geometry issues. 

    For these reasons, we request that you deny the Association of American Railroads’ request to waive track safety requirements and rather finalize the Biden Administration’s proposal to require railroads to use automated track inspection technology.

     Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Antonio Man to Spend 65 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting 3 Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 65 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting three young children.

    According to court documents, Charles Alexander Lopez, 30, stated in a group chat on the instant messaging app Wickr that he was engaged in the sexual abuse and exploitation of minor children in October 2023. He posted two images and a video to the group on Oct. 24, 2023, along with a message stating, “My conquest for the day.” The two images depicted a male toddler whom Lopez had just sexually assaulted, while the video depicted a portion of the sexual assault itself.

    An FBI Online Covert Employee (OCE) interacted with Lopez through a private chat, through which Lopez disclosed details of another sexual assault victimizing a female toddler a few days prior and that he has sexually exploited a non-verbal autistic male child as well. On Oct. 26, 2023, FBI San Antonio executed a federal search warrant for the home and person of Lopez, seizing electronic devices used to produce, distribute and possess child pornography.

    Lopez admitted to sexually exploiting a male toddler, using his smartphone to produce and share Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). He also provided the names of other children he sexually assaulted and exploited, stating that he had sexually assaulted 15 minors since he was 10 years old and produced CSAM of approximately five different children.

    Lopez was arrested on Oct. 27, 2023, and on Nov. 15, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted him for three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2025, to the three sexual exploitation charges. On July 14, Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra sentenced Lopez to 65 years in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release. Ezra also ordered Lopez to pay $150,000 in restitution to three minor victims.

    “Individuals like this, who take every opportunity to prey on helpless children simply cannot remain free in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This defendant has spent two-thirds of his life as a child predator, sexually assaulting, exploiting and forever altering the lives of vulnerable and defenseless children to fulfill his selfish and vile choices.”

    “There is no place in our society for those who prey on the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for FBI San Antonio.” The FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, together with the United States Attorney’s Office, will relentlessly pursue every lead to investigate violent crimes against children and bring their perpetrators to justice.”

    FBI San Antonio investigated the case, assisted by a referral from FBI Albany.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fourteen Polk County Residents Indicted For Narcotics Trafficking And Gun Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging fourteen Polk County residents with narcotics trafficking and firearms-related charges. If convicted, Curtis Charles Tinsley (47, Lakeland), Tyler Anthony Devaney (32, Winter Haven), Alvin Antonio Barnes III (47, Lakeland), Tonyo Cortez Evans (39, Lakeland), Lamar Anthony Hamilton (43, Lakeland), Albert Lewis III (48, Lakeland), Tyrese Leon Pratt (39, Lakeland), Antonio Groover (32, Dundee), Kenji Antwana Miller (38, Lakeland), Melvin Sharon Murray (48, Lakeland), Robert James Johnson IV (32, Lakeland), Steven Wayne Gay (55, Lakeland), Tiffany Elaine Creach (43, Lakeland), and Sabrina Marie Taylor (40, Dover) each face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.    

    According to the indictment, the charged individuals conspired to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy. Devaney, Barnes, Hamilton, Pratt, and Groover are also charged for possessing firearms or ammunition as convicted felons. Devaney, Pratt, and Hamilton are each charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. The indictment also alleges that Tinsley, Devaney, Barnes, Evans, Hamilton, Groover, Miller, Murray, and Gay committed the alleged offenses after convictions for either serious drug or violent felonies.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lakeland Police Department, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Pardo.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Drug Trafficking Felon from Duquesne Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 248 months of imprisonment, to be followed by six months of supervised release, on his conviction of federal drug trafficking and firearm offenses, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Courtney Washington Jr., 31, who a federal jury in September 2024 found guilty of two counts of violating federal firearms laws. Prior to that trial, Washington pleaded guilty to related charges of distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    According to information presented to the Court, Washington was a large-scale fentanyl trafficker on whose residence law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on April 17, 2023. As officers called for Washington to exit the home, Washington unsuccessfully attempted to destroy drugs by placing them in a washing machine, with officers later finding approximately $45,000 worth of fentanyl in the machine. Law enforcement also recovered, approximately six feet from the fentanyl, a loaded and stolen .45 Glock handgun that Washington attempted to conceal in the rafters above the washing machine. Having previously been convicted of a federal drug trafficking felony, Washington is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Police Department, and Duquesne Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Washington.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former U.S. Soldier Pleads Guilty to Hacking and Extortion Scheme involving Telecommunications Companies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle –A former Army soldier, who was most recently stationed in Texas, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to hack into telecommunications companies’ databases, access sensitive records, and extort the telecommunications companies by threatening to release the stolen data unless ransoms were paid.

    According to court documents, between April 2023 and Dec. 18, 2024, Cameron John Wagenius, 19, used online accounts associated with the nickname “kiberphant0m” and conspired with others to defraud at least ten victim organizations by obtaining login credentials for the organizations’ protected computer networks. The conspirators obtained these credentials using a hacking tool that they called SSH Brute, among other means. They used Telegram group chats to transfer stolen credentials and discuss gaining unauthorized access to victim companies’ networks. This activity happened while Wagenius was on active duty with the U.S. Army.

    After data was stolen, the conspirators extorted the victim organizations both privately and in public forums. The extortion attempts included threats to post the stolen data on cybercrime forums such as BreachForums and XSS.is. The conspirators offered to sell stolen data for thousands of dollars via posts on these forums. They successfully sold at least some of this stolen data and also used stolen data to perpetuate other frauds, including SIM-swapping. In total, Wagenius and his co-conspirators attempted to extort at least $1 million from victim data owners.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington, Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Cyber Field Office made the announcement.

    Wagenius pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, extortion in relation to computer fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a maximum of five years in prison for extortion in relation to computer fraud, and a mandatory two-year sentence consecutive to any other prison time for aggravated identity theft. Wagenius previously pleaded guilty in a separate case to two counts of unlawful transfer of confidential phone records information in connection with this conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case. The U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigative Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, and the National Security Cyber Section provided valuable assistance. Flashpoint and Unit 221B also provided assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Sok Tea Jiang of the Western District of Washington and Senior Counsel Louisa Becker and Trial Attorney George Brown of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribe to Smuggle Contraband to Prison Inmate

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLEVELAND – James P. Jackson, age 39, of Niles, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to using his role as an employee at a state prison to smuggle illicit substances and other prohibited items to an inmate at the facility.

    According to court documents, Jackson was employed by the Trumbull Correctional Institution (TCI) in Leavittsburg, from 2022 through 2024. He served as a corrections officer and later, as a general maintenance worker, where he regularly came into contact with inmates. His work duties and responsibilities allowed him full access to non-public areas including prison cells.

    Allegations in court documents show that Jackson was in communication with the wife of a TCI inmate. After some time spent exchanging text messages and keeping in touch by phone, the two agreed to meet. On Feb. 1, 2024, they met and she handed him two large, wrapped packages for him to deliver to her husband who was serving a sentence inside the facility. In return, Jackson accepted an initial bribe of $1,000 from her and was promised an additional $1,000 after the contraband was successfully delivered to the intended recipient. The next day, Jackson attempted to take the packages into TCI but was intercepted by law enforcement before entering.

    The investigation revealed that the packages Jackson received−and attempted to smuggle into the prison−contained 97.67 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, 207.63 grams of synthetic cannabinoid, 32.85 grams of phencyclidine (aka PCP or angel dust), various other drugs, a cellphone, and SIM cards.

    On July 15, 2025, Jackson pleaded guilty after being charged by information for Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right for accepting money to smuggle two packages into TCI using his capacity as an employee of the facility. He faces a maximum of up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is yet to be scheduled.

    This investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Trumbull Correctional Institutions-Office of Investigations, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol-Office of Criminal Investigations Prison Drug Unit and Investigative Services for the Warren District.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Rebecca C. Lutzko prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendants Charged with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officers, Other Offenses During Protest Near Spokane ICE Office

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – Nine defendants are scheduled to make their first appearances in federal court at 3 P.M. today after the return of an indictment alleging several charges – including assaulting a federal officer – during a protest gathering at the Homeland Security office in Spokane.

    Benjamin Theodore Stuckart, age 53, has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers

    Justice Forral, age 33, has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers

    Mikki Pike Hatfield, age 34, has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers and Assault on a Federal Officer, Employee, or Person Assisting a Federal Officer (intent to cause another felony/use of a dangerous weapon)

    Erin Nicole Lang, age 31 has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers

    Collin James Muncey, age 34 has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers

    Thalia Marie Ramirez, age 20, has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers

    Bobbi Lee Silva, age 38, has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers and Assault on a Federal Officer, Employee, or Person Assisting a Federal Officer (physical contact / intent to cause another felony)

    Bajun Dhunjisha Mavalwalla II, age 35 has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers

    Jac Dalitso Archer, age 33, has been charged with Conspiracy to Impede or Injure Officers

    “We respect and honor everyone’s right to peacefully protest. However, the few who choose to cross the line from protest to violence and destruction will be held accountable,” stated Acting United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. 

    According to court documents and information shared in court, on June 11, 2025, at approximately 12:52 pm, Stuckart posted on social media a call for others to come and join him as he blocked a bus that was going to be used to transport the federal detainees held at the federal facility in Spokane to Tacoma for their immigration hearings. Archer and other co-conspirators arrived in response to the post, and along with Stuckart, blocked the pathway and door to the transport bus, despite orders to disperse.

    As alleged in the indictment, a short time later, Forral parked his vehicle to block the exit path of the bus. Forral and Lang then released air from the tires of the bus, and other co-conspirators painted the windshield of the bus rendering it unsafe to drive.

    Archer reposted Stuckart’s call and posted additional calls urging others to come and join noting the intent was to “risk arrest to block the exits to ICE”.

    When federal officers attempted to leave the building through a secure parking lot on the south end of property, Forral, Hatfield, Muncey, Silva, Mavalwalla II, Archer, and other co-conspirators blocked the driveway and/or pushed against officers, despite orders to disperse and attempts to remove the defendants from the property. Silva struck a federal officer from behind as the officer was attempting to clear a path for transport vehicles to leave the building.

    Forral, Muncey, Hatfield, and other co-conspirators then placed trash cans, sand/cement bags, benches, signs, and other objects in front of doors and exits to block the exit of federal officers and detainees from the federal facility.

    After Spokane Police arrived, officers placed marked patrol vehicles in front of and behind a red transport van that was then designated to transport the detainees to Tacoma for their immigration hearings. The red van was quickly surrounded by Stuckart, Hatfield, Lang, Silva, and other co-conspirators. Ramirez, armed with a boxcutter, slashed the tires of the van, making it unsafe to drive.

    After dispersal orders issued by Spokane Police Department were ignored, the Spokane Police Department deployed crowd control measures to include inert smoke and pepper balls at the feet of those resistant to leave. According to the indictment, Hatfield picked one up one of those deployed incendiary devices and threw it in the direction of Spokane Police and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

    Multiple calls for assistance were made to local law enforcement agencies. Because of the defendants’ actions, federal agents and the detainees, as well as civilian employees were unable to leave the facility, until approximately 9:00 PM, and only with the assistance of the Spokane Police Department S.W.A.T team.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and other federal agencies, including the USMS.

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

    2:2025-cr-00113-RLP

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE ANTONIO MOLINA-MONTALVO, 36, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 58 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm offense.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2024, Molina-Montalvo sold a Harrington & Richardson 1871 INC. Handi Rifle, and 39 rounds of ammunition, to an individual for $300.

    Molina-Montalvo’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for assault, possession with intent to sell narcotics, strangulation, harassment, burglary, and larceny.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    Molina-Montalvo has been detained since his arrest on unrelated state charges on October 21, 2024.  On March 28, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont through Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cherokee County felon sentenced to federal prison for firearms violation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TYLER, Texas –A Rusk man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Justin Jones, 37, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 15, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on December 4, 2023, was seen driving on County Road 2120 in Cherokee County.  The Sheriff recognized Jones and attempted to stop him for an outstanding arrest warrant.  Jones abandoned his vehicle and fled the scene on foot.  A search of the abandoned vehicle revealed Jones’ cell phone, two rifles, and a pistol.  The phone also contained a photo of Jones holding one of the rifles.  Jones has several prior felony convictions, including four prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  As a convicted felon, Jones is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms.

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

    This case was investigated by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Tyler Field Office.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Miami-Dade Detective Of Perjury During Hearing In Southern District Of Florida United States District Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury in Miami has found Keenan Johnson (36, Tamarac) guilty of three counts of perjury for false testimony he gave under oath during an evidentiary hearing in a criminal case before Chief Judge Cecilia Altonaga of the United States District Court in Miami on April 4, 2022. Johnson faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is set for October 3, 2025, in Miami. Johnson was indicted on July 31, 2024.

    According to testimony and evidence presented during the five-day trial, Johnson, who was a homicide detective with the Miami-Dade Police Department, lied under oath on several occasions during a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence. When confronted by a witness regarding a telephone number he had given to the witness, Johnson denied the number was his, denied that he had spoken to the witness over the telephone, denied he had received text messages from the witness, and denied he had used the number on police flyers.

    At the conclusion of the suppression hearing, the judge asked the prosecutor to get to the bottom of the discrepancies regarding the use of the telephone number. Records obtained by investigators after the hearing ultimately showed that Johnson had the phone number for more than four years, had contact with the suppression hearing witness, had used the phone number the night before the suppression hearing for a more than 10-minute call, and had deleted the number after the suppression hearing.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Miami and the Miami-Dade County Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs Jr. of the Middle District of Florida. Boggs was appointed as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida for this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Departments of Labor, Education implement workforce development partnership

    Source: US Department of Labor

    WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. departments of Labor and Education announced the implementation of a workforce development partnership to create an integrated federal education and workforce system. The Labor Department will take on a greater role in administering the adult education and family literacy programs funded under Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and career and technical education programs funded by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The programs will be managed alongside Department of Education staff, with continued leadership and oversight by Education. 

    The workforce development partnership marks a major step in shifting management of select Education Department programs to partner agencies. 

    “Our bloated federal bureaucracy has made it increasingly difficult to administer workforce development programs effectively, and our students and workers have been left behind as a result. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are restructuring to meet the needs of our workforce,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “I’m excited to team up with Secretary McMahon as we work together to provide states with clearer guidance, reduced regulatory burdens, and more resources that are directly invested in opportunities for American workers.” 

    “The current structure with various federal agencies each managing pieces of the federal workforce portfolio is inefficient and duplicative. Support from the Department of Labor in administering the Department of Education’s workforce programs is a commonsense step in streamlining these programs to better serve students, families, and educators,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “I look forward to collaborating with Secretary Chavez-DeRemer to create a stronger talent pipeline for our nation’s workforce.” 

    Background 

    The Department of Education signed an Interagency Agreement with the Department of Labor on May 21. One day later, a Massachusetts District Judge granted a preliminary injunction to plaintiffs in McMahon v. New York, forcing the Department of Education to pause implementation of the IAA. Yesterday, the Supreme Court granted an emergency request to stay the injunction, allowing the Education Department to implement this IAA and proceed with the reduction in force to administer its programs more efficiently. 

    The workforce development partnership was created under an IAA, a tool routinely utilized by government agencies to share resources, collaborate, and ensure efficient service delivery. Under the partnership, the Labor Department will provide day-to-day administration of Education’s Perkins and WIOA Title II programs alongside the larger suite of workforce programs the Labor Department already administers. Administering Perkins V and WIOA Title I, II, and III through the Labor Department will facilitate streamlined services for states and grantees, such as allowing for a unified state plan portal and consistent timelines for submitting the required state plans for WIOA and Perkins. The Department of Education will maintain all statutory responsibilities and positions, policy authority, and oversight of these programs. 

    This shared effort will provide a coordinated federal education and workforce system, consistent with Executive Order No. 14278 signed on April 23, 2025. 

    The Department of Labor presently administers the majority of federally funded workforce programs. Greater involvement by the Labor Department in administration of these programs will give states central points of contact in the federal government, reducing duplication of effort and conflicting directives from different agencies. It will ensure more funds can be spent on workforce training and less on state and federal bureaucracy and compliance costs. 

    Education and Labor will provide states with additional guidance in the coming weeks as these changes are implemented. For any immediate program questions, state partners and grantees should reach out to their respective Employee and Training Administration or Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education points of contact. 

    Learn more about the Interagency Agreement. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The Former Senior Costa Rican Official Has Been Charged, Arrested, and is Pending Extradition to the United States on International Drug Trafficking Charges

    Source: US FBI

    The former senior Costa Rican official has been charged, arrested, and is pending extradition to the United States on international drug trafficking charges

    A former Costa Rican government official and judge has been charged with federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Celso Manuel Gamboa Sanchez, 49, was named in a federal indictment returned by a grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with manufacturing and distributing cocaine knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States and conspiracy.

    The indictment alleges that Gamboa Sanchez conspired with and assisted other international drug traffickers to manufacture, distribute, and transport significant quantities of cocaine, much of which was trafficked through Costa Rica and ultimately into the United States for further distribution. Gamboa Sanchez has held several governmental positions in Costa Rica, including Minister of Public Security in 2014, a position charged with overseeing crime prevention in the country, and judge from 2016 to 2018.  

    On June 23, 2025, Gamboa Sanchez was arrested in Costa Rica, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant issued because of similar international drug trafficking charges alleged against Gamboa Sanchez in 2024 in the Eastern District of Texas. Also on June 23, 2025, Costa Rican officials arrested another alleged Costa Rican international narcotics trafficker, Edwin Danny Lopez Vega, who was an associate of Gamboa Sanchez, and indicted in the Eastern District of Texas.

    Both remain jailed in Costa Rica and are awaiting extradition to the United States. 

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

    If convicted, Gamboa Sanchez and Lopez Vega face a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison.

    This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the North Texas Strike Force.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Wynne and Christopher Eason.

    A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison in Human Smuggling Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    TYLER, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally smuggling aliens through the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Octavio Hernandez-Hernandez, 50, a Mexican national illegally living in Austin, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens within the United States and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 10, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, in 2022 and 2023, Hernandez-Hernandez conspired with others to transport illegal aliens from the Texas border to other locations throughout the United States. Hernandez-Hernandez provided instructions and directions to those who were transporting the illegal aliens, including some from Smith County.  Hernandez-Hernandez admitted to conspiring to smuggle at least 100 illegal aliens, including unaccompanied minors.                                                 

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

    This case was investigated by the FBI; Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Texas Department of Public Safety-Criminal Investigation Division.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Joins Amicus Brief Opposing Trump’s Unconstitutional Dismantling of Department of Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    Trump’s Dismantling Of Department Of Education Puts In Jeopardy Critical Funding For Schools, Will Lead To Worse Outcomes For Students
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) has joined her colleagues in Congress in filing an amicus brief in a lawsuit urging a federal court to stop Donald Trump from shutting down the U.S. Department of Education. The lawsuit argues that the President does not have the power to eliminate a government agency that Congress created, and that only Congress can make such a decision. The effort comes in response to actions by the Trump Administration to fire staff, cancel programs, and move key education functions to other parts of the government.
    “Donald Trump’s attempt to dismantle the Department of Education is not only unconstitutional—it’s a direct attack on students and teachers in Nevada who depend on its programs and funding to support our schools,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to join this legal effort to fight back against Trump’s actions and ensure the federal government fulfills its responsibility to support public education, teachers, and students.”
    Senator Rosen has consistently fought to protect and strengthen public education. In March, she spoke out forcefully against President Trump’s plan to dismantle the Department of Education, calling it “an illegal, irresponsible attack on students and families” and warning of its harmful impact on Nevada schools. In April, she also condemned the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate Head Start funding, calling the cuts “outrageous and cruel” and pledging to defend early childhood education programs that help Nevada families thrive. In addition, Senator Rosen helped introduce legislation to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring students with disabilities receive the support and resources they are legally entitled to in the classroom.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ezell’s Cormorant Relief Act Clears House Natural Resources Committee

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi 4th District)

    Congressman Mike Ezell (MS-04) announced today that his bill to protect Mississippi’s aquaculture and fishing industries from overpopulation of double-crested cormorants has successfully passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support.

    The Cormorant Relief Act of 2025 streamlines the management of cormorant populations and restores much-needed flexibility to state and tribal wildlife agencies. These large, fish-eating birds have posed an increasing threat to fish farms and native species across the Gulf Coast, especially in Mississippi’s Fourth District.

    The Senate companion legislation is led by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR). 

    “This is a big win for our catfish farmers, sportsmen, and conservationists,” Ezell said. “The overpopulation of cormorants has had a serious impact on our aquaculture industry, and this bill gives local experts the tools they need to protect our fisheries and manage bird populations responsibly. It’s about common sense — putting decision-making back in the hands of the people who are closest to the issue and understand it best.”

    “Congressman Ezell’s Cormorant Relief Act puts American farmers back in the driver’s seat and gives them the tools they need to manage their aquaculture facilities,” House Natural Resources Chairman Westerman said. “It is commonsense policy that will ensure responsible management of cormorant populations. I’d like to thank him for his work on this legislation and look forward to working with him as the bill continues to advance.”

    “Reinstating the federal double-crested cormorant depredation order is critical for Mississippi’s catfish farmers, who lose millions annually to these predatory birds. This measure will empower producers to protect their livelihoods, ensuring a thriving aquaculture industry that supports our state’s economy.” Mike McCormick, President, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, said.

    “The population and range of cormorants have steadily grown in recent decades, leading to increased challenges for state and tribal fish hatcheries, the private aquaculture industry, and fisheries managers,” Chris Horton, Senior Director of Fisheries Policy for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation said. “We applaud Representative Ezell, along with Reps Thompson, Guest and Kelly, for their leadership in addressing the growing cormorant depredation problem without any deleterious effects on cormorant populations.”

    For years, Mississippi producers have voiced concerns about the federal red tape involved in controlling cormorants, whose feeding habits can decimate fish stocks. The Cormorant Relief Act would empower state wildlife agencies to take action without waiting for burdensome federal approvals, while ensuring oversight remains in place to protect migratory bird populations. 

    The bill now heads to the House floor for consideration.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: De La Cruz Denounces Attack on Border Patrol Facility in McAllen

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)

    Today, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) introduced a House resolution denouncing the July 7th attack on the Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen. 

    “My heart is with Border Patrol agents and police officers following the attack on the McAllen Border Patrol annex facility. This resolution stands as a reminder that violence against law enforcement and first responders will never be tolerated. I am proud to lead this effort in honor of the brave men and women who put themselves in harms way and save lives.” – Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz

    The resolution has 41 original co-sponsors, including: Reps. Randy Weber (TX-14), Mike Flood (NE-01), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Pete Sessions (TX-17), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Michael Guest (MS-03), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Erin Houchin (IN-09), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Mike Simpson (ID-02), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Ronny Jackson (TX-13), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Dan Meuser (PA-09), Keith Self (TX-03), Brandon Gill (TX-26), Celeste Maloy (UT-02), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14), John McGuire (VA-05), Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08), Brian Babin (TX-36), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Nathaniel Moran (TX-01), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Greg Steube (FL-17), Michael Rulli (OH-06), John Carter (TX-31), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Don Bacon (NE-02), Aaron Bean (FL-04), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Brad Finstad (MN-01).

    Background: 
    On July 7th, an active shooter opened fire on the McAllen Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen, Texas. The attack resulted in three wounded, including McAllen Police Department Officer Ismael Garcia, who sustained a knee injury during the attack. Last week, De La Cruz visited Officer Garcia in recovery.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: De La Cruz Denounces Attack on Border Patrol Facility in McAllen

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)

    Today, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) introduced a House resolution denouncing the July 7th attack on the Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen. 

    “My heart is with Border Patrol agents and police officers following the attack on the McAllen Border Patrol annex facility. This resolution stands as a reminder that violence against law enforcement and first responders will never be tolerated. I am proud to lead this effort in honor of the brave men and women who put themselves in harms way and save lives.” – Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz

    The resolution has 41 original co-sponsors, including: Reps. Randy Weber (TX-14), Mike Flood (NE-01), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Pete Sessions (TX-17), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Michael Guest (MS-03), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Erin Houchin (IN-09), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), Buddy Carter (GA-01), Mike Simpson (ID-02), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Ronny Jackson (TX-13), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Dan Meuser (PA-09), Keith Self (TX-03), Brandon Gill (TX-26), Celeste Maloy (UT-02), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14), John McGuire (VA-05), Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08), Brian Babin (TX-36), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Nathaniel Moran (TX-01), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Greg Steube (FL-17), Michael Rulli (OH-06), John Carter (TX-31), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Don Bacon (NE-02), Aaron Bean (FL-04), Jen Kiggans (VA-02), and Brad Finstad (MN-01).

    Background: 
    On July 7th, an active shooter opened fire on the McAllen Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen, Texas. The attack resulted in three wounded, including McAllen Police Department Officer Ismael Garcia, who sustained a knee injury during the attack. Last week, De La Cruz visited Officer Garcia in recovery.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Press Trump Administration on Weaponizing Immigration Hearings to Trap, Arrest, Deport Immigrants

    US Senate News:

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

    July 15, 2025

    The Trump administration has been terminating immigration court cases and deporting individuals without due process.

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., said today they have joined a group of 21 Senate Democrats in pressing the Trump administration on its recent initiatives to weaponize immigration court hearings by terminating those cases and deporting people without due process.

    In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons, the senators condemned these actions as an affront to constitutionally-mandated due process.

    “We are extremely concerned by reports of a recent initiative to arrest and detain noncitizens at their immigration court hearings, and in many cases, dismiss their immigration cases without advance notice and while hiding the government’s intent to arrest them,” the senators wrote, citing recent reporting of the Trump administration’s inhumane initiatives. “These actions prevent noncitizens from having their fair day in court and raise serious legal and due process concerns.” 

    The senators wrote that the Trump administration’s actions place noncitizens in an impossible position. 

    “If noncitizens who fear arrest do not attend their immigration court hearing, they may receive an in absentia removal order that will newly subject them to swift detention and removal,” they wrote. “If they do attend, they risk arrest, detention, and a swift deportation, possibly to South Sudan, Libya, or El Salvador — countries they may have no connection to. This manipulation of existing laws to enact this Administration’s mass deportation agenda is creating chaos in our immigration system while doing nothing to make our communities safer.”

    In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter was led by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. It was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Chris Coons, D-Del., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai’i, Andy Kim, D-N.J., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Tina Smith, D-Minn., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

    The text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Demand Trump Administration Release Nearly $7 Billion for K-12 Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) in a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding answers over the Trump administration’s decision to withhold nearly $7 billion in federal funding for K-12 public schools, including more than $60 million for schools in Nevada. The Senators urged the Department to restore the funding and provide clarity for schools and educators.

    “These funds, which represent longstanding investments in K–12 education, support a wide range of priorities such as teacher recruitment, after-school programs, English learner instruction, school-based mental health services, and academic enrichment,” the Senators wrote. “Withholding funds for these important programs will disrupt essential services and undermine the support structures that students, families, and educators rely on every day.”

    On July 1, schools across the country reported they were unable to access their federal funding after the Department of Education abruptly froze nearly $7 billion in grants, even though the funds were appropriated by Congress and already factored into school budgets. The lack of clarity has left schools scrambling just weeks before the new school year begins, forcing districts to delay staffing decisions, scale back programs, and reconsider essential student support services. 

    In Nevada, affected programs include after-school programs, English-learner services, professional development, and migrant education. At least fourteen percent of Nevada students are English-Language Learners.

    “Federal education programs play a crucial role in advancing equity and expanding opportunity, especially for students from low-income and historically underserved communities,” the Senators continued. “With learning gaps widening and student needs growing more complex, limiting access to these resources risks deepening disparities and undermining progress across the education system.”

    “Congress has a constitutional responsibility to appropriate federal education funds, and it is essential that those funds are administered transparently and in accordance with federal law. We urge the Department to work with school districts to provide clarity, minimize disruption, and ensure that critical educational services remain accessible to the students who need them most,” the Senators concluded. 

    Read the full letter here.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen have pushed multiple Departments under the Trump Administration for detailed, public information regarding the impacts of President Trump’s federal funding freeze, hiring freeze, and terminations on Nevada – including to the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, General Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, and Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. The Senators have also pushed back against cuts that hurt students and families in need across Nevada, including to Sierra Nevada Job Corps, mental health grant funding, and food and nutrition programs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SIGNED: Cortez Masto’s Legislation to Create Jobs at Apex Industrial Park in North Las Vegas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, President Trump signed Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-Nev.) bill to create thousands of new jobs at North Las Vegas’ Apex Industrial Park into law. The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act would allow new and existing businesses at Apex to expand without going through a burdensome permitting process for basic utilities and infrastructure.
    “I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to deliver real solutions for Southern Nevadans,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Now that President Trump has signed my bill into law, businesses in North Las Vegas will have more opportunities to innovate, expand, and create good-paying jobs.”
    “The City of North Las Vegas strongly supports the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act,” said North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown. “This act fast tracks infrastructure development that will lead to quality jobs. In the past, securing BLM rights-of-way for roads, water, power, and other utilities took years for each individual use which delayed progress and investment. This legislation allows for a unified, streamlined process that will save time, reduce redundancy, and unlock Apex’s full potential without compromising environmental review or agency oversight. We thank Senator Cortez Masto and Congressman Horsford for championing this commonsense solution and look forward to continued collaboration to grow our economy and deliver results for North Las Vegas and the region.”
    “The Apex Owners and stakeholders have worked tirelessly with Senator Cortez Masto and the City of North Las Vegas to modernize the Apex Act and streamline the BLM permitting process,” said Lisa Cole, Esq., In-house Counsel and Vice President of Land Development Associates, LLC. “Previously, each road and utility right-of-way could take 1 to 3 years to secure per project even when in the same location. The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act is a major breakthrough that allows one consolidated permit, saving years while preserving environmental and federal oversight. We’re deeply grateful to Senator Cortez Masto and Congressman Horsford for their leadership in making this long-overdue fix a reality.”
    The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.04), where it was passed in May. In June, Senator Cortez Masto successfully passed the bill in the Senate by unanimous consent. Senator Cortez Masto first introduced this legislation in 2023.
    Senator Cortez Masto has worked across the board to strengthen and diversify Nevada’s economy and create new jobs by passing legislation to upgrade American infrastructure, support Nevada’s manufacturing industry, and invest in Nevada’s booming clean-energy economy. She has consistently supported programs and grants that provide job training to young Nevadans so they can access good-paying jobs without a four-year degree.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SIGNED: Cortez Masto’s Legislation to Create Jobs at Apex Industrial Park in North Las Vegas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, President Trump signed Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-Nev.) bill to create thousands of new jobs at North Las Vegas’ Apex Industrial Park into law. The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act would allow new and existing businesses at Apex to expand without going through a burdensome permitting process for basic utilities and infrastructure.
    “I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to deliver real solutions for Southern Nevadans,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Now that President Trump has signed my bill into law, businesses in North Las Vegas will have more opportunities to innovate, expand, and create good-paying jobs.”
    “The City of North Las Vegas strongly supports the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act,” said North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown. “This act fast tracks infrastructure development that will lead to quality jobs. In the past, securing BLM rights-of-way for roads, water, power, and other utilities took years for each individual use which delayed progress and investment. This legislation allows for a unified, streamlined process that will save time, reduce redundancy, and unlock Apex’s full potential without compromising environmental review or agency oversight. We thank Senator Cortez Masto and Congressman Horsford for championing this commonsense solution and look forward to continued collaboration to grow our economy and deliver results for North Las Vegas and the region.”
    “The Apex Owners and stakeholders have worked tirelessly with Senator Cortez Masto and the City of North Las Vegas to modernize the Apex Act and streamline the BLM permitting process,” said Lisa Cole, Esq., In-house Counsel and Vice President of Land Development Associates, LLC. “Previously, each road and utility right-of-way could take 1 to 3 years to secure per project even when in the same location. The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act is a major breakthrough that allows one consolidated permit, saving years while preserving environmental and federal oversight. We’re deeply grateful to Senator Cortez Masto and Congressman Horsford for their leadership in making this long-overdue fix a reality.”
    The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.04), where it was passed in May. In June, Senator Cortez Masto successfully passed the bill in the Senate by unanimous consent. Senator Cortez Masto first introduced this legislation in 2023.
    Senator Cortez Masto has worked across the board to strengthen and diversify Nevada’s economy and create new jobs by passing legislation to upgrade American infrastructure, support Nevada’s manufacturing industry, and invest in Nevada’s booming clean-energy economy. She has consistently supported programs and grants that provide job training to young Nevadans so they can access good-paying jobs without a four-year degree.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SIGNED: Cortez Masto’s Legislation to Create Jobs at Apex Industrial Park in North Las Vegas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, President Trump signed Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-Nev.) bill to create thousands of new jobs at North Las Vegas’ Apex Industrial Park into law. The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act would allow new and existing businesses at Apex to expand without going through a burdensome permitting process for basic utilities and infrastructure.
    “I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to deliver real solutions for Southern Nevadans,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Now that President Trump has signed my bill into law, businesses in North Las Vegas will have more opportunities to innovate, expand, and create good-paying jobs.”
    “The City of North Las Vegas strongly supports the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act,” said North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown. “This act fast tracks infrastructure development that will lead to quality jobs. In the past, securing BLM rights-of-way for roads, water, power, and other utilities took years for each individual use which delayed progress and investment. This legislation allows for a unified, streamlined process that will save time, reduce redundancy, and unlock Apex’s full potential without compromising environmental review or agency oversight. We thank Senator Cortez Masto and Congressman Horsford for championing this commonsense solution and look forward to continued collaboration to grow our economy and deliver results for North Las Vegas and the region.”
    “The Apex Owners and stakeholders have worked tirelessly with Senator Cortez Masto and the City of North Las Vegas to modernize the Apex Act and streamline the BLM permitting process,” said Lisa Cole, Esq., In-house Counsel and Vice President of Land Development Associates, LLC. “Previously, each road and utility right-of-way could take 1 to 3 years to secure per project even when in the same location. The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act is a major breakthrough that allows one consolidated permit, saving years while preserving environmental and federal oversight. We’re deeply grateful to Senator Cortez Masto and Congressman Horsford for their leadership in making this long-overdue fix a reality.”
    The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.04), where it was passed in May. In June, Senator Cortez Masto successfully passed the bill in the Senate by unanimous consent. Senator Cortez Masto first introduced this legislation in 2023.
    Senator Cortez Masto has worked across the board to strengthen and diversify Nevada’s economy and create new jobs by passing legislation to upgrade American infrastructure, support Nevada’s manufacturing industry, and invest in Nevada’s booming clean-energy economy. She has consistently supported programs and grants that provide job training to young Nevadans so they can access good-paying jobs without a four-year degree.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Massachusetts Woman Charged With Leaking Grand Jury Information

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Dracut, Mass. woman has been charged with allegedly disclosing information presented to a federal grand jury to unauthorized individuals.

    Jessica M. Leslie, 34, was charged on Friday, July 11, 2025 with one count of criminal contempt. The defendant has agreed to plead guilty and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.

    According to the charging document, on various dates between Aug. 11, 2022 and March 4, 2024, the defendant disclosed sealed information to unauthorized individuals, including the names of various witnesses appearing before a federal grand jury, the substance of witness testimony and other evidence presented to the grand jury, in violation of the Federal Rules and court order.

    The charge of criminal contempt provides for a sentence of any term of years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Chief of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: One Survey by NASA’s Roman Could Unveil 100,000 Cosmic Explosions

    Source: NASA

    Scientists predict one of the major surveys by NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope may reveal around 100,000 celestial blasts, ranging from exploding stars to feeding black holes. Roman may even find evidence of some of the universe’s first stars, which are thought to completely self-destruct without leaving any remnant behind.

    Cosmic explosions offer clues to some of the biggest mysteries of the universe. One is the nature of dark energy, the mysterious pressure thought to be accelerating the universe’s expansion.
    “Whether you want to explore dark energy, dying stars, galactic powerhouses, or probably even entirely new things we’ve never seen before, this survey will be a gold mine,” said Benjamin Rose, an assistant professor at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, who led a study about the results. The paper is published in The Astrophysical Journal.
    Called the High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey, this observation program will scan the same large region of the cosmos every five days for two years. Scientists will stitch these observations together to create movies that uncover all sorts of cosmic fireworks.
    Chief among them are exploding stars. The survey is largely geared toward finding a special class of supernova called type Ia. These stellar cataclysms allow scientists to measure cosmic distances and trace the universe’s expansion because they peak at about the same intrinsic brightness. Figuring out how fast the universe has ballooned during different cosmic epochs offers clues to dark energy.

    In the new study, scientists simulated Roman’s entire High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey. The results suggest Roman could see around 27,000 type Ia supernovae—about 10 times more than all previous surveys combined.
    Beyond dramatically increasing our total sample of these supernovae, Roman will push the boundaries of how far back in time we can see them. While most of those detected so far occurred within approximately the last 8 billion years, Roman is expected to see vast numbers of them earlier in the universe’s history, including more than a thousand that exploded more than 10 billion years ago and potentially dozens from as far back as 11.5 billion years. That means Roman will almost certainly set a new record for the farthest type Ia supernova while profoundly expanding our view of the early universe and filling in a critical gap in our understanding of how the cosmos has evolved over time.
    “Filling these data gaps could also fill in gaps in our understanding of dark energy,” Rose said. “Evidence is mounting that dark energy has changed over time, and Roman will help us understand that change by exploring cosmic history in ways other telescopes can’t.”
    But type Ia supernovae will be hidden among a much bigger sample of exploding stars Roman will see once it begins science operations in 2027. The team estimates Roman will also spot about 60,000 core-collapse supernovae, which occur when a massive star runs out of fuel and collapses under its own weight.
    That’s different from type Ia supernovae, which originate from binary star systems that contain at least one white dwarf — the small, hot core remnant of a Sun-like star — siphoning material from a companion star. Core-collapse supernovae aren’t as useful for dark energy studies as type Ias are, but their signals look similar from halfway across the cosmos.
    “By seeing the way an object’s light changes over time and splitting it into spectra — individual colors with patterns that reveal information about the object that emitted the light—we can distinguish between all the different types of flashes Roman will see,” said Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County working at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and a co-author of the study.
    “With the dataset we’ve created, scientists can train machine-learning algorithms to distinguish between different types of objects and sift through Roman’s downpour of data to find them,” Hounsell added. “While searching for type Ia supernovae, Roman is going to collect a lot of cosmic ‘bycatch’—other phenomena that aren’t useful to some scientists, but will be invaluable to others.”
    Hidden Gems
    Thanks to Roman’s large, deep view of space, scientists say the survey should also unearth extremely rare and elusive phenomena, including even scarcer stellar explosions and disintegrating stars.
    Upon close approach to a black hole, intense gravity can shred a star in a so-called tidal disruption event. The stellar crumbs heat up as they swirl around the black hole, creating a glow astronomers can see from across vast stretches of space-time. Scientists think Roman’s survey will unveil 40 tidal disruption events, offering a chance to learn more about black hole physics.
    The team also estimates Roman will find about 90 superluminous supernovae, which can be 100 times brighter than a typical supernova. They pack a punch, but scientists aren’t completely sure why. Finding more of them will help astronomers weigh different theories.
    Even rarer and more powerful, Roman could also detect several kilonovae. These blasts occur when two neutron stars — extremely dense cores leftover from stars that exploded as supernovae — collide. To date, there has been only one definitive kilonova detection. The team estimates Roman could spot five more.

    That would help astronomers learn much more about these mysterious events, potentially including their fate. As of now, scientists are unsure whether kilonovae result in a single neutron star, a black hole, or something else entirely.
    Roman may even spot the detonations of some of the first stars that formed in the universe. These nuclear furnaces were giants, up to hundreds of times more massive than our Sun, and unsullied by heavy elements that hadn’t yet formed.
    They were so massive that scientists think they exploded differently than modern massive stars do. Instead of reaching the point where a heavy star today would collapse, intense gamma rays inside the first stars may have turned into matter-antimatter pairs (electrons and positrons). That would drain the pressure holding the stars up until they collapsed, self-destructing in explosions so powerful they’re thought to leave nothing behind.
    So far, astronomers have found about half a dozen candidates of these “pair-instability” supernovae, but none have been confirmed.
    “I think Roman will make the first confirmed detection of a pair-instability supernova,” Rose said — in fact the study suggests Roman will find more than 10. “They’re incredibly far away and very rare, so you need a telescope that can survey a lot of the sky at a deep exposure level in near-infrared light, and that’s Roman.”
    A future rendition of the simulation could include even more types of cosmic flashes, such as variable stars and active galaxies. Other telescopes may follow up on the rare phenomena and objects Roman discovers to view them in different wavelengths of light to study them in more detail.
    “Roman’s going to find a whole bunch of weird and wonderful things out in space, including some we haven’t even thought of yet,” Hounsell said. “We’re definitely expecting the unexpected.”
    For more information about the Roman Space Telescope visit www.nasa.gov/roman.
    The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
    By Ashley BalzerNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fourth NASA-Enabled Private Flight to Space Station Completes Safely

    Source: NASA

    The NASA-supported fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4, completed its flight as part of the agency’s efforts to demonstrate demand and build operational knowledge for future commercial space stations.
    The four-person crew safely returned to Earth, splashing down off the coast of California at 5:31 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and astronauts. 
    Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, and ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary, completed about two and a half weeks in space.
    The Axiom Mission 4 crew launched at 2:31 a.m. on June 25, on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Approximately 28 hours later, Dragon docked to the space-facing port of the space station’s Harmony module. The astronauts undocked at 7:15 a.m. on July 14, to begin the trip home.
    The crew conducted microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities. The spacecraft will return to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facilities. Throughout their mission, the astronauts conducted about 60 science experiments, and returned science, including NASA cargo, back to Earth.
    A collaboration between NASA and ISRO allowed Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The space agencies participated in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration.
    The private mission also carried the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.
    The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit provides the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.
    Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-space
    News Media Contacts:Claire O’Shea Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
    Anna Schneider Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Merchandise trade posts strong growth in Q1 ahead of tariff hikes

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Merchandise trade posts strong growth in Q1 ahead of tariff hikes

    The new tariffs announced by the United States on 2 April at the start of the second quarter were widely anticipated, allowing importers to move purchases forward to avoid paying higher duties at a later date. Trade volume growth in the first quarter was above projections issued in the WTO’s Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report on 16 April, both for the Secretariat’s baseline forecast of 2.7% for 2025, which assumed a continuation of policies in place at the start of the year, and the adjusted forecast of ‑0.2% assuming policies in place on 16 April.
    Since then, a variety of trade agreements and trade measures have nudged the adjusted forecast up and down slightly, but as of mid-June merchandise trade growth for the year was still expected to be basically flat at 0.1%.
    Chart 1: World merchandise trade volume and value, 2019Q1-2025Q1Indices, 2019=100

    Sources: WTO and UNCTAD for merchandise trade volume, WTO for merchandise trade value.Note: Merchandise trade volume refers to the average of exports and imports, while merchandise trade value refers to exports in current US dollar terms.  SA indicates a seasonally-adjusted data series while NSA denotes non-seasonally-adjusted data.
    Meanwhile, the US dollar value of world merchandise trade — as measured by non-seasonally-adjusted exports — was up 4% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting strong growth in volume terms and declining prices (Chart 1). The value of trade in the first quarter was down compared to the previous quarter due to regular seasonal variation, but seasonally-adjusted figures continued to rise.
    There were significant disparities across regions in merchandise trade volume growth in the first quarter, especially on the import side (Chart 2). North America recorded the strongest quarter-on-quarter import growth of any region by far at 13.4%, followed by Africa at 5.1%, South and Central America and the Caribbean at 3.6%, the Middle East at 3.0%, Europe at 1.3%, and Asia at 1.1%. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including certain associate and former member states, was the only region to record a decline in the first quarter at -0.5%.  On the export side, the Middle East recorded the strongest quarter-on-quarter growth at 6.3%, followed by Asia at 5.6%, South America at 3.2%, Africa at 2.5%, Europe at 1.9% and North America at 1.8%. The CIS region also registered an export decline of -1.0% in the first quarter.
    Chart 2: Merchandise export and import volumes by region, 2019Q1 – 2025Q1Seasonally-adjusted indices, 2019=100

    a     Refers to South and Central America and the Caribbean.b     Refers to Commonwealth of Independent States, including certain associate and former member states.Source: WTO and UNCTAD estimates.
    Merchandise trade developments in value terms during the first quarter of 2025
    Chart 3 shows year-on-year growth in the US dollar value of world merchandise trade by broad product category in the first quarter.1 The strongest performance was in office and telecom equipment (+16% year-on-year), followed by chemicals (+12%) and clothing (+7%). Among the product categories shown, only automotive products (-4%), fuels and mining products (-4%; of which: fuels -7%) and iron and steel (-3%) decreased in value terms. While fuel prices changed little compared with the same quarter in the previous year, prices for metals and minerals (excluding gold & silver) were 8% higher.
    Chart 3: Year-on-year merchandise trade growth by product in the first quarter of 2025% change in US$ values

    a Includes electrical machinery, non-electrical machinery and power generating equipment.Source: WTO for total merchandise exports, WTO Secretariat estimates for products.
    Africa had the strongest merchandise export growth of any region in value terms in the first quarter, up 9% year-on-year (Chart 4). The increase was led by gold, ores, cocoa, and copper, while fuel shipments declined. It was followed by Asia (up 5%, led by precious metals and machinery) and South and Central America (up 4%, with increases in precious metals, ores and coffee/tea, and declines in fuels, oil seeds, and cereals). Among WTO regions, only the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)2 saw its exports decline (-6%).
    Chart 4: Merchandise trade growth by regions in the first quarter of 2025% change in US$ values

    a  Refers to South and Central America and the Caribbean.b Refers to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including certain associate and former member states.Source: WTO.
    On the import side, strong year-on-year increases were observed in North America (+19%) and South America (+12%). Regarding North America, imports of machinery, precious metals and pharmaceuticals showed marked increases, while vehicle imports dropped slightly. South America saw particularly strong imports of machinery, articles of iron and steel, and vehicles, while imports of fuel fell. Asia’s first quarter merchandise imports increased the least amongst the regions (1%), apart from the 0.1% decline in the CIS region. Asia saw strong import growth for gold and iron ore while imports of vehicles fell. In line with the world trend, Asian imports of fuels also declined year-on-year, while imports of integrated circuits rose.
    Monthly merchandise trade developments
    Monthly merchandise trade statistics in value terms are available for many countries into the second quarter of 2025.  These data show evidence of import demand starting to slow after the first quarter surge. This is illustrated by Chart 5, which shows year-on-year growth in the US dollar value of merchandise exports and imports in 2025 for selected economies in the first quarter, plus partial data for the second quarter (April-May or the latest available month).
    For example, imports of the United States were up 25% in the first quarter but only 1% in the first two months of the second quarter.  For the year to date (Jan-May), US imports were up 15%.  On the export side, shipments from China were up 6% year-on-year in both Q1 and Q2, but other Asian economies saw export growth accelerate (e.g. India, down 4% year-on-year in Q1 but up 9% in April).
    These latest quarterly and monthly merchandise trade statistics and other data can be downloaded from the WTO’s online database at stats.wto.org.
    Chart 5: Merchandise export and import growth of selected economies, Jan.-May 2025year-on-year % change in US$ values

    a  April-June.b  April.Source: National customs statistics accessed through Trade Data Monitor (TDM).

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Home Depot Co-Founder Now “Sold on Trump”

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    Ken Langone, co-founder of The Home Depot, says he has “never been more excited about the future of America” than he is under President Donald J. Trump. In an interview on CNBC, Langone praised President Trump’s economic policies, leadership, and return of the American spirit.
    Here’s what you missed:
    On optimism: “If I told you how bullish I was, you wouldn’t believe it. I have never been more excited about the future of America than I am right now, right this minute, for a lot of reasons. Number one, like it or not, this guy is getting things done … He’s acting presidential. I’m impressed with the people he’s got around him.”
    On his past reluctance: “I am sold on Trump … I think he’s got a good shot at going down in history as one of our best presidents ever … What I’m seeing happening is absolutely nothing short of a great thing. People are walking with more bounce in their [step] — it’s all around … When you made a mistake, admit it.”
    On tariffs: “Initially, my concern was I don’t like tariffs; I like free trade. However, I think — damn it, give Trump credit. His instincts are good. Some of these things need to be fixed.”
    On the One Big Beautiful Bill: “I was worried about inflation and I was worried about the deficit. I think there’s a lot of merit to the notion that it’s going to trigger such significant economic growth that we might see tax revenues going up through the profitability bracket.”
    On foreign policy: “The world is a mess, but I think it’s coming more in our direction than it was. I think that strike in Iran had significant symbolic meaning for the world that America is here and when our interests are at risk, we’re going to do something about it.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Venezuela: Enforced disappearances amount to crimes against humanity

    Source: Amnesty International –

    • Venezuelan authorities commit enforced disappearances as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population, particularly those they consider dissidents, which amount to crimes against humanity. 
    • Out of the 15 cases of people forcibly disappeared that Amnesty International has documented since July 2024, 11 remain subjected to enforced disappearance, including Venezuelans and citizens of the United States, France, Spain, Ukraine, Colombia and Uruguay.
    • The International Criminal Court and national courts exercising universal jurisdiction should investigate and – where sufficient evidence exists – prosecute those allegedly responsible, up to the highest authorities.

    The Venezuelan authorities have committed, and continue to commit, enforced disappearances as part of their policy of repression of dissidents and those they perceive as such, Amnesty International said in its report Detentions without a trace: The crime of enforced disappearance in Venezuela, which analyses the situation of 15 individuals forcibly disappeared between the presidential election of 28 July 2024 and 15 June 2025.

    Based on this new report and the organization’s body of research over the past decade, Amnesty International concludes that these serious human rights violations and crimes under international law are committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population in Venezuela.

    “Once again, the Venezuelan authorities are demonstrating that their cruelty knows no bounds. Enforced disappearance means not knowing where your family member is, what condition they are in, or even if they are alive or dead. It is a crime that puts the life and integrity of the forcibly disappeared person at grave risk and subjects their family to constant suffering, marked by the uncertainty, anguish and daily torment of being left to wonder their loved one’s whereabouts,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

    “The international community cannot normalize or ignore the human rights crisis in Venezuela. The scale and gravity of the crimes committed in the country – particularly the enforced disappearance of people – must stir the conscience of the world, and propel international justice into action. As an international crime, it not only entails the responsibility of the state, but also the criminal responsibility of the individual officials who commit it.”

    The international community cannot normalize or ignore the human rights crisis in Venezuela. The scale and gravity of the crimes committed in the country – particularly the enforced disappearance of people – must stir the conscience of the world, and propel international justice into action.

    Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

    Amnesty research is grounded on international human rights law, according to which three elements must be cumulatively present for an enforced disappearance to be established: (1) the detention of a person; (2) by agents of the State, or persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State; (3) the official denial of the detention or the concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the detained person.

    The time frame of the report begins with the presidential election of 28 July 2024 and covers the repression that followed the disputed result announced by Nicolás Maduro’s government. The government’s strategies to suppress expressions in favor of political change followed a familiar and recurring pattern, although on a previously unseen scale: 25 people lost their lives, at least 2,200 people were arbitrarily and unlawfully deprived of their liberty, and possibly hundreds of them were subjected to enforced disappearance with their detention denied or their fate or whereabouts concealed. In the case of the 15 people whose enforced disappearance was investigated by Amnesty International, the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM, in Spanish), the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN, in Spanish) and the Bolivarian National Guard stand out as the main state agencies responsible for such arbitrary detentions.

    The whereabouts of 11 of the 15 forcibly disappeared persons, whose cases were investigated by Amnesty International, remain unknown. They are Andrés Martínez, Damián Rojas, Danner Barajas, Dennis Lepaje, Eudi Andrade, Fabián Buglione, Jorgen Guanares, Jose María Basoa, Lucas Hunter, Rory Branker and Yevhenii Petrovish Trush. Only the whereabouts of four people were established: Alfredo Díaz, who was subjected to enforced disappearance for four days; Eduardo Torres, who was forcibly disappeared for eight days; and Rosa Chirinos and Raymar Pérez, who were forcibly disappeared for four months.

    At the time this report was finalised, at least 46 people were possibly forcibly disappeared, according to information collected by the organization Foro Penal.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces new public outreach campaign with LA Rises and launch of new AI permitting tool

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jul 15, 2025

    What you need to know: The LA Rises public outreach campaign will connect and support Angelenos impacted by the Eaton and Palisades fires with resources for long-term recovery and rebuilding.

    LOS ANGELES – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the launch of a new public outreach campaign with LA Rises that will connect and support impacted Angelenos with key resources and share stories of community efforts to recover and rebuild for the long-term in the aftermath of the Eaton and Palisades fires.

    As the Altadena and Palisades communities move from immediate recovery to long-term rebuilding, LA Rises is a central place where Angelenos can find resources, learn about the status of recovery and rebuilding across sectors, and get reliable information from government sources, community organizations, and neighborhood leaders who are working in partnership to support the recovery of their shared hometown.

    Through partnerships with trusted community leaders and voices—like community organizers, local media, and faith leaders—this campaign will reach residents where they are, with information that is clear, timely, and rooted in care. The campaign will also spotlight individuals and community groups driving recovery on the ground.

    “Recovery isn’t just about physical rebuilding—it’s about trust, belonging, and community. The LA Rises outreach campaign is more than a short-term recovery effort; it’s a movement to build a future that supports everyone who calls Los Angeles home.” 

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    AI permitting tool Archistar launches for early adopters

    Today also marks the beta launch of a new AI permitting tool made possible by a partnership between the state and philanthropic partners including LA Rises. The tool aims to fast track the approval process for rebuilding permits to help Angelenos get back into their homes following the Eaton and Palisades fires. The software, developed by Archistar, has the ability to check building designs for code compliance before submission and help property owners prevalidate plans, significantly reducing permit review timelines. 

    Residents who own a single-family home impacted by the Eaton Fire or the Palisades Fire are invited to sign up for the tool as an early adopter. Sign up here with Los Angeles city, and here with Los Angeles county.

    Looking ahead to long-term recovery

    In January, Governor Newsom announced the launch of LA Rises, a unified recovery initiative that brings together public and private sector leaders to support rebuilding efforts.   

    In addition to communications and community outreach facilitated by the public outreach campaign, LA Rises will support long-term rebuilding by funding efforts across key priorities, including small business support, rebuilding and resilience, and mental health services — with a focus on partnering with the private and philanthropic sectors to unlock additional capital and find new and innovative tools to help communities build back faster and stronger. In addition to partnering with Archistar to fund the AI permitting tool, the philanthropic arm of LA Rises has contributed to the LA County small business relief grants program to help impacted business owners get back on their feet. 

    In the coming months, the LA Rises public outreach campaign will highlight progress and share trusted information related to the top rebuilding priorities as outlined by the LA County Forward BluePrint for Recovery; Helping families and businesses access financial support to return home, fast-tracking permitting and rebuilding, and bringing back everyday services and public assets to make neighborhoods livable again.

    To learn more about the campaign, visit www.larises.org and follow @larisestogether on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

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    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed a tribal-state gaming compact with the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria.A copy of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria compact can be found…

    MIL OSI USA News –