NewzIntel.com

Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI: Upexi, Inc. Announces Pricing of $200 Million Concurrent Private Placement of Common Stock and Convertible Notes both Priced above the At-the-Market Price under Nasdaq Rules

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TAMPA, Fla., July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Upexi, Inc. (NASDAQ: UPXI) (the “Company” or “Upexi”), a brand owner specializing in the development, manufacturing and distribution of consumer products with diversification into the cryptocurrency space, today announced that it has entered into securities purchase agreements with certain accredited investors, qualified purchasers and institutional investors, as well as with Allan Marshall, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, for the purchase and sale of 12,457,186 shares of common stock (or common stock equivalents in lieu thereof) at a price of $4.00 per share (and at a price of $4.94 per share for management’s participation) for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $50 million (the “Equity Offering”), before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses.

    The closing of the Equity Offering is expected to occur on or about July 14, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company expects to use a portion of the proceeds from the Equity Offering to fund the Company’s existing business operations and for working capital and general corporate purposes, and the balance of the net proceeds shall be used to fund the Company’s Solana treasury strategy.

    The Company also announced that, concurrent with the Equity Offering, it has entered into additional securities purchase agreements with certain institutional investors and qualified purchasers for the purchase of Convertible Notes in exchange for locked and spot Solana with an aggregate original principal amount of approximate $150 million (the “Note Offering”).

    The Convertible Notes are collateralized by SOL provided by the respective holders. The Convertible Notes have an interest rate of 2.0% payable on a quarterly basis, a fixed conversion price of $4.25 per share and maturity of 24 months.

    Big Brain Holdings is acting as the lead investor in the Note Offering alongside additional institutional investors.

    The closing of the Note Offering is expected to occur on or about July 16, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The SOL underlying the Note Offering will become part of the Company’s Solana treasury upon closing.

    The Company expects to have approximately 1.65 million SOL upon close of the Note Offering, more than doubling the previously disclosed balance of 735,692 SOL. The net proceeds from the Equity Offering will be deployed into acquiring additional SOL over the coming weeks.

    A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners is acting as the sole placement agent in connection with both offerings.

    The offer and sale of the foregoing securities is being made in a transaction not involving a public offering, and the securities have not been and will not initially be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws.

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

    About Upexi, Inc.:

    Upexi is a brand owner specializing in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of consumer products. The Company has entered the cryptocurrency industry and cash management of assets through a cryptocurrency portfolio. For more information on Upexi’s treasury strategy and future developments, visit www.upexi.com.

    Follow Upexi on X – https://twitter.com/upexitreasury
    Follow CEO, Allan Marshall, on X – https://x.com/marshall_a22015
    Follow CSO, Brian Rudick, on X – https://x.com/thetinyant

    FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:

    This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. For example, the Company is using forward looking statements when it discusses the expected closing of the offerings, the anticipated use of proceeds, that the Company expects to have approximately 1.65 million SOL upon the closing of the Note Offering, more than doubling the previously disclosed balance of SOL, and that the net proceeds from the Equity Offering will be deployed into acquiring additional SOL over the coming weeks. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with business strategy, potential acquisitions, revenue guidance, product development, integration, and synergies of acquiring companies and personnel. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward- looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations, and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Company Contact
    Brian Rudick, Chief Strategy Officer
    Email: brian.rudick@upexi.com 
    Phone: (216) 347-0473

    Media Contact
    Gasthalter & Co.
    Upexi@gasthalter.com 

    Investor Relations Contact
    KCSA Strategic Communications
    Valter Pinto, Managing Director
    Email: Upexi@KCSA.com
    Phone: (212) 896-1254

    SOURCE: Upexi

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Brag House to Be Featured on RedChip Small Stocks, Big Money™ Show on Bloomberg TV

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brag House Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBH) (“Brag House” or the “Company”), the media-tech platform at the intersection of gaming, college sports, and Gen Z engagement is excited to announce that CEO and Co-Founder, Lavell Juan Malloy II, will be featured on the RedChip Small Stocks, Big Money™ show, airing on Bloomberg TV this Saturday, July 12, at 7 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Bloomberg TV reaches an estimated 73 million homes across the United States.

    Watch the full interview at:

    Brag House: Setting the New Standard for Gen Z Brand Engagement

    Brag House is revolutionizing how brands capture the attention and loyalty of Gen Z, leveraging a cutting-edge social gaming and data-driven platform that seamlessly fuses college sports rivalries, casual gaming, and vibrant community interaction. In an exclusive interview, CEO and Co-Founder Lavell Juan Malloy II reveals how Brag House is not just connecting brands to Gen Z, it’s creating immersive digital experiences that drive authentic engagement and measurable results.

    What sets Brag House apart:

    • Elite partnerships with industry giants like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, the Denver Broncos, and Learfield, validating our platform’s reach and effectiveness.
    • Unrivaled engagement metrics, consistently achieving CPC and CPM rates far below industry norms, delivering superior value to brand partners.
    • A powerful national expansion, propelled by our strategic alliance with Learfield, now spanning more than 200 universities across the country.
    • A robust, multi-tiered monetization strategy and scalable B2B data solutions that unlock new revenue streams and actionable insights for partners.
    • A unique position at the crossroads of gaming, advertising, and analytics, enabling Brag House to shape the future of digital brand engagement in three explosive markets.

    About Brag House
    Brag House is a leading media technology gaming platform dedicated to transforming casual college gaming into a vibrant, community-driven experience. By seamlessly merging gaming, social interaction, and cutting-edge technology, the Company provides an inclusive and engaging environment for casual gamers while enabling brands to authentically connect with the influential Gen Z demographic. For more information, visit www.braghouse.com.

    Media Contact:
    Fatema Bhabrawala
    Director of Media Relations
    fbhabrawala@allianceadvisors.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Adele Carey
    VP, Investor Relations
    ir@thebraghouse.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Houston American Energy Corp. Secures $100 Million Equity Line of Credit to Fuel Growth and Support Strategic Acquisitions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, TX, July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE American: HUSA) (“HUSA” or the “Company”) today announced it has secured a Common Stock Purchase Agreement with an institutional investor, establishing an equity line of credit of up to $100 million. The Company intends to use the proceeds to accelerate its growth strategy, including strategic acquisitions, scaling operations, and expanding its presence in the low-carbon fuels and chemicals sector.

    “This capital commitment is a significant milestone for Houston American Energy and a validation of our long-term vision,” said Ed Gillespie, CEO of the Company. “It provides us with enhanced flexibility to execute our growth strategy and advance our project pipeline.”

    Under the terms of the 24-month agreement, HUSA has the right to sell up to $100 million of its common stock to an institutional investor. The timing and amount of sales will be at the Company’s discretion, subject to a $2 million cap per drawdown, trading and volume limitations and other conditions. Shares will be sold at a 4% discount to the volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the Company’s stock over a specified period.

    “This agreement provides us with the financial agility to expand our operations, pursue strategic growth opportunities, and scale our business to meet the evolving needs of the energy sector,” added Gillespie.

    The Company will file a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to register the resale of shares. The agreement was structured as a committed equity facility under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D. Additional details regarding the agreement will be available in a Form 8-K to be filed by the company with the SEC.

    About Houston American Energy Corp.

    Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE American: HUSA) is an independent energy company with a growing and diversified portfolio across both conventional and renewable sectors. Historically focused on the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, the Company is actively expanding into high-growth segments of the energy industry. In July 2025, HUSA acquired Abundia Global Impact Group, a technology-driven platform specializing in the conversion of waste plastics into low-carbon fuels and chemical feedstocks. This strategic acquisition reflects HUSA’s broader commitment to meeting global energy demands through a balanced mix of traditional and alternative energy solutions and positions the Company to capitalize on emerging opportunities in sustainable fuels and energy transition technologies.

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking information generally is accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements about the future growth of the Company in the low-carbon fuels and chemicals sector as well as plans for strategic acquisitions and scaling operations. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: (i) risks and uncertainties impacting the Company’s business including, risks related to its current liquidity position and the need to obtain additional financing to support ongoing operations, the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, the Company’s ability to maintain the listing of its common stock on NYSE American, the Company’s ability to predict its rate of growth, the Company’s ability to hire, retain and motivate employees, the effects of competition on the Company’s business, including price competition, technological, regulatory and legal developments, developments in the economy and financial markets, risks related to whether the Company is able to sell any shares under the Common Stock Purchase Agreement, the timing of filing a registration statement with respect to the resale of such shares, and (iii) other risks as set forth from time to time in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company.

    With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company’s business is disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC on www.sec.gov.

    All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

    For additional information, view the company’s website at www.houstonamerican.com or contact Houston American Energy Corp. at (713) 222-6966.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Houston American Energy Secures $5 Million in Strategic Financing to Acquire Texas Gulf Coast Development Site

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Proceeds to Fund Portion of Acquisition of 25-Acre Location at Cedar Port Industrial Park, Future Site of Plastics-to-Low-Carbon Fuels Hub

    HOUSTON, TX, July 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE American: HUSA) (“HUSA” or the “Company”) today announced it has secured a Convertible Note from an institutional investor for $5 million. The Company intends to use the proceeds to fund a portion of the acquisition and development of a 25-acre site at the Cedar Port Industrial Park located in Baytown, Texas.

    “The site at Cedar Port is in the largest rail and barge served industrial park in the United States with direct access to the Houston Ship Channel and the Port of Houston. It provides robust logistical advantages for the transportation of both feedstock and our low-carbon drop-in fuels and chemical products,” said Ed Gillespie, CEO of the Company.

    The Senior Secured Convertible Note carries an 8% Original Issue Discount (“OID”) for a face amount of approximately $5.4 million and bears 7% interest with a maturity date of July 10, 2026. The Note includes standard rights for the institutional investor, including instalment payments, optional conversion, and certain default provisions. HUSA retains the right to prepay the Note at a premium prior to its maturity. The Note is convertible into common shares of HUSA at a price representing a 10% premium to a look-back price. The look-back price is defined as the lower of: (i) the closing price on the day prior to signing $11.00 on July 10, 2025, or (ii) the five-day average closing price prior to signing.

    HUSA expects to close on the acquisition of the site in July 2025 for approximately $8.5 million. The site will support the foundational buildout of a plastics to fuels development hub, including research and development facilities, storage, roads and other related infrastructure.

    About Houston American Energy Corp.

    Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE American: HUSA) is an independent energy company with a growing and diversified portfolio across both conventional and renewable sectors. Historically focused on the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, the Company is actively expanding into high-growth segments of the energy industry. In July 2025, HUSA acquired Abundia Global Impact Group, a technology-driven platform specializing in the conversion of waste plastics into low-carbon fuels and chemical feedstocks. This strategic acquisition reflects HUSA’s broader commitment to meeting global energy demands through a balanced mix of traditional and alternative energy solutions and positions the Company to capitalize on emerging opportunities in sustainable fuels and energy transition technologies.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking information generally is accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements about the future growth of the Company in the low-carbon fuels and chemicals sector as well as plans for transportation of feedstock and drop-in fuels and chemical products. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: (i) risks and uncertainties impacting the Company’s business including, risks related to its current liquidity position and the need to obtain additional financing to support ongoing operations, the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, the Company’s ability to maintain the listing of its common stock on NYSE American, the Company’s ability to predict its rate of growth, the Company’s ability to hire, retain and motivate employees, the effects of competition on the Company’s business, including price competition, technological, regulatory and legal developments, developments in the economy and financial markets, risks related to the Company’s ability to repay the Senior Secured Convertible Note, the Company’s ability to complete the acquisition and development of the site at Cedar Port Industrial Park, and (iii) other risks as set forth from time to time in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company.

    With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company’s business is disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC on www.sec.gov.

    All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

    For additional information, view the company’s website at www.houstonamerican.com or contact Houston American Energy Corp. at (713) 222-6966.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why do so many American workers feel guilty about taking the vacation they’ve earned?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Karen Tan, Assistant Professor of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Middle Tennessee State University

    The U.S. is the only advanced economy that doesn’t legally mandate a minimum number of vacation days. Comstock Images/Stockbyte via Getty Images

    “My dedication was questioned.”

    “Managers or upper management have looked down upon taking time off.”

    “People think that maybe you’re not as invested in the job, that you’re shirking your duties or something.”

    These are just a few of the responses to questions I asked during a study I conducted on vacation guilt among American workers.

    More than 88% of full-time, private sector workers in the U.S. receive paid time off. This benefit is ostensibly in place to improve employee morale and well-being.

    Yet a 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly half of American workers don’t take all the vacation days they’ve been allotted. And many of them feel as if they’re discouraged from using their time off. Ironically, what’s supposed to be a source of relaxation and restoration morphs into a stressor: As vacations approach, feelings of doubt and guilt creep in.

    I’m from Singapore. Upon moving to the U.S. in 2016, I was surprised at how pervasive vacation guilt appeared to be.

    Compared with many of the other countries where I’ve lived or worked, American culture seems to prioritize mental health and wellness. I assumed these attitudes extended to the American workplace.

    Surprisingly, though, I noticed that many of my American friends felt guilty about taking time off that they’d earned. So as a scholar of tourism and hospitality, I wanted to understand how and why this happened.

    Vacation guilt

    To carry out the study, I collaborated with tourism scholar Robert Li. We interviewed 15 workers who had experienced feelings of guilt over taking time off. We also administered an online survey to 860 full-time employees who received paid time off from their employers.

    We wanted to know whether employees felt less respected or believed that their bosses and colleagues saw them in a worse light for taking time off. Maybe they feared being seen as slackers or, worse, replaceable.

    We found that 1 in 5 respondents to our survey experienced vacation guilt, and these concerns made them think twice about following through with their vacation plans. For those who eventually did take a vacation, they often tried to ease their guilt by going for fewer days. They might also apologize for taking a vacation or avoid talking about their vacation plans at work.

    Some of the people we interviewed had pushed through their hesitation and taken their vacation as planned. Yet all of these employees believed that they’d been penalized for taking time off and that it led to poor performance reviews, despite the fact that their paid vacation days had been a clearly articulated, earned benefit.

    The US is an outlier

    The U.S. is the only advanced economy that doesn’t legally mandate a minimum number of vacation days. On top of that, only a handful of states require workers to be compensated for their unused vacation days.

    Meanwhile, the law in other advanced economies entitles employees to a minimum amount of annual paid leave. The EU, for example, mandates at least 20 days per year on top of paid public holidays, such as Christmas and New Year’s Day, with a number of EU member countries requiring more than 20 days of paid vacation for full-time employees. Even in Japan, which is notorious for its workaholic culture, employees are entitled to a minimum of 10 days of paid leave every year.

    Throughout much of the U.S., whether paid vacation time is offered at all depends on an employer’s generosity, while many employees face a “use-it-or-lose-it” situation, meaning unused vacation days don’t roll over from one year to the next.

    Of course, not all workers experience vacation guilt. Nonetheless, the guilt that so many workers do feel may be symbolic of broader issues: an unhealthy workplace culture, a toxic boss or a weak social safety net.

    For paid time off to serve its purpose, I think employers need to provide more than vacation days. They also need to have a supportive culture that readily encourages employees to use this benefit without having to worry about repercussions.

    The journal publication on which this article was based was supported by the inaugural Seed Funding Forum, Fox
    School of Business, Temple University, USA.

    – ref. Why do so many American workers feel guilty about taking the vacation they’ve earned? – https://theconversation.com/why-do-so-many-american-workers-feel-guilty-about-taking-the-vacation-theyve-earned-254913

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Inequality has risen from 1970 to Trump − that has 3 hidden costs that undermine democracy

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Nathan Meyers, Ph.D. candidate in sociology (September 2025 degree conferral), UMass Amherst

    Demonstrators march outside the U.S. Capitol during the Poor People’s Campaign rally at the National Mall in Washington on June 23, 2018. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

    America has never been richer. But the gains are so lopsided that the top 10% controls 69% of all wealth in the country, while the bottom half controls just 3%. Meanwhile, surging corporate profits have mostly benefited investors, not the broader public.

    This divide is expected to widen after President Donald Trump’s sweeping new spending bill drastically cuts Medicaid and food aid, programs that stabilize the economy and subsidize low-wage employers.

    Moreover, the tax cuts at the heart of the bill will deliver tens of billions of dollars in benefits to the wealthiest households while disproportionately burdening low-income households, according to analyses by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation. By 2033, the bottom 20% will pay more in taxes while the top 0.1% receive $43 billion in cuts.

    I am a sociologist who studies economic inequality, and my research demonstrates that the class-based inequalities exacerbated by the Trump bill are not new. Rather, they are part of a 50-year trend linked to social cleavages, political corruption and a declining belief in the common good.

    The roots of class-based inequality

    The decades following World War II were broadly prosperous, but conditions began changing in the 1970s. Class inequality has increased enormously since then, according to government data, while income inequality has risen for five decades at the expense of workers.

    Economists usually gauge a country’s economic health by looking at its gross domestic product as measured through total spending on everything from groceries to patents.

    But another way to view GDP is by looking at whether the money goes to workers or business owners. This second method – the income approach – offers a clearer picture of who really benefits from economic growth.

    The money that goes to labor’s share of GDP, or workers, is represented by employee compensation, including wages, salaries and benefits. The money left over for businesses after paying for work and materials is called gross operating surplus, or business surplus.

    The share of GDP going to workers rose 12% from 1947 to 1970, then fell 14% between 1970 and 2023. The opposite happened with the business surplus, falling 18% in the early postwar decades before jumping 34% from 1970 to today.

    Meanwhile, corporate profits have outpaced economic growth by 193% since 1970. Within profits, shareholder dividends as a share of GDP grew 274%.

    As of 2023, labor had lost all of the economic gains made since 1947. Had workers kept their 1970 share of GDP, they would have earned $1.7 trillion more in 2023 alone. And no legislation or federal action since 1970 has reversed this half-century trend.

    When more of the economy goes to businesses instead of workers, that poses serious social problems. My research focuses on three that threaten democracy.

    1. Fraying social bonds and livelihoods

    Not just an issue of income and assets, growing class inequality represents the fraying of American society.

    For instance, inequality and the resulting hardship are linked to worse health outcomes. Americans die younger than their peers in other rich countries, and U.S. life expectancy has decreased, especially among the poor.

    Moreover, economic struggles contribute to mental health issues, deaths of despair and profound problems such as addiction, including tobacco, alcohol and opioid abuse.

    Inequality can disrupt families. Kids who experience the stresses of poverty can develop neurological and emotional problems, putting them at risk for drug use as adults. On the other hand, when minimum wages increase and people begin saving wealth, divorce risk falls.

    Research shows inequality has many other negative consequences, from reduced social mobility to lower social trust and even higher homicide rates.

    Together, these broad social consequences are linked to misery, political discontent and normlessness.

    2. Increasing corruption in politics

    Inequality is rising in the U.S. largely because business elites are exercising more influence over policy outcomes, research shows. My related work on privatization explains how 50 years of outsourcing public functions – through contracting, disinvestment and job cuts – threatens democratic accountability.

    Research across different countries has repeatedly found that higher income inequality increases political corruption. It does so by undermining trust in government and institutions, and enabling elites to dominate policymaking while weakening public oversight.

    Since 2010, weakened campaign finance laws driven by monied interests have sharply increased corruption risks. The Supreme Court ruled then in Citizens United to lift campaign finance restrictions, enabling unlimited political spending. It reached an apex in 2024, when Elon Musk spent $200 million to elect Trump before later installing his Starlink equipment onto Federal Aviation Administration systems in a reported takeover of a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon.

    Research shows that a large majority of Americans believe that the economy is rigged, suggesting everyday people sense the link between inequality and corruption.

    Demonstrators gather outside the Supreme Court in Washington as the court heard arguments on campaign finance in 2013.
    AP Photo/Susan Walsh

    3. Undermining belief in the common good

    National aspirations have emphasized the common good since America’s founding. The Declaration of Independence lists the king’s first offense as undermining the “public good” by subverting the rule of law. The Constitution’s preamble commits the government to promoting the general welfare and shared well-being.

    But higher inequality historically means the common good goes overlooked, according to research. Meanwhile, work has become more precarious, less unionized, more segmented and less geographically stable. Artificial intelligence may worsen these trends.

    This tends to coincide with a drop in voting and other forms of civic engagement.

    The government has fewer mechanisms for protecting community when rising inequality is paired with lower taxes for the wealthy and reduced public resources. My research finds that public sector unions especially bolster civic engagement in this environment.

    Given increasing workplace and social isolation, America’s loneliness epidemic is unsurprising, especially for low earners.

    All of these factors and their contribution to alienation can foster authoritarian beliefs and individualism. When people become cold and distrustful of one another, the notion of the common good collapses.

    Inequality as a policy outcome

    News coverage of the Trump bill and policy debate have largely centered on immediate gains and losses. But zoomed out, a clearer picture emerges of the long-term dismantling of foundations that once supported broad economic security. That, in turn, has enabled democratic decline.

    As labor’s share of the economy declined, so too did the institutional trust and shared social values that underpin democratic life. Among the many consequences are the political discontent and disillusionment shaping our current moment.

    Republicans hold both chambers of Congress through 2026, making significant policy changes unlikely in the short term. Democrats opposed the bill but are out of power. And their coalition is divided between a centrist establishment and an insurgent progressive wing with diverging priorities in addressing inequality.

    Yet democratic decline and inequality are not inevitable. If restoring broad prosperity and social stability are the goals, they may require revisiting the New Deal-style policies that produced labor’s peak economic share of 59% of GDP in 1970.

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

    – ref. Inequality has risen from 1970 to Trump − that has 3 hidden costs that undermine democracy – https://theconversation.com/inequality-has-risen-from-1970-to-trump-that-has-3-hidden-costs-that-undermine-democracy-259104

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Spotted lanternflies love grapevines, and that’s bad for Pennsylvania’s wine industry

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Flor Acevedo, Assistant Professor of Entomology, Penn State

    Adult spotted lanternflies infest areas of Pennsylvania from July to December. Lauren A. Little/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

    Spotted lanternfly season is back in Pennsylvania. The polka-dotted, gray-and-red-winged adult insects make their appearance each July and tend to hang around until December. It’s an unwelcome summer ritual that started in 2014 when the invasive pests were first detected in the U.S.

    The Conversation U.S. talked to Flor Acevedo, an assistant professor of entomology at Penn State University, about the bugs and her research on how lanternflies are threatening the state’s vineyards and wine industry.

    Does Pennsylvania have many vineyards?

    Pennsylvania has more than 400 wineries with about 14,000 acres planted in vineyards, according to the Pennsylvania Wine Association. The industry generates about US$7 billion in total economic activity. Erie County, where I live, has about 70% of Pennsylvania’s vineyard acreage, with the rest scattered across the state.

    What do lanternflies do to grapevines?

    The spotted lanternfly feeds on many plants, but its preferred hosts are the Tree of Heaven, an invasive plant introduced to Philadelphia from China in 1784, and grapevines.

    Entomologist Flor Acevedo counts spotted lanternflies on a Tree of Heaven plant.
    Flor E. Acevedo

    Extensive feeding by these sap-sucking insects can weaken grapevines and, when combined with other stressors such as diseases or frosty winters, can kill the vines. While spotted lanternflies feed on other important crops such as apple trees, they have been lethal only to grapevines and Tree of Heaven plants.

    Feeding can also reduce yield and fruit quality, which affects juice and wine quality.

    Tell us about your lanternfly experiments

    My lab initially investigated whether spotted lanternflies could survive to adulthood and reproduce when feeding exclusively on grapevines. This would help us determine whether the insects could thrive in regions with extensive grapevine cultivation.

    We found they do survive, but their fitness is severely reduced. Insects feeding solely on grapevines had high mortality, slower development and laid fewer eggs when compared with those that had access to a mixed diet of Tree of Heaven and grapevines.

    Our next question was whether different grapes would be equally suitable for spotted lanternfly survival and reproduction. In the U.S. we grow native grapevines such as Concord and muscadine as well as vines of European origin. We found that spotted lanternflies did not survive to adulthood when they fed only on muscadine grapevines.

    We have also partnered with colleagues specialized in plant science, food science and agricultural economics to investigate the effects of spotted lanternfly feeding on grapevine yield and wine and juice quality.

    This research group enclosed both red and white grapevines – Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay – in mesh cages in the field and infested them with between 20 and 350 spotted lanternflies per vine. We wanted to determine the effect of constant adult insect feeding on grapevine yield, fruit sugars and phenolics, which are chemical compounds that are important for wine color, flavor and aroma. We also wanted to know the density of infestation that would induce changes in yield and fruit and wine quality.

    Researchers infested grapevines with lanternflies to see how they affect yield and fruit quality.
    Flor E. Acevedo

    We found a decrease in sugar content in the fruit within a single season, as well as a decrease in phenolics in red wine. We also found a reduction in yield after the second year of consecutive insect feeding.

    These findings suggest that, if not controlled, spotted lanternfly adult feeding could reduce income to growers by reducing yield and could affect the wine industry by reducing the quality of the drink.

    How worried are Pennsylvania winemakers and how are they responding?

    Perceptions vary depending on whether the winery or vineyard is in an area that has already been infested.

    Those that have been dealing with lanternflies for a few years have established protocols for pest monitoring and applying insecticides. But those that haven’t experienced it yet are concerned about the insect’s arrival on their properties.

    Owners of organic vineyards are also concerned, but there are few of those in this region.

    Wineries are being affected by spotted lanternflies in at least two ways. First, for those that grow grapes, lanternflies have increased their costs due to the extra labor and insecticide applications needed to control them. Second, for wineries that are agrotourism sites, they need to keep outdoor seating spaces neat and free from lanternflies.

    Spotted lanternfly nymphs crawl across a Tree of Heaven stem.
    Natalie Kolb/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

    As an entomologist, what do you find most fascinating about these creatures?

    Most insects that feed on plants lay their eggs close to a food source for the young to feed on when they hatch. But spotted lanternflies lay their eggs on almost anything – car tires, field equipment, rocks, fabrics, old wood, cardboard. This behavior facilitates the insect’s dispersal, as eggs can be easily transported without being noticed. Once the eggs hatch, the nymphs search for young plant shoots or herbaceous plants to eat.

    Anything else people in Pennsylvania should know as they see lanternflies again this summer?

    I think it’s important for the public to know that, as pretty as some of us may find spotted lanternflies, these insects are invasive, damaging and affecting the state economy. Everybody can help stop the spread of these insects by killing and avoiding transporting them at any living stage.

    Spotted lanternflies lay eggs in masses. These masses look like light grayish-brown, mudlike or puttylike patches, typically about an inch long, and they are found on various surfaces. At any life stage the insects can be killed by squishing them, immersing them in hand sanitizer or freezing them for several days.

    Read more of our stories about Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.

    Flor Acevedo has received funding for her research from the USDA Crop Protection and Pest Management program (2023-70006-40597), the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Board, the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, the Penn State University College of Agriculture, and the John H. and Timothy R. Crouch Endowment Grant for Viticulture, Enology, and Pomology Research.

    – ref. Spotted lanternflies love grapevines, and that’s bad for Pennsylvania’s wine industry – https://theconversation.com/spotted-lanternflies-love-grapevines-and-thats-bad-for-pennsylvanias-wine-industry-260374

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister visits USS Newport News in Grundartangi Harbour

    Source: Government of Iceland

    Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir visited the US submarine USS Newport News in Grundartangi harbour yesterday. The submarine is in Iceland for a regular service visit. This is the not the first time a nuclear-powered US submarine enters Icelandic territorial waters; however, this is the first service visit of such a vessel to an Icelandic port. The USS Newport is a Los Angeles-class vessel with a crew of around 140 personnel and does not carry nuclear weapons.

    “This is an important milestone in a long and successful defence partnership with the United States, which has been strengthened significantly in recent years. We have been systematically deepening the partnership based on the Bilateral Defence Agreement from 1951 and common interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. We place great emphasis on security and defence and want to ensure our own security and the security of our allies, and we do this, inter alia, by supporting their operations in the region,” says Þorgerður Katrín.

    Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, Commander of the U.S. European and African Fleet, and Erin Sawyer, Acting U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, welcomed the Minister for Foreign Affairs upon her arrival at Grundartangi. There, the Minister was given a tour of the submarine, briefed on the crew’s assignments, and met with Admiral Munsch on security developments in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Admiral Munsch also met with the Director General for Defence, Mr. Jónas G. Allansson, visited the Keflavík Air Base, and met with the U.S. forces carrying out Anti-Submarine Warfare missions.

    This is the eighth time that a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine makes a service visit in Icelandic territorial waters, since the former Minister for Foreign Affairs announced on April 18, 2023, that such submarines would be permitted to make brief service stops in Iceland.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the visit, but the Icelandic Coast Guard is leading its implementation in close collaboration with the National Commissioner of Police, the Icelandic Radiation Safety Agency and the Directorate of Health in accordance with established procedures. The visits have all been successful due to close cooperation and consultation between the relevant domestic institutions and good cooperation with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Voting in Public Elections Across Selected Asian Countries

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The following is a guest post by Foreign Law Specialist Sayuri Umeda, and the following foreign law interns who work with Sayuri: Raksmei Dara, Inseol Hong, Nguyet Le, and Panicha (Yuri) Rattanaboonsen.

    As lawyers from Japan, Cambodia, South Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand, we were curious about the different rules and regulations for voting in public elections for each of the countries we represent, and decided to compare the voting methods of these countries. To our surprise, we found that each country had a different voting method.

    The following three questions were asked:

    1. What is the voting age;
    2. What is the right of convicted criminals to vote, and
    3. What is the method of voting (national elections only, excluding proportional representation elections if that is not the only electoral system)?

    Question 1 – What is the voting age in the countries above?

    All countries have a voting age of 18. Voters must be 18 years of age or older on election day.

    Question 2 – Do convicted criminals have the right to vote?

    In all countries, those who are imprisoned are denied the right to vote.

    In South Korea, such restrictions are limited to those who are serving sentences of one year or more. Those awaiting execution of a sentence of one year or more are also ineligible to vote. (Public Official Election Act, infra, art. 18) In Japan and Korea, individuals convicted of certain electoral and corruption offenses are barred from voting for several years after the completion of their sentence. (Korea: id.; Japan, Public Offices Election Act, infra, art. 11.) In Thailand, those who are detained by legal order and those who have been deprived of the right to vote, with or without a final sentence, cannot vote. (Organic Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives, infra, sec. 32.)

    Even though outside the scope of the question, we were surprised to learn that in Thailand, the constitution does not give monks, novices, or clergy the right to vote. (Constitution, B.E. 2560, sec. 96.)

    Question 3 – What is the method of voting in each country?

    • Cambodia
      • In the Cambodian national election, voters do not vote for an individual candidate, but for a party. (Law on the Election of Members of the National Assembly, art. 5.) The long-ruling Cambodian People’s Party has won landslide victories in elections since the 2003 general election. A voter places a single tick mark inside one of the square boxes next to their chosen political party on the ballot paper. (Id. art. 105.) Before exiting the ballot casting room, the voter must dip a finger in indelible purple ink and mark their name on the voter’s list to confirm that they have voted.
    • Japan
      • Voters must write the name of one candidate on the ballot. (Public Offices Election Act, Act No. 100 of 1950, as amended, art. 46, para. 1.) Some complain that writing the names of candidates is not easy for people with disabilities or injuries. Marking the name of the candidate of choice would be easier and reduce mistakes. However, this is not permitted in national elections. The Kobe Newspaper explains that when using the marking system, the names of all candidates must be written on the ballot, so the ballots cannot be printed until the candidates have been decided, which takes time to prepare.
    • South Korea
      • The election is conducted by marking a ballot. (Public Official Election Act, Act No. 20902, as amended April 1, 2025, art. 146, para. 1.) Marking is done by using a stamp that is placed in a box next to the candidate chosen by the voter. The stamps are prepared by the Election Commission. This stamp has an interesting history. In the 1940s and 1950s, voters had to bring objects to stamp their ballots, such as bullet casings or small bamboo sticks. Today, the stamp imprints “ト”. This character shape has an advantage that the marked candidate cannot be mistaken when an imprint is smeared. The ballot paper must be folded before being put in the box.
    • Thailand
      • Voting is done by marking a cross in the box beside the candidate’s number on the ballot paper. In cases where the eligible voters wish to vote for none of the candidates, they shall mark a cross in the checkbox for “not to vote for any candidate”. (Organic Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives B.E. 2561 (2018), § 91.) Please see the examples of acceptable and unacceptable crosses in the image at the top of this blog post. 
    • Vietnam
      • Voters cross out the names of candidates they do not choose on their ballot. (Circular 01/2021/TT-BNV dated January 11, 2021, to guide the Voting Procedure for National Assembly’s Representatives term 2021-2026 based on Law on Voting for Representatives of National Assembly and People’s Council dated June 25, 2015, art. 10 para. 3.c, 3.d, 4b.)

    What other interesting voting procedures have you encountered? What other countries would you like to hear about? Let us know in the comments.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it is free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Voting in Public Elections Across Selected Asian Countries

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The following is a guest post by Foreign Law Specialist Sayuri Umeda, and the following foreign law interns who work with Sayuri: Raksmei Dara, Inseol Hong, Nguyet Le, and Panicha (Yuri) Rattanaboonsen.

    As lawyers from Japan, Cambodia, South Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand, we were curious about the different rules and regulations for voting in public elections for each of the countries we represent, and decided to compare the voting methods of these countries. To our surprise, we found that each country had a different voting method.

    The following three questions were asked:

    1. What is the voting age;
    2. What is the right of convicted criminals to vote, and
    3. What is the method of voting (national elections only, excluding proportional representation elections if that is not the only electoral system)?

    Question 1 – What is the voting age in the countries above?

    All countries have a voting age of 18. Voters must be 18 years of age or older on election day.

    Question 2 – Do convicted criminals have the right to vote?

    In all countries, those who are imprisoned are denied the right to vote.

    In South Korea, such restrictions are limited to those who are serving sentences of one year or more. Those awaiting execution of a sentence of one year or more are also ineligible to vote. (Public Official Election Act, infra, art. 18) In Japan and Korea, individuals convicted of certain electoral and corruption offenses are barred from voting for several years after the completion of their sentence. (Korea: id.; Japan, Public Offices Election Act, infra, art. 11.) In Thailand, those who are detained by legal order and those who have been deprived of the right to vote, with or without a final sentence, cannot vote. (Organic Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives, infra, sec. 32.)

    Even though outside the scope of the question, we were surprised to learn that in Thailand, the constitution does not give monks, novices, or clergy the right to vote. (Constitution, B.E. 2560, sec. 96.)

    Question 3 – What is the method of voting in each country?

    • Cambodia
      • In the Cambodian national election, voters do not vote for an individual candidate, but for a party. (Law on the Election of Members of the National Assembly, art. 5.) The long-ruling Cambodian People’s Party has won landslide victories in elections since the 2003 general election. A voter places a single tick mark inside one of the square boxes next to their chosen political party on the ballot paper. (Id. art. 105.) Before exiting the ballot casting room, the voter must dip a finger in indelible purple ink and mark their name on the voter’s list to confirm that they have voted.
    • Japan
      • Voters must write the name of one candidate on the ballot. (Public Offices Election Act, Act No. 100 of 1950, as amended, art. 46, para. 1.) Some complain that writing the names of candidates is not easy for people with disabilities or injuries. Marking the name of the candidate of choice would be easier and reduce mistakes. However, this is not permitted in national elections. The Kobe Newspaper explains that when using the marking system, the names of all candidates must be written on the ballot, so the ballots cannot be printed until the candidates have been decided, which takes time to prepare.
    • South Korea
      • The election is conducted by marking a ballot. (Public Official Election Act, Act No. 20902, as amended April 1, 2025, art. 146, para. 1.) Marking is done by using a stamp that is placed in a box next to the candidate chosen by the voter. The stamps are prepared by the Election Commission. This stamp has an interesting history. In the 1940s and 1950s, voters had to bring objects to stamp their ballots, such as bullet casings or small bamboo sticks. Today, the stamp imprints “ト”. This character shape has an advantage that the marked candidate cannot be mistaken when an imprint is smeared. The ballot paper must be folded before being put in the box.
    • Thailand
      • Voting is done by marking a cross in the box beside the candidate’s number on the ballot paper. In cases where the eligible voters wish to vote for none of the candidates, they shall mark a cross in the checkbox for “not to vote for any candidate”. (Organic Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives B.E. 2561 (2018), § 91.) Please see the examples of acceptable and unacceptable crosses in the image at the top of this blog post. 
    • Vietnam
      • Voters cross out the names of candidates they do not choose on their ballot. (Circular 01/2021/TT-BNV dated January 11, 2021, to guide the Voting Procedure for National Assembly’s Representatives term 2021-2026 based on Law on Voting for Representatives of National Assembly and People’s Council dated June 25, 2015, art. 10 para. 3.c, 3.d, 4b.)

    What other interesting voting procedures have you encountered? What other countries would you like to hear about? Let us know in the comments.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it is free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for fentanyl trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.

    Lawrence A. Andrews, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

    On March 4, 2025, Andrews pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Andrews admitted he possessed fentanyl pills weighing a total of approximately 19 grams with the intent to distribute and a SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9mm pistol on Aug. 8, 2023.

    On Aug. 8, 2023, officers with the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Andrews.  Andrews was arrested on a failure to appear warrant.  Officers searched Andrews’ vehicle and located the firearm and fentanyl, along with approximately 10 grams of PCP, 22 grams of cocaine in the base form, 3 grams of cocaine in the salt form, and 3 grams of methamphetamine.

    Andrews has prior felony convictions, including two convictions for stealing, eight convictions for possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in drugs in the second degree, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings.  It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for fentanyl trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.

    Lawrence A. Andrews, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

    On March 4, 2025, Andrews pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Andrews admitted he possessed fentanyl pills weighing a total of approximately 19 grams with the intent to distribute and a SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9mm pistol on Aug. 8, 2023.

    On Aug. 8, 2023, officers with the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Andrews.  Andrews was arrested on a failure to appear warrant.  Officers searched Andrews’ vehicle and located the firearm and fentanyl, along with approximately 10 grams of PCP, 22 grams of cocaine in the base form, 3 grams of cocaine in the salt form, and 3 grams of methamphetamine.

    Andrews has prior felony convictions, including two convictions for stealing, eight convictions for possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in drugs in the second degree, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings.  It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: KC Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Illegal Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for fentanyl trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.

    Lawrence A. Andrews, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

    On March 4, 2025, Andrews pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Andrews admitted he possessed fentanyl pills weighing a total of approximately 19 grams with the intent to distribute and a SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9mm pistol on Aug. 8, 2023.

    On Aug. 8, 2023, officers with the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Andrews.  Andrews was arrested on a failure to appear warrant.  Officers searched Andrews’ vehicle and located the firearm and fentanyl, along with approximately 10 grams of PCP, 22 grams of cocaine in the base form, 3 grams of cocaine in the salt form, and 3 grams of methamphetamine.

    Andrews has prior felony convictions, including two convictions for stealing, eight convictions for possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in drugs in the second degree, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings.  It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Allen Rhule, 45, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 24, 2024, Rhule was on parole for prior felony convictions when parole officers conducted a search of his residence as a condition of his supervision. Officers found a Taurus model PT-140 Millenium G2 .40-caliber pistol and a Palmetto State Armory model PA-15 multi-caliber rifle in Rhule’s bedroom. Officers also found loaded ammunition magazines, including high-capacity magazines for the multi-caliber rifle.

    Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Rhule knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his prior felony convictions for attempted manufacture of a controlled substance in Putnam County Circuit Court on October 3, 2022, and attempted grand larceny in Kanawha County Circuit Court on July 31, 2023.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and West Virginia Parole Services.

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-157.

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Allen Rhule, 45, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 24, 2024, Rhule was on parole for prior felony convictions when parole officers conducted a search of his residence as a condition of his supervision. Officers found a Taurus model PT-140 Millenium G2 .40-caliber pistol and a Palmetto State Armory model PA-15 multi-caliber rifle in Rhule’s bedroom. Officers also found loaded ammunition magazines, including high-capacity magazines for the multi-caliber rifle.

    Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Rhule knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his prior felony convictions for attempted manufacture of a controlled substance in Putnam County Circuit Court on October 3, 2022, and attempted grand larceny in Kanawha County Circuit Court on July 31, 2023.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and West Virginia Parole Services.

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-157.

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Allen Rhule, 45, of Charleston, was sentenced today to six years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 24, 2024, Rhule was on parole for prior felony convictions when parole officers conducted a search of his residence as a condition of his supervision. Officers found a Taurus model PT-140 Millenium G2 .40-caliber pistol and a Palmetto State Armory model PA-15 multi-caliber rifle in Rhule’s bedroom. Officers also found loaded ammunition magazines, including high-capacity magazines for the multi-caliber rifle.

    Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Rhule knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of his prior felony convictions for attempted manufacture of a controlled substance in Putnam County Circuit Court on October 3, 2022, and attempted grand larceny in Kanawha County Circuit Court on July 31, 2023.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and West Virginia Parole Services.

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-157.

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Mexican national sentenced for firearms violation

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    TYLER, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Tomas Ocamp-Mondragon, 37, a Mexican national illegally living in Tyler, pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 10, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on August 5, 2024, Ocampo-Mondragon was stopped for a traffic violation in Smith County. It was determined that he was intoxicated, and he was arrested.  During the arrest, a loaded firearm was discovered in his pocket.

    Further investigation revealed Ocampo-Mondragon was a citizen of Mexico and had previously been found unlawfully present in the United States on September 14, 2019, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  He was also found to be in possession of a firearm during that encounter.  He voluntarily returned to Mexico on January 3, 2020, and did not have permission to return 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).

    This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Department of Homeland Security, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Mexican national sentenced for firearms violation

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    TYLER, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Tomas Ocamp-Mondragon, 37, a Mexican national illegally living in Tyler, pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 10, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on August 5, 2024, Ocampo-Mondragon was stopped for a traffic violation in Smith County. It was determined that he was intoxicated, and he was arrested.  During the arrest, a loaded firearm was discovered in his pocket.

    Further investigation revealed Ocampo-Mondragon was a citizen of Mexico and had previously been found unlawfully present in the United States on September 14, 2019, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  He was also found to be in possession of a firearm during that encounter.  He voluntarily returned to Mexico on January 3, 2020, and did not have permission to return 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).

    This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Department of Homeland Security, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States, 2024

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    Expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses totaled $151.0 billion in 2024, according to preliminary statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Expenditures decreased $24.9 billion, or 14.2 percent, from $176.0 billion (revised) in 2023 and were below the annual average of $277.2 billion for 2014–2023. As in previous years, acquisitions of existing U.S. businesses accounted for most of the expenditures.

    Expenditures in 2024 for acquisitions were $143.0 billion, expenditures to establish new U.S. businesses were $6.3 billion, and expenditures to expand existing foreign-owned businesses were $1.8 billion. Planned total expenditures, which include both first-year and planned future expenditures, were $157.0 billion.

    Employment in 2024 at newly acquired, established, or expanded foreign-owned businesses in the United States was 204,200 employees.

    Expenditures by industry, country, and state

    By industry, expenditures for new direct investment were largest in the manufacturing sector at $67.7 billion, which accounted for 44.9 percent of total expenditures. Within manufacturing, expenditures were largest in chemical manufacturing ($23.7 billion). There were also notable expenditures in the finance and insurance sector ($23.2 billion) and utilities ($16.0 billion).

    The country with the largest investment was Ireland ($30.1 billion), followed by Canada ($23.9 billion).1  By region, Europe contributed the most new investment, $96.7 billion, or 64.0 percent of all new investment in 2024. Asia and Pacific was the second-largest investing region, with $23.2 billion in expenditures.

    By state, Texas received the most investment in 2024, with $22.8 billion in investment expenditures. Other states with significant investment expenditures included Georgia ($16.3 billion) and California ($12.9 billion).

    Greenfield expenditures

    Greenfield investment expenditures—expenditures to establish a new U.S. business or to expand an existing foreign-owned U.S. business—were $8.1 billion in 2024. By industry, greenfield expenditures were largest in the professional, scientific, and technical services sector, totaling $2.8 billion, led by management, scientific, and technical consulting ($1.6 billion). By region, Europe ($3.8 billion), Latin America and Other Western Hemisphere ($1.4 billion), and Asia and Pacific ($1.2 billion) had the largest greenfield expenditures. Wyoming ($2.0 billion) and New Mexico ($1.4 billion) received the highest levels of greenfield investment by state.

    Planned total expenditures for greenfield investment initiated in 2024, which include both first-year and planned future expenditures, were $14.1 billion.

    Employment by industry, country, and state

    In 2024, current employment of acquired enterprises was 203,600. Total planned employment, which includes the current employment of acquired enterprises, the planned employment of newly established business enterprises when fully operational, and the planned employment associated with expansions, was 213,200.

    By industry, the manufacturing sector accounted for the largest number of current employees (73,600). Ireland (43,100) and Canada (37,500) accounted for the largest number of current employees by country. Florida (32,700) was the state with the largest current employment resulting from new investment, followed by Texas (18,200) and New York (14,200).

    Updates to 2023 Expenditures for New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States
    Billions of dollars
      Previously Published Revised
    First-year expenditures 148.8 176.0
        U.S. businesses acquired 136.5 158.7
        U.S. businesses established 7.4 9.0
        U.S. businesses expanded 5.0 8.3
    Planned total expenditures 175.9 218.8
        U.S. businesses acquired 136.5 158.7
        U.S. businesses established 23.5 26.3
        U.S. businesses expanded 16.0 33.8
    U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

    Related Data Tables

    Starting with this release, BEA is not including tables in the body of the news release. For the 2024 new foreign direct investment statistics highlighted in this release, as well as estimates for earlier years, see the below data tables in BEA’s Interactive Data Application and Supplemental Data Tables.

    First-year and planned total expenditures
    First-Year and Planned Total Expenditures, Industry of Affiliate by Type of Investment
    First-Year and Planned Total Expenditures, Country of UBO by Type of Investment
    First-Year and Planned Total Expenditures, State by Type of Investment

    First-Year and Planned Total Expenditures, Industry of UBO by Type of Investment
    First-Year and Planned Total Expenditures, by Industry of Affiliate (All Industries)
    First-Year and Planned Total Expenditures, by Country of UBO (All Countries)

    First-Year Expenditures, Country of UBO by Industry of Affiliate
    First-Year Expenditures, Country of Foreign Parent and UBO
    Planned Total Expenditures for Establishments and Expansions, by Type of Expenditure

    Greenfield investments (expenditures for U.S. businesses established and expanded)
    Planned Expenditures for Greenfield Investments, Type of Investment by Year
    Planned Expenditures for Greenfield Investments, Industry of Affiliate by Year
    Planned Expenditures for Greenfield Investments, Country of UBO by Year
    Planned Expenditures for Greenfield Investments, State by Year
    Expenditures for Greenfield Investments, Year of Investment Expenditure by Year Investment Was Initiated

    Number of investments by size (supplemental data tables)
    Number of Investments Initiated, Distribution of Planned Total Expenditures, Size by Type of Investment

    Employment
    Current and Planned Employment, Industry of Affiliate by Type of Investment
    Current and Planned Employment, Country of UBO by Type of Investment
    Current and Planned Employment, State by Type of Investment

    Discontinued tables
    Some data tables previously produced alongside this news release have been discontinued as of July 11, 2025. Data tables on sales, net income, and balance sheets of new affiliates were discontinued and have been archived. These tables have never been part of the data tables included in the body of the news releases.

    Note. With the release of 2025 new foreign direct investment statistics in July 2026, the 2024 data will be superseded and can then be accessed in BEA’s Data Archive.

    Next release: July 2026
    New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States, 2025

    1 As measured by country of ultimate beneficial owner (UBO; see “Additional Information” for a description).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Del Rio, federal partner investigation results in sentence for illegal Honduran alien for alien smuggling conspiracy

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN ANTONIO — A Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States was sentenced July 9 for his leadership role in a massive alien smuggling conspiracy that spanned three years and involved thousands of aliens from over 11 different countries. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Del Rio and various federal and state law enforcement agencies in South Texas conducted the investigation.

    A federal judge sentenced Enil Edil Mejia-Zuniga, also known as Chino, 34, of Olancho, Honduras, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in smuggling thousands of aliens into the U.S. for financial gain. He was also ordered to pay a $4,500 fine. Mejia-Zuniga pleaded guilty to three counts of bringing an alien to the U.S. for financial gain and aiding and abetting.

    Co-defendants Monica Hernandez-Palma, 33, of Mexico, and Allyson Elsires Alvarez-Zuniga, 26, of Honduras, entered guilty pleas on April 7 and Aug. 21, 2023, respectively, and are awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Genyi Arguenta-Flores, 32, of Comayagua, Honduras, was sentenced to five years in prison on May 12. A final co-defendant is in custody in Mexico pending an extradition request from the U.S.

    “This sentence sends a clear message to those who exploit our immigration system for personal profit,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “For more than three years, these individuals operated a transnational smuggling ring driven by greed, moving illegal aliens from 11 countries in blatant disregard of the law. The sentencing in this case is a testament to HSI’s commitment to upholding national security. Human smuggling undermines the security of our borders and disrupts lawful immigration processes. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to protect our national security.”

    “Mejia-Zuniga and his co-conspirators made millions of dollars off the backs of thousands of people whom they smuggled into the U.S,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case represents the epitome of the ruthless and sophisticated criminal organizations that exploit our borders for personal financial gain. The Criminal Division will not stop investigating these cases until all human smuggling organizations are eradicated and the criminals who operate them are prosecuted.”

    “In an effort to satisfy his greed, Mejia-Zuniga facilitated the illegal movement of thousands of Middle Easterners into the U.S,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. “His actions put our national security at risk. However, thanks to our many federal law enforcement partners, Mejia-Zuniga will no longer be allowed to enrich himself to the detriment of this country.”

    “U.S Border Patrol’s Intelligence and Information Task Force played a critical role in supporting Operation Red Tide through extensive research and analysis,” said Chief Scott Good of the Border Patrol’s Law Enforcement Operations directorate. “Our team’s exploitation of subpoena returns and identification of key financial patterns helped bring these smugglers to justice. The USBP will continue working with law enforcement agencies at home and abroad to dismantle criminal networks and secure our nation’s borders.”

    According to court documents, from November 2020 through March 2023, the Mejia-Zuniga alien smuggling organization smuggled aliens from Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, India, Pakistan and Colombia through Eagle Pass. Aliens primarily contracted with a Pakistani smuggler based in Brazil to be transported to the U.S. In turn, the Brazil-based smuggler worked with Mejia-Zuniga, who was based in San Antonio, to facilitate the aliens’ travel from South America to the U.S. Mejia-Zuniga directed operations of the ASO and paid drivers, armed “coyotes” and stash house operators.

    Mejia-Zuniga admitted to smuggling between 2,500 and 3,000 aliens into the U.S in just two years. The organization charged between $6,500 to $12,000 per alien. Mejia-Zuniga admitted that he made $30,000 for every 10 illegal aliens who made it to the Rio Grande River and another $30,000 if those 10 illegal aliens made it to San Antonio.

    One of the smuggled aliens reported paying the organization $20,000 to be brought illegally into the U.S with his brother. The Mejia-Zuniga alien smuggling organization directed that alien to a stash house in Monterrey, Mexico, where it housed him with 10 other aliens. The organization later moved the same alien to a stash house in Piedras Negras, Mexico, with another 20 to 25 aliens. Ultimately, an armed coyote guided the group of aliens across the Rio Grande River. Once across the Rio Grande, the Mejia-Zuniga ASO transported the aliens to a hotel in San Antonio.

    In addition to witness statements, other evidence gathered during the investigation included wire transfers, customer ledgers, foreign identification documents and photographs of members of the Mejia-Zuniga alien smuggling organization with firearms.

    HSI Del Rio engaged in an extensive, yearslong investigation in Operation Red Tide, which led to the development of this case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector, HSI Monterrey, HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center’s International Interdiction Task Force.

    Trial Attorney Jenna E. Reed of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Matt Kass are prosecuting the case.

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

    For more information about HSI San Antonio and its public safety efforts in Central and South Texas, follow HSI San Antonio on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese, Cambodian foreign ministers pledge to advance ties, cooperation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Cambodian Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon met here on Thursday. They pledged to further strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation based on mutual benefit.

    Wang Yi said that China-Cambodia friendship has stood the test of international vicissitudes and is as strong as a rock.

    According to him, in April this year, the leaders of the two countries jointly announced the establishment of an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era.

    Wang Yi said China and Cambodia should strengthen cooperation under the three global initiatives put forward by China, expand the bilateral cooperation mechanism “Diamond Hexagon”, implement the cooperation plans “Industrial Development Corridor” and “Fish and Rice Corridor”, and promote the implementation of early impact projects.

    He expressed hope that the two sides will take more powerful and effective measures to resolutely suppress cross-border crimes such as online gambling, counterfeiting and smuggling, and ensure the security of the two peoples.

    Wang Yi stressed that the United States’ imposition of high tariffs on Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries is an attempt to deprive these countries of their legitimate right to development.

    “I am confident that Southeast Asian countries are capable of handling difficult situations, adhering to principled positions and protecting their own interests and the common interests of all parties,” he said.

    P. Sokhon said China is Cambodia’s most reliable friend. The two leaders have decided to build an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era, he said, adding that Cambodia firmly supports the three global initiatives put forward by China.

    The Foreign Minister thanked China for its selfless assistance in the socio-economic development of Cambodia.

    P. Sokhon added that Cambodia is willing to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, deepen practical cooperation in trade, infrastructure and other areas, and jointly combat transnational crimes such as online gambling and fraud.

    He also thanked China for granting Cambodia a zero tariff regime for 100 percent of tariffed goods. According to the foreign minister, this is a move by a friend and brother that greatly helps Cambodia and is in sharp contrast to the 36 percent tariff imposed by the United States.

    P. Sokhon said Cambodia is ready to resolve differences with the United States through negotiations, but will not compromise its own principles and interests or those of third parties.

    P. Sokhon also briefed Wang Yi on the situation on the Cambodia-Thai border. The Chinese minister said that although the positions of Cambodia and Thailand are different, both sides are willing to control the situation and resolve it. He said that Cambodia and Thailand are neighbors that cannot be separated.

    “I believe they can properly handle this issue in the spirit of caring for peace and good-neighborliness,” Wang said. “China will maintain an impartial and fair position, respond to the needs of parties concerned and play a constructive role in this regard,” he added. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Former SCO Secretary General R. Alimov Awarded Orchid Prize in Beijing

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) — Professor of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, former Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Rashid Alimov received the Orchid Award for his outstanding contribution to promoting global sustainable development, cultural diversity and dialogue of civilizations.

    The winners of the Orchid Prize were announced in Beijing on Thursday. The prize was launched by the China International Communication Group to actively implement China’s Global Civilization Initiative and recognize overseas friends and international organizations that have made significant contributions to spreading the common values of humanity, promoting exchanges and mutual enrichment among different civilizations, and strengthening the humanitarian foundation for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

    This year, the award was received by nine foreign citizens, including R. Alimov, Irina Bokova from Bulgaria, Maxime Vivas from France, and the Philadelphia Orchestra of the USA.

    The award ceremony was attended by more than 300 representatives of relevant central departments, international organizations, foreign diplomatic missions, Chinese and foreign think tanks, and the media. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –