NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant fled to El Salvador following 2010 murder, illegally reentered U.S. and planned second murder

    BOSTON – A member of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to participating in a racketeering enterprise, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy.

    William Pineda Portillo, a/k/a “Humilde,” 31, of Everett, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct racketeering affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity. Senior U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025. In September 2024, Pineda Portillo was charged by a second superseding indictment along with co-defendant Jose Vasquez, who pleaded guilty last week to one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering.

    MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization with tens of thousands of members located in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and elsewhere. MS-13 branches, or “cliques,” operate throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts. In furtherance of its mission, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, specifically against rival gang members; kill informants; and support and defend fellow MS-13 members in attacks. MS-13 members maintain and enhance their status in the gang and the overall reputation of the gang by participating in such violent acts.

    Pineda Portillo was a member of the Trece Locos Salvatrucha, or TLS, clique of MS-13, which operated in Somerville. Pineda Portillo personally participated in racketeering activity and acts of violence on behalf of MS-13.

    Specifically, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez conspired with others to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea, Mass. That evening, law enforcement responded to a 911 call in the vicinity of the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, law enforcement found the victim with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back, along with injuries to his head. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder.  

    In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed the victim belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, other MS-13 members and the victim in Allston. Driving a green SUV registered to his father, Pineda Portillo took the MS-13 members and the victim to Chelsea where Vasquez and the other gang members led the victim to an area under the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1. Once in the secluded area under the highway, an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed the victim with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a silver kitchen knife recovered from the murder scene. The victim’s blood also was found on the knife.

    Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could interview him about his role in the murder. On or about April 29, 2015, after Pineda Portillo returned to the United States, he arranged to sell a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition to another MS-13 member, who was, in reality, a cooperating witness working with law enforcement, in exchange for money.

    On or about June 1, 2015, Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he incorrectly believed had been arrested and was cooperating with law enforcement. Specifically, in a conversation recorded by law enforcement, Pineda Portillo said, among other things: “I want that son of a bitch killed, man. . . . You will see, homeboy! We are going to do a complete thing to that son of a bitch, dude.”

    Pineda Portillo originally was indicted in 2017. However, shortly before the indictment was returned, he was deported to El Salvador. Approximately five years later, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he tried to return to the United States, illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico. According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13. A fingerprint analysis indicated that there was a warrant for his arrest. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts where he remained in custody.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Shumeane Benford of the Somerville Police Department; and Chief Keith Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; United States Customs and Border Protection; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty and Meghan C. Cleary of the Office’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    The charge of racketeering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Man Pleads Guilty To Temple Terrace Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Kavar Young (32, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit that robbery, and brandishing a firearm during the robbery. Young faces up to 20 years in prison on both the robbery and conspiracy counts. For the firearms count, he faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence. A date for sentencing has not yet been set. One of Young’s co-defendants, Leanna Bryant (28, Tampa), previously pleaded guilty.

    According to court documents and proceedings, in August 2023, Young conspired with others to commit robbery. Specifically, on August 12, 2023, Young robbed a Temple Terrace convenience store, during which he brandished a firearm, pointing it at the victim’s head while demanding money from the register. Young also pointed the firearm at a second employee of the store and a store customer. 

    Young’s DNA was found on a potato chip bag inside the store that he had touched. His DNA was also found on a firearm located during the investigation that is visually consistent with the firearm used in the robbery.

    This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

    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: Ocala Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Machinegun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Sean Rayvon Hubbard, Jr. (19, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun. Hubbard faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court documents, on July 28, 2024, officers from the Ocala Police Department approached Hubbard to place him under arrest for outstanding warrants. Hubbard fled from the officers on foot but was ultimately apprehended. On August 7, 2024, officers received a call from an apartment complex about a firearm that had been discovered along the path where Hubbard had been running. The firearm, a black handgun with a tan extended ammunition magazine, had been modified with a “switch” that allowed it to fire more than one round of ammunition with a single pull of the trigger. Officers obtained a search warrant for Hubbard’s cellphone and recovered a video that Hubbard had filmed of himself handling the same modified handgun prior to his arrest on July 28, 2024. 

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    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: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 110 Months for Smuggling Fentanyl from California to the DMV

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON— Lamin Sesay, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 110 months in federal prison for participating in a wide-spread narcotics trafficking conspiracy that distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills purchased in Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including the District of Columbia. 

               The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Sesay was one of 24 co-defendants arrested during 2023 in the District, Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.

                On Feb. 7, 2025, Sesay pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Sesay to serve three years of supervised release.

               According to court documents, Sesay entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, co-defendant Hector David Valdez, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Sesay was introduced to Valdez by an unindicted co-conspirator, Mathias Tsegaye, a D.C.-based fentanyl trafficker who died in January 2023 from the combined toxic effects of codeine, fentanyl, and oxycodone. At the time of Tsegaye’s death, a shipping box containing several thousand fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills was discovered in his residence.

                Sesay’s role was to have fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills shipped by Valdez to the District of Columbia. Sesay then conspired with one or more D.C.-area-based co-conspirators to redistribute the pills. Sesay also communicated with Valdez about Tsegaye flying to Los Angles to obtain pills for Tsegaye and Sesay to resell in D.C.

                The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death resulting case, law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.

                This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

                The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with MPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.

                The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.

    DEFENDANT

    AGE

    LOCATION

    CHARGES/SENTENCE

    Hector David Valdez,

    aka “Curl”

     

    27

    		 Santa Fe Springs, California

    Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

    Craig Eastman

     

    21

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
    Charles Jeffrey Taylor

    21

    		 Washington, D.C. Pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Raymond Nava, Jr.

    21

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Ulises Aldaz

    28

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Max Alexander Carias Torres

    27

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
    Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”

    35

    		 Washington, D.C. Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    Marvin Anthony Bussie,

    aka “Money Marr”

    22

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Marcus Orlando Brown

    29

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Columbian Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda”

    27

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden

    35

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Andre Malik Edmond,

    aka “Draco”

    23

    		 Temple Hills, Maryland Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Treyveon James Johnson,

    aka “Treyski”

    21

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Karon Olufemi Blalock,

    aka “Fat Bags”

    30

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    Ronte Ricardo Greene,

    aka “Cardiddy”

    29

    		 Washington, D.C. Pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”

    39

    		 Washington, D.C. Pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Darius Quincy Hodges,

    aka “Brick”

    34

    		 Glen Allen, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Lamin Sesay,

    aka “Rock Star”

    28

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Paul Alejandro Felix

    26

    Glendale,

    California

    		 Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Omar Arana,

    aka “Frogs”

    27

    Cudahy,

    California

    		 Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”

    27

    San Diego,

    California

    		 Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Raul Pacheco Ramirez

    31

    Long Beach,

    California

    		 Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Giovani Alejandro Briones

    31

    		 Victorville, California Sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez

    26

    		 Rosarito, Mexico

    Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

    23cr73

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Building on billions announced earlier this month, Governor Newsom makes $800 million available in new Prop 1 grants

    Source: US State of California Governor

    May 30, 2025

    What you need to know: With unprecedented speed, Governor Newsom is today announcing the availability of $800 million in competitive grant funding as part of Proposition 1 Bond Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round 2 to develop a wide range of behavioral health treatment settings for Californians who need care most.

    Sacramento, California – Following the announcement of $3.3 billion in grant funding earlier this month, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the availability of more than $800 million in competitive grant funding available to support behavioral health initiatives in California. Distributed through the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the Proposition 1 Bond Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round 2: Unmet Needs Request for Applications (RFA) represents the final round of funding through Proposition 1’s Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act. These funds will help communities across California expand access to mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services, particularly in areas with the greatest unmet needs.

    “With today’s announcement, we continue to build on the historic investments this administration has made in behavioral health – thanks to Californians and their support for Prop 1. The funding being made available today will ensure that the most vulnerable people in our state will get the care they need, when they need it.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    DHCS Director Michelle Baass: “With Bond BHCIP Round 2, we are continuing our push to build a better, more equitable behavioral health system. These investments help ensure that all Californians, especially those who have historically been left out, can access the care they need when and where it is needed most.” 

    Part of California’s broader Mental Health for All initiative, BHCIP Round 2 will fund projects that build, acquire, or expand community-based behavioral health facilities. Priority areas include residential treatment, outpatient care, crisis services, and mobile crisis infrastructure. Between Round 1 and Round 2, the investments are expected to create 6,800 residential treatment beds and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots, helping close critical service gaps throughout the state.

    Why this matters

    Bond BHCIP Rounds 1 and 2 are helping to create a comprehensive behavioral health system, ensuring that individuals can access the right care at the right time, whether it be for crisis stabilization, inpatient care, or long-term treatment. As part of the state’s goal to reduce mental health crises, increase the availability of services, and support community-based solutions, these investments are vital in ensuring the long-term sustainability and accessibility of behavioral health services.

    Through previous BHCIP rounds, DHCS has awarded $1.7 billion in grants to support 255 infrastructure projects, including mobile crisis units, new facilities, and expanded treatment capacity. Bond BHCIP Round 1: Launch Ready, awarded in May 2025, allocated $3.3 billion to 124 projects across 42 counties, supporting 5,077 residential beds and 21,882 outpatient slots.

    Application details

    The BHCIP Round 2: Unmet Needs RFA can be found HERE. This funding is open to all eligible applicants, including counties and cities, tribal entities, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations.

    Applicants must have already completed critical parts of the project development process and demonstrate how their project meets community needs, addresses service gaps, and aligns with state priorities. Applications must be submitted by October 28, 2025. Awards are expected to be announced in spring 2026.

    For more information about Bond BHCIP Round 2: Unmet Needs, visit the BHCIP website

    Recent news

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    News What you need to know: California is launching CalHeatScore – a groundbreaking tool to help protect vulnerable populations from dangerous heatwaves. The state’s new tool provides localized warnings and resources for extreme heat events. Governor Newsom is also…

    May 29, 2025

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Soaring rice prices are stirring political trouble in Japan – history shows this often leads to a change of government

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ming Gao, Research Scholar of East Asia Studies, Lund University

    Japan’s agriculture minister, Taku Etō, resigned on May 21 just six months into his term, following a public backlash to his joke that he never buys rice because supporters give it to him for free.

    Gaffes are by no means uncommon in Japanese politics. Controversial remarks by one former prime minister, Tarō Asō, were routinely followed by retractions – and the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP) even distributed a gaffe-prevention manual to its members in 2019.

    But amid a severe rice shortage, which has seen prices surge to 90% higher than they were a year ago, Etō’s quip was seen by the Japanese public as more than just an offhand comment.

    Rice has been a significant part of life in Japan for nearly 3,000 years. This deep connection is reflected in the Japanese word gohan, which means “cooked rice” but is often used simply to refer to a “meal”. Rice has also shaped the foundations of Japanese cuisine and farming culture.

    Such is the importance of rice to Japanese people that a spike in prices in 1918 led to a nationwide wave of protest. The so-called “rice riots” forced the then prime minister, Terauchi Masatake, to resign.

    However, despite its obvious importance, Japanese government policy in recent decades has been focused on tightly controlling and regulating the production of rice. It has endeavoured to keep prices high, partly to reward farmers who are an important support base for the LDP.

    This means consumers have paid a premium, contributing to a downward trend in rice consumption alongside other factors such as dietary diversification. By 2022, annual rice consumption in Japan had fallen to 51kg per person, less than half of what it was at its 1962 peak. In this context, the public reaction to Etō’s comment was understandable.

    Japan’s current prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, initially seemed prepared to weather the storm, advising Etō to retract his “problematic” remarks and remain in his post. But with elections approaching in July and Ishiba’s approval rating sinking to a record low of 21%, his administration was left with little choice and Etō ultimately resigned.

    The rice crisis has emerged as one of the defining issues of the upcoming election, which will determine whether Ishiba’s ruling coalition can secure a majority in the upper house of parliament. Having already lost its majority in the lower house in October 2024, the government may be set for another crushing defeat at the polls.

    Japan’s rice crisis

    A few factors have combined over the past year to cause rice prices to increase unexpectedly. Japan’s hottest September in 125 years resulted in poor harvests, while government warnings that a major earthquake off the country’s Pacific coast could be imminent triggered panic buying. The agriculture ministry also says that a surge in inbound tourism contributed to a sudden rise in rice consumption.

    However, the rice crisis is not fundamentally the result of climate volatility or increased demand. It is the product of decades of self-defeating agricultural policy that has prioritised institutional interests over national food security.

    Rice production caps, which were introduced in 1971 to control supply and prices, have never been fully dismantled even as domestic consumption has changed and the farming population decreased. This artificial control of output has left the country ill-prepared for demand surges.

    Compounding these issues are entrenched protectionist measures designed to shield small-scale rice farmers through high tariffs and rigid distribution systems. These distortions have prioritised institutional stability and political patronage over food security reform, leaving Japan increasingly vulnerable in an era of climate disruption and supply chain instability.

    Having struggled with low wages for years, many sectors of Japan’s population are now grappling with inflation. The government has dug into its emergency rice reserves in an attempt to alleviate the problem, but the grain has been slow to reach supermarket shelves. And some farmers, increasingly frustrated by regulations limiting how much rice they can grow, have even organised demonstrations.

    Under current conditions, imported rice is becoming an unavoidable fallback. Japan is importing rice from South Korea for the first time in over 25 years, while Japanese tourists are reportedly filling their suitcases with Korean rice – despite deep-seated scepticism toward anything not domestically grown.

    Political change looming?

    With rice prices soaring and public discontent mounting, this beloved everyday grain is once again at the centre of Japanese politics – just as it was more than a century ago during the 1918 rice riots.

    Despite the complexities of modern economies, connected to global systems of market exchange, Japanese consumers understand that government policies have played an oversized role in creating the current crisis. It is largely policy that has kept their wages low and failed to rein in inflation.

    Consumers are also keenly aware that the LDP’s rice policy has worked to protect its critical agricultural support base, a situation strongly reflected in Etō’s joke.

    As the government scrambles to get its house in order and put more affordable rice back on the table, a deeper reflection of the past seems advisable. Historical precedents, such as the 1918 riots, suggest that strong public distrust of a government’s rice policy results in profound political change.

    Ming Gao receives funding from the Swedish Research Council. This research was produced with support from the Swedish Research Council grant “Moved Apart” (nr. 2022-01864). Ming Gao is a member of Lund University Profile Area: Human Rights.

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

    – ref. Soaring rice prices are stirring political trouble in Japan – history shows this often leads to a change of government – https://theconversation.com/soaring-rice-prices-are-stirring-political-trouble-in-japan-history-shows-this-often-leads-to-a-change-of-government-257490

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: There is no talk of Turkish or anyone else’s mediation in the second round of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul — Russian Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, May 30 /Xinhua/ — A Russian delegation led by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky will arrive in Istanbul on June 2 for the second round of direct talks with Ukraine. There is no talk of Turkish or anyone else mediating in the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. This was stated on Friday by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

    “We confirm that the Russian delegation, headed by the Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, will be in Istanbul on June 2 to hold the second round of the aforementioned negotiations. It will arrive with a draft memorandum and other proposals for a ceasefire,” said M. Zakharova.

    Russia does not see a connection between direct negotiations with Ukraine and the presence of representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Germany and France in Istanbul, noted the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

    “Of course, we are deeply grateful to our Turkish friends for their hospitality and for creating the necessary comfortable conditions for work as hosts of the negotiating platform. However, there is no talk of Turkish or anyone else’s mediation,” M. Zakharova emphasized. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison

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

    SOUTH BEND – Queyoun Foulks-Smith, 20 years old, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possession of a machinegun, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Foulks-Smith was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, on July 4, 2024, law enforcement found Foulks-Smith in possession of a machinegun—a stolen firearm with a loaded 50-round drum magazine and a “switch.”  The switch converted this firearm into an automatic firearm, allowing it to fire multiple bullets instantaneously with a single function of the trigger.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Falvey.

    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: Convicted Felon Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Ammunition Offense in Connection with Everett Shooting

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

    BOSTON – A Revere man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally possessing ammunition in connection with a shooting in a residential neighborhood of Everett.

    Kenneth Munoz, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 70 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2024, Munoz pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.  

    On the afternoon of Jan. 2, 2022, three individuals fired over 20 shots in an Everett neighborhood, during which multiple houses were struck by stray bullets. Munoz was identified as one of the shooters. Due to prior convictions, including a 2017 state conviction for assault and battery on a family member and malicious destruction of property, Munoz is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Everett Police Chief Paul Strong; and Chelsea Police Chief Keith E. Houghton made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 195 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FORT WAYNE–Yesterday, Jamic C. Johnson, 50 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after his guilty plea to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Johnson was sentenced to a total of 195 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, Johnson had been selling methamphetamine in 2020, and law enforcement located multiple ounces of methamphetamine in his Fort Wayne residence during the service of a search warrant in October of 2020.  Officers also found firearms in Johnson’s home that Johnson was using to facilitate and protect his drug trafficking activity.  Johnson was previously convicted of dealing in cocaine or narcotic drug and carrying a handgun without a license, meaning that he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm. 

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Also assisting in this investigation was the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.

    This case was also 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 USA: Congresswoman Frederica Wilson Awards Over $1 Million to the Divine Nine Organizations in Miami-Dade

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Frederica S Wilson (24th District of Florida)

    Wednesday, May 28th, 2025, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., awarded over $1 million to the Divine Nine Organizations in Miami-Dade County.

    The purpose of the Divine Nine Congressional Earmark is to upgrade, renovate, and build spaces where Divine Nine Organizations and the community can gather to teach and mentor our youth. It is our hope that these spaces will be used to especially expose our children to our history and our culture. In order to draw down funding, the charitable foundations must prove that they are purchasing, building, upgrading or refurbishing properties.

    “I am especially concerned about preserving our history, which is being whitewashed across our nation,” said Congresswoman Frederica Wilson. “African-American history IS American History, and we have a responsibility to protect it from erasure, extinction, and exploitation. We must leave a legacy for our children that must endure for generations.”

    Additional notables in attendance included former International President and CEO of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and former President of Tennessee State University Dr. Glenda Glover; Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, City of Miami Gardens Councilman Reggie Leon, and City of Miami Gardens Councilwoman Katrina Wilson.

    Derek Lightfoot from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. said, “The funds will be used to improve our existing fraternity house and community center. The improvements will include a new roof, hurricane windows and doors. This funding will further our initiatives to provide critical mentoring to youth in our community.”

    Dr. Luvernice Croskey from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. said, “This award will allow us to expand and update our 8,000 sq ft facilities. These facilities strengthen our community.  Thank you again for this opportunity.”

    Annette Brantley from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc said, “These funds will help with our Allene Taylor Memorial Center. It’s a legacy whose refurbishment will offer critical services that directly benefit our community, our new mentorship program, parenting counseling and support, tutoring, house assistance, community support and activities, and finally restore a cornerstone of our community.”

    Carolyn Donaldson from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. said, “Our Zeta Center has served as a cornerstone of service. Over the past 30 years, we have provided a wide range of activities to the community. Youth mentorship, literacy support, maternal help, food distributions. It was in 2022 that we launched a comprehensive initiative to renovate and repurpose our facility.”

    Brandon Fennell from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., said, “This grant will allow us to make vital upgrades to the Omega Activity Center, which has been serving the county since 1990. We will be able to transform the center into a safer innovation space where we can continue to educate our youth and create space to connect and thrive together.”

    Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated said, “Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is 117 years old. It is the first Black sorority in the country and the largest. This sorority was given funds to purchase land to build a sorority house. As we move forward, we will continue to grow and push the limits on how many lives we can impact. We are the heart of our community, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha house will serve as a place for all children to enjoy.”

    Approximately 200 people were in attendance. Line dancing, strolling, and stepping were part of the celebration which included a presentation by the ‘Miami Gardens Super Soul Steppers.’

    In attendance were the leaders of the following organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Gamma Zeta Omega Chapter, the W.I.S.H. Foundation Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Dade County Alumnae Chapter, the Dade Deltas Foundation Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Beta Tau Zeta Chapter, the Zeta Blue Network, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Sigma Alpha Chapter, the Omega Activity Center Foundation Inc., Sig Al Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Beta Beta Lambda Chapter, the Beta Beta Lambda AlphaLand Community Development Corporation Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Gamma Delta Sigma Chapter, the Allene V. Taylor Memorial Center Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Miami Alumni Chapter, the Miami Alumni Kappa Foundation Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Rho Sigma Chapter, and the White Dove Community Foundation Inc.

    This project was funded through a Congressional Earmark obtained by Congresswoman Wilson for the Fiscal Year 2024 Congressional Appropriations.

    The event was held at the Omega Activity Center at Florida Memorial University, 15600 NW 42nd Ave, Opa-locka, FL 33054.

    For photos and B-Roll, click here.

    For the full video of the event, click here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Solar panels’ shade helps boost Colorado grassland productivity in dry years

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Matthew Sturchio, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University; Faculty Afffiliate in Ecology, Colorado State University

    Solar panels on grasslands can generate electricity and useful forage or wildlife habitat. Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND

    Grasses growing in the shade of a solar array were only a little less productive than those growing nearby in open grassland during years of average and above-average rainfall – but in a dry year, the shaded plants grew much better than those growing in full sun. That’s the result of a four-year study we conducted in a semi-arid grassland of northern Colorado.

    When choosing a location for generating solar power, consistent sunlight and interconnection to the electric grid are key criteria. In Colorado the combination of new electrical transmission infrastructure, abundant sunlight and short vegetation that is easy to maintain have made grasslands a prime target for solar development.

    Grasslands, like those that dominate the eastern plains of Colorado, provide important habitat for wildlife and serve as a critical food source for livestock. Although these grasslands have long been productive despite their normally arid environment, a warmer climate has increased the potential for more frequent and severe drought. For instance, a recent global study found that previous research likely underestimated the threat of extreme drought in grasslands.

    Semi-arid grassland near Cheyenne, Wyo., with close-ups of flowers of some of the plants that grow there.
    Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND

    At Colorado State University, biology professor Alan Knapp and I started the ecovoltaics research group to study the effects of solar development in grasslands. Our primary goal is to ensure an ecologically informed solar energy future.

    Solar panels create microclimates

    Strings of solar panels redirect rain to the edge of panels. Because of this, small rain events can provide biologically relevant amounts of water instead of evaporating quickly.

    Simultaneously, solar panels shade plants growing beneath them. Some arrays, including the ones used in our study, move the panels to follow the path of the Sun across the sky.

    This results in a combination of sun and shade that is very different from the uninterrupted sunlight beating down on plants in a grassland without solar panels. In turn, patterns of plant stress and water loss also differ in grasses under solar arrays.

    A time-lapse video shows how a single-axis tracking solar array at Jack’s Solar Garden modifies patterns of sunlight availability.

    How grasses respond to a solar panel canopy

    To get a handle on how these different conditions affect grasses, we measured plant physiological response during the early stages of our study. More specifically, we tracked leaf carbon and water exchange throughout daylight hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., over 16 weeks in summer 2022 at Jack’s Solar Garden, a solar array over grassland in Longmont, Colorado.

    In general, plants that are adapted to full sun conditions, including most grasses, might not be expected to grow as well in partial shade. But we suspected that growth benefits from reduced water stress could outweigh potential reductions in growth from shading. We call this the “aridity mitigation potential” hypothesis.

    Sure enough, we found evidence of aridity mitigation across multiple years, with the most pronounced effect during the driest year.

    When water is scarce, increases in grassland productivity are more valuable because there isn’t as much around. Therefore, increasing grassland production in dry years could provide more available food for grazing animals and help offset some of the economic harm of drought in rangelands.

    Informing sustainable solar development in grasslands

    So far, our research has been limited to a grassland dominated by a cool season grass: smooth brome. Although it is a perennial commonly planted for hay, fields dominated by smooth brome lack the diversity of life found in native grasslands.

    Future work in native shortgrass prairies would provide new information about how solar panels affect plant water use, soils and grazing management in an ecosystem with 30% less precipitation than Jack’s Solar Garden. We’re beginning that work now at the shortgrass ecovoltaic research facility near Nunn, Colorado. This facility, which will be fully operational later in 2025, was constructed with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the wider SCAPES project.

    Testing the effects of solar panels over grasslands in a native ecosystem with even greater aridity will help us develop a clearer picture of ways solar energy can be developed in concert with grassland health.

    Matthew Sturchio works for Cornell University and serves as a Faculty Affiliate at Colorado State University. Funding for this work came from US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Sustainable Agricultural Systems project entitled “Sustainably Co-locating Agricultural and Photovoltaic Electricity Systems,” led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Grant Number: 2021-68012-35898, 2021–2025.

    – ref. Solar panels’ shade helps boost Colorado grassland productivity in dry years – https://theconversation.com/solar-panels-shade-helps-boost-colorado-grassland-productivity-in-dry-years-257082

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — RCMP NL reminds public to be safe and prepared when operating off-road vehicles

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    With the summer recreation season just around the corner, RCMP NL is urging all off-road vehicle operators keep safety and preparation front of mind.

    Before you depart, consider packing extra clothing, food, a communication device and fire making supplies. Share your intended travel plans, including expected departure and return times with others. These small steps can help you stay safe on the trails if you run into mechanical issues, get lost or face unexpected weather conditions.

    Operators of off-road vehicles, including dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), are also required to comply with the Off-Road Vehicles Act and Highway Traffic Act. Failure to do so can result in the seizure of the vehicle and/or violation tickets, with a range of fines.

    All operators of off-road vehicles must successfully complete or have an exemption in place for Off-Road Vehicles Safety Training, which is offered free of charge and available through MyGovNL.

    You and your passengers must wear helmets and seat belts (where available). Children who are required to use a child seat restraint system, such as a booster seat, under the Highway Traffic Act are required to follow that same legislation as a passenger of an off-road vehicle.

    It is illegal to operate an off-road vehicle on a roadway, except to cross from one side to the other, and you must have registration, insurance, a driver’s licence and not less than one hundred and fifty metres of visibility to do so. To access a trail, you may travel on the shoulder of a roadway for a maximum distance of 1 kilometre and at a maximum speed of 20 kilometres an hour, all while yielding to motor vehicle traffic.

    Children under the age of 16 must be properly supervised by someone who:

    • is 18 years of age or older,
    • has a valid driver’s licence,
    • has successfully completed the off-road vehicle safety training.

    Proper supervision further requires that the supervisor is able to see and be seen by the operator at all times and is in a position to provide immediate direction to the operator. Underage operators without supervision and those who permit underage operation without supervision can be ticketed. The fine imposed on those who permit unsupervised operation ranges from $650.00 – $1,300.00. Ultimately, parents and guardians need to be aware of the dangers associated with unsupervised operation, which include serious injuries and death to the youth and/or others.

    Operating an off-road vehicle while impaired is a criminal offence. Impaired operation of any motor vehicle is a choice that unnecessarily places you, your passengers and all others who share the roadway at an increased level of risk of serious injury or death.

    Make sure you know the rules of off-road vehicle operation. You can find more information about the Off-Road Vehicles Act and Highway Traffic Act here:

    https://www.assembly.nl.ca/Legislation/sr/statutes/o05-1.htm

    https://www.assembly.nl.ca/legislation/sr/statutes/h03.htm

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Dehumanising and ineffective militarisation of aid in Gaza

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    The following statement from Christopher Lockyear, MSF Secretary General, outlines why the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s approach to distributing aid in Gaza, Palestine, is dangerous and reckless.

    “The disastrous start of the food distribution coordinated by the newly created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation confirmed that the US-Israel plan to instrumentalise aid is ineffective. On 27 May, the first afternoon of distribution in Rafah, south Gaza, dozens of people were shot and injured as wholly insufficient amounts of basic lifesaving supplies were distributed amid chaos.

    “Palestinians – deprived of food, water and medical aid for nearly three months – were penned in by fences as they waited to receive basic necessities for survival. This is a stark reminder of the dehumanising treatment imposed by Israeli authorities for more than 19 months.

    “Through this dangerous and reckless approach, food is not being distributed where it’s needed most but is instead directed only to areas where Israeli forces choose to amass civilians. This means the most vulnerable – especially the elderly and people with disabilities – have virtually no chance of accessing the food they desperately need.

    “The claim that this unprincipled, failing mechanism is necessary to prevent the diversion of aid is false. Since the start of the war, MSF has directly treated patients when we have been able to bring supplies into Gaza. This initiative seems to be a cynical ploy to feign compliance with International Humanitarian Law. In practice, it uses aid as a tool to forcibly displace people as part of what appears to be a broader strategy to ethnically cleanse the Gaza Strip – and to justify the continuation of a war waged without limits.

    “Meanwhile, the humanitarian system is being strangled by the restrictions imposed upon it. Israeli authorities have allowed a trickle of aid trucks into Gaza, only to obstruct them immediately after they cross the border, preventing life-saving assistance from reaching the people who need it most, including children and pregnant and lactating women.

    “Forcing humanitarian organisations to move such inadequate amounts of aid, when the Israeli siege has created a situation of unbearable need and despair, is leading to lootings.  This is the consequence of a society being pushed to the brink, its very fabric torn apart by relentless violence and deprivation. The outcome is more preventable deaths and injuries, and the impossibility of delivering aid in a way that respects people’s dignity. This is part of a broader tactic to reinforce a one-sided narrative: the only way to deliver aid is to militarise it.

    “Along with displacement orders and bombing campaigns that kill civilians, weaponising aid in this manner may constitute crimes against humanity. Only a lasting ceasefire and the immediate opening of Gaza’s borders for humanitarian aid – including food, medical supplies, fuel and equipment – can ease this man-made catastrophe.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Solar arrays help boost Colorado grassland productivity in dry years

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Matthew Sturchio, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University; Faculty Afffiliate in Ecology, Colorado State University

    Solar panels on grasslands can generate electricity and useful forage or wildlife habitat. Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND

    Grasses growing in the shade of a solar array were only a little less productive than those growing nearby in open grassland during years of average and above-average rainfall – but in a dry year, the shaded plants grew much better than those growing in full sun. That’s the result of a four-year study we conducted in a semi-arid grassland of northern Colorado.

    When choosing a location for generating solar power, consistent sunlight and interconnection to the electric grid are key criteria. In Colorado the combination of new electrical transmission infrastructure, abundant sunlight and short vegetation that is easy to maintain have made grasslands a prime target for solar development.

    Grasslands, like those that dominate the eastern plains of Colorado, provide important habitat for wildlife and serve as a critical food source for livestock. Although these grasslands have long been productive despite their normally arid environment, a warmer climate has increased the potential for more frequent and severe drought. For instance, a recent global study found that previous research likely underestimated the threat of extreme drought in grasslands.

    Semi-arid grassland near the Colorado-Wyoming border.
    Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND
    Semi-arid grassland near Cheyenne, Wyo., with close-ups of flowers of some of the plants that grow there.
    Matthew Sturchio, CC BY-ND

    At Colorado State University, biology professor Alan Knapp and I started the ecovoltaics research group to study the effects of solar development in grasslands. Our primary goal is to ensure an ecologically informed solar energy future.

    Solar panels create microclimates

    Strings of solar panels redirect rain to the edge of panels. Because of this, small rain events can provide biologically relevant amounts of water instead of evaporating quickly.

    Simultaneously, solar panels shade plants growing beneath them. Some arrays, including the ones used in our study, move the panels to follow the path of the Sun across the sky.

    This results in a combination of sun and shade that is very different from the uninterrupted sunlight beating down on plants in a grassland without solar panels. In turn, patterns of plant stress and water loss also differ in grasses under solar arrays.

    A time-lapse video shows how a single-axis tracking solar array at Jack’s Solar Garden modifies patterns of sunlight availability.

    How grasses respond to a solar panel canopy

    To get a handle on how these different conditions affect grasses, we measured plant physiological response during the early stages of our study. More specifically, we tracked leaf carbon and water exchange throughout daylight hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., over 16 weeks in summer 2022 at Jack’s Solar Garden, a solar array over grassland in Longmont, Colorado.

    In general, plants that are adapted to full sun conditions, including most grasses, might not be expected to grow as well in partial shade. But we suspected that growth benefits from reduced water stress could outweigh potential reductions in growth from shading. We call this the “aridity mitigation potential” hypothesis.

    Sure enough, we found evidence of aridity mitigation across multiple years, with the most pronounced effect during the driest year.

    When water is scarce, increases in grassland productivity are more valuable because there isn’t as much around. Therefore, increasing grassland production in dry years could provide more available food for grazing animals and help offset some of the economic harm of drought in rangelands.

    Informing sustainable solar development in grasslands

    So far, our research has been limited to a grassland dominated by a cool season grass: smooth brome. Although it is a perennial commonly planted for hay, fields dominated by smooth brome lack the diversity of life found in native grasslands.

    Future work in native shortgrass prairies would provide new information about how solar panels affect plant water use, soils and grazing management in an ecosystem with 30% less precipitation than Jack’s Solar Garden. We’re beginning that work now at the shortgrass ecovoltaic research facility near Nunn, Colorado. This facility, which will be fully operational later in 2025, was constructed with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the wider SCAPES project.

    Testing the effects of solar panels over grasslands in a native ecosystem with even greater aridity will help us develop a clearer picture of ways solar energy can be developed in concert with grassland health.

    Matthew Sturchio works for Cornell University and serves as a Faculty Affiliate at Colorado State University. Funding for this work came from US Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Sustainable Agricultural Systems project entitled “Sustainably Co-locating Agricultural and Photovoltaic Electricity Systems,” led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Grant Number: 2021-68012-35898, 2021–2025.

    – ref. Solar arrays help boost Colorado grassland productivity in dry years – https://theconversation.com/solar-arrays-help-boost-colorado-grassland-productivity-in-dry-years-257082

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ivis García, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University

    Hurricane Harvey inundated the Cottage Grove neighborhood of Houston in 2018. Scott Olson/Getty Images

    When powerful storms hit your city, which neighborhoods are most likely to flood? In many cities, they’re typically low-income areas. They may have poor drainage, or they lack protections such as seawalls.

    New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, where hundreds of people died when Hurricane Katrina broke a levee in 2005, and Houston’s Kashmere Gardens, flooded by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, are just two among many examples.

    With those disasters in mind, the Federal Emergency Management Agency made a big change to its Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide in 2023. The agency began encouraging cities, towns and counties to address equity in their hazard mitigation plans, which outline how they will reduce disaster risk.

    Local governments have an incentive to follow those federal guidelines: Those that want to receive FEMA hazard mitigation assistance – money which can be used to repair aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers – or funding from other programs such as dam rehabilitation have to develop local mitigation plans and update them every five years.

    Hurricane Irma flooded Immokalee, Fla., in 2017. The community, home to many farmworkers, had infrastructure problems before the storm, and recovery was slow.
    AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

    The new guidance required cities to both consider social vulnerability among neighborhoods in their disaster mitigation planning and involve socially vulnerable communities in those discussions in ways they hadn’t before.

    However, as the U.S. heads into what forecasters predict will be an active 2025 hurricane season, that guidance has changed again. The Trump administration’s new FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide 2025 talks about public involvement in planning but strips any mention of equity, income or social vulnerability. It mentions using “projections for the future” to plan but removes references to climate change.

    Who is most at risk in hurricanes, and why

    Hurricanes and other storms that cause flooding don’t affect everyone in the same way.

    A legacy of redlining and discrimination in many U.S. cities left poor and minority families living in often risky areas. These neighborhoods also tend to have poorer infrastructure.

    In the past, local mitigation plans just focused on fixing roads or protecting property in general from storm damage, without recognizing that socially vulnerable groups, such as low-income or elderly populations, were more likely to be hardest hit and take much longer to recover.

    Low-income neighborhoods in Puerto Rico have been slow to recover from 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
    Ivis Garcia

    The FEMA 2023 guidance encouraged communities to consider both the highest risks and which neighborhoods would be least able to respond in a disaster and address their needs.

    The equity requirement was designed to ensure that local plans didn’t just protect those with the most wealth or political influence but considered who needs the help most. That might mean providing information in multiple languages in emergency alerts or investing in flood prevention in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers.

    How New York City’s 2024 plan helped

    New York City’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, for example, included a thorough social vulnerability assessment to identify neighborhoods with high percentages of people who were living in poverty or were older, disabled or weren’t fluent in English.

    Knowing where disaster risk and social vulnerability overlapped allowed the city to boost investments in flood protection, emergency communication and cooling centers during summer heat in neighborhoods such as the South Bronx and East Harlem. These neighborhoods historically faced some of the greatest risks from disasters but saw little investment.

    The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice mapped the risk of storm surge flooding in the 2020s (purple) and 2080s (dark blue), and neighborhoods that fall under the city’s ‘disadvantaged communities’ criteria. A 1% risk means a 1% of chance of flooding in any given year, also referred to as a 100-year flood risk.
    NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice

    Further, New York’s plan calls for expanding outreach and early warning systems in multiple languages and enhancing infrastructure in areas with high concentrations of Spanish speakers. These kinds of changes help ensure that vulnerable residents are more likely to be better protected when disaster strikes.

    Why is FEMA dropping that emphasis now?

    FEMA’s reasoning for the guidance change in 2025: make it quicker and easier to get plans approved and unlock federal funding for projects like flood barriers, storm shelters and buyouts in areas at high risk of damage.

    It’s a pragmatic move, but one that raises big questions about whether residents who are least able to help themselves will be overlooked again when the next disaster strikes.

    And FEMA isn’t alone — other agencies, like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, have made similar changes to their own disaster planning rules. Community Development Block Grant funds for disaster recovery are flexible and can be used for things like rebuilding homes and businesses, restoring infrastructure and helping local economies recover.

    What this means for low-income areas

    Some experts worry that the changes might mean low-income and other at-risk communities will be ignored again when cities develop their next five-year mitigation plans. Research from the Government Accountability Office shows that when something is required by law, it gets done. When it’s just a suggestion, it’s easy to skip, especially in places with fewer resources or less political will to help.

    But the short-lived rules may have already helped in one important way: They made cities and states pay attention to social vulnerability, climate change and the needs of all their residents.

    Many local leaders have learned the value of using data to understand where socially vulnerable residents face high disaster risks. And they have a model now for involving communities in decision-making. Even if those steps are no longer required, the hope is that these good habits will stick.

    Where and how communities invest in disaster protection affects who stays safe and who faces higher risks from flooding, hurricanes and other disasters. When government policy shifts, it’s not just about paperwork – it’s about real people.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-season-is-here-but-femas-policy-change-could-leave-low-income-areas-less-protected-256985

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ivis García, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University

    Hurricane Harvey inundated the Cottage Grove neighborhood of Houston in 2018. Scott Olson/Getty Images

    When powerful storms hit your city, which neighborhoods are most likely to flood? In many cities, they’re typically low-income areas. They may have poor drainage, or they lack protections such as seawalls.

    New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, where hundreds of people died when Hurricane Katrina broke a levee in 2005, and Houston’s Kashmere Gardens, flooded by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, are just two among many examples.

    With those disasters in mind, the Federal Emergency Management Agency made a big change to its Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide in 2023. The agency began encouraging cities, towns and counties to address equity in their hazard mitigation plans, which outline how they will reduce disaster risk.

    Local governments have an incentive to follow those federal guidelines: Those that want to receive FEMA hazard mitigation assistance – money which can be used to repair aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers – or funding from other programs such as dam rehabilitation have to develop local mitigation plans and update them every five years.

    Hurricane Irma flooded Immokalee, Fla., in 2017. The community, home to many farmworkers, had infrastructure problems before the storm, and recovery was slow.
    AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

    The new guidance required cities to both consider social vulnerability among neighborhoods in their disaster mitigation planning and involve socially vulnerable communities in those discussions in ways they hadn’t before.

    However, as the U.S. heads into what forecasters predict will be an active 2025 hurricane season, that guidance has changed again. The Trump administration’s new FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide 2025 talks about public involvement in planning but strips any mention of equity, income or social vulnerability. It mentions using “projections for the future” to plan but removes references to climate change.

    Who is most at risk in hurricanes, and why

    Hurricanes and other storms that cause flooding don’t affect everyone in the same way.

    A legacy of redlining and discrimination in many U.S. cities left poor and minority families living in often risky areas. These neighborhoods also tend to have poorer infrastructure.

    In the past, local mitigation plans just focused on fixing roads or protecting property in general from storm damage, without recognizing that socially vulnerable groups, such as low-income or elderly populations, were more likely to be hardest hit and take much longer to recover.

    Low-income neighborhoods in Puerto Rico have been slow to recover from 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
    Ivis Garcia

    The FEMA 2023 guidance encouraged communities to consider both the highest risks and which neighborhoods would be least able to respond in a disaster and address their needs.

    The equity requirement was designed to ensure that local plans didn’t just protect those with the most wealth or political influence but considered who needs the help most. That might mean providing information in multiple languages in emergency alerts or investing in flood prevention in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure like roads, bridges and flood barriers.

    How New York City’s 2024 plan helped

    New York City’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, for example, included a thorough social vulnerability assessment to identify neighborhoods with high percentages of people who were living in poverty or were older, disabled or weren’t fluent in English.

    Knowing where disaster risk and social vulnerability overlapped allowed the city to boost investments in flood protection, emergency communication and cooling centers during summer heat in neighborhoods such as the South Bronx and East Harlem. These neighborhoods historically faced some of the greatest risks from disasters but saw little investment.

    The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice mapped the risk of storm surge flooding in the 2020s (purple) and 2080s (dark blue), and neighborhoods that fall under the city’s ‘disadvantaged communities’ criteria. A 1% risk means a 1% of chance of flooding in any given year, also referred to as a 100-year flood risk.
    NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice

    Further, New York’s plan calls for expanding outreach and early warning systems in multiple languages and enhancing infrastructure in areas with high concentrations of Spanish speakers. These kinds of changes help ensure that vulnerable residents are more likely to be better protected when disaster strikes.

    Why is FEMA dropping that emphasis now?

    FEMA’s reasoning for the guidance change in 2025: make it quicker and easier to get plans approved and unlock federal funding for projects like flood barriers, storm shelters and buyouts in areas at high risk of damage.

    It’s a pragmatic move, but one that raises big questions about whether residents who are least able to help themselves will be overlooked again when the next disaster strikes.

    And FEMA isn’t alone — other agencies, like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program, have made similar changes to their own disaster planning rules. Community Development Block Grant funds for disaster recovery are flexible and can be used for things like rebuilding homes and businesses, restoring infrastructure and helping local economies recover.

    What this means for low-income areas

    Some experts worry that the changes might mean low-income and other at-risk communities will be ignored again when cities develop their next five-year mitigation plans. Research from the Government Accountability Office shows that when something is required by law, it gets done. When it’s just a suggestion, it’s easy to skip, especially in places with fewer resources or less political will to help.

    But the short-lived rules may have already helped in one important way: They made cities and states pay attention to social vulnerability, climate change and the needs of all their residents.

    Many local leaders have learned the value of using data to understand where socially vulnerable residents face high disaster risks. And they have a model now for involving communities in decision-making. Even if those steps are no longer required, the hope is that these good habits will stick.

    Where and how communities invest in disaster protection affects who stays safe and who faces higher risks from flooding, hurricanes and other disasters. When government policy shifts, it’s not just about paperwork – it’s about real people.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Hurricane season is here, but FEMA’s policy change could leave low-income areas less protected – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-season-is-here-but-femas-policy-change-could-leave-low-income-areas-less-protected-256985

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Ring

    Source: US FBI

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TOMMY FIGUEROA, also known as “Coco,” 31, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a Waterbury drug trafficking ring.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury.  One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers.  The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations.

    Figueroa worked as a shift-boss for the Maple Street organization, ensuring that street-level distributors were selling narcotics, primarily crack cocaine, around the clock.  During the investigation, investigators made several controlled purchases of narcotics from Figueroa.  Investigators also determined that Figueroa had acquired two firearms for protection.

    Figueroa was arrested on related state charges on September 25, 2023, and the two firearms were seized.  While detained in state custody, he continued his involvement in narcotics trafficking through his then girlfriend, Neysa Vazquez-Ferrer.

    Seventeen individuals were charged with federal offenses as a result of the investigation. 

    On January 28, 2025, Figueroa pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    Vazquez-Ferrer pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking offense and, on May 22, 2025, was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment.

    The FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task includes members from the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department, the Naugatuck Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction.  The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, Wolcott Police Department, and Meriden Police Department have assisted the investigation.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Woman Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Ring

    Source: US FBI

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that NEYSA VAZQUEZ-FERRER, 35, of Waterbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for her participation in a Waterbury drug trafficking ring.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury.  One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers.  The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations.

    Vazquez-Ferrer managed a stash location for the Maple Street organization where she packaged bags of individual dose capsules of crack cocaine.  She also enlisted her two teenage daughters to package and deliver narcotics.

    Seventeen individuals were charged with federal offenses as a result of the investigation.  Vazquez-Ferrer and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023.  In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash.

    On January 31, 2025, Vazquez-Ferrer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

    Vazquez-Ferrer, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on July 11.

    The FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task includes members from the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department, the Naugatuck Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction.  The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, Wolcott Police Department, and Meriden Police Department have assisted the investigation.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Briefing notes on MSF project in the West Bank

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    We periodically publish briefing notes on our work in Hebron, the West Bank, Palestine. These briefing notes cover topics related to movement restrictions, obstacles people face in accessing medical care, and increased violence.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Survivor Assistance Available at Three New Locations

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Survivor Assistance Available at Three New Locations

    Survivor Assistance Available at Three New Locations

    LITTLE ROCK, Ark

    – The state of Arkansas, FEMA and the U

    S

    Small Business Administration have added three sites that offer face-to-face help for residents affected by the March 14-15 and April 2-22 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding

    Homeowners and renters in the impacted counties may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance for losses not covered by insurance

    Specialists are available to help you apply for FEMA assistance, review your existing application and submit documents needed to move your application forward

    The new locations include:FULTON COUNTYHardy Fire Station203 Church StreetHardy, AR 72452Days: May 30 – June 7; hours: 9 a

    m

    to 6 p

    m

    Monday to Friday; 9 a

    m

    to 1 p

    m

    Saturday; Closed Sunday CRITTENDEN COUNTYEarle City Hall                                                                     1005 2nd StreetEarle, AR 72331 Days: June 2 – June 4; hours: 8 a

    m

    to 6 p

    m

     CRAIGHEAD COUNTYLake City – City Hall406 Court StreetLake City, AR 72437 Days: June 2 – June 4; hours: 8 a

    m

    to 6 p

    m

     Additional locations are listed online at x

    com/FEMARegion6 and facebook

    com/FEMARegion6/

    Survivors in Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp and Stone counties may apply for federal assistance if they had damage in the March storms

    Similarly, those who were affected by the April storms, tornadoes and flooding in Clark, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Desha, Fulton, Hot Spring, Jackson, Miller, Ouachita, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sharp, St

    Francis and White counties may also apply

    Survivors affected by both the March and April storms should file a separate claim for each

    Here are the ways to apply:Go to DisasterAssistance

    govDownload the FEMA App for mobile devicesCall the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a

    m

    and 10 p

    m

    CT

    Help is available in most languages

     If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, you can give FEMA your number for that service

    For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, go to Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube

    The Small Business Administration offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, nonprofit organizations and businesses of any size

    To apply online, visit https://lending

    sba

    gov or call 800- 659-2955

    For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services

    For the latest information about Arkansas’ recovery, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4865 or fema

    gov/disaster/4873

    Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x

    com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook

    com/FEMARegion6/

    thomas

    wise
    Fri, 05/30/2025 – 00:50

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA, SBA and the State of Texas Are Opening Additional Disaster Recovery Centers in South Texas

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA, SBA and the State of Texas Are Opening Additional Disaster Recovery Centers in South Texas

    FEMA, SBA and the State of Texas Are Opening Additional Disaster Recovery Centers in South Texas

    AUSTIN – In coordination with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), FEMA and U

    S

    Small Business Administration (SBA) staff will open three additional Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) on May 30 to offer face-to-face help to residents of the four South Texas counties affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 26-28

    Homeowners and renters in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties may be eligible for FEMA assistance for losses not covered by insurance

    FEMA and SBA will support state-led recovery efforts at the recovery centers

    Staff can help survivors apply for federal assistance

    They can also identify potential needs and connect survivors with local, state and federal agencies, as well as nonprofits and community groups

    The new DRCs join the four already open in the affected counties

     All seven centers will be open Friday, May 30, and will remain open daily from 8 a

    m

    to 7 p

    m

    :Cameron CountyNEW: San Benito Parks and Recreation Building705 N Bowie St

    San Benito, TXHarlingen Convention Center701 Harlingen HeightsHarlingen, TX 78552Hidalgo CountyNEW: Las Palmas Community Center1921 N

    25th St

      McAllen, TX  NEW: Pharr Development & Research Center  850 W

    Dicker Rd  Pharr, TXWeslaco EDC275 S

    Kansas Ave

    Weslaco, TX 78596Starr CountyStarr County Courthouse Annex100 N FM 3167Rio Grande City, TX 78582 Willacy CountySebastian Community Center434 West 8th St

    Sebastian, TX 78594 Residents can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the state of Texas and the SBA

    No appointment is needed

    Additional locations may be added

    All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology

    If you need a reasonable accommodation or sign language interpreter, please call 833-285-7448 (press 2 for Spanish)

    FEMA staff are easily recognizable by their official photo identification (ID)

    If you meet people offering assistance, first ask to see their ID before giving them your personal information

    They may have FEMA clothing, but that can be easily imitated

     FEMA staff can help residents in several ways including:Checking the status of an application already in the system and making minor changes to applications

    Contacting faith-based organizations, community groups, private sector businesses and public libraries that may have the capability to distribute disaster-related information to residents in the impacted counties

    Identifying organizations providing disaster-related services and/or resources to the public for long-term recovery

    Gathering information about impacts to communities

    Providing flyers explaining how to apply for disaster assistance

    Survivors with homeowners or renters insurance should first file a claim with their insurance company as soon as possible

    If your policy does not cover all your damage expenses, you may then be eligible for federal assistance

    SBA’s Customer Service Representatives are available at the centers to answer questions, assist business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents and provide updates on an application’s status

    For information and to apply online visit SBA

    gov/disaster

    Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba

    gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance

    For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services

    Survivors can apply to FEMA in several ways including going online to DisasterAssistance

    gov, downloading the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    Calls are accepted every day from 6 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    CT

    Help is available in most languages

     If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service

    To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube

    For more information, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4871

    Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x

    com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook

    com/FEMARegion6/

    myla

    ashton
    Thu, 05/29/2025 – 18:56

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Condemns Biden Administration Failures in the Wake of the Lahaina, Hawaii Fires

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Condemns Biden Administration Failures in the Wake of the Lahaina, Hawaii Fires

    lass=”text-align-center”>Report reveals 1 in 6 survivors were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing
    WASHINGTON – A new report about the aftermath of the August 2023 Lahaina, Hawaii, fires reveals FEMA’s horrific neglect and mismanagement under the Biden Administration

       According to the report, issued by Filipino Hawaiian advocacy group Tagnawa, conditions for survivors in the aftermath of the fire were both appalling and inhumane

    1 in 6 survivors were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing and some women had to sleep in cars because they felt unsafe in FEMA-coordinated shelters

     “1 in 6 survivors of the Lahaina Fires were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing

    These women — our fellow American citizens — were so desperate for food that they had to resort to such extreme measures just to feed themselves in our own country

    That’s unacceptable

    That is unAmerican,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

    “While American citizens from Hawaii to North Carolina suffered, Biden and Mayorkas used FEMA as a piggy bank, spending hundreds of millions of American taxpayer dollars to housing illegal aliens, including at the Roosevelt Hotel that served as a Tren de Aragua base of operations and was used to shelter Laken Riley’s killer

    ” This is yet another outrageous example of the gross mismanagement and poor treatment of Americans under the prior administration

     This will never happen again under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ready for the summer: Governor Newsom announces lifesaving heat-ranking tool, invests $32 million to help communities combat extreme heat

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 29, 2025

    What you need to know: California is launching CalHeatScore – a groundbreaking tool to help protect vulnerable populations from dangerous heatwaves. The state’s new tool provides localized warnings and resources for extreme heat events. Governor Newsom is also announcing $32.4 million in funding to help 47 California communities protect people from dangerous heat events.

    SACRAMENTO – With summer around the corner and temperatures expected to soar to record highs this weekend, California is taking new actions to protect communities from extreme heat – the number one cause of weather-related deaths in the state. 

    Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of CalHeatScore, a cutting-edge tool to forecast and rank heat severity risks and connect Californians with available resources to stay safe during extreme heat events. With CalHeatScore, California becomes the first state in the nation – and one of the only jurisdictions in the world – to launch a heat-ranking system. Today’s announcement comes as the Trump Administration makes life-threatening cuts to the federal government’s weather monitoring apparatus.

    CalHeatScore, developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), brings together ZIP-code level data to provide locally tailored guidance. The tool identifies groups most susceptible to extreme heat – such as older adults and children – and provides tips for staying safe, such as how to recognize signs of heat illness. The tool additionally integrates other important data sets, like locations for the nearest cooling centers.

    Map above shows CalHeatScore extreme heat forecast for Friday, May 30. The darkest shades represent the highest heat score of 4 (scale of 0 to 4).

    Governor Newsom additionally announced $32.4 million to support 47 California communities in lifesaving extreme heat mitigation efforts. The Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program aims to support local, tribal, and regional efforts to combat dangerous heat exposure by building long-lasting infrastructure solutions and strengthening community resilience needed to withstand extreme heat events.

    Extreme heat kills – and with the federal government cutting the very programs that help forecast it, California is taking aggressive action to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities.

    With the first major heat of the summer expected this weekend, we’re connecting more Californians – particularly those that are most vulnerable to dangerous heat – to life-saving information, resources, and programs across the state.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    In a hotter, drier world, connecting Californians with extreme weather information and resources has never been more important – especially as the federal government cuts critical programs providing pertinent information on weather.

    First-in-the-nation heat-ranking tool

    The new CalHeatScore tool will be leveraged across state government, providing early warning that allows resources to be mobilized with greater speed and precision to communities that need it. To ensure the new tool works for Californians, the state will continue gathering input from the public, which will be used to shape future updates. 

    “Every single preventable death is one too many,” said Yana Garcia, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. “This groundbreaking tool will help Californians plan and respond so they can stay safe when a heat wave is about to strike. And it will shore up the state’s all-in fight against the very real dangers that climate change keeps bringing to our doorstep.”

    In 2021, the California Department of Insurance’s Climate Insurance Workgroup recommended California build a system to rank heat waves to better communicate the deadly risks to Californians and help communities prepare, similar to how tropical storms and hurricanes are described by “category” level. 

    As part of a broader climate package in 2022, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2238 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas to codify CDI’s recommendation by requiring the state to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system. 

    “CalHeatScore is an important tool to prepare Californians for extreme heat,” said Nancy Ward, Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). “It helps increase our readiness for heat events and protect those at greatest risk.”

    Chart above shows the range of CalHeatScore rankings.

    Building on investments to protect Californians

    The funding announced today builds on the Governor’s Extreme Heat Action Plan, which guides the state’s response to extreme heat events. Developed in partnership with more than 20 state agencies and informed by more than 1,000 individuals through listening sessions and public engagement, these grants respond directly to community needs and build on existing state programs. 

    Extreme heat solutions announced today combine physical infrastructure with nature-based solutions and in-home technology to create more resilient communities. In Los Angeles, the county will work with local organizations to provide safer spaces by planting tree canopies, installing water fountains, and hosting educational programming in parks across the county. In Northern California, North Coast Opportunities and the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, will partner to provide solar-powered air conditioning in the homes of vulnerable community members.  

    “California is taking aggressive action to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities,” said Samuel Assefa, Director of Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), the agency overseeing the funding. “With lives on the line each summer, the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program will provide critical infrastructure investments in heat vulnerable communities.”

    Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the state, claiming more lives annually than any other climate threat, including fires and floods. Last year, California communities experienced the hottest summer on record in 130 years. According to a report from the Department of Insurance, from 2013 to 2022, seven extreme heat events resulted in nearly 460 deaths, over 5,000 hospitalizations and about 344 adverse birth outcomes.

    State research shows a correlation between heat and a range of negative health effects including death, lower birth weight, and increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations for conditions ranging from heart conditions to poor mental health. Extreme heat also takes an economic toll on the state, with an estimated $7.7 billion of lost wages, agricultural disruptions, and power outages. 

    Extreme heat calls for more water 

    During periods of extreme heat, access to water is more critical than ever to prevent illness and death. California is expected to lose 10% of its water supply due to hotter and drier conditions, threatening the water supply for millions of Californians. As part of the May Revision, the Governor advanced a groundbreaking proposal to fast-track and streamline one of California’s most important water management and climate adaptation projects, the Delta Conveyance Project, creating much-needed and long-overdue improvements to the State Water Project, which provides water for 27 million people and 750,00 acres of farmland. These vital improvements will help offset and recover these future climate-driven water losses, and yet, it has been plagued by delays and red tape.

    Without action, the ability of the State Water Project to reliably deliver water to homes, farms and businesses will decline. The Governor calls on the legislature to quickly adopt these improvements to ensure that California is ready for a drier and hotter future, and its communities are safe and protected.   

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    May 29, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025, as “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is home to more than 6…

    May 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:LaCandice Ochoa, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Independent Living and Community Access Division at the Department of Rehabilitation. Ochoa has been Dean of…

    May 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement after a federal court ruled today that President Trump exceeded his use of emergency powers to enact broad-sweeping tariffs that hurt states, consumers, and businesses: “Like we said when we filed…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Heavy rain forecast for Assam during next two days

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued a weather alert for Assam, forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the next 2–3 days, particularly across the western and southern districts of the state.

    The inclement weather is expected to intensify within the next 24 hours, prompting authorities to ramp up emergency preparedness.

    According to the IMD’s latest bulletin, a well-marked low-pressure area lay over the northwest Bay of Bengal, off the Odisha coast, at 8:30 am on Friday. This system is accompanied by a cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level, tilting southward with altitude. It is projected to gradually move northward and intensify into a depression over the north Bay of Bengal within the next 24 hours.

    Under the influence of this developing weather system, widespread thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds are expected to lash several districts, including Cachar, Hailakandi, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Chirang, West Karbi Anglong, Bajali, Baksa, Tamulpur, Nalbari, Kamrup (Metro and Rural), Darrang, Udalguri, Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, Sonitpur, Dima Hasao, and others.

    In Guwahati, authorities are bracing for potential urban challenges such as waterlogging, slow-moving traffic, tree falls, and localised landslides, particularly in vulnerable zones.

    The city’s disaster management teams are on high alert and closely tracking the evolving situation.

    The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has appealed to residents across the state, especially those in Guwahati, to exercise caution and take preventive measures.

    Citizens are advised to avoid unnecessary travel during periods of intense rainfall, and those in low-lying or landslide-prone areas are urged to remain vigilant.

    “Daily commuters and long-distance travellers should plan accordingly. Stay updated with official weather alerts and follow local advisories,” an ASDMA spokesperson said, adding that real-time updates will be provided to keep the public informed throughout the weather event.

    Authorities reiterated the importance of preparedness to minimise risks associated with the expected deluge, urging the public to prioritise safety until conditions improve.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CHP announces two new melioidosis cases

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CHP announces two new melioidosis cases 
         So far, seven melioidosis cases have been recorded in Hong Kong this year. In 2024, 23 melioidosis cases were recorded. 
         According to literature, melioidosis cases are more common after typhoons or rainstorms. The bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil and muddy water may become exposed to the ground after typhoons or rainstorms, and the bacteria could spread more easily with strong winds or rainstorms. As such, the number of melioidosis cases may increase.      ​The CHP appealed to members of the public to seek medical advice if they develop symptoms, in particular people with diabetes or other immunocompromising conditions, in order to receive an appropriate medical diagnosis and treatment. For more information on melioidosis, please visit the website of the CHP at www.chp.gov.hk/en/healthtopics/content/24/101110.htmlIssued at HKT 16:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST’s speech at “Hong Kong Night” business networking reception and seminar in Vancouver, Canada (English only) (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SFST’s speech at “Hong Kong Night” business networking reception and seminar in Vancouver, Canada (English only) (with photo) 
    Distinguished guests, industry leaders and innovators, friends in Canada and from around the world,
     
    Good evening, everyone. Thanks for having me today for this very special occasion, called “Hong Kong Night”. I must say I always wonder why we have “Hong Kong night” in broad daylight. I suppose it could be a distinctive feature of this city which everybody loves. Just now, our colleague from Cathay Pacific mentioned to me that there will be a draw right after for tickets so I’m sure that explains why you are all here.
     
    Let me give you some flavour in terms of how Hong Kong has been faring, and also at the same time some talking points that you may want to share after this session. I want to give you an overview in terms of how Hong Kong has done so far in financial services under my portfolio, and also in particular the reason why I’m here in Vancouver because this is my last stop, after Toronto and also Ottawa. Through this visit, I had the opportunity to see many people at the government, regulators and also financial institutions. What I am impressed most is that it’s really a place where people are looking for a change. You already have a new government. At the same time, you are looking for ways to diversify, in terms of your economy, and also in terms of financial activities. So I think Hong Kong comes at the right time, where it’s a very viable option, either you are a corporate, an individual, or even an investor, to consider that in the context of diversification.
     
    Before I further proceed, maybe first of all, let me give you an overview of how Hong Kong’s been faring so far. I’ve been asked a lot in terms of the impact of tariffs on Hong Kong. I understand that there will be a fireside chat by Rocky (the Director and Head of Policy Research of the Financial Services Development Council, Dr Rocky Tung) later on, and I’ll leave that to the experts. But that said, Hong Kong being a service economy, I must say we don’t have much to export. At the same time, we are a free economy as stipulated in our Basic Law. So far so good in terms of our resilience, I would say, in the broader context of geopolitical change.
     
    More specifically, in our capital market, recently we do see an upsurge in our stock market. Right now, our average daily turnover is exceeding US$32 billion, and also we’ve welcomed a number of key mega IPOs (initial public offerings), like the recent one is CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited). It’s a major or global battery manufacturer for EVs (electric vehicles), and they just got listed at the same time, offering a shares equivalent to the size of around HK$41 billion. And funny enough, when you look at the composition of the investors, we have those from the US. At the same time, we also have investors from the Middle East, where the Kuwait Sovereign Wealth Fund, what we call the KIA, Kuwait Investment Authority, actually put in US$500 million in that offer. So you can see that despite all the talk about the deglobalisation or decoupling, finance, in particular, capital formation takes place, and also monies after returns.
     
    Of course, that is not alone in terms of what we are welcoming. We also welcome Canadian companies to list in Hong Kong as well. Right now, we have around six Canadian companies already listed in Hong Kong, like Manulife and also some of the mining and oil and gas companies. I do very much welcome many more listings, especially from this part of the world, where it could be tech, could be mining, or for other types of new economic activities.
     
    The second part I want to highlight, apart from how Hong Kong has been faring, is in terms of my observations so far this year, so far in my visit. Apart from the general ones that I just highlighted, I do see a number of areas that Hong Kong and Canada can work together. First of all, wealth management, because I got the chance to see and meet a number of insurance companies and banks from this part of the world. In fact, many of them are heavily invested and also have a strong presence in Hong Kong, like Manulife, which takes up 27 per cent of our Mandatory Provident Fund, a pension service system in Hong Kong. And also Sun Life, which is in collaboration with Dah Sing Bank in Hong Kong through the bank insurance businesses. Also we have CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) and others that already have a strong presence in corporate banking in Hong Kong.
     
    Many people see wealth management as an emerging trend, an area where we should work together. Because in the way that we see the world, like all of you, people are looking for ways to diversify. Many of the traditional markets where people want to park their wealth in the Anglo-Saxon world, people are still changing their minds in terms of whether they should diversify through geography or through products. In either way, Hong Kong is an option, because we have been the largest offshore cross-boundary wealth management centre so far in Asia, and we are looking to be the biggest one in the world. It is an area that we are very keen to develop further. Right now, we have 2 700 single family offices. We are going to have facilitated at least 200 more family offices by the end of this year. Also, we are going to have more tax concessions for family offices to cover private credit, carbon credit, and virtual assets. I will leave these details to our Invest Hong Kong colleagues. They will have all the details. All I want to say is wealth management, in particular in terms of family offices and high-net-worth individuals, is an area that I think Hong Kong can walk closely together with this country.
     
    The second area that I think is important to note in terms of collaboration is about what the host mentioned just now – the Web Summit Vancouver. The reason that I’m here is because we just passed a law to regulate stablecoin issues in Hong Kong. It is a big topic, not just in Hong Kong, but regionally, because many people see virtual assets as speculative. But that said, stablecoins being underpinned by fiat currency is a different animal, which potentially can be used in the form of payment. At a time when the US dollar or US-related assets are being questioned, I think many of the alternatives, also at the same time, in the form of stablecoins, have that role to play.
     
    In that regard, I have more to share in terms of our ecosystem effort to build an ecosystem in Hong Kong for our virtual assets. We have already 10 virtual asset exchanges, and also at the same time, we are going to issue licenses for stablecoin issuers. And very soon, we will also regulate these virtual asset custodians. For anyone of you who are participating, in this space, I do urge you to look at what Hong Kong has done and also at the same time how you can leverage the opportunities for your own development.
     
    Last but not least, in terms of what I want to inform this group is having debriefed all of you about what Hong Kong has done in terms of wealth management and virtual assets and also fintech in general, I’m sure that you do see a lot of need to come to Hong Kong. So even though you may not be able to get those free tickets, I’m sure you’re all rich enough to buy your own and also give yourself a reason to come to Hong Kong soon. And anytime, anywhere, you’re most welcome. Thank you.
    Issued at HKT 16:49

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government to further reduce emission allowances of power plants

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Government to further reduce emission allowances of power plants 
         The Tenth TM, which is issued under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (the Ordinance), reduces the annual emission allowances of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and respirable suspended particulates (RSPs) from the electricity sector from 2030 onwards at 2 302 tonnes, 8 350 tonnes and 317 tonnes respectively. This represents further tightening by 19 per cent, 25 per cent and 14 per cent respectively when compared with the emission allowances for the electricity sector for 2026 set under the Ninth TM.
     
         A spokesperson for the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) said, “In setting the new emission allowances, we have taken into account factors such as local electricity demand, the gas-fired electricity generation of the two power companies (including the progress of constructing new gas-fired units for replacement of coal-fired units), the emission performance of existing generating units, the estimated import of nuclear power and clean energy, and the projected electricity intake from renewable energy sources. The Government has also been requiring the two power companies to adopt the best practicable means in their plants’ design and operational management to minimise emissions of air pollutants.”
    　　  
         The Hongkong Electric Company Limited is building a new gas-fired generating unit for operation in 2029, while an existing coal-fired generating unit will be decommissioned correspondingly by then. As for CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP), driven by major infrastructure developments (such as the Northern Metropolis), the electricity demand in 2030-2031 is forecasted to be about 9 per cent higher than the forecast made in the Ninth TM. CLP plans to increase the output of its existing gas-fired generating units to meet the additional electricity demand, and will import more zero-carbon energy from the Mainland. These measures can further reduce the two power companies’ reliance on coal-fired power generation, thereby reducing pollutant emissions.

    　　The spokesperson added, “Hong Kong’s air quality has been improving continuously in recent years. The ambient concentrations of SO2, nitrogen dioxide and RSPs recorded in 2024 had been reduced by 45 per cent to 88 per cent when compared with that in 2004. The number of hours of reduced visibility observed had also been greatly reduced by 82 per cent from its peak in 2004. The significant improvement is also attributable to the Government’s efforts in implementing measures to reduce air pollutant emissions from power plants. As emissions from the electricity sector accounted for 61 per cent, 27 per cent and 13 per cent of the territory-wide emissions of SO2, NOx and RSPs respectively in 2022, the tightened emission allowances for power plants will help further improve the air quality in Hong Kong and the PRD region.　　 
    　　The Tenth TM will be tabled at the Legislative Council on June 4 for commencement by the end of 2025. In accordance with the Ordinance, the new set of emission allowances will come into effect on January 1, 2030.
    Issued at HKT 11:30

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  • MIL-OSI China: China-Cambodia “Golden Dragon 2025” joint exercise wraps up 2025-05-30 19:20:49 On May 28, local time, the conclusion ceremony of the aerial and land live-fire drill of China-Cambodia “Golden Dragon 2025” joint exercise was held in Cambodia.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      The conclusion ceremony of the China-Cambodia “Golden Dragon 2025” joint exercise is held at the Military Police Training Center of the RCAF in Kampong Chhnang Province in Cambodia on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Duan Jiangshan)

      KAMPONG CHHNANG, Cambodia, May 30 — On May 28, local time, the conclusion ceremony of the aerial and land live-fire drill of China-Cambodia “Golden Dragon 2025” joint exercise was held at the Military Police Training Center of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in Kampong Chhnang Province in Cambodia.

      The aerial and land live-fire drill was set against the backdrop of “terrorists” attacking a China-Cambodia joint venture, taking several “hostages” to a neighborhood hotel and resisting by relying on the surrounding buildings. The drill highlighted urban counter-terrorism operations, and focused on hostage rescue and encirclement and suppression. The drill covered 24 tactical operations including multi-dimensional reconnaissance, airborne control and defense, three-dimensional assault, hostage rescue, emergency aid and treatment, and elimination of remaining enemy forces. The participating troops of the two sides were uniformly grouped into a joint taskforce. 

      After the drill, the chief directors of both sides reported on the overall situation of the exercise, and the leaders of both sides presented awards to the representatives of the participating troops with excellent performance. 

      The China-Cambodia “Golden Dragon 2025” joint exercise further deepened pragmatic cooperation, exchange, and mutual trust between the two sides, and enhanced the joint commanding and operational capabilities of the two militaries, marking a new starting point in the cooperation between the two militaries and their actual combat capabilities.

      At the site of the aerial and land live-fire drill of the China-Cambodia “Golden Dragon 2025” joint exercise at the Military Police Training Center of the RCAF in Kampong Chhnang Province in Cambodia on May 28, the troops of China-Cambodia joint taskforce take turns providing cover and advanced towards the “terrorist” stronghold. (Photo by Duan Jiangshan)

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  • Heavy rains batter Kerala and coastal Karnataka: red alerts issued

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Torrential monsoon rains wreaked havoc across Kerala and coastal Karnataka on Friday, triggering landslides, flooding, widespread power outages, and disrupting daily life in both states.

    Authorities have issued red alerts in several districts as the situation continues to worsen.

    In Kerala, heavy downpours led to extensive damage and waterlogging across multiple districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued red alerts for Idukki, Kannur, and Kasargod, and orange alerts for 11 other districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, and Kottayam.

    Flooding in low-lying areas of Kottayam, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta forced hundreds of residents to seek refuge in relief camps.

    State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, expressing concern about the worsening situation in his hometown Chengannur, said: “Am told by people in the know of things that if the rain waters do not come down, what was witnessed in 2018 might happen.”

    “All district and revenue officials are on high alert and have been instructed to act swiftly if conditions deteriorate further,” Cherian told IANS.

    Public life has been significantly disrupted – educational institutions were closed in 11 out of 14 districts, train services were cancelled or delayed, and road transport suffered due to landslides and uprooted trees.

    Over five million homes experienced power outages, with the Kerala State Electricity Board estimating damages worth Rs 120 crore. In a tragic incident, an 85-year-old woman died in Ernakulam district after a tree fell on her during the storm.

    In coastal Karnataka, a six-year-old girl identified as Fathima Nayeema lost her life in a landslide in Montepadavu, Ullal taluk, near Mangaluru. The landslide buried two houses, prompting emergency rescue operations. While two people were pulled out safely, rescue efforts for three others trapped under debris are ongoing.

    In Mangaluru, relentless rain flooded several areas, with around 50 houses inundated in Kallapu, leading to emergency evacuations. The district administration declared a holiday for all schools, Anganwadi centres, and colleges, and issued strict advisories against venturing near the sea. Similar precautions were taken in Udupi, where educational institutions were also shut.

    The IMD has issued a red alert in Karnataka for Mangaluru, Udupi, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and Hassan until June 2, while orange alerts are in place for Karwar, Shivamogga, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, and Bidar.

    Emergency helpline numbers have been issued, and a ban has been imposed on visiting beaches, rivers, and waterfalls in the affected coastal regions.

    Meanwhile, Bengaluru remained under a cloudy sky, with weather authorities predicting more rainfall in the coming days.

    (With inputs from IANS)